Liquid -La Mer - Skincolor De La Mer The Treatment Fluid Foundation SPF 15
TiaGia 7/20/2012 10:18:00 AM
Maybe this is premature, as I've only been using this product for three days, but so far I LOVE it! I have extremely sensitive olive skin with rosacea on my nose, forehead, and cheeks. My moisturizer, which I'd been using successfully for months, started to backfire, giving me bumps and redness, so I decided to go to La Mer and try a new foundation too. I've been using Chantecaille FutureSkin in Sand for years and have been very happy with it but I guess I was bored with it, and wanted to see it La Mer lived up to the hype. I'm used to expensive foundations; Chantecaille is $65 a jar, but this La Mer is $85 a bottle, so it's definitely an investment. I am so thrilled to say that in combination with the La Mer Concentrate, which I bought on the same day, and this foundation on top, it is an absolutely FLAWLESS finish, the best I have seen since before my rosacea kicked in at age 27, and I have never seen my skin look better. I am using #4 Neutral, which is golden and yellow, without being heavy, dark, or streaky. The SA kept insisting I use a brush to apply it but I hate brushes (I think they leave a streaky finish and tug the skin) and prefer to apply with a sponge even if they say the sponge absorbs some of the product. The finished look is much better in my opinion. So I use my little wedge sponge from CVS and dab it on, patiently, sheer where I like it sheer and a little more where I need more coverage like over my redness. AMAZING. Truly amazing. I'm just hoping these results last because I have the experience that sometimes a great product will turn on you after a few months and it's back to square one. But if this foundations stays this way, I will be committed to it for life! I highly recommend it if you are like me, with very sensitive skin, rosacea that flares up with anything, if you live in a warm climate and want something that covers without caking on, and if you have a hard time matching colors to your skin. I found a great color match and so far this foundation is worth the hefty price tag. If you want to really splurge, get the La Mer Concetrate too (or convince the SA to give you a sample) as it miraculously cleared up all my little rosacea bumps literally overnight.
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Lip Treatments -Dr. Hauschka - Lip Balm - stick
TiaGia 1/8/2012 12:56:00 PM
I have been using ONLY this lip balm for over ten years because it is the best. Not waxy, not oily, not creamy, just a perfectly emollient and smooth application and texture that keeps my lips hydrated better than any other product I've ever used, without any icky taste or fragrance. I have converted many friends to this lip balm, and they now buy it exclusively. You can usually get it at Whole Foods, or from Amazon. Love this stuff.
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Cleansers -Bioderma - Sensibio H2O (aka Crealine H20 Solution micellaire)
TiaGia 1/8/2012 12:54:00 PM
I have Rosacea and have been using this product for three or four years already and love it. It's the only thing that really takes off all my makeup without leaving residue, and though I'm a little blotchy and red at the end of my cleaning regime, I stick with it because it keeps my skin super clean, thus avoiding breakouts from clogged pores etc. I buy it from Amazon, or LaGuideSante, or when I go to Europe. I keep it stocked because I love the stuff and recommend it to all my friends who are devoted to Cetaphil which I can't use because it breaks me out. This is great stuff. Those in the know use it and usually keep it a secret to themselves.
