Getting LA Hair with Kim Kimble Beauty

Kim Kimble, celebrity hair guru, has developed a line of hair care products to help keep hair looking fabulous. I decided to try  her Brazilian Nut & Acai Berry Conditioning Masque. My hair has been super parched lately, so this seemed to be an excellent choice. A very durable shower cap was included with the conditioning masque.

The Brazilian Nut & Acai Berry Conditioning Masque comes in an eight ounce squeeze tube. I think it can be used as a daily conditioner but I chose to try it out as a full on conditioning treatment.  The Kisses Shower Cap is very generous in size. It can even be used over rollers. The material is very thick and no water will get in, as the band keeps the cap snug without being tight.

The product is easy to use. Get in the shower and wash your hair as usual. Squeeze a bit onto your palms and work from the ends of the hair to the scalp. The product instructions say to massage from the bottom of the hair up to the scalp- the treatment is supposed to help with scalp health.

I found the product to have a slightly thicker consistency than the regular conditioner  I use for my color treated hair. The product’s fragrance is sweet but not overwhelming. I would say the scent is fruity with a dash of bubble gum.I started with a small amount- maybe about the size of a quarter, rubbed the masque between my palms  and worked it from the ends up. I then tucked the hair into the shower cap. You can use a clip to gather your hair before putting on the cap. Since the tube suggests to apply heat and I don’t own a hair dryer, I figured the steam from the shower would help the conditioner work its magic.  After about 10 minutes, I removed the shower cap and rinsed. I noticed my hair did not feel heavy or greasy. Sometimes when using a treatment, I feel like rinsing forever but not with this masque. It left my hair soft without making it weigh a ton.

Love the cap!

I styled as usual (the true test). What did I find? My hair is way better today since my last color treatment (I dyed it myself using a semi-permanent drugstore brand. Never again.) My hair feels soft to the touch and the curls are back to their original form.

Interested in trying Kim Kimble products? Click here for a link to her products. Use code hair10 for 10% off your purchase. I do not yet see the conditioner available on the website provided by BrandBacker but you can search for the product online.

Keep Calm & Primp On! XOXO

Sponsored by BrandBacker. Product provided free for review. All opinions are my own.

HauteLook Summer Essentials Are Pretty Necessary

A week or two ago, I wrote a post about the HauteLook with Nordstrom Summer Beauty Bag. (You can check out that post here.) I was totally annoyed, as the bag was $29 US and had mostly “deluxe” samples.  About a week later, HauteLook released its Summer Essentials bag and I ordered it. For $20,  I thought it might just be better. Lucky for me, it was.

What have you got in there?

There are 13 products in the Summer Essentials bag and though many are fun size, the full size products up the retail value of the bag. I’ll start off with skin and body care. For the face,  there is a small jar of Miracle 10 AHA Cream. An exfoliator for dry skin, this soothing cream is supposed to bring on even skin texture and fight aging. I will use this eventually but not during the summer. My skin has a tendency to burn, so even putting gentle AHAs on my face frightens me. (Interested in trying Miracle10? Visit Miracle10.com to get Super C & AHA Cream for $82 US. Enter promocode HAUTEBAG13)

Another miracle?

Yay! Another self-tanning product. I have so many tubes and sheets of glow goop that I don’t even know what to do with it. This single TanTowel is good for half body application and can even be used on the face. I loved the spray on one I used last week (there are still remnants on my legs) but I might just have to try a sheet, too. (Hey- don’t you want to know what happens?)

Vacation in a towel.

In order to keep your faux tan looking glowing and not blech, slather on Whish Body Butter in Orange Cream. I have tried Whish Shave Cream and the scent was reminiscent of Fruity Pebbles. This tiny tube will be good to throw in a getaway bag but I have a feeling there will be no getaways this summer. L’Occitane Shea Hand Cream is a cult classic and a little goes a long way.  Cooler weather will be here before we know it, so this will come in handy. (Handy- get it?)

Creamy.

I love Diptyque fragrance because though they are complex, they are magically singular. I find the fragrances to truly smell so natural on the body and wear Eau Duelle, a spicy vanilla, I now have a sample of L’Ombre dans l’Eau, which translates to The Shadow in the Water. On first spray, it is very green but rounds out to a floral with rose and blackcurrant. It actually reminds me of a perfume I used to wear but can no longer recall. Such is life!

Secret like a shadow.

Your crowning glory is up next. Blow Pro After Blow Strong Hold Finishing Spray is a quick dry spray that claims to keep frizz and flyaways at bay. I probably will never find out if this spray works but it sounds good.

