Her hair on the other hand, there was hope for that. The Beauty Bug had packed wisely and planned ahead. Her secret weapon – Alterna’s Anti-Static Spray. Despite Her electric day –  the  harsh winter winds, the dry indoor heat, and the constant on and off of  Her jacket – those pesky fly-aways were under control.  Ideally, She’d be using this après-ski while sitting in a cozy lodge by a fire, drinking mint hot chocolate and wearing a cute snowsuit and flirty hat. Alas, it was the middle of the work week, her makeup was melting, and She swore Her deodorant was starting to wear off. Glamour-city. But, back to the hair – Her strands were perfectly smoothed and moisturized. The weightless sheer mist worked in an instant, soothing Her hair cuticle and providing a light hold. Her locks were disciplined and static-free! A spritz here, and a spay there, and The Beauty Bug was sporting tamed tresses that smelled of a delish blend of almonds, vanilla, cherry and coconut.

Get this now and stock up, because as with most holy grail products – you guessed it  - it’s limited edition.

Alterna’s Anti-Static Spray is available at Beauty.com, Ulta.com and Ulta stores for $20.

Disclosure: A press sample was provided to The Beauty Bug.

After using the products on 3 separate occasions, The Beauty Bug’s hair was strikingly shiny. She’s talking mirror-like shine, ladies. She’s talking people stopping to ask Her what She uses in Her hair kind of shiny. It’s unignorable. And hair feels and looks like you’re ready for your close-up next to Stacey London and Beyonce. It’s  light as a feather, easy to manage and run your fingers through, and infused with shine.

The only lackluster part – you’ll have to wait until February to get it.

Alterna’s Bamboo Shine producsts are $20 and will be available at Ulta stores, Studio at Fred Segal and high-end boutiques and salons worldwide in February.

Disclosure: Press samples were  provided to The Beauty Bug.

The products are the result of an intense five-year science project.  Salon owner William George set out to create a gentle product that treated the scalp and hair as we do our skin. Nothing was to hit the shelves with the James Joseph name on it unless the smell hit that perfect clean note, the lather was bountiful, and the sulfate-free, organic ingredients included the best that nature has to offer (tamanu oil, bergamot fruit oil and lavender oil). All of this and a hint of luxury? Tall order.

The Beauty Bug is happy to report that being a picky, focused stylist proved to be a huge win for William George. His line respects the environment, while enriching the health of your hair and scalp (in fact, most ingredients found in Balance to treat the scalp, can also be found in facial cosmetics).  The Beauty Bug’s hair loved the natural, soothing, gentle ingredients. Great for everyday use, the products are really like a daily dose of vitamins for your locks! They don’t leave any build-up or residue and leave hair healthy, easy-to-manage, and smelling out-0f-control good!

So, Mr. George – if you’re listening – The Beauty Bug would love a “Balance” scented candle. She’d love Her condo to smell as fresh and clean as Her hair.

Balance by James Joseph is available at all James Joseph Salons and on BalanceByJamesJoseph.com for $19.95.

Disclosure: Press samples were  provided to The Beauty Bug.

Bobbi Brown’s Pink Quartz Shimmer Brick - This beachy collection has The Beauty Bug dreaming of fruity drinks with umbrellas, sand between Her toes, and sunblock. Though this is as close as She’ll be getting to the beach for now, The Beauty Bug will take it. It’s no secret that the Shimmer Bricks are what BB does best, and this new one leaves faces as fresh as spring tulips . Many have tried to duplicate these hand-made Italian bars-o-shimmer, but no one has quite captured the glow that Bobbi has. Pink Quartz is a gorgeous, luxe shade for every skin tone, and a must-have even if you own other bricks. $38, bobbibrowncosmetics.com

Kelly Van Gogh’s Wonderlust Illuminating Hair Tonic – Hair color illuminator, check. Leave-in conditioner, check. Detangler, check. Thermal protector, check.  This vitamin cocktail is a multi-tasking champion.  The wonder spray’s secret lie in its  key ingredients which include caviar proteins, amino acids and strengthening keratins, and its mica shine technology. Bring yourself back to the sixth grade science lab. You’ll remember that Mica is a mineral, and the actual word (“mica”) is thought to be derived from the Latin word micare, meaning “to glitter”, in reference to the brilliant appearance of this mineral. These tiny, dazzling flecks  which reveal themselves when you shake the bottle, revitalize dry, dull hair and protect it from environmental factors including pollution, heat and water damage. Spray it on damp hair and style as normal. The particles aren’t too teenage or flashy and the smell is divinely clean and fresh. $30 (4 oz), kellyvangogh.com

