Benefits of brushing with boxwood: Chidoriya Tsuge Brush

Tsuge, a boxwood tree native to the Ibusuki area of Japan, is traditionally used to craft imperial seals, musical instruments, and combs. The wood is naturally dried for more than 3 years and then hand-carved individually to craft a single comb. Boxwood is naturally oily, so combs made from it are resistant to splitting and create almost no static against hair.

Unlike plastic and metal, boxwood comb brushes and combs won’t produce static or break your hair, and its bristles are treated with strengthening camellia oil to leave your hair nourished and shiny. Brushing with the Tsuge Brush stimulates the scalp and distributes your hair’s natural oils evenly throughout the strands, making a true difference in women with dry or unhealthy hair.





Boxwood also has precious cultural significance. In the Ibusuki region, when a girl was born, her relatives planted a boxwood tree to grow alongside her. When the girl got married, combs and furniture for her new household were made from the same tree. Every twenty years boxwood combs are sent to the Ise Shrine in Japan, where they are ritually burned in sacrifice to the sun goddess Amaterasu.

Simple, Easy Hairstyles for Fall

As much as I love donning multicolored highlights during the Summer, my preference for the Fall is always darker hair color, clothing and all. I've recently dyed my hair coffee brown with Clairol Professional 'Classic Collection' hair dye in Classic Coffee Brown - and I can't love it enough. I've also been playing with a lot of simple hairstyles for everyday, school, work and evening wear.

A simple fishtail braid is perfect to spruce up any day outfit.

Fishtail braids are probably my favorite go-to hairstyle. Particularly on bad hair days, they make the perfect coverup! To start out, you can opt to tie the top with a hair tie or clip it in a ponytail form so all the hair keeps together neatly. You can do that and remove the clip later, or just leave your hair as is. Seeparate your hair into two equal sections, one section in each hand.

You now have two hair sections: the left section and the right section. Take a small portion of hair from the outer right side of the right section and add it to the right side of the left section. You then take a small potion of hair from the outer left side of the left section and add it to the left side of the right section. Remember to keep the hair in place with your thumbs and hands. You should still have two sections of hair in equal proportions. Continue the braiding in this same manner until you get to the end. Tie it with a hair tie and you are done!

Salvaging Damaged Hair with Dove Intensive Repair

It is extremely important to moisturize and maintain hair after dyeing or any sort of chemical processing. This is particularly important for someone like me, who dyes her hair almost monthly. I love my new coffee brown hair color, but I don't really dig the dryness and lack of vibrancy.

To restore my hair to its optimum health, I have switched from my regular shampoo to Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner. It has only been days since I've started using this new hair care set and I am already in love with it! My hair is smoother and less frizzy and brittle than before. If I keep this up I may be able to slip in another dye job or two before the end of October. Did I mention the shampoo leaves my hair smelling really good?

Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner system is designed for intensely damaged hair. It contains Keratin Repair Actives that absorb into Keratin already present in the hair and repair proteins at the cellular level. It gives lustrous locks without any excess residue. The gentle moisture strengthens hair without weighing it down, leaving hair silky and healthy looking.

Dyeing My Hair at Home - Classic Coffee Brown

I am absolutely in love with dyeing my hair. The only thing stopping me from doing it monthly is the irrational fear of my hair crumbling to it's doom and falling off my head. But I'm exaggerating quite a bit. Straightening and heat processing is much more damaging than any amount of hair dye, but that's not stopping me either, is it? I always seem to get the urge to cut off most of my hair every few years anyway. But I digress.

Let's talk about the new hair color I'm trying out! I've been slowly adding in a few shades of highlight to my hair the past few months. I figure a few similar-colored highlights would look much more blended and dimensional than one or two shades. Well last month I made the mistake of going too light and I've kind of been hating my hair ever since. This week, I'm going back to my darker brown shades with Clairol Professional 'Classic Collection' hair dye in Classic Coffee Brown.

The set comes with a permanent haircolor dye and a creme developer.

The dyeing process was super simple. I mixed the bottle of permanent hair dye with the creme developer in a bowl and applied it to the hair. You can just apply it directly without covering or anything. I wanted to add the color to most of my hair, but not on all strands, so I used aluminum foil for make a kind of dimensional highlight/lowlight effect.

