Simple Concept Style

Coloring hair at home, new hair products & no water needed leave-in

I cut off all of my hair last summer. I got my hair colored honey blonde at Stocks and Blonde salon in San Jose. I loved the color but disliked the brassiness caused by not using the correct products at first. Additionally, the colorist left patches of my hair un-colored with bright yellow bleach.

Since my (third) big chop, I’ve been exploring different hair products to grow my hair out. I purchased three Oribe hair products: leave-in, deep treatment, and curl control. The leave-in smells delightful and floral. Importantly, I can maintain moisture in my hair for at least 2 days without reapplying. The deep treatment does make my hair soft and the curl control works as well to moisturize. I will update if this product helps with faster hair growth.

However, the real star product for daily use is Palmers Coconut Oil leave-in, one word, effective. Finally, I no longer have water dripping down from my hair to my neck because this product moisturizes with little to no water. I just spritz some in and use my detangling brush and add one to two spritzes of water from my spray bottle and my hair is ready to go. It looks moisturized and feels soft. I have never had a daily hair leave-in work this well for me since I first went natural in 2013.

Overall, Oribe products are a fun splurge but Palmers Coconut Oil leave-in is most useful for day-to-day use.

I colored my hair at home with L’Oreal Honey Blonde and Volume 20 Developer. I only purchased 2 boxes of the honey blonde but I think I needed three boxes for better coverage. I additionally could have used volume 30 developer for brighter/lighter color but I wanted to minimize hair damage and practice with volume 20. I mixed equal parts color to developer and applied it to my hair roots to ends for 20 minutes. Then, rinsed and shampooed with color safe shampoo. I’m very happy with the results and lack of brassiness. I added a little flaxseed gel to the front for definition. ❤

An ice cube a day keeps the pores away ~ Hello Spring Haul

I purchased some goodies from Sokoglam, ByTerry, and Target. I have some recommendations and finds below:

Target Candle, The Collection, Tea Leaves – Amazing spring celebratory candle. It is not a floral scent, it smells like sweetened green tea, herbal, and fresh. It has good throw in the medium sized room I put it in. I love that this scent is just universally pleasant and neutral rather than super feminine or masculine. It smells calming yet noticeable and it does not upset my nose or eyes. I dislike purchasing scented candles with no punch or smell because I feel it just defeats the purpose. But this candle is so good I purchased another one and also the White Citron candle from the same line.

Target Candle, Opalhouse, Neon Guava – I use this candle in my bedroom and it fills up the entire room fairly quickly. The scent is mellow, sweet, and fruity. Like The Collection line, Opalhouse is another brand that carries nicely scented candles at an affordable price. Specifically, I’ve found Opalhouse depression glass jar candles perform the best from their range because the scents smells the strongest in their jar candle type.

Tree Hut Body Scrub in Exotic Bloom – I always recommend Tree Hut body scrubs because I prefer non-oily scrubs and an exfoliated-clean feel after use. The exotic bloom scent made with lavender and hemp is strong, floral, and just fantastically spring / summer. This scrub makes not only you but the whole shower smell great.

ByTerry Cellularose Nutri Pure Face Wash – This is my top splurge recommendation on this list. The signature rose scent of their products simply makes you feel special. This face wash is amazing because lathers well, is scented with rose, and non-drying.

ByTerry Dual Exfoliation Face Scrub – This face scrub has very small fine particles to exfoliate that are not sharp or abrasive feeling. It is completely an everyday appropriate scrub. The rose scent is present and lovely just like the face wash.

Vitamin C face wash – I like this face wash because it is exfoliating however it is a bit difficult to make into a paste. This face wash is a powder that becomes a paste when mixed in damp hands. If my hands are too wet it becomes liquidly and less effective. All in all, I do like using it but its my least favorite purchase in this haul.

Vitamin C serum – LOVE this vitamin c serum! It completely faded the pigmentation I had on my face from a recent breakout in one week. I feel like my face looks even and balanced again. I highly recommend checking this out.

