David Babaii for WildAid, interview and review
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What do we love more than anything here at we heart this? A beauty product that not only does good by you, but does good for someone other than yourself as well. So we were more than just a bit excited when Janice sent us a range of products by David Babaii for WildAid whose tagline says it all; it’s beautiful to be good. We couldn’t agree more.
David is a hairstylist with not only over a hundred major covers to his name, but with a client list that’s a who’s who of Hollywood (for example, he did both Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman’s hair for the Oscars this year). He partnered with another client and friend, Kate Hudson, to create the line. Winner of the InStyle 2009 Beauty Buy award for best green hair care line, it features several “do good” aspects to it. Products are made with an exclusive blend of natural renewable ingredients, free of all sorts of nasty ingredients you typically find in hair care, not tested on animals and ten percent of all profits are donated to WildAid, a non-profit organization that works with governments and communities of the world to reverse the devastation of our planet’s wildlife. I don’t think you can get more green than that!
Which is why we were ecstatic when we were given a chance to speak to David himself and learn a bit more about him and the line…
wht: Did you always know that you wanted to be a hair stylist?
David: I was always fascinated about hairdressing because my mom would take me to the salon when she worked as a stylist, but actually went to school for a degree in Hotel Management.
So, your Mom influenced the decision?
Yes, my mom Hilda was a legend in the hair industry during the 70’s, so I grew up with this profession in my life. Her work was just so beautiful and I was always so proud of her.
Have you always been an animal lover?
My Mother always surrounded my sister and me with animals. As babies, she would often place our pets in our cribs. She stressed the importance of respecting their lives and providing great care and love for animals. This family passion soon transformed into my cause.
How did the collaboration between you, Kate and Wild Aid begin?
Through research and my friendships with Angelina Jolie and Eric Steinhauser, I learned about WildAid and their devotion to preserving wildlife and stopping the illegal trade. Eric is one of our original partners who introduced us to WildAid, while Angelina was a vital force in the lines concept.
During the past 6 years of my friendship with Kate, we often spoke about doing something for animals and creating products free of the beauty industry’s standard “dirty dozen”. We were approached by several big companies, but we wanted to create change on our own. Kate and I were determined to make a line free of Sulfates, Parabens, dangerous Petrochemicals, animal products and most importantly, free from all animal testing.
All your products are amazing, but what’s the one you absolutely couldn’t live without?
My Bohemian Beach Spray. (How smart do I feel that I chose this from the range of products we received, even before asking David?! ~S)
It’s obvious why someone should choose a cruelty-free hair product, but why is it important to choose products that are sulfate and paraben free as well?
Concerned environmentalists warn that sulfates, parabens and other dangerous petrochemicals, commonly found in shampoos and cosmetics are finding their way into the environment and are posing a significant risk to sea life, plants and human health. Water treatment plants are simply unable to completely remove all traces of these toxins from our drinking water supply. Perhaps it’s time to rethink what goes down the drain and on your body…
You use a lot of exotic ingredients. Tell us why we should want them in our hair.
Many exotic and natural ingredients are abundant and easily replenished on earth. They provide benefits such as volume, moisture, they protect and strengthen hair plus add shine.
You’ve been named the “King of Curl” by VOGUE. How can I “Queen of Very Stubborn Poker Straight Hair” get some curls?!
It’s all about the right products, tools and determination. After blow drying your hair dry, divide your hair into 4 sections (both sides and crown leaving the nape area free). Using a professional grade curling iron like the one made by FHI Heat, take a “v” shaped parting then spray it with my Bohemian Beach Spray and tightly wrap around the inside of the curling iron. Hold for 10 seconds. You might see some steam but that is only the moisture from the product evaporating. Carefully remove, spray with some of my Mise en Plis extra Hold Styling Spray and clip. Proceed until you have curled your entire head. Remove the clips and your poker straight hair is now curly.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by so many things such as architecture, fashion and art to name a few.
