Category: hair

Brand Spotlight: Oscar Blandi

You’d think I’d won the lottery. I was positively giddy when I scored a travel size of Oscar Blandi Pronto Invisible Voluminizing Dry Shampoo back in September. I was already devoted to their Jasmine Oil Hair Serum. But people just raved about their dry shampoos. Alas, it did not disappoint I love the feather-light weight and instant volume is provided. It contains Vitamin E and wheat proteins to strengthen and protect the hair shaft. Plus, it did not show up one single bit on my dark brown hair.

I’m sure it doesn’t shock you that I had to dive deeper into the world of Oscar Blandi. The Naples native with family roots in haircare came to the United States 20 years ago to share old Italian methods. With a New York salon buzzing, he launched products in 2005. Today, stars like Jennifer Garner, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Faith Hill and Kelly Ripa credit their hair to Oscar. After trying out some of his more notable products, I almost feel like the Italian has done my hair. My favorites:

Jasmine Oil Hair Serum: I ordered this eons ago from Birchbox just based on a fabulous scent. I couldn’t get enough of the Jasmine, Ylang Ylang and Eucalyptus. But I was also happy to find it provided a whallop of shine. I use just a very small bit mostly on ends to hydrate and tame fly-aways. It also makes for a great heat-protectant.

Oscar Blandi Pronto Invisible Voluminizing Dry Shampoo: As mentioned above, it adds instant volume, revives day old hair and is clear! No white residue on my dark hair. Side note: did you know Oscar Blandi makes three dry shampoos!? For more of a heavy duty oil absorption, try Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Powder on your strands while you sleep for an overnight refresh. It also helps combat dandruff. If you want a slightly more amped version of the Invisible, try Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray (this might be ideal for those with a slightly oilier scalp).

At Home Salon Glaze: To wrap up every hair color service at the salon, clients are treated to a shine enhancing, color-preserving glaze. Oscar wanted to share it with us who couldn’t make it to the salon and wanted the treatment at home. Thanks to my new found blowout skills, my hair has been a little dull and dry. So I couldn’t tear this open quick enough. The three minute treatment socks hair with moisture and nutrients. Natural plant emoillients help maintain vibrancy while Olive Oil & Macadamia Oil provide instant shine. Soy & Wheat proteins with Panthenol & Vitamin E add nutrition and healthy appearance. You can do the glaze weekly or add a bit to your conditioner for a daily shine boost.

Pronto Texture & Volume Spray: My hair prefers to be straight with zero volume. I got to the point where I didn’t fight it because nothing seemed to work. Well now… hold the phone. This Texture and Volume Spray added that much desired “undone” look to my straight blowout. For the first time, my hair actually held a decent curl. The natural mineral, zeolite, is the key to this volume and hold. Plus, a dose of keratin strengthens hair. The formula is very similar to a hair spray – dry and light-weight. It also comes in handy for extra hold in updos.

I’ll be keeping my eye out for the newest from Oscar Blandi: Dry Teasing Dust and Dry Sculpting Pomade. What can I say? I’m hooked! Shop my favorites here:

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE WAS PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Brand Spotlight: Amika: love your hair and GIVEAWAY

Amika’s tag line is “heathy, easy and stylish”. Um, sounds about perfect to me. I’ve been imersed in the world of Amika for the past two weeks and my hair is softer, happier and healthier than ever before. I was able to try out quite a few products so, today I am featuring a little brand spotlight.

I’ve been trying out the Color pHerfection Shampoo, Hydrate Conditioner and Nourishing Hair Mask in the shower. My hair is super fine and been a little dry this winter, so I was angling to improve that situation. While my hair isn’t colored, the Color pHerfection Shampoo is chock full of antioxidants, vitamins, healthy fatty acids, Omega 3, 6 & 9, and the rare Omega 7 (usually only found in fish oil) to heal my drier hair. All these goodies come from Amika’s signature ingredient, the Obliphica Berry (Sea Buckthorn Berry), known for centuries renowned for its healing powers.

