BB Cream -Maybelline - Dream Fresh 8-in-1 BB Cream
ashleydutta 7/21/2012 9:27:00 PM
This product has a lot of pros, which I'll describe below, but the main problem is it doesn't actually DO much of anything. It doesn't provide any coverage at all. I put it on half of my face, and I couldn't tell that half of the face looked any better than the side with nothing on it... Also ladies, don't listen to this "SPF 30" claim. It has 1% of titanium dioxide. That's right, ONE percent! That will not measure up to SPF 30 - I'm not sure how they are calculating that. It will provide almost no UVA protection, so it is not broad spectrum. On to the actual "pros" of the prodcut: - The lightest shade blends perfectly into my yellow NC 15 to 20 skin tone. It looks orange coming out of the tube, but it doesn't look pink or orange on the skin. - It does not oxidize/turn orange after it's on - it stays the same color. - It doesn't get oily or puddly up in pores. -It doesn't streak - I went to a Zumba class, and even after that, I didn't have white streaks of foundation when I rubbed my face. -It's very light weight and feels good on the skin. I will not be repurchasing - I'd like at least a tad of coverage, or why would I bother to put it on? I will repurchase Laura Mercier's TM next time...
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Estee Lauder - Advanced Night Repair (Serum) 
ashleydutta 5/4/2012 6:50:00 PM
I first tried the deluxe sample size then swapped for a full size. When I was using this, my skin did have improved smooth texture and hydration. I was also using a Renee Rouleau cream (Hawaiian Nourishing Cream) and this combination was working really well for my skin - I received several compliments on how glowy and healthy my skin looked, and I credit that to this Estee Lauder serum and the Renee Rouleau cream. However, I haven't been able to repurchase it because it is so expensive, so I'm not using it anymore...maybe one day. As for the ingredients - it has some antioxidants and hydrating ingredients like sodium hyaluronate, plus caffeine - but the second main ingredient, bifida ferment lysate I'm not familar with...supposedly it's skin conditioning and promotes skin repair..well I believe them because this serum is effective :)
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Lipstick -Revlon - Cherries In The Snow
ashleydutta 5/3/2012 5:32:00 PM
Surprisingly nice quality lipstick! Goes on smoothly, very pigmented, and doesn't slide around like other drugstore lipsticks (ahem, Maybelline..). It also doesn't have that cheap taste and smell (like Rimmel & Wet n Wild). It's totally unscented. It doesn't dry lips out either, like many other drugstore lippies. The best thing about this lipstick is that it doubles as a lip stain! I swear, it will not budge - for hours, even after eating and drinking. It completely stains the lips, better than real "lip stains" do. I've tried the new YSL glossy lip stain, the Balm's Stainiac, Tarte's stain, Benefit's Benetint & Posietint, and Vincent Longo's famous one, and this beats all of them, hands down! Unfortunately, this is not the right shade for me, so I had to return it. If you have a yellow based (warm) skin tone, this will look garish on you because it is so blue based. It just looked off on me. I exchanged it for the shade Love that Pink, a yellow based hot pink, and it's perfect for my warm very pale complexion!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Bourjois - Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation
ashleydutta 5/3/2012 1:40:00 PM
