Anthony Julian Jem and the Holograms Integrity Toys Doll Review

Image Not Mine. Courtesy of Integrity Toys

When Integrity Toys announced that his doll was sold out on their Facebook page, I took sold out to mean, in fact, sold out. Although I did request to be put on the wait-list, I was mentally prepared to buy the doll on ebay. I was expecting him to cost close to $300 on the secondary market, considering that only 500 were produced, and it's hard enough as it is to find African American male dolls. I was pleasantly surprised that he was much cheaper, and ended up getting him for only $200. Luckily, Anthony arrived literally hours before the blizzard began Friday afternoon.

Barbie The Look 2016 Doll Reviews

Image Not Mine

My dolls finally came!! Super excited about this!!!

I bought all three and two extra Sweet Teas; I'm keeping Night Out and one Sweet Tea, and the other three dolls are body donors. I will only be reviewing the dolls I will be keeping. Since I deboxed Urban Jungle, popped her head off and put another doll's head on, I don't think it would be fair to do a review of her, although I will go on and say that I hate the playline mold they used for her. I also apologize for not showing the dolls in their original outfits, but I literally got home, ripped the dolls out of the boxes, and commenced to redress and rebodying!

Night Out

Ellen (Night Out): OMG! She is too cute!!! I know these dolls have been getting a lot of hate for looking so young, but I love the new look. Finally, a cute, sweet looking African American doll by Mattel! Honestly, the last cute AA doll Mattel made, in my opinion anyway, was the first bellybutton Christie with the Everflex waist way back in '99, which I still have. A lot of the AA barbie dolls look very mature, which isn't bad, but it's nice to see a sweet, youthful face. I love her curls and her neutral makeup, which is a big change from the previous The Look dolls. I know a lot of people are also complaining because Mattel didn't add rooted eyelashes, but I think removing the eyelashes is a big improvement. Mattel doesn't do rooted eyelashes as well as Integrity Toys, so the Barbie rooted eyelashes tend to be more noticeable and not as "natural" as Integrity Toys dolls. Also, the first wave of The Look dolls that I bought couldn't wear eye wear because of the lashes.

Ellen is so cute, that I'm actually seriously considering selling Mighty Real Reese and replacing her with Ellen! Never thought the day would come when I would even consider replacing an Integrity Toys Dynamite Girl with a Barbie doll!!

My only complaint is that it would be nice to see an AA collectors doll that does not have the Mbili mold. This version is really cute, but Mattel uses this same face for almost all their AA collectors dolls. And this doll even has almost the same hairstyle as The last Basics AA doll, except with bigger curls. Seriously, Mattel all black people do not look the same, so diversify your AA face molds a bit!

Sweet Tea

Felicie (Sweet Tea): Super cute! I never liked any of the other Karl face mold dolls, but this one was a must! As with the previous doll, I love her neutral makeup. Yes, she does have big, doe-like eyes, and yes she does look very innocent, but that's part of her charm and what makes her cute. I'm a bit confused by her hair, though. On the promo pictures, it's wavy and kinda like a modern version of Nancy Drew's hairstyle, but the doll came with big Shirley Temple curls! I left my doll's hair curled, but did brush the curls out a little so they wouldn't look so much like individual curls. I'm assuming you're supposed to brush her hair out completely to achieve the look in the promo pictures, but with the curls being so tight, I have a feeling doing this will actually turn her hair into a big, bushy mess.

Cons: Overall, these dolls are the best collectors dolls I've bought, although I am not at all happy about the playline elbow joints that greatly limit the range of motion of the dolls (working on a fix for this though *wink*). I was initially bummed that the bodies did not have the pivotal chest articulation, but I'm beginning to get over it. There were also serious quality issues. For one, almost all the dolls I received had stains/smudges/marks on the bodies. I don't think Night Out did, but the other four definitely did. The Sweet Tea doll that I'm keeping had spots/smudges on her face. I was able to remove all but two spots, and the two that are still there are small and not noticeable, but they are still there. I also noticed spots on my Mockingjay Peeta doll's face, so I'm guessing this is a general issue with Mattel now. The other Sweet Tea heads have big Shirley Temple curls but wonky bangs. I decided to keep the doll I have because her bangs are perfect.

