Disclosure: All reviews are my true and honest opinions. Posts may contain affiliate links where I earn a small commission from your purchase, but I will always let you know which links those are. :)

Sunday, August 30, 2015

My Henna Hair : July/August 2015 Red and Black Henna on Medium/Dark Brown Hair

completed hair, outdoors, partial sunlight
Hey everyone!

Today I wanted to tell you guys my henna hair story, but let's get some things out of the way first of all... I am not a hairstylist. I am also not a scientist. I'm just a girl playing around with hair color that I believe is much safer and healthier for my hair than traditional dyes. Any information I give you is based on what I have researched online on various hair care and henna websites.

Henna or Indigo or any other natural dye you're going to be using to color your hair is going to turn out different on everyone's hair, please keep that in mind. If you have virgin hair that is of a similar tone to mine, you might come out with similar results, but it all really depends on your own hair color, texture, and whether or not it has been dyed before.

FYI
Henna-ing your hair can be a day-long extravaganza, much different from dying with traditional dyes at home. Henna needs to sit around for awhile to cure before it starts releasing dye. Indigo is the opposite, you need to pile it on your head as quickly as possible. The longer you let it sit on your hair, the better color payoff you're going to get. Henna is what gives the red color, Indigo gives a dark blue or black. However, the two black hennas I used contained a mixture of both, along with other ingredients as well. If you want to know more about the application methods I have used or the ingredients in each product, please see the links below.
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After helping my older sister dye her hair with henna, I decided it was time to take the plunge as well. I always vowed to never dye my hair because I loved my brown hair and didn't want to damage it with chemical dyes. However, after learning more about henna, I figured if I wanted to color my hair, that would be the way to go. I have always gone through cycles of growing my hair out and cutting it all off, then starting the process over again, so the idea of dying my hair and causing damage was not appealing at all. I took pride in my hair and didn't want to hurt it. I wasn't so much concerned about the chemicals in hair dye getting into my body or whatever, it was more of a concern for my hair's health than my body's health, if that makes any sense. lol.

So I dyed my long, virgin medium/dark brown hair last summer 2014 with Lush Caca Noir. I loved the results. It just darkened my hair about a shade or two. It definitely wasn't black. In the sunlight you could see a deep burgundy color because of the henna/indigo mix. I thought it was much more dramatic at the time than it actually was though. I never saw any roots, so I assumed it just faded out naturally.

The second time I dyed my hair, I used Caca Noir again and my hair was short. I also learned that by going back in a few days later to dye my hair again REALLY brought out the color more. That second layer of color was essential to getting the color payoff I wanted. I dyed my short hair twice with this method (Nov 2014 & March 2015). Still with this color, I never noticed any roots.

Then this summer 2015, I got the urge to dye my hair red. So I went to Lush and picked up Caca Rouge for my sister and I to try out. I was super happy with the color I got and thought it couldn't get any better than this.

But then I found Light Mountain Bright Red henna after doing some research and wanting to get the reddest red possible. I applied Bright Red to the crown of my head, just the top portions of my head as a test (I already had this idea that I wanted the top portions to be the brightest red with the under parts of my hair a little less red). It turned out awesome.

So now, with fall approaching, I got the random idea to add some black in with the red. This time I was sent Henna Dream Black from the company. This actually turned my hair about one shade lighter than black, unlike Caca Noir that just turned it a shade or two darker brown. With one application of Henna Dream, it was a very dark brown (still darker than Noir, but not quite black yet). When I went in one week later for a second application, it was definitely dark. It's not a midnight black, but like I said before, henna reacts differently on every hair color.

On the application day I used Henna Dream Black on bottom, and I went back in and applied Bright Red again to all of the rest of my hair that wasn't getting the black, since I was henna-ing my hair anyway that day, I figured I might as well henna it all.

My hair shows you the two extremes you can get out of Henna/Indigo dying if you have medium/dark brown hair to begin with. It does take some patience and it can be many applications before you achieve the color you desire, but the awesome thing about henna is that it's good for your hair. The more you apply it, the more intense the color and the shinier and prettier your hair gets overall, compared to traditional dyes that can harm your hair.

So the final product equals...
1 application of Lush Caca Rouge all over
wait 2 weeks
1 application of Light Mountain Bright Red on very top portion of hair
wait 1 week
1 application Henna Dream Black on very bottom portion of hair
1 application Light Mountain Bright Red on everything else (this includes the very top portion (which had Bright Red before (so top portion now has 2 rounds of Bright Red) and the middle portion (which only had Lush Caca Rouge))
wait 1 week
1 application Henna Dream Black on bottom again

Thank you so much for reading! I really hope this was helpful in some way or at least entertaining or educational. I am so happy with the results. They just keep getting better and better with each application.

