Back in June, I had reviewed two of celebrity stylist Chaz Dean’s WEN cleansing conditioners. Though I enjoyed the Tea Tree and Sweet Almond Mint varieties, I gotta tell you: I’m even more impressed with the Cucumber Aloe!

As you may recall, these cleansers are different from conventional shampoos–they do not foam or produce any lather. That’s because they do not contain any of the standard sulfate detergents that induce suds; those pearly bubbles are known to strip colored hair of both tint and moisture. (So much for that whole “squeaky clean” concept.)

But I digress–you probably want to know why I’ve chosen a BFF for my hair. My rationale is quite simple: I love that I can have a dye-job that lasts and clean, healthy tresses! WEN’s Cucumber Aloe formula has been designed to be simultaneously moisturizing and clarifying, both of which suit fine hair or oily scalps (with dry ends). I’ve been using this product for a couple months now; a thorough rinse ensures no leftover residue.

Key ingredients:

• cucumber fruit extract
• organic aloe vera leaf juice
• extracts of rosemary, chamomile and marigold
• menthol
• witch hazel
• avocado

I guess I’m not the only one who’s in love with WEN! Check out the testimonials: if it’s good enough for Julianna Margulies….

As are the rest of the cleansers, Cucumber Aloe is indeed cruelty-free–it’s Chaz-tested by the stylist himself. And while certainly not cheap, this product delivers a consistent performance. The current QVC sale helps to mitigate some of the cost; don’t miss out!

Jen#2

Product info and images courtesy of Chaz Dean and QVC.

Celebrity still courtesy of IMDb. Photo by David M. Russell–copyright 2010 by CBS Broadcasting Inc. All rights reserved.

How did it do it? With the power of citrus and chamomile. This innovative formula gently lightens your hair without peroxide or ammonia.

John Frieda Collection: Sheer Blonde has a signature yellow color to the both the conditioner and the shampoo. The shampoo has metallic brighteners to add an amazing sparkle to the hair. Though the color is unique the smell of the product smells like the typical shampoo; clean and soapy.

For me these products did more than just make my hair appear blonder, they improved the condition of my hair. Most days, my hair is very well trained, but there are days where it can be stubborn. On those stubborn days  Sheer Blonde conditioner helped tons. The conditioner helped a little bit more than other conditioners I have used.

I would recommend  Sheer Blonde to any natural blonde who wants to add golden blonde highlights to their hair.

Guest Blogger Natalie Castagnola is just beginning to delve into the world of cruelty-free beauty. She’s an animal lover with a cute beagle puppy and can’t wait to share more of her favorite cruelty-free finds.

Turns out that cute little company, called Lather, has been around since 1999, and is on PETA’s compassionate company list – they have a strict policy against animal testing.  Right up my alley!  I finally got a chance to check out their products, and I was quite pleased.

Lather founder and skin care expert Emilie Davidson Hoyt was a serious migraine sufferer since childhood, and she was/is ultra-sensitive to the synthetic ingredients and fragrances found in most cosmetics. When she was a child her father brought her back a lavender soap from a business trip and she found that it relieved much of her pain, so she began placing it under her pillow at night to help her relax.

This is what started her passion for natural healing products and the desire to use her experience to help others.  There’s a great list of essential oils and their properties on the Lather website, as well as skin care advice from Emilie.

I like the way they separate different types of products by package color.  I tried their Blemish Control Cleansing Gel, which is an oil-free gel cleanser with wasabi (a natural antibacterial agent), aloe, witch hazel and nettle extract.  It’s paraben and sulfate-free, and it’s pH balanced so it doesn’t dry out your skin.  I love that it rinses clean – no residue – but still manages to keep my skin soft.  Very highly recommended!

I also tried the Ultra Light Face Lotion, which as the name implies, is well…ultra light!  The cool thing is that it actually has a nice, moisturizing thickness to it – it’s not a serum or a gel – but it dries quickly with no greasy or heavy feel.  Great for my combination skin.  It’s got rose and ylang ylang essential oils to soothe the skin, and the scent is quite nice.

I tried the AHA Facial Therapy with Copper and Borage Extract – which I used as a night cream.  It’s very light, and has lactic acid, copper and borage seed oil to renew dull, tired skin and increase cell turnover.

