Shampoo -Joico - Moisture Recovery 
Syrie 1/15/2012 9:03:00 PM
I've never written a shampoo review because I am usually so underwhelmed by shampoos in general...usually, for me, they're either too drying (in the case of most sulfate ones) or they don't really cleanse (in the case of sulfate-free ones). This is by far the only shampoo that's ever worked so well for me that I would feel compelled to write a review. For one, I LOVE the scent. Clean, ocean-y (and I am a sucker for those mid-90s "ocean" type scents like Escape)--this reminds me most of that. I love the smell--which is NOT overwhelming, just nice. (so many hair products are really overwhelmingly scented, even when the scent is pleasant--Garnier Fructis, are you listening????) Second, my hair has been just awesome since I started using this. For reference, I have damaged, dry, fine hair that I am repairing from heavy highlights/ bleach. I have a ton of hair, but it's very fine--a lot of things just weigh it down & make it look tacky and greasy. Third, I use this in conjunction with Joico K-Pak Intense Hydrator (which is also INCREDIBLE!!!!) and about once a week (sometimes 2X, I am nursing my formerly bleached hair back to health) I follow this shampoo with K-Pak classic deep-penetrating reconstructor, followed by the intense hydrator. My hair hasn't felt so great--and so light (I can't stress that enough!!! not weighed down by -cones) in years! THanks Joico...your products and research are awesome. You really treat hair as something as sensitive as skin.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Organix - Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum
Syrie 8/16/2011 10:27:00 AM
Initially I didn't like this product, but that was before I highlighted my hair with blonde...again. Now that it's back to being somewhat damaged by bleach, I LOVE this stuff (it was really too heavy for healthy hair, because my hair is so fine.) Ingredients: Cyclomethicone, Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, C12 15 Alcohol Benzoate, Silk Amino Complex, Shea Butter, Coconut Milk, Coconut Oil, Egg White Protein, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) (Vitamin E), Fragrance It smells like coconuts, which means I love the smell too, I heart anything that smells like coconuts. I use about two small pumps on wet hair, and then about half a pump for dry hair to smooth down stray strands and the kind of damaged parts. But if your hair is fine and not at all damaged, I would use with caution because it may make your hair too greasy.
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Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - AmLactin 12%
Syrie 3/7/2011 5:56:00 PM
Since I ran out of my Alpha Hydrox last month, and my local Walgreens don't seem to carry their version of AH anymore, I saw this on the shelf and picked up the 4.9 fl oz tube. It seems to be intended for body use but I checked out the ingredients, saw the pH of 4.5 (which is the same as AH) and the other ones like mineral oil and glycerin, which my dry and sensitive skin loves. I've been using it for this entire month on my face (and my feet, I might add) and I LOVE it. It's more cost effective than AH and works just as well, if not better. My skin has fewer bumps and clogged pores, and no flakes at all. I don't manually exfoliate in addition to this because I have fairly sensitive skin and am prone to broken capillaries, so I have to rely on chemical exfoliation. This is 99.9% better than any face cream out there on the market...but shhhh....before everybody finds out and they raise the price. Im attaching a recent picture of me, people say my skin looks pretty good...I'm 38. UPDATE: This is the first product I've ever cut open the tube when I couldn't squeeze any more of it out to scrape it off the inside--it's that good. HG material for me.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -Revlon - Age Defying Spa Illuminator Pink Light
Syrie 2/11/2011 2:19:00 PM
I loved this when it was Skinlights too. In fact, I think I may have some old skinlights lurking around under the bathroom sink--better throw that away!!! I wore the Pink Light in my engagement photo and my skin just GLOWED. I do not know why these companies insist on changing--in this case, just the name--of these products. If it aint broke, don't fix it. (See: Nivea creme, Pond's cold cream, Revlon raven red, etc.) I have pink/ blue skin, so the Pink Light really looks the best on me. Bare light is ok, but the pink really makes me glow. I have pretty sensitive skin, and if I'm having an "itchy" day, the sunscreens in this do make me itch a little, but no redness or bumps. And no clogged pores either--and that's an achievement, because although I have very dry skin, it clogs at the drop of a hat. I am not sure this would be suitable for oily skin. It seems like it might "smother" a skin that already has moisture, since it's very emollient. Here's my recent profile picture of me in Pink Light: http://www.makeupalley.com/account/picsearch.asp/u=syrie/ The brush, which initially seemed like a nice touch to me, really strikes me as dirty and gross now, like a bacteria farm. I don't use it. I'd like to remove it like another poster said. That I had to take off for.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Color -Wella - Blondor Oil and Powder Bleach
