Washing Your Hair With Conditioner.............What!?!?

Ladies! Awhile back I mentioned that you could use Suave conditioner in place of Wen Cleansing Conditioner to cleanse your hair. Well, I do still use my beloved Wen Cleansing Conditioner, however, with the economy the way it is, who can afford a $30 bottle of conditioner?

So I did some research and found an great article on The Beauty Brains website about other options, and they recommended using Suave or VO5, as they're both ridiculously cheaper and actually clean your hair better.

Curly ladies know, that silicones are the enemy, although I admit some of my hair products contain silicones. I also still shampoo, with Everpure, once a week or so to remove silicone build-up. Well, as it turns out Wen Cleansing Conditioner has silicone in it, which will build-up on your hair and eventually lead to frizz and weigh your hair down. Suave conditioner on the other hand has more ingredients in it that actually cleanse the hair, and no silicones that will cause build-up. So for like $2 a bottle you can get potentially better results.

Cleansing your hair with conditioner is really easy, and doesn't take any longer than traditional washing. Basically, rinse your hair really well when you first get in the shower. Then get an appropriate amount of conditioner for your hair length, this may take a few tries to figure out. It will take more conditioner than you would normally use, but not an ungodly amount, unless you have a lot of hair. Work the conditioner through your hair, and add a small amount of water to your hair. If you have the right amount of conditioner, it should start feeling sort of foamy, not a lather at all, just foamy or frothy. Now, scrub your head the same way you would with shampoo. What I like to do at this point is actually comb any tangles out of my hair. Once you've scrubbed to your heart's desire, either rinse and use your normal conditioner as usual, or leave the cleansing conditioner on for the remainder of the shower, and rinse. Done! See, that was easy!

One of the things that I love most about using Suave as a cleansing conditioner instead of Wen; all of the scent options. You can changes smells daily and still save money!

Hope this helped! Here's the link to The Beauty Brains article if you want more information. http://thebeautybrains.com/2008/12/15/is-wen-conditioner-a-wonder/

Review: Agadir Argan Oil Hair Treatment

Hey gals, a friend of mine recently gave me some samples of Agadir Argan Oil to try out, and Wow! Agadir Argan Oil is a cross between a styling product and a leave-in conditioner. Not only does Argan Oil leave my hair shiny and frizz-free, but it makes my hair soft and health-looking.

Argan Oil is naturally high in Vitamin E, Omega-9, Linoleic, Oleic and

essential fatty acids. Not only is this good for your hair, but it doesn't leave hair oily or greasy.

Agadir Argan Oil smells delicious, and though it may be somewhat expensive, you really only need a small amount to see results. What's the most amazing thing about this hair treatment? It cuts down drying time by 40-50%. That's crazy, an oil that will actually make your hair dry faster, and it's alcohol -free.

I wouldn't bother recommending something that I didn't really love, especially expensive stuff. With that being said Agadir Argan Oil is amazing. If you hair dry, brittle, over-processed hair, then Argan Oil is for you!

Review: L'Oreal EverPure Shampoo

L'Oreal has come out with a sulfate-free shampoo, actually a complete line of products, but I've only tried the shampoo.



L'Oreal EverPure Sulfate Free Color Care System is designed to keep that expensive hair color you paid for, on your hair, instead of down the drain.



I do, in fact color my hair, but I was more intrigued, because I try to shampoo my hair as infrequently as possible, because I have naturally dry, curly hair. All my curly girls know that shampoo+curly hair= dry, frizzy hair.



Anyway, when I heard about L'Oreal EverPure I was excited by the prospect of shampooing my hair with a shampoo that didn't contain any nasty sulfates. Sulfates are extremely damaging to all hair types, as they rob hair of essential oils that our hair produces naturally.



So, I ran out and bought a bottle of the EverPure Moisturizing Shampoo, and immediately went home to try it out.Well let me tell you, this shampoo is awesome.



L'Oreal EverPure has an amazing lather, it doesn't feel anything like traditional shampoo lather. It's rich and creamy, and it smells nice and clean. When I rinsed this out, my hair was already soft and tangle free. With traditional shampoo, when I rinse it out my hair feels dry and nasty. I don't shampoo often, but when I do I'll be using L'Oreal EverPure from now on.



Ladies this is totally worth the money, for less than $10, you can stop drying your hair out with chemicals and sulfates. Not only is EverPure sulfate free, but it's also 100% vegan.

Curls, Curls Everywhere

Curly Ladies!!!! Tips and Product Recommendations!

