Gels/Soaps -Unlisted Brand - Sappo Hill Soapworks- Old Fashioned Oatmeal Bar Soap
LolaBlue 4/30/2013 4:03:00 AM
I've been dying to try this soap for months, so when a local natural foods store started carrying it I promptly bought two bars: old fashioned oatmeal, and almond. I haven't used the latter yet, but despite the rave reviews and heavenly scent of the oatmeal bar it dried my skin out horribly. I have been using Pears glycerine soap for about a year and though that thoroughly cleanses my skin it doesn't leave me the dry, flaking, itchy mess that this soap does. Very disappointing. At this point I think I'll probably chop up the other bar and use it to scent my linen cabinet/drawers because I don't think my skin can tolerate it.
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Treatments -Suave - Moroccan Infusion Styling Oil
LolaBlue 4/16/2013 11:12:00 AM
My hair is freakishly weird when it comes to silicones (which is what this is, mostly). The first time I used it I applied it to wet hair and a few hours later blowed it dry. My hair fluffled up like it was full of static. Not really the look I was going for. The next time I used it I waited until *after* I blow dried my hair. I applied one pumps-worth of product and brushed it through my hair and it worked perfectly. Left my hair smooth, silky, and shiny without weighing it down or making it feel sticky, greasy, or otherwise nasty. Since I don't wash my hair every day, and only need to use a small amount even on my thick, long-ish hair, this $5 bottle will last quite a while.
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Treatments -Suave - Moroccan Infusion Deep Conditioning Shine Mask 
LolaBlue 4/8/2013 11:04:00 AM
I bought this on a whim (and a sale, that always helps) since I've been having such good luck with Suave products lately. It was nice, creamy, not quite as thick as I expected, but easy to distribute in my thick, wavy hair. I left it in for probably five minutes, and it rinsed easily. I didn't use any leave-in's/styling products afterwards to see how well it really worked, and wow! is really all I can say. My hair was *perfect*. Soft, shiny, had volume, but wasn't fizzy, and just all around looked and felt damn good. I definitely didn't expect that from this product. My only complaint is that after I dried my hair I kept getting whiffs of something pesticide-y in scent and after sniffing all around my house realized it was coming from my hair. yeah, not the best scent in the world. but, it works so well I can ignore that for now.
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Hair Color -John Frieda - Precision Foam Color
LolaBlue 3/21/2013 7:59:00 PM
I used Feria hair color for years and never had a problem with it. I didn't particularly like how gaggy it made me with the strong ammonia content, but I dealt with it because it gave me a gorgeous color. Until it didn't. I don't know if my hair changed or their formula did, but suddenly my hair would no longer hold the (permanent!) color. I was so disappointed. My mom suggested I try another brand and I decided on this one because they offered the same color I was using and happened to be on sale at the time. The foam was a little weird to use at first, but I picked it up pretty quickly and though occasionally I'll get a whiff of ammonia that makes my head spin it's not anything near as bad as it was with the Feria and other (normal) hair colors I've tried. I also find that with my thick hair I actually get much more even coverage with the foam than I did with the regular liquid application. The wear is much better than I've gotten from other brands too. Reds are notoriously hard to hold, but I get a solid 4 weeks with this dye and really only noticeable fading between week 5-6. There's also much let color rinsing out the first few times I wash my hair after dying it. So while it's more expensive than other d/s dyes I think it's definitely worth the $2-3 extra.
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Conditioner -Suave - Professionals Almond & Shea Butter
LolaBlue 3/21/2013 7:29:00 PM
This is a fantastic conditioner. I have thick, wavy, dry hair and this along with the matching shampoo left my hair and scalp perfectly moisturized with weighing my hair down. Most of the time I didn't even need to use styling products after this (not that I used many to begin with). When i switched to the Suave Keratin Infusion line after starting to color my hair again I gave my leftover bottles of this to my sisters and they love and rave about it just as much as I did. If/when I stop color treating my hair I will definitely use this again.
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Shampoo -Suave - Professionals Almond & Shea Butter
LolaBlue 3/21/2013 7:26:00 PM
Love this shampoo. I have a really hard time finding a shampoo that doesn't leave my scalp feeling itchy, dry, and generally unpleasant. I avoided Suave products for a long time because I always found their shampoos stripped my scalp too much, but I decided to give this a try and I'm really glad I did. It cleansed my scalp and hair perfectly, smells fantastic, and has great natural ingredients. I would still be using it, but I started coloring my hair again and switched to the Suave Keratin Infusion line since it's better for color treated hair (and I love that too!).
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Xtreme Wear - Pacific Blue
LolaBlue 2/21/2013 4:20:00 AM
Super creamy polish that's totally opaque in one coat and wears like it's tattooed to your nails. What's not to like about that? Oh yeah, and it's cheap. I love SH Xtreme Wear's always good value and the hardest wearing polishes I own.
