Treatments -Nuxe - Creme Nirvanesque (for all skin types)
MiaGator 4/22/2013 1:44:00 AM
I'm a Nuxe fan, really, but this product is not that great. I was hoping to dispense with my much-loved but hard to obtain Biotherm Rides Repair Nuit, which has to be ordered online, by trying out this lauded cream, which can be purchased down the street from me. No go. The consistency was nice, and the scent didn't bother me, but this actually made the barely there lines I have look even WORSE. Like, worse than I'd ever seen in my entire life. Meanwhile, with the Biotherm on 24/7, they're virtually invisible. Thankfully I kept the receipt--it's the same price as the Biotherm, but I had no idea my skin could look this wrong from any product.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Kate Walsh - Boyfriend
MiaGator 8/27/2012 9:07:00 PM
I would say this reacts well to my body chemistry, but I like the smell right out of the bottle, and it doesn't change much when it's ON me. So perhaps it's just my cup of tea. Far from being a purely masculine, musky scent, this has a hint of sweetness and an undercurrent of spicy warmth, so it's totally feminine on my skin. I used the rollerball, with one small roll on each wrist, and about half an hour later, one of my neighbors in the elevator said, "I don't want this to sound totally creepy, but you smell really nice." That was nice since I was in gym clothes and should have smelled like a sock. This smells warmer and more feminine than Billionaire Boyfriend, which conjures images of 1980's power suits and board rooms, a la Working Girl. The closest scent to this that I can think of would be Tom Ford Black Orchid, only that one sometimes can smell a bit cloyingly of melon.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Skin79 - Super+ BB Cream Pink Label
MiaGator 5/24/2012 4:30:00 PM
OK, I admit I was sucked into the BB Cream craze by how beautiful this bottle is. It's just so pretty. I got mine from Amazon.com seller seoulgarden for a much better price than on the Skin79 website. All signs point to it being authentic, and it came with a handful of samples. Perhaps I should've thought of this beforehand, but I have rather pale skin on the pink side, and I'm buying an Asian cream (uh . . . ) but it came out of the pump a bit darker and more ashy/yellow than my skin. That said, once it was blended in, I liked that the finish was dewy and not shiny. Perhaps it's even toning down a bit of my pinkness. The scent is pleasant and so faint that it fades away after application. I'm pretty much a ball of oil, and while this didn't keep me matte all day--nothing will--I'm not as shiny as I would be wearing some other products. Also, it's a quite hot day outside, and I don't have that heavy, itchy feeling of having an oily face. Product is thick, and that's why I don't give it 4 lippies. It's so tough to spread that I end up tugging skin, which I hate. I use a flat-top brush after it's applied to ensure an even application. I don't love that it's only SPF 25. This doesn't protect as much as I'd like for even incidental sun exposure. I guess I'll go back to my Dior Capture Total SPF 35.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Suave - Keratin Infusion Smoothing Conditioner
MiaGator 4/14/2012 2:55:00 PM
Solid 4 star purchase. I actually like this conditioner better than the Keratin Infusion Color Care Conditioner. I have fine, color-treated hair, but lots of it. It's naturally straight but can develop some weird bends as it air-dries (so I just don't, haha). My roots are prone to oiliness, not shockingly, as nearly all fine hair is, and probably because they're right by my very oily face! My ends are prone to dryness--pretty typical for fine hair. I feel like this conditioner does a little bit more deep-conditioning than the Color Care. The only reason I don't rate it higher is that the scent is SO. STRONG. Super perfumey. I like a nicely scented product, but I'm always taken aback by the strength of this conditioner's smell, which is extra-potent in a steamy shower. I'll tolerate it for good performance. I haven't noticed any impact on my color, using this instead of the Color Care. I was afraid that this would be coating, as some "smoothing" formulas are, but thankfully, it's not. Rinses fairly cleanly. So, I'll say this is not Holy Grail status, but it's very good.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Suave - Professionals Keratin Infusion Dry Shampoo
MiaGator 4/14/2012 2:40:00 PM
Fortunately I got a good bottle--I'll be on the lookout for leaky bottles like the others mentioned. I was initially put off by the smell, thought the other citrus-scented Suave Dry Shampoo would be more to my liking, but once that one was on my head, the strong scent was intolerable and really irritated my allergies. What's the point of de-greasing morning hair for the gym if the dry shampoo makes your nose run like a faucet at the gym? Anyway, once on the head, this one actually has a less obtrusive scent. It's more of a perfumey scent than the citrus one, but it's also lighter. That said, I still cover my face before I spray it on--I don't think fine silica particles are good for the lungs, anyway. Does a fine job of degreasing without making the hair unduly waxy (as some formulations do). I'd put it half a lippie behind the Batiste as far as performance, but the cheaper price puts it about even.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Garnier - BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector - Light/Medium
MiaGator 4/14/2012 2:08:00 PM
This was just-OK for me; I probably wouldn't repurchase. I've grown to avoid tinted moisturizers and the like from bad experiences in the past, but since this promised some extra benefits and was relatively cheap, I figured, why not. This doesn't do a heck of a lot for me that tinted moisturizers don't do. The only minor difference I can see between the days I wear this and the days I wear my normal moisturizers is that there's that wee hint of color, but only if you look up close. The Light is still a bit darker than I'd like (I'm close to an NW15). It does feel a bit heavy/greasy for my skin, which is oily but takes most light-to-medium lotions OK. Bottom line--this may have some skin-improvement functions, but nothing that my other creams don't do without the heavy feel. I can't really speak to the coverage since those creams do quite a good job of keeping me clear. This isn't a bad product, but I probably wouldn't repurchase. It's just nothing special to me.
