It's A 10 Miracle Hair Mask Review

It's A 10 Miracle Hair Mask Review

From the Brand:
Developed to respond to the demands of today's color treated, heat styled, and otherwise processed hair, It's a 10 Miracle Hair Mask is a simple-to-use, conditioning treatment made to enhance softness and smoothness. Flexible enough to be used as a daily conditioner and also intensive enough to be used as a periodic deep-conditioning treatment, the Miracle Hair Mask delivers unparalleled results for dry, damaged, or over-processed hair.

Retails for:  $30.00


Where to Buy:  You can find this in some beauty supply stores or places like Target, but like professional brands of haircare, this is supposed to only be sold at authorized retailers that have a salon on site.  Ulta sells this in stores, but it's not available online at Ulta.com.


My Thoughts:  I got my hair ombre'd back in March, and instantly I realized I needed to switch up my hair care plan to accommodate for the seriously parched ends.  A hairstylist friend of mine recommended this hair mask, and I'm so thankful she did!  I wash my hair 1-2 times a week only, and instead of using a regular conditioner I use a hair mask to rehydrate and protect my hair.  I've done this for about five or six years now, so even in the summer my roots don't really product much oil at all anymore.  While this is great on the one hand that I don't have to constantly wash my hair which strips it, it also means I have less oil to naturally condition my hair.

This mask really helps to leave my hair feeling amazing after I wash it, very silky, soft, and detangled.  This is the longest my hair has been since I was maybe six or seven years old, and I'm not quite used to having to spend so much time brushing it out all the time.  It seems to tangle within minutes, and if I use a different conditioner I notice I spend even longer combing out the tangles when I step out of the shower than if I use the It's A 10 mask.  I've gone through two tubs of it already and need to go pick up a third.  I also like that I can use this on the entire length of my hair without it making my roots greasy.  Some conditioning masks really should only be used on the bottom half of the hair, but this I can get all the way up to the scalp to nourish and protect my strands.


Final Verdict:  An obvious buy for me, since it's on my shopping list to pick up a third!  Highly recommend!

**Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products. This article contains some affiliate links provided through Viglink.com. All the opinions expressed in this article are my own. These items were purchased with my own money. For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

Product Review- Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Line Review

 

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Line Review

 

From the Brand:     

Soy Renewal Oil: Sexy Hair Concepts Healthy & Sexy Soy Argan Treatment contains natural pro growth soy proteins and moisturizing Argan oil extracts among various other ingredients. Sexy Hair Concepts Healthy & Sexy Soy Argan Treatment is intended for daily use and helps heal, deep moisturize rough, frizzy hair and imparts radiant shine and healthy body to your hair.  $21.95

Leave-In Treatment:  Worried about softness and shine of hair? Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Wheat Leave In Conditioner is a no rinse formula for soft hair. It also detangles and smoothes hair with soy protein that also strengthens hair with every use. Soy Wheat Leave In Conditioner is a multi action formula that detangles, smoothes and controls frizz. It also helps to prevent static and flyaway that could be troubling the hair.  $16.95

Soy Milk Shampoo: Healthy Sexy Hair Soymilk Shampoo contains soy and cocoa. In this shampoo, the combination of these ingredients fuse together to create a shampoo that moistens damaged hair and bring to life hair that has been harshly treated with chemicals. The shampoo is natural and the ingredients create an amazing scent that lasts.  $13.95/ 10.1 oz

Beach Spray:  Creates undone texture that looks and feels like you’ve spent a day by the sea. Helps nourish, protect and heal hair damage with the power of Argan oil. Cures winter blues by giving your hair the look and feel of a day at the beach.  $19.95

Soy Hairspray:  Use Soy Touchable when you want natural-looking hold, volume, and shine WITHOUT the product feel. Great for humidity-resistance and controlling frizz. Also ideal for protecting hair from damaging heat styling tools & harmful UV rays.  $17.95

Retails for:   Prices vary by location but I've listed the price at Ulta at the end of the product descriptions above.