Hello ladies! As I'm sure you know by now, my hair is naturally curly, but I straighten it pretty often. Until recently, my hair hasn't been long enough to wear curly, or I would've had a white-girl afro. African-American ladies can pull off an afro, and look not only cute, but cultural, I've never seen a real white-girl afro look cute or cultural. So I thought I'd explain how I style my hair, when I wear it curly and what products I use and love.

Styling My Curly Hair

First, I'd like to take a moment to mention that I know all about the Curly Girl Method, and how's it's done. I don't really use it because it simply doesn't work for my needs or wants. I have sort of adapted my own Curly Girl Method.

Okay, to start off I don't ever wash my hair with shampoo when I'm going to wear it curly. I use a conditioner, usually Wen or Suave, to cleanse my hair. I do partially dry my hair with a normal towel when I get out of the shower.

Gasp, I even comb it with a wide-tooth comb. I should mention at this point if you look at the picture of me with curly hair, those aren't my natural curls, I create my curls, but I'll get to that in a sec.

I apply only three products to my hair while it's still wet; Frederic Fekkai's Glossing Cream, and Luscious Curls, and I've found an awesome new product called Argan Oil, formerly known as Moroccan Oil if I remember right.

I don't use a lot of product just a nickel-sized amount of each, and I apply them one at a time.

After I have made sure they're all distributed evenly through my hair, I get out my round brush. I use a small, maybe 1/2 inch round brush to twist chunks of my hair into dread-lock looking sections.

After all my hair is sectioned into dread-locks, sort of, I let it air dry part of the way. Usually at this point I'd do my makeup. Then when it's about half dry, I use my blow dryer, on a low setting to dry my hair the rest of the way. While I'm blow drying my hair, I use my round brush to keep twisting sections of hair, so that my curls will be uniform.

Once my hair is dry, I apply a few more products to make my curls more defined; first I apply Wen Texture Balm, but any pomade will do, then I use Generic Value Products Wax, and Biosilk just too make sure my hair stays moisturized.

After I've done all that I spray some Freeze It hairspray on to hold my curls in place.

This method will only work on naturally curly, permed, or naturally wavy hair, otherwise you're hair probably won't hold the style.

The reason I go through all this is; it really helps eliminate frizz, my hair is virtually frizz free when I style it this way, this creates uniform curls, which naturally curly hair is never uniform, and this allows me to decide what kid of curls I want, depending on how small of a dread-lock thingie I make.

This is my absolute favorite way to style my hair curly, and soon I'll post a slide show to show what I mean.

Thanks for reading ladies, I hope this helps!

Just some everyday looks...

More details on the Wen Hair Care System

So you’ve seen the infomercials, or heard the buzz, but what exactly is the Wen hair care system? How does it work? What’s included for $29.95, and what’s the catch? Well, Wen is a revolutionary way to cleanse your hair without harsh shampoo, condition your hair, and keep your color from fading, all with one product. For basically $30, you get all the hair products that you should need to have fantastic looking hair.

The Wen cleansing conditioner is a revolutionary way to cleanse and condition your hair at the same time. The detergents and sulfates that regular shampoo contain are actually damaging you hair, because they’re stripping away your hair’s natural oils. Not only is regular shampoo damaging your hair, but if you color your hair it’s actually washing away your hair color. Wen cleansing conditioner incorporates cleansing agents, which are gentle and effective, and conditioning agents, which allow you to essentially wash and condition your hair at the same time.

Now the big question, well how do I use it? The first thing you need to do is rinse your hair for one to two minutes. This should wash away quite a bit of residue and prep your hair for the cleansing conditioner. Then you need to find the right amount of the Wen cleansing conditioner for your hair type and length. The Wen cleansing conditioner comes in a pump bottle, so count the number of pumps it takes you to saturate your hair with Wen. This is your ideal amount to use every time. Next, work the Wen cleansing conditioner through your hair, just like you would normal conditioner. Now add a small amount of water to your hair, and keep working the cleansing conditioner through your hair. Once the cleansing conditioner becomes sort of foamy or frothy, don’t add any more water to your hair. Now “wash” your hair just like you would with normal shampoo, and leave the cleansing conditioner on for the remainder of your shower, rinsing should be your last step. Make sure to rinse completely, as this is vital to make sure that your hair doesn’t appear oily.

The Wen cleansing conditioner can also be used as a leave-in, which will not only condition your hair even more, but will aid in styling.

Well, what do I get for $29.95? The initial shipment of the Wen hair Care System will include a 30-day supply of; Wen cleansing conditioner, styling crème, re-moist intensive hair repair mask, and two bonuses, texture balm, and a wide tooth shower comb. The styling crème is awesome, it eliminates frizz, adds body and volume, and leaves your hair soft and shiny. The intensive hair repair mask is also an amazing treatment for your hair.

