New Changes!

I basically have had the same hair for the last 12 years. Yeah, I've change the color a bit, from blonde and brown to pink or blue, green or purple. But the cut and style has pretty much been the same for soo long. It is time for a change. 

But being me, of coarse, a change isn't going to come easily. I have trouble committing to new things especially when it comes to hair. I've loved having the same long hair for such a long time that I'm not quite sure if I'm able to do anything else.

But I'm pretty sure something new is just what I need right now! So I took some of my older clip in extensions and went to work playing around with them in different ways to see what my options were..

Here's a couple that I narrowed it down to. 

First, I went for some bangs. I had full bangs once when I was younger and longer side swept bangs off and on a few times over the years. but I'm so scared of the commitment of bangs that I don't know if I could ever go back. So here's sort of how it turned out. 

(I felt the bangs deserved a sassy face! Who agrees?)

Surprisingly not too bad. I like that they hide my big forehead hahah. But they looked much better without my glasses on. The glasses I felt sort of clashed with the bangs. I also wasn't sure how I liked them straight down, pulled a bit to the side suited me a little better. But I'm still not sure if they suit me at all!

Another thing I tried out was shorter hair. I haven't had my hair cut short in so long I can't even remember. I've just always loved having long hair!

But I kind of really loved it! The only thing that really sways me is I wear my hair up in a bun a LOT. Mostly because I'm so sick of my hair I never want to do anything with it. But I also just really love a big messy bun! 

(Of course Snapchat filters are the ultimate test!)

I'm also torn between growing out my natural color, which I've been doing for the past several months. Or going with a completely new color. I've been going to a darker brown color for a long time. I've also done burgundy a few times over the last couple of years. All of which I love. 

I'm so undecided and afraid of change when it comes to my hair! I don't know why, it's just hair. It can always be changed and it will grow back fresh and new. Plus I always have my extensions to help me out. 

So now I'm asking for your opinions! Which of the above two do you like best? Anything else you think might look good on me? Any input or suggestions would be so greatly appreciated!! 

Heres to changes, whether big or small! Enjoy your weekend no matter where you are. Be safe. Be happy. And always stay humble and kind. <3

Top 3 Week. Day 3: Dry Shampoos

Hey beauty,

This week, as you know, I am doing my Top 3's. Be sure to follow my blog so you can see when the next one goes live! Again, these are my own unbiased opinions based on my personal preference and experience. As always feel free to let me know your top 3 down in the comments! Todays top 3 is my 

Top 3 Dry Shampoos

As we all know by now, it is bad to wash your hair every day. Its essential for healthy hair to let it build up its natural oils in between washes. Many girls have taken lots of time and endured plenty of grungy-ness to train their hair to last a week without washing it. I have tried this for so long and my hair still ends up greasy and disgusting looking/feeling by day 2. I definitely can not go any longer than 3 days without washing it.. So dry shampoo has become my best friend. Ive tried a bunch of different ones, so here are my top 3.

3. My Third choice is a little cheaty, becuase this brand will appear again on this list. But I chose the Batiste Dry Shampoo. This brand is very popular, they even claim they are voted #1 favorite. I can definitely believe that, although Im not sure who voted :P They offer a bunch of different kinds of dry shampoo for all of your different needs. And Batiste is one of the more affordable brands you can find. I get mine at TJ Maxx for under $5! But you can also find them at Ulta, Target/Walmart, drug stores, and many other places. (I even just found the original dry shampoo on Amazon for $3!) If youve never used dry shampoo before, basically its an aerosol spray of a powder that absorbs the excess oils in your hair, leaving it looking nice and clean again!

2. My second pick is the TIGI Bed Head Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo. I had been wanting to try this stuff for a long time, and one day I saw it at our K Mart which was having a store closing sale, so I bought it and gave it a try. I LOVED it so much I had to go back and stock up while they still had them! I have tried a lot of other brands, and many I had tried previously just didnt cut it for me, they still left my hair looking and feeling dirty. But this one was different. I also really liked that it had a more pleasant scent than pretty much every other brand I had tried. The thing about dry shampoo, though, is it is a powder, so it leaves a dusty look to in your hair that you have to massage into the hair to disappear. I do find that this one is a little harder to get to disappear competely in my dark hair, and sometimes Ill notice later in the day that I totally missed a spot and have been walking around like a dusty old fool. :P It is also much more expensive, costing you about $21 regular price at Ulta. (But it often goes on sale for like $10 bucks! Which is when I stock up!) I also find that it seems to run out really quickly! And for the price thats not really a great selling point. Which is why its number 2 and not 1.

