Toners -Unlisted Brand - Sea Breeze Clear Pore Astringent
heathermrm 6/7/2012 12:54:00 PM
Ahhhh Sea Breeze - takes me back to my teen years (which is longer ago than I will admit here) :) I have recently developed tiny little black dots along the sides of my nose (you know - in the curly q crease area) and occasionally in the crease between my lower lip and my chin. These are not to terribly noticeable, but using a magnifying mirror every morning to apply my mu = noticeable to me! I stumbled across several Sea Breeze products at Walgreens - frankly I didn't know this brand was even still around! I liked the smell of this version and thought I'd try it. Fast forward a week later - I apply every night using a clean q-tip (dip into bottle, no double dipping ever) and apply. Now, I don't know if my spots were blackheads or sebacous filaments, but whatever they were, they are almost invisible now :) I have not developed any flakies, my rather sensitive skin is not bothered by this product. I put that I would re-purchase, but only if I decide to eliminate another product I recently discovered which seems to do double duty (helps w/ my melasma + keeps the little black dots away). So, I'm a happy camper to have options! I have posted the ingredients from amazon.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - SOHO Beauty Sponge
heathermrm 5/16/2012 1:03:00 PM
This review is going to do double duty as I am not only reviewing the SOHO Beauty Sponge, but also comparing/reviewing it to the Beauty Blender for which this is supposed to be a dupe. I finally bit the dust and purchased 3 BeautyBlenders. I also went ahead and purchased the London SoHo dupe at Walgreens for under $6 (on sale as it's d/c) In my pic, the SoHo is on the left and has been used about 4 times. In the middle is my BB that I've been using for about a month. On the right is my brand new/never used BB. The SoHo is denser and while soft, is not as soft as the BB (altho it is softer than Sonia Kashuk's sponge). It performs about the same as the BB - takes a few more stipples to get my liquid foundation blended in as nicely as the BB. I actually did the left side of my face w/ the SoHo and the right w/ the BB = 10 more bounces w/ the SoHo to get that side of my face to look like the BB side, which you know from other glowing reviews is an airbrushed look. :) The SoHo is already showing a few tiny tears after 4 uses. The BB started showing the same little tears after my 4th use too - WHAT IS UP W/ THAT??? For the amount of $ BB is charging, these sponges SHOULD NOT be showing such signs of wear/tear after only 4 uses (and yes, I wash gently w/ my DIY cleanser and I do not have long nails) I deducted 1 lippie for the crappy construction. Of interest is that I have found once I have used the BB, it never goes back to its original size. Its hard to tell from my pic, the the used BB is definitely fatter and taller than the BN BB. I got pink coloring discharge thru the first 5 washings of the BB. (I have not yet washed the Soho). The BB is permanently discolored by my foundation no matter how much washing I do = kinda annoying. Both sponges give my skin an almost flawless, kinda dewy finish. If too dewy = lightly dust w/ powder. I use the BB and the SoHo for both my powder and liquid foundations = love that versatility. I have temporarily retired my foundation brushes as my becoming-slightly-drier-skin seems to like this application method more currently. Bottom line - I was all set to recommend getting the SoHo over the BB, but since the SoHo is d/c...I guess until someone else comes up w/ another decent dupe, I will stick to my BB in spite of the aforementioned drawbacks because, frankly the pros definitely outweigh the cons. :) BTW - SoHo made a 2nd version of the sponge - it was the exact softness/denseness of the BB, but shaped like a football = kinda useless shape IMO. It too is d/c.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -beautyblender - the sponge
heathermrm 5/16/2012 12:55:00 PM
