Make Up 101: Introduction in tho the Cult of M.A.C (Part 1-Face Products)

M.A.C. Attack!  Hi Shine and Sparkle Readers, it's M.A.C. November!

All of the images on this post belong to M.A.C cosmetics.  They are way better photographers of their products than I am.  Like all my images, I'll gladly give someone credit for their image or take it down if someone throws a hissy fit.

Yes, this long post is just about M.A.C. face products*.  "Part 2-Lip Products" will be your second Shine and Sparkle Report later this month.

So call me late to the party, but I have finally come to understand the phenomenon which is known as "M.A.C. obsession".  Long renown for amazing lip sticks, full coverage foundations, and super pigmented and bendable eye shadows, M.A.C is a staple of make-up culture.  While their products are not as high priced as Chanel or Givenchy, their products are pretty pricey for those who frequent the drugstore shelves. I have recently done a lot of shopping at M.A.C.  Do I need more beauty products?  Absolutely not.  But as work rears its stressful head, M.A.C. has been the focus of my retail therapy (it ends up being the same as a few therapy sessions or a few months of yoga classes right?).

What makes M.A.C. such a cult?  Maybe it's because of it's long standing history of great products and awesome customer service.  While I have found this to be true,  I have to say it's also a result of good pricing for good results and GENIUS marketing.  Sleek, clean, and professional grade packaging for their core collections.  Absolutely stunning limited edition collections which feature new colors, creative packaging, and a wide range of themes and celebrity endorsements that keep people wanting more.  A great example is recent Rhianna's latest "RiRi" collection featuring rose gold packaging and bold pallets that sold out in minutes and crashed their website.  If you were lucky enough to get some of this coveted (in obviously purposeful short supply) collection you can mark up that $15 lipstick for $50+ on eBay.  Was I lucky enough to get any RiRi items?  Sadly no *cries*.  The whole M.A.C culture is completely ridiculous in a lot of ways, but I'm going to admit...it's addictive.  In fact, I'm currently so obsessed I'm going to break my one-image rule.  *Shock and awe!*
 
Maybe you are not quite as interested in spending hours at the M.A.C. store as I am and want some guidance on their products.  Maybe you have beauty voyeuristic tendencies and just want to know what I liked enough to buy.  Maybe you a looking for details and pros/cons before you think of investing in some M.A.C items.  Maybe you are just reading because you love me (thanks!)  No matter what your motivations, here is my recent purchases and reviews!  Quick Note: You'll notice that I kinda ding M.A.C a lot for not having really skin-loving ingredients.  This is because they tend to go for "great makeup" rather than "good for your skin".  I tend to use their products on date nights, special occasions, and events.  For daily trips to the office?  I'd go with something else for the health of your skin.

Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 ($27 for 1fl oz):  

My color is "NC (neutral cool) 25".  The M.A.C. sales girl matched me on the first try!  Being of Chinese decent, my skin has a gold undertone which is often hard to match.  This looks amazing and natural. 

• Pros: It is as M.A.C. claims: "A modern foundation that combines a natural matte finish and medium, buildable coverage with broad spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 15 protection. Applies, builds and blends easily and evenly. Comfortable and long-wearing, helps minimize the appearance of pores and imperfections, giving skin a smoother, more flawless look and finish."  I really do not think I could be any more concise than this description.  I love that this line has a HUGE range of colors. 
• Cons:  Unfortunately there a few things that are not the best about this foundation.  Number one has to be the packaging.  Open that black top and it's a big opening.  No pump.  This means you have to worry about bacteria getting into the whole product and causing break outs.  Mini-Tip: Tap out product onto your hand or a clean nonabsorbent surface (plate, ziplock baggies etc.)  Then apply with a clean brush, clean fingers, clean sponge--basically try not to touch the bottle opening to things that are not clean. Also, this opening is not large enough so that the product comes out easily.  Risk of too much product coming out is high, and tapping all the product to the top with the (cap still on) before hand is a must.  I'd say store it upside-down, but the curved lid makes that suggestion really obnoxious as well.  The only other con I have is that it is not really "healthy" for your skin.  There are no skin care ingredients, it contains talc, and parabens.  Just make sure your really thoroughly remove it and stick to a good skin care routine.  Hopefully, you wont have any problems.  
• Overall:  I would highly recommend.  Preforms like a $50+ Foundation for sure!

