Mascara -Wet 'n' Wild - MegaVolume Thickening Mascara
horkusone 3/5/2008 4:28:00 AM
Pretty darn good stuff for 2 bucks. Seriously. I am surprised at how full my lashes look from this product and I will definitely keep purchasing. I mean, it wears well, comes off with regular make-up remover and it is dirt cheap. Why not?
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Treatments -Sally Hansen - Creme Hair Remover for Face
horkusone 3/5/2008 3:56:00 AM
Oh this stuff sucks. I was using Lineance but since it has been discontinued (*sniff*), I had to try something else. Unfortunately this is the one I bought. First of all, this stuff stinks to high heaven. I have used all kinds of cream hair removers and fully understand that the smell is bad in general but this one makes all the others smell fantastic. I literally have to flush the tissue down the toilet. The first time I used it, I put in the garbage just like I always do and two days later my bathroom STILL smelled like this junk. Ewww. Nasty. Nasty-funk smell aside, this did work - the first time. Ever since, nothing. No hair removal even after leaving it on for much longer than I should have. It does not irritate my skin but it irritates me. It irritates me to smear stinky sticky yuck on my face and accomplish nothing other than funking up my house with the horrid smell. Oh and I almost forgot to mention that even though this did remove the hair the first time, I had a stubbly upper lip two days later. Good grief! DO NOT BUY THIS!!!
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Shampoo -Collective Wellbeing - Never Fade Away Shampoo for Color Treated Hair (Marigold/Evening Primrose)
horkusone 2/29/2008 9:46:00 AM
I bought this from Whole Foods thinking that because it does not contain tons of chemicals it would be easier on my red haircolor. Frankly, it seems more harsh than any regular shampoo I have ever used. When I am washing my hair, my hands literally get caught up in tangles and once I rinse it, it feels like straw. It never feels quite clean but I do not want to have to wash more than once since the idea is to KEEP my haircolor - not to subject it to shampoo anymore than absolutely necessary. Funny too - I am one of those people who can skip conditioner any time I want and I cannot imagine NOT using a conditioner after this stuff. I have the matching version and it does quickly fix the dry feeling but I am really afraid that the shampoo is going to make this expensive salon color fade even faster than normal. I will not repurchase and if I can find the receipt, I will be returning this stuff.
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Scrubs -St. Ives - Warming Scrub
horkusone 2/23/2008 3:02:00 AM
Wow. This is a new facial scrub from St. Ives in their new line called "Elements". I bought it just for the heck of it - I had a gift card and I needed to use up the balance. I figured it would be good just because I have had good experiences with their Apricot Scrub. It is a bit more expensive. I paid 6.99 for a 4oz. tube as opposed to the typical price of around 4.00 for their scrubs. I really like this product but I must warn people that it is NOT for sensitive skin. It is dense and chock full of exfoliants that I really appreciated but anyone with sensitive skin or is looking for a gentle exfoliation, this is not the product for you. The smell is pleasant and it is very apparent that a little goes a long way. It is so thick that it is a bit difficult to squeeze out of the tube. That would be my only complaint. I struggled to get out the small amount that I did although I cannot really see any other packaging being much better. I did not really notice much warming with this scrub. Once you put in on and rub it over your face, add a bit of water and it lathers nicely. It also rinses rather easily especially when you consider how thick it is. Afterward, my skin felt super soft and ready for my moisturizer. I find I keep reaching up and feeling my skin. I am thrilled with how smooth it feels. This is good stuff. I am, of course, certain there will be a post-exfoliation break-out (ugh) but that is really because I feel like this one gets my pores cleaner than scrubs I have been using lately.
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Cleansers -RoC - Microdermabrasion Exfoliating Disc [DISCONTINUED]
horkusone 1/29/2008 11:23:00 PM
I am still trying to make up my mind about this product. I was in search of a really good scrub product and I am just not sure this is the one. I have been using them for about a week and the results are so-so. I can definitely tell I have exfoliated after I use them I just don't think it is as good as it could be. I have been using them twice a day as the box suggests so I know it is not even supposed to be as strong as some others I have used before. However, with not-so-great results and the fact that continuing to use them twice daily makes them quite pricey, right now I am thinking I will not be repurchasing. One thing that is terrific about this is that it truly is rinsable. So many of the creamy scrubs are so difficult to remove and they leave a nasty film if you don't get it right. That is not a problem at all with the RoC disks. My face feels completely clean with no leftover pieces or filmy mask residue. The disks themselves are a good idea but not executed very well, IMHO. They are too big and you have to be very careful not to hit your eye and I find it necessary to kind of fold it to get to the area around my nose and across my forehead. Not to mention, one of them just flat out fell apart with the scrub side sliding off of the disk itself. Grrr. So, I cannot say this is terrible but I would not really feel comfortable recommending either. It is just ok. OH! One reviewer mentioned traveling with them and whether or not it would work to use a baggy. It does work! I went away for a couple of days and took enough to last me though my time off. I put the amount I needed in a ziploc bag, pushed all the air out, sealed and folded the bag. Not a problem at all. When I was ready to use, just grabbed one, immediately closed the bag back (making sure to push the air out again so the baggy would fold), and used as normal. They travel just fine. In fact, probably easier than a tube since you are not forced to try to squeeze out 2 oz. to keep in line with airport security.
