Cleansers -Cetaphil - Gentle Skin Cleanser
adventurous 4/23/2011 9:09:00 PM
I started using this product last summer. My dermatologist recommended it as part of an extensive treatment plan for my acne. I would not claim that Cetaphil was the main factor in relieving me of my acne, but I feel it played a role. Today, I don't use all the products that my derm gave me when I first started treatment, but I am still acne free and a believe that Cetaphil continues to help keep my skin clear. It so well priced, too, and one bottle will last you a long time. I go through a bottle about ever 2-3 months.
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Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Age Shield Face SPF 55
adventurous 4/23/2011 8:49:00 PM
I am surprised by the negative comments. Honestly, this is one of the best sunscreens that I have tried in the drugstore. It's pretty good, as far as sunscreens go. It's the first sunscreen that I've used in quite some time that doesn't make me dread applying it everyday. It has a thicker texture, but melts very easily into your skin without leaving a white cast. Also, it acts as an amazing primer for my foundation. My foundation truly applys like a dream after I use this sunscreen. Lastly, it has a relatively high PPD (for an American sunscreen) and is reasonably priced. I would like to buy European sunscreens more often for the higher PPD protection, but they are just so expensive, so I'll stick to this for the time being.
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Shampoo -Alberto Vo5 - Kiwi Lime Squeeze Clarifying Shampoo
adventurous 6/30/2010 1:29:00 AM
Whenever my hair is starting to feel gunky and looks dull, I use this (or the Mint Tea version) to really strip my hair of build up. I originally bought this because I had a serious build up on the back of my head. It was making my hair fall flat and it was just like a oil that wouldn't go away. When I continually tried to remove it with shampoo, after my hair dried the build up would still be there. When I used this shampoo, it completely removed it and my hair feels normal again. This is not something I would use everyday or even every week. It has a serious amount of SLS in it because it lathers like no other shampoo, which is the reason why it removes build up so well. It's wonderful though for what it is and so cheap. Great staple to keep around and use once a month or so.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -NARS - Sheer Glow Foundation
adventurous 5/18/2010 1:32:00 AM
I absolutely love this foundation. It's the first high end foundation I have really loved. My skin kind of rests between neutral and cool, leaning towards cool. One of the things I've learning at MUA is that applying pink toned foundation actually makes me look even pinker, an look I do not like. Instead, I opt for neutral toned foundation and even foundations with a bit of yellow to neutralize my pinkness/redness. My color is Ceylan, which is warm-neutral. It wears like a dream. I apply it with a damp sponge and don't need much to get a decent coverage that evens me out and neutralizes my pink and red, but doesn't look cakey. It wears ALL DAY. I've never had a foundation that wears all day like this one does. It really is my HG. I've had so many compliments on how great my skin looks since I've started using this foundation. I'm really happy with it.
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Treatments -Kerastase - Masque Oleo-Relax
adventurous 3/2/2010 8:13:00 PM
Despite the price, this is an amazing product. I am currently using the whole system including the shampoo and exilir. It has truly changed my life. My hair strands are thin but I have sooo much of it and a lot of volume. My hair is also frizzy and pouffy. When I blow dry it and/or iron it, my hair becomes very straw-like and crunchy. After using oleo relax, my hair is shiny, soft and bouncy. Pretty much it is all I ever wanted my hair to be. I still do need to style it because the frizz at the top of my hair is not completely gone, but it is more manageable and I can blow dry and straight my few inches past shoulder elnth hair in as little at 30 mins. No longer are the days that I take an hour to style my hair and yet I'm still not pleased with how it turned out. Kerastase is worth the price; it means I no longer have to feel self conscious about my hair and it takes half the time to style it.
