Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo Review

As I have mentioned in the past, I have psoriasis…on my scalp. Womp, womp. This means that I sporadically develop red, irritated patches on my scalp that peel, flake, and are generally painful. I’ll spare you the gross side details (you’re welcome). Psoriasis flares up on many people as the weather turns drier and mine is no exception, which means that my scalp is a hot mess right now. A hot, itchy, flaking, painful mess.

I had heard good things in general about Paul Mitchell’s Tea Tree Special Shampoo, but also heard that it has the potential to work wonders for dandruff and other dry scalp issues. Naturally, I was intrigued.

Courtesy of Paul Mitchell

One or two customers (remember, I teach but also work retail) told me that they felt this shampoo “burned” their skin, but I was pretty sure that they were describing the tingling that was meant to occur. Undeterred, I purchased the liter.

Here are the details on the shampoo, courtesy of Paul Mitchell:

“Basics: Special ingredients and tea tree oil rid hair of impurities.

Benefits: Leaves hair full of vitality and luster.

Bonus: The refreshing tingle gives you a breath of fresh hair.

Details:  Natural tea tree oil, peppermint and lavender invigorate your scalp and leave hair smelling great. Color-safe formula.”

I used the shampoo multiple times with my Healthy Sexy Hair soy conditioner in order to get a true feel for the shampoo. I felt like I needed a little more of it than my regular shampoo, but I think that’s just because it doesn’t lather up as much. When I tried to use more one time, I ended up using too much and having gross hair because it couldn’t all wash out (so don’t do that). It has a clean, refreshing scent and tingles (not burns!) as it sits on the scalp. I find that it helps my psoriasis on days where it’s acting up some, but is certainly no miracle worker or cure. I can see this shampoo being a tad drying on regular hair/scalps if used daily, so I would suggest simply using it a few times a week for most people. I like the scent o f the tea tree, peppermint, and lavender, but my fiancé says it makes my hair smell like medicine. Pssh.

I got this on sale, so I can’t remember how much I paid for it. You can purchase the Tea Tree Special Shampoo and other Paul Mitchell products on the company website or at specialty retailers (salons, Ulta, etc.).

“The Art of Beauty” October 2013 Ipsy Glam Bag Review & Swatches

Another month, another Ipsy bag! Even though these bags seem to be coming later and later in the month for me, I still love coming home to find a hot pink package filled with makeup surprises waiting for me.  🙂  This month’s theme is “The Art of Beauty” – “Get ready for a month of masterful makeup tricks and delightful beauty treats. Whether you’re headed to a fancy Fall ball or impressing the crowd with a jaw-dropping avant-garde costume, this month’s brand partners have something to help perfect your Look!”

Every Ipsy customer receives a different array of products out of a possible 15 (which has been a point of contention for some subscribers who see products they want, but didn’t receive – although there is an Ipsy swap section). My Art of Beauty bag contained a full-size Zoya polish, a full-size Bella Terra Mineral Cosmetics Mineral Shimmer, a travel-size Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Gel, a full-size Coastal Scents Medium Shadow Brush, and La Fresh Eco-Beauty cleansing wipes.

The first product in the bag I tried was the La Fresh Oil-Free Face Cleanser.

These eco-friendly, biodegradable wipes gently clean without parabens, sulfates, dyes, and other products that could irritate skin. The wipes contain good-for-skin ingredients like papaya, pineapple, cucumber, marshmallow, oat, aloe, chamomile extracts, and Vitamin C & Vitamin E. They gently clean and detoxify while removing light makeup. I’m so-so on these wipes. I don’t wear heavy makeup, but I also don’t wear light makeup – I strike a balance somewhere in between depending on how my skin is looking that day. These wipes remove a little makeup, but honestly don’t take off that much. They feel refreshing though, especially as a pick-me-up on bare skin. I also like that these cleansing wipes are good for skin and nature. A 30 pack of these wipes costs $9.99, so I’d value the 10-pack I received at 3.33.