Vitamin C mask – This is a clay-like consistency mask that functions to brighten the complexion. I like that the mask is less drying and thick than the average clay mask, it has small exfoliating beads as well. This entire vitamin c line at Sokoglam has all together made my complexion brighter.

Bee Venom – I’ve reviewed and recommended this before and will continue to purchase it as a splurge every now and then. I love using this balm at night all over my face and neck. I’ve found that I wake up with smaller pores when I use this balm (and an ice cube twice daily, of course).

Licorice toner – I got this toner for free with my order. I’m happy they sent this because I would have not picked it out myself. The licorice feels so nice on my face and it makes my skin feel more awake and clean in the mornings. It has green tea extract and peony extract as well.

Licorice eye cream – I have not had any adverse reaction to this eye cream as someone with sensitive eyes. It has many useful ingredients like green tea and caffeine. I like that this eye cream is in a tube making it easy to use on-the-go or traveling. The consistency is perfect, it is less thick than the Youth to the People eye cream and other popular products. This makes it easier to apply, it sinks in a single application.

Saturday Skin Brightening eye cream – This eye cream also has a functional design with a pump making it on-the-go friendly. The eye cream mainly functions to brighten than to help with wrinkles or plump the skin like the Licorice eye cream above. Saturday Skin is a great brand and they make effective brightening and exfoliating products in my opinion. I think this eye cream suits someone with little eye care concerns in the market for something moisturizing and brightening.

Nivea Body Lotion in Cherry Blossom – I choose the Cherry Blossom lotion scent to embody cherry blossom season. This lotion is lighter than the coco-butter ones from this line and therefore more seasonally appropriate for hotter weather.

Jo Malone Vitamin E lip balm – Is this a lip balm or sorcery? As soon as I apply this lip treatment any and all dryness disappears. It feels nourishing and non-greasy. I love it so much that I use it throughout the day. ❤

Estrellita’s Spring Haul

Her new car seat-basket is from Amazon, its collapsible and has a seat belt that can connect to her harness in the seat. They provide 2 pieces of hard plastic to give structure to the sides. During set up, I found the plastic was placed in the large front pocket with a zipper. Set up was easy and fast, I just connected the belts to loop it over the seat head and added the plastic to the sides of the seat. This dog car seat can booster higher as well. For greater security I made her seat belt a little tighter so she could not get out of her car seat. At first she protested a bit but after 5 minutes she lounged, took a nap, and calmly looked out the window.

I upgraded her harness to a matching purple one with gingham print for spring with the matching purple leash. I love the vivid purple color that is an exact match to her car seat. The only downside to the harness is that the white Velcro remains visible. I purchased a small, my 10 month old puppy is only 6.5lbs, and has a very skinny upper body yet the Velcro still is visible at the top when it is on her body.

It seems this is the design of the vest because other puppies much smaller and younger than her also have visible Velcro in the Amazon review pictures. Overall, for under $14, I still like the vest for the color and style to celebrate the spring season!

I purchase some allergy chews for her from Target because I noticed that she was experiencing spring allergies. I give her a little less than half a chew a day. It has significantly reduced her scratching and irritation. She barely scratches herself now and appears much more comfortable throughout the day.

💜

☁️Outfits☁️

Etsy Shop – Sunday Clothes – Bandana Top

I love this handmade bandana top that comes in a range of colors and sizes (XS to XL). You can tie it tightly in the back for support. The satin or silk look is fashionable today but this top is also is a classic piece that can be layered or accessorized to stand the test of time.

Pueblo Stone Jewelry – Native American Art Shop

I’m pictured in both looks wearing Zuni earrings from Pueblo Stone and a Navajo necklace. I highly recommend this shop on Etsy to purchase authentic Native American (mostly Zuni) art and jewelry with all proceeds going directly to Native Americans. I love wearing such a vibrant piece that is representative of a rich true American history. As a history buff its cool to read text from Spanish colonizers describing the Zuni tribe use of turquoise and to actually wear it today. ❤

Free People Body Suit

I love that this body suit is made of stretchy fabric. There are clasps at the bottom of the body suit that makes it more convenient to wear. The puffed sleeves add a little flare to the simple look. I love the quality of the fabric and that its the perfect shade of black. It can be dressed up or down. It was easy to steam before wearing it because the fabric barely wrinkles.

