Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Beta Carotene Supplements
RHanson 11/14/2012 6:30:00 PM
This is so genius, so bear with me and let me change your life a little. Carotenoids are stored in the body to either be synthesized into vitamin A when cells require it, or to act as an antioxidant. Now, vitamin A deficiency causes abnormal shedding of skin cells, which is one of the biggest culprits in acne and other inflammatory skin diseases. So, this is one way carotenoid supplements help your skin. Even if you have decent skin, it will help normalize how your skin functions. Now, here is where the best part comes. Taking a high enough amount of carotenoids, 50 mg a day, for about 6 weeks, will make them deposit at the base of your skin. What does this mean? Your skin will become golden. This, I promise you. People always say carrots turn you orange, but that occurs only at extremely high doses. So, how do you go about getting that golden glow? Here is my daily intake of the carotenoids: 15 mg Beta Carotene (usually sold as 25,000 IU...make sure its natural!) 10 mg Lycopene 10 mg Astaxanthin 10 mg Lutein You must, must, must take them with some type of fat. Something with dairy, meat, or nuts, just make sure to get at least 5-7 grams of fat, then take one of these. Remember, carotenoids, and even many other strong antioxidants, are only fat soluble!! Also, take them spaced out in the day, so two carotenoids in the morning, and two more at night. After about 3 weeks, you will start to see a yellowish tone in your feet, then after that you will see it in your hands, then your face, and then your whole body. You won't be orange at all. Your whole body will just be less pink and dull, and more even, bright, and a little bit golden. It is now freezing cold in the Northeast, and I don't think I've ever been this golden, even during a summer. Not only my face, but my whole body just looks so healthy! Everyone has complemented my "tan" and how long my "tan" has remained. I'm actually so shocked there isn't more research on this. But I've done a lot of it myself and here's what I've compiled from multiple studies online as undisputed, scientific fact, to sum it all up: - Carotenoids in high doses will deposit into the skin, giving a more yellow tone - Carotenoids in significantly high doses (150 mg +) will give the skin a reddish orange tone - Carotenoids are significantly better absorbed by the digestive system with fat - Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants, preventing cell damage - Carotenoids act as a natural sun protector within skin by preventing lipid peroxidation (this is amazing! Sunlight constantly radiates the natural lipids on our skin, oxidizing squalene into squalene peroxide, perhaps the most comedogenic substance ever) - In a study, images of people with yellow toned skin from carotenoid deposition were consistently rated by study subjects as more attractive than their counterparts, which were one pale and one suntanned version of the same face - Body converts some, not all, carotenoids into vitamin A when necessary - Normal vitamin A levels help skin function and shed regularly, which can help acne Edit : I added some pictures of the same faces with varying skin tones. As you can see, the carotene-stained skin is most healthy looking. The suntan comes close, but doesn't quite present that extra, healthy glow of the carotenoid image. In the picture of the three women, it goes, from left to right: suntanned, no carotene / no suntan, carotene. I also have a theory that we like tanning to simulate the healthy skin color brought by carotenoids. But since tanning requires doing nothing except lying in the sun, and carotenoids are more difficult to get into your system, tanning seems to have taken over. I take different carotenoids because some have different purposes and provide different colorations as well. Lutein is the yellowest of the carotenoids. Taking these makes sure your glow does not veer too much to the red side. Too much yellow, however, might look too jaundice-y, so take a litte, 10 mg. Lutein does NOT turn into vitamin A, which means it will be more available for cell protection/antioxidation. Lutein is also very healthy for your eyes. Beta Carotene turns into vitamin A, and has mild antioxidant properties compared to the other carotenoids. It is the only carotenoid I take that turns into vitamin A, which is why I take more of it than others. It is also the most neutral colored carotenoid, not too yellow not too red, so it really gives your skin tone a consistent color when balanced with other carotenoids. Lycopene is the reddest carotenoid, and what makes tomatoes red. It has extremely potent antioxidant properties (as it also does not turn into vitamin A) and sun protection. Since it is such a deep red, it will provide a rosy undertone to your glow. Too much might unbalance your skin color to the red side, but 10 mg is just enough to give a healthy color boost and AMAZING skin