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Treatments (Eye) -Nuance by Salma Hayek - AM/PM Anti-Aging Super Eye Treatment
LolaBlue 2/21/2013 4:13:00 AM
I was kinda kicking myself for purchasing this after seeing the mixed reviews, but so far I like it. It does have it's flaws. For one thing it's a little greasy; you definitely don't want to wear this under makeup, but it's not and oil slick if you know what I mean. If you use it at night - like I do -, it's not a problem. I full pumps worth dispenses about twice what you need for both eyes (upper and lower), and I don't like the fact that the bottle's opaque so you can't see how much you have left (but it's a plus too because it's the best for the ingredients). BUT all that pales in the fact that in the short time I've been using it, it is definitely helping fade my genetic dark circles and keeps my eyes hydrated despite Retin-A use. So for that I'm giving this a big thumbs up!
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Primer/ Corrector -Nuance by Salma Hayek - Smooth Start Skin Primer
LolaBlue 2/21/2013 4:07:00 AM
I've always used high end primers, usually Vincent Longo, but times are tight and this is both cheap and easily available. I was a little worried that, like other d/s primers I'd tried, it would feel more like Elmer's glue than anything else, but I was pleasantly surprised with this. It does feel a little heavier on initial application than my old primer, but it disappears pretty quickly. the on thing I really like about this (other than price and availability) is that even on it's own it seems to hide minor flaws and discoloration. I wasn't expecting that, and was very pleased with it. I have used this under a number of foundations, BB creams, and tinted moisturizers and it performs well under all of them. I rarely have to worry about oiliness, but on days when I do this keeps it in check, and it definitely creates a smooth canvas for my makeup and lasts all day. Removal is also easy (at least I don't have to do anything I didn't w/ more expensive primers). definitely will be repurchasing this when I run out, which will be a while because you don't need to use much of it.
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Conditioner -Suave - Keratin Infusion Smoothing Conditioner
LolaBlue 2/21/2013 3:40:00 AM
I know it seems trivial, but the one thing I love about Suave is the design of their conditioner bottles. Having the cap on the bottom so that conditioner drains down (and consequently you don't have to beat it out of the bottle) is brilliant and something I'd expect from a more expensive product. *Anyway* I've been using this for about a month and am surprised by the negative reviews because my experience with it has been great. My thick, wavy, color treated hair is sleek and soft after I use this, and (bonus!) my recently dyed red hair looks almost as good today as when I colored it a month ago.
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Shampoo -Suave - Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Smoothing Shampoo
LolaBlue 2/21/2013 3:32:00 AM
I'm really surprised by all the negative reviews for this. I've been using it for about a month, and though it's not the 'color care' variety of Keratin Infusion it's helped my recently dyed hair retain it's color better than any other shampoo I've used (especially as my hair is dyed red, which is very hard for hair to hold). My scalp is also very sensitive, prone to dryness, but I haven't had any problems with this shampoo. Of course that could be due to the fact that I only wash my hair every other day. The one problem I have had with this poo/dish is that it makes my hair so smooth I can't keep it in a pony tail. It could be worse :)
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Cleansers -Lumene - Radiant Touch Moisturizing Cream Cleanser
LolaBlue 2/8/2013 9:39:00 PM
I don't usually like cream cleansers. In fact I kind of pretty much hate them. So why I bought this one I have no idea. It was probably just because I've been using a lot of Lumene products lately and liked them. *Anyway* this is the only cream cleanser I've ever liked because it actually does what it says it's going to do: cleanse my skin without irritating it, and rinse clean. It's more expensive than other DS cream cleansers, but a little goes a very long way and - again -, it works; even removes my makeup (except waterproof mascara).
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Moisturizers -Lumene - Sensitive Touch 5 Minute SOS Cream (Rauhoittava Tehovoide)
LolaBlue 2/8/2013 9:33:00 PM
I absolutely love this cream. I bought it in a fit of desperation when Retin-A made everything else sting and burn. Not this though. This soothed and hydrated my skin and made me comfortable for the first time in days. I'm past the worst of the Retin-A now, but I still use this nightly on my neck and as an eye cream. It's my favourite eye cream because it's hydrating without being greasy and most eye creams are just too much even for my dry skin. Just wonderful stuff, and I will always keep a tube around.
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Moisturizers -Lumene - Arctic Aqua 2 in 1 Skin-Perfecting Moisture-Booster
LolaBlue 2/8/2013 9:25:00 PM
Love this. I use it at night under my Rx retinoid to buffer a little and add some much needed moisture to my already dry skin. I was using Murad Sensitive Skin Soothing Serum, but it's more expensive and I like that the Lumene has more natural ingredients anyway. When my skin is *really* dry I'll even layer this under a lotion/cream moisturizer and it adds moisture w/o adding greasiness which is fantastic.
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Eye Makeup Remover -Nuance by Salma Hayek - Cucumber & Rose Dual Phase Makeup Remover
LolaBlue 2/8/2013 9:15:00 PM
I don't usually buy makeup remover, because I rarely need it. In fact since I started using Albolene years ago to remove my mineral makeup I've never needed it. But then I started using this wonderful Revlon mascara and they should have labeled it "wears like Elmer's glue" instead of "waterproof" because that s***t does not come off even with massaging Albolene into my lashes. So... I needed a makeup remover and since I love this line and it looks pretty in my bathroom this was the first one I picked up. And it worked perfectly. It completely removes anything I apply it to, and it doesn't irritate my skin. My only complaint about it isn't about the product, but the packaging. I do wish the bottle was squeezable. But the product itself? Perfect.
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