Velcro Rollers: Dry Hair

I get so lazy with my hair, but I want to be more intentional with making it look decent, especially for work. How many times can I rock the messy ponytail? One too many time. Decided to give velcro rollers a shot to see if I could style dry hair in the AM with a little heart. 

I wrapped up just a portion of my hair in 6 2-1/4" thermal velcro rollers and give it a little heat from my blow dryer to see if it would make a difference. 

Voila! A bit of volume at the ends, but not near the root where my hair tends to weigh down. I'll be experimenting again with these to see if I can get a somewhat blown out look.

Hot Tools Thermal Velcro Rollers 2-1/4" $5.99 for 3 at Ulta.  I ended up picking up another pack since I have a lot of hair.  Don't forget to use coupons on the Ulta App or on Coupon Sherpa!

Bella Beauty Beaded Curling Wand & Game Day Hair

Curling wand obsessed these last few months.  I bought a tapered one, which I still need to master.  Next was a large barrel and then this beaded one that I found at TJ Maxx on clearance for $12.  Score!  I had been eyeing a bubble wand, but didn't want to drop a lot of money on an appliance I wouldn't use very often.  This wand makes my hair BIG.  I love it, but it does take some time styling as well as some time for the waves to relax.

Standard on/off switch

Looks sorta like... :D  Haha!  

The heat protection glove is not the best quality. I use another glove & kept this in the box.

 On to the Game Day Hair!  Sunday, Game Day.  I wish I was going to the SEAvsSTL game, but was actually headed out to a couple gatherings.  Still casual and repped my gear!

 For heat protection, I apply Alterna's Caviar CC Cream throughout my hair and lightly spray Paul Mitchell's Stay Strong hair spray.

I just shake my hair out and see where it parts and that's it for the day.  Besides, I was going to wear a beanie anyway!
Like my snowflake jammies?  Those are from college, circa 1998!  Can't get rid of these fleecy pajamas!

Start off  with the bottom half of my hair and clip the the top.  I don't know how people can curl without separating, that's some skill!

My preference is to wrap away from my face.  I hold the wand with the opposite hand pointing downward and then curl with the same side hand.

After letting it set on the wand for about 10-15 seconds, I unwrap and let the tendril settle.  Before moving to to the top layers, I spray the bottom layer again to lock in the curl.

 After both sections are done, I run more CC cream through and then spray more hairspray and run my fingers through to separate the waves.

Ready to go!  Jersey, check! Beanie, check!  I did a quick face with MAC StudioFix, It Cosmetics Limited Edition Holiday Naturally Pretty Celebration Matte Palette (becoming my go-to lately!), Anastasia Brow Wiz, Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush, Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer and Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes Mascara.

Congrats to the Seahawks!  #1 Seed, NFC West Champions 2 years in a row baybee!  I missed out on watching this game and had to listen on the radio+keep refreshing the Seahawks app and my Twitter feed for score and commentary.  LOL!  I hope my Bruver-In-Law recorded this game so I can watch it!

Unboxing: IpsyMe - Alterna Smooth as Caviar Set

IpsyMe is now offering a sweet deal twice a week, every Tuesday and Thursday 9 AM (PST).  This is my second IpsyMe offer and I'm excited to try Alterna Caviar CC Cream.  I checked out the price on the CC Cream and it is $25 alone, so you're getting the brush for free!  With free shipping, these IpsyMe deals are pretty awesome and sell out quick!

Check out Ipsy Stylist Desi Perkins' video on how she styles her hair using the CC Cream and brush.

NuTika 32MM Curling Wand

One of my Maxxinista finds!  I've been wanting a wider curling wand and finally found one for a great deal.  This 32MM curling wand is from NuTika, described as, "...the younger, more colorful sister of NuMe Styling Products. NuTika brings the same quality & precision, but with a fresh twist!" I think this might be a sub-brand that NuMe phased out, that's why it was at T.J. Maxx and they don't have a separate website anymore.

This wand has 1 setting that heats up to 410 degrees Fahrenheit.

Comes with a hand protecting glove. 

I think I finally have it down now, but I do use the glove sometimes because I'm clumsy.  :(  Overall, I'm happy I found this curling wand and for a good price!  While I do not always agree with purchasing salon products from re-sellers that aren't salon certified, this doesn't count since NuTika (NuMe) is an independent brand and sells their items directly via their website.

How I curl and style my hair:
-Lightly spray hair all over with hairspray
-Pin up half your hair and curl the bottom half, then curl the top half
-Lightly mist hair again with hairspray and wait a couple minutes, then toss hair from side to side
-Spritz some sea salt spray to texturize and have more piecey waves

Just enough wave

Gah!  I wish my hair looked like this everyday!

Cost: $24.99 - T.J. Maxx find!

Pros:
-Heats up fast
-Comes with a heat protecting glove
-Swivel cord

Cons:
-Only 1 heat setting
-No protecting tip on end (careful not to burn your fingers!)

Would I recommend this to a friend:  YES!  I am impressed with this brand and the quality of the iron.  Groupon/Living Social sometimes has NuMe items, Ipsy also has promotions and if you follow NuMe on InstaGram, they will have flash sales.  I would love to get the pearl wand, but it looks like the only one on the website has the Euro plug.  :(  Womp, womp!  Maybe I'll come across it at T.J. Maxx!

HANA Air Professional Hair Dryer

Recently, I was given the opportunity to review HANA Air's Professional Hair Dryer from Misikko. 

John reached out to me via email and kindly sent the dryer along with some other goodies.  Thanks John!

