Time to grow...Stemm Density Stimuli Hairgrowth Serum

...T'Was the time to Lob...

Hi all, the blog is still on...I just need to grow a bit!

In general, but my hair particularly. It was the time to lob when blond-o-rexia had taken the best out of my hair. It had not been my particular blond-o-rexia but an overeager hairdresser. And you know my game: I bring on everything and some that could cure it...I had to bring in some defeat, and the Lob it was...

Good the Canadians at Deciem have not been quiet this year. You might known them from their gorgeous NIOD line (copper serum anyone?) or their affordable Hylamide line. This year they added 'Stemm for hair, and The Ordinary for even-more-affordable skincare (more on that later).

'Stemm Density Stimuli is a hairgrowth serum based on similar premises as Phylia [de M] Connect I have been blogging about [here] frequently: it has Fulvic Acid as it's main component which is a mineral that stimulates hair growth. 

Other hairgrowth-boosters are:

1. Stabilized dihydroquercetin (from larch tree wood)
2. Stabilized epigallocatechin gallate (from purified green tea)
3. Biotin in both free-form and in amino-peptide form (biotinoyl tripeptide-1)
4. Purified pea peptides
5. Very-high-solubility caffeine (5% net caffeine by weight in formula)
6. An organic, stable form of sulphur (MSM)
7. Bio-chelated topical-delivery silica (isolated from bamboo isoflavanones)
8. Highly-refined black fulvic acid (multi-acid organic low-molecular-weight constituent of soil)
9. Naturally-occurring hair amino acids (Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine), stabilized amino acids (Acetyl Cysteine, Acetyl Methionine)
10. Naturally-occurring minerals (Calcium, Zinc, Magnesium, Copper)
11. Niacinamide
12. Purified fireweed in a highly-specialized delivery system of multi-weight, cross-charged hyaluronic acid and soy-derived lysophospholipid.(source: Niod)

Woohooo, hold your horses. I seriously do not know the properties of half of it so I just have to see the growth, health and/or the thickness of it in the longer run. 

But before I'm going to update you on its effects after almost 2 months, let's just see how the packaging looks like:

Doesn't it look like a milk-cart package or takeaway meal or such? I do love their attention to a plastic free case, though the bottle is in a durable type of plastic.

As for applying the serum, there is a dropper you use when applying, the cap is just for closure.

And I still wanted to support the people at Vine video by making a dodgy - how to use the dropper? - video...

 

Yes, the sound is the nostalgic 2010 vibe of the XX 'heart skips a beat'...Let's hope it doesn't skip too much as only to pump nutrients to the hairshaft. 

After 1 and a half month I can say there is a small improvement in the amount of growth. I can measure at the highlights I placed in November, which is about 2 cm. Normally, in winter I only have 1 cm tops...

More importantly, I just love what it does to volume and density. You apply the serum at nighttime, and the morning I feel the roots are slightly lifted. Yes, volume with a Lob goes easier than with a booblength, but my virgin hair (on top) has the tendency to be lanky and heavy. This serum gives the effect of a good volume mousse without any scent or stickiness. It also looks incredibly healthy from the top, especially when you compare it to the blond-o-rexia-ed parts. 

Unfortunately, I have only seen a minor increase in new hairs growing: I had unsuccesfull extensions in May this year which yanked out a big heap of my hair in the back. This hair is still thinner compared to the top. It is called traction aclopedia and it does not only happen to me: See Kim K for it:

Side gap alert! Mine is not that bad because I had them twice but heck, when it happens to someone with sooo much cash and influence...

According to various sources (eg here), it takes 1 to 2 years for the hair to fully recover :(.

Anyway, for the time being I am liking the results I am having from the 'Stemm Density Stimuli. It is not whoppingly cheap, 43.00 EUR for 60 ml, but it will last for about 2 months. It gives me the feeling I am working on my natural [hair] growth without going bonkers about it. It makes me like my Lob [for the time being] as a new style, but does not keep me mentally in limbo on having to keep it this length. 

So yes, there we g[r]ow....

What's Beachin'?

