Product Review: Aveda Botanical Kinetics Toner, B+

Happy Monday, everyone! Up for for product review today is Aveda's Botanical Kinetics Toner.

Last week I had a facial at the local Aveda Institute and my esthetician used this toner on my face a few times. A 5 oz. bottle (with spritz) retails for $19 and the 16.9 oz. bottle retails for $44.

Here are the details from Aveda...

Come face to face with the benefits of nature as this cooling, refreshing mist helps hydrate and balance your skin while minimizing surface oil build-up. White oak, witch hazel and peppermint provide mild astringent benefits.

• Refreshingly aromatic
• Helps tone, balance and replenish moisture
• For normal to oily skin 

And my review...

The Good: It smells divine and keeps my skin toned but not dry. I definitely haven't experienced that "tightness" that some toners provide. Also, you have the option to spritz your face directly (which I prefer) or onto a cotton ball.

The Bad: $19 for 5 oz. isn't cheap. Sad trombone.

The Verdict: B+ overall! I love the scent and the softness that this toner provides. I'll see how long a bottle lasts me and then determine if I'll buy the big poppa refill.

Product Review: Clairol Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Hairspray, B

Helllllooooo blog world! Happy Monday to everyone!

Up for product review today is a random hairspray I picked up out of desperation a few weeks back: Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Hairspray.

 I *way* overpaid for this hairspray as I purchased it at a grocery store (yes, I should know better...the prices are more amicable at local drugstores) for $5 or so. Most drugstore retails price this at $3-$4 ish.

Here are the details from Herbal Essences:

• You don't let humidity get your hair down.
• You just hold up full and shiny with a lush finish because of my weightless formula fused with white nectarine & pink coral flower.
• Sunset citrus fragrance

Made in USA

• Spray evenly.
• Okay, you're all set.

And my review...

The Good: It smells deeelightul. De-freakin'-lightful. And it does volumize. When worn down and wavy, my hair stayed volumized for a couple hours.

The Bad: The spray is quite forceful, so, really, hold it 10-12" away from your head, if not farther away. The product can make your hair a bit stiff if not distributed properly.

The Verdict: It's a B from me. The spray does volumize, it smells great but it can turn your hair crispy if used incorrectly. Spray with caution!

Product Review: TRESemme FRESHstart Waterless Foam Shampoo, D

Hey everyone! Hope everyone is recovering from a fun & delicious Thanksgiving weekend! Now I know there are tons 'o Cyber Monday deals out there...but I'm not partaking. I know. Shocking. Therefore, it's time for another product review!

I picked up TRESemme's FRESHstart Waterless Foam Shampoo as I was looking for a neat and cheap alternative to Oscar Blandi's Pronto Dry Shampoo. You can pick up the TRESemme product in just about any drugstore and it will run you roughly $5-$6.

Details from TRESemme:

Do not miss a fresh look and feel on the second day.  TRESemme® Fresh Start Waterless Foam Shampoo is the perfect solution to clean hair without water anytime.  The unique formula, with Witch Hazel, Citrus and Aloe Vera refreshes your hair by removing excess oil, impurities and odor while moisturizing hair.  Waterless Foam Shampoo instantly transforms lifeless limp and dull hair into fresh hair that is clean, shiny and smooth. 

My review:

The Good: I enjoy the concept, the scent is nice and the product worked "ok" when my hair was curly. I suppose it tried to "refresh" the roots?

The Bad: Sticky, filmy mess on my roots - especially when my hair was straight. And yes, I did follow the directions and my hair still felt dirtier than it did before I used the product.

The Verdict: D. These last two weeks haven't been so great for product reviews! Boo :( I will be picking up some Oscar Blandi Pronto Shampoo on the pronto!

Product Review: Revlon Double Twist Mascara, D+

Why, hello Monday. And a big hey-o to the short week!

Up for today's product review is Revlon's new-ish Double Twist Mascara. I was pretty jacked about this mascara - I always love innovative mascara brushes and volumizing mascara. Sadly, I was uber disappointed in the end.

Here are the details from Revlon:

• MASSIVE Volume. REMARKABLE Definition.
• Revolutionary 2-in-1 brush.
• Thickening Brush + Separating Combs = The Ultimate Lash Look
• Available in 4 shades, including a new signature Revlon® shade, Blackened Ruby.
• Also available in waterproof formula.

And my review:

The Good: The mascara gives significant volume. Yup.

