Reviews by BlueSunshineFL

BlueSunshineFL says "Poor Insurance Policy" about Aussie Hair Insurance Leave-In Conditioner

BlueSunshineFL — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:23:13 GMT

I found myself in need of a spray on leave-in conditioner one afternoon, so I thought, "Why not try Aussie? I have a coupon!"

It wasn't worth it.

The Hair Insurance Leave-In Conditioner bottle is filled with a slight bubblegum-scented liquid. I sprayed it on the ends of my hair after showering in hopes to detangle a few knots and add extra conditioning. It did nothing in the way of detangling. I struggled with my comb, pulling knots out by clumps, unimpressed with this product and it had only been 30 seconds since I applied it. An hour later my air-dried hair was frizzy and stiff. I like to give all products three chances before making a decision to continue or toss it, so the next two times after washing I sprayed Insurance from roots to tips. Both times my hair was nothing but a brittle mess. Zero bounce, zero shine, zero moisture. My favorite shampoo and conditioner products were cancelled out the moment I stepped from the shower and sprayed this product on.

My hair felt so much like...

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BlueSunshineFL says "Expensive - But Soothing - Experience" about Uni.K.Wax - - Weston, FL

BlueSunshineFL — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:56:01 GMT

I'm a masochist. Body waxing, eyebrows in particular, is one of the most amazing feelings to me - the hot wax spreading on skin, the tingle as it cools, the abrupt pull to get those little suckers (hairs) out of my body for at least the next four weeks. My excitement has less to do with shaping my brows and more to do with the process.

My one attempt to wax my own eyebrows ended up a disaster. It is harder than it looks. I took off too much in one place and not enough in the other. I came out with half-baked brows, vowing to never put myself through that again.

For the longest time I went to my local Hair Cuttery and for $8 got my brows waxed. They usually turned out nicely shaped, and it usually hurt a lot because they use the "old-fashioned" pour-wax-on-then-attach-strip technique. I'd emerge in a buzzed state, as if I had drunk a glass of red wine.

One day while skimming through Clipper magazine I found a coupon for a FREE eyebrow wax at Uni.K.Wax for new customers. Cool! I am always...

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BlueSunshineFL says "Pure Freshness" about Kiss My Face Summer Liquid Rock Roll-On Deodorant -- 3 fl oz

BlueSunshineFL — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:34:13 GMT

Because sweating is practically a prerequisite for the work I do (dog grooming), I need a deodorant that will help keep me fresh. I don't care about smelling nice due to deodorant. In my opinion, most products smell like baby powder or lilac, or some weird variation. No, thank you. I just want dry, odor-free pits. If I want to smell nice I wear perfume!

I found Kiss My Face Summer Liquid Rock Roll On Deodorant at Whole Foods and was at first turned off by the price. Over $5 for deodorant? That seems excessive. But curiosity got the best of me, along with the "No Parabans" sticker on the cap. This is a mostly natural product that focuses on eliminating odor and sweat first, leaving behind a pleasant scent second. "Summer" is the scent of this one (according to the Kiss My Face website, there are other options, but this was the only one available at my store), and to me it simply smells clean.

I adore this product now, and I'm worried it's ruined me for cheaper deodorants. One application...

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BlueSunshineFL says "Finally - Butter Feet" about Burt's Bees Thoroughly Therapeutic Honey & Bilberry Foot Creme

BlueSunshineFL — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 01:34:43 GMT

After being unimpressed with Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme I was hesitant to try this one, but now I am glad I did.

The soles of my feet are in sad condition. For my job I have to stand most of the day, usually in wet sneakers. My heel skin is cracked and dried-out to the core. All the foot lotion (of many different brands) I've slathered on through the years has done very little or nothing.

Burt's Bees Thoroughly Therapeutic Honey & Bilberry Foot Creme is thick like toothpaste. It spreads well and is quickly absorbed by skin to become soft, smooth, and hydrated after just one treatment. The next night I used the creme again and it seemed to work even better at moisturizing my crazy heels. After four uses, my feet feel like butter - which I never thought would be possible for me!

Unlike the Coconut Foot Creme, Honey & Bilberry is not greasy at all. There is no need to wear socks after or avoid walking on tiles or hardwood for fear of slipping. There is a slight honey and herb scent...

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BlueSunshineFL says "Simple, Natural, and Effective" about Clorox Greenworks Free & Clear Natural Dishwashing Liquid

BlueSunshineFL — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 18:00:23 GMT

No bells & whistles with Greenworks Free & Clear Natural Dishwashing Liquid (though is it possible for dish detergents to come with "bells & whistles"?). It simply works.

