Elma & Sana | My Skin Care Power Couple

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lately I've been trying to pay a closer look at all of the products that I am applying on to my face, making sure that the amount of ingredients on the label isn't more than the amount of items on my families grocery list.
I had a small .03 oz sample of the Josie Maran Argan Oil and absolutely fell in love with it! The formula, the results, everything- was just amazing. BUT, the price was NOT for me. So, I did a little searching on Amazon and came across the Elma & Sana 100% Argan Oil for just $10! Now, I know that the price is near dirt cheap which is making you believe that the product isn't any good but I promise it is better than what I am describing, Part of the reason why the Josie Maran Argan Oil is in the $40 range is because 1) It's a well known brand whose prices inflate as its fame spreads and 2) Although it was luxurious, the smell is artificial which makes me believe that it is not as pure as they make us believe. This Elma & Sana Argan Oil has the exact same texture and effects with the exception of the smell which is 100% odorless.

While looking at the Argan Oil I saw that the Rose Water was among my suggestions at the bottom of the page. Elma & Sana claims that it:

Soothes skin tones and leaves skin feeling soft like silky rose petals

Ant-wrinkle and anti-aging

100% pure Moroccan rose water

It is suitable for all skin types including dry skin, oily skin and aging skin

No artificial ingredients and is renowned as the most traditional of all facial cleansers

Although I don't think it is strong enough to cleanse my skin from a long day out I do think it is a great toner, keeps my skin feeling fresh, and brightens my skin tone.

I do have a set daily skincare routine that these two are not a part of because I don't think my skin is that sensitive at the moment to the point where I need to use these extremely gentle products but I do however use these 1-2 times a week when I have actual facials. After I've steamed, exfoliated, and masked my face, I will take a cotton round and gently dab the rose water all over my face and neck when I know my pores are still slightly open and the skin is fresh. I feel immediately rejuvenated; maybe it's the smell or the actual formulation but I feel so relaxed and luxurious after using this that I consider it to be liquid gold. Not much is needed, and there's no need to rub on the skin.

After Applying the rose water I like to just cool off my face with my hands for a minute or two just to make sure that the rose water is sticking to my skin and then I'll apply about a nickel sized amount of Argan oil to my fingertips, warm it up in my hands, and pat it on my face and neck. This is an amazing moisturizer for after masks and exfoliation because your skin is left pretty raw without natural oils therefore it is in need of some momentary substitutes.
- Aside from using the Argan Oil on my face I also enjoy using it on the ends of my hair, on my legs, and when I do manicures. It is truly a multipurpose product and that is what I love most about it.

If any of you all are interested in some organic products I would Highly recommend Elma & Sana who can be found on Amazon. I'm actually looking into purchasing one of their clay masks next :)

Empties | #1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I decided to start saving my trash to show the general public- I was actually really excited to do it; most of the time people say that they enjoy doing 'Empties' posts because they get to give good & Honest reviews which is true but that's not necessarily the motivational factor behind mine.

Being a blogger, or being someone that is generally interested in trying products for the hell of it is probably the most fun part of my day. But, I sometimes forget how much money actually goes into my hobby so I decided to do empties posts in order to encourage myself to actually get through the products I was excited about for a solid week and a half and then just tossed into my pile.

 

A lot of face-palming also goes into these posts as I recall every interesting or not so interesting product that I have used up and did not include for example my gazillion candles, eye makeup removers, etc.

Just know that I'm mentally prepared for the next one.

 

Recently I've used quite a bit of stuff (for me anyway).

I used to be in love with the Aveeno Night cream because of its delicious smell and I honestly noticed a difference in my skin but I feel like with all good things they must sadly come to an end and towards the end of this products life I just didn't notice that it was doing anything for me anymore; I just used it up because I didn't want to toss it without completely using it. Especially since it is one of the pricier products in the drugstore- I believe that this cost me around $17-21.



Bath and Body Works candles are my life line; I depend on them for serenity and a fresh smelling home which is why when I took a sniff out of Paris Daydream I completely fell in love and bought two. Every time I smell this candle it makes me wish I was a princess. So fresh and feminine.

Simple Cleansing Wipes. Need I say more? I have tried the Neutrogena ones and I enjoyed them but the simple ones take the cake in my opinion. They are so smooth and refreshing I sometimes just wipe my face with them in the middle of the day even if I'm not wearing any make up- simply for the cooling effect.

The Ion Inspired by Nature Intense Hydrating Masque was just like any regular conditioner to me as opposed to actual masques that I own. It was a bit thicker but when applied to the hair it felt just the same. I don't feel like it improved or worsened my hair. This product isn't anything that I can't live without.

Same goes for the Dove Shampoo although I will say that it made my hair smell really good and clean! My boyfriends mom actually left it in my shower and I decided to use it up instead of letting it go to waste.

On the other hand, she also left the White Musk Body Wash from The Body Shop and I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS STUFF. I will always and forever buy this. It's a sophisticated, sexy, and empowering scent. Honestly this should be considered as aromatherapy.

And lastly, Victoria's Secret body wash in Sky Bright; I enjoyed using the product because it lathered well but I used it up fairly quickly and I'm not sure why. Usually it takes me a while to get through them but this literally lasted like 3 weeks. I think I will repurchase it if it's on sale one day but I'm not going to haul ass to the store and pick one up immediately.

Hope you enjoyed, my garbage!

New Hair & New Products | Why I decided to change

Hello, everyone! 

So recently, (yesterday) I decided to splurge and give my hair a new look; it was premeditated although I did end up changing my mind once the actual process had started which I'll explain more of in a few minutes. 

 The look that I intended to go for was sort of like an ombré, but instead of my hair going from dark at the top and straight to a lighter color I wanted it to have a few highlights at the top and then highlights all over my hair but starting mid length as if they'd already been grown out. The reason being- I wanted it to look natural. 

Originally I wanted it to be a light brown that would contrast well with my dark brown but after she had bleached my hair I kind of fell in love with the blonde and had her put in a honey/ dark blonde 'toner' (not color). 

So, I went from having this:

To having this:

Not the best quality picture but it takes the point across/ I spent 7 hours in the hair salon and I was EXHAUSTED.

But, extremely satisfied.

I wanted to go lighter for spring and summer without changing my base color and she managed to do that for me which I am undoubtedly thankful for. 

Spending so much money on hair is a big deal for me and I want it to look as healthy as possible with the new change that has been made to it. Unfortunately, bleaching my hair strips the moisture from it's cuticle so instead of focusing on products that preserved my color I decided to invest on higher end products that would lock in moisture. 

Some of the products that I chose are old favorites for example the Biosilk - Silk Therapy Conditioner and the original Silk Therapy. 

The 12 fl. oz. Conditioner was $9.99

& the 2.26 fl. oz. Silk Therapy was $10.99. | the reason the little bottle is so expensive is because this stuff is seriously gold in a bottle. It can give the driest hair, the shiniest appearance without looking oily! 

Two new products I purchased were the Nexxus Therappe* Ultimate Moisture Shampoo and the Rush Sensories Moist Treatment.

The Nexxus shampoo was $5.19 & Rush treatment was $14.99 | I'm excited to try both of these and see what they can do for my hair; I've heard nothing but amazing things about the Shampoo and I'm hoping that the treatment leaves a positive lasting impression!