Shampoo -Unlisted Brand - Biotera - Shampoo
mpm64 9/16/2008 11:12:00 PM
This is a decent, everyday shampoo for me. I have thick but fine hair that's color-treated, so the ends are dry. I'm always looking for moisturizing hair products, and this, after a week of use, seems like it works. I had found and have been using the Biotera conditioner for some months now (alternated with deeper conditioners, like Terax Crema and Emergencee), and the conditioner seems like a good daily one. The shampoo and conditioner seem to smooth out my hair and prevent flyaways, without weighing it down, but I do normally shampoo once a week or so with a "clarifying" shampoo, which probably helps to prevent buildup. I'll continue to use this, and edit my review if it doesn't work out.
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Polishes -OPI - Cajun Shrimp
mpm64 8/30/2008 11:21:00 PM
This is a great pinky/corally creme on my olive/yellow NC 25 skin. Looks fantastic with a tan, but great even w/o one. The color is just so cheerful! And it applies beautifully and wears really well (like almost all OPI's). I will definitely repurchase!
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Gels/Soaps -Chagrin Valley - All Products
mpm64 8/30/2008 11:12:00 PM
Although, so far, I've tried only one of the several sample and full-size bars that I've ordered, I have to say that I'm very impressed with the one I've sampled (Rhassoul Clay & Yogurt Complexion Soap). Although I'm in my 40's, I have very oily skin, but with dry/rosacea patches, and this soap actually seems to calm my skin and reduce the redness. However, others have said that CV soaps are *so* moisturizing and not at all drying, but I find that this soap, while not overly drying, is still a soap, and so I do have to follow up w/ moisturizer. I love the earthy/natural scent, too. FWIW, I also ordered and tried the honey butter lip balm, which I like quite a bit -- the texture is a bit grainy, but it works just great -- and I also tried the "earth blend" whipped shea butter, which is a very nice shea butter, much better than my usual Palmer's for moisturizing. This stuff is great for feet, hands, knees and elbows. Like all shea butters, it works best if you apply it right after a shower, or after you've applied a more "watery" lotion. The scent is a bit overpowering w/ patchouli, but it does fade after a few minutes, so I can live with that. EDIT: I'm upping my rating to 5 lippies, since I've now tried several soaps and they are simply the BEST -- they clean gently, smell fantastic, and are gently moisturizing. Will definitely repurchase!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Terax - Crema
mpm64 6/15/2008 8:03:00 PM
This stuff makes my fine but thick, shoulder-length hair, smooth and hydrated. I use it 2x/week. Expensive, but it does what it says it will do!
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Lipstick -MAC - Buoy-o-Buoy - Naughty Nauticals (LE Summer 2008)
mpm64 5/22/2008 10:13:00 PM
Got this as a back-to-MAC freebie. I like/don't like how sheer it is -- it's almost like a colored lip balm. But it's an easy color to swipe on w/o a mirror, and it looks good on my NC25 coloring -- although it's probably a bit pale/light for my pigmented lips. However, a co-worker complimented me on my lip color today!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Royal Rajah Ruby
mpm64 5/6/2008 7:31:00 PM
Got this on my pedi a few days ago. At the time, I thought I would go w/ a bright, spring-y color, but this one caught my eye. I really like how it goes from burgundy/brown/black inside to deep, shimmery (but not too shimmery) red in the sunlight. No chips yet -- typical (great!) OPI wear! However, not *sure* if I'd actually buy it, since I already have Romeo & Joliet and Suzi Loves Sydney, although this one seems a little darker than either of those...
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -MAC - Sheertone Blush in Coygirl
mpm64 3/8/2008 2:34:00 PM
This is my current fave blush for my NC 25 skin w/ olive/yellow undertones. Looks just like my natural flush. Very buildable, hard to overapply, which I like. But it's not as finely milled as, say, NARS blushes. However, until I find something better, I'll repurchase. 8/30/2008 edit: this is still, by far, my favorite everyday blush.