protection. Astaxanthin...this is apparently the best carotenoid. Look up the bird Scarlet Ibis. It's diet consists of crustaceans, which are full of astaxanthin (its what makes shellfish turn pinkish-red after cooking). Doesn't it look so beautiful and healthy? . Our minds are 100% programmed to be attracted to carotenoids in others!! We can recognize them in animals and plants as indicators of health, proper nutrition, as well as superior foraging skills (which all translate into people terms as: indicators of attractiveness). Anyways, astaxanthin has a unique polar structure unlike other carotenoids, meaning it can protect cells from the inside out, whereas the other non-polar carotenoids can only protect cells on either side. So please try this out, and, if you are hesitant, do the same research i did and maybe that might convince you. It is most definitely worth it. I am so proud to be adding this to MUA, and hope that eventually it becomes a mainstay. Note: I originally only took beta carotene supplements, hence the review t
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Lemon Juice
RHanson 7/23/2012 5:33:00 PM
You must try this immediately! Skin History: Wow. Ive spent so much money, time, and unnecessary stress over my skin, and finally the weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I finished my first (and so far only) course of Accutane two years ago, and though my acne has returned, its less severe and much more manageable. Honestly, I really don't care about active pimples, but its the scars that remain for months that drive me crazy. Nothing has vanished my scars like fresh squeezed lemon juice. Application: Every day, I squeeze 1/3 of a lemon and put the other 2/3 wrapped in foil in the fridge. I then squeeze all the juice into a small bowl, not really caring if the seeds fall in or not. One day I will add some cool water to the juice, and the next day I will use straight up lemon juice, alternating as to not really push the skin over the edge.Then, I take a cotton pad (or folded up toilet paper if I'm lazy), dip it in, and swipe all over my face. It usually drips onto my neck, but I let it go down anyways. You will know it is working when you feel the sting. Yes, the sting. It's pretty bad, especially the first few times you use it. My experience, however, is that I was so ecstatic with my results that I started associating the sting with pretty skin, and the pain went away. If it is really bad, do a mixture of 1/3 lemon juice with 2/3 water and work your way up. Some people wash it off after 15 minutes, I usually leave it on way longer, usually 3-5 hours or overnight. So definitely do it when you're at home and have time. Follow with a light application of your most trusted moisturizer. Effects: Since I started using lemon juice last month, my skin has just been...healthy, to best sum up all the amazing words I could say. Yes, I still get some (albeit much less since I started using lemon juice) pimples, but they heal much faster, don't grow as big, and don't leave as intense a red mark as they had done in the past. My previous reddish-purplish-brownish scars from weeks and months before have decreased in diameter from small rice to about kosher salt (sorry if this is random, but I put lots of thought into this analogy and it fits what I see best!). Added to this, my skin that has been unaffected by acne (skin around pimples, sides of nose, sides of forehead, and around mouth) has become healthy and even-toned. When I say even toned, I mean no redness, with a very very slight golden hue. UPDATE Lemon juice is still working just as well as ever. I few more benefits I noticed: - Moisturizer goes on smoother, and I needed less moisturizer than I normally do - Freckles around my nose haven't faded, though they have became smaller and more similar to my normal skin color - My skin has become really really smooth. The tiny bumps that normally wouldn't bother me have receded, leaving level skin behind Also!!! My dermatologist was shocked when I told him that lemon juice worked so well. He said that he would have expected it to be too harsh, but I told him I'd been using it for more than 6 weeks, and he told me I could continue to use it! He also explained why exfoliation, especially chemical like lemon juice, is important for people with acne. He said that in healthy skin, skin cells are programmed to shed off one by one, reaching the top of the skin unimpeded, where it waits to be exfoliated. However, in those with acne, skin cells are programmed to die and flake around the same time, and combined with thick sebum, the pore is blocked and bam, a pimple is born. Even if sebum were thick (caused by hormone imbalance), individual skin cells could travel up without clogging the pore. The problem is when skin cells flake off at the same time. Imagine a line of people going through a door. If people go one by one, they can pass through the door. However, if two (or more) people in line are holding hands lets