January 2015 Birchbox: Unboxing + Review

This month's box was just okay for me with not much excitement in the January 2015 Birchbox. The best part of the box was the lip product. Let's begin the unboxing and take a close look at all the products from my January 2015 Birchbox.

Total Cost: $10.00

Actual Value: $23.88

Review: InstaNatural Argan Oil Hair Mask

As someone who dyes their hair very often, the process can be drying for my hair strands so I am always looking for a good hair mask or hair treatment to use afterwards. I was given the opportunity from InstaNatural to try out their InstaNatural Argan Oil Hair Mask and to write an honest review to share with my readers about the experience.

For my review, I will be talking about the results I have seen from using this for one week. I will also include a tip on how to know how much hair mask or conditioner to use for your hair. :)

The InstaNatural Argan Oil Hair Mask is formulated with argan oil, amino acid complex, coconut oil, shea butter, and vitamin B5 that all work together to give life to damaged or lack luster hair. Argan oil is best used for improving hair shine and resilience. If you often split ends or your hair strands are breaking when you comb it, you should start incorporating a hair mask into your hair care routine.

Restorative Ingredients in the InstaNatural Argan Oil Hair Mask:

• Argan Oil: Nourishes and promotes shine. Prevents hair damage from heat styling.
• Japanese Green Tea (Camelia): Nourishes and promotes shine [common in Japanese hair care products]
• Amino Acid Complex: Repairs damaged hair
• Coconut Oil: Nourishes and promotes shine.
• Shea Butter: Nourishes hair
• Jojoba Oil: Nourishes hair
• Avocado Oil: Nourishes hair and repairs damaged hair
• Vitamin B5: Repairs damaged hair

Review: Ryeo CheogAmo Deep Cleansing Shampoo and Conditioner (Green Bottle)

Ryeo is a drugstore brand in South Korea specializing in hair care products. I remember seeing this when I visited Seoul and was looking for a hair dye kit at one of the drugstores. At the time, I couldn't buy a Ryeo Shampoo and Conditioner set to take back home to the states because of lack of luggage space. I was happy to find it again and see it was available on one of my favorite Asian beauty online retailers, iMomoko.com.

How this hair care line is very different than ones you find in America is that it combines asian herbal remedies into their shampoo and conditioner formulas to promote hair health. Ryeo has 5 versions types of shampoos and conditioners targeting the these problem areas:

- Brown: Hair Root Care

- Blue: Dandruff

- Green: Dry Scalp

- Red: Damaged Hair

- Purple: Anti-Hair Loss

Photo Credit: Ryohair.com

The one I purchased from iMomoko is the green one (Ryeo Deep Cleansing Shampoo and Conditioner) targeting dry itchy scalp and deep cleans hair. After researching, I was in between buying this or the purple one, which supposedly prevents hair loss. 

At the time of the photos for this post, I had long hair and noticed there was a lot more hair appearing in the drain. When it did come time to order online the shampoo and conditioner, the purple one was sold out so that left me with green. The haircare set I bought came with 2 shampoos and 1 conditioner.

The pump part of the bottle are the shapes of ancient Korean hair brooches. I thought these added details made the bottles look very pretty. For the shampoo bottle, it is transparent so you can easily track how much is left in the bottle but for the conditioner you can't really see what amount is left.

Photo Credit: Intrice Blog (intrice.blogspot.com)

On the left side is a swatch of the Ryeo Deep Cleansing Shampoo, which is a clear gel with small green microbeads. On the right side is a swatch of the Ryoe Deep Cleansing Conditioner. which is white creamy conditioner.

Photo Credit: Intrice Blog (intrice.blogspot.com)

:: Before ::

Photo Credit: Intrice Blog (intrice.blogspot.com)

The before photo is my how my hair looked when I woke up and I used 

Head and Shoulders Shampoo the day before. Looks very flat and limp.

