Tools -Nailtek - Crystal File
ChristmasMom 11/4/2009 1:03:00 PM
I wish I had read reviews before I had bought the NailTek XL. It does indeed make a subtle but intolerable "nails on the chalkboard" sound. I think it needs a little more grit. The OPI file is grittier and makes no squeak. I liked the heft of the file. I wish the OPI came in an XL size. The plastic box that the file comes in came crushed when I bought it online. It isn't as sturdy as the sleeve for the OPI file. That is really unfortunate since we need to keep crystal files in their sleeves due to fragility. I would never buy a NailTek crystal file again. This one goes to my clunker drawer.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tools -OPI - Crystal File
ChristmasMom 11/4/2009 12:58:00 PM
I have only tried two crystal files, the OPI one and the NailTek XL. The NailTek XL was a clunker - - it makes a slightly squeaky sound - - you know- -fingernails on the chalkboard sound - - so I can't use it. The OPI one is grittier. No squeaking. Does a great job of filing. I use it only with polish on my nails and have no trouble washing off the stains from even vampy colors. There is sometimes a slight smell in the air when I really file down a nail. I keep my file in its protective sleeve at all times (except when it is in use). It is fragile. It stays in my nail care tote. I have a plastic tote with my nail stuff in it. Everything stays together nicely. I rarely clip and can't remember the last time I used an emory board. This makes the best finish on the tip.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -Freeman - Bare Foot Scrub
ChristmasMom 11/4/2009 12:28:00 AM
I was hopeful that this generously sized 5.3 ounce tube would be an effective replacement for my small tubs of Kerasal pumice foot scrub. I use a tub of Kerasal about every 10 days as I use it every day, and this Freeman product is much cheaper. Unfortunately, this tube of pumice scrub is just not as good as other pumice scrubs I have used. Consistency - Freeman foot scrub is thick, but the pumice is sparse. H20 and Kerasal are much more dense. Fragrance - I used the peppermint and plum formula. It smelled very fruity. I did not like this. Tube - Dispenses well. I prefer the tube to the Kerasal tub, but Kerasal is probably just too dense with pumice to be in a tube. There is a tremendous difference in pumice count. Overall, if you are new to foot scrubs, this might be a nice one to try. If you want fast and predictable results, go with H20 or Kerasal. With any of these products, consider using a Mr. Pumice purple stone. Apply the scrub, massage it around, then scrub with the Mr. Pumice. My feet have never been better with the Kerasal and Mr. Pumice.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - You Don't Know Jacques! Matte
ChristmasMom 11/1/2009 5:18:00 PM
This is a one nail review. I applied it to one thmbnail and discovered how bad it was that I removed it and replaced it with a different OPI. How bad is it? It applies just slightly better than mud mixed with putty. The color reminded me of the sludge at the bottom of a can of wooden floor stain, you know, all pigment. I'd call this my first potty shade polish if you know what I mean. Of course, it is not at all glisteny as it is a matte. I don't think doctoring it with glitz and glam would ever make it attractive. This is a stinker. Can't wait to purge this guy.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Le Metier de Beaute - Nail Polish Lacquer in Violaceous Splendor
ChristmasMom 11/1/2009 5:05:00 PM
This is the most expensive nail polish I know of - - maybe Louis Vuitton is similar but I have never priced it to be sure. The container holds 4ml that is about 1/4 of the quantity in a Chanel nail polish and it is 1ml less than a typical miniature Essie according to labels. Next to each other, the LeMetier looks like it has 1/2 as much polish as the miniature Essie. The bottle is shorter than a Chanel by about a third of an inch (guesstimate) which makes the Le Metier wand short, about one third of an inch shorter than the miniature Essie wand. The bottle of Le Metier is at least 1/4th of an inch shorter than the miniature Essies. So, it is tiny. The glass looks like crystal on the Le Metier bottle, you know, that heavy Boda glass crystal. Very substantial glass that gives the bottle weight. As for the polish itself, I'd describe it as rather dry, highly pigmented. It covers as opaque in one coat. This Violaceous Splendor is absolutely gorgeous. Reminds me of Easter. Not very versatile in my opinion and with my wardrobe, but it is a joy to wear. I feel special when I use it.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Lippmann Collection - Wicked Game
