Messy-Chic Bun with The Baby Bliss Wand

I splurged and bought a curling wand the other day. I picked up a Baby Bliss Titanium wand. I don’t know what it is about fall. For some reason in the fall, I always want to try new styles.

Messy-Chic Bun

Before using the wand, I used the tension method to blow dry my hair. This involves just applying low heat to the hair, while gently stretching/tugging at the hair with your hands. It’s less manipulation than direct blow drying and gentler on the hair. I’ll post some links on the tension method below (as well as “no blow dry method” for those who are not into applying any heat to their hair). I didn’t have time to curl my entire head, but I curled a few sections to frame my face. I threw my hair up in a low chignon for a messy-chic  look. I like the result and think I’ll give it another shot, however I might just do this on an old twist/braid out and skip the blow dyer the next time I try it.

Regarding the curling wand that I purchased… UGH, It’s alright, I guess. I thought it came with a protective glove, but instead it comes with some weird “finger glove”. How cheap and unreasonable can some companies be?? I’m terrified of burning my fingers , so will have to get comfortable with using it or put on a pair of oven mitts, lol! PS – the entire time I used the wand, I could not shake the image of that girl who burned her hair off while curling her hair.

Seriously, this is so awkward to use… They should call this protective lobster claw, as glove is really deceiving.

 

Have you ever curl wanded (is that even a word) your hair? What wa your experience?

Links

Tension method

No blow dry, blow dry method

Upcoming Post: Bentonite Clay

source

I finally got my hands on some bentonite clay. Many readers have asked my opinion on it and now I’ll finally be able to give it. I’ll be reporting my results and doing a comparison on rhassoul and bentonite clays later on this week. In the meantime, I’m washing my hair for the second time this week— what?? This is a rare occurrence for me, but I couldn’t wait to try the clay.

Do you prefer rhassoul or bentonite?

Summer Product Haul/Review

Hi Everyone,

I’m back from my stay in the States. A lovely time was had by all. With so many hands to pass around and care for the Peanut, I was really able to enjoy a little “me” time and just do some things with friends. I loved being able to catch up with friends over tapas and mojitos or grab brunch and do a little shopping by myself, knowing that my little boy was in good hands. Peanut loves his second home and he really enjoyed meeting all his family and friends. He especially enjoyed his time with grandma, she always spoils him rotten.

While home, I took advantage of buying some of my favorite must-have hair products (i.e Giovanni 50/50, Smooth as Silk, Aussie Moist and KCKT) as well as trying some new ones. I’ll be reviewing three products: a shampoo, a conditioner and a gel (gasps, yes, I used an actual gel) that I’m really enjoying at the moment.

1. Cantu Shea Butter Moisturizing Cream Shampoo

Claim: Promises to moisturize your hair with oils, keep your hair and scalp healthy and clean away build up without stripping the hair.

I’ve only used the product once, so this is really a first impression. However, I actually applied this shampoo not only to my scalp and roots, but also to my hair. It didn’t leave my hair feeling stripped and I got really defined curls after using the conditioner. So it does deliver on what it claims.

Texture: Runny and pearly, almost an egg-white consistency. I didn’t find that it was very creamy, but in the middle.

Lather: Excellent, bubbly and slippery, which is just what I was looking for.

Price:Very affordable, I spent about $4.00 for 13.5 ounces and I feel that a little goes a long way.

Overall Impression: I actually really like this conditioner shampoo, especially how it cleaned my hair yet kept it moisturized at the same time. Normally, when I use conditioner shampoo, my hair shrinks up immediately, not the case with this one. Notice, I kept accidentally referring to it as a conditioner, because clean and moisturized aren’t generally characteristics that describe my hair after shampooing.

2.Trader Joe Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner

This product is so good. It doesn’t even need a review! Why are you still reading this, go out and get yourself and bottle of this conditioner. You won’t regret it! I only regret not being able to stock up on more of this stuff. It’s moisturizing, slippery and makes detangling a breeze! It’s creamy and so rich and leaves hair touchably soft and shiny. The peppermint essential oils also smell wonderful and it’s very calming. I can’t say a single bad thing about this product. It’s very affordable, at about $4.00 a bottle, you should always have a bottle of this stuff on hand. I will buy more on my next trip home!