The next product I tried was the Coastal Scents Medium Shadow brush. “This medium sized, versatile brush is ideal for applying any type of eye shadow. The pony haired bristles are both wide in shape and condensed, while remaining evenly distributed. This allows the artist to uniformly cover the whole eyelid in just a few simple strokes, which saves not only time, but eye shadow as well.”

As with the La Fresh wipes, I’m so-so on the Coastal Scents brush. I prefer synthetic bristles for texture and hygienic reasons, so I was wishing right off the bat that Ipsy/Coastal Scents had sent out the synthetic version. The bristles were a little scritchy and smelled weird (blechhh), although washing may solve both. On the plus side, I did like the shape of the brush and the density of the bristles. It applied the Bella Terra shadow quite nicely, but I think I’ll stick the brushes I already have in rotation. This Coastal Scents brush retails for $2.49.

The Coastal Scents brush went hand-in-hand with the next product I tried, the Bella Terra Mineral Cosmetics Mineral Shimmer in Emotion.

While the mineral shimmer is generally used as a dry shadow, Bella Terra suggests eight other ways to use the product –

8-in-1 Mineral Shimmers:

1. Creamy Shadow – moisten the brush to create richer, more intense eye color that doesn’t crease.
2. Matte Shadow – mix the Shimmer with Bella Terra’s Eye Primer for a matte shadow look.
3. Eyeliner – wet the tip of an eye liner brush and apply around the lash line for high-intensity eye definition.
4. Lip Color – mix any of our Shimmers with lip balm or lip gloss to create intense lip color.
5. Nail Polish – add to clear nail polish for a unique nail color that matches your eye shadow.
6. Body Glitter – mix with body lotion to create an all-over body shimmer.
7. Mascara – dip clear-color mascara or Bella Terra’s Mascara Primer brush into the Shimmer for amazing lash colors.
8. Hair Streaks – mix a small amount of Shimmer with hair gel and apply to a strand of hair for a funky, streaked look that easily washes off later.

I stuck with the regular, straight-from-the-pot eyeshadow application. Emotion is a lovely wine burgundy with shimmer that applies a little sheer but builds easily. I may try using this as a cream shadow or eyeliner, but will probably steer clear of the other suggestions just because they’re not up my alley.

Bella Terra Mineral Shimmers retail online for $14.99 each.

The next product I tried was my favorite from this month’s bag – Neve by Zoya. “Part of the Fall 2013 CASHMERES & SATINS Collection, these shades are created to work together with this season’s most stylish runway designs and luxurious fabric blends. These ultra long-wearing, glossy nail lacquers by Zoya are BIG5FREE – free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate (DBP).”

Neve is a metallic sapphire almost-blurple originally designed for Zang Toi. The formula was a breeze and I love the jewel-tone of this beautiful shade – it just glows! This will be a great winter shade. Zoya retails for $8 a bottle.

The last product in my Art of Beauty bag is Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Gel. “The Sexy Hair Blow Gel is an alcohol-free gel that thickens hair while adding volume. It also helps retain moisture so your hair never feels dry. Delivers a light to medium hold.”

I don’t blow dry or use any other heat stylers on my hair, so I haven’t tried this product and cannot vouch for it. I plan on giving it to my mom because she blow dries her hair every day and will actually get use out of it. However, I can say that I have hair care products by the line and like all of them. This travel-size bottle retails for $5.

All in all, the products in this bag add up to a total retail value of $33.81; add in the little bag and I’d round it up to $35. That’s a great value for a bag I paid $10 for – woohoo!  I certainly like this bag more than other recent ones and am getting my use out of the products already. I’m happy with Ipsy and can’t wait to see what the November bag brings.  🙂

 

“Beach Beauty” July 2013 Ipsy Glam Bag Review & Swatches

Glam Bag time! I love coming home from work and finding that bright pink shipping bag propped up against my door waiting for me.  🙂  July’s theme is “Beach Beauty,” which is perfect because I’m heading to the beach soon (woohoo!).

