Lotions/ Creams -Archipelago Botanicals - Sugar Creme for Hands Brown Sugar & Vanilla
TwoBostons 9/25/2009 3:39:00 PM
Wow. The first Archipelago product I don't love. The hand lotion quality is excellent--long lasting, moisturizing, non-greasy. I'd liken it to L'Occitane shea butter hand cream without the stickiness. The scent, however...yuck. It has the same lemon cleaning-product scent to it that others have complained about in the Fresh Brown Sugar lotions. The lemon is quite strong, and unpleasant smelling. It doen't wear off, either. What a disappointment. I was so looking forward to a vanilla-based hand cream that would work for fall. Archipelago hand cream is lovely in the other scents, particularly Grapefruit. Would not repurchase in the Brown Sugar & Vanilla scent.
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Lotions/ Creams -Diana B. - Green Tea Desert Grapefruit Body Lotion
TwoBostons 9/25/2009 3:16:00 PM
I got this in a sample packet, and thank goodness for that. I love all things grapefruit, so I was excited to try this lotion. While the name is 'Green Tea Desert Grapefruit', the scent is all green tea and dust, with a tiny bit of sharpness to it. If you held up a tea bag of green tea to your nose and inhaled sharply, getting green tea dust in your nostrils, you would know what this lotion smells like. Or maybe sniffed too close to an old window screen. It's truly awful. I like green tea, green tea ice cream, etc., but it's as if they took the worst parts of the tea leaf scent and crammed them into this lotion. The smell doesn't fade much, either. As far as the lotion itself goes, it's silky, long-lasting, and nicely moisturizing--pity it doesn't smell better. Will not repurchase.
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Gels/Soaps -Archipelago Botanicals - mineral mud exfoliating soap
TwoBostons 9/25/2009 3:01:00 PM
This soap has a fresh scent--kind of a vague clean/soapy scent to it that isn't too heavy. It comes in a standard-size bar, 5.2oz. It holds up well in the shower and doesn't dissolve into nothingness. The exfoliation is *extremely* mild, and there are no particles of gunk to mess up your shower/bath. Non-irritating to sensitive areas. Leaves a mild 'clean' scent that won't interfere with any fragrance you might wear. I prefer bodywashes, but as far as soaps go this is nice. Picked it up at TJMaxx for a couple of dollars, would buy it again there but not at full price. Basically, I just can't get excited about a bar of soap!
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Masks -Nude Skincare - Miracle Mask
TwoBostons 9/19/2009 12:32:00 PM
Miracle Mask is an AHA exfoliating mask that is to be left on for 5 minutes. It did a good job of surface exfoliation, and got rid of some flakiness I had. The consistency is like a thinned-out honey with less stickiness. It smells like yeast--not like a baked good, like you're soaking yeast to activate it for baking. Not at all unpleasant, just not the typical scent one associates with facial products. While I could feel it on my skin, it did not cause any major tingling. Most AHA masks require more time to use, the 5 minute application is something that is practical to work into a nighttime skincare routine a couple times a week. You know how it is when we plan to use a 30 min mask on a regular basis? And we do it....for two weeks. While this isn't as effective as, say, my beloved REN glycolactic peel, it stands a far better chance of being used on a regular basis solely based on convenience. Got it as a sample and I'm going to purchase the bottle. It's pricey, at $70, but you only need a tiny bit. Ingredients: Water, Galactoarabinan (Larch Trees), Glycerin (Plant Sources), Sclerotium Gum (Fermented Sugar), Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Fruit Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose (Wood And Cotton), Arginine (Plant Sources), Lactic Acid (Plant Sources, Sugar And Beet), Dextrin (Corn), Hydrolyzed Hibiscus Esculentus Extract, Kaolin (Clay), Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan Algae), Galactaric Acid (Apple Pectin), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Archipelago Botanicals - Grapefruit Dry Oil Body Spray
TwoBostons 8/30/2009 2:05:00 AM
Love it! This dry oil spray has the wonderful grapefruit scent of the other products in this bath line. It's a yellow grapefruit smell, not too sweet. The packaging is typical Archipelago--clear bottle with raised black printing. The oil comes out of the bottle in a fine mist via a pump sprayer, and disperses pretty evenly, with no need to rub it in. Just spray and go. I've used other oils marketed as 'dry oils', and they weren't--this one performs as advertised. This product moisturizes without being heavy, and lasts throughout the day. I do find myself using a lot of the product, so I can see this getting expensive quickly. It runs about $25 for an 8oz bottle. This is great for summer, when heavier creams/lotions can get sticky in the heat. Would definitely repurchase!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Origins - Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Souffle
TwoBostons 8/30/2009 12:39:00 AM
When I think 'Souffle', I think light, whipped, airy. This cream has more of a lemon meringue pie texture to it, a bit gelatinous rather than souffle-like. The scent is wonderful--it smells like a grapefruit Sweet Tart! I was afraid it would be too overwhelming and would clash with my perfume, but it settled down in about 15 minutes. It moisturizes well, and kept my skin looking hydrated throughout the day. I'm finding I'm using this up rather quickly, as it takes a lot of product to do the job. A little pricey, but a wonderful scent and the perfect pick-me-up for hot summer days. It would be nice if this came in a pump dispenser or had a scoop--you need to dip into the jar, which can be a bit messy. I'll purchase again, but will scout for sales.
