Review: It's a 10 Miracle Leave In Product

Hello Lovelies! If you're anything like I am, you probably have a drawer/cabinet/box full of hair products! Like, you just keep aquiring them and aren't quite sure how! You may not even know what they all do! You'll have a heat protector, a frizz destroyer, a leave-in conditioner, a straightener cream, etc. etc. (or maybe it's just me?;)

What if I told you that you could get rid of alllll those extra products for JUST ONE that would do everything that you need it to do? You'd think I'm crazy, right?

Well, Lovelies, I believe such a product does exist--It's a 10 Miracle Leave In Product. (and they really do mean MIRACLE;)

Because I spent so much at Ulta last quarter, I got a lot of points to pick up from free stuff. I'd never heard of any It's a 10 products, but I loved the description. See, this is what it promises to do:

It's A 10 does 10 things instantly: 1. Repairs dry damaged hair. 2. Adds shine. 3. Smoothes and controls frizz. 4. Seals and protects hair color. 5. Detangles. 6. Prevents split ends. 7. Stops hair breakage. 8. Creates silkiness. 9. Enhances natural body. 10. Flat iron spray and thermal protector.

It's true! I don't know what they put in this little bottle, but it does sooo much for my hair! After showering, I spray some in and comb it through (yes! it detangles!) Then, if I'm wearing my hair curly/wavy, I'll put in some product and let it go (yes! It's less frizzy!) Or, if it's a straight day, I'll towel dry it for a bit before blow-drying and straightening (yes! My hair is protected!). My hair is colored and while my highlights are sadly becoming very grown out, spraying this still protects the color I have!

I could probably throw out 90% of the hair products I own since I now have "It's a 10"! Love love love it! And it smells so fresh and clean, too!:)

It's just under $20 at Walgreens (I can't see Ulta's price right now 'cause it's only sold at stores), and I know it can be found cheaper at some places (such as Amazon). Yes, it's a little pricey, but I would definitely pay for it because I am sooo pleased with the results and it saves me from buying three other similar products (a frizz-free spray, detangler, and heat-protectant spray)

Have you tried any products by It's a 10?? What do you think about it??:)

Flashback Friday: Give Your Hair Away

Hi Lovelies! Another blast from the past from the blog for today's Flashback Friday!! In January, I told you all about how I participated in Locks of Love the previous summer by donating my hair! I figure this is such a good cause it is worth repeating! This post originally ran on Monday, January 9, 2011.

It's Monday Hair Day! No products or anything to review today, I wanted to tell you all about an organization you may or may not be familiar with--Locks of Love. For those of you that don't know, it's a non-profit organization that takes hair donations and turns them into wigs for children that need them--it could be kids that lost their hair due to cancer and radiation or other diseases such as alopecia.

Now, I don't know how long you keep your hair, but after mine gets a little past my shoulder, it starts irritating me. It's already super thick to begin with so the longer it gets, the longer it takes to dry, the harder it takes to style, they heavier and hotter it is.. and all around a big hassle.

Last year, I finally dedicated myself to growing my hair completely for this good cause! They need at least 10 inches of hair for the donation to work. They will still take layered hair if some of the hair is shorter, as long as the longest parts are 10 inches (all the rules can be found on their website:)

So, my hair grew and grew and grew and grew... I was practically Rapunzel!! (slight exagerration, but for me who usually keeps it chin-shoulder length it was a lot for me!) But it felt sooo good to know that when I packaged it up and mailed it out, my hair (which drove me nuts!) could quite possibly make the day of some small child somewhere. And that, my lovelies, is totally worth it.

This isn't to pressure you and tell you you have to grow your hair out. I'm not being compensated at all by saying any of this; I just wanted to get awareness out for a really great cause! If you want more information or have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me!

