Cleansers -Burt's Bees - Orange Essence Facial Cleanser
OSusanna 12/16/2012 12:27:00 PM
It looks and feels like orange (peel included) scented petroleum jelly. It's loaded with oils and fragrance. Recommended for drier skin only and the fact that it leaves a tiny bit of cushy residue will not make everyone happy. Does not dry out skin and does appear to remove light facial makeup. Works well with a clarisonic. For me, it works well once or twice a week when I'm not wearing too much makeup and I need a hydrating cleanser. I follow up with a toner and then treatments and haven't seen any problems. My big concern would be an allergic reaction since it 's so loaded with fragrance, but so far so good for me.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - MAUBOUSSIN
OSusanna 12/9/2012 10:51:00 PM
Very warm, very well blended fragrance. I seem to catch a bit of the pipe tabacco thing going on with a deep dark vanilla. The patchouli rounds it out in the end and makes it quite sparkly at the drydown. It is not too much patchouli for my taste but it is quite distinctive so patch haters please take note. I would call this an evening fragrance and quite a bold one, yet soft somehow at the same time. Very elegant, very current still and very affordable.
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Eye Shadow -Wet 'n' Wild - Color Icon Trio - On Cloud Nine
OSusanna 11/2/2012 9:25:00 PM
Very pigmented eyeshadows but a little dusty. I found I needed to be careful on application. The colors are a light frosty blue, (not too frosty), a deep matte brown and a medium denim-like color blue. I use the colors as suggested in the imprint of the eyeshadows. The colors are workable for me and are subtle but still carry a good bit of depth to a daytime look. I am a fair brunette, NC20. The wear on these is a little disappointing. I use a concealor as a eyeshadow base and usually that works well. I got only 6 hours of good wear out of this. I will have to try a different base. It seems to fade and crease a bit. I don't think that is necessarily a dealbreaker because the price is so good. I thought also that these blended well but took a little too much time and effort to apply because of the color saturation could create a too intense look. I would repurchase because to me, the price point really makes all my complaints seem petty.
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Blush -Tarte - Cheek Stain in Tipsy
OSusanna 10/25/2012 2:05:00 PM
The shade has been accurately described in other reviews, and I'll just add that I have a golden undertone and NC20 shade skin and this works very well and looks very natural. I like that the formula is quite moisturizing and good for dry skin. The product itself if a bit tacky to the touch but spreads on skin easily enough. I like the staying power but truly, I do not notice that it lasts all day as the SA claimed at Sephora. Makeup always disappears on my skin. I think it's a good primer for a highlighter or blush to wear over and it's become part of my regular routine.
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Moisturizers -Clarins - HydraQuench Rich Cream
OSusanna 10/21/2012 12:25:00 PM
I have been using this everyday now for a month, sometimes in the morning under makeup and then sometimes at night. I bought this because the summertime always makes my skin dry and then we had a long period of time here with low humidity and my skin was even drier than normal. It's very thick and highly fragranced. Fragrance rarely bothers me in skincare, and I don't mind. I don't think I've ever seen a cream this thick before in a drugstore preparation, so I'm glad that I went to the department store to look for solutions. Very little is needed and it helps if the skin is a bit damp so that it can be patted on. It sinks in quickly for me. My skin has turned around and is not longer flaky like it was and feels less tight. I can see this as a good barrier cream under sunscreen for winter outdoor activities. The jar was 1.7 oz and it will take me forever to go through it, even using it each day. In short, it solved my tight skin problem and I will continue to use. I also don't think the price was that bad for the amount and quality that is received. This is another Clarins product that I'm very happy with.
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Cleansers -Clinique - Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm
OSusanna 9/30/2012 9:33:00 PM
I am impressed but I do find it drying. I like that it seems to take off 75% of my eye makeup (and I wear waterproof mascara) and all of my face makeup, but I've noticed that I have some flakes on my nose and around my eyebrows that I didn't have before I started to use this remover. Most times I do not follow up with another cleanser after using this because it appears to leave my skin a little dry already. I've been using it a week now and it doesn't appear to cause any breakouts or other problems. My face feels very clean after using this. EDIT: I used up the entire tub but I then switched to Clarins Pure Melt because it is much more moisturizing. This Clinique product is very effective but it caused flaky skin with daily use.
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Makeup Brushes -MAC - #211 Pointed Liner Brush
OSusanna 8/28/2012 11:28:00 PM
I like the firmness of this brush and it is spectacular for using a gel liner. I use it most frequently with eyeshadow as liner and it does very well in that capacity. I am a dunce with anything but the easiest to use pencils for lining and this brush has turned me into a pro. I am now wearing liquid and gel liner and it is no longer looking amatuerish. I have another flat type eyeliner brush that I no longer bother with since this one is so versatile.
