Cleansers -Bioderma - Sensibio H2O (aka Crealine H20 Solution micellaire)
annahch 1/25/2013 6:52:00 AM
I used this for a couple of weeks until it began to dry out my skin pretty badly - I had a number of noticeable circular dry patches distributed over my cheeks. Shame because I really liked it before the dryness happened, which went away as soon as I stopped using the Crealine solution. Now I'm using the Sebium solution which has a) made my skin much clearer, and b) doesn't cause any dry patches despite being a 'stronger' formula. I just wonder why the version formulated for sensitive skin caused such a paradoxical reaction on my skin. Normally I have sensitive skin, which is why I chose it. Unfortunately now I have a lot left in the bottle which I can't use on my face. I heard that you can use this product to clean your make-up brushes though, so I may give that a try and see if I can finish up the bottle another way. UPDATE 14/04/2013: I have to change my review to one that is much more positive! I ran out of the Sebium Bioderma about six weeks ago and decided to give the Crealine another go since I had so much left after I originally gave it up. Long story short, I have been using it twice a day since, and my skin has never looked so clear. It's much clearer than when I was using the Sebium solution. I haven't had any circular dry patches on my face this time so maybe it was something else that caused them. I think the combination of Crealine Bioderma and Biore's pore unclogging scrub has given me the best skin of my whole life. Anyway, hope this helps people who are considering using Bioderma Crealine. I can't recommend it highly enough.
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Cleansers -Bioderma - Sebium H2O
annahch 1/25/2013 6:45:00 AM
This stuff is a lifesaver. It has dramatically reduced the number of breakouts I get when stressed or hormonal, and eradicated a number of spots I had on my cheek in a matter of days. It's quite gentle, despite being a more active cleanser than the Crealine version. I have pretty sensitive skin and this doesn't cause any dryness for me (paradoxically, the Crealine one formulated for sensitive skin did cause dry patches). I noticed a difference in my skin's appearance and tone in under a week of using it in the morning and night. The only downside is the price - in Australia, it is horrendously expensive. But my skin has never looked this good, so I will definitely be buying another bottle when mine runs out!
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Masks -LUSH - Mask of Magnaminty
annahch 10/19/2012 1:32:00 AM
This is the best mask I have ever purchased, ever. When you first put it on, the mintiness stings a bit, and your face feels freezing whenever there is a gust of wind! It doesn't smell bad to me, but I enjoy herbal and minty scents so it may just be my personal preference. The mask dries down to stick quite well on the skin, but some bits may flake off if you have packed a lot on. I usually put this mask on before I get in the shower, allow it to dry, and then scrub it off in circular motions when I'm in the shower. It has improved my skin texture so dramatically that I think I'll continue to use this twice a week forever. It shrinks pores, scrubs off any dryness, and makes my skin glow. I am a giant fan of this mask and am eternally grateful to the Lush employee who suggested it to me and gave me a sample to try! I've already repurchased two tubs and thought it was finally time for a review. Anyone with temperamental skin should try this and be amazed at the results.
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Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter
annahch 10/1/2012 11:26:00 PM
I bought the Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait. While I love the dark pink base of the lip butter, I feel like there's way too much gold glitter in it. This could be a great everyday lip colour, but the glitter makes it a bit too blingy for me to wear during the day. It does enhance the natural colour of my lips though, and is quite moisturising. However on some days it feels too heavy and sticky. The lip butters are ridiculously expensive in Australia ($21.99 for one ... seriously?!), but I ordered mine on Amazon where I could get the US price. Overall it's quite a good product, I just wish there were bits about it that I could change so that I could wear it more often.
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Toners -LUSH - Tea Tree Water
annahch 9/22/2012 5:39:00 AM
This is one Lush product that I have consistently repurchased. Not only does it smell beautiful, it is really an excellent toner and spot treatment for little blemishes. It's also nice to spray on my face after a stressful day, the smell makes me feel very relaxed for some reason. I tend to use 3-4 sprays over my face after cleansing or using a mask. Sometimes I use it after taking a shower as well. I've never had a problem with break-outs as a result of using this, in fact, the tea tree oil in this tends to calm down any bad skin I have.
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Cleansers -LUSH - Angels on Bare Skin
annahch 9/22/2012 5:26:00 AM
I bought Angels on Bare Skin because I wanted to get a nice scrubby cleanser that had a bit of grit in it to combat my combination skin. It smells really beautiful, and it feels nice when you put it on and to use as a scrub. Unfortunately, it didn't really do anything for me. My skin was the same texture and appearance after using it for ages since the amount I purchased lasted a long time (another positive for this product). Even though it smells and feels good, I would rather use something that shows a positive result on my skin. The St Ives apricot scrub/cleanser had a bigger impact on my skin than this. So, I won't be repurchasing this, even though the smell is really lovely!
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Lip Treatments -LUSH - Bubblegum Lip Scrub
annahch 9/22/2012 4:58:00 AM
I adore this product. In Lush's other lip scrubs, the chocolate aroma sometimes makes me feel a bit ill, but this one is perfectly sweet and smells more like cotton candy than bubblegum. You just rub it onto your lips and leave it there for 10 or so minutes, and then you can either wash it off or lick it off since the ingredients are edible. I can say for sure that this product does a really great job at scrubbing away the dead skin cells on my lips. My lips have felt so smooth since I started using this, and they haven't gotten chapped and rough in the cold weather. My only issue is a similar one that other people have experienced: I quite dislike using jar containers for lip product. But it's a pretty small issue for a product that does exactly what it says it will do!
