Lotions/ Creams -Fresh - Pink Jasmine Body Cream
tnlfraz0820 3/22/2008 11:19:00 AM
I had a sample of this from Fresh which I decided to try and indulge myself in recently. The pink jasmine body cream smells very similiar to the perfume, a sweet and light floral that quickly became very cloying to me, a surprise since I am not usually so sensitive to scents. The cream itself has a buttery, rich texture that seemed to "melt" when I smoothed it first in my hands and then applied over my skin. On my normal, not too dry legs this product seemed to absorb quickly, but I was left with a slightly greasy feeling on my skin - not a good sign. Overnight, the greasiness disappeared, but whether it was because the cream absorbed into my skin or rubbed off onto my sheets, I'm still not sure of. The end result of using this was smooth and soft skin, but not the smoothest or softest skin I've had. Would I ever buy a full size jar of this? No way! It's way too expensive for what it does, just like I have found many other Fresh products to do.
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Tinted Moisturizer -Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Enhancer SPF 20
tnlfraz0820 3/16/2008 9:44:00 PM
Love, love, love this amazing little drugstore find! I was browsing the makeup aisles while waiting for a prescription one day and happened upon this product. I was immediately sucked in by the SPF 20, but also the retinol that this product gives, not to mention the $10 price tag. I picked this up in ivory to fair, took it home to try and fell in love. It smoothes so quickly and easily into my normal/combo skin and gives my N4/NW20 complexion a soft, dewy look that isn't at all shiny or oily. I then use a bit of powder on my nose and forehead to help set the product, but this stuff lasts all day. Hasn't caused any irritation to my face, other than the day I accidentally got a bit in my eye, and makes my skin feel soft and smooth. I can't really comment on the benefits of the retinol, since I am primarily using this as a preventative measure, but I can say that the moisturizer in this is probably not enough for dry skin, since I will often squirt some of my Clinique moisture surge face spray on before using this. However, I do love this stuff, despite it's less than stellar moisturizing properties and will continue to buy again and again!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -Laura Geller - Balance And Bronze Split Compact
tnlfraz0820 3/16/2008 9:36:00 PM
This product was my first experience with Laura Gellar makeup. I was at Sephora this weekend, looking for a shimmery bronzer that would warm up my extremely fair (N4/NW20) skin without looking orange. I originally had my heart set on Laura Gellar's new Sunswept compact, which seemed to be exactly what I was looking for. However, since Sunswept was out of stock and I was impatient for a bronzer, I settled on this one, thinking that since it was split into half bronzer, half balancing foundation it would be suitable for my pale skin. But to my dismay, after hurriedly trying it on in the car and at home, this was just way too dark for me. Even when I just barely sweep my brush into the compact and apply on the apples of my cheeks and my forehead, it's just too much for me. Another factor of this bronzer that I wasn't too psyched about was that it has no noticeable shimmer, which is not to say that I want to look like a disco ball, I just prefer a bit of glow over the muddy look that matte bronzers tend to have on me. Now, another person with a darker complexion or a preference for matte bronzers might find this one to be a treat, but I was sorely disappointed. Back to Sephora with this one.
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Lip Treatments -C.O. Bigelow - Lemon Lip Cream
tnlfraz0820 1/27/2008 12:02:00 PM
I love this stuff. I am a huge fan of lemon-scented products and I have always liked the glosses from the C.O. Bigelow line because they are filled with goodies. Since it has been brutally cold where I live, my lips have been dry, scaly, cracked, bleeding, you get the picture. Nothing seemed to really helped alleviate the dryness my lips already had, or even prevent further damage. Well, my sister bought this during the semi-annual sale at Bath and Body Works and liked it, so I gave it a try. It is a thick, very creamy gloss that felt so nice on my lips. The lemon custard scent was pleasant, but not overwhelming and tasted good. I could tell a noticeable improvement in my lips by the end of the day of wearing this. Now, I use it as a preventative measure and my lips are much smoother and softer. I will definitely rebuy this if I ever run out.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Biore - Pore Minimizing Lightweight Moisturizer [DISCONTINUED]
tnlfraz0820 1/27/2008 11:56:00 AM
Wow! I love this product! I bought this based on the reviews here, and also because I saw it featured in Allure's January (I think) issue. I have normal, slightly sensitive skin that tends to get drier in winter and although the pore-minimizing benefits sounded nice, I mainly wanted this lotion just for the SPF. Well, when I first tried this, I thought - ugh, it's going back! It had a strong watermelon scent and felt so, so, so heavy on my face. I let it absorb for about a minute and was amazed at how quickly and completely it soaked into my skin! I was also amazed at how much smoother my skin looked under my MAC studiofix. Even better still, it caused no breakouts or irritation on my face. I have been using this for about three weeks now and still adore it. I just wanted an easy-to-use product with SPF that I liked enough to slather on every day and this fits the bill completely. It may sound nerdy, but I actually look forward to using this each day. My only, very slight gripe is that it is not overly moisturizing, so sometimes I do layer another moisturizer over the drier spots on my face, but that's no biggie to me. At about $11 a bottle, I will buy this forever!!!
