I am such a sucker for a good eye cream. I’ve already professed my love for Kahina Giving Beauty’s, which smells like Oil of Olay (in a very good way) but better, and is packed with good-for-you argan oil. I’ve reviewed La Bella Figura’s serum, which seems to erase undereye circles and puffiness like nothing I’ve used before, perhaps thanks to barbary fig seed oil. I also told you about Skincando’s Eye Balm, which is just incredibly hydrating.
Now I’m going to tell you about my new favorite toy: Sevani’s Eye Repair Creme.
I’ve been using it pretty steadily for about 5 weeks now, and while the smile lines around my eyes are here to stay (and thank god, honestly—we both love smile lines), I have noticed that my undereyes look and feel more hydrated. We’re not talking about some overnight oh-my-god miracle, but a subtle and meaningful difference nonetheless. The edges of my eyes seem a little plumped thanks to the hyaluronic acid, and I’m holding out hope that the peptides and the Q10—a promising antiager we wrote about in the book—may be doing some long-term good as well. Actives aside, there are some really lovely oils and extracts that are packed with antioxidants and have some nice data on them for their skin-friendliness and antiaging properties.
I have yet to get my hands on Sevani’s other eye treatment—a serum with a lovely ingredient list—but it’ll be on my list of things to try. Well, maybe. I have a serious crush on this one for now. We’ll see when (and if) I’m ready to move on…
Have you tried another you like? And do you, like me, share a love of eye cream?
Ingredients: *Aloe vera juice, avocado fruit oil, sunflower seed oil, cetearyl olivate (and) sorbitan olivate (olive derived), evening primrose oil, vegetable glycerin, gotu kola extract, green tea extract, olive squalane, leuconostoc/radish root ferment filtrate (all-natural preservative), caffeine, hyaluronic acid (mushroom derived), acetyl hexapeptide-8, retinyl palmitate, licorice root extract, ubiquinone (co-enzyme Q10), rosehip seed oil, xanthan gum, *pomegranate extract, *rose damascene extract, *sacred lotus blossom extract, *neroli blossom extract, *red tea extract & *neem leaf extract. (*certified organic)
Confession: Sometimes I sort of miss phthalates.
Ugh, OK, I don’t really mean that. But you know that feeling when you smell something so amazing—a flower, a candle, your boyfriend’s deodorant—and then all you want to do is smell that thing all the time? Well, phthalates can help with that. They can also help bend your gender, though, so we avoid products that contain them—which means almost anything with synthetic fragrance.
As such, I’ve been on the hunt for a perfume I could love as much as my old favorites. A signature scent, if you will. My criteria has obviously changed over the years: I don’t want a perfume to last all day—I find that weird; but I’d like it to be portable so that I can reapply it before I go out at night; I’d also like it to be 100% organic, or as close to that as possible; and I want it to elicit as many or more “You smell greats” as my Chanel and Hanae Mori used to.
Tough! But not impossible.
In the last three years, I have tried many, and loved few. Alexandra and I have both experimented with using essential oil treatments as perfume. She loves Hope Gillerman’s, and we both still adore Tata Harper’s Irritability Treatment; I love Honore des Pres for its luxurious and playful packaging and nuanced scents (Vamp à NY and Love Coconut are my favorites). There have been others. And now…there’s a new favorite in town.
Lotus Wei has started making perfume! And at $45, it’s affordable! And portable! And organic! And…transformative? Ben oui!
Like all Lotus Wei’s products, these perfumes contain aromatherapy and flower essences, meaning they’re double-teaming you for best results. I have already professed my love for the Infinite Love Energy Mist, and I dose my friends with the Elixirs all the time. Now, thanks to the unbelievably delicious smelling perfume, I can wear it all day long, too.
So Infinite Love is the one I’ve been wearing. It has rose, and mandarin and honey, starting out as a mix of really bright—not heavy or musty—rose with citrus, and it quickly warms into a sexy, caramelly smell as it blends with my own skin. It’s garnered a lot of questions, comments and, yup, compliments, and because it’s got the flower essences in there, I feel like it’s working on a subtler level as well. Mmmmm!
So let’s toss this topic back to you guys. Have you found YOUR signature scent?
(And guys, get excited, because we’ve started calling in some aftershave and colognes as well. Expect some reviews from our boy testers soon!)
