Captain Blankenship Mermaid Mane dry Shampoo: a festie-bestie, volumizer or shower-shy hairfriend

•*´¨`*•.¸¸. Power to the mermaids ¸¸.•*´¨`*•

Actually weird, as mermaid would have perennially wet and salted hair by the sea. But I'll spare you the mythical details and let's just think gorgeous, bouncy and lustrous hair.

I've been having a couple of dry-shampoos in the range of Bumble & Bumble, the delightful Klorane, Rene Furtherer and even a DIY blend of my own with arrowpowder and cacao. Still, this one has wowed me.

I normally am not the greatest fan of dry shampoos: they do help to extend the hair for a day of showering, but the effect is always a bit too matte or just an unglossy bit that seems to tangle a bit easier. 

how to use? Peanuts...

Also, I have been on a chemical-light diet for the hair...Haha, I haven't quit cold turkey as there are still some chemicals my hair needs every now and then: e.g. hairtoners etc. Once you started anything that goes beyond your natural hue of hair...

However, I'm trying to keep things more organic close to the scalp. And by trying this relatively newbie on the block I have found an excellent hair-mate.

What I like is how you can dose it: want a tad of sprinkles or want a big heap of powder. Also, it is handluggage friendly and perfectly to-be- decanted in smaller proportions. 

I need volume more in my life than ever. Reason: my hair has been a tad thinner since I tried another shot in hairextensions (I took them out in a jiffy...another story, boohoo, a sad one). Trying this dry shampoo on 3rd day hair made me realize I could get my old volume again. Normally, I prefer my hair after washing it, but this time I actually longed for the 3rd day, Mermaid boosted hairdo!

 So what's inside?

Easy peasy, nothing obtrusive. Although I am not exactly a fan of how the Rose Geranium and Palmarosa ended up smelling like, it is absolutely a soft blend and ends of neutral (to my nose) within a couple of minutes after application.

The powder is thin but not too powdery. I'm delighted to see that my darker roots don't get that dreaded 'dandruf' glow or that greyish overcast but stay their natural shade. As for the blonder hairs: it gives fantastic volume without too much tangles. Ack, my blond tangles easy anyway but this does not really aggravate it.

For Europeans, I found mine of a clip-in hairextension site Dirtylooks (here), I know, I never learn ;) but I've bought in to colour them up with pastel and fun colours like purple, turquoise etc. They have some other cute Indie brands in their beauty-department.

As for the question of whether one is too old for festivals, meet @baddiewinkle (instagram):

So true...

•*´¨`*•.¸¸. Now sprinkle on your mermaid dust and have a fab summer ¸¸.•*´¨`*•

Surf's Up Beachhair Texturizers

There is something about the fantasy & the reality version, and beach-hair is probably the best example out there. 

Or this version: note that I think the reality girl is incredibly pretty sans makeup and dreadlocky hair (her blog is here, she lives such a cool life)

Fantasy: after dipping in the ocean we will appear with lithe, slim legs, glossy lashes (our waterproof mascara works as a charm) and our wet hair will dry into a wavy substance that looks like it has been glistened by angels.

Reality: we actually don't wanna swim because it will mess up the no-makeup-makeup, when we still do (because the pretty girl over there could pull it off), we choke in some salt water - that comes out of our nose so the nose will look bloated. We avoided the jellyfish waiting to sting us, but we fall into the sand while doing so -> result, we look like a breadcrumbed fish. The waterproof mascara was not that waterproof -> zombie eyes & our hair will turn into a poor Bob Marley version and we need 40 minutes in the shower afterwards to [somewhat] make it comb-able.

But magazines tell us we will look like Doutzen on the left, IF we do the right things (buy too much stuff, lotsa time in the bathroom, etc etc)

And some products may help, and not take hours-n-hours-n-hours of effort:

So let's discuss the texturizers: 

a. Bumble & Bumble Pret-a-Powder dry shampoo:

All the glossy images around of beach hair...it supposed to be slightly matted. This powder does smell oceanic and gives it the right grip for the next step: waves

b. L'Oreal SuperDust

Reviewed here: similar as Bumble & Bumble but only with a more matte feeling. It's amazing for volume but I suggest looking at this tutorial for making it work (replace her 'Microdust' by 'Superdust' or your dusty volumiser of choice)

c. Batiste Dry shampoo:

THE original. I am choosy with dry shampoos and I think most of them, this included, makes the hair too white and are not suitable for everyone that does not have blonde roots (regrowth girls, brunettes, redheads, black hairs, that's about 98% of all women). But for texturizing reasons and the idea of the matte beachlook, I use this one.

d. Tony & Guy Sea-salt Retexturizing spray

I dislike most saltsprays but this one is actually reasonable. However, I use it in a hairspray kind of way (after curling hairs) because my own hair is as stick-straight as it could be and no salt will make it wavy.

e. Bumble & Bumble Thickening Spray

Awesome for giving hair the plumped up feeling you get from normal beach-activities. You can pair it with other styling products (see above) or keep it on its own.