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Sunscreen -Coppertone - Coppertone Sensitive Skin Suncreen Lotion, SPF 50 6 fl oz
OSusanna 8/5/2012 1:19:00 PM
Thick and white. The previous reveiws that warn about this are on target. I've had great luck with this so far and I don't have any problems with the consistency at all. When I wear this on my face, I usually cover it with makeup anyway so it's a non-issue. I am a pale person and that's probably why I don't notice it as much as others. I have found that it is a nice moisturizer for drier skin and I like that as it seems to make my makeup look good over it. Overall a cheap product that appears to work fine for my situation. If I had a darker skin tone or an oiler skin type, I probably would not use this on my face.
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Fragrances -Dolce & Gabbana - Light Blue
OSusanna 7/29/2012 5:04:00 PM
I have a sample of this that I tried twice. Both times I found this scent too sharp, unharmonious and rough in its composition. This is not a well-blended formulation and the drydown is rough. I also felt that it gave off a similar vibe to Eau de Cartier although that fragrance has a lavendar note I did not detect in this. Both fragrances give off a cool type scent, good for hot weather. I thought that this is a cheap formulation, something I might find at the drugstore that would be unisex. Overall, not a good pick with my chemistry and not my style.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Bare Canvas Paint
OSusanna 7/3/2012 4:40:00 PM
I wanted a cream type eye shadow that would look good on it's own as my eyelids but better and still operate as a good eyeshadow base for when I wanted to wear other eyeshadow looks. I thought that was what I was getting with this product. First of all the tube is tiny and if left unopened (as when you're applying the eyeshadow to that first eyelid), a bunch will leak right out, and it'll be much more that would normally be used. Secondly, the eyeshadow itself is quite dry and the sparkle in it is not terrible but still too noticable for me and when it dries it seems to have the worst texture. It seemed too that every powder eyeshadow that went over it then accentuated the dryness and unappealing texture as well. I think I was looking for something a little more hydrating and convenient but this is too difficult to work with.
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Moisturizers -Cerave - Facial Moisturizing Lotion - PM
OSusanna 7/3/2012 4:34:00 PM
It's been about two weeks since I tried this and I've been using it each morning and night. I've noticed that my skin has calmed down quite a bit and feels less scaly and dry on a general basis. I've used niacinimide in products before and my skin really loves that ingredient but I also think that the ceremides and hylauronic acid are helping quite a bit. I especially notice that I don't need as much eye cream at night. It's a good price, I think, for the formulation and the feel of the lotion is quite hydrating, even for a dry skinned person. I suspect that it's helping to restore the barrier on my skin and I'm hoping for some long-term benefits. Overall, a nice find.
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Primer/ Corrector -MAC - Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF 50
OSusanna 7/3/2012 4:13:00 PM
I have repurchased this item and that's unusual for me. I'm surprised I tried it in the first place, considering that I didn't think much of the prep+prime regular primer without the SPF. This is thicker, more like lotion and it seems to sink in better like a sunscreen rather than a silicone type primer. It reminds me of a balm. The slippage is low and this is the best primer for a powder foundation in my opinion. I dislike the packaging because I think it will be difficult to get the last bits out and I really dislike the price because I think it's about $5-10 too expensive. For dry skin like mine, I recommend your usual morning moisturizer beforehand, otherwise it'll be too dry. This makes all my makeup stick to my face in a tenacious way, especially my undereye concealor and that makes me recommend this highly.
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Primer/ Corrector -Physicians Formula - Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Correcting Powder
OSusanna 6/17/2012 11:59:00 AM
This is good enough for me on it's own but I normally use it under my MAC Studio Fix powder. Concealor first, then this powder and then the Studio Fix. This takes away the redness on my cheeks a bit and seems to be a good primer for the powder foundation. It's expensive, but it's a nice step. I am NC20 and I got buff beige which appears too light for my skin tone but actually blends in just fine. I use a big fluffy brush or kabuki and buff it in.
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Fragrances -Avon - Timeless Spray Cologne
OSusanna 5/3/2012 1:00:00 AM
Gorgeous, soft, classic and elegant. Shockingly affordable and long lasting. Distinctive but not loud. Timeless is a wonderful fragrance. It's easy to wear in the office because it's not too strong and it's got a wonderful classic feel to it. If you're considering this but not ready to go with a full bottle yet, Avon also has the Timeless fragrance in a body powder.
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Powder -MAC - Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
OSusanna 1/19/2012 7:29:00 PM
I'm NC20 and I find that this foundation is a great match. I really need a hydrating formula and of course this is not it, however, with a good thick moisturizing sunscreen underneath this is a nice option. I find the coverage to be medium and can build up to a cakey finish if I'm not careful in application. I have used the sponge, a kabuki and a flat foundation brush and all these options appear to give the same type of finish on my skin. Sometimes I use this as a finishing powder after applying a sheerer foundation. To combat a cakey look, I sometimes spray the Urban Decay makeup setting spray and that helps keep this on my skin. At night, when I am removing my makeup, I don't see that a lot of this has remained on my skin unless I use the UD spray. It's been a good option for good skin days, on the go application and outdoor active days.
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