Hi everyone! Once again, time has gotten away from me and it's been longer than I intended between posts. Today I want to talk about my favorite lip products and a couple of botanical hair products.

 The first item on my list is Pretty Amazing Lipcolor from Bare Escentuals. Let me start by saying that I absolutely HATE lipstick. I don't like the taste or smell or the way it makes my lips feel dry after a while. I'm more of a lipgloss kind of girl. Lately, I've decided to experiment with richer, deeper colors than a lipgloss can provide. I came across this truly wonderful lipcolor. The name says it all! This is a hybrid between a lipgloss and a lipstick. It is highly pigmented, smooth, and has the perfect amount of shine. It has a great applicator wand that just hugs the contours of your lips and a little goes a long way. It has no unpleasant taste or smell. It is not sticky at all (which I love.) It also keeps my lips moisturized and provides long-lasting wear. I was so smitten by this product I got it in Witty, Strength, Ambition and Confidence. It is a little pricey but well worth the money. Amazon carries it cheaper than Sephora or Bare Escentuals (it retails for $16.) I will never be without a tube of this product in my purse!



As far as lipgloss, my favorite is L'Oreal Infallible. It is slightly more expensive than other drugstore brands (about $10) but cheaper than the cosmetics counter. The applicator wand took a bit of getting used to since it is angled and flexible. Once I mastered it's use, I couldn't get enough of it. This product also has no offensive taste or smell. It is not sticky and does not "bleed" like some other brands. It also lasts a lot longer than most other lipglosses. My absolute favorite color in this line is Rebel Red. Again, Amazon offers this gloss at a much better price than the drugstores.


 


Now for the hair products. I tried the Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner. This is pretty expensive. I was offered free shipping plus free samples for my birthday, so I ordered the cheapest product I could find. That was the Damage Reverse Restorative Conditioner (2 oz. for $10) I also got samples of the Damage Reverse Restorative Shampoo and Damage Reverse Restorative Serum. I used them for an entire week and I was not impressed. First of all, I needed extra shampoo in order to make it lather. The conditioner was not too rich and I had trouble detangling my hair. They are supposed to have a "botanical" scent but it was not very pleasant. I also did not notice any improvement in my hair. In fact, it was strange...my hair felt soft but not silky or smooth. Almost like it had a film or residue on it. As for the serum, I still think my BioSilk is far superior and less expensive for a bigger bottle. Not a fan
of this line at all.





The other botanical hair products I tried were the Aveda Color Conserve Shampoo and Conditioner. Now, this line I loved! This shampoo lathered well and the color loss was minimal (my cherry red fades very quickly with daily washing.) The conditioner was rich and detangled my hair easily. They both have a botanical scent that is very pleasing and relaxing. I also used these samples for a full week and I can definitely say that they have helped to preserve my color. I will be definitely be purchasing full size
bottles as soon as I run out of my regular shampoo and conditioner



Thanks for listening to my rants and raves and I hope you'll join me next time. I will be reviewing facial primers and other random goodies.

Hi everyone! It's after Thanksgiving and I have so much to be thankful for. I really wish I could post daily but life gets so crazy sometimes...So I do what I can! Here are a few items I've recently tried and can't wait to talk about.

The first item is the BrytonPick tooth floss. I loved this handy little floss pick! It is made of flexible stainless steel so it is reusable. It is also germ resistant and portable (it comes in a little sleeve) so you can carry it in your purse or wallet. You can get 3-5 uses out of one pick before the pick starts to get folds (which prevent it from gliding easily between teeth.)

I was a little afraid to use it at first because I thought it might hurt my gums. Well, I was pleasantly surprised! It slides easily between my teeth as long as I start at the top (like you would with thread floss) and is very gentle. It is so convenient to use! I use it in my bathroom, then rinse it, pop it in it's sleeve and take it with me in my purse. No wooden toothpick necessary after a big lunch!

I was given two picks to review so I gave one to my boyfriend who is always looking for stuff to pick his teeth with. He loved it as much as I did.

These picks cost a little more than thread floss but are definitely worth it since they are reusable. Also, I like that they don't shred like traditional floss.






***I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.***


Next is a coupon cutter I found extremely useful: Anyone who knows me knows I am a coupon fanatic. The Slice Safety Cutter is a wonderful little tool. No need for scissors so these are great for people with arthritis or other hand problems.

