Audrey Dao » HE Hair

Finley Hair Powder Review and Photos

Audrey Dao — Mon, 09 May 2011 14:10:51 +0000

Finley Hair Powder ($18) Finley hair powder provides a simple and effective solution for dull and oily hair in between washes. Oversleeping with no time to shower or needing a quick refresher before heading out for the evening makes Finley hair powder the perfect weapon in your beauty arsenal.

My Thoughts:

Finley Hair Powder is a dry shampoo powder. Unlike most dry shampoos that only come in one shade, usually white, Finley Hair Powder comes in 4 different shades: black, brunette, blonde, and white. You don’t have to worry about missing patches of white powder to blend, because the hair powder matches your hair color. The powder was very easy to apply. All I had to do was sprinkle the hair powder onto my oily hair, and then brush my hair to blend and distribute the powder. Finley Hair Powder did a great job of absorbing all the oil and there was no unpleasant scent. However, the hair powder did leave my hair feeling dry like I spent the whole day at the beach or in the pool. My hair was kept oil-free until my next hair wash the next day. When I washed my hair, all the powder washed out. How did I know all the powder washed out of my hair? Because I used the black hair powder, it turned the water a dark gray color. That took me by surprise; not in a bad way. I just wasn’t expecting it. Overall, Finley Hair Powder did everything it set out to do. It blended into my hair seamlessly and absorbed all the oil from my hair. I would say it it’s a pretty good dry shampoo and worth giving a try.

Check out more photos of Finley Hair Powder!

NuMe Vintage Professional Styling Iron Review and Photos

Audrey Dao — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:45:31 +0000

NuMe Vintage Professional Styling Iron ($275) NuMe’s best selling classic professional styler is the original 100% solid ceramic iron that brings shine and luster back to the most course or wispy hair. With its rounded barrel design, it’s ideal for transforming your hair to any glamorous look – silky straight, voluminous waves or perfect curls. Great for all hair types.

The NuMe Vintage is a classic Professional Styling Iron with a unique alignment system that ensures ideal contact between your hair and our 100% tourmaline ceramic plates. Using pure ceramic plates ensures even distribution, eliminating the hot spots and chipping associated with conventional irons. Our 100% ceramic plates emit negative ions which seals moisture in the hair cuticle keeping your hair shiny, healthy and silky smooth.

Features & Benefits:

100% solid ceramic plates prevent dry and damaged hair

Precision-engineered 1.25 inch floating plates (floating plates do not leave any creases in your hair as you flat iron)

Variable Temperature Control: 140-410 degrees F allows you to set the perfect heat setting for you hair type to prevent overheating

Ergonomic design to hold, handle and manipulate

Rounded Barrels create curls or flips your hair

Infrared heat technology seals in moisture for extra shine and luster

Negative Ion Technology reduce static and eliminate frizz for shinier, smoother, manageable hair

360 degree salon-style swivel power cord allows for easy maneuvering as you style

Heats up with within six to ten seconds, reducing wait time

Built-in converter handles dual voltage from 110v to 240v

My Thoughts:

Love! It brings me great joy every time a product performs exactly as advertised. The NuMe Vintage Styling Iron comes in a sturdy box with a magnetic flip-top. Inside, the iron is cradled in a plastic tray lined with velvet. I thought I heard angels singing when I flipped opened the box! I’m not kidding. It looked very grand. Printed on the inside of the box are several different ways you can use the Vintage Styling Iron.

The iron itself is also very sturdy and has a no-slip grip. The power cord is long, but not too long where it might get in your way and cause you to trip. Also, the power cord swivels so it doesn’t get twisted! The iron also comes with a velcro strap attached to the cord so you can neatly wind the cord up when you’re not using the iron. Not only that, there’s a built-in voltage converter so you can take the iron with you anywhere in the world! I like that the Vintage Styling Iron comes with a knob to control the temperature. The temperature ranges from 140°F-410°F. Because you can control the temperature, it’s perfect for all hair types. The Vintage Styling Iron also heats up very quickly. It took a little over a minute for it to heat up to the hottest temperature setting (410°F) so imagine how fast it will heat up to the lower temperatures. You’ll know it has reached the temperature you set it at when the little light on the handle goes from red to green. Not only is the iron perfect for all hair types, it also does more than straightening hair. Since the barrel of the iron is curved, you can use it to create wavy, curly, or voluminous hair too!

