Review: Number 4 Sugar Texturizing Spray

Hi everyone! I'm sorry there has been so much radio silence over here in the blog! Pregnancy has been kicking my butt this entire time and there is just so much to do to get ready for the baby. He will be here in two days! :o

I plan to try to get back into blog once things settle down a bit. In the meantime, I wanted to share a product I've been using to help with my getting ready routine while I've been pregnant. I was contacted to try a new texturizing spray from Number 4 and wanted to share my experiences with it.

Here's some information on the product:

Number 4 Hair Care Ignites a Texture Transformation with New Sugar Texturizing Spray

Number 4™ Jour d'automne™ Sugar Texturizing Spray denounces salt while heralding sugar in a declaration of sweet love for hair texture that is perfectly undone. Transform limp, lackluster strands into loose, touchably soft, "beach inspired" waves with a nourishing blend of sugar and flexible styling aids. Sugar Texturizing Spray aids in style defense against humidity to help build a long-lasting relationship with texture that's more than just a summer fling.   To fully comprehend the vast benefits of Sugar Texturizing Spray, let's start with a little comparison in a sugar versus salt battle for your hair's affections: Salts o  Can irritate hair, skin and even eyes o  Can strip hair of its essential oils and hair color, causing dry, brittle, lifeless hair   Sugars o  Moisturizing o  Can strengthen hair o  Can deliver soft waves              HOW IT WORKS: Number 4 Sugar Texturizing Spray achieves hair texture through simple sugar cane molecules and flexible styling aids producing a lattice of soft structure and haphazard patterns of loose, shiny waves.    HOW TO USE: Spray through mid-lengths to ends. Scrunch, tousle, blow dry with a diffuser, or air dry as desired.   RESULTS: Hair in need of a texture reboot will thrive with a sweet misting of Sugar Texturizing Spray. Create a transformative element of style with staying power-the undone, "beachy" wave. Flex net resins help keep glossy texture intact despite unfavorable conditions of heat and humidity, while anti-static properties provide extra nourishment.   PROPERTIES: Color Protecting, Anti-Aging, Vegan, Cruelty Free, Gluten Free, Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, and Paraben Free. Fragrance Notes: Tonka Beans, Patchouli, Spanish Moss.   PRICE/AVAILABILITY: Number 4 Sugar Texturizing Spray 4.9OZ is available in salons and select retailers nationwide. Suggested Retail Price is $22.00. For a complete listing, please visit www.number4hair.com.   About Number 4: Innovative, Lightweight, Color Protecting, Anti-Aging Formulas. 100% Vegan, Gluten Free, Sulfate & Sodium Chloride Free, Paraben Free. The Ultimate Hair Care Experience.  California based Number 4 High Performance Hair Care was founded to define new stylistic territories in newfound creative and artistic capacities.  Our collection represents a strategic alliance of styling, hydrating, volumizing and essential products to deliver a unique voice in the hair care and beauty industry.

I used the product on a day when I did not blow dry my hair. I let it air dry and added some of the texturizing spray while it was still damp, and scrunched it as it dried. It added some cute loose waves that were perfect for a casual look.

Especially now that I'm pregnant, I don't want to have to do a ton of work on my hair to get ready for the day. I'm tired and I want to sleep in. This allows me to quickly add a bit of volume and shape to my hair in no time at all!

I have really thick hair, so the body it added was kind of out of control lol but it definitely worked! The one thing I wasn't crazy about was the scent of the spray. It's got a "Jour d'autumn" scent, which is pretty, but with the weather getting warmer, I would have preferred something more summery, light and fresh. It's definitely a fall scent. It will be nice when the weather gets cooler, too.

I also tried this product as just a volumizer  before I blowdried, curled and styled it. It definitely seemed to add body and texture to the style I was going for!

I love how it turned out!

Overall, I really liked this spray. I would have preferred a somewhat lighter scent for spring/summer but other than that it was great. It really added some definition and volume to either a lazy, casual style or a more done up look.

