Masks -Alba Botanica - Hawaiian Papaya Enzyme Facial Mask
Mickster 3/11/2006 11:03:00 PM
I picked this up at Target 75% off. Who knew Target even carried it. Anyhow, I have been wanting to try this brand and got a bunch of different things. This might be my favorite. I have very sensitive skin with rosacea, and when I first slicked on this gel it seemed to burn, but I left it on. And the burning quickly went away and it just felt nice and cooling. I left it on until it dried and washed off with a lukewarm washcloth. No redness to my skin at all, and it felt calm and nice and tight. My pores looked very small, and my skin felt very smooth. I have used this twice in the last week and am absolutely loving it. My skin is so smooth and feels very taught. I will repurchase. Updating this review on 10/29/2010. I have been using this product for four years now and am still thrilled with it. I have very sensitive skin and regular grainy exfoliators just do not work well for me. They cause irritation, overproduction of oil, zits, and add to my flakey skin. THIS product is a very gentle exfoliator. The papaya enzymes loosen the bonds of the dead skin and allow me to gently scrub it all off with a simple basic washcloth. I use this product at least twice a week and never have any fear of using it just moments before applying MU for a special event. I find it to be moisturizing and toning as well. The scent is lovely, fresh, and seems to be pretty natural. Not a lot of fragrance added. Over the last few years this product has become much more readily available as well. Most drugstores and your better grocery stores carry the Alba Hawaiian line. The tub is not huge but it lasts a very long time because you don't need to use much. I apply a clean fingerfull and allow it to dry on my face which depending on the humidity takes between 13-20 min. I can apply it on my most sensitive areas without fear of irritation, even my lips and the upper part of my eyelids under my brows and almost all the way up to my bottom eyelid. I highly recommend and will continue to buy this as long as they make it.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -China Glaze - Rain Storm
Mickster 1/18/2006 1:23:00 AM
The color of this polish in the bottle is a vibrant perriwinkle blue with a violet flash, and just a touch of blue and silver microglitter. Truely beautiful... Unfortunately it went on VERY sheer (This sheerness is NOT usual for China Glaze polishes, so I was a bit suprised), it took 4 coats to achieve bottle color. Luckily is dries very fast. The finish when dry is a bit matte and slightly chunky with the small glitter. I used a nice thick coat of Poshe topcoat, and it looks beautiful. I wouldn't buy again due to the sheerness.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Unlisted Brand - Nailtini - Pink Lady
Mickster 1/5/2006 6:09:00 PM
As a nailcare junkie; the Nailtini's I was seeing at Upscale department stores were intreguing me. At $12.50 per bottle, I decided to try one. Pink Lady was the "winner". My Nailtini experience is as follows: I used Seche Ridgefilling Base Coat (my HG). I applied one coat of Pink Lady. I found the brush uncomfortable to use The brush did not have a good "feel" in my hand. I felt that I really didn't have a lot of control over it. The actual brush part was long and narrow, very stiff, and seemed to pick up too much polish. Once I rubbed it off a few times on the lip of the bottle to remove excess polish, it did a good job of applying (especially in hard to reach areas) with very little mess. The polish did go on pretty smoothly, not the least bit streaky, but it is quite thick. After one coat the coverage was very good, but I always have to apply at least 2 coats to get area's I "missed" with the first coat. The 2nd coat went on well, still more thick than my preference. I finished up the mani with Seche Vite fast dry topcoat (also an HG for me). Even with the fast dry topcoat it took a very long time to dry beyond the tacky stage (at least 10 min). I have had it on for 2 days now. The wear seems to be quite good. No chips or peelies. I have slight wear on the very tips of my nails, which I have with all polish. The color of Pink Lady is pretty neato. Kind of smokey plummy mauve. It looks pretty good on me, but would be even better on a cooler toned lady. It's a nice neutral type of shade. If one can get past the feel of the brush, the price, and the oddball drying time. I would recommend it, but I won't be purchasing again.
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Lipstick -Bobbi Brown - Matte Stain For Lips in Desert Clay
Mickster 12/24/2005 5:46:00 PM
It's My Lips, but WAY WAY WAY better. Suedy rose color. I apply with a brush, but a fingertip would work as well for more of a "stained" look. The best thing about this matte lip stain, is that it doesn't feel like any matte lip product I have ever used. Most are extremely drying. Not the case at all with good ole Bobbi Brown. The staying power is great, and my lips still feel moisturized after a full day of wear.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Burt's Bees - Marshmallow Vanishing Creme
Mickster 12/5/2005 12:50:00 AM
Ahhh. I should have known better. Reading the reviews on this one. My nose has been so dry and flaky lately I felt I needed a richer cream. So I got the sample package including this product. Just to apply to my nose. Now I knew it wasn't going to smell like marshmallows, and it was going to smell like banana's. What I didn't know is that it was going to smell just like the banana flavored penicillan I had to take for a year when I was a child and had Rheumatic Fever. Definately had my own scent identification issues with that. Reguardless, within 2 days I had developed angry zits around my nose (a place where I don't regularily get them). I so wanted to like this one.
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Polishes -China Glaze - Nail Lacquer-Awakening
Mickster 12/4/2005 2:35:00 PM
I'll have to concurr with the previous reviewers. The quality of this nail polish is outstanding It applies so evenly and smoothly, as do most of the polishes from this brand. Don't know if it's the brush, the formula, or some mixture of the two. The color is just stunning. I think that it looks a bit differently on folks with different coloring. On me it's an orchid color with glowing gold shimmer wich looks differently depending on light refraction. This polish can go from peach, to pink, to purple at the tilt of the hand. Would buy again in a heartbeat.
