I just have to dash off a quick post about a new hair product I discovered. Well, it’s not exactly new. It’s been around a long time, but it’s new to me. A Sally Beauty Supply store just opened up in my town; thus, there is a whole new world of products for me to try. I think Sally Beauty is likely to become my one-stop shop for hair products. They seem to have really good quality products and exceptional prices.

The product I’m talking about is Proclaim Glossing Polish. It doesn’t look like much when you see it on the shelf. It comes in a clear plastic bottle with a black cap and a pretty generic looking label, but this stuff is anything but generic! I am in love. I work a few drops of this stuff into my hair when it’s damp and I’ve gotten some pretty remarkable results. Unlike other serums which are pretty much pure silicone, this one combines silicone with natural oils. I find my hair actually absorbs this stuff, so it actually conditions the hair over time, rather than simply acting as a temporary band-aid for frizz. When my hair dries, I’m left with soft shiny curls and a lot less frizz. I still get a few fly-aways, but I can live with that.

For reference, I have naturally curly hair that can be difficult to manage. The bottom layers are smooth, soft and wavy, but the upper layers tend to be coarse and frizzy. When I was younger, I used to constantly wrangle it with flat irons and I’ve tried about a million and one different gels, serums, control creams, shine sprays, leave-ins….the list goes on. You name it, and I’ve probably smeared it on my head with the vain hope that it would give me soft, shiny, well-defined curls with no frizz! Now I can stop wasting my time and money on all that garbage. All I need is my Proclaim Glossing Polish and I’m good to go! Woo hoo!

So I was sitting at my makeup table and looking at all of my favourite items, pondering the pretty packaging and admiring how I have everything neurotically arranged, and I got an idea for a post.

It dawned on me that I should probably do a series of posts on brands: the ones I love and the ones I love not so much. What better way to establish the the theme of my blog than to be open and honest about the products I buy and the ones I avoid?!

I will start with two brands that I love; one is an old favourite, and the other is a more recent love affair. I’m talkin’ about BeneFit and Bare Escentuals. Not-so-coincidentally, both are San Francisco based companies, and that’s why I’ve grouped them together. I think it’s fair to say I like ‘em both for the same reason. They specialize in products that are subtle and natural; they’re geared toward enhancing natural beauty rather than plastering over it. Maybe this focus on the natural is part of San Francisco’s ethos or maybe it’s just a marketing coincidence, but these are the brands I turn to when I want to create a look that is healthy, fresh and awake.

I’ve been using Benefit stuff for quite a while. I love their highlighters (High Beam is a great liquid highlighter that gives you that “dewy” look when you put it on the cheekbones, and the Eye Bright pencil works wonders on dark under eye circles.) I also love Georgia, the brightening powder that banishes pastiness without making you look like a clown and the ever-popular BeneTint that gives the cheeks a rosy flush that is so natural it looks like it comes from within. I’m always pleased with the results I get from these products. However, I will admit that I’m a sucker! What usually draws me to the BeneFit counter in the first place is their packaging. Most of it has a retro 60s look with a youthful twist that sets it apart from everything else on the shelves. I love it!

When it comes to Bare Escentuals and their Bare Minerals line, I am only a recent convert on a voyage of discovery. So far I’ve only tried a few of their eyeshadows, which were given to me by a friend, but I loved ‘em so much I ordered a bunch more from Sephora, and I can’t wait for them to arrive. They go on so smoothly and blend so nicely, and a lot of the colours tend to be neutral and universally flattering, which takes a lot of the guesswork out of colour selection. I look forward to experimenting more with this brand in the future!

While the last chilly gasps of the Canadian winter dictate the weather outside, I can at least have California sunshine on my makeup table!

Loose powder eye shadow! I had long avoided this stuff, always favouring pressed shadows because I’m kind of neurotic when it comes to wastage and mess. However, a friend recently gave me a few Bare Minerals shadows to try and I’m hooked! They go on so smoothly and blend so nicely that I can’t help myself.  I also recently purchased a few Effect Powders from GOSH, which is a European brand that recently launched here in North America, and I really like them too. I have to say they don’t make as big of a mess as I thought they would. I have a method where I lightly dip my brush in the product and then gently dab it on the underside of the lid (oh yeah, the other thing I love about loose powder shadows is that they usually come in cute little jars with screw top lids) to remove excess. Then, I just work with the bit that’s left in the lid until I need more. I always get the right amount of shadow with no waste and no mess. Frankly, I feel a bit silly for avoiding loose powder for so long….and I’m making up for lost time too; the Bare Minerals 9 Alluring Eye Colors set is on its way from Sephora as I type!