This is a fantastic foundation - definitely the best affordable foundation I've tried. It is very light and feels like nothing on the face, yet provides decent coverage and gives skin a very healthy, smooth appearance. I have it in shade 51 Light Vanilla (the lightest) and 52 Vanilla (next up). Strangely, these 2 colors perform differently. Shade 52 looks dewy (a little; I set it with a light powder) and healthy and never smudges. In fact, it looks very similar to my Koh Gen Do Moisture foundation (but it's much cheaper)! Shade 51 can look a bit dry on the skin, and after a few hours of wear, it can smudge. I'm not sure why these two shades perform differently. Both shades match me (I'm between NC 15 and NC 20), but shade 51 is a tad too light and shade 52 is a tad too dark. In summer 52 will be perfect though. Shade 51 is very neutral and doesn't lean pink or yellow. Shade 52 leans a little yellow, which is perfect for me. I just wish I could buy these in the U.S.! I have to wait to buy them when I go abroad, which is not frequent enough.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Unlisted Brand - Thinksport Livestrong Sunscreen SPF 30
ashleydutta 3/20/2012 4:09:00 PM
Surprised there are no reviews for this. This is one of the better zinc oxide sunscreens I have tried. There are a lot of good things about this sunscreen I'd like to share: 1. It does NOT contain nano particles. 2. It contains enough zinc oxide (20%) for adequate UVA protection. 3. The particles of zinc oxide are micronized, not smaller than 250 nm, and they are coated. 4. Lovely ingredients - no parabens, phthalates (natural fragrance), phenoxyethanol, alcohol, etc. So how does it perform? It is slightly oily and white. Definitely not the whitest sunscreen I've tried, though - this is definitely wearable, if you rub it in well and if you put makeup on top. (may be more difficult for darker skin tones). It is also not as oily as many sunscreens, and someone with dry skin may really like it. It has never broken me out. I would say, this is a pretty good natural, zinc oxide based sunscreen - I'd give it a B grade. I'm going to keep looking because it is a little too oily and white for me..and seems to make my makeup slide around. But, it is better (and safer) than most sunscreens, so if I don't find one I like better, I may repurchase this. I've liked it enough to finish the tube, and that's saying something!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Tarte - Amazonian Clay 12-hour Full-Coverage Foundation SPF 15
ashleydutta 2/28/2012 4:43:00 PM
Did not like this foundation at all. Tarte says it has a healthy and natural finish, but the finish is very dull and lifeless. It makes my skin look dehydrated. It also highlights dry patches or acne, and it settles in fine lines...so it makes my skin looks WORSE than it is. I tried applying it with a brush (similar to the one Tarte sells), sponge, and fingers - nothing worked for me :-(. You can see swatches and photos and a full review on my blog here: http://www.splashofcolordashofspice.com/2012/02/tarte-amazonian-clay-12-hour-full.html
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Foundations -Tarte - Amazonian Clay 12-hour Full-Coverage Foundation SPF 15
ashleydutta 2/28/2012 4:42:00 PM
Did not like this foundation at all. Tarte says it has a healthy and natural finish, but the finish is very dull and lifeless. It also highlights dry patches, acne, and it settles in fine lines...so it makes my skin looks WORSE than it is. I tried applying it with a brush (similar to the one Tarte sells), sponge, and fingers - nothing worked for me :-(. You can see swatches and photos and a full review on my blog here: http://www.splashofcolordashofspice.com/2012/02/tarte-amazonian-clay-12-hour-full.html
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Masks -Renee Rouleau - Triple Berry Smoothing Peel
ashleydutta 2/10/2012 6:59:00 PM
Nice product, but very overpriced. Maybe worth getting on sale. The MyChelle Fruit Fiesta Peel is nearly identical in performance and ingredients - and is only $25 to $28 depending on where you buy it. Renee Rouleau's color is deeper and it smells more like real fruit jam, but that is the only difference I noticed. A nice luxury product though, if that's what you're looking for.
