The ART and SCIENCE of [beauty]

Redken Nature's Rescue Speed Review.

2011-06-16T03:26:00.008-05:00

Hey guys! So listen, I know you all want me to go totally in-depth about these Redken Nature's Rescue products, but...I don't really feel like it lol. That's a lot of work for products that I don't use very often -- but only because they're just not for me. Also, the fact that I have about 1000 other products to use helps. SO! I will talk about the ingredients, but only a little bit. Feel free to leave me a comment if you have any additional questions and I'll be happy to answer!

First off, the Refreshing Detox Shampoo. Here's the ingredient list:

Water, Sodium Methyl Cocoyltaurate, Laureth-5 Carboxylic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Parfum, PEG-150 Distearate, Sodium benzoate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Lactic Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Salicylic Acid, Menthol, Aloe Barbadensis/Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Citronellol, Linalool, Sodium Hydroxide.

Minus the fluff:

Water, Sodium Methyl Cocoyltaurate, Laureth-5 Carboxylic Acid, Sodium Chloride, PEG-150 Distearate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Lactic Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Salicylic Acid.

It's a pretty good sulfate-free shampoo, that's perfect for all you lather haters out there. It barely lathers at all, yet leaves your hair feeling clean. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a sulfate-free shampoo. Also, if you have fine hair, I'd give this a shot. It's very light and will not weigh your hair down. All the products have the same kind of oceany, beachy scent. It's a refreshing change! The retail price is $16.

Next, the Refining Sea Polish:

water, pumice, cetearyl alcohol, dipalmitoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate, hydroxethylcellulose, glyceryl stearate, glycerin, caprylyl glycol, cetrimonium chloride, parfum, hydroxypropyl guar, algae/algae extract, aloe barbadensis/aloe barbadensis leaf juice, citric acid, hydroylzed soy protein, benzyl salicylate, hexyl cinnamal, citronellol, linalool, eugenol, geraniol, limonene.

Minus the fluff:

Water, Pumice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dipalmitoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate, Hydroxethylcellulose, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetrimonium Chloride.

If you're only going to get one product -- GET THIS! I use it all the time! I know the pumice sounds scary, but it leaves your hair feeling soooo soft and shiny! Almost like I don't even need conditioner after I use it (but of course I do anyway). I kind of just massage it into my scalp for a couple minutes, then pull it through to the rest of my hair. Definitely a must-have in my shower. The retail price is $19.

Next, the Cooling Deep Conditioner:

water, hydroxypropyl starch phosphate, quaternium-87, stearyl alcohol, behentrimonium chloride, glycerin, propylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, caprylyl glycol, parfum, isopropyl alcohol, candelilla Wax, benzoic acid, aloe barbadensis/aloe barbadensis leaf juice, menthol, sodium hydroxide, algae/algae extract, hydrolyzed soy protein, benzyl salicylate, hexyl cinnamal, citronellol, linalool, 2-oleamido-1,3-octadecanediol, CI 42090/blue.

Minus the fluff:

Water, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Quaternium-87, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzoic Acid, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol.

The Cooling Deep Conditioner is...okay. Definitely didn't feel the cooling effect, and my hair didn't feel like it had been deep conditioned, just plain conditioned. But that's just my experience with it. Maybe I was expecting more, who knows. But there's certainly nothing wrong with it, and I've even heard it's useful for co-washing and even as a a hand lotion! The retail price is $17.

Finally, the Radiant Sea Spray:

Water, Alcohol Denat., PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Parfum, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Sea Salt, Magnesium Sulfate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-11, Polyquaternium-4, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Citronellol, Limonene, Algae Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Eugenol, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol.

Minus the fluff:

Water, Alcohol Denat., PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Sea Salt, Magnesium Sulfate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-11, Polyquaternium-4,

Usually I'm the first one to say that all sea salt sprays are the same -- this one is totally different. I would actually describe this as hair fragrance that also texturizes like a day at the beach. See, it's got these tiny little micro beads of fragrance that attach to your hair, and the more you play with your hair, the more you'll smell it. I personally have used it a lot, and it does work! In one day, I went tanning, shopping, out to eat, and did hair and by the end of the night I could still smell it! The Radiant Sea Spray is a close second to the Refining Sea Polish. The retail price is $17.

So there you have it! Again, any comment me if you have any questions about any of the products! Or just comment about anything. You guys keep me going!

Stay tuned for more product reviews, and always remember to take care of your hair!

CHI Orbit Double Dramatics Review

2011-05-16T23:08:00.025-05:00

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been away for so long... a lot's happened. As you might know, I'm constantly on the lookout for a job in a salon...doing hair in my kitchen isn't as lucrative as I'd like it to be. And.. it's hard to write about my love for the hair industry and review all these products while being unemployed, you know? I'll try to be more frequent with my updates, for real this time.

Anyway, today I'm reviewing the CHI Orbit Double Dramatics curling iron. It's basically a clipless waving iron. I'm ALWAYS on the lookout for a good waving iron that gives true "S" waves instead of the usual shallow crimpy waves most waving irons give. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. While the waves the iron made weren't quite as sharp as other wavers I've tried, it's still not the effect I was looking for. It reminds me of the way Madonna or Britney Spears wears their hair in those tight waves, you know? I think if the rods were spaced farther apart and were a bit thicker in diameter it would've been perfect, but oh well. I'll be returning it this weekend. But, just for fun, I waved one of my mannequin heads to show you all the effect it gives. This iron might not be what I'm looking for, but it might be for you!

See what I mean? I mean it's cute and all, but the waves aren't as deep as I want. But what do you think? If that's the effect you want, I say go for it! The iron itself takes a little getting used to because it doesn't have a clamp, but you get it after a while. Also, the red part between the iron and the switch gets VERY hot, so be careful.

The MSRP of the iron is $205.00, but I've never seen it anywhere that high. I'd guess it's somewhere around $150.00 but shop around and I'm sure you'll get a better price than that. Well that's all for now. Stay tuned!

Oh yeah, and it came with this cool thermal glove. I think it belonged to Michael Jackson.

On a completely unrelated note, go out and pick up this month's issue of ELLE magazine. Gwen Stefani, my queen, is on the cover!

Redken Nature's Rescue First Glance Review

2011-01-23T04:16:00.006-06:00

Hey everyone! Today I'm doing a quick first glance review of the brand new Redken Nature's Rescue products. This is Redken's venture into "natural" hair products, boasting absolutely no parabens, sulfates, and silicones. You all know how I feel about all this anti-sulfate propaganda business, and how it's a big crock, so I'll spare you. But I will tell you that so far I'm loving these products! I've been using them for almost a week now, and have had great results. The products pictured on the left in the stylist intro kit I bought are: Radiant Sea Spray, Refreshing Detox Shampoo, Cooling Deep Conditioner, and Refining Sea Polish (the little packets in the back).

Obviously the most unique product in the collection is the Refining Sea Polish. It's advertised as a gentle hair exfoliant, enriched with pumice to remove impurities and refine the hair surface leaving it smooth and shiny. It's such an interesting experience to exfoliate your hair! I can tell this won't be a product that everyone will like, because it really does exfoliate your hair to give you that squeaky clean feeling, and not everyone likes that. I however, love it! It makes my hair feel very smooth, like it buffs off my dead ends and makes my hair feel healthier.

Another interesting product is the Radiant Sea Spray. It's a multi-functional texture spray that uses time-touch fragrance technology to release a burst of fresh ocean-y fragrance (kind of like those candles that are supposed to smell like the ocean or rain or something, but better) every time you touch your hair. It really works, trust me. The other day (1/20 I think it was) I sprayed it in my hair at around 11AM after I showered and got ready and stuff, and I made it a point to play with my hair all day. After going to lunch at Red Lobster, tanning, and shopping for a couple hours, I could still smell it up until around 5PM! I absolutely loved having my hair smell fresh all day! And it's so lightweight that I could re-apply it later without my hair feeling heavy and gross, you know?

As for the Refreshing Detox Shampoo, it's different than any shampoo I own. For a sulfate-free shampoo, it cleans your hair pretty well. It also doesn't really lather at all, which kind of bothers me because I like a shampoo that has a rich lather. But after I rinse it out my hair does feel just as clean as if I used a shampoo that does lather, so I'll give it that. But combined with the Refining Sea Polish, they make a great pair.

The Cooling Deep Conditioner is also pretty great for having no silicones. It moisturizes my hair very well, and smells great. I don't really get the cooling effect though. It's supposed to rebalance the moisture in your hair while cooling your scalp, but I haven't really felt it. Which is surprising because it contains menthol, and I usually feel menthol in my products right away. Considering I'm such a hot head, I'm surprised I don't feel it. But maybe you will.

Anyway, those are my first impressions of the new Redken Nature's Rescue collection. What do you think? Anything look interesting? I know I'll be getting the full sizes pretty soon! As always, comment and tell me your thoughts or questions! Take care of your hair everyone! XOXO

HAUL!

2011-01-22T03:53:00.001-06:00

Hey everyone! Time for another haul! I noticed tonight that I've gotten a lot of new stuff lately, but I haven't posted a haul in a long time! So I gathered up all the new products I've gotten recentlly (at least I think that's all of it), and put it together for you all.

Starting from the top left: S-Factor Vivacious Hairspray (re-purchase), Matrix Design Pulse Hard Lock Hairspray, KMS Makeover Spray (re-purchase), Bed Head Colour Combat Dumb Blonde Leave-In Conditioner, Catwalk Sleek Mystique Look-Lock Hairspray, Catwalk Sleek Mystique Haute Iron Spray, Catwalk Sleek Mystique Fast Fixx Style Prep (the old Fast Fixx re-packaged), Catwalk Sleek Mystique Blow Out Balm.

From the middle left: HerCut Normal-Dry Shampoo, HerCut Medium Conditioner, It's a 10 Miracle Texture Fiber, Matrix Design Pulse Rock N' Hold Gel, Redken Real Control Slim Supreme Serum, Redken Nature's Rescue Stylist Kit including: Nature's Rescue Detox Shampoo, Nature's Rescue Refining Sea Polish, Nature's Rescue Cooling Deep Conditioner, and Nature's Rescue Radiant Sea Spray.

From the bottom left: It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Plus Keratin, Biosilk Silk Therapy, Rockaholic Rock Out Shine Blaster, White Sands Porosity The Fix, Matrix Design Pulse Go Big Extra Strong Hold Mousse, Matrix Design Pulse Fiber Shuffle, CHI Silk Infusion.

My friend G. over at Nouveau Cheap has been DYING for me to review the new Redken Nature's Rescue products, so I'll be posting a first glance review on all four tomorrow, with more detailed reviews coming later after I've tested them thouroughly (namely the Refining Sea Polish). The It's a 10 plus Keratin is formulated for people who have keratin straightening treatments done to their hair. You can tell it's different cos the texture actually looks like a leave-in, whereas the original has the texture of a deep conditioner. The Bed Head Colour Combat line is pretty new. There are two lines: Colour Goddess and Dumb Blonde. I think they might be phasing out the Brunette Goddess and original Dumb Blonde lines, but I'm not sure. Another new product is Redken Slim Supreme Slimming Serum. I love the Real Control line, and so far I really like this. I'm totally reviewing this soon. I always wanted to try Biosilk Silk Therapy and CHI Silk Infusion since they seem to be so popular. I don't know how I never got around to getting them before. Oh and I'm loving these Matrix Design Pulse Products. The hairspray works great and the mousse gives a lot of volume while leaving hair soft and lightweight.The Catwalk Sleek Mystique products are great too! They all smell so sensual and seductive, and they work amazingly well. They're all lightweight and make it way easy to straighten your hair. Fast Fixx was one of my favorites in the old Catwalk line, so I'm glad they just re-packaged it and didn't change the formula. The Haute Iron Spray is great too, it makes your hair super straight and shine like glass. And I've been wanting to try White Sands Porosity The Fix for a long time! They call it makeup for hair - it's supposed to conceal the imperfections in every hair strand and prime your hair for your styling products. It can also be used in color or lightener formulations!

Anything look interesting? Have you tried any of these? As always feel free to post a question or comment! And be sure to look for my first glance review of the new Redken Nature's Rescue products tomorrow, and take care of your hair!

HerCut Normal-Dry Shampoo Review

2011-01-16T19:11:00.011-06:00

Hey guys! So I was browsing through Marshall's the other day and came across a bunch of HerCut products at like, ridiculously low prices! I got the Normal-Dry Shampoo and the Medium Conditioner for $4.50 each! I think they retail at Sephora for like $20! Crazy right? Anyway, I love the shampoo but the conditioner just wasn't for me. It's not bad or anything, it just wasn't moisturizing enough for my dry, chemically-processed hair. So I don't think I'll be reviewing it.

HerCut Normal-Dry Shampoo boasts:

Sulfate free color safe technology
Strengthens roots to bring out the best in your haircut
Maximizes color vibrance
Paraben free

I actually really like this shampoo, bloated claims and all! It moisturizes my hair while effectively cleansing it without the use of sulfates. Not that I buy into all this anti-sulfate propaganda, but for those of you who do I highly recommend this! It also smells pretty good, it kinda reminds me of suntan lotion. Like Coppertone or Banana Boat or something. Anyway, let's break down the ingredients:

The full list:

Purified Water, Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl-2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glycol Stearate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Polyquaternium-47, Butylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Polyquaternium-7, Fragrance, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol, Arginine, Polyquaternium-59, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Chlorella Pyrenoidosa Extract, Alanine, Citric Acid, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Serine, Valine, Sodium Lactate, Irish Moss (Chondrus Crispus) Extract, Proline, Sugar Kelp (Laminaria Saccharina) Extract, Threonine, Isoleucine, DMDM Hydantoin, Histidine, Brown Seaweed (Undaria Pinnatifida) Extract, Phenylalanine, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Disodium EDTA.

Without the fluff:

Purified Water, Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl-2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glycol Stearate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Polyquaternium-47, Butylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Polyquaternium-7, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol, Arginine, Polyquaternium-59, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Serine, Valine, Sodium Lactate, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Disodium EDTA.

Basically what we have is a bunch of very gentle, non-sulfate cleansers, proteins, a ton of amino acids, and a few moisturizers here and there. Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is an ingredient that comes from coconut oil, that cleans hair by helping water to mix with dirt and oil and be rinsed away. Cocoamidopropyl Betaine and Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate are foaming agents - and there is a lot of foam for a sulfate-free shampoo! It's not necessary, it's just added for the effect that consumers expect. See all those words that end in "-ine?" Those are amino acids. HerCut is big on using amino acids in their products. According to them they use this thing called Proprietary Multi Micro-Molecular Amino-Plex Technology. I'm not familiar with HerCut, but it sounds like a gimmick to me. But listen, I don't know if all those amino acids really help that much in a rinse-off product like this, but it certainly can't hurt. Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol are used to try and add protein to hair that's been lost. Sodium PCA is a humectant and anti-static agent, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate is an emulsifier, Sodium Lactate is a hygroscopic (moisture attracting) agent, and Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent (make the product work better in hard water) and stabilizer. I know I didn't cover everything, but questions and comments are always welcome!

I'd honestly recommend this shampoo to anyone, unless you have very oily hair. Personally, I like a shampoo that lathers nicely, and gets my hair clean without making it squeeeaky clean, and that's exactly what this does! I'm pretty sure if I had very healthy hair, I could use this shampoo and not need conditioner. However, my fondness for chemicals and heat tools isn't going away anytime soon so I might never know. BUT! My hair is the healthiest it's been since...before I went platinum blonde/white again last summer. Right now my hair is very dark (about a level two) and I'm just gonna let it grow out until I'm au naturale again. No, really, I mean it this time...

HerCut Normal-Dry Shampoo comes in a 10 oz. / 300 mL bottle, and retails for $22 at Sephora, but like I said - I found it at Marshall's for $4.50! So keep your eyes open, and take care of your hair!

EDIT: Just realized this was my 100th post! Yay me! :)

Rockaholic Rock My World Stellar Smoothing Cream Review

2010-10-17T21:18:00.009-05:00

Hey guys! Today I'm reviewing a new addition to the TIGI Rockaholic line: Rock My World Stellar Smoothing Cream, because I just don't have enough smoothing products. Is there such a thing? ...No, there can't be! Anyway, this recently came out along with Dirty Secret Dry Conditioner. That sounds weird, right? I'll review that next. The label on Rock My World reads: "This stellar cream goes on wet or dry hair while protective barriers help prevent thermal damage. Light hold keeps hair smooth & sends good vibrations your way!" My first thought? I thought it sounded an awful lot like After Party, and to be honest they are pretty similar, but different. Mostly because this product looks much less phallic then After Party does. Not that it's a bad thing, I'm just saying. Also, thank you to the person who pointed that out to me, and now that's all I can think of when I see it. No, but they are different aside from that. I'll explain after we go through the ingredients.

The full ingredient list:

Water, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, PVP, Polyacrylamide, Propylene Glycol, VP/VA Copolymer, Phenyl Trimethicone, Bismuth Oxychloride, C13-14 Isoparaffin, PEG-8 Methicone, Phenoxyethanol, Castor Seed Oil, Mica, Fragrance, Sodium PCA, Laureth-7, Dimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate, Panthenol, Methylisothiazolinone, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, CI 17789 (Titanium Dioxide).

Without the fluff:

Water, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, PVP, Polyacrylamide, Propylene Glycol, VP/VA Copolymer, Phenyl Trimethicone, Bismuth Oxychloride, C13-14 Isoparaffin, PEG-8 Methicone, Castor Seed Oil, Sodium PCA, Laureth-7, Dimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate, Panthenol.

Water: the base of almost every haircare product. Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Phenyl Trimethicone, PEG-8 Methicone, Dimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate, are all conditioning silicones. Some are stronger than others, but they all balance out when you throw in cyclopentasiloxane. I think I've covered all of those in previous posts, so if you're wondering about a specific silicone, just use the search function on the top right of my blog. C13-14 Isoparaffin, and Polyacrylamide are thickening agents. Castor Seed Oil is an occlusive coniditoning agent, usually found in skincare products but it's not unheard of to be in haircare. It forms a barrier on the hair/skin's surface preventing moisture loss. Sodium PCA is an anti-static agent, and a humectant, which is perfect for a product like this. Laureth-7 is an emulsifying agent; it's used to blend everything together. PVP and VP/VA Copolymer gives a light hold, almost like you wouldn't know if they didn't tell you. Bismuth Oxychloride kind of threw me off, because I don't remember seeing it anywhere else. It's actually used to give products that pretty pearlescent effect. Apparently it's used in a lot of mineral makeup too, and some people are like allergic or sensitive to it. So if your mineral makeup makes you itch, this might be why.

Now, on to the differences between Rock My World and After Party. The biggest one is that RMW does give hold, however slight, and AP doesn't. This actually does make a difference, because RMW will smooth your hair and keep it together, while AP mostly just smooths and adds shine to your hair. There's definitely more of a "slippery" feeling with AP, because it's SO conditioning, and I don't really get that with RMW. However, some who feel that AP makes their hair "too soft" will probably like RMW, because it makes your hair a more naturally soft feeling. Something that's also interesting, AP directions say to use it on dry hair, when RMW says you can use it on wet or dry hair. I feel like AP got it backwards, because it works great in wet hair, but I feel like it's a bit heavy on dry hair... but maybe that's just me. RMW works great in either wet or dry hair, btw. So, it's not that one is better than the other, they're just different - but similar. Also, the scents are way different. RMW's scent is "blackberry amber" - it's delish! And AP's scent is "fruit medley" ...? I don't know, but it does smell fruity, and it's one of my favorite scents so.

Rock My World is probably best for fine/normal - normal/coarse hair. I don't think people with very coarse hair will get much out of it, and I think it might be a bit too heavy for people with fine hair. It's also a good product to cocktail with other smoothing/shine products.

Cocktail: (v) to mix two hair products together, to combine the effects of both. Most commonly done with conditioners.

Rockaholic Rock My World Stellar Smoothing Cream comes in a 3.46 oz / 98 g bottle, and retails for around $19.

That was kind of a long one! By the way, my birthday is this month. I'll be 21 - yay! Take care of your hair, and try to stay warm!

It's a 10 Miracle Styling Serum Review

2010-10-02T21:11:00.005-05:00

Hey everyone! In my huge hair product menagerie, the products I seem to have the most of are serums. Most of them are either good, okay, or not that great. But there are few that are truly GREAT! It's a 10 Miracle Styling Serum falls into that category. Seriously, I probably have over 20 "serum" type products, and I really only love a few of them.

As a brand, It's a 10 kind of annoys me with their overuse of the word "miracle." All their products are miracles... I mean, it's a great brand, but their products certainly aren't miracles... they're just effective. But somehow, I don't think "It's Effective" would have the same brand power. Also, the claim that every product "does 10 things instantly" is a bit bloated. So if anyone with any pull at the It's a 10 company is reading this, your products are great! You don't need all these fluffy claims! Seriously, It's a 10 could come in packaging a la Living Proof or evo, and still fly off the shelves. Word of mouth is the best kind of advertising: the kind money can't buy.

Am I getting preachy? Sorry. Moving on, let's look at the ingredients:

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Argan Oil, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit (Buriti) Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Fragrance/Parfum.

De-fluffed:

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Argan Oil, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit (Buriti) Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer.

See? Not a miracle, just a quality product. Cyclopentasiloxane conditions and protects hair, and as a base helps to break up other heavy silicones like dimethicone. C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is an emollient (moisturizer). Argan oil is in everything lately! I've reviewed I think three products that contain it! It's chock full of vitamins and it's great for your skin and hair. Buriti (bu-REE-chee) oil is insanely rich in emollients and essential fatty acids, not to mention it has more beta carotene than carrot oil! I've decided that Buriti oil is definitely not fluff. Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer moisturizes, and regulates consistency and viscosity of products.

Now just like I did with It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product, I'll go through the 10 claims individually:

1) Adds shine: Definitely!
2) Controls frizz: Definitely!
3) Seals the cuticle: I'm sure it helps to smooth the cuticle, making hair feel softer and reflecting more light (#1).
4) Nourishes the hair: With both Argan and Buriti oil, I'm sure your hair will get some nourishment!
5) No build up: I'm not touching this one. Some say cyclopentasiloxane and dimethicone are water-soluble, depending on the formula, but others say they're not. You decide.
6) Resists humidity: Kinda sounds like #2 + #3 combined to me, but I have to agree.
7) Smoothes the hair: See #3.
8) Protects color: Yes. The combination of natural oils and conditioning silicones will for sure protect your color.
9) Alcohol free: Definitely! Though that's more of a selling point, not a claim.
10) Creates slip: See #1, #2, #3, and #7.

See what I mean about some of the claims being... err... a bit "stretched." Doesn't mean it's a bad product, nor does it mean it's a bad company. I just think they try a bit too hard. Just a bit. Oh! And the scent! It's...divine...like some exotic Brazilian perfume. I wish I was better at detecting fragrance notes, so I could describe it better, but you have to smell this stuff! I think you'll agree with me. Let me put it this way: it's like a deeper, more sensuous version of the way the leave-in fragrance smells. That's like, the only way I can describe it while making any sense at all.

It's a 10 Miracle Styling Serum comes in a 4 fl oz / 120 ml bottle, and the MSRP is $25.

Another review... done! Take care of your hair, and try and stay warm! It's getting chilly out!

Vavoom Design Pulse Glow to Pieces Shine Wax Review

2010-10-02T19:32:00.007-05:00

Hi all! Today I'm reviewing one for the boys, or you know... anyone that likes shine wax. It's Glow to Pieces shine wax, from Vavoom's "Design Pulse" collection of cool, edgy hair products. I've used this product off and on since I got it, and I'm thinking this is definitely going to be a repurchase. It works, it smells nice, and a little goes a very long way.

Personally, when I reach for wax I don't always use shine wax. I usually like something with a bit more hold, and more of a natural/matte finish. But once in a while, I like to leave my hair in a touchable, almost natural state. Almost, because I don't like it when my hair has nothing in it. It feels too... soft. I need just the slightest bit of texture in it, and that's when I grab Glow to Pieces. It gives a soft hold, while adding shine and texture. I have it in my hair right now, and when I run my fingers through it, I can barely tell I have anything in my hair.

My personal opinion aside, let's take a look at the ingredients:

Water, Steareth-20, Isoceteth-20, Propylene Glycol, Mineral Oil, Oleth-5, AMP-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Oleth-10 Phosphate, PVP, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Metyhylparaben, Corn Starch Modified, Aminomethyl Propanol, Propylparaben, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Nylon-12, Polyurethane-6, Benzyl Alcohol, CI 19140/Yellow 5, CI 14700/Red 4.

The de-fluffed list:

Water, Steareth-20, Isoceteth-20, Propylene Glycol, Mineral Oil, Oleth-5, AMP-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Oleth-10 Phosphate, PVP, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Corn Starch Modified, Aminomethyl Propanol, Nylon-12, Polyurethane-6.

The whole product is basically water, a lot of flexible, pliable, film-formers with just a hint of hold and mineral oil. I'm not too crazy about mineral oil. To me, it's old fashioned and I think there are better substitutes for it... but mineral oil is cheap, so whatever. As long as it's in a low dose and not going near my face, I can deal with it. But that's just me. Oh, and when I was going through the fluff I noticed this product has geraniol, which can irritate people with fragrance allergies. Just a heads up.

On a scale of 1-5, (1 = barely there & 5 = cement) I'd definitely give it a 1, with the possibility of being a 2 depending on how much you use. A pea-sized amount works just fine for my short hair. Glow to Pieces can also be used on long hair, to add shine, control frizzies, and enhance the look of layers. Just remember, a pea. Use more if you want to get a funky, textured, straight outta bed look. Always try different things! It's just hair, have fun with it.

