Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eye Liner and Gentle Eye Make Up Remover - Review

I recently was sent the Rimmel London Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eye Liner and Gentle Eye Makeup Remover to review.  I'm just going to keep this one short, sweet, and to the point.

The eye liner is very intense creamy black liner that stays on all day.  It is ideal if you are after a very dramatic look.

I actually like to use a flat angled eye liner brush to smudge it out slightly along the upper lash line for a softer everyday look that is much less harsh.

 The Gentle Eye Makeup remover is one I have used in the past.  It requires a bit more product on a cotton ball than you might be used to if you generally use a creamy eye makeup remover, but works very nicely with no water needed and causes absolutely no stinging or burning of the eyes.

Both items can be purchased right around the $4.50 price range at most drugstores and big box stores.

For more information and future product reviews be sure to subscribe and comment below.

Candy Cane Lane Green Tea by Celestial Seasonings Review

Today I am reviewing the Candy Cane Lane Green Tea by Celestial Seasonings.  

How cute are those polar bears with their giant candy canes?  I mean seriously!

This flavor is part of the Holiday Tea line and I would have reviewed it much sooner but I didn't receive it until immediately before the holidays.  It was sent to me for review purposes and my only regret (aside from not having it in my hot little hands much sooner) is not having more than 2 tea bags because I would have loved to have been able to share it with my readers.

For those of you that don't know Celestial Seasonings is touted to be 100% Natural Teas.  This particular version is both gluten free *WOOT!!!!* and naturally decaffeinated so it is perfect to sip just before bed with a really good book.  The ingredients listed are as follows:

Peppermint (obviously), Decaffeinated Green Tea (also obvious), Orange Peel (here is where they throw in a little twist), Natural Vanilla and Mint Flavors with Other Natural Flavors (what are these mysterious other natural flavors and why do they not have to tell us what they are?  What if I'm allergic to "Other Natural Flavors?!?  I could die here people!!!  Lives might be at stake!  BUT I digress.  So anyway...), Cinnamon (Yum!), Milk Thistle (???  The Magic 8 Ball says that milk thistle apparently can be good for type 2 Diabetes sufferers because it has been shown to decrease blood sugar levels by improving insulin resistance and also improve cholesterol.  It can mimic estrogen in the system though so women with fibroids or endometriosis or breast, uterine, or ovarian cancer should probably avoid it.), Blackberry Leaves (Another surprising twist!), Roasted Carob (What the?!?  An almost, but not quite replacement for cocoa and chocolate), Roasted Chicory and Vanilla Bean (This is where the lack of a comma throws me off.  Is it Roasted Chicory and Roasted Vanilla Bean?  OR is it Roasted Chicory *insert comma* and Vanilla Bean?  just plain old vanilla bean?  Inquiring minds want to know.  BTW... roasted chicory is often used as a coffee substitute in case you were wondering.)

The instructions are to use water just at the brink of boiling over the tea bag because using slightly cooler water to brew green tea apparently results in a "smoother, more delicate flavor."  (Oh NOW they want to use a comma.)  Anyway, you pour the water over the tea bag, steep it for three minutes, remove the tea bag, and then add milk or sweetener according to whatever floats your green tea boat.

Upon cutting the bag open I was immediately hit with the peppermint-y fragrance which at first was much more peppermint much less candy cane, but after the first few seconds while the fragrance dissipated from the bag the candy cane fragrance settled in a bot more and it became a bit of a tug-of-war of the senses between the two.   (Is that the roasted carob causing the subtle but noticeable difference between peppermint and candy cane?  The more I sniff the more I think so.)  Is smelling a bag filled with tea bags bad for you because I'm pretty sure I just spent 10 minutes straight huffing this fragrance and my sinuses are feeling icy cool like I wiped them down with a York Peppermint Patty.  I'm not complaining.  I'm just saying am I at risk of an addiction?  I think maybe.  I should probably get on with the steeping and drinking portion of the program just to be safe.)

By the way... this is what the tea bags look like in case you were wondering.

Upon first taste it really is more peppermint than candy cane albeit it is peppermint with a ZING.  (There is that icy coolness again.)  I find that with some Celestial Seasonings teas (like Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride for example) that the full flavor doesn't come out until you add some sort of sweetener.  I decided to add the same thing I typically use which is a single packet of Equal.  This did open up the flavor some, but I would still describe it as more of a peppermint flavor than a candy cane flavor specifically but again, it does have that added zing which you don't get from a traditional peppermint tea.  Either way, it happens to be a much better peppermint/candy cane flavor than any other peppermint tea I have had to date so all in all I'd call this one a WIN.  It is smooth and soothing and delicious and I'd drink loads and loads of it all winter long if given the chance.

I generally buy my Celestial Seasonings Teas at my local Target store and the price falls somewhere between about $2.50 and $3.50 for a box of 20 tea bags.  I happen to know my Target store carried this exact flavor, so chances are yours does too.  

For more information on the Celestial Seasonings brand in general and the many types of tea they offer go to:

www.celestialseasonings.com

Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream Review

This is a review of the Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream.  I was sent the sample size in the "All Light Skin Tones" version.

