Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous Naturale
emysiu 5/15/2009 7:31:00 PM
I saw the "NEW" tag on this mascara and was seduced by the clump-proof, waterproof, and volumizing promises on the packaging. I found the wand very difficult to maneuver. I couldn't avoid poking my eye with it in my attempt to cover all the lashes. While I appreciated their attempt at the "naturale" look, the only thing that was natural was the light coverage and low effect it had on my lashes. It lengthened a little bit, but no volume. I found that this mascara made my lashes look dry and hard. It definitely was not clump-free. To make matters worse, my lashes looked as though they were pasted on, grey and ashy, even though I bought the darkest black they offered. This was truly a disappointing product for me.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Eucerin - Sensitive Facial Skin Q10 Active Night Anti-Wrinkle Cream
emysiu 5/15/2009 4:18:00 AM
[UPDATE: I've used this for 6 months and even though I still think it's a good moisturiser, I have to take off a lippy because it isn't doing enough for my dehydrated skin. For those that find this not quite hydrating enough, I recommend avocado oil, my newfound HG moisturiser. ] Thank you MUA for this recommendation! I've been using this cream for the past 2 weeks and I have only compliments for it, which is rare, considering my track record with moisturisers. My skin was dehydrated and sensitive with pimples and large pores. It's been hard to mediate between these problems about my skin because most moisturizers are either too dry or too greasy, both of which wind up in more pimples for me. However, this Eucerin cream has been a great find for me. I've used it every night and in the morning before I put on makeup. It absorbs easily into my skin, instead of forming a greasy shell over my face. In conjunction with salycilic acid, my skin is looking smoother and more hydrated. A few days ago, I finally received a compliment on my skin for the first time in 3 years! If your dehydrated skin is difficult to please, like mine, I highly recommend this cream. I've had a very low level reaction to using this product: only a few pimples at the top of my forehead. Otherwise, this cream didn't really put my skin through that "purging" period that tends to happen whenever I switch to a new product. While I agree that the jar packaging is not exactly hygenic, I also think that it's more environmentally friendly (mostly because of the glass jar). I think that I've found a cream that I can really stick with for long term.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Brows -Revlon - Brow Fantasy
emysiu 1/25/2009 4:45:00 AM
I'm on my second Brow Fantasy because it is the best and cheapest product for my brows. I get it in Dark Brown and the pencil does a great job of filling in my brows so that my face has more structure. While most brown brow pencils tend to look too reddish, I think this looks much better on me compared to the rest of the drugstore alternatives. I find that using both the gel and the pencil can wind up looking a bit too heavy so I usually just stick to the pencil part. Unfortunately, that part is so short that when I get close to the end, I yank it out and sharpen it with a knife because it's too small for the pencil sharpener. Other than that and the fact that the pencil cap is a bit shabby, I think that this is a great drugstore choice.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -Napoleon Perdis - Camera Finish
emysiu 12/27/2008 4:27:00 AM
This is by far the best powder I've ever put onto my face. It is the first one I've used that doesn't make my face look dry, cakey, or break out. That said, I truly believe that this is a great powder for anyone who "gave up" on powders, like me. I use Look 4 over my Skin Food Aloe BB cream #2. I spray some rose water over this to set it and my skin just looks wonderful for the whole day. With this combo, it's difficult to tell that I actually have some clogged pores, redness, and pimples popping out. My skin has not reacted terribly to this powder. I did notice a few more pimples for the first few days of use, but that was something I was expecting. It's been tough to go a day without putting on the Camera Finish foundation because my skin just looks that much better with it! I think this is one product that is actually worth the splurge.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -ABBA - Moisture ScentSation
emysiu 12/23/2008 12:42:00 AM
I've used this along with the MoistureScentsation Shampoo for the past 3 years. I really do love the mintiness of these two products and the way that it cleans my hair so well. It's the only hair product that doesn't seem to aggravate my acne as well. Though the conditioner is supposed to be moisturizing it always leaves hair dry, frizzy and dull. If it weren't for the fact that it doesn't worsen my pimples and it smelled so nice, I think that I wouldn't have used it for so long.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -ABBA - MoistureScentsation Shampoo
emysiu 12/23/2008 12:40:00 AM
I've used this along with the MoistureScentsation Conditioner for the past 3 years. I really do love the mintiness of these two products and the way that it cleans my hair so well. It's the only hair product that doesn't seem to aggravate my acne as well. That said, this is not exactly a moisturising shampoo: the ends of my hair are constantly dry and my hair is always frizzy and dull. If it weren't for the fact that it doesn't worsen my pimples and it smelled so nice, I think that I wouldn't have used it for so long.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Revlon - Colorstay Eyeliner
emysiu 12/17/2008 4:23:00 PM
I tried this after seeing all the positive reviews but I've had a very different experience with the colorstay eyeliner. One thing I did appreciate was that compared to most drugstore eyeliners I've tried, I didn't get raccoon eyes until 5 or 6 hours after application. I liked how deep the brown was in the "taupe/cacao" shade and how it brought out my eyes in a very natural way. For the price, which is cheap but on the upscale side of drugstore makeup, it really is not bad for eyeliner emergencies. Just keep a tissue handy in case it starts travelling below your eye.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Beyond The Zone - Noodle Head
emysiu 12/16/2008 5:30:00 AM
I've used this product for over half of a year and I don't really have too many complaints. I like spreading it in my damp hair before tying into a bun. After leaving it for a night, I just undo the bun and go over the curls with hairspray. Using this product makes the curls less dry than they would normally be. I've always been jealous of people with gorgeous moist curls and this definitely delivers that kind of result. It is not something that will make your curls stay (especially for those who don't have naturally curly/wavy hair). You'll need a good hairspray for that. A caveat about the product is that it can make your skin break out. If I put too much product on and I leave my hair down over my face, I'll get zits right where the hair hits. Otherwise, I think that this product is good for the price.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -TRESemme - tres two extra hold hairspray
