Humidity can wreak havoc on any hairstyle. That's why smoothing and anti-frizz hair care products are always on my vanity. Unruly hair has no place in my beauty regimen! Bain de Terre are a professional line of hair care that previously could only be found in salons. Since the launch of Loxabeauty.com, an authorized retailer for salon brands, there's easier access to them without the hassle of driving to the salon to restock. And yes, product diversion is a real thing, so if you've ever seen them anywhere other than the salon (like at a drugstore), they're not an authorized re-seller. The Bain de Terre products I've been using are their Sleek & Smooth shampoo and conditioner, Rise n' Shine Volumizing Foam, Recovery Complex Anti-Frizz Shine Serum and Jasmine Blow Dry Smoothing Creme. As you can see, I take frizzy hair seriously. Bain de Terre's Sleek & Smooth shampoo and conditioner smell divine. We all love when our hair smells lucious, but oftentimes that fragrance dissipates within hours. Aside from my hair being silky smooth as this set enhanced and restored my hair health, the botanical scent lasted literally all day. Better yet, I was constantly getting the "Ooh, your hair smells good!" compliments each time I used it. Compliments never get old. The shampoo and conditioner are paraben free and color-safe, which is great for those of us who color our hair and don't want to see it fade quickly. Back when I visited Zotos Professional's headquarters where I talked to Mike Petrizzi about how to prevent hair color fading, one of the hairstylists explained to me that although I have A LOT of hair, it is naturally fine hair and this is why I constantly battle losing volume. Sure, I could tease it out like the 80's to give it some lift, but typically within the hour my hair falls flat, not to mention the unflattering frizzy hair is quite an eyesore. I could put an endless supply of hair spray in my hair, but it never makes a difference. Baine de Terre's Rise n' Shine Volumizing Foam is lightweight so that it gives you real volume, and utilizes white willow bark, a natural source of resin, that builds body and enhances hair’s volume for added fullness. It's great for all hair types and doesn't make it greasy. This product also has argan and monoi oils, so it conditions hair and I get the volume without the frizz.

You most likely put your hair through the ringer daily from blow drying to flat ironing to curling. The hair breakage that thermal stylers cause creates much of the frizz that you see. It is so important to use a hair treatment that will protect your strands from heat damage while reducing frizz and moisturing your hair. The Bain de Terre Jasmine Blow Dry Smoothing Creme does all of these things PLUS it has a UVA/UVB protectant, as well. Skin isn't the only thing that needs protection from the sun, as UV rays cause hair color fading. Lastly, I use the Recovery Complex Anti-Frizz Shine Serum. This serum is alcohol-free and color-safe and contains argan and monoi oils. It is weightless, and despite the oils and silicone, it's not greasy. It leaves your hair silky smooth and frizz-free. I've used it both on damp hair before styling and on days when the humidity is wicked, on my dry hair as well. You only need a pea-sized amount to get the job done for shoulder length hair. All of the anti-frizz hair care mentioned from Bain de Terre are paraben free, color-safe, contain argan and monoi oils, have a botanical fragrance that lasts and ends your battle with frizz. Believe me, I live by the water, where humidity is no joke. If you haven't tried these for yourself yet, I highly recommend them! If you'd used any of these products, I'd love to hear about your experience in the comments. When shopping for Bain de Terre on Loxabeauty, use code FiveOff at checkout to get $5 off a minimum purchase of $20 on Bain de Terre hair care products. (Discount code expires on July 31, 2014. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+

The first time my fiancé described a Balinese Creambath to me, I swear I heard harps playing and birds gayly chirping in the background as he waxed poetic about what sounded positively heavenly.  Now four years later we are in Bali and the first order of business for me was to experience a Creambath first hand.  There are a ton of spas and salons that offer this service, but I wanted to experience the specific treatment he had described to me exactly the way he described it, which led us to Amo Spa in Seminyak, Bali. 

Amo Spa is the creation of native New York Supermodel/Actress Navia Nguyen and is a beautifully serene space with an amazing service menu and an expertly trained staff. 

Before my service began, I had the pleasure of sipping on a cool refreshing glass of wine from the in-house bar.  After changing into proper Amo Spa attire, my insanely decadent  hour-long service began with a shampoo, during which I went weak in the knees from the massage that accompanied my shampoo experience.  

