Styling Products -Unlisted Brand - Generic Value Products-GVP Smoothing Serum Compare To: Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum
krumrill 12/27/2009 2:53:00 PM
This stuff is amazing. My hair is in pretty bad shape from daily flat ironing and being bleached blonde, so I did some research to find a prodcut that would work as a leave-in conditioner and a heat protectant. Paul Mitchell SSS had amazing reviews, but I couldn't bring myself to spend that much on it. That's when I found GVP, compared the ingridient lists, and found that they're identical. I've now been using GVP for the past couple of days and I couldn't be more impressed. The serum itself is runny but not sticky, which I love because it makes it so much easier to evenly distribute through my hair. It makes my hair so unbelievably soft and smooth, shiny, and gives my color a little extra oomph. The best part is that it makes my hair look healthy. My ends a broken and fried, but I'm trying to aviod getting my hair cut until it grows out a little more, and GVP helps smooth my ends to make them less noticable. I strongly recommend trying this Smoothing Serum. Even if it doesn't work for you, Sally's will let you return it. Edit: I'm bumping my rating down. I'm not sure what happened, but I don't feel like this is working as well as it did in the beginning. My hair feels very greasy and tangles easily when I use this. It weighs my hair down and makes it look oily and unwashed. I've tried using different amounts and application tips given from other reviewers, but I can't seem to get this to work the same way. I've stopped using it for a few days, and my hair feels so much lighter and softer.
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Eye Shadow -Revlon - Colorstay 12-Hour Eyeshadow Quad "In the Buff"
krumrill 12/14/2009 6:29:00 PM
I found this quad at Rite Aid 75% off. With a $2 coupon it was free, and in the package the colors looked gorgeous. When applied, they're not so nice. They're not strongly pigmented, which is fine for the darker colors but lighter colors come up almost untraceable. They don't last long at all, which means all you're left with at the end of the day is sparkles where your shadow was placed. I wouldn't buy this again.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Revlon - Colorstay 12 hour Eyeshadow Quad Starlight
krumrill 12/13/2009 1:25:00 PM
These were 75% off at Rite Aid, so they were only lke $1.75, plus I had a $2 off coupon, so they were free. I thought it'd be a perfect quad to brighten up my eyes, and I LOVED the colors in the pan, but I applied them and they all came up sheer and almost white. I use them every so often as highlighters, but I'm pretty disappointed in them all together.
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Skincare - Body -Johnson & Johnson - Head to Toe washcloths
krumrill 12/4/2009 11:03:00 PM
I started using this as a body wash because it was cheap, then after reading that it also can work as a gentle cleanser, I started using it on my face, too. That didn't work out too well. My skin has been breaking out terribly since I started using this on my face. I was hoping it would help reduce the red in my cheeks but instead I've been getting breakouts all along my mouth/chin/cheeks (and not the kind that go away fast). Normally I use Neutrogena cleansers/scrubs, and my skin has been under control since high school. I've tried using my Queen Helene Mint masque but nothing seems to clear up these breakouts. As a body wash, this works fairly well, though, which would be the only reason I'd consider repurchasing.
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Shampoo -Paul Mitchell - Shampoo One
krumrill 11/19/2009 12:18:00 AM
I hate being the odd ball out, but I don't see what all the fuss is about. Everyone seemed to love this shampoo, so naturally I had to try it. I really didn't see much of a difference between this and d/s shampoos, except for the price tag. It didn't lather well, so I had to use more than normal. It smelled OK, but I'm not crazy about tropical fragrances. On top of all that, it left my hair feeling like one big clump of dry, brittle hair. After conditioning my hair felt fine, but I can get the same results from a $1 bottle of VO5, rather than shell out money for Paul Mitchell.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -John Frieda - Sheer Blonde Highlighting Shampoo
krumrill 11/15/2009 3:42:00 PM
Hated this shampoo. I had been using another Sheer Blonde s&c and after I ran out I picked this up at Big Lots. I figured there couldn't be much of a difference but wow was I wrong. This stuff is horrible! It smells funny, doesn't lather well, and left my hair feeling stringy and dry. Even using my Biolage Conditioning Balm didn't make my hair feel much better. I noticed no significant difference in the color/shades of my hair, either. This is yet another product of John Frieda's that I hated. I don't know why I try.