The Slice Safety Cutter makes straight neat slices in half the time it takes to cut or trim something with regular scissors. Much safer for children, too (though supervision is always suggested.) The only thing I would recommend while using this great little tool is that one is careful not to press too hard. Just a slight pressure gets the job done since it glides easily and cuts all the way through. I also suggest using a newspaper or magazine under whatever you are cutting so as not to scratch your desk or table.

I used this nifty cutter to cut school pictures, coupons, recipes and gift wrap. It will be a life saver during the Holidays! I highly recommend getting one of these!






***I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.***

I love my bi-colored hair! Black on top with cherry-red underneath. I dye my own hair about once a month because my gray starts to show. That's why I thought it was great to try out this next product. Roots Only Hair Root Touch up is supposed to help you color your roots easily so that you distribute the product more evenly.

How this item works is, you mix the color as directed and carefully pour the contents into the the Roots Only bottle and attach the comb-like top. (This was a messy process but the comb-like top would not work on the product's original bottle.) The comb-like top is hollow and the product dispenses from the ends. Then it works like other squeeze bottles, except that the product can be combed through hair, depositing the color between strands of hair. I used it for the black portion of my hair. It does keep the color next to the scalp but I found that the hairline was tough for me (personally) to color. It was easy to use and dispensed the color evenly, which I really liked. This design eliminates parting and sectioning hair since it just combs through.

The bottle can be rinsed and reused. I will definitely use it again. I think, with some practice, I will be able to color my hairline more easily. This bottle is effective for getting color evenly distributed along the scalp and I would recommend this to anyone who dyes their own hair frequently.






***I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers***

Until next time, my friends...

Hello to everyone! I'm back with more of my unsolicited opinions...I just love to share! I am often told that I don't look old enough to have an 18 year old son. People frequently tell me I look 5-10 years younger than my 41 years. A big part of it is due to the fact that I don't drink, smoke or worship the sun. However, I also believe my skin routine is very important and here are my favorite products.

I start by washing my face with Olay Professional Pro-X Restorative Cream Cleanser. I love the way this product lathers and leaves my face feeling soft and clean. Never tight or dry. The only thing I don't like about this product is the bottle. It's fine unless you drop it. Then the entire contents end up in your sink or shower floor because the pump top pops off. Despite the bad design, the product itself is superior and I highly recommend it.

 

Next, I dab tiny amounts of Strivectin-SD Intensive Concentrate For Existing Stretch Marks Cream around my eyes (where "crows feet" can form) and around the mouth area (where laugh lines can form.) This cream was formulated for stretch marks but is great for preventing wrinkles and diminishing them (for those who already have them.) This is a little pricey but a little goes a long way and one tube will last for a long, long time.

 

I let the Strivectin-SD soak in for a little bit and then I follow with Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum. I use this wonderful serum on my face, neck/decolletage, and hands. It helps keep your skin dewy and youthful. It glides on and leaves your skin feeling silky and smooth. It's wonderful under makeup since it helps the makeup go on smoothly and stay put.

 

Once the serum soaks in I follow with Olay Professional Pro-X Eye Restoration Complex. The skin surrounding our eyes is delicate and does not keep moisture as well as the rest of our skin. This cream is thick and rich but absorbs well and leaves the eye area feeling refreshed. Again, a little goes a long way and a small dot will cover the entire eye area, top and bottom.

 

The final step is the moisturizer. For daytime I love Olay Complete Defense Daily UV Moisturizer. It has 30 SPF to help keep my skin protected from the damaging effects of the sun. It goes on light and is absorbed quickly but is very moisturizing.

 
 
For night, I use Olay Professional Pro-X Hydra Firming Cream. So rich and moisturizing! I love the way my skin feels in the morning dewy and refreshed.

 

So far, my beauty regimen seems to be working and keeping my skin as young as possible. I have tried other lines before: Estee Lauder, L'Ancome, Borghese, etc. Olay has been my favorite so far...and more affordable too. I also only wash my face with cleanser at night and rinse with plain water during my morning shower. I read several articles about how we wash our faces too much and end up stripping our skin. This practice of washing only once a day has worked well for me and has reduced breakouts.

Until next time...

Wow! Life gets busy and before I know it, it's been way too long in between posts. I have sampled several products since my last post and I will try to include as much as I can. We all know I have an opinion about EVERYTHING and I just can't wait to share.

