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Lorri Goddard Clark at the Neil George uses a technique called balliage for highlighting. This is her specialty, in fact, she is the international expert of this technique and teaches it to other salons including the John Freida Salon in London. People fly in from all over the world to get this done by her. This is a self made video of her describing the technique while she is doing it, you really need to see it to fully appreciate the artistry required. In case the audio is poor, she is saying that she gets full control of where the color goes and that it is the haute couture of highlighting. She also can remove color at different times as they are ready, usually the ends because it is previously colored. This process is around $350 (she is actually doing my friend's hair here and that's what she pays) but it all depends on the individual. I know we have been waxing on about the Neil George Salon but it is really the best in LA and Neil is so so super sweet. Located at 9320 Civic Center Drive, Beverly Hills, 310.275.2808 (call for appointments).

Four winners will be picked by telling us, in the comments, whose celebrity hair is pictured above. US residents only please!

The Esencia by Samy line is 100% vegan, natural and organic and each set we are giving away will include their White Lotus Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner - both formulated with Barley and Nettle - and their Vanilla Styling Crème which is formulated with Macadamia and Sunflower. The products are free of sulfates, parabens and phthalates - that can strip hair's natural protective layers and fade color - resulting in shiny, healthy hair! Plus how fab is the packaging with the ball-shaped cap (the caps are actually pop up caps as well - the pop button blends in with the cap)!!?

A big thank you to our lovely sponsor Esencia by Samy!

I have a frizzy hair problem so I've tried a lot of different palmades and gels and cremes to calm it down. The trick is to find one that doesn't weight it down. Or make it look greasy. The TRESemme 24 Hour Body Weightless Creme does the trick. It goes on super light, it is not at all greasy and does not leave a residue. I put this on after blow drying and it keeps the body I've tried so hard to achieve while styling. It gives it a slight shine, nothing like the shine I get with the palmade but the trade off is that my hair won't start looking greasy the next day. You can't use too much though, of course. I use a tiny size dot because I only put it on my ends and I don't recommend putting this on the roots because it will start to weigh down the hair and force you to prematurely wash your hair. This Frugal Snob friendly creme is only $5.

I'm a little bit pissed at this thing because I burnt my fingers on it but at least this thing works, it gets really hot! This is the second hot air brush I bought, the Conair 1000W Ionic Hot Brush is totally useless, it blows so softly that it doesn't even do anything on my baby's wispy hair, much less my super coarse and thick hard to dry hair. I wanted something like this because I thought it would be faster and easier than using a brush and blow dryer. No matter how hard I try, I can't get the look of a professional blowout on my own. Obviously. So I figured, I might as well get convenience and speed if I am not going to get the salon look. This Air Brush is 1000 watts, which means, this thing is strong and hot (ooh-la-la!)! The ion really does make a difference in speeding up the dry time, that along with the metal shaft that heats up (and burns your finger if you're not careful), it does the job in record time. I can start with wet hair, not straight out of the shower wet but towel dried, curl the brush on one section and it will dry it completely in less than 15 seconds. I do pretty big sections so it doesn't curl as much but I then go back and do smaller sections to get more curl where I want it. The problem is, my hair is really stubborn so I have to really twist the hair onto the brush, so after I learned my lesson, I had to turn off the dryer first, curl the hair in and turn it back on, which is not a big deal since the switch is on the handle where my thumb is. There is a cool setting which sets the hair. The ion switch is optional but why not just have that on all the time? Can't vouch for the anti-static claim since that is not a problem I have but it does leave my hair pretty smooth. Time saver, yes. Perfect hair? I haven't gotten the hang of it yet but I think I might get there. At Folica for $32.95, which is a great price, I got mine at a salon wholesaler for $35.

The Esencia by Samy line is 100% vegan, natural and organic and each set we are giving away will include their White Lotus Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner - both formulated with Barley and Nettle - and their Vanilla Styling Crème which is formulated with Macadamia and Sunflower. The products are free of sulfates, parabens and phthalates - that can strip hair's natural protective layers and fade color - resulting in shiny, healthy hair! Plus how fab is the packaging with the ball-shaped cap (the caps are actually pop up caps as well - the pop button blends in with the cap)!!?