Braided Updo, Ribbon Elastics, Guilt-free Tiramisu Weekend

This gorgeous summer weather is lending itself to another wonderfully scrumptious Saturday. There are a lot of fun celebrations this weekend and I am enjoying the good eats and styles that come along with it. Looking for something fun this weekend? Try some new hairdos, recipes and accessories. It doesn't matter if you are at the beach or at home, these treats are sure to be enjoyable.

1. I love the braided updo worn by Emma Watson to her Bling Ring rep carpet premiere. Use this short tutorial for an inspired braided updo that's great for the boardwalk:

1. Blow-dry hair loosely with a 2 inch round brush.
2. Lightly layer in texurizer or hairspray for extra texture and grip.
3. Using a fine-tooth comb, make a deep side part.
4. Brush the hair through to the back on both sides and secure each with a hair tie to keep them separated.
5. Unfasten the hair tie on one side and begin French braiding just above the ear, working down to the nape of the neck. Fasten with the hair tie.
6. Repeat this process on the opposite side but divide the hair into two sections to allow you to braid two narrower lines on this side.
7. Once the three pieces have been braided to the nape of the head, merge the remaining hair together and braid in the middle to the end of the pony
8. Once the braid is finished, twist the hair into a bun at the base of the neck.
9. Secure the braid bun with a few bobby pins.

2. Jessica over at Dessert with Benefits cooked up a scrumptiously breathtaking tiramisu that is sugar-free and no bake! For someone who dislikes the hassle of an oven, that is double yum!

Fashion Friday: Are Hairbands Back in Style?

I truthfully don't know if hairbands are coming back to make a statement in the fashion industry, but I know they are making a fine comeback for me! I'm not sure why I gave up on them after my middle school years. They are fantastic at keeping hair out of the face and they are just as much a fashion statement as any other accessory. Surely hairbands are more useful than a necklace and much less burdensome than a ring or heavy bracelet?

The thin glitter headbands look great to brighten up any dull look. And the flower headband is just a favorite all around!

Hey, I'm just here to show off the head gears.

Red Carpet Beauty Essentials

What beauty products would you indulge in if you were to walk the red carpet? I recently got my hands on some beauty essentials great for glamorous events such as award and fashion shows!

Whether you are attending a fancy event, award show, fashion show or conventional party, your picture will probably be taken at one point or another - which is why a beautiful smile should be the most important concern. (I've had my fair share of cropping out unflattering outfits or hairstyles in photos, but the face and smile is not exactly something one can leave out!)

Rembrandt Deeply White + Peroxide 2 Hour Whitening Kit, Rembrandt Deeply White + Peroxide Mouthwash Rembrandt and Deeply White + Peroxide Toothpaste in Fresh Mint

As I will be attending a big event this Saturday, I have been very diligent with my teeth whitening routine. I'm usually quite lazy with it, but this set of Rembrandt Whitening Kit, Mouthwash and Peroxide Toothpaste has really inspired me to keep my teeth almost glaringly white. The combination of the mouthwash, whitening kit and toothpaste in the past week has left my teeth whiter than it has ever been. I'm actually really surprised that the effects were so noticeable by the end of just one week!

Three Fun Hairstyles for the Weekend

In an attempt to be more adventurous with my hair, I have been trying out some new hairstyles. Here are three favorites I have been experimenting with this past week.

Holiday Hair (via A Beautiful Mess)

This combination cutesy and messy styles is adorned with a lovely bow.

Summer Hairstyles, Braids and Inspirations

Twisted side ponytail via A Beautiful Mess

Bow tied bun (plus instructions on how to make the wired bow) via Skunkboy

TRESemmé Split Remedy: Bliss in a Bottle!

There are few things in this world less pleasant than split ends. Formally known as Trichoptilosis, split ends is the fraying of the hair-shaft mostly due to thermal, chemical or mechanical stress. When the fraying of the hair is few or mild, a trim can be useful to get rid of the split and damaged hairs. But what do you do when most of your hair is damaged or the split runs closer to the hair roots than the actual ends? Chopping all of your hair off may be one solution, but there are others.

No potion can magically mend the ends of hair that have physically split apart, but some things can minimize the appearance of split ends and help the split hair stay sealed or closely bounded. The TRESemmé Split Remedy Serum works to reduce the appearance of split ends by smoothing the damaged ends to help them stay together for a frizz-free and healthy appearance. It takes away the frizz without adding grease and oil.