One of the Sweat Tea dolls seemed to have her leg glued to her body in the hip socket! Crazy right?! I had to use all my strength to free the leg, and luckily I was able to free it without breaking it.

Accessories
Night Out: I think these are the best accessories I have ever seen with a doll besides Jazz Diva with her wigs, extra clothes, and makeup. The makeup brush and eyelash brush are just too much! Very well done! The compact is cute but is missing some paint. I have so many better compacts that I may toss this one. Then again I rarely play with any of the compacts, so I doubt it will ever be opened again for me to see the chipped paint anyway.

Sweet Tea: OMG! Love, love, love! I've been meaning to buy some Re-ment food, but haven't gotten around to it, so these scones are great substitutes for the time being. My only complaint is that the scones are made onto the plates (of course Mattel can't get it completely right because that would just be too much of a good thing). The menu also does not have real words and food items, unlike the menu with the Poolside outfit form the first The Look collection.

Urban Jungle: This set is actually the least appealing. Basically, these accessories are just reused playline (necklace, not shown) and collector (coffee and magazine) items.

Shoes: Ooopps, forgot to take pictures of the shoes, but they are all nice. I believe they are all new shoe molds, or at least not any that get used often. I'm glad of this because most of the collectors dolls only used three or four shoe molds, just in different colors.

People have been complaining that the Sweet Tea shoe straps are broken, but all of the dolls I ordered had the same kind of detached straps. This leads me to think that the straps are actually made like this. I know for me, I usually don't use shoes with ankle straps because they break easily. I think Mattel maybe trying to remedy this by making the straps detached. Just my theory anyway.

That's all for my review. For more pictures of these dolls and the rebodied dolls, check out my Flickr photostream. I promise it won't hurt at all!

Review: Giovanni Invigorating Tea Tree Triple Treat Shampoo and Conditioner

It's been quite a bit since I've done a review, but that's not because I haven't tried any products worth reviewing, it only because I haven't had the time to write up any!

Today I will be reviewing Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Invigorating Shampoo and Conditioner. This review is based off of using the sample sizes.

It is always a struggle for me to find decent shampoo. When I was young, I developed a scalp fungus (of all things!), and even though the scalp fungus was healed, I have been battling with severe dry scalp since then. And when I say sever, I mean really, really bad dry scalp!

I've tried everything, including Head and Shoulders, but nothing really helped, until now. My mom is into natural things now, so she suggested I try this Giovanni shampoo with teat tree, since tea tree oil is good for cleansing your skin and removing impurities. I had been steadily using Head and Shoulders, which obviously wasn't working, so what could I lose. This product changed my life!

The Shampoo

Description from website:

• Invigorating ingredients deliver unmatched clarity and rejuvenation for hair and scalp
• Increases scalp circulation for a refreshed, renewed feel
• Strengthens hair with a three-organic-oil-blend to stimulate, condition and clarify
• Alleviates dry, flaking scalp with organic tea tree botanicals
• Lauryl and laureth sulfate free

First, I love that the shampoo is clear. It doesn't really lather up a lot and it does smell a little like menthol, but after washing it out,the smell doesn't linger on your hair. As for the flakes and dry scalp, after using this shampoo along with the conditioner twice (I usually wash my hair every other week). I noticed that there were significant less flakes in my hair the week in between washings. As an added benefit, my scalp did feel very clean and clear, and my hair was shiny and hydrated, even without using a moisturizer or oil sheen!

The Conditioner

Description from website:

• Increases scalp circulation for a refreshed, renewed feel
• Strengthens hair with a three-organic-oil-blend to stimulate, condition and calm
• Alleviates dry, flaking scalp with organic tea tree botanicals
• Encourages natural shine and resilience

The conditioner is very slippery, but rich, so you get pretty good hair coverage. As with the shampoo, there is a menthol smell, but it washes off with the conditioner. My hair is pretty thick, so it's a pain to comb anyway, wet or dry, but this conditioner did seem to help to make my hair easier to manage after washing.

