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Redken Color Extend Sparkling Shield and My Color Treated Hair

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redken-color-extend-sun-sparkling-shield

There’s an old saying that goes something like, “When life takes away your internet connection at home, drive around until you find free wireless.”

So I’m writing this from the Tiburon Library parking lot, where I’m sitting inside my car with my laptop and digital camera. 🙂

I’m taking mobile blogging to a whole new level!

But I digress…

You remember how I went to the salon last week to get chocolate highlights and to color my gray roots?

Well, because I don’t want faded highlights the color of hay (“Haaaaaay!”), I’ve been testing some sun-protection hair stuff, including Redken’s Color Extend Sparkling Shield ($11).

It’s a water-resistant, leave-in spray designed to protect color jobs from UV rays and chlorine while enhancing hair shine and shimmer.

First impressions

For just about a week now, I’ve been spraying it on my ponytail before heading outside.

I haven’t been using it for long, but I can say that it didn’t make a great first impression. It feels slick and looks waaaay greasy on my hair, like I haven’t washed it in a week (I have).

I think it may have to do with the amount of silicone it contains. The very first ingredient listed on the bottle (which usually indicates the amount of an ingredient relative to the other ingredients) is cyclopentasiloxane, a compound commonly added to hair products to reduce frizz and enhance shine.

Unfortunately, products with a lot of silicones in them also leave my hair feeling slick and greasy.

I’m not completely against silicones in my hair products, but too much is too much.

Sparkle me

I also wanted to try Color Extend Sparkling Shield because of the sparkles I can see through the bottle. I thought they might make my hair shine, and they do, but it’s a wet-looking shine — not the kind of shine I was hoping for.

On top of the way it makes my hair look and feel, the jasmine, honeysuckle fragrance smells too strong and synthetic to me.

Work much?

In terms of sun protection — the main reason I wanted to try it — I don’t think I’ve been using it long enough to say.

When it comes to color protecting sprays, I think for now I’ll stick with PureOlogy Colour Max ($18) spray. It may not look like much from the packaging, but at least it doesn’t leave a greasy film. That, and I love the light floral scent!

Redken’s Color Extend Sparkling Shield may not have worked for me, but you still might like it if you’re looking for slick, super shiny hair.

Redken Color Extend Sparkling Shield

Price: $11 for a 5-oz spray bottle
Use: Protection for color-treated hair
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: C

You might like Redken Color Extend Sparkling Shield if…

  1. …your hair responds well to silicones,
  2. …you’re a die-hard Redken fan,
  3. …you like hair products with a strong floral scent.

Looks like my laptop battery is about to die, so I’m out of here for now.

I hope you’re having a good day. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, May 11

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makeupandbeautyblog-monday-poll-063008

  1. Mood:

    2. Mostly calm now, but I’ve had three anxiety attacks since Friday — pains in the chest, shortness of breath, tears, the whole nine yards.

    You know that feeling you get when there’s just too much to do and not enough time to do it in? That’s where I’m at right now. Between school, trying to build my freelance writing business and keeping up with the blog, El Hub and I have also been house hunting.

    I know that none of these things are matters of life/death. None are really important in the greater scheme of things, but I can’t help myself. I’m only human. I’ve been stressed out.

    Last night I drank about half a gallon of Get Relaxed Tea ($10.50) and went to bed early. That seems to have helped a little.

  2. Favorite food:

    3. It changes often, but lately I haven’t been able to get my fill of pancakes.

  3. Where did you grow up?

    4. The East Bay, baby!

  4. What was your first job?

    5. It was in 1991. I worked as a “freelance musician,” playing flute in a church orchestra. I got the job because my music teacher at the time had a few gigs he wasn’t able to make due to scheduling conflicts, so he sent me in his place.

  5. Outfit:

    6. Jeans, and a white and yellow tank top I got at Old Navy for $8 bucks!

  6. Eyes/lips/cheeks:

    7. Urban Decay Get Baked Palette/Laura Mercier Bellini/NARS The Multiple Orgasm

  7. What’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to you?

    8. Meeting El Hub. That day changed my life forever. 🙂

  8. Nails:

    9. Lippmann It’s Raining Men on my toes, but my fingers are bare.

  9. Do you floss your teeth?

    10. Yes, every night before bed.

  10. Weekly goals:

    11. To relax about freelancing work (I can only do what I can do), to finish packing by Wednesday and to drink HELLA Get Relaxed tea.

