Review: Touch Back Plus Shampoo and Conditioner

I have been itching to try the Touch Back Plus Shampoos and Conditioners I bought at ULTA. Two things, before I start my review, ULTA was doing some serious markup on these. Their website sells the shampoo and conditioner for $12.50 a bottle, though they do charge shipping (but it's a $3.95 flat rate), so if I like the stuff, I'll definitely be ordering direct! And second, not only do these not contain ammonia or peroxide, they are free of sulfates. They also have a few other products that I'm curious about, like the gray root marker. Anyway, I decided to do the color tonight. As you can see from above, I bought several different colors, as my natural color has dark brown and reddish highlights and quite frankly, I couldn't find another Dark Auburn (Dark Brown, Dark Auburn and Light Auburn). So, I'm going to force myself to breath and show you my before pictures first. My husband swears that the photos make it look worse than it really is (was? I'm still waiting for my hair to dry before doing the "afters") but I think it looks pretty darn accurate, unless I'm in a dark room, and to be 31 with so many obvious grays doesn't really make me feel great. Procrastinating again... here are the "befores".

 This was taken directly facing my right temple.

The left temple.

The top part. Not as bad as the temples for sure, but still more than I would like or expect at my age.

The application of the product is very easy. I actually applied the foam shampoo in front of the sink because without my glasses, I really can't see anything. I applied some Vaseline along the hairline and as the stylist at ULTA recommended, I used a fine tooth comb to comb the foam in, alternating between the dark brown and the dark auburn. She recommended that I left it in for more than 2 minutes (what the instructions say) because white or gray hair doesn't take dye well but I followed the instructions more or less since it was my first time. It was fairly easy. My comb rinsed off clean and when I washed it off in the tub, it didn't dye the white tub either.

With the conditioner, I used a slightly different method. Since it is a fairly thick cream, I did the application just over the tub with my hands. Still alternating between the dark brown and this time the light auburn. I left it in for a few minutes and combed my fingers through my hair (the entire length versus the various spots with the shampoo) and then rinsed it out until the water ran clear. There was no facial, body or bathroom staining that I could see. Here's the tub, but my husband rarely deep cleans and the bottom isn't smooth so it usually always looks like this.

Ignore the soap scum. But, there's definitely no dye sticking around.

After, I finished taking my actual shower, I wrapped my head up in a brown towel just in case and eventually took it down once it had dried a bit. My husband claimed that it looked better but I knew I would have a better idea when my hair was dry, or at least drier.

Here's how it looks down. Pretty standard since you can't see my temples or part. Below are side-by-side comparisons. Clearly obvious different lighting. I look like a vampire in one and some of them make the red look super red, but it's really not. So what do I think? I think it did something, but it didn't cover all my gray. I think it covered some of it. If it didn't, it certainly gives the illusion of covering more of it because of the additional gradient of tones. I'm going to give it a few more tries and leave it in longer like the stylist said. I had no burning or irritation. It doesn't dye the scalp or really anything else that would make it something I wouldn't consider using. But something tells me it isn't as effective as the boxed dyes with a host of nasty ingredients, so I will keep trying. A bonus, my hair doesn't feel dry.

 Part before (left) after (right)

Right temple (left) after (right)

Left temple (left) after (right).

What do you think?

Oh! I almost forgot! The only thing it dyed that I wasn't expecting were my (apparently) super dry cuticles and underneath the nail bed. Other than that... nothing else.

Reviews Coming Soon to a Jeweled Thumb Blog Near You*

I'm a tad bit exhausted but I wanted to show you all what you can expect me to be blogging about soon. The Cover Girl and Butter London items were sent for review consideration. The hair dye related stuff was purchased by me; tonight actually!

I am going grey (well white as it turns out), especially around my temples and it's really starting to bother me as I'm only 31. These were on clearance at ULTA at around 75% off and don't have peroxide, ammonia or from what I can tell, formaldehyde and mention covering grey so fingers crossed. My hair is brown with some red in it, so I'm going to be mixing the brown with auburn and applying to those areas and not my entire head. I will report back. I am kind of scared to use "real" dye at this point in my life and these seem like a healthier option. But will they work? You guys will certainly find out!

Cover Girl sent me the new super sizer mascara and the intensify me liquid liner - which I'm usually horrible at applying ... we shall see!

Butter London reached out to me and sent their "shine out loud" collection and I'll be slowly working through the products. In any case, there will be a giveaway, so keep a look out for the reviews and giveaway post(s)!

I also have a few other posts in the works, but this is the most I can put together for now. You know, when there's a hole in your dining room, that's usually the priority.






