Scrubs -Remede - sweep
nlam 3/24/2005 11:12:00 AM
this product's reviews are SO varied! well, my experience is varied, too. i'd definitely buy again even though the price is frankly ridiculous, simply because i've tried many other facial scrubs and have never had results like this. that said, i think this is a very specific product. i can only use it on oily areas (for me, around the nose and chin) where a good thorough scrubbing feels SO AWESOME. wow - the tiny marble particles really get in there and i feel smoother and more refreshed than i've ever felt! however, if i try to use it on normal areas, it results in irritation and bumpiness. probably too chafing. i suggest using this in the shower, where ambient steam can soften and prep skin for this treatment. otherwise, it might be too harsh. anyway, i use this maybe once every 2 weeks, and only require a pearl-sized amount, so the tube will last forever.
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Eye Shadow -Chantecaille - lasting eye shade - sesame
nlam 3/24/2005 12:50:00 AM
i don't generally wear eye shadow but on special occasions, i really enjoy this product. i'm very naive about eye shadow in general: the sales associate told me that it's important to first prime your eyelid with a neutral shade to "smooth the look" - and this is great! sesame blends subtly with my skin tone (medium asian, chantecaille 'warm' in real skin) but brightens the eyelid in preparation for an accent shade (i have chantecaille's 'cola' for that purpose). like all other chantecaille products i've tried, the look and feel of this eye shadow is amazing. it's somehow soothing to the skin! would definitely buy again.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Origins - Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Souffle
nlam 3/21/2005 8:17:00 PM
i love this product, but don't much care for the plastic tub. wish it came in a pump bottle as i think that would be a bit neater, and give one better control over the amount used. anyway, it's expensive considering it's just a body cream, but worth the rare splurge just for the heavenly fresh grapefruit scent! i agree with a prior reviewer that most other product lines add things to sweeten the tang of citrus, and i'm glad that origins doesn't succumb. i don't know anything about aromatherapy, but this does make me feel invigorated! light and VERY smooth in texture, absorbs well, and leaves a lingering fresh smell. good for moisturizing in summer, probably not emollient enough for winter use.
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Lipstick -Chantecaille - Sequoia
nlam 3/21/2005 8:08:00 PM
well, this is probably as close as i'll ever get to a 'perfect' lipstick! i'm still hoping, but i'm pretty happy with this. i bought it for a special occasion last year (i'm still relatively inexperienced in the lipstick department) and have found it to be really amazing. as an asian with highly pigmented lips and a medium complexion, i find buying lip color really challenging. aesthetically, i'm attracted to pinks and less saturated, lighter colors, but those really wash me out. i hate looking like i have blue lips. :( this lipstick, on top of being packaged in the most beautiful and ergonomically correct metallic tube, has pretty much everything i'd want in a lipstick. it goes on silkily, stays put, and is so high in pigment that i can wear it any number of ways, depending on how much product i apply (or if i put balm underneath). it doesn't make me look dead, and i feel happy wearing it. on me, it looks like a rich berry shade. it has superb emollient qualities, and i like the botanical scent. expensive but worth it.
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Lipstick -Shu Uemura - wine bordeaux s279
nlam 3/21/2005 7:58:00 PM
i bought this because i saw it on someone who has coloring similar to myself (asian, medium skin), and it looked smashing on her! however, now i realize that her lips are probably not as highly pigmented as mine. in the tube, this is a beautiful rich red-brown. on me, however, this lipstick looks too dark. in certain lights, it has a purple cast, which is NOT the look i'm going for... that said, i'm giving it points for being high quality: having a nice sheer formulation, feeling great going on, lasting well, and being sold in a really cute clear plastic tube. i'm sure it works well for people who don't share my coloring!
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Lipstick -Bobbi Brown - Soft Rose
nlam 3/21/2005 7:44:00 PM
i have the hardest time with lipsticks! i would love to find one that blows me away with how perfect it looks on me, but as an asian with medium skin and highly pigmented lips, i am often disappointed. pinks and neutrals either disappear completely, or make me look like a cadaver when i apply them. i was pleasantly surprised when the sales associate at bobbi brown applied this. on me, it's a very cool saturated pink and doesn't go all blue and weird like other light colors do. i use it when i'm feeling happy, on sunny mornings. i like it, but won't buy again as i'm still searching...
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Neutrogena - Norwegian Formula body moisturizer
nlam 3/21/2005 7:17:00 PM
i've been using this moisturizer for years and have absolutely no complaints. i don't have particularly dry or oily skin, bodywise, and thus only need this in winter. it's a great product; i get the scent-free one since the regular formulation smells odd to me. i don't use very much, and it keeps the scalies away. a bargain at the drugstore, and i'm giving it a '4' instead of a '5' because i'm not crazy about the packaging! a trustworthy but utilitarian product.