say, they will block the door. It is in the dna of the skin cell life cycle, he said, that explains the genetic inheritance of acne and the inheritance of healthier skin. Now, I don't know if hes truly right, but it sounded really reasonable to me, and would explain why lemon juice has been so rewarding. The lemon juice was going into my pores and breaking up the evil conglomerations of dead skin. UPDATE # 2 September 21, 2012 Because I am back st school, I found buying lemons, cutting them here, and doing my regimen took too much time. Yeah, I know it really doesn't take that much effort, but when you're busy, sometimes you just don't really care about how you look as much (maybe that isnt a bad thing though?). So I decided to give bottled lemon juice a try. I've been using Real Lemon, and I have to say, it ain't half bad. Actually, it works better than I thought. It stings less, you can put it in the fridge so it is cooling, and its in a sanitary squirt bottle that makes application very simple. However, I noticed that it doesn't work quite as well as fresh lemon juice. If I gave the effectiveness of fresh lemon juice a 10, which I most definitely would, I would probably give bottled lemon juice between a 7 - 8. So, if you're feeling lazy, but still want some great results, or even feel if lemon juice stings too much, give bottled a try. Also, I did some research online, and bottled lemon juice legally must be at least 4.5% citric acid, whereas fresh lemons can range anywhere from 4-7. So, i think fresh lemons are naturally stronger. So now you have two great paths in which lemons can be your best friends! UPDATE #3 October 18, 2012 I've used lemon juice every day, twice a day, for the past 3 months, and it's safe to say it is a godsend. The past month or so, I've used bottled Real Lemon and it has worked amazing UPDATE #4 January 9, 2013 Please please please see my review for carotene supplements! They will change your life as much as...if not more...than lemon juice!
60 out of 63 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Dermalogica - Medibac Overnight Clearing Gel
RHanson 7/10/2012 12:37:00 AM
Best OTC acne product I have tried, ever. Nothing cleared my skin like this besides Accutane, and even that was accompanied with horrible side effects. The Overnight Clearing Gel has done me no wrong. The absolute most important piece of information I can give about this product is to not be stingy with it. Yes, its a bit pricey, but you really need about a nickel-quarter size worth of gel for each quadrant of your face. It will be really wet, but will dry after 10 minutes. Sleep. Wake up with calmed, not dry, even-toned skin. Watch the redness of pimples, post-acne scars, and that of the general areas of the face go away. You will also find that break-outs are subdued with continued use of this. Stopping new pimples & decreasing appearance of present and past pimples makes this gel quite an efficient, and fast product. Really give this a chance, slather it on, and really watch it work!
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Highlighters -Bobbi Brown - Highlighter Pen - Rose
RHanson 6/30/2010 9:29:00 PM
Next to foundation, my favorite MU product is a highlighter. When I can't get sleep, a dab in the inner corner of my eyes makes me look like I've slept for years. When I want a beachy, fresh look, I turn to highlighters. And now, I think I've found the best one. Yes, the pen is a cool idea (and its humongous!!!), and the brush on the tip works very well, but I want to focus on the product inside. Save yourself money and dont buy the Opal shade. It is very glittery, and you will get the same results with Benefit Highbeam or NARS albatross. You could buy the Bronze shade, but keep in mind, this shade is cool toned, it is not a very warm bronze, which is why I took a pass. Get the Rose shade. It is like a sheer liquid blush that glows. The color is a pale fuschia that almost disappears once on the skin. It is not glittery, and it doesnt cake on my pores, which most highlighters do. It looks great on bare skin and on foundation, but do not apply it over powder. The brush at the tip of the "pen" is very effective as it applies the perfect amount of highlighter. I noticed that the brush was slightly small, but then I realized that Bobbi probably wanted the brush to be small, because highlighters should only be applied in small areas. The tip of my nose and the apples of my cheeks are where I like to apply this highlighter. I found out that the Rose highlighter looks amazing over pot rouges (I love to put on pale pink pot rouge, and lightly apply the rose highlighter over it). The pen is really really big, so 30 bucks wont be an issue, as this should last you for months. Usually I have more things to write about products, but the application is so foolproof, and the color is so subtle that I cant really give anymore advice on using this, except that two clicks of the pen should be enough for one area of your face.
