Eye Makeup Remover -Neutrogena - Extra Gentle Eye Makeup Remover Pads
MissMelissa 3/8/2013 1:41:00 PM
These have become a staple for me. I wear UD Primer Potion in Eden, eye shadow, MUF waterproof eyeliner, mascara, etc. They remove it ALL and it doesn't sting my eyes! (I have super sensitive eyes) How I use: I take one pad & press it onto my eyelid, allowing it to sit for about 10 seconds, so it can break down the makeup and then I wipe it across. The mascara breaks down last, usually ends up underneath my eyes & that gets swiped away. THEN I flip the pad and do the other eye. Sometimes I run it across my lips & cheeks (if I'm wearing a stain). Then I cleanse my face with a mild cleanser. Bottom Line: I love the pads! They're big, thick, soft & gentle on my skin. I do wish they would put a tiny bit more remover in the container, but the last pad works just as well as the first one. They are not greasy or oily & have no scent to them that I can smell. They run about $8.50 with tax.
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Eyeliner -Make Up For Ever - Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
MissMelissa 2/25/2013 10:04:00 PM
I own this in about six colors, different colors & amounts of glitter. I don't always wear eye liner, but this is what I reach for when I do. It goes on fairly true to description but it dries out horribly after about 6 hours (maybe it works better on oily eye lids) Thin lines are the key to my application, super thick lines seems to wear off the worse. My eyes are super sensitive & can water at a moments notice, when that happens this stuff hangs on! I always use an eye makeup remover because it is waterproof and don't recommend for daily use, it would irritate my eyes applying & removing daily.
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Palettes -Urban Decay - Naked Basics
MissMelissa 2/25/2013 9:45:00 PM
This is my 1st UD Eyeshadow, as well as my first matte shadow palette and I'm impressed! The colors are perfection, as well, for me. My eyelids are no longer as smooth as they used to be and I've been using PP for years (Original, Eden & recently Greed!) ... so bring on the matte shadows! I've had trouble finding eye shadow in varying shades of white, ivory, cream beige with good color payoff--this has 4 with very little to no shimmer! I have many middle & dark browns. Love each color, I've never bought a palette with so many shades I know I will use daily. The powders are elegant and less powdery then what I am used to (Cliniue & EL) and they not only stay on, but hold true to color. The price tag I thought was a bit high was justified by the quality & versatile shades, sometimes you get what you pay for! It seems there are a few other "Naked" palettes I need to buy & test, I do believe I'm a bit obsessed with these colors.
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Treatments -Philosophy - Resurface Kit - The Microdelivery In-Home Vitamin C Peptide Peel
MissMelissa 2/22/2013 11:31:00 PM
My skin gets irritated & red fairly easy, so I was a bit nervous. I spread the crystals & watched for signs of aggression from my skin... added the liquid & gently spread it around my face in small circles & waited 3 minutes. I used a washcloth to help remove, but only pressed water into the skin, no rubbing & then splashed face with cool water to fully remove. My face was a bit red in a few spots, I used my HG Serum (Clarins Double Serum) and topped with Clinique's DDML to ward off any possible to reassure my skin that trauma portion of the night was over. I showed my Husband and he said "WOW!" He couldn't get over how soft it feels. I've only used once, can't wait to see my skin with my continued use. I am not a fan of the packaging, having to dip a utensil into the crystals and I question both products shelf life & stability--which is another reason why I plan on using it until its gone--besides to update my review.
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Treatments -Peter Thomas Roth - Camu Camu Vitamin C Brightening Serum
MissMelissa 2/19/2013 4:50:00 PM
I am returning this product ASAP. I wanted a serum to use under makeup/sunscreen/night moisturizer. I usually use Clarins, which run about the same price as this ($85), except this is a 1.7oz size versus a 1.0oz. I thought I was getting a deal, with almost double the product. It comes out as a very thin liquid, like an oil, except there's no oil in this product. It doesn't irritate, feels good on the skin & smells fantastic but there's absolutely no moisturizing properties to it. It's similar to splashing toner on the face. I can't comment on any of the "brightening effects" because I won't be using it long enough. The ingredients make it sound like a great serum, but the product itself is disappointing. Get a sample to take home & try before you purchase. If your skin is very OILY and you're looking for a super light serum, this is for you. Sadly, it's not me. I need a serum to moisturize a bit, as well as contain anti-oxidants & brightening ingredients, this doesn't hit that mark for me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Ed Hardy Perfume - Love Kills Slowly Women's EDT
MissMelissa 10/5/2011 9:38:00 PM
Bought a set of this at the suggestion of a very helpful saleslady, they were ringing up 75% off. She was wearing it, so I tested it and Hubby approved. Notes are listed as: Heart notes: Freesia Petals, Watery Muguet, Linden Blossom Top notes: Apple Souffla, Tropical Mango, Wild Strawberry, Ruby Red Grapefruit Base notes: Warm Amber, Sensual Musks, Tonka Bean, Vanilla Pudding I absolutely love it on me, starts out a bit loud, then seems to mix with my chemistry to create something soft. This is my daily scent, shimmering body lotion is a staple! I only gave it 4 lippies because my perfume spray nozzle is loose, have sprayed myself in the face twice now. Maybe it's just my bottle?
