Talk About Tools - José Eber QuickShine Infrared Blow Dryer

I used the same dryer for over 10 years. It was pink and perfect and I absolutely loved it. I remember getting it the day before my family and I went on vacation for spring break in Cabo San Lucas my senior year in high school. We had to drive an hour and a half away to get to the airport and we had an early flight so we stayed the night before and did some shopping at the mall (since we don’t have one in the tiny country town where we live). We got it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It was around $40 and I remember thinking that was kind of expensive at the time but it lasted so long and was a perfect hair dryer through college and beyond.

Sadly, it passed away in May and at the same time I was offered the chance to test out and possibly review the José Eber QuickShine Infrared Blow Dryer. The timing was ideal and even though I was sad about the death of my beloved dryer, I was so excited to try a new one, especially from a hair genius like José Eber. I’m always trying to incorporate reviews of tools and other beauty related products to the Beautiful Basics roster.

 At $160 this particular model isn’t cheap but it works beautifully, leaving my hair dry, soft, and surprisingly luminous. It claims to dry hair at least 50% more quickly than standard dryers and while I haven’t timed my drying process (ever) I can verify that my hair is dried really quickly but gently without any damage.  It leaves my strands shiny and smooth.

The unit itself is compact, lightweight, and easy to use. It fits perfectly in my hand and easy use to hold up and handle. I absolutely love the size of this dryer. It’s small but packs a full size punch that can compete with any blow dryer around. It’s also fairly quiet.

Here are some of the advertised features of this blow dryer from their website:

- Far infrared light infuses gentle, healthy heat into the core of the cuticle - not the surface of the hair shaft like traditional blow dryers - providing high shine and smoothness.

- Never feels too hot, the Infrared Blow Dryer emits a cooler heat as it dries, eliminating burns and hot spots to the hair and scalp.

- Quick drying time by 50%. Even with a cooler heat, the QuickShine Dryer dries hair in half the time.

- Four variable speed and heat settings allow great control and adjustment ability for any hair type. Plus, a cool shot button helps set any style.

- Ultra Lightweight design.

- Built with a lightweight D/C motor. 

- 1500 watts

If you’re in the market for a new dryer I highly recommend this one. You can learn more about this particular model by clicking here or you can visit the José Eber website by clicking here.

(FTC: This product was provided to me free of charge for review consideration. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.)

Talk About Lip Care - Henné Organics Luxury Lip Balm

I'm a believer in spoiling yourself and taking good care of your skin with luxurious and healthy products and lip care is no exception. If you've been reading Beautiful Basics for a while you already know how sensitive my lips are but if you're new around here all you need to know is that my lips are incredibly finicky and temperamental, so I have to be extremely careful with what I apply to my pout and lately I've been loving Henné Organics and their Luxury Lip Balm.

Beautifully formulated with a simple list of 99% certified organic ingredients (Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Avocado Oil, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Jojoba Oil, and Vitamin E) this rich and buttery balm is a powerhouse that soothes, hydrates, and protects. This American made and cruelty free product is housed in a beautiful MIRON violet glass jar that looks great sitting on your vanity/desk/night stand and also protects the balm from harmful UV rays that can potentially change the product and helps extends its shelf life. This lip balm is beautiful inside and out.


With a mission to bring the world something high-end but simple this company brings something special to the green beauty market and I think you'll love Henné Organics' luxe lip balm. If you want to learn more about the company or the product you can visit their website by clicking here. You can also connect with Henné Organics on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

(FTC: This product was generously provided by the company for review consideration. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own and honest.)

Fall Travel Beauty Bag Giveaway (CLOSED)

I haven't always appreciated fall and all the beauty it has to offer, but this year I am fully embracing it and my love for the changing leaves, crisp air, cute sweaters and boots, and just about everything else that makes this beautiful season what it is. When I was younger I would have told you that summer was my favorite season but I think I have to go with fall now and even my pup, Cooper, is loving it! To celebrate fall and this magical time of year I have a little giveaway for you today.

One lucky winner, from anywhere in the world, will win this cute bag full of beauty goodies. The beauty products in this bag aren't very fall-ish but they're all great anyway! The travel-sized goodies inside the bag are Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner from Desert Essence, Shikai Yuzu Shower Gel, Juice Beauty Nutrient Moisturizer, and a Whole Foods Organic Lip Balm in Cranberry Orange.

To enter the giveaway use the Rafflecopter form below. It may take a moment or two to load. You can do as many or as few options as you would like. All entries will be verified. Don't forget to "like" this post and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Talk About Cosmetics - Gabriel Cosmetics Eyeshadow Trios

Gabriel Cosmetics is a really awesome company that creates a broad line of affordable cruelty-free and non-toxic cosmetics and I'm a big fan. Judging from how many of you ask for my thoughts on their products and the brand itself I'm guessing a lot of you are fans too!


I recently got the opportunity to test out all three of their new Eyeshadow Trios, two of which are all matte and the other is shimmery. These trios are set up to be all you need to create a complete eye look with a highlight, lid shade, and crease color. They are completely vegan, gluten-free, and are made up of a short list of healthy ingredients. Want to know what I think about each individual trio? Keep reading!


One of the three palettes really stood out for me and became an absolute favorite and go-to palette and that would be the Classic Trio, a lovely combination of matte nude shadows that are perfect for daily wear. This particular trio features a cool soft pink, neutral deep brown, and warm taupe. Each shade is beautifully pigmented and formulated. These shadows are so rich and buttery. They also apply and blend flawlessly. I'm so in love with this trio and if these shades are the type you gravitate towards I would have to suggest that you place an order right now. You won't be disappointed! These are nude matte shadows at their finest! I have been using this trio almost every time I've worn makeup since receiving these and I have been able to use the three shades in many different ways to come up with various nude and classic looking eyes. It leaves me with a very soft and feminine look that I adore.


The other matte one is the Smokey Trio, comprised of a neutral ivory, cool charcoal gray, and cool soft gray shadows. I'm a bit disappointed with this trio. With the stunning pigmentation of the Classic Trio I was expecting this one to be similar but it is lacking a bit. However, I think this particular trio would be fantastic for makeup beginners or younger girls (or guys!) because it's really hard to go overboard with these shadows. I'm quite fair and I have to do a lot of building to get these shades to show up very well on my skin, with the exception of the charcoal color, which is my favorite of the three. I like using it as a very soft powder liner on days when I want definition without having to do much work.


Smokey Shimmer is the final trio that has a soft pink with platinum shimmer, charcoal black with gold shimmer, and sandy taupe with warm shimmer. I think this trio is the most pigmented of the bunch and the shadows have a really luxurious feel to them. They do have a bit of fallout but nothing too extreme that a powder brush can't sweep away. I personally would never wear only shimmer shadows on my eyes so this isn't a complete palette for me but I love each shade and use them as accent colors with different products. These ones are really fun and I like them a lot!

Are you a fan of Gabriel Cosmetics? I want to know what your favorite products are so leave me a comment and let me know!

To learn more about Gabriel Cosmetics and their products you can visit their website by clicking here. You can also connect with them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.