This is a gentle, coconut-based soap to be used when hand washing dishes. The Free & Clear scent leaves the entire sink smelling sanitized, and dishes are clean and shiny. It also cuts through grease on pans with very little soak time.

And my hands have yet to dry out from using it every day.

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BlueSunshineFL says "Lovely For Touching Up Dark Hair" about Clairol Natural Instincts Egyptian Plum

BlueSunshineFL — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 18:33:59 GMT

It's been approximately seven weeks since I colored my hair with the Natural Instincts Midnight shade, and though most of it has held nicely, I wanted to touch up my roots and experiment with a burgundy hint. Plus, I had a coupon for $2 off!

The most interesting shade in the whole line (in my opinion) is Clairol Natural Instincts Egyptian Plum, and the box says it is ideal for dark brown to black hair. Perfect for me. Whenever using a new color, I always remind myself that the end result will most likely not be identical to the box, so I prepared myself for lighter, darker, brassier, or more "purply" hair.

Again, I was pleased with the gel's mild botanical scent. No dizzying chemical fumes. It took five minutes to saturate my hair with the mixture and clip it up. The directions say to let it sit for at least 10 minutes, but I let it sit for 20 to ensure it will come out very dark. The color takes awhile to rinse out completely, but I do have thick long hair so that was no surprise....

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BlueSunshineFL says "Great Chlorine Protection" about Yes To Cucumbers Color Care Leave-In Conditioner

BlueSunshineFL — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:18:26 GMT

One of my favorite things to do on a relaxing afternoon is swim in the pool, but chlorine is so awful for hair that I went out searching for a good natural product to help counteract the damage and wouldn't react strangely to the chemicals.

Enter Yes To Cucumbers Color Care Leave-In Conditioner. Quite expensive, but it was BOGO at Walgreens so I couldn't resist giving it a chance. The ingredients are entirely natural, and besides water, which is obvious, the most common ingredient is cucumber extract. Unlike most products that claim to be "all-natural", this one truly is. But does it work?

I spread a quarter-sized amount of the cream through my hair than used a comb to smooth it out. The smell is a soft botanical scent that surprisingly did not bother me in the least. My hair felt conditioned, and once I started to swim, it was slippery like I expected. After 45 minutes of swimming my hair was not tangled at all. When I dried off I could easily run the comb through my wavy hair again,...

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BlueSunshineFL says "Got Suckered In By Snappy Advertising" about Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaner Mega Shower Foamer

BlueSunshineFL — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 05:36:55 GMT

"Makes scrubbing virtually obsolete" = Nope = this product sucks

The commercial makes Scrubbing Bubbles Mega Shower Foamer look like the coolest shower cleaner ever. The efficient spray nozzle quickly covered my tiles, fawcett, and curtain. I let it sit for 15 minutes then rinsed with warm water. No difference.

Okay, I thought, it will take several uses for the shower to really be clean.

Eight uses and an empty steel can later, my shower looked pretty much the same. The fawcett and shower head were shinier, but that was the least of my concerns to begin with. I wanted a miracle product to dissolve soap scum without my having to use any elbow grease, and Scrubbing Bubbles promises this. In the end there was actually more soap scum than when I started. Frustrating.

Now that I realize I have to scrub in order to get a truly clean shower, I'd rather purchase an all-natural cleaner that won't make me pass out from heavy fumes.

This was a waste of money, though not really a waste of time...

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BlueSunshineFL says "Ammonia-Free Heavenly Color" about Clairol Natural Instincts Midnight

BlueSunshineFL — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:09:14 GMT

My experience with coloring: once every couple months during my teen years I saturated my hair with coloring products loaded with ammonia and peroxide. They promised silky, luxurious color, and what I got was great color, but the opposite of silky hair. My hair was fried. I accepted it.

Then I went to my salon which used Redken Shades, and it helped big time in providng better quality hair color. Of course I couldn't afford it when I lost my job.

So I went back to the drugstore and found Clairol Natural Instincts. Ammonia-free. It is temporary color, and it won't cover grays as well as permanent products. That's okay, I don't have grays and I don't want to commit to permanent anyway. I bought the Midnight shade because I wanted to go dark this time.

The coloring gel does not smell awful and chemical-ish like most hair colors. That was a huge relief, because hair color products have always made me nauseas (see what I put up with for beauty?). I spread the gel from roots to tips, and used...

