Test Drive: John Frieda Anytime Volume Refresher

Friends, have you been loving this new mass market dry shampoo trend as much as I have? It seems drugstore hair care brands are finally getting the memo here and while Klorane will always hold a very special place in my heart, I love that I no longer am condemned to a life of buying $18 cans of dry shampoo every two weeks. I recently tried John Frieda Luxurious Volume Anytime Volume Refresher - read on for the scoop.

The Experience

At first I thought this can looked mighty small - and skinny - but then I realized my beloved Klorane was 3.2oz and this is 3.5 so maybe this is some sort of optical illusion. I tried Anytime Volume Refresher two different ways: on clean hair when I wanted to inject some volume and texture and on actual, unwashed, dirty hair. First thing I noticed and absolutely loved is the complete and total lack of white powdery residue. If you're a dry shampoo vet you know what I'm talking about - the whitish cast on your roots that makes your hair look gray in pics. There was none of that here people. 

When I used this on dirty hair I was really impressed that it absorbed the greasies sans aforementioned white residue, and it definitely injected some life into my locks. This is the perfect dry shampoo to perk up second day hair, but I'm not sure I would use it on say, 4th day hair (but by that point, let's just wash shall we?). 

A quick spritz on freshly washed hair added some texture, volume and hold, so if your strands are baby fine like mine, you'll definitely be reaching for this even if you just shampooed. 

The Verdict

For under $7 this is really an amazing dry shampoo. It houses a lot of product (even though it looks like it doesn't), gets rid of the greasies, adds volume, and, say it with me, leaves NO white residue behind. I highly recommend getting into a relationship with Anytime Volume Refresher stat.

Beauty Crush: Ojon Volume Advance

I have been meaning to post about these fab products for ages because they are truly amazing. Ojon Volume Advance Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner is perfect for not only fine hair types, but those with strands on the drier side as well. I come from the school of thought that body and volume is really more about the styling products and blow drying than the actual shampoo/conditioner, but this line totally changed my mind. 

I really put it to the test, by not using any products or fancy blow drying techniques, just the simple round brush blow out. My hair felt really light and bouncy (and it is in desperate need of a trim so this is saying something), really clean and super soft. Volumizing shampoos/conditioners have always been a slippery slope for me because on the one hand I have find strands that need volume and body, but on the other I color so I need moisture. Volume Advance is the best of both worlds thanks to Ojon oil, which repairs damage and protein-rich Peruvian Amaranth, which builds body. 

Bonus: Ojon products are free of parabens, pthalates, synthetic dyes - all the yucky stuff. The only downside is the products are definitely pricey ($22 for 8.5oz.) but I say if it works, it's worth it. Scoop up at Sephora.

Beauty Crush: John Frieda Full Repair Perfect Ends Sheer Mist

I have a scandalous confession to make: I wash and blow dry my hair everyday. A total no no according to every stylist, but I can't help it; I just need freshly washed and blown out hair. And to top it off, I don't spray on a heat protectant.  Now that I haven't been highlighting my hair (God I hope this baby appreciates the fact that her poor mom spent 9 months walking around with drab, dirty blonde 7-inch roots) my ends have been in better condition but they still look totally frayed from the constant heat styling. 

I was majorly intrigued by John Frieda's new Full Repair line when I first spotted it while in the drugstore picking up a card. The first weightless solution for over-worked hair? Yes, please. I decided my foray into the line would be with the Perfect Ends Sheer Mist, which repairs and protects fine-textured hair damaged from high heat (cue spotlight on this girl). The key ingredient is Incha Inchi Oil, a lightweight micro-oil rich in omega-3. When I first sprayed it on my hair, concentrating on the ends, it felt like it was really sinking in. I also sprayed a little bit in my hand and then coated my ends again for extra smoothing. 

After I blew my hair dry I was impressed. It felt so soft and smooth, the ends weren't their usual bone dry self and my frizzies and flyaways were better tamed than when I used an actual frizz-reducing product. Plus, it feels super lightweight and not weighed down one single bit. My new hair care obsession. 

