Caudalie Divine Oil

I have decided that the China Glaze collection that we looked at the other day will be my last holiday collection of the year.  Many of the special gifts that were put out by Tarte and Stila are already sold out and I cannot see the point in showcasing products and collections that are sold out and have little to no chance of being restocked.  I am guessing that I started my holiday collection coverage a bit too late this year, other blogs had pictures of products from these two brands up in the end of September...a time when I was in no mood to even think about the holidays.  I am also starting to get excited for spring after reading the Spring Trend Report in the last issue of Allure.  I think that I will have coverage of the upcoming spring trends coming within the next three weeks.

Today I wanted to focus on a great skincare product from Caudalie, I have been loving the Divine Oil as my skin is changing with the end of the fall and the beginning of the winter season.  I bought this product at the end of October and saved it until my skin got a bit drier as the temperatures dropped.  I bought this oil to use as a body moisturizer but I didn't realize that it could be used on the hair and face also.  I have only tried it on my body and sprayed into my hair so I can't comment on facial use but I can review how it worked in the other two scenarios. 

"A luxurious dry oil that provides nourishing moisture and lasting comfort to body, face, and hair.  Divine Oil contains a blend of grape seed, hibiscus, sesame, and argan oils combined with patented grape seed antioxidant polyphenols to leave skin soft, visibly firm, and radiant. Perfect as a post-sun product, its glamorous texture is instantly absorbed, imparting a subtle, floral, and sunkissed fragrance.", states the Sephora website. 

Caudalie is a brand that it well known for using grapes as a main ingredient, the anti-oxidant benefits of grapes and wine are becoming more popular in both the United States and Europe.  This brand has harnessed the power of grapes ever since its first few products and I have used this brand for many years.  I always get excited when new products come out and I have wanted to try this oil for the past few months.  I had wanted to order the oil since late last winter and forgot until the weather warmed up too much to reap all the benefits of oil.  I tend to use oils more in the fall and winter but this oil is light enough that I could it in all but the warmest months of the summer.

The key ingredients contained in this multi-purpose oil are...

- Grape Oil: Rejuvenates and nourishes.
- Extra Virgin Argan Oil: Restores hydrolipidic film.
- Sesame Oil: Softens and moisturizes.
- Patented Anti-oxidant Grape Seed Polyphenols    

Divine Oil provides a light spray of oil all over the body or hair.  I spray it right onto the skin and then rub it in with my hands, it hydrates quickly and leaves little to no residue on the skin.  I also liked to use it as a pre-shampoo oil treatment on the ends of my hair.  I shied away from using this oil on my face as it has a bit more fragrance contained in it than I normally like to use on my face. 

The fragrance is a light floral with a hint of green notes.  It is a slightly more floral version of their best selling perfume and I would also love a perfume in this fragrance for the spring.  The fragrance will let me use this oil into the warmer weather and I will see how long I can use it into the spring and summer months.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Biolage KeratinDose Shampoo and Conditioner

I am rather loyal to my Biolage shampoo and conditioner formulated for color-treated hair but I always try and alternate between more than one formula.  My hair stylist gave me some small bottles of the shampoos and conditioners in some of the various Biolage formulas and I start trying them out about two weeks ago.  I started with the KeratinDose products as my hair will only need more hydration as the weather continues to cool out.  So far, the combination of the Color Care and KeratinDose has proved to be spot on and I would consider buying the full sizes in these two products.

The KeratinDose products work very well for anyone who has chemical damage to their hair or who heat styles on a regular basis.  I see that there is a hydrating treatment spray in this collection and I would like to purchase that product also at some point. 

The shampoo is described as, "Damaged, over-processed hair can be brittle, dull and lifeless. Formulated with Pro-Keratin and Silk, our keratin shampoo provides targeted reinforcement for over-processed, weak or fragile hair. When combined with the KeratinDose Conditioner and Pro-Keratin Renewal Spray, formulas provide cleansing while locking in moisture to help fight frizz. Restore overprocessed hair. 90% more conditioned after one application."

The benefits of this product are listed in the Biolage website...

- Rich, sulfate free lather gently cleanses while maintaining the integrity of over-processed hair
- Formula with Pro-Keratin and silk provides targeted reinforcement and moisture balance to the hair
- Hair is shiny and healthy-looking with increased elasticity
- Free of sulfates, parabens and harsh salts

The matching conditioner has the following description, "Damaged, over-processed and unconditioned hair can feel brittle, lacking manageability and shine. Formulated with Pro-Keratin and Silk, our KeratinDose Conditioner provides targeted reinforcement for over-processed, weak or fragile hair. When combined with the KeratinDose Shampoo and Pro-Keratin Renewal Spray, formulas provide nourishment and cleansing while balancing moisture for over-processed hair. Restore overprocessed hair. 90% more conditioned after one application."

The following benefits are listed on the Biolage website...

- Paraben free conditioner moisturizes and smoothes overprossed hair
- Formula nourishes hair and prevents damage
- Hair is left silky with manageability

The shampoo is a nice formula but does not really provide any results that set it apart from other hydrating formulas.  It cleanses well without stripping my hair or leaving a residue all over the strands.  The conditioner is a great product, it hydrates very nicely and makes my hair very easy to straighten.  Keratin will not help to bring hair "back to life" as it is already dead but it will help to hydrate and smooth the hair cuticle.  The smoothing aspect of this product really helps me to style my hair in the morning. 

The performance of the conditioner guarantees that I would purchase the duo again without a second thought.  I am very fond of the Biolage products and I can't wait to keep trying more from this line.

photo courtesy of Biolage

Toni and Guy Leave In Conditioner

My latest Glossybox contained a leave in conditioning treatment from a brand that I had never heard from but quickly became obsessed with it.  I have been using a spray leave in treatment from Phyto and was excited to receive a cream formula just when I was considering picking up a more hydrating formula for the winter months.  I will say that my Glossyboxes contain the best assortment of products and I will often receive something that fills a gap in my product collection.  With this box, I received a great leave in treatment and an introduction to an English brand that I cannot wait to order more items from.

Toni and Guy is an English brand that started as a salon quite a few years ago.  It has become a chain of high end salons through the United Kingdom and has spawned a line of unique, high end hair products.  It reminds me of an English version of Warren Tricomi.  I would love to visit London and get my hair done at one of their salons...

"Controls frizz and protects against humidity for advanced all-day manageability. Spread a walnut sized amount evenly through damp hair before styling to help banish frizz.", states the Toni and Guy website.  This leave in is a medium weight, gel-cream formula that smells lightly of a floral garden.  I would actually love to have more products in this fragrance, it reminds me of the old Blushing Cherry Blossom from Bath and Body Works.  That fragrance was a favorite of mine and is one of the few that has never come back for any type of online release or Semi-Annual Sale. 

I use this product after I wash and condition my hair at night but I don't use it before styling in the morning.  I have found that I get the best results in the shortest amount of time with styling bangs when I wash and condition at night and then just quickly jump in the shower and wet my hair in the morning.  I still use a styling cream in the morning in order to tame my hair before straightening, I will always need to use this type of product to fully smooth my hair out and protect it before heat styling.

Daily use of this product has made my ends softer and more manageable plus it helps to prime my hair for styling products in the morning.  This will be a product that I will in the fall, winter, and early spring as my hair is always drier during these times of the year.  Next summer, I will be trying it out when wearing my hair wavy.  I can use it at night as usual and then scrunch and style it in the morning. 

I am very glad that I found this next product from Toni and Guy and that I now have an introduction to this brand.  I will be looking these products up and seeing where I can more of them to buy in my area. 

photo courtesy of Toni and Guy

Aveda Damage Remedy Intensive Restructuring Hair Treatment

Aveda is a relatively new brand for me and I have branched out from the using the makeup to adding the hair care products to my beauty product line up.  I have heard the most amazing reviews of their Smooth Infusion hair care line and I will order several bottles of the shampoo and conditioner when I am in need of some new products.  I just bought new liter bottles of my favorite Biolage Color products so this won't be anytime soon but a review will be forthcoming once I get to try them out.  One of the few hair products that I was actually in need of is a new deep conditioner so I started my love affair with Aveda hair products by ordering one of the best selling formulas.

