How's My Hair?

Basic Hair Care Tips: Do This, Don't Do That

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Sat, 3 Mar 2018 09:14:00 -0600

Hi Ladies! I thought I would just do a really quick basic hair care tips post for you today. I know when I was first researching how to properly care for my hair a lot of the information I was looking for was all over the place, and I also read some conflicting information. So let's get to it...

Don't use a bath towel on your hair. Bath towels are made of terry cloth, which you can see when you look at it, has loops and a generally rougher surface. All of that texture on your towel is just awful for your hair. Your hair cuticle is basically like a roof; layers overlap layers, and the cuticle is delicate. All those loops on your bath towel "catch" on your hair cuticles and rough them up and damage them. I highly recommend using flour sack towels or an old soft t-shirt, which both have very smooth surfaces and are much more gentle on your hair.

Don't wash your hair daily. This is a huge one, and is hard to manage for some of us, believe me I know. When I wear my hair natural, i.e. curly, I cannot, no matter what I do, get decent second day hair. So I basically just have to pull it into a messy bun, it's literally my only option. Washing your hair too frequently is just awful for your hair, it's drying, it strips hair of protein and moisture. The less often you can wash your hair, the healthier it will be, and the longer it will grow.

Use your heating tools on the lowest setting you can. The more heat you use on your hair, the more damaging it is. You're essentially baking your hair every time you use your curling iron or flat iron, so turn down the heat as low as you can. All that high heat use on your hair dries your hair out, makes your hair strands brittle which in turn makes your hair more prone to breakage. High heat styling tools can also literally melt your hair off, I know we've all seen the video on YouTube of the girl accidentally melting off a chunk of hair. Don't be that girl.

Don't overdo it with the hair color changes. I am personally guilty of this offense, I used to change my hair color monthly. It's really hard on your hair, and just leads to more problems. The more damaged your hair becomes from all the dye jobs, the more difficult it is to get it to "hold" a color. When you dye your hair, the dye molecules basically insert themselves under your hair cuticle. Remember our roof analogy? Well imagine under each roof shingle, dye molecules are pushed under there. The more you damage your hair with dye and heat and all the things we put our hair through, the more shingles start breaking off. Well if you're missing roof shingles, the dye molecules aren't being held in place, and that gorgeous chocolate brown hair you wanted just washes away. This is especially a problem with red hair dye, as red has the largest color molecule. So ladies pick a hue and stick with it for a while.

What's your biggest piece of advise on properly caring for your hair???

Review: Monat Renew Shampoo

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 09:10:00 -0500

It's time for another product review! Today I'm going to be reviewing Monat Renew Shampoo. Renew Shampoo is part of the Monat moisturizing line.

First things first, when you use Monat Shampoo, you essentially need to relearn how to wash your hair. These products are highly concentrated, and contain ingredients to remove buildup from your scalp, and ingredients to promote new healthy hair growth. With all of the Monat Shampoo's, you use a tiny amount, between a dime and a nickel sized amount, and wash your hair. Now most of the time, the first shampoo will not lather, this is totally normal and to be expected so don't fret. Now leave the shampoo in your hair for 2-3 minutes. Rinse it out and repeat the process; tiny amount, scrub a dub dub, let it sit for 2-3 minutes and rinse. The second shampoo should lather like crazy. Once your done with the second cleansing, you can move along to conditioning.

Okay now that we've got the how to use business outta the way, lets get on to the actual review. I use Monat Renew Shampoo every single time I wash my hair. I love it! I will admit the first time I used it, I was skeptical because #1 it didn't lather the first wash and #2 I'm just skeptical by nature, especially of any product making amazing claims. But I was pleasantly surprised when after shampooing my hair 2 times, it felt really good. My hair didn't feel stripped or dry and gross, it felt really good, and soft., and this was before I had even conditioned. I'm not usually a shampoo gal, since I have naturally curly, dry hair, but Renew makes my hair look great. I have body now, and my hair is ridiculously shiny, and crazy soft. Like my hair has never been this soft, ever.

For all my scent sensitive ladies, Monat Renew Shampoo has a very faint fragrance, so it shouldn't be bothersome to anyone.

Monat Says No To:

Phthalates
PEG
DEA/MEA
Sulfates
Parabens
Harsh salt systems
Harmful colors
Harmful fragrances

You can order Monat Renew Shampoo HERE.

Becoming a Monat Market Partner During October...

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 08:52:00 -0500

Now is a great time to sign up as a Monat Market Partner if it's something you've been thinking about. Throughout the month of October all new Market Partners who purchase a product pack will receive a Glam Pack as well. What does that mean? Well you will receive $656 worth of products for $299 if you purchase the cheapest product pack. That's a huge savings! The Glam Pack includes; the Champ Dry Shampoo, Rejuvabeads, Refinish Control Hairspray, and Blow Out Cream.

What does it mean to be a Monat Market Partner? Well it means you will receive a 30% discount off of retail for any products you purchase, and if you decide to sell Monat to other people you can receive up to a 30% commission on their purchase. There are no minimum order requirements to be a Monat Market Partner, no quota's you have to hit, you simply sign up, purchase a product pack and voila your a Market Partner. There is a $20 yearly fee to remain a Market Partner, and if you'd like to earn money selling Monat you need to have a $200 monthly personal sales volume. Don't have the sales volume? You're still eligible for the discount.