LOGICS Polisheen Gloss Balm – Pesky baby hairs and fly-aways – meet your newest adversary. This new balm helps The Beauty Bug define Her part and reduce frizz. She works it throughout Her layers for a piecey, yet polished look. Vitamin B5 conditions for a silky, smooth finish and ceramides help to strengthen.  And not to fret -  it doesn’t have that over-powering canned salon product smell…it’s light, non-sticky, and the perfect finishing touch! $22, logicshair.com

Rimmel London’s Max Volume Flash Mascara -  Go ahead and just try to take your eyes off that hot pink tube! This sizzling little number is the newest drug store delight that proves you don’t have to spend the big bucks on mascara to get great results.  The new super-sized brush curls and separates without clumping or flaking. The formula is light and doesn’t cake up or dry immediately.  One coat lengthens, two coats thicken and three plus coats yields drama. Review are mostly positive across the board, and there are even murmurs on MakeupAlley that this is the drugstore version of DiorShow! The Beauty Bug had added this mascara into Her rotation, and Her lashes are lush, dark and full! $7.19, chain drug stores and mass retailers nationwide

Disclosure: Press samples of the above products were provided to The Beauty Bug.

It wasn’t a coincidence that every 3-5 days or so, The Beauty Bug was having good hair days and getting comments and compliments from Her co-workers.  “Your hair looks thicker” one said, followed by ” Your hair looks so healthy and shiny.” The product behind the praise ? Pantene Pro-V’s Nature Fusion Moisture Balance Shampoo and Conditioner. In short, it’s calisthenics for your hair.

Let’s rewind a bit. The Beauty Bug was never a Pantene girl. It was always  just another bottle on the shelf at the drugstore. On the rare occasions that She did use it, Her hair was often too soft and hard to style.  But, after their new Nature Fusion Moisture Balance Shampoo and Conditioner won a Best of Allure Beauty Breakthrough Award, She had to give the brand another try. Intrigued by the claims, and the buzz, She added the shampoo and conditioner duo to Her product rotation.

The secret ingredient causing the stir is the cassia flower, a close relative to cinnamon that’s native to India. A key isolated polymer  (large molecule) from the plant adheres to hair and forms a netting when hair is wet and in its weakest state; protecting hair from the friction of fingers and combs. The polymer acts as a shield and within a week, hair is stronger and less susceptible to breakage. As the polymer evaporates, conditioning silicones and fatty acids are left behind and they work to seal the cuticle, providing strength against damage from root to tip. And, Voilà! Calisthenics for your hair.

When Allure consulted an expert, they were nothing but impressed both with the studies, the evidence, and with the short length of time it took to see results.

Other ingredients in this all-star pair include aloe vera and ginger.  It possess Pantene’s signature smell, but is just a bit more fresh and a bit more floral. The light moisturizing formula didn’t weigh down The Beauty Bug’s hair at all, and the conditioning properties are off the charts. After continued use for about two weeks, The Beauty Bug’s hair was tangibly healthier, softer (but not too soft!) and stronger, and less broken hair was  in Her comb.

Pantene’s Nature Fusion line is available at drugstores nationwide for $3.99.

Direct from China and so new you can barely even google it (the only results that you’ll get is patent information), it’s the Ultrasonic Haircare Treatment Device.  With this iron, it’s not about what the plates are made of, but what they project.  Way more advanced and involved than ceramic or porcelain, the plates are…futuristic.  Cutting edge. One emits infrared rays while the other produces ultrasonic vibrations at a speed of 36,000 pulses per second. Designed to be used on damp, conditioned hair, the 2 plates, when clamped together,  enhance the penetration of the conditioner or any other treatment.

Deep conditioner – check. But its benefits don’t end there. It’s also said that the iron promotes hair growth, strengthens weak, damaged hair, and of course smooths. Will this mean that The Beauty Bug can toss Her Biotin? That remains to be seen.

Currently,  the iron is being used exclusively at Avanti Salon here in Boston and treatments cost $70, however they will be widely available to hair care professionals this summer, and hopefully land in a salon near you. The Beauty Bug hasn’t tried the iron treatment yet, so She can’t comment on personal results or experience, but the Chinese did have spaghetti, silk and gunpowder before us. Take a look at the track record. Just saying…

Derek applied the cream mask to the Beauty Bug’s hair and led Her over to the dryer where She sat for approximately 30 minutes, waiting for the treatment to harden, forming a clay-like shell. The heat helps to adhere, absorb and grip the product to hair, swelling and coating each strand underneath and on top of  the hair cuticle. Beauty aficionados, think of how tubular mascara coats eyelashes and provides volume – that’s what Texture Tandem does to hair.

