Recently in Styling Products Category

One of the worst feelings is when you spend a good two hours getting ready to go out only to see your night turn into a total bust. My hair is naturally a bit curly, a bit frizzy - basically an overall textural mess, so styling it is time-consuming which is why I'm gaga over All Nighter Styling Powder ($18). I just recently discovered this hybrid between a dry shampoo and a styling product that is amazing for absorbing oil and thickening to keep your hair looking good the day after you've styled it. It comes in six colors so you can match the powder to your hair and it applies matte. My hair gets flat and limp the day after styling it with spray and shine products, so I love that this gives instant volume for those days where I don't want to let those hours spend on my hair go to waste (or I'm just too lazy to re-wash it again!).

On a side-note the formulation is paraben, aluminum, talc, silica, and propellant-free. It's also all-natural.

Living Proof has won more beauty awards than one could feasibly count -- and rightfully so. They tackle frizz like no other and have developed the most refreshingly scented formulations. Now the brand has launched a new product, Full Thickening Cream ($24), to their lineup of offerings. The cream is meant for those with thin, life-less, limp hair who are looking for a thicker mane. It's touted as an alternative to sprays that last only a few hours because it's made with a new polymer (called Poly Beta Amino Ester-1), that's both strong and elastic, but also durable and non-sticky. I haven't used this product myself as I usually am trying to flatten my hair not thicken it, but after the jump see expert tips on how to use this product from Living Proof co-founders, Ward Stegerhoek and Mitch DeRosa!

To start off the New Year right I thought it would be great to highlight some of the most exciting new brands and product launches that we've come across these past 12 months. Can't wait to see what's in store from these brands for 2010! Check back this week to see more for makeup, skincare, and fragrances.

HerCut -- the first line to tackle hair based on hairstyle, HerCut products were created based on the five basic cuts (bob, shag, pixie, blunt, long layers), thus taking into consideration the way hair moves when treating it. All of their styling products use cut-specific polymers, while their shampoos target hair type (oily, dry...) and their conditioners go from light to deep. 


Living Proof -- Simply put when it comes to beating frizz there is no topping this line. Not only does it get the job done like no other, the products smell delicious. Living Proof also just launched a line of shampoos and conditioners.


Redken Real Control Mineral Elixir and Bumble&Bumble Shine Spray -- Besides adding shine, both products are non-sticky, smooth-out hair (they work great in combo with heat-styling tools), and smell light and refreshing (the Redken spray actually smells like Donna Karan Cashmere Mist!). Jump for More!

I live in Dallas-- where big hair and loud make up once ruled, but is now the land of flat ironed hair and pale beige faces. The only big hair you'll see around here is on the old guard of women in Dallas, who's glamorous do's and make up of the '80s are not merely memories, but still part of their daily lives... And sometimes, on me. I love big hair! I love make up! I have no problem with being a big haired loud make up girl-- that's what's fun about being a girl! It could be because I was born with a head of impossibly straight (BORING!) hair but there is nothing I love more than to curl, tease, and play with my hair. And it's not because I now live in Texas, I've been like this since birth no matter where I live or work (Taiwan, DC, LA, NYC, etc). I also love hair spray-- from Aqua net (purple can!) in high school to the T3's heat seeking hairspray, I've tried them all. My latest favorite is from Oribe-- after hearing of my hairspray obsession, Oribe offered to send it to me to review and I willingly agreed. The bottle is possibly the largest I've ever seen (thus the $29 price tag). It apparently also resembles something from Star Wars, according to the savvy 5 year old tot snob who lives in my house. But to me, it's chic and sleek. I had trouble with the bottle at first and could not figure out how to use it, finally something clicked and a fine spray of light mist filtered through. Unlike many hairsprays that dry on contact, Oribe's superfine hairspray actually stays soft while holding your hair style. Over Thanksgiving, I was able spray and style throughout the day (though no one was really looking at me, it was the delectable turkey they lusted after) and my hair never flaked (total bonus for me as I have black hair and every flake shows!). All in all, this is a fabulous hairspray that provides medium hold. At Barneys New York for $29.

