Styling Products -TiGi - Bed Head Masterpiece Massive Shine Hairspray
edie4711 11/18/2006 3:12:00 PM
When I was in the market for a more effective hairspray, I knew where to turn. MUA was my first stop. I selected this hairspray based on the reviews here.
I am happy to say that I found it to be as others have said: good medium hold, pleasant fruit scent, shiny finish, touchable, not sticky; permits movement of the hair. Good stuff. Costs a lot, but I don't use it more than a few days a week, so I don't worry about it.
It works great, I'm thrilled, the search is over. Thank you MUA!
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Deodorants -Unlisted Brand - Certain Dri
edie4711 8/9/2006 5:23:00 AM
Many more reviews for this product can be found under Skincare-Body--Certain-Dri Antiperspirant. I had reviewed it there last year, so I'm copying it here because it's all still true, including the leaky container which seems to be a recurring problem for me:
"I took off a lippie because my container of Certain-Dri LEAKS like crazy and it drives me nuts. However, what product is left after all the leaking works very, very well. Like most reviewers, I experience an almost 100% reduction in perspiration wherever I apply it. It's a miracle! The smell is not objectionable to me and it seems to last only a few seconds, so it's not an issue. I'm still grumbly about the leaky container but I won't be without this product in my arsenal."
I never sweat any more.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Phyto - Phytodefrisant
edie4711 8/5/2006 7:27:00 PM
I'm not really "into" hair, but I really like this balm. I received it as a deluxe sample from Sephora awhile back and have just repurchased it in the full size.
I have lots of thick, strong hair that tends to wave and frizz in an unattractive way, especially in the humidity. Applying a dime-sized dollop of this balm results in smooth, silky hair that reflects light beautifully, and it stays smooth-textured even in muggy weather. I can blow it straight (it's never really "straight," my hair is kind of round and bouncy naturally) and it stays fresh-looking for several days. It never makes my hair look greasy or "full of product." No smell whatsoever and it doesn't feel sticky.
It's pricey, but at this point in my life, if I find a product that works for me and I can afford to purchase it, I will.
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Styling Products -Phyto - Phytodefrisant
edie4711 8/5/2006 7:26:00 PM
I'm not really "into" hair, but I really like this balm. I received it as a deluxe sample from Sephora awhile back and have just repurchased it in the full size.
I have lots of thick, strong hair that tends to wave and frizz in an unattractive way, especially in the humidity. Applying a dime-sized dollop of this balm results in smooth, silky hair that reflects light beautifully, and it stays smooth-textured even in muggy weather. I can blow it straight (it's never really "straight," my hair is kind of round and bouncy naturally) and it stays fresh-looking for several days. It never makes my hair look greasy or "full of product." No smell whatsoever and it doesn't feel sticky.
It's pricey, but at this point in my life, if I find a product that works for me and I can afford to purchase it, I will.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear in Peach Daiquiri
edie4711 7/28/2006 10:19:00 AM
I am writing this review primarily because I was so disappointed by the opacity of the color. I wanted the beautiful shimmery peach color that I saw in the bottle, but it basically goes on clear with a few peach-colored sparklies. Two coats deepened it only slightly and the color tended to collect at the center of the nail. The overall effect was that of having banged my hands with a hammer. *mutters to self*
Lasting power was okay. Nothing lasts on me--weak, soft, peeling nails--so my comments WRT nail polish longevity should be taken with a grain of salt, always.
I recommend you try it on if you can before you buy. And don't buy if you already have 3,000 sheer-with-a-bit-of-opal-shimmer polishes, this will just go on the pile.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Philosophy - Handmade Hand Cream
edie4711 7/26/2006 9:09:00 PM
Meh. This cream is just okay. Somehow it manages to be greasy and yet vanish promptly and completely without a trace (as in without any lasting moisturizing effects) at the same time. Smell is nice, lemony, but not earth-shatteringly so. Texture is pleasant, I guess, but this is far too expensive to actually purchase (received as sample from Sephora) since it has really nothing going for it one way or the other.