F. Unite Blowset lotion

This gel formulation is perfect for prepping moist hair before blowdrying, and it will give the right kind of hold when creating waves on straight hair.

As for waves, this one looks realistic and takes only a couple of minutes:

I really like Jenny's tutorials because she's quick and no-nonsense on these things: Just replace her 'recommended hairproducts' with the ones that you have.

And how do you like your summer-hair best?

Juli's Used Ups

Let me start with a lippy I consequently used until I reached bottom (or tube): 

Really, this one is from MAC's 2008 collection (see Temptalia). I have a special storeage for MAC's LE's (some never used) in a dark, cool place and sometimes I revisit Zeeee Box-e and I find myself something useful or fun. Ofcourse, I'm aware of expiry dates so I use my sniffer, and some good ol' logic to see if it is still fresh. 

MAC slimshines are lovely & creamy moisturizing hints of colour for the lips. Funshine is a coraly pink that is lighter than my natural lip colour. I get a wonderful nod to lighter lips with colours like these.

The rest:

July has been somewhat unproductive, but I used up some things:

1. Fairy Drops Mascara  Platinum Mascara film type

Ok, not quite used up but logic and knowledge of mascaras told me it is time to let this one go. I know lots of women love Fairydrops but somehow most of their mascara do not really work for my type of lashes. They do not hold curl that stubbornly as the likes of Majolica Mallorca or Fasio and that is mostly what I need. It's still a good mascara, though, but only with a base.

2. Nude Nailpolish: Nails Inc Basil Street, Essie Barefoot & OPI Let Them Eat Rice Cake

With nailpolish the logic of throwing away is a lot easier, because they are often dried out or separated. I've also finished a bottle of Seche Vite Thinner which can bring some dying nailpolishes alive again. Then again, I have so many nailpolishes that I screen the ones that I really want to thin up again. Or, I need some space and will use some other nudes before possible repurchase.

3. Tatcha Restoring Eye cream (right corner- small sample)

Lovely, but also a bit too pasty/thick for summer time.

4.  Saniflore Aqua Magnifiqua toner (review here)

Absolutely delicious for congested [summer] skin. I can feel it doing something extra when my skin is congested, but without having that stripping feeling those generic anti-acne potions have. It smells so herbally fresh too: repurchase!

5. Rene Furtherer Naturalia Dry Shampoo

I gotten into this one thanks to MostlySunny's rave. AGREED!  It's so delightfully thin and mops up the right amount of grease. And, hardly no white residue! For the supermajority that doesn't have blonde roots it is so wonderful to have a spray that doesn't make you look like you have grey hairs. Even blondes will get a slightly greyish look with about most dry shampoos so I have no idea why companies don't make them better like this one.

6. Vichy Cellu-destock Serum Flash

6%! 

-> 

for the ones that read my neverending stories of battling the ghost of cellulite (albeit very alive) know that I have a serious Caffeine habit. This serum has 6% Caffeine in it. I liked it but it also felt like my 1st tube of Cellulite-busting potions from 1993: perhaps the scent or the texture. I didn't feel it was too effective but I've been slightly inconsequent with it. It's also quite expensive per ml so I think I'll try something else next time.

7. French Girl Organics Rose Noir Cleansing Oil

I featured this baby as a part of my Organic black bottle collection (here). It's a dense cleansing oil that does not foam: I always expect a foam as I'm used to Asian cleansing oils, but Organics seldom do. It cleanses up heavy duty makeup and/or sunscreen but I do need a sudsy cleanser afterwards for rinsing off the oily feeling. It smells lovely like a soft rose.

8. REN Radiance Perfection Serum

This serum is actually meant for younger skins in need of a radiance boost. However, I often serum up twice a day so I really liked this one in the morning: it has some antioxidants (eg: Bitter Orange, Lingonberry) that combat the oxidant effect of sunrays during the day.

