My favorites in a nutshell....

My favorite hair color for grey coverage is Paul Mitchell, hands down and I know from personal experience. My favorite demi permanent color is Shades EQ by Redken! My favorite permanent but not so much for grey coverage is Goldwell. My favorite Shampoo/Conditioner line for damaged, course or overly color treated hair is Joico! My favorite product for the elimination of frizz due to humidity is Aveda Smooth Infusion Style Prep. My favorite Hairspray is Herbal Essences in the orange container. My favorite for curly hair products is Diva Curl line. Bio silk is an awesome detangler. What else do you wanna know because I will tell you. This is just a short list of my favorites that I use... I know more just ask! Happy Holidays!

Surface Review thus far...

So I used the Surface Baba Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner and it is fabulous! Give you that silky smooth and manageable feel that everyone loves. The friend that I gave a sample too as well has hair over a foot longer then mine and she liked it as well. She said that even after the next time she washed her hair that it still felt soft. The Baba Hydrating Oil Treatment is a great leave in, doesn't leave your hair feeling oily and weighed down. The only Surface product that I have used so far and not really liked is the hairspray... it's awful. So we give the Baba Hydrating line from Surface 2 thumbs up! And I give a big thumb down to the hairspray... not a fan.

Now on to bigger and more available product lines... tomorrow I will do an extensive breakdown of my favorite Aveda products, Goldwell and Scruples.

Surface...

The next time I wash my hair I am using the Baba Hydrating Shampoo from the new Surface line. I will have a girlfriend of mine use it as well because she has super long hair. We will compare and I will post results.

Just an added note... I had my hair colored yesterday and used Redken Shades EQ which is a Demi-permanent. While I love the color so far and my hair is nice and shiny... my hair smells awful. And the color stains like nothing else too... skin, clothes, floors. I've had plenty of other hair color that I like just as much so I wonder is it worth it? The only thing Redken Shades EQ has in their corner is that they are the longest running demi-permanent line out there. I am a "fake" redhead... still my favorite reds come from Goldwell and Paul Mitchell. Aveda reds always faded so fast. We'll see if the Shades EQ outlasts... if it does then I will tolerate the mess and smell for great red! Reds always fade faster then any other color out there... even using shampoos, protectives and other products to protect colored hair. Using product definitely prolongs the life of red color. Without product you can kiss your red goodbye in a few weeks... especially in Florida.

Keratin Protein Treatments

I was certified today to perform Keratin Protein Treatments. This is a safe and healthy alternative to Relaxing and other forms of straightening. This treatment is from natural human keratin protein with no animal or other bi-products. And unlike many other Brazilian Keratin Treatments... it is formaldehyde free. With the first treatment it will remove up to 50% off curl or frizz. This percentage varies based on hair types and frequency of treatments and at home care. It will last for 3 to 4 months and it gradually fades out of the hair as opposed to relaxers and other straightening that grows out and leaves new growth... not to mention damaged hair. If you Google Keratin Treatments you will get many different results and opinions and by all means I encourage doing your own research. The Americanized version of Brazilian Keratin Straightening that I use is Simply Smooth. It is expensive but worth it, it cuts down blow drying time in half, hair is more manageable, less styling products need to be used, and in overall better condition because the integrity of the hair is left in tact due to no chemicals being used on the hair. Simply Smooth can be used after color services and will help improve the longevity of the color as well. It can be used on any and all hair types as well as chemically treated hair.

I love product...

I do... I really really do. And I like everything from expensive and only in salons, to resonable and found in drug stores. I am an Aveda educated Stylist and I am a believer that everyone needs product to achieve a daily look. But what I do not believe in is selling people product that they do not need and will never use. I do believe honesty is the best policy. Why would I sell you something and tarnish my good reputation when you realize it's crap and didn't need to spend the money anyway? Well I wouldn't. That is the subject, for the most part, of this blog. I will bring in guest writers that will include other stylists as well as friends that have opinions as well. I will offer advise on what to do and what not to do as it comes up.

I went to the launch of a new product line last night. The line is called Surface and it is all organic and sulfate free. Ingredients thus far are comparable to Aveda products but I will have to use them and see for myself. I will loan some out to friends to get their opinions as well. More to come on Surface.