Creative  Nail Design (CND) Shellac

I made two very important decisions today: I decided to try Shellac polish (chrome French manicure) and to get my nails done regularly. I LOVE nail polish, but I don’t always love polishing my nails. I’m not as neat and meticulous as I would like to be, and I think I need to start treating myself to some “mini luxuries”.  A manicure can take the edge off life.  It can make life’s little irritations less irritating. I was a bit concerned about Shellac damaging my nails (thinning my nail beds) but Tori, my manicurist, assured me I wouldn’t have that problem. She recommends Shellac for “when it matters most”, and to switch it up with standard polish. I’m a neutral polish girl, but I definitely plan to experiment with bold color and nail art, now that somebody else gets to worry about smudges, polish mishaps,  etc.  All I have to do is show the neat, finished, perfect results. I’m good with that. I’m totally looking forward to 14 days of worry-free, chip-free nails.

I’m wearing a Chrome French Manicure, with CND Cityscape and Silver Chrome on the tips.  Do you wear Shellac? Do you like it? Did you experience any damage to your natural nails? Talk to me. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Oh, and if you’re in the Metro Detroit area, and you want an awesome manicure, make an appointment with Tori at the Premier Salon at Macy’s in the The Somerset Collection, in Troy, MI

Grapefruit Ginger Sea Salt Scrub

FTC Disclosure: This product was purchased by me and this is not a paid endorsement. The views expressed here are my own.

 
Lackluster, dry, itchy skin? Body discoloration? Need more circulation? There’s nothing better than sea salt scrubs!  They exfoliate, tone and detoxify the skin. They feel amazing. I prefer them to sugar scrubs, because I like a little more “scrub” in my mix. I live at Etsy.com, so I’m always looking for new hair and body products to try. Discovering Naki Nagi Body Scrubs on Etsy reminded me of my need to get my skin ready for the arrival of Summer- the time for bare skin, sandals and light clothing.

Rachel’s sea salt and sugar scrubs contain an antibacterial soap, and she also offers a sulfate-free option. Her scrubs can be used on the face and body, and she makes a peppermint scrub for the feet. I ordered the Grapefruit Ginger Sea Salt Scrub, and I’m SO glad I did!  I love the smell of citrus and ginger, and the combination is heavenly. My shower experience was exhilarating – I’ve been experiencing the itchies, so the gentle, yet effective scrubbing action worked wonders. The soap in the scrub keeps the “oilies” down – the scrub rinses off, with no greasy residue. My skin felt stimulated and insanely soft. I glowed  Wow. Note: This is not a “foaming” scrub. Do exercise caution in the shower.  The shower/tub will be slippery.

Shipment was quick, and my package arrived safely (no leaky jar).  The scrubs start at $15.95, and now thru the month of April there’s a $5 coupon code – SPRING

Enjoy!

FTC Disclosure: This product was purchased by me and this is not a paid endorsement. The views expressed here are my own.

Organic Lip Butter

I’m a collector of lip balms/butters.  I own a gazillion tubes and pots.  I’ve tried them all.  Yes,  I’ve tried your favorite too.  Most are nothing special.  A few need to be pulled from the store shelves,  and a few are noteworthy.  You’d think it would be pretty easy to create a stellar lip lubricant – there’s so many butters, oils and waxes to choose from.  Yet, the average lip balm is nothing more than souped-up Vaseline™.   I got a little giddy when I stumbled upon Lisa’s Lip Melts Organic Whipped Lip Butter Etsy store.  My eyes quickly found the Blood Orange and Vanilla lip butters, and after reading the descriptions I decided to pull the trigger and find out if these lip delights are truly hype-worthy. Lisa’s order turnover time is about two (2) weeks, so I tried not to get too anxious. I waited patiently for my order to arrive.

Okay, here’s the deal:

These lip butters should work fine for those who don’t need a heavy duty lip lubricant.  I kept the Vanilla and gave the Blood Orange to a friend. I had to reapply several times during the day, and it didn’t give me that “smooth” feeling of waxier lip balms.  If you need a bit of slip, before applying your lipstick, or if you’re in search of a light  lip conditioning product,  Lip Melts would probably be a good choice. However,  my lips  need a heavier, waxier product for the winter season.