For being off the blog for so long, I have to say I start missing it. I started to have the urge to review lengthily on instagram...that's an instagram don't! Purty images first, link to review later.

After getting a freebie beachspray from a sort-a fixed hairgirl stylist, I was like...I have a lot of these. Why not do a 5 days of faux-beachin'? Because seriously, after beachin bitching oftenly about my hair, I seem to have reached instagram-a-ble hair status!

  

Which means, I've been buying and using a lot of hairstuff (link here), eating healthily, and being a part of the Olaplex posse seems to pay off a bit.

But that does not mean I'm playing

straight, sleek hair all the time...

I'm liking the beach-babe role a lot and beachsprays can help a lot in making prissy straight a bit messy fun.

Which explains the selection of beachsprays I will review. So why now in the midst of summer? Because nostalgia is going to kick in soon enough and that so-called memory will make us think our hair looked amazing after a dip in the sea.

So keep on beachin'...

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 ¸¸.•*´¨`*•

The 2016 Resolutions edition: #BUDGETIZE (somewhat) with Phyto Phytokeratine Extreme Mask

Resolutions often have something to do with #budgetizing or spending less on luxury goods. 

 Oh, and so we like love the little me time when you can pamper with gorgeously scented products that make you glow like nothing else? I mean, there is often the new diet or that epic new workout schedule: can't we get some pampering as a reward?

I found this little new hairgem that not only peforms at that ridiculously Philip B Russian Amber Conditioning cream; it even smells like it!

Phyto Phytokeratine Extreme has been an upgrade or a version on speed from their already well-performing Phytokeratine line. And lets add the wonderful golden packaging...

 -the outside-

 

When opening the can, there is a pastlike substance that looks like a golden yellow. This is similar as the Philip B. one.

The formula of the mask is quite past-like. Thicker masks are often more concentrated, and they are handy for handluggage air travel.

-the inside-

 I have been so generous to highlight the ingredients that I find beneficial to hair-care.

Phyto Phytokeratine Extreme Mask ingredients:

Formule INCI:  paeonia officinalis flower extract (Peony flower), cetearyl alcohol (derived from coconut oil), isodecyl neopentanoate, dicetyldimonium chloride (dérivé de colza), stearyl alcohol (dérivé d'huile de coco), isodecyl, neopentanoate, dicetyldimonium chloride, aqua, pouteria sapota seed butter (beurre de sapotier), sipalmitoylhetyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate, mauritia flexuosa fruit ouil (buriti oil), isopropyl alcohol, ceteareth-33 (dérivé d'huile de coco), glyceryl stearate, parfum, ceteareth-20 (dérivé d'huile de coco), polyquaternium-10 (dérivé de celullose de bois), ricinomidopropyltrimonium methosulfate, adansonia digitata seed oil (baobab oil), panthenol (provitamine B5), hydrolyzed corn protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein (proteines from corn, soja, wheat), tocopherol, phenoxyethanol, citric acid, caprylyl glycol, tetrasodium edta, maltodextrine (pomme de terre), CI 75470/carmine, methylchloroisothiazoline, methylisothiazolinone.

Peony flower extract is also a prime ingredient in Klorane Peony Shampoo and is claimed to have anti-irritant, soothing and anti-radical properties. It is also often used in Chinese medicine. 

Sapote Butter has high lipid replenishing power and is infused with 2 times more omega 6 extract than shea butter.

I really like the pure version of buriti and baobab oil and I have used them for hair.

The hydrolized wheat proteins (glutenfree people beware) is claimed to "biomimetic properties that replicate natural keratin" so "it works very precisely to fill in the gaps and rebuild the initial architecture of hair".

Philip B. Russian Amber Conditioning Creme Ingredients: 

 Water/Aqua, Cetearyl Alcohol, Fragrance/Parfum, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Dimethicone, Benzyl Benzoate, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Stearalkonium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Sodium Lactate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, PCA, Ethylhexylglycerin, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Glycine, Alanine, Myristic Acid, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Phytantriol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Polysorbate 20, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract/Chamomilla Recutita, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract/Rosmarinus Officinalis, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract/Salvia Officinalis, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract/Urtica Dioica, Styrax Benzoin Resin Oil, Benzaldehyde, Cinnamic Acid, Coniferyl Benzoate, Vanillin, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil/Vitis Vinifera, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Benzoic Acid, Benzyl Salicylate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Coumarin, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Citronellol, Citronellol, Caramel, Bismuth Oxychloride/CI 77163, Yellow 5 /CI 19140

Philip B has a concoction of more expensive ingredients. Funnily, I could not find amber oil in this list, but that might be my lack of latin plantnames.