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Treatments -Ion - Effective Care Treatment
krumrill 11/8/2009 3:10:00 PM
I have fairly long, color-treated hair that I straighten daily. Up until recently, I had almost no split ends, and only ever got my hair cut when it was getting too long, not because of damage. I rarely use heat protectant, and haven't done a deep conditioning treatment in months. My hair finally gave up recently and started breaking, so I knew it was time to start taking care of my hair. The manager at Sally's recommended this, and since the 1oz packets were on sale for $0.99 (normally $2.19 I think), it couldn't hurt to try. I've used it once so far, and I must admit I'm pretty impressed. I washed my hair, towel dried most of it, and smoothed the conditioner through my hair, working from the ends up. I wrapped my hair in a towel and let it sit for about 20 minutes before rinsing. After my hair dried, it felt new again. I could run my fingers through my hair without snagging or pulling. It didn't feel super smooth and moisturized like it does when I use my Biolage Conditioning Balm, but my hair felt strong. Plus, that feeling doesn't go away after washing once or twice, my hair still feels strong and it's been a few days since I used it. I strongly recommend trying this. The 1oz packets make it harmless to try at least once.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Organix - Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum
krumrill 11/4/2009 10:04:00 PM
Overall, this isn't bad for a d/s product. I use it when I straighten or blow dry my hair to keep my ends from breaking even more than they already have. I must warn you, it's very easy to apply too much. I'm still getting the hang of using a serum, so I apply after sectioning my hair by using just a half a squirt. That makes it easier to apply without overdoing it in any section. After blow drying and straightening today, my hair felt healtheir. I could run my fingers through it without snagging any broken ends, and it felt soft to touch. I didn't have a problem with frizz, either. I can't say it made my hair super glossy, but it did give my color an extra boost. I probably won't buy this again because my hair needs a better quality heat protectant from being so dry and brittle and enduring the heat of my straightener on a daily basis.
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Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - Generic Value Products GVP Conditioning Balm
krumrill 11/3/2009 9:15:00 AM
I've been on a kick lately: taking better care of my hair. This basically spawned from a hairdresser pointing out everything that's wrong with my hair, the entire time I was in her chair. This was my first step, leaving the drugstore and stepping into better-quality shampoos and condtioners. Since I still have 2 1/2 bottles left of John Frieda Sheer Blonde left, I searched through endless reviews of conditioners to try. This seemed the most promising. I tried it for the first time yesterday and I'm hooked. I got a decent sized bottle at Sally's for less than $6. It's a very thick conditioner and smells amazing, just like the salon :). I didn't leave this on long, just smoothed thouroughly through my hair for a minute or two and rinsed out. After towel-drying off my hair I could easily run a comb through without snagging or breaking. Now that my hair is completely dry, if feels so good. Soft and smooth, but bouncy, too, which I love. I haven't had a shampoo and conditioner make my hair literally feel like I just left the salon, like this does. Strongly recommend trying. Even if you don't like it, Sally's has a very forgiving return policy. Edit: Love this more and more every day <333. My hair feels like satin after using this, and STAYS feeling soft and tangle-free. My hair looks and feels like I just left the salon every day. Can't recommend this enough.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Softsoap - Pure Cashmere Moisturizing Body Wash
krumrill 11/2/2009 10:43:00 PM
I'm not picky when it comes to body wash, in fact, I'm pretty forgiving. All I ask is that it smells good and doesn't dry my skin out. I bought this out of pure desperation, since rent is due and I really don't have more than $3 to shell out for body wash =(. Big Lots has a smaller bottle of this for $2.80, and it was the only body wash there that didn't smell completely discusting. I thought I could live with it, but the cheap floral scent is driving me up the wall. Yes, this has great moisturizing properties. It lathers well and feels like silk, but the smell? Think of dollar store perfume. That sickingly floral scent that lingers up your nose and into your head and doesn't go away. That's what this smells like, and no matter how well the product works, it's not enough to live with the annoying fragrance. Edit: I've been trying to suck it up and use this because I hate wasting money, but this has been causing me to break out all over my chest and back. I hate to say it but this is going straight to the trash where it belongs.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -Queen Helene - Mint Julep Natural Facial Scrub
krumrill 11/2/2009 10:36:00 PM
I love Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque, so I picked up the matching scrub at Sally's today hoping it would be just as good. It was on sale, so I only paid $2.99, a LOT cheaper than other scrubs and cleansers I've bought in the past. I don't really like the smell, it's a weird minty scent. Reminds me of the dentists office. The packaging is annoying because it has a screw top which is inconvenient. What's inside, however, is pretty good. This is a gritty, but gentle scrub; one that you can use daily without irritation. Feels nice, and assures that all the little flakes and dead skin cells have been washed away. Not quire sure if it's an HG product, but so far so good.
