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InstaNatural Thermal Protector Hair Spray

April 25, 2016 · Leave a Comment

This is a protectant for use with hot styling tools and for generally heat/humid weather that might damage hair.

OVERVIEW:

SCENT: Nutty scent when sprayed on, less detectable on dry-down

APPLICATION: Don’t use too much, only a light spray and not on the scalp, focus on the length and the frail ends. If you apply close to your scalp your hair may look greasy (unless your hair is very dry/damaged)

WHEN HEAT IS APPLIED: It does not clump, flake or get sticky when used with a hot iron.

DRY-DOWN: Slightly stiff, but not as stiff as hair spray or a spray gel. Does not flake or make hair seem dry, greasy or dull, but so far it doesn’t really seem to add any shine to my hair. Not sticky like other hot iron protectant sprays such as CHI. Hair looks soft and feels mostly soft to the touch, but I can tell there is a product in my hair, but it feels fuller and thick, not weighed down and oily.

HOLD: There is not a styling hold to the product, it is a protectant that is useful with or without heat styling.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER PROTECTANTS
I have long, dry, colored, unruly hair that is curly in some places and straight in others. To make my hair uniformly curly I use hot rollers, to make it straight I use an InStyler hot iron brush. Each requires some sort of protectant spray during styling. The CHI protectant spray that came with my flat iron is sticky and the scent is too strong for me even after it is dry. The CHI spray also was heavy and left my freshly washed hair looking an oily in spots like my hair needed a wash.

THE INGREDIENTS
I personally am not that fond of the scent of Argan, but it is really not detectable once it dries and it is not sticky when I use it like some other hot tool protectant sprays. It also contains Sunflower Oil, which is a wonderful conditioning agent for hair, Vitamin B5 and Castor Oil which are found to help regrow hair and make hair seem lusher and full. Being able to use a conditioning protectant spray is a big perk for me knowing that I can condition my hair while it is styled instead of damaging it or drying it out with heavy chemicals. Argan Oil has become very popular in hair care due to its ability to stimulate the follicles and condition dry, frail hair ends.

HOW MUCH TO APPLY
Don’t use too much. There is not a need to saturate the hair, apply it and comb it through, maybe a bit of extra on the ends if needed. If you are using this on hair that is already dry, you need very little. I don’t apply it to my scalp because if I flat-iron my hair I want it to last a few days without another washing, and these types of products can make hair seem to need a wash faster than normal. I focus on the parts of my hair that need protection.

CONCLUSION: I like it. I am glad to find a conditioning protectant, a little goes a long way, my hair does not feel sticky after use. It did not make my hair seem shinier than normal, but that might just be the condition of my hair. I would recommend not using it near the scalp if you have oily hair as it might make your hair look greasy/dirty very quickly.

Find it at Amazon.com.

Argan Oil Thermal Protector

I received this item for testing and review purposes. If you have any questions about my experience with the product, leave a comment in the box below and I’ll get back to you!

The Essentials of Essential Oils Part 1: Organic Carrier Oil Gift Set for Hair, Face & Body

February 28, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Today we’re starting a series on Essential Oils and Carrier Oils, and how to use them to make your beauty routine more effective and enjoyable. First up, we’ll be reviewing a lovely Carrier Oil Mixing Set we received.

The Gio Naturals Organic Carrier Oil Gift Set for Hair, Face & Body contains four bottles of carrier oils and one empty bottle to mix your own concoction, and is great for both as a gift and as a starter kit into DIY beauty oils The four carrier oils are Jojoba, Argan, Castor and Tamanu, which makes for a very versatile set. Here is an overview of each oil, its’ uses, and the quality and presentation of these particular oils.

Jojoba Oil is one of my favorites. I use this to both help other oils penetrate into hair and because it fills the hair shaft in porous hair. Helps repair heat damage, great for scalp problems like dandruff. Very soothing. If I have a free day, I apply Jojoba earlier in the day and let that sit for a bit, then apply other oils or conditioners atop the Jojoba. A small amount of Jojoba can be used on the ends of hair for styling and protecting, it is not greasy. Similar benefits to olive oil for scalp but it is much easier to wash Jojoba out of the hair. If you are a “No ‘poo” shampooer, you will definitely like Jojoba over olive oil for scalp conditioning. Adds shine. Unscented and absorbs easily. I found the quality of this particular brand to be unscented, thick, and rich and a nice rich golden color.

Jojoba is also very nice as a facial moisturizer, especially if you oily skin, as it is very close to sebum, so it helps the skin regulate itself.

Argan Oil is for the repair of damaged follicles and for hair loss. Argan is the popular buzz word in many products these days, but for hair, the real value is to apply it to the scalp. Personally I don’t find much value to Argan in the length of my hair, but many prefer it to other conditioning oils. I do find it beneficial for nail beds to retain moisture on my nails that split and crack easily. It is also good on cracked, dry skin on feet, and for stretch marks. This particular bottle has a warm, nutty scent, but it is light enough to not be noticed, especially when combined with other oils.

