funny bone

So, as an actress, a blonde, a fashionista, a GIRL — I’ve obviously been on what feels like a life-long quest for the perfect beauty products. Ideally, good and expensive don’t have to go hand in hand, but I’ve spent an obscene amount of money to prove that to myself. And it’s true, some looks don’t have to cost $$$ to be fabulous.

There are a few times where you should just cough up the money and look at it as an investment. I mean, you really can’t put a price on perfectly imperfect hair, or a flawless “non-makeup” complexion that may in fact, involve 15 different products and a solid half hour of skillful application.

My vanity homework = your beauty resource

you'd laugh at my real stash!

I truly have an informed, non-biased opinion on items that benefit any girl’s vanity table (well,  they’re gonna fill up your entire bathroom counter but who cares) — and her looks, confidence and well-being.

And you can trust that I won’t see a dime of the money you’re going to spend to buy your own. (Affiliate links aren’t bad, I just don’t know how and have no interest in learning.)

We’ll take one major beauty supply aisle at a time. Today is —

“I Want it Long, Straight, Curly, Fuzzy,

Snaggy, Shaggy, Ratty, Matty… “

OH! No I Don’t!

HAIR

I’m a natural blonde (honest) who colors it to achieve a more perfect sun-kissed beachy/messy look (thanks Niles!) Generally blondes have fine hair. I happen to have a lot of fine hair that dries straight and won’t hold curl if my life depended on it. Or unless it’s sprayed. But too much product (of any kind) weighs my hair down and that’s never good.

Here’s my list of products made for hair like mine, Niles uses them on me in his salon, but you can get them lots of places and I’m convinced these lines are the best for any hair texture… I’ll hunt down the rest of the links after this reading I have this afternoon…

Shampoo– Neil George intense illuminating shampoo

(Indian gooseberry, the smell is delicious but you won’t smell like it)

Conditioner– Neil George everyday moisture

(orange blossom, light and rinses clean)

The Neil George online catalog is the easy way to shop —

Hair Spray– Davines Invisible Hair Spray

(it moves, it shines, the guys can’t feel it, perfect)

Leave in Conditioner– Rene Furterer, Okara Protect Color

(make that color last girl, and Niles says to always keep a hat in your car)

Volumizer Spray– Phyto, Phytovolume Actif

(science+nature = it works, but no over-puffed look)

Must-Have Brush– The Mason Pearson Pure Bristle “EXTRA”

(and don’t throw it away when you buy your new one in two years; put a hairband around the handle to ID it and keep it for a ‘dirty hair day’ brush, so you’re never brushing clean hair with a dirty brush)

Hair Dryer– Parlux, 3200 Compact

(I love it but also have my eye on the ionizer thingamagig — anyone have that dryer? It’s supposed to make your hair more something, is it true?)

AND OF COURSE:

Scunci Hair Rubber Bands– for long-haired girls like me

(no hardware, no hair tear, great colors, pharmacy price!)

We’ll do hair elsewhere another day — maybe skin next? Then we’ll do make-up and sites for discontinued favorites… then maybe body care… this makes me wanna go get a facial and a mani/pedi!

So — what do you use/love/want to try? Let me know in the comments…