Moisturizers -Merle Norman - delicate balance
SushiGirl8 4/3/2011 8:43:00 PM
For reference I have highly sensitive irritated rosacea skin. I dont' tolerate most facial products well. I just purchased this one for about $52 canadian based on the MUA reviews. My skin usually starts to feel very rough mid-way through the day, but not with this moisturizer ! It's not overly moisturizing, but delivers the perfect amount of moisture for my combination dehydrated skin. It feels very comfortable on my skin. My redness has also gone down a bit, but I plan to update my review as I use this product more.. have only used it a few days so far. Also, I want clarify a review below that states this moisturizer is just plain & basic. This moisturizer does say the following on the back: - Improves the appearance of dry skin by 78% after 8 weeks - Reduces the appearance of skin redness by 57% after 8 weeks - Refines and conditions skin for improved smoothness and texture. This is EXACTLY what I need in a moisturizer, and much more than basic to me. Basic moisturizer would be the Toleriane Fluid or something, which does nothing for my skin. Some key ingredients are aloe, chamomile, beeswax, jojoba esters, and oatmeal extract.
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Powder -Merle Norman - Luxiva Purely Mineral Makeup
SushiGirl8 2/19/2011 7:45:00 PM
I am basing my 4-star review on the fact that this product gives excellent coverage and is very reasonably priced at $35.00. I will not repurchase however, since my rosacea skin does not tolerate any mineral makeup. I am MAC NC30, Sand (35) in Vichy dermablend foundation and E40 in Cover Fx foundation. I found ML80 to be my best colour match. Although I did not notice the sparkle in the store, I did notice when I opened up the product at home. It didn't seem to make a difference at all when I applied the powder though. I used the Ecotools bronzer brush which is like a kabuki brush and super soft. It is the best applicator for mineral makeup for a natural look. I really wanted to like this product and if it didn't irritate my skin, this would be my mineral makeup of choice. I find it better than Bare Minerals and Colourscience.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Cover FX - Cover FX - Natural FX
SushiGirl8 2/19/2011 7:39:00 PM
I was looking for a more hydrating foundation and so decided to try this one out. I usually wear Vichy Dermablend Foundation in Sand (35), which is an exact colour match for me. I had a hard time finding a colour match despite their extensive colour selection. I ended up choosing E40, but M50 came a close second. The SA explained to me that E is for neutral tones and M is warm tones. The M matched my skin a bit better, but I found that E made my skin look brighter so that 's the one I chose. Neither one matched my skin perfectly. Pros: Great coverage - covered up my redness and rosacea, no problem! Hydrating and gave a nice dewy look Did not look greasy at all but my skin does tend to be drier Cons: The coverage is buildable which is good, but I ended up using wayy too much product each time The colour would look a bit 'streaky' on some days. Vichy dermablend gives better coverage with less amount of foundation Made me break out :( likely due to the chemical sunscreens I'm not sure how this product can claim 'zero irritancy score' when it has chemical sunscreens in it.
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Foundations -Vichy - Dermablend Corrective Foundation
SushiGirl8 11/4/2010 10:34:00 PM
This foundation works great for covering up my redness, bumps, and uneven skin tone. I have light skin with yellow undertones (in MAC makeup I am NC30) and I found Sand (35) to be an exact match for me. I thought it would be wayyy too dark but it's not at all. I originally bought the Nude shade, but returned it b/c I thought it make me look chalky. And don't always listen to the SA at the store, because she was trying to push me to get the lightest shade, Opal!! I apply this right after I put my moisturizer on; otherwise it doesn't apply well. I use the Ecotools concealer brush to apply on trouble spots and then blend it out with my fingers (I originally tried the Ecotools foundation brush , but found that I like smaller brushes to apply foundation) That way, it doesn't feel like a mask. It doesn't irritate my sensitive skin either or make me break out. I used this foundation for my wedding (I mixed it with Visage foundation and put Cover Fx oil blotting powder on top) and it lasted from 10 am until 1 am and it was 110 degrees that day! So definitely recommend for brides. My only beef with it is that I don't feel that it allows my skin to breathe because of all the silicones in it . So I try not to wear it everyday but it's so hard because it makes my skin look good :) ! EDIT : Still using this product and still loving it. It doesn't break me out , which is a miracle and does not aggravate my rosacea.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Unlisted Brand - Caryl Baker Visage- Hydralight Heavenly Glow
SushiGirl8 1/21/2010 10:01:00 PM
I have sensitive rosacea combination skin and most foundations I have tried (stila, mac, drug store brands, etc) have left my face irritated.. for whatever reason, this product does not irritate my face at all. Although it is a sheer foundation, I find it gives great coverage (I pair it with vichy dermablend concealer) and leaves my face looking smooth for the whole day with a bit of a dewy look. I am NC30 and find this shade is a perfect match for my skin - I tried the next darkest shade which is sun glow, but found it gave my skin a orange hue. I would not recommend this product for oily skin. Update (Nov 5/10) - still loving this foundation, however I am noticing that it tends to cause some pimples when I use it, so I only use it for special occasions. Instead of using the Vichy concealer with it now , I use their corrective foundation as a concealer, and find it gives my bumpy rosacea skin fantastic coverage!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -Urban Decay - Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Original (UDPP)
SushiGirl8 11/19/2009 11:33:00 PM
Looks like I am in the minority .... I bought this product due to all the rave reviews, but I find it makes my eyeshadow look dry and clumpy. I only apply a little bit and make sure I let it dry before applying shadow. It's a total mess on me and it's such a waste that it's just sitting in my drawer right now. I think this product is best for those w/ oily lids, as mine tend to be dry , like the reviewer below. I have been using an e/s primer from Avon (it's much more fluid that the UDPP) and it works so much better.
