Styling Products -Moroccanoil - Frizz Control
mariella99 3/18/2013 6:07:00 PM
I guess there's almost always a first time....sadly. I love Moroccanoil products. Their original oil, the shine spray, the styling cream. So far, there hasn't been a product that has let me down.....until now, that is. I should have thought to check this product out here at MUA BEFORE purchasing it but I saw it on the Moroccanoil website and figured it had to be great. Frizz is a problem for me. My hair is thick and coarse and very prone to frizz, which is why I started using the original Moroccanoil in the first place. This oil and my CHI ceramic flat iron gave me the sort of hair I've always wanted. But recently, the combination of my layered bob and my new-found love of hot yoga have combined so that while I go to class looking sleek, I leave looking like a tumbleweed. I was hoping this Frizz Control spray would be an added prevention against that frizz-ball look. I've just used it for the first time (haven't flat ironed yet and won't be at yoga til much later tonight) but I see what other reviewers mean about it making your hair more frizzy and "crispy" looking. I'm hoping I'll love it more after I flat iron or that it will somehow magically keep me looking smoother during the heat and humidity of my class but I somehow doubt it. I'm only relieved that I didn't spring for the larger bottle of this stuff. But I wish I'd checked out the reviews here first and given this a swerve! UPDATE (after a week or so): Suddenly, this stuff has turned from a real fail into a pretty good product. While I was aghast at the crispiness of my hair the first time I used this (and before flat-ironing it), it really did keep my hair from frizzing wildly and - now this is really strange - it seems to keep my hair cleaner a day longer than what is normal for me. The crispy/dry feeling I got after blow-drying my hair went away entirely after flat-ironing (maybe that's no surprise) and the results with this spray are actually quite good. I was reluctant to use it again after my first experience but I'm glad I've given it another chance. And while I might not repurchase (there are always new things hitting the market), I'm not regretting my purchase quite so much now.
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Lotions/ Creams -Sally Hansen - HAND RESURFACER WITH MICRO-CRYSTALS 
mariella99 3/18/2013 4:16:00 PM
Only one other review for this and that was SEVEN years ago??? I don't know if Sally Hansen still makes this but I bought this a few years back and liked it so much that I bought 2 backups. This hand resurfacer is not the same thing as your run-of-the-mill scrub any more than a true facial exfoliator/microdermabrasion product is the same as a scrub. The particles in this product are very fine and the result, after you use it, is incredibly soft, younger looking hands (dead skin and even some discolourations are polished away). My hands take quite a beating since I teach food and nutrition and wash my hands often (not with the most gentle soaps, either) but using this product one or 2 times a week, followed by a rich hand cream, really makes my hands look great. They say your hands give away your age even more than your face does but here's one product to help in preventing that.
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Loose Powders -NARS - Light Reflecting Setting Powder
mariella99 3/18/2013 5:45:00 AM
I hate to be the lone dissenting voice to bring down the rating on such a beloved new product, but I wasn't totally thrilled with this powder. To be fair, I had wanted to purchase the PRESSED version (which is finally now back in stock) but they were sold out so I got the loose version because I was just itching to try this powder, based on the glowing claims made by NARS for how new and wonderful this powder is. To be perfectly honest, I don't find this powder to be any more "magical" than MUFE's HD powder or MAC's Prep+Prime loose setting powder (which I prefer over MUFE) or Tarte loose setting powder. And as another reviewer pointed out, this is messy to use, no matter how careful you are....you will still get "poofs" as you open the jar and as you load your brush, etc. I guess this is because it is SO finely milled (a good thing in its way but the downside is the messiness). I don't find the results all that amazing, though I will continue to use this til I finish it but I really am looking forward to picking up the pressed version. If nothing else, at least it will be a whole lot more portable and practical to use. UPDATE: I think I'm actually starting to like this powder more than I did initially. I still don't think I'd repurchase (you get so darned much in the jar and also, I picked up the pressed version - which I much prefer - several days ago) but I am starting to like using it more and on me, it doesn't appear dry or sparkly and just really does seem to "blur" the imperfections a bit. Keeps my nose looking matte pretty much the entire day. And it works really well to set my under-eye concealer (I put a bit on a MAC 224 and tap off any excess and it really does diminish the look of fine lines)
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Blush -Bare Escentuals - Beauty Blush
mariella99 3/17/2013 9:41:00 AM
