Liquid -La Mer - Skincolor De La Mer The Treatment Fluid Foundation SPF 15
asortafairytale 10/29/2009 10:27:00 PM
great, great foundation. medium coverage (wont completely cover blemishes but will definitely even out your skin tone and any redness), not greasy, very blendable. LOVE the bottle and pump, its pretty heavy glass, I like it. Perfect match on the color. I chose porcelain - the lightest shade. I generally take the lightest shade of foundation. I dont have super white skin, but I am very fair-skinned (irish). The ingredients are impressive, lots of antioxidants, peptides, and a gentle sunscreen. the foundation never gets cakey. it seems a bit dewy and will stay that way unless you use a powder on top. I am already 1/3 through this bottle, and I bought it about 6 weeks ago. I use about 3 pumps every day, but I think most people could use less. (I like to build the coverage a bit). the price is scary ($85), I'll never tell my husband how much I paid for it, lol. but a good foundation is like a good bra, it will make everything else on top of it look so much better, and is worth the investment. I dont think its oil-free, but it has never given me pimples, and Im very prone to that.******* update 2/18/10 ****** finally I am done with the bottle, and would definitely repurchase. I scraped out the bottle with a qtip to get the remaining bits! Ive never finished a bottle of foundation so quickly because I jump around so much with makeup. but I was always reaching for this one! LOVE *********update #2, 01/16/2011****** I just repurchased this. The price kept me from buying it again sooner. It is a great foundation. I also tried Lancome Teint Miracle, and I actually think that is a superior foundation in terms of finish. But La Mer is still excellent. BUT - when using the La Mer fluide along with the La Mer concealer and translucent loose powder, the finish is fantastic. Its like they were made to be used together. The Lancome is better if used without powder or concealer though.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Estee Lauder - Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser
asortafairytale 10/29/2009 7:43:00 PM
I agree with chanel277 below - this is a fantastic cleansing foam. its marketed for dry skin, but really its probably best for normal/combination types. Ive tried their sparkling clean cleansing foam (for oily skin) and although I liked it, it would make my skin feel "squeaky clean" and in winter it is too drying. This Soft Clean though, it cleans and takes off makeup perfectly, washes off perfectly, without a squeaky clean feel. it leaves no residue either. just clean skin afterwards. It IS very fragranced though, but its a nice fragrance. Lovely! A little goes a LONG way so it will last a very long time.
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Moisturizers -Clinique - Comfort On Call [DISCONTINUED]
asortafairytale 10/21/2009 7:19:00 PM
No breakouts or clogs, and that is saying something for me! I have dry, very acne prone skin. I can also use creme de la mer without breaking out, but that is very expensive. so this is my 2nd choice for a moderately-heavy moisturizer, and is only $40 for 1.7 oz jar. The consistency is like a body butter, so I thought it would be greasy, but it isnt. soaks right in. PERFECT for winter and colder seasons. Did not sting my skin and I love how its SPF free. it has dimethicone as opposed to mineral oil for the occlusive ingredient, but yet it didnt have a silicone feeling to it like some serums do. I like it. This is one of those creams you should definitely try when your skin is wind-chapped, red, irritated, dehydrated... and it wont break you out. Put this on right after the shower while your skin is still damp and it will help lock in the moisture. It didnt moisturize ALL day, though - by the end of the day my concealer beneath my eyes was just a tiny bit dry looking, but everywhere else was still fresh looking. Creme de la mer is still my #1 moisturizing cream, but this is definitely very very good as well. ********* update 10/29/09 ******** I actually think this CLEARED my skin somehow. this stuff is awesome. The BEST face cream for winter skin (well, for under $50).
