Treatments -Ouidad - Omega 3 Replenishing Hair Treatment
Tovah 12/16/2012 10:28:00 PM
This is expensive, but it makes me feel like I have a brand new head of hair. This seals moisture in my hair and keeps it bouncy. This gets rid of straw-like, rope-like hair, and it seems to mend split ends and tears from knots. Omega 3 Treatment adds body, shine, smoothness, bounce, and moisture. After one use I could see the difference in my hair. My hair is longer and healthier than it's been since I was a kid, so this product is truly worth the price for me.
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Shampoo -Ouidad - Curl Co-Wash
Tovah 12/16/2012 10:21:00 PM
I'm crazy about this co-wash. I've been "co-washing" for years, and the products I use that are formulated specifically to be cleansing conditioners always have a hefty dose of menthol that makes me smell like muscle liniment and lingers in my hair for days. Ouidad Co-wash has a lovely flowery scent and it makes my hair smell fresh and pretty. I need to use about half the amount of Ouidad Co-wash that I regularly use for cleanser, because this product is highly concentrated. Also, it foams, which feels nice on my scalp and makes it easy to know when the product is thoroughly rinsed out. I can use this a few times a week without any drying effects. It doesn't work to detangle knots, but it doesn't cause tangles either. If you like Ouidad Climate Control Shampoo you'll probably love this Co-wash. The cleansers are similar but the Co-wash is more moisturizing and nourishing.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Ouidad - Botanical Boost
Tovah 12/16/2012 10:06:00 PM
I love this stuff. I have coarse, low-porosity, 3b/a red hair. I've been buying this spray for years, and I usually carry it with me wherever I go. This is a wonderful refresher for frizzed out hair, and second day hair. It makes my curls spring back into definition. I don't use this for hold, but I use it to "reactivate" creams or gels that provide hold. Botanical Boost smells fresh and clean and it coats curls with a light layer of hydration.
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Styling Products -Ouidad - Curl Quencher Hydrafusion Intense Curl Cream
Tovah 12/16/2012 9:23:00 PM
This gives outstanding definition and luster to my coarse, dry 3b/a curls. It's an excellent detangler. It feels as light as Moisture Lock Leave-in Conditioner, and it creates shape with no poof. I use 2-4 pumps and rake it through wet hair. I can add a tiny squirt of this on dry hair as well, to hold down any clumps that stick up or look bumpy. I can get second/third day hair with the cream during dry weather, and I've found it reactivates well with Ouidad Botanical Boost spray or even just a little water. I need to constrain moisture on my hair to keep it from getting too dry, so a couple of hours after applying the Cream to wet hair I add a light touch of Climate Control Gel to seal the curl set. (If I'm in the mood for really defined, extra-held curls, I use Ouidad Tress Effects Gel instead of the Climate Control Gel.) I continually love the look and feel I get with this Cream plus the Climate Control Gel. This Cream works for my hair as a 2-in-1 leave-in plus styler, even after co-washing/cleansing, so I don't need extra rinse-out or leave-in conditioners. This Curl Cream is wonderful for bounce and softness and I can't get over the shine.
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Fragrances -Lancome - La Vie Est Belle
Tovah 12/14/2012 10:27:00 PM
I sampled it, couldn't get it out of my head, and wound up purchasing. When sampling in Nordstrom & Sephora I saw the similarities to Flowerbomb others have mentioned, however, when I wear this I don't think of Flowerbomb at all. La Vie Est Belle is very cotton candy on my skin and it shares a very sweet vanilla-tonka tone with Prada Candy. La Vie Est Belle is much more beautiful though. This a "me" fragrance that I can really live in.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Revlon - Photoready BB Cream SPF 30
Tovah 12/14/2012 10:06:00 PM
Active ingredients: Octinoxate 7.5%, Octisalate 5.0%, Titanium Dioxide 6.5% I bought this in Medium, which was the warmest shade they had at my CVS. (I'm around NC35). As usual, Revlon isn't exactly cutting edge when it comes to shade matches, so if you aren't fair and cool toned you're not going to find an exact match. Medium will suit my purposes as a tinted sunscreen (so I don't have to layer products on my face and give myself cystic acne). I keep thinking I'm going to find a "deal" when it comes to decent sunscreen, and I think I've tried about 400 products in the last couple of years. So far, with the exception of Boscia, all the "BB creams" I've tried have turned out to be nothing but greasy tinted moisturizers, and I've always avoided tinted moisturizers because they're too greasy. If you like Miracle Skin Transformer tinted moisturizer, Revlon BB Cream, to me, is similar in feel and coverage, and it's so much cheaper. I can't get MST to stay on my skin more than two hours, and I find the same to be true with Revlon, however, sunscreen needs to be reapplied to be effective. Revlon BB Cream is around $11.00 for a 1 oz. tube, and Miracle Skin Transformer costs around $48.00 for a 1.7 oz tube. I'd rather pay half the cost for a slightly smaller tube; and Revlon BB is much lighter on the silicones, which helps if you're breakout prone. If you have dry-normal skin you'll most likely adore this BB Cream. It has excellent sunscreen, decent coverage, and it has a smooth look. It's just not for oily skins like mine. I won't use this as "makeup" but I will definitely use this for sunscreen when I'm outdoors a lot.