I find that Phyto Phytokeratine Extreme has more natural ingredients and the chemicals are limited to the ones that can be derived from plants. I also love the addition of soothing Peony flower extract. True, you will seldom use a conditioning mask close to the scalp as it weights down hair too much, but I really loved it in the shampoo version of Phytokeratine Extreme. 

-price-

Phyto Phytokeratine Extreme mask retails for €35.90 for 200ml over here. Philip B Russian Amber conditioning cream retails for a whopping $150 for 178 ml.

-results-

 I have been using the sample mask recently, but it really is a heavy duty performer. I love it on my dryer strands and it does feel silky, smooth, shiny and well-conditioned afterwards. For healthy stands I find it a bit too heavy: the hairs around my face felt limp for being oversaturised.
*
I cannot tell too much about the long-term results but I am happy to have found a rather natural alternative on adding keratine to my hair. I still depend on my pricey Alterna Fill & Fix mask for my protein fix, but that is an additional step in restoring my hair. Overal,  Phytokeratine Extreme Mask is a well-scented alternative and feels a lot like Philip B Creme conditioner.

Hence, for budgetizing on beauty there are a variety of options to find a good alternative for your (over)pricey treat.

Gettin' Soapy with Naomi Pure Beauty

There is something wonderfully old-school about a good piece of clean soap. 

Nowadays it does not have to be that all-removing type like our mums use to treasure. We can have both worlds of gentle care and practical hold. And how convenient is something non-liquidy for travel? 

I have already been testing some gorgeous Osmea Beauty soaps lately. But for shipping reasons, I wanted to look closer and more European. 

Yeh, I know! I should buy locally Dutch at the rural market but somehow the soap-making qualities have not been as esthetically pleasing as Naomi Pure Beauty. And carbon offset from Ireland is not as bad as US right? And for some reason I find the air more pure in Ireland than my own little (crowded/polluted) country so there you go...

1. Black Magic

 My first choice is not based on some eerie need for potential voodooooooo; I was simply looking for something with active charcoal after seeing it featured as "wonderproduct" on far far away US Osmeabeauty site. Claimed as healing for eczema and congested skin, I wanted to give the active charcoal a shot.

Naomi Pure Beauty is even more positive about Black Magic with Activated Charcoal as it can be a "Acne Remedy, Reduce Blemishes, Skin Perfection, Clean Skin, Detoxify, Purify". 

I have been using it a couple of times, and it is a strong soap. With strong I mean that it has the properties to make your skin wonderfully clean like one of those hamman experiences. I soaped myself in and got the exfoliating body brush to accompany it. Afterwards, my skin became even more clean than the grainy sugar/salt scrubs I use frequently.

The water will mix in greyish when you use it. That seems like proof that the charcoal is not just a gimmic.

It is not the type of soap I would use every day, due to overexfoliating. However, how delightfully detoxifying this one is when using one or two times a week.

2. Seaweed Soap

I picked up my second soap on the same account I frequently pick up a anti-cellulite lotion: Slimming! I am normal sized but the thighs are always demanding. Winter time often brings in the warming chocolaty drinks, mmmmm, so slathering them in seaweed soap makes me think that they can stay in their trusted pair of skinny jeans.

I have only used it once, and it smells like a mix of soap and something leafy. I'm not a seaweed expert but I guess that is probably it. The embedded seaweed bits function as a exfoliating tool so you actually stimulate the so-called problem area twice.

3. Cafe Mocha

  

 I just bought this soap for scentual pleasure. Good for me: no agenda! Ok, getting clean ofcourse or I could just sniff the coffee I brewed earlier, right?

