A Fresh Start For Spring…

Hey yall! My Essence April Box arrived at the end of April. Like the last ones, I wanted to give everything a good try before I posted about it. The April box came with new art on the box but just as pretty as the other ones. They changed the box cover because it is spring and wanted to let subscribers know that Spring is the time for a fresh start. I don’t know about you, but my skin definitely changes from those winter dry months to the spring and summer months. So I couldn’t wait to spring into this box! (Pun intended) I am listing these in the order of what I have used the most.

The Mally Shadow Stick:

I love it! Primer, shadow base and eye shadow all in one. Products that do more than one thing are a huge help sometimes. I don’t usually wear eyeshadow much but wore this almost everyday last week. I have watched videos on how to do smokey eyes and all that other stuff but can never seem to get it right. I don’t own a ton of make-up brushes either nor do I have time in the morning to get fancy with eye make-up. I like to keep it cute but simple. The Mally Shadow stick gets it done simply. A little bit of color for a short amount of time. This is definitely perfect for the person like me that is not good at applying eyeshadow. The color I received was, “Copper Rose” It is a very nice color that went with just about everything I wore for the week! The photo is of me wearing the shadow to my Mother’s Day Brunch that hubby treated me to.

Jane Carter Solution Seal & Shine:

This is a moisturizing product with oils for strands and scalp. It is said to reduce dryness and add shine. I must have really dry hair because I did not notice the shine but it felt so good on my scalp when I sprayed it on. I like the idea of having the oils in a spray bottle. The spray bottle in the Essence box is just a sample size but I like having it small like that too; it’s easier to handle. When I first tried it, I could not stand the scent. It seemed overpowering. I went out to brunch that day after using it and I felt that all I could smell was my hair. However, I gave it a 2nd chance and the smell did not bother me as much. I use it as often as I need to. I can see this being a great spray for braided hair especially when it heats us up and some of us put in two-strand twists, jumbo braids, cornrows or other protective braiding styles. I had my hair corn-rowed under my wig and sprayed my scalp and braids before putting my wig cap on. *wink

Bioderma Sebium H2O:

This is a makeup remover for combination/oily skin with micellar water. This is a soap-free cleanser that does not need to be rinsed. You can use it as make-up remover or toner. I mostly have used this to take off my dark red lipstick and it works wonderful. My biggest issue with wearing lipstick is that sometimes my lips are stained after removing. That is no problem when using this. It doesn’t taste good though, so I try not to lick my lips after. I also used it as a toner and it felt AH-Maz-ING! Love it! I used this sample all up and would not mind buying it in full size. However, for 16.81 ounces, the price is $18.31 on Amazon.com

Coconut Curly leave-in conditioner:

I have used this a couple of times as a leave-in after washing. It had a pleasant smell, which is a big deal for me. Like most leave-ins, I was expecting for it to have some detangling aid. I found that this did not help with detangling at all. It did however, give my natural curl pattern more hold and less frizz. Kind of reminds me of Uncle Funky’s Curl Stimulator that I received in my March beauty box. I had to use another leave-in with this one to help with the detangling. I tried again when my hair was dry and already straightened (stretched but not flat-ironed). I liked it much better that way. It felt like I had added some moisture to my hair without giving any frizz. This is an ok product. I don’t think I will try it as a leave-in after washing because that was a difficult detangle time. But I will use it as a moisturizer on my dry hair again. The bottle actually came full, but you can see from the pic how much I have used.

Palmer’s Cocoa butter stick:

This is a staple that everyone should have. I didn’t open the one in my essence box because I already have two of these. I keep one at work in my desk and the other at home. I use this for chapped lips, elbows, knees and whatever else is dry and needs moisture. It smells good too, kind of like…cake batter a little bit. It is extremely easy for me to use on my fast, wiggly kiddos too. Ashy cheeks or knees this is a great product!

Vitamin C spot treatment:

This is a cream for fading dark spots and boy oh boy do I have them on my face and chin area. I have used this but not much. It says to use at night as the last part of your nighttime routine. Often at night, I am so tired from putting the kids to bed that I wash and brush and pass out. I forget to use this. It will take some time I think to see some results. I will definitely remind myself to use this nightly. I think I can get about 2-3 weeks out of the tube Essence sent. I will see how it works and update you!