No Zit, Sherlock

Every time I do a face mask, I think of all the kooky face masks I’ve seen on TV. They’re always super thick, super hideous, and super rubbery. They always, ALWAYS startle/horrify someone, usually the male lead.

High(-price) Gloss

As I mentioned earlier this week, I’ve recently gotten some great free stuff from BzzAgent. One of the things I’m trying out for them right now is the Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Collection. They sent me full size bottles of shampoo and conditioner, plus some little packets of styling cream to share. At this point, I’m on my third use (I only wash my hair twice a week) and feel like I have a good handle on wether or not $26 shampoo and matching $26 conditioner are worth it.

My first thought was: “No.”

My second thought was: “Probably not.”

My third thought was: “I mean, it’s nice and all but…”

And after that, well, you’ll see.

The Fekkai Glossing line sounds really great. “Renew shine, all day, minute by minute. Inspired by nature with its winning formula containing olive oil, Brilliant Glossing now features encapsulated technology that helps deliver even, reflective shine from root to tip, and refreshes your shine as you comb your hair for brilliant hair throughout the day.”

Sign. Me. Up.

The first thing I noticed, of course, was the smell. It smells FANCY. So there’s that. The bottles are pretty too, as far as shampoo bottles go. And it feels really nice when you’re washing your hair.

From the first time I used it, I noticed a difference in my hair. The thing about fancy shampoos, aside from their pretty bottles and pretty smells, is that they leave you with light, fluffy-feeling hair, like when you get it washed at a salon. I’m not really sure why that is, but it is.

My hair also felt significantly softer and silkier. For WEEKS I had been soaking my hair with coconut oil for a half hour before I washed it, and I didn’t get results like this. (Guess I won’t be writing a post about using coconut oil as a deep conditioner, like I had planned.)

But here is the problem: My hair FELT silky, but it still LOOKED frizzy. Even with my best blow-drying efforts. Even after using the Fekkai Glossing cream, carefully squeezed from one of the little sample packets BzzAgent sent me to share with my friends.

According to Fekkai, the Glossing cream is a “sheer styling cream with pure olive oil that helps eliminate frizz and adds moisture and shine to all hair types. For best results: Apply ‘pea size’ to damp or dry hair.” The first time I used it, I applied two “pea sizes” to damp hair, since my hair is so long. My hair seemed to be separating at the ends, so the second time I went with one pea on slightly less-damp hair. That worked better, go fig, I bet that’s why they put it in the directions. Still, though: Frizz. I mean, I could smooth it out with curlers or the flat iron, but I was really hoping to skip the hot tools.

By the time I was ready for my third wash, I was through messing around. I added an extra step: my tried and true Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum applied to wet hair. Then the blow dry, and THEN the Glossing Cream (ONE PEA!) on dry hair. And that, my friends, is the ticket.

Wondering if I was just missing one piece of puzzle, I looked to see if the Fekkai Glossing line offered a serum of some sort, but the only thing they have is a shine mist. I already have two different kinds of shine mist, or as I call it, shine SPRAY. But for me, it’s the serum that makes all the difference. (FYI, Fekkai does make a serum, it’s just not part of the Glossing line. It’s part of the intriguing “Silky Straight Ironless” collection.) Anyway, with a little extra help from Paul Mitchell, my hair is silky AND shiny. I couldn’t keep my hands out of it when I finished.

Then, last night, my husband told me my hair smelled nice. I told him it was a new shampoo. He said he liked it. I said “It’s $26!” He said “It’s worth it.”

Facepalm.

Super Grace

While I'm on the subject of great YouTube videos (see below), I might as well post the video of this fantastic little girl, Sophia Grace Brownlee, singing Super Bass. If she wasn't so talented, her adorable back up dancer would have stolen the show! I was obsessed with this one last week. Also, she was on Ellen and it almost made me cry.

