H to the IzAir

(that's "Hair" for those of you who lack ghetto vocabulary)

With Spring beginning way sooner than we expected it to (not a complaint, btw), so many of us are rushing in to get our hair highlighted and cut. As a cosmetologist, I thank you :) Your boredom with your hair or desire for something new keeps food on our table. Your split ends keep our lights on.

I'm not a saleswoman. I'm frugal and hate spending money when I don't have to. Stretching the truth to put a few extra bucks in my pocket is not something I'm a fan of. But here's the truth: good hair products really do make all the difference. You can't bring me a picture of Jennifer Aniston's hair, have me color it like hers, then expect it to look like hers in the weeks to come when you don't treat it like she does hers. It's like looking at a painting on a canvas, and LOVING the painting! So you come to me and I give you the perfect canvas, but no paint. It's a great starting point, but it's nothing like the original you fell in love with to begin with. 

Again, I'm not a saleswoman. So today, I'm not selling you anything. Today is simply a day for me to tell you some of the best of the best products out there that won't make you break bank. They truly make a difference. If you try them and use them correctly, you will not be disappointed. So, in no particular order, here we go!

#1 It's a 10! Miracle Leave-In

 This stuff is worth every penny. It's a leave-in conditioner that doesn't weigh 

your hair down. Trust me, my hair is super thin, and every conditioner makes 

my hair look oily and keeps me from styling the way I want to. This is so different. 

You see, your hair is made up of keratin. This bottle is loaded with that protein

 and coats your hair with it, detangling it and strengthening every strand. I've 

seen dead hair come back to life with this stuff. W O R T H it.

#2 Redken Guts

If you want volume, Guts will be your new best friend. It looks like mousse,
but you spray it like silly string. What's not to love? Great volume
without that gunky, sticky feeling at your roots. Must have.
 

#3 Joico Violet Shampoo and Conditioner

 

For all my blonde sisters out there. Tired of the brassy tones your blonde 

locks get over time? Whether it's from the lack of sunshine or poor water at 

home, this shampoo is crazy awesome. It's super dark violet, so if you're familiar 

\with the color wheel, you'll know that this will kill the brassy, yellowish tones and polish your blonde after just a few uses. Can't go a summer without this.

#4 Paul Mitchell Thicken Up

Confession: I have crazy thin hair. People will tell me they wish they had thick hair like
me, and I laugh because they have no idea. I owe it all to Thicken Up. It's pretty self 
explanatory, so I won't go into much detail. I'll just say it's lighter than a mousse
and less greasy than most hair oils. It's the perfect serum that will leave you oh so satisfied.

#5 Big Sexy Hair Dry Shampoo

For the mornings you wake up with perfectly cute second day hair, except for 
those oily bangs. Or frankly, all the hair next to my face just feels greasy. You 
simply spray the product, and comb out after two minutes, and Voila! You 
saved yourself a good 20 minutes...the perfect amount of time to poke around on Pinterest before work! Coincidence? I think not.

#6 Redken Dandruff Control Shampoo

With all these crazy weather changes we in the midwest experience, our scalp tends to pay the highest price. And it didn't do anything wrong. Treat it well by using this Dandruff Control Shampoo! Using every other time you shampoo your hair will make a difference. It heals and repairs your scalp, but still allows your hair to be easy to style and maintain afterwards.

These six favorite products are just scratching the surface of all my favorite products. However, when it comes to the good, professional hair products, a little bit goes a long way. Find the two or three that work best for you. There's no need for your bathroom to look like the backbar of a salon. Disclaimer: my bathroom looks worse than my salon. I'm a product junkie and am not even a little bit ashamed. Thank you for not judging me.

Chronicles of Sophie

A few years ago, I was just a simple 22 year old taking on the world. I had started my own business when I was just 19, and bought my first home three years later. Scary? Yes. You wouldn't think I was that nervous, considering the fact that I had only looked at one house, and placed an offer that night. If the shoe fits, right?

Living on my own was so fun, but I needed something to go home to. My thumbs aren't green, and there was no relationship in my life at the time going down the road to marriage, so plants and a husband were out of the question. The only logical solution of course was a dog. I looked online at shelter puppies for two days until I finally saw this face (right). I had to have her.

Sophie had been in a kill-shelter for some time. She could only stay there for so long before they'd put her down. Her time was coming soon, so another organization that fosters puppies like Sophie took her in. Just a week later, she was mine.

Incredibly timid at 10 months old, we took her home. She had unlikely behavior, like hiding behind me on walks when she heard a noise, or running behind the couch or under the bed when I'd do laundry. (She no longer hides, but she'll sit behind me with her head down like she's ducking from getting hit.) Slowly Sophie began to feel safe. I was thrilled that she no longer feared everything in the world, and it was fun to watch the puppy in her come out. (Click here to see a video of that sweet puppy)

The girl was cute, but she was a monster. Evidence:

All things considered, I have one sweet puppy. She's my ragamuffin, and our house is more like a home because of her. Her adjusting to Brett living here took some time, and the two still have a love/hate relationship. (Can you believe I married someone who didn't like dogs? What was I thinking?) Anyway, the three of us really do love each other and every day is a little more adventurous because of that sweet, hairy face. (Sophie's, not Brett's)