Ulta

There's something about walking into Ulta that gets me excited. I love seeing the new products, fresh make up, feeling super feminine and getting "ready" for the day doesn't seem like such a task anymore. Do you think the employees there feel pressure to look like movie stars everyday for work? Hair and make up done is a must! It was buy 2 get one free. How could I resist the temptation? Every girl deserves a bit o' pampering.



It all started with a new haircut. I now have long layers and "side swept bangs." I am still trying to figure out how to style them the way I like it.

I found out that the worst thing you can do for your hair is, "use a cheap plastic brush." I read about a boar hairbrush:

"The purpose of a boar bristle brush is not to detangle hair. In fact, these brushes should never be used on knotty hair. Because of the density of the bristles, tangles will get caught in the brush. Excessive use in tangly hair will result in considerable unnecessary breakage.Instead, boar bristle brushes are designed to clean, polish and condition hair. The densely-packed, fibrous bristles attract dust and dirt, brushing them out of the hair."

"The bristles also catch hold of sebum, the oily substance produced by the scalp. Left to itself, sebum tends to clump near the roots of hairs, clogging pores and giving hair a greasy, unwashed look. A boar bristle brush spreads the sebum from the root down the length of the hair shaft, allowing it to do its job of coating and protecting the hair. Sebum is the natural hair conditioner, and repeated application helps hair to stay moisturised and shiny."

I am encouraged to BRUSH 100 times a day...just like Marcia did in the Brady Brunch. The natural oils from my head will be spread around with the bristles, leaving my hair healthier and shiny. I tried it out in the store and all it left me was STATIC. But, over the next few weeks, the hair should adjust. I am excited b/c my hair is very brittle and damaged from plastic brushes. I have been brushing away, although the bristles are super thick and it's kinda hard to get to my scalp with my thick hair.

I left Ulta spending on more than I wanted, for example: my heated eyelash curler! (only $4). Battery operated, this thing supposedly sets my lashes with the heat for the whole day. My lashes are thick and straight, so I need extra help. Who knew it existed? I hope it works. I dream of curled lashes, where I don't have to curl them after using mascara and rip them off of my curler.

RedKen Extreme shampoo and conditioner. "Repair for distressed hair. For hair that is up to 4 times stronger. Extreme strengthens and resurfaces chemically and mechanically distressed hair." I love the marketing for that product, I just hope it works. I only flat iron and wash my hair twice a week, plus coloring it every 3 months. Does that make it "distressed?" I guess so.

RedKen flat iron heat protector. Better keep my split ends from breaking in two. " Iron silk 07 strengthens and protects as you flat iron in ultra-straight styles with zero frizz. Dual action formula works with yet protects from heat leaving a weightless shiny finish with a natural and touchable feel." SOLD!

Youtube.com has been a great resource for me to learn "how to" do things. I am learning how to style my "side swept bangs," put up my "pony with poof," and "how to do a messy bun." There are a lot of expert and talented young ladies out there showing the world 'how to' do hair and make up. Impressive to say the least. They must have a natural talent for that sort of stuff and how nice of them to share it with me.

So, I splurged. I used my "secret" money that I had hiding in my purse for just an occasion. Girls just wanna have fun sometimes...and primp...and feel pretty...and wash their hair!

Update 3-22-10
Shampoo and Conditioner is AMAZING. My hair feels completely different, soft, smooth and healthy. Will buy again. The eyelash curler was a flop, didn't keep the lashes curled any better than a regular curler. I was also not impressed with the heat protector, my hair felt extra stiff.