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Eye Shadow -Annabelle - Eye Dust - Golden Pink
SushiGirl8 11/19/2009 11:29:00 PM
I can't believe I never reviewed this product - have been using this for years. It is hands down THE best eyeshadow I have ever used. It gives such a pretty subdued pink-y colour with a golden hint . I pair it with an eyeshadow base and MAC jest, and a darker shadow in the crease. I unscrew the lid and apply it with a wet eyeshadow brush (stila #20 to be exact, but I used to use a Q-tip :) ! I have tried the other eye dust colours and don't like them as much..Try it !
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Shiseido - The Makeup Powder Brush
SushiGirl8 6/14/2009 11:02:00 PM
Hmmmm .... I really liked this brush when I first bought it - it's definitely the softest brush I have ever had - however, it doesn't pick up colour very well (especially some of my densely-packed bronzers) and I found that it applied in a streaky manner. Also- I'm not sure if anyone else noticed this but the brush really STINKS!!!! I know it's made from a squirrel, but I didn't expect it to smell like one too :(
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Bioderma - sensibio light soothing cream
SushiGirl8 6/14/2009 10:55:00 PM
I had high hopes for this product, but it made my rosacea worse (tiny red bumps & pimples) and it made my skin really oily too, which is highly unusual for me. For reference I have combination, sensitive, highly reactive rosacea skin - I'm am in desperate need of a moisturizer that doesn't irritate (you don't even want to know how many products I have had to return :( - so if anyone has had any luck, please let me know!!
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Concealers -Vichy - Dermablend Skin Concealer
SushiGirl8 5/23/2009 11:56:00 PM
This product is great for my sensitive rosacea skin - it does not irritate and covers up most of my problem areas . For reference, I am MAC NC 30 and the 10 light matches perfectly . Usually I am never the lightest shade in makeup so I was skeptical when the lady at shoppers suggested #10, but it's a great match! Things to watch out for - very little product goes a long way so don't use a heavy hand .... AND I have found success by swapping mineral makeup for just this concealer + a bronzer. Since I stopped using mineral makeup, the red bumps I had on my face have mostly gone away and my skin has much more of a natural look .... try it out! Mineral makeup is supposed to be good for your skin, but I find it aggravates my rosacea horribly ! UPDATE (Nov 19/09): I am still using this and loving it, no irritation - however I have found that #10 is actually too light for my skin - I can get away with it, but #20 is definitely a better match! Update (Jan 21/10): Okay I find the best match for my NC30 skin is a blend between #10 and #20 .. I don't see how anyone with pinky undertones can wear this concealer.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Avene - Thermal Water
SushiGirl8 3/5/2009 9:52:00 PM
I have sensitive skin with rosacea + many small bumps on my cheeks. This product seems to make the problem worse. I bought the LRP thermal water and tried them both to compare. The cosmetician told me I would like the Avene one better b/c it is more soothing and takes away the redness more so than LRP. However, I find LRP works so much better for me .... I guess it's an individualized thing. Also, I found out you are never supposed to shake these bottles .. oops !!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Other -Weleda - Calendula Toothpaste
SushiGirl8 3/3/2009 10:46:00 PM
Disgusting!!!! It tastes like black licorice and has a weird dust-like texture. It leaves my tongue white unless I make a very conscious effort to scrub it off. I do like the Weleda plant toothpaste, but this one is definitely horrid .. not sure how it has such great ratings so far, but it wasn't for me :(
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Other -Unlisted Brand - Baking Soda
SushiGirl8 12/7/2008 12:16:00 AM
I buy baking soda all the time for use in the kitchen , etc, but NOT on my face. This made my sensitive skin red and irritated as soon as I rinsed it off and I didn't even scrub hard! I mixed it with some water and honey and tried to use it as an exfoliator, but did not work for my skin. But will repurchase for other uses.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Eminence Organics Rosehip Whip Moisturizer
SushiGirl8 12/7/2008 12:01:00 AM
Hmmm .. a few negative reviews, but I really like this stuff. I have combination skin (a bit oily in the T-zone) that is also extremely sensitive and prone to inflamation/breakouts/rosacea. This moisturizer has been the only one lately that hasn't caused me any problems .. I started with the samples and went back to buy a full-sized jar. I also love the fact that I could recognize and pronounce every ingredient name! EDIT: I no longer use this product - I don't think it made my skin worse, but I didn't see any improvements either .... and for that price tag, I expect to see something!! Back to my search for the perfect moisturizer - if there's anyone with rosacea out there that has had luck with natural products, please let me know!!
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Brows -Unlisted Brand - castor oil
SushiGirl8 11/30/2008 8:49:00 PM
To the reviewer below - you shouldn't use it for more than 1 week internally ie. as a laxative (as with any laxative). But externally you can use it as often as you'd like. The type you have purchased is the one that most people use (cheaper drugstore version) - however, health food stores will also sell organic, cold-pressed castor oil for at least double the price. I've used both and didn't notice a difference in quality .... but I just feel better buying the cold-pressed one, so will continue to do that for now. Great for scalp and eyelashes. I'm just starting to try the OCM .. can't comment yet, as I've only done it a few days - my face is looking horrible thus far with breakouts, but I'm going to be patient with it ! For body moisturizer , I prefer vegetable glycerin to this.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No