Monday, March 18, 2024

Megababe The Cream Duo Review

 I'm trying to catch up on my water intake for today. I tend to slack on the days I work from work. Maybe I just need a bigger water bottle. But then again, I have been to  buying water bottles lately in all different colors for no real reason at all. Not the Stanley Cups though, I don't like anything that's harder to clean. But back to the deodorant. 

Megababe claims: 

Looking for your dream Deo? Meet The Cream Deo!

Made with 5% AHAs, The Cream Deo is your 100% natural defense against odor, ingrowns and uneven skin tone.

Mandelic and lactic acids do double duty, creating an acidic pH level that helps block odor-causing bacteria while also penetrating clogged pores to gently prevent and treat ingrowns.

Niacinamide, squalane and vitamin E join to help improve skin tone and encourage smoother, softer skin with daily use.

The light scent combines mint and tea tree for long-lasting freshness that won’t overpower your pits (or nostrils). And best of all, there’s an applicator tip for direct application - no messy fingers!

Like all Megababe products, The Cream Deo is vegan, cruelty-free and made without aluminum, parabens, phthalates or sulfates.

Dermatologist approved, clinically tested & safe for sensitive skin!*

Tested on Megababes, never on animals!

*In a test panel with 54 participants after 3 weeks of use.


Made in USA

I ordered this off Nordstrom. I don't remember why...I think it was a late night purchase. I really should not shop late at night.



  I think I bought it because I thought it was more natural. And I do always like to try natural deoderants- even though they usually don't work out for me. 

This one has very unique packaging. It's a tube- like a tube of lotion, with a squeeze top you can use to apply the deodorant. Very unique packaging. And seems to contain a lot more than drugstore deodorants because the tube is pretty full. There is a full 3 ounces in it.

The first thing I noticed was the scent. I really dislike the scent. It's tea tree. Smells very medical. Kinda reminiscent of the The Body Shop tea tree skincare line. I think I usually like the tea tree scent but not in something I am using everyday and not in this.

I could probably be more accepting of the scent if it worked. It does not work. It doesn't work at all. I use it on days I don't leave the house...but will still play my dancing games/workout and it's not good. 

It is supposed to have skincare in it, like niacinamide, lactic acid, and mandelic acid. That wasn't a selling point for me because I don't care what my armpits look like. I think they do look a little better though when I went to go look. Just smoother and a bit more even in color.

I have noticed this does sting every one in awhile. 

I do like the ingredients though...just wished they were an actual deodorant instead of mostly skincare.

Ingredients: 

Water, Tapioca (Manihot Esculenta) Starch, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isoamyl Laurate, Lactic Acid, Triethyl Citrate, Saccharomyces Ferment, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Behenyl Alcohol, Mandelic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrated Silica, Niacinamide, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Squalane, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Glycerin, Eucalyptus Radiata Flower/Leaf/Stem Oil, Xylityl Sesquicaprylate, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Silica, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Anhydroxylitol, Eucalyptol, Menthol, Menthone, Isomenthone, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice.

Overall, not something I would purchase again. But I am glad I branched out and tried a new to me brand. 


Sunday, March 17, 2024

Mielle Rosemary Mint Strengthening Leave in Conditioner Reveiw

 I'm procrastinating and doing everything but making a fudge that has been on my list of things to of things make for awhile now. I don't like fudge which is probably the main reason for the procrastination but I'm gonna make it anyway. If I really don't like it, I might just give it away. But back to the post- I have been stockpiling leave in conditioners and have a backlog of ones I'm trying out. I'm not using any protein or strengthening products at the moment so figured this was a good time to try this one. 


Mielle claims:

Infused with Biotin and Rosemary, this leave-in hydrates while protecting and moisturizing.

Key Benefits:

  • Infused with biotin
  • Amazing shine
  • Locks in moisture

 12 fl oz | Made For All Hair Types

I tried this brand once before when I bought their deep conditioner, it's one of my favorite deep conditioners so naturally wanted to try more. Rosemary and Mint seems to be an ever popular hair care blend, I was a little wary of the scent but I actually really like it. It does smell like both Rosemary and light mint but there is something perfum-y to it that's not that strong which makes it pleasant. The scent doesn't stick around long anyway though. It's there when you use it and then dissipates. 

The texture is just like any other conditioner or leave in. A light cream texture. It spreads easily and I don't feel I need a lot. I like that it doesn't turn my hair white and I can layer other things over top of it without my hair flaking or any other issue that layering products can sometimes cause.

It does seems to add a little bit of moisture but doesn't feel heavy or greasy or make my hair feel coated. 

