Quick Tip: Shiny Hair

Sometimes our hair can become dull and flat due to all the products we're constantly using. Once a month, take about two tablespoons of regular white distilled vinegar and add it to about a cup of warm water. Pour this concoction over your wet hair before shampooing, and let it sit for about five minutes. The vinegar cleanses all the buildup from your hair leaving it shiny, voluminous and super soft. After the five minutes are up, rinse, shampoo and condition as normal.

Babyliss PRO Nano Titanium 1 ¼ inch: A Review

Today's review is a little different. This one is what I'm going to call a 'guest review', and was written for the Babyliss PRO Nano Titanium 1 ¼ inch by my good friend. Enjoy!

I chose to get this flat iron because a hair stylist did my hair with it and I was amazed. It straightens or curls my curly, thick, coarse hair with one pass. It works great on other hair types too; you just have to be careful with what temperature you set it at. I purchased this flat iron a little over a year ago from eBay for about $90, but the normal price is at least $130.

There are many pros to the Babyliss. It gets extremely hot in less than a minute-- up to 450 degrees; therefore it can straighten and curl very easily with one pass. My most favorite feature would have to be the thin, extra-long plates to allow for wider sections of hair and for getting really close to the roots of your hair. And also because the plates are made from titanium, I feel that they are easier to clean than the traditional ceramic plates. This flat iron is also really lightweight. I find that with this flat iron my hair turns out smoother, and shinier than with other irons, and my hair stays frizz-free even in the most humid conditions.

There are a few cons. The temperature dial uses numbers from 1 to 50 instead of the actual temperature, but the flat iron comes with a guide on what setting you should use depending on your hair type. The power button can be pressed by accident because its location is right where you would hold the iron. This flat iron can alter your hair texture (i.e. take the curl out). I was straightening my hair every week and my hair became permanently straight as if I had gotten a relaxer, but after easing up on how often I straightened my hair, it has slowly started to get its curl back especially in the roots where my hair has grown. The biggest con for me would have to be that you can very easily burn your hand because there is no “grip” on the top of the flat iron.

Overall, the Babyliss Nano Titanium is the best flat iron I have ever used. Having used Chi and Solia flat irons, the Babyliss is still my all-time favorite and would recommend it to anyone looking for a professional flat iron, and would definitely repurchase it.

October Hits and Misses

Hello there readers, Happy Halloween! It is that time of the month again where I share with you what I've been using, loving, and hating for this month, so I hope you enjoy!


Hits:

Clinique All About Eyes Rich
This cream does wonders for under-eye circles and puffy eyes. If you're looking for an eye cream that's not necessarily anti-aging, give this a try. Leaves the eye area unbelievably smooth.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
I originally used the gel version of this product, but my new skincare regimen called for something stronger. I love Clinique products in general because they're very gentle and fragrance-free.

Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion SPF 30
I was prescribed Tretinoin (a form of Retinoid) for my acne this month, so it was mandatory that I use a sunscreen if I was even thinking of being outside. This sunblock smells amazing and it didn't sting my delicate skin.

Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum
I LOVE this stuff! Smells amazing, and it's one of those products that actually delivers. I will be posting a full review on this soon.

eos Smooth Stick Lip Balm in Pomegranate Raspberry
This balm is clear and tastes pretty good, and I'm trying to finish it :).

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero
Been using this to line my inner rims. I don't usually like to line my lashlines because my eyes are already really big. Placing the liner on my inner rims looks more natural on me, and it just looks like I have more lashes.

Tweezerman Slant-Tip Tweezers
I had sent in my tweezers for the free sharpening like in the middle of July, and I FINALLY got them back! I was so excited! These are the best tweezers I've ever used, and I confirmed this when I was forced to borrow different ones from a friend while I waited for mines to arrive.

Kiko Eye Shadow in 175
I use this shadow and an angled liner brush to slightly fill in and darken my eyebrows. It is a dark grey shade (my eyebrows are black) and it has the tiniest bits of silver micro-shimmer. I prefer the shimmer because this mimics the natural shine in your hair, instead of the obvious powdered matte-shadow look. I bought this on a trip to Italy, and I don't think it's available in the U.S. (yet!) but hopefully one day it will!

mark. Powder Buff Natural Skin Foundation in Buff
Being that I'm on Tretinoin, my skin basically peeled off, taking whatever hint of a tan I had left. This made my skin so light that none of my foundations matched anymore, so I ordered this one. So far, I love it!

Misses:


No misses this month!

Benefit Dallas: Review & Photos

I love pink blush, the lighter the better. I love how it gives me a flush of color that looks extremely natural on my light skin. However, if I had to pick one blush to use for the rest of my life, it would probably be Benefit Dallas.

Benefit Dallas

Dallas is one of Benefit's boxed powders, and my favorite one. When you look at this blush in person, I'll admit it looks pretty scary on the box. The shade is like a combination of brown and pink, and it gives the most beautiful color on the cheeks. It makes you look like you just came from a day in the sun - tanned, but with a hint of red to mimic the skin's actual color. It is extremely realistic, and it makes my skin glow like I just came from the islands, even though I haven't seen the sun in ages :(. You can dust this very lightly all over your face, then add a bit more on the apples of your cheeks for an extra glow. 

This product retails for $28, but the amount you get in the box is about 4x the amount of a standard blush, so it works out to be very affordable. Next time you pass by a Benefit counter or a Sephora, don't forget to swatch this!

Quick Tip: Winter Skin

If you live somewhere where the weather gets extremely cold, you've probably experienced the painful cracked skin that can occur when you lose moisture. This is usually most common on the corners of the nose, around the lips, and the webs of your fingers. Dab a little Vaseline or Aquaphor on these spots to smooth the area and reduce the itching. If you're on the go, a clear lip balm will work the same way.