The Hair Rock Review

wearing the Malaysian Straight Hair as clip-in extensions

I was contacted by RoseMarie to do a review for The Hair Rock. The Hair Rock is a website that provides affordable  hair bundles as well as wigs and hair pieces. I chose to review the Malaysian hair  in the "straight" style in color 4 (chocolate) with a length of 18 inches.

Argan Oil Hair Mask Review

I was given the chance to review the Argan Oil Hair Mask from Instanatural. I was suffering from a dry scalp as I always do in the Winter and I was pretty excited to try this out.

Add Some Color With Redken Color Rebel Hair Makeup

Redken Color Rebel Hair Makeup in "Gilt-y As Charged" and "Punked Up Pink"

I was given the chance to try out the Redken Color Rebel temporary color. I'll admit I was kind of hesitant because I have really dark hair and temporary colors usually don't show up well on it. But I decided to test it out by doing a couple of peek-a-boo streaks in the front of my hair. I didn't want to go too crazy since I had to be mindful of my job (darn it).

Redken Color Rebel Hair Makeup "Punked Up Pink"

The color I tried was "Punked Up Pink". The color comes packaged in a cylindrical tube with a separate spongy attachment. You had to remove the cap and attach the sponge yourself. This was pretty messy (well for me at least!) and I advise for you to wear gloves because this does stain. It comes off but it took a lot of scrubbing. 

You select the section of hair you want to color and you apply it using the spongy-thingy (can't think of another name for it). Depending on how intense you want the color, you can keep layering it on. I layered it about three times since my hair color is dark. After applying the color, you have to brush it out to distribute and set the color. You can also use a blow dryer but I just brushed it out. One thing about this is that you have to brush it out pretty thoroughly since it does stiffen your hair a bit, creating tangles.

And the color is pretty intense! After one wash, it stayed pretty pigmented. I got my hair done at the salon the next day and the stylists couldn't believe I achieved this color without bleaching it. They were pretty excited when I mentioned this product. The color blended really nicely with my hair since I chose subtle sections and my hair is dyed burgundy. And because my hair is burgundy, the pink showed up more on the purple side which I loved since you all know purple is my favorite color. I'm considering using it again to do peek-a-boo streaks through my head to keep it work appropriate. It washes out after two shampoos depending on much you layered and on the porosity of your hair. But for a quick removal, there's Redken Hair Cleansing Creme. Also, rubbing on some Argan Oil would do the trick.

My hair after one shampoo

I would definitely recommend this product for those that love to experiment but only want a temporary fix. Redken Color Rebel Hair Makeup will be available this month in October. So perfect for Halloween!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.

Review: NiA Helio Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner

NiA Helio Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner

I was contacted by DS Laboratories to review a number of products. In this blog post, I will be focusing on the NiA Helio Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner. I really liked the packaging of the products, very sleek and high-end looking.

From The Company:

Take advantage of Nia, the new state of the technology, and raise your image to a higher level, a more beguiling level, one never before attainable. Enjoy greater confidence and success, knowing you always look your most perfect — younger, more alive, more glamorous. Get the date. Win the job. Live life to the fullest.

Try the new reference among hair products, unsurpassed Nia Helio Hydrating Shampoo and Nia Helio Hydrating Conditioner, the very next time you wash and condition.

The first thing that stood out to me was the bright red color of the shampoo. I was very skeptical of it and I even did a test on a small patch of hair before using it on my whole head. But it didn't end up affecting my hair color. The smell of the shampoo was very pleasant but I did not like that it left my hair feeling a little stiff. A bit ironic because the shampoo is supposed to be hydrating. 

I was a little more satisfied with the conditioner. It reversed the effects of the shampoo and left my hair feeling smooth. It also made my hair much easier to untangle. My hair is usually very knotty after a wash since my natural hair tecture is very curly. But the comb passed through fairly easily. 

I didn't have any issues with styling my hair and I liked the results. There wasn't any dramatic changes but I did like how silky my hair felt and how sleek it looked. I would definitely continue using the Helio Hydrating Conditioner. I'm still a little iffy about the shampoo.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.

Review: Dove Damage Solutions Intensive Repair Hair Products

I was given the chance to review The Damage Solutions line by Dove. I'm a big fan of the classic Dove bar soap, I just love the clean and classic scent. However, I have never really tried the hair products so I was excited when I received the products for review.

