Sinful Colors FAIL 
| An open letter to Sinful Colors
Dear Sinful Colors…I love you…I really do. I’m not sure if you’ve heard but it’s 2010! When I visit your site to see latest and greatest I don’t expect to see a dated ad. I’m sure I saw this look done in the 90′s back when it was HOTTT. Please step your game up…have a contest or something…you can do so much better than an advertisement with some dated makeup look
2/26/2010 UPDATE: I went to AA yesterday to find out if the new colors were available, purchase more polish, and get an update on the bottle issue. Silly me, forgot to bring my old bottles…she said I can exchange my 3 bottles for 6 new bottles…OMG! The new bottles don’t look the old bottles and I’ll be doing a post on how to tell the two apart in a day or so. I’ll be visiting a location in the Bay once I get there on Sunday. I purchased Peacock, Passport Blue, and Factory Grey from MM and the last 4 bottles are from Hot Topic…I’ll talk about those in a later post. Also note that the new Spring colors that have been rumored aren’t out and the employees act clueless about it (almost how T-Mobile employees act when you ask about a phone that YOU KNOW is being released soon).
One of my bottles chipped the same day I purchased these gorgeous lacquers. I assumed it was because I was excited when I bought them and must have mishandled the bag ::sometimes I act like I won the damn lotto or something:: I found out a couple of days ago that AA pulled the lacquers off the shelves because of some issues with the bottle ::what hazardous bottles??!!:: If you haven’t heard or read about it already here’s the link. I plan on exchanging my bottle for the same colors once the new bath arrives and get more too! If you thought I was the type to freak out over this issue, sorry you’re wrong. They’re bigger re-calls in the world right now ::like Toyota::
If you want to see my AA Nail Lacquer swatches click on here
Update: Looks like the bottles were to blame. An American Apparel rep emails:
After receiving a few reports of bottles breaking, we made the internal decision to do a voluntary recall of the bottles on both a retail and public level.
We chose this small US manufacturer to produce our nail polish because we support their business model and have a fondness for family who runs it. However, one of the realities of all manufacturing is first-run glitches. We worked all last week with the manufacturer to make the improvements necessary for the second run. Another reason we sought out a US-based company is so we would be able make changes and now, we can investigate what went wrong as quickly as possible. We still believe in the factory we’re working with and the new polish will be in stores within the next two weeks.
We will offer an exchange of two new bottles or a $10 giftcard for anyone who brings in a unit from the original run or a receipt.
On another note, one thing we’re taking very seriously is the disposal of the bottles we had in the stores. Even though our polish was DBP, toluene, and formaldehyde-free, we don’t want our stores just tossing it in the trash. We’re using our internal shipping and distribution line to arrange a pickup and removal of the polish to make sure it gets done right.
Yes I know it’s winter but I’m bronzed year ’round. I was on the hunt for a bronzer that was subtle enough to wear doing the winter season without looking summer bronzed or golden. Just something that would give me an unquestionable healthy glow without the white haze. All my hard work paid off this time with the help of Sephora of course! I went to Sephora the day I received my V.I.B Beauty Insider $20 gift certificate. It took me an hour to find what I was looking for only to find out that it was sold out and that Sephora will no longer carry Laura Geller so they can make room for Temptu. I honestly feel that that’s a lie. I’ve visited a few Sephora locations in So Cal that Temptu and Laura Geller setup in the same store. None the less you’ll still be able to find Laura Geller products online. The only location that had Honey Dipped in-stock was Manhattan Beach. No biggie for a makeup addict like myself…a 15 minute drive out the way won’t kill me.
I also took a picture of the ingredients. Mineral oil!?! WTH!?! Mineral oil normally make my pores clogged and my skin oily and shiny. I’ve never applied this product over “virgin” skin. I only use it once I’ve applied my sun screen, foundation, and setting powder. I’ve been using this product for a few days and haven’t notice any change in my skin what so ever! I’ve been in the rain as well and it still looks great! Of course I wear it over moisturizer, foundation, and blot powder so it may give some dolls trouble. Not everyone’s skin can handle miner oil (not even in baked products). I’m assuming that since Sephora will no long carry Laura Geller they’re selling the old formula. Beauty.com is currently selling the new oil-free formula which also has antioxidants baked in. Now I love Laura Geller even more 
Beauty.com’s Product Description:
Blush-n-Brighten is a blush that works for everyone! Like my other baked items, this powder is made in Italy with an amazing process that begins with a multi-color infused liquid and becomes a rich silky powder after baking 24 hours on a terracotta pan.
