Aussie Moist 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner

I’ve tried countless different conditioners while on the quest for silky, smooth and healthy hair.  Most of those conditioners that I have tried are higher end and more expensive because normally I feel like you get what you pay for.  I can honestly say that this is probably the cheapest conditioner I have ever bought yet it is by far one of my absolute favorites (if not my absolute favorite)!

This is a conditioning miracle for my hair at an extremely affordable price.  On average, an 8 oz. bottle of this is about $3.00 and a lot of times the grocery store will have 2 for $5.00 specials.  (You can’t beat those prices!)  It’s a nice creamy consistency with a pleasant and fresh scent.  You only need to leave the conditioner on your hair for 3 minutes (I usually leave it on longer though).

If you read any of my previous posts on conditioners that I’ve tried you know that I love a conditioner that actually detangles my hair in the shower, which this one does an amazing job of doing!  When I rinse this out, my hair is instantly left feeling super soft and silky and completely tangle free!  When I get out of the shower I don’t even have to spray in a detangling spray because I can brush through my hair effortlessly.  I notice after using this that my hair looks healthy, soft and shiny when it dries too.

I suggest this to anyone who needs a good moisturizing conditioner and to anyone who doesn’t want to shell out big bucks for a conditioner.  It is sold in most grocery stores, drug stores, Wal-Mart’s, etc.  (I love this too because when I travel rather than lugging a bunch of conditioner with I can just go pick up a bottle when I reach my destination since it is so affordable.)

 

Pros:

• Affordable (REALLY affordable!)
• Fresh scent
• Moisturizes and deep conditions
• Detangles
• Leaves hair looking/feeling silky, shiny and healthy

Sephora Collection I.T. Face Contour Brush

I’m still trying to perfect the art of facial contouring but I think that with time and practice I am getting better and better at it.  I have to admit, contouring wasn’t a term I really ever used in my makeup vocabulary and I never really understood the effects it can have on your face and makeup when done correctly.

I decided to buy a facial contouring brush and give it a go!  I wasn’t expecting a miraculous difference between not contouring and contouring bur I was please surprised by what a difference it actually ended up making.

I almost always stuck to using this brush when I contour my face.  It seems to always get the job done and leaves me satisfied with the results.

The handle of the brush is long and narrows itself down to the tip.  Even though the handle is long, it still gives me plenty of control when using the brush.  The tip of the brush is rounded with a thin tip.

Something else that I really like about this brush is the clear cap that comes with it.  It’s not just a cheap plastic wrapper that falls apart and can’t be used again after removal.  This keeps the brush bristles safe and protected from damage as well as germs and other makeup residues.

I’ve washed this brush plenty of times too and it remains in excellent/like-new condition.  The bristles haven’t had any shedding or fraying.

 

Pros:

• Offers control
• Comes with protective clear cap
• Great for contouring, shadowing or highlighting
• Durable

Cons:

• Sold out at Sephora.com

 

Sephora Collection Pro Tapered Foundation Brush #58

Lately, I have been getting more and more into makeup brushes and have really been working to expand my collection.

This brush was on sale at Sephora.com for $15 (regularly $32). I figured why not for the price and also figured it would be perfect to use with my new Make Up Forever liquid foundation to get in tight spaces such as around my eyes and nose.

I gave this brush a try this morning with my Make Up Forever foundation. I expected that it would probably not really blow me away and leave me with more of an average it did the job feeling. (This was my first time using a brush like this to apply liquid foundation).

I must say that I was VERY pleased with the results! It did an excellent job of getting around my eyes and nose. It applied smoothly and evenly without looking streaky or blotchy. I wouldn’t really suggest it for your whole face since it is tapered but I think that now after using it, it’s a must have for the areas I mentioned. The bristles are high-quality synthetic fibers and are firm enough to get the job done (not rock hard/firm though) and yet still soft enough that it’s comfortable to use and doesn’t make me feel like I am “poking” my face.

I’m definitely glad I added this one to my makeup brush collection.

