Fave Last Minute Gifts

These are the website ones, that you'll have to pick expedited shipping on, but if you're running late with everything, it's a small price to pay to have stuff just show up at the door and avoid the malls and shops, which I noticed Saturday are getting a bit picked over :-(

These things are my picks from Touch of Europe. They have a coupon at the moment ~ DG100 at checkout ~ for 10% off when you spend $100 or more and given that they rarely put anything on sale, it's a DEAL for these high quality goodies.
The thing about Touch of Europe's affordable and luxurious stuff, is that they put FULL SIZE products, not tiny samples, in the baskets and sets, so it's the BEST VALUE Gift Baskets out there.

First up, the Manicure Basket

Manicure and Pedicure Luxury Gift Basket with FULL SIZE Products

Next, for the Click here for a huge assortment of Gourmet or if you want to splurge, go for this divine set below (hello, I love Foie Gras if anyone's asking).



Lastly, if you need a bunch of stocking stuffers or those unique gifts to have on hand that don't break the bank, Click the little gifts below for GORGEOUS stuff under $20 !

Happy Holidays !

From the Glam Junkie

Tomorrow - ideas for local shopping... what every girl wants

LOVE the new KMS California Hair Care

So, my favorite Hair & Spa joint, Escape Uptown Salon & Spa, has unfortunately dropped the I.C.O.N line of hair care. It just never caught on, despite it being a great line.
The great news is, they now carry the FULL Range of KMS California Hair Care & Styling Products and having now tried about 6 products, I am in LOVE !

First, Kelly at Escape touched up my color, the usual and shampooed/conditioned me with Moist Repair - because I have colored, porous, but very baby fine hair that breaks easily and moisture, not protein is the main factor to helping that kind of hair.... just divine.

Then, she went about concocting the best use of KMS products to do the style I wanted, which was smooth and glossy on top with volume and cascading waves at the bottom (I have long hair).
She started with HAIRSTAY STYLE BOOST in the roots of my crown, sort of lifting my hair at the scalp with it while damp.
Now this stuff is AWESOME. It CRACKLES.. yes, crackles like pop rocks, in your hand (too cool)... that's how it activates out of the bottle to give you a medium hold and shine, but so light and without stickiness.

Then she went to SILK SHEEN : both the Styling Creme and Polishing Serum.
The effects of this were apparent after a blow dry (which went quicker than usual... this stuff is like PM's quick slip, but better, so you're hammering your head with heat even less of the time).

So because you blow it out for less time and the products are heat protective AND with the light hold in the product, you wind up with a faster, healthier, shinier looking style.
Now what's not to love about that !

That lovely style lasted through that afternoon, Thanksgiving the next day, Black Friday shopping and sleeping on it in between for those 3 days and never got heavy, greasy or dull and never lost it's shine or took more than a few minutes re-styling to get it back into place when I got up and I got plenty of compliments along the way.

Now, I'm not gorgeous like Kate Walsh, but this is basically the style I asked for and it's what I got and lasted for days, with yes, that much shine on my multi-colored red, pink & copper blond highlighted fine thin hair.
Now THAT'S not bad if you ask me.

Next I'm trying the different set of sample KMS California products Kelly sent home with me (ok, I already have and LOVE them, but that's another post).

Remember for winter, 

1. Make sure your hair is well moisturized in winter with moisturizing, rather than protein products because of the cold dry air, heating and static wanting to make it crackle and break. Purely Protein products make your hair hard and brittle.
2. Keep heat styling to a minimum, ALWAYS using a heat protectant product when you do blow out or flat iron. Let hair dry to 90 % dry before you do ANYTHING heat related yourself.
3. Get a professional demi, semi or permanent color or glaze in winter. It helps seal and smooth down the hair cuticle and make it less prone to breaking and drying out.
4. Try and use a leave in moisture masque or treatment (argan or monoi oil based ones are my fave) at least twice a month. You'll be shocked at the difference after just a few months. You can even sleep in them with a shower cap on if your time is jammed.
5. SKIN : Exfoliate those dead dry winter skin cells off with every shower or bath. I just LOVE these Soaping Sponge Squares to do it gently, then Moisturize... A LOT.

