Ever been in a situation were you didn't know you needed something so badly until that thing came crashing into your life? It wasn't until a few days ago that I realized how integral a spray can of water would be to my well being. Yeah, that's right. I said "my well being." After learning of this amazing gift on Instagram, it became the first item on my want-list. Similar to how one would move a DVD to the top of their Netflix queue. Luckily I found a great deal featuring a full bottle and a travel size for under $10.00. As I waited for my package to arrive, I thought about the many ways I would use my new babies.
The travel size Evian spray would immediately go in my handbag. I envisioned myself sitting on the plane and nonchalantly reaching into my bag and misting my skin with moisture. The size of this thing is perfect. Small enough to fit in pretty much any size purse. One or two mists is all I need.
The moment my package arrived, I knew I made the right choice. I have this weird affinity for ultra fine mists. Evian facial spray provides a fine, subtle mist that spreads evenly over the face. After using, my face feels hydrated, not wet, and it gives me this nice dewy look that I so much appreciate. What I really love about the spray is how it feels cool to the skin. Whenever I get too hot, I mist. Instantly, I feel cool and comfortable again.
I bought two pairs, but after using, I immediately decided to give a pair to my mom. I thought of her hot flashes and how much relief she could get. She's always working in the garden or doing something physical that has her breaking a sweat. She keeps her Evian Spray in the fridge to keep it even cooler before using. I love them so much that I decided to get three more sets. Oh, did I mention that I've been using it to moisturize my hair? If you recall the LCO moisturizing technique, it begins with you applying a liquid to your hair prior to adding a creamy moisturizer and finishing with a light nourishing oil. Well, I have found my new liquid! Evian works exceptionally well because the mist is distributes evenly and is so light! Perfect for creating instant moisture.
Have I stressed enough how much I love my new facial misters? Even if they didn't flawlessly moisturize my hair, I'd still think these are the best things since sliced bread. You must have one (or three).
Update| Is the Thairapy 365 Conditioning Iron worth it?
It was just the other day when someone left a comment on a post asking about an update on my Thairapy Conditioning Iron. First thought that came to my mind was "oh yeah.....my conditioning iron." Seems like I may have forgotten about it. Somehow it found its way back to the depths of my hair product closet.
Why had I stopped using it? Most like because for the past couple of months, I tried my hand at air drying again and didn't figure in the conditioning iron into that regimen. Prior to shifting to air drying, I would sometimes forget to use the iron during my wash routine. The iron is one of those things that you do that doesn't have any obvious immediate impact. You run it through your hair and nothing seems to happen. But honestly, it did make a difference in the overall results.
On Sunday, I decided that my air drying stint had run its course and it was time to get back to roller setting. This time, I would need the help of this iron to get my hair back on track. Weeks of air drying left my hair frizzy, dry, and really fragile. I needed something amazingly powerful to help bring life back into my hair. The Thairapy iron was exactly what I needed to get the job done.
But this time I would use the iron in a way like never before. Instead passing the iron over my hair with conditioner, I would use it during the roller set just after I misted each section with my Biolage Keratindose and Inphenom mist. Each section was parted, detangled and misted with leave-in then I used the Thairapy iron. Roller setting texlaxed hair isn't as easy as it used to be. The texture is very present which makes for somewhat poofy roller set. But, with the conditioning iron, the hair is flattened and tamed prior to rolling. This gives it a mild straightening effect without ANY heat. Thairapy claims to infuse products deeply into the strands while sealing and protecting the cuticle layer. And I experienced all of that on Sunday.
My curls tumbled down onto my shoulders as I removed the rollers one by one. Each curl appeared smooth, shiny and (best of all) healthy. This was a far cry from the appearance of distress my hair showed just a couple of hours earlier. The comments from hubby sealed the deal for me. That morning he mentioned how my hair appeared darker and later that evening he threw in a couple "your hair looks good" randomly in between sentences.
I've made a vow never to go without this iron on wash day again. It is an absolute must for healthy hair. Not only does it tame my thick hair but Thairapy elevated my moisture levels. I have a timer notification that sounds every day at 2:30 pm reminding me to moisturize my hair. Yesterday, I touched my hair as the timer went off and concluded that it didn't need any external moisturizing at that moment. My hair was doing just fine. So, in response the question of the beloved reader asking me if the iron is worth it. The answer is YES!