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Treatments -Arcona - Hydrating Serum
ashleydutta 1/22/2012 9:09:00 PM
Best hydrating serum I have used. The high concentration of sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid) as opposed to glycerin makes it work in low humidity - perfect for winter. It takes that dull, tight look my skin can get in the winter away. It reduces fine dehydration lines under my eyes a lot. My skin feels soothed, and looks hydrated and plump. <3 it!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Earth Science - A-D-E Creamy Cleanser
ashleydutta 11/20/2011 3:26:00 PM
Oh my goodness, where has this been all my life? Like most of us on MUA I am an absolute product junkie & have tried every cleanser under the sun. This is my all time favorite for dissolving makeup, and for being a gentle cleanser during the winter months. It performs just like an oil cleanser - I rub the cream into my face (dry), and massage. I can feel the makeup dissolve. I even feel plugs (blocked pores) on my nose/chin loosen. Then I rinse with warm water - it rinses completely clean. My face is always clean (no dirt on the cotton square when I use my toner), and I have not broken out one time. Oh, and I use this as my morning cleanser too - gets rid of the oilies without drying my skin. Please see a full review of this on my blog, Splash of Color Dash of Spice: http://www.splashofcolordashofspice.com/2012/01/perfect-winter-cleanser-earth-science-d.html
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Cleansers -Trader Joe's - Nourish All in One Facial Cleanser
ashleydutta 9/28/2011 9:22:00 PM
This is a little-known gem!! I cannot tell you how many cleansers I have tried - I've reviewed nearly 30 here on MUA and that's only a fraction of how many I have tried. I just could not find one that cleaned my face well (my skin gets oily and I am prone to black heads) without dehydrating my skin (my skin gets dehydrated very easily). All cleansers would give a tight feeling after washing, and my skin would just look dull, or I'd get dehydration lines under my eyes and white patches beside my mouth. If a cleanser didn't do that, then usually it meant it didn't clean well at all, so I was left with blocked pores and painful under-the-skin bumps. I was about ready to give up the search! Then, I saw this in Trader Joe's and thought I'd give it a go - at $5 a bottle (for 8 oz!) I couldn't go wrong. And THIS is what I was looking for!! It is a fragrance free gel cleanser that removes all the residue from oil cleansing, and is a perfect morning cleanser, and it never, ever dries my face out AT ALL! My face is looking hydrated and plump since I started using it 2 weeks ago - no tightness, no white patches - and the skin under my eyes looks years younger! I <3 this and hope they never discontinue it!!
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Renee Rouleau - Purifying Face Wash
ashleydutta 9/28/2011 9:09:00 PM
I love Renee Rouleau's products usually but was disappointed with this. I bought it after I wrote customer service and explained my skin type - they recommended this cleanser but it really dried me out. I have combination skin that easily gets dehydrated but also gets really oily. They promised me this would not dry my skin out (as so many cleansers do). Well, it did. badly. After using it for 3 weeks, my skin had white, tight patches and dehydration lines under my eyes. It also dried out my husband's skin - and his is very oily. I quit using it and started using Trader Joe's Nourish All-in-One cleanser - oh my gosh, that is a gem! It cleans well and never ever leaves my skin dry - my skin is looking the best it has in a long time! Needless to say, I returned this product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Renee Rouleau - Vitamin C Eye Serum
ashleydutta 9/9/2011 3:25:00 PM
Even though the ingredients look good, this didn't do anything for me. It was not hydrating enough. The texture is very similar to Caudalie Vinexpert Serum for eyes and lips - it is almost like a serum - very light. It spreads easily and absorbs quickly. However, the Caudalie product was more hydrating. I returned this and will get something else in exchange.
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Fragrances -Penhaligon's - Amaranthine
ashleydutta 9/7/2011 9:15:00 PM
I just don't understand the reviews that say this is "dirty" or "bad girl" or "sexy". What? When I first smelled this, the first words that came to my mind were "soft, innocent, creamy floral." I let my husband smell it and he said "pretty, delicate floral." If I can imagine someone wearing this, it would be a children's Sunday school teacher on Easter morning! It is the exact opposite of dirty or bad girl! I think the softness of this fragrance comes from the combination of white freesia, orange flower, tonka bean and condensed milk (this is the listed notes) - this creates the ultimate creamy floral - it's just beautiful, and I usually don't like florals! So I feel like I am reveiwing something different from the people who call this fragrance bad and sexy...very strange!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Fancl - Fancl Sunguard spf 30
ashleydutta 8/30/2011 9:26:00 PM
This sunscreen is more oily than I expected. I keep hearing how matte and drying Japanese sunscreens are - not this one! It is a very runny liquid and blends in easily, but it feels oily and looks oily for a while after application. I don't mind this too much, because it eventually settles into skin. It does leave some white cast, but it is better than most zinc oxide/titanium dioxide sunscreens. It gives good UVA protection and I have not burned or tanned while wearing this. I like that it has no sunscreen smell and no icky preservatives. However, it's just a bit too oily for my liking (and expensive!) so I don't think I'll repurchase. Oh, and to respond to the review below mine - if you apply the amount of sunscreen needed to give you adequate protection (1/4 tsp daily on face alone, more for chest and neck) this sunscreen doesn't last that long at all. Just dabbing it on lightly will NOT give you adequate protection. And, if anyone is interested, I wrote the company and the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide in this are coated nanoparticles.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No