Blush -MAC - CCB Cream Color Base - Movie Star Red
Jataim 5/5/2011 5:10:00 PM
Well, this is one cream blush that I stumbled across on the Nordstrom/MAC page, as I was searching for a replacement for Clinique's gel rouge in SHELL! While it is not as great as that it is very good and very deceptive,(if your not used to cream or gel blush consistancy and hue's going on the skin), and most people would shy, no dare I say, look completely the other way from this shade. I use this as a blush, yes blush and I am a very fair skinned gal. It takes the tiniest dab on cheek's and blends into the skin rather decently. I would prefer this to be a bit easier,(why it's not a 5 lippie), but I mix just a touch of primer or moisturizer with it and it is all ok ;),(mind you I have terrifically dry, dry, dry skin:(,. Also, I have put this in front of a heater for a few seconds,(hairdryer will work too!), and it makes it much more emolliant and easier to work with. It has great staying power! The color has a much more magenta/pink hue than red and that is what makes it great for the cheeks. It's like a REAL blush! It is truly reminiscant of that beautiful old 30's/40's Scarlet O'Hara blush shade that all the actress' of the day wore not to mention our WWII ladies and Rosie the riveter:) A dab on the apples of cheek's and/or lips and good to go! I cannot imagine running out of this little pot. I had this shipped to me from a Nordstrom/MAC counter for $16.50, that had it in stock. Just check the nordstrom website and enter your zip code to see if it is available at a store by you or of course you can order it straight from the website. This can work for a variety of skin color's from light to deep!. Lovely! ;)
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Foundations -Smashbox - Wet/Dry Foundation
Jataim 10/14/2005 4:10:00 PM
I have this is Smashing Oak which is the lightest shade I believe? As a LOVER of powder/foundation's to use as a finishing powder this one is a great one! To explain that I prefer the P/F instead of reg/plain loose or pressed powder is because it leave's a smuch smoother non-cakey finish and doesn't fill in creasy little lines' line the other's do. Plus it's much more hydrating ot me and bottom line give's a much nicer softer air-brushed finish. I think this product will have to replace my HG Dior Teinte Poudre which I've used for 15 year's and unfortunatly I've not seen it sold anywhere lately so I've moved on to trying other powder/foundations. I love the sleek black packaging and agree with other reviewer's the mirrior is fabulous. It's a great item to take with you in your purse to use for any type of m/u touch-up. The sponge is not the best but I prefer to use my smashbox big daddy #1 powder brush to apply this on my face after my foundation or alone for light application day's. It has great smoot coverage and while I'm not a fan of using this or any P/F wet you can cover zit's very well with it. GREAT COVERAGE! No funky smell either...just good stuff! A bit over priced but average for a good high end line P/F as my refill's for Dior were $30,(new compact and P/F was $46), and this is $32.50, but I do wish they made this compact for refill's then it would be cheaper to buy later on. :( I am taking a lippie off for that.
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Styling Products -Frederic Fekkai - Smooth Hair
Jataim 10/13/2005 3:37:00 PM
Well, I ADORE FF's GLossing line, it's my staple now and so worth the $$ but a review on that later. :) Now this is an item that I use in conjuction with my glossing cream. My hair:I have long, fine,(but alot), color treated hair that is ULTRA fragile and I've alway's required multiple product's to get my hair to look decent let alone great! I use the glossing cream on my wet hair before I comb and then use FF volume spray, blow dry then I apply this product. I have been using a sample the nordstrom SA made for me since they were out of this product and only had the tester and I got it yesterday after they had to order it for me from another store...which was out also,(so it took a week to get), so other's love this product too! It add's wonderful extra touch of volume while adding a nice piecy/shiny texture that is not at all heavy NOT to mention it dissapear's into the hair giving you the body, texture, shine without the weigh-down or looking a fake shiny. It make's my hair feel really soft too and does decrease even more frizzies but I will say that the glossing cream does the best job for all around but this in addition gives me added volume and texture...not to mention it's really a leave-in hydrating treatment so it's a much better option that pommade or wax's which can depleate your hair of nourshment's. The smell is so intoxicating...love it and alot like the technician for color treated hair line,(peach colored), which I wish they sold as a perfume spray DROOOL! Remind's me of tutti frutti gum from when I was a young lass. :D
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Tools -Shiseido - POWER of SILK-Exfoliating puff
Jataim 9/18/2005 10:53:00 PM