Have questions about becoming a Monat Market Partner? sarawiththegoodhair@gmail.com
Ready to sign up? www.smbokc.mymonat.com

Review: ColourPop Super Shock Blush

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Thu, 5 Oct 2017 20:07:00 -0500

Annnnddddd I'm back again, with a review for you ladies. This time it's on to makeup with ColourPop Super Shock Blush. I'm not going to review a specific color, cause I have 3; Holiday, Flush'd, and Aphrodisiac. I have the same feelings towards all of them so....

I love them, like really, really love them. I have tried all kinds of cream blush and have never really liked them, but ColourPop Super Shock Blush gets two thumbs up. Since I use an airbrush to apply my foundation, I generally speaking avoid anything that isn't a powder to go on top of it, as any product that isn't a powder runs a high risk of making my foundation look awful. Not ColourPop, it blends beautifully, looks natural, is easy to apply and lasts all day.

What's my favorite thing about ColourPop? As you all know if you've been a longtime reader, I love a good deal. The ColourPop Super Shock Blush is only $8, and it lasts forever.

I will tell you, if you're not really into blush and want a natural looking flush I would highly recommend starting with Aphrodisiac. I know it looks really brown on their website, but in real life and on my face it looks like perfection; not too much, not invisible, just right.

Have you tried any of the ColourPop Super Shock Blushes? What color should I try next?

All About Monat - Products I Use & Love

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Wed, 4 Oct 2017 17:08:00 -0500

Hey Ladies!
I'm back, I know I've been MIA forever, the truth is I got outta the never ending product hopping. I had certain products I liked, and enough of them to rotate them around and keep my hair looking decent. So there really wasn't much to share with everyone.

Well, that's all changed. I recently started using Monat products and holy crap my hair is awesome.
If you haven't heard of Monat, or maybe you have but aren't fully sure of what it is and what it isn't, well I'm gonna fill you in today.

Monat doesn't use:

Phthalates
PEG
DEA/MEA
Sulfates
Parabens
Harsh salt systems
Harmful colors
Harmful fragrances

All Monat products are naturally-based, vegan and cruelty free.

So what do I use? I use the Hydration System; Renew Shampoo, Replenish Mask, and Restore Leave-In Conditioner, I also use the Revitalize Conditioner, the Rejuveniqe Oil and Blow Out Cream. I have some of the Curl Cream on order as well.

I wash my hair every 2-3 days. With Monat products you sort of need to relearn how to wash your hair. The products are super concentrated so a tiny amount is all you need. I use maybe a nickel size amount of shampoo, wash my hair, let it sit for 2-3 minutes then rinse it out and repeat. I then condition my hair. After I've towel dried my hair, I apply a small amount of the Restore Leave-In and a pea sized amount of the Blow Out Cream. After I've dried my hair, I apply 1-3 drops of the Rejuveniqe Oil to my hair and voila, I've got smooth, shiny bouncy hair. It really is that simple.

I cannot say enough about the awesome other ladies who introduced me to Monat, and my own experience with both the company and the products.

So how do you buy Monat products? Well there are 3 different ways to purchase; Retail, VIP and Market Partner. Retail is fairly self explanatory, so I'll just explain the other two.

Monat VIP:

15% Discount off retail pricing
One-time $19.99 Membership Fee
Commitment to placing 3 qualifying Flexship Orders

Monat Market-Partner:

30% Discount off retail pricing
Purchase either the Starter Kit ($99) or one of the Product Packs (starting at $299)
No minimum orders
No quota
$19.99 Annual Membership Fee

So if you're not interested in selling anything, you can become a Market Partner just for the discount if you want.

I personally started as a Retail customer, than upgraded to VIP and am now a Market Partner. It just made sense for me. I know I'm going to be buying these products, so I want the discount, and if anyone chooses to purchase Monat through me that's great, if not, that's fine too.

Well that's about all for now, I will have more posts later about Monat products and pictures of my hair, I promise.

If you have any questions about the products or company, feel free to shoot me an email:
sarawiththegoodhaiir@gmail.com

If you'd like to take a look at the products and company, or if you would like to purchase anything, my site is here: https://smbokc.mymonat.com/

Review: Simply Smooth Xtend Keratin Magic Potion

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Thu, 6 Nov 2014 07:47:00 -0600

I’m always looking for products that multi-task, if I can save time and streamline my routine, I’m all for it. I use my rinse out conditioner as a leave-in, I use my rich rinse out conditioners as deep treatments, and root lifters as hair spray. I don’t see the point in buying/using different products for everything, when so many products can be used for more than one thing. So, when I was given to opportunity to check out Simply Smooth Xtend Keratin Magic Potion, I was happy to give it a go.

