Hey there loves! I know, it's been a while since I've posted anything on here. This semester has been suuuupppperrr busy and has taken up so much of my time. From all the really long readings and 2-3 essays I've had to write just about every week, and then working, these past four months have been really tough.
But, I'm back and ready to get back into the swing of things and doing what I love most! Since the year is coming to a close, I figured I'd share with you all some of my faves from 2013. There's a little bit of everything here - natural hair stuff, beauty and makeup, and fitness. In no particular order, here are some of the things I've been loving this year...
1// Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream
When I first used this product last year, I definitely wasn't a fan. I gave it another try back in April, and my hair loved it! It's super moisturizing for my hair and gives me great definition with a soft hold for my twist outs!
2// Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Curling Cream
This stuff is absolutely amazing! It gives me great definition in conjunction with the leave-in conditioning cream. Not to mention, this stuff smells delicious!
3//Thayers Witch Hazel Alcohol Free Toner with Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, & Rose Petal
I love this toner! I definitely noticed some improvements in my skin when using this on my face every day. My pores aren't as large as they were before, my skin has definitely evened out, and it feels so soft and supple!
4// Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe Vera Juice has become a staple in my hair regimen. I mix this in my water bottle for an extra kick of moisture. I also use it sometimes after I finish washing my hair to close my cuticles to make sure the moisture is sealed.
5// Zumba Core & Zumba World Party for Xbox Kinect
I first started using Zumba Core in the beginning of 2013. I absolutely love Zumba! It's so much fun and it doesn't even feel like you're working out. I sweat like nobody's business doing Zumba, which I love! I lost about 4 inches off my waist using it. Zumba World Party came out I believe in November, and I personally like this one a lot more than Zumba Core. In the World Tour mode, you explore different dance styles from around the world. The better you dance, the more you unlock, like souvenirs, passport stamps, etc... Good way to push you to workout harder so you can unlock stuff! I fell off my workout regimen for a while, but now I am back at it! It's so hard trying to get a workout in while I'm in school because I'm so busy and tired all the time! But, I've decided not to let that be the case for next semester.
6// Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditoner
I love this stuff! Well, at least the old formula. It made my hair felt super moisturized and I had slip for days! I wasn't too happy when they changed the formula. It didn't have enough slip, and it left my hair feeling a little dry. I heard that they put the old formula back on the shelves, but I have yet to find it!
7// Coconut Oil
I've been wondering what the hype was about coconut oil, so over the summer I decided to give it a try. This stuff is amazing! It keeps my hair moisturized and seals in moisture. I also put coconut oil in my deep conditioners, and it leaves my hair feeling super soft!
8// Jamaican Black Castor Oil
JBCO has been a must in my hair regimen since I started experiencing some thinning in my crown area. I've been using it consistently for a few months now, and that area has thickened up a lot! JBCO is also a great sealant to use for the cold winter months!
9// Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Conditioner
I love how moisturizing this conditioner is and how soft it leaves my hair. I decided to stop buying deep conditioners and just use regular conditioners instead by adding some oils to them and/or make my own deep conditioners. I was using two deep conditioners from Shea Moisture: the Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque and the Yucca & Baobab Anti-Breakage Masque. They both retail for about $11.99 depending on where you go, which isn't too bad. But as a college student, shelling out over $20 every three weeks for 12 oz. deep conditioner just wasn't something I wanted to do anymore, especially if I'm only getting one-two uses out of these products. A liter of the Hello Hydration Conditioner is $9.99 and lasts me a long time. I bought my first bottle in May and I'm still on that first bottle! It works better on my hair than the Shea Moisture Deep Conditioners. $9.99 for a bottle of conditioner that lasts months at a time is something I am definitely happy about.
10// Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie
This has been a staple of mine this year. It does have protein in it, so I use it only during the winter. My hair stays moisturized throughout the week when using this, which I love. There's less product build up since I'm not applying product to my hair every day, and a little goes a long way, so it lasts forever!
11// Elf Eye Brow Kit
I'm really not a huge makeup fan. I'm more of a mascara, eyeliner, and lip gloss kind of girl. My eyebrows are a bit thin towards the ends, and I was using the Professional Eye Brow Pencil by Rimmel London to fill them in a little. However, by the end of the day, it would always rub off. With the Elf Eye Brow Kit, you have an eye brow gel to fill in your brows and a powder to set it so the color stays, which I love. I've been using this for a couple months now, and I absolutely love the results. And, it's only $3 versus the $6 I was paying for the Rimmel London!
12// Volum' Express Falsies Big Eyes Mascara by Maybelline
I am definitely a fan of this mascara. It definitely elongates my lashes and makes them look thicker and fuller.I especially like the smaller wand for the bottom lashes. I always have trouble applying mascara to my bottom lashes because the wands are just too big. The smaller wands definitely makes it easier, and you can also use the smaller side for your upper lashes as well.
13// NARS Tinted Moisturizer
Since I'm getting married in July, I wanted to buy a powder foundation to experiment with some makeup looks for my big day since I'll be doing my makeup myself (why pay for someone to do something if you can do it yourself and it looks just as good and natural!) I went to Bare Minerals to get matched, but their powders made my face look very matte and I wasn't really feeling the little specs in them. I didn't want to get a liquid foundation because I wanted something very light and natural looking. I wanted some of my skin to show through, but most importantly, I wanted to look like me, not someone completely different. I went to Sephora and tried on the NARS Tinted Moisturizer, and I absolutely love it! It's extremely light weight, doesn't feel like I have anything on, and most importantly, it doesn't even look like I have anything on! It's very light weight, but my skin still shines through, covering up some of my redness and the dark circles under my eyes. More about my visit to Sephora is coming soon!
Those are my top thirteen products of 2013! I've done a lot of experimenting this year with products, not only for my hair, but as far as beauty and makeup goes and just trying to find stuff that I like and that works so I can stay consistent. What were some of your favorite things from 2013? Let me know!
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