It is a "flesh toned" cream that touts having "5 beautifying benefits in one moisturizer for a flawless appearance."

"5 visible results in 5 days!"

*Hydrates

*Illuminates

*Evens

*Firms

*Corrects

I have to say that for me this wins the "Most Over-hyped Product of 2014 Award".

I don't know about gradually improving skin over 5 days, but it definitely does not instantly visibly improve skin as you can clearly see below.  Not only does the side I applied the cream to not look at all improved or any more illuminated than before I applied the cream, it actually doesn't even look any more moisturized than the half I didn't apply any cream to.  Typically when you apply a moisturizer to dry skin you can at least clearly see which area was moisturized and which areas were not.   It doesn't FEEL any more hydrated in that area either.

This is extremely disappointing for me on many levels.  First, a bottle of this stuff costs almost $13 in my area.  That is expensive for a lotion if you ask me.  Second, Jergens has always been a brand I have found to be EXTREMELY moisturizing and was always a close second to my all time favorite Avon lotions so for them to miss the boat on hydration is just an all around fail.  Third, Jergens has had many products in the past including self tanning moisturizers that worked VERY well for making the skin look better while also leaving the skin as soft as a baby's butt, so it's not like they don't know how to get these things right.  Not only would I suggest almost any other lotion for the purpose of hydration over this one and any other firming lotion as well, I would also suggest just about any self-tanner, body bronzer, illuminating lotion, or body makeup (like Sally Hansen), or treatment cream over this one for the purpose of visibly illuminating or correcting or evening skin tone.

I should also mention that the fragrance is very unusual for a lotion as well.  I like the scent.  It is more of a flowery perfume fragrance than a scent you would expect from a body cream.  The problem is that it is VERY strong.  I'm not typically sensitive to scents, but I have to say just having that little bit on my hand is starting to give me a bit of a headache.  Luckily it doesn't last much more than an hour or two really.  Having the scent further away on my legs is fine, but having it all over my body or at all closer to my face is just too overpowering.  While I do enjoy the scent I would enjoy a lot less of it a lot more.  I don't think I've ever said that before in my life.

I have heard one person say to skip the light skin tones version and go straight to the darker version and maybe that one is better, but I have to say I really can not get on board with this.  It is just too expensive and there are just too many other options out there that are better and Jergens as a brand can do better plain and simple.

AVIVA Hair Revitalizer Advanced Hair Growth System - Review

This is a review of the AVIVA Hair Revitalizer Advanced Hair Growth System.

The information that was given to me is this, "Unlike other hair supplements, AVIVA uses a proprietary dual complex of Pentaplex HGF and Tetra HHL that works with your hair's natural cycle to stimulate healthy growth from within - up to 6mm beneath the scalp's surface - enriching and enhancing stronger, thicker and more beautiful-looking hair.  Even if you aren't experiencing any hair issues, Aviva can help make your hair even more beautiful and healthy!  Other beneficial ingredients include vitamin B5, folic acid, vitamin H (biotin), silica, iron, zinc, and iodine - all DRUG-FREE, all-natural, fish-free ingredients to help stabilize strong and healthy hair.  AVIVA provides the valuable nutrition that supports hair regeneration."

Pentaplex HGF = "A blend of botanical and nutraceutical ingredients purposed to support healthy hair growth."  HGF stands for Hair Growth factor in case you were wondering.

(Merriam-Webster's definition of the word nutraceutical = "a specially treated food, vitamin, mineral, herb, etc. that you eat or drink in order to improve your health."

Full definition = "a foodstuff (as a fortified food or dietary supplement) that provides health benefits in addition to its basic nutritional value."

Medical definition = a foodstuff (as a fortified food or dietary supplement) that is held to provide health or medical benefits in addition to its basic nutritional value - called also functional food"

If you don't believe me you can read it for yourself here.

It is a word that combines the words nutritive and pharmaceutical together kind of like "TomKat" or "Brangelina" or "Amazeballs" and showed up in our culture somewhere around the late 80's early 90's.  I've seen the date reported differently based on where you look so I will just stick with around the high school years of the early Generation X kids which includes me.)  

Makes it very clear that these are or aren't natural ingredients right?  NOT!  What I CAN tell you though is that if you are allergic to soy or glycerin, or bees (because of the beeswax) you will not be able to take these.  Also don't forget that products such as these are not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration so use your best judgment before taking them which I will talk about more later.

Now back to what I was talking about before I went off on a definition tangent which is the other big words that are identified as what makes this product special.

Tetra HHL = "A combination of fatty acids and plant derived lipids that support healthy cell membranes and scalp, resulting in hair follicle retention."  HHL stands for Healthy Hair Lipid and I interpret the phrase "hair follicle retention" to mean the hair won't fall out.

Inside the box you get an information booklet giving more information on how the product works.  You get normal pill type foil packets of the supplement that look like this...

(Yes the pills are pink.  SCORE!)

You get 8 of these "sheets" and since you take two of these per day that gives you a total of 32 days worth of supplements.  Check out my math skills!  This means every month you have at least one day (in some months more than one) where you can accidentally drop your pills in the toilet or have them both roll under the refrigerator or whatnot and you will still have enough left to get through the entire month.  Just imagine how clumsy you can be during the month of February and get away with it!  BONUS!!!

