Wednesday 26 September 2012

LADY@LXG: My Quest for the Perfect Shampoo

Hair care is something that is very important to me. I spent most of my life using whatever I found in the bathroom, or whatever brand was on offer in the store, but as I grow older, I notice that my scalp is becoming far less tolerant of what I use...

 A lot of the shampoos that I previously had no problem with, now causes my scalp to flake and itch and as a result my hair to fall, which is why I now look for products that are SLS free or have ingredients that will nourish my scalp and not irritate it. 

Its a lot of trial and error, which benefits my brother greatly as he gets to take home a bag of my ‘errors’ almost every month, but totally worth it to find a product that works, so if you have an itchy scalp - my advice - determine the cause for the flaking and itching. 

If you wash your hair daily (some people don’t, which is terribly gross), use a suitable shampoo, condition religiously (on the hair and not the scalp unless specified, as conditioners leave residue on the scalp which can lead to itching and flaking), wash your comb or brush, then the culprit could be the shampoo you are using. 

One of my favourite hair care brands is Lebel. Its a Japanese hair care range that is SLS free, smells gorgeous and is extremely gentle and perfect for daily use. The range I normally use is Lebel’s Hair Soap in Jojoba which is so gentle and smells divine, but recently I received one of their more recent range of hair care which they were kind enough to specifically select, according to my hair type and condition. 

Lebel’s IAU Bound Water range is all about keeping hair and scalp hydrated and healthy. I was lucky enough to get a bottle of their Cleansing Relaxment shampoo, a hydrating shampoo for dry scalps, which smells very clean and lightly floral and even though it is sulphate free, it still lathers quite well.
The shampoo which is also silicone-free, cleans thoroughly but does not dry; neither does it strip away my hair colour. I followed it with Melt Repair, a deeply hydrating conditioner. I like the fact that although the scent is not overpowering, it does last through the day and keeps hair smelling nice (there really is nothing more off-putting than stinky hair).
 
As a weekly pampering treat, I use their Pure Booster serum/oil on my hair tips or their deeply nourishing and hydrating hair mask which leaves my hair looking shiny and healthy.

If you would like to try Lebel’s range of IAU Bound Water hair care treatments or at-home products, do visit the salons mentioned below. A piece of advice, its better not to be penny wise and pound foolish when selecting your hair care and skin care products. I'd rather spend more money on something I know is good, than buy something that will make me lose hair and go bald! 

IAU Home Care (basic care) includes: 

IAU Cleansing Freshment (200ml, RRP: $38.00) 
- Suitable for oily scalp 
- Gentle cleansing  

IAU Cleansing Clearment (200ml, RRP: $38.00) 
- Suitable for normal scalp 
- Deep cleansing  

IAU Cleansing Relaxment (200ml, RRP: $38.00) 
- Suitable for dry scalp 
- Hydrating 

IAU Silky Repair (200ml, RRP: $38.00) 
- Smooth lightweight conditioner 

IAU Melt Repair (200ml, RRP: $38.00) 
- Deep-moisturizing conditioner 

The products are available at the following salons:  

De Hair-tique Salon 
23 Serangoon Central,  
NEX, #04-09,  
Singapore 556083 
Tel: 66344722 

Flhair Salon 
Blk 722 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 #01-2829,  
Singapore 560722 
Tel: 64522330

Monday 24 September 2012

WELLNESS@LXG: The Benefits of Boto Caviar

Its actually quite ironic how much I have transformed into a metrosexual.

A year ago I would have taken great offense to anyone who would dare suggest it.... but as a wise man once said ‘a good woman comes at a price’, and in my case, the considerable cost was to part company with my prehistoric habits...

But to be truthful, after having used Jyunka M+ Fluid and then their peel kit, I have become something of a fan for the brand, which doesn’t promise anything that it can’t deliver.

My latest product from Jyunka is their Boto Caviar serum.
Jyunka Boto Caviar Serum

 Now as you know, M+ Fluid is what is known as a booster (still trying to decipher all this beauty-speak), so to complete my skin care regimen, I still needed to use a serum. The purpose of Boto Caviar is to provide crucial nourishment to the skin.

Since my skin is now slowly recovering from a lifetime of neglect and abuse, the Boto Caviar is really helping to further enhance the benefits of the M+ Fluid. My dry and pigmented skin is actually looking softer, the pigmentation not as pronounced and forgive my description but my skin really does have a bit of bounce to it.

The Main Active Ingredients:

• ACETYL HEXAPEPTIDE-8 A powerful anti-wrinkle hexapeptide with a Botox-like Activity, used via a topical application to induce muscle relaxation.

• ACACIA COLLAGEN
 Extracted from the Acacia Senegal tree, the collagen softens and retains moisture on the skin, reducing dryness or skin chapping; and at the same time inducing greater collagen production by the fibroblast.

• CAVIAR
Applied on skin, caviar helps to stimulate and regenerate the skin’s cellular structure

• SODIUM HYALURONATE
A smaller and stronger version of the Hyaluronate Acid chain that exists naturally in the skin, this super Hyaluronate retains large amounts of moisture and protects the skin from bacteria, dust and ultraviolet rays.

Its only been a week of use, but I am already seeing an improvement in my skin’s texture and tone. The serum is very lightweight in texture and is almost watery and simply dissolves when applied.

If your skin is in need of nourishment or a pick-me-up, I suggest trying the Boto Caviar serum. The product does show results quite fast.

Boto Caviar retails at $198.00 for a 30 ML bottle. 

If you would like to try Jyunka’s Boto Caviar Serum, I have just one bottle to give away to one lucky winner.

All you need to do to take part is to:

- Like this post and tell me why you would like to try this product
- Like the Jyunka FB page 
- Share this blog post on your FB, twitter etc.

The more you share, the greater the chance of winning so hurry, start sharing now!