3. Curls Goddess Curl Gel

Claims: “Curls Goddess Curls is infused with Plumeria Alba Flower Extract and Aloe leaf juice, this botanical curl gel imparts sheen, fights frizz, and creates popping curls! “

Aloe is really low on the list, which means there is probably very little used in the product. Just mentioning that f0r my readers who know that I generally don’t use aloe on my hair. I used this product once so far, so again, this is more of a first impression. I can say I’m really impressed at how defined my twist out was after using this on top on my leave-in. I have a little frizz on day 3, but didn’t have any on day 1 and 2. I don’t mind a little frizz. My hair is also touchably soft, it didn’t flake at all or make my curls crunchy.

Texture: Goopy and slightly runny, making it a breeze to distribute evenly.

Price: I believe I paid about $9.00 for 8oz of this gel. That’s like over a buck a ounce, which I think is on the pricier side, when compared to other drug store gels. What caught my attention with this gel is that it doesn’t contain any silicones, mineral oil, parabens or alcohol. I didn’t want anything coating or drying.

Overall Impression: Positive. I will give this another try on the next wash day. In the meantime, I’m happy to have found a gel that works on my hair, because my hair hates gels usually! Also, I like how moisturized my hair still is on day 3. It gave my hair some weight, which helps elongates my curls. It wasn’t that voluminous on day one, but day 2 I got stretch + volume, so win-win.

Have you tried any of the above products? Any new products that you’re loving these days?

Oil Rinsing and Shopping in My Medicine Cabinet

Lately, I’ve been super fast on wash day. Having a child, has made me one of the most effective people, time-wise. Time flies when you’re raising a life, so I generally try to structure my day to get as much done as possible. I know my grocery store inside-out and can do a week’s worth of shopping in under 20 minutes. #Putmeonsupermarketsweep!

Any way, gone are the days of my 3-4 hour-long wash days. They are now generally 45 minutes to an hour. I either use my mudwash or shampoo (see my recent post on a shampoo product review), then condition my hair with a light, slippery conditioner. Lately, that has been Trésseme Naturals. I then apply oil (e.g. grapeseed oil) on each section of my conditioned hair, concentrating on my ends (voilà: reverse oil rinsing). Next I rinse the conditioner and oil, leaving a small amount in my hair for added slip. I apply a rinse out conditioner and let it sit for a few minutes (voilà deep conditioner) and go on with my shower rituals.

I notice my hair melts like butter at this phase of my wash regimen. Especially, with the “new” conditioner that I’ve used lately. That conditioner is Giovanni 50:50 Balanced Hydrating-Calming Conditioner. I’ve had this product in my cabinet for over a year, but didn’t give it much thought. I’m not sure if it’s because I oil rinsed before applying it to my hair.  However, all I can say is that my hair feels so soft and luscious when this touches my strands. I’m almost in disbelief. My hair seems to also stay moisturized for days after.

So there you have it readers, this is the conditioner that I’ve fallen in love with for the moment.

The scoop on Giovanni 50:50 Hydrating-Calming Conditioner

Claim: Promises to add moisture, shine and manageability as well as smooth frizz. That claim is true, it did all the above for my hair. In fact, the moisture and shine stayed with me for days.

Texture: Very thick, creamy and buttery in consistency.

Lather: Excellent, I love a conditioner that lathers nicely, helps me with detangling.

Smell: Soft, somewhat floral, but not overpowering.

Price: It’s  on the pricier side, about $8.00 for 8.5 ounces. However, as stated earlier, a little goes a long way.

Negatives: While I love Giovanni products and their modern sleek look, this bottle is not effective for getting out all the conditioner. Don’t get me wrong, I will be adding water to it and shaking it up until I get every last drop out of it. Although, I do wish more and more manufacturers would just start making upside down bottles. Just sayin’…

Have you ever tried this conditioner? Or any other Giovanni products? What conditioner are you in love with at the moment?

Have a great Sunday everyone!

