Conditioner -KMS California - color vitality color revitalizer
sweet_like_honey 5/3/2013 3:05:00 PM
This is my new HG conditioner! KMS Color Vitality helps keep my hair color from fading (I have black hair naturally but I highlight it to blonde) or oxidizing too fast. I love that it has just enough "slip" to detangle my hair but not so much that I know it'll break me out. Silicones tend to cause body breakouts for me and leave a residue that dries my hair out and make it crunchy. I have not had any of those problems with this conditioner! This is definitely the best color-preserving conditioner I've used so far- I like it much better than Redken. It gives enough moisture to make my hair soft and shiny but not so much that my hair gets greasy the day after I use it. I buy the big pump bottles, which are very convenient and hygienic. Will definitely repurchase!
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Shampoo -KMS California - Color Vitality Shampoo
sweet_like_honey 5/3/2013 3:01:00 PM
I've tried many different shampoos and conditioners that claim to help preserve hair color but this is the only line that doesn't break me out, dry out my hair, or make my hair feel greasy the day after use. I buy the big pro size bottles with the pump, which makes it very convenient and is very hygienic. My hair hasn't oxidized or faded as much as it usually does, so I do think that this shampoo works to help preserve color. This is my new HG shampoo- it's a transparent purple color, not opaque, so it helps add volume rather than excess moisture- which is perfect for my oily hair. I hate all the shampoos with the oils and silicones- they break me out. This formula might be a bit drying for the winter but it's perfect for spring/summer. My hair is clean and soft- not crunchy like it gets with the residue of too many silicones. Will definitely repurchase!
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Fragrances -MOR - Belladonna Perfume Oil
sweet_like_honey 4/6/2013 6:19:00 PM
This is my new HG fragrance! I love how soft and feminine this scent is- it's very sensual in a sweet, quiet way. I hate how most perfumes smell so strongly of alcohol and attack the senses. This rollerball is perfect- it's portable, the scent isn't too floral or too sugary, and your body heat makes the oil really project so you only need a bit. My boyfriend can't stop telling me how good I smell when I wear this. I got it on sale at a local store for $10- I'm definitely going back for more! Highly recommend! From the MOR website: "Belladonna presents a Spring symphony of White Narcissus, Moroccan Rose and Pink Tulips enlivened with a sparkling mist of Meyer Lemon. Finally it is sweetened with a touch of French Cassis, Sandalwood, Vanilla and Musk to leave a trace of tender warmth"
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Living Proof - Instant Texture Volumizer
sweet_like_honey 4/6/2013 6:13:00 PM
I have a lot of straight, thick hair that is so heavy that it lies flat if I don't use volumizing products. While my hair is still damp, I spray either Nick Chavez Wet/Dry Flocker or Michael O'Rourke Size Matters (both are my HG volumizing mousse sprays) onto my roots and then blow dry my hair. If I'm lazy and let my hair air dry or run out of those sprays, I need a back up product to volumize my hair. This product works well for that purpose- it's a small jar that I can keep in my bag for times when my hair needs more volume and definition. I just take a quarter-sized amount and rub it between my palms and then "fluff" my roots all over my head. Then I use the remaining product on my hands to finger through the middle to ends of my hair for definition. I love that this product smells great and is portable. It's also reworkable so I can fluff my roots hours after initially applying it and the product will re-activate and re-volumize my hair. The only BAD thing about this product is that it breaks me out! I noticed that I'm getting pimples around my hairline and I think it's because this clogs my pores. Now, I just use it on the crown of my head instead of close to my face. I definitely recommend this product to anyone with flat hair- just keep it in your bag and use it whenever your roots could use a lift and you want definition. It also helps smooth flyaways and add a bit of shine.
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - AminoGenesis Really Really Clean Facial Cleanser
sweet_like_honey 4/1/2013 11:01:00 PM
So far, so good! I've been using this cleanser for about a week and I love how clean my skin feels after using it. I have eyelash extensions and I can't use any oil-based makeup removers or rub my eyes to remove my heavy eye makeup. I've tried other cleansers that dissolve makeup and they always dry out my skin (and I have oily skin). This one does exactly what it says it will do- remove all traces of makeup and deep clean without drying me out. I think that I will still need to exfoliate once a week to get rid of dead skin but this works great as a replacement for my usual makeup remover and cleanser. Plus it helps me preserve my lash extensions! Definitely recommend!
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Hair -Graham Webb - Vivid Color Shampoo and Conditioner
sweet_like_honey 4/1/2013 10:52:00 PM
TOO MANY SILICONES! I tried the conditioner because of the great reviews on Amazon but I knew as soon as I tried it that it was going to break me out. There is a TON of slip to this conditioner and when I checked the ingredients it was loaded with 'cones... which always clog my pores and cause breakouts on my forehead and back. I didn't find that my hair was any shinier or softer after using this than any other conditioners. I won't repurchase this again.