Straightening my hair with the Vintage Styling Iron was very easy and quick. I only had to go over my hair once, and it was straight. The flat iron didn’t get caught on my hair or tug on it. It went over my hair smoothly and cleanly and left my hair feeling very smooth, soft, and frizz-free.

Check out more photos of the NuMe Vintage Professional Styling Iron and before and after photos too! *picture heavy*

Revitalash Review

Audrey Dao — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:40:30 +0000

RevitaLash ($98 for 3 months supply, $150 for 6 months supply) New Enhanced Formula! This advanced RevitaLash formula contains a proprietary blend of proven functional cosmetic ingredients pioneered by Athena, combined with an infusion of powerful peptides and soothing botanicals, designed to both beautify and nourish the eyelashes.

My Thoughts:

I’ve been using Revitalash for the past 3 months. I didn’t notice much difference in volume, but I did see an improvement in length. The first 4 weeks I didn’t notice any changes, but I did notice my lashes felt softer and stronger. At about week 6-8 was when I started to notice the change in length. I could visibly see my lashes had gotten longer!

Revitalash was very easy to apply. You just apply once a day at night. There was no unpleasant smell nor did I experience any bad reactions. The price is high, but a portion of the profit goes to breast cancer research. Also, think of all the money you’ll be saving by not having to buy false eyelashes and lash extensions. You’ll also be saving tons of money and time by not having to hunt for that holy grail mascara.

The most important thing to remember when using Revitalash is to be patient. You’re not going to see results right away. It’s going to take a few weeks. Also, to maintain the results, you have to continuously use Revitalash.

Check out the before and after photo!

These results are after 3 months of use.

Coy Build Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner Review

Audrey Dao — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:17:14 +0000

Coy Build Thickening Shampoo ($19) Build Thickening Shampoo cleans and fortifies hair without build-up. Fruit extracts and Chinese herbs leave hair fuller and thicker.

Coy Build Thickening Conditioner ($20) Build Thickening Conditioner invigorates and fortifies hair using fruit extracts and Chinese herbs. Build leaves hair fuller and thicker without any product build up.

My Thoughts:

I really like Coy Build Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner. It’s pricey, but it left my hair feeling so soft and light. It was like I had my hair washed at the salon. I couldn’t stop running my fingers through my hair! The shampoo and conditioner did thicken my hair, but not by a lot. It’s difficult to thicken hair that is already thick, but it sure did add volume to my hair.

The shampoo is great and my favorite of the two. It’s like a shampoo and conditioner in one. It didn’t leave my hair feeling dry and/or tangled. It actually did the opposite. I noticed my hair felt smooth and was knot-free after washing and rinsing. The conditioner added softness and more smoothness to my hair. I really like that both the Coy Build Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner didn’t have a fragrance. If it did, I didn’t notice. I also like that it didn’t weigh down my hair leaving it feeling heavy. Instead, it left my hair feeling light and airy like hair in shampoo ads and commercials. I was actually swooshing my hair back and forth in front of the mirror as if I was in a shampoo commercial!

Find out my overall thoughts and feelings towards Coy Build Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner!

Overall, Coy Build Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner are awesome hair products. It did everything it claimed to do. Would I repurchase? Yes. I’m thinking it’ll be one of those every few months splurges.

Check out the cute and funny directions on how to use the shampoo and conditioner! I laugh every time I read it.

Revitabrow Review

Audrey Dao — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:42:09 +0000

Revitabrow ($110) Utilizing the power of peptides and botanicals for strengthening, conditioning and nourishing, and advanced technology, RevitaBrow helps revitalize eyebrows so they look thicker and fuller. A simple swipe of the RevitaBrow applicator can help you achieve a more polished look by causing your eyebrows to appear healthier. When applied daily on a clean brow, you should start to see fuller, thicker looking brows within weeks!

