Wavy Hair Care Review

♡Hello again!♡

 Today I will be reviewing hair care products that I've tried so far.

I have naturally wavy/curly hair that I have been straightening almost every day since the 8th grade.  My hair used to be much thicker/curlier/frizzier than it is now (it seems to have tamed down over the years after I used to dye and color it all the time). It was very unruly and difficult to manage so I gave up and began to just straighten it.  As a result my hair is damaged and dry at the ends (especially since I've stopped going to get my ends trimmed so I could grow it long).  My hair has finally reached a nice length to leave it curly so I have been spending time learning to take are of my natural waves. I've been trying out a variety of products to restore the health of my hair, define the curls, increase softness, and tame frizz. It seems that the main key to all of these things is to help hair retain its moisture. I finally have the cute hair that I want!  Here is a recent picture of my hair for you to see (me and my boyfriend spending a rainy day in Little Tokyo n.n)

So here we go!

I started by trying natural hair oils, thinking that this would be the best way to give my hair what it needs.  First I tried using pure ARGAN OIL, which you can easily find at the beauty store for about $8. I did enjoy this oil and used it for a long time, on my hair and my skin (at night).  It is a thick, fragrant oil and when used sparingly, can produce great results.  I did notice my hair seeming to be softer and a bit healthier looking but I don't think it made a huge difference.  I would apply this on my hair each morning before straightening and sometimes leave on thick amounts for a few hours before showering as a mask.  This worked well, my ends would be soft and healthy after I showered.  But the next time I washed my hair it would be back to normal again.  I tried to put a little on after washing my hair but then if I also used it before straightening the next morning it would be too oily The oil was very thick with a strong smell and it was easy to use too much, which would make my hair look greasy.  

I would give it a 3/5 stars  Buy again? NO.

Next I tried TSUBAKI OIL.  This is a traditional Japanese oil from the Camellia flower which is much lighter, soaks into the hair and skin much faster and has no scent. I got it for about $18-$20 on ebay or at the local Japanese market.  I liked this better than the Argan Oil.  I thought it was more effective and since you only use a few drops at a time it will last very long and be cheaper in the long run.  I began to put about 3 drops of this on my hair after washing it and maybe a couple more drops in the morning to tame the frizz and smooth everything out.  I thought this made my hair more healthy, very shiny and slightly softer.  My problem is that it is difficult to find the perfect amount to put onto my hair.  It is very easy to put on a drop too much and end up with greasy hair, or use just too little and have hair that isn't as soft and luxurious as I'd like it to be.  So about a year of being unable to find the right middle ground I decided to try something new (although I still use it sometimes to finish off a hair style when It looks just a bit dry and frizzy and needs shine). 

I give it 4/5 stars. Buy again? YES.

Next I tried PALTY NIGHT HAIR CARE JELLY MIST. It was on sale at Marukai for about $10 so I gave it a try.  This was the first hair treatment product I had tried and I was pretty disappointed.  The bottle is cute and it smells nice, you're supposed to spray it on your hair at night and leave it on.  But I didn't really notice any difference.  When I was using this my boyfriend asked in the day if I did something different with my hair, saying that it seemed bouncier or something.  So maybe it did have some effect but I didn't notice a thing. But I would like to try their Milky Hair Essence sometime, which I've read has pretty good results (maybe the spray bottle just isn't good enough).
I give it 2/5 stars. Buy again? NO.  

A leave in/rinse out treatment I really like is the SHISEIDO TSUBAKI SHINING TREATMENT. I got this a couple weeks ago and it works wonders.  I have used the Shiseido Tsubaki Shining and Damaged hair Shampoo/Conditioner and they are my favorite so I tried this out.  It was about $15 at Marukai (I wanted to get the hair mask version but that was a couple dollars more).  I use it maybe once a week instead of a conditioner.  Just put it on after shampooing then clip it up and leave it on for 20 minutes before rinsing.  I guess you are supposed to use that 20 minutes to wrap your head in a hot towel outside of the shower but I don't have time for that lol. This method works great though.  I can go into the shower with tangled, dry hair and when rinsing out this treatment it will be smooth, silky and 100% tangle free, with no combing!  It's hard to say whether the treatment lasts after I wash my hair again, because of all the products I've been using I can't tell which is responsible for what.  But I do love this product.  My hair feels softer, healthier, stronger, and is shinier. My only concern is that I need alot of it to cover my hair and I don't think the tube will last for very long.  I'll try only using it on the bottom half of my hair from now on.

