Thursday, August 18, 2016

La Roche Posay BootCamp





Hi Everyone,

So I wanted to tell you all about this opportunity I have with a company called La Roche Posay, a skin care line owned by L'Oreal. They offer a program they call Brand Ambassador program with their #BeClearBootCamp. They send their ambassadors products bi-monthly that have been hand picked for us, based on our skins needs, for a year free of charge. Not only do we get to use and have these products as a part of the program, but we also get to attend live training with a dermatologist. The one I have attended so far was great! This one focused on skin with acne which so many people live with every day. There was so much information and the dermatologist explained things so well.  

    I have suffered from Acne all my life and have tried all kinds of products. I used to use Proactive but just couldn't afford it every time. Then, a few months ago, I got hooked on the Clinque products. But when I saw what La Roche Posay was doing and wanted to jump on board with them, not just because of the products they offer,  but because of the chance to get to speak with a dermatologist and get his or her insight along with the training and knowledge they offer through the program. I love learning, especially anything that has to do with getting my skin clean and clear. Since I started using La Roche Posay back in June, my skin has never been so clear and free of break outs. Now, due to stress and just life in general, they haven't gone completely BUT I don't get breakouts as often and they are not as bad as they used to be. La Roche Posay as a BB cream which I did a review on, somewhere on this page. They also have a CC cream, and that product is AMAZING! Look for reviews coming shortly, as I have many of their products that I need to talk about. I love the fact that I when I don't need a heavy duty, full coverage foundation, I can use lighter coverage ones now, thanks to La Roche's products clearing up my skin. Using using CC creams and BB creams are great for me to use, and I love the fact that the creams La Roch Posay carry, they are buildable. The only issue I see now is that they need to provide a bit more of a color range.

Right now they are having a great Friends and Family event for back to school. Use Code back2school for 25% off of any orders $49 or more and trust me you won't regret it.



Disclaimer: I wasn't asked or paid to write this post. They code above isn't and affiliate code. Yes I am an Ambassador and get products from  them. But I am in no way paid or asked to post.


Monday, July 11, 2016

Five Favorites

Hey Everyone!!

   So I have never done a favorites post, or even a video. This isn't a monthly favorites but just what I am loving at this moment and what I use most of the time! I hope you guys enjoy it and let me know in the comments if you want me to start doing a monthly favorites post!




My top favorite on this list is, hands down, the EffaClar BB blur. It is a great product for oily/ acne prone skin. It has a mousse-like texture to it, and a little bit goes a long way. I can use about a pea size amount and it is enough to cover my whole face. I make sure to exfoliate before and moisturize, because from time to time my skin can get dry and this product makes a bad situation look worse if I have forgotten to exfoliate.  I use a beauty blender with a setting powder and it works so beautifully for me.  On my good skin days, I don't need anything else but this and it's great for the summer time as it helps to absorb the oil.  The only con with this product is that it only comes in two shades, I would love them to come out with more of a range of color choices. Price $29.99

2. Cibu Repair Shampoo  $20,00
   This is an amazing Shampoo for mistreated hair. Have split ends no problem, have color treated hair no problem. I can't say enough about this shampoo. It smells great too and paired with the conditioner is even better. Its even sulfate free and paraben free.

3. Tree Hut Shea Body Butter in Maroccan Rose.
 If you are looking for a new body butter or lotion look no futher. Go out and get your self some of this right NOW!! You can thank me later haha! This is the best body butter I have ever used. The smell isn't over powering and I don't even need to use a perfume when wearing because it lasts all day. Skin doen't feel sticky and it sinks right into your skin. your skin is smooth and soft all day!! I have been using this for the past 6 months or so and I'm not even out yet. I purchased my at Walmart for $5.29 You can also get it at Ulta for $7.69 and Amazon for a whopping 16.76 i was blown away by that price VS the other prices. Sorry Amazon i'll stick to Walmart.

4. 35OMATTE & 35OSHIMMER NATURE GLOW BUNDLE  $ 43.99
I have been using this for the past few months either separately  or together. I love all the great colors and the different combination that you can do with these palettes. This is the first time I have used anything from this company and I get what all the fuss is about!! BUT I think the palettes that the eye shadows come in are flimsy and cheap. When I opened the shimmer palette I had a loose eye shadow that almost fell out and broke but I saved it!  They were well wrapped and packed but some on that one seemed to come unglued. Plus it would be nice it they came with big mirrors. but again not a deal breaker for me there. 

