not your mother’s shampoo & conditioner review

Hello, hello, & welcome back to another post! It’s time for another review post. I’m embarrased to admit that this post has been planned for months, but I haven’t gotten around to it. Oops. I’ve even had the photos loaded up, waiting to be edited. Again, oops. A few of the photos turned out blurry, apologies for that.

Anyway, all that aside, let’s get into the post.

My hair takes a really long time to grow. I use coconut oil and essential oils and all that amazing stuff, and while that has definitely helped my hair, it still grows very slowly. I thought about taking Biotin supplements, but many people said that their skin broke out from it, and as I have blemish-prone skin, I didn’t want to try that out. I’ve always been a fan of the Not Your Mother’s brand, and when I found out they had a shampoo and conditioner shampoo and conditioner targeted at growing out your hair, I jumped right on it.

I know I say this about almost every product I review, but the s & c are extremely inexpensive! (Maybe I’m just a cheap person, if I keep buying inexpensive products. But hey, I like saving my money.)

The reviews are actually pretty good, a lot of people said that their hair was growing like a weed, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to try. Plus, the shampoo and conditioner are free of sulfates. (Though they do have quite a few chemicals.)

Well, well, well, my hair actually did grow pretty quickly. I didn’t take any pictures of hair growth, but I would say my hair grew a few inches more than usual in one month. I could honestly just tell, looking in the mirror. My hair seemed longer every time I checked. I’m sure if I bought more, I would see even more hair growth. But I stopped using it, for a few reasons.

My hair turned to straw. It was dry, the ends were unhealthy, and overall it just didn’t look very good. Also, I found myself needing to wash my hair more and more, because my scalp was getting extremely greasy. Once the bottles ran out, I switched to OGX shampoo and conditioner, and I’m happy to say my hair is back to normal.

So, if you want your hair to grow quickly, definitely use this product. Everyone’s hair type is different, and I know for a fact that my hair doesn’t react well with too many chemicals, which is probably why it turned so dry. If you end up with a bad haircut and want to grow your hair back long, this will also help! However, it does say on the back of the bottle this product is for already existing hair, and does not grow new hair, so keep that in mind.

Would I purchase this again? Yes, I would. It was cheap, smelled absolutely heavenly (it smelled like strawberries and hot summer days, the scent was amazing), and it worked. It truly worked. However I do think I would need a lot of hair masks to balance out my hair, because it turned extremely dry and unhealthy.

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Thank you so much for reading, as always, and I hope you have a great day.

What shampoo and conditioner brand do you like?

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Buh-Bye, Bad Hair

Step aside, OGX Hair Mist, because there’s a new kid on the block. I’ve found my hair holy grail.

The OGX coconut milk anti-breakage serum! What a mouthful, huh? I don’t use a lot of products on my hair, I usually like to keep it natural. Up until I became obsessed with OGX, I just used coconut oil and Calia products.

But–cue the dramatic music–everything has changed. I recently purchased the OGX coconut oil serum, and I love it more than the OGX mist! Both are similar, but I’ve only been using the serum for a week, and it’s already my favorite.

Pros:

• It smells amazing
• It hydrates my hair more than the mist
• It’s inexpensive
• My hair has been really silky after using it

Cons:

• If I use more than a few drops, my hair gets really greasy

I still love the mist, and I’ll still continue to use it, but the smell of the mist makes me feel nauseous sometimes. The serum is thicker, and I feel like it really does a better job of hydrating and making my hair silky. I just use a few drops after showering or when my ends are really dry.

I would 100% reccomend this, it has made my hair so silky. What is your hair holy grail? If you’ve tried this product, I would love to know. Have a great day!

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February Wrap Up & Favorites

Would you look at that?! It’s already March! I took and edited tons of photos today for new  content in March, so stay tuned, I have some awesome posts coming up.

My February was really nice. For the beginning of February, we had a ton of snow, and towards the end it was in the 60s and sunny. How was this month for you? Let me know in the comments, I’m curious. And now, without further ado, let’s get into the post. 

The OGX coconut oil mist was my favorite product this month. I did a review on it if you want to take a peek, here’s the link. This mist has just made my hair so soft and silky, I love it. It’s super inexpensive too, so when I run out I won’t feel bad about buying more.

These E.L.F. brushes are only a few dollars at Target. They work well and are high quality for a low price, so I would definitely recommend them! I think I’ll buy some most of their other brushes, since E.L.F. has a good variety.

