Must have hairstyling products

A couple of days ago I posted my must have products for washing my hair. Today I am going to go through the products I must use to style my hair to get the restults I want for a sleek look. I will also let you know my fave texture product for big hair days.

First thing I do after I take the towel off my hair is use a spray on conditioner. The one I love is Matrix biolage hydra source leave in tonic because it is thicker then most spray on conditioners and adds lots of slip for when I comb out my hair. After I comb though my hair I then add Pantene's silky moisture whip, it dispenses like a mousse but only adds moisture and heat protection to the hair. I use this from mid shaft to ends to further soften and protect my hair. Next I add my Ion heat protection spray, this is a straightening iron protection spray and it is easy to overdo it with this spray but for me it adds a lot of sleekness so I use it at each step in the heat styling process. I then blow dry my hair, add a little more of my ion spray and straighten my locks as well. My final step is a little serum, and my fave of the moment is Tresseme keratin smooth smoothing serum.

If my hair starts to puff up due to humidity I add a dry oil spray and my fave of the moment is Garnier triple nutrition miraculous oil-in-spray. The only other product I alway have is my Garnier texture texture tease. This is a great product for adding volume at the root of your hair. It is also great for adding volume to curls and creating a slept in kinda look.

What are you must have hair styling products???? I would love for you to share in the comments below!!!

Must have hair products

UI am asked all the time what my must have hair products are. I have coarse curly hair which I heat style and colour treat quite often. This means hair that is dry and prone to damage. If I don't care for my hair it tends to be a dry frizzy mess so over the years I have tried almost everything!!

In this post I am going to focus on products I use to pretreat and wash my hair. Later this week we will focus on products I use after my hair is washed to further treat and style my hair. Now I know that my treatments may be too heavy for some but if you have hair like mine you will know my battle!

At least once a week a treat my hair with coconut oil. I melt the oil and dip. My hair into it soaking it thuroughly. Often I will then massage oil into my roots as well. I cover my hair with a shower cap and then cover that with a beanie to seal in the heat my head gives off. depending on the time I have this will sit on my hair for between 2-24 hours. 

My fave shampoo is Garnier citrus mint. It really cleanses my hair without over stripping. I only need to wash my hair twice a week so I don't worry about overstripping. I the. Rinse and towel try my hair. Next is conditioning which again I take my time with since I don't need to wash my hair everyday. 

My fave conditioner is Loreal........ It really does an amazing job for me at softening without weighing down. Once every couple of weeks I also add a minimal amount of semi permanent purple colour to my conditioner to tone my blonde stands. This also fills the hair cuticle further softening my hair. Again I apply my conditioner and cover with a shower cap allowing it to sit for anywhere from 1-3 hours. I then rinse and I am ready for styling.

I also do protein treatments on my hair approx every six weeks. You can find a detailed post about that her on my blog.

Please check in later this week where I will detail the products I use when styling my hair to protect it from heat and keep it soft to the touch.

What are your fave products to use for washing and conditioning your hair?

Hair lamination... A DIY

Just like many of you I am always searching searching for a great treatment for my hair! As usual Pinterest saved the day and I found hair lamination. 

This is a treatment that can be done in a salon but there is also a great DIY option using gelatin. 

This treatment is a temporary way to make your hair feeling healthier and fuller. It basically coats the hair while adding a little protein to your strands. Using a clarifying shampoo will remove it completely as will several normal washes. To increase the length of time your treatment lasts try adding a packet of gelatin to your regular shampoo to add softness, volume and texture. 

So how do we do this process?

1) mix 1 tablespoon of gelatin with 3 tablespoons of warm water, stir and cover.

2) while gelatin dissolves wash your hair. I clarified mine to remove build up. Also use minimal conditioner if you need for manageability.

3) now uncover the gelatin mixture and add a tablespoon of your fave hair mask. Once mixed if your concoction is too thick (think slime) then add a spoonful of warm water at a time and stir until your mixture is a thick hair mask constancy.

4) now add mixture to your hair avoiding the inch closest to your scalp.

5) cover with a shower cap and add heat for 10 min. At this point I covered the whole thing with a beanie. 

6) let sit for one hour then wash with warm water and style as usual.

