Styling Products -Garnier - Pure Clean Gel
bernsie 4/12/2012 3:25:00 AM
This hair gel is most different than most others as it provides volume/hold without feeling stiff/sticky/crunchy. Most gels tend to make hair dirty more quickly. Not so this hair gel hence the name "Pure Clean Gel." IT's a hard holding formula w/out the feel those high holding gels will give the hair. It's made of 98% Naturally-Derived ingredients which do not flake or leave residue behind. It does all this at an extremely low price point. It's a high perfomance/quality gel for the "masses." Highly Recommended!!!
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Styling Products -Redken - Fabricate 03
bernsie 4/12/2012 3:16:00 AM
Redkin is one of the oldest professional hair care lines available, outside of Wella, which is no where near as exhaustive in product number nor are they as scientifically advanced. I believe PPT was the 1st hair reconstructor using protein peptides in the early-mid 1970's. This product Fabricate 03 (the number signifies amount of "hold.") This product is best known for it's use on dry sections of hair which are about to be flat ironed/curling iron. It protects the hair from the extreme heat (particularly flat irons which can reach heats of 425 degrees farenhiet.) The heat actually will activate the product thereby protecting not just the cuticle, but the 2 other more inner sections of hair. Hair is actually left in better condition after this is used in conjunction w/a flat iron. It's silky and shiny plus #03 will provide a bit of hold keeping the hair straight/curly for a longer period of time than when not used. It tends to lock out humidity protecting the style. This product actually helps to repair damaged hair even though you use such high heat w/your choice of heat styling iron. It also maybe used on damp hair before blow drying to recondition as the heat from the blow dryer activates the product also. Highly Recommended!
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Scrubs -Olay - Regenerist Detoxifying Pore Scrub
bernsie 4/12/2012 1:16:00 AM
I think this a very good exfoliating cleanser for facial use. This product contains an amino peptide complex which is incorporated in their Regenrist Moisturizers/Night Creams. This complex helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. I believe the exfoliating beads are oxygenated (called oxygenated derma-beads.) This oxygenation stimulates blood flow to the epidermis, as the beads do as well just not as thourough if they were not oxygenated. Oxygen within a cream/lotion has skin benefits. The beads are also very tiny and uniform, important to have both for a proper/efficient exfoliation. It leaves the skin silky soft to the touch and ready for whatever any anti-ageing product which will penetrate much better after you've removed dead skin cells which would interfere with absorbtion of anything applied after cleansing. You may not be able to use this on a daily basis and they may recommend it 2-3x/week. I think if you can build yourself up to using it everyday it becomes more useful, keeping your skin free of dead cells all the time. Just make sure you use an SPF product of some kind during the day (#15-30) as it is these dead skin cells which protect it against UVA and UVB sun rays. You may therefore ask well why am I removing dead facial skin cells if they protect me against damaging sun rays?: As we age this process of the sloughing off of dead skin and the manufacture of new one's become slower and slower as we age. By removing them through exfoliation you are speeding up the process of their manufacture and surfacing. This is why young skin has a translucencey/eveness quality to it. This skin renewal process happens quickly. When you force dead skin cells off the face you also force the manufacture of newer ones which rise to the surface more quickly as well. Your skin looks/works more like young skin and will take on the quality of younger skin as well. Highly Recommended. Walmart has an exact duplicate of this at a far lower cost. The ingredients are the same and listed in the same order.
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Skincare - Body -Vaseline - Cocoa Butter Gel Body Oil
bernsie 4/12/2012 12:46:00 AM
This is used in the same way one uses Neutrogena's Sesame Oil: After your shower/bath you are to lightly dry yourself off w/a towel leaving skin a bit damp before rubbing this in, throwing on a robe for 5 minutes or so as to let it set and sink in. It traps the water and holds it in thereby hydrating the skin instead of using a body lotion/cream. It works very well to soften and hydrate the skin, lasting for quite some time. Here is another usage for this product in which I would not be without. I apply it over wet skin which is about to be shaved. I then apply shave cream/gel. Your blade will literally glide over the area to be shaved much moreso than w/out it. It's an added layer of protection and works particularly well when your blade's moisture strip has dried out yet your blade may still be usable/sharp. If your shaving your legs then a light dose of this applied after shaving onto slightly damp skin gives added protection/soothing. Highly Recommended. CVS has their own copy of this which is identicle ingredients and works just as well yet for a considerably lower cost. I would also recommend this to men for beard shaving as well though I'd skip appling afterward as it's a bit heavy for facial use.
