Color-Melted Blonde

I love my hairdresser! Good ones are not easy to find. Before I started going to mine about two years ago, I went through five. That probably sounds crazy but I want my hair to look good! There's nothing worse than spending hours in a chair and paying a chunk of change, only to be disappointed with the outcome. When I found Cheree at Natural Concepts an AVEDA Salon in Glendora, CA. I was sold on her coloring skills!

I'm always blonde but decided I wanted to try something new for fall so Cheree worked her magic and added some darker hues to my platinum locks. The result is a sombre look that is best described as color-melted hair. As opposed to the hard lines of ombre, this technique is softer, more seamless transition of hues.

What I love about this look is the variation of rich color. In certain angles I look like a light brunette and in others I still appear blonde. The dimension is amazing. I don't know how Cheree did it, but I am definitely sticking with this look for awhile!

If you live in Southern California, Natural Concepts is in a fairly central location from the Pasadena, Inland Empire, and Orange County areas. Call Cheree to hook you up with the gorgeous look!

Stocking Stuffer: Serge Normant

If you're anything like me, you hate Black Friday and you're not into fighting crowds to save a buck. I know, totally un-American of me. But I still love a good deal. That's why I've been buying gifts online this year. Reasonably priced items shipped right to your door? I'm all about that.

Enter Serge Normant. Hair stylist to stars such as Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, and others, he now has a line of hair care available for the everyday woman.

The company recently sent me their travel size products and I am loving them. Not only are the prices reasonable for quality products, but they also smell like fall/winter bottled up. I am into earth tones so I really appreciate the warm-scented ingredients, such as cedar bark.

After shampooing and conditioning my hair with the products I feel great. My hair looks amazing and has great body. A good hair day makes me feel just as confident as a new outfit! And for the days that I would rather sleep in a bit (like today) and not worry about washing my hair, the dry shampoo works wonders. Would you believe from the photo below that it's been three days since I washed my hair. Shh don't tell anyone!

Unfortunately these products cannot fix roots, hide the fact that I am not wearing makeup, and am posing incredibly cheesy ;)

And to finish off any great hair day, I use the hair spray. It's gives that final polished look.

If you are seeking a great stocking stuffer or a gift for your friend, mom, etc. I highly suggest these Serge Normat products. Head on over to sergenormant.com to buy!

For a more decadent gift, or a little something for yourself, the brand also offers Avah Eau de Parfum retailing at $60 for 1.7 fl. This product is great because in addition to being a perfume, it can also be sprayed on the hair and the scent lasts for hours!


Photos courtesy of: Serge Normant

Dove’s Intensive Repair Conditioner

Hair products are always something I struggle with. I never know if I need to buy the most expensive products or if the drugstore brands at reasonable prices are acceptable to use. As a result I seem to have a mixture of the two. Aside from shampoos and conditioners bought from salons, I don’t really have anything else. This is simply because there are so many options. How do you choose?

Enter BlogHer and Dove. I was contacted to review Dove’s Intensive Repair Conditioner. This is perfect – I’d never used Dove conditioner and I legitimately am overwhelmed any time I try to go to the store to buy hair care.

The first thing I noticed upon using the conditioner is that it smells great. It’s a clean, fresh and not overpowering. Next, I was pleased with the fact that it made my hair nice and smooth. I HATE having to brush my hair after wetting it because it gets really knotted (probably from all of the hair dye). Not the case anymore with this conditioner! I was able to comb through my long hair without suffering from knots getting tangled and pulled out by my brush. That alone makes me a return customer. But wait, it gets better.

The conditioner makes my hair so soft. Each time I use it I literally catch myself touching my hair for hours after. You know how your hair feels amazing after leaving the salon and you can’t help but “pet” it? That’s the feeling that I get from Dove’s Intensive Repair Conditioner.

I literally have zero complaints about this product. No joke.

I know, the part you were dreading, the price of such a wonderful conditioner. Well a bottle is going to set you back…wait for it…$5 (at Target). Wait, what? Yup, 5 dolla! Sold. Sign me up.

