Treatments -Phyto - Phyto 9
JadziaDAx 8/4/2009 4:48:00 PM
Wonderful product! I was using a Garnier Fructis styling milk before, but when I tried Phyto 9, I saw a clear difference. Phyto 9 left my hair much, much softer and somewhat smoother than the Garnier. my hair also became less greasy over time with Phyto 9, which is important for me. I did not observe a significant difference in shine or moisture. A few comments: only a tiny drop is needed of this product for most hair. Think dime, not quarter. While I do not know whether plain Macadania oil is better than this, I find the portions of this cream easier to control. When I used oils in my hair in the past, I found it very difficult to leave enough oil to have an effect, but not so much that my hair does not turn greasy. Overall, I would recommend this product.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -Artdeco - Eyeshadow Base
JadziaDAx 8/4/2009 4:42:00 PM
I lived in Paris for two months this summer, so, as a true MUA, I of course bought one of these suckers. While I'm not horribly disapointed by it, I do see that it is clearly worse than UDPP. As a test, I one on my right eye and the other on the left one, and the UDPP side outperformed in these ways: 1). Art Deco primed eyeshadow began fading within an hour, while UDPP primed shadow only in 3-5 hours, 2). Both eyeshadow sides creased, but the UDPP creasing was more subtle because the rest of the shadow was still present, 3). UDPP side eyeliner stayed on until evening, but disappeared on the Art Deco sided. Art Deco outperformed UDPP in these ways: 1). Art Deco side allowed shadow to be blended more easily than UDPP side, which that time left a slightly hard edge, 2). UDPP side retained make-up better, but as the result, the remaining shadow mixed with my skin's oils and smudged around my eye, whereas Art Deco side faded cleanly, 3). Art Deco primed eyeshadow was more vibrant and looked more the way it does in the pan than the UDPP side. The last point can be taken as a positiv or a negative; for someone who is used to UDPP, the more vibrant color is not the shade I've grown to love. For reference, I have oily skin and I used a matte eyeshadow and liquid eyeliner. Overall, this is a good, but IMO not the best primer. The Art Deco primer retails for around 9 euros, comes in scented and unscented versions, and is exclusive at the Galleries Lafayette in France.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -La Roche Posay - Effaclar K
JadziaDAx 8/4/2009 4:27:00 PM
I bought this cream while in Europe because I ran out of my beloved (and dearly missed) Retin-A. Effeclar K did nothing to prevent me from breaking out all over again or from developing blackheads and uneveness in tone. However, I maintained relatively smooth skin otherwise, though I have no idea if that is due to this product. All of this is to say that Effeclar K is worse than Retin-A and I don't know but suspect that it is not particularly better than regular moisturizer. As with all noncontrolled skin experiments, this review should be taken with a grain of salt.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Serge Lutens - Santal Blanc
JadziaDAx 8/4/2009 4:21:00 PM
This is a very enjoyable, pleasant scent on paper. I can smell the sandalwood, and it is light and woodsy and accompanied by Lutens' typical (and overrated, in my opinion) sweet syrup smell. I was considering buying it for a while before I realized that, first, it does not last more than a few hours on me, and second, once it actually hits my skin, it becomes sadly unremarkable and, dare I say, generic in its light sweetness plus a bit of wood and spice. This fragrance does absolutely nothing to me. I gave it four stars, nevertheless, because the other reviews make this seem horrific. I really don't think it is; it *could* be loved by someone, as it has pleasant qualities, but it is not for me personally.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Milani - Wild Violets Quad
JadziaDAx 3/13/2009 5:07:00 PM
This quad has great colors in it, which apply nicely on the eyes, but it has one crucial flaw, and that is a lack of staying power. The colors are a very pale lavender, a bright pink purple with a blue purple duochrome effect, a simple medium purple, and a dark burgundy. All of them have fine gold shimmer (quite moderate) and have excellent, strong pigment. In addition, the colors blend together very well. However, the staying power of these is horrible. I wasn't even done applying all of the shades before I noticed some fading, and this is over UDPP. In only a couple of hours, it looked like I never applied any shadow at all. Conclusion: 1). Buy the single of Shock, which is the bright duochrome color, as it lasts longer than the quad, 2). Don't buy this quad unless you want to experiment with purples before buying better quality shadows. Speaking of better quality, some suggestions I can think of are Jordana loose shadow, which is a great, bright, pigmented, and better lasting purple, Wet&Wild Paradise Cove palette, which has some great purples in both the blue and the red range (note: none are the same medium purples as here), and L'oreal HIP in Charisma and one other duo that have very similar shades as these, but better staying power (though worse blendability). Hope this helps!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -L'Oreal - HIP Jelly Balm [DISCONTINUED]
JadziaDAx 3/13/2009 4:54:00 PM
These are awesome balms! I own these in the red color, called Delectable, and the dark berry color, Luscious. Delectable is very nice for everyday use, as it's sheer enough to not be "too much" for casual wear. I have pale skin, and in my experience, pale cool skins need some rosiness on the lips to look healthy and fresh. I've very rarely seen nude colors look good on pale cool people. The cherry balm gives my pigmented lips an "I've been drinking delicious cranberry juice" look, but with lots and lots of shine. The shine is really what sells this balm, as it is not sticky or heavy but looks shiny and succulent on the lips. Luscious, the dark berry color, I bought for use during winter holidays and evening events, because it is *very* elegant looking. I have never looked as sophisticated as when I wore this color on Christmas. Gorgeous! Aside from th awesome colors and shine, this balm rocks because, 1).it moisturizes well, 2). It covers and smoothes already chapped lips, making them *look* like they have never, ever been neglected, and 3). It lasts a good time for a lipbalm. The only minus I can think of is that the texture is somewhat sticky, so it isn't great for loose hair. Overall, highly recommended!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Urban Decay - Heist
JadziaDAx 1/5/2009 4:36:00 PM
Amazing, amazing HG eyeshadow! I've been interested in UD shadows for a while now, as I kept hearing how great they were. Additionally, whenever I swatched them in store, they always glided on the way I envision all shadow should glide on; the texture is less hard/dry than MAC, less soft and crumbly than Stila, more pigmented than Bobbi Brown. The matte shades feel like the finest velvet. In short, amazing. However, I am a matte neutral type of wearer, and I had no use for most of the colors UD had. That is, until I saw Heist. Heist is a very unique shade. It's an even mix of gray and lavender-type purple, and you can see both of those whenever you look at Heist. That being said, the description hardly does the shade justice, as Heist is not the super-cool shadow you'd expect when hearing lavender and grey together, but rather it is almost perfectly neutral. For me, it replaced MAC French Grey as my everyday shadow, as it is exactly as versatile and flattering as any taupe. One of its best uses is as a crease shade for lighter greys on the lid, as it compliments them but still brings that neutralness to the eye. To sum up, UD has the best shadows, its mattes are velvety, pigmented, and "just right," and Heist is a shade of "great-as-a-taupe-but-not-taupe" genius.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -L'Oreal - Color Riche Star Secret Aishwarya Beige
JadziaDAx 12/14/2008 3:09:00 PM
This is not a good color for pale people. The entire point of a nude lipstick is to be "natural" by blending into the skin. This one is much too brown to not clash with pale skin, regardless of whether it has yellow or pink undertones. I don't doubt though, that it could look great on medium or even dark skintones, depending on what look you're going for. The texture of the lipstick is smooth and soft and sort of moist; the effect on lips is slightly sheeny. It was a bit drying on me, though.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - Beyond Natural Skin Matching Makeup SPF 15
JadziaDAx 10/9/2008 12:56:00 PM
This is very nice. Ever since my skin stopped breaking out (so... a month ago), I've been using this for its light coverage and long-lasting powers. It provides enough coverage to even everything out, cover up pores, and hide small variances in skin color and texture, which I have from faded acne scars, but not enough to hide actual acne scars (even small ones). It leaves behind a smooth, even canvass, but it doesn't feel heavy or noticeable on the skin. My face ends up looking brighter and clearer with this foundation. As I said before, it also lasts a long time on the skin. As to the skin-matching "magic," I'd say it works fairly well, though not without occasional mistakes. Several times, the liquid, either from too much rubbing or from heat or from something, turned a darker color than my skin while I was applying it. This was remedied by spreading it a bit more, but the fact remains that I ended up with a small patch where it looked like I used liquid bronzer. This isn't really a problem, because it works fine/well 98% of the time, but it's worth mentioning. The oil control powers are average; dry patches are not accentuated; and the application process is easy and hygienic. Recommended overall. EDIT: I've not been using this for 6 months, and, amazingly, I'm still on the first bottle! This really remedies my concerns about the price. As previously, I'm impressed with this foundation's ability to even out the skin tone while feeling light and looking like natural skin.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Jane - Be Pure Mineral Lip Balm
JadziaDAx 8/20/2008 7:55:00 PM
