My September Julep Maven Box

So, I decided to keep my Boho Glam box for September, and I wasn't disappointed!!  I love my colors and my add-ons!  I can't wait to use them!

So, here's the unwrapping of my box!!

Exciting!!

Ta da!!

It's so exciting getting things in the mail.  And, then to open up to such pretty packaging.  It's like Christmas!  Love!









So...let's take a little time to discover the extras in the box.  The designer that inspired the collection this month is Trina Turk.  I'm not really into fashion, and I'm not up-to-date with fashion designers.  I'm a plus-sized girl.  If they don't make clothes in my size, then I don't really care.  However, Trina Turks take on the 60's Mod look is awesomely rich in color, and color is something I AM into!

So true!  It's the way you work it!

Just an explanation of why Trina Turk was an inspiration...

This is skill.  I nail design based on a busy mod blouse pattern.  I just wish my hand was that steady!  I also love the magnet of the MOD chica on the right.  When I saw this though, I must admit to wondering whether women of color were used for magnets in different boxes.  Not all fashionable MOD ladies are White.  Case in point, Jane Park, CEO of Julep is Asian.  I'm just saying!!



Anywho...let's get to the polish!

Again!  Such pretty, exciting packaging!!

Ooooh!!  What's inside?!?!?!










The added product for the month was mascara.  There was one of two I could get volumizing or lengthening.  I got the lengthening!  I love mascara, but the truth is that I don't need length or volume.  Like my hair, I just need a curl!  lol

Now, here is the picture of by box polish plus my add-ons that I got for a super discounted price!

The names of the lovely ladies: Popova-Gunta-Sophie-Hoch

I love them all.  They look great on my skin color.  Yay for Julep!!

Again, the colors are Sophie, Hoch, Gunta, Popova

Stay saucy my friends!

Product Review: Jane Carter Solutions and Sophia K Essentials

Status Update:  My name is Krystal, and I am a product junkie.  The madness of never-ending product testing is an insanity I embrace.  It's fun.  I absolutely love having so many choices, so many GREAT product choices.

I've recently tried Jane Carter Solutions and Sophia K Essential.

First up is Jane Carter Solutions.  I bought the Natural and Curly Hair Care Essentials Kit.

It includes all of the products shown: Wrap and Roll, Curl Defining Cream, Nourish and Shine, Moisturizing Shampoo, Nutrient Replenishing Conditioner, and Revitalizing Leave-in.  Let me first say that I had high hopes for this line.  I don't know why, but I just wanted to like it.

As for the shampoo and conditioner, I loved them both.  The shampoo cleansed my scalp, but did not strip my hair of too much moisture.  The conditioner had the right consistency, a nice semisolid state.  And, of course the smell is simply divine.  All Jane Carter products have this citrus scent, which is light and not too overpowering which is great for people with allergies. 

The leave-in conditioner is great.  Most leave-ins are either creams, gels, or grease-like pomades, but this one is a complete liquid.  It reminds me of Lotta Body (I think that's how you spell it.) that my mother use to use when I was a little girl.  It provides moisture while also conditioning but still affords me the option to add an additional conditioner or sealant of my choice.

I also enjoyed the Wrap and Roll, like the leave-in has a liquid consistency that doesn't leave my hair weighed down.  It provides great twist outs and braid outs, and the consistency provides great coverage in order to evenly distribute the product throughout my hair.

The two products I didn't like where the Curl Defining Cream and the Nourish and Shine.  The main issue I have with both of them is that they left my hair looking like I had a Jheri Curl, and that is "No bueno!"

I tried to work it, but my curls weren't defined at all, and I just felt so greasy!  This is the Curl Defining Cream.  I didn't even take a picture with the Nourish and Shine.  However, the Nourish and Shine makes a great skin moisturizer.  I use it all the time on my hands after washing.

So, my final grade for Jane Carter Solutions is a B-.  I will think about buying the leave-in conditioner in the future for re-wetting purposes, but that's about it.

Moving on!








Sophia K Essentials was another product line I wanted to try and had high hopes for.  These are the products I tried:

 1) Moisture Balance Growth Milk
 2) Aucha Creamy Healthy Hair Milk
 3) Choco-Honey Anti-Frizz Pomade
 4) Sophro Herbal Moisture Shampoo
 5) Sophro Herbal Leave-in Conditioner
 6) Coils Deep Down Moisture Mask

So, my review.  I think the idea behind this product line is to provide products for women who have very thick, coily hair.  In hair types, that would be type 4, and I am a type 3 all the way.  The products were nice, but they didn't do much for my hair.  The shampoo was too thin, and I didn't feel my hair was clean after I used it.  The conditioner was fine, but it didn't really impress.  The coils deep moisture mask was okay, but I've used better.  I haven't really tried the Moisture Balance Growth Milk, but I used the Aucha hair milk, and again it was too thin.  I need a thicker consistency for my hair.  The one upside to the products I tried in this line is the Choco-Honey Anti-Frizz Pomade.  It isn't as greasy as other pomades I've tried, and it provides a healthy shine while also moisturizing.  It is something I will definitely buy again.

