THE GOLD STANDARD

Olivia Garden Introduces NanoThermic Styler Brush Collection

 

Banish bad hair days once and for all! With Olivia Garden’s *NEW* NanoThermic Ceramic + Ion Styler Collection, you’ll have no excuse not to have luscious locks every day of the week!

The NanoThermic Ceramic + Ion Styler series combines the latest technologies to create this unique collection of hairbrushes. Each brush features Nano-Silver technology which provides anti-bacterial protection leaving hair healthier and easier to style, and Tourmaline Ion technology which helps to hydrate the hair cuticle, adding more shine to hair, while eliminating frizz and flyaways.

Easy-grip ergonomic handles provide greater overall comfort during use, and the lightweight design makes for effortless styling. All contain a retractable hair sectioning pick on the bottom and anti-static properties. Gentle ball point tips and ionic soft cushioning make them comfortable on both the hair and scalp.

Available in three styles:

Paddle Brush (NT-PDL, $21.50)

The Paddle Brush is ideal for de-tangling, styling, brushing and creating up-dos. 

  Vent Brush (NT-VTS, $18.25)

The Vent Brush features ceramic coating which provides fast dry-time for short to medium hair.

  Styling Brush (NT-S9R, $19.95)

The Styling Brush is perfect for smoothing and shaping.

For more information, please visit www.oliviagarden.com.

About Olivia Garden

For nearly four decades, Olivia Garden has been an industry leader in the beauty industry. With their professional-quality brushes, salon apparel, hair curlers and related accessories for salon professionals and consumers, alike, Olivia Garden products are sold worldwide at beauty salons and through an exclusive distributor network.

Sunless Tanning 101

I. AM. BEYOND. PALE.

Going to the tanning bed or lying on the beach without SPF is skin suicide. Harsh? YES. Skin cancer is a serious condition and the most preventable. There are so many wonderful tanning alternatives that deliver a beautiful glow and I have tried 75% of them.  Skin cancer runs in my family and I have blonde hair and blue eyes - I am doomed to 'Beauty In A Bottle' when it comes to tanning.  It is an important contributor to my daily self-esteem as I am sure it is for you as well.  I would like to share my regiment and a few of my favorites I hope you will give a try this summer.

STEP ONE: PREP YOUR SKIN

Taking a shower and shaving is essential a few hours before applying lotion or spray sunless tanner.  A smooth shave prevents the chance of the tanning solution to come off to due frequent shaving.  Waxing is better, but who can always do that? OUCH.  Another essential step while in the shower in using a body scrub or exfoliator.  This removes dead skin cells from the surface and allows a fresh canvas to apply an even coat.  Bath and Body Works have released their variety of summer scents and my favorite is anything coconut. Try Bath & Body Works® Signature Collection Glowing Body Scrub in Aruba Coconut, $14 for 8 oz.  

STEP TWO:  GET TAN!!!!

Now that your skin has been prepped for its new glow, it is time to pick a self-tanning product. As I stated before, there are so many options out there.  I will skip the reviews and go straight to my secret weapon - Moisture Tan Pro Self Tanner, $26.95 8oz.  It is exclusively available on www.amazon.com and www.tanningbayproducts.com.  It is odorless and a deep golden color appears withing four hours.  It has extended staying power not found in most drugstore products meaning longer tan with minimal applications.

Dry Shampoo De-Mystified

Dry Shampoo....an oxymoron?

On the contrary, it is the hottest hair trend to hit the scene since exotic oils.  There are so many varieties from high to lower price points and available in all salons and drugstores. Their purpose is very simple: to delay washing one's own hair.  Everyday shampooing can strip the hair of its own essential oils thus creating drier and harder to manage tresses.  Hairstylists have been using this products for years in many forms, as early as baby powder.  They use it to create volume and extend a salon blowout, among many other uses.  I CANNOT live without it.  I have baby fine curly hair that tends to give out on a daily basis.  The way to use MOST dry shampoos is simple -  apply to roots, wait for two minutes, and brush out.

• My all time favorite is Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk, $18 for 3.2 fl.oz.  It smells very clean and its powder form quickly absorbs any excess oils. I used this product while in the Navy Seabees on our field exercises in Fort Hunter Ligget, CA.  Showers were a rare privelege and this did the trick, I even used it on my male troops.  We conducted 'Spa Nights' which consisted of my Klorane and baby wipes!  If the price is a shock, please trust me when I say it lasts forever.  

• Another fabulous dry shampoo is Aveda Pure Abundance™ hair potion, $24 for 0.7oz.  My hairstylist, Carrie, uses this product every time I go in for a blowout.  It truly is a tiny little potion and has the classic Aveda botanical aroma to it.  It is available at all Aveda salons, as well as the Aveda store inside of The Oaks shopping mall in Thousand Oaks.

Minty Fresh Nails

To a gal like me, nothing says "Yummmmm..." like a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream or a box of Girl Scout Thin Mints.  Most of us have inhaled a box in our lifetime, yes - YOU there.  The unfortunate reality is that I along with most women gain weight simply by looking at a Cold Stone Creamery or Marble Slab store.

What is it about that savory flavor that mixes an herb with delicious chocolate? Aside from the flavor, the allure is the minty green COLOR.  There is something muted and so soothing about it...

You want it, don't you??

I have discovered an array of 'fat free' options of achieving the same euphoric feeling in this seasons' beautiful minty hues...Today I used Essie's 'Turquoise & Caicos'.  It looks stunning on my nails and surprisingly acts as a new neutral.  It took three coats to achieve the color.

My minty mani.

If you are looking to truly capture the mint chocolate chip feeling, design house Yves Saint Laurent have released a Manicure Couture Duo in No. 7.   This would make for a truly unique french mani that would garner a lot of attention!!!

Until your cheat day, indulge in the next best thing with color. No calories, ladies.  

By Laura Miles

All images via Nordstrom.com and Essie.com.

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