Vavoom Design Pulse Glow to Pieces Shine Wax comes in a 50 ml / 1.7 oz pot, and the MSRP is $17 I believe.

There's always more to come, so keep reading and take care of your hair!

Goldwell Rich Repair Leave-In Hairtip Serum.

2010-09-22T00:17:00.006-05:00

Hey guys! Today I'm reviewing Goldwell Rich Repair Leave-In Hairtip Serum. The struggle for healthy hair never ends. It's an interesting little product; I kind of like the fact that it's specifically made for the ends of your hair.

At first I was a little turned off by it, because I saw alcohol on the ingredients list. And when I opened the bottle to smell it, I could smell the alcohol in it. For a second I thought, why would you want to put alcohol in a product for split ends? Alcohol is mainly used for hold in hairsprays and gels and such. But then it came to me, the alcohol is used to smooth down your ends to make it look like your hair is healthy! So once I figured that out, then I wondered if it was going to smooth my ends, or just make them stick together. But once I started using it regularly, I could see that the serum isn't just all alcohol, but it works with all the other ingredients to smooth my dry, damaged ends. Oh, and once the product is in your hands, you don't even smell the alcohol. So, it doesn't actually repair anything, but it does give the illusion of healthier ends. And in the end, isn't that what all "repairing" products do?

Now that I'm done rambling, let's take a look at the ingredients:

Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Dimethiconol, Diethylhexyl Carbonate, Isopropyl Myristate, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolized Silk, Phenyl Trimethicone, Water, Octyldodecyl PCA, Sodium PCA, Glycerin, Fragrance, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional.

De-fluffed:

Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Dimethiconol, Diethylhexyl Carbonate, Isopropyl Myristate, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Water, Octyldodecyl PCA, Sodium PCA, Glycerin.

What did I tell you? The alcohol is in a sea of moisturizers and emollients. Cyclopentasiloxane is useful on its own, or for breaking up other silicones, like dimethiconol and phenyl trimethicone. Alcohol denat. stands for denatured alcohol, in case you didn't know. It's what keeps the ends smooth. Hydrolyzed keratin is kind of a "buzz" ingredient, but it can kinda help fill in cracks in the cuticle. Octyldodecyl PCA is an emollient, and sodium PCA is a humectant. The difference is that humectants draw in moisture from the air and lock it in, whereas emollients just add moisture. Glycerin helps add slip and makes hair feel smooth.

So, who would use this? Definitely people with damaged ends, whether it's from coloring or thermal styling. I'd also say it seems light enough to be used on all hair types, but if you have very thick, coarse hair this may not be enough for you. I'm guessing though, because I don't have that type of hair, and I haven't used it on anyone with that type of hair. I'd say it's a good product, because it hasn't been buried underneath all my other stuff. I do use it occasionally, but not all the time. I might even buy it again once I'm out.

Goldwell Rich Repair Leave-In Hairtip Serum comes in a 50 ml / 1.6 fl oz. bottle, and retails for around $17.

That's all for now. Have a great day, and take care of your hair!

Bed Head Urban Antidotes Resurrection Shampoo + Conditioner Review

2010-09-18T23:56:00.006-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm back! Ohh you don't know how much I missed you all! It was so hard not being able to post reviews on all the new products I've been getting lately! But I'm back now, so let's get the ball rolling with my new faaavorite shampoo and conditioner from Bed Head's Urban Antidotes collection. Urban Antidotes is divided into three levels for different hair types: Re-Energize, Recovery, and Resurrection. Of course after everything my hair has been through with being platinum blonde for so long, I chose level three: Resurrection. "Perfect for weak, brittle hair that needs an intervention." That description fits my hair perfectly! I bought the tween sizes, and I've been using them for almost two months now, and I definitely have noticed a difference in my hair. They certainly haven't "resurrected" my hair, but I notice that my hair feels a lot softer and looks less damaged compared to the other products I was using. I also noticed that I was using less leave-in products than I was before, so that's how I know it's working! These are certainly a step in the right direction towards getting healthier hair.

Now, as always, let's take a look at the ingredients. First the shampoo:

Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Fragrance, Dimethiconol, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, TEA-Dodecylbenzensulfonate, Carbomer, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Sodium hydroxide, PPG-9, Mica, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid, DMDM Hydantoin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Polyethylene, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Limonene, Linalool, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide)

De-fluffed:

Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Dimethiconol, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Carbomer, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Sodium hydroxide, PPG-9, Tetrasodium EDTA. Cetrimonium Chloride, Polyethylene.

Basically an above-average conditioning shampoo. Gentle surfactants cleanse the hair, while conditioning agents soften, and protect against moisture loss. Is it revolutionary? No, but It effectively cleans your hair without making it feel dry and rough. Trust me, if it can make my damaged, processed hair feel nice, imagine what it'll do for you.

Now here's the ingredients for the conditioner:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Fragrance, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Behenalkonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Lactic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Potassium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, PEG-7 Propylheptyl Ether, Disodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Limonene, Linalool.

De-fluffed:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Behenalkonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Lactic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Potassium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, PEG-7 Propylheptyl Ether, Disodium EDTA.

I loooove this conditioner. It's creamy and rich, I feel like it's actually doing something! Plus I can instantly tell whether a conditioner is good or not by how my hair feels after I rinse it out - this stuff is great. Like the shampoo, this conditioner is really nothing news-worthy, but it's a product that actually does what it says on the label. And if you're a product junkie like I am, you know that's saying something.

So who'd benefit from Resurrection shampoo and conditioner? I'd say anyone with chemically over-processed hair, whether it's from coloring, lightening, or permanent waving. I'd also recommend this to anyone with very damaged hair caused by over-using thermal tools. If your hair is just sort of damaged from coloring or heat tools, I'd say go for Recovery first. Then, if you feel there's been no improvement, exchange it for Resurrection. If none of these descriptions fit you, and you're just looking for a nice daily shampoo, try Re-Energize. If my hair was healthy, I'd try it in a second cos it smells amazing!

Oh! Did I mention the scent? "Papaya Chill Pill." I'm not sure what that is exactly, but I know it smells amaaaazinggg. They all do! My mom uses Recovery, and it smells like delicious, fresh grapefruit. I've smelled Re-Energize in the store, but I can't remember what it smells like, except that it smelled awesome and that I almost wished Resurrection smelled like it instead. So for me, they all pass the nose test. Good thing too, cos you guys know how I feel about that. If a product doesn't smell good, it's not going on my hair! Though actually... I've made one exception to that rule. I'll tell you guys about it later. ;)

Bed Head Urban Antidotes Resurrection shampoo + conditioner come in the regular 8.45 and 6.76 ounce sizes, respectively. They also come in the 25.36 oz. "tween" size, which are the ones I have, and they're the best deal in my opinion.

I'm glad to be back, and I hope you're all glad I'm back too! I've got plenty of stuff for you guys, so check back soon. Take care of your hair! :)

SORRY!

2010-09-04T00:55:00.002-05:00

I meant to update you guys a while ago, but my computer has been out of commission for a while. It should be back up within the next week, so I'll see you then. LOVE YOU ALL! xoxo

Hair/Style: Vol. 1

2010-08-11T09:15:00.016-05:00

Hey guys! I thought I'd mix it up a bit by introducing a new segment on The ART and SCIENCE of [beauty] that many have asked for, focusing on celebrity hair. Whether it's an actor, singer, supermodel, socialite, or reality-tv star, if they're in the media, they're fair game. I thought I'd call it Hair/Style because I didn't want it to be JUST about the hair, I'll definitely be commenting on other trends like clothing, makeup, and nails (but you guys know I'll be definitely be all over the hair). I was kind of leaning towards not doing a segment like this on my blog, since there are like a million other celebrity style blogs out there, but people keep asking! I'll do my best. ;)

The first celebrity I HAVE to talk about is Rihanna. If you follow me on Twitter, you already know how I feel about her new red hair, but in just in case you don't - I do NOT like it. I just think it makes her look cheap and common, and just straight up GHET-TO. Maybe if it wasn't such an obnoxiously bright Bozo-esque shade of red, I would like it more. Maybe. Rihanna has been off her hair game lately, at least in my eyes. I haven't really loved her hair since her "Umbrella" video. Now THAT was hot! Hopefully it'll be gone in a few days, and she'll have a whole new head of hair like she usually does. What do you think?

(photo courtesy of jungleinkk.com)

On a lighter note, did you watch the Teen Choice Awards? Yeah, neither did I. But out of all the celebs that walked the red carpet that night, Kim Kardashian blew them all away with a supermodel slick-back ponytail to show off her gorgeous facial features. I guess I love it because she really stood out from her sisters, who always choose to sport the same boring wavy hair, especially Khloe. And apparently that was the last little black dress she'll be wearing, according to her Twitter. If she's for real, I can't wait to see what she wears next!

(photo courtesy of mtv.com)

Also, know what else I love? Jessica Alba wearing this beautiful braided chignon. It really stands alone from the braid trend that's almost over, because she could've worn it five years ago and still would have looked amazing. It's classic, and trendy at the same time.

(photo courtesy of nollyzone.com)

Let's talk about nail polish, baby. So, even though I don't wear nail polish, I'm fascinated by it. How these companies keep coming up with all these beautiful colors and effects, I'll never know. That being said, I do keep up on the nail trend scene, and with Fall coming soon there are a few new nail trends being sported in fashion shows and on the runway, and a few that gotta go!

What's IN: Nail Textures, Nudes, Cool Violets.

I'm not just talking about glittery top coats, or the typical nail art you get down at the corner nail salon. Big, visible, chunky flakes of glitter with dark shades like black, blue-violet, or gray are gonna be huge this season. Or using different textures on your nails, like metallic overlays, seashells, rhinestones, or even lace appliques. Think "3-D nails." Nude colors have also been hot on the scene lately, with more women opting for nude taupe shades over reds and pinks. I know my girl Recessionista is in love with those shades, and she's been wearing them before they were even popular! You trendsetter, you! Lastly, expect to see a lot of edgy blue-violet colors this season, with cool-toned, metallic duochromes/glitters being the choice finish.

What's OUT: Matte Finishes, Dramatic French Tips.

Sorry Matte, you've had your fifteen minutes. It's time to go. Personally I never liked matte finish nail polish, I just thought they looked so boring! Then OPI came out with some of their popular colors in that weird Suede finish, and they didn't look anything like their non-Suede counterparts. I admit it was nice seeing something other than than the usual finishes being popular, but I'm over it. I think a lot of people are. Also, with nude colors becoming more and more popular, dramatic french tips are over... thank god. What used to be a classy way to have your nails done has just taken a turn for the worst lately. They're fine for young high school girls, but seriously ladies, it's time to say goodbye. There are PLENTY of other things to do to your nails, so take a chance and try something new!

I think that's enough ranting for now. This was fun though! What did you guys think? Should I keep this going, or give up now? :-P

Take care of your hair, and yourself! XOXO

S-Factor Spun Satin Review

2010-07-28T17:32:00.006-05:00

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been MIA lately, there's just been so much going on! Being that it's summer and beautiful outside, I find myself spending less time indoors, and even less time on my laptop. For that, I'm sorry. Gosh I'm embarrassed at how long it's been since my last post, but I'm going to try to make up for it! Starting with my review of S-Factor Spun Satin Feather-Light Styling Soufflé. I blogged about how excited I was for this to come out (here), and I was not disappointed! Spun Satin has become a new favorite of mine, and a staple in my product collection.

If you've never heard of styling soufflé before, it's basically a very rich, conditioning styler. The consistency of Spun Satin is like a very thick deep conditioner, with a hint of a pomade/wax. However, being as rich as it is, it's very light on hair, and it's absolutely PERFECT for wavy hair! Spun Satin is the next generation of "scrunching" products, so bye-bye sticky gel! Plus isn't the jar pretty? It looks like expensive department store night cream or something - I feel so luxurious when I use it! And the scent... I'm not even gonna try. All I know is that it smells heavenly, so if you see it you have to smell it! You'll fall in love.

As always, we'll take a look at the ingredients:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Stearalkonium Chloride, Fragrance, Cyclopentasiloxane, PVP, Amodimethicone, Hydrolyzed Silk, Sodium PCA, Cetrimonium Chloride, Dimethicone, Trideceth-12, Aloe Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Sunflower Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, Propylene Glycol, Methylparaben, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Coumarin.

De-fluffed:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Stearalkonium Chloride, Cyclopentasiloxane, PVP, Amodimethicone, Sodium PCA, Cetrimonium Chloride, Dimethicone, Trideceth-12, Propylene Glycol.

Now if you're someone who's sensitive to fragrances, you might want to skip this product because it's full of fragrance additives. It doesn't bother me, but I know some people can't take it so I just wanted to put that out there. Anyway, once we take out all the fluff we're pretty much left with a very conditioning product with just a hint of hold. This is probably the reason why it's so perfect for people with naturally wavy hair, like myself. It tames the wave without leaving hair heavy and/or crunchy. Now I've talked about almost all of these ingredients in past posts, but what I do want to point out are Cetrimonium Chloride and Trideceth-12. These ingredients, combined with the other silicones, like Amodimethicone, prevent any buildup on your hair. So if you weren't sure about all the silicone in this product, don't worry about it. By your next shampoo, it will be all down the drain.

Who would I recommend this to? Anyone wanting to enhance their natural wave, while keeping their hair soft and touchable. I do feel the need to point out that this product is not designed to actually create a wave or curl, just enhance what you already have. So I'm gonna say if your hair is straight and you're looking for a curling product, this is not for you. I would also tell you that if you do decide to use Spun Satin, but are unsure of how much to use for your hair, use less than you think you need. It took me a couple tries to figure out just the right amount for my hair. Spun Satin can also be mixed with other products; I often mix in some S-Factor Dream Drops to give my hair some added shine and softness, but it's not really necessary. Spun Satin is great all by itself!

Here's a tip: I suggest towel drying most of the moisture out of your hair, then using Spun Satin. At first it might feel like it's a bit too much for your hair, but just give it time to dry and settle into your hair, and your hair will feel great! I've also found that it's best to let your hair air dry when using Spun Satin. I just think the heat from a blowdryer will kind of work against this product. But try and see what works best for you, maybe you'll find the opposite is true for you.

S-Factor Spun Satin comes in a 2.65 oz / 75 g container, and retails for around $28.

Like I said before, I am REALLY going to try to post more often. It's shameful how little I've been posting lately! Sorry again. But the good part of this is that I've been testing out a lot of new products, so you all just sit tight! More reviews coming soon!

Have fun, and take care of your hair! Especially against the sun, it's brutal!

HAUL!

2010-07-08T22:29:00.003-05:00

Hey guys! Well as you guys can see, it's haul time! There's just been so many new products coming out lately, I definitely needed to do a little retail therapy. To be honest, most of the shopping I do is just checking out (and smelling) the new products in person, and if any of them look like something I would personally use, then I get them. There are a few re-purchases thrown in there, but most of it is new.

Starting at the top left is six TIGI Radiant Gloss hair colours. CosmoProf has a deal going on this month where you buy six shades of TIGI hair colour (pick between Colour Creative, Radiant Gloss, or Ultra Lift) and get a tub of TIGI True Light lightener (not pictured) for free. Awesome, right? If you're curious, the shades I bought are: Mix Master 0/22 Violet, 0/02 Perfect Pearl, 0/07 Perfect Oyster, 0/27 Orchid Mist, 00/ Clear, and 5/6 Indian Red (for my mom's hair).

Next we have Clairol Shimmer Lights shampoo, one of my favorite violet shampoos ever! It's fantastic at toning down the brass in blonde/grey/silver hair. I bought the biggest size, 31.5 oz.... I really don't get why they couldn't just add a couple more ounces to make it a real liter, but whatever.

The next two I've been dying waiting for them to come out! The new Bed Head Urban Anti+dotes shampoo and conditioners! There are three different sets for different hair types, categorized into "levels." The two tweens are Level 3: Resurrection, for "weak, brittle hair that needs an intervention." Totally me. Even my mom tried it, but it kind of made her hair a little "too soft" if that makes sense. I suggested she go down to Level 2: Recovery, for "dry, damaged tresses that need a moisture hit." So far, she loves it. Reviews are coming soon.

The big, white, honey pot looking thing is the large size (750 ml) S-Factor Serious Conditioner. When I got the smaller size before, I absolutely loved it and I knew I HAD to have the big size. I've even tweeted about how much I love it, lol! It also smells amazing, kinda fruity and minty at the same time. Very refreshing.

Now on the bottom left are two re-purchases: Aquage Seaextend Silkening Oil Treatment and KMS Makeover Spray, both of which I've reviewed. The next item is actually not a hair product, it's called Skin Smoothie by Fake Bake. It's supposed to smooth out dry areas on your skin to make your self tanners apply better. It was on clearance, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Next is, big surprise, a GVP product! My girl Recessionista would be so proud, lol! It's the GVP version of Paul Mitchell Wax Works. Not only is this my first GVP product, but it's also my first Paul Mitchell product. I don't know why, but I'm never drawn to their products. Anyway, the blue box you see next to the GVP is Rusk Deepshine Oil, a product I've been dying to get my hands on! It's the latest in the "hair oil" trend, containing argan oil and all that - but thankfully it doesn't smell like a greenhouse like the rest of the Deepshine products. Not that it's a horrible scent, it's just not that appealing to me. I've only used it a couple times, so after I've used it for a while then I'll do a review.

The two little bottles on the bottom right with the pink labels are 7th Stage creme hair lightener with a bunch of activator packets. I use it when I lighten someone's hair, and to touch up my own outgrowth. It's so gentle, but so effective at the same time. No matter how dark your hair is, 7th Stage can make your hair the palest blonde while leaving it in great condition. I also got two paddle brushes, one with boar bristles and a normal one. The middle brush is a Monroe round brush, but the barrel is actually an oval shape instead of round like usual. Then right next to them are a chamois buffer and buffing creme - because I like my nails to be shiny without having to put polish on them, and it's something to do when I'm bored. Also, do you like the new tote I got from CosmoProf? It was only a dollar, I had to have it! :-P

That's all for this haul, but I gotta tell you, this was some much needed retail therapy. I could've easily spent a lot more, but I restrained myself... for now. ;-)

Take care of your hair, and have a good weekend!

Sebastian Volupt Spray Review

2010-06-23T12:14:00.001-05:00

Hello, hello! Today I'm reviewing Sebastian Volupt Spray volume-building spray gel. Volupt is Sebastian's newest line, which includes shampoo, conditioner, and Volupt Spray - and it's awesome! This product is descibed as a spray-gel, but I wouldn't say that at all. It has such a light mist and is virtually weightless in hair, but whatevs! The label reads: "VOLUPT SPRAY contains revolutionary cushioning-particles to create hair-raising root volume, leaving a defined hold that stays sumptuous and soft to the touch. With natural bamboo extract. Contains heat protection." Cushioning-particles? Sounds fancy!

I've been using it for a few months now, and I've had no problems with it. It's the lightest "spray-gel" I've ever used, maybe because it's in two parts (you shake it to activate the product). I mist it all over damp hair and either use a paddle or vent brush to dry, or use my round brushes for even more volume. It's also good for layering with other volumizing products. Also, the scent is a bit toward the masculine side, with just a hint of a floral scent. Maybe that's the bamboo I'm smelling. If you've used it (or even smelled it in the store) what do you think?

Anyway, let's take a peek at the ingredients:

Water, PVP, Chitosan, Polyethylene, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 80, Formic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Bamboo Leaf/Stem Extract, Cactus Flower Extract, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopheryl.

And without the fluff:

PVP, Chitosan, Polyethylene, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 20, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 80, Propylene Glycol.

I was kinda surprised with the amount of fragrance and fixative ingredients there are. When you cut through the fluff, this product is pretty simple. PVP is a film-former that gives a slight hold. If you're a health/fitness buff, you may recognize chitosan as the newest star in the diet pill craze. Apparently it's a good fat inhibitor when used in weight-loss supplements, but in this product it's a polysaccharide film-former that coats and strengthens the hair shaft. Polyethylene is a thickening/gelling agent... maybe that's why they call it a spray-gel? The next four ingredients (PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 20, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 80) are all emulsifiers. It's not uncommon to see this many emulsifiers in a product that's in two parts (thats why you have to shake it). And of course one of the most common humectants, propylene glycol.

I definitely recommend that if you have fine hair and want volume, but your hair can't take a lot of product, give this a shot. It's extremely light, and it doesn't take a lot of product to get visible results. People with fine-to-normal hair would also find this useful, either by itself or used with other volumizing products like I said before. I don't think normal-to-thick/coarse hair would really see a difference using this product, but I'm guessing if that's your hair type, you're not really lacking when it comes to volume. As for me, I use it when I blowdry my hair back and away from my face. It gives a nice, natural hold while leaving my hair soft to the touch. I also can't wait to try the shampoo and conditioner, just to try something different.

Sebastian Volupt Spray comes in a 150 ml / 5.07 fl oz. bottle and retails for about 17$

I plan to do some shopping this weekend, maybe if I get enough stuff I'll do a haul! Any recommendations of products I should try? Tell me what's good! I'm always open to trying something new, and now that I'm licensed I can shop at a lot more pro stores now. Anyway, have a good weekend, and take care of your hair!

Aquage Seaextend Silkening Oil Treatment Review

2010-06-09T20:11:00.005-05:00

Hey everyone! Guess what? I passed my state boards! Man that test was so easy, I finished it in like 20 minutes. All that waiting and anxiety, it was almost anti-climactic! But anyway, today I'm reviewing an awesome product from Aquage's Seaextend line, their Silkening Oil Treatment. Now, if you're obsessed with hair products like I am, you've probably noticed that a lot of companies are jumping on the hair oil bandwagon. It's like once Moroccanoil came out, everyone else had their own "version" of it with each brand somehow improving upon it or putting their own spin on it (yet using similar ingredients). I've tried a bunch of them, and even reviewed a few (Joico K-PAK Restorative Oil and Marrakesh Oil) and while they all have similar ingredients, they are all totally different.

Now, I've never tried Aquage before... I don't know why but it just never appealed to me. But when they came out with this Silkening Oil Treatment, my curiosity got the best of me. So I've been using it for a few weeks now and I really think that it is one of the best of its kind. For an oil-type product, it's very light and it leaves no residue in my hair or my hands. It also conditions well and even protects against heat. Even my hands feel nice and soft when I'm done, I don't need to wipe them off or wash them. Two-in-one! Love it.

It's a simple product, with simple ingredients:

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Isohexadecane, Argan Kernel Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Blue Seakale Extract, Sea Fennel Extract, Sea Beet Extract, Seaweed, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Fragrance.

I'm not really gonna de-fluff this product, because I'm not an expert on marine plants and such, and I don't know what effects any of these ingredients may or may not have on this product. They must be doing something right though, because this stuff works great! However, I can tell you that cyclopentasiloxane is a silicone that's great at dispersing other, heavier silicones and it doesn't leave a coated, sticky feeling on your hair. Dimethiconol, which comes from sand, is another lightweight lubricant that conditions and adds shine. Isohexadecane is an emollient/emulsifier used to mix everything together, and keep it that way. Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides forms a barrier to prevent moisture loss, and it also works to thin out thicker products. I talked a bit about Argan Oil in my K-PAK review I linked above, but basically it's this oil that's rich in vitamin E and fatty acids, and it's great for your hair and skin. Almost every hair oil out there has argan oil in it. As for the rest, I'm not sure if it's fluff or not. If you know anything about any of them, feel free to comment and let me know!

Now as for who I'd recommend this to, I can honestly say that I believe people with any kind of hair can benefit from this product. It's light enough so that even people with baby-fine hair can have great luck with it, but strong enough to smooth the thickest, coarsest hair. It's also great for color-treated hair, and for hair that's had keratin smoothing done. The only real downside to this product is that the price is kind of steep for a hair product. Though, from a logical view, I look at other products of its kind, how little you actually use, plus the fact that Aquage is a premium brand, and the price kinda makes sense. But that's just me.

Aquage Seaextend Silkening Oil Treatment comes in a 4.5 oz / 133 ml bottle, and retails for around $28. There's also a 1.7 oz travel size that retails for around $17. Like I've said before, don't let these numbers scare you, they're just a generalization. I'm sure you can get them for less than that if you look hard enough, or have a friend that's a stylist. Wanna be my friend? ;)

There's always more to come, so keep reading + take care of your hair!

ghd Obedience Cream Review

2010-06-03T22:27:00.007-05:00

Hi everyone! Guess what? I take my state board test to get my cosmetology license on the 8th! Wish me luck!

Today I'm reviewing ghd Obedience Cream for Frizz-Free Styling. I got this ridiculously cheap at America's Beauty Show, I think for like $2, back in March and I've been loving it ever since. "A lightweight anti-frizz blow-dry cream for normal to fine hair; ideal for creating glossy looks or defining curlier styles. Helps keep your hair frizz-free longer, and to retain the hair's moisture and elasticity when heat-styling."

Since I've picked up all those ghd products at the show, I'm slowly falling in love with them. I have yet to find a bad product from them, even the two mini products I received with my ghd iron are great - I still need the full sizes! So let's see the ingredients:

Water, Propylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Polyacrylamide, AMP-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Benzophenone-4, Butylene Glycol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dimethiconol, Dimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate, Sunflower Seed Extract, Hydroxypropyl Trimonium Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Laureth-7, Polyquaternium-59, Styrene/VP Copolymer, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance.

And without the fluff:

Propylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Polyacrylamide, AMP-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Benzophenone-4, Butylene Glycol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dimethiconol, Dimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Laureth-7, Polyquaternium-59, Styrene/VP Copolymer.

