How I Took My Hair From Auburn to Lavender: Part 2

Assuming you've read part 1 of my hair story, you already know that I was dealing with some HEAVY duty damage after the process. Over the last few months I've been working to do as much damage control as humanly possible and I can finally say that not only is my hair in significantly better condition, but it's starting to grow and get some length back.

Here are some of the products I've been using to help recover from my stupidity and I some of the ways I've been using them. Obviously what works for me may not work for everybody but I think a lot of what I've been using has really helped produce great results.

1. Batiste Dry Shampoo:
I will never, ever, ever buy another dry shampoo. I've tried other drugstore ones and I've tried expensive ones. Nothing makes my hair feel as clean and manageable as Batiste does. You can also find it even cheaper at TJ Maxx and Marshalls for around $5. Dry shampoo has been an absolute must for me since pastel color is hard to keep and my hair is so dry that I can only wash it 1-2 times a week.

2. Pravana ChromaSilk Vivids Color Protect Shampoo:
I wasn't totally in love with this shampoo as I found I was still getting some color wash-out each time I used it, but I bought it because it's the same brand as the dye I use and doesn't have sulfates. Someone with a license needs to get this for you if you really want it but honestly any shampoo that's color protecting and without sulfates should be just fine.

3. Wella Elements Line:
I got the deep conditioner, the renewing conditioner, and the leave-in conditioner on sale at Ulta for a really good price so I was excited to try this stuff out. I wasn't majorly wowed by the mask or conditioner but it was useful having conditioning products that were extremely lightweight and safe for my color treated hair. I wish it was a little bit more moisturizing, but like I said I needed something light every so often to break up the heavy masks I was doing several times a week. I forgot to include the leave-in conditioner in the picture but I do love that stuff the most out of the line. It's really light and moisturizing and helped the condition of my hair immensely.

4. Brazilian Tech Keratin Leave-In Treatment:
I'll often combine this with the Wella spray or concentrate a lot of it more towards the ends of my hair where the most damage is. I don't know how authentic the keratin in this is but it gave added moisture to my desperate hair and for that reason I like it a lot and would recommend it as an affordable treatment.

5. Hairfinity:
It's hard for me to tell how large of an impact Hairfinity made, but when I began taking it I definitely noticed less and less hair falling out which was a huge accomplishment for me. As for it aiding in actual hair growth...I really don't know. I bought a one month supply and 2 weeks in would forget to take it certain days or would take it inconsistently. I can definitely tell you need to take it CONSISTENTLY for at least 2-3 months to see any real change.

6. Wen Conditioning Cleanser:
I'm sure many people are familiar with Chaz Dean's constant infomercials promoting Wen products, but I have to say this stuff is a god send. It is way too heavy to replace shampoo or use every single day and frankly, way too expensive to use that often, but every couple of days I would use this on the bottom half of my hair and it made it unbelievably soft, moisturized, and overall feeling and looking much better. If you're willing to shell out the money, this is probably the best deep conditioner you can invest in.


*this post wasn't sponsored and all photos are my own

Drunk Elephant JuJu Bar

If the name alone wasn't cute enough, the brand information video made me fall in love with them before I even tried it. Everything is made with quality and really unique ingredients without all the chemicals other brands often use. When I was researching some of their products on Sephora's website, they all had really great reviews which made me feel like the price range of the products were completely justified. However, I've been using this bar for weeks now and I'm sad to say I'm disappointed :(

The way this product has been described made it seem like it was a groundbreaking revolutionary product that would finally save my skin. Unfortunately, this was not true. First off, it's incredibly harsh; the granules inside the bar are so fine it literally felt like sandpaper on my face. I'd strongly advise using a tool like a Clarisonic or sponge to lather it up instead of applying the bar directly to your skin.

This product also says it's supposed to clear acne and improve redness, hydration, and overall condition. I didn't have any of these results. It gave me a purge phase which caused my face to have several little breakouts that took over a week to clear. Since then, I don't believe it's caused anymore breakouts but it certainly hasn't helped them. I also haven't felt any added moisture; if anything, my face has felt dryer.

I know everyone's skin is different so you may experience different results than I did, but for me it just wasn't worth the hype or the money. I still want to love this brand so much so I'll be trying out some of their other products soon, but so far we're not off to a great start. If you're interested in trying Drunk Elephant, I'd really read as many reviews as possible and make sure you pick the right product for your investment.

*this post wasn't sponsored and all pictures are my own*

GlamGlow SuperCleanse Daily Clearing Cleanser

This cleanser and I had a very complicated relationship; if there's anything I've learned from using it, it's that you can't expect what you're probably expecting. By that I mean that everything you'd think is going to happen with this cleanser (from typical common sense) may not be the case. Let me break down what I mean:

Point #1: This cleanser is the sister product to the GlamGlow Clearing Mud Treatment-a popular mask that's notorious for removing blackheads and reducing breakouts instantly. One of my first thoughts was that this cleanser would be just as amazing, but as it's for everyday use maybe the results would be long-term. This wasn't true by any means and it definitely won't replace the mud mask. It kept breakouts relatively at bay but I didn't notice my blackheads diminishing much, even with continued use.

