REVIEW: PYT Beauty No BS Palette

Packaging - 5 (excellent)
Variety - 1 (bad)
Pigment - 4 (very good)
Fallout - 5 (excellent)
Wear - 2 (not very good)
Overall:


I was REALLY wanting to love this! I really was! But it just missed the mark for me.   The packaging is AMAZING. It is a really pretty soft and matte grey. It has a rubber like finish to it. It is a sturdy plastic and has a magnetic closure with a button release clasp. So it is shut! I love it.

There is no variety. It is literally this one palette. I am sure that this line will have more options in the future, but for now this is it. I thought the option, for it being the only one was really simple and very neutral. But After getting it, the shades in the palette are not true to the colors online. The top matte shades are accurate but the bottom shimmer shades are not. The middle shade appears to be medium golden tan. and the the furthermost to the right looks like a soft medium cool toned brown. However in reality the middle shade is more of a forest green, while the other shade is more of a truffle purple.

The shades had initial pigment that was pretty nice. Not mind blowing, but decent. Better than your average drugstore brand. I also didn't have hardly any fallout from this product. But the wear was just not there. Even with my best and fanciest primers, the shadows just did not stay in place. The pigment faded throughout the day dramatically and the shadow is prone to creasing (even with my crease-less primers). It just misses the mark for me.

Your Guide to Hot Tools

Hot tools can be confusing. There are so many options out there and the price points vary dramatically. Sometimes it's hard to know why a hot tools may be good quality or bad. Is it really worth the price? So this is my guide for you! I am going to go over a break down of what makes hot tools unique and what to look for when choosing a high quality one.

My favorite affordable hair brand for tools is Hot Tools. They have great quality items that will last you a long time for anywhere from $35-$70. Most of their curling irons are around $50. If you watch at Ulta Beauty, you can often find these curling irons on sale for $10 off, as well as use most of the 20% off coupons that Ulta puts out on them. However there are other higher quality brands that are more expensive but they have all of the top notch options, like Babyliss and T3. But brand isn't everything! For example, one of my die-hard favorite flat irons out there is my Chi G2 Ceramic & Titanium 1" Hairstyling Iron. It's AMAZING. But Chi's biggest seller? Their $89.99 fashionable and cute flat irons - and those are some of my least favorite on the market. So it's not as much about brand as it is the actual makeup of the tool.

MATERIAL
When choosing the right tool, it's about material. You need to have the right tool for your hair type. Typically, when choosing a curling iron you are going to encounter three words, titanium, ceramic and tourmaline.  Let me break down each one for you here.


CERAMIC PLATES are typically gentler on the hair and more smoothing. They heat up evenly which means you need fewer passes with a flat iron and you will get more consistent curl with a rod iron. They tend to be more cost effective than other options, and I personally recommend them for hair types that are damaged or porous. Babyliss Pro is an excellent option for hot tools as well, and you can see their ceramic curling iron pictured on the left.

 TITANIUM PLATES are lightweight and powerful. They are super effective and conductive, and they work faster than other options. They can also be a little harsher on your hair. I typically use these on super coarse hair and healthy hair. You can see the Hot Tools brand Radiant Blue Titanium Curling Iron to the right.


TOURMALINE PLATES are actually only infused with tourmaline. Tourmaline is a precious mineral that is crushed into a powder and baked into the plates during manufacturing. It amps up the gentleness and safety of using a hot tool a lot, and allows your hair to retain moisture best. Ceramic Tourmaline plates are the gentlest plates, but are best for fragile and fine hair that holds style well. Titanium tourmaline plates are a dynamite combination, because the strength of titanium is present, with the conditioning elements of tourmaline. Most of my tools are a tourmaline-titanium combination. You can see a Ceramic Tourmaline Hot Tools Marcel Curling Iron pictured on the left.