:: After ::

Photo Credit: Intrice Blog (intrice.blogspot.com)

This is how my hair looked after using Ryeo Deep Cleansing Shampoo and Conditioner. I would say that my hair felt silky, soft and not like straw. There was a lot more shine and a boost in volume. My hair looks a lot less dull in color compared to the "before" photo. For this photo, I blow dried my hair without using any styling products and clipped back my bangs with a bobby pin.

Very pleased with the results from just one use. When using the shampoo, my hair did not get tangled, feel like straw, or get dried out . The scent for the green version is minty and musky where it reminded me of male version shampoos and body wash scents. My scalp did get a minty tingle but the more often you use it, it feels less intense than the first time. 

When using the conditioner, it was not too greasy or oily and it rinsed out with only a little residue leftover on my skin. This is not a heavy or thick hair conditioner but after using it my hair felt very hydrated and smooth.

After using this for a couple months, my first shampoo bottle is just this month approaching its end. The conditioner has a quarter left over. I havn't opened the second one yet. I bought this shampoo around summer time of last year and use it 5 days a week. The amount of my hair falling out lessened too once I started using the Ryeo shampoo and conditioner.

For more information and to see other Ryeo products, their official website is www.ryohair.com (the website is in Korean though.)

Ryeo CheogAmo Deep Cleansing Shampoo and Conditioner (Green Bottle)

Retails:  $25.00 (2 Shampoos x 1 Conditioner) at imomoko.com

*On iMomoko.com they sell the red, green, and purple version of Ryeo Shampoo and Conditioner in hair care sets. You can also find Ryeo products on Amazon.com or Ebay.com

Have you tried any hair shampoos and conditioners from Asia? 

What is your favorite brand?

Share your thoughts with me in the comments.

x Carol

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Walmart Winter Beauty Box 2014 Unboxing

This is an unboxing post about the items I received in my Walmart Winter Beauty Box 2014 that I ordered. They include items from Jergens, Maybelline, Olay Fresh Effects, Nivea, and L'Oreal. I was not as impressed with the this box compared to my Target Beauty Box that costs the same but the size of the products were all deluxe sample sizes.

Total Cost: $5.00

Estimated Value: $10.75

Review: Frosty VoxBox from Influenster

Photo Credit: Influenster.com

This my first VoxBox From Influenster and I am excited to talk about all the wonderful products in the Frosty VoxBox. I was one of 15,000 bloggers in the Influenster network selected to receive their Frosty VoxBox.

For this winter themed box, it came with a total of 8 items relating to beauty or food. In this review, I will talk about what I liked and disliked from this box. I have to say my favorite item is definitely the EcoTools Hair Brush!

Target Beauty Box Winter 2014 (Naturals Edition)

The theme of this box is "naturals" where all products are full of natural ingredients like fruit oils, tea, and shea butter. A lot of the skincare items are said to be safe for those with sensitive skin and the hair care included in the box promote deep moisturization for hair strands. At the end of this post, I am sharing an exclusive coupon code to get $3 off your next $15 of "Naturals" beauty products from Target.com.

I really thought my Target Winter Beauty Box (Naturals Edition) box was lost somewhere in the US. It shipped the same day as the "Her Edition" of the Winter Target Beauty Box but the tracking number didn't have updates and said "cannot be found" so I was getting worried because there were items in this box I wanted to include as part of my holiday gifts. After waiting what felt like forever, the box arrived a little bit before Christmas.

This is a seasonal subscription box that can be ordered from Target.com but it does sell out quickly!

Total Cost: $5.00 (w/ tax + 5% RedCard discount)

Actual Value: $25.00

Target Beauty Box Winter 2014 (For Her Edition)

My Target Winter Beauty Box (For Her Edition) finally arrived after about a week. I ended up not getting the same colors advertised in the photo for the CoverGirl Eye Enhancers palette nor for the Revlon HD Lacquer on the website. I am assuming that for everyone ordering the "For Her" edition of the Target Beauty Box that these two 2 items' color selections will vary. In this post, I will also list an exclusive coupon code you can use on your next online Target.com beauty order.