Liz Earle Botanical Shine Treatment

I don't know how I managed to keep this a secret, but it's about time I rave about my favorite hair care product! I was sent the Liz Earle Botanical Shine Treatment for frizzy, coarse or unruly hair a while back and have been using it religiously for over two months. I love it! I am on my way to ordering a new tube for Liz Earle. After the very first time I used this treatment, I was absolutely amazed at how smooth my hair had become. And I love the earthly herbal, citrus scent to death! The smell lingers in the hair for a bit, but I wish it would last forever! I find myself sniffing my hair from time to time to get a whiff of this stuff. It's really that good.

A blend of red algae, cotton extract and sumac wax has been specially selected to smooth and tame even the most unmanageable hair, and an exquisite fusion of eight essential oils, including sweet orange and rose-scented geranium, plus vanilla extract, will leave your hair beautifully scented. Naturally active ingredients include red algae to help enhance the hair’s natural barrier, cotton extract to improve smoothness and sumac wax to smooth and tame even the most unmanageable hair, plus apple and orange extracts to boost shine.

At the cost of $27.50 for a 5 fl oz tube, it's pretty pricey, but worth the price if it works for you. I have been using this stuff twice a week, every week. When my new tube arrives I will reduce the usage to cut the cost and make the product more effective. I have noticed that after using it so often, the treatment has become less effective. It's always a good idea to try to switch up skincare and hair care products so the my body does not get used to the products, rendering them ineffective.

Product Rave: Freeze It Mega Freeze Hairspray

What's better than a good ol' decent hairspray? How about a pink one in support of breast cancer research? Freeze It has partnered with Susan G. Komen for the Cure® to raise funds for breast cancer research. I introduce to you the pink Freeze It Fast Drying Mega Freeze Hairspray!

Freeze It SGK Mega Freeze Hair Spray

Hold that look with a superior, long-lasting hold. This formula is humidity resistant and has UV filters that shield hair from the sun and environment. Optical Brighteners™ intensify highlights and increase light reflection, improving and enhancing all types of permanent and natural hair color.

Andre Walker Make Peace with Your Hair

Make Peace with Your Hair is the hair care line of Grammy Award winning hair stylist, Andre Walker. Their Q-Oil Quench-Essential Oil is made from virgin argan oil. As you may know from my previous review, I am a huge fan of argan oil. I love adding just a bit of the oil to my roots to defrizz. I recommend using a very small amount - especially if you have flat or oily hair like mine.

The Andre Walker's Q-Oil is similar to Cecilia Wong's, but costs a portion of the price by volume. That said, if you don't have particularly thick and unmanageable hair, you can skip the pricey brands and just order pure argan oil for a truly affordable price.

Quench-Essential is Andre Walker's way of describing his favorite nourishment for hungry hair. Made from the purest Virgin Argan Oil of Morocco, this light, easy to use oil absorbs instantly into the hair, creating amazing shine. Your hair will be easier to manage, stronger, and smoother with just a little Q-Oil applied to your driest areas every day. Comes in a convenient dispenser for just the right amount.

Andre Walker also produces a Total Keratin Obsession Deep Conditioning Pak. It works as well as most professional deep conditioners. My only complaint is the packaging. The packet allows for two applications, but the packaging makes it too difficult to store. If you're going to get this, buy the jars not the packet.

How do you like to manage your hair when it is dry or frizzy? Do you use oils or deep conditioners? Any secrets to keep your hair in top shape?

Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to me for testing or reviewing consideration. I am neither paid nor compensated for my opinion. My priority is always to my readers and I express only my honest opinion in every post.

Twilight Hairstyles: How to get hair like Kristen Stewart, Ashley Greene, Robert Pattinson...

I found this bit of information the other day and thought the Twilight fans would enjoy it. My apologies to my non-Twilight fans.

If you are interested in the hairstyles of these Twilight stars, you can watch the PRO Beauty Tools tutorials below in which the Twilight styles are recreated by Academy Award Winning Lead Hairstylist, Beatrice De Alba.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 that premieres in November will be featuring PRO Beauty Tools' Twilight Limited Edition styling tools. The Twilight Limited Edition collection include a Ceramic Ionic Dryer, Ionic Steam Hairsetter (Rosalie), Ceramic Curling Iron (Bella), Ceramic Flat Iron (Alice/Esme), Ceramic Detailer (Edward) and corresponding brushes.

