Fragrant Jewels bath bomb review

I have been buying products from the Fragrant Jewels collection for several years now and figured it was time I wrote a review with my opinion of the bath bombs, wax tarts and candles. I actually have mixed reviews here, because some of my experiences were amazing and others kind of sucked!

It starts back in 2016 when I ordered a bath bomb & candle set from their Wicked collection along with the Warm & Cozy wax tart set. I've placed a few orders over the years and have tried their candles, bath bombs, mini bath bomb sets and wax melts. I will start by saying the scents are strong and have all been very nice and the rings are usually quite lovely.

Inside every bath bomb, candle, scrub or melt set comes a costume jewelry ring. You get a code with your ring and you enter it online to find out the value of your ring. All of my rings have been valued in the $10-$25 range. Supposedly you can get rings up to $10,000 value...though I've never personally seen anyone get them.

The Shark Tank skin cream scam

By now you've seen the advertisements (mostly on Facebook). You hit the ad and a video pops up showing the so called 'inventors' of this miracle product on a TV show applying the cream and the models wrinkles literally vanish in front of your eyes. How can you not want this product? With phrases like "as seen on Shark Tank" and celebrity endorsements it seems like legit product.

These anti aging creams makes great claims that it reduces bags and wrinkles and makes you look much younger. You literally watch it happen! They offer a "free trial, pay only shipping". Once you order the cream for under $5 it takes you to a page with the eye serum offered for about the same shipping price. 

It sounds like a great deal! At no point does it say anything about paying full price after your 'trial' is up or an automatic shipment plan. 

What you really sign up for....

Unfortunately, that's exactly what you are agreeing to...full price and monthly shipments. Not only do you owe the full purchase  price if you don't return the product within a short amount of time (I think 2 weeks) but they charge your credit card an additional $1.49 service charge then refuse to remove it! 

Then they send you a new shipment and bill you for it, every month after!

To make matters worse...it NEVER was on Shark Tank. Or the Today show. It's not endorsed by celebrities, in fact...this skin cream is not endorsed by anyone!

My experiences began as so many others have, with a Facebook ad for a product called Coal Cosmetics ... there are over a dozen different names they use though, so keep reading for proof!.

I cannot stress enough that nowhere in any part of the advertisements did it say I would eventually be charged full price! I read very carefully thinking there might be a catch but found nothing. I went ahead and ordered the product. 

My credit card was charged with the 3 charges, 1 for each product and then that random other charge. The weird thing is, the 3 charges came with 3 different company names and phone numbers attached (see image, click to enlarge). While this was odd, I really wasn't worried too much about that third charge as it wasn't even $2.

Loreal Color Vibrancy Intensive : Review

This post was sponsored by Influenster.

A little over a month ago I got a package in the mail from Loreal and Influenster. It contained 3 full size products from the Color Vibrancy Intensive line: shampoo, conditioner & post-color repair mask. This is perfect for me because my hair is lightened every 2 months at a salon and as such has quite a bit of damage. Some shampoos make it feel dry and brittle, and I've spent a lot of money over the years on salon brands to minimize the damage. I was looking forward to trying this since I had heard great things about it, and the cost was considerably less then what I had been shelling out.

Since the original writing of this post L'Oreal has changed the name of this product to Elvive, Color Vibrancy. I was going to remove this review but after trying the newly branded shampoo and conditioner, I decided to leave it up since it's pretty much just a name change....the product has remained the same. 

Best makeup subscription box

I really feel that Sephora play! is going to be the subscription box of the year. I have ordered many makeup subscriptions over the years and the boxes I have gotten from Sephora Play! have been my favorite so far. Once you see what was in my box for January 2017, I think you'll agree it's a nice selection. 

First of all, you get 6 things per month not 5 like Ipsy. Well, you get 5 plus a perfume sample. I also love the little drawstring bags they send in the Sephora box. I have liked many of the Ipsy bags over the years, but you really can only use so many of those and I literally have 2 dozen that I'm not using (and another half dozen that I sent to the thrift store because they just weren't cute) These drawstring bags are more versatile and I've just adored every one that I've seen so far!

Sutra hair straightener. Flat iron review

I purchased this Sutra hair straightener at the Great Lakes Crossing mall after being interrupted while shopping. I was slightly confused because the demonstration lady kept telling me it would not damage my hair because it works with steam. I asked her where you put the water in and she said "no water, steam...it doesn't need water" 

I was a little baffled but she curled and straightened parts of my hair with it and showed me how to use it. I didn't want to buy it but she went on and on about the lifetime warranty and that I can bring it back if there is ever a problem. With those terms, I agree and bought it.

