Dove Detox & Purify Dry Shampoo

 

Dove's Refresh + Care Detox & Purify Dry Shampoo is made to refresh and revive hair in the form of dry spray instead of regular shampoo that requires water. It removes oil and residue from hair and scalp leaving hair cleaner, fresher, and purified. This spray is 5 ounces and contains a weightless formula that doesn't leave any visible residue.

 

Use:

1.) Shake can before and during use.

2.) Massage around your roots to absorb oil and residue.

3.) Brush through hair.

• My Thoughts

There are many times that I don’t feel like washing my hair although I need to, but having 3a/3b curly hair I never thought that dry shampoos would work for me for many reasons and I was skeptical but willing to try it out. Curly hair tends to get dry and a dry shampoo sounds like more dryness which leads to many other issues such as breakage, tangling, and overall unmanageability. Another reason includes lack of conditioner; if I use nothing else, I at least need conditioner! Its a must. Also, water is completely necessary for my hair to at least get it to look good. Without water my hair is straw.

Luckily, I found a way to incorporate this dry spray into my regimen to make it work.

• My Use

I spray the dry shampoo onto my hair/scalp, I move my hair around a bit and massage my scalp, then I shake it out. Then I do as I usually do (but skip the conditioner step) and wet my hair to detangle it and brush it out. I go on to apply my regular styling products and let my hair air dry. Below is the what my curls look like after using the dry spray.

 

 

• My Experience

I basically use this as a pick me up for my hair and although it is not as great as a full shampoo and condition, it is still able to refresh my curls when they start to go limp and bland while getting my hair cleaner than it was. This dry shampoo is able to remove some build up and revive my curls. My hair also feels a little cleaner ,despite some invisible residue left behind from the dry spray, and smells cleaner. After using this, my curls look great and I achieved the best curl clumping (as seen above), greatest volume ever, and increased thickness which is awesome. I would recommend this dry shampoo to people with a similar curl type or looser curl type than me.

I received this item from Influenster for testing purposes.

#GoddessVoxBox

This VoxBox features Ebates, Always Radiant, Pantene Expert Collection, Cutex, Sinful Colors, Downy, and Dickinson's; products made for Goddesses ;).

Ebates

I do a lot of online shopping and I love discounts/sales so Ebates is like the perfect site for me. They offer many cashback discounts to many different online stores including some of my favorites such as eBay and Amazon. They even offer a way to get in store cash back if you link your card to your Ebates account. This is a great cashback website.

Always Radiant pads

 

I had a more detailed review of these pads on this blog, here, but I'll give a summary.

Overall, these pads are top notch quality. Near perfect pads are hard to come by and these are near perfect and may have made their way to the top of my list.

These have very cute and colorful packaging and they have a nice scent that is not too strong or too light (it kind of smells like a floral laundry detergent), they are just right to hide odors. They are squishy, soft, thin, and easy to attach without any problems and the wings are perfectly sticky, long, and strong. These pads a very comfortable since they are thin and squishy (thanks to flex foam technology) and I don’t have to worry about leakage since they are super absorbent and provide great coverage.

Pantene Expert Collection: Intense Hydration

 

Pantene makes great products and these products are great like the rest. They smell wonderful (as usual) and the scent lingers in my hair for awhile. The shampoo has a slick consistency and applies easily to hair without causing tangles. This is one of the most moisturizing shampoos I have ever used as it did not cause my hair to knot up or feel stiff during the wash. It also did not strip my 3a/3b curls or dry it out like most Sulfate shampoos. The conditioner has a creamy consistency and applies smoothly to my hair and it is not too thin or too thick. It helped me to detangle my hair much better than I expected; it provided a great detangling session. After rinsing, these products left my curls very clean, fluffy, soft, and moisturized!

Cutex Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover pads

I was surprised at how well these nail polish remover pads work. I’m new to using prepped and packaged nail polish remover pads and now I’m a fan. The pads have a nice thickness to them and they are soft with a good texture to get the polish off better. The pads are very wet with remover, but they could be a little wetter so they can last longer instead of drying out as quick. The ease of removing the polish depends on what polish I use. When I use cheaper polish ($1-$3), the pads remove my nail polish flawlessly with a few swipes and I can use one pad for my fingers and toes. When I use more expensive polish ($5+) it takes more scrubbing and more pads. Other than that, the pads are able to take all the color off without stripping or drying out my nails. Instead of being dry and brittle, they are hard and strong; they really feel 5x stronger.

Sinful Colors: Kylie Jenner Trend Matters Collection

First off, I love matte polish and I love the look of Kylie's matte cosmetics and this polish is just as perfect as her other items. I received the polish in the color Glazy Sunday, which is a pastel-ish purple/pink with a hint of shimmer. It applies very easily without a mess and dries quickly. When it is done drying, it has a very nice matte finish and does not need a top coat as it does not come off easily. They last much longer than other top quality nail polishes that I own. The color is very cute and can look pink or purple depending on the lighting. This polish is now one of my favorites and I can't wait to check out her other polishes in this collection.

