BB Cream -GOSH - All in One BB Cream 
Carrol 2/9/2013 12:35:00 AM
I am 55, have very oily skin with large pores, and try to use as little makeup on my skin in order not to clog my pores and cause breakouts and blackheads. I had been using Maybelline's SPF35 BB cream, but I was finding that I could really FEEL it on my skin. It just didn't feel all that comfortable, and by the end of the day I was extremely, extremely oily. I saw the GOSH BB Cream at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada and had a look at the 5 colour samples. Because it was our winter, I decided to go with 02 Beige. I tried it on my lower face and blended it to my neck. It blended well and so I decided I had picked the right colour, after checking my face outside of the store with my mirror - what's up with store lighting these days! The next morning, I decided to put the GOSH BB Cream to the test. I did not use a moisturizer or a primer, more because my skin is oily within 15 minutes of washing it. I squirted some onto my index finger and then warmed it up with my other index finger before applying it. Using this technique, it blended very easily, and I could tell that the amount I was using would for me, be a little heavier than what I normally would wear (I am a makeup minimalist). I then applied some NARS powder blush, eyeliner and a bit of lipgloss and went out for the day. Even though the amount I applied gave me a heavier foundation look than I normally wear, I was impressed that I was not aware of the product making me feel like I was wearing a mask. It was very light, but covered very well. With foundations I have used, a similar amount as to the amount I used with the GOSH BB cream gets me a very heavy feeling on my face. Then only a couple of hours in (with a foundation) I have gone WAY past the dewy look and am heading into the greasy/sweaty look. Not pretty. This is NOT the case with the GOSH BB Cream. When I returned home in the late afternoon (had the GOSH on for 8 hours) I had a dewy look, but it looked pretty. The colour had not changed on me at all (yay, no orange) and my NARS blush had remained the same colour with the same intensity as was applied in the morning. On purpose, I did not powder my face or dab any oil off my skin. I really wanted to see how it would do. I am super-impressed with this product. The 02 Beige SPF15 will not be dark enough nor high enough in SPF for me to use this coming spring and summer, so to remedy that, I will apply my faithful Skinceuticals Fusion (light tint) SPF50 under the GOSH BB Cream. I'm really seeing that a lighter application of makeup is much better as you get older (isn't that so for everyone?), so I hope some of you will give this product a try. Bring a small container to the store with you and squirt enough into your container to try it out a couple of times. The sales associates at Shoppers Drug Mart are fine with this - I've done it before. Then, on my next trip into the store I tell them whether I loved a product or didn't like it at all. This helps them make suggestions for other clients. In a nutshell, this is my definite holy grail foundation!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Neutrogena - Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream
Carrol 2/8/2013 11:49:00 PM
I am 55 with not too many wrinkles anywhere, but I want to keep it that way, so I thought I would try this eye cream because of the SA Retinol in it. In the past I have tried many very expensive eye creams and treatments from Skinceuticals, Jan Marini, DDF, and SkinMedica. None of them has done what the Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream has done. My skin is very oily all around my eyes. I'm not sure if this is why the retinol in this product is not causing any irritation, but it could be. And for those ladies who are complaining that the eye cream has left their eyes looking worse - that often happens with a retinol product. But if you persevere through this period (sometimes up to 3 weeks) you will be delighted to see improvements under and around your eye area. I do not work for Neutrogena or any subsidiary company. Based on the results of this eye cream, tonight I bought the night time face cream in the same line, also with SA Retinol. I use Skinceuticals 1.0 Retinol, so I don't anticipate my skin to become flaky or irritated. I will report back (in a new product review) in a few weeks once I have given the product a fair chance.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Skinceuticals - Hydrating B5 Gel
Carrol 11/29/2012 1:26:00 AM
LOVE this product and will never be without it. It is one of the best moisturizers out there, packed with hyaluronic acid. I have been using this product for over 5 years now and would never be without it. It feels deluxe when you smooth it over your face, and a little goes a long way. I always apply it first and then follow with any other facial treatment or moisturizer. It's a HG for me!