Reformation Jeans light denim pictured above and black below

These jeans are described as comfortable and stretchy and they are just that. I love that I feel so free to move in them. I think the high waisted feature adds a retro touch. They feel super soft on and just like the body suit they’re easy to dress up or down. ❤

My Eye Skincare

Youth to the People Dream Eye Cream – This is a night eye cream that purposely swells / firms up the skin under the eyes to prevent the look of eye sagging and crows feet. I love that this product feels like an eye “reset” and my eyes bounce back to a more refreshed look by the time I wake up in the morning. If you only try one product from this list look into this one.

Dior Capture Totale Eye Cream – This eye cream is ultra hydrating and great to use morning and night. The package does not have that much product but it does last some time because a little goes a long way. I enjoy using it all over my forehead.

Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Eye Patches – These eye patches don’t slide down my face after application and they are easy to apply. I wish the eye serum was more evenly applied because some eye patches are a bit dried out while others are drenched with serum. I love to use these while working at my laptop with my glasses on over the top or at night more comfortably.

Peter Thomas Roth Firm Collagen Eye Cream – This eye cream has seven different forms of collagen. I love that the product is a gel so it is easy to apply and feels revitalizing on my eyes.

All in all, none of these eye care products act as a one-stop-shop purchase meaning they all help with one or two eye problems but they aren’t all-in-one miracle products when they stand alone. I’d say the Youth to the People eye cream has the most impactful difference on my eyes when used at night when enough product is used. Substantial eye care is so important with extended screen time so I’m open to learning about new products and tips. ❤

Bay Area Eats Series

Mexi-tamalli ~ Chocolate Mole, Tamales https://mexitamalli.com/

Hands down I already know when I make my final best food Bay Area Eats round up this year this food truck will get featured. Mexi-tamalli is run by two women and they create tasty, creative, thoughtful, and ambitious tamales at affordable prices. I ordered three and the price came up to $15.50 and rounded up to $16.90 with tax. The chocolate mole tamale was perfectly seasoned and the chocolate-chili aroma delighted the senses as an ideal pre-Valentines treat. The pork tamale tasted crispy and non-oily and the chicken tamale tasted lightly sweetened by the sweet corn. I ordered my tamales already prepared with sauces. I recommend enjoying the dish with the traditional sauces. I highly recommend checking them out. They often park on Saturdays at the Santa Clara Town Center. ❤

See you in the next installment, let me know your South Bay food recommendations ~

Spring Forward Perfume 🌹

Perfume Apothecary Wild Rose ~ Freesia, Litchi, Wild Rose, Apricot, Lily-of-theValley, Amber, Cedar notes

This newly launched in 2020 perfume embodies the romance of a true rose with a fresh and clean scent. The longevity is not the best but it does last a good 4 hours and very faintly afterwards.

Since I’m home more often having super long longevity is less important because I can reapply as needed. What I love about this floral scent is how sophisticated it smells for the affordable price $48. Additionally, this fragrance mixes well with other scents. It smells wonderful when paired with scented body lotions.

It sincerely has the aroma of rose petals at first application with a touch of apricot. I think this perfume is the perfect late winter, early spring scent because it adds a bit of floral freshness to my day and paves the way forward to spring flowers. Also, this perfume smells similar to Chloe eau de Parfum Chloé. I could not put my finger on it before and figure out what exactly it smells so similarly to, but after looking at the Fragrantica site I finally see the connection.

