Goddess Find: The Wet Brush

I haven't written a beauty ("goddess") post in a while because I've been so focused on marathon training, but I have to share this amazing beauty find with you because it's changed my life (I'm only being a little sarcastic).

My hair is quite long and quite a hassle to brush after showering. I'm very minimal and like to only use shampoo (no conditioner or 2-in-1) so my hair isn't weighed down and so I can take fast showers. I tried a few different detangle and leave-in conditioner sprays but they barely helped and left my hair feeling icky. I then looked to my favorite beauty blog, 312 Beauty, and searched for "detangle." A post about the Wet Brush was the first result and I hadn't even considered that a brush would be the answer to my detangle problems.

I was intrigued and purchased The Wet Brush on Amazon. My first time using the brush after a shower, I was so amazed that I had to run out the bathroom and show Ryan how the brush was seamlessly separating my hair. It works like magic. The brush doesn't pull on your hair and gets all the knots out in less than a minute. See the before and after images below.

Before

After

I've come really close to chopping my hair off because of the brushing hassle and this brush saved the day! Now if only I can figure out how to effectively keep my hair out of my face when I'm working out/running...

Do you have long or short hair?

How do you secure your hair while working out? (Guys have it so easy...)

Review: Wantable - makeup and jewelry subscription service

Monthly subscription services by mail are becoming more and more popular because they allow you to try new products or get new things for a lower price. I'm excited to introduce a new monthly makeup and jewelry box service, Wantable! Wantable sends you box full up makeup or jewelry each month (or just one-time). All pieces are full-size and not sample size, like some other subscription services. I got the chance to try out the makeup box and my first impression was the fancy-looking packaging (pictured below).

Before ordering from Wantable, you take a pretty extensive style quiz that asks for your eye color, skin type, etc. and also your makeup preferences (there is a style quiz for the jewelry box too). I really liked this aspect because I was able to say what kind of makeup I do and don't use and what colors I like to wear. For example, I said that I love nail polish and eyeshadow but don't use blush. I could also pick my favorite color palettes for each type of makeup. The quiz is great because I'm not going to get a full-size makeup product that I won't use.

The box came with five full-size make up items (total retail value of $86):

29 Cosmetics D'Vine Mascara - This mascara came in dark brown which is perfect for my complexion. It not only lengthens lashes but also contains vitamins to nourish lashes promoting strength and natural shine.

FACE Stockholm Cream Lipstick Leva - I don't wear a lot of lipstick but the color of this one is subtle enough for me to want to wear it. It gives my lips a nice natural color and softness.

KnockOut Cosmetics Flatte Polish Libery - I'm all about mint everything, including my nails! This nail polish is a great color and dries very quickly. I got plenty of compliments on it!

Apothederm Firming Serum - This serum should be applied to the face and neck after washing and contains botanicals and other advanced ingredients to help refine skin.

Lise Watier Glamour Rose Eyeshadow Gold - I like glimmery (but not showy) eyeshadows so this one is great! I used it on the base of my eyelids with a darker color on the outside corners and it really made my eyes shine.

Overall, I give Wantable a positive review and I'm actually going to order a jewerly box on my own because I want to see what's in it! I probably won't get the makeup box every month because I really don't use that much makeup. The good thing is that you can easily pause the subscription. Let me know what you think if you decide to try it out!

How it Works
Go to Wantable and select makeup or jewelry. Then, take the style quiz. You can select to get one box for $40 or a box each month for a  monthly subscription fee of $36. The monthly subscription can be paused or cancelled at any time. Shipping is free and you can also return the box if you don't like it (some boxes are eligible for partial returns). Also, check out Wantable on Facebook and Twitter!

Disclaimer: Wantable did not sponsor this post but they did send me the makeup box for free to write a review on my blog. All text and opinions are my own.