The pills are about the same length as a quarter is across in case you were wondering.  Definitely not small but I've seen worse.

Now, you guys know that I have extremely thin fine hair that has gotten even more thin as I get older.   If you don't know then no worries.  It just means you are new and should subscribe to my blog so that you don't miss anything.  Go ahead and do it.  Right now.  Top right hand side of the page.  I'll wait.
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  I've talked at length about my hair struggles and losing hair excessively and in patches and how the general health of the hair has changed over time.  If you've missed those conversations you can always go back to older posts here and videos on my YouTube channel at your leisure and catch up.  You should subscribe there too by the way.  Just sayin'.

Anyhow... I do already take a daily 65 mg Iron supplement which has helped immensely, but not only are there other factors involved besides just suffering from anemia, there are other nutritional deficiencies that I could still be plagued with that I'm not even aware of.  That is where I was hoping this would come in.  I feel very strongly that blatant injuries aside, pretty much everything that is wrong with you has something to do with what you are doing wrong from the inside.  Our food supply isn't even food anymore so between putting in poisons and not getting nutrition we have aches and pains and even mental issues like never before.  The chance to try something that focuses on starting from the inside is extremely appealing to me.

This is the part where things get difficult.  First of all I want to say always consult a professional before you start something like this particularly if you take medications of any sort.  We are all different and the idea that what is right for you can be decided based on "national averages" or any other person's experience in my opinion is a mistake.  I don't know about you, but I want decisions that affect me to be based on my needs and my needs alone and I could give a rats batooty if I do or don't fall into some range that has been labeled as "normal" or "abnormal" based on this ginormous curve that includes hordes and hordes of people that AREN'T me.  So consider that my disclaimer to you.  I'm not your doctor.  I only know me.  I don't know what is right for you and I am willing to be a guinea pig in some cases for everyone else's benefit.   Make your own decisions and consult the professionals around you that you trust and know your specific life scenario.

So there's that...

The second difficult part is that I'm actually supposed to post pictures of how my hair looked before and how it looked after so you can see the results.  I'm not even going to bother to do that.

Why?

Because of the third difficult part...  I didn't really see any results at all and even if I had my hair is so fine that unless those photographs were taken by a professional with some sort of microscope you wouldn't be able to see any differences anyway.  Mainly though I just didn't get results.

Now, before you decide that my lack of results means this product doesn't work stop and think for a moment.  I've already mentioned that I recently added an Iron supplement to my routine that was something that I was in extreme need of because I was very anemic.  Of course once I fixed that issue I went through a huge recovery period where the problems with my hair that were being caused by anemia were fixed.  I may still be suffering from other issues that could be affecting my hair that could include anything from hormonal changes to thyroid issues to other nutritional deficiencies to things that I could be consuming that are poisoning my system.  The possibilities are endless!  For me though the benefits that might come from taking AVIVA for someone else just didn't seem to have a major impact on me.  Maybe I have already maxed out my hair capabilities based on nutritional input alone and need to focus on making other fixes in other areas that I mentioned earlier or maybe this is the best I get and nothing else I do will make it any better.  Who knows?

To sum up all I can say is the only way you will know if this product will work for you is if you try it.  I did not have any noticeable adverse effects taking it although I was only given a two month supply (or 64 days worth provided you don't drop any down the sink for all you math nerds out there) and if there could be long term effects or not I really can't say.  I don't have anything bad to say about it and you know I would tell you if I did, so if you are interested in trying it just make the decision that feels right for you.

Oh!  And get a discount too because what would life be without a good discount now and then?

Use code AVIVAbstat14 to receive a 20% discount and FREE shipping on a 30-Day Supply product purchase of AVIVA Hair Revitalizer at www.avivahair.com.

And then the NEXT time you purchase use the code LOVEAVIVA10 to get 10% off another 30 days supply.  You can't use both codes at the same time and you can only use each code once, but I was only supposed to give you the first code in this post anyway so you're welcome.  

This item was provided for review courtesy of www.beautystat.com.

True Smooth by Coolway

I have been dreading writing this post.  I really have.  It isn't as bad as that introduction makes it sound, but when I have high hopes for a product and it doesn't end up working out I always feel a little bit bad saying it.  It's one thing when you can say it in passing as you roll through multiple products, but when the entire post is dedicated to the one product you are disappointed in it feels a lot more dramatic to say you don't really care for it.  That being said... I don't really care for it.

What is the product?  It is a product called True Smooth by Coolway.

Now, Coolway is the winner of 6 beauty awards including Allure's Breakthrough Product of the Year.  True Smooth is supposed to feature a "new technology that allows you to avoid using a flat iron altogether."  This technology is the Amino Lock MAB molecule which is activated by your blow dryer and is supposed to hold your style from the inside of the hair as you dry it.  You are supposed to get the same smooth, frizz-free results that a flat iron would give you without all of the damage of actually using one.  It's being described as "a blow-dry bar in a bottle."  It is also clinically proven to strengthen hair up to 4Xs and reduce breakage by 75%.

The claims on the bottle also include:

*Smooth, frizz-free, weightless hair with body and movement

* A significantly reduced blow drying time

I was so excited about the claims because who isn't looking for a product that makes them look like they just had a professional blowout?