I received my Target goody bag and tried a couple of the samples included in the cute little makeup bag. The first one I tried was TRESemme Naturals Shampoo, Nourishing Moisture shampoo and conditioner.

 
This shampoo has a very nice, clean scent and suds up very well. The conditioner was creamy and worked well to detangle my hair. My hair didn't feel any different than usual after I dried and styled it. It was shiny and soft but nothing out of the ordinary. I can't stick to only one brand of shampoo or I get itchy scalp so this would be a shampoo I might buy to switch it up in between bottles of my favorite brands.

I also tried the John Frieda Full Repair Shampoo and conditioner. Now, I have found that John Frieda has some outstanding products. This is not the case with this formula. I did not like the scent of this duo. It bordered on unpleasant. The shampoo lathers up nicely but the conditioner was too thin and not very creamy. It was not great at detangling my hair. There was also no apparent benefit to the usual state of my hair once it dried. I usually love John Frieda products but this is one I would not recommend.

The next item I tried was a sample that had been sitting in my sample box for a while. I'm glad I finally got around to trying Velvet Bliss Caress Body Wash. I love the sweet, clean scent of this body wash. It has a luxurious lather and leaves my skin feeling moisturized. Even if it didn't moisturize this well I would buy it for it's great scent.

 

That's all for today but I will try to return soon. I will be reviewing Olay Pro-X and Regenerist products. Thanks for visiting!

Wow! Made it to Thursday in one piece....almost time for another busy weekend. I can't wait!

This week I tried Bath and Body Works Tea Tree facial wash. I tried this facial wash over a period of three days. Let me start by saying that this face wash smells pretty awful. To me it smells like a combination of chrorophyll and tar. It really dried out my skin, too. I had a few blemishes (stress induced, ha ha) and it didn't make them better or worse. Maybe this product would work for someone who has more blemishes but the smell and the drying effect are not worth it to me.  http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/skin-care/skin-care-best-sellers/tea-tree-skin-clearing-facial-wash.aspx

I also tried The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Body Butter. Goes on slightly greasy at first but eventually absorbs and leaves skin feeling buttery and moisturized. I'm not too crazy about the scent, however. To me, it has a slight vanilla undertone (my least favorite scent and flavor.) Someone in my office said I smelled like a cupcake. The good thing is this Body Butter comes in many different varieties. Which is good because I hate smelling like dessert.


Until next time! Please be sure to give me your own opinion if you'd like and remember I include links to the products so that you can order your own if you'd like :-)

It's been a long, very hectic two weeks. I haven't had much opportunity to test products (since I want to give an honest opinion when I do.) Here are the few I've recently tested. I will try my hardest to post more often. I tried a sample of Perfect Results Triple Silk Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner. I had never heard of this brand so I didn't know what to expect. The shampoo did not smell good. I'm not sure how to describe it but it had an unpleasant chemical smell. The conditioner was better smelling (though still not good) and was creamy. It detangled my hair well enough. I was surprised that, after my hair dried, the combination of shampoo and conditioner DID leave my hair smelling great. I couldn't stop smelling it and it felt very soft and silky. I might actually break down and get full size bottles of these two. The next product I tested was a sample of Aveeno Nourish + Moisturize Shampoo and Conditioner. Now, these smelled great. The shampoo had a luxurious later and the conditioner was thick, creamy and great for detangling my ends. My hair felt good after it dried but I was not anything out of the ordinary. If you're looking for shampoo that has a pleasant smell, this is a good option for you. I also tried John Frieda Root Awakening Strength Restoring Shampoo and Conditioner for Breakage Prone Hair. I recently discovered the John Frieda brand and I absolutely love the minty scent they use in these shampoos and conditioners. They make my hair look, feel and smell great. Did it make my hair stronger and protect against breakage? I don't know because this was a single-use sample. So far I've been impressed with the quality of these products and will probably find a formula that targets my specific hair needs and buy the full size product. This next sample was a wonderful Facebook freebie. It was a $10 tube of L'Occitane hand creme that I had to pick up at the store, but it was worth the drive. I absolutely love this hand creme. It is rich and oh-so-creamy. It has a light scent, absorbs well and does not leave a greasy residue. I use it at night and my hands feel wonderful in the morning. This is one I would definitely say, "BUY IT!" I will always make sure I have a tube in my purse and one by my bed at night. Since I had to go to the Gardens on El Paseo to visit L'Occitane, I went ahead and stopped at the Aveda Salon for my other in-store sample which I had a coupon for (I usually make these sample runs with my BFF and it's a fun girls' outing.) Anyway, I had never been to one of their salons and it was a wonderful experience. They greeted us with a lovely cup of iced tea and a hand massage with their awesome hand lotion. I received samples of their shampoo and conditioner for color treated hair, a leave in hair conditioner and their hand lotion. So far, I have only tried their leave in hair conditioning treatment. It has a pleasant, natural scent and a little goes along way. My hair felt soft and moisturized throughout the day. The hand lotion was really good, too. It is nicely scented. Moisturizing, but light, and does not feel greasy. It's supposed to last through 4 hand-washings, though I'm not sure if that's accurate. This is another lotion to carry in your purse and I will definitely keep a tube on my desk at work. That's all for now but I promise to check in again soon with my "priceless" opinion!

