Lip Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Lucas' Papaw Ointment
Melony 4/27/2012 6:23:00 AM
I have extensive eczema on my hands, which has become resistant to steroid cream treatment. I use the steroid cream and it goes away for a day and then is back; emollients, soap substitute and fatty cream are helping but do not seem to be keep it at bay. They also cause stinging and increased inflammation when applied which makes the eczema look worse and feel worse for about hour until it settles down to almost normal looking skin. Recently the eczema has also gradually started to appear in numerous small patches (1-2cm across) on my neck, breasts, the edges of my lips, nostrils, cheeks and chin. After being told not to use steroid cream and with no success from the prescription creams that "work" on my hands, I have picked up various oils and herbal creams in the hope that something will keep it from becoming worse and settle it down. Finally I bought Lucas' papaw ointment. It's amazing - the patches of eczema on my face, lips, neck were gone in the first two to three days I used it. I applied a small amount on the eczema (not all-over) every time I felt my skin getting dry/flaky/itchy/sore/inflamed (as often as 5-6 times a day). Lately, I hardly ever put it on my face as most of those eczema patches are completely gone. I did notice I got a few pimples following use, but that was much more preferable than having what is on my hands on my face. So far it has had little effect on a larger patch of eczema on my chest and the older, treatment resistant eczema on my hands. By 'no effect' I mean the eczema settles down to the consistency of old purplish/thick/shiny scar tissue but becomes a flaming red/cracked/sore mess over the course of a day if I don't keep reapplying constantly - similar to when I use fatty cream or steroid cream. I will persevere, because at least the papaw is not making the eczema sting, more inflamed, or uncontrollably itchy like the application of the steroid cream and fatty cream.
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Fragrances -Guerlain - Shalimar Parfum Initial
Melony 3/31/2012 3:39:00 AM
I find Shalimar parfum Initial far too sweet for me. The opening is interesting but sadly too short: I get sharp green notes, vetiver, a slight mint edge and bergamot. These top notes get swiftly intercut by the clanging sweet jasmine and generic sugary fruit of the middle notes. Shortly afterwards, a sweet powdery vanilla/violet/iris note with a bare hint of sandalwood(?) - very similar to the middling notes of Lolita Lempicka - arises. Sadly the sugary jasmine and fruit keeps bouncing back through this note for a while before the dry down stabilises. And finally it all seems to disappear disappointingly into a blend of sugary baby powder. Overall it lasts on me about 5-6 hours, with the drydown taking up about 4 hours of that time. Just a note on tastes - I find it useful when reading reviews on fragrances I haven't tried to know what the reviewer's favourites are. My taste is ekletic - I like orientals, but sometimes I like florals and sweet gourmands; I buy lots of samples in the hope of finding that perfect perfume that makes me feel wonderful. My staples are YSL Opium, Nina Ricci Nina, Kenzo Jungle L'Elephant and Serge Lutens Tubereuse Criminelle.
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Hair Color -L'Oreal - Casting Creme Gloss
Melony 3/19/2012 2:06:00 AM
I have porous hair which was dyed lighter about four years ago. I'm trying to get back to my natural hair colour. The bottom 3-4 inches of my hair is lighter than the hair on the rest of my head. It is not that noticeable as my hair is naturally medium reddish brown with blonde patches and extremely curly, however every 3-5 months I put through a semi-permanent colour to tone the light patches down and blend everything together. I don't like using permanent colours because they always seem to bleach my hair a shade or two back (noticeable when the colour fades out, which always happens with my hair). I usually use L'Oreal Casting - I'm not completely happy with the results I get but Casting seems to be the only quality semi-permanent dye left on the New Zealand market. Casting tends to skew toward reddish undertones in most of their browns, and always turns out much darker than the box picture which is probably due to my hair type. That's fine, it usually fades reasonably quickly (2-3 weeks). This time however, I am completely unhappy with the result. My usual brown was unavailable, so I picked up a colour called 'Brownie' which looked like a warm chocolate brown with red undertones. The result: very dark, purple-red hair! It's Mahogany or Cherry, not Chocolate. It's not even a warm or natural red - it's cold-toned. I have tried shampooing my hair every day but so far the only thing that's faded a bit is the bleached patches at the bottom of my hair - which now look pinkish!
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Styling Products -TRESemme - Naturals Lightweight Mousse with Sweet Orange Extract
Melony 9/30/2011 2:07:00 AM
This mousse provides a light, flexible hold without flaky product build up. It doesn't make my hair too stiff nor weigh it down, and I haven't noticed my hair getting any drier or more damaged while using it (which I have found when using other cheap styling products). I have thick, coarse, curly hair (3a-3b - it varies across my head) that is prone to dryness. I used Tresemme Naturals on wet hair with a little bit of gel (the gel becomes too stiff if I use too much but if I don't use it most products don't provide enough hold to keep my hair under control) and either air-dried or blow-dried my hair.