Like most women, I care a great deal about my hair. I don't feel 100% if I'm not having a good hair day and I;m not the only one that feels that way. Dove Hair Care did a case study surveying 1,000 women between the ages 18-49 and found:

- 59% of Latinas say that they are more likely to go out of their way to make sure that certain people see them on a good hair day

- 81% of women fell more confident on a good hair day versus a bad one

My package came beautifully wrapped and it included the Dove Damage Solutions Intensive Repair Shampoo, Conditioner, Styling Cream and Mousse. I tried all the products minus the mousse, since I haven't had a use for it yet.

I took the products with me to the hair salon. I got my hair washed with the shampoo and conditioner and my hair stylist applied the styling cream before my roller set. The scent of the products is quite lovely and it remained long after my hair was dry. I loved the smell, it is the clean and classic smell that Dove is known for.

My hair was left very soft and silky. I definitely loved that moment when I left the salon, swishing my hair around.Too bad it didn't list! It wasn't entirely Dove's fault because the weather was pretty humid and gross over the weekend. But I was still disappointed that my hair got a little frizzy when I had it wrapped in a scarf. 

My hair after using Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo, Conditioner and Styling Cream

I did like that my hair didn't feel greasy or weighed down. I am going to give the products another chance, and see how they work in regular weather. This weather was hard on everybody's hair. But I can say, I was satisfied overall. My hair did look pretty good before the humidity.

Disclaimer: This post contains products that were sent to me for review consideration.

Pantene Ultimate 10 BB Creme Review

Unless you live under a rock, you must have heard about BB cremes and what they can do for your skin. BB Cremes are taking the beauty industry by storm and now there's BB cremes for hair as well! They are similar in concept to the skin ones, they repair your hair and help maintain it at the same time. I have seen hair BB cremes at Sephora and now they have managed to trickle down to the drugstores. I was given the chance to review one by Pantene.

Product Description: Inspired by skincare's BB phenomenon, this leave-in formula gives hair a healthy look while preparing it for enhanced styling control and a silky, smooth finish.

Pantene’s first BB Crème for hair, Ultimate 10 BB Crème is a revolutionary multi-tasker to be used on wet or dry hair—for a flawless, healthy-looking finish. Dare to get 10 solutions in 1 easy step.• Repair for Rough Hair• Strength Against Damage• Silky Softness• Brilliant Shine• Smoothing• Moisture• Frizz Control • Heat Protection• Manageability • Tamed Flyaways

I used the product two ways: on my hair when it was wet for styling preparation and on dry hair to smooth my hair style. When I do my own hair, I start off with a roller set. So I applied some to my hair while it was wet then proceeded to to put it in rollers. It did feel a little sticky while I was doing my roller set so I was scared that my hair was going to be all greasy. After removing the rollers, I flat ironed my roots and I did notice that my hair was a little easier to flat iron and that my roots weren't as curly. I feel that the BB Creme did nothing to prevent frizz because my hair did get frizzy. Then again, it was very hot and humid out that day. But when I applied some to my dry hair to retouch it, it did calm down a large amount of the frizz so I would definitely recommend this for taming frizz.

my hair after using Pantene Ultimate 10 BB Creme

I like using the product better on my hair when it's dry because I feel like that it works better on smoothing out my hairstyle. When I curled my hair, the style held very well and I didn't have to use so much hairspray. It kept my hair looking great on the several occasions that I used it.

my hair after using Pantene Ultimate 10 BB Creme

my hair after using Pantene Ultimate 10 BB Creme

I also took it with me to the salon for my usual blowout. I used it on my wet hair only this time. Again, after my hair was removed from the rollers, I did see that it was smoother  and that my hair was easier to blow dry. It cut down the time of my blowout by about 25% which is pretty good.

I didn't feel that this product did any repair on damage but my hair is healthy overall so I can't really judge it on that but it did do a large amount of the things that it claims to do. I would recommend this product especially if you style your hair often and you want something to make the styling process easier and less time-consuming. And it does do a great job in smoothing down your hair and taming the flyaways. It retails for $5.29 so you can't beat the price!

Pros: affordable, works on ethnic hair, cuts back on styling time, helps make hair more manageable, adds shine, tames frizz and flyaways
Cons: doesn't prevent frizz, sticky texture
Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Disclaimer: This post contains items that have been sent to me for review.

September Favorites

It has been so long since I've done a favorites post. This post has everything I adored for the month of September, you will see A LOT of these products in future posts.

