Flat Iron Wars: Chi vs GHD

If you've researched flat irons both CHI and GHD probably have come up as the most known names in the industry. Heres the scoop on the real history behind the iron wars.

Farouk Systems USA came out with CHI irons. They were by far the best styling tool that had ever been manufactured. Every stylist owned a CHI iron. Alot of time and effort went into the research and development of the CHI iron. Then sadly one day Farouk Systems USA was sold and product manufacturing was outsourced. Cheaper quality irons resulted from the manufactuer changes. Problems with electrical wiring shorting out became synonomous with the once hailed and renown CHI brand.

Enter GHD> GHD stands for Good Hair Day.Much simpler and way more catchy than cationic hydration interlink ! GHD marketed its irons to 2 places.BSG which is the main supplier to most professionals and Sephora. Every BSG store you walk into has a mannequin head and a GHD iron. GHD representatives come and stand by the head and pressure stylist to try the GHD while bashing CHI for its problems.

I have 2 of the original CHI irons and I have tried the GHD irons more than once and argued with the reps over the quality difference I see in my original CHI irons and the GHD irons. The original CHI Irons are the basic black ones that say Global Beauty System on the side.I never thought for the life of me I would find another iron I was satisfied with! The GHD does not compare to an original CHI iron in any way shape or form. Anyone who has an original CHI will tell you this. Now the more recent CHI irons are a sad disappointment and the GHD irons blow those ones away.

GHD irons are not exactly cheap either! You can expect to pay between $200 and $300 for one. I have heard from an inside source that the PACKAGE ALONE costs the company about $11 which is of course passed on to you. Makes you wonder what was skimped on to afford such expensive packaging! I would rather have $11 worth of quality instead of a box I am eventually going to pitch.

I decided if my CHI irons die I need to be prepared to purchase a replacement.Over the past 2 years I have tested tons of irons because I decided I do not want to risk a bad CHI and I don't want a GHD. I am not impressed by their pushy sales tactics nor their irons and fancy boxes.So I set out on a mission to check out every flat iron I could get my hands on.

Right now by far my favorite winner for new #1 iron is Infrashine. They are a relatively new company and their irons are just emerging as a major player in the tools department. I tried out an Infrashine iron at a hair show the beginning of May in Cleveland Ohio and haven't stopped thinking about it since. No preconceived notions it just felt right to me.

So June 1st I was at a hair show in Nashville Tennessee, and was sitting having a cocktail with some of the vendors( they all know me cause I'm a hair show roadie )

And guess who I had the privilege of meeting! A man named Paul who is one of the big wigs at Infrashine. When we started talking I had no idea who he was. I asked what he was selling at the show and he meekly replied "oh we sell tools, stop by if you wanna look at any" So stupid me starts to say "well I may do that I'm in the market for a new iron, and the Infrashine is my fav right now!" And I continue to brag on my Original CHI irons. So he starts to tell me about the history of Infrashine.....They made the original CHI irons! When Farouk was sold, the developers got together and came up with an even superior iron and named the company Infrashine. There is actually a little sensor inside that detects when the iron needs heat and deliver heat within 1/16 of a second. Paul had tons of irons disassembled so you could see the actual guts behind the machine and I was highly impressed with the design of the infrashine irons.

Paul actually gave me an Infrashine Redline Iron for free (I love free stuff!)and told me to pass on my unbiased opinion of it. I got home and have used it for 2 weeks straight and I actually gave my mom one of my original precious rare original CHI irons, which is something I thought I would be buried with.

I do not carry nor sell this product.I am not pushing you to purchase this iron because it benefits me in any way. The iron is AMAZING. The people seem great and down to earth which is a definite bonus in my book!

So in the battle of CHI Vs GHD..........Infrashine wins in my books

Here is the link to the Infrashine website, If you are in the market for a new iron I highly reccomend you check them out before making a big purchase.

http://infrashine.com/

Adventures With A Crimping Iron & A Four Year Old

This is Aislyn Blue my youngest of 3 kids.My oldest is a girl as well and when she was little I was really into the braids and clips and unique updo type hair do's.Anything unique was my motto back then.

With Aislyn, I tend to let her locks flow more freely and I love the natural look on her.Maybe I am drawn to natural beauty more due to ageing and fading youth myself.

