hair therapy: Pantene Relaxed & Natural Dry to Moisturized Shampoo and Conditioner

when it comes to shampoo and conditioner, i am definitely the type to go for the most hydrating and moisturizing. i use products for dry or color-treated hair, mostly concerned with ingredients rather than using products that are specified for women of color.

if i'm being honest, i haven't had the best experiences with products for woc when used alone. my hair isn't coarse enough to handle the oils, and they have only left my tresses oily and weighed down. i found this to be frustrating the first time this happened to me because i had to go back and rewash my hair. since then, i have found that i can benefit from the heavier products-- they do give my hair a boost in condition-- but always plan for rewash.

this, however, has not been the case with Pantene Relaxed & Natural Dry to Moisturized shampoo and conditioner. i don't know how they do it, but Pantene has it down when it comes to moisturizing hair! i love their "regular" dry to moisturized line and have used those products many times over.

this new-to-me duo is like a step up in the dry to moisturized range. and no rewashing necessary- yay! i love that i can let my hair air dry and it's left with minimal frizz {tip: if your curly hair is frizzy, it needs moisture!}, and when i style, my hair is soft, shiny and full. fabulous work, Pantene!

i would recommend this to any woman with unruly or coarse tresses. don't let the Relaxed & Natural label deflect you. try them. you can find them at a drugstore near you.

hair therapy: Pantene Curl Enhancing Spray Gel

during the summer, i was given the opportunity to try Pantene's Curl Enhancing Spray Gel. i decided it was the perfect time to do something i hadn't done in some time: wear my hair curly!


Pantene Spray Gel + air dry time = my naturally curly-haired self. :)

while i have no issue heat-styling my hair during the summer months, i thought that going back to my method of giving my hair a break-- like i used to do as a teen-- wouldn't hurt me (it always helped my hair stay healthier!).



i love that this comes in spray form, making application so easy. the formula also smells good and never left my hair feeling "crunchy".


i look like i'm 15 again (well, ok, not really), LOL!

give your curls a treat and try find Pantene's Curl Enhancing Spray Gel. you can find it at your favorite drug and mass retailer. visit pantene.com for more info.

xo
product featured sent to me by the brand's PR for review consideration.

hair therapy: Pantene Curly Hair Series Light Conditioning Detangler

if you have curly hair, you know it's not hard for it to become a tangled mess. conditioning is the most important factor in taking care of your hair not only to ensure great-looking curls, but also to give them manageability. moisture also makes combing through hair easier and prevents breakage. Pantene's new Light Conditioning Detangler, part of their Curly Hair Series, gives curly hair the weightless conditioning it needs so you can have the curls you love.

as with all Pantene products, i am in love with the smell. the product itself conditions nicely. it makes combing (whether with a wide tooth comb or just your fingers) easy and helps hair look great. i've used it on my own hair as well as on my daughter's, and we both agree this is a really good product for curly hair. p.s.-- it even works to refresh curls during the day! :)

find Pantene Curly Hair Series Light Conditioning Detangler at a drugstore or mass retailer near you and visit pantene.com for more info about the Curly Hair Series.

xo
product featured sent to me by the brand's pr for review consideration; pic taken by me :)

Hair Therapy: Pantene Pro-V Straighten & Smooth Creme

Pantene's new Medium Thick Straighten & Smooth Creme was sent to me from Harper's Bazaar Magazine via a program they offerr to subscribers (this was the first time i was chosen for it!). since being introduced to part of this range of products (shampoo, conditioner, and hairspray included), that offer different hair types different benefits, i have fallen even more in love with the brand.

the Medium-Thick Straighten & Smooth Creme is fabulous because it can be used on hair that is wet or dry. it offers extra conditioning, frizz control, shine and when hair is dry, calms fly-aways.

have you seen the new Pro-V Hair Solutions line? if not, you need to get yourself to your local drugstore and check out these products! you'll be happy you did.


xo
pic taken by me :)

hair therapy: Pantene Pro-V Ice Shine Shampoo and Conditioner

i don't know one woman in her right mind that doesn't want shiny, healthy-looking hair. even those i know who could care less about fashion or makeup want to have gorgeous, shiny hair. Pantene's Ice Shine Shampoo and Conditioner promise to leave hair looking super shiny and looking healthy.