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Conditioner -Suave - Keratin Infusion Color Care Conditioner
MiaGator 3/23/2012 2:35:00 PM
I very much like this conditioner, which is surprising, since I detest the shampoo. This conditioner has a light, pleasant scent and rinses much cleaner than the shampoo, which is flabbergasting. While it's not holy-grail status, it's a good buy for the price. Medium conditioning abilities (not light but not a deep conditioner, either). Good detangling abilities. Rinses cleanly. If I use this conditioner in combo with the Keratin Infusion shampoo, epic bad hair day. If I use it with another shampoo, yay, good hairs! So the conditioner gets a B+ from me.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Suave - Professionals Keratin Infusion Color Care Shampoo
MiaGator 3/23/2012 2:31:00 PM
I have not had a good hair day since starting to use this. Not one. My fine-but-heavy hair is normally easy to manage and holds a style well in Chicago weather. Every time I use this, it feels waxy when rinsing, as though it's leaving a coating. As a result, my style won't hold, and my fine hair goes limp. If you have a more coarse hair strand, maybe this will work better for you. Epic fail on mine. I tried it on days with different weather conditions (rain vs. cold vs. heat) and nope, it's just the shampoo. On the plus side, I very much like the conditioner, which rinses cleaner than the shampoo. (WTH?!) So this will go in the trash can, and I'll go back to washing with Suave Humectant.
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Shampoo -Suave - Professionals Dry Shampoo Spray
MiaGator 3/23/2012 2:20:00 PM
Eehhhhhhhhhh, no. While this is better than the horrific Tresseme dry shampoo (which is akin to "washing" one's head with a combination of wax and clay), its oil-hiding abilities are far below Batiste's. I was tempted because it's cheaper, in a larger bottle and has a citrusy scent that is more pleasant and less sinus-annoying than the Bastiste scents, but my hair's oil wasn't hidden. Back to Batiste I go.
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Cleansers -Nuxe - REVE DE MIEL Face Gentle Cleansing Gel
MiaGator 3/16/2012 12:04:00 PM
Love this. Stumbled into the magical, upscale Walgreen's on Chicago's State Street and found this again. Glorious! I have oily skin that can break out if the wrong product is used, but I figure, I do well with raw honey mask/scrubs, so why not. Maybe this could impart the same even glow. First impression: it's a nice, thick consistency that lathers well, and the perfumed-honey scent is quite potent. Not unpleasant by any means, but if you're scent-sensitive, stay away. It removes my makeup nicely. It has a bit if a bigger challenge with my silicone-based mattifier, but I usually wash twice in a row anyway. Rinses nicely, no feel of residue, and my face doesn't feel stripped of moisture. It does leave a nice even glow! If your skin is sensitive, you might steer clear. Even raw honey has been known to irritate or redden more sensitive skins. I'd give it a 5 if it were slightly cheaper and/or slightly less perfumed, but it's the best cleanser I've used in a while.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -L'Oreal - Youth Regenerating Skincare Foaming Gel Cleanser
MiaGator 2/25/2012 12:20:00 PM
Am now using this as a replacement for the discontinued L'Oreal Skin Genesis Pore Minimizing Gel Cleanser. I preferred that one slightly, as it was intended to minimize pores, my main concern. While this one has very similar ingredients, I was worried because menthol (a useless and possibly irritating ingredient, IMO) is much higher up on the ingredients list, but thankfully so is salicylic acid. All in all, it doesn't seem to be irritating my skin any, and it feels and performs as close to the old formula as anything could possibly be with a different formula. This is a good, non-drying mild chemical exfoliant cleanser for my oily skin. Might be good for combination, but it may be stripping to very dry skins. I keep it away from my eye area since it seems to strip a bit too much moisture from that area. So, a very good cleanser--not quite holy-grail status--but I'll repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Alterna - Bamboo Smooth Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist
MiaGator 12/1/2011 12:31:00 PM
