CENTER OF ATTENTION: Final thoughts on Carol's Daughter

My CENTER OF ATTENTION series this week has been focusing on Carol's Daughter hair products.  Here are my final thoughts on the 5 products that I tried.   

CENTER OF ATTENTION: Carol's Daughter Tui Leave-in Conditioner

In the next segment of my CENTER OF ATTENTION series I am going to focus on the Tui Leave-in Conditioner.

CENTER OF ATTENTION: Carol's Daughter Tui Shampoo and Smoothie Set Part 2

CENTER OF ATTENTION:  Tui Shampoo and Smoothie Set

PART TWO

Today I am going to focus on the second item in this set; the Tui Smoothie. 

BARE ESCENTUALS ONLINE: Free deluxe sample today (01/25/11) only.

Bare Escentuals is offering a free deluxe sample of the Purely Nourishing Moisturizer today only.

All you have to do is spend $25 or more and use the coupon code SKINCARE at checkout. 

Here is the link to the email to give you all the info. 

Also, ladies dont forget to mark February 10 and 11 on your calendar.  These are the dates when Bare Escentuals will be relaunching their skincare line in stores and online. 

CENTER OF ATTENTION: Carol's Daughter Tui Shampoo and Smoothie set Part 1

CENTER OF ATTENTION:  Tui Shampoo and Smoothie Set

CENTER OF ATTENTION: Carol's Daughter Jada's Dynamic Duo

CENTER OF ATTENTION:  Jada's Dynamic Duo (Lisa's Elixir and the Hair Balm)

CENTER OF ATTENTION: Carol's Daughter

CENTER OF ATTENTION:  Carol's Daughter hair products

Oh Carol's Daughter...how I had such high hopes for thee.
Your Almond Cookie fragrance won me over...the perfume, the body butter. 
Hair products would be next on the list...the natural progression of exploring this line.
Over a hundred dollars of products later...why is my hair clumped and dry? 
Back to HSN your products went...why oh why did I ever decide to give them a try?

This week, my CENTER OF ATTENTION series will be focusing on Carol's Daughter hair products.  Let me give you some background on me and my hair.  According to what I have read, my hair is a little bit 3c/4a/4b all mixed together.  I have been natural for almost 3 years.  I did the Big Chop Thanksgiving week 2008.  I use the "no poo" method to "wash" my hair and only use shampoo about 2 times a month.  I use natural products for my hair including unrefined shea butter and unrefined coconut oil.  My hair does very well with a glycerin/water mix.  I have not put any heat to my hair in the past year to year and a half. 

I had been hearing such good things about Carol's Daughter.  Her products were all the rage for women and for naturals in particular.  Carol's Daughter's products have been on my "to try list" for years, but I always thought they were too expensive for me to try.  I recently had been reading some mixed reviews on the CD hair products, but I decided to give them a try for myself before writing them off totally. 

Well, while recooperating from a car accident in Dec 2010 and watching HSN, I decided that some of the deals were too good to pass up.  Shipping and handling was $1.99 for goodness sakes...what more could I have asked for?  I was getting my chance to try Carol's Daughter!!!

I ended up ordering the Jada's Dynamic Duo (Lisa's Hair Elixir and the Hair Balm), Tui Shampoo and Tui Smoothie set, Tui Leave-in Conditioner.

This week I will profile each of the hair products...what they were supposed to do...and what they actually did.  I will give my honest opinion and let you know if I would be repurchasing.

Pittsburg Steelers/Greenbay Packers advance to the Superbowl!!!

I know this is a beauty blog, but I had to mention my other love:  FOOTBALL!!!! 

I watched the AFC championship game on Sunday between the Pittsburg Steelers and the NY Jets.  It was a pretty good game.  The Jets came alive in the second quater of the game, but the Steelers maintained to get the win 24 to 19.   I went into the game rooting for the Steelers, but I also like the Jets.  I want LT to go to the Superbowl too!  If any other team was playing besides the Steelers, I would have been rooting for the Jets all the way.  Of course, my NY family members were rooting for the Jets.   I got a couple of comments from them!  LOL

Congrats to the Steelers;  AFC Champions for the 3rd time in the past 6 years!!! 

I am looking forward to the Steelers/Packers matchup. 

Color Club: Fashion Addict

Color Club Fashion Addict:

I love this nail polish.  A lilac holo!!?!?!?!  The hologram effect is WOW.  Enough talking...look at these pictures. 

I purchase my Color Club products at Transdesign

                                       NO FLASH                                 

                                                                                     

FLASH

This product was purchased with my own money.  I am not affiliated with any company.  The review given contains my own opinion and noone elses. 