1. And lastly.. My number one choice is Batiste Dry Shampoo Hint of Color. As I mentioned earlier, Batiste would be on here twice. I also mentioned that they have different kinds for various needs. One of them being a tinted version! Like I said in my number 2 pick, dry shampoo can leave a white dust in your hair, so batiste has eliminated this problem by offering 3 different shaded options as well. They have a medium & brunette version, which is the one I use most often. And they also have a dark & deep brown, which I want to check out, and a light & blonde option for you. The brunette dry shampoo is ideal for me, having obviously dark hair, so I dont ever get that chalky dusty hair residue left behind. It works exactly the same way of the other dry shampoos, it just has a hint of color to it. Which makes this my number one pick! This one is also available at Walmart/Target, drug stores, Ulta, and many other retailers. I look for it every time I go to TJ Maxx and they usually have it, although when I was there last week they didnt have any! It comes in a decent size bottle and lasts a fair amount of time, but it is super affordable, so theres no fuss if it runs out in 4-6 weeks. 

I hope you are still enjoying this Top 3 series and feel free to leave me suggestions for other Top 3's you would like to see in the future!

XOXO
Always stay humble & kind.

#SunshineVoxBox

I have been an Influenster member for a few years now, and every once in a while I'll get a VoxBox that I absolutely love! And my current campaign, the Sunshine Vox Box, is one of those boxes!

The sunshine box came packed with great products, including:

Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Refreshingly Clean Cleansing Cloths - $6.99 - I had pretty good expectations for these cleaning cloths. Witch hazel is super beneficial to your skin in many ways. And the description of this product sounded great for sensitive skin. So I gave them a try right away! If youre at all familiar with witch hazel, you know it doesnt have a very pleasant smell..but that is easy enough to get past. I always wash my face after using a wipe to remove my makeup anyway.. The cloths are super soft, but I dont think theyre much bigger than any standard wipe Ive used in the past. The nice thing, though, was they are very gentle on the skin. They didnt sting or irritate my skin at all.. However, they didnt remove the makeup as well as I would have liked. Especially mascara. But all in all I liked these wipes and will be trying them, as well as some other Dickinsons Witch Hazel products, again in the future.

Blue Diamond Siracha Almonds - $1.59 - I'm really not a fan of spicy, at all! So I cant give an honest opinion on these, so I'll be giving them to my sister or her bf to try out!

barkTHINS - $4.99 - The box came with a coupon to get a free bag of these, and I have yet to use it..but Im super excited to, because these things look delicious!

Infusium 23 Moisture Replenisher Leave-In Smoothing Creme Enhanced with Avocado and Olive Oil - $6.99 - I'd heard a lot of things about Infusium 23 but havent tried any of their products until I got this in the box. And I absolutely love it! Right now my hair is super dry and dead and in desperate need of a cut. And this stuff makes it manageable and soft! This will probably be a new must have of mine!

SinfulColors Nail Polish - $1.99 - Ive tried this polish before in the past, and I wasnt impressed. I think I found it at the dollar store..and it took ages to dry. So when I saw this in the box I was like ehh its a pretty color but Ill never use it if its anything like the other ones Ive used.. But I gave it a try anyway, and Im glad I did. It went on beautifully and dried really fast. The shade is called Beverly Hills and its a beautiful light lilac color that would be perfect for spring. 3 coats covered great, but you could probably even get away with 2.

Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Soothe Spray Moisturizer - $6.49 - This is my favorite product in this box. Im not a fan of putting lotion on my body. I usually just put some moisturizer on my face and leave the rest of my body alone. But since its summer and my legs are exposed more often than not, its really nice to be able to keep them moisturized and looking nice. So this product has been a life saver for me. Most lotions and moisturizers are thick and gloopy and feel like they take decades to fully absorb into my skin. But this spray absorbs instantly and doesnt leave my hands or skin feeling greasy and gross. So I am absolutely sold on this product!

To find out more about Influenster and their VoxBoxes click here! 

* All products mentioned were provided complimentary from Influenster. 

Pro Naturals Moroccan Argan Oil Giveaway!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NO LONGER OPEN!

I recently did a review on Pro Naturals Moroccan Argan Oil Hair Repair System. The system includes Shampoo, Condition, Repair Mask and Argan Oil Treatment. The lovely people over at Pro Naturals have given me an extra bottle of their amazing Argan Oil to giveaway to one of my lucky followers!
The Moroccan Argan Oil leave-in treatment smooths the cuticle and helps fortify hair that is prone to breaking and split ends. A $60 value!

