It's the little things

Have you ever poured out more lotion than you actually wanted from a bottle? I know I have, but this new top has made things so much better. My Body Shop lotion, Moringa Milk, features a spray top that gives you just the right amount of lotion, in two squirts I have enough lotion ( I could probably just use one pump but I like my heavy hand ) to cover both of my hands. Here is a quick video to showcase the spray top.
The lotion is priced at $16.00.

P.S. This moringa milk is supposed to provide you with moisture for up to 12 hours. I love that phrase "UP TO 12 hours" which really means it can be as long as 12 hours or as short as 1 second. I know that this did not leave me moisturized for 12 hours but it is light and works for maybe 30 -45 minutes ( I guess around that time span). Ingredients include babassu oil and sesame oil.

Sorry I am running short on time again today so I will visit all of your blogs later in the day and respond to your comments from yesterdays post.
Thanks for reading.

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize

(click to enlarge the picture)

Whether it is our hair or our skin, we are constantly reminded of the importance of moisturizing.

Although I have a few facial lotions that I love, I decided to try the Aveda brand moisturizer. Since the brand does so well for my hair, I wanted to let it loose on my face. I purchased the All Sensitive Moisturizer by Aveda for 33.00 (for the 5 oz bottle).

I must report so far so good, my face is moisturized and it is not at all sticky or heavy on my face. Since I have combination skin this is the product the Aveda specialist suggested for me especially when I told her that my skin is sensitive. I love how light this moisturizer is on my skin, I only wish it included an spf. It includes grape seed oil and flower extracts along with some roots that I have not heard of before.

Is anyone using a moisturizer that they made or one that is 100% natural?

I will visit all of your blogs later today.

Thanks for reading.

What's your Fantasy?

Check out my video for the new Revlon Fantasy Lash mascara. It says on the package that this is a new product so I don't know why I think I remember seeing this is stores a while back. Anyway I think I say pretty much everything in the video but if you have more questions feel free to ask.
Yesterday B spoke about mascara and primers!
Enjoy







Do you usually wear a primer? Which brand?

Tools for Less

(click to enlarge the picture)

At Target I found this lovely eyeliner brush by Studio Tools for only $1.97. I know that some people have really expensive MAC brushes but if you don't have the money to afford those brushes, there is always a cheaper find out there. When I play around at home with different looks I use this brush and not a hair has come out yet. It is firm enough to apply the product but it is not too flimsy.

For someone just starting out with makeup this may be a good starter brush.

What is the major difference have some of you noticed between expensive brushes and cheap brushes? (I don't mean the cheap brushed that fall apart I mean the good cheap brushes, do they still pale in comparison to the expensive tools?)

Any cheap brands that you recommend?

Another post is below.

Product Watch

There are a few products that I have my eye on, some I will purchase and others I just want to bring to your attention.
The first product is the new Givenchy mascara called Phenomen' Eyes Mascara. Check out the this unique mascara wand. Although the wand looks tiny it is supposed to grip even the shortest lashes from the root and fan them out. Cost- $27

Sephora is now selling the Lash Stash. Seven mini mascaras from companies like Too Faced, Stilla, Smashbox are included in a kit for your sampling pleasure. Cost-$28.Coming SOON-Sephora has teamed up with OPI to bring beautiful nail polish shades to Sephora shelves.
Which products do you have your eye on?

Save a dime!

My sister is currently stretching her relaxer and she wanted to make her hair as soft as possible so I decided to give her an avocado hair mask. This was my first time making the mask so I am by no means a professional. I had always heard that avocados are great for softening the hair so I wanted to give it a shot. After watching the video you will see what I used to make this easy mask.
I found this neat link online that has a list of simple avocado recipes. The recipes mentioned are not for hair alone, you can also find recipes for puffy eyes, rough hands and other problem areas. I have more avocado left so I will try some of these recipes.
The second video is of Tracyee from K.I.S.S., in her video she created a protein hair treatment.
Although I am a product junkie I do recognize that not everything has to come from a store. In fact some stores charge outrageous prices for items that we could really make ourselves.

Do you have any "do it yourself" products that you make to save money?