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BlueSunshineFL says "Clogs Pores, Does Not Refine Them" about Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner

BlueSunshineFL — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:25:02 GMT

My dissatisfaction with Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner is partially my fault because I purchased it in haste without checking out its ingredients.

This is not an oil-free toner. For anyone with combination or even slightly oily skin, this is the wrong product to use. My skin is combination - that means oily on my forehead and nose. After only two uses of this toner, I started to break out, and my pores were not "refined" in the least. I didn't expect my pores to get minimized, however, I just use toners to help remove excess oil before going to sleep. This toner did the exact opposite.

Those with normal or dry skin might benefit from Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner, unfortunately I am not one of them.

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BlueSunshineFL says "Lovely Home For Your Turtle" about Pet Supermarket Turtle Swamp With Mini Lagoon

BlueSunshineFL — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 02:24:28 GMT

In October 2008 I found a quarter-sized turtle in a friend's backyard. I immediately grew attached to him, named him "Chowder" then "Frank Burns" then back to "Chowder" and went out searching for a decent tub to keep him in until he is big enough to be released into the lake.

Pet Supermarket had the perfect home: a curvy plastic "swamp" with tiny stairs leading to an island in the middle that the turtle would need for sunbathing. There is also a plastic palm tree that fits like a lego on a part of the island. This is obviously a home for baby to teenage turtles. Eventually Chowder will outgrow this habitat. For the past seven months, however, he has grown slowly while still able to swim freely. Be careful to only fill the swamp up halfway with water. It provides enough room for your turtle to swim, but prevents him from crawling out (turtles are master escapists)

There is also a smaller "lagoon" habitat that is a third of the size of the swamp, but is really only for newborns. I didn't...

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BlueSunshineFL says "Cheaper Than Swiffer - Works Just As Well" about Pledge Multi-Surface Duster 360

BlueSunshineFL — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:24:29 GMT

Don't buy into the hype that Swiffer is the only way to go when it comes to dusting. When I discovered the Pledge Multi-Surface line, I also discovered I'd save from switching over. But does it work? That is the true test. I own an office cleaning business, so finding a product that cleans efficiently is incredibly important.

The package comes with a blue foldable handle and two dusting pads. When they run out (they'll get so loaded with dust you need to replace them) you can purchase a box of refill pads. This box is normally less expensive than the starter kit because the handle is not included.

Sliding the pad onto the handle is easy, and it stays in place. You can dry-dust any surface with Pledge Multi-Surface Duster 360, and you'll see grey fibers build up on the soft white pad. The pad also does not leave any residue on surfaces.

In just cleaning an office once a week I am always amazed at how filled up the pads get with dust. Sometimes you might have to replace them before each...

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BlueSunshineFL says "Natural, But So What?" about Clorox Greenworks Natural Dilutable Cleaner

BlueSunshineFL — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:50:37 GMT

I am all for using natural products whenever possible, but the product still needs to work! Greenworks Natural Dilutable Cleaner is 99% natural, and the bottle is recyclable (but there is no indication it is made from any amount of post-consumer recycled plastic), and while it has a nice clean - and not at all fruity - scent, the positives stop here.

I purchased this cleaner to use on tile floors. After pouring a couple "splashes" of the liquid into a sink of waiting warm water I dunked the mop in the mixture. Suds formed. That caused a thick layer of soap scum to be mopped across the floor. When it dried it felt dirty and sticky.

I've used other dilutable cleaners in the past that did not automatically lather, and the result was a much fresher floor. Unfortunately, those cleaners were not 99% natural. Unfortunately, this 99% natural cleaner does not clean well.

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BlueSunshineFL says "Where's The Silk?" about BioSilk Silk Therapy

BlueSunshineFL — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:00:56 GMT

I bought Biosilk Silk Therapy conditioner at the drugstore because the travel-sized bottles were available (still over $4 for an ounce of product)

I stretched the conditioner out to use three times. Each time after shampooing I spread the conditioner over my roots and tips, massaged with my fingers, then clipped my hair up and let it soak for a few minutes. Each time I felt disappointed with the result. It barely conditioned. I had to apply lots of leave-in conditioner and silk serum before seeing that glossy/silky look I was trying to achieve.

This could work wonders for women with straight, fine, healthy hair. But for those of us with wavy or damaged hair, Biosilk Silk Therapy doesn't condition nearly as much as it should.

