AOL Shopping Reviews 7 Beauty Products

Jul 26th 2010 at 11:30PM by Veronica Harley


Beauty Products
Browse top moisturizers>>
You've seen commercials for various beauty products that promise to plump your lips, increase your bust, etc. Some of these claims are believable but others make you wonder, "Does this really work?"

Well, our team tested out 7 new, crave-worthy and unique beauty products to see if they truly live up to their claims. Read on to see our thoughts.

Advance Techniques Frizz Control Lotus Shield from $9.99Advance Techniques Frizz Control Lotus Shield

The Claim: You can say good-bye to frizz with just one application.
Reviewer: Shannon
The Real Deal: I began using Advance Techniques Frizz Control Lotus Shield last week after receiving it as a gift. I have long, curly fine hair that tends to frizz and tangle especially in the humidity. LS has been a great addition to my morning regimen. I use a quarter's worth on my wet hair, then add my normal AnGel from Devachan, scrunch roots down and I'm good to go.
It helped keep my frizz at bay all day. I still had a few stragglers but I think that's just natural. I liked the size of the bottle too. It's big enough that I think it will get me through the rest of the summer, but small enough that I plan to bring it with me on vacation this weekend. I'd definitely recommend it.
You May Also Like: Advance Techniques Frizz Control Lotus Shield Shampoo & Conditioner

Goody Spin Pin from $5.99
Goody Spin Pin
The Claim: The Spin Pin is designed to do the job of about 20 bobby pins, to create a neat bun.
Reviewer: Veronica
The Real Deal: When the weather is hot and the humidity is high, I usually pull my hair back into a french roll or another up-do. So naturally, I tend to have several bobby pins on-the-ready. I've recently learned that the Goody Spin Pin is the answer to using multiple bobby pins.
At first, I was a little skeptical about its results because my hair is shoulder-length and a little thin. But let me tell you ladies, it worked! I just pulled my hair back, twisted it into a bun and screwed the Spin Pin in. Presto! I had a sophisticated bun. Not only did the Spin Pin hold my hair in place but it stayed put all day long. It's definitely worth a try. Still on the fence? Check out my Among Us Friends video blog.
You May Also Like: More Goody Hair Styling Tools | More Video Product Reviews



InStyler from $99.99
InStyler
The Claim: The InStyler's Motorized Rotating Cylinder will give you perfect hair in a few minutes!
Reviewer: Gina
The Real Deal: I've been seeing the InStyler infomercial on early-morning and late-night television for years, now. It's even made its way to store shelves. Since the first time I saw the InStyler in action, I've wanted to give it a try on my own hair. I look at it and think, yeah, that makes sense!
I will say that overall, the product is probably not for me, but I might recommend it to a friend with curled hair. After I used the InStyler, I had to resist reaching for my regular flat iron and going over the InStyler's work – I didn't want to scorch my hair by exposing it to anymore heat, you see. So, I wore my hair poofy for the rest of the day. And there's the con. The bristles from the brush on my hair just made my hair frizz-out. An additional con would be the length of time it took for me to style my hair. You kind of have to move in a slower motion down the length of your hair in order for the brushing and polishing action to do its work. And, you can't try to speed things up by putting larger wefts of hair through the InStyler. When I tried, some strands went through quicker than others and added to my disheveled appearance. The other difficult part was getting close to the roots, since the tool is a bit bulkier.

On the plus side, the rotating hot barrel did rotate pretty quickly, so I suppose it could be an even slower process if that weren't the case. The barrel also doesn't start spinning until you've positioned your hair and already begun to clamp down on the strands – which may be a bit startling (because it's loud and frantic-sounding) but more convenient for ease of use. Imagine how hard it would be to try positioning your hair while a screaming-hot barrel is rotating and screeching at you! Another plus, it doesn't take too long to heat up (the indicator lights hold a steady glow, instead of blinking, when it's ready) and the highest heat level of 3 is very, very hot. In fact, my hair burned my face on that third setting, so I had to bring it down a level. I guess that setting is more for people with more stubborn or thick hair. Finally, it does add volume to my thinner hair, but not without frizz, unfortunately.

