Saturday 1 November 2014

Fake bangs, part 1

The failed fake bangs have only seemed to stoke my urge to get a proper wig part.
But I have also been afraid of having to deal with more trouble of having to return something that didn’t work again. I guess you really can’t properly see the colour of a wig part on a computer screen: You need to see it close to your own hair in a variation of light conditions.

So I ordered a colour ring showcasing the colours available to Swedish brand Rapunzel that specialises in hair extensions. They have a line of fake bangs in artificial fibres that I am interested in.

So, out in direct sunlight with me and the colour ring. 


The colour ring. I like how the artificial fibers feel close to my own hairs texture. Very different from the fine and fragile-feeling human hair bangs I tried. 


Colour #08: Copper brown.
Too dark, too red.


Colour #09: After much searching I haven't been able to find this one anywhere. I guess they don't stock/make this colour anymore? 


Colour #10: Medium ash brown. Pretty good fit, don't you think?


Colour #12: Golden brown. Also a pretty good fit!


Colour #16: Light copper blonde. Hmm. Indoors I thought this looked pretty close, but I guess the light tricked me?

Hmm. Now that I have taken the pictures out of the camera I can see I need to check the colours out in unnatural light too.

Friday 31 October 2014

Look what I just ordered!





It's been a very long time since I was last "Wow!"ed by a hair tool, but this one did it for me!

The stick is 6.96” (17,7cm) long and 1.45” (3,7cm) wide, so the size should be perfect for me too.

WoodArtJewelry on Etsy

Thursday 30 October 2014

Cool!

I have enough indigo for several treatments for the ends, even though I only bought tiny little sample packs. So I placed an order for more cassia and more Indian henna samples at Hennabutiken.

They have cassia in 4-packs now, so that’s pretty sweet.
Hennabutiken sent me a sample of Jamila henna for free too. Cool!
I wonder if it’s a hint: “Here, try this too!


Wednesday 29 October 2014

Today’s hair: Knotted, bunned braids

Continuing my experiments with knotted updos.

Dual French braids knotted together and wrapped up in a bun. Got slightly lopsided and looks rather messy, but none the less I thought it looked cool!

Tuesday 28 October 2014

Smackdown: Leave in conditioner with SPF


I just realised I have four leave in conditioners boasting of having SPF properties standing around.  
Time to do a comparison! 


I found a very nice site for analysing ingredients.
You simply copy + paste the ingredient list and it spits out a partial analysis of the product. It lists the function of each ingredient in the product, if the ingredient has a SPF effect, if the ingredient has any acne or irritant-issues and if the ingredient has any safety issues from agencies or studies.

I haven’t entirely figured out how the “acne” and “irritant” is graded though.
The general “safety” is on a simple scale of five.
The UV factor also seems to have some sort of grading system: A pie-chart looking kind of marker for UVA and UVB. I guess the important thing is if it contains SPF or not.


Anyways. I like the site. My lack of understanding of it aside, it’s a whole lot easier than to look up the ingredients one by one and sorting through the information. 


Schwarzkopf Bonacure Hairtherapy Sun Protect Soft Ends Fluid

Looks and image
Nice and handy little tube bottle. Brown and orange “sunny” colours.

Scent
Sort of warm and nice.

Touch
Very thick, almost butter-like consistency. I think this is the first time I felt a product was too thick and it was slightly irritating to distribute in my hair.

Rinse ability
Had no problems getting this off my hands again.

Usability
Very good hold.

Price and value
75 ml.
Bought for 39 SEK at lyko.com.
0,52 SEK per 1 ml

Ingredients
Aqua, dimethicone, polyquaternium-37, distearoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methyosulfate, cetearyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, mica, parfum, quaternium-91, panthenol, isomyl p-methoxycinnamate, methylparaben, tocopheryl acetate, cetrimonium methosulfate, lactic acid, linalool, limonene, citronellol, benzyl salicylate, alpha-isomethyl ionone, hydrolyzed keratin, elaeis guineensis oil, CI 77891.


Ingredient breakdown
23 ingredients.
Acne: 2 ingredients has a marker (8%)
Irritant: 1 ingredient has a marker (4%)

Full green: 2 (8%)
Part green: 9 (39%)
Yellow: 10 (43%)
Part red: 0
Full red: 0
2 ingredients without safety-markers

Almost half the ingredients with safety-markers are in yellow. The other half is in green.
Looking at the screenshot, you can easily tell how many yellow markers are on the list.