A big thank you to our lovely sponsor Esencia by Samy!

Lady Gaga photo from people.com; Nicole Richie photo from Blackbookmag.com

Lady Gaga is my latest celebrity obsession. I find her style so refreshingly unique and her dedication to looking "tranny-chic" is simply fabulous (plus what about her dedication to going pant-less!). She's confident and secure in her skin which love her or hate her I think is admirable (she actually grew-up in NYC and went to the Covent of the Sacred Heart school with my good friend Cristina Civetta who vouches that she's very sweet!). She's become so trendsetting in fact that Nicole Richie channeled her look when she appeared on the cover of BlackBook Magazine this month. What do you think of her bleach blonde hair -- Snob or Slob? Jump for info on some just released L'Oreal hair color products!

The hair this season on the runway was crazy fabulous! I loved the extreme hair looks that we saw (the photo above was taken backstage at Marc Jacobs -- literally the epitome of extreme glamour), and now thanks to two brand new products from Bumble and Bumble we can get the look as well! Bb. Gel and Gellac are the first gels in the Bumble and Bumble line that have been tested and perfected backstage at Fashion Week over several seasons. Bb. Gel can be applied, shaped, dried and easily brushed out to create amazingly soft shapes with memory and hold. It's also perfect for spring's neat, simple pony. Unlike most gels, this one won't leave your hair nasty -- it's the 80s look minus the damaged sticky hair and frizz:) The real gem for bold looks however is Gellac. It's Bb's new powerhouse product based on an editorial tool, Gafquat 732, which has traditionally been used to create extreme, shiny shapes for photo shoots, but is close to impossible to rinse out. That problem is solved with Gellac which can be removed with shampoo. My friend who has short hair tried Gellac (it's has a gel-like consistency) -- gave herself some spikes for fun! -- literally her hair was solid as a rock. If you're going for a bold look Gellac is a wonderful and quick way to achieve it, but just remember that it will set quickly and that a little goes a very long way!

Photos from Instyle.com and People.com

My hair is probably as long as it has ever been (about bust-length), and while I love wearing it down and straight, often times when I go out at night I'll deck myself-out in bold accessories and tend to feel like if I wear my hair down it's a bit distracting from my outfit! I'm not into fussy up-dos so I'm all about a sleek ponytail (plus I get my hair cut with a razor so it has great texture at the ends which a ponytail shows-off). I've been a big fan of Redken's Iron Silk 07 since it came-out a few months ago -- it protects your hair from heat styling products, but it also speeds-up the process of getting your hair silky smooth. I just spray a little bit in my hair -- section by section -- as I'm straightening (don't put too much or your hair will get a bit stiff). When you're done straightening Kerastase has a new product called Double Force Controle Ultime which is a multi-protective finishing hair spray with a firm hold and protective UV shield that's a great final touch before heading-out. Plus it helps guard against humidity while remaining light and free of residue which is especially important now that it's starting to get a bit warmer out. The most important thing about a sleek ponytail however is for it to be frizz-free! Jump for some frizz control solutions!

As the awards season comes to an end we have a special giveaway for you. We are giving away this"Tour Tested Rockstar Approved" Rockaholic Collection from Tiji which was a party favor from the Grammy's. Goes to show that not only can you party like a rock star, but style like one too.
This set includes the Livin' The Dream Sulfate-Free Shampoo + Eneregy that will bring the shine and strength to the wildest of locks. The Livin The Dream Daily Conditioner + Energy gives your strands a daily dose of green tea, goji berry, gotu kola and multi-minerals, it's like a multi-vitamin for your hair! The Rocktastic Hardcore Spray Gel supplies you with a hard hold that will keep your due in place. It also includes the Punk Out Molding Gunk which will seperate and add texture all while moisturizing.

Enter to win the Rockaholic Collection by answering the following: Who is this American Musician who took the Grammy for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance? Please place your answer in the comments by Fri. March 6th by 11:59pm EST. One entry per person. Please make sure to use an active email address so that we can contact you when you win.

