Review: L’oreal Base Magique Transforming Smoothing Primer

After reading a lot of reviews online, I have decided to purchase this primer by L’oreal. This velvet matte texture primer is suppose to smooth wrinkles and fine lines, hide pores, and correct skin imperfections. Contains silicon oils and soft light podwers created a smooth formula to prepare the skin for further makeup application.  

Pros:

This product doesn’t break me out. I used to be worry about this primer giving me acne because of the silicon oils in it, but after tried it for the last few weeks I can tell you this primer doesn’t cause blemishes on my skin.

It does hide my pore. I have oily-acne prone skin with big pores around my cheek and this primer conceals everything well. This product makes my pore less noticeable.

It makes my makeup last longer. Before I tried this product, usually after an hour wearing foundation or powder I always had to blot my face with my Clean & Clear Oil Blotting Sheets. After I use this primer I don’t have to blot as much.

This product makes a good eyeshadow primer too. Usually my eyeshadow tends to crease easily but after I use this my eyeshadow stays neat for a longer time.

A little goes a long way. A small amount can cover my entire face.If you pick up too much product, it will be hard to even out this primer on your skin.

Doesn’t have annoying strong smell.

It makes my skin feel so smooth and silky.

Cons:

The packaging can be unhygienic. You put your finger to the pot and transferring germs. My tips: wash your hand before you use it or take a cotton bud and dip it to the pot to get the product out. Use new cotton but every time you use it.

For the amount of product you get I’ll say this primer is on the pricier side, I got mine for  Rp 149.000,- (about USD $ 16)

Overall I really enjoy my primer and I recommend this product to everyone.


PS: English is my second language. Don’t hesitate to correct my grammar I’m willing to learn. Tell me on the comment below, email me, or tweet me @melisaberry

FOTD + Review of Clarins UV Plus HP SPF 40 Day Screen High Protection and Clarins Joli Rouge

Hi all Vixens out there, I won Clarins Twitter contest and they sent me this two products. For more giveaways please follow @ClarinsID on Twitter. After more than a week playing with these two things, here I give you my thought about these products.

Clarins Joli Rouge in 731 Rose Berry

No flash

With flash 

I think this is a very nice underrated lipstick. I never hear someone talking about this product before. Such ironies because for me, this is literally the most comfortable lipstick I ever try. Even better than MAC lipstick. Very creamy, very moisturizing, no waxy feeling, long lasting, amazing pigmentation, and nice heavy packaging. The color I have is ‘Rose Berry’, it looks very dark in the tube, but one or two swipes on the lips give me a natural mauve color. Very lovely! Overall I really want to try another Joli Rouge and I recommend this lipstick to everyone.

 Clarins UV Plus HP SPF 40 Day Screen High Protection

This sunscreen is very lightweight. The consistency is like water, very ‘liquid’ and thin in texture. When I apply it on my face it goes on smoothly and slightly sticky, but do not worry because it absorbs quick and dries matte. The downside for me is the scent. I just don’t like the scent, it is not a super strong scent but It just not a good scent for me, I believe everyone is going to have a different opinion about the smell but I just don’t like it. If you don’t mind a little bit scent in your sunscreen then I say go for this product. 

Face of the Day

Face:

Clarins UV Plus HP SPF 40 Day Screen High Protection

Revlon Colorstay Makeup with Softlex SPF 6 for combination/oily skin in 180 Nude

MAC Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35 in NC15

MAC Blot Powder in Medium

Revlon Powder Blush in Soft Spoken Pink

Eye:

Morrise eye lashes

Maybelline the Magnum Volume Express Waterproof in Black

Lip:

EOS lip balm in Summer Fruit

Clarins Joli Rouge in 731 Rose Berry (one swipe then dab it to the entire lip)

So have you tried these two products? What do you think about it? Is there any color from Joli Rouge collection that you recommend to me? Please tell me on the comment section below.

PS: English is my second language. Don’t hesitate to correct my grammar I’m willing to learn. Tell me on the comment below, email me, or tweet me @melisaberry

Haul and Review: Bath and Body Works, Skin Food, Victoria's Secret, Revlon

Hi everyone, I hope you enjoy this post

Revlon Colorburts Lipstick in Soft Nude

I haven’t found my Holy Grail nude lipstick, so I try this one. The quilted packaging reminds me of the uber popular Chanel 2.55 purse. The top lid shows you exactly the lipstick color inside, I love it. This color looks very pretty in the tube, a neutral peachy nude, but on me, I don’t know… sometimes it looks okay, sometimes it just makes my face kinda ‘green’ and somewhat ‘unhealthy’. Maybe this is not a right nude color for me. Most of the time I pair it with NYX Mega Shine Lipgloss in ‘Natural’. I think the combination looks great on my skin tone. I’m continuing my search to find the perfect nude lipstick. If you have any recommendation please tell me on the comment below

Victoria’s Secret ‘Love Spell’ Fragrance Mist

Notes: Chamomile, aloe, cherry blossom, peach

The all time best selling smell from Victoria’s Secret! I purchased this product without smelling it, Adriana Lima did a great job selling this to me through one commercial video. Let me tell you, I don’t love it but I don’t hate it either. It smells fruity to me. I can smell the peach and somewhat I sense an orange too. Juicy, flirty, playful, very ‘teenage’ like because I can’t imagine older women wear it. The first spray is a little bit strong and harsh but the alcohol settles down quickly. Somewhat this product reminds me of car freshener, if you are planning to purchase this particular scent, don’t forget to smell it first.