Total Cost: $10.07 (w/ tax + 5% RedCard discount)

Actual Value: $50.00

Here are the items I received in my box and a quick first impressions review of each product.

Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen (Exclusive to Target) in Black

Retails: $9.99 

The only other Pixi product I own is their lip balm and so far I like it. I am hoping that this Pixi eyeliner will be just as moisturizing. The eyeliner in that came with the Target Beauty Box is not the full size eye pencil and is slightly shorter. From doing a quick swatch of this, I already like the color of this black eyeliner and it glides smoothly on the skin, no tugging or dragging whatsoever. 

Photo Credit: Intrice Blog

When pressing my finger on top of the swatch I made, the eyeliner doesn't pick up on my finger. When rubbing it, the eyeliner didn't smudge or budge. It only got a little bit lighter but still looks black and didn't fade to grey. Looks like the Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen will be a good eyeliner to use everyday. Pixi products are formulated free of parabens, mineral oil, and preservatives. If you have skin sensitivities then this brand is definitely worth considering.

Revlon HD Lacquer in HD Pink Diamond

Retails: $7.99

I already knew when ordering the Winter Target Beauty Box that I would not use this product no matter what color because I personally don't like shiny glittery lip products. I planned on gifting this product. The color in the promotion photo was a red shade and was hoping I would get that one or another versatile shade but I ended up getting a bubblegum pink. The lip lacquer has a cute imitation diamond gem glued on top of the application wand. If you look at the gem closely, it can be used as a super tiny mirror. This item was full size.

Hair Food Thickening Solution (Exclusive to Target) by Clairol 

Retails: $11.99

If you were able to get your hands on this season's beauty box before it went out of stock online and read the fine print, the boxes would either come with the Hair Food Thickening Solution or the Hair Food Hair Mask. I was hoping for the hair mask but received the thickening solution. I think the spray bottle is the full size version. I did a quick test run and here is my review for this product.

Like Pixi, the Hair Food product line is formulated free of parabens, mineral oil, and preservatives. I never heard of this until receiving it in the box. The Hair Food Thickening Solution claims to give you bouncy hair and it says the 3.2 fl oz bottle is enough to last for 1 month if used everyday. You spray it around the root areas of your hair then massage it into the hair. It says 15 sprays is enough to cover the whole head. This would be good for those who have flat, limp hair or those who want extra volume and body.

The first thing I noticed is that the scent of it is not very pleasant. It smells like a mix of rubbing alcohol, mint, and kiwi. There is a warning on the box about it being flammable, which sounds a little scary. Just don't use a blow dryer on your hair when you use this to be on the safe side.

When I tested this on my own hair, my hair was flat at the roots but looked a bit more voluminous after application. Maybe it gave it about a quarter to a half inch of lift. It does take about 3 minutes to see a difference. 

While applying and massaging it into my hair, the scent started to remind me of cough medicine or Chloraseptic cough drops for some reason. There is also a small tingle sensation when you feel the Hair Food Thickening Solution touch your scalp because it has menthol (mint).

When touching my hair, it does feel like I have hair product in it. The Hair Food Thickening Solution doesnt evaporate completely. It feels like when you put mousse in your hair and it's still wet. However, my hair does not feel hard like I used hairspray and there's no visible sign there is hair product. It applies and dries clear with no flakiness or hair product residue.  After a couple minutes, the alcohol and minty scents eventually do fade and you are left with the "kiwi" scent in your hair.

I would recommend using this from time to time but not everyday even though it says you can because of its main ingredients. From reading the ingredients on the bottle, alcohol is the first ingredient so that means most of it is made of alcohol and probably why its flammable. Not sure how amazing this product is for hair for prolonged use because alcohol will dry out your hair instead of moisturizing it. This does contain dimethicone, which is silicone based to leave your hair feeling soft by coating hair strands but doesn't actually moisturize your hair either. 

