Treatments -Clinique - Total Turnaround Visible Skin Renewer
AlexaElisabetta 4/13/2011 12:04:00 PM
Alright so moving past the fact that this is very expensive for me to buy (as a university student) this product is really great for active acne as well as hyperpigmentation. Since beginning to use this morning and night before my moisturizer, my face has cleared up tremendously, and the texture of my skin overall is better. I have probably the most clog-prone skin ever imaginable, and this helps to keep them fairly clean. There really is a noticable glow to my skin when I use this product. It comes in two versions, in the concentrate, which I use, and a heavier cream version. Both have the same amount of actives, but one is for drier skin. I have fairly dry skin but I prefer to use the lighter concentrate so I can layer a moisturizer overtop. Great product, wont be without it!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Avene - Cicalfate Creme reparatrice
AlexaElisabetta 4/9/2011 12:25:00 PM
I love this! I recently experienced a really bad breakout and some serious irritation from another product. Totally desperate, I picked up some of this at my local london drugs, and it's been really great. I have acne-prone, super sensitive, clog-prone skin with rosacea, so it can be difficult navigating all these needs, but this works wonders. Has calmed down my skin, and though its only been a week, has not caused any breakouts. There is no fragrance to this cream (that is essential for my sensitive skin!) and it has a really minimal list of ingredients. For those of you worried about mineral oil, check skincareman's notepad, there is nothing wrong with mineral oil in cosmetics and skincare! I mix a little bit of this in my palm with avene skin recovery cream, and pat over slightly damp skin. It does a great job of moisturizing and balancing out redness. I absolutely love this stuff and will never stray! Makes my face look glowy and great. I don't think it's supposed to be used as an all over face cream, but my skin's barrier has been so compromised, I need something that will speed its healing. This also works really well to speed healing of pimples and little scars. I will stop using this all-over once my skin is in a better place, but till then, I love this!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Avene - skin recovery cream (US name: cream for intolerant skin)
AlexaElisabetta 4/9/2011 12:21:00 PM
I love this! I recently experienced a really bad breakout and some serious irritation from another product. Totally desperate, I picked up some of this at my local london drugs, and it's been really great. I have acne-prone, super sensitive, clog-prone skin with rosacea, so it can be difficult navigating all these needs, but this works wonders. Has calmed down my skin, and though its only been a week, has not caused any breakouts. There is no fragrance to this cream (that is essential for my sensitive skin!) and it has a really minimal list of ingredients. For those of you worried about mineral oil, check skincareman's notepad, there is nothing wrong with mineral oil in cosmetics and skincare! I mix a little bit of this in my palm with avene Cicalfate, and pat over slightly damp skin. It does a great job of moisturizing and balancing out redness. I absolutely love this stuff and will never stray! Makes my face look glowy and great.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Unlisted Brand - Marie Veronique Creme de Jour Tinted SPF 30
AlexaElisabetta 1/21/2011 1:12:00 AM
I love this sunscreen. I am allergic to chemical sunscreens (avobenzone etc) and had been hunting for a nice mineral one for a long time! I have now been using this about....8 months, and I can find nothing to complain over. The "light tint" is still a bit dark for my NW15 skin, so I bought a bottle of the "no tine" and mix them together for the perfect shade. This has NEVER aggravated my sensitive, acne-prone skin, nor caused any breakouts! The light coverage also does a nice job of evening out my skintone! I find it best to apply after moisturizing, when skin is almost dry but still the tiniest bit damp. It sets to a bit of a powdery finish, but there is a definite glow to the skin. Best sunscreen ever! ...oh and I can attest that it really protects. Ive never burnt having worn this!
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Moisturizers -Mario Badescu - Control Cream
AlexaElisabetta 1/21/2011 1:04:00 AM
Love this! I use it in combination with MB healing cream (I use I light layer of both on a damp face) and it works wonders for keeping my extremely sensitive skin calm and clear. This has never aggravated my acne, and also has even had a hand in helping it! I still get some acne, but my overall skintone is much improved. Wouldn't be without this lovely cream!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Mario Badescu - Healing Cream
AlexaElisabetta 1/21/2011 12:59:00 AM
I really like this! I have extremely sensitive, rosacea, acne-prone skin and this does a great job of soothing irritation! (which I used to get very often!) It is also great on a zit you may have accidentally picked (bad, I know) as well as calming down small broken out spots. Unsure if this would do much for cysts, but worth a try! I use this in combination with MB control cream everyday. I put a very thin layer of healing cream all over my damp face, then follow up with another light layer of control cream. It helps my face to remain clear, and not irritated. Love!