* Had a lovely Memorial Day weekend trip with my MIL to the NYC family apartment. Then came back to absolute chaos. Hole in the ceiling, water raining down in our dining room, and plans to have to redo our Master bedroom/bathroom. Thanks, universe!

Review: The Wet Brush Squirt

For someone with thick tangle-prone hair, I am always looking for some magical implement to tame it. I tried the Tangle Teezer, which only worked when my hair was sopping wet, but didn't reach my scalp when dry or semi-dry. I finally discovered hair-ties through Birchbox (referral link) which worked and didn't break after two weeks, but I'm still trying to find that perfect brush, especially since my Tangle Teezer had an unfortunate demise*. So, I bought the Squirt version of The Wet Brush, which promises the following:

Designed specifically for wet hair, the Squirt's Intelliflex™ bristles are super thin, strong and flexible. These bristles will glide through any hair type combing out tangles effortlessly. The bristles' flexibility enables protective and pain-free detangling while the SofTips™ on the very top of the bristles massage the scalp to stimulate circulation at the follicle. They are firm enough to comb through knots, yet flexible enough to be gentle on the scalp. Our IntelliFlex™ bristles bounce back to their original form after each stroke eliminating all the hair breakage and pain that used to be associated with brushing your hair. The Squirt can be used on wet or dry hair and works on extensions and wigs.

• These bristles will glide through any hair type combing out tangles effortlessly nope
• [...] while the SofTips™ on the very top of the bristles massage the scalp to stimulate circulation at the follicle nope
• They are firm enough to comb through knots nope

So basically, on dry hair, similarly to the tangle teezer, but maybe even a little worse, this doesn't actually reach my scalp. I simply have too much hair for it to penetrate the layers and the hair is too thick. Similarly, when it's wet, I have to section it off into maybe 6 or so parts for the bristles to actually reach my scalp and even then, I can barely feel it. They are simply too flexible and not long and stiff enough. I get better results using the pads of my fingers, my hands or a wide toothed comb.

So, for me, The Wet Brush is a bit of a fail, but I'm keeping it around since I bought it the last time I was in NYC at Ricky's NYC and I'm way way way past any return policy if they have one. Thankfully, I only bought the small version and didn't spring for the large one, which appeared to be about the same, albeit smaller. If you have any brush recommendations for thick hair, please let me know! I'm always eager to give one a shot (well, let's be real, reasonable priced only). 

* A warning for tangle teezer users. I'm not sure if they specifically tell you not to bring your tangle teezer in the shower, but it was where I had the most luck and was able to use it, but the seal where the two pieces of plastic snap together (where you hold onto the brush and the part with the bristles) was not quite tight enough on mine and gathered water and thus mold and I had to throw the whole thing away. Just be careful! Mold in the shower, especially near your person is dangerous - throw in an already wet moist environment and that is not healthy. Anyway, that was yet another reason for my purchase.

Review: Shea Moisture African Black Soap Deep Cleansing Shampoo

Don't mind the CVS security tag label. I picked up the Shea Moisture African Black Soap Deep Cleansing Shampoo when CVS was running a special BOGO on Shea Moisture products. I'm always eager to try a new shampoo specifically formulated for temperamental scalps and I had been wanted to try this line for quite awhile. This shampoo contains various natural ingredients that are meant to help dandruff, eczema and psoriasis and retails for around $10 for 12oz.

The consistency of the shampoo is a bit weird. It is very fluid in the bottle, but when you apply it on the hair/scalp, it almost becomes gummy. It smells like banana for the most part, but there's definitely an underlying herbal smell. It isn't my favorite but is a nice departure from the tea tree scent that is very common on these scalp helping products.

As the name suggests, this is a deep cleansing shampoo, meaning that it is really too stripping on my hair and scalp to use as my normal shampoo. I don't wash my hair everyday as it is, but found this too strong for anything more than once every week or two. Because of how drying it is, frequent use made my scalp worse though I think the recent weather changes had an impact too. Unfortunately, I can't say this is a holy grail product for me and I don't think I'll be repurchasing. I'm back to using the Philip B. as my "daily" scalp-healing product which I have come to adore even with the high price point.


Ingredients: De-ionized water, Decyl Glucoside (sugar beets), African black soap, Salicylic Acid, Salix Alba (willow) bark extract, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) seed oil, charcoal powder, Melaleuca Alternifolia (tea tree) leaf oil, Simmondsia chinensis seed (Jojoba) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) oil (denotes certified organic ingredients), aloe vera leaf juice, vitamin E, rosemary extract, plantain extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (honeysuckle) flower and Lonicera Japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) flower extract.

