hair care – Page 3 – Adventures in Polishland

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Keranique Clean & Condition Set Review | #KeraniqueHair

Posted on October 14, 2015October 13, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a review of a high end shampoo and conditioner set from the brand Keranique. I was so excited to receive the Clean & Condition set because I have very fine hair that is pretty dull and flat. I’m always looking to improve the health of my hair, and if I can give it some added volume in the process that is a win-win situation. At the same time, I’m on a budget, so it’s rare that I purchase high end products. I had very high hopes for the Keranique Clean & Condition Set! Let me share more information on these products and my experience with all of you.

The Keranique Clean & Condition Set comes with the Scalp Stimulating Shampoo and the Volumizing Keratin Conditioner. Together they are designed to gently clean and stimulate the scalp to nourish and rejuvenate hair follicles. The Scalp Stimulating Shampoo is formulated to help improve the volume, thickness, and strength of thinning hair, as well as the hair’s lustre. The Volumizing Conditioner contains Keratin, and is designed to help thicken and volumize thin hair without weighing it down. I used the system for about two and a half weeks, and was hoping for great results. I’m going to talk about the shampoo and conditioner separately, and then round out my thoughts.

I overall like the Scalp Stimulating Shampoo. It is clear in color, and doesn’t have a scent. I used it as directed and let it sit on my hair for one to two minutes before rinsing. I didn’t notice any tingling or feeling on the scalp, and my hair felt really clean after using this shampoo. Basically, this shampoo didn’t wow me, but it seemed to work just fine.

The Volumizing Keratin Conditioner is definitely a unique product! It contains peppermint and menthol, so there is a cooling sensation on the scalp when you let it sit for the suggested one to two minutes. This sensation was very strong the first time I used the conditioner, but either I got used to it, or the product didn’t activate as much as I continued use. If you have very sensitive skin, I would keep that in mind before purchasing this product.

Moreover, I wanted to talk about my experience with this system. I noticed that after about two weeks of use in which I used the products every other day, my hair became very dry and finicky. I had to pull out a detangling spray for the first time in several months, and I also grabbed hair oil to treat my hair. After experiencing this dryness, I decided to discontinue use and switched back to my normal haircare routine.

All in all, I am quite disappointed with the Keranique Clean & Condition Set. While I did feel my hair getting a bit thicker, I know that this formula was hurting my hair instead of helping it. As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog post, I do have thin hair that I would consider a bit sensitive. That being said, just because Keranique didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it’s a bad product. We all have different hair types, and mine just doesn’t mesh well with Keranique. If you would like to learn more about Keranique, please visit the brand’s site HERE. You can receive 25% off any Keranique purchase through 12/31/15 with the code THICKER25 at checkout.

What is your volumizing hair product of choice? Let me know in the comments!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. #iFabboMember

My Current Hair Care Favorites featuring The Detangler

Posted on September 2, 2015September 2, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I wanted to share some of my current hair care favorites with all of you. At the beginning of the summer, my hair was at its worst. It was dull, falling out, and badly needed a trim. This was all due to stress (it was bar study time!). Luckily, I’ve been able to care for it the past month and restore it to a healthier state. My hair is still very thin, but the shine is back, and it feels a lot stronger. Plus, I recently got a hair cut, so it looks much better, too. When I received The Detangler for review, I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to share all of my hair care favorites. If you’ve been struggling with your hair lately, I hope these products will help you, too!

My Current Hair Care Favorites | L'Oreal Advanced Haircare Triple Resist L’Oreal Advanced Haircare – Triple Resist Reinforcing Shampoo & Conditioner [BUY]

The shampoo and conditioner system that I am using at the moment is the Triple Resist line from L’Oreal Advanced Haircare. I’ve loved the Advanced Haircare range since it first came out, and have tried several of the different formulas. Triple Resist is perfect for my fine and damaged hair, as it is designed to nourish the hair, reinforce strands, and resist breakage. While the ingredients used in this line are not necessarily the best, my hair always reacts really well to them. Plus, this line is really affordable and goes on sale often. Of course, there are almost always coupons available!