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Moisturizers -La Mer - Moisturizing Lotion
TiaGia 1/8/2012 12:47:00 PM
First off, I have Rosacea. I'm 35 and have suffered from Rosacea for almost 9 years. I've been using this lotion for about a month, after switching from my Korres Yogurt creme, and before that, SkinCeuticals Emollience. For me, finding a moisturizer is very tricky because I have a tendency to flush and also develop bumps and whiteheads as well as shine. And even when I finally find a moisturizer I like, it usually turns on me after a while leaving me to start my search all over again. I was skeptical about La Mer, mostly because I thought it was overpriced. My mother used it and liked it but switched to La Prairie Skin Caviar. Some of my friends used the La Mer creme and loved it but I feared it was too heavy for me because I live in a tropical climate. Finally, I ran into a friend who also has Rosacea and her skin looked great and she convinced me to try the La Mer lotion. I went to Nieman Marcus and the sales rep told me the creme would be too heavy and waxy for me and it also contains oil. So I bought the lotion and I have to say I noticed a difference almost right away. My skin just sucked it up and within days, all my redness and bumps were gone and my skin was back to its smooth surface that I haven't seen in years. Makeup goes on over it wonderfully. I use Chantecaille Futurekin foundation which does not break me out and it sits great over the La Mer lotion. The lotion is mattifying and I tend to like a more dewy look but I will stick with it because it has calmed my skin in a way that no other moisturizer has done for a very, very long time. It's very dry now in winter so I use Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum one or twice a week at night and it leaves me exfoliated, and I put on the La Mer lotion morning, before makeup, and at night after washing my face clean. I highly recommend this stuff. Sure, it's expensive, but so far, I'm thinking it's really worth it. I have been ashamed to go bare-faced for years because of my redness and bumps and for the first time in ages, I find myself not thinking twice about running out for an errand without makeup, and to me, that feeling is PRICELESS. UPDATE: I gradually started to get bumps again, and so I stopped using it to give my skin a break and try out some other things. I've gone back to an old favorite, Bioderma Sensibio DS+ cream which is pretty much the only thing that clears my skin up and makes the redness go away. I used it for years last time around, until it started to turn on me (or maybe it was my foundation?) so I'm trying it again, using it under my La Mer foundation. Sorry to give up on my La Mer lotion but also sort of relieved since now I don't have to shell out the big bucks for it.
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Crème -Chantecaille - Future Skin
TiaGia 2/5/2011 10:03:00 AM
I'm probably on my 5th or 6th jar of this stuff. I've been using it for about 2 years, after having switched over from Laura Mercier. I have rosacea and olive skin and it's very hard for me to find a good color match, much less a foundation that does not break me out, turn me red, give me bumps, or just melt off my skin during the day as I live in a humid climate. This stuff is the best moisturizer I have found and meets all my needs. It goes on beautifully and more importantly, it lasts all day long with a perfect glowing finish. It covers all my redness and I use Sand which has a warm yellow base that matches my skin color perfectly. My other makeup goes over it perfectly and I find that I don't even need to use a finishing powder over it. The jar is a bit annoying but to keep it sanitary, I use a Q-tip to pull out the foundation and dab it onto a foam wedge sponge or my favorite Beauty Blender sponge and apply it with that. I am not a fan of applying make up with brushes because I think it tugs the skin and also leaves a streaky finish that shows in the light. I much prefer a sponge application. For some reason, the jar does not really last that long. I think it dissolves on its own and I find that with daily usage, it lasts me about four months. The foundation goes on the skin great but for an even more polished look, I apply mositurizer (Dr. Hauschka) and on top of that Boscia Primer, and let it sit for a few minutes before I put on the foundation and the final look is fantastic. I'd highly recommend this stuff. I think it's well worth the price if looking good in your makeup from morning to night is important to you. For people who say that it's not as good for dry skin, I'd suggest using a heavy moisturizer in the evening so that you don't need to lubricate your face so much before your makeup application. I slather on the jojoba oil at night and wake up hydrated and dewy so I need much less moisturizer throughout the day. This stuff is great. Give it a try!!
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Moisturizers -Desert Essence - Jojoba Oil - 100% pure
TiaGia 2/4/2011 4:13:00 PM
I'm really pleased with Jojoba oil. I have rosacea and finding a moisturizer that doesn't turn me red, bumpy, or flaky is a major challenge. I heard that people with rosacea do well with Jojoba oil so I bought some but of course it's really oily so I found that the way to use it is by putting it all over my face at night before I go to sleep. When I wake up, it's all been absorbed and my skin is soft, supply, and glowing, and I take a shower, and the excess is washed off. Therefore, the moisturizer that I need to put on before make up becomes far less essential, and I can use much less with more affect. With make up, I use Dr. Haushcka, Boscia, or SkinCeuticals, and put my foundation over it. Because my skin is already very hydrated from the oil, the moisturizer and make up goes on much smoother and the the overall affect is much more polished and I don't have the flakiness I'd get before. The jojoba oil is too much to use every day so I alternate nights with a Mario Badescu vitamin C serum that also works well for me, and every few nights I use my Finacea cream on my rosacea spots, in case of flare up. All in all, the jojoba oil is a welcome addition to my regimen and if you have rosacea and are desperate to hydrate your skin even if it's combination, patchy skin, I'd say you should give this stuff a try. It also makes me feel better that it's organic because I've been reading so much about the toxic chemicals in our beauty products.
