Less is More

Today, I took some time to wander around town, read by the dock, and revisit some shops I have not been in in quite some time. A worker in one of these complimented me on my hair and this gave way to a lengthy conversation about hair care. She asked me what I did and I told her, "I shampoo every three days, deep condition at least once a week, and I use as little and as few products as possible." I want to stress this last point.

The more product on our hair, the more weigh down and lifelessness. The more we pull and prod our hair with styling, the more frizz and loss of control. Here is what I suggest: on damp hair, spray on leave-in conditioner or vitamin spray all over your head (be sure to have the nozzle about eight inches away from your head to avoid excess concentration), deposit a dime to nickel sized drop of frizz fighter to your palms and rub together, add in your styling cream or gel and rub again, swipe through your hair with open palms and spread fingers (start in the under layers and move to the canopy), and end with a light scrunch or shake. Now, leave it alone.

Three products (at most!) is all I use in any one day and my hands stay away from my damp locks. The result ends in spiral ringlets and a golden sheen... and compliments. :-)

Products I recommend for this:
-Hair Rules Curly Whip creme
-Giovanni Frizz Be Gone
-Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly gel
-Bumble and Bumble Defining Creme
-Bumble and Bumble Tonic Spray
-Alterna Hemp with Organics Spray Leave-in Conditioner with Color Hold
-AG Conditioning Mist

A Question Remains

So, I usually appreciate and adhere to about 99% of what NaturallyCurly.com says, but I took a little issue with something. In their article, "5 Tips to Heal Dry Hair," they recommended that you sleep with your hair loose. You really should not (especially you curly headed people out there). Tossing and turning causes cuticle breakage and can exacerbate frizz and bad hair days. Only sleep with your hair loose if you have a satin pillow case (by the way, I highly recommend satin sheets--incredibly comfortable!). More often than not, I will either braid my locks or twist up into a high, and loose, bun. When I use the bun technique, my hair looks great and bouncy. When I braid it, I get a nice mermaid-hippie wave.

So, please, protect your hair. If you are able to, tie it back at night. If your hair is too short to tie, I recommend using some Bumble and Bumble Tonic Spray or John Frieda's Frizz-Ease Creme Serum: Overnight Repair Formula. The latter is best for those of you who shower in the morning.

Sleep well and dream of great hair days!

How Do I Look?

So, I have been thinking a lot about how we fight our hair. I used to chemically straighten my hair until it was dead. Then, I let her go. I get a lot more compliments on my hair now that she is her natural shape and is healthy. But, what is right for me is not right for you.

Yes, you really shouldn't blow dry or straighten your hair. But! There are hair-friendly salon techniques and treatments if you want to go that route. If you prefer your wavy or curly locks straightened and that is what looks best on you, walk away from the hot tools and invest in a Brazilian blowout. The Brazilian blowout avoids harsh chemicals and contains proteins and anti-oxidants in its treatment. The results can last for about three months and will leave your hair smooth, healthy, and voluminous. This new treatment has an enormous fan base and, having seen the after shots, I can see why. So, if you want to control your hair, this will be a healthier (albeit a bit more expensive) thing to do.

Again, look at your face and think about what hair looks best on you before you decide. When in doubt, ask your friends and family; they tend to be honest.

HerCut Products

I recently got my hair shaped. We had the usual drill of cleaning up the ends, but I specifically asked my stylist, my friend, to give my long, long hair more oomph. (My curls look great in the morning but droop throughout the day and this bothers me.) So, she brilliantly shaped the ends and carved oodles and oodles of layers into the rest. My hair has more oomph now, even without product. Mission: Accomplished.

Ok, that is the introduction story to this posting. There is a new line of products available through Sephora, called HerCut. HerCut is a line that is meant to play up and emphasize the positive and sexy aspects of different hairstyles, from pixie to blunt to long layers. It works best with heat, so even I would need to blast my hair with a diffuser... briefly.

HerCut is groundbreaking for the styling world because it is not about hair type; it's about hair shape. Genius.

Gentle Reminder

The sun is out and spring is melding into summer... and I am getting some color.

Makeup wearers out there, I want to remind you all to change your foundation in the summer. Use a shade or two up if you tan and use light coverage, such as powder or Neutrogena's Sheer Cover. Heavy makeup can melt off in the summer humidity.

I changed my foundation from Fairly Light to Light. Have you upped the ante? :-)

Mix 'n' Match

While many of us are devoted to one single product line (like me and Bioelements), it is more realistic to mix and match.

I use Bumble and Bumble shampoo, conditioner, and tonic and I have their defining cream but... It is nice and gives me soft waves... that straighten as the day goes on. Then, I break out the Redken Ringlet 07 and a transformation occurs: Waves go to ringlets and it is still a touchable soft hold.

So, today's lesson is: one product line isn't always right for you. Experiment, use trial and error, and utilize free samples!

A Trick of Mine

My hair can get really, really golden in the summer and I have mixed feelings about this, particularly when the sun's sky time lessens and the grow out is significantly darker.

My newest trick is to color my hair darker by (up to) two shades in order to ease the bleaching effect, particularly because I cannot afford bi-monthly colorings... By going darker, the "sunstreaks" you get will be more like your natural color and make the fall-winter grown out more blended.

Please, note: your roots will always be darker than your natural color because the hair follicle has just been born. Use the shade of your hair about half an inch to an inch from your scalp for an accurate gauge.

Tweet Tweet

I have joined Twitter. The username is inlovewproducts. I am new to this so be gentle. :-)

Daytime Soap

I rarely use soap. I am a body wash girl, especially philosophy's Pumpkin Spice Muffin and Carol's Daughter's Ocean or Almond Cookie. But, I still have soap in my shower for the smaller shave jobs or just a super-quick clean. When it comes to soap, go big or go home.

Low quality soaps will leave behind soap scum due to the chemicals in them and will, therefore, dry out your skin. I am fairly exclusive in my soap: Arcana Soaps. These are high quality with essential oils and scents to die for. They are available for purchase from www.buyolympia.com, www.magicalomaha.com, www.thesoapboxco.com, and www.scentaddict.com and run between $6 and $7 a bar. (The bars are square and can last for months!)

The scents I adore are:
-Sleepy Hollow: a spicy, pumpkin-y fall blend with cinnamon (Obviously, my favorite)
-Swashbuckler: with coconut milk and spices and a hint of Australian black clay (Beware! The clay can leave black streaks on your shower walls!)
-Mutiny: a perfect blend of patchouli and sea salt with Indian spices (I just want to stand and smell this one)
-Filthy Viking: a "wake me up" soap with juniper and mint (Fun fact: Vikings actually did have excellent hygiene; some of the best in the European world... after the Romans.)
-Romani Princess: a chic-ancient mix of Shea butter, coconut milk, and exfoliating poppy seeds (The seeds can take some time to get used to.)
-Vampire's Garden: a sultry mix of red clay and almond oil (I LOVE almond oil; it is the ultimate moisturizer!)

Ok, I love just about all of the soaps. I am a spicy scent or watery scent girl, but Arcana does carry fruit and flower scents as well. The retailers are few and far between so order them online and the scent summaries you see will not lead you astray!