Gimme That Glow: product review

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Lumixyl Creme Product Review

Don't you hate when you have an unsightly blemish on your face at the WRONG time? You could use strong and harsh cremes to rid those blemishes but I think I found a great safer gentler alternative. Sometimes quick fixes, although quick can do some damage if not used properly. Lumixyl came in handy for me when I got the dreaded blemish between the eyes. UGH! I HATE those! They always seem to creep up when you REALLY don't want them to. It's gentle and safe to use over prolonged use. Here are some benefits of Lumixyl:

Non-irritating or allergenic

Non-toxic

Safe for all skin types

Safe for prolonged use

Easily degraded by the skin

Will not increase skin’s sensitivity to the sun

Stabilized so that it will not lose potency or turn brown after opening

A luxurious, moisture-rich texture

After a week and half of using Lumixyl that dreaded, horrible blemish 'tween my eyes had faded! No stinging, burning, NOTHING! This stuff is great! It's a little pricey BUT it is so gentle and cutting edge without all the harsh chemicals. Most cremes you can't use for prolonged periods of time but with this you can use it as long as you need to achieve great results. Lucky for me and unfortunately for that nasty blemish it only took a week and a half (and I'm still using it just because!)

To learn more about Lumixyl please visit their site.

Neoteric Cosmetics Alpha Hydrox

As you get older, caring for your skin becomes increasingly important. Environmental pollutants, wind, dirt, etc are the skin's arch enemy. Those coupled with UV rays and aging it seems were in a battle to maintain great skin. Neoterics Alpha Hydrox is one of the best AHA brands I have used.
Alpha Hydrox Nourishing Cleanser ($8.49, 4.5 oz) is one of the thickest, gentle cleansers I have ever used. It's so thick you only need a dime size amount to cleanse your face. Contains Pro-vitamin B5 & Vitamin A&E microbeads condition and help protect against damage & aging. The cleanser is also soap free which is great because it will not dry out your skin! After cleansing, you can either use Alpha Hydrox Souffle 12% AHA ($15.49, 1.6oz) smoothes, softens & restores skin without the use of abrasives. Peptides & Green Tea preserve firmness and prevent free radicals from breaking skin down. It is very light and absorbs very well not leaving your skin oily or sticky. If you want to "breathe" some life into your face use the Alpha Hydrox Oxygenated Moisturizer ($14.99, 2 oz) unlike the other products this one does not contain AHA's. Great for smooth makeup applications and is designed to be absorbed quickly. Non-greasy, it also helps stimulate natural collagen production. For those times you need to give your face a good deep down exfoliation use the Alpha Hydrox Wipes 14% AHA ($16.99, 24 wipes) Exfoliates dead cells and blemishes, allowing healthier more radiant skin to emerge, diminishes fines lines and wrinkles, improves skin's firmness. Immediately reveals brighter, smoother, more even-toned skin.

One thing I found in using AHA's I have to cycle on and off with them. While my face LOVES AHA's, maybe after two weeks of use, I have to scale back because my face tends to get a little sensitive to them. I always notice skin improvement IMMEDIATELY and this is a staple in my skincare. African American women tend to have blemishes and marks and using AHA's can help diminish those imperfections in your skin and help improve skin tone. If your skin tends to get a little dry when using AHA's, which is normal sometime, use a good moisturizer.

Compared to the other AHA brand that I've used in the past, Neoteric is by far the best! To learn more about their products please visit www.neotericcosmetics.com

Product Review: Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural

I was overjoyed when I was presented with the opportunity to try out Pantene's Relaxed & Natural Intensive Moisturizing hair care collection. Mainly because it's specifically formulated for women of color and I've experienced first hand how hard it is to find mainstream products that are designed for our various grades of hair. Not only did I get a chance to experience the products for myself but my sister also wanted to give it a try. Did we achieve the same results? Did the products meet our expectations? Find out in both of our reviews below...

