Liquid -MAC - Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15
sabzter 11/15/2010 4:31:00 PM
I've been wearing this foundation for years (since 2008). I was doing just great with it and I used to wear it everyday. No breakouts, no irritation, just perfection. One day I decided to venture out to find a "better" and "more lightweight/natural" foundation. I tried a bunch---Dior Forever, ELDW, Chanel Pro & Mat Lumiere, Clarins Everlasting, Clinique, BB Natural Finish, and the list goes on. Boy oh boy did I wreak havoc on my skin with all of these! You're either going to have a love or hate relationship with this foundation. Either it is going to completely ruin your skin or it is going to not do anything at all to it and actually make it better. Fortunately, I fall into the latter category. Thinking for a while that I was breaking out from this foundation, I rest assured that it was trying all the other foundations that made my skin terrible. This is GREAT for my skin and I am acne-prone and have THE MOST SENSITIVE SKIN in the world!!! I feel like if anyone touches my face, I might just break-out, that's how bad it is. The thing with this foundation is that even though it is very thick and paint-like, it is oil-free and does not contain the typical comedogenic ingredients that most other foundations do. I'm guessing it's probably b/c MAC was initially made only for make-up artists. It also covers beautifully---full coverage, but doesn't accentuate your dry spots like Chanel Teint Innocence and Chanel Mat Lumiere do. It dries to a powdery natural-matte finish and lasts all day. It doesn't really look "natural," I mean people will be able to tell you're wearing foundation, but it definitely makes your skin look absolutely flawless. The trick to this foundation is to use a very light power on top. I use MAC Blot Powder to set the foundation. A lot of people use MAC's Sheer-Pressed or MAC's SkinFinish Natural. While those are incredibly beautiful powders, they're a bit heavy to wear on top of SFF and may cause that cakey white-trash effect that everyone tries to stay away from. And you're also going to feel as if your skin cannot breathe and is being suffocated with a heavy powder. The Blot Powder just sets it, and doesn't add any color or texture so your foundation just looks fresh all day. I've never had to re-blot the SFF as the Blot Powder is really effective upon its first application. I also apply this with Lancome's flat foundation brush, as that provides the heaviest and most flawless coverage. Removal---I get rid of this foundation with Pond's Cold Cream. Then I wash my face with my BP Cleanser. This is a very tough foundation to remove as it has incredible lasting power. Make sure to get all of it off, otherwise you may have a zit or two in the morning. Of course, we cannot blame this on the foundation, only our laziness. =( Guys, for those of us with sensitive skin who can tolerate this foundation wonderfully, my advice to you is to not venture out for something newer or better. They are sure to break you out and ruin your sensitive skin. Like I said, the reason my sensitive skin can tolerate SFF is due to a lack of typical comedogenic ingredients + the oil-free factor. Also note that just b/c a foundation is oil-free does NOT mean that it won't break you out. Ingredients like stearic acid and mystyric acid are sure to cause problems, but silicones in foundations are hit or miss. Oh yeah and I have fair-medium skin and I wear NC20 b/c NC25 turns orange on me. I wear the Blot Powder in Medium-Dark since it runs light. Hope this helps. If you have any questions, email me. =)
11 out of 12 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Clinique - Redness Solutions Makeup SPF 15 with Probiotic Technology
sabzter 11/5/2010 7:44:00 PM
This foundation is really strange. I have combination skin, and I found that it has a matte AND oily finish simultaneously. It's matte in that it's patchy and sticks to just about any dry spots that you have. It's oily in that right upon application, my face is "dewy" and "wet-looking." It just looks gross and super duper shiny. I don't even have oily skin, yet oil-breakthrough is constant. It's very uncomfortable to wear. Additionally, it oxidizes tremendously after about half an hour or so. My face looked really dirty after 3 hours and I was really embarrassed and wanted to wash it off immediately. The foundation just falls apart and this is in winter. I cannot even imagine the horror in the summertime. The good things about it---it covers nicely (not great or anything) and does not lead to any breakouts. It's definitely a healthy foundation in terms of ingredients. I was trying to go for the "natural" look where it doesn't look like I have any make-up on, but you can't get away with that with this foundation. It always looks like you have make-up on b/c of the easy breakdown. This would be good for mature skin perhaps. But for everyone else, not such a great one. Another terribly mediocre foundation by Clinique sadly.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - PanOxyl 10% Foaming Face Wash
sabzter 10/25/2010 8:02:00 AM
