My swap with a beauty junkie in London (pic heavy)

It all started out so innocently. Over a year ago, I reviewed a UK hair product for weheartthis and I absolutely fell in love with it. Sadly, it turned out that you could only purchase this product in the UK, so I decided to ask the wonderful Jen over at A beauty junkie in London if she'd be interested in doing a little swap. I know that UK gals cannot easily get Milani and CoverGirl products across the pond, so I was hoping I could entice her with the prospect of some new drugstore goodies! And of course you know I'm obsessed with UK drugstore products as well, so it would be a win-win situation for both of us!

Well, one year later and here we are! This swap was never meant to be in negotiations for a YEAR, but as they say in life: good things come to those who wait! I think Jen and I were so excited by all the wonderful goodies we could send each other that this swap eventually took on a life of its own.

Week after week, I discovered more amazing UK brands and products I found myself wanting (Barry M! Sleek!), and she thought of some US brands and products she wanted (Sonia Kashuk brushes, etc.) so it became this ongoing project that was just so fun we couldn't stop ourselves.

So even though this swap might appear to be one of the biggest swaps in US/UK history, remember that these products were purchased here-and-there, over the course of a YEAR. I've found that it's quite easy to pick up one or two things a month for a year and then, before you know it, you've got quite a collection to send to your swap partner!

Opening this package was like an early Christmas and birthday rolled into one. Naturally, I am beyond excited to share every single product Jen sent to me, but I'll limit my commentary when possible because this is going to be loooooong.

Deep breathe: here we go. Oh, and PLEASE NOTE: I'm including all of the official swap products and the extras (items that Jen sent out of the kindness of her heart, above and beyond the "official" swap products).

First, the product Jen sent that made me GASP:

Can you believe it? This polish by Barry M has to be one of THE most talked-about and coveted products of the year! I cannot believe she got it for me and I can't WAIT to show you how it works. It is soooo cool that I'm going to post a video of it in action. You've got to see it with your own eyes!

And of course here's the product that started it all! This curl taming cream works pure magic on my wavy hair and I am THRILLED to have another tube of it.

Yay for yummy lip balms!

My very first Sleek palette!

How cute is this little kit?

These colors are so me it's not even funny.

My camera washed out these polish colors--they are so much prettier in person. How cute is that box?

My very first GOSH product! And a volumizing mascara to boot!

The name of this product cracks me up.

I LOVE how this packaging is made to look like someone took a bite out of it.

Who doesn't love a mini gloss?

I love the embossing on this little shadow duo.

I cannot believe I am finally the proud owner of a Dazzle Dust.

The bottle shape of this polish is adorable.

I have no words to describe how I feel when I look at these Barry M polishes.

Yeah for mini bottles and yeah for mint green!

How cute is this shoe bag? I normally use an old plastic bag for my shoes when I travel--not any more!

I cannot wait to try this.

Could this be any cuter?

I specifically asked Jen if she could purchase this for me after reading about it on a haircare forum (but I had no idea she'd get me a pink one--that totally made my day!). I am SO excited to review this for you--if you have long hair that tangles easily, you have got to stay tuned for my review. This thing is unbelievable.

And last but certainly not least, I asked Jen if she could pick up a curlywurly bar for me and she is so sweet that she sent me FIVE! If you don't know what a curlywurly is, it's the UK equivalent of a long-ago discontinued US candy bar called the Marathon Bar. Marathon Bars were my favorite candy of my childhood, and I still curse the day they were discontinued. So I have no way of expressing to you how it feels to eat this candy bar again!

Thank you SO much, Jen, for making this one of THE most memorable swaps ever. It took us a while to get there, but it was SO worth the wait!

If you see any products above that you would like me to review, please just leave a comment on this post and let me know! In the very near future I'll be reviewing the Barry M Instant Nail Effects and the Tangle Teezer, but after that I'll review anything you request!

And definitely stay tuned over at A beauty junkie in London to see what I sent Jen! I went a little crazy for her earlier this year when CVS was having their semi-annual beauty sale!

New Year, New You: Time to upgrade your hair dryer?

Continuing my New Year, New You series, I'd like to talk to you for a minute about hair dryers and why it just might be time to upgrade yours.

Now, I'm a total low-maintanence girl when it comes to my styling tools. I usually prefer to let my hair air-dry if possible, but since that's just not practical on most days, I do like to give my hair a quick blow-out before I head out the door. I'm not one for fancy hair dryers because, well, I've managed to have amazing luck over the past several years by staying true to one brand and one brand only: Conair.  Let me explain.

