ghd has new stylers that are cute as candy!

ghd has a limted edition Candy Collection of Classic Stylers in colours so sweet they'll make your teeth ache! There's Lemon and Mint but my particular fave is -

ghd Classic Violet 1" Professional Styler - $199 -with ceramic heat technology to straighten and smooth and a rounded body to create perfect waves and curls.

ghd was kind enough to send me a styler and ask me to either recreate one of the styles from the ghd hair gallery (which you should check out, there are some really cool looks there) or to create my own summer inspired hairstyle. I recently chopped all of my hair off so there is a limited amount of styles for it but my biggest summer issue, no matter what it's length is frizziness - so I really count on a good styler to smooth my hair out without frying it!

I have fine hair that frizzes easily so I have to be careful when working with heat - I need ceramic plates to smooth and even heat to get the job done quickly with a minimum of damage and the ghd made the grade on both counts. I used a couple of drops of serum in wet hair, blow dried it until it was just slightly damp and then ran the styler through for about 10 minutes and you can see the result - hair that is practically perfectly smooth and frizz free with super shine - I'm looking forward to also being able to use it to create an easy flip once my hair grows out a bit!

The other aspects of the styler that I really appreciated was the swivel cord that keeps it from getting all tangled as you move it around your head and the 30 minute automatic shut-off because I'm famously bad for forgetting to turn off my tools!

Score your own in whatever colour pleases you along with free shipping at: http://www.ghdhair.com/us/hair-straighteners

- Lisamarie -

Leave in Conditioners - AG Hair Cosmetics, Nexxus, Kim Kimble and ghd

As someone who tortures their hair on a daily basis with heat and on a regular basis with colouring, I try to do everything I can to keep my hair as hydrated as possible.  For years I was using the Infusium spray, but months back when I ran out and went to buy one, I couldn't find it on the shelves.  And then I realized that it was crazy to keep using the same thing when there are so many other kinds out there - and what a good excuse to use different types when you can then turn it into a post!  What do I look for in a leave in conditioner?  I like it to smell good, not weigh my hair down and not be sticky.  So here's what I've tried lately:

AG Hair Cosmetics Conditioning Mist - 237ml - $15 - It has a light, fruity scent which I like a lot.  It is supposed to immediately detangle, moisturize and strengthen without weighing hair down which for my fine hair is important.  A little goes a long way with this one and I also found it made my hair look super shiny!  Go to www.aghaircosmetics.com to find a salon near you.

Nexxus Humectress Luxe Ultimate Hydrating Leave-In Spray - 150ml - $12.99 - It has a tropical fruit smell which made me feel like I was on vacation.  It's formulated with Vitamin E, Coconut Oil and Honey Extract for moisture and a special technology for time-released nutrients. It says it seals in strength and intense hydration for softer feeling, salon beautiful hair with a deep dimensional shine.  This one did make my hair super soft and shiny.  The smell really lingers too so if you don't like tropical fruit you might not appreciate that.

Nexxus Botanluxe Nourishing Botanical Hydrating Leave-In Conditioner - 250ml - $14.99 - It smells botanical funnily enough.  It includes natural and unique ingredients such as organic sunflower, rosehip and grape seed oils to condition, soften and soothe the hair. Organically-sourced amaranth, a nutrient rich herb provides natural moisture and there are no parabens or dye.  I liked that this contained so many natural products and that it smelled naturally (is that a word?).  It made my hair soft but not as shiny as the other ones.

Kim Kimble Silk Treatment Leave-In Conditioner - 236ml - $12.99 - It smells like bananas, so this was my favourite smelling one - I'm bananas for banana scented products! They call it a luxurious infusion that leaves dull, lifeless hair, silky and shiny.  It also helps to decrease damage and protect the hair from heat.  Although I liked the smell of this one the best it was not my favourite for softness or shine.  If I had tried it by itself I would probably be perfectly happy with it but in comparison to others it just didn't measure up. Available at Target and www.kimblehaircare.com

ghd Miracle Mist Daily Conditioning Spray - 150ml - $19 - This has a very light scent like a hairdressing salon. It promises shinier, stronger, static-free hair.  I think that because it is from a company that also makes flat irons, they are very mindful of helping with heat damage and this one was really great at making my hair look smooth and shiny - even after several days of using a flat iron. Available at Sephora and www.ghd.com

- Lisamarie -

ghd has a styler that's easy to love!

