Liquid -Almay - Clear Complexion Blemish Healing Makeup
bellabambina 12/20/2004 12:35:00 PM
I have this in Honey, it is an OK color match for me, it isn't perfect but it works I think (maybe a teensy too pink). Texture is OK, it could have more coverage but it doesn't cover flaws too well so a concealer would need to be used. It doesn't seem to break me out too much. This is probably an indication it doesn't have any pore clogging ingredients. I have noticed that if a foundation contains sunscreen it WILL make me break out terribly. Thankfully, they left the sunscreens out of this one. It is not oily or shiny, pretty matte. Hate the packaging though (glass bottle), would have preferred a tube. With repeated use, the foundation gunks up under the cap and looks really gross after a while---bummer!!!
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Liquid -Urban Decay - liquid Surreal Skin 
bellabambina 12/16/2004 1:23:00 PM
Well, I reviewed this product a while back, and I felt I must update. I love the color of the shade I have been using (Vision), I love the coverage, and I love the blendability. However, I HATE the fact that it does without a doubt make me break out (waah) and seems to clog my pores. Everytime I put this on, by the end of the day I have big unsightly blemishes. It does cover said blemishes well, but...since it is causing them too, it is not working for me. It is a real shame because if it didn't make me break out, I would want to wear it everyday--the color is great and it looks natural once you blend. I guess it's hard to have everything in a foundation, nothing I've found is all good (still looking for my HG). I have been trying this off and on for the last year and I always have the same problem, but I kept trying it again anyway thinking the breakouts were due to something else. Nope, this is definitely the culprit. My skin hates this foundation.
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Treatments -Paula's Choice - Skin Perfecting 1% BHA Gel Exfoliant
bellabambina 10/13/2004 11:36:00 PM
I thought this would be a great product for me, but I had a similar experience to the person who said: "UPDATE (8/11/04): This gel doesn't prevent or stop breakouts..." I couldn't agree more. In fact, I found myself breaking out like crazy while using this, and I used it straight for 10 days before quitting on it--some of the worst skin days I have had in a long time! Anyway, after using this gel which did nothing for me, I went back to using the PC 2% BHA liquid which I usually use and my face improved tremendously (phew!). Something in the gel makes my face really oily and sticky--gross!! I think it's the dimethicone. UPDATE: I have also tested her 2% gel which is in development (it hasn't been released for purchase yet, I was on the testing panel) and I didn't like it either!! Breakout city!
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Masks -Clearasil - Total Control Purifying Green Clay Mask
bellabambina 3/5/2004 3:27:00 PM
Very deep-cleansing, and in my experience, discourages breakouts and leaves your face brighter and clearer.
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Cleansers -Olay - Daily Facials Express- Sensitive Skin
bellabambina 2/25/2004 12:15:00 PM
This is a decent product. It does seem to remove makeup very well (in a few swipes your makeup is on the cloth and off your face), and leaves the skin clean and soft. The other very important thing is that this cloth is VERY VERY soft, so while its unique texture grabs makeup and dirt off the skin, the skin is not irritated or scrubbed harshly whatsoever...an amazing accomplishment in my opinion. I am a bit concerned about the moisturizing buildup it seems to leave behind, but it doesn't seem to have any overtly oily ingredients, which is good. I don't feel it has contributed to any breakouts. I really needed something like this for a quick clean at night when I am too lazy too wash my face the real way! One concern is the packaging..I don't like the sticky cover label, as it is not a very reliable way of sealing the package back up when you are done.
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Liquid -Maybelline - Wonder Finish
bellabambina 9/12/2003 1:43:00 AM
Leaves an interesting, powdery finish (as advertised). I use Honey Beige. It blends very well into my skin and looks natural. And doesn't look oily. But it breaks me out--so this stuff has got to go.