I LOVE THIS! GO BUY ONE AND TRY IT!!! This is just like the popular Japanese silk "SILTY" brand silk puff. It is an all silk,(amino-acid filled), silk puff that's only other ingredient is a Urethane core so the silk has something to stay attached too. I am a silk-peptide junkie and it's very hard to get any product,(especially in the states), with such ingredient's, so I had to do the next best thing and buy a silk puff. The cost is $10 and I've used it 3x's so far and it's as good as new still. The box say's it should last you up to 8 week's but I think mine will last longer as you have to really take care of this puff and also I don't use it everyday...but 1-2'x per week, which exfoliate's enough especially mixed with my philosophy micro-delivery peel 1x a week. :) This comes with a cute little light clear green holder that rather look's like an old claw bathtub, very cute and keep's the puff elevated and cleaner by not touching anything else and it has a little hole in the bottom to make sure the puff dries from underneath, so no molding or water logging. I do wish it had a cover as it doesn't protect dust or anything flying through the air from landing on it's top. This would be ideal to keep it clean. How you use this is CRITICAL in how it will work on your skin and also how to keep it last longer. You DO NOT ...repeat DO NOT use this to remove makeup. Once you have clean, clean skin,(no toner or residue but truely clean skin), you leave your face damp with lukewarm/cool water then lightly dampen the POWER OF SILK puff under/in no hotter/warmer than lukewarm water,(cool or lukewarm is ideal). Then lightly/gently sqeeze your wetened silk puff to remove excess water, then you start the facial exfoliation. You DO NOT swirl, scrub, rub or any other mean's that is harsh to scrub your skin, take the puff and SWIP from inner/center of face to outer,(read the direction and follow the demo/illustration it's the key:). You are just pressing and swipping in one sweep...same for chin, neck, forehead, I use one side of the puff on one side of my face then the other side for the other,(confused yet?:). The edges of the puff are to be used to swip the harder area's to get into such as along the nose, under the nose, along the jawline and the nose itself. Also, if you have a particular spot on your face that is rougher/drier than the rest, use the edges as they will provide greater exfoliation. I know this sound's complicated but really it's not. It take's 60second's and when your done! You DON"T rinse but leave what skin loving agent's the natural silk strand's put out on your face then just pat dry with a clean towel and then use your regular skin care regime or leave it for a while to feel and see how great your skin is! :) It truely exfoliates like a dream and my skin feel's like brand new. I have noticed darker spot's on my skin diminishing..i.e. old acne marks,(could be the philosophy peel in conjunction? but I've refrained from using this week just to see how well this does on it's own and it does VERY WELL! Big difference noted :). I will definitly buy again...in fact I will stock up a couple when they get more in :) Give it a go!!!! :):):)
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Fragrances -Bobbi Brown - Beach
Jataim 9/10/2005 11:42:00 AM
Hmmmm....well after reading reviews of this I dont' at all smell Coppertone or suntan lotion in this at all. I know this is just me but while it's a very nice light subdued fragrance it's not much like the beach to me. I find Christian Dior Dune to be much more like the beach...especially or should I say specifically in San Simeon at the top of Hearst Castle mt. side while the Pacific Ocean breeze bring's the sand and oceanic plants/flora in with it. In fact years ago a SA said that it was indeed named/created after a special sand dune/ocean spot in France...hence the name ;):):) ANYWAY!!! Back to my BB Beach review....it is a very, very nice scent that I really can't describe and apparently I would be wrong if I tried lol! so I just say to smell it for yourself and give it a try on also. I do think it's a tad overpriced I paid $70 for the 1oz EDP and 6.8oz? sized perfumed body lotion set and was only aggrivated that I didn't get a single penny cheaper than if purchased seperatly....that's the whole reason set's were invented to begin with...for a discounted price. I am prone to migraines from scent's and this does/did not give me one and was very soothing even when nauseated during my first tri-mester of pregnancy when everything else made me puke,(although now in second tri. it's a different story...but no fault of Mrs. Brown's Beach...it's just my own hormone sensativities right now). Everyone is different! :):):)
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Cleansers -Biotherm - Hydra Detox Detoxifying Cleansing Foam
Jataim 9/10/2005 10:16:00 AM
Ok, well I have to make a new review for this cleanser since they've changed the formula. Supposidly improved it, BUT IMO it's not improved...it's less than perfect. WHile I still recommend as it's a great cleanser/scrub I still preferred the old, it was much more exfoliating. Now for those who don't like as much harshness as I this new formula will indeed be right up your alley :) It clean's very well and still smell's great,(though not as nicely as the old)...ok I'm over it Biotherm, but also gonna try other cleanser's as this is not my HG anymore :(:(:( Still great though and def. worth a try! :):):)
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Treatments (Eye) -Garden Botanika - Anti-aging Eye Cream