The Damage Remedy Intensive Restructuring Hair Treatment is designed to help hydrate and repair signs of surface damage.  I have both problems with my hair all the time since it is chemically treated and heat styled on a regular basis.  The best deep conditioner that I have found so far is from the Carol's Daughter line at Sephora and the Aveda formula is on par with it, I am glad that I have two formulas that I love just in case either ever becomes unavailable.  Both formulas are quite similar and I will touch on why I love both of them after a few more details about the Aveda formula.

"Intensive treatment packed with quinoa protein strengthens damaged and chemically-treated hair with deep repair.  Quinoa-packed treatment fills in damaged cuticles to help strengthen and reinforce hair—which also makes it more resilient to future damage.  Replenishes natural oils with jojoba, to leave hair looking and feeling healthy, shiny and strong.  Part of a four-step restructuring system.", states the Aveda website. 

The Aveda treatment is top rated and best selling for many reasons, the biggest one being that it is very effective and really improves my hair.  I use it once a week for about five minutes in the shower and it guarantees that I will have a good hair day after use.  It hydrates well and rinses clean without leaving any traces of residue behind.  This mask hydrates the dry and damaged areas of my hair and helps to restore shine to the areas that need it most.  It helps to repair signs of surface damage, improving the overall look and feel of my long thick hair.

The proteins in this product will help to fill in the cracks and weak areas of my hair but cannot repair or bring hair back to life.  It helps to smooth the surface by filling in the top cracks and reducing the appearance of frayed ends, both of which I need with my love of heat styling.  My hair is soft to the touch and overall I am very happy with the results that I get from this product.

I get great results from both this product and the Carol's Daughter Monoi Mask, the Aveda product might come out on top for me because of the fragrance.  The Aveda product has a slight herbal fragrance, it is light and doesn't bother me at all.  The Carol's Daughter product has a strong tropical floral fragrance which might deter some users of the product and therefore I would recommend the Aveda product over the other for anyone who has issues with or doesn't like much fragrance in their hair products.

This was a great introduction to Aveda hair products for me and I will be buying more from this company.  I think my next purchase will be the Smooth Infusion Shampoo and Conditioner and perhaps the same products from the Color Care line.

photo courtesy of Aveda

Phillip B. Peppermint and Avocado Volumizing and Clarifying Shampoo

Today we are returning to some reviews of the products that I have received so far this summer in my Glossyboxes.  I am very glad that I signed up for this box subscription earlier this summer and I have both been able to try all kinds of new products that I might not have known about and I have been able to gift products to my friends who I knew would love them more then I would.  The Phillip B. hair care line is one of the harder ones to find in my area and I have to order the products online or pick them up when I visit NYC or King of Prussia.  That being said, I haven't gotten to try any of them yet and haven't even found a salon in my area that uses them or could order for me.  Glossybox definitely filled this void for me...

Earlier this summer, each Glossybox received one of the shampoos in the Phillip B. product line and my box contained the Peppermint and Avocado Volumizing and Clarifying Shampoo.  I had put off trying this product for a good amount of time since I rarely use any type of clarifying shampoo as I do not want to strip the lowlights out of my hair and would have to use the product right before I have a hair appointment so that my color remains true for the rest of the time.  I wasn't sure that this product was for me but since I tend to get build up from using all kinds of straightening and deep conditioning products.  So I gave it a shot a few days before my last two hair appointments.  This will be a product that lasts me for a long time since I will only use it once every few weeks. 

I found this product on the Nordstrom website and this seems to be the only place around me that I would be able to purchase it in a store so I will pull all my information from their website.  "One of PHILIP B®'s most acclaimed products, this is a clarifying cleanser and powerfully active aroma-therapeutic scalp treatment in one. Formulated with sixteen pure plant extracts; eleven essential and carrier oils; and a potent, active dose of 2.3% pure peppermint oil, the shampoo works as a local anesthetic to soothe scalp tension, stimulate circulation and leave your scalp feeling tingly fresh and clean. PHILIP B® Peppermint & Avocado Volumizing & Clarifying Shampoo also lifts away product residue—restoring your hair's natural shine and vitality without without compromising its precious moisture and elasticity. Safe for color-treated hair; ideal for use with PHILIP B® Rejuvenating Oil. Feel the amazing difference on your scalp and hair from the very first use."

This is considered to be color safe but I am not planning on trying this product anytime soon after I get my hair done so I will be skipping over this part of the description.  I will say that the peppermint oil does feel great on the scalp and it reminds me very much of getting the Aveda Rosemary Mint massages from the salon (on the rare times that I don't get my color touched up) and I love that I can replicate that feeling at home.  This is nice treat but this isn't something that I would recommend as a daily product, I am not sure that I would like that feeling every day and I don't know how this would affect the skin on my scalp with daily usage.  This is a once a week product at most.

I did find that this Phillip B. product quickly cleans lingering build up off my hair and leaves it quite smooth and shiny.  So I do really like this clarifying shampoo and I want to try it with the oil that is recommended with this product.  I will keep using my bottle of this shampoo for the next few months and then I think that I will order another one and perhaps more products from this brand to try out. 

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Biolage ColorLast Shampoo and Conditioner

I have been faithfully using the Matrix Color Care line of shampoo and conditioner and then I was informed on my last salon visit that the products will not longer be available and that I am going to need to find a different core shampoo and conditioner.  I decided that I would trust whatever formula that my stylist recommended and would try it out.  Over the past few months of visits, she has used either the Matrix color line or the Biolage ColorLast line on my hair so it was an easy decision to purchase the shampoo and conditioner from that line.  I haven't had the best experiences from Biolage products in the past (think college) but I doubt that many of those products are even offered in the line anymore and formulas have been revamped over the years. 

This collection contains both shampoo and conditioner and then some targeted products to hydrate and style color treated hair.  I started with the shampoo and conditioner as I am in no need of any more styling products in my collection.  "Forget about de-saturated color. These state-of-the-art formulas and color-treated hair care products, inspired by nature, help protect hair, balance moisture and even out the hair’s surface for saturated, shiny, vibrant color that stays truer.", is the description of the overall line.  I have been using the shampoo and conditioner for several days now and I am happy with the results so I think that I will be buying more of the styling products once I begin to use some of my current ones up.

We will start with the shampoo and then move onto the conditioner.  "Color-treated hair can fade and lose it's luster over time. Inspired by nature's fade-defying orchid,  Biolage COLORLAST Shampoo helps maintain the color depth, tone and shine for vivid color-treated hair. Give her hair salon-vibrant color for up to 9 weeks.  (When using the system of COLORLAST Shampoo and Conditioner vs. a non-conditioning shampoo.).  The following are the features and benefits of use of the shampoo:
 - Low pH shampoo for color-treated hair helps prolong color vibrancy.
 - Gently cleanses to prevent unnecessary stripping of color.
 - Paraben-free formula is suitable for color-treated hair.

Now we will move onto the matching conditioner.  "Color-treated hair often loses it's color and luster over time.  Inspired by nature's fade-defying orchid,  Biolage COLORLAST Conditioner helps maintain the color depth, tone and shine for vivid color-treated hair. Give her hair salon-vibrant color for up to 9 weeks.  (When using the system of COLORLAST Shampoo and Conditioner vs. a non-conditioning shampoo.).  The features and benefits of this product are:
 - Low pH Conditioner moisturizes hair, extending the life of your color.
 - Hair is left soft and detangled with extra shine and depth of color.
 - Paraben-free formula is formulated specifically for color-treated hair.

