Today's review is a little bit different. It is not about any specific brand or product, it is more or less a catch all review. These are items I have randomly picked up and just thought I would share my thoughts in case there are people who want to know about them.
Vidal Sassoon has been an icon in the hair industry for over 60 years and to keep up with the ever changing face of the market the brand has gone through many changes over the years. When I was about ten I remember that round bronze Vidal bottle sitting in the shower and just taking a quick whiff of the scent because it was truly one of my favorites as a child. Yup it smelt like sweet almonds and it truly was one of the best shampoos of is time. Now flash forward some 25 years later and now not only has the packing long gone through several changes over the years, but also the smell and formulation.
I have not used a Vidal Sassoon product in a long time but I saw a great deal for it so I thought I would reunite myself with an old friend.
At my local Shoppers Drug Mart the shampoo was on sale for $3.99 and around the neck of the bottle was a coupon that if you bought it you could pick any hair styling product up to an $8 value. Sounds great to me so I grabbed myself a large can of the extra firm hold hairspray.
Now I have to say that I have not even tried the shampoo yet as I already have another one on the go and I am waiting till I have done my Feria Ombre hair color before I try this out. However I have been using the hairspray the past few days and so far I like it in terms of its hold. I did notice it does make the hair have a bit of a crunch but that doesn't bother me. The scent of both items is rather bland and not really surprising to the senses. Actually the shampoo reminds me a lot of the shampoo "European Formula" for those familiar with it. So for the deal I really can't complain, however would I buy each product at full price at a later time probably not. There are other brands that I prefer more and that brings me to my current shampoo.
Surprisingly I bought a bottle of the L'Oreal men expert 2 in 1 with Arginine which for those that don't know is just a fancy word for an amino acid complex. Originally I bought this for my husband, but I found the smell to be very fresh and clean so I thought I would give it a go. I have to mention that I tend to have a sensitive scalp to certain shampoos with high fragrance level, but this actually has been working out quite well for me and my scalp. My hair feels soft, manageable and really fresh and that smell lasts for hours which is a bonus.
Nivea Lip Butter where have you been all my life????
Then I realized I don't have one single clear coat for when I do my nails so I purchased Sally Hansen Diamond Strength NO CHIP clear coat. I like it for using as a top coat or base. Also if I am giving my nails a break from color and just want a nice finish I put this on. It also is good for making the nail surface stronger.
$5 will get you 473ml/16fl oz of these luscious scents
I apologize this review became way way longer then I anticipated but as always I have a lot to say about everything that I try and want to keep it honest and real for you the readers.
Its a gloomy rainy day here, but it isn't going to stop me from feeling and looking good.
STAY BEAUTIFUL EVERYONE XO
Vidal Sassoon has been an icon in the hair industry for over 60 years and to keep up with the ever changing face of the market the brand has gone through many changes over the years. When I was about ten I remember that round bronze Vidal bottle sitting in the shower and just taking a quick whiff of the scent because it was truly one of my favorites as a child. Yup it smelt like sweet almonds and it truly was one of the best shampoos of is time. Now flash forward some 25 years later and now not only has the packing long gone through several changes over the years, but also the smell and formulation.
I have not used a Vidal Sassoon product in a long time but I saw a great deal for it so I thought I would reunite myself with an old friend.
At my local Shoppers Drug Mart the shampoo was on sale for $3.99 and around the neck of the bottle was a coupon that if you bought it you could pick any hair styling product up to an $8 value. Sounds great to me so I grabbed myself a large can of the extra firm hold hairspray.
Now I have to say that I have not even tried the shampoo yet as I already have another one on the go and I am waiting till I have done my Feria Ombre hair color before I try this out. However I have been using the hairspray the past few days and so far I like it in terms of its hold. I did notice it does make the hair have a bit of a crunch but that doesn't bother me. The scent of both items is rather bland and not really surprising to the senses. Actually the shampoo reminds me a lot of the shampoo "European Formula" for those familiar with it. So for the deal I really can't complain, however would I buy each product at full price at a later time probably not. There are other brands that I prefer more and that brings me to my current shampoo.
Surprisingly I bought a bottle of the L'Oreal men expert 2 in 1 with Arginine which for those that don't know is just a fancy word for an amino acid complex. Originally I bought this for my husband, but I found the smell to be very fresh and clean so I thought I would give it a go. I have to mention that I tend to have a sensitive scalp to certain shampoos with high fragrance level, but this actually has been working out quite well for me and my scalp. My hair feels soft, manageable and really fresh and that smell lasts for hours which is a bonus.
