The Star Guide

Five Stars, Four Stars, Three Stars- what does it all mean? Here's a guide to MPR's star system.

Five Stars- Fantastic! We/I Loved it! Can't say enough about it! A five star review could consist of all or a few of these factors. High quality product, good value in price and hard-pressed to find any flaws in it. Everyone involved in the testing process loved the product.

Four Stars- Great quality and good value typically. However, the price might be a bit steep for the product or it may be a hard to obtain item as well. The item tested is good but could use a tiny bit of improvement or didn't test high with all those who reviewed it.

Three Stars- Average. Item does not stand out from the crowd. Other items have been found that perform/taste/wear better or are a better price for better quality. There are also others products on the market that are below it in standards thus elevating its ranking.

Two Stars- Below Average. A disappointing product that could be great in theory but usually doesn't test well due to quality, ease of use and/or taste/wear of item.

One Star- We are trying to be nice here. We are giving you a star but this product has no redeemable value to anyone who tested it.

All MPR products are tested by me personally as well as my family, friends, other bloggers and even the random neighborhood kid or pet if needed. I write honest reviews that are not based on a relationship with a company or on compensation. My disclaimer is below.

L'oreal Ever Pure Shampoo & Conditioner

Smooth. Moisturize. Volumize. That's what L'oreal's Ever Pure Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner promise. This new line from the L'oreal company is sulfate-free and free of harsh chemicals and salt. I tried it out for a few months and found a few things.

First, I like the fact that these products are readily available at my drug and grocery store as well as online. The $7 price tag won't break the bank and there is a whole slew of hair products included in the three lines. Second, the tubes are easy to open and close and the rosemary scent in the moisturizing line isn't strong and cloying. It doesn't smell artificial either. The shampoo lathers well and the both the shampoo and conditioner rinse easily too.

However, that is all I liked. As far as using this shampoo and conditioner for routine maintenance I just cannot back it. It stripped my hair and made it dull and incredibly dry. So dry my hairdresser noticed it as soon as I walked in for my regular trim. I had her do a deep conditioning masque and then when out and bought one of my own to do at least once a week. Do I have time for this? No. Do I want to spend more money on more products? Absolutely not. I wanted to like this shampoo and conditioner. I love the idea behind it and I'm a huge fan of L'oreal products from skincare to make-up. Unfortunately, the moisturizing shampoo and conditioner ruined my hair and I cannot recommend it.

MPR Rating: One Star.

No!No! Do I need to say more?

It is Sleek! It is Portable! It is the revolutionary new way to remove unwanted hair! Straight from Sephora I bring you the no!no! This new hair removal system utilizes Thermicon technology meaning the tiny hand-held device uses gentle heat waves to destroy hair with little to no pain. Really. You might feel a tiny twinge but that is all.

The Hot Blades come in two sizes- one for longer hair (1 mm or more) and one for stubble (less than 1mm). They are not actually blades but thermodynamic wire. A heat signal transfers through the wire to the hair shaft removing it from your skin. A buffing pad can then be used to remove any hair that is still attached to the skin afterwards. The buffer works well. I used it after each no!no! test and found it helped immensely. Each no!no! kit contains a manual, three short blades, two long blades, a storage bag, small brush to clean the no!no! device, a charger, and one buffer.

This new concept in hair removal is effective for some but it takes time. I have used mine repeatedly in the last few months on various stages of hair growth and while it did not hurt, I did not receive a close shave. I always felt like I still had lots of stubble. I watched the DVD, the little on light was always on, my bathroom smelled of burnt hair and still I had stubble. The $250 price tag is hefty for a device that takes a long time to use and see with results with too. The no!no! claims that, “Over time, you'll notice decreased hair density, a lot less stubble and a lot more time spent not shaving. Like any professional hair treatment, it takes time and dedication to achieve your desired results.”

I would love to believe this to be true. How many women do you know have the time to devote to something like this system? I know that I do not. It took me 45 minutes to shave and I still was not satisfied. I ended up back in the shower using a razor. This device proved to be a big disappointment. It wins a point for effort, sleek styling and overall cuteness but practicality brings it way down. That is me. I am a practical gal. I don't see the point in using a product that is this involved with less than stellar results. In reading reviews on the Amazon website, it seems that this hair remover works best on coarse hair. I am fair and my hair is fine. The consensus for people with my type of hair is that it is very hard to remove our hair with the no!no!.

The final verdict is that I would not waste my time and money on this device. Read other reviews here if you want more information. It takes too much time and money to produce mediocre results. I found the whole thing extremely disappointing.