Treatments (Eye) -Cosmedicine - Opti-mologist with Light Diffusers
SylviaG 7/22/2008 10:39:00 PM
This is the only product I've tried that noticeably reduces my under-and above-eye puffiness. A few minutes after I apply it, the puffiness starts to recede, although it never disappears 100%. My dark circles are also less noticeable. If I get it in or too close to my eyes, it burns, but as long as I'm careful I have no trouble with it. It has a very strong smell, but it dissipates quickly. I don't know whether it has any long-term benefits; so far the benefits seem to last only until I wash it off, but that's more than I've gotten from any other product.
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Moisturizers -Peter Thomas Roth - Environmental Repair Hydrating Gel
SylviaG 9/12/2006 4:12:00 PM
I have very oily, acne-prone skin, which I treat with Retin-A. I would not need a moisturizer if not for the dryness caused by the Retin-A. After I wash my face in the morning, it feels a little sore and sometimes looks slightly red. If I don't use moisturizer, and just apply sunscreen and foundation, the skin on my chin and around my nose starts to flake by lunchtime. I've tried many other products, including Neutrogena and Olay oil-free moisturizers, but nothing worked. Either they didn't moisturize sufficiently to prevent flakes, or they made me break out, or they left a heavy, shiny film. This product has the perfect amount of moisture: my skin looks soft and doesn't flake at all. The effect lasts all day, and it also soothes the Retin-A irritation. I use it on damp skin right after washing and let it dry for a minute before applying sunscreen and/or foundation. The gel formulation feels light and completely disappears into my skin. There is almost no scent (that has also been a problem with other products) and the pump dispenser is hygienic. I'll definitely keep using this.
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Lipstick -Maybelline - Forever lipstick
SylviaG 6/10/2006 6:09:00 PM
I would buy this again mainly because I like the colors, especially Raisin, and it is relatively inexpensive. However, it didn’t last as long s I had hoped. It sort of evaporates after about an hour or two, leaving some color but not as much as it should given the name. I like the texture otherwise and it's a good basic lipstick, just not outstanding as long-wearing products go.
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Primer/ Corrector -Peter Thomas Roth - Max Anti-Shine Mattifying Gel
SylviaG 6/10/2006 4:56:00 PM
This has saved my oily skin. No matter what foundation or powder I wear, my extremely oily skin looks shiny by 11 a.m., and after I blot and reapply powder, it turns orange, cakey looking and irritated by 5 p.m. I've tried many other similar products, but haven’t found any that work as well. Either they leave an unnatural looking finish or they control oil well for a few hours and then it all breaks through at once and looks horrible. Some of them remove foundation when I apply them during the day on top of the foundation. This one works great over and/or under foundation, or without foundation at all. For extra oily days or very humid days, I use this on top of sunscreen and any treatment products, then apply foundation (Revlon ColorStay Active Foundation), another coat of this and finish with powder. If I use a thin coat of each, the effect is natural and long-lasting. When a little oil starts to break through, I use blotting paper, and reapply this about twice a day. Some days I just wear sunscreen and this. The trick is to use the right amount: too little doesn’t work, but too much will look cakey after a few hours. I rub it between my fingers for a few seconds before applying and then blot on gently--no rubbing, especially if I’m applying over foundation. It leaves a natural finish, about 90% matte, and lasts for hours. My only complaint is that it doesn't provide a 100% matte finish, even when just applied; since my skin is so oily, I like to start out with a pure matte finish. However, its nearly-matte finish probably looks more natural than 100% matte anyway, and lasts longer than the ones I’ve tried that start out completely matte. I always purchase a few bottles at a time because I’m so worried they'll stop making it and I’ll have to go back to using just powder.
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Liquid -Revlon - ColorStay Active Light Makeup SPF 25 ] [DISCONTINUED]
SylviaG 6/10/2006 4:35:00 PM
I've been looking for a good foundation ever since Lancôme discontinued my shade of Teint Idole. This one is great: goes on smoothly, blends easily, looks natural and lasts all day on my very oily skin even when I'm outside in hot, humid weather. The Ivory shade is a good match for my pale skin. It provides light to medium coverage depending on how much I use and whether I use a damp sponge or fingers. I like the SPF and it doesn’t make my acne-prone skin break out. However, it’s not easy to remove and I use an astringent to remove makeup before I wash my face every night (whether I’m using this foundation or not). I think if someone just used soap or cleanser, this product might leave some residue behind and cause acne. My only complaint is that the finish is a little too shiny. I have oily skin and use a shiny-finish sunscreen under makeup (I know it has SPF but I have a strong family history of skin cancer and don't always apply enough foundation to get good sun protection). So I like a matte foundation, and this isn’t quite matte, but I apply powder or mattifying gel (Peter Thomas Roth) on top for a matte finish. Blotting and reapplying the mattifying gel during the day doesn't remove the foundation or make it change color. As one reviewer suggested, I plan to try mixing this with ColorStay SoftFlex for times when I want heavier, matte coverage. I’ll definitely keep using this foundation.
