Lip Gloss -The Body Shop - Born Lippy in Raspberry
sarah2202 3/18/2011 3:08:00 AM
I got this as a GWP. I enjoy the fragrance at first but I wish it wasn't so cloying. It smells sweet and as others have mentioned, very artificial. It did an OK job at moisturizing. Nothing special. I am also not a fan of lip balms in tubs so I only use this at night (more sanitary because I can make sure my hands are really clean before I dip my finger in). That said, I would not pay full price for this. Apr 11/11 update - The scent is too nauseating for me to use at night. I'll be using this up as a foot moisturizer.
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Treatments -Neutrogena - Oil-Free Acne Stress Control 3-in-1 Hydrating Acne Treatment [DISCONTINUED]
sarah2202 3/17/2011 2:24:00 AM
I thought this could be HG at first. This smells better than any other acne product I have ever used. Very fresh but somehow sweet. It makes my skin really smooth. I actually looked forward to using this every night which has never happened before. The consistency is gel-like and it is a light blue colour. I have moderate to severe acne and I was searching for a gentler product because I suspected the harsh products were doing more harm than good. I don't expect much improvement with the use of topicals b/c my acne is so strongly influenced by hormones. I still think gentle is better but unfortunately, I noticed over the course of a few weeks it was making me break out more. Especially small zits and whiteheads. I suspect the fragrance is the culprit. To finish it up, I am now using this on my body which is less sensitive than my face. If I turn to BHA again, the next brand I will try is Paula's Choice because I have heard great things on the skin board.
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Crème -Cover Girl - AquaSmooth SPF15 Make-up
sarah2202 3/16/2011 1:14:00 AM
I used this for about 3 years, before I discovered mineral makeup which I prefer much more for my acne-prone skin. I loved the coverage. It was creamy, buildable, non-drying, and it didn't seem to break me out. I applied it with my fingers. It is a great undereye concealer too. My only beef with it is that the shade that matched me the best was stilll a bit too pink for me.
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Treatments -L'Oreal - Renoviste Revitalift Anti-Aging Glycolic Peel
sarah2202 3/11/2011 3:34:00 AM
I have the old version but since the first reviewer mentioned the new and old "versions" are identical, I am posting here. I bought this about 5 years ago and recently found it in the back of my cabinet. I was a bit wary of using it given how old it is but after 4 treatments I haven't had any issues. This is the first peel I have used and I am pleased with it. My skin is very sensitive and acne-prone. There was some slight stinging when I first applied the peel solution, but it went away after a couple of seconds. One night I left it on for an hour. The next day, the clogs in my pores were literally hanging out of my pores! It was pretty neat and unexpected. I used L'Oreal's microderm kit to even out my skin. It makes my skin more glowy right away. I used it tonight and a few hours later rinsed my face in the shower. I noticed if I rubbed my face with my fingers, lots of dead skin came off, revealing new skin underneath (too graphic? lol). It made my skin very soft and perfectly smooth. My hyperpigmentation seemed a tiny bit lighter. Update Apr 11.11 - I have finished the 8 peels in the kit. I find I can leave it on for as long as I want (even overnight) without a problem. I experience a bit of peeling for the next 3 days or so. I only wear makeup on the weekends so I would do this peel on Sunday nights. This kit was fun to use. I do see it as sort of a novelty product though, since there are toners on the market with the same % of glycolic that you can use every day (eg Neostrata). My Makeup Artists' Choice order arrived today so I will be moving on to more serious peels that you only leave on for 3 minutes or so. This kit by L'Oreal was a good introduction to chemical peels =)
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Bath and Body Works - Cherry Blossom Shower Gel
sarah2202 3/6/2011 3:17:00 AM
Nauseating scent. I got sick of it after 5 uses. I got the 50 mL bottle. The cap takes way to much pressure to open so I transferred it into a pump bottle. It lathers well b/c of the SLS. I definitely would not repurchase.