As soon as I opened up the shipping pouch, I got hit with the smell of plastic. Ew. It turns out that the smell was coming from this month’s bag, which is a hot pink jelly plastic bag. No thank you! It’s not that cute and it stinks. I’m valuing it at only about $1 because it smells and I don’t like it. Good thing it was filled with fun goodies!

To be honest, I was a little mixed in feelings when I opened my bag. I had gotten an email saying Benetint (by Benefit) was a featured product of this month’s bag. I figured that, as such, it would be one of the products that ends up in every bag…nope. Scowl. I have wanted to try Benetint for ages! I’m not very skilled at blending out quick-dry liquids though, so not receiving Benetint could actually be an okay thing.

First up, another product I have been wanting to try – Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Beach Spray. According to Ulta’s site, this “Soy Renewal Beach Spray provides body, fullness and light hold while helping to nourish, protect and heal hair damage with the power of Argan Oil.  It creates undone texture that looks and feels like you¿ve spent a day by the sea.” It’s listed as a texturizer but also has conditioning properties – snazzy! The full size bottle is 5.1 oz and retails for $19.95; my bottle is a third of the size at 1.7 oz, so I value it at about $6.65.

I was pleasantly surprised by this Beach Spray! That little nozzle packs a punch – the first time I sprayed it I was too close and had one very saturated spot of hair. Holding it at more of a distance gives a nice, even spritz. The bottle says that this product can be used on wet or dry hair. I shampoo and condition my hair and then let it air dry without products, so I’ve only used this on dry hair. Some reviews I’ve spotted have said that using this on wet hair can cause it to dry snarled and sticky. I had no such problems with dry hair. I spray a little on the underside of my hair and tousle it, then flip my hair over and do the same on the top. The spray gives my hair a tiny bit of volume (although it is not long lasting for me), gives me a little texture, and makes my hair feel and smell nice. No big, dramatic results here, but I still like it. Would I purchase it in full size? Ehhh…maybe if I had a coupon or something. I’m taking this little guy to the beach with me as one of my main hair products though!

The next item out of my bag was the Pouty Pop Crayon in Fuchsia Flirt from Pop Beauty. This lip crayon comes in a pack of six on the Pop Beauty website, so I’d value my single product at $4.17.

According to Pop Beauty, “these extra-nourishing balms gently bounce onto lips, creating a plumped & pillowy pout and leaving them with luscious, long-lasting colour in a super-smooth texture.” I swatched this first on my hand, just running the crayon back and forth a few times –

The majority of balms I’ve tried have been sheer, with just a touch of color – this one packs a punch compared to most balms! I’d say it’s more like a lipstick than a balm. I like the color I received; although not an everyday shade for me, the bubble-gummy pink is a pretty one.

Natural light

Indoor lighting w/ flash

While I wouldn’t say this crayon “bounced” onto my lips, it did apply very smoothly and with fairly even pigmentation. I used a few swipes and the crayon made it easy to control where the product was ending up. I was a little concerned that I’d have to sharpen the crayon, but the end twists the product up out of the tube. The crayon didn’t moisturize my lips but also did not dry them out. The color also lasted longer than some lipsticks I’ve tried. Overall, I like this product but would like it more if it could be bought singly instead of as part of a six pack.

Ipsy also partnered with bh Cosmetics this month, which is a brand I had never heard of until I received my bag. bh has three California themed eye shadow and blush palettes – Hollywood, San Francisco, and Malibu. Instead of sending a single shadow or a full-sized palette, Ipsy met in the middle by sending a mini palette comprised of one shade from each palette.

Hollywood appears to be a deep purple shadow but is actually fairly sheer and not as deep as it appears. It took a lot of passes to build up the color with this shade. San Francisco is a light, sparkly brown shadow and is, like Hollywood, pretty sheer. Malibu is a golden shimmer, the most pigmented of the three shades, and my favorite of the trio.

