Outfit Post: Camo, Leopard & Straight Hair - Oh My!

 

 

 

Zara Camouflage Print Trousers with Zippers (old- extremely similar at Bloomie's) 

Aaron Ashe Cut Out Back Tank (old)

Target Leopard Loafers (old - super similar here)

D'Andrea "Mr. One Nighter" in Black c/o LuckyFABB || Apricot Lane Black Cat Eye Sunglasses (similar here) || Michael Kors "Bradshaw" Rose Gold Watch || oNecklace Gold Cursive Monogram Necklace c/o

 

Let's talk hair for a moment or two.. When Misikko contacted me about testing out one of their top rated flat irons, I hesitated for just a second. You see, I used to spend hours on my hair. No joke, actual hours. After washing it, I'd blow dry it section-by-section then flat iron it section-by-section. My hair is pretty thick and curly so it usually takes forever. But it's literally been about a year since I straightened my hair, so I decided to take the plunge and test it out.

 

Boy has my perspective changed! Misikko graciously sent me the HANA Pro 1" Flat Iron, one of their #1 sellers, to test out. I was so surprised to see how big of a box I got.. I was even more surprised when I opened it up and found all this:

 

 

Talk about a pampering sesh! Misikko included quite a few little extras -  I especially loved the heat proof mat. Perfect to lay any hot tool on. Also who couldn't use a new eyelash curler? Sometimes,  I just love being a girl! :)

 

So I washed my hair the day before and let it air dry. I did this for 2 reasons: 1) If I'm using a hot tool, I try not to blow dry to lessen the amount of heat put on my hair & 2) My hair is freaking long and I'm lazy. So it usually looks like this before:

 

 

Just has a natural wave and a teensy bit of frizz (but I personally like it that way) I blasted my crown with some cold air from my hair dryer to give it some extra body, then went to work with my Hana flat iron. Or so I thought... I was finished within 20 minutes. MY WHOLE HEAD. And not like kinky straight - but it actually smoothed out my waves and zero frizz.. I was seriously so impressed. Check ittttt....

 

 

Here's a few things that I love about it:

1. It heats up super fast so I'm not waiting for forever

2. It has temperature settings which is great for all hair types. Thin hair can set it to a lower temp while people with hair like mine or curlier can go higher.

3. It has a 360 swivel cord making it easy to work all the way around my head

4. It comes with a travel pouch, making packing a breeze and keeping it safe to store while cooling off

5. Even though it's only 1 inch, it worked perfectly on my thick hair - though I still flat ironed in sections

6. Misikko customer service was fabulous - I couldn't believe how quickly the iron shipped to

 

I'm so happy the Hana Salon helped reunite me with my love of straight hair minus the arm cramps and all the sweat equity. Totally simple, totally worth it. I let my ends bend a little so it wasn't completely stick straight. P.S. anytime you use a hot tool on your hair.. please, please, PLEASE use a heat protectant spray.

 

 My next task is to try to curl my locks using the straightener. I know that sounds weird - but I've heard of so many people who do it.. if you have a good tutorial, pass it along! It's Friday guys! Go enjoy the weekend!! 

 

Disclosure: a complimentary Hana Pro Flat iron was provided by Misikko. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Misikko or Hana.

My Every Day Hair Care Routine

A few weeks ago, I had a reader request to share my favorite hair care products. And I have to say... I've been through many phases with my locks. But right now is probably the most I have ever truly enjoyed my hair. I've finally embraced that it has a mind of it's own, is slightly messy and is definitely not perfect. In fact, these are all reasons why I now love it!!

First things first, I don't wash my hair every day. I usually wash it every 3-4 days (ummm dry shampoo has become my best friend) My hair is extremely curly, and now colored, which means it can dry out easily. If I shampoo it too often, it starts to feel icky... Now onto my favorite products!

1. Ask your hair dresser the best shampoo & conditioner based on your hair type. My hair gal, Ashleigh, recommended Bed Head's Level 3 Resurrection. I'm in love with it - super moisturizing and totally repairs my bleached strands. Also, when you find something you love - try to buy in bulk to receive a discount. I found these 2 huge bottles at Nordstrom Rack and scored them for 25 bucks total!!

2. This is a key element no matter your hair type. DO NOT wrap your hair in a towel. A towel has texture that can pull your strands, breaking them and making it brittle. Instead, wrap your head in an old cotton t-shirt (like your boyfriends white v-neck - clean of course!) This way, the cotton tee soaks up all the excess water without doing any damage.

3. Since my hair is curly and dry, sometimes my scalp gets dry too. Enter the most soothing spray ever: Bumble & Bumble Tonic Lotion. With it's tea-tree oil extract and vitamins it's like a serious thirst quenching cocktail for your mane. You can spray this directly on your strands - but I mostly spray directly on my scalp after "tee-drying" my hair. Ahhhh I can just feel it now :)
 

4. Moroccan Oil is perfect for dried out tresses. But I've found a fab budget buy if you can't shell out the 50 bucks for the original. I use Organix's Moroccan Argan Oil on the ends of my hair. It keeps them looking healthy and less frayed. Never put it near your roots or on the front pieces, otherwise you'll have oily strands - blech!

5. With my curly ringlets, I am on a constant quest for moisture. Leave in conditioner is a MUST for me. My college roommate introduced me to Redken's Anti-Snap and I've been addicted ever since. It doesn't weigh down my hair yet keep my strands silky soft. I put a small amount on throughout (top and bottom) then comb through my hair completely. De-tangler bonus!

6. This is the one I'm most excited about.. when I say this is the best product I've ever discovered, I'm not kidding... Frederic Fekkai Anti-Fade Top Coat is my hair's lifesaver. I love that I can put it on whether my hair is wet or dry. It says that it helps tame frizz but it does that and so much more - it's seriously the jam. On next day shampoos I can just apply a drop or two on my strands and I have instant bedhead that isn't too bedhead-y (if that makes any sense....)

7. Lastly, I stay away from the hair dryer. Gone are the days of waking up 2 hours before work/meetings and blow drying every. single. strand. I roll the windows down in my car, take a walk outside and just let me hair do it's thing. I couldn't even tell you the last time I plugged in my hair dryer.... Sounds a little crazy but my hair has never looked better or has been healthier. Plus, aren't I saving the environment or something?

The end result is how my hair looks for most of my personal style posts. What you see is what you get - meaning those photos show how truly I wear an outfit, style my hair and do my makeup. Some days I love getting fancy/glam. But most days I just air dry my locks, swipe on some lipstick, wear a fun outfit and go!

So those are my favorite products that I use - What are some of yours?

please note all products mentioned are actually used by me and I was in no way compensated for this post. I just seriously love everything so much! :)