Monday, August 12, 2013

Review: Shea Moistire Curling Gel Souffle

Review:
Shea Moisture Curling Gel Soufflé
 I’m back again with another Shea Moisture product review, this time focusing on the Curling Gel Souffle. I’ve heard a lot of mixed reviews on this product, and to be honest I’m not sure how I feel about this product because I haven’t used it much. So, this is more of a first impression rather than a full review.

What is it?
This would be considered a gel, and it is also a part of the Coconut and Hibiscus line. It is supposed to help keep away frizz, keep in moisture, and shine.

How do I use it?
You use it as a curl definer. So you can apply it to wet hair and let it dry for a wash and go. Or you can also use it to set your twists, to make sure they are shiny and defined.

What I liked about it:
The smell: it smells just like the Curl Enhancing Smoothie, which I love.
The ingredients: this is an all natural gel, so there is no alcohol or any of those nasty ingedients that are found in regular gel.

What I didn’t like:



A lot of people complain that they don’t like the consistency, and I can understand why. When I first got it, it was not a gel like consistency; it was more of a liquid, and your hands get sticky after using it. However, I came up with a solution.

Tip for making it like a gel:
A few weeks ago there was a heat wave, and I was afraid my hair products would melt because most of them are all natural, so I put them in the fridge. After the heat wave, I took out the curling gel soufflé and when I touched it, it was a gel like consistency!

Would I purchase again?

I’m not sure

Monday, August 5, 2013

Review: Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie



Today I am going to share with you a product from a line I’ve heard so much about and have wanted to try for a long time – Shea Moisture!
On a recent trip to Sally, I went to buy some hair products because at that time my hair was straight, and I was ready to wash it. I ended up getting a few products, but today I will focus on the Curl Enhancing Smoothie.

What is it? This is a leave in from the Coconut & Hibiscus Line, which is meant for thick, curly hair and it helps with moisture, body, and shine. Also, it is made with all natural ingredients: coconut oil, silk protein, and neem oil, to name a few.
 
How do I use it?
You apply it to damp or styled hair to enhance curls, and minimize frizz. A lot of people, (including me) use it after washing hair on twists to get a great twist out.

What I liked about it?
The smell! I’m not a huge coconut person, but I just love this smell. I’m even considering getting the body wash in this scent.
The Price: it’s $12.99 for 12 oz, which for an all-natural hair product, that is a great price. I know of some 4 oz products that cost $12.99, and a little goes a long way
The availability:
The Shea Moisture line is available at Walgreens, Target, CVS, Walmart, and online and I like that if I ever ran out, I can easily purchase it.

What I didn’t like:
The packaging says you can apply it to styled hair, but I found it worked better when my hair was damp.

Would I purchase again?Yes

Monday, July 29, 2013

Planning successful trunk party + invitation template

Hi Guys! I have a new blog and I wanted to share with you one of my recent posts on planning a trunk party. Head over to read it, plus you get a free invitation template. http://tiajames.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/planning-a-successful-trunk-party-invitation-template/

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Internet Issues

Hello everyone!
I am having internet and technical difficulties so this week's post will be postponed until next week. Thanks for understanding!

Monday, July 15, 2013

Attend the Her Campus Intercollegiate Conference!

Hey guys! I am a part of the Her Campus Blogger network and I just wanted to share with you this AMAZING event they are having!

What is it?
The Her Campus National Intercollegiate Conference is providing attendees with an incredible opportunity to meet and network with tons of industry leaders like:
Cosmo,
Teen Vogue,
Glamour,
Seventeen,
Lucky,
OK!
and tons more! Also there will be workshops with topics such as:
Jobs in Marketing & PR: How To Break In,
How to Make Your Blog a Powerhouse
Resume and cover letter reviews, mock interviews, workshops on how to negotiate your job offer, personal branding, and more
And others!
And on top of this you get amazing goody bags and enjoy fun activities like a BCBG sample sale, free mini manicures, a braid bar, free lunch from Chipotle plus a Chipotle gift certificate, a movie screening, and more!
When and where:
July 27- only for Her Campus members
July 28- for Her Campus members & readers
Both in NYC

More information on the event: http://www.hercampus.com/conference
To register: https://herconferencesunday.eventbrite.com/
I hope you attend!

