Aveeno Pure Renewal & Patrick Melville Create Great Hair

charming, smart & talented Patrick Melville

Recently, while I was talking to hair stylist Patrick Melville at his chic salon in Rockefeller Center, he said that your hair and scalp are part of your entire skin system.  Patrick is not just one of the industry’s top stylists with a glittering roster of celebrity fans, he is an Aveeno beauty advisor (he calls himself “an ambassador” ) for the brand.

Patrick believes that you should not just have healthy skin on your body, but that your scalp and hair need the same attention. After all, the skin on your face and body, and the skin on your scalp, are still part of your entire skin system.

Patrick works with Aveeno’s Research and Development people to help them develop the best hair products for consumers, everywhere. And, he uses Aveeno shampoos and conditioners in his salon.

The latest from Aveeno are shampoos and a Conditioner called “Pure Renewal.”  The products help bring hair back to a naturally healthy, balanced state.  The products feature Aveeno’s ACTIVE NATURALS^® Balancing Seaweed Extract. For those who don’t already know why this is beneficial, I can tell you that the extract is rich in vitamins, proteins, and minerals and works with other ingredients to leave hair shinier, healthier looking, and more manageable. The proof is in the trying:  it does really make hair look and feel very pretty.

The Pure Renewal Shampoo is light and lovely, with naturally-derived cleansers in a sulfate-free formula that cleanses impurities without over-stripping the hair.  If you have sensitive skin, these products will be very welcome news, but of course, they’re for everyone. The conditioner is also lovely and lightweight to smooth and soften, but without leaving a heavy coating on the hair.  I like the light scent and the fact that you can use these products on color-treated hair.  I didn’t try it, but there is also a Aveeno Pure Renewal 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner.  When you’re traveling, or in a hurry, this has got to be a definite must-have. Since the products don’t have sulfates, you can also use them if you’ve had other sorts of chemicals treatments.  The products aren’t super-fancy, but they have Aveeno quality and effectiveness.  Your hair will look healthy, shiny, soft, naturally pretty, and all for a drugstore price!

Aveeno products never cease to amaze me. They are inexpensive, but have the luxurious feel and effective ingredients found in high end products.  They just, in a work: “WORK! This is just one of the reasons I am proud to be an Aveeno ambassador. If Patrick Melville can use them on his celebrity and high-end clients, surely we shouldn’t feel the least bit hesitant about buying budget-minded brands.  It’s just smart!  I’m not a cosmetics snob. I buy and use what works, and Aveeno products have been in my bathroom for years.

Summer is coming and with it, heat, humidity and (dare I say it?), perspiration.  So while I was chatting with Patrick, I asked if he had any Summer-worthy hair tips.  Of course he had some!

For starters, Patrick says it might be counter-intuitive, but in the Summertime, longer hair (worn down) is actually a good choice because necklines are more open. That makes sense.  He also said that those of us with thick, coarse and/or frizzy hair prone to dryness should not wash hair more than a couple of times a week. Patrick suggests rinsing the hair and conditioning it,  but not using a cleanser every single day.  If you just have to cleanse more often, using products like Aveeno’s Pure Renewal with a gentle formula, is a great choice.

…and while you’re pondering what Aveeno products you can’t live without, visit the Aveeno Facebook page and learn about the AVEENO® Be An Active Natural $10,000 Challenge. There is $10,000 on the line in eight grants that you can win  in 2012, by being an Active Natural in your home town and creating positive change.  Tell Aveeno what kind of activities you’re doing to nourish beautiful change within your community, school or family, for example. Each month, through November, two finalists from all the eligible entries will have the opportunity to win a $10,000 grant to further their efforts. And it could be you or someone you know! AS INGREDIENTS, ACTIVE NATURALS^® care for skin and hair to make a healthier and more beautiful difference for you. AS PEOPLE, ACTIVE NATURALS^® care for their communities to make a healthier and more beautiful difference.

Aveeno products including Pure Renewal are available at mass retailers for a suggested retail price of $6.49-6.99 per bottle.  Learn more at aveeno.com.

If you are in NYC or will be visiting,  get star treatment from the super-talented Patrick Melville at the  Patrick Melville Salon (and perhaps get your hair shampooed and conditioner with your favorite Aveeno products).  This photo was taken after two rainy days, and it still looks great. You wouldn’t want to see what my “before” photo was like–yikes!

A trip to the Patrick Melville Salon is a wonderful experience! You can also get plenty of hair tips, and read his blog “Rinse.Read.Repeat.“

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