L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Intenza Mascara in Black

Retails: $7.99

This is a new macara line from L'Oreal and it has a unique rubber "double wing butterfly" brush shape. It is supposed to extend your lashes like you are wearing false lashes with the ends fanning out more than the inner eye area like butterfly wings. I don't know why but for some reason I kept reading "intenza" as "influenza" whenever I saw this in store. The closest word that I can think of that rhymes with it is influenza so maybe thats this happens.

On the box, it says this mascara formula is clump-free, flake-free, and smudge-free. Looking forward to trying this and seeings if it works as great as it sounds. 

CoverGirl Eye Enhancers Kit in Blushing Nudes

Retails: $4.49

The eyeshadow colors in the Blushing Nudes kit are white, light pink, rosey pink, and brown. Only the white and the brown colors have a slight shimmer to them. I am not sure if the pink colors will show up clearly or look right on my yellow skin tone. 

I like the compact size of the CoverGirl Eye Enhancers palette making it great for carrying around in a purse in case you need to touch up. I think the Blushing Nudes palette colors would be better for those with ivory or fair skin.

ChapStick Total Hydration Lip Care (Exclusive to Target) in Sweet Peach 

Retails: $2.99

Another reason why I ordered this box is because I needed a new chapstick and luckily this was part of the beauty box. The Total Hydration line is also new this season for the brand Chapstick. It claims to keep your lips moisturized for up to 8 hours with Omega 3/6/9 (for anti-aging purposes I am guessing) and gives a youthful appearance for your lips upon application.

I already started using this because it is finally cold now in Florida and my lips are starting to get dry. The Chapstick Total Hydration in Sweet Peach is a white color in the tube. This applies clear and leaves lips looking shiny and balmy.

It has a light peach and floral fragrance to it. I personally wished it was just peach flavor with no floral scent. This feels very emollient on the lips but I have not had it on for 8 hours and already my lips feel dry again after an hour. I don't think this works as well as it claims and feeling a little disappointed. I wouldn't recommend this lip balm if you are looking something that only takes about 1 or 2 reapplications throughout the day.

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask (Sample Size 20 ml)

Retails: $23 Full Size (80 ml)

This was the product I am most excited about from the whole beauty box. Laneige is a Korean beauty brand and it's owned by AmorePacific. They just started having their products available at Target this year. Laneige is one of the drugstore brands of Korea but their products are affordable and work well. The idea of a "sleeping mask" is new to me but I can't wait to try this product. Outside of the US, this product is named "Water Sleeping Pack EX."

It is a super moisturizer that is gel-based. You apply it on at night, go to sleep, and then wash it off the next morning. On the Laneige international website, it says the "Sleepscent" of the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask can calm stress by smelling it for 3 seconds. I think it isn't written on the box of the US version of this because most people wouldn't believe it. This has a light refreshing scent and the gel cream is a sky blue color.

Here is a link to the international page to read more about this product:
Water Sleeping Pack EX

Boots No7 Protect and Perfect Advanced Serum (0.1 fl oz Packet)

Retails: $29.99 Full Size, 1 oz

Boots No7 is a drugstore brand from the UK and is now available at Target. Their products are all hypoallergenic and can be used by those with sensitive skin types. This serum supposedly is anti-aging and promises to reduce wrinkles and deep lines in 4 weeks. It promises younger looking skin in 2 weeks.

Like all serums, you would apply this after cleansing but before using a moisturizer. This contains the ingredient matrixyl, which I noticed is popular in any skincare product these days that are "anti-aging." Not sure if the No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Advanced Serum really works. I don't think this sample packet is enough to use for an adequate period time to see results. I also think the price of this full-size is very expensive for a drugstore brand.

From reading through the ingredients, this does contain sulfates, parabens, and dimethicone.

Coupon Codes

Besides these products, the Target Beauty Box came with a $10 Dermstore unique coupon code for each box. This time there is no minimum purchase limit like in last season's beauty box. 

