Beyond Beauty Basics visited the International Beauty Show earlier this month to check out the latest trends in all things beauty. I saw some instant winners, some instant losers, and even had a few WTF moments. All and all this years’ show did not disappoint – here are a few highlights.

A Little Dab’ll Do Ya

Hair oils were big this year; especially Argan hair oils. They were EVERYWHERE! It’s as if every company sat down together and decided everyone has to have a product that either contains Argan or is simply pure Argan oil. With so many products available, which one do you choose? Here’s my suggestion: Macadamia Natural Oil. I instantly fell in love with this product for a few of reasons. First off its’ got my Top 3 musts down: Great scent? CHECK. Light weight? CHECK. Non-greasy? CHECK. Besides all that, the macadamia oil used is PACKED with essential fatty acids and Omega 7 which replicates the natural oils our scalp produces for protection & replenishing. SU-WEET! Here’s the best part ladies and gents, I have an oily scalp and super long hair (great combo right?) and after using their products JUST ONCE my hair was soft, bouncy, and shiny. You can purchase these products online here, average product is about $25.

My WTF Moment

Paris Hilton Hair Extensions: Maybe I’m late to the game, but I don’t remember hearing anything about this product ever coming out which is why I was dumbfounded when I came across this booth (literally stopped in my tracks and spilt some coffee on my shoes). For some reason Dreamcatchers – a global beauty company specializing in new hair technologies, hair-care and personal care products – thought it would be an awesome idea to have Paris Hilton be the focus of their product. Is her image suppose to make me want to buy hair extensions (as oppose to vomit like it currently does)? Can someone please show me the market research on this? Am I alone? They were also selling “Paris Hilton Celebrity Styler” curling irons at the booth; which I tried in order to be fair to the product. It worked, but didn’t work better than any other regular curling iron. If you feel the need to have Paris Hiltons name on all your hair care accessories, you can buy the curling iron for $65 at http://celebritystyler.com/

A Sexy Good Time

Pino Natural Spa Therapy Massage Candles: This product blew me away at the show. The candles are made with high-quality natural waxes and soothing coconut oil; which is great for improving the skin’s elasticity. If you haven’t heard of a massage candle before, they’re a 3 in 1 product that serves as a candle, massage oil, and moisturizing lotion. I know your first thought, how hot are they? I have sensitive skin and even I thought they were mild. The melting temperature for the candle wax lies between 120 -140 °F, making it possible to apply the liquid wax composition directly on the skin for a gentle and warm massage. So go ahead and safely fulfill that semi-fantasy you’ve always had involving hot candle wax and hours of massages. Currently, Pino only sells to professionals but the sales rep told me the massage candle should be available in smaller sizes to the public soon. Can’t wait!

Mama Mia, Thats a Spicy…Shampoo?

Alter Ego was the outrageous Italy based company I was hoping to come across at the show. Their demos were filled with loud dance music, outlandish hair styles, and a throng of people by their booth (mostly due to the shampoo samples being thrown into the crowd by what looked like an Italian ShamWow guy). Their main sample was the Alter Ego Nourishing Shampoo which is fortified with – wait for it – tomatoes. Apparently, the yeast and bio-enzymes derived from tomatoes can be used to moisturize, reinforce hair at it’s roots, and faciliate detangling. I swear, I learn something new everyday. They also have a garlic hair cream treatment that supposedly leaves your hair super soft with rich peptides and mineral salts. You can purchase the shampoo/hair cream on the Alter Ego website for about $25 each.