Sillage: weak to medium, I find Victoria’s Secret Pure Seduction Refreshing Body Mist (the old packaging) is much stronger. I spray the Pure Seduction and my entire bed room smells like it.

Longevity: poor. After all you can’t expect a long lasting scent from a body spray. 

Skin Food Gold Apple Hand Balm

This stuff smells amazing, a light, true scent of green apple, the texture is creamy, not to thick not too thin. It does the job moisturized my dry hand, after a few second it absorbs into my skin and leaves a soft smooth feeling! Awesome! I recommend this to everyone!

Bath and Body Works ‘Warm Vanilla Sugar’

Middle Notes: coconut, vanilla, rice

Base Notes:  sandalwood, musk, vanilla, heliotrope

This one is probably my favorite Bath and Body Works scent so far. It smells exactly like vanilla and sugar, a light sweet vanilla with a sugar sprinkled on top. Very yummy, not offensive, not too powdery, and not too sweet. It just right. Usually wearing heavy vanilla scent on hot day can be unbearable (especially with The Body Shop Vanilla EDT and Burberry ‘Brit’ EDT) but I don’t have any problem with Warm Vanilla Sugar on a hot day. Try it! I think most people would love it!

Sillage: Poor

Longevity: Poor. Again…well this is body spray. I f you want long lasting fragrance, go buy Eau de Parfum or Parfum instead. Even most Eau de Toilettes don’t last long nowadays. For this particular scent I find it last longer when you spray it on clothes. Maybe I should buy the matching lotion to make this scent stays on longer. 

Bath and Body Works ‘Country Chic’

Top Notes: grapefruit, pear, green notes, tagetes, amalfi lemon

Middle Notes: jasmine, African orange flower, gardenia, lily, raspberry

Base Notes: musk, patchouli, Virginia chedar, amber, peach, orchid, praline

Another blind purchase, this one smells exactly like Oriflame ‘Miss O Fashion Princess’ ( the blue bottle on the left with blue atomizer) fruity floral, not too strong, not too sweet, not too sour, not overly flowery, the difference is, Country Chic is lighter. Both Country Chic and Miss O Pashion Princess smell good, I can see this two fragrances loved by so many people, I do want to like this, but I don’t know! There is something about this two that give me a slight headache, I don’t know what, I just recommend you to smell it first before you buy it.

Sillage: Poor

Longevity: Poor

Bath and Body Works ‘Paris Amour’

Top Notes: Mandarin orange, strawberry, cassis, apple blossom, freesia

Middle Notes: Jasmine, lotus, peach, frangipani, pink tulip

Base Notes: Musk, sandalwood, amber, vanilla, coconut

I didn’t buy this one. My friend Novi did (blind purchase too) but she let me to review this product for you. Novi and me will swap a small amount of our Bath and Body Works. She can get my ‘Warm Vanilla Sugar’  and ‘Country Chic’, I get her  ‘Paris Amour’. Fair enough! swapping is a great way to try new product when you aren’t sure whether you will like it or no. We have the chance to try it to think about it before we decide to buy it.  For me Paris Amour smells wonderful! Light but sweet. The first thing I notice when I spray is strawberry, then it develops to a sweet yummy smell, like frosting! Yes frosting! Totally will purchase my own someday, plus look at the bottle! It just looks very cute on my table

Sillage: poor. The funny thing is, I use like one spray on my shirt, after a while, I decided to play with both of my dogs. They licked my shirt like crazy! Maybe they want strawberry and frosting? So cute

Longevity: poor

So do you have any question about these products? Don’t hesitate to ask me on the comment section below. Have a nice day all!

PS: English is my second language, don’t hesitate to correct my English, comment, email , or tweet me @melisaberry I’m willing to learn.

Review: L'occitane Lavender Shower Gel and Body Lotion

I got these goodies from L’occitane Indonesia! I won their Twitter contest so they gave me L’occitane Lavender Shower Gel and Body Lotion. Sweet!

Follow their Twitter @LOCCITANE_ID for more awesome giveaway!

L’occitane Lavender Shower Gel

I took the goodies from L’occitane boutique at Pasific Place Jakarta, it was comfortable and beautiful inside the store, this condition made me really enjoy looking around the store. I feel like a child in candy store! So many lovely products! Plus, let me tell you, two girls that work there were very sweet and helpful. They let me tried their products and they had amazing knowledge about every products. After a long commute from home to L’occitane Pasific Place , the experience was worth it.

So, in the afternoon I tried the shower gel. This gel smells divine, and relaxing. The thing is, this shower gel doesn't foam up well, it doesn’t have a lot of bubbles. But I need to remind you this shower gel is an organic and natural product. Maybe they don’t put so many detergents that create bubbles in the ingredients, that is a good thing right? After shower this product leaves my skin silky and moisturized. Such a luxury!

L’occitane Lavender Body Lotion

Again this natural and organic lavender lotion smells extremely relaxing! The texture is light and absorbed quickly, very nice for a people who don’t like sticky and oily lotion. I think it is a great everyday or every night lotion, especially in the hot summer months because it does have a cooling sensation when you applied it to your skin.  I will definitely repurchase, because this product makes me feel much pampered!

Note to L’occitane: Please bring back Wild Cherry Tree EDT! that one is my favorite…please…please…make it permanent in your stores! 