Review: Tigi Bed Head Totally Baked

Happy Columbus Day (observed) Lovelies!! I've never understood why (here in America) Columbus Day is seen as a federal holiday and not Flag Day? Like, okay, that's great Columbus discovered us (though.. really, he didn't. I believe Amerigo Vespucci actually discovered America (well, the US); and Columbus with his Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria ended up somewhere in the islands... of course since I'm typing right now, I can't remember.. San... oh screw it, let's see what Google says...Salvador! That's right, San Salvador. Anyway, so not the point of this blog. The point is! I hope you are at a school or job where you get this day off as well to celebrate Columbus and his men making it to the New World!

So today, I have a haircare review for you! (Yay!) Which I really haven't done in a long while. A couple months ago, I got my rewards from Ulta and I had 10 points to use! LOL They're "reward" stuff only goes up to level 6 so I got to pick several things in different categories that added up to ten. (This also means that I probably spent close to or more than $1,000 in the quarter. *sigh* We all know blogging is not the cheapest of hobbies;) So one of the free things I got was Tigi Bed Head Candy Fixation Totally Baked Volumizing and Prepping Hair Meringue.

I don't think I'd ever used any Bed Head products prior to this, so I'm really glad I got to pick it up (for FREE!) to try! It has a pump dispenser that is super easy to use and has it come out in a very light almost fluffy foam:

And p.s. it smells absolutely divine! Kinda like a lemon meringue pie!

So here's what Bed Head has to say about it:

Start your style with this sweet treat! Bed Head Candy Fixations Totally Baked is a super light, creamy formula that provides shape retention to add to the life of a hairstyle. This humidity resistant meringue provides a light hold, giving you weightless motion. Bed Head Candy Fixations Totally Baked gives you a long lasting boost, style and texture.

Bed Head Candy Fixations Totally Baked Assets

• Formulated to enhance the performance of other style products.
• Adds volume, providing you no limits!
• For every hair type and texture.
• Provides a light hold.

How to use Bed Head Candy Fixations Totally Baked?

Apply to wet hair for long-lasting weightless movement and enhanced performance of other styling products. 

I swear, it lives up to everything it promises! It is so light-weight but provides a strong hold! I have naturally wavy hair, and when I use this through my damp hair, it brings out all the wave and sometimes even adds a little extra curl. There is no crunchiness!! This is probably my favorite part because I feel like sometimes the best strong-hold products make my hair crunchy which I just don't like at all. My hair still feels soft and natural when I use this (and did I mention it smells DELICIOUS!?!:)

After using this product for a couple months now, I would definitely try some of the other Bed Head products. How about your? Have you tried this? Do you prefer gels or mousses for your hair styles?

Review: Miss Jessie's Quick Curls

Hi Lovelies! I literally started this post a month ago and it's been sitting in my drafts this whole time! lol There were just so many other things I wanted to write about and share that this kind of got lost. But it's brought up now because I really want to share with you a product that I am absolutely in love with!

So, I have naturally wavy hair. And by wavy, I really mean I have hair-that-has-a-mind-of-its-own-and-sometimes-is-curly-and-sometimes-flips-and-sometimes-is-frizzy-but-is-all-around-crazy. See? It's easier to just say "wavy";)

For years and years I've been trying to get it to obey and do what I want it to do! I've used mousses; I've used gels; I've used sprays; I've used diffusers. You get the idea.

Sometimes, I like to have straight hair. There is something just so relaxing about the warmth of a flat iron being pulled through my hair. However, did I mention I have really thick hair too? For me to have straight hair it takes quite a load of time to blow dry my hair... then section it off... and straighten each section.. to have it perfect. I put in a LOT of work when I have straight hair. Do you think anyone really notices, "OMG Kristen, how pretty is your straight hair???"

No. So, the next day, I'm running super late. I get out of the shower scrunch in some of my amazing miracle product, leave the house with wet hair, get to work, and suddenly people I don't even know are like, "You hair looks so great!"

Really people? Really? Do you know how little time I spent doing this?? And THIS is what you like?

at the end of the day so a little flat, but you can see the curls!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I've found a MIRACLE product.

