I have been curious about Carol’s Daughter hair products for awhile, so I finally decided to try one. Carol’s Daughter products are typically for ethnic hair, however I have read on many beauty sites that most of the products are great for all types of hair. And when you read the ingredients – at least for the Mimosa Hair Honey – you can see that they are great, natural ingredients:

Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender), Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf,Trifolium Pratense (Red Clover), Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary), Rosa Damascena (Rose-petal Red), Malva Moschata (Malva-Blue), Urtica Diocia (Nettle), Beeswax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Fragrance, Alkana Tinctoria Root, Annatto Seed.

This product has no water in it so it is actually free of preservatives, which is a bonus!

I was looking for something quick and easy to use after drying my hair to soften the ends and add a little shine. I didn’t want anything that had silicone or other icky ingredients – I wanted something natural. So my search led me to Hair Mimosa Honey – it is designed to reduce frizz and add shine.

Well, as you can see, there is certainly a lot of oil in the product. I had read on some review sites that you only need a little – and that is absolutely true. A tiny bit goes a very long way. If you use too much, you can quickly make your hair look like it needs to be washed again. So literally I lightly run my finger across the top of the product (which has the consistency of a thick salve). Then I rub that in my hands then onto the ends of my hair and then through the rest of my hair.

So what do I think? I would say it is pretty good for a natural styling product. I’d give it maybe 3 of 5 stars. Not amazing, but definitely not bad. But the thing is, I have very thick, coarse hair. I’m thinking that this would not work well on fine or thin hair – it’s pretty oily and I would guess that this would make thin hair look greasy.

I’d say that I would recommend it if you have thick, coarse and/or dry hair and you’re looking for something to make it softer and silkier after you style it. But I’ll still be on the lookout for something that I don’t have to be so careful using.

On a side note, I was disappointed in seeing that they use fragrance which I’m guessing isn’t phthalate-free. I actually find the scent a little strong. It’s supposed to be citrus-y but it seems like citrus mixed with a perfume-y scent – not really my thing…

Last week, after reading many great reviews about Kiehl’s new Mineral Mascara, I excitedly placed my order and it arrived a few days later. It is paraben-free, and has a pretty impressive list of natural ingredients. But when the box arrived, I was at first confused then a little disappointed. The return address was from L’Oreal. I didn’t realize that they were owned by L’Oreal now? Anyway, the disappointment soon gave way to eagerness to check out the product.

Let’s start by saying that up to this point, I had transitioned all of my makeup to minerals, except for mascara. I couldn’t find a natural mascara that I liked so I had been using regular one. I have been searching for one that I like – and that really works. So when I heard about the new Kiehl’s version, I figured I’d check it out.

Here’ my scoop. My first reaction was just kinda “OK.” But after a few more tries, I realized that it was just “OK” because I was expecting more. While not crazy expensive, the mascara is not cheap – it was $16.50 + shipping for a 0.16oz tube. So I guess I had really high hopes. But in the end – I’d say I’d give it a “B” grade. Here are my pros and cons:

PROS

• It definitely thickens – that was the first thing I noticed
• It lengthens nicely, leaving your eyes notably enhanced

CONS

• It is very thick and clumpy
• It takes a bit of practice to get the results you want without it looking lumpy
• It takes a few coats to get the thickness and length (of course, this is coming from someone who has minuscule eyelashes!)

So I will definitely keep using it, since I hate to waste things! But will I buy it again? Probably not. I’ll stay on the lookout for a natural mascara that’s as good as a regular one. There has to be one out there.

What a pleasant surprise to see another great review on one of my favorite beauty blogs – Bionic Beauty! They had reviewed Garden Girl back in January but I didn’t realize they were going to do “Part Deux” as they call it. Bonus!