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Treatments -Make Up For Ever - Mist and Fix
horkusone 1/20/2008 1:16:00 AM
I am pretty happy with this product although I must say that I don't think I need anything to help keep my Make Up Forever Face and Body foundation in place. That stuff works great even in the Atlanta summer. But this does help with eye shadow and blush. I can definitely tell that both last longer when I use then as opposed to when I do not. The only complaint I have is the spray is too powerful and if I am not careful, I can end up with too much on my face. So, it is important to hold the bottle far away from your face before applying. The pump is just not fine enough for it to work well any other way. Btw, I see that some people are commenting on the scent and I have to say I have never noticed a smell at all. I am not sure how this could happen since I am usually very aware of (and sensitive to) fragrance. For me, it does not exist in this spray.
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Bath Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Yum Bath Tea Sachets
horkusone 12/6/2007 8:49:00 PM
i didn't see Yum Bath and Body in the brand list, so i guess i am the first one to review one of their products. maybe because they are new? i love bath teas and am always on the lookout for products i haven't seen before. i ordered their Mixed Floral Bath Tea Sachets with roman chamomile, french rosebud, bulgarian clary sage - i think there might have been some rose oil as well. anyway - WOW! such a light and dreamy-sweet fragrance. the package comes with 3 big sachets so there is no mess at all. i think there is some bath salt as well because my skin felt really toned after drying off. i am going to try some of their other products next, probably the Yum Buttermilk Honey Kissed Milk Bath. i'll let you know how that goes.
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Self Tanners -Neutrogena - Neutrogena Instant Bronze Tanning Foam
horkusone 7/4/2007 6:19:00 AM
UGH! This stuff is disaster in a bottle. I have been using self tanners for about 15 years and I can honestly say that I have never seen such a mess in my life. It dries waaaaay too fast. So fast that it starts to muck-up even before I was done doing one area of my leg (and I am good at applying STs). It smells absolutely disgusting. It reminds me of the first generation tanners that smelled so badly it was better to just be dayglow white than to stink to high heaven. And my hands. OMG. I have scrubbed and scrubbed and cannot get this stuff off of my palms. Funny because it has mostly come off of the rest of my body with just water. NO WAY. This one is going back to the store and I will never buy another one without checking here first. YUCK! UPDATE: Just to put the icing on the whole Neutrogena Nasty Self Tanner experience for me... I broke out in a rash everywhere that I applied this stuff. Grrrr.
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Moisturizers -St. Ives - Cucumber & Elastin Eye & Face Stress Gel ] [DISCONTINUED]
horkusone 6/26/2007 11:25:00 PM
I recently purchased this because I did not want to spend 20.00 on my usual Origins No Puffery. While it is not quite as good as NP, it is definitely a good and cheap alternative. I keep it in the fridge just like my other eye products and it is so comforting after a long night with little sleep. The only complaint I have is that it is a little thin so it does not stay up around my eyes like Origins. But hey, for 4.00, I am happy.
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Accessories -Unlisted Brand - Caldrea - countertop cleanser
horkusone 5/30/2007 3:09:00 AM
I use the entire Caldrea line after a friend of mine recommended it to me. I picked the Lavender Pine scent (although they all smell wonderful) and I could not be happier. I have always hated using chemicals to clean since I just do not think it is necessary to use such harsh things as bleach. I am not out to kill every single germ in the world - just keep my home fresh and clean. I have tried other natural products like Mrs. Meyers and was terribly disappointed since that brand just does not do the job. However, Caldrea is very effective, makes the house smell incredible and I no longer have burning nostrils or scaly hands from using typical cleansers. This stuff is not cheap but it is all I will use from now on. In fact, I went to a friend's house the other day and she had been cleaning with windex and Comet. The smell was so distressing that I had to walk outside. I could just feel the chemicals in my lungs. NO MORE!!! Yay!. Btw, my favorite of this line is the scrub. Awesome products.
