Recent Purchases & What I Rate Them

perfect 10's and those that left something to be desired

While I’d love to say that all my purchases are winners, they’re not. I give all the products I try a fair chance. Sometimes, I fall in love, and other times, I have to admit it's not for me. After all, that is part of the experimentation phase of finding new things to love. All that said, I thought I’d share some of my recent purchases and what I rate them.

Perfect 10’s

Crown Affair’s Air Dry Hair Mousse

Rating: 10/10

I don’t like putting a lot of heat in my hair, so I often let my hair air dry. I had been doing a lot of trial and error with lots of different methods but none were close to perfect. When I saw that Crown Affair was releasing an air dry mousse, I immediately set a reminder and waited for release day, eagerly hoping this would be the better alternative to my current set up. Once the day came, I immediately ordered.

On the initial use, I knew it was a winner. It gave my waves definition without leaving my hair crunchy. I also loved that it helped with my frizz control and I could run out the door with wet hair if I needed.

Gillian Steven’s Evelyn Dress

Rating: 10/10

I can’t say enough good things about this dress. The weight of it is perfect, not too thick but not too thin. The delicate tie details on the side add a feminine touch and I love the smocked top. It also drapes to the perfect length and is supportive enough to wear without a bra. I love dresses in the summer and I feel so put together when I wear this one without needing too many accessories to elevate it if I don’t want to.

I also can’t recommend Gillian enough. She is the sweetest and always willing to answer any questions. She even helped me figure out my size before launch!

If you’re looking for a thoughtful, small batch brand, look no further than Gillian Stevens.

DÔEN Denim Jacket

Rating: 10/10

I need you to know that I am a bit of a denim addict. I love wearing denim on denim and I just can’t help myself when I see a good denim piece that would pair nicely with what I already own. So naturally, when I saw this jacket, I knew I had to have it. I love the slightly oversized (I sized down!) fit and the color was the perfect medium dark blue. I could have taken my regular size but the arms were a tad big for my liking.

Winners With Minor Notes

Elba Loafers

Rating: 9/10

It took me 8 months to finally hit the checkout on these and the wait was well worth it. I purchased the black color and I absolutely love how they look. I love the “outline” along the base of the shoe. It’s the perfect modern take on the classic loafer.

I subtracted 1 point because the break in period took a bit longer than I had anticipated. I knew they’d require breaking in, but I didn’t anticipate needing several blister bandaids to make it through. I wore them with thick socks, so this added to the shock of needing to go through multiple bandaids and recovery days. With that said, I would buy more colors despite the break in period.

Vince’s Pima Tank

Rating: 9/10

I ordered this tank on a whim while ordering satin pants during a sale. I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did. I was impressed that the thin straps didn’t dig into my shoulders or create any creasing. It is also incredibly soft even after washing it several times.

I deducted one point due to the tags. Sometimes I find them to be itchy. It’s more of a rare occurrence, but I’ve noticed it several times. I could see this bothering someone who has sensitive skin. It’s an easy fix since that can quickly be removed, but just a small detail to note!

Déhanche’s Signet Belt

Rating: 9/10

It’s no surprise I love Déhanche belts as seen here and here. My most recent belt purchase is this minimal statement piece. I love how sleek it is. It pairs so beautifully with everything and can be easily dressed up or down. The only reason I knocked this one point is due to the difficulty of unbuckling. To buckle, you press the buckle into the hole. Removing the buckle requires some effort. This is not unique to Déhanche, but rather the type of belt. My friend has a Ralph Lauren belt that has the same type of buckle and she mentioned the same issue. This doesn’t bother me, but if you’ve tried something similar and don’t love it, then this might not be for you!

The So So’s

I almost left these out, but these were items I bought that were on recommendation lists that didn’t work out for me. I hope this provides an alternate perspective to products you may be considering if you’ve come across the same recommendations online. As always, this is just one opinion and if these work for you, I’m jealous! I really wanted to love them.

Ceremonia Scalp Scrub

Rating: 6/10

I’ve been on a mission to find a salt scrub. This one works, but it doesn’t wow me. I’ve used about half of it and I have mixed feelings about it. Mostly because sometimes it feels like it leaves my hair feeling dry after I rinse it out. I think it has to do with how much I use, so toning down the amount used has helped. I will continue to use it until it's gone, but I will try an alternative before attempting to perfect the “serving” size.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel 

Rating: 6/10

This worked when it worked if that makes sense?! Some days I’d love the result, others I would find myself having crusty and white residue on my eyebrows. I had to wipe off excess gel before using it. I didn’t end up being a fan of the brush due to its propensity to give me crunchy eyebrows. Did it work, yes? Just with lots of additional steps.

Sonie’s Lip Balm

Rating: 4/10

I wanted to love this so bad, but it just didn’t work for me. It left a grainy, dry feeling on my lips. I tried it for two weeks straight before I decided that it wasn’t going to miraculously improve and change my opinion.

All recommended items (with the exception of the So So’s) are linked here.

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What do you think of this type of format? Let me know what you think and if you’d like to see future purchase ratings! I’d also love to know if you have any 10/10’s you’ve recently purchased or something you wanted to love that didn’t work out for you.

xx Ofelia

Disclaimer: some links are affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small percentage from a sale. As always, anything that is linked are things I either own or recommend.