Avalon Organics Lavender Toner + Exfoliating Enzyme Scrub Review

Not sure if I like this toner. Definitely not a fan of the smell. I do like the fact that it's organic and you can buy while your grocery shopping at your local Sprouts Farmers Market. It was recommended to me by a dermatologist and I haven't experienced anything amazingly different in my skin aside from the fact that it is a new regiment.

I do really like the scrub though. It really makes my skin feel super soft after using it. I would like more beads in it to get the feel that I'm scrubbing the crap off my face but that's just a personal thing. It's probably better there's less of that anyway because I scrub so hard at my face. This one I didn't notice a smell to it and I'd only use an amount that would fit on the tip of your finger (at least from experience). I feel like if you use too much it's wasting it but I haven't figured out yet if it's best to apply first without water or apply WITH water. Between this one and the Clinique one I've discussed before, I'm kind torn between the two because Clinique feels more beady and has salicylic acid but the Avalon Scrub is organic and feels like I've had a honey scrub on. So try both.

 Let me know what your thoughts are on both these products. xx

Lush Bath Cocktail Feat. Twilight Bomb + Comforter Bubble Bar

Yeah I just realized this blog post wasn't up and so I apologize for the delay (none of you probably keep up with my blog anyway, so what am I talking about. ;) )

Anyhoo! For anyone who needs a time for relaxation, making a bath cocktail will surely do the trick. I specifically picked the Twilight Bomb and Comforter Bubble Bar for it's calming properties.

These photos are taken directly from their website so you don't have to go searching all over for it on the internet. It smells really nice and it has softens your skin quite a bit. Maybe not as much as the melt bars but it definitely helps. As I've mentioned in my video review, there are bits of glitter in the bath bomb so you may want to rinse off after. I did not experience any irritation when I did not rinse off so I don't think it's necessary to do so. There's also teal/blueish color towards the middle of the bomb which doesn't effect the color of your water so don't fret that you'll get gross looking bath water.
Also, for the bubble bar, use HALF of the bar and not a quarter of it because it won't be a bubble-filled if you only use a quarter of the bar. Yes it's very potent for just a quarter but it won't last as long and it doesn't fill the tub completely.

Check out my video review below:

Encore | Tower King Suite Review

I can't stress how much I enjoy my stay here and wish I stayed longer. (Skip below for the video of room tour). The bed really is to die for. I literally had one of the most comfortable-est sleep of my life. The bed is so cushy, it reminds me of when I was a kid and get all the pillows I possibly could to make a nest so I could imagine sleeping on clouds. Anyway, I think the location is really perfect since it is most north of the strip so it's quieter and the view is spectacular (at least the room I was in). The layout of the suite is quite spacious. I definitely enjoyed the bathroom space and the living room area (although this is the area I least used). The buttons to control the lighting and drapes were ridiculously awesome and convenient. I literally had everything I had at the touch of a button. And it has doorbells! But you can set your room to "Privacy" so they don't ring it. Here's a breakdown of everything that I enjoyed...

Bathroom: Separate shower and bath tub with a sitting area in the shower. I generally like those types of showers because they are spacious and allows me to spread all my washing materials. The bath was fun, although I've seen grander tubs. I used my LUSH products here and had an awesome bubble bath (check out my Lush review). It comes with 4 sets of towels, I only used 1. The hotel also provides you with things you may need (e.g., cotton swabs, nail filer, shoe polish, body lotion, and shower cap). I really liked those amenities because you never know when you'll need those! I did think the sink was a bit high, especially for my short self. I had to tip toe to get a full view of my hair when I was curling it so I definitely think the bathroom area was made for tall people in mind. I liked how there was ledges all around the bathroom so it was great when I needed to place things out of wet areas (like my phone and camera). Also there's a plug on the make-up mirror so that's convenient. They provide a hair dryer with a retractable cord (as you can see I'm so easily entertained by things). Then the separate toilet with a phone? Yeeah so I can only assume the phone is for emergencies...? But I can also see people having business calls on there since they give the "Line 1" and "Line 2" options...sooo you know..whatever floats their canoe. I wish I used the robes but didn't have time to!

Bed Area: As I said, I LOVE THIS BED! Would I pay the price they offer it for? Hmmm maybe. If I ever get the chance to afford it, yeah I'd consider it. But I really love it. Both sides of the bed have nightstands with their own lamps WITH PLUGS! So that's great especially when you need to charge your cell on it. What was weird is that the lower suites have the iPhone 4 dock but the upper floors have iPhone 5 dock? I think they should standardize the docks or ask the visitor which phone they have in order to accommodate them better. The side nearest the walkway had the panel with all the buttons that control the sheers, drapes, lighting and privacy. I loved each of the options because the sheers allowed us to still look outside at the beautiful view while quickly accessing the drapes for when it got too bright. There's also another phone in this area which automatically resorts to speaker phone. This is good because phone's are dirty but a little confusing at first to use.

Living Room/Desk Space: Yes all the plugs were fantastic! I like how there were seats on both sides of the desk as well as the multiple lighting in this area (also comes with phone). I wish I used this space more but the couches did look a bit dusty. Because they were black, it was easy to spot things that looked like they shouldn't be there. The room view was gorgeous.

Day

Night

Trust me, these pictures do not do this view justice.

I loved the color scheme they used for the entire room (beige, white, and black).

