Photo: LumiereWednesday, July 9, 2008
NEWS - Lumiere is having a SALE!!!
Photo: Lumiere
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
New Goodies - MUFE
I got some awesome new goodies at Sephora the other day. Make Up For Ever Eye seal, Cream Liner (in Brown, no. 2), and Concealer (no. 1). I will work a little bit more with these before I post official reviews, but so far so good...
Favorite Things - Honey Mango Shave Cream
There is a gem waiting for you to be discovered at your local Trader Joe's. Hidden between vegan lotions, handmade soap and Tom's toothpaste, is by far the most superior shaving cream I have ever used. I had heard good things about it, but I was hesitant - I am not one for supermarket brand beauty products, believing that you do sometimes get what you pay for. But this orange tube of magic, with its $2.99 price tag, is the best thing to happen to my legs and underarms. Not only does this shave cream smell great, it is also LUXURIOUSLY thick and moisturizing. Don't expect this shaving cream to lather into a foam, but do expect it to leave your legs the silkiest they have ever been. I gave a tube of this to a friend of mine, akin to giving someone their first hit of a mind altering substance, and the next time I saw her she had just purchased 3 more tubes. Apparently not only is she a convert, but her hubby is as well. Once you try this shave cream, you will never go back to anything else. The only draw back to this one is that you will be throwing away your unused cans of Skintimate shave gel, and other foamy and drying shaving gels/foams- what a waste!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Favorite Things - Taking Care of the Feets
Yes, it would be nice to get a professional pedicure every two weeks, but unfortunately I just don't have enough disposable income at the moment to make that happen. Some day...
Again, the credit for the best foot lotion goes to Lush (www.lush.com). Pied de Pepper is the most moisturizing foot lotion ever - that is - moisturizing, but not greasy. Most foot lotions I have tried just sit on your feet like a layer of crisco, and leave you wondering if anything actually penetrated the skin, or if you just have the thickest most disgusting foot calluses in the world, and I might as well name them as they are impermeable to any softening agent in the world. Pied de Pepper lets me cling to my self esteem as it soaks into my feet and moisturizes like a dream. Smelling like a delicious home made Chai tea, the only drawback to this puppy is that it may stain your sheets, or sleeping socks, or whatever it comes in contact with. This has not been a problem for me, but definitely something I keep in mind when I use it.
The PedEgg ($9.99)
Yes, I saw the cheesy infomercials about this one - and I thought to myself - no way this thing is as good as they claim...no way! I even went as far as to make fun of friends who bought this beauty when it became available at the local drug store. I believe I compared it to the spray hair, and that hair cutting device you attach to your vacuum cleaner. Then I saw it while waiting to check out at the drug store. I had just been thinking over the course of the previous couple of days how my feet needed some attention. There was a lot of crusty on those heels, and it was not pretty. So acting purely on impulsive, I bought the darn infomercial-ed egg, and soon thereafter realized that I was wrong - very wrong. The PedEgg is great at removing calluses and leaving your feet softer than you ever thought possible. Sure, getting your callouses removed by a professional is nice, but if you can't afford that pedicure regularly, this will keep nasties at bay in between appointments. There really is no draw back to this one, so go get one - especially if you wear flip flops!!
Photos: lush.com and kaboodle.com
Lush Pied de Pepper ($14.45/3.5 oz)Again, the credit for the best foot lotion goes to Lush (www.lush.com). Pied de Pepper is the most moisturizing foot lotion ever - that is - moisturizing, but not greasy. Most foot lotions I have tried just sit on your feet like a layer of crisco, and leave you wondering if anything actually penetrated the skin, or if you just have the thickest most disgusting foot calluses in the world, and I might as well name them as they are impermeable to any softening agent in the world. Pied de Pepper lets me cling to my self esteem as it soaks into my feet and moisturizes like a dream. Smelling like a delicious home made Chai tea, the only drawback to this puppy is that it may stain your sheets, or sleeping socks, or whatever it comes in contact with. This has not been a problem for me, but definitely something I keep in mind when I use it.