Mineralize Skinfinish ($30 for 10g):

I got the color "Soft and Gentle". Looks great all over my Studio Fix Fluid.  I was worried that the pinkish tint and slight shimmer would not look natural at all.  Lies.  It looked AMAZING!

• Pros: Works great to set your make up and the minerals really help absorb excess shine.  It also just give such a flawless finish that it looks like your foundation covered skin is 100% your natural skin.  Many powders advertise that your will look flawless and natural.  This one truly delivers.  There is also a great amount of product in this compact.  Even with daily use, this will last a good long time.  

• Cons: This particular color looks best on medium skin tones as an all over setting powder.  I think it might not look as natural on light skin.  I don't think it would do much for dark skin either.  It would be great as a highlighter or eyeshadow on light skin, but might look strange on very dark skin.  There is also a "Mineralize Skinfinish Natural" line that has less adventurous setting colors and an equally pretty, light coverage, mattifying effects.  I plan to check those out next.  This is a mineral powder so somewhat healthier for your skin in general, not great on the skin-care side.
• Overall:  M.A.C. skinfinsh products are a "must have" product. 

Bronzing Powder ($25 for 10g):

Also a generously sized product, I got this one for contouring/bronzing so I went with the "Matte Bronze" color.

• Pros: This is finely milled and has good pigmentation without being so pigmented that you have to worry that you are going to end up looking like a clown.  For bronzing, you can be somewhat casual about your application and it will still add a beautiful healthy color to your face.  For contouring it is very buildable and bendable, allowing you to create fabulous effects.  As any good bronzing powder, it does not make you look orange or unnatural at all! Hooray!
• Cons:  This really doesn't work at all on dark skin tones.  It actually is very subtle on my medium skin tone.  It probably packs the most punch on  lighter skin tones.  Also, like the Studio Fix Fluid, it really has no redeemable skin care value.  Talc, parabens, all that jazz.  M.A.C. is all about gorgeous make-up, they don't really cater much to the "healthy skin" crowd.
• Overall: While I really like this bronzing powder, I think for light skin tones it's a must.  For Medium it's a take or leave it (I probably will not repurchase).  And if you have dark skin, forget this product, you will be disappointed. 

Mineralize Blush ($25 for 3.5 g):

Photo by BeautyByT.  I will gladly remove if asked!  She's a great blogger, check her out!

I got the color "Warm Soul".  This is the only product that I think the M.A.C picture just doesn't reflect the actual color very well.  So I borrowed a better picture from a fellow blogger.  BeautyByT reviewed this blush as well and had a great image!

• Pros: This has beautiful uses on all skin tones.  When you get to very tan to very dark, I'd say this could be a really pretty highlighter.  As a blush this shows up different on every person. The sales girl with light skin had is show up more rose gold on her skin.  It takes on a dusty peach on me.  I love it as an every day blush, with or without highlighting/contouring.  It has a slight glow but does not look unnatural.  No huge chunks of glitter.
• Cons: If you bought this because you wanted real shine or heavy glow to your cheeks this is not for you.  Despite its glitzy appearance, it is a poor choice for your unicorn costume.  Also, I feel that the M.A.C blushes are a bit over priced.  $25 gets you 10g of bronzing powder and skin finish.  While you need less blush (at least I hope you aren't putting it all over your face) I still feel a bit sad its the same price as large powder products.
• Overall: This is a beautiful blush with a subtle glow for any occasion.  This is great if you have a variety of other more classic blush colors from other places in your collection and want the perfect color that stands out from the plethora of pinks and berry tones out there.  I mean really people, how many shades of pink can there be?  This one actually stands out.

  




Shine & Sparkle!

*I am not paid or contacted by any of the companies mentioned in this post.  These are my honest feelings and opinions.

Beauty Tricks (and Treats!) Quick Tip

Spoooooookkyyy Hallllllooooooo (ween) Shine and Sparkles Readers!!!!!

