craving conditioner

Welcome to spring (we thought!) Between the cold air and dry heat, my hair's been having its ups and downs...or rather, more downs than ups. It's been craving moisture lately so you can imagine my panic when I reached for the conditioner in the shower and picked up a bottle of shampoo. Then another bottle of shampoo. Then another bottle of shampoo. They were all bottles of shampoo! No conditioner in sight.

Just as I was about to call out to my husband and ask him to rummage through the beauty stash in search of conditioner, I saw it: A silvery marine blue tub of product nestled in the shower rack between the shaving cream and the loofah. I picked it up and--yes!--it was conditioner. After unscrewing the top, I scooped a goop and smoothed it through my hair, dispersing it throughout. It felt soft and creamy and my hair seemed to drink it up. After rinsing, my hair felt smooth and sleek again. And it even looked smooth and sleek after blow drying.

Redken Nature's Rescue Cooling Deep Conditioner is ultra moisturizing and helps re-balance hair while cooling and soothing the scalp. What it's made of: A Sea Algae Hydracomplex, complete with sea algae to protect, soy protein to replenish, aloe vera to moisturize and oceanic calone for fragrance. Use daily after shampooing or after using Refining Sea Polish.

For more info, go to www.redken.com.

happy vday: three must-haves for a night of romance

Got a romantic evening in store? Fit these three beauty/fashion essentials into your vday routine and you'll be ready for romance.

#1 Show your hair some love.. with the LOVE Collection from Davines. Whether your hair demands deep conditioning or hydrating definition, the LOVE formulas nurture and care for hair in need of some TLC. Try LOVE Smoothing Shampoo ($22) for dry, frizzy hair. The prickly pear extract provides intense moisture to hair and scalp while Indian Fig Extract heals hair cuticles, leaving hair manageable. LOVE Smoothing Conditioner ($25) works to replenish both hair and scalp, restoring heat-damaged hair with Vitamin E so hair looks soft, silky and manageable. More info at www.davines.com.

#2 Get your senses in the mood with the ultra- creamy Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Sensual Black Currant Vanilla Body Lotion ($13) before you get dressed. Black Currant Absolute inspires heightened sensuality while Vanilla Absolute soothes and calms. Go to www.bathandbodyworks.com to purchase.

#3 Stilettos equal sexy...foot pain doesn't. But with the help of Foot Petal’s Rose and Rosebud Tip Toes, your night will be pain-free guaranteed. "Instantly look 10 lbs thinner and 10 yrs younger by slipping on high heels,” says certified pedorthist and creator of Foot Petals, Tina Aldatz. “ I love the look of opaque tights with patent pumps, but tights can cause toes to slide forward--Foot Petals will prevent this." Virtually invisible in all of your shoes, Tip Toes help prevent calluses from forming, protect bones and tissue, and cushion the sensitive ball-of-foot area. $6.95 at www.footpetals.com.

get your spa fix

You know the feeling when you walk out of a spa after a luxurious treatment? You're refreshed, revived, walking on air? That's what you get after using Aubrey's new Organics GPB (Glycologen Protein Balancing) Lavender Ylang Ylang Shampoo and Conditioner. Sure, the hair-nourishing proteins, emollients and shine boosters make your hair look clean, healthy and shiny... herbal oils, aloe and shea butter smooth and moisturize, soy and milk protein and strengthen and mend hair fibers and split ends (a great remedy in the dry winter air), and horsetail extract balances and fortifies your scalp. But it's the relaxing Lavender and Ylang Ylang scent that gives you that ethereal feeling. Just close the bathroom door, lather up and create your own personal spa ambiance. Check out www.aubrey-organics.com for more info.

earth day: walking on sunshine

All I ask is, just smell it--the ginger, mandarin and lime scent simply makes you happy in just one squeeze. Not just because you're doing something great for your hair, but you're doing some good for the Earth at the same time. I'm talking about Walking on Sunshine Daily Shine Conditioner from TIGI's Love, Peace & the Planet Collection. The creamy formula has honey, jojoba oil and soy protein to add moisture and strength and leave your hair smooth and shiny. The line of nine products features natural and organic ingredients combined with a minimal amount of synthetics. And all bottles and tubes are made from 50% post-consumer recycled materials and are 100% recyclable. Also designed to revitalize your senses: Totally Beachin' Body & Waves Styling Mist in Coconut Mango Vanilla (yum!) and Free UR Mind Firm Hold Hairspray in Cherry Almond (prices range from $18.95 - 22.95). Look for them in fine salons nationwide or go to www.tigihaircare.com for more information.

treat your haircut right

No one ever looks as good when they style their own hair as they did when they walked out of the salon. HerCut is the first hair care line designed to cater to the needs of your individual hair cut.