The ghd IV styler 1" - $280 ($240 US) -There are so many styler brands out there these days, and the good ones sure aren't cheap, that I don't know how anyone ever makes a decision about which one to buy!  I know how I make decisions, I surf the web, read other people's reviews and then hope my results will be as good as theirs!  So I hope this is helpful to anyone looking to score themselves a new styler.  I must admit, I was already predisposed to like this one as this is the brand that my hairdresser (the good one, not the most recent one that butchered my hair) used and my hair always looked amazing when she was done with it!

So here's what I really like about this one: 

- It's designed to curl as well as straighten your hair, I don't curl my hair but I sometimes like to add a flip to the bottom and this works perfectly for that.  

- It has a technology in it that can decide how porous your hair is and from that decides how much heat your hair needs and thus applies as well as maintains the optimum level of heat while styling, which is very important for fine hair like mine as it is so easy to fry your hair with one of these! 

- It also has a swivel cord which keeps the cord from getting all tangled - genius! 

- I found it heated up quick and maintained a constant temperature which made the straightening process so much quicker!

- The aluminum plates have a ceramic coating which helps close the hair cuticle and create shine.

It also has some important safety and functionality  features that most people don't think about much when buying a styler, but really should:  

- It has a sleep mode that will automatically shut it off if not used for 30 minutes. 

- The outer casting is made from Rynite, a fire retardant material ensures the outer casting does not get too hot when styling hair or handling the styler.

- A built-in micro-processor is embedded into one blade; this monitors and regulates the temperature on the blade five times a second.  If the temperature exceeds its maximum regulated temperature the thermal fuse will trip, resulting in the iron switching off.  This is a safety feature to prevent the iron from overheating. 

- It has a universal voltage feature which operates from110v to 230v by sensing the incoming voltage making it great for travelers. 

Of course even with the best styler, you still need the right technique to get good results and here is what ghd recommends for getting different looks with their styler:

Achieve straight, sleek locks

1.     After using ghd thermal protector before heat-styling, take your original styling iron and place a fine section of dry hair between the plates. Ensure that the iron is as close to the root as possible before closing the plates and gently move towards the tip of the section in one simple gliding motion.

2.     Repeat the process with each section of hair, gliding once from roots to ends.

Achieve stunning curls

1.     After lightly misting your hair with ghd thermal protector, section the hair and lightly mist with ghd creation spray.

2.     Place the ghd styling iron vertically 1 inch away from the root. Gently close the iron with minimum tension.

3.     Turn the iron clockwise by 90 degrees. Continue to turn the iron by another 90 degrees.

4.     For an intense curl, pull the iron very slowly away from the head in a continuous smooth movement.

5.     An s-shaped vertical curl is created. To complete the style repeat through all sections.

6.     Finally, separate and dress the curls with your hands.

Achieve seductive soft movement

1.     After lightly misting your hair with ghd thermal protector, section the hair, and lightly mist with ghd creation spray to add shine and hold when styling.

2.     Place the ghd styling iron vertically 1 inch away from the root. Gently close the iron with minimum tension.

3.     Turn the iron clockwise by 90 degrees.

4.     For a soft curl, pull the iron quickly through the hair away from the head in a continuous smooth movement.

5.     An s-shaped vertical curl is created. To complete the style repeat through all sections.

6.     Finally, separate and dress the curls with your hands creating soft and loose waves.

I would definitely recommend that you use a thermal protector spray before using any heated hair appliance especially if you have normal to fine hair.  I also tried the ghd thermal protector and it worked well, smelled nice and didn't leave my hair sticky.


What's really fun is their quarterly promotions which has the styler in a fun colour or pattern with a case and a couple of styling products.  This quarter it's called "Precious" and it really is!

It has a black and silver baroque design and it's $255 for the set.  Check out the ghd website here for this and their other stylers.  I noticed the other day that Sephora is also carrying ghd, so no excuses now!

- Lisamarie -