Here's the thing though, everyone's hair is different. There is no one-size fits all. That is why MOST of my tools are tourmaline-titanium, not all of them. So play around with it. Have you been using ceramic? Is it not working? Try tourmaline-titanium, does that not work? Switch to titanium. It takes trial and error but it is worth it. Try borrowing friend's tools, or purchasing from a store like Ulta, that has a great return policy.


TEMPERATURE GAUGE

This is SO important. It might even be more important than the material. And it's something that almost no one takes into consideration when buying a styling iron. Hair that is damaged, bleached, lightened, or porous should never use a tool over 350 degrees, and even that's high. Someone with coarse but very healthy hair may need to reach up to 425 degrees, but it is rare. But this isn't about getting a tool that is hot enough. It's about control. Can you truly control the temperature of your tool?

 SINGLE HEAT SETTING GAUGES are super popular. These are on many affordable flat irons and curling wands, and are what's used on the cutesy Chi Flat Irons I mentioned earlier. You can see a picture of what that looks like to the left. These flat irons are NOT GOOD. Run! Run people! Why? So these heat up to 350 degrees typically. But that's it. Is your hair porous? 350. Is it breaking off a lot recently? 350! Has it been resistant and in need of extra help? 350. You have NO control. None. And over time the heating plate will begin to cause the iron to not heat up correctly, resulting in an iron that's not hot enough, or worse - one that is to hot! It's simply not worth it.

MINIMAL SETTING GAUGES are also very common on lower end models, but can sometimes be spotted even on high end options. For example you will see it on this Sam Villa Flat Iron pictured to the right.The Sam Villa iron pictured has a spinning dial gauge, but none-the less the principal is the same. You have a high, medium and low option. This also does not stay true to temperature over time, but does give you a little more control than a single setting. The Sam Villa tools have a setting labeled Color Treated, which Sam feels is the perfect temperature for those with Colored hair, but not always.

DIAL GAUGES are most common of curling irons, and are seen on the tourmaline and titanium plated hot tools irons pictured above. To the left we have a picture of a Hot Tools Flat Iron. Dial Gauges are usually circular and have multiple temperature settings that are not just "high, medium, low" but the actual temperature in Fahrenheit. You have more control because you have 20+ options and can turn the dial just a touch to get a slightly lower setting. Typically over time these are known to loose heat, resulting in you turning the dial to 450, in order to get your iron to heat up to 350.

DIGITAL GAUGES are the last option. They typically have a range of 250-450 and you can go anywhere in between. Digital gauges are characterized by a screen as well as arrow buttons. Sometimes the gauges are sensitive enough to allow you to g up and down in temperature by 1 degree at a time, but most jump by 5 degrees, and some by 10. You can see a picture of a digital gauge on my holy grail flat iron that I mentioned earlier, the Chi G2 Ceramic & Titanium flat iron.These give you the most control. This is because not only do they have more temperature settings, but they heat up true to temperature longer. Most of them stop heating up entirely as opposed to not heating up as well.

WARRANTY

A really good way to know hoe high quality your styling tool will be, is the warranty. Many consumer brands (like Revlon and Conair) don't have warranties on any of their irons. But pro brands like Chi, Babyliss and Sam Villa usually do. Most warranties exist because they make a consumer more likely to purchase your product, and a company typically puts a warranty on the product that is about half as long as the brand expects their item to last. If a manufacturer knows their flat iron only lasts a year, they would never put a 1 year warranty on it, because the likelihood that the implement will need replacement is higher. But a 4 month warranty should be fine. If an iron doesn't have a 1- 2 year warranty on it it won't last.

For example the Chi G2 Flat Iron I have mentioned has a 2 year warranty, but the their cheaper model that is more popular has no warranty (and sometimes has a 6 month warranty). Their cheaper model has a single heat setting gauge and ceramic plates (as opposed to ceramic and titanium). But they are more popular because Chi makes them in all kinds of colors as well as deigns and they often come with gifts like clips, bags or a brush.




Hopefully this guide has you feeling more prepared to make your next hot tool purchase.