This past Saturday I finally had the pleasure of meeting Hope Gillerman, creator of the powerful essential oil collection that I credit with both boosting my spirits on a daily basis and keeping me from getting sick this far into flu season. (When I so much as feel a tickle in my throat I hop in the shower with her Sinus and Chest remedies for a soothing steam.) Like Siobhan with her Infinite Love mist (an absolute favorite of mine too), I can’t believe I have yet to review the Stress Remedy that I’ve been using since the line was first recommended by our friends at Nailing Hollywood (that’s them with Hope, adorbs).
I’ve also been meaning to write Hope herself a letter of gratitude for the Alexander Technique treatment she gave me this weekend, and the invaluable lessons she bestowed upon me in that one session. Call it holiday laziness, but I’ve decided to kill two birds with one stone here, and write my review in letter form to Hope for all to read!
Have you tried this line yet? And are you familiar with the Alexander Technique?
Dear Hope,
I cannot thank you enough for this Saturday’s session. As I mentioned, I’ve become quite obsessed with your line, and particularly the Stress Remedy which I carry in my purse and often wear as a perfume. I was very relieved when you told me that was OK! (I was worried that I may be abusing a good thing.)
There are a few reasons I’m so enamored with it. For starters, it actually makes me feel less stressed as soon as I smell it. The intoxicating combination of lavender, sandalwood, blood orange, tangerine, and sage sends a message to my brain that feels something like a long and loving shhhhhhh. We’ve been talking a lot on the site about different ways of managing stress in our lives, and this remedy has been very helpful to me.
Even better yet, I’m convinced that it changes the energy of those around me, good-witch styles. Every single time I wear it out, someone remarks upon its magicalness (necessary invented word). Both women and men swoon—my husband prefers it to the woodsy masculine smells I’m usually drawn to—and it gives me the sensation that I’m enveloped in a stress-free bubble when I’m out in the world. After I left you, I bought the last ones they had at the Montage Spa store to offer as holiday gifts. :)
But can we also talk about the women’s hormone balancing sample you gave me? You need to add that to your line! I’ve never smelled anything so bewitching in my life. I think you said it was rose, geranium, ylang-ylang and jasmine? I’ll have to look at the recipe cards you gave me (which I’m SO excited about). I plan to start experimenting with my own blends in 2012.
Before I sign off, I also wanted to tell you that my introduction to the Alexander Technique was so eye-opening. I have a much greater awareness of holding tension in my neck, and I’m actively trying to adjust how I hold my head (hard!). I may look into classes and would love any recommendations you might have on this coast. I envy those New York gals who have all-year access to you!
All the best,
Alexandra
Around the time I started spritzing my friends, suddenly and without warning, with this stuff, it occurred to me it might be time for a proper review.
Regular readers may recall us mentioning Lotus Wei and Wei of Chocolate in the past. I’ve since had the pleasure of getting to know both founders, and I now happily count them as friends. We also did a Friday Deal with them, and you guys seemed really pleased! But I can’t imagine anyone’s taken “pleased” the to level I have.
These days, I won’t leave the house without my Lotus Wei Infinite Love and Pure Energy elixirs, doling them out liberally to people I care for; one friend even accused me of roofying him recently, when I dropped some of an elixir in his whiskey at a bar. Still, I realize taking flower essences like they’re medicine for the soul—and I do believe they are—is not for everyone. You know what is for everyone, though? The Energy Mists (well, and the chocolate, obviously).
These days, the Infinite Love one is always crammed in my purse, and now that the line is sold at ABC Home here in New York (as well as on Spirit Beauty Lounge), I’ll never have a reason not to go without it again.
Why do I love it? For starters, it smells terrific. It’s light and fresh and feminine, not overpowering or perfumey. It’s delicate. And with one spritz, inhaled deeply, my mood changes. I feel lighter and sometimes giggly. Happy and relaxed. It sort of imparts a me-at-my-best feeling—and it seems to have that effect on other people as well.
I’ll allow, for the skeptics around here (we see you! we love you!), that this could just be placebo. I don’t think it is, but it’s possible that me thinking it will make me feel better…makes me feel better. Or maybe there’s something to the science of aromatherapy and flower essences—which are distinct, by the way—after all.
I like to use it on my hair after a long day, my skin post-shower, my friends, my pillows before bed. I also like to spray the entryway to my apartment when I’m expecting company, or in my office when I’m stressed out.
Have you tried these energy mists—or any others? Would you?
