Shining, Gleaming, Streaming, Flaxen, Waxen

Tip Of The Day: Beauty product reviews for two hair care items – one is a direct hit, one is a swing and a miss. Both, of course, are under $20. Actually, they’re under $5.

Tip For The Weekend: You know what’s frugal? Not eating. So I’m going to go ahead and NOT eat for the next couple of days. Primarily because I’ve apparently picked up a nasty intestinal bug, but think of the upside! Without eating, I’ll save money! Which I can spend on shoes! See, there’s a silver lining in EVERYTHING.

Further Elucidation Of My Cheap Deal: There are so many things in life that sound good in theory, but fall apart in real life. Like a Van Halen reunion tour with Diamond Dave. Or those pygmy hedgehogs they’ve been breeding (wouldn’t you be afraid that you’d squash it? Like a bug? By accident one morning when you’re stumbling around, looking for your glasses? You’d feel something prickly underfoot, and then SQUOOSH.)

Or like that girl at my gym who insists on dressing like an ‘after’ photo, when she’s still working through the ‘before, stage. Really? Really? Those are the shorts that best flatter your body? The ones we wore in the 70’s, with knee-high gym socks? The ones you need to be a pre-teen tanaholic who’s never heard the word “cellulite” in order to look good in them?

I’m thinking no. Try capri-length, my friend. They work for booty-licious girls like you and me. And they are always available at Target – often on sale.

Many hair care products are like this, too. Their description sounds so good, and so promising, but the realty of the product is only so-so. Take, for example, Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Sheer Leave-in Conditioning Glaze. Because it’s ‘Sheer’, it’s supposed to make fine, wispy hair (like mine) sleek and shiny (thus the name) without weighing it down. All that for just $4.29

Well, they got it half right. The product does make my hair VERY shiny and smooth, eliminating every last visible split end. The down side? My hair is flatter than a crepe when I use it. There is no bounce, there is no pouf – in short, it does in fact weigh down my hair, even with the word ‘Sheer’ inserted into the incredibly LONG name for the product.

So, to recap, the pros: Smells nice, as all Fructis products do; makes hair very shiny; has a pleasing texture; doesn’t require much product to do the job. The cons: makes your hair flat; takes forever to blow-dry; can be a bit sticky when it is dry.

I guess my search for the perfect hair product to replace Sunsilk’s original formula for Anti-Flat Plumping Crème goes on.

The other product I tried based on the fact it, too, promises shiny hair (and because Target no longer carries Suave’s stuff for blondes – further proof that they HATE ME) is Suave’s new Vibrant Shine hair care line.

Both the shampoo and conditioner deliver. The shampoo smells nice, gets your hair clean without stripping it dry, and won’t hurt your dye-job. So my precious blonde not-found-in-nature highlights are safe. Yeah, I knew you were worried.

The conditioner softens and smoothes hair, rinses out completely (without residue or build-up), and smells as good as the shampoo. Best part? Both products sell for $1.97 a bottle at Target.

And Target? If you stop carrying Vibrant Shine? I will probably go postal on your sorry butt. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.