Styling Products -Ion - Color Brilliance - Pre-Color Treatment
CatherineSolo 2/26/2013 11:45:00 PM
Why am I the only one who had a problem with this? I used it to avoid "hot roots," but that's just what I got. My roots are a beautiful colour, and the rest of my hair is almost black. And that's saying something considering I haven't dyed my hair in months, it was a medium brown starting out, and I used a medium brown auburn. I followed the directions to a t... so I'm not sure what happened. I am only giving this 2 lippies because it did make my hair feel better afterward.
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Styling Products -John Frieda - luxurious volume hairspray
CatherineSolo 2/26/2013 2:41:00 PM
My holy grail hairspray. I have been using this since it came out and have never strayed (except once, to try a sample of Ellnet, which I hated). This is the epitome of a perfect hairspray in my book. It is fairly light weight (although it does give hold that you can feel, which I like; "flexible hold" has no place in my hair :D), and best of all, the smell doesn't give me a migraine (unlike pretty much every other hairspray I've tried). I would be lost without this. It holds curls, teasing, everything. LOVE LOVE LOVE.
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Blush -Bare Escentuals - Warmth All Over Face Color
CatherineSolo 2/26/2013 2:21:00 PM
I have repurchased this a couple of times and I must say I adore it. I wear bronzer more than blush; in fact, I rarely wear blush in the spring/summer. I like warm bronzers as well, as they tend to flatter my colouring. This is a very warm bronzer, and it flatters me very much. Cooler ones make me look muddy; this one makes me look sun-kissed. It's almost warm enough to be a blush/bronzer combo on me; it's a little orange (and I mean that in a VERY flattering way). I purchased the full-size of this after using a bunch of samples over a year ago, and it's still going strong. A very little goes a long way. Bonus: it's loose, and as a clumsy girl, I tend to drop my makeup. No shattering a loose product! I will continue to repurchase this product. It's just over $20 CAD and considering how long it lasts (not only the product, but it lasts FOREVER on the skin), I think it is VERY worth it.
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Scrubs -Dermalogica - Daily Microfoliant
CatherineSolo 2/26/2013 2:17:00 PM
After years of using Proactiv, it stopped working for me. I was devastated. Proactiv gave me the most beautiful skin; I was constantly complimented on it. So when it stopped working, I went on a years-long journey to find replacements. All in all I discovered this: I did not need an acne product. After years of thinking I had oily, red, acne-prone skin, turns out I didn't. I still don't know what skin type I am (it goes from one to the other, depending on the seasons), but after months of using normal cleansers and harsh exfoliants, I discovered the thing that made me love Proactiv: the daily exfoliating cleanser. Enter Dermalogica. I received a sample of this product in a Luxe Box (Canadian version of Birchbox). I fell in love. It was gentle and effective at exfoliating. I could use it every day (in the summer/spring/fall) without getting dry (I use it every other day to every 3 days in the winter, but my skin is bone dry during that season). It calmed my red, patchy skin down, got rid of all the dry parts, and left my skin feeling super fresh and clean. Now I must admit when it comes to skincare, I am cheap. I do not like to spend a lot of money on things when there are gems like witch hazel as a toner (a couple bucks) and coconut oil as a cleanser. So when I ran out of this sample, spending $80 CAD on a full bottle of this stuff seemed pretty terrifying. I held out for a while, and noticed a definite change in my skin. It was peel-y and I broke out a little (which was strange). Overall my skin looked pretty patchy too. I decided, okay. Time to invest in this product. I bought the full bottle of this exfoliant in April 2012. 10 months later, I am still using it, and it's at least half full (maybe more, I can't tell). I am shocked it's lasted this long, and thrilled. I can afford $80 a year (or two) for sure. Is it pricy? Yes. But it lasts FOREVER. I now budget for this product. Does it work? YES. It's gentle and I can use it all year (which is something, considering I have to change up my cleanser and moisturizer twice a year). The packaging is nice, it comes in a very parmesan-cheese type dispenser, and it's easy to get the right amount of product (which is fairly little). It contains salicylic acid, so for those of you who have blemishes, this may help (normally salicylic acid does nothing for my blemishes, so I stick to benzoyl peroxide, but for some reason, this stuff works. I have no idea how). Moral of the story: if I can justify spending the money on this, anyone can. I am a student, and I have to spend carefully. This product just happens to be worth the cash. It's given me some of the confidence back that I lost when Proactiv stopped working for me. Does my skin glow like it did when using Proactiv? No. But I don't think one product can do that for you. Proactiv was a daily exfoliator + glycolic toner combo, so I think that's what did it. I'm still trying to find a great glycolic toner. Stay tuned to my reviews :)
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -E.L.F. - Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder
CatherineSolo 9/2/2011 9:29:00 AM
