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Natural Clean Haircare with Briogeo

July 16, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hey There! Summer’s really here at full force and my hair has been taking a lot of beating lately with all the heat and humidity. It gets oily rather easily not just with the extra leave-in products I’ve been putting on my it, but also due to the extremes of temperatures both inside my house and the outside elements, not to mention the dust and sweat that mixes in. It’s so annoying, and I find myself constantly washing my hair and making sure that it doesn’t get so oily. So far, my haircare products of choice have been holding up well and lately, I discovered some products that seem to solve my hair issues this season – The latest Briogeo Be Gentle Be Kind Superfoods ($48) which I use in conjunction with the classic Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Super Moisture Shampoo ($36) and the Rosarco Repair Conditioner ($24). You might be wondering, what’s the difference with each of them? and Why do I use them alternately? Oh, there’s a lot to love with these haircare products.

Let’s first talk about the Don’t Despair, Repair! Super Moisture Shampoo (16 oz: $36). It’s the first Briogeo haircare product I purchased and I really love it. I like its milky fruity coconut-ish scent and it’s really a moisturizing shampoo that won’t weigh your hair down. Its consistency is not thick and it feels really good on the hair. It lathers well and it’s mild to use every day. I also like that it’s nourishing to the hair and it prevents further damage. It’s a great lightweight hydrating shampoo for those who’ve had chemical treatments done on their hair, and also, I really like the fact that it comes in a large easy-to-dispense container which makes it easy and practical for me to use and I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth. Next up is the Rosarco Repair Conditioner (8 oz: $24) which was on my wishlist for some time and I’m really glad that I purchased it because just like the Don’t Despair, Repair Shampoo, this conditioner smells great! You could sense the blend of Argan, Rose, and Coconut in this conditioner and it also delivers and restores moisture to the hair without making it oily or heavy. My hair feels smooth and soft with this and I feel like this is such a good everyday hair conditioner for any hair type. It can even make my hair withstand a moderate intensity of heat and humidity without using any leave-in treatments.

I could have stopped there and just be completely satisfied with those two Clean-certified Briogeo haircare products above, but with the release of the new Briogeo Be Gentle Be Kind Superfoods Hair Pack $48 ($56 value), I feel like I’ve got to try it because it also has the Clean seal from Sephora and I’ve been loving some clean haircare products lately especially the ones made by Briogeo. Another reason I wanted to try this pack (or you can purchase the shampoo and conditioner separately) is the fact that the packaging looks cute and who doesn’t love an apple-scented shampoo and conditioner? This haircare pack looks fresh and yummy and I wanted in on my hair. LOL

When I first tried the Be Gentle Be Kind Matcha + Apple Replenishing Superfood Shampoo (12.5 oz: $28) I was blown away by how good it smells. And yeah, it really does smell like green apple and it has a lightweight consistency, almost like a gel. It cleanses my hair very well without adding any weight. I was actually quite worried that it might leave my hair dry, but nope, it just cleanses it well and it cleanses thoroughly. I love the fact that it’s six free, which means there are no harsh silicons, parabens, etc., and it’s also cruelty-free. The same is true with the Be Gentle Be Kind Kale + Apple Replenishing Superfood Conditioner (12.5 oz: $28) which also has a strong yummy green apple scent. This conditioner feels creamy and it delivers moisture to the hair without making it too hydrated, oily, or heavy no matter how much I put on it. It’s nice to know that it’s rich in vitamins and antioxidants which is really a big help for the hair especially at this season and it’s great for protecting the hair from breakage while nourishing it deep to the strands.

If you ask me if there’s a big difference among the Briogeo Clean haircare products reviewed above, I think that the difference is subtle but it matters a lot as to what you want in a haircare product. Personally, I feel like if I’m gonna be staying indoor with a strong AC blasting constantly on my hair, I’m definitely gonna be using the Don’t Despair, Repair Shampoo, along with the Rosarco Conditioner just to keep the moisture on my hair. But if I’m gonna be out and about running errands and walking under the sun, then I’ll reach out for the Be Gentle Be Kind Superfoods Haircare.

Overall, I definitely recommend these Briogeo Haircare products and I think they’re great for cleaning the hair every day without being harsh. Check out my hair below. (P.S. I definitely need a haircut, I know, LOL…)

The Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Moisture Shampoo, Rosarco Conditioner, and The Be Gentle Be Kind Superfood Haircare are currently available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Revolve, QVC, JCPenney, Dermstore, Bloomingdale’s, & Anthropologie

Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 Review

July 10, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hello haircare addicts! yes, I’m one of you, and I have a new haircare discovery that I’m gonna talk about in today’s review. This particular haircare product is so life-changing and I never knew I’d be able to find a product like this ever. Yes, my queens, I’m talking about the Olaplex Hair Perfector No.3 (3.3 oz: $28). This has been recently carried by Sephora and I was so excited when I received their email notification saying that they’re now carrying Olaplex haircare products. Recently, I saw that they just added the No.4 and No.5 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and Conditioner and I can’t wait to get my hands on those.