Love,
Alaina

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TIMELINE in PHOTOS
before the red experiment (3-4 months after noir)

after caca rouge sunlight

after caca rouge indoors

after light mountain red on top indoors

after light mountain red on top indoors

after light mountain red on top outdoors

after light mountain red on top outdoors

dividing up the hair

after one application henna dream black, two (three on top) applications light mountain red

after one application henna dream black on bottom, two light mountain red on top indoors

after one application henna dream black on bottom, two light mountain red on top indoors

after one application henna dream black on bottom, two light mountain red on top indoors

after one application henna dream black on bottom, two light mountain red on top indoors

after one application henna dream black on bottom, two light mountain red on top indoors

after one application henna dream black on bottom, two light mountain red on top indoors

process of applying henna dream black on bottom for the second time
completed hair, outdoors, shade

completed hair, outdoors, sunlight
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If you are interested in my other henna posts, here you go!
My first henna experience ever. Used Lush Caca Noir on my long hair 7/14

If you are wondering where you can find any of these products, here are some links for you.
Lush Caca Noir
Lush Caca Rouge
Light Mountain Bright Red
Henna Dream Black

Disclosure: I received the Henna Dream Black dye for review purposes, everything else I purchased with my own money. I am not being paid to talk about this product. My review is 100% my own honest opinion, as always.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Lip Monthly : August 2015


August 2015 Lip Monthly Bag

So Susan Light Diffuser Illuminator and Bronzer Duo - Cocoa Dust
So Susan Light Diffuser Illuminator and Bronzer Duo - Cocoa Dust
Starlooks Lip Liner - LL3 Dragon Fruit
Mirabella Pop Velvet Lip Pencil 
City Color Lip Butter - Sweets

top to bottom:
Starlooks Lip Liner - LL3 Dragon Fruit,

Mirabella Pop Velvet Lip Pencil,
 City Color Lip Butter - Sweets


Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Kat Von D Metal Crush Eyeshadows Thunderstruck & Raw Power + Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Damned


My birthday was August 5 and I thought I would show you what my best friend Shroomy got for me! Let's just start off by saying she's the best and she knows me so well.

So well, in fact, that she picked up an eyeshadow that I had been eyeing these past few weeks. I told her there was a Kat Von D Metal Crush Shadow I wanted, but I never mentioned a shade. She got me two. And the color Raw Power was exactly the one I had my eye on! It's like she can read my mind.

packaging is matte and pretty, but not as weighty as I would like, it doesn't feel super high end, if you ask me
These eyeshadows are just gorgeous. They are smooth as butter and very pigmented. 
Thunderstruck is an awesome iridescent white gold shimmer.
Raw Power is a beautiful burgundy, burnt red-orange shimmer.
They both have so much dimension to them. They're not just one straight-up color. Thunderstruck has such a multi-dimensional shimmer to it and Raw Power has a background warmth that adds a little more something to it. It's hard to describe and these pictures hardly do them justice. I did post a little video of the swatches on my Instagram if that helps.

packaging is colored to mimic the shadows inside

(pictures don't even do these justice)

in the packaging, it looks brown, but it actually has a purple undertone 
I'm not sure if the packaging is actually clear so you're seeing the product, or if it's a colored plastic tube. The tube looks like it's a deeper chocolate brown color, but it actually comes out as a deep maroon. 

It is a little streaky with one layer and it deepens up A LOT with a second layer on your lips. I haven't been able to wear this for an extended period of time so I can't say much about the wear time or how it fades, but I will keep you updated!
a little patchy with one layer

two layers on lips, one in hand swatch (really deepens up with a second layer)

Thanks for reading! And thanks to Shroomy for the awesome birthday gifts!
Love,
Alaina

Monday, August 24, 2015

Makeup Face of the Day 08-24-2015 : Lots of Kat Von D Makeup

I woke up this morning and actually had time to do my makeup with a little more effort than usual. I thought I would just do a little face of the day blog post for you, so here you go! :)

And yes, I look super tired in these pictures because I took them first thing in the morning. lol. Please excuse the dark circles, even concealer can't always correct those bags.



Face:
MAC Prolongwear Concealer NC20 (undereyes, nose, eyelids)
ColourPop Bronzer - Skinny Dip (sheek hollows with beauty blender)
Urban Decay Afterglow Blush Bittersweet (sample from Sephora) (applied on cheeks)
Milani Felt Tip Eyebrow Pen Dark Brown (to fill in beauty marks)
Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade Dark Brown (to fill in eyebrows)
Anastasia Clear Brow Gel (to set eyebrows)

Eyes:
MAC Prolongwear Concealer NC20
- Lifelike (on browbone)
- Graphic Nature (on the lid)
- Lunar Lights (on inner lid)
- Black Milk (to blend out crease)
- Tornay (lower lashline)
Kat Von D Autograph Pencil - Puro Amor (waterline & tightline)
Maybelline Lash Discovery Waterproof Mascara (lower lashes)
Rimmel Lash Discovery Mascara (on upper lashes)

Lips:
ColourPop Tootsi
Jordana Modern Matte Lipstick - Matte Blush
(to create an ombre effect)



I hope you enjoyed!
Love,
Alaina



















MUA Lip Product Comparison : Liquid Lipstick, Lip Stain, & Lip Color Crayon


I picked these up in a CVS 30% sitewide sale. I had never tried MUA before and thought I'd give it a go. First of all, a LOT of MUA was out of stock on the CVS website, so I was somewhat limited in what products I could try out. Also, I must say "do not trust the online pictures on CVS.com!" I don't think any of these colors really look like the pictures showed online.



