Styling Products -Got 2 Be - POWDER'ful Volumizing Styling Powder
felgoj 12/15/2011 11:14:00 AM
This powder is fantastic. Thanks to the reviews here I gave it a try. I never saw this product in any drugstore or haircare store except for a small independent beauty boutique in my neighborhood for $8. I'm still experimenting w/how to best use this powder on my short bob hair (which wasn't really cut to my liking, so I'm generally not happy w/how the style comes out in the end), so I would imagine this would work even better for my hairstyle when my hair is cut right. I apply this powder w/my hands as per the instructions, & whether I use 1 palmful or 3 palmfuls it never makes my hair matte, dull, pasty, or looking powdered - I love that. I'm glad it helps add soft texture & volume to my hair w/o dulling the shine of my natural hair which took so long to finally grow out. Applying a little bit doesn't change the texture of my hair much, but the more I apply the more I can feel product in my hair - it gives strands a bit of a gritty texture so they can 'grab' & lift. Never feels stiff or pasted - a little gritty to comb through but not impossible (at least not for short hair). Allows my hair to hold into a pigtail w/o shorter strands falling out on the sides. I like the workability of this product.
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Skincare - Face -Unlisted Brand - CRS Cell Rejuvenation Serum w/ Growth Factor (Citrix by Topix brand)
felgoj 12/7/2011 7:52:00 PM
My new favorite product! I did like Lancome Genifique (used 2 sample bottles) but I won't pay the price for a full size, so I switched to L'Oreal Youth Code which costs less & is supposed to be virtually the same product (frankly, I like Genifique better). I use this after cleansing @ night. In the morning only, I put on CRS Citrix (10% strength was all I could currently afford) on a bare face & spread the rest into my hands. I LOVE the texture - kind of a dry looking paste that squeezes out of an airless pump dispenser but applies to skin smooth as silk but matte - thanks to silicones, like an anti-aging makeup primer. My face nowadays isn't so oily as it was just 5 yrs ago, but it's still shiny looking & this product both targets accumulated skin damage & mattifies my face @ the same time - fantastic! No separate powder needed on top, which I love b/c I don't bother w/daily makeup anymore. Aside from being loaded w/silicones, the wonderful ingredients that are working to renew my face & smooth out my wrinkles+pores are: vitamin C (ascorbic acid), squalane (moisture) & TGF (growth factor). I used to use CellexC yrs ago but was also very costly & the watery liquid was both tricky to apply & would go rancid in the bottle too quickly. I love that this product is packaged in an airless container to keep it fresh & pumps just the right amount for each application - about a pea size dollop. Smoothes easily over my face & sinks in nicely, leaving my skin feeling velvety but not greasy or coated at all. On my hands after an hour I can smell the vitamin C developing that well-known oxidized scent in my skin, which lets me know the vit C is doing its beneficial work within my skin. It's exactly 2 wks now that I've been using it & I love it already! Will continue to use this product(hopefully can move up to 15% or 20% next time).
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Polishes -Sephora - Sephora by OPI: I'm With Brad
felgoj 12/2/2011 3:03:00 PM
I bought this in the summer & never got around to wearing it until now. It's super super dark on my pale complexion (hands at least) but in the sun (which I'm not getting much of lately) it shows off its beautiful rich deep maroon shimmer. Indoors it looks like a blackened dark dark brown. I do like it as a goth-y neutral. It's a pretty polish, but not as spectacular as when I first tested it in a Sephora store (under bright spotlights of course) & I've since acquired a whole bunch more of similar browns, blacks, & shimmers that knock my socks off better than this shade. So I won't buy this again, but I do recommend it for ppl who like black-type nailpolishes. It also makes a great dark base for layering other manicure effects on top (glitter, sheer shimmers, etc). The formula is smooth & rich, but I hate the skinny brush.
