Review: Shea Moisture African Black Soap Deep Cleansing Shampoo

Don't mind the CVS security tag label. I picked up the Shea Moisture African Black Soap Deep Cleansing Shampoo when CVS was running a special BOGO on Shea Moisture products. I'm always eager to try a new shampoo specifically formulated for temperamental scalps and I had been wanted to try this line for quite awhile. This shampoo contains various natural ingredients that are meant to help dandruff, eczema and psoriasis and retails for around $10 for 12oz.

The consistency of the shampoo is a bit weird. It is very fluid in the bottle, but when you apply it on the hair/scalp, it almost becomes gummy. It smells like banana for the most part, but there's definitely an underlying herbal smell. It isn't my favorite but is a nice departure from the tea tree scent that is very common on these scalp helping products.

As the name suggests, this is a deep cleansing shampoo, meaning that it is really too stripping on my hair and scalp to use as my normal shampoo. I don't wash my hair everyday as it is, but found this too strong for anything more than once every week or two. Because of how drying it is, frequent use made my scalp worse though I think the recent weather changes had an impact too. Unfortunately, I can't say this is a holy grail product for me and I don't think I'll be repurchasing. I'm back to using the Philip B. as my "daily" scalp-healing product which I have come to adore even with the high price point.


Ingredients: De-ionized water, Decyl Glucoside (sugar beets), African black soap, Salicylic Acid, Salix Alba (willow) bark extract, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) seed oil, charcoal powder, Melaleuca Alternifolia (tea tree) leaf oil, Simmondsia chinensis seed (Jojoba) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) oil (denotes certified organic ingredients), aloe vera leaf juice, vitamin E, rosemary extract, plantain extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (honeysuckle) flower and Lonicera Japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) flower extract.

February Birchbox

Due to the epic snowstorm that occurred recently (thankfully missing Maryland though), my Birchbox was delayed. It recently arrived in the mail and aside from missing the bit of chocolate, it was a good one!

Inside:
Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls Styling Lotion 1oz (full size 8.5oz|$22) worth $2.50
Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator 20g (full size 120g|$34)  worth $5.60
Lancome Le Base Pro Makeup Primer .23oz/7ml (full size .8oz/25ml|$42) worth $12
Color Club Wild Cactus mini .25oz (full size .5oz|$8) worth $4

Even though I'm not a fan of sample packets generally, the Miss Jessie's packet is huge! I'm really excited about trying the Vasanti exfoliator and while the green polish really isn't my thing, I love the cute mini bottles that Birchbox has been sending! I don't typically use silicone based primers but I will definitely give the Lancome a whirl.

What did you get in your Birchbox?

Disclosure: Referral link utilized.

January Empties

Weleda Almond Soothing Cleansing Lotion - This 10ml sample came in a Beauty Army box. This smells like actual almonds (not marzipan) and was very gentle. It was great for washing my face in the morning though I wouldn't consider it for evening use as it doesn't remove makeup. I'd consider repurchasing this once I get through some other cleansers as the price is reasonable and I'm a fan of the Weleda brand.
Caudalie Beauty Elixir - I know I know. I tried finding alternate products for this but during a particular time of the month when I'm prone to breakouts, this product is great. It is pricey, the scent is not my favorite and it contains alcohol but I do really like it still.

Caudalie Vinexpert Broad Spectrum SPF15 Radiance Day Fluid - Even though this was only a 3ml sample, it lasted for quite awhile. This was very light on the skin. I didn't find it hydrating enough for me so I wouldn't repurchase.
amika Nourishing Hair Mask - This packet came in a Birchbox. It was a pretty decent hair mask, though it does contain silicone. I only got one use out of the packet so I'm not sure I'd repurchase or not.

Bath & Body Works Vanilla Pistachio Gentle Foaming Hand Soap - Oh my goodness, the Vanilla Pistachio scent from Bath & Body Works is divine! Seriously annoyed that they discontinued this but I picked this up at one of their semi-annual sales. I currently have a back up and I'm kicking myself for not getting more. So delicious.

Have you finished anything recently? Link your empties posts below if you have them!

Physicians Formula Winner!

Congratulations, to...

kelynnm!

Don't fret if you didn't win. My goal for 2013 is to have more giveaways. A quick question though. Do you prefer multiple small ones (like this) or a big giveaway less often? I'm partial to these smaller ones myself since smaller items means I have the means to send to more readers and in more places, too! Let me know your thoughts below.  
  

Review: (Zoya) Smart Spa Grapefruit Surprise Sugar Scrub

Zoya and its mini sub-brands, Qtica, Smart Spa and Callus are very generous with their gift with purchases. The best part is you don't need to remember any codes and items are automatically added to your order if you make a high enough purchase. It must have been several months ago that they were including these Smart Spa sugar scrubs as their GWP. Between a couple orders, I managed to get two of their sugar scrubs, the Grapefruit Surprise I'm reviewing today and the Cool Sugar (which I think might be discontinued). The 7oz tube usually retails for $18 so it was a pretty nice freebie.

