#Extraordinaryhair

About a month or so ago I got a notice that I was getting L’Oréal’s Extraordinary Oil Vox Box from Influenster. Whoo hoo. I received the products for free for review purposes. My review is my own opinions, read on for more information.

 So, naturally I was impressed and excited to get such big samples! I’ve been using these products alone on my hair for about a month, so I have a really good idea of what it’s like to use these long term. Before I even start with the experience with these products, let me tell you briefly the struggle of having my hair.

1. My hair is so thick. I really have enough for three people.
2. I’ve always struggled with having dandruff.
3. I have to style my hair in some way to look good enough to go out the door, and this fries and dries out my hair.
4. Before this, I had been on a co-wash “regimen” for about a year.

Okay, so the initial was with L’Oréal’s Extraordinary Oil–Amazing. Magic was happening as I lathered. I could feel it.  And my hair would go from this to this:

Top is before, bottom is after. So it’s a noticeable difference. My hair was light and felt so clean! But I have noticed with this shampoo, I do have to wash it every two days. I was going three days on my co-washing schedule. My shower cap was seeing less action. Also, I have to use a little more product than before to get it ready for the day–more hairspray, volumizing powder …

So, overall the products are great–it’s a good line. And the price isn’t too bad. But after a month of using these products I have noticed that my hair is back to how it was about a year and a half ago when I was only using shampoo and conditioner, before I found a balance of leave in conditioners, cleansing conditioners, argon oils and dry shampoos. My hair feels clean, but it’s dry–especially at the ends. And my dandruff is back. My hair and scalp is not getting the type of conditioning it really needs.

My verdict:  Great stuff, but not the best long term for my hair needs.  I may incorporate the L’Oréal Extraordinary Oil products into my co-washing routine, because the shampoo does get a really good clean. But I think I’m going back to co-washing.

Thanks L’Oréal and Influenster for the chance to test out these products!

#jinglevoxbox

I received these product for free from Influenster for review purposes. The opinions are my own.

Let’s go in alphabetical order about these products!

BISCOFF BISCOTTI COOKIES:

So these cookies are so freaking good. They’re perfect with a cup of coffee, or on their own. They’re buttery and savory, and just good. Especially on a snowy day, like I did.

WOULD I BUY?: Oh, yes. Gimme gimme gimme.

CETAPHIL MOISYURIZING CREAM:

This was a nice size sample. The cream is think and not oily or greasy. I’ve ben using it on my hands …. and on my face. My skin has been so dry this winter, that the cream is absorbed as soon as I apply it. I’m not sure what that says for my moisturizing needs, but I do like this.

WOULD I BUY?: Yes. It might not be my first choice going down the aisles, but if I saw it, I probably would remember how much I liked it.

ITTY BITTYS!

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I got the adorable Olaf! So there’s a million Itty Bittys at Hallmark. I picked up a Batman, because. …. well, it’s Batman. And apparently if you buy eight of them and get the stamp card you can get one free.

WOULD I BUY?: I could collect them all like Pokémon.

KISS Lashes, Posh AND NYC Waterproof Eyeliner:

I’ve never used fake eye lashes before–I’m very leary of putting anything near my eyes to begin with, and I figured fake lashes would get in the way of my glasses. Well, IT was a bit of a challenge to apply them. Influenster featured a YouTube video of how to apply lashes with the glue provided. The glue in the video was clear, I got black. There was a smudge mess, but it was easy to clean up with a q-tip and some Mary Kay eye make up remover. I think with practice I could get the hang of fake lashes.

I wore these for most of the day while out and about, but eventually I had to take them off because it was a weird sensation for me.

Also show here is me wearing the NYC Waterproof Mascara. I love NYC products. They’re affordable and a decent quality for the price. And they have all the colors. I loved this eyeliner, I used my whole sample up almost right away.

WOULD I BUY?:  Kiss Lashes:  Hmm. Probably not. I don’t think fake eye lashes are for me. But these are a nice product. NYC Waterproof Mascara:  Definitely!

ORE IDA TATER TOTS:

It’s not the first, or the last time I’ve had tater tots. And I do prefer Ore Ida to other brands. They’re still good as I remember as kid.

WOULD I BUY: Yes.