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Styling Products -Clairol - Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Mousse
Melony 9/30/2011 1:26:00 AM
I decided to try Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Mousse because I've had some success with their Break's Over Conditioner. However, I would not recommend this product for people with my hair type. I have very thick, curly, coarse 3a-3b hair prone to dryness, knots, split-ends and frizz. I used this product on wet hair in conjunction with my usual cheap gel (I like to use a little gel (which has really good hold but goes stiff) combined with a larger amount of a more flexible hold product like mousse, balm or serum) and either let my hair air dry or used a blowdryer. The Bad: My hair became like straw whenever I used this mousse - it felt dry, it was extremely knotty and lacked shine. The Good: The hold factor is good (helped control flyaways and frizz), it doesn't feel especially sticky, and there was no flaky product build up.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Pigment - White
Melony 10/27/2010 5:00:00 AM
Part of the MAC pro range, White pigment is a very finely milled pure white pearl/frost powder. I generally find that MAC pearlised pigments are much easier to blend than matte pigments, and this pigment is no exception. It applies smoothly and doesn't have much fallout during the day (unlike some of the coarser grained glittery pigments - such as Naked and Jardin Aires), even when worn without an eye shadow primer. The pearl is not too shiny, glittery or gritty (like Frost), so I find it good for everyday wear. This pigment is very versatile and can be blended with any pigment to lighten or highlight a look, because it does not have a contrasting duochrome (compared to, for example: Lark About & Frozen White - blue sheen, Quick Frost – green sheen, Pink Opal – pink sheen, Vanilla - yellow/gold sheen). This is one of my favourite pigments. What I like most of all is the versatility of the colour (or lack thereof) because it doesn’t clash with my skin tone or with other colours. I use it almost every day.
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Liquid -Mary Kay - Full coverage foundation [DISCONTINUED]
Melony 10/4/2010 5:39:00 AM
It's hard to match my skin tone to foundation; usually the palest colour is too pale and the next colour up is too dark. I was impressed by the range of pale/ivory tones available in the Mary Kay range. Shade 104 is a perfect match for my skin. The texture of the foundation is very thick (so it doesn't run everywhere like some liquid foundations), and is easy to apply with fingers or a brush. This foundation covers my acne and uneven skin well, but it looks unnatural and mask-like unless I thin it out with moisturizer or cover it with powder/bronzer/blush. When I wear this foundation my skin feels tight and heavy. I think I would try other Mary Kay foundations as I like their colour range, but I wouldn't buy this one again.
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Lipstick -Elizabeth Arden - Ceramide Plump Perfect Lipstick
Melony 10/4/2010 2:20:00 AM
#18 Perfect Rose is one of my favourite lipsticks. The colour is a cool-toned rose with a slight pearl/frost finish. It is a neutral pink shade that gives my lips a bit of colour without being too over the top - perfect for everyday wear. The formula is very creamy, smooth and easy to apply; it has a very faint sweet scent and no discernible flavour. My lips always feel well moisturised when I wear it. I haven't really noticed my lips being 'plumper' per se, but I think the pearl finish does make my lips look fuller. The only con I can think of is that it comes off when eating/drinking and I need to periodically reapply it throughout the day - but for a non-colourstay lipstick the staying power of Ceramide Plump Perfect is pretty good.
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Lipstick -L'Oreal - Endless Kissable Lipcolour
Melony 5/31/2010 7:25:00 AM
I really love these lipsticks. They seem to be a discontinued line, since I haven't found them in the shops, only on auction sites and in huge remainder sales. I buy this sort and the 'Endless Kissable Shinewear' which comes with an additional gloss coat and helps keep everything moist. What I love about them is that they stay on so well. I can apply lippy at 7 in the morning and still have it there by lunch time, just in time for a touch up coat. Because you're not using them very often, they also seem to last a lot longer. They do make your lips feel a little dry, which is why I recommend the 'Shinewear' sort. The colour range is quite limited (given they are discontinued) and I've struck some garish colours along the way, but if you can find a colour that works for you, I highly recommend this product. It stays on really well.
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Volume Exact [DISCONTINUED]
Melony 3/27/2010 4:51:00 AM
I really did not like this mascara. All it did for me is make my lashes a little blacker. It didn't really make them any more voluminous, nor did the brush pick up the tips of my lashes (which tend to be clear). The formula seems to be a very thin liquid which the applicator brush just does not pick up well. The only good thing about this mascara was that it didn't clump.
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Mascara -L'Oreal - L'Oreal Lash Architect in Carbon Gloss
Melony 3/27/2010 4:45:00 AM
This product doesn't clump and it definitely lengthens the appearance of my lashes, which are both pluses. However, it really doesn't give the illusion of 'fake lashes' as described on the packaging. For me it's more of a daytime mascara than one that I would use for a dramatic night-time look.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Sky High Curves Extreme Length and Curl WaterProof [DISCONTINUED]
Melony 3/27/2010 4:38:00 AM
This mascara does what it says on the packet. It definitely gives a curl to the lashes and does have a lengthening and thickening effect. I love that the curl it gives stays in place all day, but I dislike how stiff and brittle it makes my lashes feel - I'm not sure how good that is for my lashes! And it seems to clump quite a bit, no matter how I apply it. I also find that it's difficult to get off my lashes, even with an oil-based eye makeup remover - I always leave some behind and in the morning I have panda eyes.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Electric Coral (Pro Pigment)
Melony 3/9/2010 4:25:00 AM
Electric Coral is a brilliant red-coral colour. The powder is fine and easy to apply. A little bit goes a long way so it's great value for money in that respect, and it stays on well during the day even without a primer. When applied wet it looks red and intense, while dry and blended with a highlighter colour it is a more subtle, yet bright apricot pink. I love it. It makes my blue-grey eyes pop. I tend to use it in conjunction with Melon, Subtle, Heritage Rouge and Vanilla.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Pigment in Pink Opal
Melony 2/28/2010 6:29:00 AM
Pink Opal is a fine, vanilla coloured powder with an intense light pink duochrome. The coverage is good, it works great when applied wet but it's difficult to match with other eyeshadows because of the unusual duochrome colour. The only MAC pigments that I've found that compliment it well are Entremauve & Deep Blue Green. It looks very odd on its own, and tends to clash with my skin tone if I don't have a darker colour blended with it. So basically, it can be a good highlighting shade, but only if you're using other pigments with a similar duochrome.
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