Cleansers -Cetaphil - Dermacontrol OIl Control Foam Wash
FeminineCharm 3/31/2013 8:12:00 PM
At first I was sceptical that a foaming wash could cleanse without over-stripping the skin. However after a month of using this light, easy-rinse foam I found it has not caused any further breakouts or disturbed my existing blemishes. The packaging does NOT claim to clear acne first of all, it states that the formula is non-acnegenic which means it does not upset the acne on the skin. This is gentle enough to use twice daily. As it is so gentle and oil-free, it is not as effective at dissolving make-up- especially eye make-up. I recommend using something a bit more emollient for this part of cleansing. I would happily continue to use this even without any breakouts as it respects the natural moisture barrier of the skin and there is no "squeaky" clean feeling afterwards. The price is very reasonable and the packaging is well-thought out. I would re-purchase again.
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Concealers -Bare Escentuals - Bisque
FeminineCharm 8/22/2012 3:37:00 AM
I was sceptical about this finely milled powder-like concealer but was pleasantly surprised by how it doesn't feel like make up. This covers up minor blemishes and redness very easily and blends in well with the surrounding skin. An excellent choice for evening out skin on eyelids before eye shadow. However, this does not work well for under-eye circles, mine are not overly dark -they are visible through a few applications. Leave that to your usual liquid concealer. For that, I find the asking price extremely expensive for what it is.
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Blush -Bare Escentuals - Warmth All Over Face Color
FeminineCharm 8/22/2012 3:29:00 AM
Warmth is more versatile than I first realised. Not only do I use it to apply touches of light, sun-kissed glow to my skin- it is great for gentle contouring which requires the same minuscule amount of product on my brush. I like to get multi-usage out of buys and this colour also triples as an eye shadow, again great for bronzed eyes, smoky or as a liner. The price may be off-putting for anyone browsing for a new bronzer but I think that after a year of using this, there is still two-thirds of product left in the jar and this contains no glitter or shimmer- so no scary frost fright for anyone who wants to pass off as naturally glowing. This is strictly matte but sheer. I gave the packaging 3 lipsticks even though I agree with the minimal use of packaging, this expensive powder would benefit from a deeper jar as to prevent spilling and wastage.
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Mascara -Lancome - Hypnose
FeminineCharm 5/10/2012 12:28:00 PM
I loved the packaging, unfussy, slimline and the brush was perfect for evenly coating the lashes. The mascara itself was densely black and very creamy- it coats the lashes well and the length and darkness was noticeable after only one application. There were no clumps, just even, beautiful lashes. Unfortunately, I won't be re-purchasing this again as I think the price is too much for a mascara (all of which needs to be replaced the most frequently of any product- regardless of the brand).
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Fragrances -Dolce & Gabbana - The One
FeminineCharm 5/10/2012 12:03:00 PM
Top Notes Mandarin, Peach, Bergamot, Lychee Middle Notes Jasmine, Muguet, Madonna Lily Base Notes Vanilla, Amber, Musk, Vetiver, Plum (Reference: basenotes.com) I loved the fruitiness of this scent and I'm a big fan of jasmine. This lingers on the skin to develop into a scent of expensive soap- which is very becoming and gets a lot of compliments whenever I wear it. However, it is pretty expensive and I would not wear this every day as it is a touch too strong for work/gym trips. I usually wear this for evenings out. I would consider re-purchasing if I were to run out. So far, I've had this for over two years.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Stella McCartney - Stella In Two
FeminineCharm 5/10/2012 11:50:00 AM
This is my favourite scent for every day wear. I will be re-purchasing my third bottle. I chose the Peony In Two scent after several trips to Boots' perfume counters, what attracted me to this scent in particular was the lack of "copying" from more "fashionable" scents at the time. This was the stand-out one from many. The flat, square bottle was easy to carry in my bag as it was to store on my bathroom shelf. The design with the spray and lid on the corner is very modern and easy to use. I loved the slight sweetness of peony, with the slight powdery and musky nose, without smelling too "prim". I liked the quiet of complexity in this fragrance. This is a great choice because it doesn't "wear" me. This is pretty expensive but I love it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Natio - Daily Protection Face Moisturiser SPF 15
FeminineCharm 5/10/2012 11:29:00 AM
I got this with a special holiday travel bag gift set. I have used this for a week and I love the formulation of the cream, it it easy to apply, easily absorbed and keeps my skin soft and protected all day. I usually prefer non-fragranced skincare but this aromatherapy blend was light and fresh. I usually use Neutrogena Healthy Defense- which I love and alternate with Olay Touch of Colour- which is so-so. The Natio cream is made in Australia, a better product (than Olay) and more affordable (in Australia). I love the eau-de-nil chic packaging and the no-nonsense product which I would be happy to re-purchase. Great value and a great product. This is fast becoming a staple in my skincare routine.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Great Lash Mascara
FeminineCharm 5/10/2012 11:17:00 AM
This is easily the worst mascara I have ever used. I bought the one with the curved brush in Very Black. If I could give this Zero points, I would! First of all, the brush is not very useful at distributing the mascara- the product just forms clumps on the brush. The product itself is non-existent, very flimsy and once applied onto the lashes, it has a habit of "sliding off" around my eyes. Even though, the colour is very dark, it doesn't really visibly "darken" my lashes let alone lengthen them, as it is not substantial enough to coat the lashes properly. On applying a second coat, it just starts to clump very quickly and dries to a crispy finish. This is also a complete nightmare to clean off my lashes. This is very cheap and gimmicky- I have tried other affordable brands which were very good indeed but have since been discontinued:- e.g. Collection 2000 Curl Mascara, even Boots 17 range are better by far. If you do want to invest in a Maybelline mascara- I would choose the Falsies one or XXL.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Gem Crush - Be-Jeweled