Syrie 10/12/2010 2:52:00 PM
Since Wella decided to discontinue Wellite (BOOOOOO! I cried when they discontinued Speedlite, an even superior bleach, about 10 years ago), I've been on the search for an equivalent. Can't get this from Sally's but I get mine from Ebay and have purchased both the Oil Cream mixed (on the scalp and gentle) and the Multi-blonde powder (which is a blue powder). The last time I did my highlights, which were stuck at a kind of orangey-lame yellow, I mixed half oil cream and half powder with the Koleston 20 vol. I also got from Ebay (You don't have to use Koleston's developer--but it's so much better than the ones from sally's). I left Blondor on for about 45 min. without heat. Voila! Light yellow. I then toned with Born Blonde (also DISCONTINUED WHAT IS THE FREAKIN DEAL????) a semi-permanent Clairol toner. Blondor is super gentle, effective, and fast. The powder lifts faster than the oil cream but is less gentle to skin. Neither caused breakage or "stretchy hair" syndrome, due to the proteins and ceramides that are built into its structure. A lot of people like Redken Icing but after asking some of my hairdresser friends, they said it mixes up waaaaaayyyy to thick and that Blondor is gentler. My hair is fine and processed so I'm glad I went with Blondor. The oil-cream comes in a 7oz tube which is plenty for root touchups and cost 19.95 off ebay. You can get a 32oz tub of powder for around 39, but I bought mine in packets.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Self Tanners -Banana Boat - Sunless Tanning Creme - Deep Dark
Syrie 3/21/2010 1:20:00 AM
I've used every self tanner to come across the market in the last 20 years that they've been around. I mean every one, Clarins, EL, Clinique, L'Oreal, Hawaiian Tropic, Jergens, etc. Previously, L'oreal sublime had been my favorite. Until I tried this Banana Boat. The color is AWESOME. It's not orange, and it's not sparkly. It doesn't sting my skin or appear to have a bunch of silicone in it, which totally irritates my skin and clogs my pores. The color is like a real tan--brown, not orange, not orangey-brown. But, and I must emphasize this greatly--this "deep dark "is indeed like a medium to dark tan on medium skin. It's not for the PPP. For that, I would consult L'Oreal Sublime for Fair tones. The consistency of the cream is somewhat...thick and tacky, I guess. I would prefer that it were somewhat thinner and more moisturizing, but this is a true ST not a moisturizer. If you have super, super dry skin you might want to moisturize first. I use it on my face, but be forewarned there too--it's tinted, so that color will sit (like any tinted ST) in every pore on your face. I would ignore that, exfoliate the face a little bit, and moisturize. It doesn't cause zits, it's just the bronzer part of it settling into pores. Awesome, and so cheap. I get it at the dreaded "Evil Empire" (Walmart) for about $8, i think. Took a packaging lippie off for the cap, which clogs.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Color -Redken - Shades EQ
Syrie 3/9/2010 7:02:00 PM
I just did my hair with Shades 3V (Dark violet brown) the other day and I LOVE it. It's the exact shade I was looking for--darkish brown with a violet tint, but not a screamin at ya Manic Panic kind of purple. Just a hint of violet and a super shiny dark brown. Application is 1:1 with the low volume developer, which I didn't check when I ordered but I believe is below 10 volume, for deposit only. I have been nursing my hair back from a bleach blonde disaster last year (of my own making, admittedly) and this is the first demi permanent I've used that has left my hair in super shiny condition, AND was the color--exactly--I wanted. Wella Color Touch is good too, but they didn't have exactly the color I wanted (they have a 3RV, but I didn't want the red). I ordered off ebay and received in about 4 days. I also got 9V platinum ice and 9N to tone my mom's highlights I do on her--I'll report back after I get that one done! SOOOOO STOKED!