Xtend Keratin Magic Potion makes a lot of claims:

Smoothes & de-frizzes
Instantly detangles & rejuvenates
Repairs hair elasticity & split ends
Creates brilliant reflective shine
Enhanced with pure Keratin
Extracts of sage,rosemary & nettle
Sodium chloride free
Incredible shine & volume
Locks in hair colour
Thermal protection
Transforms hair…without adding weight
Creates a humidity barrier

Ingredients: Water, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Amodimethicone, Quaternium 70, Tussilago Farfara (Coltsfoot) Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Achillea Millefolium (Yarrow) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Betula Alba (Birch) Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract, Ethoxydiglycol, Butylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Inositol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance, Limonene, Linalool, Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Yellow 5, Red 33 (CI 17200)

It’s not exactly CG, it contains cyclopentasiloxane and amodimethicone. The Cyclo- cone isn’t water soluble but according to Naturally Curly’s resident CurlChemist it evaporates off of the hair. Amodimethicone has a bit more controversial reputation; I’ve read that it’s water soluble and that it isn’t. However, it resists build up, so you’re not just piling it on top of itself every time you use it.

Extend Keratin Magic Potion contains my hairs absolute favorite thing; protein (obvious from the name). I love, love, love protein. My hair thrives on it. Keratin is basically the top of the line as far as protein goes. Keratin is what hair is made of, so for damaged hair, it does the best possible job of helping hide the damage. Using protein in your hair routine on a regular basis will help hide the damage and help keep your hair from getting more damaged. Proteins attach to the hair cuticle and fill in any gaps or holes so that your hair is temporarily “whole” again. Eventually, probably within a shampoo or two, they’re washed away and need to be replaced in order to continue seeing the results. Needless to say, I use protein in my hair routine every day.

Just to be clear, as sad as it may be to admit, you cannot “fix” damaged hair. Hair is dead and cannot be repaired; the damage can only be concealed. If you want to get rid of damage you have to cut it off. The notion of repairing damage is a marketing scam, as far as I’m concerned. Products/packaging/advertising that lead consumers to believe you can “fix” the damage you’ve done are misleading. Advertising is just one more reason to be a diligent consumer and do your research, before buying into an idea or product.

Back to the point, the product itself, I like it. It’s lightweight, so it never leaves my hair weighed down, greasy or gross feeling. It comes in a spray bottle, which is less than ideal, as the product isn’t exactly liquid, more of a cream, just not thick. I spray it in my hand and then apply it to my hair from ends upward. It definitely helps with detangling and leaves my hair feeling smooth. It also gives my hair a little extra body without extra frizz. I’m really not sure about shine; I use all sorts of products that add shine, so I can’t really gauge if this actually helped, or if it was something else I used. I noticed while doing my usual research, some ladies seem to hate the smell of it, honestly my bottle has such a faint smell I barely notice it at all, it smells faintly like cocoa butter.

All in all, Keratin Xtend Magic Potion is a useful, multi-tasking product that I think is worth trying if you have damaged hair. It isn’t however some “magic” cure or fix for damage.

Have you tried Kerating Xtend Magic Potion? Did you like it?

Disclaimer: The products mentioned in this post were sent to me for review consideration. The opinions are 100% my own.

My Routine: Oils I Love

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 09:57:00 -0500

I’ve mentioned several times that I use oils, as a part of my hair regime. I love oils, and highly recommend them, if you have dry hair, or scalp issues. I thought it might be helpful if I told you ladies what oils I use, what benefits I notice from them, and how I use them. So here goes…

There are four main oils/oil blends that I use. I use them all for different things, but they’re all great.

Kinky-Curly Perfectly Polished Nourishing Hair Oil $18

Ingredients: Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Crambe Abyssinica (Abyssinian) Seed Oil, Tritcum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil and natural fragrance

Obviously this is an oil blend, and all the different oils in it are what make it really great. It’s one of the few oil blends that I’ve used that I don’t find to be heavy, yet it’s still good as a pre poo. (A pre poo is basically an oil treatment you use before shampooing) I use this all sorts of ways; pre poo, to scrunch out the crunch (SOTC), as a sealant (after leave-in but before stylers), and as an overnight treatment. My hair is really dry, from coloring, and this is great for getting my hair to feel soft and look shiny. After using Perfectly Polished my hair feels great.

Eden BodyWorks Jojoba Monoi All Natural Hair Oil $9.99

Ingredients: Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Coco Nut Oil, Tiare Flower, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract.

Again another oil blend, I tend to like them better than individual oils, you get the benefits of all of the oils without spending the money on buying them each. I bought this one because I wanted to try out Tea Tree oil and Jojoba. I don’t have scalp issues, but I heard that Tea Tree oil is good for hair growth. I really like it; it’s really moisturizing, but still lightweight. I use this as a sealant, and occasionally to SOTC. It does have a slight Tea Tree smell, but it doesn’t linger.

Jane Carter Solution Hair Nourishing Serum $20

Ingredients: Pure essential oils of lemon, ylang ylang, grapefruit, tangerine, rosemary, geranium, vitamins A,D,E

This isn’t like any of the other oils I use, or have ever used. The other oils I use are mostly carrier oils with a few essential oils, this is totally essential oils. I only use this as an overnight treatment; it makes my hair so shiny and soft. It also gives a different sort of shine to it; a lot of oils can end up making your hair look oily if you aren’t careful about how much you use, this really just looks shiny. Another thing that makes Hair Nourishing Serum different from other oils is that it absorbs totally; I use probably a quarter sized amount on my canopy, and another quarter sized amount on the bottom of my hair, and when I’m done applying it I don’t feel it on my hair, and my hands are completely dry, there’s no oil left on them. It’s strange. J

Coconut Oil

This is the only oil I use that’s not an oil blend, but it’s great. It’s also the cheapest oil I use; I bought a giant tub at Wal-Mart, in the cooking oil aisle, for less than $5. Coconut oil is great for damaged hair; it helps hair hold on to protein and it’s one of the few oils that actually penetrate the hair shaft, instead of sitting on it. I use this for all sorts of stuff; to pre poo, as an overnight treatment, to SOTC, and to seal. I also use it as a moisturizer on my body, and to remove stubborn eye makeup. Coconut oil is great for your hair and skin, and you can get even more benefits if you eat it. I actually have another post about coconut oil and olive oil if you want more scientific info about how it works, here.

