Cleansers -L'Oreal - Pure Zone Pore Unclogging Scrub Cleanser
Paniscus 3/26/2004 4:24:00 PM
I like this...sorta. I have very oily skin with pores that clog constantly. This scrubs very well and definitely cuts through any oil on your face (probably the massive amounts of alcohol in the product are responsible for that). Unfortunately, the oil comes right back very soon after. Alcohol is the 2nd ingredient in this scrub and let me tell you, you can smell it. It is almost overpowering. I am pretty laid back about fragrances in products but whatever scent they added to it mixes with the alcohol and it is eeeeeeeeevil. Smells VERY strong. Not sure that the salicylic acid in this is doing anything for my skin, considering I use salicylic acid anyway (that I leave on and don't rinse off). So, as a scrub this gets a B+: the scrubby beads are plentiful, small, and scrub very well. As a "treatment product", I'd give this a C-/D+: it is not really doing anything for the oiliness of my skin in the long term; I am oil-free for about an hour after using this, and no more. And I doubt that salicylic acid in it is doing much for me as it's only on my face for a minute or two. For people with less oily skin than mine, I can EASILY see it stripping their skin/drying them out. If you avoid alcohol like the plague, put this on your list of things to never try. I don't mind alcohol generally, my skin can take it. But it really doesn't seem to HELP anything (in this product anyway), all it does is make the fragrance almost unbearable. Too bad, because the scrubbing aspect is quite acceptable. I will use it up, but will not repurchase. And if you don't have oily skin, I would definitely avoid this product.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -St. Ives - Ultra Gentle Apricot Facial Scrub
Paniscus 3/26/2004 4:04:00 PM
Not scrubby enough. Not by a long shot. I'm not even convinced that it works as a cleanser. The gel base is rather weird and slippery. ULTRA gentle it definitely is. Scrubby it is not. Not IMHO. I think there's about 10 scrubby beads suspended in this whole damn tube. Not for me.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -Banana Boat - Pre-Sunless skin smoother exfoliating scrub
Paniscus 3/26/2004 3:58:00 PM
This product has a gel-like consistency. It doesn't lather, but isn't greasy either. Neither moisturizing nor drying that I can tell...it's just a kinda neutral gel substance with a few beads in it. It reminds me VERY MUCH of the "extremely gentle" version of St. Ives apricot scrub (the one that has 3 total beads in it to 'scrub' with). It is nowhere NEAR scrubby enough for me. I am all about extreme scrubby particle density (such as most sugar/salt scrubs), and this does not deliver. If gentle is what you're after, you may well like this. I can't vouch for how well it exfoliates before self-tanning, as I do not self-tan (but I DO exfoliate). I know I don't "feel" very exfoliated after using it. Has a pleasant tropical fruit + something else (coconut, maybe?)scent, reminiscent of suntan oil. Not an entirely bad product, I'm sure, but for my purposes it's got way, way, way too few scrubby beads to do a thorough job.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -RCMA - Invisible Setting Powder
Paniscus 3/26/2004 3:34:00 PM
This is a very good setting powder. It mattifies well, sets makeup well, and is incredibly cheap (3oz size which most will get for personal use is about $5-$6). Unfortunately, it makes my face itch like crazy. I don't get hives or anything, or break out from it, just...itchy. Very, very strange. My shaker jar has no ingredients label on it so I can't even begin to imagine what's causing this. Nevertheless, in a world full of face powders that don't make me itch, there is no good reason for me to use this one. Too bad, because it performs well for the price.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -BeneFit Cosmetics - Shangri-La Sheers - Love & Mirage [DISCONTINUED]
Paniscus 3/26/2004 2:30:00 PM
Well, well, well. Went to a makeover event at the BeneFit counter and this is what the MA put on me. Now, I am a VERY pink toned PPP and let me say that 99.9999% of all peach/orange/coral etc. colors look like absolute DEATH on me. I read groovynub's constant reviews of peach color cosmetics and I swear I feel like I'm from a totally different planet. It's just that peach + my skin = assiness of a freaky degree. I have tried and tried and TRIED again to make this type of color work for me and every time I fail abysmally. THIS gem, however, does not clash with my coloring at all and looks very, very pretty as an e/s and a blush (she used it as both on me) even on my pink skin!! Brightens my face up a LOT, very cute spring color. If you are like me and have trouble wearing peaches and corals, definitely hop by your BeneFit counter and try this one. Not only does it not look bad, it actually looks GOOD on my peach hating skin. Must endorse this product 100% because it is one of 3 peach-tinted items in the ENTIRE KNOWN UNIVERSE that I can actually wear. Heck yeah I bought it, and would buy it again. I probably have every shade of pink, plum, and mauve (all cool toned) blush out there, but sometimes a gal needs something different. Yeah baby, I'm joining the Peach Crew.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Shu Uemura - Glow On in P Pink 34C
