Brio Geo Don't Despair. Repair Review

Brio Geo Dont Despair. Repair, is a deep conditioning masque for your hair. It is ideally applied once a week, while in the shower, left on for 2-3 minutes, and then rinsed out. This hair masque claims to restore your hair's natural luster, and softness, and repair damage. I received small portion of Brio Geo through ipsy, and decided to try it out, and review it. 

First off, this hair masque is quite pricey, in my opinion. It costs around $27.00 for 5.25 ounces. I received a small sample size, through my ipsy subscription, but I doubt I would pay this. 

Next, the texture and smell of this product is uniquely pleasant. It smells fresh, with a hint of coconut. The trxture is soft, and light--not heavy or greasy. It felt good in my hair, and didn't seem to weigh it down. 

This product was easy to apply, and did not irritate my scalp at all. It was soothing, rather than harsh. It rinsed out with ease, which is important. My hair was incredibly easy to comb, after applying this product, as it seemed to have detangling properties. My hair felt soft to the touch, and smelled amazing. The next day, my hair looked visibly better, with less flyaways and visible breakage. After using this product for a month, I saw a visible improvement. 

I rate this product 4 out of 5 shoes. I really loved this product, but I don't think I will pay that much for a hair conditioner. Until next time, and more reviews... Xoxo. Also, check out my Youtube Video on a unique way to curl your hair, and upcoming review!!

Image Skincare Vital C Review

It's review time, and today I will be reviewing Image Skincare's Vital C Skincare routine. Image Skincare has developed a lot of products, but the Vital C line is good for hydrating dry skin, repairing damaged skin, and renewing skin. The active ingredient is Vitamin C, which is known for it's brightening effects on the skin. I first tried this product, after receiving a facial. I bought a trial kit, which includes a daily facial cleanser, a hydrating enzyme masque, to be applied weekly, a hydrating anti-aging serum, a daily moisturizing moisturizer, with an SPF, and a hydrating repair Cream. 

First, let's discuss price. If you're planning on using all of these products, it could run you a pretty penny. The facial cleanser alone is about 35.00. However, a little does go a long way. I would suggest getting a trial/ travel kit. It includes all of the listed products, for only 15.00 in small sizes, but they last over a month, and to me, that's reasonable. Also, you can not really put a price tag on healthy, radiant skin, and any good product is bound to not be cheap. I tested this product out for 4 weeks, and this is what I came up with. Maybe you can see if it's worth trying. 

The appearance of this product is very bright, clean, non- cluttered, with packaging that screams positivity and energy! The smell of this product is amazing. It smells like fresh oranges, and I detected no chemical/perfume smell. It is very light-weight, and easy to rinse off. I used this product with my Clarisonic Mia 2, and it worked beautifully. The creams are thick, but do not weigh you down. The masque is non irritating or harsh on the skin.  After trying this routine for 4 weeks, this product really did live up to my standards.  I fell in love with this product around day 6, when I noticed my skin becoming more radiant. The cleanser was doing it's job, while not drying my skin out. I have dry skin anyways, and the cream was doing a fantastic job in hydrating. The serum diminished fine lines, and small dark spots I had on my face, almost instantly. The masque I applied weekly, was helping remove the toxins, while not over- drying. This product is amazing, and I would recommend it to anyone who has dry, sun-damaged skin, or even anyone who is simply trying to expose their natural glow, that might be hidden under dull, tired skin. I will not be using any other product, after discovering Image Vital C. I give this product 4 out of 5 shoes, only because I wish it was more affordable. You can purchase this product online at IMAGESKINCARE.com

A week of winter outfits

Winter can be very tricky when deciding which outfits to wear. You don't want to look frumpy, but you don't want to be cold either. In this post, I'm going to show you some options, which include a few casual looks, and also a dressed up look, which incorporates designer jeans, and cute boots. You can dress up any outfit with the right accessories, and stay warm at the same time! 

The first look I'm going to show you is a casual- clean look, but can easily be a coffee date look as well. This look is a no fuss-no muss, with very minimum makeup, but is still very pretty and feminine. 

I wore a pair of light colored Miss Me jeans, with a mint green sweater, and paired it with slightly darker green earrings. I topped this off with a fun New York charm bracelet. For shoes, I chose a tan pair of Rampage boots. 

