Old Wives Tail - Coco Loco Organic Coconut Oil Hair Mask: pics, review

Hello, Beautiful!

I was contacted by Old Wives Tail and asked if I'd like to try a sample of her hair oil. I said of course, because it looked like a great product and I love trying hair treatments. I was so excited to try this, but even more excited by the results! Now I do want to point out you're going to see two sets of photos in this blog post... because I was stupid and didn't realize this is a solid product and not a straight oil. It arrived as an oil, because it will melt if it's not kept in a cool, dark, dry place. So after a week of using it, I looked down (it was on my floor by my desk) and saw it was solid. I was like "oooooooh" and re-photographed it all. So that's why there are two sets of photos. Check out all the product info, along with my full review, after the pics!

Old Wives Tail
Coco Loco Organic Coconut Oil Hair Mask

And now the pics of the product melted....

Old Wives Tail Coco Loco Organic Coconut Oil Hair Mask Info & Review:

Cost/Availability: $24.87 (at time the time I wrote this post, it was on sale for $16.57) (150 ml full size). Available on the Old Wives Tail website.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Kisses!

Product Info...

We all know how amazing organic coconut oil is for our hair and at Old Wives Tail they have gone absolutely coconut crazy! They hand picked the best oils and essential oils and lovingly whipped them up with pure virgin coconut oil to create a mask that is bursting with natural proteins and has a mouth-watering tropical, zesty scent.

Just one scoop will add lustre, strength and shine to any hair type. When massaged into your scalp, Coco-Loco will stimulate each and every hair follicle and promote healthy hair growth. Its natural antibacterial properties and nutrients get to work at calming and soothing any dry or flaky areas of your scalp. What's more is when this mask is used over a period of time it can aid in protecting the natural color pigmentation of your hair and prevent early greys from sprouting!

Made with certified organic ingredients only. Paraben-free. Sulfate-free. Gluten-free. Vegan & vegetarian. No animal testing.


My Review...

I'll be honest and say I really was confused by the packaging; a tub like container for a hair oil? I could see if this was a thicker, cream like product but this is a liquid, an oil. It didn't make much sense to me. Well guess what? It was MELTED and this is actually a solid product! Now the jar makes more sense. I guess the warm weather really got to this during shipping and it had completely turned to a liquid -- which you can see in the product pictures I took right after I opened it.

Even a few days later it was still an oil, liquid state. It was only about a week or two later that I looked down and saw it was a solid. Weird, but the packaging now makes a lot more sense. So if you do order this during warmer months and find it has arrived in a complete liquefied state, no worries; it will return to a solid in no time. Their recommendation to store in a cool, dry, dark place should be followed.

I re-photographed this after it had returned to a solid, but I had already used it twice by that point in time. Even in its solid state this mask quickly melts into an oil. Easy to apply and easy for your hair to soak up.

Now the directions do say to put it on and wrap your hair with a warm towel and leave it on for an hour, but I'll be honest and say that I don't have time for an hour long hair treatment like that all the time, so I tried two quicker methods and had great results with both.

The first time I used this I just applied from mid-shaft to ends and let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes, then I jumped in the shower and washed it out. My hair was so soft, shiny and manageable afterwards. I loved the way it looked and felt! Very smooth and silky!

The next test was to apply and then use my blow dryer on my hair for about 2 to 5 minutes, then let it sit for another 5 to 10 minutes. That yielded about the exact same results as the first test.

I then tried it exactly as they direct, with the warm towel and leaving it on for an hour. I think that method does give a slightly deeper treatment, but there is no reason you can't do a quicker treatment with this same product.

One thing I do want to point out is the scent can be a bit over whelming. It smells good but the one day it really was overwhelming to me and I couldn't handle the scent. It's a mix of a mint and a coconut, which kind of smell like a coconut candy bar, but it can be intense. I like the scent though, normally. Just that one day my nose couldn't handle it.

