Polishes -Sally Hansen - Insta-Dry Fast Dry Nail Color
azn_babay_kat 8/2/2010 1:55:00 AM
This nail polish sucks. The colours are really cool, i love most of the neon colours they have, especially because it's so hard to find good saturated solid neon shades for toe nails :( Anyway, the formula is goopy and hard to spread. The brush is weird and angled and wide and rough. It streaks like crazy. When it dries, it's sorta matte, dull and uneven. EW. I used it with a topcoat and it bubbles like craaaaazzzzzzy. like unnatural bubbles. yuck. Ok, so the worst thing about it is that it STAINS like crazy. I used it with a base coat, and my nails are STILL green and stained. I don't want to look like I have FUNGUS on my nails when i take my polish off! WHY did they change the formula? The old one was awesome, cheap, good ol' drugstore nail polish for colour you just want for no reason and you want a decent, ok nail polish for unique colours. Now it just mega sucks.
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Fragrances -Jo Malone - Dark Amber & Ginger Lily Cologne
azn_babay_kat 4/24/2009 2:48:00 AM
OMG. I gotta agree with the reviews below, this is the most divine Jo Malone scent ever, too bad it's a limited edition. I love that it's warm, spicy but still sweet. I wish I was one of those women who would pull off Pomegranate Noir without smelling like a man, but unfortunately PN smells way too dark and leathery on me. I love Dark Amber because it's got the perfect amount of depth and warmth to warm up other JM colognes. A lot of times I find the Jo Malone florals to be too flat and too light, but when mixed with Dark Amber and Ginger Lily it's just DIVINE. It's got that mysterious complexity that "sexier" fragrances have (I'm talking about ones like Mitsouko that only some women can pull off) but is user friendly. I tend to go for sweeter scents and I love the leather notes in this fragrances because it adds sophiscation to everything else JM I own. My favourite combo ever is Dark Amber and Ginger Lily with Nectarine Blossom and Honey on top, and Dark Amber and Ginger Lily with Orange BLossom is a close second. This is a MUST HAVE for all Jo Malone lovers, I will be getting the candles next because this would smell so sensuous and wonderful for the bedroom.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Sisley - Phyto Tient Eclat Oil-Free Foundation
azn_babay_kat 2/3/2009 12:13:00 PM
There seems to be some confusion regarding the shades in Sisley's Oil Free Foundation and this is meant to be a guide according to the universal MAC shades. 0 - Porcelain: PPP, very light with strong yellow tones, NC10 or C1 1 - Ivory: PPP, neutral to fair yellow tones, NC15 2 - Soft Beige: , LLL/FFF, very neutral with equal amounts of pink and yellow tones, NC20, this should be the most universal shade in the range. 2+ - Sand: FFF/MMM, neutral yellow tones, NC25-30 3 - Natural: MMM, Strong pink-peach undertones, NW25-30 4 - Honey: GGG, Neutral olive golden undertones, NC35-37 5 - Golden: CCC, Strong yellow undertones, NC40 or C5 As you can see, this foundation does not have a lot of shades, but the shades do blend very well so you would be able to get away with the closest shade with some mixing. Please contact me if you need further help with it :) UPDATE: as of fall 2009, Sisley will be coming out with NEW shades for the product (Hurray!) Here they are: 0+ - Not as yellow as 0, neutral beige undertones, slightly lighter than #1 ivory, good for most PPPs, NC10-15 1+ - Neutral undertone, a little more yellow than #1 ivory, better for NC20s than #2 soft beige, LLL. 3+ - THIS is what #3 would be without the pink undertones,yellow-olive undertones, MMMs would love this, great for tanned skintones. NC30-35
60 out of 60 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Sisley - Phyto Blanc Lightening Foaming Cleanser
azn_babay_kat 1/1/2009 7:16:00 PM
Phyto-blanc Foaming Cleanser is one of my HG item. I use this every other morning, alternate with Phyto-blanc Buff and Wash. I also use this with the Shiseido face cleansing/massaging brush because it foams up beautifully and cleanses thoroughly but gently. The scent is light citrus herbal, very natural and does not irritate at all. I can't say for the lightening effect because I don't particularly think that a cleanser can lighten your skin when it isn't absorbed. This does contain natural AHAs though, which is probably why it gives such a soft, smooth feeling to my skin.