The conditioning cream was then applied to my hair, section by section, and slowly, luxuriously massaged in by the stylist (who I may begin stalking on a regular basis.)  Not only was the product massaged into my scalp, but  my head, neck and shoulders were also continuously massaged with oil as I sat like jello in a chair.

With the conditioning cream still in my hair, I was placed under a steamer for about 20 minutes.  The steamer helps to infuse the cream into hair for an even deeper conditioning.  My hair was then rinsed and a tonic was applied to it. 

Believe me, ladies and gentlemen, when I tell you that had I not been looking into a mirror when I touched my hair, I would not have believed it was my hair I was touching.  It was incredibly soft and silky.  I was able to easily run my hands through my hair while wet, which is usually not a good idea given my super thick, curly textured hair. 

After blow drying my hair, not only was it soft and silky, but also wonderfully shiny and bouncy!  I now daydream about  Navia taking Amo Spa stateside and eradicating bad hair days one state at a time...a girl can dream. 

Marina Azizova, Director of Research and Development at Zotos Professional

If there is anything that I learned while in Darien, Connecticut recently visiting Zotos Professionals' headquarters, it's that the signs of aging are not just visible via your skin.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Marina Azizova, Director of Research and Development at Zotos Professional to talk about what happens to hair as we age and how their new AGEbeautiful home hair color and hair care collection helps to combat these signs of aging. Marina has been with Zotos for 15 years working with aerosol, hair color and as part of the hair care lead development of technology.

I asked Marina what the most exciting part of being a chemist at Zotos has been and she told me it was the technology of anti-aging hair care because it covers such a wide range of people. The biggest misconception, and it is often perpetuated by the beauty industry, is that anti-aging when it comes to hair, simply means combating gray hair. This isn't true.

Lipids in your hair is important (moisture, flexibility and shine) and as we age, we lose it. You may have noticed your hair getting drier, more brittle and of course, going gray. The reason your hair begins to gray is it loses melanin and without it, loses UV protection. Most of the signs of aging hair begins at age 30, however, in your 20's is when keratin production in your hair begins to decrease. By 40, sebum production decreases which lends to a dry scalp and dry hair and even visibly thinning hair. Now you may notice that your hair is dry, but your scalp is the opposite - super oily. This is because if your scalp was always normal to dry, it then becomes oily in your older years, but if your scalp was always oily, it becomes significantly drier as you age. Either way, the result is still the same despite your scalp being oily or dry in your 50's because hair becomes coarser as we age, making it virtually impossible for hair to absorb sebum and remain hydrated. Unfortunately, when hair is drier, it also doesn't move the same.

As I spoke with Marina, the lightbulb literally went off for me. I'm soon-to-be 40 and I've definitely noticed these things, yet NO ONE ever talks about this. I've never once seen a hair care commercial that addresses these issues and that's one of the main reasons I'm supportive of AGEbeautiful. AGEbeautiful hair color not only addresses wiry gray and gray hair, but dullness, dryness and thinning hair. It contains Melanin, Keratin Peptide, silk protein, and Vitamin E to replenish hair with the essential components that are lost with aging.

AGEbeautiful is available exclusively at Sally Beauty and is available in permanent and demi-permanent liquid hair color. They also have a full hair care line, as well.

What are some of the signs of aging you've noticed with your hair? Leave a comment and let me know!

 Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+

I recently had the opportunity to spend some time at Zotos Professional's headquarters to talk with their colorists and hairstylists. My focus during the visit was to learn more about the AGEbeautiful hair care line, which is the first salon quality, professional hair color intended for use at home. It's also the first hair color that targets the 5 signs of aging hair. Check out the video below of my interview with Christine from Zotos, as we talk about one hair myth and some of the signs of aging hair: Many thanks to Christine for taking the time to speak with me, and the whole Zotos Professional team. You can find AGEbeautiful anti-aging hair color exclusively at Sally Beauty. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+

