Wella presents Invigo Nutri-Enrich - perfect for dry or damaged tresses looking for instant nourishment, smoothness and hair full of vitality!

The formula contains panthenol - to provide moisture and nourishment, vitamin E - to protect from further stress; and goji berry - known to be extremely rich in vitamins, minerals and peptides.

I'm a fan of the whole line but have a special place in my heart for:

Nutri-Enrich Wonder Balm - 150ml - $18.50 - with an extra rich, leave-in formula that melts into the hair, penetrating the fiber to provide instant deep nourishment for smoothness, manageability and movement. It's easy to use, just apply to damp hair lenghts and ends and style as usual. As an added bonus it makes my hear smell great too!

Also available in the collection:

Nutri-Enrich Deep Nourishing Shampoo - 250ml - $16.50 - nourishes dry or stressed hair leaving it full of vitality.

Nutri-Enrich Deep Nourishing Conditioner - 250ml - $17.50 - instantly moisturizes dry stressed hair for nourished hair full of vitality.

Nutri-Enrich Deep Nourishing Mask - 150ml - $18.50 - deeply replenishes and moisturizes dry and stressed hair with a nutri-enrich complex.

Nutri Booster - 100ml - $18.50 - revives dry and dull hair into nourished and luscious locks.

Available at professional salons and online at wella.com.

John Frieda Frizz Ease Forever Smooth Shampoo & Conditioner - 250ml - $12.99 - anti frizz products designed for medium-thick and wavy-curly hair types, but suitable for all levels of frizz - with groundbreaking Frizz Immunity Complex - penetrates hair fibers, working from the inside out to help combat the porosity of frizzy, dry and damaged hair while building an internal barrier and frizz immunity with every use.

Infused with a blend of pure coconut oil and conditioning agents to help improve hair’s texture and manageability while fighting the onset of frizz. Paired together, they offer noticeably smoother hair with continued use.

Available at drug and mass retailers across Canada.
Wella EIMI Flowing Form Anti-Frizz Smoothing Balm - 100ml - $18.95 - formulated to reduce frizz and help protect hair against dehydration while using hot tools to create luxurious smoothness with flexible control and natural movement.

Available now at professional salons across Canada - check out www.wella.com for more info or to find a salon near you.
Pantene Pro-V Seriously Sleek Serum With Argan Oil - 50ml - $8.99 - a frizz-fighting serum that  helps keep frizzy hair sleek and sexy - even in high humidity. With a powerful, lightweight formula that imparts glossy shine and silky softness that doesn't look weighed down.

Available at drug and mass retailers across Canada.

Strengthen weak and damaged hair with the Wella FusionPlex collection - containing silksteel fusion technology that combines amino acids with micronized lipids to treat hair damage at multiple levels:

inside hair: two amino acids penetrate deep into the hair cortex to refill and replenish worn hair fiber to optimum condition leaving hair up to 95% mroe resilient to breakage.

outside hair: hair cuticles are protected and sealed against free radical damage from the environment or overwork, while instant conditioners leave it primed for styling.

In salon you can take advantage of WellaPlex treatments that help to create bonds within the hair during lightening or colour service or without colour as just a strengthening treatment and/or use the FusionPlex collection at home which includes:

Intense Repair Shampoo - 250ml - $21.98 - with a delicate formula containing EDDS, micronized lipids and amino acids that helps to repair damaged hair leaving it clean and cared for.

Intense Repair Conditioner - 200ml - $21.98 - instantly helps to protect against breakage due to combing and mechanical damage and detangles hair leaving it smooth.

Intense Repair Mask - 150ml - $21.98 - with a luxurious creamy texture that helps to repair and protect against breakage with intense conditioning ingredients and amino acids.

Amino Refiller - $39 - an in-salon service that penetrates down to the cortex, refilling the hair with amino acids.

Available now at professional salons across Canada - check out www.wella.com for more info or to find a salon near you.

Wella Brilliance Treatment for Fine to Normal Colored Hair - 150ml - $28 - an intense treatment that instantly adds vibrancy and brilliant shine to the hair with a formula enriched with diamond dust to leave coloured hair manageable and silky soft.

