Beauty Reviews

Alba Botanica Hawaiian Coconut Milk Shampoo & Conditioner Review

My mom picked up the Alba Botanica Hawaiian Coconut Milk Shampoo & Conditioner because she loved the smell and now we’re both loving these products!

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What’s to love?

First up, I love that Alba is gluten free and has no parabens or phthalates. I really love the giving culture of Alba too.

The Hawaiian Coconut Milk Shampoo smells amazing and is sulfate free. The lather is not huge with this shampoo but it does clean my hair very nicely and moisturizes with Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and coconut

The Hawaiian Coconut Milk Conditioner is super thick and a little goes a long way. It Sunflower Seed Oil, Moluccana Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil and Papaya Fruit Extract to name a few ingredients. It is so easy to get a comb through my hair after using this conditioner and it leaves my hair soft and shiny.

Overall I am super impressed with both of these products!

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Beauty Reviews, Lush

Lush Shampoo Bar Haul Video!

As you all know I am a HUGE fan of the Lush Shampoo Bars so I created a video of my latest haul which includes:

Also check out My Hair Story!

Beauty Reviews, Lush

Lush Shampoo Bars: My Hair Story

I have been using the Lush Shampoo Bars now for almost 2 years and I am still in love with them.

My story started in June of 2016 when I started this blog. Early in 2016 I had pneumonia and was on a high powered anti-biotic which turned my already bushy hair into straw. My hair texture is similar to that of Hermione in Harry Potter — frizzy and untamable so when it turned to straw and started falling out things got even worse.

Luckily I discovered Lush Shampoo Bars. I have no idea why they worked for me but within a few months my hair started looking more healthy and thick. I was thrilled and have probably tried almost every Lush Shampoo Bar on the market and I still use these bars nearly every day.

My favorite 3 Shampoo Bars are Jumping Juniper, Seanick, and Montalbano which is an amazing lemon scent.

Aveda, Beauty Reviews

Aveda Rosemary Mint Review

I have been a fan of the Aveda Rosemary Mint collection for years so I was thrilled when my husband got me the Rosemary Mint Shampoo, Conditioner and Hand & Body Wash for my birthday last month.

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What’s to love?

The Aveda Rosemary Mint is one of my comfort scents. I am a huge fan of mint and this scent is a strong one. It’s a combination of “certified organic rosemary and peppermint with other pure flower and plant essences” and it reminds me of Christmas.

Aveda Rosemary Mint Shampoo – I use the shampoo when I feel like my hair needs a deep cleaning. This one makes my scalp tingle in a really good way and the smell from the lather is so strong and amazing. It really does wake me up as they say on the Aveda website.

Aveda Rosemary Mint Conditioner  The conditioner is equally strong in mint smell and it does a great job detangling my hair. I use this shampoo a few times a month for shine too.

Aveda Rosemary Mint Hand and Body Wash – This body wash is so fresh and minty and really does a good job of waking me up too. I love using it in the morning for aroma therapy, the mint smell is so refreshing. It’s got a nice lather and rinses clean too.

I also really want the new Aveda Rosemary Mint Body Polish. I’ve heard really good things about this gentle exfoliator.

The Aveda line is Made in the USA.

Check out my YouTube short review too!

Beauty Reviews

Nature’s Gate Awapuhi Ginger and Holy Basil Shampoo & Condition Review

Last week when I was at the Fresh Thyme Farmers Market I picked up the Nature’s Gate Awapuhi Ginger Holy Basil Shampoo & Conditioner because it was buy 1, get 1 free.

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What’s to love?

While my go-to shampoo are the Lush Shampoo Bars I like to mix it up once in awhile and I’m always on the look out products I’ve never tried.

The Nature’s Gate Awapuhi Ginger and Holy Basil Shampoo & Conditioner  is Vegan, Non-GMO, Paraben Free, Gluten Free,  Soy Free and Cruelty Free. However the thing that really drew me in was the scent, it’s smells like Hawaii. Years ago I used the Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Shampoo and really loved it.

Along with the Awapuhi Ginger it’s also got Holy Basil and Wild Cherry Bark which make for a great fragrance.

This shampoo and conditioner is a volumizing variety and it really did give my hair some lift. This isn’t something I’d use all the time because I have thick hair and too much volume really makes my hair wild. The conditioner did make my hair super easy to comb through.

Overall I’m impressed with this shampoo/conditioner combo and I’ll probably be using it  a few times per month.

Nature’s Gate also has Tea Tree + Sea Buckthorn, Aloe Vera + Macadamia Oil, Jasmine + Kombucha, Pomegranate + Sunflower, Lavender + Peony, Jojoba + Sacred Lotus, Hemp + Argan Oil, Fruit Blend Grapefruit & Wild Ginger, Herbal Blend Lemongrass & Clary Sage and a few other combos of shampoo and conditioner.

Beauty Reviews, Lush

Lush Shampoo Bars vs. Liquid Shampoo

I started using Lush Shampoo Bars back in June after a Winter bout with pneumonia. The medication I was on wrecked havoc with my hair and it was getting thin and brittle. Previous to that I was using Aveda Brilliant which I also love and still use. However I wanted to describe the difference between the shampoo bars and liquid shampoo for people who want to try the shampoo bars.

Lush Shampoo Bars

The Lush Shampoo Bars are about the size of a hockey puck and they are solid but not super tightly packed, they feel fairly light weight. They do for the most part keep their shape unless you leave them in water, then they tend to crumble.