Created to address the five major hair styles—the bob, the pixie, the shag, the blunt cut and long layers—HerCut employs “catalysts” that work on a molecular level to ensure that hair conforms to your cut, picking up where your stylist leaves off. The catalysts are customized to meet the specific needs of every cut (i.e., weighted, forward motion for bobs and controlled separation for shags) to maximize every style regardless of hair type.

Honestly, when I first heard about HerCut, it sounded like a bit of a marketing ploy. But I tried it anyway. First, I shampooed with the Dry Hair Shampoo ($22), designed for straight to wavy, normal to dry hair--which is me to a T! It smelled a bit soapy but left my hair squeaky clean. Next, I conditioned with the Medium Conditioner ($22), for medium-textured, single processed hair (again, my description exactly!). It improves elasticity and adds moisture (not to mention a silky feel!) while protecting your color.

But the real unique element to the HerCut formula is the catalyst. I tried the catalyst for Long Layers ($28), designed to keep my long layers full and give them a cascading feel from roots to ends. It has a Spring Polymer Technology that creates flexible connections between layers to give hair body and bounce.

I wouldn't have believed this for a minute if I hadn't seen it for myself. I dabbed a drop into my towel-dried hair and let it dry naturally, only to watch healthy, waves and lustrous layers magically appear. The style even held up nicely after I blew my hair dry, but I could have walked out without a stitch of styling and my hair would have looked great.

Don't take my word--see for yourself! Choose the HerCut products that are right for you at www.sephora.com.

hair that gets noticed

True story: I was waiting on line at the bank and a woman walked up behind me and said: "Wow! You have beautiful hair!" The day before, I had washed my hair with two new hair products, Redken Body Full Shampoo and Light Conditioner, proving that they do offer volume that lasts for 24 hours. The clear hair shampoo provides cotton (softens and detangles), wheat extract (adds texture, volume and body) and soy protein (reinforces hair to prevent breakage) for a fuller, voluminous look. It gives you a rich lather and leaves your hair smelling clean and fresh. The creamy conditioner is an ultra-lightweight detangler which contains soy protein to give hair bodifying strength. Plus, it's safe for your hair color and leaves hair with a natural-looking shine. See for yourself at www.redken.com or a local beauty supply store.

holiday gift guide: give terax

Whether you're looking for a token Chanukah present or a stocking stuffer, sometimes the most basic of necessities will do. Take Terax Crema conditioner ($9), for example, You can never have too much of the stuff. It glides through hair, smells clean and fresh (thanks to the creative combo of rice flower, shea, bergamot and juniper) and leaves hair feeling soft and looking shiny. Stuff some stockings with Terax Crema – this pint size product packs big beauty benefits. Kate Beckinsale and Liv Tyler are fans--you will be too! Get more info on www.terax.com or pick up your portable, holiday get-away Terax Crema tubes at select Sephora stores, www.sephora.com, Ulta and www.Ulta.com.

condition for a cure: Gatsby Salon

When it comes to raising money for breast cancer, every penny counts. It's great to hear that with so much national coverage, local businesses aren't afraid to get in on the action too. Gatsby Salon in East Green Brook, New Jersey, is one of them. On Saturday, October 24th Gatsby Salon will donate 25% of all conditioning treatments to the Susan G. Komen North Jersey Affiliate, helping to raise funds for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research programs. “At our salon, we have all been affected by breast cancer. Whether it be a loved one, a client or someone that they know, each of our stylists could tell you a story about how Breast Cancer has made an impact on their lives,” says Gayle Giacomo, owner of Gatsby Salon. “That is why it was very important for us to help the cause and, as stylists, what better way to become a part of the fight while getting our clients involved than utilizing our popular conditioning treatment as a way to raise money.” As an additional incentive for employees to get involved in the fight against breast cancer, Gatsby Salon staff are able to participate in “Denim Day” on Saturday, October 24th in which they donate $5 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure for the chance to wear denim jeans to work. The 3,500 sq. ft. space offers hair cutting and coloring, nails treatments, full body waxing, threading, facials and makeup applications. It includes 16 cutting stations, a coloring suite, a retail makeup boutique, three exquisite treatment rooms, hand treatment stations and a foot treatment relaxation room that features the Sanijet pipeless pedicure system which provides the ultimate sanitary and sterilized experience. To make your appointment and contribute to the cause, call 732.752.4247 or go to www.gatsbysalon.com for more info.