REVIEW: Flower Beauty Petal Pout Lip Color

Packaging - 4 (very good)
Scent - 5 (excellent)
Shade Range - 3 (average)
Wear - 1 (bad)
Texture - 1 (bad)
Overall:


Let me just dive right into this breakdown. I love the way this packaging looks. It has a unique shape, I love the rose gold which is really metallic and luxurious looking. The clear lid allows you to see the shade and the logo is etched into the lid. I love the look. But it is all made of a very cheap feeling flimsy plastic that I am not a huge fan of.  I was surprised by the scent. Considering this brand is called Flower Beauty and the lipstick is named the Petal Pout Lip Color, I expected a floral fragrance. I was instead met with a soft barely-there cocoa scent and I wasn't disappointed by it.

The shade range is very average. There are 24 shades. They are all pink, nude or red. There were two purple shades and two "hot pink" shades. Otherwise they are very classic options. I suppose I have been spoiled by Urban Decay, Fenty, NYX and other brands that have been thinking outside the box more lately.

The real bummer is the actual performance of this lipstick. Online the reviews are great, but my experience did not meet that. The color came off within a couple of hours. It went on really pretty, but dried and set really powdery and cakey. I am not a fan of the performance in general, and my experience seems to have been shared with my friends who have tried it as well. In the end, I would recommend you sit this product out.

REVIEW: Be a Bombshell Eye Shadow

Packaging - 4 (very good)
Longevity - 4 (very good)
Color Trueness - 3 (average)
Texture - 5 (excellent)
Variety - 5 (excellent)
Overall:

This eye shadow is a decent middle ground in quality! It is light weight and natural feeling, it lasts a pretty decent amount of time when you put it on and it comes in tons of fun colors. The biggest issue I have with this brand is the "color trueness" which mean when you purchase one online (which is where most of this brands retail is sold) does it look like the same color in person. I chose to buy the Bora Bora Eye Shadow Quad (which is in the picture above) to test out. The colors in the picture above are slightly darker than in real life, but that is okay with me. The issue came when I looked up these four colors separately. In the chart below you'll see the quad, and in the same arrangement you'll see the quad's colors separately.

In the picture of the quad it looks like there is a brown, pink, orange and blue color. But when you look at them separately they pink and orange colors are very brown, and the pink looks more like rust shade (orangey brown) than pink. It makes me nervous to try any of the other colors. You just don't know what you'll get.  

REVIEW: Sei Bella Firming Night Treatment

Packaging - 5 (excellent)
Hydrating - 5 (excellent)
Scent - 3 (average)
Longevity - 3 (average)
Pore Clogging - 0 (awful)
Overall:


I was so stoked to try this product, because I quite like the other skin care in this line, but I was so disappointed in this. The packaging is amazing. It's a sturdy thick glass. It looks and feel luxurious. It is super hydrating. However a little doesn't go a long way, not any more than Olay anyways. It had kind of an old lady musty smell to it, but it was super faint.

The biggest problem with this product was the ingredients. Melaluca is known for their pure ingredients and I have loved their other makeup and skin care. But this made me break out so bad! As soon as I stopped using it my skin began to heal, so I went online to analyze the ingredients. They use Myristyl Myristrate which is a highly comedogenic ingredient. When looking into it I found that it tends to cause acne regardless of whether or not your skin is sensitive. I really wouldn't recommend this product overall.

I am linking you to a spot to purchase these here.  You can purchase these at their wholesale or become a member and get the member discount. Becoming a member requires a membership fee (like costco) but it's only $20 or $25 a year, which I get back three times just in member savings from the things I buy from them. Just for those that are curious click here for a look at Melaluca, being a member, how to do that and what that entails.

