Styling Products -Unlisted Brand - Proclaim Glossing Polish
KattyKit 1/16/2013 11:13:00 AM
This stuff is my crack! I have not been without this glossing polish since I was 16 years old, that's 7+ years now. I have very thick, full, naturally curly waist length hair. I've recently also dyed it blonde! So, as you can imagine, my hair is unruly and just generally an a-hole. The only products that I've ever trusted to tame my frizzy mane (even when I lived in the steamy humidity of Florida) are Silk Elements products and this Proclaim Glossing Polish. Nothing compares.
This stuff smells amazing, doesn't weigh down my hair, and is basically just a bottle of natural oils. It is so inexpensive, easily purchased (in the US) from any Sally's Beauty Supply (they also sell it on their website and it can be found on Amazon.) A 6oz bottle of this lasts over a year in my household, even after my dad & younger sister started using it. My sister uses it because she likes the smell and dad uses it because he has graying hair, which is growing more course by the day. As a man who has only ever used suave $1 shampoo & hairspray, he now swears by this stuff. Oh!, be sure that you have a good stand-by clarifying shampoo, as this glossing polish can create build up in your hair. That's not an issue for me because I use a clarifying shampoo once every 2 weeks anyway.
MUA doesn't seem to know much about this product because there are only reviews for this original version and there are two different reviews under the listing. I just wanted to mention that there are two other versions of this polish. One comes in a red bottle and claims to have an added heat protectant, that one also smells like cherries so it's the one I use more often than not. The other version claims to be "enriched with olive oil", I've yet to try that one.
Lately, I have been seeing dupes of this stuff EVERYWHERE, even in grocery stores! They have the same bottle shape and appearance but a different brand name. DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THESE PRODUCTS, they are nowhere near as good and tend to weigh hair down.
Okay, so on to the ingredients, be forewarned, cones galore:
Cyclopentasiloxane (liquid silicone), cyclotetrasiloxane (another cone), dimethicone, phenyl trimethicone, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, triticum vulgare (wheat) germ oil, canola oil, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil, ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (this protects the oils from deteriorating in the sun), limonene (natural citrus scent), linalool (natural floral scent), HMPCC (synthetic fragrance.)
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -L'Oreal - Colour Riche - Target Red
KattyKit 8/16/2012 1:22:00 AM
For reference, I am Revlon CS in "Buff". I LOVE this red lipstick! I never thought I'd find a red that fit my skin tone. They all brought out the pink in my skin, or for some reason seemed very harsh and made fine lines/wrinkles stand out. But this red lipstick is absolutely beautiful! It leans a little pink but it is definitely unmistakably red. I have worn this both when I had brown hair and now that I have blonde hair, it still looks good! It lasts for hours even without a lipliner underneath and it hardly fades, even through drinking and eating! I'm just ecstatic about this. I was beginning to think that the old, "There's a red l/s out there for everyone." was just a myth, but nope, because this one is mine! <3
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Ecotools - 6 Piece Eye Brush Set (5 brushes + case)
KattyKit 7/14/2012 2:45:00 PM
I've had this kit for about 6 months now and I utilize every single brush in it! I wish I could have these in full size brushes but I have to admit that the shorter handles are great for more precise e/s application, you can get a lot closer to the mirror without fear of bumping into it and poking your eye out.
They're very soft, great quality, even better than the crown brushes I have and they've not shed yet! They dry very quickly and most of them keep their shape, the only one that hasn't is the angled blending brush and it's only a little splayed (barely noticeable) but I think that might be because I use a lot of pressure (probably more than I should) when I blend out the crease. It still works like new so it's not a big deal, especially at this price! I think I'm going to buy two more of these, one to keep with my other brushes when these are dirty, and another set to take with me when I travel. Absolutely adore the little pouch it comes in but I have a brush roll that I use when I travel, so while I can see someone getting a lot of use of the tiny brush pouch, I don't really need it.
The only thing this is missing is an angled liner brush, but that's forgivable given that not all liners require a brush. Definitely recommend these. [n/m]
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Clairol - Shimmer Lights
KattyKit 7/12/2012 11:02:00 AM
This has protein in it so you want to be careful how often you use it, just the same as you would space out the amount of time you would use a protein conditioner. I'm fairly certain this is the "drying" agent that some of you are talking about. I switch up shampoos everytime I wash my hair (every three days) so it hasn't had too negative an effect on my hair. As far as the smell, the potpourri-esque scent didn't seem strong while in he shower but it seems to intensify once you dry your hair. This didn't bother me because I actually thought it smelled okay and my other hair products ended up covering the scent anyway.
