Product Testing

Recall: Carcinogens in Dry Shampoo

by

We had a post go live today, but I sat down this afternoon and wrote a whole entire ‘nother because this is NONSENSE. First, sunscreen. Now, there’s a multi-brand recall due to carcinogens in dry shampoo. It’s the same we’ve been seeing in sunscreen: benzene.

The amount of things being recalled for benzene in the last few years is too damn high. Carcinogens weren’t even really top-of-mind for me when I stopped buying dry shampoo a while back (which I JUST shared before this news hit), but there’s a hell of a good reason!

The Affected Brands

Per the release, which you can read on FDA.gov, this recall applies to products under Unilever’s sprawling umbrella. If you use any of these,

  • Dove
  • TRESemme
  • Nexxus
  • Suave
  • Tigi

You need to check the UPC and lot codes, which you can do here, to see if you need to take further action. Please note that just because you bought it recently doesn’t necessarily mean it was manufactured super recently! CHECK.

If it isn’t one of these, you may be in the clear – but I’ll come back to this.

Reimbursement

Read more

Kirkland Signature Shampoo and Conditioner

by

Busy. Tired of spending money to try to find a good product. Tired in general. Got better things to do than troubleshoot why your hair is acting like an unhinged psychopath? Does this sound like you?

I could pitch you some expensive, fancy, salon or prestige product and you could spend an arm and a leg on it…

…or you could just chill and get Costco’s liter-sized Kirkland Signature Shampoo and Conditioner.

While I’m a content Costco customer, don’t worry – I’m not a sample-rabid zombie. I just appreciate a good value – and Kirkland Signature Shampoo and Conditioner is certainly that.

Since my hair loss disaster (I’m all better!), I switched primarily to the wholesaler’s in house product. I didn’t do extensive product testing or sampling; I just picked it up in my usual groceries because my time is currently at a premium.

Why?

First, Quality

The formulas of Kirkland Signature Shampoo and Conditioner are salon-tier, and that is not just marketing hype. We’re talking a sulfate-free conditioner (its main surfactant is used by Ethique bars). It is gentle on my balayage, doesn’t dry my hair out, make it brittle, make it flat, etc.

Read more

Worth it? HydraSkin

by
Do NOT buy the HydraSkin Hydra-Dermabrasion device.

It isn’t common for me to write a post jumping STRAIGHT to it, but I feel extremely strongly about the HydraSkin Hydra-dermabrasion device:

Do NOT buy this damn thing. Using anyone’s money. Seriously.

I’m not even going to link to it because that’s how bad it is. Now we’ll do that annoying movie trope where we rewind some number of weeks.

Read more

Dyson Supersonic: Luxury Meets Performance

by
Dyson Supersonic
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer, $399 new / $275ish refurb

This post’s title should be Beauty Skeptic or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Dyson Supersonic.

At the end of 2018, I shared that I had purchased a refurbished Dyson Supersonic hairdryer. This is now the single most expensive beauty tool I own. In the time between the time I placed the order and delivery I vacillated between whether or not I was losing my damn mind.

Answer: Maybe?

If you’ve been reading for a long time, you’ll know that when I like to use pricier tools for a long while while before writing about it. This enables me to evaluate its performance long term and make a confident recommendation. We’ve all gotten a product (beauty or otherwise) that was great at first and then maybe not so much as time passes. Frankly, I find the gushing, “I’ve used it for 3 days and it is TOTES WORTH IT,” reviews grating beyond belief.

The dryer arrived on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, I have no alluring unboxing photos; since it is a refurb, it doesn’t come in fabulous retail packaging that’s worth showing you. It came in a very utilitarian, nondescript, white cardboard box with white inner packaging that was effective but not luxurious. As much as I can appreciate nice packaging and presentation, I also appreciate not paying a huge premium for it.

First Impressions

  • “Wow this thing’s weight is distributed sooo nicely.”
  • “Diffuser? Ugh, space consumption.” (Great for the curly girls, though).
  • “Concentrators – omg, there are two of them? NEAT.”
  • “Omg the magnetic bit for the tools is amazing. This is so nice, so much better than something that snaps on that can wear with time and become less secure.”
  • “OH! It sounds so smooth. And – this thing is powerful.”

Review

Time-to-Dry

My hair, which is long (and longer than usual at the moment thanks to CoVid-19), goes from, “I got out of the shower five minutes ago,” to dry in less than ten minutes. This varies depending on what products I’m using and how diligent I’m being about sectioning – but it is great. Thanks to a girlfriend, I started wearing wireless earbuds when I blowdry (genius), and I usually go through about two songs. That’s like 6-8 minutes.

Read more

Worth it? elf Wow Brow Gel

by
elf wow browelf wow brow gel, $4

I was browsing through Target’s beauty aisles – as a basic white girl is wont to do – seeking NYX Milk pencils. En route, I happened to spot elf Wow Brow gel. The name is reminiscent of a Benefit product, but this does not phase me. For $4 per 0.12 oz pop, I decide to try this fiber-containing formula even though I’m not currently in the market for brow products (currently using Anastasia Dipbrow Gel ($9-18) that is SO NICE and yes I still need to write about it).

Packaging

Like all elf products, elf Wow Brow packaging is unassuming in a black cylinder. Some people want to be seduced with packaging – and don’t get me wrong; I swoon over Hourglass like the rest of ’em – but I’m comfortable with simple and practical. The spoolie housed inside does not beat benefit’s in Gimme Brow and Gimme Brow+ but for the price difference, I’ll live. (Hell, I may be able to clean a Gimme Brow+ spoolie and use it if I must).

Color Selection

Examining the five shade selection, I couldn’t decide what I needed; I grabbed two. As it turns out, elf’s interpretation of Taupe differs both from my understanding of the shade as well as most other brow product manufacturers, so I grabbed it and what they deem Neutral Brown. Neutral Brown seems closer to what I expect from a Taupe shade.

Here they are in real life.

Read more

Kopari Coconut Deodorant

by

Kopari Coconut Deodorant

Today, we’re back on glamorous AF beauty topics to talk about Kopari Coconut Deodorant.

Fortunate not to be prone to sweating much, I generally eschew antiperspirants except in special cases. In the past, I’ve shared that I use primarily use Old Spice. GASP, I know. If you’re new here, that sounds crazy as hell (and, ridiculously, an impassioned discussion of this very topic net my table free dessert at an upscale restaurant on a recent business trip). It isn’t, though; Bearglove is a surprisingly neutral scent, even if it is favored by Terry Crews.

I’ve also tried Lavanila and an inexpensive Arm & Hammer product. I’m not particularly hell-bent on the natural route (see previously my criticism of 1 part baking soda, 1 part essential oils or patchouli, and 1 part denial about efficacy); effectiveness is my priority. But if effective might come in a natural-ish route, I’m up for it.

Coming Across Kopari Coconut Deodorant

I first heard about Kopari Coconut Deodorant, $14 from Stephanie. I find her recommendations reliable and was therefore curious, but I had to reconcile this with my deeply-rooted skepticism of The Magical All-Curative Salve that is Coconut Oil. For a while, the beauty world was intoxicated with coconut oil; somehow, it occupied this be-all-end-all pedestal much like duct tape does for other things. Free of:

  • aluminum,
  • silicones,
  • parabens,
  • phthalates, and
  • baking soda

it turns out that Kopari Coconut Deodorant is a decent product -and cruelty free to boot. More details on their FAQ, here.

Read more