Moisturizers -Cellex-C - Sea Silk Oil-Free Moisturizer
serrabird 3/17/2009 9:14:00 AM
Quite a nice daytime moisturizer for dehydrated oily skin. Has a moderate level of active ingredients and does not create a film over your skin because it has no silicones. It stays very well under makeup and feels very light. Apart from these, it does nothing more than moisturize, therefore you need to combine it with serums to get results. Cellex-C states on the packaging that Sea Silk is the trade name for Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein. Aqua, Jojoba Esters, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Enteromorpha Compressa, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Polysorbate-20, Plancton, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, Amyl Cinnamal, Frangula Alnus, Benzyl Salicylate, Geraniol, Nasturtium Officinale, Dimethyl MEA, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methypropional, Phenoxyethanol, Carbopol, Hydroxycitronellal, Codium Tomentosum, Allantoin, Macrocystis Pyrifera, Limonene, Ulva Lactuca, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Parfum, Cl 61570, Cl 42090
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Treatments -Clinique - repairwear intensive lip treatment
serrabird 3/16/2009 5:55:00 AM
I first received this as a very generous GWP and have been using it ever since. I love this lip balm, not at all like Vaseline, Rosebud Salve etc, but a proper lip balm as it should be: Very fine in texture, goes very sheer and smooth on your lips, moisturizes, stays there for ages without getting all sticky and buttery. Has no smell or taste. I hope Clinique does not discontinue this lip balm as they seem to like doing so with so many of their better products.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Chantecaille - Stress Repair Concentre
serrabird 3/13/2009 7:39:00 PM
I am SO glad I didn't splurge £145 (ouch!) on this eye cream but combined all 6 sachets of samples I received in an old Guerlain eye cream pot, giving me more or less the full-size. I recently switched to Chantecaille in skincare and seeing the amount they charge for a tiny pot of cream, I was expecting fireworks. Well, damp matches more like. I have been using this eye cream for the last month and it did absolutely nothing on my dark circles, and puffiness. I actually noticed it caused additional puffiness on my under eye area. I must say I am very careful in using eye creams: Never too much product, only on the orbital bone area, never on eyelids or under the lashes, never rub in but pat, so on so forth. La Mer Eye Concentrate (the dark green one with the silver applicator) is a far, far better product with much higher concentrations of active ingredients and does so much better for my eyes in a very short time. Also, why Chantecaille does not include a spatula in a £145 eye cream packaging is beyond me. Save your money for a better alternative.
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Scrubs -Dermalogica - Daily Microfoliant
serrabird 3/13/2009 6:45:00 AM
Amazing product. Fast becoming my HG product although Dermalogica does not work for me in general. I had a rough patch on my forehead due to dehydration - too much wine recently. I was really sceptical as to how effective DM would be. It has been two days and I'm totally blown away. After removing my makeup with Shu Uemura A/O, I dry my face and put about a teaspoonful of DM on wet palms. It immediately becomes a smooth paste. I massage my face for a while, then rinse it off. It is helping with the congestion on my chin drastically - I realise I wasn't sufficiently exfoliating my skin and Shu Uemura tends to leave a residue. I'm going out to get an emergency stash today, just in case!
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Moisturizers -Clinique - Superdefense SPF 25 Age Defense Moisturizer
serrabird 3/12/2009 9:03:00 PM
I found that I have numerous huge deluxe samples of SuperDefense 25 as GWP, I had totally forgotten them! I tried both skin type 2 and 3&4 versions and loved them both. Much better than DayWear for me, which I like as well but find a bit on the heavier side. Not this one. Both versions are oil-free and neither irritates or clogs up like most other SPF creams. I like Clinique's new generation products in general and this is especially good for that vital urban protection.
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Cleansers -Shu Uemura - High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula
serrabird 3/11/2009 8:53:00 PM
I absolutely love Shu Uemura's oils. All other makeup removers feel inferior once you experience the cleansing power of these oils. All makeup, sunscreen, mascara, heavy eye makeup are all effortlessly washed away. That said, you have to try out the different formulations and find the one that suits your skin best. When you first read the ingredients list on the bottles they appear very similar, however the results are quite different. I have tried 3 of these oils so far for my combination skin: The pink one for oily-combination skin, the green A/O and light yellow Advanced Formula. Forget the oil skin formulation. Advanced Formula and A/O are absolute winners. What I especially like about Advanced Formula is that it leaves your skin without any film or residue once you rinse it off. I put 5 pumps on dry hands, massage it for about 1 min on my face, neck, decollete and everywhere else I have sunscreen on. Then I add warm water to emulsify and I wash it off with warm water. To remove any oily residue on skin, I continue with Jan Marini Bioglycolic or Elemis Tri-Enzyme wash as recommended by my skincare specialist. These oils are really pricey, but it is better value if you buy the big bottles and the cleansing it provides cannot compare with edible oils such as olive oil.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Styling Tools -Unlisted Brand - Corioliss
serrabird 3/9/2009 8:23:00 AM
Very mediocre, highly over-hyped straightener. They try to jump on the bandwagon of unique marketing by claiming that because the plates are titanium-coated, it kills the germs on your hair. What? Who said I wanted to sterilize my hair, just do the job please?!! Besides, can any germ stand 200C heat anyway?! My smooth curly hair ends up coarse and frizzy, it also tends to burn the hairshaft. It can't even compare with GHD straighteners, don't waste your money on such a stupid marketing ploy.
