Moisturizers -Aveeno - Ultra-Calming Night Cream
fpih 3/24/2013 5:37:00 PM
I only use this for emergencies, and at least in those cases it works just fine: I had a terrible reaction to an chemical exfoliant last year that resulted on red rash all over my face which on top of ugly, was also very itchy. Well, I used the ultra-calming for less than a week -unfortunately along with a steroid cream to relieve the itchiness- and it worked just fine. The redness disappeared after the 3rd-4rth day, and the itchiness just a couple of days later. Of course I was too afraid to use any other cream for the next month or so, so I stayed loyal to ultra-calming both day & night for a while, but when summer came, this was simply too oily for my skin. I used it again in winter because I often get dry patches, and it calmed them down immediately. All in all, I like this cream, but at 39 years old, I need something more than a simple moisturizer on a daily basis. It feels nice to have this on hand should something upset my skin, but there are other creams out there who can manage that and make my skin appear firmer as well; I think:) So no, I would not rebuy this right now.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Sephora - Multi-Action Nail Polish
fpih 3/16/2013 8:38:00 AM
I also have this in "Stormy Pink #13" and I love it! I mainly use it on my toes, where it lasts for 2 weeks with no re-touch at all. It's a warm cranberry color, not too vampy/dark, but not bright red either. The blue undertones match my fair skin very well, and it appears classy but very feminine at the same time. The application is easy, the polish neither too thin or too think (even a year after buying it). One of the best -and most used- nail polishes I've ever bought, at the same quality with OPI for a far less price.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Korres - Myrrh & Oligoelements high shine/long lasting #59 Dark Red
fpih 3/13/2013 6:01:00 AM
Great color, easy to apply (=not too runny, not too thick and the brush is fine) and lasts for ages even without topcoat. The only problem is it doesn't dry very fast and when I apply more than two coats, the color gets so dark, that when indoors it seems almost black.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -China Glaze - Foie Gras: Hunger Games Collection
fpih 3/13/2013 5:52:00 AM
Easy to apply, fast to dry, perfect coverage and shine. This is a taupe color, not brown, not grey but somewhere in between. Sometimes depending on the lighting, it can even seem purplish. Would be perfect if it didn't chip at the tips of my nails by the second-third day, even with topcoat. On the other hand, I don't mind reapplying a new coat when that happens, as an extra coat or two don't seem to change its color in the least. And as application is so easy, the process takes less than 2 mins. And the result is very elegant, it's got me quite a few compliments.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Sole Mate
fpih 3/13/2013 2:46:00 AM
Deep Reds and Burgundies are my favorite nail colors for fall/winter every year so I own a fair collection. I love the plum undertones that Sole Mate has and make it distinct to the other deep reds I own. I also like the fact that it lasts for 3-4 days at least (with topcoat) with no chipping on the ends like China Glaze does. What I don't like at all is how streaky it is and how small the brush is, making it difficult to apply evenly. The first coat is transparent and blotchy. The second coat almost gets the job done, but not completely. It probably needs 3 coats to make it perfect, but with 3 coats the color is so dark, it's seems close to black when indoors and that's not what I'm looking for. However, I usually apply a 3rd coat by the fourth-fifth day when it starts to fade/chip a little so that I can keep it a couple days more, but I honestly don't like it at that stage and if I'm not too bored, I prefer to take it off and paint my nails anew. And since it's so streaky, it takes a lot of time and attention to detail to paint them in the first place if you want to do a good, clean job. In fact, it's such a bother, that I rarely use it two times in a row. All in all, a very nice color but made cumbersome to use by its streaky nature. If only the brush was like OPI's, it'd gain 2 more stars from me. As it is, I won't repurchase when it's finished. Oh, and 1 year after I got it, it still needs no thinning; I guess that's a plus.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Top/Base Coats -Sephora - Sephora by OPI Top Coat
fpih 3/5/2013 5:48:00 AM