Review: Dermaheal Conditioning Shampoo

I was recently sent an offering of products as part of the Bloom Ambassadors program. One of the items was the Dermaheal Hair Conditioning Shampoo. I'm not exactly in Dermaheal's target audience as I don't suffer from hair thinning. I lose a lot of hair but I sure do grow enough of it as is. My hair is generally thick and healthy and I don't have any female-baldness problems to speak of. So a $40 shampoo "treatment for male- or female-pattern baldness to halt hair loss and stimulate new hair growth" is not really applicable for me.

While I didn't find the shampoo anything special, I enjoyed the pump bottle and the fairly unoffensive scent. I didn't find it conditioning but most shampoos aren't enough for my dry curly hair. I can't say I recommend it since I didn't get any of the claimed effects but then again, I don't have the issue the shampoo is supposed to treat.

Disclosure: Received for review purposes.

Review: Philip B. Anti-Flake Relief Shampoo

Philip B. is a line that doesn't seem to get a whole lot of love, likely due to the price point. I hesitate to spend anywhere near $30 on a shampoo but SpaceNK sent out a code and I had some of their reward dollars to spend and I said what the heck. As most of you know by now, I suffer from a very temperamental scalp and I have tried loads of anti-dandruff shampoos in the past. I generally go to The Body Shop Ginger Care Shampoo which I think is amazing for one that actually smells decent but if I use it too often, it seems to stop working. T-gel works beautifully but dries my hair out and also makes my hair smell disgusting for 24-48 hours (yes, my hair clings to scents like no other). I was ready to try something new and I've heard a lot about this relief shampoo.

The Philip B. Anti-Flake Relief Shampoo comes in several sizes but the most standard is the 7.4oz bottle for (breathe) $35. It is meant to "heal and soothe dry, oily and flaky scalps". Here's the thing with a lot of these types of products (note T-gel complaint above), a lot of them are meant for oily scalps, not dry scalps. My scalp and hair for that matter, rarely get oily, but they can get flaky, tight and the skin can hurt as if it's pulled too tightly. When getting rid of the flakes is key, I also don't want to dry it out further as that will exacerbate the problem.

I've used this several times over the last few weeks and I really enjoy it. It smells horrible, but the scent does not cling to my hair like T-gel. Honestly, that's worth it to me. It does also work and I don't need to use it very often for it to do the job. If you can afford to spend $35 and you have dandruff or a temperamental scalp, I'd give this one a shot.

It's available at spacenk, dermstore and several other e-tailers. Around here, the only chain retail store it's carried in is Blue Mercury.

Review: nuNAAT NAAT Treatment Repair Care with Açai Berry and Keratin Collection

I was recently given the opportunity to try a line of hair products called nuNAAT. nuNAAT is a Brazilian line that was originally founded to include some powerhouse ingredients typically found in the Brazilian rainforest region. The full line is huge and has a bunch of mini collections. I tried out the NAAT Treatment Repair Care line with Açai Berry and Keratin. Açaí is a palm tree typically found in the eastern Amazon. The fruit is rich in astringent, antioxidant and antibacterial agents, and contains proteins and vitamins A, C, B1 and E. I was pleasantly surprised to find the line is quite affordable (under $10) and is available for purchase at Walgreens, Sally Beauty Supply and drugstore.com though the availability is limited.

There are four products in the Treatment Repair Care line: shampoo, conditioner, an intensive hair mask and a leave-in treatment.

When it comes to picking hair care products, I always have some problems and can rarely pick all the items from a full line to use. While my hair is generally dry and has a natural curl, I need something that doesn't irritate my very picky scalp. If you've been reading with any regularity, I generally need to use a quite harsh shampoo and then follow up with deeply moisturizing conditioners. With the Treatment Repair Care line, I was able to forgo the scalp shampoos for the majority of the weeks likely due to the açaí, though there were times when my scalp was just too angry and I had to revert back to my much hated T-gel.

The line was fragranced with what smelled exactly like grape jolly ranchers. The smell wasn't overpowering and didn't linger in my hair long after showering.

I'm not a big regular shampoo user and the shampoo from the line burned my eyes so it wasn't something I reached for and the conditioner did a decent job of moisturizing my hair but wasn't amazing; however, I absolutely loved the intensive hair mask and the leave-in treatment! The intensive hair mask is unusually slippery and light but unlike some heavier masks which only seem to coat your hair, my hair absolutely drank this up. It left it soft and manageable but not weighed down.