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Liquid -Christian Dior - Diorskin Airflash
RHanson 5/11/2010 6:37:00 AM
Tears of joy! This foundation beats, pulverizes, creams, destroys, and eliminates every other foundation. I've tried them all and had a great time with some (most recently Bobbi Brown Natural Finish, which was good, but not as good as this), but this one is the goddess. I've tried them all. Drugstore up to high end. I loved the coverage of drugstore products and I loved the skin-like texture of the higher end products. Unfortunately, most foundations were not a perfect match of both. Let me give you my history: I am 5 successful months into an accutane course and while my face is flat, i have those pesky red marks. So as you can see, my biggest concern was finding great coverage and a nice natural look. The foundation: It comes in a spray can, and you wouldnt think that it has a lot of foundation inside, but it does. It is a very very thin liquid, and when it comes out of the can, it is still cold. The can is not too big, and it fits in any bag very well. Now onto the color. NC 25, Warm Sand in Bobbi, Chamomile in Chantecaille, Deauville in NARS, 120 in MUFE HD, I am 200 (light beige) in this. Color is perfect. A nice neutral yellowish. I will address the issues of it turning orange later in the application section. There is no terrible scent to it, which is a plus. The application: This is when beauty blender shine. First of all, no matter how cool spraying it directly on your face looks, don't do it. Chances are you will not get it right and it will apply heavily in some areas. I will rate, on a scale of 1 to 10, all of the methods: Directly on to face gets a 4. Spraying it onto my bobbi foundation brush, then to my face gets a 7, spraying it onto my mac 187, then onto my face gets a 7.5. Spraying it onto my hand, and using my fingers gets a 7. Spraying onto my beauty blender, then dabbing the foundation onto my skin into big dots, then MOST IMPORANT, blending (DO NOT "POUNCE" or BOUNCE this on...drag it down)...this gets a 10.......yes the coveted, airbrushed 10. I realize that some have complained that the foundation is too pink or orange, and I found out that this happens if you spray it directly onto your face. As a true neutral yellow this foundation is a perfect match. And you know when it looks good inside, and you see a mirror or a reflection outside, and you look bad...this doesnt happen with this foundation!!!! I love love love! Also, it looks the same in the incredibly bright flourescent lights of my school. Finish: Skin like. Even texture, even color, perfect dewiness in the center of my face and tops of my cheekbones. A perfect uber natural finish. This is sooooo good that people tell me my skin looks good (YES!). No one has said "oh youre makeup looks good"...hehe they think its my skin. This may sound superficial, but this foundation makes me forget I have/had acne. It makes me feel incredibly pretty and youthful. It definitely lasts all day long, from 6 am to 8 pm I looked the same, and I have been pretty sweaty/ oily because its now hot. Making the most of this: Cherish this with all of your life. At 62 dollars, this is not a foundation to joke around with. Creams and gels love this, so this is where pot rouge, cheek stains, gel bronzers, multiples, cream highlighters, and cream blushes come into action. Pot rouges look soooo lovely on top of this foundation, and the multiples blend in better. Definitely apply loose powder over this with a big fluffy brush or if you need extra coverage, use a sponge and blend in some powder foundation. General Recap: Great finish, color, coverage. Apply with a dampish sponge (preferably beauty blender). Lasts all day, perfectly covers acne scars, makes me look showstopping! get it!!!!!!! UPDATE: I forgot to mention how to prep your face for this godly foundation. HEAVY MOISTURIZER IS A NO-NO. Sorry for the all caps but i can't stress that enough. If you applied heavy moisturizer it would have to be hours before the foundation application, and who has time for that? Stick to light, oil free moisturizers. Gel moisturizers work incredibly well because they sink in quickly and moisturize with water, instead of oil. What i inferred from this is that the foundation goes best on bare skin, and its perfect canvas would be perfect skin. So the key is to make your face temporarily perfect. Even hydration is very important. Your skin should have little flakiness and feel hydrated from within. My favorite to use