Amika Shine Spray

Hi everyone! I am lucky enough to have President's Day off today so I am excited. I was excited to get some swatching done, but I guess I should have done more yesterday because it's freekin' snowing, AGAIN! I hate it! Yucky!!! But on another note I got a new camera and I am so excited to play with it. It has a "super macro" setting so it should take amazing nail photos. My husband got it for me for Valentine's Day! I love it! So the next few photos prob won't be from the new camera but soon I will be exclusively using it! So on to today's review: 

Today I am reviewing Amika Shine Spray which is an oil based hair product. It has Sea Buckthorn oil, which is becoming more and more popular in beauty products of late and Moroccan Argan Oil which is also a hot product right now.  Here's what the company has to say about it:

This product smells so good. I think it's the Argan Oil because the Morccon Argan Oil products my salon uses smells similar. It's really pretty and fruity/fresh.

If you use the proper amount (more on that later) it does help when styling your hair. I found if I didn't use too much I was able to blow dry it easier and the ends would curl in or out, however I directed them better than if I didn't use any product. 

A little goes a long way! I'd suggest spraying this product into your hands and smoothing it onto your hair. If you spray it directly into your hair you run the risk of saturating some spots of your hair with product making it look greasy, after all, it is an oil.  So be careful. The nozzle can be hard to control, it can come out in a wide spray or pretty narrow direct spray. So stick to placing it in your hands first. 

I do like the shine that the proper amount of this stuff leaves in my hair. It does leave your hair looking "done" after styling. It controls static electricity fly aways and frizz well.  So you're left with smooth styled hair which is the look we all go for I am sure.

Amika Shine Spray can be purchased at loveamika.com for $24.  I think the price is slightly high but it's natural and the bottle is HUGE; 3.38 fl. oz.  Like I said, a little goes a long way so it will last a long long time.  

Overall I think if  you're looking to splurge on  a high end hair product this is a really nice oil.  The smell alone makes me happy! 

Have you tried Amika Shine Spray? What do you think of it? Have you tried any other Sea Buckthorn or Argan oil products? I'd love to hear recommendations!

Disclosure: This product was provided by PR for review purposes. All reviews are 100% honest and done at my discretion. For more information please see my Disclosure Policy

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Get the Golden Globe Looks

Please enjoy the following press release. All info and images were provided by PR.

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Get the looks from your favorite Hollywood starlettes from The Golden Globes with products from Deborah Lippmann and Amika. 

Deborah Lippmann has been known to glam up some of the most high profile celebrities. It is no surprise that she polished one of the hottest stars of the season at this years’ Golden Globe Awards.  Nominee Anne Hathaway looked absolutely stunning as she walked the red carpet in a pink Armani Prive gown, fully embellished with sequins and Swarovski crystals selected by celeb stylist Rachel Zoe.  

To complement the look, Deborah used a starry opalescent pink called I Dreamed You.  Her nails were topped off with Rachel Zoe’s favorite top coat, Addicted To Speed.

Glee star Heather Morris turned heads at the Golden Globes this year with a classic and elegant look and beautifully styled locks.  Her stylist wanted to create a super simple look that would allow the dress to really shine on its own.

David used Amika hair tools and products to create the look.  Here are the steps he followed:

-         Start with 2 - in -1 Volumizing Spray at the root to give extra lift.

-         To set the curls, start at the nape of the neck and wrap one inch sections of hair around the 19 mm clampless curler.

-         Brushed out the hair to form large waves.

-         Lightly pulled back the hair into a low pony tail with a clear elastic, leaving out the bangs and a small section near the front. 

-         Twist the ponytail and pin into the base.

-         Finish the look with the Shine Spray for a gorgeous red carpet ready look.

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It's always fun to figure out exactly what is being worn on the red carpet.  I think I really need a nice clampless curling iron! 

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Umberto Beverly Hills Blow Dry Lotion

Hi everyone! I wanted to do a quick and different review for you all. I was recently given a chance to try the Umberto Beverly Hills Blow Dry Lotion and I wanted to share my thoughts on the product.  

For background, my hair is long and thick and when it air drys it is disastrous. LOL okay it's not so bad, it's just wavy in an unruly way, so I usually blow dry and flat iron my hair. My hair takes FOREVER to dry and I usually don't use products other than a heat protectant which is probably why it takes even longer to dry. I have been using this for about a month now so I think it's an appropriate amount of time to form an accurate opinion. 

This is product is a light lotion type consistency. It smells nice in my opinion. It's sort of a unisex scent, fresh, clean, slightly cologne like but not overpowering at all. It's not as cologne like as Chi or Bio Silk products, it's scent is subtle and pleasant and once your hair is dry you don't smell it at all really.  The consistency is nice and does not weigh down my hair at all which is a blessing.