The Bad: Quite a few qualities to list here:
1) It's VERY difficult to remove (and no, I did NOT purchase the waterproof formula). I had to use my eye makeup remover quite a bit after washing my face and there were still remnants & morning raccoon eye.
2) It can get a bit clumpy because the dual brush picks up so much product.
3) While I didn't have too much flaking, I had a bit of spider eyes going on.

The Verdict: D+, not a repurchase for me...it's just too much work! Cool concept, nice volume, but the execution failed. I did, however, watch Revlon's tutorial from Gucci Westman on how to best apply this mascara. If you fancy a view, check it out the video.

Product Review: Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup, A-

Helllloooooo everyone! Happy Monday to all.

I had a fabulous weekend with my girlfriends...we bopped around Madison, WI. We pretty much did everything in excess - walking the campus, eating, drinking, shopping, etc. Good times had by all.

And when I arrived in Madison, I realized I forgot my foundation. Yup, I was without any kind of face makeup whatsoever. Since I really wasn't in the mood to look like a zombie all weekend, my friend Jess lent me her Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup. It retails for $34.50 for .63 ounces (mineral makeup). Thanks, Jess!

Here are the deets from Clinique...

“Smart” technology keeps dry areas comfortable, oily areas less shiny. No-waste grinder dispenses skin-defending vitamins with each twist. Fresh-shaved mineral powder clings evenly to skin. Lasts for up to 8 long hours. Includes antibacterial brush. Turn grinder clockwise stopping at first mark to release enough fresh powder for a full-face application. Dip brush into powder and tap gently to remove excess. Sweep over face to desired coverage. One click is enough for full-face application. 

And my review...

The Good: This is a super fun product - the clickity function ensures the product is kept clean and disburses the right amount of powder. Coverage is definitely on the lighter side and it left my skin looking shine free. Also, it seems like this would last you a while...so price per wear isn't ridiculous by any means.

The Bad: For those ladies wanting full face coverage, this probably isn't the product for you.

The Verdict: A-! This product really worked for me and left my skin feeling light and airy. Once I'm done with my MAC foundation, I'll likely give this a buy!

Product Review: Nike Dri-Fit Be Strong Polyester Training Pants, A

Happy beginning of the week to all! Hope everyone enjoyed the additional hour of sleep yesterday mornin'!

So, as of late I've been adding quite a bit of extra mileage to my weekly runs. I ran my second half marathon (first was last year) on Saturday. Woot!

Naturally, I've been enamored with fabulous workout gear as that always inspires me a bit. Thus, today's review is all over Nike's Dri-Fit Be Strong Polyester Training Pants. With the full length pants retailing for $60, these runner's delight may seem a bit pricey but they are so worth it. They make for a great alternative to running tights and are super for cross training, too!


Details from Nike.com:
The Nike Be Strong Polyester Pants: Mid-rise comfort

Performance meets streamlined style in the Nike Be Strong Polyester Women’s Training Pants. They offer freedom of movement, lasting comfort and a smooth look for any workout regimen.

Benefits:
Wide waistband with drawcord for a flat, smooth look
Triangular gusset for comfort and wide range of motion
Rise falls 1-inch below natural waistline
Flat-seam construction for reduced irritation
Performance fabric to help keep you dry and comfortable

Fit:
The mid-rise Be Strong pants are fitted through the hip for shaping and relaxed through the knee for comfort during squats, lunges and other bending exercises. The slightly flared leg adds modern style. And, for a flat, smooth look that flatters around the middle, these pants feature a wide waistband with drawcord.

Fabric:
Dri-FIT fabric helps keep you dry and comfortable by wicking sweat away from skin to the fabric’s surface, where it quickly evaporates. The spandex adds just the right amount of stretch for working out in comfort.

Additional Details:
Contrast piping as side seams
Fabric: Dri-FIT 88% polyester/12% spandex
Machine wash
Imported

And onto my review...

The Good: As mentioned, these pants are the bomb dot com. Comfortable, well made and, frankly, they make your caboose look faboosh. Plus, if you do a bit of digging online, you'll find them on sale! Like here, or here, or in capri length here. They also have short, regular and tall length for all heights!

The Bad: Very little to report here...you just may have to dig a bit to find them on sale!

The Verdict: A all day. These pants have lasted me at least three years and they are still going strong!

nike dri fit pants

Product Review: L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Cleanser, B

Hi all! Hope everyone had a great Halloween weekend!

Today's review is on L'Oreal (fairly new) Go 360 Clean Cleanser. This little bottle comes with a unique, soft rubber scrublet that I was just itching to try. You'll find this in plenty 'o drugstores and big box retailers.

