December blow out

 My winter Blowout!

Hey girl hey!

It has been a while since I updated you on my hair.

I  have been rocking my twists and twist-outs faithfully.

There have been a few updates to my hair routine and I will touch on that a bit below.

 

I blow dried my hair in sections and twisted each once dry and moved on to the next.

Channeling Diana

My lovely blown-out hair.

 

Working my hair up to the ponytail for the style.

The off center pony tail

My finished look

I added the headband for added style and twisted the hair and pinned it to form a cute style.

The products I used.

Herbal Essences Naked cleansing conditioner

Tangle tamer

Oil mixture

Aussie 3minute moist deep conditioner

Beautiful textures Edges& Ends Silkener

Tresemme Curl hydration conditioner

Pantene heat protection spray

 

The Method:

I washed my hair with the cleansing conditioner (I love this product and it has replaced all other co-washes for me. I love the smell, the cleansing effects, and the feel of my hair).

 I then used the Tresemme (like the smell, not that great just trying to finish the bottle)

 followed by the Aussie deep conditioner (LOVE THIS!!!!) during this time I used a clay mask and bathed

next up was my oil mixture

follow that with a rinse to get the majority of the oil out

 then I dried my hair a bit with my turbie wrap ( I had detangled in the shower with a wide tooth comb under the water and with conditioner in my hair)

 I sectioned my hair and added Shea Moisture Restorative conditioner(not pictured) and detangled more

 then prior to blow drying each section I sprayed in the Pantene product (and of course combed that though)

I used the Tension Method to straighten and dry the lengths of my hair and finger combed or used the Tangle Tamer to straighten the ends

 Once my hair was all dry and twisted in sections I untwisted the sections and applied the Beautiful Textures products to my edges

( I used this for a bit of hold and do not really believe any products will "slick your natural edges")then brushed the hair up and placed my pony tail

 I made two strand twists in the ponytail and then pinned the sections at the ends to form the style

 ( I did not have time for a scared but would have used it here if I did)

I finished off the style with a head band.

 

 

Influenster Venus VoxBox review

Influenster Venus VoxBox

I received the Venus VoxBox from Influenster after indicating that I experience sensitivity when shaving. I received the product this week and have been shaving away with it since then.

 

 

Just out of the box

So what do I think you ask?

 





 

I found the product easy to assemble just out of the package Just a few snaps into place. The Venus Embrace Sensitive comes with one refill and a shower holder.

 

I am very conflicted by the product. The hope is that I would find that #ItsNotMe but the razors I had been using. I found that overall my shave felt smoother and less irritating. The problem that I do have with the product is that it requires shaving gel(which I don't own and soap is not cutting it). I also have found that I have to be very gentle when using the product because it results in a raising of the skin or nics under my arm.

 

I plan to continue using the sample that was provided to me by Influenster and Gillette by adding shave gel. I use another brand that is wrapped with a shave like gel and I love the convenience of that.

 

It is still yet to be determined if I will switch brands.

 

I did go to the store to check the price for this product and at a local chain store it was over $9 which is a bit cheaper than my brand, though keep in mind I will have to add another product to make the shaving easier. really the price points for both are about even.

 

I got this razor free to test and review, but all opinions are my own.

August Birchbox Review | Subscription Box

Birchbox is a monthly subscription services that gives you 5-6 high end beauty product samples a month and a lifestyle extra for $10 a month. 

Such high hopes....

SeaRX Birch Sap Moisturizing Lotion $28

When I read that this product could be used on face and body I thought that was perfect. Unfortunately it was not effective enough to be of benefit on my body. On my face along with the other things I use this was fine. It was not great enough for me to consider a switch from my current products. I did find the smell to be pleasant.

Neil George Shampoo and Conditioner $9  each

These products are proof positive that Birchbox is not a completely customizable experience. I have completely removed hair products from my profile. Weird for a hair blogger right? But the majority of the hair cleansing products I have received include sulfates which I do not like. I tried this for the review and found that my hair felt very dry and I did not like the smell.. The Conditioner did not help replenish the lost moisture either.

