Love: Dry Shampoo

I had been wanting to try a dry shampoo for a long time. My hair is fine, and I have to wash it everyday so it doesn't look like ass. But I realize that washing it everyday isn't all that healthy.

I waited a long time to actually purchase one. I agonized over which one to try, reading reviews, researching ingredients, etc.

I'm fairly confident this dry shampoo by Sexy Hair Concepts is the best on the market for the price.

Good things:

1. Spray it on. Wait 2 minutes. Brush it out. Hair is refreshed with tremendous volume, and has a matte texture.
2. Removes product buildup.
3. I find my hair is much more styleable and awesome on the days I use this. I've heard that if you curl your hair, it will retain the curl longer using this.
4. It doesn't leave a powdery residue like some dry shampoos do.
5. The smell is decent. Kind of cucumber-melony.
6. Way more affordable than most dry shampoos on the market.

Bad things:

1. If you get serious bed-head, you may have to rinse and dry your hair before using this. It isn't going to get rid of that crazy look.

In Which a Shampoo Makes Me Weak in the Knees

For months I have seriously cut back on my shampoo addiction. With the economy being in the tank, I am saving more, giving more to charity, and trying not to be such a consumer. But I am weak. I have moments where I just cannot resist temptation. My first mistake was even walking down the shampoo aisle at CVS. The bold colors of this line jumped out at me. I flipped open the lid and took a sniff and it seriously took me a few minutes to regain my composure. It smells THAT. GOOD. It had me at hello, but the scent is just the tip of the iceberg with these little gems.

:: Vitamin Shampoo and Conditioner ::

Good things:

1. First and foremost: Sulfate-free and Paraben-free. This is important to me, as I'm trying to eliminate the use of sulfates.
2. THE FREAKING SMELL. Choices like blueberry avocado, acai berry guava, and my choice: blackberry pomegranate. And the scent DOES linger throughout the day.
3. Unlike some other natural shampoo lines, it doesn't dry your hair out at all.
4. The real sell on this line is the use of superfruits. Not sure that does lickity split for your hair, but it can't hurt.

Bad things:

1. You can't eat it.
2. Sometimes the bottle makes it a little hard to squeeze out the product, but sometimes you have to work for the good things.

If you're in the mood to treat yourself to something yummy and nourishing, I would indulge in a set from this line. I don't think you'll be sorry.

So Sexy

:: Victoria's Secret So Sexy Hair Care Products ::

I am sooooOOoo in love with the "So Sexy" line of hair care products (shampoo, conditioner, styling products) from Victoria's Secret. There is something really intoxicating about the scent. The formulations on these products are reasonably good too. I could extoll to you their virtues, but the scent is really what I'm raving about here, and I don't want to waste time talking about the ingredient list. Just run and get these. They are on sale currently, 3 products for $21. If all of my friends' hair starts smelling this good, I may end up sniffing hair all damn day long.

While you're at it, pick up a few of the Beauty Rush lip glosses. I own a lot of balms/glosses, so trust me when I say the Beauty Rush formula is really stellar. The color is subtle but rocks, and they moisturize so well I find myself feeling like my lips are marinated. I know that's a weird analogy but it's how I feel, so deal with it.

Triple Treat

I've had this set in my shower for a couple of months, but already I feel like it will be a staple of mine for years to come. 

:: Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Shampoo and Conditioner ::

This was recommended to me and I kept passing it over because I wasn't a huge fan of the smell from the bottle. But when a handful of people are telling you to give it a try, eventually you succumb to their wishes.

Good things:

1. The Giovanni Tea Tree line is great if you have that unfortunate problem of having oily roots and dry ends. It cleans hair really well and treats the scalp, without drying out the shaft.
   
2. It's a natural/organic product line (I found it at the organic section in Wegman's.) which isn't in and of itself a reason to buy something, but it does feel good to know you're not coating your hair with unnatural chemicals.
   
3. This is supposed to be good for itchy/flakey scalp. I can't attest to that as I don't have that problem, but I've read a lot of reviews from women who say it helps.
   
4. Sulfate-free shampoo. Won't lather as much, but it's better for your hair in the end.
   

Bad things:

1. I wouldn't use this everyday. Maybe once or twice a week.
   
2. This does contain some irritants (peppermint and eucalyptus). Gives you that tingly feeling you crave but for some people it may cause problems. It didn't for me.
   
3. The smell isn't very nice, but it doesn't linger long.
   

Til it Shines Like the Top of the Chrysler Building!!!

I was moseying around the CVS this weekend waiting for my mom to print her digital pictures, which is an hours-long endeavor. Like a badger, I am easily distracted by shiny new things. In the hair-care aisle, this bubble-gum pink bottle had me at hello.

:: L'Oreal Vive Pro Nutri Gloss Shampoo/Conditioner ::

Good things:

1. Claims to leave hair ultra shiny and bouncy, and I must say it mostly delivers on that promise. It contains a fair amount of protein and *does* leave hair with a nice sheen and ample bounce. I don't think you're going to look like Monica Gellar (Courtney Cox) with mirror-shiny hair, but it's sort of akin to using a regular shampoo followed by a nice shine mist.
2. The conditioner is great! Rinses clean and left my hair so soft and manageable, but with lots of volume.
3. Best thing of all...the smell! It's the same scent as the discontinued Fresh Vive. It's great when you can sit on the couch at the end of the day and catch a whiff of your still-delicious hair.