 

Pros:

• Perfect for hard to get areas (such as around the nose and eyes)
• Firm yet soft bristles
• Applies foundation flawlessly without streaks
• Can be used for liquid or powder foundation

Cons:

• Not the best option for applying foundation to larger areas

DIY – Homemade Body Scrub Recipes

Body scrubs are great!  They leave skin feeling fresh and smooth as well as healthy and glowing by exfoliating off old layers of dead skin.  (They are also a must before applying sunless tanner or getting a spray tan.)  However, sometimes you just don’t have the money to buy one or just don’t have one on hand to use when you need a good scrub.  No worries….you can make your own body scrub using any one of these amazing recipes below with ingrediants that you most likely already have stashed in your kitchen pantry.

Below is a collection of body scrub recipes that I have found while scouring the web….enjoy!

Just remember the consistency of your scrub should be not too oily/runny but it also shouldn’t be dry/crumbly…you want to find that “happy medium” between the two.  Also, you can always adjust any of these recipes to better suit your needs and preferences.  If your scrub is too oily/runny just add some more sugar or salt.  If your scrub is too dry, add some more oil. 

ULTIMATE SEA SALT SCRUB

(All scrubs that incorporate sea salt into them are excellent at detoxifying)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup course seal salt
• 1/2 cup baby oil (if you don’t have baby oil, you can substitute with vegetable oil)

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients into a bowl and stir
• Cover the bowl and let it sit for 24 hours
• Stir the mixture
• Apply to body and massage into skin for a few minutes
• Rinse

CITRUS SCRUB

Ingredients:

• 1 cup course sea salt
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 10 drops grapefruit essential oil
• 10 drops sweet orange essential oil
• 5 drops lemon essential oil

Directions:

• Combine the sea salt and sugar in a small jar (do not fill to the top)
• Heat coconut oil on low heat until it becomes a liquid
• Remove coconut oil from heat and add esstential oils
• Pour coconut oil and essential oils mixture over the sea salt and sugar mixture (do not stir ingredients)
• Apply to body and massage into skin for a few minutes
• Rinse

SAGE SEA SALT SCRUB

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fine sea salt
• 1 cup olive oil
• Fresh sage (4-6 leaves)
• 1/2 cup date sugar
• 1 grapefruit (red or white)

Directions:

• Puree the olive oil and sage in a blender for one minute on high
• Pour puree mixture into sea salt and date sugar and mix well
• Zest rind off grapefruit and add to above mixture and mix well
• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Allow scrub to sit on skin for a minimum of 1 minute
• Rinse

(Any remaining scrub can be stored for up to 14 days in a refridgerator)

IRISH CREAM SUGAR SCRUB

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp. dry milk
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• Couple drops of peppermint oil
• Couple drops of green food coloring

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients (oil last); mix well
• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Rinse

IRISH COFFEE SCRUB

(Coffee works to reduce the appearance of cellulite.  Anyone battling cellulite should try a scrub that incorporates coffee into it.)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coffee
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup organic nut oil
• Couple drops of mint oil

Directions:

• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Rinse

DELICIOUS SCRUB

Ingredients:

• 1 cup organic cane sugar
• 1/3 cup celtic sea salt
• 1/2 cup organic coconut oil
• 2-3 tbsp. almond oil
• 1 tbsp. vitamin e
• Couple drops of lavendar essential oil

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients (oils last); mix well
• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Rinse

SUGAR OLIVE OIL SCRUB

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients and mix well
• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Rinse

(Any remaining scrub mixture can be stored for up to 30 days)

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE SCRUB

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. ground coffee
• 1-2 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 – 1 cup oil (depending on how oily you want your scrub)

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients (except for oil); mix well
• Add oil to mixture; mix well
• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Rinse

GINGER AND COCONUT OIL SUGAR SCRUB

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 tbsp. ginger (coarsely chopped)
• 1/4 cup oil (whichever you prefer)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1-4 drops essential oil (whichever you prefer)

Directions:

• Heat the ginger and coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat for 5-10 minutes (until transformed into liquid)
• Remove from heat and press through cheesecloth or through coffee filter
• Mix warm oils with oil (whichever you prefer)
• Stir in sugar and salt
• Scent with esstial oil of your choice
• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Rinse