Blow Pro then Grab and Go!

I’m loving L. Erickson Grab n’ Go Pony Compact. The compact isn’t very sturdy but it holds a few ponytail elastics in a place where they won’t get lost in my bag. Thank goodness.

Onto the make-up! Start off with great brushes. Since I love my Crown Brushes, I was happy to receive their Travel Brush Set. I don’t like to bring my big brushes on the go and  this set will make it easy.  I am also curious to try Lashfood Nano-Peptide Natural EyeLASH Conditioner. It is supposed to make my lashes stronger. After the lash perm I tried last year, I think this is a safer option.

Long lashes, little brushes.

For some more lash love, there is a tube of LORAC Special Effects Mascara in Black. One side has a primer and the other has a lengthening mascara. I remember when Revlon had a mascara like this many years ago and I miss it so this should be fun to try out.

Long and lovely lashes.

Now, we go from lashes to lips. There are three lip products in the bag and they are pretty fabulous. First in line is an NYX Lip Smacking Fun Color Lipstick in #597 Margarita. It looks more like a watermelon margarita to me, as it is a shimmery pink-orange shade. This lipstick is in the round tube and is under $4 US. I love NYX lipstick and am more than happy to add this to my collection.

NYX Lips

Margarita!

We are almost done! To keep lipstick in line, there is an Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Naked. Since it is a neutral color, I think it can be used with pretty much any lip color.

Lining and a bomb!

The bonus in the bag is a Mirenesse Lip Bomb Glossy Lacquer Stain in #27. It is a coral that errs on orange I’m guessing it is a gloss that will impart shine and stain the lip for lasting color. I have another lip product from Mirenesse that I really like, Maybe one of these day I will do a comparison.

What would you like to try from the HauteLook Summer Essentials bag?

Keep Calm & Primp On! XOXO

Related articles

• HauteLook Summer Essentials Beauty Bag Review (genuinelyheather.com)
• Hautelook Summer Beauty Bag 2013 (addictedtobox.wordpress.com)

I Have A Lot of Beauty Boxes to Recycle

There were more. Trust me.

And I only mean that after I have opened them and emptied the contents! I got FIVE beauty packages in the mail this week. In this post, we will take a gander at my GlossyBox and Birchbox deliveries. In the next post, we need to discuss the HauteLook Summer Beauty bag and a package all the way from someone Short (and Sweet) in Texas. I will give you a quick rundown of each box and then pick and choose the items I really think you need to know about in future posts.  Here we go!

First up is the July GlossyBox, le Grand Bleu, or the Big Blue, or the Grand Indigo (I made that up.) Very disappointing delivery- probably most disappointing of the lot and there was no magazine! Actually, that’s good news because that means things will be looking up from here. There were five products plus a “bonus.” At $21 a month, I deserve a bonus. Unfortunately, I will not use three of them and only one is a full size product and the cheapest in the box.

Okay, give to Cindy, give to my sister, okay, throw in travel bag, give to someone that needs it

The Brazilian Blowout Acai Deep Conditioning Mask will be used up when I need to deep condition. (Remind me to tell you my Rio acai story sometime. I was fun in my 20s!)  Bvlgari Eau Parfumee au the Blanc Shampoo & Shower Gel is the third product from the white tea fragrance line. Though I like the scent, enough alread, my friend Cindy likes the smell and just like I passed off the soap to her, she will get the shower gel. Nails Inc. Baker Street Nail Polish may look like a regular bottle but it is small and I know because I already own it. My sister is lucky. That girl ends up with everything. Figs & Rouge Cherry Blossom Tinted Balm Tube is full size and is $9 US. I thought it was an L’Occitane hand cream. Nope. I will use it since I like the way the tube looks. My “bonus” is Nicka K New York Absolute! Make-Up Cleansing towelettes. I have said it before and I will say it again- they sell this brand at my local beauty supply and the make-up runs around $3 US on average. Lastly is the Evologie Intensive Blemish Serum. I rarely get acne and I like my good old tea tree to handle that.  I am not impressed with this month’s selections- they are way too run of the mill and small!

Every year, the Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) have the Insiders’ Beauty Awards. Birchbox curated two boxes of winners. They were recently on sale- $26 for both. I thought that was pretty good and had some points left, so I managed to score both for $23.31. I’ll start with the Prestige Headliners – Birchbox for CEW. Originally priced at $18 US, this little box had the stuff you could buy at Sephora or a department store.

