Sephora Play July 2016

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Sephora Play July 2016Sephora Play July 2016
Ouai Wave Spray / NEST Citrine / Smashbox Photo Finish Primer /
Benefit Dew the Hoola / First Aid Beauty Cleanser /
not pictured because I am an ass beautyblender Blotterazzi

Ouai Wave Spray

I’ve been seeing Ouai products buzzed about, but I knew (know, really) nothing about the brand. This wave spray claims to add texture by encouraging the hair to fall into a wave pattern. So far, I have used it twice each on damp and dry hair (four times, total). I’m not impressed, unfortunately; the spray did nothing my hair does not do anyway.

Beyond that, it is quite fragranced; in small doses, its fine. Pleasant, even. As much as my hair requires (read: not a small dose), however, is entirely too much. On top of that, the fragrance isn’t for everyone.

>> Have you tried it? Did you have better luck than I did? I think it could do more for hair that is already prone to waves and curls, but…alas, not me.

NEST Citrine

Again with the fragrances – fragrance is so personal, I have difficulty reviewing it. I wouldn’t purchase Citrine, but I don’t hate it. It will come live in my desk at my office for days I forget fragrance (and want to wear something).

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer

Who hasn’t tried this primer? I’m not going to wax poetic about it – it’s the standard Photo Finish primer. I’m not bummed by it being here because I can always make use of tiny sample sizes. They’re great for travel, of course, for an emergency desk stash, or to pass along to a friend in need.

That said, I wouldn’t ever buy this full-sized. This anti-chafe gel is a far more affordable dupe (very similar ingredients and feel), even if it is a bit odd to keep in a makeup kit. It’s cheaper at the drugstore, even, than Amazon. The specialty versions, however, with color correction? I would consider those!

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MAC 242 Flat Shader Brush

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MAC 242

Time for a short and sweet review of the MAC 242. After ages of…

  1. Not being able to work with loose shadows or pigments the way I wanted
  2. Reading, watching, hearing that the MAC 242 is the answer to my woes

…I picked up the 242 in my May haul. Lacking time to devote to fun eye makeup I’m only just getting around to working with it.

I don’t have any brushes quite like the MAC 242, so I don’t have much basis for comparison in my own collection. Most of my brushes are synthetic, but I lack a brush with a bristle layout quite like this. The closest in my kit are all from Urban Decay’s Good Karma line – their Shadow brush, and the dual-ended brush that accompanied Naked2. All three of the brush heads are all-synthetic. Frankly, for their price-point, I don’t love how the UD ones perform (glad they came with items I bought rather than buying them myself).

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Considering Going Lighter with Balayage Highlights

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Considering Going Lighter with Balayage HighlightsBalayage Highlights via Style Weekly

The last time I colored my hair I was fourteen and misguided. I bought a box (read: one – I have long hair!) Herbal Essences Bold ‘N Brilliant 44 Radiant Ruby. It wasn’t one of my best life choices.

Difficult to maintain (the nature of the redheaded beast) and more costly than my jobless teenage self could manage, I gave it up. I then made other great life choices such as trying to strip it, then covering it with a brunette semi-permanent dye to help it be less…stark (less like Sansa, more like jarring and unpleasant). All in all, it didn’t grow out gracefully, but after three long years, I celebrated trimming the last bits of it away. My hair has been natural (except for the occasional DIY glossing treatment) ever since.

After the better part of another decade, I’m bored.

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Aveeno Nourish Condition Leave In

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Aveeno Nourish + Condition Leave InAveeno Nourish Condition Leave In

I searched for a leave-in conditioner for ages and came up dry (I do not apologize for puns). I guess they’re not cool right now in the era of hair serums and oils. For me, Josie Maran Argan Oil is too rich (literally and fiscally) for my hair. About a month before my trip, after ages of scouring stores, I discovered and ordered the Aveeno Nourish Condition Leave In from drugstore.com.

When Aveeno’s Nourish+ collection of haircare came out eons ago, I tried and loved the Nourish + Soothe line, but it got discontinued. I was excited to see how this leave-in would treat me but also a little nervous considering the way my hair likes to behave when it comes to protein treatments. I decided to try anyway, because (for instance), keratin and silk proteins are different from wheat protein. It might not be all bad (for me), right?

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Nordstrom Anniversary Picks

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I don’t have Nordstrom plastic like what seems to be at least 2/3 of other bloggers out there, so I had to wait until today to hit the sale.

Here are my Nordstrom Anniversary Picks:

Nordstrom Anniversary Picks - Foreo Luna Mini
The FOREO Luna Mini, which I wrote a little about here. You can get it on sale for $74. Skip the Luna Play and get this (the Luna Play has a limited lifespan, is not rechargeable, and is disposable).

Nordstrom Anniversary Picks - Purity Duo

This Purity duo, forty ounces of product, for $53. That’s $1.30 per ounce – and anyone who has ever used purity knows that an ounce alone can go a LONG way. Seriously, if you want this stuff, check out Nordstrom’s sales.

Nordstrom Anniversary Picks - Foreo Issa Mini

More FOREO I’ve written about – the Issa Mini, for $89 – and the full-sized Issa, for $149.

Nordstrom Anniversary Picks - Silk'n

The Silk’n Flash & Go Freedom is on sale for $147.99. When you consider the cost of cartridges (plus your time), even just a reduction in shaving frequency is worth it. I’m still assessing it, but you can read when I first got it here and my most-recent update here.

Nordstrom Anniversary Picks - Zella Live In Leggings

And for a non-skincare item, these Zella Live-In Leggings are incredible. Thick, sturdy, opaque, not-showy or inappropriate. There’s a bit of a cult formed around these, now. If you’re in between sizes, size up, even if the True Fit Size says size down) – I made the mistake of sizing down last time. (The sized-down ones aren’t uncomfortable once they’re on, but it takes some doing to get them on.)