Styling Products -Aveda - Pure Abundance Hair Potion
jmp24 12/2/2010 1:17:00 PM
This is good stuff, does exactly what it says it will do. Great for short hair, to give you that choppy tousled textured look. It does take away a little shine, but I'll sacrifice shine for style any day. It would also be a great product to use if you are planning an updo, it will give your hair some stickiness which helps to hold it up, keeps the hair from sliding out of the style. I have a new bottle, so I am hoping it won't turn liquid on me before I can use it up like other reviewers have mentioned. I will complain to Aveda for sure if that happens, because for the price, it shouldn't. Even a cheaper product shouldn't do that. Since the product in my bottle is still fine, I am going to say that I would purchase this again....but I won't if it goes bad on me. Speaking of price, it is a little over the top, but as long as I get results, I am ok with that. The thing is, that old spray shampoo product, the one that has been around since the 70's, called "Psssst", can still be found at some drugstores for about $7 a can, and the results from using it are not all that different than with the Aveda product, esp if you run a dab of texture wax thru your hair first. I haven't bought Pssst in a while, as I am trying to stay away from aerosols, but if you don't care about the environment, give it a try!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Candles -Unlisted Brand - Dyptique candle in Lavende
jmp24 12/1/2010 10:19:00 AM
$65 online last time I checked. Not sure about the rest of the free world, but even if I could afford it, i don't think I would spend that much on a candle. Is it worth it? Well, the scent is strong. A nice clean slightly sweet lavender aroma that covers a huge area when you have this candle burning...but is it any better than other strongly scented candles? I don't really think so. However, for the "chic" factor, it looks great sitting on my counter with it's understated French label. Makes me feel a little like the kind of girl who can afford to splurge on life's unnecessary little luxuries. The thing is, the average person would not be impressed, because if the whole world knew how glamorous and luxurious it would be to be able to own a Dyptique candle, then I would not have found mine at the thrift store for $1. Of course, I would not turn one of these candles away if someone gave it to me as a gift...I may be cheap, but I do love nice things.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Palladio - Herbal Lip Gloss in Pink Diamond
jmp24 11/30/2010 2:56:00 PM
The Palladio glosses have some pretty high reviews on MUA, so Iast time I was in my local beauty supply, I picked up Pink Diamonds, thinking it had to be great...not really. Just another average lip gloss. A warm shimmery pink. Not too wet, not too sticky, staying power about the same as any other lip gloss. The color is pretty, and the price is excellent, but all in all, nothing to fall down and wet my pants about. Because of the low price, I might buy again. Some of the colors seem more pigmented than others, and I'd be likely to try one of those next time.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Liners -Palladio - Herbal Retractable Lip Liner in Raspberry
jmp24 11/30/2010 2:49:00 PM
If only this were in pencil form, I could say I have finally found the perfect lip liner. Texture is creamy and blendable, color is not too warm or orange or too cool. Just a perfect rosy natural looking lip color. Supposedly waterproof too, but I am rough on my lips and usually need to reapply lip products at least twice a day so I really don't care about that. And cheap too, only around $3. Definitely a great product for the price. Palladio does make pencil liners, but not in this color. Oh well.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Bare Escentuals - Snazzy
jmp24 11/30/2010 2:43:00 PM
I had to pick this color without sampling, and thought it looked much lighter in the jar than it turned out to be. Was looking for a replacement for BE's Bare Skin (a shimmery light sort of nude pink), I thought this looked like a more beige-y version. I was wrong. However, it is a great color. Sort of a medium neutral light gold brown. Not brassy or orange looking like some golds can be. And not as much shimmer as many BE shadows, but just enough to give it some gleam. A good every day color that would probably mix well with many other colors. I like using colors like this on my lids, and then smudging the color around the entire eye. Gives a little sparkle for day, without being too overdone or frosty looking. Very nice! I have seen it on Ebay, so if BE no longer sells it (who knows, they come out with 30 new colors every minute) you can still find it online. A highly recommended neutral if you like loose shadow.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Bare Escentuals - Warmth All Over Face Color
jmp24 11/28/2010 1:50:00 PM
