Review: Cibu Curl Care

Disclaimer: A few months back, I received a few samples of Cibu Spring Roll curling hair products. Though I received these products for free, my opinion of them is entirely my own and uninfluenced by any other person or company. I believe in honestly reviewing beauty products and I refuse to give a false review of any product just because it was gifted. That said, onto the review.


I had never heard of Cibu before receiving an email asking if I would be interested in trying out a few products. If you aren't familiar with the brand, Cibu is a line of hair products aimed at "inspiring you to towards your healthiest, most beautiful hair self." Inspired by East Asian botanicals and featuring cute names like "Spring Roll" (for curls), "Dry Kwon Do" (dry shampoo), and "Origumi" (hair paste), each hair product is addressed for specific hair types and needs. Because I have hard to manage curls, I was excited to give the Spring Roll line a shot. It was my hope that the gentle ingredients would help me control frizz and define my curls.


This was what I received in the mail:

Spring Roll Moisture Mist

 Shaping Creme

Soft Curl Gel

The Shaping Creme is a thin white cream that you're supposed to work in your palms before applying to damp hair. Like most curling products, you scrunch and allow it to air dry.

The Soft Curl Gel is a watery clear gel that you run through damp curls. The first time I opened the bottle it actually leaked all over my bathroom floor. I mean it when I saw this stuff is watery! It was hard to take the following picture because it kept dripping down my hand. 

To be honest, I really don't like the Soft Curl Gel. It's too wet and I really feel like like it's ineffective when applied to damp hair. on it's own, it didn't do much by way of forming curls, and it didn't really control my frizz. When it dried, it left my hair feeling hard, almost crusty, with the consistency of straw. It's not moisturizing at all, at least for my hair. 

I also hated the smell of the product, but fortunately the smell faded soon after application.

Note: You can use it in conjunction with the Shaping Creme, but that just felt too heavy and sticky for me, so this bottle just sits in a drawer in my bathroom.

I do not recommend this product.

Grade: F

The Shaping Creme is ok, but speaking straight up, the curls just don't last. I really liked the way the creme made my hair feel: it was nice and silky. It was quick to form curls. However, most of my curls fell out after only a few hours, and my hair ended up just looking wavy. Admittedly, I have thick and heavy hair, so maybe that's more the fault of my genetics than it is the product. But for a woman with naturally curly hair to see her curls loosen up when USING A CURLING PRODUCT, well....that's just wrong.

(In the morning, right after application and while hair is still drying)

(Two hours after applying product, hair completely dry)

The Shaping Creme, in my opinion, is alright. It doesn't work the miracles I was expecting, but it did give my hair some nice texture. I did some some really lovely curls form, and my hair felt voluminous and bouncy. It also left my hair feeling soft. Unfortunately, the curls didn't make it through the day. This was a little disappointing, but to the product's credit, even after the curls disappeared and my hair went wavy, my hair still felt managed and relatively controlled.

I recommend this product if you're interested in wave control. Maybe it'll work better for you than it did for me. There seems to the the potential  for curl there, but I think my hair just proved too much of a challenge for it.

Grade: B-

I went to bed without washing my hair, to see how the curls would hold up the next day. When I woke up, my hair had a ton of texture to it, but it was really unstructured and in need of some serious maintenance. 

This is where the Moisture Mist came in handy. The Moisture Mist is supposed to "refresh and reshape" curls. You give some generous spritzing to your battered curls and some serious scrunching, and viola! Insta-curls! I also gave my dry curls a quick once-over with the Shaping Creme, just to bring the frizz under control.

(Immediately after applying Shaping Creme and Moisture Mist; 20 minutes later, after hair has "settled")

(One hour ago)

I really like the Moisture Mist. So much so that I've been known to carry it around in my work bag for some quick hair help during the day. The formula is a bit thick (almost like a serum), but it really works and it doesn't leave my hair feeling gross or filmy, like some hair spray products might.

I totally recommend this product!

Grade: A

If you're interested in checking out more of Cibu's products, you can visit their website, their Facebook page, or send them a tweet (@Cibu17).

Thanks to Caitlin for the opportunity to review these products! It was much appreciated.

Been A Long Time Away, But I'm Back with Some Goodies!