Honey Dipped contains rich tones of coral, tan and gold that are blended to give your cheeks a natural, healthy glow. The luscious consistency will blend beautifully with either Balance-n-Brighten or Bronze-n-Brighten to give your skin a smooth, even glow. This newly formulated brush is mineral oil and paraben free and is loaded with powerful age-fighting antioxidants, white tea and centella asiatica.
Key Ingredients:
Update:
I contacted Tropical Traditions to find out the difference between their regular Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil and Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil for Hair Treatment. Here’s the response I received:
The Hair Treatment has a slightly higher amount of protein
than our other coconut oils, due to the presence of coconut solids. It is
edible like our other oils, but created specifically for hair application.
Coconut oil has been used for hair treatment in coconut producing countries
such as India and the Philippines for thousands of years. More information
can be found here:http://www.tropicaltraditions.
A reader also wanted to know if this coconut oil is organic.
Yes it is! 
While on Twitter (as I always am) Tropical Traditions sent a tweet for beauty bloggers to sign-up for a free jar of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil to conduct a review. I couldn’t wait to sign-up. If you’re part of the natural hair community then I’m sure you’ve heard people talk about the benefits of organic virgin coconut oil. No matter how hard I try to find a good balance and protein I always lean towards the more moisturized side. Organic virgin coconut oil is known for moisturizing hair as well as its ability to retain protein. I did my research and was excited to see if Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil (which is also organic) would live up to their reputation for being one of the best and highest quality virgin coconut oil. I’m going to give a breakdown of the different methods I used when testing out this oil.
Pre-Poo: Though I liked this as a pre-poo I’ve found that it too moisturizing for my hair. I also like products that stimulate my scalp when I use them as a pre-poo…I’m sure it’s all in my head lol. The next time I use it as a pre-poo I’m going to add a drop of peppermint oil and rosemary. I am happy to announce that it wasn’t heavy and rinsed clean and didn’t leave a build-up! Woot!
Dry Scalp: This was a rough winter…my scalp was sucking the life out of everything. I used this oil a few times on my dry winter scalp and found that it wasn’t heavy enough. Normally I don’t have any issues with dry scalp….usually it’s the opposite. This oil absorbed quickly when I applied it to my scalp which may be great when the season change just not at this time.
Hair: OMG! My hair love this oil as a sealant (after I applied a light leave-in or moisturizer)….especially with the baggy method. I only had to use it twice a week….sometimes three. recently my hair has been a lot more balanced and I’m sure its because it’s helping retain my protein. I haven’t did any protein treatments in months. I don’t remember the date but I know it was weeks after taking down my last install. It’s light too which is great too. No one wants oil spots on their linen lol.
Skin: It absorbed quickly on my dry winter skin so I got creative. I love body conditioners (sometimes called in-shower moisturizer) and love to exfoliate but can’t do it as often as I like because I have sensitive skin. Oil Of Olay makes a body conditioner but it has too much perfume for my sensitive skin and I can’t use it. It only made sense to try this oil with a tablespoon of Lush “Sugar Babe” Sugar Scrub. It was GREAT! I’ll definitely be doing this every week for now on.
If you’re not familiar with body conditioners or in-shower moisturizers here’s what you do:
After washing and rinsing your body, apply your body conditioners or in-shower moisturizer, rinse, and pat dry. Just like you would with a Lush Butter cream like “King of Skin”.
Issues: None. However, I do use a spoon to remove the oil from the jar because it’s pretty stiff before it melts. Plus it’s sanitary just in case someone decides to use it.
Overall opinion: I’m extremely satisfied! I also like the fact that Tropical Traditions give consumers a ton of information on their site. I would definitely purchase this oil again once this jar is gone and as you can tell a little goes a long way. Even if you’re still not sure about coconut oil check out their site to get more information.