Wow, I must say that I concur with all the other reviews. This stuff is INCREDIBLE! Today will be exactly 2 weeks since I started using Panoxyl. My skin used to be PERFECT until about a year and a half ago when I stopped taking Yasmin. Oh my god did I have the scare of my life---my skin was, as someone else described, a "warzone." I tried for months and months to clear it, with proactiv, acne.org, natural products, complete change of diet, vitamins, and I don't know what else, to absolutely no avail. I decided to go back on Yasmin and my skin cleared up A LOT but not enough for me to feel comfortable without any make-up on. So I came back to this site to see if I could find a solution. I tried Panoxyl for a day or two and got a few pimples here and there (purging). But after about the second day, my skin just started clearing up like magic!!!! It was extremely drying at first, esp. since I was using Persagel 10% also at night (use only as needed!!). But holy smokes, this continues to clear my face a little bit everyday. And this also clears up my blemishes, which I did not think was possible!!!! I am very very lucky, in that I wear my Chanel Mat Lumiere everyday and my skin does not go crazy. My Yasmin, Persagel, and Panoxyl have saved my life. I'm still pretty self-conscious, but I'm hoping in a month or so, I too can go out there without any make-up on and feel confident as ever!!! I do notice, however, that diet does have a lot to do with acne. And ladies, STAY FAR FAR AWAY from sunblocks and sunscreens. If you want a sunblock, try titanium dioxide or zinc oxide in your make-up or moisturizer. But avoid sunscreens altogether, they will destroy your skin!!! I don't like Neutrogena or Oil of Olay products b/c they are super expensive but super cheap products in terms of quality (terrible for the skin!!!). I use a Rosewater & Glycerin spray as my moisturizer and it really works in maintaining clear skin. I never thought Panoxyl would work on me since it contains mineral oil (my worst enemy) and castor oil. But I guess the effects of the 10% BP are stronger (and hopefully will stay that way God-willing). So if you are struggling with acne and feel completely embarrassed from showing your face to the world, please just try this!!!!! It is a fabulous product for only $10. I've never tried a better facewash in my life.
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Sally Hansen - Cream Hair Bleach
sabzter 8/31/2010 3:50:00 AM
Love love love this bleach cream. I'd been using Jolen for years but it was not doing its job properly and I had to leave it on for a long time (12 minutes sometimes). Then when I'd remove it, I'd have little mosquito type bumps everywhere that would go away within an hour or so. But Sally Hansen has never given me a bad experience. Yes, it stings like a mother... and my eyes don't stop tearing the entire time. But 8 minutes and you're a done deal. I doubt I'll ever stop using this! =)
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Skincare - Body -Aubrey Organics - 100% Aloe Vera Gel
sabzter 8/14/2010 3:10:00 AM
Wow, I'm really surprised at all the positive reviews that this aloe vera is receiving. I've been using it for a few days now. I have incredibly sensitive and acne-prone (with active acne) skin, and it is just killing my skin condition. It makes my skin SUPER red, itchy and inflamed, and is actually exacerbating my current acne. =( I'm so disappointed. I thought maybe being "pure" and all, with only 2 other ingredients, this would be a godsend for my skin. But nope. For those of you out there with ridiculously sensitive skin, STAY AWAY FROM UNPROCESSED ALOE! Even though this stuff has the consistency of water, it is highly potent. As soon as I wash my face, the redness and inflammation that this aloe vera causes appears to decrease. Back I go to simple Vitamin E.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Clarins - Everlasting Foundation SPF 15
sabzter 3/20/2010 10:12:00 PM
Love love love love!!!! OMG this is the most AMAZING foundation I have ever worn!!!! I just bought this a few days ago, when I was consumed with disappointment as ELDW did not have my color!!! I have absolutely no words for this foundation. It lasts ALL DAY, looks sooooo natural, and the color is just perfect (strange b/c there are only like 8 shades total!). It photographs so incredibly beautifully and you seriously can't even feel anything on your skin. And the coverage is wonderful. And best of all......no breakouts!!!!! I've even slept with this once or twice and when I wake up, I still look fresh, as if I have no make-up on!!! You cannot see this on your skin whatsoever. It's soooo beautiful that I cannot get over it! And additionally, it does NOT oxidize people!!! I wear this for 13 hours with absolutely no oxidation (in heat!). UPDATE: Had to drop down to 1 lippie b/c as beautiful as this foundation is, IT MADE ME BREAK OUT BIG TIME, even moreso than MAC's studio fix!!!!! For the longest time I thought it was my doublewear causing me to break out but it was this foundation all along. I got rid of everything else I was using in my daily routine and kept trying it out for a couple weeks (I just loved it so much!!), but the breakouts kept getting worse! As soon as I stopped playing around w/it, the breakouts stopped immediately and my skin's doing so much better. I'm back to doublewear (finally found my color), and my skin's doing much better on it. For those of you with extremely sensitive skin like mine, stay away from this foundation b/c it's highly fragranced & is NOT oil-free and will promote acne. =(
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No