It smells nice and coffee-ish but it could be slightly stronger. Perhaps I have to use it some more times to let the fragance cure a bit more.

4. Coconut Soap

 The coconut soap is marketed as a shampoo soap. My hairstory is extremely difficult: My damaged hair only tolerates Alterna Caviar Repair X line lately so I did not expect miracles from this one.

That said, I tried it and it is a pure way of washing hairs. My hair did not look too bad afterwards, but I still need the Alterna Caviar Repair X to make it look like it has not been traumatised (it has). So I like it as a more neutral soap for the body.

 *

Overall, I really like these soaps and the price has been fantastic for the quality thinking it is about 3.50 per soap. The labels looks instagram-worthy and that is important these days.

I gotten the four in a set over here for €12 which is a fab deal. It will make a cute holiday gift for those people you do not really know that well, but are still on you "to know better"-list.

Alexis Smart Wholehearted Remedy: a Sad Bunny Soother

I talk a lot about beauty, duh...beautyblogger. But if we go to "Happiest Girls are the Prettiest" (Audrey Hepburn), I have been lacking lately on the field of happiness.

Enter: Alexis Smart Wholehearted Remedy

I have been trying, and liking, Alexis Smart Beauty Formula no. 8 before (here). This time, I would go beyond the superfical to soothe my sadness.

So why the sadness? That is a very long story but to make it less complicated and more beauty related: necessary hairtrims.

The longer story: A couple of years ago I have lost my mother to cancer. I really held on to the hair that she touched and caressed for the last time. My hair was healthy and was able to grow a lot. My longest length was towards my booty.

Over the last 3 years I have been doing regular trims, with a sad heart every time as I would loose more of my 'mother's touched hair'. Eventually, I probably trimmed all of this hair. But symbolically, I felt more connected to my mother for still having long hair.

Then I made it blonder, so I looked more like my mother used to do. Something soothing about having the pale locks like my mother used to have. But this did not do the quality of my hair any favours either...

the ingredients to soothe a Sad Bunny? Perhaps...

So people who say "it's just hair"...It often never is "just" for a woman.

Well, you know my blog and if you find my tag 'Hair' you will find all types of products I tried to keep it healthy.

But my sadness goes further that this too, but it is a large part of it.

So I needed a Fairy Godmother or such:

USING Alexis Smart Wholehearted:

Wholehearted works like most flower remedies: take a couple of drops a day under the tongue. In Wholehearted's care: four times. 

Four drops a day keeps the sadness away (?)

Effect:

Since I have been going to University again, I had to go by train. It was emotionally so exhausting seeing various women with really long hair that sometimes I started crying for the whole train-ride. 

What a wonderful impression, right, when you still have to listen and look representative during lectures.

After a month I feel I can cope a bit better. Somehow my inner voice seems to filter things a bit better and things that were absolutely awful and intolerable can still feel bad, but I can keep a better control over the crying and other sadness-related emotions.

not quite yet, but soonish...

That does not mean I am there yet. I still need something more than drops: the occasional empathetic talk or a bit of sympathy. I could use a nice hairdresser too, but I guess that would be a case of intuition, some good references and a bit of Fairy Bunny luck.

September's Used Ups

I have not been doing this for a while but I still like to share my September Used Ups: 

• Arcona Peptide Firming Complex: I absolutely loved this one. Natural and it packs a potent pair of ingredients on the face. 
•  Sunwarrior Fulvic Acid 'Immune Shield: Since Phylia's De M's Connect (read here & here) I have been intrigued in taking Fulvic Acid. Phyllia's version is a whopping £160.00 whereas this one is €31. Not sure if it works on hair-health but it helps to keep germs/viruses at bay.
•  Lierac Ultra Body Lift 10: Me and my anti-cellulite routine. I like this specific one in pink.
•  Yarok Feed Your Roots Hairmouse. Another favourite organic hairstyling tool that works even better than its chemical siblings.
• Antonia Burrell Creme Supreme: I had to get used to this cream but I loved how it smoothes my larger pores and made me feel I had actually good skingenes. Con: expensive!
• Skeen Intensive Revival Gel: One from team boys (review here) and so fab for puffy mornings! 
• Aurelia Revitalise and Glow serum: A staple when the season changes -> good at calming AND anti-ageing.
•  Tatcha Deep Brightening serum: How much I like Tatcha, I did not see a radical change.
• Kure Bazaar nailpolish in Rose Milk: a 3-free polish with the best milky pink base.
•  sample Leonor Greyl Volumising Shampoo: quite good at volumizing without drying hair.
• Makeup Forever Smokey Lash intense Mascara: I love this one a lot but I can only buy it in France or Spain. Oh well, good excuse to visit either country :-)
•  Eyepencils NARS & Marc Jacobs Beauty in Black: both travel size and both efficient & long lasting