10 out of 14 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Ouidad - Climate Control Gel
Tovah 12/8/2012 9:04:00 PM
I think this product is incredible. It's not a typical "gel" - it's more like a serum, which is probably why it works on my dry hair. It keeps out arid weather and it seals in moisture while enhancing my curls like never before. When this dries it does have a little bit of crispiness, especially on my ends, but it scrunches out easily without any poofing. I definitely feel the elasticity from this gel during scrunching, and even when I use my Q-Redew hair steamer I get spiral curls and no frizz. Climate Control Gel is just wonderful - I buy it again and again and there's nothing else like it. It's so concentrated it's not as expensive as it seems. Like all Ouidad's products, a little goes a long way. Climate Control gel is a life-changing product!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Victoria's Secret - Incredible
Tovah 11/6/2012 2:25:00 PM
Victoria's Secret lists the notes of Incredible as "Juicy white peach, pear, water lily,Magnolia, honeysuckle, iris flower,Natural vanilla, sultry Australian sandalwood, liquid musk, coconut milk." It seems impossible based on the notes, but this reminds me of Jean Paul Gaultier Classique (new). It's a floral vanilla with tobacco-like hints of dark coconut. I am so glad I was in an unreasonably long line last time I was at VS, because it tempted me to smell the fragrances, which I hadn't tried in years. Incredible and Noir Tease really grabbed my attention, with their irresistible scents and prices that are much better than I'm used to paying for fragrance! Earlier the same day I'd been at Nordstrom, having gone in planning to buy Elie Saab. For $90 plus tax, I just didn't think Elie Saab was doing for me what it ought to do. Then I sniffed around at Barney's and found nothing worth blowing $200+ on...so I headed to the rest of my shopping. It's almost funny - I feel like I won the lottery. I found a fun, great-smelling new perfume for $45!! Yes, the bottle is a little garish. So what? This is enjoyable and easy to wear. Strangely, without even knowing the brand or the price points, my husband really, really likes Incredible and Noir Tease. Apparently VS perfumers know their market well!
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Fragrances -Victoria's Secret - Sexy Little Things Noir Tease
Tovah 11/6/2012 2:00:00 PM
I originally bought Noir Tease in the "shimmer" spray when I was purchasing bras & stuff. I wanted the body shimmer and this scent was my favorite of the ones I sniffed. Turns out - my husband loves the scent of Noir Tease (figures). But - Turns out, so do I! I haven't even tried Victoria's Secret fragrances in years, but after being so pleased with Noir Tease, I've tested a couple of others. Noir Tease is the most outstanding, for me, not only because I like it the best, but because I have a hard time telling the others apart from each other. I also like Incredible quite a lot, in spite of its garish bottle. Noir Tease is something like Hypnotic Poison Lite, without the woods. It's fun to wear and the price is so reasonable! I've found VS fragrances to be remarkably long-lasting...so, perfumers, it can be done.
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Styling Products -Unlisted Brand - Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls
Tovah 11/6/2012 1:47:00 PM
I am loving Pillow Soft Curls! Sometimes I get tired of wearing the same two basic curly styles: 1. Yay! My curls are holding definition today. -or- 2. No, I did not just get electrocuted. Pillow Soft Curls gives me "bigger" curls - just like it says. Instead of sharpie-sized spirals I get bigger, softer curls, and my canopy has swirls and waves. This lotion is very concentrated and the tube is huge! A little goes a long way. The fragrance of this does remind me of fabric softener, which works perfectly for me. I wash my hair at night, apply my Pillow Soft Curls, and it smells like I'm in crisp, freshly laundered sheets. It's very relaxing. One warning - be careful not to over-apply. I'm used to using a LOT of product, and the first night I applied this I put in too much. My husband had an allergy attack during the night, and accused me of "bathing in perfume". (Perhaps it was a psychosomatic rebellion on my part to having to put up with his snoring like a howler monkey all night long.) When I use a small amount of lotion in my wet hair, he does not appear endangered, nor does he complain about the scent. This has good hold, but it's not great at keeping frizz away. I add a little Ouidad Climate Control Gel as needed. Pillow Soft Curls is also not good for second day hair, because it's so moisturizing. I am enjoying the comforting fragrance, and the ability to have shiny bouncy curls with NO CRUNCH!
