Mascara -Maybelline - Full 'N Soft Mascara Waterproof
emysiu 1/23/2012 9:55:00 PM
What happened? I bought this based on the highly positive reviews of this mascara. Unfortunately, it smudged like crazy on me within 4 hours. It did give me really beautiful, natural and soft looking lashes, though. However, there are other options out there that can give me similar results without making me look like a raccoon!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powders -LUSH - Silky Underwear Dusting Powder
emysiu 1/23/2012 1:38:00 AM
I just bought 2 more cans! This stuff smells so lovely. I spread it on my body after moisturizing. Because I use oil to moisturize, this helps soak up some of the excess grease and makes my skin even smoother. Because it has moisturizing properties, I can see myself just using this in the summer time to help me keep my skin smooth. It leaves such a lovely jasmine smell in my skin, that it's become a must have in my arsenal of body products. I agree with other reviewers that the packaging could use much improvement. The Kraft powder cheese packaging makes this difficult to travel with and also takes time to learn to work with. Plus, the plastic tab that covers a new can requires a knife to break through in order to get this thing open,
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Body -Johnson & Johnson - Gel Baby Oil
emysiu 1/23/2012 1:34:00 AM
I'm on my 2nd bottle. This has been great for my skin in the winter time. I use it while I'm still in the shower. I lightly towel dry and then put this on to help keep the moisture in. Works beautifully and my skin is super smooth. Love the shea and cocoa butter one!
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Bronzers -MAC - Bronzing Powder
emysiu 12/25/2011 12:20:00 AM
ANOTHER UPDATE: Unfortunately, after using NYX's bronzer for over 3 months, I found that it was causing me clogged pores. I'll be returning to this bronzer as it never did that for me. I just wish it had the same color pay off as NYX. UPDATE: I found a much better and cheaper dupe: NYX Matte Bronzer in Deep! ORIGINAL REVIEW: I was an avid user of NARS Laguna but was tiring of how the shimmer was making me look in sunny lighting. I decided to give this a try in Matte because a salesperson told me that the shade was very similar to Laguna. I wish the color pay off was better, so that I don't need to mash my brush into this in the compact. Despite that effort, it does show up nicely on my NC35 skin and I agree, it's similar in coloring to Laguna, though not as orange, perhaps just a tad bit muddier. Otherwise, I'd say this is a good, but not stellar, matte bronzer that looks good on me in all lighting. I use it both as contouring and sweep it on my cheeks as blush and it works fine in both areas.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Lancome - Tresor In Love
emysiu 10/4/2011 5:51:00 PM
A fruity floral that is youthful and not as sophisticated nor unique as the original Tresor, but nonetheless, very enjoyable. I love how sweet and cheerful this scent is.
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Powder -NYX - Twin Cake
emysiu 5/2/2011 2:36:00 AM
This is a lovely powder. It provides light coverage, sets my makeup and looks very natural. I don't have any complaints because it does what I want out of a powder but it doesn't amaze me either. I am NC35 and use CP08 Soft Beige.
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Crème -Maybelline - Dream Smooth Mousse
emysiu 5/2/2011 2:28:00 AM
I have minimal skin problems, just redness in some places and uneven skin tone. This takes care of all of that and I look like I'm not wearing anything at all. I am NC35 and chose 240 Natural Beige and even though it looks a tad darker, the blending takes care of all of that. I put a dab on each side of my face, blend, and I am set. It provides a dewy finish so I find that a light powdering is necessary. I set it with some NYX powder and I pretty much don't worry about it for the rest of the day except blotting for excess oil every now and so. This is light coverage and has the feel of a light concealer, rather than an actual foundation.
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Eyeliner -Physicians Formula - Eye booster eyeliner + serum
emysiu 5/2/2011 2:18:00 AM
I am amazed by this pen's abilities. The tip is so fine that I can do a very neat looking cat eye look with it. It also is able to stay on my lid very well. I put this over some ELF primer and after a night of heavy dancing and fun, it still looked fine. I got the Ultra Black but the consistency is a little bit more watery than I'm used to, so it will take a few more swipes to get the line as dark as I like it. I wouldn't depend on this for it's eyelash boosting capabilities, but it's great handling, ease of use and staying power. I'll be picking up another one before I go on a trip, just so that I won't be without it!