Now, my first concern came when I read the instructions which state to shake well, apply generously, 25-50 sprays evenly depending on hair length... there is more but can we just pause for a moment to say 

HOLY GEEZOWIE!  25 to 50 sprays?!?  This entire bottle is the exact length of my hands (which happen to be on the smaller side).   3.3 oz or 100 ml to be exact.  That is a LOT of product to use at one time.  A diagram that was sent to me along with the product basically shows approximately 25 sprays for bob length hair, 35 sprays for hair that goes just at or below the shoulders, and 45 sprays for long hair.  Now, my hair is below breast length which is quite long, but it is very very very thin.  I ended up using about 20 sprays or so which was about all my hair could handle and honestly about all I could handle spraying for reasons I will explain in a moment.  Anyway, you are supposed to squirt it on wet hair, comb it through and then blow your hair dry using a brush to smooth it.

Side note:  My favorite part of the bottle is the ingredients listing which starts with "Aqueous Infusion of Anthemis nobilis (chamomile) flower..."  This actually made me laugh out loud.  Nothing like a super fancy way of saying ~this product is mostly water but we dropped some chamomile in so we wouldn't have to just say this product is mostly water.  There are quite a few natural ingredients in the list actually but there are just as many manufactured ingredients to go along with them.  It is, however, free of formaldehyde, sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and synthetic color.  It is not tested on animals, is color safe, and is made in the USA.  High five for that!  

So... here is a photo of what my hair looks like blown dry with mousse and after a curling iron is run over it to smooth it out similar to what you might do with a flat iron although not as severe.

Excuse the other products in the photo and the goofy face I am making.  They are not related to this post.  I just needed a photo where you could see the majority of my hair and what it looks like styled.

Now, I was asked to take before and after photos so you can see how my hair looks with the product in.  Since this product is supposed to make you look like you flat ironed your hair just from blowing it dry I decided to take the before photo blown dry without any styling products and the after photo also blown dry without any styling products except for the True Smooth.  The before photo is on the left and the after photo is on the right.

BEFORE                                  AFTER

Now, I will say that after using the True Smooth my hair was slightly less limp than it was without using it, but honestly the results were so slight that it almost isn't even worth commenting on.  You can clearly tell that my hair does not look as good as it does after being straightened and it definitely does not look as good as it would have if I had it professionally blown out.  I definitely would not describe it as smooth.  I missed my mousse and I missed my heat styling tool.  End of story.

Now, did it strengthen my hair and reduce breakage?  I don't know... maybe?  I can't tell a difference either way.

I also need to say that I wish the nozzle controlled the spray a bit more than it does.  It sprays nicely but it sprays wider than I really think it should.  It's not hard to control necessarily but I did find that because it sprayed a bit wider than I needed it to, not only did I lose product around the sides of my hair, but it ended up places I didn't really need it to like the sides of my face and neck.  It just needs a bit more precision like the Tressemme Heat Protectant bottle nozzle has.  I should mention though that 25 sprays doesn't use up as much product as I thought it might because each spray is a controlled amount of spray, but it is still a really small bottle that I think you could potentially use up more quickly than you would like with a price of $24.95 per bottle.

This product also really stinks... I mean literally... it stinks which is why I could only handle about 20 sprays.  It smells like a very synthetic attempt at coconut combined with a strong form of rubbing alcohol.  It doesn't permeate the room necessarily, but it does linger slightly in the hair throughout the day and it is really just yuck.

It also didn't really cut down on my drying time, but in all fairness, my hair is so thin that it only takes about one to two minutes to completely dry anyway.  It's not a fair fight when it comes to my hair in this category.

The final point I want to make is that we were warned that amazing results don't come with just one use, so I did make sure to use it multiple days in a row before I took the before and after shots.  It still just didn't do what I was hoping for.  Sorry guys, but this one just didn't really work for me.

You never know until you try it for yourself though.  It could be just the thing you've been looking for.

Now for the business part of the program:

Use code BeautyStat14 to receive a 10% discount on all Coolway purchases at getcoolway.com (not including shipping revenue and taxes).

This item was provided for review courtesy of BeautyStat.com.

Avon True Color Eyeshadow Single - Aqua

 Avon True Color eyeshadow single in the shade Aqua.  Can we just talk about this eyeshadow for a minute because I think this is the type of color that tends to scare some people when it comes to experimenting with makeup.  I have to admit that for someone like myself who is not afraid at all of color I am less likely to use light blues than any other color mainly because of the millions of shades that exist it is just my least favorite of them all and let's face it... aqua is just a few points of green on the chromatic scale away from blue, so when this color came up to buy in my random selection way of trying new products in the Avon line (Yes I choose items to buy completely at random.  I told you I'm not at all afraid of color.) I was a little less than excited about it for a few reasons.  1. because of the order of my personal color preference and 2. because colors like this can be harder to sell to people based on their fear of color or their misconception that particular colors are not allowed to be worn at work (which I have always found to be not the case) or their silly notions that there are colors they don't look good in (also false because it's not WHAT you wear it's HOW you wear it) or just their basic intimidation stemming from their self-doubt in their own ability to know how to wear or apply makeup.  I find that colors like this require a lot more smooth talking, arm twisting, confidence building, and in some cases even begging to get a timid makeup wearer to even consider it.  So when I end up with a color like this I cringe a bit basically in laziness knowing I'm going to have to work harder than usual in the near future.  I always win in the end, but work is work no matter how you look at it.  So, if you are one of those people that I just listed then let me be the wind beneath your aqua wings because this at it's most basic level just a really pretty color.

