Pressed Powders -Avon - Ideal Shade Pressed Powder
SinominGirl 3/6/2011 8:34:00 AM
I got this in Fair (the only other shade available over here is Light Medium). I wanted to use something to even out my skintone a bit, but I didn't want to use foundation of fear that it would make my skin appear oily. So I chose this, mainly because it wasn't expensive and looked nice enough. At first, I was very satisfied. It gives quite good coverage for a pressed powder, and evens out skin tone nicely. I applied it with a brush, because I hate puffs. Then, I bought a liquid mineral foundation (Maybelline's new Affinitone), and on top of that, it looks a bit too orange. Maybe it's just the combination of the two, or the Maybelline is too orange in itself already, I can't really decide. All in all, it's a great translucent powder, if you're new to pressed powder, I think this is a great first choice. I think I'll still use it in the summer until it's finished, but I'm moving on to something else after that.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -LUSH - Coolaulin conditioner
SinominGirl 1/4/2011 7:58:00 PM
I like the smell. Artificial, but whatever. Now, for the conditioning part. I have been warned that my hair wouldn't feel slippery smooth as with drugstore conditioners, but that I will notice the softness after my hair had dried. It was just like they told me. I also found out by coincidence, that if I don't use conditioner, only shampoo ("normal" or the harsh clarifying type, doesn't matter), my hair still feels super soft once it dried. And super shiny, too. So either I have magical hair, or the conditioner just does nothing to it. I vote the second. Basically what I bought was just a pricy hair perfume. Not very pleasing. But: - It is not tested on animals. - Has probably more natural ingredients than a simple silicone-laden conditioner. - Even the container is environmentally friendly. Nevertheless: - If you aren't a devoted animal rights activist, nor environmentally conscious, skip it. - Fake coconut smell. May be nice for some, not so much for others. - It just wont feel the same as good old dimethicone on your hair. Sad but true. (Although I do have a silicone-free conditioner that does a much, much better job than Coolaulin, leaves my hair slippery but not greasy, and is dirt cheap in comparison. My hair is just so manageable with cones, its hard to give up on them.) I do believe that for some, Coolaulin could be just perfect. Maybe people with normal hair, which only needs a slight touch of conditioning. For devoted Lush fans in desperate need of moisture I'd suggest Jungle instead.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -LUSH - Henna-Caca Brun
SinominGirl 1/4/2011 7:28:00 PM
Overall, this is a great product, especially for those who are just getting familiar with henna. This is the one I started with. I tried this out of desperation. I was groing out my hair, and it was just at my shoulders at the time. But due to a bad "relationship", and mainly my stupidity, I ruined it with various dyes, and it was in a horrible, goopy-stringy-frizzy condition. The colour was kind of a middle blond, ugly mess. I was hoping to somehow save it with henna. My girlfriend was working at Lush at the time, she recommended it, I bought it, and without any previous strand test (BAD idea!), plopped it on my head. I chopped it up, added boilig water, mixed it well, keeping it warm above steaming water, then, with goofy household gloves on my hand, tried to distribute it evenly. Well, it could have been worse. I had to clean the bathroom quite a bit after the process, but the warm stuff felt good on my tortured scalp and hair and that was all cared about then. I left it on overnight. My head was wrapped in several layers, shower cap and towel on top. Thankfully this was enough to prevent any stains on my pillow. Next morning, I washed it off, and I was SO relieved that my hair didn't melt away. Even better: I could finally comb it without any major difficulty. This was impossible after my dye disaster, so I was pretty pleased already. But I was stunned once I saw the colour result. It was a very pretty medium-dark brown, gradually darker towards the ends. It had an orange glow in the sun, which I didn't really mind. I was just glad I got my hair back (somewhat). Pros: - Good coverage, but don't ever expect it to be like box dye. - Improves quality of hair. - No obvious growth line as long as you don't do repeated applications one after another on light or graying hair (few weeks apart is safe). - Fades really sublty and gradually. - Isn't artificial looking. - Can safely be used over box dye, as it does not contain metallic compounds. Always good to do a strand test, though. - Natural colourant, not tested on animals. Cons: - Time consuming. - Colour result depends very much on your starting colour. You may not experience dramatic change if you have darkish hair to start with. - May need multiple (I'd say max. 2) applications to get