Back in my teen years, I used whatever hair dryer I could get my hands on. I went with any brand I could find as long it was cheap and had a "hot" setting. And for years I found that my hair dryers had a lifespan of about one to two years before they'd just suddenly stop working. In fact, I used a brand that shall remain nameless once and had the hair dryer almost catch fire and kind of explode dangerously close to my face. Yikes!

Because of my poor track record with other brands, I developed a habit of keeping my old hair dryer (provided it didn't stop working or explode on me) and storing it under the sink just in case my new hair dryer decided to quit on me.  If you have ever had a hair dryer stop working for you, and you did NOT have a back-up, well you know how desperate that situation can be! 

But that all changed once I found Conair. For me, Conair has been my gold standard of affordable hair dryers because they're the MOST dependable hair dryer I've ever owned (plus, they just plain rock). In fact, I haven't been able to break my habit of keeping my old hair dryer when I upgrade to a new one, so I currently have two fully-functioning Conair dyers in my home! Here's a pic of my Conair Ion Shine 1875, which I've had for MANY years (the teal one), which is now my back-up dryer since I decided to purchase the newer model of the Conair Ion Shine 1875 (the black one), a few years ago. Both dryer are still in fantastic working order, and I use the black one just about every day.

I could stop this post right now and say I love Conair, the end. But recently I was contacted by the agency that works for Conair and they asked me if I'd like to try their new Infiniti Cord-Keeper Styler for review. Wait a minute, "Cord-Keeper"? What the heck? How could I say no?

So let me tell you about this new Conair Infiniti Cord-Keeper Styler. In one word, it's the BOMB. Seriously, it's got this retractable cord that you control by just pushing the little triangular button on the side of the dryer. When you're ready to use the dryer, you just pull the cord to whatever length you need. And when you're done using the dryer, you just push that little triangular button and ZIP! The cord instantly retracts and you are good to go! No more leaving your hair dryer out on the counter when you're in a hurry and you don't have time to roll the cord up around the handle.  Nope, you just push the button and BAM, you can put that baby back in your bathroom cabinet in two seconds FLAT.

So tell me, which looks more appealing to you? My drier on the left, with the traditional messy cord, or the Infiniti Cord-Keeper Styler, on the right?

Here's a closer look at the Conair Infiniti Cord-Keeper Styler (from the Conair website):

 Now you see it, now you don’t with the Infiniti Cord-Keeper Styler by Conair™ !  The cord retracts into the handle of this innovative blow dryer with just the touch of a button for convenient and tidy storage.  And of course, it has all the great benefits of an Infiniti styler, like a full 1875 watts of power and a high torque DC motor for maximum drying power and speedier styling!  Other features include:

• Tourmaline Ceramic™ Ionic technology - ion output helps smooth the cuticle layer creating silky, shiny hair; infrared energy protects hair's natural luster
• Ionic technology reduces static electricity and leaves hair silkier, shinier and more manageable
• Cool shot
• 3 heat/2 speed settings
• Removable filter
• Concentrator
• Diffuser
• Limited three-year warranty
• Unit weight: 2.75 lbs

For me, it just doesn't get better than this hair dryer. It's got the 1875 power that I'm used to, it's got ionic technology (essential for making my hair smooth and shiny!), a concentrator (can't live without that), a diffuser, and it's light! I mean, it's under 3lbs.  And of course, who can forget that retractable cord?

I've been using this hair dryer for almost one month straight and so far, I am in love. It gets super hot yet never manages to feel hot on my scalp like other dryers do. Also, it's just super easy to work with, and of course the best part is that it's a snap to put away when you're done. No more yelling out in pain when I accidentally step on the cord of my hair dryer in the middle of the night because I was too lazy to put it away that morning.

So with this New Year, New You series, I'm hoping to offer you affordable ways to treat yourself right in 2010. Upgrading your existing hair dryer is definitely an affordable way to pamper yourself this year, and it's the gift the keeps on giving, that's for sure. 

The Conair Infiniti Cord-Keeper retails for about $39.99 online and wherever Conair products are sold, but guess what? I just saw this model at CVS which means one thing: save up your Extra Bucks and you could get a fantastic deal!

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 editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

SwirliDo or SwirliDon't?

A few months ago I contacted Lindo, makers of the Lindo Twist-n-Roll Tweezers, about obtaining their product for review (click here for my full review of the Twist-n-Roll Tweezers). After I wrote that review, the folks at Lindo asked me if I'd like to receive another one of their beauty products for review, and that is when I first became acquainted with SwirliDo Hair Ties.

When I received the samples, I have to admit that my first thought was, "These look like little telephone cords!" But the fun colors and the idea of using something other than my usual ponytail holders made me want to seriously give these a try.

