Posts tagged haircare
Thermal Intelligence, at it’s best!
12 years ago
It’s not everyday a hairspray spritz stops me in my tracks but White Sands Holding Spray holds curls firmly and could care less what’s in the air, “including humidity”.
Usually, I’m fixated on the makeup world only but after using this hair spray on various clients in various settings, I’m going gaga over this purple bottle!
“Whether I’m working with fine or course textures, this spray locks in the desired look while adding luster, shine and lift – 3 in one, can you really ask for more without sounding like ——- a princess”. The one Pro tip I must share, spray your hair strands then use your heating tool (i.e. curling iron), don’t worry about the crackle sound, that’s normal. Now, there are tons of non-aerosol thermal sprays on the shelves but this is one to reach for!
PRICE: $19.99 Shop White Sands, I DO!
Always Time to Dry
12 years ago
Washing your hair frequently not only strips it of its natural oils, but also, the process can be quite time consuming. Sometimes we truly just don’t have time to wash our hair, and well, other times, we’re just too tired and lazy. Alas, no more fretting about that oily hair, which hasn’t been washed in 2 or 3 or 3.5 days. Dry shampoo has become a savior, and trust me, once you use it, there’s no going back. If you have long hair and a lot of it, shampooing, conditioning, brushing, drying, and even putting product in your mane so that you don’t have to blow dry it, all take time and effort, and sometimes or most of the time, you’re simply not up for it. When was the last time you discussed the joy and pleasure of hair maintenance with someone? Probably never… While I have never washed my hair every day, lately I had found myself dreading washing my hair and needed to know what I could do to eliminate the dread AND the washing. I had once heard that baby powder cured oily strands, but after doing some research, I found it to be a bad idea. Not only is baby powder made with talc, which many people are allergic to, but also, baby powder has the tendency to clog the hair shaft preventing growth and leading to build-up. After eliminating that idea, I ventured to Sephora and began browsing the hair section. Since I always opt for natural products–organic if possible–I was immediately drawn to Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo With Oat Extract (non-aerosol). While I had vaguely heard of dry shampoo, I had never thought much about it–I’m low-maintenance when it comes to hair and never ponder the idea of using any type of hair product. As I began reading the container, I was thrilled to find that the ingredients are as follows: Oryza Sativa (Rice) Starch (Oryza Sativa), Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Hectorite, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour (Avena Sativa), Kaolin, Silica, Cyclodextrin, Fragrance (Parfum). And while I stray from fragrances, the product is natural, and after smelling it, I realized the subtlety of the fragrance. I decided to try it, and now, I’m hooked. What more can one ask? It’s eco-friendly, inexpensive, it works amazingly well, bides you time until your next wash, and gives your strands a nice break from H2O. The next time you’re in a rush, you’re in a mode of lethargy, or you visited the gym on your lunch break and can’t wash your hair, you’ll be in pure luck with Klorane.
Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo
HerCut Styling Products
13 years ago
It’s in our nature to try to tame, control and make our hair do things it wasn’t meant to do. In my case, I let it do it’s thing especially in humid weather when there’s no chance in hell I’ll be able to keep it looking sleek and non-frizzy. So here comes HerCut, a line of styling products that works with your style, whatever it may be.
I’ve been using Curly Ponytail (a Sephora Exclusive)
This modern, gel formula smoothes and holds resistant strands, controls fly-aways, and imparts glossy shine. It keeps the curly ponytail soft and pliable, while the humectant-concentrated ingredients de-frizz and define curls. It also provides exceptional humidity control.
Now, from my personal experience, the styling balm has a pleasant slightly citrusy scent. It does make my curls look more defined without adding extra curl or frizz, it’s just my own hair, just looking better. The product promises softness, I found it heavy when I apply it and later on when I touch my ponytail I can definitely feel the balm. But at the same time it does not add weight or stiffness to my hair and it’s easy to wash off. So far I plan to keep using it and another exclusive for Sephora is the balm for a The Ponytail.
