Product of the day!

Touch of Silver by Pro Voke is a really great hair product and it's not just for grey-headed women, although this is obviously the most straightforward reason using it.

But I have recently recommended it to a few of my blonde mates and they really adore it.

"It takes the brassiness out of just-coloured hair"

"It keeps me blonder for longer"

"It keeps my naturally blonde hair shiny and bright"

If you are going grey and have been dying your hair dark, then this is a good shampoo if you want to go a few shades lighter as it helps keep the colour and boost it at the same time.

Get yourself a bottle now and let me know how you get on!

Crowning Glory

Women are obsessed with hair.

It's what makes us feel good, or feel bad.

It's one of the first things another woman notices and one of the last things blokes notice about us.

When your hair is not in tip-top nick, it often means that something is not right in your life; health, stress, nutrition and happiness are all reflected in our hair.

I know of women who spend a lot of money keeping their tresses in a state of perpetual perfection.

One friend spends £100 every six weeks on a trim, £250 every eight weeks on a colour, has a professional blow-dry once a week, takes load of vitamins to keep her hair strong and uses only Phyto, Kerastase and Philip Kinglsey products in her hair. All that adds up to about four grand a year by my reckoning. She is very well off and is very lucky. But who of us can actually do that?

So do you have to be minted to keep your barnet in mint condition?

Of course you don't!

Here are a few of my favourite, and inexpensive, products:

Hair heroes

Pure Coconut are a great and very good value brand that are mainly available in Superdrug and Savers.

I have tried the shampoo and conditioner and I have to say I was impressed. the fragrance is not too strong but does last. Every so often during the day you'll get a hint the scent when you swish your hair about. The hair is shiny and tangle-free, but my hair can get a little bit oily at the crown and this is a bit too heavy formy hair. However, if you have slightly drier hair, I would honestly say this is a really great purchase and as products in the range are priced from £2 you can't really argue!

I like the range as whole though - the serum is great and they have a love little Glossing Spray which is perfect for finishing off a DIY blow-dry.

Colour me beautiful

Home hair colour is a tricky blighter for some. For a start there are masses of brands and loads of different ranges within each brand. Do you go permanent or semi or what? And how much should you spend?

Well, I can honestly say that one of my favourite home hair colour kits is from Avon. I cannot tell you enough how brilliant Avon is as a brand. Good value, good technology, good trends - love's!

So, I decided to give Avon Advance Techniques Professional Hair Colour, £2, a crack. I am really pleased I did.

The colour takes well and leaves hair very soft and glossy. It also lasts a good old while - of course it depends on how quickly your hair grows - the colour didn't fade for more than six weeks which I think is really great.

Masqued beauty

I know I have mentioned this before, but honestly, TreSemme Restructuring Deep Conditioning Masque is brilliant. if you hair is lacklustre and needs some extra loving, go out and buy your self a pot of this. It is extremely hydrating but not heavy so your hair has bounce and shone all at the same time. It styles a treat after using it too!

I don't use it every wash but I'm sure you could if your hair was very brittle and damaged, but I use mine once a week or if I have really out my hair throughout it I'll use it the morning after to give it a little mid-week boost. At £4.99 it is unquestionable value and is as good as a lot of the pricier products on the shelves.

So, they are a few of my budget beauty buys. Lots more to come over the next fee weeks!

Let me know your favourites! Get in touch at

editormybeautybagsecrets@gmail.com

or on Twitter

@beautybagsecret

Old faithfuls!

Don't you just love it when you re-discover an old favourite, or a super classic that you forgot you had?

Well, that's happened to me this week. And not just once, but twice!

I stayed over at my friend's for a couple of nights last weekend, and very annoyingly forgot to bring my shampoo and conditioner.

You can't imagine how cheesed off I was.

My friend lent me her shampoo and conditioner - Herbal Essences Smooth and Soft for Dry/Damaged/Frizzy Hair, £3.36 each. I hadn't used this for an age, and we can all get a bit tied to our favourite products so wasn't sure how my hair was going to react.

Well, I needn't have worried!

First thing is the smell. Yummy. It actually made my mouth water, wrong I know, but I can't help it.

The lather was good too, and it didn't tangle up - this must be because of the botanical silk extract. The conditioner is excellent too - it is mixed with a serum so it smooths, detangles and tames. Brilliant!

I dried my hair to a silky, smooth and straight perfection. They have actually re-formulated the shampoo and conditioner and I must say I was so happy, it is now on my beauty shopping list!

The second moment of heart-stopping joy was when I was sorting out my perfume cupboard. Yes, I have a cupboard full to the brim of fragrance. My other half used to think it was quite over-the-top and slightly ridiculous that I needed an entire cupboard, but he's grown used to it now and doesn't shake his head in disbelief every time he walks in there.

Anyway, I was re-ordering it and came across a trusted friend - Chloe Eau de Toilette, £46. What a joy!

If you are not familiar with it, give it a go. It is floral, but not cloying. I think it is the mix of rose, freesia and iris that makes it soft rather than intense. I also like the hint of fruit in the scent, it's sort of summery, like your own ray of sunshine on a grim day!

Anyway, it's no longer at the back of my cupboard, no, it's now on my dressing table, ready to be spritzed on every morning!