Wow, It Sure Has Been a While

Alrighty, folks! Let's end this week with some updates:

Jewelmint

The Aurum Necklace
Photo Credit: Jewelmint

A few days ago, I posted about a new jewelry-o'-the-month club, Jewelmint. Well, I bit the bullet and joined, mostly just to see if it was really all it claimed to be. Just so you know, it is. The day after I joined, the site emailed a 50% off coupon to me. This, by the way, is the only non-purchase related email they've sent, so I'm not getting spammed multiple times daily (you hear that, e.l.f.?). There was a piece that I was eyeing, so last Thursday, I used my coupon and ordered the Aurum necklace, a multi-strand gold necklace with two little gold nugget accents. My expectations were fairly low, as I've mail-ordered jewelry before, and it's never what the picture leads you to believe.

Fast forward to Tuesday. A beautifully packaged parcel arrived in the mail from Jewelmint--four whole days before it was supposed to!--containing an even lovelier, well-made, ready for gifting jewelry box. I opened the box to find a printed placard bearing the piece's description (straight off the website, but still a nice touch), a protective piece of heavy-duty foam, and an absolutely gorgeous necklace. As I mentioned earlier, mail-order jewelry has never been what the picture led me to expect, and this was no exception; this necklace was better than I expected.

The clasp is slightly larger than usual, so I can actually take the necklace on and off without any outside help. It's also constructed well enough that I don't worry about it opening unexpectedly, or breaking while I'm trying to manipulate it. The necklace itself is gold-plated, which keep it from looking like painted metal (you hear that, Forever 21?). I wore this with a low-cut tank top, and the overall look was very sexy. The next day, I paired it with a navy and white striped top for a nautical look. Today, I'm sporting the chains with a white tee and jeans. Basically, it works with everything, and I may never take it off.

As for the website, I've had zero trouble managing my account or looking at pieces. The ordering process was simple, and tracking info was emailed to me and placed in my "jewelry box" (where they stash info about all the pieces you've purchased). Shipping was quicker than expected, and I'm thrilled with my purchase. Should I choose to order next month, I can, or I can skip by simply pressing a button.

Thus far, Jewelmint has exceeded my expectations. Bottom line, it's an inexpensive, easy to manage way to expand your jewelry wardrobe. The pieces are well-crafted and look high-end. Packaging is exquisite, and eliminates much of the need for gift wrap.

Final Verdict: I'm in love, and going so far as to post the link on Facebook. I never do that. Give it a shot. 10 out of 10. 

Jergens

I'm at the end of Week 2 using Jergens Skin Firming Daily Toning Moisturizer, and I'm still noticing subtle improvements. I'm still not where I'd like to be, smoothness-wise, but the results I have seen keep me optimistic.

Temporary Verdict: Still working, and it ain't over till the fat lady...well, isn't. 8.5 out of 10.

Fekkai

Wow. Boy, am I behind. Way back in August, I tried a sample of Frederic Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Cream (and misspelled it, I'm sorry), with the promise of a follow-up after continued use. As I can't seem to find the follow-up, I'm going to assume I never wrote one. Oops. In my defense, I had a movie in post-production, a CD in production, a husband looking for a job, and...oh, who am I kidding? I forgot. Plain and simple. I apologize.

So, better late than never, here you go:

If you recall (or go back and re-read), I was less than thrilled with the product. It smelled odd, and while my hair did end up shiny and soft, I wasn't sure how much of that was the cream and how much was due to my new shampoo and conditioner.

Zip ahead to now. I've been using that shampoo and conditioner religiously since then, and my hair loves them. That said, around here, we don't need a groundhog to tell us when Spring is coming. People just wait for my hair to frizz up, then they know it's okay to start planting their gardens. I am also in desperate need of a hair cut and color, so I needed a product that would battle the frizzies and add a healthy dose of shine to punch up the color.

Therefore, knowing what my hair looks and feels like with that shampoo/conditioner combo alone, I had my control group, and only needed to toss in a variable (the glossing cream) to perform a truly scientific experiment.

Process: I washed my hair, conditioned it, added in about two pea-sized amounts (my hair is really, really long, right now), combed, and blow-dried. Repeated the process two days later, then again two days after that. Did not notice the odd smell this time.

Results: My hair was significantly smoother and softer, with some added shine. Not "Brilliant Glossing" shine, but light did reflect. The first time, I added too much to the front of my hair and it looked greasy, but I learned from the experience and now concentrate the product on the ends. The frizziness was greatly reduced, though now I can really tell how badly I need a haircut. Overall, styling has improved, both in ease and in finished look.

Final Verdict: I bought a trial size for $9 at Sephora. I'm not calling this a wonder-product, but it should definitely make Spring and Summer humidity a little less scary. 7 out of 10.