REVIEW: Tyra Beauty What Lipstick

Packaging - 5 (excellent)
Wear - 1 (bad)
Longevity - 1 (bad)
Hydration -  3 (average)
Variety - 1 (bad)
Overall:



Tyra Beauty products are fairly new to the market. They debuted in December of 2014 and have been created as a Direct Sales Company that is high end, edgy and fun. I have been excited to try several products from this company since the founder is my idol (Tyra Banks)! However I am not in love with all the products. This being one of the biggest let downs.

The packaging is great. It is high end, attractive and functional. However the lipstick doesn't last longer than your average NYX products. Tyra Beauty has two lipsticks, one that is bold and shimmery and one that is matte. What Lipstick is the matte one. It is very hydrating, however because of how sheer it is I do feel like I have to pile it on to see a lot of color. Plus the lipstick isn't really matte. Matte usually means it isn't shiny. These have more of the typical satin or cream finish, but not what I would call matte.

The biggest let down is the variety. When I first tried this there were only 2 shades, and I assumed that over the next few years there would be TONS, since lipstick is kind of the hot product right now (I mean who can even glance at Instagram without seeing a picture of a perfectly outlined lip?). And while they have created new lip items over the last few years (at first they only had the metallic shine lipstick and the "matte" lipsticks, but now have glosses, plumping glosses, a liquid lipstick as well as a second cream lipstick and lip liners). So while they have more than tripled the amount of lip options they have, they haven only expanded the What lipstick to have 4 shades. A light pink nude, a bold red, a hot pink, and an orange tone. So if you did fall in love you would be limited.

Overall this was a big let down for me. You would have better luck with the same quality going for a NYX lipstick, which is only $8 in stores compared to this $24 online only brand.

EDIT: I also have to put this out there, because I want to support brands that do good in the world. Tyra Beauty was launched as a MLM. Tyra Banks said she wanted to help women be empowered and earn income and be bosses, and take control of their life. She cited her mother's journey in an abusive relationship where she stayed for a long time because she couldn't get out, and Tyra said she wanted to help women like her mother become independent. I was actually selected as one of the first 200 reps for this company, but left fairly early on as I was not a fan of the way the company was run, and several of the products. However many women endured some of the bumps along the way and I always said "in 10 years, it'll be a great business to jump into I am sure". Well they announced the other day that they will no longer be doing direct sales and are closing the door on all of the women who have worked very hard to build this company up. They will continue selling and promoting the brand, but will no longer be an MLM. Tyra also imparted that she never wanted it to be Direct Sales in the first place (what happened to that vision you said you had, that dream?) and only did it because her business consultant said it would be more profitable. They spent MONTHS telling these women that nothing was going on, there was no consideration or talk of closing the doors to direct sales. They said DAYS before the press release that they were not closing that door. Take it for what you will, but to me the integrity of a company matters.

REVIEW: Redken Full Frame 07

Packaging - 4 (very good)
Scent - 3 (average)
Hold - 5 (excellent)
Natural Look - 4 (very good)
Longevity - 5 (excellent)
Overall:


Redken's Full Frame Mousse is my new go-to mousse. I love using it with heat protecting lotion  before curling or styling hair to give it more volume, thickness, and to extend the life of the hair style with little or no hairspray. A little goes a long way with this mousse too, which we always appreciate! It is a touch on the pricey side, but it is very average for a high end salon product. My favorite thing about this mousse is that you can throw into your hair to rejuvenate a perm, or to help hold a style. If you want something that feels soft and not crunchy, add a little but of a serum or hair oil into it before applying.

REVIEW: Marc Jacobs Dream Waves Beach Spray

Packaging - 3 (average)
Scent - 4 (very good)
Hold - 3 (average)
Effect - 2 (not very good)
Hydration - 3 (average)
Overall:



The packaging is average (coming in a typical pump-spray nozzled container) and it smells like vanilla but is a touch on the strong side for my liking. It holds pretty well although I still like to use a little hair spray with it. It does create messy, loose and "unkempt" looking curls, waves and movement in the hair. However I feel like it also has kind of a clumpy hold, like when you put moose in your hair and it is all stuck together. They aren't soft and touchable waves at all. It does Hydrate, but the clumpy quality definitely prohibits that from really taking effect, and it is hydrating your cuticle but not the inside of your hair strand.

How to Protect Your Hair this Summer

Summer is coming! Woo hoo! I for one am excited to enjoy the warmth that this season brings, plus my birthday is in the summer! You can't beat that! However as much as we all enjoy the pools, the beach, the camping and the sun, these things can do a number on our hair! So I am writing a little guide to teach you how to keep your hair in it's best shape this summer by combating each of these problems! 