Basically what we have are conditioning ingredients, UV protection, and a slight hold. Propylene and Hexylene Glycol are humectants that add moisture to hair. Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Dimethiconol, and Dimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate are all conditioning agents that soften hair and protect against damage. Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Corn Starch is an anti-static agent to protect against static frizzies. Polyacrylamide, AMP-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer give a slight hold and help straighten. Benzophenone-4 and Polyquaternium-59 protect against UV rays.

Now, straightening products are tricky and kind of a matter of personal preference. This product for instance says it's for normal to fine hair, and I agree. Thicker hair probably wouldn't benefit as much from this, as it's pretty light. In my experience, I've found that a small, quarter-sized dollop in damp hair works best, but like with any product you'll have to play around and figure out what's best for you.

ghd Obedience Cream comes in a 150 ml / 5.1 oz tube, and retails for around $16-$18.

I know I've been lacking in posts and reviews lately, but I've just had a lot going on lately. I will try and do more so try and be a little patient! Take care of your hair everyone!

KMS Hairstay Style Boost Review

2010-05-24T19:45:00.007-05:00

Hey everyone! Today I'm reviewing what may be the coolest hair product ever! It's KMS Hairstay Style Boost Weightless Style Foundation. It's a totally innovative product that can best be described as hair primer. Seriously, you put it in your hair and it makes your products last up to 3x longer, at least that's what the label says. I don't know what they base that on, but I could definitely tell that whatever products I use with this (especially volumizing products) last a LOT longer than they usually do.

But the really cool part is the way this product works: it comes out as a foam, then BAM! It starts crackling and cools in your hand, and when it's done you emulsify it in your hands and it turns into a clear liquid with kind of a lotion consistency. It's totally awesome! Okay, I know you're like... what the @#$% are you talking about?! But I'm serious, and to show you how cool it is, I made a little video demonstrating the product for you!

It's cool right?! I've seriously never seen anything like this before. Let's take a look at the ingredients of this awesome product:

Water, Hydrofluorocarbon 152a, Dimethyl Ether, Trisiloxane, Polyquaternium-68, Pomegranate Extract, Black Pepper Seed Extract, Panthenol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lactic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Pyruvic Acid, Malic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Benzophenone-4, Ammonium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Sorbitol, PCA, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Methylisothiazolinone, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Fragrance.

And without the fluff:

Hydrofluorocarbon 152a, Dimethyl Ether, Trisiloxane, Polyquaternium-68, Panthenol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lactic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Pyruvic Acid, Malic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Benzophenone-4, Ammonium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Sorbitol, PCA, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil,

Hydrofluorocarbon 152a and Dimethyl Ether are propellants. They make the product shoot out of the aerosol can - whoosh! Trisiloxane and Benzophenone-4 are UV filters. Polyquaternium-68 (Luviquat Supreme as it's known in the chemical industry) is a fascinating ingredient. It's a cationic film-former that smooths and conditions the cuticle, and adds body and hold. This is especially useful for curly hair, because the film will keep curls intact in extremely high humidity + the hold will not fade. When it's combined with Panthenol, it adds more shine and softness (so the hold isn't too firm), as well as elasticity. But don't worry, even with all that going for it, polyquaternium-68 is completely water-soluble. Now, do you see all those ingredients with the word "acid" in them? They're a group called Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHA) Sound familiar? I've talked about them before in my KMS Makeover Spray review. Ammonium Hydroxide is used as a stabilizer. Glycerin and PCA are humectants, along with Sorbitol which is also a thickener.

So who would benefit from this product? Everyone! Especially curly hair and fine hair, trust me - you will LOVE this! It's even great used on it's own - but used with other products it totally rocks! I'm definitely buying another can or two of this, it's that good. Plus, it crackles! I've never thought a hair product could be fun to use... I wonder what they'll come up with next?

KMS Hairstay Style Boost comes in a 190 g/ 6.7 oz can and retails for about $17. I know I've been lacking reviews lately, but I'm really gonna try to put up some more! Oh and I have another tandem review with Recessionista coming up soon, so look out for that! Take care of your hair pretty people! XO

CONTEST CLOSED

2010-05-17T00:00:00.002-05:00

Thank you all for entering! The winner of the Hana Pink 1" Professional Flat Iron will be determined on 5/17 and notified ASAP. I'm so excited to see who wins! Hopefully this will be the first of many contests to come, so if you don't win, just enter the next one! :) Take care of your hair, loves!

Update 5/20: Congratulations Renee, I hope you love your iron! ♥

Marrakesh Oil Review

2010-05-10T20:06:00.007-05:00

Hey guys! Only 4 days left to enter the giveaway to win a 1" Pink Hana Professional Flat Iron, so go enter now and tell all your friends!!!

Today I'm reviewing Marrakesh Oil Hair Styling Elixir which promotes the use of Hemp and Argan oils. I've had it for a few months now and it's probably one of the best hair oils I've ever used! It makes my hair feel so soft and healthy, not to mention unbelievably shiny. Plus I love that it comes in a glass bottle. That's so rare these days, I really like it. I'll definitely be buying this again!

It's actually a simple product when you look at the ingredients:

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Isopropyl Myristate, Aragan Kernel Oil, Hemp, Fragrance.

Really the only fluff in this product is the fragrance...which is interesting. It's like a mix of... well... honestly, it's hard to describe. The first thing that came to my mind (still does) is a pleasant mix of smoke and cookies. I know that's weird but it's the only way I can describe it! It kind of caught me off guard when I first used it, and I didn't think I liked it at first. But now, it's grown on me and I actually do like it. Maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't.

Look, I can sum this up easily: The first four ingredients are very effective conditioning silicones. Cyclopentasiloxane is great at protecting hair against heat and breakage, and it also breaks up other heavier silicones like Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, and Cyclomethicone. Isopropyl Myristate is the ester of isopropyl alcohol and myristic acid. It's an emollient that reduces the greasy feel of products by replacing other heavy ingredients. Argan oil and Hemp oil are both natural oils containing vitamins that are great for your skin and hair. Now they are in kind of low doses in this product (and a lot of other "natural" hair oils) but I think they do make a difference.

Who would benefit from this product? Anyone with dry or damaged hair, especially if you use heat tools a lot. I don't think this is really limited to a certain hair type; everyone can use it. Finer hair may need less then coarse hair, but that's true with a lot of products. Also, if you color your hair this is great for protecting your color and keeping it bright and vibrant.

Marrakesh Oil comes in a 2 0z. / 60 ml bottle and retails for around $15. Stay tuned for more reviews and another tandem review with Recessionista! Take care of your hair everyone! ♥

Pearatin Fortifying Repairative Serum Review

2010-05-07T21:12:00.004-05:00

Hey guys! Just to let you know that my contest for the Pink 1" Hana Professional Flat Iron is still going on until 5/16 so be sure to enter and tell all your friends!

Today I'm reviewing Pearatin Fortifying Repairative Serum with ThermalColor Complex to "Reconstruct, Restore, and Shine. Time-released Creatine and Keratin Protein Treatment. Provides Thermal Protection and Locks In All Hair Color" This is quite a versatile product, because you can use it as a conditioning hair serum, thermal protector, and color catalyst. Usually I'm skeptical of color catalysts, because a lot of them don't do anything, but I think this one works! What you do is add one drop of serum per mixed ounce of color (or lightener) and mix it in. For example: 4 oz. of color = 4 drops of serum. I've noticed that my colors, especially reds, have been depositing deeper and richer, and last a bit longer than normal. It's now a staple in my product menagerie.

Let's look at the ingredients:

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, SD Alcohol 40-2, Fragrance, Jojoba Seed Oil*, Creatine, Keratin Amino Acids, Pear Fruit Extract, Cranberry Fruit Extract.

Without the fluff:

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, SD Alcohol 40-2, Jojoba Seed Oil*, Creatine, Keratin Amino Acids.

A simple product, no? Towards the bottom of the label it says the asterisk (*) after Jojoba Seed Oil means Organic. It also says Pear and Cranberry are for aromatherapy purposes, it has food grade preservatives, no animal testing or ingredients, made with 25% PCR plastics, and uses soy inks! Wow, that's pretty cool!

So, by now you should know what the first three are, so I'll move on. Jojoba Seed Oil is an excellent emollient that adds a ton of moisture to dry hair and skin. Creatine is actually a protein derivative found in muscle tissue. Usually it's used in body-building supplements, but it appears that Loma has found a use for it in haircare as well. I talked about Keratin in my previous post about Rusk Keratin Smoothing Treatment, basically it's one of those ingredients that some people think works and some don't.

Who would I recommend this to? Everyone, especially if you're a home haircolor diva - and I know you're out there. Besides this being a great color catalyst, it's a great hair serum too. It adds a ton of healthy shine, protects against heat damage, and helps seal in haircolor. Plus it smells so good, like fruit punch! :)

Loma Pearatin Fortifying Repairative Serum comes in a 3.4 oz bottle and retails for around $17. There's also a bigger 12 oz bottle that retails for around $35.

Have YOU tried any Loma or Pearatin product? Or any other color catalysts? Comment and let me know!

Have a great weekend everyone, and take care of your hair!

Rusk Pro Elements Keratin Smoothing Treatment Review+

2010-04-29T21:26:00.006-05:00

Hey all! It's time for another review with my favorite beauty blogger Recessionista! If you're new to my blog, we've actually done this before. See our reviews on Sebastian Potion 9, and Joico K-PAK Reconstruct. I love doing stuff like this, it's so much fun! The product I'm doing this time is Rusk Pro Elements Keratin Smoothing Treatment and she's reviewing One 'n Only Brazilian Tech Keratin Smoothing Treatment, which is basically the knock off of this product. And I think it's brazenly obvious that this is a knock off considering the packaging is almost exactly the same...but whatevs! Anyway, check out her review, and YOU decide which one is for you!

This smoothing treatment is "a deep-penetrating treatment formulated with natural keratin, vitamins and proteins to help improve the strength of hair. Formulated for chemically or color-treated hair. Helps protect hair against heat during thermal styling. Keeps hair smooth and shiny." Interesting fact: both bottles say exactly the same thing. Even in the same font. Well anyway, that's mostly a bunch of nice words, but it is actually a great product. It smooths hair without leaving it feeling heavy or dirty. Let's take a look at the ingredients:

Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Fragrance, Propylene Glycol, Quaternium-91, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Keratin, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Wheat Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Shea Butter, Grape Seed Oil, Macadamia Seed Oil, Honey, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol.

And the list de-fluffed:

Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Propylene Glycol, Quaternium-91, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Keratin, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Honey.

Before I say anything, let me just say I'm in looooove with how this smells. It's a coconut lovers heaven! Plus the scent lasts throughout the day without being obnoxious, I love that! :D

Okay so, basically what we have is some excellent conditioning silicones, emollients, and humectants. I've talked about a lot of these already, so I'll discuss some of the more uncommon ingredients. Behentrimonium Methosulfate is an emulsifier used to combine (emulsify) water and oil. Quaternium-91 is another excellent conditioning agent that softens hair and protects color. Keratin and Hydrolyzed Keratin are hair proteins that act like the same kind of protein found in human hair. There is some debate on whether or not they actually work, but they certainly don't hurt a product. And then there's honey. Not only is honey the only food in the world that doesn't spoil, it also has a myriad of uses - it's used in cooking, skin care, haircare, and more. In haircare, it's a humectant used as a moisturizing and conditioning agent, and as a thickener.

Who would I recommend this to? I think all hair types can benefit from this product, especially if you have a problem with smoothing and frizz control. Also, Recessionista pointed out that if you're having problems finding a leave-in smoothing product, try this! It rinses out of your hair and works just as well as a leave-in product! She also pointed out that the directions are extremely vague: "Apply to clean, damp hair. Massage in thoroughly. Leave in 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse and style." Yeah, THAT'S helpful. Well, if you want my opinion, I'd use this as a deep conditioner maybe every other time you shampoo your hair. You don't want to use it too much because it might over-condition your hair. I'd say when you use it, apply it in place of or after your normal conditioner and leave it in for the full 3 minutes (or more if you'd like). Personally I leave my conditioner in for the remainder of my shower, but that's just me.

Rusk Pro Elements Keratin Smoothing Treatment comes in a 150 g / 5.3 oz bottle and retails for around $16. Again, check out Recessionista's review and compare them for yourself. I'd say we both had similar experiences! How about you? Have you tried either the Rusk or the One 'n Only? Comment and let me know your experience!

Also, don't forget to enter my contest to win a Pink Hana Flat Iron! It's open for three more weeks, so tell all your friends! And take care of your hair everyone!

HANA Pink 1" Professional Flat Iron Review+

2010-04-17T17:49:00.014-05:00

*THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU ALL FOR ENTERING*

Hey everyone! Wellllll, I was lucky enough to be sent an awesome Hana flat iron to review, and I have to tell you... this iron is giving my GHD a run for its money. It's awesome! I was sent this iron from a representative at Misikko.com, one of the best retailers of professional flat irons I've ever seen. Misikko carries all the best flat irons: Hana, CHI, T3, GHD, you name it. They've got amazing deals, a ton of awesome products, and the best customer service I think I've ever come across. I've dealt with a lot of online retailers, and none of them have been as great as Misikko.

This iron (seen above, photo courtesy of Misikko) is in a lovely shade of pink and has 1" floating tourmaline ceramic plates with 5 different temperature settings ranging from 140-450° and it gets hot in like, 10 seconds - no joke. In case you don't know, floating plates mean the plates actually move with your hair, so you don't get those ugly creases typical flat irons can give. It also has an 8ft long swivel cord which I personally love because it's a lot less hassle, and the edges of the plates are curved! You can straighten, curl, or wave your hair with this iron! You all know how much I love versatility in my hair products. ;)

Okay, so while I was waiting for my iron to arrive, I decided to do some research on it... I can't help it, I just.. I have to. Haha, so anyway, a lot of the websites + people I've talked to who own it often compare it to the GHD IV Styler - saying it's just as good, if not better. This really made me skeptical because I L♥VE my GHD. To me, it is the best styling tool I've ever used. G H D = G O D. Can you tell I'm a fan? So when I got my Hana iron in the mail, I started using it/testing it/playing with it immediately, and I can honestly say that it is a serious contender with the GHD Styler.

So then I thought I should do some comparisons of my own with the Hana iron and the GHD. I discovered that though they are extremely similar, they both have certain strengths and weaknesses, in my own opinion, of course.

First off, I love the way the Hana iron feels in my hand. It's very lightweight and ergonomically designed versus the very sleek look of the GHD, which isn't uncomfortable at all, but the Hana is designed better.
A pro for the GHD, for me at least, is the constant heat setting. I think it's great because it prevents people from setting their irons to hotter temperatures than they need to.
I think, after a LOT of testing, that I like the GHD for straightening hair a little bit better than the Hana. I noticed that the Hana requires a few passes of the iron to get it perfectly straight, versus like one or two with the GHD. But, I also noticed that the Hana works better with flat iron sprays than the GHD does.
However, the Hana ROCKS at curling hair! You can do anything from tight sprial curls, to loose beachy waves with this iron. The GHD is good at it, but I think the Hana is better.
As far as cost goes, I think they're both in the same league. A nice way to say it would be that these tools are investments, and they are, but to put it bluntly: they're expensive. But what I love about Hana and GHD is that they both have pretty awesome gift sets all the time, that are really worth your while, especially the Hana gift sets from Misikko. They've got a bunch and they're all really amazing deals!

In the end I was extremely impressed with my Hana flat iron. It works amazingly well on all hair types, and the price and quality is comparable with other professional flat irons. And if you're in the market for a new iron, there's good news!

I'M GIVING ONE AWAY!

ISN'T THAT AWESOME?!

My first giveaway! I'm so excited!!! The lucky winner will receive an amazing Hana 1" Pink Professional Flat Iron courtesy of Misikko.com! Just like the one in the picture! To enter, all you have to do is:

Follow this blog using the Follow button on the right sidebar. (Required)
Leave a comment with your name and a valid email address, and tell me what kind of iron you have now, if you do have one, and why you want the Hana Professional Flat Iron. (Required)

If you want extra bonus entries you can do any/all of these too! Please leave a comment for each individual extra entry, it's easier to count them that way.

Follow @HeartStarBolt (me!) on Twitter! Comment this post with your username. (1 bonus entry)
Follow @Misikko on Twitter! Comment this post with your username. (1 bonus entry)
Tweet about the giveaway (one tweet per day): "Win a Pink Hana Professional 1" Flat Iron from @Misikko + @HeartStarBolt here: http://bit.ly/9pk55N" Comment with a link to your tweet! (1 bonus entry)
Blog about this giveaway on your blog/website! Comment with a link to it! (3 bonus entries!!!)
Join the Misikko Newsletter! Comment with the email you provided the newsletter. (3 bonus entries!!!)

You can enter from now until 5/16 at 11:59 PM CDT. The winner will be chosen on 5/17 via Random.org and notified the following day! I can't wait to see what happens! Good luck to you all and take care of your hair! XOXO

Kenra Platinum Hot Spray Review

2010-04-14T21:09:00.007-05:00

Hello, hello! Today I'm reviewing Kenra Platinum Hot Spray, ultimate thermal protection with long lasting, firm hold. On the Kenra Hold Index of 0 - 26 (none - super), Hot Spray has a hold index of 20. If I were to compare it to another product, I'd compare it to Redken Spray Starch 15... although I think I like Hot Spray more. Hot Spray is actually much more versatile than Spray Starch is: I can use it with any hot tool, the scent is more appealing (kind of fruity, maybe pineapple?) and I can also use it as a light hold hairspray. And when I use Spray Starch first of all I don't love the scent, and I find that it's a bit too wet when it sprays. I don't like using it with flat irons either - it just makes the hair too flat. I do like both Spray Starch and Hot Spray for curling and with hot rollers. But, if I'm gonna reach for one, I'd probably go for Hot Spray.

What's so awesome about Hot Spray? Let's take a peek at the ingredient list and find out. First the whole ingredient list:

SD Alcohol 40-2, Water, Vinyl Acetate/Crotonic Acid/Vinyl Neodecanoate Copolymer, Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Polymer, Benzophenone-3, Fragrance, Disiloxane, Cyclomethicone, Aminomethyl Propanol, Potassium Hydroxide.

And when we take out the fluff, we're left with:

SD Alcohol 40-2, Vinyl Acetate/Crotonic Acid/Vinyl Neodecanoate Copolymer, Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Polymer, Benzophenone-3, Disiloxane, Cyclomethicone.

Basically what we're left with is a bunch of long-winded ingredients that are hair fixatives (the first three), UV protection (Benzophenone-3), and silicone (Disiloxane + Cyclomethicone). I wish I could tell you why these ingredients have so many names, but I'm not a cosmetic chemist so I don't know. If any of my readers knows a cosmetic chemist and wants to ask them WTF is up with these names, that'd be great. :D

If you use any kind of hot tool on your hair, and I'm guessing most of you do because it's 2010 and freaking everybody does, then I strongly recommend giving Hot Spray a shot. It's rare that a product like this is so versatile that you can use it with any styling tool, usually if it's good for one tool, it sucks with the other. Curling irons, flat irons, rollers, whatevers, this product is great!

Kenra Platinum Hot Spray comes in a 8 fl oz / 237 ml bottle, and retails for $17 according to Kenra's website. If you really love it, they also make a liter refill size that retails for $45.

Stay tuned to see what I'll review next, and take care of your hair!

Redken Wool Shake 08 Review

2010-04-12T19:49:00.007-05:00

Hello all! Today I'm reviewing one of the products I got at ABS: Redken Wool Shake 08, a gel-slush texturizer that gives an diffused, unrefined semi-matte "wool" finish. This is for the SERIOUS texture lovers! The first time I tried it, I actually said "Wooooow!" I honestly didn't know what to expect, but I really loved the results. It enhanced my natural wave and gave me all this funky volume and texture. It kind of reminds me of the kind of texture that sea salt sprays give, but with a bit more hold. If you love texture in your hair, this is definitely worth a shot!

If you're familiar with Redken products, you may remember Wool Shake 08 from Redken's Urban Experiment collection (pic at the end). Well, it's back! It's good because I never actually got around to buying Wool Shake 08 back then, so when I saw it at ABS I knew I had to get it. The label looks like the rest of Redken's products, so I'm hoping Wool Shake isn't limited edition anymore, because when I run out I'll definitely buy another one! I love the masculine scent too, it smells sexy without being overpowering.

So what makes Wool Shake 08 so sexy and awesome? Let's see the full ingredient list here:

Water, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Propylene Glycol, AMP-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Sorbitol, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Methylparaben, Fragrance, Chlorphenesin, Polyacrylate-3, Maltodextrin, Coumarin, Linalool, CI 14700/Red 4, CI 15510/Orange 4, Cotton extract, CI 42090/Blue 1.

And without the fluff:

Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Propylene Glycol, AMP-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Sorbitol, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glycerin, Polyacrylate-3, Maltodextrin.

Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate is a bulking agent used to increase the volume of a product. It's also used to increase viscosity. Propylene Glycol is a humectant used to keep moisture in your hair and not dry it out. AMP-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer is a film former. Sorbitol is a humectant that comes from fruits and berries. Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier, and can be used as a fragrance ingredient. Glycerin is used as a lubricant and humectant in hair products; it attracts water to skin + hair and locks it in, keeping your hair from drying out. Polyacrylate-3 is another film former. Film formers do pretty much what they say: they form a film around your hair and give hold. Maltodextrin is an emulsifier/binding agent. I think this is why you have to shake the product to activate it.

Who would I recommend this to? People who aren't afraid of texture in their hair. Anyone from people who have baby fine hair to normal hair would definitely benefit the from this product. I probably wouldn't recommend this to people with coarse hair, because coarse hair already has a lot of texture. Wool Shake 08 can enhance your natural wave, gives lots of volume and it gives a lot of awesome texture without making your hair feel like straw, like some products do. Anyway, basically what you do is just shake it up and spray it into dry hair and scrunch while you're spraying. You can use it to finish your style too. It says the finish is semi-matte, but I think it depends on how much you use. I noticed that when I only use a couple sprays, it doesn't really matte out my hair. When I use a lot, the semi-matte effect is more noticeable.

Redken Wool Shake 08 comes in a 5fl oz. / 145 ml bottle and retails for around $15.

Another review wrapped up! There are plenty more reviews to come, AND my giveaway starts soon! Keep reading and take care of your hair! ;-)

Oh by the way, here's what Wool Shake 08 used to look like:

Look familiar? I think I like the new packaging better.

L'Oreal Solar Sublime After-Sun Shampoo + After-Sun Nourishing Balm Review

2010-04-08T23:24:00.016-05:00

Hey guys! Since summer is coming soon I figured I'd start reviewing more summer-related products, like L'Oreal Professionnel Solar Sublime After-Sun Shampoo + Solar Sublime After-Sun Nourishing Balm. If you're someone who spends a LOT of time in the sun, you already know how much the sun's rays dry out your hair - ESPECIALLY for color-treated hair! UV rays will fade your color and dry out your hair in the worst way, so your hair needs as much protection as your skin does! That's where Solar Sublime comes in, it's perfect for thirsty hair that's been in the sun too long. It also has UV filters to protect your hair from drying out. Also, the scent is fantastic - like fresh peaches!

First I'll start with the After-Sun shampoo pictured above. It cleans my hair and gets rid of any chlorine/salt deposits on your hair. That's definitely a plus for me because I hate using those special swimmer's shampoos to get rid of chlorine in your hair. They always strip my hair somethin' awful. It also lathers up nicely and it's super moisturizing. However, I do notice that when my hair is healthier and not as dry, it can be a bit heavy. So I'd definitely recommend this more to people with really dry, parched hair looking to protect it from the sun. Oh, and the entire Solar Sublime line is color-safe.

As always, let's see the ingredients, starting with the full list:

Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Dimethicone, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Cocamide MIPA, Camphor Benzalkonium Methosulfate, PPG-Ceteth-20, Sodium Methylparaben, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Carbomer, DMDM Hydantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Methyl Cocoate, Sodium Cocoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance.

And the list minus the fluff:

Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Dimethicone, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Cocamide MIPA, Camphor Benzalkonium Methosulfate, PPG-Ceteth-20, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzyl Benzoate, Methyl Cocoate, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Hydroxide.

So as you can see, this shampoo isn't sulfate-free, however Sodium Laureth Sulfate isn't super harsh like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. In a product like this, you need an effective cleanser. Dimethicone is a silicone; it's an effective conditioning agent. Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate works to clean the skin and hair, increase foaming capacity/stabilize foam, and enhance the body + sheen of damaged hair. Glycol Distearate is a conditioning agent that also increases the viscosity of a product and gives it that creamy, pearly look. Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride is another excellent conditioning agent, especially for damged, chemically-treated hair. Methyl + Sodium Cocoate are surfactants made from coconut oil that also improve spreadability of a product. Surfactants made from coconut oil are very moisturizing.

Next I'll talk about the After-Sun Nourishing Balm (deep conditioner). This seriously smells just like fresh peaches, way more than the shampoo, but it's not overpowering. It's just delicious. And even though I hate when conditioner comes in a pot, I really like this stuff. It's super moisturizing and makes my hair really soft and adds a lot of shine and slip. I would also just use it as a deep conditioner, even if I haven't been outside in the sun or the pool, that's how much I like it.

The full ingredient list:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Amodimethicone, Cetyl Esters, Lanolin, Methylparaben, Camphor Benzalkonium Methosulfate, Trideceth-6, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzyl Benzoate, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Fragrance.

