Blush -NARS - The Multiple in Orgasm
VegasGlossJunkie 4/21/2009 11:55:00 AM
This is a beautiful product if you apply it correctly, which can be a little tricky. It really is a multitasker, beautiful as blush, hilighter, eyeshadow, and on lips. It's very pigmented, which is good as you get your money's worth, but you have to blend it very well or risk looking like a clown. I can't vouch for how it looks on darker skin, but on my fair skin it's the most perfect peachy pink with golden shimmer, just like Orgasm powder blush, but more intense with much better staying power. I was a little apprehensive about using it on my cheeks because of the tendency cream blushes have of breaking me out, but no problems so far.
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Moisturizers -Zia - Ultimate Oil-Free Moisture
VegasGlossJunkie 4/21/2009 10:40:00 AM
This is a really great moisturizer, it's not heavy or greasy, feels very light but moisturizes like a heavier cream. In summer when you're sweaty or really oily it might get a bit greasy but the moisture payoff is worth having to use more blotting tissues. It's never broken out my very acne-prone skin, either. A little goes a long way, I've had my bottle forever. It smells really nice, a very faint citrusy fresh. The only downside is that it has parabens, I prefer my products without them but I haven't found another everyday moisturizer that lives up to this.
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Moisturizers -Mario Badescu - Oil Free Moisturizer SPF 17
VegasGlossJunkie 3/15/2009 8:59:00 AM
I got this as a sample, which is fortunate since it didn't work for me. The moisturizer itself was okay going on, no smell, not too thick, seemed alright. However, it didn't seem to soak in all the way, which is a problem with a lot of moisturizers, lucky me with my oily skin. It just left me with a yucky, greasy feel the rest of the day. I gave it another chance the next day, I figured if I still didn't like it I could at least use up the generous sample. The final nail in the coffin was the third day, when I woke up with one of the worst breakouts in recent memory. Obviously, I didn't rush over to the computer to buy a bottle.
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Skincare - Face -Mario Badescu - Strawberry Face Scrub
VegasGlossJunkie 3/15/2009 8:48:00 AM
*There's a duplicate review for this so I thought it might be helpful to give my 2 cents here as well. First off let me say I LOVED this stuff as a preteen (pre-oil, pre-acne, pre-blackheads, you get the picture.) I still love the smell, it's yummy enough to eat. But, if you have oily skin, lots of clogged pores, etc. and need a hardcore exfoliation, this won't do it. The strawberry seeds are somewhat sparse to begin with, and when you rub it on they spread out so you can't target areas like the T-Zone, you just have to glide it across your face. The AHAs also don't seem to do anything, even if I let it sit after massaging it on. It would be GREAT for someone with dry or sensitive skin who just needs mild exfoliation or a gentle, yummy-smelling facial.
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Skincare - Face -Mario Badescu - Control Moisturizer for Oily Skin
VegasGlossJunkie 3/15/2009 8:41:00 AM
This did what it claims to do, it calmed my acne irritated skin, moisturizing without clogging pores or breaking me out worse. However, I wouldn't repurchase for a couple reasons. First, almost annoying enough to be a reason on its own, is the dispensing cap. While it works great for other MB products like cleanser and toner, the lotion dried and clogged up the little spout everytime after I used it, no matter how much creative squeezing I did to try and get the leftover cream back in the bottle. So, the next time I went to use it, there would be a dried gummy blockage in the spout. This gave me 2 options: squeeze reaaaally hard to try and blast the gunky part out, and risk squirting the whole bottle all over my bathroom, or the better option which I had to do EVERY TIME I wanted to moisturize my face... sterilizing a safety pin and scraping out enough gunk to let the moisturizer get thru. I tried using a toothpick, that would have been much more convenient, but of course, it was too big. The second reason is kinda underwhelming compared to the first. The moisturizer just didn't sink in enough, and no matter how little I used, I felt like I was wearing a greasy mask. It's a strange feeling seeing a matte face, yet feeling like there's an oil slick down your nose. I would say this is good for emergencies only, for very very bad breakouts that are aggravated by other moisturizers, or skin so raw from Differin or Retin A, etc. that this is the only thing that will soothe it. It works for that, I know firsthand. Thankfully, those days are *knockwood* behind me, and there are much better moisturizers that work for my skin.