under this is Chantecaille Vital essence, because it just makes the application of this foundation so perfect. Also, this foundation has not broken me out, nor has it dried out or irritated my accutane-induced sensitive skin. I did, however, get a pimple in that area between my nose and mouth. I know that this foundation didnt do it, simply because i never put foundation in that area, usually because it looks bad. Is there anything that this foundation can't do. It covered the zit so damn well and didn't accentuate its general volume and presence, like some other foundations tend to do. UPDATE 2: Although it seems impossible, I have even more things to say about this foundation. The most important is dealing with clogged nozzles. An ounce of prevention is a pound of cure, so ALWAYS leave the cap on, otherwise...the nozzle stops working. I don't know why, but leaving the cap off will make this can difficult. Now, if it stops spraying, here are the steps to get it back to normal. First, take a q-tip, and rip of 3/4 of the cotton on one side. Soak it in alcohol or hand sanitizer, and dig it through the inside tube of the nozzle (the part that connects to the can). Move the swab up and down very quickly. Then, fill up your sink with hot water, and leave the nozzle in there. Voila! Perfect sprayage!
49 out of 51 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Bobbi Brown - Natural Finish- Long Lasting Foundation SPF 15 [DISCONTINUED]
RHanson 4/16/2010 6:26:00 PM
This is a 100% honest review and all I can say is that I absolutely am amazed by this foundation. The colors tend to run 1 to 0.5 shades lighter than your actual skin tone. I am usually in between beige and sand in bobbi's foundations depending on the formula (NC 25ish). In this I am sand, and wow, is the color match dead on. Its the kind of color match thats so perfect that when I put some over areas that are more clear than others (chin, sides of nose, above mouth) I cannot tell whether foundation has been applied from my brush to my skin. I am on accutane, and my incredibly long initial breakout is over...so all i have are red marks...no uneven textured areas. This foundation works very well to cover redness, and when I did have some bumps, it DID NOT dry up and change colors on my pimples, and did not make them more noticeable...YES!!!! I used this on dryish skin, and I will say that it looks best on normal/oily skin tones, but if you have dry skin, make sure you moisturize well. This foundation doesn't oxidize and lasts all day. I put it on at 7:30 in the morning...did not touch up all day...and i played a tennis match later in the day...i got home an 7 pm and it actually looked just as fresh as the moment i put it on!!! How it mixes with other products... I have added moisturizer to this, because sometimes it got a little dry on me, but the moisturizer fixed it, and did not take away from the great coverage. One thing i truly adore about this foundation is that when i put blush on, especially cream or gel, the foundation does not smear with the blush...it stays put! Loose powder does not cake on this, nor do bronzing powders and powder blushes. Packaging...... Smallish glass bottle with a pump...color looks sort of light in the bottle Coverage.... This has great coverage. This is great on acne marks, and this is the kind of foundation that you can blend up into your eye area and skip concealer...saves time! Finish...... Skin-like...its so perfect. its in between matte and candlelit dewiness and the finish isnt powdery, it truly has a skin finish. It gives the most subtle glow to areas like your forehead, chin, and cheekbones and is so pretty. Application...... I love Bobbi's foundation brush for this, and one extremely important tip is: squirt one or two pumps on your hand. Then take your foundation brush, and get a bit on the tip. Then, swipe the brush back and forth on ONE SIDE on an area of your hand that doesn't have foundation on it. Make sure that the whole surface of that one side of the brush has an even, level coat. Then apply downwards starting from the middle of your face, then upwards from the middle of your face...think of your nose as the center, and your face as the circumference. Always work from the center out!! This foundation can be layered, but I suggest two layers max...you dont want to lose that natural finish. Also, on other foundations, whenever I layer concealer on top for any extra blemishes, it cakes.......this doesnt happen with this foundation, so feel free to use extra concealer. I