Ciao!

from a
Bona Fide Glam Junkie

De-Frizzing your hair in dry weather

After talking to the owners and hair experts of Escape Uptown Salon and Spa, I asked about the common, but seemingly ignored problem  of the dry frizzies in COLD DRY weather, not just humid.... they said that frizzy hair can be difficult to manage in any weather, but dry air in cold weather can exacerbate the problem. Before you hide under a hat, follow these steps to tame and smooth your out-of-control, frizzy locks in dry weather.

 CONDITION YOUR HAIR EVERY DAY

Even if you aren't washing your hair every day, you need to condition it each day without fail, particularly in dry weather with a MOISTURE conditioner, not a protein one. You need one that ADDS moisture. That's what repairs in dry weather, something like Aquage Hydrating Balm in the shower and after conditioning in the shower, rinse your hair with cool water (to seal down the hair cuticle), and follow up with a leave-in condition on damp hair. Biomega Moisture Mist is a must have standby that yields amazing results on frizzy hair by sealing and smoothing the cuticle. 

Once a week, use an oil treatment or masque with Argan Oil or other heavy moisture ingredients to keep your hair shiny and reduce the frizzies or even smooth on a bit of Oil everyday (but just on the ends and lightly) I.C.O.N's India Oil is the bomb or for a really intensive moisture treatment Aquage Healing Conditioner as masque for as long as you like with a shower cap or plastic bag on your hair to heat the goodness in.

SKIP THE BLOW DRYER

Towel dry your hair by blotting it with a thick towel - don't rub it vigorously or just comb with a wide tooth comb after your leave in moisture or Oil and let air dry. Excessive rubbing can damage your hair and cause it to frizz out even more. If you absolutely don't have time to let your hair dry naturally, use a diffuser on your blow dryer to reduce any possible heat damage. If you long for straight hair, use a tourmaline or ceramic flat iron to get get silky straight locks for special occasions. However, you should avoid using any heated hair tools every day.

USE HAIR SERUM

Many hair serums are designed specifically to combat frizz and revive dry, damaged hair. I.C.O.N Anti-Age Therapy Serum is a high gloss, polishing serum that is enriched with vitamins and UV protection. It smooths away frizz, protects hair from the elements and leaves it incredibly shiny. You can also smooth a little oil and I mean little, like less than a pinky nail for long hair), rubbed between your hands to warm it, over the outer layer and ends of the hair, don't rub it into the scalp or roots, that's asking for droop !

FRIZZY HAIR STYLING TIPS

•  Don't cut your hair too short. Short, frizzy hair can make you look like a clown.
• Get your hair cut often. A trim every 6 weeks will reduce split ends, frizzies and flyaway hairs.
• Splurge on a salon conditioning treatment and shine glaze (colorless color, in other words) or a semi or demi permanent color. All of these help fill and smooth the cuticle of the hair shaft and tame frizzes down

All products mentioned and more are available at Escape Uptown Salon & Spa, where the experts really know their products and can give you great hair care tips.




Ciao!

from a
Bona Fide Glam Junkie

HCG Drops - Weight Loss or Money Loss

Ok, I had to weigh in on this one, because I am seeing a lot of Groupon type emails coming in about HCG DROPS (different to a Doctor administered Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) Hormone series of injections).

First, I am not going to say much about the whole HCG craze, except that it's yet another fad, that may or may not be proven harmful and I ain't gonna be a lab rat for it.

Second, I will say that my (and many Doctors and Nutritionists) common sense says it is harmful, if ONLY for the fact that you are on a 500 calories a day diet (yes, if you haven't looked into it, that's the rules), you will lose weight, even if you take drops of turtle piss.

You will lose weight because you are starving yourself. You will also lose vital nutrients, muscle mass and damage your kidneys, cause hair loss, constipation and gallstones.

AND fool your fat cells into thinking there is a medieval famine, after which, a little way down the track, your body will hoard those fat cells instead of burning them, to keep you padded and alive during the famine.
We are hardwired to do this. This is also why if you've ever done the too strict diet, you pack back on twice as many pounds when you resume normal eating.