Add me to the list of disappointed customers. I spent 12$ for this top coat, only to find out that it takes over 6-8 hours to dry! In the beginning I kept believing that it was my nail polishes that caused the problem, but after a week trying out several of them, I realized my error. Now I only use it if I paint my nails before 12 in the afternoon so I don't get scratches and sheet prints on them, otherwise I use a cheap one (3$ from Carrefour) that works so much better. On the plus side, when it doesn't cause smudges on my nails (never had bubbles at least like the other reviewers), it keeps the polish in place for at least 3-4 days in a row, if not more. Still, I won't be purchasing it again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Orly - Super Natural
fpih 2/7/2013 2:41:00 AM
This is my first nail polish by Orly, and so far it's been a great introduction to the brand. It dries super fast, lasts and lasts for days, even though I don't always wear gloves when washing dishes or cleaning up in the house, and it keeps its shine. The only thing I didn't like, was its strong chemical smell in the beginning; my husband even left the room when I was painting my nails, saying he couldn't stand it anymore. And the specific color is a lot more irridescent than I thought it would be. Still, I like it a lot and it's very easy to use, what with the super-fast drying time and high resistance, so I'll make sure to check out the other Orly colors as well.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -L'Oreal - Nude Magique BB Cream
fpih 11/26/2012 6:03:00 AM
I tried a sample today and I have to say, this is my first and last encounter with this product. I'm quite pale, so when I put it on in the morning it didn't make me look any whiter than usual and it did cover up my not so few red zones. It obviously has lots of silicone but even though I have sensitive skin, silicone is not an irritant for me, so I was ok with that. Well, I enjoyed my barely covered face, smooth color and applied blush on top and left for work. Unfortunately, 3 or 4 hours later, I checked on a mirror and there was nothing left of the BB cream on my skin, at least not enough to cover the redness and my pink chin and slightly veined cheeks were visible in all their glory:D While this may be pretty nice when first applied, it doesn't last long enough to make its way into my makeup case; I'll stick with my lightweight foundation instead.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Estee Lauder - Signature Lipstick - Cocoa Rose
fpih 7/26/2012 7:26:00 AM
I recently purchased Cocoa Rose, my first of EL's Signature line and I'm generally pleased with it. It's a MLBB color, slightly pink with a reddish hint and a bit of shine that makes my lips look and feel luscious and moisturized, but as the color is almost nude (way more nude than Clinique's Blushing Nude shade which is more pigmented and brownish on my lips) I don't look as if I've used anything other than a bit of colored lip balm. On the other hand, the lasting power is much better than that of a lip balm, but still not that good: 2 hours tops even without drinking/eating anything. I bought in on sale and I'm pleased with the results for the money I spent, but had I paid the full price for it, I don't think I'd be as happy with the poor lasting power. Working in a male-dominated environment, I like the discreet effect of this lipstick and I don't mind applying 2 or 3 times during my 8-hours working day. It's also quite moisturizing which I greatly appreciate. In short, it's a very good lipstick for everyday use, if you have the ability to reapply as needed. For reference, I'm fair skinned (intensity 2 in EL makeup) and unlike other reviewers, find this very well matched for my skin tone.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Olfactive Studio Chambre Noire
fpih 6/25/2012 6:41:00 AM
A powdery & woody magnificence, a little bit sweet, a little bit floral. The leather here is different from any other perfume I tried; it reminds me of a well worn bag, aged and heavily used but of very fine quality to begin with and certainly not the brand new kind. There's just a tiny bit of violet and mostly patchouli, sandalwood and other woody notes, that create a slightly powdery, ripe and heady base, comforting but sensual as well. To me, this is a perfume that Eva Green in Casino Royale would wear: even though she's not a perfect beauty and you can't tell if she's good or bad, there's an aura of mystery and darkness surrounding her that draws men like flies. Dangerous, dark and ambiguous like her, this is a perfume for a woman (or a confident man?) but certainly no teenage girls and boys. After the first hour has gone by, the sillage tones down considerably making it a discreet perfume for all occasions & all hours of the day. Lasting power is ok for an edp (around 8 hours) but as I said, it stays way too close to skin after the initial hour and may be hard to detect for anyone but your significant other:) FB worthy IMO and one of my most used perfumes ever since I bought it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Laura Mercier - Metallic Cream Eye Shadow
fpih 6/20/2012 1:15:00 AM
