Girly thread v. soft hair and pretty faces

[QuestionEverything]

Ooooooh! I'm excited to hear/see how it goes! I just found the website is back up and there is ONE salon locally that offers it. I'm waiting for your review though.

 

[Fawkes]

i'm not one for perfume, but i do like scented lotions, washes and mists. i received an email from Blush with a good deal on Sponge Skincare's Wild Rose Mist. you receive a 1-year subscription to W Magazine with everyone order and if you buy a full size bottle of the Wild Rose Mist ($45 w/ free shipping), you receive a travel-size Sweet Basil Mist for free with code "BLUSHBA".

www.dermstore.com

Here's the detail from the Blush email:

We like the smell of heavy floral about as much as an old man’s cigarette-and-mothball scented sweater. So rose wasn’t exactly highest on our list of aromas to spray on our faces. But a few spritzes of the wild rose on our face and neck left us feeling calm. Because the product is made from the extraction of natural ingredients and organic herbs, it smells like a subtle rose does in nature.

So why do you need a mist like this? It hydrates the skin after cleansing (both morning and night) and can be spritzed throughout the day to help skin feel refreshed and hydrated. It’s also less than three ounces, so you can bring it on the airplane for mid-flight hydration. Aromatherapy also plays an important role in mood. Feeling stressed? Spritz the rose to feel immediately calm. Plus, this product works on every skin type, no matter how sensitive yours may be

just thought i'd pass it along.

 

[purplefirefly]

Thanks for the help Ocean and QE.


Sonic and I are going to a wedding tomorrow so I decided to do a colorful french manicure on my nails tonight. I used OPI "O Hare Nails Look Great!" (its one of my favorite colors)

I even cheated and used the little french manicure strips to create even lines.

 

[queenbee1127]

^I feel like those stickers never work well for me, I never get a clean line. When I take the sticker off it pulls the polish with it, or the polish seeps under the sticker.

What's your secret?

 

[purplefirefly]

I usually don't have good luck with them either, but I figured I would give them another go. My biggest beef with them is that they don't create enough of a curve to where the nail would be. I guess I just like deeper "smile lines".

This time though I put a single coat of the base color which is supposed to match the natural color of your nails. I waited for that to dry completely. I then put the strips on to where I wanted to "tip" to be and I put on two coats of the red polish. I waited for that to become mostly dry and then I peeled the stickers off. I let the red dry a little longer and then I put the final clear top coat on.

When I applied the sticker I made sure that it was pressed down properly all the way across the nail, I even bent the sticker a little bit so that it curved at the end of the nail so there wouldn't be any smudging around the edges.

 

[fizzle]

^They look great! I'm going to a wedding in a few weeks too, I really want to try that 'fading' french tip like PT posted a few pages back.

I just took advantage of ZOYAs trade in offer, they recycle your old polish and send you new ones in the color of your choice for only the price of shipping per bottle (under $4). I just got 11 brand new colors for less than $40. Its a great offer for anyone whos got some polish around that they dont use anymore! Theres a minimum of 6, they send you an equal number of colors that you send them, and theres no max.

 

[DarthMom]

i'm sooo tired of hunting for the perfect hair product. i need the miracle shampoo and conditioner, cost isn't an issue. tell me what to get, i have exhausted and not liked....matrix, paul mitchell, mexxus, redkin.....the list is long, i'd rather hear what works for you.... let me know if their is a product i am missing. i have long curly hair, i wear it natural, and flat iron also in addition to coloring. so my hair does get abused. GO!

 

[badandwicked]

2 hair products that I thoroughly recommend (I have long, wavy hair) are

Dr. Hauschka Neem Hair Oil - doesn't weigh the hair down but really improves condition & reduces frizz

and

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Hair Serum - you apply to soaking wet hair, it takes a bit of trial and error to figure out how much you need, then let your hair dry naturally.

Neither are expensive, so I'd say definitely worth a try.

