Fragrances -Elizabeth Arden - Sunflowers
sienna2125 3/6/2012 3:29:00 PM
I love this scent! It's perfect for those who don't like overwhelming floral "feminine" scents. This is a clean, light, airy scent with notes of citrus. It's great for those who want to wear perfume without smelling like an artificial rose garden. It's happy scent that will transport you to lazy & carefree summer days with clear blue skies.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Chagrin Valley - All Products
sienna2125 1/13/2012 11:42:00 PM
HG! I have sensitive, combo, acne-prone skin. I tried the neem & tea tree oil soap. I love it! This is great! I can use it for body & face (so my shower time is a little shorter). I'm trying to go more natural w/ my skincare regime but I still want a soap that will cut through the exercise sweat & leave me moisturized but clean feeling. The neem & tea tree oil does that. Neem & tea tree oil are anti-bacterial. So I feel like I'm using a soap w/ traditional cleaning properties. The anti-bacterial properties are great for acne. The oils provide the right amount of moisturization so my skin does not feel itchy, dry, & tight or coated. There's no rebound oiliness. Plus this is cheaper than other products I've tried for my problem skin & it works. The amount is generous. However I do think the shipping cost is too high. Shipping is $6 & the soap is around $8 for around .5 lbs The soap smells medicinal. I admit the smell is bad but you eventually get used to it while showing. But the smell does not linger. The smell disappears as soon as you rinse & does not reemerge if you sweat or exercise later in the day. The smell will wake you up in the morning & help clear your sinuses. The pros override the cons so I recommend this.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Brows -Maybelline - Define-A-Brow
sienna2125 1/13/2012 11:05:00 PM
I have this is dark brown & then I got MAC in spiked. Overall this is a pretty good dupe. The colors are the same. However the difference is in the texture & application. The Maybelline pencil has a harder & waxier texture than the MAC pencil. Also the point of the Maybelline pencil is sharper. Because of these qualities the Maybelline pencil is good for filling in sparse areas. But you must be careful & use eye shadow/brow powder after so you can avoid the drawn on brows look. The MAC pencil has a softer point, is made of softer wax, & is more pigmented. The MAC gives a softer & more natural look w/o as much effort. The MAC pencil is more sweat & oil resistant. Since the MAC is more pigmented you don't have to use as much product to get the same results, it decreases application time, & it lasts longer than the Maybelline pencil. Also I wish the Maybelline pencil was retractable & had a spoolie. But these are nit picky comparisons. The Maybelline pencil is a good product & I would get it again if I ever ran out of the MAC pencil.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Wet 'n' Wild - FastDry - Gray's Anatomy
sienna2125 12/31/2011 8:08:00 PM
Pros: cheap dupe for more expensive brands, unique color, dries quick, great brush, shear enough to layer over other colors, holo! Cons: requires 2-3 coats to get to bottle color, not gooey but I wish the formula was a little thinner, might not compliment those with yellow/golden undertones Summary: I like this unique color but am on the fence as to whether it compliments my NC45 skin tone. Those with pink under tones may like this color more. But this color applies so shear it layers well (i.e. over essie's berry naughty) So it's unique & versatile enough to keep.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Alpine snow
sienna2125 12/31/2011 7:39:00 PM
This is my 1st OPI polish. I'm just getting into nail polish. I thought I would try a classic color from a good brand. This is a good color but the formula is bad. This color applies goopy, streaky, & is the color of white out. I need 2 coats just to have a semi ok base for a glitter top coat. I could have gotten this same result using a cheaper brand (or white out itself lol). I'm returning this immediately.
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Polishes -Sinful - Secret Admirer
sienna2125 12/20/2011 10:10:00 PM
Pros: bang for the buck ($2 @ Duane Reade in nyc), perfect thin consistency allowing for easy thin coat application, 1 coat coverage, beautiful starry night color Con: I wish the brush was wider so application would be easier. Overall: great polish & brand. I recommend it. You won't be disappointed.
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Shampoo -Giovanni - Smooth as Silk
sienna2125 11/6/2011 1:41:00 AM
No. Never again. I was in the process of switching to a no SLS & more natural haircare regime & saw this recommended on a few blogs. But I made the mistake of starting to use a couple of new products at once so when my hair looked horrible I didn't know which product was the cause . After a process of elimination I found out the cause of my horrible, frizzy, dry, & matted hair was the Giovanni shampoo. The shampoo left my hair in knots so bad I had to use scissors to cut some out. This was bad because I was trying to grow my hair out. The overall result was the shampoo left me with frizzy & uneven hair. It was a mess! There are better non SLS shampoos in the market. I now use Matrix Biolage for color treated hair shampoo. It does not leave my hair dry, frizzy & in impossible to comb out knots. This cleans but does not completely strip my hair. Plus I can get all of the shampoo out of the bottle w/o a hassle unlike the Giovanni shampoo. Please get something other than the Giovanni shampoo & don't make the same mistake I did. Your hair will thank you.
