IGK Hair

Happy Self Care Saturday! We all need a little self care here and there. Yes, guys, you too! It's good to take care of yourselves. 

But today's topic is...do you take care of your hair?

I've never been too invested in my haircare until stumbling upon Formulate earlier this year. Then came the hair masks, overnight treatments and all that.

My hair is currently very long and thick and I'm actually going to get it layered and cut soon so it's not too heavy and isn't too much maintenance since it currently takes me about an hour to wash my hair alone. Since the weather's getting a little colder, I'm probably not going to air dry my hair too often so I'm always on the lookout for good haircare products.

Not too long ago, I took a little hair quiz on Influenster and a few weeks later, I got selected to try this set from IGK Hair which I am loving.

So what the heck is in it? All this talk and you don't show us, sheesh Jenny 😂

I've been trying these for the past month and I feel like I've used it a good number of times for me to review them 🙆🏻‍♀️

🖤 First Class Detoxifying Charcoal Shampoo ($27)

This has a very nice, charcoally, almost earthy smell to it which I really like. It kind of reminds me of the Briogeo Charcoal Hair Scrub minus the minty smell. It also doesn't foam up so some people might find it doesn't "cleanse" their hair well which I actually thought at first since most of my shampoos foam up so it took a while to get used to. You also have to leave it in for a couple minutes so I usually just wash my body while waiting so I'm not just standing there like a potato 😬 Sorry, TMI. After using this for a couple of times, I can really say I've noticed my hair is a little less oily before each wash.

🤍 First Class Weightless Replenishing Conditioner ($27)
This really is a weightless conditioner. Most of my conditioners or hair masks I use tend to weigh down my hair since I need to use so much for my thick hair so not a fun combo 😣 This was so lightweight and pretty much felt like nothing in my hair. I also like that you can leave in in for only 2-3 minutes instead of the usual 10-15 minutes. Just me again? After washing it out, my hair really did feel so smooth. However, I didn't really like the odd...rubbery almost smell of this. It had fragrance as an ingredient but the smell of this wasn't to my liking since hair products are one of the few things I actually like fragrance in it.

💜 Antisocial Overnight Bond-Building Dry Hair Mask ($34)
I think Influenster just knows what kind of person I am. The name of this suits me so perfectly 😂 This is probably my favourite out of this line. I've never really tried a dry hair mask and I'm really impressed by this. I love how convenient it is to use since you don't have to wait and wash this off like most traditional hair masks. It's also an overnight mask so you can pretty much use this and call this a night. It really did leave my hair feeling silky and smooth the next day and I found it also helped detangle my hair and make it more manageable.

You can purchase these on Sephora, Ulta, of the IGK Hair website!

Products gifted complimentary of Influenster.

Autumn Essentials VoxBox

Happy Friday! It's time for some self care to relax our way into the weekend!

I'll be reviewing the Autumn Essentials Voxbox that I received from Influenster!

Humphreys Witch Hazel Astringent 16 oz ($11.99)

I'm not the biggest fan of witch hazel, but I do like that this is alcohol-free. However, it does have fragrance in it and has an interesting smell that I can't really pinpoint. It's supposed to be grapefruit but I smell neither grapes nor fruit. It also lingers even after putting a few layers of other products and left behind a little bit of tack. I might use this for my body though since I've been wanting to use a toner on my body.

Butterfinger ($5.49 for 10 oz bag)

It feels so weird to be reviewing candy! I actually really hated Butterfinger when I was younger because I didn't like the taste of peanut butter in chocolate. Now I like it a bit more but still not used to a crunchy peanut butter chocolate candy bar. I like Reese's though but not so much Butterfinger. I'm not the biggest fan of super sweet candy since my teeth are a bit sensitive to sweet (chewable) candy but this didn't give my teeth too much sensitivity which was nice.

Advil Multi Symptom Cold & Flu Tablets ($5.99 for 20 tablets)

I actually don't have any medicine in my "medicine cabinet" so these will be a nice addition. It's always nice to have these in case I actually need it, which would also be concerning given the current situation. I haven't taken one yet, thankfully but I would think this works pretty well.

Products were sent complimentary by Influenster.

Doc Hygiene Hand Sanitizer

Finally, a moisturising hand sanitizer!

This hand sanitizer which is perfect to use during this time!

We all want to stay safe during this time and this is perfect to use on the go or just at home if you want a quick wash without the actual washing!

Not all hand sanitizers are made equal! This contains the CDC recommended 75% Ethyl Alcohol and kills 99.9% of germs while also moisturises with Vitamin E and Aloe.

I actually carry this in my car's cup holder since I ran out of my smaller hand sanitizers that I got ages ago. I love using this if it's been a long day of running around and my hands need some sanitizing from whatever I've been in contact with.