The leave-in treatment seems like a lighter version of the mask and keeps my hair soft but again, not weighed down at all. It's not oily or almost slimey like some of the crazy silicone-loaded products on the market (Moroccan oil, I'm looking at you!).

As you can see, I've made a pretty good dent in the mask and will continue to use it and the leave-in treatment until they are gone and if I ever spot them at my local Walgreens or Sally Beauty Supply, I'd purchase with my own funds. The shampoo and conditioner were ok but I won't be purchasing those in the future.

Find nuNAAT on Facebook, Twitter and their website.


Disclosure: Items provided for review by nuNAAT. All opinions are my own.

Moisture is King

I'm going to unofficially call this "Hair Week" at Jeweled Thumb. Ever since I cut my hair a few weeks ago, it's almost as though I have been relearning how to deal with my hair. My hair has spring and life these days but it also needs products to help out. Something that I can't stress enough when dealing with dry/damaged frizz-prone hair is giving it the moisture it needs. There are many hair products on the market that claim to combat frizz and some do a great job but others add tons of chemical nasties or ingredients that coat the hair and make it appear moisturized and healthy (silicones). Personally, I can't stand these types of products. I hate having a sticky film on my hands after putting product in my hair and I try to stay away from products that have silicones in them.

I was recently given the opportunity to try a couple hair products through the Bloom Ambassador's program. One I really like and the other I'm not too keen on.

The first is the Sundari Healing Neem and Coconut Hair Treatment Oil. While the scent of this treatment is a little strong for my liking, the treatment oil is awesome. First of all, it contains several essential oils including neem oil, rose flower oil, rice oil, coconut oil, lavender oil, and apricot kernel oil and no nasty ingredients like silicone or parabens. I've used this as a hair treatment but I've also used it during the day time as well. It is very similar to the Biolage Delicate Care Organic Certified Oil that I reviewed and finished but this one is actually more cost effective. The Biolage is $20 for 1.7oz ($11.76 per ounce) and this is $34 for 3.4oz ($10 per ounce). Both treatment oils use lavender oil for its moisturizing properties so they both smell the same as well. I received a few sample packets of this and I'm eying the full size.

The other is the T'eez Bounce Me Styling Cream. This is the item that I wasn't so happy with. It has silicones, parabens and beeswax which makes the cream a bit thicker than I normally use. I rarely use true styling products in my hair. My hair stylist recently tried convincing me to use mousse. Let's just say I bought a bottle, eyed it down and stuck it in my medicine cabinet. Anyway, while this has some moisturizing ingredients, I simply wasn't a fan of the texture and I think the wax is the culprit here. I didn't seem to disperse well throughout my hair, it was a bit thick and sticky and I prefer when true styling products can be use on damp or dry hair as I usually shower at night. If you use styling aides, you might not have a problem with this cream. The tube comes with 6oz and retails for $22.99.

What are your tips and tricks for dealing with unruly locks?

Disclosure: Both were received for review as part of the Bloom Ambassador's program. My opinions are mine and honest as always!

Review: Tangle Teezer

I tweeted recently that I found the Tangle Teezer at CVS. I was thrilled, as British bloggers have been talking about the product for quite some time and even ones with thick hair seemed to have nothing but good things to say about it. Given my hair's natural state, a detangling hairbrush that fits in the palm of your hand seemed like the perfect option for me. At my local CVS, it was priced at around $10 but I had a 30% off coupon so it was a bit cheaper. I, of course, went with the pink option.

While, I think this did a decent job of detangling, it did not go deep enough and I still had to section off my hair prior to brushing (and this was after a good cut)! The "revolutionary" teeth simply weren't long or firm enough to get anything more than the top layer of my hair and even sectioning it off, I still really had to work to get the teeth through the top layer. Typically, I brush my hair prior to taking a shower so that the water and my shampoo/conditioner have an easier time at penetrating since I have a lot of hair and it's quite thick. I haven't yet tried it on wet or damp hair as I typically finger comb my hair in the shower while disbursing product.

So while I think this maybe a great option for those with finer hair textures, for my thick and somewhat unmanageable hair, it's not so great.

Have you tried the Tangle Teezer? Did you read the back of the box with your husband in a poor British accent and start laughing hysterically? 'Cause I did.

Review: Renpure Organics Amazing Miracle Deep Penetrating Reconstructor

I don't remember when I picked the Renpure Organics Amazing Miracle Deep Penetrating Reconstructor but it's been lurking around my cabinet so I thought I'd put it to use. As some of you may know, my hair is dry and has a natural curl. I usually keep it up in a bun especially in the summer since it's heavy, thick and sweat-inducing. Unless I want hair that feels like steel wool, I can't use conditioners for normal hair, I usually use masks as normal "every day" conditioners. You don't want to know how long I can go without washing my hair. I've gone a week and it seems to get drier rather than look oily or greasy.