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Eye Primer -Urban Decay - Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Eden
MissMelissa 7/10/2011 12:51:00 PM
This is a staple for me. I use it as an eyeshadow base, having medium complexion I have way too much darkness around my eyes. Just by using this product alone it manages to brighten up my entire eye area, even underneath. Bought this at Sephora while shopping for my wedding day makeup and I've had it for about 4 months with no sign of running out. It really does make my eye makeup POP and last much longer then without. Truly a product that delivers on it's promises!
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Treatments (Eye) -Clarins - Sun Wrinkle Control Eye Contour Care SPF 30
MissMelissa 7/9/2011 4:45:00 PM
I used it years ago and I think it irritated my eyes, I'm not sure if this is a new formula, but the packaging is now a bright yellow tube and doesn't bother them at all. This is my daily eye cream n here's why I love it:) For starters, u get a .7oz tube versus .5oz jar = More product & better packaging then most eye products. It's a mineral based sunscreen & its perfect for my super sensitive eye area and my oily skin!!! This provides very little moisture, which works well for me, I just mix a bit of illuminating eye cream into my concealer. Very happy with this, higher SPF would be awesome though. Update 2012: Still use this as my daily eye cream, staple & I've found nothing to come close to replacing it!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Tarte - Amazonian Clay Long-Wear Blush in Tipsy
MissMelissa 7/9/2011 4:29:00 PM
I was having my makeup done by @Sephora (inside JCPenneys) to try n figure out how I wanted to wear it on my wedding day. I'm a huge fan of coral blush & a bit of bronzer. Its hard to find one that will show up on my skintone without being too clownish and that will last. I started using it the day I bought it. Good amount of pigment, no chalky finish, lasts longer then any other blush I've tried. Oh, and it doesn't come with a brush... at least I don't think so or it was crappy and I threw it out. I bought this blush in March and have only just recently made a dent in it:)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Sephora - *Never Enough Shoes* Sephora by OPI
MissMelissa 8/23/2008 10:26:00 PM
This is a polish that is part of Sephora's new line for nails, by OPI. It was described on the Sephora website as being "Black with multi-colored glitter". I've never worn black nail polish and I thought this would be a good way to ease into it. From the bottle, it looks like black with bronze glitter, which was a bit disappointing for me. I was looking foward to more colorful glitter. I thought maybe I needed to shake it up. (it does have the little beads to help it mix, love that!) I unwrapped the plastic, shook the heck out of it and decided to see how it looked on my nails. One coat and it looks like black polish with...you guessed it, bronze glitter. Blah! I was ready to put it up for swap, then I tried a second coat and suddenly, it's GORGEOUS! Black polish on my nails that I like:) The Polish: One coat will not be enough, unless you lay it on thick. After the second, it becomes a deep, rich, glossy, black polish with lots of shine! Easy to apply, even with my inexperienced nail painting technique. The Glitter: At a closer look, the glitter IS different shades, but they are very, very fine. I can pick out mostly warm shades: red, brown, gold and green. (No blue, silver, white, purple, etc.) Looking down at my hands, I can see bits of shimmer, but I really have to look to see color. I think that maybe some of the shades (of glitter) aren't showing up because they're reflecting the black polish. The Bottle: It's better in my novice opinion. The neck of the bottle is longer, which makes it easier to wipe excess polish off the brush. The excess goes right down into the bottle and doesn't sit in the neck, gooping up. The brush handle is rounded off, intstead of flat and it fits in my hand better, giving me more control. The brush itself is the exact same size, but the wand is longer. I like that because I can have more polish on it and don't have to dip twice to paint one large/long nail. (For instance, my thumb nail. I always have to dip into the bottle, wipe, paint about half and then repeat.) I think the new bottle design is a definite improvement. When I'm done with the Summer brights, I'll bring this polish in for my next manicure and update on the wear. It's hard to find a good quality black polish, unless it's around Halloween, so I'd purchase this again. I'm excited to buy more shades from this Sephora by OPI line!!!