Twilight Hair Tutorials

• Alice Cullen (Ashley Greene) hairstyle tutorial
• Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) hairstyle tutorial
• Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) hairstyle tutorial
• Esme Cullen (Elizabeth Reaser) hairstyle tutorial
• Rosalie Cullen (Nikki Reed) hairstyle tutorial

What are your thoughts on the hairstyles? Or the Twilight movies in general? I may never go see the film, but I am definitely a fan of Ashley Greene.

Disclaimer: Tutorials are provided for readers' benefit. I am not affiliated with Twilight or PRO Beauty Tools in any way.

Privé Concept Vert

Privé Concept Vert Rejuvenating Pure Shampoo and Rejuvenating Pure Conditioner

A full size shampoo and conditioner set and a travel set.

Privé Concept Vert Volumizing Forth

These sulfate- and paraben-free Privé products gently cleanse hair with antioxidants, preserve color and strengthen hair, which is great for my dyed and weak hair. I find myself only using a bit of shampoo every time because it foams up a lot. I have been using both the Privé shampoo and conditioner a lot lately and my hair honestly feels softer and maybe even a tad bit smoother. On the downside, environmentally-friendly products are a bit more expensive than your regular drugstore ones. I am still trying to justify the big price tag for the Privé shampoo and conditioner.

The Volumizing Froth, on the other hand, is a completely different story. I use only a dime size amount, rub it in my hand and watch it foam up to a lovely froth. I always apply it on second-day hair and it works wonders. My hair feels light and voluminous while the frizz is significantly reduced. If there is one product you are going to pick up from Privé, let me recommend the Concept Vert Volumizing Froth.

Privè’s Concept Vert Rejuvenating Pure Shampoo, Rejuvenating Pure Conditioner and Volumizing Froth retail for $28, $30, and $24, respectively. Privè products are available at elite salons and spas nationwide. For information on purchase locations, visit priveproducts.com.

Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to me for testing or reviewing consideration. I am neither paid nor compensated for my opinion. My priority is always to my readers and I express only my honest opinion in every post.

KQC Professional Ceramic Styling Iron with X-Heat Review

KQC Professional Ceramic X-Heat - $159.95

Thin enough to curl hair.

Temperature setting can go from 140 to 410 °F.

This 1" flat iron heats up quickly (within seconds) and straightens my hair well, taming any frizz or flyaway.  The temperature stays consistent and doesn't overheat like some irons. The plates are ceramic, which makes the heating process less damaging. My hair slides very smoothly through the plates. One thing that bothers me is the little red light that keeps on blinking when it is heating up. It blinks forever when I have the temperature on low, which is how I like to straighten my hair since I have thin hair. I'm not sure they're all supposed to be like that though. This flat iron is slim and can be used to straighten or curl hair. It's compact size makes it handy for traveling or for the dorm rooms.  Overall, it a good straightener for its value. You can buy this or similar flat irons at Flat Iron Experts for about $100 less than in salons.

I also received the KQC Thermal Shine Spray from Flat Iron Experts:

KQC Thermal Shine Spray - $13.99

"KQC Thermal Shine Spray is an ion enriched polishing complex formulated for superior heat protection and ultra gloss hair shine. Lightweight, non-greasy micro mist spray that eliminates frizz, softens and polishes hair without build ups. Designed for all hair types. Use with flat iron, curling iron or hair dryers."

KQC Thermal Shine Spray works as described, but I find the smell to be too much. It is not an offensive scent, but it can be overpowering. I love the polish and shine it leaves in my hair, but it makes my hair flat and even less voluminous. I recommend it for people with dull, thick hair. If you have flat or oily hair, go for a regular heat protectant so it doesn't weigh your hair down.

Disclaimer: This post contains product(s) sent to me for testing or reviewing consideration. I am neither paid nor compensated for my opinion. As always, my priority is to my readers and I express only my honest opinion in every post.

Batiste Dry Shampoo Review

It is always better to wash your hair every other day rather than everyday because washing your hair too often can strip your hair of its natural oils and cause dryness or damage. I have very dry hair, so I hate having to wash it every day. The problem is that I also have flat, sparse hair. What to do?

The Batiste Dry Shampoo can be sprayed in your hair to help it appear clean between washes. It reduces the oil and gives a little volume. Simply spray and lift. There is no water needed.

I will be testing the Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush. Original is clean and fresh, while Blush adds a hint of floral tones with notes of red hibiscus,peony, tuberose and lily.

Before:

I have no hair, no volume.

Two days unwashed and my hair goes completely oily and flat.

After Batiste:

More hair?

Less greasy!

I can style it now.

Some texture too!