Today I decided to post a special Halloween inspired quick tips!  These Tricks and Treats are especially great for getting you in the fall mood, amping up your Halloween costume (and every day) looks.

Squiggles wanted to be the giant from "Jack and the Beanstalk" for Halloween.  Sure, why not? Little piggies can have big dreams too! !

Tricks:

1) Hair Dryer Lashes:  If you hate wearing fake lashes (I admit they are not the most comfortable) Use your hair dryer to blast your eyelash curler for around 7-10 seconds (make sure its not too hot to burn your eyes!) and then use it to get the most dramatic curled lashes you have ever had!  Maybe you wont even need those fake Halloween lashes!  Use colored mascara if you want to make your lashes really crazy colored! 

2) Eyeliner + Eye Shadow As Face Paint: This is also a great trick to use if you need to do an elaborate design on your face for Halloween!  Cheap water proof eyeliner is much nicer for drawing on designs, stitches, and scars than those cheap face paints from the Halloween store!  You can get all sorts of colors for just a dollar each at the drug store.  Fill in your designs with eye shadows,  If you use a good eye shadow base, they shouldn't go anywhere either. The colors will show up brighter if your base is white (white cream eye shadows works amazing too!)

3) Set Make Up With Hair Spray:  While a setting spray if you have it is best, hair spray will do in a pinch!  Mist your face from far away and that make-up will stay all night!

Treats:

1) Pumpkin Face Mask:  Pumpkin is EVERYWHERE right now.  Pumpkin things are definitely one of my favorite things for fall.  You can make a quick DIY pumpkin face mask by combining 1/2 tbs organic pumpkin (canned is fine), 1 tbs honey, and a drizzle of your favorite oil (olive, coconut, jojoba, argan, take your pick!).

2) Mocha Body Scrub:  Make a sweet inspired body scrub by combining around 1/2 cup coffee grounds (left over from your morning cuppa-joe is fine!), 2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup of honey, and about 1/4 cup of your favorite oil.  This smells amazing and is great to exfoliate your body with in the shower.  Note: Be careful if your coffee is not ground finely as to not clog your bath drain!  Use a hair catcher in the drain just in case! 

3) Sugar Lip Scrub: Yummy Yummy Yummy!  Mix raw sugar (the crystals are larger) with honey and a dash of lemon to make a paste.  Use this to exfoliate your lips!  It also tastes great!  Halloween is about copious amounts of sugar anyway right?

I hope you liked my Halloween Tricks and Treats.  Let me know if there is anything special you would like to know about for November Blog Posts!

Shine & Sparkle!

The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask Review

Hi Shine and Sparkle Report Readers!

Here is a review of The Body Shop's "Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask"*.  As a federal worker in the USA, I have been "taking a break from America" for the last week and 2 days due to government shut down.  As a result, I felt I needed to pick up something to pamper myself with all this free time.  So I spent 30 minutes milling around The Body Shop and decided to try this!  5 Stars, 10 of 10!  This is my favorite face mask to date. 

Sorry about the boring image, my image editing software is unavailable right now.  BUT this is the stuff! Like all my images, I'll gladly give someone credit for their image or take it down if whoever owns it throws a hissy fit.

The Body Shop Claims: 

Best if you want to: Detoxify and deep cleanse your skin with a weekly mask that uses natural ionic clay action to draw out impurities and control excess oil.
Best for: oily/combination skin
How it works:

• Community Trade bladderwack seaweed and seaweed harvested from the French coast balance skin tone and purify and clarify the complexion.
• 100% natural clay complex cleanses and revitalizes skin; negatively charged ions act like magnets to draw out dirt and impurities from the pores.

I agree with the claims by The Body Shop!

Application:
I have been using it twice a week (Tues and Thurs nights) for 2 weeks now. I wash my face with my most gentle cleaner.  I put about a teaspoon on my damp skin with clean hands.  Then I let it sit for 10 minutes (or more).  It seems to not make a difference after 10 minutes, but sometimes you have to finish writing a blog post before showering/rinsing your face to get it off.  No need to use cleanser afterward.