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Misc Beauty Tools -Clarisonic - Mia
asortafairytale 10/21/2009 7:09:00 PM
awesome little brush. I finally found it in-store at sephora so I bought it. a couple years ago before the oprah-induced craze for the clarisonic I had the full-sized one, but I thought it was too clunky, and the power charger base for it wasnt awesome to travel with, and so I stopped using it and sold mine on ebay. now that they have the little mia, thought how perfect, and I missed how it exfoliated without being harsh. The mia is great, I like the one button, I like the lack of beeps, I like how tiny the charger is. my only gripe is that I wish the magnet was a little stronger on it (i.e., I wish the magnet could support the weight of the mia so if it dangled, it wouldnt fall off). my skin has cleared up since starting it too. I think its keeping my pores unclogged (my biggest skin concern). I dont like the cleanser that comes with it though - I need a foaming cleanser.... Anyway, SO glad they came up with the Mia. I travel a ton for work so this is so easy to pack. ******** update 10/29/09 ********* still love this, but its a little too much for my skin 2x a day. a bit too much exfoliation. dont regret the purchase though!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -La Roche Posay - Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15
asortafairytale 8/30/2009 7:44:00 PM
I buy the 'water resistant' version, which looks and feels exactly the same, its just they replaced the blue with orange on the packaging, and there is 1% more mexoryl than the original. it feels the same as the original, and same price, I cant tell any difference. This is my HG moisturizer/sunscreen! this is the highest PPD sunscreen sold in the united states too. Moisture is perfect for my dry skin, although on really hot summer days I have to cut back a little. In winter its perfect. Im glad I can get it at CVS. I'll buy this over and over again. One tube lasts 2 or 3 months if I use it everyday. Im very acne prone, and this has never broken me out or clogged my pores! the only downside, it sometimes gets in my eye and makes it water/sting. but I just have to be careful not to get it on my eyelashes (since I use sunscreen around my eyes to prevent wrinkles)
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Masks -Unlisted Brand - Sea Salt Mask
asortafairytale 8/19/2009 8:46:00 PM
hate to be a downer... I tried this as a quick "mask" to help dry up my acne, since Ive also had the experience of being at the beach clearing up my skin... well this made my blemishes raw and scabby. which would have been OK as long as they dried up and went away afterwards, but they didnt. this was a huge mistake. Think twice.... or at least spot treat first.
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Treatments -Kinerase - Clear Skin Treatment Serum
asortafairytale 8/11/2009 6:37:00 PM
smells like cat spit after its licked its butt. (seriously) but wow it works. I had this bottle for a few months, dont know why I stopped using it (I get bored with skincare and switch often, to the detriment of my skin). Ive been breaking out pretty bad the past month or so.. Found this in my closet, along with the clear skin moisture light, and the clear skin regulating mask, and also the kinerase cleanser. been using the whole gamut, and my skin has cleared up significantly the past 4 or 5 days. I mostly had clogged pores on my forehead and cheeks (near my nose). this has really helped dry them up so they flake off. What I love is that its gentle and effective. But WOW its expensive. though there are many places online that sell it at a discount.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -La Roche Posay - Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid
asortafairytale 8/8/2009 8:20:00 PM
This is the new US Anthelios SPF 60 that was introduced May 2009. Ive been frustrated with sunscreens lately, it seems like most clog me or break me out. I bought this because it was advertised as being very very light with a matte finish, good for combination skin. Also, the decent UVA protection was a plus. I love the LRP Anthelios SX SPF15 but that is way to heavy for summer, and is mostly a moisturizer. But this Anthelios 60 is NOT a moisturizer. Its a very thin, milky fluid. It is VERY similar to DHC White Sunscreen SPF 25, and also very similar to Clarins UV Plus SPF 40. It dries pretty quickly, and it is fairly matte. You want to make sure to moisturize under it though. My skin did not get oily at ALL during the day, there was absolutely no oil breakthrough, and my nose always gets shiny! This sunscreen does stay put. (Though not as tough as shiseido) Also, there is no funny smell, no burning, no "hot" feeling like I get with neutrogena dry touch, no irritation whatsoever. Hopefully this wont clog me, I will update if it does. I paid $27 for 1.7oz bottle. You need to shake the bottle, and the opening is a little nozzle tip so it wont come out all at once, which is great. Now if only they could replace the oxybenzone with mexoryl.... Active Ingredients: Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 15%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 5%, Oxybenzone 6%. Other Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Silica, Dicaprylyl Ether, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Nylon-12, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Phenoxyethanol, Lauryl PEG/PPG-18/18 Methicone, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Methylparaben, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Disodium EDTA, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Dodecene, Poloxamer 407 ******* update 10/29/09********* unfortunately the silicones clogged some pores with daily use. nothing major, but enough that I stopped using it. Its still a GREAT sunscreen that I will keep around for days when I need high SPF on my face that is water resistant. Keeping the rating at a 5 for that.
16 out of 16 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Clinique - Clarifying Lotion #2
asortafairytale 8/2/2009 7:57:00 PM
I love when I can find the large bottles with the "pump" lid so you dont have to unscrew the cap... but they're hard to find in stores. Anyway, this toner is good for oily non-sensitive skin that needs some refreshing. I dont know why they market this for dry skin though, it would be too much, especially with the menthol. there arent really any beneficial ingredients, but it will help de-flake. I prefer the #1 toner to this one though. but this is OK. Has a nice tingle.****** update 10/29/09 ****** I can use this for just a few days then my skin starts behaving badly with redness, irritation, and dryness. its good for now and then, but on a daily basis? no way.