Where to Buy:  You can Google it and find it just about everywhere, but I buy my products at either Ulta or Target.  I found the soy milk shampoo on clearance for a liter size, and when I look at the SexyHair.com website, I don't see that specific shampoo name.  It may have been changed to the Color Safe name, so that's the pricing I used. 

My Thoughts:  I'm majorly in love with this hair product line!  I may never use anything else.  Honestly.  And I'm the kind of person who switches hair products like I switch hair colors.  I have about 20 different kinds of shampoo and conditioners half used littering the shelves of my bathroom cupboard.  The one thing I haven't tried yet is the conditioner, but I'm still a fan of using a conditioning mask instead of a regular conditioner, since I wash my hair only twice a week.

Let's talk about the Soy Milk Shampoo first.  I'm hoping that with the name change they didn't change the formula, and if they did I'm super happy I found a liter size bottle at Ulta.  I've used the TIGI Color Goddess Shampoo for years when I was brunette with only streaks of red.  It drew me in with its delicious caramel scent, and it helped keep the color in my hair from fading.  However, it wasn't moisturizing enough, and it didn't help hold the red in once I went back to a full head of red hair.  Then I started using the Matrix Color Care Shampoo, and it was the only thing that didn't strip the red right out after dying it and fading my color so quickly.  It never turned my red brassy or dull.  It was actually on a trip to Ulta to buy more of my Matrix shampoo that I found this one by Healthy Sexy Hair.  I left the Matrix bottle in the guest bathroom one day and tried out the Soy Milk Shampoo.... bam!  Never went and got that other one out!  It leaves my hair feeling super silky and healthy, and it doesn't strip my color at all.  Combined with the rest of the products, my hair is softer, shinier, and bouncier than it's ever been.

The Treatment Oil was the first product that I ever used, and it's been my must use product every time I wash my hair since July.  It's not greasy at all, and it has a nice light fragrance that isn't overpowering at all.  I use about a nickel size amount and work it through my damp hair before blow drying or air drying, concentrating mostly on the ends.  But even if I do work it all the way to my roots, it won't make them look oily or greasy at all.  It's great for taming fly aways, too.  I just put a few drops into my palm, emulsify with my hands and run them lightly over my hair for shine and control.

I don't use the Leave-In Treatment much, since I'm such a fan of the oil, but every once and a while I'll use this in addition to it.  I bought the travel size to take with me to Florida last month and only just unpacked it into my regularly used products.  It's a very lightweight, non-greasy spray that smells really good.  Again, the scent isn't too strong but it does leave a bit of smell to the hair.

The Beach Spray is one of the products that's a bit hit or miss for me.  I bought this for my hair kit for boudoir clients for a quick bed head kind of look or to prep them for beachy waves.  On myself, it puts some of the natural wave back in my hair without the use of a curling wand, and it acts like a hairspray to help really lock the curl in place when I use it to prep before applying heat.  The downside is that it makes my hair feel a bit stiff and crunchy, and I'm always a bit squeamish about brushing afterwards.  I feel like I'm going to damage my hair. 

Last but certainly not least, is the Soy Touchable Hairspray.  I've smelled a lot of hairsprays in my day, and I must say this is my absolute favorite!  Weird, I know, to mention the smell first, but it was honestly the first thing that drew me to the product.  It smells like strawberry mint.  It's extremely flexible and lightweight, but it has serious holding power, too.  Not quite sure how they do that, but it works!  I love it to give volume at my crown when I tease it up and need to incorporate my growing out bangs.  It locks them into place with the rest of my hair without me having to worry about them falling out and making me look windblown.  It can dull down the look of the hair if used to heavily, but it doesn't add a crunchy white cast to the hair either that some other hairsprays can give.  So it won't look like it's hairsprayed to death, but it will loose just a touch of it's shine.  I mist some shine spray into a cloud over my head and let it settle onto the hair to add a bit of luster back quickly, and I'm right as rain!