This brand even has skincare products made with apothecary rose so if you’re into roses as much as I am definitely check it out. ❤

Have a rosy day 🌹

Etsy Business ~ Sugar Cookie Scrub & Vanilla Lavender Body Cream

I purchased the Sugar Cookie foot scrub and vanilla lavender body cream from the FleurdeLysss Etsy shop. This shop is excellent because the quality is outstanding, ingredients natural, packaging is sensible and delivery was timely. The sugar cookie foot scrub leaves my feet extremely soft. The the whipped body cream is hydrating and scented with relaxing lavender. My super sensitive body skin did not get irritated by the products. I purchased more products from this business for family because I was so impressed by the quality for the price. The foot scrub was only $4.50 and the body cream only $5.00. I highly recommend this place for affordable winter-friendly valentines gifts to yourself, family, and loved ones! ❤

Spa Shower pt 2

Body Product Time! I got some products from Target and Bed Bath & Beyond. Here are my dry winter skin spa shower recommendations:

Dr. Bronner’s Heal Soul Eucalyptus Soap – This soap is all-in-one in that is can be used on the face and body and in household cleaning as well. The Eucalyptus scent is invigorating and light. I’ve used the soap for my face too and it cleans my skin well but it is a tad too drying for the face. The consistency is watery and easy to lather. I love the brand’s mission to sustainability and mental health. Read Dr. Bronner’s story here – https://www.drbronner.com/about/ourselves/the-dr-bronners-story/

Tree Hut Cotton Candy Body Scrub – This is my favorite Tree Hut body scrub scent because it makes the entire bathroom smell like cotton candy. I feared the cotton candy smell would smell juvenile or chemical-like but it is perfectly balanced and more-so a sugary strawberry smell than anything else. I highly recommend giving this body scrub a try to have a little fun and enjoy a shower sweet treat while exfoliating. It makes my skin so soft that I do not even need to use a shower mitten when I use this.

Nivea Cocoa Butter Lotion – I do not see my exact bottle listed online on Target so I’m linking the other Cocoa Butter lotion from this line. I love how hydrating this lotion is it really brings dry winter skin back to life instantaneously.The scent is light and clean, and a little of the product goes a long way as well.

Dr. Teals Eucalyptus & Spearmint Body & Bath Oil – Another hydrating body product is the Dr. Teals body oil. This products also goes a long way with very little. It is affordable and under $5. The herbal scent rivals pricer products from the Bath & Body Works aromatherapy line. I like using it as a body oil at night. It also can be used in the bath. ❤

Portable at-home Steam Sauna

I purchased an at-home steam sauna from Wayfair. It is currently out of stock but there are similar ones on Amazon and Wayfair should restock soon. ***back in stock now

Pros: This is the best purchase I’ve made this year thus far because the fact that I can use it at home makes the process more hygienic. Additionally, having my head out of the steam area allows for more comfortable extended time in the sauna room because the cool air makes the warmth of the room more bearable. I love to add a little eucalyptus oil to the bottom mat. The arm holes in the room are convenient to reach for things like the side pocket, to hold a cellphone, or a cup of water. There is only one side pocket.

The set up was fast and easy, the only confusing part was the tubes and understanding where to put them but after seeing videos of others putting it together it became easy; just one outer tube to the steam machine and another to the small white steam pot that goes under the chair. Overall, love how effective the steam room is and how I feel afterwards like I just had a full body massage.

Cons: The water MUST be filled to the max line on the steam machine or it will not start. The machine is a little slow to start steaming up so I always use boiling water to speed up the timing. When I do fill to the max line and use boiling water it only takes about 5-7 minutes to fill the room with steam. It does take a little time to dry out the room after use like about 30 minutes. I like to use a hair dryer to dry the inside and air out the bottom mat outside on my patio. The remote control does not come with the necessary AAA batteries.

Overall, I love this machine and I cannot recommend it enough because for the price you get your money’s worth in only 2-3 uses. It is more hygienic and private as a portable room and you can set the mood however you like from the privacy of your own home. In my beauty learning journey I’ve found that steam is the key to everything from hair growth to clear skin. If you invest in one self-care item this year I recommend a full body at-home steam sauna. ❤