Having a photographic timeline is one of the most special and embarrassing aspects of having a blog for over half my life. My style, makeup, hair, and ever changing emotions and reflected outward appearance…it’s all there, in an internet time capsule. Except instead of being opened many years down the line, it’s opened over and over and over. So, when Living Proof  brought me on board as one of their brand ambassadors, and asked what my hair woes were, I basically handed them a spreadsheet with notations (this is not true; I don’t do spreadsheets). Many of you have seen me through blue hair, red hair, black hair, a short bob with blunt bangs, long and straight hair, long and mermaid hair, short and black hair, bluish green hair, and then back to its current state. And what has my gripe been, all along? I just want big hair. All of my tutorials have been centered around getting more volume and more texture, because not-so-secretly, I’ve always wanted that teased-to-the-high-heavens pageant hair. The higher the hair, the closer to being Dolly Parton, am I right? Isn’t that the saying?

With my quest for more volume in mind, they sent me their Full products, whose patented PBAE volumizing molecule deposits thickening dots, creating fuller and thicker hair…because, science. We flew to Cambridge, to meet with the Living Proof team and tour their headquarters and laboratory, then have our hair assessed and styled by celebrity hairstylist Chris McMillan (the man who gave Jennifer Aniston the Rachel cut, and still does her hair)! In their laboratory, we observed their staff of scientists, while they did super official, science-y experiments and then explained them to us in layman’s terms. For instance, the PBAE volumizing molecule was likened to candy buttons (candy: that’s my language) that adhere to your hair, not only making each strand thicker, but physically making more space between them. You can’t feel the PBAE – it still feels smooth – but you can see them under a microscope, and the before and after of the same hair shows a substantial difference. Sign me up for all of the things. I was previously using their Perfect Hair Day shampoo and conditioner, and in the short time since I switched, I can honestly say that their Full line is much better suited to my fine, limp hair. When combined with the styling tricks I learned from Chris McMillan, who taught me what products to use and how to properly tease my hair for maximum effect — which I plan on demonstrating for you all, of course — I am one step closer to my giant hair dreams. Next week, I’ll be back in Los Angeles with the Living Proof team and a certain actress with iconic hair, and can’t wait to share more! In the meantime, check out my behind the scenes video from our day at the Living Proof headquarters: