Eye Primer -LORAC - Behind the Scenes Eye Primer
lexijojohnson 12/18/2011 11:37:00 AM
This is a really great primer. The color is described as "sheer ivory beige." I would say that is accurate. What I found is that the color just melts into your own skin tone, so I think this would work well for many different shades of skin color. This does a nice job of keeping eye colors on, and doesn't let your lids get greasy. For $20, you get a .47 oz tube that lasts a long time. A little goes a long way with this product. If not for the Kat von D eyeshadow primer, I think this would be my HG. However, I need the yellow base in the KVD one to even out some lid discoloration I have, and it is also just one amazing primer (please see my review on that as well!). You can get a sample of this at sephora, and I would recommend doing just that. A little sample pot will last you probably about a week. I highly recommend this! Per Sephora.com: What it is formulated WITHOUT: - Parabens - Sulfates - Synthetic Fragrances - Synthetic Dyes - Phthalates - GMOs
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Eye Shadow -Cover Girl - Eye Enhancers - Tapestry Taupe
lexijojohnson 12/17/2011 5:11:00 PM
I have purchased this eyeshadow twice, and just cannot get it to work for me. I am disappointed with the amount of fall out, even with really great primers. I like the color, and think this would be a great go-to every day type shadow. However, the color is not long lasting, and there is a ton of fall out for me, despite primers and diff brushes. While the shadow is inexpensive and easy to take a chance on, I just cannot find anything good to say about the wearing ability of this shadow.
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Lip Gloss -Essence - Stay With Me
lexijojohnson 12/17/2011 5:08:00 PM
I really like these cheap little glosses. They are pretty sheer, but feel nice on the lips and are not at all sticky. I have these in My Favourite Milkshake, and Me & My Ice Cream. MFM was so light that it just looked clear on my lips, adding no real color. M&MIC, on the other hand, it a lovely baby pink color that still offers enough color that it doesn't wash me out or just become a straight up milky pink. I am someone who doesn't usually care for doe-foot applicators. However, these are pretty nice, and are spongy enough to feel like you can get the right amount of product without the brush being too stiff. I haven't really been disappointed with any of the Essence lip glosses thus far. And for $3 - you can try them without feeling committed!
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Hair Styling Tools -Remington - T-Studio Pearl Curling Wand
lexijojohnson 12/12/2011 8:29:00 AM
My hair hasn't been keeping curl very well lately. I think it may be due to the argan oil I've been using in my towel dried hair to act as a smoothing agent. Curling irons haven't been really working very well, and my attempt to curl with a flat iron ended in an epic finger burn that still hasn't completely healed 3 weeks later. After seeing a lot of these types of irons in stores, I decided to take to youtube to view some tuts, and see some reviews. This one seemed to have the best review, and was within my budget. I picked this up at Target on Saturday for $19.99! I got the 1" - 1 1/2" size. I have mid-back length hair with long layers, and I don't want super curly-cue hair, just Victoria's Secret like waves. I got what I wanted! While this is a little awkward to use and takes a bit longer than curling or flat irons, the end product is pretty great. You get shiny, smooth curls with no sign of frizz. This held curl for me much better than curling or flat irons. I did use hairspray (something I rarely do) to keep the curl as well. Other reviewers have posted a good point - be sure to let the curls sit and cool before you finger-comb through them. All in all, I'm happy and have already recommended this to other people!
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Treatments -Aveda - Color Conserve Daily Color Protect
lexijojohnson 11/25/2011 10:29:00 PM
I do not believe that this is even on the Aveda website yet. I got this a week ago at my Aveda salon. My hair girl used this in my hair after coloring and shampooing. It is meant to be a leave-in conditioner and a way to protect color. What it does for me more than anything that I can tell so far is that it really helps to keep my hair smooth and soft. I have very long, layered hair. My top layer is coarse and kind of a nightmare when it comes to using the blow dryer. When I noticed how soft, smooth and shiny my hair felt after she used this on me at the salon, I had to get it for at home. It works very well, and I would recommend that anyone with frizz troubles give this a shot! It is $24, but you don't need a ton of product each time (even in my very long, thick hair). Smells good, works well - I'm really liking this!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Aveda - Black Malva Conditioner
lexijojohnson 11/25/2011 8:34:00 PM
My hair leans warm naturally and I really dont like how that looks on me. I always have to go pretty ashy. My hair person recd this to me. I bought it today, tried it tonight, and I can say that it makes a big diff! I probably only had it in for 4-5 mins. Next time I might try putting it on when getting out of the shower and leaving it on for 10 mins, then returning to the shower to rinse. This did a great job of doing just what it says: taking the warmth out, depositing cool. Per the other reviews, I knew this would stain and to be careful. I was careful and nothing too crazy happened. I'm a fan, and will see myself using this maybe once a week to help with my warm-leaning tone.
