As I mentioned earlier, Chris' mom let me try out her Paul Mitchell hair products while we visited them last week. Next in line to be tried was Paul Mitchell Super Skinning Shampoo and Conditioner. Now, this is a product I would highly recommend for those of you out there with super thick or coarse hair. Chris' mom and youngest sister are blessed with great hair, but it had a rough, thick texture that makes it hard to work with. I'm so glad they have this shampoo and conditioner system because just on my medium-thick hair it calmed the volume a little (which I need with this short style or I become a mushroom head) and made my hair so smooth! This is great if you have a short style that needs to fall pretty flat to work with the layers (ahem, angled bobs).
Hair
August 26, 2008
August 25, 2008
Paul Mitchell Lavender Mint Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner
My mother-in-law is fabulous. Soon after we arrived at Chris' house on Wednesday night of last week, she excitedly told me that she had some Paul Mitchell products for me to try "and then maybe you could review them in your blog!!" How sweet is that? I, of course, took her up on her offer. The first of the trial products was Paul Mitchell Lavender Mint Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner. Now, I haven't been a big fan of Paul Mitchell in the past, but I think that's mostly due to bad memories of having to use my mom's 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner on trips as a kid. I loathe 2-in-1 products like that. They do neither job well. Nevertheless, I tried to keep an open mind. I found the shampoo to produce an okay lather with an extra dollop. I was completely thrown off by the smell. It smelled strongly of tea tree oil and mild flowers. The combination of lavender (which is supposed to be calming) with mint, which is supposed to rejuvenate, really confused my brain. I think it's a better bet to design a product to be either calming or energizing. I found that it made my hair a little softer but I wasn't a huge fan of the scent and certainly didn't leave the shower with any sort of mood change. Overall, this could be a good product for you if you have dry hair and are sleepy in the shower.
August 13, 2008
Good Morning America's Debate: Curly Vs. Straight
I watch Good Morning America everyday. Technically, it's so that I can catch the 5 minute cuts to local news for my job, but I also have gotten quite attached to the cheesy, family-oriented morning news show - complete with potato salad competitions and interviews with presidential candidates. Yesterday they had an especially compelling feature on whether people prefer curly or straight hair. Taryn Brill, their quirky reporter did a piece showing how people reacted to her depending on whether she left her hair in its natural (a bit wild) curls or flat-ironed it straight. I almost didn't recognize her with straight hair - she looked so different. The general consensus was that guys liked the straight hair a lot more - she looked more centered and approachable. However, in a job interview she was perceived as more confident with curly hair. This felt right to me - I think her curls draw some attention away from her gorgeous face- however, the curls make her seem super confident and self-assured. It reminds me of a former boss actually, she had very curly hair and seemed so sure of herself. Here's a link to the story. What do you think?
July 29, 2008
As Requested: More photos
I'm enjoying the new 'do. Here's my cut flipped out.
July 28, 2008
The Great Hair Update II: I did it!
Well - I finally got up the nerve to cut my long hair! Last week I decided that if I was so completely resistant to cutting my hair that maybe I was holding on to it too hard. I also read the quote "Do something each day that scares you." So - I did! The best part about it was that I surprised Chris. On Friday he came walking in our apartment on the phone with his mom and just stopped dead and said "OH MY GOSH, Mom - I gotta go - Kate cut her hair and I just need to look at her for a while!" He la-oves it. Yay! I must admit, although I'd like to do some tweaking to the cut (it feels super thick and I want it maybe another inch shorter so it doesn't try to flip out in the back - I do feel a lot freer and well, more empowered having shorter hair. I don't know if I'll keep it forever, but it certainly makes me look a little older and more professional. Here's the before and after shots! What do you think?