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Styling Products -Bumble & Bumble - Styling Creme
nlam 3/21/2005 6:20:00 PM
i have shoulder-length, stick-straight, thick asian hair and i really like this product. i use it mainly to impart manageability, which it does very well. hairwise, i'm pretty low-maintenance (usually just shower, then brush hair and pull back into a knot for work, OR blow dry with a round boar-bristle brush if i'm letting it down). if i don't use anything in my hair after showering, my hair tends toward VERY coarse texture as it dries, and becomes almost impossible to manage. this styling creme makes a huge positive difference in the way my hair looks! i find that my hair is softer, smoother, and stays where i want it. the product is light in texture, with almost no scent, and doesn't weigh my hair down. highly recommended. i'm neutral on the packaging.
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Eyeliner -Shu Uemura - refillable eyeliner in black
nlam 3/21/2005 4:31:00 PM
had to update - after 5 years, this is my HG eyeliner. the formulation is like a pencil, but ever so slightly more creamy once it's used (the tip is kind of sharp and dry as it comes out of the box). great control, deep true color, and smudges easily to create whatever look you want. my only problem has been that when it's humid or hot, i do get unwanted smudging (because my eyelids tend toward oiliness). in any case, pretty and convenient packaging (i hate having to sharpen things).
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Eyes -Mavala - Eye-Lite - blue eye drops
nlam 3/21/2005 4:23:00 PM
i'm freaked out to read prior posts regarding the product recall in 9-04! i bought this online for a special occasion in 8-04 and since that time have used it about 4 times. i have no complaints, but it seems that regular visine will do the trick equally well. it sits in my medicine cabinet and hasn't developed any weird cloudiness, so i'll probably use it up and then move on.
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Blush -NARS - The Multiple in Portofino
nlam 3/21/2005 4:17:00 PM
a beautiful warm pink-peachy shade (with a VERY subtle gold shimmer) in a convenient formulation. this creamy stick product goes on smoothly, blends well, and ends in a light powdery finish. i only use it as a blush, as i find it too drying to use on lips (and it's too red to use next to my brown eyes). i have medium asian skin and this product makes me look really refreshed and alive. the only reason i won't be buying this again is that it's HUGE, i don't wear blush too often, and i'm dying to try the new chantecaille aquablush colors when they come out.
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Crème -Chantecaille - Future Skin
nlam 3/21/2005 4:10:00 PM
this is a product for those who like a bit more coverage than that offered by chantecaille's real skin foundation. i have it in 'nude' and though i don't have perfect skin by any stretch of the imagination, i prefer a lighter-feeling foundation than this. i don't care for the packaging, in agreement with prior posts that the pot can be messy and less hygienic. that said, this is a great product for combination skin (it's oil free), and it really does what it's supposed to do (cover and give a flawless finish). as with all chantecaille products, it screams high quality ingredients. for those reasons, i'll give it a '4' but won't be buying it again for myself. oh, and its gel formulation was so loose that i had some streaking if i used it too soon after moisturizing. i'd wait a bit before applying.
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Powder -Shu Uemura - colorless
nlam 3/21/2005 3:56:00 PM
this translucent loose powder has been a mainstay for years. i have it in a clear plastic canister with a black screw-top. i think it came with a puff, but instead i use the shu uemura b20 brush to apply in the mornings. it's weightless and imparts a really natural, flawless look. i have medium asian skin, but really anyone could wear this. no worries about clumping or streaking, and it's fairly odor-neutral, which i like. has never caused a breakout for me. you don't need to use a lot. the only downside: not convenient for travel in this canister, as the powder gets shaken into the top and then is extremely difficult to get back into the bottom compartment! update: have been using this HG powder for about 10 years. still love it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Crème -Chantecaille - Real Skin SPF30 (reformulated)
nlam 3/20/2005 10:24:00 PM
wonderful, amazing product that i would use on its own if i could, but alas - i need more coverage on some scarring and must supplement this with chantecaille's new stick concealer. that said, i think this is the best, most natural looking foundation i've ever tried. echoing prior reviewers, it is not an unnatural matte but is slightly dewy. for my asian skin, 'warm' has been a beautiful match, and wearing it i feel as if i've just arisen from a sustaining, decade-long nap!
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Concealers -Chantecaille - Total Concealer
nlam 3/20/2005 10:00:00 PM
underwhelmed by this product. am not crazy about having to use a brush to get the stuff out of the tiny pot, but that would've been ok if it actually concealed blemishes. i've found it fine for under-eye circles, but actually prefer chantecaille's new stick concealer as it's much easier to apply. i have this in 'nude' and it is a great color for my medium asian skin, but again - only for under-eye. as with all chantecaille products, feels wonderful going on and doesn't cause any breakouts for me. will not buy again, but would recommend it to those without the need for serious coverage.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No