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Cleansers -Burt's Bees - Orange Essence Facial Cleanser
AlexaElisabetta 6/22/2010 2:37:00 PM
I remember using this product a few years ago as a teen when I had really quite beautiful skin. Then BAM I turned 18 and my flawless skin turned really irritated, red and pimply. I began experimenting with many different products and supplements to help fix my skin but most of them only made it worse (including BC pills). Recently (at almost 20 yo) my skin has been getting better and better (whether by using better products, or simply growing out the acne, I don't know) but after looking through some pictures of myself as a teen with beautiful skin, I was reminded of this cleanser and went and bought a tube at my local Organic Store. OH MY GOD am I ever glad I did! I have been using this cleanser again for about a week, and this, in combination with my Jason Vitamin e Cream has been transforming my skin! What I do is wet my face and massage slightly more than a pea-sized amount of this cleanser in to my face. I massage for about 30 seconds-1 minute, and then let it sit on my face for a minute more. Then I rinse with some warm water, and gently rub/exfoliate it off with a sea sponge for maybe a minute! I think this is really key to using this cleanser so that you don't get that "residue" that some reviewers have mentioned. Though I am still left with a nice layer of protective oils on my face after, it does not clog my EASILY CLOGGED skin. This cleanser does not dry out my skin at all-which is great for me because my skin is so dehydrated. I am sure using a cloth to take it off would be fine, but that personally irritates my skin, so I prefer a sea sponge. Every morning now I am waking up with skin that is beautiful and glowingly healthy. I have this cleanser to thank for that (as well as my Jason Vit E Cream, and my Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair) I would highly recommend all three of these products if you have dry, irritated skin!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Estee Lauder - More Than Mascara
AlexaElisabetta 6/22/2010 2:27:00 PM
I got a mini tube of this mascara as a GWP and I really love it! This mascara makes my lashes look longer, fuller, darker, and does not clump at all. This is definitely the best mascara I have ever used (I usually purchase drugstore brand) and would *probably* shell out the 20 dollars to buy it again...but we will see. For the moment, I really love my sample!
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Cleansers -Noxzema - Original Skin Cream
AlexaElisabetta 6/22/2010 2:23:00 PM
Disappointed in this product. I have fond memories of using it as a kid/early teen, but my attempt to walk down memory lane didn't really work out. I have sensitive, dry, acne-prone skin, and this simply gave me a rash of pimples. I actually love the cooling feeling of this cleanser and am very sad that it doesn't work for me personally. I wish it did! This definitely gets points for being dirt cheap, and a classic product that has stood the test of time, but because it irritated my skin I cannot give it a great review. Will try and give my jar away to a friend though, maybe it will work for them!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Kat Von D - Saint
AlexaElisabetta 6/22/2010 2:12:00 PM
I am generally not a big wearer of perfume, as most seem either too mature, too musty, too sharp, etc for my nose. That said, I LOVE the smell of this perfume. It is beautifully vanilla with a hint of citrus and caramel, my two best friends and I adore this scent! I wear it everyday, though I seem to think it is more of a fall/winter scent. My only complaint is that, as other reviewers have mentioned, it has terrible staying power. I bought the roll-on though so I just re-apply throughout the day....though I imagine I will go through this perfume quite quickly that way. Oh well, it is worth it for the beautiful scent!
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Skincare - Face -Estee Lauder - Advanced Night Repair Concentrate
AlexaElisabetta 6/20/2010 5:33:00 PM
Let's just get over the price right off the bat. Yes I am cheap. I am a 20 yo university student who has little disposable income, and yet, I can totally justify buying this again. I have just finished the full 21 day course of using this treatment, and I must say, the results are fantastic. I have irritated, acne-prone, incredibly dry skin...and this product has helped on all of these levels. I have notices a serious decrease in acne and redness, and the little irritated bumps I often get on my face from allergies or other products have also decreased exponentially. I use maybe a dime sized circle of this serum every night, and massage it in to my skin. It makes my skin feel instantly smoother and more even, and I can tell it really helps to actively "recover" your skin. I have had some bad sunburns in my life which I know have contributed (along with mild rosacea) to some redness and spots on my skin. I have noticed a marked decrease in redness in my skin over the 21 days and my complexion looks altogether much much healthier and radiant. I bought this at the Estee Lauder counter in the mall for approx 110$ CAD with tax. YES that is expensive. But you are really only supposed to use this product 4 times a year (with the changing of the seasons) and I have still 3/4 of the bottle left. So altogether for a year of healthy radiant skin it is not such a huge investment. I recieved quite a generous gift bag with the purchase of this which included a sample of their regular Advanced Night Repair, which I plan to use nightly to maintain the great results I've had with the concentrate!