What It Claims: Formulated for women of color. Helps make your hair up to 99% stronger against damage

After Using Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural

My hair texture is fine & naturally curly and its been well over a year since I've had any chemicals aside from hair color put in it. I guess its safe to say I've "transitioned" into becoming completely natural. When people ask what products I use on my hair I always draw a blank because I honestly have no clue lol. I know it sounds crazy but its rare that I wash my own hair and my beautician keeps my hair looking fab so I never really asked questions ( is that bad?) But recently I've cut down on the weekly salon visits so I was really excited to see what Pantene could do for me.

Breakage Defense Deep Conditioning Mask

Likes: I absolutely LOVE the smell of the deep conditioner its so gravitating, you literally don't want to put it down. I also liked the fact that I could easily run my fingers through my curls without everything getting all tangled up. It made it much easier to manage! I have really oily hair and I noticed that the shampoo gave me a squeaky clean feel without completely stripping my hair, that was definitely a plus because some products leave your hair dry and stripped from its natural moisture which leads to damage.

Dislikes: I can't really call this a dislike but I just wish I could use the Deep Conditioning Mask on my skin too because the smell was just too yummy!

Would I Recommend It: Yes, Yes and YES!! In fact I already did lol, I was out the other day and someone asked me what products I used on my hair and of course I proudly told them Pantene Relaxed & Natural!!!

After Styling

Overall: I love it! Pantene has definitely found a customer for life because I intend on using it for a very long time. After drying and flat ironing my hair it had so much bounce & body and it was soooo soft!

Kim's Review (my sis)

After Styling

My hair type is fine/curly. I've searched for the PERFECT hair products that I can use at home for a long time. Odara suggested I try the Pantene products and I have to say after trying them - I am in love! The search for the perfect hair products between salon visits is over :-)!

After Styling

Likes: My hair tangles when it is wet and I often have to use a detangling conditioner. This time I didn't need it.

Dislikes: I didn't care for the smell of the shampoo because it couldn't compare to the heavenly smell of both conditioners.

Would I Recommend It: Without a doubt! In fact after Odara saw the finished product, she was in awe!

Overall: Pantene products superseded my expectations! This particular line is for natural and relaxed hair. My hair is natural and I have not had a perm in almost two years. After flat ironing my hair, I was shocked at the results! My hair had so much body, it looked like I had just stepped out of the salon. My hair was also very soft and silky. Again- my search is over and thanks to Pantene (and Odara suggesting it), I am confident that I will have salon results every time I wash and style my hair.

Kim's son (my nephew) Malachi just couldn't resist jumping in one of the photos LOL!

Products were provided by PR & media Relations representatives for review. Read our disclosure policy here.

Product Review and Give Away: Exposed Organics Beauty Box

****Giveaway Closed***

As promised I'm back with a review of some Exposed Organics products. This Beauty Box is Insane and I'm gonna tell you why!!

After speaking with Celeste I learned that they were getting ready to Launch a new item called "The Beauty Box" so I was excited that I was gonna get the opportunity to try one! Here's what I pulled out of the shipping box

Its cute right? Well I opened it up and I was surprised as to how much stuff fit into the itty bitty box! The touch of pink was girly and fun also

Inside I got 5 eye shadows which made me say WOW because most of the time when you buy "kits" you get the sample size of products. These shadows will last me awhile.

The names are fun and catchy. I would love to rename all my shadows but I'll leave it to the pros.

The colors I have are Bronze

Grinch

JungleBelle

PlumPudding

SumLikeItHot

These are very sexy and you don't have to pile it on to get a good color payout. I also received some Nectar, which is a mixing medium for your eyeshadow. It gives you a look that's more dramatic than what I'm used to. But I guess its necessary for using Mineral shadow?

I got some lip lube which has replaced my Carmex

Last and my absolute favorite has to be the Plain Jane Oil Cleanser! How does oil clean away all traces of makeup? I don't know but as soon as I figure out how and why I will let you know. It leaves my dry skin feeling so Hydrated!

So what do you think? Do you want one? Well Celeste is giving one lucky reader a Beauty Box filled to the brim with goodies.

Here are the Rules:

1. Follow this blog (click the link on the side bar)

2. Follow GimmeThatGlow and ExposedOrganics on Twitter.

3. Become a fan of GimmeThatGlow and ExposedOrganics on Facebook.

4. Leave us a comment saying Enter Me!

Simple right? You have until Friday March 5,2010 to signup!