Product details: 
L'Oreal go 360° clean offers a complete range of four expertly formulated, high-foam cleansers that are perfectly calibrated to perform with the scrublet. The deep facial cleanser is a deep-cleaning, high-foam gel, which unclogs pores as it removes oil, dirt and makeup. The gel formula helps reduce oily areas, dry skin patches and blemishes with its deep cleaning, pore-by-pore action. Oil-Free.

My review: 

The Good: The scrublet is pretty damn awesome. It gives the perfect amount of exfoliation and suds. The cleanser smells super fresh & I really like the concept. Plus - it's pretty affordable!

The Bad: This particular cleanser is a bit drying. I'm thinking of trying some of the other formulas and see how that pans out.

The Verdict: A solid B from me. This may bump up to an A with the other cleanser formulas. I'll definitely be holding on to the scrublet in any case, though!

Product Review: OPI Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous, A-

Happy Monday to all!

A few weeks back I was enjoying a lovely pedicure and I spied this gorgeous, sparkly,  gunmetal gray polish by OPI titled: Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous!

Details from OPI:
Part of the Swiss Collection.

The Good: It's actually darker than it appears on the OPI website, more closely shaded to the photo above. It's not uber sparkly, but just enough to add a little punch. PLUS, you can score this on Amazon for a total steal right now.

The Bad: Not much here...all polish chips, but because this particular shade is a bit more sparklified it may chip more quickly? Just a guess, though!

The Verdict: A-! I'm a big fan of this shimmery, dark gray color on toes and fingers.

The Real Life Photo:

Product Review: Hems Gems, A-

Hellllllooooooo friends!

Happy Monday to all. Today's review centers around a really nifty product called Hem Gems. For those of you who are vertically challenged like me, or just seek more length options with your denim, these little babies are fa-bu-lous. A few weeks ago, I took the plunge and purchased the Classic Rivet Hem Gems in Gold.

How It Works: (straight from the Hem Gems website)

And my review...

The Good: Such a cool product! The push pin type Hem Gems absolutely keep the internal cuff in place. Plus the gold rivets look pretty chic and non-obtrusive.

The Bad: Even though they give you clear instructions, removing the backing from the Hem Gems proved to be a bit difficult. Read the instructions, folks. Plus, while $20 isn't  super expensive, it's not cheap for a wee product such as this.

The Verdict: A-! A really solid product that I certainly recommend to my not so tall friends and the ladies who are jean hoarders like me!

Product Review: L'Oreal Sublime Bronze One Day Instant Tanning Gel, B

Hey friends!

So, over the weekend I helped out at a pop culture themed event and I decided to go as Snooki. Yes, Snooki, of Jersey Shore fame.

So, I bought a long black wig, a Bumpit, lots of black eyeliner and a boatload of one day bronzer. I was careful as I didn't want to be that shade of tan/orange for any longer than the party. Thus, my decision to purchase L'Oreal Sublime Bronze One Day Instant Tanning Gel.

Here are the product details...

Sublime Bronze One Day instant tanning gel delivers a sheer tint of bronze color that lasts up to one day. This unique quick-drying formulation with natural caramel colorant and golden pearls gives skin a natural-looking sun-kissed glow. The no-mistakes formula washes away with soap and water.

• For face & body

Results:

• Instant radiance & sun-kissed glow
• Smooth, streak-free, even-looking skin tone
• Tan level builds with additional applications
• Long-lasting hydration for smooth feel

How to use:

• Apply evenly on clean skin
• Allow to dry before dressing
• Use multiple applications for deeper color
• Wash your hands after use
• Rinses away at the end of day with soap
• Does not contain sunscreen. (DHA-free)

And my review...

The Good: After layering many levels of tanning I was about halfway to Snooki's tan level, which was enough for the party! The gel smoothed on evenly and would have given me some nice color if applied in a normal, non-Snooki seeking manner. Oh, and it indeed washed off easily!

The Bad: It's a bit expensive, running $10-$12 (for 6.7 oz.) and it flaked a bit on my face. However, remember that I layered this product on for the Snooki effect. I don't think it would have flaked under normal circumstances.

The Result: This earns a B from me! The product stays true to its promises and delivers a golden tan. If you're looking to get Snooki-ized or just a very temporary, wash off tan, this is a solid product!

If you really, really want to see me Snooked up...see below!

Product Review: L'Oreal HiP Eyeshadow Duo - Electrified, A

Hey all! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Up for review today is one of L'Oreal's HiP Eyeshadow Duos, the shade is called "Electrified."

