April 2020 - Page 2 of 3 - Reviews and Other Stuff

Month: April 2020

IGK Haircare Review

April 17, 2020 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Raise your hand if you’re the type that likes to check if your hair strands are in place before joining any Zoom meetings! True story, right? Even though our situations have changed (hopefully it’ll get better soon), it’s still very important to look our best (or at least presentable) in the virtual world. The products I like to reach for lately especially for Zoom-worthy hair are the ones from IGK. If you’re wondering what IGK means, it’s actually the initials of the stylists/founders’ last names. This brand is known for their colorful packaging and eye-catching labels. Ever since having tried their dry shampoos which are truly hair-savers, I have been testing some of their other products, especially their new releases. So far, most of the stuff I’ve tried from this brand has been really interesting. Let’s take a look.

Dry Shampoo

First Class Charcoal Detox (2-6.3 oz: 14-27 USD) – This is one of the best dry shampoos I’ve ever tried. With minimal scent and less fume, this charcoal dry shampoo is perfect for those with somewhat oily to very oily hair. This can make your hair look clean and fresh even after two days without washing. You may have to use a lot of this though and this can make your hair feel gritty, but still, this works like a charm. I really like that this doesn’t leave any white residue on the hair and this can save you a lot of time when hair grooming.

Jet Lag Invisible Dry Shampoo (6.3 oz: 27 USD) – This dry shampoo is a toned-down version of the First Class Detox shampoo above. This is meant for those with slightly oily hair the next day or for those who just want to add a bit of texture in their hair. For me, this only works to keep my hair looking fresh the following day. Other than that, this won’t work for those with super oily hair. Most of the time, I just use this as a texturizer or even to add a bit of volume to my hair.

Texturizing

Beach Club Texture Spray (1.7-5 oz: 14-29 USD) – This is probably one of the most wonderful and reliable texturizing sprays I’ve ever tried. If it wasn’t for the strong coconut scent, I would have made this as my most favorite hair texturizing spray because this really works well in creating or adding texture to your hair. This also gives that natural “beach hair” look and this even adds volume. Also, this texturizer is salt-free, non-sticky, and this doesn’t dry the hair. For an overall well-performing hair texturizer with a very pleasing scent, the Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray is still my top favorite.

Rich Kid Coconut Oil Gel (1.7-5 oz: 15-29 USD) – This award-winning coconut-infused creamy hair texturizer has a lot of purpose. You can create an air-dried tousled hair, wavy-textured hair, or frizz-free beach hair with this styler if those are your style. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work well on my straight hair especially if it’s very clean. This does tame the frizzies, but this also makes my hair look too textured and too scrunched. I find that this works very well on second-day unwashed hair to create that natural lived-in textured look that a lot of people especially on TV are sporting nowadays, and perhaps the kind of hair you may want to do when you need to be in Zoom ASAP.

Straightening/Masks

Antisocial Overnight Bond-Building Dry Hair Mask (5 oz: 34 USD) – This color-safe bond-building dry hair mask which feels like a dry shampoo is meant to repair and strengthen the hair over time. To use this, you’re supposed to apply this product at night as a hair mask, and that works really well. Also, for me, I like to use this whenever I feel like my hair has bents or has some waves that need to be straightened asap. What I noticed is that this really works in relaxing, softening, and detangling the hair. Most of all, the effect seems to be quite long-lasting and this seems to improve the hair’s texture, overall look, and condition. The scent of this may be a bit too much for some, however, given that this really works well on the hair, I think this is one of my most favorite products from IGK and I definitely recommend that you try it.

Good Behavior Spirulina Protein Smoothing Spray (5.6 oz: 32 USD) – This is a very interesting IGK product because this is a heat protectant spray that can actually make your hair look like it just had a Keratin treatment. To use, you must first coat your hair with this product, blow-dry it in sections, then finish it with a flat iron to achieve that smooth, shiny, and straightened keratinized-hair look. Personally, I don’t use it as indicated because I noticed that it made my hair look too heavy and somewhat oily since this has a dry oil feel. I prefer to use this as a finishing spray because this gives my hair a nice shine while still retaining some of the volume. But, if you want to achieve that pin-straight hair and want your hair to look more tamed and definitely less frizzy, you must follow the instructions. You might actually love the result.

Offline 3-Minute Hydration (6.7 oz: 38 USD) – I have a new favorite hair mask and it’s this quick 3-minute only Offline mask. I love the name of this mask and I love how this mask made my hair look hydrated, healthy, light, and shiny even after just a few uses. I feel like this has restored my hair back to its natural volume and vitality. On top of that, this mask works really well with any lightweight volumizing shampoo. The consistency of this very thick, so, you only have to use a bit. This though has a somewhat strong coconut scent, but will not be noticeable after rinsing. I definitely recommend this mask and I wish IGK will continue to make more interesting hair masks like this and with interesting names as well. The next one should be called “Quarantine Hair” or “Zoom Me Maybe” lol 😃 .

What do you think about IGK’s haircare products? What are your tips for a good hair day, at least online?

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Books to Read While Social Distancing. Part 1

April 13, 2020 / OTHER STUFF / 0 comments

As we try to make sense with our new normal, it’s very important that we keep our day to day activities as consistent as it used to be as possible. Establishing some sort of normalcy in our lives during these times is really challenging but it’s good for our sanity. Also, taking advantage of the extra time most of us now have will help to make us feel productive.

