Dueling Shave Creams: True Blue Spa vs. eos

I'm not a fan of shave creams/gels in canisters: not only do they inevitably rust (and leave a nasty ring on the tub), I always found them to be more drying than anything else. So for a long while, I would use one of Olay's body washes (preferably one of the ones with the moisture ribbons) as a shave cream. That was until a sales associate at Bath and Body Works convinced me to give the True Blue Spa Silky Smooth Shave Cream a try. Normally I would have balked at the $12 price tag, but I'm pretty sure there was a sale going on (as there always is) and I had a coupon (as I always do), so I went ahead and bought it. 

Beauty Blog Coalition Weekly Roundup

• Retrodiva's Beauty checked out the new video from YouTube star Lauren Luke called "How to Look Your Best the Morning After," and thinks you really need to as well.
• My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog gets patriotic with her July Julep Maven box.
• It may be July but Fall beauty is in full swing! Brooke from BlushingNoir shows you a bit of what Dior has in store for you with swatches of the Golden Savannah 5-Couleurs Eye Shadow Palette!
• Phyrra shares her picks for the Best Wordpress Plugins for beauty bloggers.
• Looking for a shortcut to bright, glowy skin? Check out the deets on Karuna Brightening Treatment Mask over at BeautyTidbits.
• Find out which BB Cream Beauty Info Zone is doing somersaults over.
• Over at the Glamorous Mama, Janelle, has been on a roll buying jewelry see what she thinks of Baublebar.
• Four shades from the China Glaze fall collection, On Safari, are featured on Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom.
• Red, Blue & Glitter nails for the 4th of July!
• It is Giveaway time on Pammy Blogs Beauty! Enter to win the RoC® MAX Resurfacing Cleanser and the RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® MAX Wrinkle Resurfacing System.
• If there's a beauty product Judy of BeautyJudy goes through consistently, and has thoroughly tried out, it's top coat! Check out the BeautyJudy Top Five Top Coats!
• Emily Hudspeth is super excited to have a sneak preview to share with you on some new Bare Escentuals products that are coming out in July. Stay tuned for a video tutorial and giveaway!
• Nicki Minaj's is as known for her music as her bold beauty statements. Want to find how out to recreate her look? MAC's senior makeup artist, Lynsey Alexander, explains how.
• Stephanie Louise- All Things Beautiful hauls some brushes, palettes, & tools from Crown Brushes...check out the great, the alright, & the downright rant-worthy items!
• Born on the 4th of July. The FabZilla celebrates her birthday with a Giveaway. Win assorted makeups, skincare, fragrance and a handmade pair of earrings. Open international.
• Miss L from Beauty by Miss L showed her very bright manicure with her new favorite nail polish.
• Clare @ cclarebear.com loves a foundation with skincare benefits and reviews Clinique Even Better Makeup.
• Mama Fashioinista shares her favorite products to Summer-ize her eyes (ha!)-3 easy products (from Rimmel London, Smashbox Cosmetics, and MAKE UP FOR EVER) guaranteed to give you swim-proof, sweat-proof, heat-proof gorgeous eye looks!
• Cosmetically Challenged little piggies get a new lease on life with Me & The Girls Lavandula Revive Foot Scrub.
• Christina of Curls N Pearls finally gets a new flat iron - the Karmin Salon Pro G3! Read her review and see the photos to see what she thinks of her latest hair styling tool.
• Lola from Lola's Secret Beauty Blog has discovered a FANTASTIC new luxury anti-aging skincare line called My. My is filled with the highest quality natural ingredients, is Cruelty Free, believes in transparency in everything they do, and has implemented impressive social responsibility initiatives! MY=PURE LOVE!
• Head over to Handmade Reviews to read about the three ways you can exfoliate to fade acne scars and brighten the skin.
• Spontaneous Chick has found a way to help nails that chip and break reularly. It's called Rx4Nails and it's a must have for anyone who loves long, healthy nails.
• Making Up the Midwest flaunts a fake set - of toenails, that is! See how her imPRESS Press On Pedicure weathered a week of wear.
• Forever on the hunt for the perfect foundation match, The Beauty Professor shares rare swatches of every shade of Kevyn Aucoin's renoun Sensual Skin Enhancer!
• The brushes in the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure polishes makes doing your nails that much easier! Sheila from Painted Ladies gives you the complete details on her new favorite polish brand.
• Is your post-vacation skin looking dull and drab? Kiss & Tell shows us how to battle the post-vacation skin blues so you can get back to planning your next vacay.
• Take a look at Geniabeme's collective 4th of July inspired nails from some of your favorite beauty bloggers!
• Argan oil is all the rage! The Lacquered Lady tries out Maijan's version of this classic hair product.
• Polarbelle blows her prejudice away and finally tries the Nars Buenos Aires Lip Gloss Pencil that she purchased months ago, much to her delight.
• Midnight Manicures brings you 2 beautful jelly glitter polishes from Haze Glaze

CGC:Kinky-Curly Knot Today Leave-in/Detangler

Kinky-Curly Knot Today Leave In Conditioner and Detangler

Product Description:  Knot Today is a leave-in conditioner and detangler designed to smooth the cuticle and remove knots, snarls and tangles from kinky-textured hair. To use, apply Knot Today throughout the hair and comb troubled areas with a wide-tooth comb. Do not rinse out, but you may apply in the shower and run a little water through to evenly distribute the product. 

Ingredients: Mango fruit extract, slipper elm, marshmallow root, lemongrass, cetyl alcohol, behentrimonium methosulfate, citric acid, phenoxyethanol and natural fragrance

silicone free, sulfate free, organic, protein free, glycerin free, animal friendly
My Take: This was a game changer for us! I used to wrestle to comb out my daughter's thick, 4b hair using a wide tooth comb and a regular leave in conditioner or baby detangling spray. Let's just say, that method was painful for both of us! When using Knot Today, I don't even need a comb to get through all the knots and tangles. It leaves her hair soft and smooth and not at all heavy. Best of all, she no longer wails like a banshee when it's time to do her hair! 

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Strips for Your Toes? Yes Please!

I shared my affection (can't believe how late in the game I was) for Sally Hansen's Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips here, so I jumped at the chance to try some more. Not only have they added TONS of new designs and colors (really, there's something there for EVERYBODY), now there are...

Enjoy Some SoCal Pampering at Bellacures!

If you're looking for an exceptional, full service, ultra accommodating nail spa experience, than Bellacures is for you. Over the top service is provided from the moment you walk into the door. Someone is there to greet you offer you a variety of refreshments, as well as assist you in picking the perfect mail color to compliment your skin tone and the season. They have an impressive inventory of nail colors organized by color groups to make choosing super easy. The next thing that sets Bellacures apart from the many, many other nail spas is the chairs!!! No matter which of their services you are getting they are all performed in the most soft, cozy, comfortable chair you've ever sat in, making you feel completely relaxed, and pampered. 

Getting It Straight with Redken and Pureology

I love my curls and 90% of the time, my hair is in a mass of ringlets. But sometimes I long for the length and sleekness I get when my hair is straight (and I swear I look 10 pounds thinner when my hair is tamed). So as much as I experiment with products to take care of and make the most out of my curls, I'm also forever on the hunt to find the perfect combination of products and methods to maintain my hair when I wear it straight.