InStyle.com's Virtual Makeover Studio

Hey, it's Friday. Let's just be ridiculously silly and conclude this hellish workweek by playing with InStyle.com's Virtual Makeover Studio. I only discovered it last night, and instead of using it as it probably is intended, I made myself into a 1980s chic/drag queen. Oh, and Eva Longoria Parker (below).

This post concludes The Bean's Go Glam Week. Join us on Monday for the SwitchFlops giveaway wrapup and the start of Geek Week! Have a great weekend.

Free haircut

I’ve decided to try something a little different for the next month of so: themed weeks. This week’s theme will be “Go Glam,” and will feature a daily post on something to do with beauty, jewelry, clothes, or anything else girly I happen across. To begin Go Glam Week, I’d like to share something that we can all use in this current economic climate: a free haircut.

What could you save by getting a free haircut? $30? $40? $50+? If this sounds like something you might be interested in doing, pop on over to your local Craiglist and search for “free hair cut” or “free haircut” under Services to see what’s available in your area. Search terms like these will pull up a hodge-podge of listings ranging from truly free cuts to deeply discounted services from new salons or established places looking for new clients.

A lot of salons may have junior stylists who have completed school and just want a little more experience to hone their skills. A new stylist will probably do the cut while being supervised by a senior stylist, so there is little risk that you’ll come out looking like a poodle. Some may want to take a photo of the completed work when finished, but most are just looking for someone to practice on. Nervous about what salon you’ll be going to? Google the salon’s name for reviews, or check out what people have said about them on Yelp.com. After all, what is there to lose (aside from dead ends)?

Not sure about plucking a mystery salon out of online ether? Trying searching for local cosmetology schools. Many offer haircuts (or other services such as manicures) for $10 or less!

Moroccan Gold Miracle Oil Hair Treatment

My hair is prone to getting easily pissed off and frizzing out when not under the careful supervision of my miracle worker, the guy who cuts my hair (let's call him Awesome Hair Guy). I was in Awesome Hair Guy's shop a few weeks ago for my quarterly trim and saw a display of Moroccan Gold Miracle Oil Treatment. I'm sorry I don't have a picture of it for you, but the website listed on their product isn't actually up as I write this.

The word "oil" really creeps me out since I can have oily hair, so I really wasn't thrilled when B reached for this stuff and worked a quarter-sized glop of it into my long hair when he was ready to dry it. However, I decided to give it a chance because A) Awesome Hair Guy is not afraid to tell you what he thinks and subsequently scares the sh*t out of me, and B) this guy has recommended a number of good products to me, including telling me what cheap knock-off to get at the drugstore when I couldn't afford his version.

So I sat back and allowed Awesome Hair Guy to work his magic with this oil. Once he was done styling me, I was instantly won over. Amazingly, the product does what it tells you it will do. It eliminated the vast majority of frizzies that plague my crown area and my long bangs, and also didn’t make my hair look greasy (just very shiny). It also doesn’t have a fake/perfumey smell – just a little bit of something earth, I think, which makes sense when you consider the product.

Claims on the packaging include:
-100% pure and certified organic Argan oil
-Repairs, softens and strengthens dry, brittle, frizzy, overworked hair
-Not oily or greasy and there's no buildup to make your hair heavy and flat
-Reduces drying time (40-50%)
-Alcohol free formula
-Nourished and eliminates dry, itchy scalp
-Encourages healthier, hair growth
-Great hair control and manageability

The problem is where to find it! Awesome Hair Guy had 4 ounce bottles for $40, but gave me a 0.25 ounce sample packet to try out, which lasted for a good 6-8 uses (like I said, I have hair halfway down my back and use about a quarter size dollop each time). I wasn’t ready to commit to $40, but was able to order several of these packets on Ebay for way less than the cost of the bottled product (let me know if you want the seller's info), so I recommend you give this a try!

SEPTEMBER 2009 UPDATE: Several people have contacted me asking me what the Ebay seller's name was or where they might find it. Unfortunately, the Ebay seller is no longer is business and the brand itself seems to have disappeared! I did some research into it and believe that they may have renamed it and repackaged it to appeal to a wider buying group because I now see articles in celebrity magazines about Moroccan Argan oil. My advice is for you to start there on your quest for this great product. Good luck!