This post is brought to you by a wonderful reader who connected with me to share the good news regarding my beloved Matrix Keratindose Leave-In. Here's what she had to say:
"Thank you for the Biolage Keratindose suggestion! I have FINALLLY found my one true love!!! I had to let you kow that Beauty Brands has the mini purse size (gift with purchase) for free! We need this in our life! Be sure to get one.... or two:)"
Seconds later, I was on the Beauty Brands sight desperately trying to get my hands on some. Unfortunately for me, they don't have that offer online and there isn't a Beauty Brands location in my neck of the woods. Before panic began to set in, I headed over to Amazon as a last resort. And, of course Amazon had my back. They had 1 oz bottles for under $5.00 including shipping.
My hair really began to thrive after my 7 day Moisturize and Seal challenge. For the most part, frequent moisturizing has become a habit for me. When I travel though, it becomes a challenge. Just the other day I had to moisten my hair with water, from the tap in my hotel bathroom, before misting it with a few sprays of CapriClear coconut oil. Since I'll have a mini Keratindose with me wherever I go, I never have to worry about being stranded with dry hair ever again.
For those of you who weren't throughly convinced for buying a full size bottle after reading my first review, perhaps you can dip your toes in the water by trying the mini size.
If you haven't picked up a bottle of Biolage's Keratindose leave in yet based on my craving post, I'm here to tell you that you have made a terrible mistake and lost valuable time. My shipment arrived last week. By the time the package arrived, my wash day was over a week overdue. At this point, my hair was in need of moisture so I decided to put the Keratindose to its first test.
Instinctively, I reached for the Pro-Keratin Leave in and began to mist my old, dry, bun. Even before Keratindose touched my hair I knew I was in for a treat. Because the bottle is clear, I could actually see the product. By the looks of it, the Keratindose is a creamy leave-in in a spray bottle. Creamy leave-ins are a dream come true for thick, coarse hair like mine.
Then I sprayed......Then it touched my hair.....Then I fell in love. After placing my Keritandose on the counter, I picked up my Misto sprayer and sealed my hair with oil. I am not kidding when I say that my hair was ultra moisturized the entire day. No, let me correct my last statement. My hair wasn't just moisturized, it actually felt conditioned all day. Conditioned hair is on a much higher level than moisturized hair.
Biolage's Keratindose has filled a GREAT VOID in my hair regimen. For the longest time I've been looking for a creamy leave in with ultra miosturizing qualities. But, at the same time, I enjoyed using a watery leave-in for detangling purposes during the roller set. I thought I would never have my cake and eat it too. But, my friends, Keratindose has come into my life and changed everything! EVERYTHING!
Keratindose looks like a hydrating moisturizer but sprays like a watery leave-in
This is the most conditioning/hydrating leave in I own! It sprays like a watery leave-in but it operates like a creamy leave in. On top of that, my Keratindose detangles my hair like a BOSS! In fact, I'm gonna say that I like it much more for detangling than my It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In. Why? For two reasons:
Gives waaaaaaay more slip. Which means easier detangling.
I've never had the urge to use It's a 10 on my non-tangled hair. Usually I just use it as a spot treatment on my difficult tangles. With Keratindose, I want to use it all over.
This stuff is so amazing that it actually coaxed me to experiment with air drying again. This past weekend was my first successful air dry in years. Biolage has stepped it's game way up with this product. My household will never be without it again. To me Keratindose IS the definition of a leave-in conditioner. Meaning, it doesn't feel like I'm applying a leave-in product, it feels like I'm using a leave-in that actually conditions my hair.
You need this product more than you know. Those people who left glowing Amazon reviews were speaking the honest truth. I have nothing else to say. Just trust me on this one.
As a follow up to my 7 day moisturizing & sealing challenge, I want to let you into the part of the story I didn't share in that post. I sang the praises of how daily moisturizing preserved my hair during the pre-poo manipulation process. I was so happy with the results, I thought nothing could go wrong. After pre-pooing, I jumped into the shower to wash and prepare for the deep conditioning. Once complete, I stepped out of the shower, allowed my hair to partially dry and began to apply the conditioner section by section.