Downy Fresh Protect

 I really love the concept of deodorizing clothes while they are washing; it is an innovative and effective idea. They are easy to sprinkle inside of a front load washing machine and they dissolve quickly while in the washing machine. I also only use half a pack per load. When I take my clothes out of the washing machine, there is a noticeable difference. Usually there is a hint of detergent and I rely on the dryer sheets to add a little more scent to my clothes, but now my clothes smell wonderful straight out the washing machine! My whole laundry room smells great. They smell even better out of the dryer once the clothes are dry. I don't even need to put the clothes up to my nose to get the scent, it just lingers and makes any room I am folding in smell great. My whole room smells amazing for days after washing my bedding and everywhere I go I smell great. The scent really lingers for a long time and I love it.

Dickinson's Witch Hazel Toner

 

This toner is very smooth and refreshing. I like toners and I don’t use them often but this toner is something I actually look forward to. It has a light scent and I love that it uses natural ingredients. It applies to skin easily with no burning, stinging, or tingling (although I would like tingling). My skin hates over drying and this doesn’t remove any moisture and dries quickly without leaving any residue or causing any tightness. I have combination skin that tends to be a little sensitive but this is very gentle and doesn’t cause any reactions or irritations. The usual oily areas aren’t as shiny/greasy, and the usually dry areas are a little more moisturized and less flaky. This toner leaves my skin looking and feeling fresh, toned, moisturized, healthy, and even; it does a great job.

 

 

 

 

Overall, I really loved this VoxBox and it will go down as one of my favorites!

Influenster and the associated brands provide these products for testing and review purposes. If you would like to join Influenster and receive products like these, join here, www.influenster.com/r/444070

Always Radiant Pads

 
Always has a new pad called Radiant that is made with avec flex foam technology. It is "100% leak free" and "absorbs 10x its weight". They are made to provide the best coverage, protection, and absorption so that you can wear what you want while being very comfortable.

The box that I received in my #GoddessVoxBox from Influenster contains 15 regular sized, lightly scented pads with wings.

These are not all of the pads, some have been removed.

• My Experience:

Always makes some great personal care products and these are also top quality. Near perfect pads are hard to come by and these are near perfect. The Infinity pads were my number one for a long time but this one might just beat it.

These have very cute and colorful packaging which can actually make you feel a little better. They also have a nice scent that is not too strong or too light (it kind of smells like a floral laundry detergent), they are just right to hide odors. They are squishy, soft, thin, and easy to attach without any problems and the wings are perfectly sticky, long, and strong. These pads a very comfortable since they are thin and squishy and I don’t have to worry about leakage since they are super absorbent and provide great coverage. I knew these would have great coverage like the Infinity pads because of the similar flex foam technology that I love and I knew they would be comfy because of the flex foam and how thin they are. I was worried that they wouldn’t provide enough coverage because they are a little shorter than the Infinity pads, but that was not a problem.
 
I really like these pads and they may have just made their way to the top of my list.

L'Oreal Paris Extraordinary Oil VoxBox

L'Oreal Paris has an Advanced Hair care line called Extraordinary Oil that is infused with an oil complex consisting of Argan, Chamomile, Coconut, Amla, Soja, and Sunflower  and an Arginine K-Complex. The oil complex infuses moisture and seals the hair cuticle for smoothness while the Arginine K-Complex penetrates the hair cuticle for health. The line consists of a Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner, Lustrous Oil Serum, and Transforming Oil-In-Cream (not reviewed). I received these items in my custom L'Oreal Paris Extraordinary Oil VoxBox from Influenster to test out and give my opinion.

• My Experience

-Shampoo: This shampoo does a great job at clarifying my hair while infusing moisture. It foams up without needing a lot of product and it doesn’t leave my hair too stiff or stripped afterwards like other sulfate shampoos do. It is very lightweight and isn't greasy at all; the oils are kind of undetectable. This shampoo leaves my curls feeling very fresh, weightless, and clean.

-Conditioner:The consistency isn’t too thick or too thin; its just right, but I still use a lot of it to coat all of my curly strands. After washing with the complimentary shampoo, I apply it and leave it on for about 5 minutes then detangle, and this conditioner makes it very easy to detangle since my hair can get very knotty from washing. Then I rinse out the conditioner and comb through my hair again. This conditioner leaves my hair smelling so good and it dries much quicker. I can tell that the conditioner is coating my hair with very little buildup and when my hair dries, my curls are moisturized, soft, plush, and my hair is very flowy and has a lot of movement.

-Serum: The serum has a thin, slick consistency and isn't oily or greasy. Since it is a leave-in treatment and I use the L.O.C. (leave in, oil, cream) method for my curly hair, I use this as the leave in part of my routine. When I apply this to wet hair it goes on very smoothly with a clean finish and I don't need a lot. It adds shine and reduces frizz without weighing down my hair since it is very lightweight. I love a good hair serum and this has to be in my top 3.