Read about the results and see more photos after the jump.

Once the mask had completely hardened, the extra product was washed out and Derek began blow drying. The results were immediately evident, even before Her whole head was dry. The Beauty Bug felt like She had more hair, and it felt and looked thicker and fuller. The added texture was tangible and most noticeable amongst The Beauty Bug’s layers, which had more definition and appeared more piece-y. Her transformed layers are pictured to the right – typically fine, they had an instant lift thanks to the treatment.

Perfect for a bride,  a red carpet event, or the girl who doesn’t shampoo daily, the treatment lasts through about 5-6 shampoos and is safe to use on any hair type, including color and/or chemically treated hair.  While not officially launching until July, James Joseph is one of select Sebastian Professional flagship salons offering it. To find a salon near you that offers the Texture Tandem Treatment, search Sebastian’s Salon Locator.

Sebastian’s Texture Tandem Treatment is available at James Joseph Salon in Boston for $37.

News from one of The Beauty Bug Fiance’s daily reads, Core77, shows the following new product design:

While the males looking at this (if there are any other than The Beauty Bug Fiance) may think it’s a cordless phone, or a stapler as Core77 suggests, the females will instantly recognize a sleek and stunning cordless hair straightener and immediately begin googling a local retailer that carries it. Sorry ladies, The Beauty Bug didn’t mean to tease, but the above is just a prototype that’s currently in development.

No more info or details have been provided as to an on-shelf date or a price, but one thing is certain, The Beauty Bug hopes that they were just testing this yellow/mustard-y color. She’ll take a red one, please!

Photos via bluelarix.

]]> http://www.bitbythebeautybug.com/2009/03/02/where-beauty-meets-geek/feed/ 1 http://www.bitbythebeautybug.com/2009/01/29/neil-georges-intense-repair-mask/ http://www.bitbythebeautybug.com/2009/01/29/neil-georges-intense-repair-mask/#comments Fri, 30 Jan 2009 03:50:54 +0000 The Beauty Bug http://www.bitbythebeautybug.com/?p=1248 The Beauty Bug used a break-through product last night and was absolutely floored when She blow-dried her hair this morning and “unveiled” the results…

Yes, Space NK’s Nicky Kinnaird personally recommended Neil George’s product line to The Beauty Bug, and this holy grail product was also featured in Allure’s editors picks last month, and yet The Beauty Bug was still amazed at how absolutely fabulous this product is. After using the Intense Repair Mask just once, The Beauty Bug’s hair is softer, much smoother and easier to manage, noticeably healthier, and feels great! It was so smooth in fact, that after The Beauty Bug dried and styled it, She didn’t need additional styling products.  It was so hydrated – as if the mask was an IV delivering moisture straight to the damaged parts. Saturated with the mega-antioxidant Indian Gooseberry (which, ironically, doesn’t smell sweet or like a berry or fruit), the mask helps to rebuild hair by improving its strength and elasticity. Created for both color treated and dry, damaged hair, the mask is also Paraben free.

Though the directions state to leave in for 2-3 minutes, The Beauty Bug left it in for close to 30 to intensify its effect. The light grapefruit and sage scent is  strikingly and squeaky clean, and The Beauty Bug swore She sniffed some fresh pine in the mix, although it wasn’t listed in the ingredients.

Bottom line is, this quenching mask nearly worked miracles on The Beauty Bug’s dry winter hair after only one use.

The Neil George Intense Repair Mask is available at www.drugstore.com and at www.spacenk.com for $38.

The product that’s causing beauty bloggers to comment and fly-aways to disappear? Cutler’s Fly-Away Control Stick. A lightweight styling stick designed to protect against frizz while adding shine and sleekness, the product boasts the perfect amount of tackiness without being too sticky. The sticks’ secret ingredient is Tourmaline, a crystal silicate mineral found in many hairdryers and irons that helps to achieve silky, shiny hair. Other ingredients include a special blend of Shea Butter, Pistachio Oil, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil and Sunflower Seed Oil all of which provide superb conditioning properties.

The Beauty Bug’s application technique is as follows- She applies a few rolls of product on Her palms and smooths and styles Her hair accordingly. She then applies a bit more product just to Her fingertips to tame the fly-aways right at Her root.

Once applied, the product isn’t visible or heavy, yet it allows for control and hold. It doesn’t dry or harden, so during the day or after a stint outside in the wind, The Beauty Bug just runs Her hand through Her to re-smooth it and re-style.

Cutler’s Fly-Away Control Stick is available at BeautyIntuition.com for $23.