Lotions/ Creams -Vaseline - Aloe Cool & Fresh light body lotion
rxqueen011 5/24/2010 2:40:00 PM
This is the lotion I used to use after shaving. It is non-irritating and moisturizing enough for me all year, with the exception of the two coldest months in Florida. No greasy feeling at all and the smell is great. I use the CVS brand now because it is cheaper and does the exact same job. It even smells the same. The Walgreens one is even cheaper. This is a great daily lotion!
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Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - CVS Healthy Hands- vaseline Healthy Hands and Nail Knock-off
rxqueen011 5/19/2010 3:20:00 PM
EDIT: I'm bumping this up to five lippies. It is just awesome! I have been wearing nail polish more often and the acetone etc is taking a toll on my nails. This helps keep them strong and cuticles looking great! Will continue to buy. Picked this up on a whim when I had some CVS bucks to spare. My cuticles have been dried up lately from overwashing at work and they have been tearing. The dryness is relieved within minutes! It feels a little greasy on me and I wish it was fragrance free, but you can't beat it for the price and convenient little tube. I hope to find a more natural product eventually, but this works for now! I can't comment on the keratin and AHA aspect since I've only been using it for a week. Will update further down the road.
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Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Kabuki Face Brush
rxqueen011 5/13/2010 4:14:00 PM
I think this product deserves a 3.5 and I would give it that, but there are better alternatives. I've had it for months now and have enjoyed using it, except that it sheds a lot and is rather flimsy/floppy. Right away I had to put a rubberband around the base to make it more dense. This works very well, BUT I use it a lot and therefore wash it a lot. What a hassle it is to remove and then replace the rubberband. Also, the rubberband seems to tear the hairs and makes the brush weaker. Even though it was cheap, I will not repurchase. I bought a cute buki from Target that is similar in size, feel and price BUT IT DOESN"T SHED and doesn't require the use of a rubberband. I've heard the EoB buki is good, too.
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Shampoo -Aubrey Organics - Green Tea Hair Treatment Shampoo
rxqueen011 5/13/2010 3:31:00 PM
This shampoo is a must if you have oily hair or use a lot of styling products. The other reviewers have covered most everything, including the herbal smell and liquidy consistency. From my experience, it should not be used more than once a week because it does such a super job of clarifying. It leaves my hair kind of tangly and strawlike, but it's not a problem since I always follow up with a conditioner. I will continue to purchase this shampoo because it does what it claims and is all natural. 4.5 lippies
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Treatments -Desert Essence - Tea Tree Oil (100% Pure Australian)
rxqueen011 5/13/2010 1:14:00 PM
Great product! I bought a good-sized bottle from Vitacost and it has lasted me quite a while, with many many uses. I use this as an all over toner, soaking the cotton ball and adding a drop of the oil. I also use it in my oil cleanse, which consists of grapeseed oil, a tiny bit of castor oil, tea tree and licorice extract. It's also great to add to your steamer for a facial or to shampoos/conditioners for dandruff. I've even heard of people adding some to their laundry. I think the best yet is my boyfriend uses it full strength for these nasty cysts he gets behind his ears and on his nose. He puts it on 2-3 times a day and the redness and swelling go down within days. With no treatment, they persist for a couple weeks! It's a miracle little bottle and I think everyone should have some in their cabinet.