I give it 4.5/5 stars. Buy again? YES, but would like to try the mask version.  

Before I go any further I would like to bring up a line of hair products that I've been really into lately called LUCIDO-L HAIR MAKE SUPPLEMENT.  These adorable little bottles are usually $12 each at the markets and on ebay. The design is very cute and compact, the smell is delicate and sweet and they seem to work really well. These are non sticky, non oily hair treatment products which are great for me because I already have wavy hair so I don't need much of a styling product but would like to accentuate the strands, smooth frizz and give it a natural softness. I've tried one other product from Lucido-L before which I was very unsatisfied with but these have made me change my mind about the brand.  You can learn more about their products and how to achieve hairstyles HERE:

http://www.lucido-l.com.my/product/index.html

HAIR MAKE SUPPLEMENT #TREATMENT OIL <PERM>:  This is one of my favorite things right now.  I tried the "perm" one since my hair is curly.  I put it on after washing my hair and leave it on when I sleep.  They say that it will allow you to wake up with soft hair that you can run your fingers through.  It's true! When I wake up my hair feels soft, smooth and I can actually run my fingers through it without getting knots! It adds a sort of shield over each strand of hair it seems.  This works much better than the pure hair oils I've tried because the other ingredients in it help the oil to spread more easily instead of getting stuck in more areas than others and becoming too oily.  I have noticed a huge difference in my hair since trying this product, I love it.  The only drawback i see is that the bottle is TINY so I'm sure it will only last a few months.  I try to only use about 3 pumps of it a day, even though my hair is long, and touch up my hair throughout the day with Tsubaki Oil (although I'd like to only use this one, but it would run out too fast). I say it is worth spending $12 on a few times a year though, if you can afford it.

I give it 5/5 stars. Buy again? YES!!!!!  

HAIR MAKE SUPPLEMENT #STYLING MILK <STRAIGHT>:  I bought this before trying the treatment oil because, although I've only used it a couple times (I only straighten my hair once in a while lately) I was surprised by how effective it was.  It has a smooth creamy, gel-like consistency and a similar light, fruity/floral scent.  It spreadss easily over hair and when used as a heat protector before straightening, I could feel the flat iron gliding over my hair and afterwards it would be soft and smooth instead of dry and brittle.  My concern is again, with the size, but if I only use 1-3 pumps for before and after straightening then it shouldn't run out too fast. Another great product!

I give it 5/5 stars. Buy again? YES.

HAIR MAKE SUPPLEMENT #STYLING MILK <SOFT WAVE>:  I just started using this a couple days ago but I like it so far.  Since I'm using the treatment oil at night I wanted something I could put on my hair in the morning to define waves, tame frizz and nourish during the day.  So far it seems to be working well, but I can't really say yet.  I'm wondering what the difference is between this one and the <CURLY> one, which I didn't even know existed.

Anyways, too soon to give this one a rating but I do like it.

KOSE LOVERUSS ARRANGE & KEEP SPRAY:  It took me a little while to start liking this one.  I was looking for something to define my curls and this was what i found in Little Tokyo.  It costs around $11 everywhere I see it.  I guess it is supposed to be a spray that allows you to "scrunch" up your hair to create curls (something I read about alot of products but I still can't get the hang of) which will look natural and hold all day.  Sometimes I use this on areas of my hair that look more flat than others (spray and twist it up) and it will add some bouncy waviness.  But I'm mostly using it now to style my hair when it is wet.  I first part my hair down the middle, apply my treatment oil then spray this on and twist either section of my hair from top to bottom and blow dry it/let it air dry while continuing to twist it.  This is how I'm able to create natural waves and loose round curls that all follow each other in shape.  This seems to do a good job of keeping the strands together when creating the curls as it dries.  I haven't tried any other products like this so I can't say how great it is but it is helping me achieve the look I want and it smells AMAZING! I wish I could find a body mist with this scent, it is a sweet, girly peachy smell. A few people have complimented me saying my hair smells  really good (which has never really happened to me before).