Hi, ladies. I hope your Monday got off to a good start.

To do the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments. Let me know how you’re doing. 🙂

Le List

Mood:
Favorite food:
Where did you grow up?:
What was your first job?:
Outfit:
Eyes/lips/cheeks:
What’s one of the best things that ever happened to you?:
Nails:
Do you floss your teeth?:
Weekly goals:

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, May. 10

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For Mother’s Day, Tabs handed me the reins to his weekly column. If you knew Tabs, you’d know how big a sacrifice that was for him, LOL! He loves his weekly column on the blog.

I guess he figured he owed me a little appreciation for all the gravy, petting and unconditional love I give him.

Smart cat. 🙂

Here are some pretty cool links I found while surfing the web this afternoon. I was watching MTV’s Parental Control at the time. I wonder if that had anything to do with my choices…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Here Comes the Sun — Screen: Clinique Sun SPF 30 Face Cream

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clinique-sun-face-cream-spf-30

Do you smell that?

It’s the scent of my new sunscreen crush, Clinique Sun SPF 30 Face Cream ($17.50).

Part of Clinique’s new 10-piece Sun Protection line of face and body products, Clinique Sun SPF 30 Face Cream is an oil-free, quick-absorbing sunscreen offering protection against both UVA and UVB rays.

But its scent, or lack thereof, is what sets it apart.

The lightly moisturizing formula doesn’t leave my skin feeling greasy or sticky, so I can use it on my face AND my neck. Plus, it dries to an invisible, matte finish — no gray or white cast on my brown skin.

In terms of texture, Clinique’s Sun Face Cream feels thick and rich (a little goes a long way).

My favorite thing about it has to be the scent. Clinique nailed it down. You know how most sunscreens smell so “sunscreeny”? Sun Face Cream doesn’t. I mean it does, but it’s very faint.

Outdoorsy, active girls should love the stuff because it resists sweat and water like a champ. I’ve been applying it before going outside for runs lately, and it doesn’t sting my eyes as sweat trickles down from my forehead.

Unfortunately, it’s Clinique, so it’s not the cheapest sunscreen around…
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Another 21 Makeup Tutorials

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Another 21 Makeup Tutorials

Happy Mother’s Day, ladies (and gents)!

Makeup cheerleader: “What do we want!?”

Beauty addicts: “Makeup tutorials!”

Makeup cheerleader: “When do we want ’em!?”

Beauty addicts: “NOW!”

I think you’ll lurve this new batch of makeup tuts. Some of them are real gems. I can’t believe I almost forgot to include tutorials from Doe Deere Blogazine, yikes!

Without further ado, let us begin.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like…

  1. Barbarella Makeup Tutorial: Here’s an AMAZING makeup tutorial featuring a look ’60s Jane Fonda could have worn.

    2. barbarella_sm

  2. Cabaret Makeup Tutorial: They say that life is a cabaret (old chum). Well, it can be now. Va-va-va-voom!

    3. thehat

  3. Holiday Makeup Looks: Whether you’re going on summer vacation or just planning ahead, it helps to have a repertoire of holiday looks.

    4. Holiday makeup looks

  4. Get Great Eye Makeup Every Time: The artist in this video starts by applying eye makeup before the rest of the products she uses on a face.

    5. fantastical

  5. Summer Glow Look: A great look for fair-skinned ladies wanting to get all “Giselle” up on the catwalk. Meow!

    6. gisele

  6. Summer Glow Makeup Look for Dark Skin: Here’s a lovely, glowing summer look for brown-skinned girls. Surf’s up!

    7. dark
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Which of the Following People Was NOT a MAC Viva Glam Spokesperson?

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MAC Cosmetics Trivia

Barely a third of us (35%) knew the correct answer to the last MAC Trivia question: “In What Year Did MAC Cosmetics Open Their First Standalone Store in the United States?”