So how did it work? I really felt extra softness  and manageability after I used the treatment. I normally use a lot of product in my hair for added softeness. After the treatment I decided to use minimal product so I could really see what the gelatin did. I have included a pic but it really doesn't capture how soft my hair felt.

I will definitely do this treatmnet again. Most articles say that even though it washes out, doing the treatment once a week for a month will give cumulative benefits due to the proteins etc in gelatin.

 Check back in during the coming weeks and I will let you know if I see increased benefits!

ApHogee two-step protein treatment... Does it work???

I am asked a lot about the different treatments I use on my hair. A few times a week I use my coconut oil treatment. The next big one is the ApHogee Two-step protein treatment every 6 weeks! 

I colour treat my hair as well as heat style which is not great for my coarse dry hair. Is treatment puts protein back into my hair filling the pores and giving more strength. Protein is a tricky thing, a little is great and too much can be very drying. This is why this treatmnet happens every 6 weeks along with usual colour treatment. 

The directions on the packaging are pretty good but I will explain exactly how I do it.

1) Wash your hair using a clarifying shampoo to remove also residue and buildup.

2) Next towel dry as much as you can.

3) Wearing gloves (because it can sting on cuts) apply generous amounts of the protein treatment to the hair. Assuring it is completely saturated. The product is thin so I suggest putting some into your hands and adding to hair.

4) Next using a blow dryer gently dry hair completely without agitating. You hair will become extremely hard and this is what you want. Do not comb etc so you do not cause damage.

5) Once completely dry wash out product completely and add you fave hair mask.

6) Rinse and style as usual.

This product really does improve texture and strength in the hair! It undoes some of the torture we put our hair through and is a great item if you are trying to grow out your hair. I am so glad I started using it and my hair is happy too!

Bleach shampooing... How to!

I love to add fun colours to my hair!!! I change it up all the time very seldom worrying about the damage caused when I want to remove the colour. 

When I found out about bleach shampooing my life changed when it comes to damage!

I will say that I only need to shampoo bleach once every 6-8 weeks. If you do more then that, damage will be more severe but it will still be. Unchanged less significant then straight beaching each time you want to change your hair colour.

What you will need... Clear shampoo, bleach powder, developer, coconut oil and a hair mask.

1) My first step is to soak my hair with coconut oil... Usually for hours before I move forward with the other steps. This really limits the damage to my hair by filling the pores of my hair and limiting damage. (Let's me real I still get damage but not as much) Coconut oil not shown as mine was gone.

2) Next I mix 2 ounces of shampoo, 1 ounce of 20 vol developer and 1 ounce of bleach (blue tinted is best)

3) The third step is to add the concoction to your hair being sure any areas where you need colour removed are soaked well. Once you feel evenly coated bundle your hair on your head and cover with a shower cap to trap in heat therefore moving the process along quicker. 

Now most articles state no longer then 20 minutes... Use this as a guideline but check often to see how things are moving along.

Once results are achieved wash out the shampoo and deep condition. You may choose to tone or wait for another time. 

For me this process also lightens my roots as much as I need so it's an all In onene step for me.

If you have tried this process what did you think?? If not do you think you will give it a try?

KQC X-Heat Straightening Iron

I have curly hair which I straighten most of the time! I have tried several straightening irons in the past with mixed results and began to think I had to go to salon to get the results I wanted! So when flatironexperts.com asked me if I wanted to try the KQC X-Heat I jumped at the chance to try something new!

I was so excited when the box arrived because it meant that I could but my old Babyliss away to try something new. I will admit I didn't have a lot of hope because I figured that I simply wasn't capable of giving my hair salon results, I am so happy to say that I am wrong!

First of all I loved how quickly this iron heated up to a whopping 410 degree's! Something that a curly haired gal like me needs to get results! I also loved that it wasn't just a button to push for off and on but a switch with a bright light to say it was on. In the past I have left other iron's on thinking I had turned them off due to a very dim light which was hard to see and a push button that sometimes didn't work as it should!

