Powders -Johnson & Johnson - Baby Powder
LaceyH 12/15/2011 1:46:00 PM
LOVE IT! i was soooo suprised to find that even using it every day for diaper chages, a bottle(?) has laster 18 MONTHS! a single package! amazing! and after bath time we even dust a little all over our LO to keep him dry and soft. works great, and then he smalls all nice :) we've never had any skin irritation or anything, and my skin is somewhat sensitive
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Lips -NYX - Soft Matte Lip Cream
LaceyH 12/15/2011 11:39:00 AM
this is just an initial review on my first thoughts of this product. i'll update later after i've used it more. --wand makes application very easy --texture is amazing! moisturizing, but not sticky. not too thick or too thin -- color is matte -- looks like a lipstick, but doesnt really "dry" so far, so good! UPDATE: 04/17/12 i know it took me FOREVER to update... (sorry!) i LOVE thissssss!!!! wore it today for an interview, and it was a good natural looking color (Milan). it stayed put for a good 4 hours at least, without any touch ups, and would have lasted longer had i not eaten. when it faded it faded off evenly, and didnt setle into lines. the color is very pigmented, but doesnt look caked on, how a lot of lipsticks and look. goes on SUPER smooth, and isnt drying at all, which is amazing, it has quite a strong scent of vanilla upon application, but after it dries that goes away. doesnt taste like anything to me. color is very matte, in a good way. i like having the option to wear it both ways, since i can just add a gloss if i want some shine. i liked it so much that they next time i'm at an Ulta/Sephora, i plan on picking up the londone one, which is a nudey browniish color. i'm also looking at antwerp, but i wish it were a toucch lighter and more peach as opposed to coral. i'll update again when i try out a new color :)
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Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - Salux Nylon Japanese Bath Towel
LaceyH 12/15/2011 11:02:00 AM
i cant rave enough about this!!!! price was super cheap, less than $5 even after shipping from china! you can pick which color you want, and i've bought a variety as gifts and for myself. i epliate my legs, so exfliation is key when it come sto not getting ingrown hairs. other methids of exfoliation could actually be a little painful, but they just never exfoliated well enough. this is PERFECT! even rubbing gently gives GREAT exfoliation! additional highlights: --is long, so you can use it on your own back -- holds suds/soap really well -- dries REALLY quickly! -- and i've had this for a while now and it still looks brand new! i've used this all over my body and my skin's never been softer! juat a warning though, if you use it on your face be VER gentle!!! A+++++!!!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Powder Brush
LaceyH 12/15/2011 10:57:00 AM
even after reading all the good reviews of this brush, i was still pleasantly surprised by it! it was only $3 at Target-- yay! i DID notice that not all of these are equal in quality. i looked through the others on the shelf and some had a few loose bristles and the brushes looked kinda squished. so i took a minute to seek out the "best" one :) after i got it home i tried it out with liquid foundation. i'd never applied foundation with a brush before, and found that this did quite well. however, it DID seem to suck up a LOT of the foundation, so i wont be using it again for that purpose. the result wasnt spectacular or anything, so not worth it. after washing this brush, i was shocked to see that it didnt lose even a SINGLE bristle! amazing for such a cheap brush! from now on i'll use it for powder :) i dont regret buying it at all, even though i wont be using it for the purpose i originally intended.