CANDY CANE BROWN SUGAR SCRUB RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 4 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup almond oil
• 5 drops peppermint oil
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients; mix well
• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Rinse

BROWN SUGAR SCRUB

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup course brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients; mix well
• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Rinse

LEMON AND SUGAR SCRUB

Ingredients:

• 1/2 fresh lemon
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. honey

Directions:

• Combine lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl; mix well
• Add the honey to above mixture
• Whisk until a medium thick consistency forms
• Add the sugar and mix well
• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Rinse

SWEET AND SPICY SCRUB

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 oil (almond, coconut or hazlenut)
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 2 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl
• Blend ingredients together using a whisk
• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Rinse

ALMOND ORANGE SCRUB

Ingredients:

• 1 handful almonds
• 1 orange peel
• 1 cup oil (olive or grapeseed)

Directions:

• Blitz all ingredients together in a blender/food processor
• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Rinse

CHOCOLATE SCRUB

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup cocoa

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients (oil last); mix well
• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Rinse

WAKE ME UP SCRUB

(This is my favorite scrub!  It leaves my skin so incredibly soft and smooth and smells amazing!  This one can be messy though–so be prepared to wipe down your shower/tub after scrubing.)

Ingredients:

• 2  cups of ground coffee (can use fresh or from a freshly brewed pot.  I prefer fresh grounds because they are coarser)
• 1/2 cup sugar (brown of white – sometimes I do both)
• 3 tbsp. olive oil (or vegetable oil if there’s no olive oil on hand)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional-but smells amazing)

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients (oil last); mix well
• Apply to body and massage into skin
• Rinse

Origins No Puffery Cooling Mask for Puffy Eyes

I have a strong love/hate relationship when it comes to eye creams and gels.  I find that they either work really well on me or they don’t do a darn thing.

If you’ve read my other posts, you’ve probably figured out that I like to try new products….even if I like a certain product, I still like to try other ones in the hopes that maybe it’ll work even better than the last one.  Eye creams and gels are never cheap so it’s always frustrating to shell out the money for one only to find out it just doesn’t work.  I’m a strong believer in the rule that what works for some people may not work for others.

Before picking this specific product, I read through a bunch of reviews and this one seemed to stand out as one of the better choices.  Also, the price tag on it wasn’t nearly as bad as some of the other ones I was looking at (This one was $23.00 for a 1 oz. tube).  Plus, I always think of eye cream/gel as something that will last a while because you’re only applying a little bit at a time to a small area.

So I went with this one and was glad I did!  The purpose of this product is to reduce puffiness from eye bags as well as to lighten dark circles.  Luckily, I normally don’t have too many issues with having dark circles around my eyes.  I do however battle eye bags from allergies or lack of sleep….or both.

This product was actually designed as an eye mask that you should wear for 10-15 minutes and then wash/wipe off.  But, it can also be used all day/night long just as you would another eye cream.  I always opted to wear it rather then wash or wipe it off.

If you’re wearing it as an eye mask you want to apply it a little more generously but if you plan on wearing it all day or night you want to apply a very thin layer sparingly.  If you apply too much and plan to wear it, you’re going to have to wipe some of it off.  It has a very thick gel consistency that has the capability of becoming very sticky and will make makeup look ridiculous on top of it if you apply too much.  (And applying sparingly means it’ll last longer!)

The product does have a cooling feeling as you apply it which feels really great.  If you’re looking for an even cooler feeling (and one that seems to make the product work that much faster/better) toss it in the freezer or the fridge for 5 minutes before your ready to apply it.  The feeling is an intense cool and I compare it to the age old remedy for curing under eye bags with two cold/frozen spoons.  This method is just MUCH easier!

I never expect results overnight or even within a couple of days.  I always figure a minimum of a week to really start seeing results when it comes to eye creams/gels.  Well, you can imagine my surprise when I actually say noticeable results in a matter of days.  I didn’t change any of my sleeping habits or start taking some type of allergy medication that would reduce the bags under my eyes…this product did that itself.

I simply applied it in the morning prior to applying my makeup and again at night before going to bed.  Like I said, dark circles aren’t normally an issue for me so I can’t really judge on how it combats those but it definitely is victorious when it comes to conquering under eye bags!