So do you use oils? Any tips/tricks or recommendations for me?

Disclaimer: Some of the products mentioned in the post were sent to me for review consideration. The opinions are 100% my own, and are never influenced by the company.

Review: SixThirteen by Chaz Dean Daily Cleansing Treatment

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 09:30:00 -0500

Hey gals! I’m back for another product review. If you’re a frequent reader, you know I love Wen by Chaz Dean. I’ve tried multiple products from the line, and I’ve liked every single one. So…I’ve been eyeballing the SixThirteen Daily Cleansing Treatment since it was introduced, last year I believe. Well, love from afar no more, I got it, and I LOVE it. Let’s get to it.

I’ve seen SixThirteen described as Wen on steroids, and that’s probably the most accurate description. The original formulas are all moisturizing and from my experience, leave hair soft, shiny, and clean. The SixThirteen takes the fabulousness, I know that isn’t a word J, to a whole other level. It’s richer, creamier, and just better.

How you use SixThirteen is exactly the same as the original formula's, apply the amount you need depending on the length of your hair, work it into your hair, add a splash of water and massage the crap out of your scalp and hair. You have to be sure you massage your scalp well, or it isn't going to get clean. Leave the product on for the remainder of your shower, then rinse it out completely. The first difference in performance that I noticed was how much more frothy/foamy this is. Once again, it's just better.

SixThirteen Daily Cleansing Treatment is exactly what the name implies, a daily treatment. If you have fine/thin hair, that’s already healthy, you may or may not like it. It’s much more moisturizing then the original formulas. To be more accurate, it contains 11 amino acids and 25 essential oils and extracts. For my parched and damaged locks, it’s exactly what I need to keep them luscious.

Oh, and the smell. Mmmmmm, yum. It’s lemon, rosemary, and vanilla bean. To my nose it smells mostly like vanilla bean with a very faint hint of lemon. It’s fabulous, seriously.

If you love Wen, like me, this is absolutely worth checking out. I know it’s expensive, but if you have hair like mine that needs extra TLC, it’s so worth the investment. On ChazDean.com it’s $78 for 32oz, but you can get the same bottle on QVC.com for $61. I got mine on QVC, honestly why would you pay more for the same thing? J

If you have SixThirteen, or have any questions about it, leave me a comment…

Products I'm Loving....

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 08:55:00 -0500

In an an effort to streamline some posts, I thought I'd just do a Products I'm Loving. I have so many new products to review for you ladies, but I get so busy with life and I procrastinate. Once again, my apologies for a long absence. Let's get to it...

Hair Products I'm Loving

Ouidad Botanical Boost- This is a leave-in, but it packs a nice protein hit, and it really helps perk up my curls. It's also great for a refresher spray, so it does double duty. It's lightweight, so I can use as much as I want without worrying about getting weighed down.
Wen 613 Cleansing Treatment: This deserves a review unto itself, which I will do ASAP. This is literally the best cleansing conditioner I've ever used, maybe even the best conditioner period. I've seen it described as a cleansing conditioner on steroids, and it's true.
Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel: This isn't an actual hair product, but plenty of curlies use it as one. Now that the heat and humidity of summer has descended on Oklahoma, my hair needs a little something extra to keep it looking fab. AVG is it. I don't use it as a stand alone styler, I put it on top of my regular styling products.

Skin Care I'm Loving

Garnier Fructis Clinical Dark Spot Corrector: This is my absolute favorite moisturizer at the moment. It's not heavy or greasy, it's almost got a serum consistency. It smells great, like oranges. And most importantly it leaves my skin perfectly moisturized. This is one of those rare moisturizers that does a perfect balancing act on my combination skin.
Olay Pro-X Facial Cleansing Brush: I love, love, love this! It leaves my face so soft and clean. I use it everyday in the shower. If your a cheapskate, like myself, and you don't want to fork over the money for the Clarisonic, you have got to try this!

I don't want to make this post ridiculously long, so I may do another one later. I still have a ton of products to share with you gals, so stay tuned.

Have you tried any products recently that you can't keep to yourself? Leave me a comment.

*Disclaimer: Some of the products mentioned in the post were sent to me by the company/pr company for review consideration. The opinions are 100% my own.

Smashbox BB Cream Video Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:48:00 -0500

• Visit bbcreamapp.smashbox.com and answer a few basic questions about yourself: describe your skin tone, what city you live in and then upload five photos of yourself (make sure they’re your favorite camera-ready moments).

• Click “View Your Video” to create your personalized video, which shows your visit to the Smashbox studios – from your pick-up at the airport to your Flawless Face BB Photo Shoot.

