L'Oreal | Beauty and Fashion Tech

Sep 9, 2012

Get The Look: Affordable Dramatic Purple Eye Look

September 9, 2012 By Carleenp 4 Comments

Get this dramatic purple eye and berry lip with the following products.

L’Oreal HIP Cream Eyeliner in Eggplant: a high pigment rich purple cream liner. Line above and below the eye and line the waterline.

L’Oreal Infallible Eye Shadow in Iced Latte, Perpetual Purple, and Smoldering Plum. These high pigment, long wearing shadows are perfect for creating dramatic looks without breaking the budget.

Apply Iced Latte to the lid. Apply Perpetual Purple to the outer half of the lid and the crease and lightly blend over the Iced Latter on the inner half. Apply Iced Latte again over the inner half and blend for a purple/gold mix on the inner half. Apply Smoldering Plum to the outside corner and crease. Blend and extend Perpetual Purple under the eye as well if desired.

Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie: Apply twice to build the color of this moisturizing lipstick, or substitute your favorite plum/berry shade. This will give a bit more sheer look than the photo. Substitute the standard Revlon Color Burst Lipstick in Raspberry for a deeper hue.

Top everything off with your favorite mascara or add false lashes for extra drama.

Disclosures: Beauty and Fashion Tech at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page

Filed Under: Collections and Looks, Eye Liner, Eyeshadow, Lip Products, Makeup Tagged With: Eye Liner, Eyeshadow, L'Oreal, Lipstick, Looks

May 10, 2012

Treat Your Hair Right

May 10, 2012 By Carleenp 1 Comment

Hair care and treatment depends on the individual’s hair type and their lifestyle. Individuals who style their hair using a variety of products may require a different hair treatment than those who do not use styling aids. There are various ways to care for the hair including hair care products that are designed specifically to treat and prevent further damage for particular hair types as well as the use of inexpensive home remedies.

30 Days of Beauty Day 9, Hair Care and Treatment for Different Hair Types

Dry Hair

In many cases, dry hair is the result of frequent washing, coloring and styling. Dry hair lacks the oils and moisture that keep hair soft and shiny. Washing everyday will eventually strip the hair of the protective oils that the hair needs to remain healthy and moisturized. It is recommended to wash hair every other day or two to three times a week. Heat related styling products such as curling irons and hair dryers should be used sparingly

Use a shampoo that is specially formulated to treat dry hair and follow with a conditioner. In addition, use a deep conditioner or hot oil treatment once a week to help restore stripped oils and repair damaged hair. Mayonnaise and avocados can be mixed together to make an inexpensive conditioner at home. Apply to hair ensuring each strand is covered and leave it on for up to an hour. Rinse out and wash hair as usual.

Interested in washing less? Tera Rae Stephens of Tera Rae Stephens provides the following video on washing once per week with tips on how to move on from daily hair washing and she explains how washing too often makes the body produce more oils.

Oily Hair

Harsh shampoos may cause a dry scalp to overproduce oils resulting in lifeless, greasy-looking hair. Shampoos made for babies are gentle and are an excellent alternative to regular shampoos. In regular shampoo, look for volumizing formulas, which often do not have the heavier moisturizers that can weigh down oily hair. Avoid brushing the hair too often as this can stimulate the scalp and cause it to produce more oil. If using a conditioner, apply it only to the end of the hair and avoid the scalp area.

Color Treated Hair

During the hair coloring process, the hair may be stripped of moisture by the harsh chemicals in the hair dye. Using a shampoo and conditioner that is specially formulated for color-treated hair can help preserve hair color while renewing moisture. Avoid the use of styling aids such as gel, mousse or hairspray as these contain chemicals that can cause dryness and damage. Use a deep conditioning treatment at least once a week to help preserve shine.

Sulfates in shampoos are notorious for stripping color, so seek out sulfate free products. For more on why sulfates in shampoos are undesirable for anyone, not just those with color treated hair, read our article on Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner.