But the chronic stylist in me couldn't resist trying out my newest crimping iron on her.

I used my Conair infinity deep waving iron.I really love it.The temperature goes up to 395 degrees!

I find that important when using a crimping iron.If it isnt hot enough to wave in 3 or 4 seconds, your hand get tired out before your done, and you apply less and less pressure causing the waves to be less defined.

I rubbed a little anti frizz serum through her hair and crimped it in sections about 4 " wide and 2 " thick starting at the nape area.

I sprayed each section with TIGI Rockaholic Fun Times Flexible Hair Spray and crimped my way down from roots to ends.

I just used my fingers to separate the waves a bit and place them where I wanted to go.

She is a hairy little thing as you can see and the whole process took about 15 minutes.

Were going on day 2 and her hair still look great!

Amazing New Updo's At The Cleveland Hair Show

This was one of the hair models who was kind enough to allow me to take a photo of her outside between shows. And yes that is her hair around her neck! Ive posted some random pics from the cleveland fashion focus show in the sidebar, but I forgot my camera so they are crappy cell phone pics.




The front is done with a loose french braid across to the side, I couldnt get a good pic of it on my camera.
I love the messy yet polished look of this do. The hair around the neck may be a bit much for every day wear, but the shape of this look is divine.A refreshing change for the everyday curls of the average updo.

Lemon Juice To Lighten Hair

Everyone has heard of using lemon juice and laying out in the sun to streak your hair.

Lemon juice on its own will do nothing to your hair as far as color goes.When mixed with UVA/UVB rays from the sun lemon juice will have a lightening effect on the hair. This process takes about 5 hours sitting in the sun to work so make sure you use a good sunscreen!

Lemon juice is naturally acidic in nature. Alot of hair care products use citrus extracts to help balance the pH of hair.The natural pH of hair is around 5. pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14 with 0 being extremely acid in nature and 14 being extremely alkali. A pH of 7 is considered neutral.Lemon Juice has a pH of about 2. So if your hair is on the alkali end of the pH scale, the acid will balance out the pH levels in your hair leaving it softer and more manageable.

However overuse of lemon juice will cause your pH levels to get out of whack and end up too acidic. This can leave your hair feeling dry and damaged.

Lightening with lemon juice works best on those with already light hair. If you use it on hair that is darker and that has red pigments in it, you can end up with brassy orange streaks because the lemon lightening system just isn't strong enough to break through the red molecules in your hair.

If you do choose to use lemon juice to lighten your hair, make sure you wash it out well and use a good conditioner that does NOT contain other citrus extracts to keep your pH levels in check.

Also avoid using heat on top of the lemon juice.That means no blow dryers, no flat or curling irons, nothing. Think of how as kids you used lemon juice as invisible ink.Once the lemon juice on the paper was held over a heat source, it turned brown and showed up for reading. It will do the same thing in your hair which totally defeats using lemon juice to lighten the hair.Plus it is nearly impossible to remove that brassy effect without resorting to bleach and harsh chemicals.

Products like Sun In have the same problem when heat is applied so use carefully and wisely washing thoroughly after your sun time lightening session.

Gails Makeup Contest For May WIN COOL STUFF

OK so Gail from Oogle makeup and I have been working on getting the contest together for all you readers so make sure to head over to her blog and check it out!
Ive done the easy part(donating little gifts) and she is doing all the major work! I will be giving out a $50 gift card as well for the first place winner for you to spend at Erryns Health And Beauty! We just added hundreds of new items and hundreds more will be added before the contest end which is June 7th.
Enter to win and cool stuff for FREE !!!!!
Here is a video bit about the contest

Tangles Knots Tears & Kids Hair

Combing out tangles after a bath can be one of the most grueling tasks of the day.Tears, whining,bribes are issues familiar to any mom just trying to take care of your little ones hair.

Although kids shampoo's are tearless, they do lack conditioning and can leave hair full of knots and tangles. When your little one is able to avoid getting shampoo in his or her eyes, switch to a shampoo that meets the growing needs of their hair.Also don't skip the conditioner! Apply it from the nape down, let it sit for a minute or two while everything else gets scrubbed and rinse it with a cup of water down the back.Keeping the conditioner just on the back of the hair helps keep it from running into their eyes. You can also gently rough detangle the hair with your fingers while the conditioner is in the hair to help release some of the major knots.