Here's a crappy picture from Target's website:

This duo retails for $5.99-$6.99 in your typical big box retails and drugstores, but I will say that this particular shade seems to be more difficult to come by.

Deets from L'Oreal:

• Shades are high-pearl, luminous, rich colors that can be used to create an elegant and edgy metallic eye look
• Each shade combination is developed to create a striking, complete eye look
• The lighter shade can be used for all-over luminous color and the darker shade can be used to contour and define the eye for maximum impact
• Crease-resistant, long-wearing color duo includes a shadow applicator

And my review:

The Good: The colors are looooovely...seriously, the mink colored shade is just so pretty and I imagine it would be pretty on almost any eye color. And it's super easy to vamp it up at night with the eggplant shade next to it. The best part is that these shadows really stay true to your lids and their color all day, as long as you use an eye shadow primer.

The Bad: I got nothin' here!

The Verdict: LOVE. A definite rebuy for me, especially considering the affordability and long wear.

Product Review: MAC Mineralize Satinfinish Foundation, B

Hi everyone! Happy Monday to all.

Up for review today is MAC's Mineralize Satinfinish SPF 15 Foundation. I picked this up while perusing through a Cosmetics Company Store (outlet mall store where expensive brand name cosmetics are sold) as I was in need for a lightweight foundation. As many of you may remember I adore Laura Mercier's oil free foundation, yet I decided to give a go to this particular blend from MAC.

Deets from MAC's website:  
A fluid foundation that blends the natural light-reflecting properties of micro-minerals with a smooth satin finish. Provides a low-to-medium buildable coverage with a slightly luminous look. Contains antioxidants vitamins C and E. Provides everyday SPF 15 sun protection. Long-wearing. Suitable for normal-dry skins. 1 oz., $29.50. 

And my review...

The Good: With a very wide range of colors, MAC's foundation line covers just about every skin tone. The particular foundation goes on super smooth.

The Bad: It doesn't stay all day and can sometimes look a little flat if you don't dress it up with some other color on your face.

The Verdict: B from me! The finish is nice and light, but I keep thinking about my LM foundation. I'll definitly continue to use it, but I think I'll go back to LM during my next go around! 

Product Review: L'Oreal Extra-Intense Liquid Eye Pencil, A

Hey all! Hope everyone had a grrrreat weekend!

Up for review today is a really great product that I stumbled upon while seeking out a new, basic eyeliner in Walgreens: L'Oreal Extra-Intense Liquid Eye Pencil. This little glider retails for $5-$7 in most drugstores and comes in black, brown and one other shade that I didn't spy at my particular location. Grey, green? Not sure...

Deets from L'Oreal:

Now get the gliding application, intense look, and longwear of a liquid eyeliner with the easy application and control of a pencil.

• Rich, dramatically bold lines.
• Pencil formula glides on smoothly and easily.
• Smudge-proof, all-day wear.
• Ophthalmologist tested.
• Suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.

Made in Germany

• Apply along lashline starting from inner corners of eye working outwards.
• For a smokey look, gently smudge line with finger or brush applicator.
• Removes easily with soap and water or with Clean Artiste Waterproof and Long Wearing Eye Makeup Remover.

And my review...

The Good: Supa' smooth application and it stays ALL day (especially when you apply some time of base). The color is rich and long lasting.

The Bad: Not too much to report here...you may need to use actual makeup remover to remove the remnants.

The Verdict: A all the way! Per above, this is a stellar liner, especially for the price. An absolute re-buy for me in the future!

Product Review: Tarte Peaches & Cream Foundation, C

Happy Monday to all!

Now that I'm back from vacay (a wonderful week in Charleston) it's back to blogging!

Up for review today is Tarte's Peaches & Cream foundation. I bought this little product off of Gilt.com on the cheap, as it retails for $35 on the Tarte website.

Details from the product site:

Apply this velvety confection when you want to hide imperfections and create a perfectly smooth canvas.

The vitamin-enriched formula goes on like a dream and dries to a soft, powdery finish that’s just peachy. It also offers SPF 20 - which I'm a big fan of. And here's my review: The Good: It does indeed make your skin velvety...and as mentioned I'm happy with the SPF 20 and oil free product. The Bad: Bummer...this product dulled my skin and made me look zombie-esque. (And it's the correct shade) Speaking of that there are only three shades to choose from. Woof. The Verdict: C from me. I really wanted to dig this product, but it just made me look ashy and dull. Definitely not a rebuy for me as I prefer a more luminous foundation.