ChristmasMom 11/1/2009 2:10:00 PM
This is a very interesting color. It is a very shiny polish all by itself. The color is opaque and covers well in just 1-2 medium coats. There's a duochrome sheen to it so it picks up pale green and violet in different lighting. The basic tone is like an oil slick after its rained. The polish applies smoothly and evenly and dries promptly. It was fine, not fantastic, with my NC 25 skin tone. Of my recent purchases, I have to say that Sephora OPI Absinthe Makes the Heart is still my favorite, but this is a nice addition to my collection. I'd buy it again. I only wore it for 2-3 days. No chipping or shrinkage for those days.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees Suede
ChristmasMom 11/1/2009 1:13:00 PM
This is a very nice color. I agree with the reviewer below: this polish dries super fast and it does indeed look better with a topcoat. I did not find the color to be as flattering as Sephora OPI Absinthe Makes the Heart, another new darkened polish. If I had to choose, I'd get only Absinthe. I only wore it for less than two days, so I cannot attest to its longevity. No chipping with my Seche Vite topcoat for the days I did wear it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Lippmann Collection - Don't Tell Mama
ChristmasMom 11/1/2009 1:00:00 PM
This color proved to be a disappointment. I was expecting a mood ring blue-green but all I got was glossy black. It is a nice black, not too intense, but none of the blue-green shimmer from the bottle showed on my nails. It was almost opaque in one coat. Two coats was plenty. I can't attest to its longevity as I covered it over with Sephora OPI Absinthe Makes the Heart as I didn't want to wear a monotone color. The formula was a little more difficult than a typical OPI to apply. It wanted to hang up here and there and it seemed to set so quickly, before I had even finished a particular nail, so I had to work with care. Still, I like Lippmann polishes and will consider other new releases. I should have passed by this one though.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Sephora - OPI - Absinthe Makes The Heart
ChristmasMom 10/27/2009 4:01:00 PM
I have really bad nail polish ADD. I have to really really like a color the first time I wear it or I am likely to remove it quickly and never wear it again. Absinthe Makes the Heart is a wonderful Sephora by OPI shade that I'd put into the same family as OPI's My Private Jet. I love the blackend-gray green color and the gentle built in special effects. This is an interesting enough color even for someone like me. I left it on two days. During that time, there was no chipping or problems. Sorry, that is probably not that helpful. I'd guess it would last longer as I have no problems wearing Sephora by OPI formulas for more days or even a week. I applied two coats. That is really all I needed. One coat was not opaque enough. Each coat dried quickly and thin coats were easy to apply. This color is subtle enough for daytime wear. I am pretty conservative and I had no trouble wearing this slightly edgy color. I wouldn't put it on toes, but I am not a black toe nail person with any of these darker polishes. It's a keeper. Update: This is really turning into my current favorite. I've worn it again for several days running and I've had many compliments on it. It has proven to be my favorite over a dozen other dark polishes that I've recently added to my collection. It does compliment my NC25 complexion. Very easy to wear. Highly recommend.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -NARS - 9951 Pleasures of Paris Palette
ChristmasMom 10/26/2009 11:14:00 AM
First of all, I have to agree with the reviewer Miralda that these colors have little staying power. I have found that to be true with some NARS shadows, including Rated R duo. I do have to reapply these shadows mid-day because they have little staying power on me. I always use my shadows over Urban Decay Primer Potion, but I intend to try it over Painterly Paint Pot to see if it lasts better with it. I'll update if it works better. You already know the names of the colors and have hopefully seen swatches. Cordura and Nepal were on my wish list, so I found this palette attractive because I did not have to buy these separately. This is a generously sized palette and each pan will last a long, long time. No problems with fallout for me. I like to use Abyssinia as a wash, Nepal or Violetta on the lid, and Cordura in the crease/outer V. I can't wear purples without looking ill, but Violetta is fine - - don't be scared of the name if you tend to avoid purples. Demon Lover, on the other hand, won't work at all on me. I'd buy it again, but, again, I wish it had more lasting power on me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Bobbi Brown - Basics Eye Palette (2008)
