Beauty Review: L'Oreal Paris Rapid Reviver Conditioner*

My relationship with my hair is complicated.

For the last 12 years of my life, I’ve gone through a series of cut-into-pixie-and-grow-as-long-as-possible periods. I got my hair cut into a pixie just weeks before I had Forrest, then didn’t get a haircut for 3 years. (My hairdresser, as you can imagine, was as shocked as me. It really didn’t feel like 3 years, in my defense.)

In the last year and a half as well, I’ve developed an intensely dry scalp, that can be flaky, but mostly just deeply annoying. Sometimes, it’s tied to my cycle. Sometimes, it’s made worse or better by what I use in my hair. But the baseline for my scalp seems to be dry as hell, with a side of flakiness, and that’s just… my normal as an adult. It goes without saying: of all the terrible genetic traits to inherit, why this one (and my slow as heck metabolism)?

Whenever I look for products for my hair and scalp now, I have to be really clear about what I’m looking for: my hair itself isn’t necessarily dry, but my scalp is; my hair handles sulfate-free shampoos well, but not sulfate-free conditioners; harsh dandruff ingredients irritate my scalp worse; I need moisturizing, but not too much or it weighs down my hair… the list goes on.

When I received this conditioner for review, I was convinced I was going to hate it. The L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil Rapid Reviver Deep Conditioner has the longest product name in the world (I struggled to shorten it for this blog post) and promises to “provide 2X more nourishment than any leading conditioner” and to be “lightweight, hydrating and moisturizing.” Two of those words mean the same thing, so… we’ll see.

Extraordinary Oil sounds way, way too heavy, doesn’t it? However, despite being called “Extraordinary Oil” and “a hair treatment” in various places both on the L’Oreal website and the tube, it also says it’s for daily use. Now, I subscribe to the idea that you don’t need to (and probably shouldn’t) wash your hair every single day. So using a heavy conditioner every day seems like a lot.

I use a lot of hair masks, so I was fully prepared for this conditioner to have the texture of a hair mask. However, it doesn’t. It’s a fairly standard conditioner when you get down to it; it doesn’t feel heavy and it gives your hair that slippy feeling when you apply it. I’ll admit to being fairly addicted to conditioner; I never don’t use it, because my hair can be unmanageable without it. I love the slippy, smooth feeling and even though I know that’s sulfates, and the internet tells me that sulfates are bad for my hair, I also don’t like not using it… because then my hair turns into a single tangle that I can’t get out! Give me sulfates in my conditioner or give me death!

Did I like this conditioner? Yes! I did. It was hydrating for my scalp and didn’t weigh down my hair as much as I thought it would. However, do I think it is anything special? Not necessarily. Despite all the fancy names, it doesn’t really promise to be anything besides a hydrating conditioner—which is what all conditioners do. Whenever I’m testing a hair product, I have to ask myself, over and over again, if I’m noticing a difference in my scalp (better or worse); preferably, it’s actually best that a product has no effect on my scalp. This product is one of those where it didn’t make my scalp better or worse, which is often a solid win for me.

Is this a particularly special conditioner? Not really. It didn’t necessarily wow me in terms of making my hair look any different from any other conditioner. It should be said, again: I don’t really have dry hair, just a dry scalp, and my hair isn’t damaged from heat treatment or hair dye. The bonus is this is only around $4-6 depending on which drug store you go to. (The downside is that L’Oreal Paris tests on animals.) If you’re looking for a good, affordable conditioner, and you struggle with hair that is dry or damaged, this is a great option.

Would I repurchase? It depends. I think if I started heat treating my hair more, I would probably look for something similar (but cruelty free) to use, as it is really hydrating. But this specific product? Probably not.

Disclaimer: As denoted by the asterisk (*) in the title of this blog post, I received this product in exchange for review. If you’d like to learn more about my disclosure policy, click here.

Beauty Review: Chic Voxbox*

Another month, another Voxbox! I love receiving voxboxes, but sometimes, especially the ones that include multiple products, can feel a bit random. Does anyone else feel that way? 