I really like this combination and am very happy that I have been able to easily replace my Matrix formulas.  The shampoo requires only a nickel-sized drop to completely foam up and clean my shoulder length hair.  It rinses clean and doesn't leave any type of build up on my hair.  I haven't needed any type of clarifying formula ever since I began using this on a daily basis.  The conditioner performs just as well, if not better.  This is one of my favorite daily conditioners that I have every used and I have used a lot over the years.  It is thicker than most daily conditioners and more on par with a deep conditioner.  A quarter-sized drop covers my hair and I leave it on for about three minutes in the shower.  It hydrates well and detangles my hair, I can run my fingers through my wet hair right after rinsing with this formula.  The smell of these two products is herbal but no major notes stand out to my nose.  I don't mind the fragrance but I don't love it.  I have no issues with color fade out and this group performs very similar to the Matrix in that respect.  I will not make it to nine weeks since I get my redone every four to five weeks.

What could have been a beauty disaster for me was quickly adverted and I believe that it is for the better too.  This formula is more hydrating than the Matrix formula and makes my hair soft and shiny even after all the heat styling that I subject it to.  I will need to start using some of the styling products in this line over the next few months.

photo courtesy of Biolage

Alterna Bamboo Smooth Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist

I first began using Alterna hair products last year when I started out with a new salon and my stylist used the Kendi Hair Oil on my wet hair before styling it and I brought it before I even left the salon that day.  I then followed with purchasing shampoo and conditioner from this brand and it is now ranked as one of my favorite hair product brands.  I have used up my first bottle of the hair oil and have replaced earlier this year, I use it almost every single day to keep my hair smooth and hydrated before styling.  I have now discovered another version of this hair oil and bought it a few days ago at my salon, the spray oil is a lighter version of the product and I have been alternating the two oils and having wonderful results so far.

The Bamboo line of products from Alterna is made for smoothing and adding shine to the hair.  I have used styling products from this line and want to order the shampoo and conditioner to alternate with the color care formulas from this line and from Matrix.  I am so glad that I was introduced to this awesome hair care line!

"A weightless, nutrient-rich oil mist that protects hair from heat styling tools, enhances shine, and boosts hair's health.  This double-duty formula can be used as both a deeply nourishing treatment that helps to repair split ends and environmental damage, and as a color protecting style primer. Made with strengthening organic bamboo and smoothing organic kendi oil, it banishes frizz and imparts intense shine while providing vital nutrients."

"Bamboo extract and kendi oil contained in this product are eco-certified, fair-trade compliant, and certified organic. Their production and sale aid in supporting the development of local communities while remaining environmentally friendly. Free of gluten, TEA, and phthalates.", states the Sephora website in a product description. 

The website states that this product is best used on damp hair before styling but can also be used on dry hair to add shine to the finished product.  I have only used it on damp hair so I will need to try it the other way very soon and see how the results compare to the Fekkai Glossing Cream that I have been using for years.

I can only comment on how the product is used on dry hair and I have gotten great results from the use in this way and now I want to try it the other way too.  I spray the product from root to tip all over my hair and then start the blow drying process.  I have gotten to a point where I only blow dry using my fingers and try to never touch the brush to my hair, my hair is much smoother and easier to straighten when using this technique.  The product takes that even further, after just blow drying my hair is smoother than when not using one of these oils and much softer to the touch.  Both products perform equally well in this regard and both leave the hair cuticle soft and very shiny.  I can't say that one of the two versions of the oils are better than the other but I like having and using both of them, alternating the two helps keep build up from forming on my hair cuticle and reversing all the good effects of this product.

I love Alterna products and I would recommend these oils to anyone who has issues with frizz and dryness throughout the year.  I might recommend the spray oil version to those who has medium to thick hair and then the true oil only to those with thick or coarse hair, both versions will be too heavy for anyone with fine hair.  I have another winner to add to my hair product line up and I will continue to purchase both versions of the Kendi Oil.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Alterna Bamboo UV+ Color Protection Vibrant Color Shampoo and Conditioner

I was first introduced to the Alterna line of hair care products late last spring when I first visited my new salon and I have been using some of their styling products ever since. I am very fickle when it comes to hair care products and I rarely purchase the same products twice in a row.  One of the only products that I am very committed to is the Matrix Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner...and one of the others is a serum from Alterna.  The logical next step was to order a shampoo and conditioner from the Alterna line and alternate it with the Matrix products.  I always alternate at least two sets of shampoo and conditioner so that I can protect my color and highlights and prevent overall build up issues.  I had just finished up a round of Fekkai products when I decided that I wanted to try a completely different company and I decided on the color line of product from Alterna

I order both the shampoo and conditioner from the Bamboo UV+ Color Protection Vibrant Color line of products.  The serum that I first tried from this company was part of the Bamboo line and I think that this is a dominating ingredient in many of their hair care products.  I have been alternating this shampoo and conditioner with my Matrix favorites for the past week and I can easily state that I have a new hair care line that I will be ordering more items from.  I had heard many compliments on the Alterna products and I can see that they were completely correct.

Starting the shampoo...  "A color-preserving and protecting shampoo with rinse-resistant Color Hold® UV+ Technology for the highest level of color protection.  This gentle, daily use shampoo free of sulfates and sodium chloride cleanses, nourishes, and moisturizes, laying the foundation for healthy hair with vibrant color. Strengthening pure organic bamboo extract with color-locking, protecting Kalahari melon extract in this gentle sulfate- and sodium- chloride-free cleanser nourishes hair while maintaining healthy vibrant color. This formula is ideal for preventing color wash-out and fade-out with a high level of color protection, and contains rinse-resistant UV filters that protect against oxidative color damage."

My first impression of this shampoo is that it is much thicker in formula than I had expected, the formula is sulfate-free and these formula shampoos tend to be thicker than those with the chemicals contained in it.  The lather that was produced by this product was minimal, I used too much of it the first time around and not enough water to use it correctly.  The next time I made sure that my hair was truly soaked and I only used a quarter-sized drop of the product, this time the product rinsed much cleaner and worked much better.  Less is more when it comes to this formula.

Moving to the conditioner...  "A color-protecting and strengthening conditioner that prevents color fade-out.  This conditioner combines strengthening pure organic bamboo extract with color-locking, damage-locking Kalahari melon extract in a paraben- and sodium-chloride-free conditioner. Its formula infuses hair with nourishing moisture and vital nutrients to keep it strong and healthy with beautifully vibrant color. Featuring rinse-resistant UV filters that protect against oxidative color damage, this conditioner extends the life of your color."

The conditioner is very concentrated and is another product where a little bit goes a long way.  It was very hydrated and rinsed clean without creating any issues with build up.  My hair is very soft and easy to manage and style.  I really liked this formula from the first time that I used it.

My color has been going strong for the past few weeks with the use of this duo and the one from Matrix and my hair is very soft and easy to style.  This is one of the shampoo and conditioner sets that I would be interested in repurchasing and very few hair products make this cut.  I am now looking to see what other products from Alterna that I might want to order and try out.  This is one of the best hair care lines that I have used recently and I cannot see that I would ever stop using products from this collection.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Matrix Color Care Intensive Hair Mask

About two months ago, I ordered and reviewed the Monoi Hair Mask from the Carol's Daughter hair care line and I have been using it happily ever since.  I love that mask so much that it makes me want to buy more from Carol's Daughter and see how all the different products in the line perform, a task that I will taking on once I begin to run on some of my different hair care products.  Due to the fact that I highlight and color my hair along with heat styling it nearly every single, I take very careful care when I pick out my shampoo and conditioner formulas and will alternate formulas every few days so that I do wash my color down the drain or create a build up issue on my strands.  One of the sets that I always use is the Matrix Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner (the set recommended to me by my hair stylist) and then I alternate the other set between many different brands.  With my last purchase of the Matrix Color Care set, I received another free product from this collection.  The last time that I bought the set, I received a small size of the leave-in spray and this time I received a small version of the Intensive Hair Mask.  I am still very happy with the Carol's Daughter formula but I wanted to try out the Matrix Mask and see how it performed.

