Lip Treatments -Badger - Highland Mint Lip & Body Balm
allymack 5/8/2013 12:17:00 AM
This is my new HG lip balm. I use lip balm a LOT. Which made me think I should probably switch to a natural brand. I purchased this in stick form. The taste is fresh but not overwhelming. My lips feel incredibly soft when I apply it. The packaging is cute and compact, so it fits well in my pocket. I will continue buying this balm, and I'm excited to try other flavours in the line.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Vicco Turmeric-WSO
allymack 5/5/2013 7:40:00 PM
I'm really surprised this product isn't more popular. After having success with a turmeric and yogurt face mask in brightening and evening my skin and diminishing clogged pores, I was looking for a skincare product of some kind that contained turmeric, since the mask wasn't convenient enough to use in my regular skincare regimen and stained my skin and towels. At night, I apply Vicco's cream all over my face after washing with my clarisonic (with Himalaya neem & turmeric cleanser), and after it dries, I use jojoba oil to moisturize. I have noticed my skin is incredibly smooth, blackheads and clogged pores reduced, and somewhat more even skin tone. A few times I had pimples healing, I did think that they seemed to heal faster while I was using this. The smell is very strong and may turn some people off. I personally don't find it particularly unpleasant, but it is very odd and distinctive. While I paid way more than I think I needed to for this cream (it was hard to find), online it is possible to pay very little for it. I definitely would rebuy, because I think this is really a multi-use product, being a spot treatment and tone enhancer in one.
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Eyeliner -Urban Decay - 24/7 eyeliner in Rockstar
allymack 4/11/2013 9:28:00 PM
I am a big fan of using eyeliners other than basic black as my day-to day liner, and I've gone through a few (clinique egyptian and ud's stash among them). I'm quite pale and find black to be overly harsh on my skin tone. After egyptian got discontinued, I gave this one a shot, and I have to say I'm a fan. First off, my makeup is typically very conservative. Don't avoid this shade simply because it's purple. It does not show up this way when you put it on. I'd liken it more to a deep brown. The purple tones add a quality of depth to make this one just gorgeous. The staying power is great, and the texture is really nice and creamy, so I find it kind of "blurs", ever so slightly, around where you've applied it with the perfect amount of imprecision to look subtly sexy, and not sloppy. I would happily repurchase.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Styling Tools -Goody - Spin Pin
allymack 4/2/2013 10:53:00 PM
This is such a cool product. it takes a little finesse, but once you get the hang of it, you can do an easy, chic bun that'll stay all day. I get lots of compliments on this, and numerous friends have headed out and purchased it when I tell them what I used.
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Lip Treatments -RoC - Enydrial Lip Balm
allymack 4/2/2013 8:36:00 PM
This is my HG lip balm. It really does everything you'd want a balm to do. It moisturizes to make your lips soft and supple. The tube is elegant and discreet, not awkwardly shaped. It fits in my pocket easily. It gives a subtle, pleasant sheen, but absorbs well rather than sitting on top of the lips. It has no scent at all. Just perfect.
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Polishes -Zoya - Kate Professional Lacquer
allymack 4/2/2013 7:51:00 PM
I purchased this product after learning it is a dupe for Chanel's Rose Confidentiel, which I saw in a style blog and really liked. It is an interesting brown-pink shade. It's sexy, but subdued and sophisticated. The polish dries to be quite shiny, which is nice, but I do find it chips after a day or so. That said, I would definitely re-purchase. This is a colour I suspect would look great with a variety of skin tones.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Unlisted Brand - Cattier - Green Clay Mask
allymack 4/2/2013 1:28:00 AM
I bought this mask when I decided to stop using products with parabens, and needed a replacement for my Queen Helene mint julep mask. The ingredients listed on the tube I purchased include only water and clay, which is really appealing to me. I haven't found any other clay masks with such minimal ingredients. I suppose you could just buy clay powder and mix it yourself, but that seems like such a lot of bother. This mask is quite drying compared with other clay masks I've tried. Leaving it on for thirty minutes may be a bit much, certainly in the winter. That said, it leaves you with soft, clean-feeling skin, and I find my skin tone is much more even with regular use, my skin produces less oil, and as a result, I experience way less acne. I purchased this in a health food store in Montreal for $13, which I think is excellent value for how much product it is. I imagine this tube will last for two years, minimum, using it a few times a week.