Dear readers:

Many apologies for the amount of time in between posts. Life sure does have a crazy way of piling up! To be fair, I work in education so it should really come as no surprise that the past month has been eaten up entirely by the start of a new school year.

That said, I've been keeping a running tab on a bunch of new products that I'm excited to share with you.

1. Tresemme Climate Control Finishing Spray:

This hairspray is formulated to protect hair from humidity, wind, static, and UV rays. I'm not normally a fan of hairsprays because I can't stand that stiff, sticky feeling it leaves on my hair. This formula actually leaves my hair feeling soft. It definitely holds curls really well, and for the most part it really does do what the marketing says it will. It's not perfect, but my hair is mostly frizz free when I use this. Will definitely purchase this again!

2. L'Oreal Telescopic mascara in carbon black:

I was honestly on the fence when I originally bought this. I wasn't a fan of the itsy-bitsy wand or bristles, and I wasn't excited with the way it applied to my lashes. I tried it once and thought my lashes looked like spider legs. Then a colleague at work complimented my lashes and asked whether I was wearing mascara or not (um, say what?!). I objectively gave this mascara another shot and it's been true love ever since.

It is a small wand, yes, but it's marketed as a lengthening mascara, not volumizing. My lashes are naturally full but pretty short. This formula actually lends my lashes a lot of length and holds the curl really damn well. True, my lashes aren't super full, but they do look long when I wear Telescopic, and I'm loving it at the moment.

3. Neutrogena Complete Acne Therapy System:

I'll be honest, part of the reason I haven't been in the mood to post lately is because my skin has gone totally hay-wire. I've had some really epic nodular acne breakouts that has been kicking my ass for about three weeks now.

I don't usually like Neutrogena because a long time ago my dermatologist told me that Neotrogena products are really terrible for the skin. They're full of parabens and chemicals that only address skin problems in the short term. So I've stayed away from Neutrogena for the most part. Then on one really bad day, I knew I needed something ASAP or else my face was gonna look just like the Himalayas. I purchased this kit because I had a $4 off coupon and nothing to lose.

At first I wasn't sure it was working, but this morning I've noticed a big difference in how my skin looks. I've only been using it for about a week now, and the formula is supposed to be similar to ProActiv's. Fingers crossed it heals my skin because otherwise I don't know what else to try.

4. Yankee Candle Fall Harvest scent: A gift from my awesome SIL Em. Being the good New Englander I am, Fall is my favorite time of year. The food, the smells, the cool, crisp air; it's Heaven on Earth for a few gorgeous, far too fleeting months. This candle is all that wrapped up into one lovely smell. I close my eyes and think of apple cider, burning leaves, pumpkin patches, and caramel. HEAVEN!

5. Estee Lauder High Gloss in 03 Honey:

A sheer, pretty honey gold lipgloss, this product gives a beautiful wash of nude shine to my lips. It's perfect when paired with a rich burgundy eye. Very much in conjunction with my inspiration of Fall-colored makeup looks the past few weeks. This was also another gift from Emily.

6. Loew-Cornell 4650 Spotter brush:

Yeah, I use a paintbrush to apply my gel liner. What? Wanna fight bout it?

I have a background in art, and I'm always pretty retentive about applying gel liner; it has to be perfect! I love precise lines but frankly, the little liner brush that came with my E.L.F. gel liner just wasn't cutting it anymore. I read online about Loew-Cornell dupes for MAC brushes and decided to stop by an A.C. Moore and pick one up. I was not disappointed. This thing is amazing! Way cheaper than the $25 Bobbi Brown liner brush I almost bought.

7. Cover Girl Eye-Enhancers eye shadow in Mink:

This shadow is supposed to be a dupe for MAC's All That Glitters. I don't own ATG so I can't say for certain if it is. It looks like it, based on swatches I've done at the MAC store. It's a champagne-colored shadow with orange-gold undertones and lots of glitter. The formula isn't great, really. The pigmentation is just ok unless you do two swipes  of the brush to really build the color up. But once you pack enough color on, it's really a gorgeous, warm bronze color and it totally loves my green eyes (see the close up of my eye above).

What's important to note about Mink is that it's not a unique shade. I feel like every large scale eyeshadow palette has a similar color. Case in point:

(1st row, L to R): NARS Kalahari duo, MAC Honey Lust, CG Mink

(2nd row, L to R): L'Oreal Lavender Smokes quad, Stila Champagne

(L to R): Stila Champagne, MAC Honey Lust, CG Mink, L'Oreal Lavender Smokes quad, NARS Kalahari duo

Again, apologies for the long absence. I'll try not to let it happen again!

