Sunscreen -Unlisted Brand - Citrix Antioxidant Sunscreen SPF 30
MbMinx 7/6/2012 12:56:00 PM
I bought this for my husband to use as a daily sunscreen. He loves it. He has dry, sensitive, eczema-prone skin and this works very well for him. It's moisturizing without being heavy or greasy and it sets to a decently matte finish. It doesn't break him out and doesn't irritate his skin. It's not waterproof by any stretch, but it's been surprisingly durable for his average day. He liked it so much I thought I'd try it...Alas, this is not the sunscreen for me. It breaks me out - for every day I wear it, I end up with a random pimple. I've tried it several times, at various times of the month with the same result. Sigh... We will repurchase because my husband loves it. Definitely recommended for dry-ish sensitive skin.
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Treatments -Advanced Skin Technology - Unagel Calming Acne Treatment
MbMinx 6/18/2012 11:11:00 AM
I got a sample of this recently. I've been using it as a spot treatment, and I like it. I could see using it as a full face treatment (if my sample tube were bigger). This product is a milky-clear gel. It goes on clear and it dries quickly. After a couple of minutes its not tacky or sticky at all. In light coats, I don't feel anything on my face - no film or tightness. Slather it on thick and I do notice it...It's not drying at all to me. Even applied several times a day, I didn't notice any irritation. I had no secondary breakouts or clogging. OK in all honesty, for the price point, I may not re-purchase this. My beloved Stridex pads work well enough for me for an all over BHA. I do think this might be a good BHA option for people with sensitive skin. If you can't use Stridex or Paula's Choice BHA, this may well be worth a look.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Aphogee - Two-Step Protein Treatment (formerly Treatment for Damaged Hair)
MbMinx 4/25/2012 12:25:00 PM
I like this product. I have used it several times over the years, whenever I remember that my hair likes protein. I always get great results. I definitely have to do both steps, though. I've got to have the moisture after my protein. I've never used heat for the first step. I know that's what the directions say, but I don't have a good heat source available. That's OK. It works just fine - it just takes longer. My hair still dries rock hard. It takes some time to rinse it out gently, but it DOES come out. AFter that, the deep conditioner goes on until I feel like rinsing it out. My hair comes out great, full of body and shine.
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Hazelnut Oil
MbMinx 4/25/2012 12:19:00 PM
I love hazelnut oil! I use this primarily as a moisturizer on damp skin. I spread a couple of drops over my face to seal in the moisture and I'm done. It soaks in very well. Since it is slightly astringent, it doesn't contribute any additional oiliness. After a minute or two, my skin feels soft and velvety. I've also added this to my cleansing oil mixture at times. The results are good. I just like this too much on it's own to "waste" is as a cleanser. I highly recommend this oil to anyone with combination to somewhat oily skin who might be interested in trying oils. It's not as drying as grapeseed oil, but it's not as "oily" as some of the other oils.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Stridex - Maximum Strength Soft Touch Pads Alcohol Free (Red jar/box)
MbMinx 4/25/2012 12:14:00 PM
I like these. I'm on my third tub of them with a backup in the closet. These pads are a convenient, inexpensive way to get BHA into my routine. I use them as toner in the morning after I wash my face. They don't have any alcohol and they don't sting and they don't dry my face out. I don't notice any film leftover and my face just feels fresh. Along with the rest of my routine, they keep my skin clear and free from blackheads and clogged pores. I don't notice big improvements to my skin...but I DO notice when I forget them for a few days. The menthol might bother some people, but it isn't an issue for me. Stridex pads are a great daily BHA treatment for me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Mineral Oil
MbMinx 4/25/2012 12:07:00 PM
I've been using mineral oil as my facial cleanser for several months now, with no complaints. It works very well for me and I have no issues with it at all. It cuts through my makeup and sunscreen. It dissolves my blackheads and clogged pores and even minimizes my sebaceous filaments. I began just cleansing with mineral oil, and while that worked very well, I could not quite get used to the oily film it left on my face. I began making my own cleansing oil by adding an emulsifier (Cromollient) to the mineral oil, and that's been perfect for me. All the benefits of cleansing with oil and it rinses away cleanly. Since fragrance doesn't bother my skin, I just use plain old generic baby oil. I have tried the unscented type that they sell to season cutting boards and that works well, too. The baby oil is just cheaper...I see this as a staple in my skin care kit for years to come.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Unlisted Brand - Drugstore Witch hazel
MbMinx 4/25/2012 11:59:00 AM
