Gels/Soaps -Fresh - Sugar bath lemon shower gel
squiggles37 4/18/2010 12:09:00 AM
This stuff smells so good, I almost want to drink it. I don't use this too often, but it's nice to have as a pick-me-up during showertime. Too bad the scent doesn't last on the skin. For a cheaper alternative, you should check out Bath & Body Works' True Blue Spa Need a Margarita? Citrus body wash, it's literally half the price for an extra 6 oz and I feel like they smell almost exactly the same.
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Lotions/ Creams -Vaseline - Aloe Cool & Fresh light body lotion
squiggles37 4/17/2010 11:59:00 PM
I love the scent of this lotion! It's so fresh and clean. I only use this as a body lotion in the summertime, as it is a light lotion after all, but I do use this throughout the year as a hand lotion. It's non-greasy, absorbs quickly and the scent fades after application. I will buy this foreverrrrrr.
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Blush -Shu Uemura - M Peach 43B
squiggles37 4/17/2010 11:53:00 PM
This is a review for the M Peach 43 (what's with the B) blush. I love love love to use this when I want a fresh look (NC30). I finally realized that I can not use any blushes with shimmer or else it magnifies my oily skin, so I can only use matte blushes. At first I was scared I'd look really dull but there's something about the blush that really does make my skin look like it's glowing from within. I know that sounds like crap, but it's true! I'm not a fan of the packaging (the hinge feels like it'll break easily), but it's not like I bring my makeup to work with me everyday so whatevs.
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Lip Gloss -Smashbox - O-GLOSS
squiggles37 4/17/2010 11:45:00 PM
I feel like lipsticks and lip glosses make me look too made up, and I tend to go for the natural makeup look. This gloss adds a bright pop of color without looking too serious. Like if I wore lipstick or regular lip gloss to work, people would say to me "OoOh do you have a date tonight, why are you wearing makeup?" Additionally, my lips are very pigmented and full so it's hard for me to wear pinks of this shade (hot pink/magenta) without looking like a clown. This gloss is perfect for me because it acts like a tint, yet it's bright enough to show up on my lips without being opaque like a lipstick. Plus, after the gloss itself wears off, I'm left with some brighter looking lips.
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Moisturizers -Paula's Choice - Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer
squiggles37 4/17/2010 11:30:00 PM
I use this during the winter when my cheeks and nose start flaking/cracking. It's non-greasy, very emollient and soaks right up into my combo/oily skin while leaving a matte finish. It has the no-fragrance "scent," which to me smells a little like plastic, but it is totally void of any added perfumes. The bottle is a squeeze tube with screw cap, so the product stays sanitized, but if I could change one thing, I'd make the cap a flip-cap. All in all, a fantastic moisturizer for super dry skin.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Atralin
squiggles37 4/16/2010 10:49:00 PM
I have moderate acne (whiteheads) that I can't seem to get rid of. I used Atralin (nighttime application) for several months in conjunction with Duac (morning application). The first week I used Atralin, my whiteheads seemed to have shrunk in size and my skin felt a lot smoother. It did make my skin flake/peel in the beginning as well. However after several weeks, my skin no longer peeled but it felt like my whiteheads had reappeared. I still have whiteheads so I'm not sure I would repurchase this again (it was either $20 or $35 with my PPO insurance).
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Self Tanners -Lavera - Sunless Tan
squiggles37 4/6/2010 1:27:00 AM
I hate to be the first to give this product a less than stellar review, but alas, it turned my legs a beautiful shade of dusty orange. I saw this product in the April 2010 issue of Lucky magazine and picked it up at Target (in the natural care aisle) for $23.99. First of all, the smell is pleasant (reminds me of baby oil) and does not have the typical self-tanner odor. Once dried, it does give off a slightly off scent, but again, nowhere near as bad as other self-tanners. I also didn't get streaks with this product. But on my NC30 skin, my legs looked a tannish orange. So unfortunate as this is the first self-tanner I've ever found where I could tolerate the smell. Based on the color result on my skin, I really should be giving this product a 1-rating, but previous reviewers have had great success with this product. Plus, the scent! The delicious non-stinky scent! I so wish this had worked with my skin tone. It is slightly pricey at $24 for 5 oz so back to Target it goes.