Makeup was minimal today. Clinique pressed powder in matte honey was my base. I dusted my cheeks with Clinique blush in clover, and used Maybelline Cat Eyes to coat my lashes. I finished up with Micca lip balm in a very pretty pink. I put a dab of mousse in my hair, and pulled it back into a sleek bun. It took me 10 minutes to get ready, and I was very happy with the outcome. 

The second look is a more dressed up, badass/girly chick look. I wore this outfit to the casino. I paired Rock Revival Jeans with a fun dressy tee, and finished the look with a pink leather jacket and my pink Ugg boots. I wore pink big earrings, and a Brighton Vegas charm bracelet for good luck! 

Makeup was dramatic tonight with a heavy coat of foundation, powder, an array of eyeshadow colors from Urban Decay, and a double coat of Cat eyes!  I was so excited with the result of this creation!! One of my favorites. 

The third outfit is what I like to call sophisticated. This outfit consisted of a pair of medium blue Miss Me jeans, anda black dressy  shirt. But the key piece here was the long fuscia trench coat! It was dazzling! I wore black boots as well. I automatically felt "put together" when I put on the coat. I carried a perfect coach bag, to compliment. 

I used all my basic makeup today, because let's face it, this coat speaks for itself! The only thing different I tried today was Mica Beauty cosmetics tinted lip balm in Fiesta. It complimented the coat well. 

The fourth outfit is one of my personal  favorites. Pink. Cashmere. Sweater. Need I say more? Every girl needs cashmere! Its a must. I paired this sweater with Apple Bottom jeans, and brown boots. I carried a Vera Bradley purse in paisley meets plaid pattern. 

Pretty,danty accessories were used with this outfit. The key piece was the Coco Chanel heart necklace, and matching bracelet. Very girly, and luxurious look for today!! 

Makeup was the usual Clinique foundation, and bronzer, and black mascara, but what really made my eyes glisten was eyeshadow, which was Bella terra mineral eyeshadow in Sweet Gold. The cool thing about this eyeshadow, is you can wear it dry, or apply it wet, for a more dramatic look. It also doubles as a lipstick, by simply dipping a lip brush into Bella terra lip balm (which is flavored),and applying it to your lips. Very awesome!! 

The last outfit for this week's winter apparell was a white sweater, dark blue Miss Me jeans, with a white design, and my pink Ugg boots. I accessorized with a Brighton Florida charm bracelet, pearl earrings, and a long Coco Chanel chain, with a pink heart charm. This outfit is simple, but nice. 

For makeup, I used Clinique bronzer in sunkissed, and more norms for eyeliner and shadow, basic tans. I finished up with a nude lipstick. Very low key, but cute. 

I hope you've enjoyed my winter outfits. These are just a few ideas for throwing cute, warn outfits together at the last minute. My next blog will discuss dress-up attire, both casual and formal, and I will have a few staples, and other choices, as well as ways to mix it all up! Until next time, remember little accessories, can make the biggest impression! 

Covergirl Bombshell Volume by lashblast review

Covergirl Bombshell Volume by lashblast is a unique two-part mascara. The first part is the "extreme-volume base coat". The second part is the "intensifying top-coat". This product boasts about it's ability to give your lashes "extreme-volume". What girl doesn't want that?! So, I decided to give this product a try. Here are my results.

First let's talk about price. This mascara costs $7.99 at your local drugstore, which is about average for a mascara that is not high-end. Nothing really earth-shattering there, so let's move onto packaging. The packaging on this product really caught my eye, and actually prompted me to buy it, even though I was not at the store to buy mascara. The package itself is hot pink with Big, Bold writing that says BOMBSHELL, AND SEXY. The tube of mascara itself is also hot pink, and appears very fat and huge, compared to other mascara's on the shelf. In a sense, you feel like you are getting two mascaras for the price of one, because one end of it has a volume base coat, and the other end has the intensifying topcoat. The packaging for this product screams BUY ME. So, I quickly snatched it up, and literally skipped to the checkout counter,  in anticipation of  my new "bombshell, big&sexy lashes. The wind would quickly get taken out of my sail. 