The line includes shampoo and conditioner, Root Lift Foam, Perfect Ends Deep Infusion (which is the counterpart to Sheer Mist, except it's for medium-textured hair) and Touch Up Flyaway Tamer. I need to own everything stat. I predict a long-term relationship on the horizon.

Redken Launches Nature's Rescue

My fave hair care brand Redken just launched Nature’s Rescue, a collection of paraben-free, sulfate-free and silicone-free haircare products inspired by the ocean and enriched with plant and marine extracts. The line includes shampoo, conditioner, sea polish and sea spray that thoroughly cleanses to remove impurities and buildup while helping nourish and refine the hair. 

I'm loving the fact that Nature's Rescue is sulfate free because as someone who has colored their hair more years than they care to admit, I can attest to the fact that sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners absolutely preserve and protect hair color from fading and are just all around more gentle and less damaging to hair.

Nature’s Rescue includes four products formulated with water-fresh fragrances, cooling sensations and ocean-inspired textures that provide the perfect balance of moisture:

• Step 1: Detox with Nature’s Rescue Refreshing Detox Shampoo
• Step 2: Refine with Nature’s Rescue Refining Sea Polish - this is an exfoliant that removes impurities and reduces frizz
• Step 3: Replenish with Nature’s Rescue Cooling Deep Conditioner
• Step 4: Uplift with Nature’s Rescue Radiant Sea Spray - this spray adds texture and a fresh fragrance

Log onto Redken.com to locate a salon near you.

Pureology November Giveaway

Pureology's November giveaway features minis from the new Colour Stylist family of products. I personally love the blowdry cream and cuticle polisher. Visit http://pureology.com/discover/styling between now and November 30th for a chance to win one of the following minis:

Fortifying Heat Spray protective primer
Thermo-protective spray provides mild hold with Xylose Sugar. Primes and protects hair up to 400ºF when using thermal styling tools.

Anti Split Blowdry styling cream
Lightweight humidity resistant cream that provides mild hold and adds moisture and reflective shine for an effortless blow-dry.

Nourishing Nectar sculpting gel
Conditioning gel formula shapes and conditions hair with structure and shine while giving medium hold.

Cuticle Polisher shine serum
Lightweight cream-to-serum formula seals and smooths hair with intense shine and mild hold.

Strengthening Control zero dulling hairspray
Non-dulling finishing spray with a fast-drying formula that shapes hair with flexible hold and a radiant finish. Medium control with special no-water formula to protect hair color.

Pureology October Giveaway

From now until October 31, visit: http://pureology.com/discover/styling to win one of the following Pureology styling samples:

• Pure Volume BlowDryAmplifier - An alcohol-free volumizer for color-treated hair that amplifies hair’s bounce and flexibility as you blow it dry.
  
• Pure Volume Thickening Mist - This featherlight ZeroAlcohol spray infuses hair with weightless volume, natural texture and radiant shine while keeping color brilliant.
  
• Root Lift - Build amazing volume and control with this light, clean, humidity-resistant cream spray mousse for color-treated hair. Root Lift has to be my favorite Pureology styling product; it's reached life changing status.
  
• InCharge - A working spray with thermal and color protection, delivers enhanced color vibrancy and easy brush-through with flexible, medium hold.
  
• InCharge Plus - A firm-hold finishing spray with thermal and color protection, locks in color and style all day long.

Beauty Crush: Profound Beauty Anatomy Mask

While mentally, I can't believe we're already well into September, the slight temp drops and long summer of sun, salt and chlorine are showing up all over my hair. I've been reaching for my beloved Profound Beauty Anatomy Mask more and more lately and it's nursing my dry, damaged hair back to health. The masks come in five different formulas for different hair types and contain antioxidant vitamin E to fight free radical damage, boost shine and infuse hair with intense moisture. 