Paniscus 2/14/2004 7:17:00 PM
This is one of my favorite blushes. It is a lavenderish pink with blue/violet iridescence. Very much like MAC duochrome e/s. Totally funky. As strange as it sounds, it works well as a blush. I'm very cool toned (PPP) so this color works well for me. I like the glimpses of violet sheen I can see as I turn my face under different lighting angles (yes, I love playing with this thing). It's not the most natural blush color in the world, but not as garish or freakish as it might sound. Rather sheer but definitely good pigment and the iridescence is THERE. Subtle, but THERE. Totally unique. Love it to death.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Totally Juicy - Mango Taffy Pore Strips
Paniscus 2/13/2004 3:25:00 PM
Wow...I did NOT expect this to work at all, but it was a GWP so I thought I'd try it. First off, it's nowhere near as effective as a Biore pore strip. BUT it did work some. Definitely saw lots of gunk on the peel-off thingy. I'm surprised. Although this is less effective, it's a whole lot cheaper considering how many uses you can get out of a tube VS the standard 6-12 strips in a box of Biore. This only costs about $4-5. Nice!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Clinique - skin cushion body wash
Paniscus 2/5/2004 2:32:00 AM
Clinique has succeeded in making a body wash that leaves the same sticky soap-film that many bar soaps can. How the heck did they manage that? Even the cheapest, stinkiest body washes I own NEVER left a residue like this. Good lord. I love the skin cushion line in general (esp the lotion, love the scent) but that scent doesn't translate well into the body wash. This didn't leave me feeling clean, just left my skin feeling taut. Not a good product. All I ask from a body wash is that it rinse clean--this does not. I honestly can't think of one good quality of this stuff.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Aveda - Shadow Plus Vitamins in Moon
Paniscus 2/2/2004 4:42:00 AM
This is my favorite browbone highlighter ever. Not as stark as pure white, and it looks very natural. This is an off-white/beigey color with some shimmer. Silky and beautiful.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -BeneFit Cosmetics - Check's in the Mail
Paniscus 1/23/2004 8:10:00 AM
This is a subtly shimmery muted very pale golden green. I can honestly say I don't have another color quite like this one. The closest I have to compare is Too Faced Pixie Dust, but the Too Faced is way more sparkly and not as muted as this one. Needless to say, the BeneFit shadow has a far better texture (I find Too Faced shadows to be somewhat grainy). I like this one a lot. It's more neutral than it sounds, very understated beige/gold with a greenish tinge. Hard to describe. Would definitely repurchase this baby, due to its uniqueness.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -BeneFit Cosmetics - Working The Room
Paniscus 1/23/2004 8:04:00 AM
This is a dark shimmery teal, and it is almost identical to the darker side in my Nars Cleo duo. The Nars is ever so slightly brighter, and more shimmery. If you were lemming Cleo for the darker shade only, this would be the perfect eyeshadow to buy instead. Makes a lovely liner.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Alchemy - Meadowsweet
Paniscus 1/23/2004 8:01:00 AM
This is a powder blush in super pale matte pink. Wonderful PPP color. Probably would not show up on anyone darker than LLL. This is the same size and amt. as the Alchemy eyeshadows, so a better deal might be had elsewhere. Great quality, though. Would buy again if I found it on sale (like I did this time, thanks Sephora!).
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Cargo - Shangri-La
Paniscus 1/23/2004 7:57:00 AM
Ooooh, this is soooo pretty! Shimmery grayed blue green. Cargo e/s have great pigment and a silky texture. I collect green e/s and this one is quite unique. Grey greens are few and far between, and this one is like no other. EDIT: This e/s is a chameleon. Depending on what I pair it with or how sheerly I apply it, it can appear grey-green (sheer) or blue-green. Even more fun than my first impression of it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Chantecaille - Shine Eye Shade in Quartz
Paniscus 1/23/2004 7:53:00 AM
This is a shimmery, somewhat silvered pink-mauve-beige. Or something along those lines. Totally unique shade in my collection, although not a terribly exciting color. Makes a lovely wash or browbone highlighter. Silky texture, good pigment. Would probably buy this color again.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Sue Devitt - Electric Sheen Eyeshadow in Hopetown
Paniscus 1/23/2004 7:49:00 AM
The color is absolutely gorgeous, a sparkling shimmery blackened plum. But the texture is just plain wrong. It's rough and crunchy and...ugh. I much prefer a silky or velvety texture to my shadows and this certainly doesn't qualify as either. Looks ok when used dry, but nothing special. It does look lovely used wet as a liner, and takes on a metallic tinge. I don't HATE this, don't get me wrong...but I don't love it as much as I should, given how pretty it looks in the pan. I won't be buying any more Electric Sheens.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No