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Getting ready for college: step 1: get organized

I graduated high school and I am so excited to be going to college in a few short weeks! Now, I have to start packing for college and I thought I would share my process with you. Also, these tips can be applied to any situation that involves you packing (traveling, moving, etc). The first thing to do before you even start packing is to make a list of things you will need/ want to bring, if you don't know what to bring check out this checklist . Once you have an idea of what you will need to bring, you can start getting organized.
First, I went through my clothes and separated them into two piles: one for the ones I am keeping and one for the clothes I want to donate.
Note: this is the time to be honest with yourself, all your clothes may hold some sentimental value but you have to ask yourself  "will I really wear this again?". If you are having trouble here is a tip: take those clothing pieces and hang them on a hanger, making sure they are all facing the same way. After you wear one, hand it back on the hanger but facing in the opposite direction of the other clothes. Once a week or so passes by, which ever piece of clothing that hasn't been turned around, that is the piece that should be donated.
After you have completed this, it will help tremendously when you are packing away your clothes because you will have less clothes to worry about, and your last days before you leave will not be filled with the stress of deciding which clothes to bring to college.
Hope this help!

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

My week in photos: I graduated!

Hey everyone,
This post is long overdue, but better late than never right? This post is all about my graduation week! It still hasn't hit me that I have graduation high school, and will be attending college in a couple of weeks. But here are my pictures from that week.

This picture is from my luncheon, I was in love with the decor 
What did you do this week?

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS+ Review

If you read my last post, you probably know that I received the Spring Vox Box from Influenster, and one of the products in there was the Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS+ Rough Rubber.
This is a styling product and is used for creating texture and has great hold. I used to to hold down my edges and it lasted the whole day. Here are some photos of how my hair looked:



Also, this products is as easy as applying gel to you hair. You just take a small amount and rub it between the palm of your hands, apply it on your damp or dry hair, and work it through your hair. 
If you are interested in buying this product, check out their website where you can also see all the products they offer.
Please note: I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Influenster

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-on Manicure

It's Friday night and you're about to go out with the girls, but you look down at your hands and realize your nails are a mess. But you are leaving out shortly and don't have time to wait for the polish to dry. Sound familiar? Luckily, for times like these there are the imPress Press on nails from Broadway Nails.
This week was my graduation and luncheon and I didn't have time to do a full manicure so I decided to try the imPress Nails.


I love the packaging of this product. It comes in a fake nail polish bottle that holds all of the press on nails. I liked this because it gave me somewhere to put my extra press ons.






The nails were pretty easy to apply. The only problem I had was finding the right nail to match the size of my nail bed because my hands are a little on the small side. But once you find the right size, the rest is easy. First, I wiped the prep pad on my nail. Next I peeled of the backing (note if you have really short nails it might take more time to peel of the backing). Then, I matched the press on with my cuticle then pressed down on it.

I applied the press on nails on Sunday and today is Tuesday and they still are sticking to my nails. Overall, I do like this product and I would purchase these.
If you are interested in the imPRESS nails they retail for $5.99 for colors and $7.99 for patterns, and are available at CVS, Rite Aid, Duane Reade, KMart, Walgreens, Walmart and more.
Check out their website for exclusive coupons, and you can virtually try on the different colors and patterns they have.
Please note: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

My week in photos: May 27-june 1st

Hey everyone!
I came up with this new idea to share my week in photos with you all because I am counting down to college. There about 11 weeks until I move in to college and I am so excited. So here's what I did this week:
This week was my senior prom! So this week I mostly did preparations for the big day:
Here is my prom dress. I absolutely love the ombre color of this dress, and I got it from the Frock Shop in Chicago. They allow you to rent dresses so you get them for a fraction of the cost than if you were buying it. With the earrings and clutch, I paid about $100, which isn't bad at all
On Thursday I went to the Adobe Foundation award ceremony and had a great time! This was the view  from the venue (Columbia College) Don't you just love Chicago? 
I got my hair done at Paul Mitchell the School. Since there are students doing the hair instead of professionals, the prices are significantly cheaper. I think my total was between $30 and $40 and I got a blow dry, flat iron, and special style (braided bun)

Here is my after prom meal. We went to this place called Eggsperience and I ordered strawberry pancakes that were DELICIOUS! And my entire meal only cost $13

What did you do this week? Share below in the comments

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

$25 off a bedding set!!!



