Queen Helene Got a Makeover

I realize this might be old news to some of you, but I was pretty shocked when I visited my local Sally Beauty last weekend and discovered that two different Queen Helene lines got a makeover. The first:

Newly-repackaged Queen Helene products at Sally Beauty

I have to say, I love this new packaging! It's still retro, but it's a lot more colorful and fun. To refresh your memory, here's what the old packaging looks like...

Spotted: lots of new products (pic heavy)

I have to apologize to anyone who has submitted new product pics in the past few months. With things starting to settle down with my family, I hope to be able to catch up on email soon and hopefully get all of your wonderful pics up in one, great big post. So please check back soon for that!

In the meantime, I have collected some pics of new products that I've spotted while out and about at the drugstores and grocery stores lately (grocery stores tend to get new haircare before the drugstores do in my area) so I'd love to share my discoveries with you!

First up, I have reader Meagan to thanks for these following pics, as she recently left a comment on the You Tell Me page letting us know that she found some new Vo5 and Suave products at her local Food4Less (for those if you in states that don't have Food4Less grocery stores, the equivalent would be Kroger). Well as soon as I read her comment, I dashed out to my local Food4Less and here's what I spotted:

New Queen Helene Royal Curl Collection

Reader Review: Queen Helene Mint Julep Shampoo

I'm thrilled to present to you the very first Nouveau Cheap Reader Review! I've seen reader reviews on many beauty blogs over the past few years, and I've always thought it was such a great idea. I'm happy to jump on this bandwagon because you all have SO much wonderful information to share!

When you take time out of your busy days to email me your thoughts about a product you've discovered, it seems like such a waste to keep that information to myself. This was the case when I received a wonderful email from my reader Elsie. Elsie wrote to me with the sole intention of wanting to "pay it forward". She has enjoyed my reviews over the past several months, and wanted to give ME a review in return of a product she's recently fallen in love with. How sweet is that?

And the best part? Elsie told me about a product that I had been eyeing for quite a while but, for whatever reason, never got around to purchasing. After reading Elsie's review, I immediately thought to myself, "My readers HAVE to hear about this!" So, voila! A Reader Review was born.

To kick things off, here's a little background information on my wonderful reader, Elsie:

Elsie is a 46-year-old Speech-Language Pathologist, who, in her own words, has "two teenage daughters, 14 and 16, who are at the peak (Himalayan level) of beauty product awareness and purchasing. Elsie hails from the "high heat and humidity make-up melting area of Dallas, Texas".

Take it away, Elsie!

Review: Queen Helene Mint Julep Shampoo

Queen Helene Mint Julep Shampoo

(retail: 4.49 at Sally Beauty, $3.99 with Club Card;16 oz.)

I am always on the search for a good, inexpensive, sulfate-free shampoo. I have tried so many. I have made high dollar purchases, bought homemade products off of Etsy, purchased Lush, scoured Amazon and Makeupalley.... and well you get the point. Long search.

The other day, I was in Sally Beauty Supply and was walking through the shampoo aisle and on the very bottom row, there was a lone bottle of Apple Pectin Shampoo. Wow! Flashback to my high school years of the 80s! I lived off this stuff [So did I, Elsie. So did I! -Gianna]. However, I have to change modes here, as the Apple Pectin Shampoo (which I did purchase for old times sake--but haven't used yet) is not what I am so excited about (although I may be later when I try it again). I was laughing about the Apple Pectin and the sales associate came over to talk to me. I shared my trip down memory lane with her and we both smelled the wonderful apple fragrance, several times, and laughed about our mutual desire to smell EVERYTHING. She then directed me to a bottle of Queen Helene Mint Julep Shampoo. Now, most folks are familiar with the face mask, which I like quite a bit, but I had never heard of the shampoo.

She said, "Smell it, it smells just like Wrigley's Spearmint Gum! It's awesome!". So of course, I could not refuse! We both smelled it quite a few times and although I didn't know how I felt about my hair smelling like gum, I had this strange fascination with it. I had a weird attraction, it was under $5, so it made the trip home with me in the car!

I was reading the bottle that night and I noticed that it is a concentrate and you are to add it to a gallon of water, or for a thinner shampoo, 2 gallons of water!!! WOAH! A gallon of shampoo for under $5.00?? Say it isn't so! So I got really excited, then I was reading the ingredients and OMG! Sulfate free. I was beyond excited!