This month, I received the Chic voxbox. (I'm still not sure why it's called the Chic voxbox... these products are not high end. In fact, All of these items are under $10, except for the full size of the face mask. But c'est la vie, I'm not working their marketing department!) 

If you don't use Influenster, it's a great time to start! (You can view my profile here.) Influenster is a website where you can review products, answer questions about products, and take surveys to receive products to review. I've gotten a ton of products through Influenster and I've loved a lot of them. (Click here to read about my Uniquely J voxbox and click here to read my Foot Petals voxbox review.) 

Here's everything I received in the Chic voxbox: 

• eos: evolution of smooth Sensitive Skin Shave Cream ($3,99, full size) 
• NYX Worth the Hype Volumizing and Lengthening Mascara ($8.99, full size) 
• KORRES Pomegranate AHAs and Enzymes Resurfacing Mask ($34 for full size) 
• Hair Food Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner ($9.99 for full size) 

That's a lot of stuff, but most of it is sample size. I have no issue with deluxe sample sizes (like the KORRES mask). I do take issue with receiving packets of shampoo and conditioner as samples; plain and simple, using it once is not enough of an idea of how good it is. However, I'll do my best to review. Let's jump to it then! 

eos Sensitive Skin Shave Cream

This is a full size product, which is always quite exciting to receive. However, I don't typically use shaving cream; I usually use hair conditioner (multi purpose!) or just soap. What does this shave cream promise? 

“Formulated especially for sensitive skin, with botanical ingredients to soothe and deeply moisturize skin and no added fragrance. A unique, skin-friendly and super-smooth Shave Cream for Sensitive Skin to moisturize and soothe with aloe and wild oats, lavender butter and no added fragrance.”

 Well, that does sound nice, doesn't it? 

It's true that this shave cream doesn't have any added fragrance--an added bonus, especially if you have sensitive skin. It's not the texture of the average shaving cream, really; it's more like a very thick lotion. I found it clogged up my razor really badly, and I found it quite annoying to have to rinse so often. But it did make my legs feel quite soft and smooth. Since it's only $3.99, I could definitely see myself repurchasing--but a single tube will probably last me quite a while! 

NYX Worth the Hype Volumizing and Lengthening Mascara

I'm a huge fan of NYX products, so I was excited for this one! I'm not much of a mascara fan; I have a hard time finding mascaras that work for what I want. This mascara is really no different than the other mascaras I own, but I do like how dark black it is and the brush is my favorite kind of brush. Here's what NYX has to say about it: 

“This buildable formula actually does what it promises! Get up to eight times the volume with darker, fuller lashes!”

Well, it does give you darker lashes. But like most volumizing mascaras, I find that that tends to translate to "clumpy." It's not a bad mascara, but it's definitely not anything worth writing home about. But for $8, it is quite nice. 

KORRES Pomegranate AHAs and Enzymes Resurfacing Mask

We have to talk about this mask. Mainly, it's not a mask... it's a scrub! The instructions say to only leave it on for 2-3 minutes... that's not a mask. That's just forgetting to rinse your face wash. Let's look at the promises, shall we? 

“A natural resurfacing face mask powered by glycolic acid and pomegranate grains and extracts to purify the skin and minimize the appearance of pores.”

Those are... some promises! I had to pop over to their website to see what else they promised. Check this out: 

“Customer Panel (in one use): 97% Improvement in Skin Texture. 100% Reduction in the Appearance of Pores and Balance of Sebum. 100% Improvement in Skin Smoothness and Skin Tone.”

100% reduction in appearance of pores? And 100% improvement in skin smoothness and tone? Ok. Well. 

I'm here to tell you that I don't think that's true. This glorified face wash is quite nice. It smells incredibly strongly of fake pomegranate fragrance (you heard me) and it contains small shells which I can only assume are pomegranate shells. It made my skin feel soft. Did it do anything? Not really. My pores didn't look smaller. I don't scrub my face, so it did nothing to my texture. And the tone of my skin remained the same. It's a nice face wash, but it's not a mask and it's an absolute "yikes!" moment to read those promises! 