So why the heck have I been buying salon products for all of these years? Because I’m a sucker. This is proof that you don’t always have to pay a small fortune for a great product.

Next time I go to the store I’m stocking up on more Intensive Repair Conditioner. I’m also excited to try one of their shampoos out. I'm also excited about the following giveaway sponsored by BlogHer.

*  *  *  *  *

Enter to win a $1,000 Spafinder gift certificate! 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

COMMENTS TO THIS POST ARE NOT SWEEPSTAKES ENTRIES. PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR ENTRY METHODS FOR THIS SWEEPSTAKES.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Follow this link, and provide your email address and your response to this Promotion prompt: What beauty product did you recently try that you were pleasantly surprised with?

b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: "#SweepstakesEntry"; and then visit this link to provide your email address and the URL to that Tweet.

c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and then visit this link to provide your email address and the URL to that post.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. Winners will have 72 hours to claim the prize, or an alternative winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 9/4/2012 - 9/30/2012

Be sure to visit Dove^®Hair.com to get a coupon for $1.50 off Dove Hair Therapy products.

Disclaimer: Although I was given Dove’s Intensive Repair Conditioner for free my thoughts are 100% my own.

Target Summer Lovin'

The seasonal Target beauty bags are pretty awesome. I got my first bag in August and was all about the goodies so I made sure to sign up for summer as well.

If you are unfamiliar with these beauty bags, they are basically free versions of Birchboxes with products that you will definitely use. I love Birchbox but sometimes the items are so random. You can never go wrong with free, right?

Here's what I got in my summer bag:

1. Aveeno Active Naturals Living Color Medium to Thick Hair Color Preserving Shampoo and Conditioner

2. Garnier Fructis Color Shield Shampoo and Conditioner

3. Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter

4. Target Coupon Book

5. Tresemme Split Remedy Shampoo and Conditioner

6. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 55

7. Makeup Bag

What I love about these items is they are all practical and I will use them. And if I like them I can afford to buy them at Target. What I don't like is getting three types of shampoos and conditioners. It'd be nice to have a bit more variety.

The coupons are pretty great, too. Today I snagged a bottle of Revlon ColorStay Longwear Nail Enamel for $1 and a Rimmel Bronzer for $2!

To snag the fall bag, like Target's Facebook page and be on the lookout for the notification of signups!

Who else got a summer beauty bags? If so, did yours differ from mine at all?

Misikko Dream Gift Package Giveaway

Awhile back I was contacted by Misikko, an online store that sells high quality hair and beauty products, and asked to do a review for the HANAair Premiere Hair Dryer. I loved it! So when the company contacted me again about the Misikko Dream Gift Package Giveaway I was all about it.

Get this - to enter all you have to do is blog about the items your dream package would consist of, totaling $350 or less. You best believe I got as close to $350 as I could ;)

Farouk CHI Wet to Dry Flat Iron 1 1/4" - $139.99 +
OPI Nail Polish "Classic Reds" Gift Set - $19.99 +
CHI Turbo Digital Ceramic Spring Curling Iron 1" - $109.95 +
Moroccan Oil "Glimmer Girl" Limited Edition Gift Set - $74.99 =

$344.92. Oh yeeeeeah!

Notice earlier when I said "all you have to do is enter"? That's because you can enter as well! Simply blog about the items that your Misikko Dream Gift Package Giveaway would contain, then share the link to your post on the Misikko Facebook wall. That easy. Contest ends July 4 so get to it. Good luck!

NuMe Giveaway!

Have you heard about NuMe Professional Styling Tools yet? If not, that’s OK because it is a company that’s just launched in the U.S. and you’re hearing about them now! Offering hair care products, flat irons and curling wands, NuMe pretty much has you covered in the hair department.

Personally, I have my eye on the NuMe curling wands. They heat up to 410 degrees in seconds, are designed to reduce static and frizz, and come with a one year warranty.
Doesn’t it look like this wand would create the perfect curl? Well, you can find out!

The people over at NuMu are graciously offering one of my lucky readers the Jet Setter package which includes the following:

- Mini Flat Iron
- Vintage Flat Iron
- 19mm Curling Wand
MSRP Value: $525

Yeah, I’m officially jealous that I am not eligible for this one!