A good mascara is hard to find, as everyone who’s dabbled in clean cosmetics can tell you. It’s difficult enough to find a good dirty one, which is why when you do, you get all “you can pry it from my cold dead hands” about it.
It’s without question the one thing clean girls admit to “cheating” with—and I did too, for the longest. Until I found these two.
Last week, we started the conversation and I was reminded that I’ve been completely holding out on you! I’ve been using—and loving—two mascaras for months now without writing a proper review of either. We also want to mention—though we can’t name names—that some of our favorite brands are also working on their own mascaras, so stay tuned for that.
For now, here’s the criteria a mascara must meet for me to love it and use it daily—instead of the Dior Show I still have lying around:
• It can’t run down my face when I cry or walk on windy streets
• It can’t run down my face when I don’t cry (which, yes, obvious, but anyone who’s tried lots of natural mascara knows this is not something you can take for granted)
• It can’t be too clumpy
• But it has to be thick enough
• The wand has to be awesome
• It has to last at least from morning till I get off work (I am of the opinion that reapplying for night is perfectly reasonable)
I’m happy to say that two—TWO!—mascaras make the cut.
The first, which I’ve mentioned before, is from 100% Pure. I have the navy and the black, and I use whichever is closest to the top of my makeup bag. I find it looks best if I apply Jane Iredale’s lash extender first, because the mascara itself is on the thinner side. The Jane bulks it up, which is a look I like, especially since my lashes are so pale, and so are my eyebrows. The wand is rigid, and goes on easily, without clumps. It doesn’t flake or melt, it doesn’t wear off or sting if it gets in my eyes, and the only times I’ve had any raccoon issues are when I wear it to yoga. I think it’s absurd to expect makeup to last through a workout, so in those instances it’s more of a “Why didn’t you wash your face before class, dummy?” as opposed to an “I can’t believe my mascara ran when I was dripping with sweat!”
The other one, from Honeybee Gardens, was brand new to me, and was introduced to me by our friend Shirley at W3LL People. She gave me one as a gift when I was in Austin, and I was blown away! The wand is more like the Dior ones I love: Thick and bristly, giving a nice heavy coat. It separates my lashes and lasts as long on me as 100% Pure does. I also just love the packaging: I find it attractive and look forward to putting it on. For night time, I like two coats of this, without the primer. It’s thick enough that I don’t need the Jane underneath. One coat is pretty for day, too. (It contains phenoxyethanol, and I can live with that, for the simple reason that it’s otherwise clean and a great mascara is very, very hard to find.)
Have you tried either?
Here are the complete ingredient lists for both:
100% Pure ingredients: Organic Green Tea, Vitamin E (a-tocopherol), Honey Beeswax, Contains All or some of the following Pigments: Blackberry, Blueberry, Black Tea, Grape Skin, Pomegranate, Acai Berry, Boysenberry, Blackcurrant and Raspberry, Oat Protein, Wheat Protein, Provitamin B5, Seaweed Powder, Coconut Stearic acid, Mica (for shimmer in the Blackberry and Blueberry), Cocoa Butter, Pearl Powder, Rice Powder, Cacao Powder and Powdered Coffee Beans, Lavender Honey, Extracts of Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Lavender and Golden Seal
Honeybee Gardens ingredients: purified water, vegetable glycerin, beeswax, copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, vegetable glyceryl stearate, lecithin, vegetable stearic acid, safflower oil, glycine soja (soybean) oil (and) aloe barbadensis leaf extract, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, silica, cellulose gum, tocopherol, xanthan gum, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, cucumis sativus (cucumber) fruit extract, phenoxyethanol. May contain: mica, iron oxide (CI 77499, 77491, 77492), titanium dioxide (CI 77891).
I’m going to do a Q&A with myself about this new shampoo and conditioner from Acure Organics, because that seems, in this moment, to be a funny and easy break from form, since I’ve reviewed a bunch of shampoos and conditioners lately. Also, easy to read for you guys, right? Heh.
Does the shampoo get your hair clean?
LOL! What? Yes! Obviously.
Is there residue left over?
No, actually. The shampoo has a nice lather—hard to get in naturals—and rinses out pretty easily. Ditto the conditioner, which I typically leave on my hair for a couple of minutes as I shave my legs or sing or something.
Does it smell nice?
