Pre-Mature Aging ?? Here is some information for you...

Are you under 30 and think you have premature again ?? 

Well I am here to tell you some info in hopes to help you save your money and buy what`s right for you ! 

I have read several post from ladies under 25 years old who claim that they have crows feet and fine lines. I used to be one of those girls who thought the same until a professional dermatologist set me straight. 

What I thought was fine lines was actually dry skin . I was not having pre-mature aging my skin was thirsty for moisture. The fact that I was not drinking enough water or eating right did not help my problem any. So this is what I did: 

1. I started to drink water ( I know this can be difficult but once you get into a habit of drinking water you get used to it ) 

2. Changed my cleanser and moisturizer to something that would support my dry skin. 

3. Getting a good nights rest. 

4. Got a GOOD sunblock 

I know all the above are basic things everyone should be doing and I thought I was.. but when I started to really look into my habits I realized I was not being good to my body and it was being advertised to the world by my dry skin. 

These minor changes made a HUGE difference. Now since I do have dry skin naturally I will always have to use a good moisturizer and eye cream but what is different now is what type of eye cream I need to use. At 22 years old I did not need a $50.00 eye cream for moisturize.. I could get that from other eye creams that did not cost a fortune, same goes with moisturizer. 

I am 33 now and I am proud of how my skin looks. 10 years later am no longer using the same products, now I do use mid-range products because the truth is.. I am no longer 22 and I need some extra moisture than before. But then again I am still not in need of high cost retinol or those type of creams. 

So the moral of this story is don`t waste your money on stuff you do not need until you actually need it. Buy wisely !! 

One thing I want to add is something I learned the hard-way.. SUN DAMAGE. Sun damage is the leading cause for fine lines for ladies in their 30`s. Sun is good in moderation. Living in Miami Beach I can`t help but to go to the beach but now I do it with a hat always in hand. Sun Spots and fine lines WILL happen so buy a good sunblock and be aware. 

I hope this info is good for you all 

Until next time - K

Let the birdies sing ! It's Spring time

Spring time is finally here !

Time to review all the latest trends and finding our unique way to rock them !
I am putting together some tips and trick on how to incorporate today’s trends in your daily look.

Stay tuned !

The Wen Challenge - Final Review

Hello Everyone

So I am back to give you my final review and my thoughts about the WEN haircare system.

I have been using WEN exclusively for almost 3 months so I feel that I have used the product long enough to have a good opinion so here it is ..

I LOVE IT !! :D

Now I will say that WEN is not the perfect product. I personally found that is does build up on your scalp so every two weeks I do an apple cider vinegar rinse to eliminate build up. So far that has done the trick.
Another thing I noticed is that I am still shedding alot of hair, the amount did not reduce any like I hoped it would. Although I did notice that I don't have as much breakage, I even have new growth around my hairline where I had lots of breakage. ( my hair is still thin though but then again it never claimed to help with that problem )

The best part of using WEN for me is how it has helped me retain my color. It's amazing ! My hair color is almost the exact same shade as when I first colored it. Actually it might even look better. This is huge ! That means I don't hair to color my hair as often hence not damaging more than necessary.

Here are some pics for you. This time I did use flat iron so my hair may look longer but you can still see my hair does not look broken or lifeless.

I am a WEN believer and I still stand behind the fact that the SIX THIRTEEN cleansing cream was really the game changer. This added the moisture and the umphh the regular cleanser lacks.

My bottom line suggestion is: TRY IT
Buy it from a place like QVC where there is a 30 day guarantee and they have good deals.

So the WEN challenge is done and
Just started another challenge with a product called Nerium AD. More on that soon !

Until next time, Karen

The Wen Challenge Day 34

Hello Everyone

I am back to do an update. I have been waiting for an update because in the last few weeks I cut my hair and colored it, I wanted to make sure I was done with everything before posting again.

So far I am still very impressed and happy with the results of WEN. I cut my hair about 2 weeks ago and noticed how much less breakage I actually had and not to mention minimal split ends.* Note: I don't use heat on my hair everyday so contributes also to less breakage and preventing split ends. When I use heat I always make sure I use a heat protector.

Last week I colored my hair, not because my color was so bad but mostly because I had been spending time at the beach and I noticed my hair was becoming dull. I use a permanent color from Wella and also a clear gloss on top. Wen is suppose to help color last longer so now that my hair is freshly done we will see. I will admit that in the time I was using WEN before I colored my hair, my previous color did not further fade.

Here are so pictures for you. One is a close up of my hair right after I cut it but before it was colored. The other was taken today , 1 week after color. Again I styled my hair with my CONAIR Infiniti Spin Brush for about 5-10 minutes total on slightly damp hair. Also my heat protector of the moment is the TRESEMME Heat Tamer.