Conclusion

I would definitely recommend using both of these products. I used both the shampoo and conditioner samples for about two months, and my hair looks and feels great! Best of all, these products help keep down my dry scalp and flakes a billion times better than even Head and Shoulders!

*Disclaimer: All products have been purchased by me for my own personal use.*

Review: The Body Shop Body Mango and Marino Scrubs

Last year I bought the Mango Body Scrub from The Body Shop as part of this haul. My mom bought the Moringo Body Scrub a few months later, which I also tried.

Mango Body Scrub

The website's description:

• Mango seed oil moisturizes and softens skin without being greasy.
• Community Trade organic cane sugar and salt grains gently exfoliate skin.
• Community Trade organic soy oil, rich in essential fatty acids, helps repair skin’s moisture barrier for smooth, supple skin.

I've always had dry skin on my legs, and this always gets worse during the winter. In order to get my legs ready for bare skin weather after a long, hard winter, I decided to try the Mango Body Scrub.

I absolutely love the smell! It smells just like a real mango, and it great for a quick little pick-me-up in the shower! The sugar cane and salt grains are not overly abrasive, but do a wonderful job of clearing off dead skin. After the first use, my skin was noticeably smoother and very well hydrated. In fact, my legs were smooth, they were almost slippery!

The only negative about this scrub is that it may affect some people who sensitive skin or allergies to the ingredients. For example, my mom tried it and, because of the can sugar, began to develop rashes. If you don't have any allergies to the ingredients, though, you should have no problem using this product.

Moringa Body Scrub

The website's description:

• Removes dead skin cells
• Stimulates skin microcirculation
• Leaves skin feeling soft and smooth
• Delicate scent of white flowers

As I mentioned above, my mom had bad reactions to some of the scrubs, so she ended up giving them to me, including the Moringa Body Scrub.

As for smell, I can't comment on the quality of the moringa scent as I've never smelled moringa seed oil before, or have any idea what a moringa plant is for that matter! I can say that this scrub's scent is much lighter than the mango scent, and barely noticeable.

I'm not sure what the exfoliating granules are in the Moringa Body Scrub, but they work just was well as the Mango Body Scrub, although, the Moringa scrub has a much creamier texture.

Conclusion

I would highly recommend both scrubs, especially if you have very dry skin. If you prefer a creamer scrub that is less abrasive, then I would definitely recommend the Moringa scrub.

Review: The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Body Butter

*Disclaimer: All products have been purchased by me for my own personal use.*

In March, The Body Shop was having a buy 1 get one half off sale online, so I decided o get my money's worth and get 4 products, since I had enjoyed their tea tree facial exfoliate. In this purchase, I bought the Tea Tree Facial Cleanser, Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion, the Mango Body Scrub, and the Pink Grapefruit Body Butter. On a note that is completely off topic: for the Body Shop to be such an environmental conscious company, they do waste a lot of paper in their packing materials!

For this post I will be reviewing the Pink Grapefruit Body Butter. In case you missed it the first time around, you can read my review of the Tea Tree Facial Cleanser and Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion.

Review: The Body Shop Tea Tree Facial Cleanser and Clearing Lotion

*Disclaimer: All products have been purchased by me for my own personal use.*

Strait outta the box!

I couple of months ago, The Body Shop was having a buy 1 get one half off sale online, so I decided o get my money's worth and get 4 products, since I had enjoyed their tea tree facial exfoliate. In this purchase, I bought the Tea Tree facial Cleanser, Tea tree Skin Clearing Lotion, the Mango Body Scrub, and the Pink Grapefruit Body Butter. On a note that is completely off topic: for the Body Shop to be such an environmental conscious company, they do waste a lot of paper in their packing materials!

For this post I will be reviewing the Tea tree Facial Cleanser and the Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion.