PURE ICE NAIL POLISH, Bikini

Nail polish is a personal thing. And as a grown up, I am at a point in my life where I prefer the over $2 nail polish. Pure Ice is available for $2 in lots of shades, and I got the unfortunate (blue) bikini … I wasn’t a fan of this one, the polish took a long time to dry and looked kinda crappy. And I hated the color.

WOULD I BUY?: No. Pass.

 

That’s it! Lots of great stuff. I enjoyed this VoxBox!

Salon day!

I’m still growing my hair out, but what was left in length was taken out in everywhere else! I love the color, heading for more auburn than brown this time. 🙂

NYC has come a long way

In my late teens and early 20s, when I was a broke kid, like many I used a lot of ELF and NYC products because they were cheap … not always the best product, but at the time I didn’t know any better. Once I got hooked on Mary Kay and CoverGirl, I stopped using the cheap stuff all together and haven’t given them a second thought since.

Last week I was at the drugstore getting a card, and was pursuing the cosmetics when I saw NYC colored eyeliner for 99 cents … I’ve been eager to get some purple, but reluctant to pay $3-5 for something I’ll wear every now and again. But for 99 cents, it’s worth a try.

So NYC has come a long way since I was using it in the early 2000s. The packaging looks like CoverGirl and other mid to high end brands, and goes on nice and smooth with even color.

I’m sold! I think I’ll have to pick up some more colors the next time I’m at the drugstore.

It’s a purple day today.

The orchids are looking especially nice today

#yestoblueberries

Yes to carrots was on sale, and I got some of the yes to blueberries products. I liked the yes to cucumbers cleansing cloths I got a while back. Can’t wait to test these out!

Do you have a favorite product in this line?

#juneglambag look

I really like the turquoise eyeliner in the #juneglambag. Also, I figured out the eye pencil did have a cap after all. Lol, felt like a total goober after trying to put it on with its cap still on.

#juneglambag first impressions

The #juneglambag from ipsy is here. I’m excited for the smash box primer, I like it and I’m getting low on what I already have. Score.

The bag feels cheap though, I’m having a flashback to a book bag I had in 1992 made of the same material. And the eye pencil doesn’t have a cap …. ?

The lotion smells great. You can never have too much vanilla lotion. 🙂 it has a beachy smell to it too. Mmmm.

And of course the kittens wanted to check out the goodies

Sorry, that is not for you!

#bellavoxbox reviews. Yay, or nay?

The time has come … I received a bunch of great products from Influenster for product testing and review. Here is my BellaVoxBox reviews, and overall products yay or nay.

Look at all those goodies. So we have: Sally Hansen Airbush Legs, Eco Tools complexion collection mattifying finish brush, Club W free sample, Not Your Mother’s Deja Vu Do style extender, Rimmell London Scandaleyes and Rimmell by Kate lipstick, and Dove with Real fruit.

Yay!: pretty much everything.

I love the Eco Tools Brush–it’s really soft and pretty  , and the Rimmell London Mascara and Lipstick, while bold were a nice bold move for me. I never thought I could pull off RED lipstick like that. The Dove with Real Fruit is super yummy, and is a fair price for what it is. The Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs, works very well and would be great for any glow-in-the-dark girl like myself.

Nay:

I’m still on the fence about Club W, it’s a nice idea, but I haven’t received a wine that I have been wowwed by so maybe the taste profile quiz doesn’t work the best, and $13/bottle adds up fast. And the NYM deja vu do style extender–works great, but I don’t like the smell, so I will pass on any future purchases of that unless there are other scents.

nym deja vu do style extender

I received the not your mother’s deja vu do style extender free for testing from influenster. Thanks influenster and NYM brands.

Ah, springtime and early summer in Michigan. The humidity is an all time high, and the frizzy hair wants to come out and play. I’ve been wrestling with my hair for the last few months trying to find a product routine that will tame the dreaded frizz and wacky things my hair will do if left to its own devices. I was excited to get the NYM deja vu do style extender because it’s a good brand, and my frizz was going nuts.

As seen in the picture above, there is yours truly. I clarified and conditioned my hair this morning, and ran a fair amount of the NYM deja vu do through my hair and let it dry naturally. I have the day off, so there’s no need to bust out the blow dryer or curling iron. After some brushing, and letting it dry all the way, this was the end result.

Pros: it works, you can find it at stores like Target, can’t be too expensive.

Cons: I don’t like the smell, it smells very floral like roses.