P.S. Tracyee also has a KISS social network that you can join for free to communicate with others while on your hair journey. A great deal of information is given out on that site, see what is offered and make it work for you!!!

My New Natural Must Have

My pure rose water finally arrived and I love it. I now mix it with the pure aloe vera juice and it is very moisturizing. The spray bottle on the left is filled with the aloe vera and the rose water is already in a spray bottle so I did not mix the two yet. Currently I will spray my hair with the aloe juice and then spray it with the rose water or vise versa.
The Benefits of Rose Water
Moisturizes the hair and makes it more manageable
Adds shine to your hair (I got a little shine from it but not too much)
It can also be used as an astringent to cleanse the face (I have not tried this yet).
I love how it has been making my hair feel the past few days so I will continue to buy it. I am using the brand Kama Ayurveda which can be purchased online for $22.00. This particular brand of rose water is steam distilled which is done to purify the product.
How do you use rose water?

UPGRADE

You know that if I like a product I need to get the largest bottle/tube available, so here is my large Dry Remedy Masque which I purchased yesterday for $35.00. I placed the two tubes side by side to give you a comparison shot. The larger tube is 8.5 ounces and the smaller version is only 4.2 oz for $26.00.
I only wish Aveda would make an even larger Dry Remedy Masque.
Oh and for those who did not read Brownee's response in my first Dry Remedy section, she is indeed correct that the Dry Remedy line is replacing the Sap Moss line. I spoke to an Aveda specialist yesterday and she said this new Dry line has more moisturizing properties than the sap moss line so this is an UPGRADE.

Who ME?????

I have been given an award, I know who would of thunk it? A woman babbling day in and day out about the products that I love and even those that I hate, actually walks away with an award. Amina has passed the honor on to me and I am so appreciative of this award. I literally started this blog last December but had no idea that a portion of my vision would come to fruition so quickly. To be acknowledged for doing something that I really enjoy is so rewarding. Thank you Amina and the other bloggers and all of the readers who support this site. This also includes the many LURKERS who stop by daily but never comment...lol one day I am going to have a post that will draw you out and motivate you to comment....hopefully.
I am now instructed to follow the rules listed below: (Amina is making me work for this award..lol)
Here are the rules:
1) When received, you may post the premio to your blog.
2) Link to the blogger you received it from.
3) Give it to 7 blogs
4) Link to those 7 blogs
5) Leave those seven bloggers a comment about receiving the brilliant premio. I would like to award the Brilliante web award to:
Frugalista of the Frugalista Files- You are truly a talented journalist who manages to stomach my typos in support of a fellow blogger.(I’m usually posting as I am running out of the house so please follow Frugalista and cut me some slack..lol)She rocks on so many levels that I can't even begin to expound on it in this post. She also constantly reminds me through her posts to remain frugal especially in this economy. -thanks Frugalista!!!!
Just Wondering -Girl you go way back to some of my early post and I thank you for being a long time supporter of this blog in many ways. Also I enjoy delving into the minds of the men you interview for your blog. You have a great thing going on over at your blog. so keep it up :-)
Antithesis- Antithesis has been here early on my blog life, always supportive and kind. She is an intelligent young lady who has vision beyond her years. I just never know what I am going to get when I go to your blog and I LOVE that....thanks.
Tracyee -You have moved beyond the world of blogging to help women to achieve some of their goals. You freely share your wisdom and experience. You also left a comment on my blog way back in the day when you could hear crickets around on my blog. Thanks
Brown Girl Gumbo- What would I do without my Friday photos? Your posts are always so thorough and entertaining. You support so many in the blogging world, I have visited some lost pages deep down in blog land and who has already left a comment? You guessed it, Brown Girl Gumbo..lol Keep up the great work and I look forward everything that you have in store.
PBW I literally laugh through your posts because they are just so funny and true to your experience. You are an extraordinary writer. thanks for blogging
James Tubman my sole male reader now, who not only asks beauty related questions but blogs about issues that matter. Thanks James
Dominican Enigma You know you rock the best contests. I really like what you are doing on your blog and thanks for always checking out my posts.
Well that's 7 for you...( I know I know it's really 8)
Many of the people I wanted to honor already received this award and still I just couldn't fit everyone in so I have an honorable mention for Don who no longer blogs but was very supportive. B I read that you won this already but I thought I would shout you out anyway along with another winner JustMe. I also need to shout out my longtime supporters Celebrity Fried Rice ,Jewells, Travel Diva , non bloggers Bellefille &Moon also Brownee who isn't a blogger but who reads OCCASIONALLY..lol and so many others. I'm so sorry if I forgot you but you know I really appreciate you all. thanks for the support.
I was so prepared to name this post " I want to thank my momma" until I saw fellow Blogger Yummy 411 with a similar comment..lol
*Please read the post below because it is a new and interesting product review.

