Edit| My new Holy Grail Shampoo

Remember this haul from LUSH? The Fairly Traded Honey Shampoo was the best decision I've ever made for my hair.

I've already purchased the full size.

For reference, I have very coarse hair strands and lots of it. My hair is "stick straight" to the average eye, but many stylists and hairdressers tell me that I have a slight wavy texture on the crown of my head. Since I've been greying at the ripe old age of 13 I dye my hair consistently...I can't even remember my real hair color. I think it's a dark brown. Maybe.

The biggest problem I have is my oily hair + dry scalp that almost always comes back on the second day. Dry shampoos irritate my scalp so I only use it for the first day. I wash my hair every other day and time my workout schedule to coincide with washing days. 

In any case, this is the gentlest shampoo I've ever used that actually gives shine and volume to my hair and smells heavenly. It smells like Manuka honey, meaning it's sweet and herbal rather than sugar sweet. It also doesn't strip the hair but lathers well. I still have to use conditioner, but my hair doesn't feel bone dry after I've rinsed with water.

The best part is that it doesn't irritate my scalp and I can go a day longer without having to wash. 

If you're in the market for a new shampoo that gets the job done without stripping your hair color, give this one a try. I usually use WEN cleansing conditioner when my hair is longer, but this has really kept my dry scalp condition at bay.

xo Be

Review| LUSH Ultrabland Cleanser

 Lush is one of those stores that never appealed to me. Organic products? Pfft. Fighting animal testing? Okay then. Handmade by a small third-world man? No thanks. Let's not even start with the nausea inducing scents wafting out from the store that made me want to walk by faster, not stop in for a stroll around the aisles. 

Well, something changed my mind. My mom is a LUSH worshipper (like the hoards of YouTubers out there who haul what seems to be 30 bath bombs for the price of a used car) and swears by their Rehab shampoo and Tea Tree toner. Okay, she's a walking advert for Lush hair products with her super shiny long locks, even in her mid 40's.

I picked up their famous Ultrabland cleanser ($30), along with a shampoo and conditioner, to dip my toes into the brand. Why not try something that's not offensive to smell, right? 

Lush advises you to rub this on as if to remove makeup and cleanse your skin and then remove with a damp washcloth or cotton pad. What they fail to emphasize is that without manual exfoliation, your face feels like it's been dipped in beeswax (which, btw, is one of the main ingredients.)

Treat it like a balmy cleansing lotion, but don't feel the need to remove it completely from the skin after you pat your face dry. In fact, if you have dry to normal skin this product works wonderfully as a 3-in-1 makeup remover, cleanser, and moisturizer for night time. 

There isn't a strong or unpleasant smell to this product, but it does smell rather pleasant and mild...like a boyfriend after he's showered.

For a deeper cleanse, you can always go in with a makeup remover wipe beforehand and/or a separate cleanser after Ultrabland. The best part is that you can rub a liberal amount into your eyes and it won't sting or itch. I wet my face, scrape a quarter sized blob onto it, and then rub around until all of my eye makeup is smeared like a beat hooker's. (Too much?)

Then, I take a damp washcloth as advised to remove any excess product. Another alternative is to apply Ultrabland onto the skin and then use a Clarisonic to cleanse as usual. This way I ensure that every last remnant of makeup is gone.  

The end result should be a face that feels moisturized and cleansed.

So far I see the pot lasting me for at least a month or two with daily use, and my skin has not experienced crazy breakouts or clogged pores. In fact, my face looks a lot less red in the morning. 

Will I be trying more face products from LUSH? You bet! 

xo Be

Haul| Basics from MAC, Buxom, Bobbi Brown, & Lush

I had a quick day to myself to visit the mall, relax, and do some therapy shopping. I'm still in between houses at the moment, so my stash is tucked away elsewhere and my "halfway home" (Sorry mother in law...) is so small that I can't have more than a small travel case with me. 

I found the limited edition Warm Neutral Palette from MAC (in MAC stores only, not department stores) and it's a whoppin' 100 bucks even. I opted to get it over building my own MakeupGeek palette since 1. ain't nobody got time fo dat and 2. I'll be getting a lot of use from this 15 pan beauty. 

I've heard that many of the shades included are limited edition themselves, but I have never hit pan on one shade exclusively out of any palette so that's not a concern for me. If you have the funds and the guts to do it...pull the trigger! MAC shadows never disappoint me. 

Next, I wandered into Lush hoping to make my first purchase from them. I've gotten bath bombs before, but shied away from their beauty products because they are admittedly on the pricey side. I chose the Fairly Traded Honey Shampoo and American Cream Conditioner ($10 each) as trial sizes/travel friendly options. 

Since I have to share the tiny bathroom with my husband and mother in law, I thought it would be a good idea to try out their Ultrabland Facial Cleanser ($29.95) since it looks cleansing and moisturizing. My skin has been flakey and sad lately and the 4 step process I've been using to remove makeup and cleanse has been time and space consuming. 

Next, I side eyed my current foundation collection (it's smaller after a huge purge to my mom, but still ridiculous) and picked up the Buxom Show Some Skin Weightless Foundation ($34) in "You're a Natural." 

I was looking for something easy going, lightweight, and sheer coverage but ultra hydrating. While Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow fulfills these needs, my shade in "Petal" is a tad too light at the moment. This foundation comes in a 1.5 fl oz squeeze tube and seems ultra portable. 

Finally, I picked up the Bobbi Brown Corrector in Peach ($23) to hide my dark circles. I've never had dark circles before and "brightening" shades in pink just looked ashy on me. This peach shade is supposed to counteract blue and purples tones and look natural on olive/tan skintones. 

Overall, I regret nothing! I can't wait to replace some of  the items in my current routine with these new products and see if they make a difference. 

xo Be