Hydrate Conditioner and Nourishing Hair Mask notched up the moisure element in my routine significantly. Both of these rich formulas infuse hair with fatty acids, proteins, anti-oxidants, and other nutrients. Somehow they are both ultra-creamy but leave hair balanced and voluminous. The Nourishing Hair Mask takes it a bit further than the conditioner with extra penetration, nourishment and repair. Both have a vaguely tropical scent. And I am not sure you’ll ever find me without one or the other again.

Amika Obliphica Oil Treatment might be the center piece of the brand. I was slightly concerned about the Obliphica seed oil for my fine hair, but it managed to deliver hydration without weighing my hair down or making it oily (this goes for all Amika products I tried). I was especially impressed I could use the Oil Treatment fairly liberally and I still had volume with loads of shine. It also helped on next day hair for a little boost at the ends. It also provides UV protection from environmental and sun damage. The treatment has that delicious and amazing argan oil while being free of parabens and artificial colors. Like the Oil Treatment, the Leave in Cream also surprised me by not weighing my hair down. I applied the cream and then slept on braided, wet hair. My waves were shiny, bouncy and healthy. I have a sneaking suspicion curly-haired girls would go nuts over this stuff.

Lastly, I’m embarassed to say I never use a heat protectant. Now that I a have mastered the blowout, I use heat tools much more often and I knew I needed to step up my game. Amika’s Obliphica Heat Defense Serum uses their signature ingredient’s omega 7 and vitamin C to protect strands. It revitalizes and forms a protective barrier. This layer also helps fight frizz. All three styling products have that tropical oil smell that I go bananas for, but it is very subtle.

And now for the juicy part… a GIVEAWAY. I am thrilled to be sharing one of Amika’s hottest tools with one of you lucky readers. I’ve been using a similar clip-less rod with four interchangeable barrels for the ultimate in styling flexibility. We are giving away Zebra Triple Barrel Pro Curler Set – it also includes a curling rod with interchangeable barrels and one of their famed ceramic irons. Guys, this set is valued at $300!

Enter using the widget below. Open to US Only and GOOD LUCK!

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Ouidad Curl Recovery Whipped Curls Daily Conditioner & Styling Primer

Whipped Curls might sound good enough to eat, but it is really quite something special for those ladies with curly hair. This luxe formula has a triad of functions: styling primer, daily conditioner and leave-in hair mask. The rich, thick cream melts into your hair, hydrating a variety of curly hair types.

First, I gave it a whirl on my naturally wavy locks. I made the mistake of using too much product, but the result was a great hydration treatment. After trying to coax my natural waves out, I gave up and put my hair in a bun. My hair was a little crunchy and greasy. But…. when I rinsed the product out, it was supple, soft and shiner than it has been in … well, a long time. The triple Olive Oil blend with Shea Butter and Glycerine moisturize, strengthen and nourish. Green Tea provides anti-oxidant and environmental protection.

Next, I enlisted Lisa from Elembee. She’s got those enviable, bouncy, ringlet style curls and had mentioned she wanted to try Ouidad a few months ago. She didn’t make my same mistake – she just used a nickle-sized amount of product (see below for what Lisa calls the “Ouidad Flower”). She loves the product as both a styling cream and conditioner. Wait, let me correct that… she “LOVES” it as a styling cream! Once the proper dose was established, Lisa reports “ringlets that were soft to the touch, not frizzy, and hair that doesn’t look or feel greasy.” Her curls looked relaxed, natural and bouncy.

Bottom line: Curly haired curls, take note! Lisa gives this her seal of approval. To those with dry and breaking hair, I would also recommend this as a hydrating hair mask. Other Ouidad favorites include:

Clear & Gentle Essential Daily Shampoo makes for a great clarifying shampoo, but with a low-pH, low-foam formula that doesn’t strip hair and works on color-treated hair
Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner is an intensive conditioner that is a savior for dry, winter hair. The formula is lightweight but deeply hydrating (also can be a leave-in).

Ouidad Curl Recovery Whipped Curls is available at Ouidad.com, salons and ULTA.

Make sure you check out Lisa’s blog here. She has great blogging tips and a fabulous series coming up in 2013 for those who adore travel as much as I do.