• Share your studio experience with your friends via Facebook, share the link in an email or even embed the video into your own personal blog.

• Each week through the end of May, a winner will be selected based on whose video receives the most votes.

Review: Joico K-Pak Professional Cuticle Sealer

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:30:00 -0500

I’m all for enhancing what you’ve got. I do a ton of things to my hair to make it look and feel as good as possible. Two of the things I do on a regular basis are protein treatments and vinegar rinses. So when I found a product that would combine the two, I jumped all over it. I’m talking about Joico K-Pak Professional Cuticle Sealer.

Joico K-Pak Cuticle Sealer is labeled as a post chemical service acidifier, with a pH of 2.5-3.5. I cannot stress enough the importance of rebalancing the pH of your hair after a chemical service of any kind. Chemicals raise the hair cuticles, which is what makes them damaging, they also cause swelling of the hair shaft. Rebalancing the pH of your hair after chemical services will make color last longer, help get rid of the nasty smell, and leave your hair in better condition.

I happened to stumble upon the Joico K-Pak Cuticle Sealer when I was browsing Sleek Hair, when I purchased the Vanish Color Remover. It’s not very expensive, I paid $22.49 for a liter of it on Sleek Hair, and it’ll last me a long time. However, it’s virtually impossible to get on the ground, it’s a Pro product, so unless your licensed you can’t buy it at the BSS.

So what exactly does K-Pak Cuticle Sealer do for my hair? It gives me the same results as a Vinegar Rinse; curl enhancement, a smooth feeling to my strands, and shine. As I mentioned, it has a pH of 2.5-3.5, which is very acidic, and allows it to restore hair to it’s natural pH of 4.5-5.5. It also contains the Joico K-Pak Quadramine Complex, which is their exclusive protein formulation. The Joico K-Pak line contains low molecular weight proteins that penetrate the hair shaft more effectively. So the K-Pak Cuticle Sealer is basically a protein treatment and vinegar rinse in one.

I've been using Joico K-Pak Cuticle Sealer at least once a week, sometimes more. The directions say to leave it on for 5 minutes, so I just use it in the shower. I also bought the Joico K-Pak Reconstruct Conditioner, which is the daily conditioner, not the treatment. Unlike the treatment it doesn't contain mineral oil, and it's got a great protein/moisture balance. For all my CG friends, it does contain PEG-modified Dimethicone.These products are both phenomenal, and I'd recommend them to anyone with fine or damaged hair.

I cannot say enough about this product, and am honestly dumb-founded that I hadn’t heard of it until now. I’ll definitely be repurchasing it.

If you’ve used it, or a product like it, leave me a comment and let me know what you thought…

Battle of the Hard Hold Gels: Biosilk Rock Hard Gelee vs. Beyond The Zone Bada Bing Extreme Hold Gel

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Mon, 9 Apr 2012 08:30:00 -0500

Any curly girl, who wants definition, and the smallest amount of frizz possible knows the importance of products with good hold. I love a hard hold gel, they seem to be the only thing that will give me the hair I want. So what is it that I want? Definition, low frizz factor, volume/body, shine, and curls that will last through the day. I realize that’s asking a lot, especially living where I live. So, on my latest Sally’s excursion I decided to pick up a gel that I’ve read about on NC.com, Beyond the Zone Bada Bing Extreme Hold Gel.

The easiest way I can think of to review an extreme hold gel is to do a comparison. Biosilk Rock Hard Gelee is probably the most used and liked hard-hold gel on the boards at NC.com. So how do the two compare?

Bada Bing Extreme Hold Gel is exactly as the name says, extreme hold. The hold level is similar to my beloved Biosilk Rock Hard Gelee (BRHG). The consistency of Bada Bing is a tiny bit less thick, more like a regular gel, BRHG is extremely thick. With BRHG I’m able to get away with miniscule amounts, like a couple pea-size blobs, with the Bada Bing I use more, like a couple quarter-size blobs. Both gels definitely have a very hard hold, but they leave my hair feeling vastly different. BRHG leaves my hair feeling soft and moisturized once I SOTC (scrunch out the crunch), but the Bada Bing Gel leaves my hair feeling kind of dry.

Beyond The Zone Bada Bing Extreme Hold Gel and Biosilk Rock Hard Gelee are both available on the ground. Bada Bing is available at Sally’s Beauty, and BRHG is available at CVS, Target, and numerous other retailers. Biosilk Rock Hard Gelee is about $13 for a 6oz bottle, while Bada Bing is $6.29 for a 7oz tube on Sally’s website. If you think about the differences in the amounts I use, the Biosilk will last a lot longer, making it more cost-effective.

Overall they’re both decent gels, but I think the Biosilk wins. It takes less to get the results I want, and doesn’t leave my hair feeling dry. However, if you’re on a tight budget, and you need a hard-hold gel, the Bada Bing is certainly worth picking up.

Have you tried either? Let me know what you thought…

Review: Yes To Carrots Nourishing Shampoo and Pampering Conditioner

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Sun, 8 Apr 2012 08:30:00 -0500

Dare I say it, I think I found a new HG shampoo (low poo) and conditioner. Now I’m not one to profess my undying love about a product unless I’m serious. When it comes to my hair, I’m serious, dead serious in fact. The most shocking thing is, they’re a drugstore product! Don’t get me wrong, I think there are plenty of great products at the drugstore, but I’m a sort of hair snob sometimes. Anywho, ladies brace yourselves, I’ve fallen madly in love with Yes To Carrots Nourishing Shampoo and Pampering Conditioner.