In a way, you are getting your $10 back but to spend elsewhere. In the information card about each product in the beauty box, it also came with 1 coupon to use at Target.com and 1 in-store.

At the time of writing this post, all 3 versions (For Her, For Him, and Naturals) of the Winter Target Beauty Box have sold out. If it wasn't sold out, I would put the links in the post to order. 

When it was the Fall Target Beauty Box, there was still some left to order when I wrote the blog entry for that box. Looks like this seasons boxes are more popular than last season. 

As promised, here is the coupon code you can use for a future Target.com beauty order: 

***Online promotion code expires on 2/1/2015

• "$3 off your next Beauty Department purchase of $15 or more" promo code: TGTBEAUTY

Have you tried any of these products before? What did you think about them?

If you ordered the Winter "For Her" Beauty Box what items and color selections did you get?

Share your thoughts in the comments below or tweet me @intriceblog. :)

x Carol

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Demonstration and Review: KISS InstaWave Automatic Hair Curler

KISS is a brand that specializes in beauty, nails, and hair styling tools. They have been around since 2012. Their KISS InstaWave Automatic Curler is one of their more popular products and you might have seen it before in an ad on TV or magazines. 

The KISS InstaWave is a fully automatic tangle-free curler that instantly creates beautiful curls. It promises to make hair curling be easy, quick, and effortless leaving you with fabulous results. I have been dying to get a new curling iron for months now so I felt very fortunate to be given the chance to try this out by the company. In this post are a tutorial and an honest review to let you guys know how it went. 

"Instantly create natural curls with ease!” – From KISS InstaWave box 

**Warning: This post is photo intensive!

Review: Toni and Guy Classic Shine Gloss Hair Serum

Photo Credit: intrice.blogspot.com

Toni and Guy is a hair care brand with products that help make hair styling become effortless. If you read my hair care related posts before then you probably remember that my biggest hair woes are frizz and flyaway hair. 

When I took a peek at what was coming in my October Birchbox and saw that Toni and Guy's Classic Shine Gloss Hair Serum was part of it, I knew it was something I had to try. This product promises to make your hair sleek and shiny all while taming frizz throughout the day. 

Review: Dove Oxygen Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner (Fine, Flat Hair) with Dove Pure Care Dry Oil for Hair

Dove Oxygen Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner, Dove Pure Care Dry Oil (Sample Sizes)

The Dove Oxygen Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner is a new "hair series" in their haircare line. I received this as part of my Fall Walmart Beauty Box but this is available at any place that sells drugstore shampoos and conditioners. The samples I received says it targets "fine, flat hair" and I think it suits my hair condition. This haircare line promises "Moisture with 95% more volume" so let's see if that is true.

Review: Moist Diane Shampoo and Conditioner with Argan Oil (Moist and Repair)

Moist Diane Shampoo and Conditioner with Argan Oil (Moist and Repair)
[Front]

Moist Diane and Conditioner with Argan Oil (Moist and Repair)
[Back]

Close-up of ingredients for the Shampoo. The Conditioner has similar ingredients.

Target Hair Type:

- Dry Hair / Frizzy Hair / Straight Hair / Colored Hair / Damaged Hair

Contains:
- Argan Oil: Smoothes hair while keeping it nourished and moisturized along with your scalp

- Baobab Oil: High amounts of Vitamin A and Vitamin E benefitting the skin and hair

- Cupuacu Seed Oil: Moisturizing for hair

- Mango Seed Oil: Moisturizing for the hair

Review:

Moist Diane is a drugstore brand from Japan and yeah, I agree that the brand sounds a bit strange. ^^; I ordered this shampoo from imomoko.com because I saw they recently started carrying it and what attracted me to it are the benefits after using it. The benefits advertised from the "Moist and Repair" line, which are the honey colored bottles, are that it improves hair shine, moisture, and repairs hair damaged by color dying or heat styling. I also want to make a note that the bottle yellow bottle labeled "Moist  Treatment" is the conditioner in this value set.