I really like how this isn't like most other hand sanitizers I've used in that it doesn't leave a weird sticky feel after and also isn't as drying. It's definitely STRONG in the alcohol smell which you can tell it works but also doesn't dry out my hands after a couple uses. I didn't even need to put lotion after! With most hand sanitizers, I feel the need to use lotion either before or after so it doesn't dry out my hands, as they tend to get super dry during colder months.

Madeca Derma Quick Review

 Just wanted do a quick overview and a one-sentence review of the three Madeca Derma products that were sent to me by StyleKorean as part of their Try Me Review Me campaign. 

Go to my previous posts for a full review of each! ☘️

All of these products have a slight herbal, ginseng smell to them which I find really calming. They also contain Niacinamide, Centella Asiatica, and Madecassic Acid which is great for soothing the skin. 🌿

🌴 Revitalizing Sheet Mask: Comes in a pack of 10, super comfortable, not dripping in essence and fits nicely.

💚 Revitalizing Serum: Pretty thick, a little tacky, but doesn't really bother me.

🍃 Revitalizing Cream: Again, pretty thick but comes in a convenient tube packaging.

Thank you again Madeca Derma, Centellian 24, and StyleKorean for letting me try these out and review them! 🤗

If you want to try these, StyleKorean is currently having a $39.99 sale for this same set! (originally $89.50)! 

I don't earn anything, just want to share this amazing deal!

Madeca Derma Cream

This is also my final review for the three Madeca Derma products that were kindly sent to me from Stylekorean for an honest review.

🍃 Revitalizing Cream - Moisturize and Soothe Sensitive Dry Skin

Key Ingredients:

☘️ Centella Asiatica
☘️ Hyaluronic Acid
☘️ Niacinamide

Claims:

- Youthful looking skin: Healing TECA helps improve dry, damaged skin and gives it the support it needs for youthful-looking skin and a dewy glow
- Firmness and Luminosity: Elastic 3-Core Complex made of collagen elastin and hyaluronic acid help maintain skin's elasticity
- Multi-Depth Hydration: A patented "Skin Analogue Capsule" fully hydrates and helps improve the Skin Barrier while stabilizing the core ingredients

(copied from the website)

$30 on StyleKorean

On with the review! 🧐

This is quite a rich and creamy moisturiser. It's thickkkk and definitely hydrating! I would say it's more for normal to dry skin. It might even be beneficial for eczema prone skin because of the calming ingredients (Centella Asiatica, Madecassic Acid). I probably wouldn't recommend it for combination or oily skin types as it might feel too heavy, as having pily/combo skin, it felt a little too thick for me, so I kind of just use this as a hand cream since I have really dry hands. Aside from that, I do use this sometimes when my skin is feeling a bit dull and needs some extra hydration.

As for the ingredients, like the other two products, fragrance isn't listed but there are fragrant oils so that may be something to keep in mind. It does have a form of madecassoside as well as centella asiatica, which are both known to calm and soothe the skin. This also has a slight ginseng, herbal smell like the other two, but I'd say it's the least fragrant of the three.

I do like that it's in a tube instead of a jar, which makes it a lot easier and more hygienic to use. I could see myself using this if I'm lazy and don't feel like doing my full routine of essences and serums, which I've actually done in the past.

That does it with my take on these products! Thank you again to StyleKorean & Madeca Derma/Centellian 24 for sending these over for me to try and review! 😊

Madeca Derma Serum

 This is the second out of the three products from Madeca Derma I received.

💚 Revitalizing Serum - Recharge, Replenish, and Revitalize Tired Skin

It's described a a "rescue serum powered by a patent cocktail of lipomized TECA, collagen and hyaluronic acid to visibly firm, hydrate and brighten skin". It also contains marine collagen to help fade fine lines and wrinkles. ✨

Key Ingredients
✳️ Centella Asiatica
✳️ Niacinamide
✳️ Madecassic Acid
✳️ Hyaluronic Acid

$37.50 on StyleKorean

R E V I E W  T I M E 📝

I really like this serum! It has a very subtle ginseng-like, herbal smell to it. It's not as pungent as the sheet masks were, but it's definitely there. I also find very calming because of its soothing ingredients.

I might reach for this more if it weren't so hot and humid nowadays. I tested it for about two weeks before it started getting super hot here and I felt it was a bit too heavy on my oily skin. My skin did feel replenished and a lot plumper after using this alone, although I did layer this on top of my other more watery serums sometimes too. I still do use this a couple times a week on days where my skin feels like it could use a little boost of hydration. It's more on the thicker side, so I definitely see myself reaching for it more in the winter. It absorbed really quickly into the skin even with its slightly creamier texture. It also felt a little tacky, but because I'm using moisturiser after this, it didn't really bother me. This might work great for normal or dry skin, but is a little too heavy for everyday use for me.

