Blowdryer love!

I am not settled at my new house yet, so I'm kind of still in survival mode(thus, not thinking about the blog that much). I've got a collaborative post with the mister regarding mens fashion and dress-up in the works, so hopefully that will come soon.



My very favorite blowdryer!!!

This is an FHI Nano Salon Pro dryer. (Mine is this very same model and color) It came with a concentrator nozzle and a diffuser, both of which clip on securely to the nozzle and work great. It has 2 speeds and 3 temperature settings plus a cool shot button that gets cool enough to dry a certain someone's beard without scorching his face. ;) It isn't super heavy, though it does feel substantial in your hand. I bought this to replace my CHI blowdryer (the diffuser falls off and the speeds/temps aren't as great, plus it cost more. Feeding it to the pig.), and I ended up using it every day for nearly 3 years in the salon before retiring it to personal use only. It still gets up and goes like a champ. It is a bit pricey retail, but if you blowdry every day, having a tool that performs consistently and reliably is important. FHI doesn't know me from Adam, I just love their blowdryer and wanted to talk about it. Over and out. :)

It's a 10 Volumizing Trio and other concerns

*blows dust off* Sorry, it's been a long time! We moved over the memorial day weekend and have been dealing with some family stuff for a few weeks. This house is 30 years younger than the previous one, which is good in theory. Cheap landlord is proving to be comical, though. :D

Anyway, I bought some new hair stuff a couple weeks ago and it is marvelous!

It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Lite, Volumizing Shampoo and Blowdry Volumizer... I like It's a 10 as a general rule, however I feel they have majorly overextended themselves. Their shampoos, conditioners, masks and leave-ins are amazing. Their styling products are all right, but there are other brands that do these things just as well. But, I digress.

The shampoo is sulfate free, which most colorists will say is better for the life of your color. (It won't keep your color from never fading ever, but it does slow it down some.) I like that it gives my limp hair some life without making a pink ring in my bathtub. :) The Leave-in is my favorite part. The previous incarnations of the Miracle Leave-in have made my hair lifeless and a touch greasy, so I am glad they lightened this one up. I put in 3-4 pumps before blowdrying, and my hair looks nice even if I decide to do nothing else to it after drying. The blowdry volumizer is pretty great. It goes in lightly(also apply to damp hair), smells great, and blowdries to a good fluffiness. I like big hair and this did not disappoint.

Anyway, hopefully now things will slow down some. I've got a few things up my sleeve, so stay tuned for a few Father's Day special posts!

Graduation, moving and funtimes!

My honey graduated college last Saturday after 6 tough years. He's finally there! Yay!!! It's been a long week of making preparations and plans, phone calls, thank you cards and a whole multitude of other things, including packing and tidying up our house so the landlord can show it. Oof!

Anyway, here's what's in my shower lately...

It's a 10 Keratin Shampoo

Body by Bed Head Oatmeal Cookie Sugar Scrub (regardless of the scent it is most certainly not edible)

Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel(for mah face)

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant(also for mah face)

PM Lemon Sage Conditioner

Sebastian Volupt Shampoo and Conditioner (so what If I have 2 sets of shampoo and conditioner? Don't judge!)

Quick Protip Wednesday...?

I know, it is no longer Wednesday. It's been a long week. lol :)

Anyway, on to the protip! Too-orange elbows and knees (ankles, hands, etc) from self tanner got you down? Make a paste from sugar and lemon juice and rub onto the problem areas. The granulated sugar exfoliates and the citric acid in the lemon juice helps to lighten.

Summertime and the girl is sweaty...

Hi folks! I wanna talk about summertime coping today.
I am a lifetime Okie and I still dread summertime. I don't swim well, I despise being too sweaty and I sunburn in 15 minutes or less. Here's how I try to keep cool.

• Sundresses! Short, long, lacy, opaque, they are all good. Let that breeze in. I am a total nerd and found a style I loved at a big box store 2 years ago. So, I bought 5 dresses in different colors. LOL If you see me wearing a cotton dress with a braided neckline and a bow belt, that's the one. :D
• Merino wool underpants! I know, I just said wool and underpants in the same sentence. Sacrilege! Fear not, they are not itchy or hot in any way. They keep sweat and dampness to a minimum and are soft/stretchy/comfy, which is very important for me to not be grouchy. Plus, they don't stink like synthetic sweat-wicking underpants. :)
• Big water bottles with wide mouths! I stuff one with as much ice as I can and top it off with water, then it goes with me wherever I am going.
• Tom's of Maine deodorant! I like the Apricot one and the Lemongrass one. They don't have any aluminum or anything like that for antiperspirant properties, but the deodorant is great. Even though I don't like being sweaty, the idea of using chemicals that have been linked to serious health problems to block sweat production freaks me out. Plus, who wouldn't want to smell like lemongrass?
• Margaritas. :D

A few of my favorite things... for dudes!

Hi hi!!! Just wanted to pop in and tell you about the things I am digging on for dudes...

Shampoos:

• Paul Mitchell Tea Tree shampoo
  This stuff is delightful for men, ladies, children and even the occasional dog. It has tea tree oil in it (duh ^_^), which gives this whole product line its distinct fragrance and the shampoo its cool tingling sensation. It is mildly clarifying and offers relief to a variety of scalp conditions.


• Paul Mitchell Mitch Double Hitter
  I know, another PM item... I worked for a PM Focus salon for a time, so I am intimately familiar with the products. lol Anyhoo, this shampoo/conditioner combo is great for hydrating mild to moderately dry hair without strong fragrances or greasy feel. A word of caution: this one lathers A LOT, so use less than you think you'll need.


• American Crew Daily Shampoo
  This shampoo is very aromatic in a woodsy herbs kind of way. It's potent enough to strip off the day's grease, and effectively cleanses hair after using the American Crew styling products (a couple of them are challenging to remove).


