Scrubs -100 Percent Pure - cherry honey face scrub
rhody 2/29/2012 11:41:00 AM
I really like this face scrub. It is gentle, yet it leaves my skin feeling smooth and soft. It also smells delicious, and if you happen to get a little on your lips while using it, well, it just tastes like honey (yummy!). It is described as being for all skin types, and I think it would work for all but those with extremely sensitive skin. I have fairly dry skin now that I'm in my late 30s, but this doesn't overdry it. It does not irritate my skin. It is NOT a creamy, thick scrub. It is more like a liquid (see below) with granules in it. The downsides are: the tiny jojoba granules tend to get stuck in the hairline and eyebrows, so you need to rinse VERY well. But my major problem is the package: it comes in a wide, flat jar. The container that I got contained a very thin, runny liquid. Why not put it in a bottle or tube instead of a wide-mouthed jar? The scrub was hard to scoop out without spilling or losing a significant amount of product. The product itself is great but it needs to be re-packaged in a completely different format. Having said that, I would buy again.
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Eye Makeup Remover -H20 - water-activated eye make-up remover
rhody 2/29/2012 11:28:00 AM
I do not understand this product. It's billed as an eye -makeup remover, but it has to be "activated" with water, which turns it into pretty much any old cleanser. Because of the foaming quality, it's really hard to limit the application to just the eye area. So in my experience, it just turns out to be a regular ol' face wash. In terms of performance, I rate this very poorly. If you have any kind of serious eye makeup on, this is not going to remove it completely. It does look kinda cool, because the package is clear and you can see the bubbles in the transparent gel. But overall this is a product that is awkward to use, ineffective, and not particularly cheap. I like some H20 products but would never buy this twice.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Jouer - luminizing moisture tint
rhody 12/22/2011 10:25:00 AM
You know that scene in Goldfinger where the girl gets covered in gold paint? I feel like this is what I look like when I wear this Jouer moisturizer. This is a total disaster for me. It accentuates every pore and wrinkle, which is the very opposite of what I want a tinted moisturizer to do. I used the golden colour, and it's a good match in terms of colour. But it is SO shimmery and accentuates everything on my face that I DON'T want accentuated. On the plus side, it has a nice, non-greasy texture. I can see wearing this on a summer date night, or on a tropical holiday, but I feel like I look ridiculous wearing this to work in December. A definite no for me.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - jade's fortune
rhody 8/5/2011 10:57:00 AM
This looks great in the pan, but looks like mud when I actually try to wear it. In fact, it's amazing how such beautiful colours turn into a muddy brown/grey/green when swirled together. This went straight back to MAC.
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Tinted Moisturizer -100 Percent Pure - Fruit Pigmented Tinted Moisturizer
rhody 8/5/2011 10:53:00 AM
I'm surprised by the negative comments and the high number of people who would not buy this again. I'm super picky about what I put on my face for daytime, but I love this. It's not greasy (provides a very slight matte look) and somehow my skin seems luminous with this on. I noticed also that even though this is labelled SPF 20, there is actually a very high amout of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. It's not moisturizing enough for really cold winter days, but for spring, summer, and fall, it's good. Great packaging - very attractive, clean, and the pump truly lets you get 100% of the product.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -100 Percent Pure - Pure Argan Hydration Moisturizer SPF 30
rhody 8/5/2011 10:46:00 AM
It pains me to write a bad review for 100% pure, because I love their philosophy - and most of the products. I really like the SPF20 pomegranate lotion, and was excited for a similar product with an SPF of 30. The lotion is nicely textured, and not too oily or too dry. However, there was something in this that made my skin itch like mad! Seriously, I wanted to tear off the skin on my forehead. After having this happen each time I wore the product, I put 2 and 2 together and realized that the Argan moisturizer was what was causing it. I returned it to 100% Pure.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -MAC - Revenge Is Sweet (Venomous Villains)
rhody 10/1/2010 9:58:00 AM
I just want to say to anyone not buying this because they're scared of what, at first glance, seems like a super-purple (almost neon) colour, don't worry! When I first saw this I wrote it off because I don't really like purple, and it looked FAR too bright. However, I really wanted something from the Maleficent collection! So I swatched it and found that it was applies very sheer. On my not-very pigmented lips, it is a clear pink. As others have noted, it has a tacky texture and is fairly long-lasting, for a gloss. Great smell, too. Of all the Venomous Villains items, I think this particular item has the best drawing of the character. Maleficent, in profile, with her pet crow...how could I resist?