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Bronzers -Scott Barnes - Body Bling all over body bronzer
felgoj 11/30/2011 3:03:00 PM
Wow this stuff is sexy. I tested some on my arm @ a Ricky's store & it gave my skin such a glamorous celebrity-drama glow, I felt like J-Lo on the red carpet. For several yrs I wondered what made her look so ethereal-glowy all over her body. (I figured it was a lot of makeup expertly applied by celebrity makeup artists, obviously...which I personally don't have.) When I tested this shimmer lotion I wanted to bathe myself in it & put on a strapless gown. :) I prefer the Platinum (pale) color better--great as a dewy-looking highlighter for shoulders & face--but the Original (dark) tint gives a nice bronze fake tan for pale winter legs. On my hand, Platinum is a gorgeous soft champagne shimmer (not icy silver or frosty white like others I've tried), it looks colorless on skin but glows beautifully in the light. Original is a suntan tint w/gold shimmer - I like the tan color but I don't personally like gold shimmer on my skin (not especially flattering for my skintone). I like that it's transfer-resistant after it dries, which is fantastic. Tired of shimmers transferring to my clothes! Still, I would only apply it to exposed skin areas (shins when wearing skirts or shoulders when wearing tank tops or strapless) to prevent any residual rub-off. The squeeze tube pkg is easy to use. However I take off 1 lippie from an otherwise perfect score due to the crazy price ($42 for 4 oz). Gasp! I'll only buy this at a cheaper price if I can find it.
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Shampoo -Shea Moisture - Organic Coconut & Hisbiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo
felgoj 11/25/2011 9:36:00 PM
I ordered this from Target online for $10 because I absolutely fell in love with the Shea Moisture body wash (smells like pina colada), so I looked forward to the shampoo smelling equally divine. But it smells different - there is a coconut scent but it smells more 'serious,' like real coconut w/o any of the sweet brightness of pina colada. So I don't enjoy using this shampoo the way I hoped - I'm really not attracted to the smell, something about it is a little plastic/waxy & off-putting, kind of suffocating. Being organic & all natural, it surprised me that it lathers up immensely richly & densely - feels very moisturizing & cushioned as I wash my hair, & rinses out cleanly but not squeaky - hair still feels cushioned, like a deeply conditioning shampoo. I don't bother using conditioner after using this shampoo (I have short virgin hair now which doesn't require the TLC pampering my hair used to require when it was damaged w/repeated highlights). Although I get the sense as I'm rinsing that it'll weigh down my hair, it doesn't leave my hair heavy at all - just healthy feeling & perhaps a touch thickened. Believe it or not, the body wash actually works beautifully as a face wash & hair shampoo (so I don't bother wasting it on my body) & a little bit goes a long way for great lather (I seriously only use a peasize dollop for my hair) though the lather isn't AS dense & thick as the shampoo, so I really enjoy using the body wash for my hair. It leaves my hair feeling clean & doesn't dry it out (I'm a big fan of all things coconut & coconut derivatives, which this product line is made of). I've already bought a backup bottle of the body wash (which also costs $10 & I've found @ Target stores & Duane Reade drugstores), but the shampoo I sadly won't buy again: simply because of the disappointing scent. That's the only reason I'm giving it 3 lippies. If it smelled like the body wash I'd buy the shampoo by the caseload & give it 5 lippies. I'll probably mix in some body wash into the shampoo when I use it just to make it a more pleasant experience fragrance-wise. The bottle openings are sealed when you buy them so there was no way of knowing that these 2 products which have the same type name but not the same scent. I just assumed the smells were identical. For my shampoo that's the difference btwn repurchase or not.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - HD Hi-Definition Nail Color in Laser
felgoj 11/20/2011 9:46:00 PM
Very pretty royal blue w/a sheen of purple @ certain angles. I love looking @ my nails @ different angles & watching the color go from beautiful shimmery blue to an aura of metallic purple. Quite expensive for a drugstore brand ($7.29 @ Duane Reade) but I'm glad to have this in my np stash though I'm not likely to buy another bottle - I already have plenty of blue np's now & this is a fun color but not my fave. I also have the other blues in this line, both of which are also pretty (light blue/purple & turquoise blue - forgot their names).
