Test Driving - InfinitiPro by Conair 3Q Straightener

InfinitiPro by Conair 3Q Straightener - $119.99 - provides super-fast styling thanks to 1 inch plates that heat up to 455 degrees F within 30 seconds, lasting smoothness with 100% more ion generation that actively eliminates static and tames frizz for exceptional shine. The luxurious black titanium plates give ultimate glide for effortless smoothing and the electroplated plates enhance heat conductivity for soft, manageable hair while advanced CeraTherm technology gives superior fast-action heat transfer.

The straightener features 12 digital heat settings that allow optimum temperature for different hair types and intelligent sensor technology that adjusts the temperature to protect hair from excessive heat. What I like best is the gentle setting which allows you to instantly reduce heat to help minimize damage when styling - perfect if you have fine hair like mine that heats up really quick - I find it takes only a couple of passes with the iron but if it takes more then that I can easily reduce the heat so my hair doesn't fry! The other options that make me really appreciate it are practical but so very necessary - auto shut off for those Monday mornings when you can barely remember to put on pants never mind turn off your straightener and a 5 foot long swivel cord so there is lots of room to maneuver and you don't have to worry about the cord getting all tangled up!

Available at mass retailers across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

Travel made easy with Conair, Foreo, Avon and Quo!

Lack of space usually has me foregoing some of the luxuries of life when I travel - up to now it's always had to be a choice between my blow dryer and flat iron - but no longer thanks to...

Conair Mini Pro Mini Straightener - $19.98 - in black and purple - a slim straightener that features ceramic-coated plates that help smooth down flyaways and frizzies. Heat is evenly distributed so that the style you create has a salon-perfect, silky smooth, shining finish while convenient storage pouch and dual voltage makes this perfect for styling on the go.

Available at drug and mass retailers across Canada.

When traveling I usually leave my cleansing devices behind and go low-tech with a washcloth - no longer necessary and as an added bonus, it runs on batteries, no electricity needed so it can even go camping with you!

Foreo Luna Play Plus - $59 - in 7 colours: Purple, Pearl Pink, Midnight, Sunflower Yellow, Fuchsia, Aquamarine and Mint - A travel-friendly, ultra-hygienic, two-zone silicone cleansing brush with T-Sonic Pulsations for gentle, thorough cleansing.

Fun, portable, and the perfect introduction to the amazing skincare benefits that come from T-Sonic cleansing. LUNA play plus takes everything you love about the tiny but mighty LUNA play and adds that little extra something you need for a perfected complexion. It uses a compact design and two-zone brush to gently and thoroughly offer your skin a sonic cleanse to leave you glowing and gorgeous, in as little as one minute, twice a day. This model features a new, larger brush head for distributing T-Sonic cleansing power, plus it uses a replaceable AAA battery for near-endless use.

Available at Murale stores across Canada and online at beautyBOUTIQUE.ca.

It's such a pain to take anything liquid to airports and usually so expensive to buy at the destination that I love finding easily packable alternatives...

Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus Icaridin Insect Repellent Towelettes - 8 pack - $16 - a portable deet-free bug repellent that fits in your pocket and repels mosquitoes for 5 hours and deer ticks for 7 hours. With a light-feeling, non-greasy, quick-drying protection formula that contains vitamin E and aloe along with a stink-free Gentle Breeze scent.

And for your non-travel needs it also comes in bigger sizes: 118ml for $14 and a new family 236ml size for $20!

Available from your Avon rep - 1-800-265-AVON or online at avon.ca.

Pack everything up and keep it organized with...

Quo Iridescent Rose 3 Piece Makeup Bag Set - $18.99 - includes three different sized cosmetic pouches: the large clear case is 10" x 7" and perfect for keeping liquids in to take through airport security so you are a real rule follower; the middle floral bag is 8" x 6.5" - a great size for makeup or would even make a great clutch in a pinch; while the small metallic bag 5" x 4" could store medications, ID or whatever small items you need to keep track of.

Available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart stores across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

This week I'm obsessed with... InfinitiPro by Conair Diamond Brilliance Ionic Straightening Brush!

InfinitiPro by Conair Diamond Brilliance Ionic Straightening Brush - $69.97 - in pink or black - add silkiness and shine to hair with a hot paddle brush with a combination of nylon, silicone and diamond-infused ceramic bristles that gently guide styler through hair while advanced ionic technology enhances manageability and reduces frizz. 