This review is going to do double duty as I am not only reviewing the BB, but also comparing/reviewing it to the SoHo Beauty dupe that a lot of folks have been talking about. I finally bit the dust and purchased 3 BeautyBlenders. I also went ahead and purchased the London SoHo dupe at Walgreens for under $6 (on sale as it's d/c) In my pic, the SoHo is on the left and has been used about 4 times. In the middle is my BB that I've been using for about a month. On the right is my brand new/never used BB. The SoHo is denser and while soft, is not as soft as the BB (altho it is softer than Sonia Kashuk's sponge). It performs about the same as the BB - takes a few more stipples to get my liquid foundation blended in as nicely as the BB. I actually did the left side of my face w/ the SoHo and the right w/ the BB = 10 more bounces w/ the SoHo to get that side of my face to look like the BB side, which you know from other glowing reviews is an airbrushed look. :) The SoHo is already showing a few tiny tears after 4 uses. The BB started showing the same little tears after my 4th use too - WHAT IS UP W/ THAT??? For the amount of $ BB is charging, these sponges SHOULD NOT be showing such signs of wear/tear after only 4 uses (and yes, I wash gently w/ my DIY cleanser and I do not have long nails) I deducted 1 lippie for the crappy construction. Of interest is that I have found once I have used the BB, it never goes back to its original size. Its hard to tell from my pic, the the used BB is definitely fatter and taller than the BN BB. I got pink coloring discharge thru the first 5 washings of the BB. (I have not yet washed the Soho). The BB is permanently discolored by my foundation no matter how much washing I do = kinda annoying. Both sponges give my skin an almost flawless, kinda dewy finish. If too dewy = lightly dust w/ powder. I use the BB and the SoHo for both my powder and liquid foundations = love that versatility. I have temporarily retired my foundation brushes as my becoming-slightly-drier-skin seems to like this application method more currently. Bottom line - I was all set to recommend getting the SoHo over the BB, but since the SoHo is d/c...I guess until someone else comes up w/ another decent dupe, I will stick to my BB in spite of the aforementioned drawbacks because, frankly the pros definitely outweigh the cons. :) BTW - SoHo made a 2nd version of the sponge - it was the exact softness/denseness of the BB, but shaped like a football = kinda useless shape IMO. It too is d/c. UPDATE 05-29-12 - so, I was recently watching the House series finale in which the 1st hour was a tribute/backstage access to the cast/crew and the 2nd hour was actually the final episode. During the 1st hour, whilest interviewing one of the show's make-up artists, (and I can't recall which actor she was working on during the short interview), I did note that she was using a BB sponge to apply the foundation - SWEET! For a bigger pic of the 3 sponges side by side, please see my review for the SOHO sponge - for some reason, I can't get that bigger pic to work for my BB review...sorry.
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Mascara -NYX - Le Chick Flick (waterproof lashes)
heathermrm 5/4/2012 4:30:00 PM
Background - I ONLY wear wp mascaras and have test driven A LOT of them (as indicated by all the reviews I've done of them.) I was excited to try this because I'm really liking a few other NYX products. PROS: its cheap, very pretty deep black color that goes on a little wet and dries quickly (I prefer mascaras that do this). Easy to get at Ulta. This give pretty good volume and really good length to my lashes. It wears well throughtout my day (no raccoon eyes which, yes you can get even from wp mascaras). CONS: it tends to clump just a bit = I have to apply more slowly than my other wp mascaras. It wears well throughtout my day (no raccoon eyes which, yes you can get even from wp mascaras). Here is my BIG complaint: I ALWAYS set my entire face w/ Urban Decay's All Nighter (the successor to Skindinavia's Dance! which has been d/c. UD AN is made by Skindinavia and the ingredients are identical to Dance! w/ the 1 small exception of the 3rd or 4th to last ingredient.) PROBLEM = this mascara smudges like crazy every time I (lightly) spray UD - none of my other HG wp mascaras budge when I spray UD = not very pleased! For now, I'm giving a 3. I'm going to test out the waterproofness in the next few days and will report back.
