Bye pale skin & oily hair

Being outdoors less + not being able to see my hairstylist = a potentially brassy balayage on a pale me.

Quarantine is almost over! But these two products are still amazing any time!

Before I moved to Oregon, I used to hate getting tan and hid from the strong California sun whenever I could; I rarely burned but tanned very quickly. Once I moved to Oregon and lost my color (hey pastey girl) from only experiencing sunshine 3-4 months out of the year, I appreciated my Cali tan and yearned for it. Whenever we'd go floating on a river in Oregon, I'd try my hardest to ensure an even tan. But of course, sitting in an inner tube for hours wouldn't provide an even tan.

When I moved back to LA, I kept complaining about my pale limbs and having to use my "Oregon foundation" instead of my "LA foundation." (first world problems!) So I decided to try a gradual self tanner that one of my favorite bloggers, Sivan Ayla, created - +Lux Unfiltered because I knew I was going to be spending more time indoors (thanks, Covid). Then, when salons closed down, I realized I should try and go longer not washing my hair to keep my color as long as I could. But my hair gets oily quickly! (I'd wash my hair every day when I had grown out my natural hair color.) My aerosol dry shampoo wasn't doing anything for my day 4 dirty hair. Again, Sivan came through - she'd always talk about Playa's Soft Volume Powder. I gave it a shot and ordered it.

+Lux Unfiltered ($32, 6.8 fl oz)

I LOVE this gradual self tanner! Okay, I'm not going to lie, this is the first self tanner I've ever tried, but I'm so glad I had a great first self tanning experience! I noticed a subtle difference in my skin tone after only one use! It comes in a squeezy tube that applies just like a normal lotion. A mitt is not required to apply it, but you MUST wash your hands well immediately after application! You can't get dressed for a few minutes after application (I wait a full 5 minutes), and it's recommended not to shower for 24 hours after application to allow the tan to develop. Below are my personal pros and cons.

Pros

+ Very hydrating

+ Beautiful glow

+ Light, pleasant scent

+ Mitt not required for application

+ Doesn't transfer onto clothes or sheets

+ Cruelty-free

+ Safe to use while pregnant

+ Provides a beautiful golden tone instead of a horrid orangey tone

Cons

+ Can't tan the top of your hands since you have to wash your hands right after (my hands had a pretty striking difference to my arms at one point)

+ For some reason, I could not get an even application on the tops of my feet

+ Once you get the tone you like, be careful when washing your hands the days following applications - don't let the water hit too high on the insides of your wrists or your tan will wash off quicker (non tanned wrists are pretty obvious).

Soft Volume Powder ($24, 45 grams)

The description on the website doesn't directly state it's a "dry shampoo" but says it "absorbs oil and eliminates impurities." I like to use this powder starting on day 3 or 4 of unwashed hair. My hair is wavy, frizzes easily, and is on the thinner side, but I have a lot of hair (does that make sense?), and this powder absorbs my hair oil really well and brings it back to life, even in the thinner spots! Below are my personal pros and cons.

Pros

+ Powder blends well into my dark roots even though it's an off whitish color

+ Fine powder/not thick

+ Pleasant scent, not overpowering

+ A little goes a long way for me

+ Provides volume

+ Works well on thin hair

+ Cruelty-free

Cons

+ Not travel friendly. It has sifter-type lid, similar to baby powder bottles, but doesn't close (can't turn anything to open/close it)

+ Has left a slight residue on my scalp (I scratched my scalp one day and saw the powder under my nail. No, it wasn't dandruff)

Hope you guys enjoyed this mini review on two products I tried during quarantine - I'll definitely continue using them when all this is over!