Miss Jessie's Quick Curls came to me in a Birchbox a few months ago. It's made more for ethnic hair, but it says, "Excellent for this and more: curly, wavy, & relaxed textures including white gals too!" Yay:)

What it claims:

ITS HERE! Quick Curls weightless spiraling crème was formulated as a fast acting no fuss light weight styler that gives you the results you want fast. This fresh scented conditioning formula exclusively blended with essence of ginger flower and lime fruit activates a quick, light weight, frizz free smooth curl. Excellent for fingerstyling relaxed hair; no rods necessary, a rescue remedy for botched overprocessed texturizers, and great for our beautiful white gals. Instructions for use: Apply to damp hair based on length and density. Air dry or diffuse dry. Enjoy! THIS PRODUCT IS NOT CHEMICALLY ALTERING

The directions say to use a tablespoon to damp sections of hair and dry naturally or with a diffuser for more volume. My favorite part (and I didn't know, but makes sense) is: "Damp curly hair is in its most frizz free elongated state.  You can actually 'capture' this optimal texture as long as you apply product to damp hair." It's true! My frizz hasn't been as substantial!:)

I can't even tell you how much I absolutely adore it! It is not a gel or a mousse, but a creme! I'm not crazy about the smell, but I can get past that because it's just so fantastic! My hair gets actual literal CURLS when I use it. It's not heavy, it doesn't make my hair crunch, like I can go on and on about how simply amazing it is.

The full 8 ounce size retails for about $32. It has 4 stars at Target and about 4.5 on Amazon with some mixed reviews... I think this is because everyone's hair is different. So just because it's awesome with mine doesn't necessarily mean it will be perfect for you too. $32 is a bit more than I'm used to paying for a product like this, but because I continue to get compliments every time I use it in my hair (and oh, p.s. did I tell you how freaking easy it is to do???), I'll probably buy it! Especially now in the summer, don't want to use too much heat on my hair and completely fry it; so the more I can go au natural (or somewhat close to it;) I will!

How about you? Have you tried any of the Miss Jessie's products? What did you think? What is your favorite product for curly or wavy hair?

P.S. With all the recent hooplah about Urban Decay and the animal rights issue, I'd like you to know that Miss Jessie's doesn't do animal testing:)

Flashback Friday: Butterfly Clips

Hi Lovelies! So Throwback Thursday is Flashback Friday again this week lol. For those of you who haven't seen one of my posts like this, here's how it works: I post some pix and talk about some fabulous or silly or horrid makeup or fashion trend I took part in back in the day. I encourage other bloggers to share some pictures and/or stories too and link up in the link below so that we can all reminisce (or laugh or cry) about some of the things we used to do! There's no real rules. If you want to follow me, follow me (there are several options to your right --->); if you don't want to (why not??? lol) then don't. Just put your link to your Flashback Friday post in the linky and check out some others!

via

So this week! Who remembers butterfly clips?? OMG these were all the rage for a while. They were basically just mini hair clips made of plastic and shaped like butterflies. A lot of times they were really cheap (and cheaply made! lol) so that if you squeezed too hard opening them, they'd just crack. Or if you put too much hair in them to hold, they'd break! And they wouldn't just kind of break... like the spring would pop out, the metal piece would fall down. It was a mess.

And how would one wear these? You could put one on each side of your head to hold back bangs or sides of your hair, you could put just one on one side. OR! (and I soooo wish I had a picture of this!) You'd twist little sections of your hair back and have 4-6 clips the whole way over your head--almost like a headband--like that same section of your head. That's how I usually wore mine (didn't everyone??) which is why it's so unbelievable (and sad!) I couldn't find any pix of me like that!

But I do have a couple pictures to show you when I used a butterfly clip on each side of my head. The nice thing about them was they never had to match. Like, the more varieties of colors you had, the better it looked!

Ta-da! So there's your fun walk down my memory lane today! Did you use butterfly clips? Do you remember how many you had? Did you have some other clips that were similar? (like what were those banana clip things?? Probably more from the 80s than the 90s...) Share your link below!:)

Guest Post: Beauty by Arielle's Hair Tips

I have something special for you all! Arielle of Beauty by Arielle and I are doing a blog swap today! She's posting for me here, and I'm writing over at her blog. Make sure you check it out:) 
xoxo, Kristen

I want to thank Kristen for participating in this blog swap with me today! I am very excited to share this post on hair washing with all of you!