Final Verdict:  Your hair will look (and smell!) amazing and be so touchabley soft!

 

 

**Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products. All the opinions expressed in this article are my own. These items were purchased with my own money. For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

What You Need To Protect Yourself This Summer!

During the summer our hair and skin take a beating from the heat and the humidity.  At least they due in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States where I am.  In Virginia, the heat gets up over 100 degrees many days, and the humidity makes it a steamy hazy mess.  If you live somewhere hot and/or humid, knowing how to change up your skincare and haircare routine can be the difference for looking a radiant and glowing as J-Lo herself, or like a melting Popsicle.

Skin:

Any time that you're going to be outside, make sure you're slathering every exposed area of your skin with a sunscreen.  I like to use three individual products targeted towards the face, lips, and body for the best forumlas for that particular area.  I know like many others out there sunscreen breaks me out, so the Neutrogena Clear Face is a definite for any extended time outside for me.  It doesn't break me out or make my pores itch.  Seriously, where has this stuff been all my life?  It's way stronger than my daily moisturizer with it's SPF of 55.  When I'm not outdoors all day and just want some general sun protection under my makeup, I like to reach for the Jergens Natural Glow SPF 15 for face.  It gives me a hint of color without looking like I'm using a self tanner, all while protecting me from actual sun damage.  I love that it's double duty.  It's also a nice lightweight oil free moisturizer, so it doesn't make me greasy and works well under my foundation without causing it to slide off in the heat.

For my lips again I have two different formulas I reach for depending on whether I'm going to be outside all day at the beach or theme park (or even just doing lawn work).  My heavy duty product is the Hawaiian Tropic with SPF 45.  During these times, I'm usually not wearing any lipstick or other products on my lips, so I want something with a slightly strong protection factor.  The eyes and the lips are the first two places we age since they are very thin skin with little to no oil glands, so they dry up and are effected by sun damage first.  If I just want some hydration and moderate protection, I reach for my Blistex Five star Lip Protection with an SPF of 30.  This is the best smelling, tasting, most hydrating chapstick I've ever used.  It's so nice, I use it even when I'm indoors all day!

On my body I use the Banana Boat Protect & Hydrate when I'm outdoors, since even in summer my skin can be dry.  This is lightweight, absorbs quickly with no greasy residue, and is fairly water resistant.  The rest of the time I like to use the Jergens Natural Glow.  Now they make it with an SPF30, so even if I do spend some unexpected time outside I know I've got some protection already soaked in.  Since I avoid the sun like the plague (my Irish roots means I'm highly likely of developing skin cancer!) I'm so pale, and the Jergens products keep me from glowing!  I've used this for years, and it's the brand I recommend to my spray tanning clients to use to extend the life of their color.  It doesn't turn me dark like a spray tan, but it does take away the edge and at least get me on the normal skin range scale.

Hair:

Hair is just another form of skin, so it's just as critical to protect it from the damage of heat and humidy, not to mention chlorine if you're at the pool or salt if you're at the ocean.  First thing I pack in my beach/pool bag is a wide toothed comb to detangle it without tearing the hair.  Next, I make sure that I apply either a spray in conditioner with sunscreen or a serum to lock in hydration and lock out humidity and tame frizz.  I'm loving the Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal with Argan Oil.  A few drops worked through damp hair and I'm good to go.  I can toss my hair in a braid, and when I take it out have soft touchable waves.

The Accessories:

It's all well and good to protect your skin from the outside, but you have to nourish it from the inside, too! I always keep a bottle of water with me.  I'll even freeze some grapes and use those in lieu of ice cubes to keep my drinks cool without watering them down.  Then, when I'm done I have a healthy snack!  Sunglasses are a must as well, not just for fashion but for protecting your eyes from damaging sun rays.  Did you know that you can get skin cancer in the retina of your eye?!  Blue eyes are especially susceptible, so be sure to wear your shades out whenever you leave the house.   Bacteria also thrives in hot humid areas, and with so many people off of school and work, public areas are major breeding grounds for all things nasty.  I make sure I've got a handy little anti-bacterial gel hanging off my bag everywhere I go.  The ones from Bath and Body Works are the perfect size, and they have adorable holders, too!