I'm going to college this fall! I'm so excited but there is so much I have to do/buy before I leave. One of the main things I have to do is buy stuff for my room. The first thing is bedding. Bedding can be expensive, depending on where you get it from. Chance are, if you are in college, then you want to save as much money as possible. I have good news for you! I have a discount code for my lovely readers from Residence Hall Linens

Monday, May 13, 2013

Fit for the Fight: Exercise Options for Cancer Patients

Hey everyone!
I'm excited to say that this week we have a guest post from Melanie Bowen about how exercise can help cancer patients. If you want to guest post click the contact me link at the top and send me your idea for a guest post.
Here is more about Melanie:
Melanie is currently a Master's student with a passion that stems from her grandmother's cancer diagnosis. She often highlights the great benefits of alternative nutritional, emotional, and physical treatments on those diagnosed with cancer or other serious illness.  To read more from Melanie, visit her blog for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. In her spare time, you can find Melanie trying new vegan recipes, on her yoga mat, or spending time with her family.

Keep reading for her article


Friday, May 10, 2013

Fab Find Friday: Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

Hey guys!
Last week I showed you the Maybelline Color Whisper I bought, and this week I will show you all the Fit Me Concealer. Before I begin, I must say that I went into CVS thinking I was going to purchase the L' Oreal True Match Crayon Concealer because I have heard nothing but good things about the True

Match Line, but CVS did not have it! I was so upset, so I ended up getting the Maybelline
Concealer.























As you can see it blends really well. The only problem I have is that I have really dark under eye circles, and since this concealer matches and blends well with my skin tone it is not light enough to cover my dark circles. However, as a foundation, I think it would be great.

You can find this concealer for less than $9 at your local drugstore
*CVS usually has good deals on maybelline either BOGO or they offer extrabucks if you buy over a certain dollar amount.

Have you tried this concealer? What do you think?


Thursday, May 9, 2013

I'm featured on La Coco Bella!


Hey everyone! I've been featured on La Coco Bella! I'm a big fan of her blog because her reviews are so honest (and funny). She's actually the reason I went and bought the Chagrin Valley shampoo bars, and plan on buying some products from Bee Mine.
So go check out my hair journey here

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Fab Find Friday: Maybelline Color Whisper






Hey everyone!
I don't usually wear makeup (mostly because I was afraid I wouldn't do it right), but after watching a couple of YouTube videos, I've been inspired to start wearing makeup. I still am in school so I've been looking for products to achieve that "everyday/natural look". This week, I went to CVS because they were having a sale: buy $12 worth of Maybelline and you get $4 extra bucks. So after browsing the Maybelline section I decided to get the Fit Me Concealer and the Color Whisper lip color. Today, I'm just going to focus on the Color Whisper.
When I was at CVS I had a hard time choosing a color because there are so many and I could only choose one, but I ultimately decided on the "Who wore it red-er" and I am very happy about this purchase. So keep reading about why it is a fab find  and my experience with it.
Why is this a fab find?
-The Color Whispers come in a wide range of color so you can get your nudes, pinks, reds, and plums.
-they are the consistency of a gel so they glide on the lips
-only $7-8 at drugstores
-they go on like a balm and they dry like a stain so the color lasts long
-this red color is great

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Movie Lovers- have you heard of Hitbliss?

Are you a big fan of Redbox, Netflix, and Hulu? If so, you're going to LOVE Hitbliss. Hitbliss is similar to Hulu because you can stream tv shows and movies on the internet. But this website offers a ton more movies and tv shows, but the best part is you won't be interrupted by commercials. Instead you can either choose to pay to rent the movie through HitBliss Store, or you can earn money through Hitbliss Earn that you can use to pay for the movies/tv shows.
Hit Bliss Earn
With Hitbliss Earn you choose a few commercials to watch, and after watching them your account gets credited with money you can use for purchases. However, don't think you can just click on a commercial and pay no attention to it, you actually have to watch because there will be ways that require you to interact with the commercial.
HitBliss Store
The main difference between Hitbliss Store and Hitbliss Earn is that with the store you actually are purchasing the video, so you can watch it whenever you want, and with the earn option you can only rent it for 24 hours

Hitbliss is great, it has movies that haven't been released yet (I watched Flight last month) and if you want to join Hitbliss go to http://bit.ly/Y9mz7z and download Hitbliss and Sign up.

