Rene Furterer Naturia Dry Shampoo

Hair looking a little lifeless? Second-day hair not smelling so great?

Bangs a little flat? Strands looking a little oily?

That's when dry shampoo will be your best friend. I try to keep my thin hair as healthy as possible by washing it only every other day, but sometimes it's hard to keep up with this routine because my strands just get so darn greasy-looking by the morning of the second day. Before I discovered dry shampoo, I used to just pull my hair into a ponytail and call it a day. After I saw the light (haha), dry shampoo has become an absolute essential in my everyday routine.

This one by Rene Furterer ($24) is my personal favorite. I've been using it for the past 2 years and I think I'm on my 4th or 5th can by now. Recently, I bought the smaller version to throw into my purse and use on the go. Once, I tried using Ojon's dry shampoo when the Rene Furterer was sold out (the Sephora I used to frequent in LA kept selling out of Rene every time they restocked), but the smell was so off-putting that I suffered without my beloved dry shampoo for a week and exchanged the Ojon when the Rene was back in stock.

Unlike the Ojon, which smelled strongly to me of old lady perfume and gave me a headache, Rene Furterer's dry shampoo smells fresh and awesome. Who wants to have hair that smells worse after dry shampoo than before?? Not me. Rene has basil, caraway, and peppermint to help "refresh and deep-cleanse" hair...rice, corn starch, clay, and silica powders to "absorb sebum and impurities"...and best of all?

"Colored iron oxides" to "add color to the powder for easy application." See the above? Let me tell you, for those of you with any hair color other than blonde or gray, this is a godsend. No more looking like you had a bag of flour dumped on your head. The flesh-colored dry shampoo is great for darker hair and absorbs quickly. leaving no residue behind.

Just lift up pieces of hair and spray towards the roots.

Don't forget the other side, too.

Look! Instant volume! Just wait 2 minutes, gently pat with a towel to get rid of the excess...

...and comb out your bangs. I like to flip my hair upside down and shake it a bit with my fingers. When I flip my head back again, my hair is voluminous and looks like it did the first day after I showered.

Fix a few strands here and there and you're good to go!

Rene Furterer's dry shampoo really does leave your hair "light, luminous, and perfectly healthy without the use of water." While it's great for use to avoid frequent shampooing, I also find that it's perfect for giving my bangs some lift after styling in the morning and an absolute lifesaver if I'm about to go out with my friends at night and need my hair to look as fresh as it did when I first left the house (I see no point in showering beforehand if I'm going to be outside anyway, so I usually shower after I get back). I have much more freedom with my hair; instead of having to resort to finding ways to mask the dirtiness, I can simply spray and be out the door with the same straight style I had if I wanted to.

The only gripe I have with this product is its price tag--$24 for 3.2 oz and $12 for 1.6 oz...but until I find something cheaper that works as well as this, I'm going to have to stick with Rene Furterer for my dry shampoo needs.

Do any of you love dry shampoo, too?

Any recommendations for a cheaper alternative?

Do tell! :)

Guerlain Meteorites in Perles Imperials

Picked up this baby during the Sephora F&F Sale--Guerlain Limited Edition Meteorites Powder for the Face in Perles Imperials! This is part of the Winter 09 Collection. I first saw it at the Guerlain store in while I was in Las Vegas, but hesitated to buy it then and there. I love my Meteorites Powder in Mythic, so I was expecting a lot with Perles Imperials.

The packaging itself, as with all Guerlain products, is elegant and beautiful. I love the all-black design

Unfortunately, what I thought were rhinestones on top were actually just holographic indents made to look like rhinestones. NOOOO!!! :( Is it just my particular box??

At least the inside didn't disappoint. This particular powder has mauve, white, pink, and gold spheres in different sizes to help "instantly brighten and even skintone" for a "fresh, sublimely smooth complexion." It gives a "lit from within" glow and helps set your make up. I like using my Meteorites as a finishing touch after foundation, but I usually use it after moisturizer and concealer. Because I don't use foundation every day anymore, this is an essential step in my morning routine because it really does even out my skintone even when I only have concealer on my face! Perles Imperials is a little too sparkly for use during the daytime, so I save it for evenings. Mythic works better for me during the day. Still, this is a nice splurge :)


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Quick hair accessory of the day: giant purple flower headband from F21~

I bought this headband a while ago and finally got around to wearing it. It's a huge accessory, so I paired it with a simple purple cardigan and plaid scarf. Perfect for a chilly morning with a hot coffee!



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Thanksgiving is tomorrow, what are your plans??? I'm back home in Northern California for the weekend and cooking most of the food for my family tomorrow. I have a turkey being brined as I type, ready for tomorrow. I'm also making roasted garlic mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, roasted brussel sprouts/carrots/onions, and maple bacon biscuits. My sister is bringing corn muffins and I think we have a ham ready to bake. I can't wait to FEAST!! Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving! <3

Today I decided to sweep my bangs over my eyes and somehow it ended up covering my whole face. I liked the results though; it looks a little edgier. I'm contemplating getting some bangs since I can't do much with the rest of my hair right now....I've had such conservative-looking hair for so long that I don't think I'll mind going a little shaggier and punk rock....thoughts?

Maybe some different colors in there? Hmm....

Accessories of the day: zipper necklace from F21, crucifix necklace is from my mom. Layered together and worn with silver hoops

Hair Accessory of the Day 9/2/09

Anyone who knows me in real life knows that I have a penchant for headbands. I don't think I ever left the 2nd grade, because I've been wearing them from then until now. Before all the headband hype generated from Gossip Girl, I've been sporting and collecting this undeniably girly accessory. A lot of my headbands are collected from random places here and there, but a great many of them are from Forever 21. Yea, yea....overlooking the whole sweatshop controversy, you have to admit that F21 has some majorly chic, cool, cute, and awesome stuff. Headbands are one of them. Plus the prices don't break your bank so you can afford to have a wide variety!

Today's featured hair accessory is this cream, vintage-inspired piece. Love! I wore it with a simple white tank, jeans, and gold sandals, but I wish I had a pretty, lacy vintage dress to go with it

Close up, quote taken from F21 website: "This vintage inspired headband is covered with satin and trimmed with twill tape and chiffon ribbon. A jeweled stone sits up top surrounded with pearls and bugle beads"

Silly face just because. By the way, I've been trying to give my skin a rest by not using any foundation other than for special occasions. Moisturizer, SPF, and concealer are a nice reprieve, but I miss the even look I got from my mineral powder :( Excuse the blotches! BUT, I must admit my skin is liking the break

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On another note, I have a hair dilemma!

This is what my hair looked like when I last cut it, back in May (picture is just from a series of me and my cousins messing around with the camera after a wedding)....

.....and this is what it looks like now. I hate it! It looks so awkward...shorter in the back than the front! I'm still unsure of whether I should cut it again or not, but even if I don't, I'm still stuck with this weird length until it's long enough for a trim. Any suggestions on how I can cut it or at least style it so it'll look better???


More accessories next time! :)