• Nioxin Cleanser (systems 1&2)
  This shampoo is intended for normal to fine-looking (system 1) or noticeably thinning hair (system 2). It helps remove DHT, fatty acids and sebum buildup, all of which can block follicles from producing hairs with any substantial diameter or at all. It's gentle on even the most sensitive of scalps(according to my darling boyfriend) and has shown to improve the perceived thickness of the hair, even helping to regrow hair in a few instances. Use with Nioxin Scalp Therapy and Scalp Treatment for best results.

Styling products:

• American Crew Boost Cream
  This product is great for those big, blown up styles popularized by rock stars and celebrities everywhere. It helps give the hair more diameter, so it looks like you have more hair! :D Apply to damp hair and air dry for more definition and separation, or blow dry for bigger results.
  
• Paul Mitchell Mitch Reformer
  This paste has strong hold with a matte finish, so it won't make you look shiny or greasy. Start with a pea-sized amount, rub it between the palms and apply to the hair using the same motion used to lather shampoo. Pose your hair as desired and you're set!


• CHI Silk Infusion
  I know, this isn't really MEANT for men, but what it does is good for everyone. Plus, the smell is fairly unisex, so you won't smell like you borrowed your lady's serum. It is great for thermal protection, and it has enough weight to it to keep flyaways at bay. Use a tiny, tiny amount to begin with, because a little goes a looooong way. My boyfriend uses this for the first couple of days post haircut if his crown area is getting too wild.


• American Crew Firm Hold Gel
  Firm Hold, Alcohol Free(means NO flakes!), Manly Smell. Case closed.

Body/miscellaneous:

• Proraso Shaving Cream
  This is an old school shaving cream from Italy. It comes in a tube, and you foam it up yourself using a shaving brush! Smells nice, works very well.

What do your dudes use?

Summer skincare

Hi everyone! Thanks for the warm reception yesterday! 150+ page views since I went live... Yippee!
Anyway, I wanna talk about skincare today. In the winter, we slather ourselves in lotion, grow a bunch of hair and cover up. When the temperatures start heating up, we quit moisturizing because it feels gross, we shave all the hair off and go as naked as the law permits... lol :D

Seriously, though, now is the time to start prepping your skin for the onslaught it is about to receive. I'll recommend a few things to get you glowing.

• Exfoliating yourself lightly every day, to encourage new cell turnover and to rid the surface layer of the excessive stratum corneum and sebum buildup.
  
  Mechanical exfoliation is good for limbs/less sensitive trunk areas, and involves using a soft brush or granular scrub. I enjoy a simple sugar scrub; you can make one with 1/4 cup oil (olive, avocado, almond and jojoba are all great), 1/2-3/4 cup sugar (more if you like it drier, less if you like it oilier)and an optional few drops of your favorite essential oil. Mix together in a bowl, and rub it gently on the rough stuff and rinse with warm water. You'll be so shiny and new! Be cautious when you use this and stand in your shower, so you don't fling oil all over the place and risk a slip-and-fall injury.
  Chemical exfoliation can be good for face, decollete area, and most body areas, though good sense and caution are paramount. Chemical exfoliation requires the use of enzymes and certain acids to increase cell turnover, improve surface texture and condition, and even improve the appearance of scars, wrinkles, etc. Most consumer grade products deal only with the topmost layers of the skin. I do a light professional peel quarterly(PCA sensi peel with esthetique peel is what I do, I have subtype 1 rosacea and it works out great), though some people are not good candidates for that kind of thing. Do your research and find a skincare pro you trust.



• Moisturize your hide after your shower and whenever it starts feeling dry!
  
  People get awkward about moisturizing in the summer, even though most of us get a reasonable amount of sun exposure. Think about it... if plants dry out in the sun, you will too. You don't have to use that super thick whale blubber cream you got in the wintertime, it's okay! Get something lightweight and be dilligent! My faves are: Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisture Mist, Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Hair and Body Moisturizer, and Jergens Skin Firming Daily Moisturizer. Those first two are multipurpose powerhouses! I love them both for my face, hair and body, plus both can be refrigerated for post-sun skin quenching and sunburn relief purposes. The Tea Tree is thick enough to use as a shaving aid too. The Jergens gets my lumps and bumps to lay a little smoother for fancy date night and plus, people ask if I'm working out. HA! :)



• Sun protection is your friend!
  
  Broad Spectrum SPF 30 or above. Do it. There are many textures/consistencies/application styles of sunscreen, so no excuses. Try several to find one you like. I like Aveeno Continuous Protection for my body and PCA Perfecting Protection for my face/ears. Broad Spectrum refers to the ability to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Both are troublesome, but for different reasons. UVB rays are the ones that burn you. Old time zinc oxide on the nose is the best example of UVB protection; it deflects the burning rays from penetrating, so it's referred to as a physical barrier. UVA protection took a little bit of doing to figure out, it works by absorbing the rays(kind of like a sponge). They fill up, so that's why reapplication is necessary. UVA rays are the ones that create the lasting damage. They wreck your collagen and elastin, taking the most baby of faces and transforming it into a leather satchel. UVA rays also are the ones responsible for damaging skin's DNA, thereby drastically upping your chances for skin cancers later. Click here to learn about the ABCDs of skin cancer if you have areas of concern, early detection can save you!
  
  Hats are a great idea as well. If they aren't practical for you, do try to use some kind of sunscreen for your scalp (especially if you are fine/thinning in the hair dept.). Nioxin makes one; it's a mist-in type.
  
  If you are going to insist on tanning, please do fake tanning. I like Jergens Natural glow on the rare occasions when my farmer tan just isn''t going to work. :D

Take good care of your skin! :)