DevaCare Low-Poo May Ruin All Other Shampoos for You

Tamatha

I unquestionably trust my hair stylist.  I rely on her to pick cuts that work with my hair type (especially since I do zero styling--I don't even own a hair dryer) and to choose hair colors that will be flattering to my coloring.  So if she advises that I try a product, I follow her advice.  She has yet to steer me wrong.

I spend good money on my cut and color.  But not only do I go eight weeks between colorings (and hair cuts, for that matter), my hair color of choice is red.  For those of you who do or have dyed your hair red, you know this means the color fades quickly.  Annoyingly so.  Given the "investment" I put in my hair color and the length of time between colorings, I am definitely not going to risk having the color fade any faster than it already does.  So, from the time I gave up my boxes of henna to have my hair professionally colored, I have relied on Rachel's advice for what I should use to wash and condition it.

Several years ago, the salon where she works started selling a sulfate-free shampoo, DevaCare Low-Poo, and she recommended I try it.  I'd heard of sulfate-free shampoos, and the rationale behind them made sense to me, so I was happy to give the shampoo a whirl.  I've pretty much never looked back.

A Face Moisturizer for All Seasons: Alba Botanica Natural Hawaiian Oil-Free Moisturizer

Tamatha

I know, I know.  I'm like a broken record with the Alba Botanica products.  But listen, when you find a brand which consistently makes excellent products, there's simply no reason to risk a disappointing experience with another brand.  Besides, this was one of my first Alba products, so there.

As you may recall from my Pineapple Enzyme Facial Scrub review,  in the same travel kit which contained that scrub, I also discovered my favorite face moisturizer.  Technically, in that kit it was the Natural Hawaiian Moisture Cream, but when I asked for the full size of that for a present, the Main Squeeze chose the Oil-Free version, which turned out to be a good (easy-to-make) mistake on his part.

Revlon PhotoReady Eye Primer + Brightener: Where Did You Get Those Eyes?

Tamatha

I may not be the best person to review an eye primer, since until about a year ago, I didn't even know this stuff existed, but I'm going to do it anyway.  I swear, back in the 80s, which was the last time I was in the know about make-up, eye primer was not a thing.

Recently, however, some of my lady friends on the Facebook (and here) have been talking about eye primers, and I thought I should check it out.  Considering the infrequency with which I wear make-up, I wasn't about to invest in a pricier eye primer (for ex., Urban Decay or Too Faced).  Luckily for me, when I dashed to CVS on New Year's Eve, fingers crossed that my old standby, Revlon, would have one, they did!  Enter Revlon's PhotoReady Eye Primer + Brightener.

I'm about to Get Up on My Soapbox: Made from Earth's Blood Orange Soap:

Tamatha

For fall, winter, and spring, I am all about the shower gel.  But summer?  That's another matter all together.  In the summer, I want something that is going to leave my skin feeling nothing but clean.  I want something that's going to cut right through the sweat and sunscreen.  I want to leave the shower feeling like I'm the cleanest thing on the whole effin' planet.  In the summer, I break out the bars of soap.

Honey, You Need to Ditch that Apricot Scrub, Part III: Alba Botanica's Sea Algae Enzyme Facial Scrub

Tamatha

I know that it's been a while, ladies and gentlemen, but as you may recall, I am on a quest to get you to stop using that apricot scrub, which is so terrible for your skin!  First, I tried (and loved) Pevonia's Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, but it was a bit out of my price range, so I continued my search.  Then I tried Alba Botanica's Pineapple Enzyme Facial Scrub, which I also liked and which was more affordable, so I decided to make it my new scrub.  At the time, though, I thought I might need to find something a bit more exfoliating and a little less moisturizing once warmer weather rolled around.  And I was right. 

Do you remember that lovely week of unseasonably warm weather many of us had in mid-March?  I do.  It was glorious.  But there was one draw back, my face decided to break out.  At first, I wondered if Cindy had cursed me, but then I decided that the change in weather was to blame and went in search of a new scrub.  So, it was off to my local natural food store.

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter: As Smooth as...Wait, That's too Easy

Tamatha

A couple of weeks ago, CVS gave me a coupon for $3 off a Revlon make-up purchase. Those bastards actually figured out one of my weaknesses (took 'em long enough). So last week, before the coupon expired, I took myself to the Revlon section of my local CVS. I briefly considered the nail polishes, but nothing caught my eye, and to be honest, when I received the coupon, I pretty much knew I'd be picking up a lip color of some sort.

As I've mentioned previously, I have a thing for lip stuff. On top of that, I recently went through a lipstick/gloss/tinted balm purge. I cannot tell you how long I'd had some of those lip things, but let's just say that Melody would have been beyond horrified. So clearly, I was overdue on restocking my lip color collection.

For All-Over Soft Skin: Aveda Replenishing Body Moisturizer

Tamatha

About ten years ago, my hair stylist gave me a tube of Aveda's Replenishing Body Moisturizer for my birthday, and I haven't looked back since.

I love this moisturizer like nobody's business.

I use it year round. Since it's humid in New England in the summer, I mostly use it for my hands and feet during those warmer months. In the winter, however, this lotion is my go-to for keeping dry skin at bay.

