Concealers -BeneFit Cosmetics - Lemon Aid
cshea 7/18/2010 2:00:00 PM
I am allergic to tartrazine (yellow dye #5) which is a very common food additive. When I ingest just a tiny bit of tartrazine, even if it just hits my tongue, I get bad migraines, dizziness, malaise, etc. Before I bought this product, I read the ingrediants to ensure it did not contain tartrazine. The good: Works great. My eyes looked better than they had in years. I used it on my lids and in my orbitol area. The bad: I was completely downed by migraines a few times in the weeks after I bought this product. I even missed work two afternoons. I couldn't figure out what was happening, until I realized that the migraines occured only on the days when I used Lemon Aid. Additionally, when I did not use the product, I did not get sick. I think the batch I bought must accidentally have contained tartrazine, which probably entered my tear ducts. (It is easy for a sub-contractor in China or somewhere to substitute tartrazine for a more expensive ingredient. It has happened before.) I didn't want anyone to get seriously sick or even to die, so I called BenFit. No way to get through on the phone. Then I figured out how to send an e-mail, which I did. I made it clear I didn't want any money or anything -- I just wanted to make sure no one else go sick. The response was extremely unsatifactory and frankly, given what I had gone through to contact them, rude. The company basically told me to shove off, and if I wanted a refund (which I had not asked for) to take the product to where I bought it. Nice to know they care so much about their customers' health.
19 out of 22 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -By Terry - Touch-Expert
cshea 6/5/2010 2:41:00 AM
God has a sense of humor. Just as you reach the point in your life where the purple hollows around your eyes make it impossible to leave the house without concealer, you develop lines and creping that make it impossible to wear concealer. After a year of trying every product available, I took a trip to New York City, in significant part because I wanted to try this product. It was worth the trip. Touch Expert conceals, but it doesn't cake in my wrinkles. Additionally, even though it's a liquid, the consistency allows me to be very exacting in where I put it (purple hollows yes, lower lid no.) Sometimes I use my finger to put it on, sometimes the brush, sometimes a little of both. Love it. I also appreciate that it comes in so many shades. I was able to find the perfect one for me.
29 out of 29 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Merle Norman - Luxiva Supreme Lash Mascara
cshea 6/5/2010 2:26:00 AM
I have pretty good lashes and have always been too lazy to curl them. This product is exactly what I need. It gives just the right fullness, length, and color. It even seems to add a little curl. Washes off with soap and water, but stays on until then. Everything a lazy but vain girl could want.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Merle Norman - Soft Touch Eye Pencil
cshea 6/5/2010 2:21:00 AM
I am on my fourth pencil in Earthy, a beautiful greyish plumb. This liner works better than any liquid or gel liner I've tried, and it is so much easier to apply, not to mention to travel with. I'm so glad I went in Merle Norman for nostalgia's sake. I found my perfect eyeliner. (I also found my perfect mascara and a few other things. If you haven't been in a Merle Norman since you were seven years old and your mother was buying cold cream, you really need to check it out.)
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Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Ultra Sheer Liquid Daily Sunblock spf 70
cshea 6/5/2010 2:12:00 AM
I have very oily skin and have never in my life found a sunscreen I could use -- until now. True, I tried using powder sunscreens when they became available, but they didn't stay put and made me look like casper. Out of desperation recently (I'm getting brown spots around my eyes) I tried this product. Wow. Fabuous. Not only is this an effective suncreen, my skin looks so good I've been going without face powder. Also, there is zero oil to blot up until well into my day; the product seems to have mattifying properties. I had a facial today and didn't need any extractions, so the product is not causing my usually problem-plagued skin any issues. If only this sunscreen had been available 30 years ago! PS: If you do not have oily skin, you will need moisturizer with this product.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -L'Oreal - HIP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner in Eggplant
cshea 2/27/2009 4:28:00 PM
I love this eyeliner in black. I never would have dreamed of purchasing the eggplant color, which in the pot looks appropriate only for the under-30 set. Based on reviews here, though, I realized it might go on much darker, greyer, and more matte than it appears in the pot. The reviews were right!!! As you will see when you wash your eyeliner brush, there is a lot of grey and black pigmentation in this formula. Also, the shimmer completely disappears when applied. You are left with a beautiful cool plum color that is very appropriate for any occasion, including work. Also, it is much more forgiving in application than the black, probably because the line is generally more subtle, though far from unnoticable. Like other reviewers, I toss the included brush and use the excellent Sonia Kushak bent brush. Also, there is no matching HIP pencil liner. (I find pencils are better for under my eye.) Finally, this product dries in the pot very quickly. If you buy a pot that seems cakey, it may be old. And don't plan on keeping the stuff around for long. Still, I consider it a great value, since it is such a high-quality product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No