Fringe Benefit

Bangs or no bangs? What to do? What to do? Such a difficult decision sometimes.

Three reasons to get bangs:

1. create instant drama and/or softness
2. create the illusion of a different face shape
3. emphasize eyes

Three things to consider:

1. breakouts on your forehead (stay away from wax and paste products containing petroleum to prevent this)
2. hair in your face or eyes
3. strong cowlick (however, sometimes this can work to your advantage)

Whatever the reason, bangs are a great way to change things up. They have come a far way since our childhood days. My brother used to cut my bangs when I was a kid. You can only imagine...

Bangs can be:

worn full

swept to the side

texturized

At your next hair session, get "banged". Why not? Justin did!

Fun in the Sun

I've been spending a lot of time outside in the sun. Daily I diligently to use sunscreen on every area of skin exposed. Sadly, I wasn't taking extra precaution with my hair. It can heat up quite a bit under the big luminous orb. (Not that I'm complaining.) Sometimes it feels like I could fry an egg on the top of my head. So I usually don a hat. A cute one at that. I have all sorts that go with all sorts of different looks. Unfortunately they don't cover all of my hair and unfortunately I don't always wear one. The end lengths are left out to the mean heat and harmful UV rays leaving them vulnerable. Fortunately the shampoo and conditioner I am currently using offer UV protection. But when you are out for long periods it's not enough. They need extra protection. As a result, my ends are feeling neglected. I will do some serious treatments to rectify this issue. It's a good thing I've been going easy on the heated hair appliances.

Lesson learned. If you've been spending a little more time that usual outside, use extra protection on your skin and hair. There are many hair care products out there that offer sunscreen protection as well as repair. Most major hair care lines have one. Ask your stylist to consult with you if you are feeling overwhelmed by this purchase. I think it's a great investment if you spend a lot of time outdoors. Especially if you chemically treat your hair.

Here are two that are tried, tested and true.

Win some of this!

If you are a regular reader you will have heard me mention a product line called Evo. I have exciting news. Evo Hair Care from Australia is now available in Toronto!

Gavin Von Gavin is the brilliant mastermind behind this paraben free and truly scrumptious hair care line. I've loved the performance of their products I've toiled with so far. Easy Tiger smoothing fluid and Icon Welder hot tool shaper will work out unruly curls in a snap. Ritual Salvation shampoo and conditioner will leave your hair clean and uber soft and shiny. Their unique marketing and simple packaging make Evo highly coveted to men and women in North America. The Aussies sure no to do it up. Gotta love that.

The generous people of Evo have given me the opportunity to share it with you too! Yes, another giveaway. You will receive 3 products, shampoo, conditioner/treatment and a styling product with approximately $75 retail value.

So here is how this is going to work. Tell me why you need a hair care renovation. Or maybe you just want to get some cool free stuff. As with my last giveaway creativity counts.

Email me at: itsasharonthing at hotmail dot com. Make sure to put "Evo" in the subject line. Or, you can use the comment box and leave your email address if you wish.

This will run till June 20/2009. You must be a resident of Toronto or the GTA to win. I am looking forward to you all telling me you hair care woes.

Bonne Chance.

Address the Tress

This weekend I wanted to ride my scooter, visit my Mom, go long boarding and hit the Esprit/Lacoste sale. I didn't do anything. An evil debilitating migraine visited me instead. I did manage to think about this post. Here are some of my favourite shampoo and conditioners for dry hair. There are so many more faves but I tried to narrow it down.

High

• Lakme: K therapy dry repair shampoo and mask
  
• Phyto: Phytosesame express replenishing conditioner
• Ojon: Ultra hydrating shampoo and restorative hair treatment

Not so High

• Joico: K-pak shampoo and K-pak intense hydrator
• KMS: Silksheen shampoo and conditioner
• Terax: Ultra moisturizing daily conditioner

Look for products with lipids and humectants in them. They will help with the frizz and leave your hair more supple. Prevention is always the first plan of action. Avoid overwashing, overdrying, overflatironing, overprocessing. Over anything. If you feel compelled then protect, protect, protect.