I've been using the treatment on it's own - 5 minutes, twice a week and it has been great for keeping my fine, coloured hair super soft - but if you prefer to use a complete system there is also a shampoo and conditioner in the line - and if you don't have fine to normal hair they haven't left you out, the same products are available in a collection for thick hair!

Don't have fine to normal hair? No worries, there is also a Brilliance line for coarse coloured hair!

Available now at professional salons across Canada - check out www.wella.com for more info or to find a salon near you.

Toronto is gearing up for the 29th Annual Contessa Awards coming to town Sunday, November 12th, 2017 when the best hairstylists, makeup artists and nail technicians throughout Canada recognized at the award ceremony which is something like the Oscars, but for hair.

As well, this year the Contessas are partnering with the Movember Foundation, who is developing a curriculum for barbers to become "Movember Certified", so they can spot signs of mental health distress in their male clients.

Not only do the biggest names in hair show up but all the major haircare brands are on hand as well - this of course makes me think of haircare products and which new products are going to be must haves for my hair this winter - this is my top 3:

Moroccanoil Mending Infusion - 75ml - $37 - with a vitamin-fueled, quinoa protein-packed formula that nourishes, conditions, strengthens and helps seal split ends for a silky, fresh-cut appearance. The ultra-lightweight argan oil formula reduces visible signs of damaged hair - such as frayed ends, dryness and color damage - as well as taming frizz and preventing further damage; whil a blend of argan oil and baobab extracts, packed with antioxidants and amino acids, transforms ends from dry and brittle to silky and touchable.

Available at select salons across Canada - check out moroccanoil.com to find one near you or to purchase online.
Wella Oil Reflections Light Luminous Reflective Oil - 100ml - $34.99 - a lightweight version of the original that offers luminosity without weighing the hair down with a formulation of camellia oil and white tea extract and is especially great for fine to normal hair types and won't leave a greasy residue while leaving hair up to 86% shinier.

Available at select salons across Canada - check out wella.com to find one near you.
Aveda Shampure Dry Shampoo - 56g - $39 - great for all hair types, it revives hair with naturally derived powders that absorb excess oil and impurities. Of course my favourite thing about Aveda products is the aroma with 25 pure flower and plant essences including certified organic lavender, petitgrain and ylang ylang.

The perfect solution if your hair isn't as shiny as you'd like it to be:

Wella Professionals EIMI Glam Shine Mist - 138g - $19.95 - finishes off any style with dazzling, luminous shine while helping to protect hair from the damaging effects of humidity and UV. Just spray lightly and evenly on dry hair for glamorous shine!

Available now at professional salons across Canada - check out www.wella.com for more info or to find a salon near you.

Wella Professionals introduces their LuxeOil collection which uses Lightweight Transform Technologies that benefit hair inside and out.

With nourishing formulas that contain molecules to penetrate hair, locking in moisture and bonding the keratin. From the inside, hair becomes less porous, keeps in moisture and is strengthened. While on the surface, the oil and polymer components form a protective layer around hair, protecting against damage and reconstructing every strand so even damaged hair is left feeling light, noticeably smoother and smelling fresh.

Available in the collection:

Keratin Protect Shampoo - 200ml - $22 - delivers lightweight, gentle cleansing while keratin and panthenol penetrate the hair to anchor water molecules with hair proteins for strength and reconstruction.

Keratin Boost Leave-In Conditioning Spray - 100ml - $22 - infused hair to strengthen the keratin and leave it looking and feeling smooth and moisturized, providing the perfect foundation for styling and cutting.

Keratin Restore Mask - 150ml - $22 - instantly reconstructs hair fiber to improve texture and leave it soft to touch with a superior combination of three specially designed polymers, along with jojoba, almond and argan oil to provide a luxurious lightness.

LuxeOil Reconstructive Elixir - 100ml - $42 - enriched with argan, jojoba and almond oils to instantly transform hair's texture leaving it up to ten times smoother with three times more keratin protection for long lasting results.

Available now at professional salons across Canada - check out www.wella.com for more info or to find a salon near you.

