March 2016 - BirchBox

Happy March! It's always a pleasant day at the mailbox when our BirchBox arrives. (It beats getting a bunch of bills!) Here's a look at what we received:

March 2016 BirchBox
Number 4 Restore & Repair Oil, Coola Makeup Setting Spray, theBalm Stainiac, treStiQue Shadow Crayon,
Wilma Schumann Collagen Eye pads 

• Number 4, Elixer Restore & Repair Oil - Faint perfumed scented oil to add shine to the dry ends of our hair.
• Coola, SPF 30 Organic Makeup Setting Spray - One last spray for added SPF protection, hydration, and makeup setting glory.
• theBalm, Stainiac - Beauty Queen shade lip and cheek stain - Dual use, light stain. (See our full review of theBalm Stainiac.)
• treStiQue, Color & Smudge Shadow Crayon - Aspen Pine color - Shadow and liner in one!
• Wilma Schumann, Hydrating Collagen Eye Pads - Our eyes can't wait to try the 100% pure collagen pads. Plump and prevent fine lines around the eyes, PLEASE! ;)

Overall, this is a good BirchBox! If you are interested in signing up to get your own, our money saving tips are linked here.

Thanks for reading! Find us on Facebook at Glambo. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @GlamboGirls if you are on those platforms. We generally follow back.

Gray Silver Locks

For anyone that has been surprised to see a gray hair peeking through their tresses, the silver gray hair trend may seem shocking. Why would anyone young want to dye their hair silver when those with gray hair spend so much time and effort to cover it up? The answer is that the color is striking on a youthful face, especially when paired with darker roots.

Celebrities have adopted this trend.

Left: Rihanna with gray hair. Right, Kylie Jenner leaning gray.



Gaga Gray: Lady Gaga sporting gray hair with darker roots.

 

Instagram models with gray hair will stop you mid-stream.


Gray hair curls. (original source unknown.)

Young model, gray hair, red lips



Rocking gray hair

We especially like the style with purple roots. If you are considering a gray hair transformation, know that this color comes with a lot of maintenance. The look isn't designed to let your grey streaks flow. It takes a lot of lightening on the ends, dark root upkeep, and specialized shampoos so that the color doesn't turn to a  brittle blonde hue. Heavier eye makeup and / or darker lips prevent an overall washed-out appearance.

BirchBox - Jan. 2016

What a great way to start the new year! I recently subscribed to BirchBox. My first one was received January 2016.

The BirchBox arrived with this packaging, including a set of stickers to customize it. Fun, right? The stickers bring out the little girl in all of us, and combines it with our personalized, empowering vision for the new year.

January 2016 BirchBox with Stickers

The contents of my box are shown below. I'm still in the process of trying and reviewing the beauty samples.



Contents of January 2016 BirchBox
amica: Bombshell Blowout Spray, Supergoop CC Cream, whish body butter,
Vasanti BrightenUp!, Cargo Swimmables Shadowstick
 

• amica: Bombshell Blowout Spray - I'm excited to try this and review the amica brand. It will be hard to give up my Moroccan Oil though! I'm a loyal user due to my dry, coarse hair.
• Supergoop CC Cream - I received the Fair to Light shade per my color preferences. This product states it is self adjusting. It also has a 40 SPF sunscreen, which I love.
• whish body butter - I started using the almond scented body butter immediately. I still need to try it on my legs, but I keep using it on my hands and arms due to winter dryness. This entire sample is sure to be used.
• Vasanti BrightenUp! - I love a good Exfoliating Cleanser. Vasanti's version includes micro-crystals and aloe. I plan to apply this by hand and using my Clinique Cleansing Brush prior to posting a full review.
• Cargo Swimmables Shadowstick - The Sunkissed color was delivered in my box. It's neutral color with pizazz. This stuff is durable! I can't wait to try it in the surf this summer.

Overall, I am very pleased with my first BirchBox. It's a fun surprise for beauty lovers like me!

Fire Haircuts, Edward Scissorhand Cuts

We post a lot of videos on our Facebook page that don't make it on our blog. This one is an exception.

Fire Haircuts!? Swords?! Edward Scissorhands claws? What is going on in Madrid?