I bought this loose powder/mineral blush based on the great reviews here. And I am not disappointed. While loose blush may not seem very practical, compared with pressed powder blushes, the packaging (which holes that can be closed off) makes this reasonably practical and convenient to use and even travel with. The blush itself is a beautiful cool-toned flush of rose that buffs out and blends to such a pretty and natural effect. Aptly named, "Beauty" is a beautiful blush for cool toned and pale complexions. Once applied, this blush seems to last really well and doesn't change colour or fade away as the day wears on - I guess because it is basically pure pigment without a lot of fillers or chemicals to hold the powder together into a "disc". You also get a lot of product for the price. So it's a great blush at a good price.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Bare Escentuals - Mineral Blush in Beauty
mariella99 3/17/2013 9:39:00 AM
I bought this loose powder/mineral blush based on the great reviews here. And I am not disappointed. While loose blush may not seem very practical, compared with pressed powder blushes, the packaging (which holes that can be closed off) makes this reasonably practical and convenient to use and even travel with. The blush itself is a beautiful cool-toned flush of rose that buffs out and blends to such a pretty and natural effect. Aptly named, "Beauty" is a beautiful blush for cool toned and pale complexions. Once applied, this blush seems to last really well and doesn't change colour or fade away as the day wears on - I guess because it is basically pure pigment without a lot of fillers or chemicals to hold the powder together into a "disc". You also get a lot of product for the price. So it's a great blush at a good price.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Clarins - Clarins Super Restorative Décolleté & Neck Concentrate
mariella99 3/17/2013 8:00:00 AM
I've received numerous sample tubes of this in Clarins's "Time to Choose" GWP that they hold several times a year. And this is a lovely product - it has the same rose scent as other products in the Super Restorative line. And it's a lovely cream for the throat and decolletage. But it's just way too pricey for me. While I spend on face products, I'm considerably cheaper about my neck and chest (which are less exposed to the elements all year 'round) and I'm quite happy using body lotion, Nivea (the German one) or Ponds Dry Skin Cream on my neck and chest. If someone gave me a 5 year supply of this cream, I'd most certainly use it but I'm not going to shell out for it. So, all in all, lovely but to me, it's not worth the price.
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Eye Shadow -Bare Escentuals - Moss glimpse
mariella99 3/17/2013 7:35:00 AM
The name "Moss" is really misleading. When first looked at this shadow, I was expecting a mossy green shade and that is NOT what this shadow is. Nevertheless, it is a fabulous colour! As others have said, it is this silvery taupe/grey shade, almost like a lighter version of Bare Minerals Drama shadow. And while this is a loose shadow, the formula itself is not very prone to fallout, which is a bonus, so long as you're just a tiny bit careful when you put this on your brush (even on a dry brush!). And you get a LOT of product for a very little price. All in all, a great neutral shadow with just enough of a sheen to keep it looking flat and dull. Definitely repurchase if I ever finish it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Shu Uemura - Eyelash Curler
mariella99 3/13/2013 8:13:00 AM
I dunno - perhaps I'm just "eye lash curler challenged". I was SO excited to find this at Sephora a year or so back. I grabbed it right away. But I honestly don't see a lot of difference between my lashes curled and not curled and, in fact, on my left eye (perhaps because I'm right-handed) my lashes seem to end up being curled angling inward rather than straight ahead or more toward the outer corner of my eye. Really and truly, I find I get just about as much "curling" and "eye opening effect" from using a good mascara and holding the brush against my lashes to urge them upward. It also really ticks me off that this is sold with only ONE set of replacement pads....honestly at the price for this thing, you should be able to buy a dozen or so separately and easily (not sure if the company actually sells replacement pads on their own but where I am, Sephora's the only place that sells this lash curler and they don't sell additional replacement pads; call me stingy, but I think when you're paying this much for a product that doesn't really wear out, you should be able to get more pads for it). I was so excited to find this lash curler and had high expectations, as this seems to be "the gold standard" in lash curlers but really, it isn't so great.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -MAC - Iridescent Powder - Silver Dusk
mariella99 3/10/2013 10:00:00 PM
I said "yes" to repurchasing this powder but "not sure" is probably more correct. I haven't actually bought this yet - I got a generous sample of this from the nice women at my local MAC counter. I've been trying it out for a few days and while it has an almost fairy-tale magic about it, I think it's a bit too glittery for me except in very small doses. Today, I applied this onto my cheekbones with a large eye shadow brush (so I could control where it went). It was daytime and the sunlight from my bathroom window really showed up the silver glitter. I think it's probably not the best idea to wear this in the daytime (unless you are a skater in the Ice Capades or something like that!). But for a romantic candle-lit dinner, I think this would be really pretty and I also like it in small doses on my cupid's bow and inner corners of my eyes. Once I finish my sample, chances are pretty good that I'll buy the full size of this to use for special occasions (and give the lion's share of it to my much younger daughter!)