To enter, you must “like” NuMe on Facebook AND leave a comment on their wall mentioning Join the Gossip. Then comment on this post letting me know you did so. This is mandatory.

For additional entries:
1. Follow NuMe on twitter and tweet about this contest. You can use this tweet if you’d like: #Giveaway over @jointhegossip to win an GREAT package of hair styling products from @NuMeProducts. Enter here http://tinyurl.com/3uyqmf9
2. Follow Join the Gossip on twitter.
3. “Like” Join the Gossip on Facebook.
5. Follow Join the Gossip with GFC.

*There will be an additional special prize package for the participant with the most creative greeting on NuMe’s Facebook wall.
*Each time you comment on Facebook or tweet you get an extra entry, but make sure to leave me a comment each time so I know.

That’s an infinite number of entries possible!

Contest is open to U.S. residents only, sorry. Winner announced Friday, May 6. PLEASE leave your email address if you do not have a blog with your email address listed, so I can contact you.

Addionally, NuMe is offering Join the Gossip readers a special dicount code package! Check this out...

Coupon Code: GOSSIP01
Pro Package: Vintage Black, 13mm curling wand, pouch, Comb, Shampoo, Conditioner, thermal, leave in
Dates Effective: 4/22/11 to 5/6/11
Check it out!

Good luck everyone!

Photos courtesy of: NuMe Professional Styling Tools

And the AG Hair Cosmetics Winner is...

Stephanie! Congrats . Her name was randomly drawn out of a hat (actually a Hello Kitty cup!) and now she will recieve a gift basket full of AG Hair Cosmetics goodies!

Valued at over $225, the lucky lady who won is sure to have fabulous hair in no time!

Thank you to all who participated in this giveaway. I hope there will be many more to come...and very soon =)

Photo courtesy of: AG Hair Cosmetics

AG Hair Cosmetics Giveaway!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

__________

As a beauty editor, I have tested out many products. Sometimes the result is a bad breakout, other times I get lucky and find a real gem. When I do find a lipgloss, sunscreen, or hair shampoo that I enjoy, I can think of nothing better then to praise that item.

Enter cruelty free, 100% satisfaction guaranteed AG Hair Cosmetics. I cannot stress the fact that their products have greatly enhanced the state of my hair. As a chronic bleacher, my locks aren't always as luscious as I'd like them to be. However, since I started using the brand's Colour Savour Shampoo and Conditioner, my strands have been extremely soft, I don't deal with excruciating tangles, I have great body, and my hair just looks good. Those are three amazing benefits that usually don't result from a single shampoo and conditioner duo.

Far too many times I've been suckered into the hair product pitch from my hairdressers. Often, they insist that their clients buy ridiculously priced hair serums, but do they really ever provide all that they promise? Usually not.

Great news! AG (a Canadian based company) is now available in salons throughout the U.S. So, if your hairdresser suggests that you purchase these items, take their advice, they're right this time. And also exciting, the products won't set you back a week's worth of lunch because they're priced just right.

And for all of your with curly hair, this month AG launches re:coil, a line including curl activating shampoo and conditioner, as well as a curl activator.

Now that I have had the pleasure of using AG products, I can sincerely say that I am a lifetime customer. And I want you, my readers, to be users as well.

I can think of nothing better than to reward one gossiper with the line's wonderful hair care products.

For Join the Gossip's first reader giveaway, AG Hair Cosmetics has been generous enough to provide a basket full of their sensational products with a retail value of more than $225! I am so excited to offer this amazing contest. I encourage you all to enter, and to tell your friends as well =)

To qualify for this prize, please leave a comment including your e-mail so that I can contact you if you win. And if you encourage your friends to enter as well, have them leave your name in their comment (first and last) saying that you sent them, and you'll receive an extra entry!

One winner will randomly be selected on Wednesday, October 1. Good luck!

* Please note: the winner's address and phone number will be given to AG for shipping purposes*

Photos courtesy of: AG Hair Cosmetics and Reflexion Clinics