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bath Treatments -BeneFit Cosmetics - Bathina "Take a picture it lasts longer..." body balm
Tovah 9/25/2012 7:41:00 PM
I've been using some version of this product for years and years. Prior to "Take a picture it lasts longer", this balm was called "Bathina Body So Fine". It used to be in a longer, more awkward "tin", and the more compact package, as well as the smaller sponge, make Take A Picture portable, and easier to apply smoothly. The Take a Picture balm itself is slightly different from the old Body So Fine balm. It has a more concentrated fragrance, and a smoother, silkier feel. Take A Picture can be worn alone, as perfume, and my old Body So Fine was barely detectable after application. Take A Picture balm has an extremely feminine, white floral scent, that's similar to the floral notes in Maybe Baby, without any of the fruity notes. I think it smells like gardenia, jasmine, and lily of the valley. It's a very "classic" fragrance, but it's gentle, and clean-smelling. I wouldn't try to wear another fragrance with this, because it would clash badly, but I like the scent enough to enjoy getting whiffs of it all day long. I think I remember that Body So Fine had silver glittery stuff in it. The replacement of the glitter with "glow" in Take a Picture is an improvement for me. This balm is easily wearable at any time. I especially like to apply this on my legs right after shaving. I hate the feel of creams on my skin, and this feels like nothing. It adds a beautiful radiance to my skin, without adding color, glitter, or looking like body makeup. Take A Picture is similar to Dr. Feelgood, only for the body, instead of the face. It doesn't really have a matte finish, though, but it works in the same way to "fill in" stuff, like scars, and it evens out skin tone. Fortunately, it smells WAY better than Dr. Feelgood, which smells like a citronella candle. I love Take A Picture balm, and I wish there were more products like this around! Maybe BeneFit will eventually have a balm to match their Crescent Row fragrances? It would be fun to have more variety.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Too Faced - La Creme Color Drenched Lip Cream - Spice Spice Baby
Tovah 9/24/2012 6:36:00 PM
This is a long-lasting, moisturizing lipstick that comes in an elegant looking gold twist up container. Even though this is a cream lipstick, it's dewy and soft, and it never looks dry or crusty. Spice Spice Baby is described as a "pinky brown" but, on me, it shows up as a warm terracotta, which I utterly love. I also purchased this in Nice Melons (bright coral) and Naughty Nude (matte peach), and each shade is gorgeous. These have quickly become my all time favorite lipsticks. I will definitely repurchase the shades I own, and I look forward to trying new colors. This formulation hits the ball out of the park!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Sacha Cosmetics - Sally - Hair One Hair Cleanser and Conditioner
Tovah 9/24/2012 6:19:00 PM
I buy this in the 33.8 oz bottles because I use a LOT of conditioner (no matter what brand). These huge bottles cost around $25-$26, so this product is a major bargain for me! The Argan Oil formulation is my favorite. I use the Sweet Almond formula on my 4 year old daughter's hair, and her hair has never looked so good - shiny, and bouncy instead of frizzy and straw-like. Hair One leaves my hair clean, full of body, plus shiny with bouncy curls. I use it as a cleanser when I need to wash my hair. In addition, I use it as a refresher rinse and/or a leave-in conditioner. I love the way this makes my scalp tingle and feel soothed. Because of Hair One, my hair care spending is a fraction of what it used to be. I wish I'd found this conditioner years ago!
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Blush -BeneFit Cosmetics - Dallas
Tovah 8/25/2012 10:29:00 PM
This is a gorgeous bronzer/blush for year-round color. I apply Dallas on the areas of my face and on my nose where the sun would tan it. I even use this as eye shadow. I always get some color, no matter how much sunscreen I use, and even when I'm "darker", Dallas works as a very natural-looking blush on my skin. Its terracotta tone brings out the green in my eyes. For a super easy daytime look, I dust Dallas all over my face, and then apply the new Dallas lip gloss on my lips, and I look fresh and summery.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Too Faced - Tinted Beauty Balm Multi-Benefit Skin Care Makeup
Tovah 8/25/2012 7:42:00 PM
I wanted this to be perfect, because lately Too Faced products have been my favorites. I've been using Boscia BB Cream SPF 27 (which is still the best BB I've found), but an SA convinced me to try this makeup, and it looked great in the store. Initially I was drawn to the application, because, unlike BB Creams, this Beauty "Balm" doesn't need to be blended thoroughly into skin. BB Creams turn grayish-whitish on me before they merge with my coloring (not that many actually accomplish this) and BBs can have a gritty or streaky appearance until they're blended in. I'm unfamiliar with most tinted moisturizers, because I have oily skin, but I suspect this balm is similar to many tinted moisturizers, although it has, perhaps, a bit more pigment, and more "skin care" ingredients. I purchased Nude Glow, which is good, color-wise. Not a perfect match, but sheer enough to work. This looks "luminous" but not overly greasy, for a couple of hours when set with Primed & Poreless powder. Sadly, after a couple of hours even Primed & Poreless can't keep this cream's shine away. Adding more powder gives my skin a cakey, oxidized, uneven look. In addition to this being, overall, way too moisturizing for my skin, I don't like the messy squeeze tube. I have to turn the tube upside down in my makeup case or it leaks.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No