Birchbox Prestige Headliners

Since there are so many, I’ll list:

-IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Brow Pencil (might be a full size- Sam over at Samandro22 got me into filling in my brows!)

-Living Proof Prime Style Extender (Decent sized tube. Eh.)

-Julep Nail Color in Teri (It’s a full bottle!)

-Julep Essential Cuticle Oil (Another biggie! For my dry cuticles, I need a miracle.)

-Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti-Aging Triple Defense Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 50 (“Deluxe”Sample)

-La Fresh Eco-Beauty Oil-Free Face Cleanser, Scented (2 wipes. I’m cool with that.)

Next is the Birchbox for CEW Mass Market Finalists. This box is a treasure trove of drugstore finds and I have only tried two out of the six! Five of the products are full size, making for a great value.

On the cheap.

-Olay Pro-X Spot Fading Treatment (Sample tube but it should last a bit because you only use a few drops at a time.)

-Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey (Love these!)

-L’Oreal Paris Infallible Eye Shadow in #557 Glistening Garnet (I hope it is way better than the Armani Eyes to Kill one I bought.)

-Burt’s Bees Ultimate Care Hand Cream (Full size tube- since I finished my most recent favorite, I will try this next.)

-Nivea A Kiss of Olive OIl & Lemon Moisture Rich Lip Care (Finally! My favorite balm is LaBello- it is Nivea in the States and this flavor is more European!)

-Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-On (I love eye rolls…)

What do you think? I have a lot of work ahead of me, huh?

Keep Calm & Primp On! XOXO

–

FabFitFun and Fantastic!

Earlier this week I wrote a post about the HauteLook & Nordstrom Summer Beauty Bag (click here to read the post). I was very disappointed. Luckily, I received my FabFitFun (fff) box by Giliana Rancic, too, and this delivery did not disappoint! Though it is $49.95 a box, it only comes quarterly and this being my second box, I find the contents are valued way beyond the cost. Here are the goods:

Five full size products, sunnies, and something good for travel.

I will start off with skincare. First up is Purlisse-Pur-Delicate Gentle Soy Milk Cleanser ($36 US). A Vogue favorite, it is a gentle, soap-free cleanser that does double duty as an eye make-up remover. I am currently using a soap-free ultra gentle cleanser and I do like them since I find they cut the oil in my skin enough without drying me out. I can’t wait to try it!

Evian Brumisateur Facial Spray ($12 US) has been around forever. I currently am using Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir but I am close to finishing it up. I will use this first before I buy another.

Cleanser, face spray, cleansing wipes

Usually fff throws in a surprise. My first box had two- a Butter London Nail Polish and a GoSmile Pen. In this package, there is a travel pack of Yes to Cucumber Facial Towelettes ($2.99 US). There are ten towelettes of all- natural, hypoallergenic goodness and at this size, will fit into my purse for quick clean up. Though not as expensive as the previous surprises, I know I will get use out of these.

But I’m not finished with surprises! The next is a bottle of Orly Nail Polish in Mayhem Mentality ($8.50 US). It is a neon orange and since orange is my favorite color, I am loving this, The application is only okay and it dries matte, which is easily fixed with a shiny topcoat. It also needs three coats or it is streaky, so this is definitely only for when I go for a manicure and pedicure. I would botch the color up if I used this color myself.

Pardon my foot.

For a perfect pucker, there is a Catalina Su Lip Gloss ($14 US).  Catalina Su is Giuliana Rancic’s male-up artist. This is not normally a shade I would wear but I am trying more nudes as of late and will give this a try. I also think this is the only color in the collection so it must be universally flattering. We will see!

Flip flop friendly!

The big ticket item in the box is a pair of Ivory Mason Sunglasses in the Trudel Sunwear Style (On sale $135 US). They are very chic but the style is too small for my face. I also wear glasses and prescription sunglasses so I probably wouldn’t be able to use these. There is a way to exchange the sunglasses but I think I will pass these off  to my mom.

It Hair Care Surf Spray ($6.99 US)is supposed to create beachy waves. This is probably the third or fourth beach wave spray I have received (I got another in my ipsy delivery, too) and I just can’t use it. I don’t like the way my hair looks after a day at the beach. It looks like a mess.

As for sunless tanning, I need to get on the train. My legs are still pasty! Infinity Sun Glow on the Go ($40 US) is an aerosol spray with anti-aging properties. I will give it a whirl.

Beach Essentials?