The sun has harsh UVA and UVB rays that are powerful enough to literally start fires. For us a more common result of the sun's powerful beams are sunburns. Knowing what we do about the toll the sun can have on our skin, what do you think it does to our hair? Well, it's not great! It cooks it, just like it does everything else. The extream heat can cause blonde hair to yellow, it can cause it to dry out and feel brittle, and it can also cause your beautiful color to fade! Yikes! So how do we beat the sun? 

One option is to opt to wear a wide brimmed hat. There is nothing wrong with this choice at all! However if you want your locks to go free then I recommend using a Sun Protection Spray in your hair, like the Alterna Bamboo Sunshine Spray which is pictured on the right (can be found in stores at Ulta and Sephora for $22). You have heard me talk about heat protection sprays a lot, but a sun spray is different. You need something to protect against UVA and UVB rays specifically. A couple other options are the Bumble and Bumble invisible oil heat/UV protective primer (can be found in store at Sephora for $28) and the Phyto Protective Sun Veil (can be found in store at Ulta for $30). Spray a sun protectant on your hair after it is styled before hiking, while camping, when going to the game, or any other outdoor activity.

For those of you who live in the pool you have to protect your hair against all the harsh chemicals and chlorine that is inside the water! So first, how do these things effect your hair? Your hair is porous, which means it absorbs liquids. When you get in the pool your hair not only absorbs the water in the pool but also the chemicals that are in it! When your hair absorbs the chemicals it can cause color fading, extremely dry hair and even breakage!

The best way to conquer chemicals in your swimming pool is to fill the hair with water and conditioners first! So before you get into the pool get your hair super wet, I mean let it absorb water fully. In my opinion your best two options are to either put your head in the shower and let it absorb water there, or to go to the pool and use their showers really quickly to just fill your hair. Then I like to get a budget conditioner and just massage it into the hair strands. There is no need to use a super expensive brand, because you are just trying to create a filler for your hair. While I wouldn't recommend it for daily use the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Conditioner (can be found in several stores including Ulta and Walmart for $10.99) is my personal go-to for this. But I also don't mind the OGX Coconut Miracle Oil Conditioner (can be found in several store including Ulta and Walmart for around $8.99). The point of this is to fill the porous strand with water and conditioner so that when you get in the water your hair strands don't have room to absorb any of the chemically water. Then after your pool adventure go home and take a shower right away! Wash your hair well and put on a conditioning treatment or mask if you have one.

This only says "Lakes" because "Lake, Ponds, Rivers and Oceans" was to long. The problems you have with a natural body of water are similar to a pool, basically your hair is absorbing all of the yucky stuff in the water. With pools you are soaking up chemicals but with natural bodies of water you are getting salt (which is extremely drying) or you are getting pond scum and algae, and often you are getting human and aquatic life waste and other undesirable things. A lot of these things can coat the hair, make your scalp greasy, and can damage it.

First of all if you are going to the ocean, wear a hair protectant (the first tip) there are few trees to protect you and you will want it. Second, I would say do tip #2, but instead of using a conditioner use and oil, like Olive Oil or Coconut oil. Pictured I have the Better Body Foods Coconut Oil, which is easy to find at Walmart or Target. Make sure you use a raw organic oil. These repel water better giving an extra layer of protection. You should also put your hair up. Braid it, put it in a bun, or throw it in a clip. Once again, shower as soon as you get home or to the hotel. You want to make sure you wash your hair thoroughly to get rid of all the oil!

When you go hiking, fishing, camping, or any other outdoor activity a huge hazard you face is BUGS! I have three layers of recommended protection. First you NEED SPF protection! Do not skimp! And do not forget your face! I LOVE the COTZ facial sunscreen products. They are basically protective moisturizers, they have one for sensitive skin, a tinted option, a pediatric version as well as primer choice. I love COTZ because the name stands for Contains Only Titanium and Zinc, which are natural minerals that protect from SPF. This means it doesn't have all the chemicals most sun screens do, and it also doesn't have that weird smell! Check out COTZ products here! 


COTZ gives you facial SPF protection, and of course we have gone over SPF protection for your hair (see Tip#1), and for your body, just read the labels and don't skimp! I personally use Banana Boat, but you do you. Then to combat the bugs, I have a special secret. Citronella. Citronella is an oil that is derived from the leaves and stems of certain kinds of lemon grass. Citronella is a natural insect repellent and can help to relieve itchiness from bug bites! So I recommend getting a small spray bottle (I men travel sized small) filling it halfway with water, adding 10+ drop of Citronella  and spraying yourself with it generously. It is better for you, has no toxic fumes, smells incredible, and is chemical free! You can get 100% pure all natural Citronella Oil from the Aroma Foundry by clicking here! It is even on sale right now for under $10!


Now go forward and enjoy your summer and spring without compromising your hair or skin! ♥