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Toners -Thayers - thayers lavender acohol free toner with vitamin e
heathermrm 4/30/2012 8:59:00 PM
I LOVE this version in Rose Petal. I like to switch things up sometimes (read - I get bored easily) and so, recently purchased this in the Lavender scent, brought it home, opened it up, took 1 whiff, closed it back up and immediately returned it the next day - this DOES NOT smell like lavender to me - smells like stale powder = ICK! Not going to stray again...unless I come across the lemon version...:)
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Deodorants -Unlisted Brand - Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal Spray Mist
heathermrm 4/30/2012 11:57:00 AM
This works for me identically to Crystal Body Deodorant Spray. I have copied/pasted bits/pieces from that review to save me some time + added some new addtl info. Again, this performs just as well as Crystal + has the exact ingredients in the exact same order: HALLELUJAH!!! What follows is rather personal, so if TMI bothers you, please stop here. I am a HUGE fan of the Crystal Deodorant Roll-On (unscented) and Crystal essence Deodorant Roll-On (chamomile/green tea, lavender/white tea) - see my reviews on those. For the past couple of years, I have been struggling w/ BO resultant from sweat forming underneath my breasts (don't you just LOVE droopy, post-breastfeeding breasts) in my cleavage and upper inner thighs where the crease is between my leg and trunk of body. I thought this problem would go away or significantly decrease w/ my recent (and rather significant) weight loss, but nope :( I have been using powder, glycerin/rose water (my own mixture), various body lotions = powder worked the best, but its messy and certainly not very portable (I ALWAYS end up w/ spillage in my purse), but its better than walking around paranoid that I smell. I have been using Crystal Body Deodorant Spray (fragrance free) for many months w/ miraculous results - really, life changing for me. NEW INFO: A Whole Foods just opened near me (1st one ever - whee!!) and I went there to stock up on my Crystal Body Deo products = they don't carry the spray, but do carry Naturally Fresh spray. I purchased in hopes it would perform as well as Crystal - IT DOES!!!! Almost 24 hours of NO ODOR!! WHOO HOO!!! I spray this underneath both breasts, in my cleavage and a small squirt on my upper/inner thighs (avoiding the most personal area) and basically waited a minute (in a rather funny position - legs a bit apart, holding up both breasts) waiting for this to dry (my husband thought I had lost my mind when he walked into the bathroom) :P and then went about my normal routine. My typical day = 14 hours later (a full work day, a 1.5 hour gym workout, family dinner, put child to bed) = NO DISCERNIBLE SMELL - OMG - I think I'm gonna cry!! Seriously, I cannot convey to you how much this problem has bothered me and while I was just hoping to make it thru the workday - NEVER in a million years did I expect this product to work THRU AEROBICS and weight lifting!! BONUS!! I have used Crystal for over 2 years now and Naturally Fresh for over a week (including aforementioned workouts/schedules mentioned above cut/pasted from my Crystal review). So thankful for these and now I even have options!!! I am always SOOOO skeptical when I come across reviews that say the product is "life changing" - but for me, THIS ONE TRULY IS!!! I no longer have to worry about BO develping due to sweating = much higher level of self-confidence + a LOT less stress (I can't tell you how much brain power I expended worrying about whether or not I was smelly during the day even w/ showering daily, using deoderants - regular + feminine, powder, etc) Truly HG for me :)
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Misc Beauty Tools -Ecotools - EcoPouf Bath Sponge
heathermrm 4/30/2012 9:10:00 AM
I really hate to be the lone dissenter (so far) on this as I have had the most fabulous luck w/ other Ecotools items (love their MU brushes), but this simply doesn't work for me in 1 major way: it doesn't allow/facilitate my shower gel/soap products to lather AT ALL. I have tried adding in more product, more water - nothing works - I get barely any lather when using on my skin. Its very weird. Recently I tried 2 specific experiments: yesterday a.m. = 2 pumps and 5 sec of running water on this bath pouf and on my regular one from Target = I got like 4x the lather on the Target one vs this one. This a.m., I did the exact same experiment, but this time, I used a brand new sponge from Target (in case yesterdays had some residual shower soap = not a fair experiment) = same results. Its too bad because I love the texture and the fact its made from recycled plastic, but I want lather = this is being relegated to the guest shower.