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Toners -Skinceuticals - BioMedic LHA Solution
Carrol 11/29/2012 1:18:00 AM
This toner is one of the most ineffective I've tried, right down to the delivery system. I like to use toner on a cotton ball and wipe it over my face. This one is supposed to be sprayed on your face, though they do say you can apply it on a cotton ball. I like my toners to wipe off all of any remaining makeup. This toner does not do that. If you want to go with a Skinceuticals toner, there are better choices than this one.
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Cleansers -Skinceuticals - Biomedic Cleansing Gel
Carrol 11/29/2012 1:14:00 AM
The full name of the product is Skinceuticals Biomedic LHA Cleansing Gel. I'm on the fence about this Skinceuticals cleanser. I currently use Skinceuticals Glycolic Cleanser and also their Brightening Cleanser and am very happy with both of those. For me, this cleanser is a little milder. It really makes lots of suds with very little product, but does not leave me with a clean feeling on my face. I'll use the bottle up, but will not repurchase.
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Treatments -Astara - Blue Flame Purifying Treatment
Carrol 11/29/2012 1:09:00 AM
This is basically a product that claims great things but didn't do much for me except dry out some areas on my face. I should have read the ingredients better before purchasing it - the main ingredients are witch hazel and alcohol. I may give it another try, and I'll report back if I see it making an improvement in my skin. If you do try it, work with it FAST, as due to the witch hazel and alcohol, it dries super fast. Ingredients: Alcohol Denat., Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Fomes Officinalis (Mushroom) Extract, Resorcinol, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Polysorbate 80, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Panthenol (D), Pyridoxine HCl, Allantoin , Niacinamide, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Biotin (Vitamin B Complex), Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Totarol, Sodium Chloride.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Kerstin Florian At Home Professional Peel
Carrol 11/29/2012 12:57:00 AM
If your skin can seriously handle a 3% salicylic acid peel, this product is for you. I have super oily skin with large pores, and after wiping one of the pads on my face and then leaving it on for 5 minutes, my skin glows and my pores are decreased in size - honestly! But even with my super oily skin, I have to make sure I don't use this more than twice a week. I have tried to use it more frequently, and my face winds up getting very flaky. I would only suggest it for those who have normal/oily or oily/very oily skin.
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Moisturizers -Skinceuticals - Daily Moisture
Carrol 11/29/2012 12:38:00 AM
I have been using this moisturizer for 3 months now, and am very pleased with it. This year has been the first year I have needed to wear a moisturizer during the day, as I have super oily skin. I've found that this product does not add extra oil, in fact it has dried my skin a little and it has not caused clogged pores or breakouts. For me, this is my HG moisturizer, but I do now need to find a moisturizer for night time, as this one seems to be drying my skin out a bit too much if I use it twice a day.
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BB Cream -Maybelline - Dream Fresh 8-in-1 BB Cream
Carrol 7/13/2012 12:55:00 PM
This year I've tried a number of BB creams, including one from my dermatologist's office. None has impressed me as much as this BB cream from Maybelline. Is it a 'true' BB cream? Not necessarily. But what it does do it does very well, and it's inexpensive as well at $10.99 Canadian! I don't like medium or heavy foundations - I prefer to let my skin show through, and this product hides a few flaws and doesn't feel uncomfortable on my skin. I find the application extremely easy. I warm it up by running it between my fingers and then applying it to my face. I find it's very easy to work with, no makeup brush needed. I don't know if we get the exact same product in Canada as the product sold in the U.S. or other areas of the world, but I'm not aware of any odd smells. The clincher is that even with my oily, large pored skin, it doesn't clog my pores and a light dusting of a powder over it keeps me as matte as any other sheer moisturizer/sheer makeup that I have ever used. And it comes off very easily with a facial wipe (currently using both Biore wipes and Korres Pomegranate Wipes). I'm finding this product particularly good in matching my face colour to the more tanned areas of my neck and chest. I religiously use Skinceuticals Fusion SPF50 and my face is much lighter than my neck (I probably should use it there too - I know!). I can use the Medium/Tan in this Maybelline BB product to perfectly match my skin and make it look like my face is gently tanned. I'm a light, with some rosacea, but because I don't use too much of this BB cream, the colour looks believable. And Maybelline has provided a nice range of shades that should work with everyone! Regarding the rosacea, I have not had this product aggravate my skin at all. That said, I do use a light application of it. I think the Medium shade will work for me after the summer is over, and will probably hide my rosacea a little better than the medium/tan shade. Knowing this, I'm going to purchase the colours I need NOW, because I am always fearful of a good product being discontinued/changed. Cosmetics companies always want to come out with new products, and often because of this, something gets dropped from their line-up of products. If you like a lighter sheer coverage, weightless in feel, and something with significant SPF in it, you really should give this a try.