This product is incredible. I use it every day, and when I stop using it to go to another product, I come back to it every time. First off, you can't beat the price. I think I paid $2 (3 at the most). Second, the product itself is great. It lasts all day, is super blendable, and very flattering. I love the bronzer the most (I use bronzer more than blush), but the blush is great for a hint of colour as well. NARS Orgasm blush never showed up on me, but this one does, and it's very pretty. The bronzer and blush are both shimmery, but I don't mind that. I still find for contouring, the shimmer is not too much. And in general, they make me look healthy and flushed. I've also had this product for over a year and it's lasted me! I can't even see pan yet and I use it almost every day. Overall, I could not be happier! EDIT: After finding other bronzers that last longer throughout the day, I'm docking off 1 lippy. This stuff is fantastic, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't last on my cheeks the way other bronzers (most notably, Bare Escentuals bronzers) do. Still love it though!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Cremesheen - Shy Girl
CatherineSolo 9/2/2011 9:24:00 AM
This is by far my favourite lipstick of all time. It works with day or night looks; I was in a wedding party and wore it, and I wear it almost every day to work. I am a bit of a bargain hunter when it comes to makeup; if I can find a product that is comparable at the drug store, I will go for it. However I have not found a nude/pink/peach lipstick at the drugstore that comes close to this product. My favourite drustore lipsticks are Revlon, and if not on sale, they are only $3 cheaper than MAC lipsticks, so even if I found a Revlon dupe, it wouldn't be that much chepear. The only thing I don't like about this lipstick is that it gets very mushy in the tube and a little hard to work with. But to be honest after years of having this happen to other lipsticks/lip balms, it's not a huge deal to me. Not enough to take off any lippies in any case. I will continue to repurchase this shade time and time again, as I adore it. It is so flattering for my skintone and colouring, no matter what else I'm wearing on my face.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Dark Edge (N Collection)
CatherineSolo 9/2/2011 9:20:00 AM
I got this in a quad at a CCO last year in Las Vegas. It's too bad it's limited edition because it's my favourite colour to use in my brows. It's matte, not too dark, and very flattering for my skintone. I also use it as a shadow on my eyes (great in the crease, or all over for more dramatic looks), so it's a great multi-tasker. It's not overly unique from what I can tell, but I haven't found a cheaper alternative as of yet. I am assuming MAC probably has a similar permanent shade, so when I start to run out of this, I will do my best to find one. Five lippies because it was cheap (the quad was $20, so $5 per shadow), isn't dupable at the drugstore, and is a pleasure to work with!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - All That Glitters
CatherineSolo 9/2/2011 9:16:00 AM
This is a beautiful eyeshadow. It's quite creamy, very pretty, and easy to wear every day or on fancier occasions. The reason I only gave it 3 lippies is because it's SO easily dupable. I don't think it's worth the money. I have eyeshadows from the drugstore that are identical that are creamier and much, much cheaper. So while there is nothing wrong with this shadow at all, it's not worth the dough in my opinion.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Sketch eye shadow
CatherineSolo 9/2/2011 9:14:00 AM
I'm not sure I understand why this has such a high rating. Yes it is a beautiful colour, but the formula is just terrible. It is super low in pigmentation, and compared to other brands, is a joke. It's hard to blend, hard to swatch even, and a shadow I truly regret buying. I reach for my $5 Wet n Wild eyeshadows more than this one. I don't understand the hype. For the money you pay with MAC, I expect an eyeshadow that is not so incredibly difficult to work with. I will not repurchase this shadow and will be very careful when purchasing MAC shadows in the future.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyes -Wet 'n' Wild - Color icon Brow & Eye Liner
CatherineSolo 9/2/2011 9:11:00 AM
I can't believe this eyeliner is $1.99. I have been looking for a dark brown eyeliner that lasts, that I can smudge, and is easy to use every day for quick looks in the morning. This is it! This liner is not as creamy as so many of the long-lasting liners (Milani, Tarte, etc), so it's MUCH easier to work with (it doesn't smudge all over then set in its awful smudged state). You can blend it, smudge it, leave it as is, line your waterline, and it works well. The only down side is that it doesn't last as long as a long-lasting liner, but that's ok with me. After trying so many of the long-lasting liners, I've found I'm not actually a fan of them for every day. They are hard to work with when you're in a hurry and a nightmare to remove. They certainly have their plusses, but for my morning makeup, this liner is much more suitable for me... particularly as I do my eye makeup in the car on the way to work (no I'm not driving, I'm a passenger!), so mistakes are easy to make. EDIT: I've taken off 2 lippies because I'm finding that even with an eye primer, this liner just doesn't last. Not even a couple hours. I don't have oily lids or even watery eyes, but so unfortunately I think it's the product, not me. Wish this could be my holy grail, as it's so cheap, but it just doesn't perform that well. Still on the hunt for the perfect brown liner!