This mask has a non-drippy very clean application.  It gets harder and dries out as you wear it (I have it on right now!) I like that I can feel it working as it tightens on my face. I also love that the smell is clean and soothing.  It smells like a spa to me.

Effects: The mask is gentle enough for combination/oily skin.  My skin is a bit sensitive as well and I have not had any problems.  And don't worry about it drying out your skin.  You will be fine with your normal moisturizer afterwards.

I have noticed that my pores are MUCH smaller and stay that way until my next application of the mask.

Value: It retails for $20-22, however, online right now it is on sale for $16!  I have also noted that at a good thin (but not too thin) layer of the mask has barely made a dent in the amount of product.  I'd say it's a pretty good value for a middle price range.  It's not as cheap as drug store, but not crazy expensive.

Some Tips:

1) You might notice a few extra break outs 2-3 days after using the mask.  This is a result of the clay pulling the impurities out of your skin.  If you are maintaining a good skin care routine, in about 2-3 applications you will notice that your skin is over all MUCH better than it was before.

2) If your pot of mask is starting to dry out, put a few drops of filtered water into it and it will be good as new!  (This has not happened to me yet, but another reviewed noticed this after about 1/2 of the container was used.)


Shine & Sparkle!

*I am not paid or contacted by any of the companies mentioned in this post.  These are my honest feelings and opinions.

Dealing with Oily Skin

Hi Readers!

PHEW! Just made my 2 post a month deadline!  Today I'm going to talk about something suggested by one of my favorite readers: Zelna Smith!  Zelna wanted to know about products to help deal with oily skin and I have quite a few suggestions to share with all my readers.

Squiggles apologizes for not making and appearance.  This stock photo will just have to do.  I'm sorry about that one.  Like all my images, I'll gladly give someone credit for their image or take it down if whoever owns it throws a hissy fit.

Step 1: Cleanser--

Yep you need to get that oil off of your face since it likes to harbor bacteria and impurities that can lead to break outs.  One of the latest (and definitely greatest) new cleaner ingredients to combat oil and impurities is....CHARCOAL! I know it sounds crazy, but remember when someone said if you eat poison, eating charcoal could help save your life?  I don't know if this old wives tale is actually true, but I do know it works miracles for your skin.  Lots of companies are getting on this trend, but Michael Todd's Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub*- $18 for 3.4oz is a really amazing version if you are looking at fairly high end.  In contrast, my absolutely affordable and most favorite (which will be in my cabinet until my skin stops being oily *prays*) Is Shisheido Ultra Black Wash -$11 for 8oz!  You only need a pea sized amount, and it forms a rich lather than tingles nicely as it detoxifies your face, yet does not overly dry it out.  I'm in love with Shissheido's drug store line.  You have to buy online from the US, since we only carry the pricy stuff, but it's amazing. One other charcoal product to try if you are feeling adventurous is Origins Clear Improvement Mask -$25 for 3.4oz  I'm sure there are lots more charcoal products out there, so feel free to let me know in the comments if you recommend any others!

Now if you are thinking charcoal is too out there for you, I suggest really any basic and gentle cleanser to remove oil from your face will be sufficient.  Why not one of the MILLIONS of "oil control" cleansers you ask? Because I think that these are overly stripping.  As you will find out later, the trick to oil control, is actually proper moisture/oil balance. As for gentle cleansers I recommend e Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser-$7-10 for 16oz! Really affordable and effective.

Step 2: Tone Gently (if at all)

Honestly, this isn't really a necessary step, but I like to cooling feeling of a toner.  If you use a toner, make sure that it is alcohol free!  This is because alcohol will dry out your skin, leading to more oil (yes, I'm getting to that whole balance point in Step 3. Hold your horses).  If you feel the need to use a toner, there are many alcohol free ones out there.  My favorite is on the affordable end: Simple Soothing Facial Toner- $6-7 for 6.7oz.

Step 3- Moisuize-with oil!

