Review: Davines Love Curl Conditioner

OK, I already adore the  regular Davines Love Conditioner (which is also fantastic for curly girls), so when I ran out my first jar, I had to try Davines Conditioner - Love, Curl . It is definitely curl-enhancing and it makes my hair feel smooth and soft.  I have kinky/curly hair and I would recommend it to people with naturally curly and/or thick hair.  Mine is sort of like Tracey Ellis Ross.  The texture of the product is very very thick and heavy - thicker than most conditioners that I have ever used.  Because of this, I don't need to use a lot. 

The way that I use conditioner most effectively is that I part my hair in sections, apply some conditioner to one section and starting from the roots, twist that section around itself so that the product squeezes downward and is subsequently concentrated at the ends.

The only complaint that I have is of the packaging - it is made out of a thin plastic, which is good from an environmental standpoint, but it cracks easily.  Luckily, the integrity of the actual product wasn't compromised, and it was nothing a little tape can't fix.   Another negative point for me is that it smells like grapefruit.

First few ingredients: Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Cetyl  Alcohol, Dimethicone, Cetrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol...

It also include parabens,  pistachio oil, more silicones, polyquaternium-10, and rice bran wax among other ingredients.  If you are looking for something totally natural with no parabens and no silicones, unfortunately, this product is not for you. 

Hmmm now I wonder what my next Davines purchase will be! I am definitely an enthusiastic fan!

photo credit: amazon.com

French Beauty Product Shopping

So in Paris I visited Mademoiselle Bio and the famous Pharmacie on Rue de Four, which was an absolute madhouse! So far I have only tested 4 products well enough to make reviews, so here we go:

1. Bioderma Photoderm Mineral SPF 50+ Fluid .  The news of the U.S. F.D.A.'s plans to update their sunscreen guidelines have hit the beauty blogs, but many have known for years how these guidelines do not refer to both UVA and UVB rays.  I have heard that international, in particular French, sunscreens are truly broad spectrum protection.  I chose this one for no particular reason, though I knew La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen was very popular.  I might have chose this one because of the price (my shopping basket was filling up!).  Overall, I thought it worked pretty well - on the day that I only applied it once, I got burnt on my nose:-( Goes to show - when you are on the beach, remember to reapply and still wear a hat! A fedora worn low seemed to be the hip thing to do. Another thing is that it is very WHITE.  I am black. It left a white cast on my face, which didn't exactly look great, but hey, neither does sunburn!

photo credit: amazon.com

2. Douce Nature Savon d'Alep Nature. I use a bar of Savon d'Alep in the shower, so I was hoping that this would be easier to use.  Ehhhh, not so! It doesn't really foam up that well, so I have had to use this on my shower puff with my regular soap.  I didn't see any benefit or adverse effects, so I can't say that I would buy this again.  It is made with olive oil and laurel oil, typical with the Aleppo soaps.

3. Galénic Gommage soyeux au savon noir.  I have been a long-time fan of black soap.  I am a repeat consumer of Tadé Turkish Black Soap, since my first purchase of it in France about 6 years ago. I was used to seeing more of a rough/solid texture, so  the gelatinousness and loose particles of this one by Galénic threw me, and I didn't expect much out of it.  Boy was I surprised when I used it! I foamed beautifully - I didn't need as much black soap as what I would normally use. The results were the same - super smooth skin.  There is no rhassoul clay or laurel oil in this black soap, the first few ingredients are: water, olive acid, olea europea fruit oil, argania spinosa shell powder, glycerin, fragrance, argania spinosa kernal oil, etc. The price and size is better for Tadé, so I will stick with that brand.

4. Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk. So.  A common product I saw on Into the Gloss between supermodels and fashion people and Julia Restoin Roitfeld and  beauty directors is this.  It has to be good, right? Well, it is. I have very dark hair, and there was no white powder or anything like that.  This was the first time I have even used a dry shampoo and it is love! Now that outside decided to get super hot, and I am on an exercise kick, I will probably use it more often in the fall when I straighten my hair more. I am also still curious about Oribe's Dry Texturizing Spray, so I might try that one of these days too.

I still need to conduct further tests on a peel for scars, a cream for acneic skin, and a bio micellar cleansing solution. Can you believe I didn't buy any nail polishes?

Telenovela Beauty

If you are one of the very few people that follow me on twitter, then you know I am obsessed with Sacrificio de Mujer, a Venezuelan soap opera that was filmed in Miami, and is currently playing on Univision here in the U.S.  It will be ending soon, and I think I have a pretty good grasp on what it takes to look like a telenovela star =) I haven't used all of the products below (I am no telenovela star), but I am interested in trying them if I haven't already.

