Sunscreen -Ombrelle - SPF60 Ultra Light Cream
Sonatina 7/17/2012 8:52:00 PM
This is my ideal summer sunscreen. It's very water resistant, does not streak when I sweat (big problem with Vichy and LRP Lait Veloute), not too heavy, fragrance free, does not have intense sunscreen smell, contains Mexoryl XL and SX, does not clog my pores, and I can easily powder over it. The bonus is that it is available at local Canadian drugstores!
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Sunscreen -La Roche Posay - Anthelios XL SPF 50 Lait Veloute
Sonatina 6/4/2012 11:21:00 PM
Updated June 12, 2012: Three stars for the white cast and streaking. Two of us used this ss on a trip to New York in June. On my friend with blond/red hair and very pale skin: no white cast, but he sweats easily, and you can see the streaks of sunscreen in the fine folds of his face. By the end of the day, the sunscreen melted into his eyes and it was uncomfortable. Despite of this, he did not burn at all, and he usually burns very easily, even with Avene SPF45 spray. I'm impressed by the UVA/UVB protection, but not the fact that it is NOT VERY water resistant. On me with dark hair and and light skin: noticeable white cast when applied more generously. This sunscreen never seems to completely dry (stays moist on skin). It does leave streaky marks if I touch my face, so again, not very water resistant. I also got the 2012 version from pharmamundi. It cost $47 (shipping included) for a 300ml tube. It is a giant tube so I can't really carry it in my purse. It is fragrance free (has sunscreen smell), and it is not as sticky as most other LRP ss I've tried. It goes on very smooth and hydrating, and when I powder over it with Everyday Minerals Finishing Dust, my skin feels like velvet to the touch. It does not irritate my skin or make my skin itch like some Bioderma or Neutrogena.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -MISSHA - M Perfect Cover BB Cream
Sonatina 3/27/2010 7:16:00 PM
This is a HG for me. My skin is normal enough, but it does get slightly oily as the day goes on. When I'm in a rush, I just spread some BB cream on my face, dust some Everyday Minerals Finishing Dust over it, and I'm all set. I do moisturize before I put on the BB cream because it's a bit drying. I find that it stays on all day without fading, and the coverage is very decent with the small amount that I use. It completely covers up any redness I might have. It does look grey for a minute or so when I first put it on, but it looks just like my own skin after it settles. I have not experienced any breakouts or irritation.
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Aquanil cleanser
Sonatina 10/9/2009 9:23:00 AM
Aquanil is not available in Canada so I had to order from skinwest. I'm so glad I did! You get a big bottle for cheap, and the packaging is nice and durable.
My skin is prone to eczema, itchiness, and dryness so choosing the right cleanser is very important for my overall skin health. At first I thought this would be like Cetaphil, wihch didn't work for me. However, after using it for a week, by itself in the morning and with Clarisonic at night, I am sold! The texture is nice and "lotiony," and there is no fragrance, which I love. It spreads very easily and smoothly on my face and rinses off easily as well. I also like that it does not foam at all because it doesn't get into my hair this way. After cleansing, my skin is left calm and clean. It doesn't dry me out at all; I just feel refreshed. I pre-cleanse at night with mu remover before using Aquanil because I don't believe it will remove water resistant sunscreen or mu thoroughly, given it's a very gentle cleanser. This will be my HG cleanser throughout winter!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Estee Lauder - Pure Color Crystal Lipstick- Crystal Pink
Sonatina 10/5/2009 8:28:00 AM
I have light warm skin, brown eyes, and full lips. When I first saw this shade, I thought it would be too cool/pink for me. However, it goes on almost YLBB it looks fairly natural! It adds a feminine hint of pink shine to my lips. Quite delicate IMO. It also glides on like a lip balm and it's very hydrating. I usually need to use a lip balm to prep my lips before applying lipsticks, but I don't need to with this one. I own several EL lippies and I adore the natural and elegant shades and the smooth formula. I think Crystal Pink may just be my fav of them all!
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Topix Replenix Green Tea Serum
Sonatina 8/26/2009 5:13:00 AM
First of all, this review listing is a huge mess. People are reviewing totally different products under this thread. I'm writing this review for the Green Tea Serum (no retinol, no caffeine). I bought this to use under sunscreen during the day to calm my eczema and redness, and it definitely does its job! The green tea is very soothing and calming to my skin, and I have not had any redness or inflammation on my face after I started using this three months ago. The texture is gel/watery and it sinks in immediately. It's not moisturizing, but I don't find it to be drying either. It serves as a perfect base for my sunscreen. I also have the cream version and I find it to be lightly moisturizing.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Estee Lauder - Pure Color Crystal Lipstick - Nude Rose
Sonatina 6/28/2009 6:59:00 AM
For reference, I am NC20 with brown eyes and full, pigmented lips. This is one of my favourite lipsticks. It's a muted light/sheer nudish pink YLBB shade. Most YLBB make me look dead or old, but this one makes me look elegant and put together. It is smooth and hydrating, and it glides on easily. One drawback is that the staying power is poor, probably due to the moisturizing formula. It's got a light fruity scent that I enjoy, and I almost always hate scented products. The gold tube looks a bit old fashioned, but that's not a major concern for me.
