Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Blow Dry Perfector

My good friend Anita told me about the Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Blow Dry Perfector and the minute she told me about it I was intrigued. I don't have extremely unmanageable hair, it has a bit of a wave and some frizz, but with a 15 minute blow dry and a 10 minute straighten I am all good...I do get a little frizzy as the day goes by, but it's nothing I worry about too much. But I have always dreamed of stepping out of the shower with stick straight hair (I know this is possible with the Japanese and Brazilian treatments but I'm also not willing to fork out $300+ for something that will grow out). This seemed like the next best thing. So of course, as any product junkie would do, I headed straight to Shoppers Drug Mart to see if it was available in Canada and guess what? I got the last one! For $15.50 my dream would soon come true! Until I read the package...it promises to give you smooth, frizz free, more manageable hair for up to 7 shampoos, but you are still required to use a heated styling tool (blowdryer and/or straightener) after every wash. Well, if it could save me even 15 minutes every morning, I figured why not try it out....and by try it out I mean disregard all of the warnings on the label and endure the awful smell of the first step (think a mix of Nair and hair dye). So I followed the instructions (minus using the Fructis Sleek and Shine shampoo and conditioner, I already have 4 different bottles of shampoo in my shower, I definitely don't need one more) and hoped for the best. I got used to the smell, and the cream from the second step made everything better. I noticed as I was getting ready to do the final step, the blow dry, that my hair did have less frizz in the towel-dried state than it does normally....exciting! During and after my blow dry I noticed that my hair was extremely soft, and it felt more manageable....but it was no miracle. After finishing my blow dry I still had those irritating wavy lumps that needed to be straightened out...so on I went to my best friend, my straightening iron. I'll admit it, the straightener glided over my hair and it fell straight, but I'm still not totally convinced...it looks like it always does after a good blow dry and straightening...But I did get a few compliments at work that day - somebody actually said "wow, your hair looks really straight today!". And it was still frizz free at 10 pm! Hmmm....let's see what happens over the next few shampoos.....well guys, nothing happened. Ok, my hair was softer, but a bit of the initial smell came back after the first shampoo and I really don't see a big difference. And after the second shampoo my hair was totally and utterly normal.  I started using some of the leftover cream, and I like it, which may mean that the real key to this whole "schpeal" is actually a heat activated styling cream.

My recommendations: 1) if you like to try out new products instead of just reading reviews, give it a try and see for yourself. It did not damage my hair at all so you don't have to worry about that, but it also did not perform any miracles; 2) keep the second step (heat activated cream) and use it again and again until it runs out, it's a very nourishing cream and I'm convinced that it's the reason my hair was so soft...maybe Fructis has another product just like the cream which can be purchased on its own, or you can try KMS Flat Out, which I personally like a lot...so go forth and experiment ladies! Good luck! But don't expect any miracles!

Would I purchase this product again: Probably not. It's a lot of extra work and doesn't give you the results promised. For those extra 20 minutes you could just give yourself a really good blowdry and make it last for two days, or for an extra $10 you could get a professional blowout.

Before

After

Thank you to my bestie Sarah for writing this post!

Laura Mercier Secret Concealer - Rant & Review

I feel like I am always on the quest for the perfect concealer. My under eye circles are not that bad, but they do need a little help. I had been using Benefit’s Erase Paste for the longest time until boredom struck and the creasing just became unbearable. I found myself walking along Bloor Street one day and I strolled into Holt Renfrew…ok, fine….I often find myself walking along Bloor Street and strolling into Holt Renfrew, but that is besides the point! Anyway, I asked the lovely girl behind the Burberry counter for her advice. I originally wanted to see if Burberry had a good concealer, but unbelievably, Burberry has not yet released a concealer. However, their foundation is formulated to work as concealer. She suggested that I try Laura Mercier’s Secret Concealer and so I did. She helped me find the perfect match (shade #3) and I was on my merry little way.

Here is the lowdown:

- It conceals discolorations and dark circles around the eye area
- Great application, very smooth
- Long lasting
- Creamy, yet thick (think Erase Paste, but with much less creasing)

The website states that you should use it after you apply foundation, not sure why. However, the girl at Holts did not tell me this, so I have been putting it on before applying foundation. I think it works great and it does not matter when you apply it.

Now here is my issue, after I purchased it and used it I read the back of the miniature box that it comes in. If you have purchased Laura Mercier products you know exactly what I am going to say….the back of the box reads….FINISHED PRODUCT NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS. Um, is that a good thing? No. No. No and NO. What they are saying is that once the product has been formulated to perfection they stop testing it on animals. Heartbreaking. I refuse to support any brand that is cruel enough to test on animals. Laura Mercier, shame on you. I was really taking a liking to the concealer and I thought my search was over…but, apparently not…back to Holts I go…not complaining…