REVIEW: TIGI Sugar Shock Volume Spray

Packaging - 4 (very good)
Scent - 4 (very good)
Volume - 3 (average)
Ease of Use - 3 (average)
Longevity - 4 (very good)
Overall:

In order to use this product you need to spray it onto the root of your hair and then blow dry. You can either part your hair and blow dry it in the opposite direction of where it naturally lays (and then put it back) or you can lean over and allow your hair to hang upside down and dry it that way. This will give you a good amount of volume that lasts for a while. It does come from TIGI's Candy Fixations line and it is sugar based. It smells really sweet, and I prefer something a little less strong which is why it only got a 4 in the scent department. The nozzle that the sugar shock comes out of is great. It is tiny and easy to point and aim. It gives you just the right amount. This is great because it helps control product usage so a little goes a really long way. This product is great for giving volume when drying your hair or to use instead of hairspray when teasing your hair. When used for teasing this product is amazing for anyone with any hair type. But if you would just like volume it really only works for those with fine and/or thin hair. 

Best Makeup Removal Products

There are SO MANY things you can use to take off your makeup. SO MANY. But I have a few of my all time favorite tips and tools, and I am excited to share them with you! I am going to go over my favorite removal wipes, travel remover, classic makeup remover, removal cloths and disposable pads. I am also going to talk about some of my favorite tip and trick for removing stubborn makeup. So let' get started.

Makeup Removal Wipes

Burts Bee's Facial Cleansing Towelettes are the best! They are affordable, they smell good, they are sturdy and they are effective. They come in several different fragrances and are infused with skin care, so not only do they take off your makeup but they heal your skin too! There are options for sensitive skin, dry skin, normal skin, oily skin as well a options that exfoliate. Plus it's accessible. You can find it at Walmart, Ulta and more! Plus it goes on sale regularly. You can read my full review on them here or pick them up here.

Traveling Makeup Removal  

When you are going away for a night, or even a week, you want to take as few things as possible. I love the Tyra Beauty Pop It Clean Makeup Removal Wipes for that reason! Each wipe is strong and sturdy and is made from a woven cloth. The cloth is compacted into a small cap sized plastic container (which is made from recycled material and is recyclable too) that houses the liquid remover a well. You press firmly on the top releasing the cloth and as it expands out of the cap it absorbs the makeup and is ready for use. Not only are these fun, but the individual wipes will easily remove your full face of glam makeup. They are perfect to pop into your purse or overnight bag. But they are also perfect to stash in your car, wallet, desk and more. You can take 7 on a trip with you, or 2.  Pick them up here.

Classic Makeup Remover   

I used to sell Mary Kay once upon a time. And while I stopped a long time ago because I couldn't get behind many of their products, I am still hooked on this remover. It's affordable, potent, a little goes along way, and I do like supporting direct sale companies. Hop onto Facebook and see if any of your friends sell Mary Kay, I bet one of them does. And trust me, you'll be hooked too. Learn more here.

 
Makeup Removal Cloth   
 Microfiber is great for removing makeup using nothing but water. I actually like makeup removal clothes and use them a lot while traveling, as well as while camping. I don't wear makeup when I camp, but they are great for cleaning your face and maintaining your skin care. I don't feel like they do a good job of removing waterproof or stubborn eye makeup all the way, but they do great with everything else and with light eye makeup looks. My favorite clothes are these cheap ones I picked up at Walmart. They are from the brand Always Off, and they were $3 for a set of 3. Of course you can toss them in the wash and reuse them over and over again! You can buy them here.

Disposable Pads for Removers   

When you use a classic remover like the Mary Kay one I recommended above, you need a cotton pad or round to remove it with. My skin is fragile. So when I use the equate brand rounds from the drug store that you get for a dollar, my skin isn't happy with me. I often find that the pads irritate my skin and feel like I am cutting or scratching the area around my eyes. 

 

I am not sure what makes these Cotton Puffs better than the classic woven ones we all see in stores on the regular, but these ones from Muji are AMAZING. They are so soft, and they never irritate my eyes or skin at all. This is an over-seas company. So if you are in the USA like me shipping is a little pricey, but the cost of the actual pads are super affordable. So I buy literally 10 packages at a time, and I only buy them once every few years. You can pick them up here.

