I’m not saying every day is a good hair day for me (ha!), but I’ve tried almost every product with “curly” on the bottle, and I’ve got a routine that I’m really happy with. So, as a firm believer in the importance of sharing information, here’s what works for me.

I have fine curly hair. That means:

1. My hair is very sensitive to humidity. The drier the weather, the straighter my hair. But if I can wash my hair when it’s raining? Glorious!
2. Using a hair dryer — even with a diffuser, even on a cold setting — seems to make my hair more straight.
3. My hair really needs the right products to turn soft, undefined, 70s style fluffiness into curls.

My shampoo trials have been a long and difficult road. A lot of “curly” products seem designed for thicker curls, and as a result they seem to weigh me down. I am now firmly committed to Frederic Fekkai Luscious Curls Shampoo and Conditioner ($23 each). The price is a little scary after years of drugstore purchases, but I’ve discovered that you need a comically tiny amount to get the job done — like, maybe 1/4 tsp. This stuff lathers like you wouldn’t believe. (I wish I’d figured this out a little sooner.)

After I wash, I squeeze dry with a towel (don’t rub!), and brush through with a soft-bristled vented brush. I’ve tried finger combing, I’ve tried not brushing at all… and I like my brush. After it’s brushed, I flip my hair over and tousle (to give the curls a chance to separate). Then I go back to bed.

I admit, this is a ridiculous step, but I seem to get the best volume and curl if my hair air-dries in a horizontal position. So I get up earlier than I want to, wash, then go back to bed. When I get up “for real,” I finish the process with a curl-promoting spray.

These sprays basically act like a soft-hold hairspray. They define curls (keeping my hair from getting too soft) and maintain shape until the next wash. They’re not as crunchy as hairspray used to be. I use $5-6 John Frieda Spiral Style. Another excellent option is GHD’s Sea Spray for Matte Waves ($18, last I checked).

I hope this post wasn’t too random, and I hope some of what works for me also works for you ladies. And if YOU know of a miracle product, dish!

Click here to read my original reviews of Fekkai Luscious Curls, John Frieda Spiral Style, or GHD Sea Spray.

But I like being blonde (or blond-ish). I think it gives me a lift. So I get highlights.

I prefer highlights to all-over color because (1) I think they look more natural, and (2) it’s not quite so obvious when they’re growing out. (I’m lazy about maintenance.)

Well after attending the Wella Professionals event a few weeks ago, I made an appointment with Diana at Salon Pompeo.

I told Diana I wanted to be “bronde” — brown-blonde, natural, been-spending-time-at-the-beach. I knew I wanted warm (golden) blond, not platinum, and I said I wanted to look like Bar Refaeli. Well, as much as possible.

Diana did an amazing job, and the color turned out exactly the way I wanted it. She said she used two different blonds, one brighter than the other. She used just the darker blond at the back (because most peoples’ hair is naturally darker toward the back, where the sun doesn’t bleach it as much), then alternated the two shades on top and around the face.

One of the things I learned at the Wella event was that Wella is less damaging than other color options out there. I have to say, my highlighted hair feels fantastic. From touching it, I wouldn’t even know I’d had any color done at all.

If you’d like to make an appointment with Diana or any of the other colorists at Salon Pompeo, their number is 214-979-0440. Highlights are $100.

They weren’t doing actual color treatments at the event (because those appointments can take a few hours), but you could sit down with a professional stylist, talk about your hair and what you wanted for your color, and they’d write down some recommendations for you.  Every participant left with a 25% off coupon for their next service, and a free Sebastian product (which I forgot to ask for, because I was so busy talking).  But I believe it was their volumizing spray. They were also giving away a $200 salon gift card every hour.

I sat down with Ale Bonilla of Esoterica Studios. He made some personal recommendations for my color (and assured me that my extremely grown out roots were totally fashionable on the west coast right now).  Then we got down to the nitty gritty of how to get the best possible color experience.

I’ve heard over and over that your hair should be slightly dirty when you go get color done. I asked him why, and he said it didn’t really matter whether your hair was dirty or clean, so long as it was completely dry. You can’t put color on wet or damp hair, so if you come in that way, your stylist has to blow dry before he or she can start the color.

Ale said that if you have a sensitive scalp, or if you’re rough when you wash your hair, the natural oils in your hair can protect your scalp from irritation by the peroxide or ammonia. Plus he assured me that your stylist will not be horrified to see you with dirty hair.

I asked him what I could do to make my color last between appointments, and he said the top five enemies of color were:

1. Hot water (makes sense; you wash bright colored clothes in cold water).
2. Non-color-protecting shampoo and conditioner. Ale says, “cheap shampoos clean so well they actually clean the color right out of your hair.” He recommended using something formulated to protect your color.
3. Thermal damage from styling. Heat damages hair, and healthy hair holds color better.
4. Low-quality coloring product. I realize this was a Wella event, but apparently Wella is the most moisturizing color option out there. It’s color + treatment, and uses less ammonia than other options on the market. Ale says, for example, Wella reds last 15% longer than other brands.
5. Sun, chlorine, sea salt, smoke. I asked Ale if he believed in sunscreen for hair — he said he does.

