Five Products I Love

Since I've been so busy lately, I'd like to give a little shout out to five products that have just been working for me. Things that make my life easier (in the beauty realm anyway) and one that has really saved me. Here we go:

1. Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo

This stuff has seriously been a lifesaver recently. If you read my Suave Moroccan Infusion review then you'll know that I haven't been using it as much lately because I was no longer feeling that products were building up in my hair. However, Toad runs on well water, and my hair is (in the words of my roommate) not about that life. It's been very tangly and rough feeling lately, despite my use of a nourishing masque, and eventually I researched and found out it's because the minerals from the water are building up. So, I used this, and it's tons better. My hair still doesn't love the water, but as long as I use this a couple of times a week, I think I can manage.

2. Elf Eyelid Primer

Before I started using an eyelid primer, powder eyeshadow was a no-go for me. But a primer really makes all the difference! My eyelids aren't super oily, but my eyes are fairly hooded, and powder would just disappear into the crease immediately. This stuff keeps my eyeshadow looking great throughout the day, and it's only $1! Who can beat that?

3. Elf Makeup Mist & Set

Before I found this product, I'd basically resigned myself to the fact that my makeup would be gone as soon as I started sweating. I've tried the Urban Decay All Nighter Spray, and it didn't really do anything for me. I assumed that if Urban Decay couldn't help me, no one could. But I was incredibly surprised when this helped and a lot! I could go outside, sweat a ton, be sure my makeup was gone, and look in the mirror to a face almost as fresh as when I applied it. It's a fantastic product, and I wouldn't apply makeup without it.

4. Elf Beauty Book in Warm

Yes, another Elf product. I can't help it that their makeup is awesome and super cheap! I picked this gem up when I visited their flagship store in NYC at the end of May, and I've been using it every day since. The pigmentation is great, and there's a ton of neutral shades, but also some darker shades, and even a few fun colors! I generally go more natural for my eyeshadow, but today I had an orangey/pink thing going on, and I loved it. And, it's 48 shades for $6. Literally can't be beat.

5. Zoya Nail Polish in Neely

Not my swatch! Click the picture for the source!

 I have two major reasons why this is on this list. The first one is because I'm obsessed with mint green lately. I love it; I own three nail polishes in the color and a pair of pants. The second is because I got a manicure and pedicure with my mom the day before I left for Maine. That was Saturday, June 1st. The first time I noticed any sort of chip in my nails was Sunday, June 9th (this is not including one of my nails breaking and me having to cut it down - that was my nail's fault, not the polish). That means that this single manicure lasted for over a week. And it's not like I was easy on my hands. I was moving in, climbing around the theater, and moving equipment. And that polish did not budge. I don't know if it was the base coat or the polish or what, but I was amazed. When I paint my own nails, I'm lucky if I get two days wear without chipping. So not only is this polish beautiful and my favorite color, but it's formula is amazing, and I'm super excited to try the others I bought from Zoya.

So those are the products I'm loving right now! I don't incorporate a whole bunch of new products into my routines all that often, but if I find new things I love that I'm not planning to review, there will be more of these in the future!

Suave Moroccan Infusion Shampoo and Conditioner Review

Let me start this review with a fact: I have never liked Suave's products. We used to use them when I was younger, and my dad still does, and I've never been happy with them. The shampoo is okay, but I always thought the conditioner was watery and didn't do a single good thing for my hair. 

I've steered clear of Suave for as long as I've been choosing my own hair products which is why it's kind of a miracle I even decided to try them in the first place. But, I had been watching EleventhGorgeous on Youtube talk about their hair troubles, and in one video, Stef mentions that Pantene products are heavy and weighed their hair down.

Now, I've always been a loyal Pantene girl. It has been my go-to shampoo and conditioner for years now. But I had been having problems with my wavy hair being not-so-wavy because of product build up. I thought it just happens and then you go to the salon and they fix it for you. It never occurred to me that the products I was using was causing it to be that way. 

To combat my product build up, I had started to use the (strangely enough) Suave Clarifying Shampoo and it was actually working pretty well for me, but I decided that it might be time to try something new in my hair care routine. 

I was intrigued by the Suave Moroccan line, but I was wary of trying it full-size because I'd had such bad experiences with Suave in the past, but after reading NouveauCheap's review of the products (her hair is incredibly similar to mine), I decided I wanted to give it a go. I tried to find some samples or travel sizes, but eventually, they were on sale 2/$6 at Walgreens, and I just went for it.

And holy wow, was it a good choice. 

First of all, the formula of these products is great. The shampoo is thicker than the other Suave products I've tried which was a big improvement for me, and the conditioner is a wonderful consistency. Both the shampoo and the conditioner cover and feel like they cling to my hair but at the same time wash really clean. I no longer feel the need to use the clarifying shampoo on a weekly basis. Second, my hair has improved a ton. It's light and bouncy and soft and the waves are nice and piecey. 

In short, I'm totally in love with the line. I have abandoned my Pantene for Suave, and, as of now, I'm not looking back. I still think their Naturals line is awful, but I'll stick with the Moroccan Infusion line. Props to you Suave! You've turned this non-believer into a lover!