Keep Glowing,

Nail Junkie: CHI Ceramic Nail Lacquer

Yes, the same company that makes my favorite ceramic flat irons also makes nail polish! And not just any polish; CHI is actually formulated with ceramic to promote stronger nails. I purchased three fab colors while at the Bronner Brother's Hair Show last weekend.

They had so many beautiful colors to choose from but these were my top 3 favorites!

Double Fisted Fuchsia

Taken w/o Flash

This pink was definitely my favorite out of the bunch, the color was sizzling! This was my first time EVER painting my nails Pink and I was very pleased with the results.

My Knight In Shinning Armour

Taken w/o Flash

I loved the deep hue of this color, it was very subtle.

Gold Standard

Taken w/o Flash

The Gold was a more modest & neutral color, which is something I would normally wear.

Likes: The colors are extremely vibrant and very true to what they look like in the bottle. They are very rich & plentiful so you only really need one coat.

Dislikes: Here's the kicker, I HATED the fact that not even after a few hours the polish started chipping!!! That was a complete deal breaker for me, you mean to tell me I can't even get through a 24 hour day without my freshly painted nails becoming a disaster? At first I thought well maybe I'm doing too many things and THAT's the reason for the mishaps! But nooooo all three colors chipped like clockwork.

Would I Recommend It: I would! But, I'd also recommend purchasing a nail treatment to go along with it. They have a Ceramic Base & Top Coat Treatment that specifically prevents the polish from chipping or peeling. I sure wish the rep who sold it to me would have TOLD me about this before I purchased the polish because I would've bought it.

Overall: Honestly, I really love the colors but I can't say that I'm completely sold just yet. For CHI to be such a highly trusted brand they should be ashamed for making a polish that REQUIRES you to buy an additional "treatment" just for the sake of the original polish not chipping! IMO its misleading and they need to clearly state that they recommend you to buy the polish AND treatment as a set. I haven't met a woman yet who'd continue to buy a polish that chipped if the wind blew in the wrong direction, get it together CHI...

GoNails Product Review

My nails had been through it. Finally I got them back looking half way decent and then...they just started looking terrible. One nail would break. Then another. Then came GoNail Natural Growth Treatment. HALLELUJAH! Day three of using this, my nails and cuticles started looking soooo much better! I apply in the morning and at night before bed. For $24 it's so worth it especially if your nails are not looking so great or you are a true nail product junkie! Check out the post I did last month about the product and then visit mygobeauty.com to learn more and purchase!

Nica Naturals Review

Lately, I've tried several natural soap and scrub products by different companies, all had such different effects on my skin. I finally came across a line that not only works well with me, but smells absolutely great. Nica Naturals is my new obsession!! Nica Naturals has an absolute great line of soaps, scrubs, and shea butters. Their handmade products is packed with yummy greatness such as jasmine, sweet almond, and tea tree.

The Nica Naturals mission is to promote a holistic approach to health and beauty by providing quality hair body and home care products made with natural ingredients tailored to produce results without compromising quality.

Sweetness Soap

The Smell: It smells divine. Mild fruit and flowers smell that makes me want to smell the soap day in and day out. It's one of those smells that will linger on the skin, with just the right hint of smell good. I can smell the Jasmine and Rosemary clearly.

The Look: It looks like a big piece of Chocolate bar, its very appealing to the eye! The name definitely describes this product. Sweetness

Ingredients : Saponified Coconut Oil , Apricot Kernel Oil, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Rosemary, Extract, Jasmine Flowers,and Fragrance Oil.

Sweetness Scrub
Details: This phenomenal brown sugar smell introduces a product that not only smells great but exfoliates and moisturize the skin. This scrub leaves your skin feeling silky smooth, I love the feel!

Ingredients: Brown Sugar, Sweet Almond Oil.
Price: $8.00 (Buy Here)

Sweetness Shea Butter
Details: This product you can use on your hair or body. The ingredients in this butter produce a moisturizing conditioner, that can help hydrate and restore dry skin or hair.