Mark Hill Slick Chick De-Frizz Shampoo [BUY] & Suave Natural Infusion Macadamia Conditioner [BUY]

While I don’t like to have too many open products in the shower at once, I do try to have a spare shampoo and conditioner so that I can change up my routine once in a while. Right now I have the Mark Hill Slick Chick De-Frizz Shampoo for days where I know I need some extra de-frizzing, such as in high humidity weather. In addition, I also have the Suave Natural Infusion Macadamia Moisturizing Conditioner. Despite being super inexpensive, this Suave conditioner is really nourishing, and helped bring my hair from stress mess to super sleek. It’s amazing, and smells great, too!

My Current Hair Care Favorites | TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray [BUY]

In the summer I don’t use too many hair styling products, but I always use a heat protectant. I got the TRESemmé Heat Tamer simply because it was the most affordable at the drugstore. I really like it! It doesn’t weigh down my hair, it applies evenly, and it leaves my hair shiny but not greasy. There’s not anything too exciting about it, but it sure does its job!

My Current Hair Care Favorites featuring The Detangler

The Detangler [BUY]

I’ve been a huge fan of detangler brushes for the past few years. My fine and finicky hair really loves The Detangler. It can be used on wet or dry hair, and truly works to prevent pain and breakage. I notice that it doesn’t pull out my hair like other brushes do, and I don’t have to work through difficult tangles. I love the cute design on The Detangler as well. Plus, it is smaller than the brushes made by its competitors, so it is perfect for travel or for kids. I will never go back to using regular hair brushes! They are way too rough for my hair. Of course, I also love that The Detangler is fabulous and affordable at just $10.99!

I hope you enjoyed learning about my current hair care favorites! I do change up my routine each season when the weather changes, so if you’d like to hear what I use in the colder months, let me know in the comments. In addition, please share your hair care favorites so I can try them out, too!

Some of the products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post contains some affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more information.

Defeat Winter Hair & Skin with InstaNatural | Argan Oil, Argan Oil Hair Mask & Vitamin C Serum Reviews

Posted on January 18, 2015August 8, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I have three product reviews to share with all of you. I recently discovered a brand called InstaNatural that is dedicated to creating safe, affordable, and natural skincare products. InstaNatural recently came out with its first hair mask as well, so they sent me three goodies to test out. If you’re looking to pamper your skin and hair in these cold winter months, this is the post for you!

ARGAN OIL

4oz Bottle – $17.95

BUY: Amazon | InstaNatural Store

About the Product

“InstaNatural’s 100% Pure & Organic Argan Oil is a multipurpose moisturizer essential to helping you achieve beautiful skin, hair, nails and body. The cold-pressed oil is lightweight, fast absorbing, and free of fragrances, chemicals and preservatives. Whether you are looking to freshen and soothe dry skin, repair damaged hair, or strengthen brittle nails and cuticles, the application of natural Argan oil is a perfect addition to your daily regime.” – InstaNatural

My Experience

I was nervous to test out this Argan Oil because in the past a similar product broke out my skin terribly. I decided that I would not use this oil on my face because my skin can be sensitive. Instead, I use it primarily on my hands. It is perfect for my dry hands, and it really soothes my cuticles. I do find the scent a bit weird, but that’s due to InstaNatural leaving the oil in its natural state. It’s not totally overwhelming, so I can deal with it! Plus, I really love that this oil comes with a pump bottle so I don’t have to worry about a mess. Just one pump is enough to moisturize my hands.