Not a Makeup Pro?

If you are not a makeup professional, but you would like to pull off an award winning look, you may want to try the new appliques called Eye Envy by ColorOn.

This creamy mineral 100% hypo-allergenic eye shadow is a peal off product that can be rubbed on your eye lid to produce a variety of patterns. Eye envy claims to be a long wearing eye product that will not crease, leaving you with and expert makeup finish all day long. The kit pictured above is the Flaunt kit which I selected.

When I first walked into Sephora yesterday and checked out this product I was set on the kit that I wanted to buy, but once I saw one of the colors applied to a woman's face I knew I had to make a switch because the palette would not have agreed with my complexion. I was in the store with a pal of mine whose complexion is much lighter and the product seemed to blend into her skin. Without any suggestions from us, the sales associate wiped the product from her lid and selected a new color. We liked the darker shade of brown but the remaining colors in the kit were not pretty so we both selected flaunt.

Please watch the video to see how easy it is to apply my enviable eyes. (you really wont envy them after you see my application of the product).

I forgot to mention that without the UDPP (Urban Decay Primer Potion) this product didn't last too long, the setting powder doesn't work well, but on the up side it didn't crease.
Would you try this product or do you prefer traditional methods of makeup application?
Please check back around 10:00 because I have a very special post. thanks

P.S. This product also comes in wild designs like this:

I am not the Master

Last week I attempted the Master Cleanse program but I failed. I know that people usually refer to this process as the Master Cleanse diet (or lemonade diet), but in reality it is a way to cleanse your body of toxins etc. and as a result people do lose weight. This cleansing involves drinking a lemonade-like concoction which will rid your body of impurities as you shrink your waistline. The Master Cleanse has been around for many years and has continued to gain popularity as Beyonce and other celebrities use this program. Here is a link if you would like to see the recipe or learn more about the Master Cleanse.
I must say that although I failed at the cleansing program last week I didn't eat bad foods, I actually indulged in fruits and some veggies, (a little meat too). This week I am going to up my fruit and water intake and reduce the amount of meat that I will eat for the week.
Have you tried the Master Cleanse program? Do you detoxify your body to remain healthy?

Got Aloe?

(you can click on the picture to take a closer look at this product)
I remember as a kid trying to slather as much aloe vera on my hair as possible once a dear family friend, whose hair is GORGEOUS, told me that she uses it on her hair. As the years passed by I moved on to other ingredients and products but recently I have been reminded of the many benefits of aloe vera from posts by Tracyee and Antithesis.
Tracyee created her own moisturizing spray out of aloe vera and other ingredients( you will find the recipie when you click the link). I wanted to try out her spray but my rose water did not arrive yet so I decided to play around with the aloe vera liquid. Indeed my hair was moisturized when I applied it to my hair. After putting some of the aloe vera in a spray bottle I added a tiny bit of water and sprayed it on my scalp and hair. On some days I mixed it with other moisturizers that I like, and my hair felt wonderful for days. I am thrilled that I am back to using this natural ingredient on my hair.
Aloe vera contains an enzyme that is necessary for the production of new hair. If you read Tracyee's post, you will find out many other benefits of using aloe vera.
I purchase George's Aloe Vera which is 100% fractionally distilled aloe vera. Adults can also drink their way to health by drinking 2 ounces twice daily. The particular brand that I selected is bitter free and has no preservatives or additives. Another positive note for George's aloe vera is that it does not have to be refrigerated.
Apparently all aloe vera is not the same and when the people behind George's aloe vera went to Mexico they noticed that the roadrunner bird would only drink from a certain type of aloe vera so that is what they used to make this bottled version.
I purchased my aloe vera from the health food store for $9.19
Are you using pure aloe vera for your hair ? Please share your recipes.
Have a great weekend everyone.