PS: English is my second language, don’t hesitate to correct my grammar, I’m willing to learn. Tell me on the comment section, message, or tweet me @melisaberry

Perfume Review: Dolce and Gabbana 'Light Blue'

Recently I got really tired of deep, dark, floral oriental fragrances. Since that kind of fragrance dominate my collection, I decide that I need a fresh, light, and uplifting scent in my fragrance wardrobe. So I just got the old time favorite of mine, Dolce and Gabbana ‘Light Blue’. Now I have it back in my collection!

Top notes are apple, cedar, bellflower, and Sicilian lemon

Middle notes are white rose, bamboo, and jasmine

Base notes are amber, musk, and cedar

Plus

Light Blue is a fresh, casual, and breezy scent that perfect for hot summer days. It gives me a calm and cool feeling every single time I spray it, like a splash of spring water in my face!  For me it smells very citrusy with a hint of apple, crisp, fresh, and sharp. Decent sillage. Later it develops into this kind of dry woodsy scent, I think it is because of the cedar and musk in it.

I think this perfume can pass as a men’s cologne, it is not uber feminine, not sweet nor floral. If you tired of boring feminine floral scents or super sweet celebrity perfumes but you can’t stand heavy oriental, than this could be a perfect fragrance for you. Most people love it, even some Youtube beauty gurus claim that this is the perfume that makes guys go crazy around them! For your information my boyfriend loves this scent too J, when we sampled a fragrances in department store, he said he really like it. Yay!

Minus

The blue velvet box is nice but I don’t really like the bottle, for me it just ok, not stunning,  doesn’t make me want to display it on my vanity but the juice inside is really beautiful so I can't really complaint. Another downside, Light Blue is a very popular fragrance, this fragrance is one of the best sellers in some local department stores, plus there are tons of knock off Light Blue everywhere here,  I just smelled it on a lot of people. I hope it was less popular so this can be my signature scent. Another negative side of this perfume is the longevity! It doesn’t last long on me! I spray it then 2 hours later it is gone! Such a shame because I really love the smell L

Overall I give it 4 stars!!! It can be 5 if this perfume last longer and less popular.

PS: English is my second language, so please excuse my poor grammar and limited vocabulary, don't hesitate to correct my English, I'm willing to learn, comment, send me a message, or tweet me @melisaberry 

L'occitane Perfume Review

L’occitane Rose des 4 Reines Eau de Toilette

From the L’occitane website Canada

http://ca.loccitane.com/rose-des-4-reines-eau-de-toilette,19,1,1374,45917.htm

“The delicate freshness of a bouquet of roses, the velvety softness of petals kissed with dew. The daughters of the Count of Forcalquier were as beautiful as the roses they cherished – the Grasse rose, the Bulgarian rose, the Moroccan rose and the Turkish rose. Each one of these daughters married a king, and so it was that Marguerite, Eléonore, Sancie and Béatrix became the four Queens of Forcalquier.”

Sounds divine right? This one belongs to my aunt, she bought it when she was in Paris, but I can’t stop admiring this fragrance. For me this floral perfume is just light and romantic, a very calming rose scent. Rose 4 Reines contains four different roses. That’s what you get when you smell this, a delicate and romantic bouquet. This perfume is perfect for feminine girls, it is soft, not overpowering, and for an eau de toilette this one has decent staying power.  On me it last around 4-5 hours.

• Top Notes: redcurrant, violet leaves, bergamot.
• Middle Notes: Grasse rose, Bulgarian rose, Turkish rose, Moroccan rose, apricot, & raspberry.
• Base Notes: blackberry, white cedar, musk, heliotrope.

Price: My aunt got it for € 35.00

(I do some research and it is $ 48.00 on Canadian website, £ 33.00 on British website, and Rp 540,000 on Indonesian website).

L’occitane Rose Confite (Candied Rose) Eau de Toilette

From the box:

“A delicate and delicious winter rose. In Provence, candied fruit has been, for many years, the ultimate delicacy at festive celebrations… Some of the most desirable flowers can also tempt the taste buds and can be prepared using the same traditional method. Roses are coated in sugar syrup that crystallizes over time and turns every petal into a mouth-watering delicate delight. This limited edition Candied Rose Eau de Toilette captures the scents of this irresistible temptation in a floral heart of rose petals with sweet and fruity accents.”

Sounds yummy right? I do want to eat rose petal coated in crystallizes sugar syrup :D My aunt bought this for me, (along with her Rose 4 Reines ). This smells lovely, feminine, and vintage. I can imagine a quirky retro girl wearing this scent (examples: Zoey Deschanel and Krysten Rytter) This ‘floral-fruity- gourmand’ perfume is quite sweet and powdery, but not too much. Neither cloying nor immature. Longevity is good, last around 6 hours on me.

• Top notes: Turkish rose essence, blackcurrant, and raspberry
• Middle notes: Grasse rose absolute, powdered sugar accord
• Base notes: sandalwood, musk

Price: € 35.00

( Rp 540,000 on Indonesian website )

L’occitane Cerisier des Oiseaux (Wild Cherry Tree) Eau de Toilette

So far, this is my favorite fragrance from L’ocittane, too bad it is limited edition! My sister bought it for my mother in Malaysia, but of course we both steal it sometimes ;) it's a very girly, bubbly floral-fruity, a bit powdery after it develops. Not a shy scent, noticeable and different from everything else I have smelled, but also tender and soft. I hope L’occitane brings back this fragrance to the store and make it permanent!

