Lotions/ Creams -The Body Bakery - Lemon Pound Cake Body Creme
pinknika 12/28/2010 1:35:00 AM
I was really dissapointed when I opened my jar of the whipped cream. I figured, well it probably doesn't smell very good inside the jar, so I applied some on my hands and arms. The smell was better when applied to my skin, and after it dried it smelled a little better. But sooo weird. It smells like I dunno really fake and gross, I thought it would be a fresh lemony scent with a sugary cake mix/pound cake smell. But no it smells like rancid lemon pledge. Definately a no, never again at least for that scent. I really wish they were cheaper alternatives for sampling their scents, but they don't really have any. I think $5.00 for an ounce is pretty bad, why don't they just charge a dollar and put it in smaller jars and let us sample it that way? Their descriptions aren't really accurate and cannot be relied on. I'm not trying to bash the body bakery but I am just dissapointed that I spend $10 on 2 ounces of nasty smelling stuff.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Self Tanners -Jergens - Jergens Natural Glow Firming
pinknika 12/12/2010 8:14:00 PM
I am giving this a 4 because I think this product has gone way up in my opinion. The old jergens natural glow was horrible. Well, the color was okay but the smell was pretty bad. It had the worst developing DHA odor I have ever smelled in a tanner. The one thing that I hate the most about self tanners is the smell. And no matter how great the color is, no matter how fast it dries, no matter if it is perfect, if the DHA smell is bad, in the trash it goes! I know, I am that picky about fragrance/ developing odor. After trying St. Moriz self tanner, I decided to try something maybe more gradual. St. Moriz is just a regular self tanner like St. Tropez and its a mousse but it dried out my skin pretty bad. But I loved how it had barely no developing scent. I wanted something maybe subtle that will gradually turn into something darker without the dryness. Going back to this was tough, I heard that the new formula was better especially the firming one. I have tried other graduals, like hemp glow and dove etc. but those smelled weird and dove broke me out. Anyways, I got the firming one, and no results on the firming but.... its pretty good! I saw a good color the 1st day. The 1st day!! I usually never see color until maybe the 3rd or 4th day. I got the fair to medium one too. It dried okay, although I still felt it during the night in my pj's and.....the odor is still there but not as bad. I definately think I can live with it!!! Overall, better than when it first came out, might stick with it because it has gone up in quality.
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Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - EXTRA VIRGIN Coconut Oil (All brands)
pinknika 12/4/2010 1:09:00 AM
Sadly, I can only use this on my hair and some parts of my body. But usually I only use this for my hair. According to a thread at the Long Hair Community, coconut oil is one of the most penetrative oils there is to penetrate the hair shaft and protect against peroxide damage. I definately believe that. My hair looks a lot better when I condition it with coconut oil. I purchase a jar from vitaminshoppe or whole foods and just melt a few tablespoons down in a microwave safe cup and apply it using an empty dye bottle (like $2 at Sallys) to my scalp and all over my hair. I then wrap my hair in saran wrap and then wrap my little turbie twist around my head. Sometimes I leave it on overnight, other times a few hours. I wash it out with shampoo and conditioner. I do not rinse it out with just water because then I get oily looking hair. My hair usually looks a little thicker and feels a lot stronger after each coconut oil condition. Pretty good stuff.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Candles -Unlisted Brand - Slatkin & Co. Candles- All
pinknika 12/4/2010 12:49:00 AM
I was fortunate enough to recieve a small slatkin candle as a gift! Normally I hate getting candles as gifts especially the cheap ones but this one smells soooo goood! I recieved the Vanilla Shortbread and it smells so amazing! I like that it is strongly scented and you can smell it throughout the house, the only con is how the wick burns, not very strong but usually natural wax candles don't really. Overall I will buy this when it burns down, maybe I will get a 3 wick!
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Primer/ Corrector -Unlisted Brand - Monistat - Chafing Relief Powder-Gel 
pinknika 12/1/2010 8:41:00 PM
So I don't have a lot of experience with primer's. In fact, I have never used one. I was curious enough to try this because of the flawless look it supposedly gives. I have oily acne prone skin, with the right foundation I don't really need to touch up or anything or make my foundation last. I bought this because maybe it could make my foundation go on smoother and hide those under eye fine lines I have. I am not sure if I am using too much, but it seems like it doesn't really dry. Like, it doesn't stay put when I put on the foundation. I put a good size amount because I want it to cover all the lines, scars, etc and if I put a good enough layer on, it might work. Well I don't think it really does because no matter how much I put on, you can still see the dry flakey skin underneath. (i have a few dry patches on my face also). It almost seems to exaggerate all the flaws I have. It works ok underneath the eyes to hide my fine lines but still, some of the dryness still shows through. I think because it is a powder-gel and not a gel. One thing it hasn't done is break me out. Granted I only use this on big nights out and things like that, so I couldn't really tell you long term everyday how it has affected my skin but maybe because of the way I prevent this product from breaking me out, it hasn't. Since I read that it breaks a ton of girls out, I used this approach to combat it: -Cleanse face with Salicylic acid wash (any acne wash, neutrogena etc) -apply a thin layer of Benzoyl Peroxide (proactive, Dan kerns bp etc) -apply monistat primer -apply foundation at the end of the night: -wash off thoroughly with Salicylic acid wash and Clarisonic skin brush So far no breakouts with the regimen above. I will continue to use this.This has a lot of potential if my skin underneath would be half decent, until then I give this a 3.