Would you be brave enough to try any of these? You would REALLY have to trust your stylist. There is no way the fire would be legally allowed in the US. The fire marshall and State Board of Cosmetology are never going to let that happen. Can you imagine the smell?! Plus, wouldn't your ends be fried? (Excuse the pun.) We get haircuts to eliminate split ends. I  can't imagine running a brush through the hair after this experience. It must feel awful.

We MIGHT consider the sword. Long layers COULD look good with that cut, but we are skeptical.

Edward Scissorhands blades? NO WAY!!! Here's why: It's too similar to the horrible 'disconnection' thinning shear look we ranted about here  http://www.glamboblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/why-does-my-hair-look-like-david.html.

Our local hairstylist posted this. We agree that the effect appears to be more entertainment than skill.

If you are brave enough to try this when in Madrid, leave us a comment! We'd love to hear from you.

And, if you aren't following us on Facebook, you should! We have great hair videos to share with you. The link is at the top right of our page and is highlighted in this post.

Thanks Beauties!

Wen Hair Care Lawsuit Filed

Hello Beauties!

Back in 2011, we tested Wen Hair Care, and subsequently wrote our most scathing review of a product ever. We didn't have the issues that are listed in the lawsuit below. However, we did discontinue use. Our Sassy Glambo Girl had the funniest, most honest phrase to describe her experience.

To see our reviews, click Glambo's Review of Wen Hair Care - Part I and Glambo's Review of Wen Hair Care - Part II. You can also find the reviews in our Glambo Dis section, which is how we 'keep it real' around here.

 

 

They say, "Friends don't let friends use shampoo."

We said, "Friends don't let friends use (order) Wen."

 

The article detailing the lawsuit is listed here.

 

 

 

Bio Ionic - One Pass, Sugar Skull Flat Iron

One thing that is very fortunate for us is that I have an (inactive) beauty license. Hello discounted beauty products! Blogging isn't cheap. ;) Our Glambo friends know that I am happy to share the savings. Occasionally, I get requests for products. I was asked for a flat iron recommendation, but had to ask for specific preferences.

I was told 1.5" was a must, and I agree. When questioned about which brand, I was told, "the mall flat iron." Having no idea what she was talking about, I was informed that a lot of our friends purchased $240+ flat irons from the mall kiosks. I usually avoid those people, LOL. Turns out, that is an awesome flat iron that three of our long haired friends love! Further research led me to Bio Ionic One Pass. Once again, we learned about a great product from our beauty loving buddies.

As luck would have it, I found a sale on Bio Ionic this month, AND a cool limited edition design. Dia De Los Muertos fans will appreciate the sugar skull design. The set comes with the Bio Ionic flat iron, a sugar skull tote bag and stickers.

Bio Ionic One Pass Flat Iron, Sugar Skull, Dia De Los Muertos design, 1.5 inch
 

The Bio Ionic brand is known for One Pass, and it's true. Run the BioCeramic, NanoIonic plates over your hair just once for instantly smooth results. The multi-level heat control goes up to 450 degrees F / 230 degrees C. The higher heat level is important if you have thick, coarse hair.

BioIonic comes with a one year warranty. We had a friend that needed to use that, and her flat iron was replaced with no problems. Good to know. Most BioIonic products are dual voltage. A huge plus for those of us that like to travel.

I may have purchased this for a friend, but after trying hers, my next flat iron is going to be a BioIonic. For more information on the BioIonic brand, including warranty information and FAQ, visit www.BioIonic.com.

Why Does My Hair Look Like David Cassidy's?

To rephrase the title, "Why is everyone cutting my hair to look like David Cassidy?"

It's stressful finding a new hair person; One that understands your hair texture and style. I was forced to try new Cosmetologists when I relocated. Time after time, I emphasized the need to avoid thinning shears on my thick, coarse, and curly hair. Every time, they used a different method, and I ended up with a wannabe men's shag. Weird, right? The 'thinner' sections would just frizz. Not pretty!

The term I kept hearing in the salon is 'disconnection.' That doesn't always look great with long layers. I just wanted to be able to style beachy waves, and have long blended bangs! Why was this so hard? This is what happened:

First, they twisted the back of my hair. I thought they were checking for split ends. By the time the scissors made their way to the sides of my hair, I realized she was making horizontal cuts to the twisted sections. No thinning shears, but it gave an uneven 'disconnection' which looked awful.

