Hair -Unlisted Brand - Salon Grafix Spray Powder Shampoo Brunette
DieMyDarling 1/1/2013 1:51:00 PM
Eta: I have only seen this at Ulta. HG dry shampoo...thank goodness I found something for brunettes...I have dark brown hair with caramel high lights. I've used batiste and psssst but those were heavy, made my hair feel crunchy, and I looked like I had dandruff no matter how much I brushed...just NO. And the scents were awful and strong! This products scent is strong but I find it 99% more pleasant than the aforementioned brands. It zapped the oil without leaving my hair heavy and gritty or stiff. Of course, I FOLLOWED THE DIRECTIONS and did lots of can shaking and short bursts from the proper distance. I didnt notice it "adding" color to my hair or scalp but I was in a hurry (hence using dry shampoo), however, when I took a shower later and used q-tips to clean my ears I noticed some brown makeup-like stuff coming off of my ears. But I love it. It's just what I need. I like my hair flat and straight and it's not like that naturally, so this gives me the oil zapping without the "product volume". I try only to wash my hair every 3-4 days bc I used to be platinum blonde (from naturally almost black) so much of my hair is damaged and I want to wash and straighten it as little as possible.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Neutrogena - Naturals Multi-Vitamin Nourishing NIght Cream
DieMyDarling 12/28/2012 7:49:00 AM
I use this at nigiht after cleansing with neutrogena ultra gentle foaming cleanser, and with either 2% salicylic acid toner OR retin a 0.025%. Either way it's perfectly moisuturizing, i use it for my entire face, eyes, and neck/chest with no break out. It's rich but not so heavy that I have to worry about it congesting my easily clogged skin. And I love the short list of recognizable ingredients. I'll probably stick with this but might try neutrogena's ultra gentle soothing cream just b/c i love that line's foaming cleanser and spf soothing lotion so much I kind of want to see what the results of using the entire line would be.
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Moisturizers -Neutrogena - Ultra gentle soothing lotion SPF 15
DieMyDarling 12/28/2012 7:41:00 AM
Finally, an SPF lotion that doesn't make my skin look worse or like a shiny oil slick. Just soft, moisturized skin with the uva/uvb protection I've been searching for without the shiny after effect. It actually helps get rid of the slight pink tones/uneven skin tones that made me feel like I have to wear some sort of mineral powder. THANK GOD I found this!!!!
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Cleansers -Neutrogena - Ultra Gentle Foaming Cleanser
DieMyDarling 12/28/2012 7:27:00 AM
Thank goodness I found this cleanser! I had been using Cetaphil facial cleanser for normal to oily skin, but it stripped my skin too much and cetaphils normal gentle cleanser didn't clean well enough for my easily congested skin, and both are full of parabens!! Of course the companies using these cheap ingredients proven to cause serious health issues promise you they're safe...but that's another rant for another day. This cleanser gently and painlessly removes all of my eye makeup with ease, and I use udpp, mac prep n' prime, and a lot of eye products for work, so this is impressive. I looked in the sink while rinsing this cleanser off and saw all of my makeup pouring off of my face's rinse water. I patted my face dry and my skin was super clean and soft, smooth, but not dry or tight at all. I follow up with a 2% salicylic toner treatment (if I'm not using retin-a after) and my cotton pad was totally clean, so I know this cleanser removed everything! It's just perfect. I love that the second ingredient is glycerin, and the ingredient list isn't a mile long. I started using this right after a chemical peel and microdermabrasion and had zero irritation. Ultra gentle is right! I do have sensitive skin and have noticed a drastic reduction in redness since using this product with retin-a 0.025% once or twice a week along with the ultra gentle spf 15 lotion. I feel good about my skin without wearing any sort face powder or foundation my skin tone has become so even and oil production so regulated. :) This is an upgrade for those who used Cetaphil (which also had fragrance). For those who found the fragrance irritating, I'm sorry to hear that, b/c I hardly noticed any.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Olay - Sensitive Wet Cleansing Cloths
DieMyDarling 10/18/2012 2:20:00 AM
These are sticky! I don't understand how anyone cam say these don't leave residue...I noticed a film on my fingers as soon as I touched to unfold the wipe! The clothes are soft but perhaps don't have enough "grip" to remove makeup thoroughly. They don't remove eyeliner well, which is the most important thing for my wipes to removed bc I can't scrub my poor eyelids with soap! They don't deserve a one bc they do remove makeup and don't break me out, but I've used SO much better. Can't get over the sticky film. Yuck. Cringe. :p ETA: I've upped the rating after using these without following up with a cleanser wash and moisturizing...surprisingly, my face and hands did not feel sticky...so maybe it was just the first couple of wipes that were too saturated with the remover liquid? I broke out too, but that might not be from the wipes. However, I did notice they burned my eyes badly when I attempted to remove my eyeliner again...I guess I didn't notice before b/c my eyes had been itchy from allergies. Still going to switch to another brand...
