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Monday 24 December 2012

Glymm December Box 2012

My Glymm Box arrived just in time for Christmas Eve. I had really high hopes for the December bag because of the holidays and Christmas. I thought they would include something special, but sadly it was even worse than my November bag.
What was included:
1. LashEm Eyelash & Brow Enhancing Serum
2. LashEm False Lashes 
3. Glamorous Lip/Eye Liner
4. SunCoat Nail Polish
5. $10 giftcard for Glymm's Online Shop
Again, Glymm sent unknown brands as usual. The only products that I'd actually use are the serum (my eyelashes are short so anything that'll help them grow is fantastic) and maybe the false lashes. And of course the gold make-up bag, useful and stylish :). However, the rest are just useless to me. They don't have anything in their online store that would make me want to use the giftcard :(. Also, who would use a blue pencil for their lips? :P
When I first saw the naipolish, my first thought was that I disliked the colour; plain white. But then the real bad news was when I opened the bottle and realized the entire polish had dried up, which also ruined the brush. Quite frankly, it looks really gross :P. I will definitely send a complaint and ask for them to send a replacement. 
I have officially sent my cancellation request to Glymm since they just keep sending disappointing products. Oh well, I won't let this damper my christmas spirit :) I have also already signed up for Top Box instead and will be reviewing their December box in one of my next posts. Luckily many other make-up things also arrived today in the mail (haul will be coming up soon!), so the Glymm box didn't ruin my day too much :).

I hope everyone is having a lovely Christmas Eve :)

Merry Christmas everyone! <3

Monday 17 December 2012

Tangle Teezer: Where have you been all my life?

I have been dealing with knotty hair ever since I was little. Fine straight hair = incredibly easy to tangle up into painful knots. So when I heard about this particular hair brush called the Tangle Teezer, I had to see if it truly was a holy grail product.

Oh..my...god... Why didn't I have this when I was growing up?! It is magical. It brushes out your hair without any pain whatsoever. Doesn't matter how bad the knots are, it will do the job. What would normally take me a few minutes to untangle my hair with a normal hair brush, now takes a few seconds with the Tangle Teezer. It just glides through my hair. It's easy to hold in your hand and it's compact so you can easily put it in your purse.
I even tried it out on my little niece who always has knotty hair and she was so surprised: "It doesn't hurt!" :D

I really really recommend this to anyone who struggles with constant tangles or just wants a really awesome and gentle hair brush :).

I got mine on beautybay for $13.42 with free shipping :)

Thursday 13 December 2012

Live Clean Exotic Nectar Argan Oil Treatment: don't be tricked!

Last week I was searching for a hair treatment that contained no silicones and was preferably not too expensive. I've tried and reviewed the Moroccan Oil Treatment, but it contains silicones and therefore isn't actually nourishing. I haven't heard of any other raved products besides that one. However, it is well known that Argan Oil seems to be the holy grail ingredient for healthy hair :). I came across the Live Clean Exotic Nectar Argan Oil Treatment in Shoppers and was amazed that an Argan Oil could be so cheap (around $11). Sadly, the words 'cheap' and 'hair treatment' tend to never go together.
I'm writing this review to warn everyone to not be fooled by the product and price tag like I was. This 'treatment' made my hair feel like straw. Not soft or shiny at all. It's not even really an oil, it's more of a sticky gel texture. My hair ended up being awfully tangled too!
I don't understand why this treatment doesn't work, given the listed ingredients, but either way I'm never using it again.
And so my search for a good hair treatment continues *sigh*. If anyone has any suggestions for me, please let me know :)



Saturday 8 December 2012

November Empties

It normally takes me a really long time to fully use up a product so whenever I do, I end up feeling quite proud of myself :D

 1. L'Oreal EverSleek Intense Smoothing Shampoo (Sulphate & Silicone Free): This is officially my new go-to shampoo. I bought the shampoo at Boots during the summer and have been in love ever since. It smells amazing, smoothes out my hair, leaves it ridiculously shiny, and is Sulphate free (though surprisingly lathers really well!). I only use Sulphate free shampoos since I noticed the amount of fall out I get is significantly higher with Shampoos that do contain Sulphates. I highly recommend this shampoo to anybody. I already repurchased another one :).

2. Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo: Your wallet will thank you for this purchase. This tiny bottle literally lasts me over 6 months! Personally, I find that the sprays only last 2-3 weeks. It's essentially just powder in a bottle. It smells like lemons and works wonders on oily hair. Your hair is instantly left looking 100% clean after using this. It will definitely save you money from constantly having to repurchase the sprays.