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Lotions/ Creams -Soap and Glory - Glow Lotion
squiggles37 4/3/2010 5:33:00 PM
I should've tried the tester at Target before I committed! I brought this home and was so disappointed with how strong the scent is, so I will be returning it. I rubbed some of the lotion onto the back of my hand and the scent would not go away, not even after washing my hands three times (wash & dry) with some Method soap. If the scent doesn't bother you, then it does do a good job of giving your skin a glow, since the "glitter" is microfine and iridescent (purple/pink). If you're bothered by perfume-scented products, I would recommend avoiding this product.
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Treatments -Paula's Choice - Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant
squiggles37 6/6/2009 1:51:00 PM
I've had moderate acne (whiteheads on my forehead, temples and cheeks) for 11 years and have tried everything from drugstore acne treatments to Decleor cleansing oil to DDF glycolic toners. I then went on Yaz which did clear up my skin, but I had to go off the pill due to unwanted side effects. From there I went on prescription medications: Differin, Ziana, Atralin, Duac, and clindamycin. I even got monthly lactic facial peels from my dermatologist which made my skin super soft, but did not make the acne go away. Nothing worked!
I had just about accepted the fact that I would have to live with acne for the rest of my life. But several months ago, my good friend asked me to be a bridesmaid at her wedding. No way did I want my acne to show up in all of her photos. I did some research on MUA and found rave reviews for Paula's Choice 2% BHA liquid. I decided to take the plunge and ordered a bottle (along with a spray pump) during one of the free shipping promotions.
The first time I applied the product to my skin (with my fingers so as to not waste), my face felt a little itchy and irritated, but this feeling did not occur with additional applications. The next morning I noticed an immediate softness when I was washing my face. Within three days of usage, my cheeks cleared up. After seven days of usage, 70% of the whiteheads on my forehead and temples had disappeared. It also made the clogged pores in my nose really easy to extract, the little plugs just popped straight out like they were lubed up with butter.
The packaging itself is really dull and generic looking. It comes with a plastic drip/squirt type of plug top which is ridiculously hard to remove if you're attempting to switch out the cap with a spray pump. The hole is too tiny for the spray pump straw to fit through so you have to remove the entire plastic plug in order to switch tops. But these are all issues I am willing to overlook as this product WORKS.
I'm still doing experiments with prescriptions/2% BHA liquid dosage combinations, but my skin already looks 1000 times better with the addition of the 2% BHA liquid to my routine than it has in 11 years.
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Skincare - Face -Shu Uemura - Depsea water
squiggles37 5/31/2009 10:10:00 PM
I like using this facial mist to help my skin transition from the winter to spring weather. I can't use creams in the springtime as they're too heavy and make my skin feel weighed down, but using a simple moisturizer is not moisturizing enough. My springtime routine is to wash my face, then lightly spritz on my cheeks and mouth area 2-3 pumps of the depsea facial mist, then immediately pat on my SPF moisturizer. The facial mist helps give my skin an extra boost of moisture without making my skin feel heavy. It's also great for using as a refreshing mist in the summertime when my face starts melting from the heat. At $24 for a 5 fl. oz. bottle, it is on the pricey side, but I find that a bottle can last me for a very long time. I've only ever used the fragrance free formula, which I enjoy very much.