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Bath Treatments -Burt's Bees - Baby Bee Buttermilk Bath Pint
horkusone 5/23/2007 1:06:00 AM
Ok. I have to admit I am not thrilled with the inherent dangers of having glass jars around the bath tub. However, I do not have any children and I am very careful not to handle the bottle when my hands are wet. Having said that, this stuff is heaven on earth! I recently become quite addicted to bath bombs but soon found that the price was too high for me to have them on hand very often. I wanted something that could soften my water and my skin without costing an arm and a leg. This is the answer! The initial price seemed high but this stuff will last forever unlike the 6.00 bath bombs that are good for one use. In addition, it does not leave the terrible ring around the tub that the bombs do and you can count on the scent to be simply divine. It is not like I thought - something akin to baby powder - but it is rather like a sweet sort of almond scent that lingers and lingers. OH I LOVE IT! It makes the water so soft that it literally beads on my skin and when I shave, I do not even need to use lotion afterward. Amazing product, natural and worth the price!
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Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - Keen's Honey Hand & Nail Cream
horkusone 5/23/2007 12:55:00 AM
This is a cream that I have only been able to find at Target. I bought it on a whim based on the divine scent but I had no idea how wonderfully delightful the product is overall. I bought a small jar (2.02 oz) for 4.99 USD and I have found that is it worth a lot more than that price! First of all, it only takes a small amount to completely moisturize my always dry hands and the smell could not be better. It definitely has a honey scent but it is not too sweet. I would say it is sort of a buttery honey smell that lingers long after the lotion has absorbed. On that note, that is one of the great characteristics of this cream. It is rich but absorbs quickly with no greasy feeling at all. I will have to give it a bit more time to see if it makes any significant difference in the feel of my skin on a permanent basis. To be honest, I would buy it again anyway. The feel and scent make me feel spoiled and I will continue to look for this item outside of Target and in a larger size. Try it!!!
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Treatments -Clinique - Turnaround Concentrate [DISCONTINUED]
horkusone 5/7/2007 12:46:00 AM
Oh I am so disappointed that this did not live up to the hype. I was so excited about it that I pre-purchased it through Macy's. I am not fond of Clinique's make-up lines but I have used some of their skincare that has worked well for me. This was not one of them. I used it morning and night for over a month and saw no real effect at all. My skin did feel soft immediately after I applied it but it did not have any lasting results. In fact, I think it made me breakout and my skin never breaks out. Oh and a word of caution - the pump is a nice design but you have to be very careful. This stuff will shoot out at such high speed that I often ended up with it on my mirror, wall and/or sink. Grrr. I will not repurchase this and I would suggest to anyone interested in buying it to see if you can get your hands on a sample first. It is quite expensive. Really expensive when I saw no results and only gained pimples. Boo.
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Scrubs -Alba Botanica - Sea Enzyme Facial Scrub
horkusone 5/7/2007 12:37:00 AM
I have dry skin and this product has been wonderful for my skin. I use it every other day as it is a gentle scrub. I am not really fond of the scent (supposed to be a fresh scent but reminds me of an air freshener) but once I rinse it off and apply my facial serum (Avalon Vitamin C), my skin feels like a baby's bottom! Soooo smooth and has a healthy glow. Granted, some of the glow is from the scrubbing but it has improved the overall look of my skin. It is not expensive (I think I paid about 8.00 USD) and I love that is a simple, organic and gentle. I still keep my Origins Modern Friction around for a deep facial scrub but this is fantastic for regular use. UPDATE: I had to get rid of this scrub because the scent that I thought I could tolerate became just too much for me. Before I mentioned that it reminded me of an air freshener (and a cheap one at that) and that really is what it smells like to me. Not a natural smell at all but more of a fake fresh scent, if that makes any sense. Anyway, I tossed it and will look elsewhere.
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Conditioner -Aveda - Pure Abundance
horkusone 5/7/2007 12:29:00 AM
I recently bought this when I was at Aveda to get my HG shampoo - Black Malva. Unfortunately there is not a matching conditioner for the Black Malva. Well, there is one but it is a color-depositing conditioner. Not something I need. Anyway, I asked about Pure Abundance because my hair does tend to get oily and flat. I have always had a hard time finding the right balance in a conditioner. Either they do not do anything and leave my hair looking damaged or they weigh it down and make it look dirty even though it is not. This stuff was not cheap though and I was bit hesitant to fork over the 14.00 for it. I am glad I did. It smells divine and is a perfect companion to the B Malva shampoo. I only use a little more than a dime size and it works beautifully. So, worth the price - this stuff lasts forever. *UPDATE* I have to change my rating on this conditioner because over time, I realized that it was making my hair look awful. It took me a while to catch on to what was causing it but it gradually made my hair look flat and kind of dirty. So, I will NOT be purchasing this again. In fact, I am no longer using any conditioner right now. Just the Black Malva Shampoo. I can honestly say that after just a couple of days of dropping this stuff, my hair began to look healthy and full again. What a disappointment.
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