August 2018 Favorites

  1. OPI Red Hot Rio, $8 / 2. Drunk Elephant Marula Oil, $80 /
    3. Perricone No Eyeshadow Eyeshadow, $35 / 4. Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum, $21

On top of coming in later than usual, my dang graphic had issues – thanks for bearing with me. I’ll update with a picture later. :) For details on my August 2018 Favorites, follow the jump!

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Adventures in Balayage

Beauty Skeptic's BalayageA peek at some of my balayage highlights.
Excuse my comically bad lighting that does not fully showcase how awesome my hair is.

After lengthy consideration, I decided to go forward with balayage highlights. I went for a consultation on September 13, which is where I gathered my information on how to prepare for my balayage highlighting appointment. Balayage isn’t something new, even if it is a new-ish trend in the United States; but I could swear, of all the haircolor techniques out there, this one was made with me in mind.

I did extensive research and chose a charming salon in my area, had a really positive consult, and was ready. By my September 20 appointment, I was rarin’ to go.

So, Tell Me What you Want

To my consult, I brought the following three photos, found on Pinterest, for inspiration:

Adventures in Balayage - Inspiration

Clients get caught up in trying (and failing) to describe what they’re looking for. Pictures help. But you know what else really helps? Explaining and or showing what you definitely, under no circumstances, do not want. Most balayage highlights create a lovely, ombre effect on the hair – but not all ombre hair is balayage. For me, “ombre,” leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Search Google Images for, “Ombre hair,” and you’ll see what I mean. Severe, harsh transitions. Lines, even. I want nothing about my hair to be harsh, and I grew out a misguided hair choice once before and dealt with awkward lines. Never, ever again. Balayage is french for, “sweeping,” and damn it, that’s what I want. Lines of demarcation are the enemy.

Decisions, Decisions

Armed with those three photos my colorist and I made some decisions together. Notice how I said together? It should be a joint effort. Most of these decisions took place during my consultation. But if you and your colorist don’t agree on the course of action – say, you want X and she thinks you ought to do Y? You’re going to have a bad time. As a client, you should have realistic expectations and asks for your colorist. She or he may well seem like a wizard, but it isn’t magic.

Based on those photos, my expression of my #hairgoals, my habits, and prior aversion to color we decided:

  • As far as color goes, the third option made the most sense to emulate. After all, it’s easier to make more changes down the road than to go, “Shit, I don’t like this as much as I thought I was going to!”
  • Overall placement somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd photo.
  • To place more product at the ends to concentrate a little more blonde color there (like the 2nd photo).
  • …But to overall play it a little safe.

It can be a little intimidating to be in the chair, but when you’re spending money on these services, it’s worthwhile to be 100% sure you’re on the same page. If your stylist or colorist is worth a damn, she or he WANTS to produce results you’re happy with. If the salon you’re working with is not eager to work to that goal, find another salon. Seriously.

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How I Prepared for my Balayage Appointment

Balayage Prepvia Hair World Mag

I wrote, a while back, about considering getting Balayage highlights.

After a long time, a lot of consideration, and a consultation at which I asked my poor colorist half a million questions, I decided to take the plunge. I booked for Tuesday, September 20.

Here’s how I prepared for my balayage appointment.

What I Asked

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Worth it: As Seen on TV Turbie Twist

This legacy post has been given a facelift! I’m still amazed it took me as long as it did to find this product. Opinions are the same but content has been updated for clarity and readability. Enjoy!


When I was younger, I scoffed at the idea of the semi-old-fashioned excuse of, “Oh I’m sorry, I can’t… I have to wash my hair!”

Washing your hair is easy, come on!

Drying it, however, sucks.

Styling it (if you’re me) definitely sucks.

Ever Lazy

In my natural habitat, I’m absolutely a wash-and-wear sort. I do not enjoy blow-drying it (2018 Update: I have actually come to appreciate it for its practicality). I do, when I need to, but I much prefer to towel or air dry. Wrapping your hair in a full-length body towel also sucks, though. Too much towel! Doesn’t stay in place, you have to redo it a few times. It’s obnoxious.

The Original Turbie Twist

Turbie Twist Stock Photo

Years ago, I had seen the Turbie Twist but dismissed it as a gimmick. Last month, though, I came across one in Wal-Mart or Target (can’t remember) and they were only like $6 – so I grabbed one.

I never thought I’d buy, enjoy, or write about an As Seen On TV product… but here I am.

Turbie Twist

The Turbie Twist is a microfiber terry towel that is sewn like so – tapered so it fits around your head and isn’t too much fabric for the length of your hair.

How to Use

To use it, you flip your wet hair (brush it with a Wet Brush first!) upside down and put the larger side at the nape of your neck with the tapered end facing the floor. Tuck your hair into the inside of the towel, then twist the towel to secure. While holding your twisted towel, pull it back towards your neck and slip the end through the elastic.

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A Busted BioSilk Cap, A Product Spilled

Once I finished my bottle of Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum, I bought a bottle of BioSilk ($25). I’ve been using it for a while, but was not really ready to give a comprehensive review of it. So if you came here hoping for that – this isn’t that.

After leaving my hair in a Turbie Twist for about twenty minutes post-shower, I returned to my bathroom to blow out my hair. Upon opening my hair drawer, I smelled BioSilk’s signature scent. Not a touch, but a lot. Gagging. Too much!

Uh oh.

A Spill

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Discontinued Products I Miss

This legacy post has been given a facelift. Content has been edited for clarity and flow, but opinions are the same. Additional (new) commentary is in line.


We’ve all had it happen – find an item we love, use it (if consumable) or wear it out (if not), go to restock or replace only to be met with sadness.

Here’s a list of discontinued products I miss!

Discontinued Products - Ponds Luminous Finish BB+Ponds Luminous Finish BB+

I feel like I just reviewed this – I haven’t finished my tube, but now I’m in ration-mode because they already discontinued it. They still have it on Amazon through third-party merchants, but I’m still debating on it.

Discontinued Products - Maybelline Wet-Shine Diamonds Rhinestone Pink

Maybelline Wet Shine Diamonds – Pink Rhinestone

An ooooldie, but I long for it on the regular. It’s a shimmery light pink that is perfect. The formula was awesome and it was pretty and I went through THREE whole bottles of it. Three. Even though I’m a gel fanatic now, I would gleefully purchase this if they re-released it. Meanwhile, I’ve been unsuccessfully hunting for a dupe. 2018 Update: I still pine for this polish. It has now been well over a decade after I’ve worn it and it tugs at my damn heartstrings because it. was. perfect!

More after the jump…

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