That said.... many of you are going to see it as a magical diet solution anyway and not care about those things, so even if you don't care about that, care about this....

YOU ARE THROWING YOUR MONEY DOWN THE TOILET ON DROPS !
Would you throw $20 bills in the toilet on a daily basis in the normal course of a week ? No, of course not and you shouldn't throw it away on DROPS either.

I keep saying DROPS, because they are different, diluted, mixed with god-knows-what (usually alcohol or oil) than the actual real pure HCG Doctor injected synthesized hormone of the same name (naturally occuring in pregnant women and supposedly stimulates the hypothalmus to signal shedding of abnormal fat cells).

I watched Doctor Oz debunk this drops thing, along with some respected Doctors, I noted his research and took a good look at it myself as well as some other research I found

Then I asked a Doctor who offers the injection program locally. His words were "the drops are a money making scam and you don't know what's in them and because HCG is not readily digestable, stomach acid will kill it before the tiny diluted amount (if it's even in the so-called drops) gets anywhere near your bloodstream where it's needed. So drops are worthless on many levels. Injected actual symthetic hormone is the only way to get it usefully into your body"

Let it be noted that he's an advocate of HCG and the full injection program, but at least he was honest about it, unlike another Doctor I phoned with all these "trick questions", as he called them.. WHAT?),
However, the honest Doc, said it should be done only for a short period, under careful Doctor supervision (this and the injectable itself is expensive, hence the drops are attractive because they're so much cheaper) and if done again, a recovery break is required, however, he sadly admitted many actual MD's are also just on the money wagon after Reps come caling with "miracle drops" and they then shove the drops at people as a cheaper alternative... it's not an alternative, because IT DOESN'T WORK in DROPS.
There's actually little evidence it works in injected form either, but at least that whole package includes proper supervision.

The DROPS are bulls***, plain and simple. DO NOT waste your money on them even with a Groupon, Living Social Deal, Urban Deal-Light or even, sadly, from a "Doctor", seriously. Spend your Groupon money on a cleaner and give yourself the day off, or if you're going to go the really expensive injections route, skip it and hire a personal trainer.

If however, you must do this, do it free.
Go on a 500 calorie a day, balanced diet, go to Wholefoods and ask for a good, broad spectrum multi vitamin supplement AND some drops of either concentrated green tea (or better, drink 8 cups of brewed pure green tea a day to stay hydrated on the diet), hoodia, cayenne, seaweed or nettle drops or supplements (or all of them if you want, all have at least SOME data on weightloss assistance and are safely diluted and safe brands at wholefoods or good vitamin retailers) and call it a day.
You'll lose weight, I guarantee it, if you stick to it and for a lot less money.. free actually, other than a multi-vitamin and food scraps... then you'll pack it back on doubled, unless you have the discipline of a Monk and after a month start increasing your calories by 150 more per week back up to 1500 (for a woman) and maintain a good exercise routine and balanced diet thereafter.

So yeah, all hail Dr Oz or not, but the thing is, the man and his team are VERY cautious about what they put out there on TV and their website, because they can get SUED, just like a regular Doctor, only by millions, for giving harmful advice. Wrong information can kill this mans career both on TV and at Beth Israel Medical Center NY.
So instead of ONE Doctor or a Medi Spa seeing Dollar signs when some Rep comes toting a bag full of the newest tricks for the biggest money making sector of health (weight loss), Mehmet Oz has a huge TEAM of medical researchers looking at this stuff for you, so like his show or not, it behooves us to pay attention when he says something is crap.

Just my 2c and all advice in this post is my opinion only, I am not a medical professional, I will not disclose the Doctors I spoke to and you should seek the advice of your own doctor who can look at your medical history before taking any supplements or commencing a weightloss program of ANY kind.

If you have comments, drop me an email, comment below or drop me a facebook note

Ciao!

from a
Bona Fide Glam Junkie

Here's a money saving secret on good skincare

Not even a tip I found in a magazine or online, just started taking a close look at an unusual group of beauty products to see if they compared to my pricey stuff (or requirements in "stuff") in good ingredients that work.