Skin: Unsurprisingly, the actresses are pretty fair skinned with light eye colors, but many of them have golden sun tans.  Gorgeous, clear skin is a must - these women probably have access to the best dermatologists and aestheticians in Miami.

Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask:

 La Mer Crème de la Mer:

St. Tropez Self-Tan Lotion:

Institut Esthederm Bronze Repair Anti-Wrinkle Tanning Cream:

Eyes: What you need are dark colored shadows, a lot of black eyeliner, false eyelashes, great mascara and waterproof everything! When you either get your heart broken, find your lost child, get into a heated argument, attend a loved one's funeral, or reminisce about a great former love, expect to shed some tears.

MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Liner:

MAKE UP FOR EVER Eye Seal:

Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Waterproof:

Nyx Fabulous Lashes:

Hair: No matter what color, your hair needs to shine like glass.  Hair should be reach past your color bone, and possibly slightly curled at the ends.

Davines Conditioner, NouNou Illluminating with Tomato Extract for Colour Treated Hair, 8.45-Ounces

MoroccanOil Gold Glimmer Shine:

Avanti Silicon Mix Shine Hair Polisher:

Sedu Revolution Clipless Curling Iron:

L'Oreal Elnett Hairspray:

Body: Other than a tan, a telenovela star must be bikini/lingerie ready. So get waxed within an inch of your life and start working out (of course, after talking to your doctor about your exercise limitations)

I was surprised to find out that Marjorie de Sousa is blonde!

photo credit:Media Connection/Misha

Kettlebell Leg Workout:


Tabata interval training (this workout starts at around the 3.30 mark):


stock photo and screenshots from videos on: novelasyseries.univision.com


product photo credits: respective link sites (spacenk.com, cremedelamer.com, sttropeztan.com, sephora.com, lancome.com, nyxcosmetics.com, amazon.com, sleekhair.com, roundbrushhair.com, and folica.com)

Summer Prep - Beauty

Apologies to those below the equator, going through winter now!

I am all about enhancing what you got, one way is to make you skin shimmer day or night.  I am very interested in the Nars Laguna Body Illuminator, which is limited edition.  I have no idea if it looks different  on the skin than the famous Body Glow.

St. Tropez also recently introduced Skin Illuminators in gold, violet, and rose.

To prevent your hair from fading and drying out, remember to wear a hat or at least something with UVA/UVB protection.  I bought L'Oreal's EverPure UV Protect Spray but have yet to test it out.

For moisture, I love Palmer's Coconut Oil Hair Milk  as a leave-in.  I have used the olive oil one too, but I prefer the coconut oil, though it is heavily fragranced.

Rene Furterer's Karite Nutritive Concentrate is also pretty amazing - softens hair immediately.

Also, don't forget to rinse your skin after you sweat a lot or after going in the salty ocean or chlorinated pool.  Moisturizing is also very important.  Remember to use sunscreen daily - the sun is more intense and skin cancer can develop from repeated sun exposure. If you happen to get burnt or overly tanned, soothe your skin with Alba Botanica's Kona Coffee After-Sun Lotion. 

Having smooth skin will save you the trouble of piling on the foundation which may not match your skin tone as it adjusts to the seasons.  Gently exfoliate your face at night.  I like Dr. Eckstein's Facial Scrub and Alba Botanica's Papaya Enzyme Facial Mask.

I say at night because you don't want to expose your freshly exfoliated face to the sun's powerful rays.  Do not do any intensive chemical peels! You will be asking for skin damage, so what's the point of paying all that money for the peel? Most aestheticians will refuse to do peels during summer anyway.

photo credits: narscosmetics.com, sttropez.com, lorealusa.com, amazon.com, beauty.com, albabotanica.com, and beautyhabit.com

Red Hair Color Maintenance

This weekend I watched Gilda for the millionth time, and while admiring Rita Hayworth as always (although the film is in black-and-white), I remembered that my dyed-red hair was looking pretty brown.  It's been 4 weeks since my last hair color appointment, so yesterday I refreshed my hair color with a cellophane, Stoken Gold in "Canela" (Spanish for "cinnamon").  This is a popular color on Round Brush's site (which specialized in products typically used in Dominican salons), so it is out of stock quite often.  I've only tried this color because my hair is a dark red, and I didn't want it to come out looking like Raggedy Ann's hair. 

Sebastian Cellophanes is probably the most well-recognized brand of cellophanes (which isn't really a big market, I can barely find more brands after searching on google). I have never used them, but  I saw them for sale on amazon.com, but there were no color descriptions.   I lucked out with google and found the descriptions on Ball Beauty, so if I ever purchase, I will probably go with "Red Red."  Here is the description:

Red Red is a deeply real red - nothing is more intense than the spicy shade of this femme fatale shade. Reminiscent of a glamorous, bygone era, this is the red that signals seduction. Depending on the actual shade, reds can intensify their ruby intrigue: darker red can obtain deeper tones: lighter reds can achieve a brighter shade. Golden girls can opt for a true burnished copper. 

The other shades of red that are available are "Hot Red" "Gold Red" and "Red Brunette."  Red hair color requires a lot of maintenance because it fades quickly and the more vibrant, the better.

Stoken Gold is $20 and is about 16 fl. ounces, and the Sebastian Laminates is $25-45 and contains 10.2 fl. ounces of product.  I am on my 2nd bottle of Stoken Gold, and will most likely repurchase.  But if it isn't in stock at Round Brush,  I will give Sebastian a try.  If it lasts longer than Stoken Gold, then it will be worth buying again.

Mini Reviews - The Goods

Davines  Lovely Smoothing Conditioner -This stuff is amazing.  I bought it after reading about it on Antonio Golzales's blog, and I have to say that this is the best conditioner I have ever used on my thick kinky/curly/wavy/frizzy hair! It definitely tops my two former favorites, Karen's Body Beautiful Luscious Locks and Massato Treatment with Camellia.  Oh, and it's cheaper too!  I may have to try their Lovely Curl Enhancing Conditioner next =)Warning: this does contain silicones.

Alba Botanica Papaya Enzyme Facial Mask- If you are allergic to papayas, pineapples, or fresh fruit, this may not work for you.  This gently loosens up and dissolves some skin and makes my face feel very nice! Exfoliators are not only good for making your skin feel smooth, but for making the application of your cherished lotions and potions more effective.  And for a bonus, this stuff smells soooo good.  This is more intensive than their Papaya Enzyme Facial Scrub, which didn't do anything for me.  A warning: Sometimes I get sloppy with application and end up with a bit at the area where my earlobe meets my head and it gets SUPER irritated.

In Fiore Lustra - First, the aroma of this cleanser is absolutely divine.  Second, it is bloody expensive.  I got the mini size, and it is about 2/3 full after using it about 5 times.  If I had money, I would buy the full size! Yes, I am a believer.  Makes my skin feel soft and look radiant. The directions say to apply it to a dry face, but that was too much trouble for me - particles go everywhere except for my face!  I scooped out a bit with dry fingers (the company advises to not expose this product to constant moisture, so I was trying to be extra careful), put it in the palm of my hand, then wet my fingers and applied it to my damp face, and massaged it around for 1-2 minutes.

Youngblood Mineral Radiance Moisture Tint - Generally speaking, I HATE foundation.  I have bought several kinds of foundation in the past because my skin tone is uneven, but I hardly ever wear it because it doesn't feel good on the skin, it usually doesn't match my skin exactly, and it's a lot of work to use.  Last year when I went to NYC, I was wrangled in to the Youngblood cosmetic counter at Henri Bendel by a very good saleswoman/makeup artist and after she used this tinted moisturizer (in the shade Warm and I would say that my skin tone is comparable to Tracee Ellis Ross), I had to have it because my skin looked like it was glowing.  Because it is a tinted moisturizer it doesn't cover up all imperfections, but it is easy to use, it doesn't cause skin problems, and  I don't walk around with greyish winter skin!

photos lifted from amazon.com, albabotanica.com, beautyhabit.com, and ybskin.com

From the Expert: Deep Conditioners

Earlier this month, celebrity hair stylist Antonio Gonzales listed his top 5 favorite hair masks

 

I don’t know about you guys, but my hair has been fried, dyed, and is almost ready to be laid to rest.  Oh yes, it is almost that serious! I finally found a hair color and colorist that I am sticking with (INOA and Ian at the Ted Gibson Salon) while I grow out all the chemical damage that I have going on.  I love this blog, and I found this article very helpful.  He has another article about dying hair red I will probably highlight here soon.  But for deep conditioners he emphasized the following:

 

In the past, hair masks were oil-based and potentially damaging; when used too often they stifled the scalp and made the hair limp, leaving it difficult to style. Nowadays, water-based masks are lighter, with added nutrients that are safe for the scalp, leaving your hair in mint condition.

 

I have to admit I have tried many oils and heavy oil or butter based deep conditioners and they did nothing or left my hair frizzy or with the feeling of build-up.   Out of these five, I want to try Davines’ Love Mask the most.  Antonio’s description of the benefits of this one fits me perfectly – my hair is thick, kinky/curly, and color-treated. 