I read so  many books this month, but out of all the books I read, this one has been my favorite! Zodiac signs are my guilty pleasure. Uh-oh, the secret’s out. I don’t do the horoscopes or any of that stuff, I just find it interesting (I’m a Virgo, by the way). This is a Sci-fi series with (you guessed it) Zodiac signs. There are some plot holes but overall the universe is really interesting!

Not Your Mother’s is one of my favorite brands, and I’ve used their dry shampoo so much this month! It works well and doesn’t smell like strong chemicals, which I’ve found with other dry shampoos. It isn’t too expensive, either. (Do you see a common theme? I hate overpaying for products.)

March is going to be a busy, hectic month for me, but I have a lot of new content that I’m excited to share. I hope that you all have an amazing month. What was your favorite product this month, and have you tried any of these products? Thanks for stopping by!

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January Wrap-Up & Favorites

It seems like I was just writing a post on New Years–and here we are! It’s February, already. January is usually a pretty meh month, but I actually had a fantastic january (thanks for asking). But I’m glad February is here; at least Valentine’s Day and the Superbowl provide something to look forward to. Anyway, all that aside, let’s get into the post…

The E.L.F. Need It Nude eyeshadow palette has been my absolute favorite thing this month. I love the E.L.F. brand so much, because it’s super inexpensive, and pretty good quality for the price. This palette not only has gorgeous colors, but it’s super pigmented and applies easily.

On that note, I wanted to post a picture of my E.L.F. products. I recently purchased new E.LF. eyeshadow brushes–if you’re looking for brushes, I recommend this brand, they’re only a few dollars.

Peppermint oil is a must-have in January. I use it in my diffuser, and it makes my bedroom smell delicious, along with the benefit of preventing sickness. I also love it in my shampoo (just put a few drops into your shampoo bottle for hair growth).

The Hamilton book was one of my Christmas presents, and I’ve spent countless nights flipping through the pages and staring at the gorgeous pictures in it. I know every Hamilton song by heart, so it’s really interesting to read the book and learn how it was made.

Clinique Happy Heart perfume is another one of my favorites. I’m honestly a lotion girl, but perfume is nice when I feel like being fancy. 😉 However, this scent is something I wear every day! It has a clean, super sweet & feminine scent, which is right up my alley. I don’t like heavy perfume scents, so this is really nice, since it’s so light.

I’m going to be living by this for February! Every week, I save a quote for myself, and I found this one on Pinterest. If you want to check out my inspirational quotes & motivation board, here’s the link. Well, that wraps it up, buttercup! Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a fantastic day/night.

Why I Use Wooden Hairbrushes

Hello, hello! I hope you’re having a fantastic weekend. I’ve been wanting to post about this for a while, because hair care is something I’m super passionate about. I have long, thick hair, so I have had to try a lot of different things to make sure my hair stays hydrated and healthy.

I went through a stage where I was obsessed with growing my hair out really long. My hair grows slowly, so the results were less than stellar, but I did learn a ton from my research. First off: you can’t grow long hair unless you first have healthy hair. And one of the best ways to make your hair healthier and prevent breakage is to use wooden brushes.

-Why use a wooden brush?-

• Most brushes are made out of plastic, and the bristles are more likely to break your hair, whereas wooden brushes can help de-tangle your hair much better.
• Wooden brushes massage your scalp gently when you brush your hair. This stimulates the scalp and helps the blood flow, making your hair healthier and more likely to glow.
• Wooden brushes help disturb the natural oils in your hair, making your hair smooth, shiny, and healthy.

Another reason? Wooden brushes hold up for a very long time. I’ve had these brushes for a few years now, and they are still in almost perfect condition. These are my two favorite brushes: the Cala brush and The Green Brush. 

Some wooden brushes can be a bit expensive, but I think the investment is honestly worth it. If you have a wooden brush, let me know what you think of it! If you’re interested in buying a wooden brush, go for it. You’ll see a huge difference in your hair health. Thank you for reading! Have a fantastic day/night.

 

Aloe Vera for Healthy Hair

Hair gets so dry in the winter time, am I right? 😉 In Winter, I find myself needing to do a hair mask once a week to keep my hair nice & hydrated. I normally combine lavender, rosemary, and coconut oil, and put it on my hair, but I always like trying out new things. I was scrolling through Pinterest and saw a post saying that aloe vera is a great way to hydrate your hair.

I have an aloe vera plant, but it’s still growing, and I didn’t want to cut it yet. Luckily, I have a bottle of 100% aloe vera gel. The directions on Pinterest said to apply aloe vera gel to your hair for an hour and then rinse it out with shampoo and conditioner.

