Review: Irresistible Me Moonstone Automatic Steam Curler (Before + After Pictures)

Hey beauties, I've been testing out the Irresistible Me Moonstone Automatic Steam Curler ($89) for over a month now and I'm excited to let you all know what I think!

Pros:

• easy to use
• feels lightweight
• safe to use without worrying about burning your hands or face
• automatically shuts off in 60 minutes
• cuts curling time in half
• heats up fast
• has an anti-tangle sensor
• has a steamer function
• has 3 time settings
• has 3 temperature settings
• multiple curl direction

Cons:

• Beeping sound is a little bit loud
• Can be too bulky for travel (10.5 inches x 3.15 inches x 5 inches)

Continue Reading »

Haul: Bloomingdale's Bonus Box

Hey beauties!! I just wanted to share some goodies that I received from Bloomingdale's with you all. =)

Tory Burch Love Relentlessly Eau de Parfum Spray (1oz/30ml for $68) is a new fragrance from Tory Burch. It has a warm and sensual woody scent with a hint of sweetness. This is the type of perfume that I tend to gravitate towards. (For reference, I also use Dior J'adore and  Narciso Rodriguez For Her.) The perfume also comes in additional sizes, 1.7oz/50ml for $86 and 3.4oz/100ml for $115. The rollerball is 0.2oz/6ml for $28.

Notes: Pink Pepper, Pink Grapefruit, Sicilian Lemon, Sparkling Pear, Raspberry, Lychee, Rose Essential, Orris, Jasmine Sambac, Patchouli Heart, Ambertonic, Australian Sandalwood, Vetiver, Cedarwood Heart, Tonka Bean Absolute

Continue Reading »

Swatches + Comparisons: Caudalie Divine Oil for Face, Body and Hair

Summer is right around the corner and since more skin is exposed, it's time to whip out my body oils and nourish my scaly, snake skin, which I've been hiding all winter. Can the Caudalie Divine Oil do the trick, and even for the face, hair or anywhere that screams dryness?  

Continue Reading »

Swatches: GlossyBox USA November 2012

(GlossyBox USA November 2012)

(GlossyBox USA November 2012)

GlossyBox USA November 2012 ($59.81 Total Value):

1. Illamasqua Lip & Eye Medium Pencil in Honour .05oz ($20) - I received the full size! The formula is super creamy and glides onto to the skin easily without any tugging. When applied onto my skin, it translates into a chocolate brown shade that's perfect for a day time look because the color doesn't look too dark or harsh.
2. Incoco Nail Polish Applique in Sinderella Full Manicure Set ($8.00) - I received the full size! I never tried nail strips before because I was always worried that they would ruin my nails and that they wouldn't adhere well to my nails. These are actually really easy to apply and they stay on my nails extremely well. (They don't peel off.) The color is very festive and reminds me of the holidays. My favorite thing about these nail strips is that there is no smudging and no drying time. I just stick it onto my nail, buff away the excess with a nail filer and I'm done. These are so convenient! Just make sure you press the nail strips well onto your nails to prevent "air bubbles." (I did my thumb first and as you can see from the picture, there are some "air bubbles" on my nail.) To remove, just use nail polish remover.
3. Kryolan for Glossybox Blusher in Glossy Rosewood 2.5g ($9.00) - I received the full size! It's a bubble gum pink with a matte finish. It has regular pigmentation that's not too sheer or too pigmented when applied with a standard blush brush, such as the Studio Gear #13. (The swatches look extremely pigmented because I applied with a very heavy hand, just to show the color better.) It doesn't leave a chalky finish, but it fades and looks patchy within 6 hours. However, because the compact is so tiny, I just take this wherever I go and touch up throughout the day.
4. Nume Style Arganics by Nume Argan Oil 10ml ($4.99) - The full size costs $59/4oz. A little bit goes a long way. I love this stuff because it makes the ends of my hair look healthy and shiny, but not oily or greasy. (Just be careful and do not over apply it!) GlossyBox also provided a $100 gift certificate towards styling tools and hair extensions; however, I doubt I'll be using it because all the products are priced over $100.
5. Skin&Co Roma Truffle Serum 0.50oz ($17.82) -  The full size costs $36/1.01oz. It doesn't have a floral scent, but I can't pinpoint exactly what it is. The scent kind of reminds me of coconut. The formula is thin and liquidy and it absorbs quickly into the skin. It's suppose to "slow down the signs of aging;" however, I'm a poor candidate to test this claim as I'm still "blessed" with youthful skin. (Check back with me in the next year or two.)