 

 

Giovanni Perfectly Platinum Shampoo (& Conditioner) is the organic answer to all those purple un-brassy shampoos. Soft and non-irritating and it has enough purple to keep the hair fresh.

Oh, by the way. My last blogpost said something about E. So (disclaimer:) I have never done drugs in my young years...just hanging or clubbing with good and lousy friends and the occasional wine/cocktail etc. But the pun behind the E numbers is that many people who are living so healthy these days have been quite naughty before. But that's life and generation amnesia, right?

 

5 days of Grey (Hair)

I had a small moment going into trending #greytone hair....

I felt ok with it, and then came to extra makeup to compensate for loosing warmth on my skin...

 

(it looks slightly green in this filter but you get the idea)

spooky Birkie

So I gotten over it and went warmer again.

I think natural warmer hairs have a bit of a non-moment these days. Various pinterest hair-spirations tell us that anything warm is brassy and anything ash is classy.

It sometimes seems to forget that there are women (and men) out there who are actually either natural redheads or copperheads. Not all faces are created equal and some people benefit more from having a bit of warmth in their hair instead of the ice-pole around their face.

E.g Emma Stone

Ofcourse, Miss Stone is gorgeous enough to pull either something cool or warm, but how ravishing she looks with warmer hair?

Alexa Chung

Alexa could also pull both warm & cool thanks to her stunning features. She often has a bit of a copper glow in her hair and somehow I feel it suits her better than cooler hair.

 Debra Messing 

She is not a natural redhead but it works amazingly with the warmth of her complexion.

And Instagram account @beautyisboring has this image of a warmer, honey blonde:

Annelot de Waal flaunting honey tones for Beauty is Boring

I'm all about bringing that photo to my colourist to ask if they could do a similar shade on me.

I liked being a grey for a while and it has helped me being able to accept going grey for real in da future.

German Vogue Editor Sarah Harris rocks her natural grey

I'm happy to see grey hair having a moment so the real greys are feeling more confident about their natural greylights out there.

 So what is your idea about the greytone trend?

May's Used Ups...

For this month I mighta cheat a bit and add some things I used up in April as well.

Do you mind? I hope not...

• Superfoods: I've talked about the effect of Moringa before (the Kerastase oils here) so why not adding it to da smoothie. I think I really like the dynamic effect of it and I feel my skin behaves better when I add Moringa.
• By Killian Flower of Immortality: I liked it but I consider them too aquatic for a larger size.
• Chanel Les Beiges Poudre n 30: Honestly, I'm not a fan. It's too perfumed and it's not working that well as foundation or glow-i-fyer. I do bring it on holidays to top up over my sunscreen.
• Mascara Too Faced Better than Sex: This mascara is lovely but I still prefer MUFE Smokey Lash.
• NARS Eyeliner Stylo in Atlantic: A lovely colour of navy blue but it dried up quite fast.
• Phyto Phytokeratine Mask: as recommended by a hyperblonde (here) when I was quite blonde myself. Lovely, I stil prefer Alterna Fill & Fix Mask for blonde (or other colour) rescue.
• L'Oreal Glam Bronze: OMG, how old is that one again? #MUhoarder
• Stila Lipliner in Charming: #MUhoarder again...gotta clear some space
• Majolica Majorca Automatic liner in ?: this must be one of my oldest makeup-products (7 yrs) and it still gave this killer metallic blue line. Something NARS could learn from.