I think that I used a much older version of this mask when I was a senior in college and was using Matrix pretty religiously, I got away from the brand in the following years but then came back to it when I was recommended it from my stylist and I remembered why I loved the brand several years ago.  The Shampoo and Conditioner will be among my favorite products for a long time coming and I am considering picking up the Leave In when I need a new bottle of a leave in treatment.

The Matrix website states, "Weekly, deep conditioning treatment. Nourishes hair with intense moisture. Helps strengthen porous hair."  The two active ingredients in this product are Vitamin E and Sunflower Oil.  Vitamin E is "rich in antioxidants, Vitamin E helps fight free radical damage and defend against environmental aggressors." and Sunflower Oil is "rich in antioxidants, Sunflower Oil contains emollients to soften and condition hair."

After using this product twice, I can already state that I know that I will not be purchasing the full size of the mask.  This is a nice mask and helps to hydrate my hair but I could do better with a bunch of different formulas.  Perhaps the Carol's Daughter Mask has spoiled me but this mask barely registered on my beauty product radar.  It is a typical deep conditioner, it hydrated my hair better than before using it but any conditioner formula would (whether I bought it at Wal-Mart or Sephora) and my looked exactly same before and after use.  The little bit of improvement that this product brought to my hair is not worth me buying the product, I would finish up the free bottle of it that I got with the shampoo and conditioner but that is all.

I think that this is the biggest let down of the Color Care line, I love the other three products in the line but this one will be skipped over the next time that I am at the salon.  This is an ordinary formula and will help hydrate but there are many more formulas on the market that will do that and much more.

photo courtesy of Matrix

Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask

I have begun working through all the products that I bought during the Sephora Friends and Family Event and I must say that a few of them are emerging as clear winners in my book.  My first love from the orders is the small bottle that I bought of Stella McCartney's L.I.L.Y., I have been using this fragrance at least twice a week and fall more in love with it each time that I put it on.  I have now started using the Carol's Daughter hair mask that I ordered and I am really pumped that I have found another great product from my order!  This is the first product that I have ever used from Carol's Daughter, I had heard many good things about the line over the past few years but often passed over it at my local Sephora or only looked at some of the body products in the line.  In fact, I wasn't really aware that this company sold hair care products until a few months ago when I searched through every hair brand on Sephora and started to plot out my upcoming Friends and Family Order.

I used Friends and Family to try a variety of brands that I had never used before and to stock up on some old favorites.  Obviously this product fell into the category of untrieds since this is my first product from Carol's Daughter.  So why did I choose this one from the series of hair masks that are carried by Sephora?  It was quite well rated, contained a good amount of natural ingredients, and had a monoi oil in it.  I have used monoi oil in beauty products since college and I love the mixture of coconut oil and tropical florals. 

"A deeply nourishing hair treatment to undo and prevent damage by up to 96%.  Strengthening your hair is the only way to lengthen it so you can do whatever you want with it. To really fortify fine, fragile, or chemically-treated hair requires major nourishment found in the Monoi Repairing Hair Mask. Added to the rejuvenating Monoi Oil – a repairing Tahitian blend of the Tiare Gardenia Flower and Coprah Coconut Oil – is rebuilding Bamboo Water and protective Hydrolyzed Silk.  This product is free of alcohol, petroleum, mineral oil, and artificial colors. For over 2,000 years, Tahitians have used Monoi Oil for its natural reparative properties that undo and prevent damage from the sun, sea and surf. Using ingredients that only grow in Tahiti, Monoi Oil is made by taking 15 freshly picked Tiare Gardenia Flower blossoms and combining them with 15 ounces of Coprah Coconut Oil over a 15 day sacred ritual, passed down only through an oral tradition."

I have used this product twice so far and I am very happy with the results.  With any deep conditioner, your hair will feel different after using it but I have rarely had my hair be so soft and easy to manage after use of this deep conditioning product.  This product has a very thick and creamy texture and a little of the cream goes a very long way.  I ran my fingers over the top of it to pick up a light coating of product and found that this is enough to cover my medium length hair, I actually thought that I didn't use enough the first time when I could coat my whole hair shaft with it but I had decided to err on the conservative side with this product the first time.  It turned out that it was a very good idea to use a small amount, I would have just wasted product had I used more than a quarter-sized drop of it.

My hair styles very easy the day after using this product and it is soft and manageable.  I love the results that I get from using this product and I am glad that I decided to try something very new to me during Friends and Family. 

Sephora posted the clinical results from usage of this product and many people have had a similar experience to mine.

"- 96% less breakage after only 1 use
- 13 times longer hair life after only 1 use
- 85% better conditioning and detangling after only 1 use"

I have no comments on the claim of longer hair life, I would guess that this is linked to the lessening of breakage after using of this mask.  I can say that my hair is much softer and since it is easier to style, it would lead to less breakage from styling damage.  I have been using this product once a week and I think that I will continue to use it in this fashion. 

What gets me even more excited is that Carol's Daughter has an entire line of monoi oil hair products, from the traditional shampoos and conditioners to all kinds of treatment products.  I now have a list of products that I want to buy at Sephora and I will be plotting out an order once I have some spare room in my shower!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Ojon Dry Recovery Hydrating Smoothing Cream

I haven't been really trying many new products for my hair lately, I have been buying Matrix Color Care products from my salon and I have been so happy with them that I have been using them almost every single day.  I should be changing up my haircare product more often so that I can avoid any type of residue from forming on my hair and I have decided that I should order a few new products from Sephora and go back to alternating between brands.  I just started looking back through my stash of products and I found this Ojon product that I bought at the end of last fall and then put away until I used my Alterna Bamboo Oil up.  I just finished that product two weeks ago so I brought this cream out and have been using it for about a week now.  I have always loved Ojon' performance but until recently, the scent of the products have made me shy from using them on a regular basis.  I must not have been the only one since this company has really improved the fragrance of all of their hair care products!

I decided to buy a smoothing cream from this company late last fall, I wanted something hydrating and that will fight frizz in both cold and warm weather.  Ojon was a logical company to look for this product from as they are know for having some of the best hydrating products on the market and their products are designed for coarse hair types.  I bought the Dry Recovery Hydrating Smoothing Cream, a cream that can be used to polish and smoother hair either before or after drying. 

"A nourishing styling cream that adds definition, hydration, and brilliant shine.  This cream instantly helps dyed, dried, or fried hair come alive. It's a nourishing leave-in conditioner with the hair-repairing power of nature's golden elixir, ojon oil, plus blue agave, rich butters, and oils. It tames split ends, flyaways, and frizz, and it's so lightweight you won't know it's there—but it still holds your style.  In healthy hydrated hair, the scales of the cuticle lie flat like the shingles on a roof. But when these scales become damaged, they lift and separate and no longer play their protective role. Water evaporates, cuticles become more brittle, more moisture is lost, and hair becomes drier. This simple daily ritual breaks this vicious cycle. And the refreshing aroma of ylang ylang, sweet orange, and geranium refreshes your spirits."

This product is recommended for use on damp hair but I have read reviews of it being used on dry hair too.  I have only used when my hair is damp so that I can add a bit more moisture and protection before blow drying and straight ironing.  It comes out of the tube with a thick lotion texture and I only have to use a dime-sized drop to cover all of my hair.  I soften it in my hands and then evenly apply it through damp size so that I can style it with the blow dryer. 