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Bare Naturale Mascara (Black Brown)
rhody 1/2/2009 10:31:00 AM
I really don't understand the great reviews for this mascara. I bought it liking the idea that it would leave my lashes soft and not brittle. But I don't notice any more softness or flexibility than any other mascara. The formula is super thin and goopy at the same time. I get tons of clumps that I have to comb through, and then I'm left with skimpy, sparse-looking lashes. They don't look natural at all, they look spidery and ridiculous. I like the animal print packaging, but that's about it. For "natural" lashes I'll go back to Estee Lauder and for lush lashes I'll use Neutrogena Healthy Volume. But I will not be buying this again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Neutrogena - Illuminating Whip Moisturizer SPF 20
rhody 2/23/2008 12:16:00 PM
I actually really like this cream. As advertised, it's really lightweight and absorbs very quickly and does not leave a greasy after-feel. The smell does not bother me at all and I don't even find it that noticeable. As for the shimmer/sparkle, I only find it's a problem if you put too much cream on, or if it adheres to dry patches - that's when you'll see a little more shimmer. But I wouldn't even call it sparkle, on me it's more of a gold sheen. I really don't think it's noticeable to others. Overall, a really nice moisturizer if you're phobic about greasy face. EDIT: I was talking with a colleague about work one day and noticed that she was staring at me. When I was finished talking she simply said "do you have gold shimmer on your face?" That was the day I stopped wearing this moisturizer on my face. HOWEVER, it does make an excellent cream for your legs - gives them a shiny, dewy gold look.
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Gels/Soaps -Cake Beauty - Mint Cashmere Cream Glistening Bath and Shower Froth
rhody 1/8/2008 10:51:00 AM
I received this as a gift; otherwise I probably would not have bought it because I find $22 a little steep for bath gel. Aesthetically the product looks beautiful. It's a pearlized glistening white, in a cute bottle. The smell is minty but in a slightly sickly, sugary way. However, it's not strong so I don't find it too bad. Upon use the gel itself produces a very run-of-the-mill lather, nothing special at all. This was especially disappointing to me as the product is called "mint cashmere cream froth" and the words "froth", "cashmere" and "cream" had me imagining a really amazing texture. But, that was not the case. Unlike the previous reviewer, I do not notice any shimmer after use. One thing that really bothers me is that this product is overpackaged. The bottle comes inside a clear plastic box with a bow around it. Why do we need the box? It's a total waste. Overall, if you want a food-smelling shower gel, I'd go with Philosophy. The lather is creamier and they're not totally overpackaged.
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Foundations -Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Glow Sheers SPF 30
rhody 4/11/2007 9:57:00 AM
Colour: This does have colour to it, unlike what other reviewers have stated. I wanted "Fair to Light" but they were sold out of that so I got "Light" and it is a little dark for me. However, I think it will be good in the summer when I want a bit more colour. Shimmer: I really, really don't notice major shimmer particles in this product. On me, it actually does give a glow without having obvious particles of shimmer. I really like that about it. SPF: I am surprised that few people have mentioned the sunscreen factor. It looks to me like this offers good protection, with fairly high amounts of homosalate (which is supposed to be photostable). At the same time it is totally non-greasy and light. Overall: It won't change your life, but if you have generally good skin that could use a little glow, you might like it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -MD Skincare by Dr. Dennis Gross - Anti-Aging Vitamin C Gel
rhody 2/21/2007 12:24:00 PM
I really like the texture of this gel. It is a true gel that sinks right into skin without feeling greasy or oily. I have been using it every other night and I don't know if it makes a big difference to my skin, but I guess the whole point is that it's an anti-ager, so you don't really know if they're working or not. I will say that the packaging is excellent: there's no way air could get inside and deteriorate the product. One negative: I suspect that this might cause breakouts for me - not terrible ones, but a zit here or there. I have switched to using it every other night in the hopes that that will keep breakouts at bay.
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Lipstick -Stila - High Shine - Serena
rhody 2/21/2007 12:19:00 PM
To me it is inaccurate to describe this as "bronze" as it's listed on the Sephora website. On my naturally pale pink lips this comes across almost as a "my lips but slightly lighter and with lots of shine and glimmer". There is a hint of coppery colour but not much. Like other reviewers have noted, this fades quickly but is gorgeous when it's on. It makes my lips look fuller without being tacky (I wear it at work) but if you're looking for lots of pigment and staying power, then this isn't for you.
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Cleansers -Mario Badescu - Glycolic Foaming Cleanser
rhody 1/15/2007 12:08:00 PM
I love this stuff. My skin is really combination - oily on the nose and forehead, dry on my chin and cheeks. This cleans my skin beautifully without irritating or over-drying (as long as I use a moisturizer afterwards). I think this has helped keep breakouts at bay by gently exfoliating my skin. In the Canadian winter, I use this a couple of times a week. In the summer, I could see using it daily.
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Moisturizers -La Roche Posay - Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15
rhody 12/20/2006 11:38:00 AM
So far, so good. I have only been using this for a couple of days, but I like it so far. The only reason I bought this was for Mexoryl. I think the fact that it's a 15 SPF makes it a little less heavy on the skin. I have La Roche Posay Hydraphase lotion with SPF 30, which I find too greasy; it just sits on my skin. This cream feels a bit heavy going on but absorbs well and after a couple of hours my skin feels very nice and matte, but not dry. Let's hope it doesn't cause breakouts: if not, we have a winner!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No