QVC Today's Special Value (TSV) - BaByliss Curl Secret!

Right, I've only just seen this, and it's advanced orders only already, so you're going to have to be quick if you want it. However the BaByliss CurlSecret is on offer at £92.40 + £6.95 postage and packaging on QVC today, right now. The normal retail price is £120, so you're saving £20.65 in total, which is a pretty decent saving.

The advanced orders will be shipped on the week commencing 16th December, so I expect it will still be in time for Christmas gifting.

Below is the information QVC provide about the device, although I'll be reviewing the Professional version very soon:

"BaByliss Curl Secret Hair Styler. With this innovative styler, hair is automatically drawn into the ceramic curl chamber where it is softly held and heated from all directions, taking just seconds to form a perfect curl. It even has an audio beep indicator to let you know exactly when to release your hair. Effortlessly create long-lasting, free-flowing curls with the BaByliss Curl Secret.

Professional-quality styler - it features a powerful heating system with  ultra-fast heat recovery for constant high heat, plus a 20 minute sleep mode and a 60 minute automatic shut-off feature for added safety.

Let the curler do the hard work - with standard tools it's always tricky creating the perfect curl, but the Curl Secret features alternating curl direction control for fast, uniform formation and natural-looking, long-lasting results.

Three timer settings:
Setting 1: eight seconds/three beeps for loose, natural curls
Setting 2: 10 seconds/ four beeps for soft bouncy curls
Setting 3: 12 seconds/ five beeps for tight, defined curls

Two heat settings:
Low setting: for delicate, fine or coloured hair
High setting: for normal textured hair

    Ceramic curl chamber for smooth, shiny curls
    Heat ready indicator light
    Suitable for shorter and mid-length hair, not very long hair
    Not suitable for synthetic or real hair extensions
    2.5m (97.5") swivel cord for control whilst styling


Contains:

    1 x BaByliss Curl Secret Hair Styler (l x w): 27cm x 8cm (10.5" x 3.1")
    1 x heat protection mat

All measurements are approximate"

Take me there!

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

ghd Scarlet Deluxe Collection!

I've used ghd straighteners for the last 5 years, but before using them I used Kodo straighteners, believing that since they were solid ceramic and got to the same temperature, they'd be just as good but without the larger price tag. And they were good, until the day that I tried my sister's ghd's and realised how much better they were, in pretty much every way, ease of use, results etc. The difference was so noticeable that I ditched the Kodo straighteners immediately in favour of a pair of ghd Mark 4's and I've used these ever since, they haven't failed me yet!

The new ghd Deluxe Scarlet Collection gift set is a thing of beauty, in every way! When I received the box, I think I might have squeeled a little at its gorgeous presentation. A beautiful box, with Art Deco styling, containing a gorgeous, scarlet red clutch bag, a travel hair dryer, 2 sectioning clips (that actually do hold hair well), a vanity case (useful and looks good) and of course, the ghd Classic Gold styler with new, red plates and separate heat guard.

The scarlet bag, which, like the box has distinct Art Deco styling, really has the wow factor and when you open the box, I expect it will be the first thing that catches your eye, like it was for me. I'd be happy to take it out with me, let alone store my straighteners in it, which is its primary purpose - you can even put your straighteners into this bag when hot, as it's heat resistant, which makes it perfect for travelling.

Along with the heat resistant bag, the set contains a dedicated heat guard that slips over the plates of the straighteners that will protect surfaces from being burned whilst in use. I have found these to be useful, although you do need to position them perfectly, or be faced with faffing to get them on and off if they're not at the right angle. You'll get a feel for this within minutes of using it, so it's not too much of a problem at all.

Talking of the plates, I mentioned that they're red, but they also have a slight sparkle to them which totally appeals to the magpie in me, although I haven't been able to capture them very well in the photographs below. Although not an essential thing, I do think think this adds a lovely touch to the look of the straighteners and makes them feel a bit more glamorous in the process, which is totally in keeping with the collection as a whole.

The plates also seem smoother than on my previous model, which is great for straightening as there's less drag and catching, however I do find curling with these slightly more diffiult - which I expect is due to this, as there's less 'grab' so to speak. Not such a problem as these days I generally use specific tools for curling anyway!

The straighteners are pretty much the same design as your average ghd in every other way, other than the red styling and a slightly larger, easier to use power switch, and they work in exactly the same way.

However, I have noticed that they don't get quite as hot as my ghd MK4 straighteners, and whilst this isn't such a bad thing as it's kinder to your hair, I do find it takes a little bit longer to get the same smooth effect - not long enough to make this a deal breaker, just an extra stroke or so, depending on the thickness of the hair you're using it on.

There's no way of controlling the temperature either, which I suspect is why they've made them slightly kinder to hair as I'd expect it's better to give the option for people to use an extra stroke for thicker/coarser hair, than it is for people with finer hair to scorch/damage their hair with the hotter plates.

Finally, the dryer that comes with the set is actually quite good - it's great for travelling as the handle folds and makes the unit even more compact, yet it still packs enough power to actually dry hair, which some travel hairdryers I've owned in the past have failed to do.

All in all, this collection is a success, it looks good, and works well too. It's a perfect option for a gift, as I think it will wow the recipient - or even just a nice treat for yourself!

Available from http://www.ghdhair.com for £149!

PR Sample - Views are my own!

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

InStyler - A Review!

