Swaggable: Belegenza ILLustrious Shampoo & Cleanser #Review

 

I do not receive that many items when it comes to hair products, but so far the Belegenza line makes any room they are in smell so nice and clean. I have never heard of the brand but I always welcome anything new when it comes to hair care. I have very long hair that is a mixture of normal and fine in texture but not flat or thin…..it’s really just too much hair if you ask me. I pick-up static like a balloon would (frizz central) and the only two positives I can find is it does not break easily and so far no grays (yet) 🙂 You know how people have combination skin problems, well I have those too but also combination hair ones. At least I’m consistent!

I have been using Carol’s Daughter products and very happy but I’m always hunting for something different or better.

I read up on Belegenza and their products on-line. Belengenza’s (bel-a-jen’-za) name is made up of two Italian/Latin words, where Bel meaning beauty and Gen for genesis. The company’s website was very informative and they make hair products that fit everyone’s needs. Their products are gentle but effective and very in tune with nature and using natural ingredients.

Belegenza ILLustrious Shampoo & Cleanser: The shampoo is uses natural extracts that are derived from fruit and vegetables. You have anti-aging extracts like Sugarcane, Apple, Green Tea, Nettle, Sage, Rosemary, Comfrey and Rhizome Root. You also have Castor Beans, 3 types of Seaweeds and Vitamin E and Vitamin B6. No wonder it smells so good but the scent remains welcoming, not over perfume-y. The shampoo is also color safe and free of salt and sulfates. Nothing really synthetic or at all damaging to your hair or scalp. So far I really liked their ingredients and they use an Aloe Vera base versus just selling you products that are just mostly water.

Ingredients as listed on their site:
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate (Vegetable based) , Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (Coconut based), Cocamidopropyl Betaine (Coconut based), Hypnea Musciformis (Hawaiian Seaweed) Extract, Gelidiela Acerosa (Gulfweed Seaweed) Extract, Sargassum Filipendula (Red Mapleweed) Extract, Sorbitol, PEG-18 Glyceryl Oleate/Cocoate (Coconut based), Glycol Stearate (Vegetable based) , Honey, Secret Salon Ingredient, Silk Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugarcane) Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Symphytum Officinale (Comfrey) Rhizome/Root Extract, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Pyridoxine HCL-5-Phosphate (Vitamin B6), Panthenol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Sorbic Acid (Rowanberry distillate), Polyquaternium-10 (Cellulose/thickener) , Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium EDTA(Mineral chelator), Citric Acid (Lemon), Phthalate-free fragrance.

Performance: The product lathers up really good and even though I do not have color or chemically treated hair, the shampoo worked wonders. My hair was left feeling clean but not stripped. Very calming scent while you shower and a clean welcoming natural fragrance is left when hair dries. I liked how my hair not only looked but felt. The frizz level was very low and my hair just looks healthier. I tried both a natural (air) drying and then the second time used a blow dryer, again happy with both results.

Price Point: $22.00

I was satisfied and happy with the shampoo and it actually made me curious as to how a more suited for me formula would perform from Belegenza’s line of hair care products.

For more information on the above product or to view the full Belegenza line, please visit:

• On-line- https://belegenza.com/product/illustrious-shampoo-cleanser/?add-to-cart=100
• Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/Belegenza
• Twitter- https://twitter.com/Belegenza
• YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/user/Belegenza

 

I received the above product free of charge from Swaggable and Belegenza.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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Smiley: Nature’s Bounty / Optimal Solutions Hair, Skin and Nails Gummies #Review

I’m always a supporter of finding ways to improve my skin’s health to my hair and nails. Smiley and Nature’s Bounty sent me a free bottle of their gummies, which contain Biotin and other supplements that feed your beauty. I was also sent samples to distribute with coupon cards to give away, a few beauty related items, like a compact and nail file, plus a couple of hair bands.

What’s in it:
This is for a serving of 2 gummies with a Daily Value (DV) based on a 2,000 caloric daily intake diet.