Hair Food Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner Infused with Honey Apricot Fragrances

I hate to say it, but these were my favorite items in the box! As I've written about a truly embarrassing amount, I've had a problem with an itchy, dry scalp the last 4-5 months. It's been a major struggle. I really wanted to hate this shampoo and conditioner because they are not cruelty-free products... but if this isn't the best my scalp has felt in months, I'll eat my own socks. My scalp is not itchy at all! My scalp looks great! No flakes! And my hair is silky and shiny. 

Let's look at what they have to say: 

“Hair Food’s line of shampoos and conditioners is inspired by nutritionists and crafted by hair experts to nourish your hair without parabens or mineral oils.”

That's absolutely fair. I feel like this shampoo and conditioner does do those things. I am actually planning to buy full sizes of these to keep testing out and see if maybe it's just a fluke that it helped my scalp so much. (I genuinely need to know!) 

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Did you receive the Chic voxbox? Or have you used any of these products before? What do you think? 

*Disclaimer: as denoted by the asterisk (*) in the title of this post, I received these products in exchange for review. However, thoughts remain my own! You can read more about my disclosure policy here.

Beauty Review: L'Oreal Color Riche Shine Lipsticks*

As always, the asterisk (*) in the title of this post indicates that I received this product free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, however. You can read more about my disclosure policy, and review standards, here. 

A few months ago, I decided to go cruelty-free. This has been harder than I expected, because many brands still test on animals and even if they don't, they are often owned by larger groups that test on animals. This is the case with L'Oreal, who has their own make up brand, as well as owning several other make up brands (like Kiehls). 

I read a great argument recently that talked about how it's ok to have an ideal (being cruelty free) but not sticking to it 100%. I consider myself a vegetarian these days, but sometimes I do eat meat--so what do I call myself? It's hard to know! However, it's ok to be imperfect. 

And while make up isn't a necessity, sometimes things just work. Take, for example, the L'Oreal Pro-Matte foundation; for about 3 months, it was my absolute favorite foundation. It's the closest match to my skin ever. It doesn't oxidize. And even better, it didn't break down throughout the day. And then, they reformulated and I was devastated. I realized how important that foundation was to me, how it made me feel like my skin was so beautiful. I believe whole-heartedly in being cruelty free when it comes to my cosmetics, but sometimes, like any imperfect human, I fall in love. 

The case could be made for these lipsticks as well. 

I received these L'Oreal Color Riche Shine lipsticks from Influenster in exchange for a review. Let's look at what L'Oreal has to say about them: 

Ultra-rich, ultra-radiant shiny lipstick. Glossy, high color finish for lips that Shine. Available in 16 luminous, high-definition shades.

Those are some promises, aren't they?! Truly, they aren't wrong: these are very, very high shine lipsticks and they are insanely pigmented. I received the shades Enamel Red (924), Lacquered Strawberry (920), and Burnished Blush (906). 

Enamel Red is a true red. Lacquered Strawberry is an extremely bright, hot pink. And Burnished Blush is a light, mauve-y pink shade. These are three fairly standard colors and, for that reason, I was a bit disappointed. Sometimes, I just want to try something outside of my standard red-pink-blush family. I'm a bit notorious for always wearing a red or mauve lip! 

Considering there are shades like Gleaming Plum (an almost neon purple), Varnished Rosewood, and Glossy Fawn, receiving three standard colors was a little wah-wah. 

That being said, I love the shades I received. I will probably wear all three of them throughout the year. I especially like Enamel Red. Despite being a traditional lipstick, with all the problems that come along with transfer, short wear time, and high shine, it felt really good on my lips: moisturizing and smooth. And even as it wore off, it left a decent enough stain of color so that I didn't get that annoying halo look. 

The only gripe I would have is that these lipsticks all require a pretty heavy lip liner, as well as primer. Why? Because I found them sinking into my skin around my lips and bleeding. I don't have fine lines (I say, my hand to my chest, looking shocked), but looking in the mirror after applying these, I briefly wondered if I do have fine lines. After a long talk with my mom, I was assured that I do not, in fact: these lipsticks just bleed very badly! Lip liner and primer (I used Bite Beauty's primer) works to keep it at bay. 