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Polishes -China Glaze - Sunset Glow
Mickster 11/25/2005 10:31:00 PM
Perhaps the strangest polish I have ever applied. It's a bit thick and applies like a metallic nail polish. The first thing I thought of when I applied the first coat was the malted milk ball candies one gets at easter time with the hard candy shell. The ones when you lick them turn your fingers milky purple/pink. It went on very evenly and one coat is probably sufficient, but I put on 2 because I always miss a spot or two along the edges of my nails. The drying time between coats was decievingly long, it looks dry very quickly because this particular polish dries very matte, but it's not...wait a little longer. I used Poshe superfast dry topcoat which is really needed with this polish to give it shine. After all is said and done, it's a lovely orchid polish with a very nice gold shimmer. It's really radiant in sunlight. It looks a bit sick on my nails right now as it's thanksgiving time and I'm very pale, but I know when I wear this with a bit of a tan it will look incredible. Staying powers was very impressive. It's a very sturdy polish. Overall, very impressed and will buy again.
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Polishes -Essie - Starry Starry Night
Mickster 11/19/2005 12:20:00 AM
This is a very interesting polish. True evening sky navy blue with fairly large silver glitter. Many times glitter polishes dry somewhat matte, not this one, it's got a great shine. As with most glitter polishes the staying power is great. I had it on my toes for 3 weeks without a single chip or a bit of wear. Application was great, only 2 coats required for full, deep coverage. I also found that it seemed to remove easier than many glitter's do. I don't care that much for Essie's packaging, but I can overlook that for a great polish.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -China Glaze - Cranberry Flame
Mickster 11/19/2005 12:13:00 AM
This one is a definate HIT with me. Cranberry Flame is a cherry red with a red shimmer. It's fairly neutral in shade, maybe leaning a bit more toward cool tones. I find it to be a very deep polish (meaning lots of shimmer/sparkle going on in layers). Nice price ($4.00 in salon). Great application (1st layer is a bit sheer, but 2 coats is sufficient for true to bottle color and sparkle). And excellent China Glaze staying power, which for me is longer than OPI.
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Skincare - Face -RoC - Retinol Actif Pur Anti-Wrinkle Treatment (night) [DISCONTINUED]
Mickster 11/12/2005 12:51:00 AM
I have been using this product for about 3 months and am deeply in love, In fact, I'm proposing to it tonight. My skin was a mess. I have sensitive skin, mild rosacea, and had some major acne problems for the last 2 years. I expected this retinol product to cause an adverse reaction in my sensitive skin, but that didn't happen. In fact, the effect was just the opposite. My skin is the happiest and healthiest looking it's been in YEARS. My lines around my eyes and on my forehead are noticably improved, my skin is glowing with health,my old blemish scars are mostly faded away, and I think my pores are getting smaller. I also use the Roc Actif Pur spf 15 daycream. I couldn't be happier with this product, and have already repurchased several times. If the price is daunting to you I noticed that they usually have 2 packs for a much better than drugstore price available at Costco. P.S. Must add, I have been thru 4 periods since starting this cream with NO hormonal breakouts, which I find amazing.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -BeneFit Cosmetics - Georgia ] ] [DISCONTINUED]
Mickster 10/24/2005 12:16:00 PM
I absolutely LOVE this stuff. I have a warm/neutral complexion and use this as my HG all over face powder in place of mineral veil with my BE foundation (I found mineral veil to be too drying and accentuated any flakiness I might have). It just adds a bit of zing to my face, not sure exactly how to describe the glowing loveliness. It has a slight scent which I find rather pleasing. I have mostly dry skin and don't find that this accentuates or adds any flakiness to my skin. My skin is also very sensitive, but I have had no discomfort using this (about a month now). The packaging is cute, although not especially practical if you wish to carry it with you for mid-day touch ups. I do not use the brush that came in the package (although it's very cute as well) instead I use a regular powder brush. Will definately repurchase when I run out in about 20 years.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Grand Canyon Sunset NL30
Mickster 10/14/2005 6:14:00 PM
Grand Canyon Sunset suprized me. It appears in the bottle to be a dusty rose color, but on nails it warms up to a suedy coral/rose, looking even more coral in bright sunlight. Lovely color especially on my warm-neutral skin. One of my new favorites.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Tutti Frutti Tonga
Mickster 10/8/2005 5:04:00 PM
A peachy pink light shimmer with a high gloss. This is my new HG sheer. It looks just exactly as beautiful as it is in the bottle after 1 coat, 2 coats offer perfect coverage. It's so glossy I forego the top coat. My skin is on the warm side of neutral and this looks fantastic even today at my fall palest. UPDATE- I would like to add that I use Seche Ridge Filling basecoat which provides a bit of a white primer effect to my nail so often it takes less coats for me to get true to bottle color.
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Polishes -OPI - Electric Eel
Mickster 10/8/2005 4:42:00 PM
Electric Eel, from the summer 2005 brights collection in bottle is a lime green with a shimmer that gives off flashes in a peachy gold range. When applied to nails it is very very sheer, even 3 coats do not give true to bottle color, although in sunlight it does maintain it's peachy gold shimmer. I was hoping for true to bottle vibrancy on this one, so I was dissappointed. I feel that I will be spending most of my time with this polish looking at it's beauty in the bottle because on it's just kinda blah.
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Polishes -China Glaze - Turned Up Turquoise 849237
Mickster 10/8/2005 4:33:00 PM
Stunningly bright and beautiful turquoise color with a slight shimmer (more a green turqoise than blue). Not sheer at all, nail color matches the bottle on 1st coat, 2 coats for perfect coverage. Dries a bit matte so a shiny topcoat such as seche vitae is required. Staying power on China Glaze polishes in general is above average. I love bright colors, so I am just thrilled with this. So very vibrant.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No