Description: It claims to stimulate and condition hair, leaving hair full, shiny and healthier. Which is of course exactly what a hair mask should do. £14.20 for 200ml

Application: After shampooing apply a “generous amount and leave on for 5 minutes before washing out.

The look: The bright blue tub and neon green lid is quite fun, it certainly stands out, and has a youthful feel. The product itself is a light blue and looks incredibly thick and sticky.

The smell: The worst bit, anyone who has ever taken Gaviscone will be all too familiar with the smell of this hair mask. It is just horrible, that chalky peppermint chemical smell is incredibly off putting, all it does it conjure feelings of indigestion.

The feel: Slightly jelly like, it’s thick which makes it difficult to smooth evenly across the hair.

Result: I followed the instructions and calmed my gag reflex due to the horrid smell. After washing out the conditioner I expected my hair to be less tangled, it wasn’t. If anything I was fighting the knots more than ever. After drying, without using any other products, my hair was not improved. The ends were drier than ever, the roots were weighed down and my hair looked drab, in fact if anything it was stripped of all of it’s usual shine. Oh, and it smelt of dodgy peppermint.

Overall: Really not great, my hair did not look or feel in better condition at all, perhaps with prolonged use or on thicker hair maybe it would be better. But I have used hair masks in the past, which have genuinely transformed my hair straight away. This isn’t value for money or a good product.

Score: 1/10

The brand: A “fashion” based haircare range. It is stocked in a number of salons and there is a range of products from styling mousses and waxes to shampoos and frizz treatments. There are a number of other lines under the TIGI title which include Catwalk and Hardcore. Interestingly it is difficult to find information on the brand.

Rivals: Lee Stafford, Charles Worthington, Trevor Sorbie

£13.75, available at ASOS.com.

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This particular treatment comes from super-brand Charles Worthington’s ‘intensive’ range which is specifically designed for hair restoration and deep nourishment. As a ‘rescue treatment’ it is designed to re-vitalise damaged hair, (which lets face it, after the arctic blasts we’ve been experiencing probably applies to most of us).

Now I will be the first to admit that I’m usually very impatient with products you have to ‘leave in’ before rinsing however this particular product offers two choices; either 3-4 mins, or for an ‘indulgent treat’ 10 mins.

Like most of Charles Worthington’s range, the mineral hair spa rescue treatment smelled pleasant. It absorbed well into the hair but took a long time to rinse out , whether or not that is positive thing I can’t decide.

After 10 mins before rinsing, my hair felt soft, glossy and noticeably less dry when styled however when only left for 3 mins these results were much less noticeable so this is definitely not the product to use if you’re in a hurry (or if you are impatient like me)!

All in all, it’s definitely worth a try when you’ve got a little time to spoil yourself.

£5.49 available at Charles Worthington

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I usually shy away from the Charles Worthington super-brand, having come to the admittedly unsubstantiated conclusion that I’m probably paying for the name rather than the product. After road-testing this leave-in-conditioner, I am now officially a convert.

Claiming to provide vital conditioning throughout the day and restore a glossy shine I put this product to ultimate test; applying it after a night of experimental back-combing which resulted in a matted and tangled mess.

Application: Easy. After shampooing I worked the conditioner through my damp hair and combed through. Despite my hair being long, thick and particularly tangled, the product didn’t take long to work its magic and my hair became easy to comb in minutes. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that it protected against heat damage so I could blow dry and straighten my hair guilt free.

Results: Shiny, glossy and soft; I couldn’t really ask for much more, my hair smelt fresh and clean too and the results lasted.

So I have learned my beauty-lesson for the day and can assure you that you are not just paying for Mr Charles Worthington’s signature this time, this product is worth every penny.

£5.49 available Charles Worthington

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