She told me my hair would stay curled for 2 days. It had fallen out by morning, so I tried to straighten it myself. I used the same setting she did and it fried my hair! I washed my hair and let it air dry then tried straightening it again and still pieces were breaking off. I decided to take it back and she told me there were NO REFUNDS but I could get another straightener or other products. Basically, you can take it back...but you can't have your money back! 

Package warnings

But wait it gets better....below is a picture of the safety instructions. This includes the line: Do not use with bare feet. I found this extremely confusing until I mentioned it at work and the electrical guy said it had to do with grounding. I take that to mean they don't have any confidence in the safety of the electric cords in the device! I also find it very telling that they used light grey type on a white background. It's almost like they wanted it to be hard to read. Hmmm?

NeoCell Beauty Bursts: Review

This month I got to try NeoCell Beauty Bursts gourmet collagen soft chews. These collagen chews are said to help with hair, skin and nail health! If you've been following along here you'll know how much I try to take care of my health naturally. I also try to take amazing care of my skin because at 44....I am just not getting any younger! I've been reviewing supplements, lotions and potions trying to find the best products and I'm pretty confident I stumbled onto one of the best this time!

NeoCell Beauty Bursts

This skin health supplement contains:
Super collagen: Skin rebuilder 
Hyaluronic Acid: Skin hydration
Vitamin C: Collagen enhancer

From the package:
Having beautiful and radiant skin has never been so easy- or so delicious. NeoCell Beauty Bursts deliver high absorption in delectable gourmet soft chews. 

Super collagen 1& 3 is the body's beauty protein and strengthens skin, hair and nails. Hyaluronic Acid is known as "Natures Moisturizer" and hydrates the skin. Vitamin C is essential to boosting collagen in the skin.

These three beauty nutrients work together to build beautiful skin from the inside out.

I tried these Beauty Bursts in Super Fruit Punch flavor. They were very good. They didn't taste like a vitamin. They were not chalky or gritty like some vitamin chews. They had more of a candy like taste. These are definitely something I could easily add to my diet.  

This sounds amazing, right? But.....does it work? I have been taking these soft chews for awhile now and my skin feels considerably less dry then it has been. It make sense since collagen is a key anti aging supplement. Besides, you're better off taking your collagen in a supplement then in a cream. Collagen molecules are too large to be absorbed through your skin from a cream, so it makes much more sense to put them on the inside then the outside now doesn't it?

You can order them on Amazon right here: 

 
The package contains 60 so each bag is a 1 month supply. I have found these in other flavors and I'll be trying all of them to see which ones I like the best, but so far the fruit punch is a definitel winner!

~L

I received this item for free in exchange for an honest review. Opinions, experiences and images are all mine. 

This post contains affiliate links. If you chose to purchase something through the link, I will get a small payment from Amazon. It will not affect your purchase price. Click for full disclosure.

Glow Matrix skin Hydrator: review

We all suffer from skin dryness in winter, right? The heater kicks on or the fireplace is running and suddenly the air is so dry you shock yourself walking across the room. It's really not so bad until you realize what it does to your skin! 

Add that to an aging complexion and the winter can make me look like...ouch! It's a struggle every year so I was super excited when I got the opportunity to try Glow Matrix Skin Hydrator by NeoCell. I had used their products before with great results so I couldn't wait to give this a try!

A scientifically crafted blend of nutrients, promoting hydration in the skin while combating free radicals for hydrates and glowing skin, and a healthy collagen matrix.

After a few weeks I noticed that my skin doesn't feel as dry as usual when I wake up in the morning. My face is normally dry and tight feeling but it isn't as dry now. The skin on my arms often gets itchy form being dry and I've had a lot less itching too. I like the fact that this works on all your skin because as I age, I notice it showing in my skin everywhere! 

I don't mind buying anti-aging face products but buying body products also is going to get expensive real quick! This is a 'one dose covers your whole body & face' type of treatment and I believe it's working for me.

These Glow Matrix capsules contain many vitamins and minerals including 100% daily value or more of: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Vitamin K2, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6. They also contain their own Glow Matrix blend including pine bark and ceramides! There are 30 capsules in a bottle and the recommended dose is 3 capsules a day. 