The Neil Geroge salon is the current top A-lister salon in Beverly Hills with clients like Reese Witherspoon, Heidi Klum, Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz and Paula Abdul. Since I have had a string of bad luck with my stylists either on constant maternity leave, traveling or moving, I decided to make an appointment with encouragement from my fabulous friend who used to fly in from London just to get her hair done by the good folks at Neil George (she lives in LA now!). With all this hoopla, I was expecting Neil to be your typical primadonna celebrity stylist but instead I was embraced by his total lack of pretense. He appreciates his high profile clientele but says he treats everyone the same, lucky for me I guess! Neil grew up in London's east end, a son of a modest working family (his dad is a cab driver). He took up hairdressing so he can learn a "trade" but it also encompassed his love and inclination to all things fashion. His technical talent was immediate but he attributes his success to his people skills. As soon as I sat down, I knew I had found my new stylist, plus he is the kind of guy I wanted to have a drink with. As a stylist, he knew what I wanted, what looks good on me and has the skills to make it so.

He is of course on top of trends but he warns up front that the most important thing to keep in mind is what looks good on an individual and to not pay too much attention to trends when it comes to hair. Bangs and the cropped bob are in but he reserves them only for the appropriate face. With the Oscars coming up, he says we will be seeing a lot of vintage sets like what you see on Mad Men. Curls tucked under and set (think, Dita von Teese). He gave me the brunette bombshell which made me instantly glamorous but the cut unstyled is the best I've had. There are lots of long layers with tons of movement but most importantly for me, it looks great straight out of the shower and air dried. Even when wet, you can see the swaying, texture and shape which is how you can tell you got a good cut. I am definitely going back to Neil. At $225, he is the best deal in his league by far. Neil George Salon on 9320 Civic Center Drive, Beverly Hills, 310.275.2808.

If there's one thing I've learned from having been single on Valentine's Day/having inept boyfriends in the past is that if there's no one to indulge you, you have to indulge yourself. Why not take this excuse to treat yourself like Bag Snob Kelly pointed-out over on Bag Snob! Start your day with The Botanical Express treatment ($120) at Phyto Universe . The treatment includes an invigorating shampoo, deep conditioning, and styling and in celebration of Valentine's day -- on February 14 -- Phyto Universe is offering complementary cocktails and complimentary makeup sessions. Each treatment takes place in a private treatment cabin and all their products are formulated with pure plant extracts, essential oils, and aromatic botanicals.

Next get your nails done or just pick-up some fun colors from essie!--

• Try Limo-Scene or Vanity Fairest for an enchanting night in with your loved one.
  

• Try After Sex or Fishnet Stockings for a swanky candlelight dinner for two.
  

• Try Bordeaux or Decadent Diva for a singles night out on the town.

Top off your beauty indulgence with some decadent chocolates! If you're like me and likely to eat a whole box of chocolates if it's placed in front of you, play it safe and go with a 4-piece Teuscher Champagne Truffle box or snap yourself a box of Richard Chocolates -- I just got these as a dinner party gift and the flavors which include ginger, curry, basil, and other exotic ones satisfied my chocolate craving without making me want to eat the whole box -- plus the flavors, meant for indulging in "the art of tasting," are definitely memorable:)

 
Photos from Instyle.com -- from left Rihanna, Katie Holmes, Selma Blair

I love that so many celebs are going bold with short hair! I'm even more into this look now that I've looked at pictures from the Giorgio Armani Prive show where a few of the models came-out wearing these wonderfully sculpted black cropped wigs! I could never pull this look off myself because my hair is naturally frizzy and when it's short -- which it was when I was younger -- it takes way too much maintenance. These ladies however rock it! Selma Blaire and Katie Holmes are my fave -- Katie because I think short hair is the best possible complement to her angular face and Selma because she has such a sweet innocence about her that looks great with her tomboy-esque cut. Rihanna is gorgeous, but I don't think that this particular short crop is her best. I wish there was just a little bit more hair on the side of her face! Who do you think pulls off cropped hair best?

