Hello Gorgeous Readers,
How are all of you today? Hopefully happy and enjoying warmer weather :). I picked up a new product at one of my many trips to Sally Beauty Supply and I’m so excited to tell you about it!

   In the process of growing my hair long, I’ve had to battle split and dry ends constantly; my ends have dealt with quite a few dye jobs and bleach from highlights so they’re pretty beaten up. The sales associate at Sally’s asked me if I needed help with anything, and I said I needed a serum or spray to protect my hair during heat styling. She handed me a bottle of Proclaim Glossing Polish and told me I’d love it because it would protect my hair and help straighten it during blow drying. I got the six ounce bottle and headed home, excited to try it the next morning. Note that I have naturally wavy hair, so this may work differently for those of you with curls.
After showering, I let my hair air dry for about 15 minutes; then I applied a dime size drop of the serum to hair, focusing on the ends and applying the remnants to the at the top. The serum has a subtle marshmallow vanilla scent that isn’t overwhelming or too sweet. I dried my hair with a big round brush in large sections and couldn’t believe how soft, shiny, and manageable it was; my hair wasn’t frizzy or wavy, so I didn’t have to use a flat iron after blow drying like I always do. It’s been two weeks since I purchased the polish, and haven’t had to use my flat iron once.

I really love that this helps with straightening, but leaves my tresses with lots of movement and looks more natural than the stick straight results I get with a flat iron. I’d recommend this product to anyone that needs heat styling protection and wants to get away from using a flat iron. It comes in three sizes and can be purchased at Sally’s Beauty Supply and Amazon.

Click to purchase on Sally's site.

What’s your favorite hair serum?

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Happy Wednesday, Beautiful Readers!
I hope you’re all having a fab week so far :-). I wanted to share my absolute favorite deep conditioner pick today, because it’s seriously saved my hair this week. I’ve used Aussie’s 3 Minute Miracle for a few years now, but hadn’t remembered to get a bottle in about six months. I wash my hair just about every day, blow dry it every time I wash it, and flat iron it on a regular basis, so my strands handle some serious stress. In the past year and a half, I’ve been letting my hair grow and I stopped coloring it so my natural color can come though (it’s a dark brown with reddish undertones and some natural dark caramel highlights), so my trims have gone from every 6 weeks to every 12.
Given how much I put my hair through, it holds up pretty well and is mostly healthy and strong, but can get really dry on the ends when I don’t give it enough attention. While at Target (I swear, I might as well move into that place) the other day, I remembered to grab a bottle of 3 Minute Miracle. The scent is kind of coconutty, and the texture is thick without being greasy. After shampooing, I cover my hair from root to tip in the stuff and let it sit for about 5 minutes, and then I rinse it out. Because it isn’t excessively heavy, I use it once or twice a week to keep my hair soft, shiny, and really manageable. The bf and people that hug me always complement me on smelling like coconut lol, so that’s a definite plus.
At just under $3 for a tube that last about 10 uses (on my waist length hair!), you can’t go wrong with 3 Minute Miracle. What’s your favorite deep conditioner?

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A sweet puppy at the Brea mall pet store :-), he posed and everything!

Hi Beauties,
How are all of you doing? I’m getting back into the school/studying schedule and very much loving my merchandising class. I received some Target gift cards for my bday and replenished all of my hair and face necessities; I picked up one new/different item, it was Tresemme’s 24 hour root boosting spray and I LOVE IT!

I normally use the Big Sexy hair products for volume, but they’re kind of pricey and they tend to leave my hair feeling stiff and not very touchable. All I wanted from this product was a little boost for my roots when I dry it. I let my hair air dry a bit and then I sprayed the root booster through my roots and at the ends of my hair, flipped my head upside down and dried it on high heat. My hair was sooo voluminous and SOFT! I was able to run my fingers through all of it without any tug and the volume lasted two days without washing.

This product didn’t  leave build up and it has a very light, clean scent that didn’t linger. My hair stayed shiny for two days and all I needed to revamp the volume on the second day was a blast of cool air from my hair dryer.

Overall an awesome product for $4 at Target :-). Rating: 5/5.

What’s your favorite volumizing product?

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A shot of Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. Love that city!

Hi Babes!

What are you up to today? How’s the start of your week coming along? I’m counting down to my birthday and loving the hot weather in Southern California :-).

I was shopping around Target with my best friend about a month ago when I spotted Suave’s Clarifying shampoo for about $1.89; I popped open the cap and loved the clean smell so I gave it a try. The shampoo is a clear blue and the scent reminds me of clean laundry, it lathers up really well and leaves my hair clean and shiny. With one shampoo, I get clean hair; with two shampoos, I have squeaky clean hair. When I bought the shampoo, I was a little worried that my scalp would dry out, but after a month of daily use, my hair actually looks and feels healthier than before.

The description on the bottle reads: Bring out the natural beauty of your hair with this pH-balanced deep-cleansing shampoo that helps remove residue without stripping moisture.