My Thoughts:

I admit it. I’m probably the last person who needs Revitabrow. I’m grateful my brows are dark and long, but I can’t help but wish for thicker, fuller eyebrows. My first thought Revitabrow would do was grow more eyebrow hairs, but it didn’t. In fact, on the packaging slip was a disclaimer that said, “RevitaBrow Eyebrow Conditioner is not intended to treat, prevent, cure, relieve, resolve, stop or reduce hair loss or to promote the growth of hair.” So it doesn’t promote hair growth? Interesting.

I’ve been using Revitabrow for about 2 months now in hopes of getting thicker, fuller brows. Even though it didn’t help grow more eyebrow hairs, it did make my already dark eyebrows a tinsy tad bit darker. It also did make my eyebrows look more healthier and not so dull looking. I think Revitabrow would work better on a person who had lighter colored eyebrows. You would be able to notice a much bigger difference than I did. I feel because my eyebrows are already so dark, the results weren’t that noticeable. Don’t get me wrong. Revitabrow did what it claimed to do. It darkened my eyebrows to give off the appearance of thicker eyebrows and helped them appear healthier. I just think the results were not definite enough for me to justify spending $110 every few months to keep the results.

Elchim 2001 Professional Dryer Review

Audrey Dao — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:13:59 +0000

Elchim 2001 Professional Dryer ($119.95 $100)

Seven switch combinations for seven ranges of fan speed and temperature
1800 watts of power
Light weight
Air flow of 40 liters per second
Concentrator nozzle
Removable lint filter
Safety plug
Backed by Elchim’s 60 years of experience of building hair dryers
Made in Italy
1 Year limited warranty

My Thoughts:

I got the Elchim 2001 Professional Dryer from folica.com. Normally it retails for approximately $120, but folica is selling it for $100 along with additional discounts and deals. It came with the hair dryer, a nozzle, and a filter. I had trouble figuring out how to turn it on because there were no instructions. The top switch (red) is to turn on the hair dryer and to control the power. The bottom switch (black) is used to control the heat. The dryer doesn’t blow cold air. In fact, it doesn’t even have a button to blow cold air. It does dry my hair pretty quickly. I wouldn’t say it cut the drying time in half, but it did shorten the drying time. I like that it isn’t very loud for a powerful hair dryer. However, the dryer is bit heavy but nothing to worry about. I wouldn’t recommend this hair dryer for people with thin and/or fine hair because it blows pretty strong. It will make your hair knotty. I have thick hair and lots of it and my hair got a tad knotty.

Hot Tools Curling Iron Review

Audrey Dao — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:04:56 +0000

Hot Tools Curling Iron (ranges from $37 to $47)

Hot Tools Gold Spring Curling Iron is great for adding waves, curls, or volume to any hair style. The Patented Pulse Technology® senses heat loss and begins restoring it immediately so the iron stays hot, curl after curl. The 24K gold plated barrel speeds the circulation of heat, enhancing heat up and heat recovery.

Patented Pulse Technology® for Gets Hot… Stays Hot™ performance

Variable heat settings with built-in rheostat control up to 430 degrees

Powerful spring clamp

Extra-high heat

24K gold-plated barrel

Fast heat up

Heavy-duty long-life heating element

Foldaway safety stand

Pilot light

Extra-long cool tip

Soft-Grip¿ textured handle

8-ft. cord

On / Off switch

Solid-state circuitry

One-year warranty

My Thoughts:

I love Hot Tools curling irons. I own the 1 inch and the 2 inch curling irons. Ever since I cut my hair short, I wish I owned the 1.5 inch curling iron too. The curling iron can get ridiculously hot and does an amazing job of curling my thick Asian hair. I have the type of hair that will not and cannot hold a curl. I love that the curler heats up very quickly and has a super long cord. Because the curling iron can get really hot, it cuts the amount of time to curl my hair in half! Talk about time saver. Hot Tools makes high quality curling irons that are affordable. In fact, I want to say it is one of the best curling irons. Every curl is perfect spiral with no kinks. Even though Hot Tools curlers range from $37 to $47, you can always find it for half the price. Just check sites like Amazon, GlamourBeautyCenter, Folica, and Ulta (during sales).