The ingredients: butyrospermum parkii (Shea Butter) fruit, theobroma cacao (Cocoa) seed butter, helianthus annuus (Sunflower) seed oil, cucurbita pepo (Pumpkin) seed oil, olea europaea (Olive) Oil, rosa canina (Rosehip) fruit oil, ricinus communis (Castor) seed oil , oenothera biennis (Evening Primrose) oil, euphorbia cerifera (Candelilla) wax, tocopherol (natural Vitamin E), essential oils.

The Winner:

• Desiree Brinkman

Congrats, Desiree! Please reply to your email with a valid shipping address, within 48 hours. Thanks to everyone who entered. Stay tuned for more giveaways in the near future.

A PJ for Life…

 It’s Magical!

Experience the magic! One lucky winner gets the ENTIRE Pixie Dust Collection –  Six (6) polishes that are textured, matte AND sparkling!  Wanna win? Just leave a comment sharing your excitement about this new collection AND your favorite Pixie Dust polish color (click on the link to view the colors).  Contest ends Wednesday, February 13th, 2013.  A random winner will be chosen and announced on Friday, February 15th, 2013.

Giveaway is open to US residents only.  Contest winner has 48 hours to respond to email notification (please double check your email in the comment section), with a valid shipping address.  Polish ships directly from Zoya.  Allow 2 weeks for delivery.

Good luck!

The Ritual and Natural Hair Pudding

FTC Disclosure: These products were provided by Ankh Holistic Healers. This is not a paid endorsement. The views expressed are my own.

 
I’m always on the  lookout for new, exciting hair products.  During one of  my recent online Etsy searches, I stumbled upon Ankh Holistic Healers and decided to convo the  owner, Adachi, about purchasing an 8oz jar of her hair pudding.  I also wanted to find out if she was planning to attend the World Natural Hair Show.  Well, out of the goodness of her heart, she offered to send me some products to try – free of charge. Of course I accepted, and I’ve already received my goodies and I’ve had a chance to try them out.  I’m very pleased, and I’m looking forward to a full review after I’ve used the products a few times. What did Adachi send? I received The Ritual set, along with a 4oz jar of the Garden of TeHuti Scribe Natural Hair Pudding. My package arrived quickly and securely. Everything smells wonderful, but the “Fantasy” MA’AT Floherbal Infused Shampoo   and  “Sweet Wings” Leave-In Conditioning Mist scents are my favorites.  Check out the forum in the next week or so, for a full review
 

FTC Disclosure: These products were provided by Ankh Holistic Healers. This is not a paid endorsement. The views expressed are my own.

16th Annual World Natural Hair Show

2013 Spring Show – April 27th-28th
Georgia International Convention Center, College Pk, GA

Mark your calendar. We had a GREAT time at the Spring 2012 show! It was so nice meeting people from the different online natural hair communities. Dinner at Simon’s Steak and Seafood was a blast!  If you’ve never been to the World Natural Hair Show, you owe it to yourself to attend one show. If you’re considering giving up the lye, or you’re in the beginning stages of transitioning, seeing an abundance of beautiful, kinky/coily/curly heads will encourage you to make that decision and stay on the path to chemical-free hair. It’s an empowering experience you won’t want to miss. Start saving your money now – you’ll need sufficient funds to purchase lots of products. We’re talking about a possible Friday nite meetup for dinner and great conversation.

Have you ever been to the show? Do you plan on attending the Spring 2013 show? Where are you in your natural hair journey?  Leave a comment…let us know your plans!

Thank You!

We appreciate everyone who took time to show support for our blog launch, by entering our giveaways. Congratulations to the winners below! NOTE: All winners have 48 hours from TODAY to respond to their notification emails. If the winners below fail to respond within that time frame, another random winner will be chosen – check the site in 48 hours for any updates. Allow 2-3 weeks (from the date we receive a reply to our email notification) to receive your prizes. We will send tracking information, if available. Prizes are shipped directly from the manufacturer/reseller. Platinum Product Junkies is not responsible for shipping delays, or defective/damaged products.

Zoya Nail Lacquer

• Darnetta B.

Ayurvedic Hair Spa

• La S.

OCC and Illamasqua

• Shakira M.
• Lois L.

Oyin Handmade

• Kimberly A.

Threadmill

• Taye C.

Huetiful Steamer

• Tianna E.