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Powder -Palladio - Wet/Dry foundation
pinknika 12/1/2010 8:06:00 PM
I am giving this a 4 because of one bad thing-turning your face orange. For me, I use the Laurel nude shade and after the end of the day I have a slight orange cast on my face. It doesn't look that bad, but it is slightly noticeable. I have oily acne prone skin and it has not bothered it at all. This makeup is super matte which I love. The foundation is a bit heavy if you layer it, so yes you can look really cakey if you apply too much. I did try it both ways, dry and wet, I think I like the wet application more but it still kinda looks the same even if you apply it dry. I think I am going to mix it with a moisturizer maybe to see if it will look even better. I did try to conceal my eyes with it, that was a horrible no. Underneath my eyes were dry and cakey and wrinkly. Still I think the coverage is great, I have dozens of red marks and scars and my skin looked super clear after I put this foundation on. If you have dry skin though, beware it might dry you out pretty bad. And like one MUA'er said, that it made their skin feel all tight like it would crack if you were to smile, it does do that but I don't really mind it. lol.
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Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - sesame oil
pinknika 11/26/2010 10:38:00 PM
So far I have been using this oil for a week. I needed something to moisturize my face, and having acne it is quite hard to find a moisturizer that agrees with my skin. I do try to avoid chemicals and harsh moisturizers because those wreak havoc on my skin. Anyways, I desperately needed something for my face and with money being tight, I decided to look into my pantry and found some sesame oil. I used some on my face before going to bed. I liked that in the morning, my face wasn't oily but nice and supple. I have continued to use this almost every night and I have to say that my skin is getting clearer! Yay! A lot of acne friendly oils really break me out, like jojoba oil, coconut oil but this oil hasn't and I am really glad. It has only been a week but hopefully the results will be long lasting. If not, then I will use it as a body moisturizer. Oh and the kind I have is Toasted Sesame seed oil from Trader Joes for like $3. Not sure if toasted makes a difference but it works great for me.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Neaclear Liquid Oxygen Acne Wash (with Salicylic Acid)
pinknika 11/26/2010 9:53:00 PM
So I have already bought this product again, so I am confirming a yes for me! I happened to be browsing in Ulta when I came across this. I was hesitant to try it, because of the hydrogen peroxide and I thought it might be disasterous to my skin. But I took a chance and I am pleasantly surprised. This is a great cleanser and no it doesn't dry out your skin very bad but it leaves it feeling clean and well balanced. It has vitamins it it too which is a great addition, so it helps with putting it back into your skin. I am currently using this by itself not with the toner or the moisturizer and I think it is great on it's own. I am not sure if I will try out the other products because my skin is already looking so much better. Fyi, accutane sufferer had to take it 2x, my skin was clear for a year, acne came back with venegence and now only using topical stuff, eating right etc. I no longer have cystic acne due to the accutane but also no longer bigger pimples due to this cleanser, I am sure. Anyways I wish they had more marketing for this because this brand deserves to me known for all acne sufferers.
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Conditioner -L'Oreal - EverStrong Bodify Conditioner for Flat, Limp Hair, Rosemary Mint
pinknika 11/26/2010 9:40:00 PM
Like in my previous review for the shampoo, this stuff is really great. I was visiting my parents for the holidays and I didn't want to bring my crappy shampoo and condish along knowing that my mom and sister both have good shampoo usually. This was in the shower and so I tried it out. I used this in conjunction with the shampoo. This conditioner has a very herbal scent to it, which can be overwhelming, I wish it had a different scent. But as for what it did to my hair. It feels amazing. It is so soft and shiny and hydrated, it doesn't even feel like my hair. Now I definately think I am getting these results because of the condition that my hair was in previously with the shampoo and conditioner I was using in the past. I was using organix shamp and condish which in my opinion is the equivalent to Alberto Vo5 .85 cent shampoo and conditioner...which to me is the most crappiest you can every try. It left my hair like straw. Straw!! My hair was already dry, damaged and just plain dull before I tried this L'oreal conditioner. So I believe I saw results based on the quality of my hair before this. I think if you are using a conditioner now that you really like and are getting good results, this might not live up to your expectations, nor will it go up against your holy grail products. I think it works amazing if your hair has been through the ringer because of the lack of good shampoo and conditioner that you are using, which was in my case. So if you already have a good hair routine going with a great conditioner, you don't need to switch but if your like me and just have been buying cheap crappy shampoo and conditioner and your hair is like straw, then this might work for you.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -L'Oreal - L'Oreal EverStrong Bodify Shampoo for Flat, Limp Hair, Rosemary Juniper
pinknika 11/26/2010 9:28:00 PM
So I am visiting my parents for the holidays and I decided not to take my crappy shampoo and condish with me because I know my mom and my sister both have great shampoos and conditioners. This was in the shower along with the conditioner and of course I had to try it! Prior to trying this, my hair was a complete disaster, dry and breaking, strawlike everything. I was pleasantly surprised when I started lathering this into my hair, I was like oooh it feels sooo nice! It felt so creamy and rich like it was conditioning my hair, but for a shampoo. It rinsed clean and it felt really nice, like my hair had been fully washed. The scent is definately not too overwhelming but I would rather have a fruity scent or something. I have to say that for those out there who are already trying to compare this to their high end holy grail stuff, yes it probably won't live up to their expectations, but if your hair just is damaged and messed up due to another shampoo that should be classified as laundry detergent (thats how harsh my current shampoo is, organix bleh) then you will be surprised in how wonderful this is. I have really fine, thin, limp, long hair and I think it works really good. Now also, this is supposed to be bodifying apparently, I didn't really read the label too closely in the shower to see what it was supposed to do, other than it being sulfate free, so I really didn't notice any bodify stuff, but I wasn't really looking for that anyway, just a good rich clean shampoo. This is it.