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Cleansers -Clinique - Liquid Facial Soap - Mild
asortafairytale 8/2/2009 4:32:00 PM
Best foaming cleanser ever. Takes off makeup, skin feels clean, but not stripped or "squeaky" clean (hate that), relative inexpensive ($15 for 6.7oz), no annoying smell, and pump bottle with a cap that locks in place. AND its easy to find. Its also very gentle. I used the extra mild version too but that burned my skin. I have purchased this many, many times. Its my go-to simple, gentle foaming cleanser.**** update 10/29/09 ***** this is still a very nice cleanser. a great "generic" no frills, will get your makeup off without overdrying, cleanser. a bit boring, but boring is good sometimes.
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Masks -Clinique - Acne Solutions Oil Control Cleansing Mask
asortafairytale 7/31/2009 10:46:00 PM
Not a bad mask. Unlike clinique's other mask (the emergency mask) this has no menthol. Instead it has 1.0% salicylic acid. Other than that, they are the same consistency. My skin was not irritated after using it, and it seems to soak up excess oil. My skin even felt calmer after rinsing this off, less red. I wish this had sulfur in it to help more with acne, though. I like the flip-cap. The price is ok, about $20. You dont need much and its a big tube. I found this at sephora in-store, since clinique.com is not listing it yet. its one of the few items in the Acne Solutions line I would consider repurchasing. ******* update 10/29/09****** DO NOT (!!!) leave this on your skin longer than 5 minutes!!! otherwise it will be extremely drying. what it did to me was completely destroy the moisture barrier in my skin, left it red, raw, and wrinkled looking. days later I had skin peeling under my eyes so my concealer looked like crap. This is good if you have oily skin and want a quick facial. other than that, I wont use it very often at all! I like masks you can leave on all day on a saturday while you're doing laundry or cleaning etc... this is NOT one of those masks...
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Clinique - Acne Solutions Clarifying Lotion
asortafairytale 7/31/2009 10:40:00 PM
awful. this might be good if your skin is so oily that nothing can control it... I want to know what makes clinique think that just because you have acne you have oily skin? this stuff irritated my acne more than it helped make it go away. Maybe on a 110-degree , humid day I'd use this, but other than that? no way.
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Moisturizers -Clinique - Superdefense SPF 25 Age Defense-Combo Oily to Oily
asortafairytale 7/31/2009 5:52:00 PM
LOVE this! Wow. It goes on wonderfully, soaks in very well, no stickiness, no white cast, no funny smell. The old superdefense just sort of sat on your skin and didnt sink in, Im glad they reformulated. It has great UVA/UVB protection, and uses stable sunscreens. Lots of very good antioxidants (including ferulic acid, different forms of vit C and E, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, to name a few...) Plus, my nose usually gets very shiny by the end of the day, and when I use this, it doesnt. I dont think there are oil-controlling ingredients, because it DOES moisturize. But its the perfect balance. If you're sensitive to avobenzone, this might sting you. The only thing I dont like is that its in a jar, and that its so expensive ($42!!! for only 1.7oz!!!) When will clinique realize that they shouldnt be putting such great creams in jars? I would much prefer a pump bottle or a squeeze tube.******* update 10/29/09 ****** this is just OK. I hate that its in jar especially because its not thick, it really deserves a tube or a pump because its thin consistency. It also is similar to estee lauder daywear in that it can leave a layer of oily feeling on top of your skin like it doesnt soak in all the way. though its not as bad as the old superdefense.
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Scrubs -Clinique - Exfoliating Scrub
asortafairytale 7/30/2009 9:08:00 PM
this feels like an at-home microdermabrasion scrub (almost like the one by mary kay). It does have menthol in it, but it wakes me up in the morning. My skin is very smooth and more even looking after using this. I have acne prone skin and the exfoliation helps keep it clear. Love the tube and flip cap. This stuff will last you a very long time. I bought it so long ago I forgot how much I paid ($16-ish?) well worth it.
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Liquid -Clinique - Even Better Makeup SPF 15
asortafairytale 7/30/2009 7:38:00 PM
not a bad foundation. I give it a 4/5 because it can be just slightly chalky looking at the end of the day, but I think that is due to the mineral sunscreens in it. but its minor. hasnt broken me out. havent used it long enough to notice skin brightening effects. I love the packaging with the little nozzle tip. color match is great (I got the lightest and Im very fair/neutral-pink undertones).
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