Posts Tagged ‘giveaway’

Anyone with curly hair has probably wrestled with it at one point in her life.  I am no exception, and I became something of a hair-product junkie because of this.  I have tried almost every product and shampoo you can imagine.  I’ve tried stuff that claims to give you sleek, frizz-free hair (ha!) and stuff that claims to give you bouncy, frizz-free curls (double HA!).  My bathroom was littered with these products:

SMALL Sample of My Hair Products

The above photo is but a small sample of my hair products.  As you can see, I have a variety of brands and types: mousses, gels, leave-in conditioners. Most of it was NOT cheap, either.  Every time my stylist would cut my hair, I would ask for something – anything – which would help me maintain a blow-out or flat-ironed hair for more than 30 seconds in North Carolina’s summer humidity.  All I got was a smaller bank account and damaged hair.   My hair was always dry and tangled so easily that I could only comb it in the shower with a wide-toothed comb and tons of some undoubtedly silicone-laden conditioner which was further damaging my hair.

So, I decided to embrace my curls a few months ago.  I began my search for a stylist who could cut naturally curly hair and respect the curl.  I almost gave up hope and was planning a trip to New York City to visit Ouidad or a Devachan Spa & Salon, but the Devachan website pointed me to a local certified Deva Concepts stylist.  He is AMAZING!  I would tell you who he is, but he’s very picky about taking on new clients since he’s a one-man operation.  I had to beg to get him to take me as a new client, but I’m so glad I did.  My curly hair is on the road to recovery, and I’m actually thinking about growing it long again!  It’s shoulder-length now, but I would like to have it a bit longer so I can effectively “pineapple” at night and get better second-day hair.   Also, I cannot recommend the Deva products enough.  They have changed my hair completely.  I no longer have to stand in the shower for 20 minutes because I’m trying to untangle my hair with gobs of conditioner and a wide-toothed comb.  In fact, I don’t even have to use a comb or brush at all.  My hair untangles with nothing more than a bit of the Deva One Conditioner and my fingers.  As a bonus, the Deva products have no bad, water-insoluble silicones (‘cones), no sulfates, and no parabens.  I’m a total Deva convert:

DevaCurl Products

I use the DevaCurl Low-Poo, One Condition, B’Leave In, and ArcAngel products.  However, this is a very specific recipe of products for my hair.  That’s what is great about seeing a Deva stylist.  No two heads of curly hair are alike, so what works for one person may not work for another.  My hair is Botticelli curly and fine in texture, bordering on Cherub curls.  If you have coarse texture and curlier curls, what I use may not be hydrating enough for you.  So, find a Deva stylist near you or make a pilgrimage to see one in NYC.  It’s worth it.  Plus, us curly girls really only need to get a haircut every four months or so, depending on the health of your hair when you start and whether or not you want a complete style change very often.  I’m super excited about that; I’ll be saving money on haircuts and trips to the salon!

I know a few months ago I wrote a post where I said I was going to go with a Ouidad cut.  While I was looking for a local Ouidad stylist, I ordered a Ouidad sample kit from Sephora to give the Ouidad rake-n-shake method a try:

Ouidad Starter Kit

I don’t know what is in Ouidad products, but whatever it is, I’m extremely allergic to it!  I used this stuff once and developed a rash on my scalp, neck, and back.  So, I can’t use Ouidad products.  Also, the Ouidad haircut is a carve-n-slice method of cutting, which serves to thin the hair. My hair is already fine with normal density.  It doesn’t need to be thinned.  If it were thinned, I would probably have an even bigger halo (the nice word for short, frizzy hairs)!  If anything, I wish my hair were as thick as it was when I was in my early 20s!  So, I decided to go with a Deva cut since Deva stylists cut each curl individually, looking at where they naturally fall, and blending them into a nice shape.

Anyway, that Ouidad starter kit was used once.  I would love to give it to anyone who would like to try Ouidad products or who already uses and likes Ouidad products.  The kit has Ouidad Leave-in Conditioner, Ouidad Climate Control Gel, and their Moisture Curl Booster spray.  If you would like to have this, just leave a comment to this post.  I would be happy to send it to you!  If I get several comments from people who want the Ouidad stuff, I’ll pick the winner at random next Friday, April 29th.

The contest for the Shabby Apple dress is over, and the winner is….  ::drumroll::

…lucky commenter #28, Emily from Emily Gilmore Designs!  Emily, I’ll be in touch soon with details on how to claim your dress.  Hopefully, you’ll model it for us.

Thanks to everyone who participated, and a great big “THANK YOU!” to Shabby Apple for allowing me to offer a free dress via Childfree Chic.  It’s been great fun.  I know I’ve certainly had fun window shopping (and even purchasing an item or two) at Shabby Apple this past month!

Don’t forget that you can still save 10% through May 5th at Shabby Apple by using my promotional code.  So, if you didn’t win the dress, you can still enjoy some savings.  I think their dresses are very affordable, especially when compared to items from a major department store or upscale boutique.

CODE: childfreechic10off

Happy shopping!