July 10, 2008
Garnier Fructis: Strength and Repair
I put my hair through a lot. Not only do I blow-dry it, but I always flat iron or curl it everyday. Basically my hair receives a daily baking at 400 degrees. No wonder the ends are split and the strands feel brittle. I'm always looking for some product to help my poor, mistreated hair. Now, I know that the only thing that can really help split ends is a trim. That's a known fact. However, there are some products out there that can help moisturize and nourish your hair and I think I've just discovered one of them. Garnier Fructis has a new "family" of products called "Strength and Repair" for over-processed, extremely damaged hair. I picked up the shampoo last week when I ran out and so far am really quite impressed. After only one wash, I could tell a major difference in the softness of my hair and that was with only using the shampoo. My ends feel a lot smoother and my hair is definitely silkier. I highly recommend this product for those of you who fry your hair on a daily basis like me!
June 24, 2008
Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment
I got a sample of Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment with a recent Sephora purchase and since I was working from home this morning I decided to give it a shot. First of all - this is stuff is weird. The picture should tell you that much. Apparently there are quite a few potential uses for this product, including as a deep conditioning treatment, as a leave in conditioner, and as a shine enhancer. I decided to follow the instructions on the back of my little sample packet and use it as a deep conditioning treatment on dry hair. Apparently, this product contains palm nut oil, but for some reason is initially a kind of goopy, particle filled mess. You are supposed to warm the product in your hands and then once it becomes more of an oil apply it from the scalp to the ends of your hair. This took quite a while because I can only hold so much of this stuff in my hands at a time and it doesn't seem to go very far. And I think it smells like coffee grounds. I then put my hair up and waited the requested 20 minutes...which turned into an hour and a half because I got focused on my work. I had to shampoo twice to get it all out and after styling as normal I have to say...I can't tell any difference - except that my hair still smells like coffee grounds. Geez, and after all that work too! I have a couple other hair masks I'll be trying soon, so I'll let you know if the results from those are better (ie: existent).
June 19, 2008
Are you kidding me?
The image on the left is not just of a brush. It's of a $170 Mason Pearson brush. I'm sorry - that's ridiculous. Apparently it's made of 100% Boar Bristles. I guess boar hair is really expensive.
May 20, 2008
May 01, 2008
The Great Hair Debate
When I was a junior in college I cut a good 5 inches off my hair over spring break. I did not tell my then-boyfriend that I was cutting my hair and left it a surprise until he greeted me as I walked off the plane. And...he loved my shoulder length hair. Ever since then, Chris has been petitioning for short hair. Lately, the campaigning has reached fever pitch. I'll come downstairs in the morning and ask him how I look and he says "Great! Now, that outfit would look even cuter with your hair about this long" (gesturing to just below my chin). I've been fighting this hair cut for a long time. I love having long hair - I can curl it or straighten it and I like it pretty much every day. However, I know it makes me look younger which isn't a good thing when I'm constantly trying to be taken more seriously and look more professional at work. I've also argued that boys supposedly like longer hair more than shorter hair but then Chris counters with "Well, exactly which boys are you wanting to attract? I mean, shouldn't it be me??"...which is a good point.
I called my hair stylist yesterday to make an appointment for a trim or something similar and to my surprise she was available that afternoon. Gulp. I was considering a shorter cut but wasn't quite ready for it. I needed at least a week to get used to the idea. So I went in yesterday (and of course, my hair 
was looking fierce as it always looks when I'm about to make a change...just to make it all the more agonizing) and told my stylist that I might be ready for something different. She suggested cutting it right at my shoulders and angling it up at the back. My first questions were "Will that make my cheeks look big and does it have to angle up at the back?" I hemmed and hawed for a while and eventually chickened out and she just did a more serious trim than 
usual. Same long layers, same long bags, same side part. Same, same, same. And as relieved as I was (particularly because while I think the angled bob works on some people, it's just not my style), it does feel rather safe and boring. The more I play with it and hold various section up, it makes me think that a just-below-chin not angled bob might be rather chic and flattering on me. BUT - I love my long-ish hair. Eek. I'm trying to decide if I should make the change for Chris' birthday on May 29th. He would be thrilled (you should have heard him when I called him yesterday to tell him I got my hair cut yesterday. "You did??!! How short??!!") So, what do you think? Time for a change or too big of a risk? Here's a couple pictures of the type of bob I'm picturing.
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