Oribe

Oribe at Costco

January 23rd, 2018 by Karen 15 Comments

Girl! In case you were wondering where the discounted luxury product party’s at, it’s at Costco, LOL!

I was aimlessly meandering around the vitamin and supplement and beauty product aisles when I spotted something “Oribe” on a shelf, which was crazy because I’ve only seen Oribe at salons.

But Costco is selling full-sized 3.4-oz. bottles of Côte d’Azur Hair and Body Oil for $29.97 — bottles that normally sell for $75 a pop.

That’s over half off, dude!

I wasn’t even there expecting to find a deal like that. I went because I’d heard that my favorite protein drinks were on sale for 20% off (public service announcement), but you know how it is… Costco. There’s those lines, and it’s almost impossible to go in and grab one thing and leave. It just feels totally wrong to me on so many levels. You gotta walk around, have some quinoa samples, check out the deals on extra large wedges of sharp cheddar cheese, read some book covers, and contemplate buying at least one 10-pack of underwear, or a leather recliner, or a lemon tree.

That’s just how it is when we’re talking about Costco. You need to take it aaall in and embrace the chaos, because sometimes that leads to epic discoveries and great beauty deals.

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Oribe Gold Lust Pre-Shampoo Intensive Treatment: Newest Hair Obsession

December 20th, 2017 by Karen 12 Comments

oribe pre shampoo treatment — Ah… Good stuff!

Legit. My stylist friend Alis — hair whisperer/red lipstick enthusiast/friend to the kittehs — used Oribe Gold Lust Pre-Shampoo Intensive Treatment pre-shampoo mask on me last Sunday, and my hair still feels like silk. It’s like sexy slow-mo Super Bowl commercial hair.

My brush slides right through it, all the way down, zooooop, and when I run my fingers through it, the strands feels soft and moisturized, like slippery, twirly cooked spaghetti.

Beyond boosting moisture, the mask is also supposed to reduce split ends and breakage long term and protect your color, thanks to UV filters.

Alis applied the mask, which smells like sandalwood and jasmine and feels like a hybrid gel-balm, on my dry hair from midshaft to the ends while my color processed on my roots.

Between the chatting, tea drinking and shameless reading of Us Weekly magazine (even the reeeeeeally old ones), I lose track of time at the salon, but I think it was on there for 30 minutes or so.

Then, Alis rinsed it out, worked shampoo and conditioner through, and styled.

Even now, days later and after a co-wash with Drybar Double Standard (more on this in a few) and a styling session with my trusty ghd curling iron, I can still feel the after effects of the mask’s softness and bounce, and seriously, where the heck did all the knots I usually have go? I have, like, no tangles.

See, this is why I listen when Alis raves about something, because the results are otherworldly hair.

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#FancyLadyThings: Oribe Côte d’Azur Polishing Body Scrub

November 3rd, 2017 by Karen 8 Comments

oribe body scrub — Oribe Côte d’Azur Polishing Body Scrub ($65 for a 6.8-oz. jar)

Hey, so I’ve been walking around for the past few days smelling like I summer at the family beach house and winter at the chalet (both untrue), and both houses in this scenario, BTW, are mansions (of course). Both have also been in the family for generations (ridiculous), and this is entirely because I’ve been using a fancy-schmancy body scrub, of all things!

Oribe Côte d’Azur Polishing Body Scrub is $65 for a 6.8-oz. jar, which is crazy bad for a budget, but hey, this is #fancyladythings. If I were a lady who lunched in Chanel suits and pearls, I’d keep a jar of it in my bathroom on the regular, no doubt.

#FancyLadyThings is a scandalous (not really) new series where we’ll talk about old money, family intrigue and fancy, high-end beauty products… Or, at least the latter.

You might be familiar with Oribe. They’re a hair care line known for their expensive and high quality products (I like their Foundation Mist, Dry Texturizing Spray and their Root Touch Up Spray), all of which come in very perfume-like scents.

To me, everything they make smells like it was envisioned by a world-renowned Paris perfumer who caters to royalty and Rockefellers.

Côte d’Azur has notes of jasmine, bergamot and sandalwood, so it’s bright and summery. Those are the official notes. The unofficial note — the only one! — is old money.

It’s a sugar scrub made of fine sugar, so when I rub it on my skin, it feels soft, not sandpapery at all, and, after I rinse it off, there’s a thin layer of moisturizing oil left behind, as well as a scent that lingers — I’m not kidding — for at least a day.

