Thursday, May 29, 2014

Maybelline Color Elixir - Captivating Carnation & Hibiscus Haven


Good morning friends! I know I'm quite late to the party, but a lip product I've been absolutely loving lately has been the Maybelline Color Elixirs. I own the product in two shades, Captivating Carnation (left), and Hibiscus Haven (right).


The texture of these is heavenly. Not too thick or thin, it smoothes on beautifully on the lips, and last for about 4 hours. While the texture is thin and non-sticky, it does sort of leave a film on the lips. I don't mind this as I'm pretty sure it's what makes this product longer lasting than the average lip gloss. The product does have a smell and taste which I don't love. It's not terrible, but I could do without. 

One thing that stands out to me with these product is that I don't find them drying on my lips. In fact, if anything, they feel moisturizing to me. With drugstore products, I almost always find products drying on my lips, so I'm very happy (and surprised!) that these are so comfortable to wear. 

Captivating Carnation and Hibiscus Haven

I'm in LOVE with Captivating Carnation as a shade. It is the most beautiful natural rose shade and goes perfectly with any eye makeup. I've used this one a ton. Hibiscus Haven is a lot brighter and I find it hard to wear it with very little makeup on the rest of my face. I love the bright shade but it feels a bit out of place on my minimal everyday makeup face. Also, Hibiscus Haven, compared to Captivating Carnation, is a lot patchier on application. It takes a few swipes to get it right but I have not had this issue with Captivating Carnation.

Overall, for a drugstore product, I'm really happy. Other than the scent, it hits all the right marks: color payoff, excellent wear time, and good moisturizing properties. I'm a fan! I can't wait for a good sale on these to pick up more shades!


Thursday, May 15, 2014

Infusium 23 Miracle Therapy Shampoo with Moringa Oil - A Review


In full disclosure, Infusium23 has a special place in my heart. When I was growing up, my mom loved that shampoo and the scent of Infusium23 takes me back those days. Not only did my mom use it, but I used it as well in my teen years, and loved it. However, when I moved away, I got swayed by the charm of the more expensive shampoos (not that I could afford it as a student), and forgot about my beloved Infusium23.

Fast forward to today, and I'm using it again! When I was contacted to review some of their products, I jumped at the chance to revisit my old flame. This time though, the bottles look better than they did in my teen years, and I'm trying out their new Moringa Oil Therapy Shampoo.


Honestly, I love this shampoo. The good ol' Infusium scent is still there and beautiful as ever. It might be a bit too fragrant for some, but I love it. The shampoo leaves my scalp squeaky clean, and the conditioner has no problem detangling my hair and leaving it smooth. I have a lot of really thick hair and really value a shampoo that will thoroughly clean my hair without any issues. There's nothing worst than washing your hair and realize after your hair is dry that you've missed a greasy spot! You don't need a lof of this shampoo to create a good lather. I have colored hair and didn't notice any stripping of color. I also loved that this didn't leave my second-day hair greasy.

It's been a while since I've met a drugstore shampoo I like so much. This will be a repurchase for sure, but maybe next time I'll give an Infusium23 shampoo for colored hair a go? If you're looking for a good quality drugstore shampoo and conditioner, I highly suggest giving these a go.

* I have received this product for consideration but my opinions are always my own. I am not being compensated for this review and I always strive to review products with honesty.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer - Cocoa Radiant

I'm really bad at moisturizing my body. Unless the lotion is very easy to rub in, I usually either forget about it, or don't have time.

I absolutely love my Olay Silk Whimsy Body Lotion, but I had been craving a different scent. Enter the Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer in Cocoa Radiant.


I have to say, moisturizing has never been easier. If you don't know the premise of this product already, it's a spray on moisturizer. The continuous spray is so easy to use and the lotion truly rubs in in seconds. It reminds me a lot of my spray on sunscreen, but it's a million times easier to rub in!

The scent is quite soothing. It's nice, but nothing exceptional. The scent doesn't really linger too much on the skin, and it's not very strong. In a way, I think that's best for me and my work environment - we have a scent free policy and this product goes unnoticed. Used regularly, this leaves my skin seriously soft and doesn't leave a greasy feeling.

I'll be interested to see how long this bottle lasts as I'm using it every time I shower. For anyone who is like me and is lazy about moisturizing, this is seriously the way to go!

Monday, May 5, 2014

Herbal Essences Naked Line: Dry Shampoo Review

Today, I'm reviewing a new product from Herbal Essences' Naked line: their Paraben free dry shampoo.

While I'm mostly used to very powdery dry shampoos (my usual is the Batiste Brunette), this dry shampoo has a different consistency. It feels a lot more like a hairspray when you spritz it on your hair. After about a 30 second wait though, the familiar powdery feel is there.


The nice thing about this product is that even with my dark brown hair, I had a hard time seeing any powder residue. What is visible blends in like a dream. It doesn't make my hair feel soft like my Batiste dry shampoo, but rather more voluminous. This would be a great product to use if you wanted to give it a bit of grip for an updo. While it did make my hair feel cleaner, I'd almost rather use the product strictly for volume rather than as a dry shampoo. The high alcohol content in the product almost makes me think it cannot be that good for my hair. And unfortunately, the product smells like alcohol as well - a lot like a hairspray. While the scent is not that bad, I prefer my regular dry shampoo's powdery fresh smell.

Overall, I know I'll use this product when I'm looking of volume, or to put my freshly washed hair in a high bun, but I'll stick to my Batiste for dry shampoo uses.

*Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.