Leeds Style Concept LTD

The hair products I would NOT recommend… and what I’d choose instead. 👀

This one might get me in trouble. 😂

But after years of working behind the chair, I’ve learned something very simple:

A popular product isn’t automatically a good product for YOUR hair.

And a label saying repair, moisture, colour protection, growth or heat protection doesn’t automatically mean it’s the product I would choose for a client.

In this carousel, I’m sharing some products I personally wouldn’t reach for — especially when we’re talking about bleached, coloured, fragile or sensitised hair — and some alternatives I prefer.

But there’s an important point here:

I’m not saying that every product I rated poorly will “destroy” everyone’s hair.

Hair is individual.

Something that leaves one person’s hair soft and manageable can leave another person’s hair heavy, dry or simply not deliver what they need.

That’s why, as a stylist, I look beyond the front of the bottle.

I think about the condition of the hair, previous chemical services, porosity, texture, scalp needs, how often heat is used and what the client is actually trying to achieve.

And sometimes my answer is:

“No. I wouldn’t spend my money on that.” 😅

Other times, a less fashionable product genuinely surprises me.

No product gets extra points because it’s expensive.
No product loses points simply because it’s from the supermarket.

The right product is the one that makes sense for the hair in front of me.

Swipe through and tell me — which rating surprised you the most? 👀

And if you want a Part 3, leave the product you want me to review next in the comments. 👇

— Ionela Zane | Leeds Style Concept

Popular hair products — but are they actually worth the hype? 👀

A famous name doesn’t automatically mean a great product.
A high price doesn’t automatically mean a better formula.
And something from the supermarket isn’t automatically bad.

So… I went through some of the best-known hair products and rated them without looking at the hype. 😅

Some I genuinely love.
Some I think are good — but overrated.
Some surprised me.
And some simply wouldn’t be my first choice, especially for blonde, coloured or chemically sensitised hair.

One thing I want to make clear: these ratings are my professional opinion, not universal rules.

Your hair type, condition, chemical history, scalp and even the rest of your routine can completely change whether a product works well for you.

That’s also why I don’t believe in recommending a product simply because it’s expensive, viral or has a beautiful ingredient highlighted on the front of the bottle.

Marketing sells the story.
Your hair needs the right formula.

And sometimes… the £10 product might make more sense for your hair than the £40 one. 👀

Swipe through and then come back because I want to know:

Which rating do you completely disagree with? 😂

And which product should I put under the microscope next?

No sponsorships. No brand loyalty. Just hair talk. 🤍

— Ionela Zane | Leeds Style Concept

This soft balayage was created by our apprentice, Alexandra. And yes, we’re proud. 🤍

Her progress over the past six months has been wonderful to watch. This result reflects the practice, patience and attention she’s put into learning her craft.

Behind that progress is something we take seriously at Leeds Style Concept: making time to teach. Explaining the reasoning behind a technique, guiding each stage and giving honest feedback all help turn learning into confident, thoughtful work.

Alexandra deserves credit for taking that guidance and putting it into practice. Seeing her develop her skills and create results like this is a proud moment for our salon.

Well done, Alexandra. You’ve worked hard for this. ✨

Leave her a little encouragement in the comments. We’d love her to see it.

Bought a hair product because someone else loved it, only to find it wasn’t right for you?
Your scalp, hair condition and styling routine all matter when choosing your care.

At Leeds Style Concept, we work with Nashi Argan in the salon and help you choose products to use at home. This carousel explains the different roles of the classic range, Energizing, Filler Therapy, Oil and Instant, so you can understand where each one fits. ✨

You don’t need a bathroom shelf full of products. Start with what your hair needs and learn how to use it properly, including how much to apply and where.

Swipe through the guide and save it for your next visit. 🤍

For a personalised recommendation, message us with what you’re finding difficult about your hair. You can also ask us about our Energizing offer.

📍 Leeds Style Concept, 257 Selby Road, Leeds, LS15 7JR

Once a brunette, always a brunette… sometimes literally. 🖤😂

Let’s stop blaming black hair for a minute.

Yes, we know…

It’s dark.
It’s committed.
And if one day you decide you want to be blonde, your hairstylist might need a coffee before answering. 😂

But who said black hair needs to be removed?