Indoor lighting

Shade

These shadows were meh for me. The colors chosen from each palette for this sampler were good choices color-wise in that they form a pretty eye together. However, the pigmentation was less than I like and the shadows weren’t very easy to work with – they felt a bit dry and weren’t very smooth to apply. You can purchase the full-sized bh palettes online for $17.95, although they’re currently on sale for $9.95. I’d value the Ipsy trio at around $2 based on an average of the full-sized pricing.

Next out of my bag was a sample-sized Rose Essence Tinted Moisturizer mineral sunscreen by Coola organic suncare. Here is Coola’s description of this product –

Keep the sun and environment at bay with this SPF 20 broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen, a tinted, light Rose scented, Titanium Dioxide based formula (for those who are Zinc sensitive) made with 98% natural ingredients. Organic Acai Oil – high in Omegas-3/6/9, Vitamins B1/2/3, plus antioxidant Vitamins C and E – delivers a powerful defense against aging. Organic Sunflower Seed Extract promotes elasticity while organic Linseed Oil, containing Alpha-Linolenic Acids, reduces redness and irritation. The phyto-protector Plankton Extract rejuvenates, as organic Cucumber Extract calms skin.

• Hypoallergenic
• Paraben Free
• Ultra Sheer
• Anti-Aging
• Water Resistant (40 minutes)

This sample size is about 1/7 of the size of the actual product at only .23 oz. I am heading to the beach in a little over a week and decided to hold onto this until then to use in place of makeup in the early evenings. I did dot some onto my hand though to test the consistency, look, etc.

Dotted and blended out to the right

Dotted and blended out to the right

This product comes out of the tube tinted but does apply very sheer. I could tell where it was blended on my hand because it had a slight color difference and a little shimmer, but you’d have to know where to look to notice. The product smelled nice and felt smooth against skin. I really like that this product is hypoallergenic and free of parabens, making it more skin-friendly – plus it contains anti-agers and skin soothers! The SPF is a little low and its wear time isn’t very long so I wouldn’t depend on this for actual sunscreen if you burn easily or want maximum skin protection (hence my saving it for early evening instead of prime beach-time). The big downside to this product in my book? The price. A 1.7 oz bottle will set you back $36.00…yikes.

Last but not least is one of my favorite products from the bag – Nailtini’s Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in Mai Tai, a shade described on the site as a “vibrant sunrise coral.”

I had never heard of Nailtini before (despite being a polish junkie), but knew I liked the brand as soon as I read their description online –

Welcome to the ‘Tini Bar, stocked with top-shelf cosmetics inspired by
“cocktailing.” Wear them alone or layered to create custom looks and colors …
whatever you feel like stirring up. Enjoy, and as always, apply responsibly.

Cocktail-inspired polish? Sounds good to me! I applied two coats of Mai Tai over a base coat for the swatches below.

Direct sunlight

W/ flash

Shade

I love this polish! It was smooth and a dream to apply. Mai Tai dried quickly to a beautiful shine – swatches above are without a top coat.  The polish wore well and the shade is beautiful! It’s a very orange-y version of coral, but the “sunset” description is spot on. Now if only I had a Mai Tai to drink while wearing this… This polish retails for $13.00.

“Beach Beauty” was a really nice bag full of great summertime products. Glam Bags are $10 a month – about $9 for me because I signed up for a yearly subscription. This bag retails at just over $31 total. I believe there is currently a waitlist, but if you sign up for Ipsy I’d really appreciate it if you used my recommendation link! – http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-hfomrhebjvjd1ntm

 

Making Waves! Hair Waves, That Is

I have long, naturally stick-straight hair. For someone who has a lot of hair, I’m surprisingly low-maintenance about it. I wash it, condition it, air dry it, and brush it. My hair tends to annoy the living daylights out of me when it’s down, so it’s usually in a pony or bun. Sometimes a braid if I’m feeling motivated or fancy. I don’t dye, blow-dry, curl, straighten, or use any products in my hair aside from Biosilk Silkening serum or spray/leave-in conditioner. I only get it cut maybe two times a year and, when I do, my stylist gives up on trying to blow-dry it with volume after about twenty minutes because it’s so heavy and uncooperative.