Other products found on HerCut website are:
The Bob Catalyst
Long Layers Catalyst
The Shag Catalyst
The Blunt Catalyst
The Pixie Catalyst
Curly Bob Catalyst
Curly Long Layers Catalyst
Kendi Oil / Dry Oil Mist Review
13 years ago
My hair is frizzy and wavy, so it needs to be styled in order to be seen in public. My biggest problem when I style my hair are those pesky fly-away hairs that I yield into submission with lots of hair spray. Recently I learned about Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist by Alterna , which is used for to control the fly-aways and gives the hair a nice shine.
This lightweight, instantly absorbing mist can be used as a treatment or a style primer to eliminate frizz, shield hair from heat styling tools, enhance shine and protect color while boosting your hair’s health.
In my case, I had mixed results, my hair is thicker so the product didn’t help me with the frizz. Whether I styled it with a flat iron or a clipless curling iron, the dry oil mist did not control the frizzyness. But it did give it a nice shine and I liked that it didn’t weigh my curls down.
I tried the product on a friend of mine who has fine, straight hair. I was so jealous, in her case Kendi Oil immediately made her hair look sleek and polished, it did control the fly-aways and later on she told me that effect lasted for hours; she loved the product.
But now that I had a chance to go over Alterna’s other collections and I’ll be sure to try some of their other products.
Bamboo. Strength * Flexibility * Sustainability
Pure Organic Bamboo Extract from our planet’s most resiliant botanical resource immediately boosts hair’s intrinsic strength and lays the foundation for healthier hair
Caviar. Anti-Aging
CAVIAR Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner are clinically proven to minimize the visible signs of aging. 100% of women showed visible improvement in shine, texture, softness and manageability after just one use.
Hemp with Organics
Sweet Orange Peel Extract, rich in anti-oxidant Vitamin C, protects against free-radical damage and gives dull, lackluster hair instant shine.
Life Solutions
LIFE Solutions blends the strength of easern extracts with innovative technologies to effectively nourish hair that has specialized needs, so it can function at its best. Lightweight formulas support hair’s internal balance, increasing vibrancy and protecting color.
Style Lab
A collective of Alterna’s Greatest Hits. Seasonal stories and trendsetting techniques brought to life in irresistible collections.
Ten
The perfect fusion of ten key elements from around the globe. Infused with African Cacao Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Caviar Age-Control Complex®, Color Hold® White Truffle Oil, Champagne Grape Seed Oil, Bulgarian Evening Primrose, Arabian Frankincense, Moroccan Quillaia Bark and Arnica Flower.
ghd Stylers
13 years ago
One of the things I always believe in is that you get what you pay for in everything from cosmetics, clothing, shoes, hair products and stylers. Recently ghd gold series stylers came to my attention and now that I know more about them I’m aching to use one.
Ghd (acronym for “good hair day”) has been around for a decade with styling tools that made waves in the hair industry. Fast forward to today and you will find the gold series styler which is a more advanced take on the classic ghd styler. The professional gold styler uses ghd’s latest heat technology. With a rounded barrel to create gorgeous curls, waves or flicks, as well as perfect straight styles for all hair types.
As I mentioned before, I haven’t tried the styler personally so I checked several sites to browse through their reviews and with hundreds of reviews these stylers consistently receive 4 to 5 stars; in spite of the fact that they’re not on the cheap side since each one costs over $200.
You can purchase ghd stylers at Sephora or selected salons, but if you want an extra kick, check out their limited collection Iconic Eras of Style, exclusively on their website.
Boho Chic
Sleeping Beauty woke up in the Boho seventies when parties were wild but the hair was relaxed.
Glamour
Sleeping Beauty woke up in the fifties, when locks were as glamorous as the frocks.
New Wave
Sleeping Beauty woke up in the eighties, when the new wave was big but the hair was bigger.
Each collection contains:
- ghd Gold Professional styler
- Protective Plate guard
- Heat resistant Iconic Era inspired styler bag
- Two ghd sectioning clips
- get-the-look book
Sport Shinny Hair
14 years ago
When I’m asked to style a model’s hair or coif a bride’s updo I look to products that can offer her sleek grooming, fierce HOLD and mahhh-jor shine! Three indispensable styling tools I go to are: Mason Pearson Brush, L’Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray, and Moroccan Oil.