  

Specifications from the Misikko website HANA air Professional Hair Dryer:

• Adjustable Heat 2 Fan Speeds
• 3 Heat Settings
• Plus Cold Shot
• Ceramic Heater Most Advanced Far Infrared Ionic Heat
• Tourmaline, Titanium Oxide & Silver Infused Pure Tourmaline Crystals Add Antibacterial Ions and Shine
• Attachments Concentrator
• Warranty 2 Years 

Quick facts
-Design Italian
-Wattage Proprietary Design Allows for Equivalent Operation of 2300 Watts
-Low EMF Environmentally Safe
-Motor Life Longest in Industry
-Cord Type 12' Extra Long, ALCI safety plug

The design is sleek and set up of functions works seamlessly.  I prefer to have the heat setting on II and the speed on I.  My hair is thick and coarse and can take some time to dry.  My current hair dryer was not cutting it.  It would take me 10+ minutes to dry my hair and even then, I would still have some damp areas like at the nape of my neck.  With the HANA air, my hair was dry in about 4 minutes.  4 minutes!  Unheard of!  I did actually time myself drying my hair.  Haha!  Not only did it dry my hair fast, it did not make my hair frizzy.  I believe that the low heat combined with high speed of cool air, you are able to achieve smooth, blown out locks.  My hair is ready to go!  With my old dryer, I would have to either straighten or curl my hair afterwards because it would be frizzy after drying.  What a waste of time!  After a week of use, I can definitely say that HANA Air Professional Hair Dryer is the best I have used and love it! 

Pros:

• Dries hair fast!
• Variable settings
• Does not make hair frizzy post dry

Cons:

• Weight (if you have a lot of hair to dry, it can be heavy to hold for a prolonged period of time)

Would I recommend this product?  YES! 

A good hair dryer is definitely an investment you should make.  What you pay for is what you get.  My previous hair dryers were affordable, but the results were not great.  If you can invest in an excellent hair dryer, be sure to check out Misikko for their assortment of hair tools, hair products and other beauty items.  They carry CHI, HANA and T3 to name a few brands of hair tools.  Also, you will receive free shipping with your order over $50 and your order ships the same day.  I will definitely be ordering from Misikko soon - I want to try HANA Shine Shield Thermal Protectant and Macadamia Nourishing Leave-In Cream. 

Best hair dryer - http://misikko.com/professional-hair-dryers.html

Paris Hilton All-In One Styling Tool & Ultimate Brush

I am such a sucker for certain marketing, especially when it comes to my friends who are celebs. Hahaha! Right. I saw the Paris Hilton All-In One Styling Tool and Ultimate Brush on promo at Sally Beauty and HAD to go out and get it. Plus, I had a coupon to utilize and thought this would be a good purchase.

Boasted that this is, "The one brush that does it all." Hmmm....I beg to differ, but I'll give it a shot.

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw her picture inside and saw her posing with the brush. Its very porno like. LoL

Overall, this brush is great for blow drying. I'm able to lift sections with just a twist and it does add volume. I wouldn't recommend this for those wanting a sleek, straight look - stick to a good paddle brush to achieve that look. I don't use this brush that often. The brush was free if you purchased the all-in one hair styler, so it was a great deal for me.

Cost: $10

Would I recommend this to a friend? Probably not

I will not be texting Paris for more info on this. Can you say CHEESY? Hahaha!

I'm digging the varying temperature settings. I do love my CHI, but there are some obnoxious kinks in my hair sometimes that need extra heat to get out.

What should have been included was a heat SLEEVE, not a heat pad. You have to wrap the pad with an elastic or string to keep it around the barrel in order to be useful for travel.



I haven't figured out how to curl my hair with this yet. I will soon.








So how did the PH Hair Styler work? Here are the results:
Not too bad, but I do need some time to work with it more efficiently. I find myself still using my good ole CHI on most days.

Cost: Fair
-Compared to the InStyler, this is a better deal and it looks like the same thing!

Would I recommend this to a friend? Yes & No
-Yes to those wanting the InStyler. No to those that want a quick alternative to the flat iron/curling iron. If any of my local gals want to give it a twirl, let me know and you can test try mine. :)

Lemmings! HAI Flat Iron & Turbo Hair Dryer

I have been on the search for the ideal flat iron and hair dryer. Currently, I have a CHI flat iron that I do love, but I am lemming for a larger one with variable heat settings. I am also looking to invest in another hair dryer. One with different settings and that dries my thick hair FAST. My gf introduced me to the following brands and every time we travel, she has both of these in tow and it makes me want 'em even more!
HAI Classic Convertable 1-1/4" Ceramic Styling Iron This is the best flat iron I have tried so far. I do love my CHI, but there are some days when I need a hotter heat setting to get waves or kinks out of my hair! Usually my girl has this on the highest setting which I turn down, but when we were on vacation in humid weather, I actually had heat setting on HIGH. There is no drag with this flat iron and the plates stay smooth. I would recommend this iron for people with varying hair types since you can adjust the amount of heat needed to style your hair.

Turbo Power Twin Turbo 3200 in pink for me! She has a similar dryer from the same brand and this dryer is QUICK. I really hate spending 10-15 minutes drying my hair with a mediocre dryer. I have a Bed Head one that I was hoping would be great, but its aight. :\ This dryer on the other hand can get my hair dry in less than 10 minutes and it isn't extremely hot! It more direct air than heat to dry your hair, saving it from being completely ravaged by heat. The last thing that gals with course hair need is to have it be even bigger after blow drying than it normally is!


Images from amazon.com