{review} HANA titanium flat iron

is that what your bed head looks like, too?

no? i’m just lucky?

no fear! with my new flat iron, in 10 minutes i was…

i am the kind of girl who buys a $30 straightener at target or walgreens and then has to replace it at least once a year. in less than a week, it snags my hair and eventually the plates become dingy and discolored. oh, and that horrible burning smell that fills my bathroom when i turn it on…that’s my husband’s favorite.

so, a few months ago eric and i decided that a more durable flat iron would be a good investment (and my hairdresser told me it would be better for my hair, which i have been trying to grow out for a few years now!). we set a budget for $120 to get the straightener my hairdresser suggested.

i was saving up for the flat iron, halfway to my goal, when i was contacted by misikko to review the HANA titanium flat iron. i was thrilled!

» well, i was actually asked to review the HANA air premiere hair dryer, but you guys know me and my budget. i didn’t feel right about accepting a $195 hair dryer that i did not have the funds to pay for (especially because i had recently purchased a new dryer for myself) or one that i would not save up for and purchase myself. i just would not spend that much on a hair dryer. i offered instead to review the HANA professional flat iron 1” ($119—in my price range!). we compromised on the HANA titanium flat iron 1.5”, because that is the one they needed a review for and because i desperately needed a new straightener!

i am excited that this one should last me a long time!

what i love about the flat iron:

• the eight-foot cord means i will have never again have to straighten my hair without a mirror. i typically run into issues with this when we’re at my in-laws’, grandparents’ lakehouse and hotels.
• it can heat up as fast as SIX SECONDS.
• i thought switching from a 1” flat iron to a 1.5” iron would be weird—but i honestly think i like it better!

the only thing i don’t love is the price ($175). but you get what you pay for. i can say that i am impressed with the HANA brand and predict that the $119 version would be quality as well (which is probably what i would have bought for myself).

misikko has a number of quality flat irons and blow dryers available. i encourage you to check them out! for 10% off your order, enter HANA10 at the checkout!

disclosure: the flat iron is c/o misikko, but all ideas and opinions are mine. i was not asked to or paid to write a positive review.

11 August Permalink

beauty: the tale of two dry shampoos

i am completely intrigued by health and beauty products and can drop money in walgreens like no other. i love to try new products and see which one works best for me. one time i bought four different deodorants (one was a men’s deodorant) and tested them against each other for a couple weeks. i would wear one deodorant under my left arm and another under my right, then switch it the next day. what i discovered is that my right armpit sweats more than my left, no matter which deodorant i wear.

PSSSSSST INSTANT SPRAY SHAMPOO VS. SALON GRAFIX INVISIBLE DRY SPRAY SHAMPOO

lemme just say that no one ever told me about dry shampoo. i would have loved it in college and probably would have been able to extend my record of not showering for three-and-a-half days. (yep, that happened, and i was actually quite proud of it.) but more than that, i’m pretty sure once i become a mom this will come in quite handy. here’s my first challenge of dry shampoos!

the best trick i’ve learned is to apply dry shampoo right after you do your hair (don’t wait until the next day when it starts to look dirty) and to pat it in rather than brush it in (thanks to the beauty department for these tips).

i heard of psssssst from louise roe on twitter. she raved about the product and the fact that they had not changed their packaging from the ’70s. i thought that was quite charming, too. (note: after i purchased mine, they did change their packaging slightly—and maybe removed an “s” from their name?)

after trying psssssst, i simply chose another dry shampoo near it (salon grafix) in walgreens. i had not heard of it before i bought it.

psssssst: $5.99 for 5.3 oz. (there was actually a mail-in rebate to try this product for free, and i sent it in more than six months ago but i still have not received my rebate…)

salon grafix: $7.49 for 4 oz.

PRICE WINNER: PSSSSSST

psssssst: i sprayed this on my roots and liked it except that, because i have such dark hair, it left white residue behind. if you have blond hair, though, it might work for you.

salon grafix: the name of this product is completely true—it’s invisible! no white or greasy hair makes me a happy user.

EXPERIENCE WINNER: SALON GRAFIX

for me (because i have dark brown hair), i have to go with salon grafix as the overall winner.

do you use dry shampoo? what’s your favorite brand?

i’ve recently heard of foam dry shampoos, and brown hair powder. maybe i’ll try those next!

images via here and here

30 May Permalink

haircut day

i love haircuts. love love love them.
today’s was so relaxing and refreshing, to get rid of all the dry stuff and reshape and renew.

my husband makes fun of me because apparently one time i said “your hair defines you.”
…of course i don’t believe that.

but it frames my face and is a really important part of my overall look.
and today i am very happy with my new hair.

7 October Permalink