Review: Number 4 Hair Care

In an effort to expand the "goddess" mission of my blog by writing about beauty, I've joined Birch Bloggers! Birchbox is a subscription service that includes samples of beauty products for only $10 per month. Sign up now if you haven't already! You seriously get your money's worth in each month's box. Plus, many of the samples come in small sizes that are very convenient for travel. I really enjoy getting the surprises in the box each month and I've even found a few beauty products that I've loved and now use consistently. Anyway, Birchbox gives away chances to bloggers to review beauty products and I was lucky enough to try out Number 4 Hair Care!

I am trying to buy more natural beauty products so I was excited when I received Number 4 Hair Care. All of the products are vegan and free of gluten, paraben, sulfate, and sodium chloride. They are also highly-concentrated, so there is no waste with watering down. I recieved the Hydrating Shampoo, Hydrating Conditioner, and Blow Dry Lotion. The shape of the shampoo and conditioner bottles is great because they actually fit on your bathtub ledge without falling down!

Each formula of Number 4 Haircare contains the following signature Liquid Complex Culture:

• Liquid Vibrancy - color protecting and enhancing botanicals
• Liquid Vitality - anti-aging, soothing ingredients
• Liquid Defense - balance of proteins and moisturizers for increased manageability
• Liquid Purity - Prevents buildup while protecting color and natural sheen without sulfates or sodium chloride

I decided to try out the products for 3 weeks before I wrote a review. I did this because it seems that every time you use a new shampoo, your hair always feels great. I wanted to use the hair products for a while before I formed an opinion. I'm actually pretty low-mainence with my hair and use very few products. My usual routine after working out in the morning is to wash it with shampoo (I've been using Clear lately), use some de-tangle leave-in conditioner, brush it out, and let it air dry while I drive to work. For a night out or other special occasion, I'll also use conditioner in the shower and blow dry it. I try to limit heating my hair as much as possible because I know it causes breakage. 

After using Number 4 shampoo and conditioner for 3 weeks, my hair feels and looks amazing! I haven't had a single "bad hair day" and I can even see a difference with how healthy my ends look. I have some ombre highlights in my hair that have made my ends looks worse but I think the new hair products have actually mended some breakage. My hair feels fuller and softer, even though it's still winter weather here in Chicago. 

I know it's hard to tell in the picture, but my hair is more vibrant than before. It is usually very flat and thin looking, especially in the winter. I really like that the shampoo and conditioner feel like their are cleaning my scalp and repairing my hair. I also used the blow dry lotion a few times before blow drying my hair. It did not weight down my hair, which is a good thing. I would have to use it consistently for much longer to determine if it was actually protecting my hair from the blow dry heat. 

Probably one of the most impressive things about the hair products was that my hair looked good even the day after washing it! I don't wash my hair every single day so this is important to me. My hair was not flat and oily the next day like it usually is. 

Overall, I'm very impressed with the Number 4 hair care line and I plan to continue using the shampoo and conditioner. I would also recommend it to my readers! It works for any hair type. 

What's your current favorite hair care product?

Do you blow-dry or air-dry?

Disclaimer: Birchbox and Number 4 Hair Care provdided me with the products for review but all of the opinions are my own.

Birchbox - sample beauty products!

When I first started this blog, I meant to write posts on beauty along with health and fitness, hence the "goddess" part of the name. However, I don't really use a lot of beauty products and I'm often too lazy to do the DIY beauty things that I find on Pinterest. So in an effort to make myself more "beautiful" I signed up for Birchbox to try sample beauty products. Birchbox is a great service that sends you samples of beauty products once a month for $10. You can then buy products you like right off the website.

 



 

 

Here's my first box with the product descriptions! First of all, I think the $10 is defnitely a good value because nail polish alone can cost $5-$8. The color is a very pretty indigo and I loved it on my nails. The Twistband is a decorative hair tie and I would like it except that it's red (which is my least favorite color and I never wear it). I really like the Kate Spade perfume smells really good and I like having small perfume samples to travel with. I didn't care much for the two creams. Finally, I was suprised to see tea in the box! I guess you could call tea a beauty product. I've had this brand before so I know it's good.

 

Are you a Birchbox member?

 

What's your favorite perfume?