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Blush -Boots - No7 Natural Blush - Petal
bernsie 4/11/2012 11:32:00 PM
I'm reviewing 10 Soft Damson in this pressed form with black plastic packaging and a see through window so one can see the color w/out opening. Firstly the color gives the most natural looking rose toned payoff on the skin. Start at the apple (as where you first place that brush will give this specific area the most payoff) and move across the cheekbone toward the ear. If you've a bit left on the brush I like it applied across the bridge of the nose and at the temple moving it upward until you stop it at the center of the eyebrow on the forehead. A bit on the chin/across the jawline always "frames" the face when this is used here and at temples running up toward the outer quarter of forehead. You would not want this kind of "framing" w/a brighter, darker, non-rosey/pink shade. It looks best with the softest most natural color (as this one is. No one blushes brown/coral/red/mauve naturally.) Highly Recommended in this color. It's "fresh" and "pretty."
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Blush -Sonia Kashuk - beautifying blush
bernsie 4/11/2012 11:17:00 PM
The color here is Pink-14. I LOVE the color/texture/wearability of this powder blush. It gives the most natural "flush" to the skin. It looks real not like a powder blush as this melts into the skin/foundation. The texture is good with good payoff on the skin. It stays put and just stays, Period. Make sure you keep your brushes clean as oil will build upon the outer layer of this blush quite quickly, interfering with the application. If this does happen with any powder based product (eyeshadow, blush, hi-lite, pressed powder) take a rather roughened end of a paper towel and wipe it across the entire outer layer until you've removed the problem outer layer completely. You will have a new, fresh surface to use once again. This is a highly recommended blush for it's texture/color/blendability/payoff and how well it stays on.
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Blush -Sonia Kashuk - Creme Blush in Blossom
bernsie 4/11/2012 11:01:00 PM
I LOVE this cream on blush, but particularly because of the color/formula. This is not really a color as one expects as payoff on the apples/cheeks. It is more of a hi-lite. It gives that "glow" I love so much w/out looking frosted or at the right angle of either indoor/outdoor light you can see the tiniest light reflecting pigments. I suppose on the whitest and fairest of skin tones this might provide some color with the glow incorporated within it. I think it works best as a hi-lite. Once you've blushed the skin w/a craem or powder I then take up the smallest amount of this on a wedge shaped (the kind you disconnect from a wheel of them, using the smallest side) sponge and starting at the highest part of the outer cheek bone (heading toward ear), but also near the outer most undereye area and stiple it at this area moving down the cheek bone, but at the highest point of it, heading down into the apple. There should be a bit left over and you should use that and stiple around the eye where you've placed the concealer (inner eye and inner corner between eye and nose.) Then begin to blend w/regular strokes where you initially started the deposit and blend down to the apple and finally undereye. The concealed area can look a bit dry though this applied on top provides that "GLOW" I speak of imitating the look of water/hydration. This a bit like the last step of your make-up application regardless of the blush color. Wonderful. Highly Recommended!!!
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Moisturizers -Clinique - Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel
bernsie 4/11/2012 9:49:00 AM
This is an updated version of Cliique's original Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (DDML.) It's supposedly for a more combination/oily skin type hence the "gel" formula. I've said elsewhere here that the original DDML is from Clinique's incarnation in 1966. At least this reformulation has Hyaluronic Acid as part of it's new ingredient list. Anything is better than the original DDML as a cheap body lotion has better/more high tech ingredient than the original DDML. I've tried this moderized gel reformulation. It's not half bad. It's definitely better than the original. I still think I can find (and have) something more modern from Neutrgena's Rapid Wrinkle Repair Line containg Retinol.
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Moisturizers -Elizabeth Arden - Velva Moisture Film
bernsie 4/11/2012 9:20:00 AM
I rember being on a flight from JFK Airport to London in 1974 and they had this in the bathrooms of the plane. This is nothing more than an oil in water lotion. It's an outdated moisturizer and I feel should be discontinued, but I quess there are still some very old women who still use it otherwise it would have been discontinued long ago. I think you can find more high tech ingredients in a cheap body lotion which would be more advanced/efficient in holding onto water thereby hydrating the skin than this "old as the hills" product. It's formulation has got to be from the 1960's if not the '50's, that's how old this formula is. If you are still using this it's time for you to take the jump and move onto something better/more modern. Visible Difference would be better than this and that formula is from 1978, better than the mid 20th century "Velva Moisture Film." They made a killing w/Visible Difference. It penetrated some of the most outer most layers of skin at least and held onto water (through the ingredient "olive oil") pushing the hydration into the uppermost superficial layers of skin.It's a blast remebering this stuff and then reviewing it. Lauder made a moisturizer called Estoderm Lotion from the late 50's early 60's. The advertisement for it was a baby chick hatching out it's shell as the product supposedly had a whole egg in each of the pale blue bottles. I don't think this is available anymore not even as an "On Call" product which these ancient formula's were refered to within the cosmetic industry.
