Cleansers -Boots - expert sensitive gentle cleansing wash
LindsAllie 9/28/2010 4:54:00 PM
I bought this because I didn't want to pay the $50 to ship my bag and couldn't travel with my current HG face wash, Boscia cleansing gel (too many ounces and didn't have time to put in a smaller container for transport), and this looked pretty good at Target ($5<$50). However, I agree with reviewers who said that for sensitive/dry skin types, this strips skin and leaves it feeling dry. It felt fine the first couple times I tried it, but after several consecutive uses, my skin became dry, itchy, and irritated. Would probably be great for oilier skin types, but does not work for me. I gave it a 2 not because it's horribly bad, but rather because it's marketed specifically *to* my skin type, and I definitely disagree that it's remotely suitable for sensitive skin. Too bad because it's cheap, has a pretty short/decent ingredient list and is readily available. Looks like I'm sticking with my Boscia cleansing gel!
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Powder -Unlisted Brand - Gabriel Cosmetics - Zuzu Luxe Dual Powder Foundation
LindsAllie 12/28/2009 12:36:00 PM
Oh, I love this! I agree with what others have said -- after this stuff sets, it looks really natural on my skin. When you first put it on, you can tell that it covers quite well but it initially looks pretty powdery. I usually spray my face with something to set it, but even when I skip this step, it settles nicely into my skin and looks very natural. As I mentioned previously, the coverage is *quite* good, IMO, and you can go back and add more without it caking up horribly. Packaging is nice, with a sponge and mirror underneath for easy application. For me -- and I would consider myself a true neutral -- the color D-4 is fantastic: neither too yellow or pink. I think it looks just like my skin. The best part, though, is the ingredient list (which others have posted): there are so few ingredients, which is amazing. Also, none of them seem to clog or irritate my very sensitive, clog-prone skin, which is amazing. Finally, I consider myself an extreme powder makeup skeptic -- I have never purchased it before becuase pancake face is something I would avoid at all costs. However, this does truly give you a medium-coverage, natural-looking finish that doesn't break me out. Love!
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Too Faced - Blonde Ambition
LindsAllie 11/19/2009 8:41:00 AM
As a pale blonde with a tendency to get dark, under-eye circles (an issue with which many light-skinned people must deal), I am very wary of eyeshadows with any purple or blue hues. Even grays seem (to me) to be somewhat unflattering. I'm sure this has as much to do with my lack of expertise regarding proper eyeshadow application as anything else (eyeshadow has never really been my "thing", in the realm of MU), but suffice it to say I struggle to find eyeshadow that I feel truly flatters me. Cut to this shade: as others have described, it is a simple, beige color that for me, makes ES really simple. It is dark enough to "set" my eyes and give them "depth" (ie, serve as a color in and around the crease), but it is very subtle nonetheless. Application is basically foolproof -- I can always count on this color as something I can apply simply and easily in the morning without looking like I have two black eyes, or like I'm wearing nothing. In short, it's my absolute fave. I will def repurchase, and in fact have already purchased this ES for my (similarly hued) sister as well.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Max Factor - ColorGenius Foundation with Minerals
LindsAllie 10/6/2009 1:47:00 PM
I have ridiculously clog-prone skin that every other (high end) foundation I've tried recently has ended up bothering (read: clogging). I know this will sound unrealistically good, but for me, this foundation is essentially perfect. It is light, blends well into skin and gives *excellent* coverage without being or looking at all heavy. It does not clog my pores, it wears well throughout the day. Sound too good to be true? It does to me too, and I can't believe I found it in a drug store product. Possible downsides for some people (although not me)? I don't think it will do anything to moisturize, so if you're looking for this quality in a foundation, this one probably won't do it. Also, though the lightest shade works for me, I can definitely imagine that this will be too dark for the fairest-skinned. All in all, I am incredibly impressed. Have already bought a back-up tube and will keep buying it as long as it works this well and MF keeps making it!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Trilogy - Rosehip Oil
LindsAllie 8/12/2009 10:05:00 AM
Well this was $20, which isn't unreasonable for an eye cream. And that's what this product has been relegated to after it clogged many, many of the pores on my face after two nights of use. I'm still giving it a decent rating, though, because it does give you a beautiful glow and because my skin is ridiculously sensitive and clog-prone. I can put other oils on my skin without a problem, however, and that seems to not be true for this one. Shame, becuase it really does make your skin soft and glowy! (Would I repurchase? Hmm... it's quite possible that when I'm post-menopausal this will do just the trick! But until then, no.)