• Top Notes: Amalfi lemon, black currant

• Middle Notes: cherry blossom, tincture of rose

• Base Notes: musk, sandalwood, Virginia cedar

Price: Sorry, I don’t really know and my sister already forget the price

Have you ever tried L'occitane perfume? What do you think about it?

PS: English is my second language, so forgive my poor grammar and limited vocabulary, don’t hesitate to correct my English, I am willing to learn, comment, send me an email, or tweet me @melisaberry

Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque: Redux

As you guys remember ( or may not remember), I tried the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque...and wasn't particularly impressed by it.

I mean, as a deep conditioner, it did its job of moisturizing my hair but it left no slip! I pretty much felt -meh- about the product.Lately, however, I have been trying to get rid of products that I have stocked up in my bathroom ( I admit--I am a product junkie) and I realized that I have a tiny bit of this product to use up. On the label, the directions indicate you can use the product as a leave in moisturizer. So, I have been using it in that way for about a week or so.Let me say that I think I like this product more as a moisturizer and less as a DC. It leave my hair very soft and moisturized (something that I wasn't really expecting given my previous experience). So...ladies...I am somewhat eating my words. Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque may be so-so as a DC but it makes for a good moisturizer!

Tag! I tag everyone!!!

Hi girls, I found this tag on Youtube and I want to share my answers to all of you

MAKEUP
blush or bronzer? I prefer blush, my favorite right now is Revlon Powder blush in ‘Soft Spoken Pink, it just a very natural sheer medium pink color. I rarely wear bronzer because everytime I try to use it, my complexion just looks dull and ‘dirty’ maybe I haven’t found the right product or the right technique? I don’t know girls…just let me know if you have a suggestion.
lip gloss or lipstick? both. it just depends on my mood.

eye liner or mascara? mascara, but now, I’m in love with my MAC Fluidline Eyeliner in ‘Blacktrack’ this cream eyeliner seriously stays put.

foundation or concealer? concealer, can’t live without my MAC Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35. Love this product. Foundation is too heavy for me.

neutral or color eye shadow? both, again this is really depends on my mood.

pressed or loose eye shadows? pressed, I don’t like powder because it can be messy! Fall outs and everything.

brushes or sponges? brushes.

NAILS
Long or short? short. I think a very long nails look tacky.

Acrylic or natural? I prefer natural all the way.

Brights or darks? depends on my mood. I do love black, burgundy, and navy but sometimes I use pale pink, lavender, blue, or red.

Flower or no flower? no flower. Crazy nail art just creeps me out.

BODY
perfume or body splash? perfume all the way! I’m a perfume addict! Right now I’m rotating among CK “Euphoria”, Carolina Herrera “CH”, and Gucci “Guilty”. Although I love Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works body sprays J

lotion or body butter? both. Lotion on daily basis and body butter when I want to feel pampered. The Body Shop mango and shea body butters are my all time favorite, now I’m curious about their lemon and wild cherry body butters.

body wash or soap? both. Trying different scents, different shapes, and ingredients are always fun. I really want to try more Lush product, but seriously that stuff is very expensive in my country.

FASHION:
jeans or sweat pants? jeans.
long sleeve of short? short but not sleeve less.
dresses or skirts? dresses. It is easier, you don’t have to think about mix and match.
stripes or plaid? stripes
flip flops or sandals? both but I think sandals are cuter
scarves or hats? scarves
studs or dangly earrings? both
necklaces or bracelets? both
heels or flats? flats. I’m 5’7 tall (170 cm) and in my country I considered to be a tall girl. Wearing heels and everybody are going to stare.
cowboy boots or riding boots? riding boots! So much sexier
jacket or hoodie? jacket although I admit hoodie is much more comfy.

HAIR:
curly or straight? I like them both.
bun or ponytail? both, just depends on my mood
bobby pins or butterfly clips? bobby pins.
hair spray or gel? light to medium hold hair spray! Don’t like the super strong one and I don't like gel either.
long or short? long hair like Victoria’s Secret angels J
light or dark? I like them both as long it still looks natural.
side sweep bangs or full bangs? no bangs! I had tried sweep, I had tried blunt and I don't want to go back (at least, not in the near future)
up or down? both, depends on my mood.

RANDOM
Rain or shine? ummm cloudy?
Summer or winter? summer on the beach J Everyday is summer in my country and seriously… it gets super hot everyday
Fall or spring: fall
Chocolate or vanilla: to eat? chocolate I love dark chocolate. To smell? vanilla.

I tag everyone!!! but especially I really want to hear the answers from some of fellow beauty bloggers here:

http://nisachan-nisachan.blogspot.com/

http://www.prettymuchmakeup.com/

http://www.putrikansil.com/

http://bebethepetite.blogspot.com/

http://www.justcreamy.com/

check them out! I love their blogs 

PS: English is my second language, so excuse my grammar. Don’t hesitate to correct my grammar. Comment, send me an e-mail, or tweet me @melisaberry I am willing to learn. 

First Impressions: Qhemet Biologics Amla and Olive Heavy Cream

Happy Sunday lovelies!