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Fragrances -Thierry Mugler - Angel
DieMyDarling 10/15/2012 3:18:00 AM
I received this for my birthday from my man...it's his favorite perfume, other than Dolce and Gabana's Light Blue which he's already gifted me and which is completely different. If you don't like baby powder, you'll hate this. I have a baby who's still in diapers so I kind of love the smell of baby everything. If you think "young" scents=fruity, this is not for you. Also, you MUST wait for this to settle on your skin (as you should with every perfume you try)...the initial spray of this is not it's true scent. It's extremely strong at first and not what it ends up smelling like after it sets. I can understand how people are overwhelmed by it at first. I dislike "old lady" scents and most musks...I consider Red Door an old lady scent, to give you an idea of my opinion of old lady...and I could see how this could evolve to smell that way on some people. This perfume is amazing with my body/skin's chemistry and fades into the softest, gentle, sultry, velvety, silky, sexiest scent I've ever worn. So rich but somehow still light and airy, feminine and girly, not at all too mature for me (in my 20's). I feel like Angel is a perfect name for the way this smells on me after a couple of hours...it's just such a romantic, lovely, through and through female, angelic scent. It smells like it's price, too...expensive lol. I guess the people who say it smells like chemicals or bug spray have a totally different body chemistry, b/c this smells nothing like raid on my skin. It's nice to finally have a staple perfume that smells young on me that doesn't smell like a cheap fruity drug store body spray (also why I love dior light blue...that's more of a summer scent, though). A little goes a long way...so if you're a multi-sprayer, you're probably going to suffocate yourself and others around you. It's best to spray this at least a half hour before you go out so it has time to melt in.
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Primer/ Corrector -Bare Escentuals - Prime Time
DieMyDarling 10/2/2012 3:06:00 PM
It doesn't smooth out pores that well, but it glides on silky smooth and when combined with be mineral makeup it leaves your skin perfectly velvety. It definitely helps you use less mineral makeup and keeps it in place all day/night. I'm on my third bottle of it...I'm thinking of trying smashbox primer next but I'm not sure how well it will work with mineral powder....Hate the pump...I end up having to scrape out the last third of the bottle with q-tips b/c it stops distributing full pumps of primer at that point. It would be much better as a tube...but the tubes of BE products always seem to crack open and the crimp and dry out my product. For the amount of money I spend on their stuff you'd think they could get their packaging issues together.
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Eye Primer -MAC - Prep + Prime Eye
DieMyDarling 10/2/2012 2:54:00 PM
Okay, it's not as good as UDPP for holding eye makeup without creasing or fading for as long as UDPP does...BUT, it has it's advantages. It's moisturizing and great to use under the eye as well as on top. I use UDPP over it, actually. But without UDPP, it still manages to hold my quality shadows and liner for at least 8 hours on my oily lids without creasing or fading. And even then, with as bad as my creasing and fading is without primer, my make up still looks pretty darn good. Minimal creasing, practically no fading. So I think this is just a gentler eye primer, over all. Nothing wrong with that. If I'm doing a no shadow day, this is a great way to even out my entire eye area and holds my liner just perfecty. I like that it's in a little flat pot so that you can get to ALL of it, too. People complain about the hygiene but honestlly, just WASH YOUR HANDS...you should be doing that before applying anything to your face, anyway, imho. This stuff doesn't deserve the bad rap it's getting...I expected it to be awful, but it's great for PREP and prime...hence the name...