The PedEgg ($9.99)
Yes, I saw the cheesy infomercials about this one - and I thought to myself - no way this thing is as good as they claim...no way! I even went as far as to make fun of friends who bought this beauty when it became available at the local drug store. I believe I compared it to the spray hair, and that hair cutting device you attach to your vacuum cleaner. Then I saw it while waiting to check out at the drug store. I had just been thinking over the course of the previous couple of days how my feet needed some attention. There was a lot of crusty on those heels, and it was not pretty. So acting purely on impulsive, I bought the darn infomercial-ed egg, and soon thereafter realized that I was wrong - very wrong. The PedEgg is great at removing calluses and leaving your feet softer than you ever thought possible. Sure, getting your callouses removed by a professional is nice, but if you can't afford that pedicure regularly, this will keep nasties at bay in between appointments. There really is no draw back to this one, so go get one - especially if you wear flip flops!!
Favorite Things - Lush Hair Care
When it comes to my finicky tresses, Lush (www.lush.com) hair care is king. I was originally attracted to this line of hair products because they are silicone free. Since my hair is super straight (read: flat) and very fine (read: fly-aways), I was excited at the possibility of hair products that decrease build-up.
New Shampoo ($9.25/bar)
I absolutely love solid shampoo. It is the most portable wonderful product ever invented. Use it like a soap: lather in your hands, and then rub into your hair. Just remember to let it drain and dry in between uses, so that it doesn't turn into a slimy mess in a similar fashion to that abandoned soap in a pool of water in your soap dish. New shampoo leaves my hair beautifully clean and manageable without being drying. It smells lovely of cinnamon, but the scent does not last past the rinse, which is good news to perfume wearers and those who are not fans of cinnamon.
Veganese Conditioner ($8.75/3.3 fl.oz.; $17.45/8.4 fl.oz.; $25.75/16.9 fl.oz.)
I must admit that when I first contemplated silicone free hair care I was terrified that my hair would regress back to the consistency it was when I swam competitively. Veganese conditioner ensured that my hair not only maintained a straw-free consistency, but also left it softer and shinier than it has ever been. And the best part is that there are much fewer fly-aways! This conditioner smells slightly citrusy and works best for me when I mix it 50:50 with water. When diluted this conditioner spreads more evenly in my hair, and I end up using less to get an even coat.
Jungle Solid Conditioner ($9.95/3.5 oz)
Solid conditioner? Yep I know, it's weird. But this stuff works once you get the hang of it. The easiest way to use it is just to take a chunk and rub your hair with it. This takes a while longer than if the conditioner was a liquid, but the results are well worth it. If the idea of rubbing a hunk of solid conditioner does not sound appealing, then take a piece, cut it into small chunks, add water and melt in the microwave (in 30s increments, with stirring in between). This will form a paste that makes use easier. Also, this makes a great leave-in conditioner. Just rub a little into your hands and then spread on your wet hair. The smell of Jungle is very unique. It's a relic scent from Lush days gone by, and the best way to describe it is - it smells like the outdoors. Fresh cut grass, wild flowers, and a fresh breeze. It reminds me of laundry that was hung outside on a fresh summer day. Either way I use it, this conditioner makes my straight hair glossy, but not greasy...shiny, but not greasy...manageable, but not greasy. Wonderful.
The cons of Lush hair care is that it is not cheap. It seems like you're not getting much for the ding your wallet takes. But you get more than you think, as this stuff lasts for ages.
Now I must admit, silicone free hair care is not for every hair type. I have certainly read many accounts of night mare experiences with this haircare. However, there are even more accounts of people who started using silicone free hair care and have never looked back. Just remember, if you are going to give up silicones, you will have anywhere from a day to a week of yuckiness while you're stripping all the silicone off your hair. Call this a 'cleansing' or 'adjustment' period. And once you get through it, you will be rewarded by incredibly healthy hair!
New Shampoo ($9.25/bar)I absolutely love solid shampoo. It is the most portable wonderful product ever invented. Use it like a soap: lather in your hands, and then rub into your hair. Just remember to let it drain and dry in between uses, so that it doesn't turn into a slimy mess in a similar fashion to that abandoned soap in a pool of water in your soap dish. New shampoo leaves my hair beautifully clean and manageable without being drying. It smells lovely of cinnamon, but the scent does not last past the rinse, which is good news to perfume wearers and those who are not fans of cinnamon.
Veganese Conditioner ($8.75/3.3 fl.oz.; $17.45/8.4 fl.oz.; $25.75/16.9 fl.oz.)
