DARE TO COMPARE: Product Review

Well, I thought that I'd better take a quick minute or ten to post about my recent hair colouring experience. I finally decided on using Natural Instincts (semi-permanent) #28: Nutmeg for Dark Brown Hair. I have used this colour in the past and was hoping to not go as dark this time, but in the end of it all it seemed like the only worthwhile thing to do because Natural Instincts will not actually lighten your hair at all (no peroxide).

Before haircut (2 above)

After haircut, before colour (2 above)

After colour (1 above)

- will post another

All in all I think I will try #20 next time and not go with such a dark brown. This product only stays in for 28 shampoos anyway, so it isn't like it is a major commitment or drastic undertaking. If your hair is a lighter colour, you have more options. If you are willing to add red hues, you have even more options. They are currently on sale for a great price at Zehrs, so if you feel like a change, check it out.

My rating for Natural Instincts is a 7/10 because I still haven't been able to get the results that I am truly seeking.

PS - Aren't these some horrendous photos? I don't know why I bother posting this kind of stuff! Anyway, if you have had good experience with a home hair colouring product, I would like to hear from you!

HAIR COLOUR: Advise Needed

Occasionally when I am getting bored with "my look" I start to think about colouring my hair. I have even gone so far as to purchase permanent colour from the store - but have always chickened out and taken it back. I have A LOT of hair so doing permanent colour is a big commitment. I also worry about damaging my hair,making it more frizzy or having to colour the roots continuously while it grows out.

My personal solution to this dilemma is to take the semi-permanent route of Clairol Natural Instincts. I have used this colour several times over the past 5 or so years. I even used it before my wedding. I have tried various shades. Sometimes I am happy with the results and sometimes not. The thing about this hair colour system is that it has no ammonia and low peroxide - so ultimately it is supposed to be fairly gently on your hair. You can not really lighten your hair with it, but you can enhance your natural colour, go darker, or add certain hues, such as red.
I usually prefer an even colour and thus, my options are fairly limited because my hair is dark to begin with. I can not decide if my hair is medium or dark brown. I guess I try to call it medium because I have more colour options with medium. Clairol has a pretty good website that you can go to for shades and colour suggestions. I have also called the hotline many times:
1-800-252-4765

This is my hair "before". Is it medium or dark brown???

Today I am deciding on whether to go with:

#20 Hazelnut - neutral and should enhance medium brown hair
#18 Pecan - golden and should add golden tones to medium brown hair
#28 Nutmeg - neutral and should enhance dark brown hair

Any advise????

INVESTIGATION: Skin Deep

I guess it has been over the past few years now that I have really started to spend more time pondering the concept of aging and what it means in my life. I don't mean aging in the sense of life accomplishments or mortality or any of that - I mean the good old vanity issues regarding getting older.

I have often considered blogging on this topic in the past, but have really never tackled the issue. I suppose that I wasn't exactly sure what to write about or if it would be at all remotely useful or wise to post about the things that I am most self conscious of. Would doing so make me look vain? Would I expose too much of myself? What would people think? Well, today is a new day and I am expecting that most of the people who end up reading this blog are probably already pretty familiar with the sorts of thoughts and topics that I am going to write about. Perhaps it will be another common thread that binds us?

Truth be told, there was a time when I actually didn't think that aging would really phase me too much at all. Not that I wouldn't age, but that I wouldn't be bothered by it. I guess that was before I actually started seeing the signs! Oh, the naivety of youth - so perfectly innocent! Anyway, I am in my early-mid thirties (okay, I am 33) and I have two children under 3. This will give you some perspective on where I am coming from. I'm at that point where the physical signs of aging are sprouting up in conjunction with the fatigue of being a mom of young children. It's almost like the two are collaborating and conspiring to do I don't know what...but the bottom line is that I am experiencing signs of aging and most of the time I am just too tired or too preoccupied to do anything about it.

Looking back, it sure has been a roller coaster for my mind and body. Pregnancies, weight gain, weight loss, hormones, fatigue, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, lack of proper diet...the list goes on. I just had a funny concept come to mind: could it be possible that women who choose not to have children actually age slower or more gracefully than their counterparts who are mommies? Perhaps they do, perhaps they don't...I'm not sure. I do tend to think that they would at least have more time to care for themselves! This tends to appear as a luxury in my life - or maybe that is an excuse. Us moms should take better care of ourselves, shouldn't we?!

Anyway, enter the concept of my investigation blog. It seemed remarkably coincidental (or was it the Law of Attraction?) that in very short order after deciding on this article topic today, that two things turned up on television that were connected.

(1) A commercial for ProActiv with testimonies from Jennifer Love Hewitt, Puff Daddy (Sean Combs), Jessica Simpson and Vanessa Williams. What got me about this advertisement campaign was that I could not understand why celebrities such as Vanessa Williams or Sean Combs would actually do a commercial for a product like this unless they truly cared about getting the message out to people who are are affected emotionally and socially by acne. Am I being naive? Would they do it for money? I can see a razor commercial (I am thinking about Tiger Woods) or running shoes or whatever. Okay, I just looked up the Gillette thing with Tiger Woods and it has been speculated that the three athletes involved could be getting a total of $10 - $20 million for the gig -

So maybe P.Diddy DID do it for money --- anyway, my initial thought was that they must care about the message, so it must be true so I SHOULD try to do a Human Lab investigation on ProActiv solution. I doubt that I will ever be able to bring myself to pay full price, so maybe I will find a deal or discount. Hopefully it won't be Nair or something in a ProActiv bottle!