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Fragrances -Coty - L by L.A.M.B--Gwen Stefani
LindsAllie 7/29/2009 6:45:00 PM
Would I buy this again? I really didn't know how to answer that. When I bought it originally, I had smelled it on friends and liked it. As others have noted, it does have better staying power than many scents in its genre, and when you're going in for a hug, it's quite welcoming. Which leads me to the main two reasons I decided to purchase it: 1. it was on sale for $25 at TJ Maxx, and that was with lotion and bath gel... 2. this stuff is a total man-pleaser, IMO, but it's a better than average one. No, this is not a hugely complex or interesting fragrance, but for men who do not have a well developed or sophisticated taste in these things (ahem -- my bf), this one will definitely draw them closer. Unlike others in its genre, however, I quite like it, for some reason. I don't think it's too sweet or too floral-y, even though in theory and at first sniff it certainly *should* be. My verdict: perfect for a hot, summer date night in a sun dress.
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Lipstick -Maybelline - Color Sensational
LindsAllie 7/28/2009 12:30:00 PM
I am quite impressed by these lipsticks. I bought two at CVS -- one in what maybelline described as a pink base, and one in a nude (with correspondingly colored packaging so you can somewhat tell them apart). Even though I consider myself a strong neutral, I think both colors are fantastic and look quite good on me. I may even try one of the warmer colors at some point, given how versatile they seem to be. Beyond the great, your-lips-but-better colors, the texture is fantastic. Very moisturizing, does not dry down into lips or settle into lines, yet has quite good staying power -- not as in the exact look you get upon application will last for hours, but as in even as it fades, it stays true to color and leaves a pretty color on your lips. I think they smell good, too. These remind me of some of my fave higher end lipsticks. Maybe I won't even have to shell out the cash for them anymore...(!)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Burt's Bees - Natural Acne Solutions - Daily Moisturizing Lotion
LindsAllie 7/27/2009 5:31:00 PM
For me, this stuff is really amazing. First of all, on my skin, it does both things it purports to do -- moisturizes really well and clears up my skin (amazingly well, might I add. I keep waking up in the morning in a state of disbelief over how much my blemishes have faded/healed overnight). Before buying this product, I had become quite jaded regarding Salicylic Acid. For a while there, it seemed like it was in everything, and that it wasn't doing much except drying my skin out and making it peel. The Salicylic Acid in this product, however, is not synthetic like it is in other products. It's derived from tree bark and is completely natural and, at least for me, significantly more effective. I can *feel* it working after I put it on, yet this stuff has enough moisturizing properties to keep my skin wonderfully hydrated (but not broken out). One down side I would say about it, though, is that I wouldn't be able to use it as a day moisturizer. Though it's quite light, it takes a while to sink into your skin all the way. I don't think I would be able to put makeup over it without looking like an oily mess. That being said, the feeling of it 'lingering' on your skin for a bit after application dissuaded me from it at first -- as I typically associate products that feel this way on my skin with breakouts -- but I have had no problems with this stuff breaking my skin out whatsoever (and I have pores that clog very, very easily). Quite to the contrary, it's doing wonders for my skin after just a few nights of application. A must-try, in my opinion!! EDIT -- Oh, and I forgot to add that this stuff definitely will bring whatever is underneath your skin to the surface. However, I know for sure (at least for me) that it's purging, because I've been able to feel the stuff that's coming up underneath my skin for quite some time when I wash my face or apply product, and now all those things are coming to the surface. Gross, I know, but I'm thrilled -- it's a wonderful feeling to wash your face without feeling little clogs! As with many other products, if you find this feels too thick on your skin, add water either to the product before applying or to your face afterward and it thins out beautifully; it's very water-soluble. I'm loving this stuff!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Maybelline - Color Sensational
LindsAllie 7/25/2009 9:32:00 PM
I am quite impressed by these lipsticks. I bought two at CVS -- one in what maybelline described as a pink base, and one in a nude (with correspondingly colored packaging so you can somewhat tell them apart). Even though I consider myself a strong neutral, I think both colors are fantastic and look quite good on me. I may even try one of the warmer colors at some point, given how versatile they seem to be. Beyond the great, your-lips-but-better colors, the texture is fantastic. Very moisturizing, does not dry down into lips or settle into lines, yet has quite good staying power -- not as in the exact look you get upon application will last for hours, but as in even as it fades, it stays true to color and leaves a pretty color on your lips. I think they smell good, too. These remind me of some of my fave higher end lipsticks. Maybe I won't even have to shell out the cash for them anymore...(!)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Guerlain - My Insolence
LindsAllie 7/25/2009 8:57:00 PM