the desired colour if you have lighter or graying hair. - The colour cannot be easily removed. In fact, it contains indigo, which is impossible to get rid of, especially after multiple applications, even with strong bleach. - The colour also varies depending on the light source. In the sun, it can appear flaming orange. So generally, I'd say this is a warm colour, and you should only go for it if you are willing to do a strand test, or if you are comfortable with warmer colours. I'd only recommend this to people who are truly devoted to natural products, can't use box dyes due to allergies, and who are not a fan of changing hair colour often. You'll pretty much be stuck with this colour until it fades, and that won't happen very soon. If you see a bleach job in your near future, stay away from this, seriously. Unless you have, and like short hair of course, in which case you can cut it off as it grows. Whatever you do, just don't put any lightening agent on it and expect it to be a reasonable colour afterwards. It just won't happen. Edited to add a con.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -LUSH - NEW! Hair
SinominGirl 1/4/2011 6:47:00 PM
This was the first shampoo bar I've tried. Lathers very well, but this should be no suprise as it is full of SLS (specifically sodium laureth sulfate I think - not exactly the most skin-friendly chemical). Of course, similar to all soap-like things, this also crumbles as it gets smaller and thinner. However, this is only a small disadvantage. I did not notice any new growth, nor less shedding while using this. I used up two bars. This absolutely doesn't insist that it should'nt work for anyone else though. Pros: - Pleasant, not overpowering smell. - Lathers well. - Goes a long way. - No unnecessary packaging. - Gives hope for those with thinnig, floppy hair. - Not tested on animals. - Quite good for clarifying. Cons: - May not work exactly the way one would expect. - Contains SLS. - May be a bit too harsh (may need some good contitioner afterwards). - A bit pricy, and didn't last as long as much (more) it cost compared to well-known drugstore brands. Despite a few uncomfortable aspects, it's worth a try. I'm not entirely convinced that the improvement some people encounter isn't from the fact that with this shampoo, you need to massage the scalp a bit more to spread the stuff properly, but who knows. It might as well be the result of the natural ingredients, or the faith invested in this products effectiveness. It just didn't do anything special for me.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -LUSH - BIG
SinominGirl 1/4/2011 6:23:00 PM
I got a sample of this, as one of my friends worked at Lush (I worked there too, for a very short time). First time I used it was when I was washing Caca Brun henna out of my hair. I figured the grainy texture would help get the goo out more easily. I was right, and I was surprised at how well it lathered. Also, I loved how the salt grains felt against my scalp, and the scent -for me - was divine. It's kind of sweet, yet fresh. Yum! May not be appealing to everyone, however. So, some months later I decided to get a full pot of it for myself for Christmas. It was such a disappointment. I don't really like to admit it, but I hate spending this much on a simple personal care product, so I expected it to be awesome for the price. It was reasonable at the most. Loved the smell, but it didn't seem to get a consistent result from it. Once it left my hair dry, the other time silky. And only ONCE did it REALLY give my hair that big volume it was advertised for. I tried repeating my routine which with I received the best result, but it didn't happen again. Weird. No matter what I used it along with (usually Coolaulin conditioner and / or Fudge Salt Spray), the volume just didn't appear. Sad. It does make the hair slightly more shiny, but only on the healty parts (explained in cons). Pros: - The smell. - The unusual texture. - The packaging (you can maximally control the amount you want to use, and can get all of the stuff out of the pot). - Not tested on animals. - Goes quite a long way. - Not tested on animals. - Pretty good for clarifying. Cons: - No matter how well it lasts, it's still expensive (for me at least): - Huge hit or miss in the result department. - Makes healty hair shinier, but damaged part even more obvious. - You most likely will have to test it yourself to see if it works for you, no matter what the reviews say or what you would like to believe. - Even with a sample test, the result may be misleading. - If your hair is extremely damaged and / or dry, you will definitely need a good conditioner after this. I'm not going to say it's useless, but if you're only trying something new because you're bored with your old shampoo, I would't recommend it. If you're seeking something that isn't tested on animals, and has less health compromisig ingredients, then go for it. Either way, it's worth to ask for a sample of it, if nothing else...