Overall, I really liked the way this mask worked. Thought it did really amazing things for my hair that other masks couldn't do. I don't like to use it if I plan to curl my hair though, as I have very fine, long hair and this mask hydrates maybe too much to allow my hair to then hold a curl, but I love it if I plan to leave my hair straight. Don't get me wrong, I can still curl my hair on days I have used this but I find that my curls fall a bit faster due to how hydrated and smooth my hair is.

They do offer other hair masks, so if you're not into a coconut mint scent, or your hair has other needs, click here to see the range of other masks they offer.

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of this hair mask? Have you tried this or is this on your beauty wish list? Discuss in the comments below.

Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo - pics, review

Hello, Beautiful!

I really like the Amika brand; I love their Obliphica Oil Treatment, their Color pHerfection Shampoo and Hydrate Conditioner, and their Straight Up Smoothing Balm (which I'll be reviewing soon). In this post I'll share with you their Perk Up Dry Shampoo, which is from their Obliphica line of hair care products. This dry shampoo is available in two sizes - the larger 5.3 fl oz size and the smaller 1 fl oz size. I suggest trying the smaller size if you like to try before you invest. So what did I think of this dry shampoo.... read my full review and all the product info below after the pics!

Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo
  

Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo Info & Review:

Cost/Availability: $21.00 (5.3 fl oz full size) - or - $8.00 (1 fl oz travel size). Available on the Amika website - (click here for the travel size) - and at professional salons. Click here to find an authorized salon near you (you'll need to email Amika - on the same page it does list that Beyond The Rack is NOT an authorized dealer and that you should be careful of counterfeit Amika products).

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Kisses

The Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo cleanses by absorbing excess oil and dirt that weighs down hair. The light-weight formula creates soft texture and removes odors to refresh hair between shampoos. Unlike other dry shampoos that use aluminium shavings, the Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo is enhanced with natural rice starch. Obliphica (Sea Buckthorn Berry) extract conditions hair leaving it soft and manageable. Free of talc. Safe for color treated hair.

Directions: Just shake the can before use, then hold 10 to 12 inches away from scalp and spray lightly for even coverage. Use fingertips to massage through hair and style as desired.

I love the smell of this - it smells just like the Obliphica Oil Treatment - so that is a nice bonus. The scent stays in your hair for a nice time so your hair smells nice after you use this. I do find it sprays out a bit off track - or maybe it's just the one I have - but it seems to spray at a higher angle than where I aim it, which is simple to work with (and probably just a fluke with mine).

What I do like is it doesn't make my brunette hair look white or gray; it seems invisible. It adds shine to my hair and does soak up most of the excess oil, but on some days - where my scalp seems to be really greasy - I don't find this to be all that effective on my hair, as the way it adds in shine makes my hair look greasier. But with that being said, on day 2 hair it works great but beyond that - for my hair - it doesn't work. Now keep in mind I have very fine, thin, hair and it gets oily by the end of the day, so most dry shampoos don't work for me past day 2 hair. Still, overall, I really like Amika products and do like this dry shampoo.

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of this dry shampoo? Have you tried this or is this on your wish list? Discuss in the comments below.

Lea Journo Parfait Intense Hydrating Masque - pics, review

Hello, Beautiful!

Even though I get an oily scalp within 24 hours of washing my hair (usually), I still have very dry hair on the ends. I blame coloring my hair. However, I don't worry about it too much because I have some great hair products to help... such as the Lea Journo Parfait Intense Hydrating Masque. This masque smells great, is creamy, and really made my hair feel super soft. My hair looked and felt healthier after the very first use!

Check out my pics, swatches, stats, and review... click on pics to view them larger.

Lea Journo
Parfait Intense Hydrating Masque

Basic Stats for Lea Journo Parfait Intense Hydrating Masque:

Formula: cream

Cost/Availability: $45.00 (6.7 fl oz full size). Available on Lea Journo's website, QVC's website, and everywhere else Lea Journo is sold.

Packaging: rounded jar with twist-off lid

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Kisses!

Formula:

This deep conditioning hair treatment restores your hair, adding softness and shine! Uses super riche conditioners and strengtheners for perfectly shiny, soft hair - treating dry, damaged and overworked hair. Cashmere Proteins strengthen & renew, French Plum Oil softens & moisturizes, and Silk Proteins shine & fortify.