This product is used on damp hair before blow drying. I use the recommended nickel sized amount and put it through all of my hair with my fingers then I blow dry as usual. 

I have to say, this absolutely cut down my drying time by a significant amount. I was really surprised the first time I used this.  I love that about this. It cuts down the drying time and makes me have to use my flat iron a little less because I get pretty sleek results from just blow drying. In fact, if I was pressed for time I would feel comfortable skipping the flat iron all together because this really does give me a nice frizz free look. I am really happy with the results. 

Here's a screenshot of the back of the bottle showing both directions and ingredients:

As you can see, it's paraben free which is great because I know many people are concerned with that. 

Overall if you're having issues with you hair taking forever to blow dry I'd suggest trying this out because I really have been taking much less time to dry my hair. I really love the consistency, smell and results so I can honestly say when this bottle is gone I will purchase another one. 

You can purchase this product at Target stores (LOVE TARGET!!!) for $9.99.  I go to Target all the time so I am excited that this is so readily available and inexpensive. The bottle is HUGE so I find the price reasonable.  The bottle is 8 fl. oz. which is HUGE and since you don't need much it should last months.

Have you tried this or any other product by Umberto? Let me know! I think I am going to check out more of their products next time I am at Target.

Disclosure: This item was provided by PR for consideration. All reviews are done at my discretion and are 100% honest.  Please refer to my disclosure policy above for more information.

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Holiday Beauty Offerings from Target!

So let's be honest, "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmassssssssss everyyyyyyyy where we goooooo." Retail outlets are prepping for Christmas in full force and I don't know about you but I have already almost FINISHED my Christmas shopping! (I know, I am insane). But I wanted to share some Christmas shopping ideas for the makeup lover in your life.

I LOVE Target so I was excited to get this press release about some amazing  items available in their beauty section. Please enjoy these videos featuring the designers showing off the products available this holiday season in your local Target and offering their tips on how to create fun holiday looks.

I am especially excited about these Jemma Kidd and Napoleon Pardis offerings.  

Press Release: 

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Hectic holiday schedules require festive looks that are fast and easy to create, and most importantly reflect the wearer’s personal style.  Make a statement to fit any look this holiday season with how-to tips from Target beauty design partners Jemma Kidd, Napoleon Perdis, Petra Strand and Umberto Savone, using their glam essentials available at Target this holiday season. 

Runway Fixes from Jemma Kidd

International makeup artist and busy mom Jemma Kidd uses her vast knowledge of backstage tricks and fixes to create products that make it easy to disguise flaws and create eye-catching looks with minimal products.  Jemma explains how to use two of her latest creations, JK Jemma Kidd Backstage Kit ($35) and JK Jemma Kidd Mannequin Skin Perfector Kit ($22) to fake a full night’s sleep and create any look from runway to reality.  

Target Beauty - JK Jemma Kidd from LaForce Stevens on Vimeo.

Alluring Eyes from Napoleon Perdis

Makeup maestro Napoleon Perdis knows that women don’t need to spend a lot to get maximum impact.  Discover how to create the coveted metallic smoky eye look with his new NP Set Smoke Signals Eye Palette ($9.99), or how to add a touch of drama to a classic neutral eye with his NP Set New Neutrals Eye Palette ($9.99).

Target Beauty - NP Set Holiday 2010 from LaForce Stevens on Vimeo.

A Radiant Holiday Glow from Petra Strand

Known around the globe for her simple, makeup to wakeup approach, makeup artist Petra Strand makes it easy to create a festive holiday look with products that are perfect for on-the-go application.  Petra shares her tips on how to use her Pixi Essentials Kit ($28), Pixi Nude Shade Wardrobe ($26) and Pixi Lip & Line ($18) to create a look that is pretty and polished in seconds.

Target Beauty - Pixi Holiday 2010 from LaForce Stevens on Vimeo.

Glamorous, Easy-to-Attain Styles from Umberto Savone
From a modern twist on the classic chignon to an edgy pompadour, Beverly Hills stylist Umberto Savone offers looks to complement any holiday party ensemble.  Each unique style can be created with his how-to tips using products from Umberto Beverly Hills, including Volumizing Thickening Spray ($8.99), Ionic Ceramic Styling Iron ($79.99), Shimmer Spray ($8.99), Dry Clean Dry Shampoo ($8.99), Banana Brush ($8.99) and Super Hold Hair Spray ($8.99). 

Target Beauty - Umberto Holiday 2010 from LaForce Stevens on Vimeo.

Any of these items on your Christmas list this year?

All information, video and photo was obtained directly from PR. 

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