System Hinoki Review

If you are a follower of Girly Girl then I am sure you have heard my rant about my hair issues. For those of you that are new Girly Girl fans I will briefly let you in on my hair woes. For the last couple of years I have had a problem with my hair becoming gradually thinner. It is quite noticeable that I have thin hair. It is also fine and flat which only adds to my hair dilemma. I have tried several products and vitamins that are supposed to help with the problem but have yet to find a solution. My saving grace is a hair powder I use that fills in around my scalp to give the appearance of fuller hair. It actually works pretty great but of course I would like to find a solution to the problem and not just something that masks it. Several months ago I was contacted by the people over at Hayashi and asked if I would like to review their system for Fine and Thinning Hair.  Anytime I get the opportunity to try a product that claims to be able to help with my problem I jump at the chance. I was especially excited about trying System Hinoki because of the reviews and feedback I read after researching the product online.

 

System Hinoki is one of three hair systems by Hiyashi hair products. Their tagline is "To go above and beyond just colors and fragrances by creating products that actually solve problems."  Their products contain pure Hinoki oil from Japanese Hinoki trees. You can read bout Hinoki oil here. 

 

I was sent the System Hinoki 4-Step System for review and was asked to stop any other hair products and only use these for three months before writing my review. The 4-Step System includes Shampoo, Conditioner, Hair Thickener and Hinoki Plus. All four products are designed to be used together to help with the problem of thinning hair. They have been formulated to promote healthy hair growth, revitalize the scalp  by stimulating hair follicles and also cleansing the scalp thoroughly to get rid of anything that may be inhibiting hair growth.

The shampoo lathered up well and also smelled nice and clean. It left my hair feeling thoroughly cleansed. The Conditioner was not too thick and rinsed out very easily. It left my hair feeling soft and not weighed down. I was impressed with the quality of just these two products, but wait there is more... Hinoki Plus is designed to be sprayed onto your roots and scalp and massaged in. You then rinse your hair. I kept these three products in my shower and used them everyday religiously. Finally the hair thickener, this is designed to be left in. I kept this on my bathroom counter and after showering would run some through my hair with a comb and then style my hair as usual. I was a little scared of this product initially because in the past leave in products tend to leave my hair oily and just leave it flatter then normal. This product did not do that. It actually helped me to achieve some much needed body with just my normal blowdrying routine. My husband even noticed that my hair had a little more lift to it and asked what I was doing different! Using these four products I actually achieved some much needed body to my hair, it also left it soft and manageable and smoothed down any flyaways.

Now for the big question...did I notice any hair growth? Unfortunately no. After trying so many products with no results I am starting to think my problem maybe caused by something medical. In fact I spoke with my doctor who suggested I see an endocrinologist or dermatologist that may help me figure out what is going on. This is my next step.

While System Hinoki did not work for me as I hoped I do realize that not everyone will have the same results. It may work wonders for one person and do nothing for another. The bottom line is every ones hair loss is different and there are many causes. I have read some great reviews on these products and in my opinion is worth the shot. Even if you do not see any hair growth I can attest that these are high quality products and aside from the thinning hair helped my hair look great.

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

NIVEA Creme Review "More for a Dollar"

NIVEA is one of the largest and most known brands in skincare. Their original NIVEA Crème has been used and trusted for over 100 years. I can remember being a little girl and seeing a container of NIVEA Crème on my grandmothers vanity table. I even have fond memories of the smell.  This cream is no frills but lives up to it's reputation as being a great moisturizer for dry skin. Especially during the winter months when your skin tends to dry out from the cold. During the past month the people over at NIVEA asked if I would partake in a “Get More for a Dollar Challenge' NIVEA skin challenge. I was given two containers of NIVEA Crème.  A large 6.8 oz. jar and a teeny 1oz. tin. Don't let the small size fool you!

Using the small tin I decided to take the week long challenge and replace my usual lotion with NIVEA. NIVEA Crème can be used all over your body as well as your face. I used it to soften my elbows, legs and feet. The texture of this stuff is a little thicker then what I am used to. It also feels a little greasy initially but at the end of the day your skin will continue to feel soft and smooth. I especially thought this worked wonders on my feet. rub it onto your feet and into your heels at night, put on some soft socks and wake up in the morning with super soft tootsies. One of these 1oz. tins goes a long way for only $1.00. All you need is a small amount to keep your skin from feeling the harshness of winter.  

As you may already know my husband works in Alaska on a 3 week rotation, talk about harsh weather! He spends half of the year up there where it can get to 40 below, without the wind chill! He has really sensitive skin and sually comes home with super dry itchy and sometimes red skin. I decided to give him the larger container of NIVEA Crème to take to work with him. I think it will really help.

