Scrubs -The Body Shop - Cocoa Butter Body Scrub
Betto 4/29/2013 1:02:00 PM
Bought this after reading the glowing reviews here on MUA, and I really do have to say it is worth the high rating! It leaves my skin feeling sooo soft and smooth, and my body lotion always sinks in better. It seems to help with preventing ingrown hairs, too. I've tried a few other body scrubs, but they either a) left an oily residue instead of actually being moisturizing, b) weren't "scrubby" enough, or the opposite - c) too "scrubby"/harsh and depleted my skin of moisture (like L'Oreal Exfotonic). Actually I feel this exfoliates my skin better than some of the harsher scrubs out there. Plus it does give your skin some extra moisture. Would love this product even more if it came in a tube, because of hygiene reasons and ease of use, but it's still my HG body scrub. Could be cheaper, but you only need a small amount. I use this about 2 times a week, if anyone was wondering.
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Eyeliner -Revlon - ColorStay Liquid Liner
Betto 4/29/2013 12:47:00 PM
I think I got this in Brown or Dark Brown. The pigmentation was very good, so was the staying power. The color was nice too, a medium-deep brown as opposed to the very deep brown or black-brown shades that other "brown" liquid eyeliners have turned out to be. However, too much product gets on the tip, making it difficult to draw a thin line. And the most annoying part was the "hair" or fiber that developed, like, after 1 one use! Even though I removed it I kept seeing new, quite long "hairs", which makes drawing a clean line impossible. Removing the small strands also stained my hands with ink. A mess.
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Moisturizers -Ole Henriksen - Vitamin Plus Balancing Cream
Betto 3/24/2012 8:05:00 AM
Okay, I don't have oily (or combination) skin but received Vitamin Plus as a sample with a recent purchase. I had finished my beloved Caudalie moisturizer, and as it is not available where I live, I have to order it online, and so I thought I would use this in the mean time. What I first noticed about about the product was the smell, ugh. Can't quite describe it, but it was not a pleasant one, and quite strong. Upon application the cream felt pretty heavy, not what I'd except from a moisturizer made for oily/combination skin. It didn't make me shiny or anything though, but, after using it for a few days: It gave me zits!! On my cheeks!! And I've never had zits in my life, ever!!! I only get clogged pores and such. OMG, can't believe what happened. I'm SO gonna steer clear of this product, forever.
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Conditioner -Matrix - Biolage - Conditioning Balm
Betto 10/11/2011 7:51:00 PM
EDIT: I deleted my old review and wrote a new one, as I realized there's no need to write that much about a product I dislike. On to the review: Worst deep conditioner *ever*. I couldn't really believe that, though, as there were so many people raving about it. Anyway... The first time I used it, it looked *great*, in a whoaaa kind of way. It didn't last long, though - the next day my hair felt dry and waxy. Believing that it could not be this product that left my hair looking like a mess, I continued using it. Now, I didn't have to wait until the next day. Immediately when it started to dry my hair felt like *straw* that were covered in *wax*, and it had a *matte* look. Yuck. Had to wash my hair like 4 times in order to get it back to 'normal'.
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Conditioner -Neutrogena - triple moisture deep recovery hair mask
Betto 10/11/2011 6:28:00 PM
Yet another deep condtioner that I bought based on the reviews here...which did not work. To be honest, this left my hair drier than it already was. When applying it to my hair, and especially when rinsing out, my hair felt sooo mosturized and smooth. I guess that was an illusion though, 'cause as my hair started to dry it was more tangled than usual. It also felt coarser and thicker. This was my second time using this mask. I had the same results the first time, but for some reason I insisted on this to work. Left it in about 1 hour instead of 4 minutes...to no avail. Just left me with really coarse hair. And my hair is not that damaged or dry (at least before using this).