Tips and Tricks

When removing Waterproof Mascara dip the head of a disposable mascara wand in the remover and then spin it on your lashes slowly. This will break up the clumps better and gently help to remove mascara.

Also try saturating a cotton pad with makeup remover and then placing it over your closed eyelid. Let it sit there for 5 seconds, then gently rock it back and forth for 10 seconds and remove. This will remove the makeup faster and in a more gentle manner. 

REVIEW: Fatboy Tough Guy Water Wax

So this water wax has been hard for me to rate. I will tell you why. I feel like an average water wax has a few hallmarks. They are high shine, low to medium hold, and they help keep hair looking really smooth and sleek and polished. They usually come in a small tub and are translucent. This water wax is different. It's fundamentally not what a typical water wax is. So I am going to go through the differences, and then if this product holds up to its claims.

It is in a small tub container, like most. This one is great. It's sturdy, you get a lot of product and it has a simple and sleek look. The wax itself is clear as is typical of water waxes. It has a great smell that is not super feminine, but not masculine either. The scent is super neutral and is really light.

The wax is advertised as a matte wax, which is odd. Water waxes are typically high shine products. The Tough Guy Water Wax from Fatboy is not matte as advertised. it definitely has shine, but I would say low shine. So if you like Water Waxes but don't like all the shine you get from them, this may be a better alternative. As far as the actual hold, it has that light to medium hold you can expect from a water wax.

I typically use water waxes when styling women's hair. I use it before pinning updos and I run it through after curling the hair to smooth down fly aways. I feel that this is a little heavier than your typical water wax. For example the Redken Water Wax is high shine, so to much of it can make the hair appear greasy. but I can use a lot of it and the hair won't fall. If I curl a head of hair, it will stay looking curled. But this one is denser. If I use to much it will have a nice amount of shine, but the hair will be weighed down and curls will begin to loosen.

So that is my overall break down of this product. I think this would be ideal for someone with dry, porous or coarse hair. People with frizzy kinky texture would also benefit from this a lot. But it's definitely not for everyone.

REVIEW: L'Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara

Packaging - 5 (excellent)
Separation - 5 (excellent)
Lengthening - 4 (very good)
Flaking - 4 (very good)
Volume - 4 (very good)
Overall:


I have been using a lot more inexpensive products lately, I am really trying to give them a chance! I have been biased against drug store products for so long, but I am learning that there are a lot of great drug store products as well as some crappy high end ones. Price doesn't always correlate with quality right? And this mascara is proof. It's honestly right up in my top 5!

I absolutely love the packaging of this mascara, maybe more than any other I have seen. It's classic, sleek, pretty and functional. The gold and black are timeless, and the gold isn't a super shiny plastic finish, it has a soft sheen to it that is so high end feeling. The brush itself is a classic soft bristle brush and isn't a rubber or plastic bristle, which I like. I also want to add that it doesn't have any heavy fragrances or anything like that.

Now onto the actual performance of the mascara. I love the way this works. It has a lot of volume and separation, without being clumpy at all. You do have to throw on a coat or two to get a lot of length, but once again, because it doesn't clump, an extra layer is no big deal. I didn't have to deal with hardly any flaking, and this is hands down my favorite drug store pick for mascara right now. If you haven't tried it, give it chance if you prefer mascaras that aren't clumpy, and look soft and natural.

What should I do if I don't like my hair after going to the salon?

I have been asked this more than once, and I am SUPER happy to answer this question here. I know that it can be such a hard situation when you pay all this money and you have this image in your head of what you will look like and it just doesn't turn out. But we also don't want to be rude right? So how do you get across the idea you are unhappy with the end result, without being unkind? Here are some options.




1- Figure out the Problem

Before you get upset about your hair cut or color I want you to take a good long look at it. What's wrong with it? If your answer is "I don't know, it's just not what I wanted" ask yourself the following questions:

1. would you prefer the color to be darker? lighter?
2. did you want the highlights more blended or maybe more defined/chunky/streaky?
3. would you prefer more warmth in your color (gold or red tones)?
4. would you prefer your color to be cooler (ask or grey tones)?
5. did you want the color to be bolder or brighter?
6. were you hoping for your cut to be shorter? longer?
7. did you want more layers? fewer?
8. are the layers blended well or do you want them to be more defined/choppier?

