Calling all product junkies

We pump hundreds no no probably thousands of dollars into our local beauty supply stores each weak and I think some of them have been holding out on us. A few posts back I told you about my hair care specialist, the nameless man who works in a beauty supply store that I frequent. Well one day he asked me to wait before leaving the store, and when he returned he slipped a ton of samples into my bag. He wanted me to try out a variety of products by this company called Hydroveil (my review is coming soon). Did you have any idea that these beauty supply stores receive free samples? It makes sense though right? Of course companies when shipping products will throw in free samples to say thanks, or just to whet the appetite of customers but I ask have YOU received your free samples? I mean dang at least offer me something when you see that I spend my hard earned cash in your store weeks on end. What can the store owners do, eat the samples? I mean really don't be greedy share your spoils with the public aka your customers.
Ladies have you ever had your eye on a particular product but you were not ready to actually make the purchase? Instead of using your money only to discover that the product is a dud, find out if your bss has any free samples ---I know I will.

Stinky perfection

So you already know that I am officially a Wen girl right???? I love this stuff, so I purchased the trio set for thick and coarse hair from QVC. I received the Lavender, Tea Tree, and Fig cleansing conditioners. I love the way my hair feels after using these products, but the scents just don't do it for me. Would it be so difficult for the maker of this product to develop a version that actually smells sweet? ( I have yet to try the sweet almond mint but that is next on my list)
While many women enjoy shopping for perfumes or receiving it as gifts I cringe because they all seem too strong for me. It is as if I can smell the alcohol in the perfumes and it makes me gag. With that said, the Lavender cleansing conditioner almost made me pass out when I screwed off the pump --it is strong! However my hair looked amazing and after your hair dries you really can't smell the scent anymore. I never thought the day would come when the scent of fig would be my favorite because I almost vomited when I smelled the vanilla and fig body wash from bath and body works.
Though I have not given up on Phyto and my other hair babies like Ojon, Wen is definitely a winner in my book. The scent may be repulsive but my hair looks perfect so I have achieved stinky hair perfection.
Oh and I have been using Wen on my dry ends before rolling my hair and ladies all I have to say is please try to find a split end on my head...you will be searching for hours.
Wen rocks!!!!!
Happy sulfate free cleansing

Lemongrass and Rosemary Unite

When I began my hair journey I was looking for a leave in conditioner that would moisturize my tresses and I found Creme of Natures Lemongrass and Rosemary Leave in Creme Conditioner. I am always a sucker for the inclusion of rosemary in any hair product and the addition of lemongrass was an added treat. Lemongrass is often credited with giving hair a beautiful shine. Having these two special ingredients in one product got me so excited and I had really high expectations.
The consistency of this product is a little thicker than milk so it glides on easily. It is also one of several products from Creme of Nature that consists of certified organic ingredients. The Lemongrass and Rosemary leave in is specially formulated for dehydrated hair.
I used this leave for months and I think it is a pretty good product but using it daily was not an option for me because it would weigh down my hair. Does it detangle - yes, but if you are an "air dry girl" like I am, you may find that your hair will feel crunchy after leaving this product on your hair.
I have a few more bottles left at my home and they will remain in my reserve tank in case I run out of my staples and I need backup.
Oh and I can't forget to mention that the smell gets 4 out of 5 stars.
You can get this leave in conditioner for roughly $5.99 at your local beauty supply store.
If you have tried this leave in, please share your experience.

I did it again

As you can see from the previous post I liked the Sephora brand lip liner so I wanted to see what other gems were hiding behind the Sephora brand name. Today I purchased the Sephora maniac lip liner in 07 choco schizo. This particular liner features a lip brush at the opposite end of the liner which can be used to blend the liner on your lips.
Priced at $6 this liner is available at Sephora.
I like this product but I can certainly use a lip liner that is much darker color...any suggestions?

Can't hate the store brand

So there I was walking up and down the makeup aisles in Sephora in search of the ultimate dark chocolate lip liner. Surprisingly the consultant took me over to the Sephora brand counter and presented me with Mud Brown #111, which is not their darkest chocolate but it was the darkest one they had in stock. Generally I am not the woman who purchases the store brand, I go for a name that I trust and I try to look for the best quality. I was surprised with both the price and quality of the lip liner. Yes, it was a much shorter lip liner than I am used to and it did not come with a sharpener but it glided across my lips and it cost $4.00, so I couldn't ask for much more.
Which store brands deliver quality at the right price?

Turn up the volume

When you are ready to move away from the run of the mill eyeliners, you should check out the LORAC Glitter Eyeliner. Mixed in with your standard eyeliner you have tiny sparkles that give your eyes an extra pop! This product should be used lightly because too many swipes of this eyeliner will cause you to look like a glitter stick exploded on your eye lids.
I have the shade midnight sparkle, but this eyeliner is available in a variety of shades through Sephora for $16.
Which eyeliner do you use to turn up the volume?

Remember to take your vitamins

If you take a multivitamin you may notice that a percentage of that tablet is devoted to biotin. Biotin is otherwise known as vitamin B7 or vitamin H, it is a part of the B-complex family. It is also instrumental in promoting the health of sweat glands, nerve tissue, hair and nails. Biotin is often found in hair products that are designed to promote growth and combat thinning hair. I do not have thinning hair but any product that can promote hair growth is worth a try. I looked for products that contain biotin and I finally came across the Nexxus Vitatress Biotin Scalp Creme.
This product claims to promote healthy hair growth and to restore thinning hair. You are supposed to use this product twice a day everyday to actually see results. I used this product in one area just to test the product, I was a bit skeptical at first and I feared it would make all of my hair fall out so I kept it contained in a small area of my head.
As you rub the product on your scalp you will have to do a pretty good job of rubbing it in otherwise it will dry on your hair and flake. Once applied to your scalp you will experience a cool tingly feeling which is probably caused by the menthol.
I am sorry to say that my final result is somewhat inconclusive because I want to continue testing this product. I feel like my new growth was stronger, much firmer than usual, the new growth was really pronounced. Did I get more new growth that usual? I think so but I did not take measurements so I can't be sure. Even if I did receive more new growth than usual it was not so much more new growth that it was obvious. I should also note that I used this product for only 3 weeks. Currently I am not using the product because I want to keep in my mind the type to growth that I get without the product, then I will begin using the product again after my next touch up.
The Nexxus biotin creme can be found at your local beauty supply store for $12.99
If you have tried this product please let me know about your experience.