My skin suffers because of how dry it gets in the winter, but so does my hair and scalp! Thankfully I got some fabulous tips from the folks at Rene Furterer and Klorane that I wanted to share with you:) First, use a humidifier -- if there is one that can do the trick it's Air-O-Swiss ($229.99), though one might not be enough if your room is very big, which is what I realized my problem was -- sometimes you need two humidifiers! Then, treat the scalp once a week to a purifying massage with Rene Furterer Complexe 5 Regenerating Extract ($45). Massaging the scalp with Complexe 5's essential oils of orange and lavender naturally stimulate the scalp's circulation and create the optimal conditions for the scalp and hair to thrive as well as allowing better penetration of your other hair care products. As far as shampooing people always do it too much -- including me -- so hard for me to take my daily shower and stop myself from reaching over for the shampoo and conditioner, but as we all know that's bad! Too much shampooing can strip the scalp and hair of its natural protective oils. By shampooing a bit less frequently, you'll give your scalp a chance to maintain its natural balance. To keep hair clean and beautiful between shampoos, you can use a dry shampoo such as Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo With Oat Milk ($18) that cleanses your hair without stripping it. I have to say I get eecked by dry shampoos and had bad experiences previously with one from T3, but as far as they go the one from Klorane was actually soothing. More after the Jump!

Below is the second and final installment of 2008 Snob Trends!

11. Healthy Candles: Who knew that candles could be a health hazard? The folks at Lavanila thankfully! This year candle lovers could breath easy knowing that they weren't inhaling the chemicals contained in many traditional paraffin candles -- which release toxins and soot that cause damage comparable to second-hand smoking -- thanks to Lavanila's Healthy Candle .

12. Pricey Skin Care: At $400 for 6.7 oz Kanebo's Sensai Premier Body Cream is pricier than La Mer, so obviously this peaked everyone's interest! Haven't tried it for myself, but judging by the quality of the Kanebo products that I have tried, I imagine that it's simply divine..ahhhh:)

13. Diffusers: Everywhere I go --bedrooms, bathrooms, restaurants, boutiques -- they're all over! This year we couldn't get enough of diffusers! Sweet Grass Farm, Verikira, Thymes, and Moments Waterbead Diffusers by Upper Canada Soap take the cake as the best!

14. Neon Polish: The limited edition Essie Neon collection hit this summer and it was all the rage -- and come on, what screams fun in the sun like fluorescent nails!

15. Beauty with a side of Humor: Tongue-and-cheek packaging was all over the place this year. Who ruled over them all? Soap & Glory! The line comes courtesy of the same lady who founded Bliss and it's inspired by tabloid-style journalism!

More after The Jump!

I've been coming across countless wonderful beauty gift sets and like Beauty Snob Tina I ended-up getting a few of my faves for most of the people on my shopping list this holiday season! One that stand-outs when it comes to hair care is the gift set from Seva . Seva means "thread" in Sanskrit which the company says implies that all things are connected...nice little holiday message, huh?! Anyway, Seva is a new line of hair care products and they use some of the highest quality ingredients for their products. The line is also sulfate and paraben free, vegan and not tested on animals and given their ingredients Seva hair products are 100% color safe which is essential for me because I only get my hair highlighted twice a year and both times it's abroad (either at Dessange in France or with a German colorist when I go visit my family in Munich), so I gotta keep my highlights safe!! The products are wonderfully light so they won't leave your hair heavy or overly greasy. Plus, all Seva items are produced locally in Los Angeles and their warehouse employs people with disabilities from the La Puente Adult School. With that in mind, check-out the Seva Gift Set which retails for $75 (a $160 value), and comes with all of the products from the Seva line.