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Sunscreen -L'Oreal - Ombrelle Transparent Lip Balm SPF30
edie4711 7/24/2006 11:13:00 AM
There is no "perfect" sunscreen; there is only "good enough." So far, Ombrelle sun care products have been "good enough" for me, so I was game to try their lip balm. I have some Chapstick with SPF and it leaves a white cast in addition to smelling strongly of artificial fruit, so I never use it.
This balm is indeed transparent--no white cast. No burning or stinging. It is pleasant-feeling on the lips and has no discernible smell to my nose. It's not shiny, but not dead-matte like Chapstick is. It's, what am I trying to say? Moist. I like the texture quite a bit. Naturally it wears off very quickly, but I didn't expect some kind of amazing staying power from a lip balm. Reapplication is key.
I ran the ingredients through the CIBA simulator (which isn't foolproof, but again, "good enough") and it calculated an SPF of 19.8, far below the advertised 30. This is what cost it a lippie in my rating. However, the PPD is 11, which is "good enough" for me. Either which way, the length of time it protects isn't as important to me since I would have to reapply frequently anyway.
I might not have bothered to review this if the package hadn't been so cool. It is a one-handed application tube. There is a slider on the side of the tube; you slide that back, the cap rolls backwards like a garage door, and the lip balm comes out by itself. Apply, flick the slider back up, and the balm retreats as the door closes. I am seriously into things that can be operated with one hand--it's a lifetime obsession--and so here I am, saying, this lip balm, it is good. I paid $11.99 USD and would repurchase.
Actives: Octocrylene 10%, Avobenzone 3%, Mexoryl SX 1%, Titanium Dioxide .95%
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Clothes -Unlisted Brand - Bali Behind The Scenes underwire bra camisole
edie4711 7/21/2006 12:04:00 AM
I don't usually review clothing but I absolutely had to share my latest find!
This is a cotton jersey camisole with a built-in underwire bra and substantial (but not too heavy) lingerie straps. The bra is real: hooks in the back, the cups rest in the correct position on the chest (meaning they don't stand away from the chest wall like another brand of bra-cami that were around about three years ago at places like NY&Co), the straps are adjustable. I found it in white and black, with and without cotton lace trim at the neckline.
I am a largish C-cup and I Can. Not. Wear. those little jersey shelf-bra camis you find everywhere. For starters, they give me uniboob; the shelf bra never contains the entire breast, the straps are always teeny and dig into my shoulders (and twist up, irretrievably, in the wash), and I always feel as though I'm spilling out of them. Additionally, 9 out of 10 jersey camis will, IME, itch.
These soft cotton camis do not itch, not even a little bit. There's no tag driving me crazy on the side (which I would have to rip out, immediately causing the seam to split at that point). That's great, right? The not itching? But they WORK. The cups are real cups. Wires are real wires. Cami provides real coverage and real support. Long enough (and non-clingy enough) that it doesn't ride up. And hooray, the bra straps don't peek out because...they're built in! Hallelujah!
I'm also superpicky about the shape created by my bras. No torpedo tits for me; I like 'em nice and ROUND. The Bali bra cami gives me a nice round, supported rack, a smooth line (no bra bulge), and they cover the cleavage, which is why I wanted to wear a cami in the first place--to fill in under a low-necked top. I also wear it by itself and it doesn't look trashy. The cups are foam-lined so I don't have to walk around with my lights on all the time. SO comfortable. I look forward to using them as an extra layer in winter.
Anyway. Enough from me. If you're a bit on the busty side and have given up on camis, check these out. I found mine at Penney's. It retails for $36, but I got mine on sale. Definitely worth a look.