Castor Oil thickens thinning hair and acts as a humectant for frizzy hair. Also useful for eyelash growth/conditioning. Apply to a cotton swab and blink your eyelashes over the tip to avoid getting it in your eyes. Also good for conditioning eyebrows. This bottle was thick, golden and no scent.

Tamanu Oil was unfamiliar to me, in doing some research it is used for skin conditions such as cold sores, psoriasis, eczema, acne scars, general scars, burns, stings, stretch marks, mosquito bites, toenail fungus, dry scalp and flaky, scaly or overly dry skin. Tamanu oil is also topical healing agent with antineuralgic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibiotic, and antioxidant properties. Unlike Jojoba, there is a definite scent to Tamanu, sort of a mesquite smell. It is not terrible, but it would conflict with a floral scent perfume. It is however, less of a scent than some topical ointments. There is a greenish tint to the golden color; a very tiny bit goes a long way.
The fifth bottle in this set is the white Blender bottle to mix your own combinations. A good example might be 3 parts Argan Oil with 1 part Castor Oil for applying to the scalp to reduce dandruff and encourage hair growth, and add a couple drops of Jojoba to help the mix penetrate into the scalp and to condition the scalp skin.

The oils also mix nicely with sugar scrubs and to ramp up your basic facial moisturizers.

Gio Naturals Organic Carrier Oil Gift Set

Topganic Style + Go Moisturizing Cream How to Best Use

January 14, 2016 · Leave a Comment

REVIEW: Topganic Professional Collection Style + Go Moisturizing Cream Keratin Protein Intensive Repair

I was excited to try the Topganic Styling line, especially Topganic Style & Go because it is packed with such good ingredients AND I have been looking for a quality cream-based styling agent for the harsh, cold winter months when hair can get especially frizzy and dry.

Why Use Topganic Style & Go

My goal was to find something conditioning that doesn’t leave hair waxy or dull or give the appearance of an old-lady set to hair but still provides structure.

Topganic Style & Go does a great job on all these requirements. STYLE & GO MOISTURIZING CREAM WITH BRAZILIAN NUT OIL WITH KERATIN PROTEIN INTENSIVE REPAIR

Styling Products for Dry Hair

STYLING GOAL: I was going for a soft, loose, smooth wave done with a big round brush and my CHI Hairdryer.

My hair is not naturally smooth and quickly loses a curl without at least a medium hold product, yet I wanted it to remain touchable so my goal was limited-to-no hairspray.

I also wanted a smooth, well-conditioned look that has some hold and structure to the wave but still remains a healthy, shiny and not a waxy or stiff look.

Topganic Style & Go works very well for this purpose. I think it would also work well for a nice sleek straight blowout style.

What are Topganic Style & Go FEATURES?

This has several conditioning ingredients and nutrients great for getting hair into strong shape while providing styling.

Some ingredients include:

Brazilian Nut Oil
Keratin Protein repair
several conditioning and moisturizing ingredients for hair and scalp including minerals that are great for hair like Selenium (excellent for the scalp)
Zinc to prevent hair shedding (great if you are suffering hair loss.)
Other conditioning properties include Shea Butter
for moisture omega 6 & 9 fatty acids.

Is it Suitable for Daily Use?

It is suitable for everyday use. This product really focuses on scalp health, an important foundation for healthy hair.

What is the SCENT?

This features Brazilian Nut oil, which smells wonderful but it definitely scented even after it is dry in your hair, so it is not necessarily suitable for a scent-free office. But it is a very lovely scent. Note this is not an Ojon nut type of intense scent, it could compliment any fragrance you are wearing, but it is strong enough (in my opinion) to compete with conflicting scents such as florals or single note scents. The scent may have seemed too strong to me because I probably used too much, as discussed below.

How to Best Use Topganic Style & Go

APPLICATION/USE

The Instructions say apply as much as needed and I applied too much. The consistency is more like a lightweight conditioner, but it is a very concentrated formulation, more like a thick cream. A small amount will do the trick for my past bra-strap length hair I probably would use a few pumps for a collective size of quarter or so per each side of my hair, a little extra on the dry ends. Evenly comb through. Dry and style as usual. I didn’t use hair spray but it would not be too much product if one wanted to do so.

VERDICT

I really loved the bounce factor of my hair, the smoothness, shine and how soft it felt. It held a soft wave well when used with a blow-dryer and brush. LOTS of great ingredients.

The consistency is deceptive, not too much product is needed, making this a very nice value.

I am happy to find a nice styling product for winter. Good product for styles that need a bit of product to hold the look such as a French twist or braid, loose chignon or bun, or an up-do.

Topganic Style and Go on my dry hair

Number 4 High Performance Hair Care What to Know

December 22, 2015 · Leave a Comment

So now that it has been almost seasonably chilly for a whole three days now, I am rather jealous of my friends who are going on holiday to warmer climes. If you are headed off for a well deserved trip, it’s a great time to check out an excellent hair set we were set for review.

Number 4 Haircare Hydrating Holiday Jet Set

Number4HairCare Hydrating Jet Set comes with Hydrating Shampoo, Hydrating conditioner, Super Comb Prep & Protect and Fleur de Temps Body Lotion and Mini Darlings plus L’eau de Mare Brush (specifically for wet hair).

