Shampoo -Unlisted Brand - Nisim FAST Shampoo
arisibelle 4/27/2013 8:18:00 PM
I bought this on March 27th, 2013 and I have used it every day for one month. I want to put up a review now. I will update this review once a month until March 27th, 2014. My hair is straight, fine, thick and virgin. I cut it to my jaw on November 11th 2011. When I started using this product, my hair was just touching my shoulders and my bangs were just to my cheek bone. I did not and do not measure my hair, instead I judge by noticeable difference in length. Please note that to make this product work, you must wash your hair EVERY day and let the shampoo sit on your scalp for at least 2 minutes. I massage it into my scalp for 5 minutes, rinse and repeat. April 27, 2013: My hair grew to past my shoulders and is about two fingers' width past my shoulders but not touching my shoulder blades. My bangs grew to my lips and almost to my chin. May 13, 2013: My hair hasn't gotten noticeably longer in the last 2 weeks, but it is in noticeably better condition. I switched to the sulfate free version of this product and the dryness has immediately gone away. Overall Rating So Far: Does what it claims to do but is not a miracle. Price: Moderately expensive. $22 for 500ml shampoo and conditioner combo pack. Packaging Quality: I find it cheap looking, but the bottles and caps are sturdy and the color scheme is pleasing. Would I buy this product again? Yes. Where to buy: Check the website for your local retailers. I buy from a beauty supply store rather than a salon.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Biotin (All brands)
arisibelle 4/8/2013 4:14:00 PM
I buy Nature's Bounty brand at Wal-Mart for $7 for a bottle of 100 tables with 1000mg each. I started taking one tablet every day and broke out horrible. Scaled it back to one tablet every 3 days, worked up to every day and gradually worked up to 5 tablets or 5000mg every day. Take this with a regular multi-vitamin or it will break you out. I always had thin and bendy nails. They're now quite a bit harder and are still bendy but less prone to breakage. So make them grow longer make sure you get your heart rate up several times a day to get your blood flowing.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Other -Crest - 3D White Vivid Radiant Mint toothpaste
arisibelle 3/20/2013 12:31:00 AM
I bought this to replace my previous whitening tooth paste. My first impression was that it was an alright tooth paste. The taste does not linger and is very easy to get out of your mouth without rinsing more than once, so it's a great tooth paste to use first thing in the morning before a glass of orange juice. It cleans well and causes no pain or discomfort. It is not exceedingly good at whitening. While you can see results in 14 days as promised, you're not going to have perfect white teeth just from this tooth paste. It does remove stains and keeps my teeth off white rather than yellow. Combine it with a whitening mouth wash or use whitening strips once a month for really fantastic results. The price is about mid-range, maybe a little on te higher end if you're on a tight budget like I am. But it's worth the price because a single tube will last you more than six months. My father and I both use it, have been using it for a year and have only bought 2 tubes in all that time. Our current tube is still more than half full. The packaging quality is average. A cardboard box containing the tube itself. The cardboard box is flashy and eye-catching with a good graphic design and color scheme. The tube itself is the regular tooth paste tube with a sturdy cap that is very difficult to break and easy to close. It's easy to roll the tube up in order to get the last of the tooth paste out as well. I will buy this product again. It's nothing special but it definitely does its job. Brush twice a day every day for best whitening results.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Live Clean - Argan Oil
arisibelle 2/9/2013 4:29:00 PM
I don't know what the heck this stuff is, but it's definitely not "pure argan oil". It lathers! What the heck! It's more like hair gel than oil. It's clear where any oil I know of is colored. Argan oil is a pale gold and olive oil (which is in this product!) is green. Don't buy this. It goes on sticky, is a pain to get out, and just makes hair greasy even if you only use a tiny amount.
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Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - EXTRA VIRGIN Coconut Oil (All brands)
arisibelle 10/27/2012 7:25:00 PM
I buy cold-pressed, 100% natural coconut oil from the cooking oils section in the grocery store rather than the coconut oil from the hair section. The stuff from the cooking section is much purer. The stuff from the hair section tends to have fillers and silicones and other nasty stuff. So: go for the cooking coconut oil. I duped my mother into trying this before I went anywhere near it. She mixes one tablespoon to one cup of boiling water. Mix well, let cool, and apply after shampooing. She is actually balding but the coconut oil seems to have made her hair thicker after six months of use. I use it equal with an equal amount of raw honey. Melt and mix with one cup of lukewarm water. Mix thoroughly and apply to damp hair. Let sit fr as long as possible, preferably overnight. Then shampoo out. I've only used it twice but the results are actually stunning. My hair is very, very soft and shiny now. Like THE BEST conditioner ever, but it doesn't built up or anything! Just make sure to always use this before your shampoo rather than after, because the oil is hyrophobic - water resistant. If you don't shampoo it out and let the sulfates in the shampoo break the oil up, your hair WILL be oily. I tried getting it out with baking soda but that doesn't seem to work.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Aveeno - Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner with SPF 15
arisibelle 9/19/2012 8:58:00 PM
Very expensive for a small tube of lip protectant - between $5-12 at my local stores. Got mine for free by a stroke of pure luck. I had very bad lips and after using this for one day the change is enormous and very noticeable. Very happy with this product. Only thing that I MUST caution about it the menthol or some other ingredient seems to cause the corner of my mouth to dry out and get very painfully cracked. I fixed it by discontinuing the lip balm in favour of some olive oil and was back to normal in two days. So try not to use this just for the sake of using it. Only swipe it on if you actually need it.
