Blush -MAC - Sheertone Blush in Blushbaby
Jewelx17 5/18/2013 11:42:00 PM
This is an awesome everyday blush. I just picked this up recently and it's my new favorite everyday blush at the moment. I usually rotate MAC blushes and favor 1-2 for a while and right now I'm loving this. It doesn't look like much in the pan so I never paid attention to this when shopping for MAC blushes but decided to try it out because of the rave reviews. I am so surprised at how flattering this is! I would describe this color as a rosy tan color. It has a nice warm tone to it that is really flattering. I am about an NC30-NC35 and this gives me a naturally glowy look. I can apply it lightly for a natural look that makes people wonder if I'm even wearing blush or not. I can also build it up for a more noticeable beachy look. Love this!
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Shampoo -Batiste - Dry Shampoo - Deep & Dark Brown
Jewelx17 5/18/2013 3:00:00 PM
I love this stuff! Best dry shampoo ever. I have black hair and most dry shampoos leave a white tone to my hair that sometimes looks flaky. I was previously using the original Batiste and while I still like it, I have to be careful about how much I apply and make sure to shake/brush out well. I have also tried a ton of others as well, most recently the Dove dry shampoo because my sister was raving about it and said it was better than Batiste original. I'm not sure why she thought it was better, to me it was mediocre but the smell was terrible. It reeked of old lady perfume scent, not digging it. Performance-wise, I wasn't all that impressed either. I thought Batiste had better oil absorbing powers. I have been eyeing this tinted version for a while but I was always afraid the tint would come off and stain my pillows. I saw a YT guru talk about this so I decided to try it. This is really great. It does not come off on the pillow like I was afraid of (but I use this only on top of my head) and it's so much easier to use than the regular version. It does make my hair slightly ashy looking when I first apply it because my hair is so dark but I shake it out with my fingers and it disappears. This easily beats the tinted version from bumble and bumble, the batiste has more oil absorbing powers and price is a lot better. For the reviewer below that said this stains everything, I have not had that problem. I think she is probably using way too much and spraying it carelessly. Remember, this isn't hairspray, you don't spray this all over your hair. I only spray this section by section at the roots in quick sprays, not continuously. The spray comes out concentrated so it doesn't go in areas that you don't want it to like your counter, etc. A little goes a long way, you don't need too much. My search for the perfect dry shampoo is over :)
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Sunscreen -Image - Daily Defense Matte Moisterizer SPF 30
Jewelx17 4/26/2013 3:32:00 PM
I love this sunscreen, it's one of the few that work for my acne-prone skin and I have tried a ton. The only other sunscreen I like more than this is Diorsnow uv shield but that is ridiculously expensive. I still use the diorsnow but I save it for special occasions and use Image for everyday. It does feel a tad bit heavy and it left a slight whitening effect in the summertime when I'm very dark but not terrible and once I wear my mineral foundation and add some bronzer, it looks okay. For other times of the year when I'm not quite so dark, it works fine on my medium skin. I'm actually impressed that it's not even more whitening and heavier considering this is very high in zinc. It's actually a lot less whitening than most zinc-based sunscreens. I have to test it out again this summer and see if I still want to go with a lighter texture but I might just overlook it since it doesn't break me out. This has a slightly tacky finish once dried that is a bit annoying but goes away once I apply powder. The slight tackiness is actually a great base for powder foundation and gives me a great smooth finish. FYI: they changed the formula on this! Of course, that always happens when I find a favorite product. The company sent me a product list with full ingredient list and I saw the ingredients of the newly formulated matte moisturizer and I know I can't use it. It has isopropyl palmitate, which i know breaks me out so I decided to order the daily hydrating one. I am testing it out on the right side of my face so I will update if it breaks me out but so far so good! Yes it does feel a little bit more heavier than the matte but feels okay once it sinks into the skin. And it isn't too shiny and greasy feeling like I was afraid of. Update: I tested the hydrating formula all over my face after trying it out on the right side of my face first for a week. This is too much for my oily skin in the summertime, makes me look like a greasy ball. I miss the old matte formula!