This is the big tip which sounds super crazy.  But your face becomes a big grease ball....when it thinks your skin needs it.  So by putting other moisturizers containing good oils, you actually reduce your skins over production of oil.  A good moisturizer has oils such as jojoba, argan, or some other oil that replaces the oil you have lost from cleansing and toning, and keeps your skin from producing lots of excess oil!  Crazy.  So when you have been searching for oil free moisturizers to avoid oil, you have actually be making your skin produce more of it.  I like to pick a moisturizer I like (such as Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer With Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF15 - Sensitive) and add 1-2 drops of pure jojoba, argan, or teatree (for really bad break outs) oil.  This honestly keeps my skin nice all day.

Mini-Tip:  Let all steps dry and absorb before going on to the next step! It makes a huge difference!

S+SR Reporting Bonus?!  You guys are so lucky!:

Tips to Mitigate Oil When Wearing Make-up

Oil is make-up's worst enemy.  If you ever want to remove really heavy/water-proof make-up fast, take some oil (coconut or olive are my favorites) and rub it all over your face-- the make-up will simply melt into the oil.  Then wash your face.  Forget crazy expensive make-up removers. That being said, your natural face oils try to make your carefully applied make-up look terrible halfway through the day.  I imagine the little oil particles with a monocle, handle bar mustache, and a bowler hat going, "Bwahahaha!".   Lucky for us, there are some great products and steps that can really help reduce oily-ness and extend the wear of your make-up:

Primers:

• Face: While finding a primer you like before foundation is very personal, but they do have ones aimed at reducing oil.  
• Eye:  I find that Urban Decay Primer Potion-$10-20 is the worlds best eyeshadow primer, no matter what your skin type! Makes all your eye make-up last all day!

Set your make-up:

• Powder Setting: After applying any liquid or cream based make-up products (which last longer in general) top it off by setting it with a powder version.  This applies to liquid foundation (set with a powder), liquid/cream eyeliners/shadows (set with a similar shade powder eyeshadow), and cream/stain blush (set with similar powder blush).
• Setting Sprays:  The final step to long-wearing make-up is setting sprays.  If you were ever in dance or theater, an inside tip to long wearing make-up was spraying your face with hair-spray from afar.  We have come a long way since then and there are setting sprays that work much better and are healthier for your skin.  I'm a huge fan of Urban Decay Setting Sprays, which include ones for oily skin.

Blot:  

• Worst comes to worst, blotting papers are your best anti-shine friend.  You can see my review of my favorite E.L.F blotting papers here! 

 Shine & Sparkle!

*I am not paid or contacted by any of the companies mentioned in this post.  These are my honest feelings and opinions.

Updated Healthy Asian Hair Care Routine

Howdy-doody Shine and Sparkle Report Lovers!

Thank you for your continued and devoted readership!  A while back I wrote a post about “Ventures into Sulfate Free Shampoos”  I also gave you a glimpse into my hair care routine and some must-read tips with my “Healthy Hair Care” post.  Being  a beauty blogger (plus over a year later), I have been experimenting and have some updates to my hair care product routine.  While some items are the same, many have changed.  So fasten your seat belts, we are diving into my current hair care routine.  
Quick Note:  While it looks crazy to  read, it actually does not take nearly as long as it sounds.  Also, I DO shower every day (otherwise…ew..)  I just don’t wash my hair every day.  If I get sweaty at the gym I’ll rinse the sweat out (if you cant do that, use a small amount of watered down sulfate free shampoo then condition the ends.  Otherwise, I utilize that amazing thing your mom/grandma used called a “shower cap”.  Crazy right?  
 

Big picture:  The current condition and texture of my haid is mostly un-dyed (still a little black dye at the tips) classic straight black Asian hair.  Each strand is not super wiry like some Asian hair, but each strand is a bit thicker than the average Caucasian hair.  The top layer of my hair has some strangely kinky strands that need some extra help to not make my head look frizzy.  Because my hair is mostly straight, it loses moisture pretty quickly, so I'm always trying to keep it hydrated.  Methodology wise, I still use a wide tooth comb or my tangle teezer to detangle my hair when it is wet (hair stretches 40% when wet and is really prone to breakage).  I blot or turban my hair with a microfiber towel (rubbing or scrunching vigorously will break it) to reduce air dry time.

