Category Archives: Hair

currently obsessed

my most recent obsession is  KLORANE EXTRA-GENTLE DRY SHAMPOO (with oat milk).

i’m a slave to dry shampoo and i swear by its wonder. many years ago, i had full bangs and quickly embraced dry shampoo for its time-saving magic. to this day, my vanity is never without it!

all of you know that washing your hair every day is a big no-no, correct? shampoo is a soap. soaps are generally more drying than not (…you’ve all seen a dove commercial).

thus, if soap can dry-out your body and hands, it can certainly dry-out your precious strands. therefore, skip the lathering shampoo every other day and use a little dry shampoo to freshen your look on day 2 while not damaging your locks.

i’ve tried many dry shampoos and i have to say klorane takes the cake. its phenomenal oil-removing abilities, the smooth texture, and just the right amount of “oomph” from this product is unmatched.

go try it for yourself. i know i’m hooked.

xo, b

 

klorane

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secrets revealed: how to get beach waves all year long

are you looking to keep those sexy beach waves going long after your vacation days have expired? well fear not my fabulous followers, i have just the trick(s) to staying beach-tastic year round.

two of my favorite wave-making products are…

1. BLOW PRO: BEACH BLOW TEXTURIZING MIST 

and

2. BUMBLE AND BUMBLE: SURF SPRAY

and i have two ways for you to use either of my sprays!

1. after showering, towel dry your hair so it is slightly to moderately damp. *if you need to brush out any tangles, do it now. then give your locks a little lift by flipping your head over and, using your fingers, mess with your roots down and scrunch down to your ends.

2. spritz either of these magical mists on your locks…making sure to get good coverage while not going overboard. *if you feel like you went overboard, you probably did.

3. blow dry, without a brush, to get a messy, beach look.

another way to work in beach waves is…

1. after showering,  apply a smoothing product, such as “beauty protector: protect & detangle.”

2. towel dry and brush out your hair.

3. do a messy blow-out, without a brush, until your hair is almost dry but not entirely. *make sure to thoroughly dry your roots, volume is key!

4. sprinkle the tiniest bit of water on your hands and quickly run your fingers through your locks. *you don’t want you hair to feel wet again, just slightly misted with water. an alternative to your fingers is using a spray bottle.

5. spritz either of these magical mists on your locks and, using your fingers, scrunch your hair up from the ends to create waves. you’ll want to get your hair (not the root) slightly damped with the mist to ensure you have enough product to hold the look.

6. let your hair air dry into fabulous beach waves.

—

personally i prefer the latter technique as i feel like i have more control over the end result. use a little spray, scrunch, use a little more, scrunch…and repeat until i see the waves i desire.

just a few easy ways to grab the look for those pesky months that actually going to the beach is off-limits!

xo, b

where do i find it? bumble and bumble as well as blow can be found at most beauty supply stores…

sephora: http://www.sephora.com/surf-spray-P280513?skuId=1270776

ulta: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod1450322

love your locks…again

i just love it when someone tells me i smell good. call me vain, but a compliment to know i’m doing right by myself sure makes me feel good. am i right ladies?

well you’re in luck because i have a truly perfect hair product that will not only prove to be irresistible to any lucky lad or lady in your vicinity, but you’ll be smelling your own hair every chance you get!

oh yea, and you’ll be reviving your locks too…

introducing the “of a different world” BEAUTY PROTECTOR – PROTECT & DETANGLE

this amazing, light-weight formula not only smooths unruly strands, it moisturizes, it protects your locks from heat & sun, it softens/conditions, it detangles (duh!), and it smells absolutely PHENOMENAL*. I cross-my-heart-and-hope-to-die promise that you will see a difference in your hair after just one use…yes, i said one. and i shouldn’t forget to mention that you’ll be addicted by then too.

i’ve tried numerous serums and Beauty Protector has stolen my heart. my hair feels softer, lighter, and more voluminous. it dries faster, is less frizzy and i have noticed an overall improved appearance. are you sold yet?