While I do like to binge-watch shows on TV (yes, I did watch Tiger King and Crash Landing On You :-)) and run to the tune of Dua Lipa’s “Let’s Get Physical” (how ironic is this song given our current situation?), I’m also a big fan of reading. Although it’s hard to read a book nowadays because a lot of us are worried, reading can actually provide a momentary distraction and a sense of focus. It’s going to be hard at first especially when thoughts are racing inside your head, but it’ll get easier as soon as you get into the habit.

So, without further ado, check out this first part of the books I recommend to read while social distancing.

You Are A Badass Everyday by Jen Sincero – If you’re a fan of Jen Sincero and her original badass book, you will most probably like this one. I actually liked this book a lot and even more so than the first book. This was a quick read and Jen had put some very interesting self-affirmative advice that a lot of you will mostly like.

Paris, New York, and London in Bloom by Georgianna Lane – If you don’t feel like reading, you can just sit and browse through the beautiful pages of Georgianna Lane’s coffee table books. I absolutely adore these “in Bloom” books and these are perfect for Spring. Also, Georgianna is an amazing photographer with such Pinteresting work.

All Along You Were Blooming by Morgan Harper Nichols – Such a great powerful book of poems by Morgan Harper Nichols whom I discovered through Instagram. This handy hardcover with a beautiful floral illustration is full of poetic healing words that are transformational and inspirational. Morgan’s words will touch your heart and this is the kind of book we need nowadays.

Pillow Thoughts I & II by Courtney Peppernell – I don’t think I’ve ever read a poetry book as interesting as Courtney Peppernell’s. Ever since the release of her first Pillow Thoughts book, I’ve become a fan and I really like how her words rhymed and the overall emotion conveyed on every page of her books. If you haven’t read one of her poetry books yet, well, her books have sections for whatever your heart is going through or whatever it desires.

Andy Warhol Was a Hoarder by Claudia Kalb – Here’s a Psychology book that reads like a very entertaining novel. What do Princess Diana and Marilyn Monroe have in common? How did Charles Darwin manage to finish his “On the Origin of Species” despite having a psychosomatic disorder? And why was Andy Warhol a hoarder? This is a book about the minds of some of the greatest personalities in our history and why they became the way they were. Interesting right?

Have you read any of these books before?

Stay tuned for the second batch of books I’m going to recommend soon.

Take care everyone.

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Ouai Shampoo and Conditioner for Fine Hair Review

April 9, 2020 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 1 Comment

Hello. In line with taking care of ourselves during these quarantine times, it’s very important to take time to breathe, relax, stretch, exercise, and have a good soothing shower. Remember: “A sound mind is in a sound body”. So, speaking of baths and showers, I have a haircare line to recommend, that is if, you haven’t tried this line yet.

The Ouai Shampoo and Conditioner for Fine Hair is a surprise love for me. At first, I didn’t expect much from this line, thinking it would be just like any of those shampoos and conditioners that claim to add volume and bounce, yet most of them didn’t really work for me. However, I do love a lot of Ouai’s haircare stuff, so, I gave this a try. My first impression of these? I was blown away.

As a side note, my hair is quite flat, straight, and has mostly fine strands especially in the inner layers, however, I also have some sort of thick strands mixed-in. On top of that, it tends to get oily. So, I always look for a good volumizing lightweight shampoo and conditioner to help with the issue. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t like moisturizing haircare products. It really all depends on the situation. In fact, I’m planning to review the Ouai Shampoo and Conditioner for Medium Hair soon to see if that will also work for me. For now, let’s take a look at these.

Ouai Fine Hair Shampoo (10-32 oz: 28-56 USD) – This shampoo has a nice light floral scent (taken from Ouai’s Mercer St. EDP) which has a bit of lemon, jasmine, and musk. This has a very very lightweight feel that is definitely formulated for fine hair that needs volume or body. Also, this shampoo is color-safe, has no harsh ingredients, and this has Hydrolyzed Keratin which tames frizzies and flyaways. What I really like about this shampoo is that this foams and rinses the hair very well without having to use too much. This makes the hair feel so clean without drying it and this gets rid of excess oil. Along with the conditioner for fine hair, this shampoo delivers what it’s supposed to be.

Ouai Fine Hair Conditioner (10-32 oz: 28-56 USD) – This conditioner has a nice smooth feel that is quite fluid and totally light. This has the same ingredients as the Fine Shampoo which has Biotin and Chia Seed Oil but this is definitely not thick and this doesn’t weigh the hair down. The jasmine scent of this is quite more noticeable than the shampoo counterpart but still very very light. I really like that the effect of this conditioner plus the shampoo gave that right look of clean, soft, bouncy hair and with relaxed or tamed frizzies and flyaways.

Overall, I am utterly impressed with this Shampoo and Conditioner. I think these are becoming my holy grail haircare since there aren’t really many shampoos and conditioners out there that truly volumizes the hair and makes it look clean. On top of that, these make the hair look nice and still volumized even the next day, and with the sleek packaging along with the lovely light floral scent, I really recommend these for those with fine hair.

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