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Treatments -Aphogee - Two-Step Protein Treatment (formerly Treatment for Damaged Hair)
mpm64 1/21/2008 9:48:00 PM
Wow...! I bought a sample size of this at Sally's on a whim. The results were much better than I expected! I think that this has performed better than any conditioner/treatment that I've EVER used. The sample included the shampoo as well as the conditioner to use afterwards. I did follow the directions and shampooed first, towel-dried, then applied the protein treatment...this stuff does smell bad, like rancid oil...and it's runny and messy...and I don't think that the 1 oz. package had quite enough product for my fine but thick shoulder-length hair. However, I worked it through as best I could, even though it was very sticky and hard to do. Combing it through was almost impossible. I then used my hand dryer for about 10-15 minutes, being careful not to "agitate" my hair as directed as it hardened and dried. Rinsing over the laundry tub was a PITA --next time I'll do it in the shower. I left the follow-up conditioner in only 10 minutes or so, but after I rinsed and blow-dried, my hair was noticeably smoother, more hydrated and healthier looking. Even a week later, the results are still noticeable. I will definitely try this again in a month or so, before my next color job. EDIT: This is still a 5-lippie, even tho it's a PITA to use... I've found and use Emergencee more often as a quicker fix, but Aphogee conditions my hair MUCH better.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Sonia Kashuk - Blusher Brush
mpm64 1/21/2008 9:33:00 PM
I just got the black-handled blusher brush after seeing so many great reviews for it, and after touching the displayed sample in Target. It's much, much softer than my several-years-old white-handled Kashuk blush brush. That one basically got the job done, but it seems like it was getting coarser with age (but it hardly ever shed), and it seemed to apply blush streakily (is that a word?). The new brush is super soft and applies brush very softly and evenly. I've never used "high end" brushes (MAC and the like), so I don't know how this one compares, but it's definitely a big step up from my old Kashuk brush. Pricy for a d/s brush; otherwise, a bargain. We'll see how it holds up...
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast
mpm64 11/25/2007 10:40:00 PM
Of Lash Exact, Volume Exact and Lash Blast, I think I might like VE the best. All 3 give decent lash separation, even before I use a lash comb, and none of them smear on me at ALL, which is a minor miracle in itself. All 3 also remove easily with any lash remover. LB gives the best volume and length (with 2+ coats), but it does flake a bit on me after several hours. I'm also not crazy about the huge, somewhat unwieldy wand, nor the big blunt end of the wand -- some tapering there would be nice to reach tiny lashes in the corners of my eyes. But since, aside from some flaking, it's nearly perfect in its results, I'll try another tube before I revert to VE.
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Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Eyeshadow Brush
mpm64 11/15/2007 7:23:00 PM
This is an amazing eyeshadow brush for $1. Doesn't shed, transfers plenty of shadow, easy to use, washes easily...what's not to like?
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Fragrances -Andy Tauer - L'Air du Desert Marocain by Andy Tauer
mpm64 10/8/2007 7:35:00 PM
Dry and spicy, with lots of coriander up front, with petitgrain/orange and then woods that last forever. It does get a bit sweeter as it wears, but it's essentially dry to me. As others have already said, this is a very unique and evocative scent. I got a small decant after quickly going through my sample. One spritz is more than enough before going to work, and it lasts all day. It almost smells masculiine, and if my DH wore fragrance, I'd ask him to wear it...but it also smells fab on me, as long as I don't overspray. I'm sure that I'll get a FB eventually. Maroc pour elle is another AT frag that I love...and that one is strictly feminine!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -MAC - Viva Glam VI Lipglass
mpm64 8/25/2007 10:20:00 PM
This is just "OK" on me. The color seems oddly too cool, or "off", for my NC 25 skin, yet the VGVI l/s is too warm. The l/g is *very* sparkly, which is probably OK if you're in your 20's, but I'm in my 40's, so not so much. I much prefer VGV l/g.
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Lipstick -MAC - Viva Glam VI
mpm64 8/25/2007 10:17:00 PM
This looked bad on my NC25 skin...too warm or something. I do like Viva Glam V l/s and l/g, but this just didn't work on me.
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Fragrances -Annick Goutal - Songes
mpm64 8/25/2007 10:14:00 PM
I'm not crazy about florals, or vanillias, but I love this! There's something about the combination of plumeria/jasmine/vanilla that's just right for me. I'm quickly using up my sample. I seem to like jasmine if it's tempered with vanilla or something else...and I don't like vanilla by itself...go figure... but I find myself reaching for this over and over...
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