Bronzers -Physicians Formula - Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Bronzer
aura_brite1 9/13/2008 10:49:00 PM
I love this bronzer! It seems in the past whenever I have tried bronzers designed for fair skin, they has chunks of bronze or gold shimmer in them and it just looked so fake to me. This is a perfect,natural tan shade. The formula is very light weight and breathable. It blends very well, and doesn't irritate my skin or cause breakouts or clog pores. I love the earthy packaging and the cute brush it comes with. It looks like it will last a long time, as well.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Unlisted Brand - Whole foods 365 Herbal Mint shower gel
aura_brite1 9/13/2008 10:16:00 PM
This is a staple at our house. The fresh herbal mint scent is neither too sweet nor too green. The formula is very gentle, but still lathers nicely, and rinses very clean. It leaves skin smooth and soft with no residue.Even though it contains natural peppermint and spearmint oils, it is nicely blended with lavender and other extracts, so it doesn't cause too much tingling or irritation. The price is also unbeatable! Definately a good buy for your money.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Burt's Bees - Burts Bees Lip Shimmers
aura_brite1 9/13/2008 10:09:00 PM
I adore these tinted lip balms! They have a similiar color payoff and consistency to a creamy sheer lipstick. I think the most universally flattering color is Rhubarb, but there are many shades that would work well on different skin tones. This is such a simply good product. It's affordable, the formula is very nourishing and moisturizing, the peppermint flavor and scent are refreshing, the sheer colors are flattering and versatile, and the slim tube is very sleek and portable. I highly recommend this product! it's a staple for any lip balm/gloss/lipstick junkie.
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Sunscreen -Alba Botanica - Alba Mineral Sunscreen for Face SPF 10 Fragrance Free
aura_brite1 9/13/2008 9:47:00 PM
I'm on the fence about this sunscreen. I usually have difficulty with using sunscreen on my face. Many so-called "gentle" facial moisturizers containing sunscreen make my face irritated and sting. This is very gentle. For a sunscreen, it's very moisturizing and smooth.It actually makes my skin look healthy. Unfortunately, it's a bit heavy, and if it's not worn under makeup and powder, it sweats off very easily. However, for a low SPF it seems to be very effective. This is not a big thumbs down, it will do for now, but I will search for something better.
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Sunscreen -Alba Botanica - Green Tea Spf 30 Sunscreen
aura_brite1 9/13/2008 9:37:00 PM
Overall, this is nice sunblock. The formula is gentle and very moisturizing. The scent is fresh and subtle. The tube is a good size - just enough product but still small enough to stash in a small purse. Unfortunately, the product claims to be water resistant, but when it somes in contact with moisture it does wear off. I also found that I was still getting freckles and color. I will finish up the tube, but this is not strong enough sunblock for my very fair skin.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Aveeno - Active Naturals Continuous Protection Spray - SPF 30
aura_brite1 9/13/2008 9:31:00 PM
I'm actually considering buying the newer SPF 70 continuous spray next time, but I digress - Let's start off with the pros. I have very fair skin and I do not like to tan at all because it always leaves me with sunspots and freckles.Even a lot of high SPF suncreens allow my color to change. This stayed put for hours, with no freckles, redness, or tan. It also kept the sun from stinging my sensitive skin. It stayed put even with exposure to water and sweating.It's very easy to apply and I am able to cover hard to reach spots more easily. In addition to this, it doesn't irritate my skin the way some sunscreens do. As for the cons, the first is the smell. It's highly fragranced, and when you spray it you need to be in a well-ventilated area because it makes the air stuffy. The scent stays around. While it's not bad, I find it interferes with any other scented product I want to use, so much so that it has made people around me sneeze. When I ran out of this, I purchased Alba green tea sun block, which is supposed to be water resistant, but always seems to melt right off of me and I am getting spots on my arms. I think I will go back to the Aveeno for now becuase nothing has worked better for me so far.
