There are so many products that we use in the realm of health and beauty and we like to get opinions or know someone who has tried it before we buy it, right? We want to see reviews but we also want to hear real people who have put it to use and tested it because reviews are so often left immediately after buying and not after the product was used long enough to evaluate it fairly. On this page, I will put the products that I have found to be very good and possibly ones that are bad! Please feel free to share your likes and dislikes,as well!
It’s something I said I would never, ever, not even in a million years, do! But I did it! I have not only cut my own hair in the last month but I colored it too! That’s a scary thing to do for the first time! (Left is before, middle and right pics are after) Not a ton of difference but since it was my first time, I was afraid to leave the color on as long as it should have been. I was a little apprehensive but will go the full time on my next application because now I know I like the color and know what to expect with applying it, as well.
The cut probably took two weeks lol. I really appreciate hair stylists, btw! I started on the front one day, then another day decided to tackle the length, then another day or two I worked on the long layers. The cut is not perfect but it makes me happy so I guess I can count that as a success!
The color, I am very happy with, as well! It’s not a huge change but that’s what I go for, just natural color to hide the grays that dull up my over all color and then I like to add more brown for a richer, darker look. For the color, I decided to go with eSalon online. It was a great choice and kept me from having to choose something in a store when I know nothing about what I’m looking for! I answered the questionnaire online and had the bottles in a few days.
Below is what was in my box, along with some shampoo and conditioner, not in the picture…I used a plastic storage bowl from my kitchen and bought a cape that has a window in the front that allows you to use your phone for timing and also to play games, text, etc… while waiting. It was a great find on amazon and glad I went with the windowed one rather than one with a snugger neck and no window, which might have been nice if it had both.
I took my picture of the box of coloring after using it so that’s why the color is already mixed in the one bottle. The coloring comes with gloves and skin protector and color remover for skin, as well. The shampoo and conditioner, which I loved, I am, for sure, going to order! It will be my splurge and not something I would typically do for the money. I figure I will have it quite a while and I am cutting my own hair and coloring it myself, so, I think that’s a huge savings there!
To watch me do this process would have been a painful and comical experience for anyone, professional or amateur. It wasn’t pretty and I didn’t come close to making it look like any of the YouTube videos I had watched, but…it got accomplished and I learned for the way that I like it, it doesn’t require that much precise placement of the color and the foil wasn’t even necessary which was good because I was trying to use regular kitchen foil and it is not the same! Go buy the foil designed for coloring hair, you’ll thank me, but I may just skip the foil altogether next time, that may not work for you.
For a first time ever attempt, I am thrilled with the results! (Below left pic is before, right pic is after) Let me know if you try eSalon and how it went in the comments below. I’ll post my next application pictures when I leave it on the full time and we’ll check out the difference.
For tips on washing your hair, understanding why rinsing in cold water is better, and why you shouldn’t wash every day, I have put a link below…..
https://www.esalon.com/hair-color-mastery/colorist-tips/how-to-wash-and-condition-color-treated-hair
For a link to the awesome Alterna Anti-aging Moisture shampoo and conditioner I have put a link below…sometimes you can find it on sale on different websites, too, so shop around for the best deal or ship with your color and you may get free shipping!
UPDATE: Second time to use eSalon and still loving it! After the first time, I called and spoke with someone about my concerns on whether to use the golden tips bottle, ( was afraid my hair would be too gold) after lengthy discussion on my wants and desires, we decided on a Demi color and she adjusted it to a 10 rather than 20. This time around, I used just the bottle and flipped my hair each time and used clips to hold it out of the way, no foil, much easier! I think I got my root color further down my hair shaft than I should have but I’m learning! This time they sent their regular Classic shampoo and it was good, very good, but I still like the Alterna shampoo and conditioner better. I have also discovered a new protein spray (which I had never heard of) that I absolutely love and as soon as I finish this update, I will post about it! My second go round with color has me finding this to be a fun process! This group of pictures is from the second go round.
UPDATE: While it was a great experience to have learned to do some trimming on my hair during covid, it was very time consuming and I’m thrilled to say that I love getting it cut now at ULTA. With their rewards program I have been getting free makeup I earned from haircuts. It’s a win-win! I still color my hair with e-Salon products but I’m really struggling to get these silly little new gray hairs covered that are around my ears, ugh! Oh well, chalk it up to aging!
https://www.esalon.com/products
Just a quick note on this product, it didn’t work for me. I put it on my chin and upper lip before bathing and then removed It just as I was getting out and nothing came off. I feel I left it on for plenty of time. I will say that being fair skinned, and leaving it on a few minutes longer than the recommendation, I would have thought that it would have looked red or splotchy but it did not even do that. If I see you on a regular basis and you would like To have this to try, you’re more than welcome to have it, just let me know in the comments below. It’s a no-go for me.