Another time, I paid $200 for a haircut. It looked great when I was sitting in the chair waiting for a blow dry. Then, he said, "Your haircut is just beginning," and asked me to flip my head over.  I had asked what came next, and thought he was doing a little bit of an undercut. He ran his hands through my hair, and quickly cut random chunks of hair! Again, I ended up with a mushroom shape near the shoulders with scraggly ends. WTH?

I was doing okay with my third stylist, who I actually liked personality-wise. Then, the fourth time I went in, the same thing happened. No thinning shears, but she made random cuts to obtain disconnection. I also ended up with blunted, non-blended bangs. This is when it occurred to me that I looked like a long haired David Cassidy. You have no idea how much style time and product it took to make that hairdo look decent.

I was fortunate to find a referral to a stylist that I love. I drive an hour and a half each way to see her, and it's worth it! (I later found out she trained in Paris and Milan before coming to the US. She is fabulous.)

Moral of the story: A good hairstylist is worth every penny. Loyalty breeds amazing style!

At-Home Haircuts? Get Conair Barber Shears.

Imagine walking into a hair salon and seeing the Cosmetologist pull out a pair of regular household scissors and whack away at someone’s hair. You’d be horrified, right? So, why would you do this at home?

Licensed hair stylists complete well over 1200 hours of education in most U.S. states, sometimes drastically more. They spend hundreds of dollars on their scissors and maintain them with regular sharpening. Some stylists don’t charge for bang trims, and most that do have a minimal fee ($5-$12 in most salons.) So, Glambo is going to recommend that you never take the scissors to your own hair. But… if you do…

Here is some advice for those occasions where you just need a backup plan, like a slight bang trim before a night out or - gasp! - when the pro missed a piece during a recent salon visit. If you are going to cut your own hair (or your child’s or husband’s) don’t ever do it in a hurry. This will surely backfire. Take your time and make the victim family member sit still. And PLEASE, use scissors that are specifically designed for cutting hair.

Conair sells 5 ½ inch barbering shears in fun colors and designs for roughly $12 U.S. at stores like Walmart and Target. These scissors have an extended piece to place your ring finger, which should assist you in steadying your hand and in angling the shears better during the haircut. They also come with a case for the ends, making them easy to store (and hide from your family. You know they’ll try to snag them for another purpose, which is a no-no.) We are not a fan of cutting your hair at home, but if you do, decent hair shears are a must! Conair helps fill that need, and therefore, Conair Barber Shears get a Glambo Kiss of Approval.

MoroccanOil

Ask ANYONE that has tried MoroccanOil, and they will tell you that they love it. We Glambo Girls are no exception.

Lately, argon oil is all the buzz, and they are adding it to everything. Just know, this is largely due to the success of the MoroccanOil line. It's not always easy to find unless you visit a salon because MoroccanOil is tight with it's distributorship. So, you won't see it in Sally Beauty Suppy, SuperDrug, Ulta or Sephora. But, if you can get a bottle to try, we guarantee that you will be hooked. 

Apply just a little bit through your freshly washed hair, and style as usual. You will notice a few things:

1) The Smell: MoroccanOil is fragrant, but we have yet to hear from anyone that doesn't find the scent appealing.

2) Your hair will look and feel great! It provides a sleek look free from frizz and fly-aways. It can be used on any hair type, and has amazing smoothing qualities for those with dry, coarse hair.

3) Blow-dry faster! We are not sure how this works, but when you use MoroccanOil, your drying time is nearly cut in half. Yet, your hair does not feel or look dry and brittle. 

We are fans of the entire line, but if you are able to try just one MoroccanOil product, this is the one to get. MoroccanOil Treatment also comes in a light version for those with thin or ultra-fine hair.

Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo

Up next in Glambo's Battle of the Dry Shampoos is Big Sexy Hair. You are likely familiar with the big, red cans associated with this line of hair products. Of course, when we saw the Volumizing Dry Shampoo, we had to give it a try. 