FeminineCharm 5/10/2012 11:03:00 AM
This is one of the best glitter polishes I've used on a long time. I would definitely re-purchase these colours again (Be-jewelled- lilac glitter with pink and silver; Cha-ching- red with silver). I loved the packaging and the colour and density is very true to the bottle. The application brush was rounded and flat which delivered the lacquer evenly. The price was AU$10 each, very good value for such a pigmented product. The multi-dimensional mixture of glitters stop the final look from looking "flat" and "tacky"- instead it looks fun and chic. This is definitely worth a try if like me, you are 30 and above- after two coats and a clear top coat to seal the glitter on, the result is a very dense and rich sparkle. The selection of colours were excellent- not too many and reflected the semi-precious stone theme very beautifully. Gorgeous colours and the polish have very good staying power - I've had mine on for a week and so far, so good. No chipping yet. Excellent for nail art looks, too.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -MAC - Mineralize Skinfinish Natural - Medium
FeminineCharm 3/3/2012 4:59:00 AM
This is not a product I would have given a second glance as it just looked like a dome of powder. However, after getting my make-up done professionally for a special occasion, I am convinced that this is a good setting powder for foundation and for "matting down" the skin for flawless photography. I always use this when I know there will be photo opportunities. It was compact enough to fit in my clutch bag and I only needed to lightly powder my t-zone once- and that was later on in the evening. This seems very expensive but the same compact has lasted me 18 months and the colour match is very sophisticated. I also have dry skin but Mineralize does not emphasize this at all. I noticed that it does not "cake" after hours of wear. Also, the packaging got 3 lipsticks because I think it would justify the price and convenience with a built-in mirror.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Lancome - Hydra Zen
FeminineCharm 2/19/2012 10:23:00 AM
I didn't see any calming effects but this is a very light cream that is rapidly absorbed into the skin, which I liked. There was no trace of greasiness and was comfortable to wear. The fragrance is as usual, subtly floral. However, for the price I can't justify buying another one because there is no SPF. It's a shame as I like the Lancome products that I have purchased so far. This is nothing special. I don't agree with the "Neuro-Calm" pitch- what does that even mean? ( My field is chemistry ) My skin experienced no adverse reactions but the same goes for any light lotion with no added colours or fragrances. I would not make a habit of buying this. No way.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Lancome - Tonique Douceur
FeminineCharm 2/19/2012 10:09:00 AM
I love this toner because it does not upset the natural balance of my skin (dry, sensitive) after use. This has a subtle floral smell which I adored, it seemed to clear up breakouts and respect the dehydrated areas. My skin feels supple, not squeaky clean and tight. I have gone through two bottles of this stuff, this is so good it makes the skincare routine seem less of a chore, only one cotton pad is needed- one bottle lasted me about 5 months with regular use. I never used to be an advocate of spending so much on a toner but after trying out toners by Simple, Biore, Nivea, The Body Shop, The Sanctuary Spa, Clinique, Klorane and, No. 7 -this was my favourite. This is good value as it does not end up sitting on my shelf. Yes, I would buy this again and again. Excellent formulation.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Makeup Remover -Lancome - Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Make-up Remover
FeminineCharm 2/19/2012 9:52:00 AM
I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by how much easier it was to remove my make-up. Eye shadows, liners and non-waterproof mascara slide off like a dream, without any "dragging" on my skin. This also removed long-wearing lipsticks with little effort. It's not as oily as I expected but it does leave a film of fine oil on the skin after use. This rinses off without a problem, I did not mind this as every scrap of make-up got removed. My skin had no breakouts from this product given the fragrance and "oiliness". The two-tone blue makes any bathroom look chic and I have re-purchased this three times already. Though I am paying the top price for a cleanser, the benefits outweigh the price tag.
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BB Cream -Laneige - Snow BB Cream SPF41 PA++
FeminineCharm 2/18/2012 7:11:00 AM
I'm not impressed by this BB cream from Laniege. -The colour has a strong grey tinge to it. -The blending process is not as easy as using a tinted moisturiser because it dries too quickly. -My usually dry skin felt greasy and itchy soon after applying this cream. -Though the consistency and sheer coverage was actually good, this gave me cystic acne which I have never suffered from before. -The fragrance was too strong. -The high shimmer content made this a better highlighter than base. -The cream felt like a "mask" and my skin could not breathe. -An expensive mistake. -I cannot believe there is a "Shimmery" version of this. This was sparkly enough. -The information that came with the box was misleading and I did not intend to "whiten" my complexion at all. -It's a shame that I won't be even using the rest of the tube and it's so poor quality that I won't be giving it away to friends either. -There's no way I'd buy this again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -MAC - Sheertone Shimmer - Springsheen
FeminineCharm 2/18/2012 6:55:00 AM
This shade is versatile and doubles up as an eye-shadow brilliantly. This has been one of my absolute favourite blushes, not too pink or orange and no glitter...just a beautiful gleam of golden apricot which always worked well for daily wear and various looks. I found that it perks up my complexion with minimal make-up on lips and brows- a great casual routine. I wore this daily until it ran out and am definitely repurchasing in the near future. MAC is more expensive in Australia but this blush stays on until I'm ready to remove it; the fine powder is very easy to blend and control. I adore the unique colour, before this I used Benetint religiously but I switch to this when I don't want a pink/rosy look. Judging by the cost-per-wear (and I'm finished with my first one) it is excellent value for money.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No