THE POOL AEA! OH EM GEE! It was perfectly perfect. It had the right amount of height, not too cold and not too hot, and man where they on it if there was any debris in the pool. Poolside drinks? HECK YES! I ordered the Mango Lassi and absolutely loved it! I've had it non-alcoholic and enjoy the drink as is, but the way they made it was on point! It was one of the first things I've ordered that I know I made the right decision. Yes it is pricey. Almost makes me cringe but it was definitely worth the experience. They also provide you with two towels per person (one I'm guessing to lay on the benches and one dry with) which I did use for what I guessed so that was really nice. They also provide water. Thumbs up Wynn. That's really awesome of you.

Didn't get to use the fitness area unfortunately. I definitely need to try that out next time I come.

Would definitely love to come here again.

Downtown Las Vegas and Four Queens Hotel and Casino

This was my first time staying in Downtown Las Vegas (at least from what I recall). There are 9 casinos in this area and I stopped by each even though I didn't play in all of them. Four Queens perks are only good if you book a stay with them and if you plan to play a lot. Otherwise I wouldn't recommend opening a players card here. (Before I continue on, I am unsure of how this point system works with all the hotels. So if you know how to use it ignore my comments.) I would recommend Golden Nugget and Binions players card because they offer decent perks. Golden Nugget allows you to get a free spin to win miscellaneous items (ranging from a donut to $1,000 in cash, and yes I would be the one to win a free Dunkin Donut). Binions allows you to get a free Ace for Black Jack and $10 match play ONLY if you're a new member. So it sucks for people who already have one, so I was fortunate enough to get to experience those perks. Your money definitely goes a lot farther here in Downtown than on the strip. My favorite slot machine is the Hangover one so it's only 25 cents to play (found in The D and I think the Golden Gate) so that made me super happy. I find the progressive games to be the most fun. If you want to gamble, this is the place to come.

ONLY downside about this area is just around the corner is a really unsafe area of town. I had no idea that it was common for gunshots in this area, so clearly I didn't get the joke when I went to the Neon Museum that if you here "pop pop" sounds it all a part of the tour. Unfortunately I can't share the photos from the Neon Museum as there for my own "personal use". Sorry guys. Anyway, I'd highly recommend going to this if you're really into the history of Las Vegas. Some tips I'd change about the tour: Although it is only an hour, I feel it should be longer. I know it's not a large boneyard but to fully experience the guided tour and take pictures at the same time is hard to do so. I didn't hear half of the information the tour-guide explained because I was so focused on taking pictures.

Four Queens Stay: It was definitely a decent stay. Although their housekeeping needs to get their shit together. WHY IS IT SO DUSTY IN THE ROOMS?! Like my remote, phone, and lamps were covered in dust. It felt like someone hadn't used the room in weeks although everything else was spotless.  Not sure why this is the case. The toilets may not flush so that was weird cause the fluids would disappear but not the toilet paper? And the bathroom light is super noisy because it has a fan for when you shower. Not my favorite so I tried to minimize bathroom light usage. Obviously didn't stay in the room much because I was out an about on Fremont street. I'd like to try other hotels before I'd stay here again. Check out the room tour below:

I did experience difficulties with this online site called Kayak who's affiliated with Get a Room. The front desk woman even expressed that Expedia is the best for those types of things and we surely found on how much they are unorganized. We were supposed to get $15 food and beverage credit but we couldn't get it because Get a Room didn't send the paperwork regarding our credit so obviously the hotel can't grant it without it. Ruby the front desk manager was very accommodating and tried to help us but Kayak/Get a Room literally was so delayed in sending the information Four Queens needed to get us our credit. After speaking with Sandy from Get a Room she told us that Victor from Escalations was going to call Ruby (Four Queens) or send her the information, which didn't happen and made us very upset. Would definitely not book a room through this website. Ruby was nice enough to give us breakfast vouchers but man, this is unacceptable. You can't offer something on your website and not grant it. ESPECIALLY if there is an exchange of money and confirmation you sent to your customer. Not impressed.

Anyway, more to come on my Vegas vacation. Stay tuned for information about my stay at Encore!

xx

Dudu Osun African Black Soap Review and Thoughts

I am so sad that this is no longer my "main soap" of the moment but I must say I was very happy with the results of it. Finding what works best for your skin is a trial and error and I think this was the best soap that I've used in my entire acne prone skin life. I've heard pure African black soaps are more effective but as I've said, I'm quite happy with the results.




You can watch my full journey here.
It's most effective during the Spring/Summer months and using it only by itself, which I found out later on. I would put so much additional crap on my face but all I needed was this soap.
I did stop using face-up, although I'm dying for the chance to be able to use it again. Although I've been able to clear up the blemishes, the coloration in my face is still uneven and heavily scarred. But it's okay! And you'll be okay! Trust me I've literally had acne for more than half my life and have tried so many combinations of things that I would highly recommend to use this soap. And in my opinion, don't always trust what the dermatologist has to prescribe. Remember, this is my OPINION. You do what makes you feel good and feel most comfortable doing. Unfortunately, I feel like a hypocrite because here I am using what the dermatologist told me to use (gotta make mother happy since she put so much money out). I just wanna use it and be like look, I was perfectly content with using Dudu Osun and found it dramatically cleared my face, so I'm gonna stick with it. As soon as I am cleared from the dermatologist, you know I will be back using this soap.

Hope you're having luck with your skin journey!
xx