Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Blow Dry Perfector Straightening Balm

After trying Garnier's shampoo and conditioner for fine hair, I liked the outcome feeling of my hair that I thought I'd try other products of Garnier. My hair is naturally straight after blow drying, but it is always frizzy looking.  This straightening balm got my attention, because it stated on the front that it is 24 hour frizz resistance and that it has Argan oil in it. Some of Argan oil's benefits is it helps promotes soft, silky hair, it prevents moisture loss and adds suppleness to the hair and it has components such as Vitamin E and essentials fatty acids, which is good for the hair.

Here is a picture of my hair after showering.  It was fully wet for a while, but I was busy doing other things that I didn't get the chance right away to put Garnier's Straightening Balm in my hair, so there were some area that was already dry.  However, my hair was still damp enough for me to use the straightening balm.

Here is an after picture after putting the balm product in my hair and blow drying it.  I was very impressed after trying it for the first time.  It made my hair straight and I notice there was not much frizz. I really liked the after feeling of it.  The balm left my hair feeling soft and straight and  I didn't have to use too much of the product. I would say a penny size amount was good enough for my entire head of hair.

 

I will be trying this product with another product of Garnier's, which is Garnier's XXL volume Thickening Mousse.  Like I mentioned before, I do have fine hair and usually I am always using a thickening mousse to make my hair look thicker. With Garnier's thickening mousse, I do like that it makes my hair look thicker and adds volume, however it does leave my hair very frizzy.  So my next task will be to try Garnier's straightening balm with their XXL thickening mousse. 

Day 2 review:  Below is a picture of my wet hair before using the mousse and then an after picture of my hair using Garnier's XXL volume thickening Mousse.  As you can see, it gives my hair lots of volume and does make it look thick.  However, you can see how frizzy it left my hair.  I usually would have to use hair spray afterwards to control the frizziness.  

I will be updating soon on the outcome of the mousse and balm being used together.

Face Product Review: Olay Pro-X Advance Cleansing System

Hello readers,

I've always wanted to try one of those cleaning brush tool like the Clarisonic, but the price for that is out of my budget. There are other brands that I have seen make brush tools as well, but the cost is still pricey.  So when I saw that Olay came out with a cleaning brush tool at a very affordable price, I was ecstatic.  I am a fan of Olay products and am satisfied with the results I get with their products that I have tried.  I know their face brush has been out for a while now, but I finally just got the chance to buy it.  I am very excited to try it out and will keep you guys updated on my review and results.  This review will go on for one month.  

First reaction/thoughts:  The brush is a decent size that fits well into my hand.  It runs on batteries and does come with two of them in the package already.  However, when I put the battery into where it is suppose to go, it is a little hard when trying to pull the cover off.  The package consists of the brush itself, two AA batteries, Pro-X Exfoliating Renewal Cleanser, and one replaceable soft bristle brush head.  The brush head, when I put it on to the brush handle, it goes in place smoothly and comes off smoothly.  However, when I put the brush head on and turn the power on, it looks wobbly.  Though it looks like it might fall off, it doesn't and keeps in place. 

Day 1:
The first time using this brush went well.  I had it on the highest speed and it didn't hurt or irritate my skin.  It is very easy to move around on my face and the clean up is very simple.  After cleaning my face with it, I would rinse and clean my brush very well with hot or warm water. A few cons that I do notice is that first the brush head has a wobbly movement.  The brush head does stay in place with the holder, however, it just doesn't look secure that makes it look like it might fall off, but it doesn't.  (We'll see how long this brush lasts). Secondly, there is no cover for the brush tool, so if you just set it sitting out on your bathroom counter, it will collect dust and dirt.  I recommend keeping the clear package that comes in the box.  I kept my clear package and after each use, I would just put the brush tool back into that clear package and then back into the box (see images). Anyways, I do feel that this brush does help clean my pores and skin a lot better than using my hands.

Week 1:
I started out on the highest speed, but halfway through the week, I switched to the lowest speed. For me, the high speed was too much for my skin.  In addition, I did use the brush day and night.  I also tried using the brush on my pimples, but it only made them worse.  So I wouldn't recommend this brush for new, sore pimples that have appeared on your skin nor for skin that have acne until you have minimize the soreness and size of the pimple. Overall, I did feel like it gave me a good clean every time I used it.  The sample size exfoliating face cream that came with it was good for my skin overall.  I like that it doesn't have big exfoliating beads and works very well with the brush.  I think the exfoliating cream and brush is a wonderful duo that works very well for my skin.

Week 2:
I did cut back on using the brush from two times a day to only once a day, usually during the night time. Sometimes I would also do every other day for a morning wash if I am going to exfoliate in the morning.  To me, I don't think it was necessary to use it all the time.  I think it is most helpful after a day of wearing make-up, that way it gives me a deep, thoroughly clean.  Like I mention, I only use it in the morning to exfoliate, but only if my skin has some dry, flaky areas, other than that, I went back to using my hands to wash my face on those every other days I am not using the brush in the morning. 

Week 3:
I did try this out in the shower as well.  I think it works just fine in the shower, mainly because the battery area or the entire thing itself is well tightly secured that it makes the water not be able to seep in between.  However, I am not a big fan of using face tool in the shower because I notice that for me I can't see where I am brushing my face and I think it is a waste of water.  For me, I wash/scrub each area of my face for a good 10 seconds.  The entire time I was standing in the shower scrubbing my face with this brush, the water was just running clear down the drain. 