• Addiction by Ayako Eyeliner Pencil in Tokyo Jazz: This has been a part of their Tokyo Jazz '14 set (here). It was also the best quality item and I totally finished it: perfect tightliner tool. 

My skin finally settled from easily agitated to kinda normal. However, are we humans a satisfied species? I guess not. So I was happy to use a variety of serums adressed to other specific needs:
 *

• I wanted to like La Roche Posay Pigmentclar but it smelled like really strong aftershave.

• I used plenty of Odacite serums thanks to a Cultbeauty promotion: The Baobab + Sarsapilla has been an undereye serum I used for my face, quite gentle. In the beginning of May I used the Green Tea & Lemongrass  to perk up my blah complexion. It worked! On my clogged pores I used some Lavender & Jojoba but I could not see dramatic results. I prefer La Roche Posay Effaciclar for that purpose.
• The Gressa Minimalist Serum in 4 had been a tad to dark for me. However, on my holidays I gotten slightly too tan (failing sunblock) so it was an excellent, nourishing match.
•  The Caudalie Polyphenol Oil has been targeted to detox skin. I felt I woke up with clearer skin. It has a stronger fragance so I only would use it when my skin is slightly normal.
• I've been buyng Caudalie Polyphenol Serum a couple of times and I love it during spring to plump up skin.
• The unlabeled bottle has been my Marie Veronique Organics Sunscreen. Very lovely and quite matte. I love it in cities or places when I tend to go oily.
• The Dr. Jart Water Max Sleeping Mask has been a wonderful boost of moisture at night. It doesn't do that much more than adding moisture, but I have other potions to add the extras ;)

Here goes the hairstory again:

I've tried to be a blonde for a while. In order to maintain a middle blonde I started going to hairdressers who made me blonder each time. At a certain point I gotten into this unequal creation that consisted of blondes going way to grey on me (bad toning done) and darker roots. So do blondes have more fun? I guess when their hairdresser is right and when you have too much time on hands that you like to spend toning/uprooting...

I have been going slightly darker these days because maintainance was too much stress: weekly toning, greys when I have hardly any of my owns. etc.  I basically could not get that beautiful blonde level some of my fellow Dutch women have. A bad blonde can look tacky so the guys were not so lovely on me either.
Also, I've adapted an organic lifestyle, went glutenfree, used mostly organic products, so why would I infuse so many chemicals in my system by hairdyes?
Indeed, it's not for nothing that doctor's tell pregnant women NOT to dye their hair because it could harm their baby.   That could never been good news for your body even if you were not pregnant

But the things I did to be a beautiful blonde (by myself)...

• The Phyto Phytocyane also has been recommended by the platinum on XOVain. I think my hair grew a bit faster with it. The vials are a bit hazardous, though. 
• Viviscal: hairstuff from the inside. If it's good enough for models...
• Wella Ilumina is a professional hairdye used in hairdresser salons. Well, toning cost about $60 and they often plunge the cooler tone all over the hair, resulting in some greyer parts: very unflattering when you are almost 40! I did a more precise job by buying either the 9.60 or the 10.1 on the parts that needed toning. It was a heck of a job, though, and I often washed it out in 2 weeks. I think my hair is stubborn because I have the same when getting professional toning in salons. Anyway, if your hair responds normally to toning (about 4 weeks of pleasure of the colour) I guess that DIY is a beautifully cheap option. Just take care of reading a zillion of tutorials on it!
• Davines Finest Pigments Gloss in Pearl is also a professional gloss, only gentler because it does not need a developer. Pearl neutralises some yellows but for a serious yellow or orangy I'd suggest Ash. I like this one when you need instant softening after bleach without going into the harshness of chemical toning again, or blurring out the first greys. You can get them over here.
• I guess you guys know I love Lush Marilyn. I use it when I'm strawberry red, superblonde or  lighter brown. It's an awesome pre-conditioner.

We continue with hairstuff...

•  Gielly Green Repair Mask is one of the better organic hairmasks out there.
• Another fave is Alterna Caviar Repair Fill & Fix treatment Mask. It's protein based and wonderful when you need to restore lost protein.
• Supplements: Doctor's Best Hyaluronic Acid. I like this stuff...
• I often add Marine Based Collagen in my smoothies: it's supposed to plump up skin & hair from the inside.
• Kerastase Crystaliste Serum has been a godsend when I had extensions last year. However, I have to use it sparingly on my own hair.