Next this iron did NOT pull at the hair at all! It was smooth and easy to use without any tugging or snagging! This is something that has always bothered me about other irons... beauty shouldn't hurt like that!! haha

Now what you really want to know... does it work??? Well just look at my hairs normal texture and the after results!!! Results may I add that lasted for 3 days (because I really wanted to test this iron out) without needing anything touched up other then my bangs! That is unheard of for me and I was so impressed!

If you would like to learn more about this iron.. you know all the technical things such as negative ions and Far Infrared (FIR) rays; which must work because I'm in love with the results!! Please check out the KQC at Flat Iron Experts! This iron also qualifies for free shipping which is a nice bonus!

Fructis Style SLEEK & SHINE BLOW DRY PERFECTOR

I saw this in the store the other day and was very intrigued! As a lot of you know I have naturally curly hair which I often straighten! This time of year fighting humidity is one of the worst things so I often just opt for wearing my hair up so I don't have to deal with it.

Garnier's Blow Dry Perfector is a new product that claims to;
. Tame frizz
. Keep hair smooth and shiny
. Provide easier, faster blow dries
. Last 7 shampoos

This type of product has been around for a while in beauty outlets and salons, but it is new to see them available by brands in big box stores etc. I have yet to try this product but I am really tempted especially as I grabbed a $2 off coupon that I saw in store.

The steps seem easy enough;

Step 1: Comb the 20-minute Smooth-It Serum through shampooed, towel-dried hair. It is formulated with protein building blocks, found naturally in hair, to smooth and tame unmanageable hair. Wait 20 minutes. Rinse hair thoroughly with warm water.
Step 2: Apply Heat-Activated Perfect-It Cream, with natural rice oil, to seal in lasting smoothness and conditioning, and to create a weightless, humidity-resistant barrier to frizz.

Blow dry or flat iron as you normally would to reveal sleek, shiny, more manageable hair for up to 7 shampoos!

Do you think you would want to give this product a try?? Do you think that products such as these really make a difference??

Why do I Crave Change???

It's that time of year when I crave a new hair do! I have been trying to grow out my hair because I know with a newborn it will be so much easier and there will be so many options for up do's etc. Then this little voice starts reminding me how much I love my hair when it is shorter and how much fun it can be.

I came across a couple of photo's that inspired me and I wanted to share them with you! Anyone else have this need to change their hair?? Dramatic changes are a craving that I have, but that I don't give into like I used to at one time but the urge is still there!!

Resurgence in Semi Permanent Colour

For a little while the semi permanent landscape looked bleak. L'Oreal had phased out Color Spa, and options were becoming limited for ladies who wanted a semi permanent no ammonia option to colouring their hair.

Well in recent weeks that has all changed with L'Oreal launching their new Healthy Look Creme Gloss Color ( is that a mouthful or what ), and Garnier adding HerbaShine to their colour lineup. We cannot forget Natural Instincts from Clairol as well which has been the only staple option for semi permanent colour in the drugstore market.

Semi permanent is a great option for women who do not want to deal with worrying about roots( lasts for approx. 28 shampoos ), as well as women who for various possible reasons want to avoid colour with ammonia (many pregnant woman choose this option). Now semi permanent will not drastically change your hair colour, nor will it 100% cover grey hair, but it will give your hair colour an all over lift and give those gray's enough colour to create more of a highlighted effect to the hair.

If you are a women who loves semi permanent colour your options just became better so be sure to check out these products next time you are out in stores!

Conditioner Wash Only... Does it Work???

Recently I have been looking for new ways to condition and treat my hair. I was drawn in when I heard that Leesha (xsparkage from youtube) had tried Wen Cleansing Conditioner and was loving the results. I immediately checked out the site and was taken back by the cost of the product! I started researching other methods and found a similar product at Sally's, only to find out it is not available in Canada! My search started again and I was pleased to find a method where you can use normal conditioner to get similar results.