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Lip Gloss -Max Factor - Vibrant Curves Effect
Betto 8/23/2011 3:40:00 PM
Ahahaa, what a ridiculous product :) Kind of happy to see that nobody else liked it -- actually suspected I had gotten a faulty product. What MaxFactor says (copied from their website): "This season's lips are glossy, glossy, glossy! Arm yourself with our slick new Vibrant Curve Effect Lip Gloss to put yours in the spotlight. Hot from backstage and tested by our top fashion make-up artists it's curvy applicator hugs your lips for a fuller, more curvaceous look. With its high shine, non-sticky formula and 10 new irrestible shades to try there's no excuse to fade into the background" I normally don't copy product descriptions into my MUA reviews, but it was absolutely nothing like the claims. The gloss (and it's nothing like a gloss, or at least not what a gloss should be) does not, 1) give any color to your lips or 2) make them fuller in any sense. It's also *definitely* not high-shine -- in, fact it is barely noticeable on my lips. It contains some glitter but the amount is minimal. So don't expect it to look a little similar to YSL Golden Gloss (which I kinda did :). In order to notice it you have to slather in on -- but even then it's not "glossy glossy". Actually some lip balms produce more shine. And also I think it was kind of expensive (not that it matter since I'll never buy it again, but do feel kinda sorry for spending my money on it)...especially since you have to use a lot, and you get very little product. Cannot comment on the lasting power since I can't really see it. The smell was actually not too bad -- a little sweet, but I thought it smelled kinda "cheap", I don't know why. I have found *one* use for this product though: One of my lipsticks has a more matte finish. The color does not look good with a gloss on top IMO, but I think it's a little too matte for me so I've found I can use VCE on top of it to make it more semi-matte. I tried to do the same thing with a lip balm but it got too shiney...
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Concealers -Elizabeth Arden - Sheer Lights Iluminating Pen
Betto 8/17/2011 3:44:00 PM
Oh my Goood!!! In love already! <33 HG highlighter pen . Okay so I bought the Sheer Lights Illuminating Pen today, not too many hours ago. But I just HAD to write my review ASAP. Since I've only been wearing it for a short time, I cannot comment on the staying power, but if it's bad I'll update. . I came home and thought I had made the usual mistake of buying something I don't really need(!). I was wrong. Wroong. Applied the product - not a huge difference, but my dark circles (who are not actually that dark, but kind of hollow) seemed lighter. Then I took a step back from the huge mirror which was so close to my face. NOW I could see the big difference! Before applying I thought my face looked okay - and it probably did look *okay*. And nothing more than that. This concealer/highlighter made my face look sooo much more well-rested. I think due to stress and lack of sleep our faces can often get a more "hardened" look -- this product softens the expression a lot! (Made me look younger actually, even though I'm quite young :P) Especially if you also use it not only under your eyes but in both the inner and outer corner of your eyes and other places where there are shadows. . The coverage of the product is quite sheer, so applying a tiny amount is not enough. But you don't have to a apply a huge lot either. What I really like about this product is its consistency and finish. A MUA did my face once and she used Dior's Skinflash. It was not bad, but when I came home and looked in my bathroom mirror I could really see where she had put it. I think the color was okay but I suspect its consistency was too thick. I've been using different kinds on concealers in the past, but they all made my undereye aera look dry or "heavy". Even though this pen does not have super coverage I don't think you really need it since it also illuminates. On me, at least, this products looks sooo natural! It seems(?) more moisturizing - or at least less drying - than the other illuminating pens I've tried. Finish (on my normal to dry skin) is quite semi-matte. . One MUA told me that the effect highlighter pens give is much more obvious on photos. Haven't tested this myself, and doesn't matter to me anyway since I don't like being on photos, but if you plan to take your photos using this I think it would be wise to use less amount of product and steer away from using a shade that too light, even if it's not that much a difference without flash. . It's quite expensive, especially considering you do not get much product. Looks cheaper than, say, YSL Touche Eclat, but is probably not since it contains less product. (I tried Touche Eclat and liked it, but it seemed to have less coverage - not really a concealer.) The container is really not that small but you have to twist it a lot of times, and then some more! (so do not necessarily assume you got a faulty product) . In MAC I'm around NC20 (not darker) and I use 02 Natural. It's a *tad* too light (just a wee bit) but looks perfect when used as solely a luminator (ie; not as an under-eye concealer. Though works great under my eyes too.) I am not sure but I think it has a neutral undertone... . I find this product really light, and if you are like me (hmm, there's gotta be someone like me - or maybe not??) and find that all other concealers look really obvious and doesn't make a big difference, you might give this a try. Damn expensive but well worth the money! :) A winner! (...now let's see how many weeks of use I can get. Hmm :( ...)
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Foundations -Max Factor - Colour Adapt
Betto 2/3/2011 11:22:00 AM
Okay, this is basically silicone in a bottle! It just sat on top of my skin, didn't sink into it at all. So just imagine how easily it transfers onto everything! This is probably the foundation I have tried that stays the shortest time on. Other cons are: I could not find a good color match, I had to use a lot of product and it made my t-zone *really* oily! And I don't even have oily skin to begin with! The finish was okay though, semi-matte to matte and it was very easy to spread. And it didn't break me out, but I rarely do anyway. Would not repurchase.