As promised, I have my review of Qhemet Biologics Amla and Olive Heavy Cream. I have had it for about a week now and feel like I have tried it enough (and in a variety of ways) to give a complete review. So let's start with the basics:

Price: $5.50 (2oz)/ $16.50 (8oz)

Key Ingredients (per Qhemet Biologics website): Amla, Brahmi, African Aloe, MSM sulfur, Olive Oil, Glycerin, Castor Oil

Their Claims: A perfect all-in-one for moisturizing and softening afro's, coils, curls, pony puffs, two strand twists, braids, cornrows, fades, chemical and color processes, softening new growth and restoring softness and elasticity to dry brittle ends. Also helps weigh down kinks and coils.

Use as a:
Soothing and regenerative scalp butter
Post-shampoo conditioner
Overnight Deep Treatment
Moisturizing daily leave-in
Replenishing body butter
Evenly distribute a small to moderate amount through dry or slightly damp hair.


Let me just say, I absolutely love this moisturizer. LOVE IT!! I have been on a hunt for the perfect moisturizer since the start of my hair journey and I have finally found it! Qhemet Biologics AOHC keeps my hair moisturized for 3 days or so before I have to reapply again (I do apply more to my ends daily before I bun though). It definitely keeps my hair moisturized and although I prefer to use it on dry hair, it can be used on wet hair as a leave in (as a leave in, I find it to be ok....nothing earth shattering though. Hair feels moisturized enough when it dries).

This product is thick and creamy, with a light, pleasant smell. Also, a little definitely goes a long way. It is important to keep in mind that this product is oil based so using too much may weigh your hair down. For that reason ladies with a thinner hair texture should either pass on this particular product or just be aware and use as little as possible since this product may weigh the hair down.

In terms of ordering, I just want to point out that it takes about a week or so to receive your product since it is handmade. However, if you're itching to get it immediately, check out the Qhemet Biologics website (www.qhemetbiologics.com) to see if there is a local vendor near you that sells it! Another thing that I love is that you're able to purchase a sample size before you commit to a full size (which costs more). The sample size is very generous (it looks like I barely put a dent in it)so don't be afraid to try it!

Bottom Line: There are few products that I absolutely love hands down. This moisturizer is one of them! I fully intend to purchase the full size now that I have given this product a chance. My only regret is that I didn't try it out sooner!

First Impressions: Mixed Chicks Deep Conditioner

Today I had a little extra money to spend and I decided to take a trip to LeVia's Hair and Body Essentials, a natural hair care store that just opened up here in Birmingham. During my trip, I picked up 2 things: Mixed Chicks Deep Conditioner and Darcy Botanicals Transitioning Creme (no, I'm not transitioning. I just thought it may be a good product for my 13 weeks post hair). I always love a good DC, so I'm always on the hunt for one. I admit it. DCs are my (product) weakness. Lately, I have been into products that are geared toward natural haired ladies. As I have mentioned repeatedly, my hair is still pretty textured (even though I'm relaxed) and craves moisture. It just so happens that a lot of products geared towards naturals have moisture as their hook. That sounds like a match made in heaven for my hair!!

So lets get to the nitty gritty about this deep conditioner!

Price: $14.99 + tax ($10.99 on the Mixed Chicks website) for 8oz

Their claim: Nourish, detangle, and restore curly, tightly curled or straight hair with MIXED CHICKS exclusive conditioning blend which penetrates and reconstructs damaged areas, transforming style-stubborn-locks into resilient, easy to maintain tresses.

Ingredients: Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Amodimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Octamethylcylotetraxiloxane, Isopropyl Alcohol, Safflower Oil, Cetrimonium Chloride, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate and C14-18 Perfluoroalkyethyl Thiohydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride and Benzoic Acid and Glycereth - 2 Cocoate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance

Ok. Where do I start with this review? Let's start with the good: I wound up washing my hair this evening with my beloved Elasta QP. I then applied this DC to my hair. I loved how thick and creamy this product is. I also liked the fact that I didn't have to slather my hair in conditioner. A little really goes a long way with this product. I DC'ed (with heat) for about 45 minutes. When I washed the DC out, my hair felt so soft and my Jilbere comb just glided through my hair. Detangling was a breeze!


Now for the bad.....

This DC is extremely scented. Powerfully scented. Oh sweet Jesus is it scented! It has a perfume-y scent that I swear I've smelled before but I can't quite put my finger on it. I've never been particularly sensitive to scents but this DC wound up giving me a massive headache. No es bueno. It felt like my eyeballs were trying to escape through my eye sockets that's how bad it was. Fortunately, the headache went away as soon as I washed it out.

I also have a problem with the price. Paying around $15 for 8oz is not a deal in my book. Especially since I have a lot of hair and no matter how you slice it, I'm gonna use a lot of conditioner. I just think paying $15 for 1, maybe 2 uses isn't worth it especially when I can get a TUB of Silicon Mix for $3 more.


Bottom Line: Mixed Chicks DC does what it says. It provides moisture and it makes detangling easier. However, no product should be so strongly scented that it gives you a headache-a massive one at that. I don't care how good it may be. I also think that $15 for 8oz is just too much. I can find (and have) conditioners (that have more product) that give the same results as Mixed Chicks for way less money. Ultimately, I will finish up the DC but I will not repurchase. The scent and the cost were definite deal breakers for me.

I Have My Life Back!!

Before you begin...I know it has been a looooooong time since I posted. Well, I had my dissertation proposal on the 15th of this month so I kinda had to fall off the face of the Earth. The good news is that I got admitted to PhD candidacy (go me!) and I'm back to posting! :D

So let's begin shall we?