I am a big fan of the hair mask - there is nothing I like better then throwing a LUSH bath bomb in the tub, slapping a mask on my face and hair (not the same mask mind you), lighting a couple of candles and soaking myself until I turn into a giant stewed prune! Now the instructions for various masks advise you to leave on for 5ish minutes on towel dried hair so I guess they are expecting you to hop out of the shower, hang around for 5 minutes and get back in.  Since I don't know what I would do for 5 minutes while I was naked and soaking wet, (my husband would probably have some ideas and that's why we don't ask his opinion on this kind of thing) the bath seems to be the way to go - and so far, I haven't experienced any ill effects from leaving the mask on longer then they say to!   Say hello to some masks that I have tried lately:

L'Oréal Professionnel Série Nature Masque Cacao - 200ml - $27 - masque for fine hair - This masque is part of  L'Oréal's first eco-friendly haircare range which means the products are all free of sulfates, parabens and silicones. They have 100% natural fragrance and colours and come in packaging that has recycled content and is recyclable.  I love that this masque is specifically for fine hair and I really love that it smells like chocolate and it looks like pudding - be careful not to have this in the shower with you when you are really hungry and half asleep in the morning.  The instructions are to leave it on for 2-3 minutes in towel dried hair. Out of all of these masks, this one left my hair the lightest - I spent several hours after using it flinging my hair around like supermodel with a wind machine - and I can only imagine that because it's intended for fine hair, they go easy on ingredients that might weigh fine hair down. Available in salons and you can locate your closest one here.

Moroccanoil Restorative Hair Mask - 250ml - $39 - offers a therapeutic remedy that penetrates deep into the hair to help reconstruct and rebuild, undoing damage done by chemicals and other environmental elements like sun and wind.  The instructions are - after shampooing apply a generous amount and let it penetrate for 7-10 minutes.  Out of all of the masks I tried this one had the longest recommended leave-in time so I figured it would be the most moisturizing and I wasn't disappointed!  It made my hair so soft that I kept touching it.  Of course all the finger oil from the constant touching made it greasy but it was so worth it!  It has a very light, unoffensive scent and a thick creamy texture which is great since you have to leave it on so long, it won't go sliding off.  You can locate your closest salon to find it here.

Wella System Professional Luminous Mask - 200ml - $30 - for intense gloss and shine - Reconsturcts the hair weightlessly while creating a smooth mirror-like surface on the hair for optimum light reflection, aligns hair fibers while smoothing ridges on cuticle and seals the hair for supreme light reflection. I found it had a light, almost soapy kind of smell and the mask itself is kind of glimmery. The directions say to leave up to 5 minutes on towel dried hair.  Whatever makes the product glimmer also works on your hair - my hair was super shiny after using!  I even tried flat ironing to see if it would enhance the effect, and they aren't lying about light reflection, it was like being a hair model on tv with special lighting that makes your hair look like glass!  If you are looking for sleek hair with a super shine this is the one you want!  To find your closest salon to buy, go here.


Pantene Pro V Restoratives Time Renewal Replenishing Mask - 225ml - $9.99 - It has light, slightly floral scent and a thick, creamy texture.  The directions say to apply after shampooing, leave on for 5 minutes.  It washed out really easily and left my hair soft and shiny. For the money, I really have to like this one.  The smell isn't my favourite but the moisturizing results are impressive.

Ice Cream Dry-T Banana Mask - 500ml - $9.99 - Nourishing treatment for dry, frizzy hair.  The instructions say to leave on washed hair for 5 minutes. I love the smell of bananas so I knew I had to buy this when I saw it - it's not an overpowering banana smell - but unfortunately that's the only thing I liked about this one.  I expect it's meant for someone with much coarser hair then mine as my hair felt really limp after using it - almost like there was still something coating the hair even though I rinsed it out thoroughly.  I'll have to pass this along to someone with thicker hair to see if they have better luck with it!

Did you know that colouring your hair can significantly elevate your mood level and social life?  And seeing as blondes in particular have been found to be more confident and amorous it adds real credence to the saying "blondes have more fun!" Studies have shown that this increased confidence level affects both social and work life.

