Hairstyling

Worth it? MiroPure Straightening Brush

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MiroPure Straightening Brush // straightening brushesMiroPure Straightening Brush, $40

No matter what I seem to do, I can’t seem to bring myself to stick with consistently styling my hair. I’m not particularly good at it. I like sleep more than I like fiddling with my hair first thing in the morning, and that often means my hair isn’t as smooth and visually tidy as I’d like. Late last year I became aware of thermal straightening brushes and shared my initial thoughts in November. Since, the MiroPure Straightening Brush arrived and I’ve used it more times than I can count.

First, we’ll get into how straightening brushes work, then to my review.

How do Straightening Brushes Work?

All brushes are designed a little differently (here’s a Dafni, for instance), but the core concept is the same. The back plate of the brush (analogous to the cushion area) is heated just like the plates of a flat iron. Likewise most or all of the, “bristles,” or, “teeth,” are constructed of or surrounded by that same plate material and are heated.

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First Look: As Seen on TV Kiss InstaWave Automatic Curler

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First Look: As Seen on TV Kiss InstaWave Automatic CurlerAs Seen on TV Kiss InstaWave Automatic Curler

I had seen the Beachwaver. It’s a lovely-looking device and gets great reviews. That said, there is a ceiling on how much I’m willing to spend on a product I’m just curious about and don’t have a yearning for. What they want for the Beachwaver far exceeds that, so it was never on my radar as a possibility. Later, when I was treating myself a bit before the holidays I came across a handsome deal on the Kiss InstaWave automated curler…which is an As Seen on TV product.

As far as I’m concerned, there are two As Seen on TV products worth the time of day. The first is Oxi Clean (I use unscented) and the second are Turbie Twists (so cheap, so useful). $25 wasn’t a huge risk for me, though, and I had a gift card – so I decided to bite.

Benefits

Kiss pitches the following benefits from using the InstaWave curler:

  • Tangle-Free Curling
  • Stress-Free Styling*
  • No Skills Needed

If it’s true, sign me up. I’m about as hair inept as they come. For now, color me skeptical; I’m not sure a rotating barrel + long hair = truly stress free, though. Not at first, anyway.

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The Haul-idays / No Buy / State of Things

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No Buy

Haul

Since the sale I bought C Firma during, I allowed myself to spend a little more on beauty-related products during the holidays.

In addition to the MiroPure Straightening brush, I bought:

  • Another hair tool to try. There’s no universe in which I would have dropped money (>$125!) on a Beachwaver but I got the InstaWave for $25.
  • A few more Gelaze colors to play with. I hadn’t purchased any gel polish in nearly a year!
  • Some extra Clarisonic brush heads. There was a Cyber Monday sale – got two Radiance heads for $24. Not as excellent as my usual purchase of 4 for $64 (4 pack for $81 + 20% off).
  • A new (to me, not new release) Real Techniques brush. I didn’t really have anything to use on my whole, finished face to blend any edges that I missed, and for $4 on sale I figured it was fair.

Holiday Stuff

In all, I found myself yet again underwhelmed by the holiday offerings put out by most brands. It does look like Fenty Beauty rose to the occasion (still haven’t tried anything from Fenty, though), but everything else fell flat to me. Even Urban Decay who, in spite of my occasional criticism, I generally enjoy, swung and missed (me).

The only thing I found myself tempted by were the new Heavy Metal glitter liner shades – but given that I have few opportunities to even wear the one I own (Midnight Cowboy), I refrained from adding more to my collection. Glitter eyeliner, after all, is not appropriate for work.

State of Things

Now for some general, “state of things,” updates on things I’ve talked about but not super-recently.

No Buy

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November 2017 Favorites

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November 2017 FavoritesNovember 2017 Favorites
1. MiroPure Straightening Brush, $40 / 2. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle, 3 for >$8 / 3. Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum, $80 /
4. Vaseline Original, varies / 5. OPI I’m Not Really a Waitress, $8

American Thanksgiving has come and gone (somehow it was already like two weeks ago, WTF). The holidays are officially here. I have yet to decorate my apartment (because I have been drowning in work, as I shared on earlier this week). This weekend, I will get the wee tree up and then I will wrap all the things. I’ve been into tying gift bows lately and have some amazing peacock ribbon that I’m excited to use. Before we get into my November 2017 Favorites, don’t forget to check out (and enter, duh) my Real Techniques Sculpting Set Giveaway; there’s only a week left!

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On Straightening Brushes

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straightening brushes

I am lazy to a fault when it comes to styling my hair. On a given day, if there is a part of my professional appearance that has, “opportunity,” it is my hair. I don’t think it is ever appalling or flat-out unprofessional, but it isn’t consistently good, either. It lives in an octopus jaw clip a lot when I’m in the zone. I won’t apologize for this decidedly non-chic choice; it is functional. It saves me on, “nice,” and, “not-so-nice,” hair days alike when I tire of my hair falling forward one-too-many times. Emphasis on the not-so-nice days, though.

I Should Get Over It

It isn’t that hard to smooth the hair. It takes way less effort than curling it does! I realized I can get more mileage between washes when I blow-dry. To say nothing of my curling apparatuses, here’s what I’ve got:

  • This inexpensive, albeit effective blow dryer.
  • These also-inexpensive hot rollers that I really love. They’re lovely for volume, smoothing, and big curls depending on how you use them. I am an idiot – every time I use them I ask myself, “Why don’t you do this at least once a week?!”
  • I actually have two flat irons:
    • This Hot Tools iron that I bought in 2016.
    • And also this Wazor one that my husband surprised me with this summer (I’m still evaluating it).

Even when I intend to dry it properly, I sometimes leave my hair in a post-shower twist too long and the juice of the dryer isn’t worth the effort of the squeeze. So then I have weird hair for a bit. I could straighten it, but meh.

Straightening Brushes & Hype

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Home Sweet Home – Travel, Argan Oil, & My Bag

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A post shared by Beauty Skeptic (@beautyskeptic) on

The travel I recently mentioned has come to pass. Fortunately, my trip to Texas resulted in no major skin or hair crises with argan oil at hand

It did result in some good food-related things and some nice window-seat photos. I’m bad at Instagram, but cloud photos from thirty thousand feet get me inspired.

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