The SPF is the very last ingredient on the list. Hmm! I wonder how much that adds up to? Close to nothing?

Conclusion
Honestly, how much SPF could possibly be in this? Not cool. I know SPF contents in hair products isn't regulated, but still? You would expect it to have an actual effect, right?

Matrix Biolage Sunsorials UV Sparkling Lotion

Looks and image
Tube bottle. Clean white and orange colours.

Scent
Clean and warm scent. Reminds me of some sunscreen I used once.

Touch
This had a thick, almost Jello-like consistency when I squeezed it out, but it was still easy to distribute. I could see the "sparkle" in the product when I squeezed it out but it disappeared when I put it in my hair.
Didn't get weird or sticky or anything during the day.

Rinse ability
Good. My hands were clean again after just rinsing with water.

Usability
Good hold.

Price and value
150 ml.
Bought for 69 SEK at lyko.com.
0,46 SEK per 1 ml
Best value of all 4, but barely.

Ingredients
Aqua/water, cyclopentasiloxane, dimethiconol, propylene glycol, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, polyquaternium-37, PVP, phenoxyethanol, propylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate, PEG-150/steryl alcohol/SMDI copolymer, parfum/fragrance, methylparaben, mica, helianthus anuus seed oil/sunflower seed oil, PPG-1 trideceth-6, limonene, CI 77491/iron oxides, alpha-isomethyl ionone, geraniol, benzyl benzoate, hydroxycitronellal (F.I.L. D43924/1)


Okay, here is the big glaring, obvious problem: This "UV sparkling lotion" containss no sunscreen ingredients. None.
Matrix, no. Just... No. 
No. No. Bad company. Much misleading. Very fail! 
Just no.

Ingredient breakdown
21 ingredients.
Acne: 1 ingredient has a marker (4%)
Irritant: 0

Full green: 3 (13%)
Part green: 7 (30%)
Yellow: 9 (39%)
Part red: 1 (4%)

Full red: 0
1 ingredient without safety-marker

Approximately half the ingredients are in green or part green, the other is in yellow or red.
Looking at the screenshot, you can easily tell how many yellow markers are on the list.

Conclusion
Let me just repeat again: This "UV sparkling lotion" has no sunscreen ingredients. Totally uncool.
Approximately half the ingredients are in green or part green, the other is in yellow or red.

L'Oréal Paris Elvital Extraordinary Oil, Coloured Hair

Looks and image
Heavy glass pump bottle. Obviously trying to look luxurious with the real glass. I dislike the glass bottle immensely: It seems very unsafe and impractical in a bathroom that could be damp, when using it in combination with wet hair.
This product is still all over in the media. The ads are quite difficult to avoid if you read anything remotely “girly” actually. The ads have greatly annoyed me: They seem to be the textbook example of “fluffy jargon” about the luxurious and exotic oils it contains.

Scent
Has a sort of sharp ,alcoholic smell but it disappears once I put it in my hair. It reminds me of a perfume, but I can’t remember the name.

Touch
Very thin and runny, waterlike product.

Rinse ability
I needed soap to wash this one off and even then I felt I had residue left. Definitely wouldn't recommend using this alone and undiluted.

Usability
The heavy glass bottle is such a minus. I’m seriously waiting for myself to just watch this thing slip out of my hands and shatter on the bathroom floor.
The shine is a bit too heavy for me with this.
It has no hold, which is a big minus for me: I like my leave in products to offer some hold. 

Price and value
100 ml.
I bought it for 65 DKK in a supermarket in Denmark, so 81 SEK.
0,65 SEK per 1 ml.
Worst value of the 4.

Ingredients
Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denat, Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethiconol,iC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Chamomilla Recutita Extract/MatricaralFlower Extract, CocoslNucifera Oil /Coconut Oil, Ethylhexyll Methoxcinnamate, Nelumbium Specosum Extract / Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Cinnamal, Linalool, Linum Usitatissimum Flower Extract, Caprylic/CapriiTriglyceride, Gardenia TahitensislFlower Extract, RosalCanina Flower Extract, Bisabolol Glycine SojalOil/Soybean Oil, Parfum/Fragrance.