Don't understand exactly how this whole ion thing works? Me neither - but as I gather - the ionizing function generates negative ions, which neutralize positive ions in the air. The neutralization process flattens and seals the hair cuticle, reducing frizz and leaving the hair shiny and more manageable - I might not exactly understand it, but it does work!

It's very user friendly with 3 heat settings for all hair types, heats up instantly - with a high heat up to 400°F - and has an auto-off in case you forget. What I like best is the swivel style cord making it much easier to switch from side to side without ending up with a tangled cord mess!

And just to clarify - this is not a "straightening" brush that is going to make curly hair straight - more like a smoothing brush that will get rid of frizz, tame errant hairs back into line and add tons of shine! 

Available now at drug and mass retailers across Canada. 

- Lisamarie -

Goldwell Kerasilk Keratin Treatment Service - for hair like silk for up to 5 months!

I recently had the opportunity to check out the brand new Goldwell Kerasilk Keratin Treatment at the Haartek Salon in Toronto. What makes it different then the other smoothing services available is that it is entirely customizable to your hair type and desired outcome. Wavy to curly, frizzy to unmanageable - it makes unruly, frizzy hair manageable, softens curls and smooths frizz and reduces daily styling time significantly - whatever the issue, the treatment has a solution!

I was super impressed when I saw the before and after on this lady (although I really hope they treat the other side of her head before she goes home) - frizz ball to sleek and gorgeous! And the other thing I found noticeable was the lack of smell - there were many treatments going on at the same time so some sort of chemical smell would have been expected and yet I could smell nothing!

The Kerasilk Keratin smoothing service utilizes a new generation of technology - consisting of glyoxylic acid, keratin and silk proteins - that penetrates the hair structure and creates a matrix of new keratin bonds that reinforce and stabilize hair for up to 5 months - you can see the amazingly smooth and shiny results here!

My hair wasn't frizzy/curly/scary enough to need Keratin so I was treated to a Goldwell Dualsenses 60sec Treatment instead (sigh, bliss - thanks Dakota!)

There's also a range of at-home products to compliment and maximize the salon service enriched with Kerashape Technology in both Rich and Ultra-rich formulas. The products can even be used if you haven't had a treatment to help smooth hair and control frizz.

The Kerasilk Keratin service takes about 2 1/2 hours and costs $300 and up - depending on the length and condition of the hair. Check it out at Haartek Salon in Toronto at 55 Bloor Street West in the Manulife Centre - 416-962-3355 or other participating Goldwell salons - find out more at www.kerasilk.goldwell.com.

- Lisamarie -

ghd has new stylers that are cute as candy!

ghd has a limted edition Candy Collection of Classic Stylers in colours so sweet they'll make your teeth ache! There's Lemon and Mint but my particular fave is -

ghd Classic Violet 1" Professional Styler - $199 -with ceramic heat technology to straighten and smooth and a rounded body to create perfect waves and curls.

ghd was kind enough to send me a styler and ask me to either recreate one of the styles from the ghd hair gallery (which you should check out, there are some really cool looks there) or to create my own summer inspired hairstyle. I recently chopped all of my hair off so there is a limited amount of styles for it but my biggest summer issue, no matter what it's length is frizziness - so I really count on a good styler to smooth my hair out without frying it!

I have fine hair that frizzes easily so I have to be careful when working with heat - I need ceramic plates to smooth and even heat to get the job done quickly with a minimum of damage and the ghd made the grade on both counts. I used a couple of drops of serum in wet hair, blow dried it until it was just slightly damp and then ran the styler through for about 10 minutes and you can see the result - hair that is practically perfectly smooth and frizz free with super shine - I'm looking forward to also being able to use it to create an easy flip once my hair grows out a bit!

The other aspects of the styler that I really appreciated was the swivel cord that keeps it from getting all tangled as you move it around your head and the 30 minute automatic shut-off because I'm famously bad for forgetting to turn off my tools!

Score your own in whatever colour pleases you along with free shipping at: http://www.ghdhair.com/us/hair-straighteners

- Lisamarie -

Get runway ready hair at home with new tools from Rowenta! Contest!

I love going to the salon and the way my hair looks afterwards - all perfectly straight and shiny, but I'll be damned if I'm ever able to achieve the same results at home! Until now that is - Rowenta Beauty has a couple of new tools designed to offer you flawless results in the comfort of your own home!

Rowenta Curl Active - $179 - provides glamorous curls with ease in the coolest way that I've ever seen - it actually automatically wraps hair around its barrel with optimal rotation speed that ensures locks are perfectly coiled with a temperature that varies to support all hair types.

Rowenta Double Straight - $179 - offers sleek results in half the time and with minimal damage thanks to its Stretch & Straight technology - first it's heated combs first pre-heat, relax and stretch the hair, then its high performance plates uniform and continuous pressure to ensure the strand is perfectly straight - together leaving hair smoother and softer than ever before!

Available at salons across Canada - check out www.RowentaBeauty.ca to find one near you. Of course better then buying one would be winning one so we want to give you the tool of your choice (you will receive the iron or the curler, not both) - so if your looking to curl or straighten, read on...

This contest is open to all our Canadian followers and it's very easy to enter, just leave a comment letting us know that you follow through Google Friend Connect or Facebook Networked Blogs (if you aren't a follower you can do that now - sign up buttons are in the right sidebar).

1 entry for following and answering the question - What is the hardest thing you find about styling your own hair at home?  Please also leave your e-mail so we can find you if you win! 

And for extra entries: 

Follow @BeautyCrazedCan on Twitter and tweet the contest.
Follow @RowentaBeauty on Twitter and tweet the contest.
Follow Rowenta Beauty on Facebook - www.facebook.com/RowentaBeautyCanada

If you prefer not to leave your info on a public post, please leave a post saying you want to enter with your answer to the question and then e-mail your info to info@beautycrazed.ca, please put "Rowenta Contest" in the subject line. Remember to leave the post or you name won't actually end up in the draw! Winners to be decided by random drawing and you have until May 25th to enter. Good Luck! 

- Lisamarie -

When it comes to GS hair appliances - good things really do come in mini packages!

When you look at cute little hair appliances like these do you automatically think of how great for travel they are? I won't argue, these compact little beauties are perfect for throwing in a suitcase and saving a ton of space! But I have to say, I think GS is missing out on a huge untapped market by suggesting them for travel - specifically booty calls! How many times have you spent the night at a guys place only to take a shower in the morning and realize that the boy does not possess a hairdryer, never mind a curling or flat iron?! It's bad enough having to do the walk of shame wearing yesterday's clothes, never mind limp, unstyled hair! I'm not saying you should lug around all 3 in your purse but you could certainly have your first choice in there if you're feeling lucky...

Or say you have a boyfriend who won't let you keep any stuff at his place, or at the very most, allows you a little drawer in the bathroom - no way are you fitting a full sized dryer in there and seriously, you must be sick of lugging yours back and forth to his place - mini hair appliances, problem solved!

And he'll be happy to know they come in black and bright pink, men love bright pink stuff in their bathrooms!

GS Mini Performance Dryer - $49.95 - offers hot and powerful air flow with tourmaline and ceramic infused heater, two speed/heat integrated switch, dual voltage switch for worldwide travel, removable filter for easy clean up, folding handle creates compact size which is great for traveling and includes concentrator nozzle.

GS Mini Performance Curl - $39.95 - with dual voltage for worldwide use, a genuine tourmaline infused 1" ceramic barrel to create volume, bounce and full sized curls, max 400°F for professional results an swivel cord.

GS Mini Performance Flat - $39.95 - offers genuine tourmaline gems that generate negative ion and infrared heat to guarantee smoother and silkier hair, easy to grip comfortable handles, dual voltage for worldwide use, max 400°F for professional results, swivel cord and floating plates which help to eliminate unnecessary pressure that can pull and snag the hair

Available now at Trade Secrets - www.tradesecrets.ca

- Lisamarie -

Go super smooth with AG Hair Cosmetics! Contest!

From thick to unruly, coarse to kinky, and everything in between, AG Hair has a new lineup of Smooth argan-infused products that work like magic to calm frizz and create silky, sexy, seductively smooth strands.

The argan in AG’s Smooth products is sourced using sustainable and organic farming methods and is produced by local women of the Berber tribe in one of the poorest regions in Morocco. The income these women earn goes directly into their community, helping to provide food, shelter and education for their children and families.

AG’s Smooth products include:

Smoooth Sulfate-Free Argan Shampoo - 237ml - $20 - great for coarse, brittle or frizzy hair - with  sumptuous lathering, sulfate-free and infused with argan oil to make your mane velvety smooth and silky soft. It’s ideal for use on medium to thick hair.

Sleeek Argan Conditioner - 178ml - $20 - transforms coarse or brittle hair into smooth, silky, lustrous locks - with nutrient-rich argan oil, and keratin and silk proteins to control frizz and repair split ends. Ideal for use on medium to thick hair.