This giveaway will be open August 1st until August 15th. Winner will be announced within 2-3 days.

To enter:
Comment below what your favorite thing about summer is!

Rules of Entry:

• Must be subscribed (link to the left) and follow (link to the right) this page.
• Must like Pro Naturals Facebook Page.
• Must be 18 yrs or older or have parents permission.

Extra Entries:

• Share this post on Facebook.
• Share this post on Twitter. (Be sure to include my twitter handle @MakeupByLaraLee)
• Share this post on any other social media. (Instagram, FourSquare, Google+, Pinterest, etc.)

This giveaway is open to US and Canada only. (dont worry international friends, Ill be doing a big International giveaway soon!)
Anonymous entries will be void.Winners are chosen at random, if the first chosen winner hasnt completed the above another winner will be chosen. I will be checking, so be sure to follow all rules!
The winner will be announced on this post and on Twitter. You will have 24 hours to contact me with your shipping address before another winner is chosen.

Huge thank you to Pro Naturals for this giveaway opportunity!

Pro Naturals Moroccan Argan Oil Hair Repair System Review

I have never really used any Argan Oil hair products before, but I have heard soo many good things about it, I recently tried out the Pro Naturals Moroccan Argan Oil Hair Repair System, and I am totally sold!

Argan oil is the oil extracted from the Argan fruit through crushing it. There are many benefits for both hair and skin. Argan Oil moisturizes the hair in a natural way, making hair softer, silkier and shinier. It can also help treat split ends and damaged hair, and also tame frizzy hair.

The Pro Naturals Hair Repair System is all natural and free of harmful silicone and sulfates. It is made with the finest of natural high quality ingredients including 100% pure moroccan oil, one of the rarest oils in the world.

A lot of products out there now claim they use pure argan oil, but it is very common for them to actually be fake, diluted or over-processed. I found a great article which helps you know when you're buying the real thing! Check that out here.

The Pro Naturals Hair Repair System includes a shampoo, conditioner, hair mask and oil treatment. The system is a little pricey, but for 100% pure argan oil you cant expect it to be cheap. It is a very labor intensive process, so all good pure argan oil is pricey. Plus, you get what you pay for, and this system is soo worth it!

Ive heard so many great things about argan oil, but I was a little skeptical about this product, I didn't ever  think it could be a miracle product. Boy was I wrong! The very first time I used it I was amazed.

The shampoo and conditioner seem a little thick, so I used a little bit and thinned it out with some water, then added more if i needed to.. My hair is always dry and dead at the ends, so usually after shampooing it still feels a little rough when I rinse, but after I rinsed this it already felt smoother and softer. I left the conditioner in for a little longer than it said to, just to make sure my hair absorbed as much as it could. After rinsing I was immediately sold on this product. I could tell already my hair would be so much more manageable once dry.

The first few times I used the system I just used the shampoo and conditioner. I gave that about a week before I tried the other products in the system. After trying the shampoo and conditioner I had high expectations for the hair mask, and I wasn't let down once I tried it. The Oil Treatment on the other hand, I wasn't too impressed with. I think I may have not used enough, my hair gets oily on its own veryy quickly, so I dont like to use any oil products on my hair. So I just put a tiny drop on my hands and combed it through the very ends of my hair. But I ended up needing to use my other every day products also. I will have to try it again and let you know if my thoughts on it change.

*Added May 2014* I gave the Oil treatment another shot. This time I just applied it to the ends of my hair and let it air dry. My hair was so dang soft and smooth! I used a little bit of heat protector and straightened it afterwards and I was in love! I tried it again a few times after and Ive noticed if I use other products with it such as a heat protector and try to blow dry it doesnt work too well, but when I use it alone and let it dry completely before using additional products it works amazingly! For me its just about finding the right routine!

Overall, I really love this system. Since it is so pricey I cant use it every day, but I do keep it for special occasions or when I feel like my hair really needs it. In between uses I continue to use my Redken Extreme Line.

*You can also purchase the products individually, instead of the kit. But it is cheaper to purchase the whole kit, rather than each product individually. 

To purchase this system or find out more about Pro Naturals products go here!

I'M GIVING AWAY A BOTTLE OF PRO NATURALS MOROCCAN ARGAN OIL! Please click here to find out how to enter!

Pamper Day!

SNOW DAY! We got about 14 inches of snow yesterday, so what better excuse to stay inside and pamper myself today!

For my pamper days I do treatments for my hair, skin and nails. I deep condition my hair. Exfoliate my skin, do my favorite facial mask, and use a deep moisturizer. And give myself a little mani/pedi. Candles are essential for setting a relaxing mood, as well as filling the room with my favorite scents.

