LBS Beauty Review: MegaGrowth Detangling Conditioner + Giveaway

I'm back with another product review guys. This one is courtesy MegaGrowth. They sent me their complete collection of new products including their Pro-Growth Anti-Breakage collection.

There were so many different products in the lineup but since I'm still rocking my extensions and I'm sensitive about product overload, I decided to start small with their Anti-Breakage Detangling Conditioner.

There are so many different uses for a great conditioner so I thought that was a good start. You can use it as part of a pre-poo treatment, after shampoo or just for the purposes of detangling hair. And this collection was created for both relaxed and naturals, so that's a win.

So I started here with super dry and frizzy hair in dire need of detangling. I used the Anti-Breakage Detangling Conditioner as part of my pre-poo regimen. On weeks when I'm not co-washing my curls (both my natural leave-out and my Indique extensions), I start my regimen with a pre-poo. For this, I simply dampen my hair and run conditioner through it and then proceed to detangle my hair while it's damp (instead of soaking wet). I let it sit for 15 minutes, then I wash my hair in sections.

Before I do anything, I separate the hair into 4 even sections. It makes the detangling process so much easier and it assures that I get the product evenly all around the hair. When I have my full head of natural curls exposed, I actually do this in 6-8 sections since my hair is shorter than this.

I started the first section off by simply dampening the hair with lukewarm water.

I then applied the Anti-Breakage Detangling Conditioner, which has a thick creamy consistency (and smells really fruity too). I will say just a little bit of this product goes a LONG way. I didn't really need all of what I put in my hand for this one section so definitely use the product sparingly.

I started off by smoothing it onto my natural curls on top. It actually soaked into the hair really well and didn't leave any white residue.

Next, I proceeded to apply the conditioner to my Indique extensions. It gave the curls a nice shine and made the detangling process relatively easy. I started from the ends and worked my way up to the root. Again, to avoid buildup, I would suggest only using a dime-sized amount for each section.

Here's a closeup of how the hair (my natural curls and the extensions) looked after applying the MegaGrowth Anti-Breakage Detangling Conditioner.

Overall thoughts about the product: a) I love the smell and consistency b) Use sparingly! A little goes a long way c) Works great as a pre-poo treatment or simply as an affordable conditioner just for detangling the hair before or after shampoo.

Interested in trying out? MegaGrowth has agreed to give 5 lucky winners both their Anti-Breakage Detangling Conditioner as well as their Leave-In Strengthener to try out. Just enter your information below to be entered to win a set of products:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends Friday, June 7th at 12AM EST. This review and product giveaway is sponsored by MegaGrowth. All opinions expressed herein are solely my own and not those of the company.

LBS Beauty Review: MAC RiRi Woo vs. Ruby Woo

You guys remember how hyped I was for the release of bad gyal Rihanna's very first lipstick collaboration with MAC Cosmetics, right? I practically had my shopping cart ready to go 24 hours before the grand premiere. I was one of the lucky hopefuls who scored a stick of Rihanna's MAC RiRi Woo greatness before it sold out online only hours before going on sale.

As a red lipstick fanatic, I'm obsessed with finding new ones to try and obsess over. And now that I have RiRi Woo in my beauty arsenal, here's a snapshot of the main differences I see between RiRi Woo and my absolute fave MAC Ruby Woo. Check out the review below:

So upon first glance, RiRi Woo looks VERY similar to MAC's classic Ruby Woo. It's a matte, highly pigmented red that works for a myriad of skin complexions. That's what drew me to the color originally - so many recommendations from women of different shades.

Looking at them side by side from afar they look basically identical. On the left is MAC RiRi Woo and on the right is my highly-used (I literally wear it almost daily) Ruby Woo stick.

Upon closer inspection though, you'll notice that RiRi Woo has a deeper tint with more bluish undertones. This works perfect for skin shades that are deeper because the color really comes through with a bold finish. Here's a swatch of the two on my skin:

Top: RiRi Woo, Bottom: Ruby Woo

Here you can see against my skin that RiRi Woo (top) is a little deeper with a bluish base. It has more of a sultry night-time feel to it.

 Next up, I took pictures in both colors. Here's how they look on (don't mind me coloring outside the lines lol):

Very subtle difference between the two that's barely noticeable but there's a difference for sure. So for those of you wondering which one works best for you (or whether to splurge on RiRi Woo once it comes back out later this summer), here's a snapshot of what they look like.

Wearing MAC Ruby Woo

I'm still obsessed with my Ruby Woo. I don't think anything can separate me from my first love.

