Treatments -Darphin - Camomile Aromatic Care
Bellona 2/9/2012 1:43:00 AM
I received a generous sample of this and have been using it for weeks. Today I went out and purchased it. It's truly amazing stuff and a luxurious addition to any skin care regime. I find it calms my skins, soothes it and reduces redness and irritation like nothing else I've tried. It even gets rid of my small exzema patches on my forehead :) It's winter now, so I do layer a moisturizer on top, but I could see how in summer or at other times if you're not that dry this would be all you need for hydration. It smells amazing. Relaxing and calming, a real treat to use. I just wish it came in a bottle that allowed disbursement from a pump or some other easier way to "measure" out how much you're using. I would definitely recommend and repurchase. Thank you MUA users for turning me on to this beautiful product.
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Lotions/ Creams -Burt's Bees - Hand Salve
Bellona 2/6/2012 12:08:00 PM
I got this in a mini set that included the lip salve and cuticle oil. I like that it's a small tin and convenient to carry in your purse. However, it's hard to open and once you put it on it's greasy. You need the tiniest amount ever, and it spreads well. But it does smell, and takes awhile to fully absorb. I do like that it's natural, and it does work to sooth my dry exzema on my hands. However, I wouldn't repurchase.
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Lotions/ Creams -Jason Natural Cosmetics - Cocoa Butter Intensive Moisturizing Creme
Bellona 2/6/2012 12:05:00 PM
I love this body lotion.I started buying it because I was looking for something more natural to use. This moisturizes great, feels amazing on your skin, and absorbs quickly (unlike body butters etc). I also love that it's in a tube, so you can really get all the product out till the very end. My only complaint would be the scent. It's lovely, but a tad strong and lasts all day.
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Treatments (Eye) -Promaxyl - Eyelash Renewal serum Rapidlash
Bellona 2/1/2012 12:53:00 AM
I've been using this every night for 2 months. Since Dec. 1st 2011. I am giving it 3 lippies, as it does something....but not much. Anyone who says this compares to Latisse couldn't have tried the product. There is NO comparison. With Latisse, you don't even need to wear mascara, its like having eyelash extensions. But Rapidlash is ok, just ok. After 2 months of daily use my lashes are a bit longer. When I apply mascara they touch my brows. I haven't noticed a difference in thickness. And it causes my eyes to look more red. I also used it in hopes that it would help hair growth on a couple of small bald patches or sparse spots on my brows. It did a decent job at that. But nothing spectacular. I still have some spareness, but a couple of new hairs have gown in. It seems to last long as well, at this rate I'll have this for about 3 months. But I wouldn't repurchase. I may try Revitalash next. I hear it works as well as Latisse but is slightly less in price. $160 CAD is just too much for me.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Darphin - Intral Redness Relief Recovery Cream
Bellona 1/24/2012 8:30:00 PM
I received a sample of this and used it for a week. I do love the Intral line, and find it just calms my sensitve and easily irritated skin. However, this cream didn't moisturize enough for me, so I'm going to try the balm instead. I love the smell and the consitency was lovely. It went on smoothly and soaked right in. I didn't feel the tint did anything though. Overall a good product especially if the balm is too rich for your skin.
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Treatments -Darphin - Intral complex
Bellona 1/24/2012 8:28:00 PM
I received a generous sample of this and used it for a week. I tested it during a time when my skin was very dry and irritated. It really helped to calm my skin down. It took the redness away a bit and stopped it from feeling itchy and irriated. I didn't like the consistency though. It was far too watery. Also, I don't like that they put coloring in it...why do that???? Especially with a line that's supposed to be "natural". But overall, I can see how this would be a nice addition in times when you need that extra calming fluid before your moisturizer. I do think the camomile oil works better for calming and soothing, and reducing redness. EDIT - I think this irritates my skin and actually makes it redder!
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Eye Shadow -Stila - Kitten
Bellona 1/24/2012 8:23:00 PM
Oh how I wanted to love this shadow. But I don't. First of all, the color is gorgeous, it really makes your eyes stand out and it's a great highlighter. Now for the cons...it is hard to apply. It doesn't go on well with a brush and just gets everywhere. It doesn't last long either. And finally, the worst for me was that it breaks SO easily. The first one I lost on a trip to st lucia. I thought maybe it was the rough baggage handling so I bought another one. It sits in my makeup case, a sturdy hard case wtih a flat bottom (highly organized I might add, so it's NOT thrown in carelessly or anything) and it broker AGAIN! So I won't repurchase because of that.
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Other -Unlisted Brand - Baking Soda
Bellona 1/24/2012 8:19:00 PM
I use baking soda in place of shampoo. I dissolve about 1 TBSP per cup of water and use that to wash my hair and scalp. It works amazing. No residue, no dry strands, just clean healthy hair and scalp. I started using it when I couldn't stop getting nasty dandruff and was suffering from some serious frizzy hair. I think all the silcones in products was building up. So I used baking soda to clarify and then thought "why don't I just use this all the time!". So I do. And I'm so happy. No chemicals, cheaper than shampoo, and my hair looks amazingly shiny. I'd highly recommend.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -The Body Shop - Lip Care Stick - Cocoa Butter
Bellona 1/24/2012 8:15:00 PM
I really like this. I bought it based on the reviews on MUA and I'm glad I did. I go between this one, Burts Bees, and Alba coconut. I think overall for the price, the Alba one works just as good as the body shop, but this cocoa butter stick has a nicer consitency and goes on a bit smoother. Overall I am happy and would recommend.