Curly Hair

Individuals with curly hair are more susceptible to experiencing frizzy hair. Using a narrow-tooth comb or brush adds more volume to each strand and can cause hair to separate. Instead, use a wide-tooth comb to gently brush through the curls to leave hair smoother. Before combing, detangle hair with fingers when the hair is wet. A spray on conditioner can also help. Use a shampoo and conditioner that contains vitamins to help retain moisture and reduce the amount of damage to curls.

Black Hair

African American hair is typically coarser and thicker than that of other ethnicities. Maintenance usually requires a little extra care whether the hair is straight, curly, thick or thin. Preserving moisture is important to reduce frizz. Massaging the scalp at least once a month with conditioners and using hot oil treatments are effective ways to add moisture. Many natural oils are on the market now that are perfect for conditioning, protection, and adding moisture. To reduce hair breakage, use pillowcases made of silk or satin instead of cotton to prevent hair getting caught in the cotton material and breaking off during sleep.

Natural oils are not just great for black hair, they work wonders on everyone. Victoria Girard from RevealGreatSkin.com loves coconut oil and states:

“Coconut oil is an incredible multi tasking oil that has been shown to be great for skin, hair, heart, health, and mind. It’s recommended to take 2-3 tablespoons a day for amazing health, skin, and hair benefits, but you can also use it topically on your skin and hair for additional perks.”

Alicia Mohr of Things to Cherish also loves coconut oil and uses it as a deep conditioner as follows:

“At night before bed warm up a generous amount of coconut oil in your hands and rub it all through your hair. When you wash it out the next morning your hair will feel soft and luxurious.”

A Few Bonus Hair Care Tips

Removing product buildup from time to times is a good idea in order to keep your hair looking its best. Amanda Raye of Broke and Chic provides this tip on emergency hair clarifying with vinegar:

“If you just got out of the pool, or have been using a lot of product, you might really need a good clarifying shampoo to remove buildup and start your day with fresh, clean hair. But, if you don’t have the time or the money to buy a special clarifying shampoo, all you have to do is spray your dry hair with vinegar before getting in the shower. Just shampoo and condition as usual on you're in.”

Ashia R. Sims from Clueless Fashionista gave this tip on using your hair with fragrance:

“If you want to leave a lasting impression on that special person in your life, go old school. Spray perfume or body spray in your hair. Depending on your hairstyle, you should start with a light misting of fragrance and then see how you feel. If you wear your hair in extensions, braids, twists or a general weave/wig, you may want to spray more. If not, be gentle and the next time you give your special someone a hug, they will get a whiff of your favorite scent. It's secretly intoxicating and you will feel beautiful when you hear how good you always smell.”

Favorite Hair Products

Here at Beauty and Fashion Tech, we love the following products:

For dry or chemically treated hair: The Schwarzkopf Bonocure Moisture Kick line provides top notch hydration and we especially love the leave in conditioner. Read the review here: Schwarzkopf Bonocure Moisture Kick Review.

For affordable hair care without sulfates: L’Oreal Ever Pure is great choice, especially for color treated hair.

Got the frizzies? We are currently testing Anti-Frizz by Yuko (an advertiser on this site) and loving it, especially the leave in spray conditioner!

For some Great Product Suggestions also see these top 10 lists at Folica, one of our favorite online stores for all things in hair care:

Tomorrow, Day 10: Get Your Smooth On With Hair Removal

Filed Under: 30 Days of Beauty, Hair Care Tagged With: 30 Days of Beauty, Conditioner, Hair Care, L'Oreal, Schwarzkopf Bonacure, Shampoo, Yuko

May 9, 2012

Liven Up Your Look With Hair Color

May 9, 2012 By Carleenp Leave a Comment

30 Days of Beauty Day 8, Hair Color Options

Whether you are looking to add spice to your existing hair color or to change it completely, it is important to consider your hair color options. Working with a stylist or on your own, you should always make your color intentions clear and determine what color will best complement your physical features and personality.