The swatch you see below is a bit heavy, but you get the idea.

My one complaint about this particular shadow (and I always look for one thing that could be improved in every product and am always honest about my thoughts) is that in my opinion, when it comes to bright colors you really need the powder to ultimately be completely opaque and not at all powdery.  The silkier the shadow the better when the color is bright.  If you can see the skin through it bright color gets contaminated and you lose the intensity almost as if it had been watered down to some extent and the matte finish on this one is not helping in that category at all.  The colorants in this shadow appear on the skin more like a staining colorant would AFTER you tried to wipe it off only to find the skin stained by the colorant and less like a solid pigment that is not soluble in water appears on the skin.  Now, don't get me wrong... this shadow does not stain the skin.  I'm just trying to explain how it performs in the best way I know how, but you experienced makeup girls will know what I mean.  You are going to have to use an opaque white base under this shadow or some other buildable base to get it to perform the way we like our bright colors to look.  The upside is that for someone who is afraid of color they can ease their way into it and over time as they get comfortable with seeing the changes in the mirror they can use more advanced application techniques to get a more intense result in the end.  

If I had to say just one thing about this shadow I would say just try it.  This is about as easy as it will get in the grand scheme of things when you need some time to figure out how to make color work for you.  http://showard.avonrepresentative.com/

Review: ADORAtherapy Mood Boost Spray - Smart

I'm back with another review!  Before I get to the review I need to cover the business portion of the program and give you the product details that were given to me, so here we go!

Adora Winquist, CEO, Founder and Chief Formulator of ADORAtherapy Mood Boost has pioneered the combination of aromatherapy and energetic healing, creating formulas with aromatics made from plant products around the world to stimulate the series in a way that awakens the joys and passions of humanity.

ADORAtherapy Mood Boost is a line of aromatic sprays that invigorate and bring balance to your senses.  The well-balanced power of mindfully selected essential oils has been proven to relax and realign your emotions.

The ADORAtherapy Mood Boost products have been featured on Dr. Oz's website: YOUbeauty as "Aromatherapy That Really Works".  Beauty Store Magazine has awarded them Best Seller Status.  The brand has also been featured in the New York Post, Open Sky, Living Smart Girl, Jet and many more publications and websites.

New Gal on the Go Mood Boost - 7 sprays let you be ready to take life on without slowing you down!  Make sure you're in a great mood when you take on the day!  The range includes: Seductive (top notes: Sandalwood, Ginger. benefits: Aphrodisiac, Grounding, Balancing), Beautiful (top notes: Blood Orange, Jasmine. Benefits: Harmonizes Emotions, Enhances Creativity, Uplifting), Smart (top notes: Lemon, Grapefruit.  Benefits: Enhances Concentration, Energizing, Refreshing & Cleansing), Balanced (top notes: Rose, Gardenia. Benefits: Balance & Harmony, Calming, Elevates Social outlook), Inspired (top notes: Peppermint, Chamomile. Benefits: Stimulating & Purifying, Refreshing, Relieves Fatigue), Awake (top notes: Tulsi (Holy Basil), Frankincense. Benefits: Emotional & Spiritual Balance, Energizing, Mental clarity), and Peaceful (top notes: Lavender, Rosewood. Benefits: Calming & Soothing, Balancing, Meditation & Tranquility).

The idea is that you choose the fragrance based on the particular boost you need, or based on the fragrance you prefer, or even based on the fashionable girl you identify with the most on the packaging if it floats your boat and you get natural ingredients while you're at it.

This brand didn't start off as ADORAtherapy Mood Boost, it's popularity was built under the name Opus Gaia.  With growing health and wellness brand recognition in retail chains the company has decided to rebrand their product line and establish an online shopping destination under the new ADORAtherapy name at adoratherapy.com and they need your help.  The company has launched an independent fundraising campaign through the crowd funding platform Indiegogo to raise the money needed to accomplish a successful new brand launch.

If you pledge today by going to the Indiegogo site by clicking here ADORAtherapy will send you the following prizes:

PLEDGE $5 or more - "Adore Yourself" Wristband made of 100% silicone
PLEDGE $15 or more - Gal on the Go Mood Boost in your choice of 7 scents
PLEDGE $30 or more - Travel & Office Good Mood Boost (120 ml size/ 10 ml)
PLEDGE $35 or more - Gal On The Go Mood Boost Spray & Screen-Printed T-Shirt
PLEDGE $45 or more - Gal On The Go Mood Boost Spray & Two Tone Deluxe Tote Bag

Go to their Indiegogo site to see the other prizes you can win -> HERE!

This sample was provided courtesy of BeautyStat.com

Now for the review!

