Masks -Mario Badescu - Drying Mask
MauraLynn 12/22/2009 9:43:00 PM
DON"T attempt this if you have dry skin, or worse still, sensitive skin like mine. It's lucky that I got this in a sample pack. First off, the smell is absolutely horrible, and I just knew that something that smells so similar to your industrial strength rust cleaner or whatever can't possibly be good for your skin. And I was right. 15 minutes after the mask dried out I had a terrible time trying to remove the mask completely from my face. My skin then promptly turned tight, shiny and dry. It was only overnight that I realized a bad rash all over my face, which worsened over a span of two days. My skin is sensitive to certain products, and in the case of this one, my face broke out in a hot, red and itchy rash over the course of the next two days. After the span of two days, the redness slowly went away and I was left with a face of flaking skin. The only reason I gave this product two stars is because it actually cleared away my acne after the disastrous first usage. While this may have worked for others without any side-effects, it was definitely too strong for me. I definitely recommend anyone thinking of trying this out to get the sample. Mario Badescu always have samples in stock, one thing I really like about them. And anyway, I've had worse results with other products. Two stars, considering that it did what it promised to do and didn't cost me a cent, though I'll never use it again.
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Cleansers -L'Occitane - Shea Butter Extra Gentle Cleansing Milk
MauraLynn 12/10/2009 8:58:00 PM
Very soothing, and an extremely gentle product on the face.This is a milk cleanser, meaning that it will not foam. It doesn't strip away the natural skin barrier from the face like most other foaming cleansers do for me, leaving my skin dry, itchy and tight, nor does it leave my skin sticky and oily, like what most oil cleansers do to me. I have tried a variety of cleansers, and this seems to be the right one for my dry, sensitive and acne prone skin. I am extremely happy because not only do this product cleanse well, it also does not have the extra junk such as colouring and fragrance, present in most other facial cleansing agents. My face feels clean, moisturized and refreshed after using this product. For me, a few pumps are enough to cleanse my face, though I don't really wear that much makeup to begin with. Anyone with sensitive skin should consider trying this product out. I should probably mention that along with the shea butter hand moisturizer, this product is one of my favourites among L'Occitane.
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Treatments -Mario Badescu - Buffering Lotion
MauraLynn 3/8/2009 1:19:00 AM
Awful packaging? I thought it is pretty alright... I'll address the packaging problem first, since it has been mentioned so many times. Personally I thought it was alright. What I do is I shake the bottle up, hold a finger underneath the dropper (not touching the opening), and squeeze out a drop of the liquid. Yes, and afterwards it rolls off my finger, but thankfully for me, it does not drip. It just rolls off the surface of my skin. Then I'll just use my finger and apply a thin layer of this product over the problem areas. If I'm using this as a spot treatment, I'll prefer to use a q-tip. What I don't like about using a q-tip is that it will have to take a few drops before the q-tip is drenched with the liquid. If the q-tip is not soaked up to the point that it cannot absorb any more of the liquid, it's hard to transfer it to the acne. Personally I find the packaging fine, if not, good, because it's sanitary. One thing I like about this is that the liquid gets absorbed into the skin fast enough, if applied thinly, or it evaporates, I don't know. But either way, it works to help diminish the inflammation of the acne, help reduce small, clogged pores and other problems. I think it's really up to your own exploration to see how certain products work for you. Then we have the issue of dry skin... I don't think anyone can escape it if we are to use acne products. I actually find this product quite gentle on the skin compared to stuff like benzoyl peroxide. When I use this product, I try to use it along with some of my thicker moisturizers, or I'll pile on all the acne products in one night and moisturize my skin immediately the next morning. Just speaking for those of us with pretty much normal skin that isn't too prone to dryness. Strangely, I like how this product is thin and absorbes/evaporates fast. With this product, I know to put it on straight after the toner and that it wouldn't interfer with my other skincare products like the moisturizer and other what-nots. Other than that, I don't think there's anything else to say about it. Smell's fine to me, price's fine to me, fine, fine, fine. Some people might find the amount of liquid too little for the price, but really, you don't need to use much of this either. My bottle should be able to last me at least a year, if it doesn't spoil by then. I can't exacly say how effective this is, because I often use it with other Mario Badescu products, but I'll definitely re-purchase it once it runs out.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Mario Badescu - Drying Cream
MauraLynn 3/7/2009 10:21:00 PM
