My Hair Regime

Hello wonderful people! I was looking through my posts and I found this old post that I had forgotten all about.  Hehe silly me ^-^; So today I decided to share with you all my hair regime.  I get a lot of comments about my hair and how I take care of it so here we go.

First off, I am half Burmese and half black (most people call me Blasian though lol) so my hair is naturally curly from my father's side.  It takes a lot of work to keep my hair the way it is now.  Every 3-4 months I have to get my hair permed in order to keep the roots straight and flat for me to flat iron the rest of my obnoxious hair.  My mom does the best perms ever with a $5 perming kit from the local beauty supply store.  What's the kit? It's Luster's Pink Smooth Touch Relaxer Kit in Regular.

'If you ever need a perm, you should go talk to my mom lol.  Anywho, it can take up to 3-4 hours to fully perm, rinse, condition, blow-dry, and straighten my hair in one day depending on the length of my hair. Since my mom bought hair extensions, I'll probably be cutting it short from now on to avoid lengthy perming days.

Second, I don't use any ordinary hair straightener.  The straightener I use is the Maxius Maxiglide Xpress Flat Iron.

You can buy this straightener on www.maxiusbeauty.com for $59.95 but I bought mine on QVC for a lower price.  This straightener has little teeth-like pins to detangle and smooth out hair as it straightens and it has a built-in steam burst to hydrate the hair.  This baby is my life savior.  It literally takes less time to straighten my hair with this straightener than with other straighteners.  I don't use it on a daily basis. Just only on days after I've washed my hair.  I just use a regular flat iron to get rid of any kinks in my hair and then I'm good to go.

Third, I use the Wen Haircare Cleanser by Chaz Dean to wash and condition my hair. Again, I bought this on QVC for $40 rather than buying it at his site www.wenhaircare.com.

Other shampoos and conditioners leave residue in my hair and don't fix the tangles and knots that come with washing hair but this cleanser is completely different.  It is a shampoo, a condition, a detangler all in one.  It uses herbs and natural oils to cleanse and condition the hair all in one step.  It doesn't lather up but it does create a sensational foam that you massage right into your scalp, making you feel like you're in heaven.  Here are some pics of me after I've used Wen:

This was way earlier in the year when I had dyed my hair red. The color had faded out fast but I was surprised after using Wen to see that there were still some red parts in my hair.  It really made the faded red color pop out more.

In flash photography

The results?  Hair color pops out more, the hair itself is loses that dry straw look, and it's super soft and silky to the touch. Wen Haircare has many products to tend to each kind of hair: dry, oily, thick, damaged, and normal but for me I tend to use the Fig cleanser which is suited for thick hair that needs moisture.  Both my mom and I have been using this product since Christmas and it is an absolute necessity for my hair regime. I can't live without it!

And that is the end of my hair care regime. :) Does anyone else use any of these products?  What do you all think about them?

My First Makeup Haul!!!!! XD

Hi everyone! I am so so so sorry that I wasn't able to post this haul up yesterday.  I came home from work yesterday only to find out that the Internet at my house went out. :/ I don't know how long it'll be 'til I get it back but until then I'll just have to be doing my posts at my boyfriend's house.  Anyhow, I know you all have been waiting to see what I bought lately and I can't hold the secret haul anyone. Teehee :) Here is the makeup haul you all have been waiting for!!!

Shatter polish by OPI. Just add one coat of this to your base coat and watch as it "shatters" before your very eyes.  Below I used a white base coat and topped it off with the shatter polish.

Revlon ColorBlast Lipstick in Candy Pink

A very bright, pink color that's perfect for going out to clubs and raves.  Very vibrant color yet the feel of the lipstick is very smooth and creamy.

MAC matte lipstick in Ruby Woo.  This lipstick smells, yes I said smells, and feels creamy.  The color stays on for 24 hours and if you want to add a bit of shine to it, you can top it off with clear lipgloss. :)

 Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Shadow Pencil in Rehab.  I really like this pencil.  I can just color it on myeyelids, smudge it a bit, and I'm good to go as far as eyeshadow.  It really lasts a long time so I was impressed by this product.

In Natural Light

In Flash

EOS Lipbalm in Honeysuckle.  Soothes and softens lips.  Perfect for primming your lips before applying on lipgloss or lipstick.

Smashbox's Bionic Mascara. This mascara gives max volume to your lashes. I showed my mom my lashes after I applied the mascara on and she thought I was wearing falsies. lol

Ardell Fashion Lashes.  I haven't used these pair yet but I have used a similar pair before and I gotta say they are a really good brand to use.

Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen in Pink.  I will be using this in a future tutorial really soon so you all will be able to see the results.  The pen itself is really cute and doesn't make a mess when drawing on your nails.

Smashbox's O-Gloss

Just apply a little bit on your lips and watch as the gloss goes on from clear to your very own custom shade of pink lipgloss!

And that is the end of my haul.  So has anyone else tried any of these products?  What do you think of them?

