Lemon Verbena Shower Gel Body Wash from Dollar Tree

Here is a quick beauty review for shower gel and body wash.

I was visiting Myrtle Beach, SC, I stopped into the Dollar Tree store and noticed the beautiful packaging design on this bottle.

It is a shower gel and body wash but I only use it as a handwash. The beautiful art print on the front from The Robert Shugart Decorative Arts Collection is lovely to look at on my bathroom sink. 

It has a very pleasant lemony scent and is not drying. This is very good result considering with inexpensive products the fragrance can be terrible and harsh on the skin. No, it is not organic or has natural ingredients. It is from the Dollar Tree, you get inexpensive items at this store no more no less.

But sometimes you can luck up on some decent things that hold up very well over time.

The packaging caught my eye and I am so glad it did. I was surprised to see this in Dollar Tree store. The link is nolaparfume.com

Thank you for reading my post!

Thomasina

If you have questions or comments, you can also email me at thomasinawords@gmail.com

Bath and Body Works Mini 75% Off Haul

February 18, 2014  *Update Product Review

The updates will be in bold.




I was in the right place at the right time at the mall and a Bath and Body Works  haul happened. LOL!

My favorite type of sale is when the prices are marked down 75% off more. The least expensive item was the gold glitter Christmas gift bag with pink ribbon handles for only 75 cents.

 I am impressed with he thickness of the paper. It strangely reminds me of the gold shimmering fabrics of evening dresses from the 50s and 60s. 

Now for the body care products:

The ultra shea body butter 7oz moisturizers in the scents Japanese Cherry Blossom and Wild Madagascar Vanilla were a great find and the most moisturizing of all the items.

Key Notes for Japanese Cherry Blossom are first it's namesake - JCB then Asian Pear, Mimosa Petals, White Jasmine, and Creamy Sandalwood.

Key Notes for Wild Madagascar Vanilla are Madagascar Vanilla Accord, African Pear, Wild Jasmine and White Sandalwood.

Both butters also contain Shea and Murumuru Butters and Coconut oil.

 I had been searching for body butters on sale for a while now.  They were regular priced at $15.00. I got them at  the more affordable price of 75% off - $3.75.

As I was standing in line at the register, I saw the  3 FL OZ Country Chic lotions for 75% off $5.00 - $1.25. 


This lotion contains both shea butter and vitamin E and has a sweet citrus scent. I've had better quality lotions from other brands but I love the low price. 

My experience with Bath and Body Works lotions is they smell very strong of fragrance but were not very moisturizing. I added a small amount of olive oil and this made the product a lot more moisturizing for my skin.

The last item was the Oahu Coconut Sunset shower gel - 3 FL OZ. It has a very sweet coconut scent. I use shower gels for hand wash.

It was fun running into the store right before it closed and getting some great deals. I don't often shop here but I could not pass up this deal.


 My total purchase was under $19.00.  I love shopping the end of season sales.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Thomasina


If you want to contact me, send me an email at Thomasinawords@gmail.com

Beauty Review - Lush Soap - Sexy Peel

I went inside the Lush store for the second time at Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, NC. The first time I ventured in, it was on a busy day and was immediately helped a lot more than I wanted to be by the sales associates. My favorite way to shop is to be kindly approached by the sales associate then let alone to shop in peace until I have a question. At that time I felt so smothered by sales associates, I hurried up and let the store.

This time was a much better experience. The store was quiet with only one other customer besides me. The two sales associates were very nice and extremely helpful. I had lots of questions about what is the smallest amount minimum I could purchase. They very graciously gave me a small sample of the soap "Sexy Peel".

Oh btw, my understanding was that there wasn't a minimum to the smallest amount I could ask to purchase, I am going to test this out the next time I am in Raleigh.

The Beauty Review:

Lush soap - Sexy Peel

Main Ingredients: Organic orange juice and lime oil.

It is a citrus soap that first of all smells wonderful of oranges. The lime oil is not as strong as the orange fragrance but it is there just in the background.

This soap is a peeler bar with exfoliating properties hence the rough texture within the soap is small bits of orange peel.

My opinion after using the sample is that it  is OK nothing special. I loved the smell of the soap a lot more than what the soap was supposed to be used for. The lather and exfoliating were both nothing special.