Were these lipsticks moisturizing? The website says that: 

Experience a hydrating and lasting chine effect coupled with a rich color pay-off. This lipstick's true color formula has 60% more oils, leaving lips comfortable and conditioned throughout the wear and for days after. 

Did my lips feel hydrated while wearing these lipsticks? Yes. Would I say it kept them hydrated for days? Absolutely not. However, if you're over how dry matte lips make you feel (trust me, I understand), these are a great option because they are so heavily pigmented! 

What's my final verdict?

Would I purchase these lipsticks on my own? Part of me wants to say yes, because they are great, hydrating, and have some gorgeous colors. But a larger part of me says that no, I wouldn't, because L'Oreal isn't a cruelty-free company and I want to stick to my guns. However, if you're looking for a hydrating, high pigment lipstick, these are a wonderful option for you.  

These lipsticks retail for $9.99 and are available from L'Oreal's website here. 

Beauty Review: The Luxe Vox Box*

*Disclaimer: As always, the asterisk (*) in the post title denotes a sponsored post or a post where I received product for free. All opinions remain my own. For more information about my disclosure policy, please see here. 

I love getting Vox Boxes from Influenster. I get so excited every single time. Needless to say, when I found out I was getting the Luxe Vox Box, I was beyond excited. I really love this style of Vox Box too because I love getting a variety of products instead of just one. Who doesn’t love trying a bunch of goodies instead of just one? 

For the sake of saving time, I’m going to do mini reviews of each product. Here’s everything I received—and what I thought! 

Dr. Brandt No More Baggage Depuffing Eye Gel

This is one of those products that I was excited to try, but isn’t something I would normally buy on my own. Even though I struggle with fatigue (especially at certain points in my cycle), I don’t necessarily get puffy undereyes or even dark circles. (Ok, that sounds like a humblebrag—but trust me when I say I have other skin issues!) The first time I used this, I didn’t notice a huge difference. 

The second time, however, I used it under make up and I felt like it made a huge difference. I usually color correct under my eyes (just to brighten my skin a little bit) and then use foundation as normal. I used this instead of my usual color correcting and I felt like it made my undereyes look smoother and brighter. I really enjoyed using it, but for $42 for a tube, it’s not something I would repurchase. But if you have undereyes that you struggle with, it’s definitely a great product! 

Amika Un.Done Texture Spray

I received two Amika products and I was most excited about this one, the texture spray. My hair tends to be quite flat and dull, especially on the days when I watch it. This is an aerosol spray, not unlike a dry shampoo, that is supposed provide “instead volume and perfect-imperfect texture.” It “utilizes an invisible, salt-free formulation to deliver effortless, tousled beachy hair.” 

Did I like it? No. Like dry shampoo, it gave my hair a texture that I would describe as straw-like and almost waxy. I love the feeling of smooth, soft hair. If a product can keep my naturally very soft, smooth hair feeling that way, but also give it volume, I love it—but that seems like asking for a lot. I used this two days in a row and both days, the volume it provided barely lasted two hours… but the waxy, gross feeling in my hair did last. Hard pass. 

Amika Nourishing Mask

I love a good hair mask—even though “hair mask” is a nice way of saying “deep conditioner.” I don’t use conditioner daily, because again, my hair texture is pretty lank and flat naturally and my hair is pretty healthy at the moment. It’s not something I really need to worry about. However, my hair does have a lot of breakage because I wear it in tight ponytails and buns a lot, so I was hoping this mask would help with that. 

I have been using this in the shower twice a week and I really love using it. I almost feel like it gives my hair a little bit more body than usual and definitely makes it feel very soft and look very shiny. This mask promises to "restore hair to its natural vibrancy and health from the inside out," which is quite a hefty promise; but it also says it "hydrates for long-lasting softness, shine, elasticity, and manageability." That last one is definitely true. At $28 for 250mL, it's not a terrible price for something you use at most 1-2 times a week! (The mini size which I've linked is only $10--great for sampling!) 

