Lip Treatments -Eucerin - Aquaphor Healing Ointment for Lips
DKelly10 4/9/2012 3:29:00 PM
This product is all hype and no performance. This stuff is RAVED about on the skincare board for chapped, dry lips of people that are on Accutane. In the winter time, my lips were becoming very dry and starting to peel, so I decided to try this stuff to see if it could help. This does not help whatsoever- it never sinks in, it turns into a white film on top of your lips and does not even get the dead skin off. It's not moisturizing whatsoever- like I said, it never sinks in. I am extremely disappointed. So, for those of you who are on acne medications and are thinking of purchasing this lip "treatment" for relief...look elsewhere, because this is just a skincare cult product.
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Moisturizers -Aveeno - Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer SPF 15
DKelly10 12/27/2011 4:59:00 PM
I don't use this product, but my SO loves it. He suffers from severe facial dermatitis and has seen the doctor on multiple occasions when he's had outbreaks in the past. His face, if not treated, results in red, irritated and scaly skin. However, he consistently uses this product on his face and he does not suffer from dermatitis outbreaks anymore. He buys this in mass quantities because he's afraid of looking like a red, flaky, scaly alligator. He swears by this, however I am skeptical. But if it works for him, that's all that matters :)
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Mascara -Maybelline - Lash Stiletto - Waterproof
DKelly10 7/7/2011 7:19:00 PM
I am apparently in the minority when I say this mascara didn't phase me at all. I bought it in the brownish-black in hopes that my lashes would look naturally long and fluttery. I was very wrong. I don't like the wand, the bristles are waaay too far apart and not dense at all, making it hard to coat all the lashes. It smudges and the worst part about this was I got hardly ANY length. I am half asian, and inherited short, straight lashes so I thought this mascara would be nice. When I was done doing my eyes (I use at least 3 coats with any mascara) it looked like I hardly used any. The only good thing about this was it held my my curl for a little while. This was a waste of my money and unfortunately it did not work out for me.
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Mascara -Revlon - Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara
DKelly10 6/28/2011 6:53:00 PM
I agree with the reviewer before me: this stuff is definitely not waterproof. I bought this mascara with high hopes in the waterproof formula in black. The tube and wand are extremely similar to Benefit Bad Gal Lash- the brush is gigantic as well as the bristles, but the formula is wetter than Bad Gal Lash. Pros: very dark black, lengthens lashes, nice layering with minimum clumps Cons: smudges like CRAZY, flakes off, very difficult to remove all of it, weighs down my lashes I use waterproof mascaras because my lashes are very straight, so I curl them everyday and waterproof mascaras are the only ones that old my curl. This mascara flattened out my curl and although my lashes were very long and dark, black smudges kept appearing on my bottom lid. I do adore the brush and the wet formula with it, but the formula's performance is what really throws this one off. Will not repurchase.
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Powder -mark - Powder Buff powder foundation
DKelly10 6/23/2011 7:23:00 PM
I absolutely loved this product at first, but after using it for a while have decided to write an extensive review on both its ups and downs- both of which it has. This opens up and has a mirror on the other side of the compact, like most do, but if you open up more it comes with a sponge and a small space to store it. I haven't used the sponge so I can't comment on it. This pressed powder foundation is super easy to use- when applied with a kabuki or a flat top brush, I've experienced same results. The coverage can be layered from light to heavy, and it doesn't look cakey when used heavily. It feels nice on the skin and seems to completely blur imperfections. It goes on totally matte with no shimmer and seems to keep my face matte for roughly 3-4 hours depending on weather, humidity, etc. However, that's where most of the pros end. I got this in the shade buff, which is a yellow-toned pale shade because I am half asian. It looked great at first when I went out the door, but by lunch time one day I checked out my face in the car mirror and was horrified. On me (I have oily, acne prone and clog prone skin) it had oxidized to a yellow-orange color that wasn't able to be blended out. I was really embarrassed and couldn't wait to get home to wash it off. It also looked very cakey in the areas that crease often, such as around my nose and around my smile lines. So, overall this is a really nice powder foundation with great coverage, but it just is not for me. If you are very fair or very dark I'd say this product will probably work for you, assuming this will be used in hot or warm weather such as when I used it. But if you are any shade in between, I'd steer clear. For this reason I won't repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -TRESemme - Instant Heat Tamer Spray
DKelly10 6/23/2011 7:13:00 PM
This stuff is awesome. I used to use Pantene's heat protector spray, but it wasn't even working so I decided to try this after I used up the whole bottle. I'd seen good reviews on here, and so I was almost thinking I'd be let down because makeup is what it is, but things like skincare and hair products are sooo YMMV. This heat protector spray has a very fine mist, which makes it easy to get to the back of your hair and it is evenly distributed. It has a lock mechanism that is useful for traveling, and the bottle is a medium size, which blows my mind considering it's sooo cheap. This protects my hair from both the blow dryer and flat iron, which I use both every single day. I also have noticed that it speeds up my hair drying time, which is odd but not unwelcome, and it makes my hair extremely soft and bouncy. The smell is loooovely- doesn't smell like chemicals at all, but I'm unsure of how to explain it. It isn't sticky at all, and is absolutely weightless. I'm upset it took me so long to buy this product, but am finally glad I found a heat protector spray that is so easy to use!