First you should know that solid science tells us there's not many of ingredients in skin care that honestly "work" and the only one you should really be worried about getting in as many of your products as you can layer, is Retinol.. aka.. retinyl palmitate (most common in skin care ingredient lists) vitamin A, retin A, retinoic acid. All of these are topical retinol that is applied to the skin, safe and the only thing truly proven to help wrinkles with regular use, because it accelerates cell turnover, stimulates collagen and basically keeps renewing your skin as long as you use it, thus slows down the appearance of aging. It also kicks sun spots and uneven skin tone problems in the butt.. Again, because of the turnover and how it works. "Skin Correctors", the rage lately, are simply adding or boosting retins in their formulas, with some complimenting soothing and antioxidant ingredients. It's their particular mixes that hey patent.

There are indeed useful ingredients that can also helpfully go into skin care that help retin do it's job well or better... peptides deliver it deeper into the skin, other vitamins and fruit extracts can exfoliate or be antioxident making retins easier to absorb all in one step, other ingredients help with sensitivity or encapsulate the retin to release it in a controlled way to help with irritation, oils, butters and squalane soften skin and help seal it in and the unpronounceable ingredients, so long as they aren't parabens are usually fine and necessary to keep it all from stinging, or to keep it fresh, cohesive and emulsified, because retin breaks down fast & separates ( part of why it works), so never buy huge tubes or jars, they will have too much preservative and junk in them.

Confused? Don't be, just be sure you can find any of the aforementioned retin or Vit A derivative names in the list of ingredients and NOT as one of the the last ingredients. The higher an ingredient on a list, the more of it there is... This goes for all labels, so no excuses for too much salt, sugar and other crap in your food either....
But Ask if you're unsure, get the sales assistants to read those infernal microscopic labels for you.

But back on topic, have at least one (pref 2, a day and heavier night one) really good, high dose retin product and add as many others as you can sub in for your old stuff like, primer (Too Faced has brilliant one) foundation (many of them now), cleansers, night cream (philosophy's appropriately named, Help Me night cream is great), that also have at least a bit of retinyl palmitate, (don't pass up drug store brands, Neutrogena has a fabbo tinted moisturizer with sunscreen, I use on my neck and chest every day and it's faded all my sun spots, plus gives me a nice unwrinkled cleavage (bonus!) and it's cheap ! Don't forget sunscreen in your products, retin makes you more sun sensitive because it turns over your skin cell renewal so much faster, you burn easier.

One more tip for this wonder ingredient, it can take getting used to if you haven't used it much or at all, because it IS active and it DOES work so it CAN cause redness, peeling and breakouts to start with. Ease into it and bear the uglies... persist for a few weeks.. Start with one product twice a week, then every 2nd day when you skin is handling it, then to everyday, all the layers AND exfoliate to take off the dead skin cells layer so it can get right in there. A clarisonic is your best skin friend.

SO.. The secret ?

MEN'S skincare. I found a good brand serum today that was for men, that had identical ingredients, word for word, order for list order as the woman's version. The price difference. $95 and $36
Shocker... Of COURSE men Will Not spend big bucks on skin care, if you can even get them to use it, but for wrinkles and moisture delivery into the skin, there's no difference in composition and need (other than individual results) despite mens perceived tougher hides.

So for my money, even if it doesn't smell girly (and I don't want it clashing with my perfume anyway), I'm in !

I ordered today and I'll let you know what I observe initially and after 4 weeks, by which point you should see results for a product containing retins if it has more than a pin head drop in it.

This product below is the one I'm trying, versus Lancome Primordial, Murad, Perricone, PT Roth and other brands I looked at or have used. Clinique laser doesn't even compare because of the tiny amount of retin in it, which is the problem with most of those things, hence the emphasis on a good serum or treatment AND night cream, then layer the other incidental stuff like primers, foundation, eye creams, moisturizers with sunscreen, that have the same small amounts, etc for extra oomph.

I'll see how this goes.