Review: ORS Incredibly Rich Moisturizing Hair Lotion

*Disclaimer: All products have been purchased by me for my own personal use.*
 

Image from ORS website

Hair is a big part of African American culture, especially for women (for better or worse). Whether you're into extravagant weave or not, you can't show up somewhere with your hair looking a hot mess.

Not only that, but it takes a lot of time, effort, and products for African American women to take care of their hair, from moisturizers, to hair oil, to gel, to relaxers. As much of a demand as there is for hair care products, it's actually pretty hard to find products that work the way they say they do.

Most African Americans have naturally dry hair, so we have to use moisturizers and oils so our hair doesn't become too dry and brittle. Way back when, the only thing that did the trick was hair grease, which is what it sounds like, grease that you put in your hair. Nowadays, there are a ton of hair moisturizers to choose from.

I've tried a lot of hair moisturizers, but the best is ORS Olive Oil Incredibly Rich Moisturizing Hair Lotion. All of the ORS products, including the relaxer, have olive oil in them for natural moisture retention.

First off, the thing I like about the hair lotion is that it has a subtle, non-offensive smell. Some hair moisturizers, especially the ones with natural ingredients, can smell horrible. The ORS hair lotion has a subtle smell that does not have a lot of fragrance so that people think you've dumped a bottle of perfume on your head.

Secondly, the lotion itself is thick and rich, but it doesn't leave your hair weighed down, and it absorbs quickly, so there is no build up and no residue when you touch your hair. It also gives your hair a healthy shine.

The bottle says to use a small amount, but since my hair is very thick, I use about double the amount specified. Depending on how dry your hair gets, you can probably get away with only using this hair lotion every few days (I usually moisturize my hair once a week, but that's only because I'm pretty bad at moisturizing my hair frequently enough).

I would definitely recommend ORS Olive Oil Incredibly Rich Moisturizing Hair Lotion as a hair moisturizer. It's thick and creamy, but isn't heavy once you put it on. It also does a great job of moisturizing. When I use it regularly, I notice that my hair isn't as brittle, and I have less breakage (meaning not as much hair in the sink after combing)!

Review: Skintimate Moisturizing Cream Shave

*Disclaimer: All products have been purchased by me for my own personal use.*

Today I'll be giving my thoughts on Skintimate Moisturizing Cream Shave.

I never use cream when I shave, so I'm not actually sure how I came by this (I think it was something my mom bought and then passed on to me honestly). I usually just stick to old fashion shower gel or body wash.

Anyway, since I had this bottle, I thought I would at least give it a try. I've never tried any of the Skintimate products, but according to the commercials, they're supposed to be great at giving you a close shave and leaving you skin feeling smooth and soft.

This particular product has exfoliating "pearls" and is supposed to leave you feeling revitalized.

I've been using this product for about three months now, and here are my thoughts:

As you can see, the cream is very thick. You can also feel the exfoliating "pearls" but otherwise it is smooth. The cream goes on smoothly over wet skin, but, because it's so thick, it blocks up your razor and can be a pain to clean out, so you really have to make sure you use a small amount to create a thin layer over your skin. When I first started suing it, I would put a lot of it on, and after about three or four uses, my razor was pretty much useless and beyond hope as for as cleaning it out was concerned.

The exfoliating "pearls" are supposed to scrub away dead skin/excess particles to give you a closer shave, and I did notice that this cream left my skin feeling smoother than when I shaved without it.

Pros:

• Very thick and smooth
• Gives you a close shave and leaves your skin feeling smoother

Cons:

• Because it's so thick, it can clog your razor and be very difficult to wash off of your skin if you use a lot of it

On a scale of 1-5, I give this product a 4 because of the clogging factor. Other than this, it works well.

Review: Tea Tree Blackhead Exfoliating Wash

This is a review for Tea Tree Blackhead Exfoliating Wash from The Body Shop. NOTE: This product is no longer offered by The Body Shop, however, I'm writing this review as a way to give people an idea of what The Body Shop products are like. You can also read this review on A Very Sweet Blog for Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash.

