SK-II Serum & Mask

For months my best friend Orville had been raving to me about SK-11 and how much he loved their quality of skincare and I just wasn't budging. Finally, I had the opportunity to try SK-11 Facial Treatment Essence Serum and Facial Treatment Mask and I can't have enough of it. 

The SK-11 Facial Treatment Essence ,"replenishes your skin to prevent dryness, helps soften and smooth your skin's texture, helps your skin's renewal process, penetrates better than a facial cream". I've read that many people use the treatment essence as a second toner. I've been using it as a moisturizer for the past two weeks and I've noticed a huge difference in my skin's texture. My skin feels hydrated, moisturized, smooth and glowy. It's lightweight which is a bonus because I really dislike thick, heavy moisturizers - they make my skin feel greasy. So, I was pleased to find out that the Facial Essence Treatment was lightweight and not greasy. 

The SK-11 Facial Treatment Mask immediately moisturizes, softens and illuminates your skin in just 10-15 minutes. I love what an easy apply it is, extremely mess-free. I'm use to using clay masks which are usually a hassle to apply and to remove so, this was a nice change for me.  

When my best friend Orville was telling me about the SK-11 products I couldn't help but to question whether or not it was worth the expense. But, now that I've tried the SK-11 products I've realized it's worth the investment. Both products have Pitera in their ingredients. The Facial Treatment Essence has 90% Pitera and the Facial Treatment mask has Pitera infused in the soft cotton sheets. Pitera is clear liquid vitamins, amino acids, minerals and organic acids. Essentially, Pitera is said to speed up your skin's natural rejuvenation process. I'm going to be honest I wasn't sure if I completely believed in Pitera until using the products and realizing the huge difference in my skin's texture and appearance. I highly recommend everyone to try a sample if you can and then make the decision of whether or not you want to make the investment(which I'm sure you will because it's a game changer)! 

I hope you all fall in love with SK-11's products as much as I have. Quality over Quantity has always been my philosophy. That doesn't mean every expensive product will be worth it but, sometimes you find that one like SK-11's that can replace 2 cheap products. 

Enjoy! Comment below with your favorite moisturizers and toners! 

With Love,

Gabrielle

Disclaimer: This product was gifted to me by Influenster and SK-11 but, my opinions are my own. 

L'ORÉAL EVER CURL

Hey guys! 

I wanted to share my experience with you all on my new favorite hair product, L'Oréal's Ever Curl Cleansing Balm. L'Oréal and Influenster sent me the Ever Curl cleansing balm over a month and a half ago and I've been using it ever since. Not only am I shocked by the transformation I've seen in my hair but, I am in love with the change as well. 

This is a selfie I took after cleansing my hair with Ever Curl and styling it with no additional products. 

Naturally my hair is corse, curly and at times it can be a little frizzy. I've tried so many different shampoos, conditioners and even other hair cleansers and yet none of them have seemed to work for me. Many of the shampoos and conditioners I tried left my hair extremely dry, brittle and I feel like they were also the cause of all the frizziness. It wasn't making sense to me because I rarely use heat on my hair and I try my hardest to really maintain the health of it. So, this definitely was not giving me the #HairGoals I wanted to achieve. lol! About 2 years ago, I started looking into Sulfate-free hair cleansers and the differences between them and regular shampoos. I ended up learning a lot about the ingredients in the shampoos and conditioners I was using at the time which then made more sense as to why I was experiencing dry and brittle hair. On that note, I'm sure many of you have questions regarding Sulfate-free hair cleansers vs. regular shampoos as I did. So, I wanted to break it down for you all. 

My first question was "What the hell is "Sulfate"?" 

Sulfate is Sodium Laureth Sulfate which is a type of detergent that is found in many different personal hygiene products such as soap, toothpastes, and most commonly shampoos.  

My second question, "Why is sulfate bad for my hair?"

Sulfate is an inexpensive ingredient that can strip your hair from it's essential, natural oils and leave your hair brittle and more prone to breakage. If you dye your hair then sulfate can result in a lack of pigmentation in your hair that can make the color fade faster than usual. Those who have sensitive scalps can experience itchiness or inflammation as a result of the sulfate additive. 

What are the benefits of using Sulfate-free cleansers?

1. Improves and retains the natural oils while increasing the moisture retention within your hair

2. Preserves dyed hair color longer.

3. Prevents the scalp from absorbing harmful chemicals.

4.  Helps those with sensitive scalps to avoid irritation and inflammation

Does it apply like a regular shampoo?

Yes and no. Regular shampoo lathers up causing bubbles when washing your hair in the shower while Sulfate-free shampoo does not. I like to make the comparison of a Sulfate-free cleanser to a facial cleanser. The consistency of them are very similar. 

How do I use it?

When you're using the hair cleanser you want to make sure you're applying the product evenly throughout your hair and throughly massaging the cleanser into your scalp to ensure a good wash. I usually do about 6-8 pumps but, you can use more or less if necessary. Typically, once I've massaged the product into my scalp for about a minute I will then let it sit for a couple minutes while washing my body or my face. Once I'm done with that I make sure to throughly rinse out the cleanser from my hair. 

The process is very simple but, tedious. I will say, it's definitely worth it considering how much healthier your hair will be especially if you have #HairGoals you need to achieve! Like I said earlier, I've been using Ever Curl for the past month and a half and I truly have realized a drastic change in my hair. It's no longer dry and brittle or even frizzy of that matter. My hair is softer, stronger and to top it all off I have an amazing healthy shine to go with it.  

If you're looking to convert from a regular shampoo to a Sulfate-free cleanser I highly recommend looking into L'Oréal's series of Sulfate-free cleansing balms. They have 3 different types which will make it easier for you to find one that fits your hair needs. They're also very affordable compared to other Sulfate-free cleansers on the market. I've always loved L'Oréal, their brands and products and I think it's amazing how they're taking steps into providing more natural and healthy products for the world. Now let's go get that hair back to health and achieve those #HairGoals!

I hope you all have learned a little something. Please "like" and or comment below!

Xoxo,

Gabrielle

*Disclaimer* Products were gifted by Influenster. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

YSL Products

Hey guys! So, I currently own a couple YSL products, Rouge Volupté Shine lipstick is my favorite to be exact. But, I've always wanted to further explore their beauty line and luckily I received my first voxbox from @influenster and this month it features two Yves Saint Laurent products:  YSL's first Touche Éclat Primer and Touche Éclat Blur Perfector. Since I just received the products this past week, I had to use them immediately and guess what?! I actually loved the results! I used the primer before I applied my foundation and it was long lasting and very lightweight so it didn't feel as if I had a ton of product on my face. To follow up after applying my daily foundation, I used the Tocuhe Éclat Blur Perfector alone as an all over complexion corrector. Not only did the Blur Perfector take away any imperfections but it gave me the perfect rosy glow as well. I hope you all get the opportunity to try these products and let me know how you like them via Twitter or Instagram.. 

Xoxo,

G.G