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Clothes -Unlisted Brand - Forever 21
sarah2202 3/6/2011 3:15:00 AM
I always wanted something from this popular store. I needed a top to go clubbing so I bought this tunic-style tank top. After I washed it the first time, it was more like a regular-length tank top and it had gotten wider. At first I thought it was my imagination. I never put it in the dryer. After every wash it just kept getting shorter and wider! I only wore it three times. I got one good use out of it for the $25 I paid. Their clothes are really cute and I would go back... but I will be wary not to spend too much b/c this might happen again.
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Eye Shadow -Everyday Minerals - Sunset Voyage
sarah2202 3/5/2011 1:59:00 AM
There were 6 months that I wore this every weekend to work. It is a neutral shade, peach and golden shimmer with a peach base. I apply this wet with a makeup brush. Great staying power that would get me through a 5 hour shift at a busy restaurant in a hot kitchen. I added it to my Pick Me Up Pink concealer (which I use as blush) to give myself an extra glow. I love that you can mix and match to customize products to your liking. I have the smallest size ($2.50) and I have barely used 1/2 of it. I have a whole stash of EDM products (mostly sample-sized). Even though they are so tiny, they last me forever!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Everyday Minerals - Foundation - Intensive formula [DISCONTINUED]
sarah2202 3/3/2011 11:00:00 PM
This review is for the intensive foundation I purchased 4 years ago. Some have said the formula has changed since then. I was addicted to EDM 4-5 years ago and I still have a decent-sized stash of foundation and dozens of blushes. I love this foundation. I have severe hyperpigmentation all over my face, but I swear with this foundation you don't even see the acne marks in photographs. I look like I have normal, glowy skin. The coverage is great and it is really fast and easy to apply. It does look cakey sometimes, especially when you first apply. As well, blotting throughout the day is necessary for me because I feel the makeup makes me a lot shinier than I otherwise would be. So yes, there are a couple of cons but for me it's worth dealing with to get the great coverage. One thing I really love about mineral foundation is that you can really get creative with it and customize your own colours. I am slightly fairer in the winter time, so I add some lighter foundation I received as samples into my Light Neutral. I found that adding yellow-based foundation to pink-based foundation makes a neutral colour. I am obsessed with cleanliness so I have a system. I keep my current blend of foundation in a medium-size container and pour some out into an empty full-size container each time I apply makeup. I try to use a clean full-size container every one or two uses. I find this works very well for me and eliminates the possibility that bacteria in my makeup is breaking me out. Although this stuff is worth buying again, I have heard great things about Alima so when I need more foundation, that is where I will turn.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -The Body Shop - Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream
sarah2202 3/3/2011 9:39:00 PM
I have purchased the full size of this at least 5 times. It costs about $15 plus tax. I haven't been without it for the past 4 years or so. I use this as a primer under my mineral makeup. It works so well! I find it leaves a thin film on my skin which sounds bad, but it is great b/c that is what the foundation sticks to. It must be all the 'cones in it that make this product a good primer. I am very acne-prone and I haven't noticed any clogging with use. I find the price is very reasonable, especially since one 50g tub lasts me over a year (used 2X/week). I would prefer a pump dispenser but I haven't had any issues with the tub. It is lightly fragranced but that doesn't irritate my nose or my skin. I don't wear this product when I am going bare-faced. On these days I use Vichy Normaderm instead, which leaves my skin super smooth... so smooth & matte that my mineral makeup won't stick to my face.