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Treatments -Makeup Artist's Choice (MUAC) - TCA Peel
heathermrm 4/26/2012 12:46:00 PM
I use 3 (soon to be 4) MUAC products religiously (see separate reviews): 1. 25% mandelic acid peel 2. fade peel 3. vitamin c 4. gly-luronic acid serum Background - I have melasma spots on my forehead (x3) and 1 on each cheek (back towards my ears). I have subtype 1 (blushing) rosacea on the apples of my cheeks w/ some broken caps along the sides of my nose and what are probably sebaceous filaments (vs blackheads) along the sides of my nose (not horribly visible, but bothersome to me) I have basically normal/combo skin w/ slightly drier cheeks and slightly oilier t-zone. I'm 46 so have the start of some fine lines. Whew - if you made it thru all that, I'm impressed :) In short, I tried this a couple of times on my melasma spots. It helped w/ some fading, but this product is just too strong for my skin = up for swap. My actual rating = 3.5.
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Treatments -Makeup Artist's Choice (MUAC) - Gly-Luronic Acid Serum
heathermrm 4/26/2012 12:41:00 PM
I have fine-tuned my skincare regime to include the following MUAC products (see separate reviews): 1. 25% mandelic acid peel 2. fade peel 3. vitamin C Background - I have melasma spots on my forehead (x3) and 1 on each cheek (back towards my ears). I have subtype 1 (blushing) rosacea on the apples of my cheeks w/ some broken caps along the sides of my nose and what are probably sebaceous filaments (vs blackheads) along the sides of my nose (not horribly visible, but bothersome to me) I have basically normal/combo skin w/ slightly drier cheeks and slightly oilier t-zone. I'm 46 so have the start of some fine lines. Whew - if you made it thru all that, I'm impressed :) About 6 months back and at the advice of MUAC, I started using this product in the a.m. (followed by hi spf/hi ppd SS) and relegated the Vitamin C to nights. That routine definitely was a bonus for my skin and having not used it for the past few months, I just re-ordered today as I miss the extra fabulous results I was getting. Truly, those pesky black spots along the side of my nose were less noticeable (even more so than when just using other MUAC products alone) and my skin seemed even more even toned. This doesn't upset my rosacea at all; my skin seems more balanced and not irritated. I do feel it assists in fading my melasma and I get NO TTOM pimples when using. I'm convinced that the Gly-Luronic Acid Serum is a crucial part to my skincare regime (which is why I just ordered more today.) PS - forgot to add - this product, in conjunction w/ the 25% mandelic acid peel, seems to diminish some flesh colored raised bumps (as in less raised, becoming smaller) I have along the very tops of the apples of my cheeks (no idea what the official name is) = WHOOT!! :)
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Makeup Artist's Choice (MUAC) - vitamin C
heathermrm 4/26/2012 12:32:00 PM
I have been using this product every morning (followed by hi spf/hi ppd SS) for a few months = LOVE it! Background - I have melasma spots on my forehead (x3) and 1 on each cheek (back towards my ears). I have subtype 1 (blushing) rosacea on the apples of my cheeks w/ some broken caps along the sides of my nose and what are probably sebaceous filaments (vs blackheads) along the sides of my nose (not horribly visible, but bothersome to me) I have basically normal/combo skin w/ slightly drier cheeks and slightly oilier t-zone. I'm 46 so have the start of some fine lines. Whew - if you made it thru all that, I'm impressed :) I find this definitely assists in making my skin clearer and more even toned. I also use MUAC's 25% Mandelic Acid Peel and its Fade Peel (see separate reviews). While I have noticed great improvement in my skin using these peels, all the benefits I'm seeing seem to be amped up a bit when I incorporate the Vitamin C into my daily regime as well. I am still tweaking my regime and will now be adding back in MUAC's Gly-Luronic Acid Serum to use in the mornings and continue using the Vitamin C at night. (I did this routine about 6 months ago with very nice results, but after using up my sample, wanted to see if I could forgo using both the G/L and the Vitamin C. I think I get the best results when I alternate them.) When using the Vitamin C, my skin seems more balanced, not irritated. My SS goes on just fine after I let the Vitamin C soak in a few minutes (like less than 5). I feel its also helping in the fading of my melasma and it doesn't aggravate my rosacea. Its has definitely helped in the evening out of my chest skin tone by fading some brown spots there (more melasma?). Since I don't do any MUAC peels on my chest, I know its due to this product. I will continue to re-purchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Makeup Artist's Choice (MUAC) - Fade Peel