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Lip Treatments -Carmex - Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Tinted Lip Balms
felgoj 11/16/2011 2:22:00 PM
Of the tinted colors I've only tried Plum (my favorite lip color) & it's divine! Moist, sheer purple tint, glossy, eucalyptus-to-vanilla scent, moisturizing, slender compact packaging, & SPF 15. Decent price. Can't ask for better!
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Lip Treatments -Carmex - Moisture Plus - Plum
felgoj 11/16/2011 2:17:00 PM
I cannot believe my PERFECT sheer purple lipstick shade is found in this wonderful lipbalm! Took forever to find it but now that it's available near me I'll be buying up all the stock I can find! Sheer, glossy, minty, cooling, (eucalyptus scent upon application is tolerable...later the scent settles into something more pleasant, like vanilla), gorgeous color - it wears like a high-end sheer lipstick on my lips & keeps them moisturized & comfortable, plus SPF 15. I love the nifty slender plastic packaging - no frills, no waste, just wonderful product for a decent price. HG product!
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Polishes -New York Color - Grand Central Station clear nail polish
felgoj 11/11/2011 11:18:00 AM
I'm in love w/this polish line by NYC. The packaging is fantastic - wide flat brush that applies smoothly & broadly but not too big for little nails, no cuticle flooding - & for only $2 - it's insane. Since this polish line is quick-dry, I love the clear polish (named Grand Central Station) as a fast-dry top coat over any other nailpolish color. I can't overemphasize how great the brush is! Makes the final step of my manicure a happy breeze. Definitely going to buy backups. (Chipping isn't an issue for me, since I've learned from experience that chipping depends on what basecoat I use, not on the brand of nailpolish or topcoat.) EDIT 3/28/12 - Dropped down my rating to 4 lippies because the product thickens in the bottle too quickly & also alters the shade of some of my nailpolish colors due to it having a slightly blue/purple tint to it, so I can't use it w/all polishes.
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Polishes -New York Color - Grand Central Station clear nail polish
felgoj 11/11/2011 11:15:00 AM
I'm in love w/this polish line by NYC. The packaging is fantastic - wide flat brush that applies smoothly & broadly but not too big for little nails, no cuticle flooding - & for only $2 - it's insane. Since this polish line is quick-dry, I love the clear polish (named Grand Central Station) as a fast-dry top coat over any other nailpolish color. I can't overemphasize how great the brush is! Makes the final step of my manicure a happy breeze. Definitely going to buy backups. (Chipping isn't an issue for me, since I've learned from experience that chipping depends on what basecoat I use, not on the brand of nailpolish or topcoat.) EDIT 3/28/12 - Dropped down my rating to 4 lippies because the product thickens in the bottle too quickly & also alters the shade of some of my nailpolish colors due to it having a slightly blue/purple tint to it, so I can't use it w/all polishes.
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Polishes -New York Color - In A New York Color Minute Quick Dry Nail Polish - Bowery Black 272
felgoj 11/11/2011 10:53:00 AM
Talk about beautiful! This is my perfect shade of charcoal - it's a beautifully deep but not overly-black gunmetal w/the perfect touch of shimmer that makes it identical to a black pearl but not overly frosty or metallic. I've been lemming a color like this for months & finally found the exact shade I dreamed of...at the NYC makeup display in my local drugstore (of all places!) & for only $2! In regular light it looks mostly like a smooth cream shade of gentle black or really dark grey velvet. In sunlight it reveals gorgeous shimmer that's subtle but visible & makes $OPI Shiny Dancer ($9.50!) look like junk (no offense to Shiny Dancer but I like this way better). It's perfect on its own or as a platform for other sheer colors on top. Love the packaging - I adore the flat wide brush that facilitates perfectly smooth application & good coverage w/o being too big for my little nails (unlike OPI & Sally Hansen Insta-Dri). Two coats make the color fully opaque & rich. I love that it's a fast-dry polish too. I'm in love with this. Will get a backup!