Summer is a great time to lighten up if you have been thinking about doing the blonde thing, but learn from my mistakes - as a very unintentionally orange toned blonde in the 80s, unless you are already blonde, it's a really hard colour to achieve on your own so go see a colourist!  And if it's a Wella colourist you are seeing, they have a couple of product lines specifically to deal with blondes:

Pastel coloured hair.  It started at New York Fashion Week, as these things often do, initially with Proenza Schouler and Zac Posen Spring 2010 shows and really caught on at Cynthia Rowley's Fall 2010 show when Wella master colourist Eva Scrivo created the coloured extensions for Cynthia.  The designer loved it so much that she went back to Eva's salon and got her own hair coloured with navy streaks.  There was no stopping it after that and the celebrity crowd has gotten on the bandwagon.  Ashley Olsen, Kelly Osbourne, Drew Barrymore and Lady Gaga have embraced the trend.  You know that means it's only a matter of time before the trend catches on with us "normal"(I'm obviously discluding Christelle from this group) people.  Eva used Loleston Perfect Special Mix colours to get the colours for Cynthia Rowley's show and she has also now started selling coloured clip-in extensions customized at her salon for people with hair commitment issued.  You can find a Wella salon near you here to help you get your own pastel look.  That's probably a better idea then attempting this look yourself at home with a bottle of bleach and some food colouring...

Orly Sweet collection is a candy inspired range consisting of a delicious collection of vibrant pastels:
Pixy Stix - just like the pink in the candy filled fun straws
Lollipop - pastel purple
Lemonade - sherbert lemon yellow
Gumdrop - soft green
Cotton Candy - fluffy light pink
Snowcone - fine electric blue

The colours are limited edition so if you love any/all of them don't wait!  You can find them at in Canada at www.spaboutique.ca  at www.cupidandgrace.com in the UK and Sally Beauty and Ulta Beauty in the States.

New York Fashion Week is over but the memory of the hair lives on and inquiring minds want to know how the runway looks at DKNY and Cynthia Rowley were created.  Never ones to keep something from me when asked nicely,  lead colourist,  Eva Scrivo and the Wella professionals that crafted the runway looks were kind enough to share their secrets.

CYNTHIA ROWLEY
The Look: A sleek, natural ponytail accented with the striking contrast of an artificial colored hair extension placed off center for an added tuft of textured fringe.

The Hair Color: Wella Professionals Koleston Perfect Special Mix shades were used to completely saturate the natural hair extensions with rich, vibrant, jewel-toned shades of the collection. The sophisticated nuances of the Special Mix collection allow for creativity without limits – turning any color fantasy into a reality on the runway or in real life. The multi-dimensional tones and layers reveal sensuous colors in a range of shades, while embedded with an element of surprise.

The Products:

• System Professional Ultimation: Strong-hold hairspray with long-lasting hold and maximum shine

 

Step-by-Step Styling 

1. Section hair off and working from back of the head to the front, prepare hair with System Professional Ultimation hair spray for added texture and shine. 

2. Create texture within each section by using a combination of a curling iron and crimping iron for non-uniform waviness. 

3. Place Wella colored hair pieces that have been crimped within sections of the natural hair so that the extensions blend in seamlessly. 

4. Pull the hair back into a soft ponytail at the nape of the neck with the ends flowing naturally, while allowing the streaks of color to show through for added dimension.

DKNY
The Look: A refined side-swept ponytail projects a sexy equestrian vibe with a subtly strong, yet not too masculine look.

The Hair Color: Using Wella Professionals’ new Blondor collection to achieve the palest of blondes, and both the Koleston Perfect permanent and Color Touch demi-permanent collections to create a gorgeous palette of naturals, handpainted extensions were created within the natural color palette of the models’ hair. The range reflects beautiful dimension in a variety of hues - from medium brown to a beautiful spectrum of blonde shades.

The Products:

• System Professional Volumagic: Natural hold styling foam for long-lasting volume
• System Professional Hypercurl: Provides texture and definition to curl patterns

Step-by-Step Styling 

1. Prepare damp hair with System Professional Volumagic and blow dry with a large round brush, creating a soft wave and giving direction for the side part. 

2. Rake hands through hair to loosen the waves, pulling to the side of the part and fasten the low side ponytail. 

3. Leave hair on the opposite side of the ponytail loose around the face to balance the asymmetry of the look. 

4. Lightly smooth System Professional Hypercurl on the length of the ponytail for separation and added texture.

This post so makes me want to grow my hair out!