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Eye Shadow -NARS - Lhasa
mariella99 3/10/2013 5:21:00 PM
I am almost speechless at the beauty and versatility and ease of Nars Lhasa eye shadow. Last week, I purchased another Nars shadow product - the duo Cordura - and while I like it (well, I love the dark shade of it), I am struggling with how to wear and also how to feel "comfortable" wearing the bronze shade. Now, in contrast, Lhasa is the most amazingly wearable eye shadow. Wear it on the lid; put it in the crease; wear it all over the eye all on its own or wear it in combination with any grey, taupe, purple or cool brown you have and it works. This is such an easy and flattering shadow to wear. I'm thinking that others reading this must know how it is....even though you have plenty of eye shadows, you can get just obsessed with a certain shade. Do you ever go through this? Even though you think you have shadows really similar in colour, you still just need to check out that coveted shade. I read up about dupes for Lhasa and when I bought it, I took all my possible "dupes" - WnW Silent Treatment, Stila Grace and Cloud, MAC Shale - with me to make sure I wasn't buying yet another eye shadow that I more or less already own. While the lid colour of Silent Treatment was the closest, it couldn't match the lovely rich lavender undertone in Lhasa. And this shadow is so beautiful with brown eyes. This will be a HG shadow for me and a fixture in my makeup routine for years to come.
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Lipstick -MAC - Brick-O-La
mariella99 3/10/2013 12:15:00 PM
I'm the sort of sucker those "20 dollars off with a 75 dollar purchase" coupons are designed to work on. And work on me, they do. I had coupon from The Bay (now, once again billing itself as "The Hudson's Bay Company") for just such a "deal" and had to run my purchase up to $75 of cosmetics (never a difficulty for me). So I figured a few MAC lippies would do the trick. I really love the Amplified Cream finish from MAC but I'd pretty much exhausted the selection in shades that would suit me. Brick-o-la was my last possible choice. I'd planned on getting it for some time. Years ago, I was put off by the name (thinking it would be "brick orange" - I live in a red brick house but red bricks are actually orange and not a colour that looks good on me). But I knew that Brick-o-la was really a more berry toned red (much like Mocha blush isn't mocha at all) and a shade that would probably suit me so I got it. Needless to say, I LOVE it. It really is a "my lips but better" shade - very much the colour my lips had when I was in my teens and early 20's. Someone else described this as a "Snow White red" and I think that's a great description. Lasting power is excellent and as it wears/fades, it still leaves behind a very nice stain on the lips. Not drying, comfortable to wear - there is nothing not to like about Brick-o-la.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Clarins - BB Skin Perfecting Cream SPF 25
mariella99 3/10/2013 7:39:00 AM
I think I've found my new HG BB cream. For the longest time, I've been using Marcelle BB cream and it is excellent. I've also tried Tarte BB cream and I love it but the problem for me is that in Canada, it does not make ANY claims at all about sun protection. The SA at Sephora explained that it hasn't met or passed Canadian standards for these claims yet. But oddly enough, Clarins's BB cream has been approved for sale with these claims on the packaging. I got this last week (I'd been waiting for it to appear here). In the US, this BB cream is available in 3 shades but here in Canada, it's only available in Light and Dark. You can see a "plugged up" spot for the 3rd shade in the display but the product isn't there nor is it even shown on the Canadian Clarins site. This is typical of Clarins; they offer fewer foundation shades in many of their lines. I had to wait til I was in the US to purchase their long-lasting foundation as the colour I needed wasn't sold in Canada (this may have changed now but I'm not sure). Okay, so with that behind us, let's get on to the product itself. As I say, I think it's my new HG BB cream. It applies beautifully. It lasts beautifully. It gives a lot more coverage than the Marcelle BB cream I've been using til now. The finish is matte and it leaves my skin feeling a bit powdery and almost "cushiony", if that makes any sense. I purchased the Light shade and it looked a bit dark when I swatched it on my hand but on my face, it is almost perfect. I still find the shade a bit too dark for me (NW20 in MAC) - I'd prefer it a bit lighter and as it is now, I have to take special care to blend this in at my hairline and around my mouth or the demarcation is noticeable, at least to me. In summer, this will likely be an ideal shade (maybe) but Clarins would do well, IMO, to make a lighter shade still. I'm not the palest of the pale but I'd like this a bit lighter. Coverage is wonderful; I don't even need to step up the coverage by applying anything like MAC MSF Natural over this. It really gives a gorgeous finish. Right now, I have been using a simple moisturizer under it on days when my skin feels dry and parched (coming out of a Canadian winter) but for most of the year, I think this will be all I need. The scent of this product is very light and pleasant - not the typical cucumber/watermelon scent in a lot of Clarins foundations. And while I prefer the pump tube of Marcelle, this squeeze tube is practical, easy to use and hygienic, though the top of it is already getting a bit messy. With this tube, it's a bit harder to figure out how much to squeeze out, where a pump gives you a consistent pre-measured amount and I prefer that. All in all, EXCELLENT addition to the BB lineup and an EXCELLENT product but they need to develop a LIGHTER COLOUR and Clarins is surprisingly SLOW about responding to customer complaints/suggestions (vis how long it took to put a better pump on their very pricey Super Restorative Eye Cream).