You remember sitting at the vanity mirror watching your mother brush her hair, if she was anything like my mom she’d brush endlessly back & forth; some nights we would even count the strokes. It’s not surprising, “regular brushing is essential to the condition of your hair, it’s vital to your scalp and it increases blood flow to the roots therefore producing a healthy sheen and your styling aids don’t have to work as hard” – it’s that simple! Bottom line, the Mason Pearson Brush is uber popular because it rids us of “bad hair days”. This buttery tool was made in London, if you’re gonna discriminate you know the Brits know something about style…so no duh!, make this your cosmetic accessory.
L’Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray is a legend.
It has changed the hair game and the very reason for jaw dropping expressions. This gold can finds its way into all the top salons, hairstylist kits and bathroom cupboards. Only recent did the gold-can make a U.S. landing and boy were we clamouring for it. Why is it beloved, what’s the big frickin deal — because it holds like armour but can be easily brushed out in a matter of seconds, especially by your Mason Pearson Brush [shameless plug]; from there, you can be on-to-the-next STYLE! C’mon what hairspray allows you that kind of freedom? This spray is exceptional, the hair never looks stiff; price isn’t stiff either. Pick it up at your neighborhood Target, there’s even a mini size for the tepid shopper.
Unless your blind, we’ve all seen the orange & screaming turquoise blue label; it’s undeniable and it’s sweeping the beauty industry by storm. It’s all over Twitter too, Tweet-Tweet and have you gone to their website? If not, you should. This oil hydrates, calms and smoothes your tresses without heavy build up. Sure others have made the claim but this really works. Whether you need to control the fizz, protect your hair color, intensify your curl, OR hydrate & restore healthy hair this baby delivers!
What’s the base: “ARGAN OIL” – nothing more nourishing – there, I said it.
Ojon Hydrating Styling Cream
14 years ago
Previously I wrote about Ojon, an amazing company and its signature product the Restorative Hair Treatment. I have used it for several months and I love the results on my damaged hair. So I set off to try more of Ojon’s products.
Having my hair protected all day with a leave-in styling treatment was in my mind when I decided to try the Hydrating Styling Cream.
I had mixed feelings about this product. It smells great, especially for a product you will be wearing all day, it’s lightweight and even though it does eliminate the frizz, the hair doesn’t feel weighed down. The first time I used it was on my damp hair, I let it dry naturally and then started styling with my flat iron. I wasn’t very happy with the results, it didn’t quite give me a sleek look and I ended up wearing my hair in a French braid instead.
The second time I used it, I put it on my damp hair, let it air dry and just slightly combed it afterwards. The result was my hair in my natural slightly wavy hair, neither straight nor curly. But I have to admit there was no frizz in sight and there was no need to use additional products.
So I would recommend Ojon’s Hydrating Styling Cream on people with really curly hair or those lucky ones who don’t need to do too much styling on it.
Living Proof No Frizz
14 years ago
Every month or so I receive a postcard from Sephora offering free samples. I always take advantage of them, even if I don’t think I need the product. In this case I was excited to try out No Frizz Styling Cream, a product from Living Proof.
My hair is naturally wavy, if left alone it becomes an unruly mass of frizz neither curly nor straight. Thankfully the pony tail always comes to the rescue and on exceptionally bad days you will see me with a braided pony tail. Now I have to make a confession and admit I’m new to styling products, a child of the 80’s when pink Aqua Net ruled, I never realized it mattered which product I used to tame my hair.
Living Proof offers a complete line of anti-frizz products, so far the only one I’ve used is the Straight Making Styling Cream and I love it. First of all, it smells great and it made me styling faster, my hair feels very silky and touchable afterwards and it stays that way without having to add half a can of hair spray (like in the good ol’ days).
If you go to the Living Proof website, you can see videos and information on how they came up with the revolutionary technology to control the frizz. Instead of using Silicone, like most products on the market, they use a new molecule invented by their scientists called PolyflouroEster, which helps block the humidity without weighing down the hair. Also they do not test on animals, so you can rest assured purchasing their products.
You can find the No Frizz line as well as their Hold and Full lines in Sephora or at the Living Proof website. The product price ranges from $14 to $35, and they also offer intro kits with 4 products at only $39. Not sure which product is perfect for you? The Living Proof website has a handy questionnaire that will help you decide.