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Jason Natural Cosmetics - 25,000 IU Vitamin E Age Renewal Moisturizing Creme
AlexaElisabetta 6/5/2010 9:45:00 PM
OH MY GOD. I know it seems hasty to write a review after only one day of use (and indeed I will update it as I use it more and more) but this moisturizer might be bordering on HG status for me. My skin is really acne-prone (though its better these days) with some minor redness from rosacea. But all in all, it has just been looking slightly ruddy, and irritated as of late. sometimes develop little irritated red or flesh coloured bumps on my face from allergies or whatever reason. Yesterday I bought this cream on a whim, and I must say I am blown away! My skin is EXTREMELY dry, and on first swipe I felt this moisturizer relieved my skin. I woke up this morning looking absolutely dewy, and when I reapplied it after washing my face, I was impressed when I did not look at all shiney by mid-day. I have been wearing it now for about 12 hours and I have no discernable shine! It soothes my redness, and my pores even look smaller! I wish I could show a before and after portrait of even the one day I have been using this cream since. It is wonderful! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edit: June, 21-Continuing to love this! Have been using it for two weeks now and it is continuing to help rehydrate my horribly dry skin! Every day I am glowing more and more. HG. Update: September 14- Still using and loving this moisturizer. It still never breaks me out, and continues to moisturize excellently. It continues to give me a little glow whenever I apply it. :) I still get occaisional irritation on my face (from allergies I think) and this does help to quell that, though it does not actively get rid of it...that said I am going to try using the First Aid Beauty moisturizer for irritated skin when I get bumpy patches and hope that helps as well. LOVE THIS CREAM. How I apply this is on a damp face, take out a blueberry sized amount and rub it between my fingers...then I pat it in to my face making sure to get it all over, and concentrating on my driest parts. voila! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE JAN 20-2011 I stopped using this for a month or two while my skin was sort of freaking out and I recently purchased another tub....however I put it on and my face looked blotchy and somewhat irritated! I remember the first time I used this it made me a little red but the colour disipated...I have tried it again for a few days and still seems irritating. I have since found using a combination of mario badescu healing cream and control cream to do the trick. I will let my skin settle down and come back to this at another date!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Cetaphil - Gentle Skin Cleanser
AlexaElisabetta 5/15/2010 1:25:00 PM
LOVE this product. I felt like the first time I tried it, back when my acne was a bit worse, I didn't care for it at all. But now that my skin has improved a bit (with the help of Mario Badescu) I love this stuff! My skin is very very sensitive and this does not irritate it at all! It does have a tendency to dry your skin a tad, but I just load up on moisturizer afterwards and it is fine! A great, simple, and cheap product that I will probably use forever!
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Treatments -Mario Badescu - Drying Cream
AlexaElisabetta 4/30/2010 3:11:00 PM
I am only on my sample of this product, but that said, I have been using it for about 2 months and have barely dipped in...so I would say this is excellent value for money. It does just what it says it will. Dries out/removes the pimple. You need to make sure to use a very small amount...otherwise your skin can get very dry and flakey. I ONLY spot-apply....never spread it over your whole face. For those that say this doesn't double as a concealer as MB claims, I could see how you would think that if you are even slightly tanned. For my pale self, it works wonderfully as a concealer, or at least a base for concealer....and at the same time it works to remove that pesky pimple! I have found it to work really well, and in combination with other MB products (seaweed nightcream) my skin has cleared up tremendously. 5 Stars!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Mario Badescu - Seaweed Night Cream
AlexaElisabetta 4/30/2010 3:05:00 PM
I decided to wait a month and a half before reviewing this product so that I could fairly asess it. My skin before Mario Badescu was really dry, acneic, and extremely sensitive. My acne breakouts looked more like little bumps of irritation than big pustules, and I'm beginning to think thats what they were. I wash my face first with either Cetaphil, or the Mario Strawberry scrub, and then take a TINY AMOUNT of this moisturizer, and PAT IT ON to a DAMP FACE. Those reviewers that think this cream is too greasey are probably using too much....it really only takes a tiny bit, I'm talking, half a pea-sized amount....I even wear this as a day moisturizer and I have no problems with looking shiney. This is by far the most moisturizing cream I have used, and truly does give that lovely "glow" that everyone is talking about. Since using this product (in combination with a few other things from mario) my dry, acne-prone skin has become so much healthier and clearer....I actually don't grimace when I look in the mirror anymore. As I said, I use this as both a day and night moisturizer, and I have had it for about 1.5-2 months and I have used MAYBE 1/4 of the container....so I could see this lasting quite a long time. The price, for the amount of product is very good I think....but to be honest, for these results I would pay whatever price. I recieved this first as a sample in my sample pack from the company, and though I eventually bought ALL the products I sampled, this is by far the best and most effective. The only con I could see is that it comes in a tub/jar, so perhaps not the most hygeinic...but I just make sure I wash my hands before digging in. Thank god for mario badescu, it has transformed my skin...I used to cry before when I looked at my red irritated bumpy face, and now, smooth, clear skin! A miracle! Update - June 21/2010========================== -though the seaweed night cream worked for me, I have moved on to something I find works even better for my dehydrated skin (jason naturals 25,000 iu vitamin e cream)....this cream gives me a superior glow, and has helped my skin even further than mario has. THAT SAID...this is still a great moisturizer, I have just found something better.
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