The InStyler is a multi-function heated styling tool with a rotating barrel that can straighten, curl, and volumize hair - and everything in between too. I first saw the InStyler on QVC quite a while ago, and had always been intrigued by how it worked. Now I’ve finally been about to try one out, and I am actually really impressed with the tool and its performance.

My hair has been a bit of a pain in the bottom recently, as I am still growing out some layers that a scissor happy stylist forced (long story but I was powerless to stop him) upon me. This means that I have been a bit more limited in how I have been doing my hair lately, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a few layers, but this was some ‘organic’ freehand thing which roughly translated to a mess on my head that I have no control over.

This also means that my hair doesn’t quite work for tight/defined curls with this tool at the moment - well some parts do (and those that do, do it very well indeed) and then there’s those that really do not (unruly layers that just won’t curl around the barrel) so I decided to go for getting a bit of movement into my hair with some very loose, none uniform curls, whilst trying to tame the wayward layers too. Please excuse my make-up free face in the following photographs – I look hideous but I had to go make-up free for 24 hours after a facial!

My first couple of attempts at using the InStyler were a bit more cack-handed than even I am used to, since the barrel rotates and also has a brush attached – something that felt completely alien to me; however after a bit of practice I think I’ve got the hang of it, or at least as much as I ever will, being the cack-handed muppet that I am. ;-)

I first used the InStyler to straighten my hair, as I thought I should start with the basics and work my way up. My hair was fresh from washing with only a comb put through it (see pic above) and straightening with the inStyler took no time at all to do.

After this I moved onto the curling/movement style (on my pre-straightened hair) which I also found surprisingly easy, and quick too (about 15 minutes to curl my whole head, using fairly large sections for the looser look) – although those with very thick hair who want tighter curls may find it takes a lot longer!

I didn’t use any styling products whilst using the tool, just freshly washed hair with my usual drop of MoroccanOil as I wanted to see how well the tool did on its own merit. The curls dropped, which was to be expected as they were only very loosely and quickly done, but even after dropping they left me with that movement I had wanted.

I also find that my hair is SO shiny after using the InStyler both when straightening and curling – in fact the shine after curling has impressed me hugely as I never seem to get those glossy curls I long for. I think this is due to the rotating barrel as it must smooth the cuticle of the hair whilst it shapes it (much like hair straightening does). It is a bit noisy, but most things that have a motor for a moving part are the same, I've come to expect it and just turn my music up a bit louder to counteract this.

I've included 2 very short videos showing how I created my loose curls - sorry about the quality, I am still very much a beginner when it comes to moving on camera (and doing anything on camera, if I am honest - ha!).





The InStyler comes with a thermal shield to stop you burning yourself whilst using, but frankly I prefer it without as I find that it gets in the way. It also comes with an instructional DVD but I didn’t use that either as I am rubbish with reading manuals with things that I am too excited to try out – although I did go to their YouTube channel to watch some of the content on there in the end! Oooh and it also comes with a very handy bag that doubles up as a heat resistant mat to place the InStyler on whilst in use.

There are just a couple of things that I would change or add, and they are:

1. Put a heat proof end on the barrel to help when curling to stop fingers catching and burning at the end (I found that this only happens rarely, but it’s still a nice idea for future models)!
2. One press of a button to turn off/a separate temperature control as I’m sure many of you are only used to one step to turn off an appliance, where this requires 3 ‘clicks’ as before it turns of, it decreases the temperature twice – which is a nice feature for the finer haired among us, but a bit impractical when it comes to turning the InStyler off – and could pose a bit of a problem for anybody who forgets and ends up leaving it on, accidentally.
3. It would also be great if the barrel was detachable so that you could add smaller or larger barrels to make tighter/looser curls and volume whenever you fancy it!
4. I'd love for it to beep when it's at the correct temperature to use like my straighteners do! 

You can buy the InStyler for £100 from InStyler and you can find out more on their Twitter and Facebook pages!


Sponsored post - views (and bad photographs) are my own!

Win An Enrapture Hair Styling Tool With Debenhams!

I've had the fortune to try 2 of the 3 tools out and have been really very impressed - I've got a post coming up on the waving tool very soon, and if you haven't already seen it then have a little look at my Totem Styler review here!

So, when I noticed there was a competition to win one of their stylers on the Debenhams Blog I thought that you guys might like to know about it, so you can be in with the chance of winning. It's a Twitter based competition and full details are included in the Debenhams Blog link above, but I've copied a little text in case you'd rather just get on with entering!

So to be in with a chance to win one of these fantastic Enrapture hair stylers make sure you follow us on Twitter and look out for our Enrapture #goodhairday tweets, which will be starting Monday 7 November and simply retweet one of these tweets on the competition days to enter.

Will you be entering? 

QVC Today's Special Value - Diva Glamoriser Split Barrel Styling Wand for Straight and Curly Hair!

I just noticed this Diva 'Glamoriser Professional Straight & Curl Multi Styler with Volume Enhancers' on QVC as their TSV for today and not only is it at a massively discounted price compared to buying it in a salon (apparently they're £129 to buy normally, compared to the normal QVC price of £77) but for today only, or until their stock is sold out, you can get it for £63.60 plus £5.95 postage and pay in 3 monthly instalments of £21.20 (postage paid on first payment)!

It looks like a rather good product from what I have seen of it, although I haven't had any experience of it myself - but definitely caught my attention. Have a look at the video where they show a few different uses of it (you may need to jump through some of the repetitive parts though) - what do you think? Could you see yourself using one?

QVC TSV Page!