The Big Sexy Hair version has a bit of a powerful blast. It seems to have some hairspray elements to achieve the volumizing effect. We would recommend choosing this spray if you want to do an updo, backcomb or create volume. Surprisingly, our hair felt clean the next day too. It is the strongest of the dry shampoos we have reviewed, yet it left the least amount of white residue. Big Sexy Hair Dry Shampoo has a light perfumed fragrance that doesn’t linger too long.

We would grab the can of Big Sexy Hair to create a little extra bump to a ponytail and add height to any updo hair style. It’s nice to see this type of product increase in popularity and become readily available in the marketplace. Big Sexy Hair products always seem to perform well for us, and their Volumizing Dry Shampoo is no exception.

Samy Fat Foam Hair Color Review

This is the fourth foam hair coloring product we have tried. To our knowledge, we have tested every major brand on the market. Samy Fat Foam isn't sold everywhere, but we do see it in some drug stores and in WalMart. We were curious, but waited to try it because of their lack of color selection. There didn't seem to be many options for brunettes. Finally, we were determined to give it a whirl, and picked a shade that was a little darker than our normal hair color, Samy Fat Foam N4, Dark Brown.

Upon opening the package, you realize the purpose of the round red top. It is the shaker emerging from the box.

The box contains:
Base Solution 1, Powder Color 2, Shampoo and Conditioner Packets, Gloves, Directions, and the Shaker with Lid.

What is different about Samy Fat Foam:

• The directions have one line of English, then a line of Spanish. The two languages are not in separate sections like we are used to seeing. It can make you do a double-take while reading them.
• There is no application dispenser or pump. You mix the contents in the shaker and scoop the foam out to apply it with your hand.
• Samy Fat Foam has both a shampoo and conditioner. Most at-home hair color products have one tube to use after coloring.
• The color itself is a powder, not a liquid, as you can see below. It is added to the shaker after pouring the bottle of Base Solution 1.  

The directions state to screw the red cap on tightly. It clicked right into place.

Upon shaking the container to vigorously to mix it, you unscrew the lid to reveal the foam. This is the part that should be done over inkless newspaper or something to cover your countertop. The directions didn't suggest this, but see how the foam is spilling over the sides? Trust us on this one. Save yourself some clean up time and avoid staining your countertop.

The Result:

We applied the foam to the roots first and allowed it to process longer for the grey outgrowth as the instructions indicate. Samy Fat Foam did cover the greys, but we found the product to be drying to the hair. The application was easy but messy. We noticed the powder kind of stuck to the top of the lid, and didn't mix quite as well as we would have liked to see. It did color evenly though.

The process would have been less stressful had there been a little more foam color. There were concerns about not having enough color to cover the ends of long hair. It rinsed well using the shampoo and conditioner provided. The shampoo is clear and has a fruity/perfumed smell. We found it hard to open the packet and literally used teeth to rip it apart in a hurry. The blow dried hair was a similar shade to what was depicted on the box - maybe one to one an a half shades darker.

Glambo's Verdict: 

Samy Hair Foam is effective, but it wouldn't be our first choice considering the other foam hair color options on the market.

Click below to to see Glambo's other foam hair color reviews:

L'OREAL Sublime Mousse

Clairol Nice n Easy

Johh Frieda Precision Foam Colour

Thanks for reading!

(All photos are copyrighted. Glambo, LLC)

Glambo's Review of WEN Haircare - Part II

This is Part II of Glambo's Wen Hair Care Review. See Part I for our experiences with ordering, shipment, and to answer questions like, "How much product should I use?" and "Do you really have to use Wen with cold water?"

Up until now, we've dealt with the call center, were shocked by how many pumps of Wen we needed to use, and applied it to our hair. Now, it's time for the results:



Day one: We each do our hair as usual, using only Wen products. Some of us blow out our hair and one lets her hair air dry. Our initial thoughts are that Wen is ok. The hair looks a little more weighed down than normal, but it doesn't feel that way. The texture isn't transformed but it isn't bad either. We should note that one of us has very coarse, dry, frizzy hair, one is blessed with 'normal' hair, and one of us has fine hair. With dry hair, we didn't think our strands were any softer, and with oily hair, we didn't think it felt greasy. So, that's a good start. We're not in love yet, but we're not disappointed either.

Day two: We are optimistic! When comparing notes, we agree that our hair has more volume the second day. It's soft and smooth. This may work! We might be Wen girls after all.