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Blush -Yankee Candles - Tarts
krumrill 11/1/2009 4:01:00 PM
I just recently discovered that I can burn tarts in the oil warmer I have, and now I'm hooked. I love lighting candles, but most of the time they end up smelling burnt, or you have to sit right next to them to smell them. I never had that problem with Yankee Candles, but they're expensive and I like to switch up fragrances from time to time. That's what makes these little tarts so great. They're only $1.99 a piece (sometimes you can find them BOGO 50%), but they last forever. I bought four of them in different fall scents, autumn wreath, harvest, vanilla pumpkin, and spiced pumpkin. I love that when I get tired of one smell, I can throw the warmer in the freezer for 10 minutes and pop the wax "disk" out and put a new tart in, yet the old wax is completely resuable and smells just as good reheated. Plus, these will last forever. I'm hooked on tart warmers, they're the best!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Candles -Yankee Candles - Tart - Autumn Wreath
krumrill 11/1/2009 3:52:00 PM
Love Autumn Wreath. Fall/holiday scents are my favorite, so I bought a bunch of tarts at Yankee Candle after discovering my oil burner could burn them as well. I just put Autumn Wreath on about 30 minutes ago, and my apartment is filled with a perfect spicey November scent. I've tried other "autumn" candles that end up smelling like a burnt pumpkin, but this tart smells just as good warmed up as it does in the package. Perfect for this time of year =).
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Queen Helene - Mint Julep Masque
krumrill 10/31/2009 10:37:00 AM
If it weren't for MUA, I would have never given Queen Helene a thought. The packaging is basic and generic, almost something I'd expect to see in a dollar store. It's only $3, which also leads me to believe that it's cheap clay in a tub. I couldn't believe that something so basic looking could have such amazing reviews. I had to try it, so I marched back to Sally's to pick it up. Now, understand, my skin is far from bad. It's taken me years to stop the breakouts I used to get, but I'm greatful that they've stopped and I only have a pink flush and some acne scarring to deal with. When I first used QHMJM, I was disappointed. It really didn't make a difference in my skin. However, recently, my skin started acting up again. I began getting bumps along my upper lip and chin, whiteheads randomly popping up, and the pink in my cheeks was getting worse. I used Queen Helene's masque one time, and the bumps disappeared overnight. My skin literally went back to normal after using this masque only twice. I'm still amazed, and it's even convinced DF to start using it (he gets terrible cystic acne). I strongly recommend trying this masque at least once. It's literally less than $3 and really an amazing product.
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Powder -Physicians Formula - CoverToxTen50 Wrinkle Therapy Face Powder
krumrill 10/28/2009 9:49:00 PM
Huge disappointment. Normally, PF powders provide enough coverage to act as a powder foundation, but this was an exception. The powder is very finely milled, and Transluctant Medium was a close match to my skin. The shades run neutral, which suited my fair/warm skin better than most drugstore foundations. I didn't have any oxidation wearing this, however, it doesn't provide much coverage. I applied with my EcoTools kabuki, and although it smoothed my skin out and "softened" blemishes and scars, it didn't completely hide them. You can dab some extra powder on spots and it works like a concealer, but if you don't blend enough you'll see the spots. It has almost no staying power, which is my biggest problem with this powder. I worked a six hour shift tonight and had to completely reapply halfway through my workday. That doesn't sit well with me, since I hate reapplying my makeup. Overall I wouldn't buy this again. I might recommend this if you're using the matching foundation/concealer, but on it's own it's garbage.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No