Black has its own beauty.

It’s powerful. It’s glossy. It’s elegant. And on the right person, it can look absolutely incredible.

Not every brunette secretly wants to be blonde.

Some women feel most confident with deep, dark hair — and if that’s your colour, wear it proudly.

Our job as hairstylists isn’t to convince everyone to go lighter. It’s to understand what makes you feel beautiful and make that colour look its absolute best.

Of course, we’ll always remind you of one little detail before going black:

Black is a commitment. 😅

Because changing your mind later can mean a long, gradual colour-correction journey.

But if you’re thinking…

“That’s fine. I’m brunette and I’ll probably die brunette.”

Then girl… we support the commitment. 🖤😂

Blonde is beautiful. Copper is beautiful. Balayage is beautiful.

And black deserves some love too.

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Sometimes, subtle is better. 🤎✨

Not every transformation needs to be dramatically blonde to make a difference.

For this client, the goal was simple: keep the richness of her beautiful brown hair, but bring in just enough light to give it dimension and movement.

So we created a personalised 3D Highlights technique, combining classic highlights with delicate babylights.

The result?

Soft ribbons of light running through the brunette base, beautiful dimension and a brighter finish — without taking away the depth that makes her brown so gorgeous.

And that’s exactly what she wanted.

Because sometimes the best colour isn’t the one that completely changes you.

It’s the one that makes people look at your hair and think:

“Something looks different… and it looks SO good.” 🤎

You don’t always need more blonde.
You need the right blonde, in the right places.

If you’re considering a subtle colour refresh, book your consultation through the link in our bio and we’ll create a technique around your hair, your lifestyle and your desired result.

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Who said you have to choose just ONE extension method? 👀

One of the biggest advantages of working with multiple hair extension techniques is that we don’t have to force every client into the same system.

Sometimes, the best result comes from combining methods.

For this transformation, our client came to us with Nano Ring extensions fitted elsewhere.

We removed them, professionally cared for and prepared the extension hair, and then refitted the Nano Rings.

But we didn’t stop there.

Around the sides and upper areas, where we wanted the application to be much finer and more discreet, we introduced Mini Keratin bonds.

Why?

Because different areas of the head can have completely different needs.

One method may give us the density and structure we need through the back, while another allows us to work with much smaller, strategically placed sections around finer or more visible areas.

And that’s exactly why we don’t believe hair extensions should be about choosing a method simply because it’s currently trending.

The technique should adapt to your hair — not your hair to the technique.

Nano Rings + Mini Keratin.
Two techniques. One personalised result. 🤍

If you’re already wearing extensions fitted elsewhere, or you’re unsure which method would work best for your natural hair, your first step is a professional consultation.

Book through the link in our bio.

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KERATIN BONDS: CLASSIC or MINI? 🤍

They may use the same keratin-bond technique, but they’re not exactly the same thing.

And smaller doesn’t automatically mean better.
The right choice depends on your hair.

CLASSIC KERATIN BONDS
Classic bonds contain a larger section of extension hair and can be a great choice when we need to build more length, density and volume.

Because each bond carries more hair, we generally need fewer individual bonds to create the desired result.

MINI KERATIN BONDS
Mini bonds are smaller and more discreet, with less extension hair in each individual strand.

This allows us to work with more, finer sections and can be especially useful when we want very precise distribution, when working around more visible areas, or when the client’s natural hair requires a more delicate approach.

But here’s the important part:

Mini doesn’t mean one-size-fits-all. And classic doesn’t mean bulky.

A beautiful extension application is about balance.

The size of the bond, the amount of extension hair, the section of natural hair supporting it and the placement all need to work together.

That’s why at Leeds Style Concept, we don’t simply ask:

“Classic or mini?”

We look at your natural hair, density, texture, lifestyle, desired length and volume — and then choose the application that makes sense for you.

Sometimes that’s classic.
Sometimes it’s mini.
And sometimes we can strategically use different sizes in different areas of the same head.

Because great extensions shouldn’t just look beautiful on Day 1.

They should be designed around the hair that’s going to wear them. 🤍

📍 Leeds Style Concept | Leeds
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