Not to say that it’s a potent or obnoxious scent. It’s just VERY long lasting. After I dry myself off, I can smell it on my towels, on my robe, on my clothes, and I’m assuming that if you keep a boy toy around for kicks, you’d probably smell it on him, too, after you smothered him with your naked bod (!).

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Grab the Best of the Best From Space NK at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

July 26th, 2017 by Karen 7 Comments

best of space nk exclusive edit — The Best of Space NK Set, a.k.a. “The Out-of-This-World Bestsellers,” a sweet six-piece set of Space NK bestselling products available now during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale through August 6th.

Did someone say “sale?”

I’m there!

It’s moments like this when I realize that I am truly my mother’s daughter. 🙂

It’s that time of year again. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (I LOVE THE DANCING ON THEIR WEBSITE) is happening right now. You can score fab fall clothing, shoes, accessories and beauty products, including some exclusive sets, at steep discounts.

This one, which is kind of weird in that it contains six Space NK bestsellers, but it’s exclusively available at Nordstrom (kind of like how some JCPenney stores have a Sephora inside them), is on sale for $159 (a $237 value). And it comes with a chic bag!

After August 6th, all of the sale prices at Nordy’s go back up again, so it’s a good time to stock up on things you know you’ll use (I bought a sh*t-ton of these Caslon tees and a couple of Zella High Waisted Leggings!). It’s also a good chance to grab a beauty set or two, because some brands will bundle items together and slash the price, like the Best of Space NK Set. It’s exclusive to the Anniversary Sale and comes with six items (seven including the bag), five which are full-size.

The only thing that isn’t full-size is the bottle of Sunday Riley Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid Treatment, which is more of a deluxe sample-size. It’s about half the size of the regular bottle (which costs $105 all by itself), so it’s not that small.

best of space nk exclusvie edit 2 — Everything except the Sunday Riley Good Genes is full-size.

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Oribe Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray Is One Hella Awesome Hair Product

May 5th, 2015 by Karen 16 Comments

MIND BLOWN.

That’s all I have to say about Oribe’s new Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray. That, and “wallet on five-alarm fire, holy sh*t!”

Honestly, and I know that I say versions of this all the time, but the last thing I needed was to get addicted to a $29 root touch-up spray in a tiny 0.7-oz. bottle, but it is what it is!

When your hair reaches that point when you really, really, REALLY should’ve gotten your roots done a week ago (or…a month ago), but your next salon appointment is still two weeks away, and then you spray this on your roots, and essentially see your hair revert back to its pre-rooty-root glory days in less than 30 seconds right before your eyes, it’s magical.

And dangerously addictive.

Because of the price.

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Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray Is the Stuff of Hair Helping Legend

September 11th, 2014 by Karen 37 Comments

Oh, fudge!

Oops! There goes another quarter into the beauty product-related swear jar (I don’t actually have one of those, but sometimes I think I should).

Seriously, Oribe, why’d you have to make me fall in love with your Dry Texturizing Spray when you knew the last thing I needed in my life right now was another bank-breaking hairstyling product?

How rude!

Cue Beauty Wayback Machine. Destination: one month ago…

Spinning.

BAM! Bright light, aaaaaand, we’re here. 🙂

It’s mid August, 2014.

I’m just about to haul my cookies out of the salon after getting my roots touched up when I realize that I need (“need,” air quotes) a small travel-size bottle of dry shampoo to bring with me on my upcoming trip to LA (it was still upcoming at the time), so I ask mini Stevie Nicks (which is my inside voice nickname for the gal who works behind the front desk counter, on account of the witchy, floaty outfits she’s always wearing) for a recommendation. She points me to Oribe’s Dry Texturizing spray with the following caveat: “You gotta be down with grit. If you want smooth and silky, you’ll need something else.”

Since I am down with grit (I think), I grab the small 2.2-oz. Purse Size for $21.50.

As I hand mini Stevie Nicks my credit card and the bottle, I hear my penny-pinching mother’s voice in my head. “Hooey, put that down! Let’s go to Rite Aid instead and get an extra large bottle of Aqua Net for $2.”

I do my best to ignore her. “I cannot get addicted to this,” I tell myself, walking out the door. If the little bottle is $21, I don’t even want to think about how much the big bottle costs (side note: it’s $42).

Sadly for my wallet, it’s love at first spray.

Fast forward to today…

Volcanic volume at the roots, tremendous texture, legendary lift, and UV filters

This stuff is kinda magical. It does a little bit of everything, too, and it does it all well.