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Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Expertwear Eye Shadow Quad in Mocha Motion
adventurous 11/5/2009 1:00:00 AM
I like this quad. I'm not saying it's high quality, or that the shadows are heavily pigmented and silky. For the price though, I think it's worth it. With a eyeshadow base, the colors pick up nicely and are great if you are going for a neutral everyday look. These colors are particularly nice if you are looking for neutrals that are a little cooler, rather than warm. The lid color is a clay brown. It's definitely not my favorite color in the quad, but wearable for a basic look. The crease is a nice grey brown. The brow is probably my favorite because it's a very sheer cream shimmer. I feel like most of the time with Maybelline quads or trios, the brow bone color is very garish, and I would never wear it on my brow bone. This one is nice though, and very subtle. It has the least pigmentation in the quad. The outer corner is more of a light brown, and nearly matte, which is nice as well. Shimmer is definitely there for the other three colors, but it's high shimmer, and is downplayed. Nice compliment to the over all look. While these shadows are not of the highest quality, they pack a punch in price and wearability. These are definitely colors you could wear confidently everyday as a basic look for an office.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Desert Essence - Tea Tree Oil (100% Pure Australian)
adventurous 11/4/2009 2:29:00 PM
This stuff is close to a miracle. I bought it at Trader Joe's for $7 or $8. When I have a pimple, I just dab it on. You don't need very much at all, which means that this bottle will probably last me close to a lifetime. It has a tingling, kind of cooling sensation, which I like. It really does shrink the pimple and helps it heal very quickly. Anytime I feel a pimple coming on, I dab a bit of this over it and the next morning it's like it was never there. In the cases that I don't "catch" the pimple, this still works miracles. Plus, it's all natural, unlike benzoyl peroxide. It can be a bit drying, but that's what it's supposed to do. I wouldn't put this all over my face. I personally don't mind the smell, but can see why some people don't like it. It's very medicinal, smells a bit like icy-hot or something.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Other -Unlisted Brand - Zinc
adventurous 10/29/2009 1:48:00 AM
Well, I can say that my acne has disappeared completely since I started taking zinc (50mg/day) two weeks ago. I have suffered from hormonal acne for about 10 years (since I was 13). I know that it is hormonal acne because when I was only birth control pills for two years, my skin was very clear and I wasn't even diligent with my skin care routine and still had beautiful skin. I switched to an IUD for many reasons, but the lack of hormones meant my acne came back full force (the only downside to quitting HBC). I have been struggling for a year now to regain control. I have tried BP gel, which did work for a long while, but over time I had to use more and more to keep the results. My skin was drying out and becoming more sensitive to the sun. Plus, I was not happy with the idea that BP causes premature aging. I then tried Apple Cider Vinegar, applied topically. It worked pretty well. I was still getting pimples, but not as often, and they weren't as large. Unfortunately, my boyfriend put his foot down. He said after many weeks that he couldn't stand the smell anymore and that he could smell it on me all day. With some reluctance, I quit, fearing that my acne would come back. Flash forward to now. I decided to give Zinc supplements a try. I have been on 50mg daily. They have changed my life. My skin is completely clear, and my boyfriend has mentioned several times how radiant it looks. Red marks from recent breakouts are fading very quickly (as Zinc helps wounds heal) and I also feel great about the increased immune function which will hopefully prevent me from getting suck during flu season. I just bought 30mg supplements, and after two more weeks of being on the 50mg, I will move down to 30mg and hope that the results stick. If that works, I will continue to move down, to possibly only 15-20mg a day. I'll give an updates as I switch doses. The less Zinc I can take daily, the better. A FEW WORDS ON TAKING ZINC... 1. It will make you a bit queasy if you take it on an empty stomach. Make sure you take it right after a meal to prevent that. I also like to take it with Kefir, not water. I don't know why but that helps prevent me from feeling sick. Probably because Kefir is thick and fills you up, and also helps along digestion. 2. DO NOT TAKE OVER 50mg/day. Remember to factor in any Zinc you are getting from a multi-vitamin or other supplements you may be taking. Too much zinc can be toxic. It's recommended that after the initial higher doses of 50mg, you move to a lower dose over time. 3. Copper, another essential mineral for you body, competes with Zinc. Please take a copper supplement SEPARATELY (approx 12 hours later) of 2mg. This means if you take your Zinc supplement with breakfast, take your Copper supplement with dinner, or vice versa. As with all supplemental regimens, please check with your doctor before starting. I hope this information helps, and I hope that Zinc works for you. Good luck!
26 out of 28 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Sally Hansen - Inspired By Carmindy Natural Beauty Your Skin Makeup ] [DISCONTINUED]
adventurous 10/26/2009 12:23:00 PM
This has definitely become my HG foundation. I was using EDM for a year or two, but by the end of the day, my foundation would be gone and it really didn't do anything to control my oily skin. I don't really have the opportunity to reapply makeup, and with Your Skin, I don't have to. This is a great price, and sometimes you can even catch a coupon or a sale. I mix two colors along with a little bit of my moisturizer and high beam (I do find the colors in general to lean yellow and not pink, so this adds luminescence and bit of pink for my cool skin). I find that it sits on into my skin really nicely, minimizing pores and without settling into fine lines. It stays put and without wearing off by the end of the day. It controls my oil a bit, but is not perfect and I can't expect any foundation to completely control oil. I love that it does not have sunscreen in it, as I apply that separately and don't want to apply another sunscreen that may destabilize the one I have on. This is also great for night time as it won't turn your face white in pictures. My biggest gripe is the limited range of colors. I do love the pump bottle though, and find that it looks more expensive than it is. Overall, I am very impressed with this foundation and am happy I finally found an HG foundation at a drugstore. Will continue to use this, and many of the other products in this line.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Stylish Smokes in Charcoal Smokes
adventurous 10/11/2009 1:05:00 AM
