At the age of 29 I am only just starting to find out what works for my hair and what doesn’t. Like most women I have a love/hate relationship with my hair and for many years I just didn’t bother. Even now I dislike going to the hairdressers (I just can’t cope with someone in my personal space) and as such I do what I can to look after my mane at home, finding haircare that suits my thick, frizz prone locks and trying to avoid using heat too much. I have a LOT of hair despite frequent loss and it takes a lot of washing to keep it clean and fresh. Recently a package of shampoos landed at my door and I’ve picked out three that have especially impressed me. I used to believe that shampoo was shampoo and it didn’t really matter, but now I know that there is a huge variety out there and sometimes it pays to do more than buy whatever is cheapest at the time.

The first shampoo is the Ocean Mist Volume Shampoo by Sachajuan (£20 for 250ml). Now my hair doesn’t lack volume, left to it’s own devices it contains enough to revival the main stage at a music festival but I still really liked this shampoo despite the hefty price tag. The smell of this is just immense and it left my hair feeling super clean and fresh. I only tried this once but Mum has been using it regularly and can’t stop raving about how it doesn’t weigh her hair down. I trust her opinion on this 100% as she only ever uses volume boosting products and our bathroom is full of her cast offs…if she says it’s good, it’s good!

Being prone to a dry and flaky scalp the product I was most interested in was the Phyto PhytoProgenium Intelligent Shampoo (£12.50 for 200ml) which is a natural clarifying shampoo that claims to gently cleanse an irritated and sensitive scalp. My hair felt AMAZING after using this, so clean and fresh and without a stray flake in sight. Ok so it costs a lot more than my current highstreet shampoo for I’d happily pay the price again for this as it’s a long time since my hair felt so good after a wash. Sometimes it really is a case of you get what you pay for.

Lastly I’ve been enjoying the Dercos Nourishing Cream Shampoo from Vichy. I used this a couple of times after a patch of overdoing the straighteners (honestly, within a day my wavy hair is a mass of tangled curls again) and after just one use I could see and feel a difference. This is the cheapest of the bunch (with an RRP of £8.50 for 200ml) and another product I would repurchase. It’s also free of parabens and has a hypoallergenic formula which is good news for us sensitive souls.

I’ve still got a lot to learn when it comes to my hair so I’d be really interested to know what products you’ve used to solve your woes and if there are any other treatments that you have tried from chemical straightening to hair transplantation. Leave your thoughts and product recommendations in the comments and I’ll report back on anything I try!

*Products in this post were from a selection sent to me for consideration. All thoughts are my own.*

Each time you switch on the news, you might see people living in desperate circumstances. Whether they don’t have enough food to eat or water to drink, they’re fleeing war or they don’t have access to crucial medical supplies, it can be heart breaking to see their plight and feel powerless to help. Thanks to charity initiatives though, there are concrete actions you can take to improve the circumstances of others around the globe. Keep reading for three steps you can follow to ensure you’re doing your bit for those in need.

1. Educate yourself

Your first priority should be to get clued up on the problems that are really affecting people. Whether it’s the homeless in your local community or individuals situated thousands of miles away who are experiencing the effects of droughts or conflicts, you can get the facts you need online. To give you an idea of one of the issues that’s causing suffering, the charity Human Appeal notes that an estimated 200 million children across the world live without one or both parents and these youngsters are often out of school and vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking and child slave labour.

Meanwhile, figures provided by the World Health Organisation suggest that a staggering 1.8 billion people use drinking water containing contaminants that can cause potentially deadly diseases, including typhoid, cholera, polio, dysentery and diarrhoea. In fact, contaminated drinking water is thought to lead to over 500,000 diarrhoea deaths every year.

Malnutrition is a major killer too. Nearly half of deaths of children under the age of five are caused by malnutrition, according to a study published in The Lancet Series. Every year, malnutrition leads to around 3.1 million deaths of youngsters in this age demographic. Deficiencies of minerals and vitamins like calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin A are often to blame.