ARGAN OIL HAIR MASK

8oz Tub – $17.95

BUY: Amazon | InstaNatural Store

About the Product

“InstaNatural’s Argan Oil Hair Mask is a deep conditioning treatment designed to transform dry and damaged strands into soft, shiny, healthy hair. Its restorative ingredients – such as Argan Oil, Japanese Green Tea, Amino Acid Complex, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, Avocado Oil & Vitamin B5 – work together to penetrate hair deep down and deliver ultimate nourishment and hydration to enhance texture and shine. This intensive blend full of organic ingredients also serves to strengthen hair to defend against heat damage and other external aggressors.” – InstaNatural

My Experience

This hair mask came into my life at the perfect time! Not only am I about to run out of the hair mask I’ve been using, but my hair is definitely suffering in this dry, winter weather. My favorite thing about this Argan Oil Hair Mask is that it can be used either as a deep conditioning treatment 1-2 times per week or in place of your regular conditioner. To use as a treatment, let the mask soak into your hair for 5-20 minutes and then rinse out. Otherwise, use as you would your daily conditioner. I chose to use the mask as a treatment. I really like the texture as it is lighter than a typical hair mask but still heavy enough for some deep conditioning. I left it on my fine hair for about five minutes and was really surprised when I didn’t have much to rinse out. My hair was so dry it absorbed nearly all of the oil! In fact, my hair looked shinier and felt smoother all day long, too. I’ll be using this on the regular for sure!

VITAMIN C SERUM

1oz Bottle – $16.97

BUY: Amazon | InstaNatural Store

About the Product

“InstaNatural’s Vitamin C Serum is an enriched formula packed with ingredients that hydrate and nourish skin to fight against the signs of aging. Our new formula now includes even more nutrients to help diminish the appearance of spots and discoloration, such as rosehip oil, argan oil, plant stem cells, algae extract and sea buckthorn oil. The vigorous combination of these ingredients form a super serum blend that delivers ultimate antioxidant care for your skin.” – InstaNatural

My Experience

I’ve used a different Vitamin C Serum in the past and fell in love with it. Same goes for this one from InstaNatural! I was a bit surprised to see that this serum is a bit on the thick side and is a bright orange color. However, this serum feels amazing and I can definitely feel the difference in my skin after just one week of use. My skin is more hydrated, even, and clear, and it just looks better as well. I’ve even gone a few days without my normal makeup routine because I just feel more confident. This Vitamin C Serum is a keeper for sure!

All in all, I’m so glad InstaNatural gave me the opportunity to test out the brand’s products! I’m really impressed with each one, and I’m especially loving the Vitamin C Serum and Argan Oil Hair Mask. I also love the amazing prices of the InstaNatural products. You get a LOT of product for the price – it’s almost like buying in bulk when it comes to the Hair Mask! I highly recommend you check out this fabulous line!

Connect with InstaNatural

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Amazon

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post contains some affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

#PolishlandPresents | My Sephora Gift List

Posted on December 1, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

All images used in this blog post are courtesy of Sephora. Please visit the direct product links to see the original source.

Happy Monday! I took a Thanksgiving blog break, but I’m back to continue on with my #PolishlandPresents series! Plus, I have some awesome reviews and nail art coming at you soon, so make sure to FOLLOW Adventures in Polishland to be notified of new posts. Today I’m sharing with you my top ten gift ideas at Sephora. Usually Sephora is a bit outside of my price range, but I think it has some amazing gift items for everyone on your list. Plus, you can use Ebates to earn cash back on Sephora’s website (today it’s DOUBLE cash back)! Let me show you all of the items on my Sephora gift list.

Formula X Paint the Town Set

$39.00 [BUY]

Calling all nail polish junkies! The Formula X polishes are amazing, so this set of 22 minis is the perfect gift set. This set comes in a ready-to-gift paint can, and features six shades that can only be purchased through the set. I can’t believe how affordable this set is. I highly recommend snagging it before it’s gone!

Urban Decay Naked on the Run Palette

$54.00 [BUY]

If you’re looking to give an all-inclusive palette that anyone can use, the brand new Naked on the Run Palette is a great choice! It contains shadows, blush, bronzer, lip gloss, and mascara. Urban Decay is known for its high quality products, so this is a definite treat. Grab one for a friend and one for yourself!

Tarte Bon Voyage Collector’s Set and Travel Bag

$59.00 [BUY]

Another great gift set is this one from Tarte that is valued at over $400! I kid you not – the set includes a huge eyshadow palette, plus six other makeup and skincare essentials. The travel bag is the perfect addition to the set, making it a great present for your jet-setting friends. If you’re in a rush this holiday season, you don’t even need to wrap up the set because of the cute bag!

