Okay I am no fashion expert.
I am not a makeup artist.
And definitely not the best with hair.
But I thought I would share what I am trying out lately. Join me in the bathroom…please excuse the toilet.
Lets start with hair.
I want to get a brazilian keratin hair treatment but go back forth on it, for two reasons money and chemicals.
So when I was at Wholefoods last week, I saw these GioVanni Brazilian Keratin Shampoo and Conditioner with argan oil on the shelf and decided to try them. They sounded promising, right?
Having very thick hair…dealing with humidity and hot weather the last thing I want to do is spend hours doing my hair. Once reason why I wear it up just about everyday.
So how did I like?
Well as you can see from the picture on the left, my hair still frizzy after blowing dry. So it failed there.
I still had to straighten my hair. And the smooth hair did last long because by the afternoon time I put my hair up due to it being really frizzy.
So I am a little disappointed in these hair products. They were about $8 bucks each, so ya I will still use them up as I do not like wasting money.
I have only used it once, so who knows maybe these hair products will do better another time.
Have you tried these products? What are your thoughts on hair straightening techniques?
Okay now makeup.
I have tried all types of makeup like most girls do. Natural. Vegan. Mineral makeup. Top of the line. And for my skin, it is hard to find something that does not irritate it, break it out, but yet still covers my breakouts and scars, control shine, etc. And one thing I had noticed was that some of the vegan cosmetic products I tried in the past actually cause my skin to breakout??? Crazy to think that something natural can cause my skin to go crazy. I had to throw a lot of way and sadly could not get my money back 
But I have heard good things about Tarte makeup and decided a trip to Sephora was in order as my current makeup was running out. (I currently have chanel).
I got 3 products to try:
Amazonian clay pressed mineral powder
My thoughts?
The primer was lovely! It is a clear gel and I felt it was light on my skin. And do feel it helped with my makeup going on smoothly.
I do not wear liquid foundation, I find it too heavy for my skin. So I rely on different powders to help give me coverage.
I liked the way the powder felt on my skin but do not feel it gave me great coverage. Hard to really tell in the picture, I know. And the eye shadows were fun! Although I have Naked eye shadows too which I just love.
Overall felt Tarte makeup is pretty good quality. I will have to wait till I wear it more to see if I will buy it again.
And for concealer I currently use this one from Josie Maran.
I love Josie’s idea behind her products, but find this concealer does not last. I have to touch up under my eyes through out the day.
Anyone else use this concealer? Thoughts?
Have you tried Tarte makeup? What is in your makeup bag?
Any products your like for hair or makeup?
till next time,
xoxo
Michelle
PS: getting close to sharing Lori’s wedding photos, she is working on those posts! Should be up this week!
I have tried Tarte’s bronzer and I liked it and I am currently using the mascara and I really like it!
LizAshlee recently posted..Prep for the Race + Sun Kissed Energy Bars
I recently switched to Vapour Organics makeup and I completely obsessed! It goes on so smooth and looks really natural. Plus, my face has cleared up a bit since I started using it a month or two ago! Like I said.. .I’m obsessed!
Erin never heard of Vapour Organics, will have to check it out! Thanks
A few months ago, I used the Suave at home Keratin treatment stuff and it really worked. I don’t know if I’d use it again, because chemicals kind of freak me out, and I think it made my hair kind of dry, but it really did make it super smooth. I didn’t even have to use a straightener like I normally do. And it dried super fast! For like $12 you really can’t beat it. But like I said, I think it dried out my hair a little, and the chemical smell freaked me out!
Liz, awesome I will have to check out Suave next time. Ya chemicals seem to be everywhere, so you can only do what you can. Sometimes I feel it is worth it if I do not have to always blow dry and straighten my hair.
The suave keratin really does work. Don’t like any chemicals, but this has to less then a treatment.
If you kept the receipt (or even if you didn’t), it might be worth your time to bring the hair products back to Whole Foods and say you weren’t satisfied. My local natural food store and even chain store like Sephora will refund your money if you’re not satisfied.
Heather, really?? I just might try that thanks!
It’s awesome! Sometimes, I’ll buy expensive products and keep the receipt. If they work, then great but if not, I have insurance to get my money back. Sephora barely even questioned me when I returned a $120 eye cream after using it for 3 months and was didn’t see any changes.
Good to know this! Wish I did it awhile ago when I spent a fortune on makeup
lesson learned!
I haven’t tried either of those. I can honestly say that my hair is a mess right now. It is so thick and all over the place from the humidity and the fact that I’m growing it out. A mess I tell ya! Too bad that shampoo and conditioner didn’t last all day. That stinks for that price!
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i use tarte tinted moisturizer called smooth operator
just on my t zone and powder is physicians formula talc free blend. i don’t try to straighten my mane ever haha. it’s just too wavy and curly for it to actually work!
i just use say yes to carrots shampoo or burts bees shampoo and conditioner! good ole target carries them both
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Thanks girl I will have to check those out next time at target!