It's important to be able to define what exactly you don't love about your new do to your stylist. But once in a while our expectations aren't reasonable. If you went through that list and your answer to every questions was "no" then your stylist can't fix it. Once in a while we look at a picture of a celebrity and hope our haircut will make us feel like we look like them, when it won't. You may also be hoping that a haircut can do something it simply can't. For example are your issues any of the following:

•  I wanted my hair to look thicker or fuller
•  I was hoping my color would make my hair look longer
•  I don't know my hair doesn't lay like it does in the picture

If these are the issue then it may be unrealistic expectations that are the real issue. BUT if your expectations are fair, then going through my first list will help you to know what to tell your stylist when you let them know you need an adjustment.


2- Tell Your Stylist the Day of Service

If you pay to get your hair done at a salon, and you are not happy with your look the best thing to do is to tell your stylist while you are still there, that you aren't happy with it. This way they can fix immediately or set up a time to fix it for you. Trust me, every hairstylist is in this to make people feel good and confident. Your stylist WANTS you to like your hair. So if you don't like it, you can tell your stylist and they will typically do what they can to make it right.

Try saying one of the following things:
"I am not in love with NAME SPECIFIC ISSUE HERE"
"I was hoping for something a little different than what I got, would you be willing to tweak ISSUE"

most of the time a stylist will ask you if you like the look, or how you feel about it. So if you ar honest you will get the best results. If you didn't realize you had an issue with the look until after your service is over and you are home, call and speak to your stylist about getting a fix as soon as possible.

If you are worried that maybe the stylist doesn't understand what you are wanting say something like "I am worried that we aren't connecting here. Would you mind getting another stylist to collaborate with you to see if they might understand my vision better?"


3- Call the Shop Owner After Service

In cases where you don't feel comfortable with or confident in your original stylist anymore, you may need to talk to the shop's owner or manager about your experience. It's so important not get personal. Tell the manager that you are not happy, why and when you would like the fix. If you don't want to see the same person again, tell them you are nervous that the stylist doesn't understand what you want and you'd rather someone else fix it.

4- DON'T

Don't get personal. Your stylist is not bad at their job. They likely have a lot of faithful clients who love them. They weren't a good fit for you, and that's okay.

Don't say hateful things. Not about the stylist, the owner or the salon. Saying things like "everyone here sucks" or "I can't believe you'd let someone like her work here" is not only unhelpful, it's hurtful to your cause. People are less likely to want to help you when you treat them poorly.

Don't go somewhere else for a fix, and then demand a refund. We could have probably fixed it ourselves, and now that you have gone elsewhere we have no ability to see what the stylist did, what the problem was, or how to do better. We have no idea how much you spent elsewhere, or if you even went anywhere else.

Don't threaten us. No one wants to help a bully.

Just be kind, be honest, and be reasonable.



Hopefully you wont ever need this guide, but if you do, I am glad I might be able to help.

REVIEW: Not Your Mother's Naturals Shampoo and Conditioner

Packaging - 5 (excellent)
Scent - 5 (excellent)
Ingredients - 4 (very good)
Longevity - 4 (very good)
Value - 5 (excellent)
Overall: 


I am actually super impressed by this product. I am excited to share it with you. The Not Your Mother's brand came out with a new "naturals" line recently. A while back I reported on their Blue Sea Kale & Pure Coconut Water Weightless Mousse Foam which I seriously loved. I decided after a lot of ingredients research to use their shampoo and conditioner. I actually used the pink one (the Tahitian Gardenia Flower and Mango Butter formulas) for curly hair. But I later turned my mother onto the one pictured to the left, for volume.

I will be the first to admit that I am biased as hell against drugstore shampoo and conditioner. I often read the ingredients and won't even consider trying them. BUT I read these ingredients, and they seemed fine. No red flags. I picked up a set at Ulta and braved them after doing way more research than I typically do on shampoo and conditioner ingredients, and was happy to see that there were no major ingredients problems. So why the 4? Because there are a few to many surfactants and a little wax in it, however if you have wax in your conditioner you need more surfactants in your shampoo. But it's not an insane amount. And while there are no luxury moisturizers or incredible key ingredients like you may find in high end products, this is hands down the best drug store shampoo and conditioner out there, and the ingredients are better than in some high end brands.

Now onto packaging. The packaging is cute. I wish the script were a little easier to read, but I like it. I like the pumps, and how they made the actual pumps different colors so it's easy to tell which is which without reading the bottles. Every one of these smells amazing. They smell fresh and bright and like the ingredients on the front of the bottle.

A little goes a long way, not an insanely long way but it's decent. The major thing here is the price point. It's only $9 each for the shampoo and conditioner (which are larger than average at 16 oz each). My current favorite one that I am using is Living Proof where an 8 oz shampoo is $26. Some other brands I like are Redken (where a 10 oz in $19) and Sexy Hair ( where a 10 oz is $17). So 16 oz for $9? Sign me up! Plus at Ulta the brand is often buy one get one half off, that gives you both for $13.50, which is only $6,75 each. That's insane.

All in all if you can't afford a really good high quality shampoo and conditioner, this is an awesome choice. Or if you are in a budget period of your life where you have to cut back, this is a great choice too.

REVIEW: Sei Bella Blush

Packaging - 5 (excellent)
Pigment - 5 (excellent)
Longevity - 5 (excellent)
Wear - 5 (excellent)
Variety - 4 (very good)
Overall:



I wasn't expecting much from this cosmetics line, but I have been blown away by these blushes. First of all the packaging for the Sie Bella blushes is so nice. It's that clear plastic casing, which is sleek and functional, it also allows you to see what shade is inside, and it's small and compact. It closes tightly and has protected the product from drops (of which there have been many). Also the metal pan is magnetic, so if you depot this it will go right into your metal palettes.

This product is pigmented in the perfect way. It's not clown makeup, but it's visible. I only need to swipe my brush twice on the product and then twice on my cheek and the color payoff is perfection. This is what gave it it's high longevity score too, because a little goes a long way and one pan will last you for a long time, especially because it has very little fall out.

The wear of the blush was great too. I did not find myself retouching it all day, it lasts throughout the day with the rest of my makeup. I am a blush fanatic, I have around 30 different blushes and I wear 3-4 a day (layering them together). I find myself reaching for the two Sei Bella shades I have more than others because I know they stay on all day. I do wish the variety was better. They have 12 shades, which is honestly decent for blush. They have some neutrals, light pinks, deep pinks, roses and coppery orange tones. I wish they had more matte shades though (only 4 of their blushes are matte) and a few decent more purpley tones.

I am linking you to a spot to purchase the blush here.  I do not make any kickbacks, commissions, or sales from purchases made through this link. You can purchase these at their wholesale or become a member and get the member discount. Becoming a member requires a membership fee (like costco) but it's only $20 or $25 a year, which I get back three times just in member savings from the things I buy from them. Just for those that are curious click here for a look at Melaluca, being a member, how to do that and what that entails.

Does Cutting Your Hair Actually Help It Grow?

Today I got this email:

I have always been told cutting your hair regularly helps it to grow, all of my hairstylists have always told me that. But I have also heard that is a myth and isn't true at all. What do you think?
-Cate B.



First of all thank you Cate for writing me in with your question. For those of you who do not know you can contact me by filling out the form on the right hand side of your browser that says "Ask Me Anything". I don't get nearly enough questions from you guys and I would love to answer more! Now onto the questions at hand, this myth has been widely debated back and forth for years, and here is the answer. Yes it does help your hair grow. But also no. It's complicated, which is why it's hard to get a clear answer. I am going to tell you the science behind this claim and why pros suggest you cut your hair every 6-8 weeks. At the end I will reiterate the reason some say yes, and why others say no.

