Palettes -Pacifica - Natural minerals Coconut Multiples
MoonKitty 4/17/2013 1:03:00 PM
I really like the Pacifica brand, and I was pretty excited that they've recently come out with some more makeup products. I picked this up on a whim at Target, which is now a retailer for a few of the popular Pacifica products. Anyway, to the review... Pros: -Lovely and efficient packaging. -Fairly priced for the amount of product. -Good colors; I really like the bronzer and the highlighter than come with this. -Pleasant marshmallow-like smell. -Natural, non-irritating ingredients, sourced responsibly. The main con: -It's not very pigmented. In fact, it feels like you need to use a lot of product to achieve the desired look. -While the bronzer and highlighter are pretty good, the blush in the middle is "meh." It's okay, but it's very sheer and hardly noticeable. Conclusion: Although I gave it 4 stars, I don't love it enough to repurchase it. I feel like I'm using too much, and I could probably get equivalent or better results from using other bronzing, blushing and highlighting products. However, it is very convenient to have all three in one palette; very travel-friendly. It's also a good option for those who are new to makeup, as it's not likely you'll overdo on the blush or bronzer, since this product has a low amount of pigment. So, no worries about going overboard! An added bonus: The first time I wore this out, my boyfriend actually commented on my complexion. He said "You look radiant!" And he can never tell whether or not I'm wearing makeup. So although I won't re-purchase, I'll continue to enjoy the things this product does offer: a healthy glow, even if it is very subtle. If people besides myself actually notice a positive effect, then this product must be doing something right! TLDR: Natural; low-pigmentation amount; travel-friendly, great for beginners; practically mistake-proof; may yield some compliments!
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Sunscreen -Coppertone - Coppertone Sensitive Skin Suncreen Lotion, SPF 50 6 fl oz
MoonKitty 4/17/2013 12:17:00 PM
I've been using this sunscreen for about three years now, and will probably buy more of this in a week or two. It's the best sunscreen I've found as of now. I'm not an expert on the function of sunscreens, but based on the research I've done on this product compared to others, it seems like it offers very efficient UVA and UVB protection. It's a product that I feel comfortable and protected while using. In addition, Zinc Oxide is my sunscreen ingredient of choice, and this sunscreen contains a good amount, plus some smaller amounts of chemical sunscreen ingredients. As for the texture, I personally really enjoy the whitecast that it gives to my face, since my skin is extremely pale and often red and ruddy. This sunscreen really evens out my skin tone and slightly lightens my dark circles; it's kind of like putting makeup on, for me. Despite all of that, I completely understand why many people are unhappy with the whitecast this product leaves. My boyfriend is Asian with a medium complexion, and this sunscreen makes his skin look blue, no joke. It can also be a little persistent when using this on the body. Last Summer, I would always get some of this sunscreen stuck in the lines of my inner elbow, and it was pretty difficult to remove with bar soap. I've had no problems removing it from my face, but for other parts of the body, body wash may be your better option. I think the key to getting this product to work is to experiment with different application techniques; go easy at first and lightly dot some of the product onto the skin, then blend it all together. Since it has a high amount of zinc, you have to make sure not to apply too much, otherwise it's just going to sit on your skin. Zinc or chem-free sunscreens don't require as much product to get an even coating as carbon-based or chemical sunscreens do, so start lightly and build it up if needed. TLDR: Great broad spectrum protection; good product for pale and pink-toned complexions; not the best for darker complexions; use care when removing. (P.S. Coppertone Sensitive Skin SPF 50, Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple SPF 50, and Coppertone Kids Pure & Simple SPF 50 all have the exact same formula. Buy the cheapest of the three.)
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Cleansers -Cerave - Hydrating Cleanser
MoonKitty 4/17/2013 11:52:00 AM
I think this cleanser may very well be the most ideal choice for cleansing my dry, flaky and sensitive skin! Pros: -This product is very economical: it costs about 1 dollar per oz. Sometimes less, depending on where you buy from. Fabulous! -Doesn't contain any fragrances or irritants. Score! -Very gentle; my skin has never felt overly dry prior to using this product. It makes my skin feel very balanced. -Does a fair job of removing makeup. (Pre-cleansing with a makeup-removing oil or lotion is recommend, though.) -Contains some really beneficial ingredients, like Ceramides and Hyaluronic Acid. Not sure how much they'll actually benefit the skin, since they are washed off after about a minute, but it's a nice bonus. -Great packaging; pump dispenser has a lock so if you're traveling, there's no risk of spillage. A few potential cons: -To me, it seems like the thin texture of this product makes me doubt whether I'm using enough. It makes me feel inclined to use more product than may actually be necessary. Also, note: I did experience an increase of acne breakouts when I first began using this product. I'm not POSITIVE that this product was to blame, but it seemed to correlate at the time. However, after a short amount of time, the acne subsided and my skin has returned to normal with continued use of this product. In fact, my skin is better than ever. I know most dermatologists scoff at the whole "skin purging" concept, but for me, I felt like my skin did need a little bit of time to get used to this product. What I'm trying to say is, if you start getting a slight increase in acne after beginning use of this product, don't give up on it right away. Keep it up for a few weeks if you can. It's a really great cleanser, and I hope many more people find success with this product!
