Garnier Fructis Pure Volume Dry Shampoo

 Being a girl is a lot of work, so is having long hair. Where I once shampooed every day, I now stretch it to every other day out of sheer laziness & the fact that it's supposed to actually be better for your hair. The dry shampoo phenomonon makes me feel a bit like Goldilocks- most are way too powdery white versus translucent & leave my hair looking like a brown & white tabby cat.  Never the less, seeing how my favorite one by Oribe is over $30- the search continues for what I call a cheap & cheerful version! In my quest, I recently picked up Garnier's Pure Volume Dry Shampoo at the drugstore.

The spray aerosol smells like Watermelon bubble gum, not in a bad way- just fruity. The issue lies a bit with it leaving my brunette locks looking a little like those of Cruella De Ville. With dry shampoos, I tend to apply several sprays throughout my scalp to refresh it & add volume.  Though  the powder in this (& most dry shampoos) leaves my brown hair looking rather ashy. I definitely feel this product would be a no brainer for those with light colored hair. For those of us with dark hair, it's still a good value- though my search continues. What I do with the Garnier Pure Volume Dry Shampoo, is use the spray before bedtime on the nights when I'm not washing my hair & massage it into my scalp. That way, while I sleep the powder has a chance to absorb oil & not look so white against my dark hair in the morning.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Oh Honey

I do a hair mask every Sunday. It's my routine & just as with skincare I tell my clients whatever their regimen is, be consistent.  When it comes to my hair, I try & nourish it because- well it's not as young as it used to be. Yes, hair ages. Styling & pulling it back in ponytails for work has caused more damage than I'd like to admit.  This Honey I'm Strong hair mask from Herbal Essences has been rocking my world, as of late.

Alright so it kind of looks like banana pudding in an odd way.  I also am particular about 'honey' scented things. You work in a salon long enough that uses honey almond scented products in their pedicures & you associate that smell with feet, but I digress.  The scent is mild & fresh & the mask glides on the hair. I've been combing it through in the shower & leaving it on while I shave my legs. So did I mention the detangling?!? Tangles are my biggest struggle with long hair & what I feel leads to more breakage for me when combing or brushing my hair. This mask detangles & smooths your hair like a dream. There's even the added benefit that the mask is supposed to strengthen your hair.  Herbal Essences is a line that I call cheap & cheerful- with this mask you get a ton of great product, at a great price.  So Honey I suggest you go out & get some!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo

I recently read an article on Rosie Pope's {of Pregnant in Heels fame) hair routine- I believe it was in Lucky or InStyle Magazine, but don't quote me on that.  In it she said that she relied on Paul Mitchell's  Tea Tree Special Shampoo (+ some Shampowder dry shampoo) to make her blow outs last a full week!  First off that's bordering on or just about arrived at gross, Rosie.  My hair would have a shellac like appearance if I ever went that long without shampooing, it's so oily. Nevertheless I picked up a bottle to see what freedom it could give me. It's main ingredient, Tea Tree Oil, has been used for centuries to calm, purify & balance the skin. It's often found in all natural acne products & is very popular in Australia. The shampoo itself smells bracingly, in a good wake-you-up-kind-of-way, of mint. When it's on your scalp, dare I say I get the sensation of how a York Peppermint Patty might feel- it's deliciously cool & tingly.  So a full week of not having to wash my hair again? Not for this girl, but I could easily skip a day, which is saying something. For those with normal to dry hair- I would say 2 or 3 days of freedom. Worth noting, this shampoo is also safe for colored hair & treats dandruff! It's a winner.

Peace. Love.Lipgloss. M

Kerastase

My hair & I have a contentious relationship. Don't get me wrong- I actually love my natural hair color & it's healthy. But we both kind of do our own things. Often I swipe my glorious GHD straight iron through it to make it succumb to my will & look a little bit more polished. While skin & make-up are my area of expertise, hair is not. Enter Erin Vajda, owner of Fraiche Studio. Erin is one of those super cute {read annoyingly so} always perfectly coiffed girls. Even on her days off, her hair looks perfectly tousled, in the 'I'm not even trying to do this with my hair' way. Yup, I would want to beat her- if she wasn't so awesome.

So Erin put the fear of God in me recently. Not so much with guilt, but more of a "That's fine. I don't care if you strip the cuticles of your hair & have a frizzy mess- it's not my hair" sort of nonchalant comment. Turns out when I don't put a protective coating on my hair before passing the 400 degree iron over it, I'm roughing up my hair strands & creating a never ending cycle since I'll then always need the straight iron to smooth back down the damage. She introduced me to Kerastase's new Fibre Architecte Serum. Though the line is well known, I've often found it confusing & never knew what was right for me.

The serum was the perfect texture, not overly greasy for my somewhat oily hair. You apply it on dry hair. It smells like Heaven. Or a vacation. Or a heavenly vacation. It's a very clean scent, with some exotic citrus. The product made my hair super cooperative & sleek. It also was free from pony tails 'kinks' the next day- which it never is! It's an investment at $42, but in my cabinet full of hair potions that never deliver- I will reach for this one again & again!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M