Treat me beautiful... or chop me down!!!

Hermanas!!!

Today I did go not to Sephora; but to Super Supplements to stock on vitamins for both Rojo and me, and coconut oil. This got me thinking of hair care and the different products I have used over the years. I have really long hair; and have come to the conclusion that there is nothing that turns me off more than an opaque, brittle, strawy appearance. Really. Healthy long hair is just sublime. Unhealthy long hair is disgusting. This applies to both hermanas and hermanos.

I usually wear my hair down; and therefore the need for haircare is a must. Now; once upon a time I would spend recklessly on hair treatments. I would actually go and get them "done" at the beauty parlor. Times change. Income changes, too. I am now more budget conscious and a bit more savvy about looking good without going broke.

Here are my favorite hair treatments.... in spendy to cheapo order (aprox. prices). There is a treatment for every budget.


Kerastase Masquintense ($50+)

This used to be my staple hair mask when I was young, restless, and non-thrifty. To this day, I sigh for its absence. During my years in Canada; it was impossible to get my hands on Kerastase, so I let go of it slowly.

I needed to use this only once a month or so; and it worked beautifully. Would I go back to buying it? Not really. I have found fantastic products that do the trick at a fraction of the price. Not that if someone gave me a pot I would say no to it.

But if you can afford it; don't second guess yourself and go for it. It is worth every penny.



LUSH Jasmine & Henna Fluff Eaze Hair Treatment ($20+)

I cannot say enough good things about LUSH's hair treatments. I have used all of them but the Marylin for Blondes and this is, by far, my all time fave. Another really good one is H'Suan Wen Hua (yes, that's the name), but I am set on this one.

For brunettes or redheads, this is the one you want hermanas. You really, really do. You can either follow the instructions and be done with it in 30 minutes, or you can be like yours truly and leave it overnight.

The shine I get from LUSH's Fluff Eaze is beyond WOW factor. Love it, love it, love it. But, like with a lot of LUSH goodies, some hermanas are put off by the smell (I know my internet hermana A cannot go into LUSH though she loves it!!) so make sure you check the smell before buying it.

This one is also highly recommended for all the hermanas who are fabulous and henna their hair. It is like a henna wash with a kick ladies!!! (btw, LUSH also has their Henna dye collection, in case you didn't already know...).




Virgin Coconut Oil ($10)

I just bought my latest pot at the vitamin store, so the price is accurate. Make sure the ONLY ingredient in it is -duh- coconut oil. Some cheaper versions, like the ones you find at the supermarket, have god knows how much "other stuff" (including -yikes!- mineral oil) in them.

Coconut oil has a long and ancient tradition as a hair dressing tool. It should have an almost transparent look to it; and be solid in the pot. When you apply it; rub a bit -a bit- in between your palms; and run it down your hair. I always pass a comb through so I can be sure it gets everywhere.

If you leave it overnight as I often do; get yourself one of those really cute satin bonnets to sleep in. And no, it does not look creepy. It looks cute. Morning after, make sure to rinse out with your fave shampoo.

You can also use jojoba oil as above. I find it that I like to use coconut oil as deep night treatment and jojoba oil in the mornings as a sun-barrier. Whatever works for you. Legally Smart uses only jojoba oil, and she has a lovely mane.





Infusium 23 Repairologie Leave-in Treatment ($6.99)

I must say this was one of my life savers during the Canadian winters and even before. The folks at INFUSIUM know what they are talking about.

Their whole line of products is something to look at; and they are quite affordable compared to some really overpriced supermarket/drugstore haircare brands.

What I loved about this treatment was its lightweight. The 3 treatments above are heavy. Infusium 23 is something you can't even feel it's there. It also works as a detangler, and leaves you ready for either heat styling or au-naturel drying. Love it.





Aussie 3-Minute Miracle ($4)

What can I say? The "put some roo to your do" works. It really does. I was much more of a 3-Min. fan back in the Canadian prairies where the water was hard and the weather was really harsh on my hair. But this little staple of beauty is always in my heart.

If you have seriously neglected your hair with too much heat, nasty winter weather, too much chemical processing; run and get yourself the 3MM. You will be glad you did.

The only drawback with Aussie's "Miracle" is the 3 minute wait in the bathroom. I don't know about you hermanas, but I have my time really measured for a quick morning routine; and 3 minutes are, well.... 3 more minutes with Rojo in the balcony. What more can I say????


So those are my pics for most memorable hair treatments of all times. Which are yours? Any home made magic you would care to share with us???


Siempre, Bella.

Cleanliness is next to Fabulousness

Hermanas!!!

So yesterday, after ranting about the need for brushes; one of my fave hermanas asked me "well, how the blip do I clean them?" and it got me thinking about a post on cleaning brushes. Then, it elevated into cleaning makeup toold; then transformed into a cleaning makeup area. So here it goes.