TRY DIY: Red Wine Vinegar Toner

Red Wine Vinegar Toner

Red wine vinegar toner is one of the items that I found really helps to control the oiliness of my skin. 

Here is some background on my skin.  I have very oily, acne prone skin.  I have tried everything...and I do mean everything, to get my skin clear and the oilines controlled.  I realized that I needed something tailored to my skin.  That is when I discovered the wonders of red wine vinegar and the toner that can be made from it.

One website that helped tremendously when I was doing my research is Garden of Wisdom They also have a forum, but you have to sign up to be a member.  It is free.  Here is the link Garden of Wisdom forum 

Here is the recipe that I use taken from the GoW website: 

 To make 2 ounces:1/2 tsp vinegar to 2 oz liquid

To make 1 ounce:
1/4 tsp vinegar to 1 oz liquid

To make 1/2 ounce:
1/8 tsp to 1/2 ounce liquid

Liquid suggestions:
Steeped tea, hydrosol, distilled water, aloe juice, gel.

For the Red Wine Vinegar I used Spectrum Organic RWV from Vitacost.
For liquid I used distilled water.

I double the recipe and make it 4 oz at a time to be used after I wash my face.  If you are going to keep for longer than a week or two, you will need to add a preservative.

I am not affliated with these companies.  Products were paid for with my own money.  The review given is my honest opinion and not influenced by any one else.

CENTER OF ATTENTION: Wet n Wild Vanity palette

Wet n Wild Vanity Palette

This is the last installment for this weeks CENTER OF ATTENTION series.  This palette come in a close second behind the Lust palette for "favorite."  I love my golds/neutrals and this is right on target.  Enough talk...here are some pics.  Again, I have included dupes in red. 

VANITY

Eyes:
Bare Escentuals Prime Time For Eyes lash to brow
1st color left side inner V MAC Bisque
1st color right side lid
2nd color right side mid lid MAC Goldmine or Gorgeous Gold
3rd color right side outer V and crease MAC Bronze or Mulch
3rd color left side crease and blended MAC Embark
1st color left side under brow MAC Bisque
WnW creamliner (black) mid to outer lower lashline
3rd color left side over creamliner MAC Bronze or Mulch
Liquid liner pen in Brown upper lashline

This product was bought with my own money and the review given is my own and not influenced by anyone else.

CENTER OF ATTENTION: Wet n Wild Greed palette

Wet n Wild Greed Palette

Here is the next installment in my CENTER OF ATTENTION series.  This is the palette that was at the bottom of my list when I bought it.  I just got it to make the collection complete.  I was not happy about working with matte colors anyway...now light colored mattes???  But how could you pass up that sparkly black? 

After I used it, I have to say I really do like it.  Sorry about the eyeliner...dont know what happened there, but overall you get what I was going for. 

GREED 

Eyes:

Bare Escentuals Prime Time For Eyes lash to brow
WnW 1st color left side inner lid
WnW 2nd color left side mid and outer lid
WnW 3rd color left side outer V and outer crease
Blend Blend Blend

This product was purchased with my own money.  This review is my own opinion and not influenced by anyone else. 



CENTER OF ATTENTION: Wet n Wild Pride palette

Wet n Wild Pride Palette

Here is the next installment of my CENTER OF ATTENTION series:  This is a palette of colors that I would not normally wear.  Blues scare me, but, hey, for $4.99 how could I pass up this chance.  Right?  Completely out of my comfort zone, but I like the way that it turned out.  I have included some dupes in red. 

PRIDE

Eyes:
Bare Escentuals Prime Time For Eyes lash to brow
1st color right side around tear duct
2nd color right side lid
2nd color left side mid lid and blended out MAC Newly Minted
3rd color right side outer V and crease MAC Deep Truth
1st color left side highlight and to blend out crease color MAC Gesso
WnW creamliner (black) waterline
3rd color right side outer to mid lower lashline over creamliner MAC Deep Truth
2nd color left side mid lower lashline MAC Newly Minted
1st color left side around tearduct and inner lower lashline MAC Gesso
Hard Candy Ginormous mascara (Carbon Black)

This product was bought with my own money.  The opinion that I give is my own and not influence by anyone else.  

CENTER OF ATTENTION: Wet n Wild Lust palette

Wet n Wild Lust palette

Continuing with my CENTER OF ATTENTION series:  Here is a look I did with the Wet n Wild Lust palette.  I have included some dupes along side the colors from the palette.  Hope you like and feel free to leave your opinion. 