I have a new obsession and everyone who gets in my way suddenly has fabulous curls in their hair. Yes, I made my 3 year old daughter sit there and let me style her hair, I was so compelled to do so that I bribed her with chocolate. This new blow dryer from Remington called the Emi Airwave is incredibly fun and amazing! There is a funnel contraption at the end of the blowdryer (you get the entire system, attachments and blow dryer) - you feed 1 inch strips of hair through while your hair is wet. It spins the hair in there and creates luscious curls while it is drying. It twists them into spirals and when you loosen them, your hair is perfectly wavy! Totally ingenious! You end up with hair like Blake Lively in Gossip Girl - messy windblown curls with ringlets throughout. Well, it takes a bit of practice to get it to look that way. Here are some helpful hints:

- The smaller the hair segments, the tighter the curls, so experiment to get the look you want.
- Do the top of the head segment separately from the bottom that is closer to your neck. This will allow the curls to start closer to the roots.
- Make sure you allow the ends to twirl in the funnel or they will end up straight. Get the twisting going first and then move the dryer to the ends. When the ends are dry, move up to the roots.
- Leave the spirals in for a few minutes before you loosen them, this will set them in.
- Use some sort of control product beforehand so the curls will stay longer.
- Keep some smaller spiral segments intact to get that messy but coifed look.

Get the Remington Emi Airwave Dryer with Wave Attachment at Amazon.com for $29.99.

How do Whitney Port and the cast of The City (premiere only a few short weeks away!), keep their hair so perfectly styled? Well for starters they go to NYC's Blow Dry Bar to get their hair camera ready! Unfortunately even the gals from The City don't have time to get their hair done every single day so to keep a blow out salon-fresh after taking a shower, Blow Dry Bar has a wonderful shower cap! They say that 9 times out of 10 moisture -- a blow outs worst enemy -- seeps its hair-havoc way underneath the cap to ruin your previously perfect due! The Perfect Shower Cap ($25), is Blow's solution! It's has a 100% terry liner that soaks-up shower steam and moisture and it's over-sized to give your hair 360-degree protection by fitting over the entire hairline. Intrigued? Blow Dry Bar is also offering a special Holiday Deal: For every $50 in gift cards you spend, you get a $5 credit toward your next blow dry bar purchase from 1/1/09 thru 4/1/09 -- not a huge saving, but a little something extra is always nice!

My mother needs to get her roots touched-up every three weeks. It's not a super big deal, but for a busy woman having to pencil it in and take the time to go it often does become rather arduous. So when I got an email asking me if I knew anyone interested in getting a free haircolor makeover from Jason Backe, Clairol's new Color Director, using Clairol's Perfect 10 at NYC's Ted Gibson salon I jumped at the chance to sign my mom up. Of course she was wary and didn't want to go, but I insisted --what did she have to loose? Though I didn't tell her that the one and only time I went to the Ted Gibson Salon I actually had a horrible experience. I have long hair now, but when I was in Junior High I had a bob of sorts and the stylist I went to see cut it so short and horribly in the back that I looked like a boy!!! Literally cried for hours! Anyway, I put that aside and figured since this was being done by such a prominent colorist that it was worth giving it a shot. And as it turned-out my mom ended-up looking great! From what she said Clairol Nice 'n Easy Perfect 10 Permanent Haircolor is, as the name indicates, Nice and Easy! Plus at only about $13 it's a like 500000% cheaper than going to salon.

I heard about this Save our Style Wet and Dry Ceramic Tourmaline Iron from someone who works with the Valery Joseph Salon in NYC and at first I was a little bit skeptical. It's a flat iron that dries and straightens hair simultaneously basically eliminating the need for a blow dryer. Could this be safe for hair!? Apparently yes! The device is supposedly better for your hair than using a blow dryer which the makers say uses an excessive amount of unnecessary heat which overly dries hair causing it to split. The Wet-To-Dry Flat Iron dries and straightens instantaneously without any of that unnecessary over-styling and over-heating. Of course some people use the blow dryer as a styling tool, but since I don't this is basically a 2-for-1 time saving gadget for me! To boot the iron comes with a mini-sized travel version of the regular iron! Also, there are two settings -- low (250F-300F) for fine, damages, or chemically relaxed hair and High (300F-400F) for normal, colored, highlighted, or coarse hair. The iron is auto-set to 355F, but it's super-easy to adjust. Just one note -- steam comes out from vents but don't worry! That's what protects your hair from over-heating:) The Mini and regular Wet-to-Dry Flat Iron set retails for $199 and you can get it at either of the two Valery Joseph Salons or by calling them--
Valery Joseph Salon location and numbers:
1044 Madison Avenue, (212) 517-2333
820 Madison Avenue, (217) 517-7377