This doesn't dry my combo skin out either, I find that it "wakes up" my skin and gives a nice, clean glow to my skin and prepares it for toning and moisturizing. I use this during summer/spring because it would be a little too drying for winter. Great product overall, but pretty expensive too, I guess if you are looking for a great foaming cleanser that cleases without stripping your skin or drying it out, it's a great product.
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Lips -Sisley - Rouge a Levres Hydratant Longue Tenue L14
azn_babay_kat 1/1/2009 7:10:00 PM
This is my favourite nude lipstick ever! The colour itself is a light mauvey-rose nude with a grey tinge to it. Perfect nude lip for medium olive skin tone (NC35 here). The texture is great too, very soft, buttery texture that just sorta melt onto your lips. The colour isn't like 8 hr long lasting per say, but it does last quite a bit and gives great coverage. I have gotta admit though, $55 for a lipstick is kinda steep, but the gold packaging is beautiful, and if you can find a colour that is perfect for you, Sisley's lipsticks are great.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Liners -Sisley - Lipliner with botanical extracts in Tea Rose
azn_babay_kat 1/1/2009 7:07:00 PM
Huh? I'm not sure if the reviwer below is reviewing the right product because this lipliner is actually more of a muted pinky brown... no orange in it at all. The more orange brown one is beige natural which is closer to MAC spice than tea rose. I know for sure because I have gone through 2 of these. On my lips it's a perfect rosy brown that matches most lipsticks. LOVE LOVE LOVE the texture of these, believe it or not, actual wooden lipliners are quite hard to find nowadays. The twist up kind tends to break and dry out fast, and it doesn't give me a fine enough line. The "fake" pencils that you sharpen tend to seperate once in a while so the actual stick of colour falls out. These lipliners are soooo great. They are soft, pigmented and the texture is buttery. I also love that it comes with a decent lip brush on the other end, and the package comes with a sharpener which is great because I tend to lose those a lot. The pigment is great, and the colour line does not feather and blends well with most lipsticks. You can even use the pencil to colour your entire lip in without that drying feeling. They are $$$ at around $50 each, but if you have a colour that can work with everything, it's so worth it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Sisley - PHYTO-BLANC Lightening Toning Lotion
azn_babay_kat 12/31/2008 3:28:00 PM
This really is an expensive toner. The Phyto-blanc range is a lightening line by Sisley and it is pretty much more expensive than the regular line (surprisingly..yes, it's more expensive than expensive) This toner retails for $125 for 200 ml, I also use Sisley's floral toner sometimes, and that costs me $98 for $250 where I'm at, so needless to say, I have great expectations for this product. And I was not disappointed. This is one of the most effective yet gentle alcohol-free toner I have ever used. I use the Floral Toning Lotion in winter because it helps with desensitizing and calming my skin without irritating it. I live in a very cold and dry climate so I use TONS and tons of products to keep my normal/combo skin hydrated and moisturized. However, in the summer time, my skin does get drastically oilier so I need something a little more effective in controlling and minimizing shine. Phyto-blanc toning lotion has lemon and natural AHAs in it, so it really helps with giving you that really clean zing to your skin after cleansing without the drying effects of alcohol. After using this toner for a month, my skin is clearer, skin tone is more even, and I find that my skin stays smoother longer (must be the AHA exfoliating it gently). No sensitivity either, the scent is a light herbal scent like most Sisley products, but it also has a little bit of citrus in it so it's a nice refreshing treat in the summer. I love that it cleanse, tone and tighten my pores without any alcohol and definitely clarify it nicely too. Very very expensive, but a little goes a long way. Will be repurchasing this for as long as I can afford it. I use this with Phyto-blanc foraming cleanser or Phyto- blanc Buff and Wash in the morning, and Sage Cleansing Milk and Soapless Foaming Cleanser at night and I rarely break out (maybe once every 2 months).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Clinique - Non-Aerosol Hairspray
azn_babay_kat 10/8/2008 2:57:00 PM
Agree with the reviewer below, no idea why this product is rated so low either because it is awesome. I like it because it's fragrance free as i hate the scent of hairspray and how it makes most ppl smell quite.. cheap. This hairspray is scent-less, not sticky and gives you medium but FLEXIBLE hold. I use it to set curls, hair styles and increase volume. you can remold your hair any time and activate the spray with a spritz of water. also, you don't get that annoying white dried up pieces like most hair sprays. love it, have been using it forever and i buy it with every Clinique GWPs.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Sisley - Botanical Night Complex
azn_babay_kat 9/6/2008 1:45:00 AM
Sisley is not for the faint of heart, and especially not this product. This is not for Sisley beginners, for you people who just started venturing into Sisley, please start with cleaners, toners and emulsion ecologique first before you start using intensive essential oil treatments like this one.