 

[QuestionEverything]

i'm sooo tired of hunting for the perfect hair product. i need the miracle shampoo and conditioner, cost isn't an issue. tell me what to get, i have exhausted and not liked....matrix, paul mitchell, mexxus, redkin.....the list is long, i'd rather hear what works for you.... let me know if their is a product i am missing. i have long curly hair, i wear it natural, and flat iron also in addition to coloring. so my hair does get abused. GO!

I have been using the It's a 10 line and have been very pleased. It's not a miracle product, but I really LOVE the leave in spray. It is a thick cream that sprays in. It doesn't weigh my hair down, it's not greasy, and it's not that expensive. In my experience, it does help with frizz and damage quite a bit.

The shampoo and conditioner are OK. I could leave the both of them and be fine to be honest. Once my supply is gone I don't think I will purchase those two products.

The miracle hair mask is fantastic. I wash my hair like normal then towel dry the excess water out before putting it on. I leave it while I finish with the rest of my shower then rinse out. This combined with the leave in spray has made a HUGE difference in the health and appearance of my hair.

I used to use John Frieda Frizz-Ease Hair Serum, but since I've lost most of the curl in my hair and cut it short, the serum is a bit too greasy. I second the recommendation for long curly hair though.

 

[Pillthrill]

Ok girls, I know there are some calorie counters out there.
So here is the way to have chocolate for 1 calorie!
Breathable chocolate!
http://www.lewhif.com/

 

[amanda_eats_pandas]

I have been using the It's a 10 line and have been very pleased. It's not a miracle product, but I really LOVE the leave in spray. It is a thick cream that sprays in. It doesn't weigh my hair down, it's not greasy, and it's not that expensive. In my experience, it does help with frizz and damage quite a bit.

The shampoo and conditioner are OK. I could leave the both of them and be fine to be honest. Once my supply is gone I don't think I will purchase those two products.

The miracle hair mask is fantastic. I wash my hair like normal then towel dry the excess water out before putting it on. I leave it while I finish with the rest of my shower then rinse out. This combined with the leave in spray has made a HUGE difference in the health and appearance of my hair.

I've used the leave in spray in the past and loved it. Both of the hair dressers I've been to recommend it as does my roommate. My hair is fairly straight but I blow dry and flat iron it on a daily basis and this stuff has definitely helped out in terms of frizz like QuestionEverything said as well as making my hair softer.

Ok girls, I know there are some calorie counters out there.
So here is the way to have chocolate for 1 calorie!
Breathable chocolate!
http://www.lewhif.com/

They have on efor coffee as well, it delivers a dose of caffeine similar to a cup of coffee but its not the same thing as eating an actual candy bar or drinking a cup of coffee. While the concept that they can make the particles so small that they are airborne and readily taken in through this method is interesting it just seems like the whole "meal-pill" from Willy Wonka. Part of the experience in drinking a cup of coffee is the smell, taste, and warmth of drinking a cup of coffee, not inhaling minuscule particles.


Back in the beginning of march I dropped a heavy pan on my foot causing a bruise to form on my big toe. Its been nearly two months now and there's still an ugly blue spot on my nail. It doesn't hurt anymore but I just want it gone. Any ideas?

 

[Pillthrill]

I'm sure its not as good as the real thing and personally I can afford to eat the real thing.
Right now the bf is struggling with his weight a bit cause well the food it around so I'm just trying to be a little more sensitive and offer alternatives.

 

[DarthMom]

thanks guys! i have been using the biosilk silk therapy serum and prefer that to the john frieda frizz ease serum, try it!

i am an infomercial whore, and want to try the Wen system i have been seeing. there is a generic version at sally's called hair one that is supposed to be awesome, going to try that and let you know if it's worth it. and i will try the it's a 10 line too!