Sniff test

My client J likes yummy smelling products. Come to think of it, so do I. For most, scent can make or break it . Especially skin and hair care. Vanilla, cherry, melon and citrus are very popular. For those who don't like fruity or candy like scents the popular choice would be floral, sandalwood, lavender and mint. J purchases products on two factors:

1. product effectiveness
2. scent

Once we figure out what we need for him we then go on the hunt of a yummy smelling product. We walk around the store and start the sniff test. It's not quite the same effect as sniffing glue but it's kinda fun. These are my some of favorite shampoos strictly based on scent alone:

1. Fleur Parfait - grapefruit
2. AG - peppermint wash
3. Molte Bene - moisture
4. Evo - ritual salvation
   
5. KMS - moisture

Tomorrow, my mission at work is to find a delicious hair paste. I'd better bring some coffee beans to clear my senses.

Motley Do

I've come across a new product called Mixed Chicks. This product is a relatively new to the market created by Wendy Levy and Kim Etheridge and their need for a product for multicultural hair. It boasts to transform style-stubborn hair with it's simplistic product trio of shampoo, deep conditioner and leave-in conditioner. It's fabulous for hair that is multi cultured and multi textured. It smells great too. It gets The Sharon Approval.

Things that make me cry

I must admit I can only take Macy Gray in small doses but I love the song Sweet Baby. Tell me this song didn't make you want to cry. O.K. Maybe it's just me because I seem to cry at the littlest thing.

Webster used to make me cry. So did Little house on the Prairie. Now that I think of it, many shows and T.V. commercials made me cry. Now I'm getting all nostolgic.

Let's face it, I'm a suck.

On another note, with the warmer weather coming I'll be letting my hair down and letting it dry naturally to encourage my natural wave. AG Recoil is my product of preference. It is a curl activating balm designed to give frizz-free curls. I love this stuff. However, if you've got fine hair, you won't love it. I'd only recommend it to those who have medium to coarse texture. It gets the Sharon Approval. Hope this helps B.B.

I can't live without this product

I've come to the conclusion that the one product I can't live without Lakme L2 instant conditioner. This bi-phase conditioner instantly detangles hair, seals in fresh colour and makes the hair easier to work with. It is a weighless product that leaves a fresh scent. I ran out of it midday and that's when I realized I can't live without this product. I use it myself everyday. It definately makes my top 10 list. I'm so happy we can now get it in Toronto.

Today one of my fav clients came in. She is a pleasure to be around. Not to mention has nice hair. We decided on giving her bangs. It's her 42nd birthday today so she wanted to do something a little different other than the usual colour and a trim. So bangs it was. Wow. It took years off. I couldn't believe the difference it made. Makes me want bangs. They are so hot this season. Hmmmm........I'm not sure they are for me. My friend G will split her pants laughing when she reads this post. We both did the "bang" thing only it turned out alot better for her than for me.

I have a new client Stephanie. She has the thickest hair I have seen in my life. I felt bald next to her. She went from long locks to a mid length inverted bob. It took me over 1 1/2 hours to get through it all. I first tied it up in a ponytail and cutting off about 10". When all was said and done we were both pleased with the results. Her mother on other hand was not. She loves her daughters' long locks, now she'll have to learn to love new short do'. She kept Stephanie's ponytail.

The Hempz bronzer seems to be giving me colour already. So far it's holding up to it's promise. It really does make the skin darker in just 1 day. I don't think it's enough for anyone to notice other than myself. The smell however is not the most pleasant. I think it's the DHA. At least I'm not orange.

Today was a good day. I didn't feel as stressed out as yesterday. BTW, I got the ballerina flats in black.

It was a rainy day....

It is a miserable wet day and I have no intentions of going outside so I thought today is a good day to start a blog.

Let me start by saying why I decided to do this. Hmmmm..... I don't know. Maybe to share my drama. There is always something going on in my life. Sometimes "good" drama, sometimes "funny" drama and sometimes "drama for your mama" drama! That's the most exciting of them all!

I meet so many people on a daily basis so I could share their drama too. Providing that they let me. I could get into some serious trouble and we wouldn't want that now would we. I wouldn't write anything they didn't want me to and I'd protect their identity. So readers be warned. Be careful before you tell me your juicy stories.

I also thought I could use this blog to share news about stuff I love. Hair products, cosmetics, paint, I don't know, just stuff. Also about stuff I don't love. There times when you buy something and it's not what you expected and you wonder, why didn't anyone tell me not to buy this? Well, I'll tell you not to buy it if I'm not feelin' the love....