Ulta Invites You to Their 21 Days of Beauty! Take the Hair Pledge & Enter to Win $100!

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Brooke

Did you ever notice that when you take just an extra few minutes to do up your hair, you feel fabulous? Your confidence level goes up, your smile gets extra wide…and, trust me, people take notice. ULTA Beauty wants you to love the hair your have, so they’re taking the Mom’s month of May and giving you 21 Days of Beauty (May 12 – June 1) as well as the chance to take the hair pledge! All items featured in this post are available always, but during their Love Your Hair campaign, they are going to have featured Beauty Steals™.

My hair pledge is to do my hair as much as I do my makeup! As a stay-at-home mom, it’s easy and habit to just throw my hair up on top of my head. So, here I am running around in a full face of makeup with scraggle hair. My pledge only takes an extra 20 minutes out of my day to blow dry and flat iron myself into something presentable. DO-ABLE! With the 21 products provided by ULTA Beauty, I chose my faves and did three hair looks.

Look 1: For this look I used Rusk Brilliance Shampoo and Conditioner, Conair You Style Hair Dryer, Hot Tools Nano Ceramic 1/2″ Flat Iron, Chi 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray, Matrix Biolage Style Mousse and Kenra Volume Spray.

On the first day I wanted to start simply and just basically do what I’d normally do but amp it up. I washed my hair using the Rusk Brilliance Shampoo and Conditioner, which smelled like grapefruits and had an excellent lather. The conditioner is technically a leave-in, but my hair tends to look weighed down, so I rinsed it out after leaving it in for a few minutes. I dried using the Conair You Style Hair Dryer, which dried my hair fast and had a gentle blast. After that I put in Chi 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray then flat ironed with the Hot Tools Nano Ceramic 1/2″ Flat Iron (which is mini and perfect for getting those hard to handle flyaways or would be amazing for short hair). Finishing off, I added in the Matrix Biolage Style Mousse and Kenra Volume Spray, which added thickness and volume to my hair.

Look 2: For this look I used Schwarzkoff Professional: Osis + Mattifying Powder, Conair More Big Curls Hairsetter and Redken Control Addict 28.

On the second day I wanted to definitely test out how the mattifying powder worked. I have such problems finding a product that will actually suck the grease out of my roots. The Schwarzkoff Professional: Osis + Mattifying Powder does the job tenfold. With this, I found it’s best to tap a little in your hands and work through your roots. After I rolled up my hair with the Conair More Big Curls Hairsetter and left them in for about 20 minutes. Upon taking them out I flipped my head over and spritzed in some Redken Control Addict 28 and voila. Volume. Normally, if I don’t wash my hair every day, it’s flat as a pancake and basically pretty disgusting. Between the Mattifying Powder and Hot Rollers…we’re in business.

Look 3 For this look I used the ABBA Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner, Big Sexy Hair Root Pump, TIGI Bed Head Straighten Out Straightening Cream and the Hot Tools Cheetah 1″ Tapered Iron.

This was my fave look because it was so bombshell and really very different for what I do on an every day basis. The ABBA Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner smell AMAZING. The Shampoo had an excellent lather and the scent was energizing and minty. While my hair was still damp I put in the TIGI Bed Head Straighten Out Straightening Cream because my hair is so frizzy I had to straighten it a bit before I went ahead and curled it. I know…it’s a rough life. With the Big Sexy Hair Root Pump, I simply flipped my head over and sprayed, then after I curled and sprayed it again just sort of around my head using it as a hair spray. Those curls lasted all day, through heavy wind. Amaze. The Hot Tools Cheetah 1″ Tapered Iron is the stuff dreams are made of. It includes a glove so you won’t burn yourself and curling my hair was quick and easy.

On to the Sweepstakes! Enter for a chance to win a $100 ULTA Beauty gift card! The rules are below, but the easiest way to enter is to simply leave a comment on this post telling me about your own hair pledge! Want more? Beginning May 12 enter ULTA’s Hair Pledge, where they are encouraging women to pledge to love the hair they have for the chance to win free blowouts for the rest of the year. Joining is simple – tweet your hair pledge with the hashtag #ULTAHairPledge and you’re entered. You can see sample pledges, more info, and other ways to enter here.

