April 2011 Archives

The hot new haircolor? It’s definitely red. Blake Lively and Drew Barrymore are just two of the celebs who’ve debuted fiery new tresses recently—and, we must say, we’re totally loving it!

We’ve long loved red hair, but the new onslaught definitely has us thinking about taking on a bold new hue. If you’re thinking about going red, there are a couple things to keep in mind:

1) Red hair fades FAST! It’s important to use color-safe shampoos and conditioners—or, better yet, use products formulated for red hair, like Ted Gibson Captivating Copper Shampoo ($24.99 at tedgibsonsalon.com).

2) Try to wait a few days in between washes so the color lasts longer.

3) If at all possible, get your color done at a salon. Too many reds gone wrong have ended up as orange! A colorist can help you achieve the shade you want with minimal damage.

So what do you think about the bevy of red-tressed celebs out there as of late?

Now that spring finally seems to be upon us, it’s imperative that we get our skin to be as soft and smooth as possible. Luckily, we recently came across the amazingness that is The Body Shop Spa Wisdom Africa Ximenia & Salt Scrub.

We love that this oversized tub makes us feel like we’ve been transported to a relaxing spa. Inside is a creamy salt scrub that’s formulated with skin-softening body butters from Africa.

We’ve been using this scrub two to three times a week, especially on our dry and ashy legs and elbows, and it’s amazing how quickly we’ve seen a difference. That’s thanks not only to the salt grains and the body butters, but to Community Trade organic beeswax and shea butter. Ximenia, an oil extracted from the ximenia tree native to Africa, also helps to moisturize and condition the skin.

Plus, with this scrub’s intoxicatingly sensual fragrance, is it any wonder we’ve gone head over heels?

The Body Shop Spa Wisdom Africa Ximenia & Salt Scrub retails for $28 at thebodyshop.com.

You know you do it, but are the free hotel toiletries really worth sneaking into your bag? Thanks to an old cushy day job, I had the… luxury of staying at some nice hotels with even nicer amenities. In this column, I’ll explore the brands different hotels have chosen to partner up with and where the products place on my ‘stuff it in your carry on?’ meter.

We’ll tell you all the reasons why we love Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil.

1) It smells amazing — the scent of camellia petals is rich, heady and utterly intoxicating.

2) Only one pump is needed to completely protect hair from roots to ends.

3) While most oils make our hair look disgustingly greasy, this one does nothing of the kind.

4) After this one pump, hair is left looking and feeling super soft and silky.

5) The oil helps to protect hair from harmful UV rays and is even safe for use on color-treated hair.

These reasons are all pretty good, wouldn’t you say?

In short, one pump of this oil into your hands and spread through damp hair from roots to ends — or four pumps on dry hair immediately before shampooing — and you’ll be amazed at the difference in softness, silkiness and manageability. Plus, who doesn’t want her hair to smell like flowers?

Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil retails for $65 at shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com.