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Sally Hansen - salon effects
Carrol 7/12/2012 11:18:00 AM
Great new way to glam up your nails. Here are my pros and cons: PROS: * lasts forever if you use a decent top coat (maybe base coat too?) * No chipping for me - but I don't get chips with regular polish either * great individual look (so many designs available) * cut them in half to reduce number used (see my caution below) CONS: * REALLY hard to remove - use the sponge dip style remover * people will ask you about them - be prepared for this * for a great look, you have to be quite exact with application * keep the unused ones in plastic wrap (see CAUTION below) CAUTION: I cut some of the 'nails' in half intending to use them later. When I went back to wanting to use those, they would not stick! There's a reason why they're hermetically sealed. So use one of the two packages with a friend. Or try sealing tightly with plastic wrap, as maybe they don't like being exposed to air? My PROS and CONS are pretty even. But I'm looking at this product as a pro, due to its uniqueness. Just remember that you have to take a fair bit of time to put these on and have them look good, in addition to needing a good amount of time when you want to take them off. UPDATE - Feb. 8, 2013 : Lippies removed from 4 to 1, and I wish I could have given this product a big fat ZERO! I am staying as far away from this product as I can, and suggest you do as well. The 'concept' is great, but until Sally Hansen (and other companies that now have this product out) find a way for you to remove these 'nail tapes' easily and gently, I will never use them again. My nails were very damaged from everything I had to do to get these 'nail tapes' off. I suffered with a number of ridges on my nails and my nails took a very long time for them to grow out to a point where there looked good with nothing on them. Be forewarned.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Eminence Organics Naseberry Treatment Cream
Carrol 4/18/2012 12:57:00 AM
I ordered a sample of this product. For my oily, large pored skin, I find it too rich to use frequently. It would be wonderful for anyone with dry skin. However, it did not irritate my sensitive skin and it would be my choice to use as a moisturizer after any post laser treatment (IPL or Fraxel).
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Eminence Blueberry Soy Cleanser
Carrol 4/18/2012 12:44:00 AM
I ordered a sample size of this product to give it a try. My skin is very oily, large pored and sensitive. While this cleanser did not aggravate my skin, I feel that it did not clean my skin as I hoped it would - it would be a better match for someone who had normal/dry sensitive skin. There are other cleansers in the Eminence Organic line that I prefer as a cleanser. However, this product smells delicious.
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Eminence Organics Citrus Exfoliating Wash
Carrol 4/18/2012 12:29:00 AM
I've just started using the Eminence Organics line. I have very oily, clogged skin and I am really liking the Citrus Exfoliating Wash. The first few times I used it, I realized how fresh and clean it made my skin feel. I had no tight feeling the way my previous cleanser DDF Glycolic would leave my skin. However, one caution. If you have sensitive oily skin, as I do, do not use this cleanser as your main cleanser. The tiny exfoliating beads can be mildly irritating and leave you with red areas on your face. Just use wisely and enjoy the great skin this cleanser gives you.
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Sunscreen -Skinceuticals - Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50
Carrol 4/5/2012 1:55:00 AM
Oh boy! I am totally cheesed off. I bought this from my derm doctor and have fallen in love with it. Great for my oily skin. No breakouts and very little skin aggravation and clogging. THEN I read the previous postings and found out that Skinceuticals is owned by L'Oreal - the dreaded company that does very cruel animal testing. Sadly, won't be repurchasing and would not suggest anyone else get it due to the animal testing L'Oreal does. So my rating is 1 (it doesn't allow a zero). L'Oreal and Skinceuticals, you should know better! However, if you don't care about animal testing, the product is 4 lippies, but I will not go into details due to feeling so strongly about Skinceuticals being a part of L'Oreal.
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Sunscreen -DDF - DDF Weightless Defense Hydrator UV Moisturizer SPF 45
Carrol 3/30/2012 1:40:00 AM
SPF45 is nice, but this is not great for sensitive skin.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No