The de-fluffed ingredient list:

Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Amodimethicone, Cetyl Esters, Lanolin, Camphor Benzalkonium Methosulfate, Trideceth-6, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetrimonium Chloride.

What we're left with is a pretty basic, yet very effective conditioner. Cetearyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol and is an excellent conditioner. So is Behentrimonium (and Cetrimonium) Chloride, which is derived from rapeseed oil. Glycerin adds slip and shine to hair, but it's useless in a rinse-off product like conditioner. Amodimethicone is a light silicone that softens hair and tames frizzies. Cetyl Esters are emollients derived from coconut oil. Lanolin is an extremely effective emollient that comes from sheep's wool. It can also be used as a base and an emulsifier. Trideceth-6 is another emulsifier. Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E) is a very potent antioxidant that helps skin + hair against pollution, free radicals, etc.

So overall this isn't my everyday shampoo + conditioner, but it'll be handy to have in the summer time when I try to spend as much time outside as I can! Summer Tip: When you're going swimming, put some leave-in conditioner in your hair before you get in the water for some added protection against the chlorine. This is especially important for BLONDES - it helps to prevent your hair from turning green and/or brassy!

That's all for now! Take care of your hair! ♥

KMS Makeover Spray Review

2010-04-07T19:35:00.006-05:00

Hello everyone! I don't know about you guys, but the weather here in Chicago has been CRAZY lately! Yesterday it was so hot and muggy out I actually had to turn the A/C on, and today it's so cold and rainy I'm turning up the heat! I hope I don't get sick. That would suck. I've already been sick once this year, I think that's enough.

But crazy weather aside, I'm very excited to review this next product: KMS HairPlay Makeover Spray - a matte spray that absorbs excess oil and refreshes your hair in-between shampoos. I'm a big fan of KMS, and one day I just happened to stumble upon this Makeover Spray. The name sounded interesting, so naturally I got it without even reading what it was. You know me: if it sounds cool, I'm getting it. So, when I got home and actually read the label, I was pleasantly surprised to see it was (basically) a dry shampoo. What it does is it absorbs the excess oil in your hair, without the heavy/cakey feeling that some dry shampoos tend to leave. The bottle says it's a matte spray, but I've used it several times (even my mom uses it) and given that the product has no hold, the matte effect is only temporary. Once the product sinks into your hair then it looks normal, neither matte or oily looking.

So what makes this Makeover Spray so good? Let's look at the ingredients. First the entire ingredient list:

Pentane, Hydrofluorocarbon 152a, Alcohol Denat., Rice Starch, Water, Propylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Grape Fruit Extract, Peppermint Leaf Extract, PCA, Tartaric Acid, Sorbitol, Pyruvic Acid, Malic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Citric Acid, Fragrance.

Now let's see it without the fluff:

Pentane, Hydrofluorocarbon 152a, Alcohol Denat., Rice Starch, Propylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, PCA, Tartaric Acid, Sorbitol, Pyruvic Acid, Malic Acid, Glycolic Acid.

I like that this product isn't loaded with a bunch of fluff. Pentane and Hydrofluorocarbon 152a are propellants that shoot the product out of an aerosol can. Alcohol Denat. (denatured alcohol) can give a product hold and may be drying to hair and skin. This is actually a good thing in a product like this. Rice Starch is an absorbent substance sometimes used in place of talc. Propylene Glycol, PCA, Sorbitol, and Glycerin are humectants that draws in moisture. Lactic, Tartaric, Pyruvic, Malic, and Glycolic Acid are all part of the same group of organic acids known as Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHA). They are used to exfoliate, adjust pH, soften skin, and more.

I actually much prefer using Makeover Spray over dry shampoo. I feel like dry shampoos promise too much and only certain people can use certain brands - you know what I mean? Like, my friend Recessionista reviewed Tresemme's new dry shampoo and well, basically hated it - but a lot of her followers commented and said they love it! Dry shampoo is just one of those products that's gonna work differently for everyone. So yeah, Makeover Spray isn't totally a dry shampoo. It's like the diet Coke of dry shampoos - same effect, less mess. By the way, it smells just like the rest of the KMS HairPlay line: polar grape. It has the cool, refreshing scent of peppermint with a hint of grape; I love it! I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a dry shampoo type of product, especially those with finer hair.

KMS HairPlay Makeover Spray comes in a 5.3 oz / 152 g can, and retails for around $15.

Giveaway coming soon! Keep reading, and take care of your hair! ;-)

America's Beauty Show + Haul!

2010-04-02T15:56:00.014-05:00

Hey guys! Man, this year's ABS was so much fun! I've got a bunch of new stuff to show you! Okay so, this was my third year going to ABS, and coincidentally it's also the third year that's it's been held at McCormick Place in downtown Chicago. Before that I think it was held at the Rosemont Center. Anyway, even though the show was a blast, I felt like it was a bit less organized than last year. It was just like aisles upon aisles upon aisles, and it was kind of confusing/overwhelming. But for the most part, it was fun! Almost everyone in the industry was there, ranging from haircare, skincare, esthetic's, makeup, massage/wellness, nails, you name it. However, I was severely disappointed that White Sands wasn't there, because they make this awesome hairspray called Stuck Up + I get two cans of it every year. But other than that I got everything I needed and a lot of stuff I wanted!

Okay so, I really did mean to take more pictures of the exhibits and stuff - but with all the mayhem going on, I didn't take as many as I wanted... but I still got a few! And I'll get to the Haul after these.

The picture on the top is what you saw before you entered... *heavenly music* On the bottom is Redken's booth, one of the first ones you see when you walk in. Sam Villa was there too, demonstrating his cool irons. Redken also had some of the best deals in the whole place.

The pic on the top shows the Hempz booth and the Pearatin booth. Hempz emphasizes the many uses of hemp/hemp seed oil. I think it's in all their products. Pearatin is an amazing brand, and I'll be reviewing a couple of their products soon. The pic on the bottom is Rusk, they really do beautiful work. Their DeepShine color line creates gorgeous results, and their models were really pretty! Rusk also makes great products, I've really been getting into them lately!

The top pic is Kenra's booth, theirs was one of the nicest looking. Very clean + simple. Kenra makes great products, but I don't love how some of them smell. I also think some of them are a bit overpriced, but it's still a great brand. The bottom pic is Sally Beauty Supply, I think they had like three or four booths. Pretty much everyone at ABS was carrying a big red Sally's bag, myself included. As the day went on, the crowd started getting thicker and I was constantly getting beaten with one of those bags! LOL! Oh well, it happens.

On the top was Dermalogica, an excellent skincare brand. If you've never tried their products, you really should give them a shot. On the bottom was Tabatha Coffey at the Matrix booth. She was holding some competition for students working on magazines. Oh my god, the people went CRAZY! She was throwing shirts, and everyone was screaming and going nuts, I had to get outta there! But it was cool seeing her.

The pic on the top was taken for my dear friend Wes (check out his blog BETTERby30) because it's his favorite - and now discontinued - shampoo. I almost bought some, but I needed to buy other things. Sorry Wes! On the bottom is a pic of some of the eyeshadows from Medusa's Makeup, some of the prettiest makeup I've ever seen. Everything was so bright and sparkly, it was hard to look away!

On the top was a quick pic taken of some models with these crazy headpieces on! They were walking fast so I had to shoot it quick, lol! The shirt you see on the bottom was what I wore, isn't it cool? It's like a phoenix made out of scissors and blades with these cool metallic royal blue reflects on it.

Now on to the Haul! There were a lot of amazing products there, and I got everything I needed and a bunch of stuff I wanted! What I really needed were new brushes, because mine were getting really worn out. The rest... well just take a look!

Here's a kit I got from Redken containing three of their latest products: Matte Sponge 05, Velvet Gelatine 07, and Wool Shake 08. They're all really cool, funky texture products that I can't wait to review for you guys!

The Redken bag was included with any Redken purchase, and it's one of those cool bags that come in a tiny zipper bag and unfold into a big tote. The Matrix tote is similar to the Sally's ones everyone was carrying around. I can't get enough bags! I honestly use all of them until I wear them out, so I always get as many as I can.

The CosmoProf booth was having an INSANE sale on GHD products - $2.00 a piece! So I got a few: A box full of 7 Indulgence Treatment weekly conditioning mask, Obedience Cream for Frizz-Free Styling, Remedy Cream Daily Leave-In Treatment, Sea Spray for Matte Waves. I can't wait to start trying + reviewing this stuff!

Of course I had to get some TIGI products! This is probably my favorite tote I've ever gotten! It's so bright and unlike anything I have, even if it's a bit small. The tote was actually a kit that contained three color brushes, a pair of gloves, a foiling comb, and a really nice apron!

I also got a set of 10 TIGI PRO clips. I much prefer clips like these as oppose to jaw clips, they're much easier to work with! I also got a set of four brushes from Monroe, an awesome brush company. There are three round brushes and a teasing brush, and they all have boar bristles. I'm already in love with them!

Here's a bunch of samples and other little stuff, including a shiny new pin for my stylist jacket! I get one every year. The last one I got was a silver scissor and comb with jewels similar to this one. It sparkles so nice!

Okay so, here's a funny story: So I was at the show with my mom, my sister, and my uncle's girlfriend. We had been walking around for a while and came across this booth with a bunch of makeup and professional makeup brushes. So my sister and my uncle's girlfriend went over to look and me + my mom went to sit and rest near the Rusk stage cos it was right there. So they come back and join us, and we continued on looking around the show. By this time, I kind of noticed that my bag felt a little heavier, but we had gone over to the Redken booth and after that we were gonna leave so I got distracted and I didn't think anything of it. By the time we left ABS, and got in the car to leave I was going through all my stuff and I noticed that this Rusk kit had appeared out of nowhere. I was like ".....What's this?" My mom and my sister both turned around and were shocked that this Rusk kit had appeared out of nowhere! My mom told me to check to see if I had gotten someone else's bag, but no - it was all my stuff! We figured out someone must have mistaken their bag for mine and put it in there, which was easy to do considering practically everyone was carrying their stuff in a big red Sally's bag. So... lucky me! I got a Rusk color kit for free! It came with a liter of 20 volume developer and 5 different shades of red. Isn't that wild though? I still have no idea how it happened! LOL!

Well, at the end of the day, I think we all got what we wanted and we all had an amazing time! I can't wait for next year! Did any of you go? I wanna hear all about it and see if anyone else got a surprise in their bag like I did lol! I hope you liked my haul, and my little story. Until next time, take care of your hair! XOXO

S-Factor Diamond Dreams Shampoo + Conditioner Review

2010-04-01T16:00:00.006-05:00

Hey everyone! Wow, ABS was a BLAST!!! There were so many awesome booths, and there was all this craziness - but I got a bunch of stuff to show you all pretty soon, sit tight!

Since I'm feeling so fabulous about ABS, I figured I'd post about another thing that makes me feel fabulous: S-Factor Diamond Dreams Sulfate-Free Shampoo + Conditioner infused with Diamonds, Cashmere, Champagne & Pearls. You've seen it in my hauls (here and here), and I've been using it for a few months so I figured a review is in order! S-Factor is kind of like, TIGI's high-end, luxury line. I've used a lot of S-Factor products, and I have to admit that even though they cost a bit more, they've all really impressed me. Diamond Dreams is a relatively new part of the S-Factor line, and I was dying to get it for the longest time, but like always I would hold back and say "Yeah, I'll get it next time." Fortunately, with the help of some birthday money, "next time" actually came! It is, without a doubt, the richest, most luxurious shampoo and conditioner I've ever used. That being said, I'm not gonna act like this is something that everyyyyone absolutely NEEDS to have, because it's definitely a luxury item... and if I didn't have that birthday money I probably still wouldn't have it. But I'm glad I do!

Let's start with the shampoo. I think the thing I love most about the shampoo, well both actually, is the scent - ohmigod, it is the most heavenly intoxicating scent I think I've ever smelled. Since so few companies actually say what the fragrance in their products is supposed to be, I read on some website that it's blackberry lychee. I'm not sure what a lychee is (I think it's a berry) but if they smell like this then I want some! The shampoo is sulfate-free, and offers "An ultra-luxe complex with diamond dust, cashmere & champagne extracts & crushed pearl to indulge hair and provide • brilliant shine • ultra hydration • superior strength • antioxidant power" Now, you all know these really have nothing to do with how the product performs, but doesn't it sound awesome? Haha! I have to say that for a sulfate-free shampoo, it really cleans my hair well. That's saying a lot, considering I put a lot of product in my hair everyday and have to wash it everyday. It doesn't dry my hair out or fade my color. So let's see what really makes this product work. First the whole ingredient list:

Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinaye, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Fragrance, Cocamide MEA, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Quaternium-91, Glycol Distearate, Pehnoxyethanol, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer Disodium, Cocoamphodiacetate, Lauryl Glucoside, Acrylates/Vinyl Neodecanoate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-44, Polyquateruim-55, Citric Acid, Amodimethicone, Wine Extract, Soy Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Cottonseed Protein, Sunflower Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Wool, Polyquaternium-10, C11-15 Pareth-7, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Laureth-9, Polyquaternuim-67, Trideceth-12, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Pearl Extract, Methylisothiazolinone, Butylene Glycol, Diamond Powder, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Amyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Mica, Titanium Dioxide.

The ingredient list without the fluff:

Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinaye, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Cocamide MEA, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Quaternium-91, Glycol Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer Disodium, Cocoamphodiacetate, Lauryl Glucoside, Acrylates/Vinyl Neodecanoate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-44, Polyquateruim-55, Citric Acid, Amodimethicone, Polyquaternium-10, C11-15 Pareth-7, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Laureth-9, Polyquaternuim-67, Trideceth-12, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol.

As you can see, sulfate-free shampoos are much more complicated than normal shampoos. Most of it is just gentle cleansing and conditioning agents. As such, I'm not going into too much detail about every single ingredient - but I will talk about a few of them. Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a synthetic surfactant made from coconut oil. It's also used in conditioner as an an anti-static agent, in cosmetics as a thickener/emulsifier, and also seems to be replacing Cocamide DEA. Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate is used to enhance the appearance and feel of hair by adding shine, body, and improving the texture of damaged hair. PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate is another surfactant, and an emulsifier. PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate is an emollient that enhances shine and provides a silicone-like feel to hair. Trideceth-12 is a PEG used as a surfactant, sometimes derived from vegetable oil. Butylene Glycol is a humectant and an emollient often found in personal care products; it's used to draw in moisture to hair and skin.

I absolutely love the conditioner, too! It's got the perfect consistency for me. It's thick and creamy as opposed to being too thin or thick and goopy, and conditions my hair extremely well without making it feel heavy or dirty. I can also use any products on my hair afterward, unlike some conditioners where it feels like if I put any other product in my hair, it'll totally weigh it down and look bad... you know what I mean? It has the same scent as the shampoo, but it's a bit more toned down. I guess they don't want you to get sick of it - although I never could. The label is also the same, but in place of "superior strength" this has "superior manageability." So now, here is the ingredient list:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Parfum (Fragrance), Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonim Methosulfate, Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate Glycol, Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Quaternium-91, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Ceteth-20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Divinydimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Polyquaternium-55, Dicetyl Phosphate, Sunflower Seed Oil, Shea Butter, Polyquaternium-37, Aminomethyl Propional, Olive Fruit Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Wine Extract, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Soy Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Cottonseed Protein, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Sunflower Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Wool, Butylene Glycol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Pearl Extract, Methylisothiazolinone, Disodium EDTA, Diamond Powder, Cetrimonium Bromide, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Amyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Mica, Titanium Dioxide

And when we take out all the fluff, we're left with:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonim Methosulfate, Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycol Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Quaternium-91, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Ceteth-20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Polyquaternium-55, Dicetyl Phosphate, Polyquaternium-37, Aminomethyl Propional, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Cetrimonium Bromide.

Basically what we're left with is a very rich conditioner, but with really not that many silicones. Good thing too, since everybody seems to be so anti-silicone lately. Anyway, just like I did with the shampoo, I'll go through some of the ingredients I haven't really talked about before. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient made from coconut oil that forms a barrier on hair and skin to prevent moisture loss. Glycol Distearate is what's used to create that cool pearly effect in shampoos and other cosmetics. Technically it is fluff, but I figured I'd talk about it anyway since it's so common. Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer is a film former derived from silicone. C12-13 Pareth-23 is used as an emulsifier. Cetrimonium Bromide is a cationic conditioner that adds shine.

Wow, that was a lot of typing. My fingers kind of hurt. I hope I don't have pancake butt from sitting in this chair for so long. Maybe it would help if I didn't distract myself so much, but whatevs, no big deal.

So who would I recommend this to? Everyone. I doubt anyone could not absolutely love Diamond Dreams. Unless you're someone who doesn't like products that have a strong scent, or you don't like sulfate-free shampoo, or silicones. However, like I said before, it really is a luxury item - and no one really NEEDS to have it... but I'll definitely be re-purchasing it in the bigger tween size. It probably is too much for some people's budget, but I haven't found a shampoo and conditioner that I actually want to rane-purchase in a long time, so it's kind of a big deal for me LOL!

S-Factor Diamond Dreams Shampoo + Conditioner comes in an 250 ml / 8.45 fl oz. bottle and both retail for around $25. The Tween size is 750 ml / 25.36 fl oz. and they both retail for around $35.

My ABS post/haul will be up tomorrow! Until then, take care of your hair! =)

Catwalk Your Highness Thickening Gel Creme Review

2010-03-19T21:27:00.005-05:00

Oh my Westopher, I know how you've been mourning the loss of the classic Catwalk products... even though I absolutely hated their packaging. I mean really, they just used the Bed Head font, and the bottles looked so plain.

They went from this:

To this:

Don't you all think it looks WAY better? But, I mourn with you, as they no longer make Fast-Fixx, one of my favorite leave-in conditioners/de-tanglers. It was also one of my first reviews ever. Thankfully I got a Biggie size of it last summer, so I still have about a half a bottle (plus ya know... all my other stuff), but still... it won't last forever. Then once it's gone, it's gone... up in hair product heaven. I suppose if I really wanted, I could get more online, but buying hair products online scares me. Plus, I don't know if I could pay retail for it... I'm so spoiled now.

But alas, there's hope! A light at the end of the tunnel! An end to my melodrama! It's called: Your Highness. Isn't that what you like to be called in bed? LOL, kidding! Anyway, aside from the gorgeous and well needed new packaging, the products are a hit! Today I'm reviewing the Thickening Gel Creme For Luminescent Fuller Hair. The new Catwalk has been divided into three categories: Prep It (Elevating Shampoo + Nourishing Conditioner), Work It (Thickening Gel Creme + Root Boost), Perfect It (Firm Hold Hairspray + Weightless Shine Spray).

I've been using the Thickening Gel Creme for a while, and I've come to adore it. By itself, it gives a nice touch of volume with a healthy shine, and combined with other products it can really make some massive hair! Since my hair is so thick already, I usually find volumizing products to be kind of drying and feel like I have a case of Product OD - not the case with this. It conditions and adds body without making your hair feel like straw... know what I mean?

Also something I've decided to start doing is giving you all the full ingredient list, and then de-fluffing it by taking out the ingredients that have little to no effect on the product (botanical extracts, fragrances, preservatives, etc) and explaining what really makes the product work. So, here's the full ingredient list:

Water, PEG-17 Dimethicone, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, VP/DMAPA Acrylates Copolymer, Methyl Gluceth-20, Fragrance, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Methylparaben, Panthenol, Linalool, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Methylisothiazolinone, Limonene, Citric Acid, Sunflower Seed Oil, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Jasmine Flower Extract, Viola Odorata (Sweet Violet) Leaf Extract, Lavender Flower/Leaf Stem Extract, Wisteria Floribunda (Japanese Wisteria) Extract, CI 60730 (Ext. Violet 2), CI 17200 (Red 33).

The de-fluffed ingredient list:

PEG-17 Dimethicone, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, VP/DMAPA Acrylates Copolymer, Methyl Gluceth-20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol.

PEG-17 Dimethicone is part of a group of polymers that come from polyoxyethylene + dimethicone. Specifically, it's used as a conditioning agent. PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil and Hydrolyzed Soy Protein are emulsifiers, basically they help the other ingredients get along and mix well. VP/DMAPA Acrylates Copolymer is a film former that gives a slight hold. Methyl Gluceth-20 is made from glucose and methyl alcohol. It's a very effective humectant; it's also used as a foaming agent + an emollient. Hydroxyethylecellulose is a thickening/gelling agent. Panthenol (vitamin B5) works to strengthen the hair shaft, condition, and add volume and shine. Glycerin and Propylene Glycol are humectants used to add moisture to hair and lock it in.

I've used this in a lot of different ways... like if I want a just little bounce to my hair I'll use about two pumps of this and add a couple S-Factor Dream Drops to it in damp hair (I mix Dream Drops in like, everything lol), then blowdry. My hair feels full and looks really smooth + shiny. Or If I wanna wear my hair natural and let it air dry, I'll use a pump of this and my KMS HairStay Style Boost or Sebastian Volupt Spray (both of which I'm reviewing next) or even Rusk Thick, or Bed Head Superstar Blowdry Lotion. You could even try mixing this with a straightening product (like Bed Head Control Freak) or with a curling product (like Catwalk's new Curlesque collection). I think this product is made to be used with other products, but it's useful by itself too!

So Wes, I know how hard it is to move on when you've found something you love, I've been there many, many times. Fortunately, I still see places with the old Catwalk products all the time - you better stock up! The new Catwalk is here to stay, embrace it! You might even like it. If not, there's 5 other TIGI brands out there... I suggest S-Factor - it is my haircare holy grail right now.

Catwalk Your Highness Thickening Gel Creme comes in a 215 ml / 7.27 fl. oz bottle, and retails for around $15-$18.

Have a good weekend everyone! Enjoy Spring, and take care of your hair!

Bed Head Superficial Review+

2010-03-15T21:15:00.008-05:00

Hi guys! Today I'm reviewing one of (in my opinion) the best products TIGI makes, Bed Head Superficial Smoothing Liquid For Shiny, Silky hair. I've been on a lot of sites that have reviewed this and it's clear that this is one of those products that some people absolutely love, and some people absolutely despise. I am one of the people who loooove it, BUT only on certain types of hair. Unfortunately there are some hair types that just cannot handle this product, because it's just so super-concentrated - even a little bit can weigh down their hair and make it look flat + dirty. Textbook cases of accidental Product OD. So I'm dedicating this post to anyone with a thick, coarse, unruly mane of hair trying to make it look sleek and healthy with a ton of shine - keep reading!

I actually got this product back in the summer, July I think. It was in this Haul post, actually. I had always seen it on the shelves, and it looked interesting, (especially the metallic letters... oooh shiny...) and it smelled really good, plus I love products that smooth hair, so I gave it a shot. As soon as I started using it on people, I knew that it was seriously strong stuff, and through trial + error figured out which types of hair would respond well to this. This is made specifically for very dry, very coarse hair - and definitely NOT for people with fine hair. I can't stress that enough. No matter how much hair you have in terms of density, this product is just way too strong for fine hair... and even a few people with normal hair might think it's a bit much. Be warned: If you are anti-cone, this product is not for you - it's got a ton.

Before I move on the ingredients, I really want to clarify the differences between different hair types.

When talking about hair texture, people typically either have coarse, normal, or fine hair. Depending on your genetics, it is possible to be somewhere between the spectrum - like having normal/coarse hair or fine/normal hair. It's also possible to have hair that is especially coarse or fine, again depending on your genes. Hair texture could also refer to whether your hair is straight, wavy, curly, or kinky/overcurly. The same rules apply here too - you can have hair that's super straight naturally, but it can be quite coarse. Or you can have hair that's kinda wavy, or kinda straight, or kinda kinky depending on what day it is - lol! Some people just have the kind of hair that changes all the time.
Sometimes people get confused when - after they tell me that they have thick hair - I ask what the texture is like. Some people don't understand that they're two different things, and I understand cos it is a bit confusing at first. In terms of hair density, when you say your hair is "thick" you're just saying you have a lot of hair, you're not describing your hair texture. You can have really thick, massive hair, but the actual texture of your hair might be very fine. I see it allll the time. Contrariwise, you could actually have thin hair, but the texture might be coarse. And like hair texture, you could fall somewhere in the middle - like if your hair is pretty normal in texture but a bit denser than the average person, and so on... Hair is tricky like that. Again, it's in your genes - blame your folks.
There are other factors that affect your hair type + texture: your environment, diet/lifestyle, mechanical damage, heat styling tools, chemical damage, hard water, I mean there are all sorts of things that make your hair the way it is. Knowing your actual hair type and texture is the key when it comes to buying products. Everyone's hair is unique, but everyone is beautiful.

Haha without even thinking I turned half of this post into a mini Cosmetic Chemistry Tidbits! I should do another one of those soon... ideas anyone? Anyhow, I think I talked about everything I wanted to, now back to the review! As for the ingredients, after taking out all the fluff, we're left with: Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate, Dimethiconol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethicone, Ethyl Macadamiate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Panthenol, Caprylyl Methicone, Bis-Phenylpropyl Dimethicone.

Cyclopentasiloxane is a type of silicone that is used to protect hair against breakage, and to break up other silicones... good thing cos this product is chock full of them. Phenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate is a film former that adds a ton of long-lasting shine. It's very similar to Phenyl Trimethicone, but it's a liquid instead of a film former, and it doesn't last as long. Dimethiconol comes from silica; it adds shine and conditions hair. C13-14 Isoparaffin is a thickening agent derived from petroleum. Dimethicone is a silicone that conditions hair well and repels moisture. Ethyl Macadamiate = ethyl alcohol + macadamia seed oil. It's used to increase spreadability, and it seems like it may replace cyclomethicone and dimethicone in cosmetics one day. C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a thickener and an emollient. Panthenol (vitamin B5) is used to strengthen the hair shaft, while adding shine + body. Caprylyl Methicone is a carrier for other ingredients and improves the spreadability of a product. Bis-Phenylpropyl Dimethicone is a silicone derivative that enhances shine and adds a silky feel to hair.