Davines, $20 on amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Davines-Conditioner-Love-Smooth-8-45-Ounces/dp/B000V1DB9K

 

Kerastase, $58 on kerastase-usa.com (be sure to check out their samples and offer thru 11/30) and $50 on folica.com

http://www.kerastase-usa.com/_en/_us/resistance-masque_age_recharge.htm

http://www.folica.com/hair-care/hair-treatments/kerastase-resistance-age-recharge-masque-six-eight-ounce

 

Moroccan oil, $26.50 on amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Moroccanoil-Intense-Hydrating-Mask-8-5-Ounce/dp/B002N5MKMG/ref=pd_sim_bt_5

 

Matrix Biolage Intensive Therapy - I am not exactly sure which line he is talking about... Maybe he likes them all!

http://www.matrix.com/products/biolage/atHomeCare.aspx

Sooooo.... I just ordered the Davines Conditioner! I already love KBB and Massato, how will this stack up? 

The original post:

 

http://comessenyc.blogspot.com/2010/11/5-best-hair-treatments.html

Splurges

Is there a beauty item or service you must splurge on?

I don't use this $140 shampoo, but Kim France, the founding editor-in-chief of Lucky, needs it in her beauty arsenal. I am pretty sure Jean Godfrey-June featured it in her monthly "the beauty closet" page a while ago, because this isn't the first time I've heard of it.  In order not to sound like a loon, France does recognize that its price is "certainly crazy and possibly outright vulgar."  I really liked this piece in Slate because it coincided with Lucky's 10th anniversary edition, and the first with the new editor-in-chief Brandon Holley.  Quite a few things that France needs in her life is featured among the most-loved products in Lucky's 10 years.

Phillip B.'s shampoo is certainly not the first  product to make waves for its miraculous effects and extraordinary price point. I remember ages ago when I thought that Dr. Brandt's microdermabrasion exfoliating cream was ridiculous at $75 for 1.7 oz. I still think that it's expensive but I discovered that there are more outrageous costs of beauty. And let's be honest, St. Ive's daily microdermabrasion cleanser is total crap for $5.  The whole point of spending more is to get better results.  After that, I have reports that Jennifer Lopez allegedly used La Mer's Crème de la Mer all over her body. A 1 oz. jar will set you back $130 and a 16.5 oz jar is $1,390. I think it was Lucky I heard raves about Fresh's Creme Ancienne, which costs $250 for 3.7 oz.  I sampled this when I was in a Sephora once, and I thought it was heavy, and didn't really think much else... I am sure there are other serums and conditioners that come at a hefty price tag that a lot of normal  people (but with a serious beauty product habit) use to look their best.

I think the products in my arsenal is in line with what my disposable income can afford.  I have expensive perfume and nail polish, but the price-per-wear is reasonable (plus these are my weaknesses).  Looking around, I think that the biggest splurge (other that perfume and nail polish) in weight is Dior's Crème Abricot - at $23 for .35 oz., that's about $66/oz.  And for the record, I wouldn't repurchase. To compare, the shampoo is about $9-12/oz.  Price-per-use will probably be a different figure since I have had the cuticle cream for quite a while now, I think maybe a year. 

What I do splurge on is hair color.  I started first at my local Dominican salon and I am now with  a master colorist at my local Ted Gibson salon, so you can imagine it puts a hurt on my wallet.  This most recent issue of Lucky offers tons of great tips the editors have learned and lived by over the magazine's life.  One such tip (on page 119) is to spend money on your haircut because "You. Wear it. Every. Day." I still go to the Dominican Salon for my trim (it's great), but getting the perfect shade of red was worth the trip to Chevy Chase. 

Go ahead and submit an anonymous comment and get it off your chest - what beautifying thing do you splurge on?

BTW, if you want to try the Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo, a review on Amazon.com suggests obtaining a sample from a stockist close to you.  It is currently selling on the site for $106.

photos lifted from amazon.com,  beauty.com, lamer.com, and sephora.com

Review: Massato Treatment Mask with Camelia

I promise: I will cut back on hair products this year!!! LOL.

What can I say about this deep conditioner from French celebrity stylist Massato? *LOVE*!  Now my benchmark is KBB's LL Hair Mask, and I would say that this is on par with it. It smooths out my kinky/curly locks and makes the curls clump together.  I have used this a few times with a plastic cap after shampooing for up to an hour and I got the same soft results each time with no build-up.  But I think I would rather re-purchase the KBB, because they are about the same size, but Massato mask is $7 more on Beauty Habit.  Camellia seems to be a popular oil in Japanese conditioners due to it being able to naturally condition hair, along with moisturizing and repairing damage.   Because of my 3 hair color changes in the last 6 months, I need a heavy duty conditioner, and this has passed the test with flying colors! Moisturizes and makes my hair look good? Yes, please!

The first few ingredients are: Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, behentrimonium methosulfate, ceteareth-33, glycereth-26, camellia kissi seed oil, cyclomethicone, cetrimonium chloride, and so on...

There are 'cones and I didn't see any ingredients with "paraben" in the name.  The smell is light and pleasant, and the texture is sort of whipped, but shiny and just a little bit goopy in the jar.