i was given the opportunity to try them-- so what do i think?

first with the shampoo. it claims to leave dull, tired hair conditioned and shiny. my hair is typically shiny, but i found that it really got rid of any build-up i had. seriously. on the down side, this meant i couldn't have stopped at just using the shampoo because it is clarifying (it dissolves all build-up on the hair left by other products). after using it my hair was left feeling the opposite of moisturized and really squeaky clean. since it's been some time since i've used a clarifying shampoo, i figured my hair would be ok.

the conditioner was my favorite of the two (surprise, surprise, lol!). it's a light formula, but it left my hair feeling fabulous-- boy, was i thankful for this! it smells wonderful, as all Pantene products do in my opinion, and once my hair was styled i couldn't have been happier-- my hair was clean, clean, clean and even shinier!



if you're looking to give your hair a little boost in the shine department, i recommend you give these these products a try. if you only use the shampoo, be sure to use the conditioner (or your favorite conditioner). it isn't moisturizing in the least. according to Pantene, it's ok to use everyday, but unless your hair is on the oily side, i wouldn't recommend it. the conditioner would be great to use anytime. i think i'll be using these once a month to give my on-the-dry-side tresses a good cleaning (and shine boost) from all the products i test out. :)

find Pantene Pro-V Ice Shine Shampoo and Conditioner at a drugstore near you. visit pantene.com for more info.

xo
products featured sent to me by the brand's PR for review consideration.

2010 Grammy Awards Beauty: Katy Perry

newly engaged Katy Perry was an eclectic mix of old-school glam a la Bettie Page and indian elegance when she attended the 2010 Grammy awards last night.

as a compliment to an amazing makeup job (i loved her lush lashes and pink lips), celeb stylist Danilo created the the look for the Waking Up in Vegas singer. it was his desire to create a "hipper" retro pin-up girl style by keeping the hair from looking too perfect.

here's how the style was achieved:

Danilo first combed through the Pantene Pro-V Beautiful Lengths Split End Prevention Leave-in Cream to condition and ready hair for styling. while blow-drying individual sections of hair, he sprayed the Pantene Pro-V Volume Root Lifter Gel for extra lift and definition.

he then spiral set her curls with a medium curling iron for contemporary waves, tousling Katy's hair with the Pantene Pro-V Texture Hairspray to finish the look.

Danilo described her bangs as "bumper perfection" after using the Pantene Pro-V Restoratives Frizz Control Extra Strength Serum on damp hair before drying straight and creating a smooth curvature across the brow.


tell me: what did you think of Katy's look?

xo
pics: Getty Images

Pantene Stylist Shares Fall's Hottest Hair Color Trend

the fall season has officially started-- although the weather doesn't seem to realize that-- it rained two days last week, then warmed up to literally 100 degrees by the end of it! it's moderate today, but will warm up to 80's temps again this week-- bleh. well, at least have cool evenings to enjoy. hopefully the weather will decide to stay below 80 during the day at some point...ha!

ok, on to serious beauty business-- fall hair color trends!

the color trends we can expect to see this season are, thankfully, conducive to "rehabbing" hair that may have been damaged over the summer-- you've gotta love that!

to make sure you're on trend, and give your natural hair color a chance to shine, stay away from the harsh colors and bright platinum shades that are most damaging to your hair.

"the days of striking, contrasting colors are gone this season," explains celebrity stylist for Pantene, Hallie Bowman (pictured, above). "this fall people will be going back to their roots, or at least making it look that way. we're going to see natural-looking tones to balance the more extreme hair styles that are going to be big, including mixed textures and nods to the 80s shapes."



if you're blonde:

platinum is out and warmer, neutral tones are in. Bowman recommends shades of sable, vanilla or mink. however, if you're not ready to let go of your platinum locks, soften the look by adding some golden highlights.


if you're brunette:

reddish or bluish browns are out and warmer browns are in. shades like deep chocolate and chestnut are going to be all-the-rage; it's all about making your shade believable.


if you're a redhead:

two words-– true red. the key is to ask your stylist to stay away from blue and copper undertones, both of which reflect orange in the sunlight. one way to avoid orange is to add some highlights to cool down the shade.


if you're hair is black:

stay away from blue undertones and go for ebony to keep the shade natural-looking.


to maintain your new, more natural-looking tresses, Bowman recommends using a shampoo and conditioner system that is developed for color treated hair.