See why I don't like this for fine hair? It's just too concentrated and way too strong. But a few sprays of this in coarse hair before blowdrying makes it feel like heaveeennnn. Super shiny, glossy, healthy looking hair. And this is to be used in wet hair only! Usually you wanna towel dry your hair a bit before putting product in - not with this. Just dry it a little so it's not dripping wet, then spray it a few times, focusing on the middle + ends of your hair (don't spray it near your roots), then comb it through and blowdry. Trust me, you will love it. And because it's so concentrated and you need to use so little, one bottle will last you a very long time.

Bed Head Superficial Smoothing Liquid comes in a 100 ml / 3.38 fl oz. bottle, and retails for about $25.

Another review done! I have some big things coming soon, and plenty more reviews so keep reading! Take care of your hair, no matter what type it is!

Vavoom Shape Maker Extra-Hold Shaping Spray Review

2010-03-12T20:45:00.004-06:00

Hello all! Yay the weekend's here! I don't know about you guys, but the weather in Chicago has been pretty good the last few days! Nice temps (for winter), the sun's been out, and the snow is melting! But it's also been raining, which means... humidity. Ahh! My hair! Make it go away! Hahaha just kidding, but I know for some of you it's no joke + humidity is the devil. I have felt the wrath of humidity before, but it's not a big hassle for me cos I was thankfully blessed with good hair. I just wish my skin was as good as my hair is LOL!

But enough of my ranting, on to the review! Now, I've really wanted to try Vavoom by Matrix for a while, but I would always talk myself out of it (as usual). It was always one of those "I'll get it next time" brands... usually next time never comes... but this time it did! I got this in a set with two other products (see my last Haul), and the first time I used it I. Was. Amazed. Normally I HATE putting hairspray in my hair, it just makes my hair feel dry + sticky. I like to run my hands through my hair without feeling a bunch of product residue. I really don't get that feeling with this hairspray. I won't lie and say that I don't feel it in my hair, cos I do - but I just don't get that heavy hairspray feeling like with most others. I can actually touch my hair, run my hands through it, even re-work it if I want - which is actually one of this product's claims, so good job! Let's get to the ingredients...

After de-fluffing, we're left with: Alcohol Denat., Hydrofluorocarbon 152A, VA/Vinyl Butyl Benzoate/Crotonates Copolymer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Bis-Peg/Ppg-14/14 Dimethicone, Benzyl Salicylate, Cyclopentasiloxane.

These ingredients look complicated, but it's just the names. Denatured Alcohol (Alcohol Denat.) is used to give a product hold, and can be drying at times. Thankfully, this isn't one of those times. Hydrofluorocarbon 152A is a propellant used in aerosols - it's what shoots the product of the can. VA/Vinyl Butyl Benzoate/Crotonates Copolymer is a film former commonly seen in hairspray. Aminomethyl Propanol is used to balance the pH. Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is a UV blocker. It prevents the product (and your hair) from the sun's harmful rays. Bis-Peg/Ppg-14/14 Dimethicone + Cyclopentasiloxane are silicone conditioning agents, which helps the product be more "workable" and less stiff + hard. Benzyl Salicylate is a synthetic fragrance, but it's also a UV absorber - so I won't count it as fluff.

One thing I really love about this product is that it's one of the driest hairsprays I've ever used - meaning it sprays on very dry and not wet feeling like some others. Ugh, I've used some hairsprays that spray so wet, it's like I'm using syrup in an aerosol can! Also, the spray nozzle is great because it requires a very light touch, so you don't have to worry about pressing too hard and spraying too much... or breaking the nozzle as I tend to do. As for the fragrance, it has a kind of sweet, almost floral scent. It's definitely a hairspray scent. I don't hate it, and it doesn't smell bad - but I don't love it. Well, as long as it doesn't give me a headache or make me gag, it's all good.

Who would I recommend this to? Honestly, everyone. This is an extremely versatile hairspray that I believe can be used on all types of hair, from baby fine to the thickest mane. It can be layered for a very strong hold (if you're doing an updo or you just prefer a firm hold), or you can lightly spray it to keep your hair in place but still soft and touchable. Either way, this stuff rocks and I'll definitely be buying another one when I run out.

Vavoom Shape Maker Extra Hold Shaping Spray comes in a 11 oz / 312 g can, and retails for around $15.

Another review done! I hope you all have a great weekend, and always remember to take care of your hair! =]

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion Review+

2010-03-07T18:59:00.013-06:00

This is a first for The ART and SCIENCE of [beauty] - this is... my first skincare post! Woo hoo! I've decided to put this particular post in a brand new category:

[ Review+ ]

which is a review, plus a bonus - whether it's a coupon code, a contest, or a giveaway! This post contains a coupon code that Skin MD Natural made just for my blog + my readers! Details will be at the end of the post.

Note: I don't normally post about skincare products, because to me - skincare is a very personal thing. Another reason is because I'm a hairstylist at heart, not an esthetician, so I don't feel too comfortable giving skincare advice when I don't have the knowledge + education to back it up. However, I will do reviews from time to time if I feel like the product will benefit many of my readers, which I think this product will! ;]

Back in December, I was contacted by a rep from Skin MD Natural asking if I was interested in trying their Shielding Lotion. So, even though my blog is mainly about haircare - I looked at the website + read what other blogs had thought about it. Since everyone was raving about it I knew I had to give it a shot. So they sent me a bottle to try out, and after one week - I was HOOKED. Now honestly, I normally haattteee putting lotion on my face, so I kind of had to force myself to use this. Ugh, it's just... every other product I've tried just left my face feeling coated + heavy, and just NOT moisturized. Needless to say, I was pretty fed up when it came to moisturizers. My ranting aside, this product is FREAKIN' AWESOME! I seriously will not put any other lotion on my face, or body for that matter. It just absorbs right into my skin minutes after applying, I feel soft and smooth all day, and my face doesn't feel coated or get shiny at all. I want this in like, a gallon size LOL! I don't think there's a person in the world who wouldn't love this product.

Let me tell you a bit about Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion: It is paraben free, hypoallergenic (meaning no artificial fragrance or color), and not tested on animals nor do they use animal products. This is good stuff! Of course a review by me wouldn't be complete without breaking t down for you, so here are the main ingredients:

Water, Aloe Vera, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Methyl Gluceth-20, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, 1,2 Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol.

Aloe Vera is very useful in skincare products, especially anti-aging products + products to treat sunburn, because it's extremely effective at moisturizing, protecting skin, delivering oxygen, and has anti-inflammatory properties as well. Cyclopentasiloxane is a type of silicone mainly used to thin out other silicones. It conditions and adds moisture to skin + hair. Dimethicone (a heavier silicone) is an emollient that locks in moisture while keeping excess out. It also improves the spreadability of a product, and leaves skin feeling smooth and soft. Methyl Gluceth-20 is a humectant and emollient that's made from methyl alcohol and glucose. It leaves skin feeling soft and smooth. Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E) is, like I said in my last post "a naturally occuring anti-oxidant that moisturizes and conditions hair, and is especially beneficial in skincare products because it is an anti-inflammatory, and it adds moisture, reduces fine lines + smooths out rough skin." I couldn't say it any better, lol! Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a film-former that helps thicken and stabilize a product, and basically makes it feel nicer to use. 1,2 Hexanediol and Caprylyl Glycol together form an extremely effective humectant, making your skin feel soft and healthy. Butylene Glycol is a humectant + a solvent used to decrease the viscosity of (thin out) the product.

So, of course after I typed out that whole thing I went on their website and found that they have their ingredients clearly stated and defined for anyone to see. I really didn't expect that cos most cosmetic companies are so shady about their ingredients - it's rare for a company to do that, and I'm glad they do! They're totally up front about everything they put in their Shielding Lotion, which makes me like them even more! If you'd like even more details about the ingredients, here is the page: http://bit.ly/aIQ9ME

And now for the bonus! Skin MD Natural has created a coupon code JUST for my blog! Isn't that awesome?! I feel so special. =]

Visit www.skinmdnatural.com and use the coupon code HSB for 20% off your entire order! The code is good until 4/6/10 so take advantage of this GREAT deal while it lasts! A 4 oz. bottle (1-2 month supply, though mine's lasted longer) of Shielding Lotion is $18 minus 20% off is only $14.40! They do have another version of Shielding Lotion with SPF 15 for $25 and with the 20% off coupon code that brings it down to $20! Woo hoo!!!

Wow, my first skincare post! I wonder how many more I'll get to do... You'll have to stick around and find out! Until next time, take care of your hair (and skin)! XOXO

S-Factor Flat Iron Shine Spray Review

2010-03-04T22:23:00.007-06:00

Hello everybody! How was your week? I don't know about you guys, but I am SO excited about Alice in Wonderland coming out! Me and my best friend are seeing it this Saturday in IMAX! I can't wait! Are you seeing it?! If you do, let me know what you think of it!

Alice aside, today I'm reviewing one of the best products in the S-Factor line: S-Factor Flat Iron Shine Spray. This is serious stuff, it will make your hair look and feel amazing...almost like glass! The label reads: "A scientific blend of ingredients that gives UV protection, Thermal shield, Lustrous shine, [and a] Soft, healthy finish."

Let's see if the ingredients back up the claims. After taking out all the fluff we're left with: Cyclopentasiloxane, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Diisopropyl Adipate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate.

I caution people who have fragrance allergies as this product is heavily scented and may cause you to have an unpleasant reaction.

Just wanted to put that out there! Moving on, Cyclopentasiloxane, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Diisopropyl Adipate are all emollients. Cyclopentasiloxane is a type of silicone emollient that works great to strengthen hair by making it less susceptible to breakage. Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate helps to help soften hair + skin, making it softer and more pliable. Diisopropyl Adipate is a film-former, and helps lubricate + condition dry hair. Retinyl Palmitate is vitamin A, and it enhances the appearance of hair by adding shine and body, making damaged hair feel like a virgin again! ;] Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E) is a naturally occuring anti-oxidant that moisturizes and conditions hair, and is especially beneficial in skincare products because it is an anti-inflammatory, and it adds moisture, reduces fine lines + smooths out rough skin. Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate reflects UV rays, protecting your hair from the harsh sun. It's especially important for people with color treated hair to use hair products that have UV protection, because UV rays will fade your hair color - making it look dull and not pretty... and we don't want that!

There are a couple ways to effectively use this product. The obvious one is to use it before using your flat iron, but it's also effective when used in wet hair. It buffers the heat from your blowdryer - anddd because it also protects your hair from your iron, it prevents Product OD. That's a term I use whenever someone overdoses on hair product, and it ends up looking dirtier than before they washed it - LOL! However, people with baby fine hair may not love this product, cos it is a bit heavy. I would definitely recommend this to people with thick, coarse hair. Whatever your hair type, remember that as with most hair products - less is more. This can potentially make your hair look too shiny (I hate to say greasy/oily/stuff like that). Tip: Flat iron sprays are meant to be used mostly on the middle of your hair to the ends.

Also, something that kind of irks me is that the cap comes off very easily and it's kind of annoying. Not that great when traveling... but I like the product, so I can deal.

S-Factor Flat Iron Shine Spray comes in a 125 ml / 4.23 fl oz. bottle and retails for $25-$28 in stores, but on TIGIstore.com it's part of a "Get The Look" kit with two other products for only $29.95 (normal retail value for all three is $83) which is a SICK deal if you ask me! I'm definitely getting in on that! Here's the link if you wanna check it out: http://bit.ly/bT5pQk

Another day, another review! I have big things planned pretty soon, including CONTESTS! Stick around, you might win something. ;] Take care of your hair! XOXO

Rusk Thick Review

2010-02-25T20:08:00.003-06:00

Hello all! It's review time! Today I'm reviewing Rusk Thick - Body and Texture Amplifier from their Designer Collection. I have to admit this is one of those products that, had it not been included in a gift set (see here), I probably wouldn't have tried it. But it was, and I'm glad I did. You can definitely feel a difference in your hair when you use it, and I'd definitely suggest it to anyone with fine, limp hair looking for a little more oomph!

Taking out all the fluff, we're left with: Water, SD Alcohol 40-B, Polyquaternium-11, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Panthenol, Dimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate, PPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether, Quaternium-26, Olealkonium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Benzophenone-4, Propylene Glycol.

I like that Thick doesn't have a lot of fluff in it, but I don't like that it contains alcohol. I'm praying cosmetic chemists will find a reasonable substitute for it soon, cos even though it's not the worst ingredient ever, it's not the best either. Oh well, if you're reallllly against alcohol in hair products, move on. If it's worth anything, I really have not found this product to be drying at all, but to each their own...

Moving on, Polyquaternium-11 is a fixative used in hair products to add shine with a slight hold. Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein (wheat turned partially to water by means of hydrolysis) replicates the strength and elasticity found in healthy hair. Panthenol aka vitamin B5 moisturizes hair and plumps it up, making it feel thicker and look healthier.

Dimethicone + meadowfoam seed oil = Dimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate. Meadowfoam seed oil comes from the seeds of the Alba plant; it is a very rich emollient, popular because it absorbs into skin very quickly. It conditions very well and adds a lot of moisture to hair. PPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether + Quaternium-26 are other good, conditioning emollients. Olealkonium Chloride is used to up the viscosity of a product, and can also be used as a mild cationic surfactant. Polysorbate 20 is an emulsifier, which if you're new here means it basically makes all the ingredients work together and not separate. Propylene Glycol is a humectant. Humectants draw in and seal moisture in your hair + skin.

Even though Thick contains alcohol, it more than makes up for it by including all these conditioning ingredients. I personally like it, because it can be layered with other products without weighing down your hair, and you honestly just need a few spritzes all over to feel the effect. As for the scent, I can best describe it as smelling... fresh. It just has that nice, fresh hair product smell. I can't really describe it any better lol. I like it, and I think you will too, so go on - give it a shot!

Rusk Thick comes in a 6 fl oz. / 150 ml bottle, and retails for around $13. There are lots and lots of reviews coming soon! So sit tight, have a good weekend, and take care of your hair! ;]

HAUL!

2010-02-21T14:23:00.008-06:00

Hey everybody! It's HAUL time! You guys don't even know how bad I needed to do some retail therapy. After ping-ponging back and forth with my dumb school about getting my license CONSTANTLY and being stuck at home all the time, I've been going stir crazy!!! But it's almost over, and this bit of shopping helped a bit. What I'm actually BEYOND excited about is America's Beauty Show in March! Are any of you going?! I think I'm just going the last day (when all the best sales are), it runs from the 27th - 29th of March. Those of you who follow me on twitter, I will DEFINITELY be tweeting/taking pics live from the show, so you can get a glimpse of all the action! I'll for sure post any + all the pics I take when I post my ABS HAUL. Those who are going, are you going for any specific reason? Shears? Product? Education? Because it's awesome? Hahaha, I'm going for ALL those reasons!

Anyway, moving on before I hyperventilate - here's all the stuff I got (btw there are some last minute pics thrown in because I forgot to include some stuff when I first took the pics after I got home... oops!).

Starting from the top left: Pearatin Fortifying Reparative Serum, Marrakesh Oil, Schwartzkopf OSiS Sherbet Wax Spray, Box of 12 S-Factor Color Savvy EMT, Bed Head Dumb Blonde Smoothing Stuff , Bed Head Headbanger Spray Wax x 2, Goldwell Dualsenses Rich Repair Leave-In Hairtip Serum, S-Factor Dream Drops. Bottom row from left to right: Short Sexy Hair Blow It Up Gel Foam, Silky Sexy Hair Gift Set (details/pics below), S-Factor Diamond Dreams Duo, Sebastian Texture Tandem 1, Joico K-PAK Reconstruct, Matrix Vavoom Design Pulse Kit (details/pic below).

The products in italics are repurchases, in case you wanna know what products I always like to have. I've had my eye on the Pearatin Serum for a while now, because not only is it a serum for hair, it's also a catalyst to mix in with hair color! I've tried using it that way once already and I like the results, but more testing is needed for me to write a review on it. Sit tight!

The Marrakesh oil is nice... except the scent. It's not bad, but it kinda smells like smoke + cookies. Is that Marrakesh I'm smelling? Idk.. but it works. The Schwartzkopf spray wax is nice, and smells really good! Like... a boy! I'm not used to using such masculine smelling products haha, it's a nice change. The whole OSiS line from Schwartzkopf is full of interesting products, check them out.

Headbanger! This is one of the best spray waxes ever! I couldn't believe I was able to get ahold of two of these, because they've been discontinued. And since it has been discontinued, I won't be reviewing it, I just feel like it wouldn't be fair to say "Yeah, this product is awesome! But you can't get it anywhere. Sorry!" Yeah, don't you think? BUT I will say, if you like spray wax and you see a bottle of this somewhere (like a cosmetic outlet store or something), GRAB IT!! If you don't love it I'll be shocked.

Sigh. It's so unfortunate when any company discontinues a great product, ya know? I feel like maybe TIGI stopped making it because of their "Rockaholic" line. I wish they'd just repackage it into Rockaholic or something, because it really is awesome. And it smells just like Superstar Blowdry Lotion, which I love!

The Goldwell serum is pretty new, and even though my last Goldwell experience wasn't too great, I wanted to try this. You know I gotta try and debunk anything that says it'll "repair" hair. And the Short Sexy Hair gel foam just sounded interesting, so I got it on a whim. Gel foam? Hmm...

I love Diamond Dreams! I love it so much I even turned my mom onto it, that's why she bought these tweens for herself! Included is the shampoo, conditioner in tween size. They call it a "tween" because it's inbetween a normal size and a liter. The tweens are 25.36 oz, and came with a free Balance Booster!

I've never actually used Vavoom products before, but their Design Pulse line looked so cool, I had to try it! The kit included Vavoom Shape Maker Extra Hold Shaping Spray, Design Pulse Glow to Pieces Shine Wax, Messy Couture Molding Paste, and a pretty nice feather razor. I'm really excited to test these products out! Reviews for these coming soon. ;]

As for the box of S-Factor EMT's, yeah.. I'm in love. These are the BEST protein shots everrrr. I always use them after I color someone's hair and omg they work so well. The one's I got are Color Savvy... I tried the Health Factor ones and didn't really like them - I think they're more for hair that's super damaged.As for the box of S-Factor EMT's, yeah.. I'm in love. These are the BEST protein shots everrrr. I always use them after I color someone's hair and omg they work so well. The one's I got are Color Savvy... I tried the Health Factor ones and didn't really like them - I think they're more for hair that's super damaged.

The two products in the left pic are from the Silky Sexy Hair set. They are: Silky Sexy Hair Frizz Elminator LITE and Silky Sexy Hair Conditioning Styler LITE. I'm not too familiar with Silky Sexy Hair, so I assume there are normal versions of these two products since they're named "LITE" but I didn't see them. These two products are for fine/normal hair - and since I know how hard and frustrating it is for people with fine hair to find products they like, I wanted to try these out + review them! Oh, and I forgot to include I also got the Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave-In Conditioner. I'm not gonna lie... I totally got this because it has a spray bottle, cos I LOVE when hair products come in a spray bottle instead of the usual little spritzer. No annoying little caps to lose for this product!

So I'm pretty sure I covered everything. Thoughts? Questions? Comment! I love them you know. Stay tuned for more reviews, and for my post on ABS. I also MIGHT be having a giveaway soon too... so look out for that. ;] Take care of your hair everyone! MUAH!

Sebastian Microweb Fiber Review

2010-02-18T20:39:00.003-06:00

Hey all! Gosh, things have been so crazy lately - so sorry I haven't been posting more! To get back in the swing of things, I'm reviewing one of the most interesting (and fun to use) hair products e v e r ! Sebastian Microweb Fiber - a "flexible, elastic texturizer" that gives you some craaaazy texture. I actually got this for free thanks to CosmoProf's 12 Days of X-Mas promotion! Which was so funny, because every time I saw this product in the store I'd be back and forth with myself, and in the end I always talked myself out of buying it. Thank you CosmoProf! But yeah, seriously, if you're at your wits end + can't find a good texture product, give this a shot.

You also might be asking yourself, "Um, what's so fun about using a hair product?" Good question! I have the answer - in video form! It will be posted at the end of this review. And don't worry, it's not even a minute long.

So, what does this do? It gives really funky texture, that's totally re-workable, and you can use it to make a lot of different looks! Whether you want your hair to look crazy and wild, or piecey and defined, you can even scrunch this into your hair and rock some waves. Versatility! You all know how much I love that in a hair product. =]

What's in it? Let's see: Water, Propylene Glycol, Ceteareth-25, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Cetearyl Alcohol, Petrolatum, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Ozokerite, a lot of other emulsifiers, humectants, a few uber-silicones, fragrance, preservatives, etc...

Propylene Glycol is a humectant (A humectant carries moisture to hair + skin). Ceteareth-25 is a "penetration enhancer" which means it helps the product adhere to your hair and not slide around all over the place. Glyceryl Stearate SE is an emulsifier - this product is chock full of them, which is probably why it has such an interesting texture... it's like... well you'll see it in the video. Cetearyl Alcohol is an emulsifying wax made from a bunch of different fatty alcohols. Fatty alcohols btw, are NOT the same as isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) which is extremely drying. Fatty alcohols condition and protect hair, your conditioner probably contains them. Petrolatum is a petroleum byproduct that prevents moisture loss, which is good because it keeps moisture from getting in too - take that humidity! Also, I have a feeling petrolatum, along withthe next ingredient, is why this product has kind of a tacky feel to it. It's not bad, you just may wanna wash your hands when you're done using this. To me - it's worth it. Anyway, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 is an emollient that's used as a substitute for lanolin. It has high water-binding properties, and adheres very well to skin and hair. Ozokerite (which I think sounds kinda cool) is a naturally occuring mineral wax that has a good consistency and hardness - perfect for a product like this.

Who would like this product? I truly believe this is an extremely versatile product that both men + women can use and enjoy! It's perfect for short-medium length hair, the scent is nice but isn't feminine (it just has that typical Sebastian scent) and neither is the packaging. Ladies keep an eye on your man, cos he might steal this from you! LOL!

Sebastian Microweb Fiber comes in a 45 ml / 1.5 fl oz. container, and retails for around $15. And as promised, here is the video!

You may have noticed...

2010-02-05T23:31:00.008-06:00

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.formspring.me/HEARTSTARBOLT"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;http://www.formspring.me/HEARTSTARBOLT&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

So, you may have noticed that I put this little widget for my formspring.me account in the sidebar of my blog. It's neat, right? You really can ask me anything you want. Whether it's a hair question, or you just wanna know something about me! A lot of you have asked me some great questions already, and I thank you for them! I think something like this a great way for bloggers to get in touch with their fans, aside from just answering comments and such. However, I do want to clear a few things up for those who don't know how formspring works:

I answer pretty much every question, there's only been a couple that I've had to delete. I'm pretty open, so as long as your question isn't like, horribly offensive or rude, I'll answer it.
The answers don't get posted here - they're all on my formspring profile, so if you wanna see if I answered your question, you have to go there! Here's the link: http://www.formspring.me/HEARTSTARBOLT
If you're going to ask me a hair question, BE SPECIFIC! Help me to help you, k? I'm pretty much answering blindly, because I can't actually see your hair, or see what the problem is - but I try my absolute best!
If you wanna ask me about a certain product, please search my blog first to see if I've reviewed it. If I haven't, I'll look it up if I don't own it already + I'll try and answer you.
In addition, please be specific about the product you want to know about, and try to ask a bit nicely. When I see things like "cost of tigi hairspray" it really makes me NOT want to answer. First because you're asking me like I'm a machine, and second because you're not being at all specific about what you want. There's a LOTTT of hair products out there, so I need some details! LOL!
And also, I don't wanna sound rude, but please don't ask me where to buy something, or how much something costs - that's what Google is for!
Tip: Try not to ask me what the "best" product is, because everyone's opinion of what the "best" is will be different. You could hate the products I love, so me telling you what the "best" is would be like... lying. And I'd rather not lie to my followers.

That's all! I know I've been kinda quiet lately, but I'm planning some good stuff, so sit tight, take care of your hair, and ask away! =)

Redken Blonde Glam Crystal Flash Review

2010-01-22T23:31:00.005-06:00

Hey everyone! Gosh can you believe January is almost over?! It seems like New Years was like, yesterday! LOL! Oh well, with another day comes another review! Today I'm reviewing Crystal Flash, a shine treatment for multi-tonal blondes from Redken's Blonde Glam collection. It's a neat little finishing product I picked up on a whim a few months ago (as seen in this HAUL!), but it kinda got lost in my sea of products so I never got a chance to review it until now!

Here's what the label says: "Leave-in shine treatment creates a lasting barrier against frizz while infusing multi-tonal blonde highlights with iridescent, multi-dimensional shine." Leave-in treatment is an interesting choice of words, considering that it's not a mask or deep conditioner - but it does make your hair shiiiiine. The directions tell you to use it in dry hair, but almost anything you can put in dry hair you can put in wet hair - but never the other way around!

Let's take a look at the main ingredients: Water, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Triethanolamine, Acrylates/Beheneth -25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Carbomer, (fragrance, extracts, preservatives, etc).