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Bronzers -Physicians Formula - Bronze Booster Pressed Bronzer - Med to Dark
allymack 3/28/2013 1:12:00 AM
I want to start of by saying that this is my first ever bronzer, so I'm by no means an expert. I've always been intimidated by them, since I've seen so many instances of it going terribly wrong. I was also hesitant to buy the medium to dark, since I'm very pale, but I bought it anyways since it had the best reviews. I *really* like this stuff. The colour is so flattering and warm. As others have said, the shimmer, which is obvious in the pan, doesn't look like sparkles sitting on your skin. It just looks subtly luminous, and terrific in photographs. This powder imparts a gorgeous, wholesome, glow. As a first time bronzer-er, and not a makeup artist by any means, I got this right from the first time, and I attribute that to the naturalness of the tone. It's hard to screw up.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Nemat International - Musk Amber
allymack 3/26/2013 7:49:00 PM
In a search to replace my beloved Kiehl's amber oil, I bought this along with Nemat's amber. This one is closer in terms of being more sultry and luxurious. I can't offer a description as evocative as the previous posters, but this is very nice, bottom line. I favour perfume oils over regular fragrances for how they linger on the skin and clothes, and how it radiates from you. Those who are always disappointed by department store perfume staying power should give one of these a shot. All the complexity of a high end scent, but so inexpensive.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Nemat International - Amber
allymack 3/26/2013 7:44:00 PM
This is a nice scent. It's very soft and clean and feminine. One of the reasons I favour perfume oils is that the scent tends to last longer, and I haven't found that as much with this one. I will not repurchase, only because I prefer 'heavier' amber scents, and bought this in a search to replace my Kiehl's amber oil, but this one is still very lovely. Those looking for a sexier oil should check out Nemat's musk amber.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Self Tanners -Neostrata - Self Tan
allymack 3/22/2013 10:12:00 PM
Wow, this stuff is amazing. I'm very very pale, and haven't used self tanner in years. After one application of this, I had a nice, healthy glow. After a second one (perhaps four days later), I am brown. Not orange at all. It really, really looks like a tan. I think my favourite thing about this self tan, relative to others I tried in the past, is how only two coats is what you need to get a noticeable tan look. Other products I find I have to apply at least three times to get some real colour, and then the orange look is often unavoidable. The thing I like the least about this is how fast it dries-even when I wash my hands immediately after using, I am left with tan palms. You really need gloves for this one. Also, because it is so pigmented, you do need to be careful about streaking. It can be much more noticeable. Overall, I'm thrilled with this. It's expensive, yes, but because of the amount of bang you get out of an application, I expect the little bottle will go a long way.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Got 2 Be - POWDER'ful Volumizing Styling Powder
allymack 3/9/2013 11:03:00 PM
I love this stuff. I haven't put any special styling into my hair in years, always just wash it and brush it, partly laziness and partly just never knowing what to do with it. This product, however, is so incredibly easy to use, and makes my long boring and sometimes flat hair look more interesting and sultry. Last weekend at a party, I wore it and was told I had "after sex hair". It doesn't stay perfect all night, but I just push it up a bit at the roots when I'm in the bathroom and I'm good. It's effortless, but it does its job. My kind of product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Other -Jason Natural Cosmetics - Whitening Toothpaste
allymack 12/31/2012 2:43:00 PM
I've been using natural toothpaste for a year now. My oral hygiene has not gotten any worse, and my teeth haven't gotten any less white, for those who think it may not work as well as non-natural brands. Also, now when I use a non-natural toothpaste in a pinch, I really don't like it. It makes my mouth feel weirdly dry. I can't say I've noticed whether or not powersmile has whitened my teeth, but it does make my mouth feel really clean. I also love the flip cap. The taste is refreshing; however, when a friend visited recently and used it, she said she said it had a weird taste to it or something. I've never noticed this, though I did with Jason Seafresh toothpaste. It's possible I've gotten used to it. Anyways, this is a good and effective natural toothpaste.
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Shampoo -Batiste - Dry Shampoo
allymack 12/31/2012 2:22:00 PM
This is an essential product. I've tried the more pricy Klorane dry shampoo, but Batiste works much better. I wash my hair every other day, and from time to time I'll oversleep or get lazy or be in a rush, and skip the hair wash on the second day (I know, gross). I love keeping some of this stuff on hand for when that happens. It'll extend my hair through that day so I don't have to look like a yucky greaseball (even though I'll know deep down that I am). I've tried the original, tropical, and blush scents, and the original is my favourite. It just smells citrus-y, but the scent doesn't linger too much.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Fresh - Sugar Lip Treatment in Berry
allymack 12/31/2012 2:12:00 PM
I purchased this from Sephora with a gift card, otherwise I'm not sure I would have shelled out for this incredibly expensive product. It's funny that this product is called a lip treatment: it's so pigmented it's more similar to a lipstick than a balm. You wouldn't want to apply this balm without a mirror. However, it feels extremely moist and hydrating when on. I have thin lips, and have always avoided lipsticks because they make my lips look even smaller. This product tints my lips without doing anything of the sort, if anything it makes them look fuller. That makes it a winner it my books. It's a gorgeous, natural, sexy light berry colour. Despite the price tag, I'll probably re-buy.
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