Cost/Availability:

$45.00 (6.7 fl oz full size). Available on Lea Journo's website, QVC's website, and everywhere else Lea Journo is sold.

Packaging:

Rounded jar with twist-off lid.

Lea Journo Parfait Intense Hydrating Masque Review:

This hair treatment is like new hair in a jar! And by that I mean after one use my hair felt super soft and was shiny and healthy. Since my hair is dry from coloring, this product is a savior for me.

It smells really nice and has a beautifully creamy texture. You'll apply it to clean, towel dried hair, massaging it in. Leave on for 2 to 5 minutes, but you could leave it on longer if you want. The first time I used this I left it on for a little over 5 minutes, and the second time I was in the middle of watching Project Runway, lol, so it stayed on for about 10 to 15 minutes. I didn't notice too much difference between leaving it on longer or not, but I would definitely recommend waiting 5 minutes before rinsing it out.

The suggested use is twice a week, but I don't always have time for that so once a week or whenever you can will still do great things for your hair! I'm really loving the Lea Journo product line... I have even more products from her line to share with you soon, so stay tuned!

Overall, yes, I would absolutely recommend this product if your hair is dry, damaged and/or over worked!

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of this hair treatment? Have you tried this or is this on your wish list? Discuss in the comments below.

Lea Journo Mirroir Glossing Cream - pics, review

Hello, Beautiful!

When I put an effort into doing my hair there is one product I almost always use: a glossing product. It may be a spray, an oil or a cream; I just love to make my hair look shiny and healthy. Recently I tried the Lea Journo Mirroir Glossing Cream and really liked it. It's different from other glossing products I've tried, as this has beautiful golden shimmer in it. Don't worry, you don't see the shimmer in your hair the way you would think by looking at this product, but it does add beautiful gloss to your hair without looking greasy.

Check out my pics, swatches, stats, and review... click on pics to view them larger.

Lea Journo Mirroir Glossing Cream
 

Basic Stats for Lea Journo Mirroir Glossing Cream:

Formula: cream

Cost/Availability: $28.00 (5 oz full size). Available on the Lea Journo website, QVC's website, Macy's website, and everywhere else Lea Journo products are sold.

Packaging: squeeze tube with twist-off lid

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Kisses

Formula:

This is a lightweight glossing cream, which smoothes hair while adding shine and moisture. Infused with French Plum Oil which softens & moisturizes, Moringa Extra to repel environmental stress & condition, and Vitamins A & E NanoSeal to shine & revitalize.

Cost/Availability:

$28.00 (5 oz full size). Available on the Lea Journo website, QVC's website, Macy's website, and everywhere else Lea Journo products are sold.

Packaging:

Squeeze tube with twist-off lid.

Lea Journo Mirroir Glossing Cream Review:

This is a really pretty glossing cream. It looks like a golden shimmer, but it doesn't translate onto your hair like a shimmer mess. It just makes your hair look shiny and healthy.

I applied this to damp hair, working from my ends upward - staying away from my roots. Then I styled my hair as normal and almost forgot the product was in my hair because it was light weight, non-greasy and just blended with my hair naturally. My hair looked healthier and shinier. You can apply a small amount of dry hair, but I prefer to use it on damp hair.

A really pretty, quality glossing cream that I'd recommend!

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of this glossing cream? Have you tried this or is this on your wish list? Discuss in the comments below.

My friend's first try with WEN: before & after pics

Hello, Beautiful!

While my friend was visiting I had to see how WEN worked on her hair. She has great hair to begin with - thick, shiny, healthy looking - but I still wanted to try WEN on someone else that I could take before and after pics of.

I first tried WEN back in September, and fell in love right away [click here for my review and before & after WEN pics]. It made such a difference in my hair. My hair was super soft, silky, smooth, shiny and all around just beautiful. I couldn't stop touching my hair after I first used WEN. Then I kind of fell out of love with it for a brief period of time. I didn't think it was really working anymore, but really what happened was I was so used to it and when I went back to regular shampoo & conditioner I realized what I was missing.