I've been using this for several months as a toner and I really like it a lot. It's inexpensive, easy to buy and my skin likes it. It helps clean off any leftover makeup or sunscreen off my face. It gives me an anti-oxidant boost. It even seems to help my few breakouts heal faster. I thought that the 14% alcohol would be drying, but it's not at all. Not moisturizing, but definitely not drying. My skin is in great shape, and witch hazel is part of my solution. I've also used it on bug bites - it helps with the itching. I've twice had cat bites that got infected and swelled up, and each time I used a witch hazel poutlice to bring down the swelling and inflammation. Not only is it good for my skin, it's good for my medicine cabinet. It does have a smell...But it's rather have that than any sort of perfume. This is basic skin care at it's best, IMO.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Cerave - Facial Moisturizing Lotion - AM SPF 30
MbMinx 1/31/2012 10:27:00 AM
I have used Cerave PM for over a year now and loved it. When I ran out of my HG summer sunscreen this winter, I thought I might give the AM version a try. It's pretty good. Compared to Cerave PM, Cerave AM is thicker and more lotion-like - probably due to the sunscreen ingredients. It does absorb in well after a few minutes and it doesn't leave my skin greasy. There's no lingering white cast that I notice. It's not particularly water or sweat resistant, but it's durable enough to stand up to a day in the office. I wish the texture were more like the PM version...but all in all I like this. I don't LOVE it, but I like it. It's a good everyday sunscreen for the cooler months. We'll see how it performs as the weather heats up. I doubt it will replace my HG Skinceuticals Physical Fusion, but it's a good daily use product.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -La Roche Posay - Lipikar - Syndet Soap-Free Cleansing Gel
MbMinx 9/20/2011 5:23:00 PM
This is the HG cleanser in our house. I was looking for for a facial cleanser for my husband, who has dry, sensitive, allergic, eczema-prone skin. Skincareman recommended this. My husband loves it. It doesn't dry his face or leave him feeling itchy. Instead his skin feels clean and soft. I thought I'd give it a try and I love it, too. My skin is NOT particularly sensitive - I'm more of a combination/oily/aging mix. This stuff is great. It cleans thoroughly and rinses cleanly without stripping my skin. I do pre-cleanse with oil to cut through the worst of the makeup and sunscreen, but this takes the rest of it of with no problems and no residue. It has kind of a creamy gel texture and it lathers nicely. It's a wonderful facial cleanser and body wash. It's even pretty good to shave with in a pinch. It doesn't have any fragrance that I know of. It doesn't taste really good, but you're not supposed to eat it...It's a little pricey to me but the value is excellent. Since it's sold as a body wash, the tube is huge (if you're just using it for your face). I recommend this to just about anybody. It's a great product for sensitive skin and it's pretty darned good for "normal" skin, too. Finally - skin care the whole family can use!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -Korres - Pomegranate Lip Butter Glaze
MbMinx 6/21/2011 12:25:00 PM
I had hoped that the Korres lip glazes would be the same as the potted lip butters, except in a squeeze tube. I was wrong. This is a very different product. It is very thick and it applies heavily from the tube. It is also much more brightly pigmented. So it's heavy and bright and not very natural looking at all. It has a nice scent and not any flavor to speak of. It leaves my lips feeling moisturized and soft. I'd love it if it didn't leave my lips looking like a goopy pink mess...But I was hoping for light and sheer. I was disappointed. I won't say it's a bad product, but it's certainly not the product I'd thought it would be.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Skinceuticals - Physical Fusion SPF 50
MbMinx 6/17/2011 10:56:00 AM
I love this sunscreen. The formula is very liquid - very much like Sofina Lucent or some other Japanese sunscreens. It doesn't feel quite as silicone-y. You do need to shake it up to make sure it's properly mixed. The bottle has a mixer ball nozzle top and it is easy (too easy) to pour out as much as you need. A pump might be easier to manage, but I don't know how that would work with the mixing... This product is tinted and it leaves no white cast whatsoever. The tint is a VERY sheer light neutral beige that would probably work for almost any skin tone. There's no coverage to speak of and it doesn't oxidize or turn funny colors. It goes on skin tone and stays skin tone. It dries to a semi-matte finish - not shiny at all, but not as matte as others. Oil-control is fair. It doesn't make me greasy at all, but my own natural oil does come through eventually. It looks really natural to me and wears well under mineral makeup. It's very transfer resistant and stays put all day. This is moderately sweat-resistant. I went fishing for three hours in the sun, and this product held up. It doesn't run and it barely rubs off (even under a sweaty hat-band). I don't know how well it would hold up to swimming or vigorous exercise, but I imagine it would perform well. I think the price is high for the amount you get (1.7 ounces), but I'm also pretty cheap. I may be able to justify the price because it's everything I'm looking for in a face sunscreen.