I consider my naturally curly hair both a gift and a curse.  When my hair decides to behave in its natural state, it is a huge mane of defined, bouncy curls that I positively revel in, but when my hair decides to act up, it become a pouf of frizz or a saddened state of lifeless curls that I cannot wait to get rid of. Usually whenever my hair does act up, it is mostly due to the styling (products) I chose to use.  Either the product was too heavy and weighed my hair down or not hydrating enough and caused my curls to transform into a ball of frizz.  Rarely do I ever use just one product to style my curly hair. A couple to a few products are usually required to get those bouncy, shiny, hydrated curls that I always desire.  Last Friday I decided to give  Miss Jessie's Multicultural Curls a go completely on its own.  I did not combine this styler with any other product; I just washed, conditioned, then applied the Multicultural Curls product to my hair and let it air dry.  Miss Jesssie's Multicultural Curls gave me soft, shiny, bouncy curls that were frizz free.  My curls did not feel like they were lacking anything or like they were coated in too much product. It was the perfect balance of hold, volume, shine and manageability.  Even after I did an hour of intense Zumba with my hair completely down, my curls still held up and were frizz free. So far I've used the Miss Jesssie's Multicultural Curls a total of three times with the same great results every time.  I still have yet to give it the ultimate test of summer's heat and humidity, but for now I am both excited and relieved that I have been able to use just one product to get my curly hair not only to behave, but to actually excel! If you found this hair care review helpful, please be sure to Like, Share and Pin this post! You might also like: Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls review. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! *Disclosure

If you're anything like me, whether you're searching for the right shade to color your hair at home or to request of your hairstylist at the salon, seeking the perfect hair color is a priority. (There was this one time when my hair wound up a weird shade of red....) But it goes beyond finding the right color by simply saying, "I like this shade of red." According to Patrick McIvor, expert hair colorist and Artistic and TechniCultural Director for Goldwell/KMS California, to find the perfect color, three factors must always be considered. 1. How often do you want to color hair? 2. How much money do you want to spend on your hair? 3. How much time do you want to spend coloring your hair? How often do you want to color hair? Want blonde on blonde like Christians Aguilera? That requires touch-ups every 2-4 weeks to look good. If there’s no time for that, other alternatives include a glaze to cool down or warm up tone, which usually lasts 6-8 weeks, sometimes even 12. A full head of highlights needs maintenance every 6 weeks, but subtle highlights can go as long as 8-12 weeks. It’s important to pick a color that fits with lifestyle – if there’s not enough time to get to the salon for touch-ups, it won’t look good, so don’t even bother. How much money do you want to spend on your hair? Saving money to get the perfect color once will be a let down. Color needs to be maintained, so it’s important to look at the finances of color before committing to a style. Glazes and one-process colors tend to cost less. A full head of highlights is more expensive (especially on longer hair) than accent highlights. So do the math first. How much time do you want to spend coloring your hair? Think about it – if sitting for 2 hours at a time for highlights to be foiled and processed is not an option, go for a demi permanent glaze to kick brass or add cool tones, it takes a mere 20 minutes. On the other hand, maybe sitting for 2 hours at the salon is the best way to slow down and be pampered – it’s all about lifestyle. Consider these things before you get your hair colored again and I promise you will be happier with your hair color. If you found these tips helpful, please be sure to Like it, Pin it and Share with friends! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+ Photo credit: Goldwell

In winter, colder temperatures and indoor heating deplete moisture in the air, which can leave hair parched, so it’s important to replenish moisture to prevent breakage and promote shine. Ruth Roche, Artistic Ambassador for Pureology Serious Colour Care offers 5 tips for getting the glow back. 1. Get a good trim to remove frayed ends, they tend to be dryer and more damaged than the rest of the hair strand. 2. Use a clarifying treatment to remove styling product buildup that contributes to lack of moisture and dullness. Pureology Purify Shampoo is a great one – it’s sulfate-free and safe for color-treated hair. 3. Apply an intense treatment once a week to add suppleness, elasticity, strengthen hair, prevent breakage and add shine. If hair feels brittle, it needs moisture – if it feels rough, it needs both protein and moisture, so choose a treatment accordingly. 4. Use a light shine serum prior to styling to smooth down the cuticle, protect hair from heat and mechanical damage, and add moisture and shine. Pureology Cuticle Polisher shine serum can be used sparingly on fine hair, more for medium and coarse hair, and lots and lots for curly hair. 5. Get a professional brightening demi-permanent color gloss to close the cuticle and add shine, try Redken Shades EQ. If you found these tips helpful, please be sure to Like it, Pin it and Share with friends! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+ Photo Credit: Mike Ruiz

