Product Review: Sebastian Iron Works

I have talked about my attraction to hair products before, but I have found an even better alternative to use to protect your tresses when using the flat iron for smooth, sultry locks. Introducing my latest obsession: Sebastian Shapers IronWorks Hot Tools Protecting Spray.

Pros: Protects your hair, unscented, smaller size, keeps hair healthy, discontinued (can buy it at CHEAP prices online)

Cons: Discontinued (could become hard to find), no pretty scent

GG Grade: A

Buy online for $2.50/bottle!: http://www.salonsavings.com/detail/900160/

xoxo,

gg

Product Review: Modern Movement Warmwear

I tend to get cold easily. When we are going to be doing something in cold weather, my man brings up the time I freaked out a little bit during the FREEZING Inaugural Parade in Washington, DC. I definitely did not wear enough clothing to keep warm while sitting outside for an extended period of time. Once I couldn't handle it anymore, we hightailed it back to our hotel to get ready for a fancy dinner in DC and delicious champagne in our room later.

Alas, I have found the key to ending my intense hatred of cold weather - fantastic long underwear made for women. You see, I went to a football game on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in sub-freezing temperatures, and I knew I had to prepare myself to be in the cold for a v. LONG time. It was the big MU vs. KU game, and we won!

So I bought these at full price.

I loved them so much that I went back and bought a second pair in black. I was pleasantly surprised to find out they were 33% off! I am considering getting the white set, too. I bought some for my sister and might get some for my mom, too!

I have heard that Cuddl Duds are great, too, but I don't own any and these featured were the only ones that I could find on such short notice when I realized how cold it was going to be for the best game in recent MU history.

Pros: Keep you warm, are thin enough to fit underneath clothes, feel silky and wonderful against the skin, are really comfortable.

Cons: The pants are NOT low-rise, actually they are pretty high-rise.

GG grade: A+

xoxo

Product Review: Neutrogena Mineral Foundation

So, ladies, I did jump on the mineral powder train, but it wasn't because I had this burning desire to do so. You see, sometimes I am lazy in the morning, and I just do my makeup at work (after getting there early, of course!). One such morning, I was within 5 miles of my office (I commute - 30 miles each way), and I realized that I had forgotten my makeup at HOME!!!!

Now, you must first understand that I DON'T go without makeup. I must at the very least have mascara, a touch of gloss and a bit of concealer. Alas, I did not keep these essentials in my ginormous purse so I was SOL. Never fear, with my extra 20 minutes before worktime, I slipped into Walgreens and bought an emergency makeup set of Neutrogena minerals (it was buy one, get one 1/2 off!).

I am SO happy with it. It was the best makeup day of my life!

Pros: No mess (no creamy foundation fingers, no powder all over the place - just shake the brush on your face and Voila!), fairly inexpensive, better for your skin, mattifying, lasts a long time
Cons: The application system is confusing at first (but you just have to use the brush all over your face using a shaking motion - I am a pro now!), not as much coverage as regular foundation (but I like just a tint)
Grade: A+
Where to buy: most drugstores and discount stores, Amazon.com ($7), drugstore.com ($12)

Product Review: Bath & Body Works Strike Gold

Being the bargain shopper that I am, I didn't buy any of the Bronze Bombshell line at Bath & Body Works because it simply was not on sale. I had my eye on several of the products, and when I walked in recently and saw that all those products were 50% off, I bought several of them to try. My favorite was this product - Strike Gold - a self-tanning lotion with an awesome bronzer so you can tell where you put this self-tanner.

As I have said before, I simply do not do the real tan thing for several reasons. 1. I don't tan EVER. Even when I burn, I don't get a tan afterward; 2. I don't like skin cancer; 3. It is hard for me to get to the tanning booths often enough to have a great tan. So I am always on the lookout for great sunless-tanning products.

Pros: The bronzer makes you look tan as soon as you smooth it on, as well as prevents streaks that often turn people off of sunless-tanning products. It has a great coconut-y smell. Also, your skin will be so smooth and feel so soft after use - you can use it in place of lotion. I like it better than the gradual tanners because it has more immediate results, but it doesn't have the scary streakiness associated with several tanners like this. The color is NATURAL!

Cons: You still have to smooth it on (a bit more labor-intensive than lying in a tanning bed), and you do need to wait until you are completely dry after your shower to prevent any strangeness from a water droplet.

GG Grade: A

happy tanning,
gg

Product Review: Cold Sore Cures

I have been stricken by the Cold Sore Monster so much in my lifetime that I rather not reflect on all the no-kissing, don't-drink-after-me, change-your-toothbrush-immediately, my-mouth-hurts-like-hell times. I had those little bastards all over my mouth much more than anyone ever should. Alas, I have tried many products to cure those things, and you can benefit from the mucho dinero that I have spent!