I am extremely pleased with this product. For a drugstore eyeshadow quad, the pigmentation is very good, and the shadows are soft and blend easily. Lid color is a silvery taupe grey with a frosty finish. It's really pretty, but not highly pigmented on one swipe. Luckily, it is easily buildable. The crease color, which is a purple taupe, has a little more pigmentation and is actually a really gorgeous color. It's has a shimmer finish. The brow bone color is a silver. Nothing particularly special about it. I like it though, but wouldn't use as a brow bone color. I find that it would look too garish on me. Perhaps as a liner on the lower lid. The outer corner color is a black with silver glitter. It's more a matte finish with spare silver glitter in it. Not a lot of pigmentation on first swipe, but also buildable. This is the chalkiest of the four colors, probably due to it's finish. While it's certainly not a MAC palette, it's still a really great quad and for the price it's completely worth it. I made a smokey eye with it (did not use the brow bone color though) and was very pleased with the results. It looks like higher quality shadows, without the price. It did not crease with a healthy serving of UDPP as a base. While the packaging is cheap, I do like that it's compact, so you can bring it with you when you're going out and want to touch up.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Neutrogena - On the Spot Acne Treatment Vanishing Formula
adventurous 10/7/2009 3:44:00 AM
I was using the CVS version of this (same ingredients). Basically, I started this, when I switched to a Mirena IUD and was no longer receiving the high doses of hormones that my previous birth control pills were giving me. My skin went back to it's normal self... acne prone. I was disappointed, but was not willing to go back on HBC. I had to find a way to keep my acne at bay. Step in BP cream. At first it didn't work very well, but when I heard that you actually had to apply a very high dose, it started working very well. I would use this every other night, and my skin stayed clear. I was happy... for the moment. Months go by, and suddenly, it wasn't working as well anymore. I started having to apply every night, and then 2x a day, and it just wasn't working like it used to. I don't know if something changed in my body, or if it actually was being less effective with time, but I started to break out again. Not nearly as much as I used to, but I wasn't clear anymore. I had to apply more and more moisturizer to counter act the fact that my skin became so flakey (part of the reason BP works is because it removes the upper layer of your skin). When I learned of BP's harmful side effects, I decided to quit it all together. It makes your skin more susceptible to sun damage and actually creates free radicals, the very thing antioxidants work to get rid off. It will prematurely age your skin. Now if that is the risk you are willing to take for clear skin, I completely understand that. Aging versus clear skin is a hard choice to make. But... there are other products out there. I ended up getting clear skin with a Green Tea Bag toner and ACV toner. They have worked to clear my skin and further more, I know I am not damaging my skin. BP should be a last resort for those who suffer from acne.
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Toners -Unlisted Brand - Green Tea tea-bag toner
adventurous 10/6/2009 11:24:00 AM
I recently decided to stop using Benzoyl Peroxide cream for my acne because it ages your skin. I knew there had to be another way to calm my acne down without doing permanent damage to my skin. I was right. Green tea bags have been the answer. I have been using this in conjunction with AVC as well, and it really has cleared me up. I've been trying to (and have been successful) drink green tea at least three times a day. Sometimes I am able to fit in more. After I'm done brewing a cup, if it's the morning if if it's night time, I take the warm tea bag and spread it all over my face, including eye area. It is a big drying, but that's what I like about it. It brings up some of the dirt in my pores. I wait a few minutes for it to dry, and then go over my face with a little bit of AVC. That picks up all the junk that came to the surface and kills bacteria. The reason why I love the green tea bag toner so much is because it's cheap, and putting antioxidants on your face can not be a bad thing. I personally buy my green tea from Whole Foods. The organic Whole Foods branded one with 80 bags. It's super cheap, like $4 or $5. And it's good for you if you drink the tea as well. Good luck :).
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Maybelline - Color Sensational ~ Red Revival
adventurous 10/5/2009 12:41:00 AM
I have never been able to pull off a red. I have fair skin, and always felt that it was too dark, or too tomatoey, or just not right. I also feel a little self conscious about a red. It certainly can be a statement. But after all the reviews of Color Sensational, and Red Revival in particular, I decided to try it. Wow, it really has blown me away. Not only am I happy with the formula, which is very long lasting and doesn't show off dry spots on your lips so much, it's also a really beautiful color that I am somehow able to pull off. For reference, I have fair, cool skin.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Sally Hansen - Natural Beauty Instant Definition Eye Shadow Palette
adventurous 10/4/2009 3:30:00 PM
I am very impressed by the quality of the shadows in this palette. The shadows are very silky and pigmented, much more so than most drugstore eye shadows, and the colors are very wearable and not too out there. The biggest turn off is the packaging. While is is well made and will hold up nicely, it is too bulky for the amount of shadow in the palette. Still, it is small enough to slip into your purse and bring with you. Of course, they contain the standard foam applicators which are completely useless for anyone that is reading this review (I'm assuming you have a nice collection of brushes :-]) but if you're in a pinch, I guess they could work. Overall, this is a great palette for the price, and I highly recommend it, especially if you're looking for something to wear everyday that you can carry with you. I plan on buying some of the other color sets.
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Other -Crest - Whitestrips
adventurous 4/1/2009 5:53:00 PM
When I had a front tooth internally bleached, my dentist said he wanted to externally bleach the rest of my teeth to "jazz" everything up. He had a custom bleaching tray for my upper teeth made and sent me home with Crest Whitestrips Supreme. I put on the strips, and for my upper teeth, I put the tray over the strip. It really hugs the strip to my teeth, making it less annoying to wear them, and makes sure the gel gets in all the crevices. So far, my teeth are already starting to whiten, and while wearing the strips is really annoying, I have a long drive in the morning to school, so I just put them on during my commute. Your teeth may or may not become sensitive, but they absolutely do work, regardless if you like the product or not. They still will bleach your teeth.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No