Conditioner -DevaCurl - One Condition
Audrey0 2/6/2013 9:20:00 PM
I've tried many conditioners aimed specifically at curly haired consumers since around 2003 and this is one I keep coming back to that I know works. I like to try new stuff like everybody else for the fun of it and because I like the "hunt" but it says a lot that after a while, I will miss this one and come back to it. It is a silicone free conditioner that helps produce nice ringlets in combination with a few other products and curly hair tricks/tools. As with most things, it matters how you combine and use your products that result in a great effect. Conditioner alone isn't going to give you perfect curls - it's a big piece of the puzzle though. Devachan makes a great light weight gel also.
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Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Shadow in Painted Purple
Audrey0 2/4/2013 7:56:00 PM
A false advert is a false advert. This purple is not like the ads and worse still, applies very unevenly. Difficult to work with because as you smooth it over skin it kind of clumps up even after you keep working with it it keeps sliding around. Would not think of wearing it alone. You would have to top it off with a shadow to get the purple shown in the ads. Skip this color and try Bad to the Bronze. I also have Mossy Green, which is better than this purple one, but not as good as Bad to the Bronze.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Chanel - Rouge Coco Shine - Boy
Audrey0 2/4/2013 7:29:00 PM
Sheer mauve pink balm. Kind of like the Revlon lip butters. Little flecks of glitter. It's one of those safe shades that you can throw on with out a mirror in a hurry. Nothing miraculous or special about it. Nothing really bad to say about it either. I wear it a few times a month because I keep it in my purse as a safe color that goes with all makeup looks, clothing, and moods. It functions as more of a touch up color later in the day. Let's put it another way - I don't grab for it when I'm going for a statement. Has a weird smell that I'm not crazy about.
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Blush -Make Up For Ever - HD Blush in #8
Audrey0 1/28/2013 7:47:00 PM
I found that with some practice in application, this was a wonderful, natural and VERY long lasting blush, particularly when topped with a tiny bit of powder blush. The color is realistic and beautiful, like you're not wearing makeup but you look healthy. Experiment with the tiniest amount, blend well. The packaging is great and I haven't had any problems with pumping out too much - it use it gently. I will say that when I didn't use it for a month or so, the product up top dried out so I had to give it a good squeeze to get rid of the part trapped for a while in the dispenser. That only wasted a pump or 2. Honestly I don't know how I could use the whole thing unless that was my only blush, but I have a lot of other blushes. I think creme blushes are the most natural looking when they are good colors for your skin.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Japonesque - Mini Heated Eyelash Curler
Audrey0 1/13/2013 10:18:00 AM
This is a great tool for people with thick straight lashes that don't hold curl. I am obsessed with curling my stubbornly straight eyelashes, some of which point down and back into my eyes!!! So, unfortunately I cannot go anywhere without an eyelash curler. Curling them makes me feel and look more awake. Anyways, the best old school curler I used was the Shu, but after an hour, the curl was gone. So I was recurling my lashes with the Shu all day, and I still got that crimped effect. Plus you're not supposed to use a traditional eyelash curler on lashes that already have mascara on them, because it can pull your lashes out. With the Japonesque, I am so excited to report that my lashes are now staying curled ALL DAY! Important thing to note is that I use the heated curler AFTER I 1)use the Shu and 2) apply mascara. I press the heated curler into the root of my pre-curled mascara coated lashes and very, very slowly slide up along the length of the lashes. It does take some patience, but the results are GREAT. I think that heating up the mascara changes the property of the mascara, so that it actually holds the shape you're creating. Kind of baking it into position, but not really, because it's not that hot. It kind of melts then dries it the upward position as you slowly move the heated curler upwards. I've been experimenting with different mascaras, which seems to make a difference. If you're going for a thick spidery lash look (not my preference, but...) you will have to re-apply more mascara because the Japonesque does remove a little mascara on it's way up. The batteries do wear out quickly, that's true, but it's still the best method/tool I've found for my evil little straight lashes. It's the only thing that works that lasts all day. I wish there was something that worked for me that only took 2 seconds and didn't require batteries, but at this point, there isn't. I definitely recommend that you try it - the price was comparable to a Shu eyelash curler, and you might end up feeling like me- that it's the best thing I've found for makeup in a long time.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -DHC - Mild Lotion
Audrey0 6/22/2012 12:02:00 AM
I've been using this for years and years. My skin is combo and everything under the sun breaks me out, but I still need to hydrate my skin after I wash it with Cetaphil or it just feels too dry. However, if I put some cream on my skin I will break out. Creams just clog my pores, I guess. So this toner is really a watery lotion for me that soothes my ultra sensitive skin. I use it twice a day and I love it. BTW, now DHC has a mild lotion II. I switched to it because it has more helpful ingredients in it but the first one is fine. I'm really glad I found it, because it helped me through my 20's when I couldn't find anything I liked.