Sure I love the 80s trends but crazy ass big hair is not one that I want to see return!  The scariest is probably Samantha's hair, White Snake anyone???  Sex and the City 2 movie will be coming out next May--but you can get the casts' bigger than Texas hair now with Terax Finishing Spray. The on set stylists used the fast drying spray to help create the wild looks from the 80's in flashback scenes, but it can be used to hold a range of styles from soft waves to more voluminous looks.  Me, I'm going for the soft waves.  Get Terax products here.

I don't watch much tv and had never head of Bumpits until I saw it at Target a couple of weeks ago.  I picked it up out of curiosity so I could review and I am now secretly obsessed with it!  Of course all my girlfriends knew about it from the cheesy commercials and made fun of me but what did they all do the next morning after we went out?  They all ran to Target to get their own Bumpits!  It always takes the adventurous one (me) to convince all the other girls that it's okay to be a dork.  I use the medium size (the large is so ridiculous I gave it to my son to use as a weapon for his Transformers) at the crown of my hair and it gives it a nice but subtle lift!  Very sexy and Brigitte Bardot-ish.  The little one is good for days I pull the top of my hair back or for my ponytails.  Have you tried this?  Tell me what you think! Bumpits Hair Volumizing Leave-In Inserts at drugstore.com for $9.99.

Thakoon's spring collection is described as "warrior-surf" and reflects a hard/soft, natural/artificial dichotomy with organic construction or armoring of the body, contrasting with patterns cut around the body as a canvas with soft draping. To achieve this "sumo wrestler meets surfer" inspired look, Thakoon Panichgul, Eugene Souleiman, and Eva Scrivo collaborated for a finished style that demonstrates the contrast between tight and loose elements, which the collection encapsulates.  A sleek, tight-to-the-head "seventh samurai" ponytail is sculpted on the top half, while leaving out loose, textured ends in a knot.  This is a very cool look for day or evening, jump for instructions! 
 

Have you seen "Julie & Julie" yet?  It's about a food blogger who basically stalks Julia Childs (who was said to be annoyed before her passing) and decides to try every 524 recipes in Julia's cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in 365 days!  The fabulous Amy Adams plays the food obsessed Julie (with Meryl Streep as Julia Child).  We asked Matrix celebrity hairdresser, Mark Townsend, how he created Amy's looks from coast to coast on the red carpet!  He tells us he wanted Amy's hair to be modern and glamorous to match her Carolina Herrera gown for the New York premiere. (Jump to read how he achieved this look!)

I like her hair at the LA premiere better.  The smooth and chic style is very flattering for her gorgeous read hair and she looks 10 years younger. "For the Los Angeles screening of 'Julie & Julia,' I was inspired by beauty shots from the 80s that I've collected over the years, very Carol Alt," Townsend comments.  Strangely, she does kinda resemble Carol Alt with this hair.

(Jump to read his instructions for red carpet worthy hair!)

If you are too lazy to follow my routine for wavy hair, there is an even faster solution (albeit an expensive one) that won't damage your hair.  T3's latest addition to its line of luxury hair styling products is the Evertwirl, a curling iron that claims to curl even the straightest of strands. Made of the same Tourmaline and Silver blend as its Flat iron, the barrel infusion gives quick, long-lasting curls while leaving hair shiny, smooth, frizz-free and totally healthy-looking. I only use T3 hairdryers and flat irons and plan to add this to my arsenal of hair beautifying products. There are two sizes, 1" or 1.25" depending on your hair length, both are $89-- Get the T3 Evertwirl here!

If you are looking for a bit of luxury for under $50-- try the 24K Gold Pomade (okay, so it's not a Cartier necklace but it's helluva a lot cheaper!) an innovative styling product that delivers such sparkle and rich gold glossy sheen, it could be called makeup for your hair (make up for the hair!  what will they think of next?).

This decadent hair treatment moisturizes, softens and protects hair while delivering an intense, metallic gold finish.  It promises to be lightweight and I hope it delivers, nothing worse than a head full of heavy "make up" in the dead heat of summer.  Price: $49.00 at Oribe.com