ULTA Hair Event!

I used to work for ULTA - Many moons ago now.  I love the store!  I just didn't love the hours of a Retail Manager.  Among other gripes.

Every year ULTA has different promotions go on.  21 Days of Beauty where they feature different make up brands and do mini make-overs every day, and you get free sample (some times full or deluxe size) products.

Current Promotion they are running is the Love your Hair Event.  A 21 Day Celebration of hair from May 12th - June 1st at an ULTA store near you!  As with all of their events, this one includes hair events, demos, prizes and free samples.

Yes, I get their mailers, I am a club card holder (you shoudl be too - it's free and you get 'rewards'), but I generally glaze over them. However, I was reading The HONEYBEE Blog yesterday, and came across her post about a Sweepstakes/giveaway! A $100 gift card to ULTA?  Yes, PLEASE!  I have some stuff I have been meaning to pick up there!

On her blog post she talks about loving her CONAIR Big Curls hot roller set.  I have that one.  Well, and older version of it (purple), and to be honest, I am not a fan. Part of my problem is that I don't like the foam around the rollers.  I like a nice flocked heated roller.  Or even better, I would prefer to use my hot iron to make big waves (or little ones too!).

Remmington Flocked Rollers, purchased at ULTA

I will say this though, it is convenient to throw hot rollers in and tie a bandanna or scarf around your head, do your make-up, have a bit of breakfast, do whatever, take them out real quick and go!  I put the bandanna on only because sometimes I am cleaning up and moving around and would like to keep them in place. In her post she said she uses the clamp clips, and I have thought about using those, but I just don't care enough to go buy them.  I mean, like I said, I would just rather grab my hot iron.

What I do want to try, is a Dry Shampoo, and The HONEYBEE Blog she talks about Schwarzkopf's Dust It, maybe I try that one out.  Looks like I missed the super awesome sale for it on Tuesday.  Bummer.  Check out the other events here though. Scroll partway down.  I think I might take advantage of the FREE Redken Diamond Oil 5 Carat finish as part of their Salon Events.  Maybe I will just see about getting a full condition

If you have $20 to spend, I suggest taking advantage of the wash/dry/style deal they have going on on Fridays during the event.  I swear that is my favorite part of a haircut.  I decided a few years ago that most people probably like it, because it is sort of a comfort thing.  Which I also decided stems from being a child, where everyone is always rubbing your head. 

I mean think about it, you are swaddled, and people want to touch that bald or very fine baby hair, or kiss your head, or when you are walking buy people pat you on the head.  It makes sense to me anyways.

Let me wrap up this post by giving you a piece of unsolicited advice.  Do NOT use a freaking brush on your hair.  Unless absolutely necessary. And when I say necessary, I mean, you are finishing up blow drying your 60% dry hair with a round brush.  I do not brush my hair.  People visit our house and have forgotten theirs, and ask to borrow mine, but I have none.  What I do have is a 'beach comb' (buy one here - not being paid for that) which I have had for just about ever (meaning, over 10 years).  This helps eliminate stretching to the point of breaking hair off, you aren't roughing up the cuticle.  You are keeping your hair pretty, shiny and over time will have less breakage in general.

Did you know I used to be platnium blonde?  Well I was.  Currently I am my natural hair color with a few highlights.  But truth be told, even when I was a platnium blonde, I had minimal breakage.  All breakage that happened was from the chemicals, and was kept to a minimum because my girl Sam knows what she is doing.

What happens when my hair is snarly? Well I take a shower, shampoo it up, condition it down, let it set while I tend to other things, and then comb it out, and rinse. When I dry my hair, I like the air to do it's work, if I don't have time for that, then I will use a little heat protectant, and blow dry it out to about 80%, comb it,  and call it a day.  I am fortunate to have hair that wants to be straight (most of the time).  So I don't blow dry it 100% generally by the time I reach my destination, my hair is dry.

What is your favorite hair care item or hair styling tool?

For the record: I am blogging about this promotion to receive a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing said blog post.  All thoughts and opinions about the store, mentioned blog post and products are mine, and mine alone.

Multi-Tonal Highlights!

I got my hair did again!

I did the Ombre type look in February. 

Then colored over it because I was over it pretty quickly.

So this time, I figured I should get some more dimension in this hair.  So I requested a couple of different colors put throughout.  I kept my base color, but it now is just a little brighter over all.

In the photo you can see the before on the left, and the after on the right. 

I love it.  And I am excited for next time, because I will have her put more in it.  I mean, Summer is coming - even if they are predicting snow again this week. I mean, it's APRIL for crying out loud.

The Hubster and I are going to a 'Beer Bust' for some girls on one of the Softball teams I play on.  It should be fun.

Hair We Go!

I am sure you have all heard of the 'ombré' look for hair by now, if you have not. Then I apologize. I let my friend do a variation of the look on my hair. She did a cross between 'dip dye' and 'ombré'.

There is nothing wrong with it. I just do not know how long I will keep it. I have had solid colored hair for about 8 months now, and think I have enjoyed it. And will probably go back to a solid color sooner than later, but, only because I don't know if I was truly ready for multi-tonal hair.

Sam is my stylist, she has been for 9(?) years I think.  She and I attended the same Beauty School, we both graduated, and started doing hair.  I never wanted to do it for a living, I was just taking a break from the 'corporate' world, and wanted to do something fun.

She, however, wanted this to be her career.  She set out with that in mind, and has worked hard to get to where she is now.  She has a fantastic space carved out in her lovely house, for her salon.  Shear Blonde.  Here is her Salon Facebook Page, and here is her StyleSeat page if you want to book an appointment.

You can see my before and after. Excuse the poor/blurry quality of the photos. My studly Hubster took them for me.

Have you ever tried something and decided that maybe you weren't ready for the change.. I mean, I think we all have chopped our hair off at some point, and regretted it 2 days later when we couldn't style it, am I right?