CHI Orbit Double Dramatics Review

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!

...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 ⇒

HAUL!

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! ...read more ⇒

HerCut Normal-Dry Shampoo Review

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! :)

...read more ⇒

Rockaholic Rock My World Stellar Smoothing Cream Review

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!

...read more ⇒

It's a 10 Miracle Styling Serum Review

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!

...read more ⇒

Vavoom Design Pulse Glow to Pieces Shine Wax Review

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!

...read more ⇒