KIND Bar in Dark Chocolate Chili Almond & Maple Glazed Pecan & Sea Salt is great to throw in a bag for a snack. KIND bars are delish and this sounds ridiculously tasty.

The retail value of the FabFitFun box is $235. I think it was a fabulous buy for the money AND I have a coupon code for $10 off your first FabFitFun VIP box. Just visit their website, sign up, and type 647993 in the coupon code box. The offer expires on August 11th.

Keep Calm & Primp On! XOXO

What’s in my Shower?

Hey all! It is another hot day in Brooklyn, NY and I will probably hibernate in my house with the air conditioner. My mom is coming over today to hang out since our apartment stays much cooler. I like to live in an icebox at all times. One of my favorite things to do in the summer (and everyday) is take a shower. I don’t feel good until I have showered for the day and in this weather, it brings on some relief!

Being obsessed with products, I have a few lying around my shower. I have actually pared down quite a bit and instead of 30 products in the shower, I think I have gotten down to maybe 15 total. My trick was to really just use up those things that I am sick of and not add anything until absolutely necessary. In fact, I have also been cleaning out my hair product closet and giving things to my aunt, since she is a hair stylist. I am sure she will find some clients to use them on.

Currently, I have these items in my shower:

It is a shower expose.

Miss Jessie’s Rapid Recovery  Treatment: I have a fairly full jar but haven’t used it in a long time. I should give it to my friend that likes it. It is a really thick conditioning treatment.

Suave Mint Anti-Dandruff Shampoo: This has a few washes left and I just need to really use it up. It is a good shampoo and doesn’t smell like a dandruff type. I think they only make the coconut anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner now and I did like that one better.

Suave Professionals  Rosemary +  Mint Shampoo: I put to the wayside because I dye my hair but I think there maybe 2-3 washes left. I need to just kill it off. It smells delicious and feels really refreshing.

Dove Body Wash: My husband uses this. It is his favorite.

Queen Helene Placenta Shampoo: I have a pretty full bottle and I do like it, as a little goes a long way and it doesn’t strip hair color.

Perlier Honey and Tiramisu Honeycomb Shower and Bath Cream: My aunt got this from someone for Christmas and of course I end up with it. Though it makes my skin soft, I am not loving the scent.

Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shower Gel: I am about halfway done with this and I love the minty fresh smell.

L’Oreal Color Vibrancy Shampoo & Conditioner: These are really my go to for daily cleansing and are pretty full.

Even the windowsill has crap.

Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser: I love how this soap-free formula foams up and really cuts the oil on my face. For ultra-gentle, I find it to be ultra-scented.

Philosophy Cleansing Hair to Toe Baby Wash: I got this because I am ultra sensitive during certain points in the month (a-hem). I actually really just like the formula and there is a light scent that isn’t a fragrance additive. Unfortunately, I can’t find it anymore.

ETUDE HOUSE Baking Powder Pore Cleansing Foam Moist: I got the very small tube when I ordered from KollectionK.com. A little goes a long way and I am loving it. This formulation is for dry skin but I don’t find it to make me oily and my face feels very clean after using it.

Urban Decay Joe Glow Body Scrub: I had this forever and finally got around to using it. It was sealed and in a dark place- they don’t even make this anymore. It is some kind of coffee scrub and it does the job. I have about 1/4 bottle left.

Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator: I love this scrub and may eventually purchase as this is just a deluxe sample. I have very little left and think it should be done soon. It is a scrub with micro crystals and enzymes. My face looks brand new after every use.

Pure Silk Shaving Cream: This is a necessity in the summer. I’m not picky with shave cream and this was cheap.

Ulta Men Hair + Body Wash in Citrus: I bought my husband some manly stuff. It smells really nice and uh manly.

Miss Jessie’s Creme De La Creme Conditioner: I am about half way done. I really like this and use it when I don’t need to wash but just need to refresh and condition.

Shower comb: This comb is old. When we move at the end of the year, I will throw it away.

Shower pouf: I throw these out every couple of months, though they say you can wash them.

Razor: I changed my razor head every other week or about every eight shaves.

What do you keep in your shower?

Keep Calm & Primp On! XOXO

Sample This! My First Taker!

Hey, pretty! I hope all is well with you. I am trucking along, enjoying summer vacation and getting some posts in. I really love when I have time to write- and test products! A few weeks ago, Julie of Short & Sweet in Texas, emailed me regarding Sample This! I’ve had the offer of sending out samples for some time and didn’t have any takers until Julie.