You can purchase NIVEA Crème and other NIVEA products at drugstores nationwide.

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

Vaseline Lip Therapy Creme Brulee Review

My favorite dessert in the world is Crème Brulee, I am salivating right now just thinking about it. When I heard that Vaseline Lip Therapy had released a new Crème Brulee flavor I had to have it. First of all Vaseline Lip Therapy works wonders on dry chapped lips. With the colder weather this stuff is the perfect lip protection from the cold dry air. It instantly softens your lips and keeps them moisturized. I also love to use a dab over matte lipstick for a ton of shine.

Vaseline made their Lip Therapy even better by adding the decadent vanilla flavor and scent of Crème Brulee. It's hard not to lick your lips when you have this stuff on. The texture is a little thick so a small amount goes a long way. If your lips are irritated and really bothering you I would suggest putting a thicker layer of this on your lips over night. You will wake up with a smoother, softer mouth.

You can find Vaseline Lip Therapy Crème Brulee in drugstores, grocery stores and mass retailers nationwide for the low price of $2.29.

Looking for something with a little bling? For the glam girl you can find Vaseline Lip Therapy Crème Brulee adorned with European crystals. This little gem is available at Kitson for $45.

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Even Glow Serum Review

Valentia skin care products are created with natural and organic ingredients that help nourish the skin and prevent and repair damage caused by the elements and every day aging. 

I was sent their Even Glow Serum for review. This product is formulated to help you achieve a smoother complexion and even out your skin tone. It contains 20% Vitamin C which is an antioxidant that helps to protect your skin from signs of aging such as wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots.

Other key ingredients include:

ORGANIC ROSEHIP SEED OIL & ORGANIC SEA BUCKTHORN OIL - These oils promote skin hydration and lock in moisture to protect your skin from signs of aging and improve its beauty and youthfulness.

RESISTEM (Plant Stem Cells) - This provides the perfect mix of protection from stress-related aging and promotes skin detoxification. Resistem will help your skin regenerate faster while protecting it from environmental stressors. Penetrates deeply, and actives collagen production for a fresher, younger, firmer, and brighter complexion.


HYALURONIC ACID(Botanical) - Holding up to 1000 times its weight in water and drawing moisture out of the environment and onto the surface of your skin ,there is not a more effective moisturizing agent on the market today.


GREEN TEA EXTRACT- The catechins in green tea are a potent antioxidant which also contribute to the overall anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant benefits of this ancient health and beauty secret.

A little of this product goes a long way. After washing my face I simply use the dropper to apply a couple of pea size amounts and then gently massage into my face and neck.  Initially I was afraid this would leave my skin feeling oily but it does not. It absorbs quickly and leaves your skin feeling soft. I have been using this twice a day for the last couple of weeks and my skin does feel smoother and softer. My skin also has a subtle glow after using it, not greasy, it just looks youthful and healthy.  I have a couple of dark spots on my face that I am hoping Even Glow Serum will help with so I am anxious to continue using this product.

Even Glow Serum can be purchased online at Amazon. It is currently on sale for $35.

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

Okocat Natural Cat Litter Review

For over 25 years Healthy Pet has been offering pet owners a better choice in pet products. Their focus is on natural products that will not only keep your pet healthy but happy as well. They have several brands that cater to your pet needs, one of these brands is Okocat. Okocat offers cat litter that is made of natural plant fibers with no chemical additives. Okocat litter comes in 4 varieties; Natural Wood Clumping, Natural Wood Clumping for long hair breeds, Natural Wood Pine and Natural Paper Dust Free.

I was sent the Natural Wood Clumping litter for my 15 year old cat, Mr. Rat and I to review.

Our thoughts...

Mr. Rat says " Mreeeow, mreeeeeow meeeeep mrawww, meow". I will translate that for you...

Basically he used the litter box just like before. He did not have any issues with the sudden change of litter and he is pretty particular when it comes to his litter box and his food. He has been known to turn up his nose at both when he doesn't like them.  The litter is like tiny pieces of soft shaved wood. It actually absorbs quite well and clumps up and holds together making it easy to clean up. Okocat says that this particular litter has a 7 day odor control. That is pretty much accurate. I usually change out the entire little box once a week anyway so this works for me. Another thing that works for me, I have allergies and prior to using this litter they would start to act up every time I changed Mr. Rat's box. His previous clay litter would kick up a bunch of dust, Okocat does not. The one thing I did notice about this litter is that when dry it tends to cling to Mr. Rat's paws and in turn on the carpet. It does not leave a big mess and like I said these are pieces that have not been soiled so it is not that big of an issue. I simply vacuumed them up without a problem.

You can purchase Okocat litter online as well as Petsmart and Walmart stores.

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.