I want to talk about 2 things I have been trying lately. The first is Queen Helene's Garlic Shampoo.

I don't know if I ever mentioned this but um....my hair sheds...a lot. It never really bothered me because I know that's what your hair is supposed to do but gee whiz I had a lot. I had heard about this shampoo before and when I spotted it at the BSS I had to pick it up and give it a shot. I paid about $6-$7 for it and so far....it's a'ight lol.

The plus about this shampoo is that it is unscented so you don't go walking around smelling like a big ol' ball of garlic. However, a drawback is that it has ammonium lauryl sulfate as the second ingredient so it made my hair feel stripped and I had to follow up with a sulfate free moisturizing shampoo. As far as shedding goes, I'm not gonna lie to y'all and say it stopped my shedding---because it didn't. I will say that my shedding has decreased a little bit following this first usage but time will tell how effective it is.


I've also been trying One N Only Argan Oil which I :love:!

I paid $12 for this at my local BSS and it has been one of the best hair finds for me. Now I will say the name is kind of misleading. One N Only Argan Oil is mainly chock full of 'cones and not just 100% oil and oil alone. However, this product is amazing! I have used it for blow drying and flat ironing and found that it makes for a pretty good heat protectant. A little goes a long way with this product and my hair never feels weighed down with this product. I've also used it for air drying and I found that it goes a great job of keeping the frizzies at bay. Really, there isn't enough that I can say about this product. I just know that I love it and it is definitely staying in the rotation!

My First Video (on YouTube)!

Hey everyone!

I just did a super duper quick review on the Goody Bun Spiral. I decided to make a video for it b/c any attempt at a picture review would've been a big fat fail!

Enjoy!

First Impressions: Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo

The other day I decided to try this shampoo on a whim. I have seen a lot of relaxed ladies on LHCF rave about how awesome this shampoo is and decided to give it a go. I have to admit that I was kinda skeptical about this shampoo because I wasn't too impressed with the deep conditioner from this line. Either way, I wanted to test this shampoo for myself.

I purchased this shampoo at my local Walgreens (it can also be purchased at Target) and it cost me $9.99+tax. for 12oz which places it on the expensive side compared to my staple Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo (I can get a huge bottle of Elasta QP for less than $9.00. Like most of the products in the Shea Moisture line, the ingredients are natural.

Ingredients: Deionized water, decyl glucoside (sugar beets), African Butryospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), aloe vera leaf juice, argan oil, panthenol (Vitamin B-5), rosemary extract, sea kelp extract, vitamin E, Lonicera caprifolium (honeysuckle) flower and Lonicera Japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) extract.

Claims: This shampoo claims to be gentle and will help to "soften, moisturize, and repair damaged, over processed hair."

My First Impressions

It seems to me that the products from this line (well, the products I've used thus far) have a characteristic cake batter scent. Consistency-wise, I would have to say it is no different than any other shampoo-not too watery and not too thick. My only complaint is that you kinda have to work to squeeze the product of the bottle. I think it would be great if you could distribute the product through a pump instead of a squeeze bottle but that is must my personal preference.

In Action

To be a natural shampoo, this 'poo lathers up quite nicely (unlike a certain shampoo by Carol's Daughter). I find that it rinses out easily too (I wasn't rinsing my hair out forever and a day just to get that stuff out like I have to do with Elasta QP). Now let me say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE this shampoo! Once I rinsed the shampoo out, my hair felt so soft and moisturized! I have to say that I was shocked because when I used other natural shampoos, my hair felt stripped as all get out (I'm looking at you Kinky Curly Come Clean and Giovanni Smooth as Silk). I couldn't believe it! My hair was so moisturized that I could have skipped my DC if I wanted to.

Bottom Line: I'm impressed! Although I'm going to have to use this shampoo a little bit more to get a definitive impression on the product, I generally know within the first use if a product is good for my hair or not. I must say that this shampoo is a keeper! For now, I give this product a 5 out of 5!

That Relaxer Itch, Half Wigs, and Overall Rambling

Happy Friday everyone!


I was thisclose to relaxing this weekend. I'm about 14 weeks and 4 days post, trying to stretch to 16 weeks. I wound up not relaxing because I got 2 new half wigs so I figure that will keep me from relaxing for another week or so (which is exactly what I need!). However, after washing and DCing my hair last night, I know I cannot go past 16 weeks. My hair has so much new growth, it's starting to look like a lion's mane lol. So, I can't relax now but it's gonna happen soon.

On to the half wigs...

Last weekend, I ordered 2 half wigs from blackhairspray.com (awesome site to order from by the way!): Outre Tammy and Outre Monica (color 1B). They are synthetic, fairly inexpensive and they run about $17.99 each. Right now, I'm trying out Tammy and I *LOVE* her! The hair is very soft for it to be synthetic and the style of the hair reminds me of a braidout. It has 2 combs (one in the front and one in the back) and fits securely on my head. There is also a drawstring in the back so there is no excuse as to why this bad boy can't be secured. I had a hard time blending it (that's more b/c of my hair, it's a COMPLETELY different texture than that of the wig right now....I really really need a relaxer). I'm basically wearing Tammy with a headband right now but, I think you relaxed ladies should have no problems with blending. It's definitely perfect for half wig newbies. Check Tammy out (please excuse my makeupless face! lol)!