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Bronzers -NYX - Bronzer Powder - Medium #2
emysiu 2/22/2011 10:11:00 PM
I was hooked on the same NARS Laguna Bronzer compact for 2 years. I knew I had to replace it at some point because makeup has a shelf life, but I couldn't bear the idea of spending so much money on anything that I consider a luxury item, such as this. Finally, I accidently dropped my bronzer and it broke into pieces, and so I started doing research for a cheaper replacement. Thanks to MUA I found myself ordering this bronzer as a dupe for NARS Laguna and I must say that I'm surprised! While the powder isn't as finely milled as the NARS, the color is amazingly similar and shows up just as nicely as on my NC35 skin. I do agree with other reviewers on taking care during application. The powder does go all everywhere a bit. I did find the packaging quite large (it is about 4 inches diameter) and fragile (the clear plastic folding lid doesn't seem too sturdy). However, for the price and the amazing similarity to NARS, I'm more than willing to overlook these issues. All in all, this is a great dupe for all you budget makeup addicts to consider!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Marc Jacobs - Daisy
emysiu 2/20/2011 6:37:00 AM
UPDATE: I've used this for more than a year now. In that time, I've purchased at least 4 more bottles of this. I love it and can't get enough of it. It works in the autumn, winter, spring and the summer. I never buy the Eau de Toilette and always buy the Eau de Parfum. You just get more staying power and the fuller range of the scent. I am particularly in love with the recent Hot Pink edition, which has slight strawberry tones to it. It just complements the floral scent of Daisy so nicely. I love the Hot Pink edition so much that I'm close to finishing my 2nd bottle. My boyfriend loves burying his nose in my hair and neck when I wear this. Even more amazing, I get stopped by someone at least twice a week asking what perfume I'm wearing. I tell them all to go give Daisy a try! ORIGINAL REVIEW: I adore this lovely scent. It is a clean, floral, and light musk. I am not a fan of musk in my perfumes, however, the combination works out so nicely. It is feminine, without being too girly, mature, but not too much so. I think that this perfume is so nicely balanced and well-done!
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Scrubs -St. Ives - Apricot Scrub Blemish and Blackhead Control
emysiu 10/6/2010 4:25:00 AM
I find this way too harsh to use on my face, but I like to use this for getting rid of ingrown hairs and red bumps on my arms, pits and legs due to waxing/shaving. It makes a huge difference in the smoothness of the skin. I always follow up with a moisturizing body wash like the Oatmeal and Shea body wash that's also from St. Ives. Together, the combination works quite well in keeping my skin moisturized and smooth.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Define A Lash Waterproof
emysiu 10/2/2010 11:53:00 AM
UPDATE (21 March 2012): For some reason, it seems like the formulation has changed. It's much more wet than before. My lashes got really weighed down. I tried other mascaras, but found them lacking. My current solution has been to leave the wand out overnight so that it can dry out a bit. This has been working out really well, though it seems clumpier than before. A toothpick is an easy fix to separate the lashes. Despite these issues, I still really like this mascara. But I am downgrading my rating of 5 lippies to 4. ORIGINAL REVIEW (2 Oct. 2010)Thank you MUA, again! I'd been using Rimmel's Volume Maxx and was really fine with that till I moved to humid NYC. Every time I went out, my lashes went flat and straight within minutes. I wanted some length and a little volume (I find that too much looks really clumpy and heavy). This was perfect. It holds up the curl in my lashes through the humidity and even some rain. I would still recommend an umbrella with this, because no mascara that washes off so easily is completely water-resistant! I just rub a little Vaseline onto my lashes and wipe off any excess. The rest comes off with my Burt's Bees Acne Solutions Facial Cleanser. I haven't had any issues with black mascara rings on my undereyes and I've only spotted a minuscule flake or two on my face from this and that would be after a good 7 - 8 hours of wear. It elongates my lashes so far past where my eyelid crease is, I couldn't stop staring in amazement in the mirror for at least 15 minutes after I put this on for the first time. Don't expect volume from this, for that you will probably want to layer a volumizing mascara with this. This separates lashes so well that I really haven't had any issues with clumps or spidery lashes sticking together. The wand is just a plastic-y wand with short spikes on it. I haven't had any issues so far with it and I actually like it a lot compared to the conventional bristle wands, because it seems to avoid clumps and separates lashes better. All-in-all an A rating!
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Fragrances -Hermes - Un Jardin sur le Nil
emysiu 9/17/2010 4:23:00 PM
I happened upon this gorgeous scent at Sephora a couple weeks ago and fell in love. It is a fresh scent that's slightly floral. Upon first whiff, I got the smell of green plants that is sweetened at the end by flowers. Just beautiful. Yes, the price is a drawback, but when the scent is this well crafted, I'm more than happy to shell out. Thank goodness for eBay, though, in finding this for a lower price!