My biggest problem with Lush  is the expensive price. For what the products are in size and use, in my humble opinion, you really don't get a whole lot for your money. Yes I know - organic ingredients are not cheap.

This store is hyped a lot by the beauty gurus on you tube but it's another store that once I actually use the products, it doesn't live up to the excited reviews by the gurus.


I will definitely go back to Lush (on not crowded in the store days  LOL!) to try more products.

Here is the link to the Lush site for the "Sexy Peel" soap.

Anyone have any suggestions on what I should try next?

Here is a link to another beauty review on my blog for the fragrance Jovan Island Gardenia

Thanks for reading

Fragrance Of The Day - Paris Dreams Pour Femme

This fragrance was a Christmas gift. It is an imitation scent of the Can Can from Paris Hilton fragrance from one of those discount trendy strip mall stores. But wait don't judge! It actually smells amazing. I was pleasantly surprised when I first trying it on. Usually imitation perfume are horrible. I got really lucky.

It is a light slightly sweet floral fragrance. It is a warm weather scent that could be worn for daytime or evening. As for lasting power, not too short but not very long. Love that it came with a little tiny travel bottle.

The lotion is a lightly scented lightweight moisturizer. It's OK . I love that it isn't that typical cheap watery useless lotion I've used in the past.

The fragrance came in a very nicely packaged white box covered in clear plastic. Nice presentation. This is the first imitation perfume that I've been gifted that smelled really good. In fact, I plan to try to track it down and repurchase it myself.

Btw I have absolutely no idea what Paris Hilton's Can Can fragrance smells like.

I just did a quick internet search to see where this product would be available for purchase. I saw this on some random site for $49.00! No way. This product must have been discontinued.

The Paris Hilton Can Can is listed for just $12.99. Wow. The cheap imitation is now sold for more than the original? The internet is a very strange place.

Have you had any luck in finding an imitation perfume that smells amazing?

Beauty Review - Freeman Facial Clay Mask Avocado and Oatmeal

I like this mask because it made my skin feel refreshed and clean. It was also very inexpensive at Walmart - only about $1.34. Applying it with the Elf foundation brush made the entire messy process a lot less messy and faster. The Queen Helene Mint Julep mask (I reviewed this here) does a more thorough deep cleansing.

The avocado and oatmeal are my favorite ingredients in this mask because they made my skin feel very moisturized. The .5oz package was probably for one full application but I used this for two masks. I just used the amount I wanted and wrapped the opened package in an airtight plastic bag.

I would recommend this mask and will definitely repurchase this product again. This mask was in fact one of the first masks I ever used on my face years ago.

Have you ever used a clay facial mask before in your skin routine?

Thanks for reading!

Tips for Beauty Gurus to Decrease Hater Comments -Part 2

Here is Part 2 of  Tips for Beauty Gurus to Decrease Hater Comments

"Lazy Haul" videos for showing clothing items.

Holding up an item of clothing out of a bag does not show how a piece of clothing will look worn.  It is so much easier to know how the clothes actually fit if the item of clothing tired on and styled. At the least the beauty guru could take the time to model one or two of the items. Another suggestion is to do a look book video soon after the haul video.

The good old sponsored product “bait and switch”.

The viewer will  assume they are watching a certain type of video because of the title but in the middle of the video, are suddenly blindsided by a random sponsored product “commercial”. I just skip over that section of the video. Some gurus promote random sponsored products that seem really odd and out of place on their channels.

It is really annoying to hear a beauty guru proclaim how wonderful a product they have never seemed to have used  before but now are totally in love with. The beauty guru will act as if they can’t live without it but it is obvious they don’t know very much about the product and haven’t used it for long enough to form a real opinion.

Beauty gurus who have a hoarding issues.

No one  will ever needs that much makeup. A whole room  (or cabinet) of makeup? I understand that they are sent makeup from companies as part of their job as makeup salespeople but showing a huge amount of makeup will definitely breed envy in viewers who want to be able to have a lot makeup but don’t have the money. It would not be so bad if the gurus would make the effort in videos to “shop” their makeup stashes. There is a mentality of always rushing towards the next trend or constantly buying new things. Make full use of the makeup you already own.