As you can see below, I was sent the Gal on the Go in Smart and the wristband that you will receive if you pledge $5.  I LOVE the packaging.  The ribbon pull matchbox style box with the fashionable "Gal" on the front makes this super easy to gift.  You could loop a hook through the ribbon and hang this from your holiday tree for the easiest gift giving EVER.

With the lemon and grapefruit top notes I expected this might be an acidic assault on my senses especially since one of the benefits is that it is supposed to be energizing, but it wasn't.  It was more herbal than I expected and much more mellow than I expected almost like an incense fragrance with a touch of identifiable lemon added in.  In fact, for me it might be too mellow to energize me.  That is what is great about this line!  There is plenty to choose from and I have to say I think I'm much more likely to identify with the Seductive Mood Boost.  Blame it on the red hair on that "Gal" if you want, but I see myself in her.  If I were to base it on fragrance alone I'm thinking I might lean more towards Inspired because I can get behind Peppermint in a fragrance more than other floral or herbal scents.  In fact,  I might be inclined to blend those two to create my own perfect pick me up.  The sass of the redhead combined with the scent of a little peppermint could be my perfect fit.  I can't wait to see what else is to come from this company in the future!

Playtex Secrets Balconette Underwire Bra - Review

WARNING!  WARNING!  Potential TMI blogpost to follow!  Exit immediately if you are easily offended.  (Also exit immediately if you are just a big perv searching for bra posts.)  Hehe

Now that we've gotten that business out of the way.  You have just seen what I have under my shirt.  That's right!  I admit it!  That is a picture of the bra I am wearing RIGHT NOW.  OOOOOoooohhhhhhhhh!   Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!  Nice right?  What you see here is the Playtex Secrets Balconette Underwire Bra.  These bras are available in cup sizes B through DDD.  Mine happens to be a 36DD although I am really more of a DDD and up sized girl.  As you can see this isn't exactly what we might normally consider to be a balconette bra as the cups are not cut straight across.  In fact I'd be more inclined to call this a a semi-full coverage bra.  The balconette styling comes into play where the wide-set straps are concerned.  The straps paired with a deep V in the front makes this bra perfect for an open neckline.  I also appreciate a good seamless cup.  Nothing worse on a large breasted woman than a huge seam poking through your clothes showing that your breasts may or may not be facing in exactly the same direction and may or may not be exactly the same size.  Am I right ladies?  You feel me!  I know you do! The cups also have the perfect amount of "squish" meaning they aren't padded because who wants padding when they are already a D cup? At the same time though we don't want anyone to know whether we have had children or not based on the temperature of the room either.  A bra with the perfect amount of "squish" (my term for padding or lining that isn't actually padding, and yes, squish is a technical term... NOT) keeps the nips under control without adding any more size where we don't need more size.  The underwire is also an extremely comfortable wear and is contoured to fit a woman's shape nicely.  I've done no yanking, tugging, adjusting, or hiking since I put this bra on this morning.  Below is a picture of the detailed edging on the bra which makes it feel stylish and sexy even though it is what most of us would consider to be a practical nude bra.  Who says necessity has to be unattractive?

Finally, if you scroll further down the page you will see a photo of me wearing the bra.

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PSYCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not posting a picture of myself in a bra on the internet you perverts!  Better luck next time!  Hehe

Now, stop scrolling for bra pics and go buy this bra.  Seriously!  Go buy it.  

Thanks to Bzzagent for sending me this bra to review!

Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream

My hair is naturally in between a wave and a curl depending on the humidity, but I am a hair straightening girl at heart.  My hair texture is just too baby fine to wear my natural waves and curls without looking more stringy and sparse than usual, so every day I blow my hair dry straight (which honestly doesn’t even take two minutes it is so fine) and then use a big fat curling iron to straighten and smooth it out even more.  I do this every day without fail.  Wearing my hair natural to me still includes the hair drying straightening process regardless of whether I style it any further or not.  So when I received the Not Your Mother’s Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream in my Influenster Blogger Voxbox for review I thought “Uh Oh!  This might not go well.”  I knew that my hair doesn’t look great with its natural curl and I also knew this product might be meant for waves and curls that are much more dramatic, possibly much thicker, and maybe even much more coarse than mine.  Now, you know how much I love you guys and will do anything for you, so of course I tried it anyway.  If you’d like to see how my hair turned out in comparison to how it looks straight (which you can see in my profile picture here) then click this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7Wh_Fo7vwA