What can I say? The drying cream, um, dried me out. So perhaps I'm using it the wrong way, but though this product is quite effective in drying out my acne, it dried my skin out too. This product really isn't for someone like me, who gets small whiteheads all over her t-zone. I'll end up putting this all over my face, and wake up with dry and tight skin. I do get the occasional pimple. For pimples though, this works. I find this a little too harsh on my skin, because in the morning the area of skin I've applied the cream to the night before will be pink. Use it too much, your skin dries out. Use too little of it, you might as well not use it. I'm still struggling to get the amount of product to put on my face right. I didn't enjoy the packaging too much. They could have packaged it like the Mario Badescu anti-acne serum, which always disposes the right amount of product on my finger, and is perfectly sanitary. I also hate the smell, but considering the ingredients in the product, I'm quite happy that they didn't load it with perfume like some other acne products out there. I can't use this in the morning. The sales lady at the counter said this could be used like a concealer to counteract the redness, but there is no way to blend this cream out. Though I'm asian, I'm about the palest in class thanks to my mum's genes, but this product still stood out starkly against my face. I haven't tried using concealer over it, though. But still, I'll rebuy this product, simply for the occasional pimples I get a one or two times a month, though I don't see how I can finish my current tub. I will update time and again. Though this isn't my favourite, I still love other Mario Badescu products, and I understand how some products might or might not work for you depending on your skin, so really I don't always rely on reviews to get the ideal products. I find the best way is to consult the ladies at the counter, or simply go the mariobadescu.com and do the questionnaire to get them to send you samples. So helpful, right? I give them a rating of 5 for service. If you live outside the US or Canada, got to the Mario Badescu counters, or OnlyAesthetics and ask for some samples.
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Treatments -Mario Badescu - Anti Acne Serum
MauraLynn 3/7/2009 9:57:00 PM
I don't know what's all this fuss about the serum not working, too oily, clogging the pores... and other whatnots. ...but that's maybe I haven't been using it for a long time yet. I'm into my first week of using this serum, and so far, so good. I use it everyday at night on my t-zone and forehead, because this thing actually does not dry me out, unlike other acne products which I will try only to use if I spot an acne coming up. I'm 14, asian. I get tiny, mild whiteheads on my t-zone all the time, blackheads, and the occasional pimple on my face. Basically, my skin condition has been kept at an optimistic level, but that's only due to the amount of time, effort and money I spend on searching for skincare products. Normally, an episode of pimple and whiteheads will leave me with dry skin, but with this serum, I'm pretty sure that I can prevent some blemishes from appearing before treating the few tough one that has to be treated with strong acne treatments. It is true that this serum does leave a film on my face... but not quite that oily. Still, I only reserve this for night use. This product didn't burn my face or anything, and it smelled alright. The serum has a gel-like consistency, which I love. I also love the packaging. It's cheap, without being crappish, and it's really sanitary. The price really is affordable. I mean, such great products for this price, and if you think about it, it's actually quite reasonable. Mario Badescu says that the reason for the reasonable price is because that they cut down on the advertising and packaging cost, which is great. Basically, this serum has been keeping my skin condition good. Of course, as I'm only into my first week of this stuff, I can't really tell exacly how effective it is. I was first drawn to this product by the list of ingredients (I'm not mentioning them because I'm pretty sure loads of other reviews will mention the ingredients and their effects), and now I'm happy I've purchased it. If the serum keeps up with its good work, I'll be sure to use it consistently. I will update after a few weeks.
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Treatments -Biore - Pore Cleansing Strips - Nose
MauraLynn 2/4/2009 3:12:00 AM
This is probably the only product I find interesting to use. First, you dampen your nose and T-zone. Second, stick the strip on. Third, wait till it hardens and then spend a good 5 minutes pulling it out. There are plenty other users who do elaborate description on the procedure. First of all, I want to say that this thing hasn't done a single thing for my blackheads at all. But that may also be that my blackheads are plenty but pretty microscopic. So I don't really mind, since it doesn't really make a big difference whether they come out or not. Still give it a try though, other people swear that their blackheads came right off. But what this strip really takes out of your pores are the so-called oil seeds in your pores. You know, sometimes you squeeze and scratch and dig at your nose until a hard bead of oil comes out? Yes. With this strip, it removed all my oil seeds and cleansed my pores in one go. The downside: It doesn't permanently solve your blackhead/dirty pores problem. Go see a derm if you really have an uncontrollable field of blackheads on your nose.