Fake bloopers

Do I really have to explain this? Real outtakes are genuine and funny but fake bloopers because bloopers are popular not funny at all.

Nothing is for “free”.

I’m not getting any money for this says the beauty guru. Yes this may be true but the guru is doing it for future business with that company. The beauty gurus are building relationships with brands.

Not Being Original.

Beauty gurus are notorious for copying each other’s videos. Be yourself. The viewers watch the same videos gurus do and it is annoying to see the exact same mannerisms, products, etc. Please stop with the hair stroking.  

 It is so aggravating when a certain sponsor is making the rounds among the gurus and you hear the same sales pitch in video after video for some random product they wouldn’t normally be interested in and haven’t actually used for a very long time.

Worshipping a beauty product, clothing item or designer bag.

It’s is a complete waste of money to buy something  very expensive and not use it. I think it is so strange when a beauty guru is  very “precious” with a makeup palette “I don’t want to mess up the design imprinted in the makeup” or someone who hardly ever uses the “price of a used car” designer handbag. Use it! That’s what it was made for. You are more important than your possessions.  Get all of your money out of something by putting it to good use.

Magic endless money

Constant hauls but no acknowledgement of having a job or how to save/budget to be able to afford all the clothes and makeup. Beauty guru admit you were sent items from companies.  Full disclosure of each and every item you were sent for consideration by companies.

Buyer Beware

It is the responsibility of the viewer to do follow up research before deciding to purchase the products or items mentioned in videos. Your mind and money are your responsibility. Don’t blame” the nice girl in your computer” for persuading you to spend money you should not be spending.

Read reviews about the products or go to blogs  to see the clothing styled before you make your final decision. Do what is best for your needs and your lifestyle. Remember you cannot buy the  “perfect” world presented in the video. It’s an illusion.

Sadly, there is no “cure” for haters on the internet. Some people think it is fun to leave nasty comments on videos. Haters love having one sided unfair fights with you tubers they pretend to have a "relationship" with online. The internet allows people to attack hidden behind their keyboards.

The beauty gurus who handle the hate the best are the ones who do not let it get to them. They make the best videos they can and do not let haters provoke or intimidate them. Block and delete the really nasty comments is always good strategy. But make sure the comment is actually a hate comment not an honest critique of the video. Look for the truth. Gurus who listen to their viewers make the best videos.

Part 1 of this post is here.

Do you think anything can be done to lessen the hater comments on beauty guru videos?

Thanks for reading!

Tips for Beauty Gurus to Decrease Hate Comments - Part 1

 Tips for Beauty Gurus to Decrease Hater Comments*

*Unfortunately there will always be negative people on the internet.

 I really love watching beauty gurus videos on you tube. They are so inspiring, motivating and funny.  I absolutely have much respect for many of these women and men who are brave enough to put themselves out there to the world in you tube videos. They are indeed very brave and amazing people who do an incredible at job at presenting products, clothing, etc. informative and creative videos.

But this blog post is about the beauty gurus that have annoying unprofessional habits and spread misinformation in their videos which can annoy some viewers and lead to more than the usual amount of hater comments.

***The following post is my humble opinion.***

Be Honest when reviewing products.

If a beauty guru really wants to stir up hater comments all she has to do is lie to viewers. We (the viewers) can usually tell when a guru is not being truthful. Some gurus sing the praises of a product they have hardly if ever used just to get a pay check from a company. I have no problem with beauty gurus being sponsored but I have a problem with people who try to sell me anything and everything just to get paid. Beauty gurus should test the product for a reasonable length of time and give an informed pros and cons review of the product. Haters love beauty gurus that kiss up companies for free stuff and money.

Beauty Gurus who appear to live in a perfect world.

Beauty gurus that present a near "perfect world" and a magical endless amount of money for shopping, buying coffee and having lunch with friends every single day. These gurus who never talk about the realities of the world and pretend they don’t work for a living will definitely generate envy/jealous among some viewers. Beauty gurus should admit who they work for (you tube, beauty/clothing companies or a network) and talk about how they save and budget money to afford their lifestyles. Most viewers of beauty videos are young girls and it is sad to read their frustration at not being able to live the "carefree" lives of their favorite guru.