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Foundations -Meow Cosmetics - Pampered Puss Mineral Foundation
rxqueen011 5/5/2010 8:08:00 PM
10/4/10- I'm adding a more comprehensive review now that I have been using it for so long. I've discontinued my search for a liquid foundation since I finally found an application technique that works for me. You may want to try this method if you find that you can't get enough product on and/or it looks flakey. First I prime my face with aloe vera gel. Then I spritz a section of my face with Thermal Water (or Fix+, something like that) and stipple the foundation on with my EcoTools Kabuki. This gives the foundation something to stick to. Then I do a final spritz after applying blush/bronzer. This gives my face a flawless look and I haven't had flakies since. The powder really needs to meld with natural oils or something of the like. Also, lasting power is pretty darn good! I wore it during the hottest months of the summer and never had a problem with it rubbing off. Don't tell anyone, but I have fallen asleep many a night with this foundation on and and it still looks good in the morning. I have to add that this is EXCELLENT for sensitive skin. It does not break me out or cause irritation of any kind. First foundation (liquid included) that I can say this about. It is more sheer, yes. I have started putting a little concealer over the problem areas. I'd rather do that than pile on several layers of foundation. Any more than two layers starts to look a little heavy. EDIT: 8/4/10 I decided to give Meow foundations another shot and ordered some new samples since I'm am darker in the summer and the first round didn't match me perfectly. My match is now Naughty/Fierce Abyssinian and the coverage is better than the Frisky I had previously. There must be something about Frisky Abyssinian in the PP formula because I know there are many others who experienced the same issues. FF still has better coverage, but it itches! I'm glad I decided to give Meow another shot! I will buy this again. My previous rating was a 2, but I've decided to give it 4. Pampered Puss is not perfect, but it's also the only mineral foundation that my skin will tollerate. I find that I'm needing more coverage, as this does not cover redness or acne scars (and mine are light). Primer is an absolute must or it will sink into your pores. OLDER REVIEW: I have to agree with Satinsheets's review. I bought Frisky Abyssinian, as well, and it is like white powder with a slight tint of yellow. There is too much of a difference between that shade and the next shade up. The coverage is also meh and is very glittery! I much prefer the formula in Flawless Feline because it gives great coverage and is more matte. I do love this company, though and enjoy their other products.
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Lip Treatments -eos - Lip Balm Sphere - Summer Fruit
rxqueen011 5/5/2010 7:59:00 PM
EDIT 7/13/10: Still loving these and still wishing they had flip tops! I don't think these are overrated at all. It is a top quality product with quality ingredients. MY FAV! I am a chapstick queen and have tried so many different ones. Some work for a while, but then they lose their power. Not the EOS spheres. These nourish my lips like no other and I love how they are natural and organic, sweetened ever so slightly with stevia. No artificial colors. Maybe a bit waxy and thick, but that doesn't bother me so much, as there is no white cast on my lips. I bought the 3-pack, which contains summer fruit, lemon and honeydew. It was a little pricey at Walgreens since it comes in a zipper pouch. I couldn't be happier with them, though and know I've found a keeper. The only changes I'd like to see are SPF 15 in all flavors and maybe a flip top. Screwing the cap off and on can be a little inconvenient at times.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Great Lash Royal Blue
rxqueen011 5/2/2010 12:16:00 PM
Finally tried this out last night and had to write a review because this stuff is terrible. The formula is too runny and the wand sucks. It made all my lashes stick together and did not give any additional length or curl. All I could keep asking myself as I was applying was, "Are you serious??" Especially after all the great things I keep hearing. It took several pass throughs with the lash comb for it to even look semi-acceptable (but still whimpy!) Even then, I rushed to remove it, which was pretty easy. The only positive is that the color is very nice and not too obvious. I will hang on to it and maybe use it on tips only. If I ever run out, I will not repurchase. Will probably try the NYX one, instead.
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Lily of the Desert - Aloe Vera Gel
rxqueen011 4/30/2010 11:35:00 AM
This review is for Lily of the Desert Lily Organics Skin Soothing Aloe Gel. What a lifesaver this product has been. I have had the most trouble finding the right moisturizer for my skin type and skin troubles, which is combination, acne-prone with redness and large pores. My skin loves this stuff. No breakouts! (yay!) It does need a boost of something else in the very cool months, but there aren't many of those in South FL. I use this AM and PM. My skin is left smooth and non-irritated. It also does a pretty good job of controlling oilies. The best part is that it's 80% organic, dirt cheap and multi-purpose. I even use this as a primer before foundation. It's awesome! This version is superior to the standard Lily of the Desert. Everyone should have this in their cabinet! Ingredients: Certified Organic Aloe Vera Gel, Carbomer, Certified Organic Aloesorb, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Allantoin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide.