I was happy that this cream is a light texture, I was afraid that it would be as thick as some of the Jonathan Dirt products and that I would still need another product to alternate with it.  This product does not weigh my hair down and hasn't created any issues with building up on the ends.  The earthy floral fragrance of the product is much improved from the old "dirt" scent that the first generation of products had and I love the improvement.  I now want to buy more products from Ojon and I will be alternating them with the Matrix products that I currently love. 

photo courtesy of Sephora

Ojon Dry Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner

My last post was about how dry my skin is this winter and now we are going to talk about how dry my hair is too.  I feel like every single winter, my skin and hair just keep getting worse and worse (perhaps Al Gor will have some thoughts on climate change being expressed through the degradation of my appearance!) and I have to enlarge my product collection each month just to get through the cold weather.  I think that I have stumbled upon a great product in the Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil and now I am on to trying to find just as great a hydrator for my hair.  I still color treat my hair so I need a shampoo and conditioner that I can rotate with the Matrix Color Care line.  I will keep buying the products in that line and then change up my other haircare products every few months.  This time around, I will be trying the Dry Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner from Ojon.

I first received samples of these products from Sephora last fall and then I went and purchased the full sizes of both the shampoo and the conditioner.  Before I even saw the results of the use of these products, I was struck by one aspect of the product...the scent!  And not in the way that I am normally struck by the scent of the Ojon products, these two products have a subtle herbal scent and not the strong scent that I have often complained about from the products in this line.  I was expecting the strong, dirt-like fragrance from these two products and I was nearly blown away in the shower when i liked the subtle and herbal scent.

The Sephora website provides both the product information and then why the products function as they do.  "In healthy hydrated hair, the scales of the cuticle lie flat like the shingles on a roof. But when these scales become damaged, they lift and separate and no longer play their protective role. Water evaporates, cuticles become more brittle, more moisture is lost, and hair becomes drier. This simple daily ritual breaks this vicious cycle."  Dry hair normally has scales that lift and then the moisture evaporates normally, chemical treatments and heat styling make the problem even worse and the cycle just continues.  When used together, the Dry Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner have been designed to help combat this problem and to put the needed moisture back into the hair shaft.

"A moisturizing shampoo formulated for dehydrated hair.  Instead of stripping away natural oils like strong action shampoos can do, this gentle coconut-derived cleanser actually preserves them. Ojon oil, nature's golden elixir, helps repair damage in the shower while our Blue Agave Nectar, Macadamia Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Babassu Oil complex helps restore moisture and smooth roughed-up cuticles to keep hydration sealed in. Straw-like strands become soft and smooth as silk.", states the Sephora website when describing the shampoo in the Dry Recovery product line. 

The matching conditioner has the following description.  "A deeply nourishing treatment for dry hair.  This rich, rapid daily moisture-proofing system instantly quenches parched strands and surrounds them in an invisible aura of protection. Formulated with Ojon oil, nature's golden elixir, plus Blue Agave, Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, and Babassu Oil, this cream smoothes down the hair's cuticle, making dull hair brilliantly shiny. Never greasy or heavy, it smoothes static and tames flyaways too."

Clinical test results have also been provided by the Ojon company.  "Used in combination, Dry Recovery™ Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner improved the condition of dry, damaged hair by 52%.   82% said their hair felt smoother.  84% agreed their hair was soft. 78% claimed their hair felt nourished."  The results were made under the condition that the shampoo and conditioner were used together each and every time that the hair was washed and conditioned. 

I have been alternating this shampoo and conditioner formula with the Color Care line from Matrix.  The shampoo doesn't strip my hair of color or moisture, it doesn't add moisture but sets the stage for the conditioner to work its magic.  It produces minimal foam since it doesnt contain the Sulfates that are found in many traditional shampoo formulas and rinses clean from the hair.  I was a bit concerned as to how it would cleanse and rinse, I have used sulfate-free formulas before that cannot do either and make my hair worse than before use of the product.  I don't know that a shampoo can really help repair damage, but the formula can help avoid further damage and get the hair ready to receive the conditioning formula.

The conditioner is very hydrating and my hair is much softer after use of this product.  In addition to increasing the hydration level of my hair, it makes it lie flat and then much smoother and easier to blow dry and straighten.  The oils in the conditioner helps to both hydrate and smooth the hair, the appearance is much improved after using this product several times.  I really love this conditioner and now I want to try the Deep Conditioner in this line and see what kinds of results that it provides. 
The one drawback with this line is that it is not listed as being color safe.  It has not stripped my hair color and so far I have had no issues with it in this line, some products from this company have been known to strip color from the hair.  It helps that the shampoo is sulfate-free, it is gentle and doesn't contain ingredients that aren't recommended for color treated hair.  So far I have been having great luck with this shampoo and conditioner.  I do not use it in the first two weeks after I have colored my hair, I use the Color Care line only in this time and then begin alternating for the next four weeks until I color again. I would love to see some clarification on this topic from the company...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Phyto Huile d'Ales Pre-Shampoo Intense Hydrating Oil Treatment

I haven't posted about Phyto in months now, I still love this haircare line however it is getting to the point where I own almost every single product in the line and I have reviewed most of the them.  I do wish that this company would release more new products than they currently do, I have loved lamost every single product that I have used from this French company and I would buy as many new products as they would bring out.  The other week in Sephora, I repurchased a product of theirs that I had first used in college and itis just as good as I remembered it from all those years ago.  Winter is the perfect time for me to use hydrating skin and hair products as this is when I will reap all the benefits that they have to offer.

The Huile d'Ales Pre-Shampoo Intense Hydrating Oil Treatment is actually the first product that I ever purchased from this company, way back in 2004.  I bought this hair treatment when I was an associate at Bath and Body Works and I visited the King of Prussia store for the first time and I got all the exposure to brands other than their house brands.  This was even before King of Prussia had a Sephora in the mall and this was one of the few stores that I could play with all kinds of beauty brands and find out all kinds of information about brands that I had never heard of.  I am still waiting for King of Prussia to get a Space NK or a Blue Mercury...

Huiles d'Ales is one of those products that you will either love or hate, it is one of the most intense hydrating treatments that I have ever used and is great for someone with dry, thick, and/or coarse hair.  If your hair is oily or fine, then this product will be the kiss of death for any volume that you are attempting to induce into your hair.  This is a product that is very similar to the Ojon Hydrating Treatment but without the awful smell...

"A moisturizing pre-cleansing ritual for dry hair.  Created in 1967, this original rejuvenating formula is named after the Phyto founder himself. Its unique blend of essential oils revitalizes the tresses, restoring healthy radiance to dry hair.  This water-soluble complex can be safely mixed into the coloring process to protect hair and scalp from damage."  I have never mixed this into any type of hair color but I will bring this product to stylist and see what she thinks about this and how/if it could be done.

I have used this product in two different ways.  In each case, I use one entire vial of the oil and pour it into the spray bottle that is provided with the product.  I spray the oil all over my hair (mostly from the ear level and down) and then wrap a towel around my hair and let it sit for about half an hour.  I have used it with the just the towel several times and other times I have used a hair dryer blowing directly on my head for most of the half hour in order to keep the product hot.  Most stylists and chemists believe that the product will penetrate deeper if continous heat is applied and then I reap more rewards from this product.  I prefer to use a hair dryer with this product but I haven't always had the time to simply devote half an hour just to my hair.  I am more likely to use this product and wrap up my hair while doing homework or blogging.

This product is a very intense hydrator and you will see results from it, my hair is much softer and very shiny after use of this product.  However, I do not recommend using this product right before you plan to go out, it left my hair worse before it started to get better.  Let me explain fully.  Right after I use this product, I need to wash my hair twice to get all the excess oil out and then I condition my hair like I normally would.  With this method, I usually cannot get all the excess oil out and my hair will look awful for the rest of the next/the next day (if I do it at night).  My hair acts like it is pouring outside and behaves like the humidity is 100%, lots of frizz and hard to style.  As soon as I wash and condition it again at night, it straightens perfectly the next day and garners me tons of compliments on how pretty it looks.  I prefer to use this product at night and then only before a day where I know that I will be going nowhere for about 24 hours.  I am going to try to get my hair into a top knot the day after using this product and see if I can improve the appearance a bit of my "day after treatment" hair.  I will report back as to how this works.