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Treatments (Eye) -Mario Badescu - Ceramide Herbal Eye Cream
VegasGlossJunkie 3/15/2009 8:16:00 AM
Disclaimer: This will be a looooong review. I really liked this at first, it did a great job of moisturizing my eye area, and making it super velvety soft. As long as I was very careful, putting it on right before bed and did not, under any circumstances whatsoever, open my eyes again until morning, it didn't get in my eyes and BURN and itch like hell. That was an annoyance, but I was willing to put up with it for the benefits it gave me. Fast forward... oh, who knows how many months, I find this in a drawer, having forsaken it for Korres Evening Primrose, I'd completely forgotten about it. Remembering the wonderful velvetyness, I decided to switch back. Big mistake. In the time it had been lingering in the drawer, it solidified into more of a Jello glob than a cream. I suppose I should have thrown it out then and there but, call me an optimist. Or just cheap, that works too. I reasoned it was probably just because of the cold. So, I scrape off a couple globs to put on my eyes before bedtime, just like old times, smear them on (with much difficulty, they wouldn't melt,) and head off to the Land of Nod. Imagine my bewilderment when I wake up at 3 AM totally blind. Okay, slight exaggeration, I could still see blurry colors. But my eyes, OMG, my eyes! It felt like someone had poured battery acid in them. And of course my sleepy self couldn't figure out what on earth could be wrong, so I stumble to the bathroom, rub my eyes, feel the gummy eye cream, have a sudden flash of comprehension, wash it off my face, flush out my eyes, put eye drops in, and finally make it back to sleep. My eyes were red and painful for a week, no joke. It was like the side effects of the first time I was using it, magnified by 1000. Sorry for writing a novel, if you've read this far, but I've really tried my absolute best to warn you off this cream. Even if you're not brilliant like moi, and let it percolate in a drawer, you still can't use that much eye cream in enough time to avoid it getting all globby like mine did. And even before that, it's not worth it, because you have to hold your eyes shut so tight to make sure it doesn't assault your fair peepers, that you end up with twice the wrinkles than you'd have from using no eye cream at all. Say NO to the velvetyness, it's not worth it!
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Treatments (Eye) -Mario Badescu - ceramide eye gel
VegasGlossJunkie 3/15/2009 7:52:00 AM
This is an okay eye gel, like a lot of reviewers mentioned, it's very sticky. You can't rub it in very well because it gets all tacky and you feel like you're pulling at your skin (very bad, especially in the eye area!) I noticed that if you put it on before bed, it absorbs better, but there's still a sticky film on your skin in the morning, so I'm not sure how much gets absorbed and how much evaporates. I did notice a difference in brightness (not dark circles, those are stubborn, but an overall "awake" look to the eye area,) and it seemed to help firm but once again I'm not sure if that's because it really firmed anything or just stuck the skin up tighter like some kind of glue (that sounds so gross XP) I wouldn't repurchase, because I'm not sure how effective the ingredients are since I can't really tell whether it soaks in or not. There are much better eye gels out there to spend $18 (or hopefully less) on.
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Toners -Mario Badescu - Special Cucumber Lotion
VegasGlossJunkie 3/15/2009 7:42:00 AM
Like a lot of MB products, I LOVE the smell of this. I almost can't believe sulfur is one of the active ingredients because you can't detect it at all. I'd use it even if it didn't do anything for my skin just because of how great it smells. Luckily it works wonders on my skin so I don't seem like a lunatic using something so expensive for the scent alone :) It's not harsh at all, it never stings or burns, unlike most toners for acne/oily skin that I've tried. It's really refreshing and even moisturizing, it actually makes my skin soft, which is not something I associate with an acne treatment. In winter, I still have to use moisturizer after it dries, but in summer I don't always moisturize after toning because it's so hot that I end up sweaty and oily in about 5 minutes, and the moisturizer just melts off. When I do skip the moisturizer, I don't end up paying for it with patchy dry spots like with other toners. How it dries up oil and acne without smelling like typical products with sulfur (like their Drying Mask *shudder*,) I have no idea, but it really works. It evens out my face, no dragon scales one place and zit colony three pores over. It zaps whiteheads, not as fast as a spot treatment but it's less harsh and works more consistently. It works on body acne too, I've used it on my chest with great results. It really is my HG toner, I'm kind of sad because I've been using it so long I think my acne is becoming immune to it or something, it's not working as well as it should. Maybe I just need a new bottle.
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Cleansers -Mario Badescu - Enzyme Cleansing Gel
VegasGlossJunkie 3/15/2009 7:13:00 AM
I LOVE the way this stuff smells, it's very relaxing, an awesome way to end your day when you get ready for bed. It's also a pretty, pearly green color. Oh, and it works, it might help if I mention that :P I can really feel the enzymes tingling and breaking up oil and grime, and it also leaves my skin really soft, I've found that not many cleansers can do both. It can irritate your skin if it's dry, especially in winter, or if you've had a recently had a sunburn, peel, microdermabrasion etc. If you're sensitive for any reason I'd suggest using something different. A word of CAUTION: I bought the big 16 oz. bottle a while ago (it lasts FOREVER!) and I've lugged it around with me when I travel. It must have gone thru too many extreme temperature changes, or maybe it's just old, I'm not sure, but it's developed grainy bits and it seems harsher, so I think the AHAs might have gone bad. I still use it, but can't let it sit on my face like I used to, and it doesn't seem to be as effective. So, unless you wash your face 3 times a day or share with someone, I'd recommend buying the smaller size and not leaving it where the temperature is liable to go up and down dramatically.