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Treatments -Somme Institute - Transport Pads
TwoBostons 6/20/2009 10:24:00 PM
I got a sample of 20 pads and liked them enough to purchase the full size jar. They are comperable to several similar products, but have a little extra kick to them. I get an occasional bit of stinging (usually only after I use a face scrub), but not much. The pads are soaked in a great deal of the liquid, so you don't need to worry about them drying out. I often cut them in half so they last longer. When applying, it almost has that 'hydrogen peroxide on a scrape' bubbling feel--no pain, and no visible bubbles, just that sensation. The only complaint I have about these, other than the $$ price, is the ridiculously cheap packaging. Cheap white plastic jar with a purple sticker on it--seriously, the kind of round sticker you'd use for a garage sale price tag! Other than that, a very effective aha-bha product. Would repurchase.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Bobbi Brown - Face Touch Up Stick
TwoBostons 6/20/2009 10:16:00 PM
A great concealer! The size makes it portable if you feel the need to reapply--I don't. Staying power is excellent, and it is buildable if there's a particular spot you need to minimize. I have a spot of broken blood vessels on the bridge of my nose (sporting accident!) and it's difficult to find a concealer that will stick. This one does! It lasts all day without needing reapplication, and is a very good match to Bobbi Brown foundation colors. Like other BB products, not cheap, but certainly worth it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Clinique - Clarifying Lotion #2
TwoBostons 6/20/2009 10:12:00 PM
I absolutely hated this product. I was out of my regular toner, and decided to give this one a try. #2 is, according to Clinique, the proper toner for my skin type. NOT!! It burned like crazy, and I couldn't wait to wash it off. I don't have sensitive skin, either, and can use peels of fairly strong degree on a regular basis without sensitivity. I decided to give it a shot a couple days later with the same result. Then I looked at the ingredients--alcohol and witch hazel. No wonder it burned, and cleared out my sinuses. Big thumbs down on this one.
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Treatments (Eye) -Clarins - Sun Wrinkle Control Eye Contour Care SPF 30
TwoBostons 6/20/2009 10:05:00 PM
Finally, a sunscreen I can use around my eyes without irritation!!! Clarins got it right with this one. I layer it over my eye treatment, and it absorbs within about a minute. Leaves a matte finish and does not interfere with makeup application. There is a mild scent, but nothing dramatic, and certainly not enough to irritate even the most sensitive person. The tube is a decent enough size to last through the expiration date if you are using it regularly like you should. It costs a bit, but overall you get so much use from it it's still a decent value. Highly reccomended, and will definitely repurchase!!
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Lip Treatments -Too Faced - Lip Injection
TwoBostons 6/20/2009 9:58:00 PM
I have this in Techno Buff. It stings more than a typical plumping gloss, but the stinging goes away in about 10 minutes. Nice increase in fullness and gives my lips more color due to the irritation--but it's a great color, so that's okay. I do have to keep this gloss away from the edges of my lips to avoid redness on the skin, but lipliner seems to take care of that proble. The container is on the small side, but really, how often do you make it through an entire tube of gloss? I like that it has a brush rather than a doe-foot applicator, since that makes precision application easier. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this product.
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Deodorants -Fresh - Roll-on Sugar, Deodorant and Antiperspirant
TwoBostons 6/20/2009 9:52:00 PM
This is pricey for a deodorant at $18, but it's worth every penny. It's the only antiperspirant/deodorant that has stopped my underarm perspiration. I'm tempted to roll it on my feet! It has a nice scent that does not overpower any perfume or lotion you might be wearing. Takes a couple minutes to dry, but you only need a tiny bit--it does take a little practice to not over-apply. I have not had any problems with white residue on my clothing, either. Will definitely repurchase!
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Other -BeneFit Cosmetics - Shower Cap
TwoBostons 5/27/2009
Okay, so when I got this in my Benefit GWP I thought....yeah, whatever. I haven't used a shower cap since I was 5, so I thought for sure I'd get rid of it. Wrong!!! This cap is so darned cute! It's the pink Bathina cap, and it is so over the top retro it's adorable. Makes me feel like a 50's pin-up girl. It's big enough to contain my hair (I have a lot of it) and keep all the edges dry. I color my hair, so I don't wash it every day, and this showercap has been a lifesaver for second-day hair. It had a little of that plastic-y smell at first, but I just washed it out and spritzed a little perfume on it--good to go. Love that the exterior is fabric, keeps me from feeling like an extra in a cheapy dentist horror flick! Would definitely repurchase, for myself and friends.
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Lip Liners -Bobbi Brown - Creamy Lip Liner--Brownie Pink
TwoBostons 5/22/2009 11:54:00 PM
I love this liner! It is the exact color of my lips, and perfect for any of the 'my lips but better' lipsticks and glosses I have. For reference, I am Warm Sand in BB foundations. This liner is a pinkish nude shade. It is a pinker shade of Brownie, and would work well on many complexions as the pink is a very neutral one and not at all rose or bubble gum looking. It comes in a box with cap and it's own sharpener. The only complaint I have is the same one I have with Bobbi's other lipliners--they are made of wood, which in my experience makes them more likely to dry out sooner. That being said, I would not hesitate to repurchase this and recommend it to my friends!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Laura Mercier - Foundation Primer Oil -Free
TwoBostons 5/22/2009 11:46:00 PM
I've used this primer for the past two weeks, and it does not make me break out!!! (I can't use smashbox, for example). My liquid foundation goes on more smoothly and lasts a bit longer, but the primer does not seem to provide any oil control. There is a visible difference in the look of my makeup when I use this--it gives a much more 'airbrushed' appearance. I do need to touch up with powder about halfway through the day as this seems to make me shinier than without. Only a tiny amount of the primer is needed for my whole face, so the tube ought to last a long time. I'm on the fence about repurchasing, though, because I'd like a bit more in the way of oil control.
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