When I opened the #1 side of the applicator, I immediately realized that I did not care for the way the brush looked. It was too big, and the bristles were too close together. Also, it seemed dried-out as soon as I opened it. The combination of the brush shape and size, and the applicator being dry, made for a clumped up mess on my lashes. Right off the bat, I was disappointed, but I moved onto the #2 step of the process. This step was a little better, but not by much. It was still kind of dry, and it didn't seem to smooth out the clumps. In fact, it seemed to make them a little bit worse. On top of that, the mascara made my eyes feel very heavy, and I could literally feel my eyes blinking. It was not comfortable at all.  Since that experience, I have reverted to only using the #2 side, instead of the 2-step application process, just so I can say it's not a total waste. The #2 side is decent, but I still wouldn't rant and rave about it.

Overall, I give this product 2 out of 5 shoes. I really wanted to love this product, but it left me feeling like more of a drag queen than a bombshell.

Clarisonic Mia 2 Review

The Clarisonic Mia 2 is a unique facial-cleansing device. This device is equipped with two speeds, a one-minute, pulsating timer, and interchangeable brush heads. It also includes a magnetic charger, and protective travel case. Speed 1 is a more delicate speed, and is meant for sensitive skin types, or skin that has special requirements. Speed 2 is the universal speed, and meant for every day use. The pulsating timer will beep after 20 seconds, to let you know that it is time to target a different area of your face. After a minute of usage, the Mia 2 will shut off automatically. I use a sensitive skin brush head for my Mia 2, and although I have found that it does work well for every day use, I am going to purchase a deep cleaning brush head for once a week usage.

Let's get down to the nitty-gritty, and talk about money first. These things are not cheap. They are $150.00. I was actually shocked at the price a little myself, and it was almost a deterrent for me purchasing this product. That's pretty steep for a facial cleaning tool in my book. But after reading other people's reviews, I decided that maybe the Mia 2 is worth the bucks. So, I broke down and purchased one, and I can honestly say that it has been worth every penny. You only get one face in life, and it's important to take care of it the best you can. Beauty is not cheap, my friend. So, now that I've shocked you with the price of this beauty, let's move onto another topic.

The first brownie point that Clarisonic gets, is the fact that this product comes with a 2 year warranty. If anything happens to your product within the 2 years, Clarisonic will replace it at no cost to you. When a company has that much faith in their product, that they are willing to put their money where their mouth is, consumers are more likely to buy it. Think about it. Would you spend $150 on a product, if the manufacturing company didn't believe in it's quality enough to insure it? I think not. The fact that Clarisonic takes that much pride in their products speaks volumes.

Another awesome feature of the Mia 2 are it's features. I love the 2 speeds. Speed 2 is for every day usage, but certain situations, such as a sunburn, will require a lighter touch, and this is perfect. I also love the pulsating timer, that signals when to focus on a different area of your face, and eventually shuts off after 60 seconds. It helps prevent over-cleaning your face. The Mia 2 comes in an array of colors, so consumers can add some personality into their cleaning ritual!  Finally, every body's skin is different, and that's why the interchangeable brush heads are a good idea.  For example, some people have sensitive skin, and will need to use the softer brush head.

I give this product  5 out of 5 shoes, despite it being pricey. I feel like it is a good value, and I have seen a tremendous improvement in my skin, in the short two months of using it. It no longer has a dull and sallow appearance, but instead is more glowing. I would recommend this product to anyone who is willing to spend a little bit of money for amazing skin.

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE CLARISONIC MIA 2, CHECK OUT MY YOUTUBE VIDEO FOR THE BIZARRE BARBIE'S  STEP-BY-STEP HOW-TO!

Ybor City Festivities

Last time, I took you on a virtual tour of Downtown Tampa. Today, I am going to focus on Ybor. First, let me make it clear that Ybor during the day, and Ybor at night are two entirely different things. Ybor at night is a scary place, and I do not urge anyone to visit. That is, unless you are a thrill-seeker, who might enjoy being robbed, hearing gunshots, or having your vehicle broken into. That being said, Ybor during the day is a fabulous city, filled with lots of history, and things to do. When you drive into Ybor, you will automatically get an old-time "Cuban" vibe. You will often see gentlemen hand-rolling cigars, chickens walking the streets, and small hole-in-the wall bars/restaurants, offering tasty Cuban cuisine. The Cuban sandwich is a staple in Tampa, especially Ybor City, and you can get one virtually anywhere in Ybor. The streets are brick, and a trolley runs through the city. 