Fresh Sugar Cravings Kissing Trio

$28.00 [BUY]

Some of my favorite lip products ever are the Fresh lip balms. However, they are very pricey so I don’t treat myself to them. This trio is a great stocking stuffer for the lippy lover in your life. Either gift the entire set, or break up the trio for different friends. Either way, these lip balms are a wonderful present, especially in the cold winter months when lip hydration is a must!

Sephora Favorites Perfume Sampler

$60.00 [BUY]

Sephora really kills it with the gift sets every year! I think the perfume sampler is just genius. The set includes 14 of the most popular women’s fragrances so you don’t have to guess which scent your friend will enjoy. But that’s not all – the set includes a coupon for a full-sized perfume so the receiver can stock up on the scent she loves most. How awesome is that?!

GlamGlow Glamtastic Facial Set

$59.00 [BUY]

GlamGlow is one of the most sought after skincare brands, so I highly recommend this set if you’re looking to pamper the one you love! This set includes four different treatments that will really come in handy this winter. The price tag may seem like a lot for the set, but trust me, it’s a steal!

Philosophy Holiday Spice Rack Trio

$27.00 [BUY]

I am all about Philosophy products around the holidays. My favorite product in the line is the luxurious bath and shower gel, and this set of three is perfect to either gift all together or separately. I’d personally love to keep the Cinnamon Stick for myself, but Vanilla Bean Nutmeg and Creamy Cardamom sound amazing as well!

Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer

$15.00 [BUY]

I speak from experience when I say this hand cream is a great present for the men in your life! My dad absolutely loves this product, and even asked for it last year after I gave it to him the Christmas before. It works really well for the toughest dry hands, and smells quite nice. If your man has rough hands, get him this for sure!

Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream

$16.00 [BUY]

I hand to include my holy grail moisturizer on this gift guide! This cream sounds too good to be true, but it really works so well to soothe dry skin in the winter. If you don’t know what to get someone, I highly recommend this product. Pair it with some cute socks or some hot chocolate for a wintery care pack!

Living Proof No Frizz Smoothing & Frizz Fighting Travel Kit

$29.00 [BUY]

Finally, I wanted to include some hair products in this post because Sephora, of course, sells some amazing ones. My friend recently gave me this line of hair products to try and it has worked wonders on my hair! I’ve seriously seen a big difference when using these products, so I highly recommend them. If you’ve got a friend who’s looking to fight frizz this season, she’ll love you forever if you get her this set.

That brings us to the end of my Sephora Gift List! This is just a small sampling of the amazing goodies Sephora has to offer, but they are some of my favorites. Make sure to let me know in the comments if you’ll be picking up any of these this season. Stay tuned for more in my #PolishlandPresents series as well!

October 2014 Favorites!

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! November is now in full swing, so it’s time for me to show you the products that I loved all October long. I didn’t test out too many new things this month, but I did find some great products to share with you. Let’s jump right into my October favorites!

NAIL POLISH

NYC New York Color – Black Elixir [REVIEW]

I’m really impressed with this black creme polish from NYC New York Color! At $1.99, it’s an awesome staple to have in my nail polish collection. I plan on using it for nail art looks in the future for sure! Make sure to run to your nearest drugstore to pick it up since it is part of the limited edition Midnight Beauty collection and won’t be on the shelves perpetually.

MAKEUP BRUSH

Real Techniques – Setting Brush Real Techniques Setting Brush [BUY]

I got a set of Real Techniques brushes for my birthday, and I am particularly loving the Setting Brush. It is absolutely perfect to apply highlighter to the tops of my cheekbones, but can be used to set concealer as well. It’s light and fluffy, and easy to use. Plus, I appreciate how affordable Real Techniques is!

HAIR

Macadamia Healing Oil Spray [BUY]

I’ve loved Macadamia products for a while now, and was super excited when I got this deluxe sample in a Birchbox. This spray is perfect for adding shine and reducing frizz without making my hair greasy. If oil weighs your hair down too much, definitely test out this spray. It also smells amazing!