25 Ways to Use Coconut Oil

Yesterday I posted about my experience with using coconut oil as a hair mask to moisturize my color-treated hair.  Today I wanted to go a little more in depth with the whole coconut oil thing and give you a list of 50 ways to use coconut oil from my research online and experiences using the product itself.  Feel free to share the ways you use coconut oil in the comments section below!

1. As a hair mask.  Read more about that on my blog post here.  Be sure to wet your hair thoroughly to pre-rinse some of the oil out before you shampoo or else you might have problems getting your shampoo to lather.  Also, if you're worried about it getting all over your pillowcase, wrap your hair in a towel instead.  Don't worry about it getting onto your skin, because it's actually really good for your skin!  It won't cause you to break out.

2. Skin moisturizer.  Let a scoop melt in your hand and apply liberally to your skin.  It will absorb and keep your skin hydrated with a sweet nutty scent.  Safe for even the most sensitive of skins.

3. Skin protectant. A few years ago when my youngest was suffering from a particularly bad bought of diaper rash while on vacation in Florida, my aunt suggested putting coconut oil on it.  She had some at her house, and while I was there I used that instead of Desitin on his bottom.  It cleared it up so quickly I was amazed!  I've read that you can also use coconut oil on scrapes and cuts to provide a protective barrier.

4. Lip Moisturizer.  Rub some on your lips for an all natural sweet way to keep your lips from drying out!

5. Body Scrub.  Mix coconut oil with some salt or sugar to create a paste and massage over your skin.  The salt or sugar will buff away dead skin cells while the oil absorbs to moisturize.  Plus, your skin will be left smelling amazing and no extra lotion needed!

6.  Massage oil.  Use a tablespoon melted in the palm of your hands to massage sore achy muscles.

7. Scented Bath Oil.  Warm up about a quarter cup of oil on the defrost setting in your microwave for 10 seconds then add to warm bath water.  Soak and enjoy the softening benefits and let the delicious scent relax you after a long day!

8. Sexual Lubricant/Feminine Moisturizer.  All natural all the way.  As with any oil, do not use in conjunction with a latex condom, as oils can cause them to break.

9.  Fight Age Spots.  I've found claims that coconut oil used on a regular basis will fade age spots on your skin.  Haven't examined this claim yet, but thought I'd at least pass it along!

10. Remove Eye Makeup.  Use it to remove your eye makeup, and you won't have to worry about it clogging your pores.  Also moisturizes the delicate eye area with each use.

11.  All Natural Eyelash Growth.  It's been claimed to increase your eyelashes.  While I'm not sure if this is true, I'm in the process of testing this out by applying a bit to my eyelashes every night.  Either way, they'll break less, because they'll be ultra moisturized, which should make them appear thicker and longer even if it's not actually stimulating growth.

12. Shave Oil.  Use this to lubricate your skin and provide a barrier against razor burn.

13.  Bake Brownies.  Replace the vegetable oil in your regular brown recipe with coconut oil for health boosting benefits!

14. Reduce Your Cholesterol.  According to an article on the Dr. Oz website, coconut oil can help raise your levels of "good" cholesterol and burn stubborn belly fat.

15. Kills Bacteria And Fungus.  Along the lines of applying to scrapes and cuts, sources like CoconutOil.com say that it actually kills bacteria and fungus.

16.  Energy.  One of my Facebook Fans posted that they put a scoop of it in their coffee and it gives her energy for hours.  More from the Dr. Oz website, "Coconut oil can boost thyroid function helping to increase metabolism, energy and endurance."  It is said to help maintain glucose levels, which is why it keeps energy up when you would otherwise crash from low blood sugar mid-day.