5. In Extreme Dimension waterproof mascara $22.00
I am always on the look out for a great mascara and if its waterproof that is even better. This is the first MAC mascara I have every tried so I don't know how it compares to all the others but i have been using for a while now and it works great. I usually do two coats which seems to be pretty good. I did let it dry out a little before i used it because it did seem to wet at first. It doesn't clump and it gets all the little lashes too. 


Let me know in the comments what your favorites have been!!

*All of these were purchase by me except for BB cream, I was sent that for free because I am a brand ambassador for them.





Friday, June 3, 2016

My styling go-to~CIBU!!!

Hi Everyone!

 So in today's blog post I am gonna talk about some hair styling products that I have been obsessing about. I'm excited to tell you about them and hope you'll be as excited to try them as I was. I don't always talk about hair products on my blog, but I had to change it up a little and let you all in on this great hair care company.  Cibu is the name and I have reviewed their products in the past, They have recently changed all the packaging and are consonantly adding new products to their line which gives them an ever changing line up of great products.

I have 7 products that I am going to talk about today and I love each and every one of them because they simply work. Most of the time, I do not like styling products because I don't like how heavy or sticky my hair felt later in the day. All of these products I will be talking leave very little build up and what little there is, it is not hard to get out of your hair like other products on the market. I will also apologize for this being such a long post but I want to make sure that I tell you about each and every one of these products.

Here is a picture of the products I will be talking about from Left to Right.



Drynamic ( blow dry accelerator)$22.00

I'm starting right off the bat with a great product. I LOVE this little bottle and what is in it! I love the packaging, but I did notice on their website they list a different container from what you see in the picture, but like I said, they are always updating and changing their look. The Drynamic on the website is now packaged similar to the second product in the above picture. Anyways this is an amazing spray, right down to the smell. Drynamic cuts down your hair drying by half which means less damage from the heat. I myself have shoulder-length hair but, it's thick and usually takes me about 20-25 minutes to dry if I'm trying to get it to lay nice, other wise it take me about 15 minutes to dry my hair. When I use Drynamic, the drying time averages about 10 minutes. I also don't have to use a thermal protectant because the Drynamic also helps with frizz and resists humidity. I have not found anything on the market quite like this! This is my number one go-to product, and I swear by it and so recommend it to everyone.


Knot so Knotty (anti-breakage de-tangler)  $18.00

This is another great product that doubles for other uses. It's great for thick hair that gets tangles easily. I also played around with some wigs and extensions I have to see how it worked on those and it works amazingly well on these as well. Not only can you use this after a shower or bath, but you can also use it whenever you decide to style your hair.
description from their website:
  • Formerly Miso Knotty Leave-In Detangler
  • Lightweight leave in detangler ideal for all hair types. Fine hair can use as conditioner. Excellent for kids' post bath-time comb outs
  • Hydrolyzed keratin strengthens hair
  • Hydrolyzed silk and soy proteins retain moisture, add shine and slip
  • Vitamin B5 stimulates and soothes the hair cuticle
  • Rhatany root extract helps protect hair color and chemical processes from UV rays
Votes best leave-in detangler for thick, straight hair by Harpers Bazaar!!!

Finista Flexable Finishing spray $20.00

 Before this product came out there was Pho Finish which I loved and was sad to see it go. Then along came Finista. I don't care much for hair sprays of any kind because of how they leave your hair. with that sticky, stiff feeling with all that build up. But this is a dream if you love styling your hair everyday. Yes its a medium hold spray, but the trick is to use it before you curl, straighten or use anything else to style your hair. and then use it again when you are all done.  For me this product lasted for 8 hrs plus. I have even used it on my 13 yr old daughter to help manage her curly hair. 
It is described as;
  • Flexible, medium hold hair spray
  • Humidity resistant
  • Paraben-free
  • Perfect for heat styling and up-dos
  • Layer for hold
  • Argan oil and coconut oil add shine

High Top Toot Booster $20.00
This product adds great volume to your hair, If you have thin or fine hair, this should be included in your styling routine.  
 My hair is fairly thick and has some volume, so I do not use the booster much, I did use it when I had shorter hair and it worked great for short hair to add a bit of depth and thickness. 
The directions say:
  • Spray around perimeter of scalp and massage into wet or dry hair. Add heat for increased volume
  • Medium - firm hold
  • Ideal for styling short, textured cuts and bobs. Use with Shang High Mousse to add all around volume to medium - long hair
  • White and Green Tea extracts help prevent color fading
  • Ginseng Root invigorates hair and adds volume
  • Formerly Shang High Root Booster, same formula, updated name and packaging