beauty protector

how to use: after showering, towel dry your hair and then spritz BEAUTY PROTECTOR on your locks to make them oh-so-luscious. dry and style hair as usual.

where do i find it? beauty protector is a BIRCHBOX exclusive. there’s currently a waitlist for the item (i just found out!), so i’d suggest you get on it…

http://www.birchbox.com/shop/beauty-protector-protect-and-detangle-spray

xo, b

*note: i generally hate capital letters for anything other than emphasizing amazing-ness (and introducing a new product). so you can trust that it’s THAT good.

Thirst Quenching Shampoo

Aveda Dry Remedy Shampoo is the shampoo for dry hair. This wash has almost a lotion-like texture that will transform your parched strands to fabulous locks.

It’s floral-clean scent makes you feel (and smell) like you’ve just stepped out of the salon. Who doesn’t love that?! Dry Remedy is infused with buriti oil,  a rich source of vitamin A, which provides your hair with the nutrients it needs to stay strong, smooth and supple on a daily basis. And it’s even safe for color treated hair. Amazing!

I’ve been using Dry Remedy for about 9 months now, and my hair has never felt better!

*Fact of the day: Buriti’s literal translation is “tree of life.”

I mean, come on, you can’t go wrong with something called the tree of life!

Need an Excuse to Ditch a Date?

     Now that tried-and-true, “I’ve got to wash my hair” excuse won’t actually be an excuse…because you’ll want to do it! You might even want to give yourself a Sunday-Funday make-over when you hear about this product. VO5 Hot Oil Treatment is a weekly (or really a “whenever you want”) treatment to improve the condition of your hair.

If you’ve damaged your gorgeous locks with coloring and heat, leaving them not-so luscious, use VO5 to make your hair smooth, shiny and strong again. VO5 reduces split ends and tames frizz, too!

Application: Each oil treatment comes in a separate pouch. Just heat up the pouch you intend to use and then coat your hair with its warm loveliness. Allow the oil to work its magic (it only takes minutes) and voila, your hair will be revitalized and beautiful!

The best part about VO5 is that it is so CHEAP! You can pick up a box of treatments at any drugstore (CVS, Walgreens) for under $5 (size dependent of course).

Girl on Top Shows You Here!

Sushi? In My Hair?

        Don’t you just hate it when you have to wash out your salon-do? That question just sent chills up my spine; that dreaded wash makes me cringe. Losing all those products and that amazing salon scent could really bring a girl to tears. Day 2 you can get away with, fine. I do it, too. But then Day 3 rolls around and you finally admit to yourself that your hair looks pretty darn crappy.

Well, Friends, for Day 4 and beyond, I can’t promise you the salon blow-out, but I can present you with the scent and the softness. Today I introduce you to Bumble and Bumble Seaweed Conditioner.

My fabulous stylist/colorist/wonder-worker, Mark, introduced me to B&B Seaweed. A note from the professional: don’t skimp on conditioner, Ladies. For the most part, though not true of all, shampoos are the same (it’s soap, remember?). However, conditioner is the last thing to touch your hair, condition it, and make all the boo-boos go away. So choose your conditioner wisely!

I love the way this conditioner smells (the salon in a bottle) and better yet how it makes my hair feel. Try to find a sample size to test it out if you’re not ready to make a big commitment!

Girl on Top Shows You Here!

*I got my Seaweed conditioner from Beauty Collection for $14, I want to say.

Aruba, Jamaica. Ooo I wanna take you…

    to Morocco. OK, it doesn’t sound quite as nice as Bermuda. I almost got you there though! Today’s product, if you couldn’t tell, is a product of Morocco. Moroccanoil Oil Treatment will become your new best friend after just one use!

You will notice a sizeable difference in the way your hair feels immediately. My hair is so soft now, I can’t keep my hands off of it! Not to mention MO smells really great, too.