I start out with a relaxing bath or foot soak. I love to use bath bombs and/or bath salts. You dont have to go to places like Lush to find decent bath products, you can find some pretty good ones at your drug store, or even walmart or target. 

While Im in the bath or soaking my feet, I like to do a deep conditioner or mask on my hair, while using a nice exfoliating mask on my face. After cleansing and exfoliating, I use my favorite eye cream, and intense recovery treatment. Im using my Evologie cleanser, Splurge scrub, Merlot mask, Dermalogica eye cream, and RevaleSkin moisturizer. As well as my favorite Fekkai conditioning hair mask.

After soaking my feet, I give them a good scrubbing with a pumice stone to remove any dead skin. Then once theyre soft and dry, I give myself a little massage while rubbing on some foot cream. The one Im using today is by Udderly Smooth.

Then, I move onto the nails. I clip, file and smooth out my nails before applying a few coats of my favorite nail treatments and polishes.

I like to finish off my relaxing day by lounging in bed with my favorite scented candles burning, and a good book to read!

What are your favorite ways to relax on pamper days? What are your favorite pamper products?

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Curly Hair Solutions Review

Although I wear my hair straight almost every day, my natural hair is actually slightly curly/wavy, and very frizzy. Ive tried for years to find a way to wear my natural curls, but I can't seem to find any products to help with the frizz! And those that do just leave my hair much too stiff and "crunchy."

I recently got to try out some products from Curly Hair Solutions.

The first product I got to try was the RevUp Volumizing System.

The RevUp system comes with a volumizing shampoo and Volumist. The RevUp System is a sulfate free formula, that is supposed to add volume to your hair with the same invigorating energizers that ocean air has on the hair. The "curl building energizers" attract moisture in the air, which is essential for creating extra bounce to your hair.
The shampoo is a gentle sulfate free formula. To use, apply to wet hair from root to ends and lather for at least 30 seconds for the ingredients to activate. The instructions didnt say whether or not to use conditioner, so I went ahead and used it anyway, because my hair needs it! My mom, however, did not use conditioner.
After I used the shampoo, my hair didnt feel clean, so I went ahead and used another couple of drops and repeated the process. The second time around it was much more lathery and bubbly.

Once I got out of the shower, I sprayed the Volumist all over my hair and followed the directions, scrunched my hair and let it air dry.
My mom, who also tried the system (she has much shorter and curlier hair than me, so I wanted to see how it worked on her hair) her hair was so dry she couldnt get a comb through it. She said she didnt want to use a conditioner because she was afraid it would weigh it down.
We both next used the next product I was sent, The Curl Keeper.

The Curl Keeper is a gel like product that controls frizz and defines curls. It is a water based formula, so you can use it every day without build-up, and you can reactivate it with water. Just wet your hands and touch up any frizzy areas. This allows you to go more days between washes!

I tried this product with the the RevUp system, after applying the Volumist I combed the Curl Keeper through my hair and let air dry without touching.
I personally did not like this product, Im not sure if its because my hair is thin/fine, or if its the cut, my hair is also longer. So it made my hair look kind of (for lack of better words) straggly and piecy. I do admit it was mostly frizz free, and pretty curly, but with my hair down it just didnt look nice on me. I never really wear my hair curly, so I dont really know how to style my hair curly, unless Im curling it with a curling iron, but thats a completely different kind of curl.
My mom, on the other hand, does style her hair curly more often, and she liked the way the curl keeper worked on her hair. The only thing she didnt like was the shampoo, but she is going to give it another shot, this time using conditioner, and she is going to let me know how she likes it. (so look forward to an update in the next few weeks!)

I love the idea behind these products, and theres no denying that they define your curls. I just dont like the way they work on my hair, and I definitely need more practice with styling my hair wearing my natural curls.

You can find out more about these products and other Curly Hair Solution products at FrizzOff.com!

Disclaimer: These products were sent to me for free from Curly Hair Solutions in exchange for a review. This does not change my views or opinions on the products! No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for this review!

My Current Daily Hair Routine

I think I did one of these a while back, or at least something similar, but I change my routine a lot, so this is what I currently do basically every day!

You can get most of the products I mention in this post at Folica.com. This is my favorite place to get everything for my hair!
To get 20% off plus free shipping on your first purchase of $50 or more, click here!