Sweepstakes Rules:

No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 5/15/13 – 6/1/13.

Be sure to visit the ULTA Beauty page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

***This post is sponsored by ULTA.

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John Frieda Sheer Blonde Everlasting Blonde Colour Preserving Shampoo & Conditioner Photos & Review

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Brooke

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I know. You’re probably like, “Brooke, you’re not blonde… stop”. I have Blonde highlights in there aka color treated aka definitely lighter! The new Sheer Blonde Shampoo & Conditioner from John Frieda is meant to protect these highlights! (Or your highlights. Any color, really!).

Right off the shampoo and conditioner smell amazing. This is so important to me, almost as much as how well the products do what they’re intended to do. I want a fragrance for my hair that smells awesome, lingers and doesn’t give me a headache. These products cover that.

Next I love bubbles and lather. This shampoo lathers and feels great in my hands as I massage my scalp. The conditioner applies easily and allowed me to comb through my hair without the snags. Both were easy to rinse out.

After drying my hair I noticed the color did look better, to me. I tend to feel like my hair looks brassy in certain lighting, but each time I used this product it almost appeared glowy. I’ve been very, very pleased with this new formula!

Game, set, match, John Frieda… well played

These products are also available in Brilliant Brunette and Radiant Red.

John Frieda Colour Protection Shampoos & Conditioners retail for $6.50 each are available at food, drug and mass retailers nationwide and online at drugstore.com.

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Infiniti Pro by Conair Auto-Rotating Curling Iron Photos & Review

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Brooke

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I’ve had many a woes throughout my life while trying to curl my hair. It basically doesn’t usually work. I did recently find a 19mm Nume Curling Iron which worked well for tighter curls, but not for loose and bouncy sexy girl waves.

Enter the Infiniti Pro by Conair Auto-Rotating Curling Iron. This curling iron is described on Ulta with the following points:

Auto-rotating clamp holds hair and spins around to create the perfect curl
1-in. tourmaline ceramic barrel for smooth, shiny, silky curls
Bi-directional rotation
No-slip silicone strip for deep shine
Less damage & zero hot spots
400 degrees F high heat
30-second heat up
Auto-off
Limited five-year manufacturer’s warranty

“The perfect curl” is a lot to live up to. Especially for someone like me who has a ridiculously hard time getting her hair to curl and actually KEEP the curl.

But, I’m always game to try! Simply clamp about a one inch section of hair at the barrel and hit the button (left or right, depending on that look you’re going for) and the iron works it’s magic. I did my entire head quickly and without incident. My curls were shiny and bouncy throughout the day, only losing a slight amount of volume as the day went on. I set the curls using hairspray. I’ve got to tell you, I was pretty happy with the results!

I also posted photos on my Instagram feed here, here and here.

The biggest thing I have to remind you… you MUST pay attention while you’re letting the barrel rotate. I tend to be distracted very easily (wooo shiny things lol) and this rotator won’t stop until you take your hand off of the button. Just saying… watch your scalp and other areas of close proximity

Purchase the Infiniti Pro by Conair Auto-Rotating Curling Iron for $49.99 at Ulta.

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An Introduction to Verb Hair Products!

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Brooke

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I’m so excited to share with you a great little line of products from Verb hair care. This line features professional grade products with no harmful parabens or sulfates.

The three products I’m featuring today are staples in just about everyone’s hair care regime – the Ghost Oil, the Full Body Weightless Lift Volume Spray and the Detangle & Defrizz Conditioning Leave-In Mist.

The Ghost Oil ($14) includes argan oil and performs just the same. I actually prefer the Ghost Oil over the other Argan oils I’ve tried because it doesn’t seem as heavy or saturated as other brands.

The Detangle & Defrizz Conditinoing Leave-in Mist ($12) really helps to comb through tangles, which are abundant since I’ve been letting my hair grow really long. In my experience it helps fight light to moderate frizz as well.

