April Empties (2013)

Happy May, everyone! I managed to use up quite a few products in April which makes me extremely happy, though I still have a pesky powder foundation that I use at least 5 days a week and hit pan on in December and it still isn't finished (maybe this will wind up in my May empties?). Nonetheless, here are my empties for April.

Philip B Anti-Flake Relief Shampoo - In case you couldn't already tell, I love this shampoo. It's great for my flaky dry scalp. It's somewhat ridiculously priced, but that's ok since I love it. I recently stocked up at the recent spacenk sale so I won't be running out again anytime soon!
Phyto scalp stimulant Elixir Universel - This was a sample in one of the recent Sephora sample bags. It smells horrendous but it really calmed my scalp down as I was having a bit of a psoriasis outbreak due to the weather change. I actually bought the full size as it is significantly safer than using my prescription ointment.
*NuNaat Intensive Hair Mask - I really love this stuff and I was sad to see it go, weird scent and all. It does a great job of moisturizing my hair and I can definitely tell a different when I use it. I've linked a twit-pic of how nice my hair looked after usage, with no extra leave in products. I believe I mentioned in my review that I've seen some of the range in stores, but not this particular product line. I haven't really seen it online either, otherwise I'd repurchase.

Bath & Body Works Twilight Wood Shea Enriched Shower Gel - Lovely scent. Not the most moisturizing shower gel I've ever used but then again, that's what lotion is for! This is the small 3oz size which I love since I tend to get bored easily.
LaRocca Cellular Gold Hydrating Body Balm - This came in a Beauty Army box, I think. It is super rich and emollient and smells like Sunkist Fruit Gems, yum! This takes forever to sink in, so I preferred it at night with a nice comfy pair of flannel pajamas. I'm not sure I'd buy the big size because not only is it pricey but it's a very particular type of product (definitely can't be used in the summer as you'd stick to everything!).
The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Lip Care Stick - An oldie but a goodie! As I've said before, I love the majority of the lip balms from The Body Shop and this is no exception. Reasonably priced, not too waxy nor oily, just perfect. 
MAC Microfine Refinisher - A discontinued but lovely product. I have only another tube before it's gone for good which is unfortunate as it's so nice.

Olay Wet Cleansing Towelettes - These are ok and I got them for an excellent price at the drugstore. My only complaint was they made my eyes water which is weird since they have no alcohol. I think I have another pack but I'm not sure I'd repurchase.

So there you have it. What did you finish in April? If you have a post about your empties, please link it below!


* Disclosure: Item(s) starred were sent for review.

Review: nuNAAT NAAT Treatment Repair Care with Açai Berry and Keratin Collection

I was recently given the opportunity to try a line of hair products called nuNAAT. nuNAAT is a Brazilian line that was originally founded to include some powerhouse ingredients typically found in the Brazilian rainforest region. The full line is huge and has a bunch of mini collections. I tried out the NAAT Treatment Repair Care line with Açai Berry and Keratin. Açaí is a palm tree typically found in the eastern Amazon. The fruit is rich in astringent, antioxidant and antibacterial agents, and contains proteins and vitamins A, C, B1 and E. I was pleasantly surprised to find the line is quite affordable (under $10) and is available for purchase at Walgreens, Sally Beauty Supply and drugstore.com though the availability is limited.

There are four products in the Treatment Repair Care line: shampoo, conditioner, an intensive hair mask and a leave-in treatment.

When it comes to picking hair care products, I always have some problems and can rarely pick all the items from a full line to use. While my hair is generally dry and has a natural curl, I need something that doesn't irritate my very picky scalp. If you've been reading with any regularity, I generally need to use a quite harsh shampoo and then follow up with deeply moisturizing conditioners. With the Treatment Repair Care line, I was able to forgo the scalp shampoos for the majority of the weeks likely due to the açaí, though there were times when my scalp was just too angry and I had to revert back to my much hated T-gel.

The line was fragranced with what smelled exactly like grape jolly ranchers. The smell wasn't overpowering and didn't linger in my hair long after showering.

I'm not a big regular shampoo user and the shampoo from the line burned my eyes so it wasn't something I reached for and the conditioner did a decent job of moisturizing my hair but wasn't amazing; however, I absolutely loved the intensive hair mask and the leave-in treatment! The intensive hair mask is unusually slippery and light but unlike some heavier masks which only seem to coat your hair, my hair absolutely drank this up. It left it soft and manageable but not weighed down.

The leave-in treatment seems like a lighter version of the mask and keeps my hair soft but again, not weighed down at all. It's not oily or almost slimey like some of the crazy silicone-loaded products on the market (Moroccan oil, I'm looking at you!).

As you can see, I've made a pretty good dent in the mask and will continue to use it and the leave-in treatment until they are gone and if I ever spot them at my local Walgreens or Sally Beauty Supply, I'd purchase with my own funds. The shampoo and conditioner were ok but I won't be purchasing those in the future.

Find nuNAAT on Facebook, Twitter and their website.


Disclosure: Items provided for review by nuNAAT. All opinions are my own.