Hair Routine For Fine And Curly Hair

For shampoo, right now I'm switching between the Redken Extreme and the Garnier Pure Clean. The Redken one is opaque, and contains a lot of protein, making it great for damaged hair. When I need my hair to be squeaky clean, I switch over to the Garnier one, which is clear and clarifying.

Whenever I use the Redken shampoo, I also use the matching Redken Extreme conditioner. This particular formula isn't very hydrating, so it doesn't leave the hair feeling very soft - it's just enough to untangle the hair. Even though it doesn't soften, this formula definitely strengthens my hair and I will continue to use it. When I want my hair to be soft, I use a little bit of the Herbal Essences Touchably Smooth conditioner, which works extremely well at softening. About every two weeks I use a deep conditioner, and the one I'm currently using is the Naked Rescue Hair Treatment. I coat the length of my hair and leave it on for about ten minutes.

After I get out of the shower, I usually choose between a few treatments and styling products. The Redken Extreme Anti-Snap treatment is a great leave-in conditioner, but if I need more smoothness, I'll go with the Paul Mitchell Super Skinny serum. The super skinny serum smells amazing, and it really does help dry my hair faster! Another product that I really like is the Garnier Anti-Humidity Smoothing Milk. I've used this in the past and always gone back to it, but if I'm using it, I'll use it by itself, since too many products can cause buildup. That product is great to apply right before a blowout, since it really takes care of any frizz.

Quick Tip: Shiny Hair

Sometimes our hair can become dull and flat due to all the products we're constantly using. Once a month, take about two tablespoons of regular white distilled vinegar and add it to about a cup of warm water. Pour this concoction over your wet hair before shampooing, and let it sit for about five minutes. The vinegar cleanses all the buildup from your hair leaving it shiny, voluminous and super soft. After the five minutes are up, rinse, shampoo and condition as normal.

Babyliss PRO Nano Titanium 1 ¼ inch: A Review

Today's review is a little different. This one is what I'm going to call a 'guest review', and was written for the Babyliss PRO Nano Titanium 1 ¼ inch by my good friend. Enjoy!

I chose to get this flat iron because a hair stylist did my hair with it and I was amazed. It straightens or curls my curly, thick, coarse hair with one pass. It works great on other hair types too; you just have to be careful with what temperature you set it at. I purchased this flat iron a little over a year ago from eBay for about $90, but the normal price is at least $130.

There are many pros to the Babyliss. It gets extremely hot in less than a minute-- up to 450 degrees; therefore it can straighten and curl very easily with one pass. My most favorite feature would have to be the thin, extra-long plates to allow for wider sections of hair and for getting really close to the roots of your hair. And also because the plates are made from titanium, I feel that they are easier to clean than the traditional ceramic plates. This flat iron is also really lightweight. I find that with this flat iron my hair turns out smoother, and shinier than with other irons, and my hair stays frizz-free even in the most humid conditions.

There are a few cons. The temperature dial uses numbers from 1 to 50 instead of the actual temperature, but the flat iron comes with a guide on what setting you should use depending on your hair type. The power button can be pressed by accident because its location is right where you would hold the iron. This flat iron can alter your hair texture (i.e. take the curl out). I was straightening my hair every week and my hair became permanently straight as if I had gotten a relaxer, but after easing up on how often I straightened my hair, it has slowly started to get its curl back especially in the roots where my hair has grown. The biggest con for me would have to be that you can very easily burn your hand because there is no “grip” on the top of the flat iron.

Overall, the Babyliss Nano Titanium is the best flat iron I have ever used. Having used Chi and Solia flat irons, the Babyliss is still my all-time favorite and would recommend it to anyone looking for a professional flat iron, and would definitely repurchase it.

One 'N Only Argan Oil: A Review

Hello there! This is a review of the One 'N Only Argan Oil, which is probably Moroccanoil's biggest competitor on the market right now. Compared to the Moroccanoil, this one is considerably cheaper, being that I got my 3.4oz bottle for about $12 from folica.com.

The main reason I purchased this product was because I was running low on my current hair serum. I had heard a lot of hype over Argan oil, and many people compared this product to the more expensive Moroccanoil, some even saying that this one was way better. Reviews were promising smooth, healthy hair that was completely restored and even grew faster.

To my disappointment, this product didn't deliver as I expected it to. I have fine hair, so a little went a LONG way, and it was very easy to overdue it. Often I'd end up with stringy hair, which was frustrating since my hair is already on the oily side. This oil is definitely more suited for those with thick, coarse hair that can absorb a heavy product. Instead of taming my frizz, it just made my hair look flat and oily.

Bottom line: if you have fine, thin hair that gets flat easily, or if you like volume, you might want to stay away from this product. On the other hand, if you have tons of thick hair that you'd like to tame, this product will probably work just fine.

Thank you for reading!
-Z

Solia 1 inch Flat Iron (Purple) - A review

I purchased the Solia 1 inch Tourmaline Ceramic Ion Flat Iron almost two years ago on folica.com. I had never even heard of folica before, but my cousin, who has very unmanageable hair, had recently gotten the 1 1/2in version and her hair was looking regal. I had also never purchased a professional-quality straightener, so after trying hers out, I ordered my own. I was certainly pleased that they had such fun colors to choose from!

I won't go into the technical details too much, but know that this straightener has very smooth plates, which allow for flawless straightening. I noticed that my purple one also has a smoother exterior than the one my cousin owns (she has the black one with the blue plates), which makes curling the hair easier as well.

One of the best perks of this product is how smooth it leaves my hair. It only takes 30 seconds to heat up, and I usually put it on the highest setting (450°F). If I want a more voluminous, natural look, I can do my entire head in about 5 minutes! But if I want a super sleek, extra-straight style, I can finish in 10 minutes top - and I have curly hair. Once my hair is done, it is considerably shinier, softer, and it doesn't poof up in humid weather. It also doesn't get curly unless I actually wet my hair again.

Before

After

Overall, I would give this product a 10/10. It's been almost two years and it still performs like a beast. The only wear and tear would be that the Solia logo has rubbed off on the sides, but that's normal. Other than that, this is a great, affordable professional-grade flat iron, and if you purchase it on folica, I believe you get a 3-year warranty and a free heat-proof pouch. Hope this review helped, and thank you for reading.