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Makeup Brushes -Sonia Kashuk - Large crease brush- white handle
lexijojohnson 11/1/2011 3:40:00 PM
This is a good brush at a good price. It is definitely more for precision in the crease than it is a fluffy brush that will spread color nicely. You have to know where you are going with your color before you apply with this brush! I think that SK used to have a different crease brush that had more of a blunt end. This one is much more pointed and not as easy to blend with. I like it, but don't use it all that often, since my look is usually more of just neutrals with a more fluffy brush. However, I am happy to have this brush in my arsenal for more precise application!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter
lexijojohnson 10/29/2011 8:20:00 AM
I was so stoked about these -and kinda late to the party. Too busy with school and work lately to be checkin out my fave beauty blogs! So, I was thrilled to easily find these at my Walgreens (I know many folks are having a tough time finding them). I originally got these in Creamsicle, and Creme Brulee. These are B1G1 half off this week at Wags. The other colors I was looking at seemed a bit more pigmented than I want in a lip butter - but I still respect them for their pigment! I am actually considering going back for the red one and maybe another one to send my cousin while they're still on sale. These are described by many as a dupe for Clinique Buttershines. Having both, I can say that these are a decent dupe, but not a spot-on dupe. The Buttershines are much more moisturizing feeling (I don't know what oils if any those actually have, but they feel better). The buttershines are slicker, smoother, shinier, and maybe a bit more sheer. Anyway - on to the Revlon Lip Butters. As I mentioned, I originally got these in Creamsicle and Creme Brulee. I was shocked at how pigmented these were when I first put on Creamsicle. I put it on in the car without looking, and then later looked in the rear-view mirror and was surprised that it looked like I had some crazy 60s pale pigmented peach lip. I ended up taking it off when I got home, and then just put one coat on, and it was much better. I'm NC20-25, for reference and if you use more than just the one coat of this color, it will wash you out pretty quickly. However, I did keep this color, and will just be more careful with application in the future. As for Creme Brulee...I brought this back and exchanged it for Berry Smoothie. Creme Brulee was like a slightly caramel-toned MLBB color. It just dulled my lips and complexion, so I brought it back for something that would be a bit better for me. Berry Smoothie is a bit more reddish-pink that I was hoping for, but I do like it. I was hoping for something a little more pinky-toned MLBB, but am not finding it in this line so far. In conclusion, I do like these, they feel nice and go on nicely. However, they are not exact dupes for Clinique Buttershines. I would still prefer my Buttershines as the go-to for that moisturizing, shiny, smooth lip color.
10 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -C.O. Bigelow - Coconut Butter Lip Butter
lexijojohnson 10/23/2011 10:28:00 AM
This is my new fave lip balm! I picked this up yesterday at B&BW, and think I may go back for more (I believe these are B2G1F right now). First, although this is coconut butter, the scent is not overwhelming or annoying (and I am very sensitive about scents). This is super moisturizing, not at all greasy or sticky. I put this on my lips last night before bed and woke up with happy lips! My lips have been super dry lately, and I've had a tough time finding anything (even my old stand-bys) that can make them feel better. The price on this is a little high, at $7.50 (+ tax). However, if you can get a deal on these now, you will have happy lips that taste and smell great! They have 3 other types of these new lip butters: Shea, Mango, and Cocoa. I noticed that when looking at the ingredients for the Coconut lip butter that it also has all of those other 3 lip butters. I think this is a really nice combo of lip butters that my lips are responding to nicely. I'm loving this and highly recommend to those who are looking for an awesome new lip balm!
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Eyeliner -Essence - Long Lasting Eye Pencil - Almost Famous
lexijojohnson 10/20/2011 8:07:00 AM
I have had the Stila Kajal liner in Topaz. I wasn't expecting this to be like that, but I was expecting for it to be more than just a slight wash of color. This is really nothing like the Stila Kajal in Topaz. I understand that it doesn't claim to be, but I'm just making this clear for people who want to save a lot of money (understandably - I was too!) and get this $3 liner in place of the expensive Stila one. The Stila liner is matte, and super pigmented. It stays on during the day pretty nicely. This one is not pigmented at all, has shimmer or sparkle (I can't decide which), and does not stay put. To be fair, I did use this in my lower waterline, and I know it can be tough for even good pencils to stay put down there, but this just really barely made a difference, and then was gone. I wish that I knew of a good, cheap lip liner that was super pale that I could recommend instead - I am trying to think of cheaper items that can be used in place of the Stila Topaz, but I'm failing to come up with one. I know other brands (Cargo) have some pencils that are flesh colored, but they are spendy as well. I would love to hear from some people who are able to find cheaper alternatives to the Stila Topaz that are matte, and actually stick around!
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Blush -Milani - Smooth Finish Blush - Luminous
lexijojohnson 10/12/2011 7:44:00 AM
I wanted to try another Milani blush. I had tried Mai Tai because of great reviews and it didn't suit my coloring. I had also tried their baked blush in Luminoso, which I thought was a pretty color but just didn't do a lot for me. This blush, Luminous, it very pretty and I can see this work on many skin tones. For those of you who wanted to try the Tarte AC blush in Glisten, this may be a close dupe. This is a nice peachy-pink that isn't too bright, and has a goldish sheen to it, without making your skin looking oily. This is a great buy!
