Friday, August 13, 2010

Dream Hair at Home

It finally happened, that elusive moment that every girl dreams about… the moment that you create salon hair at home, all on your very own. I’ve been honing my flat iron and curling iron skills for over a decade, so don’t think that I’m referring to a particularly good styling session. No, the moment I’m reminiscing about is when you leave the salon after having received the perfect cut or color and you experience the incredible softness, shine, body, and almost weightless quality of your hair. Well, in the confines of my small apartment, I recreated that blissful salon moment with the help of a couple amazing products. And because I’m feeling so elated, I’m going to share my secret weapons with you so that you too can live the dream.

I thought it was going to be a pretty average night – I hopped in the shower and began to wash my hair with my favorite Kérastase shampoo. I use Kérastase Bain Croma Riche, but check with your Designer about the best shampoo for your type of hair and its particular needs. I focused on shampooing the scalp and then ran the suds through the length of my hair. Rinse and repeat, and it’s time for Kérastase Chronologiste. Chronologiste is an incredible treatment that will renew, nourish and strengthen your hair. I’ve started using it once a week in place of my conditioner and already I have seen a dramatic change in the health and appearance of my hair. Also, each package lasts between 10 and 20 applications, making it really affordable. I mixed the two ingredients of the treatment together, they activate each other, and applied it to my wet hair. 10 minutes later I rinsed thoroughly and stepped out of the shower. After gently squeezing out the excess moisture, I combed out my hair and opened my first ever bottle of Shu Uemura Essence Absolue, a multi-use nourishing protective oil. My hair tends to lack moisture, so I put an ample amount on, gathering my hair at the nape of my neck and applying the majority from that point down through the ends. Time for my BabylissPro Carerra 2 Ceramic Ionic Hair Dryer. If you don’t own a ceramic hair dryer, go out and buy one immediately - it will change your life. As I dried my hair I angled the airflow down to help smooth and seal the hair cuticles until it was dry, but cold – that’s how I know I’ve not over-dried it. I finished and noticed something, my hair was shinier and softer, with great body and that super light, freshly cut feeling.

I ran out into the living room and startled my roommate. “Check out my hair!!” I exclaimed. “Feel it!!” Now this is someone I’ve known since middle school. She’s witnessed my best and worst hair moments and even she was impressed by how great it looked and felt. I should have taken my hair out on the town to celebrate, but it was late and so I climbed in bed. When I woke up, I looked in the mirror to find the same great hair I had fallen asleep with – no joke, I didn’t even take a brush to it before leaving the house for work this morning. Was it the Kérastase shampoo and treatment, the Shu Uemura Essense Absolue or the Babyliss Ceramic Dryer that gave me the beautiful salon hair? My guess is all of them. With the right products for your hair and some education, there’s no reason why you can’t recreate your post salon look at home.

Posted by: Ashley Wilson, At-Home Salon Hair Creator

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

The Savvy Traveler

I love traveling. Whether it’s to a neighboring city or out of the country, I can’t wait to hop in a car, train, boat or plane and be on my way: exploring the local sights, culture, and cuisine. There are, however, a few things that tend to temper my travel experience - stuff that I take for granted when I’m at home, but when I’m traveling, make all the difference, like a good night’s sleep, my favorite shampoo and conditioner, and quality skin care products.

For a long time I believed jet lag to be a necessary evil of traveling. I accepted that I would spend the first night in my new location, exhausted but sleepless, and then awake the next morning with bloodshot eyes, looking less than lively. The first full day of my trip was typically useless – my body and brain needed to adjust to the time change and new environment. And then, a friend and coworker, Frieda Lehn, lent me H. Gillerman’s Organic Sleep Remedy and Travel Remedy. I took the easy-to-apply essential oil remedies with me on my next trip and slept heavenly. I awoke feeling refreshed and ready to enjoy my new surroundings – take that, Jet Lag!

Besides sleep, I also used to sacrifice my hair and skin when I traveled. I abbreviated my beauty routine because of space constraints. Plus, I was tired of having my products confiscated during airport security, or having them leak all over the contents of my suitcase. But invariability I would start to miss my Kérastase and Arcona products. I have unruly hair and hotel shampoo and conditioner just doesn’t suffice, particularly if I’m spending a lot of time in the sun and surf. Which is why I was so excited to hear that Kérastase was offering travel sized products for a limited time. No more hotel shampoo for me! Just as perfect for travel are Arcona’s Triad Pads. Each pad is a cleanser, toner and moisturizer all-in-one, and the package is perfectly sized for adding to your carry on. Now I can have great hair and skin, while still saving room for all of the souvenirs I’ll pick up.

These simple products have made my travels that much more enjoyable, allowing me to focus on the adventure and experience, and not the things I miss like restful sleep and quality products. I hope they will do the same for you!

Posted by: Ashley Wilson, Savvy Traveler