Skincare - Face -DDF - Acne Pumice Scrub
Beth 1/14/2004 6:51:00 PM
Sorry, but I found this scrub way too harsh for my skin. I was looking for something that just exfoliated....with its salicylic acid component, it also dries out the skin. This would be a great scrub for someone with oily skin and/or acne problems. I wish they'd had it 20 years ago, when that actually described me. But now as a middle-aged woman with dry skin, my exfoliating needs have shifted somewhat and this was way too drying. I do admit for your $26USD you get a generous 4 oz bottle of product.
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Lipstick -Biotherm - Smile Shine in #135
Beth 1/14/2004 6:44:00 PM
This is a great find! I chose #135, a fairly light tea rose with no shimmer. Retail is $14USD. Smile Shine goes on very shiny and a little greasy, which I don't mind. No taste or fragrance. Packaging is unusual: a chrome bullet with a narrow waist (wonder if it's meant to suggest a woman's natural figure?). I love love LOVE this color and am glad I happened across it in the Burdines in Broward Mall in Plantation, FL. AFAIK, we have no Biotherm cosmetic counters anywhere in Maryland.
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Lip Gloss -DHC - Lip Palette
Beth 1/4/2004 2:28:00 PM
In addition to their small selection of wand lip gloss colors, DHC came out this winter with a collection of 24 new lip glosses in tiny septagonal compacts (that's 7-sided, for you geometrically-challenged). You purchase each one separately, despite the name "palette." You can also fit any 3 colors of your choice into a mirrored compact sold separately. As with the new lipstick and nail polish collections, all the colors have some shimmer in them. Since last month they were on sale for $3.00USD (regular price is $4.50, still dirt cheap), I chose RS-06, a medium dusty rose. In addition, for $3, you can order a trial set of 6 glosses grouped by color family...so I bought ALL 24 color samples! RS-06 is beautiful and natural on my lips, with the shimmer barely noticeable. Texture is creamy, not sticky. No taste or fragrance. After auditioning most of the colors, I'll probably be going back for more in the rose and pink families.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -DHC - Nail Makeup
Beth 1/4/2004 2:15:00 PM
I'm a confirmed DHC junkie, but to be honest I was a little disappointed with Nail Make. You can't beat the price ($4.50USD for an 8 ml, or 0.27 oz, bottle), and the colors wear very well. The bottles themselves are adorable--little bubble-shaped bottles with heart- or diamond-shaped brush handles depending on whether the color is from their Heart or Diamond collection. What I really HATE is the selection of colors--EVERY one of them has shimmer in it. In addition, DHC seems to have followed the mindless trend of unrealistic colors for nails such as frosted green, blue, black and yellow. These are NOT natural colors for nails!! If DHC would come out with some creme colors, and in some reasonable colors such as pink, rose, nude or even classic red, then I would buy some. The only colors I can live with so far are Misty Pink and Bordeaux. NB: Through 1/31/04, DHC has a special on Nail Trials, tiny little test tubes with samples of any color in their collection. For $1.25USD you get enough polish for about 4 manicures. Not a bad way to try! If you can find 4 colors you like, you can also order a little test tube rack to store 4 Nail Trials.
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Lip Gloss -Revlon - Lip Glide Sheer colors
Beth 1/3/2004 2:51:00 PM
I received Sheerly Burgundy as a swap extra. The swapper did me a great favor because I LOVE this lip gloss! It does indeed go on very sheer; burgundy turns out to look like a natural juicy healthy berry shade on my lips. Taste and fragrance is Creamsicle (orange/vanilla), which I find quite pleasant but I can understand why some others do not like it. It goes on with the unique deerfoot applicator with the little holes though which the product dispenses. I keep this in my car for the days when I leave the house and forget to put something on.
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Lipstick -Sue Devitt - Lipstick in Woolloomooloo
Beth 11/22/2003 6:21:00 PM
Woolloomooloo is a semi-matte medium dusty rose without shimmer. I give this one 4 stars because, as the day wears on, it changes color on my lips, becoming much brighter to the point where it's almost fuchsia. This is a shame, because the texture is great and there is no fragrance or taste. Packaging is the standard minimalist black. I do want to try other colors, but I had greater expectations for this one. Retail is $20USD.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Body & Soul - Lip Glow in Lucky 7
Beth 9/27/2003 9:32:00 PM
I wanted to like this product, I really did. B&S routinely gets raves for its '40's retro packaging, but in order for me to give it at least 4 lipstix, what's inside has got to work. Sadly, this color was too pale (a light tea rose with no shimmer), although I do like the texture and emollience. I found myself always mixing it with other products to get the right color. The smell/fragrance others complained about is unnoticeable by me. It is quite shiny, so it's to be expected it won't last long on the lips. I'd like to try this again with another shade.