For more information about GlossyBox, check out my previous posts of their August & September box.

Also, I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday and remember, 

there's still time to enter my massive giveaway. =)

*This post contains affiliate links and the products mentioned were provided by GlossyBox for consideration. This does not affect my opinion about the products. I don't do paid or guaranteed reviews. My reviews are based on my own honest opinion. 

Damaged Coarse Hair

In October 2009, I had to chemically strip my black hair dye in order to dye my hair a different color. I did that and then a couple of months later, I dyed my hair a different color. I did not wait long enough, so my hair got fried and excessively damaged. There was no treatment out in the market that could have fixed my damaged, coarse hair. All those pills, hot oil treatments, shampoos, and conditioners that claim to fix damaged hair are deceptive. The most that they can do is mask the damage, but not fix it. 

I had hair that reached down to my breasts and it was damaged from scalp to the end of my hair. I decided to cut it up to my chin. I then started taking Nature's Bounty Biotin 5000mcg supplement to promote hair growth and hair strength. I took one pill each day with food. The pills are so small and easy to swallow. The first thing I noticed within 3 weeks was that my nails were much stronger and grew so much faster than before. After 6 weeks, I noticed my hair was growing faster too.

I stopped using shampoo all over my hair because most contain harsh ingredients, such as ammonium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, etc. They strip away the natural oils that your hair makes and cause it to become dry. Therefore, I only used a nickel size of shampoo on my scalp where it produced the most oils. I did this depending on how greasy my scalp looked. I did not use shampoo all over my hair because the midsection part and the ends were excessively dry.

Afterwards, I used Wen Cleansing Conditioner (10 pumps) and left it on my hair for about 15 minutes and then rinsed. (I do not recommend this conditioner if you have healthy hair because it will make your hair look greasy.) It costs $32 for 16 fl. oz. 

After I got out of the shower, I sprayed John Frieda Frizz-Ease Heat Defeat Protective Styling Spray (6 fl. oz $5.99) all over my hair and used a quarter size dollop of John Frieda Frizz-Ease Straight Fixation Smoothing Creme (5 oz. $5.39) on the ends of my hair. Then, I blow-dryed my hair straight. Finally, I straightened it with a flat iron and it looked healthy and not as damaged as it originally was. The creme really did make a difference. Without it, my ends would curl out and look fried.

All the steps that I took only made my hair look heathy. It did not magically fix my damaged hair. If I washed it with a regular conditioner like Tresemme and did not use John Frieda's styling products, my hair would look so damaged and feel so dry. 

The only way I fixed my damaged hair was by getting a trim every 6 weeks. After 10 months, my hair is not as damaged as before. It looks healthy and feels less coarse now. 

I stopped using Wen's Cleansing Conditioner and John Frieda's Frizz-Ease Straight Fixation Smoothing Creme. I now use Dove Intensive Repair Daily Treatment Conditioner (8 fl. oz. $5.99). If I use too much, my scalp would look so greasy a few hours later. So, I only use a quarter size dollop and place most of the conditioner on my ends.

If you have excessively damaged hair, my advice would be to be patient and keep trimming your hair. Hair grows much slower if it is unhealthy and damaged. You could also prevent this from happening by limiting the use of heating products and chemicals. 

Have you experienced any hair disasters? 

*This post contains affiliate links. None of the products mentioned are sponsored.