H2O Plus

Lets just say this: if I was buying all new products for a guest bathroom or for myself, I'd fill it exclusively with H2O Plus products. They smell absolutely amazing and the scent is one that actually lasts! They all smell fresh and clean, and I really do get a spa-like experience while using them! Moreover, they work well and are good quality, so what's not to like?

If you're going to splurge on just two products, get a shampoo and conditioner because not only will your hair smell amazing but everyone else will be able to smell it too!

I've been using the H2O Plus Sea Marine Revitalizing Shampoo which is great. It's clarifying but not at all drying and it just leaves your hair shiny and clean.
The accompanying H2O Plus Sea Marine Conditioner is thick and creamy and conditions without even a hint of build-up. I found that using the pair really made my hair look good and smell good so I'd recommend getting both of them instead of just one.


H2O Plus - I'm sure that so many of you had passed by their kiosk or shop but not approached it, and you really should! I've so far been really impressed by what I'm using and I'll review more H2O products soon!

Chi Chi!

I got me hands on a Chi Flat Iron, thanks to Misikko Beauty and their wholly reasonable prices and I've got to admit that though I'm used to my curling iron, I do love this tool.

Before I forget, let me mention that a portion of the proceeds from the sales of this iron go towards Breast Cancer Research and so if you don't mind the pink, I would say that you should get this pink flat iron rather than any other!

Anyway, they say that the iron can curl your hair, and I've been trying that (since that's what they say) but I think that the curling would work best if you'd like to flip up your hair at the ends. I do think that the iron straightened well and left my hair super-shiny. It was easy to use (which is great for a novice like myself) and I think that experts will especially love it.

Pantene Ice Shine Hair Spray

Truth be told, I've used this hair spray a few times and the first time I tried it I wasn't sure if I liked it because it was stronger than I was used to. Then I saw a hair stylist use the Ice Shine on a model and I couldn't get over how shiny and amazing her hair looked - just like in a Pantene commercial except she was real right before my very eyes!

So I tried the hairspray again. I held out my arm as far as I could before spraying and the results were much better. I would say that it's medium hold and has a lovely amount of shine in it. If you've tried this before, I would like to hear what you think, so leave me a comment!

Lisap C-Gloss

A couple of weeks ago, I headed to a salon downtown and had the Lisap C-Gloss treatment put in my hair. It's colour-free though it does seem to have a tint because my grey hairs are less noticeable and my hair seems to be a pretty uniform colour.

The treatment took 20 minutes to set, and then was washed out gently. It really did make my hair look a lot shinier and the whole time it was in my hair, I didn't have to put any shine spray in it.

Lisap is an Italian brand of hair colour and their C-Gloss is a new product. Many salons carry the hairdye and are familiar with it so if they don't carry the C-Gloss, ask them to!

The gloss lasts in your hair for 2 to 5 washes, and I'm finding that even on the 6th wash my hair is pretty darn shiny. I highly recommend it for special occasions or as an extra boost when you don't want to colour your hair but want it to look nice.

Questions? As always, leave a comment and I'll answer!

Pantene Restoratives

For the past couple of weeks I've been using the Frizz Control Shampoo and Conditioner from the Pantene Restoratives line.

The duo of the two products is great. They add shine to your hair, and clean it without making it at all dry.
The shampoo is just creamy enough to be conditioning and moisturizing. The conditioner is super thick so it stays in your hair for as long as you need it to. I didn't notice a lot of build up with this shampoo but if you do, using a clarifying shampoo every few days will help. I did notice that I didn't need to use as much serum when I used the pair, and that always makes my life a little easier. Overall, I had shiny smooth hair and frizz was noticeably reduced!

The duo is in drugsotres now so if you've got dry or frizzy hair, try it!

John Frieda WeatherWorks Shampoo and Conditioner

I've been using new John Frieda Weather Works Shampoo and Conditioner. The system claims to protect your hair from the elements and will preserve your style!
I'm not silly enough to walk around in the rain with freshly shampooed hair, but I have to say that I really love this duo. It didn't just give me shiny hair, my hair was seriously glossy when I used it. You really have to use the shampoo and conditioner together to get the best results and the amazing moisturizing formula is great for all hair types. If you wash your hair frequently as I do, you'll love this too.