Lots of poor quality filmed videos.

Beauty gurus should make the best quality videos they can . Be professional. If you are getting a pay check from you tube or a beauty company, this is no longer a hobby, this is your job. Also horrible lighting in video after video. Poor editing or no editing. Cluttered or dirty background areas – clothes and shoes on the floor and bed. Set high standards for your videos.

Not being knowledgeable about products being presented in their videos.

When gurus talk about beauty products, clothing items,etc. they should do their research, be organized and knowledgeable about how to use the products. It is so annoying to watch someone who is not prepared and seems to not care they were not prepared for their video. How many times have we heard “I’m not good at describing scents”? Be aware that sometimes gurus will give “half” the information about a product to increase traffic to a company’s website.

Pretending you don’t work for you tube, a beauty company or a network.

Nobody is falling for the “I’m just a regular girl sitting in my bedroom showing products” anymore. You (beauty guru) are a salesperson and your viewers are potential customers for your channel and for the companies you represent. If you have an email for business inquires this is a job not a hobby.

Not being consistent. 

Beauty gurus who constantly promise certain videos but the videos are never made. I understand when this happens once every once in a while (life happens) but there are beauty gurus that made promises or start video series and never finish them.  Don’t make plans or promises you have no intention of following through with.

Beauty gurus try to look your best while on camera.
 

Everyone feels more confident when they have put forward the best effort to look pulled together on camera. Gurus are scrutinized so closely on camera, why give any meanspirited viewer good reason to criticize poorly applied makeup or messy ( and not the on purpose hairstyle) hair. Be camera ready.

Beauty gurus that complain.

No one likes a complainer especially when it is very obvious  the beauty guru is paid very well for making vides. Incessant whining about having “first world problems” is one of the biggest pet peeves I have . They have so much compared to the rest of the world but it doesn’t seem to be enough. Complaining about how long it takes to edit a video is so annoying. There are a lot more difficult jobs in the world than filming and editing videos for a living. The amount of money the guru will make over the life of the video (from views and from ad clicks, etc) will well compensate for the few hours sitting down in front of a computer.

Beauty gurus really are not your friend. 

Dear viewer: It is easy to believe that the nice girl talking to you on screen really personally cares for you the truth is she really doesn’t know you. It is sad that viewers believe a beauty gurus is a real friend.  For some, unfortunately beauty gurus are an imaginary “friend”  they can be horrible to in an unfair one way fight. Haters use beauty gurus to vent their own personal problems in the comment section.

To be fair, I do think many beauty gurus care a lot about their viewers but my point is we (the viewers) do not have "a real life in person type" of friendship with them. Online friendship is not the same as an in real life type of friendship.

Part 2 of this post is here.

What do you think is the cause of so many hater comments on beauty gurus videos? How do you think these type of comments can be decreased? 

Thanks for reading!

Beauty Review - Cetaphil

This has been a skin care favorite for years. I have repurchased it many times.

This is of course a cult favorite. Cetaphil

We have all heard how gentle it is for the skin. This has been my holy grail face wash cleanser for years and years. Easy to use and inexpensive. Definitely a win win. 

 I can use my Earth Therapeutics facial brush from Ulta (the “ghetto Clarisonic” as Brittney Gray from the youtube channel Brittney Wins eloquently put it. LOL! ) or a cotton washcloth.I use only a pea sized amount and warm water.

I use can use this in the morning or at night without it drying my skin. It’s easy to find at your local drugstore or Walmart.

It is a decent no frills cleanser. As far as a makeup remover, I don’t usually wear a lot of makeup but it you build up a decent foam the majority of your makeup will dissolved to be rinsed off.

Speaking of rinsing, a very important step when using any facial cleanser is to make sure you rinse off any residue left by the product. This can prevent that dry tight feeling experienced afterwards. 

It’s not natural product with natural ingredients but it is definitely gentle to the skin. The slight soapy scent is not unpleasant. I usually only the smallest amount if I’m not removing a full face of  makeup. Since I don’t have to use a lot of product, it lasts a long time and this is definitely a money saver.

Do you use this Cetaphil?