Toners -Unlisted Brand - Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar
starapples 3/6/2011 5:09:00 PM
For everyday cleansing, I'm probably never going to let a cleanser ever touch my face again. A few months ago, I realized I was sensitive to salicylic acid, and that was my first clue in all these years that the chemicals (even the ones that were supposed to help) in all my cleansers, moisturizers, and creams were probably causing my acne. After a lot of trial and error and some months later, I now only use ACV and water (1:3 tsp ratio) on cotton balls to tone my face and rinse clean with cool water at night, and in the mornings, I just rinse off my face will cool water. My skin has not looked this good since before puberty! I now only get tiny, tiny little whiteheads and maybe one or two inflamed pimples during that time of the month. I can't believe my skin has really cleared up! And my acne scars are slowly fading away as well and my skin tone is much more even and balanced. For moisturizer, I use 1 to 2 drops of jojoba oil in either Cetaphil's Moisturizing Lotion or Olay Complete Sensitive Skin with SPF if going out into the sun. I also use the jojoba oil or Pond's Cold Cream (original 6 ingredient formula) to remove make up prior to toning with ACV. The less complicated I made my skin care routine with less chemicals, the better my skin has gotten. I definitely, DEFINITELY recommend ACV for sensitive, acne-prone skin types like me to clean your face and, if possible, not using any products with any harsh chemicals at all. Your skin will love you for it!
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Revlon - Super Lustrous in Coral Reef
starapples 3/5/2011 8:38:00 PM
I am in LOVE! This lip gloss is amazing! The color is a gorgeous opaque orange-y pink, and there's no need for a lipstick underneath.The consistency is perfect; not at all sticky but still vibrantly shiny and very pigmented. I like wearing this with very basic eyes (just eyeliner and mascara) and it looks very clean and fresh. I feel like this lip gloss just epitomizes springtime and I love that it's so feminine. I'm really happy I bought this :)
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Moisturizers -Cetaphil - Moisturizing Lotion
starapples 2/28/2011 4:30:00 PM
I recently got a very minor chemical burn on large areas of my face, and this lotion has saved my skin! I do think it's heavier than most daily facial moisturizers, but for parched and super dry skin that needed protection, this is exactly what I needed. It absorbs incredibly quickly, and if you use the right amount, you shouldn't look like a grease ball at all. I found that it only looks greasy if you apply it overly thick (and this is coming from someone who's been washing their face with plain water for the past week). Since my skin is burned, sometimes this lotion wasn't moisturizing enough, so I added a drop or two of jojoba oil for extra moisture and protection for the burns. I also don't think this lotion is moisturizing enough for all over the body, and always have to add in jojoba oil if I use it for that purpose. I haven't had an issue with this clogging pores, and I have fairly acne-prone/sensitive skin so hooray for that! This lotion is basic and gentle, and until my skin heals, this besides jojoba oil and petrolatum jelly is all that I will let touch my face...! Excellent basic moisturizer. I'll always use this whenever I have something problematic going on with my skin.
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Moisturizers -Desert Essence - Jojoba Oil - 100% pure
starapples 2/22/2011 8:21:00 PM
My feelings are generally good about jojoba oil. I originally bought jojoba oil because I recently damaged my skin from exfoliating using a complexion brush while also using a nighttime retinol moisturizer (good thing I realized this was a no-no in a week's time and stopped immediately!). But the damage was done... dry, pruney looking skin and some small under the skin bumps from overexfoliation. I heard jojoba oil was the closest thing in nature to human's skin oils and thought this would be perfect to heal my skin. So after gently cleansing, I would rub 2 to 3 drops of this in my palm, rub my hands together, and press the oil onto my face as moisturizer. This healed my skin super quick! I did this everyday, morning and night for 4 days, and my skin went back to normal. My skin felt supple and looked balanced. But not only did it go back to normal, the plugged pores on my chin and upper lip started coming out!! This sounds disgusting, but little grains of dried sebum came out of my skin!!! I am amazed because nothing, NOTHING in the past could remove these. (*note: these are plugged pores, NOT clogged pores like whiteheads, blackheads, or pimples). So I really love jojoba oil for it's healing properties and unplugging my pores. Unfortunately though, it did break me out in whiteheads on my forehead even though it reconditioned my skin. So I started to treat those with 2.5% benzoyl peroxide for the last two days... sadly, though they went away, it turns out I am allergic to BP and after two days my forehead and nose kind of have a bumpy, colorless rash. (It's so irritating that I developed this allergy as I've used BP in the past -__-' The woes of skin care...) But at least now I know jojoba oil will heal it and my skin will be fine again in a couple days. If only it didn't break me out, jojoba oil would be perfect for me...! Long story, but jojoba oil all the way for damaged skin!! It conditions and moisturizes wonderfully, but is a little too heavy for me for everyday moisturizing. Still, its positives far outweigh the negatives... love this stuff!