So what if you’re addicted to heat styling? Ale said to try cutting back on the frequency of your washing (common sense). He also said to incorporate a styling product that offered thermal protection and to make sure your tool had a thermal gauge — some degree of control beyond “on/off.” He said if you are a natural blonde, redhead, have permed, colored, chemically treated, or naturally fine hair, you should be using low heat to style.

We talked about boxed color — the do-it-yourself home kits. I know you’re not surprised that Ale was against them, but I thought he made a reasonable point. He said that boxed color contains the highest levels of active ingredients (ammonia, peroxide), to make sure they work on all hair types. He said that a color-virgin was much more likely to have a good experience coming to a salon (than trying a box and ending up in a salon to get it fixed).

He also made the point that you fall in love with the picture on the box (and I’ve seen this in action myself), so bring in that picture. He was actually strongly in favor of bringing in a few pictures to demonstrate what you’re going for.  He said words can be flexible (not everyone has the same mental image of “strawberry blonde”), but pictures are a good way for you and your stylist to get on the same page.

He did say that he asks his clients to put away their pictures before he starts working.  Your stylist’s job is to translate that picture into the right shade for you. (Sometimes you see a celebrity wearing one lipstick, but you’ll need a different shade to achieve the same effect.)

If you’d like to get personalized recommendations from Ale, Esoterica Studios has locations in Grapevine and Fort Worth — but the salon is also totally up with the times, and they offer free consultations via Skype. Call 817.924.1500 to set one up.

I have fine, naturally curly hair, and I live in a very humid environment. I love my curls, but they definitely “need help” to look good. The alternative is flat roots, frizzy ends. I think ages 13 – 22 were pretty much all bad hair days.

What happened when I was 22? Either companies started inventing products for curly girls, or I discovered they existed. Nevermind the steps it took me to get there, but for several years I was happily using John Frieda’s Curl Around Shampoo and Conditioner. I was happy… until one day they changed the scent, and I just couldn’t live with the new fragrance.

Someone recommended I try L’Oreal’s Vive Pro Nutri Gloss for Hair that’s Curly/Wavy, and I was really happy with that.  But when I went to buy my second bottles of shampoo and conditioner, I discovered that product had been discontinued.

What to do?

Almost a year ago, a friend of mine started working for Fekkai, and pretty much since she started, she’s been trying to convert me. I’ve resisted, because once upon a time I tried some Fekkai product (couldn’t even tell you what it was) and I didn’t like it. Also I figured I spend enough on makeup, do I really need to get onto boutique hair care products?

But since I was out of ideas and my hair was dirty, I took the plunge with Fekkai’s Luscious Curls Shampoo and Conditioner.

Dammit, she was right.

If my hair had looked good after the first wash, I would have chalked it up to the “new shampoo” phenomenon. But I’ve washed my hair about 10 times now, and I’m getting awesome curls every time. (Part of the credit obviously goes to the genius who cuts my hair, but the products have won me over.)

Luscious Curls Shampoo and Conditioner are each $23 for 8 oz. They smell rather deliciously like a grown-up creamsicle — orange and honey, if I had to guess.

My full regimen — and I’m not saying you have to follow it step-by-step:

• I wash my hair at night. Squeeze dry with a towel (but minimize rubbing), then brush through. I only ever brush my hair when it’s wet; brushing while dry = frizz and straightening.
• Flip hair upside down, tousle, fluff, then go to bed. I air-dry my hair, because using a blow dryer (even with a diffuser, even on a cold setting) seems to straighten it, and result in less defined curl. Letting it dry horizontally gives me more volume at the roots. I warned you I was crazy.
• In the morning, it’s going to look stupid. But at that point, I flip it upside down, and from back to front, spritz in John Frieda’s Spiral Style, a curl-promoting, sea-spray-style, soft-hold gel. (I also liked GHD’s Sea Spray for Matte Waves, but Spiral Style is cheaper.)
• I wash my hair every other day, and on the off-days I do nothing but fluff it up a bit.

If you have hair like mine, and you have a miracle product that you swear by, I definitely want to hear about it!

In case you missed the review and find yourself in the same situation, I have fine, curly hair, which, as the seasons change, alternates between a tendency to fall flat and extreme frizziness. I had really turned a corner with GHD’s Sea Spray, a soft-hold spray that boosted curl definition without becoming crunchy or tacky. I only lamented that the stuff was $24 a bottle (it has since come down in price to $18), and at the time, there seemed to be no drugstore alternative.

Well, another milestone has been reached. I recently saw an ad in Marie Claire for a new John Frieda product called Spiral Style. My prayers have been answered. Spiral Style is ~$6 a bottle, and it’s a good alternative to the Sea Spray.

Spiral Style is described as a soft-hold spray gel and it’s a little more potent than the GHD, which is significantly more effective than John Frieda’s previous offering, Dream Curls.