Here's where things seemed to go wrong. With every application of product, I would look at my hand and find broken pieces of hair. Some short, some longer. How in the heck did that happen? Just minutes prior I was patting myself in the back for a wonderful experiment which seemed to create the most amazing outcome. Now, suddenly, I was brought back full circle.
The first thing I did was analyze why this was happening. Why was my hair responding poorly to a simple thing like applying product. The only answer the came to me was the possibility that my, already moisturized hair became over saturated with moisture after the wash. All the conditioning/protective product was washed out when I shampooed, leaving swollen strands of hair. Then, as I applied thick conditioners, my fragile damp hair succumbed to the pressure. I'm not sure if my theory holds true but I'm willing to practice rule #2 in setback avoidance and act fast! After I rinsed the conditioner from my hair, that breakage I was experiencing seemed to go away. It was like the product protected my hair during the wet manipulation.
The very next wash day, I'm going to conduct a dry pre-poo/deep condition. Meaning I will apply product to my dry hair, then steam and use my conditioning iron. Then, I'll step into the shower, rinse, and use cleansing conditioner. For my scalp, I will apply some essential oil during the pre-poo step when I have the most access to my scalp. If this works out, every 2nd or 3rd wash I will clarify to keep product build up at bay. Actually, dry deep conditioning was something I did previously but somehow, I gravitated towards the more traditional approach. But after last week's experience, I think I'm ready to go back to the non-traditional route. Keep you updated!
The other day I thought back to my first 7 day challenge. Basically, I picked an action and challenged myself to do it every day for a week. My first challenge was pretty successful. I made the commitment to work out daily and followed through on my promise no matter what it took. At the end of the 7 days, I felt a strong sense of accomplishment and knowing that anything was possible.
So I said, why stop there? Why not keep this going with other challenges? After a few minutes of contemplation, I decided to partake in a daily moisturizing challenge. My motivation was to recreate a time, long ago, when I would apply a small amount of oil to my hair a couple of times a day. After a while, others noticed that my hair appeared healthier and the compliments poured in. Since that time, I've strayed far away from that habit. In fact, when I was bunning almost daily, it was not uncommon to go days without moisturizing.
My first action was to grab my trusty Iphone so I could create a daily reminder. A total of 3 daily reminders were set. One in the morning, one midday and a third in the evening. If the timing was right, I would moisturize and seal up to 3X daily. But, honestly, I was happy to do it even once a day. A week has now past and now it's time for reflection.
Because of the frequency in product application, I chose Gleau oil blend which is light enough not to weigh the hair down. As expected, my hair looked and felt better overall by the end of the week. Normally, by wash day my hair is pretty dry. But this past weekend, things were different. Overall my hair still retained moisture and had some "hang time" even on wash day (which never happens). The best part of this experiment came as I conducted my pre-poo session. Since I don't do much combing during the week, my pre-poo usually results in lots of broken and shed hairs due to all the manipulation. Not this time. In fact, this was probably the most successful pre-poo to date. I've never lost this little amount of hair during the pre-poo before.
I can't deny results like this. Even though a week has come and gone, I will continue this practice as much as possible. It's definitely a keeper for me. One thing I will do differently going forward is part my hair in sections when I apply product so every strand receives the benefits. Another opportunity missed, that I will do more, of is seal my ends every 3rd day or so to further protect from all the manipulation. Since this 7 day ritual was so successful, I've begun thinking of future experiments to conduct. Maybe a 7 day inversion challenge or a 3 liter of water a day challenge. Who knows? The sky is truly the limit. If you are battling chronic dryness, I urge you to try this for a week and see how your hair responds.
Proof that drinking your water can make you beautiful
How is everyone doing with their water drinking? You didn't think I forgot, did you? Just because I haven't touched on the subject lately, doesn't mean we still aren't taking on this challenge! If all of my past begging, pleading, and shouting from the rooftops didn't convince you to drink more water, maybe this will.
Sarah, a 42 year old woman was suffering from health symptoms including poor digestion and reoccurring headaches. Desperate to try something to cure her ailments, she sought the help of a medical professional who encouraged Sarah, to increase her daily water intake to 3 liters. Sarah was willing to try anything to address her health concerns but little did she know that three liters of water would benefit her in ways she couldn't have imagined.