I’ve only smelled the argan oil shampoo and conditioner—there are three different kinds, with three different smells and oils, by hair type—and I love the smell so much! Spirit Demerson sent me the duo to sample to try and review (she sells them on her site), and I BBMed her after I first tried it freaking out about how nice is smells. Like almonds, kind of, with a citrusy smell that cuts the sweetness of the almond extract. I love how the smell lingers on my hair too. It makes me feel good about hugging people. (Does everyone think about how their hair smells during hugs?)
Does the conditioner weight down your hair?
Only if it’s opposite day. Which is to say, no, not at all. My hair has a nice bounce to it, no residue (see above) and it’s SHINY, probably thanks to all the oils in there.
Do you like it enough to use it—and only it—every day?
Yes.
Which means it’s probably prohibitively expensive right? Like all the other stuff you like?
Hey! That’s not true! OK, it’s sometimes true, but no, this one’s totally affordable! 12 oz. for $10.99.
I’m new to Acure. Do you like the rest of the line?
We’re new to it too! I haven’t tried anything else from them, but their price points are amazing, and the ingredients are clean, so I’m thinking this might be the beginning of a love affair.
Finally, is it…clean?
See for yourself:
Shampoo ingredients: Organic Euterpe oleracea (Acai) Berry, Organic Rubus fruticosus (Blackberry), Organic Rosa canina (Rosehips), Organic Punica granatum (Pomegranate), Organic Fair Trade CertifiedTM Rooibos, Organic Aloe Barbadensis Vera Leaf Juice, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate (from Coconut), 100% Naturally-derived Betaine (from Sugar Beets), Vegetable Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate (from Coconut + Amino Acids), Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate (from Coconut + Amino Acids), Cocoglucosides Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride (Sugar Conditioner), Sodium Levulinate (from Corn), Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride (Guar gum conditioner), Potassium Sorbate (food grade preservative), Organic Argania Spinosa (Argan) Oil, Organic Fair- Trade CertifiedTM Olea Europea (Olive) Oil, D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (vitamin E), Hippophae rhamnoides (sea buckthorn) seed oil, Organic Curcubita pepo (Pumpkin) seed oil, Ubiquinone (CoQ10), Argania spinosa (Argan) Stem Cells, glycerophosphoinositol lysine (from sunflower), Almond Extract, Cinnamomum aromaticum (Cassia Bark) Oil
Conditioner ingredients: Organic Euterpe oleracea (Acai) Berry, Organic Rubus fruticosus (Blackberry), Organic Rosa canina (Rosehips), Organic Punica granatum (Pomegranate), Organic Fair Trade Certified™ Rooibos, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Stearylkonium Chloride, Vegetable Glycerin, Glucono Delta Lactone (fermented sugar), Organic Argania Spinosa (Argan) Oil, Cetearyl Glucoside (from corn and glucose), Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride (guar gum conditioner), Glyceryl Stearate (vegetable-derived), L-Arginine (amino acid), Organic Fair Trade Certified™ Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Sorbitan Olivate (from olives + sugar), Panthenol (Pro-vitamin B5), Cellulose (plant derived), D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (vitamin. E), Lactic Acid (vegetable derived), Hippophae rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) seed oil, Organic Curcubita pepo (Pumpkin) seed oil, Ubiquinone (CoQ10), Argania spinosa (Argan) Stem Cells, glycerophosphoinositol lysine (from sunflower), Prunus dulcis (Almond) Extract, Cinnamomum aromaticum (Cassia Bark) Oil
Have you guys tried this stuff? Or anything else from Acure?
If you were to judge me by the current state of my shower caddy you might be inclined to call me a hoarder. Someone even said as much recently. “Aren’t you supposed to have less stuff now, not more?” he asked.
Totally. But I have an issue! I fell a little bit out of love with the shampoo and conditioner I’d been using for the better part of two years and have since been taking others for a whirl. Add to that the fact that sometimes people just send us stuff and you have a very crowded bathroom. You can tell which ones I like by seeing which ones are turned upside down. And the one that’s been turned upside down the longest is on the receiving end of a lot of shaking and slapping every morning as I try to get one more handful out of the bottle.
It’s Andalou Naturals’ Full Volume Conditioner with Lavender and Biotin.
Nothing fancy. A pretty simple ingredient list. Ten bucks at Whole Foods (but it’s on sale right now for $7.99—run!). And it’s totally and completely up my alley right now.
Regulars around here know I take my hair kind of seriously. I have moral crises (yes, plural) about the color thing, I experiment with gross non-naturals (and then freak out when things go awry), I burn it by accident then get heavily invested in my new hairdryer, and yes, I also Brazilianed it that one time.