My first WEN was the Fig, which I hated the smell of but loved the way it helped my hair. Since I hated the smell I tried a different WEN, the Sweet Almond Mint. I liked the smell a lot better, and it still worked for my hair, but it wasn't as moisturizing as the Fig. Thinking I'd surely go back to the Fig just for the better benefits I was ready to re-order when I saw the new WEN scent/formula, the Pomegranate. I ordered in hopes it may be the best of both worlds: good smell and good benefits for my hair. Well it basically is! It's not quite as moisturizing as the Fig, but it's better than the Sweet Almond Mint. Now keep in mind that this is just my experience with WEN, and everyone has a different experience depending on their hair texture and needs. Each WEN doesn't just smell differently, they also do something different for different hair types.

Anyhow, onto my friend's experience with WEN...

My friend's hair stats:
Length: medium-long hair
Type: naturally wavy-curly, fine hair - but a lot of it, so it looks really thick
# of WEN Pumps: 48 (12 per section)
Type of WEN She Used: Sweet Almond Mint

I was up in the air with what WEN I would use on her, but in the end I picked the Sweet Almond Mint since it's the most universal. It's where you should start with WEN if you really don't know what to pick.

I explained to her the way to use WEN and sent her on her way to the shower. Fifteen minutes later she came downstairs and I went into pretend hair dresser mode (I say pretend hair dresser because I'm definitely no where near a pro, but I still like to pretend I can do hair). I made sure she put in the WEN Styling Creme (3 pumps), which is something you should use after using WEN if you plan to style your hair with any heat (including a blow dryer), plus the Styling Creme helps add that extra something, something to make the hair better. I have the Fig styling creme, so that's what she used.

I blow dried her hair in sections, and then (per her request), straightened her hair (I did use the CHI Iron Guard before using the straightening iron).

Her hair was easy to work with thanks to the WEN, and in the end her hair was softer, smoother, and shiner. She loved the way it looked and felt (she too couldn't stop touching her hair) and even the following day she woke up with great hair.

Below are her before & after pics. And remember, she already had great hair - WEN just made it greater :)

* click on an image to view it larger *

WEN Pomegranate... best WEN of them all!

Hello, Beautiful!

I first tried WEN back in early September and instantly fell in love. There were some downfalls though, the price in comparison to the amount of product I needed to use, the length of time you'd need to do the WEN process, and the smell. I had tried the Fig cleansing conditioner and absolutely hated the smell. To me it smelled like a log cabin pharmacy.

Since I loved the way it made my hair look and feel I decided to give WEN another go with a difference cleansing conditioner (since the Fig smell was not working with me anymore). I went with the Sweet Almond Mint, thinking that I like the smell of almond and mint, so it has to be better than the Fig. And it was better smelling than the Fig, but I didn't like the after results as much (each cleansing conditioner doesn't just smell different, they do different things for your hair).

Then they came out with the Pomegranate, which I picked up in a small 6oz size (about 2 to 3 uses for my hair length) in a different kit with another small 6oz size of the Sweet Almond Mint cleansing conditioner, a small hair mask and a small hair replenishing spray. For some reason I never opened it or tried it out until last night.

I am blown away with how good it smells in comparison to the other two WEN formulas I've tried. To me it smells like candy... maybe sweettarts in a way. I'm not really sure how to describe it, but it does smell really good! I did like the results of this cleansing conditioner more than the Sweet Almond Mint, but maybe not as much as the Fig, but it's pretty close to Fig results without the awful smell (which may not be awful to you).

Either way, I really do like the Pomegranate cleansing conditioner and it looks like I'll be repurchasing this in the future.

Sorry I don't have any pictures for you of what my hair looks like. It was late and I wasn't thinking in terms of taking before/after pictures. I'll try to remember to do that the next time I use it (which means I'll use regular shampoo/conditioner for a day or two before going back to WEN so you can see a real before/after).

Have you tried the new WEN Pomegranate cleansing conditioner? If so, what do you think of it?

Click Here to view the WEN pomegranate Cleansing Conditioner on QVC (the 16 ounce size is $28)

September 2010 Favorites & Not-So-Favorites

Hello, Beautiful!