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Treatments -Garnier - Sleek & Shine Frizz Defeat Deep Treatment
lexijojohnson 10/5/2011 2:36:00 PM
This is a great product. First, the price - I believe I got mine for around $5 at ULTA. It seems like a small bottle, but it really does offer a lot of product. Each pump gives out a decent amount. For my hair, I need quite a few pumps (I have long thick hair). When I am rinsing this out of my hair, my hair feels great! Soft and silky and smooth - like it is going to be a good hair dryer session! The top layer of my hair is coarse and just sort of unmanageable. This really helps to keep it in check. When I blow dry my hair using this product, my hair is sleek and smooth, not a frizzed-out mess like it is with most other things. The scent is pleasant, not too offensive or strong. I think this bottle will last me a while, and will offer many good hair dryer session in the future!
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Treatments -Sexy Hair Concepts - Big Sexy Hair - Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner
lexijojohnson 10/2/2011 7:00:00 PM
This is pretty awesome. I was having a tough time finding an effective leave-in conditioner that didn't weight down my very long, thick, layered hair. I introduced a work friend to Ulta during lunch one day (I think this is sort of like taking someone to DIsney World for the first time!), and she mentioned right away that she loves this stuff. I bought the small bottle, and have been using it for a few weeks. I really like it. First - the scent...when I smelled it at the store, I was a little turned off. It has cocoa in it, and when you smell it in the bottle, you definitely smell it...I wasn't thrilled about this. But, when I got it home and used it in my hair, the scent turns to a light citrus - very strange. Maybe my body chemistry made it go that way. In my very long, thick hair, I use about 10-12 sprays of this and my hair is easy to get through without being weighed down. At my Ulta right now, they have a full size bottle that is even a bonus size (I think twice the volume of the full size bottle) for the same price as the full size bottle. I'm definitely going back for that (the price is $14.95). I'm a big fan of this product and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a lightweight leave-in spray conditioner to negotiate major snarls.
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Eye Shadow -Wet 'n' Wild - 8-pan Palette "Comfort Zone"
lexijojohnson 10/2/2011 6:45:00 PM
After hearing the hype from folks on here as well as YT gurus and beauty bloggers, I thought I would give this one a try (at $5 - why not?). There are some nice colors in this palette that will work really well for most skin tones and eye colors. However, I found the quality of the shadows in this palette (in terms of vibrancy and pigment) to be lacking, especially in comparison to the other 6-color palettes, and their single e/s in Brule. For $5, you do get a lot, and the quality is still better than not only most DS brand e/s, but many HE brands as well. However, I believe that truly good, well-pigmented shadows with good staying power are hard to find. I know I'm the minority in not loving this one, and I would probably even rec it to others still. I ended up giving this to my mom. If I really hated it, I would have trashed it and certainly not given it to someone else to use. This is like a 6/10 for me - I'm just surprised that the quality wasn't as good as the WnW singles or palettes.
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Proclaim - Natural 7 Oil With Argan Oil
lexijojohnson 9/30/2011 8:15:00 AM
I just bought this yesterday and I am impressed thus far (I will update my review after using this for a while). First, the price - I was able to get it this week at Sally Beauty for $3.99. I was lucky to get the last one! This works as a hair product, but also as a skin and nail product. I have SUPER dry cuticles. They crack and bleed, and even if I bump them on something they crack open. It is embarrassing, and I always have to have bandaids with me. Also, I am on a new med for my skin (spironolcatone) that is a diuretic, so I'm using the restroom more often and having to wash my hands a lot more and that is drying my hands out like crazy. So, I'm using this on my hair, my cuticles, and my hands. I used this on just the pony tail portion of my hair, concentrating on the ends. For my hair, I just put it on the parts just discussed, and then wrapped my pony tail around to make a bun at the top and slept with it like this. My hair feels a bit softer this morning, not so straw-like! I had tried to use the One N Only Argan Oil and it broke me out a bit. I think the difference in this one is the ingredients, and the intended use. In the One N Only version, the first ingredient is Dimethicone. In this one it is Sunflower Seed oil. It also has castor oil, grape seed oil, sesame seed oil, and olive oil. What I also like about this one is that it isn't too greasy. The oil dries fast enough, but your skin still feels treated. I may venture using this on my face at some point, if I get brave! I have sensitive skin, but maybe these kinda of oils is just what my skin needs. The spray nozzle is good, too, because you can better control how much product you are using. EDIT: If you use this for your hair - be careful with how much you use! Perhaps that goes without saying, but I got excited and too carried away! For my really long,layered, thick, coarse hair I used maybe 5 sprays the first time. It doesn't seem like much is coming out - but my hair was so oddly visibly greasy. I just used two this last time, and it is OK, but I think I may even take it down to 1 spray.
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