When I’m feeling super motivated or extra bored with my hair, I use the only styling tool that my hair will agree to cooperate with – a waver. Years ago, I bought a big three-barrel waving iron so that I could fake that glamorous beach-hair you see on some people. To my surprise, my hair didn’t straighten itself out immediately like it does with curls! It turns out that with a little hairspray and a lot of patience, my hair will hold the waves all day before straightening itself out the next day.

Yesterday was one of those days where I hated my hair and just wanted it to hold a style. I remembered my waver buried deep in my bathroom cabinents and dusted it off. I divided my hair into a billion sections and got to work. As usual, I hated my life halfway through – I was hot, my arm was tired, and there was no end in sight. But I was interested in how I looked with my hair half straight, half waved because it really shows how different my hair and I look with just a little styling! So I snapped a picture so you could see too. Please ignore my makeup-free face and zebra bathrobe.

I was ready to just put my hair in a bun and call it a day, but it was too obvious when I pulled my hair back that half of it was wavy and half of it was not. I heaved a big sigh, wiggled my arms around a little, and finished the looonnng task of doing my whole head.

You can see the waves on my right side starting to lose some of the wave already, but it stayed like that for the rest of the day and night. I loved how my hair looked and kept flipping it around like “Look at my hair! I belong on a tropical beach!,” but still don’t think it’s worth doing often because of how freakin long it takes. How do people have the patience to curl their hair? I would stop with half my head done like I almost did yesterday, haha.

What do you think suits me best – wavy or naturally straight? Do you ever wave your hair so you can feel like a beach babe? What hair products help your style stay put?

Want Silky Hair? Biosilk Silk Therapy Review

If you’re a reader, you know how low-maintenance I am with my hair. If you’re a new reader, here’s the deal – I don’t really do anything with my hair. It’s long, fairly thick, and refuses to ever do what I want it to. It doesn’t even hold style for my hairdresser, much to her disgruntlement. Part of the reason is because it’s pretty darn healthy – I wash, air dry, and brush. Sometimes I deep condition. I don’t use color and rarely use styling products or heat tools. Still, all hair needs some extra lovin once in awhile.

Enter Biosilk Silk Therapy. According to the back of the bottle, this product is “a weightless, leave-in silk replenishing and reconstructing treatment to repair, smooth, and protect hair types.” This clear serum is designed for use on wet or dry hair – just shake the bottle, put some serum in your palms, and finger-comb through. Below are bottle shots, followed by photos of the product itself. I’ve been using this for a bit, hence the empty space at the top of the bottle.

5.6 oz bottle in hand for sizing

Poured into hand

Product remaining on hand after application

As you can see, this is an oily-looking serum. This means that a little goes a long way – I start with a little and add more as needed. I also only apply it on dry hair, although you can apply it while your hair is wet; I find that it’s hard for me to gauge how much I have on my hair when wet. Below are some before and after shots of my hair – check the captions:

Before, no flash

Before w/ flash

After

After

The pros:

1. It leaves my hair feeling silky and smooth. All my little flyaways calmed down.
2. It doesn’t weigh my hair down after application.
3. It has a light, salon smell. I don’t know how to describe salon smell, so I’m hoping you just know what I mean. If not, sorry.
4. You can apply to wet or dry hair, depending on your preference.
5. You just apply with your hands, which is great for a no-fuss hair girl like myself.
6. A little goes a long way (this may also be a con if you’re heavy-handed).

The cons:

1. Too much makes your hair look oily. The bottle suggests starting at your scalp, but it makes the top of my head look greasy if I do that – the main body of my hair absorbs the product much better.
2. It can take a minute to absorb, so you may think you applied too much initially.
3. A lot of the product seems to stay on the palms of your hands after application. You’ll probably want to wash your hands after so that you don’t leave little Biosilk handprints around your house.
4. The ingredients list alcohol (which can be drying – odd for a protecting product) and parabens (which some people like to steer clear of for possible health reasons).
5. You need to remember to shake it before use so that the product mixes and works the way it’s supposed to.