And a few questions from our Potluck vault…
Me in a nutshell: Funny, hard working, detail freak and animal lover
I heart: My niece Isabella, she is my everything. Her smile instantly lights up every part of me. It’s amazing how much joy she brings me. When I am not with Isabella, my dogs, Chester Nigel and Nino, give me even more unconditional love. They are everything I enjoy about life.
Favorite movies: The Russia House, 9 1/2 Weeks because of the cinematography (Kim Bassigner’s hair is so amazing, it drives me crazy) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
What’s your sign and do you fit the traits of it? Cancer and I for sure fit my sign!
Thanks for your time David! (And learn more about David Babaii for Wild Aid here.) Review Team: let us know which product you received and if doing something great for the planet, is also doing something great for your hair…
I can see why David picked his Bohemian Beach Spray as his favorite product. It’s fabulous! I have tried other beachy products in hopes of getting that sexy, sun and sand tousled look. But all I ever got was crunchy hair. Not with this! It gave me a soft wave; soft in looks and soft in touch. And it has an amazing scent too, very tropical. Love it!
Here’s my first impression of David Babaii for WildAid. I decided to bring the Volcanic Ash Rood Amplifier to my hair appointment. Why not? It’s okay, my hair dresser is a long time family friend. I asked if he would use it. “But, of course”, Robert says! I was SO happy I did, my mop hasn’t looked this good in a long time.. Robert along with his lovely wife, Patty, has their chairs for umpteen years at Christopher and Company II in CDM. He has done a few celebs in his day too, like Heather Locklear-Actually, what happened was funny. He literally fell in love with this product. You know if there was a rooftop to shout from he would have climbed it to proclaim this next to miraculous product. He kept saying, “Wow” “Great stuff” “FANTASTIC” about 100 times over! He’s forever looking for the latest and greatest. So, if Robert is blown away, no pun intended, or impressed with this product, I knew I would be too. I bet I go back and he’ll have it for himself. It truly is a great hair product. It’s easy to use, and goes where you want it most- at the roots! It sure made my hair have incredible shine, crazy cool volume and then some to spare. Come to find out that the volcanic ash is from the Vanuatu islands of the South Pacific. Neat-o! This really gave the root some oomph! I recommend this product if your hair is flat, or fine. My hair is hard to manage, I have a ton of silver/gray hair that I need to constantly color, and it still worked its magic. You will be amazed at its ability to give stunning volume. This product has some wonderful natural ingredients too. Beside the mineral rich volcanic ash, it has jojoba oil, and panthenol .I also wanted to mention that using this will act as a great conditioner for your hair. It has blue algae, mango, and kiwi to add a barrier and an amazing sheen to your hair. I was just so please with the results. Thanks for passing this product my way! It’s hard to believe I hadn’t heard of it before. Yes, I heart this! I also admire a company that has such a big heart…We heart that! What also is impressive, is that ten percent of all profits go to WildAid, a global wildlife conservation organization, which helps save our endangered animals. I loved the pictures on the site with Kate Hudson. What an amazing privilege to be able to be in the position to help in such a big way. This company is so up my alley! I used to watch Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom every dang Sunday as a child.. I would love to meet the King of Curl! What a guy after my own heart!
What a cuttie David is and what a nice caring guy too.
I would try his products just for that but being cruelty-free is a very important plus. I’m looking forward to “loving it”.
Great interview Stef. I love learning about new products. Our neighborhood pool just opened and it’s going to be 94 here tomorrow! Gotta love Texas. I’m definitely in the mood for some tropical beach hair. This humidity is driving me crazy. Can’t wait to try his Bohemian Beach Spray…especially for $9.99! Much better price than the other version I’ve tried before. Sounds like a great product.
I am SO happy I got to test David Babaii for Wildaid
Hydrating Conditioner (with wild orchid, blue algae and rich cupuacu butter). I am always trying new conditioners, looking for ultra hydration. This does not disappoint. It really hydrates! My hair was easy to comb through, and once it dried, it looked nice and quenched. I recently had my hair colored and this doesn’t strip the color at all, so it’s a great choice for color treated hair.
