HAIR-Part One

Yesterday I got my hair done.....aaaahhhhhhh, I wish they offered a service where you could just come in and have them wash and play with your hair.  That is the most relaxing part of the visit and I could just fall asleep in the sink bowl :)

I recently started my Allure Sample Society monthly beauty subscription (see unboxing here) and am also on their panel of beauty reviewers and get their magazine.  So today I wanted to talk about some hair basics on hair products that I learned from Allure and from other reputable places.  Maybe somethings you already knew or have been dying to know, so I want to sum them up here for you!

First, let's talk about brushes.

Here are 6 of the most common brushes and what they should and should not be used for.

Oval Cushion Brush

This brush is best for detangling dry hair, teasing and adding shine.  It is not for wet hair.  GET IT HERE.

Wooden Round Brush

This brush is best for smoothing and adding body (blow-out).  It is not for styling blunt bangs.  GET IT HERE.

Ceramic Round

This brush is best for straightening hair, especially bangs and cowlicks.  This is not for fine or fragile hair.  GET IT HERE.

Paddle Brush

This brush is best for detangling wet hair.  It is not a brush that will last forever though as the round tips so tend to fall off after awhile.  GET IT HERE.

Now let's talk about flat irons.  I used to use my flat iron every day.  Now that I learned how to properly blow dry my hair, I hardly ever pick it up and if I do it is just for my bangs on maybe 2nd day hair. We will talk about how to do a proper blow out in another post :) I know it looks like I have straight hair, and I do, but not at my hair line.  If I were to let my hair air dry (oh, the horror!), only the hair on my hair line would get super kinky and curly.  The rest I can get some wave in but not all around my head so I have had to use flat irons before :)

1. The most common mistake people make when using flat irons is turning the temperature up as high as it will go.  Maybe you think it will make it straighter? Or make it straighten quicker?? No!  All you are doing is burning your hair and that is a horrible smell that will stay with you all day, even if you don't smell it anymore. Even if you have coarse curly hair, you should not be exceeding 400 degrees.  350 is enough.

2. Next would be not using protection.  You should always be applying some time of heat protector in your hair from the roots to the tips.

3. Don't go over the same section of hair over and over.  You only need to go over a section of hair one time. Make sure you are using small sections and not large ones so that you are getting even coverage.  Especially if you have the heat up too high, you will get lines on your hair from the flat iron.

4. Don't flat iron wet hair.  Just like burning it with too high of a temp, you can burn your hair just as bad, if not worse, when it is wet.  Besides, it doesn't look good :)

5. Don't make your hair "flat as a board",  when you get down towards the end of your hair, make sure you are turning your wrist to get some curl and added body to your hair.

Click HERE for a listing of the 7 best flat irons.

Next up are the 5 best hair products for curly and straight hair.

For Curly Hair:

1. Ouidad Playcurl Volumizing Foam-Builds body and boosts curls to make your locks more luxurious looking

2. DevaCurl No-Poo Zero Lather Cleanser-Sulfate free Shampoo!! Reveals healthier curls

3. L'O'real EverCurl HydraCharge Condtioner-Sulfate free Conditioner! Reduces frizz and adds shine

4. John Freida Ease Unwind Curls Calming Creme-Frizz fighter and can also be used to air dry hair

5. Redken Curvaceous Full Swirl Serum-Seals in moisture and adds shine

For Fine Hair:

1. Living Proof Full Volume Shampoo & Conditioner-Sulfate Free Shampoo & Conditioner and starts preparing your hair for volume in the shower

2. Living Proof Full Thickening Cream-This adds volume and makes hair thicker, only need a little

3. Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hair Spray-lifts hair and protects from heat and adds volume

4. Rusk Texture Dry Finishing Spray-Injects fullness yet keeps hair moveable and full (My personal #1 favorite!!!)

5. It's a 10 Miracle Shine Serum-adds shine but is not heavy on already fine hair



As the title says, this is only part one.  There are plenty more topics to talk about.

What is your favorite hair product?

Anything specific that you would like to know or another product recommendation?

Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great day!!

Why I Made The Sulfate Free Switch-Win Samples Today!!

I've dyed my hair as long as I can remember.  I have been red (which then turned to pink, long story haha), black, brown and blonde.  Lately, I have gone back and forth with highlights and lowlights.  I love coloring my hair, it is a way to express myself and try new colors.

I have also always switched back and forth with brands for my shampoo and conditioner.  Usually price is my biggest influence.  As I have gotten older I have realized when you pay a little more for a quality product, it pays off and you don't have to buy it as often.  Plus the overall results are much better.  This holds true for hair care products as well as make up.

Okay, enough rambling....In the past couple of months, I did some research about what to do to keep my color lasting longer in between visits to the salon.  Plus how to keep my hair from getting brassy and to achieve more shine.

The first thing I found out was what sulfates are and what they are doing to my hair.

Sulfates are basically detergents or cleansers added to our products to cut grease and make them soapy. They are also found in our household cleansers like dish and laundry detergent. If you have an irritated or itchy scalp, this may very well be the culprit.  WHY do I need this in my long beautiful hair and how many of the things that I have complained about are they to blame for? Like split ends and lack of shine??  The higher amount of sulfates,  the more potential damage.  I mean my hair is not in need of the same cleansers that a car engine or a toilet needs :)

Okay, so I am not a professional about this by any means and I wasn't sure of what brand to get, so I checked both salon and drugstore options.

I started using the Living Proof Line because I found a travel sized version of it before I dropped a lot of money, Get It Here.  Jennifer Aniston is a co founder and have you seen her hair!?!? Enough said.

They have several options in the line and I chose the Full Volume line.  The first thing to mention about sulfate free products is there are no suds and no bubbly lather.  That doesn't mean it isn't cleaning your hair but it did feel a little weird the first time I used it.

When I went to purchase the full sizes, I chose the Full Volume shampoo and the Perfect Hair Day conditioner.

I immediately noticed a difference in my hair after having used the trial sized versions.  My hair just looked better and even my husband noticed, which is a big thing!  I had thought it was just me telling myself that my hair looked shinier and fuller to justify the cost of it.  So once he said something, I knew it was true.  That's when I bought the full sizes.

The next time I got my hair done even my stylist said something.  So I knew I had made the right choice. We got to talking and she mentioned to me that because I was now using sulfate free, to make sure that my styling products also did not have sulfates in them because sulfate free shampoo would not be strong enough to get them completely out of my hair.

Living Proof doesn't have hairspray so that's when I really looked into the drugstore brands and found Nexxus to be the best. I also found out about pre and after wash primers at that time.  Since this would be a another added cost into my beauty routine, I of course did research on these, too.  Pre wash primers are designed to help your hair repel water and keep the color vibrant by doing so.  Plus the less water in your hair, the faster your dry time goes.  After wash primers go a step further also repelling water by sealing each strand and adding shine.  There was a sale going on and I talked about it with my cousin and we both made the plunge.

We bought Color Assure Pre Wash Primer for before the shower and Color Assure Glossing Tonic for after.  Plus Frizz Defy hair spray (she actually bought a different hair spray).

The most important thing to stress with the pre wash primer is only use enough for your hair to feel soft and silky before going in the shower.  You don't want your hair to feel wet as it will make your hair look and feel greasy.  We have both been using these products for a while and do almost nothing else but rave about how good our hair looks.  :)

These products can also be used on all hair types.  She has thick, full hair and I have thin, flat hair.  These products have made my hair brighter and shinier than it has ever been.  I go for my next hair appointment next Thursday and can't wait to hear what my stylist has to say.  Plus, since my hair is not brassy like it usually is between visits, I should only need my roots done and not a full head of highlights again so they are helping me save money!!  Another thing to make my husband happy :)

My cousin also uses the Nexxus Color Assure shampoo and conditioner and also swears by them so I did buy them this week since there was a sale at Walgreens. The have a sale on Nexxus every few months, where if you buy two products, you get $10 in register rewards to use on your next visit.  Currently, Ulta is having a Nexxus sale!! Buy one, get one 50% off!!

I know that some people have wanted some more posts about hair care and trust me, they are coming :) In the meantime, I would love to offer ya'll the opportunity to try the Nexxus & Living Proof line before buying. So, a little contest.....the first person to refer 5 people to my Facebook page and use your name, whether by posting on the wall or by private message, and getting them to like my page will get a sample of the pre wash primer and the shampoo and conditioner from Nexxus and shampoo and conditioner from the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day line!! :)

OR ENTER HERE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hope ya'll enjoyed learning about these amazing products and please let me know if there are any questions I can answer!!

What brands do you use?

What made you make the switch?

Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great night :)