The Full Body Weightless Lift Volume Spray ($14) is perfect for amplifying hair and giving it body. I sprayed this product through my roots lightly and was pleased that it didn’t leave my hair feeling sticky or crunchy.

For a quick peek on how these products work, check out this post, where I used all three products to achieve my Frizz-free and wavy hair look.

Have you ever used any products from Verb? What are your faves?

Verb is now available for purchase at Ulta. Be sure to check out the Verb website for more info on these and other products.

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Christophe Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner Photos & Review

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Brooke

Press Sample

Who here has seen the 80′s movie “Troop Beverly Hills”?? This brand will always make me think of Shelley Long’s scary ghost story lol and when I used the products I felt very Beverly Hills for probably a less than 5% of what she paid her stylist in that movie.

Christope now has hair care available at your local drugstore. Recently I got the opportunity to test out the Hydrating line and every single aspect of these products is a total love.

The color of the product is purple. Right there I’m all like “wooooooooo!” because it’s just pretty to look at. The shampoo ($8.99) has the mother of all lathers and both smell divine. The conditioner ($8.99) also smells amazing and is wonderfully hydrating to hair, making it look silky after styling. They have that salon scent that you get while your stylist is washing your hair and you want the products they use, but then at home it’s not the same. Christophe’s are the same. And the scent lingers all day. I’m so freaking happy I can just run down the block to CVS and pick these up for myself when I run out. HG status, for sure.

You can purchase Christophe Professional Hair Products at CVS or on the Christophe website. These colors are listed as color safe, paraben free, cruelty free and not tested on animals.

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TotalBeauty.com Presents the Award Winners of 2012 – My Picks!

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Brooke

As the year winds down we’re seeing all of the websites best of, favorites, top 10… etc type of posts. TotalBeauty.com also has their lists of 2012 Award Winners in three categories – Makeup, Face & Body and Hair.

I’d like to share with you three of my favorite products from their lists – the Maybelline New York Volum’ Express Falsies Flared Washable Mascara, the Wella Velvet Amplifier (which I also had in my GlossyBox this month!) and the Q-Tips Precision Tips.

It should be pretty obvious as to why I’m a fan of Q-Tips Precision Tips. Everyone knows Q-Tips, but what is nice about the Precision Tips is that they don’t get the loose cotton from rubbing against the other swabs in the box, and they’re PERFECT for cleaning up the dreaded makeup oops! Add a bit of makeup remover and you can clean up mascara drippings, shadow fall-out, eye liner migration… the list is basically endless.

The Wella Velvet Amplifier came in my GlossyBox this month, but only in a one use sample packet. I am so excited to have a full size here, since this was really a great primer for styling and manageability.

Finally, a top-notch choice drugstore mascara. I rarely write about drugstore products, so it’s safe to say that when I do it’s either going to be a big love or a big hate. It’s got to be on one end of the extreme for me to write about it, since I’m clearly a brand snob. The Maybelline New York Volum’ Express Falsies Flared Washable Mascara is one of the best drugstore mascaras that I’ve tried. It gave a nice curl and a dramatic yet wearable look. There are two sides to this mascara, one is more rounded and one is flat. I found the best way to use it is the flat part on the lower lashes and the rounded part on my upper lashes. While I don’t feel like it looks like I have Falsies on, this is absolutely a mascara I’d reach for daily.

To check out the rest of the TotalBeauty.com 2012 Award Winners click here. Do you see any of your favorite products?

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Bango by PRO Beauty Tools Photos & Review

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Brooke

If you look good with bangs, I’m jealous of you. I have ALWAYS wanted to have bangs. Sometimes I’ve tried, thinking, I can totally do this… I just can’t. I don’t have the face shape for it and no matter what they part in the center.

My daughter, on the other hand, looks ADORABLE with bangs. But her hair grows lightning quick. I’m no good at trimming them myself, so I’ve been relying on my mother and my sister-in-law for the maintenance. Which, isn’t always easy, because of scheduling.

Then I was introduced to Bango. Bango is a product set to make trimming your bangs quick and easy. Two things that are even more necessary when trimming a child’s bangs.

Simply comb the bangs, clip on Bango and snip. Done.