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Cleansers -Aveeno - Positively Radiant Cleansing Pads
aura_brite1 9/6/2008 9:50:00 PM
I don't usually review a product after only using it a couple of times, but I am already *very* pleased with the results I am getting by using Aveeno Positively Radiant Cleansing Pads. I was using Olay Hydrating Daily Facials, and they were good, but still didn't leave my face feeling clean enough. A friend swore by these, so when I ran out of the other brand, I decided to give them a try. After only two uses so far, my skin is not only clean, but my complexion is clearer and brighter. My skin looks very healthy. If you have sensitive skin, be careful with the exfoliating side - it's very "scrubby". I used the exfoliating side on the back of my neck which sometimes get rough spots, but am avoiding using it on my face. The smooth side, however, is just right. The scent is just sort of generically fresh - something like a cucumber or watermelon - but is non-offensive and doesn't linger. My only complaint is the jar that they come in. The jar is very nice, but most cleansing cloths have the option of buying a "refill pack" so that you don't have to buy the big, bulky packaging every time. On Aveeno's web site, they have a list of Earth friendly organizations and events they have sponsored. That's a great start, but they should look into more eco-friendly packaging, such as refills. Also, I would be happier if it didn't contain parabens.
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Palettes -Sonia Kashuk - Face Palette in Amazing Auburn
aura_brite1 7/13/2008 3:37:00 PM
I have had my eye on these face palettes for a while. The price was a bit too high for me,so I put off purchasing one. I recently got a new hair cut and had my hair dyed a very deep shade of red. so it was time for some new makeup, too. I discovered the face palettes were marked down 50% off, so I purchased one. I wish I purchased this a long time ago! The colors are beautiful neutrals, and the quality is very nice. The concealers are creamy and dry almost like a powder. The blush is a rich color, but it's very warming and flattering. There is a sheer matte lip color and a sheer shimmery brown gloss. I like to line my lips with the matte color and fill them in with the gloss. I took off one lippy for two reasons: The eyebrow pencil that comes with this is very poor quality. It's hard to use. Also, there is no list of ingredients, which concerns me a little bit, but so far no breakouts or irritation. The packaging is beautiful and the colors are effortlessly pretty. I use this with the mini brush kit in the hard case and they are a great compliment to each other. Because it was marked down, I have a feeling that they will be replacing this with another product, but this looks like it will last a while and I will definately use it up. And I will definately buy more SK palettes in the future. They are worth every penney.
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Gels/Soaps -Unlisted Brand - Mistral bath soaps (all scents)
aura_brite1 7/13/2008 12:23:00 PM
As someone who has always adored bath, body, and fragrances perhaps just a little too much, I was starting to think that I would not find that "HG" soap or body wash. I have found it, and it has been under my nose, literally for years. I have seen Mistral soaps in stores many times. I always stopped and remarked how nice they smelled and liked the size, but for one reason or another I never took one home. Perhaps I wasn't sophisticated enough yet to appreciate the simplicity of just a really good bar of soap. I purchased this in the Orange Flowers and Green Fig scent, which I think according to the web site is now just referred to as Green Fig. The fragrance is delightful. It's both green and fresh and yet soft and pretty. It makes my whol bathroom smell fresh, but it only lightly scents the skin, which is how I like my soaps and body washes. The formula is very creamy & moisturizing. The soap lathers nicely and rinses very clean. My skin is left very soft and also very clean. I highly recommend these soaps.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Bourbon French Parfums - La Vie Nouvelle
aura_brite1 7/13/2008 12:14:00 PM
This is a beautiful, light fresh scent. It's even lighter in the cologne form, which I am currently using. The notes in this are white tea, lily of the valley and tuberose. The combination sounds like it might be heady and very sweet. Contrarily, La Vie Nouvelle is very easy going. Bourbon French's tubersose is much more mild and almost lightly buttery compared to other tuberose scents, which probably accounts for the softness of this. The lily of the valley is a slightly soapy floral, and the white tea creates a clean crispness. The name is perfect - it's a great scent for fresh starts. La Vie Nouvelle is a new favorite for me. If you like a little more sillage you may want to try this in the parfum.
