firedove says, BTW..I lived in Orlando once...and Cocoa Beach...my favorite...Pensacola! But I do some business over the phone with some ppl. in Boca Raton...They all sound miserable...That shocked me. Maybe it's the job...lol.

firedove says, Oh, you aren't the only other person that is talkative...Where I live it's like Stepford...I guess...like a bird let out of it's cage...whenever I speak to another out going person...I just go. The natives here are real "dry"....Great to exchange verbiage with an out going, witty...intelligent person. Maybe it's where we are from. I can name quite a few states where ppl. are out going, friendly, talkative types...my home state for one...actually way up north NOT AS out going...but I'm FROM southern California...lived in 14 states as well.

firedove says, Hey, no apology neccesary...I'm as verbose as they come! Yeah, it's great both you and the hubby can use it...that is how I found this to work so well...my ex fiance...I borrowed his shampoo one day...too bad the conditioner did nothing good. It was awful for me...but some have had it work well too. I deep condition approx. twice a week. I just started using Natural Match by Loreal about 8 months ago. I was a bit reluctant since it has no amonia and thought it may not be strong enough for my silver. I know profile says brunette...but I'm actually auburn. Didn't give that option. I naturally have dark brown hair with quite a bit of red highlights. I like a natural look. Not the shoe polish one, so I thought I'd give it a go. I love it. It is so natural looking and it DOES cover the silver...just as much as my previous brands. But I do have VERY rapid hair growth so...I would need to touch up the roots now u to approx. every two weeks sometimes less. I was so "jazzed" when Clairol came out with a root touch up a few years ago...but when I switched to this brand the touch up no longer blended. This stuff is SO natural looking...(true to the name)...I had to go back to coloring frequently. (the root touch up does not blend well with such a natural look) Since this Natural Match is so easy on the hair...I don't mind coloring it more often again. I do however miss the convenience of the quick root touch ups...but now...this is so gentle...it actually feels like it's conditioning my hair as I use it. Which is great...since no matter which product I've used they give you a tube of "after color care" conditioner to be used once a week for up to six weeks...HA! the amount of a quarter they say...the whole tube is not enough for me to use it once. After much trial and error I finally found something that works very well past 5-6 yrs....Pantene, after color care, deep hydrating conditioner. (this is my deep conditioner I use a couple times a week) This would not be an issue for you unless your hair grows really fast like mine. This hair color is really good. I love the natural look...covers the silver/white...and my eyes no longer burn...nor do I feel like I'm going to pass out from the fumes! LOL. Oh, sorry...look at me going on...and on...anywho...I just wanted to HIGHLY recommend this product. Now, I get my hair very damp when I color...or I'd have to buy 3-4 boxes of color every 2-3 weeks. I've been doing it this way for years...Past 8 months...the only way anyone knows I color my hair is if I've let it go a bit too long and they see a bit of silver. It looks THAT natural! Did you fall asleep yet?...lol...I don't use leave in products...I find they make my hair more tangled and dry...I've tried em' all. I have extremely healthy hair...not being conceited...just fact. I believe the fact that I don't blow dry and don't use products is one of the reasons. (but my gene pool is the other) When I go to my stylist...he uses 2-4 products and blow dries my hair...I've asked him not to...but he doesn't listen well...price I pay for having a good cut since my hair is difficult....nice man though...but for 2-3 days after my haircut...my hair feels like straw. I won't wash it...because it's like it's been "stripped" too much of it's natural oils. (I don't have dry hair...it's all those fancy salon products he's using)This is probably more than you wanted to know. Do I make decent $?...Yes...I'm working weddings primarily now...and I also do photography. I got involved in this because I needed a change....had always been asked to do people's makeup...since I was a teen...thought it would be fun. I'm a people person. So, in my 20's...I decided to become an esthetician. I thought it was going to be more about make-up application. Was married, needed a change...from my ick job...something to suppliment income...that would be "fun!" ...every state is different...that is the spec's to become a licenced esthetician. At the time here in this state I went for the basics. Approx. 4-5 months. of low impact schooling. I could not do...a chemical peel with my particular licence. I could have gone more advanced...but did not decide to do that till a couple years later...Much to my surprise...the last three days were makeup application...which was my primary focus then. But I found myself rather intrigued by this subject. While going to my classes I met a lady..whom I saw frequently who got skin cancer on her face...it was removed and she had a small mark...I barely noticed it. But it was obviously painful for her to have that mark on her face. I also had a male friend that had rosacea...He was not a vain man...but he was very embarrased...by his breakouts. I started to see how there are people out there that needed help with these issues...at the same time...one of my younger brothers was having big problems with acne....he refused to date for 3 years. Us girls in the family were blessed with just the occasional blemish prior to our "time"...of the month...I don't believe that these things weren't in front of me before...I think the awareness the classes gave me made me take more notice...I like to look nice, clean, presentable...attractive....but looks were/are not a big issue with me. As a nurse...I realise that you see much more "serious" issues with people...their health...that's serious. I was looking at a different kind of pain though. Psychological. A subject I had studied and had a facination for since I was pre teen. I wanted to help. What started out as a "light"...change for a time in my life...became more important all of the sudden. Skin care was NOT just about making people pretty. It was also about helping people with their self esteem...preventing cancer...so on and so forth. I've met people that would wear long sleeve shirts in the unforgiving heat...because they felt so self conscious. I think a nurse looking for a "change"...would do rather well as an esthetician. There is money in it whether one becomes more advanced or not. One could either do make-up application...facials or go further to microdermabrasion, chemical peels...preventing cancer or catching it in the first stages...ect! ect! If your into the creative aspect of this type of work...of course... just make-up artistry. Forgive me for the lenghthy post. It is probably a bit disjointed...I've been up all night with a friends sick child and am very tired. Don't know if this helped...but it's a pleasure to meet you out here. Plenty of really nice people it seems...from the posts I've been reading. GBU

firedove says, Hi...Hope the stuff works for you. I had hair to my knees when I started to use this...so no worries there...and my girlfriends with more coarse hair found it to work just as well. I too colour my hair...I'm silver mainly with white and silver is difficult to cover...especially when you have rapid hair growth like mine...so I can "dig" what you are saying. However I reiterate...ONLY the Paul Mitchell seems to have the right stuff. I tried all the other Tea Tree Shampoo's...no such luck. Another tip...I always brush my hair out well before shampoo...and wash it without "scrunching" it...is that a word?...I mean...It may not look it by photo's but I do have A LOT of hair...A LOT! I just work it gently into scalp and then hair between my hands all the way down...When I just jump in shower without brushing out hair...what a mess...the kind I would almost have to cut off! I've been dealing with this problem for years...(35ish) so the brushing it out well first has been going on for about 18 years. When I forget...or in hurry...my hair will not come untangled. I have to reshampoo...&...condition. I hope this lil' tip helps. Don't mean to be so verbose...I'm a makeup artist and fashion consultant and get real wordy at times...only when I really believe in something! Hope this helps...:-)

artsyfartsy says, I too am looking for a great powder. I've been using a new product to me - Cornsilk Matte translucent loose powder. But it has shimmer to it. It will get me by until I find something else. Let me know what you find and if I come across something I'll let you know as well. Good luck in your search!