2. Make donations to good causes

Once you’ve got a clearer idea of the problems impacting on people, you can look for ways to help. A wide range of charities are involved in many different projects that aim to assist people in need. From initiatives that provide clean water supplies, food or medicines to projects that focus on training doctors or giving schools extra equipment to improve educational standards, there are lots of initiatives that you can give money to. It doesn’t matter if you can’t afford to shell out big sums in donations. Even relatively small amounts can make a major contribution to charity efforts, especially if you set up regular payments.

3. Get others involved

Another concrete step you can take is to encourage others to make donations. By chatting to your family, friends and colleagues about the projects that you’re most interested in, you can raise awareness of them. Posting information on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook can be effective too as this will help you reach out to a wider audience.

You may not be to solve the world’s problems, but by getting involved with good causes like this, you can help to make people’s lives better.

*This is a pre-written piece of content provided for my blog, no compensation was received, it’s just a bloody good cause.*

If you’re troubled by an embarrassing health problem, it can feel like you’re the only one suffering. However, regardless of how humiliated you might feel, it’s likely that there are others who are going through the same wellbeing woes. In this blog, we look at three health issues that are more common than you might think and what you can do to overcome them.

1. Erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get and maintain an erection, and although it can be an extremely embarrassing issue to deal with, many men experience it. It’s estimated that around 50 per cent of all men between 40 and 70 years old suffer with it at some point. It can be easy to ignore the problem altogether in the hope that it will go away by itself. However, if you experience ED for more than a few weeks, it’s vital that you do something about it. The condition can be the first sign of an underlying health condition, such as heart disease, so it’s important that you put your feelings of embarrassment aside to seek help.

Usually, ED is treated by tackling the root of the problem. For instance, making some simple lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, could help relieve your symptoms. There are also a number of targeted treatments you could try, like Viagra. For more information about how you can treat your ED, you could speak to your GP or seek advice from an online pharmacy such as Europa Pharmacy.

2. Urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence refers to the involuntary passing of urine. It is usually caused by the muscles used to prevent urination becoming weak or damaged, or it can be a result of an overactive detrusor muscle – the muscle that controls the bladder. There are also other factors that may increase the risk of incontinence, such as pregnancy and birth, obesity and getting older. Although it’s an extremely embarrassing problem to have to deal with, it affects more people than you might think. In fact, it’s estimated that up to six million men and women in the UK suffer with urinary incontinence to some degree, so if you struggle with this particular health woe, it’s important to realise that you’re not alone.

The good news is, there are a number of ways you can keep your incontinence under control. From making some adaptations to your lifestyle, such as cutting back on caffeine and alcohol and losing weight, to exercising your pelvic floor muscles, to learning how to train your bladder with a guided specialist, there’s no need to suffer in silence with this condition. You could also try using incontinence products, such as absorbent pads.

3. Hyperhidrosis

Excessive sweating, which is also known as hyperhidrosis, is a prevalent health problem. The sweating can affect the whole body or just certain areas, such as the armpits, face, palms of the hands or soles of the feet. Although it’s not a huge health concern, it can be extremely distressing and have a negative impact on your quality of life. In some cases, it can lead to anxiety and depression. Hyperhidrosis is thought to be related to problems with the nervous system, but it can also be triggered by other factors, such as pregnancy, certain medications, low blood sugar levels and an overactive thyroid gland.

If you feel that your sweating is interfering with your daily life, it’s important that you do something about it. Although you may find it humiliating, you should start by speaking to your GP. They may suggest some simple changes, such as wearing loose fitting clothing and avoiding potential triggers, like spicy food or alcohol. If these don’t work, you may be advised to try a stronger course of treatment.

Although you may be embarrassed, it’s important that you think of your health and wellbeing. Instead of putting up with your condition, you shouldn’t be ashamed to reach out for help.