LENGTH CHECK!
As we all know one of the keys to going long hair is to find balance, nurture your scalp and baby your ends. Since I’m still transitioning from dye and heat damage I mostly keep my hair in loose pony tails. This is actually my first length check since I took down my last install months ago. That first week I “trimmed” my hair. Well it was more of a cut because I took off two inches. I got scissor happy again a couple weeks ago and took off half an inch. The front of my hair is BSL (bra strap length). This is normal for me so I guess it’s time for me to stop cutting my hair. I need to learn some patience. Oh by the way I’m going to start using the Morrocco Lunar Hair Chart to care for my hair for the next six months…so wish me luck!
::check out the eczema on my chest lol…no it’s not a hickey or love mark::
The Lunar Chart displays the 5 optimal dates each month for cutting and beautifying hair. Certain days are especially beneficial for a certain task and are noted on the calendar in red. In addition, there are dates each season of particular importance. Below the haircutting chart is our chart for retarding growth — the best days for shaving, plucking, and waxing.
Note: Dates are calculated for Pacific Standard Time, Northern Hemisphere.
March 19 -20 – Spring Equinox — are the best dates to cut for spring.
June 21-23 — Summer Solstice — are the best dates to cut for summer.
September 21-23 — Fall Equinox — are the best dates to cut for fall.
December 21-23 — Winter Solstice — are the best dates to cut for winter.
Shown are the optimal days in each month for performing the tasks shown at the top of each column. In addition, a particular day or days each month is considered most beneficial and is indicated in red. The Equinoxes and Solstices are bordered.
| Lengthen | Thicken | Strengthen | Root work | Beautifying | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 18-19-20 | 1-2 | 21-22-23 | 13-14-15 | 28-29-30 |
| February | 19-20-21 | 4-5-6 | 24-25 | 10-11-12 | 15-16 |
| March | 9-10-11 | 24-25 | 14-15-16 | 4-5-6 | 19-20 |
| April | 28-29 | 15-16-17 | 5-6-7 | 20-21 | 10-11-12 |
| May | 13-14 | 21-22 | 3-4-5 | 26-27 | 17-18-19 |
| June | 18-19 | 4-5-6 | 21-22-23 | 9-10 | 26-27-28 |
| July | 1-2 | 20-24 | 6-7-8 | 28-29-30 | 9-10 |
| August | 7-8 | 2-3 | 15-16-17 | 24-25-26 | 20-21 |
| September | 10-11 | 27-28 | 16-17-18 | 3-4 | 21-22-23 |
| October | 14-15 | 1-2 | 23-24-25 | 8-9-10 | 28-29 |
| November | 24-25 | 5-6 | 10-11 | 19-20 | 14-15-16 |
| December | 7-8-9 | 21-22-23 | 12-13 | 2-3-4 | 17-18 |
The days below are most beneficial for retarding hair growth — the best days for shaving, plucking or waxing.
| January | 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 26, 27 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 13, 17, 23, 26 | ||||
| March | 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 23, 26, 27 | ||||
| April | 3, 4, 8, 9, 13, 14, 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30 | ||||
| May | 1, 10, 11, 15, 16, 23, 24, 29 |
||||
| June | 1, 2, 3, 7, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 24, 29, 30 | ||||
| July | 3, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 27, 31 | ||||
| August | 1, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 27, 28 | ||||
| September | 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 19, 20, 25, 29, 30 | ||||
| October | 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 20, 26, 27 | ||||
| November | 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 17, 18, 23, 27, 30 | ||||
| December | 1, 5, 6, 10, 11, 15, 16, 19, 24, 25, 26, 29 | ||||
Yayyyy my Oyin order is here. It’s not like it took long (I must have been lucky because I thought it would take longer). So here is my first impression:
Oyin Handmade 4-piece Hair Care Sample Pack
Juice & Berries Leave-In Spray
Burnt Sugar Pomade
If you’ve purchased from Oyin Handmade please leave a comment and let me know what your ordered. If you have any tips or suggestions on product use I’d love to hear from you!