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Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Body Butter Shea
MauraLynn 1/9/2009 8:50:00 AM
This is my favorite among the TBS body butters, and with good reasons too. This body butter has a rich but not overwhelming scent, at least not to me. I don't have to worry about smelling too strongly of this product because I only use it before bed. It is capable of keeping my limbs smooth and moisturized without being shiny or oily the whole of the next day. One special thing I've noted about this body butter is that though the packaging says that the product is intended for VERY DRY SKIN, I find that my skin, which is just a little dry at the limbs, react very well with this body butter. I've had better experience with this than the Craneberry, Mango, Coconut, Moroccan Rose, Pink Grapefruit and Papaya body butters, not saying that those are not good, but one figures that they should have been more suitable for my skin, considering they are meant for NORMAL to DRY skin. All in all, TBS body butters have exceptional moisturizing properties and you definitely want to take some time to sample them in the store. This has been my HG product since using it three years back. Not a day of dry elbows or knees since then. Acts as an excellent foot moisturizer too, though a little too thick for my hands. Another thing which sets this product apart from the others is the texture and fluidity of the moisturizer. With other TBS fruit body butters, they tend to run in the container especially when I travel, getting everywhere, onto the lids, onto the packaging itself when I open them, and onto bedsheets when sometimes I use a little too much. As you can see, the tub doesn't really make for the neatest or most hygienic packaging (thus 3 stars for packaging), but I never experience this problem with the Shea body butter. This one in particular is less fluid, and more balm like especially in the winters, creamy during the summers. It never ever runs, not even when I carry this around, and the entire lid is clean of any traces of grease. It's really convenient because I can scoop up a very precise amount of the product and disperse them onto my skin with my hands, unlike with the fruit body butters where I find that I have to dip my fingers into the tub a few times to get the amount I want, contaminating the product in the process and getting the product stuck in my fingernails. This reason alone makes the Shea body butter my favourite among the lot. One tub of this lasts me a little less than three months, though my mother has been using hers in spare amounts for almost one year, and if you're wondering, the product still stays in top quality. I find that the price is reasonable, considering the amount and quality of the product you'll getting.
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Top/Base Coats -Sally Hansen - Mega Shine Top Coat
MauraLynn 12/27/2008 12:46:00 AM
I like how this product dries quickly, and gives my nails a nice glossy sheen. It also helps to strengthen my nails a bit. Overall, it's a good product which lives up to its name. The only problem I've had with it is that I tend to apply too much of it accidentally. You really have to swipe it on the inside of the opening of the bottle for a little while to drain the polish, because if not, little drips and drops of polish will drip down from the stem of the brush while you apply it. Applying too much of this will also cause the it to peel after it has dried. The brush is also a little too long for my taste, making the application of the polish a little challenging for my shaky hands. You can try cutting off a portion of the brush. Overall, this is a safe product to stick with. It does it's job well, and there's no major flaw. I can live with the packinging flaws, and I think I'll continue using this until I find a better product.
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Double Extend Beauty Tubes
MauraLynn 12/12/2008 12:06:00 PM
Not the worst tube mascara I've tried, but definitely not the best. The mascara seems to clump on my lashes. The effect is also a little fake, considering that I like natural looking long and thick eyelashes. Don't try it if you don't have thick eyelashes. This mascara sticks your lashes together at the top, and makes them stick out of your lids unnaturally. Wearing the mascara alone without the bottom coat seems to work fine for me. It gives your lashes just a little extension and creats the perfect everyday look. The mascara drys easily... I had a devil of a time with it in the winter. I won't buy this again. If this mascara doesn't work for you, you may want to try Lancome or Dior.