Anyway, I generally don't remark on a product's effectiveness till I've used it a few times, but I used it for the first time last night and I'm in love! First of all, it comes in a squeeze tube which more of these masks/deep conditioners should because tubs in the shower are not my favorite. Second, I felt a noticeable difference right out of the shower, but the biggest plus is now, 24 hours later, my hair is still soft without feeling heavy or weighed down.

Witness household conversation:
"It does feel softer than usual" remarked dear husband who then insulted the normal texture of my coiffure "I wouldn't call it sand papery..." (digging hole deeper) "it's just usually more coarse" he quickly commented. Thanks dear.

Later, "oh look at this, it does feel nice - I actually want to touch your hair". Someone knows a pull out couch that's looking for a visitor tonight! Joking aside..

I am absolutely thrilled I found a bottle of this in my bathroom. According to the Renpure Organics website, the line is available at several websites, drugstores and grocers.  The only negative is there is a type of silicone in it which I tend to shy away from, but otherwise, it's full of healthy oils and extracts and the products are color-safe, made in the USA and aren't tested on animals. Non-offensive sweet smell too.


Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Amodimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Aleurites Moluccana (Kukui) Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Silk Amino Acids, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Trideceth-12, Cetyl Esters, PEG-10 Soy Sterol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, Fragrance (Parfum)

Review: Madre Labs Body and Hair Care Line + Giveaway

I was recently contacted by a representative of iHerb regarding the Madre Labs line of Body & Hair products. iHerb is an established retailer of natural products based out of California. As someone who appreciates the benefits of natural products without tons of preservatives or fillers, I was happy to see that the Madre Labs brand features the "No No-Nos" Seal which means the products are free of sulfates, parabens, dyes, animal ingredients and animal testing. The products are meant to be gentle and the packaging is biodegradable. I know lots of people in the beauty community have made an effort to be more green and while I'm not there quite yet, good affordable products make it that much easier.

I've been testing the products for a number of weeks now and I thought I would share my thoughts and I have very exciting news as well. One lucky reader of Jeweled Thumb will win the complete set of Hair and Body products from the Madre Labs line. Simply scroll down to the rafflecopter widget, wait for it to load and enter to your heart's content!

And if you can't wait to find out if you've won and need one of the products right away (hint leave-in conditioner) you can use the code WOW123 to get $5 off your first order if you're a first time iHerb customer!

Onto the review:

Body care
Moisturizing Body Wash, Rosemary Mint, 12.5 fl oz $12.95
Hand & Body Lotion, Unscented, 12.85 fl oz $10.95
Hand Cream with Argan Nut Oil, Unscented, 2.5 oz $8.95


As many of you probably know, I have very dry and sensitive skin so I was happy to see the majority of the body care range is unscented. I found the moisturizing body wash refreshing without being stripping though as some of you may know, mints are not my favorite in the shower. Both the hand and body lotion and the hand cream are moisturizing without being overly greasy; however, the one negative is while the hand and body lotion is definitely scent free, one of the ingredients in the hand cream give it a bit of an earthy scent. I believe it may be the olive fruit oil - it smells a bit like olives. It didn't bother me but I prefer the hand and body lotion as it is fully unscented.

Haircare
Moisturizing Shampoo, Strawberry Oasis, 12.5 fl oz $13.95
Moisturizing Conditioner, Strawberry Oasis, 12.5 fl oz $10.95
Leave-In Conditioner, Tangerine Melody, 8.7 fl oz $7.95

I'm going to review the Moisturizing Line (& the leave-in) as that's what I used extensively.

While I enjoyed the bath and body range, I was most impressed with the hair range. The moisturizing shampoo and conditioner smell like strawberry bubble yum and are hydrating without wearing hair down. The leave-in spray reminds me of the one I reviewed and loved from Goldwell though instead of a creamsicle scent, the Tangerine Melody is a bit more tart. My hair routine involves shampooing every other time with the moisturizing shampoo in the line and using the conditioner every wash and then spritzing the leave-in generously while my hair is still a bit damp, throwing it up in my microfiber towel and leaving it for the night. By the morning, my hair is soft, bouncy and has formed nice ringlets. My frizz has significantly lessened as well. If you are going to try only one item from the line, I'd definitely order yourself a bottle of the leave-in spray and at $7.95 (it's actually on sale right now for $5.96) it definitely doesn't break the bank!