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Eye Shadow -NARS - Cordura Duo
mariella99 3/4/2013 6:34:00 PM
I hem'd and haw'd about this duo so much. I've looked at it and almost bought it 3 or 4 times but every time, the very coppery warmness of the lighter shade made me hesitate. Saturday at Sephora, I must have picked this up and put it back at least 3 times before finally leaving it in my little basket and making my way to the cash. And I am glad I did. I've worn this duo every day since, trying it different ways and also just getting used to it as the shade on the left (the more warm toned colour) isn't a "natural" for me and so experimenting with it is making me more comfortable with this colour. The "lighter" side of the duo is a warm bronze-brown shade that is nice and not like any other shadow I own. To my surprise, it is more wearable than I expected, though I am still trying to get used to the shade as I just don't think it's my "best colour". The darker shade in this duo is a very dark, cool brown - absolutely gorgeous and so rich and dark that I can use it as a liner and not have to bother digging out another product. Pigmentation and depth of both shades is just insanely rich. Both shades have glitter but it's the sort that seems to stay where you put it and it can also be toned down with blending if you want a more subdued look. This duo is excellent quality - pigmented, with a rich, smooth application - and is absolutely "repurchase-worthy", though personally, since I don't find the one shadow all that great for me, I would not repurchase this duo. And while I know a lot of people don't like Nars's rubbery packaging, I happen to love it (no accidental slipping out of my mitt when I'm in a rush and being klutzy). Update (4/18/2013) Okay, so after a bit more than a month of owning this, I have found a way to make it work. I was looking for combos to use with MAC's Smoke & Diamonds eye shadow that might be a bit different and kept seeing combos suggesting using it with Glamour Check (which I would never have bought because it's, well....almost identical to the bronze side of the Cordura duo). So for the pure heck of it, and never expecting that it would work at all, I put Smoke & Diamonds all over my "mobile lid" and the bronze side of Cordura in the crease, blended out with a bit of Wedge and then a matte light colour to highlight. SUCCESS! The cool taupey grey of Smoke & Diamonds balanced the much warmer crease shade just beautifully and made for a really wearable look. I still wouldn't repurchase this duo but I am so glad I can now use it without effort.
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Eye Shadow -Vasanti - Eyeshadow in Brasilia
mariella99 3/2/2013 8:57:00 AM
YES INDEED, I would buy this product again, though I can't imagine that I'll have to (I've yet to finish a single eye shadow because I keep buying and trying new ones). The last thing I probably needed was another dark brown eye shadow but I am an eye shadow junkie - there's just no point in pretending otherwise. I have to say I am really surprised that there are only 3 other reviews for this beauty, the most recent one from almost 3 (yes, THREE) years ago! The other reviewers have described this shade very well - a dark brown with lovely glitter that looks a bit much in the pan but is lovely when applied. Think along the lines of Nars Mekong (but better and much less expensive) or Too Faced Erotica for an idea of what this shadow is like. It applies like a dream and even though it has a lot of glitter in the pan, depending on how you apply and blend this, it can be quite wearable for daytime. It is simply stunning. As I say, the last thing I needed was another dark brown shadow but I just couldn't resist. I've only recently discovered this brand, though I'm guessing it's been available for years here in Canada, judging by the dates on the previous reviews. I can't believe just how great their products are.
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Styling Products -L'Oreal - Mythic Oil
mariella99 2/24/2013 11:31:00 AM
First of all, this oil smells lovely - like gardenias. It works pretty nicely too. I use 2 or 3 pumps after washing my hair and it does a pretty okay job of smoothing/softening/helping control frizz. It's not the greatest product I've ever used for this purpose (a mixture of Moroccan Oil and Aveda's Smoothing Infusion seems to work best of everything for me) but it's not bad. It's not super-heavy or greasy so I can use it between shampoos if the end of my hair are feeling sort of dry and in need of a bit of pampering and extra moisture. All in all, a pretty good product but not the best I've ever used.
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