Check out Number 4 on social media to try this and other great products! :)

W: number4hair.com                                                                                                

F: facebook.com/Number4Hair

T: twitter.com/number4haircare

I:  instagram.com/number4haircare

**I received this product for free in exchange for my honest opinions. All opinions are my own and are not affected by the way in which I received this product. Please see my disclosure statement for more information.**

Review: Influenster Revive Vox Box

*Press sample*

Hi everyone! I have something non-polish-related today. I recently received the Revive VoxBox from Influenster and I am SO excited to share it with you. This box is amazing!

Here's a look at all the loot! Tons of goodies in this box :)

First up, I received a Body Tech shaker bottle. The bottle has a spout cover that snaps in place for easy traveling ability without worrying your shake is going to spill everywhere. There is a little plastic apparatus inside that breaks up the powder to blend your shake 100%, leaving no chunks of powder behind.

I also received three samples of protein powder. This first one is Plnt Vanilla flavored Plant Protein. I have to be totally honest - I didn't like this at all. I blended it with milk rather than water because I really don't like the way these kinds of shakes taste with water. I blended it using the blender bottle provided. It was chalky and the vanilla flavor tasted unnatural. It left an unpleasant aftertaste as well. I didn't even finish the whole shake. Just not for me. It might be okay blended in smoothies, but I'm not a fan of it plain.

Next up is the Whey Tech Pro 24 protein powder in Strawberries & Cream. This is actually the first one I tried, so I made it as directed - with 8 oz of water. Again, I really did not like this. I do think I would have liked this one okay if I had used milk instead, but I wanted to try it as the package instructed. The strawberry flavor was overwhelming and tasted artificial or almost plastic-y. Not a fan. :(

Lastly, The Vitamin Shoppe Next Step Fit n Full Shake in Cookies and Cream. This one was by far my favorite. I mixed this with 8 oz of cold milk in the blender bottle provided. It was really good. Tasted just like a melted Oreo milkshake, very creamy and flavorful without the artificial taste that the others seemed to have. This one I drank all of! :)

My next item in the box was the SnackWell's Biscuit Thins in Caramel Macchiato flavor. I loved these!! They were a perfect on-the-go breakfast. I threw this in my bag on the way to work and munched on them throughout the morning. I didn't notice a ton of extra energy from the coffee or anything, but I did notice that I felt full all the way until lunch. The taste is great too. The coffee flavor is not too overwhelming.

Next up is probably my favorite item in this box - Coffee!! I was super excited to try these compostable pods - I have never tried anything like that before.

All three of these were great, but the Kauai Coffee in Garden Isle was incredible!! I think it's my new favorite coffee now. I looked for it the last time I went grocery shopping, but my grocery stores didn't seem to carry it. I must find it - the taste is just amazing, it was so smooth and flavorful. I still haven't figured out how to do composting in my neighborhood, but I am working on that. :)

Lastly, I received a sample of Shea Moisture Fruit Fusion Coconut Water Weightless Shampoo & Creme Rinse. I was unsure how this was going to work out because it is made for fine to medium hair and I have extremely coarse, thick hair. I actually really liked this shampoo and creme rinse. My hair felt really light, soft, fresh and clean and the scent was amazing. It is so summery and the coconut is not overwhelming. My hair smelled great even the whole next day. I want to look into it to see if they make a thick hair version and then I would definitely consider purchasing a full size set. :)

All in all, I really loved this box. The shaker bottle has already gotten a lot of use and the samples I have tried have given me some great insights into some new products that I would like to continue to use in the future. I need to hunt down that Kauai coffee!!

Thanks for reading <3
Kelly

The products in the above review were provided to me in exchange for my honest opinions. The manner in which I receive the products does not affect my opinion. I am not being compensated for this post. Please see my disclosure statement for more information. 

Dollish Polish: I Just Want Them to Know, They Didn't Break Me

Hi everyone! Today I'm sharing a quick swatch from a while back. I knew as soon as I saw this polish, I had to have it. This is Dollish Polish I Just Want Them to Know, They Didn't Break Me. 

I love the movie Pretty in Pink, and I love this quote!! And, the polish looked so delicate and pretty. I've used three coats here, but could have probably gotten away with two. I topped it off with HK Girl!