A little backstory: I went from brown to blonde with just toners so my (now) very blonde hair is still in great condition HOWEVER I do have highlights that were done with bleach and they do feel very dry after using this shampoo, but they are also a lot lighter than the rest of my hair. This shampoo seems to have had more effect on the highlights than anything else. I haven't tried any other purple shampoos but I've noticed that this definitely does keep the brassiness at bay.
I paid $9 for a 16oz bottle at Sally's, which isn't really a bad price. After reading these reviews you'd think it was over $20. I also think a 16oz bottle will last me quite a while but if you still think it's too pricey for your liking, Sally's "Generic" brand has a purple shampoo with the exact same ingredients. If I run out of the Clairol one, I'll pick up the Generic brand next and update this review as to how it stands up to this one.
Side note, my dad has tried this for his salt and pepper streaks (natural) and he loves it. His hair now has bright white streaks instead of grey or yellow. It looks quite nice on him and he's gotten a lot of compliments from coworkers and friends. [n/m]
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Revlon - Ciara
KattyKit 7/11/2012 12:34:00 PM
This was my mother's signature perfume. It smelled amazing on her but with my body chemistry it's just not the Ciara of my memories. It's musky and very strong, sickeningly amber (if that makes sense?). Like other reviewers have said, it's definitely not a floral, youthful scent. I think I'll keep a bottle around just for the sake of remembrance and display, but I won't be using it. To me, this was and always will be my mother's perfume, the scent will always mean that to me, it's definitely not mine.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Garnier - BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector - Light/Medium
KattyKit 7/11/2012 11:11:00 AM
I have to start off by saying that this is definitely not a B.B. creme. If that's what you're looking for, look elsewhere. This is essentially a glorified tinted moisturizer. I have tried every single D/S tinted moisturizer on the market and I have had no luck. They either break me out, turn me orange, flake off, or any number of these combined. If you, like me, have a lot of pink in your skin, this is THE tinted moisturizer for you. This is going to sound a little crazy but this TM has a tinge of grey in it, which I feel tones down the pink/redness. Although, I can see how that could look muddy on other skin tones. For me, it evens out my skin tone like no other. I find that I do have to apply concealer under my eyes and on trouble spots but that's a step I would do whether I needed to or not, I just like the brightening effect that concealers provide. :)
This is not for the oily-skinned. I have an oily t-zone and find that I have to cut this with my favorite moisturizer (1 to 1 ratio) but that's not a problem for me as I don't actually want such a strong coverage, I just want a natural look. Also, cutting it with my fav moisturizer adds the extra SPF that Garnier has so carelessly left out of this product. I love that I have time to massage this in before it sets, and I find that if I top everything with my Rimmel Translucent mattifying powder, this can last me for up to 4 hours before it needs mattifying again; a small price to pay for even skin, nice texture, and a natural look. I would be mattifying my own skin every 4 hours even if I wasn't wearing makeup, so it's not a big deal imo.
As far as the price, $12 is not that much to pay for 2oz of product when a typical TM or foundation costs that much or more for 1oz. You're getting a lot of bang for your buck. I would definitely recommend this product to someone with skin similar to mine. A little tip before I go; as with any makeup application, be sure you start with a clean palette (as they say). This means exfoliated and/ or clean skin. If you slop this on over something else, you're going to end up with a mess, dry patches, and globs of patchy tinted moisturizer. Remember, this isn't a miracle worker, it's just makeup. [n/m]
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -Urban Decay - Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Original (UDPP)
KattyKit 5/2/2012 1:48:00 PM
This is so drying. I usually don't use a primer w/ my shadows because they hold up pretty well on their own, but if you use a lower quality product (like coastal scents shadows for example) you're going to need a primer. I'd been using TFSI for years and loved it. One tube lasted forever. I thought I'd switch it up and try this one out because it was on sale on Hautelook (the old packaging).
I'm an oily skin lady (leaning toward combo but oily by mid day), so for me to say something is drying, that's pretty bad. My eye-lids felt tight and uncomfortable, it was like I'd layered glue over them! I couldn't wait to get home and remove it. I'll say this, the colors held up but they DID crease (which I usually don't have a problem with). So I give this product 2 stars because the colors pop when this is used as base, and I imagine there are some women out there who would appreciate a drying shadow base. Perhaps someone who would describe their skin more as an "oil-slick" or something?
