Thursday Thoughts - Maple Holistics Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo Review

I received a complimentary Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo from Maple Holistics on June 17th for review so I have given it a good month of testing before I wanted to put my thoughts out here 

 Just so you know my hair type before we dive in I have straight fine hair but I have a lot of it. I wash my hair every other day because my hair leans on the oily side but I can get away with not washing it every day.

Here are the claims from their website:

Remove buildup, restore volume and boost shine with our new, hotly anticipated apple cider vinegar shampoo. One of the most powerful ingredients in personal care, apple cider vinegar provides a variety of benefits for hair and scalp alike. We tap into its full potential in our apple cider vinegar shampoo, providing you with a shampoo that soothes the scalp, removes buildup, clarifies and adds or restores shine. Enriched with natural ingredients like sunflower, argan and jojoba oil, our apple cider vinegar shampoo is is sulfate and paraben-free making it great for all hair types, color treated hair, and sensitive skin.

I must say I agree with everything they say about this shampoo. It lathers nicely which like I have said in the past is the reason most people don't like natural shampoos. I noticed the volume and shine but I definitely also noticed that the clarifying and removing build up effect was a bit too much for my hair. So much so that instead of using this every time I shampoo'd I had to start alternating it with my Silk 18 shampoo which is also by them and is one of my top two go to shampoo's. 

 But alternating the two and using their Silk 18 conditioner after shampooing was doing very nice things for my hair. I have a lot more shine and a lot less breakage. My hair feels full but not heavy and it is super soft. It just looks healthy all around!!

The scent of this shampoo smells like a lemon balm plant to me and I am honestly not sure why cause I found no lemon in the ingredients. I don't really get too much apple cider vinegar smell which I am grateful for cause vinegar is not the best smell even if it's apple cider. 😉 I don't mind the scent but my husband could not get on board with it even though it literally dissipates right after you rinse it out. So if you don't like earthy natural scents it might not be for you.

So to wrap it up if you are in the market for a clarifying shampoo to use once a week or once every other week to give your hair a boost I would definitely give it a go.

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They also sent me a Acai Berry lip balm just as a bonus which was super sweet of them and I really love it! It smells like grape bubble gum and is pretty darn hydrating. 

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They have a really great article on their blog for summer hair care so be sure to check it out! I tend to do most of what is in the article. My biggest thing is letting my hair air dry in the summer because hello I live in FL and you literally start sweating the second you come near anything hot even if it's in the house in the AC! 🤣 Also using a hair mask once a week is a must and saves my hair in the heat of summer when I am always either in the pool or in the ocean. My favorite one at the moment is Shea Moisture's Manuka Honey and Mafura Oil Intensive Hydrating hair masque. Hopefully Maple Holistics will come out with one soon to try. 😉😉

Maple Holistics also does a lot for the community  and they have a recycling program so be sure to check those out as well if you pop over to their site!

I hope this was helpful and Happy almost Friday guys!! 🍹

Thursday Thoughts: Maple Holistics Silk 18 Shampoo Review

Maple Holistics reached out to me several weeks ago about trying their Silk 18 Shampoo and since I love their Silk 18 conditioner and have been using it along with their Argan Shampoo since 2017 I was like yes please! I have been using it since February 9th and have given myself plenty of time to form an opinion.

Here is what they have to say about this shampoo:

Achieve stronger, smoother, more luscious hair with silk18 shampoo. Infused with a rejuvenating blend of 18 silk amino acids which help fortify hair follicles and strengthen strands to protect hair from dryness, breakage, damage, split ends, and hair fall. The nourishing formula gently cleanses dandruff, excess sebum, and impurities to leave your hair and scalp feeling fresh but not stripped. Enriched with argan and jojoba oil to add supreme softness and a luminous shine. Our shampoo is sulfate and paraben-free making it great for all hair types, color treated hair, and sensitive skin.

They have new packaging which is super sleek. I am still kickin it old school with the packaging of my conditioner because I had way too many backups (which I purchased)!

The shampoo definitely has a vanilla scent but not as strong and yummy as the conditioner but it does the job of cleaning my hair so I will forgive them for that. I am crossing all my fingers & toes that even though it's in new packaging that the conditioner still has that yummy vanilla yellow cake batter goodness smell that it had with the old packaging. If you have read my previous posts you know I like all my shampoo/body washes to smell like candy or cake or some form of yummy food. 🤣

The shampoo lathers up really well and even makes bubbles. Sometimes all natural shampoos lack that and I know a lot of people are turned off by natural shampoos because of that aspect so no worries with this one. 

My hair type is fine but I have a lot of it so it can tangle easily and I don't get any tangles after using this and my hair looks healthy whether I style it or air dry. I have a super sensitive scalp as well and this does not irritate it at all. All in all I really like it. My hair is soft and smells like vanilla cake...I mean who doesn't want to smell like sweet confections...I know I do! 😉 But seriously it cleans my hair really well and I have no complaints well maybe one I wish it smelled more like the conditioner! 