Around once a week, maybe once every two weeks or so I like to do a deep conditioning treatment on my dry, dirty hair. I like to use my Surya Brasil Color Fixation Leave-In Cream Conditioner. Youre really supposed to put this on wet or dry hair and style as normal, but I feel like it weighs my hair down too much, so I just use it as a deep conditioning treatment.
So, what I do is take a big glob of it in my hand, and spread it throughout my hair, saturating the ends. Ill clip it up and leave it on my hair for anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours, or even over night. If I plan to do it overnight Ill put a shower cap or something on to prevent it from getting on my pillow, and prevent it from drying and getting sticky and weird.
After you rinse this stuff from your hair it leaves it so soft and smooth. I do shampoo and condition again after. But doing this deep conditioning every so often helps me keep my hair manageable. :)
(Review on Surya Brasil products Ive used before.)

My current 2 favorite Shampoos and Conditioners are the
- Silky Sexy Hair Lite. I was given this as a gift, and it is now one of my all time favorite shampoo/conditioners. This stuff, first of all, smells AMAZING. And it leaves my hair so soft and silky smooth. I have become obsessed with this stuff, Ive been using it so sparingly lately, because Im almost out :( But it is definitely something I intend on repurchasing! This is a very close second to my all time favorite, Redken Extreme.
- Sebastian Trilliance. The first time I tried this I was on my annual camping trip at the beach. Me and my best friend had just come back from a hella hot day at the beach. We were sweaty, salty, and my hair was dry and annoying! So I tried this stuff out, and immediately I was like "holy cow, this stuff is awesome!" It took my dry, difficult, beach hair..and made it super soft and manageable. It made my hair super shiny and beautiful! Another product to add to my list of favs! (The only downfall to this product, is its more expensive than both of my top 2 favs, so thats why this comes in at 3rd)

After I get out of the shower, I always towel dry my hair or just twist it up in my towel for a few minutes. Especially in the summer, I usually need a few minutes to cool off after stepping out of the steamy bathroom! So, once my hair is just damp, not completely saturated, not dry. Ill take my current favorite heat protectant spray, Tresseme Keratin Smooth Heat Protectant Spray. Ive always loved the original one from them, but they recently released the Keratin Smooth collection, and I must say I like this stuff SOO much better! It helps me get my hair smooth and straight much much easier.

I then like to run about a pea-sized drop of the Redken Glass 01 Smoothing Serum to the ends and about half way up the ends of my hair. This combination of products makes my hair seriously so much easier to manage, keeps it soft and beautiful.
(Review on some of my all time favorite Redken products.)

Then I use my favorite blow dryer from Sedu. The Sedu Revolution 4000i. I dont think they sell this one anymore, I believe now they only sell the newer version, the 6000i. I havent had a chance yet to try that one out, but I absolutely love my 4000i. It dries my hair so super fast and Ive found my perfect settings to get my hair pretty straight, which makes styling so much easier!
(Review on this blow dryer!)

I use my favorite brush to dry my hair, which is the 2.5" Thermal Nylon & Boar Barrel Round Brush from Brush Boutique by SPI. I looked everywhere to try and find a link to this brush, I got mine at Ulta a few years ago, but I cant seem to find a link. Idk if the company is even still around!

Before I do anything else to my hair I like to apply a little bit of the Bed Head After Party smoothing cream. It just helps smooth out my hair as I style it, plus it adds a little more heat protection. Then Ill either take my blow dryer on cool shot and just quickly dry that, or Ill let it sit and soak in for a few minutes while my styling tool of choice is heating up!

After I have my hair completely dry I will either run my straightener through it real quick to get the little bit of fluffiness and any kinks out..
I use the Karmin Titanium 1" Professional Styling Iron in pink! Absolutely love this slat iron.
Or Ill curl it using my favorite clipless curling iron, the T3 Single Pass Whirl!
(Review on this curling wand!)

Then sometimes Ill take a little tiny bit of my Julep Top Coat for Hair and just mist that over to make it extra shiny, but with all the other products I really dont need it.
(My thoughts on the Julep Maven Program.)

I know it may seem like quite the process, or like a lot of products, but it really doesnt take me very long to do my hair at all, and this combination of products together really helps keep my hair healthy, smooth, and manageable.

Im always up for trying new products, so let me know your favorites!

If you would like to see a full review on any of the products Ive mentioned please let me know!




Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, Some of the products were sent to me in exchange for a review, this is not that review. Just because a product is sent to me does not mean I have to like it, these are just some of the products that I happen to love and continue to use. All opinions are my own.
Surya Brasil Leave-In Conditioner was sent to me to review. Silky Sexy Hair was given to me as a gift. Sebastian Trilliance was sent to me from an amazing PR company I have been working with for a few years. I have been purchasing Tresseme Heat Protectant Spray for a long time. I got my Redken Glass 01 myself from Ulta. The Sedu blow dryer was sent to me as part of Folica.com's Review Program. I got my brush by SPI myself from Ulta. Bed Head after party was also from Ulta. My straightener was sent to my from a company who works with Karmin. The T3 Curling Wand was also part of the Folica Review Program. I got my Julep Top Coat for Hair from a Julep Maven Box I purchased myself!

After Shower Routine!

Its been a while since Ive done one of these, and my routine has changed a little since..so I decided to go ahead and do a new one!

So, since Ive been trying a lot of new products lately my shower routine is never the same, thats why Im skipping the shampoo/conditioner/etc part, and skipping right to my after shower routine.

In the shower, of course, I shampoo and condition my hair. Wash my face, body, etc..
So once I get out of the shower, after drying off, the first thing I do is:

- Tone
The toner Im using right now is the Merlot Skin Care Hydrating Toner.

A lot of people dont do this step after cleansing, and really by skipping this step, youre pretty much only getting half as clean. Toners help clean pores and prep skin for deep moisture. Put your toner on a cotton ball or cotton round and just wipe it over your face. (some toners recommend circular motions, some upward motions, just check your bottle for your recommended directions) Youll see on the cotton all of the gunk thats left on your skin and in your pores after cleansing alone.
If you use a clarisonic or an exfoliating cleanser you might not notice a lot, but its still important to tone. If you dont use a makeup remover before cleansing, youll see a lot of the makeup will show up on the cotton when toning, so for me its a must!
Benefits of this toner:

• Refreshes skin.
• Purifies and clarifies skin.
• Alcohol free.
• For all skin types.
• Helps boost skins tone after cleansing.

- Hydrate
The moisturizer I use is actually a body lotion. I use the Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Body Lotion.

I have really..weird..skin. Haha. My skin is typically really oily, but with dry spots usually around my mouth, chin, and eyes. So when I would moisturize the dry spots would be fine, but the rest would get really oily. But if I used one for oily skin I found that it didnt do much for the dry spots, so I could never win!
So recently, Ive been checking out new moisturizers, and the one that I found worked really well for me was the Peter Thomas Roth body lotion.
This lotion is rich with vitamin C, E, and pro vitamin B5. It leaves my skin so soft, smooth, and feels really moisturized, which is something I havent really seen with other moisturizers.

Next I move to my hair. I used to use all Redken Extreme products, but Ive been looking for other cheaper products lately, because I feel like I go through them so fast and theyre a little on the pricey side.

So lately Ive been using a the Redken Glass 01 Smoothing Serum and Hair Rules Hydrating Finishing Creme.

I know I just said Redken is a little pricey, but I had this in my closet for a while and Ive been trying to use up products I have before I go buy new stuff! So I use a couple of drops of this, spread that throughout my hair then use a small amount of the finishing creme. The finishing creme says to use it on dry hair, but I tried it on wet hair, and I like it. It seems a little to thick to me to use on dry hair. So then I just brush that through and blow it dry using my Sedu Revolution 4000i. (click <- to see my review on that!)

Then once its dry, I apply a small amount of the Bedhead After Party Finishing Cream.

This stuff seriously makes your hair so soft and silky smooth! I love it! So I just finger comb that through my hair, focus mainly on the ends of my hair. Then I straighten it using my Karmin Titanium 1" Flat Iron. (which I could have sworn I had a review on, but I cant find the link right now D: Ill get that up asap!)

And that pretty much all I do after my shower. I know theres probably more I should do, like body lotion and whatever, but I never really feel the need to do that. Maybe a little hand lotion every once in a while, but thats about it!

If you guys have tried any of these products and want to share your thoughts, or if you want to share your after shower routine please feel free to comment below! I love seeing what other people do!

This is not a sponsored post. Some products were given to me to write reviews for, others were purchased by me! All reviews provided here are the work of myself and remain completely unbiased. Product photos are from product websites. I own copyright to all content on this page, unless otherwise stated. 

L'oreal EverSleek Review

Im always looking for really good quality drug store brands. Especially hair care products. So I like to try new ones often. Theres been som really good, some alright, and veryy often the downright bad!
Some of my favorite drug store brands are Garnier Fructis, a few products from Pantene, and John Frieda.

Today I tried a new product I expected to really like. And that is

L'oreal EverSleek - Sulfate Free Smoothing System.