Julie requested hair products that would be good for thick, wavy hair. She “broke up” with her flat iron and wanted to find some products that are wavy hair friendly. I gave up my flat iron about six years ago. In fact, I don’t own a blow dryer, either. My hair is so nice curly and so much healthier, so Julie, I salute you!

Julie had tried a number of products including Aveda Pure Abundance Volumizing Hair Spray, Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Leave in Conditioning Cream, Organix Argan Oil & Shea Butter Weightless Oil, and Garnier Fructis Anti-Humidity Volumizing Hair Spray. She requested leave-in conditioning product(s) and then let me have free reign. I emailed her, asking if she had more wave or loose curl and she sent me a picture:

Gorgeous head of hair!

Her hair just looks so healthy and thick. I got right into my products. I figured that Julie could use some hydration and needed a little something to help define and control the wave. Here is what I came up with:

Of course I added lace nail decals and a hand candy. (You should stop by Julie’s blog to check out her nail skills.)

Phyto Intense Hydrating Shampoo.

Quidad Moisture Lock Define & Shine Curl Styling Gel Cream for Wavy Loose Curls

Nexus Youth Renewal Elixir (I didn’t have argan oil so this was a close second.)

I also passed along a few surprises. Julie got the package earlier in the week and sent me her feedback this past weekend. Here are her thoughts!

Ouidad Moisture Lock Define & Shine Curl Styling Gel-Cream

“First off, I’m not the biggest fan of hair gels or gel like products. I didn’t think to mention it when I first emailed you though, and I decided to try this one anyway since it called itself a “gel-cream” (which is something I’ve never tried, so why not?) That beings said I didn’t really care for this one. Again, gels are really not my thing, but I felt very conscious of this product the whole time it was in my hair. Maybe I used too much or something but this left my hair feeling “product-y”. It wasn’t really stiff like many gels I’ve tried, but it did feel a little sticky throughout the day even after it was technically dry. Since growing my hair out from a next to nothing pixie style I play with my hair a lot so touchable tresses are important to me. For people that like gels though this product would probably be great, and I did like the lack of stiffness. Because seriously, nobody likes crunchy curls or waves right?”

I totally agree with having touchable hair. I think a plain hair cream would probably do a better job, as opposed to a gel/cream concoction. I have tried and liked Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-In Hair Cream, which is available at Wal-Mart and won’t break the bank. I also found Aussie Miraculously Smooth Anti-Frizz Hair Cream and Not Your Mother’s Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream. I really want to try the latter myself.

Phyto Paris Phytojoba Intense Hydrating Shampoo

I loved this! It had a great scent and left my hair feeling clean and hydrated without being greasy. I would definitely purchase a full size bottle of this one.

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner! Phyto is serious hair care and I am so happy this shampoo provided the kind of hydration Julie needed. I also suggest Miss Jessie’s Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo.

Nexxus Youth Renewel Rejuvenating Hair Elixir

I also really liked this. The packaging was definitely unique – (I’ve never used a hair product that came in a tiny bottle with an eyedropper dispenser before) – and it works very well for dispensing the product. The product itself has a nice fragrance and made my hair soft and manageable throughout the day. Would consider buying in full size.

Another winner! I had received that sample but was afraid it might weigh my hair down. Though my hair is curlier, Julie’s hair is thicker. I also would suggest Amika Obliphica Oil Treatment. I use it myself, as it light and non-greasy but I think it would work for Julie.

I think my first customer of Sample This! was a success! If you are interested in receiving some stuff from my stash, check out the Sample This! tab at the top of the page.

Keep Calm & Primp On! XOXO

A Better Birchbox

Do good things really come in small packages?

Well, it is about time. After month upon month of disappointment, I finally got a decent Birchbox. I know that last month was better than most other boxes because I received two boxes but this month’s box is way more PH friendly than last month’s.

More on the “New Look” later.

This month’s theme is “wanderlust”- “When wanderlust strikes, it sticks.” The box contains some travel-friendly products, as well as something full sized.

The adorable postcards set the tone for quite a journey…

I’m partial to this set- my home and my favorite city.

Not that England and Spain are too shabby!

Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk Deluxe Sample: I have heard plenty about this dry shampoo. I don’t really use dry shampoo BUT I do suffer from second day oily roots sometimes. I might even say third day oily roots. TMI? This is probably the third dry shampoo sample I received from Birchbox and I guess I might take the hint. (Full Size $18 US)

Nails, Hair, and Anchors AWAY!