Like all my images, I'll gladly give someone credit for their image or take it down if whoever owns it throws a hissy fit.

Day 1- Wash hair with my Paul Mitchell Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo* or Selson Blue (depending on my scalp condition.)  These have sulfates but work well to really clarify my hair.  Using sulfate shampoo once a week is good to get rid of silicone build up (found in a lot of conditioners and almost all serums).  If you avoid silicone or never get dandruff, there is no need for this. Then I condition with a deep conditioner.  While I have loved my Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deeeep Conditioner ($3-6), it has been rising in price at a lot of drug stores.  This means that I have been trying new ones in the $5-7 range (breaking the bank I know).  I have been really loving Loreal's Advanced Haircare Power Moisture-- Moisture Rush Mask (say that 10 times fast).  Out of the shower I detangle, then apply either a leave-in conditioner or a serum to the ends of my hair, working up to just below my ears.  I'm still using the ones listed in my “Healthy Hair Care” post.  However, I have added options of Macadamia Natural Oil-Nourishing Leave-In Cream for leave-in and Organix Moroccan Argan Penetrating Oil Serum or Suave Professionals: Moroccan Infusion Moroccan Argan Styling Oil for Serums (note that these are silicone serums, they are not advertised that way, but don't confuse it with pure aran oil!).  Then I let my hair air dry.

Day 2- Dry Shampoo! Oh how I love not having to repeat Monday’s routine on Tuesday.  I get a bit of dry  shampoo in the front and crown of my head, brush out and go. While you can totally use corn starch or baby powder for economic options, I find that they have large powder molecules that can make my black shiny Asian hair look pretty dull.  After much searching and failures I have 2 dry shampoos to suggest to you.  For a spray can application, I suggest Not Your Mother's "Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo".  For a traditional powder application with a wonderful citrus smell that always gets my BF asking what smells so good, Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo has a small targeted application and brushes out cleanly without leaving my hair dull.

Day 3-  What is this about a bit more dry shampoo?   Good day for a pony tail, bun, or curling (with my TRESemme Heat Tamer Spray of course!).  I seem to find day 3 hair to be the most interesting some times.

Day 4- Can I stretch my wash out four days?  Sometimes.  Since it’s a cycle not by day of the week,  if I’m teleworking or not seeing anyone but strangers as I do errands, I might stretch out my hair.  More dry shampoo will look funny, and things are a little greasy looking, but a super messy  bun and nobody will know. 

If I’m going out or seeing people who matter, I will shampoo and condition with my sulfate free shampoo and conditioner.  I have been IN LOVE with The Balm’s En Root- Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner line.  I will probably do an actual review of these product at some point.  In a nutshell, the shampoo foams like no other truly sulfate free shampoo I have ever used, cleanses great, and smells like a newly opened bag of gummy bears.  The conditioner is so good I don't even use a leave in afterwards and smells exactly like pineapples. The fruity smell does not really last after you rinse but in the shower it is totally yummy!   I finish with air drying.

Day 5- Dry Shampoooooooooooooo is aaaamaaaaaaazzzzing.

Day 6- Dry shampoo with some kind of style are happppppyyyy times.

Day 7-  I might stretch it out.  I might do a quick repeat of Day 4. 

"WAIT WHAT?!" you might be thinking.  This means that Ms. Sparkles might actually wash twice in a row?!  The truth of the matter is, while I try to maintain some kind of guideline for my hair, the schedule not set in stone.  It depends a lot on what I’m doing.  For instance, if I’m going on a nice date, meeting with important people at work, or have any occasion when I want my hair to look freshly washed…I do.  I also will *gasp* wash, heat protect, blow dry, and curl all in one day for other special occasions…or because I want to.  The key is to be as kind to your hair as possible…while still enjoying it and feeling ready to shine and sparkle in life!  Having healthy hair means nothing if you don’t feel great about yourself right?

I really hope you found this helpful.  I know I like seeing what products and routines other people have, so I thought I would throw mine out into the inter-web-universe as well.