Anyways, Olaplex has been gaining some popularity lately due to a lot of famous celebs talking about their amazing haircare product. It’s basically a three-step salon hair treatment that works to repair and rebuild broken hair bonds with the aim of repairing and preventing damaged hair. It seeks to rebuild and restore the hair back to its normal glory, making it strong, healthy and shiny. The No.1 (Bond Multiplier) and No.2 (Bond Perfector) treatments are done at the salon or by professionals only, but the third treatment, the No.3 Hair Perfector is meant to be used at home once a week to keep strengthening the hair. I’ve never tried the first two treatments before, but I’ve recently been sold by this No.3 Hair Perfector treatment because I really saw a huge improvement with my hair.

To give you a brief history of my hair and its condition, well, first of all, my hair is really long and straight. I’ve never colored it but I’ve had some straightening treatments done in the past. My hair strands are a mix of fine and thick that could get dry and frizzy easily. I normally don’t do much fuzz on my hair except applying some leave-in conditioners from time to time or use a heat protectant whenever I use a flat iron to straighten it. Most of the time, I like to just wash and wear. But my biggest hair problem is definitely hair breakage or hair fall and frizzies. I seem to have really weak strands and it got even worse since my hair had had some treatments in the past. Frizzies are annoying for me especially in the heat or extreme humidity, so I have to use a really moisturizing and defrizzing shampoo and conditioner to combat the issue.

Enter Olaplex Hair Perfector No.3, thank goodness I’ve tried this thing. It has a bit of a fruity scent that applies rather easily on the hair, but make sure you apply it when your hair is wet or right before shampooing. The instruction said to keep it on your hair for about 15 minutes, but I like to keep mine on for 30 to 40 minutes and the result seems better. After that, rinse your hair and apply your usual shampoo and conditioner. As you do that, you’ll notice your hair feeling really smooth and soft, like it had been in a salon. As soon as you dry your hair and a few hours later, you’ll feel the silky smooth difference. On my part, my hair feels really nice to the touch and it’s straighter than usual like it’s been rebonded or relaxed. I feel like now I have a rockstar hair. LOL. It’s just bouncier, shinier, and softer. I’m down to my second bottle now and I’ve noticed a huge difference in the amount of hair breakage or hair fall that I have. Literally, I barely see much hair breakage now and even fewer hair strands on the floor. It’s a problem solved for me and I’m so thankful for this product. I can now straighten my hair without worrying if I’m harming it too much or if I’ve overheated it with my flat iron.

This product is so good and I really recommend it if you wanna restore your hair back to its normal state. I was a bit scared before using this as it might make my hair worse, but right now my hair looks like it’s back to my teenager days before I did some sorcery on it. LOL. I do wish that they should’ve made the bottle larger because for its price and for the length of my hair, it’s basically only good for 3-4 uses. The bottle is really small and I like to soak the product into my hair. But anyways, I’ll still be hoarding this product from now on, and I’ll definitely try that Bond Maintenance Shampoo and Conditioner (No.4 and No.5) that’s been out in Sephora recently.

Have you tried this product yet? You really should.

The Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 is currently available at Sephora and Revolve

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture And Anti-Frizz Shampoo + Conditioner Review

April 27, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hey guys! I’ve got a new haircare brand to love and I’m excited to tell you about it. I’ve known about Alterna Haircare for quite some time since you always see their products being displayed in one of Sephora’s or Ulta’s counters. But for some reason, I just didn’t bother to explore this brand at all. I thought it might be just another one of those fad haircare brands that are pricey and will probably just fade away after a couple of years, only to be replaced by another fad haircare brand. Oh well, my point of view changed when I got a sample of their Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Shampoo and Conditioner which was inside my Sephora Play! Box and it was love at first wash. LOL.

I know I raved about my other two favorite haircare products before: The Living Proof No Frizz Haircare Line and the Kerastase Aura Botanica, both which I still use even to this day. However, I’d like to expand my choices and also look for some other alternatives just in case Sephora or Ulta will run out or stop carrying one of my favorite haircare products. Speaking of these two favorite hair products, as you notice, both of them are sulfate-free, paraben-free, phthalates-free, and I like my shampoo and conditioner that way. I like them with clean and natural ingredients that won’t weigh the hair down. I also love a hair product that works to tame those horrible frizzies. My hair tends to get oily fairly easily, so I prefer something that cleanses well and adds bounce. I’ve tried looking for a cheaper alternative before, like the L’oreal Everpure Sulfate-Free line but I couldn’t seem to love those. They made my hair really oily and heavy the next day and my hair didn’t look as shiny compared to using the stuff from Living Proof and Kerastase. Another thing I wanna point out is that it’s very important for me to have an easy access or easy reordering of my favorite haircare products, but that has been quite a challenge lately especially with Kerastase. If I don’t plan to reorder them on their website ahead of time, I would typically get them at my local hair salons. Oh well, that proved to be quite annoying because some salons will try to sell you some other stuff that you don’t really need, and I don’t like being bothered like that. I just want my favorite Kerastase stuff. Ya know what I mean? So yeah, I need to look for some other alternative haircare holy grails.