The filter was necessary trust me. No makeup me was not looking great that day. 

Okay Okay here is a side view where you can't really see all the hot mess express happening 😜

So if you are in the market to try a new shampoo click the link 👇:

Maple Holistics Silk 18 Shampoo

They also have a good article about damaged hair, what it is, what causes it and what shampoo/products might be right up your alley to help fix it over on their blog:

Damage Hair Explained:Which Shampoo Is Best For Your Hair?
I know one item I am gonna be trying out is the Tresemme Split Remedy because I am on the struggle bus with that area of hair care and truly I need to get that product and a trim ASAP! 

If you do pop over to their site check out their Recycling Program: For every six bottles of Maple Holistic products that you return to them by mail, you will receive a free bottle or shampoo or have an equivalent donation made to an environmentally-friendly charity you prefer.How cool is that!! And they are also very involved in their community which is awesome as well!

You can read my other reviews Here & Here

Happy Friday Eve Everyone! 

Maple Holistics Argan Oil Shampoo Review

Maple Holistics was kind enough to send me out another shampoo to review. This one is the Argan Oil Shampoo and I have been using it almost the entire month of December.

It contains 6 oils and the benefits from the site are:

Can Build Thick, Strong, Luscious Locks.

Nourishes Hair And Scalp.

Rejuvenates Hair For Softer Tresses.

Moisturizes for Hydrated, Softened Hair.

Has The Potential To Repair Damaged, Brittle, Dry Hair.

Can Aid In Stopping Hair Loss.

Helps Make Hair More Manageable.

I must say this one worked out way better for a everyday shampoo then the Tea Tree shampoo did for me from my last review . Plus it works so well paired with the Silk18 conditioner which I am obsessed with…did I mention it smells like yellow cake batter you need it go put it in your cart now!!!! My hair feels soft and smooth even when I don’t put extra product in it before blow drying.

The Argan Oil Shampoo smells like candy to me. I even had my parents grab some ribbon candy from Cracker Barrel for research purposes so I could see if that is what it smelled like but that wasn’t it…

It reminds me of the candy in my Grandma’s candy dish and she used to have ribbon candy but also that Christmas mix like this:

So maybe the mixture of the two is what I am smelling. Anywho it smells like candy! Are ya’ll seeing a theme my shampoo smells like candy, my conditioner smells like cake, my body wash smells like coconuts or fruit loops…I want to smell like food people don’t judge me!!

Overall I definitely say you should try the Argan Oil shampoo if you are looking for a new one and most definitely get the Silk18 to go with it! Why isn’t it in your cart already!!! And if the incentive that it smells like yummy food & makes your hair as soft as a babies bottom doesn’t make you want to buy it they also donate $1 to The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence when you purchase either of these products and I just think that is totally awesome!!

They have page on their site so you can try their products as well. Just go to their site HERE and fill out the form.

Hayley also linked me to their blog and they have an article on there about Derma Rolling anyone ever tried it? Apparently after derma rolling your skin is able to better absorb products therefore helping with premature aging, hyperpigmentation, pore size, hair loss, acne scars, stretch marks and lots more. I have to say I would be too scared to attempt that on my face but on my stretch marks heck yeah sign me up. Well all but 4 which are my blessing marks/tiger stripes and represent my miracle man child and my 3 angel babies but the rest of the other bazillion that look like Freddy Krueger got ahold of me well they can skidaddle with a quickness!!

I hope you all have a great Friday and a great New Years weekend!

Maple Holistics Shampoo & Conditioner Review

Maple Holistics reached out to me several weeks ago to try some of their products and since I am all about natural hair care I was like sign me up. I decided to go with their tea tree oil shampoo since my hair can be oily and is sensitive. I also got their silk 18 natural hair conditioner as well. I have been using them since November 8th so I think that has given me plenty of time to have some thoughts on these two products.

The Degrease Tea Tree Oil Shampoo has a very natural woodsy scent to me. It kind of reminds me of frankincense even though there is none in it so it must be the rosemary mixed with the tea tree & lavender that is giving off that vibe. Either way I personally like the scent. I used it for a week with the silk 18 conditioner and for some reason it made my hair over produce oil. I can usually get away with washing my hair every other day but could not with this combo so I switched back to my regular coconut shampoo and used it with the silk 18 conditioner and that worked perfect. I do still like the tea tree oil shampoo though but more for a clarifying shampoo so I have been using it once a week to get any build up off my hair.

The Silk 18 Natural Hair Conditioner is definitely my favorite. It straight up smells like yellow cake batter and makes my hair so soft. This might be replacing my all time favorite Desert Essence coconut conditioner and ya’ll know how much I love that stuff. A bonus that I just realized while perusing their site is for every bottle sold Maple Holistics donates $1 to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. How awesome is that!!!