I love Tarte and Josie Maran products a lot. The Tarte Amazonian clay blush is amazing. I used to get keratin treatments, but I learned that they aren’t safe during pregnancy. It got me thinking that they might not be so safe for me either! They were awesome and lasted awhile on me, but now I just deal with the frizz through tools and products.
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Erin, ya I was only going to get it done once during the summer months when it is too hot to do my hair
I use bare minerals original spf 15 for everyday coverage and it is great! I have extremely sensitive skin (dermatitis) and this is the only makeup which does not cause me to break out, it’s not cake-y, and I don’t get rashes and my face doesn’t get shiny
Hair… oh man. I have tried a bunch of masks, shampoos, sprays and have yet to find something which will make my hair shiny and frizz-free yet leave me with volume. Some tend to be too heavy and make my hair look like a mop. Half curly/half sraight mop
Prepel thanks yes I have use and still occasionally use bare minerals.
traces of lead have been found in bare minerals products. A better alternative is Arbonne’s mineral powder and bronzer. I also use the tinted moisturizer with is very light and non-oily
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I’m a fan of Tarte products, especially the mascara. I’ve also used and like their gel-stain lip color. For hair smoothing, I recommend John Frieda’s Frizz Ease 3-Day Straight. It’s not a natural product, and you still have to use a flat iron, but it helps preserve your results. It’s not a miracle, but it’s the most effective product I’ve ever used. Lastly, while I can’t speak to the Giovanni 2Chic hair products, I love the body lotion from that line. It’s perfect for summer when I can use a lighter moisturizer since the air’s less dry.
I was fortunate to work where we introduced the Brazilian Blowout, so I got it for free. I LOVED it. I have very, very thick, coarse and wavy hair, and it was a miracle. It lasted almost 5 months. I lived in Raleigh, so I know what you mean about humidity. I now use WEN, and while it’s not the same thing, I do like how my hair is with using WEN. I use some TIGI straightening products with a flat iron when I want to be straight. I love Bare Minerals foundation, but also their Pure Transformation night-time treatment. I sometimes use that instead of the foundation, and it makes a big difference in my skin.
I know you already have a lot of suggestions of new products to try, but I’m going to add one to the list! Lush has really great hair care products. I’ve been using them now for about 2 months and I’m in love. I was a little skeptical at first (the shampoo is in bar form), but I’m so happy I gave them a try
Good luck!
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I love lush shampoos! Well everything lol I have lotions, hand cream, conditioner, soap bars (HIGHLY recommend BUFFY), body scrub… OK I basically have he whole store BUT just wanted to say I agree on the shampoo bars and they last so long i’ts amazing!
I’ve tried that giovanni keratin shampoo and conditioner, and other than smelling delicious (the shampoo) and making my hair feel very soft (and not stripped), no smoothing results. But I have VERY curly hair so…I’d really like to know if keratin treatments work with curls (do they help relax curls??). Also, thanks for the make up review! I’m in the market for a lightweight foundation (perhaps tinted moisturizer) that doesn’t make my skin oily. Love all the tips on here!
alas I have no makeup bag.
I need you BOTH to come here and move in with me.
pleaseandthankyou?
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be right there!
I have used Tarte’s pen concealer and I really liked it in the past. I was also all about mineral powder up until about a year ago when I tried Mary Kay’s new liquid foundation and I am no salesman but it’s amazing. I use with their primer and I always get compliments on my skin. Plus I never realized how the brushes were causing me to breakout until I stopped using them – they are a great home for bacteria. It doesn’t matter how religious you are with cleaning them unfortunately.
As for hair issues I know friends that have tried the keratin treatment and they haven’t had great results. It only stays really nice for about a week and it damages it in the long run. Of course this is not to say that will happen for you
Heather recently posted..Vegan Spaghetti Squash “Hamburger Helper” tossed in Avocado Mac and Crispy Chickpea Nuggets
Check out Organix 30 day keratin treatment. It’s like $15 from pharmacy and it worked awesome for me. Made my hair super silky and shiny, frizz free. I have thinner hair but it’s cheap so worth it to check out.
Thanks for being a guinea pig for us! heh heh…appreciated your hair review because I like to straighten my hair too but because of time I rarely do it so back it goes (pulled back). I won’t bother trying the Giovanni. There’s one (or two) that The Beauty Bunny recommended but can’t remember the name of it now but it’s a vegan keratin too. But I am in need of some new makeup and have a Sephora gift card to use so I believe I need to make a trip soon.
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I’ve starting using Jane Iredale tinted moisturizer, and like Physicians Formula Organicwear mascara ( i used to be completely addicted to lancome mascara… I’ve also heard good things about Vapour so may check them out too!
Have you ever tried any Arbonne products? They are organic, paraben free, and vegan certified. I’ve been using Arbonne (make-up, skin care, hair care, protein powder and more) for about 6 months and LOVE it. We even have an acne line which did wonders for my skin. I can send you some sample is you’d like to try. You can also check out the stuff at http://www.arbonne.com. I’m an independent consultant (id#19841366). Please email me if you’d like to know more about it.