17.  Skin Ailments.  My eldest has severe eczema, and coconut oil is one of the only few things that soothes his skin without burning when he has a bad breakout.  I had never used the pure coconut oil, but a mixed balm that contained it and some other natural oils along with beeswax, and it was the only that didn't make  him scream other than his steroid creams from the dermatologist.  Other people use it to treat psoriasis.

18.  Cooking.  There are recipes abound for using coconut oil in food.  Everything from frying, to buttering your toast, to salad dressings.  Here are some favorites from my Facebook community:

• Spread on Ezekiel toast, drizzle with honey and then sprinkle some cinnamon on top. (From Anna.)
• Paleo Coconut Chicken (From Kim)
• Boneless Chicken Thighs- Melt about a quarter cup coconut oil and add roughly half a tablespoon mustard to it and half a table spoon rosemary. Spread the mixture over boneless skinless chicken thighs (4-6) and bake for 25- 30 minutes at 350, delicious!  (From Sara.)
• Chunk up sweet potatoes and covered them in coconut oil and salt and bake for an hour to get sweet potato "fries" (From Sara) ~  I'm totally trying this one!
• Vegan, Gluten Free Platain and Rice Pancakes (From Sandhya)

19.   Reduce Stretch Marks.  Here's a recipe from Molly Sims!

20.  Flavor Your Smoothies.  Add a scoop to your fruit smoothie and pretend you're in the islands!

21.  Fry Eggs.  Instead of butter or cooking spray, use melted coconut oil for delicious healthy eggs.

22.  Popcorn Topping.  Cut out the salt and fats from butter and use coconut oil instead!

23.  Deodorant. Yes, you read that right.  The stuff that goes under your arms.  Lush sells a powdered version and this website has a recipe for homemade.

24.  Hair Serum. You don't have to slather it all over your scalp and head to get the hair benefits from coconut oil.  Just a little bit warmed in your hands will help tame frizz, flyaways, and static.

25.  Condition Your Cuticles.  Massage a few drops into your cuticles to soften the nail bed and promote growth.

Coconut Oil Hair Mask

I've been hearing things all over YouTube and the internet about coconut oil lately, about how it's so amazing for your skin and hair and how it can even make your eyelashes grow!  Curious, I picked up a tub of it at Costco a few weeks ago and have been experimenting with it.

So far I'm really liking it.  It has a light nutty scent that isn't overpowering and doesn't smell like fake "coconut" scents cosmetic companies tell you smells like coconut.  I'm also such a child inside, because I think it's super cool how it starts out solid and then melts into liquid with your body heat.

Starts as solid coconut oil

Then melts with your body heat to become liquid coconut oil!

Last night I tried it out as a hair mask.  I scooped out a few teaspoons and let them melt in my hands before applying it to my scalp and down the shaft of my hair.  I initially started out with my hair up in a high bun, but I couldn't sleep like that and had to take it out around 3 am. 

In the morning, I thought it would be more difficult to get out of my hair, but it rinsed clean after just one round of lather with the shampoo.  I still applied regular conditioner to my hair after, and it felt super slick and soft in the shower.  Once I dried it with the hair dryer about 75% of the way, I couldn't tell much of a difference though and got disappointed.

Then it was time to head off to a photoshoot while my hair air dried the rest of the way.  By the time I got there, my hair was 100% dry and felt very soft and smooth.  It didn't frizz up, even though it was rainy/misty out.  I still think that if I wanted a super slick look though I'd opt to dry it all the way and then flat iron it to make it really smooth.

I haven't noticed it helping my lashes grow yet, but I've only used it a few times a week for two weeks, so it hasn't had time to kick in yet I guess.  I took a before photo, so in a month or so I'll take another an compare and let you know if I think it's a good DIY lash growth recipe or not.

Have you used coconut oil for your hair before?  Did you like it?  Tell me about your experiences with coconut oil hair masks!