Pureology Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner

There's nothing that beats a salon shampoo, eh? Somehow it makes your hair glisten like it never has before, and you know that there's no way you can get that same effect at home. Every time that I've gone to a salon and had this happen to me, it's been because they use Pureology Shampoo and Conditioner, and so that's what I'm using right now also.
I've been using the shampoo and conditioner for a couple of weeks now, and I've completely run out of the conditioner so I know I can give a real report. After using the system, my hair is hydrated and really shiny. I even got a comment on how shiny it is which was nice. I found the conditioner to be thick and it really didn't leave any kind of residue in my hair - I guess that's why it was so shiny! I also noticed that when I used the shampoo none of my hair colour washed out, so if you regularly dye your hair, this would be a good choice.

You can get Pureology products at a new online boutique that sells only salon haircare products: check out Exclusive Beauty Boutique. They're based in Ottawa.

Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding

Miss Jessie makes products for curly hair and has a nice range so that you can get products that are perfect for your hair.

I particularly like the Curly Pudding. It smells nice, makes my hair super-soft and it stays easy to style and untangled for a long time. My only advice when using this is to disregard the instructions on the jar - I found that using a tablespoon worth was way too much for me, and a teaspoon was sufficient.
You can order Miss Jessie's products online (they ship worldwide) or find a retailer near you. Of all the Miss Jessie's products that I tried, the Curly Pudding was my favourite because it added definition to my hair without making it greasy or crunchy. You should know that all their products scent your hair very nicely. The Curly Buttercreme is minty smelling, while the Baby Buttercreme smells more like vanilla. The Curly Pudding also comes in an unscented version.

Products to Refresh You

I suppose that this is a sort of follow up to my recent post on aromatherapy - sometimes we need to be comforted and other times we need to be refreshed. Products can help.

Unbeknownst to you but knownst to me, I run almost every day, and so love to use products that are especially refreshing. It's time to share those with you.

I have to start with a shampoo and conditioner duo that are now favourites of mine: AG Peppermint Wash and AG Stimulating Balm.

I have to admit that beauty maven though I am, I was introduced to AG Hair Cosmetics by a couple of friends of mine who love products from the brand. Obviously, I eventually had to try them for myself!

The AG Peppermint Shampoo is great because it's specially formulated for people who wash their hair daily but still need to get rid of sweat and buildup that might result from being active.

I found that this shampoo lathers a lot less than most other ones I've tried but I think this is because it's gentle. I still found that it left my hair nice and clean.

What I loved best about it though was the scent. - it's peppermint but sweet and kind of reminds me a peppermint candy. I love using this shampoo for that!

You've also got to try the AG Stimulating Balm. The scent is still peppermint but it's a little stronger than the shampoo.

You feel the actual effect of this conditioner once you rinse it from your hair. It's then that you feel a whoosh! of mintiness!

Refreshing, I tell you, you must try it.

AG FastFood

While I'm reviewing AG products, I should tell you about AG FastFood which has made my life easier.

It smoothes and calms your hair while nourishing it! It adds shine, and, though this isn't advertised by AG Hair Cosmetics, it also makes your hair seem thicker!

I like this leave-in conditioner. It seems to work and is a nice change from the sprays that I usually use.

Ojon!

Lately I have been trying a whole slew of Ojon products. I got a "Try Me" kit which has a few Ojon products in it to try.

Lets start with the Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment. This is actually scientifically proven to penetrate the hair and condition it. Actually, any palm oil will do the same thing, and that includes coconut oil. The bottom line is that you should buy what you will use. The Ojon product is highly scented, but all the products smell the same and I personally absolutely love the scent. I can't get enough of it.

I put the restorative treatment on at night or before I workout and then wash it out! It does wash off easily and doesn't leave a residue in your hair.

When I used it, I did notice shinier and smoother hair and I really do think that this product works. I would highly recommend it to anyone who needs to repair their hair. Ojon is easily available from the Ojon website and the "Try Me" kit is available there as well.

Update: scroll down to read reviews of all the products that came in this kit!

Ojon Ultra Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner

The Ojon Try Me Kit also includes a set of Ultra Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner. The thing that I'm really impressed about when it comes to Ojon products is that every single product has some of the Ojon palm oil in it. That means that every product has the potential to fix your hair - that is pretty phenomenal.

That said, I'm wondering how useful an Ojon shampoo and conditioner is when the active ingredient is effectively washed down the drain.

The Ojon Ultra Hydrating Shampoo is pretty light for something labelled as Ultra Hydrating. I honestly didn't find it that hydrating but I think that it's a great product to help give you clean hair without stripping it of all its oils.