Ever since I stumbled into Alterna’s Caviar Haircare line, I feel like OMG, this is it! The smell and feel of their shampoo and conditioner kinda remind me of Kerastase and Living Proof, but they have a very interesting bunch of ingredients. First of all, they have caviar extracts from France and vitamins A, C, and D which they infused in this particular line, thus the name “Caviar Anti-Aging”. They also added a blend of seasilk to moisturize the hair. Second, their product’s style of packaging is really pretty and unique with an easy to twist bottle, although there’s one caveat with it which I’m gonna talk about in the next few paragraphs towards the end of this review. Lastly, you can find the Alterna Caviar line in just about any Sephora or Ulta locations everywhere, and lately, they added their new Anti-Frizz collection to this line as well.

Replenishing Moisture

Replenishing Moisture Shampoo (mini/1.35 oz: $10, 8.5 oz: $34, value size/16.5 oz: $52) – This shampoo doesn’t feel too thick and not too thin either, yet it seems very concentrated. It doesn’t lather immediately upon application and it needs to be mixed well with water, but once it starts to foam, then it cleanses thoroughly. You may need to rewash with this if your hair is extra oily or if it’s on the oily type. Personally, I find this to be a moisturizing shampoo and I like that it makes my hair smell fresh and clean without making it heavy.

Replenishing Moisture Conditioner (mini/1.35 oz: $10, 8.5 oz: $34, value/16.5 oz: $52) – This conditioner feels a bit thicker than most regular conditioners and it has a light sort of vinegar scent that washes off immediately and won’t really bother your nostrils. What I love about this conditioner is that I don’t need to use a lot of it and it keeps my hair feeling moisturized and relaxed. Unlike most regular conditioners where my hair tends to look and feel dry after a couple of hours and oily the next day, this particular Caviar Anti-Aging Conditioner from Alterna keeps my hair looking hydrated, healthy, and silky. It even keeps it that way the following day without looking like I drenched my hair in oil.

Anti-Frizz

Anti-Frizz Shampoo (8.5 oz: $34) – This particular shampoo feels a bit thicker than the Replenishing Moisture Shampoo above, and it lathers pretty well at first use. It also feels to be a lot more moisturizing and has a fruitier scent than the Anti-Aging shampoo above. I like this a lot and I also love the way it keeps moisture on my oily-prone hair, which actually didn’t get so oily lately because this particular shampoo sorta regulated it.

Anti-Frizz Conditioner (8.5 oz: $34) – This feels really thick, even a lot thicker than the Anti-Aging Replenishing Conditioner above and it’s pretty obvious why. This conditioner is meant to tame frizzies, combat hair dryness, and restore moisture not just for people with fine hair, but also for those with medium to thick hair. You don’t need a lot to actually use this product and it works really well so far. As we’re approaching the summer heat and humidity, I’ve noticed that I haven’t had any frizzy strands somehow, and mind you, my biggest hair problem is fighting those annoying frizzies. I will continue to use this as we dip into the coming high temperatures and see if this Anti-Frizz haircare line will live up to its promise. So far, I’m really loving this not just for its anti-frizz benefit, but also, I love the way my hair looks. It’s as if I straightened it and it looks really healthy and shiny. I have yet to try their Anti Frizz Blowout Butter which seems really good, but it’s on my wishlist so that hopefully I could put it to the test and update you guys soon.

I truly recommend that you give these Caviar Anti-Aging and Anti-Frizz Shampoo + Conditioner a try. I think they’re awesome, even though they can be pricey, but they also come in a travel size. The only thing that bothers me about these is their packaging. I appreciate their unique twist and squeeze type of bottle which looks luxe, pretty, and almost spill-proof, but for that same reason, they’re also a challenge to dispense, especially for the conditioners because they have such thick consistency. So halfway throughout your usage, you’re basically going to be squeezing and squeezing the bottle until it releases the product. Then imagine doing that with slippery foamy hands. It can be quite annoying. What I usually do is, I just keep the bottle close and turn it upside down – ready for the next use. Oh well, I hope Alterna will improve their packaging soon.

To sum it up. I think the Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture line is great for anyone who needs to restore or keep moisture in their hair and for those who tends to have oily hair that needs to be regulated. They’re great as everyday hydrating haircare products. On the other hand, the Anti-Frizz collection is great for those hot and humid months when you want your hair to behave, and it’ll work for just about any hair type, not just for medium to thick hair.

Have you tried these already? What are your favorite hair care products? Any recs for frizzies?

The Alterna Haircare is currently available at Sephora, Dermstore, Ulta, Nordstrom, QVC, Zulily and Saks Fifth Avenue