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Styling Products -John Frieda - Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Finishing Creme
SylviaG 10/5/2004 4:56:00 PM
This is the only styling product that smoothes my long, fine, wavy, frizzy hair. Others either don't work at all or just make it limp. I apply about about a teaspoon of this to dry hair and comb through and then use a little hairspray. It looks good all day. It doesn't work as well if I apply it to wet or damp hair. It does take away a little volumne, but not so much that it looks limp.
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Sunscreen -Cellex-C - Suncare SPF 30+
SylviaG 10/4/2004 12:55:00 PM
I bought this sunscreen because I was looking for a high SPF with zinc oxide. I was already using Cellex-C vitamin C serum and decided to give the sunscreen a try. It was much harder to blend than any other sunscreen I've used and although it was easy to apply powder over it, foundation did not go on so easily. My main complaint is that it made my skin burn--it would sting terribly for 15 minutes after I applied it. It must be one of the inactive ingredients since I've never had an adverse reaction to any suncreen ingredient except PABA and Parsol 1789. My skin is sensitive to start with, and Retin-A and vitamin C serum have made it more so. I could hardly stand to apply this product, and the strong smell made it even more unpleasant. Since then I have tried several other high SPF sunscreens with zinc oxide and my favorites are MD Formulations and Vanicream. They don't sting at all, don't have a strong smell and are easy to blend. Although they leave a bit of a shiny film, like Cellex-C does, it's not a problem if you apply a matte foundation over them or a mattifying gel. (My routine now is Vanicream SPF 35, followed by Peter Thomas Roth Max Matte and long-wearing foundation.) Vanicream is also cheaper than Cellex-C.
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Panoramic Curl
SylviaG 8/2/2004 12:08:00 PM
I have straight lashes and never wear mascara unless I have time to curl my lashes first or am using a curling mascara. This one didn't provide any curl or lift at all. I tried different application methods--just one coat, several light coats, holding the wand in place as the mascara dried to encourage the curl--but nothing worked. The only good thing about this mascara is that it didn't clump and went on smoothly. It's fine for a no-frills mascara, but not if you're looking for a curling effect.
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Skincare - Body -MD Forte - Hand & Body Cream
SylviaG 6/29/2004 1:35:00 PM
I don't have dry skin, but I do have problems with roughness and small bumps on my arms and legs. Regular moisturizers and scrubs don't do much good. The high level of glycolic acid in this product really smoothes my skin, especially if I use it evey day, right after a shower. It stings a little when you apply it to just-shaved legs, but makes them so much smoother.
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Liquid -Lumene - Doublestay Makeup
SylviaG 6/29/2004 10:29:00 AM
This is my new favorite foundation. The lightest shade, Vanilla, is a perfect match for my pale, hard-to-match skin. On the back of my hand it looked too light, but when I applied it with a damp sponge it was perfect and toned down the ruddiness on my cheeks. I did need a bit of powder over it to achieve a matte finish and it didn't do much to control oil, but I've never found any foundation that controls my extremely oily skin. It lasts all day, even after I blot several times, and doesn't turn orange by the end of the day the way most foundation does on my skin. I liked the tube; it fits nicely in my purse and it's easy to dispense a small amount. I also like the sunscreen. I already wear an SPF 30 under the foundation, but a little extra SPF is nice.
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Liquid -Lancome - MaquiControle [DISCONTINUED]
SylviaG 6/10/2004 10:28:00 AM
I bought this when Lancome discontinued Teint Idole in my shade. I was disappointed to find that it's not as long-wearing as Teint Idole. It looks great when I first put it on--even, smooth coverage, natural looking, matte--but by midafternoon it starts to wear off and look cakey, especially if I have blotted and reapplied powder. It might control oil a bit better than the average foundation, but I still needed to blot by lunchtime. I would wear it for a photo or any other time I wanted my skin to look great for just a few hours, but not all day.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Wonder Curl Mascara [DISCONTINUED]
SylviaG 6/9/2003 12:40:00 PM
This curls my straight lashes pretty well, especially when I hold the wand in place for a minute at the tips of my lashes, after applying a coat. I apply 2-3 coats and it hardly ever clumps. I'd like a bit more of a curl, but overall this is a good mascara and works better than any of the other drugstore curling mascaras I've tried.
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Pressed Powders -Lancome - Matte Finish Sheer Pressed Powder
SylviaG 5/13/2003 2:06:00 PM
This powder did help control oil, but it looked a bit cakey on my skin. Even when I used a very light dusting and blended well, it still looked like I was wearing powder. Instead, I would recommend MAC Blot pressed powder, which controls oil just as well but looks more natural.
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Liquid -Lancome - Teint Idole (Original) [DISCONTINUED]
SylviaG 5/13/2003 1:58:00 PM
The best foundation I've ever tried. It goes on smoothly and lasts all day, even if you blot or apply powder over it during the day--unlike many other long-wearing foundations. The Ivory 0 shade is the perfect color for anyone with very pale skin--not too pink. Only caveat: If you have any dry patches, this can accentuate them. But if you have oily or ocmbination skin and want a truly long-wearing foundation, this is it.
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