Overall, a GREAT drugstore buy. I use this shampoo every day with Dove’s Daily Moisture shampoo and my hair is in really good condition; it looks shiny and doesn’t feel heavy at all.

Rating: 5/5.

What’s your favorite drugstore shampoo?

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I’m loving Secret Diary of a Call Girl!! It’s REALLY racy, but so hilarious! The characters are really lovable 🙂

Hi Pretties!
I hope spring has touched down where you are, it’s definitely stepped into Southern California and I’m in LOVE with the warm, sunny weather! My sweaters will be put away within the next few weeks and out come the sandals, T’s, and sunglasses!
If you’ve been reading my blog, you know that Living Proof sent me some of their No Frizz products and they were amazing. I walked into Sephora a few weeks ago with my best friend and the displays for Full were at the front of the store; we looked at it and left without buying anything. I decided to come back last week to pick it up because curiosity got the best of me lol. The Sephora sales associate gave me an additional 4 days worth of product to try first before opening the big bottle.

I showered and towel tried my hair before detangling it, then I took a nickel sized amount and rubbed it in my hands and distributed it evenly through my hair from root to tip. The product smells a little citrusy, but not strong at all. I blow dried my hair with a big round brush and was so pleased with the results! My hair actually felt and looked thicker with absolutely no build up or sticky/stiff feeling. Throughout the day, I’d play with my hair and it stayed full and soft, not crackling or going flat like most other thickening products I’ve used.
Full isn’t made to give you lift, so if you want volume at the roots, make sure to use a root lifting spray or mousse. The small bottle is $14, the larger bottle is $24; although it’s pricey, I’m going to keep buying this because I LOVED the results. Living Proof is available at Sephora; click here for videos on how to use it and here for more product information.

What’s your favorite thickening product?

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I think it’s time to watch The Notebook again. I’ve seen it ten million times, but I still love it.

Happy Monday Dolls!

I’m taking a quick break from studying (bleh) to tell you guys about some awesome products. The PR folks for Living Proof sent me some travel sized bottles of two products to try out and review. The Living Proof line had been getting my attention for a while, but I was hesitant to buy yet another hair product out of fear of being let down. I told the very nice PR woman that I have long hair that isn’t wavy or straight, I have a lot of hair, but the strands are on the thin side, and I have a problem with little fuzzies always popping up. I tried the products this weekend and I was very pleased with the results. Check out the press release and my reviews below:

No Frizz by Living Proof
Science and Beauty Unite to Develop the Ultimate Frizz-Fighting Collection

Women everywhere know that even the smallest changes in humidity can have a major effect on how their hair looks and feels. Scientists have long determined that humidity affects the hair in two primary ways. First, it changes the surface texture of the hair fiber, making it rough and full of friction. Second, humidity increases the absorption of water in the interior of the hair shaft. All frizzy hair derives from this delicate give-and-take of water between our hair and the environment around us, and nearly all of us suffer from some degree of frizz as a result.

Remarkably, in 30 years of research and development, science had done little to tilt the balance in your (and your hair’s!) favor. Nearly every anti-frizz product on the market treated frizz with silicone, a technology that hadn’t advanced in three decades. The problem with silicone is that it doesn’t address the causes of frizz; it doesn’t prevent humidity from entering the hair shaft, and it doesn’t reduce the surface friction on hair. Rather, silicone works by weighing down hair with oil, ultimately allowing humidity to penetrate, leaving it limp and greasy.

Living Proof scientists identified the problem as one they could solve. The company was created for the purpose of applying advanced technology to solve the toughest beauty challenges. The company is comprised of a diverse team of renowned scientists from leading research institutions and beauty authorities who share a single vision: to invent efficient formulas with new molecules that deliver results you can see across the room.

Availability: No Frizz is available exclusively at Sephora.

Reviews:

I received the Straight Styling Cream and Straight Styling Spray for fine to medium hair. Both products smell like lemon grass to me, which is different than any styling product I’ve used before. They didn’t smell like chemicals and perfume, it was subtle and pleasant.
The first thing I tried was the styling cream on Friday; after getting out of the shower and combing the tangles out, i took a nickel sized drop of the cream and rubbed it into my hair starting at the ends and working up to the roots so there wouldn’t be product buildup at the top. I dried my hair with a big round brush and was surprised at how manageable and smooth my hair felt. The little halo of baby hairs that I usually get around my head had been drastically reduced. I’d say it was a 80-90% reduction in frizz. The smoothness lasted all day and didn’t feel greasy or heavy, even the next morning. I’m one of those people that can’t go for more than a day or two without washing my hair because product buildup can make my hair feel dirty so fast; I was pleasantly surprised when I didn’t see any greasiness or flaking from the cream. A+ for the styling cream!
On Saturday, I had to try the spray. I washed my hair (even though I didn’t have to) so I would be able to get a true feel for the spray. After towel drying my hair and applying the cream, I spritzed the styling spray through all my hair and dried it. After running my flat iron through the wavy spots, my hair looked so shiny, felt soft, and I was really in awe of how much smoother it looked than usual. A+ for the spray as well!
Even after running around in and touching my hair all day, the smoothness lasted. My split ends were way less visible and my hair felt clean, I couldn’t even tell that there was product in it!
The only not so awesome thing about the products is the price; $14-$24 can be a little scary for people that don’t have big budgets. I usually go with drugstore hair spray and styling products, but I may I have to save up a little extra to get these in full sizes because they actually did what they said they would do (if you’re a hair product junkie, you know how rare that can be!). If you want to give these a try, remember that Sephora has an awesome return policy in case you end up not liking them or feel that you can’t quite commit to the price.

