Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous Naturale
Gitte 2/16/2013 6:19:00 PM
OK, so I read on the blog "Girls of a Certain Age" (by the former editor of Lucky magazine) that this was one of her favorite inexpensive products. Well, actually she was talking about the "regular" Voluminous mascara, but when I got to CVS, this one was on sale. So I figured, what the heck, I'd give it a try. There was one left, in brown, so I bought it. Now I am picky about mascara, and have not bought a "cheap" one for a while. But this mascara is AWESOME. No clumps, goes on easily and really pretty, and lasts all day without flaking or smearing if I happen to rub my eyes. I've been using it for about a month now, and it's still nice in the tube and on the brush. This just may become my new go-to mascara.
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Mascara -Laura Mercier - Mascara
Gitte 2/2/2013 11:28:00 AM
Last fall, I read reviews on some other blogs about a new product, Laura Mercier "Faux Lash" Mascara. They were pretty favorable, and I love mascara, so I thought it might be worth a try. I don't use a lot of Laura Mercier products, but have generally been happy with any I have tried. So I plunked down the $24.00 at a local Nordstrom to give it a try. I would say for the first month, this mascara was lovely. It not only was easy to use, but a little bit went a long way, and it did make my lashes look nice and full, without looking like I had put fuzzy spiders over my eyes. I was pretty pleased. But as time went on, it kept getting thicker in the tube, and when I'd pull the applicator out of the tube, the brush would have clumps on it. Big ones. And they were hard to get rid of, before or after I'd put on the mascara. I am a conscientious consumer with my makeup, always being sure to close caps securely, etc., so it wasn't a case of it changing texture and formula due to my carelessness. I had such high hopes and after about six weeks, just gave up. I am willing to accept that at the end of a life span (~3 months for mascara), a product might be different, since it's been used so frequently, and you may be near the end of the tube. But for the price, I thought this product was not worth it. I may consider trying it again sometime, in case they fool with the formula, but I can guarantee it won't be anytime soon. As much as I wanted to like this, I have to give it a big thumbs down.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Paint Pot in Painterly
Gitte 8/27/2012 6:52:00 PM
This is one of the few MAC products I have ever purchased that I would be unwilling to give up. It is just right for my eyelids, stays on without creasing, and makes my eyeshadows not crease as well! I had bought some Laura Mercier product that was similar, because I was not near a MAC counter - but I returned that and went out of my way to find this. I often wear it just on its own, as it evens out my red-toned eyelids. This is worth every single penny - not only does it work well, but it lasts a long time.
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Moisturizers -Kate Somerville - Goat Milk Cream
Gitte 8/27/2012 6:47:00 PM
I tried this after a salesperson at a Neiman Marcus Giorgio Armani counter suggested it to me after I mentioned that I have rosacea. I am in love with this stuff! First of all, it goes on so nicely, one pump on the top is plenty for my face. It's nice and gentle, it has no discernable fragrance, and it makes my skin feel good. It was slightly pricey for me at least, but I think it will be worth the $$, since it doesn't take a lot to cover my face, and the packaging seems particularly efficient. Time will tell with these factors.
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BB Cream -Maybelline - Dream Fresh 8-in-1 BB Cream
Gitte 8/27/2012 6:39:00 PM
So, I had tried the Boscia BB cream over the winter and really liked it. But I was trying to save some dollars, and decided to give this one a try for the summer. Overall, I was very pleased. It's not heavy, and left my skin looking pretty even overall (I have rosacea, freckles, and large pores), which was nice, particulary in the humid summer weather. I don't know that it "improved" my skin, but it felt nice and I was pretty happy with it. I think it is definitely OK, but I'm not 100% sure I would go out of my way to buy it. I think I'd like to try some others before making a final decision.
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Tinted Moisturizer -NARS - Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer
Gitte 6/17/2012 6:24:00 PM
I anxiously waited for this to be available so I could try it. I was so disappointed! I finally found it at Nordstrom's, and really, truly tried to give it a fair shot. But regardless what I did, I was not able to control the amount that came out of the tube - I always ended up with way too much! And it's not cheap enough to waste, as far as I'm concerned. It looked nice enough once I'd put it on, but as the day progressed, it would settle into lines on my face (and yes, I'd used primer). I have to admit that I was underwhelmed. Didn't really like the consistency, and felt it was money wasted overall. I like to wear tinted moisturizer in the really hot weather, rather than foundation, but this won't be the one I choose.