Here are the ingredients: Water, Cocomide DEA, Propylene Glycol, Fragrance, Chlorophyllin, D&C Yellow #10 & D&C Green #5

NO sulfates. Now, there may be something in there that is worse than sulfates that makes it so cheap, but only being a speech pathologist and not a chemist, I do not know. Looked pretty harmless to me.

Next day, I get to use it! I didn't have a gallon container to mix it in, so I thought I would just really saturate my hair with water and use a small amount. Here, I regret to say, I had a little disappointment. It didn't lather much. However, having used lots of sulfate-free shampoos that didn't lather, I kind of let that go. If you need a huge mound of lather on your head, this is not for you. When I washed it out, surprisingly, no tangles. Liked it more. Smell of mint, yes, there a little. I then used one of my other conditioners, not one that was anything to write home about, but when I washed the conditioner out, my hair was so soft. Softer than I had ever felt it with that conditioner before and completely tangle free. I proceeded to style my hair and it felt really soft and I got a slight whiff of the spearmint. I happen to love Wrigley's Spearmint Gum, because it reminds me of a boy in high school that had the most wonderful kisses and he always had a piece of this gum in his mouth. Well, without being too descriptive, nice memories come to mind [Aww, isn't that the sweetest little story ever? -Gianna]. Anyway, if you don't like that smell, then again, this isn't a thrilling opportunity for you.

I didn't use any styling product in my hair, not a conditioner, or sealer, or shine serum, nothing, and my hair was so unbelievably shiny, full of body and easy to style I could not believe it. My first though was "I must rush in and write to you immediately, and share my find!!". I held off, still doubtful that something this cheap could be so good. So, I decided to give it another day. Tried it again today with the most wonderful results. I didn't use any products again, my hair dried quickly, had the most amazing shine, and was full of bounce. With just my hair dyer and a round brush, I looked like I went to the salon and had a set of rollers in. I am so in love (and I still like the faint smell...).

I have no idea how this will be in a month. It may dry my hair out like the Sahara. I just don't know. I was just so excited that I wanted to share the news about it and since you have sent so many wonderful suggestions my way, I thought you deserved something in return. Now, as you always say, things may be different for you; this is just how it worked for me. If you are ever in Sally's try a bottle [or you can purchase it online--it's got five 5-star ratings on the Sally site! -Gianna] and see what you think. Maybe it will be a winner for you too!

So, lovely readers, have you tried Queen Helene Mint Julep Shampoo? If not, are you considering giving it a shot after reading Elsie's review? I (and Elsie) would love to hear from you!

I'm obsessed: New Queen Helene Naturals Line (SLS and paraben-free)

I know I can't be alone in this: my skin (face, hands, body, feet) are just plain sad right now. Everything's so dry and itchy and try as I might, I can't seem to get any long-term relief when it's this cold. (Yeah, I know, I live in San Diego but it dipped down to 36 degrees last night which is COLD for me. I shiver uncontrollably when it dips below 60, for crying out loud.)

Now, any good Recessionista is probably already a fan of the legendary Queen Helen Mint Julep Mask. I've been using that little multi-tasking wonder for decades now and nothing compares to its scent, texture, and ability to suck out the bad stuff from my skin and leave silky skin behind (have you ever used it as a spot-treatment for blemishes? It's great!). Oh, and it's also around two bucks a tube! So when Queen Helene released their new Naturals line, I was beyond excited to try it out.

I contacted Queen Helene a few months ago and they graciously sent me a coupon for a free product. I've been saving it in my purse for months, waiting for the perfect opportunity to use it. As luck would have it, my Rite Aid was having a BOGO free on Queen Helene products recently (one of the many benefits of their new rewards card, the Wellness+ card, which they are currently testing in San Diego) so check it out--I managed to get the Queen Helene Naturals Cocoa Butter Wash for free with my coupon, and the Queen Helene Naturals Cocoa Butter Creme for free as well! Now that is my kind of deal.