Point #2: It's a mud-to-foam cleanser...so naturally you'd assume it's a mud-to-foam cleanser...
I'm a little disappointed about how difficult it is to make this product work. They suggest applying it to your dry face and then wetting your hands to work up the foam cleanser. This method barely lathers the cleanser at all; I'd suggest dotting your face with the cleanser and then adding water to the residue left on your hands to create a really thick foam, and from there work it into the product dotted on your face. It's also extremely hard to use a Clarisonic with this. Unless you can get that thick foam formed with the directions I gave, a Clarisonic will just wipe the product right off. If you do want to use your Clarisonic, just make sure not to apply it directly to the brush head; work the foam up first.

Point #3: A pump may dispenser may seem logical, but this is the WORST PACKAGING EVER!!! The pump from day ONE was terrible at dispensing product and it just continued to go downhill from there. It was a constant hassle trying to get product out of the bottle; I ended up having to unscrew the cap and pound it into my hand, which in the long run was probably extremely wasteful.

So, is this product worth it? You'd probably think not based on the points I've just made, but I wouldn't go that far This cleanser was good once I got passed the packaging and foaming flaws. I wouldn't say it's holy grail status, as I have extremely difficult acne-prone skin and it wasn't a miracle worker. However; I liked that I could use this every day without experiencing any dryness. It also has licorice root in it which is a common ingredient used for lightening hyper-pigmentation; I really appreciated them including it, but be warned-it does cause a light licorice scent. Speaking of which, another big disclaimer- THIS CLEANSER WILL TURN YOUR ENTIRE BATHROOM GREY! My sink, counter top, Clarisonic, mirror, and wall are all grey from the charcoal color of the cleanser. Unless you wipe your mess up immediately after every use, it makes your bathroom looking pretty dingey :/

Overall, I noticed the cleanser's effects on the days I stopped using it; more dirt appeared in my pores and my texture seemed to get a little bumpier. I haven't decided if I'd buy this again- it took a really long time to decide how I felt about it...literally from first use to end of the bottle. It's probably best for being with dealing with light/medium-occasional breakouts; I can't imagine this would work well for serious acne. I say if you can expense it, it may be worth at least one shot, just take precautions, give it some time to work, and learn from my mistakes!

*this post wasn't sponsored and all photos are my own*

Too Faced Melted Lipsticks- New Shades!

I tried these lipsticks over a year ago when they first came out and I wasn't wowed by them; I still don't understand the hype! They're incredibly pigmented and smooth but my list of cons greatly outweigh the pros, making this an easy $21 to keep in my pocket. However, they did just expand the collection by adding in eight new colors which I was excited about because of how pastel and unflattering the original shades were.The new shades are as follows:

• Melted Sugar (nude)
• Melted Chihuahua (nude-mauve)
• Melted Frosting (powder pink)
• Melted Melon (pinky coral)
• Melted Jelly Donut (magenta-pink)
• Melted Strawberry (red-orange)
• Melted Velvet (vampy-red)
• Melted Villain (black-purple)

PROS:
Pigmentation; there's no lie that these are unbelievably opaque and have great color payoff. With the release of the eight new shades there's an excellent variety of colors to choose from. At $21 a tube they run about average for lipsticks found in Sephora, but with the little amount you need these can definitely last you for years and make it worth the value.

CONS:
Gloop glop glop. These formulas are kind of ridiculous to work with. They are so gloppy that it's almost impossible to get a perfect application (if you couldn't tell by my lip swatches lol). The squeeze tube and felt-tip applicator may get the product on your lips but it's impossible to get an even and full application. I had to use a lip brush to reach my lip line without getting it all over my face and even though I didn't use a lip-liner, I'd highly suggest one.

I'm also still having some of my original issues with the colors; they lean on the pastel side and because they're so full color, I feel like I'm walking around with straight up paint on my lips and it doesn't look good. The best example is definitely shown with the Melted Frosting lip swatch photo. The formula also is that it sticks to dry patches or cracks in your lips. I'd definitely exfoliate beforehand.

I did get a decent amount of wear-time out of these but it takes effort. What I mean by that is I was always aware of the product on my lips. It spreads and transfers so easily, I couldn't help but be careful of touching my face and watching what I eat or drink. Even with my caution, it stuck to my teeth on several occasions as well.

IS IT WORTH IT?:
For me, I'd say overall no. I did however really like Melted Sugar, Melted Jelly Donut, Melted Velvet. Even though only two colors appealed to me, I loved that the colors looked nice without having to tone them with other products. I will say though there are so many better options for the same price or less, so unless you find specific shades you can't live without, I 'd pass.