Decisions, Decisions

When I was younger I had two really good friends and one demanded to know which one I considered to be my best friend. Simply telling her that they were both on equal ground was not a satisfactory response, she wanted me to make a decision. In her mind I just had to select one or the other there wasn't enough room for both of them to function as my "go to pal". I have recently encountered a similar situation with my hair products. I was moving through life just fine using my Aveda Damage Remedy line. My hair was soft, shiny, and bouncy I didn't have to make a single decision I love the products because they work for me. Then one morning I received an enticing email that listed the benefits of Aveda's new Dry Remedy line. Since I'm a gal whose hair can turn into hay as quickly as you can say the word "brittle" I was intrigued. I purchased the Dry Remedy treatment but was later given the opportunity to try the Dry shampoo and conditioner as well.
After using the entire Dry remedy line, which promises to quench the thirst of the driest hair, I was sold. Just like the damage remedy line my hair was shiny, bouncy and soft so I had a decision to make. Which line would become my "go to hair revival system"?
It has been three days since I used the Dry line and my hair is still shining. My sister saw my hair and asked for the name of the product that I used to make my hair shine. After informing her that I only used the Dry remedy line, the tubes were hauled off to the bathroom and she too emerged with brilliantly shiny and soft hair.
I am now torn because I can't wash my hair with two lines at the same time but perhaps I can alternate between the Dry and Damaged lines so as not to neglect either product.





Do you plan on trying this line? What is your solution for dry hair?
*The Dry Remedy line just launched in stores this week so you can make your in store purchase now or you can order it online.

Stabilize your radical side

You are trying to live a healthy lifestyle so you cut an apple as you plan to indulge in only the healthiest of treats when your phone rings. Once you return to your apple, (depending on how long you were on the phone of course) it's brown! What gives? Depending on the amount of oxygen in the air and the object that it interacts with you will get oxidation, causing your once delectable apple to turn an unsightly brown color. If you leave the apple out longer, it will continue to brown and shrivel up. The molecules are going at it on the apple but what we see, the brown color, is a result of the free radicals.
Free radicals are the unstable molecules that break free and cause major damage. That’s fine for an apple but what if this happens to your face, not so cute right? Free radicals are responsible for aging and once they are on the loose the can do much damage to our faces and bodies. Free radicals have an uneven number of electrons so they are unstable. These crazy radicals push through your body in search of molecules to bond with in an attempt to become stable. So once they get to bond with another molecule all is well right? Not quite these radicals are bad news because they only bring the other molecules down. Our body will try to help us by fighting against free radicals through the antioxidants that we can get from blueberries, as well as other fruits and veggies. Vitamins E, C and A do a wonderful job at fighting against these radical nuisances, they do their best to keep our healthy tissues healthy. So while I am eating what I need to eat in order to keep aging in check, I will go the extra mile by using a high concentration of vitamin C daily. The product I bring you today is the $35 Turbo Booster C Powder by Philosophy. Watch the video for more info.



We all know that we are going to age, but what is your trick in preventing premature aging?

Count me in on opening day!

Not beauty related but this is a movie that I NEED to see this Fall. The new Tyler Perry flick, The Family That Preys, is jam packed with acting heavy weights.



For those who dislike the Madea character, it does not look like she will make an appearance in this movie.
Which Tyler Perry movie is your favorite?
(more posts to follow)

Summer Lips

Yesterday I purchased a Mary Kay lip gloss in the color Berry Sprakle for $13.00.

You can find a local Mary Kay associate and shop online by going to http://www.marykay.com/

Which colors do you rock in the summer?

Makeup artists, do you have any advice for the perfect summer time shades for various complextons?

F.Y.I.

I have no idea what is going on at my local Target but when I was there on Saturday I wanted to check to see if they had restocked their fabulous supply of Nicole nail pens. I did find new colors but believe me when I tell you they only had 1-2 tubes of only 3 new colors. Could it be that everyone has been buying this polish and by the time I sashay over to get my share they are practically gone? Or do I have the laziest stock boys in history at my Target? I guess only time will tell.