Sisley Botanical Night Complex is an intensive reparative programme meant to be used 10 nights a month. It is a deeply purifying, detoxifying and reparative treatment that gives your skin a makeover. Essential oils are natural carrier agents that deliver nutrients and nourishment to your skin. Botanical Night Complex is composed of various plant extracts ch as horsetail, hops and centella asiatica. Horsetail has been used since Roman times to encourage healing and stop bleeding. This product is especially great for people with probleams with broken capillaries (those little red swirly lines you see on your face sometimes if you have thin thin skin) as this plant encouraging bleeding and therefore treat the root of the problem with broken capillaries in skin. Horsetail is also rich in silicic acids, which increases formation of collagen = firmer skin. Centella Asiatica does the same thing, promoting healing and improves blood circulation, as well as activating collagen production. Botanical Night Complex also contains essential oils like rosemary, sage and camomile. They are great purifying and anti-inflammatory agents; they help "purge" skin and maintain clarity in skin condition and ease congestion in skin.
After cleansing, toning and serums (if you wish), you take a pump or two of this, and PAT it onto your skin. And by now you should realize that this smells like stinky socks. The scent disappears after a minute or two, it might feel a little sticky at first, but your skin should absorbs it within 2-3 minutes. Unless your skin feels tight or dry, there is no need for another moisturizer on top, as this complex hydrates the skin as well. After using this for 3 months, I notice that my skin is much firmer, skin tone is a lot more fresher, radiant and even, and pore size has decreased as well. I highly reccommend this for anyone whose skin is accustomed to essential oils or other Sisley products. Again, with Sisley, you NEED to follow instructions. DO NOT use this every night, 10 nights a month only, and a little goes a long way.
You see, I also don't get people who complain about Sisley's prices, skincare is very much YMMV. When you walk into a Sisley counter, you KNOW the range of prices for the products, it's really no surprise there. If there is one thing Sisley is known for, is producing beautiful, functional but insanely expensive products, and like everything else, some people think it's worth it, some don't.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -La Prairie - Light Fantastic Cellular Concealing Brightening Eye Treatment
azn_babay_kat 8/20/2008 3:31:00 PM
This is so awesome it makes YSL touche eclat seem as useful as a crayola crayon on my dark circles. Besides, at $75 a pop, you get the product and a refill, which makes it cheaper than the YSL one anyway.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Sisley - Cleansing Milk with Sage
azn_babay_kat 6/28/2008 12:41:00 AM
I have started to venture into and examine $$$ skincare, I assume it could be because I'm starting to get to the age which I *start* to worry about aging and can financially afford to try out a bunch of them. The concept of Sisley is not dramatically innovative (not "cellular" like La Prairie, or "magical broth" like La Mer) . It is supposed to be very natural and utilizes the benefits of essential oils. Sisley believes that the inherent relationship between humans and nature would mean that the human skin would benefit the most and "recognize" the properties of natural plant extracts and essential oils. I like the concept of it, but now let's move onto the product and see how effective it is in my opinion.
Sisley's Cleansing Milk with Sage is a gentle, purifying cleansing milk designed for combo/slightly oily skin types. My skin type has become drastically different from my younger days (used to have perfectly balanced and normal skin). It is now the combination skin type in which I can get slightly shiny on the t zone and dehydrated on the cheeks and eye area. The texture of this cleansing milk is very silky and smooth, a light lotion texture that spreads easily over my skin. The scent is a very natural herbal scent, just like most Sisley products, which I love love love because it is sooo therapeutic and relaxing and non artificial (I'm talking to you, Lancome).
I use this cleansing milk on dry skin, I find that 2 pumps is the perfect amount for me. After my makeup removal procedure, I massage this onto dry skin, focusing on my t-zone, especially my chin which is easily congested. It doesn't sting or irritate my skin, even when I might have a sunburn or slightly chapped skin. After massaging, I add a little bit of water and emulsify the product and quickly massage for another minute, then I rinse off with lukewarm water and blot with a towel. This is NOT meant to remove heavy makeup so do not expect it to do that, but I do wear foundation daily and only use a makeup remover on my eyes and lips and this cleanser seems to remove all traces of debris and makeup and oil.