Birchbox + Color Club Professional Nail Lacquer  Mini Polish in Reign in Spain from the Wanderlust Collection: A Birchbox exclusive, this polish is a collaboration with Color Club to encourage the traveler in all of us. Reign in Spain is a cool peach that is a bit more coral. I actually love the color. (Full Size $8 US)

Twistband Birchbox Nautical Hair Tie Collection: I only got one in my box. These don’t tear the hair out of my head but I find they do stretch quickly and a pack of five or six is $14 US. That’s a lot of money for a ponytail.

Oscar de la Renta Something Blue (perfume vial): It is the latest scent from Oscar de la Renta and is a blend of mandarin and linden blossoms. Sounds like a pretty summer scent. (Full Size $85-$115 US)

You can’t borrow mine.

Mirenesse Glossy Kiss Lipstick: Yay! A full size product in my Birchbox! This pen can be used as a gloss when layered or a stain when blotted. There were also instructions on how to use it as a cheek tint. ($26.55 US)

Double Trouble!

This box made me a happy wanderluster.

If you are not a Birchbox subscriber and are thinking of getting a subscription, they recently revamped the site. They want to reach a more diverse audience and are pushing Birchbox Man. I also think that the site maybe more user friendly. The old site was a little annoying to shop. One thing they did not change was the point system. Every dollar spent is one point, with 100 points equaling $10. You can really clean up there if you are a savvy shopper! I also have a referral code so if you are indeed interested, send an email to producthoochie@gmail.com.

There is also time to enter my giveaway! Click here for the Rafflecopter link. You can enter daily so get to it!

Keep calm & Primp On! XOXO

Hair Salon Confidential

Once I hit the ripe old  age of 31, I realized that I would have to do something about my gray hair. I actually never really noticed the gray, until I had to start getting ready for a wedding. We were in California and I decided I would straighten my hair for the occasion. I lifted some of my hair to smooth it with the hair iron and I screamed. My husband (fiance at the time) came running into the bathroom in a semi-panic. He saw the horrified look on my face and said, “What’s wrong?” “L-l-l-look…” I trembled. He looked at the strangling gray hairs and said, “Honey, I think it is time you started to dye your hair.”

My hubs and I at the wedding. My side ponytail conceals the gray stragglers.

I’m lucky though. My grays tend to be a bit more silvery and since my hair is curly, it is fairly concealed. I notice it more than anyone else. I am also fortunate to have a person very close to me that is a hair stylist. She takes care of my business. In fact, I got a text message Sunday morning from her, asking if I needed to refresh my ‘do. I have not had a cut since January and I have dyed it myself because I live in a tornado. I decided it would be a good day to get my hair done.

I arrived at the hair salon at about 11:30 AM. I prepared myself for a long day- since I receive my hair service gratis, I don’t mind. Much to my benefit, I enjoy people watching and use this time to hone my observation skills.

My friend decided a full on dye job was unnecessary and had a colorist come over to take a look. She said to balayage my hair. Balayage, also known as hair painting, is a highlighting technique that sweeps color onto hair using a paddle. It isn’t as precise as foiling and allows the colorist to choose where he/she wants to add highlights. I eventually hope to add more highlights this summer and balayage gives me the “I got a little sun” look.

Practice on this! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The colorist was kind enough to do the process, which took all of 30 minutes, with the highlights developing. I went to get washed and there was only one shampoo person. I waited patiently and this is what I heard:

“I think I should use semi-permanent,” whined one customer. “I don’t think you will get the coverage you want and I suggest permanent,” replied another colorist. The customer was of a “certain age”  and I could see her roots but whatever floats your boat. I think the colorist was trying to save her money since permanent dye tends to last a bit longer.  Another woman getting her hair washed then started to smack talk about that same colorist, “Oh! Mary is the best colorist… ever.” This customer was VERY loud and as she continued her tirade, she also started to pick on the shampoo person, as she needed her hair washed three times with a particular shampoo and shampoo person was taking too long. In the meantime, I have bleach on my head. The shampoo person came over to me- we are friendly- and started to lather my head. The woman thrice shampooed wanted to know why her hair glaze wasn’t ready.  I had the pleasure to only hear half of her complaints because of the suds, whish!, and gurgle! of the shampoo process. I love getting my hair washed. I find it to be such a chore during the week. “How much longer am I going to have to wait?” asked the impatient semi-permanent. I could see the shampoo person’s frustration, her trying to be swift, and my silence a welcome respite. She took her time. I told her I would wait for the glaze, as the natives were restless. It was now 2 PM.

My glaze was applied by 3 PM. At 3:05, I was ready to be rinsed. My  colorist had a customer that complained the water would get in her ears and asked for cotton. She plugged herself up and then complained that her back bothered her when she rested her head on the lip of the sink. When the shampoo person asked her if she would be more comfortable with a booster seat, she shook her head disapprovingly. Luckily, the colorist decided to shampoo the customer, seeing that the shampoo person had a never-ending line. I finally got my hair cut at 4:30 PM.

Highlighting with foil (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are four things I learned about this experience:

One: Everyone’s time is valuable, from the customer to the stylist to the shampoo person. Yes, it stinks to wait BUT in this case there was only one person shampooing. Don’t complain to him/her- complain to management. Someone making the work schedule really did not review the appointment book to see how many customers would be getting services that day.

Two: I don’t care who you are- a salon is supposed to be a relaxing environment. Do your best to keep the peace and stop whining.

Three: To add to number two- if you are loud and obnoxious, remember that you never know who may be listening. You may end up being written about on a blog or Facebook or Twitter.

Four: Respect the people rendering services. They have to be nice to you no matter what you do. Be kind.

As always…

Keep Calm & Primp On! XOXO

Good-Bye Gray!

First, this is my 100th POST! Whoop, Whoop! I guess I should be celebrating a bit but I won’t dedicate a whole post to just being the 100th. I think the 100th post should be about a product. (Duh.) BUT  before I get into the latest PH adventure, I would like to thank all the people that check me out and read my bits and pieces. I genuinely hope you enjoy my posts and get a laugh at my beauty product antics. And now, I may have to say good-bye because MY AUNT IS GOING TO KILL ME.

Olia Lialina (Photo credit: Wikipedia)I hired a musician to celebrate 100 posts!

Well, not really.

My aunt dyes my hair every seven weeks or so. My hair grows fast and I should go a little more frequently but I hate using time in the salon. Not that I mind spending time with my aunt but the application, her telling me my roots are ridiculous (her honesty is really the best. I am serious), the application, development, the wash, the glaze, the rinse, the cut- a girl could go insane. I decided I would dye my hair myself this month.

My Before: I was not having a good morning. Nope. Not at all.

It all started when I became a member of BzzAgent.com. It’s a website where you take very easy surveys and get free products. There was a BzzCampaign for a box of Garnier‘s new hair dye Olia. It is permanent, which means it will need to grow out. I have to go out this evening and my roots were NOT good, so before I head out for the day, I decided to get rid of the gray.

Courtesy of BzzAgent and Garnier

I picked up 6.0 Light Brown. My aunt made my color a little more red the last time she did it and I liked it but I got bored (typical). Olia is an “oil powered formula” and there is no ammonia. With a 60% oil blend and flower oils, it is supposed to create vivid color without being rough. Okay. Doesn’t sound tough enough to me, but whatever.

Oila Light Brown 6.0- I think I picked this because it is 6.0. Nail polish is Color Club in Disco Dress.

There were three tubes in the box and a pod looking thing with a pointy top. One tube is the developer, the others are the colorant and the after color conditioner. There were also black gloves. Fancy, no?  Instructions as usual: put on gloves (which are always way too small for my ginormous hands),take the tip off the black applicator, put the developer and color in the jar/ pod-looking thing (if you’re fancy you can do this simultaneously- if you haven’t had your coffee yet, don’t), put the applicator on the jar, cover the tip with your finger and shake it up. Apply away! Start at the roots, cover everything, and SATURATE your head.

These are my roots. As you can see, those shimmery things are the gray hairs that need to be annihilated.

Easy enough, right?

In the box!

As I mixed the color, I sniffed everything. I didn’t detect any scent in the developer or the color tube. Together, it smelled faintly floral but it was in no way obnoxious. The texture was creamy but not thick. In fact, it kind of reminded me of Dannon yogurt. It went on easy and it wasn’t messy. I was shocked. It didn’t drip all over me and my bathroom didn’t look like I tried to paint it. As it sits on my head (yep, right now), I don’t feel a tingle and I don’t have a headache from the strong odor like other dyes. I hope this stuff works.

As you can see, my hand is stretching out the glove. My hands are HUGE- they are bigger than my husband’s. Ridiculous. Oh and you can insert an inappropriate joke here.

<<Beep! Beep>> There goes the microwave timer.  Time to rinse.