We all wash our hair on a daily basis and have done so for years, so why do we need tips on it? Good question. I thought I for sure had this beauty ritual down. Wrong. 

About a year ago I was listening to Cosmo Radio and they had a guest who was talking about hair care tips. What I discovered was that there is the wrong way to shampoo your hair!

WRONG!

image via How to Make Hair Grow Faster

The only area shampoo should be lathered into is the scalp not throughout all of the hair. When you rinse there will be enough shampoo to run down the rest of your hair and effectively clean the rest. Shampooing all of your hair will dry out the ends.

The amount of shampoo is important as well. For longer hair, the size of a quarter is enough. As the length decreases so should the shampoo amount. 

This  is a great tip I learned from a hairstylist. When you use the same shampoo day to day and week to week it tends to build up in your hair. Switching shampoos on a weekly basis will prevent this build up from happening. For example, week 1 use favorite shampoo 1 on week 2 use favorite shampoo 2. Then, switch back and forth. The stylist pointed out that this tactic is especially good for color treated hair. 

A shampoo I like to use are the John Frieda Brilliant color lines:

image via Overstock Drugstore

I think this line is especially great for color treated hair! 

On to conditioner...again there is a wrong way to do this! The same hair guru on Cosmo Radio said to never condition your scalp.

WRONG!

image via Recipes for Life

Conditioning the roots will only weigh your hair down. The only strands that need conditioning are from the point where you would make a low ponytail to the ends. Also, leave conditioner on for a minute before rinsing so it can penetrate into the follicles. 

To keep your hair hydrated one to two times a week use a deep conditioner. I love L'oréal EverPure Deep Restorative Masque:

image via Real Beauty

When I bleached my hair, I'm a brunette, I used this conditioner twice a week and it left my locks nice and soft. This conditioner is safe for color treated hair and the rosemary mint smells fantastic! 

Do you have any hair tips you swear by?

Arielle is the author and creator of Beauty by Arielle. You can find her blog here. Her blog is devoted to all things beauty related. She features product reviews, hauls, tutorials, tips, fitness, fashion and food. Arielle also hosts a monthly guest blogger series. If you wish to participate you can e-mail her at beautybyarielle@gmail.com . You can also follow her via Google Friend Connect by clicking here.

Dry Shampoo: Thoughts and Reviews

Hey Lovelies! I have something exciting to share with you tonight! So a few weeks ago on my Wednesday Q&A days, Minnie asked if I could review a dry shampoo. Now let me tell you, I was trying to use "dry shampoo" before it was actually an "in" thing to do. (This was back in the late 90s, early 2000s and it was called "baby powder" lol) The concept was the same... sprinkle/spray something on your hair that dries up the oil and grease so you can get away with day (or two.. or three, I won't judge;) old dirty hair.

from Suave Website

Now, I just got the cheap Suave brand at Walmart for about $3. I've had it for almost three weeks now, and have used it sporadically throughout the time. It's super simple to use! Shake the can, hold 8-10 inches away from head, and spray at the root/hairline where needed. It says to press hands on head if there's a white residue (you can also comb through it).

This is also a great product if you're sweaty from the gym and don't have time to shower before you have to run errands or something. A little spray and you're good as new!

I LOVE the smell of this. It smells citrus'y to me and very fresh! So the hair looks AND smells clean!

I did overdue it one day and it looked like I'd dyed my hair white! lol. But I was able to just rub it right in.

Overall, for the price, smell, convenience, and overall results achieved from this, I would definitely recommned the product. (sidenote, when I was younger, Suave was like THE ONLY product my mom would buy because it was so cheap. But it also was CHEAP in quality [personal opinion]. I believe it has come so far in the past 10 or so years that it is just as good as a lot of the more expensive brands).