Mousse Lee Foaming Volumizer $18.00
This mousse doesn't leave your hair sticky or crunchy and also smells amazing. It is very workable and holds curls like a dream. I have to use about 2-2 1/2 pumps because my hair is thick, but it holds any style that I am doing just fine for all day. I pair this with the Finista and get great results each and every time!  
Use this lightweight, medium hold, non-aerosol mousse to add touchable, soft volume to fine hair and to set curls. 
I did forget to picture Shang High Volumizing mousse which is a lot like this mousse, It $20 but also has more hold than this mousse if you are looking for that extra hold. 

Sashini Thermal Shine Solution $22.00
 Oh my! This is another favorite product of mine,  hands-down. For me, it was love at first smell!! (haha.) For anyone out there that has dry, coarse, thick hair, or even damaged hair, this product will bring your hair back to life. It has great shine and works amazing for that great blow-out look. I use this every time I blow dry or straighten my hair. It's pricey, yes, but it is worth every penny and one bottle will last for months. Did I mention the smell?  It is great, and I love it! This is another instance of the product I am showing varying from what they currently list on their site. 


 If you haven't checked out Cibu, I definitely recommend that you do.  If you have discovered this brand, let me know what you think in the comments below! 
For some, these may be pricey products BUT you have to remember that they are salon quality and can be purchased at Salon Cielo, Bubbles Hair Salons, and select Hair Cuttery locations, and of course can be found online as well.  


*Some products were sent for review consideration and others were purchased by me. All opinions are my own!!


Spa Treat~REVIEW

Hey Everyone!!



      Some times our skin needs a little TLC, and now Spa Treat makes it as simple as scrubbing up in the shower. The products are body shea butters and salt scrubs available exclusively at CVS and CVS online. Let me tell you, these are AMAZING!! I have had the opportunity to try two of them out.



      The first one was the Rainbow (as they call it on the website,) which is a variety pack of; Green apple, Raspberry, Peach and Lemon, enriched with minerals and vitamins. This salt scrub lathers up leaving skin feeling exfoliated, nurished and soft all day and it really lasts ALL day!! I even used this while giving my self a pedicure, it gave my feet that flip-flop ready feeling and legs ready for tanning.  I should mention to be careful when using this scrub as it makes surfaces very slippery, like the bottom of your shower.
     I can't say enough about this product. the price is $9.99 which I feel is a little pricey for a salt scrub but I also think it is very well work it. I definately will be buying more!!


     The second I used is Shea body butter, priced at $7.99.
Now if you are like me, I don't like lotions or body butters to be sticky and I want the scent to last all day if possible. Well, if you are looking for exactly that, please look no farther. The shea body butter is not at all sticky and feels amazing while applying. It soaks right into your skin, leaving it feeling smooth and smelling great all day. The one I tried was the Lemon which reminded me of the lemon-head candies, which I love! To me it's a great summer scent. At first it seemed a little over-powering, so a little goes a long way and it does really last all day.

Here are the other scents they have to offer:
For the salt scrub they have; Mango, Pineapple, Coconut, lemon, Raspberry, BlueBerry, Vanilla and Chocolate.

The body butters are also scented with, Raspberry, Lemon and Peach


Please leave any comments below!!

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

The Art of Shaving by New York & Remington Head to Toe Grooming Kit~ REVIEW

Hey Everyone!
  Today I have a special guest on my blog. My husband!! He had the opportunity to review some products for Fathers day. Below is a great Fathers Day gift guide!!



I was recently asked to review two products as Father's Day gift ideas; the Remington Head to Toe Grooming Kit and the other a four-piece lotion and brush set called The Art of Shaving by New York, boasting the four elements needed for a perfect shave.