I'm a big fan of scrubs and my favorites are sugar scrubs, but I'm very picky with my scrubs. I don't like oily residues and prefer fairly abrasive scrubs that really do the job. If there's only a few scrubby bits, I may as well use my gloves and regular shower gel and save an extra step and money!

The Smart Spa sugar scrub is a little weird. It's a thick gel and within the gel there are tons of little sugar particles. Upon first glance, I thought it wasn't going to be that great but when I actually used it, I was pleasantly surprised. The Grapefruit Surprise is a zingy slightly sweet scent which is great for mornings, it doesn't leave a residue as promised, it has medium "scrubbiness" and it's true, it's non-irritating. Even though this is marketed for professionals for pedicures and manicures, I used it all over my body without a problem. Because it's so thick, it's actually ideal in the shower and doesn't get washed away quite as easily as thinner or drier varieties.

The first thing I thought when I squeezed it out was that it looked exactly like a gum drop!

Anyway, I have quite enjoyed using mine though I'm not sure I'd repurchase as I already have a back up and it's a little pricey. If you received one as a freebie and stuck it in the back of your cabinet like I did, you should pull it out and give it a try!

Review: Cover Girl Advanced Radiance Age Defying Makeup with Olay #105 Ivory

I don't recall why I picked out this foundation at the drugstore. The Cover Girl Advanced Radiance Age Defying Makeup SPF 10 comes in an attractive plastic pump bottle. It retails for about $13 at local drugstore (less at places like Target and Walmart). I picked up the lightest shade in the range, #105 Ivory. You can probably tell from the bottle shot above that this is nowhere near pale.

So even though there's a fairly hydrating ingredient towards the top of the list (glycerin), this baby is chocked full of silicones. I immensely dislike foundations with tons of silicones (some I can handle) but this has dimethicone crosspolymer, some other special dimethicone with some numbers (sorry, I'm not a chemist by any means), regular dimethicone, methicone, another special dimethicone with different numbers... whew. Basically, this is a story of me picking a foundation without reading the back, likely carrying too many things in my hands and feeling rushed.

So even though the color is all wrong and the ingredients kind of scared me, how did this perform? If you need absolutely no coverage and want to use this as a base for your makeup with a tint, then it's fine. You can see it blended in on the right side of my hand. It slightly cancels out the redness in my hand and doesn't look obviously dark and off. I'd liken this to something like Origins Vitazing though I've never tried it.

If you want a foundation that actually covers anything, then you're going to have a problem. The above is my attempt at a second layer. First of all, it doesn't smooth over the first layer easily, it cakes up and goes all patchy. And of course, you can start to see just how yellow and off the foundation is for me (though my hand is a bit more pasty than my face). It's just all wrong. I've been battling some "time off the month" breakouts and this made my face look horrible. When I went to ""blend"" (major air quotes there), it kind of mushed the product around. It just wasn't attractive.

Basically, it looked like I had applied something on my face, but I hadn't applied foundation, if that makes any sense because it didn't cover anything but you could definitely see it! So unfortunate.

So, if you like silicone primers and you want one with some kick or you have perfect skin and shouldn't be wearing a mask of silicone anyway (but that's just my opinion) maybe you would like to try this? At close to $15 with tax, it's on the pricey side.

I returned mine thanks to the awesome CVS Beauty Guarantee. Sorry Cover Girl. This was not easy nor breezy.

Giveaway! Win a Physicians Formula Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain in Red

My review on the Physicians Formula Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stains has gotten a lot of views since I posted it. So I figured since it's been awhile since I posted a giveaway and I managed to snag another one in Red today, I would give it away! Please note that I am giving away 1 Sexy Booster gloss in the shade Red (although the photo above is the one from the original post - these suckers are difficult to photograph!). One gloss, one winner, open worldwide (even with the recent postal hike) yadda yadda. Enter via the rafflecopter widget below! Good luck!

Big Lots Haul - and Reminder

I had a bit of a haul today in Big Lots. I bought a lot of boring stuff: cereal, more velvet hangers, a mattress pad that made me so excited I tweeted about the deal (it's that good), Gatorade, and other household necessities. But there was some fun stuff in the loop. I think I did pretty well, especially since today only Big Lots is having another 20% day for rewards members so everything was an additional 20% off - they do this every few months which is nice. And I was quite restraint considering there was a lot more goodies to be had.

I wouldn't say this is super exciting, but most girls need razors and these are a pretty decent deal at $3.20 for 4. I'm pretty sure these razors are discontinued but I have a few of the "tails" around from when they've been at sale at the local drugstores over the years.