In this review, Jami checks out Garden Girl’s Starting Over microderm scrub, No Worries face cream and Break Free fruit acid gel. Best part? She loved them all! It’s always a little nerve wracking to read reviews – you never know where they are going to go. The reputable beauty bloggers (like Bionic Beauty and Mythbuster Beauty) give their honest opinion. That is why they are good – you know you’re getting the real scoop – rather than just random reviews you might see posted elsewhere on the web (like in beauty chat rooms). So I was thrilled to see that she loved them. And with Bionic Beauty’s highly sensitive skin, it speaks to the fact that both Starting Over and Break Free can be used very effectively on sensitive skin.

And don’t forget – this week you can save an incredible 15% on ALL ORDERS (no minimum). Just use coupon code July7 – anytime before Saturday at midnight. If you haven’t tried Starting Over, No Worries or Break Free – now is the perfect time! And don’t forget, our products are always free of parabens, sulfates, petroleum products and phthalates!

The fabulous Bionic Beauty blog just wrote a wonderful review of Garden Girl products. Their unbiased (but happily very positive!) review appeared today. They tried our Pucker Up sugar scrub, You’re Fresh face wash, Even Ste(pH)en toner, Hugs body butter and Hand it to You hand cream.

Check it out what they had to say: http://bionic-beauty.com/garden-girl-skincare-reviewed/

And while you’re there, take a peek at their other posts – it’s a great blog. Now – what would be so fantastic would be if every customer told 10 friends, and they told 10 friends, and so on, and so on….

Keep an eye out for another customer referral bonus soon!

Anyone who knows me know that I am a Trader Joe’s addict (some might even suggest that it’s a little over the top). I can’t help it – I just love the place. I began my love affair with the store back when I was in grad school in Phoenix. At first my west coast friends lured me there with stories of delicious snacks and unique frozen meals. But then I began going for more and more of my regular items. When we moved back east, I was elated to hear that they were going to be opening them not just on the east coast, but in BOSTON first. Now we live 1 mile away and I shop there about 4 times a week. I have a couple other friends who are as addicted as I am and we trade recommendations on things to try.

Anyway, that brings me to their new Tea Tree Oil shampoo and conditioner. Being a big Tea Tree Oil fan (see previous posts), I was very excited. Tea Tree shampoo is excellent for your scalp. It helps keep hydrated and free of flakes (ick) and when it is paired with peppermint (as it is in this shampoo) it is very tingly and refreshing. So I was very hopeful that I might have finally found a sulfate-free, paraben-free shampoo that works for me.

This is where it gets tricky. I wouldn’t say it doesn’t work. It seems fine – the first couple of times I used it I actually thought it worked REALLY well – it left my hair very soft and silky (unusual for natural shampoos and conditioners). But the more I used it, the less effective it was on my scalp. Maybe I wasn’t rinsing it well? And to make it worse, the packaging is a huge fatal flaw. The cool-looking bottles do not allow you to squirt out the conditioner easily. It’s actually a pretty big battle for me to get it out – very annoying. So more than the product’s mediocre efficacy, the bottle might be the dealbreaker. So sad! I was so excited to have found it and had such high hopes!

But I will continue to try it out – maybe it will get better. If anyone else tries it – let me know what you think!

Ok – I know that I sell body wash – and yes, that is mainly what I use because I love it and it leaves your skin more moisturized than bar soap, but once in awhile I like to use bar soap just to change things up. I like the simplicity of it, it almost feels “retro” now!

My favorite? Hands down it’s Dr. Bronners Peppermint Organic Bar Soap. It is creamy and rich and smells amazing. I love peppermint in the shower – it wakes you up (which is why I love Garden Girl’s Alive body wash too!)

On Dr. Bronner’s website, they describe the soap as follows: “The peppermint essential oil tingles the body and clears the mind. Because therapeutically peppermint oil is a mild stimulant it increases vitality and clarity. All oils and essential oils are certified organic to the National Organic Standards Program. Wrapped in 10% hemp-flax / 90% post-consumer recycled paper from Living Tree Paper Co.”

My biggest pet peeve? It doesn’t last as long as I’d like. If you decide to try it, definitely buy it at Trader Joe’s if you are near one. It’s around $2.75ish vs. the $4.19 on the Dr Bronner’s website!