Cleansers -First Aid Beauty - Face Cleanser
Carybear 4/27/2013 8:42:00 AM
I am suspicious of pearlescent cleansers & shampoos. My dermatologist told me when I was a teenager that the ingredients Glyceryl Stearate and Glycol Distearate are acnegenic. Well 15 years later I stand with a tube of FAB in my hands in my bathroom. I love the brightening effect of this face wash. I like that my skin does not react with welts and red bumps and wheals. But...my pores have been getting more and more clogged as I continue to use this. This sucks. It evens out my skintone but it clogs my pores. insert expletive here: ______!!!!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Vaseline - Vaseline
Carybear 4/24/2013 12:09:00 PM
Yes, I love White Petroleum jelly like most here. I don't use it on my face but it makes a great lash conditioner. I use it instead of mascara some days. I do the Jen Anniston thing and put it under my eyes before bed, over a tiny drop of Squalane oil. Seriously, creams for the eye area will give me millia. Vaseline does not. There's a lot of unnecessary fear of this product. It's occlusive, not moisturizing, and once a person understands that, it can be a great way to seal in actives like squalane.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Neutrogena - Ultra Gentle Foaming Cleanser
Carybear 4/24/2013 12:01:00 PM
ok...I have been on that journey again. The search for the perfect, non irritating, non clogging cleanser. I don't really go over this too often so I will here: My skin since I hit my 30's has become the bitchiest thing ever. I can't use MOST things. I have combo skin with very light KP. I tend to get clogged easily, but rarely get a full-on breakout unless something I use does it. So the clogged pores stick around forever. I am prone to millia. Allergic to Nicinamide. A note on that; there is a very specific "papule pattern" if you will, related to Nicinamide sensitivity that is consistent in most people. If you are using something with Nicinamide and you have small, red irritated bumps in the nasolabial area, you should stop using it. That is the hallmark pattern of nicinamide sensitivity. You're welcome. Back to this review. I saw this @ shopper's and for all intents and purposes it seemed right, "Ultra Gentle" it shouted. Ok. Paula B calls it a "good" option. My faith in that woman's opinion is waning. I got it home and tried it out. I did not get the reactive welts and weals I get but holy crow, talk about a tight face!!! A few seconds in my eyes started to water. I'm no dummy, I do not get cleanser in my eyes. The scent was so strong and cloying that it irritated my eyes. Can I just say simply: Hated it. Binned it. Moving on.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Eucerin - mild cleansing lotion
Carybear 4/24/2013 11:49:00 AM
I saw this @ Shopper's drug mart last week when I purchased another so called "gentle" substandard cleanser. When are skincare companies going to realize gentle does not include fragrance??? Yeeesh!!! I digress. This "gentle" cleansing lotion has the texture and smell of elmer's white glue. I was *really put off by the smell as I slathered it on. I left it on for about 30 seconds, standing at the sink and waiting for a reaction. Nothing. So I went ahead and rinsed it off, and followed with Eucerin Clarifying toner. Within five minutes, that familiar itch of irritation was there. The red weals and streaks. Well, I searched cosmetic databases and discovered this cleanser has some bigtime acnegenic AND irritating ingredients. Just to be sure I put a little toner on my throat and behind my ear. No reaction. I don't ever write reviews this soon unless I react. This is neither for sensitive skin nor gentle. I just want to say also the packaging sucks nads.
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Cleansers -Acne.org - Cleanser
Carybear 4/18/2013 3:24:00 PM
I'd ordered the treatment gel from Acne.org several months ago. Instead they sent me the wrong thing. I told them so, and they merely refunded my card. So, I had a brand new bottle of this cleanser sitting around. Previously I had been using Simple Kind to Skin Refreshing Cleansing Gel, and had started to get bad pimples. I realized that Simple was leaving some kind of film on my skin. I thought I'd try the Acne.org cleanser. It's pretty good. My skin is highly reactive and if something bothers it it's immediate: hives, redness and itchiness. This cleanser did not cause me any problems. I was fairly surprised because I am reactive to glycerin when it is high up on the ingredient list. Acne.org's cleanser is colorless, fragrance free and truly non irritating. Like I'd said it's a pretty good cleanser, but nothing special. At 35 years old I am looking for a "wow"cleanser; one that makes my skin fresh and bright. While a younger person might be thrilled with this cleanser I was simply underwhelmed. However, if it were available in Canada, if I did not have to buy it online and pay shipping I am pretty sure I'd buy this cleanser because I don't react to it, but it is a little drying. That said, it did clean up the mess that Simple had left behind. But I am moving on.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Body -Unlisted Brand - Mayumi Squalane Oil
