Redken Nature's Rescue Speed Review.

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! ...read more ⇒

Redken Nature's Rescue First Glance Review

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 ...read more ⇒

Redken Wool Shake 08 Review

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.

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Redken Blonde Glam Crystal Flash Review

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 ...read more ⇒

Redken Real Control Intense Renewal Review

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

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Red Haircolor Technique

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!

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Redken Extreme CAT Review

Hello boys and girls! Sorry for not posting sooner, I've just been super busy lately! I got all my shaggy hair cut off, lightened it to super blonde, and I started my final semester of cosmo yesterday. However, since the salon at the school I go to is being renovated, I'll be spending half the time at the main campus for theory work, and for clients I'll be at another campus that has a (much nicer) salon. Anywho, off to the review!

Today I'm reviewing Redken Extreme CAT, a product that I've heard SO many good things about but I always forgot about it whenever I went shopping. So the other day I went to Marshall Salon Services in Villa Park and I got it! That was also when I bought Blown Away 09. I've used it a few times already and I really like the results! Let me tell you all about CAT, straight from the bottle: "CAT protein restructuring treatment reconditions distressed hair. It provides combability, body, and shine to help prevent further damage." I think CAT really does do what it says, but you have to use it correctly. Note: CAT is a protein treatment, NOT a deep conditioner!! Protein treatments work inside the hair shaft, while deep conditioners work more on the outside to smooth the cuticle. I highly suggest using conditioner with this product, because it won't condition your hair.

Now what makes this stuff work? Actually, compared to other treatments like this, there aren't very many ingredients. The first five are: Water, Magnesium Sulfate, Laureth-23, Taurine, and Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein. Magnesium Sulfate has many different uses: It's used in IV's to delay or stop labor, it's known as Epsom Salts when it's in a crystalline form, and it's also used as a mild surfactant, just to name a few. My guess is it's used as a surfactant to make sure there are no impurities in your hair... but I will definitely look into this more. Laureth-23 is an emulsifier. Taurine is an amino acid that has benefits in the human body... but I'm not quite sure what it does for your hair. It might be possible that Taurine could help strengthen your hair, but again more research is needed-and until there is I'm remaining skeptical. Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein is a protein made from wheat that was turned partly into water through hydrolysis. It replicates the elasticity and strength found in healthy hair.

There is something annoying about CAT--the bottle. When I try and use it in the shower, the bottle gets really slippery and hard to hold. I have to use both hands just to spray it, so that's really inconvenient. But other than that I have to say CAT really is a good protein treatment. Especially if your hair is as... unhealthy as mine. =P

Redken Extreme CAT comes in a 5 fl oz./150 ml bottle, and retails for around $16. Have you used this? Comment and tell me about it, I'd love to hear your experiences! Talk to you guys later and take care of your hair!

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Redken Blown Away 09 Review

Hey guys! Today I'm reviewing a recent purchase, and new favorite of mine: Redken Blown Away 09 Protective Blow Dry Gel. I know the word gel might raise some flags, but it's actually really light on your hair, and creates incredible volume! It also has a very clean, sort of citrus-like scent--I like it. It lives up to its name, because I was Blown Away when I used it, and saw the results it gave! Bye-bye root lifters, this is now my go-to volumizing product.

In case you're unfamiliar with Redken styling products, the number indicates the amount of hold and control that product will give you. The numbers go like this: 01-05 is light/mild, 06-15 is medium, and 16-26 is maximum. Blown Away is 09, which means it holds, but it is not heavy.

The main ingredients are: Water, VP/Acrylates/Lauryl Methacrylate Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, and PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil. Jeez, could that second ingredient pick a name please? LOL. Basically it's what gives the product the gel consistency, as well as providing control and body to the hair. Our favorite humectant, Propylene Glycol is included as well, to keep the moisture in your hair. Triethanolamine (or TEA) is an emulsifier, typically used to increase viscosity in a product and adjust the pH. PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emollient that has some conditioning properties as well.

As with any volumizing product, a little goes a long way. This is a very useful product for creating volume, body, and thickness--but used incorrectly could end up showing unsatisfactory results. Like always, the directions on the tube are quite vague. "Style: Appy desired amount to wet hair and blow-dry." -_- I don't think that's very helpful, so here's what I do:

• Apply a small amount of Blown Away into your palms. It may take you a few times to get the amount just right for your hair, but I suggest starting with a quarter sized dollop and going from there.
• Focusing on the roots, apply Blown Away to clean damp hair. If you want, you can comb it through.
• Rough dry your hair before actually styling it. A rough dry means just blow-drying your hair until it is 80% dry.
• I suggest using a round brush for maximum volume. A vent or styler brush will work too.
• Be sure to use your cool shot button! It really does serve a purpose, LOL. Hot air creates a style, and cool air sets it, so be sure and cool shot each section of hair you blow-dry.

I think I might do a post on all about blow-drying soon. Good idea? Well, we'll see. 

Redken Blown Away 09 comes in a 5 oz. / 150 ml tube, and retails for about $15. Personally, I think it's worth every cent! Be sure to check out my May Favorites coming later today, and take care of your hair everyone!! ;-)

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Redken Blonde Glam Collection

Hello everyone! Just wanted to update you guys on the new and (hopefully) improved Redken Blonde Glam Collection, which includes both professional and retail products! Here's what's included in the collection:

• Blonde Glam Shampoo & Conditioner: Great for gently cleansing hair, bringing out highlights, and adding shine.

• Blonde Glam Dream Whip Protective Softening Mousse: This mousse brightens blonde hair, adds body, softens, protects from heat, and adds shine.

• Blonde Glam Color Enhancers: Available in two shades, Perfect Platinum (for icy cool blondes) and Rich Vanilla (for warm golden blondes). They condition hair and deposit color-enhancing pigments to keep your blonde hair looking fresh. These have replaced Pure Pearl and Fresh Gold, which were my favorite color-depositing conditioners, so hopefully the new formulas are just as good or better! As soon as I get my hands on some I'll do a review!

• Redken Shades EQ Conditioning Color Gloss: Two gorgeous, brand new Violet shades have also been released. 08V Iridescent Quartz and 07V Crushed Amethyst. I've seen the swatches of these shades and they are so pretty! I can't wait to use them.

• Redken Color Fusion: The new Fusion shades are 12Av, 9Av, and 7Av. There are also new Double Fusion Blondes and Double Fusion Browns in Titanium for the coolest light blonde, or super metallic brown.

• Blonde Icing: Redken's Blonde Icing is now new and improved! This cream lightener quickly lifts seven levels while diminishing brassy, warm undertones. Available in Power Lift and Ammonia-Free.

I'm so excited for this collection! Expect reviews for a lot of these products very soon. I hear the Color Enhancers won't come out until June, so I guess I'll have to wait, but I'll look around anyways. But if you're a blonde I highly suggest trying the shampoo and conditioner, they really do make blonde hair sparkle, and they smell great! Go to a Redken salon and ask them to use it on you if you're unsure. Anyways, be on the lookout for reviews, because I'm sure I'll be reviewing everything in this collection pretty soon. Take care of your hair everyone! =)

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