*This post wasn't sponsored and all photos are my own*

Formula X Holiday Nail Strips

I found these strips in my local Sephora's clearance section and I'm so happy I did because they're AMAZING! They only had a few of the holiday ones but a ton of different color strips overall (which will obviously vary by Sephora's) and they're all gorgeous! I hate to blog about something that may be limited or hard to find but if you can't find the holiday set I would definitely get any of the strips you can find.

PROS:

These strips claim to last up to 14 days and for once I actually agree! I feel like all of the strips out there in the drugstores like Sally Hansen, etc. all have the same claims and they end up being overly time consuming and last less than a week. The Formula X strips are game changers- seriously, I don't even want to use regular polish anymore. I had these on for just about 12 days and I went bowling, did dishes, and opened packages and I had little to no chipping. The only reason I kept them less than 12 days is I wanted a new color on my nails and at the end of their life-span I started picking at them and could barely get them off! I always get the longest wear out of polishes and strips if I buff my nails with a 4-way block beforehand so I'd definitely recommend this step prior to application. My set is also awesome because it included a full set of two different designs! One is like a candy cane print and the other looks like an ugly sweater with reindeer.

CONS:
If you don't make sure to really secure them at the base above your cuticle, this is where they start to lift up first. I was a little lazy with this and I noticed when I ran my fingers through my hair they would hook under where the strip started to lift up and pull it even more. This is a very minor thing though and is probably preventable with more precise application. The other con is that these can be a little pricey. I believe the full price is around $14 which depending on brand, can be 1-2 full bottles of polish. Luckily I got mine on clearance for $5, but $14 may be too steep for me.

IS IT WORTH IT?
This is hard to say. I love these strips but if I had to pay $14 I don't know that I'd get them very often. The ones I got are really cute and for a special occasion so I could maybe justify full price for that, but for day-to-day it's a judgment call. Overall I'm very happy with these strips and I can't wait to try the ugly sweater ones in my set! (Pics are now below!)

*This post wasn't sponsored and pictures are my own*

Sephora Favorites: Draw the Line

Let me preface this post by saying I LOVE this set! Black eyeliner pencils are something I use every single day in my routine and it can be difficult to find good ones that don't smudge all over my eyes. This kit retails for $30 which may seem steep for a box full of eyeliner, but it's actually an amazing value. This kit also made me try brands of liner that I've always wanted to try but would never shell out the money for. The kit comes with a Stila dark brown liquid liner, Kat Von D tattoo liquid liner, and black pencil liners from Nars, Sephora Collection, and Marc Jacobs.

PROS:
I love that this kit included pencil and liquid liners. I feel like by doing that I have so much variety and they included the top/most talked about brands.
Stila: The tip is really sharp and ideal for winged eyeliner and the formula is pigmented
Kat Von D: I love her entire brand and the packaging and the tattoo liner lives up to the hype. The brush tip comes to a fine point so you can get a thin or thick line.
Urban Decay: This was the only pencil I had tried before so I knew how good they were. By now it seems almost everyone has tried Urban's liners and know that they're pigmented, come in a million shades and are really smooth and long lasting.
Nars: Super pigmented, smooth, and you can smudge it before it sets.
Sephora Collection: This pencil is slightly dryer but I think that's what makes it last longer. It claims to be waterproof which I haven't personally tested, but it holds up really well on my waterline.
Marc Jacobs: This pencil seriously glides like butter and goes on with a slight sheen but is one of the more pigmented blacks in the kit. It did smear more than the others but it twists up and doesn't need to be sharpened, and the packaging is really sleek.

CONS:
Stila: I really wish they included this in black instead of dark brown. I'll wear brown pencil liner on occasion but it's extremely unlikely I'll reach for a brown liquid liner. I feel like the entire point of liquid liner is to make a bold/defined wing, while brown liners are meant to be softer and toned down so brown isn't exactly ideal for me. The formula is also way too shiny.
Kat Von D: I usually don't like brush tip liquid liners but this one has been easier to handle. It's not overly flexible so I feel like I have control but it's still not enough for me to get a clean wing. I really prefer her Ink Liner which has a felt tip and has a less shiny formula than this one.
Urban Decay: I don't have any cons about this! They included a double ended pencil which are both really wearable colors; I'm really happy with it overall.
Nars: This pencil isn't the longest lasting but I do get really decent wear out of it.
Sephora Collection: This is probably the least pigmented of all of the pencils but it's still really good. I haven't tested it being waterproof but it has been the hardest to get off.
Marc Jacobs: I don't really have cons for this liner! After it sets it's not going anywhere and you don't have to hassle sharpening it!

IS IT WORTH IT?
YES! Definitely! This not only is perfect for building your collection and testing different brands but it makes an affordable gift and is a really awesome value. You get plenty of variety and the pencils will last you a long time. It's limited edition for the season so I would get it while you can!

*This post was not sponsored and photos are my own*