My hair wasn’t greasy when the aloe was in my hair–in fact, I couldn’t even tell that there was a mask in my hair, which makes me think it would be great as a styling gel. Once I rinsed out my hair, I noticed a difference.

Actually, it was the best hair day that I’ve had in a while! My hair was silky and so soft. I purchased this bottle of aloe vera gel for eight dollars when I had a sunburn in summer, but I never knew it would be so good for my hair! I’m going to keep putting the aloe vera in my hair, once a week before showering, and we’ll see what happens! 🙂

I would definitely recommend trying it out! Your hair will thank you.

Thank you for reading! Let me know if you’ve tried aloe vera in your hair before! I hope you have a fantastic day. ❤

Blogger Recognition Award

I would like to give a big thank you to Ivana for nominating me for the Blogger Recognition Award, I’m so honored! ❤ Let’s get right into it, shall we?

-Rules-

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.

2. Write a post to show your award.

3. Give a brief story of how your blog started.

4. Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.

5. Select 15 other bloggers you want to give this award to.

I started my blog in 2013, and I remember sitting in my dining room coming up with different names for my blog. My mom suggested, “How about the freckled fashionista?” My freckles have mostly faded away, but the name still sticks, and I love it. At first, I posted about all sorts of random things, but over the past few years as I’ve gotten older, my blog has shaped into something I’m super proud of, and it continues to grow every day.  I now post about all sorts of things that interest me, from sewing and fashion, to lifestyle, beauty, and more.

My first piece of advice to new bloggers would be to stay true to yourself! Find what sets you apart from other blogs, because that’s what will make people follow your blog and come back to it. My second piece of advice would be to just keep posting, no matter what. Don’t give up. The more you post, the more your blog is “out there”. Eventually, all your hard work will pay off!

Here are the bloggers that I’m nominating! It was hard, because I love so many different blogs.

SewChic

SewRedy

Captain Charley

StyledByMcKenz

PinkSundays

Rachael Barbs

Kellyn Roth

Bellechoice

Life as Daisy

Letthesewingbegin

BeaFree

Rynn

Amanda Bella

Beauty By Britanie

Yvonne Lindie

Thank you, all of you, for following my blog & following me in this journey!

My Five Go-to Fall Hairstyles

Autumn is upon us, and it’s my favorite season! With fall comes apple picking, crisp air and leaf raking, and boots & infinity scarfs. In today’s post, I’m going to be sharing with you my five go-to fall hairstyles. Let’s begin!

#1 Dutch Braid

A dutch braid is similar to a french braid, but it has more volume. I love dutch braids, and I personally prefer them to french braids. Whenever I want to get my hair out of my face on a windy fall day, I will put it in either a french or a dutch braid. Both styles are protective hairstyles and look perfect with any outfit!

#2 Fishtail

The fishtail braid is a well known hair style, but I wanted to include it anyway because fishtails are such an easy style and there are so many different ways that you can do your hair in a fishtail. I love fishtails because they are stylish, but (like I said about the dutch braid) they keep my hair out of my face.

#3 Half Up Bun

This is my favorite hairstyle that I’m sharing with you! It’s effortless and only took me one minute to do. It’s just a half up bun–like the other styles, it is very simple. But honestly, sometimes simple is a good thing! With many of my outfits in the fall, I’ll wear a few layers, an infinity scarf, and jewelry. So, I don’t want to go too overboard with my hair, which is why a cute yet basic hairstyle is ideal.

#4 Ponytail With A Twist

Ponytails are a classic, right? You can do so much with ponytails. High ponytails, low ponytails, side ponytails, loose ponytails, tight and sleek ponytails…the options are never ending. Half of the week I’ll put my hair in a ponytail, and every time I’ll switch it up. My favorite version of a ponytail is to add a few braids into the ponytail. From the front, it looks like a normal ponytail, but no. Never judge a ponytail by its appearance from the front.

#5 Bun

‘Cause you can never, ever go wrong with a good ol’ bun. This bun is almost as large as my head…There’s nothing like a bun to create a statement! I have very thick hair, and so when I normally put my hair in a bun, it will just fall out and I will keep having to re-do it. So thank heavens for bun donuts! They are a life saver.

Thank you for reading, and I really hope that you enjoyed this post! Lately I haven’t been sure what to write posts about, so if you have any posts that you would like to read on my blog, let me know in the comments!