recommend a sheer loose powder on top to control any excess shine. Skin reaction......... No redness, no breakouts (score!!!), no dryness, no irritation. My skin is indifferent, and as long as it doesnt harm my skin, I dont care Pair it with......... Goldens and corals. This is the time to warm of your face, and I am not saying make your face darker, but add a warmer shade of blush, and swipe a warm, golden, non-rosy bronzer across your cheeks and forehead. If you are going out, this also works well with highlighters (Im talking NARS multiples, highbeam) Update....... I had pictures taken of me in natural lighting, flourescent lighting and regular lighting (but with flash)...and the spf and the foundation didn't wash me out, and looked so wonderful on my skin...you can't tell its there at all! I didn't look shiny in the pictures, and the color looked even. I think this is the most perfect, all-around foundation
18 out of 18 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Bobbi Brown - Moisture Rich foundation
RHanson 1/31/2010 7:45:00 PM
Yet another great product from Bobbi, This foundation is very powerful. First of all, the coverage is beautiful. It covers redness and evens out skin tone very well. It is very moisturizing, so skin-like texture accompanies the great coverage. This foundation is very warm-toned, and tends to run darker than the color which it states. For instance...I am beige in Bobbi's skin foundation and her stick foundation, however I am sand in this foundation. The cool thing about this being warm-toned is how the warmness looks very natural. I am neutral-warm, but this foundation, rather than looking like warm foundation on top of neutral-toned skin, it looks like my skin is golden underneath. The bottle is not really an issue for me, but I would prefer it if it had a pump. The only thing that gets messy is the inside of the cap. This foundation can be applied any way you want. I have used my fingers, a foundation brush, a triangle sponge, and my Beauty Blender. How I apply it: I really like dewy, natural looking foundation so I do it like this. I do equal amounts of the foundation and Bobbi's oil control lotion (which is the best add in ingredient to make foundation more natural). I then use a rather damp Beauty Blender. With the Beauty Blender, I drag it across my skin (instead of stippling) as this gives a more natural finish. I never use powder, because this doesn't make me very shiny. When I have this on, blush blends much better. No breakouts at all!!! Totally my HG, especially for winter. MUA tips: this foundation works best if you put it in your palm (granted it is clean before) and leave it there for 2 minutes. It gets the foundation to your skin's temperature and makes it blend perfectly. Also, for people with oily skin, add a few drops of toner and mix. It will really help. EDIT (April 06, 2010): It is now spring and warm where I live, so I ran into an issue with shine. I am still using this, because I love the finish and coverage it gives me. I add the Jojoba toner from Savon to cut shine, and it works! Yay! After working with this foundation for many months, I realized that nothing works better than a foundation brush.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Bobbi Brown - oil control lotion spf 15
RHanson 1/19/2010 11:36:00 PM
Oil control never works for me ... Ever. But thats not why I gave it 5 lippies.This is the best thing to add into foundation. Usually, when I apply moisturizer to foundation, it makes it more sheer and natural-looking. Bobbi Oil Control Lotion makes foundation incredibly skin-like ... but it doesn't sheer out the coverage! It's like turning a foundation into a medium coverage tinted moisturizer. For thick paste/cream/stick foundation (for example...MAC Full Coverage or Kevyn Aucoin SSE): Mix a 4:1 ratio of lotion to foundation. You will still get the great coverage, but no cakey, fake results. For full coverage liquid foundation: anywhere from 2.5 to 3:1 ratio. For medium coverage foundation: 2:1 For sheer coverage foundation: 1:1 This works SO well with Bobbi's moisture rich foundation! Also...you don't have to worry if your foundation is water-based or oil-based, or a gel...this works for whatever foundation you have. It also works surprisingly well with MUFE F&B. I also like to take a little piece of a NARS multiple blush, and mix the lotion and multiple in a 1:1 ratio. The lotion in the blush with blend really well with the lotion in the foundation, for a natural blush look. I highly suggest this...
