For my second reader question, Anonymous wanted to know:

"Can you recommend a great shampoo that doesn't have sulfates? (sulfates strip the highlights/color from your hair!)"

Shop With a Vengeance Response:

Why yes, I do know of a good brand.

I am currently using a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner from the Giovanni Organic Cosmetics line, which is available at health food stores and even Target now.

The Giovanni line makes a number of shampoos, conditioners, and styling products. They also make amazingly scented body washes, including one called Raspberry Ice (I think) that smells heavenly. The specific products I use are called 50/50 Balancing and they smell divine.

The shampoo even lathers up with no problem (despite being sulfate-free) and rinses away clean. Love it. The 50/50 Conditioner is protein-based and I think my hair has been doing well with it so far. I tried the Smooth as Silk Conditioner as well, and I definitely prefer the 50/50. Depending on how your hair handles protein conditioners, you can determine what kind of conditioner you will need.

A few other brands I've heard good things about are Yes To Carrots, Pureology, and also the Pravana line.

Unfortunately, shampoo is one of those things that could work awesomely for one person and be not-so-awesome for another, so it is really a trial and error process.

However, if you haven't tried the Giovanni hair line, I suggest you try them out!

I received a press release from AG Hair Cosmetics today letting me know that hairstylists across Canada have chosen their top pics in AG Hair Cosmetics' 8th annual Best Canadian Celebrity Hair Awards!

The winners of AG’s 8th annual Best Canadian Celebrity Hair Awards are:

• Sexiest Hair on a Canadian Actress: Sandra Oh

• Sexiest Hair on a Canadian Actor: Scott Speedman
  
  
• Best Hair on a Musician: Avril Lavigne
  
  
• Most Interesting and Unique Hairstyle: Seth Rogan
  
  
• Best Hair on a Canadian Athlete: Trish Stratus, WWE Professional Wrestler

A record-breaking 600 Canadian hairstylists voted in AG’s Best Canadian Celebrity Hair Awards — the highest participation in the award’s history. Voting took place online this winter. In addition to voting on the best Canadian hairstyles, AG’s artistic team offers tips on how to recreate the famous ‘dos at home. (Visit www.aghaircosmetics.com for step by steps, pictures and bios on the winning celebrities!)

Personally, I am never all too impressed with Sandra Oh's hair, but I don't really find her to be that attractive so maybe I'm not looking closely enough.

I think Scott Speedman does have a nice head of hair though (anyone used to be a Felicity fan?) and that Avril's recent polished locks are pretty decent looking. Seth Rogan's hair is interesting to say the least... but Trish Stratus's bleached blonde locks are less than impressive.

What do you think of the stylists picks? Let me know!

This is the first of the five top reader feedback questions (in no particular order) from the Spring Feedback Giveaway!

AG Hair Cosmetics is an upscale hair product line based in Canada. Their professional line of products are currently available in over 10,000 salons across North America. Interestingly enough, their products are sold at an upsale salon by me in New Jersey too! Their products have been featured in numerous magazines, like Elle, Hairstyles, and Ok!, and the line also has pretty good reviews on MakeupAlley, so I was eager to see what they were all about. I tested out their "Control" shampoo, "Liquid Varnish" smoothing polish, "Re:coil" curl activator, and "Foam" weightless volumizer.

I have been using the Control shampoo ($13.50) every other day for a few days now and I really like it. This shampoo is targeted for helping rid the scalp of dandruff, which I (unfortunately) suffer from occasionally in the colder months. This product contains double the amount of active ingredient zinc pyrithione as drugstore anti-dandruff shampoos (aka. Head and Shoulders), making it super effective! Also, it doesn't smell medicinal like some others can, and instead smells like a delicious floral/almost bubblegum scent. It's also pink. The verdict... No complaints at all here! If you have dandruff or an irritated scalp like I do (well not anymore, but like I did before) definitely, definitely, try this product!

The Liquid Varnish smoothing polish ($19.) is a shiny little sealant that helps calm frizz and mend split ends. I don't know if it did all that in the short span I used it, but it did make my hair feel nice and look fairly healthy. It has a fruity candy scent that is very faint and that fades when the product is applied. It is a little pricey for the size of the bottle, but the fact that you only use a teeny-tiny amount probably makes up for that.

AG's Re:coil curl activator ($18.) is a must have for curly girls. Their curl activating balm even encouraged waves in my generally straight hair! I applied some to my damp hair, scrunched, and put it up into a messy bun. When I took the bun down a few hours later I had soft (not crunchy!) wavy hair that actually held it's wave. For those of you with curly or wavy hair, this stuff would be awesome to control your curls instead of a heavy, sticky, crunchy gel.