 

Garnier Fructis Goodbye Damage Review

I used a sulfate and I liked it. I hope my readers don’t mind it. I used a sulfate and I liked it…

It’s 10pm on Saturday and I just want to go to sleep. I’ve been on the go and busy with work and the peanut lately. Oh I can’t wait for summer vacation. Let the countdown begin! Tonight, I’m struggling to keep my eyes open. Little one had a meltdown after a busy day out with family. He didn’t want to be fed, then he didn’t want his diaper changed, nor to be bathed. I just looked at him and said. I wish you could understand that this phase of life is one of the easiest and most beautiful. I wish you could enjoy it for what it is and continue letting all those around you pamper you and smooch your cheeks with kisses, while you just smile and think to yourself… ah life is good. But alas, such is life. Once, I put him to bed, I relaxed with a bowl of strawberries and a big heap of chocolate (I had to pull out the serious stuff!) In any case, I missed my blog family so much. Even though my eyes and body are telling me to go brush my teeth and go to bed. I decided to just write a quick post, well a product review.

Remember three weeks ago, when I shared my random hair aisle splurge on Garnier Fructis Goodbye Damage Shampoo and Conditioner? Well, I’ve been testing out the shampoo for three weeks. As you can tell from my rendition of Katy Perry’s song, I actually liked it. The shampoo that is. The conditioner was a total failure!

Let me start by saying, this is the first time a shampoo has left my hair feeling soft and moisturized. In fact, this shampoo felt so slippery and moisturizing that I was almost tempted to detangle with it in my hair! I was so ecstatic about the results that I eagerly applied the Goodbye Damage Conditioner. *Wonk, wonk, wonk*.

As soon as this conditioner touched my hair, it felt, tangled, crunchy and in need of a deep conditioner. Yep, you heard it right, shampoo: fantastic, conditioner: terrible. It could be due the vegetable protein in it. My hair does tend to be a bit protein-sensitive. In any case, I decided to stop using the conditioner and give the shampoo another try. Boy am I happy I did. It cleans my hair and leaves it super shiny and soft. I’m a fan and think I’ll keep this shampoo in my product rotation.

So to give you the scoop on the product:

Claim: The product promises to undo three years worth of damage in three washes. I don’t buy any of this marketing hype, but it did clean my hair without leaving in stripped, so I’m happy with that.

Texture: light, pearly, creamy texture. Looks like a light conditioner. Can be a bit runny.  So to avoid using too much,  I am a careful and light-handed when I empty a small amount into my hands.

Lather: Smooth and easy to work into a lather. There were suds and bubbles, but not an alarming amount. So thumbs up!

Smell: I’m not a huge fan, but it’s not the worst scent in the world.

Price: Very inexpensive and a little goes a long way.

 

I’m thrilled to have a shampoo that makes my hair feel moisturized. After, I apply my conditioner it only gets better. So, this is one of my top fave products for the month of May. Coming soon, I’ll also share my review of an amazing conditioner that I had for a long time, but started using recently. Combining this shampoo, oil rinsing and using the magic conditioner kept my hair moisturized an entire week. I didn’t have to reapply any moisturizer during the week. Not only that, my hair seemed to get softer with time. Felt like whipped butter lol! Can you tell I’m a little too excited about this. I’m going to ride this wave for as long as I can.

Day 1 Hair

Day 5 hair!

Have you ever tried the Garnier Goodbye Damage line? What are your favorite shampoos?

(Just want to note that this post is not sponsored. Just a product review from a hair aisle junky) =).

Oh Hello Again

I am behind on some posts. When I get a few free moments, I will try to blog a bit. I have two very exciting product reviews coming up– one product is a shampoo (can’t believe a shampoo gave me stellar results). Another post is on reverse dry deep conditioning cleanse (I.e. deep conditioning on dry hair, then mud washing). I have a post on hydration tips that I’m working on. Finally, I’m hoping to put together a low porosity survey that I’ll be asking readers to fill out. The goal is to catalogue lo-po hair characteristics and products that work for you. Looking forward to chatting with readers again!

In the meantime, I have a girl’s night out this weekend and am so excited– much needed!! I’m leaving the boys at home, they’ll enjoy some nice father-son time together.

Right now I’m sitting under the dryer letting my twists dry a bit. Can I just say that tonight my ends and twists were so moisturized after washing and conditioning my hair. The pic below was after washing my hair, my ends curled up nicely, a sign for me that their moisturized. I cannot wait to share my product review with you all!! I will be stocking up on this product this summer when I visit the States!!

Do you have any fun weekend plans?

Hair Aisle Junky

I have about a drop of Giovanni Triple Treat Shampoo left. However, I still have a few bottles of other shampoo sitting in my medicine cabinet. So please tell me, why do I feel the need to detour down the hair aisle and grab this shampoo and conditioner? (bows head in shame). Ugh drug store hair aisle be damned!