I give it 4/5 stars. Buy again? Maybe, I haven't shopped for something better yet.

Additional Hair Care Tips:

• Avoid using any heat whatsoever, when you can (blow drier, straighteners, etc)
• Never comb hair when wet  
• Avoid using brushes, try to only use a very wide tooth comb or at least a brush with natural bristles
• Do not wash your hair every day. I started only washing my hair every other day, and even on those days I will sometimes only use conditioner instead of shampoo
• Use only a small amount of shampoo JUST ON YOUR SCALP if you are trying to repair your hair like me
• Never sleep with hair wet or tied up

Simple Kanzashi Bun

I have always wondered how pin up my hair with a Kanzashi (an ornamental japanese hair pin).  They are so elengant and you don't need any hair ties at all to put up all of your hair, just a single pin! Some have two teeth and they come in a variety of ornaments at the top.  I found a very pretty one at Marukai for a dollar and had to give it a try.  The one I found was a single metal pin with a round porcelain bead at the tip with dark blue details and some small blue shapes tangling from the tip.  I watched a bunch of videos on how to use it until I found one that I was able to do. Here is me with a simple kanzashi bun (ignore the flyaway strand, it was my first try!) and the video I found on how to do it. Enjoy!

:O !!! MY BIRTHDAY :O !!!

 (≖` _̆ ′≖⑉) 

Hi again!

Today's my birthday so I went out shopping in Little Tokyo with my boyfriend :O !!! I had such a fun day and lots of tasty food.

Here's the presents I got myself and that he bought for me today:

2 American Apparel tight crop tops, cheap round sunglasses, white plum incense, Hada Labo face mist, Q10 white body milk, Tsururi ghassoul mineral clay pack, Q10 celeb bath salt, and a bunch of sheet masks :O!!! I'll review all these things once I've used them for a while.

And soon I might be able to get those Jeffrey Campbell white mayview platform sandals I've been dying for.  ( ꒪⌓꒪)

Also, I'm enjoying summer (now that I've GRADUATED!) but am having dry skin lately and putting on alot of sunscreen every day. I found the sunscreen by Shiseido for half off at TJ Max and have been using that, but really would like to have a good face sunscreen that is strong, non oily, non drying and can work well as a base under bb cream, so I'm on the lookout for that...

But my new skincare routine and makeup have been really making a difference in my appearance and complexion (at least I think so). Here's a picture of me (looking bored lol sorry) where you can see how my skin looks lately:

I'm going to go try out this new clay mask and see if my boyfriend will do one with me :P

My birthday was awesome! Have a great night guys!

✭*Summertime*✭

I finally have more time to be posting now, I graduated from CalArts and am living in the valley now. Enjoying the warm weather and summer foods!

This morning I had this refreshing breakfast: Hot matcha, passionfruit, raw bell pepper, and egg whites with spinach and hummus on sprouted seasame bread. Eating vitamin C in the mornings is said to promote a healthy, bright complexion and help burn fat.  So does green tea, which is full of antioxidants to help rid the body of toxins.  At least 4 cups a day is supposed to allow people to reap the benefits, I try to drink at least 2 each day. 

I also got a chance to gowhere I grew up yesterday, which has an old Japanese community so there's the best markets with all of the newest beauty products, at lower prices than even ebay has! I went to Marukai and picked up these things, some of them were even on sale

(From upper left) Hada Labo whitening masks, Palty Night Hair Care gelee spray, Hada Labo perfect gel, Isehen quick eyebrow pencil, Pore Peeling Tsururi gel, and some more face masks (by Samsung? I'm confused. They're from Korea and were cheap so I bought a few to try).  I'm so excited to use them all! Once I've used these for a bit I'll review them all.

Also I was given a little sample of moisturizer and almost threw it out but decided to give it a try and it was the BEST moisturizer I have ever used in my life! But when I looked it up online a jar of it costs over $100 :( Here's a photo of it. 

It's a Japanese cream called Oro Gold 24k Day Moisturizer

Next I'll be going over my new and improved skin routine and how to do natural looking makeup. 