The tool says it can be used on dry or damp hair. Well, on damp hair, the heat and brushing does help my hair to dry faster and straighter, but I got more poofy results when I used the InStyler than when I used it on my dry hair. It's probably best used on dry hair.

I've tried it out four times, twice on damp hair and twice on dry hair. Results were the same each time. I would recommend this InStyler to certain friends – those with tight curls who can't use straighteners without first blow drying their hair straight. This eliminates the two-step process for them, I would think. That said, it'd be a great investment for those friends, but not so much for me. Nothing takes my wavy, odd-shaped hair (thanks to my contour pillow) to sleek and shiny like my hot flat iron!
You May Also Like: CHI Curling Irons

Conair Cord Keeper Ion Shine Hair Dryer from $21.99
Conair Cord Keeper Ion Shine Hair Dryer
The Claim: Conair's Cord Keeper Ion Shine Hair Dryer with a retractable cord will make your hair more manageable with less frizz.
Reviewer: Gen
The Real Deal: I was in the market for a new hair dryer and I wanted one that would travel easy too, so I went with this compact one from Conair. I loved it from the start. The handle folds over so it's very portable. It also has a retractable cord, which is so convenient. When it came time to try it out, I was very satisfied. This thing may look small, but it has a good amount of power, letting out strong heat. Another feature that I love about this is that it is not heavy to hold, which is important for someone like me who has thick hair. It takes a while to dry my hair, so it helps to have a dryer that is light and easy to manage. This gets two thumbs up in my book!
You May Also Like: More Blow Dryers


Strap Perfect from $7.99
Strap Perfect
The Claim: It's supposed to conceal your bra straps, while creating instant support.
Reviewer: Veronica
The Real Deal: I love wearing tank tops during the summertime, especially racerback tanks. The only problem with wearing them is that it's often hard to conceal bra straps. A few weeks ago, I saw the Strap Perfect infomercial online and decided to give it try. I discovered that each package comes with 2 black, 2 nude, 2 clear plastic straps and 24 pieces of Invisible Style Tape. I'll admit that it took a few tries to actually get my bra straps into the Strap Perfect and adjust it to a comfortable position. But once it was securely in place, I was good to go. No more annoying bra straps showing for me! My only suggestion for the Strap Perfect creators would be to swap out the plastic for a softer material.

Like The Strap Perfect? Try One Of These Other As Seen On TV Beauty Products:

Zeno Hot Spot Blemish Clearing Device from $39.99
Zeno Hot Spot Blemish Clearing Device
The Claim: The safe and gentle heat zaps the acne causing bacteria and 90% of blemishes treated with Zeno disappear or fade within 24 hours.
Reviewer: Veronica
The Real Deal: A few months ago, I redeemed a gift certificate for a Microdermabrasion treatment valued at about $150. After my visit, my skin felt soft but overall, it wasn't a treatment that I'd like to periodically invest in. I then went on a hunt for a similar, at-home treatment and came across the Zeno Hot Spot. This revolutionary hand-held device comes in a small box with two AA batteries. It's very easy to use. Just push the on button, aim the metal tip on your pimple and the device will sounds when it's time to remove it -- which is about 15-20 seconds. I didn't see immediate results however, I did notice that my blemish was slightly smaller after about 4 hours. It's not a magic solution in the seemingly endless battle against acne, but it can help shorten the lifespan of your blemish. At just under $40, the Zeno will come in handy, especially if you have an upcoming date and you want to get rid of the third wheel -- your pimple that is!
You May Also Like: Clarisonic

Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen from $7.29
Nail Art Pen
The Claim: The fine tip pen will allow you to be creative with your nails in record time.
Reviewer: Veronica
The Real Deal: I enjoy getting a mani/pedi every now and then but frequent visits to the nail salon can get pricey. There's got to be a better solution to sport manicured nails without the extra cost of going to the nail salon. Enter the Nail Art Pen! This handy pen comes in various different colors like white, red and blue for about $7 each. All you have to do is shake the pen, press it on your nail, create a design (I opted for simple stripes), and then apply a clear coat to seal the design. Honestly, it'll probably take about two or three tries before you'll be comfortable enough to create fancier designs. If you want inexpensive manicured nails, the Nail Art Pen can't be beat. Who knows, you may become a pro and your friends will start asking where you got your nails done (but it'll be your little secret).
You May Also Like: OPI Nail Polish


........................................................................................................................