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Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Cranberry Body Butter
MauraLynn 12/12/2008 11:52:00 AM
I find this product just a little too greasy for me... but since other lotions haven't worked as well as this had, I shall not complain. I use to put a layer of body lotion on my skin, followed by a layer of Vaseline. With this body butter, it/s much more convenient for me that I don't have to use vaseline anymore and still get the same moisturizing effects. I love the smell. Its not too strong that people can smell it from a meter away, but it's just strong enough to make me feel good. I don't like the packinging too much, though. It can be a little unhygenic. The price is just right for the product, I think. I will continue to buy TBS body butter, not craneberry anymore, but shea, brazil nut and cocoa, depending on the season.
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Lip Treatments -Nivea - Lip Care - Repair
MauraLynn 11/10/2008 2:55:00 AM
Okay. I have no idea why everyone else are raving about burt's bees and mary kay, but this Nivea 'repair' lip balm is simply awesome! Believe me, this thing never fails to moisturize, and it does not cause allergies. Take it from the person here that has been using it continuously for the past 4 years. I have spent so much time and money trying to find a suitable lip balm that moisturizes and does not cause allergies, and I'm so glad to have found this. Will definitely repurchase. In fact, I think I'll stick to this forever.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Kiehls - Ultra Facial Moisturizer
MauraLynn 11/10/2008 2:11:00 AM
This product requires some time to sink in into the skin. On first application, I was thinking, "uh-oh", as I thought I had bought the wrong cream, beacause it just seemed so thick when I applied it at first. I live in hot and humid Singapore, mind you all, though there's a lot of air conditioners around which drys out my skin. My skin soaked up the cream after around 10 minutes, and I was left with really, really soft, baby smooth skin. I was truly amazed. I had expected the cream to just sit on my face the whole night. The cream is awesome. Will definitely rebuy(:
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Lips -Stila - Stila Cherry Crush
MauraLynn 11/10/2008 1:40:00 AM
LOVE IT! I used this product on my lips and cheeks. Just like what the advertisement said, it really gave me a personalized flush. I'm Asian by the way. I'll continue using this because I really helps me to look more fresh and awake. I use this everyday now, because I'm a student and my school bans us from using makeup in school. Strictly speaking, this is a makeup, but I use just enough to make myself look naturally flushed. You cannot apply this beneath your foundation, or else it won't show. Nor can you apply it on your foundation. You'll end up with unsightly blotches on your cheeks. Therefore, you can only achieve the best results by using it on its own. Use it only on clear skin with minimal blemishes.Its hard to use this stain on concealer, and you definitely do not want to use concealer on it. If you have ezcema or pimples of any sort on your face, this stain will only enhance the color of whatever blemishes that is on your face. I like the color and staying power of this stain. On my lips, it lasts about 8 hours. On my cheeks, it lasts a whole day. I really love this stuff. And because using a blush will be really too obvious, I'll continue using this.
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Moisturizers -Vaseline - Petroleum Jelly
MauraLynn 10/19/2008 11:50:00 PM
This is a neccessity in my skincare kit, but be aware, use it only on dry and chapped skin. Never, ever use this on your face, especially on you T-zone. The skin does not absorb this thing at all, and all you'll end up with are clog pores. My skin does not seem to b able to absorb this at all, and it stays on the skin, acting like a barrier to the environment, but does not allow your skin to breath at all. It is good if used on cracks, chapped lips and elbows in the winter, but never use more than neccessary. For me, the only reason I gave this a rating of 3 stars is because I put this in my nose whenever I travel in the plane or go somewhere cold. The air pressure in the plan often cause me to have a noesbleed, and in the winter, the thin membrane in my nose often dries out causing me to suffer form a severe nosebleed. Using vaseline prevents nosebleeds 95% of the time for me.
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Concealers -MAC - Studio Touch-Up Stick [DISCONTINUED]
MauraLynn 10/17/2008 5:43:00 AM
After reading all the great reviews here, I decided to try it out. I bought the NC20, the second lightest shade, and I have to say I'm quite happy with the results. I use this for the dark circles under my eye. It doesn't make the area under my eyes all cakey and matte like some other concealers do, but this product seems to help my eyes look more radiant, and helps me to look more awake. I'm Asian, and I really like that this concealer has a yellow undertone (or so it seems to me) which blends in really well under my eyes. The only problem I have with this product is that though it covers up dark eye circles efficiently, it does not work on those tiny and awful veins that develops under my eyes whenever i don't get enough sleep. But still, no other products have been able able to cover up those either. The price is reasonable. I will definitely buy this again.
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