After towel drying your hair, according to the directions you are supposed to “apply to hair and saturate locks.  Distribute evenly from root to tip.”  Then you scrunch and dry with your head upside down in whichever diffused way you choose.  I have to admit when I read this many thoughts rushed through my head.  “Saturate locks… oh gosh this is going to look like a jerry curl when I’m done.  Distribute evenly from root to tip:  this is going to weigh my hair down or make it greasy.”  “Scrunching is just going to end up frizzy and undefined.”  Thankfully none of those things happened.  I did have a few areas around the scalp that ended up less defined and a bit out of control, so the hair immediately went up into a barrette, but I did find that the waves throughout the length of my hair didn’t get as frizzy or unruly or full of static as they might have otherwise.  My hair looked pretty much the same way at the end of the day as it did at the beginning.  The cream has a nice lotion-like consistency and I honestly think I could have used more product even though I applied two or three fingers full which typically would be a ton of product for me.  That concerns me a bit because for someone with a ton of hair I could see them going through the product in just a few days unless they only wash their hair once a week or so, but the upside is that it really isn’t greasy or heavy at all.  The scent is a nice fragrance; slightly sweet and mild that doesn’t linger in the hair.  I do have one problem with the fragrance.  Have you ever been to a park that only has port-a-johns where someone comes around once or twice a day with this truck that pumps a blue liquid down into the hole which serves to not only cover the giant piles of poo other people have dropped so you don’t have to see it, but also to make the facility smell a bit more tolerable?  If you know what I’m talking about then you know that the fragrance isn’t an unpleasant one at all really.  The problem with the fragrance of this product is that it smells exactly like that blue liquid or a mild version of it.  If you’ve never smelled the blue liquid before then you will enjoy the fragrance completely.  If you have smelled the blue liquid then every time you use this product you will be transported into the inside of a port-a-john in your mind.  Definitely is a drawback for me since I’d rather spend more time out of those than in them of course.  All in all though using this product was a product experience for me even though I’m going right back to straightening my hair again from this point forward. 

Because I was sent this product there are a few bits of information I need to cover with you.  First the product facts according to Not Your Mother’s are “it de-frizzes and detangles unruly hair, defines and enhances natural curly or wavy hair, adds shine, and grapeseed is added for UV protection benefits.”  The product can be purchased for $6 at CVS, Walmart, Ulta, and other retail locations.  For more information go to: http://www.nymbrands.com/

Laura Geller Inkwell Waterproof Gel Liner Duo - Black & Purple

Laura Geller's new product launch for 2012!  Inkwell Waterproof Gel Liner Duo in black and purple priced at $33.

 When I opened the box I was actually surprised to find that you receive two completely separate containers of product (2.3 ml each).  You get one individual inkwell shaped bottle of the black and one of the purple.  (The above picture shows the black on the left and the purple on the right.)  I was surprised by this because I think the shape of the box had me envisioning a wide oval shaped pot divided in half to keep the colors separate from each other.  Once I got over my surprise I realized that the separate containers is a bonus because it makes the product much more portable and provides you with a separate brush for each color.

 Once you remove the lids the pots resemble most other gel liner pots.  The above picture shows the black on the left and the purple on the right.  I was a bit surprised by the product consistency as well although I'm not really sure why.  I think the inkwell style bottle threw me off as it resembles the style of container that many liquid liners can be found in.  I also usually expect a gel liner to be a bit more moist or gel-like in the pot.  These liners have the consistency of a dryer cream to powder eye shadow.

 Each container comes with it's own brush contained in the lid.  If you pop the top half of the lid off out comes a small flat eye liner brush.  The brush can then be used as is or if you prefer a longer handle to your brushes you can instead turn it so the brush points upwards and then snap it back into place in the cap and use the entire cap as an extended brush handle.  The above picture shows the brush separated on the right and snapped together with the extended brush handle on the left.

 If you are the type of person who likes a harsh thick solid black liquid liner then this product may not be for you.  What you get with these gel liners is a smokier softer affect around the eye.  The above photo shows the black liner on the left and the purple on the right.  The black liner does go on a bit darker in fewer swipes while the purple liner requires a bit more product and a bit more work to create an opaque line over the eye, but the finished affect is very nice and soft while still being smokey and sexy at the same time.  If you are someone who typically shies away from color there is just no need with this shade of purple.  It is a soft almost eggplant shade of purple that would suit any eye color without appearing too over-the-top.

A photo taken in the sunlight shows that the black is more matte while the purple has a lovely iridescence to it that can really only be seen in direct sunlight.  The only drawback I see with these liners is that they aren't really as waterproof as one might hope.  With a dry finger and a harsh rub the product will wear off slightly although it doesn't really smear which is good because that means it also doesn't really transfer onto your eyelid during wear time.  However, if you lick... I mean wet... your finger and rub again the product can be rubbed almost completely off.  This isn't really what I think of when I think of a waterproof product, but the upside is that I also can't imagine these products running down your face in a rain storm either.  The dry consistency that creates that cream to powder type feel just isn't suited for trickling down the face in a colored filled stream.  This also means that it won't require some fancy surgical procedure or expensive products or anything resembling sandpaper to remove it either which in my book is a bonus.  All in all I'd say these will quickly become a goto product for me.  They are just too easy to use and perfect for the everyday makeup wearer.


Watch Laura explain the product herself here http://youtu.be/MAuuz8tYu9I
For more information on Laura Geller products please visit http://www.LauraGeller.com
I received this product compliments of  http://www.BeautyStat.com 

Korres Quercetin & Oak Antiageing Eye Primer

Before I begin let me first say that I received this sample product with compliments from BeautyStat.com, but my review is my own objective opinion. For more information on the KORRES™ products, please visit www.korresusa.com.

Now on with the review!

I was sent a small smaple size of the Korres Quercetin & Oak Antiageing Eye Primer to review, so I do not have first hand photos of the full sized packaging to show you, but I will insert an ad photo here.