So, what’s the catch? There isn’t any catch, however if you’ve dealt with Gunthy-Renker in the past you know that everyone one of their products enrolls you in an auto-delivery program. If you don’t want to have the Wen system shipped to you automatically, then simply call as soon as you receive your first shipment, and cancel your enrollment.

The one drawback about Wen that I’ve noticed, and it comes up frequently, is that if you use the cleansing conditioner exactly as directed, there’s no way it’s going to last as long as they say. My best advice is to only use the amount that your hair actually needs.

Why Wear Make-Up?

Make-up, love it! Why wear it? Why not wear it? Let me begin by saying that I do in fact wear makeup, I have been wearing it since I was 12, and I imagine I'll wear it until I am too old to lift my hand to my face.

I love make-up, I love that it gives me a self-confidence boost, I love that it makes my skin look flawless, it brings attention to my eyes, and accentuates my cheeks.

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Let me be clear though, I do not and will not wear make up for the enjoyment of others, namely the opposite sex. I wear make up because I like it, not because I think someone will like me more if I do.

Make-up is a lot like clothes for women, it's a form of expression about who we are, and is another way to express ourselves. If I'm going out at night I wear more, if I'm going to work, I wear less, sometimes it's bright eye shadow, sometimes none at all. It used to be liquid foundation and department store blush, now it's mineral foundation, mineral blush, and everything else that I can get my hands on. I think of it almost of an extension of me, I'm not covering anything up, I'm simply highlighting what is already there, and I love it.

I don't understand why anyone has a problem with women wearing makeup. And I am personally sick of men saying "You look better without it', the correct response is "It looks great". Men of the world take note, it's not for you, it's for me!

Makeup is another of those things that is great for some people, and bad for others. Some women look great with makeup on, some don't. There are women who are experts at applying, and some who could use a quick tutorial. Some women love it, some women hate it, either way women are doing what they want.

By the way, Max Faktor, also known as the Father of Modern Makeup, according to www.inventors.about.com, was a man!

I don't think the question should be why wear makeup? It should be what do you care if women wear makeup? Isn't that a personal choice for every woman, what's the old saying "to each their own..." Does that not come into play here?

Women of the world stand up, wear your makeup loud and proud, or subtle and soft, either way wear it how you want!

Who is Soap & Glory Cosmetics?

Soap & Glory, if you haven't already heard is the brain-child of Marcia Kilgore, the founder of the infamous Bliss Spa in NYC. In hopes of taking her amazing products to the masses she founded Soap & Glory.

If you subscribe to the Bliss catalog, like myself, and can't afford $70 wrinkle cream, like myself, then Soap & Glory is for you. Every product in the line, that I've tried is awesome and works great.

As far as I know Soap & Glory products are only available at Target, in the U.S., Shopper's Drug Mart in Canada, and Harvey Nichols and Boots in the U.K.

Every Soap & Glory product has a catchy name, and 50's pin-up style labeling.

A few of my favorite Soap & Glory product's are; The Righteous Butter, a moisturizer; Flakes Away, a body scrub; and Clean on Me, a body wash. The smell in all of Soap & Glory's product's is super girly and delicious. I highly recommend trying out this unique and awesome brand!

I get my Soap & Glory fix at my local Target or Target.com, but on Soap & Glory's website it says you should be able to buy direct from them soon.

Review: Everyday Minerals Foundation

Ladies, ladies, ladies, I'm not sure why I waited so long to post my thoughts on Everyday Minerals foundation, because I love 'em. I've been using Everyday Minerals Foundation for 2 years at least, mostly because........................I think it's fantastic. Not only are the products great but the company endorses and lives green. Don't get me wrong, I don't do everything green, but if I can and if it works I'm all for reducing my carbon footprint. Everyday Minerals is an awesome company, and their products may be inexpensive, but they are top-notch.

Foundation- The Basics:

The cost of a full-sized container of Everyday Minerals Foundation is $12, it comes in the ever-handy sifter-jar, and for what you get for your money you won't need to repurchase for awhile. I do a full face of makeup at least 5, usually 6 days a week, and I enjoy a full coverage look. I've had the same container of foundation for over 2 months, and am in no need of repurchasing soon.

Another HUGE plus with Everyday Minerals Foundation is that it comes in 4 finishes; O-Glo, semi-matte, matte, and intensive. Different women have different needs and wants when it comes to their makeup, and Everyday Minerals suits all tastes. Personally, I use semi-matte; I like my skin to glow, I want fuller coverage, and semi-matte works best for me. How many major, high-end cosmetics companies allow you to pick what coverage, and finish your foundation will have? Not too many.