I got in the shower and carefully stuck my head under the water and just got a little onto my hair. I rubbed the color in a bit more, added more water, rubbed. Then I rinsed. I don’t think it took a long time to get all the color out. I put on the conditioner- it is a generous tube, so use what you think is the right amount. I let that sit as I washed the rest of me. I then combed my conditioned head and rinsed. I styled my hair as usual.

What I noticed: my hair didn’t feel as crispy as it does with other home color kits. It doesn’t smell awful, either. I think it did come out a tad darker than I would have liked but it’s fine.

In natural sunlight on a Brooklyn street.

As for coverage: it seems to have covered my grays enough.

Indoor light, no flash.

I think if you want to try Olia, go ahead. I know that I found it for $9.99 US, which isn’t too terrible. I think if you want permanent dye without ammonia, this could work for you.

Thanks to BzzAgent and Garnier for sending my Olia free of charge for guinea pig purposes.

Keep Calm & Primp On! XOXO

December GlossyBox… Eh.

I like getting this mail.

When I saw my GlossyBox package in my foyer, I, of course, was very excited. Every month is like my birthday or Christmas. Last month, I scored two boxes,which was great. For December, I paid less than $13 for my box. Here is what I got:

Using every bit of will power I have not to rip open the package.

My “present” was wrapped in very festive paper, with the usual note from GlossyBox.

Read? Read now?!

I got the usual magazine, which I have yet to read, and the list of products in the box. I always try not to even look at this before I dig in…

The box and most of its contents.

As you can see, the box has some pretty nice products but they are nowhere as good as some of the things I have received over the past three months. Let me give you the rundown…

1) There was an overwhelming scent coming from the box. It came from the White Tea Epsom Salts by Heartland Fragrance. I received a cool loofah soap from Heartland in a previous box. I like the soap a lot. The problem is… I don’t soak my feet. I have no patience. My husband soaks his but he isn’t using tea scented epsom salts. The package also states you can massage a handful into your skin to exfoliate. That is way too much work. I hope I find someone that will use these. ($10 for 30 oz.-my baggie is 5.5 oz.)

2) I continued to peruse my goodies and came across Forest Essentials Luxurious Ayurveda Bath & Shower Oil in Madurai Jasmine and Mogra. Apply after a bath or shower for “seductive” scented skin and to seal in moisture. I have used Neutrogena‘s post shower oil and I loved it. I will definitely give this a whirl. ($22/ 6.8 oz- my bottle is 3.38 oz.)

3) Continuing on the perfume route, I also found a small sample of Pleats Please by Issey Miyake. I remember when Miyake’s perfume, L’Eau d’Issey, made waves in the fragrance world. I find Pleats Please along a similar line but not in a good way. It is across between air freshener and the Designer Imposters you find in 7-11. I probably won’t be using it. ($92/ 3.4 oz.- that is way too much money to smell cheap.)

4) I use Argan oil every other day on my hair to help with frizz. It does an excellent job. I will try ECRU New York Cosmetic Hair Care Acacia Protein Oil. It pretty much claims to do the same thing but might be a little more pricey. ($30/ 1.7 oz.- I think I may have enough in the sample to use it twice.)

5) I never use a lot of styling products. I’m actually pretty faithful to some brands. I can’t live without my gel from Quidad (Climate Control!) and I switch a few different hair creams. This month, I found Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Styling Heat Protect Spray in my box. I never use heat stylers on my curly hair for two reasons 1) As soon as a drop of moisture hits my head, the curls spring back and 2) I am too lazy. Though this sounds excellent in theory, I think it will be going to my mom or sister, as they heat style fairly frequently.

The (almost) fabulous five.

The final two products are for my fingers.

6) I am not a fan of Zoya. Yes, I said it. Every polish I tried was way too thick and chipped fast. The full size bottle in Storm, a black base with multi-colored glitter, will look very sparkly. I will give Zoya another chance, as this is the only product I’m really excited about.

7) This final “product” was a sweet surprise. GlossyBox teamed up with JewelMint.com and sent GlossyBox subscribers a little extra- a piece of jewelry! Looking at other blogger reviews, they sent out a few different things. One blogger got a long necklace and I got… two very small rings. And when I mean small, I mean in size. I love the style and I am so annoyed that they don’t even fit my pinky. Not even close on my “sausage” fingers. Valued at $30, these would have been great to have this time of year. My mom or sister get another stocking stuffer!

Pretty polish and petite rings.

I will be taking a bit of a hiatus this week… as Christmas is TOMORROW!  So Merry, Merry! I hope to catch you before the New Year. If not…

Keep Calm, Primp On, and have a Happy, Healthy, New Year!