Before I begin my September favorites list, I want to remind you to enter our daily contest for a chance to win $5 to spend at ValentineKisses.com!


Click here to read our contest blog post and to enter the contest!

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Now onto my September favorites!

September is more than half way over and I've fallen in like, lust and love with many beauty products this month. I've also come to dis-like a few beauty products.

My September Favorites:

Makeup Sponges

I've fallen in like with using makeup sponges again. I know, there is nothing special or fancy or magic about makeup sponges. It's almost kind of pointless to even list them. But I went months without using them; I was hooked on using my 187 MAC Stippling Brush to stipple on my foundation. And although I still prefer using a brush over a sponge any day, the sponges have been such a time saver in the mornings. For that reason alone they are on my September favorites list!


WEN
I've fallen in lust with the WEN hair care line! The reason it's lust and not love is because I'm not sure it's really a system I can keep up with. It requires a lot of time to do it correctly, you need a lot of product, and I can't stand the Fig smell (in fact, I'm sending it back to get a different scent). If you haven't tried WEN yet both you and your hair are really missing out! After just one application, my hair was completely transformed; not only in how it looked, but how it felt too! I did a big blog post about my experience using WEN, including pics, which you can check out here.


L'Oreal Studio Secrets Professional Magic Perfecting Base
I've absolutely fallen in love with this primer! It is for sure my favorite primer, probably of all time! I even like it more than my Make Up For Ever HD Primer (which is a beautiful primer that works amazingly). It's just the perfect primer for me! I did a blog post about this primer, including swatches, which you can check out here.


Ikea GISLEV Rug!

This rug is just $19.99 at Ikea. I absolutely love it. It goes beautifully in my bedroom (which is themed out in black, white and gray tones). It's also the rug you'll see on Project Runway (in the girls' bedroom). In fact, I'm thinking of going back to Ikea just to pick up a second (for my office). Although I was worried it would feel really awful since it's only $20 and it's 6'x5' in length. It's not a  luxurious rug at all, but it does its job (at least in my house) and it's a really affordable way to change up your room space.



Jason Mraz Concert!!!!!!!!!!

Only a few days left (10) until the Jason Mraz concert! I am super excited and I'm already thinking of what makeup and hair look I'll choose. I have no idea actually, and I'll probably try out several over the next ten days. Any suggestions??



My September Dis-Likes:

My recent purse purchase from Target:

Okay, I'll start by saying I generally love the purses I get from Target (I actually get a lot of compliments on my purse and people are usually surprised when I say I got it at Target). Sure, they're no Kate Spade, but they allow me to change out my purse often without breaking the bank. I recently picked up a pretty deep plum hued purse (with black and white zebra print inside). I loved the way it looked, it was big enough to carry all my crap (like my coupon organizer thingy), and it was under $30. BUT every time I wear this it bugs me. Only one strap will stay on my shoulder. The other falls off right away. I have to keep pulling it back up... over and over again. The only way the straps will stay up is if I hold them up! It's frustrating, but yet for some reason I continue to use this purse everyday (I don't want to waste my money and it's far past the return policy - plus it's used). This is the first purse from Target that has given me these issues.

Bare Escentuals Natural Lip Gloss

I have this in "Sugar Cookie", which is a pretty shade and the gloss actually smells/kind of tastes like a sugar cookie. But it's so freakin' sticky!!! The kind of sticky gloss where you talk and your lips stick together. The kind of sticky gloss where your hair will surely get stuck in it not once, but 100 times. If this gloss wasn't so sticky I would really love it, but it's just too sticky for me (and that's saying a lot, considering I love the Stila Lip Glazes - which are slightly sticky)!

Body Wash - almost all of them!

I don't know what it is this month. I just can't stand the way any of my body washes smell anymore (well, that's not completely true - I still love my Korres Bitter Almond body wash). I get an instant headache from my body washes and I'm forced to use the "back ups" because I'm out of my Korres body wash. Maybe it's the changing of the seasons that's making my nose change the way it picks up smells, or maybe it's not. Whatever the case, I want to throw all my body washes out at this very moment (but I won't, I'm too cheap for that, so instead they will go into the guest bathroom where most of my beauty product cast-off's end up).