Love these! New HG type of love, too. I used to be addicted to Burt's Bees honey balms, but after using Jane, BB seems so much more dry and waxy. In comparison to these, BB doesn't go on smoothly and doesn't really feel like it moisturizes, just that it coats and protects. That may be good against hard winter winds, but not so great for basic dryness. Jane balms feel very smooth and buttery, they smell delicious, and they glide on beautifully to give a nice shine to lips. An additional plus is that they hide the lines on my lips, giving them a young, healthy succulent look. The slippery quality means that the balms are not super long lasting, but still remain on for a respectable amount of time. As everyone else said, the tube is nicely elegant: all silver with black logo (which, BTW, doesn't rub off!). The color I got is Pink Garnet, which is along the lines of a very purplish medium pink, and while it's not the most flattering color, it goes on quite sheerly. Overall, these are highly reccomended. EDIT: I actually came to really like Pink Garnet. It's bright in a nice way and makes me look very alive.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Retin A
JadziaDAx 8/16/2008 1:38:00 PM
This review is for Avene Diacneal users. I used Diacneal for 6 months before a doctor convinced me to try Retin A (0.025%, generic). I experienced fairly good results with Diacneal, which smoothed my skin texture and evened the tone a bit, but those results are nothing compared to what I got with Retin A. Within *weeks*, I experienced way smoother skin, reduced redness, and faded acne marks. The rough texture I had left over from years of acne smoothed out within one month in all areas except my forehead (BTW, my pores haven't been "erased" yet, but they don't stand out anymore texture-wise, but blend in seamlessly with the rest of my skin); my skin tone went from red and dull to bright and glowing; and the acne marks that I thought were fading quickly with Diacneal started shrinking shrinking and shrinking. In short, I got double or even tripple the results of Diacneal within 1/6th of the time. And yet... lo and behold I actually had less irritation. Whereas Diacneal made me super-flaky, Retin A keeps me smooth and exfoliated. I don't have perfect skin now, far from it. Neither product eliminated my acne, and I still have very small, but still very annoying acne scars to deal with. And yet, I've only been using Retin A for 1 1/2 months, and I hope to never go without it again. It's sort of the difference between needing concealer and needing foundation. Right now I have marks in many places, but the base of my skin is so perfect and porcelain-like, it would be a shame to cover it up with make up, which could never rival the look of beautiful natural skin. Oh, one last note: I never wait more than a couple of minutes between washing my face and applying this. Yes, it probably is more irritating this way, but if I don't apply something to my skin right after washing it, it starts to feel tight and overcompensates with the oil later on. Just my 2cents.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Frederic Fekkai - Glossing Cream with Olive Oil
JadziaDAx 7/29/2008 4:39:00 PM
I used and was satisfied with this for three years. It gave me some shine and I figured nothing out there was better than this, due to the exorbital price. In fact, the only reason I'm writing a review now is because for the summer, I decided to switch to something cheaper, and tried Garnier Fructis Conditioning Glaze for all of $3, and... it was better. And not just a little better, but way, way better. It gave more shine, MUCH better frizz control, and left my hair looking nicer and smoother overall. At first, I though it was just perception illusions, but I tried Fekkai cream again, and right now have hair that feels drier, frizzier, and less shiny than yesterday's hair did. Thus, I strongly urge the people who use this to try cheaper products, to at least make sure that's it's not the marketing and rationalization that keep you coming back to this product. For me, it's not at all worth it.
17 out of 19 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Unlisted Brand - Eau Thermale Avene- Instant Soothing Moisture Mask
JadziaDAx 7/29/2008 4:29:00 PM
Excellent product. I use this once in a while during the winter, when my skin becomes flaky, and the next day, most of them are gone and the remaining ones are much, much softer. It hasn't broken me out so far, and I have oily skin.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Sunblock Gel SPF 30
JadziaDAx 7/29/2008 4:26:00 PM
Not a good product. If the pungent, strong smell of alcohol didn't bother me, the shininess, balling up, and drying up properties would. The only plus side is that I'm not using it on my chest and hands, and it doesn't break me out.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 55
JadziaDAx 7/29/2008 4:24:00 PM
I've been buying this for several years now, and wouldn't think of switching. I use it during the sunnier seasons, as Seattle weather makes this type of protection superfluous during the winter. It is very easy to spread and offers the best protection of any US sunscreen (PPD=15), which, as we all know is crucial for skin health. It does tend to ball up when I apply this to my neck, so usually use a different sunscreen there, and it can look shiny, though it isn't as bad as many, many other sunblocks. Even though it's a tad shiny, keep in mind that it's actually not very greasy. I don't break out from this, and it doesn't sting my skin. As anecdotal evidence, I offer that last summer, I was in Hawaii for a week and went on hikes nearly every day. The sun was so strong that when I applied the sunscreen to my legs in a hurry, after just one hour, I'd have burn marks in the shape of spaces between my fingers where I missed in spreading. When I came back home, my old foundation still matched my skin perfectly; my face and neck didn't tan one bit. That says something.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No