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Fragrances -The Healing Garden - Jasmine Therapy
aura_brite1 6/20/2008 8:11:00 PM
This was one of my signature scents back in high school. I was feeling nostalgic and decided to pick up a bottle of this recently. The packaging has been changed and it's now labeled "Inspire" instead of "Sensual", but this is the same basic scent - jasmine, neroli, and ylang ylang. This is an easy to wear jasmine body spray, and I think what makes it so delightful is the ylang ylang note, which is pretty but also comforting. The staying power is not great, but it's refreshing and worth re-spraying. As others have mentioned, it's the easy, casual side of jasmine, and yet still has a romantic sensibility. Over all, not bad for a drug store fragrance.
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Fragrances -The Body Shop - Amorito Eau de Toilette [DISCONTINUED]
aura_brite1 5/29/2008 9:19:00 PM
My second favorite of the Invent Your Scent line at The Body Shop, the first being Amorito's best layering partner - Beleaf. This is cocoa through and through, but it's a soft powdery chcoclate, not an ewwy gewwy foody smell. It's both dry and sweet, which is an unusual combination. It opens with the dry cocoa note, which lingers throughout the scent development. Somewhere in the middle is a soft floral note, which is supposed to be jasmine. I would say this is more of a foody jasmine (think sweet jasmine tea and jasmine a jasmine/vanilla blend) The drydown is a soft, dry vanilla musk, with the cocoa note still lingering. Amorito could be worn on it's own on a very cold day, but I find the dry sweetness a little difficult to deal with on its own, so I took off one lippy. This is a fun scent for layering. For the record, I also enjoy niche and boutique perfumes as well as some of the classics, and I happen to enjoy this particular scent a lot. It's probably one of the more clever scent creations in this line, and it's very comforting. These are great mood-boosters, little pick me up scents.
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Fragrances -The Body Shop - Beleaf Eau de Toilette
aura_brite1 5/29/2008 8:59:00 PM
I've said this before, but it seems funny to me that whenever The Body Shop actually releases a decent scent it always seems to be discontinued. I can understand why Minteva and Zinzabar were discontinued - they are certainly note to everyone's tastes, but Beleaf has the potential to be a crowd-pleaser.Luckily, you can still find this gem on Ebay and occasionally when TBS has those closeout sales a couple times a year. This is a very light, crisp, green scent. It's very fresh and unoffending. It smells like green tea, fig leaf, and fresh herbs in the rain (think wet green herbs in the garden, not so much cooking the herbs). It's almost a bit too non-descript on its own, but I don't think that's the point - this one was made to be layered - and it layers well with pretty much all of the Invent Your Scent line and is great to keep around for layering with other scents as well. It's best layering partner is Amorito - it cuts some of the powdery dry sweetness of Amorito and also helps bring out the jasmine note in it. Together, they create a fresh, beautiful complex scent. It would be nice if they re-introduced this one.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Physicians Formula - Organic Wear - Light to Natural
aura_brite1 5/16/2008 9:47:00 PM
I like this, for now, but will likely try something else when it's time to buy more tinted moisturizer. This smells like calendula, which is nice. Right out of the bottle it can be a little runny, but once it's applied it absorbs into the skin well. I like that it's a little on the dry side once I applied, as I have combination skin and this seems to even it out quite nicely. Another added benefit is that the ingredients really are good for the skin. I have noticed an improvement since I started using it regularly. Unfortunately, it doesn't come in many shades, and the color does not blend easily. If they could have created more shades or made the color a little more natural, it would be a great product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -St. Ives - Cucumber & Elastin Eye & Face Stress Gel ] [DISCONTINUED]
aura_brite1 5/16/2008 9:35:00 PM
An HG multi-purpose product! I'm sad that the only place I can find this is drugstore dot com, I wish I could find it at my local drug stores. That said, it is worth searching for. I formerly used several products on my face: an eye cream, a toner, and a moisturizer. This does it all, and works better on my eye area than anything else I have used. I use this every day. After washing my face, I apply this all over my face, but concentrate on my forehead, under eyes, and eyelids. I also dab it under my eyes when and if they start getting puffy again. With prolonged use, not only has it kept my eyes smooth, but my skin looks fresh, toned, and healthy. While this is not a wrinkle cream for sure, it has reduced the severity of some of the lines on my forehead. It even reduces puffiness after a good, hard cry - and I am one of those people who gets indcredibly puffy for a while after I cry. Better than any eye cream or gel that I have spent as much as three times as much on, for sure.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No