Tinted Moisturizer -Laura Mercier - Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20
Honeywell66 4/5/2012 1:09:00 PM
I've repurchased this three times; I'm not sure why I haven't reviewed it yet. Anyway, I like this on lazy days when I still want to wear a bit of makeup. I just smear on a dime-size amount like a regular moisturizer, then finish with a beauty blender. The only negative is that if my skin is having a dry day, it drinks this stuff up, leaving no coverage behind. On those days I now mix the TM with a bit of primer; seems to help. The coverage is light and buildable up to a point. The texture is, IME, velvety or dewy (depending on the weather). I have facial redness in my cheeks, and this product covers it just enough. I wear the Nude shade and its a good match. For reference, I wear MUFE F&B in 20. Not sure of my Mack shade, but I'd guess NC/NW 20. Neutral leaning toward cool. I tried the new Nars TM recently, thinking it might be better than this one. Nope. I'll stick with Laura.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Foundation
Honeywell66 3/22/2012 6:29:00 PM
High Def? Hmmm... I think someone was def. high when they formulated this stuff. It's dry. It's chalky. It's hard to blend. The colors were off. It appears to sit above my skin, rather then blend with it. Like a mask of bad coverage hovering just above my face. I have small pores, and this garbage made them appear HUGE. I returned this stuff exchanged for MUFE F&B. Heavenly.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Make Up For Ever - Face & Body Foundation 
Honeywell66 3/22/2012 5:14:00 PM
Wow. I love this soooo much. It's light and sheer (yet buildable) and feels like nothing on my skin. I have normal to dry, rather sensitive skin and I have NO issues with this. It gives a very natural look and a lovely finish. You barely need any to get decent tinted-moisturizer-like coverage. A little more adds better coverage and more polish. I wear shade 20, and it's the first almost perfect match I've had in a long time. Not too pink, not too yellow. Just a nice, neutral beige. I apply with fingers then tap with a damp beauty blender for a soft finish. When I wear this, people tell me I have great skin--they don't ever ask which foundation I use. I have pretty good skin to start, but this makes it super duper.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Bare Escentuals - Azure
Honeywell66 3/7/2012 2:40:00 PM
Gorgeous teal/turquoise blue color, but this one was a bit too glittery for my taste. I ordered online and was hoping for more of a subtle shimmer. The color is lovely, though, and buildable. I'm returning due to the glitter, but all in all, a nice shadow for someone looking for sparkle.
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Top/Base Coats -Seche Vite - Dry Fast Top Coat
Honeywell66 3/2/2012 7:52:00 PM
It pees off in sheets, if it doesn't do this, it chips within 24 hours. It shrinks. Dries very fast, so good if you need to get out the door and only need your nails to look good through dinner.
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Sunscreen -La Roche Posay - Anthelios 50 Mineral Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid
Honeywell66 6/9/2011 11:44:00 AM
Like many others, I've long been on a quest to find a sunscreen that doesn't make my skin actually look worse while wearing it. Making matters more difficult, my skin is on the dryish side, sensitive, reactive and prone to redness. I also have two small areas of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. I would love a high PPD euro sunscreen, but most with avo burn my skin, leaving it red, blotchy and irritated. This is my plight. So, I was eager to try LRP's latest all-mineral sunscreen. The first thing I noted when I received the bottle was its size. It's very, very wee. You pay a lot for what you get. (Amazon was selling for only $22, but still...) The formula is very thin and lightweight. I squeezed out what I thought looked like 1/4 teaspoon, but when I measured it, it was quite a bit more--almost 3/4 teaspoon. It's runny stuff, which makes it nice and light on the skin (refreshing since most mineral sunscreens wear like craft glue). The texture is A LOT like the Neutrogena Pure & Free mineral liquid, but without the alcohol sting and smell. I felt no warmth or burning upon application. (I get happy when sunscreens don't hurt). When I remove it at night (oil cleanser or OCM), my skin does not look or feel irritated. :0) I don't know how this SS would work for people with severe sensitivities or rosacea, but it did not redden my usually sensitive skin. This formula is whitening at first, but that dissipates quickly after it sinks in. It dries to a nice, matte finish. "Nice" meaning it doesn't leave me looking chalky or feeling dry. IME, it wears very well under tinted moisturizer and light foundation. I've worn this for a few days of incidental exposure and for one three-hour stretch at a little-league game. I didn't burn or get any color. Still, I don't know how well this protects against the full range if UVA rays since it's a titanium dioxide formula sans zinc. I've emailed LRP and asked this product's PPD, but haven't gotten a response. In sum... Pros: Nice finish. Doesn't hurt. Wears well under makeup. Seems protective enough, though I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing this to the beach. Cons: Price and size. Unknown PPD. Titanium dioxide-only formula. I'll probably buy this again (with discounts), but only for incidental exposure. Unless LRP responds to me and explains how they get full-spectrum UVAcoverage with a titanium dioxide formula.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -Cover Girl - Outlast Lipstain - 425 Plum Pout
Honeywell66 5/9/2011 1:10:00 AM
I expected to hate this but did not. For me, this color is a MLBB. I line my lips with it, fill them in and let it set. Then I wipe the color off as much as I can. It leaves behind the perfect amount of color for a natural, healthy look. I add a little gloss, and the color stays for a few hours. I love it when I expect to hate something and then don't. It makes me feel so much better about the crap I spend too much money on and never use.