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Liquid -Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup SPF 20
LaceyH 12/15/2011 10:47:00 AM
i'll be fair and mention that it's been a few years since i've used this, so my memory obviously wont include ALL it's details. what stabds out most in my mind was that it made my normally combination skin quite dry and flakey, so it was a no-go. the coverage and color were decent though. but it just defeats the purpose of foundation when its sooooo obvious i have something on :/
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
LaceyH 12/15/2011 10:45:00 AM
i guess i should point out the recent study done on various brands of EVOO, which concluded that most are not 100% extra virgin, and that there are "fakes" that use other oils such as sunflower and mix in a little EVOO for scent. regardless, i've liked all of the EVOO i've tried. i've used it for cooking, and its awesome b/c it has omega 3 fatty acids. and i've used it as a hair mask as well-- for that it was just ok-- a nit heavy, but for someone with thicker coarser damaged hair i could see it working well.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - The Falsies Flared Waterproof
LaceyH 11/5/2011 2:43:00 PM
LOVE this mascara! my former love was the regular Flasies. i never could find it in waterproof though, so thats why i switched to this, and i'm glad i did! this gives more length and volume-- and i think the trick is to apply a 2nd light coat while the 1st coat is still wet. for years i've avoided waterproof mascaras b/c i didnt want the pain of trying to wash them off. but then i heard that only a waterproof one will only the curl. i'm happy to report that this comes off easily enough with baby oil :) i have yet to try it swimming though. will re-buy when this tube runs out!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - manuka honey
LaceyH 11/5/2011 12:50:00 PM
i've been hearing about the anti-bacterial properties for a while now, and a few weeks ago DH and i caved in and bought some Manuka Honey from Whole Foods. we paid $25-ish or so for a container about 4 inches tall or so by 3 inches wide. the consistency is thicker and creamier than other types of honey, and its much less sweet. still sweet. but not as delicious, IMO, as Clover honey :) dont get me wrong, it wouldnt be torture or anything to eat it though ;) i've been meaning to do a face mask with it, and i think i will today, so i'll come back and update later. what we've been using it for is diaper rash though. its AMAZING! we had been using Butt Paste. as it was the only thing that would keep DS's bum clear. BUT, we had to apply that EVERY time, without fail. skipping ONE time would mean a red bum again :( with this, we apply it every 2nd or 3rd night after his shower, and just leave it there till it gets wiped away after the morning diaper change. after just the FIRST use, his bottom was no longer red at all! and we only applly it that ONE time every 2 to 3 days! his bottom stays soooo clear and much better than even the Butt Paste had it! *is thrilled* we also use it on an ylittle cuts or anything that one of us egets, and it helps them to heal soooo much faster :) i'll be trying this in the near future as a face mask, and mixed with conditioner as a hair mask (SMT's! woo hoo!). after we run out in a maybe 6 months or so from now i'll definately be re-buying!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - ColorStay Makeup with SoftFlex SPF 6 for Combination/Oily Skin
LaceyH 11/5/2011 12:06:00 PM
SOOOOOO glad i bought this foundation-- like it even better than the MAC Face and Body i tried! gave it a 2 out of 5 on the price, since $11 or so is a bit high for a drugstore foundation. Of course, the price is sooo worth it for the quality! i had read reviews that said that this foundation broke them out, but i didnt have that problem. i think maybe those users just didnt fully remove it all the way. since it's a long wearing formula, it really stays put! so when i remove it i use a cleansing cloth as well as my regular cleanser, and have had no problems. i suppose just cleaning twice would work too. at first i got the Natural Beige color, b/c apparently meijers doesnt carry the lighter colors, and i did not know this. i'm usually the next to palest shade, so thats what i grabbed at meijers. and they were actually out of the next ligher shade anyways. it was too dark on me, so i went to walmart and got the Buff color, which works MUCH better, and is a really great match! i still need to take back the 1st one though-- hopefully they dont give me grief when i try to return in :/ anyways, i do small parts of my fact at a time, b/c this does dry quite quickly, and the result is wonderful! matte finish, great coverage, and blends well. my new HG foundation!!! UPDATE soooo, i just want to mention: wintertime was makin my skin dry, so i bought the normal/dry skin version, and WOW, its even better! i dont get shiny after all day of wear, it doesnt oxidize as much as the oily skin version, it goes on smoother, and doesnt get stuck to any dry spots as much. still awesome coverage too! UPDATE AGAIN 11/5/11: STILL loving this! i dont use foundation much anymore (or MU at all), but when i want a flawless look, this is what i grab. i love that this can double up as my concealer too. i apply one "coat" all over, and then just go back and apply a 2nd coat over any spots, around my nose, etc. works like a charm!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Burt's Bees - Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream
LaceyH 11/5/2011 11:56:00 AM
not too much to say about this really... nice lemony smell, not too overpowering. rubs in easily without leaving a coating behind, but isnt too thin. takes a bit to fully sink in, which is good. and is awesome at keeping my cuticles from getting dry and cracked! i plan to rebuy this time and time again, as i use it with every manicure :)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Falsies
LaceyH 11/5/2011 11:48:00 AM
i'm a fan of this mascara :) i think it doesn't come in waterproof though...? if it does, i could never find it, which is part of the reason i switched to the falsie's falred waterproof. the other part is that i'd seen a FOTD where the grl compared the 2, and it looked like the falred one was better. i think it is :) buti like this too! unfortunately, my straight lashed NEED to be curled, and apparently waterproof hold a curl better than non-waterproof. :/ regardles, this did a good job of adding volume and lenth. i think the trick is to apply the 2nd coat while the 1st coat is still wet, and then you dont get any clumps and it lengthens better.