Great hair is always something to be thankful for which is why I think Frederic Fekkai's Coiff Celebration of Style ($30) and the Frederic Fekkai Spray On Hair Crystals ($18.50) both make great gifts/stocking stuffers this holiday season! First off the packaging of the Fekkai products is always tops -- everything from the logo to the colors is simple and understated, but distinctive and elegant. The gift box is a limited edition one and given how many of us travel during the holiday season it's super convenient that everything in it is travel-size. Plus, the three products in the set are varied so you'll have the keys to straight, tousled, and curly hair with --
- 1.5 oz Anti-Frizz Crème (my fave out of the three! Do yourself a favor and get this one for yourself in full-size -- unbelievably lightweight and so quick and easy you just put it on your hair when it's damp and it's the best preventative measure against frizz!), 1.5 oz Ironless Straightening Balm, and 1.0 oz Finishing Crème. Lastly, Frederic Fekkai's Spray On Hair Crystals -- I'm usually fairly hairspray averse because of the stiffness, but this one actually gives you hold while allowing movement and none of that gross, clumpy-ness. This isn't news to anyone who uses the Frederic Fekkai Hold hairspray though, so what makes it a great holiday gift you ask? It sprays hair crystals and slight color for wonderful shimmer:) I love champagne (who doesn't, right!?), but it also comes in copper, and bronze!

Peter Som, Ralph Lauren, Versace, Lanvin from style.com

I went to a discussion led by Redken's Creative Consultant Guido who styled more than 30 shows including Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Balenciaga, and Louis Vuitton during fashion week!! A busy, busy man he told me had just finished wrapping the Prada campaign. When asked about an over-arching hair trend he said that this year everything was very "anti-red carpet" and that the trends he spotted mostly fell into one of these four categories -- a softly deconstructed look (ponytails, knots and casual half-ponytails with satin-matte finishes -- Peter Som, for example), glam hair accessories paired with modern styles (Guido suggests adding a black headband, a jaunty fedora or anything that adds a pop of color -- take a cue from the Ralph Lauren show), clean lines and easy updoes (Guido says that this season a lot of hair was kept away from the face with no bangs or stray pieces like in the Lanvin collection). Lastly, the middle part makes a comeback as seen in Versace among others.

I've written about Yes to Carrots before. I think it's such a fun line of eco-friendly products and best of all it's affordable so no matter your income level there's no guilt involved. Yes to Carrots is aimed at the those with Dry to Normal skin, but they recently came out with two new lines -- Yes to Cucumbers and Yes to Tomatoes which are aimed at those with Normal to Sensitive skin (Cucumbers), and those with Oily/Combination skin (Tomatoes). All of the lines offer a variety of skin, face, body, and hair care products all of which are formulated with organic fruits and vegetables along with 26 minerals and they're all Paraben-free. I've used a bunch of products from their line and there are a few that stand-out for me. I love the Yes To Cucumbers Eye Love Cucumbers Soothing Eye Gel ($14.99), for when my eyes are puffy and red from a bad reaction to makeup or a lack of sleep, and the Yes To Carrots Hair and Scalp Mud Mask ($12.99), is amazing -- way better than the much pricier one from Ojon ($55) that I was using before! Also I love the smell of the Yes To Carrots Pampering Hair Mud Conditioner ($7.99) and it takes very little for it to be effective, though since my hair is highlighted, when I use it I always follow it with a spritz of Fluide Chroma Riche from Kerastase (leave-in conditioner, $34). For a list of places where you can check-out the "Yes" line for yourself click here!

