Treatments -Frederic Fekkai - Apple Cider Clearing Rinse
clevereuphemism 2/22/2006 6:40:00 PM
I'm not entirely sure what this product does, but I do know that I love it and can't live without it. I use it on wet hair before shampooing and it makes my hair nice & soft and detangled (my hair turns into a rat's nest once it's wet). It seems to make my shampoo & conditioner work 10 times better, and since I started using it I've detected some shine in my hair. For the first time. Ever.
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Styling Products -Frederic Fekkai - Glossing Cream with Olive Oil
clevereuphemism 2/22/2006 6:33:00 PM
I use this as a styling product on damp hair before blow-drying & ironing. I personally need styling products that have some weight & are moisturizing for my dry, fly-away, damaged hair. This doesn't leave any sticky or stiff residue behind, but helps to control volume and adds some shine. I also use it on my ends once my hair is dry. There are a lot of similar products out there, but I like this one the best. It has a nice consistency and smells good -- I also touch my hair a lot and this doesn't leave any residue on my hands. For anyone who likes a rich, heavy product give it a try. For those who don't, it's probably not the best choice.
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Shampoo -Phyto - Phytopaisant
clevereuphemism 2/22/2006 6:28:00 PM
I've been using this product for a week and it's the best product I've used to reduce itching and flaking on my sensitive scalp. It doesn't smell great (but it doesn't linger) and it's kind of a weird consistency -- it's really, really, thin and runny. But it lathers up really nicely and feels tingly on my scalp. It also has the added bonus of adding some moisture to my damaged hair! I'd highly recommend it to those who have itchy, flaky scalps -- it really gets the job done and is a nice product to boot.
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Styling Products -Phyto - Phytodefrisant
clevereuphemism 2/20/2006 6:10:00 PM
I just added this to my haircare regimen a week ago, but already am amazed at the effects. My hair is dull, dry, porous, puffy, frizzy, curly, and chemically-treated. I've used just about every product in the book to combat each and every problem, without great results (until now!). I blow my hair out then flat iron it and can always get it straight, but since I started using this, I can blow it dry and get it straight, de-frizzed and de-puffed. Now I only use my flat iron for final touch-ups and styling. But if I wanted to save myself a step, I could now just blow it dry and it would look good. I cannot stress enough that this was simply not an option before the Phytodefrisant. Truly an HG! UPDATE: After using it for a couple of months, I'm over it. Whatever effect I was getting was from another product (probably Fekkai Glossing Cream). I've gone through the tube and not reordering. It just doesn't seem to do much and I don't like the way it goes on. Phyto products seem to be lacking in moisturization, and that's what my hair needs.
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Moisturizers -Olay - Total Effects Anti-Aging Anti-Blemish Moisturizer [DISCONTINUED]
clevereuphemism 2/20/2006 5:59:00 PM
I've only been using this for a week, so my review might be a little premature -- in my experience, drugstore brands might seem great at first, then have ill effects later on down the road. But... I've never suffered from acne, but always have had mega blackheads. I've been looking for a good BHA product, and had also run out of moisturizer so I bought this. So far, it seems to have done a great job keeping the blackheads at bay and my skin feels smoother. It's very moisturizing and goes on nicely. Unfortunately, it has no SPF, so I use Murad Oil Free sunblock on top. On the plus side, it's cheap. So far, so good... UPDATE: Drugstore products will turn on you and make your skin worse over time - and this is no different. After a few weeks, my skin became overly sensitive and dehydrated. What was I thinking???
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Skincare - Body -Trader Joe's - Body Scrub
clevereuphemism 2/20/2006 5:52:00 PM
This review is for the Purity Grapefruit Chamomile Shower Gel Scrub. I love body scrubs but hate the oil-soaked kind that come in a tub that you have to unscrew in the shower (that always fill up with water...) This one is packaged with a squeeze-top and looks like apricot scrub that you might use on your face. It smells great, exfoliates well, lathers up a bit, and doesn't dry my skin out. Plus I think it's about $4.99. After using lots of DS brands, then splurging on Bliss, I've finally found an HG. I just hope they keep carrying it!
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Scrubs -Bliss Labs - Super Slough Scrub
clevereuphemism 2/6/2006 7:16:00 PM
I was so excited to get this product. I'm obsessive about shower exfoliants and was hoping for an HG. I've been using it for the past few months and have been thinking about it a lot before posting my review. Scent-wise, ya it smells kind of like laundry detergent and kind of just like soap. The smell reminds me a little bit of clear Softsoap liquid hand soap -- kind of a basic, non-gendered soapy smell. As far as performance, I use it with exfoliating gloves and I'm just not that thrilled about it. I feel like 1) it doesn't exfoliate that well 2) it doesn't clean that well and 3) it's kind of drying. It's not a bad product, but it's not that good. I know some people are addicted to Bliss, but after shelling out over $100 for their stuff, I just don't think it's worth it. I just found a body scrub at Trader Joe's for 1/8th of the price that I like 8x more, plus it smells better. I dunno. If you feel like you've gotta try it, go for it. But I won't be buying any more.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Kiehls - Cucumber Bath & Shower Liquid Body Cleanser
clevereuphemism 2/6/2006 7:03:00 PM
I am always on the lookout for cucumber-scented bath products that are single-note, i.e., not mixed with melon or anything else, and just smell like cucumber. I love this Kiehl's Cleanser, but the scent is very light. You can buy essential oils from the Kiehl's site, and next time I order some I'll do that and add it to the cleanser bottle to ratchet up the scent factor. However, I do have a rave about the quality of this product. It is very thin and watery (it reminds me of the texture of Dr. Bronner's), but when you put it on a bath pouf-scrunchy thing, it lathers right up. It took me awhile to get used to this, because you really only need a tiny amount (and so can end up wasting a lot). It's kind of deceptive in that it's really runny, because it's super rich (great for shaving) and absolutely non-drying. Love it, love it, just wish it smelled more like cucumber.