Now! Here is the exciting part of the post! DivaMommyTweets of Mommy in the Making was kind enough to share with me her thoughts on the Victoria's Secret Dry Shampoo:

from VS website

So Sexy Style Clean & Go Dry Shampoo
Affordable at $14…smells like most things VS, sweet and girly.
Unlike others it doesn't leave a foggy haze after spraying it. It sprays pretty evenly so no need to focus just on greasy spots. I usually spray in two side parts and brush it through…again doesn't leave hair greasy if you over spray. Its light enough to leave hair stylable. Depending on how much you spray and how often you use it will obviously determine how long the bottle lasts. I use it about twice a week, not ubber-generous, and it lasts me ~3 months. One draw back, some bottle's sprayers break off so you're left with a full can…check the sprayer before you buy! Some VS are really nice if you bring back a light-use bottle and let you exchange for a new one if the sprayer breaks off.

Thanks so much, Diva! 

Now how about you? Have you tried a dry shampoo? What kind? What did you think?

I Heart Garnier Fructis Surf Hair

I think I mentioned a few Monday Hair Posts back that I seem to have a bunch of Garnier Fructis hair products (oh yes, it's true). And what's kinda interesting about it is that none of them were ever bought at the same time. They all were bought for different purposes (depending on what I was bothered about by my hair at the time. lol)

Things I love about Garnier Fructis? The packaging! Everything is green and yellow and bright and fun. They come in good shapes and sizes. The smell! I can't quite say what exactly everything smells like.. kinda fruity, kinda tropical, kinda sweet, but all around delightful. The price! I feel like I can get high end quality results with a lower end priced product. 

If you ever ask me what my favorite product for my wavy hair is, this would be my answer: Garnier Fructis Surf Hair Texture Paste. This stuff is aaaamaaaaazzzinnng!!! It's like light a mousse, but I feel has more hold to my hair. So it's sticky like a gel, but more malleable and doesn't get hard and crunchy. ($4-ish at Walgreens)

The website provides this information:
Got the beach in your soul? Get surf in your hair.

. Messed-up, matte effect style with flexible hold
. Definition and volume without build-up

Hold Level: Strong

How to use: Rub a dime size amount of paste between your palms, apply to slightly damp/dry hair and style. Define individual areas with your fingers.

clearly time for more (but you can see how much I love it!!)

I LOVE the waves I get from it. Parts of my hair actually look curly instead of just wavy. Downsides? I've found that my hair is kinda gross the day after. After sleeping on it it often looks like a mushed up mess and it can be hard to brush/comb through. Also, (this could be how I'm scrunching) my hair tends to frizz A LOT so I NEED to use enough anti-frizz serum/cream/whatever before this product. I'm still trying to get the right combination of products to work together. (note: sometimes I scrunch and blow dry... and my hair ends up HUGE... sometimes I scrunch and air dry. It's sometimes more flat but more curly then. weird)

But definitely try this if you want a fast, easy hair style that will last all day:)

Have you tried this product? Am I the only one that is subconsciously obsessed with Garnier Nuctris???

Give Your Hair Away

It's Monday Hair Day! No products or anything to review today, I wanted to tell you all about an organization you may or may not be familiar with--Locks of Love. For those of you that don't know, it's a non-profit organization that takes hair donations and turns them into wigs for children that need them--it could be kids that lost their hair due to cancer and radiation or other diseases such as alopecia.

Now, I don't know how long you keep your hair, but after mine gets a little past my shoulder, it starts irritating me. It's already super thick to begin with so the longer it gets, the longer it takes to dry, the harder it takes to style, they heavier and hotter it is.. and all around a big hassle.

Last year, I finally dedicated myself to growing my hair completely for this good cause! They need at least 10 inches of hair for the donation to work. They will still take layered hair if some of the hair is shorter, as long as the longest parts are 10 inches (all the rules can be found on their website:)

So, my hair grew and grew and grew and grew... I was practically Rapunzel!! (slight exagerration, but for me who usually keeps it chin-shoulder length it was a lot for me!) But it felt sooo good to know that when I packaged it up and mailed it out, my hair (which drove me nuts!) could quite possibly make the day of some small child somewhere. And that, my lovelies, is totally worth it.

This isn't to pressure you and tell you you have to grow your hair out. I'm not being compensated at all by saying any of this; I just wanted to get awareness out for a really great cause! If you want more information or have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me!

Hair Repair (in 3 minutes!!!)

I didn't mean for today's post to come out so late, but it has just been a crazy busy day! Before I get too far into the topic for today, I wanted to say a quick hello to my new followers! Hello!!! So glad you found me!! Hope you stick around and enjoy reading this blog as much I love writing it!:)

Speaking of followers! In case you haven't noticed yet, I surpassed 25!! As many of you know, practically since Day 1, I've been saying that when I get 25 followers I would have my first giveaway! So.... drum roll please.... I'm going to have my first giveaway!! Yayyyy!!! I'm still working on the products and the rules, but look for that post on Friday!!

Today's Monday Hair post is about a product I've been using for a while now: Garnier Fructis 3-Minute Undo Dryness Reversal Treatment. I bought this when my hair had pretty much reached its breaking point (quite literally!) From all the dyeing, flat-ironing, blow drying, etc. everything had really done a number on my hair. I picked this up for about $4.99 at Walgreens.

Here's what they claim on the label: "Is your hair dry, overdried or damaged? Does it feel unhealthy to the touche? It needs deep nourishment" It has three fruit oils for triple nutrition: Olive, Avocado, and Shea.

If you've ever used anything by Garnier Fructis, you know that it usually has a pretty pleasant smell. This is no different. The packaging is great--it comes in a standup tube which means the product is always at the bottom making it easier to squeeze out even when you're nearly running out.

It's a very thick, creamy consistency with little bits in it--almost like a body scrub. I usually use about a quarter size (it will depend on the length and thickness of your hair.) After shampooing, I'll apply it throughout my entire head of hair from root to tip (making sure to include the underneath side), then let it set for 3 minutes (about a song or song and a half if you listen to music while showering;) After I rinse it out, I condition as usual.

While I can't say for sure that my hair is three times healthier or three times stronger, I can say that my hair definitely comes out shinier and smoother--which to me is enough to say that it works:) My hair is in a healthier place now, so I don't use it every time; right now I'm using it about once a week. There may be more expensive products out there that work better, but for the price I'm pretty pleased with this product! And while I was looking for products to review tonight, I realized I have a TON of Garnier Fructis stuff. lol. So apparently I'm a fan:)

My Favorite Hair Tools

Well, it's another Monday here at Glitter, Gloss, and Glaze which means HAIR DAY!!! Woohoooo!! Today is all about my favorite hair tools! I was going to call them "utensils" but that word makes me picture a fork... which then makes me think of Ariel in "The Little Mermaid" when she tries to use the fork in her hair. Hahaha, I promise, I do not use forks in my hair:)

I have really thick hair and it takes some time to blow dry my hair so it's completely dry. I would burn out blow dryer after blowdryer throughout high school and college. It almost wasn't even a big deal to buy a new one every year or so. Then, I found my Revlon one. My beautiful pink Revlon one! I got it for about $20 at Wal-mart (of course, now it's on sale for just under $13 at Walmart.com;) and it has lasted me years! It's an 1875 Ionic Blowdryer and it is amazing! It comes with a removable diffuser (which is great if you want to scrunch wavy hair while drying and get more curls to pop; or if you want to focus the air on hair to blow dry straight). It has three heat settings as well as a cool button. The high is not too hot and hasn't burned me yet! (I had that problem with some of the others) I highly recommend this dryer to anyone who wants a good, powerful dryer that doesn't cost a lot of money:)

My next favorite tool is my Remington Wet 2 Style Straightener with 1" Curved Plates. I'd been through several straighteners before settling on this one. I loved that I had the option to do my hair wet or dry (as it advertises) However! I have since learned you should really not use heat products like straighteners on wet hair--it is much more damaging! I have on occasion when my hair was just lightly damp run the straightener over it. I love the variety of settings that the straightener has; it heats up really fast--I'll usually plug it in, turn it on, blow dry, then it's ready for use!