I'm usually a 10/90 (for fine to medium hair) but I've been reaching for the 01/99, the most intense of the bunch, to whip my hair back into shape. I love to apply in the shower and put a shower cap over for five minutes to seal in all the moisture. 

If you're not familiar with Profound Beauty it's a great salon hair care brand that's super personalized and customized so there's no more wondering what to do if your hair is fine, frizzy, color treated and dry. Profound Beauty will even help you find your routine by clicking here and taking a short quiz.

Test Drive: L'Oreal EverStrong

I'd been intrigued for some time about L'Oreal's EverStrong line, which promised to inject strength in hair in just one wash. Having fragile hair that's, ah, enhanced with bleach shall we say, I feel like my hair is constantly breaking and splitting and I was hoping EverStrong would be the solution.

The Experience:
Like its predecessor EverPure, EverStrong is free of sulfates and harsh detergents, so it won't strip or fade color. Available in Hydrate, Bodify and Reconstruct, I chose the third formula since highlighting and using heat appliances way too much had done a number on my hair. 

The first thing I noticed when applying was that my hair literally soaked up the thick, rich conditioner and I thought wow, I must have some serious damage. I was also running late that day so I skipped the smoothing serum and after blowdrying I realized I didn't even need it anyway. After just one wash my hair felt strong and had significantly less flyaways, and it's been getting better ever since.

I've also noticed significantly less breakage. Considering I'm the type who sits there forever staring at my strands and snapping off the areas of breakage I know this stuff is working.

The Verdict:
Pick up L'Oreal EverStrong shampoo, conditioner, deep replenishing mask and overnight treatment if you're looking for a gentle, non stripping formula that keeps color in tact but imparts some serious strength to flimsy strands. This works better than most salon brands I've used and it's also a major bargain at under $10

Test Drive: Pantene Solutions

For years Pantene has been winning magazine reader's choice awards so obviously the masses love it, but I've always been sort of eh about the products. That is, until the brand unveiled its new Solutions collection; various lines of shampoos, conditioners and styling products developed specifically for hair types. 

It always blew my mind that shampoos and conditioners only catered to one hair type - as if hair couldn't be color treated, fine and frizz prone all at the same time. I used to stand in the drugstore forever, debating on which formula I should choose, ultimately creating my own collection of shampoo for color treated hair, conditioner for fine hair, and smoothing serum for frizz prone hair. 

The new Pantene Solutions collection does away with all that by creating lines developed for hair texture, and then within those lines, customized products for specific concerns. For example, within the Medium to Thick collection there are sub-collections such as Frizzy to Smooth, Dry to Moisturized, Breakage to Strength and Flat to Volume. Total genius! So all you have to do is pick your hair type: Color, Fine, Medium to Thick or Curly and then pick the appropriate collection for your hair concerns. Fine haired girls can now have moisturizing shampoos and conditioners that won't weigh hair down, color treated hair can now have a formula for shine. 

I was having a major case of flat hair lately due to the humidity and soft water, so I tried the Flat to Volume shampoo and it gave me lasting volume, without stripping my hair dry. Totally in love. Visit the Pantene website to peruse the collections and pick the right one for you.

Thank you Pureology

It's as if someone at Pureology read my mind. I love love love Pureology's Hydrate collection (purple bottles) because it smells divine, has this refreshing tingly feeling and really quenches dry hair (all while keeping color in tact - what more could you ask for?) BUT, sometimes it does its job too well and leaves my fine hair a little over-moisturized if you catch my drift. I was so happy to learn that Pureology just added Hydrate LightCondition and Hydrate HydraWhip to the lineup. Fine-haired girls no longer have to choose between volume and moisture!

Hydrate LightCondition with natural jojoba and shea butters, in addition to strengthening proteins of soy, oat and wheat, leave hair super soft without weighing it down. 

Hydrate HydraWhip is a rich souffle with avocado, jojoba and shea butters, combined with rosemary, sage and green tea replenish and quench dry, fine hair. This is the deep conditioner that should be used once a week or once every two weeks. 