The two other items in the hair care line are below for your reference:
Balancing Shampoo, Pomegranate & Mellow Mint, For Normal Hair, 12.5 fl oz $12.95
Balancing Conditioner, Pomegranate & Mellow Mint, 12.5 fl oz $9.95

And now for the giveaway!

Review: Twistband Hair Ties

Don't laugh. I know everyone did a double take when they received one of the Twistband Hair Ties in their August Birchboxes. First of all, the price made me roll my eyes, I'll admit! My second thought was how are these any better than Goody or Scunci or any other hair tie on the market?

Well, I'll tell you why. I've been wearing the same exact one since August every day for months now and it hasn't snapped in half. That is more than I can say for every other hair tie I've ever worn. As you may know by now, I have thick hair. My hair has snapped its fair share of hair ties. In fact, when hair ties go on sale, I stock up because they tend to last about a week, sometimes two before snapping. I haven't had to buy more of these since it hasn't snapped! Granted, it's stretched out a bit but the elastic still works just fine. Just in case, I've gone ahead and bought the Sephora brand equivalents to see if they are similarly awesome (those are 8 for $8 so a tiny bit cheaper). 

I'm converted.

Review: Yuko Aqua Gold Repair Through Leave-In Conditioner

I was recently sent the Yugo Aqua Gold Repair Through Leave-In Conditioner "for dry, sensitized, and damage hair". As many of you know, I have quite dry naturally curly hair which is prone to frizz especially during the humid summer months. So the fact that this was specifically made for my hair type made me quite excited.


I had previously used and raved about the Goldwell Sun Reflects Leave-in Conditioner. This one is very similar. The only major difference is this one is unscented (there is a smell to the product but it becomes nearly undetectable after application). While I was a fan of the citrus scent of the Goldwell, this one is a bit more convenient as it doesn't interfere with any perfume or fragrance you are wearing and if you are sensitive to scents in general, this would be a better and more accessible choice.

The spray deposits a fine mist and the product doesn't feel overly thick or sticky but somehow the moisture sticks around till the next time I wash my hair. When I spray it on my hand, it simply feels moisturizing and doesn't leave a residue and dries fairly quickly even without the addition of alcohol (which is great for all hair types).

The bottle retails for $24 and contains 6.8 ounces of product. It is available for purchase online as well as select salons throughout the US and Canada. I'll definitely be repurchasing and I actually prefer this over the Goldwell as it doesn't interact or clash with fragrances or lotions (and of course the fact that it isn't limited edition!).

Disclosure: This was sent by Yuko for review. All opinions are my own.

Current Fave: Microfiber Hair Turban

It may look silly, but the microfiber hair turban has made styling my curly less so much less time consuming. It cuts down tremendously on frizz and it keeps my hair out of my face. One of my biggest pet peeves is having a "normal" regular towel hair turban and I move and it falls down. This lets me do whatever I want while my hair dries and is soft and compact. I usually wash my hair at night so I actually wear this to bed and it's far comfier than a hair elastic.

I have the Aquis Mimi's Diva Dryer Hair Turban which I bought at Beauty First for a bargain ($3), but the retail price isn't too bad at $11.99. So worth it if you have curly hair or frizz or both! My only complaint is that the little loop is hard to get around the button but it does ensure it stays put. I looked for a good picture online and find they carry it on drugstore.com.

Probably one of my best purchases ever.

Review: Queen Helene Royal Curl Line

You have all seen the beast that is my hair and I'm always up for trying the newest items in the haircare world. So when Beauty Stat sent an e-mail mentioning easing frizz and improving curls, I was absolutely up for the challenge.

Not like trying out a new hair care range is challenging, especially when it comes tied to the tried and true (Mint Julep Masque anyone?) Queen Helene's range.

Their new Royal Curl line, hits the web and Whole Foods this week and comes with the very reasonable price of $8.99 a product.

I am going to come right out and say that while I was intrigued, I wasn't sure this was going to work on my hair. While it is dry, frizzy and curly; it is not truly coarse. I can't use anything too heavy as it will weigh my hair down and my hair is capable of getting greasy.

The line comes with 4 different products:
Royal Curl Stay Clean Shampoo 12 oz.
Royal Curl Moisture Rich Conditioner 12 oz.
Queen Helene Royal Curl Shaping Crème 15 oz.
Royal Curl Smoothing Oil 4 oz.