Hot Tools Professional 3-Barrel Waver Review

Audrey Dao — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:51:12 +0000

Hot Tools Professional 3-Barrel Waver ($44.99)

Professional Features

Quickly creates deep, luxurious waves in any type of hair
Soft-Grip™ textured handle
Extra-hot 60 watts
Heat pre-set to perfect temperature
Comfort-grip Marcel handle
On / Off / High / Low heat switch
24K gold-plated barrel
Safety stand
Patented Pulse Technology® for Gets Hot… Stays Hot™ performance
Variable heat settings for any hair type
Extra-high heat
Fast heat-up
Heavy-duty, long-life heating element
Slim, easy-to-grip handle
8-ft. heavy-duty, tangle-proof cord
On / Off switch with pilot light
Solid-state circuitry
One-Year Warranty

My Thoughts:

I was able to get this from Ulta for free through their spending rewards club. I really like it and I’m glad I chose this as my reward. If you’re hoping it will create the loose beachy waves, it won’t. The waves it creates is similar to that of the waves you get when you braid your hair. If you have thick hair and a lot of it like me, I wouldn’t use it on every strand/layer of hair. You’ll end up with majorly big hair. I just use it on the top half of my hair. I’ll use it a little bit on the bottom half of my hair just to give the illusion that all of my hair is wavy. If you’re hair is fine and/or thin, you don’t have to worry about this problem.

It does take a couple of minutes to warm up, but it does really heat up. Be careful when using it because you can burn yourself if you’re not careful because the ends of the barrel don’t have the heat protectant material. I personally wouldn’t pay the full $45 for it because I can just braid my hair and leave it in overnight to get the same waves. However, it’s always on sale for nearly half price (check out Amazon) so get it then.

ghd limited edition professional hairstyling iron Review

Audrey Dao — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:13:07 +0000

ghd limited edition professional hairstyling iron ($205) The ghd flat iron is the mother of all flat irons. I have been eying this flat iron for a couple of years now and saving up. I bought this ghd limited edition professional hairstyling iron from beautyticket.com. Normally, ghd flat irons cost about $200-$250 depending on the model. Beautyticket was selling the model I bought for $119.99 which included everything you see in the picture: ghd flat iron, how-to dvd, and the pouch. I actually got it cheaper than $119.99 because beautyticket was running an extra 15% off gifts and sets promo. When I saw the amazing (and rare!) discount, I knew I had to pounce to get my hands on this bad boy. I ended up paying 50% of the original cost. The most I have ever seen the ghd discounted for was 20%. Even with the extra 20% off, it was still to expensive. Even though my version is from 2006, I didn’t care. A ghd is a ghd.

My Thoughts:

Pros:

Doesn’t just straighten hair. You can create curls and waves. How you ask? The hot plates move back and forth and up and down. Also the edges are rounded, not straight. This allows for smooth hair with no creases.
Heat resistant. No worries about burning your hand, scalp, forehead, etc. While it is on, you can touch the outside and not worry about getting burned!
Internally set temperature. It is automatically set at 374°F so you don’t have to think about adjusting the temperature. It’s all set for you!
Ready to use in less than 1 minute. The flat iron heats up really quickly. No standing around for 5 minutes wondering and waiting for it to heat up.
Go over hair once. You only need to go over your hair once, rarely twice, to achieve the style you want. This will save you lots of time and saves your hair from damage.
No frizz or pouf. You will get sleek, silky, shiny, smooth hair.
Long power cord. The cord is 9ft long and swivels.
No snagging. When you run the straightner through your hair, it is a smooth pull with no tugging and snagging.
Sleep mode. It will turn off automatically if you don’t use it for 30 minutes. A wonderful safety feature.

Cons:

The cost!
The cost!
The cost!

To make sure you are buying a real ghd and not a fake, I would check out ghd’s UK site or ghd’s USA site. They have a list of legit sellers. If you’re unsure of a seller, give them a call and ask.