I loved this polish. It looks like it's not for sale anymore :( but keep your eyes peeled for blog sales. It is definitely worth picking up.

Thanks for looking! <3
Kelly

Review: Born Pretty Store clear stamper and Konad White

*Press sample*

Hi everyone! I'm super excited to share today's post with you guys. I finally have my official review ready for the Born Pretty Store clear stamper!! I know it seems like everyone has come out with a clear stamper lately, and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So, the last time Daisy from Born Pretty contacted me to ask me to review for them, I knew one of the products I wanted to test was the clear stamper. I also picked Konad stamping polish in white to review, so I'll be sharing my thoughts on that with you today, too! :)

First up, let's have a look at the clear stamper. 

It comes with a scraper, which I honestly don't use. I use old gift cards or the Bundle Monster scrapers because I have much better luck. You can see in the picture that this stamper is VERY sticky! I wiped it with acetone when I first got it, but by the time I got around to taking pictures, it apparently had picked up some cat hair lol, and I didn't notice until I went to edit pictures. 

And here is the Konad polish I tested out. I had tried Konad in Black and it was hands down the best stamping polish I had used, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on the white, for stamping over darker colors. 

For this review, I decided to try out one of my new Bundle Monster plates, from the Fuzzy and Ferocious set. 

These plates have some super adorable images! Here I've shown how the image looked like when I picked it up with the clear stamper and using the Konad white polish.

This next picture shows what it looks like when you are looking through the clear stamper onto your canvas that you will be stamping on. I've shown it over one of the black sections of my Lotus Mat so you can clearly see the image. You can see how easy it is to get perfect placement when you can see all the way through to your canvas.

I had done a sloppy job of wiping off my Lotus Mat previously lol. But you can see how clearly the image transferred onto the mat. This stamper is SUPER squishy and the images come out so crisp and clear. I love that!!

Next up are some photos of the full mani I did using this clear stamper and Konad white. I used the same method as shown above. I looked through the stamper to make sure the image was exactly where I wanted it before pressing down. I used a base of Cult Nails I Got Distracted for the base of this mani because it reminded me of underwater creatures! :)

Before, I rarely took on stamping images that had to go a certain way to look correct. I much preferred flowy designs or patterns that wouldn't look that strange if they weren't completely straight, because I was not great at placing. I just kind of stamped on my nails and hoped it was right lol. Since using the clear stamper, I feel like I can stamp anything! I love being able to see exactly where it is going to go and knowing it's perfect instead of just hoping. :)

I loved how this look turned out, and I got so many compliments on it! I was so happy with both the stamper and the polish. The polish is super opaque and picks up and transfers really well.

Overall, my impression of both of these items is that now that I've used them, I can't live without either one!! I HIGHLY recommend, if you haven't yet, picking up a clear stamper. Born Pretty Store's version is very affordable at only 2.99 USD, and you can see the listing here. The Konad White stamping polish retails for 12.06 USD but it is definitely worth the price. One bottle lasts forever because it's only used for stamping. You can see the listing for the Konad polish here. There are other colors as well.

If you do decide to buy these or any other items from Born Pretty Store, be sure to use my code below to get 10% off your entire order. And, as always, BPS offers free international shipping!! :)

Thanks for reading!
<3 Kelly

Stamped Sweater Nails

Hi everyone! It was a chilly day here in Ohio so I think it's the perfect opportunity to show you these sweater nails I did a while back. 

I used one of my Vivid Lacquer plates for this design. I can't remember the base color for the life of me, but it might be OPI Did You Ear About Van Gogh? I stamped with Zoya Norra. 

I had just picked up Norra so I wasn't sure how opaque it was going to be or if it would even work for stamping, but it ended up working great. I topped it off with a coat of HK Girl. I love that sweater stamping plate!! It made my nails feel all warm and fuzzy. Perfect for those breezy days in spring. I feel like we are headed out of winter and I can't wait!! :)

Thanks for looking! <3
Kelly

St. Patrick's Day nail art!

