Ayumi Sandalwood & Ylang Ylang Face Wash Review

 TGIF. It feels like it's been an extra long week. But at least it's finally getting warm. I'm a lot happier when I get my sunshine . I feel like my moods coincide with the weather. Anyway...face wash. I have been using mostly black soap lately. My skincare routine has been mega simple as always. I usually just use black soap- every now and again a hydrosol. And some Shea Butter. Oh...and a scrub. I found this and decided to go ahead and finish it up. It was something that was left from my parents and I just recently found it in my backroom. 

It looks a bit grubby and I'm sure it's "expired" but still seems fine so I'll keep using it til it's gone....

Ayumi claims:

Ayumi Sandalwood & Ylang Ylang Face Wash – your perfect facial cleanser for dry and sensitive skin. It’s made with natural ingredients that nourish and hydrate your skin while gently cleansing. These natural oils and extracts reduce dryness and leave your skin soft and supple.

Our Sandalwood face wash is dermatologically tested and designed to soothe and protect your delicate skin. It’s the ideal face wash and facial cleanser for dry, sensitive skin, as it won’t strip away your skin’s natural oils and will leave you refreshed and hydrated.

1. Moisturization: Babassu and Jojoba oils are known for their excellent moisturizing properties. They can help hydrate the skin and prevent dryness, making it ideal for those with dry skin.
2. Dermatologically Tested Sandalwood Face Wash: The fact that the product is dermatologically tested means it has been assessed for its safety and effectiveness by dermatologists, which can provide peace of mind for those with sensitive skin.
3. Calming and Soothing: Sandalwood oil has natural soothing properties that help manage irritated skin and reduce redness.
4. Sandalwood Face Wash For Moisturizing Dry Sensitive Skin: Babassu oil is a lightweight moisturizer that hydrates the skin without clogging pores, making it suitable for dry and oily skin types.Anti-Inflammatory: It contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties to help soothe irritated skin and reduce redness.
5. Sandalwood Face Wash For Balancing: Jojoba oil closely resembles the natural sebum produced by the skin. It helps regulate oil production, making it practical for oily and dry skin types. Non-Comedogenic: Jojoba oil is non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog pores, making it suitable for acne-prone skin. Moisturizing: It provides long-lasting moisture without making the skin feel greasy.

I've used a few ayurvedic type soaps over the years and I have liked all of the ones I tried. I think I have mostly used the bar soaps. 

We'll start with the scent- which is OK. I don't know how to describe it because it's pretty nondescript. I can't say it smells like Patchouli, Sandalwood, Jasmine or Ylang Ylang. But they are all supposed to be in it. It's Ok. It smells familiar  smelled but can't quite remember what it smells of. 

As for texture, it's more of a creamy texture. It doesn't get a bubbly lather, more of a creamy lather. It works well to dissolve makeup though even though the type of texture it is never seems like it would do well at makeup removal.

I don't find it too drying, which is nice. The tight dry skin feeling on the face is never fun and luckily this doesn't do that. 

I do feel overall my skin has been looking "healthier". It could be the sun though. I always feel like my skin looks much better in the summer so that could be it. Or maybe not. My skin just looked overall smoother and happier. 

Ingredients aren't my favorite. I think overall I prefer the bar soaps I've tried because the ingredients are more natural. There are some ingredients I would rather avoid altogether- especially in skincare. Mostly it's the copolymer type ingredients. The first couple of ingredients are ordinary and later on down the list you get the good essential oils. 

Ingredients:

Aqua (Water), Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauryl Glucoside, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Acrylates Copolymer, Isostearamide MIPA, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Laurate, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Leaf Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil, Glycerin *, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Orbignya Oleifera (Babussa) Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Santalum Spicatum (Sandalwood) Wood Oil, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower Extract, Piper Nigrum (Black Pepper) Seed Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum (Cinnamon) Bark Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool **, Benzyl Benzoate **, Benzyl Salicylate **.

Overall, it's not bad. I wouldn't repurchase it though because I do prefer the Ayurvedic bar soaps.