Skin:

• Sana Hadanomy Collagen mist has been wonderful for a while, but I'm on organic facemists now.
• I found this Hada Labo moisturizer slightly too simple for my face, but it made an awesome thinner body lotion.
• Ren Morrocan Rose Body Lotion smells divine without going to chemical rose territory. It moisturizes well enough for winter skins but is a bliss for summer skin as well.
• I've gotten the Indigo Skin Repair cream as a cheaper alternative on Tatcha's Indigo cream (below). I think it works quite well on psoriasis: I mean,not completely healing but still enough to cope with. It's more affordable to put this on your body than the expensive blue Tatcha one.
• However, for face and a more intensive effect: Tatcha Indigo Cream does help.
• I've gotten First Aid Facial Radiance Pads as a cheaper alternative on Cane + Austin Retexturizing Pads (here). They exfoliate, but Cane & Austin are more effective.
• Rodial Dragon Blood Eye mask struck me as gimmicky, but I still bought some for a long haul flight. I like them better than cheaper varieties but they're pricey.

• Yves Rocher has this affordable 2-phase cleanser for eyes that can remove my stubborn Japanese Primer by Kanebo Kate
• Bionike Dependence Miscelair gel is an Italian apothecary brand that cleanses the face easily
• A gorgeous perfume stored too long: Nicolai Cococabana. Bye bye!
• I had to say goodbye to my very 1st Burberry Beauty product bought in London! I loved this foundation but never used it up.
• Fushi Organics Hydrating lipbalm packs up the right amount of moisture on lips: whether totally healthy or slightly winterrized/seasalted-in-summertime.

Nails:

My nails have been weak for some unknown reason, hence:

• I've been trying Mavala Scientifique to strenghten them: no result
• Then there was Koh Nail Hardener in Bamboo: neither worked for me
• I had to discard Essie Lambada because it dried up too much, aww...
• Same with China Glaze Unplugged
• and I left my newbie from & Other Stories in sunlight. Boohoo, such a pretty orange.

That has been a bit of product-chat. Also, the hairtalk. Someone asked me to dedicate a blogpost specifically on haircolour and I think I might do that. It's often a bit of a social experiment, going into a new colour. 
But first, a proper review on one single product again! Yes...

Bucket-list filled: Josh Rosebrook, Olivine Salt & Love + Rose & Love

Who doesn't have a bucketlist? 

Well, I have a bucket, I had a small wishlist, and now my bucket is filled!

I needed some love in my life, and roses often are connected to love:

 

♥ ♥ ♥

Ok, I actually picked this Rose-based facial mist on its delightfully potent ingredient list:

did you see its 1st ingredient? Unconditional Love!

With summer in my mind, I already started a fantasy trip with beachmist Love & Salt... Wouldn't we all not mind some summer lovin'?

The ingredients are quite simple. But for recreating a true beach look: why add stuff the beach would never do in real life?

Both the Oviline Salt & Love as the Rose & Love come in real glass bottles. 

Then there is 'happily married' pair Josh Rosewood Deep Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner: 

 They work well apart, but they complete each other together.

I'm still in the long-term testing phase, but I already love Love & Roses: it feels pure and smells like the real deal.

The Salt & Love is quite nice, but I feel it could be replicated easily with some himalayan salt and coconut oil: there's a-plenty DIY-es on pinterest around. I like that you can reuse the glass bottle again for other liquids.

The Josh Rosebrook Deep Nourishing shampoo is rather sudsy when you've gotten used to the often less sudsy organic variety. I actually do not feel a strong need to condition afterwards so I'd say it's quite nourishing. It really reminds me of Living Proof smoothing shampoo in therms of feel & scent. It smells like Rooibos tea with some fruits.
The Deep Nourishing conditoner is the perfect follow-up for the areas that still needs a bit of extra softness. Thin, but an effective mid-level moisturizer.

All of these are travel sizes that I bought on abeautifulworld.com.