Rants and Reviews
Written By: Kat
For those of you playing along at home, my every-day shampoo was discontinued a few months ago, launching me into a vanity void. In my quest for a new shampoo, I recently came across the newly-launched “güd” line from Burt’s Bees, and totally fell for the marketing. The cutesy packaging and umlaut drew me in, the promise of 97% naturally-derived ingredients kept my interest. Of the three very distinct scents, I opted for “Vanilla Flame Natural Nourishing Shampoo,” a “vanilla plus rice milk” formula. Normally, I wouldn’t go for a product with such a heavy fragrance, but I was feeling bold.
I applied a small palmful to my hair in the shower, it is the color of honey, but far more viscous. Despite the product’s claim of “luscious foaminess,” the shampoo didn’t lather much and, after rinsing I noticed that my hair didn’t feel as “clean” as it usually does. After air drying, though, I was quite satisfied with my curls. They were maybe a little dry looking at the ends, but that could also be the weather. What really stands out about this shampoo is the smell– it has a nice linger that blends well with my other products.
I have used güd Vanilla Flame Shampoo 6 times over the past two weeks, and it makes my hair look surprisingly awesome, but I don’t think I am in love with it. The texture is a bit strange and the strong scent is not my usual style. I intend on finishing the bottle, because it makes my hair look decent, but the hunt for my next favorite shampoo continues…
Being an impatient member of Gen-Y, I feels like nail polish takes foreverrrrr to dry, and I always manage to smudge or smear the paint before it finishes. I’ve spent a lot of time searching for the perfect top coat to both seal my color, and prevent my nails from being smudged, and I think Sally Hansen Dries Instantly Top Coat is the closest I’ve come.
I waited about 5 minutes for my final layer of color to dry, then applied. The packaging claims that the polish dries in 30 seconds. Although that may be a bit debatable, it does dry extremely fast– definitely within 90 seconds. The finish is shiny and smooth. I use two top coats because, when it dries so quickly, why not? So far, this is the best solution I have come across for securing my nail color, and at $5 a bottle, it’s a worthwhile investment.
While perusing the drug store for summer skincare products, I came across the C Booth Deep Cleansing Volcanic Mud Mask. Intrigued by the concept and concise packaging, I took the mere $12 plunge. Following the instructions, I washed my face thoroughly and then applied the mask to dry skin.
First thing of note: the mask is a very dark grey-black color, with the a consistency somewhere between hand lotion and toothpaste. It goes on smooth and, since it’s so dark, it’s easy to see how thick you’ve laid it on. Word of warning: this product does have an exceptionally strong fragrance, so avoid the eye, nose, and mouth area. As far as the perfumes being irritating, I have very sensitive skin and experienced no adverse reactions, so I would say this mask is safe to use even if you’re easily inflamed.
War Paint
The mask does “burn” a bit at first, but I assumed this meant it was doing whatever it is supposed to do to clean out my pores. As it dried, the stinging sensation stopped, and I could feel my face hardening. One thing I liked is that even when it’s completely dry, this mask doesn’t crack or crumble, and you can still talk or move your face if need be.
It is a little bit messy to wash off, which you do using just water, so you may not want to use the good linens. I wouldn’t call this a miracle product, by any means, but it did absorb a lot of oils and leave my skin feeling a bit tighter and smoother. I’ve used the mask five times now, following up with Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin, and I will note that I have seen a decrease in blackheads, and acne in general.
[[All reviews reflect my own opinion on products I purchased. I have not been compensated in any way.]]
