Cleansers -Aveeno - Positively Radiant Cleanser
Wstar5721 8/20/2004 9:23:00 PM
I guess that I'm in the minority here too, because I actually really like this cleanser. Most face washes dry my slightly oily skin out to the point that I get flaky skin, but this one doesn't. It's everything that I want in a cleanser - it gets rid of most of my makeup, leaves my skin soft, and my boyfriend always loves the way I smell after I'm done washing my face. I do use a moisturizer on a regular basis after I wash my face, but this hasn't made me break out or excacerbated any blemishes. Since I don't wear lots of heavy makeup, this basic cleanser works well for me during the summer and during the winter. It doesn't foam a whole lot, but it's "foaming capacity" doesn't affect its performance in my opinion, and keeps the cleanser from drying out my skin. I love the pump too - always have. As far as its "radiant" claim, it does brighten my face (which can look sallow at times), but it's not a lasting effect. But I like it...
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Liquid -Almay - Skin Stays Clean [DISCONTINUED]
Wstar5721 8/18/2004 1:09:00 AM
I know that I'm picky about my foundation, but I just can't commit to this foundation. The formula is extremely thin, which makes it easier to (carefully) pour out onto a sponge, but I can't see anyone applying this effectively with their fingers. The one time that I tried, I couldn't wash it off of my hands! I bought the foundation in Buff-02 because I'm pretty pale with yellow undertones, but I think that this was too light for me. But the thin formulation blends well into my skin, and after about 30 minutes, it blends well into my skin. When I first put it on my face, it often looks too matte, but by the end of the day, my nose and either side of my nose bridge still looks oily. The foundation rubs off onto other objects, and if I put too much on my face, I can usually take a tissue and wipe some off of my cheeks. I find that my skin has a nice tactile feel to it with this foundation on my face, but the coverage can't be built up well (it begins to look cakey) and it doesn't cover the redness of a birthmark on my forehead or the discoloration left by a blemish. But it does look natural and my boyfriend can't tell when I'm wearing it, so for those that demand less coverage from a foundation, this could be a good one to try.
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Liquid -Almay - Skin-Smoothing Foundation with Kinetin SPF 15 [DISCONTINUED]
Wstar5721 8/18/2004 12:56:00 AM
I'm surprised at all of the raves for this foundation. A year or so ago, my mom bought this foundation, and I was playing around with it and realized that I didn't like it at all. I don't know if my mom was actually using it on a regular basis, but even she has moved on by now. It didn't feel natural on me, and it felt like it just sat on top of my skin, and made my nose look super shiny. I don't equate slickness with luminosity and so I was greatly disappointed. It gets a good packaging score though, because I liked the ball attached to the cap.
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Shampoo -L'Oreal - Fresh Vive Shampoo
Wstar5721 8/18/2004 12:26:00 AM
I love citrus scents, but that's about where my satisfaction for this shampoo ends. I have Asian hair that is on the fine side, and I have never felt that this shampoo rinses clean or lathers well (even though lather alone isn't a true measure of effectiveness). Instead, it left my hair dry and tangled - something that my conditioner couldn't even fix for me. I couldn't stand to completely waste the bottle, so I started using it again, and every time I go get a haircut, my stylist has always mentioned how dry my hair is. The bottle says that it's gentle enough for every day use, but I just don't see how - my hair is not shiny, not healthy, and very limp. I don't even think that I have difficult hair, but my boyfriend doesn't seem to have any problems using it at all. Guess it's a hit or miss, but for me, I'm staying away.
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Crème -mark - Speedway Do Everything Foundation Stick
Wstar5721 8/17/2004 11:24:00 PM
I really don't know what to think about this product. I've never used a stick foundation by myself before, and so I wasn't sure what to expect. My somewhat pale Asian skin scars easily after I've had a blemish, but I don't like the feel of heavy makeup. If I apply this directly on my face, I feel like I have too much makeup on, but if I apply it with my fingers or with a sponge, I can't seem to get any on my face. I'm still experimenting, but I can't seem to find a comfortable way to use this as a foundation on a regular basis. I have, however, been using it as a concealer, which works well because the coverage is buildable when applied with a concealer brush and dries with a nice powdery finish that blends well into my existing foundation. Skin 1 was not quite the right match for me...I think it might be too neutral for my skin, but then I have strong yellow undertones. I also have had to contend with its drying speed, because I need to be careful not to put too much on my face or my brush than I can blend before it dries. But overall, I think that the packaging is really cute and portable...and I might buy it again someday if I never do find the right concealer for me.
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Blush -mark - Good Glowing Powder Blush -After Glow
Wstar5721 8/16/2004 12:37:00 AM
I try to be a makeup minimalist, I really do. And so for a long time, I didn't wear any blush because I never found one that I actually liked. When I went to a photography studio and had my makeup artist comment that I needed more color, I decided to look into it...and here I am. The magazines and makeup artists have been raving about NARS Orgasm, but I didn't feel comfortable spending $22+ on something that I didn't really believe in in the first place (the blush, not the...name). meetmark.com was having the case on sale for $1 with the purchase of 2 blushes, 4 eyeshadows, or 1 blush and 2 eyeshadows, so I decided to fill up the case and buy the blush. At first, I wasn't going to buy After Glow, but after all of the reviews and allusions to NARS Orgasm, I decided to try it...and I'm glad I did. The blush is nicely pigmented and imparts a lovely radiance on my face when I use my own blush brush (the one that comes with the case is way too small). For reference, I'm pretty pale with Asian skin, and I didn't want anything that looked harsh on my face. So in conclusion, it's a great blush that lasts all day and has been worth the money!
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Liquid -Estee Lauder - So Ingenious Liquid Foundation SPF 8
Wstar5721 8/8/2004 2:27:00 PM
I was actually surprised how much I liked this foundation and how much I missed the soft, semi-matte, luminous finish it gave my skin after the bottle was up. But it is expensive, maybe I'll try to do the Ebay thing like a lot of other users here next time. When I finished the bottle, I tried to switch to a different foundation, but this conceals the post-acne marks on my skin way better than a lot of the others did. I took a portrait using my other foundation and touched myself up with So Ingenious on my cheeks, and the photographer (who was also my makeup artist) said I had great skin and that my portrait wouldn't need a lot of touching up. If only he knew what my skin normally looks like.
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