Pantene | Medium-Thick Hair Solutions Shampoo & Conditioner | Review

I've been keeping things pretty low maintenance lately when it comes to my hair, which means I've been doing it myself. This January will mark four years of my hair being completely natural. It's been a rewarding journey and through it my top priority has always been healthy hair. Pantene has been one of my staple brands throughout the years. They're always introducing new and innovative products that I'm always excited to try. 

Pantene has a current line out called Medium-Thick Hair Solutions. The products in the line are specially designed for medium to thick hair and for various hair types. I recently had the opportunity to try out their Breakage to Strength shampoo and conditioner. The shampoo and conditioner claims to work as a system that not only cleans your hair but also leaves it strong and protects it against breakage, split ends and damage.

Glow: First and foremost, the shampoo and conditioner smell AMAZINGLY wonderful which I pretty much expected before trying because Pantene is pretty consistent with their product scents. Ok so the past few months I've noticed a lot of shedding in my hair which occurred especially when I combed through it. I attributed most of the shedding to damaged ends in which as of last weekend I got trimmed. Since my hair is naturally curly I have to do a lot of detangling during my washes. One thing I noticed while using these products the conditioner in particular, is that while combing it through and detangling my curls not as nearly as much hair was shedding or coming out in the comb. Also after blow drying, my hair was a lot smoother whereas before I'd have a huge puff!

Glare: None! I love that Pantene's shampoos and conditioners always pack plenty of product and at the same time is so affordable. It's definitely worth the buy.

Would I Recommend It? I absolutely would! While I haven't used it enough to see the full benefits from it's  anti-breakage properties, I do believe that over time my hair will only get stronger.

Where To Buy: Both the shampoo & conditioner retail for $3.99 each. The products are available at various retailers nationwide.

Visit Pantene at: http://on.fb.me/lKuFgY

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Pantene via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Pantene. 

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Nicki Minaj Teams Up With OPI For New 2012 Nail Polish Collection!

So you have probably heard by now as the internet sirens went off early yesterday afternoon after getting word of Nicki Minaj possibly teaming up with OPI for her very own nail polish collection. Well it's definitely in full effect, OPI released an official statement today via their Facebook page announcing the official colors along with photos. I don't know about you, but my eyes instantly lit up when I saw the words Nicki Minaj and OPI come together. I'm extremely EXCITED and can't wait to try every color! 

*Update* Here is the official press release and colors below. 

OPI announces the launch of six new limited edition shades inspired by hip hop sensation Nicki Minaj, including a purple Shatter! Inspired by Minaj’s unique style, love of bright colors, and her debut album Pink Friday, the Nicki Minaj by OPI promotion will feature an array of bold hues, from neon lime green to pink.

“OPI is so excited to work with Nicki in releasing these six new nail lacquers,” said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “Nicki has taken the hip hop world by storm, but her music is only part of the equation. She’s also become a fashion inspiration, noted for her daring costumes and hair color both on and off the stage.” 

Nicki’s eclectic look made including a new hue in OPI’s bestselling Shatter coat a must for this collaboration. The purple Super Bass Shatter (a record-setting purple that “shatters” before your eyes) is inspired by graffiti art and works when painted over any dry OPI hue. Adding top coat takes Super Bass Shatter from matte to glossy in seconds. 

The line features five nail lacquers in addition to Super Bass Shatter, ranging from fantastic pink, rainbow confetti glitter and charcoal sparkle hues to two green shades in lime and teal:

The official colors of The Nicki Minaj Collection are below:

Pink Friday

Kick off the weekend with this pop! of bubblegum pink.

Metallic 4 Life

This charcoal sparkle flies with the stars in the skies. 

Save Me

I drove for miles just to find this silver-rainbow glitter.

Fly

I came to win, to fight...and to wear this aqua.

Did It On 'Em

A lusty little lacquer that loves the "lime"-light. 

Super Bass Shatter

A record-setting purple that "shatters" before your eyes

Nicki Minaj by OPI nail lacquers contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. This limited edition promotion will be available beginning January 2012 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer. For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan! 

What do you think of the colors? 

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IMAN Cosmetics | Sheer Finish Bronzing Powder in "Afterglow" | Review + Swatches

"Afterglow" Sheer Finish Bronzing Powder is one of Iman Cosmetics best sellers. In a previous post I mentioned that this bronzer is also a part of Iman's First Annual Pink Ribbon Partnership Program which donates $1 per purchase that will go to The Intercultural Cancer Council in support of Breast Cancer Awareness during the month of October. 

This sheer bronzing powder can be worn as an all-over complexion enhancer or as a blush. It gives skin a touch or bronzed radiance all day and night.