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Gels/Soaps -The Body Shop - Satsuma Shower Gel
clevereuphemism 2/6/2006 6:51:00 PM
I am clearly in the minority here, but I'm just not a fan of The Body Shop shower gels. I find that they lather they give is airy and thin (as opposed to rich -- they remind me of liquid dishsoap a little) and that they are drying. I love any citrusy smell and have some Satsuma and Grapefruit. The Grapefruit scent is okay, in the sense of inoffensive, but I find the Satsuma to have a backnote smell that's... vomitty. I should add that my roommate disagrees, so maybe I have a weird nose. I know there are big fans out there, but I had to put my 2 cents in to disagree. IMO, there are better quality products out there, and ones that smell better.
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Treatments -Redken - Smooth Down Butter Treat [DISCONTINUED]
clevereuphemism 2/4/2006 11:54:00 PM
This is a fine conditioner, except that once I started using Redken products, my hair started looking dingy and dirty. I've switched my products up enough to find that the Redken conditioners are the culprit. I've never felt the need to use a clarifyer until now -- the Smooth Down does the job, but my hair has a film on it and mutes out my color. Not good news for those of us with hightlights. I have fine, porous, color-treated, naturally curly hair. I need a product that solves some of those issues -- not ones that just cover them up. Or that cause new problems, like buildup.
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Treatments -Redken - All Soft HEAVY CREAM
clevereuphemism 2/4/2006 11:38:00 PM
Gross. It's like a hand cream that coats your hands, then comes right off when you wash your hands without having any moisturizing effect. Did nothing for my chemically-treated, porous, fine, curly hair. Back to Kerastase, thank you -- 3 times the price but worth it.
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Gels/Soaps -Bliss Labs - Lemon & Sage Soapy Sap
clevereuphemism 2/4/2006 9:36:00 PM
I went through a major lemming stage for the Bliss Lemon & Sage Line. I bought the Soapy Sap, Lemon Peel, and Body Butter. I would say that for the price, I find their products generally unremarkable. The Soapy Sap is nice, non-drying and smells good, but it's nothing to write home about. Personally, I'd put the quality of it on par with Suave shower gel (which I think is a nice product, they just don't have a great range of scents) -- and you could literally buy 10 of them for the price of 1 Soapy Sap. It may not sound like it from this review, but I'm a big snob about bath products and extremely picky with shower gel. The Soapy Sap is a yummy citrusy shower gel that lathers up, cleans, and doesn't strip your skin, but there are other alternatives that won't send you to the poorhouse. If you're about to buy some, stop yourself. And if you're already hooked... good riddance.
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Masks -Skinceuticals - SkinCeuticals - Clarifying Clay Mask
clevereuphemism 2/4/2006 9:13:00 PM
I'm always looking for a good clay mask to suck out my pores. I've got tons of blackheads that need continual clearing out. I like this one because it does the job without drying and leaves the skin soft, smooth and clear. It doesn't dry into a crust on your face and has a slightly different (smooth) texture than some clay masks, probably because it has a bunch of antioxidants in it. But I feel like the antioxidants help to exfoliate my skin and leave it nice and glowy when I rinse it off. I should add that these effects are best when you leave it on for over 20 minutes. Good stuff.
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Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Mascara
clevereuphemism 2/4/2006 9:07:00 PM
This is the mascara I've been waiting for. My lashes are long and curly already, so what I'm always looking for in a mascara is one that doesn't clump, doesn't smudge, and doesn't flake, is comfortable to wear and makes my lashes thicker, longer, fuller, and fabulous. This is Diorshow -- all wrapped up into one very, very expensive little tube! I've been using the same GWP for months and it has yet to dry out, start clumping, or otherwise get nasty. I'll keep looking for more GWPs on eBay, but I'll (gulp) buy a full-size at full price if I have to. All for the love of lashes...
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Lip Gloss -Bloom - Compact Solid Lipglosses
clevereuphemism 2/4/2006 8:58:00 PM
I'm reviewing the Lip Quad palette in Girlie Girl with Cosmopolitan, Girlie, Cutie Pie and Tangerine. I didn't realize it was a quad of solid lip glosses until I got it in the mail. I was expecting the usual issue of pink glosses that don't show up and for all the colors to look the same on the lips when applied. Not so! For gloss there's a surprising amount of pigment and staying power, and the colors range from light to bright pink. I particularly love Cosmopolitan and Girlie which are soft pinks that show up, stay put, and like the Bloom liquid glosses, are as moisturizing as a lip balm but smell and taste yummy.
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