So, this product is pretty strong with dimethicone being the second ingredient. Dimethicone is one of the heavier silicones, and even though cyclopentasiloxane is in here to break it up, it's still a bit heavy. Calcium sodium borosilicate is kinda like - liquid glass - hence the name Crystal Flash. They're basically these teeny little shine particles that help reflect the light and make your hair really sparkle. It's commonly found in products like sparkly makeup and glitter hairspray, fun stuff like that. It's actually hard to see it in the actual product (tried taking pics = fail), because it's so subtle - but you can see it on your hands after you put the product in your hair, it's kinda cool! Triethanolamine is used to adjust the pH along with carbomer (which also increases the viscosity). Acrylates/Beheneth -25 Methacrylate Copolymer gives a slight hold to keep the frizzies away, but barely noticable.

Do I like it? Yes. Am I in love with it? Not really. I like it because it does smooth hair, and it does bring out blonde highlights really well, but it's easy to use too much and ends up weighing down your hair. And even though the directions say to use it in dry hair, I think it works better when you use it in wet hair. I definitely will finish it all, but I don't think I'll be getting it again. Honestly, if I want a product for blondes, I think Bed Head's Dumb Blonde Smoothing Stuff is way better. But, if Redken ever reformulates this, I'll definitely give it another shot - because I so wanted to love this! Hmm, oh well.

Redken Blonde Glam Crystal Flash comes in a 50 ml / 1.7 fl oz. bottle and retails for around $15.

Another review done! Have a good weekend pretties, and take care of your hair! XOXO

Scruples Direct Volume Spray Foam Review

2010-01-20T15:58:00.004-06:00

Hello! Happy Wednesday! :-) Today I'm reviewing my first Scruples product - Scruples Direct Volume Spray Foam. This product claims it "adds unbelievable body and shine to hair directly where it needs it most. Hair feels thick, manageable and loaded with volume." I actually won this product in a giveaway from http://www.thefashionablegal.com - and so far, I'm liking Scruples! I had never heard of Scruples before I got into cosmetology and started going to pro stores, so it was actually kind of exciting trying a product from a brand that I knew nothing about. On the Scruples scale of 0-3, this product is a 3: Extra Firm. But don't let that scare you - cos while it does have a nice hold, it won't be tornado-proof... if you catch my drift. ;-)

One of the interesting things about this product, is that it literally is spray foam. It's not like a lot of other products that say spray foam, but it's basically mousse with a nozzle - if you try and spray this in your hands, it will immediately dissipate and turn to liquid. In my opinion, this is MUCH easier to use than typical root lifting/volumizing products. I just find them to be messy+ sticky, and it usually gets everywhere in your hair, except for where you want it! This product sprays a fine mist that goes right where you point it - I love it!

Now, on to the ingredients: Water, Hydrofluorocarbon 152a, Acrylates/C1-2 Succinates/Hydroxyacrylates Copolymer, Butane, [lots fluff ingredients], Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans [Mucopolysaccharides]*, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein*, Benzophenone-4*, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone*, Aminomethyl Propanol, Polysorbate 20, etc... The * means it's part of the product's "Protective Barrier Complex" AKA marketing gimmick. It's a neat name though.

Most of these scary sounding ingredients are just emulsifiers (Polysorbate 20, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone) stabilizers (Aminomethyl Propanol), and propellants (Hydrofluorocarbon 152a, Butane). Propellants are ingredients that shoot the product out of the aerosol can, whether it's hairspray, mousse, root lifter, shine spray, etc - they all have them. Acrylates/C1-2 Succinates/Hydroxyacrylates Copolymer is an obscenely long name for a film former. It protects against humidity, and adds volume and hold, along with hydrolyzed wheat protein. Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans [Mucopolysaccharides] are glycosaminoglycans that have been partially turned to water by hydrolysis. Naturally, glycosaminoglycans are very hygroscopic - which is the ability to attract water from the surrounding environment - however, since they've been hydrolyzed, their ability to bind water has been greatly decreased. Basically, in either form, they enhance the texture of products that are water-based. Benzophenone-4 is a UV filter in the mighty Protective Barrier Complex! Basically it's a sunscreen. Did I miss anything? After a while, the words kind of start to blend together. I don't think so though.

Overall, I would strongly recommend my fine-haired readers to give this a shot. Depending on your needs, it may be a bit too much for someone who just wants light volume in their hair. But like I said in my 2009 Favorites post, if you like a firm (not crunchy) hold in your hair + lots of volume - this may be for you!

Btw, I feel the need to tell you - if you're going to use this, don't layer it with other volume enhancing products. They might not mix well. Of course you can use hairspray to set your style once it's dry, but don't put any other volume product in your hair when it's wet. Just a heads up.

Scruples Direct Volume Spray Foam comes in a 250 ml / 8.5 oz can, and retails for around $13. I honestly really like this product, and I definitely will purchase another one when I run out of this can. Thanks again Fashionable Gal! And thank you all for reading and following my blog, it means a lot to me! Take care of your hairrrr! XO

Rusk Being Smooth Cream Review

2010-01-14T21:27:00.004-06:00

Hello all! Today is my first time reviewing a Rusk product - Rusk Being Smooth Cream. Being is a collection of texture products from Rusk, and I actually got this in a duo with Being Wild Paste - as seen in my HUGE HAUL! post. Being Smooth is a very concentrated smoothing cream that silkens, softens, and polishes. When I say very concentrated, I mean very, verrryyy concentrated. A pea sized amount is seriously all anyone needs. Let's take a look at the ingredients, shall we?

Water, Mineral Oil, Emulsifying Wax NF, Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters, Olive Fruit Oil, Petrolatum, Polyquaternium-37, fluff ingredients, preservatives, etc...

Honestly? Not the nicest ingredient list. Mineral Oil and Petrolatum are both petroleum derivatives and can be kind of heavy on your hair. Obviously this product is for people who need like, heavy duty smoothing in their hair (i.e. very coarse, thick, damaged hair). Emulsifying Wax NF, or polawax, is used in oil-in-water emulsions, lotions, and creams. It keeps the two from separating, along with Polyquaternium-37. Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters are water soluble emollients that provide excellent smoothing and conditioning with pretty much any product. Olive oil is actually really good for your hair; it's one of the few natural oils that can penetrate the hair shaft and condition from within.

Below are pics of the actual product. The consistency is pretty smooth, like conditioner, and it's a minty green color in contrast to the bright pink packaging.. However, the scent is... odd. It doesn't smell bad... and I don't hate it... but I can't put my finger on what it is. It's kind of, I don't know, earthy I guess? It almost kinda smells like pine, but not quite. Gosh I just don't know... if anyone's ever used this (or even smelled it) comment and tell me what you think it smells like. I'm stumped.

So anyway... it's not my favorite smoothing product in the world, because the hair types you can use it on is pretty limited - but when it works, it works! If you've got some super rough, coarse hair and you're shopping for a new product, give this a shot. Fine to normal hair... there are other products out there that aren't so heavy, but will still give you smooth hair. But like I said before, a teeny bit goes a very long way! Even the amount in the pic is a bit much, so remember that!

Rusk Being Smooth Cream comes in a 150 g / 5.3 oz tube, and retails for around $10. Well, that wraps up this review! I hope you all have a happy Friday, and a great weekend! Take care of your hair! =)

HAUL!

2010-01-11T18:13:00.004-06:00

Hey guys! So, I love how I've been talking about all these products that I've gotten lately, especially in my 2009 Favorites post, and totally forgot to make a haul for you. I swear, I don't know WHAT I was thinking. I actually got most of these products from CosmoProf's 12 Days of X-Mas promotion, which was so awesome! I hope they do it again next year! Oh, and NONE of these products were Christmas presents, I got them for myself. I personally don't like Christmas hauls, they're just... I don't even really know what to say. I just don't like them, and would never do one. Anyway, on to the haul! Sorry if the pic's kinda dark.

Top row from left to right: S-Factor Diamond Dreams Shampoo + Conditioner, S-Factor Vivacious Hairspray, S-Factor Silky Smooth Moisture Serum, Sebastian Drench Shampoo, Wella Blondor Lightening Powder.
Bottom row from left to right: Nioxin Volumizing Reflectives Bodifying Foam, Nioxin Volumizing Reflectives Spray Gel, Sebastian Trilliant, Sebastian Whipped Creme x 2, Rusk Volumize Designer Collection (includes W8less Plus Hairspray, Shining Sheen and Movement Mist, and Thick Body and Texture Amplifier), Big Sexy Hair Spray & Play Harder, Bed Head Maxxed-Out Hairspray, Bed Head Control Freak Serum, Bed Head Dumb Blonde Reconstructor, Bed Head Creative Genius.
The three little ones are: Bed Head Hard To Get Texturizing Paste, Sebastian Microweb Fiber, and Nioxin Defining Pomade.

The bold items are repurchases, and the italic items were from the 12 Days of X-Mas promotion. Just thought I'd share that. :)

See anything you like, or want me to review? OR do you see something you have and love/hate? You should totally be awesome and leave a comment telling me all about it. ;-) Also, I think it's time for me and Recessionista to do another tandem review, what do you think?! Those are always so fun, hehe. Well, I hope you all had a good Monday, and if you didn't - there's always tomorrow! ♥ Take care of your hair!

Proclaim Glossing Polish Review

2010-01-08T21:56:00.005-06:00

Happy Friday! Today I'm reviewing one of the few decent products from Sally Beauty Supply - Proclaim Glossing Polish for Color & Heat Protection. I bought this on a whim because it was on special one day when I was checking out. I forget what I was buying... but I figured, what the heck - I'll give it a shot. Turns out... it's pretty decent! The label says: "Proclaim Glossing Polish Color & Heat Protection is formulated with a unique blend of aloe, natural oils and silicone to help seal in hair color while providing lustrous shine and helping to eliminate frizz." Aloe and natural oils? Not so much, but they're right about the silicone part.

The main ingredients are: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Amodimethicone, Ethyl Ester of Hydrolyzed Silk, Tocopheryl Acetate, etc.

This product has a lot of heavy duty silicones in it, so if you're someone who's anti-cone - stay away! The aloe and natural oils really only make the product sound nice, it's the silicones (cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, phenyl trimethicone, amodimethicone) that do the job. They coat the hair and protect against heat, breakage, humididty, and help condition hair. Ethyl Ester of Hydrolyzed Silk is silk protein that has been partially turned to water by hydrolysis. It's best used on dry, damaged hair, because it forms a film that protects the hair shaft against damage. It also helps keep moisture in, and improves hair's manageability. Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E) is an antioxidant & emollient that's used to keep moisture in hair and skin. It's also widely used to treat burns and other skin problems because it protects against free radicals and prevents the moisture from evaporating out of your skin.

Overall I think this product is best for very thick/coarse hair that's dry or damaged & best used in wet hair, or a drop on dry hair. It's a heavy product - one of the heaviest silicone drops I've used. Just a few drops in wet hair before you blowdry, then another drop if you're using thermal tools. I know it seems like nothing, but once you feel the consistency - you'll know it's all you need. Normal hair could use this, but there are better/lighter options out there. Fine hair: move on. While this is a good product, it's way too heavy to be used on fine hair.

Proclaim Glossing Polish comes in a 6 fl oz. / 177 ml bottle and is available at Sally Beauty Supply. It retails normally for $6.79, but with a Beauty Club Card it's $6.49.

Thoughts? Questions? Suggestions? Comment! =) I hope you enjoyed my review, and I hope you all have a great weekend! Take care of your hair!

Nioxin Smoothing Reflectives Defining Pomade Review

2010-01-04T22:22:00.009-06:00

Hello, hello! How's everybody's first week of the new year going? Sticking to your resolutions? Hopefully it's going well! Today I'm reviewing my very first Nioxin product, their Smoothing Reflectives Defining Pomade! I twittered about this a few weeks ago when I got it (for free thanks to CosmoProf's 12 days of X-Mas promotion), and said I would review it for Michael K. - one of my favorite people in the world + the cutest pop culture blogger ever! Visit his blog here: http://popbytes.com/ It's seriously like, the only pop culture blog I read.

The box points out that the pomade is unlike conventional pomades, as the formula is "water based and PVP-free, providing control without buildup on the hair or scalp." It also claims to provide hair with added texture, style, and shine - which I agree with! =)

The product itself is quite pretty! It's kinda clear with kinda the same texture as vaseline, and has the prettiest blue/violet metallic/sparkly/duochrome to it, but has the most masculine scent! If you read my 2009 Favorites post, I said if it was a cologne I'd totally buy it - and I would! Here are a few pics, but it's hard to capture on cam! Oh well, I tried:

Can you see? It kinda shows! Well, it's prettier in person, trust. Anywho, let's get on to the ingredients: Water, Isoceteth-20, Polyurethane-14, AMP-Acrylates Copolymer, Mineral Oil, Propylene Glycol, Oleth-2, etc. Isoceteth-20 is a synthetic compound derived from fatty acids - it's used as an emulsifier, along with oleth-2. Polyurethane-14/AMP-Acrylates Copolymer did require a bit of research, but from what I found - polyurethane-14 AMP-acrylates copolymer is efficient in both higher and lower VOC formulas. It also has a low viscosity, which means it's easy to spray out in spray formulas. It can be also used in clear products, because of its appearance - AND because the particles are so small, it dries a lot faster & has noticeably less tack than traditional ingredients. Cool stuff eh? Mineral oil, even though it's pretty rough on the skin, it really doesn't harm your hair when it's in a finishing product like pomade - so chill out. Propylene Glycol is a common humectant. A humectant carries moisture and improves spreadability, if you're new to my blog.

Overall opinion? Great for shine and definition, but minimal hold. If you like your hair to have a piecey look without weighing it down, and your hair doesn't seem to respond to smoothing/anti-frizz serums - give this a shot! If your style needs some hold & control to it, this may leave you wanting. I personally love it, it's perfect for my hair right now (I'm trying to grow it out) and I'll probably buy more when I run out!

Nioxin Smoothing Reflectives Defining Pomade comes in a 50g / 1.7 oz pot, and retails for around $10.

What do you think? Will you be picking some up for yourself, or for the man in your life? Or, maybe it's not quite for you? Whatever you think, COMMENT! Reading comments makes me wanna post more! It's actually one of my new year's resolutions, what are yours?!

Well, that's all for now. Expect much more posting than I have lately, and take care of your hair! ♥

S-Factor Dream Drops Review

2010-01-02T20:02:00.005-06:00

My first review of 2010! What a better way to kick off the new year than by reviewing one of my absolute favorite products in the WORLD! S-Factor Dream Drops - forever a staple in my collection. These shine drops add amazing shine, and protect against heat and humidity. They're so light - yet so effective - they can be used on any hair type!

Amazingly enough, Dream Drops have very simple ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Avocado Oil, Phenyl Trimethicone, Jojoba Seed Oil, and Dimethiconol are the main ingredients here. If you've followed my blog for a while, you know how much I love cyclopentasiloxane, it's good stuff! It's a light emollient that makes hair very manageable and less susceptible to damage; it's also good for breaking up other silicone's, like... Dimethicone, phenyl trimethicone, and dimethiconol are all silicone derivatives. They add shine & elasticity, condition hair, and help fight thermal damage. Avocado oil (persea gratissima) is a very precious natural oil that comes from the pulp of the avocado fruit. The oil itself is very penetrating and rich in Vitamins A, C, E, and amino acids. Jojoba seed oil is cold-pressed from the jojoba bean. It helps your skin and hair retain moisture and elasticity. Dry hair benefits from it greatly.

I find it's best to use a few drops on damp hair, before you blowdry it. It makes your hair super silky and soft, and helps buffer the heat from your blowdryer. A drop when it's dry, or before you use your heat tools, and you'll be all set! Try mixing it with other products too - like another smoothing cream, or a texture product like wax or gel. I do it all the time! Usually with S-Factor Spun Satin, like I said in my 2009 favorites post.

S-Factor Dream Drops come in a 75 ml / 2.53 fl oz. bottle and retails for around $25-$29 BUT right now on the TIGI website you can get them for FREE, just pay the shipping!

Here's the link: http://www.tigistore.com/pc-134-12-dreamexperience.aspx

As always, comments are loved and appreciated! I hope you all get to try this product and love it as much as I do! Take care of your hair loves! XOXO

2009 Favorites!

2009-12-30T17:59:00.026-06:00

Hey guys! I can't believe 2009 is over already... it's crazy! Personally, I couldn't be happier that it's over cos '09 has just been one of the suckiest years ever... but you guys have helped me through it. I love all my followers, and fellow bloggers!

Another bright spot of this year has been trying so many (many, many) different hair products! I've acquired quite the collection since I started this blog! LOL! So I'm gonna tell you what my absolute favorites are, but I won't be restricting it to one product for every category so it'll be a little different than my usual monthly favorites posts. So here they are!

Shampoo!

S-Factor Diamond Dreams Shampoo: The most luxurious shampoo I own... it's amazing! It's a total luxury item, but on the days when I'm feeling lousy, it's such a good pick-me-up. Diamond Dreams has a rich lather, it's super moisturizing, and the scent is 2 DIE 4 - blackberry lychee - pure heaven. A great way to indulge yourself without resorting to chocolate. LOL!
Redken Color Extend: Pretty much my everyday shampoo. It's moisturizing, protects my color, and gently cleanses. Loves it!
Sebastian Drench: I was able to try this thanks to CosmoProf's 12 Days of X-mas special, and I'm glad I did! Drench is good stuff, especially if you have dry hair - like me. And to me it smells like apples, I don't know if that's what they were going for, but I like it. :D
L'Occitane Ultra Rich Shea Butter Shampoo: The first product that was ever sent to me to review - it will always be special to me... especially since it works! If my hair was healthy, I would not need conditioner with this shampoo... no, really. L'Occitane is another luxury item, but if you got some spare cash I highly suggest giving this shampoo a shot!

Conditioner!

S-Factor Diamond Dreams: Pure silk in a bottle. It leaves my hair feeling amazingly soft and healthy. Like the shampoo, it's a total extravagance - but it makes me happy, so whatevs. BTDubbz, both the shampoo and conditioner are color-safe.
Redken Real Control: My favorite Redken conditioner. The Real Control line is meant for thick hair like mine, and the conditioner works awesome for me! Also color-safe.
Redken Color Extend: Great stuff! Usually I use this in conjunction with Color Extend shampoo for a couple weeks after my hair is freshly colored, or whenever I feel like it.

Treatment!

Redken Real Control Intense Renewal: All time favorite hair mask. I dare you not to fall in love with it!
Joico K-PAK Reconstruct: K-PAK brought my lightened to the max, over-processed, brittle hair back to life! A must-have protein treatment. I'm going to need this in a gallon size though, so Joico get on that please.
S-Factor Serious Conditioner: This stuff SERIOUSLY rocks! Can be used as a daily condtioner or a hair mask - versatility! I love it.
Redken Extreme CAT: I use CAT once or twice a month, or after I receive a chemical service to give my hair a good protein boost! I love it because it packs a lot of punch in a short time. Usually I layer Intense Renewal over it to deep condition at the same time.

Smoothing & Shine!

S-Factor Dream Drops: STAPLE! This is a must have for everyone! Whether you use it in wet or dry hair, your hair will be blindingly shiny - and never greasy.
It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product: One of the best leave-ins I've ever tried. I love using it as a flat-iron spray too, it like - fills in the damage on the hair shaft. I love it!
S-Factor Smoothing Lusterizer: Smoothing Lusterizer saved my hair back when I was blonde. I'd mix a little of it with a few Dream Drops and my hair looked amazing. Even now that I'm (almost) back to natural, I still use it all the time!
Redken Extreme Anti-Snap: If your hair is so processed that it's about to fall out - you need this. It leaves your hair feeling healthy... as healthy as over-processed hair can feel. LOL!
Bed Head Headrush: STAPLE! I've seriously gone through like four cans of this stuff. I use it on everybody, as well as myself! It's a super-fine shine mist that makes your hair look polished and healthy.

Volume!

Redken Blown Away 09: The best blowdry gel I've used so far! Adds a lot of volume and doesn't weigh hair down at all. Staple.
Catwalk Your Highness Thickening Gel Creme: The whole Your Highness collection is amazing, but the Thickening Gel Creme rocks! Adds tons of body and shine, and smells like sensual jasmine and violets... mmm....
Scruples Direct Volume Spray Foam: This spray foam gives a more firm hold than the other two. If you prefer a firmer hold in your hair, this is for you - but by no means is it crunchy or sticky, it's a great product!

Straightening!

Sebastian Potion 9: I love this product for its versatility - you can blowdry your hair silky straight with it or air dry/diffuse for luscious curls.
Bed Head Control Freak Serum: This is one of Bed Head's best sellers for a reason! You can blowdry your hair almost pin straight with it, without weighing down your hair or leaving residue!
FX Flat Iron Spray: Probably my favorite flat iron spray! I can use it on ANYONE for amazing results, and you can get it at the drugstore!
It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product: Like I said before, I love to use this as a flat iron spray - but more for coarse & damaged hair as it's very conditioning.
S-Factor Flat Iron Shine Spray: This makes your hair superrr shiny and superrr straight! Best used on normal/coarse hair, and a little goes a long way!
Redken Spray Starch 15: Whether you're straightening, curling, waving, crimping, whatevering, Spray Starch works great!

Texture!

S-Factor Spun Satin: One of my favorite hair products EVER! It's a whipped styling soufflé that is perfect for wavy hair (like mine). It conditions your hair while adding soft texture and definition. I want it in bulk. :D
Sebastian Microweb Fiber: I've never had so much fun using a hair product before! If you've ever used it you know what I mean, and if you haven't watch this clip: http://bit.ly/8VRNRg It gives you crazy, moldable texture that lasts all day!
KMS Hairplay Dry Wax: I use this more than I use hairspray! Spray it wherever you want texture and separation with a light hold.
Nioxin Smoothing Reflectives Defining Pomade: Gives massive shine and separation, and smells so wonderfully masculine. Seriously, if it was a cologne I'd totally buy it.
Bed Head Hard To Get Texturizing Paste: Perfect if you want separation, definition, and texture with a light matte finish.
Bed Head Creative Genius: For the hardcore gel lovers, this has been my fave since I was like 13! Crazy intense texture and hold in dry hair & a lighter, more natural hold when blowdried in wet hair. Curly girls like it too - a little in wet hair + air dry = sculpted, frizz free curls with a firm hold. Perfect for guys with short spikey hair as well!
Sebastian Whipped Creme: Versatility!!! Air dry for natural, tousled curls, OR diffuse for sexy curls with definition, OR set hair for gorgeous/bouncy/red carpet ready curls!
Bed Head Hook-Up Mousse Wax: One of the most interesting products I own! Comes out in a creamy, mousse-like foam but gives re-workable texture, definition, and shine like wax!
B For Men Matte Separation Workable Wax: For the boys! Gives great hold and separaton with a definite matte finish.
KMS Hairplay Sea Salt Spray: Beach hair! Using this spray really is like a day at the beach. It has a light hold and really brings out the waves in your hair. Plus it's in a spray bottle, which if you read my review, you know I LOVE! No caps to lose. =)

Hairspray!

White Sands Stuck Up: All time favorite! When used with heat you can create insane, avant garde, sky high styles - but by itself it gives a light, yet firm hold that brushes out beautifully.
S-Factor Vivacious: OMG I buy this for the scent alone! Especially since it lasts for hours! And it holds great without feeling sticky or heavy.
Sebastian Re-Shaper: Re-Shaper has a lighter, more natural hold but still fights frizz and humidity.
Rusk W8less Plus: The name is right! Weightless hold, pleasant scent, and versatile!
Bed Head Masterpiece: All day hold and it makes your hair crazy shiny! Never seen a hairspray give this much shine and not make your hair feel like crap!
New Image Super Hold Hairspray: I'm normally not a fan of non-aerosol products, or Sally's products - but this is an exception! The pump sprays a very fine mist, unlike others that just spit it out at you, and it gives a nice firm hold without the crunchy/sticky mess most others give.
Bed Head Hard Head: This stuff is strong - total updo hairspray! Perfect for those who like their hair to have that "frozen" look.

WHEW! That's a lot of product! And writing! Good thing it's only a yearly post haha. Well there you have it - my favorite products of 2009. I wonder what I'll be loving next year...

What about you?! I want ALL OF YOU to tell me what YOUR favorite products of 2009 are! I absolutely love reading all your comments, fo'realz! =) I hope everyone has a great 2010, I wish you all the BEST!

I LOVE YOU ALL! XOXO
-Anthony

You may have noticed...

2009-12-13T23:29:00.002-06:00

Hello all! If you've been following my blog for a while, or if you've read through a lot of my posts, you'll see that at the end of every month I do a Favorites post. You also may have noticed that I did not do one for November. There's a reason though. Most of it is.. well, I forgot. But I also realized I should just do a 2009 Favorites post. Or maybe I should just stop doing them, they don't seem to be very popular. Well, what do you think?