Bad things:

1. Probably causes buildup over time. I always use a clarifying shampoo at least once a week to remedy this.

Apparently this is so new that they don't even have it up on their web site yet. I cannot find a picture of the bottle anywhere. So I am posting a German version that I found. Those damn Europeans get all the good stuff first.

Since this is so new, it may be difficult to find. Make sure you do not confuse this with the "style infusing" Vive Pro which SUCKS ASS and makes your hair flat and greasy looking. The Nutri Gloss has a bright pink bottle and the "ass infuser" has a darker pink bottle.

Red Red Wine You Make My Feet Smell Fine

I loooooooove this shampoo/conditioner combo. I found it at the GreenStar Market in Ithaca, NY.

:: Desert Essence Italian Red Grape Shampoo/Conditioner ::

Good things:

1. Sulfate-free shampoo. WoO! Won't strip hair.
2. Silicone-free conditioner. WoO! Won't coat hair.
   
3. Smells like grape soda and/or wine. Very devine.
4. Unlike most "natural" shampoos, doesn't leave hair feeling greasy or tangly.
   

Bad things:

1. A bit hard to find; check organic sections or health food stores or search online.
2. A tad pricey compared to most drugstore brands, but worth it for the quality ingredients.

Red Velvet Cake

I normally post about drugstore products exclusively, as I'm not a fan of paying high prices and frankly, if it's not at Target I don't really need it. But I am making a rare exception here.

Run, don't walk, to get Philosophy's newest 3-in-1 scent, Red Velvet Cake. I almost passed out in the shower; it was that good.

:: Philosophy 3-in-1 Red Velvet Cake ::

Good things:
3-in-1. You can use it as a shampoo, shower gel, or bubble bath.
The scent is indescribably good. In the bottle it just smells like chocolate and cherries. In the shower, oh my god, it smells like somebody opened up a French bakery and started massaging me with world-class baked goods.
As a shower gel, it cleans but doesn't leave you feeling dry and violated, like some soaps do. Very skin-friendly.
Lathers extremely well.
The scent lingers longer than most shower gels do, which is nice. But it's not so strong that it would be noticeable by anyone who's not sniffing you directly, which is also nice.

Bad things:
A tad expensive at $16 for 16 fl. oz.
Not easy to find if you don't live near a Sephora or something. I bought it on drugstore.com with a coupon.
The red looks a little like blood when you put it on a light wash cloth, but I kind of like that.

Moooooooooist

HOLY GRAIL SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER!!!

Sorry for shouting but this one really is great. And lots of other ladies out there agree. Best moisturizing drugstore shampoo is.....*drumroll*

:: Aussie Moist Shampoo and Conditioner ::

I use this stuff in the winter mainly because the dry air makes my hair frizzy and static-y.

Good things:
Very moisturizing without weighing hair down.
Hair feels buttery soft and satiny smooth, and bouncy.
I love the smell (some people hate it).
The name. I like seeing the word "moist" in the morning.
Cheap! You can get a bigfattypumpbottle for next to nothing.

Bad things:
As mentioned above, some people are not as turned on by the smell, and it's not for everyone. If you have very dry hair you might need something more intense.

Smell my hair.

I'll be honest about today's product: it's not the best shampoo in the world. I was really excited when Dove announced they would be coming out with a hair care line. They really had an opportunity to raise the standards for drugstore shampoos because they have an established brand and a history of great research and development. Thus far, I've been underwhelmed with their offerings. There's nothing being put out there that isn't already available. Come on, Dove! Give us what we need!

:: Dove Advanced Care Sheer Moisture ::

Okay so why am I on here promoting some Dove 'poos? Because I like the fricking smell. It's that simple. I don't use this stuff everyday cause it does cause some buildup, but used intermittently with a clarifying shampoo like Suave Daily Clarifying, it's a pretty nice -albeit average- poo/conditioner set. I use the whole set including the leave-in mist.

I like saying poo.

Good things:
The smell. Love the classic Dove scent. Makes me swoon over myself when I flip my hair around.
Moisture without weight. Nice for fine-haired girls like myself.
Affordable.
Leaves hair clean, manageable, soft.

Bad things:
Sulfates in the shampoo.
Ingredient list is mediocre at best. There are way better formulas out there.
Shouldn't be used every day without clarifying at least once a week.

Sulfates Suck

I usually have at least 3 sets of shampoo/conditioner in my shower, and rarely use the same one day to day. My current fave comes from Ken Pavés, Jessica Simpson's man-bitch slash hairstylist.

:: Ken Pavés Flawless No Sulfates Allowed Repairing Shine Shampoo ::

I use this with the Pavés Undamaged Goods Deep Conditioning Repair Cream. They work well together. The shampoo can feel a bit drying when you rinse, but once you put the conditioner in and rinse it, your hair feels healthy and soft without feely greasy. It's really hard to find sulfate-free shampoos in a drugstore, so I love that this is out there at such a great price.

Good things:
No harsh detergents (sulfates) to strip your hair = less lather but also less damage to your hair.
Keeps buildup and oil away.
Very high-end ingredients.
Drugstore price. (I found it at my local Weis for 75% off. I bought 6 bottles.)

Bad things:
A little hard to find.
I'm not a big fan of the scent.
I'm not a big fan of supporting any friend of Jessica Simpson's, but I'm making a rare exception here.