I must admit that when I first contemplated silicone free hair care I was terrified that my hair would regress back to the consistency it was when I swam competitively. Veganese conditioner ensured that my hair not only maintained a straw-free consistency, but also left it softer and shinier than it has ever been. And the best part is that there are much fewer fly-aways! This conditioner smells slightly citrusy and works best for me when I mix it 50:50 with water. When diluted this conditioner spreads more evenly in my hair, and I end up using less to get an even coat.
Jungle Solid Conditioner ($9.95/3.5 oz)
Solid conditioner? Yep I know, it's weird. But this stuff works once you get the hang of it. The easiest way to use it is just to take a chunk and rub your hair with it. This takes a while longer than if the conditioner was a liquid, but the results are well worth it. If the idea of rubbing a hunk of solid conditioner does not sound appealing, then take a piece, cut it into small chunks, add water and melt in the microwave (in 30s increments, with stirring in between). This will form a paste that makes use easier. Also, this makes a great leave-in conditioner. Just rub a little into your hands and then spread on your wet hair. The smell of Jungle is very unique. It's a relic scent from Lush days gone by, and the best way to describe it is - it smells like the outdoors. Fresh cut grass, wild flowers, and a fresh breeze. It reminds me of laundry that was hung outside on a fresh summer day. Either way I use it, this conditioner makes my straight hair glossy, but not greasy...shiny, but not greasy...manageable, but not greasy. Wonderful.
The cons of Lush hair care is that it is not cheap. It seems like you're not getting much for the ding your wallet takes. But you get more than you think, as this stuff lasts for ages.
Now I must admit, silicone free hair care is not for every hair type. I have certainly read many accounts of night mare experiences with this haircare. However, there are even more accounts of people who started using silicone free hair care and have never looked back. Just remember, if you are going to give up silicones, you will have anywhere from a day to a week of yuckiness while you're stripping all the silicone off your hair. Call this a 'cleansing' or 'adjustment' period. And once you get through it, you will be rewarded by incredibly healthy hair!
Disclosure Policy
I love to try new products and then tell you my thoughts on those products. All of my reviews are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Most of what I have reviewed for you I purchased myself. However, if I accept a product for review, I will let you know, as per the FTC guidelines. I am, and will continue to be, very choosy about what I accept for review. And I will always share my honest thoughts with you, even if that means writing a negative review.
Most of what I have reviewed for you I purchased myself. However, if I accept a product for review, I will let you know, as per the FTC guidelines. I am, and will continue to be, very choosy about what I accept for review. And I will always share my honest thoughts with you, even if that means writing a negative review.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
About the Girly Tomboy
I have created this blog because I am a Girly Tomboy. I love getting muddy and beat up on my mountain bike or hiking off the beaten path. And I also love high heels, dresses, jewelry and makeup. I also love to read, watch movies, cook, refinish furniture, organize, explore, people watch, make my own jewelry, and talk. Especially talk. I talk all the time.
This blog is my way of sharing my experiences with you, as well as what I have learned, where I have been, and what inspired me. Since I'm a NERD who does excessive research on EVERYTHING, expect some encyclopedia-like posts as well. So if you're a tomboy and want to know where to start with makeup, or you're a girly girl that needs to buy a pair of bike shoes for spinning class, I'm your gal.
So when you come here, expect randomness - part journal and part reference. And always fun.
I also love spending time with my pooches, Amelia and Miss Kitty. They are a big part of my life, and hence have a blog dedicated to them. So if you want to see what we've been up to, check us out at The Playful Pooch.
So keep in touch, make requests, and give me feedback - through comments, the chatter box, by email: tomboysRgirls2(AT)gmail(DOT)com. I love hearing from you!
This blog is my way of sharing my experiences with you, as well as what I have learned, where I have been, and what inspired me. Since I'm a NERD who does excessive research on EVERYTHING, expect some encyclopedia-like posts as well. So if you're a tomboy and want to know where to start with makeup, or you're a girly girl that needs to buy a pair of bike shoes for spinning class, I'm your gal.
So when you come here, expect randomness - part journal and part reference. And always fun.
I also love spending time with my pooches, Amelia and Miss Kitty. They are a big part of my life, and hence have a blog dedicated to them. So if you want to see what we've been up to, check us out at The Playful Pooch.
So keep in touch, make requests, and give me feedback - through comments, the chatter box, by email: tomboysRgirls2(AT)gmail(DOT)com. I love hearing from you!
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