In the eversleek line, I think, there are 11 products. Two different kinds of shampoo and conditioner, deep conditioner, leave-in creme, super sleek intense serum, finishing creme, frizz taming serum, and precision oil treatment.

(I could be wrong about this, Im going off what I see on the L'oreal website, which is a little weird to look at the product line)

I tried the Intense Smoothing Shampoo, Conditioner, and Humidity Defying Leave-In Creme.

Shampoo.

When I tried used this shampoo, I really didnt even feel like it was cleaning my hair. I had hardly any product in my hair, nothing that causes build up. But this shampoo felt like I was washing out hairspray, and it wasnt doing a good job. It left my hair feeling kind of dry after rinsing. NOT a shampoo I would buy again.

I think the shampoo costs around $7. 

Conditioner.

This conditioner was really thick, it felt like it wasnt going to do much for my hair, especially after what I saw with the shampoo. However, I actually liked the way my hair felt after I rinsed. I left it on for a few minutes while I washed my body, probably 2-3 min. It rinsed pretty clean and my hair felt pretty soft after. I might buy this conditioner again.

The conditioner costs the same as the shampoo, around $7.

Leave-In Creme.

As I was putting this on my towel dried hair, I thought I was going to love it. It felt pretty smooth, not sticky, not oil. I ran it through the ends of my hair and up the length of my hair a little, but didnt apply much to the roots of my hair. I brushed it through and started blow drying my hair. It felt like it was taking a little long to blow dry, normally my hair dries pretty quick with my Sedu Revolution 4000i. I put the blow dryer and brush down for a minute and was absolutely disgusted with what I found. I ran my fingers through my hair and felt greasy, built up just gross feeling hair. It felt like I applied a million products to my hair and didnt wash it for a week. Im not even exaggerating. This stuff made my hair feel so disgusting. I literally had to go wash my hair again! I will NEVER buy this product again!

The leave in creme costs $9.

If I had to rate the line based on the products I tried I would rate it a 2 out of 5. And thats only because the conditioner I tried was pretty good, the price isnt bad on some of the products, and theres about 8 other products in the line I didnt try. 

The products in this review were not provided to me for the purpose of writing a review. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly my own opinions. All reviews provided here are the work of myself and remain completely unbiased.

Intensive Therapy!

So today is my "intensive therapy" day. I have nothing to do today but clean, so I decided to do a full body therapy day.
By that I mean hair treatments and facial treatments.
Heres a quick little rundown of what Im doing right now!

So to start off with, I washed my hair yesterday, blow dried it with a heat protectant, and thats it. Just pulled it back, no further heat or products. 
(Ive noticed my hair seems to be looking thinner and thinner, so Im trying to not do too much to it, not pulling it back super tight, not applying too much heat, and now Im going to be doing this hair treatment weekly!)
So Im using this Global Goddess Shine Coconut Amla Revitalizing Hair Treatment.

Ive used this only once before, so I dont really know the results of long term use. But I liked it after my first use..and Ive been meaning to use it again, but I just havent gotten around to it until now. So this stuff is really cool. Its supposed to be like the oil treatment Indian girls use weekly on their hair to "promote growth and wash away stress." And I must say, it did make my hair feel thicker with just one use. Im liking this, and I definitely will be using more often!
Its made from:

• Coconut Oil (nourishes)
• Neem Oil (soothes scalp)
• Amla Extract (rejuvenates)
• Henna (adds volume and shine)
• Grape Seed Oil (protects)
• Avocado Oil (moisturizes scalp)

It says to leave it on your hair for 30 min, then shampoo & condition as normal. You can also leave it on your hair overnight for an even deeper conditioning. Just make sure you put a towel down on your pillow so you dont get oil all over your stuff and ruin it!

So, while that was sitting on my hair I thought it was the perfect time to do a facial mask also.
So Im using Peter Thomas Roth Sulfur Cooling Mask.

I love doing facial masks. I have pretty oily, acne prone skin. So masks are a great way to eliminate excess oil, clear pores, and remove dead skin. Leaving my face baby smooth. :)
This stuff is amazing. I absolutely loooove it. It has so many great ingredients that are so good for your skin. 
Its got:

• 10% Sulfur - Helps dry and clear acne blemishes 
• Kaolin - A type of clay that helps to absorb excess oil 
• Eucalyptus - Antibacterial properties help prevent future breakouts and provides a soothing herbal scent 
• Aloe Vera - Helps soothe and hydrate the skin

So this stuff you basically just apply to clean dry skin, leave it on to dry, then wash off with cool water. I let it sit on my face for probably 20-25 min, if you have dry skin dont leave it on for more than 10.

