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.

---

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

What shampoo and conditioner brand do you like?

|PINTEREST | BLOGLOVIN’ | CONTACT ME |

1000 Followers

Holy what?! Yup, it’s official, thefreckledfashionista has one thousand followers.

Many bloggers get 1K followers in a year or even within a few months, but I have been blogging for years and I’m just hitting it. But I’m still super proud of myself and my blog, because my stats were at a standstill up until January. I was barely getting views. In January, I started posting more and got more motivation, and I worked harder and harder and harder and harder.

And I started getting more followers. Hard work really does pay off. If you don’t have 1K yet, you will get there. Just keep working so much, and then work some more!

To every single one of you: thank you. I can’t tell you how much this means to me, to have people that read my posts and actually care about what I have to say. (And for those of you that don’t care: thanks anyway for following in the first place).

I hope that my website grows and grows, and I hope that soon I will be able to say that I have two thousand followers. Look to the stars, people.

Thank you. That’s really all I can say. Love you all.

|PINTEREST | BLOGLOVIN’ | CONTACT ME |

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!

| PINTEREST | BLOGLOVIN’ | CONTACT ME |

 

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!

 | Pinterest  | Bloglovin’ | Contact Me |

 

Coconut Oil Hydrating Mist Review

I’ve found my hair holy grail. Isn’t it amazing when you find a product that’s perfect for your hair, smells amazing, and is super inexpensive? Well, folks, I found that product, and I’m obsessed. I mean, I might as well tell you to buy this and wish you a nice day, but since I like going in-depth with my reviews…let’s get into the post!

This product is the OGX Nourishing Coconut Oil Hydrating Mist–holy whoa, what a mouthful.

I have thick, long hair, and so I can’t use a lot of products–I’ve found that putting too many products in my hair weighs it down and dries out my scalp. Lately, thanks to the freezing winter air, my hair has been super dry and brittle–a.k.a. the two words that you never want to have to use to describe your hair. I went to the store in search of a hydration spray & voila! I found this.

Note to self (and everyone reading this): Don’t use this on your hair unless it’s wet. I tried this when my hair was dry and it got super greasy. Make sure you spray a small amount on your ends & scalp right after showering.

Positives

• This is super inexpensive!
• It smells heavenly.
• It has readable, well-known ingredients. (Buh-bye chemicals)
• I feel like this mist really hydrates my hair. I definitely notice a difference when this is in my hair; it makes it more shiny & touchable, and smoother.

Negatives

• You have to use a tiny amount of the spray, or your hair will become really greasy.
• The smell is heavenly, like I said above, but it’s also strong, and the coconut smell made me slightly nauseous.

Have you tried this product or any other OGX products? I would love to know your thoughts if you have. Also, what’s your hair holy grail? Thank you for reading!

Q & A

The last post got such great questions, so I want to start this post by saying a big thank you to everyone that commented & gave me a question! A few people asked similar questions with different wording, so if you don’t see your question, it’s because a few were the same.  Let’s get into the post!

What is your favorite thing to blog about? If I’m being honest, I really like blogging about hair. I have a lot of posts on hair care, hairstyles, hair products, etc!

What are your goals for this blog? I want to gain more followers and add a lot more content. I want to start doing some more in-depth posts as well; I think my posts have been super short lately; so I would like to write longer posts.

Why do you like to blog? My answer is probably something many other bloggers will say, but it’s my creative outlet. I can let my personality show through the writing, I can inspire others, I can be myself. I love it.

Who inspires you? So many people! Sarah Nagel, Adriene Mishler, and my mother just to name a few.

Do you know what you would like to do when you’re older? You know what? I’m not sure. I would love to be a professional blogger, but I also want to be a yoga teacher. As they say, do what you love and the money will follow. I want to do something that will inspire other girls and women!

What is your favorite hair care product? Ooh la la, I love this question. Hands down, the OGX coconut oil hydrating mist. It has really helped make my hair silky and touchable; plus it’s super inexpensive!

What’s your favorite animal? A swan or a peacock! Both animals are so unique and beautiful

Do you like dessert? What kind? Of course! I’m not a cake or pie person, I really like ice cream & cookies. I’ve been loving coconut milk ice cream lately, because it’s dairy free and creamier than regular ice cream!

What is the one food you can’t live without? Oh, gosh, this is hard. It’s a tie between sweet potatoes and dried mango strips.

When did you start blogging? When I was nine years old! (Feel like doing math, pal?)

Why did you start your blog? Most people have a really amazing reason for starting their blog. Unfortunately, I can’t remember mine. 😉 I’m pretty sure I started my blog because why not. (Kidding, kidding.) I think it was because I wanted to share some of my designs. Eventually, though, I found myself loving blogging–I would post a few times every day, just because it was so much fun.

What are your favorite bands/singers? I love TOP, Imagine Dragons, Alessia Cara, Liza Anne, Svrcina…I love pop music also; but not particular singers.

What is your dream job? I don’t have one…I think it would be amazing to be a professional blogger & make money from it, though!

What is the hardest thing about blogging? Y’all, blogging is hard in general. It’s so much fun and it’s really rewarding, but it’s hard to come up with posts, photograph things for the post, edit pics, write and edit the post, etc. For me, the hardest thing about blogging is making your content original. A question that every blogger needs to ask themself is, “what makes my blog different?”It’s hard sometimes to make sure my content and blog really reflects me.

Heyo, this post was fun to write. Thanks for asking the questions & being willing to read all this! Have a great day.

600 Followers & Ask Me Questions!

Well, well, well, would ‘ya look at that! I have 603 followers! I was on WordPress last night when I saw this and might have screamed, I can’t remember. 😉 (By the way, how was your Superbowl? Mine was pretty awesome.) Thank you so much for following my blog, it means the world to me and makes me so happy to see new followers. To all you new followers-welcome! Since there’s been a lot of new visitors lately, I think it would be great to do a Q & A post. A lot of bloggers do Q & A posts, so I guess I’m hopping on that bandwagon.

Just comment down below with some questions that you may have for me–it can be about my blog, my life, whatever strikes your fancy! Don’t hesitate to ask! I’ll answer all the questions in the next post, so stay tuned. Thank you for following & reading!

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. ❤

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!