Jataim 9/10/2005 9:53:00 AM
UPDATE: I am keeping this at 5 lippie's as I do love it! Not in love as much as the face treatment,(other review of mine), but I do love it. My eye's are looking better everyday but I also use the GB skin rejuvinating face treat. on the outer corner of my eyes,(shhh! package say's not to do this but I do and have noticed no stinging or irritation of which I highly do around my eyes....so hooray), but still I complain about the jar packaging...I may take a lippie off for this but right now I'm so happy with the product I will keep it at 5. BUT HEY Garden Botanika people! If you read this, please put this in a pump form..pretty please! Thanks :) This is really more of a gel/cream than straight cream and it would have been a better idea to package this in a pump/bottle instead of a jar. Why won't cosmetic co's get this idea???? Jar's are hard to get into with eye product's since there so tiny. BUT I digress...it's still worth the $20 price tag...thus far. I've only been using it for 3 day's,(along with the skin rejuvinating face treatment), but I think it's fabulous! One of the best eye treatment's I've tried. It absorb's wonderfully and doesn't interfer at all with my eye m/u. It actually has prevented powder/makeup creasing around my eye's. Really smoothing and soothing. It's main ingredient's are Ceramide-3, pentapeptide-3 and white tea.(go to gardenbotanika.com for full list of ingredients). it's soothing and does seem to give my eye's a perky glow??? Hope it continues this and also hopefully improves my skin in some other way??? only time will tell :) :):)
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Skincare - Face -Garden Botanika - Skin Rejuvenating Face Treatment
Jataim 9/10/2005 9:29:00 AM
UPDATE number 2:) Well, I have indeed jumped this rating to 5 lippies. I went and bought the full sized and am in LOVE more every day. This I can say is PERFECT for oily skin gals. I have dry but as it's a formula for all skin types I will HIGHLY push anyone to go get a sample of this. It will mattify any area that is oily and yet hydrate it and any dry area to boot! I again used this on 3 little zit's that started up,(after I used a new makeup product that didn't agree with me on my chin), and I applied this and BAM! They reduced literally withing 10min. I say get this if for no other reason that to use as a spot treatment for zit's as it will help heal them lickity split and at the same time prevent any scarring/red spot's since that is what it has done for my pregnancy eye freckles that popped up recently. I LOVE THIS! I know we are all different but I hope it truely work's for you too if you give it a go. UPDATE number 1: I am leaving this at 4 lippie's still but am more impressed with after some 2 week's of use. I have not had one blemish start since using this product. I got one about the 2nd day of use but this must have already been on it's way?! All know is that it's good stuff and highly recommend a try..not to mention great skin balancer. Keep's my oilyer chin area normal and my dry t-zone patchyness away! Hooray! :) Well, first some product info. This comes in a 1.6oz pump bottle and cost is $32 It's main claim to fame ingredients are Vit C and E,(gardenbotanika.com has the ingredient's of all there product's listed by them which is very nice!!). This is for all skintypes,(package words:). I've only been using this for 3 day's now but I must say I've been impressed from the get go. It's a gel/serum consistancy and goes on the skin like silk. It seem's to have helped the makeup creasing in skin around the dryer areas especially. The main hoopla over this for me is that it has reduced my pregnancy/hormone chin acne. HOORAY!!! I may keep it around and recommend just for this purpose. A new zit appeared yesterday and I applied this in am and pm and it literally is almost gone and it was on the med. sized cyst type. SO GREAT! So, it doesn't break me out but the opposite clears. It smell's exactly like philosophy's microdermabrasion kit part I,(the jar containing the vit C scrub), so obviously it's the vit c. It doesn't stick around though which is nice. There is also no water in the ingredient's so that's good since Vit C is water soluble although unless stabalized I don't know how much good it actually does in this form in the long run but I do notice a smoothness and softness that's like I've put nothing on my skin. I may upgrade to 5 lippies after more use??? :):):)
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Moisturizers -Biotherm - Oleo Source
Jataim 5/10/2005 10:10:00 AM
