Beauty, Hair Care, That girl in the red coat

Monday Motivator – most popular reviews

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Good morning all! Here we are, Monday has arrived. Over the past months I have had many inquiries about many different hair products from flat iron sprays to conditioners. So I thought I would re-post a few of my most popular blogs/reviews to date to help you all along on this fine Monday. When you are having a good hair day, any day, even Monday can be a FABULOUS day! Click on my provided links to find out more!

 

This gem from Schwarzkopf is a god send for all the natural blondes, bottled blondes and silver hair Beauties

A Blonde’s best friend

 

A little breakdown on conditioning treatments

Product 101 – Conditioning Treatments…to heat or not to heat.

 

One of the most vegan, EU compliant hair care lines around!

Honestly Onesta

 

Loved using mousse in the 80’s but aren’t sure about what to use now? Here’s your answer!

Product 101 – Mousse hunting

 

With over 6 years of archived tales and more reviews to come, yours truly has an answer for you. Yes, it’s true, you too can have a great hair day, everyday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beauty, Hair Care, That girl in the red coat

Proof of a Monday Motivator

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Yours truly cannot seem to sleep past 6 a.m.. No matter what time my head hits the pillow, once 6 a.m. rolls around, there I am, up before the sun. I remember as a kid thinking anyone who gets up so early everyday, especially on a Monday was weird. Well, now I am the weird one. I grabbed my cup of joe, sank into my favorite chair and started scrolling through my phone. Although many of the posts were from yesterday (Sunday), so many were memes and GIF’s about Monday being just around the corner. I know I can’t grant you three wishes, get the dog to stop chewing your shoes or get your children to understand “Mommy needs her coffee”, nor can I call in sick for you. What I can do is tell you about a gem from Living Proof that will put a pep in your step and have you trying to catch your reflection at every turn. Let me introduce you to Living Proof Perfect hair Day 5-in-1 styling treatment!

                     

I received this gem with my FabFitFun subscription box…you gotta get this box! I had great results with my Living Proof Restore trio https://thatgirlintheredcoat.com/2018/03/26/here-is-your-proof/   so I was keen to try this little beauty. Let me tell you, this little bottle packs a punch and delivers on it’s promises!

Living Proof’s Perfect hair Day 5-in-1 styling treatment delivers smoothness, volume, conditioning, strength and polish to your tresses. It styles and treats your hair without compromising one for the other. *Most volumizing products do not deliver conditioning and strength and vice versa.

Living Proof Perfect hair Day 5-in-1 styling treatment;

  • formulated for all hair types
  • color safe
  • safe to use on chemically treated hair
  • silicone free formualtion
  • contains patented Healthy Hair Molecule (OFPMA)
  • contains patented Thickening Molecule (PBAE)
  • smells heavenly

For best results, use this gem on damp hair. Apply from root to end, then blow dry. Want volume? Use your round brush while blow drying. Want a smooth, sleek look? Use your flat brush while blow drying. *For my girls with curls – apply to damp hair and air dry – start with a little bit of product to keep crunchy curls at bay – while air drying, you will not need as much product as when blow drying. Your curls will be soft, subtle and defined.

So there you have it, once again, proof that Monday, and everyday can be a good hair day.

Beauty, Sunday Confessions, Women

Sunday Confessions

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As you may have noticed, last Sunday yours truly didn’t go to confession. At the beginning of August, I celebrated my 46th. birthday. It was a lovely day filled with beautiful birthday wishes and a few lovely surprises. This year I decided to give myself a present – the gift of time. That morning while sitting in my garden with my coffee, I vowed to myself and the cardinal sitting on my fence (whom I firmly believe is my Gramma Leah flying in to check on me) that I was going to give myself one day off a week. A day that wasn’t filled with laundry, cooking, cleaning, being my daughter’s private Uber service, running errands…you name it…I wasn’t going to do it. Being a wife and mother, I, as most of us do, take on every task, large or small, and wear ourselves thin. Our patience and our focus  lands on the back burner and in the end, we, our families and friends and even our dinner gets burned.