So don't be shy ladies even though it says MEN on the bottle doesn't have to make it so. Next time your at the store take a smell and I am sure some of you will feel the same. This shampoo has a good lather and seems to rinse out very well and doesn't leave your hair feeling weighed down. I tend to have very oily hair so this has been working for me and adding volume. However in the past I tried one of the TRESemme shampoos that is for anti-breakage and my goodness what a nightmare my hair was so oily and even once I stopped using it I had to what weeks before I noticed my hair going back to normal so beware when picking a shampoo for your hair type. So give L'Oreal Men Expert a try it cost me $3.97 at Walmart and is a 385ml bottle
Moving on I sometimes feel like my hair needs a pep me up mid day so I bought a can of the TRESemme volumizing dry shampoo. I only have tried it once, but a first impression is sometimes all you need. I can tell already I don't like this product and it's not going to help anything, at least not for me any way. I found it has a nice citrus scent, but it seems like it leaves a chalky feeling in your hair and I followed the directions on the can and still it just seems unpleasant to me. I probably will only use it in a real emergency if I have to truly dash out the door in a hurry or the waters off for repairs, etc. Other then that this item is a bust for me. It comes in a 161g can and cost $5
I have to admit I still have yet to hit on a TRESemme product that truly impresses me by any means. Let me know if you have a favorite TRESemme product I would love to hear your feed back.
Moving on to makeup items. I had a coupon for any CoverGirl clean product or lash blast get $3 off. That is a very generous coupon, but have you ever noticed the insane price for the mascara's. I'm sorry but to me a mascara better be infused with 24kt gold if you want me to spend about $14 for something that needs to be replaced more frequently then any other cosmetic for your face. That being said I opted for one of the clean compacts. I am not a huge fan of CoverGirl as a whole but there are random products I do appreciate. So I got myself the Clean compact for Sensitive skin. I truly hate that strong scent of Noxzema that is in the original clean compact so this is a better choice with no fragrance and its oil free which is great for my over oily face.
The shade I picked was 225 Buff Beige. It looks quite different between the two photos with flash and without. Its just a good simple powder useful for touch ups.
However one compact I do really like from CoverGirl comes in a metallic blue compact and is the fresh complexion pocket powder in the shade 610 Classic Ivory. I find this gives a nice flawless finish to the skin and has very good oil control.
CoverGirl clean is around $6.50 for 10g/.35oz, but with coupon I paid $3.50. Fresh Complexion is around $9 for 10.5g/.37oz because it acts more as a foundation for on the go.
In the past I mentioned that I don't like having a lot of mascara's because I like to stick with a couple that work for me and that's good enough. Then I kept hearing a lot about L'Oreal mascara specifically the Voluminous Million Lashes, so I thought I would try it out to give my view on it.
So here is what I think. The tube is a very nice package as it looks a little higher end. The mascara it self stinks (AS IN SMELLY) and I hate that about it. The brush is silicone with lots of tips that seem slightly thicker then others I have seen or tried. It does a nice job of separating your lashes and giving you that lots of lashes look that it's claim states. However if there ever was a mascara that just won't budge this is it. On one hand we don't want to wear mascara that if we get caught in the rain we look like "Alice Cooper", but we don't want something on our eye that takes paint thinner to remove it either. I did choose the water proof formulation which may have been an over sight on my part, but I didn't think I would be dragging out an SOS pad to get it back off ;P For some this may be just the mascara your looking for, but for me I don't need that kind of staying power and I will be happy to keep using my Rocket mascara by Maybelline instead.
My color choice was 630 BLACKEST BLACK
it is 9.5ml/.32fl oz and I got this on sale for $6.99
If I plan for a rainy day puddle jumping party with my child I may reach for this mascara, but until then it will just be sitting pretty.
I really love the 8 in 1 palettes by Wet N Wild and to this point I only had two and I finally decided to buy the third one called BLUE HAD ME AT HELLO. I must say I am very pleased with the quality and color pay off from these very inexpensive palettes. I had really hoped to get the limited edition palettes. Wet N Wild brought them out in white compacts but to no avail I cannot locate them here in Ontario. However the blues in this palette are incredible and there is one color that's the lightest most delicate icy blue and I love it. Then you have deep rich denim blues and the most eye popping aqua blue. There is also a sparkly black which is fine, but I already have a single pan by Maybelline of this type of color so I am certain it will not get used quickly. Glad I decided to purchase this as I have been using and enjoying it and it was the last one.
.3oz/8.5g for only $4.69
**LOVING**
So the very first memory I have of Cherry Coke I was a mere 6 or 7 years old. So every time I smell something that is cherry coke it evokes the memories of childhood summers long gone by. For me that had to be one of my favorite sodas along with Tahiti Treat, for those of you to young to know this soda it was truly an awesome and nothing has ever come close. So what is all this talk about soda for, well I will tell you. I purchased a lip gloss by Lip Smacker that is suppose to be a cherry cola flavored gloss that is a gentle wash of reddish pink on the lips with a hint of sparkle. Who wouldn't want a gloss like this that sparks that kind of nostalgia?
Sadly somethings are never meant to be duplicated no matter how much you'd like it to work out. At first you put it on its a nice shine on the lips, very basic. You start to smell and taste that somewhat familiar cherry coke essence. Then as you wear it you realize the gloss it self doesn't last long and your left with an over all unsatisfying odd taste of a very chemical version of "Cherry Coke." Thank goodness this Bonne Bell product was at the Dollarama because its not worth much more then that.
I'll just stick to my fond memories that go a long with the drink instead of creating unpleasant memories with a flop of a gloss.
.27fl oz/8.0ml $1
Now to follow up that disappointment lets move on to a new kid in town that is so delish my mouth waters just thinking about it. Welcome the new NIVEA LIP BUTTER (VANILLA & MACADAMIA) honestly if you have not tried this you cannot imagine what your missing. This lip butter is creamy, soothing and the best part is it taste like you just rubbed Vanilla Pudding all over your lips. I find it generously moisturizes and I really don't have anything negative to say except not everyone will be a fan of the flimsy tin it comes in, but keep in mind certain products with nut oils have to be kept in a cool dark place so they don't go rancid.
.59oz/16.7g or 19ml for $2.50 I highly encourage you to try this product, but DON'T if you or a family member are allergic to any type of NUT BASED products.
Can you imagine you kiss your lover, partner, husband, whoever and their lips swell like Will Smith in "Hitch" all because you had Nivea Lip Butter on LOL. That would be a bad way to end any date.
Then I realized I don't have one single clear coat for when I do my nails so I purchased Sally Hansen Diamond Strength NO CHIP clear coat. I like it for using as a top coat or base. Also if I am giving my nails a break from color and just want a nice finish I put this on. It also is good for making the nail surface stronger.
This clear coat is called 110 FLAWLESS and can be purchased pretty much any where for about $4
Finally one last thing I wanted to share is I am a big fan of Bath & Body works, but even with all those products I still will use many other brands bath products if the scent tickles my fancy. So recently I discovered two new scents brought out by "DIAL" and they are wonderful. The first one is actually also available in a foaming hand soap which I have both that and the body wash. The scent is COCONUT WATER & BAMBOO LEAF and claims to be a hydrating wash. This wash I bought for my husband as I noticed anything that has bamboo extract tends to have a masculine undertone yet refreshing smell. The coconut water which is in the younger tender green coconuts has many antioxidants & electrolytes that help to hydrate, hence why its good to drink coconut water as well after a big work out or if your ever stranded on a tropical island ;P
I bought myself the body wash that is HIMALAYAN PINK SALT & WATER LILY all I can say is wow what a powerful beautiful fragrant wash that is highly unusual. This is a replenishing body wash that says it has 84 Minerals & Elements?!?!? What does that even mean lol. It states on the bottle "Himalayan salt is a pure, hand-minded salt found deep within the Himalayan Mountains and known to contain 84 minerals and elements." Ok that's fine but what are the benefits to all those goodies, that has yet to be seen. I love the smell no less and keep in mind when purchasing any products that state a claim about a certain ingredient you must pay attention to where in the ingredient list it is. If it is not in the first several ingredients chances are there is very little of the supposedly beneficial ingredient and it will show little to no signs of improvement to your over all skins condition.
I apologize this review became way way longer then I anticipated but as always I have a lot to say about everything that I try and want to keep it honest and real for you the readers.
Its a gloomy rainy day here, but it isn't going to stop me from feeling and looking good.
STAY BEAUTIFUL EVERYONE XO
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