July Drugstore.com Haul

Another month has come and gone, and we are now past the midpoint of 2016. Can you believe it? I actively try not to because that means that I have less and less time to finish writing up my current research. I'm also teaching a course in the fall that I've never taught before, so lesson plans need to be written up for that. Also, this stress reminds me that I still have an IRB application to finish, since I've started equating that with stress.

Anyway, retail therapy always helps, so here is my Drugstore.com haul for the month:

1. Garnier Skin Active Clean Plus Purifying Oil-Free Cleansing Towelettes, $5.99 (25 sheets) at Ulta.com

I usually buy the Pond's Original Fresh Wet Cleansing Towelettes, but this Garnier one was on sale, so I decided to give it a try since I don't think Garnier has ever let me down.

2. Pantene Pro-V Color Revival Radiant Shampoo, $3.84 (12.6 fl oz) at Walmart.com

When I started coloring my hair in 2012, I started using the Tresemme Color Revitalize Shampoo and its corresponding conditioner because I had recently discovered Tresemme and loved it. I haven't ever stopped using that shampoo and conditioner because they work and they last me a good while, so I never saw a reason to switch brands. Four years is a long time, though, right? That's why I decided to break out of that routine and try this Pantene shampoo, which I've heard good things about.

3. Jergens Naturals Extra Moisturizing Liquid Hand Wash Refill, $3.49 (21.3 fl oz) at Walgreens.com

I bought the Jergens hand wash in May and was instantly hooked. It cleans well but still moisturizes your hands, and that signature cherry almond scent is delightful!

4. Maybelline Lash Stiletto Ultimate Length Mascara in Very Black, $8.99 (0.22 fl oz) at Ulta.com

You can never own too many mascara. That's all I have to say about this, lol.

5. Palmer's Night Renewal Cream, $7.02 (2.7 fl oz) at Drugstore.com

Do you remember the fail in my June Drugstore.com and Walmart haul when I accidentally bought the Nivea Creme, thinking it was night cream? Yeah, it's currently sitting on my office desk, being used as hand cream, so this month, I decided to continue the search and found this! My Influenster Ole Henriksen Voxbox came, and I'm trying those products out at the moment (Stay tuned for the unboxing post!), so I've only tried this Palmer's night cream once since I bought it. The scent is not the best. It smells like how cocoa butter naturally smells, I'm guessing, so it's not necessarily a bad thing. It'll just take some time to get used to, especially after the Aveeno Absolutely Ageless Restorative Night Cream's heavenly smell. Anyway, this Palmer's night cream has a gel-like cream consistency that doesn't apply easily, but it feels great on the skin!

What is your go-to facial towelette, shampoo, hand wash, mascara, or night cream?

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June Drugstore.com and Walmart Haul (and an Online Shopping Experiment)

In my last Drugstore.com haul, while researching other websites where you can purchase those products, Walgreens came up a lot, and the prices were lower than those at Drugstore.com. Walgreens also offers free shipping on purchases exceeding $35, which was one of the reasons I cited for regularly purchasing from Drugstore.com, so this month, I decided to try an experiment of sorts.

Let me preface this by saying that I keep a shopping list of essentials that I add to throughout the month, which I then use to shop on Drugstore.com. What I did this time was shop normally on Drugstore.com, and once I have all of the products added to my cart, I went over to Walgreens and did the exact same thing.

Findings reveal (Yikes, the researcher side of me is showing) that my total on Drugstore.com was cheaper by a small margin, and I was able to add an extra product to my cart and still have the total be not too much more expensive than that at Walgreens. Basically, Drugstore.com is still the better option. With that being said, here is what I purchased this month:

1. Final Net Unscented All Day Hold Hairspray, $3.99 (12 fl oz) at Walgreens.com

I have actually never heard of Final Net before this, but it had a lot of favorable reviews on Drugstore.com, so I decided to give it a shot.

2. Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner, $7.22 (8.5 fl oz) at Ulta.com

I am a chronic repurchasor of this product. The last time I used a different toner is back in December when I repurchased a Boots Expert toner in my December Drugstore.com haul. Then, in my March Macy's and Drugstore.com mini haul, I explained the reason behind my preference for this Neutrogena toner over the Boots Expert one.

3. Nivea Creme, $5.89 (6.8 fl oz) at Walmart.com

Apparently, this is a cult product, and I didn't even know it. I saw it while hunting for a new night cream, and the packaging misled me into thinking that this is a night cream. It's not, guys. It's body lotion, haha. I should've paid more attention to the product description. Either way, it doesn't matter. I apparently bought the travel size too, so I'll just throw it into my makeup bag and use it as a hand cream.