The best things about this box:

Birchbox knows I am Fantastic

The Eyeliner

Noir Cosmetics Long Wear Eyeliner $15

This product went one unbelievably smooth. It also did indeed prove waterproof. Only issue was removal :)

Perfectly Posh product review

Perfectly Posh!

 

This week I received a product review from Crystal McGinnis.

Crystal is a Perfectly Posh representative.

I must admit I was unfamiliar with this line.

I am not sure that it is very big in my area of the world YET.

I was very impressed by the way that my products arrived to me.

I will let you in on a secret.....I LOVE bags!!!!

So the fact that this sample kit came with a cute one SCORE!

I was also impressed with the way the samples themselves were packaged.

In this sample I received:

Lil Snarky Big Fat Yummy Hand Cream $9



A creamy and nourishing non greasy hand crème. "adds butters and vitamins plus fabulous fragrance to tired, dry, hard working hands without leaving them feeling oily."

Fragrance Exotic flowers & sandalwood

I enjoyed this product and found that it felt great on my hands and smelled pleasant. I have very dry hands and I am not often satisfied with hand creams. I used the product during the day and therefore washed it off in the course of the day so I did not get to see what the results would have been overnight in gloves.

Dragon Mojo Skindelicious Body Butter $22

Fresh, natural, hand crafted body butters made with all of Mother Nature's best ingredients in Northern California. "Feeds skin nutrients it's hungry for leaving it soft, supple, and healthy. Fragrance: Wasabi & Ginger

I was pleasantly surprised by this product. I have, as stated, very dry skin and typically when I try new products especially those that smell good to me I am dry and un-moisturized by the end of the day. This mojo didn't quit and I was happy. I got two applications out of the sample. If there were one product I would purchase from this line this would be it!

Mint For Each Other Body Scrub $24

Includes sea salt, peppermint, and Monterey rosemary. Exfoliates Fragrance Rosemary Leaf and crisp peppermint

I enjoyed this product but did not find it set aside from other scrubs I have used. I did really like the smell which is important to me.

Gender Bender Big Chunk Bath Bar $9

A luxurious, vegetable based charcoal loaded, Detox bath bar so big, you'll want to put both hands around it. Cleans and moisturizes skin with luxurious lather without sulfates and other drying agents. Fragrance Light Pine, amber, and fresh air

I had no clue what to make of this bar initially. Gender Bender? Charcoal? When I used it I figured it out. You know when you share your home with a man and he insist on using your soap even though it is obviously "girly", this fixes the situation. This soap smells great for any sex. I enjoyed the washing experience with this bar until I washed it off. I felt squeaky clean, this is not a good thing for a dry skin girl. I would not purchase this because I felt stripped of moisture.

Overall I was very pleased with this sample and highly recommend these products to anyone. I think my one bad review is a personal preference thing and I wish I felt differently about it. I love that the products in this line are naturally based and don't have my despised sulfates in them. I received these products free of charge for review. If you are interested please purchase directly from the Lovely Crystal here.

More pictures





The softest hair I have every had!

This past weekend I finally took down my Havana twists with Marley Hair see the picture below.

I was of course appropriately worried that I would have dry, broken hair from not being able to moisturize with the twists in. I was very surprised though as I did my pre-poo, wash, deep condition and styling. My hair was and is (4 days later) the softest I ever remember it being.
I don't know what to attributie it to. The fact that the stylist coated my hair in coconut oil before twisting (the ultimate 4 week pre-poo), the fact that I did my own overnight pre-poo with coconut oil,  the fact that I used  Fekkai Advanced Glossing Shampoo and Conditioner (finally after receiving it in my January 2014 Birchbox),

 the fact that I did a deep conditioning treatment with Cholesterol, used my homemade products from Naptural85's recipe,

 or that I used a bit of my usual Shea Moisture. Many of these things were not new to me so I will be playing around with the combination to see if I can recreate the magic. Meanwhile I am enjoying the results.