The Ultra Hydrating Conditioner is creamy but doesn't seem to have a high level of silicone in it because it doesn't leave your hair very slippery. It smells good but I'm not sure how hydrating this is either! I didn't feel that it did an amazing job of hydrating my hair, and I had the best results when I used it with the Restorative Treatment.

Overall, I think both products are good. They have that lovely Ojon scent and leave your hair feeling clean and nourished but I don't think that they're "ultra hydrating."

Ojon Revitalizing Mist

What can I say about this product? Lets start with the fact that I love it. It's light-weight enough that you don't even realize that it's in your hair, but it really does make a difference.

Because of the Ojon palm oil in it, the Revitalizing Mist is in two parts and needs to be shaken before it you spray it into your hair.

It's the Ojon equivalent of a leave-in conditioner and since it has the Ojon oil in it, it'll moisturize and nourish your hair. I liked using this a lot and would recommend it highly if you want a leave-in conditioner that works and is very light-weight.

Ojon Shine And Protect Glossing Mist

I know that you all are familiar with my copious use of another glossing mist, but I've been testing out this Ojon one recently. The feel of it is a little oilier than other mists I've tried, but it also takes less product to make your hair very shiny. It seems to have less alcohol in it as well, and of course contains some of the Ojon oil.

I liked this mist, and I have to say that on the whole, I'm really impressed by Ojon products. The next time I'm in the market for a serum or a conditioner, I'll probably try to pick up one from Ojon just because I know that they contain ingredients that really do work on repairing hair.

Pantene Essential Hydrating Rinse

If you've got dry hair, you've got to try Pantene Essential Hydrating Rinse. It is so moisturizing and will leave your hair much softer.Leave it in your hair for 3 minutes and see how easily you can brush through your hair afterwards. That's always a good sign.

Pantene Extra Straight

Pantene's come out with a new collection called Extra Straight. The line includes a shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in conditioning product.

I've been using this whole system. The shampoo and conditioner are great - they are so moisturizing and leave my hair noticeably shiny and healthy-looking. But I don't think that they're making my hair any straighter.

That is what you need the conditioning cream for.

I have to say that every single time I used this cream, I found it to leave my hair straighter when it dried. It was kind of amazing. I don't know how it works, or what makes my hair straighter - all I know is that the curl was noticeably minimized. If you have wavy hair, I think this will make your hair straight. If you have curly hair and regularly straighten it, then you'll find that this cream makes it easier to do and that the straightening will really last. Try it - it is on drugstore counters everywhere.

Want to Try Perfect 10 Hair Color?

You've read my review of Clairol's Perfect 10 Hair Color and it is available at drugstores now. But would you like a free box of the stuff? Are you blonde or would you like to be blonde?

Well, I have a box of Clairol's Perfect 10 Hair Color to give away. The colour is Medium Ash Blonde, and it can be yours. All you have to do is enter your name and email address in the box below. Enter just once, please. I'll pick a winner on Friday. Good luck!

All Serums are Not Equal

Recently, I realized that I seemed to be touching my hair more than was normal. I just couldn't help it - it was so soft! Why and how was it so soft, I wondered. What had I started using that would make such a difference?

Then I realized what it was: my new Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Polishing Serum.
I don't know how this serum is going to stop my hair from aging, and I really doubt that it has caviar in it, but it is an excellent product. It proves that all serums aren't created equal and makes a huge difference in how my hair feels and looks. The texture of it is a little oily, but that doesn't translate to the look of your hair. Your hair will just be shiny and so soft.

You can check Alterna's website for salons that sell this serum in your own neighborhood.

Clairol Perfect 10

I tried Clairol Perfect 10 hair colour. I found it easy to use and my hair was very soft afterwards. I should mention that I'm new to this - I haven't tried any other kind before so I can't tell you that it's far and above other kids. But the application comb made it really easy for me to apply the product so there is something to be said for that. I tried it a few weeks ago and though my hair isn't as dark as it was when I first used the hair colour, the colour is still there. All in all - good product! You can find it at drugstores everywhere.

Reader Question: Head and Shoulders Conditioner

I was recently speaking with a friend who said that although she had dandruff, she hated using dandruff shampoos because they seemed to dry out her hair. For her, every winter was problematic because her would have to battle not only her dandruff, but then the resulting dryness that came with the treatment. I told her to use Head and Shoulders shampoo and the conditioner that comes with it. Both products have the treatment in them which means that you really get rid of the problem but without drying out your hair.