The Yes To Carrots Nourishing Shampoo is more of a low poo, it’s SLS/SLES and ALS/ALES free. It does contain Sodium Coco-Sulfate and according to the Curl Chemist:

“Also, sodium coco sulfate, derived from coconut oil, contains a mixture of chains containing anywhere from 8-18 carbons. This makes it gentler than SLS. There are also numerous nonionic surfactants, such as sorbitol, decyl glucoside, laureth 4-20, and decyl polyglucose, which contain no positively or negatively-charged groups. These surfactants are considered to be much less drying to the hair.”

Yes To Carrots products all have a pleasant, mild baby powder sort of smell. The Nourishing Shampoo has a nice lather, and definitely got my hair clean. Upon rinsing my hair felt really good, it wasn’t stripped or dry and tangled. I’ve used it everyday so far, and my hair still feels great, and best of all it has plenty of volume and body.

Now I know what you’re thinking, it’s not good to wash your hair everyday. I’ve always washed my hair daily, it’s just what I like. I prefer to start with a clean slate daily, whether I’m using No-Poo, Wen, cowashing or low-pooing. It’s the same for me everyday; cleanse, condition, style. I can’t get 2nd day hair to save my life anyway, so why not start completely fresh daily?

Now on to my favorite thing, the Yes To Carrots Pampering Conditioner. As much as I like the Nourishing Shampoo, this has to be one of the best conditioners I’ve ever used. It’s creamy and rich, and my hair still feels like a million bucks even after I rinse it out. This conditioner has some of the best slip I’ve ever had the pleasure of feeling in my locks. Detangling is never really a problem for me, but with this conditioner I don’t even really need to, my hair is so slippery the tangles just sort of slip out.

Yes To Carrots Pampering Conditioner sort of reminds me of Jessicurl Too Shea! as far as the slip and moisture. Both conditioners feel awesome in my hair, and leave my hair feeling great, even after rinsing. I have a lot of conditioners, and while they all make my hair feel good, to some extent, while they’re on my head, the majority of them don’t keep my hair feeling that way once they’ve been rinsed out.

There are only 2 things I don’t really like about these products; the packaging, and they’re protein-free. I don’t particularly care for the packaging because of how the product dispenses out, they have the lids that you push down to open; one end goes down while the other pops up. It’s not a deal-breaker by any means, I just don’t really like it, honestly I don’t even know why. As far as the protein-free status of the products, I have somewhat fine 3A strands, that are seriously color-treated. My hair needs protein, on a regular basis. I can overlook these products being protein-free, but only because almost all my styling products contain protein, and I do regular protein treatments. But in all honesty, I’d marry the conditioner today, if it contained protein. With it’s current ingredient line-up I may just shack up with it.

So ladies, have you tried the Yes To Carrots Nourishing Shampoo or Pampering Conditioner? Leave me a comment with your thoughts on it.

If your like me and your a raging PJ, and you love a good deal, Click here to save 35% on anything from Yes To Carrots.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Review: Vanish Color Remover

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 08:00:00 -0500

I'll be the first to admit, I change my hair color like some women change their handbag. It's a lot, probably every 2-3 months. Now I'm talking about actually changing the color, not doing root touch-ups. My hair has been more colors than I can count, and the only color I can honestly think of that it's never been is black. Most of the time if I'm going from dark to light I'd just bleach and start over. As you can imagine, this takes quite a toll on my hair, and it's certainly been healthier. So a couple months ago I ran across a product called Vanish Color Remover. It has literally changed my hair-coloring life!

Let me start by saying Vanish Color Remover is a pro-only product, meaning if you aren't a licensed hair dresser/stylist you can't go into a beauty supply and buy this. I found it on one of my favorite discount sites, Sleek Hair for $15.89. Honestly, I've paid more than that for bleach.

Vanish Color Remover is a sulfur-based product. It works by essentially reversing the coloring process. It shrinks the dye molecule so that it can be shampooed out. It doesn't contain bleach, ammonia, developer, etc. It will not affect your natural color, only remove the artificial pigment. If you've gone light blonde, chances are you don't have any of your natural color left, but if you've gone darker, chances are you do. It took me 3 applications of Vanish to remove all the artificial pigment, over 2 days. However, if you have the patience, you can do up to 3 applications in one day. The absolute best part of using Vanish, it doesn't damage your hair at all!

The trick to getting Vanish to work properly is that you have to shampoo the crap out of your hair. I shampooed probably 5-7 times with each application. Upon rinsing the Vanish out of my hair, my hair still felt normal. After all the shampooing, you can imagine my hair was dryer than the Sahara. It felt like a brillo pad. After a couple deep treatments though, it was back to normal. Outside of the crazy amount of shampooing that Vanish requires, there's one other drawback, the smell. It smells like a perm. It's pretty awful, and it lingers, it took me about a week to get rid of the smell.

I can honestly say Vanish Color Remover has saved my hair from countless yet-to-happen bleach sessions. I'll never bother trying to bleach artificial color out of my hair again.