The key to achieving perfectly moisturized hair without making it flat as a board lies in Pureology's Hydrating Micro-Emulsion Technology, which penetrates the hair shaft while leaving strands with body and bounce. And of course, each contain AntiFade Complex to neutralize free radicals and retain color. 

LightCondition will set you back $27 and HydraWhip goes for $45. Pureology certainly isn't cheap, but it's luxurious, high quality hair care that's vegan and super concentrated, so you might just notice it lasts twice as long as your $5 drugstore confection. Visit Pureology.com to locate a salon to purchase.

Test Drive: Aveeno Nourish +

I have a weird obsession with shampoo. I love browsing the salons, drugstore aisles, those stores that sell salon hair care like Rickys, searching for my next shampoo purchase. I read ingredient labels, ponder whether I should buy the color treated or volumizing formula, and rarely finish an entire bottle before I'm on to my next fix. While I have a taste for the more expensive salon brands (a la Redken, bumble and Bumble and Kerastase - trust me, when it comes to hair care, the pricier brands are worth it), but I had been intrigued by Aveeno's Nourish+ line for some time now, so I scooped it up at CVS and took it home for a whirl.

The Experience:

My initial thought was hmmm this is a little on the expensive side for a drugstore shampoo ($7.50 at CVS), but I brought it home and lathered up. I used the Nourish+ Volumize formula, and I was super impressed that it was a rich, creamy lather as opposed to the usual gel formulation of volumizing shampoos that make you feel as though you might as well be washing your hair with Dial Antibacterial bodywash. The smell was delish, and the lather really made me feel like my hair was not being stripped and that when I rinsed it would be nice and clean - and soft. And it was just that. My hair felt strong, soft, nourished and had a nice bounce post blowdry. After several washes, the results keep getting better.

The Verdict: 

A fantastic drugstore shampoo that is perfect for anyone looking to inject some strength and nourishment into their hair. Won't strip or dry out, the lather is decadently creamy and damage is repaired. Choose from Moisturize, Revitalize, Volumize, Soothe and the newest version, Shine. Aveeno Nourish+ is also gentle and won't fade hair color. Pick it up at drugstores and click here for a free sample.

The Dark Side

I've been a blonde my whole life (err, with a little assistance as of freshman year of high school), but after many years of repeated highlights and a trip to sunny St. Lucia my hair looked Gwen Stefani blonde in the dead of winter. Exhibit A over here is of Mr. M and I at our friend's wedding in January. It was so light and bleached out that I decided in March to switch things up and do a rich, caramel base with a few golden highlights. Sounds nice, no? Well I did just that and at first I felt all cool and edgy with my darker hair, and then...reality set in. I took a good look at myself in the mirror and hated it. 

My husband liked it, my friends liked it, my friend's husband's liked it, but I was desperate with a capital D to get back to my blonde roots. Mr. M told me I looked more like a "wife" with my dark hair. I did not take this as a compliment. I have no clear photographic evidence of my dark hair but let's just say it was one of those shades that colorists say is blonde but if you walked up to some random joe on the street and said what color is my hair they would tell you it's brown. I couldn't go back to the salon and go light because I just spent a bunch of money going dark.

So, I searched high and low for a solution and came up with John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo and Conditioner, each of which promises to gradually lighten hair with a Natural Lightening Complex and Chamomile for a year round sunkissed look. Let me tell you, I was shocked by how much this lightened my hair without any of those crazy red tones coming through. I would say it lightened me up a good three shades over the course of two months. My hair actually looked blonde again and all was right in the world.

Fun fact: according to Wella, blonde is the most requested hair color in salons, accounting for over 50% of all color services.

Wella's new remastered Blondor line (used professionally by your colorist) includes a collection of products that transforms any kind of hair into a striking blonde. To address the need for gentleness and shine, Wella Professionals also introduces the EW Koleston Perfect Special Blondes range, a permanent crème color for high-lift blonde that also provides gentle conditioning to avoid that whole overprocessed haystack blonde thing. Click here to find a Wella salon near you so you can go get your blonde on for summer.