FRAGRANCE

Taylor Swift Enchanted Wonderstruck [BUY]

I think I’ve featured this perfume in a favorites post before, but I’ve rediscovered my love for Taylor Swift’s Enchanted Wonderstruck this month! The scent is rich and perfect for the colder months. I’ve used about half of my bottle now!

SONG

Classic by MKTO [BUY]

I am a sucker for catchy pop tunes, and this one is no exception! I love the fun beat and lyrics, and have had it playing on repeat this month. I definitely want to check out more songs from MKTO. Let me know if you love this artist and what songs you recommend!

EXPERIENCE

One of the most exciting parts of my month was meeting Grace Helbig at her NYC book signing! She just released her first book called Grace’s Guide (buy it HERE), and I made sure to head on over to Housing Works Bookstore Cafe to meet her. She signed my book and took selfies. It was awesome! Make sure you check out her YouTube Channel HERE if you haven’t subscribed yet (she’s at nearly 2 million!).

That’s all I have to share with you this month! I hope you enjoyed hearing about the things that made my October a memorable one. Please let me know your favorites in the comments, or use the hashtag #PolishlandFaves on social media so I can find your posts. Here’s to a great November!

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Products I’ve Used Up #4

Posted on August 15, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! It’s time for another products I’ve used up post here at Adventures in Polishland. It always feels great to use up products that I purchase. Let’s get right into my empties, and I’ll share mini-reviews of each product.

HAIR CARE

I used up two dry shampoos recently. First is my all-time favorite, the Klorane Dry Shampoo [BUY]. I’ve repurchased this countless times now! Next up is the Aveeno Pure Renewal that I got at Duane Reade. I did like it, but it was a bit expensive (around $10) and I prefer to splurge on the Klorane, which works much better.

FACE PRODUCTS

I used up a lot of face and makeup products this time around! I’ll tell you about each one from left to right.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture for Sensitive Skin – I really like this moisturizer from the drugstore. It works well, but it’s not the best moisturizer ever if you know what I mean. I highly recommend it for ultra sensitive skin, though. It’s light enough to wear all year long as well.
CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous Foundation – I LOVED this foundation. In fact, it’s my favorite that I’ve tried so far! I found that my skin loved it, too, and broke out less when I used this on a regular basis. If you’re looking for an affordable foundation, run to the drugstore and get this one!
Manna Kadar Lash Ware Mascara – I got this mascara in a Wantable box, and fell in love as well. It really does a great job at separating my lashes for a full look. You can purchase this online, but keep in mind it is a luxury brand.
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder – I purchased this powder during a sale event, and I’m so glad I did. It’s amazing, and great at keeping face matte and getting rid of shine. I’ve heard this product is being discontinued, which is highly disappointing since I really love it!
Maybelline Baby Skin – I’ve raved about Baby Skin on Adventures in Polishland before (see that post HERE). It’s a really great drugstore primer, and I’ve already purchased another one!

MAKEUP REMOVER

I’ve gone through a lot of makeup remover recently! In the summer, I use a lot of wipes because they keep me feeling fresh and clean.

Every Beauty Makeup Remover Pads – I got these in a Beauty Army box, and to be honest I didn’t like them. It’s basically a cotton square that you wet with water and wipe over your face. It didn’t take off all of my makeup, especially mascara, and I felt like I had to do heavy cleansing afterwards.
Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes – I really have grown to love the Simple Wipes in the past few months. I think my skin is either getting used to them, or they’ve somehow gotten better. Whatever the reason, I’m digging these!
Olay Fresh Effects S’Wipe Out – These were my all-time favorite wipes, and I’m glad I stocked up on them during sale events because they were discontinued by the brand. There is a new wipe in the Fresh Effects line, so I’ll have to see how I like them at some point.
Sephora Instant Eye Makeup Remover – I bought this eye makeup remover in hopes that it would take off my mascara with ease. It didn’t. I’ve found other makeup removers that work much better than this, so I’ll stick with those.