(rated the packaging a 4 because I know they've updated it to a tube) NM
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Burt's Bees - Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream
KattyKit 4/7/2012 10:05:00 PM
Got this in a gift set so I have the 0.3oz/8.5g container. I've been using it on and off for about a month. I have pretty great nails/nail beds to begin with so I don't really have much use for a cuticle cream but it's a great hand moisturizer, if a little oily. A little goes a long way, I've still got almost the full tin of this stuff. I don't think I'll repurchase unless I see some significant difference in my skin/nails. This is no different for me than any other DS moisturizer/lotion I've purchased.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Hard Candy - Glamoflauge Concealer
KattyKit 4/6/2012 10:49:00 AM
Info about me; I'm NC20ish, Revlon CS in Buff and my skin is combo leaning towards oily. I purchased this in "Light". This concealer was a hot mess for me. My first impression upon application was that it has amazing coverage, almost as good as my EL Smoothing Creme Concealer! I was ecstatic because I thought I'd found a DS dupe for my HE&HG concealer! Unfortunately, about two hours later I looked in the mirror and not only had this concealer vanished but it appeared that it had taken my foundation with it! It looked like I had smeared flesh colored chalk all over my cheeks and forehead and every bit of darkness, redness, or blemish was visible. I'll get some use out of this if I'm just taking photos immediately after (if I'm playing w/ my makeup) but otherwise, this is essentially useless for me which is sad because it actually looks beautiful at first.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Estee Lauder - Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup For Face & Body
KattyKit 4/4/2012 2:54:00 PM
DRY SKIN LADIES BEWARE!
Warning to ALL skin types: Exfoliate, then MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE prior to application.
A little about me: I’m NC20ish, RevlonCS in Buff, borrowed this from my sister in 01 Creamy Ivory.
I had just done my morning face regime (Proactiv & Olay Daily Facial lotion) and applied this over a primer but still saw flakes. This is intense full coverage. By that I mean that I fully believe this is stage makeup. I have pretty great skin considering I’ve got a little acne and redness. I have very small pores, and tend to get a little oily by mid-day so I don’t have a lot of dryness in my skin. Somehow, after applying a very small amount of this (about three drops covered my whole face) I suddenly looked as though I had aging dry skin. It definitely has absolute full coverage but this stuff transfers like a mofo, pulls yellow, and looks incredibly unnatural & dull. I spent about an hour trying to blend it out and eventually just covered my face in Cetaphil. After massaging that in I finally got a somewhat natural look and the kicker is that my face still feels dry. I imagine this is an oily girl’s dream but it’s certainly not mine.
If you’re looking for a cheap way to use your favorite moisturizer to create a TM, this is the product I’d purchase as it’ll last forever. Cut a tiny drop of this into your moisturizer and voila! Instant TM with crazy coverage.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Aveeno - positively radiant
KattyKit 3/16/2012 1:07:00 PM
I've been using this TM for a few months now. I've been on the hunt for a good TM for years. It's been years because I wear a full face of makeup almost every day, so I rarely use TMs. I found this TM too thick, cakey, and orange on my PPP skin. It dries VERY fast so you need to use a little at a time and blend it in to one patch of skin before moving onto the rest. Due to this it took me a really long to apply and it looks awful. If you try to build the coverage, the TM flakes off. I would have given this product 1 star except that I really do appreciate the packaging. It's a pump bottle with a twistable cap that locks. If you find that this works for you, the bottle would be very convenient.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Olay - Total Effects Anti Aging Anti Blemish Cleanser
KattyKit 3/9/2012 5:03:00 PM
This is the only anti-aging product that has ever made a difference in my skin. I'm in my early 20's but I have very expressive eye brows and I was starting to see wrinkles in my forehead, and a very deep one in the middle. After using this product for only two weeks, I saw a huge difference in my skin. The extremely pronounced line in my forehead is practically gone! Makeup no longer settles into it, so I know it's not just my imagination. My routine: For years now I've been using ponds cold cream/wipes to remove makeup, proactive cleanser once daily followed by witch hazel as a toner and Olay daily facial lotion w/spf. This keeps my face mostly clear. When I bought this Olay cleanser I didn't realize that it had salicylic acid in it until I got it home. In the past salicylic acid has always made me break out but I was willing to try anything to get rid of my forehead wrinkles. So I incorporated this cleanser into my routine. I use it every 3 days in place of my proactive cleanser. I gently massage this cleanser onto my skin for about a minute, rinse, and repeat once. I do this because in it's necessary (imo) for the active ingredients to have enough time to sit on your skin, otherwise you're just washing it away. I would not recommend using this product as a daily face wash, especially if you have dry or sensitive skin. Pros: Packaging is great. A ton of product for a decent price. Actually saw a drastic change in my skin! Cons: Can be drying Has a slightly odd smell, not overly strong though.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - ColorBurst in 070 Soft Nude [DISCONTINUED]