You can purchase the item here on Amazon though you will notice that the packaging has changed. Apparently the neocell company has rebranded and changed all their various products to have the same theme colors/images etc. Same product, different package.

I recommend this product for anyone feeling like their skin is a little dry or those of us with aging skin. It definitely gives my skin a boost! I hope you like it as much as I do!

Vitamin A 100% daily value, Vitamin C 100% daily value, Vitamin D3 250% daily value, Vitamin E 200% daily value, Vitamin K2 250% daily value, Vitamin B2 1471% daily value, Vitamin B6 500% daily value and Selenium 71% daily value. - See more at: http://iamthemakeupjunkie.blogspot.com/2015/11/review-neocell-glow-matrix-advanced.html#sthash.oYxKNzJG.dpuf

~L

Want to be 'in the know' the moment a new post is published? Sign up for my newsletter right here and I'll email you with every new post! (maximum once a week!) I received this item for free in exchange for an honest review. Opinions, experiences and images are all mine. 

This post contains affiliate links. If you chose to purchase something through the link, I will get a small payment from Amazon. It will not affect your purchase price. Click for full disclosure.

Bamboo washcloth review

I was given the opportunity to try out and review bamboo washcloths for the first time. I had read about how soft they were but in my head that didn't make sense at all. Bamboo is not a soft plant! Needless to say, I was very curious. My face is overly sensitive because of the medication I'm on so I'm always looking for soft washcloths to use. 

I use the prescription cream Retin A on my face every night. It makes the skin sensitive to rough fabrics and a nubby washcloth will literally rub the first layer of skin off my face and I look like I have burn patches! It happens on a weekly basis. 

YvesSaintLaurent Mascara

When I heard from Influenster that I was getting their Yves Saint Laurent VIP box I was super excited! I've used Yves Saint Laurent products for years off and on and they make some of my favorite things. I received a tube of Yves Saint Laurent's Mascara Volume Effect Faux Cils to review. I couldn't wait to try this product! It had been about a year since I last used YSl mascara so I was eager to check out this *new* Lash care Formula. 

It arrived in a little black block with the YSL logo emblazoned on the side. Inside the box was an advertising card with the details of the product. Nestled in a bed of jet black tissue paper was the shiny gold box that contained the mascara. This tube is a pretty little thing! It's one of the few mascaras that I wouldn't mind just laying on my dresser instead of hiding it in my makeup drawer. I immediately had to try this stuff! 

I applied 2 coats to my clean lashes. The wand held enough product to get a nice application without being too wet and heavy on the lashes. The information card had called it a 'remastered formula' and this is definitely the best YSL mascara I have ever used! It made my lashes appear longer without clumping and it didn't give me the dreaded 'spider lashes'. I've worn it all day, several times and it never flaked or smudged. I have been using Benefit's 'They're Real" for the last few months but am definitely switching to this mascara! 

If interested in trying this mascara you can purchase it on Amazon for about $30 a tube. It is also sold in department stores like Macy's and cosmetic stores like Sephora. I really think you'll like it....let me know what you think!

~L

Once again, this item was sent to me by a influenster in exchange for my honest review.

This post contains affiliate links. If you chose to purchase something through the link, I will get a small payment from Amazon. It will not affect your purchase price. Click for full disclosure.

Wen review (damaged hair)

I'm going to write out a quick review for the Wen hair care products by Chaz Dean. I've been using the cleansing conditioner for over a year now and since hubby just bought me a new supply...I thought I'd give my opinion of it. I NEED to mention that these items were a gift from my husband and I was not paid for this review and the reason I have decide to write a review is because of all the drama with people having problems with wen. I have had great results when using wen...so here they are!

However, I will link to the products on Amazon and if you chose to buy it through those links Amazon will give me a small amount for sending you to them. (this will not alter your price) I would not even be writing this is I didn't love the products so I wholeheartedly endorse them. UPDATE: Amazon has pulled the original wen products from their site. The other products like spray in conditioner and styling cream are still available.

Using Wen on badly damaged hair

That being said, I  must confess: I do not know what color my hair is. There, I've admitted it! I was born blonde, but my roots grow in dark now. It's been so long since I've let it grow in more than an inch or so that I'm not really sure what color it would be. Which means I bleach it. A LOT! My hair is dry and damaged from all this processing and I was constantly using deep conditioners and treatments.