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Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy
Jewelx17 2/4/2013 10:29:00 AM
I bought the Nourishing daily conditioner against my better judgement. I only tried the conditioner, not the shampoo because I have had issues w/shampoos that are loaded with silicones in the past. They cause major hair fall out for me so I figured the conditioner should be okay since I don't put any on my scalp. Just an FYI, I have been avoiding silicone hair products for a while because I felt they were causing more problems for me than fixing. Silicone products give that beautiful shiny sheen to hair but I kept struggling with buid up and breakage from too many cone products. I do clarify 1x a week but the build up was way too fast and I didn't want to keep clarifying and dry out my hair. But I do miss the shine I get from cone products so I started using this. I started getting hair fall out almost immediately. My hair became really tangly which is strange for a silicone based conditioner. It became tangly and when I would run my fingers through it to detangle throughout the day, a lot of hair would come off on my fingers. I started getting more and more split ends and a LOT of static. I think this product just has way too many cones in it for me, I can deal with some cones but this is too much. My hair felt really coated and stiff, if that makes any sense. Will definitely not repurchase.
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Lip Treatments -Nivea - A Kiss Of Olive Oil & Lemon
Jewelx17 12/17/2012 9:55:00 AM
I really should stick to products I know I like and stop trying new ones. I love the Nivea Milk & Honey lip balm but I thought I would try something new. This tastes terrible in my opinion. I'm not a fan of fragranced lip products (or any fragranced face products) but I can deal with it if it's not over powering and tasteless. This, you can actually taste the fragrance. I don't even have to lick my lips, some of the lip balm will migrate into my mouth throughout the day and it tastes like I accidentally sprayed inside my mouth with perfume or like I just got soap in my mouth. I can't stand using lip products that taste bad, this just leaves me with such a bad taste in my mouth and I can't even use this. The actual formula is not terrible, it does feel moisturizing but I've had better and it's not worth the bad taste in my mouth. Pass on this if you don't like fragranced, bad tasting lip products. FYI-the Milk & Honey formula is also fragranced, a flowery scent, but you don't get the same bad aftertaste.
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Shampoo -Paul Mitchell - Extra-Body Daily Shampoo
Jewelx17 12/17/2012 8:58:00 AM
I realize the extra-body line from PM is not for me, I haven't liked any of the products from that line except for the hairspray. I wanted a shampoo that would give me some body at the roots because my hair was falling out for a while from using Pantene shampoo so I thought this would help make my hair look better. My hair has a tendency to be dry so maybe it's partially my fault for using this since volumizing shampoos can be drying but this always makes my hair look like hay! It makes my ends look sooo dry, even with my favorite leave-in. Plus, it really doesn't add much volume to my hair, in fact, it just makes my hair feel a bit coated, not clean. Now that my hair has started to fill in again, I stopped using this since it wasn't making my hair look good anyway. Didn't even finish the bottle. Paul Mitchell's Shampoo One is a good one to try if you are interested in trying another PM shampoo.
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Hair Styling Tools -Sonia Kashuk - Bristle Hair Brush
Jewelx17 12/13/2012 10:53:00 AM
I really like this brush! I've always been curious about the MP brush but I was not about to spend that much money on a brush. Also, I've heard from the hair board that the only difference is the MP is gentler on the scalp. Well I don't have a sensitive scalp so that makes no difference to me. I actually enjoy the slight scratchiness on my scalp, it feels good! It's nice to have a brush that actually reaches my scalp. I like that the boar bristle is shorter than the spiky nylon bristles because it makes it easier to work it through the hair. I still have to work it several times through my hair to detangle but the benefit is it doesn't snag hair whatsoever so I think this will help a lot with breakage over time. I use this before I shower to detangle and after too. Yeah yeah, they always say don't brush your hair when wet but you know what? I have to brush it or else it dries tangled. I think it's also partly because I need a trim, my ends are getting more tangled than usual. Anyways, I used to use a wide tooth comb because that's what they always tell you to use for wet hair to prevent breakage but I think I've gotten more breakage using a wide tooth comb than this brush. I get most of the major tangles out of my hair when I condition in the shower while running my fingers through it but afterwards, I put a leave-in and then very lightly brush this through my hair. I don't put it all the way through touching my scalp, just lightly brush out any tangles I see. This brush does not snag like the wide tooth comb did. Overall, this is a great gentle brush for everyday use. I haven't tried it for blow drying since I air dry my hair most of the time but I'll give it a try soon. I would definitely recommend this brush.