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Skincare - Face -Pro Activ - 3-Step System
LaceyH 11/5/2011 11:37:00 AM
i tried this maybe 8 years ago, and i think it was $40 for the set. i'm not sure quite what the price is right now. i guess i should be honest and say that i've since tried other benzol peroxide treatments, and they made me break out worse, so my skin just doesnt like BP. and i should also admit that when i tried this i didnt give it my 100%, using it the 2 times a day. i used it every day though, and had no improvement. i ended up returning it and getting my money back. i guess part of the reason i'm giving this such a low rating is that it's advertised to be some miracle cure, and it's not. it doesnt work for everybody, and its really nothing different than a lot of other (cheaper) BP products already on the market. i havent tried the acne.org regimen, but it too is a BP-based regimen, and yields way better results, from what i hear!
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Foundations -Sally Hansen - Inspired By Carmindy Natural Beauty Your Skin Makeup ] [DISCONTINUED]
LaceyH 10/15/2011 2:10:00 PM
i was really impressed with all of the awesome reviews this has here on MUA, and had wanted to try it for a LONG time before i found someone who swapped with me for it. my skin: nc15-ish, with neutral pulling to warm undertones, normal-to-combination, acne-prone, with mild sun damage and mild to moderate acne scarring and pigmentation my expectations/hopes: a full-coverage foundation that's breathable and doesnt LOOK like foundation the packaging is ok, a pump bottle, which i'm generally a fan of, it took like a million pumps for the foundation to FINALLY come out though. i was begining to get worried. lol price-- is decent. i've seen it at walmart, and its nothing ridiculous, around $12 or so, IIRC. no obvious smell that i recall color was actually quite nice. i'm generally the palest shade in most foundations, if not lighter, and ithis was good. pulled a little yellow, which s AWESOME, b/c most pale fondations are cool-toned, which i am far from! sooooo, i was disappointed to see that after all that good stuff.... the coverage stank. when i tried this i had a few active ance spots, and the foundation covered my "regular" skin, freckles and all pretty damn good. but when it came to covering the spots, it did basically nothing at all! like, skipped right over them! and if i had perfect skin, i wouldnt NEED this! seriously, every acne spot was left uncovered, and i felt sooo uncomfortable, like it made them stand out even more since the rest of the skin looked nice and not red at all. :( so, if you're not acne-prone, you'd probably love this! *puts item up for swap* :(
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Cleansers -Paula's Choice - Skin Balancing Oil-Reducing Cleanser
LaceyH 10/14/2011 11:02:00 AM
i'm not sure how i havent written a review for this before. i continue to be impressed with every Paula's Choice product i try! my skin: nc15-ish, normal-leaning-combination, acne-prone, and have sun damage and acne pigmentatin i'd like to lighten. my expectations: a cleanser that was not too harsh, but would thoroughly remove MU and it fits the bill! i only wash my face with cleanser every 2 to 3 days, since i hardly ever wear MU, and use their BHA religiously. and this one is great! the price is a bit steep, like $25-ish, i think. but the bottle is HUGE. even if i used it every day, i imagine it would last me for at LEAST a year. i have 2 small gripes with this, but neither were enough for me to knock off any lippies: 1) DH dropped the bottle in the shower and the flip top broke off. i feel like it should have been a little more durable. 2) i've had this for about a year already, and now there are tiny grainy particles in it. i shake the bottle a little before use each time, but it doesnt help. and as it doesnt seem to effect the effectiveness of the cleanser at all, it doesnt both me too much. just gets on my nerves a little is all. after this runs out , i WILL rebuy! i just wish they had a smaller bottle as an option. 1-- b/c it would be cheaper, and 2-- so it wouldnt take me FOREVER to use it all up! :( UPDATE 02/20/12: the grainy little particles in this are gettin on my nerves. i'm going to see about contacting the company to see what they say. i'll update again after i find out whats up.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Paula's Choice - RESIST Weekly Resurfacing Treatment
LaceyH 10/14/2011 10:53:00 AM
i'll say right off that i only used a few sample packages of this, not the full-sized bottle. my skin: nc15-ish, normal-leaning-combination, acne-prone, have sun damage and acne pigmentation that i'm trying to reduce. i normally use the 2% BHA liquid (which i LOVE!), and the 8% AHA gel. however, i was in the market for something that would do a LITTLE more chemical exfoliation, thus i tried this, the 10% AHA. and i <3 this too! i feel like it leaves my skin a little smoother than the 8% AHA does. and for some reason, i always had more stinging with the 8% AHA. not a big deal, just interesting! and i know this is a "weekly" treatment, but my skin could probably handle every other day at most. as soon as i finish up my 8% AHA i'll be buyin a full-sized bottle of this one!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No