Gimmick. I don't know how this product became so popular, or is it only popular among those in the cult of BE, the ones who swear by every single mediocre product put out by the company? I don't know. I tried to like it. I have 2 full containers, one that came in my original kit, one that came in my mother's. (she found it useless as well) I've held on to them all this time, thinking that I would figure out how to best use it, how to make it work for me in the way that it is described. And all I could ever come up with is a streaky brown red mess. If I used such a small amount as to not get the streaky brown red mess, it was so little that you couldn't even see it. I tried it again yesterday, same results. Maybe it's my skin tone, or maybe this is just a lackluster excuse for a bronzer. They market it as something separate from blush or bronzer, as a way to brighten up your complexion - well, if the foundation is so great, why do you need this extra product to brighten it up? So no, I do not recommend. There are many more choices out there that do a much better job of brightening or warming the complexion. If you feel it must be a BE product, check out the half dozen or so Radiance powders, Bare, Pure, and Clear are all gorgeous, finely milled, soft shimmer powders that do much more for your face than Warmth does.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -New York Color - Liquid Lip Shine- 555B Iced Orchid
jmp24 11/27/2010 7:33:00 PM
This is one of my favorite lip glosses of all time! It looks so expensive on, a soft, glowy, shimmery mauvey pink that has the most beautiful shine. Hard to believe it is so cheap. I like quite a few of the NYC Liquid Lip Shines...there is a pink gold one called Dusty Rose, it's very similar to Iced Orchid, only warmer in tone, and then there is Cherrywood, a deeper warm rose color. I also just picked up a color I had not seen before, a non-shimmery raspberry shade. And most recently I bought Sungold Pink, which has the least amount of actual color, but the same pretty shine and shimmer. As for the scent, it can be strange...but it doesn't really bother me, and I have found that not all of them smell the same. I think - based on my own purchases - that the older tubes have the chemical scent. When I purchase them loose from the display rack, not in a hanging blister pack, they have the chem. smell - but when you buy the ones in the blister pack, they do NOT smell like plastic or chemicals, they have a sort of cotton candy vanilla cake smell...and I think the ones in the blister packs are the newer ones, the ones most recently delivered to the stores. This is just my hunch, of course. PS: NOW HERE IS A RANT!!! I really disagree with the reviewer a few reviews down who says that because of the smell, you should open one up at the store and smell it before buying. C'mon, people, we are talking about a lip gloss for less than $2. Just buy the darn thing. You don't ever have to buy another one if the smell bothers you all that much. And if your funds are so low and sense of smell so easily offended that you just can't take a chance, then don't risk buying this lip gloss. There are plenty of others to choose from. Or make sure you purchase it from a store that accepts returns if you find out when you get home that you don't like it. I don't want to come along later to make a purchase and pick up the one you opened and contaminated. And yes, it will be contaminated. Once you have it open to smell it, what's stopping you from dabbing a little on your finger, or even your lips at this point? Yuk. Don't know about everyone else, but I prefer my products to be "virgin" before I put them on my face.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Liners -Palladio - Herbal Lip Liner
jmp24 11/27/2010 12:18:00 PM
I am always on the search for the perfect rosey colored pencil lip liner, not too warm, not too cool. My favorite is the Body Shop's Clover Pink, but the store in my area closed and I don't really shop online soo... The Palladio liners aren't too bad as far as texture goes. They are in pencil form, which I prefer. They have just the right amount of creaminess and color deposit. Pink Frost is a cool pink, a little bright, but not too frosty. More of a summer color for me. Still, it goes on nice and stays put for a decent amount of time, so I will probably use it up. If Palladio had the right color, I would definitely repurchase this liner.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Coppertone - Coppertone Water Babies SunScreen Lotion SPF 50
jmp24 11/27/2010 11:53:00 AM
I usually use this sunscreen on the days when I am going to be outdoors for longer than normal, since it is SPF 50. Unlike some sunscreens, it does not burn the area around my eyes. Originally I picked up a tiny tube in the sample area of the store to keep in my purse as a sunscreen for my hands, but went back for the normal size when that ran out. I found by accident that is works great under makeup, even mineral makeup. Gives a normal amount of moisture, while not being too heavy or having that whitish cast that some sunscreens have. I like this better than many of the sunscreens I have bought that were made especially for the face. The SPF 50 is a plus, though a little overkill if you are not on the beach or out on a boat- will look for SPF 30 next time.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Urban Decay - YDK eyeshadow