Ingredients: Shea Butter, Vegetable Glycerin, and JoJoba Oil
Price: $10.00 ( Buy Here)

Caress Me Soap
Details: I love this soap. The lather is great and the smell is yummy, I can feel the apricot all over me.

Ingredients: Coconut Oil, Apricot Kernel, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Rosemary, Rose Petals, and Fragrance Oil.

Lanbeli Soap
Details: I am a Jasmine fiend, so the ability to smell Jasmine and Lavender in this great soap is refreshing.

Ingredients: Coconut Oil, Apricot Kernel, Avocado Oil, Rosemary, Lavender & Jasmine Flowers, Lavender Oil, and Jasmine Absolute.

Bay Bay Soap

Details: I love the lather you work up with this soap, it leaves a truly smooth texture to the skin.

Ingredients: Coconut Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Rosemary Extract, Ground Bay Leaves, and Bay oil.

www.nicanaturals.com

Save 10% on any order with this coupon code:

1GTGG0 (offer expires 4/30/10)

Go Floral! Fresh Orchids for Your Hair!

Disclaimer: White Sands provided me with free samples of this product to review and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.*

White Sands Orchid Oil gives new meaning to "fresh flowers for your hair." Contains orchid oil extract that aids in the return of moisture, softness and shine that is damaged for heat styling, chemical hair treatments and UV exposure. Also helps to repair split ends and heal cuticle layers.

I love the smell! It smells so good. Even after one application I noticed a difference in my hair. It can be a little difficult to get out the bottle but I absolutely LOVE it.

Relatively inexpensive at $20 for 3oz your hair will thank you and smell like fresh flowers from Hawaii.

Karuna Skin Facial Masks

How many of you Glow Girls have had a facial? If yes, you know there is no experience like having your face cleansed and tightened at a spa. It's truly an experience. If no, might be because it's not for you, or out of your budget but you want that spa like quality facial treatment in the privacy of your own home. Karuna Facial Masks are just the thing for those on a budget but don't want to skimp on quality.

Combining a custom shape with wood-pulp material, Karuna's unique design deposits 50% more moisture than competitors' synthetic masks, allowing pores to fully dilate and drink in the beneficial ingredients. Even after the mask is removed, skin continues to absorb the benefits, thanks to Karuna’s special one-step, no-rinse formula.

There are six formulations: Anti-Aging, Anti-Blemish, Anti-Oxidant, Brightening, Exfoliating and Hydrating. They come in individually packaged pouches in a beautiful presentation box (4 pouches) enough for a month's supply (use one mask a week). I used the Anti-Blemish because I had an unsightly blemish above my eyebrow. I took the mask out the pouch and it was VERY saturated. I suggested doing this in the bathroom because it can get a little messy.

I unfolded the mask and peeled off the backing and positioned the mask over my face and smoothed it out. I then went and relaxed for 20 minutes. The great thing about this mask is that you don't have to wash your face afterward but you do need to start with a clean face before using the mask. When it's time to take it off, you then rub in the moisture on your face and neck. I love the dual purpose treat and moisturize in one mask! If you're really a penny pincher, you can use the mask a second time by folding it back up and placing it back in the pouch and folding the opening over. Since you start with a clean face to use the mask, there really shouldn't be an issue to reuse it a day or two later. At $28 for a month supply, it's very affordable. Think about it this way, if you use each mask twice it only costs $3.50 per use! That's far less than a trip to the spa for a facial! Needless to say I noticed the blemish starting to fade over the course of a couple of days!

Glow: Very affordable and it is a "green" (environmentally friendly) product. Beautifully packaged and easy to use. Gentle on the skin and smell great!

Glare: NONE.

Overall Glam: This can make a great gift for a friend, it travels well if you need to getaway from your getaway and you can mix and match the products to get a regime that's tailored to your needs. Uber affordable and contains little to no chemical ingredients!

Go to http://www.karunaskin.com Use Promo Code WELCOME for 20% off total order!

Disclaimer: Karuna provided me with free samples of this product to review and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.*