Sheer Finish Bronzing Powder in Afterglow

Swatches

Glow: I like that the bronzer comes as a trio which gives me more of an option. Each color is really sheer yet vibrant and goes on effortlessly smooth. They all blend well into my skin and each actually flatter my complexion equally. I also love that they can be worn as a bronzer and/or a blush. My favorite of the three is the top shade that looks sort of Mauve, it translates as a beautiful rosy color against my skin and goes great as a blush.

Glare: None! What's not to love about it? It's a compact that comes fully equipped with a mirror and and a round applicator which makes it really convenient for travel.

Would I Recommend It? Of course! Each shade is sheer and flattering to every skin tone, it's definitely a winner in my book.

Where To Buy: The Sheer Finish Bronzing Powder in Afterglow currently retails for $16. To purchase, learn more or to find a retailer near you, please visit www.imancosmetics.com .

Product(s) in this post were provided for post consideration. Read our disclosure policy here. 

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Votre Vu | Bébé Duette Luxe Lip Balm and Moisturizing Hand Cream | Reivew

I've gotta admit that I'm sort of a sucker for products that have more than one use, which is why I was pretty excited when I read about Votre Vu's new Bébé Duette Luxe Lips moisturizing lip balm and hand cream. The duo comes as a 2 pack of miniature lotions with an Almond Pie scent. Attached to the top of the tubes are their Luxe Lips Lip Balms, one clear and the other raspberry. And just as a little extra icing on the cake they each come equipped with a tiny mirror underneath the lid. 

The hand cream is enriched with almond and coconut fragrance. It's formula was developed to maintain the health, beauty and suppleness of your hands, while delighting your nose with a decadent aroma. Some of it's nourishing ingredients include sunflower, grape seed and jojoba oils each combined with moisturizing and healing aloe, wheat proteins and natural sun filters. The lip balms are made from coconut oil, shea butter and beeswax that gently protect, nourish and soften lips in every condition. 

Luxe Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm in Raspberry

Luxe Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm in Clear

Glow: I truly LOVE the all in one idea of this product! I never leave home without lotion or chapstick so the idea of just being able to throw this in my purse without having to worry if I forgot one or the other is awesome! The hand cream is pretty rich and creamy yet it's not greasy. I also love the scent it smells really nice, it's called "Almond Pie" and that's exactly what it smells like. The scent is also soft and subtle just the way I like. The lip balm goes on smooth and maintained its moisture for a pretty good while.

Glare: Well it's a personal preference but I kinda have this thing about lip balms where you have to stick your finger in the tube :-/ I'm sort of a germaphobe. Although I don't see that one little quirk hindering me from using the balm but maybe if it was retractable? Hmm. But another good thing that I've noticed is that the way the balm is made it's just enough space separating it from the lid and the product doesn't get on the mirror at all so it stays clean!

Would I Recommend It? I certainly would! Overall all it's a unique product with a compact design and more importantly it works!

Where To Buy: The Votre Vu Bébé Duette Luxe Lip Balm and Moisturizing Hand Cream sets are currently retailing at $39.50. To purchase or to learn more, please visit www.votrevu.com .

Product(s) in this post were provided for post consideration. Read our disclosure policy here. 

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China Glaze Introduces "Let It Snow" For Winter 2011 Collection

HO HO HOLIDAY 2011!

Spend the Holiday season with glittering, shimmering, ravishing color in the Let it Snow Collection from China Glaze

Spend the holidays in style with the new Let It Snow collection from China Glaze! Introducing 12 festive shades sure to get anyone in the holiday spirit this season. Specifically created with the wintery season in mind, Let It Snow will have even the biggest Grinch feeling jolly all winter long. Not only a must-have for a holiday manicure and pedicure, Let It Snow is available in 12 seasonal inspired gift sets perfect for stocking stuffers, Hanukah gifts, Secret Santa, co-workers and Teacher’s gifts. China Glaze Let It Snow collection will be available at fine salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide!

Shades include:

            ·        Poinsettia – Ruby red crème inspired by the traditional holiday plant.

·        Ring In The Red – No Holiday season would be exact without this glittering red polish for holiday gatherings.

·        Winter Berry – Creamy, cranberry-red perfect for sipping hot cocoa by the fire.

·        Velvet Bow – Rich red crème color inspired by your favorite red wine.

·        Glittering Garland – A dazzling glittery green to match the holiday greens of pine trees, garland, and mistletoe.

·        Holly-Day – Looking for a bold color without the glitz? Holly-Day is a rich hunter green without the sparkle. 

·        Champagne Bubbles – Sophisticated gold metallic with a golden shimmer.

·        Twinkle Lights – A mix of glittery shades to emblemize twinkling tree lights.

·        Snow Globe – Frosty white polish with flecks of snowy color.