*Edit: Sent the white one through the wash in a lingerie bag and nothing bad happened. It's fine, bra didn't suffer any weirdo damage.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Colorstay Soft and Smooth lipstick
edie4711 7/8/2006 9:39:00 AM
This review is for the shade "Blissful Honey" in the black (non-sheer) tube. The color is pure bronze/gold/orange; there is no pink (to my eye) or "liplike" color in here at all upon application. As promised, the color is not sheer and obscures my natural lip color. It's way too unnaturally orange for me--and I'm warm-toned--so I'm going to exchange it for the Cashmere shade (more natural-looking, I hope) and then come back to report, but I also wanted to mention that this didn't last worth a flip on me. I was just at home, I wasn't eating or drinking, and it wore off most unattractively in about an hour. Like a reviewer before me, the shimmer in this was a subtle sparkle when the color was on, huge ugly random glittery bits as it wore off. Yuck. I'll come back and tell about the new shade after I exchange, but so far, for staying power I'm not impressed.
**EDIT** I exchanged the Blissful Honey for Natural Cashmere, which is a creme (not shimmer) nudey-pink that reminds me of Mac "Spirit" lipstick. The color is really beautiful, neutral and MLBB; applying too much results in a kind of whitish-greyish tinge with opacity (gotta watch that application) which I don't like, but a light layer just evens out my lip tone and makes my whole face look fresh. Still doesn't really last a long time--hence only 3 lippies--but it does last longer than regular lipstick, and because this one doesn't have shimmer/glittery bits, it wears off much more attracively than the Blissful Honey did. There was no line of demarcation where the wear-off occurred and I didn't look like a crazy clown, which, you know, is always a plus. Pricey, I felt. Worth it? Eh, maybe.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Mario Badescu - buttermilk moisturizer
edie4711 7/3/2006 9:25:00 AM
I received this as a sample from MB. I love the smell and the texture is pleasant, but unfortunately I didn't find it to be moisturizing enough. It felt gel-like, to me, and rather than absorbing, it seemed to simply dry up. I do like the non-wasteful packaging and the personal assistance I received from MB when I asked for samples in the first place, so even though this product was a miss for me, I am still game to try other products from this company.
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Cleansers -MD Formulations - Facial Cleanser
edie4711 7/2/2006 10:13:00 PM
I got this free with a BE kit. My routine: I alternate Finacea and Skinceuticals C E Ferulic in the AM, and I use RAM in the PM. This often leaves my skin flaky. I like to use this cleanser once or twice a week--no more often than that, because my skin is sensitive--and it does a great job of removing the flakies and smoothing everything out. I am pleasantly surprised by how much I have liked it, and I think limiting the number of times I use it keeps it from burning my skin. It doesn't break me out at all. I use it exactly as the directions indicate and I don't leave it on for very long--probably under a minute.
**EDIT 9/16/06** I would like to thank jewellswriter for her excellent advice regarding the use of this product. It was working okay for me before, but now that I'm doing it her way, it is working REALLY REALLY WELL. My face can tolerate it better now, too, since adopting her routine. This is what she said to me on 7/28/06:
"When you wash your face, do so with your hands. Massage the cleanser into your face for, say, one minute, to soften the skin. Then, gradually add water to the cleanser. As you do so, you'll feel the "slip" of the cleanser start to go away and the dead skin begin to roll off onto your fingertips--the dead skin makes your cleanser feel a little grainy. Then rinse completely. If needed during the day, you can wash just around your mouth ("rolling" the dead skin off) for a quickie touch up."
This has produced the best possible results: the flakies are, for the most part, gone. Also, using this method, my skin has learned to tolerate this cleanser much better for longer periods of time.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Jergens - Skin Smoothing Lotion
edie4711 4/25/2006 8:52:00 AM
**EDIT** I am adding to this review because Jergens has reformulated this lotion. The price has shot up to $7.49 for a much smaller bottle and the BHA is gone from the list of ingredients, and the smell is much better. It is still working for the KP on my arms and legs and has added a smoothness to my palms that wasn't there before I switched to the new formula. I have nothing but good things to say about the new stuff.
Note: below is the review I wrote for the previous formulation of this product. As of today 10/1/06 the new formula has only AHA and smells fresh.