16 out of 16 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Sacha Cosmetics - Sally - Hair One Hair Cleanser and Conditioner
MbMinx 6/13/2011 11:57:00 AM
I picked up a packette of the Jojoba to try. I love the idea of cleansing conditioner - one product to simplify my shower. This was...ok. It cleaned it very well. I was actually surprised how well it cleaned because it had been almost a week since I'd last washed my hair. The conditioning aspect left something to be desired. My hair wasn't as shiny as it can be and it became kind of frizzy as it dried. It doesn't feel dry, but it isn't soft and silky either. Hair One didn't leave any heavy buildup, which is nice. I do like the convenience for travel. I plan on buying a few more packettes for trips out of town - no separate shampoo and conditioner bottles to spill in my bag! I don't like it enough to use it on an everyday basis, though. It wasn't bad, it wasn't great - it'll do in a pinch.
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Moisturizers -Alpha Hydrox - Sheer Silk Moisturizer-spf 15
MbMinx 4/19/2011 10:48:00 AM
I love the light texture. It's lightly moisturizing - not heavy at all. I may want something heavier in winter, but summer's just around the corner and this is perfect. It neither feels nor smells like a traditional sunscreen. It does take a minute or two to fully absorb, but that's not a big deal to my routine. I wish it had a higher SPF but 15 is good enough for my everyday. The price can't be beat and the online customer service is wonderful. I don't know if I'd say this is my HG, but it's a very worthy product. I'm about halfway through my first container of this and I WILL be buying it again. Update 6/13/2011: Well, it's not quite as great as I thought. It's still a very good product, but it's not agreeing with my skin as the weather gets warmer. I find myself getting greasy in the afternoons and my pores clog more easily. This does have myristates in it, which aren't a good match for my skin. It's still a very good lightweight moisturizer with SPF and it worked well for me this spring. It'll probably be a good choice for fall as well. It's just not going to be my first choice for the heat of the summer.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Unlisted Brand - Nucelle Mandelic EyeLift Creme
MbMinx 3/30/2011 12:20:00 PM
I got a tube of this in a Skincare RX Beauty Cache. Figured I'd give it a go. I like it. It's thick and creamy but it's not really greasy. It doesn't sting or burn. It does leave my eye area feeling hydrated. I use this before bed. It's a little heavy for mornings unless I have time to let it soak in, so I have something else I use in the AM. I'd prefer a pump bottle, but the tube container it comes in is better than just a jar of something. I don't know if my eye wrinkles are a whole lot better, but they are NOT getting worse. The dark, puffy areas under my eyes are clearing up. At 40 years old, I'll take that as positive. The price isn't bad and I like the results so I may well buy another when this one is gone.
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Mascara -Lancome - Oscillation Vibrating Infinite Mascara
MbMinx 3/28/2011 12:31:00 PM
I got this from my husband for Christmas. The good: Long, thick lashes. VERY long thick lashes! The bad: It clumps together easily and FLAKES all over. When I can get this to go on well, it looks amazing. I've been asked if I wear false eyelashes when I wear this mascara. It goes on rather thick and heavy and I always have to comb through it really well. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. It gives me the "five big eyelashes" look when it doesn't work out. It does flake horribly. I'll use it up. I like it well enough to play with it, but I won't be getting any more. I just can't get the look consistent enough to justify the pricetag.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No