 

Pros:

• Reduces under eye bags (I saw results in days)
• Cooling effect
• A little goes a long way

Cons:

• Apply too much and it’ll be a sticky mess

Oscar Blandi Pronto Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo Spray

I’m not a big fan of washing my hair everyday but I hate when it starts to look like it needs to be washed.  I started hearing a lot about dry shampoos and figured I would give it a try.

I ordered this small 0.75 oz. can of Oscar Blandi dry shampoo for $5.00 from Sephora.  Since this would be my first time using this product I decided to go with the smallest and cheapest option in the event that it didn’t work out and I didn’t like it.

I’ve used this quite a few times now and have to say that I like it.  It’s easy to use and does a great job at concealing any oils or grease that are present in your hair.  It says that it is volumizing and I think it is to an extent.  You can expect a mild increase in volume but not significant.

I apply this to the roots of my hair, let it sit for a few minutes and then brush or comb through it.  It’s a great product for traveling or when your rushing out the door and don’t have time to wash your hair and need a quick fix.

Pros:

• Conceals grease and oils
• Great for when your are in a rush or traveling
• Different size options

Cons:

• Still doesn’t beat the feeling of clean washed hair

John Frieda Beach Blonde Ocean Waves Sea Spray

This was by far my favorite beach waves hair spray that I’ve ever tried and used.  Why this product was discontinued I will never know or understand :(

This spray had the most amazing smell.  I remember anytime I used it people around me would constantly ask me what I was wearing that smelled so good.  It didn’t just smell good – it worked!

This product gave me beautiful beachy hair without feeling gross, dirty and like there was a pound of product build up on my hair.  It also added shine to it and didn’t dull out my hair (like the bumble and bumble surf spray does to me).

Oh how I wish this would return…..I would buy it in bulk!

 

Pros:

• Smells amazing
• Gives hair beachy waves
• Adds shine
• Doesn’t dry out hair
• Doesn’t weigh down hair

Cons:

• Discontinued

Bumble and Bumble Gentle Shampoo

This is probably one of the first products that I ever bought from Bumble and Bumble.  This one was suggested to me when I was on the hunt for a new shampoo.  I like a shampoo that isn’t harsh but still leaves my hair feeling very fresh and clean (who doesn’t want that feeling?).

This product is specifically designed to add shine to hair and is geared towards those with color treated hair in need of moisture.

I purchased this 8 oz. bottle for $24.00.  This was another one of those buys where I was really hoping for the amount of money I was spending that I liked the product.  I was told that this shampoo was “gentle” enough to be used on a daily basis with0ut wreaking havoc on hair.  I only wash my hair every other day so I figured even better!

I was concerned that because this shampoo is a gentle shampoo that it maybe wouldn’t give my hair a good deep clean like a clarifying shampoo or other line of shampoo would do.  I was pleasantly surprised though because it actually gave my hair a very good clean!

I really like that this product is lightweight and after washing my hair with it, it’s left feeling fresh and clean.  It has a creamy lathery consistency and I find that it doesn’t really have a prominent scent.  The scent that it does have is very mild yet pleasant.

Even with its gentle name, this shampoo gets the job done and I would feel safe washing my hair with it daily.

 

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Leaves hair feeling really clean and healthy
• Moisturizes
• Adds shine
• A little goes a long way

Cons:

• A little pricier

Bumble and Bumble Creme de Coco Masque

I purchased this 5 oz. tube of Bumble and Bumble Crème de Coco Masque conditioner for $28.00 after it was suggested by a friend of mine.

My hair (as we know from previous posts) is color treated and faces the heat of hair straighteners and curling irons on a pretty frequent basis so I’m always all for trying any type of conditioners and/or hair treatments to help it.

This one has a very pleasant scent to it…not too strong or overpowering though.  It has a thick creamy consistency that applies nicely to my hair.

I’ve only been using this product for roughly maybe 2 weeks and I do notice that it seems to be helping my hair.  (I’ve noticed less split ends…actually nearly none!)  Now I do not wash my hair on a daily basis, usually every other day.  I was told that this product is ok to use on a regular basis so I’ve been using it roughly every other day on my hair.

