To Protect and… Detangle?

Sad sad news, somewhere during my trip to Bermuda I lost my beloved 12 Benefits.  I’m not sure exactly when this could have happened since I looked for it the day we arrived, but nonetheless it is gone.  Perhaps the man who checked my bag at the airport and then asked me for a tip took it as revenge – if so that’s a hell of a lot better than sending my luggage to the wrong destination so I’ll take it.

Rest Easy
2012-2013

In the meantime, my February BirchBox came and it a little bottle of Beauty Protector.  As an avid user of leave-in condition I was excited to give it a try.  I’ve realized it’s not as easy you think to find a leave-in condition that isn’t a cream that will make my hair all icky.  I’ve spent many hours hunting for Biolage leave-in spray at retailers where I have found it before only to be left empty-handed.  I found one place in town that had it, but it was like $20 a bottle and the bottles seemed to run out a bit too quickly.  Which is when I switched to this guy…

Who wouldn’t trust him?

Yes, I’m fully aware this is a cartoon octopus AND that the bottle clearly says kids.  But it is only like $2 and he has 8 hands WHO WOULDN’T want his help doing your hair, I certainly would.  If you are looking for an inexpensive product that is easy to grab at virtually any store, Dexter the Detangler up there is your guy (yes, that is now his name – all hail Dexter).

I’ve been using the Protector for about a week now and I’m kind of into it.

To Protect & Detangle… their motto, not mine

I only need a few sprays to cover my head = PLUS.

It quickly takes action and allows me to brush out my hair with ease = PLUS

Left my hair soft and shiny = PLUS

The scent stayed with my hair throughout the day = GIVE OR TAKE

Here’s why, the spray has vanilla undertones (only am I using undertones because the description claims lies that it’s a floral fragrance) which I loathe.  I love everything else vanilla, so much so that I begin to question whether any of these products, colognes, perfumes, etc. are actually vanilla scented or if it’s a gimmick to get those who are smelling-impaired to purchase them.

Scent of spray = MINUS

So my give or take was because I did notice my hair was A. scented and B. smelled pretty at the end of the day.  When my hair is wet, the smell is just too much for me.  After a long drive home Sunday morning, I hopped in the shower and decided to be extra lazy go against everything I believe in and let my hair air dry.  Not only do I HATE wet hair, it makes me and my shirt cold, but this scent of the leave-in seemed to intensify over time.  If my hatred for wet hair didn’t supersede my feelings for the scent of fake vanilla I would have washed my hair again before bed.

Despite this I still used BP this morning and promptly blow-dried while breathing through my mouth.  I plan to keep using it, but I don’t think its one I’ll add to my ‘must order straight away’ list.  Besides I still have a missing persons out on my 12 Benefits.

In all honestly, why can’t we all just agree to wear wigs?

THIS JUST IN:  Since BirchBox is my mail-order bestie, they sent me a 20% off coupon for our 6 month anniversary! BOOM keep me wanting more BirchBox keep me WANTING more.

Young Love ❤

Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Happy Valentines Day!  I hope you are having a great day and are spending it however and with whomever you choose, if you do choose.

Before I get into my latest Birch, I HAVE to throw out a huge apology.  When I decided to start this blog and eventually share it with the world, I vowed I would be a regular, perhaps even timely, blogger.  That my friends is still a promise I will honor, but I have some explaining to do.

Right after my last post (literally mere hours) I went off to run around Bermuda for a week in the Bermuda Triangle Challenge.  Bermuda was beautiful, the people were genuine and amazing, and the bathrooms have forever changed my ability to use a public restroom – they were pristine.  We ran a mile race Friday, 10K Saturday, and the rainy, hill half marathon Sunday morning.  The day after I got back from BDA (as they call it) I had my birthday celebration, 2 days later my last real semester of grad school started, the Ravens won the Super Bowl (I got off for the parade!), and then I went snowboarding.  Needless to say I’m just starting to figure out what the 3 classes I’m taking this semester actually are and could justify taking a few minutes to offer my pathetic apologies excuses to the universe.

Since it was 50 degrees and raining for the entire week I was in Bermuda I didn’t have many chances to conduct my dual review of Hot Mama – so stayed tuned, stand by – I will not lie.  However, there is a lovely little gem I’ve been dying to share and I’m super pumped to tell you all about it.

If you read my first post or gangster bio page you may recall an intense love for lip gloss or the story of The Shiny Christmas Lips of 2009.  Well I have been super sad because since my lips were so amazing shiny I quit cold-turkey.  I tried to get in on the lipstick fad, hell I spent last winter buying a lifetime supply of lipsticks trying to find the perfect red.  Why no one in the stores ever tried to offer advice (and earn a commission) is beyond me?  Perhaps because I already appeared to be “in the know” and looked super fab – I highly doubt it.  In the past few years I’ve pretty much stuck to a great chapstick and perhaps an old gloss when I stumble upon it while I’m looking for a bag to take out.  Old faithful is great, but a girl can only wear pink gloss from Victoria’s Secret from 2005 for so long before it just starts to look weird.  Welcome to weird!

A few months back BirchBox sent me a lovely tube called ModelCo SHINE (yay!) Ultra Lip Gloss; I’m instantly excited to provide my lips with the opportunity to get their sexy back when I noticed that not only is it shade that would work with a variety of skin tones and glossy, it also has a built-in mirror!

See that mustache hiding back there?

I actually really like the natural color of my lips and part of my great lipstick search was to find something similar but with some gloss or matte stick.  Everything I found ended up looking like a weird shade of purple and the signs of impending frostbite.  I’m quite happy with ModelCo, although it appears super pink in the tube, once it has been applied it matches my lips spot on, yet provides the bit of pop I was looking for with a glossy finish.  It isn’t too sticky or really sticky at all (for a gloss) now that I think about it.  When I first noticed the built-in mirror I thought, “hm cool idea, useful, not that big of a deal,” because the old me, the lip gloss maven, could have selected from a crowd and flawlessly applied plumper and gloss within a second in the dark.  Well present day me apparently cannot and has found great solace in the mirror, allowing for parking lot or bus (if in BDA) primps without having to run to a bathroom mirror or bar window (Caseys!)  Since it isn’t very sticky when applied it also isn’t too gloopy on the wand, my tube has pretty much stayed intact without mess for the past couple of months.

Added benefit?  It smells delicious!  I’ll never forget my very first dance recital, my mom put this red lip gloss on me that tasted great, obviously if this taste has followed me for the past 23 years it was memorable.  Well, this smells like that tasted, and since I’m no longer 4 years old I shouldn’t necessarily be choosing my beauty products by taste – actually I’m not even sure if scent is acceptable at this point.  All in all, I’ve been impressed and pleased with my ModelCo friend.  If I happen to stumble upon it in real-life shopping  I’m excited to see the different shades and products available.

Pucker up & Gloss on!