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Mascara -Maybelline - Great Lash Mascara
annahch 9/8/2012 8:23:00 AM
I wear mascara very rarely, so I bought the Maybelline Great Lash mascara because I thought I should just get a cheap, no-frills one instead of something fancy. I bought the waterproof one because I thought it would have more staying power. However, every time I wear it, somewhere in the time between putting it on and taking it off, it leaves smudges all around my eyes without me noticing. This can be pretty embarrassing when you're with a group of people who are too polite to tell you that your mascara has left you with panda eyes. This happened to me last night. Needless to say, I threw my tube of Great Lash away this morning and am in search of a better waterproof mascara that doesn't smudge all over my eyes. The packaging is nice though. That's all.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Elie Saab-Le Parfum
annahch 12/13/2011 8:34:00 PM
I adore this perfume. I was offered a tester by the lovely people at Barcelona airport duty free and had to buy it on the spot, it smelled like summer and reminded me of all the good times I had in the city. Whenever I wear it, people ask me what I'm wearing, and my mum actually bought some for herself and is a convert as well. I'm 24 and she's 59, so you could say that in my experience this perfume is universally popular.
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Skincare - Face -Philosophy - Help Me
annahch 12/13/2011 8:24:00 PM
I bought Philosophy's Help Me cream to use on little wrinkles that are developing under my eyes, and after first using it I noticed that it made my skin feel really dry. But I thought, it's all good, I'll give it a month or two and see what develops! Long story short, I do not recommend this as an anti-wrinkle cream. It actually increased the number of wrinkles under my eyes WITHIN THE MONTH to make them deeper and more visible. I'm still moisturising like crazy under the eye, but it seemed to sap all the youthfulness out of there no matter what. However, I definitely recommend this as an anti-acne cream! I used it on a pimple by accident and it disappeared overnight. I had a little acne scar/red spot that's been on my cheek for a long time that I always had to cover up, but after dabbing some of Help Me on there overnight for the last week or so, the size and colour has visibly diminished. So in a way, I'm happy, but I'm not happy. I'll keep using Help Me for acne/scarring but there is no way it's going anywhere near any potential wrinkles ever again.
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Fragrances -Estee Lauder - Beyond Paradise
annahch 4/24/2011 2:30:00 AM
I adore this perfume, it's my perfect summer scent. Floral and sexy without being overpowering, something about the smell reminds me of the beach and sunshine. When I say beach, it's more of an organic smell, not a manufactured coconut type smell. The bottle is so beautiful as well. I've had my bottle since 2006 and its lasting power is amazing. It's a little bit expensive though. But I would say it's worth it, because the scent is so summery and beautiful and I always get compliments on it.
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Fragrances -Bulgari - Omnia Amethyste 
annahch 4/24/2011 2:23:00 AM
I received this as a gift, and I'm glad I didn't pay money to own it. I was quite disappointed with its overly-sweet scent. I didn't really have any expectations apart from enjoying a present someone gave me, but in the end I had to hide this perfume away. It's just too sweet, something about it was cloying and suffocating, but that may have just been my body chemistry. Normally I love florals, but something about this one just didn't smell 'fresh'. It's a shame because the bottle is really pretty!
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Masks -Unlisted Brand - Aspirin Mask
annahch 4/23/2011 8:42:00 AM
I try to use an aspirin mask on my face at least once a month. Since I've started, my skin tone has become a lot more even and breakouts come much less often, usually only during stressful times like exams but I think that's more of a psychological thing than a skin thing. I think it makes my skin look a lot more healthy as well. I'm not sure I would use the word 'glow' to describe it, but my skin has been so clear and fresh (apart from the aforementioned). It's definitely a cheap and dependable alternative to more expensive masks. I'll never be buying another mask cream again because I know I can go down to the pharmacy and buy 60 aspirin tablets for $2! I make the mask with two or three uncoated aspirin tablets, some drops of water and a glob of honey. I stir it all up, and massage it along my t-zone. I don't really time how long to leave it on, I just let it sit there until I'm sick of it being on my face. Then when I'm washing the mask off, I use the aspirin granules as a gentle scrub. This method has worked the best for me.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Lucas' Papaw Ointment
annahch 4/23/2011 7:52:00 AM
The best lip balm ever. I use maybe two tubes a year, but one of the tubs can last you a year or longer! I get really dry lips during winter and this is the only balm that cures it. I wear it both during the day as a gloss, and overnight as a treatment to keep my lips soft. I also use it on my dry cuticles and it practically solves the problem overnight. The tube says that it can also be used on open wounds, which I thought was funny, until I accidentally cut myself when cooking.. it wasn't a deep cut but I saw it as an opportunity to test out the claims on the tube. The cut looked pretty gnarly but I put Lucas on it overnight and re-applied it over the next day, covering it with a bandaid. Anyway, long story short, I don't know if it's a miracle cure for cuts, but it did calm down the area and the cut healed up quite quickly. For the lips, it's a must-have. Also, it worked wonders while my tattoo was healing! People say not to use too much of it due to the petroleum content, but I found that it kept the area (on my wrist/arm) moist, which was conducive to excellent healing. Thanks to Lucas, my tattoo looks perfect.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Nivea - Nivea Soft Moisturizing Creme
annahch 4/23/2011 7:32:00 AM
This is the only moisturiser I can use on my skin that doesn't give me little pimples and bumps. I use it both day and night, and I find that it works very well under makeup. I also tend to get some red, itchy and flaking skin around my mouth/chin area during stressful times (exams, assignments due, stress at work) and this is the only moisturiser that both calms the redness down and re-hydrates the area without making my skin feel greasy. Basically it's the best moisturiser I've ever used, and for the price, it's great value. I can also use it everywhere on the body, not just my face, and the results are the same. It's excellent. I suspect I'll be using it for a long time!
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