KattyKit 6/15/2010 1:35:00 PM
I bought this at Target in the 2for1 packaging sometime last week. After hearing so many rave reviews for this color I wanted to try it out but at 7 or 8 US Dollars, it was a bit pricey for a DS item for my taste. I was waiting until it went on sale and I'm glad I did. I like the formula for these lippies but it's not the best. Very smooth, but it tends to settle into the creases of your lips if you don't exfoliate and apply some kind of chapstick before hand. The packaging is adorable, as we all know. Another plus is that the color on the top of the tube matches the color payoff perfectly! This amazed me because the lipstick itself does not appear to match but when applied it is almost exact. Now for the cons: Aside from the aforementioned settling into the creases if you've got dry-ish lips, there are not that many complaints from me. The only thing is that this lippie appears to be very orange based. Which looks fine on me, because oranges tend to look natural against my skin, but if you have to avoid those types of colors, soft nude is not for you. It looks pale pink nude on me but I can see this easily looking orange on the wrong person. I probably won't purchase more of these lippies because there's nothing special in them for me aside from the cute packaging, and I don't feel like paying up to three dollars more just for packaging. I'll stick with my Maybelline ColorSensational lippies.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Pro Activ - 3-Step System
KattyKit 5/27/2010 1:56:00 PM
Some background: Like some of the other reviewers have stated, I'm not really sure if I've reviewed this before seeing as it's been out for years now. The first time I used this I was about 16 (guessing here, somewhere between 14 and 16). For me this is the only thing that completely stops my acne. I've had mild acne prone skin since about the age of 13. My skin is not very sensitive, but I treat it as if it were. Why put harsh chemicals all over your skin just because you think it can handle it? I've only recently learned that your diet and exercise plays a large part in how your skin acts. If I am being good about those two things and cleaning my face with a mild cleanser, making sure to moisturize, exfoliate and wear SPF daily, my skin is manageable. But when I get sick of having one or two blemishes every day, I use this. What's weird is that the only thing in this system that seems to work for me (and not break me out) is the facial wash. The toner does pretty much nothing for me. The Lotion breaks me out and turns my skin red and the spot treatment dries out my skin horribly. For me, it's worth it to have this as my trusty stand by in my medicine cabinet. I have never experienced cystic acne from this if I'm only using the face wash. It seems to be the other components of the system that were breaking me out. If it's all helpful, the following is my normal skin routine: Morning - Wash with Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser, followed by Sea-breeze sensitive skin toner and Clinique Moisturizer Gel. Night - Remove M/U with Ponds cold cream, Wash face with ProActiv Face Wash, Tone with Sea-breeze Sensitive Skin, moisturize with Burt's Bees Radiance Creme. *Every few days or when I feel I need it, I use a home made sugar & olive-oil scrub. About every four days I use a home made lemon and honey mask and leave it on for about 10 minutes. I also take Hair, Skin, &Nail pills by "Nature's Bounty".
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Hard Candy - Sheer Envy Tinted Moisturizer spf15
KattyKit 2/25/2010 11:02:00 PM
*PLEASE READ 'EDIT' BELOW!* Good God I love this product! Talk about HG. Never has any makeup product surpassed my expectations so drastically! This does NOT break me out, (and I am very prone to breakouts), doesn't clog pores, feels like a moisturizer and is very comfortable to wear alone or under makeup. But I have almost NO use for foundation now! The coverage is ridiculous! I can't even explain my excitement over this TM. It was $8 here in the US, it comes in a tube that makes it easy to get every last drop, this does NOT turn orange on my very very pale skin and when I wear this I actually get compliments on my SKIN, not on how great my MU looks. I'm amazed. If you have any questions please feel free to message them to me. I definitely will repurchase and I do recommend. ------------ EDIT - I am so sad to have to say that this product started breaking me out after using it for two months. I have no idea why it started doing that but when I stopped using it my horrible break outs stopped too. When I thought it was safe to use again I wore it one morning for about four hours and the very next day my skin was a mess again. Incredibly depressing because I really loved this stuff. Guess the search continues for the HG TM. =[
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No