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Moisturizers -Simple - Replenishing Rich Moisturiser
sweet_like_honey 4/1/2013 10:47:00 PM
This is the first product I've tried from Simple. I bought into their advertising and thought that my acne prone, reactive skin might benefit from a basic moisturizer without harsh ingredients. In the winter, my skin is dry and I needed something that would nourish and moisturize my skin without causing break outs. I tried using this for about 2 months. It wasn't anything special- it kept my skin from drying out but it felt like it was just sitting on top of my skin like a mask, without being absorbed. I felt like it left a residue that ended up causing breakouts and whiteheads. For the same price, I'd rather go back to my tried and true Neutrogena Anti-Wrinkle Cream, which I've used since I was 19. I do feel like my skin needs more nourishment now that I'm older so I'm going to try AminoGenesis Therapeutic Facial Repair.
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Hair Styling Tools -Conair - Infiniti Spin Air Brush
sweet_like_honey 2/14/2013 2:09:00 PM
I can't believe I waited this long to try this styler but I'm so glad that I finally did. I have a LOT of hair and it's thick and pin straight and extremely resistant to heat styling. Before trying this, I always loved how my hair looked after the salon but was too lazy to use a round brush and dryer to achieve the same look. This product was very easy to use- all I did was clip up the top half of my hair and dry small sections of my hair at a time. It does take a bit of trial and error to learn how to use the buttons... I didn't experience any tangling but if you have curly hair, be careful. (Just look at the way the brush spins before you start spinning it through your hair to make sure it's going in the right direction.) The trick is to pull the spinning brush through your hair and just the right speed so that the spinning doesn't tangle your hair. Once you get it, it's really simple. Drying my hair was so quick and easy and the finished result looks so smooth, like I had it blown out. I even got the ends of my hair to curl a bit- which NEVER happens with my pin straight hair. Love love LOVE THIS STYLER!!!! I'll be using this every day.
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Liquid -L'Oreal - True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup
sweet_like_honey 12/21/2012 1:10:00 PM
I've been using the regular True Match in W7 for 8 years, so I decided to try True Match Lumi to see if it was an even better version of the original. This foundation has more silicones, which usually break me out, but for some reason Lumi didn't break me out at all. It goes on smoother and creamier than the regular True Match and leaves me looking "airbrushed". I like the formula better because it doesn't fade as much over the course of the day. The only problem I have with Lumi is that the shades are different and the warm tones still look kind of ashy pink. I used W6, Sun Beige, and it's ok during the winter when my skin is lighter, but I need a darker tone for when I'm tan. I've had to mix it with some of the regular formula in W7 to get the right color. I hope L'Oreal creates more shades soon- I love this foundation! I've had so many compliments on my skin since I started using this (and I don't have great skin- I'm extremely oily and acne-prone)! If you're lucky enough to find an exact shade match for your skintone, definitely try this foundation!
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Sebamed - Liquid Face and Body Wash
sweet_like_honey 10/3/2012 2:10:00 PM
My sister and I LOVE this product- but we're so upset that we can't find it at Costco anymore! We bought a huge pump bottle of this for only $10 last year but now everywhere we look, the same bottle is being sold for $40. So sad! Believe it or not, this is my HG shampoo. I know it's supposed to be a body wash but I don't use it for that. I find that it cleanses my hair without stripping it and my hair is soooo shiny after using this. My mom even noticed and asked my why my hair was so shiny- it's because I use this! My sister uses it as shampoo, face, and body wash and she loves it as well. We have very breakout-prone skin but she says it cleans her skin without drying it out or leaving a residue. I taught her that keeping the skin's pH levels intact can really improve her skin's health and she hasn't had cystic acne like she used to. I just wish we could find it at Costco at that dirt cheap price again- I'd stock up and buy 10 bottles!
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Conditioner -Organix - Nourishing Coconut Milk Conditioner
sweet_like_honey 10/3/2012 2:04:00 PM
I didn't find this to be moisturizing enough for my hair. The shampoo and conditioner are great if you want volume but not if you're looking to keep dry hair more hydrated. Even though this product has silicones and oils in it, there was no "slip" and barely any moisturization. I could probably use this in the summer but not during fall/winter when it's drier out. One thing I will say for this product, though, is that it didn't break me out. Every other product I've tried with silicones and oils will break me out but this one didn't (not sure why). I do love the smell but I just need something more moisturizing. I did the "strand test" on my hair (ripped out a single strand and pulled it at each end to see how far it stretched) and it didn't stretch at all- it just snapped in half immediately. That means my hair isn't healthy, so I have to go back to my usual shampoo and conditioner.
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Shampoo -Organix - Coconut Milk Shampoo
sweet_like_honey 10/3/2012 2:00:00 PM
My hair is long, thick, straight, and semi-coarse. I usually avoid products with silicones and oils because I'm extremely breakout prone and dimethicone and coconut oil especially seem to make me break out. I tried this and the Coconut Milk Conditioner because my sister left them in my shower and I ran out of my usual shampoo and conditioner. One thing I was happy to find was that these products have NOT caused breakouts. I also love that my usually flat hair looks very volumious and thick after I use these products. The smell is a light coconut smell, not too perfumey or overpowering, which I also like. My bf says my hair smells really good after using this S & C. I also think that the shampoo cleans product build up off of my hair very well. However, after a while of using them, I did the strand test (rip out a strand of hair and pull it to see if it stretches)... and my hair failed miserably. It snapped right away, no stretching at all, which means it's not healthy. So, unfortunately, I'll be going back to my usual shampoo and conditioner. I thought that these products would be more moisturizing but they aren't hydrating enough for the dry, cold weather that we're getting right now. Maybe in the summer this would work better for me.