As a dry shampoo — I use Dry Texturizing spray between washes to absorb oil and refresh my janky-smelling roots. Like the other Oribe products I’ve tried, it smells elegant and expensive, like a light yet complex jasmine floral perfume.
As a finishing spray — Whenever I curl my hair, I spray Dry Texturizing on the middle sections and the ends for shine, hold, bounce and texture.
As a root lifter — When I spray it on my roots, ERMAHGOD! The volume is volcanic. Its lift is the stuff of legends. I’m talking big frickin’ hair, man.

On top of everything else, it also includes UV filters to protect color-treated hair against sun damage.

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Adventures in Oribe: Getting To Know the Oribe Hair Product Line, and Insider Hair Stylist Tips

February 25th, 2014 by Karen 22 Comments

Today I was a hair model for an Oribe class — Hair modeling for my friend Alis in a class on Oribe products…

I experienced, not one, but two major revelations in that class on Oribe hairstyling products earlier today at Corte Madera’s Fox + Stone Salon.

The first, how to pronounce the word, “Oribe.”

Oh-ree-bay? Or-rib-bay? Oh-ruh-hibe?

This is where I get my hair done! Fox + Stone Salon in Corte Madera, California.

Turns out it’s OR-bay! — she said, her eyes widening to the size of saucers when she heard Northern California Brand Manager Karen Kerr pronounce it.

I swear the clouds parted when I heard it, LOL!

Karen was there at the salon to teach the stylists there about Oribe’s products, and I was invited, along with two other ladies, to be a hair model.

Which brings me to the second revelation I mentioned — that I now know what it feels like to be a puppy at a dog park, because there was a lot of petting going on…and by that I mean that the stylists in the class were instructed to repeatedly touch my hair and that of the other models.

Yup, another one to cross off ye olde bucket list. 🙂 “Have 20 people touch my hair in one day.” Check.

Three Hair Models, Three Hairstyles

There were three separate stations, one for each of the models, among which the stylists would move to play with the products on each person’s hair.

There were three hair themes — Curl Power, Full-Blown Bombshell (which I was desperately hoping to be picked for, not gonna lie) and Big, Bold and Beautiful, which was the theme I was assigned.

Big, Bold and Beautiful

My hair’s job was to sit there and showcase three products from Oribe’s line — their Foundation Mist, Creme for Style and Maximista Thickening Spray.

I use Oribe’s Shampoos and Conditioners at home and have had really good luck with them, so it was interesting to learn more about the products, the best ways to use them and what makes them tick.

Step 1: Wash and Condition

After washing my mop with Oribe’s Shampoo for Brilliance and Shine ($46) and Conditioner for Beautiful Color ($42), they sat me in my chair and went to work.

Step 2: Prep With Foundation Mist

Oribe’s Foundation Mist ($24) works kind of like a makeup primer for your hair. I found out that it’s not really designed for hold, but rather to prepare hair for styling by evening out the texture of every strand from root to end.

My stylist buddy Alis, who works at the salon and invited me today, explained it like this: sometimes hair has natural dips in the strands, which are like potholes. Foundation Mist does something called “evening out the porosity,” which means that it fills in those potholes, turning the strands into one long, smooth road.

With the strands filled in, any styling products layered on top apply more smoothly and evenly, and basically perform better.

Oribe Products for Big Bold Beautiful Look from the left: Foundation Mist, Creme for Style and Maxinista — From the left: Foundation Mist, Creme for Style and Maxinista

On top of that, Foundation Mist also offers UV protection, which is particularly helpful for color-treated hair.

To use it, just spray it all over your hair, from roots to ends, and don’t be afraid to saturate those strands!

Step 3: Condition With Creme for Style

After prepping my hair with Foundation Mist, the stylists worked in Oribe’s Creme for Style ($38), a creamy leave-in conditioner ideal for thick, heavy hair.

Layering is an important part of the Oribe philosophy, and this lightweight cream adds firm, yet flexible, hold and volume, among other things. You can apply it to either wet or dry hair, curly or straight, for shine, separation and body. It’s also great for giving extra oomph and structure to blowouts.

The stylists squeezed a pearl-sized amount into one of their palms and rubbed their hands together to thin and distribute the product, which they then applied from the mid-shaft, all the way to the ends. Whatever was left over, they ran through my hair at the crown of my head.

Creme for Style also conditions hair, and like Foundation Mist, it provides UV protection.

Step 4: Crank Up the Volume With Maxinista Finishing Spray

Next came the blow dryers! Two stylists dried my hair until it was about 80 percent done. Then it was time for the finishing touches with a round brush and the final product for my big, bold and beautiful look, volumizing Maxinista Thickening Spray ($28), which is used to create BIG volume, like the kind you see in big, puffed-out, blow-dried hair.

K with Alis — That’s my friend Alis on the right

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