At this time my beard was a few days old, so I started with the element set, relying on my old standby razor to cut through the wild growth. A few drops of the Pre-Shave Gel massaged onto my face left my stubble feeling slick, which is not unusual as this gel is an oil, said according to the label on the bottle “softens the beard and prepares the skin for a close and comfortable shave,” while also promoting razor glide. This applies smoothly, with no medicated tingle and seemed to raise the whiskers. It is labeled as unscented, but this does not mean it is absent smell; it has a citrus, lemon like smell, in no way overpowering and rather pleasant.
I left this to work while I prepared the shaving cream. For some reason, I felt compelled to dig up an old tin bowl to lather up the shaving cream in, feeling I suppose rather nostalgic for the old days, where the barber mixes up his lather to apply with a brush, which brings us to the next item in this kit.
With the lather as foamy as I could get it, I set to work rubbing it on with the included brush, made I might add, from genuine badger. Now, I have to ask, who is this brave (or foolish) person who goes out into the wilderness and coaxes this vicious little ferocity into giving up his fur so that I can shave with it? For some reason, I expected the bristles to be coarse, but they are surprisingly soft and allowed me to apply the cream, from my tin cup, smoothly onto my face, in an even layer, although not as thick as what I am used to, and I was expecting to feel razor burn from what I felt was a rather
 shallow layer. Again I was surprised at the out come. I did not feel the drag or scraping that I normally do if I have not used enough of the foam type aerosol products.
After the shave I applied the after-shave gel, which went on nicely, absent the alcohol burn that I normally have from other products I have used, I think due to the pre-shave oil and the cream itself offering a smooth razor motion which did not leave the nicks I always seem to manage.
Over all, I feel this is a unique set, perfect for the gentleman in your life who does not see shaving as a chore (as I do) but as an opportunity to relax and escape from the daily distractions, even for a few moments.


  
Pre-shave Oil
Shaving Cream
Shaving Brush
After Shave Balm

The Art of Shaving is available at Ulta stores for $60




The second thing that I tried out was the Remington Head to Toe Grooming Kit, pictured below on its attachment holder.

  




This was rather involved, as I wanted to test as many of the attachments that I could, so I apologize if this seems long. Naturally it took several days to review as I had to wait for things to grow a bit to put it through the paces. 



Starting at the left we have the 8 length hair clipper and the full-size trimmer, then 3 beard and stubble combs. Below this is the nose/ear trimmer, the foil shaver, the body hair trimmer and the base unit itself.

The only way I can describe the base unit itself is that it has a rotary tool type look to it, which matches due to the different cutting heads. It is powered by lithium batteries, with a quick-charge time of 5 minutes, and a full charge in 4 hours. The blades are surgical steel, which should last well past the lifetime of the unit itself. One handy feature is that all of the attachments come clean by just running them under the tap. These attachments remove by a ¼ counter clockwise turn and snap in with a secure feeling lock. An offset pin on the rotating crank transfers the rotary motion of the motor into reciprocating to work the cutting blades.
If your bathroom is anything like mine, then I am sure you will feel my pain. I have no place to put the stand, our counters are flooded with hair-dryers, crimpers, straighteners, flatteners and a whole host of strangely hued powders applied with a gaggle of specialized brushes. The first thing I had to do before even using this was to shove all of my wife's things neatly to the floor and re-claim a small portion of counter space.
The shaver is marketed as a Head to Toe kit, and while I did not do the complete head to to thing, I can see the potential. Where there is hair, this will help to eliminate it.
My grooming adventure started with the nose and ear trimmer, which did exactly what it was supposed to, and I even managed to do it with none of the ripping or gouging that I have endured in the past.   
            Honestly, I was not overly impressed with the body hair trimmer. There are 3 settings for adjustable length/depth cutters, depending on which slot you attach the comb/guard to. I used it on my chest on the closest setting and did not notice that it cut much, although it did comb it so that it was not as “rough” looking. I had to switch over to the trimmer without the guards to take care of the strays that seem inclined to peak up over my collar.
I used the trimmer, again with no guard, to even up hair at the back of my neck. I just had my hair cut, so there was no real reason to try the 8 depth cutter, but did play with it. The plastic guard slides over the trimmer and is adjustable to 8 lengths. The only thing annoying about this, and this is just me, was that you have to pay attention to where it is, other wise the depth adjuster goes shooting across the bathroom. There is no stop at the end, which I suppose if there were, the trimmer could not be used by itself.
             I waited a day for the stubble to sprout and then tried the foil attachment. It worked as I would expect, but seemed rather small in width to do a full face.
Over all, I liked some of the features on this, but it seems also to be too much. For example, the 3 beard combs could have been eliminated, favoring the 8 length clipper. To me, it seemed too small to really be used everyday, but for the man in a hurry, or trying to straighten up a bit of unruly hair, it is perfect. I would recommend the Remington Head to Toe Grooming Kit to anyone who is always on the move and who likes to look “fresh” between meetings. This would fit nicely in a glovebox or briefcase, always ready to pick up the spots that might be missed.


The Remington Head to Toe Grooming Kit is available at Ulta for $34.99