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Shampoo -Alberto Vo5 - Tea Therapy Vanilla Mint Tea Clarifying Shampoo
sweet_like_honey 9/27/2012 11:41:00 PM
I love the smell of this shampoo so much that I bought 10 bottles so I wouldn't run out... it smells DIVINE! Plus each bottle only costs $1- it's ridiculously cheap. But I realized that you can't use it as a daily shampoo- it will dry your hair out too much. I learned that the hard way after my hair started snapping every time it was pulled too much. (My bf literally HEARD a few strands of hair snap.) I should've read that it was a CLARIFYING shampoo, which means you're supposed to use it when you have a lot of product build-up, not every day. I still love the smell, so I'll keep using this after I use a lot of product in my hair. I have to keep looking for a moisturizing shampoo for daily use, though.
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Toners -Bioelements - Power Peptide
sweet_like_honey 9/23/2012 4:44:00 PM
Ever since I started using this spray, my skin has been less greasy. I usually have to use oil absorbing sheets a few hours after I do my makeup but this one keeps the shine at bay- WITHOUT SILICONES! (I hate silicones.) I have sensitive, oily, acne-prone skin and I've been trying to find products that will keep my skin hydrated and prevent wrinkles without breaking me out. I read a lot of good reviews about this toner and decided to try it out. I agree with everyone- it keeps my skin looking healthy. A lot of people hate the heavy glass bottle and I agree that it's unnecessary and hard to travel with and probably bumps up the cost of this product, which is why its so expensive. I also agree that you really need to squeeze your eyes shut tight, otherwise it stings like a mofo if you get it in your eyes! I never really believed in using toners but I'm turning 27 soon and I figure it couldn't hurt to try a peptide toner that is supposed to help your skin. Plus they use this product at spas and esthetics schools, so they must know something I don't. I recommend this to anyone who wants to keep their skin healthy and less greasy. (There are a few oils in the ingredients but nothing that breaks me out or makes my skin oilier.) I will definitely repurchase this! By the way, Bioelements changed the formula slightly: Old Ingredients: Water (aqua) (eau), Glycerine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-3, Ergothioneine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (licorice) Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis (white Tea) Leaf Extract, Schinus Molle (Brazilian Peppertree) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (bergamot) Fruit Oil, Ellettaria Cardomomum (cardamom) Seed Oil, Acacia Farnesiana (cassie) Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (chamomile) Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus (clove) Leaf Oil, Canarium Luzonicum (elemi) Gum Nonvolatiles, Guaiacum Officinale (guaiacwood) Wood Extract, Llex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract, Cymbopogon Martini (palmarosa) Oil, Helianthus Annuus (sunfl Ower) Seed Oil, Phenethyl Alcohol, Oleth-10, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Disodium EDTA, Annotto. New Ingredients: Water (Aqua,Eau), Glycerin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-3, Ergothioneine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Leaf Extract, Schinus Molle (Brazilian Peppertree) Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Canarium Luzonicum Gum Nonvolatiles, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Leaf Oil, Guaiacum Officinale Wood Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol Natural, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Fruit, Phenethyl Alcohol, Oleth-10, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Disodium EDTA, Annatto
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Styling Products -Nick Chavez - Perfect PlusVolumizing Flocker
sweet_like_honey 9/22/2012 10:50:00 PM
I tried this for the first time today and I think it's my new HG hair product for getting super BIG hair. I have straight, waist-length long hair that is very thick and heavy and usually weighs itself down so much that it looks very flat. I saw a Nick Chavez video on YouTube for this product and decided to try it because it seemed like it adds tons of volume and that second-day, "bed head" look. My first impression of this product is that it needs better packaging. I read a review where someone mentioned that the foam gets all over the place and they were right. Even though I sprayed the foam into my hand, like Nick Chavez did in the video, the foam sputtered and splattered on its way out of the can and flew all over the place. I did get a good amount in my palm, but it seemed like a lot got wasted too. That said, this is probably the BEST volumizing product I've ever tried. I was using Michael O' Rourke Size Matters Big Volume Root Spray, which definitely helped add volume at my roots, but this one blows that one out of the water. Flocker Spray doesn't make my hair crispy or crunchy and adds volume ALL OVER, instead of just at the roots. I let my hair air-dry about 80% while I did my makeup, then I scrunched this foam into the roots and flipped my head upside down and scrunched some into all of my hair. When I flipped up my hair, it was HUGE. I brushed it through, added some It's A 10 Miracle Leave-In Conditioner to the bottom half, then blow dried it straight. Then I used a finishing product to pat down the flyaways. My hair looked super voluminous and thick! Someone asked me if my hair was real today, I think she thought I was wearing extensions. That's enough to make me think this product is 5 star worthy, but I had to take away a lippie for the wasteful packaging. Highly recommend this stuff if you need an all-over volume boost!
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