emysiu 12/15/2008 8:21:00 PM
Thank you MUAers for another great recommendation! My city's just been hit by daily rain and humidity. The effort that I put into styling the waves in my hair all go to waste right when I step outside. With some sprays of this stuff on my hair before I go out, my hair stays really well for the whole day. You do need to be careful with this stuff because too much can make your hair very dry and crunchy. This is my go-to spray before I find a non-aerosol hairspray that works as well.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Aubrey Organics - Blue Green Algae with Grape Seed Extract Facial Cleansing Lotion
emysiu 9/6/2008 8:33:00 PM
[Update: I've used this for a year now and I've decided that this really isn't for me. I finally figured out that this was one of a few culprits in my skincare routine that was healing my blemishes but making more at the same time. Because my skin is dehydrated, I've been sticking to just plain water to help my skin become normal. This change along with a few visits for facials and avocado oil has improved my skin dramatically.] After using this for the last 2 months, I decided to put in my own review on this. When I bought this, I was searching for some kind of miracle to heal my blemished and acne scarred face. After using this diligently along with a rose water toner and the Aubrey Organics Sea Buckthorn moisturizer, I feel like my face is finally on the road of recovery. What separates this cleanser from a lot of others that I've tried is that it didn't strip my combination skin to a dry flakey pulp. It's a nice creamy texture that feels nice on the skin and actually removes all my makeup and dirt. I like its mildly medicinal scent as well. The packaging is simple, a bottle you squeeze out of. I do agree that when you get a new bottle it's difficult to "shake well." Just do what a previous reviewer said and squeeze the bottle a bit before shaking. When I first started using this, my skin definitely felt a little bit drier after cleansing and even seemed to break out some more. Be patient if you're using this! Now, my skin's not dry anymore after cleansing, it's smoother, and my blemishes are finally going away. When I started seeing the improvement in my skin 3 weeks ago, I sighed with relief that something was finally working. I hope it keeps on into the colder seasons, and then it'll really be worth 5 lippies!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Unlisted Brand - Drugstore Rose water
emysiu 8/20/2008 9:44:00 PM
[Update: It's been more than a year since I've discovered rose water. Even though I am now using Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion as a toner instead, I still go back to this to give my skin the extra moisture that it needs sometimes. It's great to spray over my face to set makeup and so nice during the hot weather! I think that I'll always keep this around.] With my clear and glowy skin gone AWOL, I didn't know what to do about my clogged pores and pimples. Finally, with rose water mixed with some aspirin and a few drops of lavender, I've found something that's been getting my stressed skin clean and back on track. Thank goodness! I dissolve about 1 tablet of aspirin into 4 ounces of rose water. I pour that solution except for the left over undissolved bits of aspirin into a spray bottle, add 5 drops of lavender and shake it up. I've been using this for the past 2 months and my skin's been slowly but surely getting back to its old self. I hope to keep this in my regimen forever! I love the smell of roses on my face!
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Clinique - Clarifying Lotion #2
emysiu 7/25/2008 10:07:00 AM
I used the Clinique 3 step routine for 3 years. It really wasn't until last year that my face couldn't take it anymore. In particular, this toner I feel, was the culprit in my face's downward spiral into dryness, clogged pores, and pimples. Which I found so strange, because the routine was working very well for me during that time, especially this toner in cleansing my pores of bacteria and stopping my acne. I realised that the collective time I spent using this toner really tore my skin apart: the alcohol in it was just getting to be way to harsh for it! I had to put a stop to this toner because it was drying out my face way too much. I am still on the hunt though for a new toner that can remove excess dirt and clean my pores as well as this one, though!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Essence of Beauty - Concealer Brush
emysiu 7/15/2008 11:42:00 PM
I got both three concealer brushes, in the foundation/conceal duo as well as the set of conceal brushes for the eyes. And right now, I am loving all of them. I use the conceal brushes set for covering up all my blemishes and my bags with much more accuracy than my fingers. I then go over all the concealer with the concealer brush from the foundation/conceal duo with my foundation in order to cover everything and blend into the rest of my face. I wind up with the best makeup job I've ever done on myself!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Essence of Beauty - Foundation Brush
emysiu 7/15/2008 11:30:00 PM
Thank you MUA reviewers! If I did not find out about Essence of Beauty on this site, I would have gone out and spent a hefty sum on makeup brushes. Instead, I went to CVS and bought the Conceal & Foundation Duo, or the orange bristled brushes in the image on the top of this web page. Even though it said that it was "great for minerals" on the package, I've been using it to apply my cream foundation (Maybelline Age Rewind) and what a difference! My face is a severe combination of dry irritated cheeks and oily t-zone. This brush has been making all the difference in the application of my foundation, making my makeup actually help cover up my blemishes and bumps rather than accentuating them. The brush is amazingly soft; I don't see how anyone could find them prickly or irritating. It's products like this brush that make me continue to believe in finding good quality makeup items for low prices!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -DHC - Mineral Mask
emysiu 7/12/2008 2:59:00 AM
Like other reviewers, I also found Queen Helene's Mint Masque a bit too harsh. In fact, I feel that it irritated my sensitive combination skin and added to the breakouts I was getting all over my cheeks. I am so thankful to have found this mask from DHC because it does just the opposite! It really helps suck away all the impurities from my skin, especially after I exfoliate, and leave it baby-butt smooth. It truly is the most effective product I have found so far that gets rid of clogged pores and pimples without drying out my skin. Because it is so good, I really am willing to shell out the extra $$ by replacing other items in my skincare regimen for cheaper alternatives. Overall, a good product from DHC!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No