Leave-in Love| My favorite leave-in conditioners of all time.

 I realize that I've placed so much attention on finding the best deep conditioner that I've pretty much neglected a crucial wash day step.  Sure, the right deep conditioner can right a myriad of wrongs.  You can strengthen and moisturize your stressed tresses in one powerful step.  But, at the end of the day, the conditioner gets washed out and goes down the drain.  Then, we have the opportunity to "recondition" the hair in a lasting way.  But only if we have the absolute best leave in  we can get our hands on.

I've tried my share of leave-ins over the years.  But nothing can compare to this current line up.  I'm looking for products that can bring heavy moisture, detangle like no one's business, and protect the hair during the heavy manipulation that occurs post wash.  Here are my faves.

It's a 10 Leave In
Due to my own neglect, I'm often plagued with these massive, destructive knots which require lots of manpower to rectify.  When this happens, the man for the job is It's a 10!  Whenever I get an email from some poor soul who's contemplating chopping off her hair because of the sheer amount of knots she has to contend with, I instruct her to go out and by this leave-in.  It's like the go-to leave in whenever emergencies arise.  It's a 10 boast of giving the hair 10 benefits but, to me, the detangling power is unmatched.

Biolage Keratin Dose.
Well, almost unmatched.  Biolage stepped up it's game in a major way when it launched the Keratindose leave in.  This stuff had me signing it's praises.   Detangling and conditioning all in one magnificent package.  The actual product has the consistency of a creamy, hydrating conditioner but is applied using a spray bottle just like any other run of the mill leave-in.  I also give it extra points for being a powerful product on wet or dry hair.  I can literally use it as a moisturizer in the L.C.O process.  Oh, I should also mention that I'm picking up a box of the Biolage Keratindose concentrate. It comes in little tubes that is applied to the hair like an intensive treatment. It's formulated with silk amino acids and a "professional level of keratin."  Lookout for a review in the future.

Biolage Daily Leave-In Tonic
Although Keratindose is absolute perfection, I still love and will always reach for the daily leave in tonic when I rollerset.  In my humble opinion, Biolage Daily Leave in is the most moisturizing, watery leave in, I can get my hands on.  Just like the Keratindose, the actual product looks like a conditioner but in a lighter consistency.  There's nothing bad I can say about this leave-in.  It's absolutely the best light, conditioning leave-in that I've ever tried.

Grund Tiger Protein Reconstructor Leave-In Spray
I had a leave-in that softened the hair, and a couple that detangled, but I had nothing to reinforce my hair with additional strength.  I searched and searched until I somehow stumbled on Grund Tiger Protein Reconstructor.  Although I'd never heard of the brand before, I relied on the glowing reviews and the high price point as a sign that this could be a solid product.  And boy was I right.  What I love about this spray is that it does strengthen and reinforce the hair but without out none of the unwanted stiffness one might expect from spraying a protein laden product on the hair.  To me, Grund's protien spray is worth every single cent.   I don't use it all over but instead focus on weaker areas and on the ends.  It's darn good stuff.   They also have a protein moisture mist which also received great reviews from the people who've tried it.  I don't need another moisture leave-in but I'm so tempted to try it.  If it's as good as their protein spray with a boost of moisture, I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

Nexxus' Pro Mend Split End Binding Leave-In
Honorable mention goes to Nexxus' Pro Mend Split End Binding Leave-In Creme.  It's the heaviest of all the leave-ins I own.  I like a thicker product for when I'm deep into my stretch and need something a little heartier to manage my mane.  All though it's meant for split end repair, I use it all over.  I mean, the active ingredient alone should make you want to try it.  Seeing video of split ends sealing back up still brings chills down my spine.  Make sure to apply a watery leave-in underneath to add moisture then layer on the leave-in cream to seal it in.  This stuff will have your ends on point!  If frizzy, unruly ends are your issue, give this baby a try.  I also like how it provides a bit more sleekness to my hair, almost like it's sealing my cuticle layer while taking care of my damaged ends.

One realization I've made while writing this post is how I've neglected the proper use of leave-ins the last several months.  My plan is to organize them all together so I have the entire crew with me on wash day making sure I use the right one for the job depending on my hair's needs.  I've experimented with a post wash L.C.O using Aveda moisturizer on dripping wet hair (just out of the shower) and layering with oil.  This time, I'll utilize these leave-in moisturizers and layer with oil.  I suspect I'll get an even better result since these products are made for moisturizing already damp hair.

These are my absolute faves. If you have a leave in that works magic on your hair, leave a comment below.

Cold Showers| The Hair + Skin beauty secret you have to experience.

In case you're wondering, I'm currently on a rampage against shedding & tangles.  All of my mind powers have been allocated towards figuring out what I can do to minimize this situation.  Then I received am email early this week that triggered a reminder of one mistake I've been making which could have contributed to my troubles.

I hate cold weather with an intense passion.  I'm one of those people who enjoy the feeling of warmth on my skin.  I'm a summer baby so I think it's part of my makeup. Because of this, I kinda look forward to my warm showers which serve as one of the few moments that I get to experience heat.  The problem with all of this is the horrible consequence I experience as a result of those few minutes of enjoyment.

I've experimented with cold showers in the past and I know first hand the multitude of benefits that come with it.  When cold showers were the norm, I enjoyed smooth, hydrated skin. My skin seems to naturally retain moisture with the help of the cold water.  Not only that, my face & breasts benefited.  Let me explain..... When the cold water hits your skin, everything constricts.  Pores tighten, and blood flows in a new direction.  One of the wonderful side effects to my face was how tight everything felt.  And I don't mean dry skin tight.  I mean toned and lifted tight.  Everything seemed to firm up, including breasts.  At first I thought I was a little crazy for noticing so I searched online and learned that dipping breasts in ice water is an age old home remedy to create firmer breasts. See, I'm not crazy.

But let's talk about the real reason why we're here.  The crazy tangles and shedding which are ruining my life.  Back when I took cold showers on the regular, I developed enough courage to do cold water rinses on wash day.  If memory serves me right, doing so made an impact on my wash day shedding.  I notice that even if I detangle prior to washing.  As soon as I jump into a warm shower to rinse the conditioner, the shedding kicks up again and I pay for it during the roller set.  Since I became a wimp, I've suffered the consequences.  Not only is the shedding more than I'm comfortable with, I've also had the pleasure of having to deal with lifted cuticles thanks to the hot water. Lifted cuticles are one of  the raw ingredients needed to create tangled hair.  From now on, I want to eliminate tangled hair from the menu.

I'm so ashamed of myself for allowing temporary comfort to come in the way of the bigger picture.  So now I'm done being a wimp.  Done.  It's time to build a little mental toughness and do what I have to do.  What motivates me is knowing that I'll experience benefits almost immediately.  Plus, I realize that the feeling of having icy cold water attacking my skin is only temporary.  The body quickly reacts to the experience and works vigorously to warm the skin.  Soon the cold water becomes tolerable and, before you know it, the experience is complete.  Then you're left with smoother skin and healthier looking + feeling hair.  Not to mention the benefits to your face and body.  Hey, if Naomi Campbell and Pharrell Williams use cold water to keep them looking ageless, maybe we can consider it too!  Let's add this to our list of beauty rituals to complete while we shower.

It's worth it.