Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque Review

If you haven't been to your local Target lately, you must be living in a cave!!!! But if you have joined the rest of us Target addicts, then you might have seen this little display!

Brands like Macadamia Oil, Bumble and Bumble, Bed Head, CHI, Rusk, and Catwalk are Buy-1-Get-1-Free. What an amazing deal for people who consider these products holy grails. I would have stocked up like no other if I were them! But luckily enough for my wallet, I only was interested in the Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque. I cannot tell you how many blogs and videos I've come across that rave about this product. My sister and I were curious so we went half-sies on it. $15 each of us... not bad! A girl can never try enough conditioners, right? 

$29.99 (but really $15 each!)

8.5 fl oz

Cruelty Free, Paraben Free, Alcohol Free 

Directions: Our Macadamia and Argan oils combine with our tea tree and chamomile oils, aloe, and algae extracts to produce miracle-like hair rejuvenation. 

How to use: Liberally comb through clean, wet hair and allow up to 7 minutes of penetration before rinsing. No heat necessary. Deep Repair Masque is an intense treatment. Use no more than twice a week. 

This product is creamy, thick, and smells great. I can't really describe what it smells like, but that it seems sweet and organic? I can feel my hair absorb the oils and instantly feel nourished. However, this is definitely a conditioner that you do not want to apply liberally in one use or throughout the week. I only apply from the nape of my neck down to the very ends. I test the effectiveness of my conditioners based on the ease of it's ability to take out my tangles when washing it out. This product is pretty decent at achieving this, but I definitely was not "wowed." The roots of my hair lose volume because they are weighed down, but on the flip side, my hair looks healthy and shiny. I think the "no heat necessary" claim is slightly true, but I still have to apply Moroccan Oil to the very tips of my hair because no conditioner will ever contain my brittle ends. 

Do I regret buying this product? No, my hair is enjoying it for the time being. Will I repurchase for full price? No, I don't think it has reached "holy grail" status for me. It may have been because my expectations were set too high, but this is nothing that blew my socks off. I think you can find decent conditioners for a much lower price. I could imagine this being a God-send for people who have really dry, unruly hair, but this is not necessary for people who have fairly normal, and especially thin hair! 

Have any of you ever tried L'Oreal's Nature Therapy Mega Moisture Nurturing Creme? 

I think it's a very close alternative for those looking for something more affordable. You can get a 16 fl oz tub (twice as large as Macadamia) for less than half of the price. It's about $13-$14 at most beauty supply stores. I've gone through two of these in the past, mostly because customers at the store I worked at swore this was even better than Kerastase. I never tried, so I wouldn't know... I instantly thought of this product when I first opened Macadamia. They're both the same color and consistency. 

These two deep repair masks do create soft and healthier looking hair, but I will continue to try new products! 

What are your thoughts on either one of these deep repair masks? Do you have any recommendations? 

Steals

Here are some recent products I've purchased at a really great price! 

Too Faced Shadow Insurance Primer  & Eye Shadow Insurance Policy Palette 

$12 at Nordstrom Rack

A single tube of Shadow Insurance is normally $18, so this combo was truly a steal. :) 

Full Front, Glamazon, and Socialite are my favorite by far. These 3 shadows are right up my alley, in terms of everyday wear. The other 3 colors are a fun addition since I don't really own anything colorful.

 

Love how glossy they look outdoors at night! I especially love the lightest color, Glamazon. It's what I wished Naked Palette 1 Sidecar was like! Lots of color payoff without all that glitter fallout!

Another deal that's still going on at Target: 

Full size L'oreal Youth Code Youth Regenerating Day/Night Cream & Cleanser

Right now, Target is selling any of the Youth Code moisturizers for full size and price with a FREE Youth Code Cleanser. It depends on which item you want to buy, but the lotion is $19.99.

I've been meaning to repurchase the Day/Night Cream ever since I used up my last jar, but I've been lazy. I think it's because my skin had become really dry during January-February and had needed something thicker, like Embryolisse. However, it's become too heavy and I needed to go back to my normal routine. When I went into Target, I saw this duo and I knew it was meant to be. I specifically went looking for this moisturizing and a new cleanser. So far, the lotion has been great (duh), but I'm not too sure about the face wash. It's SO FRAGRANT- almost gives me a headache! It does a good job of washing off my makeup, but it's not targeted for blemishes, which is a concern for me. I'll definitely use it up, but I won't be repurchasing. 

Hope someone will take advantage of these deals! :) 

Chanel vs. MAC

The recent CRAZE in the beauty world has definitely been the new drugstore eyeshadow releases by Maybelline and L'oreal. These cheap alternatives to the ever so famous Chanel's Illusion D'ombre, MAC Paint Pots, and Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill have definitely racked up major popularity because of their ability to give these high end brands a run for their money. I had to jump onto the bandwagon myself and scored Maybelline Color Tattoo Bad To the Bronze and L'oreal Infallible Iced Latte, Amber Rush, and Bronzed Taupe. Here's a color swatch of Amber Rush and Bronzed Taupe:

Not bad, right? They're amazingly pigmented and for a fraction of the price of Chanel and GA... yes, please! 

Here are some links to legit swatches: Iced Latte, more Infallibles, and Color Tattoos. 

Anyways!!!

On my recent trip to NY, I had my first opportunity to check out Chanel's Illusion D'ombres and MAC Naturally collection in person. Having finally seen Chanel in person after tons of video and blog raves, I had to admit I was a bit underwhelmed. If you check out the swatches below, you'll see that there are tons of glitter specks I had not expected in the formula. Sure the black pot was known to have silver specks, but not all the other colors! Personally, I think glitter can make a product look much cheaper... Is that just me? They're definitely gorgeous... but worth $36? Hmmm...
Giorgio Armani shadows were also beautiful in person, but I just couldn't justify the price when L'oreal does it just as good.

left to right: Chanel 82 Emerveille, 86 Ebloui, 83 Illusoire (sooooo pretty), 85 Mirifique, GA 6 Khaki Pulse

Then came MAC's Naturally collection. These mineralized shadows go for $20 each, but I thought the subtle sheen of the shadows were so pretty and looked much more wearable than Chanel's. I ended up purchasing the pinkish-purple color on the left (Daylight), but am now regretting I didn't get the soft peach champagne color (Summer Haze) as well!!!! I didn't feel right spending $40 on eyeshadow alone that day, but I should have because Summer Haze is completely sold out wherever I go! I thought it was too similar of a color that I already own, but nothing gives off as pretty and soft of a glow as this color does. And it could work beautifully as a cheek highlight too!! Oh... regrets... 

As much as I admire Chanel products and the prestige of their brand... I have to admit I wasn't convinced I needed (well, I don't really need any of this) to have the Illusion D'ombres in my collection. But who knows? They may get me one day....