So let's start with the Queen Helene Naturals Cocoa Butter Creme (retail: $9.99, 6 oz but you can get it on Amazon for $6.98):

I have to say, this ingredient list is pretty impressive. No parabens, and it's loaded with certified organic and fair trade certified cocoa butter (the second ingredient). When you open the jar, you are immediately hit with the warm, soothing, chocolately aroma of the cocoa butter, which I love. And I love the texture of this creme:

(I stuck my finger in the pot before I took a pic--sorry--I couldn't control myself)

The QH Butter Creme is thick like a TBS body butter, but it's not so thick that it's difficult to work with. It spreads onto the skin with ease, and I looooove the texture so much that I can't stop using it. The cocoa butter is just so darn good for my dry winter skin right now--this creme brings immediately relief and it LASTS. I slather my arms, legs, hands and feet with it right before bed and my skin is incredibly smooth in the morning. I also love the fact that cocoa butter not only penetrates my dry skin and brings it moisture, but it also leaves a thin, protective coating on my skin, which keeps it smooth for hours. Even after multiple anti-bac applications and hand-washings, my hands feel soft and hydrated. And the best part, this stuff isn't greasy! I'm telling you guys, this product is the real deal and, in my humble opinion, well worth the 10 bucks.

Next, we have Queen Helene Naturals Cocoa Butter Body Wash, which is also paraben and SLS-free (retail: $9.99, 16 oz):

It brings me much pleasure to tell you that the Cocoa Butter Body Wash is loaded with the same warm, soothing, chocolatey scent of cocoa butter as the Butter Creme. A few squirts onto a bath pouf and I've got a rich, thick lather that cleanses my skin effectively yet gently. I love that this body wash contains cocoa butter, aloe vera, avena sativa kernel oil (like Aveeno products), vitamin E and sodium PCA. I believe that this combination of ingredients helps me avoid what I like to call "the itchies". When it gets really cold, I seem to itch all over my entire body if I use a body wash that contains SLS. It's just too harsh and drying to use as a cleanser when my skin is already so dry. So this body wash, with all of its skin-loving ingredients, is definitely a welcome addition to my shower right now.

You can purchase Queen Helene Naturals products at Rite Aid and other drugstores, mass merchandisers and beauty supply stores across the nation. You can also purchase them through Queen Helene's website (which will redirect you to Amazon for the actual purchase).

Are you interested in the new Naturals line? Do you currently use any other Queen Helene products? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and gratis samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

Review: Queen Helene Soy & Cocoa Butter Hand & Body Lotion (new paraben-free formula!)

I never thought I'd see the day. Queen Helene, makers of the iconic Mint Julep Facial Masque, now make some paraben-free products!

If you're into bath and body stuff like I am, then you know that more and more manufacturers are making the shift to paraben-free products, or at least offering one or two formulas within their range that are paraben-free. But I never expected the more economical brands, such as Queen Helene, to jump on the paraben-free train this quickly!

I was at Sally Beauty recently and I was pleasantly surprised to see this product on the shelf:

Queen Helene Soy & Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Lotion is a brand new product that is paraben-free, and cocoa butter and soybean oil are the fourth and fifth ingredients, respectively. I would also like to add that the tenth ingredient in this lotion is sodium laurel sulfate, which I found a bit peculiar since this is a known detergent/foaming agent. I'm not exactly sure why it's in this lotion, except that maybe it's being used as an emulsifier. Regardless, I did want to state that this product contains SLS in case you're trying to avoid this ingredient.

As with other Queen Helene lotions, you get a huge bottle (32 oz) for the price (retail: $4.49, $3.99 with a Sally Card). And as with other Queen Helene cocoa butter products, the fragrance is quite yummy. It smells like cocoa butter and the texture isn't too runny or too thick. For me, it's the perfect consistency for a lotion:

This lotion spreads easily and absorbs quickly, yet it does leave a thin coating on the skin. I found this coating to be pleasant (it's not sticky or greasy) and it makes my skin feel extra soft. This lotion kept my skin feeling soft and hydrated all day and into the night, and it worked well on both my hands and feet in addition to my body.

For the price and size, this is definitely an economical way to stay hydrated this fall and winter. The healing properties of cocoa butter can't be denied, and I'm very happy to see this product in a paraben-free formula. Again, the only thing that raises eyebrows is the SLS, but if you're already using products that contain SLS (almost all drugstore facial cleansers, shampoos and body washes contain SLS) and you're ok with this ingredient, then this shouldn't bother you.

Do you use any Queen Helene products? What's your favorite?

Also, stay tuned because I'll be reviewing Queen Helene's new paraben-free Avocado and Grapefruit Facial Masque next week.