Hi everyone! Sorry for being so quiet. We are still in the home-buying process and it is taking a lot out of me! But I did manage to sneak in some St. Patrick's themed nails. :) I actually did these telling myself they were going to be good luck nails to make our house close faster, and it worked! The next day, we got a call that our closing date had been moved up 2 weeks. So, just saying - I have magic powers. ;)

Here's a look at what I came up with. 

I started with a gradient of Zoya Bevin and Zoya Evvie, and added an accent nail of Pahlish The Forest Moon. I snapped a shot before I started the actual gradient, after I had applied my Glisten & Glow Ctrl-Alt-Delete latex barrier. This product is an absolute must for me when doing gradients!

After the gradient was done and I did a coat of HK Girl I started stamping with my Born Pretty Store clear stamper and Born Pretty Store stamping polishes (*full review of both coming soon!*). I stamped with BM-H04, BM-H05, and W105.

Without this clear stamper, I could have never done this design, I'm totally hooked! I was able to get the celtic knot design straight down the middle of the nail, the shamrock perfectly centered and right side up. And the Born Pretty stamping polishes (I used Green and Silver for this design) transferred great and made for clear, crisp images. I love how the shimmer catches the light! I finished it all off with another coat of HK Girl.

I got so many compliments on this mani, and like I said, it did bring me luck! :) I took these photos after almost a full work week of wear, so I thought they held up really well. I am so excited to keep trying this clear stamper with other designs, and to try the other shades of stamping polishes.

If you're interested in trying out this clear stamper, stamping polishes, or any other products from Born Pretty Store, be sure to use my coupon code to save 10% on your entire order!

Thanks for looking! <3
Kelly

Review: Maple Holistics Degrease shampoo and Dead Sea mud mask!

Hi everyone! Sorry about the absence. We have been house hunting for a few months now and it is incredibly stressful! I have still been doing my nails, just haven't been posting, so sorry about that.

Today I am back to show you some products from Maple Holistics. I was contacted by them a while back to review some of their products. I chose the Degrease Shampoo and the Dead Sea Mud Mask! :)

I wanted to try the Degrease shampoo because my hair tends to be oily, no matter what I do! I have tried "training" my hair by washing less often, but nothing seems to work! :( So I figured this couldn't hurt to try. 

Overall, I really liked this shampoo. It didn't lather quite as much as my usual shampoo. It has a nice minty scent, but not overpowering. My hair is really thick so I was concerned with it not lathering as well that I wouldn't be able to get my hair really clean all the way down to the scalp, but it wasn't a problem. I didn't use conditioner when I tried this shampoo. My hair did end up feeling very clean and not oily at all. I didn't wash it again all that weekend and it still felt clean!

Overall, I really liked this shampoo. It did what it set out to do and left my hair feeling super clean and not oily or greasy at all. I just wished it lathered a little better so it wasn't as much effort to get clean all the way down to the scalp, but that's a minor complaint. I have been using this since and would definitely recommend it if you have oily hair. 

Next up, the Dead Sea Mud Mask. I was so excited to try this! I have never done a mud mask before. My skin has been breaking out slightly and I have had some dry spots, so I was hoping this would help with that. 

I thought this stuff looked so cool! It really looks just like mud lol. The scent is great - very earthy and natural.

I just scooped some out with my fingers and applied to my whole face. At first, it feel really cool and refreshing. These photos were taken when the mud mask was still wet, soon after I applied it.

After about 10 minutes, the mask had mostly dried. You can tell when it's dry because it tightens up and it's harder to move your face.

I left it on for about 10 more minutes once it had fully dried, and then washed off with warm water. After it was all washed off, my skin did feel very refreshed. It felt tight, but in a good way - like it was toned up. I did have a bit of redness because my skin is very sensitive, but it went away in a short period of time, and that could have been from scrubbing with the warm water most likely.

I really loved this product! I have been using this every couple of weeks when I feel like my skin needs a refresher. And there isn't even a dent in the jar - I feel like this will last forever. I highly recommend this for anyone who has trouble skin or just wants a deep clean every so often.

Check out these and the other products at Maple Holistic's website!

Thanks for reading! <3
Kelly