The one thing I dont like about masks though is they leave a weird chalky feeling on my skin, so I usually do rinse my face lightly with a face wash. 

So when my 25 min was over I got in the shower and quickly rinse my face and used a little bit of my La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel. Im not going to go into detail about that, but you can click the links to check it out!

Next, I shampooed my hair with Phyto Phytoneutre Clarifying Shampoo.

This has been in my closet for months now, and this is acyually the first time Ive used it. And can I just tell you..I love it!

This shampoo is detoxifying. It has eucalyptus oil, which stimulates the scalp and eliminates product build up without stripping hair of its natural protective barrier.

Apply a quarter size amount to hair, lather, rinse, repeat.

Then once that was rinsed I sprayed this Redken Extreme CAT.

This is a protein reconstructing treatment. You spray it on your hair after you shampoo (ring out extra water) lather it up a little and let it sit on your hair fro 3-5 min. Then rinse and follow with conditioner. You can use this 1-3 times a week. And I definitely will be!

And lastly, I wanted to use my Redken Extreme Strength Builder Plus. But I couldnt find it, so I used my Ion Effective Care Treatment.

I got this stuff years ago when I was bleaching my hair like once a week (lol not even exaggerating) and I used to use it all the time, but for some reason I stopped, and its been in the back of my closet for years. Well I used it again today, and Im glad I did, because this stuff works so good!

So that was my day of "intense therapy" and my hair and skin is loving it, and so am I! Ill be doing this full treatment at least once a month. Definitely using the conditioner and CAT once a week. 

Btw guys, if you have any tips for me to help my hair grow thicker, please share in the comments. Ive tried a few things, but nothing Ive tried has worked. Im giving this a try, and seeing how things go. But if you have any tips please share, because I need to know! Lol Im starting to get freaked out. Thanks :)

Some products in this review were provided to me for the purpose of writing a review. Those products include Redken products and Global Goddess products. All other products were purchased by me for my personal use. This in no way effects the quality of the review provided. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly my own opinions. All reviews provided here are the work of myself and remain completely unbiased.

DIY Hair and Skin Treatments

Ever see someone and wonder "how the hell does she get her hair so shiny and perfect?!"
Well with this amazingly easy hair treatment, made from something you probably already have in your fridge, youll have people wondering that about you!

There are many benefits from eating eggs, but something that a lot of people dont know is that eggs are also amazing for your hair and skin.
The yolks are rich in fats and proteins, and are naturally moisturizing. The whites contain bacteria eating enzymes which soaks up oils.
That means theyre good for skin, and hair.

HAIR
If you have oily hair, use the whites. For dry, brittle hair, use the yolks. And for normal hair use the whole egg.

• Take 1/2 cup of whichever mixture you need. (if you have long hair and need more, go ahead and use what you need.)
• Apply egg mixture to clean, dry hair. (not freshly washed, if you showered the day before thats perfect).
• Coat scalp and hair. (healthy hair starts at the scalp, so be sure to get it all over the hair and scalp.)
• Leave on for 20-30 minutes.
• Rinse with cool water. (you dont want to cook the egg in your hair with hot water)
• Follow up by shampooing as usual.

Whole egg or yolk treatments can be applied once a month, white treatment can be applied every two weeks.

SKIN
Like I said above, egg yolks remove oils, so they can be a great treatment for oily, acne prone skin; and yolks are a natural moisturizer, so they can be a great treatment for dry skin. This will also firm your skin!
Its really just as simple as the hair treatment. 

• Separate the eggs. (youll probably only need one for your face)
• (for dry skin skip the egg whites part)
• Beat the whites until theyre lightly frothy.
• Take a warm towel and press it against your face to open your pores.
• Apply whites to your skin, apply in an upward circular motion.
• Let sit for 30 min, or until completely dry.
• Wipe off with warm cloth.
• Then apply the yolks the same way as the whites.
• Let sit on your face for another 15-30 min.
• Rinse with warm water, then splash with cool water to close pores. (again be careful waters not too warm, you dont want to cook the eggs)
• (if you feel like they left a weird feeling or if it creeps you out rinse your face with a mild soap after)

NOTE
Eggs that are not organically produced may contain traces of hormones, pesticides, or herbicides that are present in chicken yards and in the egg production line. In order to ensure that you are not also applying these substances to your skin, be sure to use eggs that are organically produced. (which I recommend you eat also)
Since I have my own chickens, I know exactly what goes in, so I know my eggs are the cleanest and purest possible. 
And obviously, if you have an egg allergy, do not apply eggs to your skin or hair!