The guy-magnet perfume

I’ve been going through a perfume obsession phase where I get antsy to test new perfumes every month. This perfume isn’t necessarily my cup of tea because it is a little bit strong and dark to me, but consistently gets me the most free drinks at bars. It might be a coincidence, but guys seem to gravitate towards this scent. Maybe it’s because bars smell of strong body odor and beer, so it’s crucial for a stronger and more unique scent to draw men in.

Bath and Body Works Dark Kiss

Credit: Bath and Body Works

I picked up the mini fragrance mist of this randomly because I was getting the body lotion and body mist of Twilight Woods, and BBW happened to be having a Buy 2, Get 1 Free sale. Lucky me. This stuff was initially too strong and I couldn’t really get used to it. One night, feeling like switching things up, I decided to use this instead of my typical night out perfume, Britney Spears Fantasy.

The aroma makes you feel confident when you are out. People can smell you even though the bars reek. I got plenty of compliments from girls and guys seemed to approach me more. I wore it out a few more weekends and noticed the same thing. I usually get a few compliments for BS Fantasy, and occasionally some compliments for Victoria’s Secret Very Sexy (my other go-to), though this scent seems harder to detect in a crowded bar situation. I never get compliments for Twilight Woods when I go out; it only happens when I’m running errands during the day.

So to all the ladies out there who are trying to have fun and flirt all night, give this Dark Kiss a shot!

Heat Protectant Spray: I've tried them all and here's my opinion

I heat style my hair every single day, rotating between blow dry, flat iron or curling iron. I once upon a time had lustrous healthy hair, but that has quickly changed with the heat damage.

My hair stylist friend has pleaded with me to always use heat protectant spray, in the same way I would wear sunscreen before going outside. Thus, in the past year or so, I've literally tried every product out there in a quest to maintain my healthy hair and to prevent breakage or unruly dry split ends.

1. Got2B Guardian Angel Flat Iron Balm

I love the bottle. It looks great with the rest of my hair products and I was so excited to try it after reading the very artfully written description:

"b invincible with got2b guardian angel formulated with proven 425°F heat protection plus patented combined styling support.  There's no more need to go any hotter."

Unfortunately, this stuff left my hair a little greasy (note: my hair tends to get greasy with a number of products and not just this one.) The perfume was also overwhelming to me. If you are fortunate enough to dodge the greasy effect from hair products, this may actually be a good product for you!

Got2B makes several other heat protectant sprays, each one geared towards a different purpose (e.g. curling hair, blow drying hair, etc). I find this rather superfluous because all the other heat sprays by other companies are fine for all types of hair styling. Just a trick to get customers to buy more bottles?


2. Redken Smooth Down Heat Glide

I. LOVE. this. stuff. It left my hair angel soft and smooth, with some shine and bounce. The down side is the sticker price, which is more than any other hair product I own. If you are not on a budget or if heat protectant spray is high on your priority list, then I would definitely give this a try.


3. John Freida Heat Defeat

I usually love John Freida products. I am a huge fan of their shampoos and conditioners. They are as close to salon quality without the price tag. Unfortunately, this stuff literally left my hair feeling like someone had spilled soda on it. Super sticky and clumpy hair.

4. Nexxus Heat Protexx

Nexxus is one of the most underrated and forgotten brands out there. I really like their shampoos and conditioners, though I could never justify paying that much right now when my current hair products are a fraction of the price and working fine. I borrowed my friend's Heat Protexx once to curl my hair, and I noticed that the curls were more uniform. Usually, if I try curling my hair without heat protectant spray, the curls get messy and fringes appear. Heat Protexx did not make my hair sticky or greasy, so I would use this again. It is pricier than drugstore brands.

5. Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray

Almost every beauty guru out there has mentioned this product in a blog or YouTube video. The fame is well-deserved. This spray is absolutely amazing! It has all the vitamins to protect hair without weighing it down or greasing it up. It is, in my opinion, the best product for the price. I am on my third bottle of this stuff and have no plans to stop using it. I am not a fan of Tresemme shampoos or conditioners because they tend to dry my hair out. However, the heat tamer spray is just remarkable.

Hope this helps everyone who is looking to prevent heat damage!

I love baby products

I am obsessed with skincare. Possibly more so than makeup. I have tried every single drugstore brand there is, as well as some higher end products from department stores. However, a few items consistently make it to my bathroom...

