Technotronics

 Last post of the day for me...a music post.

Definitely a one hit wonder but this was a monster hit for good reason. Who doesn't want to get on the floor when this plays? 

It makes me think of the Dance Central dance- I don't think I've played on hard. The medium was enough for me...

ORS Curls Unleashed Color Blast in Golden Bars Review

 I think they have discontinued these which makes me so sad. I love them so much, they are so fun and I get the best twist outs I have ever gotten from any product with them.  I don't have to retwist my hair each night, I can just throw it in a scrunchie and then bonnet. I take it out and fluff it a little the next morning and then good to go. But I'm getting a little ahead of myself.

I reviewed it here in the shade Dragon Fruit- which I adore.  Much of what I said about that wax applies to this one.

I get the best definition with these. The only thing is I was pretty unsure of the color. Of the four colors I had bought...this was the most intimidating. And I think it might have been a little odd on me if I had applied it full strength but it gets diluted in my twists and just gives me the perfect shade of golden brown. I think this might be my favorite- also because the gold sparkles is not as noticeable on most of my clothes when it rubs off because these do transfer and rub off. But it comes out easily in the wash.

It can feel a bit drying- even with putting a proper leave in conditioner underneath. I feel like I get 3-4 days of great hair before it gets a bit more frizzy than I would like. 

I probably have a few more uses before my jar is gone and I will be truly sad when it is. I will be forced to try other similar products and if I find anything half as good- I'll definitely update here. For now, I am going to make it a goal to use what I have so I can try more (more twist outs!) . I'm most sad I won't get a chance to try out the blue one..that was my next order.

If you can still find them somewhere...I highly recommend! 

 

Pot Roast and Pasta with Spicy Tomato Sauce

 Got a quick post today...of two dishes that really did not look great photographed. 

Also two dishes I probably wouldn't make again but was great to try once. 

Starting with Pot Roast. This past year I feel like I have made so many beef dishes- I don't think I've ever cooked it so much in my life. This wasn't my favorite roast- I think because I meant to grab chuck roast but I ended up grabbing round roast or something which is never as good. The weight was better and I forgot to read the package. I also didn't really follow the recipe. I roasted everything separately. It was a filling and hearty meal but I wouldn't make it again- except the sauce. It made the best sauce/broth which I ended up using along with the leftover butternut squash (I had a huge one!) to make a butternut squash soup. It was probably one of the best I have ever made. 

Then I made a spicy tomato sauce. It uses real tomatoes that you blend up with a few other things. It has a more "fresh" taste to it. Would probably be best with homegrown tomatoes. But it was pretty good. And very easy. I made some chicken and pasta to go with. I'm in the tomato sauce section of the Vitamix so you will probably see a few more pasta recipes in the next few food posts. I wouldn't make this exactly as the recipe is written but would freestyle something similar.

And that's all for the week! 

Random: I have been drinking this Caribe tea from Harney. It's a tropical tea and the best one I have found so far! I try a lot of very average tea but this is a stand out! I always drink it iced and slightly sweetened

Essie Piece of Work Nail Lacquer Review

I've been sleepy- which is the reason I haven't been blogging. Then I wake up and do nothing productive.... I'm still trying to get through reviewing all my current nail polishes. It's taking years. Really and Truly. But I have made it my goal to get through them all this year. I don't think I have many left...but we shall see.

Another thing I started doing was really whittling down the collection. I got rid of possible eBay knock-offs..and stopped buying the same colors over and over. I tend to always be attracted to the same purple/blue shades. I'm trying to make an effort to purchase unique colors. Hence, this Shrek green shade. 

Which I LOVE!  

Essie claims: 

craft a mani masterpiece using this vivid, lime green nail polish with yellow undertones that adds an eccentric touch to any look.

It looks more yellow green than it is in person- it's definitely more a shrek green.

This is definitely one of my favorite colors in my collection. I've really been loving green polishes lately. I am currently trying it as a pedicure color and I'm not really sure how I feel about it...part of me wants to take it off because I think it's ugly. The other part of me is lazy so it will stay until it has to be changed. But I LOVE it on my hands. 

The wear is OK. I get little chips here and there on day 2 and on. I think this might be due to the base/top coat I am currently using. Usually Essie lasts bests on my nails. But I am hard on my hands.

The Essie Brush is my favorite brush- it's the wide brush that has a cuticle shape to it so it makes painting the nails SO easy. 

