What is it about bad hair days? The worst thing is, they usually happen on days that you want to look nice, for a special occasion or business meeting. Well, we have some good news. John Frieda seems to know all too well the hassles women face every day with frizzy and seemingly un-tamable hair. That's why the company has developed a new formula created specially for those girls with mind-of-their-own hair types.

Frizz-Ease from John Frieda

The new Frizz-Ease brand promises to revitalise your hair, creating a smooth look that even the boyfriend would notice. Now that is saying something.

So what's it really like? And does it really transform my hair from frizy to fabulous?

The shampoo and conditioner smell extra nice. That's a good start. Now down to the important stuff. When washing, the products don't tend to generate a great lather with the usual small dollop needed. So I had to go for a second application. The second time round it did, in fact, now lather generously but if you need to do this each time, it could cut the product's shower-shelf life in two. The conditioner, however, took only one rinse and my hair already felt fairly sleek.

Results: After drying and styling as normal, I did notice a difference. The ususal just-been-electrified-whisps of hair that stick up near my parting had been flattened and instead replaced by.....an almost nothingness. Yes, nothing. Except a couple of rebel strands which I'd obviously not plied enough with the shampoo.

Out came the Frizz Ease Original Hair Serum. This went on nicely without having a greasy feel about it and seemed to do the job on smoothing down the remaining frizz. I even received a compliment (well worked for with those second lathering efforts I have to say) later on in the day about how nice and shiny my hair looked.

I decided to test out the Frizz Ease Heat Defeat Protective Spray another day so as not to overwhelm my locks. I don't often use hairspray, I must admit, but the first thing I noticed was how sweet it smelt. Almost blossom-like so very pleasant. This was actually my least favourite product out of the range, though, but, to be honest, I wouldn't have a lot of sprays to compare it to anyway. It did hold my style for an hour or two but eventually succumbed to all the every day natural activities that we undergo as women. You know, nipping out to the local shops, popping out for a coffee - that sort of thing.

I have, however, been using the shampoo and conditioner since the day I first tried them. As well as the new de-frizzy look I'm now sporting, I've noticed I haven't needed to wash my hair as often which is an added bonus. This just leaves me more time for those pressing activities I mentioned.

Check out the John Frieda Facebook page for more info.

Like everything else, there are many myths surrounding our hair. Does vinegar really make your hair shine? Are you really supposed to leave it a week before washing it??

Here below are some of the most common myths:

Wash once a week
Ok, so not everyone is lucky enough to be able to leave hair for 3 days without it looking greasy. I'm one of the unlucky ones as my hair is fairly fine. But how often should you wash it? You should try to give your hair at least one day's break to let your natural oils do their job and repair any hair damage caused by straightening etc. However, washing hair every other day is just fine, just make sure you buy the right shampoo adapted to your hair otherwise you may end up stripping it of those good oils.

Split ends can be repaired
The only cure for split ends is the chop. Cutting your locks allows for natural regrowth. It's a bit like cutting your nails - if you don't get rid of the torn edges, they will never grow back nice and strong.

Lemon juice is good for bleaching
This is an old wives tale which probably started long before the days of the good old hair dye. Nowadays, the best way to bleach hair is to go to a hairdressers/hair specialist and get the treatment done properly. Who knows what the acid in the lemon juice could do to your lovely tresses?

Shampoo resistance
Some people often say they become immune to a certain shampoo or conditioner if they've been using it for awhile. The hair products still have the same benefits for your hair, it may just be that because you've been using it for some time you can no longer see this yourself. However, if you do fancy a change, there's no harm in that either, so switch brands for a short time and switch back again if you find one you particularly like.

What type of shampoo shopper are you? Do you open a bottle in the middle of the isle and take a whiff before purchasing, regardless what the content will do to your hair? Are you a shampoo snob and buy only brand products? Or do fairly believe that you might as well be using soap and you wouldn't spend more than 5 quid on any shampoo even if your life or life of your hair was dependent on it?

If you take your hair seriously you do what I do: you take up a quest for a Grail amongst hair products: a perfect shampoo. It will have a pleasant scent, won't be extravagantly expensive or/and you'll get good value for money. Are you there yet? I'm not unfortunately, but I managed to gather quite impressive collection of shampoo-experiences. Below you'll find seven of them.
1. Origins Clear Head Mint Shampoo (£8.50 for 250ml) did you ever felt like mixed up the bottles and you washed your hair with shower gel? I did. It's a OK shampoo packed with mint from all over the world, giving your hair this super clean feeling but you definitely don't want to get it in your eyes! Good for normal and greasy hair.
2. Botanics Normal Shampoo (£2.99 for 250ml) Cheap but surprisingly good! It has nice, herby scent (after all it is Botanics), and seems to get reed of all the residue from your hair. On the down side you need quite a lot of it to get good lather. Good for normal and greasy hair.
3. Clarins Re-Vital Shampoo for frequent use (£9.50 for 200 ml) I had to remind myself why it wasn't the one...It smells nice. You only need a bit to get an awesome lather going and left my hair nice and shiny. I guess it is a bit expensive if you don't need any particular qualities from shampoo...Good for normal and dry hair.
4. Fructis Normal Shampoo (£2.49 for 250 ml) Fructis and I didn't work out from the start. Though the shampoo has great price and the scent to die for it left my hair tangled and in bad need of conditioner. Wouldn't recommend.
5. L’Oréal Elvive Nutri Gloss Shampoo (£2.99 for 300 ml) Let's get things straight - it didn't give me a miracle shine. The shampoo is OK - nice scent, good value for money, hair feels clean but my dry hair didn't seem impressed. If you have normal hair - maybe something for you.
6. Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo (£3.44 for 300ml) It's currently my favourite! My hair feels really nourished, it smells so great I wish I washed my hair every day, it has really good price and it last and lasts and lasts! And I really like their marketing - I never laughed when reading shampoo labels!
7. Kerastase Resistance (depends on salon) Yes. I thought I try. When my stylist said that my hair has exactly 6 months of life and only this product can save it, could I say no? Well, I should have. I spent over £50 on various treatments and conditioners but...my hair still stayed brittled and dry...On the upside you can use the shampoo sparingly and it will last for ages. And my friend would sell her grandmother to buy it and that has to mean something, no?Good for dry hair - supposedly ;)


Everyone's hair is different and what works for me may not work for you and the opposite. The only way to find out is to take on your own shampoo quest. Good luck and I hope you won't ruin your hair in the process!