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Blush -Chantecaille - Laughter
RHanson 1/4/2010 11:22:00 AM
This blush does it all. It makes me look flushed in the all year round, but not a deep red flush, instead it gives a youthful peach flush. Color: A lovely peach/pink (not very orange) Shimmer: The thing I like is that it doesn't have random pieces of glitter. The powder has finely milled "shimmer particles" throughout it so it is literally like a powder glow. Do not be afraid, it never looks like glitter. Application: I personally love Bobbi Brown's blush brush, so that is what I use. I put a little bit more blush on the brush than i usually would, as it is somewhat subtle. Light strokes on the apples of my cheeks are perfect. My blush application is a little OCD but it works. I go up and down 3 times on the cheek. then I circle around the cheek 3 times. Then I dot the brush onto the center of the apples of my cheeks so I get a bit of a color pop. Packaging: It is a very small disc, so it is sometimes difficult to get a brush in. I do wish it were twice as big...not because I use so much but because it is easier to get a brush in. Staying power: Stays all day and NEVER gets oily (and I have oily skin) How to enhance it: Works well with yellow toned foundation (or skin, if you go bare). Also apply a little bit to your temples and chin...it really makes the whole youthful flush look more natural. This blush is not dramatic, so it looks best when colors are played down. I suggest applying this on top of a light, yellow toned bronzer (think nars laguna), for that summer vacation look. Break-outs?: Using it for a few months...nothing at all! Dry skin: I dont think this would be bad on dry skin...it sort of has a "creamy powder" feel to it. Like brushing on silk. If you don't like powder: I have applied this directly on top of liquid foundation and it still looks just as good. Please get this!!!
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Vivite - Replenish Hydrating Cream
RHanson 11/23/2009 9:54:00 PM
HG, and not afraid to say it. This lotion is incredibly hydrating. I say hydrating because it literally adds water to the skin. It is as though something is pumping a hose underneath your skin and making everything youthful, glowing, and fully hydrated. The lotion has the texture of crisco. Do NOT be scared. Once it contacts skin, it melts perfectly. This is incredibly amazing for dry winter skin, and I currently use it as I am on accutane, and my skin is starting to peel. Another great use for this, is that it works wonders as a makeup primer. Possibly the best I've ever used. I just use 1/2 of what I would normally use at night. And possible the best part. I never knew it, but underneath some pink from irritation that I have in my skin, I never knew its true color. The lotion gradually, but effectively, got rid of redness, including some acne marks. I now experience a golden glow to my skin. I love this moisturizer so much that I really want you to get it!!! Progress: First three days: Flakiness starts to disappear, mild redness gone Second three days: Flakiness almost gone, skin is glowing when I wake up Third three days: Flakiness gone 100%, skin is hydrated, makeup goes on smoother Fourth three days: Skin is never greasy, always supple and dewy, acne scars begin to fade Fifth three days: Acne scars fading even more, very excited Sixth three days: Besides a few acne red marks, my skin has a completely uniform tone and dewiness Seventh three days: Flakiness returns ever so slightly due to cold weather and accutane Eighth three days: Flakiness gone, acne scars somewhat gone Ninth three days: Where I am now, My skin has not looked this good in so long.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -BeneFit Cosmetics - High Beam
RHanson 11/23/2009 7:55:00 PM
I really do enjoy this product, and I am shocked since I really don't like other benefit products. It comes in a nail polish bottle with a nail polish brush, and inside might as well be nail polish...but it isn't! Inside is the most wonderful, face-enhancing, one-of-a-kind product. Why? It has pink. Something about the pink in it makes the product look 10x more natural than any other liquid highlighter I have used. Applications: I will call these layers to make more sense, each layer consists of four little dots of the product on the nose: Only ONE LAYER, the nose is already somewhat oily. Dot on the product and stipple, then rub to make sure its perfect. on cheekbones: Two layers, but really make sure its not in one spot, otherwise it is way too obvious on the forehead: My favorite place to put. One and a half layers in the middle On the chin: Barely one layer just below the mouth Please get this product, you will not regret it i promise. Biggest Mistakes: Using too much in one area, using it in the wrong areas (should not be on perimeter of face, only towards the center)