Vitamin A Facial Treatment by Anthony Logistics - Powerful dose of vitamin A (10%) to help reduce signs of aging and improve elasticity and texture of the skin. Solution: Potent Vitamin A increases cellular turnover, renews, restores and replenishes. Carrot Root tones and firms, Squalane lubricates and softens. Shea Butter eases wrinkles, smoothes and moisturizes.

"This formula's infusion of vitamin A increases cellular turnover, and renews, restores, and replenishes the complexion. It works to tone, firm, lubricate, and soften the skin as it deeply moisturizes. Regular use of Vitamin A Treatment (over a three-week period) has been shown to significantly diminish existing lines and wrinkles, appearance of age spots, sun spots, freckles, and discolorations."

I'll keep you posted



Chez - The Glam Junkie



<3 - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Online

The 3 Free Nail Polish 411 and Wacky Laki

Wacky Laki - Nail polish Queen and Crafty too !

Love this girl's blogging on nails. I gotta learn stamping now that I have ALL my nail polishes changed out to completely 3-Free, like Zoya (my fave), Sinful Colors, LA Colors, Butter London, Debra Lippman, OPI For Sephora (not regular OPI) OPI Nicole, some Ulta lines and others, with more and more coming on the market.

What's 3 Free ?

Healthy Nail Polish in all the great long lasting colors, without the harmful cancer causing chemicals.

The chemicals we’re talking about are Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde and Toluene.
What do they do?

Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) is a plasticiser to prevent chips and cracks. DBP is an oily liquid that is soluble in fat and slightly soluble in water. It is not very volatile so it does not evaporate readily into the atmosphere.
Over 75% of DBP is used as a plasticiser in polymers such as PVC, 14% is used in adhesives, 7% in printing inks and 3% in other miscellaneous uses, including sealants and grouting agents used in construction as well as consumer products such as cosmetics.
http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/def/DBP-dibutyl-phthalate.htm
It's NOT a good thing for your body to be absorbing and sniffing in... AT ALL.


Formaldehyde itself is not in pure form in nail polish. A resin, tosylamide/formaldehyde resin that is in polishes, makes the polish tough and resilient. While the resin is manufactured from formaldehyde, once the product becomes a resin, the formaldehyde is chemically changed and essentially no longer present in pure form, but still a carcinogen. If you rarely use nail polish, it may not actually be an issue unless you have a reaction to the formaldehyde resin, but seriously, who wants that absorbed into your body when it's completely unnecessary.
Formaldehyde pure is used in some nail hardeners, you should be very aware of formaldehyde in your treatment products and AVOID THEM, not so much polish if you don't polish your nails all the time, but bottom line, stay away.


Toluene (methylbenzene, toluol, phenylmethane) is a solvent that makes the polish easy to apply. It is an aromatic hydrocarbon commonly used as an industrial solvent for the manufacturing of paints, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and rubber.
Toluene is found in gasoline, acrylic paints, varnishes, lacquers, paint thinners, adhesives, glues, rubber cement, airplane glue, and shoe polish. At room temperature, toluene is a colorless, sweet smelling, volatile liquid.
Glue sniffing anyone ? No, we didn't think so...


http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic594.htm

If you have questions or just want recommendations, drop me an email, comment or facebook note

Ciao!

from a
Bona Fide Glam Junkie

Don't forget to pamper your guests with glam !

I'm throwing a Summer Evening party shortly and it made me think of things I don't usually have on hand that would make guests feel comfortable.
For instance, DO NOT leave your nasty old soap out in the soap dish in the guest bathroom. Get something pampering and luxurious and that hasn't been somewhere we don't want to think about (ick, right?)

I got these guest soaps from Touch of Europe(just my fave online store for SO many things, because they have such unique stuff and it's affordable). There's a great review that tells you more about them, from a happy customer.

Don't forget nice Fragrant Candles in the bathroom. Make sure it's a contained one, like a jar or tin for fire safety, so you can leave it burning on a safe surface (away from towels, flammables or wobbly surfaces) and it's nice for guests in those... uhhh.. odor situations.