One of the best restaurants in Ybor is Bernini's. It is an Italian restaurant, and let me tell you, it is phenomenal. I got a shrimp alfredo pasta, and the shrimp were giant. They were having a special that day, which was a chicken cordon Bleu, and that was simply to die for. they have $2 martinis most of the time, and the decor is simply beautiful.

Another delicious restaurant is The Columbia. This restaurant has been proudly serving delicious Cuban food to guests since 1905, and is a Florida icon. You simply have to stop here while in Ybor, even if it's just for a mojito, which is the best in florida! It is prepared with real sugar cane in each glass!! The decor to The Columbia is very intricate and beautiful, inside and out. The outside tiles are beautifully hand-painted, and well-maintained, to look exactly how they did in 1905. There is also a small gift shop, connected to the store, featuring the famous sangria pitcher, which customers can purchase. There is also a cookbook for sale,  which features some of The Columbia's famous recipes.

Centro Ybor is a very fun, and exciting place to visit, filled with shops, restaurants, bars, and more bars!!! While visiting there, I walked into a clothing store, where everything was under $20! A cool twist on this store, is that you can create your own t-shirts here for $12.99. You can't beat that. There are tons of quirky, fun stores to visit in Centro Ybor, and then stop and have a cocktail in between.

I have named a few hot spots to checkout in Ybor, but the possibilities are endless in this old city. Check it out, and have a blast....just make sure to high-tail it on out of there before dark!

Downtown Tampa

There are a few hotspots in Tampa, that I would not miss for the world. Today, I visited a few, that I would like to talk about. The first one is the Floridan Hotel. This hotel is very unique, and rich looking on the inside, and has been completely restored to it's original 1920s decor. Its beautiful on the inside, equipped with a restaurant, lounge, and even ballrooms. The chandaliers are absolutely gorgeous, and this place has a glamorous, yet eerie feeling to it, which I loved. 

The ceing decor is intricate, and lovely. 

The restaurant offers a lot of Greek menu items. It gives off a very 1920s, fine-dining vibe, with linen table cloths, and dated, but beautiful dishes. The food is excellent, but the service is slow. Only go here if you have time to relax. 

Warm pita bread, with hummus, cucumber dresding, tetrazini, and tomatoes. Great appetizer!! 

Chicken and greek salad platter.. Very good, but large portion, big enough foe two. 

The Sapphire Lounge at the Hotel Floridan was the only bar in Tampa, during the 1920s where women could go unaccompanied by a man. It was often referred to as the " sure fire" lounge, because men would often find "looser" wonen at rhis establishment, and they would be more willing to go home with them. 

The signature drink at the lounge, "Between the Sheets" speaks volumes for the intimate feeling this place portrays. Oooh la la. This place is a must-see. 

Another cool place to visit in downtown Tampa is the Tampa Theatre. This ghostly, and possibly haunted building features old films, and is an extraordinary date- night idea, for you and your honey. 

More old, eerie decor, but so cool, and nostalgic. The inside even feels cold....

Scary choice of decor, but I love it!! Goes along great with the theory that this place is haunted. 

The next place on the list of downtown Tampa is The Straz Center. It is so much fun to watch a play here, and then take a stroll along River Walk after. I saw The Rockettes, which was a fabulous play.  

Beautiful stage!!

Lights are always changing colors

Trees along Riverwalk, decorated beautifully for Christmas

The last place I want to talk about is the Police Memorial and museum. Although somber, this is a beautiful spot to check out, and you  definitely dont want to miss it. 

If you visit Tampa at night time, you will see a blue light, representing the thin blue line, in between the buildings. 

Roll call of honor, feauturing all the TPD officers lost in the line of duty.

These are just a few highlights in Tampa. There are other places to visit as well. I hope you enjoyed learning about these few places, and I am looking forward to tomorrow's destination! I will leave you with a few random pics I took downtown.