Have you tried Vanish?

After using Vanish Color Remover and coloring with level 10A Wella Color Charm

After using Vanish Color Remover and coloring with Wella Color Charm 10A

Review: L'Oreal Evercreme Cleansing Conditioner

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 07:42:00 -0500

If you’ve read any of my posts about hair in the last 2 years, you probably know I don’t do sulfates. My hair + sulfates= utterly craptastic hair days. I’d been seeing the new L’Oreal Evercreme Cleansing Conditioner all over the place; drugstores, supermarkets, blogs, message boards, etc. I passed it on many of my excursions, I kept telling myself, You don’t need it, you have enough hair stuff. You’ve run out of room, use other stuff up before you buy anything. Of course, being the product junkie that I am, I caved and bought it.

Upon using Evercreme, I promptly went to Target to buy 3 more bottles, while they were on sale. I love, love, love this. Evercreme Cleansing Conditioner is extremely mild, but is definitely more foamy than a plain ole conditioner. It pumps out of the bottle thick and creamy, but once you get it on your hair and rub it, it starts foaming. It left my hair so soft and slippery, I could definitely go without conditioner after this. And the smell, mmmmmmm, I like it A LOT. It’s a stronger scent, although from what I read, not as strong as some of the other L’Oreal products, so it might be too scented for some of you, but for me and my nose, it’s a keeper.

The consistency, as I mentioned, is quite thick, and honestly I feel like I use more than I should, probably 5-8 pumps, but it’s still cheaper than high-end cleansing conditioners ounce for ounce. Evercreme Cleansing Conditioner isn’t quite the all-in-one that Wen is, I wouldn’t use it as a leave-in. It did do a good job getting my hair clean, and was slippery enough to make detangling a breeze.

My only real complaint about Evercreme is the bottle, or more accurately the pump. It really doesn’t pump out very much product, maybe a nickel-sized amount. Maybe it’s to keep you from using too much? I have no idea, and in the grand scheme it’s not a huge deal, but it sort of irritates me.

I wish this came in a larger size as well, 8 ounces doesn't last a girl like me, who cleanses everyday, very long.

Overall, I really like Evercreme, and would definitely repurchase.

If you've tried it, leave me a comment with your thoughts on Evercreme…Love it? Loathe it?

Review: Wen Winter Vanilla Mint Cleansing Conditioner

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:56:00 -0600

Spa-like shower experience? Check. Delicious smell? Check. Cleans effectively without stripping my hair? Check. Conditions my hair, leaving it soft and moisturized? Check. The newest addition to the Wen Cleansing Conditioner lineup, Winter Vanilla Mint is my absolute favorite Wen product to date.

If you aren’t familiar with Wen or Chaz Dean, which would be somewhat surprising since there are Wen infomercials on t.v. all the time, basically throw away your shampoo. Shampoo contains sulfates/detergents, that strip your hairs natural oils and if you color you’re washing that down the drain as well. Shampoo isn’t necessary to cleanse your hair. And if you stop stripping your hair with sulfates/detergents, you don’t need to condition it separately. Wen Cleansing Conditioners are basically conditioners that clean your hair. They’re a totally different take on the classic 2-in-1.

Wen Winter Vanilla Mint is really creamy in consistency, just like Fall Ginger Pumpkin. Just like all the Wen Cleansing Conditioners, my hair feels clean yet really soft after rinsing. But let me get to the number one point, what sets this one apart from all the rest, it smells so frickin’ delicious. It reminds of an Andes Mint with a faint hint of vanilla. It’s the absolute best-smelling cleanser/conditioner I have ever smelled, ever. All the Wen products, that I’ve used, I’ve enjoyed the scents, but this one is mmmmmmmm…………….

Just like the Fall Ginger Pumpkin, Winter Vanilla Mint is a limited edition, so if you want to try it, get your hands on it fast. It’s only available thru February. I say we start a petition to Chaz Dean to make Winter Vanilla Mint a regular in the line. I’m just sayin’.

If you want more info on Chaz Dean or Wen, click here.

Have you checked out the new Winter Vanilla Mint?

Disclaimer: I was sent the products mentioned for consideration, the opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Smoke & Smudge

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:59:00 -0600

With and Without Diffusing...

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:58:00 -0600

This is my hair after air-drying 90%.

This is after diffusing. See the difference?

I Love My Makeup Finishing Spray...

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:00:00 -0600

What’s my makeup style? I like my face, my skin to be more specific, to just look like great skin, not makeup. Which is the biggest reason I bought my Dinair kit. I don’t want you to see makeup if you look at my skin, and as we all know, all makeup goes through makeup meltdown at some point during the day. Whether it’s an hour after application or 10, it’s never a good thing.

So what’s a girl to do to combat makeup meltdown? Use a makeup finishing product. Personally, I’m in love with Skindinavia products. They’ve got a spray for every skin type, and they actually work.

In the interest of full disclosure, my makeup lasts an incredibly long time, airbrush is designed for long wear. But with Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray it lasts even longer. And to really test it out I’ve used my old Everyday Minerals Foundation, concealer, blush, etc. to really put Skindinavia to the test. While the mineral makeup didn’t hold up for as long as my Dinair, it did last several hours longer than it would’ve without Makeup Finishing Spray.