Sunscreen Bootcamp: Hair

If you color your hair the sun is public enemy number one. Blonde highlights can get bleached out, dark browns get brassy and reds can completely fade. I drop major dime on regular highlights so the last thing I want is to throw my money in the garbage the minute I set foot on the beach. Luckily, one of my favorite hair care brands has the solution with their Color Extend Sun Sparkling Shield.

Color Extend Sun Sparkling Shield provides water-resistant UVA/UVB protection, in addition to getting rid of chlorine and mineral deposits, all while creating a sleek, polished finish. Advanced Hydra-Shield Complex with Soplexyl™, a patented UV filter, provide powerful protection while restoring lost moisture and luminous shine. Purchase at salons.

Old Favorites

It's "Use Everything in Your Shower Before Bringing Any Other Products into It" time over at Beauty is the New Black headquarters, which always makes me discover my old faithful products that I, for one reason or another, stopped using (the reason is that it's so hard for me to be in a  monogamous relationship with my beauty products). I have products basically exploding out of the shower and a huge bin of new products I'm dying to try, but I promised myself I would use up some things before bringing more stuff in. 

Which leads me to my praise of the L'Oreal Vive Pro line of shampoos and conditioners. I'm going to make a bold statement here: it's probably the best line of drugstore haircare that I've tried. My favorite part? The fact that each of the lines is further divided into specific hair type. I.e. Vive Pro Smooth Intense shampoos and conditioners come in formulas for thick, medium and fine textured hair. Because as we all know by now, hair can be both fine and frizzy! And at around $5 or $6, you really can't beat it. 

Formulas include: Color Vive, Nutri Gloss, Hydra Gloss, Glossy Volume and Smooth Intense. Pop on over to your local drugstore and pick out the formula that works best for you.

Leave it to Lamas

No, I'm not talking about that trainwreck of an E! show, I'm talking about Lamas Beauty, an all-natural line of hair, skin, and bath and body products. I have a very un-PC confession to make here: I'm not really into natural products; I prefer chemically-based ones. I just think that sometimes the naturals just aren't as effective; I feel like I need a little science in my beauty products. Lamas Beauty basically changed my thoughts on natural because the products work well and evoke a feeling of a little luxury, not that crunchy, granola feeling I get when I use other natural products.

My favorite line in the brand is hands down the Chinese Herb collection of shampoo, conditioner, scalp serum, nutrient mist and styling cream. Each product in the line features rare Chinese herbs that stimulate hair growth, strengthen weak, thinning hair and soothe the scalp. If you're looking to grow or strengthen your hair, these products get the job done. The shampoo also feels nice and tingly and I love using the styling cream on both wet and dry hair. It's perfect for smoothing the ends of second (or third!) day hair after you've fluffed it with some dry shampoo.

Pick up the products via the Lamas website.

Cold Weather + Indoor Heat = Dry, Frizzy Hair

My hair has been dry something fierce lately and I'm blaming it on the cold weather outside and the heat inside. I also really need a trim but let's just stick with the weather as the main cause. It's prime time hair mask season and I have a few favorites that I currently have on rotation.

Pureology Essential Repair Restorative Hair Masque does it all. This ultra-rich hair masque (it's so concentrated you barely need to use any at all) contains protein-rich soymilk and pure biotin repairs the most severe damage and completely restores softness in one use. And of course it contains Pureology's AntiFade Complex so color is preserved. Probably what I love most is that this does the job in 2-5 minutes, depending on the severity of damage, unlike most masks that tell you to leave them in for 15. I just find the whole routine of shampooing, applying hair masque, getting out of shower and waiting 15 minutes, getting back in shower to rinse really annoying. Plus the scent is yummy, almost like a dessert and I love the rich and creamy texture. At around $40 it certainly isn't cheap, but it works and a jar really will last forever.

