Styling Products -Oribe - Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil
Hollytron 5/24/2013 2:54:00 AM
This oil is the business. I used to use Moroccanoil. I used it on and off for two years and I love the way it smells and how soft it makes my hair, but always had to use care. It wouldn't weigh hair down but could. And it smoothed hair, but it didn't appear to actually help the hair. Gold Lust actually changed my hair. My hair ALWAYS had breakage and whiteness at the tips from split ends and broken ends. The Moroccanoil just helped hide the appearance of... Because now I know what actual repair looks like. It's true that I also use other Oribe hair care in conjunction, and it might be a combination, but nonetheless... It speaks volumes to the quality of Oribe haircare. I use this after cleansing my hair, on damp hair through the mid shaft to ends. Sometimes I mix one pump of this oil with their Supershine Light Moisturizing Cream, a great leave-in conditioner/blow dry lotion, if you like that type of thing. On most days I just use the oil, but the cream helps when my hair is particularly dry or damaged. On dry hair in the morning I occasionally pull just a half pump or so through the ends to smooth and cut any frizz from styling. A real hair repairing combo is this after their Signature Moisture Mask.... Whoa! Virgin-like hair! Bottom line: Oribe delivers and this really is liquid gold for the hair! PS: Smells amazing, like all of Oribe products. PPS: For reference, my hair is medium thickness, fine textured, and nearly straight; has a slight wave to it.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -Laura Mercier - Baked Blush Bronze - Ritual
Hollytron 5/9/2013 4:17:00 AM
I adore this blushed bronzer. I am typically very fair, but use sunless tanner in the summer. My skin is normal to dry, and this did not make my skin look or feel dry, wore well for hours, and is easy to sheer out or build up. Laura Mercier does bronzers well and this is my favorite of many that I've tried! It has some shimmer/glitter in it, which I love. This is not a contour bronzer, it's a blusher, and the shimmer works! It's beautiful on fair and tanned skin. Its not orange, but rather a warm bronzed brown color thats not muddied at all due to the veins of pink blush throughout. I've used many of Guerlain's, NARS, Chanel, Bobbi Brown, etc., and they are very nice, but this still takes the cake. Well played Laura Mercier, well played. I feel like this will be my go to for a long time! Only con is, as another reviewer mentioned, that the packaging is a little bulky.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Oribe - Shampoo for Beautiful Color
Hollytron 4/24/2013 4:31:00 AM
I have fallen in absolute love with Oribe products, though it started with hair styling/finishing products. I got a GENEROUS amount of samples of these shampoo/cond combo, and I have to say I am immensely impressed. My hair is fine textured, medium thickness, and was recently bleached out and dyed. It was feeling extremely dry, and I am used to my hair feeling like silk. I have always had slightly oily roots and assumed one use of this would weigh my hair down and make it SUPER oily, as most color shampoos do (as they're meant to hydrate and repair, usually). After one use, my hair transformed. It felt AMAZING! It was soft again, but fluffy and not at all oily! I've now been using this over the last week and a half and feel comfortable enough to say that I really do love it! I feel that as my hair repairs more, I might switch to a more lightweight shampoo (as it may become too heavy over time when my hair is at it's virign-like state), like the volume or ultra gentle, but one thing is certain, I will be sticking with Oribe. Never before has EVERY single styling product live up to its claims and never before have I immediately seen and been excited about the results of a shampoo/conditioner. I used to use Living Proof, Kerastase, and some Bb for styling, but Oribe has slowly taken over all of them... I'd say Kerastase was actually the biggest disappointment for price. Good products, but not great, and I expect great at that price point. Oribe is priced just under Kerastase (some products in the same price range), but DELIVERS at that price range. As an added bonus, Oribe products smell absolutely divine, and the smell stays. Nothing else smells like them, and I quite love it. It's a smell I can just associate with clean, beautiful hair.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Yves Saint Laurent - Rouge Volupte Shine
Hollytron 3/13/2013 5:11:00 PM
I have a couple of these now and I have about 5 more on my to-get list. I won't be surprised if I see myself buying them all at once! They're incredible. They are sheer, but more semi-opaque than truly sheer. They are HIGHLY comfortable, moisturizing, and smoothing, yet DO NOT bleed on me (which is awesome because this is also the case for the Rouge Volupte). They are very shiny and most importantly, stay shiny!! I have extremely sensitive lips, and can wear these without any irritation whatsoever, despite the fragrance. Whatever is used to make these smell sweet and delicious may not harm your lips, so don't be afraid right off the bat. I have atopic dermatitis that I get around my mouth/lips/cheeks occasionally, and these actually improve the condition of my lips. The first one I got was #15, which was a coral-pink. I have #8 as well, a very pretty medium pink, and am lusting after #9 a nude, #13 a bright pink, #14 a vibrant orange-coral, #6 a dark yet bright hibiscus pink, and #17 a reddened berry exclusive to Nordstrom.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Giorgio Armani - 3.R regenessence youth regenerator