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Liquid -Maybelline - SuperStay Makeup - New Version
rxqueen011 4/23/2010 12:27:00 PM
This product is OK. I have been searching for a med-full coverage foundation for a little while now and am still on the hunt. First off, this product provides decent coverage. The color does not match perfectly, but it is more yellow-toned than the range of Colorstay. I am mixing in some mineral makeup and find that this works pretty well. It seems to accentuate flakies more, though. The smell is fine and the wear is OK. Not as good as Colorstay. It has rubbed off on clothing and napkins, leaving a streaky nose. I think this makes me break out, too. I only wear it about once a week, but I can tell the next day and couple days after that nodules start to pop up and this is the only change to my routine. A pump would be nice, but is not a huge deal. Too pricey to buy not on sale. :( I am returning my Maybelline products because they don't work...not to mention they test on animals. WHY???
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Self Tanners -Banana Boat - Summer Color Sunless Lotion Deep Dark
rxqueen011 4/23/2010 9:46:00 AM
Pretty good self tanner. It seems to last way longer than I expected...at least a week! The smell is hardly noticeable and I like the texture. It's very easy to rub in and dries quickly. The one thing I did not like is that it turned more orange on me and not deep brown, but it still looked pretty natural. I used this on my face and it did not break me out after one use. I definitely recommend checking out a self tanning tutorial of some sorts if you have never applied it before. Exfoliation is an absolute must or it will wind up looking splotchy. I don't think gloves are an absolute must, but I will probably wear them next time because my palms got stained! Also, don't rub product on to knees, elbows or other rough/crevaced areas. For example, apply a good amount to your forearm rubbing in well and then feather what is left onto your elbow and hands/fingers. It helps to distribute the color there, but not look obvious. Bought two of these from Walmart and would buy again! Give it a try.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Bright Future
rxqueen011 4/20/2010 4:08:00 PM
I wound up with two of these after I bought one at the CCO and forgot that I was receiving one in a swap. This is a great color. Not too primary yellow and has just the right amount of sheen. The pigment of this is also great. I like to use this color on the very inner corner of my lids when doing green eyeshadow looks. It blends well and is not in your face yellow like MUFE's. There are probably cheaper and more accessible dupes out there, but I would buy it again if needed.
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Skincare - Face -La Roche Posay - Thermal Spring Water
rxqueen011 4/19/2010 10:33:00 AM
5/2/11: Still loving this product! I ran out of it for a month and during this time I noticed my skin was more red and irritated. At first I figured it was just hormones or from leaving my makeup on longer than I usually would. This continued for an entire month+ up until I finally bought more. Skin is glowing and less red again. This is the ONE product I can say has made such a positive difference in my skin. Ok, so this is my new favorite product, which I received as a RAOK from another MUAer. I have sensitive, combination and acne prone skin. I flush very easily, but this spray is like magic. Overall redness has significantly improved I immediately went online to dermstore.com and bought a large bottle of this and Avene. I have to say that I really prefer the LRP and it may be due to it having Selenium and no Sodium. Honestly, I do not find this all that costly considering it is the only thing has has helped my redness and not contributed to acne. In fact, I have broken out much less since using this. It is something I will use forever and I am really looking forward to carrying it with me during the hot South FL summers. Filtered water in a bottle is not the same. I tried that first and it did nothing other than cool my face for a few moments.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -The Body Shop - Almond Oil Refining Hand Scrub
rxqueen011 4/18/2010 12:03:00 PM
Love this product! I bought it for a friend as a birthday gift, but it's so good I went and bought one for myself. It exfoliates nicely and leaves my hands very smooth. You could probably leave them as is, but I usually follow with True Blue Spa's Look Ma, New Hands! I'm sure any other lotion will do, but this combo replenishes my hands. Especially if I have been washing dishes. I have no problems with getting it out of the tube. The only other improvement they could make is a flip-top and to leave out the added fragrance. Although it smells divine, the other ingredients alone will give it a more natural scent.
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Eye Shadow -LORAC - IT Kit Love and Money Shadows
rxqueen011 4/2/2010 3:07:00 PM
Love this duo! Have worn it with many looks and different colors on the eye. The finish is nice and velvety! No fall out and not a lot of extra shadow left on the pan after use. I'd say that the colors are intense, but in terms of sparkle, they are middle of the road. They look gorgeous on the lid and lasting power is superb! I could not be happier with this purchase and should have bought more when these were in production. The darker shade works well as a liner, too.
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