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Moisturizers -Kiss My Face - Under Age
TiaGia 12/29/2010 11:47:00 PM
Do NOT use!!! I bought this product at Whole Foods today, thinking it would be great for my sensitive skin. I put it on and instantly turned bright red (this never happens) and I could see streaks of red form where the lotion had been spread. Plus, my face felt like it was on FIRE. I immediately took it off and washed my face with ice cold water to bring down the redness and burning but it persists. I've taken some Advil, hoping that works. Bottom line, avoid this stuff like the plague. I never imagined that its alleged all natural ingredients could be so damaging! Plus, after that one usage, my forehead pores look the biggest they've ever looked. I'm appalled by this crappy product.
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Moisturizers -Chantecaille - Water Flower Fluid
TiaGia 10/16/2010 12:02:00 PM
I'm really sorry to report this product was a huge disappointment. I have rosacea which I've had under control for the past year with the help of Finacea (smooth skin, no postules). I bought this lotion when I went to the counter at Neiman Marcus to buy FutureSkin foundation, which I love, and the consultant convinced me to try this stuff. She applied it, and did full make up over it. It went on beautifully in the store and did not irritate me like most stuff does right away, so I bought it even though it was crazy expensive, but I'm used to paying a lot for a mositurizer that doesnt break me out (was using SkinCeuticals till then). So I was super happy for the first few days and then I noticed I was getting red and my postules were starting to pop out again but I thought it was because I was stressed and traveling a lot. Another week went by, and now I am SURE it's this lotion. I apply in and within minutes the bumps surface in full force, red, flared up, and totally distracting just as my rosacea was at its peak, before I started Finacea treatment. So, bottom line: if you have rosacea, DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT. You might not see the irritation right away, but a week or two later, it will have your skin in a tizzy and here I am, back to square one with my rosacea regimen. I love Chantecaille makeup, but the skincare is not what it's cracked up to be. I will stick to my SkinCeuticals lotion, which does not break me out, and my jojoba oil every other night. That's what I get for experimenting! Sheesh.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Finacea Gel
TiaGia 4/18/2010 2:09:00 PM
I rarely write reviews but I have to for Finacea because I know how frustrated people who suffer from Rosacea feel when trying all the products out there that do not work. I've had Rosacea for about seven years. Looking back, I think it was ignited by when I started taking Yasmin BC, but I can't be certain. Anyway, I had sever red blotchiness, bumps, postules, flushing, and was extremely embarrassed by it. I had perfect skin all my life, no teen acne, no pimples ever, which is why the Rosacea came as such a shock. I tried Differin, Clandymicin, every over the counter and cosmetic counter solution for redness and nothing worked. I stopped short of Oracea because I was scared of the potential side effects. My uncle, who is a dermatologist but not my own, gave me some samples of FInacea that I tried, skeptically. He warned me to be PATIENT. He said Finacea works better than any other product but is SLOW so you have to commit to it for the long haul and you will see results. He was right: It was drying at first, so I started applying it only at night, rather than twice a day. It stung on application for a few minutes, and the first few weeks I experienced purging, puss coming out of what were previously papules. However, all those bumps on my cheeks and forehead and nose that I'd had for over five solid years, VANISHED. The surface of my skin was smooth and the redness also started to diminish. Rather than large blotches that spread across my face, they started shrinking to small dots. I've been using Finacea for abut five months now and the difference is remarkable. It has faded my redness so much, and I think in a few more months, it will be back to pre-Rosacea clarity. I have no more bumps, no more postules, no more flushing. The surface of my skin is smooth and it has faded some of the brown spots I had as pimples scars from previous Rosacea flare ups. I find that when I get dry, using SkinCeuticals calming gel works as a gentle mositurizer. And when I drink too much coffee and get a little red, I use a dot of cortisone cream to take out the redness. I am committed to Rosacea, even though it's expensive. You need to use very, very little because it spreads out and has an easy texture. Also, the one side effect is that it makes some extra fuzz grow on your face. Nothing troublesome. In fact, I've rather enjoyed that it helped my overplucked eyebrows grow back in, something I'd been hoping for for years! All in all, this is a fantastic product and I am grateful I didn't need to take the oral antibiotic my dermatologist was pushing. Ask for Finacea and stick with it. It really does work.
