Viori Beauty Developed By The Yao Tribe of Southern China

Viori shampoo and conditioner bars have over 6,300 mainly 5-star Amazon reviews. There's a bar for every hair/scalp type -- oily, normal, and dry. 

Handcrafted with Longsheng rice water and natural ingredients (the term natural is unregulated so check ingredients), the formulas are developed by the Yao Tribe, who for 2,000 years lived secluded in the Longsheng mountains of Southern China. The tribe women are known for their thick, long, healthy hair traditionally washed with a blend of Longsheng rice water. 

The bars are infused with various essential oils to smell clean and amazing. They are made to moisturize, strengthen, rejuvenate, volumize, increase the natural shine, repair, as well as, gently clean the hair and scalp. What's more, they are 100% vegan, sulfate-free, paraben-free, cruelty-free, and plastic-free.

Some of the profits (5%) from sales go back to helping the Yao Tribe who provide the Longsheng rice used to make the rice water for the shampoos and conditioners. Viori also works directly with the Red Yao villagers to develop projects they believe will help their communities thrive, economically, culturally, and environmentally. The company claims to have a lifetime commitment to supporting the well-being of the tribe.

The shampoos and conditions are fun gifts to give and get. Without plastic containers, they are not only easy to pack for trips but easy on the environment. One bar lasts 4-6 months, making paying for its rich botanical ingredients easier on the wallet.

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Dove Hair Therapy Collection

eBay sellers are offering the entire collection. Also sold at Walmart and Target.

The CVS Pharmacy near my home always has free samples. I applaud the beauty manager at this location for offering us free samples consistently, as other locations are not as diligent.

On Saturday I walked into the drugstore, and there they were in the beauty aisle: Sample packs of Dove Hair Therapy shampoo and conditioner. It's a multi-formula collection ... the Hydration Spa option, I did not try. What I grabbed was the formula marked Breakage Remedy. Though I gravitate towards hair products that strengthen or tame locks, I'll try whatever freebies are offered. The Dove Hair Therapy Collection includes a leave-in condition which I also didn't try.

Today I used the shampoo and conditioner and love the fresh, clean, pleasant scent. The formula feels luxurious and leaves the hair clean, tame, and free of tangles. The new Dove Therapy Collection, according to the company, is created to strengthen the hair at its cellular level to achieve 97% less breakage. It's free of sulfates and safe for all hair types.

For sure, it smells magnificent; washes out clean; and leaves a consumer with a soft head of hair. Dove is better known for its soap, now we know the shampoo and condition is good too. Costing under $7 for 13.5 oz, the going rate, CVS offers a $3 coupon + the usual future promotions, making the brand affordable. Definitely, as the price is right I'll stock up with a pair and a spare to continue using it.

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Renpure Coconut Cream Shampoo And Conditioner

The Bargain: Renpure Coconut  Cream Shampoo and Conditioner. 

The size: A generous 32 ounce bottle with a pump. 

The store: Bed, Bath and Beyond. 

The cost: $3.97 each.

It was too good to leave on the shelves, so I bought a shampoo and conditioner. What a steal!

Made by Tom Redmend and family, the company has 30 years of experience making environmental friendly shampoo and beauty products. In the 1970s an earlier generation of Redmends created the familiar Aussie shampoos and conditioners. In 2008 Tom and Cindy Redmend launched Renpure to put safe and affordable hair care products on the market. With carefully chosen nourishing ingredients, the coconut cream line is all plant-based, and it has no sulfates, parabens, dyes, phthalates, propylene or glycol. 

Coconut oil is rich in vitamins, fats and minerals. The shampoo is gentle and moisturizing on all hair types. The conditioner adds extra moisture and shine, plus tames frizz. Certainly my hair feels very clean and soft. Highly recommend them. There are several formulas to address hair concerns.

Despite containing only pure, clean ingredients, Renpure is mass produced and therefore sold at Walgreens, Walmart and Target. This isn't the cheap shampoo and conditioner of yesteryear.

Too good and true. A must try!


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LUSH Shampoo And Conditioner Bars

Sunday, April 22nd is Earth Day, a time to celebrate and show respect for our environment. One way we can take better care of our planet is to reduce our consumption of plastic. Much on it ends up in landfills.

LUSH, the retailer of "fresh homemade beauty" products, makes scent-sensational, herbal blends of solid shampoo bars and conditioner bars that are also environmentally friendly. The botanical  shampoos and conditioners come in the form of solid pucks. They remove the need for storing product in plastic bottles.

Compact and lathering up well, one small bar lasts for 3 - 4 months, or about 80 hair washings. Costing $10 - $12 per bar, it is the equivalent of a few 8 ounce bottles of liquid shampoo, so you might even save a few bucks. Another advantage, they are easy to take on trips.

Lush offers a variety of different formula's of shampoo and conditioner bars to add shine, volume, calm an itchy scalp, stimulate new hair growth, or just clean and smell amazing. You choose your treatment according to hair type and decide if you want to buy the silver tins for an additional $3.95 to house your shampoo and conditioner bars. At times the tins are given away with the purchase of the soaps. Look for it to happen on Earth Day!

Watch how a LUSH shampoo bar is made.