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Lipstick -Clinique - Moisture Sheer SPF 15 [DISCONTINUED]
bellabambina 9/9/2003 6:00:00 PM
From a previous review: "But after using my Sheer Petal for the first few times, the highest part of the tube (it's at a slant) surrounding the stick was no longer adjacent to the highest part of the stick. So now I have to deal with the casing hitting the stick and shaving off the color a lil bit onto the tube. Mine's just probably defective, tho :P" No, you're not the only one! Mine does this too. Otherwise, a nice sheer lip product.
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Cleansers -Alpha Hydrox - Foaming Face Wash
bellabambina 9/9/2003 4:04:00 PM
I have tried this and it seemed to work okay. It seems to be a very standard cleanser. To try to address the confusion below, I checked in the most recent (6th) edition of Paula's book and she doesn't mention anything whatsoever about this product containing (or not containing) an AHA. I can't check the 5th edition because I sold my copy. Anyway, I highly doubt the citric acid (which is an AHA, yes) would have a significant effect as it is only on the face a few seconds. A decent cleanser.
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Treatments -Paula's Choice - Extra Strength Blemish Fighting Solution
bellabambina 9/7/2003 9:11:00 PM
As a benzoyl peroxide disinfectant product, it is OK if you like BP. There are however some caveats: first, it is quite strong as the name implies, and your skin could turn red in reaction. Second caveat: it contains Laureth-4 if I am not mistaken. I think I read somewhere that this ingredient can clog pores; if that is the case (which I am not 100% sure about), I wonder why Paula has included it in this. I don't use this product anymore, and I won't repurchase this.
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Masks -Paula's Choice - Oil Absorbing Facial Mask
bellabambina 9/7/2003 9:06:00 PM
Yes, it definitely has a weird smell on it. But it does seem to work in the sense that my skin looks and feels much cleaner afterwards. However, it is unclear to me whether this is a very essential step in one's skincare routine. There isn't much to say about this. I don't use it very often, because I usually forget to (I guess I need to schedule time with myself to do a mask once a week)!! It does have a gloppy weird texture, but I got used to it.
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Polishes -Revlon - Colorstay Nail color
bellabambina 9/7/2003 3:21:00 PM
Okay, I am getting a little ahead of myself, but I just tried for the first time this nail polish, which was recommended by Oprah magazine and a lot of you guys, it seems! I just applied it today. I am pleased to report that it went on very easily and smoothed itself out so there were no ugly mistakes on my nails. I gave it a few minutes to dry before putting on the topcoat (it too went on without a hitch). It dried reasonably fast--I gingerly started to go about my business after about 5 minutes of sitting about after the manicure, and no smudges! End result: my nails look gorgeous and shiny (by the way, I used Stay Natural Sheer). Wow, me likey lots!! It's a nice nude which has a subtle hint of shimmer (VERY subtle--you have to look at it from close-range and under some lights to see the shimmer effect). OK, so I haven't given it time to see what happens with its resistance and longevity on the nails, but I'm so pleased with how my nails look and how easily it went on and dried, that I already give this 5 lippies. I'll downgrade if I find it chips off too soon! Jet Set, you have some major competition!! As far as the colors go: they don't have the quantity or variety of some other nail polishes, true, but I am a simple girl at heart, so the dozen or so I spied in the drugstore are enough to keep me happy for a good while! They seem to have covered the basics and then some. I also bought Diamonds Forever, True Camisole Sheer, and Timeless Nude, but if this lives up to my expectations I might get more (although I have entirely too many other nail polishes in my collection already). UPDATE: I can't believe that 7 hours after putting this on, I went to bed and believe it or not, I got the dreaded SHEET MARKS!! Discovered them this morning. Not really bad ones, but they are there if you look real close---aaarggh! Maybe I didn't apply polish thinly enough and let dry enough before topcoat (usually I apply too thickly because I get carried away when applying nail polish)!!! But I was VERY surprised to see the sheet marks regardless, which hasn't happened to me with polishes such as Jet Set. The other downer is the nude doesn't look that exciting anymore, especially on my toes (I usually put bright colors on my toes, but for some reason I chose to put this nude on both fingers and toes). It's OK for fingers though. On account of sheet marks, will downgrade to 4 lippies. SECOND UPDATE: It's 4 days after application and it's still going strong, minus minor (I mean MINOR) wear at the edge of the nail. A new record for me, usually polish starts chipping by day 3 if not sooner since I use my hands a lot around the house. Back up to five lippies (the sheet marks were pretty minor anyway--can't see them unless you look really close). I've bought Plumberry Ever After and Limitless Lilac for toes too. LAST UPDATE: It lasted one week on fingers before looking cruddy (that's a new record for me & nail polish). Taking this off with Cutex non-acetone nail polish remover pads was a breeze, by the way. Always On is my new manicure staple!! I have redone fingernails with Timeless Nude--looks great, no sheet marks! For the first time, I have perfect-looking nails--days after putting the stuff on! Lasts a week! WOW!!!!!!!