Anyway, I don't have a major acne problem, but I am 33 and it does rear it's ugly head from time to time. Also, acne seems to mark my skin worse that it did when I was younger (and seemingly MUCH more resilient). Wow, back in the day -- I sure would have never guessed that P.Diddy would be selling me on acne solution in my thirties!

In all actuality, it was Jennifer Love Hewitt who kind of sold me on the idea because she didn't claim to have major problems with her skin, but said that she liked the glow that she got from using ProActiv. One of my biggest complaints and concerns with my skin is that it is dull. I sometimes feel 33 going on 53. Seriously. Not that there is anything wrong with 53! There are probably LOTS of 53 year old women that look and feel more polished and refreshed than I do! That is NO understatement. I call them the "City Line" women. Have you seen that show? I am getting off topic - but the City Line women are older, polished, fashionable and fabulous!

(2) An episode of Rachael Ray (and I have never tuned in to this show before with a segment on Human Lab experiments of three potential age defying products. The aging topics being tackled were "cellulite", "wrinkles" and "sagging". Wowzers. The wrinkles one is what caught my attention. They were talking about handheld electrostimulators for your face and skin. This was interesting to me because I have often passed the Neutregena one that is one sale in stores here and wondered if it would actually be worth the investment. What was interesting on Rachel Ray was that they noted that Dove has come out with a much cheaper version of this product (Dove SkinVitalizer) that is not exactly the same but may show positive results. If I can find it in Canadian stores, I think I will give it a try. If I do, I will be happy to update you regarding the results of my own Human Lab experiment.

Well, I'm getting tired. I have not blogged this much in a while. Where do I go from here with my investigations? Well, I hope to try one or two of the products featured on Rachel Ray and perhaps try some ProActiv. I would also like do try some home teeth whiteners, but I really don't want to waste my money. Does anyone have any advice to give? Tune in again for updates from my Age Defying Investigation series...

PS: On a final note, I can't help but tell you that today's FEEL GOOD song is Justin Timberlake, Sexy Back. Maybe it is because he was on Oprah today (I only caught the last few minutes) - I don't know, the beat is just stuck in my head today. My family was also affected, considering that I was bouncing my 7 month old on my lap to the tune of sexy back! ["...is bring sexy back, those other boys don't know how to act..."]

On that note, it was just on the television AGAIN - just to reinforce it in my brain. Some commercial that included a snipet of the song. I guess I'd better check if there is a video on Yahoo Music and post you the link!

Justin Timberlake music videos on Yahoo

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Product Review: Natural Instincts Hair Colour

This product review is being blogged mostly for my own reference. Note to self: DO NOT choose shade 27a from Natural Instincts ever again! My hair colour is naturally medium-dark brown and the texture is coarse and wavy. I would consider it to be quite difficult to work with and very difficult to find a compatible new style for. My hair seemed to be only slightly wavy before I got the good ol' 80s perm when I was 16. After that, it seemed to stay really curly. I let it grow for years and ended up with long hair, probably about to my waste at about age 24. I went to hairdresser only on occasion (maybe once a year) and rarely (if ever) used any colouring products (since the 80s cap-highlights, that is). Anyway, in my late twenties my curls were not as predictable and gray hairs were started to rear.

Out of advice from a family member who is a stylist, I started using Natural Instincts. First of all, I need to post a picture of my natural hair colour. I will leave a space here and try to find one!

I had success a few times at around age 30 (including for my wedding) with colour # 28 - Nutmeg, dark brown. This provided solid, all over dark brown colour. Very dark, but very even. This is a do-it-yourself product that claims to be more gentle than permanent colour. It washed out in about 28 shampoos, though I find that darker colours last longer than that. Anyway, I got sick of the dark Nutmeg shade and decided to venture out.

This is my hair before today's not-so-fortunate episode in colouring:

Before - my hair has a few subtle highlights (foils) in these photos

I believe I tried Expresso once before. I think this was about two years ago, after our first son was born. I don't think I liked the results then, so I don't know why I put it into my hair today! This newest chapter in hair colour started a couple days ago when I bought Natural Instincts on sale at Shoppers. The lady there recommended a shade, but when I got home I saw on the box that it was intended for hair that is naturally lighter than mine. I called Clairol and the CR Representative recommended #24 Ash brown. I went back to the store but was confused by all the choices. I also thought that #24 looked really dull on those silly-little hair samples that they have. I called Clairol again today and the person I spoke with recommended #20 Hazelnut, medium brown. I was going to listen, I really was -- too bad they were all out at the store and I decided to throw caution to the wind and try Expresso (forgetting about previous experience).

A disaster

These pictures probably don't really show it - but my hair is really dark with some purple and red colours. Strange. I will be going with a plain, brown selection like #20 or #24 next time...if there is a next time. We'll see how the colour changes after a wash or two...hopefully the weird tones fade out a bit. Anyway, that is my story. I have liked this product in the past, but not the last several time that I used it. I could probably do better by doing the strand test, but who has time for that!!?? I did the colouring today while both kids were napping! Too bad it didn't turn out A cool, new hair colour would have been refreshing!