FACE

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Medium/Deep

Burt's Bees Acne Solutions Daily Moisturizing Lotion

NYX HD Concealer "Tan"

ELF Studio powder brush

Sonia Kashuk powder brush

Latina Bella blush "Peaches and Cream"

Forever 21 blush "Pink"

EYES

ELF Beauty Eye Book "Natural"

NYX Big Fat Eye Marker

Maybelline Colossal Mascara "Glam Black"

Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadows "Pomegranate Punk" & "Tough as Taupe"

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil "French Fries"

Sonia Kashuk brushes (part of a 5 piece limited edition set)

LIPS

H&M Soft Vanilla Flavored Lipgloss

NYX Matte Lip Cream "Abu Dhabi"

Maybelline lipstick "Coral Crush"

Wet n Wild MegaShield Lip Color "It's A Girl"

Wet n Wild MegaLast lipstick "Don't Blink Pink"

OTHER

Loreal Elnett Hairspray

Remington Pink Ceramic Clipless Curling Iron

Clarisonic Pore Cleansing Brush

DIY Ombré Hair

I had decided to get ombré hair because it looked so easy to do and I wanted an edgy look to my hair. I was tired of my hair color and wanted to try something new. After researching it (thank you Google!) I decided to do it on myself.

The word ombré hair is French for "to shade". In the hair coloring world,  it is when your hair goes gradually from dark to light. It looks like you're growing out your roots a little bit. I wanted something similar to Camila Alves' ombre because I didn't want to go extremely blonde.

I have some hair coloring knowledge and I have dyed my own hair more times than I can count. However, the thought of bleaching my hair made me a little nervous. I had seen several tutorials where girls used highlighting kits for their ombre. However,  I had my hair dyed a chocolate brown previously so it required a couple of extra steps. I had to remove all the dye from my hair. So I used L'oreal Effasol Color Remover. I mixed the L'oreal Effasol Color Remover together with Vol 20 developer.

First I tied my hair in four pigtails, securing the bands below my chin. I didn't want the lighter color too close up. I used the pigtail method so it can be less messy and it was also easier for me. With the pigtailo method you have to remember to blend out the dye so you won't get a harsh line but a gradual lightening of color. I applied the Effasol to my ends first, I then waited for about 15 minutes before I  applied it to the rest of my pigtails. This is so my ends can be the lightest and sothe subtle change in shades can be seen. After applying it to the rest of the pigtails, I waited about 25 minutes and when I saw my hair lightening, I parked myself in front of my bathroom mirror to monitor it to make sure it didn't get too blonde.

L'oreal Effasol Color Remover

After about 20 minutes, I removed the pigtails and used the dye brush to blend the dye out so I won't have any harsh lines. I waited 10 more minutes then washed my hair. My hair was a horrible, gingery orange. I expected this to happen because of the natural red tones in my hair.

EEEEK! Scary right?

 To counteract the red/orange in my hair, I bought a violet toner. Yes, violet. Violet neutralizes the red and oranges in your hair by depositing cooler tones. I used Wella Color Charm in "Silver Lady. I mixed it with Vol 20 developer again but left it on for about 15 minutes. And voila! The ash tones in "Silver Lady" made the ginger mess into a nice neutral light brown/dark blonde.

My hair before:

And After:

For maintenance, I use hair ampoules that provide moisture for my hair since the bleach dried it out. I like THESE by Salerm.

More Ombre Pics:

I must say it is tough being a Latina with ombré hair. My hairdresser (of course I get my hair did at a Dominican salon) doesn't quite understand why I got an ombré. She thought it was a hair-dyeing accident lol.

Disclaimer: This post is based on my own experience coloring my hair. Try at your own risk and consult a hair care professional before attempting it on yourself.

New Hair Color & My Hair Color Regimen

On My Face:

Latina Bella Liquid Foundation No10

MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer  NW35

Maybelline Fit Me Powder No 350

Wet n Wild Bronzer "Goddess"

Jordana Loose Eyeshadow "Brownie"

Taupe e/s from Wet n Wild "Vanity" palette

Red Cherry Lashes #68

L'oreal Infallible eyeliner "Black"

L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara

Wet n Wild Color Icon lipstick "Mauve About It"

Revlon Super Lustrous lip gloss "Pink Pop"

I'm always dyeing my hair sporadically. My hair color usually reflects the mood I'm in for that moment. I decided to go dark for Fall/Winter and I chose a dark chocolate brown, which is the color I had for last Winter. In a couple of months, I'll re-dye it and mix with a different color to add more tones and depth. I do all my hair dyeing myself since I usually stay in the brunette family and I don't do anything too complicated. I also do my own highlights, including the ones I had before my current hair color. I don't trust salons after I was left with orange hair this one time.