They have page on their site so you can try their products as well. Just go to their site HERE and fill out the form.

Sorry for two posts today but while I was grabbing links for this post I saw they were having a sale on their site for Cyber Monday and I did not want anyone to miss out if they wanted to take advantage.

Happy Monday again

Long Forgotten Blog Post: Battle Of The Beauty Sponges

I literally was going through files Saturday and came across this gem I was supposed to post in like November. Doh!!

This comparison has been a long time coming and it has taken me foreva... Ever since I received the Rickycare NYC classic beauty blender in last Decembers 2015 Ipsy bag I have been like I am gonna compare that to the beauty blender and real techniques miracle complexion sponge….yeah I know it’s been almost a year Um no like 1 year and 3months…hello procrastination…

Le sigh but I have used them a bunch with various foundations and taken notes for a couple months so aren’t you happy it’s a thorough review!!

I have used the Real Techniques for quite sometime now and this is my second or third one. It is probably my favorite out of all the three. It is a bit dense and not as bouncy as the other two but I kinda feel like that helps get more product applied to the skin.

The beauty blender is a close second though. Although I still feel like it kind of sheers out product a bit too much sometimes but that also helps you to not achieve cake face so that’s helpful. I do not like that the pink one bleeds a lot through many washings. That kind of freaks me out that pink dye is going on my skin with my foundation.

Although the Ricky’s NYC classic beauty blender is coming in third I really think it is a very close dupe to the beauty blender. They feel and apply product very much the same. Many times I used it on one half and the beauty blender on the other and I could tell no difference. I actually might even buy this over the pink beauty blender only cause it doesn’t bleed when washed.

(This year as in 2017 LOL I actually prefer this one for under eye concealer only because it holds a bit more moisture and my under eyes are fairly dry so it helps to keeps the product from getting into any fine lines better.)

Here is a size comparison when they are dry. The NYC one is definitely a little bigger.

This is how big they are when they are all damp. (Don’t judge my poor real techniques sponge it has been through practice Halloween makeup. LOL)

maybe it’s the flat side of the real techniques I love so much cause it really makes concealer so easy. (still love real techniques for concealer too just you the Ricky sponge for under eyes more in 2017)

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge Retails for $6.99

Beauty Blender Retails for $20.00

Rickycare Classic Beauty Blender Retails for $10.00

Happy Monday

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Just to clarify I bought new ones through out the year. I did not use the same sponges for a year and 3 months cause that would be gross.

Loreal Revitalift Bzz Review

Bzz Agent

sent me the Revitalift Bright Reveal from Loreal on October 22nd so I have been using them for over a month. I wanted to give them a good month of use before I reported back my thoughts.  

The claim to this line is basically it will visibly brighten skin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, resurface dull, uneven tone and texture to reveal youthful skin.

I am going to start with my least favorite to my most favorite.

(I have combo skin for reference and I still get break outs on occasion.)

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First up is the Brightening Peel Pads. It is supposed to peel away dull, uneven tone and reveal brighter skin and reduce wrinkles.

These actually made my skin on my face tingle/burn a bit which I am not thoroughly fond of so I only used these on my chest and neck. It also does not sink into the skin fast so it is tacky for a bit.

I did not really notice much of a difference in my lines and wrinkles or with my skin tone with this product unfortunately but I also did not use it on my face so I can’t really say it doesn’t work. I will check back at a later date with this one…Maybe in a talkin’ trash post.

The pads are a nice thickness and they do have a lot of the liquid absorbed in them which I like in this type of product.

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Next up is their Brightening Daily Scrub Cleanser. It is supposed to gently exfoliate dullness and visibly reveal radiance.

This is supposed to be used every morning and night. I quickly realized that is too much for my skin!! I went back to using my Murad cleanser and only used this two or three times a week at night and that worked perfectly. I have noticed a difference in the texture of my skin with this product and the creams so I do believe with more time using it I will notice even more of a difference.

I love how gentle it is and it has just the right amount of little scrubbies.

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The next two products were my favorite out of the whole line. They are the brightening day moisturizer and the brightening dual overnight moisturizer.

The brightening day moisturizer claims to visibly brighten skin, even tones & reduces wrinkles. I can say with certainty that is has made my skin look brighter and some of my dark spots seem lighter but as for my fine lines I have not noticed much of a difference yet.

I like the consistency of the day cream and best part is it did not break me out.

The brightening dual overnight moisturizer claims to visibly refine clarity and tone and reduce wrinkles. Again I am seeing a difference in texture and tone but as for wrinkles the jury is still out.

This comes out with the serum on one side and the cream on the other. What I like to do is rub the serum in and then do the cream like I would with my other serums and creams.

Both the day and night cream sink into the skin quickly.

Hope this helps and hope you are having a great Tuesday!!!

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These products from Loreal were sent to me from bzz agent for free to review. All of the opinions are my own and no one pays me to give them a positive or negative review.