Wearing:
Lanston boyfriend maxi dress | in navy at Shopbop
Birkenstock Arizona sandals
Well, I look a hot mess, don’t I? I used surf spray in my hair and now it looks (and feels) so dry and brittle. There’s a fine line with that stuff, and I always cross it! My stylist used Sachajuan Ocean spray on me when I was there and says it’s less drying than Bumble & Bumble (she used to work for B&B, so maybe she knows what she’s talking about?). In combination with the Sachajuan leave-in conditioner spray, my hair looked amazing for days after she cut it, and I didn’t notice that it weighed it down or made it look brittle at all. Sigh.
Why is there always something new to buy?? I also need new shampoo/conditioner, the super-cheap clearance Fekkai pink stuff I got at Target after the holiday markdowns is running out soon, what to try next? I haven’t hated it, but I haven’t loved it either, so I’m open to suggestions if you guys have any. I do think I want to try the Sachajuan leave-in conditioner, though, so just shampoo. Has anyone tried Living Proof? Do they have a good shampoo for color-treated hair?
This Lanston dress I feel kind of meh about also – I’ve had it for a while (got it on sale at Shopbop for a great price), but haven’t been able to wear it. I should have sent it back after I first tried it on, but didn’t. It’s not horrible, but not something I would choose over something else, for example. It sort of swallows me up I think, and that’s not something I ever say about anything! It would be much better if the top was not so blousy or oversized, because that is the “smaller” part of my body, and it certainly doesn’t look it in this dress.
This dress could be good for traveling, and wearing at home, but seriously, I do NOT need something else I can wear at home, and while it would be comfy for the plane, I’m not sure I’d want to wear it at my destination, and it’s not very easily layer-able. Sigh. Again.
Haha! What a day I had yesterday: brittle hair, sack dress, headache and cramps. Who can guess what time of the month it is?? I guess I should be proud of myself that instead of the sour jelly beans I have stashed away in my desk drawer for just such days I ate unsweetened apple chips to get my “sour” sweet fix. And went to Costco where I passed up the dark chocolate superfruits, which are the devil in disguise, and instead purchased organic ravioli with spinach and cheese and proceeded to eat WAY too many for dinner (also the devil). Like almost the whole package – which is a lot, because it’s from Costco…
Today can only get better, right?? I think I’ll go to Neiman Marcus and play around at the makeup counters!
Oh, and a quick update: this morning I ordered the Everlane snap backpack in charcoal (I’m either going to keep the backpack or the JP tote), and the white box shirt. So now, I think I officially own everything that Everlane has ever made. I do already own the box shirt in Indigo, but I don’t wear it very often. Because it’s indigo. I love it actually, and now that it’s warming up, I may wear it, but the indigo throws me off. I also have this Jerome Dreyfuss mini twee on the way, which I’m BEYOND excited about. It’ll be great for my trip to San Francisco, and maybe for everyday wear if I can learn to scale down a bit on the number of lip thingies I carry with me.
I’m not a fan of living proof shampoos .. I tried their No Frizz kit and hated the shampoo .. I couldn’t get my hands through my hair. The conditioner was nice though. The styling product was meh. Not sure what the hype is about this line other than everyone hopes to have hair like Jennifer Aniston.
Monica
thanks for your feedback! i tried the styling product – i think it’s “amp” and ended up buying a full-size version, but i have no idea why…i don’t notice that it does ANYTHING for my hair. now that it’s shorter, i should give it a try again, i guess, but i don’t get the hype either. i buy into it sometimes, but that doesn’t mean i get it LOL
Gretchen, after years of trying all kinds of products (very dry hair and scalp due to a medical condition) I finally found the perfect formula and my life has changed : ) Here it is: Sebastian Penetraitt shampoo (needs to be alternated with a clarifying shampoo now and then, like B&B Sunday shampoo), Earth Science Olive & Avocado masque (at Whole Foods) (or Sebastian’s Penetraitt Masque), B&B Prep as leave-in before hair-drying, and B&B Brilliantine to smooth frizzes or before flat-ironing. A tiny dab of EV coconut oil or jojoba oil on the hair and scalp if needed, also coconut oil for pre-shampoo conditioning. Though this is perfect for very dry hair, I don’t think it would overwhelm not so dry hair. You look great, by the way, love the hair. The dress, if you keep it, perhaps just a touch shorter? I know, I know, it’s supposed to be that length, right?