Sephora Fragrance Sampler

• Nicole Mc.C

Coconut Oil-Free

• Chelsea L.

Josie Maran

• LaToya S.

Indulgence by SV Soaps

• Kaielle S.

Curl Junkie

• Sohna A.

Murad and Philosphy

• Cherri P.
• Mary A.

MAC Attack

• Avalon

Soultanicals: First Impressions

I got my products a few days ago, and I haven’t shampooed my hair. So, this is what’s called an ‘unboxing’ – it’s a quick, first impressions post to let you know my initial thoughts about the line. I definitely plan to do a full review, at a later date (soon).  Disclaimer: I purchased all the products I received. I purchased hair products, although a few products can be used on the body as well.

Here’s what I bought:

• Hair Sorrell Knappilicious Kink Drink
• Knot Sauce
• Marula Muru Moisture Guru
• Plait’num Roots Scalp Oil
• Loc N Roll Twist & Fro Out
• Afrotastic Curl Elastic

The FIRST thing I reached for in the box was the Kink Drink. It’s a moisture spray, and to be completely honest, I’ve not had the best experiences with products that spray from a bottle. I prefer trigger sprayers, because the product sprays in an even mist, and not in a direct stream. You use less product, which cuts down on waste.  So, you can guess how delighted I was to see a trigger sprayer (although the website pic shows the standard, most commonly used sprayer, and I’m not sure why that is). I tested it, and it works perfectly. My kinks got a light, moisturizing drink.

The overall packaging? Very nice. The labels look professional, and the lettering doesn’t bleed or rub off.  The products are packaged in the appropriate containers; liquids/lotions are in bottles, creams/butters are in jars. I hate to open a jar, and have product spill out (on clothes, or on the floor), because the product is too thin for a jar. I hate having to squeeze and shake a bottle to death to get the product out, because it’s too thick to be in a bottle in the first place. The jars/bottles were taped securely, and everything arrived in perfect condition.

Let’s move on to the scents. Let me tell you right away what’s not a favorite – the scent of the Afrotastic Curl Elastic conditioner. It’s hard to describe the smell, but “pungent celery” is probably the most accurate description I can think of. Everything else smells good. There’s something for everyone – sweet, dessert-like, fruity scents, as well as heady essential oil/aromatherapy blends.

One product you MUST try (that I’m sorry I didn’t order) is the Dash The Ash Body Balm. I got a sample with my order, and it’s definitely on the list for my next order. It’s a rich, thick, creamy, buttery balm (scented with an essential oil blend) that’s right on time, for this time of year. It’s an excellent foot balm, as well as a general ash/rough spot eliminator. The largest jar is 4oz, but you don’t need a lot.

Well, that’s it for now. Full reviews are coming soon.  In the meantime, visit the website and check the forum for discussions about the line.

Stay tuned…

We’re Celebrating – Platinum PJ Style!

Welcome! We’re thrilled to have you as a guest!  We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, with your family and friends. If you missed subscribing to our mailing list, do it now. The Platinum PJ newsletter mailing list quick form is at the very bottom, to the right. It takes seconds to complete, and you’ll stay informed about  all Platinum PJ happenings. Be sure to read our Disclosures and Privacy Policy, so you’ll feel at ease with providing your contact information.

We’ve got several giveaways for you to enter – see the complete list below,  or click the ‘Contests and Giveaways’ tab at the top to see everything at once (just scroll down the page). Follow the instructions for each giveaway, so your entries won’t be disqualified. Our community forum is open, and the discussions have already started. Join us!  Registration is quick and easy. We look forward to chatting with you about the latest, and no-so-latest products for hair, skin, body and nails.

Today’s Giveaways:
Note: Winners will be announced on Saturday, 12/1/12

• Ayurvedic Hair Spa
• Curl Junkie
• Entwine Couture and Sarenzo Beads
• Murad and Philosophy
• Huetiful Steamer
• Indulgence by SV Soaps
• Josie Maran
• MAC
• OCC and Illamasqua
• Oyin Handmade
• Sephora Fragrance Sampler
• Threadmill
• Zoya

So, sit back, relax and take a tour- see what you think of our new home!  Leave us a comment – we’ll be online all day. Enjoy!

The Platinum Product Junkies
Hillery, Kemberli, Nefertiti, Shawny and Tlynnsmith