How to get this look from Sam Villa

Thin hair, fine hair, medium hair, thick hair...we all have one common enemy: frizz. However, those with thick hair get a double whammy, frizz + an overly full looking coif. A Girl's Gotta Spa! Facebook fans asked, "What types of hair products work best on thick hair to make it smoother, less frizzy and not looking overly full?" Expert hairstylist trusted by celebrities, Sam Villa, responds: For thick hair in need of moisture and slimming down, products that contain cationic conditioners, ceramides and Shea Butter are essential. The go-to product line is Redken Real Control. The entire line nourishes and improves the appearance and health of the hair. Real Control Slim Supreme Hair Slimming Serum reduces excessive volume and adds sleek smoothness with all-day humidity resistance and luscious shine. Got a question you want answered by an expert? Leave a comment and let us know! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+ *Disclosure

How to get this look from Sam Villa

Got a beauty question? Be sure to let us know and we can find an expert to help you! This hair care question is from our Facebook fans and we enlisted the help of celebrity hairstylist, Sam Villa, to answer. "Over-processed hair: What can be done for hair that is now fragile and seems to have a lot of breakage due to bleaching and coloring for so long?" Sam answers: For really fragile hair that needs extra strength, use a product that replenishes protein like Redken Extreme Hair Strengthening Shampoo and Conditioner. Then apply Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Distressed Hair Treatment on a daily basis, while once a week applying Redken Extreme Builder Plus fortifying rinse-out hair mask. Extreme is a top seller because it delivers protein to the core of the hair fiber to restore strength and prevent breakage. Oils like Redken Diamond Oil Shatterproof Shine and Redken All Soft Argan-6 are also great for maintaining softness and shine. Place a couple drops in your hands and rub briskly to warm up the oil when applying for even application. Apply from mid shaft to ends on damp hair as a pre-styler, treatment and/or heat protectant. Add to mid shaft and ends after styling for extra luster, polished texture, conditioning and frizz control. Tip: Stay away from the scalp area unless the scalp is very dry and in need of treatment. Always use Redken Iron Shape 11 to protect and preserve color when using thermal tools and always use the color treated setting on heat appliances to minimize the amount of heat applied to hair. The Sam Villa Sleekr® iron protects the integrity of hair with Targeted Temperature Technology that ensures consistent temperatures for specific hair types. Temperatures are represented by LEDS so you always know your working temperature. LOW (Green) 375°F for fine hair, COLOR TREATED (Amber) 392°F and HIGH (Red) 410°F for resistant and virgin hair types. Lastly, the integrity of fine, fragile hair can be compromised when cut with a razor, ask your hairstylist to use a blending shear for high lift, as this will reduce stress on the hair. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+

A few different people have mentioned Mixed Chicks hair products to me on a number of occasions and I have honestly been meaning to try it, but just never got around to it until just recently.  After feeling like my regular shampoo and conditioner were no longer performing as well as they have in the past, I decided to try something new and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to give Mixed Chicks a try.  I opted for the Sulfate Free Shampoo and Deep Conditioner as my naturally curly hair has been feeling really dry lately thanks to regular hot yoga attendance. The Sulfate Free Shampoo is supposed to mildly cleanse my hair without stripping my hair of its natural oils and the Deep Conditioner is supposed to penetrate, reconstruct and restore my dry hair.  After trying both for two weeks, I was pretty bummed that I didn't get around to trying them sooner. The Sulfate Free Shampoo actually felt pretty moisturizing for a shampoo, even though it did thoroughly clean my hair, my hair did not have that dried, stripped feeling it normally has after shampooing. I also really enjoyed the clean, pretty scent.  The Deep Conditioner is decadently moisturizing.  It's really thick and creamy and my hair felt soft, hydrated and absolutely pampered after using it. After using both of these products, my curls have more hold and definition and a lot less frizz.  Even when I blow dry my hair it just feels healthier.  I plan on purchasing the Leave In Conditioner as soon as possible so that I can define my curls, eliminate frizz and restore the health of my hair all at the same time.  I'm absolutely ecstatic that there is a product on the market that was created specifically for my hair type, I'm just so disappointed in myself that it took me so long to start using it. Have you tried Mixed Chicks? Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! *Disclosure