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -Burt's Bees - Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub
starapples 2/16/2011 8:12:00 PM
I really, really did not like this scrub. First, it was wayyy too abrasive. The little gritties were really harsh against my skin, and it was kind of even a little painful. And second, it would leave this waxy film when I rinsed it off which is one of my very few pet peeves---I hate it when facial cleansers leave residue! It means your skin isn't really clean...! I tried to use it a couple times, but I couldn't bring myself to like it. This is a no go in my book...
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Treatments -Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream
starapples 2/9/2011 8:07:00 PM
Holy cow, guys---my skin has not been this clear since BEFORE puberty! I've been trying to hold out and not review this until I used it for a month, but it's been 2 weeks and has been working so well I couldn't wait...!! I bought this cream not for it's anti-wrinkle properties, but because I heard retinol was a good treatment for acne. Literally in two weeks, I only have a couple clogged pores and no pimples. I haven't had no pimples in so long!!! My skin is far from flawless, but the fact I have no major acne is blowing my mind! I'm sooo excited by this! This cream has even started to fade some of my acne scars! Admittedly, I can't really contend for it's anti-wrinkle properties as I'm only 21, but it has plumped out a couple fine lines I started to get between my brows after some major sun damage I got this past year. I don't know how it'll do for actual wrinkles, but I think this would be a fantastic preventative treatment. I do have dry, sensitive skin, so I'm so glad this formula is really gentle. I've heard of a lot people getting peely and irritated from retinol, so I was extremely cautious when I started using this. During the first week, I used it every other night, since after the first night my skin looked like a dried little prune. Then this past week (2nd week), I upped to using it for two nights straight, gave it a break, then used it again for another two nights. So far, my skin is tolerating this dosage really well and I think it's finally acclimated to the product. I haven't experienced any irritation whatsoever from this cream nor is my skin getting dry from it anymore. It absorbs super quickly, and is even moisturizing. Like all retinol treatments, it makes you sensitive to the sun, so SPF is a must when going outside. But yeah, this treatment is absolutely amazing!! I don't believe in miracle products, but for me and my skin issues, the is the closest it's ever gotten! I highly recommend it!
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Olay - Ultra Moisture with Shea Butter
starapples 2/9/2011 6:59:00 PM
This body wash goes on so creamy and silky, and smells so, so good! It's really moisturizing and leaves my skin super soft. It never leaves any residue or oily-ness after washing off, and I love that it's gentle, soap-free and has shea butter for my dry skin. I used to use different body washes every time I ran out because they all felt and worked the same, but this time, I'm sticking to this one! It's the best body wash I've ever used!
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Cleansers -Clean & Clear - Deep Action Cream Cleanser
starapples 2/7/2011 5:14:00 PM
This used to be my go-to cleanser both night and day for over 2 years. Sadly, I can't use it as often anymore because I recently realized that I'm actually sensitive to salicylic acid. Despite this, it's an extremely gentle cream cleanser. What I loved about it was that it removed all dirt, oil, make-up and was never, ever drying. I hate it when my skin feels all tight after cleansing, and I found this cleanser to be actually moisturizing. I also love the smell and the tingly, squeaky clean feeling. This cream cleanser also never left any residue which is AMAZING because so many gentle cleansers leave a film, and that always annoys me because my skin wasn't left totally clean. The only downside is that I used to think this controlled my acne really well because I was so used to always having a couple pimples, but when I stopped using any kind of salicylic acid in my skin care, my face actually cleared up!! So, do be careful if you have sensitive skin. I still use this sparingly when my other cleansers have left my skin too dry; maybe for a day or two every three weeks or so, just to restore some moisture back into my skin. I'm still on a hunt for a new cream cleanser that is gentle and doesn't contain salicylic acid, but until I find a good one, I'll keep this in my skin care necessities.