I don't know why I picked this up. I'm usually not a fan of crayon style lip products to begin with. However, this remind me of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains that I was in love with when they first came out a couple years back. It has that minty scent and feeling on the lips and it leaves a stain behind. I just haven't been a fan of that format of lip product in awhile. 
Just a side note: I don't find that the color on my lips matches the color of the lip product itself or the little indicator on the bottom. It's a bit lighter and more pink than the product looks. I thought it would have been a plum shade similar to the Liquid Lipstick in Plum.


As you can see, the brush tip of this Liquid Lipstick was messed up. It was like this when I got it, so it makes me disappointed, it's pretty much impossible to use because the frays just make a mess. 
On the other hand, the formula of this lipstick is actually pretty nice. I just wish the color I saw online was a true representation of the product color.
It doesn't feel drying but it dries matte. It feels creamy on the lips, but it doesn't move around. I might just pick up more of these if they have some fun and funky colors. This one here is just a little too boring for me. It's a pretty color, don't get me wrong, but with my lip product collection, I'm always in search of new fun colors, I have plenty of "berry" or "wine" or "plum" colored lipsticks.


This lip stain is actually pretty unique too. I've seen "lip stains" that are in the marker format that have no moisture to them, and I've seen lip stains that are really just like a gloss. This one here has the glossy formula upon application, but it dries to have no shine, but leaves a stain behind. It's a unique stain from what I've come across, so I enjoy it for that. The color is not too intense, so it's really great for those days you want to give your lips a little bit of life without going overboard and looking like you're wearing makeup. I think this will also do really well as a cheek stain because it's not a very overpowering, intense color.

So that's my first impression on a few lip products from MUA. I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what your favorite MUA lip product is in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!
Love,
Alaina


Friday, August 21, 2015

CVS 30% off Beauty Haul: Milani Liners & Powder Products

So... the other day I got an email from CVS advertising 30% off sitewide and free shipping! I had to make an order. I got a few beauty things, but the majority was Milani stuff. I just thought I would show you guys what I picked up and hopefully there will be some reviews up shortly for these products!
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LINERS
Milani Color Statement Lipliner - 03 Nude
Milani Color Statement Lipliner - 03 Nude
Just upon first impression, I feel like this lipliner is particularly waxy in consistency. I don't know if this is a good or bad thing yet, as I haven't done anything more than just swatched it for these pictures.

Milani Liquid-Eye Eyeliner - 07 Purple

Milani Liquid-Eye Eyeliner - 07 Purple
This color is almost black with purple glitter, it has a very dark base color to it. It is also a very long-wearing and waterproof formula. It sets very quickly, but isn't dry to begin with, plus it takes a lot to get it to come off.

Milani Eye Tech Extreme Liquid Eye Liner - 01 Blackest Black
FYI: This one might not have a review up for awhile. I just kind of bought it as a back up when I run out of the liners I'm currently using. I've heard good things about it though.
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POWDER PRODUCTS

top: Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow Single - Bella Taupeleft: Milani Rose Powder Blush - Coral Cove
right: Milani Baked Powder Blush - Corallina
Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow Single - Bella Taupe
I don't understand the "gel-powder" thing about this eyeshadow. It does feel smooth, but nothing super incredible or unique, if you ask me. It is very pigmented but I haven't been able to use it in a look just yet. When I hear "gel-powder," I actually kind of think of the texture of the ColourPop Super Shock Shadows (you can see some ColourPop products here). 

Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow Single - Bella Taupe
Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow Single - Bella Taupe
Milani Rose Powder Blush - Coral Cove
I love my current Rose Powder blush in Romantic Rose (see the blog post here), so I figured I would pick this up. It's a beautiful summertime color, I wish I would have picked it up earlier this year. I tend to enjoy more peachy/orange blushes over pinks anyway, so I think I'll get some good use out of this one. 

Milani Baked Powder Blush - Corallina
I picked this one up because everytime I'm in CVS I always stare at this one and wonder if I should get it. It might be similar to Luminoso (I'll post a comparison blog post soon!) but I was just really attracted to it. It almost has a burnt orange color that might resemble a sunburn.

top: Milani Rose Powder Blush - Coral Covebottom: Milani Baked Powder Blush - Corallina
At first I thought these might be too similar in color and I didn't need to get both, but in person they're both unique shades.

left: Milani Baked Powder Blush - Corallinaright: Milani Rose Powder Blush - Coral Cove

Thanks for reading!
Love,
Alaina