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FASHION & BEAUTY

Olaplex Bond Maintenance Shampoo, Conditioner, Bond Smoother & Bonding Oil Review

Olaplex No. 6 Bond Smoother Reparative Styling Creme

 

It has been a few years since I reviewed the original Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3ย (reviewed HERE). It was the product that started it all. Since then, Olaplex has released a couple of exciting hair care products that are meant to be restorative on the hair. As for me, I’m a loyal fan of the Hair Perfector and I use it regularly. It does help to keep my hair strands strong and less prone to breakage. However, I did wonder if I could fortify my strands further with the other products that Olaplex now has. So here’s my experience with their shampoo, conditioner, styling creme, and hair oil.

 

Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo review

 

No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo (mini/3.3 – 8.5 oz: 14 – 28 USD) – I’m so glad that Olaplex released this. I’ve been wondering how their shampoo will be like, prior to them releasing this, and I think they’ve done a really good job with this product. I totally love the nice refreshing citrus/orange scent of this and I also love that this shampoo has a good weight to it. Not too watery, not too thick, and this doesn’t leave the hair too dry that it will feel stripped, nor does this leave the hair too heavy that it won’t have any volume. This is a shampoo for any hair type and is safe for hair that is color-treated. Also, this is made of clean ingredients.

 

olaplex no 5 bond maintenance conditioner review

 

No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner (mini/3.3 – 8.5 oz: 14 – 28 USD) – Just like the Bond Maintenance Shampoo, the fresh citrus/orange scent of this is totally a sensorial experience. I also love the consistency of this conditioner, which is not too thin and not too thick. Although I still only put a small amount of this on my hair, I still think that this conditioner is not the type that weighs the hair down. Most importantly, I really that this tames the frizzies and this makes the hair look shiny and healthy. On top of that, this conditioner is for all hair types and is color-safe.

 

No. 6 Bond Smoother Reparative Styling Creme (3.3 oz: 28 USD) – With just the size of the mini version of the shampoo and conditioner above, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect of this leave-in styling creme until I’ve actually applied it on my hair. Like the products above, this has a very strong citrus/orange scent which I love and the texture of this is so thick. You only have to apply a pea size of this on the hair, or else your hair will look heavy and oily. Right after application, I felt my hair strands feeling a bit dry, I think because this a bit of alcohol in it, but after a few hours, my hair felt soft, looks totally well-tamed, healthy, shiny, and totally frizz-free even after walking outside with high humidity.

This product is Sulfate-free, Paraben-free, and cruelty-free, among other things. This also works for any hair type and can be used prior to blow-drying.

 

olaplex no 7 bonding oil review

 

No. 7 Bonding Oil (1 oz: 28 USD) – What a cute hair care product this is, and this also smells really really good like the Olaplex products above, The orange/citrus scent of this is not too strong and not artificial. I also like that this is packaged in a sleek clear acrylic container. This may feel and look very small, but the overall design and aesthetic of this product are simply very stunning and very beautiful, which makes this a good decor in the vanity area as well.

Even though this may be small for its price, you only need a few drops of this oil to coat your hair and this doesn’t feel sticky nor does this add any weight to the hair. I actually find this to be ultra-lightweight, like the dry oil type, and per Olaplex, this protects the hair for up to 450ยฐF/ 230ยฐC. For me, this also tames the frizz, adds shine, and this provides nourishment. Additionally, this is also perfect for any hair type and is vegan, cruelty-free, and also gluten-free.

 

top olaplex hair care products

 

I really like Olaplex’s concept of restoring the hair’s natural vitality, which can be achieved by re-linking the broken bonds, and by adding extra nourishment on the strands. I also love that their hair care products can be used by any hair type, texture, or even if you’ve had hair treatments done. Our hair goes through a lot of stresses in life every day, which can manifest in split ends, frizzies, or even dryness and oiliness. It’s good to have some hair care products like these from Olaplex. I, personally, have noticed that my hair strands are slowly becoming thicker, stronger, and less prone to breakage.

 

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and the rest of Olaplex products

 

 

Home Nail Care Routine

 

chanel le vernis daydream

 

The world might be reopening right now, yet a lot of us are still in quarantine mode and are practicing social distancing because we aren’t totally out of the woods yet. You know what they say, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, right? From where I’m at, a lot of stores and services are still close. Getting a haircut or a mani-pedi is still quite a challenge. Speaking of nail care, I haven’t been worried about it because I have been doing my nails for a very long time. I find the joy of applying nail colors to be somewhat of a time to disconnect and reflect, even though I’m not much of a fan of the scent of these products.

 

In this post, I will be sharing with you how I do my manicure at home, and if you have tips on how to do home nail care, please do so in the comment section below.

 

Nail Cleaning/Prep

 

nail care at home

 

nail care

 

First things first, I wipe off old nail polish using a textured cotton square. I like the ones from CVS. For the nail polish remover, I’m a big fan of the Zoya Remove Plus because I can pretty much tolerate its scent. It also removes nail polish very easily, it doesn’t dry the nails, and I really like its easy to dispense pump packaging.

nail care at home

home nail care how to

ย I tend to cut my nails in a squoval shape. That is, a hybrid between square and oval. To do this, I cut my nails using a toenail clipper/cutter. I like this particular cutter because it is wide and makes for a square cut on the nails. Then, I apply a cuticle remover using the one from Sally Hansen. I love this product a lot because it softens the cuticles within seconds, which makes it easy for the cuticle pusher and nipper to do their job. After that, I file my nails, especially the edges, to achieve that sort of oval trim.