Day three: WTF? Definitely time for a shampoo. The hair is feeling oily and is looking dirty. Disclosure: We normally wash our hair every other day, and sometimes stretch it to three. You can't do that with Wen. Even a pony tail going to the gym isn't really going to be an option. One of the Glambo Girls is determined to wait until morning, and one can't take it, so she 'cleanses with Wen.' Another decides to spray with Wen and water as directed on the website for a pick-me-up. This doesn't work well.

Day four: Ok, by now, some have washed, some have 'refreshed' and one has endured another day without 'cleansing.' It's BAD all the way around. Everyone cleanses with Wen, and are not really impressed. The hair is looking more weighted down even though it's supposed to be clean. It looks dirtier than our first 'cleansing' and we are wondering if this is going to get worse with every washing.

The dry haired Glambo Girl can't believe her hair is looking dirty and dry at the same time- a first for her. Fine haired and oily haired Glambo Girls are in distress. One agrees to go one more day, and the other is going back to regular shampoo immediately.

The weeks go on: Miss Dry Hair sticks it out until her own mother asks politely, "So, what are you doing to your hair these days?" Translation: "Your hair looks horrible, but I don't want to hurt your feelings by telling you that." She finally got an honest, "Your hair looks REALLY dirty" and a weird look from her mom. This was from using Wen every other day.

Our Sassy Glambo Girl had the best analogy when she stated, "My hair smells like *ss!" And after we all stopped laughing, we realized, she's right! After a couple of days, the hair DOES smell like that! Another disclosure: She does not have some smelly man in her life, and the cat's butt was not next to her on the pillow. We have never known her to smell anything other than lovely, even after a Zumba class. It was the Wen for sure! No doubt about it.

 Is it just us?: We lost another Glambo Girl along the way, so we felt we needed to solicit other opinions before we put the '*ss' comment in writing and gave Wen the hardest Glambo Dis in the history of blogging. We asked around, and found the results to be polarizing. People either really loved Wen or absolutely hated it, promising never to put a drop of the product on their hair again. Out of everyone we knew and talked to, only one person liked it - this includes soliciting opinions from Cosmetologists and their customers at a local hair salon. Two had neutral opinions yet were no longer using it, and the rest gave Wen an unfavorable review.

Our Review:
The infomercials make the product sound amazing, but perhaps, it's Chaz's styling team from the 'after' video that we really want.

They say, "Friends don't let friends shampoo." We say, "Friends don't let friends use Wen." Based upon our personal experiences, this product is getting our strongest 'Glambo Dis' to date.

































 
  

Glambo's Review of WEN Haircare - Part I

Chances are, if you have fallen asleep in front of the TV recently, you have awakened to an infomercial for Wen. With celebrity endorsements and claims that Wen is 'revolutionary', the Glambo girls decided to give Wen hair care a whirl.

The premise: Shampoos contain harsh chemicals that actually strip the hair, leaving dull damaged locks behind. Wen is a 'cleansing conditioner' that doesn't strip your hair's natural oils, and supposedly, it leaves your hair 'with sheen, moisture, manageability and better color retention.'

Ordering: Better hair with just one use? We're in! Three Glambo girls agreed to try Wen, each having a different type and texture of hair. Time to order. We looked online and also called the Wen call center. Not surprisingly, they wanted credit card information to ensure auto-shipment and regular billing. Already, we are not a fan of that. The price for a 30 day supply plus 'bonus' products is $29.95. If you refuse to give your account information for future use, the price goes up to $49.95. The Wen Rep sells you on how beneficial it is to give your credit card digits 'to save money.'

It's here!: The Wen arrives, and we read the directions on our bottles more closely. We were shocked to see the amount of product advised per use: 16-24 pumps! We could feel carpal tunnel setting in just from the idea of dispensing the product. After a quick double check of the Wen website online, we confirmed the amount suggested for use. We were hoping to post a photo of what 20 pumps looks like in your hand. It's A LOT!


Question:  Are you supposed to wash and rinse your hair in cool water? Apparently, on the QVC infomercial, we are told cold water is suggested to obtain the best results. The Glambo Girls are ready to take one for the team and blog all about it. Cold water it is! All in the name of research. Brrrr!