Set it Straight Argan Straightening Lotion - 148ml - $16 - tackles humidity and waves head-on while you smooth and straighten effortlessly. Ferocious frizz control and thermal protection do double duty so the envious can do a double take.

Firewall Argan Flat Iron Spray - 187ml - $24 - a much-needed barrier between your hair and your flat iron, absorbing heat and preventing breakage. Firewall dries the minute you spray it, so your iron can slip seamlessly through your hair, plus it’s infused with argan oil. Translation: Your iron keeps moving and your hair stays healthy.
 

The Oil Smoothing Oil - 10ml - $6.95, 30ml - $18 - use a little, get a lot. The Oil is the fountain of youth for hair, adding indescribable softness, shine and slip. Organic argan oil breathes new life into the hair and the scalp and is lightweight and light coloured, making it ideal for blondes and finer-hair types.
 

Hydr8 Argan Hand Moisturizer - 89ml - $16 - infused with argan oil, abyssinian oil, plus vitamins A and E, this luxe lotion gives you high-power hydration. Perfect for the impatient since it works instantly, and lasts for hours.

You can find AG’s Smooth products sold in salons across North America - check out www.aghair.com to find one near you but of course why buy when you can win! Looking to smooth out your locks and want in then we'd like to give you the entire Smooth line - sound good? Then read on...

This contest is open to all our Canadian followers and it's very easy to enter, just leave a comment letting us know that you follow through Google Friend Connect or Facebook Networked Blogs (if you aren't a follower you can do that now - sign up buttons are in the right sidebar).

1 entry for following and answering the question - What do you usually use to smooth out your hair?  Please also leave your e-mail so we can find you if you win! 

And for extra entries: 

Follow @BeautyCrazedCan on Twitter and tweet the contest.
Follow @ag_hair on Twitter and tweet the contest. 
Like AG Hair Cosmetics on Facebook - www.facebook.com/AGhairproducts

If you prefer not to leave your info on a public post, please leave a post saying you want to enter and then e-mail your info to info@beautycrazed.ca, please put "AG Hair Contest" in the subject line. Remember to leave the post or you name won't actually end up in the draw! Winner to be decided by random drawing and you have until March 16th to enter. Good Luck! 

- Lisamarie -

Test Driving KeratinPerfect 30 Day Brazilian Hair Smoothing System!

KeratinPerfect 30 Day Brazilian Hair Smoothing System - $235 - contains full size: PerfectPrep Pre-Treatment Clarifying Shampoo, The Perfector 30-Day Hair Smoothing Treatment, PerfectCleanse Keratin Enhanced Shampoo, PerfectSilk Keratin Enhanced Conditioner, a travel size of PerfectRenew Daily Keratin Replenishing Spray, a PerfectSleek cutting-edge next generation digital titanium plate 450 degree flat iron as well as a KeratinPerfect Brush and clips.

I've been intrigued by keratin treatments for a couple of years now ever since the salons started doing them as a regular service and I keep meaning to go in and try one but never seem to find the time.

If you aren't familiar with what keratin does for your hair - it's actually a natural protein that is in healthy hair but that is depleted over time due to styling and environmental damage which causes frizz and dullness. I figured a salon quality treatment I could do at home would be the way to go if my hair was ever going to see keratin so I decided the at-home KeratinPerfect system which just came to Canada was the way to go.  What I needed was something that would be quick and easy and it delivered on both counts.

So the process goes like this:  First you wash your hair with the PerfectPrep shampoo to totally strip it; then you apply The Perfector treatment which stays in for 10 minutes; then you blow-dry your hair dry and then flat iron to seal in the keratin. That's it. The whole process took about an hour and the only downside to it is not being able to wash/or get your hair wet for 48 hours.

The system is meant for all hair types including curly, wavy, frizzy, colour-treated, damaged and chemically relaxed.

I realized that I hadn't been clever enough to take a before picture so this one from a couple of weeks back at an event will have to do - my hair actually is flat ironed in the picture but you can see that it's still not entirely straight and also frizzy.

After the KeratinPerfect treatment my hair is poker straight, defined, shiny and almost entirely frizz free!

The KeratinPerfect system is now available in Canada at Sephora and if you already have a good flat iron or once you use up the products included in the set you can buy more products separately and save yourself a bunch of money!

Have you tried a keratin treatment either at the salon or at home and what kind of results did you get?

- Lisamarie -