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Moisturizers -Biore - SkinPreservation Dual Fusion Moisturizer+SPF 30 ] [DISCONTINUED]
squiggles37 4/25/2009 8:15:00 PM
The thing that I love most about this Biore SPF moisturizer is that it doesn't smell like metal and doesn't make my skin look greasy! My face feels really smooth and baby soft after I massage this into my oily skin (dry cheeks, oily everywhere else), and dries matte unlike other SPF moisturizers which make me look like I rubbed a fried chicken wing all over my face. It offers great UVA/UVB protection (active ingredients: octinoxate 3.0%, zinc oxide 3.9%) and has a fantastic light fresh scent that fades quickly. This moisturizer is not that expensive, it actually costs the same as some other 1.7 oz drugstore brand SPF moisturizers out there (ex: Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 30). I'm not such a big fan of the dual chambers; like other reviewers, I wasted three squirts of the SPF before the green moisturizer finally came out. This definitely would not be moisturizing enough for me in the winter, but I've always had to use some CeraVe cream with my other SPF moisturizers in the winter time. Also something to note: I'm using tretinoin gel 0.05% to treat my acne and this totally burned my face when I put it on (but the feeling went away after a few minutes).
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Blush -Shu Uemura - Glow On Pink 30
squiggles37 3/15/2009 1:41:00 PM
The M Pink 30 is absolutely, hands down, my favorite blush. It looks like a neon peachy-pink in the pan, but it goes on as a pastel pink glow. This is perfect if you're looking for that fresh-faced, baby doll cheeks look. There's absolutely no shimmer, yet it really does make your skin look like it's glowing. Light colors like this usually show up chalky on my NC30 skin, but the M Pink 30 just blended right in. Shu blushes have such a great smooth and silky texture and are nicely pigmented. The blush is a bit expensive (considering the amount of product you get), but it's so so worth it. The only downside to Shu blushes is the packaging; it looks great, but the hinge feels really unsecure, like I could easily snap the cover off. The packaging issue is just a minor inconvenience; I will be buying this until the day I die!
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Shampoo -Bumble & Bumble - Alojoba Shampoo
squiggles37 3/9/2009 2:28:00 AM
I bought this on a whim during a visit to my hair salon, and I regret not consulting MUA before purchasing. This is a really odd shampoo; it does not lather much, yet it's not free of parabens or SLS. Normally it only takes a slightly-larger-than-quarter-size dollop of shampoo to get a good amount of suds going for me, but I found myself re-applying this shampoo three separate times during the process of washing my hair. At this rate, I'll be finishing the 8 oz. bottle within a month, which is definitely not worth the price that I paid ($21). However, the scent is very "green" and light, and the packaging is very sturdy and visually appealing. I would have given this shampoo a 2-star rating, but it actually did leave my hair feeling very very soft. Don't even bother with the matching conditioner, it's horrible. If you're looking to buy a bumble & bumble shampoo and conditioner, stick with the Be Gentle shampoo and Super Rich conditioner.
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Conditioner -Bumble & Bumble - Alojoba Conditioner
squiggles37 3/8/2009 11:59:00 PM
I bought this on a whim after a visit to my hair salon, which I am now totally regretting. There are two things which my review is based on: performance and scent. Performance: the conditioner has no slip whatsoever. You may as well just skip the conditioner step if you're planning on using this, because it has no conditioning, moisturizing or detangling properties at all. Scent: I am most disappointed by the scent. I sniffed this in the salon from the bottle and it smelled fresh and clean, but in the shower squeezed out into the palm of my hand, this shizz reeeeeeaked! It's so incredibly cologne-like, very very harsh and almost musky. It makes my nose burn. I'm so pissed I paid $22 for it. Even my boyfriend thinks it stinks. I would definitely not be purchasing this again. Spend your money on the bumble and bumble Be Gentle shampoo and Super Rich conditioner instead!
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Lotions/ Creams -Jergens - Naturals Hydrate
squiggles37 2/25/2009 2:29:00 AM
The packaging is stylish, the product itself is light on the moisture side, but I can not stand the scent! It's like a very strong floral-yet-fresh scent. It's probably the agave. If you're into that scent, you will love this lotion.
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