Jason And The Argon Oil Shampoo Bar and Jungle Hair Conditioner Bar

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Aveda Wellness Beauty

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Aveda Wellness Beauty

Photo: Newport Beachside Hotel & Resort

For years I've loved Aveda's line of wellness skin and hair care, as well as, its cosmetics. The natural hues flatter a broad range of  complexions. The company was founded in 1978 by Horst Rechelbacher on the principles of Ayurveda, the Hindu holistic system of medicine and surgery in India. Now owned by Estee Lauder, it is still in partnership with a Brazilian community collective of organic babassu for use in its soaps. Pure flower and plant essences go into all of Aveda's skin and hair elixirs and makeup. The company is super eco-friendly and cruelty free.

Moreover, Aveda employees are trained in science, botany, skin and hair care, along with innovative techniques to help customers select products suited for their individual needs. They attend the Avenda Institute (their school) before working in the shops. In stores they take the time to teach you about holistic skin and hair care and show you how to use their products.

It would be ideal to switch over to the entire Aveda beauty line. However, the costs for pure botanical ingredients based on wellness principles can really add up. So start slow and select carefully. When I can't afford a whole line, I might buy a face serum, or a very pretty, long lasting blush. You might value a frizz tamer for you hair. Worth the splurge considering the quality!

Compared to many other retailers of organic ingredients, Aveda is more affordable. Fortunately, Aveda also runs promotions, putting the beauty goods in the you-can-budget-for-it category, not the only-an-heiress category.

At $26, the limited edition hand relief® moisturizing cream with rosemary and peppermint (it smells clean and invigorationg!) keeps hands and cuticles smooth in a dry climate. In keeping with Aveda's mission, $4 of each purchase supports cruelty-free research through the Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. So along with a splurge, consumers are supporting a good cause, which is money well spent!



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Hair So Silky, It Shines

Photo: Elle

I spend less on hair care than on skin care. That's because hair cells are dead cells, and I don't want to go broke on hair care products.

Nonetheless, if my hair doesn't look good ... I am upset. I bet every woman has cried at least once over a bad hair cut. And, I would guess some men have too! So it all begins with a flawless, percision cut. That's why I will follow Penny, who cuts my hair, wherever she goes.

Since you need to fiddle with your hair every single day of your life, it's only common sense to:

(1) Find inexpensive hair products that really work.

(2) Love the hair you were born with, be it straight or curly. If you make changing your natural texture a daily chore, the hours and money you spend on your hair really add up. Embrace what you have to keep your hair routine simple.

(3) Focus on keeping your hair healthy, clean and neat, and you will always look fabulous!

Photo: thebeautydepartment.com

I have straight hair ... that actually has some wave or body to it, if it is left to air dry. Here's how I style my straight hair to make it shine:

1) Wash it with a nickel-size amount of shampoo. I like TRESemme, a drugstore brand. Using less shampoo cleans hair without removing all the natural oil from your scalp, making hair look its very best.

2) Some sources tell us to wash with lukewarm water, then switch to cold water for a final rinse. I don't think it matters. Lukewarm water feels better than hot or cold. What is important is to rinse your hair and scalp squeaky clean of shampoo.

3) Follow with a rich conditioner suitable for your hair type. My favorite is Pantene Pro-V Beautiful Length's Strengthening Conditioner, another drugstore buy. Use a quarter-size amount, applying most of the conditioner to the ends, working your way up to the roots of the hair (but stop short about an inch, your roots don't need conditioning). Most of us use too much product, which doesn't make hair look any better. It just gets washed down the drain.

4) Towel dry hair removing as much moisture as possible. This shortens your drying time.

5) I spray my damp hair lightly with TRESemme Thermal Creations, a heat protector. If you let your hair dry naturally, you don't need it. I blast my hair with a blow dryer every day.

6) Next, a blow dry: For straight hair use a blow dryer with a comb attachment. To give hair volume and shine, start with a cool setting until nearly dry, then switch to hot to style it. 

The drill: I begin blow drying my hair (on the cool setting) by tilting my head forward and flipping my hair over my head. That way, I dry the under layers first and against gravity. I use the blow dyer with its comb attachment on one side of my hair and a paddle brush to free the hair of tangles on the opposite side. When my hair is nearly dry, I pause ... part it ... switch to hot, then continue styling.

Remember that the cool setting at the beginning adds fullness, and the hot setting near the end produces shine. Drying my hair takes 5 - 7 minutes. 

Most days, this is all I do. Done!

But on days when I notice some hair static, I will either smooth the flyaways with the heat of a (1" plate) flat iron ... or with a tiny bit of body lotion. I think body lotion works as well as a fancy hair smoothing cream. The results are exactly the same, and the fewer hair products you use the better (less build-up). Your hair will look silky clean. Basically, what you're doing by rubbing a tiny bit of body lotion with your fingers on the flayaways is neutralizing the charge (electrons) in your hair. Rub some on the ends too, especially in winter.

Furthermore in my experience, there is no real need to buy expensive blow dryers or flat irons. High-priced brands do not dry your hair faster, style your hair smoother, nor last longer. All blow dryers and flat irons damage your hair if misused, as well as, burn out with frequent use. It hurts less to replace a $22 Conair 1875 Styler than a $125 Cricket Centrix Q Zone dryer.

Likewise, your hair looks the same whether you use a $20 Revlon Cermanic Straightener, or a $100 Farouk CHI flat iron. Usually a well known beauty company will make a good, inexpensive blow dryer or flat iron that gets the job done.

Since I can't give tips on caring for curly hair, I am turning to YouTube. Here's an information-packed clip where four different women tell you how they care for their curls. (The video has a cornball introduction, but stick with it.)

Now go out and have a gooood hair day!

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