heathermrm 4/26/2012 12:18:00 PM
have now tried 4 different peels from MUAC: 1. 25% mandelic acid peel 2. 40% lactic acid peel 3. fade peel 4. 12.5% TCA peel Background - I have melasma spots on my forehead (x3) and 1 on each cheek (back towards my ears). I have subtype 1 (blushing) rosacea on the apples of my cheeks w/ some broken caps along the sides of my nose and what are probably sebaceous filaments (vs blackheads) along the sides of my nose (not horribly visible, but bothersome to me) I have basically normal/combo skin w/ slightly drier cheeks and slightly oilier t-zone. I'm 46 so have the start of some fine lines. Whew - if you made it thru all that, I'm impressed :) The Fade Peel is 1 of 2 I will continue to re-purchase and here's why. It has been the most effective at lightening my melasma spots than the others w/out being uncomfortable. I use just on my melasma spots and the 25% mandelic acid peel on the rest of my face (see separate review.) These 2 used together in separate areas of my face = my skin seems more balanced, not irritated (I always wash w/ gentle, non-abrasive cleanser and tone w/ Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel both before and after peel, followed by several drops of rosehip oil post-peel). My melasma is fading - approx 80% faded (finally!!) and yes, I religiously use a hi spf/hi ppd SS. I'm convinced that the Fade Peel is a crucial part to my skincare regime and I will continue to re-purchase.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Makeup Artist's Choice (MUAC) - 40% Lactic Acid Peel
heathermrm 4/26/2012 12:11:00 PM
I have now tried 4 different peels from MUAC: 1. 25% mandelic acid peel 2. 40% lactic acid peel 3. fade peel 4. 12.5% TCA peel Background - I have melasma spots on my forehead (x3) and 1 on each cheek (back towards my ears). I have subtype 1 (blushing) rosacea on the apples of my cheeks w/ some broken caps along the sides of my nose and what are probably sebaceous filaments (vs blackheads) along the sides of my nose (not horribly visible, but bothersome to me) I have basically normal/combo skin w/ slightly drier cheeks and slightly oilier t-zone. I'm 46 so have the start of some fine lines. Whew - if you made it thru all that, I'm impressed :) The 40% lactic acid peel works OK for me - it seemed to assist in the initial fading of my melasma spots, but then I reached a plateau = per advice of MUAC, I upgraded to the fade peel. However, I cannot use the lactic peel anywhere near my rosacea spots or, sometimes other parts of my face if my skin has decided to be sensitive (which it does intermittently.) I have fine-tuned my skincare regime to include MUAC's 25% mandelic acid peel and its Fade Peel (see separate reviews). I always wash w/ gentle, non-abrasive cleanser and tone w/ Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel both before and after peel, followed by several drops of rosehip oil post-peel. I'd give this a 3.5 as it worked OK for a while, and then wasn't as effective + started bothering my skin = my sample is up for swap :)
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Makeup Artist's Choice (MUAC) - 25% Mandelic Acid Peel
heathermrm 4/26/2012 12:04:00 PM
I have now tried 4 different peels from MUAC: 1. 25% mandelic acid peel 2. 40% lactic acid peel 3. fade peel 4. 12.5% TCA peel Background - I have melasma spots on my forehead (x3) and 1 on each cheek (back towards my ears). I have subtype 1 (blushing) rosacea on the apples of my cheeks w/ some broken caps along the sides of my nose and what are probably sebaceous filaments (vs blackheads) along the sides of my nose (not horribly visible, but bothersome to me) I have basically normal/combo skin w/ slightly drier cheeks and slightly oilier t-zone. I'm 46 so have the start of some fine lines. Whew - if you made it thru all that, I'm impressed :) The 25% Mandelic Acid Peel is 1 of 2 I will continue to re-purchase and here's why. This is gentlest of the peels to my skin but still effective as far as keeping skin clear and to slightly help fade my melasma. This is the only peel I've tried