So...this is the pomade; moisture rich and soft :)

So, overall grade for Sophia K Essentials: D  It just isn't made for my hair type.  It is probably best for those of you with type 4 hair.

So, until next time I will continue to down the hair product shooters in my product junkie world.

My first curlBox!

I was completely ecstatic when I came home and saw that my mail lady had left a package for me a couple of weeks ago.  I would've posted sooner about it, but I wanted to review the products first.

For those of you who don't know what the curlBox is.  It is a monthly subscription service that sends you about 5 product samples in the mail designed specifically for curly, wavy, and kinky hair.  It is a perfect way to sample products before you buy.  It is an addiction, and it is a box full of joy!

So, here's my unveiling:

I would curse the mail service, but their under fire right now. Plus, they aren't the only one's who jack up boxes!

The   opening:

Oh my...what's that on top??

My box!!

Oh! USPS!!

Open up:

Twisted Sista Curl Activator, Nothing But Cleansing Conditioner, Curl Sealer, and Pure Pudding, Palmer's Olive Oil Formula deep conditioner

So, I have already tried all of the products in the August edition of the curlBox.  And here's my review.  For, the smaller samples I received, I first tried the Palmer's Olive Oil.  There was so much product in this sample if I wanted I could have had 2 applications.  But, I loved this deep conditioner!  It only had to stay on for 5 minutes, and my hair felt extremely soft post-rinse.  Palmer's your grade is A!

I next tried the Nothing But Cleansing Conditioner, Curl Sealer, and Pudding.  Ok, at first, the smell of the cleansing conditioner was  a little strange, but I quickly got over it.  It smelled kind of like detergent.  And, it was nice.  My hair was clean and still soft when it was all over.  Then, I used the pudding first and applied the curl sealer second.  That was when the smell overwhelmed me!  I was very close to gagging!  I could barely get through putting it on my hair.  Then, I had to smell it as my hair dried.  Awful!  Then, the product didn't really do much for my hair.  It looked greasy.  F!!!!

The last thing I tried was the Twisted Sista Curl Activator.  The sample was too small for the amount of hair I have.  But, for the part I used it on, I could tell my hair was curly.  The thing I didn't like, however, was the fact that it separated my curls and made my hair kind of 'poofy'.  So, I'm going to put this one in the middle at a C.  Maybe I will try it again or maybe not.


The two full size products I received with review:

Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Curling Creme

Review:  Delightful!  The smell is divine!  Coconut is always a favorite.  It works well also.  It brings out my natural curl pattern while keeping my hair moisturized. A+









The last product, and my most favorite!

Carol's Daughter Hair Milk Pudding

Ms Lisa Price knows what she's doing.  This pudding really brought out my curls.  They were extremely defined, and I got compliments on it all night at work.  A+++

 curlBox = completely sauced!  Can't wait for my next one!!

Julep Maven August Mystery Box

So, I am passing through a nail polish addiction.  I have spent way too much money on things I will use through the fall and probably not pick up again until next spring if I ever do again!

So, now that that's to rest.  At the beginning of the month, Julep sent an email announcing a 5-day window to purchase either the American Beauty, Boho Glam, Classic with a Twist, Bombshell, and It Girl.  Well, my addiction-fueled nail-trip led me to buy 3 mystery boxes.  First, I purchased the It Girl box, then about 6 hours later I bought the American Beauty box.  I thought I was finished, but then 3 days later, I bought the Boho Glam box!  Ah!  But, here are the results of my purchases.  Because I ordered them the same day, my It Girl and American Beauty boxes arrived the same day.  Now, in the mystery boxes I can receive products worth anywhere from $60-$200, and I only pay $20 per box. 

So, let's see how I did!

My two boxes. Yay!!

American Beauty and It Girl

 

First up is the It Girl box: 

Almost there!!

Pretty colors!

Here is the breakdown: 

Sandra--pink, Megan--metallic green, Charlotte--purple, Base coat, and Diane--dark green

 Total worth: $70

Next up is the American Beauty:

Hand brightener and Glycolic Hand Scrub

Pretty pinks and reds!

What I received:

Ellen--red, Lily--fuschia, and Lynn light metallic pink

Total worth:  $106

Finally, there is the Boho Glam box:

Yes, that is my bathroom!

Oooo...more products!!

Unveiling:

Pedicure products: foot file and Pedi Prep Creme

Color Breakdown:

Blake--yellow, Alyson light grey, and Michelle--dark blue

Total worth:  $65

Here is a composite of what I received:

A pretty nice spread...plus my headphones!

And, here's what it looks like on!!

 

Pinks, reds, and purples!