WOW! What a cream. I have horribly acne prone and yet extremely dry skin so, you can imagine how difficult it is for me to find or even try anything that is labeled for 'DRY' skin since most everything I"ve tried in the past that was for dry skin broke me out like crazy! Not this one baby! This is a hole in one! or actually I also use the Oleo source elixir so it's a whole in 2 lol! :) This DOES NOT break me out in any way, shape or form..in fact the contrary..it's kept my skin blemish free. Unbelievable for a cream made for extremely dry skin. I am so over joyed with Biotherm it is my HG line for life. They have so many great product's and while I can't use all,(as some dry me out), not one has made me break out, which is a HUGE A+ in my book! In the am I wash with biosource softening cleansing foam,(pink one for dry skin), then I shake up my oleo elixir bottle by taking the cap off and using my finger to catch the product and that is enough for one side of my face...very minimal is needed...and then shake, covering with finger again and apply to other side of face. I am T-zone bone dry and this is the only thing that has gotten rid of not only scaly/peeling skin but it has the most wonderful glow! I also apply any excess around the eye area,(not to close to the eye itself but enough to make a HUGE difference in the look and feel of my skin :). After the elixir I just need a two finger dot onto the yellow oleo cream and that cover's my whole face. I do another dot just for my neck area and boy does it make your skin feel like silk and look it. There are so many GREAT ingredient's in this stuff and now I can see why it's not causing me to breakout...it's got lemon, orange and grapefruit extract's in it and that is what make's it smell so yummy too! HUGE WAKE UP CALL IN THE AM! This has reduced my old cystic acne mark's and it just is getting better everyday. I do use other Biotherm product's in conjunction,(not at the same time), but I am finding that not one cream can do everything if I want my skin to look good. :( But I am more than happy to talk Biotherm with you if your interested....it's truely my life HG line now. What I do like about Biotherm is that most of there cleanser's and toner's are reasonably priced for the quality you get especially...the shake bottle of Oleo elixir is $48 and worth it my friend's,(did I mention this is for normal/combo skin too...it help's to minimize pore's and it truely does what it say's for me at least:), then the Oleo cream in the jar in $46 so they are more spendy than I would like but you need such a tiny, tiny amount...really it will last a long time. I've been using mine for a month now and can't even tell if I've made a dent in the jar or level gone down on the elixir. It is worth it for me...if I could find a drugstore product that worked like this I would...but honestly...I've paid 3 time's as much for product's that don't deliver like this does. I think the whole line using in unison is key. Gabby, gabby...yep....wanna talk more shooot me an email :) DOn't even get me started on the age fitness eye cream...OY VEY! ;) UPDATE:Biotherm is still a highly recommended line but not my for life line....pregnancy and hormone changes will dictate and plus I guess I just can't stop using other line's...gotta try everything I can and use everything I like :):):)
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Cleansers -Biotherm - Biovitamin Gentle Purifying Gel Cleanser
Jataim 5/10/2005 5:20:00 AM
This product unfortunatly I love the smell and feel of it and it work's great on the skin. Leave's it silky smooth and the mild AHA's continue exfoliation to keep it as such. But I am dry skin gal so it did indeed dry me out a bit...but surprisingly not as bad as I would have thought. The smell is devine...like kiwi and apples :) YUM! Very nicely priced...in fact I believe the biovitamin is the cheapest line biotherm carrie's. A great start for teen's or anyone wanting to step into treating themselves into a skincare routine. :)
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Cleansers -Biotherm - PURE BRIGHT Polishing Clarifying Cleanser
Jataim 5/10/2005 5:16:00 AM
This is another great cleanser from Biotherm. There are too many to choose from and I like to alternate and this is one of those that I will purchase again in the future to alternate as my skin does do better from changing the routine around :) It's more of a very, very gentle scrub than striaght cleanser, but the little bead's in there dissolve into your skin as you cleanse in circular motion's and it leave's your skin baby soft and clean. The smell is great too! There are just so many good product's at biotherm and this is one of them, especially if you have very sensative skin and are looking for a mild scrub this is for you and cleanser to boot! I still say it's more for normal/combo or oily skin type's. It can dry me out if I use it too much but then I am extremely dry in the skin dept.....like the Sahara...but think's to some of biotherm's other cream's and elixer's...not to mention cleanser's my skin has never looked better and I have many, many compliment's to back that claim up. Get into biotherm and really research it and go from there till you find your nitch and I bet you dollar's to donut's your skin will do the same no matter what skin type you are....just gotta find an honest SA that is willing to truely help you instead of take your $$, but hey at least in the dept. store's you can take it back and try something else and make the round's that way till' you find what work's. I just wish I would have used this line year's ago, when I saw it up in Canada :( Oh, well...they have greatly improved since then anyway :) I LOVE BIOTHERM! I could work for this co. that's how good there stuff is and I would NOT say anything I didn't believe to be good. :)
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Cleansers -Biotherm - Acnopur Cleanser
Jataim 5/10/2005 4:12:00 AM