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Skincare - Face -Sephora - Face Complexion Brush
starapples 2/5/2011 4:14:00 PM
Like many others, I've been dying to try out a Clarisonic, but since it's so damn expensive I bought this to try in the meantime. I was really skeptical at first since when I went up to pay for it, the sales associate at Sephora gushed hardcore that it worked just as well as her Clarisonic. For $5, I bought it with a grain of salt and tried it out that night. WOW. Guys, this actually works!! My complexion really is clearer and brighter! The bristles are so gentle and soft; it never feels scratchy against my face. It's much gentler than any exfoliating scrub I've ever used and works so much better as it's abrasive enough to get the job done but it's never irritating or painful. Since I have dry skin, exfoliating is important to my skin care to keep me from looking dull and clogged pores/acne at bay. I use this brush day and night with my cleanser and have not had to use a weekly exfoliating scrub. My skin is brighter, clearer, and smoother. My only complaint is that it sprays onto my mirror, and like other reviews below, I wish the bristles were a bit shorter for better control. But aside from that, I'm so shocked this dinky little brush works as well as it does! If this brush is amazing, I feel like I'll go completely berserk when I finally get my hands on a Clarisonic...!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Eucerin - Aquaphor Healing Ointment
starapples 2/5/2011 3:59:00 PM
This has forever replaced lip balm for me. I live in Los Angeles where it is desert dry all year round, especially now in the winter when it's a bit cooler. My lips are always dry and the corners of my mouth kept painfully cracking for the past 3 weeks. No matter how much Neosporin I slathered onto the corners of my lips, they would heal only to crack again in a few days. Aquaphor has cured this vicious cycle!! It's amazing! I started using it as a lip balm and my lips are much more moisturized and healthy. I've also used it on any dry, cracked, crocodile-like skin around my knuckles, elbows, knees, anything really and it's worked great. Most of my winter dry skin issues have been solved by this and now I carry a tube of it where ever I go.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Clinique - Superpowder Double Face Makeup
starapples 2/3/2011 8:08:00 PM
My mom gave me this in high school, and was my first ever foundation. I still use it all the time and always have it because it goes on so natural and is really reliable. Superpowder Double Face Make-up is a 2-in-1 product; you can use it for either foundation or as a setting powder, and I really like it for both. The powder is very fine and gives sheer to medium coverage depending on how you apply it. If you use a big, fluffy brush, the coverage is sheer to light, but it definitely evens out your skin tone and gives your skin a softer and matte finish. You can build up to a medium coverage with a cosmetic wedge or sponge, but you do have to buff it out with a brush after because I find that it gets a cakey, especially if your skin is dry. Moisturizer is a must before using this! However, this powder controls oil and shine really well and lasts all day. I love to use it on my t-zone for that reason. I really like this powder and find it relatively inexpensive in comparison to other high end powder foundations (it's only $20). Also, it has never broken me out which I love! Definitely a solid product for me.
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Liquid -MAC - Face and Body Foundation
starapples 2/3/2011 4:40:00 PM
Holy wow!! I don't think I own a product that is holy grail status, but I really think this is it when it comes to foundation. I love love LOVE MAC's face and body! I usually have three problems when it comes to foundations: it breaks me out, the color is too neutral/pink/orange, or it goes on way too cakey for my dry skin. This foundation has solved all three! First, this foundation is water-based so it's never broken me out. It just goes on so lightweight and evens out my color. It seriously looks like I'm not wearing make-up, and just looks like I have good skin (which I don't). Second, I bought this in C3 which is perfect for my fair-medium Asian skin. I love that is has a yellow undertone, because a lot of other foundations I've tried are much too neutral or pink or even orange and gives me this yucky mask look because it doesn't match my neck. And third, because its consistency is so light, it never goes on cakey! Face and Body is sheer to medium coverage, depending on how much you build it up. It'll never be a full coverage foundation, but I prefer that as I want a natural finish. Also, since it is water-based, I find it to be pretty hydrating on my dry skin, which for me is a big plus. Face and Body gives me glowing, dewy skin. I usually don't powder over it because I like the healthy glow, but it looks great as well with a powder over the t-zone for less shine. And though it may seem expensive (a little over $30) you get TONS of product! Four times as much for the same price as other high end foundations. I don't think I'll run out for a long time... But yes! This is my one and only holy grail product! Love this foundation and I plan on using this for as long as it exists!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Maybelline - Dream Mousse Blush in Peach Satin ] ] [DISCONTINUED]
starapples 2/3/2011 4:04:00 PM
I have been using this for over a year and I still can't get enough of these mousse blushes. Peach Satin is a pretty, natural color that I use everyday on the apples of my cheeks. I use it along with a bronzer, and the look is very natural. The texture is really smooth and it has a little bit of shimmers in it that give a nice glow. I love the glass pots they come in---so adorable! I also have this in Soft Plum. The only thing I don't like about this blush is that it fades fairly quickly (within a couple hours usually), and that it accentuates dry skin patches because the shimmer tends to cling and bunch onto the flakies. Besides that, this is a good staple cream blush, especially Peach Satin.
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Primer/ Corrector -MAC - Prep + Prime Skin
starapples 2/3/2011 3:46:00 PM
My tried and true primer. It makes my face feel so silky and smooths everything out, perfectly prepping my face before foundation. It also helps keep me from breaking out from my make-up. It makes my foundation last longer and controls oil. Prep and Prime Skin Base Visage does everything a primer should do.
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Eye Shadow -Revlon - Illuminance Cream Shadows in Electric Pop
starapples 2/3/2011 12:21:00 AM
Maybe it's just me or I got a crappy one, but I really did not like this. With exception to the white one, they all went on my lids kind of chalky and did not feel soft or creamy or silky at all. And they all look so bright in the package, but the color pay off against my skin was not bright or intense (even though I'm pretty fair, about NC30). I'm pretty disappointed. I'll still give this 2 lippies because the white one was the only one that I liked the texture and color of, but besides that, this was a bummer.
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