Also, if you have any ideas/questions/comments/etc, comment and tell me. I enjoy new ideas and constructive criticism. : D

Sebastian Potion 9 Review

2009-12-02T19:44:00.007-06:00

Hello all! Happy December!!! To kick off the month, I'm reviewing Sebastian Potion 9 with Recessionista over at Nouveau Cheap. She's reviewing the GVP version of Potion 9, like we did with Joico K-PAK Reconstruct. I love her, she's the most amazing blogger out there. If you don't follow her blog, you need to be shot, and once you recover you should go follow it. =)

Okay, so Potion 9 has been around for like, a longggg time. With good reason too, because it's pretty awesome. It's extremely versatile, lightweight, and makes your hair feel like heavennn. I highly recommend it for curly/wavy hair. I really should use it more.. but... you know... I've got all this other stuff so it kinda gets lost in the mix LOL. I'm gonna be honest though, when I bought it I thought it was like a hair treatment/deep conditioner kinda product. It wasn't until I got home and... actually read the label... that I found out it was a styling product hahaha. I certainly wasn't mad or anything, but the name "Potion 9" made it sound that way. Right? Agree with me please. I'll feel better. *puts on dunce cap*

Anywho, the main ingredients in Potion 9 are: Water, Glycerin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, and Panthenol. There are a lot of plant and fruit oils/extracts too, but they're not really doing much other than adding some slight conditioning and making the product sound nice. Glycerin is a humectant that does a great job of keeping your hair and skin moisturized. Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride (aka guar gum) comes from the guar bean, which is mostly harvested in India (about 80%). It's a thickening/emulsifying agent that has about 8 times the water thickening power of cornstarch. But don't worry, your hair's not gonna feel like you starched it or anything, it just gives your hair some slight hold and thickens up the product. Hydrolyzed Wheat and Soy Protein are plant proteins that have been partially turned to water by hydrolysis. Panthenol (vitamin B5) is another good ingredient. It plumps up the hair shaft, adding volume and shine. Think of the stuff they use to fill potholes in the road--it's not a permanent solution, but it gets the job done for now.

For curly/wavy hair, I think this stuff works best when you use it and let it air dry. It's also good for blowdrying hair straight. Either way your hair will feel soft and silky, and it'll stay that way all day.

Have any of you tried Potion 9? Or the GVP version? Comment and let me know! Or just comment to say hi!!! ;D

Sebastian Potion 9 comes in both a 5 oz. bottle and 16.9 oz. tub w/ pump. The 5 oz. is around $18-$20, and the 16.9 oz. is around $30. If you really love the stuff, the tub is probably the better deal.

I hope you guys enjoyed this review, and don't forget to check out Recessionista's GVP review too! Take care of your hair, pretties!

formspring.me

2009-11-28T22:37:00.004-06:00

http://www.formspring.me/HEARTSTARBOLT

HUGE HAUL!

2009-11-24T21:59:00.015-06:00

**Warning: Kinda Pic-Heavy**

Hey all! I feel SO guilty for not posting more this month!! November has just been hectic with trying to finish school, working, personal stuff, AND I had oral surgery on the 19th! I had all my wisdom teeth removed so I haven't been in the blogging mood, haha. Butttt I do hope to get back in the swing of things here on The ART and SCIENCE of [beauty] starting with the huge HAUL I've been talking about for like almost 3 months! LOL! I've slowly built up this haul btw, I didn't go out and just buy it all at once haha. When I go shopping, I only get like a few things at a time, so that's why it takes me so long to even post a normal haul. Ughh you guys don't know how bad I've wanted to share all these products with you, but I wanted to wait until I had a lottt of stuff to show!

Now I know there's a lot of stuff in these pics.. but it's not everything! =O LOL! I accidentally left some of them at work, so when I bring them back I'll take more pics and add them on. Anddd the pics kinda suck cos I had to use my phone, and I tried to fix them... but whatever. They're pretty clear. BUT--what do you guys think of the stuff I do have? Anything you'd like me to review first? Or anything you already have and love/hate/like/dislike? COMMENT!!! I love reading all of your comments! They make me smile, and encourage me to post more often. ♥

First is the ghd Urban Angel Set I got as an early birthday present! My birthday's on the 29th (5 days!). Next is the free carrying case that you get when you spend $25+ which was not hard at all! Next are the two products that came with: ghd thermal protector for normal-to-fine hair and ghd miracle mist daily conditioning spray.

Here's the inside of the pouch, it has three compartments: one for your ghd styler and two for styling aids. The third pic is the brush that came with, and a lovely little hair that I didn't even see until I was editing these pics... I'm bad at cleaning my brushes when I'm not at work LOL!

And my lovely ghd IV styler. *sigh *I am in love with this thing. :D

And here's (mostly) everything else! It's a lot right? I don't know where I'm gonna put all this! Yet I keep buying more! AHHH! Ok, anyways.... here's some more detailed pics.

I actually got a lot of Rusk stuff! Here's a Pro Elements by Rusk Keratin Smoothing System gift set I bought. It includes Smoothing Shampoo, Smoothing Conditioner, Smoothing Treatment, and a mini flat iron, which I love to use on myself!

Here's a Rusk Deepshine set that's missing one product (one of the ones I left at work). It came in a lovely box, but without the whole set I thought it would look weird so I took them out. The set includes Sea Kelp Creme Shampoo and Conditioner, Phyto-Marine Lusterizer, and Sea Kelp Anti-Frizz Serum (not shown). The next pic is a Rusk Being duo that kinda got a lil roughed up while I was taking it home haha. It includes Being Wild Paste and Being Smooth Cream. I've tried Being Smooth and I like it! Plus I love products in bright colored packaging!

You know I had to get some Redken too! I bought Spray Starch 15, Real Control Thermal Resist, Color Extend Total Recharge, and Extreme Anti-Snap. Spray Starch 15 is for curling/flat-ironing and works great! Total Recharge is like a mini deep conditioner, Thermal Resist is a good leave-in for heat damaged hair, and I lovelovelove Anti-Snap! Review coming very soon!

And of course ya'll know how much I LOVE TIGI! And I was so excited when the new Catwalk "Your Highness" collection and the two new S-Factor products came out! I wanna eventually try the whole Your Highness line, but I had to get the Thickening Gel Creme first. I've heard great things about it, and it smells incredible! ALMOST as good as the Biggie Headrush I got! You guys, Headrush is my favorite TIGI product bar none. I've gone through at least 3 cans of it.. so I almost fainted when I saw they were making a Biggie size! Everyone I've ever used it on LOVES it and bought a can of their own. Next I got the two brand new S-Factor products: Wonderful Tonight and Spun Satin. Wonderful Tonight is an overnight leave in treatment for dry, damaged hair. I hope it's amazing, because it's expensive! Spun Satin is also kind of a luxury... but for me it's a necessary luxury. :) It's a styling souffle that's perfect for wavy hair, or any hair really! ;-)

And then a bunch of other random stuff I don't need but had to have. Top left pic is the limited edition 10 oz. bottle of It's a 10 Mirace Leave-In Product and Scruples Direct Volume Spray Foam (that I won from The Fashionable Gal!). Top right pic is KMS Hairplay Dry Wax and Matrix Biolage Colorcaretherapie Delicate Care Organic Certified Oil. Bottom left is a close up of the KMS Dry Wax, then a liter of ColorMeSexy Violet Mood Color Depositing Shampoo (hey, I won't be brunette forever! Plus it smells sexual). Last pic is just some samples of Vitale Pro Shining Gloss, Agadir Argan Oil Hair Treatment, L'Oreal Nature's Therapy Deep Treatment & Fortifying Conditioner.

AND THAT'S STILL NOT EVERYHING!

It's most of it though, so don't worry. =P

I hope I didn't bore you with alllll these products! And again, sorry for not posting more this month!!! I promise I'll be better next month. ;-) Don't forget to leave a comment before you leave! And take care of your hair! XO

Goldwell Brilliance Jewel Shimmer Wax Review

2009-11-12T22:22:00.003-06:00

Hello everyone! Today I'm reviewing a product from Goldwell's Brilliance line: Jewel Shimmer Brilliance cream wax. I generally like Goldwell products, and I love waxes/putty/pomade/anything that gives hair some texture so I figured I'd give it a shot. The label states: "Jewel Shimmer - for enriched radiance and effective color protection. With Crystal Brilliance Booster & Color Safeguard System. Shimmering cream wax for a defined glossy finish. Alcohol-free." Oh, and on Goldwells' 1-5 hold scale, one being the minimum, and 5 being the maximum, it's a 2.. as you can see in the picture. Right off the bat I didn't particularly care for the scent. It's just a smidge too perfume-y for me. I gave it a fair shot though. Let's see what's so special about Jewel Shimmer.

The main ingredients are Water, Mineral Oil, Sorbitol, Oleth-5, Ceteareth-20, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, etc. Ok so, I'm definitely not impressed by these ingredients. Goldwell is expensive stuff, and the best they can do is mineral oil? Come on, there are PLENTY of other alternatives to mineral oil. Looking at the rest of the ingredients, they could probably take it out. And I love how they say "alcohol-free" when sorbitol is a humectant alcohol. I know when most people see "alcohol" on an ingredient list, they immediately think of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, which is very drying and not good for your hair. They're different though, because the alcohols typically used in hair products are fatty alcohols and act as conditioning agents; totally on the opposite side of the alcohol spectrum. Still with me? Good. ;-) Oleth-5 is basically a softening agent, it makes sure the product isn't too hard. Oleth-3 Phosphate is an emulsifier that also works to give a product shine, texture, and separation. Butylene Glycol is similar to Propylene Glycol (meaning it's also a emollient/humectant). Ceteareth-20 is yet another fatty alcohol. It's a blend of two alcohols that come from coconut oil.

I mean, don't get me wrong, it's a good product.. I just hate when labels lie. You know? I've used it several times, and I've gotten pretty good results. It adds shine without looking greasy, and gives texture that's not too stiff. The scent still bugs me though. It doesn't smell bad or anything, I just don't care for it. But yeah.. I do like it, but I'm pretty sure I won't buy it again. I'll probably end up giving it away to someone who'll use it more than I do. And that likes the scent more than I do haha.

Anyways, by no means is this a bad product, it's just not my cup of tea. If you're a Goldwell fan, maybe you should give this a try. If you have used it, what did you think? Comment and let me know! Or just comment and say hi! :D

Goldwell Brilliance Jewel Shimmer Wax comes in a 75 ml / 2.5 fl. oz. pot, and retails for around $16. That's all for now! The huge Haul I've been building is almost ready, so watch out for that! Enjoy your November, and take care of your hair!

October Favorites!

2009-11-01T22:19:00.007-06:00

Wow.. October just ran right past me. I can't believe it's November! I can't believe it's almost my birthday! (11/29 and I'll be 20 btw) Gosh... Pretty soon it'll be Thanksgiving.. and then Christmas! Then New Years! 2010! Crazayyy. Anywho, enough ranting. It's time for my October Favorites, and here they are! =)

Shampoo: Rusk Deepshine - This whole line kinda has a plant scent to it, but I don't mind because I think it's great!

Conditioner: Rusk Deepshine - It's light, but conditions nicely and adds tons of shine.
Treatment: Redken Color Extend Total Recharge - Bought it on a whim, and I actually like it! Not as heavy as a deep conditioner, but I can definitely feel it on my hair.
Smoothing/Shine: Bed Head Superficial - Amazing when you blow dry it into your hair... amazing.

Volume: Redken Blown Away 09 - I still really love this stuff, it's never failed me.
Straightening: Redken Spray Starch 15 - Whether you're using a flat iron, curling iron, 3-barrel waver, crimper, whateverrrr, this will make it stay.
Texture: S-Factor Spun Satin - Where are my wavy haired peeps?! This is for you. It's a bit of a luxury item, but so worth it.
Hairspray: White Sands Stuck Up - Another repeat. I still think it's awesome.

So those are my October faves, what are yours?! Comment and tell me, I'd love to know!!!

Also, My huge haul is coming soon... so stay tuned! And take care of your hair, especially now that it's getting chilly out! XOXO

The Beauty Counter Giveaway!

2009-10-28T20:14:00.004-05:00

Hey guys! Just wanted to let you all know that Hil'Lesha over at The Beauty Counter is giving away Hairfree brushes! Hairfree brushes are awesome! They're the new wave in styling your hair, and I totally hope I win!!! Check out her blog so you can enter too! :D

Catwalk Root Boost Review

2009-10-27T22:56:00.003-05:00

Hey loves! Today I'm reviewing Root Boost by TIGI's Catwalk line. I've had this for a long time, and I've used it quite often, with very nice results! The bottle claims Root Boost is "A spray for texture, lift and style support for all types of hair. Precision application allows you maximum design control." Well said! I've tried a few other brands of root volumizers, and I'm going to try more, but I really like this stuff! That being said, I actually still prefer to use a blow dry gel (like Redken Blown Away 09). Though, if I want even more volume, I'll grab Root Boost and get to settin'!

The main ingredients in Root Boost are: Water, Hydrofluorocarbon 152A, Dimethyl Ether, VP/VA Copolymer, PVP, PEG-45 Palm Kernel Glycerides, etc. Hydrofluorocarbon 152A and Dimethyl Ether are fairly common propellants used in aerosol sprays. A propellant is something that shoots the product out of the can, like whooosh! VP/VA Copolymer and PVP are what give the light hold and texture that make this product so good. PEG-45 Palm Kernel Glycerides is a fatty acid that comes from palm kernels. It's used as an emulsifier. The rest of the ingredients are pretty much just propellants, hold agents, fragrance, preservatives, yadda yadda yadda.

A quick tip? Root Boost is GREAT for getting volume and height at your crown, but try spraying it all over your hair and blowdrying it in for amazing texture and fullness. After all, root lifting products like this... are basicallykindabutnotreallywellitsortofis mousse with a spray nozzle. ;-) Oh and the scent? It smells just like Fast-Fixx (aka amazing).

TIGI Catwalk Root Boost comes in a 8.5 oz / 250 ml can. It's also available in a Biggie size which is in like a 10 oz. can for like the same amount of money, usually paired with Fast-Fixx or another Root Boost. It's a great bargain if you ask me!

Stay tuned for more reviews, hauls, and craziness! Take care of your hair loves! xoXO

Bed Head Small Talk Review

2009-10-18T21:20:00.008-05:00

Hey guys! Today I'm reviewing Bed Head Small Talk, a 3-in-1 Thickifier, Energizer, and Stylizer. Two of those are totally not words, but it's okay cos this product is great! First thing I have to say about it is... the smell. I am in HEAVEN when I smell this, it's one of the most delicious hair products I've ever smelled. It could be just a personal thing, but to me it smells exactly like Bubble Tape in the Gushing Grape flavor. Do you guys remember that stuff? I don't know if it's even still around, but omg I get a serious craving for it every time I use Small Talk. MMMMMM!

Ok... moving on before I end up eating it, Small Talk is a product that thickens up your hair, while giving slight texture and definition. I highly recommend this especially if your hair is on the shorter side. A lot of reviews online compare Small Talk to Cocky Thickening Paste and some people say they prefer Cocky a little more. I actually prefer Small Talk. I think Cocky is good because it adds body and has some shine to it, but it's very easy to use too much, which could end up making your hair look dirty. Plus, I personally think Cocky is best used in 90%-100% dry hair, while Small Talk is best when used in wet hair.

Small Talk's ingredients include: Water, VP/DMAPA Acrylates Copolymer, Cyclomethicone, Polyquaternium 37, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Styrene/Butadiene Copolymer, etc. VP/DMAPA Acrylates Copolymer is commonly found in mousse, gel, texture/curl enhancing products, etc, and it gives hold. Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, and Dimethiconol are all silicone derivatives. Polyquaternim 37 is a fairly common emulsifier. Styrene/Butadiene Copolymer is actually a kind of synthetic rubber! Isn't that weird? I'm pretty sure it's what keeps the thick and full feeling in your hair.

Overall, I think it's great. You might not like it, you might love it, it's kind of one of those products where you just need to try it. That's how it was with me... actually that's how it is with most of the products I get. LOL!

Bed Head Small Talk comes in a 200 ml / 8 fl. oz. bottle and retails for around $17.

Anyways, I hope you like this review, and sorry for being so lax with my posting lately. I'm really gonna try and do better. I do have a big HAUL to post still, so stay tuned for that! Take care of your hair pretties!

BTW This is Bubble Tape, in case you didn't know:

K-PAK Color Therapy Restorative Styling Oil Review

2009-10-09T20:50:00.006-05:00

Hello! Is it me or did this week just FLY by?! Well in any case, I'm glad the weekend is here! =) Today I'm reviewing Joico K-PAK Color Therapy Restorative Styling Oil. This (along with a shampoo and conditioner) is Joico's answer to Moroccanoil, though some people who have used it claim Joico's is better. I've never actually tried Moroccanoil, so I can't make that comparison, but I'm a huge fan of this product and it's definitely going to be a staple in my product collection! This oil is effective as a leave-in treatment and as a styling product, and I use it as both!

So here are the main ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Argan Oil, Mongongo Oil, Kukui Seed Oil, etc. Ahh my favorite ingredient cyclopentasiloxane is first on the list. This is a fabulous ingredient that conditions hair and protects against damage. I've talked about dimethicone before; it's a fairly common silicone derivative. C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is an emollient/thickening agent. The last 3 need a bit more explaining...

Now here's what all the hype is about: Argan oil. Argan oil has been around for hundreds of years, mostly to use it for cooking. Lately, the oil (by solvent-extraction versus traditional/press-extraction) has been used in treatments for skin and hair, and it's especially useful for treating psoriasis. It's rich in vitamin E, essential fatty acids, phenols, carotenes, and squalene. There's plenty to read about Argan oil out there, so if you wanna know more, look it up!

Schinziophyton rautanenii, otherwise known as mongongo oil, is a pretty uncommon ingredient in haircare, so I had to dig a little deeper to get some info. Here's what phytotradeafrica.com had to say:

[...] In addition the kernel is rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, and has extraordinarily high concentrations (around 560mg per 100 grams of kernel) of vitamin E (almost entirely as g-tocopherol). The large proportion of this essential linoleic acid (EFA), as well as the conjugated trienoic acid (α Eleostearic) mean that the oil is of huge importance for skin protection, both for hydration but also for the restructuring and regeneration of the epidermis. In particular the α Eleostearic acid reacts rapidly with UV light producing polymerisation and providing a protective layer. The very high g-tocopherol content also provides the oil with enhanced stability, this is proven in the African heat where the oil does not become rancid.

I don't know about you, but I'm going to look for more products with mongongo oil!

And then there's Aleurites moluccans, or Kukui seed oil. Kukui seed oil is from Hawaii, and it's a fantastic moisturizer, because it penetrates deep into skin and hair really fast! It's great for people with dry skin, dry hair/scalp, eczema, burns, psoriasis, scars, etc. because it will almost instantly relieve any symptoms you have. It also contains vitamins A, C, and E. I'm gonna need some of this stuff stat! =)

Whew! Sorry if that ran on too long, but I just wanted you all to know a little something about those three ingredients. Anyways, here's how I use it: As a leave-in, I use about 3 pumps in wet hair, long hair may need more. Or you could need less if your hair is finer, play around with it. When I use it on dry hair, one pump is all I need for shiny, healthy looking hair. It's not heavy at all, so just experiment and find out what works best for you!

Joico K-PAK Color Therapy Restorative Styling Oil comes in a 3.4 fl oz. bottle and retails for around $16-$18 depending on where you shop. If you try this, or have tried it, or wanna try it, comment and let me know! Whether you love it or hate it, I'd love to know! n_n

By the way, I know I haven't done a haul in a while, but I'm slowly putting together a BIG one for you guys, and I'm gonna let you all decide which products I should review first! And if you have any product requests, comment and tell me what you'd like to me to review and I'll see what I can do. ;-) I'm also doing another mirrored review with my pal Recessionista over at Nouveau Cheap, so expect that very soon. Take care of your hair everyone!

Cosmetic Chemistry Tidbits #3

2009-10-05T15:15:00.010-05:00

Hello everyone! In this episode of CCT, I'll be talking about... shampoo! What it's made of, why it works, different kinds, and alternatives to shampoo as well.

First things first: What is the purpose of shampoo? Shampoo is meant to cleanse your scalp and hair. An effective shampoo must remove all dirt, debris, oil, and product without compromising the integrity of your hair. Your hair and scalp need to be cleansed regularly because natural oils and perspiration combine with the natural scales and dirt, which can then be home to a myriad of disease producing bacteria, which can then cause scalp disorders. This is something you want to avoid. You should shampoo your hair according to how quickly your hair and scalp get dirty. Be careful though, excessive shampooing is bad; it strips your hair of the small amounts of sebum that protects the cuticle.

So, you know what it's for, but what's in it? The first ingredient in every shampoo is water. If there is a shampoo on the market that does not have the first ingredient listed as water, please comment and let me know. Usually the second ingredient is the main surfactant. A surfactant molecule has two ends: a hydrophilic (water-attracting) head, and a lipophilic (oil-attracting) tail. While you're shampooing your hair, the hydrophilic head attracts the water and the lipophilic tail attracts oil, and this process causes the oil and debris to be lifted off the hair and rinsed away. Other pretty standard ingredients (depending on the type of shampoo) can include humectants, protein, oils, foam enhancers, fragrances, and preservatives.

Just so you guys know, shampoo is the biggest expenditure in hair care products. So, in case I bored you with all that talk, let's discuss the different types of shampoo.

An everyday shampoo is one that's acid-balanced (which means its pH is 4.5-5.5). Most experts believe that having a low pH prevents excessive dryness and damage. This makes it safe to use everyday, if you want.

Moisturizing shampoos are best for chemically treated hair. The conditioning agents in the shampoo add moisture, volume, and slightly strengthen elasticity. They also do not strip the hair of artificial color. Every "color-safe" shampoo is moisturizing. Actually, most of the shampoos on the market these days are moisturizing, even if they don't say it on the label. Usually the one's that are opaque, or like have that pearly look to it will be moisturizing. Just check the ingredients. ;-)

Clarifying shampoos contain a strong acidic ingredient to cut right through product buildup, leaving hair thoroughly cleansed and often quite shiny. They are not meant to be used daily, only when you can feel the buildup on your hair. Maybe try once a week, or every two weeks.

Color-Enhancing shampoos combine shampoo with basic colors (usually aniline tint). These shampoos are kind of like color rinses, and last only from shampoo to shampoo. They can be used to brighten hair color, whether it's natural or artificial, or correct unwanted tones, like violet shampoo.

Medicated shampoo contains special chemicals that are used to treat excessive dandruff or other scalp disorders. Shampoo like Head & Shoulders or Selsun Blue is for mild dandruff, but if it's really bad you have to get a medicated shampoo from a physician, because they're quite strong. Sometimes they have to sit on the hair for a long period of time to take effect. It really sucks if you have color treated hair.

And then there's dry shampoo. Dry shampoo has been around for a verrrryyy long time, but for some reason is getting hugely popular again. Dry shampoo, whether it's in an aerosol or powder form, is basically made of a powder--like starch, talc, clay, etc. The powder absorbs the oil in your hair as it's brushed out, extending the time between your next shampoo as well as adding some volume.

Now, if that wasn't enough for you, there are some alternatives to shampoo. Some people like to co-wash their hair. Co-washing is simply skipping the shampoo and either rinsing their hair with water and using conditioner, or using a light conditioner like a shampoo and using a heavier conditioner after. Some people skip putting anything in their hair and just rinse it with water. To each their own... I guess. I know that there are tons of shampoos out there, so hopefully this helped to give you some insight, and now you won't be so intimidated the next time you go shopping down the hair care aisle. =P

What's YOUR favorite shampoo, and why? Comment and tell me, I'd seriously love to know! :D That about wraps up this episode of Cosmetic Chemistry Tidbits. Take care of your hair, and happy washing! XOXO

September Favorites!

2009-10-02T19:31:00.008-05:00

Hey guys! Happy October! Gosh I don't know about you, but I LOVE talking about my favorite products! Maybe I have a problem... eh whatever, I'll deal with it later LOL. So, in case you wanted to know, here are my favorite products of September. YOU should comment and tell me your favorite proucts too!

Shampoo: Redken Color Extend - Really helps maintain color, and leaves my hair feeling soft!
Conditioner: Redken Color Extend - Not too light, not too heavy, just right for my color-treated hair.
Treatment: Redken Real Control Intense Renewal - As I said in my post, I really love this stuff! It leaves my hair feeling so soft and healthy looking.

Smoothing/Shine: Joico K-Pak Color Therapy Restorative Styling Oil - This could actually be put under the treatment section too! It makes my hair feel silky, imparts shine without looking greasy, and protects my color! I love it.

Volume: Bed Head Small Talk - This 3-in-1 product is great! It adds volume, separation, and definition. Perfect for layers.

Straightening: It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product - I could've put this in 3 other categories, but I personally love using it as a flat iron spray for coarse/thick hair. It's like flat-ironing conditioner in your hair, leaving it soft and manageable but not weighed down.

Texture: Bed Head Manipulator - A classic, and a permanent staple in my collection. It adds texture, shine, and smells like coconuts!

Hairspray: Sebastian Shaper - Another classic, and I have yet to find someone that does not like this hairspray.

Like I said before, I'd love it if you all commented and shared some of your favorites with me! I look forward to reading them. :D That's all for today, but be on the lookout for CCT #3 very soon! Take care of your hair, and have a happy October! XOXOX

TAG: What I'm using right now

2009-10-01T14:07:00.004-05:00

Hey guys! So I've been meaning to do all these tags but I keep forgetting about them! I saw this one over at my friend Recessionista's blog Nouveau Cheap. It's only half the tag since the rest were makeup related, so if you're a blogger and you wanna do it just check out her blog for the full tag! ♥

Shampoo: Redken Extreme/Redken Color Extend.

Conditioner: Redken Real Control.

Styling products: Alright let's see... well since I rarely use the same products two days in a row I'll just list the ones I use most often. S-Factor Dream Drops, It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product, Bed Head Some Like It Hot Serum, S-Factor Smoothing Lusterizer, Bed Head Small Talk, Redken Smooth Down Sleek Obedience, Matrix Biolage Colorcaretherapie Delicate Care Oil, K-PAK Color Therapy Styling Oil, Bed Head Superficial.

Shower Gel: AXE Vice Shower Gel.

Body moisturizer: Vaseline for Men.

Deodorant: AXE Vice, both the spray and the stick.

Fake Tan: Famous Dave's.