The first week, I gotta admit was tough. I had to keep telling myself, out loud, to slow down. I had to remind myself that the grocery store will still be there the next day and that left overs or takeout for dinner will not create the demise of my family. The second week it was much easier – of course it was the long weekend so I felt like I had a get out of jail free card. I woke up last Sunday morning, poured my cup of joe into my Mama Bird birthday mug and planted myself in my garden. I watched the bees buzzing, listened to the breeze in the trees and said hello to the cardinal – I’m telling you, it’s my Gramma Leah. Every morning she shows up within 5 feet of me, chirping away. It’s been happening for over 2 years now. Every morning, there is a cardinal chirping at me. I sat there for a while, then went inside, walked past the pile of dishes waiting by the sink, poured another cup of coffee and planted myself in front of my puzzle. Yes, my puzzle. I have loved puzzles since I was a kid, so I treated myself to a new one for the summer of 2018. This one will probably take me the whole summer to complete. In my infinite wisdom I purchased a 2000 piece Van Gogh’s Starry Night puzzle…and have now learned I need glasses.

My day continued as such, working on my puzzle, listening to music, laughing with my family, sitting in my garden having a Palm Bay. These events were on repeat all day, and it was wonderful. My hubby washed the dishes that were waiting on the counter and ordered Skip the Dishes for dinner …a dangerous thing this Skip the Dishes – getting to eat your favorite restaurant food in the comfort of your pajamas.

Here’s the deal. I know all to well that life gets in the way of best laid plans. Kids get sick. Pets get sprayed by skunks. Cars break down. Shift changes at work. The list is endless, I know. Carve some time out for yourself, put your name in your weekly agenda, make an appointment with yourself. Do a puzzle, get your nails done, read a book or simply sit in your garden. Making yourself a priority will make you a better person, for yourself and for those around you. Plain and Simple.

Beauty, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat

Monday Motivator

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Happy Monday Beauties! Here we are once again. I don’t know about you, but every so often, yours truly looks at her reflection on a Monday morning and I look a little worse for wear. Be it from lack of sleep, not enough water over the weekend, too much chardonnay, you name it, my skin looks a little dull. Then, a few weeks ago my lovely friend asked me if I would try one of the makeup products she represents. I winced a little for I have sensitive skin and am a creature of habit where my makeup regime is concerned. I have had many an experience with bumps the size of strawberries all over my face from trying new products. Since this is my 46th year in this earthly realm and my birthday promise to myself was to get over myself and give things a chance, I told her “give me what you got”. …and let me tell you, once again, this Girl in the Red Coat was presently surprised. Let me introduce you to Arbonne’s Makeup Primer.

               

This little gem from Arbonne packs a punch! Arbonne’s Makeup Primer diminishes the look of fine lines and pores. I found it diminished the appearance of the dark spots on my face ….thank you baby oil suntanning sessions of the ’80’s – I should have listened to my mother. I wore it for two days, not a bump in sight, no itching, nada! It has a lightweight, moisturizing formula that allows your makeup to stay in place longer throughout your day. You know what I’m talking about ladies…once that temperature rises on a hot summers day, our makeup runs down our face – not with this gem.

Arbonne Makeup Primer;

  • Certified Gluten Free
  • Dermatologist tested
  • Ophthalmologist tested
  • Contains green tea leaf extract and horsetail extract = conditions your skin
  • Contains grape seed oil = smoother skin with balanced moisture
  • The hyaluronic spheres, iron oxides and mica within the formula helps to prime your skin to create a soft focus effect = you look like your favorite Instagram filter

So, take it from this gal, if you are looking to brighten your day and your face and keep your perfect cat eye in place, you are gonna love the Arbonne Makeup Primer.

Beauty, Hair Care, That girl in the red coat

Monday Motivator

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Today’s post is later in the day than usual, I know. It’s Monday and the better part of my day was promised to my family. An out of town lunch date with my girl and her Amma, my mother in law. (When she was a wee girl she came up with calling her gramma “Amma” and it stuck). Morning schedules were adjusted, emails delayed, only one cup of coffee and we were off. Being the summer and living in Ontario, we ran into construction and road closures, and with each kilometer the humidex rose little by little. I however was able to keep my cool, thanks to the A/C in my car and AG Hair’s FrizzProof.

This gem from AG Hair Care is a MUST HAVE for summer tresses. AG FrizzProof locks out frizz by creating an invisible, weightless shield over your hair. Even if the humidex reaches 40 degrees Celsius (104 fahrenheit) you can be sure that your hair will remain frizz free and your style silky, shiny and smooth. With it’s 2/5 hold factor it is the perfect addition to ensuring your desired style will hold true.