More about the Fekkai products. I enjoyed the scent of both products and the fact that they both feature olive oil. I didn't notice a great deal of slip with the conditioner nor did the shampoo seem to strip my hair though it did feature sulfates (which is why I hadn't used it since I received it, but I figured with the pre-poo I would be okay). I was pleasantly surprised with the whole experience and have to try really hard to keep my hands out of my oh so soft hair!

Bichbox Review| June

The heat is back, the clothes are short, and the desire for fun is high....Its June!

This month in my Birchbox (a monthly subscription box that offers high end samples for only $10 a month. Get yours here.) I received great products that came with many compliments.

The Benefits Cosmetics They're Real! Mascara earned me the compliment that my eyes looked much prettier than normal. I don't really like to use mascara because I tend to forget its there and have it all over or have the runny next day look. I found this to be one of the better mascaras I have tried and enjoyed the way it made my eyelashes really pop. If you are interested in this product you can get a full size for $23.

 

The Cynthia Rowley Beauty Creamy Lip Stain in Valentine was my favorite item in the box. I believe I have worn this several times during the week, every week since I received it in the box. I was also told that I must be dressing up for a man and that the pink looked great on me! I normally shy away from bold lips, as I have previously stated, but I am working on being bold and comfortable in my skin. I enjoy that the stain stays creamy for quiet a while before it sets. It is then less creamy but keeps the majority of its color. I only had difficulty when I forgot it was there and started biting the skin on my lips....whoops. A full size is $20. 

 

I will  never really get to form a solid opinion on the English Laundry Signature for Her fragrance because the second my mother caught a whiff of it she claimed it as her own. It was her birthday and how could I say no...but my mother says "I like it because it was not too strong and its soft scented". A full size is $90.

 

I used the Evologie Stay Clear Cleanser most days to see if it would result in less blemishes. I would say that it was pretty successful and was not over drying. I really never go without drying but that is simply my skin cycle. It was a nice marine scent and very nice feeling on the skin. A full size is $32.

 

The only product I didn't get to use is the Number 4 Hair Super Comb Prep & Protect product. It is a conditioning spray that protects from the sun. I have my hair braided and don't want to get any buildup that I can't cleanup. If this product works well it will likely be in my emergency travel hair kit. You naturals know what I mean:) A full size of this product is $32.  

 

 

The theme of this month's box is "Away We Go" complete with a

quiz to suggest where the Birchbox subscriber's should travel to....

How I wish I could take a vacation this year.

 

Birchbox Review| May

Birchbox is a monthly subscription services that gives you 5-6 high end beauty product samples a month and a lifestyle extra for $10 a month. 

 

See the video below for the products I received in May:

Caldrea: The body wash had a very strong perfume smell, but this smell wasn't overbearing once washed off. It did not leave my skin either dry or moisturized. It was a fine product and if I liked body wash (I'm a soap girl) and wanted to pay $18 for it I would consider this brand. Actually I wouldn't because I would be looking for something that left my skin moisturized.

Marcelle 8-in-1 serum: I am not sure how long you are supposed to use this product to expect results. I think I made it a week. I found that it fit in well in my routine and my face felt nice. I don't however think that a week is long enough for me to evaluate its ability to lift, firm and plump fine lines. A full size of this runs $34 so I fear I will never know. :)

Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm: This felt nice and I am still adjusting to the pop of color. It is a very mod shade (pink) and I rotate it in with the other things I like to flavor my lips with.  $8 for a full size.

Supergoop Everyday SPF 30 with Cellular Response Technology: I really liked this sunscreen. It has a pleasant not sunscreen smell to it. I also found that it didn't make me sweat, am I the only one who sweats when they put make up on their face? I will definitely be using this again and may even consider a purchase at $19 for a full time.

Lifestyle extra

Votivo candle in Azure Garden: I enjoyed the smell in the tin. The candle did not put out tons of scent while burning. A full size will run between $12 and $26.

When  think about it the issue with Birchbox is that it gives you high end samples for only $10 total and if you are frugal like me the real thing is out of your price point. But I will continue to enjoy my dabble into the high end each month I receive products. Happy Weekend!