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Cleansers -Beauty Without Cruelty - Aromatherapy 3% Alpha Hydroxy Facial Cleanser
Jewelx17 11/13/2012 1:27:00 PM
I have been using this for about 3 months and I would definitely repurchase. I have very finnicky acne-prone skin that will easily clog if I don't have an intense exfoliating regimen. My skincare routine consists of a lot of exfoliating, chemical and manual. I have to do it because my skin is soooo sluggish, skin should exfoliate and renew itself naturally but as we get older it slows down but I feel mine is at a stand still unless I help it along. Anyways, I use this 2x a day, at night I use this with my clarisonic. I feel I get such a nice deep cleanse when I use this with my clarisonic, I love it! I don't know how it would work on dry skin but I have oily skin and this is perfect, doesn't dry me out at all but cleanses well and prevents breakouts. I love the smell of this, it just smells nice and soothing. I love that I found this because I was previously using The Body Shop's tea tree foaming cleanser which I like but I was flying through each bottle so quickly and it was becoming very expensive. I stuck to that one because my skin is very picky but now I have this. I am also considering getting the Vitamin C cleanser from this brand to use in the morning or when I want to take a break from the exfoliating acids. Since I do a lot of exfoliation already, sometimes I feel I might be overdoing it with my skin. My skin looks great, nice and smooth, but sometimes I feel my skin might need a little bit of a break. Anyways, the brand makes great quality products in general without a lot of unnecessary chemicals. I recommend highly. NOTE: I bought this at Vitamin Shoppe for around $12 but for my next bottle, I plan on purchasing from iherb.com, they have the best price for about $8
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Styling Products -Paul Mitchell - Super Sculpt Styling Glaze
Jewelx17 11/4/2012 5:02:00 PM
Would I repurchase this product again? a huuuge YES! This is the very first Paul Mitchell product I have tried and I can't believe I haven't tried his products before. His products have been around for decades and is popular but I don't know what it is about hyped up, popular product, I just tend to gravitate away from it. I normally wouldn't tried out a product called Super Sculpt, to me it sounds like it would give me helmet head but it's quite the opposite. This keeps my hair soft and shiny and the texture is a watery gel. This has started my obsession with PM products and I've been trying out a ton lately with their convenient travel sizes. This product is awesome, it's the only product I've tried that almost completely eliminates my frizz which has never happened before. I have wavy hair that is more loose waves now that my hair is getting longer. It tends to get dry and very frizzy but also gets weighed down easy with products and can look stringy very easily. I apply this on towel dried hair, scrunching it in, either on top of a styling cream or by itself. Normally I would never use just one product to air dry my hair but this stuff is that good. This gives you light definition (I stress the word light), eliminates frizz, doesn't weigh hair down, doesn't leave my hair feeling dry, hair is touchable and gives awesome shine. What more could you ask for?
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Sunscreen -Christian Dior - Diorsnow White Reveal UV Shield SPF 50 PA +++
Jewelx17 10/24/2012 7:35:00 PM
I will basically confirm what everybody else has said and say that this is a really nice, cosmetically elegant sunscreen. This goes on white but blends into clear very easily. The texture does feel like it is very high in silicone, which I'm not crazy about because it makes it feel a bit greasy going on but that feeling does disappear once blended and sinks in. I have been on a quest to look for the perfect sunscreen ever since I turned 31 and I decided it was time to start wearing it everyday. First of all, I have very acne-prone skin so that is the reason why I have never worn sunscreen in the past. But this doesn't break me out and I've tried a lot of sunscreens lately so that is a big deal for me. Second, I really wanted a physical sunscreen and even though this has a chemical filter as well, it's mostly zinc oxide so I was happy with that. Third, my skin is about an NC30 and I easily tan in the summer and my shade then is about NC35+ so finding a sunscreen that doesn't leave a white cast was VERY important to me. It is a lot tougher finding a translucent physical sunscreen so I definitely had my work cut out for me finding the perfect one. This doesn't leave a white cast for the most part but if I put it under my eyes, I do notice more of a white cast, probably because my under eyes are slightly darker. I use something else for under eyes which is a pain. I also definitely notice it doesn't photograph well. I see a bit of a white cast on my face when I see pictures of myself, I'm guessing due to the flash. This might be for all physical sunscreens though. I still can't complain because this has 19% zinc, which is incredibly high they still manage to make this look and feel elegant. A bonus with this product is I find it makes a great primer for makeup. I don't wear liquid foundation, just mineral powder foundation so I can't say if it works well for that but it seems to help make the powder go on smoother and last longer. Lastly, the finish is perfect. It is somewhere between a satin & matte finish. It's not completely matte where some products make it look like your skin is dry but I don't feel I get greasier as the day goes on like so many others. This just leaves skin feeling like skin. You don't feel this on your face at all, which is amazing for a sunscreen. Your skin just feels comfortable. Overall, this is a great sunscreen and it's definitely worth checking out. I selected Yes for I would repurchase but I'm not 100% sure I would repurchase just because of the price ($50) and the small tube. It is $50 for a teeny tiny tube that's 1oz (it says 1.3oz on tube but it also says 30ml and last time I checked, 30ml is 1oz). I use about 2 pumps and that covers my face and neck and I've used it daily except for a few days I missed. With 2 pumps once a day usage, I am pretty much finished with this tube and it's only been about 2 1/2 months. I probably have maybe 1 or 2 more uses left and that's it. I have another sunscreen that I bought from the recommendations of the skincare board so I will see how that goes. I have used the new sunscreen twice just to see how it is and it seems pretty nice, not heavy or greasy. If all goes well with that, I won't be repurchasing this again. I will update on how that goes.