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Polishes -New York Color - In a New York Color Minute Quick Dry Nail Polish
felgoj 11/11/2011 9:45:00 AM
1. Love the packaging! - Tall narrow bottle, flat wide brush! Looooove the brush! Smooth application. 2. Love the formula! - Smooth, creamy texture glides evenly & easily w/o flooding into cuticles. Easy to apply! 3. Love the colors! - Bowery Black is my favorite. I also have Chinatown (goth purple) & Grand Central Station (clear) which makes a fantastic quick-dry topcoat! Love it. 4. Love the convenience! - Most drugstores carry it. It's universally accessible almost anywhere. 5. LOVE THE PRICE! - Only $2! Excellent quality product in excellent quality packaging using excellent quality materials that costs almost nothing? That's crazy. But I love it! 6. Great color names - I love that the colors in this line are named after places in NYC, my hometown. Chipping is never an issue for me. The durability of any nailpolish for me always depends on the type of basecoat I use underneath it. If I use OPI over Yello-Out it will chip & peel within a day, but if I use a bonding or moisturizing basecoat instead it will last till I take it off (plus short nails don't get beat up as much as long nails). So I never rate a nail color on its chip-resistance - they're all the same to me.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Prestige - Lash Matrix in Black
felgoj 11/10/2011 2:16:00 PM
This mascara pieves me. The wording on the packaging (even the wash-off instructions) sounds very much like this is a tubing mascara but it really isn't. It smudges & flakes while I'm wearing it & it makes a dirty mess when I wash it off. This is regular formula mascara! It's not as stubborn to wash off w/soap as some other regular mascaras, though. And waterproof? No. Real tubing mascara absolutely does not smudge or flake on me, it doesn't break down in water (except warm water), & it doesn't smear when removing. But I do love this mascara. Why? It gives me gorgeous thick lashes that don't clump together & it doesn't take a lot work to apply & separate like lots of other mascaras I've tried. I get prettier lashes w/this than I do w/tubing mascara (especially thickness & volume). I still prefer tubing mascara, but I bought a backup of this for when I desire beautiful effortless up-curled lashes (the lifting, thickening, lengthening, & volumizing claims are true). Too bad my eyes will be smudged 2 hrs later. It's an ALMOST perfect mascara for me. Beautiful lashes: 5 lippies Smudge resistance: 2 lippies Price: 3 lippies - average drugstore price ($7) Formula thickness: 3 lippies (dry & pasty but not clumpy) Pigment intensity: 5 lippies Ease of removal: 3.5 lippies Tubing quality: 0 lippies Regular mascara quality: 4.5 lippies The review posted by CarriLynnJ on this mascara in April 2010 is very accurate.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - La Vida Loca (Dupe for Viva La Juicy)
felgoj 11/10/2011 11:53:00 AM
I won't pay full price for Viva La Juicy & I kept getting outbid for it on eBay so after I read the review below for this knockoff, I decided to eBay it as well. I ended up paying $11 for it but it really does smell just like the real thing & the 3.3oz bottle is not only big w/tons of perfume but it's pretty also. It's creamy, vanilla-y, just a little spicy, warm & sweet-smelling just like the original designer fragrance. Great quality knockoff. The only thing I really hate about this fragrance is the ridiculous name.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Unlisted Brand - Prevail - Central Spark
felgoj 11/10/2011 11:14:00 AM
Central Spark is a gorgeous but even better dupe of Claire's Rockstar - it's less sheer than Rockstar & therefore gives a beautiful shimmery urban metallic silvery-purple-brown-gunmetal finish in 2 coats (Rockstar requires more unless it's topped over a dark color). This color is an amalgam that I find hard to describe. It comes out more chocolatey on my nails whereas it leans more purple in the bottle. I don't have a picture of it but if you look up Claire's Rockstar that's the color it is. I bought a backup of this gorgeous polish b/c I love it so much & wears well w/everything (even formal events) - $6 @ Duane Reade (which could stand to be cheaper) but it's worth it - my eye always gravitates to this shade whenever I'm in the store as the most beautiful color in the display, then I notice it's always Central Spark. It's has edgy appeal but is still a feminine shade w/sparkle & shimmer.
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