CeraVe …I went to the dermatologist to have a mole removed and discussed with him the fact that I have been having some really bad dry skin at times.I felt like it was out of the ordinary but after further discussion, determined that it was probably developing from a scrub product that we use at work in the hospital. I was told the best thing on the market for dry skin is this CeraVe. There ya go, it really is the #1 recommended from dermatologists! I have been using it and I love it! It won’t disappoint.
I got this Nano Steamer mainly for the towel warming feature but love the facial treatment. It heats a washcloth quickly and I like pampering myself with them prior to home manicures and pedicures and also facials. It works really good at opening pores and gets very hot! I have to refrain from grabbing the cloth immediately after turning it off! I haven’t really used the tools yet and also would like to share that it says to use distilled water 💦 … after reading, I discovered purified is an equivalent, however, other bottled waters are most likely not. Certain waters cause it to develop deposits on some of the elements so if you get one be prepared with distilled or purified water. The box says to use distilled.
For foundation I have used Mary Kay’s total finish foundation and I have used Mac and, while I love both of those, I needed something a little easier to pick up. Something that didn’t require me making a special trip or walking in a mall, etc…so I decided to try something I could pick up from a drug store and my daughter used a cover girl product so I decided to try a couple. This is the one I found to be my favorite. I don’t have problems with oily or dry skin and I haven’t had any break outs from it either. While I’m not sure I get the full coverage that the Mary Kay and Mac gave me, it’s very convenient and great for everyday, the lighter coverage is fine.
I used Avon black 101 pencil eyeliner for years which is excellent for a pencil, but I wanted to try liquid so I switched to Mary Kay’s waterproof liquid eyeliner which is a very, very good product. I just happened to be in Ulta one day and remembered I was out and needed some eyeliner so I asked the lady what the best waterproof liquid eyeliner was. She took me to this Too-faced brand eyeliner. She knows her stuff! It goes on easy and smooth, the brush is great, and I don’t remove my eye makeup at night and it still looks decent the next morning! I know, but I’m that person, I’ve never removed eye makeup at night, sorry, lol, anyway, you gotta try this stuff if you like waterproof liquid eyeliner.
40 years! That’s about how long I have used Maybelline Great Lash! Kudos to them for a great waterproof mascara, however, One day I decided to see what was new out there, to see if there was something else I might like and when I saw the brush on this Ulta Mascara AND that it was waterproof, I knew I had to try it! Ordered, delivered, tried, and I loved it! I was ready to leave my Great Lash of 40 years, but…then it got hot! Really humid and hot! I very quickly learned that it’s waterproof quality was not up to par. Once again, Maybelline comes through. It’s very tempting to put the brush from the one in the other for use, lol, but I know the two formulas wouldn’t mesh. I was bummed! I need the Ulta one to step up the game to improve their waterproof capabilities or the Maybelline to make their brush more capable of evenly separating stuck together lashes and less clumping. Having said all that, they are my favorites! I love them both but if I have to pick, the waterproof feature is most important! 40 going on 41! Don’t despair Ulta, I will still keep you around for when it’s not very hot outside. Maybe I will call them winter mascara and summer mascara? 🤔 UPDATE: I have found the perfect one! Wouldn’t you know it’s a Maybelline! It’s got a great brush AND it’s truly waterproof formula is for the win! Please keep Falsies Lash Lift around for the next 40 years Maybelline!
Voltaren Gel
I am sharing this because it has been a life saver at times. I have struggled with plantar fasciitis and heel spur pain for several years before I had surgery to remove the heal spur. The doctor, at that time, prescribed Voltaren Gel and it was great for temporary pain relief! I didn’t have arthritis so it’s clearly not just used for that. Well, I went in Target one day for something and had to do a double take when I saw this on an end cap. Yay! Don’t have to get a script refilled. Of course, check with your doctor but according to things I read online, it’s one of the most under prescribed beneficial medications for minor pain relief. I also read that it is like rubbing a topical acetaminophen on. It has helped me so much at times that when I saw it no longer needed a script, I just had to share!
Terminator 10
Ok, so, I have a zit! LoL …Never fear…
Terminator 10 is here and it’s awesome! Not only that but I’ve had this same tube for several years and it works just as good as day one but the consistency is a little weird so I probably should invest in a new one and I will just as soon as I make a trip into a store. Trips to the store right now are a little scarce. So here is what it looks like and I will preface by saying that I don’t have much acne thus the reason I still have the same tube I purchased years ago.
It’s typically just within 24 hours that the soreness from the pimple goes away and just a couple days before the redness is gone and it’s hardly noticeable. I will say that I get right on them when I first feel them so they rarely make a scab and never scar. Of course, this is just my experience and we all have such different skin types so I hope it works as good for you as it does for me!