Color Permanence

There are many different levels of hair dye permanence. Semi-permanent hair dye is the least damaging to your hair. It washes out over time and becomes semi-transparent. However, because it contains no ammonia and less hydrogen peroxide, semi-permanent hair dye is only found in darker colors. Demi-permanent dye can also be found only in darker colors because it contains no ammonia. However, it lasts somewhat longer than semi-permanent dye and is great for covering gray or lighter hair. This type of dye usually requires you to retouch your roots every 4-6 weeks. Permanent hair dye lasts the longest and usually contains hydrogen peroxide and ammonia compounds. Roots should be retouched every 4-6 weeks and color usually lasts for as long as it takes your hair to grow out. Permanent hair dye can darken and lighten hair.

Full Color v. Highlights

Full color can be great for covering gray and for changes that are more than a shade or two different from your natural color. However, there are many ways to invigorate your hair without performing an overall dye job. Highlights are one way to do this.

With highlights, the hair is bleached or otherwise lightened, boosting your hair's vitality and blending grays or other hair imperfections. With lowlights, hair tone is darkened and areas that are too light are blended together with the rest of your hair. Both of these work to create more even tone and increase your hair's shine. Two other popular ways of coloring hair include baliage and the base flash. Both of these use lightening techniques, but to different effects. In baliage, some form of hair lightener is applied to specific areas of the hair, defining your hair and improving the appearance of volume and overall shape. In base flashing, the tone of the hair is lightened to emphasize highlights and even hair tone.

Kimberly Nissen from The Plastic Diaries provides this tip for a quick color pick up that will look natural and which works great either with permanent color or with a semi-permanent gloss:

“Do you desperately need your hair colour freshened up? Pick up a box of hair colour from your grocery store in the same colour as your roots. It will even the tone and make your hair super shiny."

Here are before and after photos of Kimberly’s look using Schwarzkopf Perfect Mousse:

Color Maintenance

Once you have colored your hair, it is important to maintain the color to keep it looking its best. Depending on the type of dye you use, you will usually have to redye your roots every month or so. While some dye jobs can be performed at home, others might require a stylist's help.

Need to extent your color a bit between sessions? Nicole Dantzler of Lipstick and Luxury suggests this: “Use your old mascara to cover your grays in between color touch-ups. This is a quick and easy way to extend the life of your hair color!”

Prepping for Hair Color

Hair responds best to color if it is good condition beforehand. To prep your hair for color, Pammy Schmitt from Pammy Blogs Beauty offers this great information:

"Always do a protein deep-treatment before and/or after highlights! This process has taken my hair from dry and damaged to long and healthy. While highlights look beautiful, the process itself is quite damaging to your hair. Highlighting strips hair of both moisture and protein which leaves hair fragile, dry, and prone to breakage. You can combat this damage with protein treatments followed by deep conditioners.

Here is my process in a nutshell:

-24-48 hours before highlights do a deep protein treatment followed by a deep moisturizing conditioner. I like to use Aphogee 2-step Protein Treatment followed by L'Oreals Cream of Nature Conditioner (under heat). Aphogee 2-step is a professional product. So, please be careful to follow instructions precisely if you decide to use it.

-Repeat the above step the first time you wash your hair post-highlights.

-Every 2 weeks use a lighter protein treatment like Redken CAT and a moisturizing conditioner of your choice."

Creative Color

Creative Color is also quite popular these days. For adding simple streaks of bold color, a non-permanent color product such as streakers can be used, or simple clip in extensions may be added.

For more permanent creative color, the hair is normally bleached and then color is added back in. For more information read our past creative color articles here:

Need some product ideas? Read Folica's list of the Top Ten Hair Color Products.

Tomorrow: Day Eight, Caring For Your Hair

Filed Under: 30 Days of Beauty, Hair Care Tagged With: 30 Days of Beauty, Aphogee, Hair, Hair Color, L'Oreal, Redken, Schwarzkopf Bonacure