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Moisturizers -NIA 24 - Skin Strengthening Complex
Honeywell66 4/26/2011 6:19:00 PM
I've been using this for about two weeks after using skincareman's niacinamide toner for a bit. Tried a four-day sample of the Nia 24 and had to buy it. My skin is normal (leaning toward dry), acne- and clog-free and very smooth. I've developed redness and reactivity over the past year or so, and have an area of pigmentation on my forehead left from a crazy Doctor Quackenstein who used a pixel laser on a childhood scar. So far, niacinamide is the *only* thing that helps calm my redness. It helps prevent and repair sun damage, lightens pigmentation and also helps repair the skin's barrier function. I'm certain my overuse of peels, retinoids and high PPD chemical sunscreens has weakened my skin over the years, and this product seems to be calming my skin and making it stronger. When I first used niacinamide (in the aforementioned toner), my skin got a red flush at first, which is normal for a niacinamide product. It quickly subsides, and leaves my skin looking much, much better. :o) I like the consistency of the lotion; I find it hydrating enough that I don't need an additional moisturizer most of the time. I'll keep using this and update my review in a few weeks.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Avene - Avene Emulsion SPF 20 (2007 formulation)
Honeywell66 4/5/2011 12:09:00 AM
An Open Letter to the Ghost of Avene Emulsion, Circa 2007: Dear Avene Emulsion, I loved you so much. I miss you with equal passion. Your avo-laced offspring hurts muh face. Ouch. Adieu, mon ami. Adieu.
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Treatments (Eye) -Unlisted Brand - Latisse Lash Growth Drops
Honeywell66 4/4/2011 2:53:00 PM
Latisse is like MAGIC SUGAR FAIRY UNICORN CHOCOLATE LOVE. I used the Jane Iredale stuff a few years ago, back when it had the same active ingredient as Latisse, and it worked well. I didn't feel like paying for Latisse, so I tried RevitaLash for a few months. It worked, too, though not as much. It seemed to condition my lashes which helped them grow. I've been using Latisse for about 2.5 weeks, and my lashes are noticeably LONGER, and I can see they are getting thicker and darker at the base. I can't wait to see how they'll look in a few weeks. My SO even noticed how luscious my lashes look. He didn't use the word "luscious," but when he pointed at my eyes, grunted and said, "Cool," I totally knew that's what he meant. The brushes that come with the kit are big, fat cheap ones—made from the same brush fibers as the brushes in kids' watercolor sets. Hard, plastic and not pliable. Yuck. Eww. And wasteful. One brush for each eye every night? That's crazy. The brushes also absorb SO MUCH product. I swear they do this sh** on purpose so we'll have to buy more sooner. I bought an eyeliner brush at Sephora and I use that. I clean it with antibacterial soap every night. No problems. I only need one drop for both eyes, and end up with a little left to put on the outer tail of my brows, which is thinner than I'd like. Those areas are starting to get little hairs now. Now if I could only find the perfect soft, fluffy thickening mascara, my eyelash world would be complete. EDIT: I stopped using this after a few months because my mom uses the same solution in drop form in one of her eyes for glaucoma. That eye looks much droopier than the other. I thought "maybe" this is just part of the glaucoma, still I got nervous. And TODAY (3/21/12) there are posts all over the boards about Latisse causing drooping and loss of facial fat!!!!! Aaaarrrgh! So scary. Dodged a bullet!!!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Neosporin - Lip Health Daily Hydration Therapy Suncreen SPF 20
Honeywell66 4/4/2011 12:25:00 PM
Yay for the sunscreen in this product! Yipee for the way it makes lips soft (really!) and smooth! Great big EWW for the texture. Maybe I'm the only one, but this product turns kinda grainy after I wear it for a few minutes. It's as if the sunscreen starts to ball up on my lips the way Euro sunscreen can ball up in your face. I'm going to try the night one and see if it's better.