That has been my round-up of July's Used Ups. It has been wonderful to take a step away from my normal lipstick routine by taking up a paler hue like MAC Funshine: it does take some more work with the rest of the face (more eyemakeup, etc).  For this month I'm thinking to step out of the box again with lipcolour: perhaps a good berry hue for Indian Summer? We'll see ; )

Resolution '14: Improving my French (read: using more French Products)

The "learning a new language" is often one of the more fun and advantageous resolutions a person can have. I mean, you only might meet one person in your life that speaks the language, but you'd always have the opportunity to really eavesdrop upon them, or *shock* reply them.

I'll take it easy and will try to improve my French:

L-R: La Roche Posay mineral water spray - Rene Furtherer Naturalia dry shampoo - Nuxe Lipgloss -Phyto Secret de Nuit - Rene Furtherer Laque Vegetale (hairspray)

I'd like to focus on Rene Furtherer's Naturalia Dry Shampoo. It has been Belgian Blogger Mostly Sunny who gave it major heads up. The Belgians are as lucky to get full access to most French cosmetics, the Dutch only partly. So she has the opportunity to try out the multitudes of French skincare and compare them to other brands.See her review here.

I really like it and I agree on it's grease-mopping cum volumising strenghts without leaving white residue:

Selfies with products are soooo 2014!

I also have the Nuxe lipgloss 02 Rose Legendaire. Nuxe is mostly famous for its buttery lipbalm; the lipgloss is the smoother & coloured sister:

It optionally plumps out lips and feels like a treat instead of lipgloss.

And something more common; my road-size La Roche Posay thermal water:

A nighttime hairbalm: Phyto Secret the Nuit (fr= Night secret)

I really didn't like this one first because it smelled like lavendel-on-a-chemical-trip and made my hair greasy and unglossy. Then I just added it in the dryer ends, SPARINGLY, which made a difference.  It couples up as a stylingcream if you opt for a braid -> waves on straight hair that last...

Are your 2014 resolutions as intellectually challenging as mine?

Project reconstructing hair

I have been discussing my hair a lot lately. Fact is that my longer hair with quite some volume has gotten thinner and sparser, with patches of boldness.

I announced on the blog that I would be "working on it". And I have, taking the hair serious. So I will show the steps I have been taking:

1. Yucky shakes used by supermodels:

Normally I do not fall for "supermodel X has been using this"-dogmatisms. That is just because genes, photoshop, makeup artists and fairy intervention have made them more beautiful than the rest of us. Exception in convincing, the almost 50-something Elle McPerson still rocking a body even 20-somethings would be envious of, AND excellent hair (even though it has gotten bleached, blowdried and all other modelly tools done by eager hairdressers all around the world). 

Ok, not just the potion, but she claims it works

 Also, Nigella Lawson, food-Goddess by excellence, was able to add this stuff to her sophisticated palate of food-perfection, keeping her beautiful hair and loosing some extra pounds too.

It is horribly tasting, but if it gives me better hair (and body) than I will keep up with it...(got Clean & Lean Body Brilliance from *SpaceNK*)

 

 2. The usual omegas  and Superior Hair (biotins & others)

Anything called Superior Hair sounds tempting, and the omegas are good for the skin too..

3. Too expensive newest supplements range:

 I wrote about it *here*

4. No Hair-dye

My hair is already breaking off without dye: let's not do chemical thingies with it!

The jury is still undecided whether dye brings out more volume in limp, greasier hair by altering the original structure. So for volume a bit of dye would be good. Also, the smoke-n-mirror effect that some dye can have the impact of it looking better than it actually is. But I have to wait for my own hair to get better, which brings me to step  5...

5. Protein cement treatments that smells like rotten eggyolk

Or better known as the oh so succesful Apoghee Two-step Protein treatment. See various reviews & explanations on Makeupalley. I have to say: it works.

6. The multitude of Volumizers that are somewhat succesful:
6.A. Dry Shampoos

 Batiste XXL volume wins hands down from French Klorane..."dommage" [=sorry]

6. B. Moussing Up...

Liese Wave-up Foam is actually targetted to create curls, but is actually tons better than L'óreal Proffessionel Volume Expand. Liese has a better hold and a natural feel. L'óreal Professionel has that sticky-feel and doesn't hold that long.
 

7. Finally, things that work:

I have blogged aplenty about Kerastase Elixir K Ultime Moringa Immortel for glossing up and reconstructing damaged hair, and I still like it and find it effective.