Carybear 4/3/2013 6:48:00 AM
LOVE LOVE LOVE. I use Impruv cream my Stifel labs. It has Squalene in it and that is the ingredient that keeps my skin soft and supple. So I found out about Mayumi. I use a lot less Impruv because I do this: A) spray freshly washed face with thermal water B) 2 drops, AND ONLY 2 on my fingertips. Gently pat around into skin C) very small amount of Impruv cream dotted on face patted in gently. Since I have started using Mayumi I get compliments like: "Do you have a suntan? your skin looks so even" or "What are you eating to make you skin look so smooth and even" I have to admit I have been using FAB facial radiance pads too. With my Squalane I needn't worry about destroying my lipid barrier. Freaking awesome stuff. Shh tho dont tell too many people. ***UPDATE*** I am no longer using FAB Facial Radiance Pads. I still really like Mayumi, but if I use too much I get some serious facial itch.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -First Aid Beauty - Facial Radiance Pads
Carybear 4/3/2013 6:42:00 AM
I got a sample of these and so did my pal, when I bought FAB Facial wash. I didn't like the face wash, I use Simple Kind to Skin and it's the only cleanser I don't react to. ***EDIT*** I DON'T USE SIMPLE ANY MORE. IT WAS LEAVING A FILM ON MY SKIN SO I DITCHED IT*** So for three non-consecutive days I tried these. Inside of a week my skin had changed. I have *very light* melasma but it's on my upper lip; no matter how light it is I *HATE it. I have been using a serum called Chromabright (NOT Chromawhite) and I haven't seen much fading. Since I have added these pads, the melasma *looks around fearfully for wood* is fading very fast!!!! my skin has cleared up super fast and and PIH from pimples is all but gone. When I bought the tub I used one and my face was red and angry for a bit. I think it's because I'd used Daily Microfoliant that morning and my face was getting too much exfoliation. None the less, the irritation subsided and I awoke to clear, smooth, glowing skin. I will cut them in 1/2 like someone said, you really do not need a whole pad. I will update April 12, 2013. Watch this space. ***UPDATE*** well, it's two weeks later. I haven't touched these in a week. I had a severe break out in places I never break out. It could be the Avene sunscreen I used~it makes me break out on my upper lip where I have melasma~or it's FAB. I will try again tonight, and see what happens. If I get another episode they're going back. I don't have much to work with *beauty ways* (that means my face) and I don't want to walk around with a messed up complexion. I am not that pretty, and spend a lot of cash on skincare. Damn it, I want it to work and work well. No exceptions. ***UPDATE*** Another week, and these are a NO GO. I tried half a pad again and ONCE again, I had little red tiny pimples around my nose and on my forehead again; where I never break out. For over $40.00 CAD these are a joke. I would get the same result (and irritation) from lemon juice and sugar. These are nothing special and a potential disaster for anyone who might "brave thru" the initial irritation. I should have known right away that these were not for me. It appears that those products that get the highest marks here on MUA are not for me. I am returning these and moving on. Too bad.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Unlisted Brand - Cory Cosmetics Blush
Carybear 3/23/2013 7:48:00 AM
I used to love Cory Cosmetics. I hate mica and shimmer so when I found her site five years ago I was really happy. The samples back then were huge! I loved Cory's blushes, ordered 2 colors that lasted ages. I went back last year to reorder. The pigments were not mixed very well and the product smelled like baby powder. I thought she used rice powder...anyway the talc broke me out. I ordered a year later Cory's lip and cheek stain. I was pretty excited to get it because it seemed like the product I was looking for~all natural, no Carmine (instead the pigment was produced from beets) in olive oil. Well two months later I got a pathetic, tiny vial of red viscous liquid leaking inside a ziploc baggie. I could have looked past that, I know shipping can be tough on packaging. I opened it and WHEW...WHAT A STINK! I thought "ok, it is a naturally sourced product" I saw no preservatives in the ingredient list, not even grapefruit seed extract. I wrote to Cory (You can't call) and asked her about the smell and if it was okay to use. She never responded. I waited for 2 weeks. I finally decided to try it. I didn't have a reaction right away, but when I did it, I got huge horrid painful welts where I had applied the cheek stain. They have finally dried up (they weren't pimples, they were something else :S) and flaking off...but WTF???? I will never order anything from Cory again.