My Neighbor's Dog(s)

I doubt my neighbors read this blog, but I secretly hope they do because maybe they aren't aware of this situation (and the fact that all the surrounding houses can't stand your dog(s) barking). EVERY NIGHT their dog(s) bark... and bark... and bark... and bark... and FREAKIN' BARK. I have dogs - I have two right now, but I've had five at one time - I can tolerate dog barking and I understand that dogs are going to bark. If anyone in my neighborhood could tolerate dogs barking, it's me. But their dog(s) bark a lot - especially during normal sleeping hours. I don't really mind the dog going bark-crazy during the day. I can even tolerate it going bark-crazy at 9pm (despite my son hearing your dog(s) barking and not being able to sleep). But I can no longer tolerate the midnight, 1am, 2am, 3am, and even the 4am barking!! It has got to stop! It's making me crazy! You better believe the moment I get pregnant is the moment your 9 month countdown begins to get that dog barking under control. Because once I have a newborn in the house sleep is precious - both to me and the new baby. If your dog even once wakes my baby up, or me up, I will become that mean neighbor. I don't want to become that neighbor - you know, the one that calls the cops because your dog is making too much noise - but I'm not the only neighbor that can't stand your dog(s) barking, and probably by the time I actually get pregnant someone else will have called the cops on you anyway. This was a nice and quiet neighborhood before you moved in. Now you have the most annoying house in the neighborhood. I'm so lucky to be your neighbor.

[Just to clarify: I do like our neighbors, I just hate their dogs. Also, I'm not pregnant now, but my husband and I have been trying to get pregnant again for years. Eventually it will happen... I hope!]

xoxo with love & beauty,

Crystal Valentine B.

- The woman who runs ValentineKisses.com

Bye Bye Shampoo & Conditioner - hellooooo WEN! WEN Before & After Pics

Hello, Beautiful!

I recently decided to try out the WEN hair care line. I picked up the WEN by Chaz Dean Fig 4-Piece Hair Collection from QVC. It includes a 16 ounce Cleansing Conditioner, a 6 ounce Styling Creme, a 4 ounce Fig Oil and a 4 ounce Texture Balm. I purchased this when it was on special, but you can still pick it up at QVC for $72.

WEN really has changed my view on hair care forever!

I was a huge skeptic going into this. I've seen the infomercials and I've seen multiple demo's on QVC. I watched thinking "yeah, okay... their hair only looks like that because they have a special team of hair stylists". I mean you see shampoo & conditioner commercials on TV and your hair never turns out that silky and shiny after using the product. I really didn't expect this to work.

But seeing as how I'm in a hair rut at the moment (and don't want to get it cut or colored), I thought this may be something new to try that would change my hair for the better. And it did!

First, let me tell you I was really mad. I even almost made a "WTF Beauty" post because of how much product you have to use. For my hair length (down to mid-back) I need to use 48 pumps for ONE use! Yes forty-eight - not 4 to 8 - but 48!! And that's the minimum recommended amount.

I'd say about 3 to 4 pumps of WEN is equal to how much regular shampoo I'd use for one use, and about 2 to 3 pumps is how much regular conditioner I'd use for one use. So that's about 7 pumps for one use of traditional shampoo and conditioner. For WEN you use over 6 times that amount!

Immediately I knew this was going to be expensive if I wanted to keep up with it. The kit was expensive, but now the up-keep and the frequency in which I need to re-purchase would really drain my wallet. The kit I bought included a 16 ounce bottle of the Cleansing Conditioner. If I'm lucky it's going to last 3 weeks using it every day or every other day. But I honestly doubt I'll get to 3 weeks. I'd be happy to get to 2 weeks with the amount of product I need to use for my hair length. A regular sized Cleansing Conditioner (32 ounce) sells for $44.82 on QVC. I would have to expect to pay $44.82 at least every two months. That's A LOT of money!