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Moisturizers -Desert Essence - Jojoba Oil - 100% pure
sarah2202 3/1/2011 6:49:00 PM
I have extremely acne-prone skin and I love jojoba as a makeup remover. I wet a cotton pad, squeeze the water out, then add some jojoba to the pad. It has no fragrance (a great thing) and feels nice on my face. If I feel like it, sometimes I massage my face while I have the oil on and as I massage I begin feeling these grainy bits... I think these are clogs in my pores being removed! Then with hot water I soak a cloth and gently pat/rub the oil and remaining makeup off of my face. I would prefer different packaging, perhaps with a dropper. The bottle gets greasy after use so it requires frequent wiping. When I first started using this, I used it as a moisturizer too. After a few days I noticed I started to get little bumps all over my face which I believe were clogged pores. I immediately stopped using it as a moisturizer and the clogs went away within a few weeks. That scared me away from using it as a moisturizer but perhaps one day I will try it again. I think I might have used too much and that is why it was bad for my skin, so acne-prones beware of overdoing it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Unlisted Brand - Summers Eve - Feminine Wash
sarah2202 2/27/2011 2:56:00 AM
When used as a feminine wash, a gross build-up accumulates with daily use within a week. I even have a portable shower head to remove the residue but this product just doesn't work for me for this purpose... perhaps I have exceptionally hard water or something. It's been sitting in my cupboard for the past year and every time I would see it I would be reminded of how crappy it is. But 6 months ago I began a no-buy and started clearing out my old stuff and finding new uses for things. I used this as hand soap which it was great for. I tried it as a face wash and it removed all of my mineral makeup easily. It's good as a brush cleaner as well. Finally I got more adventurous and dared to use this as a shampoo - I was so pleasantly surprised! It volumized my hair like nothing else ever has, without irritating my scalp. I was amazed. I feel this is a huge secret I MUST share with the MUA world lol. Needless to say, lately I've been getting a lot of use out of this once forsaken body wash. If I go on a trip, I definitely see myself bringing this along as a 4-in-1 (shampoo, face wash, body wash, brush cleaner). When it runs out, I will wait and see if I miss it before re-purchasing. J&J baby wash works great for me as a feminine wash and rinses cleaner than anything else I've tried, plus it can do all of the things Summer's Eve can do (except for volumizing my hair).
10 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Makeup Remover -Biotherm - Biocils Eye Makeup Remover Gel
sarah2202 2/27/2011 2:45:00 AM
I received a sample size of this as a GWP. I strongly prefer this over oily makeup removers such as Yves Rocher and Elizabeth Arden's All Gone. This does not irritate my eyes. It feels like it refreshes my eyes and it rinses off easily. I add this to my dried out Almay makeup removing pads, which are the perfect size and thickness (they are my HG). Other reviewers have said this doesn't completely remove their makeup, but for me as a relatively light makeup wearer this is fantastic. To get an idea of how often I wear eye makeup these days, this sample size (1 oz I believe) has lasted me 3 years.
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Other -Unlisted Brand - Genuine Health multi+ daily glow
sarah2202 2/26/2011 6:32:00 AM
It made a significant difference in my acne-prone skin. I took one tablet every day for about 2 years. My naturopath rec'd a cheaper alternative with a lot of the same ingredients, which is Natural Factors multi-factors for women. I have been tinkering with my vitamin routine so it's hard to say if this multi makes as big of a difference as the Genuine Health did. I may re-visit GH when my bottle of Natural Factors runs out, as I am concerned about the iodine content in my NF being a trigger for acne.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Genuine Health's Perfect Skin supplements
sarah2202 2/26/2011 6:26:00 AM
There are cheaper omega 3 supplements out there. These are quite expensive. They do contain ingredients that are said to be beneficial for acne but they are in such tiny amounts, I doubt they make much difference. When my diet was poor, I did notice a difference with these, but since then I have discovered a more affordable brand of omega 3 called Nutra-Sea. I had a lot of success with the Multi-Glow tablets. They are a decent multi-vitamin that made a big difference in my acne-prone skin.
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Lip Treatments -Bonne Bell - Lip Smacker Dr. Pepper
sarah2202 2/24/2011 5:52:00 PM
This balm is very moisturizing and I love the colour. It leaves a slight red tint that is very natural. Having tried a series of potted lip balms and moisturizing lip glosses with angled applicators that I would apply with my fingertips, it was nice to go back to the standard lip balm in a tube which felt much more sanitary. Even though I tire of scents quickly, I haven't gotten sick of this one yet. I am going to try other scents before coming back to this one (next one will be vanilla or Coca-Cola), but this is definitely worthy of a repeat purchase.
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