Hollytron 1/25/2013 2:54:00 AM
This is one of the best department store serums I have ever had the pleasure of using. It's very expensive at $140, but if money is not an issue and you are looking for a killer anti-aging serum, this is it. The texture is super smooth and wet. The skin readily absorbs it, and it really plumps the skin. It keeps the skin looking very even and does make fine lines appear much smoother. It contains some top-notice ingredients like linseed extract (a component of linoleic acid), copper peptides (stimulate fibroblasts that build healthy collagen), proxylane (binds moisture and nurtures fibroblasts in the skin responsible for building healthy collagen). It's very balancing and really works great even for my dry skin. It also contains some other great ingredients such as vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, dill extract, vitamin c, etc. Again, the biggest issue here is the price, but one bottle should last 4-5 months. I only used at night. Word of caution: it does have fragrance. It's not a primary ingredient but I thought that you should know. It's a sort of frsh scent that's a little strange to me, but it's not intolerable on the skin.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Lippmann Collection - I'm not innocent
Hollytron 1/25/2013 12:19:00 AM
I gave it a 3. It got a 3 solely for the color and the fact that Lippmann colors are great quality. Otherwise, I am not impressed with the streaky application. It took three relatively thick layers before I achieved a passable opacity and an even look. The color in the bottle is awesome: a pale, peachy nude! I do love it, but given the option, I would not purchase again due to the streaky application! I feel a comparable color can be found without that problem. I'm very fair (MAC NC10-15, NARS Sheer Glow in Gobi, GA Luminpus Silk #2), and this actually worked ok for my skin tone. Would look much better on tanned skin, but looks super cute on my nails despite my fair coloring. I believe the peachy undertones are what make it wearable across all colors.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Yves Saint Laurent - Shocking Effet Faux Cils Eyeliner (Stylo/Pen)
Hollytron 12/8/2012 11:32:00 PM
Breath of fresh air!! This stuff is PHENOMENAL! The color, first of all, is very, VERY rich, dark black. It dries to a satin finish, which I love. It's not too shiny (and crinkly looking like UD's waterproof eyeliners), and not too matte (like some others I've tried, from GA to Revlon). I am typically a fan of a brush style tip. I apply perfect wings in seconds (I'm so modest) for an instant cat eye, thickly lined or thin, dramatic or subtle. This felt tip is longer, comes to a perfect point, and is extra flexible and extra saturated with color. It's soooooo insanely easy to use. Really has improved every makeup look since I got it. I've used so many eyeliners, too many. This had better NEVER be discontinued. It's the best on the market, HANDS DOWN!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Moroccanoil - Restorative Hair Mask
Hollytron 10/29/2012 2:59:00 AM
I regularly color my hair. It usually is a bit dry but nothing my Moroccanoil Treatment doesn't take care of. Then I bleached the ends of my already exhausted long hair for an ombre color. Oh my... So dry and damaged. So much breakage! I have been using this for almost two weeks, 3x the first week, now down to 2x. (It's now been 3 weeks of use.) Made a HUGE difference. Yes, you should use a conditioner after to add some moisture. I do not. I use the Moroccanoil Treatment after towel drying and then comb it trough with a detangling comb. My hair feels and looks SO much better its absurd. It does smell wonderful and the smell lingers. Make sure you like the smell of Moroccanoil (I love it). :) I have not used the Kpak from Joico that gets rave reviews yet because this leaves my hair looking beautiful and smelling great. I don't need to fix what ain't broke. I might try the Kpak when this runs out, just to compare, but seeing as this is a huuuuge tub, it's gonna be a while before I run out!! Will update if anything changes.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Living Proof - Full Thickening Mousse
Hollytron 10/15/2012 1:55:00 AM
My word, finally... A mousse that is truly touchable, moveable, and keeps my hair soft and frizz free... Yet still adds VOLUME! I feel like all of these mousses aimed at keeping hair moveable/soft just don't really plump the hair. This does. It smooths, volumizes, and still keeps your hair touchable. It does however, have a vinyl-pvp ingredient that could build up on hair? Regularly clarifying (which I do once a week anyhow) should keep it from building up if at all. I will update though if this is problematic. I only use it sometimes anyway, since I mostly wash my hair in the evenings and don't need to volumize my hair before laying on it for the night. But when I have time in the AM, I dampen my hair with a spray bottle of water and blow dry some volume into. Use this mousse to get that volume!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Moroccanoil - Luminous Hairspray
Hollytron 10/10/2012 10:24:00 PM