Let me know how Hitbliss works for you @tiaj42 on twitter, Affordable Appearance Blog on Facebook

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Mother's Day Cards for $1.99!

Hey everyone!
Mother's Day is coming up (May 12), and I am so excited to share with you this deal I have for you guys. Cardstore is offering all my readers Mother's Day cards for $1.99! That is a great price that you can't beat especially for the type of cards that Cardstore makes. If you didn't know, Cardstore allows users to create custom cards by adding personal photos, messages, and your signatures for that personal touch that you don't get with store bought greeting cards. The best part is Cardstore prints, stamps, and sends your card though the postal service, and you get to choose how you want them delivered. For example, you can choose to have the cards sent to your address, and if you choose that option Cardstore sends you a blank envelope so that you can give it to the recipient. Or, you can choose to have Cardstore send it directly to the recipient, and if you choose that option you can choose what day you want the card to be delivered.

This is the card I chose, and in the blank white space there is a picture of me. (I will post the card once it is delivered, on my social media)
So, you're probably wondering how to get a card for $1.99. First make sure you like Affordable Appearance Blog on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Affordable-Appearance-Blog/551023521604375  to find the promo code. Next, go to cardstore.com and pick the Mother's Day card you like the best. Then customize it and when you check out enter the promo code that is on the Facebook page. Also share yours on twitter and mention me @tiaj42 and @cardstore with #mommisms or through intstagram and mention me @tiatamjam
Don't forget to read the disclaimer:
Create any Mother’s Day card for $1.99 when code  is applied at checkout.  No minimum purchase necessary.  Offer valid through 5/6/13.  Coupon code must be entered during online checkout. Coupon does not apply to shipping & handling charges and cannot be combined with other offers.  Coupon code is not valid on previous purchases, and excludes all plush and greeting card bundles as well as non-card items.  Coupon code may be used to purchase more than one Mother’s Day greeting card but is not valid on orders of 150 cards or more.  Discount applied at checkout. To prevent abuse, we reserve the right to discontinue or modify this offer at any time without notice. Offer is subject to change and expires at 11:59 pm PST on 5/6/13. Offer intended for use in the United States, US territories, and Canada.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

My Fitness Challenge Week 4

We've made it to week 4!
When I first began this fitness challenge, the purpose was to force motivate myself to become more active. Now that it is week 4, working out or doing stretches before bed has become a habit for me, and it is not so bothersome anymore. So I hope that your experience with this challenge has been a positive one. Also, this will be the last week of the My Fitness challenge (but if you guys want me to continue please let me know ASAP by commenting below or writing on the Facebook page: Affordable Appearance Blog, or through twitter @tiaj42)
Here are this week's exercises:
25 squats
1:00 Oblique Twists
50 Calf Raises
25 Sit ups
Wall Sits (according to the picture)
25 Squats


Feel free to add any other exercises that you want.
Have fun and be healthy!

Friday, April 19, 2013

Fab Find Friday: Benefit Mascara and Highlighter

Hey! I just wanted to share with you all this Benefit Mascara and Highlighter that I got for my birthday a few weeks ago. They are a bit on the pricey side- $23 for the mascara, and $30 for the highlighter, but I got these for free because I signed up to be a Sephora Beauty Insider, and each year they give you a cute birthday gift. If you haven't already sign up, so you can receive exclusive perks and birthday gifts.

I really like the mascara (you can see my results below), but this is way too expensive for me, so I will keep using it until it is gone, then I will need to find something cheaper. Oh, I only used the mascara because I'm not really sure how to use the highlighter yet lol.


One thing I really like about the mascara is that the tip of the brush has bristles that you can use to elongate your lashes.




Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...