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Crème -Elizabeth Arden - Flawless Finish Sponge-On Creme Make-up
bernsie 4/11/2012 8:51:00 AM
I remember when Elizabet Arden came out with this: around 1978, It is as they say "as old as the hills." It still has it's place. If you want full coverage base in this cream on from the included sponge you'd be hard pressed finding anything which comes close. This a true "emollient based" foundation. I don't believe there is any water in the formuls whatsoever. This will cover anything (in the way MAC's Full Coverage sold in MAC Retail or MAC-Pro Stores can.) The color range is a bit dated however as most are/have "Rose" in the title. This is waterproof and you may literally swim in it and it won't budge. It's pretty sweat proof as well. I've used it before on a shoot where the model was coming out of a swimming pooL. It can double as concealer as well. This is so "old school" yet is still valid in todays world. That's staying power if ever there was such a thing!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Got 2 Be - Shagged Out Texturizing Liquid Fiber
bernsie 4/11/2012 8:26:00 AM
This is one rockin' hair styling product. It contains fibers which attatch to the hair strands and allow you full control over whatever you want to end up with as the "style." It is gravity defying. It was quite inexpensive as CVS where I purchased for 4 bucks (I don't know if it's been discontinued totally or just at the particular CVS I purchased it from.) There is a very close/similar formula by Sebastion called "Threads:" which even outperforms this, but at a much higher pricepoint. "Threads I would have given a 5 for overall rating.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Goldwell - Trendline Jelly Mousse
bernsie 4/11/2012 8:15:00 AM
This is quite the unusual formula as it has a "jelly like" consistency, but does it ever work well. It's applied to damp or dry hair giving you the ability to pretty much style or mold the hair into whatever direction/style you want. It's a heavy/buildable hold which allows you to let your imagination go wild and achieve a result you never thought your hair would "do."
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Blush -Physicians Formula - POwder Palette Multi-Colored Blush
bernsie 4/11/2012 8:07:00 AM
I have this in two differing shades:"Blushing Natural" and a more pink/rose tone. I like this product quite a bit. There is a mosaic of differing colors which you sweep your brush or swhirl it around thereby mixing all the different shades within the mosaic of colors. The payoff is initially subtle and gives a nice "glow" to the skin w/out looking frosted. It is definitely buildable for a more intense look. It wears well on the skin/foundation, holding up 'til you take it off. There is smoothness of texture which also aids in application. I LOVE both shades. It's rather inexpensive when purchased in Walmart giving you high performance product which belies the price. Highly Recommended!
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Blush -BeneFit Cosmetics - Dandelion
bernsie 4/11/2012 7:55:00 AM
This color I like quite a bit for blush, unlike the "Hoola" color I desimated elsewhere here. I think the brush shape is rediculous for blush application. You can see in the photo it's rather linear which makes it great for contouring under bones, but you need something more rounded/fluffy for blush application. I like the packaging. The square shape wedge of color within the box is perfect for a rounded blush brush. It gives good deposit w/out looking overdone as the color is sofr and a sheer pink/rose shade which always looks natural on fair to medium skintones though this may be too light for a darker skin tone. I have one caveat: It has a sparkle to it that when light hits it at just the right angle you can see the individual "flakes" which refect light. I hate this affect as it looks so obviously "frosted" as opposed to giving the color a "glow." It'll do in a pinch, but for this price those reflective pigments should be milled much finer which would eliminate this "frosted" affect.
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Bronzers -BeneFit Cosmetics - HOOLA
bernsie 4/11/2012 7:45:00 AM
I HATE the color of this supposed bronzing powder. It is so ashen it looks dirty on the skin, Period! I LOVE the brush as it's very linear and makes for a wonderful contour brush under the cheekbone or down the sides of nose and at trmples. I use the brush for contour, but w/a different color as this "Hoola" shade even looks too grey/dirty for even contouring. Skip this altogether.
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