It is a 3-in-1 primer, corrector, and antiaging product for the eyes available in a 0.14Fl.Oz. size for $21. According to the product information this primer "provides a 360-degree smooth canvas around the delicate eye area, ensuring crease-proof, long-lasting eye shadow and concealer wear. Enriched with quercetin and oak extracts, it minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles to provide softer skin while visibly improving skin texture. The apricot undertone instantly corrects darkness and imperfections on the eyelid and undereye area."

For those of you concerned with product ingredients Korres boasts that this product is formulated without Parabens, Sulfates, Synthetic Dyes, Petrochemicals, Phthalates, GMOs, or Triclosan.

The active ingredients include quercetin & oak extract which is supposed to provide "powerful antioxidants that help improve the signs of aging."

Other ingredients include Isododecane, Nylon-12, Talc, Squalane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer, Propylene Carbonate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lauryl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer, Acrylonitrile/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer, Ethyhexylglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Oleate, Quercetin Caprylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Quercus Robur Bark Extract May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides.

The precautions for this product are to "avoid direct contact with the eyes."

Instruction are to "apply under the eye and on the eyelid before applying concealer and eye shadow."

The first thing I thought when I opened my sample and saw this...

Is that it is the exact same color and consistency (although not in pan form) as this...

which is the mark. please hold eye primer in light to medium available in 0.106 Oz. for $8.

As you can see here when the products are swatched next to each other on my hand (Korres on the left and mark. on the right) they look exactly the same.

So I already know that there is a product available that looks the same and gives me more product for less money although the mark. primer does not have any antiaging benefits in it's claim what-so-ever. That being said let's talk about the Korres for a moment.

I have to admit that from the start I used the product incorrectly according to the package instructions. How so you ask? Well, it has always been my way to apply concealer on my eyelids right after I apply foundation to my face. The package clearly instructs you to apply this PRIOR to applying your concealer. Old habits die hard and it seems I just can not remember to change the order of my routine when I am getting ready and have a million makeup things running through my mind, so ultimately I have applied the primer over my concealer every time. Has this really made a difference in it's ability to work? I don't really think so although one could argue that without direct contact to the lid the antiaging benefits are lost in translation. I would argue that I have a hard time believing the antiaging claims anyhow as I can't really see this product's molecules being so small that they are able to be absorbed into the skins cells and utilized in an antiaging fashion anyway, BUT I will leave that to other scientists to argue over. I do believe the notion ,however, that it "minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles to provide softer skin while visibly improving skin texture" as that is the purpose of a primer anyhow. Don't they all sort of fill in the lines and pores and smooth out the texture of the skin to provide a smoother base for the rest of your makeup? That is the definition of a primer at it's core. If smoothing out lines and wrinkles in this fashion is your definition of improving the signs of aging then I think this product is successful in that claim, but I'm not prepared to agree that antioxidants from Quercetin & Oak Extract have anything to do with it.

I also must focus on the softer skin portion of the claim as I have seen many reviews by other customers claiming that the primer was drying on their lids. I did not experience this problem, but felt it was worth mentioning. I should also mention that I do not have extremely oily or dry lids either way. I'm as normal and boring as they come in this category.

Regarding the claim that "the apricot undertone instantly corrects darkness and imperfections on the eyelid and undereye area": I have to be honest in saying that the mark. primer does a better job of this. Once you pat or smooth out the Korres primer it becomes sheer and blends into the skin losing the color almost completely, so it is not going to cover any veining or freckles or skin discolorations at least on it's own. If used according to the package instructions your concealer should then take care of that problem for you, but the Korres alone will not. It just does not hold it's color as well as the mark. primer does even if you built it up a bit.

Next I should address whether or not this product is crease-proof and long-lasting. I can honestly say I was very pleased with the actual performance of this product. I have felt like my shadow has looked really nice and have felt the same way about it right before taking it off with no touch-ups in between. Now... the flaw in my experimentation is that I have not yet used it with a cream shadow to see if it prevents creasing in that manner. I also have only been wearing makeup in the evenings before going out, so the number of hours I have been wearing it has also been a bit limited. Some of the other customer reviews I have seen have complained that it wasn't so long-lasting although in all fairness many of them follow that up with the claim that they have either very dry or very oily lids.

Last we should touch on the ingredients list. Are there products in the "formulated without" portion that would probably not be found in a primer anyhow? Yes. Are there products in the ingredients list that we should probably still be cautious about? Yes. I will leave this part up to you to decide whether it is right for you or not.

So what is my final opinion on this product? I like it. I feel it performs nicely keeping my eyeshadow on the way I like it. That being said I will probably stick with my mark. primer because I feel it has the better value (it's way cheaper) and provides better coverage in the "corrects darkness and imperfections" category. I think ultimately you will have to decide if you believe the antiaging claims or not. If you do then $21 is probably worth paying for those additional benefits. If you are skeptical like myself then you will probably pass. It would still make a nice gift for someone if the $20 range is your spending limit and a little luxury is the "feel" you are going for, but for everyday use the price might be a bit steep.

Review - Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Shampoo

Please watch my new Youtube video reviewing Herbal Essences Volumizing Shampoo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mDHSGkyvnE