Cleansers -Neutrogena - Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser
CarolinaMidwife 8/14/2011 9:20:00 PM
Meh. It's been 3 weeks and I'm not sold. It IS a foaming cleanser, you just need to foam it. Use only a teeny bit and massage into your face unti the beads break up - voila! Foam. I have redness on my chin that has become my own personal Everest. Nothing will eliminate it and this was no different. It's a cleanser, it cleans my face, I have not broken out... I don't look any better or any worse. If, after I finish the tube, I see some kind of miracle I will report back.
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Lotions/ Creams -Jergens - Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer
CarolinaMidwife 8/14/2011 9:12:00 PM
I really thought I would hate this, seeing as how I hate almost every other product made by jergens, but I actually like it a lot. I only gave it 4 lippies because I'm greedy and I wish there were formulas geared towards fine lines and other issues facing late 30's skin. It came as a free sample with some of the most crapass tanner ever applied to my body (see my review of the Jergens express tan) and I have been using it for about 3 weeks. I don't use it 7 days a week but I probably use it 3-5 times a week. I apply it over MUAC DMAE serum as well as neutrogena rapid wrinkle repair (I let them both soak in for 5-10 min) and I have not has any problems. It gives a nice, very subtle, glow. Not a hint of orange. I do not tan at all, not ever, because I'm not willing to die just for a stupid tan. Because of that I am the queen of self tanners and I know what I like and I know what sucks. This I like.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Clarisonic - Mia
CarolinaMidwife 8/14/2011 8:57:00 PM
For three months before I bought this I used the olay pro-x brush so I could prove to myself that I would actually use an electronic face washing system. I actually liked it just fine and it did not cause me any problems. I see now, after owning the Mia, that they are not in the same ballpark. The mia's head doesn't turn but rather the while brush vibrates... think of a giant sonicare toothbrush but for your face. I have been using it for 3 weeks now and I love it. I use it with philosophy's microdermabrasion scrub because I don't care for the product that came with the unit. I have not had to charge it since the initial 24 hour charge. I keep it in the shower and just use it in the morning because I'm too lazy to do more than use cleansing towelettes at night. I clean the brush, after each use, with a little squirt of Jason tea tree oil wash just because I'm a little anal about germs proliferating in a wet environment. My face definitely feels cleaner and softer, I'm seeing a glow I haven't seen in about a decade. I kicked off using it with the olay regenerist 14 day treatment and I think that was a great way to start because it makes your skin feel like a baby's booty. Another huge perk that I may be imagining or it may be real (Who knows?) is that I believe it has improved the absorption of the other products I use, namely MUAC DMAE serum and neutrogena rapid wrinkle repair. My forehead lines are almost gone. The one thing I have not yet learned how to manage is how wet the bristles get. When you apply the product to your face and then you run the brush over it the bristles are holding so much water it runs down your face so you feel like you have to go fast to stop from rinsing all of your product off. Maybe it's just me.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Olay - 14 Day Skin Intervention
CarolinaMidwife 8/13/2011 8:09:00 PM
Amazing results from the product. I got this for $6 on clearance at Target, had I known it would be my HG I would have bought 10 of them. It comes with 14 little tubes in two rows; the first row is the first phase and the back row is the second phase. Each night's treatment is in an individual tube but to be honest there are at least two nights in each tube and I went all over my face, neck, and décolletage. It is a lot of product in each tube. Because there was so much I ended up doing this for 28 days instead of just the 14. That being said, my freaking face feels like a baby's behind. The first phase was the biggest change and it was overnight. My skin felt like velvet that entire phase. I didn't notice as much change from the second phase but the skin everywhere I used this is unbelievably soft now. It's much smoother and has a glow again. I'm a little worried it's discontinued because it was so deeply discounted. I will gladly pay the $25 and do this 2-3 times a year.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Self Tanners -Jergens - natural glow express medim/tan
CarolinaMidwife 7/26/2011 6:59:00 PM
I don't understand how anyone has had success with this product. I'm a very seasoned self tanner and using this was like a disaster, an orange, streaky disaster. Generally when tanner comes in lotion form it's easy to avoid the streaking but not with this stuff. My legs were unsuitable for public viewing for about 3 days until I finally scrubbed it all off. Boo.
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Self Tanners -Unlisted Brand - Tan Towel
CarolinaMidwife 7/26/2011 8:26:00 AM
Last year I used these and I thought I loved them. This year I used then again and I hate them so, I don't know if they've changed the formula or I somehow became tan towel impaired but this year I want to burn them. I noticed they have a new formula so maybe the old formula has become some kind of a downgrade. For one thing the towel is barely big enough and I'm a small person, 5'1" and size 8, these only cover my legs and barely my arms, forget about my back. The other issue is that you really don't want a lot of towel because you're going to be so blotchy and streaky the less body covered the better. So, again, the search for a decent tan in a can continues.