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Lip Gloss -NYX - Lipgloss with Mega Shine - Beige
DKelly10 5/11/2011 11:33:00 AM
These lip glosses are great, but they taste like absolute crap. The smell can be overpowering to some (a cherry smell) and tastes similar, but those can be overlooked depending on how the product worked for you. I like this lip gloss and am with the majority who find the hilarity in the name "beige" as this lip gloss is NOT beige, but a muted pink color that looks natural. This color is lighter than my lips however, and shows because the pigmentation of the lip gloss is pretty good. It feels really smooth, but it also doesn't last that long. However, when it wears off, there's no "ring" around the mouth or anything like that. Nice color, good pigmentation, nice feel.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Pantene - Heat Protector Spray
DKelly10 5/11/2011 11:20:00 AM
I used an entire bottle of the spray for curly hair before I came here to review this. At first, I thought this was a great heat protectant, but now that I've found something better it's easier for me to point out the flaws that Pantene's has. Pros: smells really good, soaks in quickly, no sticky feeling on hair, amount of product in each bottle, easy to distribute through hair, not easily over-applied, helps hair blow-dry faster Cons: does not protect hair very well, leaves hair dry & brassy-looking, makes flat-iron sticky (even though hair is fine), does not help tame frizz & poofs, nozzle sprays too narrow of a stream and coats hair with a lot of product This heat protectant is okay, and I'd buy it again but not by choice- only if I had limited options. I don't think this protects hair very well because my hair, after flat-ironing, still has that burnt smell and I continued to develop split ends. This was my first heat protectant spray but now that I've been test-driving something different, I can say that this one is only mediocre at best. :[
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Lip Treatments -Korres - Lip Butter - Jasmine
DKelly10 12/30/2010 10:11:00 AM
Like many others, I purchased this in the 3 pack that came with the pomengranate and wild rose. And though I love all of them, I'd say that I use this one the most. Jasmine has a very light and sweet scent, and it doesn't taste or feel funny or anything like that. Although this is "tinted," it doesn't show up on my lips (my lips are pretty pigmented) so I don't use it during the day. But, this is HG status for me because I use it before I go to bed. Before I lay down, I slather on about 1-2 coats of this stuff on my lips. It feels so smooth and smells delicious. In the morning when I wake up, my lips have completely absorbed it and they are extremely soft and very plump! I can't go one night without using this stuff or else I wake up to lips so dry I can't even wear lipstick that day. I also don't mind the packaging; I know that no one else is gonna dip their nasty dirty fingers in my lip butter :] I know you'd probably think a lipbalm is just a lipbalm and choose not to spend lots of money on it, and I am the same way, but this is one of my luxury items that I never want to be without because the job it performs is phenomenal.