GrandeLips Hydrating Lip Plumper

This is the item I was dreading reviewing. Firstly, a lip plumper is not something I would ever, ever purchase or want to use. But I couldn't very well just not use it and fluff a review. I felt between a rock and a hard place. So I put aside my reservations and I put it on one morning early last week. 

Cue my rapidly scrubbing my lips and nearly screaming. Within seconds to applying, my lips were burning. Not just feeling warm or fuzzy. But burning. I had light chemical burn all around my mouth for several days. Don't buy this product. Don't use this product. I wish I had trusted my gut!

AQUIS Hair Towel

Ok, that last mini review was a bummer, right? Chemical burns are no good. But I love this hair towel. It is made from "Aquitex," a hair drying technology that is "ultra light." It is supposed to rapidly dry hair to "damp stage" without heat. I personally do not use heat on my hair, so this was something I was very excited about. With the change in seasons, my scalp has been very dry and itchy, so I've been having to wash everyday to avoid flakes and nourish my scalp with soothing ingredients. (If you're wondering, I've been using YesTo Coconut Tea Tree Shampoo.) 

I love the shape and thinness of this towel; it makes tying up my hair after my shower to do my make up very easy. It does seem to dry my hair very quickly, which is also very nice. However, at $30-45 for a single towel, it's quite expensive. I have some not-as-fancy hair towels from Target that were $5 a piece at the most that do almost the exact same thing. But if you have a lot of hair and want to cut how much heat you use on your hair, it would definitely be a good splurge. 

Beauty Review: Matrix Biolage R.A.W. Uplift Shampoo & Conditioner*

Disclaimer: I received these products for free via Influenster & Matrix Biolage in exchange for an honest review. To learn more about my disclosure policy, please click here. 

It's been a while, hasn't it? A few weeks ago, I decided to take a step back from blogging and decide what I really wanted to do. I'm still debating on what, exactly, my goals are anymore, but I think I'm back on the blogging train. More about this later. 

For now, let's get on to a simple little product review. 

I was extremely excited to try out some new hair products, especially these ones from Matrix Biolage. You can learn more about this new line of shampoos here.  

After taking an Influenster qualifying quiz, I was sent the Matrix Biolage R.A.W. Uplift Shampoo & Conditioner set. Here's what both the shampoo and conditioner promise: "Biolage R.A.W. Uplift Shampoo, with black sesame and grapefruit, purifies flat, fine hair without stripping for lightweight body." These products are 71% natural-origin and 99% biodegradable; as well, they contain no silicones, no parabens, and no artificial colorants. 

All good things, yes? 

Here's a little hair background on me: I have very thick, but very fine hair. (This is not an oxymoron: "thin" describes my hair's texture; "thick" describes the amount of hair I have.) My hair, overall, is very healthy, but very straight and very flat by nature. I also do not use heat on my hair unless absolutely necessary. I haven't used a blow drier in over two years and a straight iron in over three years. I've been using eSalon's shampoo and conditioner for color treated hair and while I like it, it doesn't do anything spectacular (although it does help eSalon's so-so hair dye last longer). 

So what did I think of the Biolage shampoo and conditioner? 

Firstly, both products have a pretty... odd smell to them. I'm 100% behind not using artificial dyes, but they smelled like, for lack of a better word, wet dirt. Not exactly what I want my hair to smell like. I soldier on, however, and used them. 

Secondly, the shampoo made my hair feel very clean and it rinsed extremely well. The conditioner made my hair feel very smooth and easy to comb after using. 

Thirdly, after letting my hair air dry, I didn't notice any additional volume or body. In fact, my hair is somewhat flatter after using both products. 

So, what's the summary? In all, I wasn't particularly impressed. The shampoo and conditioner did make my hair quite shiny, but after using both together, I feel like they don't actually do anything to provide any additional body or volume, especially if you don't use heat styling tools. My hair often has more volume if I don't use conditioner; that's an experiment I'll need to run soon and I'll adjust my review accordingly once I get the chance. 

However, for the sake of honesty: I did not notice any benefits, in terms of volume or body, in the shampoo & conditioner combination. Which is, of course, disappointing. That being said, my hair did appear quite shiny and healthy after using. 