Usually, I don't have the patience to go digging in the cosmetic aisle, but I found a whole bunch of Maybelline for $1.50 a piece (or $1.20 after discount). I picked up 3 of the stylish smokes trios (Lavender Smokes, Plum Smokes, Emerald Smokes) which I believe are discontinued but retailed for around $5 or $6 at the drugstores. If I remember correctly, they were rather favorably received when they were still available for purchase.

Next are 3 blushes that I believe came out in their Spring 2012 Limited Edition collection (per Nouveau Cheap's first look). These were probably around $5 or $6 at the drugstore but once again, they were only $1.50 a piece (or $1.20 after discount) at Big Lots! I picked up Champagne Blossom, Pink Peony and Coral Blossom.

I also found this gem, the Maybelline Eye Studio in Spirited Seas for $1.50 (or $1.20 after discount). These eye studio quads usually retail for $9.99. I was looking for more colors but only found this shade. Very excited about this one.

Last but certainly not least, I picked up a pack of the Epielle wipes in the Green Tea scent which I've never tried. These are usually $1.00 per pack which is a bargain but these were only .80 after coupon. ;)

Have you been to Big Lots recently? What did you score?

Review: Caudalie Cleansing Water

In the past year or so, I've made it a point of trying lots of these micellaire waters. Given that my skin is fairly sensitive and on the drier side, these new cleansing products seem ideal. Also, I am super lazy and all-in-one products are awesome. I was excited about trying the Caudalie version since I haven't found a Caudalie product I hate yet. I'll cut right to the chase and say that while I don't hate this product, I'm a bit lukewarm. You see, I already have a great love for the Makeup Forever Sens'eyes cleanser and I basically compare every other remover to that blue concoction of wonderfulness. To be honest, I was pretty surprised the Nuxe's version easily removed long-wear mascaras. The Caudalie version removed face makeup like a champ but it left remnants of my eye makeup which included a non-waterproof mascara.

It smells like the signature Caudalie fragrance which is quite strong but doesn't bother my nose and I quite enjoy it. Still, I wish it weren't so highly fragranced. The cleansing water doesn't burn my eyes or skin for that matter. It's non-drying although it seems to leave a bit of a residue that is sticky for the first few minutes after application. I do like it for long-wear lip products as it doesn't taste foul and removes everything on the lips without drying them out. I personally wouldn't buy a product just to remove lip products though as I don't do epic lip swatching sessions and don't wear long-wear products on a daily basis.

I've gone through about 1/5 of my bottle and I just don't know. It's ok? If it managed to remove eye makeup a bit better I'd say I'd repurchase but because it doesn't quite get the job done in that area, it's not something I'd look into buying again. A bit disappointing since I do enjoy the brand in general.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Poloxamer 184, Glycerin, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Water, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Cocamidopropyl Butanamide Mea Chloride, Bisabolol, Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium Chloride.

Review: Physicians Formula Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stains

I wouldn't say I had the best luck with the YSL Glossy Stains, but I've been intrigued with lip products that have the ability to stain your lips while having a glossy finish till they wear off. I haven't yet had the chance to try the L'Oreal ones, but when I saw these at my local drugstore on sale, I quickly picked them up. Physicians Formula brought out a new Sexy Booster line (complete with blushes and bronzers), a spin on their Happy Booster line. The Physicians Formula version only comes in two colors, "Red" and "Hot Pink". Since I managed to get them for only $3 on sale and after coupons, I picked up both.

Physicians Formula has some of the cutest drugstore packaging ever. Just look at the shoe charms!

Aside from the cute ribbon and shoe charms, the packaging is a standard square tube and comes with a rounded doe foot applicator.

These have a similar formula to the YSL glossy stains; however, the formula differs between both of the colors. For example, the red one is much more translucent and more gel-like and doesn't seem to "dry down" which makes it retain some moisturizing properties. The hot pink is much more like the YSL Glossy Stains, as it seems to dry down on the lips and is more sticky and a bit less moisturizing. It is also a bit more pigmented than the red shade so I'm not sure if that contributes to the different textures (or if it's quality control issues).

The red is a more tomato-warmer red and the hot pink almost looks purple! These aren't colors I would wear on a daily basis, to the office for example; however, I think they are fun and they do actually stains the lips.

They definitely stained my hand in any case!

lip swatch - "Red"

lip swatch (poorly done, apologies) - "Hot Pink"

I took this picture after "Red" had been on my lips for about 5 minutes and I wiped it off. I definitely got some staining, though it was more evident on my bottom-more pigmented lip than the top one.

I've heard that these have some issues with wearing off unevenly like with what I experienced with the YSL version but for some reason, it bothers me less with these likely due to the price point! I don't know if Physicians Formula can really claim anything with pheromones. I don't know about your loves, but my husband won't kiss me while wearing anything red on my lips, pheromones or not.They definitely aren't "kiss proof" as claimed until you wipe the gloss part off.

Cute, but not amazing, but they were cheap enough to keep. ;)

Have you tried these yet? Thoughts?