Cleanser: I'm not afraid to say it-- Clean & Clear Continuous Control Acne Cleanser.

Toner: No thanks.

Exfoliator: Neutrogena Wave. (Works great for me)

New TIGI Products

2009-10-01T03:14:00.023-05:00

Hey guys! Just wanted to let you all know about some brand new TIGI S-Factor and Love, Peace & the Planet products coming out this month.

S-Factor has two new products: Spun Satin and Wonderful Tonight.

Spun Satin Feather-Light Styling Soufflé ($25) is an ultra luxurious, light as a feather, styling soufflé that is made with silk protein, aloe, green tea, and sunflower seed extracts to give hair soft texture, smooth waves, and healthy shine. Perfect for naturally wavy hair.

Wonderful Tonight Overnight Treatment ($60) is for damaged and dry hair in need of repair. TIGI has taken the most luxurious ingredients found on earth and combined them with the powerful Keravis ingredient to give you results instantly.Containing S-factor's premium Luxury Complex and the strength building properties of Keravis, Wonderful Tonight repairs damaged hair while you sleep. Hair treated with Keravis was shown to have a higher fatigue lifetime, making hair more resistant to breakage. This translates into increased hair strength and better hair vitality.

Love, Peace & the Planet is introducing Walking on Sunshine Shampoo and Conditioner, Save the Earth Straightener and Defrizzer, and Totally Beachin' Styling Mist.

Walking on Sunshine Shampoo ($18) contains apple amino acids, ginger and green tea that will turn dull locks into something to love.

Walking on Sunshine Conditioner ($20) is a totally fresh formula infused with honey, jojoba oil and soy protein which renews moisture and strength, leaving hair smooth and shiny.

Totally Beachin' Styling Mist ($18) contains coconut water and sea kelp to nourish hair while pineapple and sea salt add texture and body.

Save the Earth Straightener and Defrizzer ($18) is 84% organic content, free of parabens, artificial colors and synthetic fragrances. Bottle 50% post-consumer recycled material. Soy, olive fruit and wheat amino acids defrizz, smooth and protect from heat and UV damage. Style your hair and help save the earth!

Well you guys know what a huge TIGI freak I am, and I'm probably going to get all of these things, but I'm totally excited for Spun Satin. It just sounds like the perfect product for me! :D Will you be trying anything? Comment and let me know! Take care of your hair and happy shopping!

KMS Sea Salt Spray Review

2009-09-30T15:21:00.009-05:00

Hey everyone! Today I'm reviewing KMS California Hairplay Sea Salt Spray. Sea salt sprays are all the rage lately, because it seems like everyone wants that wavy, tousled, beach hair. I have to say that KMS really came through with this product because I think it's great! The label says it "adds fullness and texture like a day at the beach." and it really does, with a slight matte finish.

Besides the product itself, I actually love the fact that it's in a spray bottle! Goddd I wish more products used that instead of a finger spritzer, I just think it's easier. This way you never lose the tiny plastic caps that go with it. Don't you think? Maybe it's just my personal preference but I think a lot of people would like to have more products in actual spray bottles.

Jeez, rant much? LOL sorry. Spray bottles get me worked up I guess, haha. Anyways here are the main ingredients: Water, Magnesium Sulfate, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Isoceteth-20, Citric Acid, PVP, Sea salt, etc.Like I talked about in my post about Redken CAT, Magnesium Sulfate has a lot of uses, but for this product it's probably used to give your hair that matte finish, along with denatured alcohol (Alcohol Denat.) which can be drying to your hair but in this case it's sort of recreating the texture and body you get from being at the beach, swimming in the ocean, etc. Propylene Glycol: humectant, nothing new there. Isoceteth-20 is a synthetic compound made from fatty acids. It's used as an emulsifier. Citric Acid is a natural preservative used to adjust the pH of products. PVP is a film former that gives a light hold, nothing too heavy or drying. Sea salt has been around forver; people have been using it for hundreds of years. It's great at detoxing, drawing out impurities, exfoliating and softening skin, relaxing muscles when added to a bath, promoting circulation, I could really go on and on. And in case you don't know, sea salt is made by sea water evaporating by the sun, or other means.

Personally, I think the best way to use a sea salt spray is to use it on damp hair and let it air dry. When you use heat with a product like this, it sometimes can end up drying too fast and you might not get the full effect. Remember that this does give a slight matte finish, so I suggest not using any other products that add shine. They might not get along and end up canceling each other out... I know that sounds weird, but it really can happen. And don't think that you have to saturate your hair with this product--a light mist is all it takes. Quick tip: If your hair doesn't have that much of a natural wave, try setting your hair in loose pin curls and using low heat if you really wanna get those waves in your hair. I do it to people all the time and it works great!

OH! I almost forgot. It smells like peppermint-grape. I think it smells quite delicious, yet refreshing imho. =)

KMS Sea Salt Spray retails for around $13-$15, and comes in a 200 ml / 6.8 fl oz. spray bottle. All done! You can go shopping now! LOL just kidding. Take care of your hair!

Redken Real Control Intense Renewal Review

2009-09-21T22:24:00.003-05:00

Hello all! Today I'm reviewing one of my all time favorite hair masks! It's called Intense Renewal and it's from the Real Control line by Redken. Real Control, for those who don't know, is formulated for "dense, dry, sensitized hair" and ALL of those apply to me. I've had this for almost a year now, and I seriously don't know how I lived without it. I've only used about half of it, and even though I have short hair, a little goes a very long way. It makes my dry, damaged hair feel SO soft and healthy... well, as healthy as my hair can feel LOL! And the entire Real Control line is safe for color-treated hair.

The ingredients include: Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, PEG-180, Candelilla Wax, Amodimethicone, etc. Cetearyl Alcohol and Behentrimonium Chloride are just your run of the mill conditioning agents. PEG-180 is part of a group of polyethylene glycols. You may have seen this ingredient before, or maybe with a different number, but they're quite commonly used in cosmetics. Anyways, it's used as a humectant which, as we all know is used to draw in moisture to your hair/skin. Candelilla Wax is extracted from the candelilla plant, a shrub that is native to Mexico. It's what gives this mask it's thick consistency, and it's also a good emollient. Amodimethicone is just another silicone derivative.

I love using Intense Renewal right after a CAT treatment. My hair feels stronger, healthier, and my damage is less noticeable. I leave CAT on for five minutes, rinse, apply Intense Renewal under a plastic processing cap and leave on for 15-20 minutes and rinse with cool water. It works wonders for me. In case you wanted to know. ;-)

Redken Real Control Intense Renewal comes in a 250 ml / 8.5 fl oz. pot, and retails for about $15-$17. If you really love it, I've also seen it in a travel size, but I'm not sure how much it is. Google it! :-P

I hope you liked this review! If you try it, comment and lemme know how it works! Or if you have it/have tried it, comment and tell me your experiences! As always, I love reading all your comments. Take care of your hair! :D

Ion Stain Barrier Crème Review

2009-09-19T11:41:00.005-05:00

Hey guys! Just wanted to share a quick review of Ion's Stain Barrier Crème. I picked this up... gosh I don't even know how long ago it was. I think almost a year ago actually, and I kinda forgot about it for a while LOL but I've been using it lately and I really like it! I admit that most of the time I color my hair I just use Vaseline instead of barrier cream, but I find that it doesn't always work (especially with darker/no-lift colors), plus it's kind of a pain to get off.

Anyways, Wednesday night I triple glazed my hair using red colors and after I rinsed out my color each time I didn't have a spot of color on me thanks to this barrier cream! It does have a pretty thick consistency, so make sure you just get it on your hairline and not your hair! I accidentally got some on the sides of my front hairline during the first glaze and I noticed that the color didn't take as well in those spots, so do be careful.

For something as simple as barrier cream, it is actually pretty moisturizing, and even smells good! Kinda fruity, maybe like.. bananas? Hahaha I'm so bad with scents, sorry! The point is, it smells good (to me at least) and it works!. I highly recommend this to all the haircolor DIY divas out there. ;-)

Ion Stain Barrier Crème is available at Sally's for $3.99 ($2.99 if you have a Sally card) and comes in a 50 mL / 1.69 fl oz. tube. As always, please comment and share your thoughts if you use this, or if you use something else that you love! I look forward to reading everyone's comments. :D Take care of your hair everyone!

It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product Review

2009-09-17T23:41:00.007-05:00

Hello! Today I'm reviewing It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product. There's been SO much buzz about this stuff, but I have to admit the vague name had me a little sketchy about getting it but... I'm so glad I did! This product is great! It claims to do 10 things instantly, and I'm going to break down each claim with you guys and share my opinion on whether or not they follow through.

Since parabens have been so controversial lately, I do want to let you know that this product has Methyl and Propyl in it (the third and fourth ingredients respectively). This product has a shelf life of 36 months which is 3x longer than the average hair product. Unfortunately I'm not a cosmetic chemist so I'm unable to tell you why they are so high up on the ingredient list so... if you're anti-paraben, you might not want to use this product.

All that aside, let's take a peek at the rest of the ingredients: Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Panthenol, Cydomethicone, etc. One thing I will say about this product is that it's surprisingly thick. You wouldn't think so because it's in a spray bottle, but if you open it up you can see the consistency is similar to conditioner, which is basically what this product is (if any of you have used Redken Real Control conditioner, the texture is similar to that). I've talked about all these ingredients in past posts and they're all great conditioning agents, but if I hadn't heard so many great things about this and judged it based on the ingredients.. I'd probably pass on it. Just goes to show you the power of word of mouth. Now let's go through all 10 claims individually, and see if it's a hit or miss.

Repairs dry, damaged hair: I sort of have a problem with the word "repair" because honestly... once your hair gets damaged, it's damaged. Anything that "repairs" it is only a temporary effect. If they replace it with Conditions dry, damaged hair then that would be a lot better, because it definitely conditions your hair.
Adds shine: It certainly does. My hair, and other's who I've tried this on was noticeably shinier.
Detangles: Yes! If your hair tangles easily, a couple spritzes and you're tangle-free! With all these conditioning agents it better detangle! Haha. :-P
Controls frizz: Because it conditions your hair so well, it does control frizz very nicely. However, frizz control is kind of a personal thing so you should see for yourself if it works well with your hair or not.
Seals & protects hair color: Not the most outstanding claim, because anything conditioning will protect your hair color, but I don't disagree with it.
Prevents split ends: Perhaps with continued use it will lessen the appearance of split ends, but aside from constant hair cuts nothing "prevents" split ends. Everyone gets them.
Stops hair breakage: I think this claim goes hand in hand with #6, but I did notice that damage looks and feels less noticeable.
Creates silkiness: Totally agree. It's hard to stop touching your hair when you use this.
Enhances natural body: Volume and body isn't really a problem for me, but I did notice that my hair felt fuller than normal. Again, this goes hand in hand with #6 and #7
Flat iron spray & thermal protector: I definitely agree that it is a thermal protector, but flat iron sprays are another one of those personal things that's different for everyone. I think it'll be great for coarser hair, but people with fine hair might have to approach with some caution. But hey, even if you don't care for it as a flat iron spray you could always just use it as a leave-in! :)

So even though some of the claims are stretched out a bit, what do you think? I personally love it and I think I'll be getting the large size bottle next time. Comment and let me know your thoughts, I really look forward to hearing what you all have to say. =)

It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product comes in a 4 fl oz. / 120 ml bottle, and retails for around $15. There is a limited edition 10 fl oz. bottle that retails for around $25-$29 depending on where you shop, so if you really love this stuff that will be your best bet!

Another day, another hair product right? LOL Take care of your hair everyone! ♥

Red Haircolor Technique

2009-09-14T18:52:00.008-05:00

Hey guys! Just thought I'd share a Red technique I did on a mannequin recently. I was inspired by Clairol's "Blazin' Intense Red" Technique, but I thought it was kinda boring so I took it to a new level. I used triangle partings all around the top of the head, leaving the hair under the occipital free. I lightened some parts to a level 7 and left the other parts natural (about a level 4, maybe 5). Here are some pics, and the products I used will be below them. Let me know if you like it. :D

Start:

Middle:

Finished:

The products I used were:

Lightener: TIGI Colour Lights Modern Lightener with Coral and Ember Tonal Blends
Red #1: Wella Koleston Perfect 6/45
Red #2: Wella Koleston Perfect Special Mix 0/45
Red #3: Pravana Vivids Red
Color applied to free hair: Redken Shades EQ 05RV + Orange Kicker + Crystal Clear
Finishing products: It's a 10 Miracle Leave In Product, Redken Blown Away 09, S-Factor Dream Drops, Bed Head Masterpiece Massive Shine Hairspray, Bed Head Headrush.

I'd love to do this on a real person! Unless they really loved how it is I would probably tone it down just a bit, maybe just slicing using a bright red and breaking up the base inbetween the foils with like a warm mahogany color. Anywho, whether you love it or hate it, you should be awesome and leave a comment! :D Love you all, and take care of your hair!

TIGI Catwalk Your Highness Collection

2009-09-05T01:32:00.006-05:00

Fine-haired divas rejoice! TIGI Catwalk's latest collection: Your Highness, promises to "pump up the volume and create flawlessly full styles." I am so excited for this collection! More so because I've never really been a fan of the Catwalk packaging, so I'm glad they gave Your Highness a facelift. :D

The Your Highness collection promises to "add body, fight frizz and give impeccable body and fullness. Ingredients like Jasmine, Lavender, Wisteria and Violet nourish each strand for soft, touchable hair with incredible volume." I seriously cannot wait to get my hands on these products.

What's in the collection? I'll tell you!

Elevating Shampoo: Properly cleansed and flexible hair is the fabric essential to create beautiful volume. This decadent sulfate-free formula infused with Lavender, Wisteria, Jasmine & Violet imparts a fresh, lightweight finish.

Nourishing Conditioner: Violet and Lavender Extracts prevent dry, itchy scalp while soothing and balancing hair. Wheat and Soy Proteins improve strength and manageability while adding fullness and shine.

Thickening Gel Creme: This formula will promote impeccable fullness with amazing manageability and shine. A blend of Jasmine, Violet and UV filters helps protect hair while making it feel thicker and healthier.

Root Boost Spray: This fine mist foam delivers the lift and support essential for a long lasting, dramatic style. The active ingredients add strength, elasticity and smoothness while thickening, moisturizing and conditioning hair.

Weightless Shine Spray: The finishing touch for any voluminous style is healthy shine. This practically weightless spray eliminates frizz while adding luminous shine.

Hard Hold Hairspray: The sheer, form-fitting finish keeps your style in place. Botanicals of Violet, Jasmine, Lavender and Wisteria, along with a UV barrier help protect hair “on location” and throughout the seasons.

So if you're lookin for a volume boost, go check out Your Highness by Catwalk! Treat yourself, and your hair like a queen... your highness. ;-)

Source: behindthechair.com

August Favorites!

2009-09-03T00:34:00.008-05:00

It's September already?! GEEZ where did the time go? Well I hope everyone's August was good, and I hope your September is even better!
Welllll, here are my August favorites, in case you'd like to know... ;)

Shampoo: L'Oreal Solar Sublime - Paired with the mask, it's perfect for healing the damaging effects of the sun.

Conditioner: L'Oreal Solar Sublime - Smells like fresh peaches and hydrates your hair, leaving it feeling soft and healthy!

Treatment: Joico K-PAK Reconstruct - It was one of my faves last month, and still is!

Smoothing/Shine: S-Factor Dream Drops - These award winning little drops are amazing! They really make your hair feel dreamy....

Volume: Bed Head Superstar Volumizing Leave-In Conditioner - It gives good volume and smells like bubblegum! What more could you want?! ;-)

Straightening: S-Factor Flat Iron Shine Spray - I know I'm repeating a lot this month, but it's only 'cause I really love this spray!

Texture: Goldwell Brilliance Jewel Shimmer Cream Wax - Color protection, piecey separation, and shine! Give it a shot.

Hairspray: Bed Head Masterpiece - Again, I still love this! It's even good at protecting against humidity, while still keeping your hair shiny and in place.

I know I repeated a few products, but only because I still think they're awesome and I use them all the time! By the way, I actually won the L'Oreal Solar Sublime products in a raffle over at http://www.HairstylistsForum.com If you're a stylist you should join! It's a pretty cool community, even cooler since I'm there... LOL just kidding! Anyways, hopefully the products I didn't repeat may have intrigued you enough to go check them out. What are your favorite products? Comment and tell me! I'd love to hear! ♥

On a completely unrelated note, Sweeps4Bloggers is giving away DVD Volumes 3 and 4 of X-Men the Animated Series! If you (or anyone you know) are an X-Men fan you should totally enter! Check it out: http://sweeps4bloggers.blogspot.com/2009/09/x-men.html

That being said, take care of your hair and have a great September!

Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel Review

2009-08-28T20:33:00.004-05:00

Happy Friday! I don't know about you guys, but the weather here in Chicago lately has been sooo dreary! All grey and gloomy and rainy out. Hopefully this weekend will be better!

So today I'm reviewing Big Sexy Hair's Blow Dry Volumizing Gel. I've been putting off this review for a while, but I can't anymore. Unforunately... the only thing I like about this stuff is the scent. I've used it several times hoping I kept using it wrong, and the only thing wrong is this gel. It makes hair feel dry, gunky, heavy, and you'll definitely have to wash your hair again... there's no brushing this stuff out. It sucks because I always hear such good things about BSH and when I use them, it's always a bit anticlimactic. I've used BSH Root Pump, and even though it works pretty decent... I just find it a bit sticky and difficult to brush out. As for this Blow Dry Gel... grab Redken Blown Away 09 instead.

I'm not really going into detail about this... I'm just gonna recommend not using it. This is just my opinion, if anyone out there has had any luck with this stuff, or even if you've used it and didn't care for it as well, please comment and tell me about it! I really love hearing about other people's experiences and opinions. :)

There are products in other Sexy Hair lines I'd like to try... but I think I'm gonna stay away from Big Sexy Hair for a while. I'll probably give them another shot. Hopefully I'll find something I like.

Have a good weekend, and take care of your hair! ;-)

Bed Head Superstar Volumizing Leave-In Conditioner Review

2009-08-19T15:11:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone! Today I'm reviewing a Volumizing Leave-In Conditioner from Bed Head's Superstar line. The product claims to "Pump up your hair! Conditions, detangles, adds volume and gives light hold." I've gotta say that this is pretty good stuff! I agree with all the claims. For those who might be thrown off by the "gives light hold" part--it's not like how a hairspray gives hold, it's more like it just keeps the volume in your hair without your hair feeling all full of product. The scent is also DELICIOUS! Totally sweet and bubblegumish without being obnoxious.

On a completely unrelated note, I severely dislike the way people are trying to phase out putting commas before and (, and) like this label did. This is the way I was taught, and I just think it looks weird and incorrect. Anyone else notice it? Does it bug you as much as it bugs me? Share with me.

Back to the review! The main ingredients are Water, Polyquaternium-11, Amodimethicone, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol, Polyquaternium-32, Quaternium-91, etc. Polyquaternium-11 gives a light hold, adds shine, and it also has anti-bacterial properties. All the quats are basically the same, with slight differences in each one. They are all very light and pose no danger to your hair. Amodimethicone is a silicone derivative that has good conditioning properties. It'll leave your hair feeling soft and can help tame frizzies as well. Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol (long enough?) is similar to Hydorlyzed Wheat Protein in that it has been turned partly into water by means of hydrolysis, and it's used to form a film on your hair to make it feel stronger and thicker.

I'd suggest this product to anyone looking for a light product to give them volume, fine haired gals would surely benefit from this. Pair the leave-in with the Superstar Blow-Dry Lotion (a personal fave of mine) and you'll have a ton of body without any heavy bulid up other products might give... more on that soon.

Bed Head Superstar Volumizing Leave-In Conditioner comes in a 200 ml / 6.76 fl. oz bottle, and retails for around $16-$18. There's plenty more to come, so keep reading and take care of your hair! ♥ ♥ ♥

HAUL!

2009-08-09T14:47:00.005-05:00

Hey everyone! Guess where I went?! CosmoProf! :D I seriously love that store. I wish they had a salon like Ulta does, 'cause I'd totally work there.

Anywayyyys, here's all the stuff I got!

From left to right: CosmoProf tote, KMS Sea Salt Spray, KMS Shampoo/Conditioner Samples (in Color Vitality, Silk Sheen, and Moist Repair), Goldwell Brilliance Jewel Shimmer, Goldwell Straight Star Polish, Goldwell Moisture Definition Leave-In Serum, 2 Koleston Perfect colors (6/45 & 0/45), S-Factor Health Factor EMT, Kenra Platinum Silkening Gloss, Joico K-PAK Reconstruct, Joico K-PAK Color Therapy Restorative Styling Oil, Sebastian Texture Tandem Kit (includes Texture Tandem 1 & 2, bowl, brush, mixer, guide, and a bag.. but I gave it to my mom because she liked it).

I cannot WAIT to try out Texture Tandem! Also, expect a review on the Joico oil, I hear it claims to rival Morrocan oil. We'll see about that. The Koleston colors are for a technique I'm trying out on a mannequin, maybe I'll post pics when I'm done. :)

That's it for now, until next time--take care of your hair, and enjoy the beautiful August weather!

July Favorites!

2009-08-03T21:50:00.006-05:00

Happy August everyone! Gosh, July went by so fast!!! How was yours? Comment and tell me about it! :D But yeah, here are my favorite products of July!

Shampoo: L'Occitane Shea Butter Shampoo - One of the most luxurious shampoos I've ever used!
Conditioner: Shiny Silver Ultra - Excellent at neutralizing yellow and keeping pale blondes looking perfect.
Treatment: Joico K-PAK Reconstruct - A must-have protein treatment for either mechanically or chemically damaged hair.
Smoothing/Shine: Bed Head Some Like It Hot Serum - The hot item for summer! Perfect for keeping hair smooth and keeping the humidity out!

Volume: Bed Head Superstar Blowdry Lotion - A staple for those who want sexy, shiny, voluminous Victoria's Secret hair. It's never failed me!
Straightening: Sebastian Trilliant - Trilliant has many uses, but I love to use it as a flat-iron spray. It straightens hair, and imparts a lot of shine--plus it smells like fresh watermelons!
Texture: KMS Sea Salt Spray - If you're someone who loves having wavy beach hair, you should give this a shot. I really love it.
Hairspray: S-Factor Vivacious - An intoxicating scent that lasts for hours, a firm hold without being crunchy, and it combs out very nicely! One of the best hairsprays I've ever used.

What are your favorite products?! Comment and tell me! I love knowing what my followers use. :D I don't know about you guys, but summer is flying by way too fast for me! Ahhh! Well it's all good, take care of your hair everyone! <3

Joico K-PAK Reconstruct Review

2009-07-31T23:29:00.008-05:00

Hello hello! Review time! Today I'm reviewing Joico K-PAK Reconstruct Deep-Penetrating Reconstructor. This is a sort of "mirrored" review. My friend Recessionista over at Nouveau Cheap reviewed the Generic Value Product equivalent, and I'm doing the real thing. I just love her! ♥

K-PAK Reconstruct's label says: "Joico's original intensive protein reconstructor for dry and damabged hair rebuilds and improves the structure of hair. pH 4.5 to 5.5. Contains OUADRAMINE COMPLEX, an exclusive blend of low moleucluar weight and size proteins. This balance of 19 essential amino acids (the building blocks of hair) adheres quickly and effectively to ensure maximum protection and reconstruction from the cuticle to the cortex. Color-Safe." Hmm... promises, promises. Let's see if K-PAK keeps them.

Now, since Recessionista found out the hard way, I feel the need to say this: K-PAK is NOT a deep conditioner it is a protein treatment. Much like Redken CAT--although the two are very different, they work similarly. So make sure you use it sparingly, once or twice a week depending on how damaged your hair is, and follow up with your normal conditioner!

Check out the ingredients: Water, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Mineral Oil, Glycol Stearate, PEG-8 Distearate, etc. Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine is a very mild detergent, probably used to help K-PAK grab onto your hair. Mineral Oil is a petroleum by-product. In cosmetics it's used as an emollient and in K-PAK it's the base of the whole product (I can tell by the texture). Glycol Stearate is a humectant and an emollient, and it makes a product easier to spread. PEG-8 Distearate is an emulsifier. Here's what CosmeticsInfo.org has to say about it:

The PEG Stearates are produced from stearic acid, a naturally occurring fatty acid. The numerical value of each PEG Stearate corresponds to the average number of ethylene oxide monomers in the polyethylene chain. Polyethylene glycol ingredients may also be named with a number that indicates molecular weight, for example polyethylene glycol (400) stearate is another name for PEG-8 Stearate.

Interesting, eh? Overall it's a pretty decent product, thought I think you're paying more for the Joico name than the product. Although I always say if a product works, it's worth the cost.

What you wanna do with K-PAK is:

Shampoo your hair (I suggest using a clarifying shampoo).
Rinse and apply K-PAK through the middle of your hair to the ends.
Leave in for 5 minutes only! Too much protein is bad for your hair.
Rinse and follow with conditioner.
For normal/mechanically damaged hair I suggest using this once a week.
For dry/chemically damaged hair I suggest using it twice a week.

Bottom line: I love it, and I'll definitely buy it again. If you've got the money I do suggest using the real product, but if you're on a budget try the GVP version. I highly recommend this to all of you who can't help but damage your hair. I know I can't. ;-)

Joico K-PAK Reconstruct comes in 5 oz., 11 oz. (the one I have), and 33 oz. sizes. Depending on what size you want K-PAK retails for around $15-$40 Don't forget to check out Recessionista's review at Nouveau Cheap and take care of your hair!