Want to share a product you're loving right now? I'm always on the lookout for something new, so let me know what you think I should check out next!

How To Wave Your Hair With a Flat Iron

One of my favorite hairstyles is long, loose waves. It reminds me of the summer and the beach, of hippie music festivals and Botticelli paintings. It's definitely super casual elegance at its easiest.

Image Source

I tried numerous times to give myself those effortless waves (heads up: they're not exactly effortless) but I always somehow did it wrong. I tried a curling iron, pin curls, a round brush....all failed as far as I was concerned. They left my hair looking frizzy, unkempt, and just plain rat's nesty.

Then the Youtube gods smiled upon me and I discovered tons of videos that showed you how to get these gorgeous waves with a flat iron.

Dude, a flat iron? Bullshit.

Except not. It totally works! I gave it a go this morning and I wasn't too disappointed with this method:

The How-To:

1. Start with fresh, clean hair. Spray the roots with a volumizing spray.

2. Spray hair with a heat protectant product.

3. Either blow dry or air dry your hair (whichever you prefer).

4. Once your hair is dry, begin curling your hair with a small barrel flat iron. Separate hair into one inch sections (these sections can be smaller if your hair is fine). Start at the roots and twist the flat iron around, slowly pulling the hair between the plates to the ends.

5. Allow the curls to cool. Once cool, run your fingers through the curls to loosen and separate them. Set with hair spray if you want the curls to keep their shape.

And this is what you should end up with:

It's not quite as sleek as Lauren's hair in the picture above, but I think I probably went a little overboard with the volumizing spray. My hair will probably settle a bit more as the day goes on.

Have you tried waving your hair with a flat iron? Tell me what tricks you use to achieve your favorite styles!

Stila and Good Hair: A Happy Start to My Friday!

I would like to begin this post by declaring my bedroom to be a magical portal to that fabled land of orange skin and petrochemicals: New Jersey.

How does it work, you ask? Just take your blog pictures in it and BOOM! Insta-Jersey Girl.

All I need is a Bumpit and I'm Snookie.

Ok, so that was a cheap shot at "Jersey Shore", but I'm pretty sure Snookie and Co. are used to it by now.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

I played with my Stila Natural Eyes Palette today, and I'm in love. These shadows are so easy to work with and there is so much variation to what you can do with all the different colors. 

I watched this Pixiwoo video (Cheryl Cole's eye makeup) last night. I loved the dramatic finished look, but I definitely wanted to tone it down so that it was wearable during the day (i.e., no crazy black shadows and false lashes).

I put Champagne all over the lid and then used a liner brush to apply Luster along the lash line and wing it out. As I lined the eyes with the Luster shadow I used an angled shadow brush to blend the shadow up onto the lid and into the Champagne shadow. I applied Luster several time, building the color up more and more each time. Finally I ran a mix of Night Sky and Ebony along the lash lines and blended that as well.

I slapped on two coats of L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black and ran a thin line of Champagne and Gilded Gold into the lower lash line.

The overall look was much softer than the original Pixiwoo look, but it's a great neutral eye for the day, and I'm sure I can continue the build color up to amp it up for a nighttime look.

On a different note: I've been loving the Got2b Guardian Angel Heat Protectant spray I picked up a while ago. I've noticed a noticeable change in the texture of my hair after I flat iron it, and it also helps to keep those annoying little frizzes at bay.

Looking pretty healthy and shiny today!

Happy Friday, everyone! :)

Frizz-Free Curls: The Perfect Summer Hair

It's been obnoxiously hot here in Boston lately, and despite my recent purchase of the world's cutest mini-hairdryer, I just can't imagine blasting hot air at my head right now. The sane (and heat-accommodating) thing to do right now is to just let my hair air-dry, and work with the resulting mass of curls.

I want to give my curls structure so they don't frizz all over the place in the humidity. To achieve this I decided to mix my new Argan Magic Nourishing Hair Cream with my trusty Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse (I love this stuff; it totally defines my curls while still taming them!).