Final week - video response (to be posted)

Update on blogging and videos

Hello readers,

OMG!! I never knew how much time it takes to blog and make videos, especially if you are doing them both.  It is like another full time job.  However, I do enjoy it very much and will continue to keep blogging and make videos, but I will change my organzation around a little bit so that it fits into my schedule.  As of now, I won't be doing that Monday -Saturday product schedule.  Honestly, after getting my blog up, started blogging, and knowing I will have to make videos of the products that are due for a video and blog about other products on that same day as well, (deep breath) there is just not enough time to feature a different product each day.  In addition, I do work a full-time job as well that already takes the majority of my day and have other things I need to do.  As you can tell for some products, I have to update my blog each day of the results, so I am just going to go with the flow and feature a new product once a week on Tuesday, by blogging and then once Monday comes around, make my final response video for that product.  Don't worry, you'll still get plenty of information out of my review.  It justs there won't be that many products featured each week, unless it is a short, quick review.  Note that sometimes my review does take only one day depending on the product, so if you see a video and no blog on it, then that means it was just a short, quick review. 

Lip Product Review (Part 1) - Wet & Wild Megalast lipstick

Hello readers,

Today's part 1 review on a lip product will be on Wet & Wild's Megalast lipstick in the color Think Pink (#901B).  My first reaction: It is a beautiful pink color, (if you like the color pink) of which attracted me to buy it and in addition, the cost price is awesomely affordable.  It is a dry lipstick from the first look and touch of the product.  I will be reviewing this lipstick base on what the description says from wet and wild's website for one week. 

http://www.wnwbeauty.com/Product.php?Pid=58

Day 1 : First touch and look

**(Sorry that the pictures of my lips are so close-up. Just making sure you guys can cleary see the product on my lips.)**

The first feel and look of the product on my lips felt dry and matte.  The pink color does stand out very well from everything else on your face, so if wearing this during the day time, I would recommend combining it with a light colored lipgloss, or lipstick to tone it down.  To me, it looks cakey on the lips, as it is a dry texture product.  It also looked like I had clown lips.  I did wipe this off my lips and the after feeling left my lips feeling very dry and not moisturized.  I had to lick my lips to keep it moisturize until I putted on some chapstick.

Day 2:  (Combined with a lipstick)

This is a picture of my lips with just NYC's Ultra Moist Lip Wear lipstick in the color Shell (315B - Pretty color!!)

In these two pictures, W&W's lipstick is then layered on top.

I combined Wet and Wild's lipstick with a creamier lipstick (NYC lipstick) and this is what I got for the results.  It did bring out the pink color a little more.  I first applied NYC's lipstick and then put on W&W's pink lipstick.  NYC's lipstick made the W&W's lipstick glide on more easier and made it look better on the lips.  I forgot to mention in Day 1 that the lipstick itself did not glide on smoothly.  You either had to go slow or pat it on and fix it.  Sometimes you may get more product than what you wanted with just applying W&W lipstick by itself.  Anyways, after wiping this off my lips, my lips didn't feel dry at all.  It still felt moisturized. 

 Day 3:

(Combine w/a lip gloss)

In this test, I combined W&W's pink lipstick with a lip gloss.  The lip gloss I layered it with is the Kiss and Tell Dual Shine Lip Gloss by Ulta.  The lip gloss supposedly have a pink product in the middle as you can see in the picture above, of which is suppose to go on your lips as well with the clear lip gloss itself, but mine doesn't do that.  I must have a defective one as I only get the clear lip gloss that comes out, which is fine since I am only testing W&W lipstick with a clear lip gloss. 

I first putted W&W's lipstick on first.

Then layered the clear lip gloss on top.  I liked the results I got with the lip gloss.  My lips felt very moisturized and the lip gloss with the lip stick was not sticky at all.  However, combining these two products together, you do get more than needed of lip products on your lips so you will have to watch how much lip gloss to put on as you will have to wipe of the excess.  After wiping this product off, my lips still felt and looked moisturized.

Day 4:  (4 hour test - no lip contact)

*** I am having techinical difficulties with my computer on uploading pictures, so there won't be any recent pictures until I figure out what is wrong with my computer and why it won't upload my pictures. ***

Today, I reviewed this product on if it lasted 4 hours as it stated.  I do agree that it does last 4 hours with the product still looking like it was before.  However, note that I did not have lip contact with anything else  No eating, drinking, kissing my husband, etc that would have my lips touching something else.   However, I will try the 4 hour test again with lip contact to see if the product still stays on my lips.   

 Day 5:  (Combined with a chapstick)

Today, I reviewed on how this product will look combined with a chapstick.  The results I got was just like combining the lipstick with a lip gloss, however, it just doesn't have that glossy look.  The chapstick moisturized the lips very well and made the product glide on nicely without looking cakey.  I actually like the chapstick with the lipstick better then what I have tried with the other products. 


Day 6:  (4 hour test - lip contact)

Today I reviewed this product on if it would stay for 4 hours with lip contact.  The results I got was not that well.  Within the 4 hours, I did some eating and drinking only and all I can say is that there was only a little bit of the lipstick left on my lips.  The description doesn't mention if it would last 4 hours with or without lip contact, but I am sure you can tell that the lipstick lasts 4 hours without any lip contact.


 Day 7: Video due date 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm2IXjTFABI