Another big thing that sets Everyday Minerals foundation apart from their mineral makeup competition; variety of colors to choose from. Typically mineral makeup companies only offer foundation choices in skin color; fair, light, medium, and deep. Everyday Minerals foundation comes in more than 40 colors, and they're broken down into tone; cool, golden, olive, etc.

If you can't decide what'll work best for your skin they offer a free sample kit which includes 3 foundation colors, a blush and a concealer, all you pay for is the shipping. Awesome! Another alternative; their forum, if you post a pic of yourself on the forum and ask the lovely ladies for their recommendations, they're always happy to help. How many huge makeup companies can offer their customers personalized help? In their customers own home? None. Check out the Everyday Minerals Forum here.

My last, but not least praise for Everyday Minerals foundation is that none of their foundation contains bismuth oxychloride, which is the ingredient in BE that causes so many women to break out. Some peoples' skin can handle bismuth oxychloride and some can't, and if you can't but you still want an amazing mineral foundation; Everyday Minerals.


Check out Everyday Minerals!

New! Dove Bodywash with NutriumMoisture

I was given the opportunity to try out the new Dove Body wash with NutriumMoisture, so I jumped on it. I've always been a fan of Dove products, in fact I've used their Beauty Bar since I was in high school. Dove Body wash with NutriumMoisture is no exception, it works great; just clean, soft skin.

Dove has pioneered a new approach to cleansing; leaving your skin's natural moisture in place without leaving anything else. We've all tried "moisturizing" body washes, and typically they leave your skin feeling slimy instead of clean. Normal body washes leave your skin tight-feeling and dry. Dove's Body wash with NutriumMoisture left my skin feeling completely clean and soft, with no nasty, greasy feeling.

Dove's Body Wash with NutriumMoisture technology cares for surface skin ten layers deep, and doesn't damage proteins and lipids in our skin. Typical body washes cause direct damage to the proteins and lipids in our skin, which can lead to a variety of skin problems. The harsh detergents found in typical body washes, which do the actual cleansing, are damaging your skin. I bet that's not on the bottle. With NutriumMoisture technology the moisturizing agents in Dove's new body wash are able to actually penetrate your skin to moisturize you skin where it needs it most. Typical body washes contain moisturizing agents that sit on top of your skin, which is why your left with the greasy feeling, they aren't actually helping your skin, they're coating it. This may mask the problems those bodywashes are causing you skin, but your skin will pay for it in the long-run.

For more information, or to check out Dove's other products visit Dove.com.

All Day Strong, Praise for My Holy Grail Hair Spray

I cannot say enough about this amazing drug store find, this is the absolute best hairspray I have ever used. Freeze It Mega Freeze Hairspray really does freeze your 'do in place, tornado winds won't mess up your style. My hair is naturally curly, however I get bored easy, so I go straight, wavy, and curly on a regular basis. Not too long ago my hair was super short, with a messy-spiky back, and this hairspray worked wonders. Freeze It Mega Freeze Hairspray works on my hair regardless of how I want to style it. A few more huge bonuses with this product are that it makes your hair super shiny, it contains UV filters, and it's humidity resistant. Seriously, since I started using Freeze It Mega Freeze Hairspray I haven't even tried another brand, this product has left me so satisfied that I don't need to continue trying other hairsprays. I can't really say anything about the other products in the line, because I haven't tried them. Maybe I will in the near future. I've noticed that a lot of people seem to be having trouble finding Freeze It, I purchase it religiously at my local Wal-Mart for like $5 a can. I've also heard you can but it at Walgreens. Anyway, if you want to check out the company click here.

Review: Frederic Fekkai Luscious Curls Cream

Frederic Fekkai Luscious Curls Cream smells good, has a nice thick yet not goopy consistency, whether or not it's doing much for my curls I'm not sure. I initially bought Luscious Curls Cream to use in place of gel, but it didn't seem to give me the results I was looking for, my hair was kind of puffy, not the defined curls I'd like. I have however used it with gel and other products in more of a Curly Girl concoction, and it seemed to work just fine. Although, it could have been the gel doing the work, I'm not sure. Luscious Curls Cream definitely leaves my hair soft, not crunchy or sticky at all, yet as for frizz and hold, I'm still torn. This is nowhere near a holy grail product, I'm not even sure I'd repurchase. However, I'll continue to use the tube I bought until it runs out. If you want more information, you can find it here.