For years now I’ve splurged on expensive shampoos and conditioners, usually from the same brand—which I’m not knocking; I still love you, John Masters! It’s not you, it’s me! I just needed a change. And of all the things crowding my shower, Andalou’s conditioner is the one I can’t get enough of.
My hair is pretty heavy so I tend to like anything volumizing. I wouldn’t say this is giving me Mad Men volume or anything, but it’s not flat to my head, and has some nice movement and body.
It’s also been very shiny, not at all greasy, and continues to look nice day in day out. In fact, I think my hair is getting nicer with repeated use. Finally, it doesn’t smell like grandma’s lavender. The scent doesn’t linger at all, actually.
Here are the ingredients:
Aloe Barbadensis Juice*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil*, Stearylkonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Barley Protein, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba), Linum Usitatissimum (Flax) and Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Oils*, Lavandula Officinalis (Lavender) Extract*, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycine Soja (Soy) Protein, Camelina Sativa and Vitis Vinifera (Grapeseed) Oils, Vitamin B Complex (Biotin, Thiamine, Pyridoxine, Niacin, Riboflavin & Panthenol), Malus Domestica (Apple), Solar Vitis (Grape) and Vaccinium Myrtillus (Bilberry) Fruit Stem Cell Cultures and BioActive 8 Berry Complex*, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) and Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Extracts *†, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lavandula Officinalis (Lavender) Oil*
If I’m being totally honest with myself (and with y’all) I’m not sure I buy that any of these ingredients are especially magical. There’s biotin in there so, in theory… Anyway, aloe works wonders on my hair, and that’s there at the top of the list, followed by oil and a chemical that sounds scary but isn’t. Next you have some more oils, some barley protein, and near the end we have our old nemesis ethylhexylglycerin, which I’m happy to make an exception about in this case.
Between the price, wide availability of the product and, yup, results, makes this totally worth it for me. I like the shampoo a lot, too.
Have you found another affordable conditioner you love? Because there’s still a little room left in my bathroom….
I promised you guys a full review on this concealer, so here she blows: I am absolutely wild about Afterglow’s Triple Eye Treatment, which for me works as an all-around concealer. Under eyes, sure—though circles like mine never fully cover—but I also use it around my nose, chin, and over any scars and discoloration. It’s the amazing thing about clean products, isn’t it? They just tend to be all-purpose.
Now, how this little gem came to be in my possession is somewhat muddled at this point. A few months ago we told you about our friend’s wedding. That day, somewhere between champagne toasts and waterproof eyeliner, Siobhan must have palmed me this little container of Praline-colored cover-up. [Siobhan's note: Yes, that's exactly what happened. Champagne, champagne, champagne, concealer swap, champagne.] I don’t think I used it then, but when I got back to Los Angeles I ended up trying it on a day when I was out of Jane Iredale and my RMS was in another bag.
Oh happy discovery! As luck would have it, I find this concealer to be a perfect marriage of those two other favorites: a little less thick than the “Un” Cover-Up, a little less liquid than the Jane. Which is not to say I won’t still have those in my arsenal or that I love them any less—but I’m having a bit of a “just right” moment with my Afterglow.
The ingredients are perfectly clean as well. Here they are:
Ingredients: cocos nucifera (organic coconut) oil, simmondsia chinensis (organic jojoba) seed extract, cera alba (organic beeswax), theobroma cacao (organic cocoa) seed butter, althaea officinalis (organic marshmallow) extract, camelia sinensis (organic white tea) extract, titanium dioxide (CI 77891), iron oxide (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)
And don’t be confused as we were to see marshmallow—Wikipedia informed me that it’s actually a plant. [Siobhan's note: "Oh my god! It's a plant!"]
Have any of you tried this product? Discovered any other concealers that we have yet to mention?
Let’s be honest: Our Friday Deals are always special. But today is a little extra so because Kahina Giving Beauty—one of our favorite brands to begin with—is offering up one of our absolute favorite new products. Have you guessed yet? Here’s a hint: It’s pictured above, and it looks familiar because Siobhan rave-reviewed it last month and still won’t leave the house without it. Since trying this delicious product we’ve both been spraying it on our faces in a borderline-compulsive way because it’s hydrating without making you greasy, and imparts a glow even on our less-than-glowy days. So without further ado…
Here’s the deal: Kahina is giving you a FREE Toning Mist with any purchase over $75. The mist itself is valued at $36, so once again we’re talking about a brain-meltingly (expression of the week!) good deal. Just enter promocode FREEMIST and it will be included in your shipment. Note: It will not show up anywhere in your cart, but don’t panic, you’ll totally get it. The deal lasts until midnight next Thursday.