ChristmasMom 10/26/2009 11:04:00 AM
It is hard for me to find palettes with 75% to 100% matte shadows in them. This palette has only one shade that is not matte. There is no noticable fallout with these shadows. I use this often when I want a nice neutral plain eye. When I want to attract attention, I use something else. My typical look for daytime uses only the matte shadows: Navajo (a cream) on my NC25 lid to browbone, Cement on just the lid, and Mahogany in the crease/outer V. The shimmer wash called Heather Mauve is nice and not Over The Top. I will sometimes use it as a highlight on the inner eye canthus area and browbone, sometimes also as a liner under the eye, but I usually skip it for daytime. I'd buy it again if I ever run out. This palette, even though it is called the 2008 palette on Makeup Alley's Productville is the same at the Bobbi Brown counter right now, at the end of 2009. The colors are identical. I do not like the little brush that comes with the palette. I don't use it and it seemed to always pop out and land on the shadow pans when I tried to shut the lid. I took the little brush out and put it away. I am not longer frustrated by that guy. I was afraid I would shut the palette with the brush on top of the pans and crush the shadows. Makes a nice gift. More matte than other natural eye types of palettes, but I can do a similiar matte look with the shadows in Too Faced Natural Eye palette except the crease color is a brown with a bit of sparkle in the pan.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Laura Mercier - Rose Flush Lip Plumper
ChristmasMom 10/26/2009 10:53:00 AM
This is a rather dry gloss. I don't notice any plumpling effect. This is pretty much a My Lips But Better color for me on my pigmented lips at NC 25. Unfortunately, it seems to settle into my lip creases in a subtle way and, under close examination, is unflattering in finish. From a distance, it is fine. Lasts a couple of hours, what I would expect from this product. Not sticky either. Each time I have used it, I have liked it less.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Fresh - Sugar Rose Lip Treatment SPF 15
ChristmasMom 10/25/2009 5:17:00 PM
Sorry to rain on the parade but I'd definitely call this purchase my Clunker of the Summer 2009. What a waste! I was so excited to try this product. It sounded great! The package is so incredibly chic for a lip balm. I was jazzed. At first I thought I would love it. I used it daily, even several times a day. However, my lips turned into peeling problems. I had to stop using it. I thought I'd try it again. It is a treatment, right? My lips, nicely healed, again peeled with this balm. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me! Top it off, the smell really began to bother me, and the taste was increasingly disgusting. It left a pink tint on my pigmented lips that looked like I had an uneven gloss on. Applications didn't last. The bottom half of the balm was too soft and broke off. It was gross. I literally wanted to throw it away because it was so dissatisfying. I am back to using Nivea - A Kiss of Moisture but am open to other ideas. If I feel like using a HE lip treatment, I use my Chantecaille lip treatment - - that one is lovely but I use it sparingly.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Neutrogena - Mineral sheers powder blush
ChristmasMom 10/25/2009 12:18:00 PM
When this first came out, my dermatologist was all excited. He wanted his patients to try it. I did. It was fine. Not terrific, but fine. Gave me a pop of color and it did not cause any clogged pores. Can't remember what shade I used on my NC25 skin - -something peachy. Wasn't ever a fave for me. I moved on. The container delighted and frustrated me because the brush fanned out over time and then wouldn't fit back into its plastic case. Having an attached brush was, though, innovative in my opinion.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Neutrogena - Mineral Sheers Liquid PF 20
ChristmasMom 10/25/2009 12:14:00 PM
My dermatologist once asked me to try this product. I found the coverage to be light. I liked the way product was dispensed, but the finish was not good. Within hours, it settled into every crevice on my face. My skin looked like crackle glass. Don't use if you have any dry spots or flakies!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No