Well, this week was horribly busy....reviewed several products but had no time to blog until now.

Tuesday I sampled 2 beauty products and one food item. The first items were Dove Damage Therapy Daily Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner. I found both these items to be just average. The smell was ok, the shampoo lathered well and the conditioner was creamy and detangled my hair just fine. I didn't notice any outstanding results but my hair felt fine throughout the day.

Tuesday night I tried Lawry's Chicken Marsala seasoning packet courtesy of BzzAgent This recipe was easy to prepare but I am not a big fan of mushrooms so it wasn't my favorite. I used fresh mushrooms and served it with mashed potatoes and veggies. My family ate it and said it was ok but no one asked for me to purchase it in the future. We really enjoyed the Lawry's Southwest Chicken Skillet. We liked those ingredients better and it was an entire meal requiring no side dishes.

Wednesday I tried John Frieda's Root Awakening Nourishing Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner. Now this combo I LOVED!!! The scent was amazing and invigorating. Perfect for waking up during your morning shower. The shampoo lathered well and rinsed clean. The conditioner was thick and luxurious. It left my hair soft, shiny and smelling wonderful. I will definitely be buying this product in the future.

Thursday I sampled Garnier Fructis Fortifying Pure Clean shampoo and conditioner. It claims it is for "a greener world" I was definitely not impressed by this duo. The scent was so-so but it lathered and rinsed fine. The conditioner was weak and watery and did not detangle my hair. It left my ends tangly for the rest of the day (even after frequent brushing.) I will never purchase either one of these products.

Friday I used John Frieda Frizz-Ease Smooth Start Shampoo, Conditioner and Serum. I was not familiar with John Frieda products (except for their foam hair color which I got a free coupon for) until this week. I am very impressed by the quality of these products. This shampoo smelled good. It also lathered and rinsed easily. The conditioner was rich and creamy and did a great job detangling my ends. The serum was great too. I could not stop playing with my hair. It left my hair sleek,silky and glossy....just wonderful to touch. This might be one product I am willing to give up my BioSilk serum for. Loved it!

Saturday I used L'Oreal EverStrong shampoo, conditioner and overnight repair treatment. So far, I am not impressed by the L'Oreal "Ever" line. This EverStrong shampoo smelled great and lathered wonderfully but it did not rinse well. I rinsed for a long time but I still felt like it left residue in my hair. The conditioner was creamy and detangled my hair but it was not exceptional. The overnight repair treatment left a residue in my hair (not as bad as the EverSleek leave-in conditioner, which left a thick, greasy residue in my hair, but still residue.)

Sunday was another crazy, busy day (grocery shopping, cleaning the pantry, freezer and fridge, laundry, doggy baths, etc.) so I just had one item for today. Gold Bond Deep Moisture Body Wash Sensitive Skin This body wash had a rich creamy lather. It did moisturize my skin and two hours later it still passed the "fingernail scratch test" (no dry skin line when I ran my nail down the skin of my arm.) The only thing I didn't like was the lack of scent. I understand this is because of the "sensitive skin" formula, which is great for people with allergies. However, I prefer a scented body wash so it's not for me.

Thanks to those of you who joined me and please feel free to comment if you have your own opinion on these products I have reviewed. Also, you may purchase any of the products through the Amazon.com links. Til next time!