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Toners -Mario Badescu - Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater
VegasGlossJunkie 3/15/2009 6:51:00 AM
This stuff is so nice... it has the most wonderful scent that lingers perfectly. It's great any time of year, in summer I put it in the fridge for more of a cooling effect. It doesn't leave a residue on my skin, and it kind of cleanses the oil and grime of the day off without even wiping. It does perk me up, but in more of a "ahhh, calm, happy, today is a lovely day" kinda way than in a "WAKE UP NOW!" kinda way. If you want instant awake like that, I use The Body Shop's Vitamin C face spritz, put that in the fridge and spray your face and you'll be jolted awake. Really, it's startling but it works.
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Masks -Mario Badescu - Drying Mask
VegasGlossJunkie 3/15/2009 6:38:00 AM
This is a sulfur mask, so yeah, it stinks. Nothing you could put in it could make it smell any less vile, unfortunately. It smells just as bad as the sulfur mask my mom used in the 80's (you think someone would have figured out how to improve that by now!) The texture takes a little getting used to, it looks runny but it's not, it's somewhere between Jello and pudding in consistency, so you really have to dig in to get any out, which is gross. I don't like cosmetics in tubs, but usually you can skim some off the top and pretend you're not contaminating it... not with this. I don't think too many germs are hardy enough to survive in that environment tho, in which case the sulfur stench works in your favor :) This is a good drying mask, it dries up my oil and makes my skin softer and tighter (both effects are all too temporary, unfortunately,) but I don't think it draws up as many blackheads or unclogs as well as other masks I've used (Bliss Steep Clean comes to mind, absolute highway robbery but worth it.) I would buy this again for the softening and tightening effects, but it's not the reasonably priced HG I'm searching for.
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Moisturizers -Mario Badescu - Seaweed Night Cream
VegasGlossJunkie 3/15/2009 6:23:00 AM
I was skeptical about this at first, even though it was recommended for my oily, acne-prone skin. It's VERY heavy, hence the "Night Cream" label. I shouldn't have worried, this has yet to break me out and doesn't make my skin any more oily than it already is. It only takes a little dab for my whole face and neck, I've been on the same jar for who knows how long. I can feel my face absorbing it, especially if I've been slacking on moisturizing or doing harsh treatments for my acne. There's usually still a little bit on my face the next morning (I think I always overestimate how big of a dab I need,) but I blot it off or wash my face and my skin is soooo, soooo, ridiculously silky, it's amazing. The only thing I don't like about is the smell, it's indescribably funky but it's bearable, and it's gone by the next morning.
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Scrubs -Mario Badescu - Strawberry scrub
VegasGlossJunkie 3/15/2009 6:10:00 AM
First off let me say I LOVED this stuff as a preteen (pre-oil, pre-acne, pre-blackheads, you get the picture.) I still love the smell, it's yummy enough to eat. But, if you have oily skin, lots of clogged pores, etc. and need a hardcore exfoliation, this won't do it. The strawberry seeds are somewhat sparse to begin with, and when you rub it on they spread out so you can't target areas like the T-Zone, you just have to glide it across your face. The AHAs also don't seem to do anything, even if I let it sit after massaging it on. It would be GREAT for someone with dry or sensitive skin who just needs mild exfoliation or a gentle, yummy-smelling facial.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Shi Kai - Color Reflect Daily Moisture Conditioner
VegasGlossJunkie 3/15/2009 5:59:00 AM
I've got to agree with the others who found this to be less than moisturizing. While it's better than not conditioning at all, it leaves a lot to be desired. The effect is like using the lightest, least moisturizing conditioner possible, then scrubbing your hair dry with a towel... yeah, not very pretty. It's strange, because some of my hair is soft but then you get down toward the ends and it's a frizzy, floofy mess (and I don't have trouble with split ends.) Oh well, another conditioner to shave my legs with just means a few less tubes of shaving cream :)
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Gels/Soaps -Giovanni - Body Wash - Raspberry Winter
VegasGlossJunkie 1/18/2009 8:44:00 PM
This is the yummiest raspberry scent I've ever smelled... it's sweet without being really fake or plactic-y like most raspberry products. It lingers after the shower, too. It lathers amazingly well, and while it doesn't cleanse as instantaneously as conventional body washes, you just scrub a little longer and it works great. The cap is annoying, it's flimsy and easy to break off, but that's my only complaint.
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