While my hair was still wet, I smoothed the Argan Magic cream from roots to tips, then immediately applied the Herbal Essences mousse, scrunching up my hair like it was 1988.

My hair sucked up the oils in the hair cream, leaving it soft and silky. It was hard to judge the level of frizz while the mousse was still drying, though. At first my hair was super crunchy in that "too much mousse" kind of way, but I ran my fingers through my hair, loosening the curls. The Argan oils took over though and after about an hour, there was no crunchy hair to be touched. My hair was mostly frizzless, super soft, shiny, bouncy, and MEGA-curly.

So will this be my new summer do? Um, YES! It's so easy to do, and hours later it looks exactly the same.  If you're trying to get a similar style, I can definitely recommend picking up some curling products and some Argan Magic to help you on your way :)

Today's FOTD was super simple, as I really wanted the hair to be the star of the show today. I slapped on a little bit of concealer to hide a few spots, and after that left the rest of my skin free from foundation to breathe. I applied a light touch of hot pink blush to the apples of the cheeks and complimented the color with Revlon's Pink in the Afternoon (still loving this color!). The eyes were a simple duo of pink-champagne and gold shadows.

And lastly, meet my newest earring obsession:

I spotted these little lovelies in Target the other day and couldn't resist bringing them home with me. The beads look like Chalcedony, one of my favorite gems. They have a slight faceted sparkle to then, they look great against my dark hair, and best of all they're super light. I'm wearing them now and I can't even feel them! Best of all, the pale-blue/grey color mixes in wonderfully with my wardrobe. Keepers, people, keepers. All for the low, low price of $7.

So....

Summer hair? Check. Summer makeup? Check. Summer earrings? Check. We're all good here, folks! :)

How do you keep your hair frizz-free? Do you have a go-to, anti-heat hair style that you stick to in the summer?

Hair Goods Haul!

I've been in the market for a hairdryer for some time now, but for whatever reason I've continually put off making a purchase. I typically allow my hair to air dry, so a hairdryer hasn't exactly been on my "essentials list." However, that all changed yesterday, when I found a Remington Signature Tools mini dryer in Marshalls for all of $10. Not only was it super affordable, but it's cute as can be with a sweet little paisley design in bright, happy colors.

As far as hairdryers go, there's nothing spectacular about it. It has two speed and heat settings, comes equipped with a ceramic grill and a heat concentrator screw-on nozzle. It claims to emit infrared radiant heat to help dry hair strands from the inside out. It also claims to emit ionic conditioning, meaning that the heat emits negative ions to help neutralize positive ions (the bad frizz-causing ions). 

I'll give it a shot tonight after I wash my hair. Fingers crossed it doesn't leave my hair looking like fried straw!

Besides the hairdryer, I wanted to switch out my shampoo for something new. I've been using John Frieda's Root Awakening Strength Restoring Shampoo (for breakage-prone hair) and while I really like it, I think my hair is getting too used to it. I don't feel it's been as effective lately. 

So I picked up a new brand of shampoo called Infusium 23. Infusium 23 has multiple lines of hair products, all suited to different hair needs, and each bottle is pretty reasonably priced ($10-13, depending on where you go. I scored a deal at CVS and picked this up for only $5!). I grabbed a shampoo from the Repair and Renew line, a system that offers three products to help revitalize and restore severely damaged hair. It smells really nice, and it's a water-based formula so I think it will absorb into strands nicely. Once I give it a go, I'll write up a more detailed review.

Note: I didn't pick up the conditioner from the same line because I'm still really loving my Organix Moroccan Argan Oil conditioner.

And speaking of Argan Oil, I also grabbed a bottle of Argan Magic Nourishing Hair Cream, a leave-in cream that hydrates and conditions hair, eliminating frizz and giving some hold and body to hair. It smells a bit like a flower stand, but if it's anything like the previously mentioned conditioner, I'm sure it'll be a great investment! I'm really looking forward to trying this stuff out in conjunction with the conditioner. Might this be the hair holy grail I've been searching for? 

Lastly, I grabbed a bottle of Got 2b's Guardian Angel Heat Protect Flat Iron Balm. Given the recent purchase of the hair dryer, and my heavy use of my flat iron of late, this in particular seems like a necessary purchase!

Tomorrow night is my 10 year High School reunion. Maybe I'll have the nicest hair at the event, thanks to all my new products! ;P

Moroccan Argan Oil - Does It Live Up To The Hype?