Taken After Cut before Color 2 week s ago

Taken Today 34 days into using WEN

One thing I still have not seen is a reduction of hair shedding. Now that my hair is darker I can see it even more. The amount is not alarming but enough for me to notice. I will keep my eye on this moving forward to see if it improves. 

I will be back in a few week to update on my color and how I am still doing with the product.

If anyone is using WEN, I would love to hear from you.

Until next time

Karen

The Wen Challenge Day 7

Hello Everyone !

Well it's been 1 full week since I started using the WEN hair cleansing system and I am back to do an update.

As I mentioned on my last post, I was going to be getting the Sweet Almond Mint and Pomegranate duo which I was going to include in my regime and mixing with the Six Thirteen Treatment. I got the duos on Monday so I have been using all 3 ever since.

After 4 uses of the WEN hair cleansing system, here are some of my findings:

1. You don't need that much product ! This is good news because if I want to use this product long term I don't want to go broke doing it. Now I obviously only speak from the perspective of someone with thin hair but still I cannot imagine that anyone would actually need 10 pumps for thick hair.  If you add the Six Thirteen treatment to any of your regular WEN conditioners you almost double the amount. The Six Thirteen treatment is thicker, creamier and add lots of moisture. I tried using the Six Thirteen alone but I do feel it was over kill . I like the results I am getting by using the product in combination with the regular line.

2. WEN is not for the 5 minute shower type gals ( which I used to be ) I made the big mistake of taking a quick shower  and did not rinsing my hair thoroughly. What a mess !! My hair was heavy, greasy and all I wanted to do was jump back into the shower. We were out at a dinner when this happened so the moment I got home I bee lined it to the sink to rinsed my hair. After a good rinse all was well with the world again.

3. When I started with this product I had real bad dry scalp. I am happy to report my scalp is no longer dry nor flaking. I give this credit to the Sweet Almond Mint conditioner which I have been using only on my scalp. The Six Thirteen also had that tingly minty effect on my scalp too which was very refreshing. I do have to say that I haven't seen my scalp this healthy in a very long time. This was an unexpected surprise.

4. Color. I was going to refresh my color this week but I think I am going to wait a little longer. Since starting to use WEN my hair color has remained the same no more fading. Granted my hair was already fading and getting a bit brassy but using a normal shampoo I would have noticed it lighter and lighter with each shampooing. If anything my color looks decent. I am going to see how long I can last without new color

This is a quick description of how I have been using these products this week:

First I use 2 pumps of the Sweet Almond Mint and use it on my scalp and massage for about 30 seconds.
The I use 2 pumps of the Pomegranate with 1 pump of the Six Thirteen and use it on the lengths of my hair.
I add a splash of water and it gets creamy enough to massage all over hair. I then left it on for about 6-7 minutes while I finished with the rest of my shower. I then rinsed as long as I could ( although it felt like forever I am sure it was only a few minutes ) You can actually feel when you hair is fully rinsed when the slip of the product is gone.
Now on to styling:
I first air dried my hair for about 30 min and then used a round brush with my hair dryer for 5-6 minutes ( same thing I did last week )  This is what my hair looked like today:

Right away I can see there is more shine to my hair and not as dull










The back of my hair was easier to manage and the ends do not look dry and unruly.








So far I am liking WEN and my hair is liking it too. I have to continue using it longer to see how holds up in the long run. I have heard about build up the longer you use the product which I am prepared to tackle with an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse if needed. So far I have no build up and my hair feels softer than ever.
The only thing I am still looking for is less shedding. I shed more hair than my cat ! This week I will be paying special attention to see if I am losing less hair as WEN promises. Keep you posted !

Until next time
Karen

The WEN Challenge Day 1

If you are like me and watch way too much late night infomercials, then you have seen the infomercials for WEN hair care system.

What is it ? According to the website for WEN :

WEN® Cleansing Conditioner is a revolutionary new concept in hair care. A 5-in-1 formula, this one product takes the place of your shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, detangler and leave-in conditioner. It cleanses hair thoroughly but without lathering and all the harsh ingredients that may be found in ordinary shampoos—it is designed so it won't strip your hair and scalp of their natural oils. Your hair is left with sheen, moisture, manageability and better color retention

Well like the good product junkie that I am, I was dying to try it BUT it is super expensive.I just could not justify spending 20 bucks on something that was going to last me 1 month. Fortunately Sally's has a dupe called HairOne which claims to be just like WEN but less expensive ( around 10 dollars for a 1 month supply ) I used an entire bottle and I actually liked it but it was nothing that wowed me enough to stop looking for the next best thing.

 A few years have passed since then and I recently found myself in front of the TV watching one of WEN's infomercials wondering if my hair can really be that lovely by using this product. I was now on a mission to get me some WEN ! so I took advantage of my upcoming birthday/wedding anniversary and I used my birthday wishes and got me some WEN goodies to try.