*I am not paid or contacted by any of the companies mentioned in this post.  These are my honest feelings and opinions.

Shine & Sparkle!

Suave Professionals-Moroccan Infusion Moroccan Argan Styling Oil Review

3 Posts in a month! Lucky S+SR readers!

Today I just wanted to shoot you a quick review of Suave Professionals: Moroccan Infusion Moroccan Argan Styling Oil.*  I got a sample in the mail when I bought a unnecessary  pair of shoes. I have to admit I was skeptical.  Silicone was a yes, and almond and coconut oil were more present than argan oil, but it was free...

Where is Squiggles?!  Can't you see him?  He is dyed white and in a snow storm in the back.  Haha, no, he's actually hiding in his pigloo (igloo for guinea pigs) and does not look like he wants to be bothered for a photo.  Hopefully, he will be in a better mood for next month's post.  Like all my images, I'll gladly give someone credit for their image or take it down if whoever owns it throws a hissy fit.

I loved it!  I was really surprised!  While I don't know if it really compares as closely to the expensive Moroccanoil Salon brand, as Suave would like you to think, but this is by far the best hair serum for sealing moisture into your hair (for the price) on the market. 3 Oz of product is between $4-7 in drug stores, but on Amazon, the oil is only $3.50!!! That is such a great deal considering you will only use a drop or two because it is so good.  Forget the instructions to use a few pumps.  You will be asking for grease city.  A few drops was all I needed for my almost waist length hair, medium thickness hair.  If you have shorter or fine hair you'll need even less.

Because of it's affordability and effectiveness, I highly recommend this as an entry hair serum for those who are interested in trying one, but not entirely sure if hair serum is for them.  For those who have way too many serums (like me), for $3.50, why not add it to your collection?  Win-win situation here! 

Before I go, it wouldn't be and S+SR report if I didn't give you some background of hair serum:

What does hair serum do?  
It contains silicone and oils that you put onto your hair when it is damp.  The silicone essentially saran-wraps each strand of hair to seal in the moisture, add shine, and protect the ends from splitting. The oils help restore moisture and shine while the silicone seals.  Side benefits include faster drying time and less tangles throughout the day.  Hooray!  It can also be used on dry hair to add a bit of shine (best used on straight hair for this function). Simply put a super small amount on your hand and rub your hands together then apply on your hair starting and the ends up to your ears. What is left can be applied to your root area if your hair is not prone to being weighted down, or you are going for a super sleek look.

Serum Warnings:
While I love serum for my hair, there are a few things you should really keep in mind.

• Using too much serum can weigh your hair down and make it greasy.  Different formulas are heavier than others so adjust your amount for your hair type/condition and serum formula (you seriously might only need a drop). 
• Silicone cam build up on your hair.  This means day 1 you use it it could work great, but over time you can find your hair looking weighted down or dull.  In order to strip the silicone off so that new moisture can get into your hair shaft and you can start anew, you need to use a sulfate-shampoo.  That's right, sulfate free shampoo is great, but to avoid build-up, use a sulfate containing shampoo at least once a week.  Try to find ones with "coco-sulfate" or more gentle sulfates if possible. 

Shine & Sparkle!

* I am not paid or contacted by any of the companies mentioned in this post.  These are my honest feelings and opinions.  

Meeting Founder and CEO of O.P.I!!!

Hi Shine and Sparkles Readers!

I just quickly wanted to chat with you about this super exiting beauty event I just went to! I'm so excited I'm even going to break my "one picture" rule... and my "try and pace out your posts" unofficial rule.  Heck, I might break all the rules and give you readers 3 posts this month.  Getting totally crazy up in here! So the inside scoop is that O.P.I* has launched a new nail color collection called "San Francisco Collection by OPI".  There was a super cool event and it was easy for me to get to Peninsula Beauty, where the event was!  I am bubbling over with excitement because being from the Bay Area, I love all the cute name references (the names are one of the most awesome parts of OPI polishes) and colors inspired by my city!  I will try to give you an inside look into the collection and my experience at the event.

