90s Ladies Week: Saved By The Gel

It’s that time again. Time for me and my partner in crime, Amber, to bring you another week of beauty reviews inspired by pop culture of yesteryear. Remember how rad 80s Ladies Week was? Well, hold onto your butts…it’s time to slip on that flannel shirt, lace up your Doc Martens, and break out your Game Boy...it’s 90s Ladies Week, y’all.

First on the menu: a product inspired by my love for Peter Engel’s pièce de résistance – Saved By The Bell. In the early 90s, it was a rare Saturday morning that I was NOT catching up with my friends at Bayside High.

Like most Gen Xers, Saved By The Bell trivia hides in the recesses of my brain. Remember when Kelly’s face turned purple after using a zit cream given to her by Zack (and right before the homecoming dance, natch)? How much did the young feminist in you cringe every time Slater referred to Jessie as mama? 'Member how bad you felt for Lisa that she never had a real boyfriend and always had to settle for geeky ole Screech? I was like, "Peter Engel, help a sista out!" And don’t get me started on Jessie’s addiction to caffeine pills. Homegirl was this close to turning tricks for some Vivarin.

Don’t play coy and pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. But here’s one factoid you probably didn’t know: Mark-Paul Gosselaar had to dye his hair blonde every two weeks while shooting the show. Say what?!?! Talk about blonde ambition.

My man Mark-Paul was in serious need of Ken Paves Boost Up Color Drops, which enhance existing hair color or boost fading color when added to conditioner or styling products. The Boost Up Color Drops can also change the hue of your color and even add the effect of highlights. They’re ideal for refreshing color in between visits to the salon - and the drops are formulated with soy proteins, conditioners and humectants which add strength, moisture and UV protection.

I add a few squirts of Boost Up Color Drops in Honey to leave-in conditioner and apply to my towel-dried hair. And after I blow-dry, I add a few drops to my shine serum to kick it up a notch. Honey adds warmth to my dark brown hair and leaves my prehistoric highlights looking much less brassy.

I imagine that if MPG would have gotten his hands on Boost Up Color Drops in the early 90s, he would have mixed a few drops with his favorite LA Looks product. Mark-Paul would have been, literally, saved by the gel.

Ken Paves Boost Up Color Drops are available in Black, Brown, Platinum, Honey, Beige and Red shades ($40) and are available at Henri Bendel, HSN, Ulta and Beauty.com.

Click here to check out Amber’s first 90s Ladies Week installment, and be sure to come back tomorrow for a second helping of nostalgia.