The last tool I'll share with you is my Conair Hot Sticks! I am horrible with curling irons. (absolutely HORRIBLE); sponge curlers and plastic ones I leave in overnight just make my hair toooo crazy curly. These work perfectly! They heat up pretty fast and when they're ready for use the red light on top turns white. They come in two sizes... the pink is small and the green is larger--so you get tighter and looser curls. They are perfect for a night out updo or regular day at work. Just wrap the hair around them, stick one end thru the loop, do your makeup, then they're cool and ready to come out. It is absolutely genius, and I love them!!


What are some of your favorite hair tools? And what could you not live without?? Your blow dryer? Curling iron? Straightener? Let me know what you think! :)

Hair Care--My Favorite Products!

Okay, so I'd been doing really well sticking to my schedule! I had a whole post typed up for Friday, but it just seemed to whiny so I didn't post it (Fridays are "free Fridays" where basically I write about whatever I'm thinking regardless if it's beauty related or not:)

So today is Monday! As you recall last week I talked about products I enjoyed using to wash and condition my hair. Today is all about styling products!

Let's start with a few disclaimers--just because these products work on my hair does not necessarily mean it will work for yours--everyone has their own special unique hair type:) Also, I am a completely no-nonsense hairstyle kind of girl. I'm not a morning person, so a lot of the time, I'm into wash and go and I want products that work for that.

Without further ado, let's jump right in!

As mentioned before, I have wavy hair that seems to frizz.. a lot. So the first product I'm loving right now is the Garnier Fructis Anti-Frizz Serum. I love this a lot because it's very light, it doesn't leave any sticky residue in my hair, it smells great, and it calms the frizz--not completely, but it definitely helps control it. Also, a little goes a long way; basically one pump of the liquid and I'm good to go!

After putting the anti-frizz serum in, I use another Garnier Fructis product--Curl Scrunch! I squeeze some into my palm, rub my hands together, flip my head over and scrunch the product throughtout all my hair. Flip head back up, put a little more in and good to go! If I have the time, I will blow dry with a diffuser and continue to scrunch 'til dry! That yields a look like this:

Now, as easy as wearing it wavy is, there are times I want it to be straight. I have different products for that:)

Still trying to avoid the frizz, I use Aussie's Anti-Frizz Cream. This is a cream vice a serum so it's a little bit heavier than the Garnier Fructis that I use. Since it's heavier, it would pull the waves down; but wearing it straight, the heavier cream helps it lay flat. When the cream dries, it does have a little bit of a crunch to it which can be felt, but doesn't look like it too much (I hate that look like when you have too much hairspray that the hair looks hard--almost like a Ken doll lol). One or two pumps is enough for my whole head, then I used a wide toothed comb to equally distribute it throughout the hair.

Then! It's time to spray in a protectant! John Frieda's Frizz-Ease Heat-Defeat Protective Styling Spray is the one i've been using lately--not saying it's the best, but I've been pleased with it so far. It is very important to use a heat protectant any time you're going to be using heat with your hair (blow dryers, straighteners, curlers, etc.) remember, the less damage you put on your hair the less it will frizz!!:) 

Once it's protected, I blowdry and straighten! But, that is another post for next week when I'll share with you the tools I use!!

What are some of your favorite products? Do you prefer wearing your hair wavy/curly or straight?



Wash, Rinse, Repeat

This is the second in my series of wavy/curly hair tips and tricks (requested by Karla!) The first key to pretty, healthy hair is the wash and maintenance of it. There are A LOT of shampoos in this world. OMG different brands for different textures for different colors for different lengths for different scalps for different skin types... on and on and on and on and... you get the idea. It's hard to pick a good shampoo without trying it and seeing how it interacts with your hair and scalp. P.S. How funny is the word "scalp"? Just say it outloud for a moment... Scalp. Ha, funny word. Okay, back to the issue at hand. How do you pick a shampoo? Is it like books and you shouldn't judge it by it's cover? But what else can you go by? Ingredients lists? Commercials? Well, let me help you out. I'm going to go over the three most recent shampoos I've been using and really (at least as of right now) they're some of my favorites.

