Supernatural Botanicals

  Blake Lively always gets it right when it comes to fab hairstyles!  Steal this look from Blake in a matter of minutes.  It’s actually a very simple hairstyle.   This style works well with long hair.  Here’s how it works:  Flat iron hair straight.  Next, part hair on the side and create a very low, slick and sleek, ponytail.  If need be, use hair straightening product to slick down your bangs.  Your low ponytail should hit the nape of the neck.  Next, create a bun by simply twisting hair around itself and securing it at the nape of the neck.  Secure with another ponytail holder.  Next, pull pieces from the bun to create a messy look.  Pull a few long pieces to depth.  Use bobby pins to secure pieces in place.  Flat iron the tiny pieces of hair from the bun to make them pop.  It’s super simple and a great fix if you are having a bad hair day.  Once you get the hang of it, it will take you less than five minutes to achieve this look.  This hairstyle looks great with a gorgeous dress….or even in jeans or Juicy Couture’s.  Try it!

We were so excited to receive WEN’s Fall Ginger Pumpkin Cleanser!  This is the latest product created by Chaz Dean, founder of WEN.  Chaz’s concept is much different in that he eliminates harsh chemicals, SLS and parabens from his products…which we love!  His products are not traditional shampoos like we know shampoo to be (sudsy and bubbly).  Chaz’s approach is using a cleansing conditioner formulated with natural ingredients to cleanse the scalp and make the hair feel amazing.  So we dug right in and couldn’t wait to put the product to use.

It comes with a DVD which explains the way WEN should be used.  According to the instructional DVD, the cleansing conditioner should be put onto the scalp and hair, and massaged, even combed through with a wide toothed comb in the shower.  From our perspective, this seemed to require more time than we had in the shower.  It felt rather unrealistic and unprobable that we would massage our scalp for a good five minutes while in the shower.  However, if you have the time, certainly do so.  It stimulates the scalp and improves blood flow, not to mention feels great.

Spending at least a few minutes on massaging the product in, however, was doable.  The scent of the new Fall Ginger Pumpkin is amazing.  In fact, I smelled it hours later in my locks while I was doing yoga.  The cleansing conditioner is thick and rich, and makes your hair instantly tangle-less.

I have very long hair, and need a great conditioner that really works to make my hair soft and silky, and easy to get a comb through while wet.  WEN worked absolutely perfectly to do just that.  My hair felt incredibly soft and silky.  Another thing noticed was that it gives your hair that “just from the salon” look and feel.  It made blow drying my hair like a professional blow out from a salon.  Bouncy, full, and soft.  WEN scores huge points for conditioning, hands down.

We give WEN Fall Ginger Pumpkin two definite thumbs us.  While some things,  in our opinion, could be tweaked, it’s still a sensational product.  The cons are packaging…while the amber bottles are great, the pump should be a flip disk.  It requires too many pumps in order to get the right amount of product in your hand.  A simple flip disk would solve this in an instant.  Also not a huge fan of the excessive scalp-cleaning with fingertips the product requires in order to thoroughly cleanse your hair.

Pros, however, is that the conditioner is literally one of the best we’ve ever tried…and we are picky around here.  Works well as a leave in conditioner, too.  The smell is fantastic.  Love that it’s an eco-friendly product and contains no SLS or parabens.  Love that it is salon quality and gives your hair a perfect blow out.  This product goes on the “Love It” list!  Definitely give WEN a try and let us know what your thoughts are.  Check out their entire line of products here.

It’s the middle of August…enter the dog-days of summer.  If you haven’t been vigilant about keeping your hair conditioned, chances are, the sun has had its way with your hair, crisping it from the ends up.  Try this summer hair trick to keep hair super-healthy and pretty.  Put the sun to work for you.  Simply use a half-dollar size amount of conditioner and run it through your dry hair.  The conditioner will act as a layer of protection from UV rays, and the heat from the sun will help the conditoiner soften your hair.

The humidity in the summertime can give your hair a case of the frizzies.  In a matter of minutes, humidity and heat can make your hair a mess.  Use this insider’s secret to have hot looking hair in the summertime.  Dab a small amount of hand lotion to instantly smooth your hair.  The lotion’s moisture helps fight frizz by filling hollow hair follicles, preventing them from soaking up any frizz-inducing moisture in the air. Make sure you only use a dab so that it doesn’t make your hair look greasy.  If you have dry, hair, use this technique on a daily basis.

From platinum blonde to jet black hair, Drew has been spawning trends for decades.  Her hippie-chic bohemian style makes her pop right off the screen.  Check out some of Drew’s fabulous looks over the years:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6OeRxHG484&feature=related

Want a salon look for a fraction of the price? Try this at-home trick to get ultra-sexy beach hair. Fill a spray bottle with about 3 ounces water and add 3 teaspoons kosher or sea salt and a couple squirts of any hair gel, then shake it up. Spray it onto hair and scrunch to get that tousled beach look. The coarse salt clings to your strands and gives it sexy texture and volume.

Love the look of a hat but hate the way it makes your hair look?  Try this trick….before you put your hat on, flip your hair so that it parts on the opposite side.  When you take your hat off, switch your part back for extra bounce.  A quick mist of moisturizing spray or a leave in conditioner will help squelch static.

To get salon-perfect hair at home, you need the right tools.  Knowing what to invest your money in will keep you from stockpiling a drawer full of unwanted, ineffective appliances.

For a fantastic blow-out at home, use a hair drier with 2800-3200 watts with a removable nozzle to help control which direction the air blows.

If  you are prone to frizz, look for a dryer with a cool setting.  A cool blast of air on dry hair helps close the cuticle to prevent frizz.

If you have curls, keep your fingers out of your hair while blow drying.  Simply put the hair dryer underneath the hair, and dry the hair without using your fingers…which will pull the curl out.

Using a round brush while drying will add volume and to your hair that will last all day long.

Like it long, straight and silky?  Apply a smoothing serum on hair before drying, followed by a great flat iron for a silky finish.

Never leave the dryer in one spot for too long as you can damage the hair and cause it to be brittle and break.

We’ve all been there before, standing in front of the bathroom mirror when we decide to chop off our lovely locks of hair and create bangs.  That’s sometimes followed by tears, sometimes a whole new outlook on life.  You have to find what truly looks good on you, and go with it…without exception.  Don’t cut bangs on a whim if you know that every other time, it looked bad.

The hard and fast rule on bangs is if you have a short forehead, bangs aren’t for you.  If you have a large forehead, bangs are your friend.  There are shortcuts around the rules…if you have a short forehead and still want bangs, opt for a very long, side swept bang.  These examples are bangs done right.

Check out this great hair tip from Red Haute Mama on how to have younger, hipper hair.  You can do it the old fashioned way (like me), or hit the salon and go high tech, but either way, this is absolutely, 100%, completely true.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=313zvyH9hAg