jmp24 11/27/2010 11:20:00 AM
One of my favorite shadows, just bought my third. (I don't think I have ever bought an eyeshadow three times, except maybe for a beautiful creme gold made by Aveda.) No huge glitters like some UD shadows, just a lovely shimmer. I use it as a lid color, or for lining. Creamy consistency, soft glowy taupe color, great staying power. Works with everything, or just as an easy throw on color for days when you don't have the time for more. Love love love it. If you are ever going to try just one Urban Decay shadow, this would be the one.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Estee Lauder - Smoothing Cream Concealer
jmp24 11/26/2010 9:12:00 AM
This is good stuff. Since I use mostly mineral makeup for my foundation now, I don't use this as much as I used to, but it still comes in handy when I want a more finished look. Has a smooth (but not watery) texture and finish, and stays on perfectly. Other than working great as a concealer, mixed with a dab of moisturizer, it makes a great around the eyes coverage. Also doubles as a shadow primer. I don't spend as much as I used to on makeup, and have devoted my life to finding good quality lower priced products to replace all the HE stuff I used to swear by, but there are some things I would always consider splurging on. This is one of them!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Nature's Gate - herbal moisturizing lotion for all skin types
jmp24 11/25/2010 10:57:00 AM
This is a nice, light lotion. On the thin side, not exactly a rich, luxurious feel as you are applying it, but as long as it does the job, that's ok. I like natural products too, so that's a plus. So many are commenting on the scent, which I like when I first put it on, but then it starts to bug me for some reason, it changes some and is a little too herbal-y. The funny thing is, I am always searching for lotions or body cremes that leave a scent on your skin for longer than a few minutes after applying - this one does, but I don't like the scent! Figures. Still, a nice quality product without a lot of chemicals. It does have parabens =( I bought it mainly because it was marked down pretty low, and I probably won't buy it again due to the parabens.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Nivea - Nivea Creme
jmp24 11/25/2010 10:50:00 AM
I don't get all the hype. Mineral Oil and Petroleum, pretty standard moisturizer ingredients. Also, hard to spread - almost impossible actually - on damp skin, which sort of defeats the purpose, since moisturizer works best when you use it wet skin. Works better as a hand creme.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Mary Kay - Mineral Eye Color in Honey Spice
jmp24 11/23/2010 8:59:00 PM
An ok, pale, goldish-creme color. Nothing too exciting, slightly chalky for the price. Some shimmers seem to make your lids look dry - this is one of them for me. Oh yeah, and it is one of those deals where you have to buy the palette separate. That always ticks me off. I'll keep it, maybe to use as a highlighter or for the inner corners, but I will probably not purchase again, nor am I inspired by it to run out and buy up the rest of the Mary Kay shadow selection.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Jane - Shimmering Blush in Roses
jmp24 11/23/2010 8:29:00 PM
First let me say I have never been a huge blush wearer. I have a roundish face with only vaguely defined cheekbones, so wearing blush sort of looks fake on me. Usually I just brush a little color or bronzer on the apples of my cheeks and that is it. Typically I can make a blush last for years, that is how little I use. Lately I have been more into face color...but I think it is because I am getting older and find that I look younger with less eye makeup - therefore, have to make up for the lack of makeup on my eyes on other parts of my face! I have a Jane Shimmering in Wisteria, but it is more of a very very shimmery highlighter, barely any color at all, and not very good for day. This one, Roses, I am soooo glad I picked up, and I am already considering a few backups just in case it is D/C'd. It's sort of a yummy toasty pinky color on my light to medium skin, more subtle than in your face, with just a slight suggestion of shimmer. In other words, gives a more natural glow than an overly made up look. Not too warm, not too cool, so I imagine this would look good on many skin types... Perfect for just the cheeks, but on light makeup days it looks great dusted on the lids too, then just add mascara and neutral lipgloss. Again, I am getting older, and though I am not all wrinkly or ready for the Botox yet, my skin is not as smooth as it used to be and highly shimmery face products just don't look good in the daytime. They also look a little silly after a certain age. This Roses blush looks absolutely perfect!! A soft, feminine, glowy, and natural flush...and lasts pretty well with no touch ups. Definitely a great drugstore product!!!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No