Nuance by Salma Hayek

I am all about variety and change when it comes to my skincare and makeup routine, but I am not as versatile with my hair routine. My hair texture has changed significantly this past year due to some steroid injections I had to have in my neck, so it has been a challenge determining what products would work. I plan to have a hair straightening treatment done in November, so this line-up may change after that, but for now here are the products I use regularly on my hair.

1. Bumble and Bumble Invisible Oil Heat Protective Primer – Since I use a lot of heat on my hair, both blowing it out and curling it, I need a heat protectant spray. But the bonus with this is that it also helps to smooth the hair and reduce frizz. It’s incredibly lightweight and leaves my hair shiny and healthy looking. I spray it on my hair when it is damp and then style as usual.

2. Bumble and Bumble Invisible Oil – For the extra humid days either in the summer, on vacation or when it’s raining, I need an extra boost of smoothing for my hair. This Invisible Oil from Bumble and Bumble is truly invisible. Being that I have an oily scalp that can get greasy very easily, I have rarely if ever found a hair oil that works for me. That was until I tried this. I use only one small pump on damp or dry hair to help smooth and minimize frizz, and surprisingly it does not weigh my hair down at all.

3. Christophe Robin Hair Purifying Lotion – I’ve said before many times that I am not the biggest fan of dry shampoo. I have tried a few here and there, but on the whole it only serves to make my hair feel dirtier and leads to a ton of build-up with my oily scalp. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this finishing lotion, but as soon as I saw that it had vinegar in it, I had a feeling it would work well. I spray it directly onto my scalp and roots on the days I don’t wash my hair, and it helps to balance my scalp, make it feel fresh and clean and evaporates almost immediately. An added bonus that I wasn’t prepared for was how voluminous it makes my roots and adds a nice bit of “oomph” to my second (and sometimes third and fourth) day hair.

4. Nuance by Salma Hayek Nourishing Hair Mask – Though my scalp is oily, my ends are dry, dry, dry! This is most likely due to the amount of heat styling that it goes through, so a deep conditioning mask is a must. Many deep conditioning masks however, can be a nightmare for those with oily hair. It can leave the hair limp and greasy (I know this from tons of experience) and make it almost impossible to get a decent blowout because the strands are too slick. After just one use of this Nourishing Hair Mask, I could see a difference. My hair looks nourished, soft yet still bouncy. I typically only focus on the ends when applying, but can get away with using over my entire hair without weighing my hair down.

Between cleansers and masks, it’s hard to say which one I love more. Patience has very rarely been a good trait of mine, so that’s why I am drawn to masks. The results are often immediate and I can see how well it works (or doesn’t). And when I am interested in trying a new skincare brand, I often purchase either a mask or cleanser first because I find they are the best way to ease into a brand and decide if it’s worth splurging on the more substantial items like a serum, moisturizer or eye cream. I’ve been testing out a handful of masks over the past few weeks and here are 3 that rose to the top and were deemed worthy of a review.

1. Ling Sparkling Makeover Mask – By far, my favorite facial of all time is the Advanced Facial with Energy Lift at the Ling spa in Union Square. Lucky for me though, I can continue my results after with her skincare line. I love a good fizzy mask, but some disappear too quickly or give very lackluster results. I am a fan of this one from Peter Thomas Roth, but after trying this one from Ling – I found that it removed dirt and impurities from the skin rather than simply hydrating and rejuvenating.  You apply the product onto a damp face and within a minute, it begins to foam up. I leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes, and surprisingly there was still some foam left on my face! This stuff is serious. And the fact that it comes in individual packets means that it will be a travel must.

2. Dr. Hauschka Hydrating Mask – While I do love a gel based hydrating mask for that cooling and soothing effect they often give, it was a nice change to use one that was rich, thick and ultra-moisturizing. Though it’s still quite hot and humid out, I have been dealing with some dryness on certain parts of my face. This mask came just at the right time. I was tempted to apply it just to the dry patches but decided to cover my entire face. Because it’s so thick, I needed a damp washcloth to remove it but my skin felt like new again afterwards. The dry patches were almost gone and by the next morning were no longer a nuisance when applying makeup. This should come in handy in about 4 months when I’m trapped inside because of the cold winter weather. (I shudder just thinking about it.)

3. Nuance Salma Hayek White Clay Treatment Mask – Typically I am more of a department store gal when it comes to my skincare preferences, but occasionally I find gems in the drugstore that really impress me. I am new to the Nuance line but this White Clay Treatment Mask was the perfect introduction. I love a good clay mask as much as the next oily-skinned gal, but my gripe with them is that many times I have to immediately use a hydrating mask right after because my skin  feels dry and tight. I had high hopes for this one the minute I squeezed it out onto my hand. The texture was creamy, and after 10 minutes of waiting for it to dry down (translation: feel crusty and hard) I was happy to see that it still stayed quite creamy and emollient on the skin. Afterwards my skin felt hydrated, looked naturally matte and my pores appeared less noticeable. I don’t think I can ask for much more.