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Cleansers -Clinique - Liquid Facial Soap Extra Mild
tnlfraz0820 1/5/2008 1:00:00 PM
Usually I am a faithful user of Clinique's mild liquid facial soap, but during the winter my normal/combo skin tends to get very dry and sensitive so I needed something a little gentler for the time being. My first impression of this product was not so hot - it didn't do a very good job of removing makeup (I had worn Clinique's almost makeup liquid foundation w/sunscreen that day), and it also felt a little greasy and irritated my eyes (I wear contacts, btw). Nonetheless, I love Clinique and almost all of their products, so I continued to stick it out with this cleanser. What I have found after using it now for about 2 weeks is that it does remove makeup much better when I do not wet my face first and apply it on dry skin. However, it still tends to irritate my eyes and often, my skin is still left feeling dry and dull, if that makes sense. Overall, I wasn't impressed with this cleanser and don't think I will repurchase it. There are better non-foaming cleansers out there!
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Powder -MAC - Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
tnlfraz0820 12/30/2007 11:34:00 PM
I am on my 2nd compact of studio fix, and although I can't say that I am completely in love with it, I do like it quite a bit. I first started using studio fix last summer, and was determined by the SA to be between N4 and N5. I ended up going with N4 since I stay out of the sun at all costs, but during the summer months, it did end up being just a bit light on me. However, now in winter, N4 is a perfect match for me. I have normal/combo skin that is sensitive to the elements, and although every other product I have been using on my face has been irritating my skin, this has not. This is an amazingly creamy powder that applies smoothly, and although looks somewhat "heavy" at first, settles quickly into my skin and looks more natural, while evening out my skin and concealing any blemishes I may have. As far as wearability goes, by the end of my long day at school, it has pretty much worn off of my tzone and forehead, but quite frankly, I don't think there are many powders out there that would make it through 11-hour days! Overall, although this product is a little expensive, my first compact lasted about 6 months of daily use, so it's worth the money in the long run. Will continue to repurchase!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Neutrogena - Instant Nail Enhancer [DISCONTINUED]
tnlfraz0820 12/30/2007 11:16:00 PM
This is the perfect nail product to have in your purse if you are anything like me....I want to have nice nails that look pretty, but I don't really have the time or energy to put effort into making them look nice. Just a quick brush of this over each nail, and I'm left with a nice, light sheen, not nearly as shiny as if I'd applied clear polish, yet the lack of wait time for drying is worth it to me. I've found that on my nails this will last about 4-5 days before gradually wearing off. This is a bit more pricey than other ds nail polishes, but it has lasted me quite awhile. I'm curious to try this as well in the pearlescent shade that Neutrogena also offers.....
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Mascara -Clinique - high definition lashes
tnlfraz0820 12/30/2007 11:02:00 PM
Like the reviewer before me, I got this as a GWP and tossed it aside for quite awhile since I have not really been impressed with Clinique mascaras in the past. However, I decided to give this a try a few weeks back and I'm so glad I did! I have lashes that are about medium length, somewhat thin, with light tips, so it has been one of my major beauty goals to find a mascara that just puts my lashes over the top. Lancome, Diorshow, Too Faced lash injection, other Clinique mascaras, none of them really did much, and at first it seemed that this mascara would do the same. I wasn't all that impressed with the brush side of the wand because my lashes still looked pretty wimpy. However, once I went through them with the comb side......wow!!!! My lashes instantly looked twice as thick as they had previously, longer, darker, just gorgeous! Now, I must admit that I have had a few small clumps with this mascara, but nothing that a few swipes with a clean wand can't fix. Although it may be too early to say for sure, I've got my fingers crossed that this mascara will keep it up! If it does, it will definitely become HG in my book!