BODY PRODUCTS

Secret Outlast Deodorant – Here’s my secret: I hate Secret deodorants! I used to use this brand all the time, but now I remember why I stopped. For some reason, Secret does not prevent all the odor. But the fun doesn’t stop there. For some reason, this product locks in the odor, and no matter how much I shower and scrub my pits with soap, the scent lingers. It’s really horrible!! I know Secret is a very popular brand, but it just does not work with my body chemistry.
Jergens BB Body Cream – I really enjoyed trying this out! It did make my skin look nice and flawless, but I can’t bring myself to purchase the full size. Maybe I will if I get a good coupon!
Walgreens Hand Sanitizer with Aloe – I keep a pump of hand sanitizer on my desk at all times. You’ve probably seen a lot of these in my empties by now!
Bath & Body Works Vanilla Verbena Sugar Scrub – This is the first sugar scrub I’ve ever tried, and I did like it. I didn’t use it very often, but the scent was very calming. I did purchase two other Bath & Body Works scrubs during the latest sale, but couldn’t find this one again.

Well, that’s it for my products I’ve used up! In this edition I had a lot of great products, and only a few bad ones. I’m sad with the products that were discontinued, though! Make sure to let me know what products you’ve used up lately, and tell me a product that you loved but was later discontinued.

My Summer Skincare & Hair Care Essentials for Natural Beauty! #WalgreensBeauty

Posted on August 6, 2014August 8, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WalgreensBeauty #CollectiveBias

Happy Wednesday! Today I’m excited to share with you some of my summer beauty essentials in both skincare and hair care. When the weather gets hot and the sun is baring down, I need to make a few changes in my every day routines to ensure that I’m protecting myself from UV rays, and feeling great, too. You all know I love a good drugstore haul, and I headed to Walgreens to pick up a few needed items. The Walgreens location by Union Square is definitely one of my personal favorites. It has an amazing food bar on the first floor where you can get snacks and more (there’s fro-yo available… #winning), and the second floor is home to a huge beauty department. Let me take you on a virtual shopping trip through Walgreens, and share my summer essentials!

LET’S GO SHOPPING!

Here’s my view from the top of the escalator in Walgreens! This is just a snippet of the amazing beauty department. I love this Walgreens because it has tons of limited edition displays and brands I can’t find anywhere else. During this particular shopping trip, I was on the hunt for sunscreen and hairspray.

My first stop was the suncare aisle to find the new Banana Boat Protect & Hydrate SPF 30. I was beyond excited when I found a stack of $1.00 off coupons right in front of the product! Woo hoo!

Finally, I perused the hair care aisle, and grabbed the Mark Hill Fabulous Finish hairspray. I love the Mark Hill line, and it is exclusive to Walgreens!

MY SUMMER SKINCARE ESSENTIALS

Here are four of my favorite skincare products to use in the summer! I’ll tell you a bit about each item, and why I like it!

Banana Boat Protect & Hydrate SPF 30 – Sun protection is vital, especially in the summer! One reason I avoided sunscreen when I was younger is because it smelled, was greasy, and just a huge mess to put on. This new sunscreen from Banana Boat is anything but those things! It comes it an easy-to-apply spray-on bottle, and does not have that typical “sunscreen” scent. It also dries really fast, and leaves the skin soft and not greasy. In fact, this is a special 2 in 1 formula that includes a moisturizer! That way, you’re applying your aloe before the sun penetrates your skin. No need for a separate moisturizer!
Maybelline Baby Lips in Quenched – Did you know your lips can get sunburned, too? Avoid that by using lip products with SPF! I’m addicted to Baby Lips, and my all-time favorite is Quenched, the clear lip balm. It has SPF 20 in it, and moisturizes my lips really well.
Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-On – To stay refreshed, I love using this roll-on under my eyes. It has a cool, metal ball that instantly makes me feel more awake. Plus, it contains vitamins to keep your skin looking naturally beautiful. If you need some extra cooling, keep this in the fridge!
Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes – I love face wipes all year long, but in the summer nothing feels better than cleaning my face with a nice cool wipe! Whether it’s to remove makeup or simply refresh my skin, these Simple wipes are some of my absolute favorite!