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Styling Products -DevaCurl - Mirror Curls
Jewelx17 10/24/2012 7:05:00 PM
Eww, this is the worst hair product I have tried! Why didn't I listen to the reviews? I am going to echo a reviewer below and say despite the bad reviews, I just had to try it for myself since it's a silicone free serum and DevaCurl is a pretty well known brand. I also have another silicone free serum from the drugstore by L'oreal from their eversleek line. That tops this product easily! Yes the eversleek one is runny and watery but I prefer that over this thick, goopy, sticky texture. And the eversleek serum gave me shine whereas this left my hair feeling dirty and I couldn't run my fingers through my hair after applying this. This barely gave any shine, it felt dirty, greasy, etc etc etc. If you want the look that this product creates, just don't wash your hair for a few days and viola, you got the effect of Mirror Curls! I also completely agree that this smells like urinal cakes, not a small I want to put in my hair. I've always thought their other products smell a bit like household cleaner because of it's lemon-lke scent but this smells different and just awful. I can't believe they are selling this crap for $25! I decided to try it because of Ulta's 20% off coupon but this is going back. I will give them some credit for trying to come out with a silicone free line but if they were going to make it this bad, why even bother? If you are curious about this, skip it and try the L'oreal eversleek serum. It's not the texture of what you are used to with silicone serums, it's watery and runny but it does give you shine without making your hair feel dirty. I like to add a couple drops of natural oil to the serum to make it more moisturizing.
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Lipstick -Jane Iredale - PureMoist LipColour SPF 18
Jewelx17 9/24/2012 9:59:00 AM
I can't even begin to express how disappointed I am in this lipstick...where do I start? I was hopeful after reading these positve reviews but I couldn't disagree more. I have a major problem with dry lips, they are constantly chapped and peeling, even in the summer. I would love to wear lipgloss and lipstick more often but most lip products dry out my lips even further and lipsticks will show every dry spot on my lips, making it look very unattactive. I have a lot of drugstore lipsticks/lipgloss that I don't use because they are too drying. So I thought I would splurge, invest some money and buy a lipstick that is moisturizing so that I actually use it instead of having it sit in my drawer. 1st of all, this lpstick is not moisturizing. I thought it would have more of a slip to it but it feels like a typical lipstick. I have to add a separate lipbalm underneath to get any moisture. 2nd, the color is a disappointment. I bought Erin and it is a frosty hot pink lipstick, not what I expected. I thought it was going to be a soft pale pink lipstick. On the site that I purchased it from, dermstore.com, all they said was it was a cotton candy pink which is a pale pink to me. Erin was one of the few that even had any description whatsoever, the other shades didn't even have any description at all. It is hard to tell just from the picture what exact shade of pink this was and I couldn't tell if it was shimmery. The JI website is even worse, they have no shade descriptions at all and they only say some shades are matte and some are shimmery, which is very odd and a bit idiotic of a company that you can only buy online. I'm sure there are locations where you can buy it in some areas but not any by me. I don't think the hot pink color would've bothered me as much if it didn't have any shimmers but this one does, it's actually verging on frosted. Why anybody would make frosted lip colors in 2012 is beyond me. Honestly, this reminds me of a cheap drugstore lipstick. I have a pale pink frosty lipstick from Maybelline that I didn't like and this reminds me exactly of that one, which really irritates me. Some of the matte finishes might be pretty but for $20, I'm not willing to try again. The only plus I see is that this contains physical sun protection.