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Deodorants -Unlisted Brand - Arm & Hammer Essentials Natural Deodorant
sienna2125 10/9/2011 11:04:00 PM
This is my 1st try at a more natural deodorant. I love this. The unscented actually has a nice citrus sent. It keeps b.o in check w/ 1 application a day. If this kept me drier this would be a HG.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Physician's Choice - PHaze 13 Pigment Gel Dyschromia Controller- Without HQ
sienna2125 9/30/2011 3:12:00 AM
I have sensitive acne prone skin w/ PIH. I thought this would help but it looks like I was wrong. I used this once & it caused a weird breakout on one side of my face. I don't know why only one side of my face was affected but the breakout was bad enough (6 pimples) that I won't try this again. Maybe this is a product that causes a purge period but I don't have the patience for that & I need to see progress so I don't feel discouraged. Luckily I used PCA's A & C serum the next day & my breakout was mostly cleared by the day after. YMMV but the pigment gel didn't work for me.
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Treatments -Physician's Choice - PCA SKIN pHaze 23 A and C Synergy Serum
sienna2125 9/29/2011 1:20:00 PM
HG status. Absolutely worth it's weight in gold. I have sensitive, oily, breakout prone skin with PIH. Also I'm dealing with aging issues like clarity & smoothness. I love this. It works overnight & gets right of breakouts to give smooth clear skin. Overtime it also reduces the PIH. It's gentle on my skin & does not cause it to dry out or become irritated (I follow this with aloe vera gel & an oil mixture as moisturizer). The result is I use less m/u & spend less time applying it. Generally I'm into DIY skincare but this is a product that I will buy again & again. This is not another overpriced product that fails to deliver or works little better than another cheaper product. A&C is amazing.
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Lily of the Desert - Aloe Vera Gel
sienna2125 9/18/2011 6:36:00 PM
[Note: The product here has a thickener & non paraben preservative but is still listed as 99% natural. I only said I would not buy this product again b/c I want to look for a product that is as close to 100% aloe vera gel as possible other than the plant itself.] Can't beat the cost. I got this at whole foods 8 oz. for $4. Also I like that this product has multi uses. I use is as a neutralizer post chemical skin peel, hair & skin moisturizer (mixed with oils). This really soothes my skin post peel (b/c aloe has anti-bacterial & anti-inflammatory properties). This also adds some shine & makes my fine hair so soft w/o weighing it down. I recently learned from fellow MUA's that this can be used as a primer & I can't wait to test this use as well :)
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Hair Styling Tools -Unlisted Brand - Tangle Teezer
sienna2125 8/26/2011 3:48:00 PM
Where have you been all my life? HG all the way!!!!!! I have relaxed 4a hair. I've been stretching my relaxer so the new growth has been difficult to untangle until now. I love this and will never part with it b/c it untangles w/o causing excessive breakage. I only wish that it came with a handle so it would be easier to hold and a case to protect the bristles. However these are minor complaints. I detangles better than my Denman D3 & causes less breakage. I don't even use the Denman anymore.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Makeup Artist's Choice (MUAC) - Alpha Beta Cleanser
sienna2125 8/25/2011 10:57:00 AM
I'm glad I got the sample size. I got this for my face but it caused a breakout (tiny bumps all over). To try to get something out of this I used it as a body wash. While it was on my skin felt tingly (tea tree oil?) but it did not appear to cause a body breakout. I'll keep using it as a body wash for now. I'm disappointed b/c while I love the premise of anti-aging + acne fighter in one product this is another product that does not work for my face. Back to the drawing board...
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF45
sienna2125 8/24/2011 9:01:00 PM
Meh. I still use this & yesterday bought the spray SPF 55 version. I get this because it's easy to find & has a nice SPF level. I do love that it's non greasy. I have two issues. First I can't use this on my face b/c it caused a cystic acne breakout. Second it's difficult to blend. I'm NC45 & If it don't spend extra time rubbing this in it leaves my skin with a grey cast. Walking dead look = not cute. I anticipate the spray version will be better in this regard but I learned my lesson & will not use the spray version anywhere near my face.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Milani - Jewel FX Gems
sienna2125 8/23/2011 9:41:00 PM
Like rainbow glitter for your nails! This was an impulse buy @ duane reade. I was worried abt coverage but I'm so happy I got this. All it took was 2 thick coats for my toes to have a fiesta vibe (w/ almost no no glitter areas) & make me happy! This is my new favorite "crazy" np (I usually do clear or neutral american manicures). I love this!
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