First is Herbal Essences Totally Twisted... yes, it's a great package, yes it smells fabulous, and yes it works on my wavy hair. What I really like about the shampoo is that it doesn't weigh my hair down.. it's not a thick or creamy shampoo just straight up cleaning shampoo. When I used this, I felt that it really did help my curls spring out more. The conditioner would leave a lasting scent in my hair, and I really enjoyed that (of course, it's short lived once I start putting produt in it, but still very pleased:)

Next I was using Pantene Pro-V Moisture Renewal... I started using this 'cause my hair was feeling (and looking) so rough and damaged. I was dying my hair pretty regularly, blowdrying  and straightening it a lot, and it was really starting to take it's toll. This stuff worked magic. It helped my hair not feel nearly as dry as it did before use. I can't say that it made my hair a whole lot softer... but it defintely felt (and looked:) healthier!

So I had the shampoo to get my curls to pop, and I had the shampoo to renew the moisture in my hair--there was only one problem left to solve--THE FRIZZINESS. I have always lived in very humid areas (I often wonder how my hair would react if I lived in a dry place like Arizona... the world may never know) So I've had to deal with my poor hair frizzing all the time. I believe words to describe my hair in high school would have been "poufy"... I'd scrunch and air or blow dry and when I'd leave for school it would be fine; but then it would grow... and not look sleek or smooth or any of those good hair words... I was a mess. (unfortunately, I did not go to high school in the '80s when *big* hair was actually what all the girls wanted hahaha). Fast forward to now, and I was still dealing with similar issues. I'd learned to use products to tame the crazy waves, but I was still getting flyaways and fuzziness on the top of my head. What was I doing wrong?!

My friend Susan suggested Infusium23. I'd never heard of that before, but figured what the heck? I bought the shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in conditioner. I've been using the whole three step regiment for a little more than six months and this stuff is pretty fab. I can't say that it's worked miracles beacause there are definite days where I still have frizz, but it's doing a pretty darn good job. It's a creamy shampoo that washes very clean. There's never any weird gross residue left behind on my scalp. It also foams up really well without even using a lot. The conditioner is thick and I think it adds at least as much moisture if not more than the Pantene did. The leave-in conditioner is interesting all on it's own. It's very watery which I both like and dislike. I like it because it doesn't way my hair down at all. I dislike it because it's so thin, when I pour it from the bottle into my hands, I feel like it's going to all drip out before I even get it to my head (I really think I'm just being paranoid). This stuff is great and it's like $7ish dollars at any Walmart, Target, Walgreens, etc. Highly recommend.

I've rambled on quite a bit, what's the bottom line? Find a shampoo that works for you! Get samples, buy travel sizes, talk to your friends. Don't be afraid to not like a shampoo--not every shampoo (and conditioner, for that matter) is going to work exactly as advertised; but you will never know unless you try it!

What are some of your favorite shampoos? What works best for you and your hair type?

Stay tuned as I talk more about different products and tips I have for wavy/curly hair...

xoxo,

All the pretty girls want pretty hair...

The first time I became aware of different hair types was probably right around 3rd grade. My friend Amy had bright red, tight curly, almost pouffy hair! (think of little orphan Annie;) then my friend Jolene had the thinnest light almost white blonde hair I'd ever seen. Then there was me--I had your basic run of the mill light brown hair that would kinda flip on its own... Usually only on one side.. The waves were there, it was just always in a little bob so not nearly as noticeable as later in life.

Amy was full of wisdom though, I'll never forget when she said, "All the straight hair girls want curly hair and the curly haired girls want straight!" oh how right she was! How many years had girls been putting their hair in rollers for beautiful curls and curly headed cuties were ironing their hair!

But I digress. This is the start to probably a three or four blog post about my favorite hair products and suggestions I have. So stay tuned! I promise it'll be worth the wait!!:)

The pic is of Amy, Joelene, and me at 18 See the hair differences??