If you’re wondering what to get from Kahina, you just cannot go wrong with the pure argan oil, and while it may feel pricey, we should remind you a bottle lasts forever and it goes very nicely with the mist. But we also love the eye cream, the mask, and pretty much everything else they make. So enjoy!
Happy Friday, girls.
Let the covers of women’s magazines tell it and you’d think seasonal change only means one thing: getting your body beach-ready (do people really do this?). But for me, it’s always meant getting my hair right.
I’m a huge fan of letting my mane do its thing during warmer months (see last year’s fun summer-hair challenge, for proof), but after a long winter of daily heat styling and dry air, my hair has seen better days. I suspect I am not alone in this! And so I want to help.
The most important aspects of any hairdo are, of course, healthy hair and a good cut. I love my hairdresser, and if he weren’t gay I might want to marry him, but I’m trying to let my hair get longer, so I’m spacing out my visits. HOWEVER! The waves I so love when I air-dry are, well, limp now.
In order to get things looking better as it grows out, I’ve tried LOTS of products and even—gasp—one dirty one. I won’t tell you about that one because it gave me a rash and I only used it once, but I will share five clean products I tried and loved. And if you don’t like these, or want to save your cash, there’s always coconut oil. And avocados.
1. Argan Oil (prices vary)
Arganoilarganoilarganoil. I’m a broken record, I know (there’s nothing like the zeal of a convert, right?). I’ve slept with Kahina Giving Beauty and Amal argan oils in my hair many times, and the next day, after a light shampoo, my hair always looks and feels and smells amazing, with no greasy buildup. I do it extremely rarely for a simple reason: It’s just too “rich” for my stupid hair. Not rich like heavy, rich like expensive. For the price I pay—and I believe it’s worth every cent—it means my face gets to use it, not my split ends.
2. Max Green Alchemy Scalp Rescue Styling Gel ($12.99)
I’m wild about this gel. I put it on my ends wet or dry and it holds nicely. I also sometimes use a pea-sized amount on the hairs around my face, when the hair is still wet. It’s not a typical gel—the texture reminds me a little of aloe—there’s no crunchiness or wet look, obviously, and the ingredients are squeaky clean. It’s nongreasy and smells light and fresh in a unisex kind of way, which gives you full license to throw out your boyfriend’s Dippity Do when he’s not looking.
3. Rare E’lements EL Treatment ($44)
This serum-like treatment is delightful. We both love it and use it with some frequency as an overnight treatment or a leave-in for day on our ends. It smells incredible. Like, “Ooooo! What perfume are you wearing?” incredible, thanks to the ylang ylang and other scented oils. I might go so far as to say that, with frequent use, my ends actually look markedly better than they did. I try to avoid overpromising, but this product really is a winner, and it seems to be more of a winner the more I use it. A dab will do ya, and even with several-times-a-week use, I have a long way to go before I’ll have to repurchase.
4. Whatever is left on my hands after I apply body oil ($0)
Oil-rich body lotions or body oils contain a lot of the same ingredients as natural hair treatments, so if your lotion pour was on the generous side, use the leftovers on your wet hair before drying. I do this probably two or three times a week instead of using a hair product, and it works well. Plus, it saves money and encourages the kind of ingredient savvy and multitasking we’re fond on.
5. Intelligent Nutrients Certified Organic Volumizing Spray ($29)
To prove how clean this product is, Horst made me drink it when I met him. Little did I know it would become the only go-to hair product I would use and reuse for almost two years straight. A word about the name: Maybe it’s because my hair is heavy to begin with, but I’ve never understood why this product is called a volumizer. That said, we both absolutely love it as a leave-in, and have been using it and repurchasing it religiously since we discovered it while writing the book. (Other ladies: Please weigh in if you have tried it and found it gave you a boost at the roots! Is this a volumizer for you?) One bottle lasts several months to half a year, it smells incredible, and it helps smooth wild ends and flyaways. It also makes heat styling much easier.
OK your turn. What have you tried as a hair treatment? And do you do the beach-body thing? (Just kidding!)
Vintage hairdryers via
