Wednesday, April 3, 2013

NEW Garnier Olia, oil powered hair dye

I recently received a coupon for a free box of Garnier Olia to test out from BzzAgent and I must say I was skeptical about the use of oils to color my hair. For years I have turned to either professional dyes and other big box store brands of hair dye to color my hair. I have used colors with burgundy to black and in my younger days I of course had even wilder hair colors, so I know what I like and what to use in my hair. 

First and foremost, here is a little bit of information about the product directly from the BzzAgent Campaign website:
Introducing Garnier Olia, the first oil powered permanent at-home hair color. Olia is an innovative, oil powered formula that propels colorant deep into your hair – without ammonia – for pure, vivid, long-lasting color. Unlike traditional hair color, Olia uses an exclusive 60% oil blend, with natural flower oils in the colorant. The oils help to reverse roughness and dullness for more brilliant shine, dimensional color, and softer, shinier hair with bounce.
  • First oil powered, permanent at-home hair color
  • No ammonia
  • 60% oil blend with natural flower oils
  • 100% gray coverage
  • Maximum color performance
  • Visibly improves and restores hair*
  • Softer, shinier hair with bounce
  • Pleasant floral fragrance
  • In 24 different shades
 *Restores hair by improving softness and shine.

Before dying


So, with all the specifications of the product out of the way, I have to say I am truly impressed by the awesome coloring abilities of this product.  This product does not contain any ammonia so it is much less harsh on the hair and tender scalp area, but you must follow all directions properly on the package as this still can damage your hair and scalp if you do not. I noticed it mildly tingled on my scalp so I do know there are still damaging ingredients in the product. I only did a root touch-up because I was not sure if the product would work on my hair or if the color would even match my existing dye color in my hair. It worked like a charm, covered my grown out roots and blended well. The bottle design is a little difficult to handle especially if you have dye on your gloves, if it was less round it would be easier to handle. I also felt like I didn't get all the developer out of the tube, but there is not much to do to improve upon that unless they put a little extra in the tube to account for this. Loved the hydrating after coloring cream rinse, my hair did not feel like straw (like some other dyes) after finishing rinsing and conditioning, and once it was dry it was shiny and smooth and very manageable. 
After Dying

I just bought another box to re-do my hair when it grows out again. So, needless to say, this is a great product and I would recommend it to anyone looking to dye their hair with less chemicals or no ammonia.





Jennifer


Monday, April 1, 2013

Showered with Love Giveaway Hop! 4/1-4/15

Baby Shower Giveaway Hop



Welcome to the Showered With Love Event hosted by the Blogging Mamas Network!  We all know that April Showers bring May Flowers, but did you know that over 50 bloggers have come together throw a huge Shower of our own - a virtual Baby Shower!  The Showered  with Love Event will run from April 1-15, giving you plenty of chances and time to enter all of the great giveaways!
Be sure to hop around to each blogger in the linky under my giveaway, as well as check out the fabulous Baby Shower Grand Prize, including a Boba Wrap, Red Charlotte Doll Carrier, a $50 GC to Walls Need Love, AND 6 pocket cloth diapers from Little Monsters - worth over $300!



Showered With Love Grand Prize



Okay all you Busy Mommas out there! Here is the Showered with Love giveaway hop! There are over 71 bloggers signed up to participate in this blog hop, and you know what that means right? Lots of prized to be won! Each prize in this hop is valued at least at $25! The grand prize over at So Easy Being Green is valued at over $300! Be sure to get as many entries in as you possibly can to get the best chance at winning some awesome prizes!

The prizes I am offering for this giveaway include a cute little bath time gift basket from Akva Organics valued at $30. This basket includes all the stuff for your little one's first (and many more!) bath! It contains the following*:

Photo courtesy of Akva Organics
  • Goat Milk Soap (3 bars) -- A gentle, mild soap with a rich, creamy lather that is ideal for babies -- or anyone with sensitive skin.
Photo courtesy of Akva Organics
  • Talc-Free Lavender Powder (6 oz.) -- A mixture of vegetable starches that provides an effective, Earth-friendly alternative to talcum powder. It absorbs moisture and prevents chafing while being safe and gentle to baby's skin. It is infused with natural, essential oil of lavender which is extremely safe and gentle while providing a host of benefits to the skin including anti-microbial, skin soothing, and calming properties.
  • Shea Butter Balm (2 oz.) -- A thick, rich cream for extra dry or inflamed skin that contains no chemical colors, fragrances, or preservatives.
  • Wool Sea Sponge -- Wool sea sponges are silky soft against the skin. They are also incredibly durable and inhibit the growth of bacteria unlike washcloths and artificial sponges.
  • Natural BPA-free bath toys -- A trio of brightly colored bath toys that are free of chemicals. They all squirt water and are sized right for little hands.




Also up for grabs is a $25 store credit to Mama's Emporium!! I love this online store, it is dedicated to mommies, babies and everything in between! They've got everything you need to cloth diaper your baby from the diapers themselves, to the cloth diaper safe detergent and cloth diaper "safe" diaper rash creams.
They also offer a variety of educational toys as well as pretend play items, puzzles and crafty items. The have some items for those teething babies, and if you have any questions I am sure they are more than happy to help you the best that they can, they have great customer service.
I personally have shopped at Mama's Emporium on several occasions, you just cannot beat the prices, deals and just the overall good feeling of supporting a small business! Be sure to head over there and check them out, also check out their Facebook page HERE, and while you're there tell them that Busy Momma sent you!

One lucky winner will walk away with both of these awesome prizes for their little one! This giveaway is open to US and Canada.Good luck!



a Rafflecopter giveaway
According to Jenny, So Easy Being Green, the Blogging Mamas Network, and the Showered with Love participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.




Jennifer
*Information included in this post is from Akva Organics, basket may be different from the one pictured above.