Also, if your hair is gets brittle at times, especially if it is fine, stay away from polymers, acrylates, “thickners”, too much protein and say hello to humectants and natural oils (tiny amounts is the key here).
thanks for your suggestions! i do mix B&B texture cream with some argon oil, or caudalie’s divine oil sometimes and i think that works well. also the oscar blandi glossing creme is nice for smoothing it out. the surf spray is just a disaster though!!
why would you need to use a pre-shampoo conditioner? just curious! is that just for super-dry hair/scalp? i don’t think mine is dry, i guess it’s pretty normal, but adding coconut oil before sounds interesting – i have no idea what i’m “supposed” to do with my hair. i hate to do anything to it, honestly. i wash it as infrequently as i possibly can!!
oh..good idea about the dress – i accidentally dried my other lanston dress, which actually makes it more wearable now because it’s just a teeny bit shorter and smaller. i think that would make all the difference with this one! maybe i’ll do it!!
I think the dress looks stunningly good! Very graceful.
I kind of love that dress…..But i struggle with having too many sack dresses and too much grey.
It is very cute, but I get what you mean!
thank you anna!
haha! no such thing as too much gray!!!
How’s the fit of the Everlane box shirt that you have? What size do you have? I’d like to get a non-fitted shirt but not too boxy…
Gretchen, coconut oil has serious moisturizing properties, and penetraits the hair shaft + seals the hair cuticle, which gives hair a very soft sheen, so great after years of dullness! All this are issues with dry hair, in particular black hair (my case) which is a lot more fragile than caucasian hair + prone to breakage and brittleness especially with the wrong products. It gives the hair a bounce and body, just very healthy-looking.
Sillicones, on the other hand do not work for me. In rinse-out conditioners, great, but leave-in products, absolutely not. That is why I love the two B&B products I mentioned (Prep has a tiny amount).
I love the fit – it’s a little oversized, but works for me because of my hips. It still looks slim enough on the top
I hated Living Proof shampoo. Got a generous sample from Sephora but never even used it up. What I just purchased yesterday was Alterna Bamboo volumizing shampoo. Not a fan of the smell but so far the hair looks great. I’ve tried pretty much every shampoo on the market but my absolute favorite is Leonor Greyl Bain Volumateur aux Algues. It’s pricey as heck but the only thing that truly works on my hair.
Your new bag is beautiful but so expensive. I’m not saying that judgmentally, I was just surprised at the price. I’m sure that you’ll love it, who wouldn’t?
I have to ask. How does indigo throw you off? Not a neutral for you?
yes lisa, i guess that’s it. although if i treated it like navy, it might be easier to deal with, or it might not. i love it, but i feel weird wearing it with black, the same as i feel weird wearing all black – i like some contrast…
yes, jerome dreyfuss is expensive, but worth it i’ve found. i’m getting this one via Forzieri who i trade store credit for advertising with. so, it’s definitely not free – i work for that credit! – but i’m also not sure i would buy it right now if i had to pay cash. that’s something i’ve thought to write a post about actually…. jerome dreyfuss also holds value very well, so i’ve had good luck selling ones i don’t use anymore. and they do ALWAYS go on sale!
I appreciate your explanation, thanks. I’ve been drooling over his bags, but will try to buy one on eBay. Fashion fingers crossed! BTW: I love your look. Why are we always (self included) so critical of our hair? I had a horrid hair day today and I hid it under a hat. One of the benefits of living in a cold clime like Maine.
forgot to say, i have a medium in indigo and ordered a medium in the white. review next week!!
I think it is because the combination black + indigo is cool, whereas you might need a bit of warmth to balance cool, or just stay in the neutral zone with a touch or warm or a touch of cool. Your indigo might work with a lot of stuff, khakis, olives, browns, warm gray…
you’re right – i actually like it a lot with black, but it’s never a combination i reach for, you know? and i tried it on with my “charcoal” gray james perse pants and i like that a lot…
Great hair advice, Luna!
I think the maxi is adorable, Grechen, but I kind do see what you mean about the dress being too much for your petite frame. I, on the other hand, would love something to give me more coverage, so I’d probably love this dress (esp. in the navy!). And, my first thought upon looking at your hair in this pic was, “Cool bed-head modern bob, Grechen!” So, I guess it’s all in how you frame it. 😉
I’m constantly trying new hair products …all high-end…and still haven’t hit on the perfect cocktail for my thick but graying, dryish hair. I wash it a lot less than I used to, shampoo and condition with Fekkai Px Reparative, and use WEN occasionally, B&B, and Josie Maran for hair.
I forget if you’ve posted it, but have you ever tried the indigo with black pants? It’s really like navy, right? And you look GREAT in navy!