Review: Garnier Fructis Curl Sculpting Cream-Gel

Garnier Fructis Curl Sculpting Cream-Gel unfortunately didn't cut it. My hair is naturally curly, and frizzy, and this cream-gel just did nothing for hold, and frizz. The product has a very slimy consistency, more liquid than cream or gel. In my experience this sort of consistency in a curl product doesn't equal good results or hold. Generally, I don't like to write a product off after only using it once. So I tried Garnier Fructis Curl Sculpting Cream Gel on several occassions and what I was left with was a mass of frizzy, unruly curls. Granted, curly hair is hard to manage and style, but I've been doing it for years. This was no case of user error, this cream-gel just doesn't have what it takes. This product may work for someone with a perm, or wavy hair, but for us naturally curly gals, this is a no-go. So the search continues.......

Review: Philosophy Makeup Optional Set

Sephora Says: From cleansing, to exfoliating, to hydrating, this complete kit contains everything you need to get 'makeup-optional' skin at-home.

According to Philosophy: clinical results show that after just one microdelivery peel, 82% of respondents agreed their skin appeared to be resurfaced. after twenty-one days of using the microdelivery peel two times per week, 98% of all respondents agreed their skin appeared resurfaced; 89% agreed their skin felt and looked younger, and 86% agreed their skin felt new and baby soft. additionally, after just one day of use of the makeup optional skincare system with the peel, 54% of users felt they could leave their home wearing less makeup, and after three weeks almost half of our respondents felt they could leave their homes without wearing makeup at all. after twenty-one days on the 4-piece makeup optional skincare system with the peel, 86% of respondents agreed they had a more healthy, radiant glow; 86% also agreed their skin felt and looked younger; 77% agreed fine lines and wrinkles appeared less prominent, and 77% agreed their skin tone was more even.

Mrs. Blacksten Says: Buy this kit! Philosophy's Makeup Optional Kit is awesome; you get all the skincare you need in one place. Almost every Philosophy product that I've tried, I've loved. In the kit you get: Purity Made Simple, Hope In a Jar, Hope In a Tube, and When Hope is not Enough, and 3 single use MicroDelivery Peels. Since I started using these products my skin has never looked better. Philosophy products are amazing, and I can't believe I ever lived without them. My skin is radiant, smooth, moisturized, and better than ever. This kit can be picked up at Sephora or Philosophy for $78.

Keepin It Kinky

It's in The Box: At-Home Hair Coloring Tips

So, I've been dying my hair for more than a decade, and I've only had it done at a salon once. I hate my natural dirty-blond hair, and I get bored easily with my hair color, so not only do I dye my hair a lot, but it also changes color frequently. My hair has been almost every color at least once; blond (my staple), brown, red, pink, black, purple. etc. In truth, my hair color changes more often then is good for it, on the upside though, I've learned some great tips along the way about changing your color, and keeping your hair looking good. So I thought I'd try and share some of this with you dolls, I hope it helps.

• Seriously, if your can control your urge to go from black to platinum blond, do so, it'll never turn out right. Try and keep your hair color choice within 2 to 3 shades of the color it is right now. Dramatic changes should be done in stages, or the color will turn out wrong. If you can't control yourself, then seek out a professional, you'll be happy you did.
• If your going blond, and your have brassy tones, then you need toner. Sally beauty is where I pick mine up, ask an associate for help. That's what they're there for.
• If your unsure whether you'll like a color or if it'll look right on you, then go semi-permanent, so if you don't like it it will eventually wash out, mostly.
• Do not EVER bleach hair that has already been bleached; your hair will literally break off. If your a bottle blond, and you need to bleach to maintain your color, then only bleach your roots. If you ignore every other tip, please, please listen to this one. I have had my hair break off, it is awful.
• If your dying your hair a darker color, then rub Vaseline around your hairline to prevent dying your skin, it takes days to wash the dye away.
• If your wanting highlights, then start with less than you think you want, you can always add more, but once they're there your stuck with them.
• Red hair is exceptionally hard to maintain, it fades, it washes out, etc. If you can only wash red hair every other day at most, this will prevent that dreaded fading.
• I can't say enough about dimension. Usually hair color from a box has none, which is what makes it so obvious that it's not natural. Adding highlights and lowlights to your hair color will make a world of difference. Buy a shade or two darker than your main color and a shade or two lighter, than use a highlighting cap to add highlights and lowlights. Remember though: less-is-more.
• I dye the underneath side of my hair darker and the top lighter, if you aren't comfortable doing this at the same time always do the darker first. Sometimes the darker color mixes with the lighter and you end up with something other than what you wanted. If you do the darker first, you can dye over some errors, with the lighter color.
• When all else fails, seek a professional. Seriously.

And Some More....

Just A Few......Part II