Review: Xcuse me! Shampoo & Conditioner

The joys of searching online and finding a great product to try!  I happened to be on Instagram and landed on xcusemehaircare and saw that they were offering free samples.  I emailed and Wendy kindly told me that the samples are free and all I was responsible for was $3 shipping and handling.  Wendy is involved in her business from several aspects including research & development and quality control.  Not many small business owners are highly involved in different levels of creating a product, but I sense her passion towards her brand and creating a product that meets her standards. 2 sample packs were sent with 1 oz each of the dual-action creme shampoo (Smoothing & Shine) and dual-action creme conditioner (Repairative & Manageability).  Xcuse me! is sulfate free and paraben free, two factors important and I try to consider when choosing hair care products.  The shampoo is made with non-drying botanical extracts for color hold and the conditioner has natural repairative oils for color protection.

My hair texture is coarse and now that it is treated, it can be dry and frizzy.  The last thing I need or want to experience are hair products that can make my hair worse.  That lovely foaming in most shampoos is from Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, but that could also be causing your scalp to itch.  After reading Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) ingredient in Shampoos, Bad for Eczema?, it made sense for me to try and avoid SLS in shampoos as well as other body care since I have eczema.  Lucky me.  :\ What's good to know is that you don't lose some of the foaming action while shampooing.  We've all been tricked that if it foams, it cleans better.    

I gave Xcuse me! a week trial before reviewing.  I normally wash my hair every other day if I can.  Daily only if its been a grimy day or I worked out.  The consistency of both the shampoo and conditioner is thick and the scent is light and fruity.  I noticed that after shampooing, my hair felt clean, but I could still run my fingers through it.  That was a definite plus for me!  The conditioner rinsed clean and left my hair soft, smooth and lightly scented.

Xcuse me! Hair care sample pack.

1 oz samples of shampoo & conditioner

Here is my hair after shampooing and conditioning with Xcuse me! haircare and blow dried with a round brush.  My hair was manageable and soft, still a little bit frizzy.  I'm not great with a round brush, I need a third arm to be able to have salon results. Ha!  I still styled my hair after with a little bit of pomade and oil to smooth the frizzies and flyaways.  Overall, I'm impressed and love the way my hair feels and smells after using these products.

Pros:  -Sulfate & paraben free
          -Non-drying formula
          -Leaves hair soft
          -Great scent

Cons: -Online purchase only (but it makes it easy to purchase and have this delivered)

Cost: $15/set+$5.99 shipping & handling

Would I recommend this to a friend? Yes!

Interested in trying Xcuse me! shampoo and conditioner for yourself? Send Wendy an email at consciousliving01@gmail.com to inquire about samples and/or purchase.

:( Bu-bye?

Do I have to throw away this UD Blender brush? I'll prob keep it for back up.

New Brushes: Real Techniques

I have been wanting to get some new brushes and picked these up today at Ulta. Real Techniques Sam's Picks ($29.99) and the Starter Set ($17.99). The current sale is buy one, get one 50% off and you can use the $3.50 off coupon. I scored 11 brushes for about $39. That's less than $4 each! I got to use them today and will do an update on how I use and/or like/dislike each one.

What's on your desk for your self-care needs?

Purell - BIG bottle. Germaphobe.

Kleenex - allergies 24/7.

CND Scentsations Sundrenched Lotion - smells like sunscreen and reminds me of the beach.

EOS Lemon Drop Lip Balm - the only one that has SPF.

Chimes Mango Ginger Chews - a lil sugah to keep me going with the zing of ginger. So good! So addicting!

Neutrogena Shine Control Powder - to use as a boogie/dugung/culangot mirror.

Seahawks Tervis for my H2O - at least 48 oz at work on the daily.

A more affordable version of...

Vera Mona's Color Switch.  After watching the video on how the product works, I was impressed!  Doing a look with several shades varying in light and darkness can require many brushes and there aren't many products out there that can remove the color from the brush you are using to make it usable right then and there.  But not everyone can afford the $16.99-19.99+ price tag and I found a few videos that showed other options.  While they are not the same size or have the same case as the Color Switch, this might be a good alternative for different budgets.

Dorota MUA - Vera Mona Solo vs DIY eyeshadow switch + tutorial.
gossmakeupartist - How to instantly clean your make up brushes without washing/spray or alcohol!

I would prefer the Color Switch as opposed to a plain stippling sponge for the case and larger shape.  Which would you choose?