One of the things that I like about this moisturizer is that it has a really nice consistency. It's not too thick, which is why I can use it throughout the year. But it's also rich enough so that I don't have to slather myself to feel the effects.

Arbonne Sheer Glow Highlighter: I'm Glowing Here!

Pinky McLadybits

One of the things I learned while getting my brows done at Benefit was highlighting the brow bone. Benefit has an amazing pencil just for that purpose, but I was already dropping serious cash on They're Real and Brow Zings. Plus I knew I already had this Arbonne Sheer Glow Highlighter at home.

This is part of the loot I won while at an Arbonne even with my pal Stephanie. I had been struggling with the best way to use the Highlighter. Under my eyes? Meh. On my cheeks? Not too bad. Definitely not on lips or eyelids or other places.

Highlighter for my brow bone though? That should work.

I'm in Love with Alba Botanica's Coconut Milk Cream Body Wash

Tamatha

This winter I have been feeling particularly dried out. Even though I was using a moisturizing body wash, I was still finding that parts of my skin would feel uncomfortably dry in the short time between when I walked out of the shower and when I moisturized. Since I was getting low on body wash and was going to need new stuff soon, I decided to look for something even more moisturizing when I made my weekly pilgrimage to the local natural food store last weekend.

I looked at a few options, but wasn't feeling like any of them would be more moisturizing than the body wash I was already using. And then I looked at the pricier Alba Botanica Hawaiian body washes.

Honey, You Need to Ditch that Apricot Scrub, Part II: Alba Botanica Pineapple Enzyme Facial Scrub

Tamatha

Last time we checked in, I was heeding my aesthetician, Lisa's advice to walk away from my apricot-walnut face scrub. I was loving the Pevonia Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser she had given me a sample of, but had to continue my search for a new scrub, because although amazing, Pevonia is a little too dear for my pocketbook.

I immediately thought of another facial scrub I had tried several years ago, a pineapple one, which at the time, I thought wasn't exfoliating enough. But now, well, we know that less exfoliating is actually better, so it seeemed like a good idea to give this facial scrub another try. Since it is from a brand I trust: Alba Botanica, that only added to its appeal. (You may remember that they make my favorite lip balm.) The facial scrub in question is their Pineapple Enzyme Facial Scrub from their Hawaiian Skin Care Collection.

Honey, You Need to Ditch that Apricot Scrub. Try Pevonia Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser Instead.

Tamatha

Last week when I was getting my brows done, I asked Lisa to leave the tops of my brows alone (I have blond eyebrows, I can get away with this) because my forehead was freaking out. I don't usually have sensitive skin, but on this day, I did. She commented on how dry my forehead was and said I should exfoliate. When I told her I do, she gave me a look. Later when I mentioned that I use an apricot/walnut scrub, her reaction was, "That is THE WORST!"

She then explained that apricot and nut scrubs are actually bad for your skin, because the scrubby bits are too sharp and actually cut your skin. (And then Kolby linked to this article in Tuesday, December 6th's Hot Links, which confirmed what Lisa said, so there ya go.) Lisa then gave me a sample of Pevonia Botanica Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser to try.

Revlon Lash Fantasy Total Definition Mascara: Yes, please.

Tamatha

Given my affinity for all things natural, you might be surprised that A) I buy pretty much all my make-up at the drug store and B) I am a seriously loyal Revlon customer. It all started back in 1990 when Revlon was one of the first big make-up companies to stop testing on animals. I wanted to support this great move on their part, so I started buying their products pretty exclusively. And I've been supporting them ever since.*

I've tried a few of Revlon's mascaras over the years, and the Lash Fantasy (terrible name aside) is my favorite. *Especially* since it now has my favorite style of mascara wand--the kind with the rubber bristles. These flexible bristles are so much better than the traditional, stiffer ones.

Who Doesn't Like Tinted Lip Balm?: Badger Lip Tint & Shimmer

Author: Tamatha

You may remember that I have a slight lip balm addiction. In addition to meaning that I must be no more than two feet away from a lip balm at all times, this addiction also means that lipsticks and I have a problem. They just disappear. Or, if I'm really lucky, I end up looking like I'm wearing only lip liner (and too much of it too boot). Note: no lip liner has actually been applied to my lips, but the lipstick has seemingly migrated to just the edges of my lips--lovely! At the same time, I'm often drawn to lipsticks (they're less of a "commitment" than other forms of make-up) and I own far more than any woman who rarely wears the stuff probably should. What can I say? Hope (or perhaps delusion) springs eternal.

Detox Your Mani: SpaRitual is taking O.P.I. to School

Author: Boo

Don't get me wrong: I love O.P.I. In fact, most of my nail polish collection--at least, the ones that matter--are O.P.I. I fell in love with O.P.I. at my favorite day spa, so I was shocked when I went in for my last mani/pedi and found that they had changed the entire line. No more O.P.I. !!!

But, they had traded out for another line that I am quickly falling into obsession with: SpaRitual.

This stuff is addictive, but for all the right reasons. It is vegan, animal friendly, formaldehyde and toluene free, and DBP free. (DBP is dibutyl-pthalate, and I had to look it up. I found this uber helpful site about the toxic chemicals in nail polish, if you're interested.)