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Blush -Estee Lauder - Tender Blush - Peach Nuance
Betto 2/3/2011 11:03:00 AM
Love this blush! The texture is silky, it is soooo finely milled. I have to admit I don't normally use this only as a blush though. I am a NC20 with golden undertones. However, I naturally have some peachy-pink in my skin, and I always find that when i wear foundation (with more coverage, that is) my skin looks kind of dull, even though I did get the right shade. To my suprise I found I can use this blush all over my face (yes, I know that is a no-no!) if I apply it very sheerly with a kabuki brush. It makes my skin glow! . The blush can be layered, and you probably also have to layer it if you want your cheeks to look flushed since it is very sheer. The color is peach, but it looks like it has some coral in it too, at least on me. . It's quite expensive for a blush imo, but you get a decent amount of product. I liked the packaging, it is quite stylish, but I hated the brush. Somehow it smelled really bad and made my skin really itch. Doesn't matter though, I'd still repurchase! :)
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Tinted Moisturizer -Stila - Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer
Betto 12/7/2010 1:03:00 PM
I had really high hopes for this product, but unfortunatly it didn't meet my expectations at all. What I thought it would do was evening out my skin tone somewhat, make my dry skin look smoother and give me that famous Hollywood-glow. It didn't. The coverage was so sheer I would not call it a tinted moisturizer. It give some illumination though, so it would be better described as an *illuminating* moisturizer. At the time I tried it, I had pretty good, clear skin. However, I did have a few small bumps on my forehead (closed comedones), and this product made them seem bigger and more noticeable! So that's for the illuminating effect. . The consistency is quite nice - not too thick or thin and not difficult to blend. It did feel a bit heavy though, even though I applied it sheerly. I am not sure how accurately I can describe the finish as my skin is a little dry and quite dehydrated, so most foundation-prdoucts tends to look cakey and dry on me (yes, I do moisturize before applicaton). But I wouldn't *think* it's more luminous and 'moisturized' rather than dewy. Not at all cakey and quite smooth, I'll give it a plus for that. It didn't settle into my pores. . There are two shades to choose from, one for lighter skin tones and one for medium to darker ones. I chose 1#, the one for lighter skins, but since it gave me absolutely no coverage, I really can't comment on the color... othe than it did look a little orange on my hand, even though I am warm toned and never have found a foundation that looked orange on me. . Since it made my complexion look worse I didn't wear it outside (nor inside=P) and can't comment on the staying power... But since it's invisible, or really sheer, I don't think you'd really notice. It has a faint smell. Not sure how to describe it; perhaps a little soap-y. . Overall, I would not recommended this product, maybe for summer only, when you have tanned skin that's a tad dry from tanning and just need something 'more'. Like another reviewer said I'd match it with a gloss, gel/cream blush, and maybe some mascara. But I only think it would look nice on those with really good skin. I regret buying this but when I have bump free skin I'll try mixing some of it with my foundation. I'm probably never going to finish my Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer, but if I do, I will not repurchase.
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Blush -The Body Shop - Lip & Cheek Stain - 01 Rose Pink
Betto 10/17/2010 5:06:00 AM
Hmm how can I rate this... First of all, let me just say I LOVE the color! My skin tone is warm-neutral and I'm fair, but my facial skin is however a little rosy. This looks purrrfect on my cheeks. It gives me those rosy apple cheeks without being over-the-top. It looks like I came in from the cold, and like the color is coming from within. Also, the color lasts basically all day. The finish is not matte since it's a gel blush, but not shiny either - perhaps a tad dewy, but not much. IMO you can use it with most types of foundations, just not super matte ones. The gel can also be used under another blush to make it last longer. . Now for the cons. The consistency of the gel is quite thin. Nothing wrong with that, but it dries super-fast! Better be really quick, or it will look streaky, patchy or whatever - not natural. The product comes with a wand, but I have to blend it with my fingers. Like I mentioned, the gel dries faast and color stays put for a really long time, which means red fingertips. Not good. The packaging is o.k., but on my first tube the product leaked. I also sensed this horrible smell coming from it after using it for maybe two months. Also, I suspect the product clogged my pores. (I used it almost daily and layered it quite.) I'm not sure but I think after using it about three weeks tiny bumps appeared on my cheeks. I am one my second tube now and havn't noticed this yet, but I'll update if I do. Finally, you have to use a lot of product if you want the color to really show up. It's not very expensive, but I finish it very fast, so for me it is quite expensive. Oh, and I forgot: It is very drying on my lips (not on cheeks) and looks fuschia-like. Can't use it with a balm either. . Bottom line: Definitely *not* HG, but the color is:P I did repurchase this and probably will again, unless I find a matching shade. For information: If you love this color but find the product annoying as I do, there's supposed to be very good gel blushes with very similar color (...which are not avaiable in my country nor on eBay): Pixi, Bonne Bell and Beaute in Flouron.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Phloof! (frost; Hollidazzle)