My Subscription Addiction

Searching for a single source for subscription services brought me here - My Subscription Addiction.  What a great site that not only has reveals of several types of services, but also deals & coupons and also a place to list items you want to swap.  There are way too many subscription services out there and sometimes you may or may not like what they have to offer.  I did My Pretty Pink Box and was happy to get new products and samples to try.  I currently am still a Julep Maven and am now an Ipsy Glam Bag subscriber (will be getting my first bag next month).  I also get some beauty items from The Honesty Company.  I love their lipbalms, body oil and healing balm.  My Subscription Addiction makes it really difficult to NOT subscribe to other services.  :(  For now, I'll stick to Julep and Ipsy and think about trying some new ones at another time. The cost can add up quickly!

Illinois has banned microbeads

An interesting article about the effects microbeads in facial & body care products. Who knew that those little spheres could cause such an impact. I had thought they were actually water soluble. Good info to know about how your beauty products do more than harm than good.

http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/06/10/scary-reason-why-illinois-just-banned-your-face-wash?cmpid=tp-ptnr-upworthy

What's in your bag?

Meet my "dog." I don't have pets, I have purses. Mini-Cupid in pale pink, the perfect sized purse and hue for the moment.

My make up routine on the daily has been very minimal. If I do wear make up to work it's brows, powder, bronzer, blush and mascara. But I'm bare faced most of the time. I don't carry much in this small pouch. 

What's in the bag? Neutrogena Shine Control Powder, ChapStick Moisturizer, Posh Retractable Blush Brush, Korres Mango Butter Lipstick in Natural Purple & a hair tie. 

Finally off the waitlist!

Super happy to finally be off the Ipy's waitlist and finally be a Glam Bag subscriber!  The bag reveals that I have seen of my friend GinaismXO and others have been awesome.  A cute bag and new products for only $10 is worth the treat.  If you're interested in joining, click here and follow the steps to help get you off the waitlist sooner.  No guarantee, but it doesn't hurt to follow through.  :)

Waitlist: Ipsy

My friend and beauty vlogger GinaismXO has some awesome unboxing videos of her monthly Ipsy bags and it got me excited!  Check out her latest video with her adorable daughter Sophie UNBOXING- Ipsy vs. Birchbox May 2014.  For about $11/mo, you get a cute bag with 4-5 different products inside.  I checked out some of the previous bags and they look awesome!  I'm kind of sad that it took me this long to get on board, but I've been keeping things pretty simple.  Any of you tried Ipsy or are a member?  Let me know pros/cons or even some other options that I should check out.

Making a come back!

Lost my domain - boo :(
But I want to return to beauty blogging - yay!
I also have a personal tumblr if you're interested in more randoms from me rhondalei.tumblr.com.

I'm still such a newb when it comes to my page and it took me forever to figure out that I could revert back to blogger.  Doy!  While I haven't been doing much with make up lately, I do have my fun primping moments.  I am interested in finding affordable, safe and more natural products.  Although, I do get pulled in to the flashy advertising of new products at times.  Consumerist.  Instead of trying to keep up with the new-new, I want to focus on what works for me and what are my current faves.  :)  Let me know what's up with y'all since I've been out of the loop for awhile!

Later Post - NOTWs

Reviews on these polishes in upcoming posts! OPI Liquid Sand polishes from the Mariah Carey Collection in 'Can't Let Go' and 'Stay The Night,' Jindie Nails 'Candy Land Remix,' and Julep 'Morgan.'

Current eye cream - Bliss Fabulous Everyday Eye Cream

This has been my holy grail eye cream for the last 2 years.  It really does it job in keeping my peepers hydrated without feeling heavy or sticky.  I dab this on in the morning and evening under my eyes and all over my eyelid.  I haven't had any bad reactions with this eye cream that have aggravated my eczema.  Overall, this will probably remain in my routine until I feel the need for something geared more towards mature skin.  Oh getting older

From Nordstrom.com
There won't be a dry eye in the house with this lightweight 'everything' eye cream, which locks in moisture, provides antioxidant protection with grapeseed oil and vitamin E, defeats dark circles with eye-brightening powders and gives puff the rebuff.

From Sephora.com

What it is:
A do-it-all, super hydrating eye cream.

What it is formulated to do:
This lightweight formula keeps eyes nourished and protected with antioxidants, and helps lock in moisture for a dewy glow. Micronized eye-illuminating powders help keep eyes looking brilliant and bright, diminishing the appearance of minor imperfections. Plus, with regular use it will help brighten dark circles and lessen the look of fine lines and crow's feet. Talk about getting the most bang for your buck!

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan

Pros: -Lightweight formula

        -Does not have harmful ingredients

        -Squeeze tube, you can get every last bit out!

Cons:  The price is a bit steep for 0.5 oz, but you only need a small amount and 1 tube lasts for about 4-5 months on average.  

Cost: $30 @ Nordstrom or Sephora

Would I recommend this to a friend:  YES!  