-Overall, this system worked great with my 3a/3b curls (loose to medium curl pattern). The bottles are big and I love the gold tone design. The bottles are big and will last a long time and the packaging is very unique and eye catching; I love the gold tone to it. The products have a strong, perfumy scent that lingers for days. Added ingredients mean a lot to me so I love the oil complex and Arginine-K Complex. This is a quality line that I would recommend to anyone. I received these products for free from Influenster for review purposes.

#FrostyVoxBox

I received this box complimentary from Influenster for review purposes. It came with Rimmel Gentle Eye Makeup Remover, Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in black, NYC New York expert Last Lip Color in sugar plum, Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea, Boots No7 Protect and Perfect Advanced serum, McCormick Gourmet All Natural Thyme, cherry Fruit Vines Bites, and Eco Tools Full Volume Styler brush.

Review Time

Makeup remover

The makeup remover didn't do so well. I wear regular eyeliner and mascara and this doesn't do a great job at removing my eye makeup. I have to scrub my eyes when I try to use this, which leads to skin irritation, and that's no fun. I always eventually give up and go with plain tap water, which does much better than the remover. I would suggest Rimmel add more oil, like coconut oil, which is a good, natural makeup remover.

This eyeliner is perfection, I love every aspect of it. The only down side is that it's not very waterproof. It's better than a regular eyeliner against water but it's not the best waterproof eyeliner,which is perfectly fine for me. It glides on so smoothly and so precisely. It's super easy to apply and the black is a very dark,deep, rich black that I love so much. Making wings with this eyeliner is very quick, clean, and flawless.

NYC Lip Color

This is a great lipstick. It gives your lips a pinkish shimmery look but it still looks very natural and casual. It applies very smoothly and lasts a decent amount of time before having to reapply. It moisturizes lips nicely and doesn't have a weird feel. It's very light and nice with no weird taste or smell.

The tea tasted great. It was very smooth and warming, perfect for the holidays. It was full of flavor, which included, mint, cinnamon and vanilla. This is the best holiday tea I have ever tasted. You could taste every flavor perfectly and it all just blended so well making the perfect cup of tea on a cold winter evening.

Boots No7 Serum

This is a great serum. It applies to nicely and smoothly and the texture is so velvety and soft. It's very moisturizing and leaves skin looking and feeling healthy. My skin feels very smooth and it's very breathable. It's super light on skin and my usually oily skin is actually normal with this on.

I love this as an addition to almost any meal. You can mix it into a sauce, you can sprinkle it onto meat or into soups and so much more. I really loved it in my pizza sauce mix added onto a homemade pizza. This adds a great flavor to meals and it's good for you.

These tasted soo much better than I expected. They are so good. They have a very distinct cherry taste and a chewy but very chew-able texture. You can just eat one. They do tend to get stuck all in your teeth so braces or dentures could be a problem with these. Other than that, these are delicious and I love them. 

This is a great, quality brush but it's best with straight hair. I have naturally curly 3a/3b curls, waist length(stretched), fine-medium strands & low density. When I straightened my hair, this brush glide through my hair easily, smoothed frizz, and added much needed volume to my flat hair. It also did a great job at de-tangling. I only brush my curls when my hair is wet & full of conditioner, so with this, the brush didn't do so great at de-tangling. My hair isn't coarse or hard to manage at all, but the brush kept snagging & snapping my hair. It seemed to flatten my curls but did add a little more definition and movement. The brush was also a little too big and bulky for my liking. This is a great brush better with the 1-2 hair types.

This was a great box that I really enjoyed. All the products were wonderful and I'm glad I had the opportunity to try these items.

Rimmel Review

I received Rimmel London's Gentle Eye Makeup Remover and Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in my #FrostyVoxBox that I received free from Influenster for review purposes.

• The eyeliner is perfection, I love every aspect of it. The only down side is that it's not very waterproof. It's better than a regular eyeliner against water but it's not the best waterproof eyeliner,which is perfectly fine for me. It glides on so smoothly and so precisely. It's super easy to apply and the black is a very dark,deep, rich black that I love so much. Making wings with this eyeliner is very quick, clean, and flawless.
• As for the makeup remover, I wouldn't really call it that. I wear regular eyeliner and mascara and this doesn't do a great job at removing my eye makeup. I have to scrub my eyes when I try to use this, which leads to skin irritation, and that's no fun. I always eventually give up and go with plain tap water, which does much better than the remover. I would suggest Rimmel add more oil, like coconut oil, which is a good, natural makeup remover.

I love Rimmel's products. They make great, high quality cosmetics that never disappoint. The eye liner is flawless and the remover should be a lot better.

Celestial Seasonings

I received Candy Cane Lane Green Tea from Celestial Seasonings in my #FrostyVoxBox that I got complimentary from Influenster for review purposes. It came with 2 tea bags and a coupon for .55 off.

The tea tasted great. It was very smooth and warming, perfect for the holidays. It was full of flavor, which included, mint, cinnamon and vanilla. This is the best holiday tea I have ever tasted. You could taste every flavor perfectly and it all just blended so well making the perfect cup of tea on a cold winter evening.

To try out a variety of products for free, join Influenster using this link: www.influenster.com/r/444070