The Bamboo Creme Hair Wash has bamboo extract of course – and panthenol, jojoba oil and oat amino acids to prevent split ends and encourage moisture.  It’s got essential oils which give it a nice, fresh scent.

The Avocado Mint Hair Repair is wonderfully thick and leaves a fresh, minty cooling sensation.  It’s got nourishing shea butter, macadamia seed oil and jojoba oil to condition the hair.  I like to use it on weekends along with a nice facial mask for a great “I’m pampering myself” feeling.

I definitely recommend checking out the Lather store if you’re in Pasadena, Scottsdale or Atlanta.  You can also buy their products online.  And the best part?  The prices are more than reasonable!

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I’ve been using these products for over a month now and they have really made a dramatic difference. My color-treated hair is usually dull, weak, and dry, but since using these products, it’s actually feeling like hair again. And I can thank its key ingredients for doing all the work.

Silk and Wheat Proteins are great at restoring strength. Not sure if you all are aware, but every time you color your hair, you lose protein from each strand, that often results in weak and brittle hair. That’s why it’s so important to use a shampoo and conditioner with protein.

The bonus about silk proteins is that they also restore shine to the hair, which not only makes your hair prettier, but makes it look healthier and younger.

But that’s not all, the conditioner features a few essential ingredients for moisture and shine as well. Mineral Oil and Olive Oil are perfect for softening dry locks. Olive oil penetrates the hair shaft to moisturize from the inside out. Mineral oil sits on the outside to add shine and control frizz. This may sound a bit heavy, and actually, ProSilk products do work well for harder to tame multicultural hair, but it actually wasn’t too heavy for my fine hair, especially because mine is so damaged. My hair just soaked it up and begged for more.

ProSilk hair care products are created for salons, so you get top ingredients without the extra water or filler found in drgustore brands. But they’re actually priced closer to what you’d pay at the drugstore. The shampoo and conditioner were only $7.50 each. Not a bad deal for beautiful hair.

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Your hair says a lot about you. The summer months have begun and they can bring on quite a change in hair texture.  Here are some quick and easy summer solutions to nurse and style your fabulous hair.

A strong foundation is the most important element in healthy, sexy hair. Keep your ends clean with regular trims.  I recommend 5-7 weeks for shorter styles and 8-10 weeks for longer lengths.  Protect your hair and scalp by using products like:

• Nioxin Scalp Guard SPF 20
• Sebastian Halo Mist with a UV filter (goes on dry for shine)

Moisture is a must these days.  Summer sun can make hair thirsty.   Rinse off that sun and salt while letting your locks quench thirst with moisturizing, color safe shampoos, conditioners, and hair masks like these:

• Sebastian Drench Shampoo and Conditioner

When it comes to styling your hair, try to keep those locks looking natural. Get out your curl creams, serums, and sea salt sprays ‘cause in the summer’s heat wavy and free is the way to be!  Follow these tips to get flirty curls or waves, beautiful braids, and accessorized tresses.

For defined curls, twist locks of any length around two fingers to achieve a curl or around three fingers to achieve a wave. Preserve a neat look by blow-drying the front fringe area back while wrapping it around a round brush.

If using a blow dryer, keep it on low to prevent frizz.  Twist your hair along the front hairline or down from the part and secure it with a bobby pin to give it a flirty vibe. Bobby pins can be your best friend – very useful for tucking away shorter hair.

Braids are big!  Braiding all the hair to one side is sleek and sexy, while braiding a specific area of the hair can be fun too. Secure the ends of all braids using small elastics or bobby pins.

Accessorize your summer!  Place a slim circular headband right over your style for a flowing hip look.  Pair a messy ponytail or chignon that has height in the crown and a pair of great earrings.  Stock up on head scarves.  Fold the scarf at opposite corners, then into a headband shape.  Wrap the scarf around your head and tie it having the bow or knot be placed where it best suits you.  Let’s not forget that a straight or sweeping fringe is the perfect touch for those big and fabulous sunglasses we all have.

Enjoy your summer hair and visit your “Professional Hair Doctor” for more hair recommendations.

Guest blog post by:

Sandi Milone is a Master Stylist at Dieci Lifestyle Spa in Livingston, NJ.  If you are interested in booking an appointment with her please call 973-716-0101.