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Treatments -Neutrogena - Rapid Wrinkle Repair night moisturizer
CarolinaMidwife 6/29/2011 11:44:00 AM
Review edited 8/14/11 So I have returned to amend my review because it turns out this stuff rocks. My forehead creases are insanely improved, some of them are almost completely gone. To be fair I have been using this during the day instead of at night because I've been doing the Olay 14 Day Treatment so it is possible it was the combined effort of both products... But I think it was the neutrogena. First review: I have been using this for a week now and either I had expectations that were too high or I'm just not that impressed. I will come back and update after it has been two weeks but so far I have seen minimization of the teeniest of my forehead lines. I don't have lines anywhere else but I have had these forehead lines since my early twenties - it's just a thing in my family. I want them to die. The lines closest to my hairline have definitely faded but the deeper ones look about the same. I have not had any peeling which disappoints me as I was hoping for a nice exfoliating effect. I am also not seeing any overall face benefits but to be fair I am in the middle of the worst breakout I have ever had thanks to removing my make up with a Charmin Fresh Wipe... I don't recommend trying that, by the way. So, it is possible the fact that I am broken out like a teenager is distracting me from this being awesome. As of right now I am only giving it a 3... but that could change. The scent is strong so if you are bothered by strong scents you may want to skip this.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Rusk - Shining
CarolinaMidwife 6/17/2011 6:15:00 PM
Shining is a standard in my product cabinet, I have been using it for about 15 years. I love this stuff. It makes blowing out your hair SO MUCH EASIER. The brush will glide right through. Hair is shiner and bouncier, smells great, all good stuff. Just don't use too much and you will be golden.
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Styling Products -Rusk - Rusk Thick
CarolinaMidwife 6/17/2011 6:11:00 PM
This review is for the SPRAY version and not for the gel. I don't have the same warm fuzzies for the gel that I have for the spray. Ounce for ounce, this is the best thickening product (non-shampoo... the best thickening shampoo is Lush Big) I've ever used. I have been using this product for about 15 years and I have been using thickeners for about 20 years. I have long, fine hair but I have a lot of fine hair so I need a good thickener. That is all to say that I have used A LOT of thickening products in my time. This one is light, no greasy residue, has a non-offensive smell and is easy to find pretty much anywhere now. It used to be a salon only product but now you can grab it anywhere. It lasts a long time, you only use it on the roots, and isn't ridiculously priced. Often you can find it on clearance here or there. It's a great stand-by product.
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Gels/Soaps -Jason Natural Cosmetics - Satin Shower Body Wash - Tea Tree
CarolinaMidwife 6/17/2011 6:05:00 PM
I decided to try this because I believe I might have some rosacea on my chin and I read that tea tree oil can help. My routine is to use my little Olay pro-X thingie with Philosophy's microscrub stuff and then follow up with the Jason wash. I was told by a derm that you want to scrub first and cleanse second so that's what I so. It leaves my face feeling clean but not dried out like a lot of cleansers do. My rosacea has let up by about 50% after 3 months of use so I'm pleased with that. This stuff doesn't ward off the breakouts like Proactive does, I still get the once a month 1-2 zits but that's acceptable to me. It also doesn't smell great but I'm used to tea tree oil so it doesn't bother me. It will burn your eye like a mofo so watch out for that.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Philosophy - Help Me
CarolinaMidwife 6/17/2011 5:59:00 PM
At first I thought this product was rockin', I really liked it. Now I'm not sure it does anything at all. I had been using retin-a but then I was worried it was overkill and that I was using it before I really need it. I don't have acne but I'm 37 and while I don't have fine lines I also don't want fine lines so I was acting preemptively. I have also had it up to here with my pores and I was hoping this would help. It didn't. I have been using it about 3 times a week for 6 months and while nothing bad has happened and I definitely don't look worse... I cannot say for sure that anything good has happened either. My advice would be to get a prescription level retinol if you really need one... if you're on the fence then try this and maybe you will get enough results to tide you over.
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Moisturizers -Philosophy - Hope in a Jar SPF 20
CarolinaMidwife 6/17/2011 5:54:00 PM
Hate! I am usually a ravenous Philosophy monster, gobbling up their products at an alarming rate. I realized today I have had this jar for over a year. I love love love the regular Hope in a Jar, it's my favorite moisturizer. But add the sunblock and you have a greasy, gelatinous blob of gunk. It makes my face look like a shiny oil slick visible for miles. I don't wear any kind of foundation or powder so I cannot afford to shine like the top of the Chrysler building. I also hate the jar, I wish they would use a pump so I don't have to keep sticking my hands in there. But, I guess then it would be called Hope in a Pump and that really isn't the same at all. boo.
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Treatments -Makeup Artist's Choice (MUAC) - DMAE Serum
CarolinaMidwife 6/17/2011 5:48:00 PM
I hate to besmirch the perfect 100% buy again rating for this product... So, it works. I am 37 but I only have the slightest beginnings of fine lines around my eyes (thank you giant sunglasses). This product did make those lines disappear, however, in order for it to work I had to use it twice a day and when I used it twice a day I broke out. I NEVER break out, ever. I don't have sensitive skin, nothing irritates my skin but this did. All around my eye area were dozens of tiny bumps. So, the good news is the lines were gone; the bad news is that they were replaced with bumps. It didn't do anything for my pores or overall skin appearance. Very disappointing.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -TiGi - Bedhead Superstar Queen For a Day Thickening Spray
CarolinaMidwife 6/17/2011 5:44:00 PM
I love this stuff. It smells AMAZING. However, you either love TiGi scents or you hate them and if you hate them you won't like this. It's very sweet... like wearing cotton candy on your head. It's a moderate thickener (rusk Thick is better) but I will keep using it because I think I might be addicted to the smell.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -TiGi - Bedhead Superstar
CarolinaMidwife 6/17/2011 5:37:00 PM
I have no idea what this stuff is supposed to do outside of act as a thermal barrier but it smells so good I don't really care. I don't notice a huge amount of bodifying action. Is that how you spell bodifying? Doesn't look right. Anyhoo, I much prefer the Superstar thickening spray but this was on clearance at Wal-mart for $4 so I bought it. I said that I would not buy it again because I will buy the spray instead... were this the only version I would buy it again. The smell..... it's delightful.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No