Review

Manicure Bowl – $2 at Sally Beauty!

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I don’t really enjoy salon manicures as much as some women, so I usually do my own. For years, I’d just grab a bowl or Tupperware container from the kitchen, add my soapy cocktail to it, and get on with it.

sallyhaul

Despite not enjoying salon manicures (due to the limited polish longevity, price, and the fact that I’m just weird and don’t like my hands being, well, handled), my few experiences that had me use a manicure bowl were pleasant – when I saw that you can get a sturdy plastic one from Sally Beauty for under $2, I decided to pick one up when I hauled last month.

The design of the manicure bowl is far more ergonomically friendly than just any ol’ bowl, featuring a founded palm-rest, resulting in greater comfort for you (or your client/manicure recipient). No need to awkwardly perch your wrist on the side of the bowl and point your fingers down; this feels far more natural!

My Manicure Bowl$2 Manicure Bowl from Sally Beauty

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Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Line

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Dove Pure Care Dry OilDove Pure Care Dry Oil

In April, I mentioned having purchased the Dove Pure Care Dry Oil shampoo and conditioner to try. I’ve been using it since early April and feel good about talking about it.

The Dove Pure Care Dry Oil shampoo and conditioner pair would be amazing for someone with a dry scalp or dry hair. It is exceptionally moisturizing (and didn’t cause me to break out on my shoulders or chest or anything [my hair is long!]).

Being an oil-based shampoo, it doesn’t lather immensely. It isn’t as devoid of suds as an SLS-free product would be, but if you get your kicks from tiny bubbles, you won’t get that from this. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t clean – it does. You just won’t be achieving a lather half-afro with it.

The Dove Pure Care Dry Oil conditioner is moisturizing. Definitely better than the Tresemme I’ve been using. Better than the Neutrogena, Suave, and Nexxus, but not quite as good as my old Tigi Moisture Maniac, and DEFINITELY not as good as my Aussie 3-Minute Miracle.

Used together, they impart a significant, noticeable shine to the hair without any additional product or heat styling. My strands were brilliant, and it was a really a pleasant surprise to see. Dove actually makes few claims about this product for me to scrutinize:

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Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

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Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel has been the holy grail moisturizer of many, many women for many, many years. Assuming that was the case for a reason, I’ve been interested in it for a few years (prior to my interest in makeup, even) but never went for it. Counters intimidated me, then. Used to exclusively buying drugstore, I wasn’t yet comfortable with the idea of investing in products (though really, compared to a lot of products on the market these days, $26 for 4.2oz of moisturizer is nothing).

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

As much as I love Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil, it isn’t a great daytime moisturizer for me if I’m leaving the house or want to wear makeup. It does wonders for my skin, but isn’t the best makeup base for me. It could be great at both of those things for you if your skin is drier than mine, but I needed something lighter that would play nicely with those products and not make me look too, “dewy.”

I’ve been able to digest spending that much money on a single product for a while, now, but still didn’t get around to doing so until April, when we visited the Cosmetics Company Outlet during a trip to our local outlets. There, I got a tiny tube of Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel to try for only $3. After using it for the whole month, I bought a bottle at my local Macy’s Clinique counter.

Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel - DispensedDramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

Clinique recently revamped their Dramatically Different Lotion (it’s now Lotion+, ooh), but the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel, I hear, is untouched. It is lightweight and this tiny amount on my fingertips is one pump – and is plenty for my face, and covers a bit of my neck. It absorbs quickly, but not so much so that it feels like I just participated in an exercise in futility – my skin feels moisturized and supple.

Supple is a weird word.

Anyway – Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel is perfect for preparing your skin for makeup application, providing enough moisture for your skin to be a good canvas, but not so much that your products are prone to sliding around and not staying where you placed them – even in my oily T-zone. It’s just right.

Clinique skincare products are unscented; this does not have added fragrance, but it does have a bit of a smell that dissipates. It isn’t unpleasant, but you may notice it when you’re applying it. If you happen to find it unpleasant, don’t worry – like I said, it doesn’t last.

I’ve only used it for a month now, but it has definitely lived up to my expectations and the hype. I love that Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel doesn’t have any crazy, outlandish marketing claims – simple, straightforward, it does what it says it will – and can we ask for more? I think not.

Worth it? Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

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The makeup industry often has weird (OCC Technopagan) or even oddly sexualized names. To name a few? NARS Orgasm and Deep Throat (duh). Urban Decay Rule 34. I could go on.

Too Faced, however, has no bushes to beat around, and no bothers to give. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. Bam. Shock value!

Too Faced Better Than Sex

Well, aren’t you cocky?

I’m here all week, folks. Anyway, it isn’t a new product, but I’ve noticed a bit more buzz around it lately. I got a deluxe sample tube with my Everything Nice palette and finally decided to crack ‘er open.

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MAC Creme in Your Coffee Swatches

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I’ll never have too many MLBB colors. I only have one at the moment, really…but I won’t be able to have too many, either.

Think about it – you look polished, but it is subtle and not terribly obvious that you’re made up. As they wear away you have a little more grace when it comes to touching up than you would with say, a magenta or red.

But really, now that my tube of MAC Cosmo has been decommissioned, since I’m still not purchasing Revlon (they still haven’t addressed the shady safety issues, let alone the hateful remarks), and the smell of Rimmel’s Apocalips annoys me, I’m actually down three MLBB shades! Woe betide me. That means I had, well, one. Two if you count balm. Sky, falling, etc.

The same nice person who gifted me MAC Flamingo also gifted me MAC Creme in Your Coffee.

MAC Creme in Your CoffeeMAC Creme in your Coffee

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MAC Flamingo Swatches

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Can we talk about this color?

As someone who lives in a world filled with MLBBs and neutral lips, this is such a fun step outside of my usual. I was wanting to give MAC Flamingo a shot for awhile and was lucky enough to receive it from a recent gift exchange held by a makeup community I am involved in (thank you again, R!)

I love it.

MAC Flamingo - BulletMAC Flamingo

MAC Flamingo is one of MAC’s lustre finish lipsticks – which is surprising when you see the single-swipe swatch below. The coral-ish pink is on the lighter side, but I do not believe it is light enough to wash anyone out, regardless of skintone. MAC Flamingo is a really nice spring-and-summer color, very nice for everyday wear.

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