The smell is wonderful and light. The product itself is not flaky, powdery or sticky. It adds a good amount of volume and greatly reduces the appearance of oil in your hair. You can also spray it in the ends of your hair for a little added texture.

It feels a little like hair spray when you're spraying it on, but you'll notice it blending in quite nicely as you massage it into your scalp, lifting your roots. Like any hair product, this can become heavy if you add too much of it. A slight residue can appear if you don't massage it well into your hair. I have very dark hair but there is no buildup because I thoroughly massage it in and fluff my hair up.

The Batiste Dry Shampoo works a lot better than the Osis+ Dust It Mattifying Powder that I tried last year. (That was just sticky powder.)  At Ulta, a 5.05 fl. oz can of Batiste sells for $7.99 while the 1.6 fl. oz travel size sells for $3.99. It's something good to have with you or around the house for whenever you have bad or flat hair. Personally, I'll be using this every other day.

Disclaimer: This post contains product(s) sent to me for testing or reviewing consideration. I am neither paid nor compensated for my opinion. As always, my priority is to my readers and I express only my honest opinion in every post.

Haul and FOTD

That bag does resemble the Mulberry Alexa in some ways, doesn't it? It is a brand-less bag without designer name or label and is made of leatherette. When I saw it selling on Ebay for about $30, I knew it would be perfect for carrying my books. I did buy it because it reminds me of the Alexa. Shame it is not the real deal, but I wouldn't carry bulky college textbooks and exploding pens in an expensive bag anyway, so this seems to be a good choice.

I also got the Osis+ Dust It Mattifying Powder off of Ebay because they don't sell them here. I'm not sure the Osis+ powder is doing anything for my hair so far. I've rubbed a bit of it onto my roots for more volume, but my hair goes poof for only 10 minutes before going back to normal. I blame the heat, but let's give it another try.

I bought these adorable ZIGIny flats to brighten up my dark dreary outfits from time to time. Plus, they come with the most adorable shoe sleeves and box. I'm a sucker for nice packaging. But aren't we all?

I picked up the softlips lip balm in raspberry because my other lip balms were running out and I always need to have a billion lip products all over the place. And also because I love raspberry and SPF lip balms. I always get a few of the softlips to throw in my bag, pocket, drawer, etc.

And that's it for my little haul. My favorite purchase? Why, the bag, of course. I can never buy too many bags.

Today's Face:
Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer in Ivory, Bare Escentuals bareMinerals SPF15 Foundation in Light, Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel, NARS Blush in Orgasm, Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil, Urban Decay Primer Potion, Victoria's Secret Eyeshadow in Bronze Ambition, Victoria's Secret Eyeshadow in Brown to Earth, Sephora Eyeshadow in Aspen Summit, Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Onyx, NYX Round Lipstick in Jupiter, NARS Lip Gloss in Strip Tease, Prescriptives False Eyelashes Mascara, Bobbi Brown Brow Pencil in Mahogany

What have you been shopping lately? What are some essentials you'll be getting for the Fall? I'm super excited for my favorite season of the year. xx

Fishtail Braid

My mother used to braid my hair every morning for about nine years as I was growing up. She said it was neat, clean and cute. Needless to say that I am pretty sick of the traditional braid. If you, like me, are tired of the traditional braid, then you should give the fishtail style braid a try. It has that romantic and innocent feel of the braid with an added elegance and charm.

Picture Credit: Cosmopolitan. Sean Cunningham/Backstage Beauty/Hearst

I learned how to do the fishtail braid recently so I have been braiding my hair all week. It's too bad I dyed my hair black recently and had some layers added. Anyone with layers knows how difficult it is to keep braids intact. And without the highlights, the fishtail braid just doesn't shine like it should.

To start out, you can opt to tie the top with a hair tie or clip it in a ponytail form so all the hair keeps together neatly. You can do that and remove the clip later, or just leave your hair as is. Seeparate your hair into two equal sections, one section in each hand.

You now have two hair sections: the left section and the right section. Take a small portion of hair from the outer right side of the right section and add it to the right side of the left section. You then take a small potion of hair from the outer left side of the left section and add it to the left side of the right section.

Remember to keep the hair in place with your thumbs and hands. You should still have two sections of hair in equal proportions. Continue the braiding in this same manner until you get to the end. Tie it with a hair tie or whatever.

Keep practicing and you will get used to it. You will develop a sense of how much hair to use for the braiding. You can also start this style of braiding from the top as you would with French braiding.