I think Tammy is a perfect everyday half wig. It's divatastic but not too divatastic! As you can see, I'm becoming a big fan of half wigs. As someone who doesn't like to manipulate her hair too much or use a lot of heat, half wigs are perfect. I can still get to my hair too-which is awesome. I also think this would be a good transitioning hairstyle for those ladies who are considering that.

I have yet to try out Monica..it seems more like a going out half wig than anything. Trust me though, as soon as I try her out..you guys are gonna hear about it!

What do you guys think? Would you try Tammy out?

My Review: FHI Nano Weight Pro 1800 Hair Dryer

For months now, I have been at my wits end trying to perfect my flat ironing technique. I mean, don't get me wrong...my technique so far has been ok. It was just really hit or miss. Sometimes it would turn out decent, sometimes it would be a huge, fat fail. I had to learn how to get great flat iron results though. I refuse to pay anyone to straighten my hair when I have a $130 flat iron sitting in my bathroom. After some research, I found that the good basis for any flat iron session, is a good blow dryer. A good blow dryer will do the initial straightening for you and result in less passes of the flat iron when you finally do flat iron.

So, I looked at my Jilbere Porcelain Series hair dryer that I got waaaay back in the beginning of my journey at Sally's for about $50. I found that no matter how good my technique was and after tweaking my technique a variety of ways, my flat iron results were never quite what I wanted them to be. It became clear to me: I had to get a newer, better hair dryer.

Today, I swung by Ulta and picked up the FHI Nano Weight pro 1800 hair dryer. This dryer is a ceramic tourmaline dryer-which is exactly what I wanted. It comes with a diffuser and a concentrator (nozzle). Unfortunately, it doesn't come with a comb attachment. I have to warn those who are watching their pennies, the dryer is pricey. It ran me about $100. If you order it online, it may cost more.

Now, without further ado, the review.


The cool stuff:

-The dryer is very lightweight! I was able to dry my hair without my arms getting tired midway through.

-It isn't as loud as your everyday dryer. I mean, yeah, it's gonna make some noise but it's nowhere near as loud an ordinary dryer.

- This sucker will dry your hair fast! Usually, it takes me about an hour to dry my hair completely. With this dryer, my hair was dry in 30min! It cut my drying time in half!

-Once dry, my hair wasn't puffy at all. It was very sleek and didn't have a dry feeling to it. My hair was dry and moisturized.


The bad stuff

-Limited heat options. There is low heat and low speed and high heat at high speed. I usually prefer to dry my hair at medium heat and this dryer doesn't have that. The high heat wouldn't be so bad except....

-The high heat freakin feels like Hell's furnace! This dryer blows out the heat! However, the high heat is just entirely too hot for my liking. What makes it suck even more is that you can't really go to low heat because low heat is slightly less hot than high. Slightly.


Bottom Line: This dryer definitely did the job in terms of being the perfect basis for my flat iron. It got my hair straight and did it in less time than my usual dryer. However, the high heat setting is just too hot! Additionally, there isn't a medium heat setting. In the future, I would probably air dry for a few hours then blow dry, just to limit the time I spend blow drying. Either way, if I give this hair dryer 4 stars out of 5.

Review of Victoria’s Secret “Pure Seduction” Body Spray and Hand & Body Cream

Victoria’s Secret “Pure Seduction” Refreshing Body Mist

When I was in Changi Airport Singapore a few days back, I decide to tried this Victoria’s Secret stuff. I adore this scent! I love it so much. Very fresh, sweet, and addicting. It contains cassaba melon, plum, and freesia, but personally I smell juicy strawberry and the melon in it. The smell is really strong and fruity when I first spray it onto my skin, but after a few minutes, it changes to this light and airy fruity floral scent. Subtle, delicate and inoffensive for the people around you. Just don’t spray too much because this body spray has amazing sillage. Pure Seduction is great spring/summer fragrance and by the way…my bf loves it too.

The only complain I have about this is the scent doesn’t last long on my skin. I have to re-apply every two hours or so. But that is fine. Every single body sprays in this world will not last on everybody too. If lasting power is very important for you, I suggest buy fragrance in the form of eau de parfum or parfum because they more concentrated and absolutely last longer.

Victoria’s Secret “Pure Seduction” Ultra-Moisturizing Hand and Body Cream

In the store I tried the Pure Seduction body lotion first and I love it. The lotion is very moisturizing, nice consistency, and smells very good, exactly like the body spray. But I decided to buy the hand and body cream because I thought it will moisturize my skin more than the body lotion. The hand and body cream is very rich and of course ticker than the lotion. It makes my skin feels so smooth and silky.

The only thing is, when I first apply, this hand and body cream smells so strong! Very strong! Like a very fruity car freshener! Like something I would use on the floor or toilet! I need to wait a few minutes so the smell settles and fade a little bit. But this one has a great lasting power ( I still can smell it four hours later ). If times can go back, I would choose the body lotion. Not the cream.

What do you think of ‘Pure Seduction’? Or do you prefer “Love Spell”? I love Love Spell too! What is your favorite fragrance from Victoria’s Secret? Or tell me your absolute favorite perfume on the comment below.

PS: English is my second language, so excuse my grammar. Don’t hesitate to correct my grammar. Comment, send me an e-mail, or tweet me @melisaberry

Taliah Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier: A Review

Happy Friday everyone!