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - CocoaPink Stinky Body Butter
MissMelissa 8/10/2008 7:49:00 PM
This is sold as a "Body Butter", but I use it everywhere, mostly my face. Due to the warm weather, CocoaPink is not selling the Stinky Anti-Aging Whip that I love so much. (It's a butter, so it melts) This is sort of a replcement for that. It's a lighter version that really does work better in the Summer! At first, the texture seems a little thick, but I kid you not, it absorbs immediately.The first ingredient is water, then Aloe and then the all-star, the *unrefined shea butter*. It also contains other ingredients which are all good for the skin. I like to use this on the evenings that I don't apply Retin-A, it's very soothing and light. I honestly think this product, along with the Anti-Aging Whip are my secret weapons and the only reasons my skin has been able to toterate Retin-A. This comes in several sizes, in a jar container. I prefer the one ounce size, even though it's cheaper to order a larger size, because I don't care for products in jars--I just don't use them fast enough. This way, I feel like I'm always using a fresh product.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Ion - Crystal Clarifying Treatment
MissMelissa 8/6/2008 1:57:00 AM
This product has not only saved my hair, but my wallet too! I was having Malibu 2000 Crystal Gel Treatments done at the Salon, which cost me around $25 each time. Malibu doesn't sell their Crystal Gel Treatment on their site, but I've bought it on another site for around $5 plus shipping. I buy this at Sallys for $2.39, with my Sallys card, $2.59 without card. BIG difference! It's used the exact same way as Malibu's salon product and it's not that hard to do yourself! This product is a powder that comes in a small packet and when mixed with water, it forms a gel that you apply to your hair like hair color. This is how I do it... I mix 2oz of warm water from my water cooler (or bottled and microwave it) the purer the water, the better it works. I picked up a hair color applicator bottle at Sallys, to use just for this. I pour the packet into the bottle and then the warm water. (If you do the water first and then the packet, the moisture from the bottle sometimes causes the powder to turn jelly and stick in the packet) Then I shake it around for a minute or two and Viola! It becomes a gel. I part my hair into four sections and put it up in clips. I do one section at a time, just to make sure I get all my hair. (My hair is very porous and past my shoulders, but there's enough in this bottle to totally saturate my hair) I like to comb it through each section. Once I've got them all covered, I let the clips out and take what's left in the bottle and just soak my hair. Then I put a shower cap over my head, to make sure my hair really absorbs it. I also put a towel over the shower cap because the heat from the scalp helps the product work even better. It says to leave in 3-5 for light build-up and up to 20 minutes. After I'm done with applying the product, I usually put a face and an eye mask on and wait about half an hour. Then I rinse and use Malibu 2000 WW Shampoo and Conditioner. (More recently, I've started using an overnight hair mask after shampooing). The end result is phenomenal! It pulls all the nasties and product build-up out of the hair. My hair doesn't feel dry or straw-like afterwards, it actually feels smoother and lighter. Using this ever week or two, in conjunction with Malibu 2000's Well Water products has totally changed my hair. The shampoo and conditioner work great on their own, but if you use this just once, you will notice a difference. The highlights look amazing and my hair is much better shape! Malibu offers a "Hard Water Weekly Demineralizer" (12 for $36) but it's not the same and doesn't give the same results.
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - Malibu 2000 - Well Water Action Antioxidant Conditioner
MissMelissa 8/6/2008 1:02:00 AM
I purchased this product to go along with the Malibu 2000 Shampoo because they work better together. I think that the shampoo is what pulls the nasties out of the water and the conditioner keeps them from redepositing. I'm not a chemist, so I could be wrong:) The texture is a bit thin, in my opinion and I would like something a little thicker. It has the same uplifting scent as the shampoo, like fresh oranges, which I like. It detangles my hair and leaves it soft. It doesn't weight the hair down because it's not a heavy product. Most importantly, it keeps my highlights *bright*. It's not very expensive, $15 for a Liter size, although I had to pick up a pump from Sallys. (I'm not coordinated enough to pick up liter of product, flip it over to dispense and then replace. By the time I do that, I've lost the conditioner somewhere...probably down the drain) This product does give the hair moisture and is full of antioxidants. And maybe If my hair wasn't sooooo dry from being highlighted, this might be enough moisture for it. Since my hair is super dry, I need a little bit more. I have to take one lippie off for that. Most conditioners, masks and some leave-ins can leave my hair brassy, so I don't have many options. I tried Ion's version of this and it's heavier, but I like Malibu's much better. I wish Malibu made some kind of deep conditioning treatment for well water. Nevertheless, this is a staple and it's works! I'll continue to use it until Malibu improves or reformulates it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Unlisted Brand - Malibu 2000 Well Water Action Shampoo