The image you are seeing before is the transformation Sarah experienced after only four weeks of drinking three liters of water a day.
The bags under her eyes are gone.
Dark circles disappeared.
Her skin tone is even toned and brighter.
Her lips are plumper.
Wrinkles have diminished greatly.
She appears almost decade younger than she did just four weeks earlier.
If this isn't enough to keep you inspired every time you take a sip of water, I don't know what is. Sarah also experienced improvements in her digestion, her flexibility and her headaches disappeared. She even lost a little weight during the process and experienced improvement in her cellulite.
Last week I traveled across the country to attend business meetings. I posted on my instagram page an image of my water along with other necessities to maintain moisture levels. I know the devastation that occurs when we are dehydrated. A counterpart and I hosted the meeting for our department. Throughout the entire 3 days, I kept a 1.5 liter bottle of Fiji water on hand from which I sipped regularly. I didn't see her drink anything during the entire session. On the last day, I caught a glimpse of her arms and legs which were scaly and clearly parched. As we hugged goodbye at the close of the meeting, I begged her to start drinking more water. The look on her face let me know that she understood exactly what I meant. She confessed that drinking water was an opportunity for her then vowed to take better care of herself. Like Sarah, her face showed signs of premature aging that I'm certain will correct itself if her water intake increased.
What's most interesting to me about this article is the amount of water Sarah drank. I have this theory that various level of water intake provide different benefits. If we only drink a couple of cups a day (like Sarah did pre-experiment). The benefits are minimal. We are able to stay alive. Basic functions are operating, but at the same time, our health is impacted. Then, as we increase our water to maybe 1 liter or 2, we start feeling better. Toxins are eliminated at a faster rate. Things get better. But when we veer into the territory that lies just beyond 2 litters (up to a gallon a day), then something wonderful happens. Our bodies have enough resources to deal with the pressing health issues. Then finds that it can also focus on what I call "beauty benefits."
Beauty benefits are when your skin starts to clear up, your scalp isn't as dry as it used to be, your nails grow in nicely, your hair flourishes and you have an all over glow. Who wouldn't want that? I know you want that.....don't you?
L.O.C. Method Remixed: Elevating the Moisture Game
Remember the post I did on the Healthy Hair Tips we can learn from Naturals? Well let's add one more technique to that list. In the first post I wrote in length about how naturals are obsessed with maintaining high moisture levels. Out of their obsession came a moisture creation technique that will change the game forever.
The technique I'm referring to is one known as the L.O.C method. L.O.C is an acronym that stands for liquid, oil, cream. Basically, this speaks to the order in which we apply each product during the moisture and sealing process. Winter is upon us and we can no longer rely on the basic process of moisturizing with product then sealing with oil. We've got to take this thang to a new level.
The L.O.C method is all about layering. First we moisten our hair with a liquid (this infuses the hair with moisture), then seal the liquid in with oil, but wait, we're not finished yet... Then we add a creamy moisturizer to finish off the process. The result is hair that's moisturized like never before.
Y'all know that I had test this experience for myself to see how my hair liked it. Turns out that I had to remix the order of application a little to get it just right. My hair likes when I use a liquid, cream, oil (L.C.O). I even got great results with liquid, oil, cream, oil (L.O.C.O). For some reason, I just didn't feel comfortable with my water based moisturizer as the final step. Habit always causes me to finish that layer with oil. When I first started experimenting, I used a leave-in as my liquid. Yesterday, I tried it with MSM water then applied Aveda Damage Remedy daily moisturizer and finished off with Gleau Argan oil blend. The overall results were magic. This is a perfect routine for winter. I like the idea of using MSM water because my hair is also getting the benefits from using MSM. Some say that MSM has the ability to impact growth and help keep new growth soft.
Who's tried this method already? Tell me what you think?
How acid water will make my hair and skin absolutely beautiful
A few posts ago, I hinted a little bit about my new-found gem. This new addition to my hair product arsenal is a really big deal. I am beyond excited! It all started with a recent visit to my local alkaline water supplier. For those of you who aren't familiar, alkaline water is said to be a healthier alternative to most of the water we drink which tends to land at a neutral pH level.