EDITED 2/25/2012: Good. I got a deluxe-size spray bottle sample of this from Sephora, and I really like it, but the scent may be too strong for regular use. This sprays on as a fine mist with a noticeable scent--like a light woody, oriental, a bit perfumey. When dried, it has barely any scent, and I used it quite liberally so don't worry about it interfering with your perfume. My hair was easier to comb through, but the oil didn't feel heavy, waxy or leave my hair ends clumpy or greasy. It seemed to dry faster with a silken feel, but clean--without notable buildup. If you have fine hair, this would be a great product. If you've got coarse hair and are looking for something heavier, this may not be the best choice, but it's a good little product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter
MiaGator 11/26/2011 1:28:00 PM
The hype machine sucks me in again. So, this product was a bust for me. After weeks of hype, I finally stumbled across a display at my local Target. I picked up Sugar Frosting and Berry Smoothie. I was immediately let down that the nice quilted pattern is only on two sides of the cap--cheaper packaging decision. Then I noticed there's no easy way to grab the bottom--it's just bad ergonomics. Hard to get a good grip, as the bottom is very narrow and smooth. Anyway, let's move on to the actual product. My first impression after applying both of these is that they're even MORE sheer than my favorite lip glosses. Bummer. The Berry Smoothie is a nice MLBB shade for me (and I have very unpigmented lips), but unfortunately the consistency of these is such that it will pool in the lines on you lips, which is pretty noticeable. I expected Sugar Frosting to give the lips a nice sheen and be moisturizing. It's not moisturizing enough to use as a balm alone, sadly. Maybe not the choice for you if you have unpigmented lips. My fave glosses remain the CoverGirl Wetslicks (drugstore) and LORAC Multiplex 3D Lip Gloss (higher end)--both have beautiful, even pigment distribution without pooling or stickiness. No fave lipsticks, sadly. So these will be relegated to the back of my storage bin. Too bad--I wanted to love them.
10 out of 12 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Guerlain - Spiritueuse Double Vanille
MiaGator 9/8/2011 4:10:00 PM
In a word, intoxicating. By this, I don't mean burn-your-throat overpowering. I mean, this smells expensive and rich and decadent and almost like a liqueur you might sip on in a smoky hookah bar somewhere exotic. No dusty drugstore vanilla here, and definitely not everyone-is-wearing-it-Hanae-Mori cloyingly sweet vanilla. This is warm and deep and exotic and dries down to a very sensual scent that almost smells like it's your skin but sexier instead of some cloud of toxically heavy perfume that wafts out of your clothing. Magically, it's light and not heavy as one would expect.
Lasts all day on me in the sense that you can smell it on my skin if you're up close and personal, which is how perfume should be used. It's not the sort of scent that will leave a wake of destruction in your office. I tried a sample in a French specialty perfume shop, left the shop and was haunted by the desire for this scent so badly all day and for days after that I had to order it when I got home, even if I had to scrimp to do so. Has temporarily supplanted Nuits de Noho by Bond No. 9 as my go-to scent, which is saying something.
OK, now that I have you intrugued, don't go buy this. Seriously. I want to smell unique. :D
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Kenra - Volume Spray (aerosol)
MiaGator 7/21/2011 9:17:00 PM
Holy Grail Holy Grail Holy Grail! I have loads of fine hair that would be limp and flat if not for my daily habit of hot rolling and spraying the roots. Thanks to my mom for introducing me to this wondrous concoction of gravity-defying mist. (I should add that my mom is very sensitive to scents, and this one is so barely-there that even she uses this stuff daily.) Hair doesn't get crunchy or flaky. After I roll my hair, I just spray the fine mist all over, then shake out a few minutes later, section the crown with my fingers and lightly spray. Hair stays voluminous all day, even if I stick it up on a bun. I ran out of this once and tried to use a cheapo drugstore substitute, and such a bad hair day that was. I wish this were cheaper, but it's such a fantastic product, it's worth it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No