When I dye my hair, I don't buy the box dyes. I buy the color and developer separately. It comes out cheaper and I also like it because I can mix shades to create my own custom color and I can control the developer level as well. The dyes are the same formula as box dyes, you just have more color choices and you can choose to mix them with a higher level developer. However, I don't recommend doing this unless you have some hair coloring knowledge or speaking with someone that's a hair color expert.

image from http://thebeautifuldiaries.com

That was the same brand of dye and developer I used for my current color. Except that I used three bottles because I have a lot of hair and it's long as well. I used level 20 developer this time because I was going darker. This was my hair color before: 

And this is my hair color now: 

I also went to the salon afterwards and trimmed my hair and added layers, which is why it looks shorter in the front. I do several things to maintain my hair so that it could be healthy and not lose it's shine. I did a haircare regimen post a few months ago, you can go HERE to read it.

Hav's Haircare Regimen

This post is soo overdue and I'm glad that I finally did it. So a few of you guys have been asking about my haircare regimen and what hair products I use. Let me by start off by saying that my hair is naturally curly. Most of the time I wear it straightened because it's much easier to manage and I just like it better that way. My hair is also very thick and semi-coarse. I dye it a few times a year, usually in the brunette family.

my hair in its natural state; I'm SO sorry for the crappy photo, I always forget to take a curly hair pic and I remembered when I was at the salon. So this is me sneaking a pic in the salon bathroom.

my hair straightened

Since my hair is constantly being exposed to heat, I try to care for it as much so it can withstand all the things I do to it. Most of the time, I go to the salon for a basic wash and set and then have it blown out. When I do it myself at home, I do a roller set and either just leave it wavy or flat-iron it straight.

Curly hair tends to be a little more drier so i usually lean towards products that provide enough moisture for my hair. I also treat it to hair ampoules or treatments about 2-3 times a month and I trim my ends regularly about every 2 months). Might sound like a lot but it's not and it's worth it. The healthier your hair, the more you can do with it!

Main products that I use (from left to right)...

Silicon Mix Hydrating Shampoo

This product originates from the Dominican Republic but can be found in beauty supplies in Hispanic-oriented neighborhoods. You can also find it online here. This shampoo is a little creamier than regular formulas but it is great for dry and overly processed hair. 

L'oreal Ever Pure Sulfate-Free Conditioner for Color Treated Hair (Moisturizing Formula)

This conditioner did wonders for my hair! I love that it's 100% vegan and sulfate-free. I have almost 2 years using this conditioner, and over time my hair has become more manageble and easier to detangle. The Ever Pure line can be found in most drugstores. I usually apply this after shampooing and detangle my hair with a wide-toothed combed. Then I rinse.

Silicon Mix Deep Conditioner w/ Pearl Proteins

I use this as a deep conditioner. Also from the Dominican Republic and can be purchased at the same link above. I apply this after conditioner and leave it on for about ten minutes. For really deep conditioning, I apply it, then I put a shower cap over it then sit under the hair dryer for about 15 minutes in the medium-heat setting. then I rinse comepletely.

Biosilk Hair Serum

 I apply this throughout my hair before I flat iron for shine and to serve for heat protection (I also use Tresemme Heat Protectant Spray). After flat-ironing, I apply a little more to seal the style.

The flat iron pictured above is the one I use when i straighten my hair at home. It is the Babyliss 1 inch ceramic flat iron.

I use hair ampoules or deep treatments about 2-3 times a month or less frequently depending on how my hair is. Lately, my hair has been suffering from breakage from my last dye job so Ive been using this product from Matrix Biolage. So far, I'm linking! My hair feels softerand smoother and I'm hoping the breakage and loss is reduced after a couple of more uses. I vary from different brands and types but I mainly use formulas for breakage and for color-treated hair.

And this is my tried and true method for my hair. If you have any questions, dont hesitate to ask! You can use the contact info on the right sidebar.

Disclaimer: This post is solely for informatonal purposes only. I would advise everyone for advice from a hair expert before trying any of these products.