pure genius

I gave up my highlights years ago in favor of a more natural hue--my own! It wasn't until this past year that I started using single process color. So I was eager to try Pureology's new SuperSmoothcollection from Pureology Serious Colour Care, the first 100% Vegan formula andZeroSulfate^® shampoos for colour-treated hair. The products' heat protective ThermalAntiFadeComplex create a protective barrier against heat styling damage and maximize color retention. The packaging won me over immediately: the SuperSmooth Shampoo and SuperSmoothHairCondition come in lightweight bottles with long, bumpy necks so you don't have to worry about slippage. (The SuperSmooth SmoothingElixir comes in a mini-version). And the SuperSmoothRelaxingHairMasque, designed to nourish and smooth, comes in a round tub and is packaged with a mini wide-tooth comb so you can evenly distribute the product throughout your hair (it's a little small but so cute and does the trick!). They're all scented with a hint of geranium, which smells so pretty! My favorite product was probably the hair mask--it was rich and luxurious and you only have to leave it on for two to five minutes, as opposed to 10 or 15 as with other masks. After styling, I realized I forgot to use the SmoothingElixir oin my damp hair--and there were some visible frizzies!--but I smoothed some onto my my just-blow-dried locks and my hair looked smooth and neat. Get more info or find out where to buy at www.pureology.com. Or, if you're on the East or West Coast, stop by one of the company's two flagship salons: Rare by Ruth Roche/Pureology Salon in New York, NY, and Byu-ti Hair Therapy salon in Santa Monica, CA.

recessionista beauty: make waves

Attention curly-heads: Wouldn't it be great if you could roll out of bed with perfectly-defined waves on any given day? Think about how much time you could save styling and restyling your waves in an attempt to get them under control. The creators of Garnier Fructis feel your pain. So they're introducing Wonder Waves shampoo, conditioner and stylers designed to give you the waves you want--plus the body and bounce to show them off. Wonder Waves Fortifying Shampoo ($3.99) comes in a lightweight formula that cleanses and gently nourishes waves. Wonder Waves Fortifying Cream Conditioner ($3.99) provides all-day conditioning, wave retention, manageability and definition. Both the shampoo and conditioner are formulated with lightweight, pre-styling ingredients. But great waves don't stop there. Continue making waves with Wonder Waves stylers, lightweight formulas that boast trademark fruit micro-waxes. (I'm not really sure what they are but, hey, if they're going to whip my waves into shape, I'm all for them). The Wave Defining Mousse ($3.99) promises definition and bounce and the Wave Enhancing Spray ($3.99) refreshes waves, controls frizz and leaves hair naturally tousled. Use on wet or dry hair, then style as usual. Get the waves you crave at mass market retailers nationwide or go to www.garnierusa.com for more info.

make a wish and blow!

We've all been there: You get a professional blow dry on a Friday for a big night out, whip your hair into a ponytail for your workout on Saturday, pin it up for your next two showers and finally give in on Monday and reluctantly wash it out. But leave it to the experts at Blow, the New York Blow Dry Bar, to find a way to help women perfect the way they style their hair so we can look like we scored the perfect blow dry every day. Introducing a new line of hair products designed to protect, perfect and prolong your blow out. Never a fan of leave-in conditioners, I was hesitant to try Blow Tress Relief but the promises of a tangle-free, silky smooth style peaked my interest. Made with a pure protein blend, Tress Relief ($5 fl. oz; $22) smooths on and combs through easily so you can blow dry as usual. Great for those of us who want to keep our hair long but don't want to deal with the hassles it involves (ie: messy knots that can develop from pillow friction while you sleep, stickiness from kids' hands running through it, and plenty more). Silky isn't the word for the end result; glossy, satiny, sleek--and definitely healthy--are more like it. And while I cherished my luxe locks, you can't have straight silky hair every day. Some days just call for that sexy, tousled style. Blow comes to the rescue again with Beach Blow Texturizing Mist (8.5 fl. oz.; $xx). I spritzed it on after my next wash, then blow-dried my hair using my fingers to create waves. The process couldn't have been easier and I adore the fresh, clean scent. Finally, my wish for a permanent great hair day had come true! To purchase Blow products, go to www.blowny.com.

luscious locks

Throughout my years in the beauty biz, I've been introduced to lots of products--some basic, some innovative, some invigorating, some calming, some essential and some luxurious. And while I've rushed to try most of them, there were a handful I saved for "special occasions." Terax is one of those brands. I remember getting my first tube of Terax Crema and wanting to make it last for way more than it was intended to. And now--years later--when I try it again, I have the same reaction. I started with the Miele hydrating shampoo for normal to dry hair (6.7 oz; $20). It has honey and elder for moisture and shine as well as wheat protein and vitamins for strength and vitality. It also lathers up rich and creamy and rinses out thoroughly. I followed up with the one-and-only Terax Crema. The luxurious conditioner is scented with rice flower, shea, bergamot and juniper--definitely soothing to the senses. Designed to moisturize hair and restore split ends, breakage and dryness, it leaves my hair silky, shiny and super-soft (I can't stop running my hands through it!) Thankfully, it comes in a 2 oz. tube ($9), a 6.7 oz. tube ($22) and a very rewarding 16.9 oz. ($48) pump bottle--definitely worth the investment! For more great Terax Hair Care products, check out ULTA, Sephora.com or Beauty.com.