bstylish with girlymama

i swear by my: ouchless hair elastics

Yes.  That's right.  I'm writing to you about hair elastics.

What am I, twelve?

In all seriousness though, investing in good hair elastics can save your hair!  While we all love throwing our hair back in a messy ponytail, tying a tight band around your hair not only leave kinks, but creates a weak spot in the hair shaft.  And that can only result in hair breakage.  Not to mention, elastics can so easily get stuck in hair causing you to pull out chunks when trying to free your hair band from your mane.

The solution?  Head to your nearest drugstore and splurge on some quality hair elastics.  And by splurge I mean toss $2.99 on the counter.  Goody Ouchless Hair Elastics not only hold your hair in place, but the wrapped band and lack of metal fastener reduce the risk of the hair band becoming tangled in your hair.  Easy to wear, easy to take out and light on the wallet.   What's not to love.

So yes, I'm writing to you about hair elastics.  Because it's probably the one hair item you and I use the most, so why not make sure you're getting good ones?

review: conair ion shine hair dryer

I just got this Conair Lightweight Ionic Ceramic Styler Dryer for Christmas and I totally love it! (I really needed a new hairdryer - my old one smelled like burning metal when I used it.) This one is fantastic!

Its super light and very quiet. I'm amazed at how quickly it dries my hair - my hair usually takes a really looooong time to dry. But with this I can dry my hair in  about 5 minutes. It has three heat settings, two speed settings, and three attachments, so you have a lot of options to customize your styling.

I was in Target the other day and saw my new hair dryer... and it was on sale for only $20!! I am amazed that such a great hair dryer can be so affordable (especially compared to some of the $100 models on the market right now).

Give it a try!

review: l'oreal eversleek intense smoothing shampoo and conditioner

I usually use whatever shampoo we have hanging around.

I know. Some of you just gasped in horror, I'm sure.

I really don't put too much thought into my shampoo and conditioner. I'm all about the products - I have a product I use after my shower before I blow-dry that makes my hair look fabulous, so I guess I'd rather spend my money on styling products than shampoos.

I recently passed over my "whatever is in the shower" method to try out the new L'Oreal EverSleek Intense Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner. And I was surprised at the difference it made.

My hair was super smooth and soft - even before I do all my styling routines and just air drying.  I love the scent - very gentle and natural smelling. (I do NOT like really smelly shampoos.)  And its sufate-free, so it protects your color. I've hated the other sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners I've tried, they made my hair feel like straw. Gross.  So I highly recommend EverSleek if you have color-treated hair!

I did find that EverSleek was a little heavy for my hair. The next day my hair was much greasier then usual, so if you have thin hair like me, this conditioner may be too much for you. But my hair isn't colored right now, so I'm thinking that when my hair is highlighted (and dried out) this might be perfect.

And the best part? EverSleek Intense Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner retail for around $6. Now that's a splurge I can handle!

disclosure: i received samples of eversleek to review. i was not compensated financially for this post and, as always, all opinions are my own.

i swear by my: L'Oreal Magic Perfecting Base

I tried out L'Oreal's Studio Secret Magic Perfecting Base a few months ago. I just had a small sample that I picked up and gave it a whirl one morning.

Then, the next day, I went online and ordered three more.

Yes. It is that fabulous!

This primer is not only super affordable, retailing for around $12, but it minimizes pores really well and leaves my skin feeling super smooth and soft. It says you can wear it alone as well, just enjoying the super-smooth matte finish, but I usually layer it under my mineral foundation and it works beautifully! You skin will have perfect texture all day long.

This is one of my favorite beauty products on the market right now - I highly recommend it!

disclosure: i received a sample of magic perfecting base to review but, as always, all opinions are mine.

review: l'oreal voluminous million lashes mascara

If I was going to be shipped to a desert island and I had to pick just one makeup item, it would probably be mascara. Its a necessity.

I've tried tons. I've found a select few that I like, and tons that were thrown out almost immediately. So I was certainly game to try out L'Oreal's new Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara.

LOVE!!!

Before: What lashes?

(please ignore badly-needing-to-be-waxed eyebrows. thank you.)

After: HELLO, Lashes!

Jeez, they practically reach my eyebrows! And that's after just one coat!

What makes this mascara amazing is the "Clean-Sweep" Wiping System brush: its specifically designed to eliminate clumps, so your lashes get a clean, more natural look - not like you just piled on a ton of mascara.  I love it!

This mascara stayed on all day, with no raccoon eyes, and washes off easily at the end of the day. I not only wear contacts, but I have sensitive eyes, and this mascara did not bother me at all.

I HIGHLY recommend this one! L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara retails for under $9 and is available at Target and other drugstores. 

disclosure: i received samples of this mascara to review. i was not compensated financially for this post and, as always, all opinions are my own.

review: raw minerals

You know those people who roll out of bed and flaunt their flawless skin?

Yeah, that's not me.

I'm one of the uh, less-blessed people in the skin department.  As in blotchy and uneven are two very well known words in my world.

So I was thrilled to be able to try out RAW minerals foundation and active finishing veil to see if perhaps I could achieve that coveted airbrushed look! 

What they say: "Our ultra-fine mineral foundations go on naturally with a weightless, silky feel and blend perfectly into skin to balance your complexion. The pigments are highly concentrated, so a single application seamlessly covers imperfections such as dark spots, redness and acne, and the hydrating formula won’t cake, dry out skin or settle into fine lines or pores.  Active Veil was designed to be worn over Active Mineral Foundations to diffuse light and give your skin a smooth, soft glow as though it had been airbrushed." 