Side Note: You might wonder about why I'm so excited since I have often talked about some cheaper nail polishes that are as good, some times better in lasting power than O.P.I (like in this post).  While I always stand behind my posts and reviews, the sheer "coolness" factor of O.P.I can never be denied.  They hands down have the best quality for the color selection.  O.P.I runs like a clothing line with different collections by season. Which for the beauty junkie like me is equivalent to putting a "limited time only quadurple artisan bacon wagyu burger with locally sourced cheese on a hand ground wheat bun" in front of a foodie..wait...I'm a foodie too...I digress...

The pretty flyer for the event!

At the event, George Shaeffer (Founder and CEO of O.P.I) was there in person.  I think it is wonderful that he decided to hold the opening at Peninsula Beauty, which has 12 locations but has been family owned for three generations and is very much the epitome of successful small business. FYI, I adore Peninsula Beauty Stores.  It's so nice to support local businesses. There was a cute table set up with all the new polishes and a raffle to win 2 polishes per month for a year.  I was kind of uncomfortable snapping a lot pictures at the event, but this is a picture of him taken at another event by another blogger with more guts than me:

This picture was taken by "Nail Magazine Blog" if they want me to remove the picture at any time, I'm more than willing.  I think this also demonstrates how personable and down to earth Mr. Shaeffer is.

With purchase of any one nail polish, you got a little mini sampling of the new collection nail polishes.  I didn't see the point of buying a polish that wasn't from the featured collection, so I picked up the pretty color you see on the far left below.

From left to right: "First Date at the Golden Gate", "Muir Muir on the Wall", "In the Cable Car-Pool Lane", "Peace & Love & OPI" and "Embarca-Dare Ya!".

The color is called "Embarca-Dare-Ya!"  It's a gorgeous metalic orchid/magenta color with a rose gold shimmer.  It was my favorite when I tried the swatch in-store.   Both "Embarca-Dare-Ya!" and "Muir Muir on the Wall" (a metallic rich dark purple) were inspired by "the flower gardens at Golden Gate park." Below is "Embarca-Dare Ya!" on my nails.

Yes, I was too excited to wait and do a proper manicure, so I threw it on top of my existing nail polish.  Not too bad a job considering the circumstances.

 Want know how to get salon perfect nails at home? Follow that hyperlink!

Continuing on, "First Date at the Golden Gate" is a red-orange that somewhat approximates the bridge's International Orange, but is less orange in my opinion.  "In the Cable Car-Pool Lane" is a matte burgundy.  These two colors along with "Lost on Lombard" (a matte red) were inspired by the "East meets west coast reds of China town".

The last shade I have is "Peace & Love & OPI" which is definitely a bit out there and psychedelic.  It is a holographic sage and eggplant which looks a bit silver from afar.  Remember those oily stickers as a kid?  It looks like those.  This polish is inspired by "Sky and Sea Shades" along with "Dining al Frisco" (a muted sky blue), "Haven't the Foggiest" (misty metallic grey), "Keeping Suzi at Bay" (a true hyperlink/ #0000FF colored blue--like my geeky reference?), and "Incognito in Sausalito" (an almost black blue).

The San Francisco Collection by O.P.I also has some "chocolatey hues of brown" in "A-Piers to be Tan" (chocolatey latte brown) and "I Knead a Sour-Dough" (warm brown with an almost pink hue).


Note: A lot of this information came with the hand out that explained how the Urban Inspired, Street Chic Style of the polishes were created by Suzi Weiss-Fischmann-- O.P.I Executive Vice President & Artistic Director.  She seems very inspired by strong, intelligent, creative, and highly capable women as well as the city of San Francisco.  I was quite impressed by the thought behind the line.  You know what's even more impressive?  Having a good 5 minute conversation with CEO George Shaeffer!  He was very nice and actually interested in what people thought about his product (not that anyone would say they hated it if they bothered to go to an event like this...)  Needless to say, below is the back of the promotional box of polishes where he was signing them with surprisingly personal messages. 

I was a bit more excited about this signature than a normal person should be....

Shine & Sparkle!

* I am not paid or contacted by any of the companies mentioned in this post.  These are my honest feelings and opinions.