☁Goodnight☁

*LoveNatural*

Summer's coming and I've been really into the "natural makeup" look lately. Where it looks like a girl isn't wearing any makeup at all but just looks fresh and clean and awake. I'm waiting on the Urban Decay Naked 2 eyeshadow palette to come in the mail (yaay I finally got it! n.n) and am currently on the lookout for some yellow concealer, clear mascara and good eye cream. 

But for now I'm enjoying a green tea/yogurt mask and nude nail polish ♥

To do this mask use about a teaspoon of matcha (green tea powder) mixed with a little bit of warm water and mixed up unto a smooth, dark green paste. I mixed it with a little bit of plain yogurt.  Leave it on for about 10 minutes until it starts to get dry then wash it off (I use cleanser to make sure I get it all out of my pores) and put on moisturizer.  You're supposed to do this mask about 3 times a week for the best results. I've only used it a couple times so far but it's really cool and soothing and seems to help lighten my skin :)

Green tea is meant to have a variety of health benefits, when you drink it or apply it directly to the skin.  It can help calm the skin down, help generate new cells while shedding away dead ones and even protect skin from the sun. (PS matcha can be found for cheap at any Japanese market. A small bag of it costs about $4 and will last a long time. But don't buy it at someplace like Whole Foods because they charge around $20 for the same amount)

I'll be writing more about these things later. In the meantime here's a pic I made on photoshop of the things I'm obsessed with right now lol

☁ Goodnight ☁

I h8 cold weather D:

Hi again!

Sorry that I haven't been updating the blog at all other than my first review. I'm finishing my last semester at school and am spending all my time trying to learn CG motion graphics before I graduate so i'm busy busy!

I promise to write soon. For now, here's a picture of my new haircut! I luv super short bangs n.n I also stopped wearing anything on my skin on most days (just a bit of concealer on my chin and Neutrogena sunscreen, which has quickly whitened my skin another shade. I'd love to try the ones by Hada Labo or Shiseido) and have mostly been wearing minimal amounts of makeup on my eyes (loving this Tony Moly lip tint and the little Lancome eyeshadow quad I found on ebay, with shimmery white, pink, purple and black shadows. I'll be doing an eyeshadow review at some point).

And here's how I'm dealing with this awful cold, dry weather (and being stuck in front of a computer 90% of the day). Plus do you like my new fluffy white comforter? :P

Lots of water (remember to ALWAYS drink a lot of water, to flush out toxins, improve your immune system, prevent dry skin/hair, and manage weight). I found this Bobble filtered water bottle for only $3 at TJ Max. These bottles are a great deal, even at regular price, I highly recommend buying one! You only need to change the filter once every couple months and those are $7.

Tsubaki oil from camellia flowers is a traditional Japanese hair and skin care product. I also use coconut oil as a hair mask a couple times a week lately.

I use sheet masks whenever my skin starts to break out of become dry or dull.  This is the My Beauty Diary Black Pearl mask but I've found that the Aloe Vera ones work the best, especially for calming skin.  Also honey with a little olive oil, worn as a mask for a couple minutes, is supposed to calm, sooth and soften skin. I tried it a few days ago and I can't tell if it helped much? Will try again in the future and do a post about skincare.

Also:

i try my best to always use hand sanitizer, especially since i live on campus and am constantly in closed rooms with sick people. I use aloe vera and vaseline for when my lips get cracked, and whenever I start to feel like I'm getting sick I take some Echinacea & Goldseal pills with ElderBerry syrup and feel fine the next morning. I haven't been sick once this past year!

plus lots of love from my baby to keep me warm and healthy :^*******

And as always, I take my vitamins (C, B complex, Iron, fish oil, multi, etc) and make sure to get exercise every day! 

Next I'll be reviewing hair care, so check back ♥

Guestbook

Anika (cryptictesseract@gmail.com)

i just tried the hada labo lotion para your recommendation. At first my skin felt a bit sticky but now it feels great and refreshed! Im looking forward to reading more on your blog <3 Yaay glad to hear it! (that you like the blog and Hada Labo products lol) I will be updating this week. :)