I got it all from QVC which is a much better value. After much research this is what I got:

WEN by Chaz Dean Six Thirteen Cleansing Treatment

WEN by Chaz Dean Sweet Almond Mint and Pomegranate Duo

The reason I got these products is because both the Sweet Almond Mint and the Pomegranate Duo work best when mixed with the Six Thirteen which is suppose to be like a booster ( more of a treatment but can be used on it's own )

So far I have only received the Six Thirteen so my following opinion is only on my experience with this one product. I get the rest in a few days so when I post my follow up review I will then also be using the other Cleansing Conditioners.

Let me first start with a quick description of my hair.  I can sum it up in a few words..

THIN, DULL, DRY ... Did I already mention THIN ?

Okay so maybe I am being harsh on my poor hair.. It's not that bad.. AFTER I spend an hour with curlers, flat irons and hair clips. I just want what ever girl wants... Victoria Secret's Angel Hair ( duh ) Long Layers sexy hair that I wake up to without having to do anything. Is that too much to ask  ?

But seriously, my biggest concern is my thinning hair and doing what I can to avoid breakage. I color my hair about once every 6-8 weeks and in the spirit of getting it healthy I don't abuse heat unless I am going on a hot date with the hubby *wink *wink

Right now I am using a combination of products including Aveda and Kerastase. I like how my hair feels but it still needs a lot of help to make it look presentable. Most days it ends up in a ponytail which I am desperately trying to avoid because it's making my hairline even thinner as the years go by. So here we go trying something new and this time I would like to share the experience with you.

Day One of the WEN Challenge is about to begin:

If you have seen the commercial it tells you over and over how to use the product so I won't bore you too much details ( if you are curious about the product check out their site and they even have videos )

The instructions are simple.. wet hair, use 6-8 pumps and massage into hair like you are shampooing ( minus the suds) then leave on for as long as you can while you finish your shower then you rinse with cool water. Repeat if necessary. Once done put 1 pump on soaking wet hair as a leave in.

Personally I found the process very simply. Maybe it was because the product SIX THIRTEEN is thicker and creamier that the other conditioning creams which I think is actually a good thing.
I used a total of 4 pumps to completely cover my hair. ( I have hair that is approx 3-4 inches below my shoulders but it is baby fine.. for thicker hair you will have to use more ) then I left it on for about 5 minutes then rinse with cool water. Immediately I noticed how soft my hair was. I used about half a pump on the length of my hair as a leave-in then I toweled dry.

I woke up this morning and after drying overnight and my hair was uber soft and not the rats nest I am used to waking up to. So far I am happy with the results. Now on to the styling test.
I used a hair dryer with a round brush to style it. I don't have much patience so I mostly did the front and some of the back. I found my hair shinny, soft and easy to brush through. Here are some after pics:

As you can tell the front is smooth while the back was frizzy ( made worst by the brush and heat )

For only using the dryer for 5-6 minutes it was not all that bad. I ended up taking a flat iron to it and my hair was silky smooth.

Final Verdict. Too early to tell really.  I am going to color my hair in the next week and keep using these products for another 2 weeks before having an opinion.

If you have tried WEN I would love to hear about your experience.

Until next time

K.

October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month !

In honor of breast cancer awareness month, I want to talk about a very special deodorant that is a great natural alternative to what we are using today.

"Crystal® is the world's leading all-natural mineral salt deodorant for a reason. It works to prevent odor while other products attempt to mask it or plug pores with aluminum chlorohydrate or aluminum zirconium. Crystal is safe, healthy and totally effective"

I started using this product shortly after I read an article linking ingredients in anti perspirant with breast cancer. Now I don't want to get into a debate about how much truth there is behind this theory but knowing that there is an alternative that is natural and effective is enough for me to give it a try.

At first I purchased the actual stone. The way you apply it is by running it under water and rubbing it against the skin. Although effective I just couldn't wrap my head around the sensation of the stone. It just didn't feel like there was anything going on.. Even though it was .. I know its strange but we are creatures of custom and sometimes we need something that is familiar so that's where the roll on comes in.

The roll on is the same exact product as the stone but its already diluted for you and put into a presentation that is easy to use and familiar to most of us already.

In regards its effectiveness , I am really impressed by the results. The product itself is completely odor free and It keeps you dry and odor free all day ! It's just as effective as my dove without the stickyness or white marks left on my clothes.

You can find this product at any drug store and recently Walmart started carrying it too. The average cost is about 3-4 bucks and 1 bottle will last you about 3 months. During my last trip to Walmart I saw they have a new line with some fragrance. Personally I like that it has no fragrance just don't be fooled into using more than normal because it feels like water.. The stuff really works and you only need a swipe or two to get the best results. In my opinion these will be the best couple of bucks you will spend on yourself.

If you are using or have tried this product I would love to hear your thoughts

Until next time

Karen