Before I go, I just wanted to say that I can't believe that I'm close to having 50 followers on my blog! I'm so estatic! I would love to host a contest right now but I think I'm going to keep waiting until I hit 100 followers for my first contest so be sure to stick around for that. Until next time!

xoxo Sammy

Review: Solutions to Acne, Wrinkles, and Other Skin Ailments

Hello everyone!  It's been a while.  Sorry I haven't been blogging lately.  I've been trying to stay healthy and fit by playing the Wii Fit with my boyfriend as well as spending less time on my laptop and eating less fast food and more fruits and veggies.  I'll have to make a post about foods for a skin another time but for now I figured I'd make a post about some of the products that my family and I have been using for skin problems. You know saggy skin, blackheads, whiteheads, and of course...ACNE!!!  If you or your loved ones have been plagued by any of these problems them here are some products that can help reduce these nightmares.

First I would like to talk about Clinique's Acne Solutions Starter System.

 It's a three step system containing a foam cleanser, toner (but they call it a clarifiying lotion), and a moisturizer. Step 1 is the cleanser which is very soothing and relieving since it contains acid that penetrates your pores and thoroughly removes dead skin, dirt, and oils. The clarifiying lotion is a toner that refreshens and balances the pH on your face after finishing Step 1.  Step 3 is the moisturizer which rehydrates and moisturizes your face to avoid dry skin.In about 2 weeks (results may vary) your skin will become clearer and smoother.

I acutally heard about this product from my mom when I was in my junior year of high school. From my experience with this product, it really got rid of the zits that I had been struggling with for years. The only problem I had with this system is that I had difficutly adjusting with the moisturizer since it can sting a bit when first applying it on.  Before my skin got use to this moisturizer I would use a different moisturizer to rehydrate my skin. Other than that, I would highly recommend this product to anyone who is having a difficult time trying to find a solution for clear and healthy skin.

I currently do not use it anymore because the severity of the acne that I had diminished.  I still do get zits here and there but I use a different system now.  For the new skin regime that I use please check out the Daily Skin Regime post in the sidebar.

The second product I'd like to introduce you all is Philosophy's When Hope is Not Enough Facial Firming Serum. 

For those of you who are worried about losing skin elaticity,  this product may the answer you are looking for.  It feels cool to the touch and it doesn't give off that uncomfortable tightening of the face like other facial serums.  Within a few days, your skin will feel firmer and smoother.  Fine lines and wrinkles will fade little by little each week.  My mom has been testing out wrinkle removal products for years and I have to say that this is her favorite products to use by far.

Last product I'm going to mention in this post is Clinique's Skin Supplies For Men 3-Step Skin Care System. Try saying that 5 times fast lol.

This system is designed for men who have trouble with their skin needs.  It cleanses, exfoliates, and moisturizes the skin and it has even been said to make shaving better for men.  My cousin acutally used this system a few years ago and he still uses it to this day.  It got rid of the blemishes and redness on his face and it helped to promote better shaves.  Just be sure that your loved one doesn't shave before using the kit. His skin will burn if he applies on the toner after he shaves. A lesson my cousin learned since that incident lol.  If your husband, boyfriend, relatives, or even guy friends are struggling to keep up with their skin needs, then I would recommend this skin care system to them.  It makes a great holiday gift and will be his face feeling soft and smooth. :)

Review: Vivica A. Fox Hair Collection Extensions

Good morning everyone! Lovely day isn't it? Today I'm here to talk about hair extensions and not just any hair extensions: Vivica A. Fox Hair Collection Extensions! My mom went out a few beauty stores yesterday to buy my hair perming kit (I have naturally curly roots that annnoy me so I perm it every 3-4 months to keep them straight) and in one of the stores she found these extensions for only $22! When she got home and showed them to me I was estatic because next week I'll be getting a haircut to get rid of these split ends.  I really want to have long, healthy hair but due to constant flat ironing I have to get it cut short. :*(  Since she showed me the extensions, I'll take a bullet and get it over with.

The extensions themselves are synthetic yet feel close enough to feeling almost human hair-like and come in a variety of colors.  All you do is just part your hair, clip them in, blend them with your own hair, and you're ready to go.  The color of the hair in this package is dark brown. 

In Flash

In Natural Light

This is actually the first time I have ever tried any type of hair extension and I must say I was really surprised that they cost only $22.  You would think that they'd be more expensive than that since they give you several pieces of hair to work with.  After 4 hours of perming, washing, blow-drying, and straightening, she finally put one clip of the extensions in my hair.  Below is the comparision:

Overall, I really like the extensions.  They feel close enough to real hair and the package itself gives you several pieces to give you length and volume for your hair.  You can curl, crimp, and straighten the pieces if needed and they sit comfortable in your hair.  Just be sure to take good care of them if this is your first time trying out extensions.  They can get knots and tangles if not treated properly.  Now I don't feel bad about cutting my hair short next week :) Anyone else tried any other hair extensions?