Betto 10/16/2010 12:33:00 PM
Love this! HG highlighter. Mac Phloof! is a frosty whitish champagne with a hint of pink. It goes on a tad brighter than it appears like in the pot. As with the other Mac eyeshadows (at least the ones I have tried), it's quite pigmented so you don't need much product. My skin is dehydrated and a lot of eyeshadows looks dry and chalky when applied to my face other than my eyelids (which are oily). Phloof! does not. It's more creamy, and goes on a lot more smooth. It looks *gorgeous* when applied to the inner corner of my eyes! It stays on for a really long time, too. I occasionally use this under my brow as a highlight, and on my lip groove. If you opt for a very natural look, however, Phloof! might not be for you. For people wanting the eyeshadow to completely 'disappear', this can look a tad too frosty. For reference I have fair skin, or light-medium, but if you have darker than medium skin, I can imagine you would have to be more careful, or, don't go with Phloof!. EDIT: Hmm, I stopped using this a long time ago. Found it to be a little too metallic and cool toned (for me). It's also not that long-wearing IMO. Don't think it's bad though
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Cleansers -Dermalogica - Ultra Calming Cleanser
Betto 10/15/2010 4:58:00 PM
I didn't hate this cleanser, but after using it for a week now I'm quite disappointed. I am wondering if they have changed the formula... Anyone? . I first got a sample of it a one or two years ago when my skin was dry and flaking a little. I went to a dermstore and had an employee look at my skin. She recommended me Dermalogica's IMB and also the Ultra Calming cleanser. I only got the samples though. The smell of the cleanser seemed very faint and fresh, and the consistency of the product was a bit similar to a creamy gel. I massaged it gently onto my skin and then rinsed off with lukewarm water. It felt very nice on my skin, leaving no residue and calming it a tad, but due to the price I didn't purchase it. . That was one (or two??) years ago. Now I actually bought it. My memory could be wrong but I remember that the smell was a little fresher and did not have that soapy, dirt cheap shampoo-smell (though faint). Anyone else? No big problem though. . When I washed it off my face, my skin looked really clean, but not dryish (nor moisturized!), so no squeaky-clean feel. However it felt like it dried my skin out more than with the samples. I have used it for a week now and find it's a tad too drying for my taste, even though I use the smallest amount and lukewarm water. A con is that it didn't cause any irritation to my skin at all and it looks fresh and feel a little soft. . But I would not say it's ultracalming! My skin is a little sensitive, not very, but I know that many people with sensitive skin have dry skin. This cleanser claims to be suited for "even the most hypersensitive skins", which does not support my drying-effect-theory. Anyway. It does not remove make-up well etiher. If you get oily this will aid in removing it, but it will not remove for instance dry eyeshadow. I seriously doubt the claim that it will remove waterproof mascara!! . I'm not crazy about the packaging etiher. The bottle is large and there's a top-button-press mechanism, if that makes sense =P I would much prefer a pump. . The bottle is huge and you only need a small amount, so if this cleanser is for you, you'll have it a loooong time! Unfortunately for me though, I didn't like it much, but would feel guilty in stop using it having paid sooo muchh $$$$ for it :( I'll have this foreveeer, nooo!
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Conditioner -TiGi - S Factor Smoothing Conditioner
Betto 10/6/2010 3:46:00 PM
What I first noticed about this product was that it smelled quite nice, albeit strong. When I applied it to my hair, however, I realized that the smell was *too strong* for me (most perfumes give me a headache), but even worse it made my skin really itch!! And it was not like my skin was coated by this product; it barely touched it. My skin is a little sensitve but not hypersensitive, so if you have sensitive skin I would steer away from this. The consistency of the product is quite thick, so it was not too easy to spread it in my dry, coarse hair. Also, the packaging *sucks*! The design is sleek but... the "bottle" is very huge and almost flat. What bothered me the most, however, was how hard it is to get the product of the bottle. I really had to squeeze it (even though there were by no means little product left), which was difficult because the bottle is, um, flat. On the positive side though it did make my hair smoother and more manageable (...yeet it didn't make it smooth enough). Bottom line: Will definitely not repurchase. Might be nice for people who love strong smells, don't have sensitive skin and coarse hair and have strong hands.
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