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Liquid -Laura Mercier - Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation
TiaGia 11/9/2008 10:40:00 AM
I'm very happy with this foundation. My skin is very difficult to match, plus it's sensitive (redness) and I have rosacea. This foundation has not made me break out yet, and the color match is great. I wear Golden Beige. Shell Beige turned pink on me so I exchanged it and Golden Beige is perfect. I found that when applied with a brush as they reccomend, it goes on too thick. I apply it with a wet sponge and it's a beautiful, smooth, sheer consistency but still covers all my redness well. Looks great with the LM primer and the best part is that it does not get shiny, even after a whole day. That was my main problem with my former foundaiton (Bobbi Brown Oil Free). It left me looking like an oil slick. But this LM foundation is truly matte, and even leaves my super oily t-zone looking great and smooth. No break outs so far. Love the pump (keeps it neat) and I've started using LM eye shadows and lip liner as well. Overall, I am very impressed with the brand and I will use this foundation until it no longer works for me (hopefully that won't ever happen!). UPDATE. I stopped using this stuff because it becomes patchy throughout the day. I switched to Chantecaille FutureSkin in Sand. So far, so good.
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Liquid -Giorgio Armani - Luminous Silk Foundation
TiaGia 11/6/2008 9:46:00 PM
Stay away from this foundation. A friend told me to buy it- raved that it was the greatest. I tried it and after the MA applied a full face at the store (Saks), it looked great. Hours later, I noticed my face felt a little stingy, but I ignored it. That night, when I looked in the mirror, it still looked good in terms of color and coverage, but the quality of my skin looked like it wasn't mine! I have great skin. Sensitive, but glowing, beautiful skin and I get complimented on my bare face a lot, but I have some redness that I cover up with foundaiton. But this foundation changed the whole texture of my face- I looked 40 and not 30, haggard, and possibly like a smoker (I'm not). It made me flaky, cakey, and when I took the make up off, I saw that my whole t-zone was red and splotchy and covered in little pimples. I NEVER break out. I get red, but never, ever get zits- and this thing made my face a disaster within hours of application. Needless to say, I returned the foundation, and the other products the MA made me buy that day (the glow foundation, bronzer, brushes). I'm now trying Laura Mercier foundation hoping for a better result.
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Liquid -Bobbi Brown - Oil-Free Even Finish Foundation SPF 15 [DISCONTINUED]
TiaGia 11/6/2008 8:13:00 PM
I stayed with this foundation way too long. After 3 years of using it, I've decided it's time to move on. The thing that kept me using it for so long is that the color match is perfect- the best I've ever found with any foundation- and it didn't irritate my extremely sensitive skin (and rosacea). I also liked that it's sheer, even, and when applied, it looks fabulous. However, a few hours later, I get extremely shiny. And if I sweat (I live in a humid climate) the foundation basically evaporates, leaving all coverage behind, except for the massive shine. I didn't notice how bad it was till I saw photos of myself and how oily my T-zone looked! My forehead and nose look like they are covered in vaseline. I've moved onot Laura Mercier for now- hoping it will give me more of a matte finish. Fingers crossed.
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