So here is how it works. Your hair grows from a follicle on your scalp (obviously). It grows in three phases, the Anagen Phase (which is where the hair is actually growing) the Catagen Phase (which is where the hair is resting, just chillin, not growing, not doing much), and the Telogen Phase (where the strand falls out of the follicle and the follicle prepares to grow a new strand). While your hair is the Catagen phase, you should try your best to take VERY good care of it.

Everyone has a difference catagen phase, just like everyone has  different metabolism. So some people might have shorter catagen phases (which may mean their hair never seems to grow very much) or someone may have a longer one (which makes their hair grow super long, like past their bum long). Some people have a fast phase and others are slower. Speeding up and elongating your catagen phase is not impossible. It takes a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise.

So now to split ends. When your hair is splitting it can be a from a few things. Mal-nourishment, poor nutrition, lack of protein in the hair, dry air, damaged cuticle, heat damage, chemical damage and more. So what happens is your ends get all roughed up and begin to split. It splits up the hair shaft and breaks off, then a new split forms and begins to break upward again. This causes those straggly, uneven and yucky looking ends on someone who has not had a haircut in a very long time.

So here is the deal - cutting your hair doesn't make your hair grow faster. It has no bearing on the catagen phase of your hair, and does nothing to stimulate the scalp. BUT it can help because if your hair splits and you get regular baby trims, you keep those ends fresh and healthy and split end free. Then it doesn't break up the hair shaft and give you a "natural hair cut". This allows your hair to be longer because it's not breaking off.

So yes, haircuts help your hair to stay longer, but it doesn't help your hair to grow longer.

REVIEW: FatBoy Shampoo and Conditioner

 Packaging - 5 (excellent)
Scent - 2 (not very good)
Hydration - 3 (average)
Weightless - 4 (very good)
Overall:


I was so hyped to try this new line! But I was not impressed by this shampoo and conditioner. Fatboy is a brand new hair care line based out of New York and it's supposed to be gender neutral and simple. I love the packaging. I feel it is on brand, clean, simple and functional. It's sturdy, yet the material is pliable enough that you can squeeze the bottles, and the flat lids allow you to store them upside down.

So the actual scent of the products threw me for a loop. The fragrances in each of their products is very gender neutral. It tends to have a hint of a floral or grass type scent, with an musk to it that is more masculine. I have enjoyed it. The shampoo had this signature scent. But the conditioner had tea tree in it and smelled minty. So the shampoo and conditioner smelled totally different. I am not a fan of that.

With that being said. I feel that this product was weightless, but almost to much because my hair was frizzy, and the conditioner didn't do it for me, so my hair was dry. BUT I used it on a few clients, and my sister, and I think it's a good fit for those with fine hair, especially if it gets oil fast. It has gentle ingredients so it adds volume without stripping color which is a hard combination to find. I wouldn't recommend it for those with really damaged hair, or who have coarse of thick hair. But for fine haired folk who need volume and have super healthy hair, this is a good fit for you.

REVIEW: Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil Eye Liner

Packaging - 4 (very good)
Variety - 5 (excellent)
Vibrancy - 5 (excellent)
Smudge Proof - 3 (average)
Ease of Application - 5 (excellent)
Overall:

This product has it's gives and takes. The packaging is really pretty and sleek looking, but it is a very basic materials and nothing special when it comes to the functionality. It comes in 46 shades, which range from your standard colors (black, grey, brown, and navy) to insanely vibrant and fun ones (hot pink, orange, lime green, and more). It is super easy and smooth during application. The colors have high pigmentation and go on vibrant and amazing! It isn't super smudge proof, which is a big deal.  It will definitely run throughout the day. It is a little to extra for me because the black is so heavy and dark and pigmented. But it is y go to for sultry and smokey eye looks.