Cute, right? The set comes with everything you need to trim your own bangs or someone elses and retails for $19.99.

My only complaint is that it was a little awkward to get the scissors level and close up to the Bango clip, so keep in mind that you’ll be snipping less than what is out of the underside of it. Which is probably a good thing so that you’re not over-cutting.

Get more info on where to buy Bango and other products at the PRO Beauty Tools website.

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Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Shampoo, Conditioner and Split End Sealer Photos & Review

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Brooke

Recently during a local mall trip I noticed that a new counter had popped up inside Macy’s. I was intrigued, because the beauty department at my Macy’s only has the basics (Lancome, Clinique, Lauder… you know the drill. I love these brands, but they are the originals that you see at every Macy’s). Wandering over I saw that the products all read Carol’s Daughter. I’d heard of the brand, but had never actually checked it out. I had kids with me that day, so stopping to ask questions and sniff around was not happening. Luckily, almost like fate, I received an email from Carol’s Daughter (the brand, not the person) that same week!

For this post I want to introduce you to the Monoi Repairing line, which is “a nourishing three-step hair system marked with the Monoi Seal, awarded to Carol’s Daughter by the Monoi Institute, the official Tahitian authority. The prestigious seal bestowed upon a select few, guarantees the quality, purity and use of authentic Monoi Oil, the coveted product of a sacred Polynesian ritual over 2,000 years old.”

Monoi Oil is said to “repair fine, delicate, heat or chemically-treated hair. Clinically-proven to help revive hair and reverse damage caused by heat styling, chemical treatments and environmental aggressors — after only one use, the authentic Monoi trio is clinically proven to reduce breakage by an impressive 96% and extend the life of hair by up to thirteen times.”

Carol’s Daughter says that the recipe for stronger & longer hair is as follows:

MONOI OIL: conditions, moisturizes and protects, imparting the beautiful scent of Tiare Gardenia flowers and Haaari Coconut oil
COCONUT-DERIVED SURFACTANTS: provide a natural, non-stripping gentle cleanse
HIBISCUS EXTRACT: detangles and softens
BAMBOO WATER: rich in protein, vitamins and minerals essential for rebuilding and fortifying hair
HYDROLYZED SILK: restores balance and provides protection from future damage
PANTHENOL: reconstructs each strand and minimizes tangles

I need this like no other. So much. My hair is prone to frizz, split-ends, breakage… and is just plain guilty of being crap-tastic since I had kids. And, being in my early 30′s with 2 small children, a husband, and a dog (so really, like, 4 kids!) of course my hair is also color treated.

The Monoi Repairing Shampoo ($18.00) and Conditioner ($20.00) are actually part of a 3-step system which also includes a repairing hair mask. The shampoo works to cleanse weak and damaged hair to remove impurities & product build-up without stripping strands. The conditioner then penetrates distressed hair leaving it stronger, healthier and more resistant to future damage.

The feel and lather of the products is amazing, and it really does feel like it’s cleansing the hair. I’m not a huge fan of the scent, I tend towards a more girlie flavor, but it’s not headache inducing or strong in the least.

The Split End Sealer ($25.00) works to seal frayed, separated ends for not only longer and stronger hair but also fewer trims! Money saver! Ding, ding! However, because my hair has ridiculous amounts of frizz and cowlicks I use a different product (usually from Living Proof and a VERY little amount) all over my hair, skipping the ends, and then the Split End Sealer at the ends only. This method gives my hair a complete all-over polished look after styling.

Needless to say, these products are a LOVE and I’m thrilled my local Macy’s finally has something for me to brag about!

Carol’s Daughter products are available at Carol’s Daughter Stores,
Carolsdaughter.com, Beauty.com, Ulta, Sephora, Macy’s, Belk and Dillard’s stores nationwide.

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Pureology Control Twist High Hold Liquid Wax Photos & Review

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Brooke

For those days when your hair needs more help than just your regular styling cream is willing to give, Pureology has created the Control Twist High Hold Liquid Wax.

As part of the Colour Stylist line, the Control Twist High Hold Liquid Wax is the perfect product to add texture and control to your mane.