This matters because our bodies are said to be at a healthier state when it has a slightly alkaline pH. When our internal bodies are alkaline, the likelihood of ideal health is much more attainable. Unfortunately, the foods we commonly eat and the stressful environment we live in, promotes an acidic internal environment. For this reason, many have looked to alkaline water as a suitable aid to achieving a healthier ecosystem. I've been drinking alkaline water on and off for a while now but there was a time when I hardly drank it because my nearest supplier shut down early last year. Since then I've located another specialty water shop and now I'm back on track to bringing nourishing water into my life.
Alkaline water is great and all but what I'm really amped up about is alkaline's evil twin "acidic water."
O.k, I'm being a little dramatic when I say "evil twin" because acidic water isn't evil at all. As a matter of fact, acidic (or beauty) water can highly beneficial to us. As I stated before, our internal environment thrives at a slightly alkaline pH. Our external bodies do well when it's more acidic. This means our skin, eyes, and (yes) hair.
Some of you old timers to this blog may have remember this post on the proper pH balance for hair. In it I described how the cuticle layer of our hair responds directly to the pH of the environment. At an alkaline pH, (like when we touch up our hair) the cuticle layers open, creating a rough surface. When the environment is acidic, the cuticle layers will constrict which creates smoother, softer hair.
At a cost less than a gallon of milk, this acidic water is a steal when you think about the benefits I will receive overall. When I first brought my gallon home, I immediately began using the water to wash my face. As some of you many know, I'm on a skin care journey that will ultimately lead me to having glorious skin. Eliminating gluten and receiving a couple of professional facials have been a great help for my skin. Adding the acidic water is like the icing on the cake. In the pics below, I have on no makeup. In the past, I would rarely take bare faced pics without attempting to camouflage the dark spots and acne.
One big difference in my skin since using the acid water, is smoothness. My skin looked brighter and healthier after my just first experience. Of course my skin isn't perfect but I'm just estatic about that I'm seeing so far. For years I've been applying ACV on a cotton ball to help treat the dermatitis that was appearing on my skin. I know that this acid water will work perfectly with what I'm currently doing to compliment my skin and scalp care regimen.
I've had one experience using acidic water on wash day which was four days prior to these pics being taken. I did everything as I normally do except I conducted my final rinse using the acidic water. Instead of just pouring the water over my head and allowing it to flow down the drain, I added the water, in small amounts at a time, and massaged it into my strands as much as possible.
The biggest difference I noticed overall was softness and moisture. I wouldn't say that this water sealed my strands perfectly. That's probably because, according to the guy I brought it from, the pH level of this water is somewhere between 5.5 and 6.0. If I could have my way, I would have liked the water to be slightly more acidic. But hey, beggars can't be choosers in this hair game. I will say this, since using this water, my moisture levels have been off the chain! So much that I think I'll incorporate some protein next wash day to balance everything out. I'm approaching 4 months post and prior to the acidic water, I was contemplating touching up a little before I hit 5 months. Now I think the possibility of stretching to even six months could actually happen (fingers crossed).
There are a myriad of uses for this "beauty water." From now on, only acidic water goes into my steamer when I do facials, steam set my hair or when I'm steaming in my deep conditioner. The look you see in the pics is after I set my hair on steam rollers using the acidic beauty water. Normally, my hair would be set in a few short minutes. But because I was using a different type of water, the hair took longer to dry than normal. Overwhelmed with excitement about how it would turn out, I took the rollers out a bit early (hence the frizz you see in the pics). But oh well, I learned from the experience and when I do it again, I'll leave the rollers in a till my hair dries completely.
This acidic water excites me like none other because I believe it will be the foundation to many other wonderful things to come. Perhaps my hair products will work better now that my hair is closer to being pH balanced. I'm exploring the uses for this but I see much more possibilities such as a final rinse when I touch up. Or I may use this water when I dilute my leave-in conditioner.
Hair and beauty aside, this wonderful water can also be used to rinse my veggies prior to juicing. The water can also be used to sterilize surfaces after cleaning. The uses are endless. I'm so glad I stumbled upon such a great find!