For those of you who were ever in 4-H or FFA or did some horse judging, you will sympathize with one of my cold sore stories - As a high school sophomore, me and my sister were on the State Champion Horse Judging Team that went to nationals. Of course, cold sores (aka fever blisters, canker sores, little bastards) are sometimes brought on by stress, and I was a little tense... OK, a LOT tense. I got not one, not two, not three, not four, but FIVE cold sores as I prepared to judge in Kentucky.

Pain like that not many people know - to make matters worse, when judging horses, you have to give your reasons for placing the class the way you did to a panel of judges who grade you on your public speaking abilities. When your lips are swollen and ravaged with five fever blisters, it's hard to talk, let alone be good at it. That sucked, but we still placed 8th in the nation!

But back to my product review. I have used many products in my lifetime for this. Today's review is of my two faves - they are amazing.

Aveeno Advanced Relief Cold Sore Treatment
Pros: All natural, makes your lips feel good, no sticky residue (unlike aloe vera), works quickly (if you put it on at the first sight of a sore, no one will even know you have one!)
Cons: Expensive, small amount, the packaging makes you sometimes squeeze out too much without a way to put it back OR you can't get enough out when the tube is almost empty
Grade: A
Price: around $10
Where to buy: drugstores, Target, Wal-Mart, drugstore.com, amazon.com (pack of 2)

C.O. Bigelow Medicated Mentha Lip Remedy
Pros: makes your lips feel great (tingly & wonderful), no sticky residue, works quickly, numbs your lips slightly so you don't feel the pain, smells & tastes delicious, cute & functional packaging, easy application
Cons: Bath & Body Works isn't everywhere
Grade: A+
Price: $9.50, or 3 for $15
Where to buy: Bath & Body Works stores or bathandbodyworks.com (if you buy 3 C.O. Bigelow lip care products, you get them for all for $15!)

Ones that did not work well for me: Herpecin-L, just straight aloe vera (yick), lysine supplements, carmex...

Happy Shopping!

gg

Should you buy it? Rusk Thermal STR8 Flat Iron Spray

I have had curly hair my entire life. As a young girl, I really struggled with the cascades of curls. I started looking much like Orphan Annie and by the time I was in high school, my hair was longer, but still difficult to make beautiful. Like most people, I wished my hair was straight because it was curly. I am sure I would have felt the opposite way if my hair was naturally straight!

I grew to love my hair, especially during college, because fixing curly hair was so easy and perfect for rushing to classes last minute or throwing up some last minute style for a night out on the town. Alas, it seems my beautiful curls have somewhat left me and been replaced by not-so-fun, somewhat un-pretty waves. With this new hair type, I am back at the beginning, struggling to make it work and be easy. In the interim of me mastering my hair, I have began straightening with a flat iron almost every time I wash it. I have extremely dry hair so I (gasp) don't wash my hair every day so I hope that can cut down the damage caused from the Chi flat iron I received for Christmas three years ago. Side note: The Chi straightener is AMAZING. Do not buy anything else but this; it is the best.

But back to my product evaluation. I have tried a few flat iron sprays to keep my hair healthy during the abuse I put it through while straigtening it. The ones I have tried include the Chi Iron Guard and Big Sexy Hair Soya Want Flat Hair and Rusk Thermal STR8. The best one, hands down, is the Rusk one.

Pros: Fine mist (the Chi version is a pump spray and not as effective), protects hair, leaves hair feeling silky (Big Sexy Hair attempt makes your hair NASTY - I used it once and threw it away.), makes it 10 times easier to use the flat iron, smells delicious (but I don't eat it:)

Cons: Tall bottle is hard to tote around to my boyfriend's and/or family's since I am gone almost every weekend

GG Grade: A+

Should you buy it? Gillette Venus Breeze

Your girly blogger is here to help you - by testing beauty products to give you more information for your future purchases. The first product is the Gillette Venus Breeze 2-in-1 razor. It is much like Schick's Intuition - a razor with the shaving gel/cream built in for easy use and quick showers. First of all, I was a hard-core Schick Intuition girl until recently. While shopping in the lovely Target, I found the Breeze on clearance. Now, I wish I didn't buy all those extra replacement razors for the Intuition in bulk from Amazon.com. Once I tried the Breeze, I decided it was much better than the Schick Intuition. So as soon as I run out of refill razors at my boyfriend's pad, I am going to have to replace that Intuition with a Breeze, too.

Pros: Smells good, leaves your legs feeling very silky, easier to maneuver around knees and ankles than Intuition, better bikini-area shave, less cumbersome

Cons: You could hate the smell, cartridges are expensive, have to hang to dry

GG Grade: A+

Let me know your grade by commenting below!