Older pic - Konad nails & HK pj pants! Haha!

Vitacost - Organic Skin Care Order

Placed an order for organic skin care from Vitacost.  Looking forward to reviewing each item and hopefully finding some natural options that will be a regular part of my routine.  Have you tried any of these products?  

Safe Cosmetics - what we really put on.

Do we really know what ingredients are put in our cosmetics? I'm really thinking about the products I currently have and the levels of toxicity from chemicals I am really exposed to. A conversation with a friend yesterday made me think about my collection and what I should really keep and what I should toss. I have found a cosmetics database EWG's Skin Deep Database, currently being updated, and am looking forward to finding out if certain products are safe or not. Will definitely have more on this subject in future posts and hopefully rid of all the toxic cosmetics in my collection!

Here is an awesome guide you can print out and keep on hand when shopping!  I will definitely be keeping this info on me.

EWG's Quick Tips for Safer Cosmetics

Here are some interesting reads.  I'll try to find more independent studies, but these are some that I pulled from online.  I would like to find more information that is gathered from organizations that are not tied to a government agency.  Let me know if you have any info to share or links that may be helpful!

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

Lead in lipsticks: Which brands are the worst offenders?

Lipstick and Lead: Questions and Answers

NOTW: Glitter, gelly sandwich! #babydanger #nailsfornenix

Friday night in, watching documentaries on Netflix & doing my nails. Playing around with my Gel Haute Polish kit (review soon!) and used a few of my regular polishes with the gel base and top coat. I like changing my polish after a week, but maybe I'll try to keep this combination on for a bit longer.

Base: 1 coat Gel Haute Polish Gel Base

Color: 2 coats OPI My Private Jet, Zoya Nova

Top Coat: 2 coats Gel Haute Polish Top Coat

I'll be doing purple nails for awhile. A small reminder of the big fight against leukemia by a girl named Phoenix. A few weeks ago, she physically left this world and one of her requests was that people paint their nails purple. While I did not know her personally, her life will leave a lasting impression on my heart. For you baby girl...
#babydanger #nailsfornenix

http://loveforphoenix.wordpress.com/2012/10/14/nails-for-nenix-2/

HG: Body Lotion - Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion

While I haven't totally given up my perfumed lotions, I needed something better for my skin that held in moisture. I have noticed patches of eczema on my arms lately and using scented items has a tendency to make those areas irritated. I have found my current holy grail body lotion - Aveeno Active Naturals! The 2 pack at Costco for $16 is a plus too. My skin retains a nice, supple feel and the patches of eczema have calmed down. Another plus to his lotion is that it is paraben free! Definitely trying to make a more conscious effort to buying healthier skin care products that are budget friendly.

Test Run - Goal: Longer Nails!

Trying this duo in attempt to grow some longer tips!

I have weak nails that peel. I usually just keep them super short, but have been wanting them longer. I'll give this a shot for a month and report back my findings. *crosses gingers*

Giving your nails a break!

I looooove doing my nails.  It is a weekly therapy, but in the last couple months I noticed that every single nail was peeling.  :(  I decided to give my polishing habit a break for almost a month and they are looking much better.  Still keeping them short, but now only 1 nail is peeling.  Just read an article on TotalBeauty.com that had some good tips, including using better products for your nails (a better base coat & safer products) and taking a break.

Is Your Manicure Ruining Your Nails?

Baby Lips - not so much

I was really hoping to love this product and have read so many great reviews, but this just didn't do it for me.  :(  I'm always on the lookout for new, good balms for my lips, but was sadly disappointed that this didn't work out.  This felt greasy on my lips and I felt like I had to keep reapplying it in order for my lips to feel moisturized.  Also, it felt like my lips were peeling, like it wasn't moisturizing enough and often left a gritty feeling across my lips.  Instead of keeping this as my go-to product in my purse, its in my just in case stash at work. 

From the website:

Why You'll Love It

No more basic lip balm:
• Visibly renewed lips and 8-hr hydration
• The secret: Exclusive lip renew formula with SPF 20
• Protects and moisturizes lips for a full 8 hours
• After 4 weeks, lips are visibly renewed and reborn
• 6 varieties

For Best Results

Apply your lipcolor by starting in the center of your upper lip. Work from the center to the outer edges of your lip, following the contours of your mouth. Then glide across the entire bottom lip.

Pros:
-Affordable - $2.50 at Wal-mart
-Cute packaging - love the colors!
-Great scent

Cons:
-Didn't work for me :(
-Packaging is cheap - I can forsee the cap cracking. Would be nice to just have this in the usual lip balm package

Would I recommend to a friend
No based off it not working for me.