Think of your makeup area as our Beautique Sanctuary. It is your space, even if it is one drawer next to your partner's sock drawer. When I walk into my bathroom in the morning, I hate hate hate seeing the remnants of yesterday's beauty routine. You know what that looks like: Brushes all over, cotton balls and cotton rounds here and there, jojoba oil bottle open, baby wipes with makeup residue.... Yucks. Make up is a messy enterprise indeed.

So how to go about converting the chaos zone into a Beautique Sanctuary? Good, good question. Some hermanas like my mother in law are clean by nature. I am not kidding -- this woman cleans as an Olympic sport and has the loveliest house ever. Other hermanas are, well, like me. I am messy. Muy messy. But somehow I have achieved nirvana when it comes to my Sanctuary. The rest of my house, well... we will ask Rojo once he emerges from the clutter.

Here's what I do. Quite easy, really.

Morning.

I use 4+ brushes every day. After finishing with each one, I dab the excess makeup on a baby wipe (baby wipes are your friends, check this post), then rub a bit on a hand towel (this hand towel I turn over to use all sides, and I wash with the laundry about twice a week) and put back on the cup where I have the brushes.

Since I use MAX FACTOR pancake; the Foundation brush needs a bit more attention. I keep the tap open and damp it; then get rid of excess in the hand towel and reshape.

Once my makeup is done and I look like a goddess; I grab all the cotton balls, baby wipes, etc; curl them up and toss them away. I also clean the sink and counter with another baby wipe; and clean the mirror (keep window cleaner + paper towels at hand).


Evening.

This one is hard to keep. When I am good and take my makeup off (I know, I am terrible); I again collect all the cotton rounds and toss them away.

I brush my hair and dab coconut oil or the jojoba oil through it to always wake to a shiny mane. This is when I get rid of the hair that falls -- again, toss. Then I empty the little garbage basket and voila, ready it goes.


Weekly.

Once a week -usually on Sundays- I deep clean the whole area. This is when I wash all my brushes; and I use MAC's brush cleaner. This thing is amazing; and it does the trick flawlessly.
I fill in half a tiny cup with it and let my brushes rest in it while I clean other things. Then I take them out one by one, rub them into my palm until they maker tiny bubbles and no color comes out. After that, just reshape them with your hands and set them to dry flat.



While the brushes are soaking in the magic solution; I go over the rest of the collection. Clean the containers, check for outdated makeup, and get rid of accumulated stuff. Now, if the MAC solution is a bit steep for those of us on budget (it is a bout $11.00), here's an easy one: use your shampoo, diluted in some water. Works just as fine and it is a fraction of the price. Just remember to rinse properly - you do not want your brushes (or your mane, for that matter) to have yucky build up.

The point is, and I've said it before: MAKEUP IS NOT A CHORE. Remember that and use your daily makeup minutes as a moment to rejoice in womanhood, plan your day, and realize how gorgeous you are. Beauty is an inside job hermanas.

If you have amazing tips for cleaning your makeup area; do tell!!! I want to know!

Siempre, Bella.

Oily little secrets...

I was just replying to my hermana Brittany @ CoM and remembered to post one of my latest discoveries (cut me some slack, I am slow) for deep hair conditioning.

First. My hair is long. As in really, really long. Say 3 more months and I could be the Lady Godiva of C-@-TL. I rarely use product, and only occasionally do I blow dry or straighten the mane. As you might know or guess; keeping hair this long shinny and healthy is not easy-peasy. Unless you have always wanted to look like Janis Joplin on a bad-bad hair day (imagine that!). I refuse to pay bucks and more bucks for so called deep conditioners (except for Aussie 3 Minute Miracle). So I use oils. Yup, oils.

Coconut oil is my personal fave. Rojo does not mind the smell so I sleep with my hair oiled in. A tiny bit goes a long way. It looks like white wax, dissolves in your hands and then on the hair it goes. I pass a comb all over to make sure it gets all the strands. Mi madre (who turns out knew about this coconut gift from heaven all along.... kthx mom) says one should be careful not to get too close to the scalp or it will get greasy in the morning. Advice confirmed hermanas.

Coconut oil should be the only ingredient in the label hermanas, because others have mineral oils and other stuff we do not want in our cabezas.


Jojoba oil is my BFF Legally Smart's weapon of choice. She also has long locks that are always shiny and soft. She dabs a tiny bit of jojoba oil after showering and looks like a million bucks. I sometimes use it on the weekends; but mostly I use jojoba oil to take my eye make up off at night, and it works like a charm, you need about 2 drops of it -I'm serious-; and it is the perfect base for my next oily little secret.....

Castor Oil. Yup, and don't begin a freak out session because you have heard it is poisonous. Mi madre used to smother our eyelashes with it every night. For years. She also used Talika, which I luv but it cracks at 30USD. The result is I have fab eyelashes. No need to curl them or anything of the sort. My brother is the guy whose eyelashes you love to hate. So, do it. I do it still every night after the cleanup routine (which I admit to hate) - a bit on the eyelashes, some on the eyebrows.

NOTE: DO NOT use castor oil if you are pregnant. NEVER.

Now go home and oil away!!