Have you tried any of the Living Proof products?

<3V

I think the bff and I should have a happy hour sushi date soon!

Hi Dolls!
How are all of you doing today? We’re halfway through the week! I’m done with classes for the week and now I can just look forward to my weekend :-). I’m home watching Monster in Law with my sister, having mint chocolate chip and coffee ice cream…like a really good peppermint frappuccino.
I was standing in the bathroom this morning, trying to figure out what to do with my hair, and realized that it is full of products that I’ve picked up in my search for voluminous hair. Many of those products are sitting full because they let me down and I never got around to returning them. Bottle after bottle stood stood there looking sad and dusty…and then a bright yellow one caught my eye and reminded me that the search was totally worth it. That bright yellow belonged to my bottle of Got2B Fat-Tastic mousse. Check out the product description from the Got2B website:

The bottle is about $6 at drugstores.

This stuff is awesome because it makes my hair feel thicker, without leaving it stiff and heavy. I learned the hard way that a little goes a long way; starting with nickel sized amounts, I rub the product between my hands and work it into my roots and down the hair shaft. Seriously, don’t put huge amounts into your hair or it will take forever to dry and get gunky and weird…and just not pretty. After distributing the mousse through my hair, I blow dry it with a big round brush and run a flat iron through it to smooth any flyaways. My hair stays bouncy and full all day long!
The only thing I don’t love about this mousse is the scent, it’s really strong in a perfume-y kind of way, but that fades after a little while. I would recommend this to anyone looking for more volume, without the big price tag.

What’s your favorite volumizing product?

<3V

Can’t get this song out of my head!

Happy Wednesday!

The first week of class is over and I am officially on my way to working in the world of fashion/retail merchandising. My professors all seem awesome and I am not going to sleep for the next five months! Ah, who needs sleep? I’ll sleep 8 hrs a night when I win the lotto and don’t have to work :-). Along with classes, I’ve gone back to the gym and working towards dropping 4 pants sizes by the end of the year, at least one by March. It’s not easy to work full time, take three classes, AND go to the gym…but I have to do it to be happy and healthy!

On to the good stuff! I’ve read so many awesome reviews for Lush’s BIG shampoo and decided to give it a try. It was $21.35 plus shipping and it delivered in about two weeks from Canada. I didn’t realize that there was a Lush store just 25 mins away from my house until after I had placed the order…oh well, now I know!

The shampoo comes in black screw cap tub that reminds me of a yogurt container. It has instructions, along with a picture of the person that made it (thanks, Nic!). The actual shampoo is like margarita salt in a lemony/sweet mix, I loved the smell!

When I used this shampoo, I had uber dirty hair, so I needed it to do a good job. I took a small amount from the jar, about a teaspoon, and started working it into the top of my scalp. Not going to lie, it felt WEIRD! After a minute of massaging the shampoo in, all of the salt was gone and I had a nice lather going. As I was massaging the shampoo around my scalp, I could tell that this stuff was not moisturizing at all, but it was leaving my hair really clean. After a rinsed, my hear was literally squeaky clean! I have hair down to my waist, and a lot of it, but the strands are thin and tangle easily so I had to work a good conditioner into it afterward so I would be able to brush it out. My hair dried super fast and after blow drying, it was bouncy and shiny.

I am very happy that I purchased the shampoo, next time I’ll pick it up at the Lush store though, lol. Yes, the shampoo is pricey, but I think it’s worth it because it will last a long time. BIG is very clarifying, but I think the lemon/lime juice in it is too drying to use every day, so I’ll only be using this once or twice a week depending on how much hair product I’m using that week. I honestly can’t remember the last time my hair felt so soft and soooo incredibly clean.

Keep in mind that if your hair tangles easily, you’ll have to use a heavier conditioner to balance out the dryness, but the shampoo is worth a shot if you feel like splurging!

Do you have a favorite shampoo?

This is Nic, he made my shampoo!

The pretty and clean container.

This makes me miss Margaritaville in Vegas 🙂

Free samples that came with my order, can’t wait to try them!

Thanks for visiting, leave a comment!

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