A few FAB! features of AG FrizzProof Argan Anti Humidity Finishing Spray;

  • enriched with Argan Oil *Sustainably sourced, fair-trade, organic Moroccan Argan Oil
  • contains Copolymers that deliver a humidity resistant light hold with high shine that rinses out easily without leaving any build up on your hair.
  • retains your style – leaves your hair silky, shiny and smooth
  • formulated for all hair types
  • Color safe
  • BEST OF ALL – the Argan oil is farmed and produced by the women of the Berber tribe, enabling them to have financial independence and in turn gives them the ability to provide for their families and educate their children

This is a finishing spray, which means you should apply it to your hair once you have completed styling it, be it curly, wavy or straight and after you have applied any other styling products you may be using. Once you have your desired style, spray all over your hair and VOILA! You and your tresses are good to go!

*a little tip from That Girl in the Red Coat – use this gem all year round. We tend to associate humidity with the summer. Humidity can rear it’s head during the other seasons too. Using a humidity resistant spray can ensure a frizz free hair day, everyday.

Beauty, Hair Care, That girl in the red coat

Monday Motivator

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Here we are, It’s Monday morning. As you know, it’s my goal to make sure no one ever says “looks like you’ve got a case of the Mondays!” and to ensure that no matter what Monday may throw at you, you will always smile at your reflection. Over the past weeks I have received many questions about products I have blogged about in the past, so without further adieu, here are some of my archived posts giving you the low down on some FAB! products from Joico. Meet Hair Shake, Flip Turn, Humidity Blocker, Kpak Color Therapy Luster Lock and the Kpak system.

Monday Motivators – Joico Flip Turn & Hair Shake

 

Monday Motivator – Joico Humidity Blocker

Luster-licious

 

15 minutes is all it takes

 

A few gems from Joico that with ensure a good hair day this Monday and everyday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

health and wellness, lifestyle, Sunday Confessions

Sunday Confessions

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As I sit here by my favorite window I can hear the rain falling and with it a much needed cool summer breeze. I have been wondering what to write about this fine Sunday. It seems I am having one of those mornings where ideas and memories are flooding my mind at the same time. I get inspiration for today’s tale then WHAMMO! I am hit with a memory – some good, some, not so good. I haven’t been sleeping as soundly as I would like lately, and all I keep thinking about is Shug Avery from the Color Purple singing “…can’t sleep at night. And you wonder why. Maybe God is tryin’ to tell you something.”. Now, I have no clue what God, the universe, the smurfs – take your pick are trying to tell me. All I know is something, somewhere is out of whack. Sure I could blame it on planets in retrograde, or the fact that we were dealing with record high temperatures and humidity…but I do believe that would be an excuse, not a reason.

Maybe the reason for my lack of sleep and feeling of unrest is to share it, to let whomever reads this know that you are not alone. That it’s okay to wonder about your life choices, to question your actions and the actions of others. To feel like something, somewhere is not as it should be. That there is a difference between being paranoid and being aware. That it’s okay to take time to figure yourself out, be it meditating, prayer, reading, walking through a forest – whatever you need to do to get back to you. Life pulls us in every direction. Now more than ever thanks to social media we can be left feeling like we aren’t enough, or doing enough, or travelling enough. Try and take a page from my book and see social media as one of your favorite magazines or reality television shows.

Take time for yourself, today and everyday. Even if it’s five minutes. Maybe, just maybe in those few moments you and I will hear just what God is tryin’ to tell us.

Beauty, Hair Care, That girl in the red coat

Your Brightening Monday Motivator

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This Monday Motivator is for all the blonde beauties, natural and bottled alike. They say “blondes have more fun”, if you are a bottled blonde, you know all too well the upkeep on our tresses isn’t always a fun time. Between battling tangles, split ends, damage and that ever present frizz, we know for certain that the “blondes have more fun” slogan was created by a natural blonde. Before you run to your stylist and go back to brunette, I have a treat for you! Meet Blonde Life Brightening Veil from Joico!