Wearing MAC RiRi Woo

But I'll be rocking out with Rihanna's namesake this summer as well. I'll probably alternate between the two. For you lovelies of different skin complexions, here are links to some of my favorite fellow bloggers doing reviews of Ruby Woo vs. RiRi Woo debate:

For deeper-skinned beauties, check out Danielle of Style & Beauty Doctor 

The Glamazons also have a review featuring Glamazons Jessica and Margo

Caramel-skinned beauties, check out Melanie of OSoChic's review

Olive-skinned ladies, check out Marisa of You Had Me at Makeup

Would you purchase RiRi Woo? What are your red lip faves? Soundoff below!

LBS Beauty: Motions Straight Finish Collection Review + GIVEAWAY

For those of you like me who enjoy the versatility of natural hair, and exploring all the options your hair has to offer, whether its wearing a curly fro or rocking it sleek & straight, Motions® Haircare has a new product line catered specifically for you. Their Straight Finish™ Collection is a line of three products geared towards taking natural hair from curly to straight, and they sent me a sneak peek at the full range collection. Here's what I thought:

So the collection consists of a Cleanser, Leave-In Conditioner and a Sealer. Using the products together is supposed to produce smooth and sleek strands for curly girls like myself, who want to go from curly to straight.

Even though I'm currently wearing Indique extensions, I wanted to test the product out, so I decided to straighten the natural curls that I have left out of my extensions and blend them in after straightening. I started with just three-day old twistout hair.

The Straight Finish™ Cleanser includes a blend of Shea Butter, Soy Bean oil and Keratin protein as part of the ingredients list. Although it does have SLS in it (Sodium Laureth Sulfate) which I normally try to avoid, it has a milky consistency that was not stripping to my hair at all.

I was pleasantly surprised by how moisturizing the formula is. Milky shampoos tend to do well with my hair as they help preserve moisture and they provide the slip needed for detangling.

The Straight Finish™Leave-In Conditioner had more of a cream consistency. It was really thick in texture but went onto the hair really light, melting right in. It made my curls feel soft and moisturized. It was super easy for me to detangle and twist the hair in sections after using the leave-in.

These are the tools I was working with for my attempt at straightening. (Left to right: Instyler, Conair Curling Iron, Wide Tooth Comb, Ionic Blow Dryer w/ Comb Attachment)

I tend to use serums as a prep for my hair before I apply any heat. I never use heat on my hair without protection as I want to maintain my curls and not sustain any permanent heat damage. So I lightly blew out my my curls from root to tip on low heat and promptly applied the Straight Finish™ Sealer to my strands before straightening.

After that, instead of flat-ironing, I used my Instyler on Medium heat to lightly straighten the strands. 

Already, they look glossy and shiny without being too oily.

Next I used the curling iron similar to a curling wand by taking chunks of my own hair with the extensions and twirling it around the base of the curling iron for big, fluffy curls.

I'm so pleased with the results! My natural hair is bouncy, has a light natural shine and blends really well with my extensions after trying the Motions® Straight Finish™ collection.

It smells amazing, the sealer gave my hair superb luster and shine (without it feeling too heavily weighed down) and using the cleanser and leave-in in tandem left my curls feeling really moisturized. Highly recommend this line!

I'm also running a fun giveaway for ONE of you lovelies to try out the complete collection and win a FREE Proliss Flat Iron to complete your #curly2straight look. Rules below:

1. You must be following @LoveBrownSugar on Instagram and/or Twitter
2. Submit a picture of your favorite straight-haired look. Highlight in the caption (or 140 characters) how you would use the Motions Straight Finish™ product to achieve the look on yourself, and make sure to tag me @LoveBrownSugar w/ hashtag #curly2straight
3. For bonus entry, tweet your submission tagging @MotionsHair on Twitter and using hashtag #curly2straight

This weekend I will be attending a fun night on the town with Motions® and their celeb stylist and Global Ambassador Ursula Stephen. We'll be getting a sneak preview of her new salon in Brooklyn, as well as hitting the town for a fun concert.

The winner of this contest will be announced in my recap post on Monday, May 6th - good luck!

LBS Beauty Review: Karen's Body Beautiful + Giveaway

Ever since I went natural back in November 2010 (for the last & final time), I've been on the continuous hunt for products that treat my hair well without harsh chemicals or ingredients. One of my absolute favorite all-natural hair collections is Karen's Body Beautiful. I received a few of their samples in a goodie bag a few years ago and I've been a fan of the brand ever since. Once a small shop based out of Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, KBB's fans and consumer base have grown over the years due to their amazing product lineup.