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Eye Primer -Urban Decay - Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Original (UDPP)
DieMyDarling 10/2/2012 2:42:00 PM
HG. Yeah, it's perfect. You need the tiniest dot and it glides on silky smooth, blending super easily...not putty or cakey like at all. Of course, I use this over MAC prep and prime eye b/c I like that MAC's formula is somewhat moisturizing...but MAC p&p can't hold shadow and liners without creasing or fading like UDPP does. I use the MAC mainly just b/c I already owned it and it holds my mineral foundation on my undereye area so well that i don't need to use concealer, and helps my UDPP spread even easier. I've (unfortunately) passed out with my makeup on several times since starting to use this technique and my eye makeup still looks wonderful. Perhaps a little faded, but not too much, and definitely still good and wearable. It probably wouldn't fade if I didn't use the mac p&p under it or toss and turn so much...but I don't like my primer to hold on TOO tightly to pigments, since I like to do my make up as quickly as possible and hate struggling to blend.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Miracle 7 Leave-In Hair Mist
DieMyDarling 10/2/2012 2:24:00 PM
It's the best leave-in conditioner/lotion I've ever used. Helps my super damaged hair stay so soft and manageable without being greasy or weighed down through heat styling. It even helps my formally helpless hair air dry rather nicely. It's still frizzy, but not big and super fly away like it was before...I can actually go out and not be embarrassed if I have to let it air dry into it's natural waves/curls. So not perfect, but the best yet. I'll definitely buy this again.
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Conditioner -TiGi - Bed Head Urban Antidotes Level 2 Recovery
DieMyDarling 10/2/2012 2:15:00 PM
HG. Ive never been particularly attached to a shampoo or conditioner until now. I freaking LOVE this stuff...my poor, naturally almost black hair, had been bleached and highlighted to platinum blonde, then my dumbass did a box color over that (i know...stupid impulsive blah), then i had it fixed with ombre chestnut brown and purple...not to mention i blowdry and flat iron my hair... My hair was straight crunchy from using clairol's shimmer lights shampoo to keep the brasssinesss away while i was blonde, and none of the other things (sulfate free shampoos, protein shampoos, deep conditioners, etc) i tried afterwards could restore softness to my hair UNTIL... My color correcting stylist got me this set of shampoo and conditioner and WHOA, my hair was immediately soft, shiny, "slippery", and just overall great!!! Not to mention I love the smell of bed head more than any other hair products out there...my boyfriend loves it, too. This stuff pretty much changed my hair from straw to silk. I love it. Will not be seeking out another kind of shampoo or conditioner ever. The only other thing I add to this stuff is an occasional switch out for aussie 3 minute miracle deep conditioner about every 2 weeks...b/c that stuff works awesomely well with this shampoo, and i like to switch up the conditioners every once in a while so my hair doesn't get "used" to this stuff. I also use Miracle 7 leave in conditioner lotion spray before blow drying. It's a miracle combo for me. Please try this shampoo/conditioner set out. You will not be disappointed.