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Lip Gloss -Apt.5 Cosmetics - Lip Shine Glosses
Beth 8/31/2003 10:15:00 PM
Wow! For $6.50 you can't beat this with a stick! I chose LG-14, a light petal pink with no shimmer. The case is solid Lucite and showcases the real color perfectly, so no guesswork. The gloss itself is really shiny, creamy and has a faint vanilla taste. It is a deerfoot applicator, rather than a brush, but I do not mind that. What's not to love?
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Lipstick -Apt.5 Cosmetics - Lipstick
Beth 8/30/2003 8:18:00 PM
On a recent trip to NYC I stopped in a Duane Reade and bought three items from this line on an impulse. The lipstick comes in a solid Lucite case, reminiscent of EL Pure Color but without the gold trim. I chose LS-04, a pale petal pink with no shimmer. It goes on shiny and slightly greasy, with a faint vanilla taste. It doesn't last, but that's to be expected from such a shiny color. I don't mind reapplying! For $7.50 you can't beat it.
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Foundations -Yves Rocher - True Colors Hydrating Foundation
Beth 8/11/2003 9:05:00 PM
Yep, I just ordered my third jar of this inexpensive but very workable cream foundation. As I get older and my skin gets drier, I find I need to abandon the powder foundations and use a true cream that does not dry to a powder. Nude is my color. It's not quite as yellow as other "matches" MA's and SA's at department stores have told me were perfect but really weren't (such as BB Sand and Chantecaille Cream). The only thing I'd change, and it's a minor complaint, is the design of the jar makes it hard to get at product that's under the top of the jar but beyond the reach of the lid. I use a craft sponge on a stick to get those last drops out, but at these prices you don't have to worry about being frugal. The list price is $16USD, but YR always has some sort of freebies or specials going on, plus those fussy little coupons and stickers you get in the mailings, so there's really no reason to pay full price.
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Misc Beauty Tools -DHC - Silky Cotton
Beth 7/31/2003 10:33:00 PM
I consider myself a very smart kitty for catching these things on special. For $4.50USD you get 80 small pads, about 2" long by 1 1/2" wide, which are cotton on the inside and very thin silk on the outside. I like them because unlike real cotton or synthetic rayon "cotton" balls, they leave no fibers behind, which is important when taking off nail polish. I use them not only for that but also to apply toner. They are also good for non-makeup jobs. For example, I use them to apply silver polish to my sterling silver jewelry. I caught them on sale for $1.80/bx, so I bought 10 boxes! I figure I won't need cotton balls again until 2006. :)
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Lipstick -DHC - Lip Creation in PK-01
Beth 7/31/2003 10:27:00 PM
Along with buying EVERY color in the trial card sets, I chose one full-size and case, namely the PK-01 and round case. The premise here is that you choose a case (round, barrel-shaped with a chrome finish or square, prism-shaped with a chrome finish) and then interchange the bullets whenever you feel like it. PK-01 is a light cool frosted pink, kind of an orchid pink, which happens to be a perfect match for a certain angora sweater I have. The only thing I don't like is that the bullet doesn't sit very securely in the case. I guess to be interchangeable, the bullets need to come in and out easily, but I would prefer a more positive, secure, almost puzzle-piece-like grip. Be aware that (imho) on the Web site, the colors appear warmer and darker than they do in person. I'd give it 4 1/2 lipstix if I could. (Post hoc 8/10/04: I finally figured out that you have to push pretty hard to get the bullet to snap into the case. Once it's in there, it is quite secure and takes some effort to get it out.)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -DHC - Lip Creation Lip Trial Sets
Beth 7/31/2003 10:18:00 PM
Every once in a while DHC has a special on this completely revamped line of 24 colors. You can get a credit-card sized sample of 6 colors in a family for $3, so naturally I bought ALL of them and have been auditioning them one by one. The consistency of these is slightly greasier than the original DHC Fresh Lip Color (some of you with drier lips may appreciate that). Many of the colors are frosted or shimmery. So far my favorites are RD-01 (soft medium red, not shimmery), WN-01 (not really wine, more like a deep rose, a poor girl's knockoff of Chantecaille Nebula) and RS-01 (light cool rose with a little bit of shimmer). I also like RS-02 (similar to Estee Lauder Rosa Rosa) and RS-03 (medium cool rose with shimmer). Be aware that the colors look a lot darker in the card then they do on the lips. I have one full-size and will rate it in a separate review.
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Lipstick -DHC - Wine Lipstick
Beth 7/31/2003 10:08:00 PM
I am thrilled that DHC wisely brought back this line of nonshimmer, satin-finish lip colors. For $12USD you get a slim-wand style lipstick with a creamy consistency and no discernible taste or smell. Very tasteful color at a great price.
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Lipstick -DHC - Fig
Beth 7/31/2003 10:05:00 PM
I am thrilled that DHC wisely chose to bring back this line of nonshimmer, satin-finish lipsticks. For $12USD you got a slim-wand style lipstick with a creamy texture and some fabulous colors. Fig is a neutral beigey-peachy-rose that on me is a your-lips-but-better that goes with like every outfit I own. I'm sorry I didn't contribute my review sooner! See my similar review of Wine elsewhere in this category.
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