First I learned not to use treatment conditioners as they are too heavy and till not achieve what you want. I turned to my Tresemme conditioner for curly hair as I had it on hand and it had a pump ( something that you will want for ease of use when co-washing!). I actually used my conditioner as directed in the WEN infomercial so I had a clear guide I could watch. I soaked my hair thoroughly, then started by using approx. 6 pumps on individual sections of my scalp until coated! That's right... unlike normal conditioning where you avoid the scalp with co-washing you must coat the scalp so that the conditioner can wash and remove excessive oil from that area. I then added additional conditioner to the ends until coated. This method takes A LOT of product, but if you don't it WILL NOT work! I then combed the conditioner through and let it sit for 10 min ( also note you will not get a foam as you do with shampoo so don't be surprised). I then rinsed thoroughly and ended with adding a little conditioner as a leave in to soaking wet hair. (For this step I used a different conditioner, it was the one I get with my hair colour.)

For the first week I also avoided heat styling, just for the sake of my poor hair that gets tortured often!! LOL I could not believe how soft my hair was, even after only one time co-washing! Usually when I let my hair dry on it's own it feels dry, but my hair felt soft to the touch for the first time in a long time. My hair was not weighed down and felt as clean as it normally would with a shampoo wash!

I do find that I need to use a little shampoo on my roots once a week simply because they tend to be oily, but shampoo hasn't touched the ends of my hair in a few weeks now and I am loving the results!

There are a hundred and one youtube video's and blog posts on how to achieve a shampoo free life. I had to filter through a lot and do some trial and error before I found what works for me. So if my method doesn't work out the first time you try, make some alterations and try again! For me it is totally worth the results!

Argan Oil for Your Hair

Argan oil is the newest miracle ingredient in many beauty products currently. It is in everything from hair care to skin care to cosmetics, it seems every new product is starting to include this ingredient... but what is Argan oil??

Wikipedia states the following 'Argan oil is an oil produced from the kernels of the endemic argan tree, that is valued for its nutritive, cosmetic and numerous medicinal properties. The tree, a relict species from the Tertiary age, is extremely well adapted to drought and other environmentally difficult conditions of southwestern Morocco. The species Argania once covered North Africa and is now endangered and under protection of UNESCO. Argan oil remains one of the rarest oils in the world due the small and very specific growing area'.

For use in skin care well chemically speaking argan oil consists of a blend of fatty acids (over 70% oleic and linoleic acids.) It is also rich in vitamin E, phenols, and carotene. The only downside to using argan oil in cosmetics, is the fact that it contains a lot of oleic acid which is highly comedogenic. So while it may be good for oily skin and psoriasis, it could clog pores and cause inflammatory acne.

When it comes to use in hair the claim is that Moroccan (or Argan) oil has the unique quality of instant absorption into hair, creating an instant shine without leaving an oily residue. Moroccan oil products contains a special, ultra light, non-greasy formula that seals in shine producing silky perfection for all hair types.

Now that all that has been said I can move on to my thoughts on Argan oil for the hair. I recently purchased a sample or Argan oil from my local Sally's store, as I am always looking for something to aid in softening my dry coarse and curly hair. Most oils do soften but leave your hair heavy and greasy way before it's time. This CANNOT be said for Argan oil, I used this product and was left with very soft hair without the weight I normally feel from other oils. I found for me it was best used after my hair was dry as when it was wet I found it difficult to properly place the product where I needed it. As well I had to adjust the rest of my routine as I normally add a lot of products to get my hair as soft as I like and the first time I used Argan I ended up with an oil slick for hair because I added to much product all around. I have it a second chance and finally got it right with amazing results. Soft hair without weight or greasiness.

This product isn't cheap as the oil is very rare and us currently very sought after. But as I said a little foes a LONG way so taking that into account $12 CAD for 3.4 oz really isn't that bad!

If you are looking for a great product to keep your hair soft without the weight give this one a try!!

Nice and Easy VS Nutrisse

Ok I'll admit it my blonde isn't exactly natural, well I guess it is compared to the bright reds I used to colour my hair but I digress! I have been a bottle blonde for about 2 1/2 years now, and I think I've finally gotten the hang of how to get the natural red tones out of my hair to leave it a nice beige blonde. The purpose of this post is to compare my fave companies for blonde colours, Nice and Easy by Clairol and Nutrisse by Garnier. If some of you want to know my faves for red let me know and I may do a post on that at a future time.