All items are free of sulfates, petrolatum, parabens and phthalates

The Stay Clean Shampoo lathered well and made my hair feel clean, yet not stripped. The scent took me back to the neighborhood pool for some reason. I can swear it smells like old school Herbal Essences (back when they only had one "flavor"). My only issue is the fact this isn't anti-dandruff and I can't use it most times I shower or else I have to bring out the dreaded T-gel, which makes my bathroom, hair and towels smell like tar for a good 12 hours. Otherwise, if you have no dandruff issues and have drier hair, I'd pick this up next time you need a good moisturizing, yet not heavy shampoo.

I was really impressed by the Moisture Rich Conditioner. Again, I was kind of expecting something super heavy and something that weighed my hair down. The texture of this is so light, almost like a gel and it is not heavy or greasy. A lot of moisturizing conditioners are thick and creamy in the shower, which is nice every so often, but not for a daily conditioner. This is something that I could use each time I washed my hair. The telltale sign for me of something being too heavy is if my curls don't start to spring right out of the shower, when the hair is still fairly saturated with water. This passed that test.

The Curl Shaping Creme terrified me. It is a giant massive vat of bouncy gel-like goo. Ok, that might not be the most appetizing, marketable description for this product, but they were my first thoughts! I was nervous, yes, but I did notice some of the ingredients. Things like aloe vera which I've used as a frizz taming product in the past, agave nectar and green tea. All good things. My first fear was that it was going to be thick and sticky. It's actually very light and not sticky at all. You are instructed to apply it to slightly wet hair and then style as usual. I felt this did a good job of cutting down the frizz. It reminded me of one of my favorite products, the Garnier Smoothing Milk which has a similar texture (though this is more liquidy). To deal with the yuck of sticking fingers into the pot, I give it a little shake so some of the product winds up on the lid and grab the product from that. I will say even if the huge pot is generous with the product amount, I'd rather have a squeeze tube like the Garnier comes in. But this will last forever. I use about an almond's worth of product and start from the ends and move up.

The Curl Smoothing Oil is pretty similar to the other oils on the market (Morrocan, Argan, etc.) with slightly different ingredients and the same scent as the others in the Royal Curl line. I don't find this heavier than any other oils and I like the fruity scent this has. And of course, the price can't be beat. My only complaint would the pop top lets out a bit more product than you need, as it's fairly liquidy. Otherwise, a great alternative to other more expensive oils. This one has corn, meadowfoam oils and green tea.

I was pleased with this line, but not blown away. The price point, given the quality and the amount of product is very reasonable. The packaging is quite simple and plain but works. My favorite product was definitely the conditioner. I loved the scent of the full line and thought the products worked well together, though I would definitely choose either the oil or the curl shaping creme, not both and I'd chose the shaping creme more if it came in a squeeze tube! If I happened to find any of these on sale, I'd probably pick them up again but I'm not sure I'd seek them out to repurchase.

For more information on the Royal Curl line of products and where you can buy them, please visit www.queenhelene.com 

Disclosure: These products were received for review purposes from Beauty Stat as part of their Blogger Network.

Review: Biolage Delicate Care Organic Certified Oil

 

This item (Biolage Delicate Care Organic Certified Oil) is one of my new favorite things. I received it nearly a year ago in my Allure Beauty Box Bag and hadn't tried it. I think that might have been before Argan Oil really caught on and the idea of putting oil in my hair was a little off-putting. This mix of Argan, Olive and Lavender oils is absolutely fabulous on my dry curly hair (and especially when I wear it curly). It cuts down on the frizz without losing the curl, it's shiny and soft and I know people must think I'm crazy when I say this, but it seems to make my hair less huge (and this is a good thing). My curls tend to be more round (less like ringlets especially when it is shorter) and that gives me a ton of volume without necessarily doing anything. This flattens my hair a bit and makes it look like I've styled it (when I've only stuck a bit of this in it). 

The smell is slightly clean and fresh, but I can't really smell much of anything without sticking my nose near the product. I can't smell anything when it's in my hair. I doubt this product would interfere with any scents you were wearing.

As my hair is thick, curly and dry, I don't feel any greasy effects of the oil. My hair just feels nourished. At $20 for a 1.7oz bottle, it is on the pricey side but I think it's well worth it. Plus, the twist up pointed dispenser means you don't lose as much product as say, a flip top. 

Definitely give this product a try if you have a similar hair type. I adore it!

New Hair

Every few years I grow out my hair to donate to charity. This time I was at a loss for where to go and what kind of style to go for. I'm so used to putting my hair in a bun and calling it a day and hate wearing it down when it's super long. Tonight I bit the bullet and went to Bubbles salon and had the most wonderful experience with the stylist, Ferrah. She did a great job and seemed to intuitively know what I wanted even though I have no idea what I'm doing. I couldn't even choose a hair cut that I wanted my hair to be like. In the end, I let her take creative control as she had gotten excellent reviews on Yelp. She also does threading in house and did my entire face right after my cut.