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Cleansers -Yes To Carrots - Nourishing Daily Cream Facial Cleanser
MoonKitty 4/16/2012 10:03:00 AM
This cleanser is way too drying for my skin. It's a shame, I had expected this to be pretty good for dry skin, not only because it's a creamy cleanser, but also because Yes To's Nourishing line seems to be geared toward the "dry, flaky and parched" skin crowd. Honestly, I expected something a little better. Unfortunately, I think the sulfates in this product may be to blame for my issues. Even though it's SLS-free, this product still contains coco-sulfates that can often be drying and irritating to some skin types. I've been trying to give this product the benefit of the doubt by thinking that maybe this wasn't a good cleanser for my skin during the dry winter months, but even though it's now close to 90 degrees and humid (meaning my face is pretty much an oil slick), I'm still getting the same bad results: dry, flaky skin that's red and irritated. Perhaps I'll use this as a body wash, but it's no longer going to come in contact with my face. >_< On a lighter note, this product isn't a bad one; it has a great smell and some pretty beneficial ingredients. I would recommend it to people with normal to oily skin.
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Lip Gloss -Yes To Carrots - Flirty Pink
MoonKitty 12/21/2011 11:39:00 AM
One of the best lip glosses I've ever tried. The color is pleasant and sheer, and I enjoy the minty flavor of this product; it's cool and fresh. I'm also pretty impressed that a 95% organic product can be so inexpensive. I only payed $6.50 for this gloss, and that's a pretty great price compared to other lip glosses of equal or lesser quality. This lip gloss also seems to last a pretty long time! Such a great product.
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Treatments -Yes To Carrots - Yes To Tomatoes Acne Treatment Spot Stick
MoonKitty 12/21/2011 11:34:00 AM
This is a good acne treatment that at least does SOMETHING to clear breakouts. The results are not instantaneous, but I have noticed that my breakouts are significantly smaller a day after use. Perhaps the key is to be persistent and apply this twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. You have to be careful not to overdo it though, because salicylic acid can cause irritation if it's used too much. I have noticed this product stings sometimes, and the smell of this product can be pretty harsh as well. In addition, the roller ball can sometimes dry up, which I had problems with. However, I wrote to Yes to Carrots and they sent me a free replacement that works just fine (Yes To's customer service is amazing). Not sure if I'll re-purchase this again, but at least this spot stick does help to clear up breakouts a little bit, so I'm not completely disappointed with this product.
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Cleansers -Yes To Carrots - Yes To Cucumbers Face Cleanser Towelettes
MoonKitty 12/21/2011 11:26:00 AM
Great product, lovely packaging. Love the smell of it, but I'm not a big fan of that tingly feeling it gives my skin after use; it feels strange and slightly painful, in my opinion. I also don't really like how it makes my skin feel a little sticky after use. However, it does remove makeup nicely and these wipes are great if you're on-the-go, or if you're too lazy to scrub your makeup off with a cream or cleanser-type makeup remover. Overall, it's a winner, and it's a great value considering they often sell value packages of these at Target and Walgreens.
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Lip Treatments -Yes To Carrots - lip butter
MoonKitty 12/21/2011 11:18:00 AM
Like other reviewers have stated, it goes on smoothly and hydrates the lips all day long. I currently have all of the flavors (Yes To sent me one of each flavor free of charge, I suppose as an apology for messing up one of my orders), and each flavor smells and tastes delicious! I especially love the berry, citrus, pomegranate and melon flavors. The melon flavor actually tastes like a real cantaloupe (which is amazing), and the pomegranate one (which I purchased myself) tastes wonderful and provides SPF15 protection. As for the mint and carrot flavors, they are not my total favorites, but they are also very good. The carrot balm does not really taste like a carrot, but it does kind of have a vegetable-like smell and taste; kind of a mixture of fruity and herby (it's so hard to describe). The mint just takes like a mint, which is great if you love minty flavors. No matter what flavor you pick, this product is definitely my HG lip balm and a must-have for Winter!
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Foundations -The Body Shop - Nature's Minerals Foundation
MoonKitty 12/21/2011 11:05:00 AM
A great loose powder foundation that gives very good coverage, in my opinion. I bought it during a sale when The Body Shop was giving away a free kabuki brush with purchase of this powder (not sure if I would've shelled out the money on it if it weren't for that). Sure, it doesn't have the full-coverage that a matte liquid foundation would offer, but it does even out the skin tone wonderfully, reducing redness and even slightly lightening dark under-eye circles. It's a very natural coverage. While other reviews have said that this product can cause breakouts, I haven't experienced any reaction thus far, and that's great considering how prone I am to acne. So far, I've been using it a few time a week for six months, and it's been quite good to me. I'm also pretty happy that there's only a small handful of ingredients, and the sunscreen-grade Titanium Dioxide provides some extra UV protection (SPF 25). It can get a little cakey if you over-apply, but what loose powder doesn't do that, anyway? Overall, I think this is an awesome loose foundation that you can feel great about wearing.
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