Anything that is free of Parabens is a bonus in my book. My sensitive skin sometimes has trouble when products have parabens so when I read this was free of them I was extra excited!
The other amazing thing about this conditioner is the price. $9.95 !!! I have paid so much for conditioners that havn’t done half as good of a job on my hair as this. It’s a really rich good for your hair conditioner and I can’t wait to try it with their shampoo.
What a nice story behind this company! I always love when people find ways to join their passions with their beliefs. Thanks to David for sharing his amazing products with the we heart this team and for his fabulous interview. I totally need to attempt his tips for adding some curl to my hair! And I’ve always had a bit of a soft sport for Kate Hudson, love her Mom, Goldie, (I will watch Overboard at any time) and her family are huge hockey supporters and fans – always a plus in my book (I think one of their sons is a really good player as well)
On to the products I tested! I was lucky recipient of the Amplifying Shampoo and Conditioners. I’m a big believer in using matching shampoos and conditioners – they are made to work together after all, so I was very pleased to use both for my review. A little background, I have been married to a big name, high cost shampoo and conditioner for a number of years, so I was skeptical that these would live up to my standards. Happily, I found the Amplifying Shampoo and Conditioner delivered as promised – fuller, more textured hair and great conditioning! I love the scent – I can’t place my finger on it but its very subtle, sort of creamy and herby. The shampoo is fab – it’s so creamy feeling I thought it would weigh my hair down, but not at all. The shampoo supplies a great, gentle, foamy wash that rinses cleanly away. Then the conditioner adds some shine and gets rid of any tangles. After a few days of use, I was able to skip my normal detangling spray, and work a wide tooth comb through my hair with out any snags. A quick blow dry and I have springy, bouncy hair! Highly recommended for people with fine hair looking for some oomph. And at these prices (drugstore.com has them both for $9.99) I can buy Larger Bottles of Both shampoo and conditioner for less than what I used to spend on just one, much smaller bottle of shampoo. Five stars!
First off, I think Kate Hudson is pretty much the cutest thing ot ever walk the earth and she’s gorgeous in the marketing photos. Two, I’m a southern girl and I love me some volume. I have thick hair and a lot of it, so especially when I’m stretching out my cut and color and my hair is longer it gets heavy and flat. The Amplifying Whipped mousse come’s out like a whipped cream can and, well, it’s just as light and fluffy like whipped cream. Oh, and it SMELLS LIKE PINA COLADA-hello! It’s the least sticky mousse I’ve ever used and it gives my hair just enough lift in the roots to keep it from looking slicked to the sides of my head. It’s the best mousse/root lifter I’ve ever tried. I’m sooo in love.
The pretty pictures, the rave reviews, the price, the good cause – I’m sold! I need some new hair care products and their site says they are sold at Ulta, Albertsons, Rite-Aid, Duane Read and more! How cool – I’m going on a drugstore run tomorrow!
My gf totally hearts this stuff.
Tyna—I freaking LOVE “Overboard”. My favorite line from that movie: “I was a short, fat, slut.” Awesome. I watched it TWICE the other day…*sigh* I need more hobbies.
I’m definitely going to have to check out this line the next time I hit my local Ulta. That beach spray has my name all over it :)
I love the movie Overboard too! So funny! I received the Hair Polish. Boy! did i need it too! its perfect. The scent is light almost like powder but not too powdery. It adsorbed into my hair right away. and it didn’t make it look flat in some spots, my hair still looked soft and clean. I color my hair and i just got it done a few weeks ago. I’m pretty limited on what shampoo i can use because i have a scalp thing. Not dandruff. anyway, the shampoo i use isn’t really for hydrating your hair. So, i’m totally psyched to start using this on a regular basis. And of course i love that it goes toward a great cause. I love animals too!