Overall, one of my unexpected favorites. 

Beekman 1802 Lavender Goat Milk Soap Review

 I was really hoping the snow and cold was over for but I guess that's too much to ask for mid-February. In the meantime, a post. 

Beekman claims:

We tried over 450 varieties of lavender to find just the right scent for this goat milk bar soap. Enriched with jojoba oil and shea butter for extra nourishment and scented with fresh, herbaceous notes of lavender oil, bright notes of bergamot, and finished with a base of tonka bean. Goat milk soap bar is 9 oz. 

Benefits:

• Triple-milled to last even longer, extending all of the benefits of nourishing goat milk down to the very last lather
• Goat Milk boosts skin health with the same pH as human skin, and it’s rich in lactic acid, vitamins, and minerals to help renew and strengthen skin

Top: Bergamot
Middle: Lavender
Bottom: Rose, Parsley Leaves, Tonka Bean
Essential Oils: Castor, Lavandin, Rose, Bergamot, Coriandrum, Parsley, Sativum Fruit Oil

I've used a billion and twelve Lavender soaps. Just about every brand makes them. 

I had high expectations for this- I mean they did say they tried over 450 varieties of Lavender. I didn't even know there was 450 varieties of Lavender. Anyway, they did all that for nothing. This soap is basically unscented. Very dissapoitning because when I see Lavender soap- I expect at least some Lavender scent. It seems like it could be there- but for the most part it isn't. I bought this soap for around four or so dollars but if I had paid the listed price- I would be mega disappointed. At least I only bought the small one. 

The scent was so dismal I decided to just use it as a facial soap. Lavender and Goat Milk are good for the skin- and it doesn't have much scent anyway.

It lathers nicely, rinses clean, slightly drying on the face. 

Ingredients: 

Sodium Palmate, Sodium Cocoate and/or Sodium Palm Kernelate, Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Fragrance (Parfum), Sodium Chloride, Caprae Lac (Goat Milk), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Aleurites Moluccana Seed Extract (Kukui Nut Oil), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Pentasodium Pentetate…and Kindness.

Overall quite disappointing. They should really go back to the drawing board and use a different type of Lavender- or just more. So far Beekman is 1/3...I'm really hoping the rest of them are better since I did pick up quite a few of them. We shall see. 

Eden Bodyworks Anti-Breakage Deep Conditioner Lavender Aloe Review

 My birthday was around about a week ago- what's funny is all this past year I literally thought I was a year older than I was. So if anyone asked me this past year how old I was- I definitely 100% lied to them. Whoops! 

Anyway...deep conditioner. It's been almost a year since I have reviewed one. I wanted to deep condition more regularly and I think I have been. I've had this deep conditioner for a little while....usually I try to use it 1-2 times a month. 

Eden claims: 

This natural deep conditioner is a thick, creamy protein-free hair mask designed to help strengthen weak strands susceptible to breakage. Lavender Oil helps to battle hair loss and protect against further damage. Enhances the hair's natural elasticity. Aloe helps to replenish and moisturize dry hair. Combats scalp issues. Safe for natural hair, color-treated hair, and chemically-processed hair.

Made in USA

This is my first product from the brand. From what I can see if it black and woman owned and still privately owned...which I always love to see.

It's also reasonably priced and free from silicones -which is what I mainly look for in a deep conditioner. 

You get a massive amount of..16 oz. So far so good.

It's a thick cream not unlike any other deep conditioner. And it smells really nice. It definitely smells like Lavender and Patchouli essential oil are the main fragrances. There is something else to the scent. I really enjoy it. And it's very unique. It lingers in the hair for a little while.  

It is an anti-breakage deep conditioner- and curiously protein free. Which is good- I think my hair is protein sensitive. I do feel like my hair is stronger and slightly thicker since I've been using it. Also in the weeks I use it, I feel like the hair is more hydrated and less dry feeling. All the way down to the ends. 

I tend to sleep in it overnight.

I think it says all it says it will do. I have no complaints at all. I even recently picked up the leave-in conditioner and I am excited to give that a try once my current deep conditioner is used up. 

ingredients: 

Water (Aqua), Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Fragrance (Parfum), Stearalkonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Lavandula
Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Sorbic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract

Overall, I really like it. It's a good deep conditioner- if you are on the market for one, I would suggest giving this one a go.