This gem is a lifesaver for any bottled blonde out there! First and foremost, the scent is out of this world…think of the beach mixed with what you imagine Jon Bon Jovi smells like…it’s heavenly. Blonde Life Brightening Veil was created for natural blondes as well, so all of us are covered. This gem from Joico is an instant safeguard for blonde tresses. It boosts shine and doubles the strength of every strand. It leaves your hair comb-able, manageable, and frizz free. The secret is in the sauce – a blend of rich Tahitian Manoi Oil combined with ultra hydrating Tamanu Oil delivers deep nourishment and protection against the harsh UV rays. Add in Joico’s exclusive Bio Advanced Peptide Complex and your tresses are guaranteed additional repair and protection.

Blonde Life Brightening Veil protects your hair from;

  • thermal stylers
  • chemicals
  • UV exposure
  • humidity
  • dryness

To be applied to towel dried hair, spray all over, comb through, blow dry and style as usual. *for optimum results pair with Blonde Life Shampoo and Conditioner. 

After using Joico’s Blonde Life Brightening Veil, I found my hair had more shine, so much so I didn’t apply my usual shine spray. I had less of those little hairs poking up from the top of my head…you know, the ones your Mother used to pat down with her spit…still a little scarred by that to be honest. I had less tangles before blow drying and my hair smelled wonderful…like so good that I would run my fingers through it just to catch a whiff of the scent in the air.

So there you have it. For all my blonde beauties, with this gem from Joico, you are guaranteed a good hair day this Monday, and everyday.

health and wellness, lifestyle

Sunday Confessions

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I have been in the retail/customer service gig for over 30 years now. Yup…30 years. I have sold everything from lingerie to sports cars, hairspray to stilettos. In every sales arena, there has always been two commonalities, the customer and their perceived attitude. Over the years, a combination of experience and maturity led me to the conclusion that not everything and everyone are as they seem. That attitudes and opinions are often taken the wrong way or taken too personally. There is always something else going on behind the scenes. I had a few experiences yesterday with customers that led me to today’s blog. Take it as a reminder to not take the views of others, their words or actions personally.

I asked a woman if I could help her, if she was finding what she was looking for. She didn’t answer me, didn’t even look at me. I let her be and returned a few moments later when I saw her walking around in a pair of pumps she had chosen. I asked her how the fit was, if they were comfortable. She looked up at me and shrugged. I saw the size she was from the shoe box on the floor and went and found some similar styles. I brought them to her and asked if she liked any of them. She looked at them, then at me and told me she didn’t want to buy shoes but had to because she was going to her father’s funeral.

A man came up to me, quite agitated. He was looking for shoes for his mother. He didn’t know her size and was embarrassed that all he had to go on was his tracing of her foot on a piece of paper. I showed him a few styles that might work for her and offered some slipper styles too. He said “Only shoes! She will only wear shoes!”. Then he let out a huge sigh and apologized for raising his voice. His mother has Alzheimers and it had been a rough week.

A woman came up to me and asked me my name. I told her “My name is Sara”. She said “Okay, good to know.”. I asked her if she needed my help. She told me no. For the next few minutes I kept seeing her trying to catch my eye and when she did, she looked away. I saw she had different styles of sandals in her hand. I went over, asked for her shoe size and showed her the chairs we had available. I told her she could have a seat and would bring over the sandals for her to try. When I brought over the sandals, she stayed pretty quiet. I noticed she was struggling to do up the back strap, so I offered to help her. She looked up at me and said “That would be great. I am not having a good day”. Over the course of our conversion and trying on multiple styles of sandals, I came to find out she had many medical issues that affected her balance and her gait (her manner of walking). She also apologized for not speaking a lot at first, for she has anxiety buying shoes – she knows people are looking at her and she knows she will need help putting on shoes. All she ever wants is to feel normal and have shoes that a woman in her 40’s would wear, and not have to settle for the same shoes as her grandmother. Long story short, I found her two pairs of sandals that gave her great support and an even stride and that I would wear. As she was leaving, the woman that came in looking at the floor and hardly speaking was beaming and telling me how happy she was, she gave me a hug and told me that now she feels she can play tag with 3 year old at the park.

Maybe it’s the new moon. Maybe something’s in retrograde. All I know is that in less than 9 hours I spoke with people dealing with a loss of a child, a loss of a parent, having to put a parent in long term care, a loss of physical abilities, a loss of a job. At first they came across cold and abrupt, and honestly, dealing with those issues, who wouldn’t? I just let them be them and kept trying. Shower them with kindness, sooner or later, the wall comes down.

