Treatments -Merle Norman - Luxiva Wrinkle Smoother
rav2b 9/19/2009 11:08:00 PM
Felt so lovely going on, but just didn't help with moisturizing. Must be something peculiar about my skin, because I know this is one of MN's most popular products.
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Treatments -Merle Norman - Luxiva Energizing Concentrate
rav2b 9/19/2009 11:04:00 PM
Felt nice going on, but seemed to dry out my skin. Made it kind of tight-feeling and prickly, even with serious moisturizing. The skin under my eyes got really thin looking and kind of crinkly. So disappointing.
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Eyeliner -Merle Norman - Soft Touch Eye Pencil
rav2b 9/19/2009 10:57:00 PM
Happy surprise! Goes on easily, looks pretty, stays well, doesn't sting my eyes. Love the color--Jade--green with gold, kind of olive, like MUFE 5L.
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Blush -Jane - Blushing Earth Sheer
rav2b 9/19/2009 10:48:00 PM
OMG. Can't believe I hadn't written about this years ago. Don't know why I stopped using it, but last week tried an old one I've had around practically forever, and have been using nothing else since. Color is so pretty, and staying power is terrific. >14 hours with Merle Norman's mineral makeup.
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Lips -Merle Norman - Lip Pencil Plus 
rav2b 8/11/2008 10:32:00 PM
Hate to be a party-pooper, but this didn't work for me at all. Had it in Spice Sachet and love the colors, but it didn't stay on at all compared to Revlon's Colorstay Overtime or Cover Girl's Outlast. Since the shades I use in those don't seem drying, I'm going back to them.
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Cleansers -Ponds - Deep Cleanser Cold Cream
rav2b 8/11/2008 10:06:00 PM
My mom was right! I've been using this now for about 8 months, and my skin has never looked or felt better. I love the smell and the feel--and the price. What a great surprise! Edit 3/9/12: I like it even better using a warm wet washcloth!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Merle Norman - Luxiva Supreme Lash Mascara
rav2b 8/11/2008 10:00:00 PM
Very, very pleased with this. Goes on well, stays on well. Water-resistant (even through lots of tears). No clumping and doesn't sting my horridly sensitive eyes.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Merle Norman - Luxiva Timeless
rav2b 8/11/2008 9:57:00 PM
So disappointed. Looks lovely to start, but gets sort of oily (even on my dry skin) before pulling a disappearing act. Tried it with several different moisturizers, but none seemed to make a difference. Tried with MN's mineral powder under and then over. Neither of those helped. Just felt heavier. I don't like using powder, so am back to the totally amazing Rimmel Lasting Finish.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Merle Norman - Luxiva Purely Mineral Makeup
rav2b 8/11/2008 9:47:00 PM
7/12--It's now been 4 years, and I'm STILL loving it! I'd been mixing L20 and L60 about 3:2 give or take, depending on the season. About a month ago I (finally!) ran out of the L60. Since DH was going to be going past the Merle Norman store, I asked him to pick up a new one. L60's been discontinued, so he came home with a new shade, L28, and it's perfect, all by itself. I've been using Fyrinnae's powder primer and getting at least 16-18 hours' wear--and lots of compliments on my skin. I haven't even been tempted by anything else now in a few years. 2/11--I cannot believe that it's been two and a half years, and I'm still loving this. As a matter of fact, I'm still loving the very same two jars (mix of L60 and L20) !!! I will have to get a new L20 in the next month or so, but i'll bet there's still another 3-4 months' worth of the L60. My days are even longer now, and it just keeps hanging in there--and I'm not even using primer. Wish I could give it 8 or 10 lippies! 8/08--Wow! Can't believe what I wrote before is about the same stuff. Updated to say, this is terrific. It's still messy, but I'm learning tricks for that. I'm using it over the Monistat anti-chafe "primer," and it's looking good after 14 hours! I think I didn't like the feel of it over MN's Timeless. My only complaint now is that I wish there was an L40 (I'm BB Sand, MAC NC20ish). L20 was a little too light and too pink, and L60 a little too deep. Can't believe I'm liking it enough to keep both ($$) and mix them (bit of hassle). 3-->5 lippies. (Started breaking out with my 2nd tube of Rimmel's Lasting Finish, and Illuminare's two light shades, even mixed, were just too yellow now that I've got a bit more red in my haircolor.) Here's the old review. Please disregard: So disappointed in this. I've used several mineral makeups (BE, Jane Iredale, Youngblood, Illumiinare) and while this was better looking than the other powdered minerals, I'd still prefer the Illuminare (creamy liquid)--IF I hadn't recently discovered Rimmel's Lasting Finish. It's messy, like all the powders I've tried, but the big deal is that it simply didn't last on me.
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Liquid -Rimmel - Lasting Finish Enriched w/ Minerals
rav2b 8/11/2008 9:40:00 PM
Totally thrilled with this. Just returned $83 worth of very highly reviewed foundation and powder that didn't begin to look as good or wear as well. I regularly apply around 6:30am and remove around 10pm, and it seems to be all there the whole time. Looks perfect in any light--including the dreaded rear-view mirror. Love it!! UPDATE 9/09: the second tube of this started breaking me out. It also looked a bit yellower, so I exchanged it. Same color, same breakout. Bummer. 5-->3 lippies.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Make Up For Ever - Aqua Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner Bronze Green 5L
rav2b 6/5/2008 11:17:00 PM
The BEST!! I've been using this for about a year now. Purchased a second one for my purse (but never needed it) and then another. I love the subtle color and am delighted with the way it stays--it's usually pretty much there after 16 hours. I also love how easily it goes on, no tugging. It's also pretty sturdy, one of the few pencils that hasn't broken at some point while sharpening.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Colorstay Overtime Lipcolor Eternally Tan
rav2b 6/5/2008 10:47:00 PM
I cannot believe I've been wearing this since 2004! I have yet to find anything that wears as well or looks as good (warm YLBB). I outline my lips with this, then press them together a bit to fill in. After 15-30 seconds I blot off the excess. If I wait another couple of minutes before adding gloss, the color really will be there 16 hours later. I use Prestige VinylWear instead of the gloss that comes with it (which I think is pretty worthless).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Weleda - Wildrose Intensive Eyecream
rav2b 4/30/2007 2:18:00 PM
Nothing to rave about. Didn't bother my (very) sensitive eyes, but didn't do much for them either. Bit the bullet and am back to Shiseido's Benefiance, and still thrilled with it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Neutrogena - Extra Gentle Cleanser
rav2b 11/5/2006 11:47:00 PM
Didn't much like this when I first tried it, but desperation with increasingly dry and touchy skin made me dig it out of the closet. And now...I love it! It isn't a great makeup remover, but so soothing that I've actually used it as a second wash. My skin is smoother and plumper, holds moisture better, and even seems clearer. UPDATE 6/08: can't remember when I stopped using it, but it's been awhile. Have been using plain old Pond's Cold Cream now for about 8 months.
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Moisturizers -L'Oreal - Age Perfect Double Action de-crinkling illuminating treatment
rav2b 12/1/2005 11:36:00 PM
I've been really impressed with this. It provides a very nice surface for my makeup. My skin looks fresher (I'll be 56 this month) AND, for me one of the biggest things, it doesn't bother my eyes. Even when I'm not using them near my eyes, I find many products irritating. UPDATE 6/08--Purchased this several times, and the last two times the pump stopped working not even halfway through. Too bad.
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