Bi-Weekly WTF :: Vol 6 – Beauty Gurus & Vitamins

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I’ve followed Nikki over at Lipstick Latitude for a long time, now. Her recent post about gurus playing doctor really hit the nail on the head. I was inspired to expand upon the topic.

Credentials

I don’t follow Tati/GlamLifeGuru. Her content never appealed to me, but that is neither here nor there. The reality is that most beauty content creators are not qualified to dispense medical advice. I’ve talked about my use and discontinuation/reduction in use of Biotin before, but I make it abundantly clear that I am not a medical professional. I cannot educate you in health-related choices! So – all changes of the supplementary nature should be reviewed with a qualified medical professional even if your BFF or mom endorses the hell out of ’em.

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February 2018 Favorites

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February 2018 FavoritesFebruary 2018 Favorites
1. Psssst, $7 / 2. Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Countertop Spray, $4 / 3. Wool Dryer Balls, $10 /
4. Dryel At-Home Dry Cleaning Kit, $10 / 5. MetroVac DataVac Duster Blower, $60

February was not only a short month, but a busy one. I spent most of my time treading water and staying afloat; as a result, I didn’t spend much time rediscovering my collection or being surprised by anything. When I sat down to ponder it from a beauty perspective, I nearly re-wrote my January 2018 Favorites. So, all that said, my February 2018 Favorites are more lifestyle than beauty; I hope you’ll forgive the departure from being on-topic.

Refresh

When I use dry shampoo before bed, I don’t want to use a fragranced variety for several reasons. An old favorite brand, Psssst!, makes an unscented variety that fits the bill perfectly.

Deep Breaths

What good is a clean home if you either a) can’t breathe in it or are b) damaging your lungs in achieving it? Long before reports that using heavy cleaning sprays contributed to decreased lung function and COPD, I’ve been trying to use less-severe cleaning products in my home.

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Worth it? Drunk Elephant B-Hydra (Quick Take)

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Drunk Elephant B-Hydra, $52

To be honest, I really planned on buying Drunk Elephant B-Hydra. Drunk Elephant C-Firma is the only ‘expensive’ skincare product in my regimen – and I’m satisfied with that! Forever a value seeker, I picked up their Come C About Me holiday set that included a full-size C-Firma and:

  • Beste jelly cleanser
  • Umbra sunscreen
  • …and Drunk Elephant B-Hydra moisturizer.

I haven’t tried Beste and Umbra yet, but I have been using the small bottle of B-Hydra, cocktailing it with C-Firma in the morning and applying before any makeup I wear that day.

Usage

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Invisalign Update: Cavity Update

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Aiming to correct my teeth - Invisalign - Cavity Update

A couple weeks ago, I shared that I had fears of a cavity recurring or worsening. The following Monday, I went to see my dentist. Fortunately, the discomfort had subsided, but I was still skeptical of the tooth. What did it mean for my oral health and the course of my Invisalign treatment?

Flooded with trepidation that this damn tooth was causing problems, I marched into my dentist’s office. We promptly took a new set of bite-wing X-rays.

Apparently the composite used for Invisalign Attachments looks funny on X-rays.

Survey Says

My hygienist couldn’t commit to a diagnosis without the dentist taking a look, but between my explanation of the timeline of my symptoms, how I was managing them when they were present, and the absence of a spooky spot on the X-rays… things looked okay.

We went about my cleaning. Even though I am religious about my dental hygiene appointments, I somehow always forget how wildly unpleasant the scraping aspect of a cleaning is. This time, I needed less of that attention than ever (that’s what brushing and flossing 3-4x/day gets you! woo!) but I would rate that routine aspect of a dental cleaning as worse (yes!) than IPR.

Cavity Update

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L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara Update

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L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara Carbon Black

I’ve been using L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black for years now. The price (<$10) is nice, I love the brush, and it works well for my needs. Although I try other things occasionally, nothing has convinced me to stray.

A (temporary) Choice

Last time I needed to repurchase, though, Target was out of the Carbon Black (black tube) variety I typically go for. I settled for Blackest Black (gold tube) and called it a day.

The Difference

I’ve been using L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara Blackest Black since about November, now. Overall, the shade isn’t as dark as Carbon Black. It’s far from a crisis and literally no one but me notices. I’m not unhappy with it, but it isn’t quite the same.

I find that the classic L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara formula does not lengthen (or appear to lengthen) my lashes as effectively as the Carbon Black formula does. It does give some slightly-enhanced fullness, but fullness isn’t a concern for me right now.

The Impact of Pigment

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Worth it? Beyond the Zone Last Call Hair Masque

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Beyond the Zone Last Call Hair Masque

After three rounds of balayage highlights and more heat-styling than I’ve done consistently…ever, some of my hair can use an extra boost of hydration. Last time I was in Sally’s (a while ago at this point – before Christmas for sure), I picked up their Beyond the Zone Last Call Hair Masque ($2.49). I love Aussie 3-Minute Miracle and use it regularly, but figured it was worth investigating.

The Claims

Beyond the Zone Last Call Hair Masque claims that it:

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