What I say: While the foundation blended effortlessly, I needed two to three applications to get the coverage I wanted.  I loved that the foundation felt like I had nothing on and didn't rub off on any of my clothes! And unlike most makeups, RAW Minerals foundation has natural active botanicals and antioxidants that protect skin from radical damage. 

The Active Veil also went on light and clean, and gave my skin a soft glow as promised.  The only issue I had was that I really wasn't a fan of the makeup's fragrance.  The Active Veil did keep my makeup on the entire day (I'm talking 14 hours plus here).  And it doesn't hurt that it has SPF 18 thrown in as well!

Overall, I did like the end result, I just wish I didn't have to use so much of the foundation to achieve the look.  At $90 for the starter set, the price is a tad steep, but worth it if you are coveting that airbrushed look.  Feeling pressured by the price?  No worries, you can try RAW Minerals makeup for 30 days risk-free.  Not a fan?  Just return it!

 

disclosure: i received a raw minerals starter kit to review. i was not compensated financially for this post and, as always, all opinions are my own.

L'Oreal Youth Code

I recently got to try out L'Oreal Youth Code, their new line of anti-aging skin products.

Love.

LOVE.

This is anti-aging skin care for me. I'm in my early 30s, so I don't need really severe (and super expensive) products yet, but I certainly need to step things up a bit in the anti-wrinkle department.

L'Oreal Youth Code provides the most advanced skincare technology and improves skin on the genetic level. Basically, the line helps your skin boast its rejuvenation levels so that skin looks younger. As the box advertises, "Reduces signs of stress, fatigue and aging." I don't know about you, but that sounds right up my alley! Yes, Please!

Youth Code Day/Night Cream is a luxurious moisturizing cream that gives you an incredibly fresh feeling. I love it - its not greasy and makes my skin feel soft and smooth. After a week, my skin feels terrific! The Youth Code Eye Cream glides on smoothly and melts on contact with skin. It gives you a soft finish and a healthy luminous glow with light defusing micro pearls. Really terrific for those morning when you are looking a little zombie-like. (Remember those days when you could go without sleep and still look great? Sigh.)

There is also a Youth Code Serum, which I haven't tried, which is for more severe wrinkles and melts on contact with skin leaving a smooth, matte and powdery feel. And a Day Cream with SPF30, which I plan to buy next. I love the Day/Night Cream, but SPF is KEY to keeping skin looking young and preventing wrinkles!

Every product in the line is under $25, with a starter kit that is $30, making this entire line very affordable.

disclosure: i received samples of youth code to review. i was not compensated financially for this post and, as always, all opinions are my own.

 

i swear by my: MoroccanOil Styling Cream

I never buy products at the salon. But the last time I got my hair cut, the stylist recommended MoroccanOil and I passed... I had already spent so much on my new cut, I didn't want to add to the bill. But several days later, I was back at the salon begging for the amazing product he had used on my hair!

MoroccanOil Hydrating Styling Cream is a leave-in styling cream that uses pure argan oil to condition and hydrate hair. It eliminates frizz, adds definition and brilliant shine. Use it before you blowdry your hair and you will be amazed.

How amazed, you ask?

This makes my hair so smooth and frizz-free that I no longer have to use a flat iron.

Thats right, girls. And the less you style your hair, the better it looks, so I can not even tell you how healthy my hair is looking since I started using this product! I've been using it on my daughters' hair as well and their hair looks amazing too!

If  you have oily hair, you can try Moroccanoil Light. Or if you need serious hydration, try the original Moroccanoil. There's also a Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream for you Curly-Qs out there!

Now Moroccanoil is pricey - but I would seriously pay double for what it does for my hair. Totally worth it!  Bear in mind that you use only a teeny-tiny amount every day, so a bottle will last for a really long time!

MoroccanOil products are available on Amazon as well as salons!

 

winter hand care

Every winter, my hands get painfully dry and cracked and ick.

But I've discovered a few products that make the winter less painful!

Mary Kay Satin Hands is fabulous. After I use it, my hand look like they've never felt the cold! And it lasts for a few days - you'll love it! I've had my Satin Hands set for a couple years, so don't worry about the price -- it lasts forever!

Watkins Hand and Cuticle Salve is fabulous! Put it on at night and you'll notice a huge difference. It has a yummy (but gentle) sent and isn't greasy. I hate when you put lotion and then you can no longer open doors, turn on a light, etc because your hands are so slippery!

Crabtree & Evelyn also has a fabulous hand treatment - La Source Hand Recovery. This one is always in my purse! It makes your hands feel AMAZING! (This is also one of my favorite stocking stuffers and teacher gifts!)

Sally Hansen Quick Care Cuticle Treatment will make a huge difference if you're hangnail prone - massage into your nail beds once or twice a week and you'll see a huge improvement!

 

jessica alba's new look

Jessica Alba is one of my favorite celeb style icons - and she has a FABULOUS new 'do!

This is almost the cut I have now, and I love it. Its short, sleek and modern, but still long enough to pull back on days when you just can manage to shower. (Not that this ever happens to me...)

Keys to getting this look?

Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner: Two of my favorites are Suave Professionals Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner (I use this every day -- LOVE!) and Garnier Fructis Silk and Shine Shampoo and Conditioner. Keep your hair moisturized and smooth!

Morrocan Oil is amazing for keeping hair well moisturized and smooth! I bought mine from my salon, but you can get it almost anywhere now - even Amazon! Use it before you blowdry your hair to really seal in the moisture.

And finally, you'll need a good flatiron to smooth your hair and give it that silky, perfect look like Alba's. I recommend Chi if you're ready to invest, but Remington also has a really nice one that is very affordable! I"ve tried the Remington Ceramic Pearl line and its amazing! Just promise me you'll get a ceramic one, so you won't fry your hair!

photo via splash news