ENJOY HAIR CARE: A REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED THE ENJOY HAIR CARE GIVEAWAY! THE WINNER IS SARAH H.! CONGRATS SARAH, ENJOY YOUR HYDRATING SYSTEM 😉

Hey. Guess what?

It’s my birthday.

Twenty-five candles on the (cheese)cake today, and a bottle of bubbly is patiently waiting in my fridge. But while I trudge on through my workday, I thought I’d give you all a festive little prize to keep the merriment going!

Let’s talk, for a moment, about hair.

Women have a very “special” relationship with our hair. Curly-haired girls want shiny straight locks, and girls with stick-straight tresses long for bouncing curls. Brunettes sit in salons with heads full of foil and chemicals, hoping for a sunkissed shade of blonde. Blondes think they have more fun.

It all goes round and round. But the one thing that remains constant is that no matter your hair type, you have to take good care of it. That’s why I was so utterly thrilled when Enjoy shipped their entire Hydrating System to me for a review! I have always known the Enjoy line is quality and have sworn by their deeply nourishing Hair Mask for years, but had yet to try out their other products. I have no idea what took me so long!

My hair is somewhere between normal to maybe a little oily, and has been dyed all shades of golden and auburn over the years. Being no stranger to foil and peroxide, my mane has certainly seen its days of damage. What I love so much about the Hydrating Shampoo and Hydrating Conditioner from Enjoy is that they completely normalize my hair. The shampoo cleanses without drying, nourishes without heaviness, and is gentle, pH balanced, and sulfate-free. The conditioner isn’t thick or heavy, but gives just the right amount of softness and shine.

Enjoy also sent me their Conditioning Spray. I used it like a light leave-in conditioner and detangler, spraying a little bit on my damp hair and then combing through. The Hydrating Conditioner also detangles, but I really like this option of adding a touch more nourishing hydration with the Conditioning Spray. It’s weightless and lovely.

Last, but not least, there was the Hair & Skin Treatment Oil. I am head-over-heels for this stuff. I want to carry it around with me in my pocket. I want to give it a name and its own stocking hung on the mantle. Okay okay, I jest. But it’s really quite amazing. It’s SO light, non-greasy, and versatile. Pour about a dime-size puddle in your palm and run it through damp or dry hair to block humidity, give instant shine, and eliminate frizz. I love that it makes dry ends feel instantly penetrated with moisture. No build up, no heavy greasy feeling. PLUS you can use it on elbows, cuticles, hands, feet – wherever your skin feels a little dry!

If you would like to know more about the other wonderful Enjoy products, go visit their website or check them out on twitter! Their products are incredibly affordable and there’s something for all hair types!

So, here comes the fun part:

Enjoy Hair Care has generously offered up ANOTHER Hydrating System for one lucky reader! You’ll receive the Hydrating Shampoo, Hydrating Conditioner, Conditioning Spray, and a bottle of the Hair & Skin Treatment Oil! A value of $95!

All entries must live in the United States, and it is mandatory that you do the following:

– Leave a comment below, be sure to include your Name and EMAIL ADDRESS

– You MUST “Like” Enjoy’s Facebook page, which you can find here: Enjoy Hair Care on Facebook

– Lastly, follow me on Twitter! You may find me here: @hourglassnbloom

This giveaway will be open from today, December 7^th until Friday, December 14^th, when I will chose ONE reader at random and announce the lucky winner!

Oh Baby!

My friends are starting to have babies. That time has come.

This means I get to spend hours perusing adorable bonnets, frocks and blankets…gawking at dapper little boots and blazers…drooling over miniature designer collections…

And I still get to have cocktails!

One of my dearest friends had a baby shower the other day. It was an afternoon filled with laughter among friends, buckets and buckets of prosecco, lots of talk about Gerber and Pampers, and traditional shower games that made us act like giddy little girls. “A” was radiant as usual…she’s been embracing this pregnancy like a pro, with a serene confidence and permanent smile. It was SO much fun celebrating her that day…

In addition to chatting away with friends and sipping a bottomless glass of bubbly, one of my favorite parts of a baby shower is watching the mom-to-be open all her gifts and goodies! As an auntie to two nephews (the second, actually, will arrive in less than a week!), it was especially fun this time to see so many girly items being unfurled from the pretty packages. A’s little bun-in-the-oven is now the proud owner of a wardrobe so chic, Suri Cruise would be jealous.

If you haven’t be out hunting down shower gifts lately, here’s a little peek at what you might find out there in the world of children’s fashion.

For the rustic, debonair little man in your life, look to Zara Kids for inspiration:

Gymboree and Etsy offer tons of ruffles and rompers for the pint-sized princess. Burberry is, of course, always a classic choice for the tyke who has everything:

Zara Kids also offers incredibly chic dresses….and bonnets for little ladies:

Wedding Bells

Ahhh vacation. There’s nothing like the feeling.

The man and I were invited to a wedding last weekend in Dana Point, and we jumped at the chance to celebrate with the happy couple in a quaint sea-side town.

M and I drove down Friday night, and spent the evening nestled in the corner of a local Italian trattoria, gorging ourselves on mussels and pasta by candle-light while a lone saxophonist played Moon River in the background. We finally teetered out hours later, and were more than delighted to collapse into an enormous fluffy bed when we reached the hotel.

After a long luxurious morning of puttering around the suite, gulping in salty sea air from the balcony, and indulging in an extended bubble bath complete with champagne on ice (and tiaras made of foam), it was just about time to get dressed for the nuptials.

I wore a new dress (which thrillingly looks a bit like the one on my wish-list) paired with opaque tights and black velvet booties.

I had dug out my grandmother’s vintage golden satchel a few days before, which just barely fit my camera and a lipstick. Phew!

M wore a Ben Sherman suit and my favorite Too Boot New York shoes (sold out, similar style here). I wonder who’s his stylist? 😉

The ceremony was held on an intimate terrace overlooking the coast. The sun was setting as we arrived, and just as it cast its last golden hues and melted into the horizon, we took our seats. The bride was gorgeous, just radiating joy, and as they met beneath an arbor laden with crimson roses, the electric ache of deep passionate love was palpable.

Cocktail hour followed, and just as guests took their first sips and nibbles, the heavens opened up. Looking a bit like drowned rats, we all hastily ensured the bride and groom that it was a sign of good luck! The good-sport attitude was infectious though, and despite the rain the night was filled with laughter and the terrace was filled with dancing bodies.

Merriment carried on well into the night, and I barely remember falling fast asleep in M’s arms hours later.

Bitten

Bold, cherry-red lips. All-American.

No matter how many different types of lip-coloring utensils I try, none of them really seem to work as well as I initially may hope. Balms labeled “Outlast” can’t quite outlast an hour or two, colored glosses are never a deep enough hue, and traditional lipstick only ends up sticking to my teeth.

Eventually I found myself standing, frustrated, under the bright fluorescent lights of the cosmetics aisle in Target. It was there that I made the happiest discovery…

Revlon’s line of Just Bitten lip crayons have become my absolute hands-down favorite. The gel based lip stain leaves the perfect pigment and lasts for hours, while the nourishing moisture stick leaves your lips feeling soft as a baby’s behind.

I’ve had my deep berry colored Just Bitten for nearly a year now, so I thought it might be time to shake things up a little. Enter: Gothic red. It turns out a very pretty cherry-crimson, darkening even more with a heavy-handed application.

They come in an array of gorgeous colors and are a steal at just $7.99!