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Blush -E.L.F. - Studio Blush in Candid Coral
DKelly10 12/28/2010 7:59:00 PM
I believe this blush would be great for ALL skintones, if applied correctly. I am half asian and yellow toned, but very pale right now because of winter, and this blush gives me a nice warm flush to my skin. It doesn't look too natural, but doesn't look too made up either. It's really pretty. At first, I thought it would be a dupe for NARS Orgasm, but when I got it in the mail I compared it to my NARS Deep Throat and they look almost exactly alike. I'm sure many other people noticed this as well, and I can see where the views could go both ways. Anyway, this blush is beautiful. Doesn't have glitter in it, but a very light shimmer that puts off a "glow" on your cheeks. Overall, I love this blush, but do beware: apply with a LIGHT hand. I tried to swipe my brush all up in the compact and apply it on my cheek when I first got it and I looked like a clown. If you put too much, you'll look dirty and almost fake-tanned. Just be light with it and you'll see how pretty this blush can be on anyone!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Makeup Remover -Neutrogena - Make-Up Remover Cleansing Towelettes Night Calming
DKelly10 12/27/2010 6:09:00 PM
I stopped using this product because it contains dimethicone and I stopped using all cones to try to get my skin in order, BUT when I was using it, it was a great makeup remover. The cloths are moist, but not so moist that it leaves everything it touches wet. I've used this to take off foundation (all powder, cream and liquid), waterproof mascara and lipstick. It works on everything. Although you kind of have to rub a little harder to get all waterproof mascara off, it's still a great alternative if you don't feel like busting out a separate makeup remover. The only thing I don't like is how it makes your skin feel greasy afterwards. Eventually it dries and skin gets tight, but that's not always a great feeling either. If you do use these, make sure you follow up with a cleanser or toner afterward. However these work really well, and they smell awesome too- a light lavender, perfect for using right before you go to sleep :]
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Lipstick -MAC - Viva Glam Cyndi [DISCONTINUED]
DKelly10 11/26/2010 1:49:00 PM
I bought this lippie online, and I was extremely disappointed when I got it in the mail because it looked a lot darker than it did on the computer. So it sat around on my dresser for about a few weeks, when finally last week I decided I would at least try and make it work. I'm pretty glad that I did. I usually tend to go for either really soft or nude lippies, just because I have slightly pale, yellow-toned asian skin that doesn't look right with most dark or bright colors. However, one day to work I had neutral lids and cheeks and I paired this lipstick with it, and I have to say that I was quite pleased! It doesn't make me look pale or like a clown, makes my face look more awake and alive, and the color is beautiful. I also never wear lipsticks by themselves; I usually top them off with gloss because I think matte l/s just doesn't look right on me. But after wearing this matte lippie, it has changed my mind. Honestly I think this lippie would work on ALL skintones- you just have to learn how to make it best for your skintone. Light, heavy, blotting, chapstick underneath, topped with gloss...there are many different ways you could wear this, but I prefer it matte and I think anyone could use this! Very creamy, good pigmentation, stays in place- one lippie off only because it slightly dries my lips out after a few hours even if I put on a moisturizing balm underneath.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -MAC - Fix+
DKelly10 11/26/2010 1:41:00 PM
I have been scared to death to use any kind of MAC products on my face after reading horrifying reviews from fellow MUAers with oily, acne-prone skin like mine. But I do like MAC products, so one day when I visited MAC, this caught my eye and I circled it like a vulture for about 20 minutes in a mental debate. I finally decided to buy it, since I could just return it if it didn't work for me or broke me out. I have been using this product for about a month, and honestly I have to say that I am impressed. I thought this was going to be a spray that would just make your face feel and look "sticky" so your makeup wouldn't budge or it wouldn't look powdery. However, I don't think it's necessarily for helping makeup to stay longer; I think its primary purpose is to make your face look more like real skin after applying foundation, which most tend to look chalky. I use this after I've applied my cream foundation and powder, and it has yielded me wonderful results. It sinks into my skin very quickly, smells kinda good, and feels really refreshing. I also adore the twisty lock thing on the cap so it won't leak. Since I've had this, I've been done with going to work looking like I just swirled my head into a powder cloud. It works with my foundation and makes my "skin" look flawless, and it also hasn't broken me out or made me oilier, which is a MIRACLE for me. One lippie off because sometimes it doesn't evenly spray each time, but that can be overlooked. :]
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Body -Johnson & Johnson - Baby Oil
DKelly10 11/17/2010 10:31:00 PM
I love love LOOOOVE using baby oil as a body moisturizer. However, I never use it by itself, because if do then it tends to feel a little greasy and sticky on me after a while. When I first used it, I just slathered a whole bunch on after my shower and couldn't understand why I felt like an oil slick. I got smart after a while and figured out a better way to use it. (I normally only use this on my legs after a shower when I've shaved, but this is wonderful on the rest of the body, too). I use the tiniest bit to rub onto my legs (an amount I'd say about the size of a nickel or quarter, user's preference) and afterward I use a regular body lotion right on top of it. No greasy feeling, no stickiness or slippery-ness, and my skin is incredibly soft. It also makes your skin look very healthy and very glowy. This is a staple in my bathroom especially in the winter months and I hope everyone who uses it (and finds a way to use it correctly for their body type) can enjoy it as much as I do!
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Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Kabuki Face Brush
DKelly10 11/17/2010 2:47:00 PM
I absolutely adore this kabuki. If you're looking for a soft kabuki that will buff your powder in and leave a soft, flawless look, this is what you want to buy. And it was only like...three dollars?! I use this every morning to put on my pressed powder, and it makes my face look so soft and airbrushed. I can't stress to you how soft it is- this isn't one of those things that people say it's "soft" and when you get it, it feels like rubble on your face. I'm serious, this thing is SOFT. The hairs aren't extremely dense, but I think that's good because then my powder won't streak across my face. This is an awesome brush and I recommend this to anyone for pressed powders, mineral foundations, and even blush!
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