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Bronzers -The Body Shop - Brush-On Bronze Beads
serrabird 3/4/2009 8:49:00 PM
I am really getting more and more impressed by Body Shop's makeup line. Not all their makeup products are great, but the good ones are really good. Their Bronzing Beads is one of them. I have it in the darker shade and it is fantastic to highlight already tanned skin. The colour is so good that I apply it on my chest, collar bones, arms and even legs. The beads are very compact so the jar lasts and lasts. I also use it quite light handed when I'm pale in the winter, it is one of the best bronzers I have.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -The Body Shop - Cocoa Butter Body Scrub
serrabird 3/4/2009 8:41:00 PM
I received a full-size as a GWP before I went on holiday ad used it everyday to exfoliate after the beach. It is a great body scrub. I don't like their sugar-based scrubs as they melt away and don't exfoliate so well, therefore I much prefer this one. Expensive like all Body Shop products, but the jar lasts a long time.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Olive Body Butter
serrabird 3/4/2009 8:37:00 PM
This is the first ever Body Butter that was introduced exactly 10 years ago and it is responsible of the whole body butter craze in the cosmetic industry. I have been using this on and off for 10 years and although I am not a fan of the smell, I love the light texture. It moisturizes very well, without any heaviness or stickiness and heals any irritation from shaving, etc.
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Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Body Butter - Cocoa Butter
serrabird 3/4/2009 8:29:00 PM
OMG I could eat this stuff it smells so yummy! My husband says I smell like a giant cake. It is rich but not too greasy and sticky like Mango Butter. I love it especially during the summer after sunbathing.
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Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Mango Body Butter
serrabird 3/4/2009 7:52:00 PM
Smells soo yummy you could eat it. I wish it was yummy on my skin, too. It just is too thick and sticky even for my very dry legs. I tried it in winter, it stuck on my pijamas. I tried it in summer after sunbathing which dries my skin very badly but I needed to shower again after a couple of hours as it felt so uncomfortable. Brazil Nut BB is much better for me.
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Masks -LUSH - Cosmetic Warrior Mask
serrabird 3/4/2009 7:43:00 PM
This is hands down the BEST mask you can get for breakouts and irritation. I cannot rave enough. I use in in conjunction with Cupcake. It treats acne in literally hours and prevents new ones from forming. It reduces cystic acne drastically, completely clears away whiteheads and redheads. I have been using it for about 2 years now and I got used to the smell. Garlic is an extremely powerful antibacterial, antibiotic and antiviral agent and combined with tea tree oil, it is like acne warfare. Sometimes I get breakouts from my heroic cosmetic adventures and I immediately rush for my emergency stash. In a few hours, my skin is restored to a healthy glow and all breakouts are gone.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -LUSH - Catastrophe Cosmetic
serrabird 3/4/2009 7:32:00 PM
I LOVE this mask! I realized that you need to apply Lush masks consecutively and that's how they work best. I start with Cupcake, follow with Cosmetic Warfare and finish with this one. It really calms and softens the skin for days on end. I doubt that the blueberries do anything in such a heavily clay laden environment and am pretty sure the pink hue comes not from blueberries but the synthetic colouring (read the ingredient list) but still, this is one of my favourite Lush products that I always repeat buy.
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Masks -LUSH - Cupcake Mask
serrabird 3/4/2009 7:25:00 PM
This is my HG mask and definitely my top Lush product. I use it along with Cosmetic Warfare and they helped transform my skin. I never run out of them and use regularly. Recently I sampled Shiseido's Benefiance Massage Mask, which was horrible and broke me out instantly. The next morning I woke up with two cystic acne, whiteheads, angry irritation on my cheeks and almost felt like crying as my skin was finally so flawless after switching to Chantecaille. I immediately rushed for my emergency stash and all irritation was gone in minutes. All acne was cleared away the next morning. You do not need drying masks to clarify your skin, actually they will induce your skin to produce more oil to replenish. This yummy mask leaves your skin silky, fresh, clean and glowing. It feels like putting cocoa cake mix on your face and performs way better than top-end masks, e.g. Eve Lom or Chantecaille.
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