 

[DarthMom]

Back in the beginning of march I dropped a heavy pan on my foot causing a bruise to form on my big toe. Its been nearly two months now and there's still an ugly blue spot on my nail. It doesn't hurt anymore but I just want it gone. Any ideas?

depends how bad it is, you may have to wait until the nail grows out, but hate to share this bad news...my stepmother dropped a tire on her big toe about 20 years ago, and it stayed blue until about 5 years ago. never grew back the same, docs couldn't fix it!!

 

[amanda_eats_pandas]

thanks guys! i have been using the biosilk silk therapy serum and prefer that to the john frieda frizz ease serum, try it!

I used the biosilk serum for a few years and it did do a good job but I prefer the Its a 10 over it.

depends how bad it is, you may have to wait until the nail grows out, but hate to share this bad news...my stepmother dropped a tire on her big toe about 20 years ago, and it stayed blue until about 5 years ago. never grew back the same, docs couldn't fix it!!

Lame, I'll just keep my toes painted or make up a gnarly story about herding buffalo and one stepped on my foot. Thanks for the info.

 

[queenbee1127]

I got the Shellac manicure today!! As promised, here is my report...

After a week of trying to access the CND website to find a salon that offered the Shellac service, I finally found one close to my house. They were charging $22 USD for the service, about half of what I was expecting.

First, the manicurist removed my current polish, and proceeded much like a normal manicure - file, buff, work on my cuticles etc... The manicurist told me that the Shellac was a lot like acrylics, the prep is the most important and time consuming part, the actual application of the polish was rather simple and quick.

After my nails were all prepped, she let me choose a color from a selection of about 6 shades. I read that the Shellac was offered in a total of 12 of CND's most popular shades, but the manicurist told me that just getting her hands on the six bottles she had was pretty difficult - they were quite a hot commodity. I ended up choosing "Red Baroness" which looks like this:

Next, she applied a base coat, a clear polish similar to every other base coat I have ever used. When one hand was finished, she put my hand inside a UV light for the polish to cure while she worked on the other hand. I asked if the UV light was a special one from CND specifically for the Shellac manicure, and she said that it was just a regular 36 watt UV light, slightly higher power than the ones used in most nail dryers. It looked like this:

After the base coat was applied and dried, she applied the polish, one coat to one hand at a time for a total of two coats. She pretty much alternated between my two hands, base coat on one, let it dry while working on the other hand, back and forth. After the top coat was cured, she went back and went over my whole nail with a cotton pad covered in isopropyl alcohol to remove the excess polish from my skin. Since this polish has to be removed with the CND wraps specifically for Shellac, the isopropyl swept effortlessly over my nails without smudging or removing any of the Shellac - something that truly amazed me. My finished manicure looks like this:

Overall, I'm very pleased with the service, and I'm really excited to see how long it actually lasts with no chipping, fading or peeling. Even though the salon I went to was relatively cheap at $22 USD, I see no reason why you couldn't perform this service on yourself in your home, as long as you picked up a bottle of Shellac, the special base and top coat, along with a UV light from a nail supply store.

 

[rant*N*rave]

i'm sooo tired of hunting for the perfect hair product. i need the miracle shampoo and conditioner, cost isn't an issue. tell me what to get, i have exhausted and not liked....matrix, paul mitchell, mexxus, redkin.....the list is long, i'd rather hear what works for you.... let me know if their is a product i am missing. i have long curly hair, i wear it natural, and flat iron also in addition to coloring. so my hair does get abused. GO!

I highly recommend this set of products for curly hair:

Shampoo: Phytocitrus by Phyto (or any of their other shampoos - they are extremely gentle) It's a restructurizing shampoo so it's great if you flat iron a lot, and it is specifically designed for color-treated hair.

Conditioner: Moisturex intensive moisturizing treament by Scruples - I use it after heavy bleaching and other extreme processes (and I've had some terrible shit done to my hair in the name of looking cute), and even after my worst bleaching, people can't tell that I've had anything done because my hair is still soft. If I use this on my hair when it hasn't been destroyed as usual, lol, it is silky like a freakin goddess'.

