Aveda Smooth Infusion Experience %

Last week I was one very lucky girl because I got invited by handpickedmedia to attend an amazing event at the London Aveda Institute. I'd never been to an Aveda Salon before & their Covent Gardan 'flagship' store and training institute definitely blew me away. When we arrived we got the first class treatment with smoothies, champagne, nibbles and a tour around the institute.  The reason we were invited was to receive a 'Smooth Infusion' treatment! Basically this meant a wash and blow dry treatment as part of a monthly challenge for us to put to their newest haircare collection to the test! 

"With 40 percent of women seeking smooth, straight, frizz-free hair, Aveda’s 4-step smoothing system, Smooth Infusion, was designed to help achieve these results—leaving hair chic, straight and manageable for 12 hours."

We received a little speech from the Creative Director about the 'Smooth Infusion' collection and then all the stylist got to chose the blogger they would treat that evening. Lucky me - I got chosen by the fabulous Creative Director himself, Michael Lendon! 
Here we are in the 'before' picture taken by a professional photographer on the night:
To start the Aveda experience I had to smell 3 types of oils to see which one my current 'mood' preferred. The oil I chose was then applied to my hair & I received a luxurious shoulder and scalp massage. Michael shampooed my hair with the Smooth Infusion Shampoo, rinsed, and then applied the Smooth Infusion Conditioner and brushed this through with a comb before rinsing my hair. A little tip from Michael was to always quickly comb your hair after applying conditioner (you can do this in the shower) before rinsing it out as it will ensure a more even distribution of the product, meaning a better result! Once washed and clean, we could start the prepping and blow drying process!

Michael applied a small amount of the Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother to the mid and ends of my hair. Because my hair is naturally already quite smooth he said I only need a small amount (1-2 pumps), however if you are prone to quite frizzy hair feel free to use 2-3 pumps of this product. The Style-Prep smoother contains an exclusive plant infusion, a blend derived from organic aloe, maize and guar bean, which creates a smooth surface on hair. Plus it defends against humidity for up to 12 hours and a hydrolized wheat protein in the product protects against surface damage from heat styling! He also applied a small amount of the Smooth Infusion Glossing Straightener to the ends of my hair to maintain a long lasting straight style! Then he styled my hair by blow drying it straight whilst creating some of movement in the ends using a round brush. He also gave me some great tips and pointers on how to achieve the professional blow-dry look at home! 

♥ Always blot wet hair with a towel to remove excess moisture. Don't rub, as rubbing creates frizz.

♥ When hair is 100% dry, use cool air to set - this closes the cuticle & ensures your smooth blow-dry will last longer.

♥ For thick/coarse hair, apply product before bed. This helps maximize smoothness & helps prevent excess volume in the morning.

After having my hair all looking amazing and feeling SUPER smooth, I got a little make up touch up and was taken to the studio upstairs for my professional 'after' shot! I'm not a huge fan of this photo, because it looks so official that I don't think it really looks like 'moi' :) But my hair does looks super smooth and perfect! 

Thank you to Aveda for this amazing experience! Before departing we got given a fantastic goody bag containing the full Smooth Infusion Collection for me to review over the next months. So watch this space, this story is to be continued.....

Have you tried the Aveda's Smooth Infusion range or any other Aveda products? xoxo
*small print: this post was sponsored by Aveda as part of a month long challenge to test the products.