I only have one, Pink Gold, and I'm glad I didn't invest in more. While it lasts quite well in colder weather (around 6-8 hours), it lasts near 2 hours in the heat. I don't use a primer and I don't need to with my other eyeshadows -either cream or pressed ones- and they still last 10 hrs and more on me, so I find this very disappointing. I like the color a lot, but I won't be re-buying. For cream eyeshadows, Clinique Quick Eyes is the best one I've tried so far.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Clinique - Turnaround Concentrate [DISCONTINUED]
fpih 5/18/2012 5:13:00 AM
Let me start by saying that I have sensitive skin that often has allergic reaction to several products. However, Clinique's SA insisted that this was the right product for me since I shouldn't as she said -because of my sensitivity & visible face veins- use a face scrub with beads for exfoliation. Silly that I am, I fell for it. At least I knew enough not to use it twice a day as the recommendation on the box said. Instead I used it every night with nothing else on top. When after the first week I felt my face a bit sensitive and tingly, I started using it every second night instead of daily and that was fine for about a month, though I also didn't see any improvement on my skin either (then again I probably wasn't using it as often as I should for that to happen). And then, after using it one night after a week or two of disuse, I woke up with a very red face, extreme itchiness and a very irritated, sandpapery texture on my skin that took about a week, Aveeno's calming cream mixed with cortisone and antihistamin pills to calm down eventually. Suffice it to say I haven't used it since. And I also have to add that I've been using Avene's Ystheal -which contains retinol- for over 2 years with no problems whatsoever. Surprisingly or not, this is the only Clinique product that has caused me an allergic reaction, so I do have to strain to potential buyers the fact that if you have sensitive skin, this is NOT for you.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Elizabeth Arden - First Defense
fpih 5/18/2012 4:53:00 AM
I have been using the cream that's suited for dry & normal skin with great success for over 3 months now, so I recently ordered the lotion that's better suited to combination/oily skin now that summer is almost here. We'll see how that goes! I have very sensitive skin that's dry in the winter and prone to redness & itchiness but turns to combination/oily when the weather turns warmer. I'm allergic to AHA and I still don't know what else, but natural/biological products almost always end up giving me a break out so I had to stop them completely. The First Defense cream not only didn't irritate my skin, but managed to calm it down when I had the stupid idea to use Clinique's Turn Around Serum on my face one night and woke up with my whole face red and itching and a sandpapery feeling the next morning! My face is well hydrated, which isn't the case with all creams as some are too light for me in the colder months and I have to reapply in the day. It didn't create any bumps or red patches and didn't leave my face shiny as is the case with some SPF products. Even now that the weather is quite hot, this is only just a touch more shiny than I'd like, but in no means oily. I hope the lotion will correct this small problem, because I don't feel like straying from this product any time soon as my skin feels healthier than ever!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Clinique - Quick Eyes Cream Shadow Muffin
fpih 5/18/2012 4:23:00 AM
Muffin was my first Quick Eyes eye shadow and I was so happy with it, I went and bought another one as well (Rock Violet). Muffin lasts all work day on me (around 9 hours), it's fast and easy to apply even for beginners (which I am), and the color is discreet for everyday use without being invisible. It's a slightly sparkling/silvery taupe which looks much more sheer on the eyes than in the tube and enhances my hazel eyes/fair complexion very well. Plus, I have sensitive eyes and unlike many powder/pressed eye shadows, it did not irritate my eyes or lids. I'm sorry to see Quick Eyes eye shadows have been discontinued; I don't know if I can live without them now that I found them, so I'm probably going to hoard all I can find in the internet:(
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Clinique - Quick Eyes Cream Eye Shadow (All)
fpih 5/18/2012 4:15:00 AM
I have two colors: Rock Violet and Muffin. I got them both on sale, so I didn't pay much, but from what I've seen so far, I would pay even more money to buy them again. They last all work day on me, are fast and easy to apply even for beginners (which I am), and the colors are discreet for everyday use without being invisible. Plus, I have sensitive eyes and unlike many powder/pressed eye shadows, these do not irritate my eyes or lids. Lately, I've stopped using any other eye shadows and I definitely recommend them to people with sensitive eyes.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No