MissMelissa 8/6/2008 12:31:00 AM
This stuff has saved my hair! Literally! I had red highlights in my naturally dark brown hair over two years ago. More recently, I had blonde highlights worked into my hair and had a tough time. I had to go back and have them redone because there was soooo much orange in it! My hair guy kept telling me that it was from having my hair red, but I knew that wasn't it. After much trial and error, we discovered it was my water--I just didn't notice when my hair was reddish. Finally, he did Malibu 2000 Crystal Treatment, which removed all the iron and it's nasty friends from my hair. It looked gorgeous and it felt different, lighter. I put a filter on my shower and thought I was good to go. Wrong! Within a week, my highlights were getting orange and brassy. They didn't sell any Malibu 2000 products there, so I went online and purchased the shampoo & conditioner. I cannot believe the difference this shampoo makes in my hair!!! The shampoo itself smells amazing, like fresh oranges and is a thick gel-like texture. It manages to pull Iron and his friends from my hair, but it's still gentle! It has no Sulfates in it, doesn't strip the hair's natural oils and no animal byproducts or testing. It lathers up great, it rinses easily and it leaves my hair feeling soft. I don't how it works, but I am in awe of it! It's full of antioxidants and good things for the hair, yet it's tough on minerals. I managed to pick up a Liter of this for around $15, which really isn't a bad price for professional and salon-type hair products and for what it does. I also picked up the conditioner because they're made to be used together. (I also do a Ion Crystal Treatment--it's cheaper then Malibu's--every week or two) My only issue with this is that the Liter didn't come with a pump. I picked one up at Sally's for about $1.50. Besides color enhancing/depositing shampoo (I like So Silver by Matrix to keep my highlights bright) this shampoo is my staple. Even when I go back to dark and can't physically see what the water is doing to my hair, I will use this stuff. Hard water is sooooo bad for the hair. Not only does it cause brassiness, but it can dry out your hair and scalp, causing dandruff or eczema. It can also cause hair thinning, breaking, falling out and so much more. Link for more info about hard water's effect on hair: http://www.malibu2000.com/content/Cn_Hair_Solutions_Well_Water.aspx I wish I could give this product a 10 or higher. It has completely changed my hair. If you have any type of hard water, I urge you to try this product!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -Unlisted Brand - CocoaPink Dermabrasion Face Wash
MissMelissa 8/5/2008 4:30:00 PM
This is another Cocoa Pink product that I have fell in love with. It is described as being a "A gentle clean rinse face wash with real dermabrasion crystals that exfoliate and polish the skin, leaving you with a fresh glow and smooth skin". This product is a scrub AND a cleanser! Let me first say that I have professional microdermabrasion done every six weeks or so. I've also used products that are sold as Microdermabrasion scrubs, it seems every company is making one and they're all very similar. (Lancome, Neutrogena, L'Oreal, etc.) This product is the exception! The others all seem to have a thick and heavy texture that leaves my face feeling soft, but not CLEAN. I always feel like I need to wash my face afterwards. This stuff has a completely different texture, it's light and it reminds me of whipped frosting. I received a small sample of this, in my last CP order and I couldn't wait to try it! I used a very warm washrag to wet my face and open my pores, then added a bit of the product to my forehead, my cheeks and then chin. As I started massaging it into my skin, I could feel how fine the scrub particles were and it reminded me of the last time I had actual Microdermabrasion done! My skin is somewhat sensitive because of using Retin-A, so I didn't use much pressure. To rinse, I just kept adding warm water and massaging it down my face with my hands, until it was all gone. It rinsed easily, with no residue. My skin has never felt so clean and fresh and smooooth! It's an unbelievable feeling! Afterwards, I applied a serum and a night cream and my face was literally glowing and it wasn't red or irritated either! GENIUS! I thought I would get 2 or 3 uses out of this tiny.5oz size sample--I still have like 90% left! I'm shocked how little you need to use to get fantastic results! Oh! And the best part is that you can buy this in several fragrances or fragrance free, if you're sensitive! The one I tried was *Lemon Sugar* and I prefer to use products that are unscented, but it didn't upset my skin. It also doesn't have any harsh soaps (SLS) or mineral/petroleum oils. My favorite is the fact that it has not been tested, nor does it contain animals! *YAY* Pick up a sample size and try it for yourself! You'll thank me later:) Ingredients: Water, Glycerine, Soduim Lactate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Almond Oil, Disodium Sulfosuccinate, Grapeseed Oil, Cocamide DEA, Betaine, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Hydroxide. Tip: I used this on my lips last night! Afterwards, I applied a thin coat of Stinky Feet (it's just unrefined Shea Butter! lol!) and I woke up to super smooth and extremely soft lips:) WoW!
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No