My three new colors are above -Red Eye to NY, In the Nic of Time (this is like a coral color), and Catch Ya Later (this is like a shimery perl).

SALE

I blogged about a wonderful mascara, the Colossal by Maybelline and this week it is on sale at CVS if you have an extra care card. You will get roughly one dollar off but then you will get 2.00 in extra care bucks that will appear on your receipt. That money can be used on anything, including another tube of the mascara. You are limited to 5 colossal mascaras per household.
Happy shopping!

Bath and Body works is selling three of their antibacterial soaps for $10.00 as opposed to the usual price of $5.00 each.

Another one

Not too long ago I posted on the sunscreen that I like to use but I have recently found another great sunscreen. Although I was very satisfied with the suncreen I mentioned in my original post, I was looking for something sold locally at a regular drugstore instead of always turning to Sephora. I found the Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Spray with spf 45. This can be used on your body and face but if you use it on your face you are directed to spray it on your hands and then rub it on your face. The Aveeno sunblock will coat your skin with a lovely sheen. I like that this product comes in a spray can for easy application. It is available at CVS, Rite Aid, Target and similar stores. I purchased the spf 45 for 6.50 but I have recently seen another Aveeno sunblock with spf 70 which costs 10.00 at the aforementioned stores.
Please everyone use your sunblock this summer.
Another post below.

Do you do it yourself?

Do you leave the trimming of your hair to a professional or do you take matters into your own hands? I perform a process commonly referred to as "search and destroy". Basically I search for any ends that need to go and cut those ends only. Yes, it will take more time than doing a blunt cut but it also helps to prevent cutting off hair that does not need to go. Some people feel that your hair will be really uneven if you employ this method, but if you take great care of your hair you shouldn't have to trim too much.
So who handles the cutting of your tresses?

16 hours?

Which eyeliner is your favorite?

Magic Soap

Have you ever tried one of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps? This soap is like no other, because it has 18 uses. It can be used as a body wash, shampoo for your hair, or you can even use it to brush your teeth, just to name a few. I have been using this soap on and off for years. You can find this at your local beauty supply store or the health food store. I beleive I saw it either at Target or CVS this week but I can't recall which store.

My favorite scent is the Citrus but this product also comes in other scents like almond and peppermint. This 100% vegan product is made with organic oils.

Here is the ingredients list for the citrus orange soap: Water saponified organic coconut & organic olive oil, organic hemp oil, organic jojoba oil, organic orange oil, organic lemon oil, organic lime oil, organic grapefruit oil, citric acid and vitamin E.

Good stuff!

I paid $8.99 for 16 oz

Would you be willing to try this on your hair or to brush your teeth?

*Edit- B has confirmed that this is sold at Target.- thanks

*Another post is below.

This week

This week at Target you will find the 18 oz Caress body wash on sale - 2 for $6.

The scent is Berry Indulgent

I also purchased the twin pack 18 oz Caress Tahitian Renewal body wash for $8.40. It also came with a trail size 1.86 oz Caress Exotic Oil Infusion body wash.

Have you seen any good sales this week?

New Shoes

Here are my new shoes:
Nine West shoes on sale $22.

Old Navy flips missed that $1 sale so $5 for both.

From my sister from payless -no price tag but I like them.

American Eagle peep toe shoes also from my sister from Payless - I really like these very very comfy.

Steve Madden shoes $58

Nine West $29.00

I am starting to not HATE Payless...don't tell anyone :-)

Have you gone shoe shopping yet?

Another post is below.

Product Watch

I haven't done a "product watch" post recently but this is the section where I talk about products I am looking out for or new items I have ordered recently.

By now you have probably seen the new line from Aveda, Dry Remedy. I did not purchase the entire line just the treatment, so I will see if it is as good as Aveda claims it is.

I step away from the Mac website and before I know it they have new collections. From the Electro Flash line I like the lipsticks in Vanity's Child and Dangerously Hot and Li Hot Pepper for the lipglass. However, I doubt I will purchase anything since all of the colors look like other items in other collections. Are you ordering anything new from MAC?