Number 4 High Performance Hair Care Holiday Jet Set

Ingredients

There are many quality ingredients in the Number 4 L’eau de Mare Hydrating Conditioner. Some ingredients are commonly seen in small doses even in drugstore brands shampoos, but many of these ingredients are only found in higher-end products. Some notable ones that caught my eye:

Vitamin B5 for shine
Gooseberry Oil is one of the ingredients in their Liquid Purity complex cocktail – if you haven’t used a hair product with Gooseberry Oil in it, you are in for a treat. And if you have used Gooseberry Oil products in the past and can’t find a good one (such as all us fans of the discontinued Neil George Gooseberry Oil hair care line) you will really like a shampoo with Gooseberry in it.
Jojoba similar in structure to the hair, fills in tiny cracks in the hair and makes it smooth and not crunchy feeling
A bunch of good anti-aging ingredients. Don’t just think of anti-aging ingredients if you are over a certain age think of it as if your HAIR is LONG then it is OLD. If your hair is longer than your shoulder, and it grew that long at the average rate of half an inch a month, how old does that make the last few inches of your hair, plus all the abuse your hair has taken during that time with styling, flat irons, swimming, sun, chemicals, highlights and coloring. If your hair is long, it can use anti-aging ingredients.
Color protecting ingredients that are also good for scalp health. These include algae, soy, tea.
Hydrating and Strengthening Ingredients: such as Burdock Root, Oolong Tea, Irish Moss, and Vegetable Protein (Vegan).
There is also Silicone, smoothing to be sure, but FYI if you are attempting to avoid Cones of any kind.

Scent. Spa like scent, Fragrance Notes: Ylang Orchid, Jasmine, Vetiver and Patchouli. I really primarily smell Ylang Orchid, Jasmine, Vetiver and NOT the Patchouli once hair is dry.Very nice experience while lathering, hair is still scented when dry, but not so strongly as to compete with your chosen fragrances but noticeable when hair is in motion. Smells clean.

There is a very nice, rich lather, very thick and full feeling. The instructions say to wash twice, but my hair felt clean with one good head massage and wash, working up a nice lather throughout my hair. (NOTE: I did NOT have styling product or hairspray in my hair before washing, if I did that might indeed require two washes) The instructions indicate that if you want more lather; add more water not more product. A quality shampoo and conditioner like Number 4 Hydrating doesn’t require as much product as some shampoos and conditioners to get a good result. I advise using less shampoo and conditioner than you think you might need and adding more if necessary. For example, I decanted just enough conditioner to apply to one side of my hair, then once I massaged it in it was really enough for both sides. I used it throughout my hair and left it in a few minutes. It absorbs nicely and washes out clean. My hair is past the small of my waist but not hip length and it is a rather thick, so I tend to need more product than some to coat my hair. The bottles seem somewhat small, but based on how little is needed; it is a good deal and a nice size for travel without having to skimp on product use.

Even wet my hair felt different than usual after washing and conditioning, soft of expanded and strong feeling, not quite left with a coating of product per se, but the surface felt different, as if I already applied a leave-in product to smooth the surface. To find out what this affect was, I opted NOT to use any additional product while styling my hair.

ON PRE STYLE ROUGH BLOW-DRY

After using the brush designed for wet hair that comes in the kit (which while my hair did NOT have tangles post conditioning, it is nice to have a brush that is gentle enough for wet hair, especially when you do have to detangle or comb through styling product) I did a quick rough dry“ no real styling and LOVED LOVED LOVED the shine and bounce. Without any additional product my hair was soft with just a tiny bit of flyaway, but it is the first few days of real cold here in New England this week. Not bad for no product added.

The bounce in my hair was a pleasant surprise since I am overdue for my regular trim, and they are pretty lifeless the week before a trim, so I will be remembering to use Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner the week before a trim to get some life back in dull ends. The shine and bounce remained with hot roller styling.

The Fleur de Temps Body Lotion is a solid lotion, but the Patchouli scent was much stronger than in the shampoo and conditioner. If you work in a fragrance-free work environment, it might be a bit of a strong scent, but otherwise it is a lovely consistency of lotion.

And if you are headed off on vacation (and even if you aren’t) – the Super Comb Prep and Protect is a great UV/Color Polar Shield – don’t let the sun wreck your color! It also contains the Liquid Purity Complex so you will be conditioning your hair with that great Gooseberry Oil as you protect your hair. Nice multitasking combo.

VERDICT

SHINE SHINE SHINE!!
Softness, bounce and swing
Nice lather, just a bit of product goes a long way.
Light scent once dry
My really dry ends that badly need a trim don’t look so dry
Hair color was not stripped or faded after use
The brush is incredibly gentle and far less hair is left in the bristles after brushing vs other high end brushes.

Find the Number 4 High Performance Hair Care Holiday Jet Set Pack at Number4Hair.com for $25.

After using Number 4 Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner and styled with Topganic Style & Go Moisturizing Cream with Keratin from Brazil