My latest volume hit has been L'óreal Elnett Heat protecting styling spray in Volume: it was BlushingLoves review that was really enthousiastic and convincing about it and I loved it since. It feels natural, non-sticky, and has the power to give the limp 'do a bit of volume, more than all the other potions I've tried so far.

8. The things I already did, a lot:

Left (brown bottle) washing the hair with a sulphate-free, non paraben shampoo (mine being L'óreal professionel Nature Abondance de Cacao, review coming soon).
Middle and right: the abundance of conditioners and hairmasks (some reviews here, others will be made soon).

9. Change hair-partings

from laurenconrad's site

*Another 'tip' from the experts I followed*

It helped me not to touch the bolding spot on the side that I had my parting on, and that could grow back with the help of Phylia de [M] Connect. But changing hair-parts can be quite iffy to work with and can feel a bit unconfortable in the beginning (tutorial of how-to here). Experts/magazines often tell you this change can give your hair more volume, but when volume is already sparse in hair, the change is minimal. But it helps to disguise thin spots and can look like you did something new with your hair (and you actually did).

10. Sweet Silk to protect the hair

I often wrap my hair in a silk scarf in bed. You could also opt for a silk pillowcase, which would also benefit the minimising of wrinkles. To see why it (can) help, visit this page.

So, has it been worth it, this much work, if a dramatic cut would do too?
I have seen an improvement in my hair-quality from quite horrible to tolerable. The major frizz has been gone and the baldness has been replaced with 3 cm hair-regrowth.  

If it is worth it, all these steps/time/money?? Perhaps not, if you would be not into beauty-regimes nor being as stubborn as I am.   Lack of volume is still an issue, and perhaps I should reach for the dye soon because my hair is almost healthy enough to tolerate this: only something that matches the natural shade. Or these type of perms that are not perms but provide more volume, I'll see.

Batiste dry shampoo in Brunette

For today I am going to give a mini-review on a product that has to to with hair. I normally shy away about reviewing anything that has to do with hair. Simply, hair does not interest me so much and I believe there are more experted people with better hair that can give some excellent reviews.

Still, one of the things my mum told me is to keep it clean, fresh and tangle free. And even if the 'dirty' look can look absolutely fantastic on the shorter hairstyles, I have longer hair and I like to keep it clean and shiny.

Clean hair can be a hassle when you have a busy lifestyle, are travelling a lot, or are at a festival in the summer. Dry shampoo can be a good product for extending your hairdo another day.

Another plus with dry shampoo is that they can be quite volumizing, which is a good extra.

For people who are not a light to middle blonde, and those are probably 85% of the world population or more, a normal dry shampoo is actually not a way of  looking really fabulous after application. Ok, there are the clearer varieties these days, but most turn out to be that white stuff that looks a lot like dandruff.

I have been familiar with Bumble & Bumble coloured dry shampoos, which are effective but expensive. So when I spotted a Brunette version from Batiste I was eager to ship this from the UK.

Batiste Brunette

Judging on the colour scheme of the can, I had a bit of hope that it would turn out to flatter warmer brunette colours. The can is in a auburn-kind of colour, and I would clearly define this as warm.

And did it live up to my expectations?

 Ehm, I displayed the effect of the dry-shampoo on my fake fringe (or bangs). The fringe is made of real human hair and matches my hair a lot. I circled the Batiste spray with the red lining.

Batiste brunette on the real hair fake fringe (circled in red)

As you notice, the hair colour is somewhere beteen a middle golden blonde and a light golden brunette, that depends on the colour definition that the larger companies of hairdyes give out. I noticed that my colour of hair is classified as brunette in Northern European countries, but in Southern European countries I am suddenly a middle-blonde.

To continue my two cents on the Batiste Brunette. Well, It looks terribly ashy and does not look shiny and fresh in my opinion. Actually, it looks like I have been rolling into barbeque ashes and put it in my hair. So, instead of the dandruff-look I have a woman-who-rolled-in-fire-ashes look...what an improvement!

Now, this is only a test on a particular shade of brunette, so it might work on the real cooler tones of brunettes. Still, I will go for the clearer varieties in the future, or spend a bit more on Bumble & Bumble.

Well, no big loss in the money department. It costed me £3.00. 

Still, I would like to see more companies to cater for Brunettes, redheads and raven-haired beauties. It is not only the blondes that need a suitable dry shampoo. And a good budget version in a suitable colour, or clear formula, would actually sell and give those companies more profit. Sounds reasonable, doesn't it?