I'll start with Nice and Easy, probably my absolute favorite due so it's multi tonal colouring. This means that it gives dimension, especially if you have any gray! I love the way Clairol gives you directions on the box about what warm and cool means etc. It really helps if you are a beginner in making better colour choices! My colour is light ash blonde, it takes away from the red tones in my hair (which personally I don't like seeing when I am blonde) and leaves me with a great cool colour! (I'm thinking of adding orange to my hair soon so back will be the red...I'll save that for a later post!! LOL)

Nutrisse came out with a new line of blondes this year which is when I started using them. Before this I really didn't like their selection, now the colour white chocolate is one of my go to's! They also have a selection of bleaches with varying strength and a new highlighting kit as part of the collection. This line is great when you really want your hair to be more of a solid colour with little highlights! I use this one now and then instead of my Nice and Easy when I feel my colour is a little uneven or just to change up the tones in my hair. Now I do find these colours turn yellow a little quicker then Clairol but it's nothing a great purple shampoo can't fix!

Well those are my two favorites! Nice and Easy is the one I use most, but Garnier's offering is one of the better and gentle on the hair products that I have seen added to the market in a while! Hair colour is always a process and when going blonde sometimes it is best to seek professional advice but if you are an adventurer or an experienced boxed blonde, give these a try!

Some Really Great Deals!

I usually try to keep this blog all about current product reviews and such but today I just wanted to share a great buy I made recently with all of you. I don't usually shop at Winner's...mostly because I am not a bargain hunter and always seemed to get lost in the sheer amount of things to choose from in that store. I do however love purses so once and a while I venture in and only go to that section of the store. This time something caught my eye in the beauty section and drew me in.

It was the cutest mini straightening iron with a tattoo print on it. I don't know why I had to have it but I couldn't help myself. I was so sad when the protective case was missing but then was happy again when I was offered $3 off the already low price of $26. Now I really did think that this iron would be useless and not get hot, even though it stated that it got to 410 degree's but I still had to have it. This thing gets hot, I mean hot enough to straighten this girls curly hair!! Now the straightener itself get s little hot as well at the tips, but I'm not surprised when you take into account it's size and how hot it gets. It's so small that I can give enough pressure to straighten without touching the tips. Yeah so it really was a good buy!

While I was there I found a few other gems, CHI Infra Treatment for only $10 and a great Urban Decay glitter set for $7. There were so many other things to choose from but I held myself back as I was only there to get a purse not buy the beauty section of the store. I really never noticed that section of the store before and couldn't believe what they had to offer!.

I will definitely be going to back soon on a hunting trip for some more great product!!

L'Oreal's Everpure Leave-in Conditioner

I recently purchased L'Oreal's everpure leave in conditioner in an attempt to protect my hair with it's sulfate free formula. L'Oreal claims that this formula is more gentle on coloured hair and leaves it smelling fresh with it's rosemary and mint fragrance. I have curly and usually dry hair both due to texture and my constant hair lightening.

I wish I could say I loved this product but although I found the scent refreshing the conditioner itself did not leave my my hair feeling any softer. In fact my hair felt straw like after being dried and styled.

I have read several positive reviews on this line of products and post positive reviews came from people who had fine to medium textured hair which was either straight or with a wave. Maybe this product just wasn't meant for us curly haired girls as many products just aren't strong enough to tame our tresses.

Moisture Leave-In Conditioner

Garnier Product I Wouldn't Be Without!!

I have curly hair and have tried many of the products on the market. When working for Garnier earlier this year it was suggested that I try the anti frizz serum from the sleek and shine collection. I LOVE this product as it makes my hair much easier to manage whether I style m hair straight or leave it natural. Even in the humid weather my hair doesn't fight me as it has in the past. It is even gentle enough for me to use throughout the day as a touch up on my dry hair.

This product doesn't weigh my hair down mike many other sleeking products on the market so if you have dry hair and don't wash it every day you don't have to worry about greasy or lifeless hair on day 2.

I have spoken to several women with different textures of hair that love this product so it's not just for us curly haired gals!

The price point is even better often being on rollback at a certain big "W" for around $3! The bottle isn't as big as some others but is very comparable when you consider the price. Saying that some salon brands or more then four times the price for a smaller amount of product

If you ever have unruly hair, especially in the humid summer give this one a try! At $3 if you don't like it you haven't broken the bank!!