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Top/Base Coats -Sally Hansen - SalIy Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat
CatherineSolo 9/2/2011 9:03:00 AM
I have already repurchased this top coat. After hearing about some of the "controversy" around a particular ingredient in Seche Vite, I thought I'd look for alternatives (not to mention I was tired of forking out $11 CAD for a bottle that thickened up and became useless too quickly). This topcoat is IT! It really does dry my polish super fast, ALMOST as fast as the Seche Vite (not 100% as quickly but maybe 90%). It also leaves a wonderful shine and helps prevent chipping (as all topcoats should). Overall I can't complain about this product at all. And you get your money's worth; it's about $8 CAD at any drug store (can be as low as $5 CAD if on sale) and it doesn't get super thick and unusable like Seche Vite. It does thicken over time but much slower (more the rate of any nailpolish). Will repurchase over and over!
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Conditioner -Yes To Carrots - Nourishing Conditioner
CatherineSolo 3/10/2011 6:28:00 PM
The best conditioner I have ever used. Super thick, creamy, and leaves my hair silky, soft, and smelling amazing. Yet it doesn't weigh it down (important for people with tangly, thin hair like me). I have repurchased and will continue to. I am inspired to try the rest of this line! I may be af faithful lifetime convert... I have never, ever used a better product. And bonus that it is paraben free and cruelty free!
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Moisturizers -Cetaphil - Moisturizing Lotion
CatherineSolo 3/10/2011 6:24:00 PM
I can't say enough about this product. Whenever my skin goes haywire (and it goes INSANE in the winter, all peely and cracked and dry), this stuff heals it. The cream is great too, but I bought this lotion in bulk and so I use it more. I have very sensitive acne-prone skin that is dry (a horrible combination, I assure you), and this is the one product that has consistently helped over the years. I have repurchased numerous times, and will continue to. I put it on at night (mixed with a little benzoyl peroxide lotion for my blemishes) and I wake up to better skin. A note for my animal lover friends out there, Galderma (makers of Cetaphil) are required by Canadian law to test on animals due to being a dermatological company. Some websites list Cetaphil lotion as a vegan product, however they do test on animals. I personally am ok with this in this case (as it's required by law), but to each his own.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Jelly Pong Pong - Supermodel Stain - Giggle & Pop
CatherineSolo 3/10/2011 6:21:00 PM
What an amazing product, and SO CUTE. I travel with this, so when I need some colour on my cheeks & lips, it's there. It's a super unique peachy pink that is so very flattering. The consistency is very creamy and easy to blend. The only down side is the price (I bought it from a British website and had to have it shipped to Canada), but I've had it for months and haven't made a dent in it yet despite using it fairly often, so it's definitely pulling its weight. Oh and it smells amazing. A lot like MAC's products, a very soft vanilla. LOVE!
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Eyeliner -Tarte - EmphasEYES Aqua-Gel Eyeliner
CatherineSolo 3/10/2011 6:19:00 PM
This is actually a very good product, I just don't think it's for everyone (me included). First off, I use brown eyeliner on my upper lid every day, smudged a bit. This stuff is hard to smudge, which is, in a way, great. It really lasts forever, but it's hard to work with. Due to the gel consistensy, it is melt-y and very soft until it sets. Once it sets, you can't smudge it. But before it sets, and you try and smudge it, you end up with a hot mess on your eyelids. So if you're looking for a liner that you don't want to blend or smudge, just want to line with, this is probably an amazing product to try. I won't repurchase, but I will use this until it's all gone, because it is definitely a great product. I may even pick one up in black for cat-eyes.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No