I attended an event hosted by Kerastase to unveil their New Specifique collection that will be available beginning November 10th and I have to say it was refreshing to see that all the Kerastase representatives had great hair! It seems like it would be obvious, but I can't even name the number of events I've been to where people talk about how great a hair product or a skin product is and you look at them and can't possibly believe it. That said, the way Kerastase was discussed kind of made me think of my doctor when she gives me a prescription! Each product has a specific purpose meant to target a particular problem. Personally I didn't need to be convinced I've written about their products before and they're one of the few lines where I can find products that tackle my oily scalp while maintaining my color and moisturizing  my ends. That said Beauty Snob Tina didn't have the best experience with one product she used to tackle her damaged her, so I'm curious to hear what people think! The new Specifique line is specifically targeted to those with scalp concerns -- dandruff, oily scalp, or thinning hair. We were all given samples and I just started using the Bain Densitive GL for thinning hair ($39) and while I haven't used it long enough to see if my hair does in fact look fuller, I can say that like with the Chroma Riche line your hair is just soo much more manageable the next day. Jump for the full rundown of their new line and for what you can get now!                                                         

I am not sure why this is called the Super Skinny Serum because it doesn't have anything to do with being skinny or getting skinny. What it does is make your hair smooth and frizz free, which is almost as good (but not quite). I don't always have time to blow out my hair but the problem is when I don't, my hair looks a mess with straggly ends. My stylist used this Super Skinny Serum on me and I have not lived without it since. It is also great to use when I am using a blow dryer to flat iron to style my hair because it keeps everything tight and smooth and moist. One pump is all it takes, it is oil-like so it may appear to be greasy but it does not go on oily or greasy and it certainly does not look that way on the hair. It gives it such gloss and shine that no matter how my hair is styled (or not), it looks like I put some care into to instead of a disheveled mess. I also have a really great cut now so I can get away with a wash and go, but still - NEVER without a pump of this stuff! At DrugStore.com for $15.99.

The French have such an effortlessly chic aura about them so the key to fitting in for me is always having my hair look effortlessly coiffed. This Large Round Brush from Frederick Fekkai ($65), was my savior when I was in Paris last week! The extra large round brush is made of 100% natural boar bristles and has an over-sized 3.5 diameter making it great for styling shoulder length to long hair. There's also a three-point handle so it makes styling that much eaiser -- basically your hair ends up not only looking effortlessly-chic, but being that way as well:) If you're looking for some straightening tips, Fekkai suggests positioning the brush underneath sections of hair beginning at the root and then drying and with air flowing downward, pulling the brush to the ends until all sections are dry. To get super smooth styles set your hair with a blast of cold air from the dryer which makes the hair shiny and helps it look smooth and feathery. Also, as you may know, Fekkai hails from the famed Dessange Paris Salons. I first discovered the salons when I was in St. Tropez admiring a hotel guest's highlights. She told me that she got them done at the Dessange nearby -- I immediately made an appointment. Since, I've been getting my hair cut and highlighted at one of their salons every time I travel to France (they have salons all over) -- you can literally walk into any one of their salons and no matter what stylist you get your hair will look great (though I have to say I always just get a trim, never a real cut). No salon in NYC that I have been to has delivered so consistently. On a side note, if you're under 25, ask for their special rates!

Being in the pool and ocean all summer has made my hair dry and though it's not damaged, I fear it is a mere matter of time. So I am testing out different brands to see how my hair responds. This week I am testing out Kerastase-- a brand long known for luxury haircare (though the parent company is L'Oreal, and I've always wondered how different it is from its drugstore counterpart). I got the Kerastase Creme Richesse because I was told it was the best of the bunch. After using it for a week, my hair doesn't feel healed, it just feels heavy and greasy. So disappointing considering all that I've heard and read about the line. Soleil Sun Exposed at Kerastase.com.

What measures are you taking to reverse the damage to your hair from surf and sun?

One of my favorite brands actively helping the fight against breast cancer is Verikira Naturals. Unlike so many other brands that only do something special in the month of October, Verikira does their part all year round donating 10% of each sale of the Pink Grapefruit Collection to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation no matter what month you purchase it in. The Pink Grapefruit Collection consists of a sulfate and paraben-free shampoo ($28), certified organic conditioner ($28), and certified organic lotion ($22). All are available in $10, 2oz travel sizes as well. Love the smell - very refreshing and just the right amount of citrus in the scent. The best part is that both men and women can use it :-) Check the line out here!

• only $14 for a 10oz bottle!