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Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow New Look Mascara
Gitte 4/21/2012 7:11:00 AM
Sigh. I really had high hopes for this mascara, as I love the regular Diorshow. And it was great at first, but then the clumping started. Now even if I just add a teeny bit to my lashes, I have to spend way too much time with a mascara brush, attempting to separate the clumps. I know that sometime improper storage can cause problems, but mascara is one thing I am especially conscientious about, as I have had serious problems before with mascaras when I haven't closed the top tightly, etc. So I really don't think that I'm doing anything wrong in that department. As much as I wanted to like this mascara, it's a no-go for me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Boscia - Enlivening Amino-AG Eye Treatment
Gitte 7/31/2011 8:36:00 AM
LOVE this product! You only need a little speck, but it does the trick, and absorbs into even sweaty skin. Not greasy, and so smooth that you do not pull on the delicate eye area to put it on. I think this will be a real winner on my price-per-use list.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Boscia - Boscia B.B. Cream SPF 27 PA++
Gitte 7/31/2011 8:34:00 AM
I wanted to try one of these products, reading that they moisturized, evened-out skin tone, had anti-aging qualities - heck, everything but doing laundry! I headed to Sephora to see what was in stock, and the Boscia was the one that seemed like it would be up my alley, and the price was not as high as the others. I have now been using this for about 6 weeks, not everday but probably 3 times a week on average. LOVE IT! It evens out my skin tone, without looking suspicious, and the thing I love the most is that it stays put, even when you are sweating. And trust me, I sweat, big time! It's a little bit weird consistency, but provides really lovely coverage, in my opinion. I have even worn it a few times instead of foundation, and been pleased with how it looks and the staying power. I think it will be a good product for the price, but until I finish the tube, I won't be able to get an idea of how it stacks up exactly. I'm thinking it will get a very favorable spot in my good-price-per-use calculations.
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Moisturizers -Neutrogena - Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 30
Gitte 7/31/2011 8:25:00 AM
I tried this because I wanted a sunscreen that could be worn under makeup without being too greasy. I have had good luck with other Neutrogena products, and it was on sale at CVS, so I decided to give it a try. Overall, it was fine. Nice texture, only slightly greasy feeling, but absorbed quickly so my face didn't feel like an oil slick. Why did I only give it a rating of three? There just isn't enough to make it worth the price, even on sale. After just a few weeks, the tube was empty. Which was frustrating because I was only using it on my face, and often a huge amount would come out of the tube. I tried being as careful as possible, but it was just too frustrating. If this came in a larger size, and it was easier to control how much came out of the tube, it would be one of my favorite products. But because it was gone so quickly, I think it is too expensive in the end.
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Lipstick -Chanel - Rouge Coco - Gardenia
Gitte 6/5/2011 7:38:00 PM
I wanted to try the Rouge Coco lipsticks, and a very helpful salesperson at Macy's suggested this color. I LOVE the color, it is perfect for me (light skin, rosacea pinkness)! It also stays on nicely, and feels nice on my lips. This is a keeper as far as I'm concerned.
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Treatments (Eye) -Philosophy - Eye Hope Advanced Anti-Aging Eye Cream
Gitte 6/5/2011 7:35:00 PM
Unimpressed. I didn't experience the stinging that others have, but this just does nothing for me. It's not completely terrible, just doesn't seem to be doing anything especially noticeable. Too bad, 'cause the price was not terribly expensive, and I liked the fact that you don't need to use a lot at one time. Time to look for something else ...
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Moisturizers -Philosophy - Hope in a Jar SPF 20
Gitte 4/22/2011 6:38:00 PM
I decided to try this the last time I needed moisturizer. I have been using Philosophy Help Me once a week (I have rosacea and sensitive skin), and thought it was worth a try. The price also seemed reasonable, especially since it had an SPF of 20. I bought the version in a tube. By now it's nearly gone, so yes, I did like it well enough to keep using it. It is creamy without being greasy - a little bit goes a long way, and absorbs into your skin quickly. There is very little scent (something that really turned me off in another Philosophy skin product). My skin is fine, which is saying something, especially since the past few months have been extremely stressful in my life ... my skin does not necessarily show that. Right now, it's not my favorite moisturizer ever. But there's a pretty good chance I would buy it again sometime. I like it overall, it just didn't "change my life" so to speak. But maybe I don't need that anyway ...
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast
Gitte 3/24/2011 6:43:00 PM
I have been using DiorShow mascara for a few years, but recently when I purchased a new one and started using it, I found that it was extremely clumpy. I decided to look around for something new. Ideally, I would like a mascara that is plum or navy blue, but brown - as long as it is actually brown - is OK too. I read some reviews of this mascara in magazines like Allure and Self, and decided to try it. I've been using it now for 2 weeks, and so far, so good. It is not clumpy, but still makes my eyelashes stand out and look extra long and dramatic. I would say that for me at least, it's a drug store version of my old Dior Show fave. My biggest wish is that Cover Girl was a cruelty-free company. I'd be more inclined to buy this again and also try some of their other products.
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Moisturizers -Olay - Regenerist UV Defense Regenerating Lotion SPF 50
Gitte 12/30/2010 3:12:00 PM
After seeing ads for this line, and finding that it had an SPF 50, I decided it was worth a try. The pluses: Not overly expensive (I got mine on sale at CVS); nice enough consistency; high SPF The minuses: Packaging (just give me the item or put it in a box to recycle!); had to use more than I expected just to get good coverage on my face; as a result, the product is almost gone after a month and a half; and now I can barely use it, because the pump is situated where it will not grab any more product, so I have to open, shake the bottle, and the replace the top every single time. Not worth it for me. I'm gonna look for something else to try. I also bought the serum, which I don't use as often, but I suspect this will become the same story in time with that product.
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