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -L'Oreal - Lash Architect Mascara Waterproof Formula
SinominGirl 1/4/2011 5:55:00 PM
I got this, because my girlfriend said it was similar to my beloved Maybelline Volum Express. It is very similar, although I was less impressed by it. Maybe because I'm biased... It's not at all bad though. I can't really remember, it was such a long time ago I bought it (approx. 5 years ago). It is a very good starter for those who are seeking a waterproof volumising mascara. Depending on your lashes and expectations, it may even become your favourite. Does it's job pretty damn well for a drugstore mascara, I say.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Define a lash volume WATERPROOF
SinominGirl 1/4/2011 5:48:00 PM
I bought this because The Colossal Waterproof kind of disappointed me, and the Volum Express Waterproof was out of stock. This was available, I wasn't against trying something new (again), so I went home to try it. Well, it didn't really give me volume - not the kind I had with Volum Express and The Colossal, anyway. It provided a true black colour with basic definition and a pretty awesome hold. Nothing to get excited about. Also, this has that (a bit weird looking) spikey-kind of synthetic brush. A huge plus, because it really does help with thin, short lashes, especially the lower ones. Pros: - It doesn't budge. It doesn't smudge, doesn't flake, just stays put no matter what. - Very nice black colour. - Provides just enough definition for normally not very noticeable lashes. - The brush is awesome for thin, short lashes. GREAT for lower lashes. Cons: - It's a bit of a pain in the behind to remove. I remove it with plain cooking oil (mostly olive) and a bit of rubbing, but it doesn't seem to harm my lashes though. - May not provide enough volume for your liking. - Gets spidery after 2-3 coats. Overall, I'd recommend it as an inexpensive, basic, very long lasting,mascara, especially for lower lashes. It' hassle free during the day - this was the only "normal' (= not "tubing") mascara that didn't smudge nor flake on me. EDIT: I just saw the price they normally sell it for... about 20 USD. Woah, not exactly inexpensive. (I got it for 5 USD though.) And I now use it on its own. I really love the brush, it's the only kind with which I can avoid getting mascara on my lids. I've really come to like the more natural volumising effect of it, too. Worth a try.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Colossal Waterproof
SinominGirl 1/4/2011 5:25:00 PM
At first, I was impressed with the results. Much less spidery and much softer lashes than with Volum Express Waterproof, same amount of volume and definition. Maybe a little less hold, but I could have lived with that. Although the huge downside was that it smudged under my eyes. Must be the oily skin. Since I loved the volumising part, and hate to throw make-up away, I now use it with Define-A-Lash Volume Waterproof on top. It lasts aaaaages this way, without smudges and flakes. Sure, it's a lil bit spidery, but not very obviously so. I'd recommend it to those with dry skin, light coloured and naturally not very noticeable lashes, and / or who like to experiment with mascara. Edited for spelling.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Volum Express Waterproof
SinominGirl 1/4/2011 5:15:00 PM
This was the first "proper" mascara I bought (in 2004). Before this, I used a plain black waterproof one from Miss Sporty. Then, I decided I want to try something new. Well, obviously, it was easy to impress me. Just piled up a few coats of this, and WOW. Never thought that huge lashes could change a face so much. Of course, my lashes were a bit spidery because of my inexperience, but still... I loved it, and after trying many other mascaras (drugstore brands and high-end products), I still return to this one. Pros: -Great if you have light coloured, not too long, not too full lashes (it provides a truly dramatic change) -Does not smudge Cons: -It does flake a little, unfortunately -As almost all waterproofs, this is a bit of a hassle to remove (easiest and cheapest with any cooking oil (olive, sunflower, whatever)) I would recommend it to people who are beginning to experiment with (in particular: volumising) mascara, and don't want to spend too much. I think it's a really good starting point, and despite it's cons, a safe staple to return to while experimenting whit other products.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Fudge - Salt spray
SinominGirl 11/21/2010 6:50:00 PM
I bought this because my hairdresser recommended it. She said it would moisturize my damaged hair, and add volume. Well, none of that happened. She did use it on me in the salon, among other products, but I'm guessing it wasn't the Salt Spray that made my hair look good. I have fine, oily hair, but lots of it. I applied this stuff to damp hair, combed through, then blow-dried. After that, my roots were limp, and my ends fluffy. It had less hold than my hair actually has without any product in it, so that was extra disappointing. My hair just looked dirty, and felt gritty. It did look kind of wavy, but I think it was just because my slightly damaged ends. Yuck. I tried to use less, I tried to use more, even tried letting it air-dry, but nothing improved. Using it on dry hair, ehh... that doesn't even deserve a comment. It's a shame, because the smell is awesome and yummy. It reminds me of pina colada, with a touch of chamomille (not as weird as it sounds). I also love the packaging. I adore Fudge in general, for the product names, the packaging, and because they don't test on animals, but this was, for me, an absolute miss result-wise. Actually, I do think it could work on hair that's long enough to braid. I've heard people getting pretty good results by spraying this in damp hair, braiding it, and letting it air-dry. However, I don't know what texture their hair has. All in all, I wouldn't recommend this, unless money isn't an issue and you like yummy smelling stuff to experiment with.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No