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Treatments -Sexy Hair Concepts - Pumpkin Potion Leave-In with Ginger Root
tnlfraz0820 12/5/2007 8:34:00 PM
So I was being optimistic with this product and gave it a 4 when really I feel that it truly deserves a 3 1/2. What I do like about this product is that it does smell yummy, very spicy and warm, and just a little bit goes a long ways towards softening my hair. However, with that being said, it is easy to overdo this product, and I really have to be careful to keep it out of my bangs or they will clump together and look greasy. Overall, I would possibly repurchase this, but since I only use a dime-sized amount on my thick, just past my shoulders-length hair, I don't see myself buying this one again for awhile!
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Blush -MAC - Sheertone Blush Pink Swoon
tnlfraz0820 7/26/2007 9:04:00 PM
This is a nice blush if you are looking for a natural, flushed look w/o shimmer. Even though pink swoon is almost shockingly bright pink in the pan, on my N4/NW20 skin, it gives me just a bit of natural, pretty pink color. It can also be layered easily. I like to use this, then brush some of Cargo's bronzer in medium over the apples of my cheeks for a pretty summer glow. Would repurchase.
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Lotions/ Creams -Olay - Age Transform Body Creme Serum
tnlfraz0820 7/25/2007 2:04:00 PM
I am 22 and bought this as a preventative measure since it contains a combo of Vitamin C, green tea, and grapeseed extracts in a light serum. Even though this is called a "serum", I do think the consistency of this light, peach colored product may be better described as a lotion. It absorbs quickly, and leaves a lingering lavender scent behind that manages to last for several hours without being overwhelming or barely noticeable. This product does contain shimmer, however the shimmer particles are so small that I honestly did not even notice them on my skin until I was out in the sunlight and took a good look. Now, to get on with how this product works on my skin- I use it about 4-5 times a week, and have noticed that it immediately makes my skin softer, smoother, and more glowy. What I really like about this is that it not only softens my skin, but the results seem to last and don't wash off during the next shower, leaving me parched again like other lotions tend to do. My skin also looks healthier, perhaps a bit more even (I am only 22, so I don't really have too many discoloration issues yet). The only reason I gave this 4 lippies instead of 5 is that sometimes after using this on my legs they feel a bit sticky. However, I primarily use this before bed, so the stickiness isn't really too much of an issue. Would definitely recommend this to all skin types and ages. A definite repurchase for me.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Skinny Dipn in Lake Michgn
tnlfraz0820 7/23/2007 3:52:00 PM
It pains me to write this because I very rarely ever give a product a "1", and especially have never done so with an OPI polish before. However, this stuff is just plain terrible. In the bottle it looks like such a pretty nude with silver shimmer, but comes out looking much more orange on my hands. A previous reviewer said that this polish makes her hands look dead, and although it may not look quite that bad on me, it is not flattering whatsoever (I am pretty pale, by the way). And sadly, it is not just the color that is off with this polish. With any other OPI polish I've used, I get about a full week with no significant chipping, however this one was practically coming off in flakes by day 2. It was also super streaky during application. Sadly enough, I don't think I will ever put this one on again. I adore OPI, just wish I had missed this one.
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Lipstick -Clinique - Butter Shine Lipstick - Pink Goddess
tnlfraz0820 7/23/2007 3:24:00 PM
Beautiful! On me, pink goddess is a gorgeous medium *true* pink with just a touch of shimmer. Applies smoothly and leaves my lips soft with a bit of shine, but nothing overpowering. Staying power is not so great with these (I usually get about 2 hours in before reapplying) but the texture of the butter shines are so smooth and creamy that I don't mind putting on more! For reference, I am an N4/NW20, hazel eyes, light brown hair w/blond highlights.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Clinique - Almost Makeup [DISCONTINUED]
tnlfraz0820 7/22/2007 8:58:00 PM
Lifesaver! When I initially bought this (I have it in 02 Light, which is a pretty decent match for my N4/NW20 skin), I wasn't very impressed and tossed it aside for other items. However, I just recently began using this again, and have really been pleased by how well this stuff performs in the extremely hot and humid midwest weather I live in. As the previous reviewer, tetrakis, mentioned, this does feel heavier and thicker, like a sunscreen, but it absorbs well into my normal/combo skin and has not yet caused a breakout. It also provides just a touch of sheer color, just enough to even out my skintone without looking overly done up or mask like. After applying this, I dust just a bit of studio fix over my nose and forehead since it does make it a bit shiny, and then I'm left with perfectly smooth, glowing skin. I definitely plan on repurchasing once my tube is gone! :)
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