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Living Proof No Frizz

I admit… it was the fact that Jennifer Aniston became spokesperson and part owner of Living Proof that I finially bit the bullet and tried their products. I am such a sucker for celebrity endorsements. But this wasn’t just an endorsement. Jennifer has purchased a partnership in the company and will be taking an active role as product creator.

I picked up the Living proof® ‘No Frizz Discovery’ Set from Nordstrom to get a sense of the products. They also have “restore” and “full” product lines, but frizz seems to be my main enemy. So I set out to experience the solution discovered by scientists at MIT. The anti-frizz solution is oil and silicone-free. I am fairly anti-silicone these days – I just don’t like the slick feel it gives. The solution promised to block humidity, fighting frizz at the source. Sign me up.

Just after the shampoo and conditioner, my hair felt silkier and smoother. This remained the case for a couple shampoos after I ran out of my samples. The shampoo is sulfate-free with a hefty lather. The conditioner was creamy and rich but not greasy. The scent of the shampoo and conditioner is slightly chemical – fairly faint but just don’t expect anything fruity or perfumed. My clean hair was easier to comb through and looked more resilant and shiny. But at the same time, my hair wasn’t weighed down by those nasty silicones.

I tried both the sample of No Frizz Straight Styling Cream and the full size No-Frizz Weightless Styling Spray I purchased. Overall, I like the spray slightly better. It also repels dirt to keep hair cleaner and frizz-free longer. Both products smooth equally – it just depends on preference in styling product weight. Note, the cream did win Allure magazine’s Beauty Breakthrough and Best of Beauty awards three years in a row. The No Frizz Leave-In Conditioner is great for that extra oomfph of hydration in these winter months – but it did leave my hair a little greasy. Perhaps this is perfect for a Saturday night staying in.

I also got a free sample of Living Proof Prime Style Extender on Facebook. Perhaps I eeked out a couple extra hours of a blow out, but I was due for a wash anyway. Maybe those who can go three or four days without a wash could benefit from this product more. I’ve heard rave reviews, but if you are an every-other-day girl like me, save for the shampoo, conditioner and spray.

The line is also available at Sephora, where Prime Style Extender is an exclusive.

Viviscal Three Month Trial Wrap Up

I just finished up my three month trial of Viviscal! I couldn’t be more thrilled with the supplements and results.

Average hair growth is about 6 inches per year or 1/2 inch per month. During the first month, my hair grew an amazing 1.5 inches. The second month, I logged another inch. A month ago, my test spot measured 15 inches from root to ends.

So… now time for confession. My hair had gotten so long, I couldn’t resist a trim. I really needed to even up and add some layers. While it was healthy, the quick growth made it a little unfinished looking.

My stylist and I noted my “test spot” and measured a 3 inch trim. Man, did it feel good to cut my hair, especially with all that length to work with. My “test spot” today measures 13 inches (or 16 adjusting for the trim). Bottom line, my hair grew another inch! So, I have logged 3.5 inches in three months. Astonishing when you think an inch and a half is normal for that period of time.

My lashes and brows are fuller and longer. My hair seems healthier despite an increase in heat styling lately. And my scalp health is even improved. My body hair did grow a little faster, but the trade off was worth it.

Check out my first post here, second post here and third post here. You can order Viviscal at Folica.com.

Note: If you haven’t heard of Folica.com, I highly encourage you to check it out. I just ordered a styling brush from them. They service was great with quick delivery and an easy to use site.

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE WAS PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo Spray

A little something to brighten your day: I have found the absolute best smelling, best performing dry shampoo right on your drugstore shelf. Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo Spray is my new favorite thing. I pulled it out of the dusty rear of my hair drawer last Friday to revive an amazing Dry Bar blow out. I knew I might be pushing it, but I just had to eek out another day. Imagine my delight when Suave not only refreshed and voluminized my do, but also smelled amazing. I met some friends for festivities and people (read cute boys) kept telling me how great I smelled! Now, you can’t beat that.

PSA: I’m having trouble finding this online. It is here at Target for $2.54. I am concerned they are discontinuing it, so stock up if you find it.