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Fragrances -Lolita Lempicka - L de Lolita Lempicka
Syrie 12/13/2009 12:20:00 PM
I got this yesterday from EBay...a great price on the 2.7 ounce bottle. I like it a lot, especially the bottle, but it's driving me crazy--it smells exactly like something from my past that I can't put my finger on! Incense? The bottles of myrrh that the hippies used to sell in the hallway at my college? It's definitely something other than vanilla. Cedarwood? Someone pm me please and relieve me from this madness--what does L smell exactly like? P.S. I love the bottle, a sea green glass heart festooned with starfish & sea netting.. EDIT: I still like this but I've worn it for two days and it disappears from my pulse points in under an hour. I have very dry skin. That drops it down to a 4 for me because it's an Eau de Parfum even...
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Moisturizers -Olay - Complete with SPF 15 Lotion
Syrie 10/29/2009 1:08:00 PM
oh no!!!! they changed to avobenzene???? this has been my HG for like the past ten years!!! I was just going to write another review saying how much I love the fact that it doesn't ball up over AHAs or BHAs. HUGE HUGE bummer. now what am I going to use?
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Redken - Blonde Glam Pure Pearl [DISCONTINUED]
Syrie 6/4/2009 11:20:00 AM
I'm using this because Im out of ShimmerLights. Pretty good stuff, but if your blond is truly platinum, DON'T LEAVE ON FOR LONGER THAN A MINUTE. You will have purple spots. I'm sure it's excellent for toning darker than level 10 blonds/ highlights, but you really have to watch it if you have the super-bleached blonde like I do. Smells weird, though. And I don't consider it very moisturizing, but I have super-bleached hair, so I have the type of hair that I rub jojoba oil into after washing--as in super dehydrated. If you don't have very processed hair, it's probably ok on the moisturizing tip. ***I figured out what this smells like!!! The super-stinky old Jergens GST moisturizer!!!!*****
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Loose Powders -Coty - Airspun Fragrance Free Luminous Translucent Loose Powder
Syrie 11/7/2008 7:43:00 AM
First off, I haven't worn powder in years. I've got dry skin and whenever I've put it on in about the past 10 years or so, it just seemed to sit on top of my skin and make it look older AND drier--no matter the brand. Lancome, Clinique, Guerlain...the best of the bunch was actually Cover Girl CG SMoothers pressed. And it wasn't that good. I've had my box of Coty Luminous for a couple years but never used it--I went through a stage a few years ago where I wanted to be all retro and have loose powder sitting on my "vanity" (which I don't have) with a giant powder puff next to it...I think I thought I was channeling Zelda Fitzgerald or some other 20's Jazz Baby type character I had in my mind. Anyhoo, I never used the powder because I tried a little over foundation one day and it just caked and looked crappy. So I've kept it because the green box is so beautiful, it sits on top of my Guerlain Les Meteorites that I also never use. Recently I've been laying off even my stick foundation because everything--and I mean everything--except my tinted moisturizer seems to clog my pores. I thought I'd give it a break and see if the breakouts on my cheeks and chin cleared up. Well, yup, they did. Just on a whim I tried the Coty Luminous over my CG Smoothers tinted moisturizer. A light patting with a puff, then a dust-off with a brush. Nothing too heavy. Well, it looks great! I can't believe it! No caking, no buildup, and no clogged pores!!!! It gives my skin a nice dewy sheen, without being mask-like! Hooray! I think I'll go to KMart and get another box. And a big ass puff!!!!! Oh, P.S., I punch holes in the plastic liner.