One of the things I noticed when using the Skindinavia with my mineral makeup, once I set my makeup with it, the makeup sort of blended with my skin and didn’t look powdery at all. I used to use MAC Fix+, but it never helped with longevity.

So how do you use a Makeup Finishing Spray? After you’ve applied all of your makeup, except mascara, simply shake the bottle, and mist your face in an “X” pattern, then a “T”. Done! It’s really simple, and quick.

Another thing that I’ve found the Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray to work really well for, as a mixing medium for loose shadows. I have a bunch of loose shadows and pigments, but I avoid using them because of fallout. But if I just mist my shadow brush, or spray a little into the lid and mix the shadow in, it works really well.

Do you use makeup finishing spray? Have you tried Skindinavia? Leave me a comment. :)

Disclaimer: The product mentioned was sent to me for review consideration. The opinions are 100% my own.

Review: DevaCurl Frizz-Free Volumizing Foam

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:51:00 -0600

Hey ladies! It's that time again, my favorite time I might add, review time. Today's lovely concotion? The newest styler from the folks at DevaCurl; Frizz-Free Volumizing Foam. So let's get right to it!

Normally when I'm at the drugstore, or wherever and I'm checking out the hair products aisle, I just avoid mousse/foam products altogether. I never seem to get the hold I need or want and my hair always feels dry afterwards. So in short, usually mousse/foaming stylers are a total failure.

This is not the case with DevaCurl FFVF!

To start, you all know about my good smell requirement, and this passes with flying colors. FFVF smells like Deva Set It Free, like candy.

It's really not anything like your typical mousse, it's not an aerosol, it's a pump dispenser like hand soap. So your using less product than you may think. For me, I use 2-4 pumps and that's all, so it took 3-4 uses before I really noticed a difference in the amount of product in the bottle. For me, using that small of an amount of any product is rare, I want HOLD all day, and I get it with this. If you like more hold, you can always add a small amount of a hard-hold gel on top.

DevaCurl Frizz-Free Volumizing Foam left my hair feeling soft, and smelling great. My hair was definitely bigger with this, which I adore. When it comes to my curls, I'm Go Big, or Go Home. There are some proteins in this, so if your protein sensitive it may be hit or miss. I think my increase in volume was due to the fact that it's such a light-weight product, not so much the proteins.

If you've used FFVF leave me a comment, what's your take on it?

Want more info? Check out MyDevaCurl, you can also pick this up at Ulta.

Disclaimer: I was sent this product for review consideration, the opinions are 100% my own.

Snooze Alert: My Go-To Everyday Look...

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Thu, 3 Nov 2011 13:06:00 -0500

And a few bonus pics...

Another basic look I rock constantly...

EOTD: Brown and gold for fall

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Tue, 1 Nov 2011 08:00:00 -0500

Only pic with flash, it always washes out the colors. :(

All the shadows are from the same E.L.F. palette as yesterdays look.

EOTD: Purple is the new black...

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:00:00 -0500

All the shadows used are part of an E.L.F. (Eyes Lips Face) palette I got at Target, I'm not sure if it's available anymore. This palette is the closest I could find on their site.

So I got bored.....

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 10:37:00 -0500

I'm not sure if I look sick, dead, or like I got beat up?

Review: Wen Fall Ginger Pumpkin Cleansing Conditioner

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Blacksten) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:43:00 -0500

It’s that time again, review time! As you all probably know by now, I gave up sulfates long ago, they’re drying and damaging and just aren’t very good for your hair. The very first product I ever used that was sulfate-free was Wen Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner, and since then have used several of the other Wen cleansers. I’ve liked everyone I’ve tried, and the newest addition is no exception; Fall Ginger Pumpkin.

Wen Fall Ginger Pumpkin is similar to the other Wen Cleansing Conditioners, but also completely different. It’s got the same amount of slip, which is great for detangling, and it gets foamy/frothy just like the others. But the things I noticed that really set Fall Ginger Pumpkin apart were how much more moisturizing it is, and how much creamier it’s consistency is. Sweet Almond Mint, Lavender, and Pomegranate are white in color and very thick, more of a balm than cream. Fall Ginger Pumpkin on the other hand is very, very creamy and rich.

Wen Pomegranate on left, Fall Ginger Pumpkin on right. See the difference?

Wen Fall Ginger Pumpkin has been great for counteracting the dryness that Fall brings out in my hair. My hair is dry year-round, but cold weather brings out Sahara qualities like nothing else.

I'm sure you can guess from the name Fall Ginger Pumpkin, as to what the smell is like. I thought it'd smell more like food or something, but it really doesn't. I don't know that I can actually describe the scent, it doesn't remind me of any Pumpkin scents I've ever smelled, so I'm guessing it's strong on the Ginger. It's sort of a spicy smell, which I like. However, I can guarantee that because it's a strong enough scent, it's something you'll either love or hate.

So ladies, Wen Fall Ginger Pumpkin has been another hit for me, I love how moisturizing it is, but I'm a little sad that it's limited edition. If you've tried it, leave me a comment and let me know what you thought!

If you want more info on Wen check out Chaz Dean.

Disclaimer: The products mentioned were sent to me for review consideration. The opinions are 100% my own.