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Toners -Avalon Organics Botanicals - Vitamin C Balancing Facial Toner
emysiu 7/30/2010 8:44:00 PM
I was at Whole Foods about to pick up a bottle of Rose Water (my usual toner) and found that the price had skyrocketed to around $9 per bottle! Pay that much for just water and rose oil?! You had to be kidding me! I looked around and saw this priced for less than $1 and thought that this was a way better deal for plenty more ingredients. A lot more...so much more on my way home, I perused through the list again and actually got a little scared. Here it is: INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Organic lavandula angustifolia (lavender), chamomilla recutita (chamomile), Camellia Sinensis (white tea), and Organic Arnica Montana extracts (aqueous), organic Aloe Barbadensis, Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5), Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (stabilized vitamin C), Melatonin, Lemon Bioflavonoids, Organic Cucumis Sativus (cucumber) and Calendula Acid, Salicylic Acid, Echinacea Purpurea, Ginkgo Biloba, Camellia Sinensis (green tea) and Carica Papaya Extracts, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Organic Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (orange) oil and Other Essential Oils **NOTE: I had checked drugstore.com and other websites for a listing of the ingredients, but noticed that what they had listed was substantially different from what I had on my bottle of this product. I'm assuming that this product may have gone through some kind of overhaul because its packaging is also different that what's pictured online as well. What I have listed here is what I've typed up according to the label on my bottle. Not all but a number of these ingredients, such as the lavender, chamomile or white tea, are certified organic by different organizations like Oregon Tilth or Quality Assurance International. I'm not sure what this bodes for in reality for anyone out there who's hardcore about using organic only. I readied myself for a major breakout as a I put it to the test, but was pleasantly surprised. I loved the smell when I first opened it. It was like orange soda. Upon application, it did feel a bit tingly on my skin. I also noticed that it leaves behind a film that can gross out some people, but I didn't really mind. I actually liked how I got another layer of moisture. All-in-all, though, I've been having a good experience with this product. No breakouts and I have noticed a small change in the clarity of my skin. It does look brighter and I have actually cut down on the use of foundation since I've started using this 3 weeks ago. I would warn anyone with sensitive skin to probably dilute this with water or altogether stay away from this because I can see how the tingly feeling on my skin can translate into a serious burn for someone with more delicate skin. They do need to make a serious improvement to the packaging because the product can and does leak through the top if you shake too vigorously or if you leave it upside down.
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Treatments -Clinique - Acne Solutions Clearing Moisturizer Oil-Free
emysiu 7/17/2010 5:15:00 AM
Thank goodness I found this!! I have been having so many issues with clogged pores and just little bumps of sebum in my skin for the past two years. I've tried so many products to no avail. I had actually given up on Benzoyl Peroxide products long before this skin problem came up because it was just way too harsh on my skin. For the past two years, then, I'd been sticking to mostly Salicylic Acid and other kinds of acne prescriptions. Obviously, it wasn't working out. The acne products I found were either so harsh that they were drying out my skin and still leaving me with clogged pores or too moisturizing and actually turning my clogged pores into inflamed pimples. My skin was dehydrated, red, always bumpy with sebum papules (it was like squeezing little rice out of my skin, gross, I know) and I didn't know what to do. So I decided to give BP a shot again. At first, I had my heart set on buying the Acne Solutions Emergency Gel, because it had a higher percentage of Benzoyl Peroxide, but no matter where I went to try to buy it, the store was out of stock. And at every single place, the salesperson would show me this product, the clearing moisturizer as an alternative. I was getting fed up and I finally gave in and bought this. I'm so glad that I bought this because within two days, my clogged pore and bumps were noticeably disappearing. I couldn't believe my eyes. This product gives my skin just enough BP to keep the pores clean without drying out the skin. I always apply a hyaluronic serum over this and that does the trick to keeping my skin moisturized. It's been 8 months and I'm already finishing my 2nd tube and ready to buy a 3rd. I practically never get pimples or clogged pores anymore except maybe one or two before I'm about to get my period. And even then, they go away within a couple of days. My skin looks so clear, I'm actually at a point where I can forgo foundation/tinted moisturizer and instead just apply a light concealer over my under eye circles and some of the redness on my cheeks and be set to go out. And this is coming from someone who couldn't leave the house without at least a tinted moisturizer for the past 2 years of problem skin. I even got a compliment from a Sephora consultant on how great my skin looked when she was color matching me for a foundation. I was floored because I haven't gotten that compliment in 4 years. Wow! :-D
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No