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Treatments (Eye) -Avene - Soothing Eye Contour Cream
Bellona 1/24/2012 8:12:00 PM
I bought this to use at night as I tend to have much drier skin during the winter months and really needed something to help that. I use an eye cream with SPF 15 for day, and it contains some aha too so perhaps that's why I get drier sometimes. Overall, I like this. It did what I wanted it too. It soothed and moisturized my eye area without causing irritiation or millia. Overall, I'm satisfied. Does it do anything incredible? No. But I wasn't expecting it to and it's priced right so I think for that reason it gets a 4 outta 5 and yes to re-purchase. If your looking for something to help with other eye issues like lines, puffiness or dark circles then I'd look to something else. But if you want a nice lightly moisturizing eye cream that doesn't irritate then look no further!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Bumble & Bumble - Creme de Coco conditioner
Bellona 1/24/2012 8:06:00 PM
This is quite possibly one of the best conditioner I have ever used. I'm so glad I referred to MUA for this! I was looking for a good conditioner that doesn't contain silicones and my search has ended. This leaves my hair soft, moisturized, shiny, manageble and tames the frizz on my wavy hair. I love the smell. I 100% agree with ontheglam, most people are used to tons of 'cones' and don't realize how over the long run, it actually dries your hair out more. After a good wash with baking soda water forumla (no, I don't use real shampoo anymore, not often anyways) I comb this through and let it sit while I do the rest of my thing in shower. I end up with silky, soft, shiny, less-frizzy hair that smells amazing. I highly recommend. I will continue to switch between this and Aveda Clove conditioner once a week.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Brows -Anastasia Of Beverly Hills - Anastasia Brow Gel
Bellona 1/22/2012 1:10:00 AM
I've been using this for over a year. It came in the brow kit I bought from sephora. It works great, a little touch goes a long way as the final step in my brow makeup routine. It keeps my brows in place all day, never flakes, and holds the shape I combed them into etc. No complaints except for the price. I chose "no" to re-purchase, as I feel that the $1-5 clear mascara products from the drug store work just as well. So I can't justify spending the price for this product. But overall, it works great.
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Cleansers -Sisley - LYSLAIT Cleansing Milk with White Lily
Bellona 1/20/2012 12:21:00 AM
I received a two packet sample of this from Holt Renfrew and used it this week while I was travelling in -40 celcius Canadian weather. In other words, its ridiculously cold and dry. The cleanser took all of my makeup off, didn't irritate my skin, and left my face smooth and feeling good; not tight or dry. I read several reviewers commenting on breaking out from this cleanser. I did notice that by the 4th morning, I had a couple of small whiteheads on my chin. I read the ingredients and see that in addition to mineral oil it contains isopropyl palmitate. It's also full of parabens which can irritate. I am giving it 3 lippies because the Sisly price tag is seriously expensive and may cause breakouts. I think you can find a better product for 1/3 of the price. That being said, if you have money to spend freely, you may enjoy this. I'd still recommend for anyone to give it a try though if they can get a free sample ;)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Sisley - Restorative Facial Cream - Creme Reparatrice
Bellona 1/8/2012 3:15:00 AM
I have to say, I'm almost glad this cream didn't work out for me. At over $200 a jar Canadian, it would have become very expensive to use this. The first time I put this cream on at night I was blown away, it reduced redness, calmed my skin, moisturized, and made my skin look amazing. It smells lovely and the fragrance doesn't irritate my sensitve rosacea/couperose skin. So I continued to use the generous sample I recieved from Holt Renfrew for 2 weeks. By the second week, I was breaking out. I stopped using it to test it, then started again. Sure enough, this cream gives me little bumps and even full blown pimples on my face. Yuck. As another MUA reviewer pointed out this contains Isopropyl Myristate and Oleyl Alchol - two ingredients likely to cause acne and breakouts. Too bad, because it did work wonderfully besides that. But like I said, I was slightly relieved due to the hefty price tag.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Aveda - Dry Remedy
Bellona 1/8/2012 3:03:00 AM
I bought this because I love the Dry Remedy Shampoo, but was terribly disappointed. I took it home, used it once, and returned it. I couldn't figure out why it didn't moisturize my hair, and left a film instead. Then I read the ingredients and see that silcone is the SECOND INGREDIENT LISTED! You HAVE to be kidding Aveda. Seriously. And it's the strongest silcone available too, Dimethicone. know most conditioners (and many shampoos even) use silicone in their formulas....but the SECOND one? Yikes. This will never moisturize. I can see why this gets low scores here, and understand why other reviewers mention this leaves a film in the bathtub even. I should have given it lower scores even, but it breaks my heart to rate Aveda so low :( I used to love Sap Moss, and still like the Clove Conditioner and Dry Remedy Shampoo. So I couldn't bring myself to give it lower than 2. I bought B&B Creme Coco Conditioner, it has no silicones so I hope that will work better than this did.
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