My verdict? I love this Silk Therapy for my hair  🙂   It says ideal for all hair types, but I’m not buying that – I think that this could be too much for fine hair unless used with a light touch. I also don’t think you should apply it to the scalp area so that you don’t look oily. For me though, this product is a nice way to fight any winter dryness and make my hair feel soft and manageable. The bottle says only for sale through professional salons, but I’ve spotted this at Walmart. You can also purchase through salons and beauty retailers. Price differs by store and bottle size; my 5.6 oz. bottle is labeled around $25, but it was a gift from my mom and I think she got it at Walmart for less. You can also buy Biosilk through online retailers like Amazon, but some buyers have reported receiving knock-offs, so purchase with caution.

Related articles

• Feeling Sexy? Big Sexy Hair Weightless Moisture Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner Review (wayfaringbeauty.com)
• Hair a Knotted Mess? Try Dove Hair Therapy Nourishing Oil Care Detangler (wayfaringbeauty.com)
• Got dry hair? Try this MAGIC OIL!!! (rachdela.wordpress.com)

Feeling Sexy? Big Sexy Hair Weightless Moisture Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner Review

I have long, stick-straight hair. It’s kind of thick and heavy, and essentially does what it wants without any regard for what I want it to do. I’ve tried many shampoos and conditioners in the past, hoping to find the miracle duo that would give me bouncy hair, full of volume and oomph. Alas, I have yet to find one. Today’s review is another step in that journey.

To be fair, I think a lot of the problem is just how much hair I have. A few months ago it was all one length and almost to my waist. I went to my hairdresser for a trim and she was like “You have SO much hair! We’re getting rid of some of this, and that’s that.” She went crazy with her scissors, chopping long layers in and taking length off; by the time she was done, it was like a hair murder scene around the chair – hair everywhere! My hairdresser (who has a pixie cut, I might add) was happy with the cut but still grumbling that I wouldn’t let her chop all of my hair off. She tried and tried to blow dry some volume into my hair with a round brush for at least half an hour; a curling iron also resulted in straight hair that looked the same as it had pre-styling. That’s just my hair.

Undeterred, I snagged liters of Big Sexy Hair Weightless Moisture Extra Volumizing Shampoo and Volumizing Conditioner on one of my last trips to Ulta. Why do prestige/salon items have the longest names in the world? I wish I could tell you. The liters are usually in the $20-something range and were on sale for like $16. Sold! I also got salon pumps for each liter because I didn’t want to waste product trying to squirt just enough product into one hand while trying to balance the liter in the other. Chances are that I’d drop a liter and lose half the bottle down the drain because that’s how graceful I am.

The shampoo and conditioner are made without sulfates, gluten, or parabens. Does that really make a difference? To some people, yes. Sulfates are chemicals that make your shampoo bubbly, or what are basically what give it a lather (yes, your head can get squeaky clean though without said lather). Sulfates have also been linked to drying out hair, making color not last as long, and irritation on sensitive scalps. Some dermatologists also suggest it can make your skin break out. Sulfates have been around a long time, including in baby shampoo, but “sulfate-free” has been cropping up more and more as people have moved towards more natural products. Both sulfates and parabens (a chemical used to inhibit bacterial growth) have been linked to the deterioration of the hair follicle, which means more dry, brittle hair for some. Some scientists also claim that parabens can cause cancer through its interactions with bodily hormones, although other scientists dismiss such claims. Lastly, people with Celiac disease/gluten sensitivity may have a bodily reaction to gluten products in general, not just from ingesting foods with gluten – hence the gluten-free label here. Phew! That was exhausting. Let’s move on.

The pros:

1. Both products have a fresh, almost citrus salon smell. Mmm!
2. My hair needs less detangler and is shinier after using the shampoo and conditioner together.
3. My hair is healthy because I wash it, let it air dry, and brush it later after detangler sits in it for awhile; I don’t use other styling products or heated tools. However, my hair looks a bit healthier after using these products, as though it’s more nourished or something.
4. The pumps make using the liters easy. That’s more a reflection of the pumps than the products, but I still wanted to include it so that you get the pumps if you purchase the shampoo/conditioner. Do itttt.
5. My hair feels smoother. Less flyaways = happy Jay.