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Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - Green Man Botanicals-South Mountain Healing Salve
Carybear 3/19/2013 7:00:00 AM
I was given two small jars of a locally made salve for my hands. I have eczema related to my Celiac disease, on my palms. It also affects my cuticles. Needlessly said, my hands are not pretty. A friend noticed my hands were jacked up and his brother has a botanical apothecary in the province. He was kind enough to give me two jars of the salve. It has a lovely smell that doesn't linger. It smells like Scotch mints :j The ingredients are simple, and I've researched them. They are all healing, soothing herbs in a base of olive oil and raw beeswax. I tried it last night for the first time. My hands are past the "blister stage" and are into the raw pink "peeling & healing" stage. Right away, the roughness of the peeling skin was relieved and so was the redness. I left it on over night (I had meant to slather some on and use cotton gloves but I fell asleep) and this morning I woke up to hydrated cuticles and the palm is nearly healed. I'm gonna say this stuff is awesome, but I am going to update after a few weeks :j I didn't pay for it but if it continues to help my hands I will be buying some,
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Creative Nail Design - Solar Oil
Carybear 3/15/2013 3:09:00 PM
What is it? Jojoba & vegetable oil and perfume. What does it do? Claims are made that it will "hydrate and protect" your cuticles and "drive" nutrients deep within the nail bed. yeah...the molecules are not small enough for that black magic F*ckery. There is only ONE oil that can do that: squalene. Again, What is it? Over priced vegetable oil. What does it do? Nothing. Just use Vaseline and cotton gloves. Or, go to your cupboard and slather on some olive oil. Much more effective in cost and results. Stop falling for the hype.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Moroccanoil - Moroccan Oil
Carybear 3/15/2013 3:02:00 PM
Google how MorrocanOil is extracted. Better yet; I'll tell you. It's labour intensive to harvest and crack open the argan fruits. Then once the nuts are cracked, they harvest the pits and dry them in the sun...the process is a long one, which is why it's expensive. They don't do that anymore. They get the pits of the argan tree by allowing goats to eat the fruit...and the partially digested, soft pits come from the other end. You get it? This "brand" is total hype and a rip off. Here are the ingredients for MoroccanOil Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Argania Spinoza Kernel Oil (Aragan Oil), Linseed Extract (Linum Usitatissimum), Fragrance (Supplement), D&C Yellow 11, D&C Red 17, Coumarin, Benzyl Benzoate, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone so...the first three ingredients are silicone. dyes, fragrance and !oh yeah! Aragan oil. Why pay over $25.00 for something you are only getting in a fractional amount. You think your hair looks shiny? it feels smooth? IT'S SILICONE, DEAR. You would get the same results with Astroglide. Yes. Lube will work just as well.
16 out of 23 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Simple - Kind to Skin Refreshing Wash Gel
Carybear 3/9/2013 2:59:00 PM
This is an exceptionally basic gel cleanser that does not cause my skin to re-act. I have been using it for about a year and 1/2. The formula is a colorless gel that has no scent, and six ingredients. It does not lather much, but that's okay with me. Simple does not leave my skin feeling dry or tight. I like to switch it up tho and go back to Dermalogica special cleansing gel once in a while. I will keep buying Simple tho'. I do like the Refreshing Cleansing Gel. I really do not like the packaging however. If you put the tube on the end (cap) it can leak out and get all over and you have wasted a lot. I wish they would change it to a pump type dispenser. ***UPDATE***It's been well over a year and I have decided to stop using this cleanser. I was having some bad break outs and I wasn't sure why. I'd read here on MUA that other reviewers felt this particular face wash left a film on their skin, and I believe that to be true. As soon as I stopped using this and tried something else (Acne.org cleanser~there is a review) the deep pimples stopped. I still gave it three lippies because I really liked it at first & I thought I had found my HG. Not to be :' ( I am trying Neutrogena Ultra gentle cleanser. I will review that in two weeks, May 2nd, 2013
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Blush -NARS - Amour
Carybear 3/2/2013 7:29:00 AM
I LOVE this color. It's perfect for olive, neutral skin tones like my own. it's matt, so no sparkles. It's sheer, so you can control the application. Very finely milled Amour is a beautiful blush in an excellent, study compact. HG.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Cliniderm - Gentle Cleanser
Carybear 3/2/2013 7:16:00 AM
This cleanser may be good for some, but I have a problem with Glycerin. For some reason, when it is even the very last ingredient I get a terrible rash of hives around my eyes. The rest of my skin looked great, felt good, not tight or dry. I like that it is scent-free, colorant free, and dye free. I would recommend this to most people, but not for people with sensitive, reactive skin like my own.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - Muslin Wash Clothes
Carybear 2/1/2013 6:13:00 AM
My skin was going through a phase. I tore up and old pillow case and started using it to wash my face. I don't know what motivated me; it just felt like I should. Then I googled it...no one was using squares of Egyptian cotton (aka ripped up pillow case) but they WERE using Muslin cloths. I had a grudge against buying 3 Muslin cloths for 20 bucks when I could buy a bolt of muslin and make them myself. So I did. I have to say, I am glad this is still under "unlisted" because I don't want anyone to know how *freaking great* muslin wash cloths are. We are talking gentle but yet...micro exfoliating! I made 30 wash cloths out of a great bolt of muslin cloth I bought at a fabric store, for less than the cost 3 Liz Earle cloths I admit...I ordered a set last night, because I must know what the difference is. Now that I am a believer in the Mighty Muslin Wash Cloth, I figured I try the pro version. In summation: I have been using muslin for about three months with the most basic skin care regimen I have ever used: Simple Refreshing Face wash + Muslin cloth. Impruv Moisturizer. and that's all. I might use Simple's soothing toner once in a while because it is a toner, not an exfoliant. Personally, I have learned that my skin has really changed. When I was younger I could scrub the heck out of my skin, not use moisturizer and harsh things like sea breeze-YIKES-but I still had clear, smooth skin. Now that I am *much older* I've discovered that the gentler and less complicated the routine, the better the results. ***UPDATE*** the "professional" muslin cloths (Eve Lom) are not good for my skin. I find them to be of a cheaper, flimsier material than the cloths I made myself. The bolt of unbleached, fine muslin I bought serves me very well. I tried the E. Lom cloths and irritated my skin and broke out a bit. In my opinion and experience, DIY is preferable than "professional" in this circumstance.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No