Any way, I did want to try a creamy shampoo lately, as all of mine are clear liquid shampoos (coughs: excuses). I haven’t really used Garnier Fructic shampoo or conditioner, since my relaxed days. I’m wondering how it will work out. In any case, I’ll give these a try this weekend and report back with results. I can always give them to hubby if they don’t do anything for me. Have you ever tried Garnier products? Is your shampoo cream or liquid-based?

Curly Nikki Wash Method

If you follow this blog, you probably know that I LOVE rhassoul clay and get stellar results every time I use it. However, as a new mother, I don’t always have time to prepare my rhassoul clay wash. When I’m short on time, my product of choice to cleanse my hair is Giovanni Triple Treat Shampoo. This shampoo is sulfate free and while it doesn’t leave my hair as soft as rhassoul, it certainly does a good job of cleaning my scalp and hair. It doesn’t leave my hair with that stripped, dry feeling. It’s also a great relaxing shampoo, because it contains tea tree and peppermint essential oils– it’s like a mini scalp massage.

Typically I wash my hair in 4 sections, but I tried a method I read about on Curly Nikki: I simply put my hair in two pigtails. After shampooing each side. I saturated conditioner and detangled under water for added slip. The CN method advocates using practically an entire bottle of conditioner. Since this blog is about being cheap, economically savvy, I diluted 4 ounces of conditioner (Tresemmé naturals) with 4 ounces of water. I soaked each side with 4 ounces of this mixture, massaging the conditioner into my strands then rinsed and detangled under water. Detangling was a breeze with this method and my hair felt great. After this, I put on a deep conditioner, continued on with my shower rituals (voila time effective deep conditioning).
Finally, I tried something new for styling:
1. I applied my leave-in almost dry hair (t-shirt wrapped around my hair 5 m then air dried. I noticed this really help my leave-in penetrate my hair. Sealed with oils on my ends per usual.
2. I sprayed a little mixture of water and setting lotion on my hair, then twisted it. For more hold and definition.
3. I dried my twists for 10-15m under a hooded dryer.

When I undid my twists my hair felt über soft and moisturized.

This is a great method for those little on time.
What’s your rushed routine? What are your favorite shampoos/hair wash products?

Follow-up: My Mom’s Porosity

Last week, I interviewed my Mom about her recent big chop. This weekend, I decided to do a porosity test on her hair to help her decide what products work with her hair. She washed her hair and I snipped off a small strand and placed it in a glass of room temperature water. After 30 minutes the hair was still floating on top of the water. From this test, I speculated she likely had low porosity hair (like mother, like daughter). To make a conclusive decision, I applied aloe vera to a small section of her hair and her coils frizzed right up!

With this knowledge, I’ll help her test out some products that have worked for me, including a rhassoul clay wash and KCKT and report back findings. For the meantime, she’s stopped using petroleum-based products— big no-no for low porosity hair. Instead she’s simply using some cream leave-ins as well as Taliah Waajid Kinky, Wavy, Natural Herbal Style and Shine, which actually did a pretty fantastic job of reviving my dry ends half-way through the week.

I look forward to some future posts about her experience using some of my recommended products. This leaves me wondering if low porosity hair is hereditary. Your thoughts?

For more information on low porosity, check out my ealrier post: Low Porosity Introduction

 

Do you DIY?

Sometimes healthy shiny hair doesn’t require a trip to the store. Many times a simple trip to your cupboards or refrigerator is all you need for a nice effective do-it-yourself hair treatment. I’ll share one of my favorite DIY treatments and would love to hear from readers. If you have any DIY treatments that have worked for your low porosity hair, be sure to comment and share your recipe in the comments section.

Olive Honey Hair Mask

• Olive Oil (or oil of choice) amount depends on hair length and thickness. I use about 1/8 c.
• 2 TBSP of honey

Instructions:

1. Warm olive oil on low heat for about 3-4 minutes (you don’t want it hot, just warm), mix in honey and pour this mixture into a bowl or applicator bottle.
2. optional: mix in a small amount of your favorite conditioner
3. Apply to freshly washed hair. Plastic cap. Sit under hooded dryer 20-30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and condition, if needed.

This leaves my hair shiny and soft to touch.

What are your favorite DIY hair treats?