You've heard our two cents. Now it's YOUR turn. Have you tried one of these or another new beauty product? Did it live up to your expectations? Let your voice be heard in the comment section below.

Enter To Win Prizes In Our Weekly Back To School Sweeps!
Become a Fan on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Sign up for the AOL Shopping newsletter
Filed Under

What's New In..., Hair

Tags

among us friends, beauty testimonials, ConAir, instyler, nail art pen, testimonials

Add your comments

Remember me

E-Mail me when someone replies to this comment

Comments page 1 of 1

  • aprincessofpeach
    Neutral
    aprincessofpeach said 7-29-2010 @2:25PM

    Get the InStyler for a better price here:

    http://www.in-styler-hot-iron.com/buy-here.html

    If you pay $99.99 for the InStyler, you are paying too much.

    reply
  • Linda
    Highest Rank
    Linda said 7-29-2010 @2:46PM

    Hey, These products are over priced. The "STAP PERFECT" I purchased at the "Dollar Tree" in Tallahassee Fl. The "Smooth Away Hair" I purchased in Walmarts. Than I also saw it at the Dollar Tree and the Ped Egg was at the Dollar Tree too! Why are prices so far off? From One Dollar to six or more! Just wanted to let you know!

    reply
  • kit
    Highest Rank
    kit said 7-29-2010 @3:28PM

    the strap perfect is literally a scrap of plastic, can you imagine how cheap it is to produce that item? i bet the manufacturers still profited from selling them at the dollar store. i have heard they're really uncomfortable... just buy a convertible bra!

    reply
  • diane
    Highest Rank
    diane said 7-29-2010 @3:41PM

    re the hair dryer...I don't care about the handle or the weight...it claimed to make hair more manageable with less frizz, and the reviewer never said one word about that.

    reply
  • Michelle
    Neutral
    Michelle said 7-29-2010 @3:50PM

    The strap Perfect is garbage, tried it. Defineately not worth the money. :(

    reply
  • blue65
    Highest Rank
    blue65 said 7-29-2010 @3:50PM

    Does anyone know where I can get the Ion shine hair dryer cheaper than $21.00? If so what store do I go to get it at? I live in Virginia,Stafford.

    reply
  • Nicole
    Highest Rank
    Nicole said 7-29-2010 @5:23PM

    I've got 2 of the items on this list... the InStyler & the Goody Spin Pins....

    I love my InStyler. I do think she's right though.... it's probably geared for people with thicker frizzier hair like myself. But to its credit, I've never had anything straighten my hair so efficiently and yet make it feel very soft and touchable. And as for the spin pins.... another great item. Regular bobby pins have never been enough to hold my massive head of hair in place, but these things work like a charm. And I didn't have to mess with them once all day.

    reply
  • christi
    Highest Rank
    christi said 7-29-2010 @7:40PM

    i am a black female with veeeery frizzy hair and it is extremley hard to manage. would you reccomend the instyler for me?

  • Carol
    Highest Rank
    Carol said 7-29-2010 @7:46PM

    I totally disagree with the In-Styler review.Pehaps you got a defective one. I have extremely frizzy hair and have used it for 6 months. It is really quiet and easy to use. I find it leaves my hair smooth, polished and with a lot of body.I wouls never go back to a flat iron again. Once you learn how to use it it is amazing

    reply
  • Ashley
    Highest Rank
    Ashley said 7-29-2010 @8:11PM

    The strap perfect works. It's uncomfortable because of the plastic and it seems to stay higher up on your back. It also gives you a lift. I've used it a few times and it does help hide yoyur bra straps. I wouldn't recommend it because it does make your bra strap dig into your shoulder. I'd rather just let the straps show.

    The nail art pen is okay. It colors it in but you have to go over it a few tries. I had a blue pen over yellow nail polish. It is like a sharpie. It doesn't bleed but it does leave dots when you lift the pen from the nail. It's great if you're looking for a specific design.

    reply
  • jean
    Neutral
    jean said 10-20-2010 @10:30PM

    I have long to my waist hair,kind of thin but the spin pin is great!! I love it.stays put all day and no tangles when I take it out.LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

    reply

follow us

style team