Overall, not a terrible product, but, as with most volumizing shampoos, without heat treatments, they fall flat.  

Beauty Review: Ole Henriksen Balance Skincare Line

As I recently posted on Instagram, I meant to post my review of these products way earlier. I received my VoxBox over two weeks ago. In that time, I came down with the flu, went to the doctor twice, and have almost recovered from the flu (12 hours without a fever flare up is about as recovered as I can expect 10 days on). At least I'm not flat on my back anymore, right? 

So here it is, my review. My review of these products is definitely colored by the fact that I haven't worn make up since I got sick. The number of times I've stumbled out of my house, hair a mess, wearing sweatpants, visible acne all over my face, is pretty astonishing, but very freeing. (I originally planned to post different content this week, actually. But reviews are easier to write on a fatigued brain like mine.) 

Let's start with the cleanser. 

Find Your Balance Control Cleanser

I have a really hard time finding cleansers that I like. I've been using the Beautycounter Charcoal bar since October (when I received it as a gift from my sister, who is a consultant) and I liked it: it removed my make up, it didn't leave my skin feeling covered in residue, it didn't dry out my very sensitive skin. That being said, it didn't seem to give me any benefit, but considering how sensitive my skin is to cleansers, I'm willing to take the bare minimum. 

The Ole Henriksen Find Your Balance Control Cleanser smells amazing, first off: it has eucalyptus and peppermint oils, which sounds really harsh, but is surprisingly gentle. It is a more gel-like cleanser that foams easily in water to later across your face. It gives my skin this super tingly, fresh feeling. And the smell. Did I mention the smell? It's amazing. For whatever, it reminds me of the scene in Mean Girls where Regina's face smells like peppermint. 

So how is in on the actual cleansing part? It removes my make up extremely well and I've noticed a significant reduction in the amount of oil my skin produces since I started using it. My skin is less red and I've noticed that a lot of my cystic acne scars are lightening. Those are two benefits that really work for me. 

Balancing Force Oil Control Toner

I have never really been able to keep up the whole "cleanser-toner-moisturizer" routine. It's just too many steps for me. But I was willing to take a chance with this toner. It is not as strongly scented as toners I've used in the past and definitely not as harsh. It has the same clean, eucalyptus scent as the cleanser, but very toned down. It's super gentle and doesn't burn my skin like a lot of toners. 

Ok, here's my important question: does not using the toner throw off the oil control aspect of this line? Here's the spoiler: yes. If I just use the cleanser and moisturizer, I definitely produce less oil than I would normally; however, without the toner, my skin definitely doesn't stay as matte. I tested out this theory a few times. So the toner is an important step and one I'm willing to take because I've literally never found anything that keeps my skin so matte during the day. 

Counter Balance Oil Control Moisturizer

Technically, this is called a "hydrator" (but it's a moisturizer). Like the toner, it has a really clean scent, but definitely toned down from the cleanser. I appreciate this because it means you get that nice burst of scent when you wash your face, but it doesn't stick with you all day long. 

This moisturizer promises to be mattifying--and friends, it's not lying. I've used lots of mattifying moisturizers in the past (my favorite has been dermatologica, but it definitely didn't do wonders for my skin). Since I've used this line from Ole Henriksen, I've seen a significant reduction in my acne which is honestly incredible. This moisturizer also definitely doubles as a primer for me (except on my nose, which I need a separate primer for usually). It keeps my skin super matte, it's a great base for doing make up, and keeps me from getting too dry or too oily throughout the day. I'm obsessed with it. 

Also, unlike other moisturizers which I feel make my skin feel super, super grimy, this moisturizer feels so clean. It's perfect. 

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Ok, so that's it. I love these Ole Henriksen products. I'm so glad that Influenster selected me for the Find Your Balance Voxbox. I did receive these products for free for review (you can read my disclosure policy here), but all thoughts on them are my own. If you'd like to follow me on Influenster, you can do so here. Also, if you love this review (and all the other content on my blog), I'd love if you'd sign up for my newsletter by clicking here.