Wen???

Yes.  I have been sucked into the world of late night and early morning infomercials.  And, I'm willing to bet if you are honest, most persons would agree that they have found some interesting stuff watching tv at some odd hour.  Over the years, I have purchased work out videos, a weed eater and several other selections of random goodness from an infomercial that I have seen.  And suprisingly enough, I've had good luck.

My most recent purchase is the Wen hair care products.  This is the hair stuff that is formulated by celebrity stylist Chaz Dean.  Wen is marketed as a cleansing conditional that will work on all hair types without the need of traditional shampoos and conditioners.

I ordered the pack from the infomercial that included:

• Cleansing Conditioner
• Hair Repair Conditioner
• Texturing Balm
• Styling Creme

So, here is my overall review of this product after a week's trial.  I think that it is a great product overall.  The cleaning cream has a nice smell and makes your head tingle as you leave it on in the shower.  I do think that the number of recommended pumps per section is quite a lot.  My hair is thin and fine.  I use only one pump of the creme per section, and my hair has done just fine.

In addition to the overall cleansing, I think that it takes less time for my hair to dry when using the blow dryer each day.  The round brush that I use to style my hair as I dry it glides through my hair and is much easier to use as opposed to traditional shampoo and conditioner.

Midway through the week, I used the repairing conditioner.  I applied and left it on under a shower cap for about 45-minutes.  I did this while at a hotel this week, so I could sit around and watch tv during this process.

Finally, I have been using the texturing  balm and styling creme.  I do think that if your hair is fine and thin like mine you might want to forgo the texturing balm.  It seems to weigh my hair down a bit even though I only use a little bit.

At the end of the day, its a good product.  I think that my hair feels soft, less dry and frizzy on the ends.  The only thing that I'm not sold on is that I think that my hair seems a little dull.  I'm not sure if this if because maybe I'm not rinsing my hair enough or if it is the product.

If you are looking for something new to try and are curious, its worth the try.  Every hair type is different and responds differently.  However, for someone that colors your hair, this product could be for you.  The conditioning benefits alone are worth it in my opinion.  Take the risk.  You might totally love it.  And, if not, well you've participated in your own little experiment.  I think this is part of the fun in life.

Breakfast on the go

I'm a breakfast eater.  I always have been.  It is probably my favorite meal of the day.  A good cup of coffee and something simple as oatmeal and fruit go a long way.

During the week, when I am at home, many times I'm in a rush.  One of my new favorite things to do is to cook an apple in the oven during my work out.  When I'm done, so is my breakfast!

I start with an apple that I core and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg into the middle.  Add a few raisins.  Put directly into the oven that is cold.  I turn it on to preheat to 350 and start getting dressed for the gym.  Once I've gotten dressed and ready to go, the oven is heated.  Turn of the oven and go!

When you are done working out, your apple is toasted warm and ready to eat.  Place in a bowl, top with vanilla yogurt, and a few nuts.

Its a great easy way to start your day!

Get your sample on with Birchbox

I'm a sucker for samples.  Little tubes of lotions or lip gloss.  Its one of those things that make me feel like a kid peeking inside of my Christmas stocking!

Last year, I discovered a great little gem  - Birchbox.  This company offers monthly beauty samples delivered to your door.  Each month you'll get a pretty little box with your samples nestled in pink tissue paper.  Its like a gift to yourself each month.

For $10, you receive 4 or five samples of various beauty products.  Some of the past samples that I have gotten over this past year include:  nail polish, lip balm, fragrance samples, eye liner, peels and more.  You know this is peaking your interest just a bit.  Oh, and men, your wife, girlfriend or even a sister would totally love you for gifting this!

Through this service, I've found some products that I've even purchased for myself later.  Last year, they featured Jouer Moisturizing Tint and Attimo fragrance that were two of my favorites last year.  Read more about them in an earlier blog post.  This month the Stila Smudge Stick is going to be a definite purchase!

So, if you are looking to get out of a beauty rut and find something new, Birchbox is the way to go!  Its a great value.  It makes a great gift, and is something fun and unexpected to come home to at the end of a long day!