The two products work slightly differently. I had been applying the GHD to semi-damp hair; Spiral Style seems to work best when applied to dry hair. Spiral Style also has a far less satisfying sprayer. Each spritz dispenses a tiny amount, which means there’s a lot of spritzing, even for short hairstyles. (If you’re switching from one product to the other, there may be an adjustment period.)

To use this product, I wash, air-dry to shapeless, fluffy ridiculousness, flip my hair over, and begin spraying from the back to the front. Voila! Instant curls and volume. The bottle claims to work its magic for 24 hours — in high humidity, I can keep it going for 48 without reapplying.

Tomorrow we’ll get back to makeup swatches; I just wanted to keep you on top of my fabulous product discoveries.

That makes that week or two in November a great time to buy pricey skincare, treat yourself to some cosmetics, and, if you’re on the ball, secure a few gifts, too.

In preparation for the big event, I thought I’d share with you my wishlist — the stuff I really recommend — starting with the skin- and hair-care, the necessary but largely invisible backdrop to my makeup escapades.

1. Kinerase Cream (2.8 oz., $117)
Kinerase is pretty outrageously expensive, but it actually did erase the fine lines around my eyes and mouth, and I want to keep drinking the Kool-aid. (Read my original post about it.) If you’re weighing the face cream against one of the eye creams, consider this: the eye creams are cheaper in absolute terms ($59 for the Intensive Eye Cream, $75 for the Under Eye Rescue), but about twice as expensive per ounce. And you really don’t need a special eye cream for your under eye area — they contain the same active ingredient. Under Eye Rescue is supposed to have additional undereye-circle lightening properties. I found it no more effective than the Cream, but it did make my eyes water every time I used it.

2. Dior Hydraction Sorbet Creme (1 oz., $35)
Bar none, this is the most effective facial moisturizer I have ever used (that’s really saying something). I have “normal” (or normal/combo) skin, with a bit of dryness in my cheeks — Hydraction produces overnight results. The cream itself is light, cooling, and non-greasy, and it makes my skin feel awesome.

The scent of a product can be a deal-breaker, but I really like this one. The product is light blue… and if light blue were a smell, this would be it. This moisturizer comes in other versions: there’s a Sorbet Gel (which is lighter), there’s one with an SPF — I don’t like any of the others. The SPF in particular is greasy and heavy.

I feel like the price of this one is “not that bad,” particularly given that it comes from Dior. But I use it at night, and I would also use the Kinerase at night… does this mean I have to choose between them?

3. GHD Sea Spray for Matte Waves (5.1 oz., $24)
I discovered this stuff a few months ago on a stroll through Sephora. (Read the original review.) I’m still totally loving it. As I might have mentioned, I have fine, curly hair and I live in a really humid climate. This is the best product I’ve found for promoting curl and controlling frizz. I definitely need another bottle.

My application method has changed slightly, so I thought I’d share that with you: now I wash my hair, let it air dry most of the way, then flip upside down, spritz the underside 2-3 times, flip back up and spritz the top 2-3 times.

4. GHD Uplift Spray for Root Volume (5.1 oz., $24)
I love the Sea Spray so much, I also want to try the Root Lift. I think between these two products, all my hair woes will be solved. Then I will be “discovered” walking down the street, and will become the world’s shortest supermodel.

5. Laura Mercier Purifying Oil (6.7 oz., $40)
Okay, I smear a lot of makeup on myself. As a result, I’ve tried pretty much every makeup remover you can find in a department store (Lancome, Clinique, Bobbi Brown, Shu Uemura, MAC… you name it). This one is the best.

Other people make cleanse-off oils (most famously MAC and Shu), but in a head-to-head comparison, Laura’s just performs better. It takes off everything (YSL Rouge Volupte, Armani Lip Wax, indelible liquid eyeliner) and is totally gentle. Whatever I’ve got on my arm, I make my way over the LM counter, apply one pump of Purifying Oil, rub it in, spritz it with water (this step seems the most important), and then a wipe with a tissue leaving my arm completely clean.

Oil cleansers are supposedly good even for oily skin, and won’t clog pores.

So… what’s on your list?

Wandering through Sephora last weekend, I tried this product on a whim (spraying it on dry hair and scrunching). Reader, it was love at first sight. It controlled the frizz and created fabulous curls. It also made my hair (which can be too fine and soft after washing) a tiny bit tacky (but not at all sticky, stiff, crunchy, or hard), which meant it was a lot easier to work with — I could scrunch a little volume into the roots AND it looked fab when I put it up. I just felt like I could do anything with it and it would look great. I also like the fantasy that I’ve been cavorting at the beach.

I’ll confess, the GHD is $24, and I wanted to know if I could get the same effect for cheaper. So I bought Sunsilk Waves of Envy Sea Mist ($3-4 at Target or drugstore.com). Preliminary reports show that this is just not the same product. While I’m getting more volume than I normally would, Sunsilk isn’t delivering the frizz-control or magical curling properties. This isn’t a product I would particularly recommend to anyone.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled discussion of makeup.