I hope everyone has had a productive and successful week. I know I have been M.I.A. a bit and I do apologize for that but it doesn't mean that I don't have products to review.



About a month or so ago I was in my local BSS (one opened up by my apartment--a product junkie's dream and worst nightmare) just browsing when I saw Taliah Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier. It markets itself as a daily leave in conditioner but can also be re-purposed for other uses (e.g.--braid removal). I had heard great things about it via LHCF so I decided to give it a whirl. I paid around $7-$8 for a 8oz bottle which makes it cheaper than my staple (Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Leave-In).

First Impressions: This leave-in has a thick consistency! I was expecting a more water based leave in but this was not so. For some, this can lead to product build-up so keep in mind that you can dilute the product with water to thin it out a bit (and to make the product last longer).

Also, if you aren't a big scent person be warned that this product smells.....tropical. To me it smells like coconuts. I like coconuts. I like the smell of them so this was cool with me. However, if you don't like coconut smell this may not be for you.

Product in Action: I have been using this leave in (not diluted) post wash and DC. Let me just say that this product is awesome for air drying!! When I use this leave in (with a little Fantasia IC Frizz Buster), my hair dries all nice and soft! I mean buttery soft. Oh so silky smooth soft! That for me is a plus. I have tried it diluted yet but I just may have to since I have these tree braids in now.

Bottom Line: I'd give this product 4 out of 5 stars. The reason for that is even though I can use the product straight out the bottle, some of you may not be able to and may have to dilute it. Also, the smell may be too much for scent sensitive folks.
Ultimately, it does what it says it does in providing moisture and I'll probably keep this in the rotation for awhile.

Singapore Beauty Buys

My first beauty haul post! Oh I love watching haul videos on Youtube. It certainly helps me to find cute things and compare prices on every place. Most of the time, I am so jealous about the cosmetics, fragrances, and clothes price outside my country, things are so much cheaper! T_T

I just went back from Singapore yesterday and I want to share what beauty related things I bought when I was there.

Gucci “Guilty” Eau de Toilette 50 ml ( SGD $108 )

I smelled it first on Sephora at Ion Orchard and I just going to say “fall in love at the first sniff”! This perfume smells so sexy and sophisticated! Very vanilla/musk/floral but not overpowering. So when I was at Changi Airport I decided to buy this oriental/floral perfume. It was cheaper there than Sephora. 

I was very confused wheter I wanted the Prada “Infusion D’iris”, Juicy Couture “Viva La Juicy”, Victoria’s Secret “Bombshell”, Chanel “Chance Eau Fraiche”, Narciso Rodriguez for her (the black bottle smells amazing!) or Thierry Mugler “Angel”, but I made my choice and chose this one.

One thing I don’t like about this perfume is the packaging. My father absolutely loves the bottle, but I think it is quite tacky and the cap is hard to open. The other thing I really worry about are the lasting power, there are some reviews on youtube and makeupalley that said this perfume doesn’t last very long, the smells fade quickly T_T.

My sister said this perfume smells so old. No no no no, I think it just more mature than the scents I usually go for. I have enough with fruity/floral perfume, most of them are ordinary and forgettable. 

MAC Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35 in NC15 ( SGD $30 )

My Revlon concealer is “dying” and the smells have changed! So I went to MAC at Tangs Plaza and purchase this one, I heard a good reviews about this studio finish concealer.

The MAC artist at Tangs Plaza was very nice and helpful. She asked me to sit, cleaned my makeup first and brought all the colors to my chair that we think were going to match my skintone, after found the one, she applied the concealer to both my under eyes circle and some blemishes, then she set it all with the Mineralize Powder. How nice! In Jakarta the MAC artists are very arrogant and definitely not friendly!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in “Soft and Gentle” ( SGD $37.10 )

When in Changi I stopped by at the MAC counter! I found that the price was cheaper than the Tangs Plaza! I asked her about the studio finish concealer and she said it is SGD $25 plus SGD $2-4 discount at the cashier! :0

Speechless… I paid SGD $30 at Tangs Plaza instead of SGD $21 at Changi Airport!
Give me my $9 back!!!

So I decided to buy this Mineralize Skinfinish. She said It was SGD $41 but when we were at the cashier, the price became SGD $37.10!

I Love MAC at Changi Airport!!!!!

Etude Petit Darling Nail Polish ( SGD $4.70 )

Etude House store at Ion was very noisy and crowded! They had discount for just 3 days (11th-13th Feb)! So I purchased this one because my nail color was chipped and ugly, I need to paint a new layer ASAP! It was originally SGD $5.90 but they give me 20% off. Now I hate Etude House in Jakarta.

Montagne Jeunesse Face Mask ( SGD $2.90/each )

Few years back, some big department stores in Jakarta carried this French line. Now I can’t find it everywhere, so when I saw this at Plaza Singapura, I just had to bought it! The packaging is very cute.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock SPF 5O+/PA+++

This sunblock is very popular on Youtube, in USA I believe this sunblock is going to cost about USD $9-12 (correct me if I’m wrong). I saw one girl at Youtube use the SPF 70!!! I want higher SPF but 50 is the only one Plaza Singapura had at that time.

So this are the beauty related things I bought at Singapore .

If you have any questions or recommendations just leave a comment below J

PS: You can help me correct my grammar too, English is my second language and I’m willing to learn. So do not hesitate to comment below.