Although it doesn't have fragrance listed, it does have some fragrant oils listed which may be something to consider if you have sensitive skin or are sensitive to essential oils.

PR/Gifted from StyleKorean and Madeca Derma/Centellian 24 for letting me try out this serum!

Madeca Derma Sheet Mask

I was sent the Madeca Derma set of sheet masks, serum and moisturiser via Stylekorean's Try Me Review Me Program.

First off, we have the sheet mask!

🌴 100% Pure Cotton Sheet Mask for Youthful Looking Skin

Claims:

⭐ Firms, brightens, moisturise, and purify
⭐ Restore youthful suppleness and radiance

Pros:
🔹Snug fit
🔹Super soft
🔹Good amount of essence
🔹Subtle scent

Cons:
🔹Fragrant ingredients
🔹Denatured alcohol

$22 on StyleKorean (comes in a set of 10)

Now onto the actual review!

I really enjoyed using this sheet mask even though there was a slight herbally, ginseng-like scent to it. This comes in a pack of 10 sheet masks. This was really easy to fold out and figure out which side was which. I always struggle to open up some actual sheet masks and end up with my arms covered in essence sometimes but wasn't the case here! Speaking of essence, there surprisingly wasn't a lot left inside the packet after I took the mask out which was pretty cool since the actual sheet absorbed most of it! It's also suuuper comfortable and fit really nicely on my face. I have a pretty small face and struggle to find sheet masks that don't have a huge flap hanging out 😂 Wasn't the case here! It's also really soft because it is made of pure cotton. It felt so nice and soothing on my skin and I almost didn't want to take it off! My skin definitely felt a lot more plump and hydrated afterwards!

But good things also come to an end 😕 Two important things to note are that denatured alcohol is the sixth ingredient and even though (synthetic) fragrance isn't listed, there are some fragrant ingredients in it. These didn't really irritate my skin too much, but it may be an issue with those with sensitive skin.

PR/Gifted via Stylekorean

Battle of the Watermelon Sleeping Masks

I thought it'd be fun to do a little comparison between the well-known Glow Recipe Watermelon Sleeping Mask and the Bliss What a Melon Overnight Sleeping Pack. They both contain watermelon extracts and I've seen them being compared online, so I thought why not?

First of all, the price. The Glow Recipe Watermelon Sleeping Mask retails for $22 for 30 ml (1 oz) or $45 for 80 ml (2.7 oz), while the Bliss What a Melon Overnight Mask retails for $15 for 50 ml (1.7 oz), so if you're looking for a cheaper option, go to the Bliss but I meeeeean, the Glow Recipe is only $7 more for a bit less quantity-wise.





Next, let's compare the textures. This is where the differences are obvious. The Glow Recipe's Watermelon Sleeping Mask is much more lightweight that that of the Bliss What A Melon Overnight Mask.

     
Bliss What A Melon Overnight Mask

               
Glow Recipe Watermelon Sleeping Mask


       
Bliss vs Glow Recipe

You can kind of see the difference in the textures just by looking at them or tilting the to the side like I did. The Glow Recipe's is much more viscous and runny whereas the Bliss' kind of just sits in a puddle.

And lastly the smell. Both of these products do contain fragrance in them, but the Bliss What A Melon Overnight Mask has a very potent watermelon smell to it, and it almost reminds me of Trident Watermelon Gum, whereas the Glow Recipe Watermelon Sleeping Mask also has a fragrance to it, but it's not too strong and it's very subtle.

Overall, I don't think these are dupes or comparable in any way, but I would say the Bliss What A Melon Jelly Hydrator comes pretty close in terms of texture and could even be comparable to the Glow Recipe Watermelon Juice.

        
Glow Recipe Watermelon Mask vs Bliss What a Melon Jelly Hydator

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the Glow Recipe Watermelon Juice to test it out, but it does feel very similar to the texture of Glow Recipe's Watermelon Juice when I tried it a few months ago.

Overall, I don't really see the Bliss What A Melon Overnight Mask being a sleeping mask, as I personally find it too thick and the smell is a bit too strong, so I tend to use it as a moisturiser instead and do use it occasionally as a sleeping mask when my face feels a bit dry or dull.

Final thoughts: Is Glow Recipe worth it? I would think so. $22 feels like a lot for a sleeping mask, but if you think about how runny the texture is, you really don't need a lot. I still have about 80% left and I've used it at least twenty times! Do I think Bliss is worth it? They have decent products for an affordable price range, so if you're on a budget, this might be better for you. I might do a separate comparison just on the Glow Recipe Watermelon Mask and the Bliss What A Melon Jelly Hydrator since I did mention it, so who knows?