After the bath you can use a leave in light detangling spray to help with the tangles.My girls both had/have long heavy hair and detangler does little to nothing for them. If you have this problem too, try an anti frizz serum like Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum.These products contain oils that help not only fly aways and static, but help the tangles slide out alot easier.

Use a good large cushioned paddle brush for detangling and a softer natural bristle brush for finishing when dry for the least painful haircare.

Tie it up! If your little one takes a bath before bed, use a soft scrunchy or pony tail holder that wont break their delicate hair and tie it into a loose braid or pony tail. This helps for the next morning to keep the knots down.

Little men have issues all of their own! Bed head, cowlicks and not being able to sit for more than 5 seconds to let you fix them up. A quick easy fix when you have to head out is keep a spray bottle around with half water and half soft hold liquid gel mixed together in it. Boys always think getting sprayed is a good time! A little hold to keep things in check and the water helps redirect the bedhead back to its normal position.

Of course your always going to have gum, candy and other sticky stuff to contend with along the way. Try using ice to harden the sticky goo and chip it away little by little.Or you can try a product with oil of some sort to soften the mess and help it slide out.Alot of people use peanut butter, margarine or mineral oil. I prefer the ice method so I don't have to wash the oil out after.

Lock up the scissors as best you can, but if you have older kids chances are, there will be experiments in hairdressing. It happens to the best of us.Try not to panic and cry. Its just hair no big deal, it grows and it gives you a good story to tell! Take lots of pics to show future boyfriends/girlfriends. And make a trip to the salon and get a game plan to grow it out.

Don't skimp on cheap junk products for your little ones hair. Time is money, and getting the right product for his/her hair will save you oodles of time, and save your baby oodles of tears. It is worth the investment to make both of your lives simpler.

The Battle Of The Bald, Should I Have Surgery?

I do understand men are vain about their hair.Some more than women! Loosing your hair can be a traumatic experience for anyone.

There are clubs and doctors and all kinds of products out there that go to unbelievable measures to restore hair to its original position.If you are contemplating having your scalp dissected and relocated, why not try giving bald a chance before you scar up your head!

Keeping your hair cut short lessens the impact of the balding effect.

More and more men are looking hot and sexy with a fully shaved cranium.

Check out these pics of stars with their pre-shaved and post shaved looks

I personally think all these men look much better in the bald.If you feel too naked bald try growing a goatee or play around with the facial hair growth in different styles until you find your look.

Shaving it off is an easy painless process that can be reversed at any time! Just don't shave it for a week or two and VIOLA! you got hair again.Then you can carry on with your medical intervention.But you may love being bald! And don't believe that women only like men with hair.Its all about your style. A bad hair plug job isn't going to make the ladies ooh and ahh over you.Combing what hair your have left over your naked scalp is definitely going to scare them off.Being confident is the key. A shaved head says ya, I may have lost my hair, but who cares! I'm still a tough sexy man beast.

Just make sure your putting some sunscreen over your newly nekkid scalp so you aren't miserable when it gets burned!

I would love to hear from some other ladies out there. What is your viewpoint on bald men? What advice do you have to give to a man who is considering hair transplant surgery? I think alot of men would love to have a woman's honest opinion without having to ask.

Should I Color My Gray Hair?

Gray hair is distinguished. Makes you look wise.

Ya right!

Some people can pull off the beautiful snow white locks look. It all depends on your age, original hair color and overall appearance.Not everyone is so fortunate to gray beautifully and gracefully.

Some people gray into a mousy off gray color. Or their gray turns salt and pepper with shades of gray varying from white to steel gray.Spotty gray patches usually start at the temple area and leave the back of your hair dark.

A good way to judge how you are going to gray and how early is to look at your parents and see how much gray they had at your age and how they grayed through the years.Chances are you'll take after one of them!

Coloring gray all over can bring you to a whole world of maintenance you may not be ready for.If you have a family history of heavy graying early (under 40) then stay away from all over color.

Your looking at eventually having to color your roots every 4 to 6 weeks to hide those unsightly roots from screaming " IM TRYING TO NOT LOOK OLD!"

Some great alternatives to all over color!

Lowlights: Pulling darker color through in the same manner as highlights can lessen the amount of grays while leaving some here and there.This helps buffer the line of demarcation (regrowth line) so you can go longer between colorings.This is also alot easier to grow out if you decide to let the gray do it's thing.

Streak It: If you have your natural color on the majority of your hair, but seem to be graying up top, take a tip from Stacey London and leave a gray streak! This says "Im not hiding the gray, I'm proud of it" Use your gray to accessorize and look classy, not old and haggered.

Demi Permanent Color: Demi permanent color will not give you 100 % gray coverage.It will blend the gray hair into your natural color making them look like natural sun kissed highlights. Demi permanent color lasts 4 to 6 weeks and eventually fades back to your natural color.If you go with permanent color your going to be in every 4 to 6 weeks for touch ups anyway.With demi permanent your not rushing in because you look like hell, you can go au naturale for a week or two if you cant get in for an appointment.

Semi Permanent Color: Again not gray coverage but gray blending.Lasts 4 to 6 shampoos and will just buffer the look of gray for special occasions without any commitment.

If you do decide your finally ready for going gray and want out of the commitment you made when you colored your hair, use the same techniques to grow your natural color out gracefully.

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make when coloring their hair to hide gray is coloring it too dark. Go for a lighter shade instead of your original hair color. A softer color looks more gentle against aging skin.Darker colors can look harsh and accentuate dark circles and wrinkles.Also a lighter shade will blend easier with regrowth leaving less of a line of demarcation.

Another problem with coloring gray hair is that gray hair has no underlying pigment to blend with the artificial hair color. This can cause color to look flat and lifeless.Natural hair colors are made of different shades of the same color.One flat color all over on any hair doesn't look natural.Shades of brown or blonde that are similar blended into your hair will give you the softest most natural looking color.Put the lighter shades where your hair would naturally be lightened by the sun like toward your face and on the top layer of the hair.

If your comfortable with having gray hair then by all means, let it go and be proud of it!

But if your gray makes you feel old and makes you self conscious, fight it off for as long as possible.

Just remember, when your 80 and you have black hair, people know its fake and it just looks funny. Plan for going gray eventually and make wise decisions.

Idiotic Sayings

I kind of have a problem with dissecting what people say to the point where it doesn't even make sense to me anymore.But I hate when people say things because that is just what you say in that circumstance without thinking it through.I do it too, I know, but when I notice I'm doing it I obsess over it until I'm about to loose my mind!

Same difference....I hear this alot and I don't get it.When your trying to express that 2 things are alike...why would you say they have the same differences? Are they the same or are they different? I mean both lard and toxic waste are bad for your body so are they the same since they both are bad for you even though they are completely different? How do you compare difference? AHHH this one really gets me baffled I cant think about it too much or I get dizzy.

Unthaw...ya I know some people who say they are going to unthaw some meat for dinner...so are they going to eat frozen meat? My son has the same "literal" issues I do and when he was little I would say, "would you like me to make you a frozen pizza?" and every time he would reply, "no mommy I would like a cooked pizza" like I ever handed him a frozen Tony's and said go at it.

More than I can count....really? I mean for real? wow........ Skip using this one unless it is literall more than you can count like grains of sand, stars in the sky or blades of grass.If you are referring to something under a trillion or so, just say alot of times or you just look like you dropped out of school in 2nd grade.

You did not!....Yes I did, I just said I did, why are you arguing with me...

They...Who are they are why do you listen to them? They could be a group of morons for all I know.I don't care what they say.Give me names people!

You cant have your cake and eat it too....What the ? Who came up with this one? So you can only eat cake you don't have? How exactly does that work? Why would you have cake you cant eat? Another really baffling statement.

If its not one thing its another...GENIUS! No S**T!

It is always in the last place you look....Why would you keep looking for it after you find it? Of course it is the last place you look.

I could care less...This is generally said when a person means something doesn't mean anything to them. So by stating you could care less implies that you care at all, because if you didn't care, you couldn't care less. Try putting a different verb in place of care and see what happens. "I could smell less" So you must have an odor to be aware you need to have less of an odor. "I could run less" Well honestly I couldn't run less if I tried.

literally.... This is usually said to express the sincerity of something that is not literal. Example " I am so hungry I could literally eat a cow" Ill call you on that one! I want to see you eat the fear factor parts of the cow!



I could go on for hours on this, literally....