The smell of this product is so much better than the Ojon treatments, this product has a very strong herbal smell but it is still very pleasant and does not detract from the formula.  Everyone knows that I cannot stand the scent of the Ojon product and it is a trial for me to ignore it while it is working wonders on my hair, this product works the wonder but doesn't make me gag while it is sitting on my head.  I use this product once every two weeks, Phyto suggests using it once a week but with the time that it takes for my hair to improve after the treatment, I cannot devote one day every week to not leaving my home.  I really don't believe that it needs to be used once a week unless your mix chemical treatments and your hair is really bad, once every two weeks is enough to reap all the benefits without wasting product. 

My only thoughts on improving this product is the packaging, the vials are pre-measured as to the amount that Phyto thinks should be used.  The amount is best for medium hair, if your hair is long then you need about two vials and if your hair is short then you are wasting product by having to use the whole vial.  If it was up to me, I would prefer this product to be contained in a regular size bottle and the user can decide how much they wish to pump out.  This is my only complaint with the product and it isn't that much of one (at least for me).  One vial is pretty much perfect for my hair, I wouldn't mind using a bit more but two vials would be too much for it and I only use one. 

This product is a great deep treatment for dry or chemically treated hair, it will hydrate any dry areas and improve the shine factor and the overall appearance of the hair.  This was my first love from Phyto and continues to remain a favorite treatment of mine.  If you love the effect of the Ojon products but hate the smell, this product will be a favorite.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Matrix Color Care Miracle Treat 12 Lotion Spray

Ever since last summer, I have been using the Color Care line from Matrix, this is yet another great recommendation from my stylist and I have been rebuying these two products as soon as I run out of them.  The last time that I went to the salon and went to replace the products, we were able ti find a holiday gift set that contained both the shampoo and conditioner and then a small size in a product that I have not tried before.  That product is the Miracle Treat 12 Lotion Spray, a leave-on conditioner that my stylist loves for dry, colored-treated hair.  I have been using it every night that I wash my hair for the past week and so far I can state that this is another winner from the Matrix Color Care line.  Two products very quickly become three for me and now I wonder how long it will be before I start walking out of the salon with a huge bag full of products every single visit...

I still use the Matrix Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner every other time that I wash my hair and I have added this product to my nightly routine.  I alternate the shampoo and conditioner with Fekkai however I use this treatment every single time that I wash and condition.  My hair is even worse in the winter than it is in the summer and it gets so dry and full of static that I spent more time caring for it than any other time in the year.  I so cannot wait for spring to begin!

So this time of the year, I will pretty much try any type of moisturizing face or hair care products, as long as they are recommended to me by someone who knows what they are talking about, I am likely to buy/order any type of product that might help a bit.  I tend to be all over deep conditioners and leave-in treatments during the winter so I was more than excited to buy the gift set version of the Matrix Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner and then receive a small size of the leave-in treatment.  And it now looks like I will be buying a replacement of this product too...

The Color Care Miracle Treat 12 Lotion Spray is a spray-on, leave-in treatment that is made to hydrate and help to protect hair from the damage that occurs with heat styling.  I also tend to heat style more in the winter months since beachy waves are not quite my style during the snowy months.  This only makes the dryness problem worse so this is the type of product that I need to use as much as I can during the winter.

"Conditions like a lotion. Sprays like a mist. Sunflower Oil, rich in antioxidant, provides 12 instant benefits:
- Helps protect color-treated hair
- Detangles
- Helps seal the hair from damage
- Helps prevent breakage
- Maximizes natural body
- Smoothes the cuticle
- Deeply conditions
- Helps strengthen hair
- Delivers instant silkiness
- Increases manageability
- Tames frizz
- Helps restore shine"

The first result that I saw is that my hair is much softer to the touch when using this product, it functions very well as a hydrating leave-in and I will keep using it for this purpise over the next few month.  Along with being softer, my hair is more smooth than it was before, I still have to heat style it like I always would but it appears much smoother after using the flat iron on it.  This product is part of the Color Care so it helps to maintain color when used with the shampoo and conditioner, both of the products really helped to maintain my color, this will add to it but I don't expect this product to really change how my hair holds onto the color.  I can't hurt to use it but I don't expect to see any great change in my hair color.  As long as it helps hydrate my hair, I don't really need it to do much else.  I will continue to use the Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner so they will work well together to help protect my highlights.

After using this product every single night for five days, my hair started to get some of the product built up on it and I did need to give it a rest for two days.  With also using the Bamboo hair Oil from Alterna, my hair has a lot of product on it every day and I needed to stop using this product for a day just to get rid of the build up feeling that was on my hair.  Going forward, I will use it for three days and then take a day off from it and then go back to using it.

I recommend this product if your hair is dry and needs extra hydration during the winter months, especially if you heat style on a daily basis.  I wouldn't recommend it for fine hair as it does contain Sunflower Oil and caused a bit of build up.  If it builds up on my thick hair, I don't quite know how it would react on fine or thin hair.

photo courtesy of Matrix

Matrix Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner

At the very end of last month, I spent a long afternoon at my favorite salon and walked out with a full head of lowlights.  My hair color and style goal is to have my hair almost the same hue and cut as Rooney Mara.  My stylist told me that this transformation will take at leat two visits in total and lots of care in between visits.  She has never done me wrong on what she thinks will work for my hair type and face shape and every product that she has recommended for me has worked wonders for my hair.  Needless to say, when she recommended a new shampoo and conditioner to me on my last visit, I brought a bottle of each of them right up to the register.  I have already used a series of Matrix products over the years and have always been happy with the results so when she recommended the Color Care Shampoo and matching conditioner.

One of the major concerns after I got my lowlights was color fading, I run outside in the summer months which can have an awful effect on hair color.  I don't want my lowlights becoming too light since then my whole first visit will have gone to waste.  The whole Matrix Color Care line contains Fade Guard Technology with Vitamin E and Sunflower Oil.  I bought the shampoo and conditioner at my last visit and I might want to buy more products in the line when I go next month.

The shampoo is a lightly scented, thick cleanser that produces a little bit of thick foam.  "Gently cleanses dulling residue.  Renews moisture and helps strengthen porous hair."  A shampoo with less cleansers will strip less color out of the hair, preserving all the color that has been added to it.  If you dye your hair and then don't use a color protecting shampoo on it then all of your color will be striped out of it, leaving it uneven in both texture and tone.  This shampoo promises (when used with the conditioner) that you will not see color fading for 45 washes.  By the time that I get to 45 washes, I will be back at the salon, I only wash my hair every other day so using this combination will give me about three months of minimal fading.  So far I have been using this combination for about three weeks and I haven't noticed any fading or color dulling, I am very happy with this product.  This product contains UV protectors, so I am hoping that the sun will not reak havoc on my lowlights.  My only minimal complaint with this shampoo is that I have to rinse this formula a bit more than I have to with other blends, it is on the heavier side and takes a bit longer under the water to fully get all the product out.

After I use the shampoo, I follow it up with the matching conditioner.  "Moisturizes and nourishes.  Provides lasting shine and color care."  The conditioner formula is made to complement the shampoo formula, the shampoo is the star of the two products.  The conditioner is made to hydrate the hair and then to completely seal the cuticle so it lies flat.  When the cuticle is closed, the hair is less prone to fading and uneven texture issues.  This conditioner is very rich and only a small amount is needed to cover the hair.  The first time that I used it, I squeezed way too much out and ended up wasting a ton of product.  A quarter-sized drop is all that I need to obtain hydrating and smoothing results. 
This line might be my favorite of all the Matrix Shampoo and Conditioner lines, I love how soft and smooth my hair is and my color hasn't had any noticeable fading after almost three weeks.  This formula is very thick and rich so I cannot see it being the best choice for ladies with fine hair, I would only recommend this line for medium to thick hair types.  The Color Care line has several other products in it, I am very interested in the deep treatment mask.  I already own the PhytoCitrus color care mask but when I am done with that product, I would like to purchase the selection from this line. 