The set of SwirliDos above is the "Neutral Colors" collection, however I also received the "Hawaii Colors" collection, of which my 2-yr-old niece quickly claimed ownership (in addition to putting them in her hair, I discovered that she also likes to wear SwirliDos as bracelets and anklets. :) SwirliDos also come in "Jelly Colors" and "Caribbean Colors". The regular retail price is $9.99 per set of eight, but they are currently on sale for $6.99 per set.

As you can see in the images above, SwirliDos make a lot of claims. No ponytail lines, no headaches, a tight hold and smooth removal. So, did they live up to their claims? For me, I'd say they lived up to three of the four.

First off, application is a breeze. If you know how to put on a regular rubber-band-type of ponytail holder, you can put a SwirliDo in your hair. Also, I was pleasantly surprised to see that you can get a uniform look when you wear a SwirliDo. I was afraid that when I put one in my hair, it was going to look like a tangled telephone cord, but it actually looked more like this:

And if you wrap it more tightly, you can get an even cleaner look, like this:

So here are my thoughts after using this in both my niece's hair, and my own hair, for about two weeks:

1) Tight hold: CHECK! I am the type of person who likes a very tight ponytail with no chance of loosening up through the course of the day. So I was very pleased to discover that these hair ties hold the hair tightly and they definitely stay put. Also, I love that I can push these to the limit and go around my ponytail three or even four times without the fear of "snap". If you use traditional ponytail holders, you know that if you wrap your hair just one more time, sometimes the rubber band will snap and you're out of luck. With SwirliDos, this is way less likely to happen because they're made of coiled plastic, not rubber or cloth.

2) No ponytail lines: NO! I'm afraid that these did leave a slight dent in my hair, as well as my niece's, after a few hours of wear, so this is the one area in which SwirliDos failed me.

3) Easy removal: CHECK! These babies glide off the hair pretty darn easily, I am happy to report.

4) No headaches: CHECK! I am a person who gets a headache almost every time I wear my hair in a ponytail. I owe a lot of this to the fact that, like I mentioned earlier, I like my ponytails very tight. But I think that the problem with traditional ponytail holders is that they tend to pull the hair inconsistently. In my experience, I always tend to get a headache on one certain spot on my head, which means that the hair is being pulled tighter there than at other points on my head. But with SwirliDos, the tension seems to be distributed much more evenly, and I haven't gotten a headache once while wearing them. SwirliDos feel extremely comfortable to wear when compared to my usual ponytail holders.

A few more thoughts about SwirliDos: If you purchase a set, keep the packaging! After you use a SwirliDo, you'll notice that it will look stretched out. So I started to put my SwirliDos back in their original packaging when I'm not using them, and I swear it makes them go right back to their original shape. If you keep them in the packaging, they'll be good as new every single time you use them. Lastly, another great thing about these hair ties is that you can wash them with ease if they get dirty. A quick rinse under water and they'll look clean again (which is more than I can say about traditional ponytail holders).

Do you already own SwirliDos? If not, would you consider ordering some? What do you currently use when you wear your hair in a ponytail? 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.

News about my Bargains of the Day & an update on my favorite Goody brush

First I'd like to say that I used to do a feature called "Bargain of the Day" on this blog. I haven't stopped this feature, but I also haven't been focused on bringing you a new bargain every single day and I'd like to tell you why.

While some other websites may bring you a "bargain" every single day, I strive to be as honest as possible in my reviews and it's been my experience that it's simply not realistic to give you a TRUE bargain every single day. If I wrote a "BOTD" post every day, I feel that it wouldn't be sincere. Can there really be a new and truly worthy beauty bargain every single day? It's true that I used to do this daily, but that was when I first started this blog. In that case, I really DID have enough bargains stored up in my beauty arsenal to provide you what I believe to be a true bargain, every day.

So that said, I am still posting about beauty bargains, and I still tag them with "Bargain of the Day" and "BOTD", but I may not do it every day. I will only call something a bargain if I believe it to be a TRUE bargain and I think you need to know about. So if you search by the tags "Bargain of the Day" or "BOTD", you will find what I believe to be real bargains. Simple!


Now let's get started on clarifying this Goody Brush issue. If you read this post a while back, I talked about my Holy Grail styling tool: The Goody Ouchless Quick Dry Vent Brush for Wet Hair. Now, I still LOVE this brush and I use it every day, but Goody seems to have changed their marketing strategy on these brushes and I think they've done away with the 3-step process for classifying their styling tools that I talked about it my earlier post.