LUST

Eyes:

Bare Escentuals Prime Time For Eyes lash to brow
MAC Perky paintpot lash to brow
1st color left side lash to brow MAC Pen & Pink
2nd color left side lid MAC Fig 1.
3rd color left side outer v and crease MAC Shadowy Lady
1st color left side around tearduct and inner lower lashline MAC Pen & Pink
MAC Feline waterline
2nd color left side mid lower lashline MAC Fig 1.
3rd color left side outer lower lashline smudged MAC Shadowy Lady
Hard Candy Ginormous mascara (Carbon Black)
WnW liquid liner (black) upper lashline

This was bought with my own money and this review is my opinion, and not influenced by anyone else.

CENTER OF ATTENTION:

Wet n Wild Color Icon Palettes:

LUST 

PRIDE 

VANITY 

GREED

These are the among the first Wet n Wild Color Icon palettes that came out in 2010. 

These palettes contain 6 shadows, 3 matte and 3 pigmented.  Lust is the palette containing purples/pink/cream and smoky gray.  Pride is the palette containing greens/blues.  Vanity is the palette containing golds/copper/brown.  Greed is the palette containing blacks/salmon/lilac. 

I remember Wet n Wild as a brand from my high school years and was my first daliance with makeup.  Though I had moved on to other makeup brands, I still checked out the WnW display at my local drug store and bought their nail polish. 

Wet n Wild came back onto my radar in 2010 when talk of these Color Icon palettes started to hit the internet.  After seeing all of the wonderful youtube and blogger posts about these products, I broke down and decided to find 1 or 2.  Well, after seeing them in person, I ended up getting all 4 of them. 

My Impression:

I am very  impressed with all of these palettes.  The shadows are smooth and creamy in texture and very highly pigmented.  Believe me, a little color goes a long way.  They are easily blendable.  I am not a big fan of matte shadows in general, but these Wet n Wild mattes are just delightful to work with.  My favorite palette is Lust with Vanity a very close second.  The only palette that I had some trouble with was the Pride palette.  The sparkly white color top right side of the palette was chalky.  I dont know if maybe I got a fluke palette, but that is the only one I had some trouble with. 

To Buy Or Not To Buy:

BUY BUY BUY!!!!  Where else are you going to find palettes containing 6 great colors for such a low price ($4.99 each when I purchased mine) and made with such wonderful quality?  Like I said, if you havent gotten your hands on these...find them and BUY BUY BUY!!!! 

This was bought with my own money and this review is my opinion, and not influenced by anyone else. 

New features....

I am starting a new feature called "Center of Attention."  I am going to share some pics of products, what the product is supposed to do, what it actually did and my opinion on the product.

I am also adding another new feature called "Try DIY."  I will share some of my favorite Do-it-Yourself recipes with you all in hopes that you will try them and like them as much as I do. 

Feel free to add to the discussion.

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark Suede

Here is one of my favorite nail polishes:  OPI Lincoln Park After Dark. 

The color is just great and works with all skintones and colors.  I frequently break this one out during the Fall and Winter months. 

This was bought with my own money and this review is my opinion, and not influenced by anyone else. 

Bare Escentuals Ready to Wear kit

Here is a look that I did sometime last year using the Bare Escentuals Ready to Wear kit.  Hope you like. 

Face:

Regular BE face with warm radiance added

Eyes:

MAC Shimmersand shadestick lash to brow and inner V
Soft Focus Linen lash to brow
Soft Focus  Velour lid
Soft Focus  Tweed crease and outer V, smudged on lower lash line
BE Energy dry lined upper lash line
MAC Molassas liner smudged lower lash line
Hard Candy Ginormous mascara upper and lower lash lines

A New Beginning...

Hey everyone,

I have been thinking for quite sometime about starting my own blog and well...here it is.  Contained herein are going to be my thoughts on beauty products from all manufacturers large and small, skincare products, hair products and generally whatever is on my mind. 

I am going to be doing this for a time to see how I like it, if I can keep up with it and what kind of response I get from you all.  Feel free to leave comments and/or ask questions. 

Here is some info on me:  I am a 30 something black female.  I have been natural for about 2  1/2 years.  I think it is the best decision I could have made for my hair.  Speaking of hair, based on what I have read my hair type is 3c/4a/4b.  A little of everything mixed up.  I have very oily acne prone skin which has made finding makeup and skincare very difficult for me.  My skin also likes to rebel against things that I have used for a long time.  My hair is like that too.  Finding skincare and hair care products was very hard for me for a very long time...so I decided to make my own.  This is the main reason why I decided to start this blog, to share what things I have found along the way that have helped me.  

I look forward to hearing from you all.