 

home nail care process

 

For the next part, I brush my nails lightly with a wooden nail brush to dust off any loose cuticles and to have a smoother nail surface. I then apply the OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener in Original Formula and let it set for 3 minutes. Without this amazing base coat, my nails would go brittle and would chip easily after a few days of manicure. There are other types of Nail Envy Strengthener that OPI released nowadays, but the one in the Original Formula is my most fave.

 

Nail Coloring

 

how to apply nail polish

 

After letting the base coat set for a few minutes, I then proceed to apply the nail color. Tip: In order to achieve a smooth nail color application, make sure that the nail color brush is parallel to the nail bed. In this post, and lately, I have been obsessed with the new Spring-released Chanel Le Vernis in Daydream. This color is a surprise love for me, and a great neutral nude nail color option for those can’t pull off the shade “Particuliรจre”.

 

home manicure

 

I let the nail color set for about 5 minutes, and then I apply a top coat. Depending on the type of nail color I use (gel vs regular), it’s always a good practice to use an appropriate top coat that matches each type. Since the new Chanel Le Vernis in Daydream is a gel formula, I use a matching gel top coat from Seche Vite (the one in blue bottle). I also usually use the Chanel Le Gel Coat, but I ran out of it. The Seche Vite one isn’t the most perfect, because it tends to peel after a week or so, but it really dries fast and it sets your nail polish in seconds, which is amazing.

 

To clean up mistakes or excess nail colors that had spread and stained the skin, I just use a cotton tip dipped in nail polish remover. After that, I let my nails set for another 5 minutes and I try not to touch or do anything.

 

And there you go! My nails are set for two weeks. The whole process can take about 20 minutes, more or less, depending on how elaborate you want your nails to be prepped, or how fast you can apply your nail polish.

 

To maintain the health of my nails and cuticles, I’ve been using the OPI Avoplex Nail & Cuticle Replenishing Oil, which is now called OPI Pro Spa Nail & Cuticle Oil To Go.

 

Lastly, don’t forget to take a #Nailfie ๐Ÿ™‚

 

Take care my darlings! What’s on your nails today?

 

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FabFitFun Spring 2020

FabFitFun Spring 2020 box review

 

Hi there. Before this season ends, I’d like to share with you what’s inside my FabFitFun Spring Box. I think the stuff I got this Spring is quite interesting and I feel like I could use all the products that FFF sent me even though I wasn’t quite sure whether I got all the customized stuff. Nevertheless, I feel like this season’s FFF box and most of the FFF boxes I got in general never cease to surprise me because of the fun stuff they contain.

 

This season’s box seems to contain a couple of very interesting skincare goodies, and I think the highlights of my box are the following:

 

Tarte Tarteist Pro Glow Highlight & Contour Palette review

 

Wei Two-In-One Purify and Glow Mask Collection (45 USD) – This set of brown sugar and golden root mask is very fun to use. I find the packaging of this to be very cute and this comes with a wooden brush applicator, so you can apply each individual mask on the face thoroughly. For me, the brown sugar mask is really exfoliating and it smells nice.

 

Tarte Tarteist Pro Glow Highlight & Contour Palette (45 USD) – This palette will have you covered for your strobing and contouring needs. I feel like you’ll have everything you’ll need to create an amazing facial contour with this big palette.

 

Revive Light Therapy Glo Wrinkle And Anti-Aging Light Device review

 

Revive Light Therapy Glo Wrinkle And Anti-Aging Light Device (68 USD) – This very interesting device emits red led light to stimulate collagen and elastin on the skin, with the goal of limiting the appearance of wrinkles on the face. While I don’t have any wrinkles yet to warrant the use of this, I can definitely see myself using this in the future.

 

 

Pลซrlisse Watermelon Energizing 2 Minute Polishing Peel

 

Pลซrlisse Watermelon Energizing 2 Minute Polishing Peel (35 USD) – This is another one of my faves in this season’s box, and this truly smells like fresh bursts of watermelon which is so refreshing on the skin and on the face. This product is basically a glycolic peel that really polishes off the dead skin cells from the face, which then leaves the skin a nice resurfaced smooth texture. A reminiscent of Huda Beauty’s Wishful Yo Glow Facial Enzyme Scrub and Peter Thomas Roth’s Firmx Peel. I love this product a lot.

 

Chic & Tonic Silicone Straws (15 USD) – I love the idea of this. After seeing the risk of what plastic straws can do to sea turtles and our wildlife in general, I believe that it’s much better to skip on using straws at all, or better yet, use some reusable ones like these silicone straws which comes with a brush cleaner and a carrying case. Isn’t this a neat idea?

 

This Works Deep Sleep Body Cocoon

 

Ag Hair Fast Food Leave-On Conditioner (24 USD) – This smells really really good and yummy. Once this is applied on the hair, every strand becomes relaxed, less-frizzy, and with a fabulous lingering scent that is overall very very dreamy, and nice. I’m really impressed by this product and this doesn’t add weight to the hair. I’m glad that this comes in a large tube, so I can use this for a very long time.

 

This Works Deep Sleep Body Cocoon (40 USD) – This multipurpose body cream has a very strong lavender scent that can be very relaxing and soothing. Though I’m not quite crazy about this mainly because of the strong scent, I still find this to be really moisturizing on the skin and this softens dry rough patches or dry areas of the body. This is great to use at night and you might like the lavender scent which can promote sleep.

 

Jabonerรญa Marianella Imperial Jade Body Oil (68 USD) – This body oil is probably my least favorite item in this season’s box. I find the scent of this to be quite weird. Although this is a pricey moisturizing oil, I am not a fan of the scent. To me, this smells like a strong lemongrass soup. Hmmm… I’m not quite sure if I’d want to smell like soup all day long (lol) so, I think, I’ll just skip on this.

 

That sums up the contents of my FFF box this season. I’m definitely excited for what’s coming inside my box this Summer. Did you enjoy your FabFitFun box this season too?