The cons:

1. I know my hair is clean, but I’m not used to my shampoo not really lathering. I used a lot more than necessary the first few days because I was like what the heck, where are the bubbles?
2. I didn’t get any extra volume out of these products. None. Nada. Zilch. A little more movement, but no volume. Sigh. I think people with finer hair would have better results there.
3. I’m not sure if it’s because my hair is more moisturized or what, but I feel like I need to shampoo every day. With other shampoos, my hair would still look fresh the morning after a wash – with this, it starts to look a little oily by the next day. Not a lot, but a smidge. People with naturally oily hair may want to steer clear of these products.

My verdict? I like the shampoo and conditioner so far. I don’t find the volumizing claims to be true, but I’m not super surprised about that. I don’t buy into all of the hype going around about sulfate/gluten/paraben products, but my hair does look a bit different after switching – it’s hard to say whether that’s attributable to the lack of those chemicals or the product formula though. These liters will last me awhile, so I have time to decide whether or not I’ll rebuy. Chance are that I’ll try something else just because I’m a shampoo/conditioner jumper. You can buy Sexy Hair products on the company website, at certain salons, and at beauty specialty stores like Ulta; prices range depending on product size.

Have you gone sulfate/paraben free? Do you notice a difference? What do you think of Sexy Hair products?

Hair a Knotted Mess? Try Dove Hair Therapy Nourishing Oil Care Detangler

I’m a no-fuss hair person. I wash and condition my hair in the shower, let it air dry, and then brush it sometime later. Every now and then I put some silkening serum in it. Like I said, no fuss.
However, sometimes my long hair becomes a big, tangly mess after I shower and let it dry itself. And then I cringe and whine like a baby trying to pick the knots out. Or get impatient and end up yanking hair out. Eesh. It was time to look for my old childhood friend, detangler.

I didn’t want to spend a small fortune on a detangler when I already use high-end silkening serums, so I headed over to my local Walmart and started browsing. I finally settled on Dove Hair Therapy Nourishing Oil Care Detangler. According to the bottle, this product contains nutra-oils designed to lightly condition for smooth, manageable hair.

When it’s upright you can see the separation of the oil from the rest of the product

The directions say to apply to wet or dry hair – I decided to apply it to damp hair so that it could absorb and work through knots before my hair was already a snarled mess. You just shake the bottle to mix the oil back into the product and spritz. Easy peasy.

The pros:

1. My hair is easier to brush through after using this product. I went through a bottle in about 2 months and the photos are of my 2nd bottle.
2. The oil base conditions as it detangles (although lightly).
3. It’s cheap!

The cons:

1. I haven’t put it on dry hair, but I imagine that you would have to do so with a light touch to prevent your hair from looking too oily or greasy.
2. I’ve heard some people are put off by the scent but I haven’t noticed one. My guess is either my sense of smell is limited or they’re using a lot more product than I am.

My verdict? Well, I am on my 2nd bottle. It’s not some amazing miracle product that I can’t live without, but it certainly makes my long hair more manageable and brush-friendly. I snagged this at Walmart for a little under $4/6.1 fl. oz. It’s also available online for between $6-$10. If you live near a store that sells mass hair products, I’d suggest just popping your head in to see if they carry this product instead of spending more on it online (plus shipping!).

PSA for People w/ Psoriasis – Neutrogena T-Gel

I want you to know up front, in case you didn’t spot the title – today’s post doesn’t focus on standard beauty. It’s not about a mascara, a perfume, a polish – it’s about a hair/skin product for a certain percentage of the populace.
I have psoriasis. I’m both unlucky and lucky – unlucky that I have it, lucky because I could have something worse and because my outbreaks are largely hidden and/or easy to hide. I’m covering a product for it in today’s post because when I have an outbreak, I don’t feel beautiful. I want to pull the hood of my hoodie up and not let you see my skin/hair. When I treat it and the treatment actually works, I feel better, I feel beautiful again – this is where today’s product, Neutrogena T-Gel, comes into play.