AG's Foam weightless volumizer ($18.) is a really interesting product. It's not a mousse, because it doesn't come in that aerosol type of can. The foam that comes out of the bottle is a different texture than you would expect, as it is almost like rich, fluffed up gel consistency. This stuff really did work to volumize my thick hair and even hold it in place a little bit without weighing it down at all. It smells faintly like coconut, and apparently contains anti-frizzing ingredients, as well as those which protect against humidity and thermal heat. Out of all the styling products I tried, I think this one is the one I like the most.

If you have an AG Hair Cosmetics retailer near you, give them a try! You will definitely be pleased with the results.

A huge thanks to Jordan from AG Hair Cosmetics who gave me the opportunity to try out this product line and report back to you all!

A note from Nicole (the voice behind S.W.A.V.):

As an indecisive person, throughout highschool and early college, I experimented with many hair looks. From permed to chemically straightened, bangs, no bangs, layers, one length, too-short, and long with extensions, I've been there and done it all. Tonight I am dyeing my hair at home, a process I've done many times before... and I've decided to share with you some helpful hints.

Just as an intro, for those of you who don't know me personally, my hair has been every color under the sun. Bleach blond, various shades of red, highlights all over, black, brown, light brown, dark brown, you name it. I never ventured into the realm of blues, pinks, and other "non-traditional" colors, and I probably never will (just a personal preference).

[The one that shocks everyone the most is, and always has been, the blonde. Various Asian girls (I am half), such as Tila Tequila and others, are bottle blondes and it's not too shocking. This is a look that is debatable; some people think it looks good, others think it looks bad. That's me in the picture, by the way! I'm indifferent on it... I think it depends on the shade of blonde and the style. Regardless, from my days as a blonde, I noticed several things. I only dyed my hair blonde when I was feeling confident. I would bleach first, of course, and then neutralize with dye afterward. Damaging? Yes. Rewarding? Sometimes. I would hear the positive AND the negative reactions of those around me. I didn't give a f*ck. It was my hair, and I wanted to be blonde that month, or that week, or whatever. But alas, I've grown out of that stage for now.]

So anyway, here I am, the at-home dye expert, at your service. I am dye-ing my hair L'Oreal Preference 4R (Dark Auburn) tonight. I have yet to try this color, as I usually opt for Feria in Brilliant Bordeaux when I'm feelin' the red. Wish me luck, and feel free to leave comments/ask questions if you need help with your own hair-dye endeavors. Without further ado....

1. Always protect your area, skin, and clothes. I usually wear an old ratty tee shirt for this, and I take extra care to slather my skin (neck, ears, hairline) with Vaseline or Cold Cream... this prevents dye from seeping into your skin and staining you in these places. Don't learn the hard way!
   
   
2. Also, if you have long hair, buy more than one box of dye. Better that you have it in the bathroom in case you run out of dye... just don't open it until you run out. If you don't use it, save it for when you do touch ups, or take it back to the store. Buy a shower cap also to put on your head as the color develops, holding your hair in.
   
   
3. I usually will be dyeing my hair in the bathroom, so I put the instructions from the box into the sink, with the box in there as well. This provides an area for me to throw the empty bottles and gloves without staining the countertop. Usually, I will put the used bottles back into the hair dye box for easy removal.
   
   
4. Prepare for the worst. I keep a damp washcloth on the counter while I am dyeing, in case I spill some dye (inevitable) on my arms or the floor, or wherever.
   
   
5. Try not to spatter. Don't be careless with the dye, but make sure you evenly coat your hair. If you are running out of dye, take the cap off the bottle and pour the mixture directly onto your gloved hands to apply where needed. This method is also useful if you don't want to fumble with attached plastic "applicator combs" or any odd contraption. The main purpose of using dye is to coat all the hair you want dyed with it.
   
   
6. Pile your hair on top of your head (don't use any metal clips or anything metal... the chemicals in the dye will react with it!), put on your shower cap when your color is developing and clean up the bathroom in the meantime. Take the gloves off carefully if you are going to be doing other things while the color develops, you'll want to put them on later for when you wash out the color.
   
   
7. Keep a timer/clock/watch nearby, or if you will be moving around, be sure to keep track of time. You don't want to leave the dye in for too long, or worse, wash it out too early.
   
   
8. If you have a lot of bottles in your shower, take them out before rinsing out your hair. If you don't the dye can get under the bottles and stain them (and possibly your shower!).
   
   
9. Rinse your hair, and be sure to apply the provided conditioner AS SOON AS the water rinses clear. If you want to, you CAN shampoo your hair lightly at this point to wash away some of the dye if you are not doing a dramatic change and want a natural look. Otherwise (if you're going from blonde to brown, for instance), no poo for you.
   
   
10. Rinse with cool water after washing out the conditioner to give your hair extra shine!