Previously I had been using Neutrogena Skin Smoothing lotion to (very successfully) control KP on the backs of my arms and upper legs. With daily use, it left my skin perfectly smooth and soft.
The NSS worked so well that I had to work up courage to try the Jergens, but I am SO glad I did! For starters, the NSS is right around ten dollars USD for 8.5 oz, but the Jergens is < $5 for *24* oz. I'm not a math person but that's a HAYUGE difference, especially for something I repurchase over and over again. And even at this significantly lower price point, the Jergens lotion works exactly as well as the NSS. The big bottle has a pump dispenser, which I love.
I can't really speak to the emollient-oriented function of the product. I see it more as a medication than as a moisturizing lotion, so I apply it just to the problem areas and then I use a regular lotion elsewhere. (This practice also evolved out of the expensiveness of the NSS.) I don't notice that my skin feels especially "moisturized" directly after use; it's a long-term, cosmeceutical thing.
Please note that if you're using it to control KP, you MUST MUST MUST use it Every. Single. Day. for best results. At least in my case, if I miss a day I see bumpies later; I can't really speak for everyone, but my loosely-conducted research indicates that many others' experiences are the same.
Please also note that I don't like the smell of this lotion at all. I didn't like the NSS smell either, so six of one, half a dozen of the other, it's all the same to me. It doesn't linger anyway.
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Deodorants -Unlisted Brand - Degree Ultra Clear Deodorant
edie4711 4/12/2006 11:26:00 AM
I got a free sample of this product in Pure Satin from the Degree website. I used the sample for a few weeks before reviewing. I'm so surprised there are so few reviews for it--it's now a HG for me!
HG Status Indicator #1: NO white stains at all. NONE AT ALL. Sorry to shout but there are NO WHITE STAINS AT ALL ON MY CLOTHES and, joyfully, I feel the world should hear this. I even accidentally touched the surface of the stick directly to my T-shirt, which resulted in, everybody say it with me, NO white marks!
HG Status Indicator #2: DRY ARMPITS! I sweat right through lesser deodorants and was forced to use Secret Invisible Solid, even though it was a powdery white mess, because it controlled wetness. Degree controls wetness so well I have been able to completely forget about my underarms, and it works through the next day if I don't take a shower.
HG Status Indicator #3: It doesn't smell bad! Pure Satin is pretty and *light.* I always bought the unscented in the Secret because I think baby powder + sweat = one of the worst smells on earth, but Pure Satin smells more like a light shower gel or something. Almost unnoticeable, doesn't compete with fragrances.
It also does not itch, burn, sting, turn skin red, hassle freshly-shaven skin sites, gloop out of the applicator or feel icky on. It's just...this sweep of nothing under your arms.
This is so good I'm kind of waiting for my armpits to fall off or explode--it's almost too good to be true, where's the catch. I threw all my Secret away and replaced it all with Degree, which cost $3.79 USD per unit by me, not on sale. I'd have paid more. Seriously. Try some.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -L'Occitane - Verbena Body Lotion
edie4711 3/22/2006 9:15:00 PM
It is ridiculous how expensive this is, but OH how I love the scent! The lotion is nice, light, not greasy, whatever, who cares, it's all about the smell. It is lemon, as others have pointed out, but it's not straight-up lemon. It smells like spring. It smells like sunshine. It smells like hope.
I also bought the shower gel and I love it too--I will copy and paste this review under the shower gel heading, so if you've read this one, you've read them both. :)
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Skincare - Body -L'Occitane - Verbena Body Lotion
edie4711 3/22/2006 9:15:00 PM
It is ridiculous how expensive this is, but OH how I love the scent! The lotion is nice, light, not greasy, whatever, who cares, it's all about the smell. It is lemon, as others have pointed out, but it's not straight-up lemon. It smells like spring. It smells like sunshine. It smells like hope.
I also bought the shower gel and I love it too--I will copy and paste this review under the shower gel heading, so if you've read this one, you've read them both. :)
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