Another winning recommendation from my wonderful hair stylist!

photo courtesy of Matrix

Matrix Sleek Look Shampoo and Conditioner

The last two pieces of the Matrix Sleek Look collection that I bought are the shampoo and the conditioner, I have finished up with all the styling creams from this line and now I am about two weeks into using the matching shampoo and conditioning products.  I originally used this shampoo and condition right after I graduated from college, when it was newer on the market.  I found that the shampoo and conditioner are best used for someone that smoothes and straightens their hair every single day, this is not for someone who wants to play around with different hair textures every single day. 

This set of products will not straighten hair by themselves, at least one additional styling product will be needed to fully style and achieve the perfect straight hair look.  That being said, these products help to deposit the needed ingredients on the hair so that less styling products are needed and styling time is reduced.  The Sleek Look line uses the following two ingrediens in every product in the line to aid in the straightening and smoothing process, shea butter and ceramide.  Shea butter is used to hydrate and aid in moisture retention, if the hair cuticle is hydrated to begin with than the moisture from the air cannot seep in and it will help to easily prevent frizz.  Ceramide helps to smooth hair and keep the cuticle closed, allowing the styling products to easily coat the hair and help the ironing process.
This line is made to help with the appearance of frizzy, dry ends and helps to repair and smooth the hair for up to 24 hours.  Most people (myself included) who straighten their hair do not wash and restyle it every single day and need a product that will stand up to the weather and elements.  The styling process is usually long enough when I am blowing out my thick, curly hair that I cannot do it every single day anymore. 

Since shampoo is usually the first part of the hair regime, I am going to start with this product.  The information is from the Matrix website, but this product line can be found at almost every single salon that I have ever gone to.  "Cleanses and moisturizes.  Smoothes and controls frizz.  Delivers all day humidity protection."  This product helps to clean off the hair cuticle with a thick, rich foam.  It doesn't strip the hair's cuticle however it is not hydrating enough when used alone, the matching conditioner is needed with this product.  This shampoo formula does contain silicones, so another shampoo is needed to alternate with this one.  The first time that I used this product, it was the only shampoo that I owned and I found that after using it for five or more days in a row, the ingredients build up and caused my ahir cuticle to have a bit of a sticky feel.  I currently alternate this shampoo with Fekkai Glossing line up to help avoid build up.

The matching conditioner is one of the vital parts of the straightening process, it helps to hydrate and smooth the cuticel before I even get out of the shower in the morning.  "Moisturizes, detangles, and de-frizzes.  Helps repair damage.  Delivers all day humidity protection."  This conditioner is very slippery to the touch and absorbs quickly into the hair.  After rinsing, the hair is slippery to the touch and feels more hydrated than before.  It contains the silicones just like the shampoo, so the same rules about switching this line up with another shampoo and conditioner holds true.  This conditioner actually caused the build-up faster than the shampoo did, I needed to use a clarifying shampoo at least once a week when using this product duo.

I recommend this shampoo and conditioner to someone who has issues with dry, frizzy hair and needs help to straighten and smooth it while styling.  However, I really believe that a second duo of product is needed to alternate with this line to help avoid the build up that this rich shampoo and conditioner can leave behind.  In addition to alternating with another duo, I strongly suggest that you use a line with lighter conditioning agents or a more natural-based line.  One of the best aspects about the whole Matrix line is that is works very well with little to medium effort on the part of the user and the line is available at so many salons, you will have no problem finding this line.  This line of products is made only to help straighten and smooth, if you are going after only hydration benefits, this is not the blend for you.  The ceramide is made to smooth and could cause excess build up if you are solely looking for moisture benefits.

One last caveat - this line is made to use together and will need to be used that way at least every other time you straighten your hair.  This product line is a commitment and the shampoo and conditioner should be used together in order to really aid in the styling and smoothing process.

photo courtesy of Matrix

Alterna Bamboo Smooth Kendi Oil Pure Treatment

The first new product that I bought when I switch hair salons was the Alterna Bamboo Smooth Kendi Pure Oil Treatment, this was used on my hair before drying and straightening and I immediately fell in love with the heavenly scent of the product.  Later on that day, I fell in love with the texture and feel of my hair after using this product.  Needless to say when I asked for some product recommendations to purchase, this was the first and only product that my hair stylist recommended and I was sold in an instant.  I have been using this oil on my hair everytime that I straighten it and so far I have been loving the results (even though I have been dealing with a long line of rainy days and awful humidity).

Sephora has recently started carrying Alterna so I can get it from my stylist or the store now.  "A strengthening and smoothing oil for the hair.  This double-duty formula can be used as both a deeply nourishing treatment that helps to repair split ends and environmental damage, and as a color protecting style primer.  Made with strengthening organic bamboo and smoothing organic kendi oil, it banishes frizz and imparts intense shine while providing vital nutrients." 

The Sephora website lists two major ingredients in this hair oil.  The first is Organic Bamboo Extract.  It "immediately boosts hair's intrinsic strength, flexibility, and sustainability for stronger, healthier, better-performing hair".  The second one is Organic Kendi Oil, it "repairs and maintains the hair's lipid layer, and protects hair from future damage by infusing it multiple essential fatty acids (Omegas 3,6,9) and antioxidant Tocopherol".

This oil comes in a traditional oil with a dropper and a spray formula.  I bought the oil formula since it is more intense and better for thick, dry hair.  The spray formula have worked on my hair too but it is best for medium hair.  I use about a dime sized drop on damp hair before I blow dry to help protect it from the heat.  I then use about a drop on my hair before I use the iron on it.  I can still follow the product with a shine finishing product and haven't had any issues with my hair getting weighed down.  I got my hair cut over a week ago and so far I haven't noticed any major dryness issues or split ends, a near miracle for my hair. 

My stylish also told me that I can use this product as a deep hydrating treatment like I would any other hair oil.  I have yet to try the product that way but I will be using this product as an overnight treatment once a week this summer to help further its hydration benefits.  This formula of the oil is the product is recommended for use as the deep treatment, the spray formula will not provide the same hydrating benefits, so if you want a deep hydrating treatment then you must buy this oila nd not the spray version.

I love that I now have Alterna products easily available to me and I see that this oil product is actually part of the Bamboo hair line that is made to fight frizz and smooth hair.  I am really considering buying both the shampoo and conditioner from line and alternating it with my Fekkai Glossing Shampoo and Conditioner.  I have another appointment at the end of next month so I will be following up with more reviews of Alterna products in the next few months...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Shampoo and Conditioner

Glossing is one of the original collections from the Fekkai hair line and is one the lines that was reformulated when Fekkai reworked his whole line.  And this is one line that I am happy to report was much improved and went from a line that was awful to a line that worked wonders for my hair.  when I first tried the original shampoo and conditioner, it left my hair sticky and didn't really improve the finish.  I used through my small bottles and then never repurchased these products again.  Even though I didn't like the shampoo and conditioner, I loved the styling products and I have been used the Glossing Cream and Sheer Shine Mist for the past few years and have been consistently repurchasing them every single time that I run out.  The last time that I bought a tube of Glossing Cream at Sephora, the sales associate gave me samples of the newly reformulated shampoo and conditioner in this collection and I decided to try them when my current products were finished up.  I love that these products were reformulated and I am so happy that the sales associated gave me samples to try.  Since I went right out and bought the full size in the shampoo and conditioner within days of finishing up the samples.

First we will start with the shampoo.  "This shine release shampoo bathes hair with encapsulated spheres of olive oil all day long to keep locks lustrous.  Safe for color-treated hair.  Fekkai's legendary shine collection infuses new Encapsulated Shine-Release Complex in its winning formula containing olive oil to renew shine all day, strand by strand, minute by minute."  This formula is so much better than it used to be and I wonder if I wasn't the only person that complained about it.  The new formula is much lighter, the texture in the botlte is lighter, yet it still creates a very rich and creamy lather when applied to wet hair.  This new formula rinses very clean, the old version left a film on my hair and made it much harder to style and work with throughout the day.  This shampoo is much lighter than the old formula and I think that is why it is much nicer to work with.  I am glad that Fekkai left one aspect of this product completely the same, the scent is still the wonderul olive oil scent that the line has always had.  I feel like the Fekkai company read my mind when they reformulated this product.