MY SUMMER HAIR CARE ESSENTIALS

Now onto my hair care! I switch up my shampoos and conditioners all the time, but here are some things I always need!

Mark Hill Gorgeous! Fabulous Finish Hairspray – I’m not usually a hairspray girl, but I’m glad I tried out this one from Mark Hill! It’s amazing! It smells great, gives my hair volume, and tames all the fly-aways before the summer humidity takes control. It also doesn’t give my hair that stiff feeling that other hairsprays do. In fact, Mark Hill designed this so it can brush out with ease. Genius!
Goody Tangle Fix Brush – My go-to summer brush is this one from Goody. It is extremely gentle, and perfect whether your hair is wet from swimming or dry from the heat. If you have this hair like I do, this brush is wonderful. And yes, I got the children’s design because I like purple and leopard print!
Mark Hill MiracOILicious 2 Minute Intensive Treatment – This is my all-time holy grail hair product, so I had to include it! This treatment contains Moroccan Argan Oil, and makes my hair feel soft and hydrated no matter what time of year. I use it about 2-3 times per week in place of my regular conditioner. It’s better than some of those luxury hair masks at a fraction of the price!
Psssst! Instant Dry Shampoo – Dry shampoo is also a must. I use it every other day to keep my hair refreshed and grease-free. I recently picked up Psssst!, the original dry shampoo, because I wanted an affordable option. I’m loving it! Not only does it smell amazing, but it gets rid of any oil in a couple minutes.

These are all of my summer skincare and hair care essentials! I hope you found this helpful! Next time you go to Walgreens, be sure to bring THIS coupon. You can get a free gift with any $20 beauty purchase from now until August 30, 2014. Be sure to let me know in the comments what your summer essentials are. I hope you are having a wonderful summer! Stay cool!

Kimble Beauty Hair Care Review | Shine Serum & Silk Non-Metal Elastics

Posted on July 4, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I’m excited to bring you a review of two hair care products from the brand Kimble Beauty. This brand is run by star Kim Kimble of the show L.A. Hair. I’ve never tried any of her products before, so I couldn’t wait to test these out! Plus, I have a special discount code for all of you, so stay tuned to the end of this post!

SHINE SERUM

This Shine Serum is made with Brazilian nut and açai berry ingredients, and is designed to add shine to dull and dry hair. I have very frizzy hair, especially in the summer humidity, so I couldn’t wait to give this a try. The trick with this Shine Serum is less is more! First, I tried two pumps, but that was way too much. I’ve since discovered that just half a pump of this rich product leaves my hair looking soft and silky, but not oily. Plus, this smells divine! This serum retails for about $12.99, but one 2oz bottle will last a very long time. I definitely recommend it if you have dry or frizzy hair!

SILK NON-METAL ELASTICS

I love my ribbon hair ties, but sometimes it’s great to have a plain, black elastic. Not only are these hair elastics designed to prevent breakage, but silk actually helps to maintain healthy looking hair by minimizing friction and preventing natural oils from depleting! I never knew that the material of a hair elastic could be so important! I’ve been using these since I got them, and love them! A pack of 6 elastics retails for $12.99.

All in all, I’m loving these products from Kimble Beauty! If you would like to try them out, shop online HERE and use code hair10 at checkout to get 10% off your purchase! You can use this code to buy any products in the Kimble Beauty line. Have you ever tried this brand before? Let me know what you think in the comments!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Subscription Sunday | June Birchbox

Posted on June 22, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Subscription Sunday! Today I have my June Birchbox to share with all of you. When I received my box in the mail this month, I was super excited to open it because it was much heavier than it usually is. Let me go ahead and show you my June products!

This month, Birchbox’s theme is Away We Go! It seems like I’m not the only one with traveling on the brain this month – Birchbox does, too! In fact, the company teamed up with JetBlue to give away a round trip flight. I hope I win!