Roger

 

Quick music post today. Roger of Zapp and Roger. I only have one song to share today, but have a few more to share when I talk about the group later on. I was just reading the wikipedia page and I had no idea they were brothers and Zapp murdered Roger in a murder suicide. That's crazy.

But they were a really influential group though.  And this song is a classic. If someone sang this song to me, they would be my man 😂 Actually I like assertiveness, just tell me you are my man and that's it. I think they were the originators of the talk box though? 

Now I'll be singing this for the rest of the night...

Illume Hinoki Sage Glass Candle Review

 I am trying to get all my summer travels..and maybe a fall trip planned at the moment.  Or not really planned but just figuring out when I want to do certain things. I am definitely going stateside this summer and I am beyond excited about it. I have a lot of things I plan on doing while there. I need to make a list so that way I don't forget anything. 

Illume claims:

Grounded in soothing cypress, with a heart of gathered garden herbs, and kissed with salted citrus.

Thoughtfully designed from wax to wick, put our candles anywhere and everywhere in the home or office.

A timeless staple designed with a soft frost finish, colored wax, and a translucent foot for added elegance. Once burned, reuse the glass with our plant-based candle refill.

* Fill Weight: 10oz

* Product Size: 3.75" x 3.75" x 4.5"

* Burn Time: 50 hours

* Wick Count: 1

* Vegan

* Cruelty-free

* Plant-based wax

Made In China

Trying yet another candle brand...my goal is always to try five new brands of something this year and I'm pretty sure I have already hit that. I can sometimes get into a slump and keep buying the same brands over and over. I haven't heard a lot about this particular brand except that it's sold in Target. I bought this one from Nordstrom. They seem to carry a few select brands but you can also find them on Amazon. That's definitely a range of stores. 

One thing I didn't know about the brand is they sell candle refills. So your refill comes in a paper cup, you pop it out and into the re-useable glass jars and the box and cup are easily recyclable. It saves the world some glass. Which I love. Because there are only so many I can repurposes before I have way too many. I tend to save my faves and recycle the rest. The refills are very reasonably priced too, especially if you buy the ones from Amazon.

Hinoki Sage is definitely not a scent I would pick on my own, I just kinda got on Nordstrom- sort and buy. Hinoki is a type of Japanese Cypress. I have no idea what it smells like but I do like the smell of the Cypress I have smelled before. 

I like the work "hinoki" and it seems to be popular buzz word to use in candles these days. So the notes are basically cypress, sage (or other garden herbs), and salted citrus. I don't know about describing the notes except the say this smells like a man's cologne. A very stinky one. I don't know what it is about this candle but it literally stinks. It might be the worst candle scent I have ever smelled. I was trying to be open-minded and thought maybe I would change my mind when burning it- but nope! Luckily it doesn't have a big throw. One time when I let it, I did pick up a nice citrus..but I never got that note again in the hours I have been burning through it.

It scents maybe about four feet around it. Any further and you can pick it up kinda but not really. Which is a good thing because I don't like the scent.

I do like the packaging. The glass jar is heavy and feels  like nice quality. It's also a very pretty green color. I wasn't sure I would repurchase from the brand....but I will keep the jar and tuck it away somewhere so I can try the refills. 

Another thing I don't like is the wicks- you can cut them down and the flame still looks wild. First lighting I had sooting and smoking....to the point where the sooting and smoking seemed continuous. It almost reminded me of the Byredo candle- but worse. I am not a fan of the way the candle burns. Supposedly it's vegetable wax. In my experience it is usually Paraffin that makes the candle burn badly so I'm thinking it has Paraffin. 

It does seem to have a very long burn time-but then again maybe all candles that I hate seem to burn forever. I will light this one and spend a lot of the time out the room. Which is how I know I don't like the candle- for my good candles I like sitting there and just inhaling all the good scented air! Don't wanna miss a second.

I do like to pay attention to where the things I buy are made. They definitely claim to be made in the US but the candle I have has a sticker that says it's Made in China.  UPDATE- Just the Jar is made in China, the wax is poured in the US.

I don't like this candle- there isn't really anything good I have to say about it. I'm not in a hurry to try anything else from the brand- but I may give them another go if just to try out the refill.  I think that's a genius idea and I am not quite ready to write them off. Even though reflecting on this review I probably should.

Tangle Teezer Ultimate Detangler Hairbrush Review

 

My kitchen looks like a nightmare and instead of cleaning it, I'm procrastinating and writing a post. The mess will still be there there when I'm done, right? It's actually not that bad, would probably take 7 minutes to sort but I am just feeling lazy. 

Tangle Teezer claims:

It’s a fan favourite

Designed for use on wet hair and in the shower, The Ultimate Detangler effortlessly slips through your hair (and thanks to its handle, not out of your wet hands).

The patented two-tiered teeth technology is gentle on vulnerable, shower-fresh hair, meaning less breakage, more of that running-your-fingers-through-your-hair feeling. The long teeth detangle, while the shorter teeth smooth - a team effort at its finest.

Treating your locks to a conditioning treatment? Use The Ultimate Detangler to evenly draw your products of choice through the lengths of your hair. 

If you have long, thick or curly hair, let us redirect you to The Large Ultimate Detangler. Sometimes size does matter.  

The mini Ultimate Detangler is perfect for travel with a savvy keyring hole on the handle. Although small, it confidently detangles any type of hair, helping to reduce hair breakage. The mini size doesn’t mean it’s just great for kids. It’s perfect for adults too!

Hot tip: Keep this hairbrush away from heat!

Together with the Ultimate Detangler, avoid breakage and enjoy smooth, detangled hair.

Made in UK

    I'm a big fan of the Tangle Teezer. I have three in total and have given one each to my Mom and my sister. I definitely don't need three but I got a little carried away and wanted to try the one with the handle and also try the one specifically designed for curly/kinky hair.  Honestly there isn't that much difference and I find them all interchangeable. The main difference seems to be the length of the bristles and the flexibility of them. 

The curly brush has much stiffer bristles. I think as a result it is less gentle...but it's not rough though.  I think the Ultimate detangles get's through my hair gentler and possibly easier. I can get through the hair in less passes without tugging/pulling. So I think I prefer this brush over the naturally curly but only slightly. I probably should have gotten my Mom/Sister this brush but it might be they would have preferred the other because we all have different hair textures and curl patterns. 

It is plastic and usually I avoid buying plastics but...it's that good I don't care. I believe they have a way to recycle them but I have yet to have mine get to the point of needing to be tossed. I'll update if anything changes though. 

I used to get tangling at the roots and my hair would knot pretty badly on itself. Somehow detangling through the ends and middle just get the the roots. I can easily brush from the scalp to the ends once this sorts the tangles. Love that! 

Overall, can't live without it. The best thing I have used to get through my hair....there are some other brushes/combs I have been tempted to try but then I doubt anything can beat how great these are for me.

Hask Argan Oil Repairing Deep Conditiner for Dry, Damaged Hair Review

 

Do ya'll know about med spas? I fell down the rabbit hole of med spas this weekend and learned that they are largely unregulated in the U.S. This means anyone can just start one and begin injecting random stuff into customers. I was mostly intrigued by the story of a girl that went for Vitamin b12 shots alongside some sort of fat burning shots and ended up with Mycobacterium - which is a flesh eating disease. I never planned on going to a Med Spa but especially never would knowing they are largely unregulated...and some don't even carry proper insurance or order their injectables from reputable sources. Scary stuff. 

Anyway , let's talk Deep Conditioner. I've been pretty good at regularly deep conditioning. I've been sticking with 1- 2x per month. I don't really use heat on my hair so I don't think it's that needed. But I am planning to blow out my hair one of these days and want to make sure my hair is as healthy as possible. 

I like the Hask brand because there aren't any apparent micro-plastics/silicones in the product.

Hask claims:

ARGAN OIL 

REPAIRING DEEP CONDITIONER

Strengthens, Restores & Smooths Dry, Damaged Hair

Free of: sulfates, parabens, silicones, phthalates, gluten and drying alcohol.

