Rusk Thermal Str8 Protective Flat Iron Spray Review

Don't buy this product. 

This one.

Don't buy it. 

I've been trying heat protectant sprays for the last few months. They can be great for protecting your hair from heat damage from hair dryers, flat irons and curling wands, and some can also protect your hair from damaging UV rays, which is particularly good if you colour your hair. In addition, they can add shine, fight frizz and help your hair hold its style.

According to the Rusk website the Thermal Str8 Protective Flat Iron Spray is a humidity-resistant styling spray that penetrates hair, infusing conditioning and controlling agents like argan oil and Thermplex to seal the cuticle, eliminate frizz, precent curl reversion, and protect styles from environmental elements. Conditions and protects the hair internally and externally while smoothing and enhancing shine. 

This product is designed just to protect your hair from using a flat iron, not from using a hair dryer, and that seems a bit odd, since usually you need to use a hair dryer before using a flat iron, unless you have time to let your hair air dry after washing it. But the Str8 Protective Flat Iron Spray needs to be used on dry hair because it's incredibly sticky. Holding the can 6-8 inches from your hair is the recommended application technique and in doing so, presumably the amount you end up with on your hair is the correct amount. 

I tried a few times and each time, the spray went on heavily, coating my hair with stickiness. I used a brush to comb it through, both to make sure it was on evenly and to try to minimize the stickiness. I thought perhaps the texture of my hair would improve after I used my flat iron, but that was not the case. Running the flat iron over one section of hair after applying the spray created a shiny, smooth, but stiff and crispy piece of hair. I ran my brush through it and this softened the stiffness considerably, making my hair look like actual hair again, but the brush dragged through my hair. The stickiness did not go away, even with repeated brushing. 

On the plus side, it did make my hair shiny and added to the straightening effect. I assume that it protected my hair as well, since it seemed to form a seal around my hair with the application of the heat from the flat iron. But the incredible stickiness is horrible and does not go away. Running my fingers through my hair throughout the day resulted in snags and tangles. I guess if no one, including you, touches your hair after you've used this, it's all good, but who wants hair like that? There's a stiffness and a frizz at the ends of my hair as well after using this spray. 

I was shocked how terrible this product performs. Especially since there are multiple heat protectant products that perform beautifully. 

This one, TRESemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray is a favourite and it can often be found for sale. I picked up a bottle for $4 recently.

There's no added weight, but it leaves my hair silky, glossy and soft. The lock button on the pump is a nice feature too.

This one too - L'Oreal's Color Radiance Dual Protect Spray - is often on sale. Drugstore brands FTW! It protects your hair from styling tool heat as well as from UV rays, which is great if you colour your hair. 

For me, it's a runner-up to the TRESemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray, but it's a solid project and I don't hesitate to recommend this one as well to you.

Just trust me on the Rusk stuff. Don't be tempted. It's appallingly bad stuff.

Grade: F

C.

EyEnvy Eyelash & Eyebrow Conditioner Review Part Two

Back in December, I posted about EyEnvy, an eyelash and eyebrow conditioner that I had started using. I promised to do a follow-up post about the results when I had finished the tube. And here it is! Here's part one of my review of EyEnvy so be sure to take a look if you haven't already. 

I'm almost, but not quite, finished the tube of EyEnvy but I did start to see a difference in my lashes and brows after using it for two months. The difference was subtle at first. With my eyelashes it was noticeable particularly when I was applying mascara. My eyebrows seemed denser too.

Here are some photos showing my lashes and brows before I started using EyEnvy, and photos from today, about five months later.

December 2014

May 2015

My brows are more groomed in the second photo, but I don't have anything on my face apart from moisturizer in either, so my lashes and brows haven't been embellished apart from being curled. 

You can see there's a difference in the length of my eyelashes. I notice that sometimes my lashes graze my glasses when I'm wearing mascara. That didn't really happen before and it happens all the time now. I didn't notice much difference in the fullness of my lashes, and the colour didn't change either. 

While I can't claim that my lashes certainly don't look appearance-transformatively different, there is a noticeable difference. My lashes were pretty long before, but I can imagine on someone without a lot of length, EyEnvy could make a dramatic difference. 

With my eyebrows, there was less of a dramatic difference. I did notice that the sparse areas were less sparse, and overall, better fullness. Again, not appearance-transformative, but noticeable and very welcome.

The application process was quick and easy - every morning before noon, a swipe along my lashline and painted on the areas of my brows that needed help. I experienced no side effects. There was no pain, no discomfort. There's no odour to EyEnvy either.

EyEnvy is $90 a tube, though I paid $60 at IMATS. I'm impressed that it works, but I won't be buying another tube. I don't need to use it that badly and it's pricey. 

But it works, and if you want longer lashes, or fuller brows and $90 is worth it for you, I can definitely vouch for EyEnvy. It works!

Grade: A

C.

Beauty Squared Round-Up for May 3, 2015

Hello lovelies!

It's time for the Beauty Squared Round-Up and here we go!

• Apple cider vinegar as a beauty product. Here are four ways to use it.
  
• How about the rather genius idea of pre-packaged cotton swabs that have been dipped in olive oil to do on-the-go makeup clean-ups?
  
• Gel moisturizers can soothe, cool and hydrate your skin. Here are three that you should know about.
  
• Crying happens to all of us. Sometimes it happens when it's really inconvenient. Here's how to freshen up quickly afterwards.
  
• Summer is coming, whether we like it or not. With summer, sweat happens. Here are 18 sweatproof beauty products to help you through it.
  
• If you line your waterline, you should read this.
  
• Lip gloss can be annoyingly high maintenance. Here are some of the most annoying things that can happen with wearing lip gloss, and how to fix them.
  
• Mario Dedivanovic talks (and demonstrates) how to contour your face.
  
• How to go grey naturally.
  
• When a hairstylist needs to stock their kit at the closest drugstore, what might they buy? Find out here.
  
• If you have bangs, you know what a pain it is to keep them looking perfect. They grow so quickly! Here's how to do them yourself, at home.
  
• It's an old post, but one that I'd never seen before this week. The definitive Hedwig and the Angry Inch makeup tutorial.
  
• And finally, 21 Beauty Trends That Need To Die.