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Shave Products -Aveeno - Therapeutic Shave Gel
Jewelx17 8/30/2012 10:55:00 AM
I picked this up on a whim at my local Jewel-Osco because my legs have been irritated from a heat rash all summer. Shaving only made the itchiness and irritation worse but I am not the type of girl that likes to skip a day of shaving my legs! A lotion I picked up recently is helping with the irritation but I needed a shaving cream that would soothe my skin while shaving too. I didn't really expect much because I've used Skintimate shave gels, Eos, etc. This really makes the shaving process very gentle, I don't feel like I'm irritating my skin and my legs feel great afterwards. Using this shave gel along with Crabtree & Evelyn's Aloe Vera lotion has really helped the itchy bumps and irritation on my legs, my legs finally look smooth and not bumpy! I also love that the nozzle is easy to control, with Skintimate, the gel would shoot out with the slightest pressure, forcing me to use more than intended.
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Lotions/ Creams -Crabtree & Evelyn - Aloe Vera Hydrating Body Lotion
Jewelx17 8/27/2012 7:50:00 PM
I agree with everything the review said below me. This lotion smells so nice and fresh! It reminds me of cucumber, fresh laundry, the ocean, all wrapped up into one. In one word, the scent is best described as refreshing and lasts all day, seriously, you will be surprised that you still smell like this lotion at the end of the day. I bought this because I was looking for a skin soothing lotion for my legs. Ever since a few years ago, I developed what I think is a heat rash on my legs, which reoccur every summer, never really goes away until winter, and flares up in the sun. It's like my body developed a sudden sun allergy out of nowhere and I love the summer so this has been a huge pain. I've been having to deal with skin colored itchy bumps on my legs that get even more irritated with shaving. You would think there would be more products out there for women meant to sooth skin after shaving, like after shave for men but there isn't. I picked this up for $22 and it really helps calm the bumps and irritation. I wasn't sure if this would irritate more since fragrance is 3rd on the ingredient list but this feels soothing and moisturizing but light. This is a great find!
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Loose Powders -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Loose Powder
Jewelx17 8/27/2012 8:24:00 AM
I had this put away in a drawer for a couple years and didn't really touch it and I'm not sure why. I think the last time I tried it, it was winter time and the finish was a little too dull for me even with my oily skin. But with the summer time humidity, this works great! See? It really pays to hoard all your stuff, even if you don't like it because there is a chance you will like it later! Lol. That's why my drawers look like a complete mess. Anyways, It really helps keep me matte and it doesn't leave a white cast and I am about NC/NW 30/35. I read that some people who are paler than me have noticed a white cast...I don't get it because I don't notice a white cast whatsoever, maybe I'm blind. I also don't use a lot, just put a light dusting on top of my mineral foundation. Haven't taken pictures with this yet so I don't know how well it photographs. I don't think dry skin types would like this since it is a very matte finish. This is also great for setting the concealer for under eyes. I would've never thought to use such a mattifying powder for under eyes since I don't want it to look dried out but I saw a YouTuber do it with Tarte's Smooth Operator, which is silica based, so I decided to pull this out and try it. I kept trying different powders for my under eyes and I still wasn't completely thilled with anything I've tried. Laura Mercier's brightening powder would leave a white cast under my eyes and I know people loved it but it left my undereyes looking dry. Others left it dry or cakey looking. I was recently using Bare Minerals Well Rested to set my under eye concealer, which I still really like because it illuminates but it doesn't set my concealer as well as the MUFE. This really sets everything and that is important for me because I like using a rich eye cream and then a creamy concealer on top. Setting the concealer properly has really helped keep everything in place when I line my lower lashline, which was a problem for me. I will sometimes still go in afterwards and use a little of the Bare Minerals well rested to illuminate the area if I feel like it but this doesn't leave undereyes looking dry. Overall, I really like this product and I rated this as a "Yes" for repurchase for anyone that would buy regardless of the price tag but this is very expensive. I might try Garden of Wisdom's silica powder for $4.20/0.5 oz to see if it's similar quality.
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