I've been using this product every day for a good 6 months now, and I must admit that I love it! The Body Shop uses all 100% vegetarian ingredients (you can tell this scrub is natural because it smells like tea tree oil, and no artificial fragrances). There are crushed apricot stones in this particular product that act as exfoliating beads.

Hello Kitty Toaster

I got this toaster over the summer (...or maybe it was last summer), but now I'm finally getting around to posting it!

I had seen these online before, but had never really thought of buying one for myself, but someone had left this one in the lobby area of our apartment. I'm usually wary of appliances that people leave around since most of the time the reason someone is getting rid of it is because it doesn't properly, if at all, but this toaster was still in the original box, so I decided to take a chance on it. When I got it into my apartment, I realized that it had actually never been opened, and still had the instructions and everything!!

Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat vs Avon Mosaic Effects

When I did my post of Avon Mosaic Effects topcoat, someone commented about how it would look with Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat. Honestly, I had never heard of this before until then, but now I've decided to try it out to see how they compare to each other. Of course, another reason I wanted to try the Crackle was that it was from one of my favorite cosmetic/beauty brands, which I can always rely on for great quality products! Since I didn't have any blue nail polish, I decided to go with the Crackle Overcoat "Wave Break."

Sally Hansen "Golden" Xtreme Wear Nail Polish

Way back in September, I decided to spice up my nail life a little by trying out some metallic nail polish. I decide to go with Sally Hansen "Golden" Xtreme Wear because I had already planned to wear a golden-metallicish cap sleeve dress that I had bought at Macy's for working at a career fair at work. Sally Hansen "Golden" is a great color that is subtly sparkly, which is great since I was looking for something that would "pop" without being too juvenile (most of the sparkly nail polishes out there remind me of the kind I used to wear in middle school). This polish also had the added benefit of containing Sally Hansen's super duper nail hardening formula. As usual, I put on a top coat, and the nail polish lasted for almost an entire week.

  

Hello Kitty 2.4GHZ Wireless Mouse

In keeping with my Hello Kitty obsession, I recently bought a Hello Kitty wireless mouse that was on sale at Zulily. Although Zulily is primarily a discount site for parenthood and children stuff, they actually have a good bit of items that are generic and can be used for everyone. Of course, I already have a mouse, but this one had Hello Kitty on it, so naturally I had to buy it!

When it finally arrived three weeks after I ordered it (the downside to ordering from discount sites), I found it it had tons of specs and features (most of which are completely superfluous, but still cool!) that my old mouse didn't have!

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer and Tinted Lip Balm

I have been very productive in the last couple of weeks. For one thing, I just found out that you can follow your own blog (I'm easily amused, can you tell?)! Second, I just tried out a few Burt's Bees lip balm products and decided to my thought of them! I had never tried any of the Burt's Bees product until now, partly because I had no idea what they were for ( I would see the displays in the stores but I never actually looked at the products, so I always assumed it was some kind of vitamin supplement), and partly because the look of that burly, Grizzly Adams looking guy on the front of everything (I'm assuming this is "Burt") is a little unappealing to me for selling beauty products. My mom recently started buying the sample kits online to try out the lotions, body washes, and creams, and she gave me three of the lip balms that came with the kits, so I decided to at least try them to see how they worked. I have the Lip Shimmer in Nutmeg and Fig, and the Tinted Lip Balm in Red Dahlia. She also gave me this super cute make up bag that came with one of the kits (sorry, don't remember which one though).

Avon Extra Lasting Pressed Powder

I've been searching for the perfect pressed powder, so about a month ago I bought Avon Extra Lasting Pressed Powder to see how it worked. One of the biggest problems I've run into with pressed powder is finding one that matches my skin. I have brown skin with yellow undertones, and most foundations and powders for brown skin tones have red or pink mixed in, so when I put them on my face looks much redder than my neck. I end up having that weird look that some women have when they don't know what shade of make-up to wear; the color of their face looks obviously unnatural  and doesn't match properly with their necks. It is also hard for me to get the right tone of brown. I've found the most foundations and powders are either way too dark, or way to light; it's like they try to cover every shade of brown in only three or four shades of make-up, and if neither of these match, then you are simply out of luck. I'd buy fashion Fair make up, which is specially designed for different skin tones, but it's way to expensive. Instead I decided to try Avon Extra Lasting Pressed Powder for about $9.99.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