We spoke during the cut for a bit and I asked her why she became a hair stylist, initially she said that her mother was one and it came easy to her but then she said how if she's feeling down, cutting someone's hair makes her happy and helps her mood, that she loves making people happy and when she's feeling depressed, cutting/styling and helping someone feel good, feel pretty, makes her happy and when she's doing her job, she almost goes in her own little world (oh she apparently also dreams about haircuts, coloring and styling - it's refreshing to meet someone that is so passionate about their work and is obviously doing it for the right reasons). It shouldn't come as a surprise that I tipped generously.

Here's how I started out (I brushed the curl out prior to going so it would be easier for the stylist).

And here's the final cut, did it make the cut? Wahaha, I'm so funny (she cut it so I could wear it straight or leave it curly which I appreciate - sorry I don't have a curly picture!).

And the pony tail mid-action.

I am absolutely thrilled with my new 'do. If you live around the Rockville area, definitely go to Bubbles Salon on Shady Grove Road and ask for Ferrah!

Beauty First Clearance

Beauty First is one of those small boutique-like stores, though they don't tend to carry what I consider boutique brands. As far as brands are concerned, they carry tons of professional hair salon brands and nail polish and there is generally a small salon in the back of the store. I've been a member for quite awhile and pop into the one closest to our house fairly often. After the holidays (and this year for a bit before the holidays) they hold their big clearance sale event with products 50-75% off.

I've been meaning to get a hold of a flat iron for myself, and you may remember that I was supposed to receive one to review from a company but never received it and never received a reply to the e-mail I sent inquiring on the status or shipment of the package. No, I'm not bitter or angry but I won't generate traffic for them by mentioning the name of the site.

Thinking I was going to get one made me want one even more but flat irons are expensive! I am shortly going to be cutting off the majority of my hair to donate it and I know that styling is going to take a bit more effort after the big cut.

But today in Beauty First there were several flat irons on clearance, some 50% and there was one 75%. Now I'm not sure how much I like the design as I don't tend to be enamored by all things Ed Hardy. But a decent quality flat iron for 75% off - well let's just say it came home with me.

It's the Ed Hardy 10,000 Professional Tourmaline Styling Iron, Geisha, 1-Inch and the cheapest I could find it online was $60 and for $26.50 it came home with me!

It's definitely worth taking a peek if you have one of these stores nearby to see their clearance sales! I picked up a few other things but I had to get the post up about my iron tonight!

Expose On My Hair Part Deux

I'm sure you all remember the post I did on the state of my poor locks. I mean, sometimes they are nice, sometimes they are a pain in the butt. Like today, it rained, so I have a little helmet of frizz on top of my pony tail, lovely.

Anyway, the kind folks over at Hair Products Pro have offered to send me a flat iron to review and I have to say, I'm excited as it will be the first flat iron I've ever tried (they say it's the best flat iron? But I'm clueless) owned or used. But I'm also a little hesitant. I've never used a flat iron before. I don't want to literally iron my hair like my mother did in the 60s (yes, she admits, she stood over an ironing board with a hand towel and ironed her hair! And it was waist length!). I want to make sure I don't burn it off or anything. I know a heat protectant is key and I hope I don't have an amusing story about how I singed my scalp when I do.

Any funny or really painful hair styling stories you want to share? I promise I will be nice and won't laugh too loud? Maybe, possibly...

Disclosure: This post is sponsored. All thoughts, opinions, scary hair stories are my own. No money changed hands. A flat iron is in the process of changing hands. No hands were harmed in the making of this post.

Pretty Random Hair

Today my hair was feeling a little like dry wool (I've been shampooing everyday testing out a haircare line), you know those scouring pads you get to really clean your (not non-stick) pots and pans? Yup, scratchy, wool like, Goldwell Conditioning Spray to the rescue. This is stuff I love but I'm scared to use cause it's limited edition and I never did find it at my neighborhood ULTA. I just used about 1/5 of the bottle, I'm going to apply some more, because my hair seems to love this stuff, it's now much softer, but still kind of scary. Anyway, I showed everyone following me on twitter (which if you aren't yet you should), but I thought maybe some of you would be amused to see my coiffure again? If not, ignore me.

A remarkably striking resemblance to Cousin It if he got a perm, am I right (in the 2nd picture, my face is somewhere in the middle of the mass of hair)? =)


Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.