Do you have your eye on any products?

I just knew it!

I have always wanted a really quick and easy way to apply nail polish, not that it is a difficult process now but I just wanted something different. I hated carrying the bottle around and I needed something that wouldn't crack if I dropped it on the floor. So when I first saw the Sally Hansen nail pen I was ecstatic, but as I described it in my earlier blog post it was like applying glue to my nails. Although the concept was good the product was horrible, it was totally useless so I threw it away. When I learned that the makers of OPI were coming out with the same type of product through their line called Nicole I was excited because I like OPI polish and I was expecting good quality. I saw the Nicole pen polish at Target yesterday so watch the video for my review. They only had blue left in stock so that may give you an indication of how well this baby works.

I am so happy because I knew a company would get it right.
Have you ever tried a similar product? Which brand and how did it work?

Impersonating a Scrub

I went to Target last week and I looked at a scrub from a company I had never heard of before, Amazon Forest. The pictures of fruit on their products also caught my attention. The Mango & Babassu body scrub includes mango butter and babassu oil and a natural exfoliant. To make a long story short I hate this 9.99 scrub because it is really a tub of lotion impersonating a scrub. It feels loose and runny like some of those cheap lotions, the exfoliating seeds don't exfoliate at all. It is like trying to exfoliate your body with tapioca pudding, just won't work. This was a really bad product, maybe the body washes are good but I didn't purchase any of those. Oh and the kicker you ask? As I was looking though the ingredients list, yes after I purchased it..lol I saw parabens. This is a loser scrub if I have ever seen one, please SKIP IT.
Has anyone tried other product from this line? If you watch the video below yes that is the sound of the ice cream truck in the background- I was by the window..lol.
**Correction- the name of the company is Boots and I guess amazon forest is the name of this particular line. - thanks Afrobella

Later

Hello Everyone
My product review will come later this afternoon.
Thanks

Dry Spell

Now that the weather is so warm we really need protect our hair. If you are a sun bunny you may notice that the such can dry out your hair, leaving it dull. Moisturize your hair properly before going out in the sun. I will soon complete a post on moisturizing your hair but for now I wanted to address the issue of dry dull hair.
You already know that I like Aveda especially the damage remedy line so I wanted to try the Aveda brilliant emollient finishing gloss. This gloss can be used on dry or wet hair.
The Good
This product is VERY light and not at all sticky so that I love. It also gives off great shine but the problem is that the shine does not last long enough. It is a paraben free product and it is made from rice bran oil, jojoba oil and soybean oil.
The Bad
The shine doesn't last as long as I would like. I tried applying the product to my wet hair and after it has air dried, the next day it is dull looking again. not completely dull but not as shiny as it should be.
When I applied the product to my dry hair the shininess lasted for an even shorter period.
Priced at $24.50 you will get 2.5 ounces.

Here is my hair before the Aveda gloss (left) and the after shot taken on the right side is the result of two pumps of the gloss.

How are you protecting your hair during these warm summer months?

Not Anymore

I am sure you have been there before, the point where you realize you no longer like a product that you once enjoyed. My latest "I don't like you anymore" product is Carol's Daughter Black vanilla Leave-In Conditioner for Dry Hair.

I do like that this conditioner is a liquid in a spray bottle so it goes on with a few simple squirts. Those who like the scent of vanilla will be happy with this hair product that promises to give you shine, the ability to detangle and moisturize your hair.

This product did not shine my hair at all but I ignored that because of the great ingredients like nettle, sage and rosemary. It didn't moisturize my hair much either because my hair would become dry again not long after I had sprayed on this product. It was good at detangling my hair when it was wet so I used it mainly as a detangler.

This product costs $11.50 for 8 counce but I would not make this purchase again. I know some people love this product and that is great but for me it didn't work well enough to motivate me to buy this again. However, it isn't a horrible product and the ingredients rock so I won't throw it in the skip it files.

What is your favorite Carol's Daughter hair product? How did it work for you? If you have never tried anything from the line is there a product you have been thinking about purchasing from the line?

I will be away for most of the day again but I will check out your great blogs later and respond to your comments from yesterdays post.

Thanks so much for reading I appreciate you all.

More Beauty

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