So when KBB reached out and told me they were branching off into mega-retailer Target, I was beyond excited. Their products are now available in select Target stories nationwide. Major! Here's how I wash, condition & style my hair using Karen's Body Beautiful:

Step 1: Moisturize with Hair Blossom Moisture Mist

Starting off with dry hair, before attempting to shampoo & condition I first mist my hair with a moisturizing spray so I can lightly finger detangle. The moisture helps prevent breakage, especially on my ends.

Step 2: Detangle hair and twist hair in even sections

I normally stick to 8 twists (4 on each side) and I shampoo my lightly detangled hair in these sections. If they unravel, I just retwist after conditioning.

Step 3: Shampoo in sections

I like to cocktail different products with my regimen. So to start off, I clarify with a clarifying shampoo and follow up with a moisturizing shampoo. Next, it's time to deep condition!

Step 4: Deep Condition with Luscious Locks Hair Mask

This might be one of my absolute favorite deep conditioners. With all-natural ingredients like Aloe Butter, Jojoba Oil, Rosemary Oil and Vitamin E, this stuff smells & feels like heaven on my hair.

Step 5: Rinse & apply Sweet Ambrosia Leave-In Conditioner

This is another KBB must-have. It's great as part of a weekly wash regimen but also works wonders on refreshing dry curls when they need a pick-me-up. It also smells like heaven in a bottle.

Step 6: Seal in moisture with Super Duper Hydrating Hair Cream

One of the things I've learned along my natural journey is that moisture don't last always! You have to seal it in with either an oil or a butter after applying leave-in condish. If not, your curls will undoubtedly be brittle before you know it. Trust me, I know.

Step 7: Style using Hold It Hair Gel w/ Argan Oil

Next, I two-strand twisted my hair using the Hold It Hair Gel. Formulated with Argan Oil, Aloe Vera and Hydrolized Silk Proteins, it sets a style and nourishes hair at the "same damn time". This gel is super light and allows for flexible hold. If you want to set your style without the "crunchy" effect, this is a great gel styler.

Step 8: Air dry & release twists using Butter Love

Final step! I placed a dime-sized amount of the Butter Love in between my palms when taking down my twists to keep the curl pattern in tact and to add an extra layer of moisture.

Volia! Verdict is in - my curls love some Karen's Body Beautiful! 

Because I love them so much, I'm giving one of you a chance to win a FULL SET of KBB products, the same ones I used above. Instructions below:

Rules
1. You must be following LoveBrownSugar on Facebook and/or Twitter to be eligible.
2. You must be a fan of Karen's Body Beautiful on Facebook to be eligible.
2. Leave a comment in the section below.
3. For bonus entry, tweet @LoveBrownSugar @KarensBeautiful with a link to this post.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

LBS Fashion: Ice Watch Arm Candy

Like I mentioned yesterday in my Instaweek post, the lovely folks at Ice-Watch were nice enough to gift me with a brand new watch from their signature Sili Forever collection for me to test drive. This is their first time premiering in the US and they're really coming in with a bang, debuting their line at Macy's department stores.

When it comes to fine jewelry and watches, I'm more of a classic girl. I stick to styles that are very basic in finishes like gold and silver. After all, I wear one every day! But when I saw the super cute collection of Ice-Watches that come in fun punchy colors like yellow, blue, pink, and purple, I couldn't resist. There's nothing like a bright-colored accessory to give your winter wardrobe a kick.

First, let's start with the cute packaging. Is this not adorbs?! It's like a LEGO piece. They all come in this packaging so that as you amass more colors, you can stack them up like LEGO pieces. So cute! In addition, the box doubles as a piggy bank with the slit at the top (trust me, its currently collecting couch quarters - tryna save up for a house, y'all.)

Here are three different ways I wore my Yellow Sili Forever Ice-Watch (Macys.com, $99.00):

1. The Ice Stands Alone: The classic way to wear a watch, allowing it to make a statement all on it's own.

2. The Arm Party: Arm parties are all the rage. Ice-Watch is a great guest for mine.

It adds a nice pop of color to the wrist and it goes with so many different bangles in my arsenal.

3. The Double Whammy: That's right. Not one, but TWO watches. Why? Because I can.

What I love about the watch overall is that it's not super bulky or flashy. It's subtle enough for everyday wear, but still allows you to make a bold statement with color.

How would you rock your Ice-Watch? 

To purchase an Ice-Watch of your own, check them out at Macys.com and in-store at Macy's Department stores across the US! 

Check out this video featuring Ice Watch at Macy's: