Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Introducing Monthly Empties - December

I love to see what people have used up during a particular month. When you are a person guilty of having too much stuff it is sooooo intrinsically rewarding to get to the bottom of a container! This is also a quick way to give you guys product reviews for items that you may have considered purchasing.
Here is what I have used up in the month of December:

MAC Graphblack Technakohl Eye Pencil - I somehow lost the crayon part of this liner. It fell out somewhere and I am not sure how that happened. Nonetheless, I had it for a long time before it finally gave up the ghost. I was not a fan of this felt tip liner. It dried out quickly, it does not apply smoothly, and it smudged very easily, even if you set it with eyeshadow. I do not intend to repurchase this product. 


SheScentIt Pomegranate Conditioner - I purchased this product online at SheScentIt.com. I absolutely love this conditioner. It smells yummy and it leaves my hair really soft and conditioned. I like to use this conditioner in the summer because I wash my hair with "conditioner only" at least two to three times per week during those muggy months. When I use the "conditioner only" method I usually rinse my hair, then apply the conditioner and let it sit under a shower cap for about ten minutes while I'm in the shower or while I'm preparing to take a shower and then rinse it thoroughly and continue with life (adding a leave-in conditioner, etc.). It is always over 100 degrees here in Texas during the summer so I usually wear my hair in a bun or ponytail. I plan to repurchase this product but there are other conditioners that I need to use up before doing so. 


Pura Body Naturals Chocolate Hair Smoothie - I received this deep conditioner in a product swap from one of my online natural hair friends (we call each other curl friends). This product is available at the company's website and other online natural hair boutiques. This product smells exactly like milk chocolate, which I enjoyed, but it was just okay in terms of performance for me. I used it both under the steamer and under a shower cap to deep condition. It did not have any adverse effects on my hair and I would not label it as an underwhelming product. However, I do not intend to repurchase this product as I feel that I have other deep conditioners that perform better.


Donna Marie Dream Curling Cream - I love this product and I did a thorough review of it in another post. I purchased this product at donnamarie.com.  I definitely plan to repurchase this product but there are other curl creams that I need to use up before doing so.


SheaMoisture Moisture Retention Shampoo - this is my Holy Grail shampoo! I have repurchased this product several times and I have used it for years. This is one of the only shampoos that I use. I use this product once per week, and a bottle of this lasts me a long time, as a little goes a long way. This product is absent of harsh surfactants that are drying to kinky/curly hair, however it does foam if you are one of those people who have a hard time adjusting to sulfate-free products because of the usual non-foaming properties. This shampoo also has a very strong floral perfume-like scent that does not linger. This moisture retention product lives up to its name as it leaves my hair soft and manageable after use. While I am raving about this shampoo I have to say something important here. The way your hair looks after you have washed, dried, and styled it, is determined by what you do from wash to style. The entire hair care regimen is important. If you use a drying shampoo, prepare for rough, thirsty, less defined hair. If you don't follow your shampoo with a conditioner or if you don't use a conditioner that is appropriate for your hair needs - once again prepare for bad hair days ahead. If you use a styling product that has drying ingredients or that does not agree with your hair, then you will not get the desired styling results. It took me a while to learn about styling products but I found my shampoos and conditioners very easily. You and your hair may not like everything that I rave about so don't get frustrated if you try something that I love and you don't have similar results. Return the product until you find something that works for you. If you are still learning about hair care, I recommend that you buy your natural hair products locally at stores like Whole Foods, Target, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, and vitamin shoppe, where you can return them fairly easily. I have worn my hair natural for a few years so I have learned about the ingredients that work best for my hair and I purchase products accordingly, so it is easier for me to find products that I love online. If you are new to haircare, getting into the habit of reading ingredients before purchasing products will save you so much money and storage space. I do not buy any hair products from the traditional beauty supply store, as those products are usually filled with synthetic ingredients that do not work for my hair. I find that products with organic ingredients work best for me. I buy SheaMoisture products at Target and Walgreens and I recommend this shampoo for all hair types and textures (natural, relaxed, etc.)


Pura Body Naturals brazil loc oil - I received this product as a gift from one of my online hair care friends. This oil is very light and can be used on all hair types and textures. I really liked this oil. I used it for hot oil treatments, and for extra moisture after applying my leave-in conditioner. I would repurchase this oil but there are other oils that I need to use up before doing so. This product can be found on the company's website. 


Marie Dean Peach Honey Syrup Deep Conditioner - this is a very pricey deep conditioner at $22 per 8 oz. It smells amazing and has a honey scented dessert-like smell. It has a thick, creamy consistency. It moisturizes my hair very well. I  would repurchase this product on sale but not at regular price, as I have an equally expensive deep conditioner that I prefer to indulge in from time to time. Overall, this is a great conditioner but I have less expensive ones that work just as well. 



Mac brush cleanser - this is my Holy grail brush cleanser. I purchased this product at the MAC Cosmetics counter. I have had this cleanser for months and tried to use it sparingly, but since I started picking up more freelance jobs it has ran its course. I have tried other brush cleaners, but of the ones that I have tried this one is the absolute best. It works well to clean your brushes when you're doing makeup for a large group and are in between clients. This cleanser thoroughly cleans and disinfects the brush and dries it very quickly. I also use it as my daily brush cleanser at home, as I only deep clean my personal brushes (with dish soap and olive oil) once per week or every other week depending on frequency of use. I have already repurchased this product and I do not plan to ever be without it, unless I find something comparable in price that works better. 


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