Since I've dived head-first into the exciting world of nail strips, and, as you all know, I completely swear by Sally Hansen products, I decided to try out Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips. This post is basically going to be a review of how the Sally Hansen product compares with the Funky Nails, which I reviewed here. There is also a post on CurlyGirl Beauty reviewing the "Frock Star" style, so check it out if you want to learn more!

Funky Nails!!!

Funky Nails Applique 12 designs kit

A few weeks ago, I decided to buy the Funky Nails kit on nomorerack.com. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Funky Nails, they are the fashion nail applique polish which feature various designs and patterns. I usually don't buy into the "As Seen on TV, Easy to Use" stuff, mainly because it rarely works as well as it's advertised, if it works at all. But in this case, I liked the designs, and the kit, which comes with twelve nail designs/patterns, was only $6.99, so I thought the least I could do was try it out.

Since I was planning on wearing my red dress with white polka dots to work on Wednesday, I decided to use the red and white nail applique set. I would have used my red nail polish and white mosaic effect, but the red nail polish sometimes stains my nails. First thing that got to me was that the picture instructions, and the written instructions on the back of the box are different, and can be a little confusing if you're paying close attention.

The first step is to clean your nails.Then you have to trim the nail applique set to fit you nail size. After this you soak the nail strips in water. The best thing to do is to soak the strips until the nail applique starts to come off by itself, otherwise you may tear it as you are remove it from the strip. After this step, all you have to do is put the applique on your nail, let it dry, and then put on a top coat for extra protection and shine.

The good thing about the Funky Nails, besides the cool patterns, is that there is no mess as with liquid nail polish. Of course, the nail polish itself doesn't have to dry, but you will have to let the applique dry on your nail after soaking in the water. The application on the applique takes a little practice to get it to fit on your nail perfectly, and without bubbles or wrinkles. After wearing the applique for a whole day, even with a top coat on, the applique had started to peel around the edges of the nail.

Obviously, the applique is not as durable and long lasting as liquid nail polish, and can be a little difficult at first to apply. However, because of the fairly quick application process, and the great designs, Funky Nails are really good if you have a particular outfit you want to match your nails to, or a special occasion that you are going to. This way you change your nail color easily without going through the trouble of using regular nail polish, or false nails.

All Done Up!

mark. sparkly eye shadow

I don't know what it is, but Ive started wearing make-up again! My mom, being an ex-make-up artist, says I should start wearing make-up anyway, especially now that I'm 23 and working. The only problem is that whenever I do start to wear make-up, she always asks am I doing it impress someone (very annoying). I used to wear eye make-up on a regular basis way back in middle school, but by sophomore year in high school, my severe laziness set in, and I gave up on the morning routine involving putting  on make-up. I starting wearing foundation last summer after I graduated while I was interning because I hated showing up to work with greasy, oily skin, which is what happens to my skin when I'm out in hot weather. For the past week or so, I've started wearing eye shadow and some lipstick to go along with my freshly trimmed brows.

I prefer a more subtle look in my make-up, so I usually wear dark browns, purples, and this wonderful olive color that I got from Ulta about 10 years ago (still looks good!). I use the sparkly tan shades as highlights for my upper eye when I'm going out, or to somewhere fancy. I've been playing around with different methods and effects of applying my eye shadow, which has been tough since I'm not all that creative or skilled when it comes to color in general (my basically black and white wardrobe, with some solid colored pieces, can attest to this).

My next step is to get some powder and maybe blush. I'll have to seek guidance from my mom on this because I've never bought powder before and have absolutely no idea what shade I would wear. Also, the shades are different depending on the brand, and I don't trust myself to just eye-ball it.

Lancome eye shadow

Ulta Cashmere and Olive eye shadow