Leave in conditioner: Vive Pro Glossy Style by L'Oreal - it's extremely lightweight and leaves a very delicate shine on your hair. When I had really long curly extensions, I would spray a bunch into my hair before bed and sleep in a hair wrap, and my hair would be gorgeous in the morning with only a little pulling through with my hands. It's also great to just use in the morning after a shower. When I have "normal" hair, this is frequently the only product I put in after I wash it.

Flat iron spray: S-factor by TIGI. I can't say enough good things about this stuff. I flat iron the shit out of my hair, and it still looks great if I use this religiously. Smells awesome too. (And I will note that the smell is *extremely* strong when you spray it, but the smell barely lingers or completely goes away once you flat iron, so don't let that turn you off right away if you try it.)

Frizz treatment: Phytodefrisant by Phyto - I don't know if you have the kind of curls that get really frizzy, but this stuff is quick and easy to use and leaves your hair looking silky.

Curl definer: Flawless Curls Extra Hold mousse by Tresemme - Not much to say... It works great without making your hair too crunchy or greasy-looking or any of that shit that lots of curl products do.

Shine serum/flyaway fixer: The shine serum by BedHead (TIGI) (although I'm not sure they make it anymore!!! ) or After Party by BedHead (TIGI). The After Party is fanfreakintastic to really sleek-ify flatironed hair or for a quick fix after a long day (or night, lol, as the name might suggest), and it works really well on curls too. The shine serum has a more glossy shine, and the After Party has a more subtle sheen. I'm also a fan of their Headrush shine spray if you're looking for an extremely lightweight shine product - it's also more of a sheen than a gloss/shine - but it doesn't really help smooth out your hair like the other two. I use it for shine if I flat iron my hair but haven't washed it and don't want to add more solid product.

If you're looking for restorative treatments after any damaging processing, I recommend looking into the Ojon line of hair products. They're fantastic for any type of hair, but they seem to be the most outstanding for curly or stick-straight hair.

And this is why I thank god my whole head is microbraided right now. I wake up and my hair looks exactly the same every morning, and will for the next several weeks...

 

[Pillthrill]

With all of these great products I want to see your hair.
Can you recommend a flat iron?

 

[CHiLD-0F-THE-BEAT]

I got the Shellac manicure today!! As promised, here is my report...

WOW queenbee, what a great review! Thanks so much for taking the time to write all of that out for us.

It actually sounds like it's going to be a lot more reasonably priced than I thought! I hope the pricing is consistent when I finally find a local place here in Oz.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the service, and I'm really excited to see how long it actually lasts with no chipping, fading or peeling. Even though the salon I went to was relatively cheap at $22 USD, I see no reason why you couldn't perform this service on yourself in your home, as long as you picked up a bottle of Shellac, the special base and top coat, along with a UV light from a nail supply store.

This news is so so so great! I love the idea of being able to give myself a manicure that will last for 14 days with no chipping and fading.. oh happy days! :D

I'm sure if the product is everything they say it is, they'll be releasing packs for home use sometime very soon. It looks so quick and easy!

 

[CHiLD-0F-THE-BEAT]

Can you recommend a flat iron?

My (extensive) experience with straighteners leads me to suggest a GHD and nothing but a GHD. Yes, they're expensive but nothing else will work like they do. Nothing.

I bought the 'Pure Black' styler a few years back, as pictured below:

They have different colours and styles released all the time. I know there's a Sex and the City set out at the moment. Regardless of your taste in colours etc, they work amazingly.

I can literally straighten my entire head of hair in less than 10 minutes (15 minutes when I had longer hair) and it doesn't fry it like other straighteners. Mine has ceramic plates that glide over the hair and keep it glossy. I also use the GHD brand protective heat resistant styling spray that works really well to keep my hair healthy.

I think the secret is that it takes literally 20 seconds to get to optimum temperature. I LOVE it and will never use anything else - and all of my girlfriends agree.

Fork out the investment and know your hair will be perfect for years and years and years.