Then there's things like napkins. small but important.
I know buying a box 800,000 from Costco is pretty cheap, but they shred, stick to everything and where are you gonna store the 799,980 leftovers ? Huh? Now if you want something nice, that will stand up to getting your guests clean from sticky BBQ sauce or beautiful confit with cheese (divine but messy), WITHOUT shredding into an embarrassing mess and sticky fingers on your furniture, spring for some nice, good quality napkins.
The cheap ones end up costing as much because guests need a LOT more of them (then you still have the storage problem for the 799,900 leftovers).
The 2 or 3 ply thick, quality napkins come in gorgeous patterns to suit any theme or decor, often come in economy packs and different sizes (so you can have cocktail, dinner and luncheon napkins all matching, even table runners for some).
So unless you're hosting hundreds of people, there is no excuse, they are NOT expensive and much more comfortable and special for your guests.
I got these (below) in the olives pattern for the Panna Cotta, Cheese and Confit dessert table and some Punch Studio ones with matching coasters for dinner and beverages.

So make your guests feel comfortable and special... and you have half the recipe for a great party !

If you have questions or just want recommendations, drop me an email, comment or facebook note

Ciao!

from a
Bona Fide Glam Junkie

SlamPost : Greenscape Organic Homemade Body Polish or Cream

Greenscape Organic Homemade Body Polish or Cream

Especially the Body Polish - Nothing makes a real OR fake tan look better than properly exfoliated skin and this is THE most divine way of getting that glow. Organic, smells great, free from petrochemicals, sulphates, parabens, glycols, and synthetic colors, easy to use, just apply with fingers and massage in, on a wash cloth for extra exfoliation or on a loofa or scrub mit for ultimate skin sloughing then rinse off ! Do this before a fake tan and after a real one to get your skin glowing.

Lemon, Corn and Dandelion skin refining body polish. Beneficial multigrain goodness. A cream which boosts micro circulation as it removes impurities and dead skin cells. Rice and corn particles with organic avocado oil, and shea butter. Combine with a blend of multigrain cereals to leave skin deeply cleansed.
500 ml / 17 fl oz.

Body Cream - Bergamot, Kiwi and Wheat luminescent multigrain goodness. Enriched with natural ingredients this body cream is anti-oxidant and vitamin rich Bergamot, Kiwi, Wheat and organic avocado and cocoa butter combine with a blend of multigrain cereals to leave skin soft, supple and radiant. 500 ml / 17 fl oz.


As with all the products in this line, free from petrochemicals, sulphates, parabens, glycols, and synthetic colors.

If you have questions or just want recommendations, drop me an email, comment or facebook note

Ciao!

from Chez
a Bona Fide Glam Junkie

Beachy Waves - Casual summer easy hair styling

Yep, no one does the messy beachy waves better than Kate Hudson, but it's honestly not that hard to do and the messier, the better, so have at it and give the flat iron a rest now and then. Once you've got the hang of it, it's really a hassle free, wind and summer friendly hair-do :)

Fact is, messy waves is a "do" that you can stretch for a few days with minor touch up's if you have the right hair and do the right thing overnight. If you don't, then it's more of a one day style, but you might be surprised at how your baby fine, straight, thin hair will hold a messy curl and take a touch up the next day if you use the right products and understand the fundamentals of how this style works.

Step 1. It helps if you have highlights both for the messy blonde overall look and because it will be dryer and hold product better. 
If you are North Metro Denver Local, go see anyone at Escape Uptown (http://www.facebook.com/escapeuptown). They ROCK and have a current special on for June and July 2011 for $10 off highlights !
If you don't have light highlights or colored hair and your hair is healthy and silky it all still works, just maybe you'll need more product and it won't last as long OR you opt for silky waves, rather than messy beachy waves, but the key is TEXTURIZING your hair to hold that messy wave. At the beach, it's the salt in the water and fast sun drying that does it, but we're going for something a little silkier and less fried looking.

Step 2. In the evening or a few hours before going out, wash and condition as normal, towel dry (DO NOT BRUSH OR COMB IT), scrunch in your moisture protecting repairing serum (I use ICON Serum or AG Liquid Varnish Smoothing Polish which moisturizes and gives high shine without weight), or argan oil etc if you use it (and you should be using something),  but scrunch it in SPARINGLY.