I have been dying to get my hands on some Moroccan Argan oil for months now, but I was never able to bring myself to spend the $20 to $40 I've seen it priced at in various drugstores and salons. An old co-worker swore up and down that this stuff was a miracle worker, that it moved mountains and parted the clouds and would give us world peace (well no, it doesn't really do any of that, but apparently it was some pretty good stuff).

I ran out of my one true love (Aussie's 3-Minute Miracle) and while restocking, I noticed that Organix had developed their own Argan Oil product line of shampoos, conditioners, masks, and treatments. I decided to give it a chance and to see if Moroccan Oil lived up to its hype.

So we begin the experiment:

What my hair looks like in its natural state; unstructured curls, frizz, and straw-like texture. Forgive my smudged makeup; it was 9 pm and shower time!

What the product looks like. It is a very odd texture, creamy but thin. It's obviously a water-based formula.

When I applied it to my hair, it felt like it was immediately absorbed into the strands. My hair felt dry and scratchy and I was worried that this product was going to be a massive bust because I didn't feel anything even remotely moisturizing going on. I was far from impressed by what I was experiencing with this stuff. But I kept it on for the recommended five minutes and rinsed it out with cold water.

And this is what I ended up with:

My curls are looser and more wavy, and the frizz is slightly reduced. There's a healthy shine to my hair and though its really soft, the texture is still a bit rough. My hair still feels thirsty and dry.

So I added a small amount and smoothed it through my hair to keep the little frizzies at bay. It makes a pretty good leave in conditioner, more so than an actual conditioner, in my opinion.

So all in all, I wasn't wowed by this product. I did notice a slight difference in my hair, mostly in that my curls are gone and I'm left with easy to control waves. But my texture is still rough, my hair still feels dry, and this was definitely not the miracle-mountain-mover I was hoping for.

Grade: C+

I might still pick up some Moroccan Oil, but I'd most likely go with a different product line. Who knows? Maybe I'll actually shell out the $40 bucks and pick up the real deal.

Do you have any experience with Moroccan Argan Oil? What's your opinion on the stuff? How do you plan to control your hair, especially in the upcoming summer months?

2-minute up do how-to

I've mentioned before that I have hair that is less than ideal to manage. It's naturally very curly and coarse, which can make it difficult to manage from the start. However, I've also done a bang up job of damaging it all on my own. Years of heat exposure and a distinct lack of proper maintenance has left it in a fragile state, so I tend to baby my hair as often as possible. This frequently means I skip the straightening iron and just leave it be.

Unfortunately, this means I have to get creative when the weather is rainy and moist, as it is today. Lots of rain and fog usually leaves my head looking a bit like this:

Image Source

Well, not quite, but almost. Obviously, this isn't a look someone would aspire to.

So what can one do to easily and quickly avoid the frizz and curl? How about a 2-minute up do!

Here's what you need:
1 elastic pony tail holder (preferably one without a metal closure)
6 bobby pins (or more, depending on how secure you want your hair to feel)
De-frizing hair serum (I used FX Silk Drops sheer liquid smoothing hair serum. Find here)

The how-to:
1. Smooth roots and ends of hair with the serum, slicking down fine baby hairs and little whispy curlies.
2. Part your hair deeply on one side, and pull the front section of your hair to the opposite side of the part, twisting into a thick cord as you go. Secure the cord with two bobby pins to the side of your head.
3. Pull the rest of your hair into a low pony tail, slightly off-center (a la the 80's). Secure the other side of your hair with bobby pins so prevent fly aways.
4. Instead of pulling your hair all the way through the elastic, leave the small bun-like shape of the hair, with the ends tucked in and hanging out of the pony tail.
5. Loosen the "bun" structure so that you have room to tuck the bun under the pony tail. This means the ends of your hair will be pointing up and through. Tuck under and secure the ends of the hair for a more polished bun. Secure with bobby pins.

And here's the finished product:

*Please ignore the gash I gave my neck with my nail. I guess it's time to clip!*

I'd love to hear more suggestions on simple hair how-tos (trust me, it's gotta be simple, or else I'm doomed to fail!). If you're like me and cursed with tough hair, how do you manage it? What's your battle plan when it comes to taming your frizz demons?