Well, I got this for my oilier/time of the month day's to use but it was a BIG NO-NO. I have dry skin but acne prone that tend's to get oily/blemishy around my chin and jaw so I wanted to try this...well it did help prevent the blemish and it was a great cleanser but not for my skin type. I would recommend it for highly oily/acne prone skin. After 3 day's of usage I was so dry I could literally peel the skin off my nose and cheek's...so like I said before....not for a dry skin gal like me, but I would recommend it for oily/acne gal's/guy's to give it a go...it does clean very well. I will not be buying it though :(
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Treatments (Eye) -Biotherm - Age Fitness yeux
Jataim 5/10/2005 3:55:00 AM
One of the best...well the best cream's for the eye area I've ever used! It leave's a literal highlight glow around my eye's and I'm not sure why or where that comes from but I sure do LOVE it. This makes my skin smooth and incredibly soft, not to mention it help's eye makeup stay put longer. An added bonus. SPF of 15 also, which is unusual for an eye treatment. I LOVE THIS!` I do wish like all good product's that work the price was cheaper but I will still give it 5 lippie's cause I've purchased triple cost eye treatment's and not had any result's so, despite that it remain's a 5. Go to a Biotherm counter and get a sample :) That is what got me hooked and then I went straight out and got the full size. I have had so many compliment's on how open and awake,alive and smooth my eye's look..especially from my DH and mom and those are rarities :):):)
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Conditioner -Frederic Fekkai - Glossing Conditioner
Jataim 2/27/2005 7:14:00 PM
I also used this in conjunction with the glossing shampoo...so now review's on it's own. This is an incredibly light conditioner and I DON'T mean that it doesn't condition...I mean the texture and feel is so incredibly I light when I put some in my hand, my first thought was....this isn't gonna condition very well. This conditioner in texture is even smoother and lighter than alot of shampoo's. I applied it as the direction's said to....apply on hair then comb through and rinse with cool water. I don't recall alot of scent with the conditioner as I did with the shampoo but it was the same general citrusy, herb, olive oil scent also...but much more subdued. I let it sit on my hair about 5 min. before I rinsed in cool water and BTW it's rinsed like a dream...never felt like even had conditioner on my hair. When I untoweled my hair to comb,(which was quit effortless for my usally tangly wavy/curly wet hair), and blow dry/style it was incredibly soft and smelled very nice....like an aromatherapy experience as I state, in more detail in my shampoo review :) It styled nicely and look's full of life and color....it actually brought out my highlight's/haircolor fresh again....like I got redone. Lovely! :) I would recommend this conditioner AWA the shampoo. It is much better than the average daily conditoner but I do take off a lippie as I saw no extraordinary "glossing". :( It leave's it shiner than most but not above that and what it is suppose to be mainly for. This is NOT a reparative/treatment type conditioner BTW. But if you want a great feeling head of hair that practicaly styles itself, while having some aromatherapy in the shower give it a go or at least try to swap /get a sample pack. It's definitly worth a try. :)
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Shampoo -Frederic Fekkai - GLOSS Glossing Shampoo
Jataim 2/27/2005 6:59:00 PM
I received some generous sample pack's of this and the conditioner in swap's. Onc pack is at least enough for 2 shampoo's so I will review again after I wash for a while. I will say after one washing my hair feel's much lighter on my head and it is incredibly soft. My highlight's became even more vibrant,(using both FF glossing S&C) and I have been using a color protective shampoo/conditioner so this was an unexpected surprise. :) This does not foam up alot...but usually as I've found the less foaming the better quality and less harsh ingredient's on the hair,(i.e. detergent's etc.) The smell is more like aromatherapy...I do smell a hint of olive oil,(one of the important ingredient's listed on the front of the package), and also some citrus...very similar to Molton Brown's skin balance toner...like grapfruit, lemon's, orange's and some herb smell's mixed in. It does not smell un-natural AT ALL! The smell of essential oil's NOT perfume/fragrance. I am migraine prone and this actually helped relieve the one I've had a bit..just from the smell...like I said..more like aromatherapy scent. THis smell does dissipate as time goes on so it shouldn't interfere at all with your perfume/body wash scent's. I have a piece of my hair right by my nose and I smell my Hanai Mori butterfly perfume and no added interference with it. (So you know...I applied my Hanai Mori right out of the shower...so it's same the same time frame of comparison:). As for any real glossing benefit's...I would have to say a bit better than an average salon formula but nothing greater than that so why I left a lippie off. It left my hair nice and managable and it hang's nicely.....it did tame the frizzie's. :) I will review after more washing's...but now I stand at; I would buy this and it's much better than average salon shampoo, IMO of course :)
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