Ingredient breakdown
18 ingredients.
Acne: 2 ingredients have a marker (11%)
Irritant: 2 ingredients have a marker (11%)

Full green: 3 (16%)
Part green: 4 (22%)
Yellow: 3 (16%)
Part red: 2 (11%)

Full red: 0
4 ingredients without safety-markers

The SPF ingredient is number 8 on the list. Not too bad actually.

The ingredient breakdown has the safety markers quite a bit all over the place.
It has 3 ingredients in total that are known for having acne or irritant-issues. For me personally, any coconut oil is a quick way to get my skin to be irritated and break out.
2 ingredients are also in red.

This product seems to be cones, cones, and then comes the oils.

Conclusion
What use is this product aimed for? Glossing up dull hair to make it appear healthier?
I would never use this product alone as it offers no hold. Diluted in a creamy leave in conditioner, I guess it would function as a gloss-booster for me, but nothing else.

Schwarzkopf Gliss Hair repair color protect

Looks and image
Pump style bottle. Dark red colour.

Scent
Sort of warm and nice.

Touch
A little thick and slimy, but still easy to distribute in my hair.

Rinse ability
Pretty easy to get off my hands again.

Usability
The pump action was pretty irritating. I found I wanted a little extra product in my hair after the first dose, but with wet and slimy hands it was pretty irritating to work. Especially when the little bottle is wet and slippery. I would want to empty it into my usual Sunsilk bottles. At least then I can get exactly as much product as I want out of it.

Price and value
100 ml
I bought it for 39 DKK in a supermarket in Denmark, so 49 SEK.
0,49 SEK per 1 ml.

Ingredients
Aqua, polyquaternium-37, propylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate, dimethicone, prunus armeniaca kernel oil, benzopenone-4, quartz, panthenol, cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed keratin, hydrolyzed keratin, amodimethicone, mica, phenoxyethanol, parfum, PPG-1 tridecth-6, sodium methylparaben, polyquaternium-10, citric acid, polyquaternium-11, propylene glycol, trideceth-12, linalool, limonene, geraniol, coumarin, CI 77491, CI 77891.


Ingredient breakdown
27 ingredients.
Acne: 3 ingredients have a marker (11%)
Irritant: 0

Full green: 3 (11%)
Part green: 13 (48%)
Yellow: 6 (22%)
Part red: 2 (7%)
Full red: 1 (3%)
1 ingredient without safety-marker

The SPF ingredients are number 6 and 27 on the list. Not bad at all.

The ingredient breakdown has the safety markers quite a bit all over the place.

Contains some oil, sun screen, panthenol and keratin, which is surprisingly good ingredients.

Conclusion
It offered a good thickness of the product and good ingredients in it, but the little pump-bottle is a bit annoying. Otherwise, I think this is my favourite product out of the 4...

Sunday 26 October 2014

I won’t cut my hair

Oh man. Such a blast from the past.
The song embedded below is all the way back from 1987.
It’s by a Danish band originally named Disneyland after Dark, until Disney threatened to sue and is now usually shortened to D-A-D or D:A:D.
I have 6-7 of their albums. Haha.

Lead singer Jesper did maintain an impressive mane for many years. Bass player Stig have always had those wonderfully blonde curls as far as I know (Jealous. Hmm).

Anyways. My boring comments aside… Here. Enjoy!



Lyrics
I got hair in my ears
I got hair in my nose
I got hair on my back
And between my toes
When the time comes and my hairwash is due
I'm gonna use one ton of shampoo
But don't give me those sentimental eyes
'Coz I'm proud and my hair is nice

It's not fair when people they stare
I love the colours I wear
I wont cut my hair
I wont cut my hair
Oh no, I wont cut my hair
'Coz I'm proud of my hair

It's like in the funny fairytale
I dry my hair the Rapunzel way
You just climb up the six floors
To my hairy home
And I'll fix u a smoke in the blend of my own
Yeah, I'll make you a hot pot of tea
Take off your clothes and feel free
And get down in my hair
And make me insane
Lets get airborn on a window-pain

It's not fair when people they stare...

I'll diiiiie without my hair

Yeah right I play in the band
And I would love to be your private disneyland
I'll be your own amusement park
Then you can ride me
And ride me after dark
If they send me to the rows of death
For having illegal dope
I will order my last meal
Before it's the chair
Hamburger french fries'n'coke

Take those scissors away
I wont cut my hair

'Cause I'm proud and my hair is nice
I love my hair
I'm in love with my hair

I'm in love with my haaaaiiiir