To use a shampoo bar you simply rub it on your wet hair. They lather up pretty quickly and create a ton of soft lather. The more you scrub the more lather you get. The bars do contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate but that doesn’t bother me, I actually prefer shampoo that lathers.

I alway rinse my shampoo bar after I use it and let it dry out. You can buy a tin to store the bar in but I haven’t had much luck with it, my bar always sticks.

Lush Shampoo Bars currently comes in 12 different varieties. Each one has unique properties and scents. Here are the ones I’ve used. Jumping Juniper, Seanik, MontalbanoMontalbano, Brazilliant and Honey I Washed My Hair. I really want to try Karma Komba next.

My main reason for using the Lush Shampoo Bars is that I feel like they improve the condition of my hair. My hair was thinning after my bout with pneumonia and the thinning stopped once I started using the shampoo bars which could be a coincidence but I’ve been using them ever since.

After I lather with my shampoo bar I rinse my hair and condition with the Lush Big solid conditioner. The shampoo bar lather always rinses clean for me with no residue.

A Lush Shampoo Bars costs between $9.95 to $11.95 per bar and I get about 30-40 washes per bar. Lush says you can get 80 washes but maybe I use a bit more. Also once they bar gets small it tends to break into smaller pieces which are still usable, just a bit awkward.

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Aveda Brilliant Liquid Shampoo

I’ve been using Aveda Brilliant for about a year now and I alternate it with the shampoo bars. I use a fairly generous amount and get about the same lather as a shampoo bar.

The main difference in the liquid shampoo is that it comes in a container. So if you want to reduce waste the shampoo bars definitely produce less trash. This isn’t a huge issue for me as I recycle when I can.

I like mixing in a liquid shampoo a few times per week because my hair is super thick and on the greasy side near the roots and the I feel like the Aveda Brilliant gives me a deep, deep clean.

The Aveda Brilliant shampoo costs me $21 per 8.5 oz. bottle and this bottle lasts about 6 months using it 2 days per week.

Beauty Reviews, Lush

Lush Elf Fun Review

Happy New Year! I can’t believe it’s 2017. We’re also having decent weather here in Ohio. My outside bush that I use as a backdrop for my photos is snow free so that’s good news too.

For some reason I thought there were only 3 Christmas themed Fun packs! Elf somehow snuck by me but luckily I was able to stock up during the Lush Boxing Day Sale and I wanted to share this one before the holiday seasons is completely over.

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What’s to love?

The Elf version of Fun is all about cinnamon which will work great for Valentine’s Day too. It’s red, green, pink and white and comes with two elf legs so you can build your own elf. Or you can do what we do and just break off a chunk for bath time. My kid loves Fun as it’s a bubble bath, shampoo and soap all rolled into one. The main ingredient is corn starch and we’ve never had any skin irritation from Fun which I love.

The expiration date on this Fun is January of 2018 so I’m glad I stock up for the year!

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Beauty Reviews

Garnier Whole Blends Coconut Water & Vanilla Milk Shampoo and Conditioner Review

Today I tried out the Garnier Whole Blends Coconut Water & Vanilla Milk Shampoo and Conditioner today because I was in the mood for a little coconut!

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What’s to love?

My mom is a huge fan of the Garnier Whole Blends Honey Treasures line so We deiced to pick up the new coconut version. This one smells really nice with a great combo of coconut and vanilla. The pearlized shampoo lathers well and rinses out clean and the conditioner feels light and smooth.

I love using coconut shampoo to clarify and remove build-up from my hair and this one works great. I love to switch up my shampoo and conditioner between Lush and I also use Garnier and Aveda products to keep my hair manageable. I like to switch because I think it gives my hair more life and because I love the variety.

Overall I would use this one again for the smell and hydration.

Price: $3.99 for each bottle.

Beauty Reviews, Lush

Lush Honey I Washed My Hair Shampoo Bar Review

Honey always makes me think of Fall, maybe because everywhere I go there are bees buzzing around! The good news is that the Lush Honey I Washed My Hair Shampoo Bar gives you the honey without the bees.

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What’s to love?

If you’re looking to try a Lush Shampoo Bar this might be the one you try first. It’s a win for the whole family and has a very mild scent.

This Shampoo Bar is made with Fair Trade Honey and Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia) and the lather is incredible and big, it’s super smooth and smells like honey and toffee. I use this bar about once a week to get soft and shiny hair.

Lush says you can get 80 washes out of each bar and maybe I’m using too much but I get about 50-60 washes which isn’t too bad. I do notice that the bars tend to dry out when they get really small so I think I am going to get the covered tin to see if that helps.

What’s your favorite Lush Shampoo Bar?

Price: $9.95

 

Beauty Reviews, Lush

Lush Brazilliant Shampoo Bar Review

The Lush Brazilliant Shampoo Bar tames my wild hair and leaves it shiny.

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What’s to love?

I have crazy, wild thick hair. I make Hermione Granger’s hair look tame so I need to be careful which shampoo I choose otherwise I’ll end up looking like I stuck my finger in an electrical outlet. Not only is my hair thick it also gets frizzy so humidity is my worst hair enemy.

Luckily I found Brazilliant which is about the orangiest (not sure if that’s a word) shampoos I have ever used but my gosh it works. Brazilliant is pure orange in color and smell and it creates huge lather that rinses totally clean.

After using Brazilliant my hair is noticeably shinier and tamer. I use Brazilliant about 4 days a week and mix it up with other Lush Shampoo Bars for variety.

Brazilliant also has andiroba oil which is supposed to strengthen hair which I think is true because my hair condition has improved so much since using Brazilliant.

Also check out my Lush Brazilliant review and demo on YouTube!