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Walgreens - Alpha Hydroxy Lotion 8%
Syrie 9/18/2008 1:27:00 PM
I have been on the search for affordable products in the last few years as I have learned, with much experience over the years, that truly very few of the expensive ones made any more difference in my skin. I've tried them all, and this cream works better at clearing clogged pores, exfoliating dry flakes, and improving skin texture than anything else I've used. I used to be a AH junkie but then they upped the acid percentage, and my skin did NOT react well to the change in the 12% Souffle--don't know exactly what they changed, but it may have been the pH since all of a sudden it was itching and burning me like crazy. I started using the Walgreens version about a month ago. For the first two weeks, I had major purging on my cheeks and chin where I get a lot of clogged pores (but--my skin is dry, it seems that my pores just clog up with dead skin and makeup). Now, I barely have to use any makeup at all--just Cover Girl CG Smoothers tinted moisturizer. Could it be for real? Even the small frown lines on my forehead are GONE. Yep, here's my new drugstore bargain basement Holy Trinity of Holy Grails: Johnson & Johnson Head to Toe Baby Wash (cleanser), Walgreen's AHA cream, and Olay Complete SPF 15 lotion--with Nivea in the tin as eye cream. Who new that great skin could be so cheap?!?!?
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Clinique - Turnaround Concentrate [DISCONTINUED]
Syrie 8/11/2008 3:44:00 PM
I liked the old Turnaround cream...but this "concentrate" just broke me out. I threw away the box and couldn't find any ingredient listings online, but as I recall I saw when I returned home that dimethicone was high on the ingredient list...maybe even before salicyclic acid, which is supposed to be the active ingredient. These 'cones' do nothing for my skin and as far as I can tell are just a cheap ingredient thrown in there to give the products 'slip'...well, now I have three cystic bumps on my cheeks from the damn cones. Avoid. Or if they have the old version on fragrancenet or somewhere, that one worked well.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Ponds - Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle Cream
Syrie 3/3/2008 3:01:00 PM
I've liked the Age Defying lotion for many years but can't seem to find it anymore. (the cream was pretty good too, but lately it has disappeared as well). This cream is from the Ponds line sold in Mexico and Central America--but I got it at Walgreens. It is my replacement for the Age Defying lotion-- Its main ingredients are lactic acid (which is a great exfoliator for my dry, semi-sensitive skin) and glycerin (yay). Its not a super-strong AHA--probably about the same as the AD lotion was--effective but not enough to sting dry skin. Here's the ingredients: Water , Lactic Acid , Butylene Glycol , Glycerin , Cetyl Alcohol , Isopropyl Palmitate , Steareth-21 , Dimethicone , Dimethiconol , Potassium Hydroxide , Mineral Oil , Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate , Stearyl Dimethicone , Steareth-2 , Hydroxyethyl Acrylate , Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer , Isohexadecane , Polysorbate 60 , Magnesium Aluminum Silicate , Stearic Acid , Borago Officinalis Seed Oil , Fragrance , Methylparaben , Hydroxyethylcellulose , Titanium Dioxide - CI 77891 , Xanthan Gum , Disodium EDTA , Benzophenone-3 , Propylparaben , Vitamin E Acetate - Tocopheryl Acetate , Hydrolyzed Collagen , Phospholipids I don't know what some of those are--but I've been using this for about 3 weeks and have had no problems (I don't get acne, but my small pores do have a propensity towards clogging). I had to take one lippie off because of fragrance. Rejuveness, unfortunately, smells like baby powder (AND WHAT THE HELL IS BABY POWDER SUPPOSED TO SMELL LIKE?!?!? I have never gotten that). But I will still use it.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Banana Boat - Sun Wear Faces Daily Sunblock Lotion SPF 30
Syrie 2/25/2008 3:07:00 PM
Have been using for 2 weeks before writing as most sunscreens are, well, crap. (You think you like them for a day and then either they plain dont work, clog your pores, ball up under makeup, or make your eyes run.) I am very, very happy with this product. I have very dry skin and many sunscreens irritate it; I also have very dry, sensitive eyes with contacts, and most sunscreens are unwearable because of their eye-irritancy for me. Neither of these issues has presented themselves so far. The sunwear spf 30 goes on smoothly over AHA cream and doesnt ball up; it leave my skin with a slight sheen but no white cast. The only thing I do not know is how effective it will be in and out of water; Im at work writing this and cant remember if its at all waterproof, but most waterproof sunscreens have to be reapplied often at the pool anyway IME. I would highly recommend to many skin types except for maybe the very, very oily; it might make that skin more so.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No