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Oil Cleansing Method OCM
arisibelle 9/19/2012 8:54:00 PM
I use even parts raw honey and extra virgin olive oil. About 1 teaspoon of each. Pop it into a bowl or cup, mix, pop that into the microwave for 20 secs just to warm it up a bit. The most important thing to note with the OCM is that you MUST wash the oil off very thoroughly or it will clog your pores and cause break outs. Apply an even layer to your face, massage for 10-20 minutes, rinse with warm water. Jump in the shower to make sure it's all gone - which is why it's best to do this at night. Honey is antiseptic so it acts like hydrogen peroxide to clean your skin very gently - honey has been used on wounds and burns for thousands of years in order to prevent festering and infection. Olive oil is very similar to sebum, the oil that our skin naturally produces. The olive oil dissolves the sebum build up and helps soften and moisturise skin while the honey gently removes dirt. The olive oil is also a miracle for removing even water-proof makeup. EXCELLENT for sensitive skin, just don't scrub when trying to remove it. Instead let warm water and steam remove it. My personal experience: I've had acne ALL MY LIFE. When I was a little girl I had tiny red bumps and whiteheads despite bathing every day. When I hit puberty it got really wild and I have had cystic acne almost every day since puberty first hit. Tried Proactiv, tried all these different treatments and nothing worked. Found the OCM and I'm loving it so far. I had several new cystic pimples from trying a new skincare line known as Simple. ("with skin loving ingredients") I've been using the OCM once a day for about 4 days now and the cystic acne is almost gone. I've already noticed that older scars are starting to fade. Using this with my Egyptian Magic is really magic!
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Masks -Unlisted Brand - Aspirin Mask
arisibelle 7/28/2012 2:51:00 AM
I had the absolute worst break out I have ever had. The entire left side of my face just exploded into pimples. It was so bad that there were pimples on top of pimples. Not a centimetre of smooth skin. I was desperate enough to try some Aspirin my dad keeps in the cupboard. I used liquid gel capsules rather than the traditional tablet. I popped the capsule with a pair of sharp tweezers and applied the liquid directly to my face. Left it there for 2 hours and washed it away with cold water. Almost every pimple is gone and my blackheads have vanished. I swear I am not even exaggerating. Do yourself a favour and go buy some Aspirin! Hint: Use the liquid gel capsules rather than the tablets. It is much faster to just poke a hole in the capsule and squeeze the liquid directly onto your face rather than crush and dissolve several tablets. UPDATE: 19/09/12: I can no longer use this mask in any amount or for any length of time. Skin turns bright red, cystic pimples form, it's really terrible. I last tried to use this about one month ago and my skin is STILL uneven!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -The Body Shop - Moroccan Rose
arisibelle 7/18/2012 6:08:00 PM
I usually hate perfumes. All I can smell is that sharp hairspray-like scent. I can actually smell the floral scent of this perfume. It's very nice and I actually can't get enough of it. It's not at all overpowering; my dog is comfortably sleeping right next to me at the moment. I think I'm going to buy more before the sale is over.
