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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TIGI Catwalk Your Highness Collection

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

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August Favorites!

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!

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Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel Review

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! ;-)

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Bed Head Superstar Volumizing Leave-In Conditioner Review

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! ♥ ♥ ♥

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HAUL!

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!

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July Favorites!

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

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