And, everything else...lol

So, I like all the colors I received.  They all looked nice on me.  Now, I just have to decide which ones to use.  I think I'm going to save the darker colors for the fall!

So, the total worth of all three of my boxes, which I spent $60 on, is $241.  

Thanks Julep for keeping my sauced!!

 

Going Natural--Again! (My Hair Journey)

I love my hair!  I love my hair in all forms and all styles.  I love the texture, the thickness, and the flexibility. 

Hair is such a nuisance in the African-American community.  It makes all kinds of statements it shouldn't.  It builds all kinds of stereotypes that are completely unnecessary.  For example, the Afro, a nice-natural way for women to wear their hair has become synonymous to revolutionary thoughts and acts.  I thought it was just a hairstyle??

Another example is the relaxed and straight style.  There's always that stigma of trying to be European for chemically relaxing your hair or for wearing wigs and weaves to achieve the same outcome.  Women spend thousands of dollars for wigs and weaves, and then spend hundreds of dollars going to the beautician every 2-3 months to get their wigs re-tightened.

It's too much!  It's just too much!  This whole 20-miles of baggage that comes with how I want to wear my hair is ridiculous.  This is why India Arie will remain one of my favorite artists.  Her song, while extremely important, was extremely underrated.  It was slightly celebrated by people like Oprah, but the message just wasn't taken to heart as it should have been.  "I Am Not My Hair" is the plain and simple truth.  I wish people would not look at my hair and judge what type of Black woman I am.  I mean I'm still figuring it out1

My hair has been relaxed and natural, but mostly in between all my life.  My first trip to being natural started in 2000.  I was living in Washington, DC at the time.  For those who don't know, DC is quite an Afrocentric place if you visit the right areas.  I live there for only about 6 months before I decided to grow out my relaxer.  It was a big step for me.  It was a complete change from how I had always worn my hair.  I was ready for the challenge.  I grew my hair out for a year, then one day I got tired of my two-textured hair, went to the bathroom, and cut off all the straight strands.  It was such a dramatic change, but I love it, and that's where my first natural journey began.

Over the next couple of years, I had to really figure out how to style my hair.  There were virtually no products for natural hair, and my hair went through many different phases, which meant I had to keep relearning how to do my hair.  It was difficult, and eventually I ended up relaxing my hair again.  It was a huge decision, but I did it anyway because I wanted straight hair and bangs again.

Fast forward about five years, and I am back to where I was at the turn of the century.  I want to be a naturalista again!  Over the past year I have noticed so many different women wearing their natural hair.  It's seriously become a trend!  Where was this trend when I needed it 12 years ago?  To coincide with this trend, there are numerous websites, bloggers, and hair products dedicated to naturally curly hair.  In fact, it's completely overwhelming!  Gladly, though, there are samples sizes and trial kits, and this lovely subscription service I discovered last month called the curlBox.

My mission now is to find out which products work best for my hair.  I've bought many and with the curlBox, I'll have many more samples to test out.

I've been actively growing out my relaxer since April.  Since then I've bought and tried a variety of products.

I haven't tried them all yet, but I will post the pictures and reviews of the ones I've tried so far:

First up is Miss Jessie's. 
Overall Grade: C

Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo and Creme de la Creme Conditioner--> A+ non-drying
Stretch Silkening Creme--> C+ Heavy smell and eventually made my hair feel heavy and oily
Curly Buttercreme-->C+ Same problem as the Silkening Creme
Curly Pudding-->F My hair felt so crunchy after it dried!
Super Sweetback Deep Treatment--> B- It smells nice, it was hard to wash out, and my hair was so-so soft.

Day 1 Beautiful

Day 2; Not so much!

Miss Jessie's didn't satisfy me as much as I thought it would.  It was very disappointing.  Also, I discovered that the products have mineral oil in them which is why my hair felt crunchy.

However, I'm still planning to try the Rapid Recovery deep treatment.  I'll let you know how that goes.


I'll be sauced until I find the right products in this hair jungle.


Later!

Yay for Julep!

So, I got to try out the free polish Julep sent me.  It is called Daphne, and it is a hit.  I'm hooked.  I think my intro box was a fluke!  Doesn't matter anyway though.  After all, I only paid a penny for it.

Here's what it looks like:

Sorry the picture is so dark.  I couldn't use the flash because the bottle wouldn't show up when I did.  So, the color looks nothing like the picture on the website, which is the picture on the left.  It's described as a seafoam green, but in reality it looks more turquoise.

Regardless, the polish is nice.  I love it, and I can tell it isn't cheap, unlike the Wet N Wild which was disqualified today for chipping too soon after the app.

Here's a pic of the new manicure with Daphne:

Looks almost the same!!

Sauce-tastic!!

FYI Right now Julep is selling Mystery Boxes for $19.99 with anywhere from $60-$200 worth of items.  I bought an It Girl Box after using the Daphne.  I'm wishing on a star...for the larger box!