Here are the first set of products in my June Birchbox. I’ll tell you a bit about each one from left to right:

Coastal Scents Revealed Palette Sampler – $3.20 – This eyeshadow sampler contains four neutral shades from the new Coastal Scents palette. I really like this idea for a sampler, as it lets me test out more than one shadow from a brand, and will last me a long time.
Davines Love Shampoo – $7.50 – This is a great size shampoo sample, and it smells amazing! I can’t wait to try it, as it’s formulated for dry and frizzy hair like mine.
Gilchrist & Soames Body Lotion – $3.00 – I like the idea of this body lotion as it is eco-friendly and spa-worthy, but the fragrance is a bit strong for me. This is still a great size sample!
Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator – $5.67 – It seems like I get a new cleanser every month. I wish there was a bit more variety, but this is a great one for travel because it is an exfoliating cleanser and a good size!

Davines Love Conditioner – $1.41 – I also got a conditioner that matches the shampoo sample I got. Normally I don’t like foil packets, but I think it’s great that I can test this along with the shampoo at least once or twice.
Davines Ol All in One Milk – $0.83 – I also got a sample of the hair treatment from the Davines line! I can’t wait to try out the entire hair care system!
Catherine Malandrino CM Perfume – $0.88 – Finally, I got a perfume sample that actually smells amazing! I’m excited to test it out!

TOTAL RETAIL VALUE: $22.49

RATING 1-5 (1 IS WORST, 5 IS BEST): 4

OVERALL OPINION: I love this month’s Birchbox! Not only did I get four amazing samples, but I got three smaller ones as well. Even though the retail value isn’t very high, it’s more than double what I paid for the box, and I’m sure to use every single one of these samples. I would definitely like more diversity in my Birchbox, but I can’t go wrong with anything here.

You can join Birchbox for just $10 per month HERE. I really love this subscription service, and highly recommend it! Do you subscribe already? Let me know what was inside your June box in the comments!

UNi 100% Pure Moroccan Argan Oil for Hair & Skin Review

Posted on May 22, 2014August 8, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Happy Thursday! Today I have a review of Moroccan Argan Oil from the brand UNi. I’ve slowly but surely been testing out different oils, whether they be for the skin or hair, and decided to finally give the real deal a try. Argan oil gets a lot of hype in the beauty community, so I was really interested in how it compares to some of the other products I’ve tried thus far. Let me tell you a bit more about this product, and share my experience with you!

The UNi Argan Oil is sourced directly from Moroccan Argan Kernels found only in Morocco! This argan oil is considered 100% pure because it is cold pressed from unroasted kernels. The process sounds almost like brewing coffee from whole beans to me! Argan Oil is great for your skin and hair because it contains essential fatty acids The UNi brand is USDA Certified Organic, and is designed to rejuvenate and regenerate your skin and hair with its non-greasy and lightweight formula. The reason I’ve stayed away from oils in the past was because I was afraid it would make my already oily hair even worse, so I was excited and nervous to give this a try!

I’ve been using this argan oil on the ends of my hair after showering for the past few weeks. At first, I used about a dime size amount, and that was way too much. My hair definitely felt greasy and sticky, so now I’ve reduced the amount of oil to three, small drops. To apply the oil, rub your hands together to warm it up and then massage it into your hair or skin. While three drops felt like nothing, I noticed a big difference in my hair – it was shinier, easier to style, and appeared a bit fuller. Keep in mind that this product does have a slight nutty scent due to its organic nature.

All in all, I am so glad I gave this argan oil a try! I will continue to use it on my hair, and slowly use it on my skin as I begin my new skincare routine. This 2oz bottle retails for $35.99, but as I’m typing this the product is on sale for just $14.99 with free shipping on Amazon HERE. That is an amazing price for argan oil, so I definitely recommend grabbing it right away! Even if you miss this sale, a 2oz bottle is going to last a very long time as only a few drops are needed for each application. If you’ve been waiting to try argan oil, the UNi brand is a great place to start!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.