The conditioner was reformulated as well as the shampoo was, it is lighter in texture yet still hydrates and adds shine to my hair.  "This sheer conditioner with encapsulated olive oil gives hair what it needs: vital moisture and shine while restoring its strength.  Safe for color-treated hair.  Fekkai's legendary shine collection infuses new Encapsulated Shine-Release Complex in its winning olive oil formula to renew shine all day, strand by strand, minute by minute."  Like the shampoo formula, this conditioner is much lighter than the original, rinsing out well and not weighting hair down.  Considering that I have very thick and coarse hair, the original formula was just too heavy and I fail to see how many people it really could work well for.  Most of the people that I knew who had tried the original formulas complained about how much they weighed hair down even if they liked the finish that it gave their hair. 

In short, this is the best reformulation that Fekkai could have done on his original line.  The new shampoo and conditioner are much lighter and will allow so many more hair types and textures to use this product and get great results from it.  Both products now rinse much cleaner and therefore hair is much easier to style and looks much better.  The hair lays smoothly and these products help to create the glass-like shine finish.  I love the olive oil scent of the product and I am very happy that this is the one aspect that Fekkai didn't play around with during the reformulation.  I will be buying these two products more often now and I would love to see more items released in this line.

photo courtesy of Fekkai

Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa Malibu Wave Spray

I feel like it has been forever since Bath and Body Works has offered hair care products and I have very found memories of using them in college so I always keep my eyes open for them in the current product assortment.  The new Malibu product line from True Blue Spa contains both body and hair products to help create a beachy, relaxed look for the summer season.  I have tried other products like this in the past and the only one that has done anything positive for my hair is the Beach Waves product from Fekkai, the original beach hair product and the one that still continues to set the bar for this type of product.  I have purchased this product and have been using it over the past few days to help refine my curls in loose, beachy waves.

"Have bombshell, beachy hair with our new Malibu Waves texture spray.  With mineral-rich sea salt to boost texture, a stunningly sexy, wonderfully windblown look is yours instantly.  With a UV absorber to help protect hair against environmental damage.  Irresistibly creamy, tropical citrus fragrance."  This product is recommended for use as follows: "Use on dry or damp hair.  Work through hair and use fingers to scrunch and twirl hair for a tousled, un-done, beach-blown style." 

I use this product on wet hair, it performs better on hair that is damp and therefore easier to finger style.  I have a very hard time finger styling my hair when it is dry already, maybe this is easier for someone who has hair with a finer texture than mine.  I have found a very easy way to make this product work and I am so excited to use it when it is very humid in the summer months.  I wash and condition my hair at night and then spary on a leave in conditioner before twisting it up in a bun.  In the morning, I get it out of the bun and then spray this product all over it, scrunching each area of my hair.  I leave my hair to dry naturally and continue to scrunch and refine it over the next hour or two, completing the wavy look. 

The sea salts in this product create a very different texture than most traditional curling sprays, it helps to create and hold the piecey, wavy look.  This product does create volume that I don't really need and I have to watch my scrunching style to make sure that I am not adding too much volume to my hair.  The salts also help to control the volume and I can see this product working very well on anyone with medium to thick hair, I don't know how well it would help to create the beach waves look on someone with fine hair.  One of my favorite aspects of this product is the fragrance, it is a strong tropical scent that I love but may be off-putting to others.  I do wish that certain types of hair and skincare products wouldn't have such a strong added fragrance, it adds little to nothing to the product performance and has the ability to annoy more people than convert them to the product line.

This is a good formula hair product to create loose, beach waves.  This is one of the only formulas that I have ever found that is close in performance to the original product from Fekkai.  I recommend this product be used on damp hair before finger styling, I can't see how well it will really work on dry hair.  I love tropical scented products so the fragrance is a plus for me but this may not be the case for everyone.  Overall, this is a fun, easy product to use in the warm weather and will help to cut out the amount of time that I have to spend on my hair during the heat of the summer months.

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment

The Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment might be one of the best loved hair products while being one of the most hated at the exact same time.  Let me explain...this mask hydrates and nourishes like nothing else on the market but smells awful.  Simply awful...and the scent lingers the longest with use of the hair mask.  Ojon is one of the most unique brands on the market today, the entire line uses pure ojon oil to help hydrate and restore dry, damaged hair.   This line started out at a group of products only for very dry, damaged hair and has taken off to include products for every single type of hair issue.
First we will start with a description of the ojon oil and the background behind it.  I found the best description on the Ojon website and that is where I will be pulling the information from.  "Everyday sun, pollution, coloring, harsh chemicals, heat styling, friction from combing, diet, stress, and the natural aging process cause serious damage to your hair, making it limp and lackluster, coarse, dull, tangled, difficult to style and manage.  Now whatever the damage, you can transform your hair to perfect health with Ojon hair treatments formulated with nature's golden elixir.  This 500 year-old beauty secret was discovered by Ojon founder Denis Simioni in the remote regions of the tropical rainforest in Central America.  The velvety-smooth, golden elixir is is obtained from the nut of the native Ojon tree and is hand-extracted according to ancient, eco-friendly traditions.  In one year, a single Ojon tree yields less than 8000 nuts, just enough to produce three cups of this precious natural ingredient.  The purity of this precious oil is what creates its natural affinity for hair.  Whenever pure Ojon oil comes into contact with hair, it helps restore radiance, suppleness, bounce, body, volume, and vibrancy to help repair even the most damaged hair."

The nut oil in this product is really what makes it so unique, Ojon owns the patent on this ingredient so the effects from this line are not available from use of any other product.  It is what makes this hair mask so hydrating and repairitve and also what makes this product smell so bad.  I first bought one of these masks several years ago and bought another one when I ran out, the product can't be beat and I learned to ignore the fragrance of it...

The Restorative Hair Treatment is one of the best known products in the Ojon line and the associate at Sephora told me that she recommends this treatment to anyone that complains of dryness or dullness of their hair.  "This clinically proven cult classic is now purified using an exclusive double-filtration method and is fortified with nature's golden elixir plus Rouge Oleifera to create the next generation of our deeply restorative treatment.  After just one treatment, it restores vibrant health to even the most deeply damaged hair.  Plus helps increase hair's strength against breakage.  Hair is soft, silky, and manageable.  A must-have for lifeless, dull, brittle, frizzy, flyway or unmanagable hair."

I use this product about once a month in the winter and maybe once every two months in the summer.  It is more tolerable in the winter months since it smells very strong and I use it with a hot towel on my head.  I coat my hair from the ears down when I use this product and then put a warm towel around my whole head.  I keep the towel warm for about the next half hour with the use of a hair dryer (see why this is not the best to use during the warm weather?!) and then I rinse it off in the shower.  I usually need at least two washings to get all the residue and the smell out of my hair.  It leaves my hair soft and very shiny for the next few weeks and is worth all the trouble that I go through to use it. 

This product is not recommended for use five days before or after hair coloring as it will affect how the hair shaft keeps the color.  I do have to plan when I use this product pretty carefully since I have plan around colorings and when I have the time to really use this product correctly.  This does make the product much more high maintence than many other deep treatments on the market today but the results are just soooo worth the stress.

I noticed when I was looking at this product on the company's website that they have reformulated a bit since I bought my last jar of it.  The company states that they have lightened the fragrance of the product and I am really excited to buy another jar of this now.  I might have to update this post in a few months since my least favorite part of the product have been changed, I am hopeful that this company hasn't changed any other aspect since this is one of the best deep treatments that I have ever used.

photo courtesy of Ojon