I’ll preface the product with a little blip on the condition because I’ve found that people in general don’t understand psoriasis. When I tell people I have it, some automatically go “ew!” even if they don’t know what it is or couldn’t even tell I have it. Lame. Anyways, psoriasis is a skin condition that is not contagious. It’s usually inherited – this is true in my case, as I’m not the only person in my family with it (darn you, genes! *shakes fist*). I’m going to borrow from the U.S National of Library of Medicine here – “Doctors think it probably occurs when the body’s immune system mistakes healthy cells for dangerous substances.Usually, skin cells grow deep in the skin and rise to the surface about once a month. In persons with psoriasis, this process is too fast. Dead skin cells build up on the skin’s surface. [It] causes skin redness and irritation. Most people with psoriasis have thick, red skin with flaky, silver-white patches called scales. Some people with psoriasis may also have arthritis, a condition known as psoriatic arthritis.” Psoriasis outbreaks can be brought on by infections, medicines, dry air, stress, and alcohol, among other things. The outbreaks can be large or small and look different depending on the person. Regardless, it’s not pretty. I’m adding small, not-detailed pictures (from my cell phone) of the start of one of my outbreaks and that’s it. You can google images if you’re super curious but I’m not adding more because even I don’t like the looks of it and I have the condition.

I get outbreaks behind my ears, along my hairline –

See the red spots? They’re the starts of a painful outbreak for me – not pretty

Starts of an outbreak for me – not pretty

I also get it all through my scalp – yes, where my hair is. This location makes it hard to treat. My dermatologist suggested laser treatments – $$$. Ain’t nobody got the money for that! Okay, some people do, but not me. He then suggested oral medication. The catch? Possible side effects include numerous cancers. I’ll take psoriasis over cancer any day; taking those medicines was not worth that chance in my case, no matter how slim the odds. Then my dermatologist suggested Neutrogena T-Gel shampoo. Hallelujah!

Image courtesy of http://lipjunkieramblings.blogspot.com

It’s a shampoo – a.k.a for your scalp. If you have psoriasis elsewhere, this ain’t gonna cut it. This shampoo can be used to treat psoriasis, dermatitis, or common dandruff. It has a gentle formula that won’t kill your hair, but contains 2% coal tar to treat and combat psoriasis. All you gotta do is wet your hair and rub this either all over your scalp or onto trouble spots. Let it hang and work it’s magic for a couple minutes – you’ll feel it tingling as it works. Then rinse and voila, you’re done! Use it twice a week or as often as your dermatologist suggests – just don’t use it if you’re on any other treatment unless your doctor gives you the go-ahead. I use it with my usual shampoo and conditioner so that it doesn’t dry out my hair or anything; I also dab a little on the skin behind my ears/hairline if I’m having trouble there.

This product is a little pricey for the size of the bottle. A 4.4 oz bottle will run you between $5-$8 dollars, depending on where you purchase it. You can snag it at most drug stores, mass product stores like Walmart or Target, and through online retailers like Amazon. Ulta also carries it, although they don’t have much variety in terms of sizes or types (original, T-sal, extra strength, etc.). However, a little goes a long way with this product and it does work up to a nice lather. The down side? It stinks. The coal tar that treats your skin condition also gives it an old, moth-bally smell. However, I find that the scent dissipates and doesn’t leave my hair smelling like that (phew!). That could be because I use it with my normal shampoo/conditioner though.

I don’t have dandruff or dermatitis, so I can’t say how this product works for those conditions. However, I love this product for my psoriasis. It is not a cure and may not work for everyone, but it helps me to keep outbreaks in check and manageable. And when you feel good, your looks reflect it, so for me this is a beauty product.

And with that, I conclude today’s PSA. Thanks for tuning in.