Baby products! Johnson & Johnson makes some of the best baby skincare products out there, and I LOVE (LOVE LOVE LOVE) using these on my skin. They work great and contain the least harsh chemicals (safe enough for a newborn = gentle on adult skin).


Here are some of my favorite products:


1. Cocoa Butter Baby Oil Gel - $4.29

This is comparable to Vaseline's cocoa butter oil gel, but cheaper and in my opinion less greasy. My skin absorbs this stuff wonderfully.

2. Creamy Cocoa Butter Baby Oil - $4.79

The texture of this is kind of like a mix between regular body lotion and the oil gel. It is substantially less greasy than any oil or gel, which may be perfect if you prefer more of a balm.

3. Original Baby Oil - $3.45

This stuff is classic. I love using this on cold/wintery days immediately after I take a hot shower. It locks in moisture and keeps my skin from flaking or cracking. Since it is an oil, it is really runny and can damage your clothes, so apply it before you dress and allow the oil to absorb into your skin a few minutes.

SECRET: For any ladies at home who wax at home and have leftover wax stuck...applying a little bit of this oil will take it all off!

I've tried the Johnson baby brand as well as Walmart and Target generic brands for the baby oil. In my opinion, the Target version works just as well, if not better, than the Johnson brand.

4. Baby Daily Face & Body Lotion, SPF 40 - $9.99

My skin is out of whack every once in a while. Sometimes my skin is just fine with facial sunscreens, but other times, my face blows up in redness. Enter, Johnson's baby product. Baby skin is as sensitive as it gets, so any lotions created for babies are likely to be less harsh than adult skin products. I love SPF 40 because it keeps my skin baby young!

Hope this helps you, beautiful readers!

Ugly, brittle, chipped, uber-thin nails...FIXED!

I have been on a nail polish high lately. Perhaps it's because of the overwhelming number of compliments I receive on any given day that motivates me to switch my nail polish at least once a week.

Flash forward two months and as I remove the two layers of OPI with one layer of Revlon top coat, I reveal the most God-awful set of horribly damaged and yellowed naked nails. Part of me wants to CRY. I could probably conceal this with a dark color of polish, but this will only add to the problem and the next time I use nail polish remover, I will probably wipe away the NAILS.

Friday night, I removed my nails and gently massaged with olive oil, which is supposed to help with nail and cuticle growth. Then I rinsed and dried my nails and began to embark on what I would later deem the most critical treatment for my nails ever.

Introducing Sally Hansen Hard As Nails (not endorsed by SH...this is my own opinion because no girl should have to walk around with egregiously messed up nails). This stuff is AMAZING and probably one of the least expensive beauty products I have ever purchased (less than $3!).

Directions:
Apply 1-2 coats (I needed 2 coats), allowing each coat to dry. Disregard the directions on the bottle and do NOT feel free to apply nail polish over this coat the same day. In order for the treatment to work, you need to allow the product to settle and dry. I tried applying nail polish the same day and it made the SH Hard as Nails stuff melt off.

Hope this helps all you nail polish aficionados out there! You do not need to give up your nail obsession.

My HG Acne Cure

Due to stress, lack of sleep, and many other ails of being a young and busy girl, my face has broken out into chaos. It's not just painful...it's really embarrassing.

I was on makeupalley.com reading reviews and came across this mask I had never heard of. DDF Sulfuric Therapeutic Mask is regarded as one of the best remedies for acne. Having received a giftcard to Sephora for Christmas, I decided to give this a try.

I will break down everything as it happened.

Before:
Three inflamed cystic pimples along my noseline. One bleeding but semi-flattened zit on my forehead just about my left eyebrow. Some mini bumps on my chin.

I applied a VERY thin layer all over my face. Directions say to leave it on for 10-15 minutes, but many other reviews had recommended leaving it on for at least 30 minutes or even as long as one hour for good results. I left the mask on for one hour, then rinsed with warm water. Yes, it smelled like sulfur. But my skin hadn't felt this good in MONTHS.

After washing, I applied Thayer's Aloe Vera Witch Hazel toner and moisturized with Night of Olay Firming cream.

Day 1:
WOW. The "open wound" on my forehead was still read, but the three cysts had diminished substantially. The small bumps beneath my chin became popable (ew, sorry) and went away immediately after I cleaned them with the extractor tool. My skin was certainly dry after using this mask, but the moisturizer quickly rectified that. With a little makeup, you can tell I had acne but nothing jumps out horrifically.

I repeated the above regime.