If you have shorter hair you're going to get more use out of one bottle. My husband's genius idea was to cut my hair so I don't have to buy the Cleansing Conditioner as often. Um.. I don't think so!!!

The other products that were included with this kit (the styling creme, texture balm and oil) will last a whole lot longer, which I'm really happy about. The texture balm will last at least 2 years, the styling creme, maybe 6 months or so (I'm not really sure), and I haven't even used the oil yet - and don't plan to use it except on the weekends, so that will really last awhile.

So are you ready to read how the whole thing works and see some photos?

You're supposed to use the oil at night and wash it out in the morning, but I was too eager to use the Cleansing Conditioner and didn't want to wait till morning. Plus, you need a lot of time in the morning (I'd say at least 15 minutes) just to do the Cleansing Conditioner. That's time I don't have on mornings I take my son to school, unless I want to wake up earlier and right now that's not happening.

For the Cleansing Conditioner (which is the star of this set), you want to rinse your hair with cool water for at least a minute. Then you will apply the Cleansing Conditioner in four sections: top, bottom, left side, right side. For my hair length I apply 12 pumps per section. Massage each section for at least 2 minutes (which will really give your arms a workout).

Once you have it applied to each section you will comb through it with a wide tooth comb (I just used my fingers), and then leave it on for the remainder of your shower. You want to let it sit on your hair for at least 5 minutes. The longer you let it set, the better the results. Your scalp will feel cold and tingly due to the ingredients the product has (I think mint is in each of the Cleansing Conditioners).

Rinsing it out will take some time. There is a lot of product in your hair and you'll need to massage your hair to get it out. I take about 2 to 3 minutes to rinse it out.

After you get out of your shower apply the Styling Creme to soaking wet hair. You apply it all over, except your roots. Then you can style as normal!

All I did was let it air dry mostly, then I blow dried it a little. That's it!

The photo below shows a before picture (the one I took the other day). Then it shows after using WEN for the first time. Then it shows how it looks the next day, after sleeping on it. I only ran a brush through it, that's it, and I was ready to go!

My hair was SOOOOOOO soft and silky. The photos really don't do it a whole lot of justice. If you could feel my hair you would be amazed! It felt so good. I didn't want to stop touching my hair! It also felt really nice and light. If you have long hair you know that sometimes it can feel heavy. After using WEN it feels so light - just like the feeling you get after getting a big hair cut. It just feels so good! Even now as I'm typing out this blog post I keep stopping to run my fingers through my hair! And in the sun light, well get ready to shine, shine, shine! Your hair will look AMAZING!

One other bonus is my hair wasn't full of knots. I usually have a ton of knots in my hair after a shower and I was able to brush my hair without any issues!

The next day it was still super soft and silky. Not as much bounce, but I slept on it! If I actually used a blow dryer to style my hair it would have looked better. But I wanted to give you a real idea of what it looks like when you wake up the next day.

Here are some close-up photos and other pics:

[Sorry for my eyes in the photo above. I was really tired today!]

I am in LOVE with this product! Seriously, after just one use your hair will feel so amazing. I know it's expensive, but once you feel the difference you will want your hair to feel that way always. If I want to keep up with this hair care I'm just going to have to cut back in other areas of spending because we certainly are not rich enough to afford nearly $50 every two months for hair care. Although I guess it's not all that bad. I only go to a salon usually once a year (twice at most). I know some women who go every 4 to 6 weeks. Salon trips are expensive and if you use WEN you could probably drastically reduce how often you need to go to the salon. WEN does help color last longer because it doesn't strip your hair. So if you go to the salon often you may want to think about adding WEN into your life to reduce how often you need to go.

I also used the WEN system on my husband's hair last night. His hair was so soft and shiny too! Plus it was light and airy. He had a lot more volume to his hair too. He even said he felt like he had no hair because it was so light.

The only thing I don't like is the fig smell. My husband likes it, but it's just not my cup of tea. I like almond and I like mint, so I think I'll try the Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner next.

I would highly recommend this to anyone and everyone!

Have you tried WEN before? What was/is your experience?

xoxo with love & beauty,

Crystal Valentine B.

- The woman who runs ValentineKisses.com