January 2014 Favorites

HAIR

Aveeno Active Naturals Pure Renewal Shampoo

I was sick for most of this month, and it I could even see it in my hair. I was losing shine, smoothness, and the color turned dull and lifeless. I took a break from my John Frieda Luxurious Volume Touchably Full shampoo (nothing against this shampoo, I still like it) and pulled out an old bottle of Aveeno Active Naturals Pure Renewal Shampoo that I had lying around in the bathroom. This stuff completely restored my hair and it's back to it's usual healthy self. Bonus: it's paraben and SLS/SLES free. 

(I wouldn't recommend continuous daily use for everyone, but if your hair needs cleansing and "balancing," try this for a few days and then interchanging it occasionally with your regular shampoo.)

Dove Extra Hold Strength and Shine Flexible Hold Hairspray

I was sure about this hairspray when I first bought it mainly because of the smell; it's like spraying on cologne, which doesn't smell bad but just very strong. However, the smell doesn't last forever and isn't outweighed by the good of this hair spray. I can spray this closely and directly onto my hair and it doesn't get stiff or greasy looking. Because of this, when I first starting using it I thought the hold wouldn't be strong, but I was completely wrong. My hair is stubborn and doesn't like to hold bobby pins and such for very long, but with this hair spray I can go out and never have to worry about my hairstyle falling out. It's perfect if you have medium-shorter hair that wants to curl in on one side and flip out on the other. I used a flat iron to curl my ends in and then hair-sprayed the ends while curling them with my fingers - it worked!

BODY

Burt's Bees Natural Nourishing Milk and Honey Body Lotion for normal to dry skin

I don't use this as an all-over body lotion but as a hand cream. It has coconut and grapeseed oils and vitamin E in it, and I have to say I really love this stuff. The most annoying thing is that it takes a bit to rub it in (*some people may not find that annoying, I'm overly sensitive with creams and lotions), but once it does there is no greasy residue on my hands. It isn't a cure-all; my hands still get dry after a while, so I might need something stronger, but I'm satisfied with it for now. I will say I'm going to try a Yes To brand hand lotion next, but I have no doubt I'll be repurchasing this Burt's Bees product again.

MAKEUP

Wet n Wild Megaslicks Balm Stain

(I have the 2 in the middle)

I get these at Rite Aid for $2.99 (and many of them have had an immediate $1.00 off coupon!). I've wanted to try a lip crayon for a really long time, and seeing as I love the wet n wild line I figured I'd try these, and they've become my favorite product from my lip bag. You know how so many lip products claim both color and moisture and you end up with horribly dry lips? These actually ARE moisturizing!  I have one in color "Mauve," which is a gorgeous reddish pink (and much brighter than the packaging) and one in color "Nudist Colony" (don't you love the names of some products?), which contains a slight hint of shimmer and I like to pair it with a subtle pink color underneath. The color last longer than anything I've ever tried and lasts through any food or beverage you consume (I will say I've found the Mauve last long longer than Nudist Colony).

HEALTH

Vitamin C

I've started taking 1,000 mg of Vitamin C daily and I can't believe how much it has helped my complexion. My skin tone is more even and radiant, and I think it might help with breakouts just a little bit. My acne scars are healing much faster and fading away quickly. 

Lavender Diffuser 

My mom has been getting into essential oils recently, and I have to say there is at least one thing I love about them - the diffusers. I've started diffusing lavender essential oil every night, and it's really helped with my insomnia, and I usually don't wake up in the middle of every night like I use to. 

(I use a diffuser very similar to this one the most. I like how it has an optional changing lamp light, which you can set to constantly change colors, set on one color, or not at all. Kinda  fun ;) )

LEAST FAVORITE

Physician's Formula Organic Wear Jumbo Lash Macara

I'm horribly late in reviewing this (as well as others in my Beauty Haul), but better late than never. I wouldn't recommend this mascara to anyone, which is disappointing because it's free of so many icky things like parabens, sulfates, harsh chemicals, and is cruelty-free). Not only did it make my eyes burn a little when I first started using it, I have to apply at least 3 layers for my lashes to start to look long and full  - one layer only provides a bit of color and separates the lashes so they look thin. By the end of the day, my eyes feel heavy, and I constantly have to check for smudges and flecks (and there are always some present). My best friend also purchased this mascara and had the exact same problems. Don't buy this!