Loreal Ever Pure Volumizing Shampoo/Conditioner

Hi everyone!

Over the weekend I bought some new shampoo and conditioner that happened to also be on sale.  The shampoo/conditioner are the Everpure Volumizing Shampoo/Conditioner by Loreal.

This is one of Loreal's more recent products.  These shampoos and conditioners (they also come in other formulas) are safe for color treated hair because they are sulfate-free and have no harsh chemicals or salts.  They use natural botanicals, have a built in UV filter to protect your haircolor from the sun, and 100% vegan.

This particular formula has a minty smell, to me it does not smell masculine or feminine, more like a unisex smell.  It also does a decent job moisturizing for a volumizing shampoo/conditioner (I find that a lot of them dry my hair out more than regular) and a little bit of shampoo lathers up a lot. Even though it makes a lot of lather it rinses cleanly and easily. 

Pros: Not too drying, fresh minty fragrance, no harsh chemicals, Vegan/cruelty-free, color safe, UV protection

Con: Can be a little expensive

For a drugstore shampoo, this one is a bit on the medium/expensive side.  I got these for $6 each tube, on sale. (Usually about 8$ and the tubes are not that big) However, taking extra gentle care of colored hair may be worth the cost.

Would I recommend this? Yes.

Product Review- It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in

Hello!

Over this past weekend, I went to go get a hair cut and deep conditioning treatment.  During the actual hair cut, my stylist recommended a product to use on my hair every time I wash it, because my hair is color treated and a little on the dry side.  She sprayed this product on my hair and styled it, and my hair felt like new!

What is this product? 

 It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Plus Keratin

This is a professional product sold in salons, and the price does reflect this. It retails at I believe $16.99, I got it on sale for $9.99.

Why is it called "It's a 10"? Because, according to the back label, it does 10 things instantly:

1. Maintenance of keratin straightening treatments

2. Increases styling and manageability

3. Perfect for all hair types

4. Replaces lost protein

5. Protects the natural keratin in hair

6. Protects against heat

7. Restores hydration balance

8. Detangles, defrizzes and adds shine

9. Strengthens hair structure

10. Seals cuticles for extra silky hair

I have used this product a few times since getting my hair done and I must say I am pretty happy with it.

My reasons for loving this stuff:

- Smells really nice

- Very little is needed- I have very long, midback length hair and 5-6 sprays throughout my hair is plenty

- My hair does feel softer after using it and is easy to comb

- My ends do not feel like dry grass

- My hair does look shiny and pretty, even after blow drying it

- Alcohol free

- Convenient little spray bottle container

The only con I can really think of is the price, but it is a professional product, so you get what you pay for in this case.

Speaking of haircut, I will post pics soon with the before and after!

Palty Hair Color- Before!

Hello everyone! 

So, it's been about 3 years since I last touched any kind of color to my hair.   Last time I did, my hair was horribly damaged, dry, and it was like I had a dry blonde birds nest on my head.

For the year 2011, I am going to be changing my hair color for the first time in 3 years- Coloring my hair symbolizes (to me) the changes I plan to make for the next year. 

I decided this time I want to try Palty hair color, a Japanese brand that seems to be popular and work a bit better on dark hair (like mine).  I went to my local Japanese market (I have a Mitsuwa Marketplace nearby and the stuff is 10 bucks a box, not different from American brands you'd find at any drugstore.) and bought 2 boxes of a color called Milk Tea Brown.  This is what it is supposed to look like:

One thing I have heard about this brand is it tends to not do much within the 20 minutes that the instructions say to leave it on, I have heard of people leaving this color on for up to an hour, so I think that's how long I will leave it.   My hair is virgin (all natural) and in good shape so this shouldn't be too damaging. 

This is my current hair color:

I don't expect that my hair will lighten to that extent but we'll see. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised with hair color.

The dye kit is actually quite simple- it comes with developer, color, and a leave in conditioner. (I'll post pictures of what comes inside in my next post, as well as my version of English instructions because they are in Japanese ONLY)  It also has a nifty comb nozzle so you can just comb it into your hair. 

Well, I am probably going to color it today or tonight, and I will post pictures of the end result and a review next post.

Attention Costco Shoppers...

Hello!!!

I was shopping at Costco last week and came across this lovely stuff-

Kirkland (Costco's generic brand) Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner

It is sulfate-free (safe for color treated hair), paraben-free, vegan, has sunscreen in it, and smells really pretty (to me at least) and for about $8 per bottle of shampoo and conditioner (which is a pretty big bottle too!) I bought some to try it. And I am glad I did!

First, I like how it is in a pump bottle.   Easier to handle and don't have to mess with big bottles when  you are running low.

Second, the lather.... So thick and luxurious, and I only had to use about half of the amount I use of other shampoos.   Also rinses clean despite it being thick feeling.

Third, the conditioner was very good, the directions say to leave it on for 1-3 minutes, I have normal uncolored hair so 1 minute was very sufficient. Moisturizes very well.

And finally, the result- When my hair was dry, I haven't felt it this soft in years. Brushing my hair was a dream, and the scent stays in your hair for a long time also. 

Highly recommended whether you have color treated hair or not~

Shiseido Tsubaki Shampoo Review

Hello~

I was shopping at my local Japanese supermarket, Mitsuwa and came across this shampoo and conditioner that I had heard about online by Shiseido. As a user of one of Shiseido's other shampoos, Aquair Moist Hair Pack (Which I have used for about 3 years now, and LOVE it), I had heard of this Tsubaki shampoo and conditioner which contains Camellia (Tsubaki) flower oil.

This is the Tsubaki shampoo and conditioner. Very pretty bottles meant to resemble the flower itself.




But if you liked the other one, why the change?

I was an avid user of the Aquair because it was VERY good for moisturizing, and for a long time I was horrible to my hair. Always bleaching, coloring, chemically bombing it to hell, and the shampoo managed to keep it soft! Now, my colored hair has all grown out to its natural glory and I wanted to try something not specifically meant for color treated hair (although this could work too!)

It says "Shining" on the bottle, and that is what my hair does when I wash it. Shine, shine, SHINE. ^_^ It also smells VERY pretty, a gentle floral scent. And my hair is really soft too! Soft, smells good, and looks healthy.

It is however, a bit pricey compared to drugstore shampoos. A decent sized bottle with a pump will rum about 12-19 dollars each for the shampoo and conditioner depending on where you get it.

If you live in the Chicago area, you can get it at Mitsuwa Marketplace in Arlington Heights.

If you don't live near a Japanese shop, there is a wonderful site that sells the Tsubaki AND the Aquair, should you want to give it a try.

www.truerenu.com

Another side note: the Aquair shampoo is sulfate-free, the Tsubaki is not. No wonder my hair color stayed well when using it. ^_^

I rate the Tsubaki Shining Shampoo and Conditioner 9.5/10 (-.5 points because it has sulfates in it)