If your big wedding day is coming up this summer, no doubt you are in the midst of a long to-do list as the excitement builds. It’s a day that you will remember for the rest of your life, not least because of the hundreds of photographs that will be taken. Therefore you will naturally want to look your best, and have probably already invested a lot of time and money into selecting the perfect wedding clothes, having fittings and seeking the opinion of friends and family. Your hair and makeup are just as important to complete the look, and this is why some brides-to-be have a trial run before their wedding day. Why have a bridal hair and makeup trial? If you have not considered the idea of road testing your bridal hair and makeup before, it may seem like another expense and time-consuming chore when you already have plenty of other things to deal with. However, unless you are sticking to a look that is very similar to your everyday style, suddenly seeing a new version of yourself on the day of your wedding can be rather unsettling. This is the last thing you want, when the pressure is on to look and feel at ease among your guests and in the wedding photographs. A trial run gives you the opportunity to test out your look and feel comfortable with it. If you feel too alien and distanced from your authentic self, it can affect the whole mood of the day, so it’s important to make sure you feel happy, and have the confidence to request any changes. Does the look go the distance? Book your trial for a reasonably early hour of the morning, just as you will be doing on your wedding day. Time how long it takes, so that you can fit it comfortably into your wedding schedule without any holdups. Spend the day going about your usual activities (well maybe not a long gym session, but you get the picture) to see how well it lasts. This can help to avoid any annoying smudges and hair fails if you find that the look is not long lasting enough. Address any concerns with your stylist, who will be able to suggest appropriate solutions. It’s also a chance to ensure that you do not have allergies to new products that might cause unfortunate reactions such as rashes. Building stronger relationships with your stylist The trial is a chance to get to know your stylist better, and also for them to know you. This will ensure that you feel more relaxed with them, and you don’t have to worry about meeting strangers just when you are feeling most nervous and tense on your wedding morning. It also opens lines of communication for new suggestions and more creative ideas, and you may find that they are able to make suggestions that perfectly suit your personal style, but hadn’t occurred to you before.

If you have little girls to get ready for school each morning, then you will know that getting their hair looking tidy and presentable can be a real challenge!

Planning the outfit is all part of the fun of a princess theme birthday party, and it might take a while for her to decide which princesses' shoes to step in!

One of the most popular ways for your little one to celebrate their birthday is with a princess party. Here are some tips to make the most of the experience.

Who can blame a girl for wanting to have a princess theme birthday party? It’s a chance to have fun with gorgeous clothes and rocking hair and makeup looks.

It’s the party season, and it’s time to unleash your inner Disney princess with some fun and fabulous hairstyles . Here are some top ideas to help you channel that magical fairytale experience this winter. The elegant Elsa braid Queen Elsa (aka The Snow Queen) is the Frozen star with icy superpowers. Her long platinum blonde hair is elegantly styled in a sideways braid that falls to one side. If you do not have long hair but would love to rock an Elsa braid, consider having hair extensions. To achieve this look, brush out your hair and tease out any tangles. If your hair is fine, use a backcombing tool to create some of that cartoon-style volume first of all. This is easier to do with hair that hasn’t been recently washed. Use a fine-toothed comb and comb your hair forwards in sections, and then lightly comb the front section smoothly over the top. Start a French braid from the upper back of your head, taking chunky sections of hair, and loosely braid to the nape of your neck, directing it to one side so that the rest of the braid will fall over your shoulder. Keeping the braid loose, flip it over your shoulder and continue down the length of your hair. Secure with a clear band. To make the braid look fuller, gently pull on each side to give it some volume. If you have shorter pieces of hair that frame your face, pull these out gently and curl them with a styling tool. Loosely arrange them on the top and sides of your head and secure with hairspray. If you want to go full-on princess, tie a blue bow at the end of the braid. Beachy Ariel waves Ariel, the spirited star of The Little Mermaid, has thick flowing red waves. This has inspired a whole host of mermaid hair trends, with one of the most popular being beachy waves. It’s a perfect hairstyle for any occasion, as it can look both casual and dressy with a few subtle alterations. It’s a super easy look to achieve with medium or longer length hair, and flatters everyone, whatever age, colouring, or face shape. They are a great balance between straight and curly, so are achievable whatever type of hair you have. Start by spritzing your hair all over with a heat protectant spray and then curl it with a curling iron. Section off hair from top to bottom, and place one to two inches of the section onto the iron, leaving the last two inches out. Twist the iron away from your face and hold for a few seconds and then release. Repeat the process on each section and avoid touching the curls until they are cool. Spritz with a medium-hold hairspray and very gently brush out the waves. Apply a serum to the ends of your hair to take care of any untidy flyaway ends.

Hair extensions are an exciting way to transform your image and give you the hair you’ve always dreamed of. Here are some top tips to keep it looking great.

Many of us dream of having long lustrous tresses, but growing your hair can be a frustratingly slow process. Here are some top tips to boost your hair growth.

Washing and conditioning hair is a regular part of our health and beauty routine, and it might seem to be a straightforward process. However, many people make some common mistakes that can affect the overall result and may mean that their hair does not look or feel as good as it could. Here are some top tips for beautiful freshly washed hair. Using water that is too hot Hot water can irritate the scalp and cause it to feel dry and itchy. It can also damage the strands of your hair, leaving them brittle and prone to breakage. Instead, use lukewarm water to help preserve the moisture levels in your hair. Using too much shampoo Shampoo is an essential step to remove oils and dirt, despite recent TikTok trends such as No-Poo. However, using too much can strip away essential nutrients and irritate your scalp. Aim to use a quantity about the size of a 50p coin for best results. Cheaper shampoos can contain harsh ingredients that dry your hair, so it’s worth investing in a quality product. Lather the shampoo in the palms of your hands with a little water, and then gently massage it into your scalp and roots of your hair where it is most needed for at least one minute, and then rinse thoroughly before applying conditioner. Applying conditioner when your hair is too wet If you layer conditioner onto very wet hair, most of it will slide off and be wasted. Therefore you should always gently squeeze your hair to remove the excess water once you have rinsed away the shampoo. This will allow the conditioner to coat the hair cuticles properly and leave them feeling soft and smooth when your hair is dry. Applying conditioner to the roots Unless your hair is exceptionally dry and damaged, there is no need to apply conditioner to the roots. The hair here is newer and softer, and it is also more prone to gathering oils from the scalp. If you have fine hair, putting conditioner too near the roots will leave it looking flat and dull. Just focus on the mid lengths and ends where it’s most needed. Rinsing too soon Conditioner needs at least two or three minutes to sink in and properly penetrate the hair cuticles, so leave a sufficient gap between applying it and rinsing it off. Not rinsing properly It’s important to rinse your hair thoroughly to remove all the excess product, otherwise your hair will look greasy and have no bounce or shine. Note the texture of your hair as you rinse and wait until it no longer feels slippery to the touch. Gently tease the hair with your hands as you rinse to ensure that all the layers are exposed to the water. If you are interested in an Essex blow dry course, please get in touch with us today .