3. Sally Hershberger Supreme Lift: I already have a full review on this product, but I can honestly say that I can't live without it. Gives my hair lots of volume and keeps it from getting oily, what more can you want? Lasted me about 3 months, and I've already bought a replacement.

4. Cleansing Wipes by Boots essentials: I would never repurchase this. They smell amazing but are horrible when it comes to removing makeup. The wipes are barely wet. They're only slightly moist. Half of them are already dry when bought! Ah well, they were cheap and I didn't know any better :P.

Hopefully, I can reach my goal and have even more empties in December :)


Thursday 6 December 2012

Tigi S Factor Serious Conditioner

This is going to be a bit of an odd review. This will probably be the only negative review on the web on this product :P (yes, it is raved that much). I have a love-hate relationship with this conditioner. I purchased it (regardless of the expensive price tag) because my ends were feeling coarse and dry and the conditioners I had been using were not helping. I had heard so much praise for this conditioner that I just had to see if it worked.
And at first, it did. I was blown away by how soft my hair felt after using it. It literally felt like silk. However, as time went by things changed. I had noticed my hair was becoming more tangled lately. More than usual. And after a month of using the conditioner, it was just unbearable. I would comb my hair and literally 1 minute later, it was seriously tangled again.  I was on the verge of making an appointment for a hair cut, thinking it was my fault. But then I received my November Glymm box which included a sample of a conditioner. I tried it out and my hair was back to being almost completely tangle free. That's when I realized it was the S Factor Serious Conditioner that was behind the bird nest tangles. It had also stopped really making my hair soft after about 3 weeks.
I'm not suggesting you shouldn't try out the conditioner because for many others it's their holy grail of hair products. But this one simply didn't agree with my hair. I don't know if it's because my hair is thin and therefore is more prone to tangles, but I do believe that one of the main jobs of a conditioner is to detangle hair, so why bother buying one if it doesn't?

The smell is odd too: strawberries and mint. I love strawberries, but can't stand the smell or taste of mint (I know, I'm odd) :P. The price is also something to really consider. $32 in stores or $28 online at feelunique for 150ml. Also, the packaging is not brilliant. The cap is really annoying and takes a while to take off, and it's tough to squeeze out the product with such a thin tube.

And so, I'm back on my search for a good conditioner *sigh*. But hopefully I'll find something soon, especially with all the Christmas sales :)

Saturday 1 December 2012

November Favorites!

Now that it's finally December (yay for Christmas!), I can finally share my November Favorites :)

1. Scrub Your Nose In It by Soap and Glory: this is a great facial mask! Keeps my face clean, great for spots, and minimizes your pores. It has a "special fruit-acid formula" and smells like mint. It does sting/tingle a bit during the first few minutes after application, but quickly passes. It also works as an exfoliant since the texture is rather rough. I love using it after a long day at work :).

2. Crealine H20 Solution Micellaire by Bioderma: best make-up remover I have ever used. I wrote a review on it with all details. 

3. Ponche Body Wash by Lush: this is officially my new favorite body wash. It smells delicious (fruity and spicy) and is the perfect scent for the holidays. 

4. Sweet + Spicy Sugar Scrub by Dirt: I received this from my November Glymm box and absolutely fell in love with it. It's the perfect body scrub, it's super concentrated and leaves the skin feeling incredibly smooth. It smells of Vanilla and also moisturizes the skin. The ingredients are all natural:  sugar, shea butter, honey extract, coconut oil, avacado oil, jojoba oil, vanilla sandalwood. I enjoyed it so much that I plan on buying the full version!

5. Revelon ColorStay Mineral Blush in Honey Miel: this is the perfect shade for winter. It's a warm peach shade with a hint of shimmer. The most impressive thing about this blush is it's staying power: it will literally not budge all day long. Definitely a recurring favorite of mine. 
6. Effaclar Duo by La Roche-Posay: this is my miracle product of the month. It is the first acne treatment that I have used that actually worked. I had a small breakout and this cream saved my life. This product is perfect: prevents spots and heals them quickly. It also smells quite nice, like lemons and limes :). 

7. Kate Moss Rimmel Lipstick in the Shade 01: This is my new favorite deep red lipstick and it is the perfect shade for Christmas :). Lasts all day, very pigmented, build-able, and isn't drying. Though you need to be extra careful with application. 

Now that November has passed, it's time to look forward to the winter holidays. What are your favorite things about December? :)