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Moisturizers -Aveeno - Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer SPF 15
arisibelle 6/11/2012 5:24:00 PM
I used this product several months ago and I am only now getting around to reviewing it. I bought this to combat my very red and dry skin. This product only succeeded in making me break out. It did not help calm my redness. In fact, it made the redness worse. I remember that it notoriously caused painful new white heads where ever I applied it. I actually feared using it at one point, but always went back to it because it was Aveeno and Aveeno always works. Ladies, just accept it: this product is horrible. Price: $20 at my local Wal-Mart. Packaging: Messy. Pump is cheap and swiftly becomes smeared with product. Exorbitancy: Very good. Smooth over skin and it immediately sinks in. Calming: Non-existent. Actually irritated my skin more. Blemishes: Causes additional blemishes but does reduce the appearance of existing blemishes. Smell: Really good. Main reason I wanted to continue using this product. Effectiveness: Very slow if at all. Repurchase: No. Recommend: I recommend that everyone stay away from this product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - Veet Sensitive Formula Hair Removal Lotion
arisibelle 6/11/2012 4:58:00 PM
Mine came without a scraper and instructions said to use a wash cloth. Packaging is terrible. Smell is terrible. Product is terrible. Do not buy. I tried this on my legs twice. Did it *exactly* how the instructions said. Used a timer to get exactly 3 minutes. Burned my legs each time, left behind a *lot* of hair, just a huge hit and miss. It does make my legs really soft, so I use this for just 1 minute after I shave.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Diamond Strength No Chip Nail Color
arisibelle 5/23/2012 4:04:00 PM
This is the only Sally Hansen product that I like. I bought 220 Champagne Toast when it was on sale for $1. I really like that color and the polish itself. It does whiten and strengthen my nails but it stains. It left my nails with this weird clear pinkish stain after removal with a good nail polish remover. It looks fine but still isn't something I like. I bought 150 Platinum on a whim for $4. I hate this shade. It applies pink with a weird shimmer despite looking clear off-white in the bottle. It dries clear with a noticeable pink tint and no shimmer. I dislike this shade and don't understand why it's called Platinum when it's clearly a shade of clear pink. The product takes several minutes to dry and I run out of patience. So I don't have flawless nails when I wear this. The packaging is glass but very thick. It's durable and can survive a fall to a tiled floor. I dislike the brush. I have to wipe it twice to remove almost all the product. Some seems to get stuck above the brush and I have to wait for that to drip down onto the brush so that I can remove it. It doesn't bother me all that much but is still irritating enough to down grade packaging quality to a 4. I will buy this product again as it IS the best nail polish I've ever used. Colour: Misleading. Name and appearance in the bottle is not what the product looks like when applied. Be forewarned. Application: Messy. Must wipe brush several times to remove all stray product. Easy to apply more than necessary. Coverage: Thin. This product can not take more than one coat or it just doesn't dry. It applies very thinly and dries slowly. It's see-through. Nail Effects: It does not strengthen so much as harden. My nails are harder but not stronger. My nails are prone to fraying and immediately after removing this product to apply a new coat, I noticed that two of my nails were fraying. It does whiten, though. Removal: Difficult to remove completely. I removed this product with a strong nail polish remover and there was still a whitish coat left on my nails. Chipping: Seems to be impossible once completely dry. This lasted for a solid week with no imperfections before I got tired of the colour and removed it. Gripes: The application brush is terrible. Hard to remove excess product and apply an appropriate amount to my nail. Recommendation: Buy this and be patient through the application and drying process. It's a good product. Price: $4 at my local Wal-Mart.
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Skincare - Body -Unlisted Brand - Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel
arisibelle 5/23/2012 3:49:00 PM
Large bottle for a very reasonable price. It is not entirely natural but it is very close, with no added perfumes or dyes. It's very good for sensitive skin. My only gripe is that regardless of how little I apply at any time, it makes my skin sticky once it's dry. I love this product despite that. I applied it to my sunburned skin and the relief is immediate everywhere except a certain spot on my chest. I have no idea why, but no matter how much I apply to that spot on my left breast it still hurts. This product does noticeably fade my sunburn immediately after use and I have also applied it to my dry skin on my legs, stomach, arms. On it's own, this is not a moisturising product as much as a healing product. Apply your moisturiser THEN aloe vera. The moisture is locked in and your skin will feel smoother longer. I especially love to apply this after I shave. I use a depilatory cream rather than a shaving cream for added smoothness. Apply cream, wait three minutes, shave, rinse, apply lotion while legs are still damp, let air dry, apply aloe vera and voila! It's recommended that you exfoliate a day prior to shaving with this method as the depilatory cream is harsh on freshly exfoliated skin.
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Skincare - Body -Unlisted Brand - Egyptian Magic Healing Cream
arisibelle 5/18/2012 6:54:00 PM
I use this for big blemishes, like undergrounders and cysts. Egyptian Magic makes them disappear completely in less than a week - wow! Apply only a little, as it can easily make skin greasy. It's ESSENTIAL that you REALLY work this product into your skin. Sit there and massage it in for a few minutes. It won't work at all unless you really work it into your skin! Everyone also needs to know about this cream's EXTRAORDINARY healing powers! I fell and cut my hand wide open - the kind of wound that you go to the hospital for and takes several weeks to completely heal. I applied Egyptian Magic last night. The smaller cuts are GONE, the larger cuts are almost completely healed. PLEASE, do yourself a favour and apply this to your wounds. They will heal incredibly fast!
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Foundations -Garnier - BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-In-One
arisibelle 5/17/2012 8:21:00 PM
Don't know why everyone's on about it being greasy. Apply a LITTLE bit. Dab a LITTLE big onto your brush and sweep on in circular motions. My pores and redness is gone. YES, it doesn't hide blemishes. It's not supposed to hide them, it's supposed to "blur" them, according to the packaging itself. I have absolutely no oiliness. It doesn't really sink into your skin, rather it sits on it much like a foundation. It looks like I'm wearing full foundation and powder, when I'm just wearing this BB cream. I'm happy and will repurchase. The packaging is great. The bottle's snap lid closes very definitely and the material is strong. The snap is unlikely to break on you. It also seems unlikely to get clogged up with stray product. Very nice.
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