4. Zapzyt Maximum Strength 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Treatment Gel, $5.29 (1 fl oz) at Drugstore.com

This is also a repurchase. I bought the first one back in December too, and I still have quite a bit of product left over; I just don't want to run the risk of running out of it before my next haul in July. It's a spot treatment that works really well, even on sensitive skin such as mine. I'm using it in my fight against adult acne and scars from acne past (It's a fight that I seem to be winning, btw), and it's clearing up my face because when I feel a zit forming, I just slap some Zapzyt on there before bed, and in the morning, it'll either be completely gone, or it'll be tame enough where I don't have the urge to pop or pick at it.

I also picked up a couple of things from Walmart. I didn't actually go to Walmart for the express purpose of buying these. I was actually there for an eye appointment and had some time to kill afterwards while waiting for the bus. Here is what they are:

1. Garnier Micellar Water, $8.99 (13.5 fl oz) at Ulta.com

It's probably about time for me to try out micellar water for myself. This particular one is biphasic, which seems like it would work really well on my heavy eye makeup, so I'm excited to give it a try!

2. Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel Cream, $5.99 (1.7 fl oz) at Garnier

This is one of the first moisturizers that I fell in love with. The gel consistency is lightweight, soothing, and cooling, which makes it perfect for the summer! It also hydrates my skin without making it greasy.

Have you tried any of these products?

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Hair Care Tips for Long Thick Hair by Blogger Tiffany Khyla White

Last month, I curated a list of shampoos for colored hair and a list of conditioners for colored hair. For my new series of posts, I decided to discuss ways to take care of the general wellbeing of your hair, and since a lot of you enjoyed my blogger feature about summer style inspiration, I will be showcasing more bloggers along with their hair care tips.

Tiffany Khyla White is the lifestyle blogger at Endless Bliss.

She shared that her hair is long, thick, and can sometimes be out of control. Here are her personal hair care tips:

Only wash your hair about every three days
Some may cringe at this, but washing your hair every day rids it of its natural nutrients, and with hair like mine, it dries out pretty quickly because washing it every day wouldn't give the nutrients time to travel throughout my hair. Washing it only a couple of times a week allows my hair to really soak up all of those great nutrients and keeps my hair healthy and strong. Sometimes, I'll even skip washing my hair and just condition it.

Use hair heating tools sparingly
The only time my hair gets blow-dried is if I go to a hair salon, and even then, they don't always wash my hair. While I do straighten my hair about once every month or so (sometimes even less than that), staying away from these tools allows my hair to avoid the damage that comes along with using them. I let my hair dry naturally and don't keep my hair wrapped in towels for too long because that can take away nutrients as well.

Don't use too many products at once
Using too many different products weighs your hair down. I'm fortunate to have thick hair with a lot of volume. When I do use products, I just stick to one. I never use hairspray or mousse. Since I let my hair dry naturally, I have to put something in it or it'll be a frizzy mess. I stick to just using a gel which, right now, I'm using Garnier Fructis Style Pure Clean Styling Gel. It never leaves flakes and is super light. When I'm wanting a curl, I'll use Garnier Fructic Style Curl Sculpting Gel. For the life of me, I don't know how to use a curling iron or one of those wands, and this gives my curls the bounce they need.

Use oil to give your hair a little shine
Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, my hair looks rather dull, so I like to give it a little umph by using Pantene Pro V Truly Natural Hair Shine Serum with Argan Oil. Just a few pumps, and my hair looks shiny and ready to take on the day.

If you have naturally wavy or curly hair, don't brush it every day
Since I wear my hair natural most of the time, the only time I use a brush is when I shower. With conditioner in my hair, I brush out all the tangles. When my hair is drying or completely dry, I rarely ever use a brush. It will only make your hair poofier, frizzier, and bigger.

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To read more about how Tiffany maintains her Insta-worthy tresses, read her blog at Endless Bliss.

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Are You Guilty of These Common Makeup Mistakes?

We have all been guilty of these common makeup mistakes at one point in our lives. I can confidently say that I used to do at least three items on this list. When I found out that I did them and learned how to fix them, it made my makeup look more natural and last longer. Hopefully this post can help you discover the same thing.

Do you skip skin prep?

It makes sense to want to skip skin prep. It shaves some time off your makeup routine. However this is an essential step. If you cleanse and tone your face, your makeup will go on easier and look better; a clean canvas is always easier to work with. Applying primer is also an important part of this step. Primers not only help your makeup stay on longer, they do other things too. There are primers that keep your makeup matte all day. There are primers that help with discoloration. There are primers that hydrate your skin. There are basically primers for everything.

My favorite primer is the Smashbox Iconic Photo Finish Foundation Primer.

 Smashbox Iconic Photo Finish Foundation Primer | $36

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