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Cleansers -DHC - Deep Cleansing Oil
Audrey0 6/21/2012 11:49:00 PM
Lovely stuff! I've been using it for 10 years. As you know, there is a lot of makeup that isn't coming off with just soap and water. You need an oil to break apart these tough formulas from our faces. It is strange how this oil rinses clean - this doesn't happen if you try to use olive oil alone (I've tried! LOL). I use the cleansing oil on a dry face with dry hands, massage it onto my face everywhere but my eyes, then I gently massage the eye makeup off, then rinseI I follow with Cetaphil for normal to oily skin, then the DHC Mild Lotion. Beautiful! I highly recommend it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Great Lash Mascara
Audrey0 6/21/2012 11:38:00 PM
Wowzers! I am really surprised by all the negative reviews! I have come to the conclusion that each mascara has it's own purpose and personality - so I like to have a variety on hand. I will always have Great Lash (my color is dark brown) in my collection. Great Lash has a good formula for holding curl if you push up your lashes with your finger covered by a tissue for about 30 seconds while they're drying. I have super straight lashes and this technique combined with this mascara specifically give me curled lashes for over 8 hours. The price is great too! It's just as good as any of my other mascaras which include: Maybelline Full N Soft, Loreal Carbon Black, Lancome Defincils, Clinique High Impact, MUFE Smoky Lash, Tarina Tarantino, Urban Decay, Estee Lauder, Dior Show, Laura Mercier, CoverGirl Lash Blast, Benefit Bad Gal. The only down side is that it's not that great straight away after you first open it. It kind of has to thicken up over a week or two. Not a big deal unless it's the only mascara you have. But if you have a few on hand, this one is worth waiting for. This stuff lasts forever, too. I've had other mascaras that dried up after a few weeks and started flaking, but not Great Lash.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Shadow in Bad to the Bronze / on and on bronze
Audrey0 6/17/2012 12:04:00 PM
Totally worth the price. It's not a HG or anything, and others describe the color more accurately than Maybelline did. LOL. Similar to MAC paint pots, but cheaper. That being said, I still want to keep using MAC paint pots because they are so brilliant. I hadn't purchased a Maybelline product in a long time and this one had so many good reviews, I ran out and bought one for my trip to Florida. Thanks everyone for writing reviews or I would have never tried this! I may pick up some other colors, too. *Side note: MUA - the would you buy this product again question is soooooo wierd and I would argue, pointless. It's like, do you mean "If you could go back in time, knowing what you know now, would you buy this again?" or "WILL you buy another one?" which it odd. Like, 'will I buy another one' (in the future) might be answered NO simply because I may not ever run out of this product because there is so much of it. But if you answer NO, you are unwittingly making the product look bad even if you like it very much! Additionally, how accurate is it to answer this question since it's truly a guess/prediction about the future and we can't really know if we're going to buy it again because something better may come along. Every time I look at the reviews of things, the first thing I notice is the % statistic by the product, which is misleading because it makes you think that that % of people approve of the product, when actually it means that % of people will buy it again.
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Lipstick -Estee Lauder - Pure Color Crystal Lipstick- Crystal Baby
Audrey0 6/4/2012 1:39:00 PM
Currently, my favorite day time lippie. I am a pale redhead with freckles and blue-green eyes. You can put this on without a mirror - only need 2 swipes. Nice dewy texture - not dry-matte and not wet or glittery. It's not a dramatic statement color, just a sweet polished, almost natural color. Many lipsticks require a lot of thought and precision to apply, but not this one, thank goodness. I've gone through 2 and I need backups!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Wet 'n' Wild - Idol Eyes Cream Shadow - Envy
Audrey0 6/3/2012 1:18:00 PM
Unfortuntately, when I used this pencil around my eyes and in my water line, it burned/irritated my eyes for the rest of the day. I was walking around with tears in my eyes for hours and I couldn't wait to get home to wash it off. I don't know what the ingredient is in it that caused that reaction, but I've never been allergic to other pencils, including Estee Lauder, MAC, Urban Decay, Lancome, etc. Too bad, I was hoping to have found a cute cheap alternative to my high end brands for a smudgy pencil. The color is a fun pale green and if you're not allergic to it, you will probably like it!
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Lucy B. Australian Wild Jasmine Eau de Parfum
Audrey0 4/11/2012 12:38:00 AM
Lucy B. Australian Wild Jasmine is a joyous freshly cut bouquet and koolaid. It opens with a burst of the sweetest blooming flowers and the tiniest bit of sparkling pineapple. It's like walking through a spring garden, ripe with lilies. I bought the perfume oil roll-on and recently found it in a perfume form for around $45 and bought that as well. Fragrances are very personal, so there's no way to know if you'll like it or not until you sniff it. Give it a go if you like sugary sweet flowers!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Brick-O-La
Audrey0 1/22/2012 3:25:00 PM
A beautiful warm pink, slightly coral mauve lipstick that smells sweet, doesn't have a taste, and looks fantastic on my warm toned fair skin (I can't speak for other skin types). I have natural red/auburn hair, freckles and green eyes and this lipstick is one of my favorites. One of the reasons that I bother to write reviews is for my fellow redheads, who like myself, struggle with finding makeup colors that don't wash us out, overpower our pale skin or clash against the red hair. I think this is one of the most wearable pinks I have found for my coloring. I've always stayed away from pinks as most of them are so cool toned. The name is off- it looks nothing like brick to me because I don't think of bricks being pinkish, but whatever. Maybe a very washed out brick? I also appreciate that it isn't glittery or laden with shimmers and enjoy the texture.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Sonia Kashuk - Foundation Brush
Audrey0 1/21/2012 7:27:00 PM
I've had this one for a few years, and it was my first foundation brush. I simply used sponges or my fingers before. Unfortunately, I can't recommend it. For similar price @ Target, better off getting the Ecotools foundation brush. It's much easier to clean and dry, and I get a more smooth finish. Also, I cannot get the SK brush clean no matter how many times I wash it. It just holds onto grime and ends up streaking the foundation. It hasn't shed, but it just doesn't cut it for me in the end.
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Telescopic Explosion 
Audrey0 1/15/2012 4:34:00 PM
I really enjoy this wand. But maybe that's because I have big eyes and they are very round in shape, so my lash line is very much like the shape of a rainbow. I enjoy being able to get into the inner corner lashes and slowly work my way across the lash line, section by section, fanning out the lashes how I want. Longer, straighter mascara wands don't allow me the detailed control I want. Caution: wipe off any excess goop that comes out of the tube and is still left on the wand. It is a thick formula, so make it work by using the least possible. I will keep the wand and try it using different mascara formulas so see if it makes a big difference.
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