Since I want you to be able to find these Ouchless Brushes with ease, I want to clarify exactly what type of brush this is:

As you can see from the picture above, the Ouchless brushes are special. They are designed with a hard shell and there are holes in the shell from which the bristles emerge. The magical part of this brush is inside the hard shell. There is a cushiony material inside the brush which is where the bristles are attached. If you press on the bristles, you can feel that they're cushioned and the cushion is fully encased within the hard shell. THIS is the technology that enables you to brush through wet hair with ease (I already confessed that sometimes I don't comb out my wet hair when I'm in a hurry and I brush right through it--the horror!). Your hair does not get caught up on the sponge because the sponge is hidden. Instead, your hair is rubbing against the smooth, flat surface of the hard shell. And because of this cushiony sponge core, the bristles have give, so there's no tugging, pulling or breakage.

This Ouchless brush is a miracle if you're like me. You no longer need to hold your hair at the root when you're working through a tangle. You can brush slowly from root to end and there is NO pain, even when you're brushing through a difficult tangle. I'm telling you, this brush is worth its weight in gold!

As you can see on their website, Goody now offers paddle brushes, vent brushes and round brushes with this new design. For the price (about $7 wherever Goody brushes are sold) I have yet to find a better brush for use on wet hair. This is a miracle product and I hope Goody never stops making these.

Bargain of the Day (BOTD) - and a little confession

Today's BOTD is not for everyone, but if your hair, your wallet, and your impatience are like mine, well I might be able to help you out.

Everyone loves a good hair brush. When you find one that works for you and doesn't seem to do any damage to your hair, well, you're set. Personally, I haven't had good luck with finding my dream brush, but through the years I've learned what types work for me and what types are utterly ineffective. At this point in your life, I'll bet you're in the same boat.

But if you're REALLY into your hair, you may have invested a pretty penny into finding just the right brush. Now, I'm not trying to insult anyone, but I just can't understand how someone could spend $250 on a hair brush (click here) unless you're guaranteed to have a stylist come to your house every morning and actually use that brush on your hair.

For me, I wait until a brush I've been curious about goes on sale, and then I give it whirl. And that's exactly what I did and I think (for now) I've found the brush of my dreams.

When I was at Walgreen's a few weeks ago I purchased Goody's Ouchless Quick Dry Vent Brush for Wet Hair (look at page 3 in the vent section of the Goody website and it's the second-to-last image - it's the one with "1 - Start" on the handle). Or you can just enjoy the horrible picture I took of this brush with my camera phone (hey, at least I used a cute background!). It was on clearance and still is as of today (I was just there and I bought a back-up). Normally it's $8 and I got it for $2.50. I really like the concept of this line by Goody. It's a 3-part system:

First is "1 - Start"
Brushes and combs to use when your hair is wet

Second is "2 - Style"
Brushes and combs to use to style your hair

Third is "3 - Finish"
Brushes and combs to use to maintain your style

Remember when I mentioned "impatience" in my opening sentence? Well I'm about confess a really awful secret to you: Sometimes, when I'm in a hurry, I don't use a comb on my wet hair to get out all of the tangles; I use a brush and I just rip it right through my hair when it's wet. There. I said it. I actually, willfully, create breakage.

Now, I don't do this all the time. Most times I'm careful, I use a lot of conditioner, and I actually take the time in the shower to use a wide-tooth comb while the conditioner is still in my hair and I slowly, gently brush out any tangles. But, you know, there are those days when you're in a hurry and you just want to get the process of getting ready OVER with, and well...that's when I use my brush on wet hair.

Which brings me to the Goody Ouchless Quick Dry Vent Brush for Wet Hair. This brush was MADE for people to use on wet hair, and to my surprise, it is awesome. The brush is solid plastic, however it's hollow on the inside and--this is key--there's a spongy rubbery center where the bristles are attached, and that's what makes this brush different. Instead of the spongy part being on the outside of the brush, the spongy part of this brush is on the inside. So when you brush your wet hair, the brush doesn't tug or get caught up because your hair is rubbing against smooth plastic. BUT, the bristles have give, so in a way that I can only call "magical" you're able to brush wet hair and brush through tangles without any pain or the need to hold your hair at the root as a buffer when you're trying to work out a tangle.

I hope I'm making sense here (I know this sounds nuts) but I'm telling you, this brush WORKS. Oh, I forgot to mention that it really does what it claims in terms of drying hair quickly. If you normally use a vent brush when you blow dry your hair, I think you'll like this one. The air flows through it evenly and even though the bristles move (due to that magical spongy core) they're still firm enough to give you good control during your blowout.

But please note: My hair is only a couple of inches past my shoulders. I can't promise that it will work on hair that's much longer than that. But if your hair is short or medium in length and prone to tangles when wet, you must give this a try. And as always, let me know what you think if you do!