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Shampoo -Ouidad - Play Curl Volumizing Shampoo
RHanson 11/10/2009 6:23:00 AM
HG shampoo! Background info on hair: auburn gets oily very quickly becomes dull easily becomes flat easily On the shampoo: Incredible smell My hair felt great as I was washing it Not very expensive On the effects: I washed my hair at night before I went to bed with this shampoo. I just woke up five minutes ago, looked in the mirror, and ran to write a review! My hair is full, has volume, as a little wave to it, my color looks enhanced. This is amazing. I think that you should really massage the shampoo gently with your fingertips, at least thats what I did. You must get this!!!
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Concealers -Kevyn Aucoin - The Sensual Skin Enhancer
RHanson 10/29/2009 7:25:00 AM
This is one of my HG's (along with MUFE F&B). This product is so versatile and so creamy and I can't stress enough how great it is. As a concealer: Great of under-eye circles HG for red marks Really good for the nose and mouth area As a foundation: First things first, you can use this by itself, however it is very dense and might look cakey if you are not well moisturized. I take the back of a blank CD and take about a grain and a half of rice worth of this foundation. I then mix it with Bobbi Brown Oil-Control Lotion (which isn't great for oil-control but is good for making a foundation more sheer). I would say it is a 4:1 lotion to foundation ratio. I have applied with my fingers, a wedge, a foundation brush, and a beauty blender, and each time it looks great. It looks just like skin with a natural matte to it and just a hint of youthful dewiness. Colors: I use SX05 which is a beigy-yellow tone which matches with my skin just about dead-on. (NC 25-30/ Bobbi in beige for reference) I know from experience that SX04 is very very yelllow, and that SX07 is appropriate for most light skin tones. Wearing/Staying: Stays all day long, rarely do I have to touch-up. Still looks natural after six hours. All in all: get this now!
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Masks -Chantecaille - Fruit and Flower Acid Mask
RHanson 10/13/2009 9:51:00 PM
I don't know why this has bad reviews! I find that a lot of times, instructions given on the box should not be followed. I use this mask by applying a somewhat thick layer on desired areas (cheeks where I have red acne marks). I let it dry for about 20 minutes. Then I start rolling the product off. This method works so much better than the 5 minute/sponge off with water technique. pros: glowing skin no more dry patches dramatically reduced acne marks cons: expensive!!!
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Misc Beauty Tools -GoSmile - Smile Whitening System
RHanson 10/2/2009 8:08:00 PM
This is GoSmile's newest whitening system. I guess it is a more potent version of B1, since this whitening plan only lasts one week. First of all, I apply mine differently. I found out how it works, so I made my application work with it. The substance is so sticky, so it immediately bonds to your teeth, sticks there, and as you keep layering more and more go smile on top of it, you will get more whitening. It is like a layer of foundation, the more you add, the less you see of your own skin, and the more of the foundation you see. So anyway, I apply by squeezing the ampoule until a drop is about to fall, and touch that drop directly to my teeth and PAT it on. Applying it in circles does not work as well as patting it on. It dries fairly quickly, so it isn't torture waiting like whitestrips. Now, whether it works. On a scale from one to ten, one being digustingly yellow and ten being celebrity bleached white, I started out as an 7 (this is what most people without any whitening have). Right now I am definitely at a 9, but it looks oh so natural.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No