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BlueSunshineFL says "Goodbye Aquafresh, Crest, Colgate, and Sensodyne" about Tom's of Maine Natural Whole Care Anticavity & Tarter Control Plus Whitening Gel Toothpaste

BlueSunshineFL — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:17:58 GMT

I found Tom's of Maine on accident when the hygeine products in my store had been rearranged.

Tom's of Maine Natural Whole Care Anticavity & Tarter Control Plus Whitening Toothpaste is a natural product that works like it's supposed to. My mouth has never felt so amazing. The paste is a cloudy gray color that does not foam well while brushing, but you'll stop noticing after a few days. Best of all, it brightened my teeth way more than I expected

This is not a five star product for one reason: the taste. The first time I used this paste I couldn't believe the strong, medicinal, borderline poisonous flavor in my mouth. Not at all minty even though the back label boasts of spearmint and peppermint oils in the ingredients.

Believe it or not, after that harsh criticism about its taste, in about a week I was used to it (or maybe I just went to my "happy place" while brushing), and my brighter, squeaky clean teeth were worth it.

Give it a chance to grow on you and you will never go back...

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BlueSunshineFL says "So Glad I Found You" about Clean & Clear SOFT In-shower Facial

BlueSunshineFL — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:19:04 GMT

I have fallen in love with Clean & Clear In-Shower Facial. Its gritty texture is a reminder not to massage into skin roughly. Just spread it on and let it sit for a minute. The tingle is slight and is no different from the feel of an astringent or toner. After letting steam from the shower soak into the product, gently massage skin while the water stream washes it away. You will be amazed at how soft and delicate skin feels after.

I recommend this product to anyone, no matter the skin type, because it cleans deep enough to eliminate dirt and oil, yet is gentle so pores don't feel dried-out afterward. That makes it a dream for those of us with combination skin.

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BlueSunshineFL says "The One" about Rimmel London Waterproof Volume Flash Mascara

BlueSunshineFL — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:55:05 GMT

Rimmel London Waterproof Volume Flash Mascara does what it claims. It thickens eyelashes in just one stroke of the brush.

This mascara is not only waterproof, but smudgeproof, sweatproof, and humidityproof. It comes off naturally hours later, though doesn't stick to skin, and sometimes there is even mascara left on my lashes after taking a shower.

Also, no black residue left in the corners of my eyes!

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BlueSunshineFL says "Great For In-Between Days" about Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-In Cream

BlueSunshineFL — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:21:51 GMT

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-In Cream is a great tool I use every other day when my hair doesn't get shampooed. Just adding a quarter size to the ends helps keep it soft and breakage-free. The inevitable frizzies that develop with wavy hair in South Florida end up looking and feeling like curls because of this lovely treatment.

Like any product that super-moisturizes, be careful not to use too much or you will end up with oily, weighed-down hair. Use it sparingly and you will be amazed with the results.

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BlueSunshineFL says "Buy Cheap, Get Cheap" about Wet 'n Wild H2O Proof Mascara

BlueSunshineFL — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 02:40:35 GMT

With some cosmetics, cost equals to the quality of the product. Wet 'n Wild H2O Proof Mascara is one of them. I bought it at Walgreens for less than two dollars, so it was practically no risk to try.

The product did not stay on my eyelashes. In a short amount of time most of it had been absorbed into my eyes. A gross black gunk formed near my tearducts. This has never happened with higher quality waterproof mascara, where in the past the only way to get it off is in the shower with makeup remover. With Wet 'n Wild H2O Proof Mascara I had to reapply more often than should be necessary only to find that dreaded gunk again an hour later.

No, thank you.

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BlueSunshineFL says "Solid Foundation" about Rimmel London Stay Matte Foundation

BlueSunshineFL — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:37:04 GMT

I tried Rimmel London Stay Matte + Skinpure Complex Foundation this past week, and now I am hooked. In the past, foundations labeled oil-free did not last long on my face before being absorbed or sweated off. But this one lasts for hours (not necessarily the 12 hours that Rimmel promises, but that's okay, I don't ever want to wear make-up that long). This product goes on smooth with just a dab on each cheek, the forehead, the nose, chin, and neck, and will not look cakey afterward.

When choosing the right shade for my skin I was confused by the difference between "Ivory" and "True Ivory." Both looked exactly the same. My skin is very fair, but what is most important to me is an oil-free foundation, which both were, so I randomly put down one of the tubes and bought "Ivory". It worked out fine.

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