The purpose for today’s blog isn’t only sales related. It’s life related. You never know what another person is going through. It’s hard not to take opinions and attitudes personally, this I know too well. You gotta try to remember, it’s not about you. If you take the time to delve a little deeper, you may end up bringing a little light into another’s dark day.

 

 

Beauty, Hair Care, That girl in the red coat

Monday Motivator vs Monday Motivator – Battle of the oils

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Here we are again. Monday has arrived and with it the endless questions…Where are my keys? Who is picking up the kids from day camp? Did someone feed the dog? Why do toddlers like to play hide and seek with my purse? What does hot coffee taste like? For most of us, our Monday morning questions list is endless. The most common question…what product is best for my hair – this question is posed not only on Monday, but everyday. Trust me, this I know. I am asked everyday via text, email or by a comment on my blog. With so many products out there, how are we to know what to use? Today I am hoping to shed a little light on two products for you all. Over the past week I created a “battle of the oils” if you will. Moroccanoil vs SarynaKey.

 

Both of these oils are formulated to hydrate and moisturize the hair and to help repair damage and restore luster and shine to the hair. *side note – Moroccanoil has a “light” formula for fine hair/blondes, this I know. I used the original formula for it was the closest to SarynaKey’s formula and I wanted an equal comparison.

Morocannoil Oil Treatment (original) is infused with antioxidant rich argan oil and shine boosting vitamins. It detangles, speeds up drying time and boosts shine. Can be used on wet or dry hair. Formulated for all hair types, chemically treated or natural and any length. *ingredient list to be found at http://www.moroccanoil.com

SarynaKey Pure African Shea Oil Treatment is infused with shea butter – a natural source of keratin which is used to repair hair, leaving the hair soft, shiny and well moisturized. Vitamins and amino acids penetrate the hair cuticle to help restore porosity from root to tip. Can be used on wet or dry hair. Lightweight, absorbs quickly and formulated for all hair types, chemically treated or natural and any length. *ingredient list to be found at http://www.sarynakey.com

Now, for my results.

I used Moroccanoil Oil Treatment for 3 days. I washed my hair the first day, for the other two, I just wet my hair in the shower before styling and blow drying. The first day I applied a dime size amount throughout my hair when it was damp, blew dry my hair and styled. My hair felt softer and had a little more shine, yet still had some tangles. For the other two days, I applied the same size amount of Moroccanoil to my hair when it was dry, after using my flat iron *it is not a thermal protectant*. My hair continued to feel soft but was becoming weighed down and I found it harder to achieve volume and style and unfortunately my blonde was starting to pick up brassy tones. (…I know, the Moroccanoil light formula was created to stop this. As I stated above, I wanted an equal comparison). All in all, a lovely oil, best suited for medium to thick hair, and darker tones and colors.

I used SarynaKey Pure African Shea Oil Treatment for the next 3 days. I washed my hair with a clarifying shampoo to give myself a blank canvas if you will. As with the Moroccanoil, I washed my hair the first day, then only wet my hair in the shower before styling and blow drying for the remaining two days. The first day I applied a dime size amount throughout my hair when it was damp, blew dry my hair and styled. My hair felt softer, had shine and no tangles at all. For the next two days, as with the Morocannoil, I applied the same amount of SarynaKey to my hair when it was dry… again, after I used my flat iron *this is not a thermal protectant*. My hair continued to feel soft, it was not weighed down, it was easy to achieve my desired volume and style….and no brassy tones. My blonde stayed true. As you know, I am  a “non blonde” blonde. My natural level is between a 2/3, so I pick up brassy tones easier then men and money. All and all, a lovely oil as well. Suited for all hair types, fine to thick, and any color, from light to dark.

I am not here to sway an opinion in any way, shape or form. My sole purpose, as always is to educate and enlighten. Both Morocannoil and SarynKey oils are Salon professional oils that deliver on their promise. The difference I found was this…Moroccanoil has 2 Oil Treatments, one for medium to thick hair & darker tones and one for fine hair & lighter tones. SarynaKey has 1 Oil Treatment, formulated for all hair types and tones. Sometimes, having one less decision in your day can make your day that much easier.

A little tidbit of information for your back pocket as you venture into your week. Wishing you a great hair day this Monday and everyday.