The results? beautifully cleaned and soft skin. My skin NEVER gets tight with this cleansing milk, just purified and relaxed and smooth, it also doesn't strip my skin at all. I like the idea of the ingredient of sage because it is a natural purifying agent. However, I don't think this would be great as an evening cleansing product in the summer because I prefer a foaming product for that. It certainly is great for mornings and drier/colder weather when my skin is a little more dehydrated. This is almost HG material for me, except I'm constantly trying new products so I rarely repurchase anything. FYI, I have been using Sisley exclusively for a month because I want to see how it would affect/change my skin in terms of condition, texture and benefits. It is a very expensive product though, but it IS Sisley so it is expected. I'm not saying that it outperforms all the low and mid end brands dramatically, but it is an excellent and well formulated product for those who would splurge on it and demands the most prestigeous of the prestige.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Lancome - Color Fever - Beige Caracai by Daria #247
azn_babay_kat 6/18/2008 11:23:00 PM
Hmm, this is an interesting colour! I have this strange habit in collecting unique lipsticks and this is definitely one of them. This lipstick is designed by Daria, who is a Lancome spokesperson (she`s the face of Hypnose) and a Canadian model. Part of the proceeds from this collection (Summer 2008) goes towards charity. The colour is very similar to MAC chai lipglass, it`s a grey downed taupe nude that would look great as a neutral nude lip on darker skin tones (i`m a NC37 and it looks very nice on me with smokey eyes and bronzer), definitely not something to wear on everyday basis but a very very unique colour nevertheless. The texture is quite light and sheer with a lot of sheen to the finish. I have always loved the texture of lancome`s lippies so i love this one for sure :)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Guerlain - Lengthening and Curving Mascara
azn_babay_kat 3/30/2008 9:52:00 PM
I wanted to like this so much because I love other Guerlain products. Unfortunately, this mascara just plain sucks.
Where do I start? The formula in my brand new tube is somewhat dry already, so I cant imagine what it would be like in a month. The brush has really tight packed bristles and is in a long narrow shape, which makes sense with a lengthening mascara. BUT, somehow, the bristles end up applying mascara onto the lashes, and then wiping them off, so what I end up with is just slightly darker lashes, a tiny bit longer, not curled, and not thickened at all.
Very disappointed. The black colour is slightly greyish, which looks funny when your lashes are naturally black!
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Treatments -Korres - Wild Rose Brightening Serum
azn_babay_kat 3/25/2008 7:05:00 PM
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this serum. This is my favourite vitamin c serum of all times. I love that it is mineral oil and silicone free (hate cones on my skin), and it is from a "natural" line. The scent is a subtle rose scent that is soothing and does not smell like i acctidentally sprayed perfume all over my face.
I'm currently on my third bottle, and I'm using this as an anti-aging prevention and to even out my skin tone. I have normal-combo skin and I love how this serum sinks instantly into my skin and prepares my face perfectly for my moisturizer. I'm getting this awesome glow on my face, and my skin tone is a lot more even and the texture of my skin is so much smoother and soft!
I use this day and night all over my face, eyes and throat, after my toner and before moisturizer.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Make Up For Ever - Face & Body Foundation
azn_babay_kat 3/19/2008 7:54:00 PM
I'm on my 5th or 6th bottle of this foundation and this is coming from someone who has never repurchased a foundation before!
The texture and finish of this foundation is fantastic, the texture is a little yogurty but runny at the same time. The coverage is sheer but completely buildable into a med-full coverage. The good thing is that this foundation NEVER looks unnatural on. It blends in seamlessly and melts into your skin, giving you that radiant glow without being oily. It lasts the entire day, but you do need to blot with a powder just to give it more of a demi matte look and to set it. It conceals most imperfections and yet your skin still shows through. The colour selection can be confusing, just get yourself to a MUFE counter and their SAs are usually pretty well trained :)
MAC face and body is NOTHING compared to this. I will continue to use this as long as they don't change the formula.
FYI, my skin is normal-combo, I use #34 in the winter (NC30 ish) and #6 in the summer (NC40).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No