·        Icicle – Smooth silver shimmer with a hint of flash and ice.

·        Tinsel Town – Bold silver, metallic glitter and the perfect match for sparkling night on the town.

·        Blue Year’s Eve – Ring in the New Year with this lustrous, shimmering blue.

The Let It Snow Collection is available in a 12 piece counter display, 24 Piece Lil’ Stuffers Display and a 36 Piece Polish Rack. Gift sets include:

            ·        Belle Of The Ball: Champagne Bubbles and Tinsel Town with a Festive Ornament.

·        Seasonal Sparkles: Poinsettia, Twinkle Lights and Holly-Day.

·        Meet Me Under the Mistletoe: Ring In The Red, Velvet Bow and Glittering Garland with Lip Lacquer.

·        Santa’s Little Helpers: Ring In The Red, Holly-Day, Twinkle Lights and Velvet Bow.

·        Let It Snow: Blue Year’s Eve and Snow Globe with a Mini Snow Globe.

·        Holiday Spirits: Icicle, Champagne Bubbles and Glittering Garland with a Pewter Bottle Stopper.

·        Berry Sweet: Velvet Bow and Ring In The Red with a Holiday Berry Moisturizing Lotion.

·        Baby It’s Cold Outside: Icicle, Blue Year’s Eve and Poinsettia with Fingerless Gloves.

·        Deck The Halls: Glittering Garland and Champagne Bubbles with Limited Edition Holiday Berry Cuticle Oil.

·        Winter Ice: Blue Year’s Eve, Tinsel Town, Icicle and Snow Globe with a Snowflake Charm Necklace.

·        Holly Bear-y: Holly-Day and Winter Berry with “Holly Bear” Plush.

·        Carry Me Away For The Holidays: Tinsel Town, Poinsettia, Velvet Bow and Icicle with a Manicure Carrying Case with Nail File.

China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, visit: www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Facebook and Twitter: http://twitter.com/ChinaGlaze

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MAC Debuts Fall 2011 Posh Paradise Collection for Exhibit at South Coast Plaza

In celebration of MAC's new Posh Paradise collection, makeup aficionados gathered at South Coast Plaza as M·A·C Senior Artist Caitlin Callahan introduced the brand’s fall collections and demonstrated some of the hottest trends straight from the runways. In addition, the M·A·C Posh Paradise exhibit debuted at South Coast Plaza.

The exhibit featured body paintings on live models as fashion installations that captured the color palette of the collection. The exhibit was one of the highlights of South Coast Plaza Style, which featured a weekend of exciting beauty events and promotions at South Coast Plaza.

Check out a few of the photos from the event and the collection below. 

  Photo Credit: Trish Daniels

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White Sands | 3/4 Inch Spring Marcel Curling Iron | Review + Photos

White Sands introduces their brand new Spring Marcel Curling Iron that teaches you how to use a curling iron like a professional! The  innovative iron provides the beauty and diversity of creating curls by fusing Spring and Marcel methods into ONE tool. Utilize the professionalism of a Marcel curling iron to create beautiful waves or switch to the direct control and ease of a Spring Load without the need for multiple irons! 

This light weight Professional Titanium Iron is the secret to achieve beautifully designed and polished curls. Maintain total styling control with a smart tool providing an instant and even heat with a Digital LED Temperature Setting ranging from 122 - 410°F. As the smoothest surface available for tools, tresses will effortlessly glide over the Titanium barrel for styling free of unwanted tugging, snags, or breakage. This cutting edge material produces the iron's even heat distribution, emitting negative ions to create soft, silky hair. 

For this look I wanted to create loose and flowing spirals.

Check out my before & after photos below. 

I had my sister take the above photos of my hair with my cell phone, then later I tried taking a few with my digital cam by myself. I never realized how difficult it was trying to take a picture of the back of your own head LOL! It was a struggle but the photos below are a little bit clearer :o) 

Glow: These curlers make curling super easy! I've never completely mastered the art of using a curling iron without tangling up my hair and I think that's because I couldn't quite grasp the technique. However the 360 degree spinner allowed me to effortlessly coil my hair around the irons creating perfect spirals!  I also like the digital temperature setting, the curlers go up to about 410 degrees but I only had them set on 180 and they still did a wonderful job at helping me create beautiful loose curls. The irons also glided down my hair really smooth!

Glare: They're a little larger in length than I'm accustomed to but I was still able to use them with ease and they are very light weight. I was also a little worried about the curl release button at first because it's kinda short and close to the actual irons, I feared that I might burn myself but to my surprise that part doesn't get hot at all and it's the perfect fit for your thumb to rest on or whichever finger you use to hold it.