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Lipstick -Jane - Lip Huggers
bellabambina 9/5/2003 11:26:00 PM
Well, having heard a lot of buzz about jane (it's young, it's hip, it's cheap, it's owned by the veritable giant Estee Lauder), I thought I should check something in their line out. It was not easy to find much by jane where I looked for it (Rite Aid, Walgreens had pitiful jane stock--looks like they hadn't replenished in quite some time), but I snagged a Lip Hugger in some plum color. Well, I'm not really impressed, but I didn't expect much for less than $2 anyway. It is quite slippery and greasy and can make quite a mess on the lips if you're not careful. Positives: nice black tube with cute pink dot design in the middle. Fragrance-free and apparently irritant-free as well. Moisturizing. But alas, not my cup of tea with the extreme slipperiness and greasy feel. Having glanced at other reviews below, I am perplexed and wonder if we are all reviewing the same product. The Lip Hugger I tried is NOTHING like a Clinique or Estee' Lauder lipstick; there's a world of difference IMO!!! There doesn't seem to be hardly any pigment in these, compared to the higher-end lipsticks (high pigment level is a good sign of quality, by the way)--although this could be due to the fact it is a "shimmer" Lip Hugger-- and like I said, the texture is not at all similar to that of an upscale product either. For $2 I wasn't expecting it to be a high-end product, of course, but I still wish I had never bought this. Oddly enough, I am much more a fan of the Continuous Color lipsticks by Cover Girl--those have some really beautiful colors as well as a much nicer "grown-up" texture that stays put. For whatever reason, that product has received terrible ratings here-I don't know why--go figure!
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Powder -Stila - Illuminating Powder Foundation
bellabambina 9/4/2003 9:03:00 PM
Didn't like it at all. I don't know why I was even recommended this by the MA at Nordstrom's or why I bought it (it has oil in it for Pete's sake!) considering my skin type (oily, acne-prone). I don't like the look or feel of this whatsoever! And now that I've had it for a while, I don't like the bulky, metal compact that I got from Stila (sold separately, of course: can you say RIP-OFF?) to put the powder in--it's anything but elegant to me (although I guess it would appeal to some people)!
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Lipstick -Maybelline - Forever lipstick
bellabambina 9/3/2003 12:34:00 PM
Love this! Looks great on, feels good, pretty colors. Okay, so it's not really "Forever," but it's good enough for me! 5 lippies! However: can make your lips dry if they have a tendency to be dry, use a lip balm at night to re-moisturize.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Jolen Creme Bleach
bellabambina 9/2/2003 12:54:00 AM
This used to be a beauty staple of mine in high school/college and even grad school. I have since graduated to creme hair remover--I have found one that doesn't irritate at all (don't ask how that is possible, I don't know) but is quite effective. I stopped using bleach because I hated the redness that would develop over the bleached area and the tingling and irritation I suffered every time, as well as the messy "having-to-mix-the-powder-and-creme" routine. Bleah. Plus, unfortunately, lightened hair is still visible to some extent, so it doesn't really solve the problem of facial hair incredibly well. However, for those leery of hair removal, Jolen is a good choice. If you are looking for a creme bleach (given all the limitations of a bleach), Jolen is the best choice in my experience; but I wouldn't repurchase personally.
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