Application: It feels like a handful of conditioner sliding through our hair. We each have long locks, and were able to use the recommended amount, but that is A LOT of product. We are wondering just how long this bottle will last because even 16 pumps looks like less than a 30 day supply. Two of the three of us committed to cold water and endured brisque showers for Wen. Not fun.

As this is probably our longest review, we broke it up into two posts. Click Glambo's Review of Wen Hair Care - Part II for our experiences with auto-shipment and to see how Wen performed daily. You won't BELIEVE our final assessment!!!


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Hair Color that Froths, not Foams

Clairol Nice 'n Easy Foam Hair Color Review:

Hairdressers across the country tell us that more and more people are opting to color their hair themselves. The foam colors seem like a great option to avoid to the do-it-at-home mess.

The ads for Clairol's Nice 'n Easy foam make everything look so simple. Although we like the color, we detest their delivery system.

What was Good:
The color had adequate grey coverage. We applied it to the roots first, then distributed the color throughout the rest of the hair. We also left the color on longer as recommended on the box to better cover those resistant greys. What was surprising was that the newly-dyed hair actually matched the color depicted on the box. That doesn't happen often in the at-home hair color world.


The Ugly Truth:
The bottle has issues! We made a HUGE mess! We got hair color on: The tile grout, the sink, the wall, the mirror, an eyebrow, one cheek, and an arm. Oh yeah, the shirt we were wearing got color splotched on it too. -That rarely happens to us!

Here's How it Works:
You dump one solution into another, then reapply the regular cap. And then you shake... and shake and shake. Next, you take off the top and apply the foam nozzle. Then, you have to SQUEEZE the color out! Although the product looked foamy, it was actually the consistency of frothy eggs. So, we covered the bottle tip and shook it some more - a process we had to do many times.

At first, it seemed easy to apply the color directly to the roots, but the product seemed to run. Although there was clearly solution left in the bottle, we had a difficult time getting it out about 2/3 of the way through. So we had to shake some more. Finally, we gave up and dumped the hair color into one hand like a shampoo. That helped get the extra product onto the ends of the hair.

Again, the favorable result and color coverage was surprising after our drippy application ordeal. One thing we did notice was a blotch higher up in the hair from where the product was squeezed out of the bottle. This happened even though we thought we had done a good job working the color through the hair. The stress of cleaning up the color spots before it stained our skin and work area was probably the culprit.

With Clairol's Nice 'n Easy Foam, the tresses may look good, but the bathroom wall will need a paint touch-up.

The color gets a GLAMBO KISS but the Dispenser gets a GLAMBO DISS. (Since this post, Glambo has reviewed two other foam hair colors. Click John Frieda Precision Foam and/ or L'Oreal Sublime Mousse to see our comments.)

Black (Hair) is Back at that 2011 Oscars

Glambo's Red Carpet Review: The dresses were beautiful, as always. We noted the lack of necklaces on most celebrities, and the absence of all jewelry on Hillary Swank. Jennifer Hudson presented in body glitter. A-list actresses like Reese Witherspoon and Oscar co-host Anne Hathaway appeared to be wearing false eyelashes with a hint of sparkle, which we liked.

What we couldn't help continuing to comment on was the new hair color - especially on the men. (Not that we would actually accuse anyone of a bad bottle job.) The guys all seemed to be sporting darker locks than they had in the past. Two of the best examples were Matthew McConaughey and Jude Law. The hair on their head was obviously darker than their eyebrows and facial hair. Even men with a naturally dark do appeared to be wearing a deeper, one dimensional shade. Christian Bale's darker hair was accentuated by the presence of his brownish-red beard, as seen below.





Left: Christian Bale at 2011 Oscars. Right: Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves 2011 Oscar Red Carpet. (Both Photos by Kevin Winter, Getty Images.)

Whatever the reason, darker hair seems to be the new trend. We continued to watch tv and surf the web. From soap stars to prime time hotties, lighter shades and subtle highlights are gone, replaced by darker tresses. We joked, "Is everybody trying to look like Jon Hamm?" If so, we are not complaining because, after all, women love the idea of Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome.

Jon Hamm as Donald Draper in AMC's 'Mad Men'