As for claims of strength, I have been using it for a few months now and did the snap test on my hair to see how easy it stretches and breaks and based on that, I don't think it added any strength. 

Ingredients:

Water, Glycerin,  Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Triethyl Citrate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Fragrance, Biotin, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Ceteareth-20, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Propylene Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20I

Overall, it's not a bad leave-in. I don't think I would repurchase but it's certainly not a bad product. 

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Vitamix Wild Rice Soup, Chicken and Waffles, and Chicken Stir Fry with The Peanut Sauce

 I'm slowly getting used to being my kitchen...and feeling more excited and comfortable with cooking. So here is my next batch of recipe. 


I made some Wild Rice Soup a couple days ago. It was very easy and surprisingly good. I couldn't find the recipe posted online otherwise I would link it. It does have mushroom- and usually I really dislike mushrooms but it really added something to the soup. Basically this soup is mushroom and onions sautéed, with almonds, shredded chicken (the Vitamix shredded the chicken perfectly) and a few other things I can't remember. I subbed milk and cream for the the half and half. Soup looks kinda nasty but it was good. 


Next up- chicken and waffles. I had my first dinner party and decided to do chicken and waffles. I used a Belgian Waffle recipe I had made before- it's my favorite waffle recipe. They are easy to make- they just dirty a lot of bowls. And then I used the fried chicken recipe from a copycat Chili's recipe.  It's the best chicken tender recipe ever, I highly recommend it. And then I made a quick hot maple syrup by adding gochuchang and hot sauce and letting it heat up for awhile. Yum! I wish I had another plate but I definitely won't be making it again anytime soon.


Last up, a Chicken Stir Fry with Thai Peanut Sauce. I LOVED this recipe. I don't think I quite measured it right so mine had a lot more sauce but I think it came out perfect. I did sub some stuff, I used gochuchang in the peanut sauce and probably left out and switched a few more things. It really was perfect though. Would definitely make this one again! I made brown rice to go with it although I do think noodles would do nicely.

Random- Social Media made me buy Kewpie Mayo- I was surprised to see this one was made  in the USA. Overall, I thought it was very overrated but glad I finally tried it! 


Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Rick James


I was raised on Rick James music but probably the first time I remember seeing Rick James was at the BET awards....when he gave us his infamous line.


And then proceeded to astound us all by performing his classic Fire and Desire song with Teena Marie (this might be my favorite song of all time...ever!).

So these are my favorites...Mary Jane. I would sing this when it came on the radio and was mind blown when I found out what Mary Jane really was. It's still hilarious to me now.


Next song- Give It To Me Baby. The views on this should be criminal. It should have millions and millions more views.  Love, love, love this one


Actually just kidding...Superfreak is 100% my very favorite Rick James song. I love dancing to this one on Dance Central.


Next up, my favorite duo- Rick James and Teena Marie.I have to be in the mood for this one...but once I get into it, issa bop. It really is a beautiful song.


And now...my ultimate favorite. Fire and Desire. I love and live for this song. I am literally in my Happy Place right now. If I didn't think I would disturb the neighbors I would probably be shouting this one at the top of my lungs. I adore Rick James and Teena Marie though.




And that's all. Rick James is a legend and seems so underrated judging from his views. But he's not underrated over here! 

Monday, March 11, 2024

Harlem Candle Company Home Luxury Candle Review

 Burning right through my Harlem Candles...I tend to burn the ones I like the least and save my faves for last. So that probably tells you that I am not a big fan of this one. 

Harlem claims:

Our "Home" scent was born from the idea that home is not a place, but a feeling. Home is where we feel loved, appreciated and safe… and free to express ourselves without question. Home is where our story begins.

Influenced by the vibrant energy of Harlem, HOME beautifully evokes the sense of inner peace we experience with the feeling of finding our own special place, no matter where we are in the world.

Refined, elegant and undeniably luxurious, sparkling citrus top notes of bergamot, mandarin and Italian neroli blend seamlessly with a delicate floral heart of violet, lilac and jasmine. Aromatic green tea leaves tantalize and awaken the senses, and a warm, addictive base of sandalwood, golden amber, and tonka bean provides a magnificent finish to the perfect scent for warm sunny days and magical nights.


This is my first candle from Harlem that is one wick. And I do have to admit I think I like one wick candles better. They seem to last so much longer and since these candles are a bit more on the pricy side I definitely want them to last as long as possible. If I like the scent. 

I thought based on cold sniff this would be a scent I really like. But it's not my candle style. I love a moody, nighttime scent. Or daytime florals. There are exceptions to those rules but..rarely. This is a nice scent. It definitely smells like hot tea with some citrus and herbs in it. It's  a nice smelling candle...but it smells like something you would light in the kitchen or in the bathroom after cleaning. It doesn't quite fit in with lighting at night and reading a book or binging a show on Netflix. It's just too daytime. It doesn't quite fit for me. 

It's not a powerhouse candle but I can smell it, it's very noticeable when lit. I like that it isn't overpowering- nor does it ever induce headaches. 

It's a nice large candle...one wick. Doesn't seem to have too much trouble burning to the edges. The wick is extra thick. And it does have the tendency to smoke and soot after awhile so you have to be careful. There are some candles that burn cleanly no matter how long you leave it and this is not one of them. I have had it smoke quite a bit so I really do need to so a better job of watching it and sticking to that four hour (often times less) burn time to minimize the smoke and soot.

The packaging as always is nice. The candles always come in a nice box and cute glass jar. While I like the packaging, it's not one that I will feel the need to hoard once the jar is empty. 

Overall, if you like tea scents- or daytime scents then this might be the candle for you. My favorite by the brand is still the Josephine candle. This was nice but just not a repurchase for me.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

L'occitane Dry Skin Shea Butter Hand Cream Review

One more post and then I am done for the day. I reviewed a sample size of this hand cream but now that I have a big tube, figured it could get its own post. I actually bought this for my Mom but she ended up leaving it here so the rest is mine. I did  buy her another tube because she said she does like it,  I just had it shipped directly to her.

L'occitane claims:

This intensely nourishing and soothing hand cream with 20% shea butter is a true must-have for dry hands. Thousands already rely on this best-selling hand cream. Even in winter, your hands remain supple and moisturized.

Made in France

The shea butter hand cream contains 95% ingredients of natural origin as well as a high proportion of organic shea butter (20%) from fair trade and is therefore a must-have for your hands. It absorbs quickly and helps to intensively care for the skin, to protect it from external environmental influences and to balance the protective layer of the skin.

This best-selling hand cream is a true L'OCCITANE icon! Every 3 seconds*, a shea butter hand cream is sold worldwide.

Coconut and argan oil complement the rich effect of organic shea butter to even improve the care effect of this shea butter hand cream. The creamy texture absorbs quickly and gives the hands suppleness and a pleasant skin feeling without leaving a greasy film. After application, the shea butter hand cream leaves a delicate scent with notes of jasmine and ylang-ylang on the hands.

    Starting with the scent. It smells nice. Almost smells like something you would use on a baby. Like baby wipes or something. The scent is mild and I didn't like it much at first but it's grown on me. It's not strong at all, very inoffensive but does linger.

One thing I like about the brand is that they use Shea Butter and tell you the percentage that's in the product. It's supposed to be fair trade shea butter which I hope it is. I also hope they pay more than a fair wage because their products are pretty pricey and the women that produce Shea Butter more than deserve it.

It comes in a recyclable metal tube. I like the packaging but it is a bit hard to squeeze out as you use more and more up. 

As for hydration...eh. If your skin is really dry this doesn't do much for it. If you have normal to slightly dry hands, it works. But the moisture doesn't last long. It's one of those that I feel I have to constantly re-apply. According the the brand they want you to use it every time you wash your hands. I tend to wash my hands a lot so if I did that I would run through this cream pretty quickly. 

It does absorb really quickly which is nice. You won't leave greasy spots everywhere. And if you need to type or use a computer you can. I do tend to like a bit of greasiness to a hand cream....but if you don't this might be for you. 

One thing I do notice is my nails are doing are staying strong and peeling a lot less. I was using a cuticle oil pretty faithfully but fell off and noticed my nails haven't started splitting and peeling like they usually do. 

Ingredients:

AQUA/WATER - BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER - GLYCERIN - COCO-CAPRYLATE/CAPRATE - CETEARYL ALCOHOL - GLYCERYL STEARATE - BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS (RAPESEED) STEROLS - ARGANIA SPINOSA KERNEL OIL - COCOS NUCIFERA (COCONUT) OIL - HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL - PEG-100 STEARATE - HYDROXYETHYL ACRYLATE/SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE COPOLYMER - CETEARETH-33 - CAPRYLYLYL GLYCOL - ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN - SORBITAN ISOSTEARATE - POLYSORBATE 60 - PENTYLENE GLYCOL - BETA-GLUCAN - TOCOPHEROL - PARFUM/FRANCE - LOOLINAL - CITRONELLOL - ALPHA-ISOMETHYL IONONE - - LIMONENE

Overall, it's OK. I probably wouldn't repurchase it...unless I am buying a tube for my Mom but I would try the other hand creams L'occitane makes.