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Sunscreen -Paula's Choice - Extra Care Non-Greasy Sunscreen SPF 45
Sonatina 6/7/2009 3:04:00 AM
UPDATE: Since my skin is extremely sensitive to silicones, I can no longer use this sunscreen. Every time I use it, I end up with little clogged pores the next day. The same thing happens when I use any product loaded with silicones so it's not really this product's fault. This is one of the most cosmetically elegant non-Euro high-spf sunscreen I've tried. It is fragrance-free and very lightweight and cushiony. I can apply a good amount of this to my face and it never looks or feels heavy or greasy. It dries matte and the finish feels powdery, probably due to the silica and silicone content. It also stays matte all day. My skin is prone to eczema and hives, and this sunscreen has not irritated me at all. Samples are available on www.cosmeticscop.com
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Blush -Laura Geller - Ethereal Rose Powder
Sonatina 6/6/2009 7:46:00 AM
fyi: Everyday Minerals loose powder blush in Champagne gives a similar effect without the pink and is slightly more shimmery. This is a glorious highlighter/blush. I didn't think I'd like this when I opened it, but I was definitely wowed by it after I put it on my cheeks. It gives my NC20 skin a soft, silky, sheer rosy glow that no other product I've tried can achieve. This is far more elegant than any MAC MSF I've had. I use my MAC 187 to swirl around the compact and dust it onto my cheeks, then I sometimes swipe the remaining over my forehead and the rest of my cheeks. There is absolutely no glitter, just delicate shimmer. You can a ton of product in a compact. A HG for me, and I'm a matte girl!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Everyday Minerals - Champagne
Sonatina 5/12/2009 7:33:00 AM
Most amazing highlighter ever!! This totally beats NARS Albatross or any MAC MSF I've tried. It looks sparkly, but it is by no means glittery. It leaves an ethereal glow/delicate shimmer to my cheeks, just gorgeous looking. It makes it look like I'm naturally healthy and glowy. I wore it today after getting only 3.5 hours of sleep and it made my tired skin look smooth and well-rested. I normally hate anything that makes me look shiny and prefer a matte look, but this really enhances my complexion. It blends well, melts into my skin, and stays put. Total HG.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -MAC - Beauty Powder in Summer Rose
Sonatina 4/28/2009 11:31:00 PM
This is officially my favouite blush! I have light skin and brown eyes, dark hair, and this definitely shows up as blush on me. It's a light lilac pink with no shimmer, and the staying power is great if I layer some mineral powder underneath. It gives me an innocent, naturally pink hue to my cheeks. I love the big wide compact because I can dip my brushes in easily. The texture is soft and smooth, and it doesn't look chalky at all even after a few layers. It just seems to melt into my skin. It looks very smooth. IMO that's what a "beauty powder" should do.
Every time I try a blush others here described as "natural," it looks muddy, dirty, and old on me, so I'm really glad I've found a "natural" shade for me! I mean, I blush pink, not brown or red!
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Nantucket Mist
Sonatina 4/26/2009 7:27:00 AM
I don't usually wear opaque pinks because they tend to clash with my light warm skin tone or look cheap, but this one works! It's a medium dusty rose, not too bright or too "brown", and the colour compliments the colour of most blue jeans. With a pair of sandals on, my toes look polished and feminine.
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Lip Treatments -Aveeno - Intense Relief Medicated Therapy Lip Protectant
Sonatina 4/16/2009 10:27:00 AM
Wow is all I can say. I used to use Aquaphor and Paula's Choice Lip and Body Treatment Balm, but this beats both! I usually hate lip products that are minty/tingly (Burt's Bees, for example), but this lip balm doesn't actually irritate my lips. It tingles a bit when I put it on before bed, and my lips stay MOIST until morning! This simply does not happen with any other lip balm I've tried. I got it for free with the Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash at the Canadian Superstore. What a great find!
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Blush -MAC - Mineralize Blush Duo - Moon River (Grand Duos Coll.)
Sonatina 4/14/2009 7:06:00 AM
Gives a natural sheen to the cheeks without being over the top, not glittery at all, great for daytime wear. It's an elegant higlighter IMO. Not sure if that's enough for the price they charge though. Also, I dislike the small compact.
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Lip Treatments -Jane - Be Pure Mineral Lip Balm in Rose Quartz
Sonatina 4/1/2009 11:09:00 PM
This beats all the Bobbi Brown Tinted Lip Balms I've tried! I love it when I discover a good d/s find. I agree w/ the reviewer below that this is "My Lip But 10X Better, " not just any MLBB. The shade is a youthful medium rosy red, goes on semi-sheer so it's pretty much fool-proof. The texture is simply divine, buttery soft and it does not get into lip lines, not even when my lips are dry (too good to be true!) It makes my lips feel so comfortable and soft. At this price, I will be trying more shades! Goodbye Bobbi Brown!
To add: This looks great in all sorts of lighting (yellowish bedroom light, brighter bathroom lights, and white florescent).
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