It doesn’t leave any residue and doesn’t leave my hair feeling weighed down or greasy looking.  I find it’s a pretty lightweight product but I feel like almost all the shampoos/conditioners that I’ve tried from Bumble and Bumble are lightweight which is something that I really love about their line of products.  (Aside from that surf spray….)

The only downside about this product for me (aside from it being a little bit pricier than I would like) is that it does not detangle my hair….at all.  I love when a conditioner detangles my hair as well as conditions it and I love getting out of the shower and being able to brush right through it without any tangles to fight through.  Unfortunately, this isn’t the case with this one.  I have to spray a detangling spray on my hair after I get out of the shower in order for me to brush through my hair easily without tugging and pulling.

Even though I wish that this product would detangle my hair, I am still seeing benefits and improvements from using it.  (Who doesn’t want less split ends?!?!)  I’m sure when I need more conditioner I’ll give something else a try (or go back to Carol’s Daughter) and something that has more of a detangling ability for my tangle prone hair but for someone who is looking for a good moisturizing conditioner, I suggest giving this one a try.

 

Pros:

• Moisturizes
• Reduces split ends
• Yummy scent

Cons:

• Pricey
• Doesn’t detangle

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray

I think most people agree, sexy beach wavy hair always look good and can never be achieved at home quite like it can on the beach.  So when I saw this product, I was excited to try it out thinking that it wouldn’t turn out too far from the sexy beach wavy hair look that so many of us love.

Well, I was wrong (and out $25.00).

Unfortunately, this product was just one big all around let down for me.  It didn’t give me sexy beach hair at all.  What it gave me instead was a nice big knotty mess of hair that felt like it was wearing 5 pounds of filthy hair product.  After a day of wearing this all I wanted to do was run home and jump into my shower to wash it all off.

This can be applied to wet, dry or damp hair.  I’ve tried all three ways and every time the results are bad for me.  I’m thinking that after reading other reviews of this product, it is best for people with hair that is more on the straight side.  My hair is naturally wavy and I’ve read other negative reviews (like mine) and most of them state that they have wavy hair similar to mine.

I was told when I got this product to not go overboard when spraying it because over using it will not yield great results.  So I followed this rule and have tried using a very minimal amount to using a ton.  Of course, neither (and anything I tried in between) worked for me.

For starters, I feel like the most it did was accentuate the waves I already had in my hair.  It didn’t really create a new beachy waves for me….it just really made my waves more prominent.

I understand that this product is also supposed to give hair more of a textured feel and isn’t supposed to end up looking super shiny and soft but what it did to my hair just wasn’t very pleasing to me.  I feel like it made my hair look incredibly dull and blah-it just sucked any shine right out from it.  (Yes-I know this isn’t a shine spray but this just seemed to take the life right out of my hair….)

I didn’t fuss with my hair after applying it aside from doing what the instructions said.  Well over the coarse of the say, I swear it just got worse.  My hair seemed to get somewhat matted together.  (Not literally matted but you get the idea).  And when I touched it–icky–the product felt like it left the thickest layer of residue filth all over my hair.  (Yes, I know it’s supposed to have the beachy feeling which normally involves salt water but this just felt really gross.)

Every time I use this, I end up pulling my hair into a ponytail by mid day to avoid the gross feeling and the forthcoming knotty mess that always seems to come for my hair.

Luckily to my surprise, the stuff washes out really nicely!  I was afraid that washing it out could be a bit of a task being that it made my hair feel so gross.  I thought for sure I was going to have to get a really good clarifying shampoo to get the stuff off but my normal shampoo washed it right out.  After showering and washing my hair, my hair went back to normal and there wasn’t any of this product remaining in my hair.

I feel like this is one of those products that you will either love or hate and it’ll either work for you or it won’t.  In my case it’s just an all around fail and it just seems to be one that’s never going to work for me :(

 

Pros:

• Nice scent (not too strong)
• Washes out easily

Cons:

• Didn’t work
• Left my hair feeling knotty
• Made my hair look very dull
• Felt heavy and like there was a ton of product buildup on my hair after one use