Profound Beauty 01/99 Anti-Oxidant Mask is one of those leave it in and get out of the shower situations, but I still love it nonetheless because of the super hydrating formula and the more reasonable $32 price tag. What's great about this mask is that it contains Vitamin E to inhibit free radical damage (yes, your hair needs protection from the environment just like your face does), while preserving color and amping up shine.

And sometimes, you just want an inexpensive, quick fix drugstore hair masque and this is where Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition 3-Minute Undo Dryness Reversal Treatment comes in. The beauty of this is that by the time you're finished saying the name, you're ready to rinse. I'm a big fan of the Triple Nutrition line, check out my previous post here. Like the shampoo and conditioner, this deep treatment contains olive, avocado and shea oils to quench dry hair and restore its health, while apricot seeds massage and stimulate hair at the root. Pretty fancy for a deep treatment that's under $7.

Klorane - Now in a Travel Size!

Someone up there has answered my prayers. Friends, Klorane Dry Shampoo is available in a travel size! I can't believe I haven't posted my love of Klorane before; it is truly a life changing product. First introduced to me by a fabulous co-worker who kept a bottle at her desk, this is the only dry shampoo I've ever tried that has actually made my hair feel clean and full of volume.

Now, I was a wash everyday kind of girl; I even washed twice a day if I had washed in the am and was going out at night. It really was an exhausting routine, not to mention one that made my fragile, fine, color treated hair dry as a bone and frizzy to no end. But my roots would get so oily I had no choice. That all changed when I began using Klorane. I was freed from the daily grind of wash, blow dry, repeat - I can now wash every other day people!

With my dependency on Klorane came a problem - what to do when you're traveling. I remember distinctly being in airport security last year, devastated when they threw out my brand new, never used, much too big to keep in your bag if you're carrying on luggage, bottle of Klorane. I nearly broke out in hives. Now with the new 1.7 oz travel size, this terrifying airport scenario won't happen to you.

Scoop up the new travel size at beauty.com and skinstore.com.

Splurge Steal: Color Preserving Shampoo

If you color your hair then using a gentle, color preserving shampoo free of harsh salts and sulfates is a must - otherwise you're washing your $200 highlights right on down the drain. The downside? Almost all shampoos contain these harsh cleansers because they're what remove dirt and oil from the hair and scalp. And then Pureology came along in 2001 as the first 100% vegan formula with zero sulfates to preserve the integrity of color treated hair. What I love is that each of the seven different formulas all preserve color, but also tackle specific hair concerns like lack of volume, dryness, straightening, shine inducing, even dandruff control. The only downside? Shampoos, conditioners and stylers will usually run you from $20 to $50 and up a pop and are exclusively available in salons.

If you're looking to keep color in tact and still save a few bucks, L'Oreal EverPure is the solution. The products are 100% sulfate free for color that stays pure up to 32 washes. EverPure is available in three collections - Moisture, Smooth and Volumize with styling products for $6.99 each and you can walk in any drugstore and scoop them up.

L'Oreal actually acquired Pureology not too long ago so the formulas are probably pretty much the same thing.

Beauty Crush: Garnier Triple Nutrition

I'm usually not big on drugstore shampoos and conditioners. Since I color and use heat appliances daily, my hair really needs a lot of TLC, and usually the drugstore varieties contain harsh salts or just don't nourish my hair enough. Add the fact that my hair is not only dry and damaged but also fine, it's not easy to find drugstore hair care that gets the job done. Until now of course. Enter the Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition line of shampoo, conditioner and 3-Minute Undo Dryness Reversal Treatment. Garnier is known for their use of fruit oils, and Triple Nutrition combines olive, avocado and shea to penetrate and nourish every strand. Olive oil nourishes hair at the core, avocado nourishes and softens the middle layer and shea smoothes the surface.

I noticed a difference after the very first use - my hair was soft, strong, shiny, while also feeling light, fluffy and not weighed down. The packaging is definitely an update from the old Garnier hair care and these are apparently flying off the shelves because every time I walk in a drugstore there's one or two bottles left. If you're loyal to salon hair care give Triple Nutrition a shot and let me know what you think!