Let’s see how we do with a Viva Glam question. Like last time, see if you can guess the answer without looking it up online. 😉

Which of the following people was NOT a MAC Viva Glam spokesperson?

View Results

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Are You Happy with Your Hair?

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are-you-happy-with-your-hair-2
Electric Blue Kitty Wig, $50

You know how they say the grass is always greener on the other side? Well, that’s the story of my life when it comes to my hair.

It’s not that I don’t like the hair mutha nature gave me; I just get tired of it after a while and feel like I need a change.

Before my last cut and color, I’d known for months that I wanted to make a change, but I waited too long.

I let my hair get totally unruly, with dry ends, a sprinkling of gray roots and a cut I just wasn’t feeling anymore.

Question: So what am I trying to say?

Answer: Learn from my mistake.

If you’re unhappy with your hair, try to do something about it ASAP, whether you do it yourself at home or visit a salon. You’ll feel like a new woman. 🙂

How do you feel about your hair?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. What are you up to this weekend? Do you think you might go see the new Star Trek flick (hint hint)?

El Hub and I braved the long lines last night because I’m an old school Star Trek and Next Generation Trekkie (remember the Wil Wheaton years?).

The movie’s getting tons of hype, but I think it deserves every bit.

star-trek-cat-eye

I even got my makeup fix because Uhura and the other female characters are wearing O.G. Star Trek ’60s-style makeup with a modern twist — thick black cat eyeliner and false lashes paired with pale cheeks and lips.

So hawt!

Instead of the traditional ’60s frosty makeup, the characters are wearing nude, matte cheeks and lips. It’s a modern spin on a retro look.

How do I get a job on the USS Enterprise? 🙂

Fun with DailyMakeover.com

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DailyMakeover.com

Have you ever used an online makeover tool before? I’ve used a few of them, where you upload a picture of yourself and fit it with virtual hairstyles and different colors of makeup.

The thing is, they’ve always seemed more toys than tools, with very few colors to choose from and a paint-by-numbers feel.

DailyMakeover.com’s Makeover Studio is the first online makeover service I’d actually call a real tool.

Fun AND useful

What makes it more than just a toy?

For starters, DM has a huge selection of makeup colors to choose from, and they’re based on actual products, so you’re not just choosing a random shade of beige blush or pink lipstick and swiping it over your picture with the mouse. You’re choosing from among actual brand name products and colors and setting the colors down precisely where they’re supposed to go on your face.

Second, you have an amazing amount of control over everything, from the way each hairstyle hugs the contours of your face to the angle you use to apply eyeliner.

If it is a toy … then it’s a toy meant for women who are serious about (having fun with) makeup and beauty. 🙂

Test using actual products available in stores right now

Today I wanted to see what I might look like with a different hairstyle, so I pulled up DailyMakeover.com.

You can use the makeover tool for free, but with the free trial you’re limited to uploading a single picture of yourself. That, and you only get access to a pretty small group of hairstyles, accessories (like earrings) and brands of makeup.

The free selection is still broad enough to try quite a few different looks, but with one of DM’s premium All-Access memberships you get access to literally thousands of hairstyles and makeup — we’re talking current makeup collections in stores now — and can upload an unlimited number of pictures.

The All-Access membership costs $14.95 for 3 months or $29.95 per year.

Using the Makeover Studio

The DailyMakeover Makeover Studio tool

  1. Overview of the features and a comparison between the free membership and the All-Access membership
  2. How to upload a picture of yourself (and what constitutes a good self-portrait)
  3. Library of demo portraits you can use in place of a picture of yourself

I grabbed my digital camera, opened the drapes to allow in as much sunlight as possible and took a picture of myself with my hair pulled back in a ponytail.

The site says the best pics are full-frontal portraits with uncomplicated backgrounds, where you’re not standing directly in front of something like a painting or bookshelf. You want a picture taken in good natural lighting, too, for accurate makeup colors.

DailyMakeover - setting up your photo

After uploading my picture, the tool guided me through some simple steps to define the shape of my eyes, lips and face.

I even thought this part was cool (seems very high tech)…

DailyMakeover - setting up your photo
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