Day 2:
Woke up and my skin was actually GLOWING. The spot above my eyebrow was now completely flat and the redness was decreased by half. Two of the three cysts literally VANISHED. The third one was still there but flat, which meant a little concealer would fix it for the day.

No new zits.

Days 3-7:
I did not use this mask during this time period. Instead, I washed my face with St. Ives Green Tea Acne Wash and Thayer's toner. I avoided touching my face and kept a clean diet.

After one week, my face is completely clear. There is mild scarring from the spot above my eyebrow as well as that third cyst. With a dab of makeup, my skin looks really good!

So there you have it. This is my new favorite mask. I still use yogurt, Queen Helene mint julep, and honey every once in a while. I prefer honey because it is organic. But I think I have found my new HG remedy! I will definitely update if my results change in the future, but I hope this helps all you lovely ladies out there looking for a good fix.

Yes, $40 is expensive for a mask (especially if you are cheap like me and used QH mint julep your whole life). But I have definitely spent more on a facial at a spa, and the results were far less impressive there. Maybe get together with your girlfriends and do a spa night. You can all chip in a little to buy this jar of miracle mask.

apple cider vinegar

Happy new year! Hope everyone had a blast on 12/31/2011. It is now 2012, end of the world, according to the Mayans. We shall see.

This is the year I become super healthy. I mean, SUPER healthy. Eating foods as close to their natural state as possible, such as fruits, vegetables, and barley.

My friends have been trying to convince me to start a cleanse. I have resisted for the longest time, but I finally caved after the new year and have commenced the "apple cider vinegar" cleanse. Read up on the health benefits, which include anti-acne and weight loss. They seem to substantially outweigh the awful taste.

Directions:
I dilute 2 tablespoons of Bragg's organic (it HAS to be Bragg's) in a huge glass of water and drink the whole glass. Use a straw so that the vinegar doesn't erode your teeth (highly acidic). I do this right before bed.

Results:
I've been doing this for over a week now. My skin has completely cleared up--I went from around 6 pimples to zero pimples and no acne scars! People have commented on my bright complexion. I'm never bloated anymore. I feel lighter.

Note: this is just my opinion and not medical advice. Consult a medical expert if you have any health inquiries.

cuticle treatment: which one is the best?

Baby it's cold outside.

I have dry skin. In the winter, that means my hands are flaky and my cuticles are rough. In an earlier post, I discussed a hand model's secret to perfectly moisturized hands. I've been using that secret for a month now, and am happy to report major success.

However, my cuticles still need extra attention or else my nails look terrible. I have tried many products out there so it only makes sense for me to give an objective review. Hopefully this helps you!

1. Sally Hansen Vita Surge Cuticle Gel

source: walgreens.com

This comes in a nail polish-like bottle with a felt tip applicator. The gel is cold and tingles a little when you first apply it. There are red beads that are supposed to be "vitamins" or something but they don't do much except frustrate me when they don't burst. After massaging the gel into my cuticles for about a minute, my nails do look replenished. However, the effect is short-lived and I find myself needing to reapply frequently to avoid dryness. Still, if you work in an office, you may prefer this product as it doesn't ruin your keyboard with oil.

Score: 3/5

2. Burt's Bees Lemon Cuticle Butter

source: drugstore.com

This is probably the most widely known/used cuticle product out there. It comes in a tin and you take some on your finger and directly apply it to your cuticles. This is the least messy in terms of application, but leaves slightly most residue/oil than the Sally Hansen Vita Surge Gel. I prefer this over the Gel because it is easy to carry around (tin doesn't spill in your purse; nail polish bottle might).

Score: 4.5/5

3. Sally Hansen Vitamin E Oil Treatment

source: walgreens.com

Like the Gel, this also comes in a nail polish bottle. Instead of felt, it is a bristle applicator. If you've ever gotten a professional manicure before, this is likely the type of product they used. It is a bit messy to apply but once you rub it in, it leaves your cuticles very moisturized and nourished. I usually do this right before bed so that I don't have to touch things. When I wake up in the morning, I can still see the oil but most of it has either absorbed into my cuticles or into my bedsheets.

Score: 5/5

4. Olive Oil

source: strawberryblu.com

For those into home remedies, this is the easiest trick ever. Just dab and massage some olive oil from your kitchen pantry into your nails. Olive oil strengthens your nails and protects your cuticles. It is the messiest to apply, so do this before bed.

Score: 4.5/5

Keep those nails beautiful. You never know when your boyfriend will propose and you will take pictures of them!