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Shampoo -TiGi - Bed Head Urban Antidotes Recovery Shampoo (Level 2)
DieMyDarling 10/2/2012 2:07:00 PM
HG. Ive never been particularly attached to a shampoo or conditioner until now. I freaking LOVE this stuff...my poor, naturally almost black hair, had been bleached and highlighted to platinum blonde, then my dumbass did a box color over that (i know...stupid impulsive blah), then i had it fixed with ombre chestnut brown and purple...not to mention i blowdry and flat iron my hair... My hair was straight crunchy from using clairol's shimmer lights shampoo to keep the brasssinesss away while i was blonde, and none of the other things (sulfate free shampoos, protein shampoos, deep conditioners, etc) i tried afterwards could restore softness to my hair UNTIL... My color correcting stylist got me this set of shampoo and conditioner and WHOA, my hair was immediately soft, shiny, "slippery", and just overall great!!! Not to mention I love the smell of bed head more than any other hair products out there...my boyfriend loves it, too. This stuff pretty much changed my hair from straw to silk. I love it. Will not be seeking out another kind of shampoo or conditioner ever. The only other thing I add to this stuff is an occasional switch out for aussie 3 minute miracle deep conditioner about every 2 weeks...b/c that stuff works awesomely well with this shampoo, and i like to switch up the conditioners every once in a while so my hair doesn't get "used" to this stuff. I also use Miracle 7 leave in conditioner lotion spray before blow drying. It's a miracle combo for me. Please try this shampoo/conditioner set out. You will not be disappointed.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -MAC - Blot Powder
DieMyDarling 9/30/2012 9:34:00 PM
A life saver. Ended my decade long struggle with an always oily tzone. Perfect. THANK YOU JESUS for this products existence and for me finally finding it!!!!!! I love it so much I can't even think of what to say. I have a super oily tzone and it takes the tiniest amount to lightly blot it away, and it STAYS away for hours and hours... HG!!!! Buy it! You won't be sorry! Just remember it takes very little to do a whole lot! You get your moneys worth for sure.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Bare Escentuals - Bare Minerals Ready Foundation
DieMyDarling 9/30/2012 9:26:00 PM
ETA AGAIN: I've switched to a regular old foundation brush b/c I've bee needing much less coverage as much skin tone has been improving so much I hardly need to wear anything to even my skin tone or cover any blemishes b/c they don't exist! My only complaint is that the pan of makeup breaks so easily...i've cracked/crumbled two for two now. *sigh* I don't even carry them in my purse. Also you will probably have to by a darker shade than you're used to. I normally wore golden medium and in ready I need golden tan...I might have to go even darker when summertime comes around. ETA: As I suspected, I learned how to apply this correctly with a dense synthetic flat head kabuki brush and it's perfect. 5 all the way. Just tap your flat brush firmly but quickly onto the mineral pack, and buff one area at a time...forehead, cheek, nose, chin, then one more for touch ups and blending it all evenly. Perfection. This stuff has such great coverage and it's going to last forever as usual with bare minerals products. I have a super oily tzone and acne prone skin, so I've stuck with bare minerals ever since I discovered it years ago b/c it's the only foundation that gave me great, beautiful coverage without breaking me out. That being said, I was a little concerned with trying READY, b/c it is a moisturizing formula. But truth be told, I'm getting older and am concerned with fine lines so I want more moisture in the other areas of my face. I love it more that the original and matte! Maybe just because I'm thrilled not to have to deal with loose powdery messes as much, but it's great, full coverage. Application really is trickier than the loose powders. You can easily put far too much on and look cakey and unnatural. It's just something I'll have to adjust to as I learn the product, just as I did when I first started using the loose powders. I've found using a very loose, large powder brush with mineral veil at the end of my facial powder applications to blend blend blend gives this a much more natural finish. The plus side to this being able to get "cakey" is that it covers blemishes just as well as a concealer (but of course, I do use their primer so this might be a big help in that regard). I'd give it a 5, but it doesn't look quite as natural as the original...it definitely looks like I'm wearing makeup, but not as bad as all the girls I know who wear MAC foundations which I think looks super thick and fake. I wish I could give it a 4.5. Maybe once I'm a pro at applying I'll change my rating to 5? :) The staying power is great. I follow my entire make up routine with a light blot of MAC blotting powder in my tzone and I swear for the first time in my makeup life my skin looks flawless all day and night. It's AMAZING to have finally achieved perfect foundation that lasts on my crazy oily combo skin. Get the right brush for you! It makes a huge difference, too!
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Double Extend Beauty Tubes
DieMyDarling 4/14/2012 4:13:00 PM
HG. Thank god for this mascara. I have been a lifetime sufferer of racoon eyes, b/c I have that natural undereye "poof". NO mascara...high or low end...spared me until now! Free at last, free at last, my undereye poof is free at last of the dreaded and formerly inevitable raccon eye!!! Seriously though, use the primer, immediately follow with the mascara...you DO have to layer a lot and quilckly to build voilume, but without doing so you stil do get incredible lengthening. Soft lashes, too! I love this stuff. It comes off so easily with warm water, it actually fun just to slide the stuff off my eyelashes. I finally don't have irritated eyes from my mascara, either. I love it. The brushes are great and everything. I could understand how people needing volume would hate it, but if you layer it really does build (but only if you have something to build on, I suppose).
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No