Three Girls Are Very Good At Two Things

Know what? Sometimes I'm just going to post awesome stuff here. Because this is awesome and you need to see it. I bet if we practiced for one whole day, we could figure out how to do the plastic tub thing. Then all we'd have to do is learn how to sing pretty! I already know how to high-five, and to be honest, they could use some help there.

The Bzz

Do you like trying stuff that’s new and/or free? MEEE TOOOO! A long time ago (2006), I became a Bzz Agent, and since then, they’ve been sending me free stuff and I’ve been sending them my opinion of it.

Take A Bow

Hey! Remember those easy-to-make-but-I-bought-them-anyway hair ties? The ones that were basically a scrap of F.O.E. with a knot in it? Well, someone one-upped the Twistband people and made A BOW. It’s almost as obvious as the Twistbands themselves, possibly more so. It’s called The Bow, and it's adorable. I don't know where they came up with that name though.

Blinc Once If You Like It, Twice If You Don’t

It seems like punkahontas readers have strong opinions about Blinc mascara. From what I've heard, they don’t really like it. Since I got a “free” tube in my Birch Box this month, I figured I should check it out and see what the beef is. (Hahah. That’s not how I talk, but oh well!)

My (Semi) Precious

I subscribe to whole bunch of fashion magazines “for research” and I am pretty sure every single one of them has mentioned Chanel’s Peridot nail color recently. Once in awhile, Chanel comes out with a nail polish color that I consider splurge-worthy, and seriously, what else does Chanel make that I could possibly afford? I finally got a bottle last week, and it is, indeed, worthy-of-splurge.

October Birch Box

October Birch Box has arrived, and I think it’s a pretty good one. Definitely some things I’m looking forward to checking out, and only one “dud” which is probably just a matter of personal taste. Other people might enjoy eating little mints that taste like Pledge.

Drop Pick Up The F-Bomb

I really can’t remember the last time red lipstick wasn’t a “top trend for fall.” I feel like every fashion mag says it every year, like it’s a new thing. It’s not a new thing, it’s kind of never been a new thing, but there is always a new red lipstick. And this year, for me, the new red lipstick isn’t even a lipstick at all. It’s a lip… stick.

Girls’s Costume Warehouse

 Do you now what you’re going to be for Halloween this year? I thought I did, but now I don’t. And since I’m not a costume-in-a-bag person, I’m getting a little worried. If you need some ideas for what to do, or what not to do, here is my absolute favorite Halloween YouTube video ever, ever, ever. Unfortunately they put a commercial in the beginning, and they also won’t let me embed the video. It’s worth it though, trust.

Hey Bootiful!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects have gotten all Halloweeny! While I was at the drugstore this morning (I picked up a few things I’ll write about soon) I noticed a display of haunted nail polish strips. Ghosts, skulls & crossbones, red fishnet, a Frankenstein-y one called Hot Wired and, of course, spider webs. Actually, aside from the ghosts and the spider webs, these could be even better when it’s NOT Halloween. If there are any left on Nov.1, I might try to scoop some on sale.

Eeets-a Magnetic-a!

I read about Magneffect nail polish in a magazine and was going to buy it, try it and write about it. I heard it was coming out in October, but didn’t realize it would be, like, right away. It’s only October 4th! JEEZ. Anyway, I guess I don’t have to do all that now, because you can just watch this awesome video to find out all about it. Also, go fig, Sephora has a version too. You can get the real deal from a few different places online, like Planet Beauty.

Beautenizing!

I recently “went off” a bit about mascara advertising, because it's basically the worst way to learn about a new mascara. Well, no sooner had I written that, than I was presented with the BEST way to learn about a new mascara. A SAMPLE! Trying a mascara is obviously the best way to see how it works before buying it, but that’s not always an option.

Eye Don't Even KNOW.

I have some new reviews coming up for you, but I just need to show you ONE MORE crazy thing you can stick to your face: Fake eyelashes with silhouetted images!