"i love the Pantene Expressions collection because it keeps hair color looking fresh, and helps reveal the three facets of hair color: tone, depth and vibrancy," explains Bowman.

with five collections custom designed by shade-- blonde, brunette, red, midnight and highlighting-- each product helps color-treated hair maintain its vibrancy and multi-dimensional shine in between colorings.

Pantene Expressions shampoos and conditioners can be found at national food, drug and mass merchandisers, and online at drugstore.com.

xo

Pantene Seeking African-American Women for 2010 National Campaign!

attention beauties: Pantene is looking for 4 african-american women to appear in national advertising in 2010! to enter, participants are asked to simply upload a video expressing their love for Pantene in Pantene's "i love Pantene!" online casting call.

how exciting would this be ladies? one day just a normal gal with fabulous hair, the next a spokesmodel for one of the best-loved haircare brands on the market!

to be eligible, the following criteria must be met:

**applicants can have hair that is relaxed or natural, but it must be healthy and beautiful.
**applicants must love Pantene and be able to tell other women why
**applicants must be at least 18 years old and live within the united states



the women who were chosen from last year's casting call were given an all-expense paid trip to nyc to shoot the advertising campaign that appeared in national magazines in 2009. "i've used Pantene Relaxed & Natural since 2003, and it truly transformed my hair without breaking my bank account,” said Maria Diaz, one of four 2008 Pantene models (pictured above). "it made my hair healthy and manageable, which ultimately gave me more confidence. i was so excited to be chosen to appear in Pantene advertising and share my story."

so do you think you could be one of the next to be in Pantene's Relaxed & Natural campaign? if so, visit relaxedandnatural.com

xo

Alicia Keys at the 2009 BET Awards

there were many gorgeous hair and makeup looks at this past weekend's 2009 BET Awards. Alicia Keys' style was one of my favorites-- especially her hair! i loved the full, shiny curls!

want to know how she got the look? read on...



Tippi Shorter, Pantene celebrity stylist, whose clients include Jennifer Hudson, Rihanna and Keri Hilson, began by using Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Smooth Vitality Shampoo & Conditioner to make Alicia's tresses smooth and more manageable to style.

next, she used Ego-Boost Leave-in by Bed Head to detangle Alicia's curls, followed by Pantene Pro-V Curls Anti-Frizz Cream-- this was the foundation for making those big curls last throughout the heat without frizz or fly-aways!

using a curling iron "about the size of my pinky to refine her curls", Tippie added Ojon Serum to separate and fluff her curls for all-night body, and finished the look with a strong holding hairspray to keep the curls in place.


what do you think of Alicia's curls?

xo
image source

drugstore beauty: 10 Items Under $10

the spring season is all about welcoming in sunshine and starting fresh, right? so why not use this time of year to reinvent your usual beauty routine by adding in a new product or two? i always find that even the smallest product additions can make everything else seem new again (am i the only one?)

below you'll find a list of goodies, all under $10, sure to bring a bit of newness to your spring (almost summer!) season...



1) Essence of Beauty Soy Lotion Candle-- these unique candles burn to create a warm, smoothing skincare lotion, leaving your room and skin feeling flowery fresh.



2) Scunci Flower Barrette-- add a little playfulness to any hair style with this simple and affordable clip.




3) CoverGirl Outlast Double Lipshine-- these beautifully rich-- yet subtle-- colored glosses give your pout a little pop.



4) Sally Hansen Color Quick Fast Dry Nail Color Pen-- a quick polish change always gives your look a total revamp without breaking the bank.




5) Softsoap Ensembles Hand Soap in Fresh Essence-- this "little something extra" can add a spring essence to any bathroom or kitchen; it also leaves your hands feeling nourished with natural flower and plant extracts.



6) Vickery & Clarke Natural Apothecary Jojoba and Vitamin E Facial Scrub-- give your skin a morning lift with this 94% natural line that only uses nature's best to improve your skin and lift your mood.



7) Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Shampoo and Conditioner-- experience pure bliss in the shower by lathering up with the pure benefits of cassia, a blend of natural ingredients developed to give you high impact results.