MO also shines, conditions, and strengthens — overall it makes your hair pretty darn healthy.

To apply, you only need a dime size drop. Rub your palms together, and then run your fingers through your gorgeous locks to coat them evenly before you dry. Trust me, with MO, less is more!

MO works for taming that annoying winter static (or frizz) too! Once your hair is dry, place a drop in your hand, rub your palms together and then smooth over your problem areas. Your winter-woes will vanish before your eyes! Getting ideas, curly girls?

Girl on Top Shows You Here!

*Salons and Beauty Collection carry Moroccanoil. Price varies on bottle size — the small bottle comes in at about $14.

The Time Saver

Many, many moons ago, my mother taught me about the wonderful world of baby powder. Well, what baby powder can do for greasy hair that is. Put a little in your hands, rub them together, glide your fingers through your hair and voila, you’re grease free another day!

Here’s the problem with baby powder though: 1. If you use too much, you get a white powdery residue in your hair and then your secret is out. 2. Baby powder won’t last you the whole day. It’s a quick fix, sure, but you’ll need a touch up before you go out for the night.

I used baby powder for years. It saved my life when I decided to cut bangs (I never knew how quickly hair got greasy until I had bangs). And I’ll tell you, it’s a great alternative to what I’m about to present you with. You can’t beat $1 for a bottle of baby powder in the Target sample section. That’s a fact.

However, for those of you willing to spend a few extra bucks, I introduce you to Frederic Fekkai Dry Shampoo.

I’ve tried out several different brands — sprays, powders, the works — and Fekkai is definitely the miracle worker. It has an easy applicator tip that is literally overdose proof. You don’t need very much to take care of the grease and Fekkai will last you all day (or all night). Apply the powder directly to your hair-line and then rub it in to make the grease disappear before your eyes. If you’re afraid of what this powerful product can do, pour a little in your hand first and apply it that way.

*Using too much will of course leave you looking a little lighter at the roots, so try it out, see what amount works for you. Overall, this product is a great day #2 (or #3) alternative to washing.

Girl on Top Shows You Here!

Fekkai products are available at Sephora and almost every beauty supply store.

Hair Care of the Gods

Ahhhh, another secret weapon. This product has truly been a weapon of mine for about six years. Kerastase shampoo. Yes, you’ve seen the brand in your salon, but you haven’t seen this particular line! It was my best kept secret for years because, well, you couldn’t buy it in America.

But, lucky for you, it has recently been FDA approved!

I’ve suffered from an over-active scalp for many years. Over-active scalp? What’s that, you say? Imagine a really dry scalp with all those sneaky little white specs along the hair-line, well that happens to people who have problems with greasy hair too. The grass isn’t always greener!

In high school, I was mortally embarrassed by my tiny flakes until my parents went to Spain and found this little gift for me. When I ran out, I waited a month for a package from South Africa to arrive and finally in college, while studying in Italy, I bought out a tiny beauty supply store by Santa Croce.

Kerastase Specifique – Bain Gommage is truly heaven-sent. I no longer have a flaky scalp (there’s a product for oily scalp as well as dry scalp, don’t worry!!). Give it a few washes to set in/start working and you will be amazed.

I’ve used every product under the sun to get rid of flakes…Neutrogena, Head & Shoulders, and that stuff that makes your hair smell like tar (not to mention it’s AWFUL for colored hair). Nothing works like Kerastase (and it won’t strip your salon do!).

The small bottle will run you about $26 at a beauty supply store ($52 for the salon size…which is what I use). Check with your salon to see if they carry the line yet or you can always find it online like me.

Hint: Look for the gray and white bottle in the store. The full name is (get ready for this): Kerastase Specifique, Bain Gommage, Systeme Pur Detox, Gentle Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, Dry Hair (or Oily Hair if that makes sense for you).

Tip to make the bottle last longer: Alternate this shampoo and another shampoo each time you wash.

Girl on Top Shows You Here!