Then LIGHTLY spritz some volumizing or texturizing spray that is kind to your hair. I LOVE these and have used them all
Icon CURE available at Escape Uptown - technically a moisturizer but sprays out a creamy odd sort of liquid and actually works really well to give texture to naturally frizzy or wavy hair like mine, adding moisture.
otherwise use Sally Hershberger Supreme Lift for Normal to Thin Hair 
or AG Spray Body Soft Hold Volumizer


Let your hair air dry for a while until it's still a little damp, then gather it all up on the top of your head (crown) and twist it tightly into a spiral, right to the ends, probably wrapping the spiral around itself into a bun thing if you have med, to long hair (it will take a few shots first time), then use a claw clip and secure it so it's comfy on top of your head to sleep in and won't unravel.

What this does, is keep the top of your hair pretty evenly straight and where it's twisted, it will dry and form waves from, about ear tops down and will stop where you stop the twist on the ends. But make sure it's ON TOP OF YOUR CROWN, right at that place where you would pull a high, tight ponytail, NOT where someone would smack you in the back of the head. 

Step 3. In the morning, or after it's completely dry, spritz your twist again, just a bit (uncurl it from around itself if you made a bun, but don't un-twist it yet) with a texturizing spray and let that dry (or add a little blow dry heat), BEFORE you let it un-twist.


Step 4. Un-twist it and gently shake out with your fingers, NOT pulling on the waves. Then use Beach Blow Texturzing Mist without or with a blow dryer on low, with a diffuser from as far away as you can stretch... and gently blow dry (or not) using your fingers to create tousled texture. Blow tip: Apply in sections after blow drying and "scrunch" to form natural waves. 


Step 5. For a perfect finish, flat iron the crown sections of hair a bit (and your bangs if you have them), stopping where the waves start - see above how Kate Hudson's is kind of straight and has some lift and volume on the top, then falls in straggly waves. This gives you a glossy crown and good shape and you can tidy up any renegade cow licks. 
If you have medium to long hair, feel free to use a large barrel curling iron too, just depends on how your hair looks and what needs tidying or finishing for your look. A large barrel curling iron will also help if you want to change it up with some more defined, tousled waves thrown in, (which Kate has in hers above) and fully like Giselle below. Use the iron pointing straight up vertical and wrapping the hair in a spiral (in or outwards, either/or), but not curling from a horizontal position.


Step 6. Finish with a medium or light hold hairspray like Bamboo Organic Smooth Anti-Humidity Hairspray which is moisturizing but anti-humidity and no parabens, mineral oil or nasties in it. You want beachy waves, not frizz, hence the Anti-Humidity Hairspray . 
Just a light spray, a dusting really AND lift the top layers and spray some upward towards your scalp at the roots. That's the trick they never tell you that keeps the style going. This will give volume, movement and that nice not-stuck-to-your-head shape (see pic below, some volume and texture makes a lovely difference, although Giselle is a little more polished here than "beachy waves"). You can also opt to rub on a paste or molding goop under there at your scalp for hold and volume and don't forget the back layer.

Side notes: 
If you want any of these products from Ulta, they have Free shipping on $25+ with code 51532
I have personally used all of the products and techniques and they work, but it does of course depend on your hair length, condition and type. Adjust products and methods accordingly and it may take a couple of tries to get it right for you, but it's then a hassle free, wind and summer friendly hair-do :)
This is also my Go-TO for the day after I've flat-ironed straight and humidity has gotten to it overnight. I spritz Biomega Moisture Mist by Aquage without washing, twist and do the rest of the steps and it looks FABBO !


No one gave me any of the products mentioned to plug, they're all in my arsenal (or were), that I purchased. I am partial to Ulta for free shipping, discounts, samples, rewards, range and pricing (honestly that have more and are as good as Sephora online) AND partial to my own stylists at Escape Uptown, because I know them and can recommend any one there confidently.


My hair is long, thin, fine, highlighted, a bit damaged and has some natural unattractive frizz... this is what works on it.

If you have questions or just want recommendations, drop me an email, comment or facebook note

Ciao!

from Chez
a Bona Fide Glam Junkie