 

 

Calia Products Review

Hello!  Recently I had the opportunity to try out a few products from a company called Calia. I was introduced to their company through Sarah Nagel’s videos, and I fell in love right away! Calia has hair and skin care products, as well as essential oils! They have a wide range of products from cleansers to toners, to shampoo and lotion.

I got sent a box full of goodies, and today I’m going to tell you about each of the products that I received, and let you know what I think about them!

First, let’s talk about the shampoo and conditioner. Calia has a few different shampoos and conditioners on their website, and I chose to try out the Hydrating shampoo.

My hair has been a rocky road. I use to curl and straighten it a lot, which made it dry in some parts and oily in other parts. Some of my hair was healthy, but a lot of my hair was brittle and dried out. I started using coconut oil on my hair, which helped it grow and made it a lot healthier. I also got a wooden brush, and I saw an improvement from that as well. I honestly tried all kinds of things, but the one thing that I couldn’t figure out was shampoo and conditioner. I considered the No Poo method, but like I said, my hair tends to be oily in the summer and dry in the winter, so I wasn’t sure if that would work.

I read tons of reviews and found lots of shampoos and conditioners that I wanted to try. I settled on Mane ‘N Tail, and that was the last straw. My hair was so brittle and dry after using it, and it got worse the more I used it. Eventually I realized it was because of the sulfates in the shampoo. Sulfates literally strip your hair of its natural oils. I did even more research and I found Calia! I fell in love right away and wanted to try some. I emailed Calia and here I am!

My favorite part about the shampoo & conditioner is the ingredient list. It’s nice to actually know every single thing on the list! Calia also keeps bad things out of their products–here’s the list:

• No Animal Testing
• No Sulfates
• No Dea (diethanolamine)
• No Sodium Chloride (Salt)
• No Propylene glycol

Also, their products are 100% Canadian and environmentally friendly, and most of the ingredients are organic! They use a lot of essential oils in their products, which I’m all down for. So, onto what I thought of it…

It smells HEAVENLY. While I was washing my hair with it, all that I could think about was the smell. It smells like roses and clean air, and who doesn’t want their hair to smell like that? My hair felt really clean while I was washing it, and once it dried, I was shocked at how silky and smooth it felt. After a few more uses, Calia has removed the buildup from other products on my hair. My hair is so silky and it’s not dry anymore! This product really lives up to its name, my hair is so hydrated now.  It is literally a miracle shampoo (and conditioner)!

Onto the other hair-related product that I received: Intensive Conditioner!

This stuff is my life. I love it! The s & c really helped with my brittle hair, but this intensive conditioner gave my hair more moisture and made the brittle hair go away for good. 🙂 In between days that I wash my hair, I use this to keep it healthy. This is like a hair mask–you put it in your wet hair for about two  minutes, and then rinse it out.

The intensive conditioner does not have much of a strong scent like the shampoo and conditioner, but I was fine with that! It was smooth and my hair loved it! 🙂 I was shocked at how my hair felt once I rinsed it out, and my hair dried.  My hair was like silk, and it was so clean and soft! I’m going to order more of it as soon as I run out.

Lastly for the cleanser! I’ve only gotten to use this a few times, but I really like it. It has a cool feel and lathers nicely! A lot of cleansers that I’ve used have stung, because I have very sensitive blemish-prone skin. In the evenings I use cleansers that have lots of chemicals in them, and while those have helped clear up my face, they have made my face really fragile and sensitive.

I wanted to try out this cleanser to give my skin a break for a bit! And I wasn’t disappointed! I used this after I ran once, and my face felt really clean afterwards, so I’m convinced that it got the sweat and oil out of my pores! My face was soft afterwards, so I’m going to keep using it and we’ll see what happens. 🙂

My verdict? I’m obsessed with Calia and I will never, ever, ever switch to different hair and skin care products!

Pros:

• Their products are inexpensive
• Calia has high standards for their products, so you can expect quality products.
• They have high quality, organic ingredients!
• Their products do NOT have sulfates, which is a huge plus!
• They have many different products, like toner, cleanser, hairspray, shampoo and conditioner, essential oils, lotion, and more!
• You will actually see results from using their products!

Cons:

• It ships from Canada, so you do have to pay for shipping. It is worth it, though!

So, what are you waiting for? Head to Calia’s website and take a look at their products! If you have tried their products let me know how they worked for you! Thank you, Calia!

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Note: Calia sponsored  this post. 100% of my opinions  in this post are my own!