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Gels/Soaps -Bath and Body Works - Aromatherapy Lemongrass Mandarin
pinknika 11/8/2010 5:23:00 PM
I read on here that someone actually used this to wash their hands with because it smells so strong. I had to laugh because that is what I did exactly when I ran out of hand soap. I got this as a gift from my mom because she just loves the sales at B & BW and she got this for me. Yes it is definately overwhelming but when I finally replaced my hand soap, I started using this as a body wash and the scent definately lingered. The biggest con I have about this, is that it is soo drying. I think thats the point, B & BW makes bodywashes to dry the crap out of your skin so you will need to buy their lotion. I can't wait til this runs out, I am going to get something rich and creamy, don't know what that is yet but it definately won't come from B & BW.
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Liquid -Almay - Clear Complexion Blemish Healing Makeup
pinknika 11/8/2010 5:08:00 PM
It seems that lately, all my reviews that I have been contributing to this site are all really negative! I can't help the fact that almost every single product I have tried is not performing to the standards I like. Same goes for this product. I have acne prone oily skin and I'm still on the hunt for the perfect foundation. After reading the reviews, I thought that this would be my best bet. Unfortunately, it is strikingly similar to Neutrogena's blemish clearing foundation, like almost identical. It smells the same, blends the same and performs the same-like crap. I don't like the coverage it gives me and it seems to accentuate all the imperfections my face has. I have tried a lot of high end products and if it wasn't for the extreme costs, I would definately splurge on some high end foundation that performs well. I think foundation is probably the only thing that is worth buying in a department store. If only I had the money...anyways, yes to me this foundation doesn't control oil, doesn't heal my breakouts, looks terrible and blotchy. Won't buy this again. Ever.
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Conditioner -Organix - Grapefruit Mango Butter Conditioner
pinknika 11/8/2010 4:53:00 PM
Like I said in my shampoo review, I bought this because of the buy one get one free deal at my riteaid. This conditioner really sounded appealing after reading the back label about how moisturizing it is and after I smelled it, I was sold. Too bad it didn't perform. I was expecting a nice rich thick conditioner that conditioned my badly damaged hair. Sadly, it didn't. It actually made my hair feel like straw, it didn't smooth it down or nourish it in anyway. I was really lured by the scent, it is so delicious smelling but I rather condition my hair in something that smells worse and works great rather than the opposite. This product reminds me of those V05 conditioners that they used to sell, not sure if they still sell that brand somewhere but I remember seeing them on the shelves for like 80 cents or 99 cents a piece at walmart. They definately performed cheap. Although this brand has organic ingredients and is supposedly natural, it is pretty bad. Aubrey Organics definately out performs this by a long shot. Will not repurchase.
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Shampoo -Organix - Grapefruit Mango Butter Shampoo
pinknika 11/8/2010 4:36:00 PM
I bought this on a whim because it was a buy one get one free deal at my local rite aid. I needed to buy new shampoo and conditioner to replace my Aubrey Organics, I wasn't looking for an organic shampoo but something cheap and from a drugstore because I am having an out of money experience. I smelled all the shampoo's on the shelve. It was between the passionfruit grava and this one, and I chose this one because it smelled really good. The smell definately dissapears after you wash, even if you use it with the same conditioner. Overall it is an ok shampoo nothing special, foams pretty good but it is definately average. I have to say it reminds me of those V05 shampoo's that I think are no longer, that and suave definately reminds of something like that.
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Styling Products -John Frieda - Luxurious Volume Thickening Mousse
pinknika 11/1/2010 4:58:00 PM
I am giving this product a 4 because although it is pretty good, it is not perfect. I really like how it thickens my hair, I apply this mostly to the roots and it gives me a good lift. I did put it all over my hair down to the ends and it did dry out my hair. I would definately use this as a root lift, not an all over mousse. It is a bit heavy and I can see how it can wear some peoples hair down but I think its a lot better than a lot of other mousse's.
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