that doesn't feel like its uncomfortable, especially where my rosacea is. I have now fine tuned my regime to using this 1-2 week on the more sensitive spots of my face (always apples of my cheeks and sometimes my nose and chin depending on my skin's current mood) and then I use the fade peel everywhere else, especially on my melasma spots. My skin seems more balanced, not irritated (I always wash w/ gentle, non-abrasive cleanser and tone w/ Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel both before and after peel, followed by several drops of rosehip oil post-peel.) My melasma is fading (initially it faded about 25% w/ this peel and then no more = I switched up to the Fade Peel = see separate review), the tiny black spots along the sides of my nose are less noticeable, my rosacea isn't aggravated, I no longer get 3-4 pimples during TTOTM (maybe 1 now). I'm convinced that the 25% Mandelic Acid Peel is a crucial part to my skincare regime and I will continue to re-purchase. PS - forgot to add - this product, in conjunction w/ the 25% mandelic acid peel, seems to diminish some flesh colored raised bumps (as in less raised, becoming smaller) I have along the very tops of the apples of my cheeks (no idea what the official name is) = WHOOT!! :)
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Garden of Wisdom - Gentle Cleansing Gel
heathermrm 4/16/2012 11:58:00 AM
I am test driving a bunch of gentle cleansers to replace my Cetaphil as my morning cleanser. I purchased 2 sample packs from GoW and got this one as 1 of my 6. I have not used to remove make-up so won't be speaking to that. I have combo skin (at age....ahem...mid 40s) w/ slightly drier cheeks, slightly oiler t-zone and subtype I (blushing) rosacea on cheeks, nose and chin. I don't get much in the way of breakouts except for TTOTM or reacting to a product. Love the gentleness, the orange kind jello-y substance, doesn't leave my face feeling dry/stripped; no skin aggravations at all. No discernible scent for me. I really really like this one! I find these to be somewhat expensive (not the sample packs obviously) but in looking a the full size versions - wow! However, it takes such a tiny tiny amount, I'm thinking perhaps I would be able to use product enough times to justify the expense so that will probably end up not being a deterrent for me. This is one of the 3 finalists for my new a.m. cleanser! Actual rating 4.5!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Garden of Wisdom - Heather Blossom Cleanser
heathermrm 4/16/2012 11:56:00 AM
I am test driving a bunch of gentle cleansers to replace my Cetaphil as my morning cleanser. I purchased 2 sample packs from GoW and got this one as 1 of my 6. I have not used to remove make-up so won't be speaking to that. I have combo skin (at age....ahem...mid 40s) w/ slightly drier cheeks, slightly oiler t-zone and subtype I (blushing) rosacea on cheeks, nose and chin. I don't get much in the way of breakouts except for TTOTM or reacting to a product. Love the gentleness. However, I find that it takes many many more splashes of water and rubbing to get all this product off. Kind of leaves a slight residue behind which, if I was going to substitute for my nightly cleansing oils, I would have no problem w/. However, (and this is just my own personal preference), I do not want that left on my skin in the a.m. - I prefer no residue, but still moisturized if that makes any sense. I find the poop like color to be funny and the slight earthy smell doesn't bother me and dissipates very quickly. I'm going to keep trying the different cleansers to see if I can find one that leaves my skin slightly more moisturized. I find these to be somewhat expensive (not the sample packs obviously) but in looking a the full size versions - wow! However, it takes such a tiny tiny amount, I'm thinking perhaps I would be able to use product enough times to justify the expense so that will probably end up not being a deterrent for me. My actual rating is 3.5. If I ever decide to take a break from my cleansing oils at night, I might give this one a whirl as a substitute. UPDATE 04-20-12 = I used this to remove my MMU and SS last night then wiped my face w/ toner = nothing left behind (excluding my waterproof mascara which I always remove separately anyway = not a factor) = just awarded additional lippie - this is what I will definitely switch to when I want to take a break from using my cleansing oils :)
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