8) Boots No7 Stay Perfect Shadow Palette in Petal Shimmers-- this eye trio offers you the perfect blend of complimentary colors that will guarantee a chic look in a blink of the eye.



9) Veet Spray-On Hair Removal Cream-- take a break from shaving and take advantage of the sunny days; show-off silky smooth legs with this lily infused cream.



10) Essence of Beauty Body Cream in Passion Flower-- add a thick layer of this body cream to smooth away your last bit of winter-damaged skin; made with aloe vera and shea butter to reveal soft and smooth skin all over.


xo

hair therapy: Pantene Nature Fusion Moisture Balance Shampoo & Conditioner

Pantene has a new line of products that are infused with naturally-derived ingredients called Nature Fusion (click here to read my informational post about it), and as i've said before, this comes as no surprise since most companies know that the desire of the consumer these days is to have more natural products available. the bigger surprise? i actually like these.

i've been using Nature Fusion's Moisture Balance Collection that combines a blend of cassia, ginger, calendula and aloe vera, to help strengthen and protect hair against damage while leaving it naturally radiant. the smell of the shampoo is fabulous, while the conditioner is pretty much the same "Pantene" smell, you may be familiar with (not bad, just the same). both products work great, and my hair has been left feeling and looking amazing.

i have to be honest, i haven't used Pantene in many years, but these are really great. i like the concept, and from what i have learned about cassia, it's really great for your hair. so if you're already a fan of Pantene, you might want to give these a try on your next trip to purchase your shampoo or conditioner. if you don't like Pantene, then i assume you'll just pass on these, but you may be pleasantly surprised.

Pantene's Nature Fusion is available in two formulas, Moisture Balance and Smooth Vitality, and can be found at your local drugstore or mass retailer and online here.

xo

hair therapy: Pantene Introduces New Pro-V Nature Fusion Collection

Pantene Pro-V introduces Nature Fusion, a new collection of hair care products formulated with naturally-derived ingredients that offer exceptional results from the leading haircare brand.

because Pantene knows that more and more women are looking to create a more natural way of living, they have infused the once hidden beauty benefits of the cassia plant into its new collection. cassia is a naturally-derived performance ingredient that helps transform hair to make it softer, shinier and stronger.

available in two formulas, Moisture Balance and Smooth Vitality, the Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion shampoos contain the proprietary Cassia Complex that leaves hair naturally radiant and strong against damage. Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion conditioners contain naturally-derived ingredients that help improve manageability and leave hair beautifully conditioned.

in addition to this new line, Pantene has also announced the new spokesperson for the Nature Fusion line.


model, author and Top Chef host, Padma Lakshmi!

she will appear in new national television advertising this month, and the photo above is an exclusive behind-the-scene shot from her advertising shoot.

look for the new Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion line wherever Pantene is sold.

xo

my favorite drugstore beauty buys 8.1.08

happy friday everyone! in fact, happy first day of august (is this year flying by, or what?)! do you have any big plans for the weekend?

this week has been super busy. in addition to everything, we had an earthquake (everyone is ok, thankfully) and i saw a reality tv star working at a restaurant in the city i live (well, she's not the star of the show, but she is on the show. i won't say who, but let's just say the show is very well known...her mom is one of the primary "characters"), no cameras in sight.



ok, on to the drugstore beauty buys for this week...


Seche Ridge Filling Base Coat is fabulous for not only keeping your polish holding on, but smoothing out your nails. it actually looks like a shimmery color itself, but only gives off the shimmer under a more sheer nail color.

Pantene Texturize! Sculpting Wax is something i like to use on my son's hair. it gives me the ability to style it so it won't end up stiff. plus, throughout the day, i can sort of "restyle" it if i have to because of the wax. this would be great to use if you have short hair that you want to give a more piecey look to.

Maybelline Expert Eyes 100% Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover has to be the best eye makeup remover in the drugstore. it doesn't remove waterproof very well, but there there is one specifically made to do that. i don't wear waterproof, so this oil-free one is perfect.


hope you all have a fabulous weekend! don't forget to enter the giveaways, if you haven't already done so!

enter to win a full-size tube of Marini Lash- click here

enter to win six fabulous products from Jurlique- click here


xo

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