Would I Recommend It? YES!! I'm far from a professional when it comes to styling my hair and honestly I was always afraid to use curling irons prior to this experience because I feared I would burn or tangle my hair in the process. But the innovative design of the Marcel Curling Iron has definitely made me more comfortable in curling my hair.

Where To Buy: The White Sands 3/4 Inch Spring Marcel Curling Iron currently retails for $110. To purchase or to learn more please visit www.whitesandsproducts.com .

To get a closer look at how these curling irons work check out the video below to see them in action!

Product(s) in this post were provided for post consideration. Read our disclosure policy here. 

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OPI | Pink Of Hearts Shatter | Swatches + Review

OPI launches the limited edition Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts Nail Lacquer to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure® in its promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever. The 2011 Pink of Hearts edition will follow in the footsteps of its namesake 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Nail Lacquers in raising awareness of breast cancer for the fifth year in a row, during the months of September and October (National Breast Cancer Awareness Month). Unlike previous shade incarnations, this year’s Pink of Hearts Nail Lacquer marks the debut of fan-favorite Shatter coat in OPI’s first pink shade.

Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts

Paired with OPI's "Sparrow Me The Drama"

Glow: I'm definitely always excited about OPI's efforts to support Breast Cancer Awareness. Since their shatters have been so popular I'm happy to see that they added a pink shatter in support of saving lives. I actually really love this shade of pink, it's like a magenta or hot pink which is quite different from the typical powdery pinks that we are used to seeing for BCA campaigns.

Glare: None!

Would I Recommend It? Absolutely, I'm always up for supporting such a great cause especially when so many lives are affected everyday by Breast Cancer.

Where To Buy: The Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts is Limited Edition and will be available through the end of October. To purchase, find retailers near you or to learn more please visit www.opi.com .

Product(s) in this post were provided for post consideration. Read our disclosure policy here. 

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Nicole by OPI | Limited Edition Holiday Glitters | Swatches + Review

Nicole by OPI announces new, limited edition Holiday Glitters! Featuring four shades packed with intense shimmer for the festive season, these lacquers transform fingers and toes into virtual jewelry. From traditional holly red and a warm fuchsia hue to metallic gold and inky blue, these shades make the perfect gift or stocking stuffer for any woman (or to keep for yourself!).

Glitter In My Stocking 

Give the gift of gold-glittery goodness!

My Sleigh’s in the Shop 

In the meantime I rely on this mesmerizing magenta.

Orna-ment for Each Other 

I can’t stay away from this tomato-red twinkle!

Snow-man of My Dreams 

The “spark” was instant with this rainbow-packed blue.

Glow: These glitters are REALLY pretty! Unfortunately these photos don't do them much justice but my favorites are Glitter In My Stocking and Snow-man of My Dreams!

Glare: OK so glitters aren't exactly my favorite type of polishes in general only because the removal process is such a pain! Although this glitter seemed to lift off a little more easier than some of the previous ones I've used in the past.

Would I Recommend It? Yes!

Where To Buy: These limited edition Holiday Glitters will be available November 2011 for $7.99 each. To purchase, find retailers near you or to learn more please visit www.opi.com .

Product(s) in this post were provided for post consideration. Read our disclosure policy here. 

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Timberland Introduces Earthkeepers™ Rudston Waterproof Pull-On Boot + Review

There's nothing that makes me smile more than a stylish shoe. One of the things I love most about Fall is that it's the beginning of boot season and what girl doesn't own a pair of great boots? For Fall 2011 Timberland has added brand new styles to their signature EarthKeepers Women's Collection. The collection originated in 2007 and the boots are made with organic and recycled materials. They carry shoes for men and women and today the collection has over 100 different styles, including the Rudston Waterproof Pull-On Boot. Check out the photos and my full review of the Rudston boots below.

Timberland Earthkeepers Rudston Waterproof Pull-On Boot

The Rudston is made with 100% recycled PET mesh linings. And the soles are made with 25% recycled rubber. For all-day comfort and support, they feature Timberland's anti-fatigue technology inside. 

Glow: What I love most about the Rudston boots is that they are incredibly comfortable! Honestly I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to go all day without wanting to take them off. I also love that they felt really breathable and my feet didn't get too warm inside of them. The tabs at the top of the boots also made it easy to take them off. They're really stylish and look great with my jeans!

Glare: I honestly can't find anything that I don't like about these boots. They're easy to pull on and off and extremely comfortable to walk in :o)  

Would I Recommend It? Absolutely! I love that the Earthkeepers Collection has a wide variety of styles and colors to choose from, I can definitely see myself wearing the Rudston's throughout this Fall & Winter. 

Timberland® Go out and be you Click Here to shop now!

Disclosure: Compensation and free Timberland® product were provided by Timberland® via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinion or positions of Timberland.  

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