To use, pump out a small amount onto your palm, rub palms together to emulsify, and smooth through damp or dry hair. This will create texture, separation and shine in your style.

My favorite way to use this product is to control fly-aways! I have sad and horrible cowlicks flying out the sides of my head, right at my temples. It’s annoying and the girls in my baton group used to call them “wings” when we would practice because nothing could keep them down. Just a dab of Pureology Control Twist High Hold Liquid Wax keeps both sides smooth and at bay.

If you have out of control hair that needs a kick in the pants, this product is a MUST HAVE.

About Pureology Serious Colour Care
Pureology offers a complete collection of haircare and styling products that enhance and protect colour vibrancy while ensuring improved condition and healthy shine. From concentrated Zero SulfateÆ Shampoos to our conditioners, masques and stylers, each and every product contains the exclusive Anti Fade ComplexÆ to maximize colour retention from start to finish and deliver our promise of Longer Lasting Hair Colour GUARANTEED!Æ For more information visit Pureology.com and like Pureology on Facebook.† Please note, Pureology products can only be guaranteed authentic when purchased from a salon.

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Clairol Professional Care & Styling Collection Review and GIVEAWAY!

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Brooke

The new Care & Styling line from Clairol Professional is currently on scene to help you achieve salon quality products and hair, at the most affordable price point. Jazzed up with PRO4PLEX (Pro Technology, Pro Grade, Pro Results, and Pro Heritage), the Care & Styling line will also protect your color and use customized Radialux™ technology to target areas where extra care is needed for luminous shine from roots to ends.

Within this line we see three Care Collections in Repair, Smooth and Curl as well as two Styling products in a Volume Mousse and Shaping Gel.

But which is right for you?

Within the CARE line:
• REPAIR: Ideal for dry, damaged hair. Helps smooth to repair and condition dry, damaged hair and replenishes moisture to leave hair strong and conditioned with incredible shine.
• SMOOTH: Ideal for frizzy hair. Fights frizz and sleeks hair even after one application and leaves it shiny and smooth.
• CURL: Ideal for naturally curly hair. Gives curls amazing shine and definition.

Within the STYLING line:
• VOLUME MOUSSE: Provides extra strong hold, giving fullness and body for all day volume.
• SHAPING GEL: Holds, defines and accentuates any style, while washing out easily.

This chart will help you break it down a little better:

The system that worked the best for me was the Smooth Color Safe Shampoo, Smooth Color Safe Leave-In Balm, and Color Safe Shaping Gel.
My hair is very prone to a freak-tastic frizz out (especially on humid days!) and these products whipped my hair into shape like it went through boot camp. An added bonus – it left my mane smooth and shiny.

Celebrity stylist brand ambassadors Torsten Witte (Hair Stylist) and Kiyah Wright (Colorist) are at the top of their industry, working with A-list clientele in various campaigns and publications. I love when I know what products are used on celebrities, because they usually rock the most famous hairstyles and luscious locks of anyone out there. It’s obvious they can’t do it all on their own, so that is where Torsten and Kiyah come in! I would love to know from these two what celebrity had the most temperamental hair and what products they used from the line to beat those strands into submission!

Need more info and hair tips? Clairol Professional’s Facebook Page is just a click away!

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GIVEAWAY TIME!

I’m sure this is the part you were waiting for! If you didn’t just scroll the whole way to the bottom, I thank you

This giveaway IS open to residents within the United States and Canada. It will end at 12:01am EST on October 4, 2012.

You can enter this giveaway via the RAFFLECOPTER WIDGET that will be at the bottom of this post.

*** Entries placed in the comments will not be valid. ***

The ONLY mandatory entry on the Rafflecopter Widget is the first one – to Like the Vi.Be Facebook Page.

To enter, please wait for the Rafflecopter Widget to load. If it doesn’t, try to refresh. If you still have issues (sometimes if you’re using Google Chrome it can be a pain) please contact me via the comments or email. Additional terms and conditions are listed on the widget. Please contact me with any questions!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I participated in this sponsored post campaign for One2One Network. Items were provided for review. All opinions stated are my own.