This deep conditioner is a super strengthening, hydrating treatment that will repair the look of dry, damaged and over-processed hair. Formulated with argan oil, unique to Morocco, to help reduce split-ends and leave the most damaged hair soft and nourished.

First thing I noticed was the scent-it's a very nice orange scent. I haven't smelled the ORS Replenishing Packs in awhile but they do smell similar. It smells nice but it's a mild scent that doesn't stick around much once you rinse out. 

Feels like your regular deep conditioner. I ended up using all of this one in one go. I got two uses out the Coconut one. I think it's because this one seemed to just disappear into my hair. I also used it to detangle and I did tend to add more in spots that took a little more product to get through. It doesn't have a lot of slip but it did work.

I didn't leave it overnight but I did leave it in a for a few hours. I know the directions say ten minutes but I like to let conditioners sit.

I think this might be a protein conditioner. When I rinsed my hair felt normal- not particularly moisturized. But it didn't feel dry. As it was drying it felt soft, I had some definition (didn't have anything but frizz with the Coconut one). Now today my hair feels kinda hard and a bit drier than usual. It does feel a little stronger and I'm sure if will be back to it's regular moisture level by tomorrow or the next day. 

I like the ingredients a little more than your typical drugstore ingredients. It has your regular filler conditioner ingredients along with a lot of stuff that is easily recognizable as good for your hair. 

Ingredients:

Aqua/Water/Eau, Cetearyl alcohol, Cetrimonium chloride, Quaternium-18, Parfum/Fragrance, Lanolin, Argania spinosa (argan) kernel oil, Hydroxypropyltrimonium hydrolyzed rice protein/siloxysilicate, Oryza sativa (rice) extract, Hydrolyzed collagen, Hydrolyzed keratin, Silk amino acids, Hydrolyzed soy protein, Sodium lauroyl oat amino acids, Juglans nigra (black walnut) leaf extract, Leuconostoc/radish root ferment filtrate, Populus tremuloides bark extract, Citric acid, Glycerin, Panthenol, Isopropyl palmitate, Sodium PCA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl alcohol, Potassium sorbate, Sodium hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Benzyl benzoate, Limonene, Caramel, CI 19140 (Yellow 5)

Overall, it's fine. I wouldn't get this one if you are looking for moisture- I think it works best as a protein/strengthening conditioner. I think they are mostly interchangeable to me, except this one is more strengthening (a bit more drying)  and didn't give me frizzy hair. One more to go- the Keratin pack. I'll probably open that one up in a about a month.

Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Root Vegetable Soup, Brioche French Toast

 After doing all that research and looking up ovens, it turns out mine wasn't broken. I randomly decided to try it again yesterday and it cut right on. I'm so glad I didn't just rush and order another one. Hopefully it continues to keep working because I do like having a mini oven. It heats up so much quicker than a larger one, but I do think the temperature thing might be off but I'm not 100% sure yet.

Anyway..already time for another food post. I kinda cheated because it wasn't on the list but oh well.

First up, Chipotle Mashed Sweet potatoes. LOVED THESE. I love chipotle anything but especially paired with Sweet potatoes. I keep the chipotles in adobo in the freezer and just grab from it whenever I need it. Would 100 percent make again. The texture might have been a little off because I added a bit too much milk but that can easily be fixed and didn't bother me at all.  I made Gyudon to go with it! My favorite :) 

Next up, Root Vegetable Soup. This was another Vitamix Soup recipe. I haven't had the greatest luck with their soups lately but this one was actually good. It had turnips and was supposed to have parsnips which I couldn't find so I just used extra carrots. I also kinda messed it up because I bought sour cream instead of heavy cream so I added that and extra milk. I really liked it! It was also super easy and only took a couple minutes. I added crispy fried onions for some texture. 

Last thing I made was Brioche French toast. I have made French toast with regular white bread, french bread (one of my faves), and now brioche. The last couple times I had used Brioche and it always comes out so good! French toast and Waffles are my favorite breakfast foods....and these didn't disappoint. I had a scrambled egg and cooked tomatoes to go with it.