I used to use Bb Spray de Mode, but it was costly, and the smell drove me nuts. Still, it was a decent hold. It did however, lack shine. I explored this hairspray after having wild success with the Hair Treatment, and I really love it. I would like to first point out that I purchased the Strong Hold version, and cannot imagine anything lighter than this, because it is light-medium! Ok. Now that we've established that: Gives a good amount of flexible hold and texture, without being crunchy or sticky, AT ALL! I lightly and evenly spray a large section of hair before styling and my style lasts into the next day (with the help of a great styling tool as well, my new ghd, but that's another story). It adds an excellent amount of shine! (Likely, due to argan oil and dimethicone?) it's challenging to use too much, and plumps my hair up a bit. Smells pretty darned strong of Moroccanoil Hair Treatment, which I love, but just something you might want to take note of. In order not to be TOO smelly, I tend to use just what I need, rather than load it up. But again, challenging to use too much. Will buy again, though I am still exploring other kinds of brands for hold for days when I might need it. :) Ty it, and try the Strong Hold! The 4 is because the smell is a little too strong, and the hold is not really strong, so it's a little misleading.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Matrix - Biolage - Cooling Mint Shampoo
Hollytron 9/22/2012 3:39:00 AM
Not impressed. No cooling or clarifying sensation to my oily scalp. Did not compare even to my regular shampoo in regards to oil control and smelled RANK! I will note that it was at least detangling. But, it also was too moisturizing to do anything for my oiliness. I did not even use conditioner after this, and just used Moroccanoil through my ends (as usual) before blow drying. I still can't get over the smell. It makes me sick to my stomach.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Hanae Mori - Hanae Mori Butterfly EDP
Hollytron 5/21/2012 1:26:00 AM
I'm not sure why I haven't reviewed this yet, since I have been wearing it faithfully for about 2 years now. I usually wear it in autumn and winter actually, because it's very seductively sweet. On my skin, I pick up on a vanilla almond scent heavily. As it dries down, the vanilla scent remains strong, but with a slightly lighter note, that feels like strawberry, though it's not so strong of a strawberry scent that you'd know it if it wasn't noted on the website. It wears for hours, the longest I've worn it and still able to smell it is about 6 hours. I usually use 2-3 sprays and it's all I need. I encourage you to try it on the skin and let it dry down for a few minutes because it does smell rather potent in the bottle. A friend of mine did not like the smell in the bottle. She hugged me one day and said I smelled amazing! When I told her it was Hanae Mori Butterfly, she couldn't believe how much she liked it on me!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Goldwell - Soft Color Foam Colorant
Hollytron 1/10/2012 5:11:00 AM
Oh Jesus-Hairy-Christ this stuff is SO GOOD! I have red hair. Vibrant 6RO red hair (think of the color of a brilliant red glass of wine). When it fades, it's kinda a drag. I debated leaving it, since the up-keep was so expensive and it faded so quickly! This really brings back a brilliant, vibrant red color. I bought it in 6R (Mahogany) per recommendation of my stylist, and I could cry I am so happy. This was $15 for the bottle and I believe it will last me 3-4 applications (I have long hair). This is absolutely a-ok too, because I've used it every other week, except for a week when I go to the salon for a full touch up, which I do once every 2-3 months, depending on root re-growth and how much my color has faded. Since using this, it'll be closer to the 3 month mark. When I use this, my color looks as fresh, vibrant, and shiny as when I leave the salon. It lasts a few washes. I should do it every week, but every other week is just fine so far. The fading is not so bad. With this stuff, I can wash my hair daily (if I want) and still have the red hair that I love so much. To use, I usually wash my hair, hop out of the shower, wear gloves, apply, and leave on for 15 minutes. During that 15 minutes I usually will groom (pluck my brows, clip or file nails, etc.). Red heads: You will LOVE this stuff. Thank you, Goldwell, for making toning an easy things to do at home, and thank you for an effective product!! Love it!!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Prada - Candy EDP
Hollytron 11/2/2011 4:49:00 AM
Smells really yummy in the bottle. On, however? It smelled like stale baked goods in an old lady's house. The staying power seemed to be fantastic. Two sprays and that was enough. I will give it credit for that! That is about the only good thing that I can say about it though.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Poppy by Coach
Hollytron 11/2/2011 4:42:00 AM
I have been obsessed with this fragrance as of late, and it has become my signature scent. I received the 1.7 for my birthday, and fell in love. About half way through the bottle, I went out and purchased the 3.4 in a gift set that had a fragrance pencil. Anyway, I get compliments on this more than any other perfume I have ever worn. This perfume is sweet, but not so that it induces a stomach ache or make you hungry (aka make you think of food; not a fan of those fragrances). The floral notes take the sweetness off just enough for it to be youthful, sweet, but not immature. It's complex, it's pretty, and I adore it. It's a great spring/summer fragrance. I do tend to switch it up a little bit in the fall/winter. I will be reaching for Poppy Flower next, as I have read some great things about it (less sweet, more floral, but very light and fresh). As with any perfume, WEAR it first. Some perfumes that have smelled amazing in the bottle have smelled awful on me (Daisy Eau So Fresh, Prada Candy).
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No