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Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Pure & Free Liquid Daily Sunblock, SPF 50
Honeywell66 4/4/2011 12:13:00 PM
If I invested the money I spend on sunscreens into a nice mutual fund, I'd be LOADED by the time I retire. But instead, I keep looking for the next best sunblock. I might be eating cat food in my old age, but my skin will be perfect, plump. Juicy and well preserved. Nary a wrinkle or spot to be found. Ya... OK, so I've only used this three times; I'll update after a couple weeks... I have normal to dry, sensitive skin (starting to think I might be developing rosacea). Applying 1/4 tsp. leaves a white cast on me (I have a fair to light medium skintone). It gets a little bit better after it sits for awhile, but not too much better. That said, the finish is quite nice—not overly drying or greasy for me. Actually serves as a nice primer for tinted moisturizer or other makeup. This stings a bit after I apply it. Not an, "Oh my GAWD! GET it OFF! GET it OFF!" kind of sting, just a subtle warmth that makes me aware I have something on my face. It's enough of a sting to harsh my sunscreen "mellow," if you know what I mean, but not enough to banish the product under the sink or in the trash. So far, this is pretty meh. I'll update soon! UPDATE 4/28/2011: For me, this is a tad drying. Too much alcohol for my skin. I might use this after moisturizing on certain days when I'm wearing makeup, because it really does make a nice primer.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Avene - Diroseal
Honeywell66 3/28/2011 11:12:00 PM
Wanted to love this. :o( Within 5 seconds of my first application, my skin turned bright, angry BEET red, as if I'd just had a TCA peel or some such. I washed it off, and the redness subsided pretty quickly, but the following day I had an oh-so-charming and super sexy rash on my cheeks and chin. Come and get it, boys! I've used Retin A in the past without issues, but over the past few years my skin has gotten more sensitive. I used Avene Eluage with no reactions aside from slight redness, but was looking for something with less fragrance that would also counter redness. I thought Diroseal would do these things for me. But no. It gets three stars because my skin was part of the problem: It's picky and temperamental and choosy (just like mama).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -L'Oreal - Liss Ultime Reflexium Shine Perfecting Serum
Honeywell66 3/28/2011 10:31:00 PM
This product is part of L'Oreal Professionnel's Texture Expert styling line—a line I really like a LOT. This serum in particular has been a favorite as of late. It smooths and controls the hair without making it limp. A lot of serums smooth the hair but leave it lifeless and flat and sad. :o( Liss Ultime Reflexium has an almost-watery texture; I think this enables it to penetrate and smooth the hair without weighing it down. There are other products in the Liss Ultime line that I love, but none as much as this one.
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Cleansers -Olay - Gentle Foaming Face Wash w/ Aloe (Sensitive-Skin)
Honeywell66 3/28/2011 10:23:00 PM
This is a fairly thorough, non-drying cleanser. Works really well and causes no redness or irritation, which is great for my sensitive-ish skin. It's not stellar at removing all traces of Euro sunscreen with one wash, but two does the trick. The tube is a bit annoying; it's hard to squeeze out the product—especially in the winter when the ambient temperature in my bathroom before the heat kicks on is about 52 degrees. But all in all, I really love this cleanser. And it's so CHEAP!
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