• Biotin– 2, 500 mg (833% of your DV) > Biotin is usually found in our intestinal’s bacteria and our bodies usually produce more naturally than what our body requires (DV). Biotin is what our cells need to be able to grow, produce Fatty Acids and aid with metabolizing fats and Amino Acids. Now, there are people who may have metabolic disorders, in which enough Biotin is not produced. You will also find people that have a issues producing enough gastric acid be low on Biotin, as patients who are elderly, people who consume alcohol and/or smoke. Another cause is a Immune System disorders. Another culprit that may make a person deficient in Biotin is consumption of egg whites in their raw form and on a daily basis (functional Avidin). Avidin is destroyed by cooking. Symptoms of a deficiency is hair loss, skin disorders to even neurological disorders like depression, fatigue, lethargy to hallucinations.
• Vitamin C– 15 mg (25% of your DV) > Ascorbic Acid, which is the source listed has been proven to help with oxidative stress. Being that it is classified as an antioxidant, people may see benefits in cardiovascular disease to even those who suffer from inflammation. Vitamin C also helps the immune system and is a natural antihistamine, so you will also find benefits when it comes to allergies.
• Vitamin E– 15 IU (50% of your DV) > You have probably noticed Vitamin E in many beauty products and I personally use the vitamin in oil form to hydrate and protect the skin around my eyes. Vitamin E is another antioxidant and can help with protecting lipids, neurological function, to even reducing oxidative stress.

Other Ingredients listed- Corn Syrup, Sugar, Dicalcium Phosphate, Grape juice color concentrate, Gelatin, Modified Food Starch, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Natural Strawberry flavor, Black Carrot juice color concentrate, Maltodextrin, Fractionated Coconut oil, Carnauba wax, Beeswax and Silica.

Dosage: For adults, Nature’s Bounty recommends a serving of 2 gummies once or twice on a daily basis. They suggest taking them with a meal. A full size bottle comes with 80 gummies in total, so you will run short on a 30-day supply if you go beyond the minimum requirement (once daily).

The Flavor/Taste Test:
The gummies are Strawberry flavored and sweet, with almost a corn starch after-taste. Not your usually clear looking gummy but a more cloudy and waxy consistency.

Overall Performance/Results:
I took the product until I finished the bottle and I must admit I did not like being short on a 30-day supply if I took the product twice daily (total of 4 gummies). It’s just not convenient and not a manner I usually buy or take supplements. I like the amount of Biotin and Vitamin C and E found in the blend. I found taking 1 gummy in the morning and 1 gummy in the afternoon worked best for me because 833% of a my Biotin daily value in one dose is really just going to purge out with the amount of water I tend to drink through out the day. I prefer absorbing my supplements a little through out the day versus flooding my system with higher (mega) doses. I noticed changes mostly in my nails and the growth cycle did speed up. My hair grows quickly as it is, so I could not comment there but I did not notice any significance when it came to changes in my skin. I did not have fewer or more breakouts.

A few things I did find negative when it came to this supplement was the corn syrup as first ingredient, then more sugar, to the clear window where you can see the gummies from. Vitamin C oxidizes and becomes useless when exposed to light and this is why you always see the supplement stored in dark/solid colored bottles. I know people like to view products when buying but not at the cost of potentially losing a benefit when you are seeking to better your health. I know I m not Biotin deficient and could not locate studies where a person who produces, or in our case naturally produce more than needed; needed a mega-dose on top of that to see results in skin, hair, or nails. I have been drinking more water so I know that helps with the aforementioned, and it comes at a lower cost per unit, plus you don’t get shortened on a 30-day supply there 🙂

Price Point: 80 gummy count bottle retails for $5.79 to $7.99. I found the lower price point at Walmart, with Amazon being $0.10 more and Walgreen’s being the most expensive at $7.99.

You can save by signing-up to their Newsletter- $1.00 off coupon http://www.naturesbounty.com/signup/

You can also try the product and if it does not provide you with satisfied results; get your money back here:

• 30 Day Challenge Guarantee form- http://www.naturesbounty.com/challenge/

I am glad I tried the gummies because I do believe in working from within to improve our outside. With the coupon and guarantee, I personally feel that it may be something you wish to try and see if you get results. It’s a win/win in my book!

To find more information on Nature’s Bounty and the above product, please visit them here:

• On-line– http://www.naturesbounty.com/optimalsolutions/053545
• Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/NaturesBounty
• Twitter– https://twitter.com/NaturesBounty
• Pinterest– http://www.pinterest.com/naturesbounty/

 

I received the above product free of charge from Smiley and Nature’s Bounty/Optimal Solutions.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.