this is my hg overall perfume. works well for day and for night, in my opinion. as others have mentioned, it would be quite easy to pass over this perfume at first spray. indeed, this was my experience -- i sprayed it on my wrist at sephora, sniffed, declined, moved on and forgot about it. when i got home, however, i kept catching a whiff of a great smell i could not identify, until i finally realized it was my insolence on my wrist. *quite* surprising, given the somewhat gauche, floral smell you get when you first spray it on. i always make sure to spray this on at least several minutes before i leave the house in the morning, lest i olfactorally offend my coworkers. the dry down, however, is really fantastic. it's clean, powdery, and yet still quite complex. the floral notes become much deeper and more subtle, and combine with the powdery note to make this clean and light enough for day, yet sexy and multi-dimensional enough to last into evening, at least for me. this is the most impressed i've been by a fragrance in quite a long time, in terms of complexity yet wearability.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Vichy - Calming Cleansing Solution
LindsAllie 7/25/2009 8:49:00 PM
Wow. Love. This stuff is really fantastic, and surprisingly cheap for what it is. Like other reviewers have mentioned, hard water is a major problem for my sensitive skin -- when the water is on the hard end of the spectrum, it makes my skin break out and produce sebum like none other. Even water that's not ridiculously hard dries me out with a mild cleanser, and with soft water, keeping my skin exfoliated and clean of makeup/cleanser/whatever else got on it during the day is equally problematic. Enter this Vichy calming 'solution', which is actually probably the best name for it (not water-like, or a gel, or a milk...). It's quite fantastic. When my skin is misbehaving, I refuse to cleanse it with anything other than this. Expensive? I suppose it could be, depending on what your definition of expensive is, but for a $16 bottle that lasts for at least six weeks even with very frequent use, I think it's pretty reasonable, particularly when it's able to get my skin to behave when nothing else well. Definite repurchase for me!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -Physicians Formula - Mineral Wear Mineral Face Powder
LindsAllie 7/21/2009 9:27:00 PM
Wow, I am really amazed by the texture and appearance of this product. My skin is really sensitive, and hates many of the ingredients designed to suppress oil production (namely talc, also bismuth oxychlride and corn starch derivatives). Without these things, though, the powder products tend to be dry, grainy, and look chalky and horrid upon application. Not so with this powder. It looks fantastic on, feels fantastic to the touch, and doesn't irritate my skin in the slightest. Creamy natural looks fantastic on my fairly fair skin -- not a perfect match, but I find I actually prefer the color of it because it gives me a bit of natural-looking color that I think is quite flattering. This is a definite must-try, I think; on par or superior to every powder I've tried, particularly of the mineral variety.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Make Up For Ever - Face & Body Foundation
LindsAllie 7/21/2009 9:17:00 PM
EDIT: dropping my rating to a 3 because i'm certain this was clogging my pores. I have ridiculously clog-prone skin, though, so don't be dismayed if you don't. Sadness, because it really is a great finish. What can I add about this foundation that hasn't been said already? Probably nothing, so this is mostly just a concurrence with the majority opinion (sorry, law school has hijacked my vocabulary and manner of speaking). In any case, I agree that it is light, wonderfully natural looking, doesn't cause me any skin problems, and wears well. I am definitely sold. Downsides include the texture and difficulties involved with applying it -- as others have mentioned at length -- and its lack of sunscreen. Also, I ended up buying #38, which is honestly a bit too light, but 20 was too dark and 36 was way pink. So that's another gripe. However, none of my (very minor) issues with this foundation detract from my overall opinion that it is really fabulous(!)
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Foundations -Smashbox - High Definition Healthy FX Foundation
LindsAllie 7/21/2009 9:09:00 PM
Well, this foundation is pretty good. Has some sunscreen in it, coverage is decent yet natural looking, gives a nice glow that feels non-sticky and doesn't transfer easily, and wears well. However, this foundation separates in the tube, so often when I dispense a pump of it I have to mix it up with my finger. It also clogs my pores. Nothing more serious than that -- doesn't cause any serious skin problems -- but dealing with small clogs daily caused me to look elsewhere. If you're not terribly clog-prone, though (and I, by the way, am), I'd definitely give it a shot!
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Deodorants -Lavanila - The Healthy Deodorant
LindsAllie 7/21/2009 8:24:00 PM
I'm a definite yes on this one. Honestly, I don't have much of a problem with excessive sweat or BO when I do sweat, so take this for what it's worth. That being said, though, I think the smell of this is fantastic; it lingers throughout the day, and I'll catch a whiff of it and really enjoy the smell. I also do feel it does a decent job of keeping me dry. Obviously, as others have pointed out, it's not going to be effective in the same way as would some of the less natural, more strong deodorants on the market, but for what it is I think it's quite good. I'll definitely be repurchasing.
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