Toners -Avene - Gentle Protective Toner
babiig1 12/8/2008 10:05:00 PM
Definitely an inessential product, considering its unvaried ingredients (98% thermal water). After patting this on with a cotton ball, my skin did feel cleaner but the effects ended there. There are better alternatives available which cost much less - pure witch hazel is good, Liz Earle's Skin Boost Tonic and Murad's toner are both sound products too.
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Masks -MISSHA - Super Aqua Oxygen Mask
babiig1 9/9/2008 9:40:00 AM
I bought this product on a whim during my two and a half month stay in South Korea and I don't regret purchasing it at all. That is most unusual considering I typically regret all impulse buys. Like the previous reviewer said, you obtain immediate results after using this mask and it does indeed brighten and revive your skin. It's a lifesaver when your skin is looking sallow, dull and in urgent need of a good (and hasty) pick-me-up. Missha's mask is wonderfully refreshing due to its cooling effect on the face. It's affordable and it should last you over 6 months with weekly use. I wholeheartedly recommend this. In general, I have a rather low opinion of Missha's skincare line but this product is truly something to behold. EDIT: This product lasted me over a year and a half. Only a tiny amount is required with each use. Given the reasonable price tag and the number of applications one small tub provides, this is indeed a very economical purchase. Very worthy of 5 lippies!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Christian Dior - Addict Lip Gloss- A Touch Of Sugarplum-181
babiig1 8/26/2008 10:14:00 PM
This is my HG lipgloss. I was incredibly disappointed when I discovered this shade had been discontinued. I first stumbled upon a sample size of #181 - A Touch of Sugarplum in the L/E Dior Flight Makeup Palette and have been in love with it ever since. Once I finished the sample size gloss, my search for the full-sized lipgloss commenced. I managed to get a hold of it after prolonged searching and it is lovely. It's a gorgeous cool-toned shade of pink shade with lilac undertones and blue shimmer. The texture is smooth and it has great staying power. I adore Dior packaging, and this is no different. I only wish they didn't discontinue this shade, it's delicately pretty and it seems to be the only pink shade from the Addict Ultra-Gloss range; most of the glosses consists of peach, brown and nude-based shades. It's expensive but definitely worth it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -Skinfood - Black Sugar Mask
babiig1 6/6/2008 4:14:00 AM
Great exfoliating mask! It's cheap and effective and I just LOVE how smooth it makes my skin feel. The pot will last you a very long time considering you need such little product for your entire face. It exfoliates beautifully, smoothens and invigorates skin and it shows results that actually linger for several days, rather than vanishing after a few hours or so. Skin Food's Black Sugar Mask can help with blackheads and it minimises the appearance of pores. I have sensitive, combination skin but I did not react to this product nor did any suspicious blemishes appear whilst I used this product. I find it interesting how Korean skincare products can be so cheap yet so effective whilst products from other countries (particularly Western countries) cause your bank accounts to bleed dry but perform so poorly!
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Hair Styling Tools -Sedu - Ionic Ceramic Professional Flat Iron (Original)
babiig1 6/1/2008 12:04:00 PM
Absolute rubbish. C-R-A-P. I used this hair straightener for about two years and I could never quite put my finger on it but there was something strange about my Sedu. There were times when the results were wonderful, albeit very rare, and my hair would look silky, healthy and amazingly soft. And there were times when the results were poor and consequently, my hair would look frizzy, dry and dead. Unfortunately, the latter was much more common. My straightened hair would barely last an hour, regardless of what I was doing. Even if I was simply sitting around in a room or sitting down in a cafe talking to a friend or walking around during satisfactory weather conditions, frizzy and unruly hair was inevitable and would incontrovertibly follow. I've experimented many times, thinking that perhaps this was due to my not using an essence prior to straightening, and so I began applying a serum/essence to my hair before I commenced straightening. The first one I tried (Biosilk Therapy) was disastrous and I switched to a Frederic Fekkai hair essence...that didn't work either. I seeked solace in a Kerastase essence/spray time thing and that performed miserably too. I continued to experiment with various other essences, always ensuring I'd use them for a month or two before switching to another. My efforts were in vain as nothing seemed to work. I was very frustrated by this point because my hair is not even that bad, it's certainly not unmanageable nor is it curly or immensely frizzy. In fact, I have slightly wavy, thick and shiny locks that usually acquiesce to my whims and behave but not with a Sedu. God no. I can't believe I spent over $200 on a Sedu, including shipping fees. The only reason why I used it for so long is because I had spent a great deal of money on this product and did not want to discard it. Thus, I decided to use the flat iron until it would wear out or break down and what do you know..it decided to die on me totally unexpectedly about a fortnight ago. I heard a strange popping sound within this ridiculous contraption and a pungent metallic smell filled the air. It's safe to assume that the electrical wiring inside the flat iron exploded. I think, I will invest in a GHD flat iron. I hope that I will have a more pleasant experience with GHD, then again, I certainly can't have any worse an experience.
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Mascara -Kiss Me - HEROINE MAKE long and curl mascara (black)
babiig1 4/15/2008 9:42:00 AM
I bought this mascara off Ebay and it was pretty cheap. It can be purchased off Sasa for even less -$6- but they're currently out of stock. Moving along..this mascara is my HG mascara! I can't believe I have finally discovered a mascara that holds a curl! At such a cheap price too! It does everything it claims to do; it lengthens, it curls and holds a curl, it separates lashes and it does not clump. It's waterproof and when I say it does not smudge, I mean it does not smudge. In fact, it won't budge at all..whether you swim, bawl your eyes out or get caught in the pouring rain. As long as you use an oil-based makeup remover, it should be relatively easy to remove. I've tried all sorts of mascaras from high-end brands such as Dior, Lancome, YSL, Dejavu Imju, MAC, Clinique, BeneFit, Estee Lauder, Chanel etc. to drugstore brands like Covergirl, Maybelline, Rimmel, Max Factor, L'Oreal.. even mascara primers (Shiseido Makeup Mascara Base, Missha Mascara Base) but Kiss Me Heroine outweighs them by far. I truly love this mascara!!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Inglot - Lipstick in #194
babiig1 3/28/2008 8:59:00 AM
Inglot Lipstick in #194 is a hot, satin barbie pink that is extremely COOL. Please let me emphasise how COOL it is. I have cool-toned, pale skin and for some peculiar reason, I am able to wear a number of shades in both the cool and warm spectrums. Unfortunately, I cannot pull off all cool coloured cosmetics, and this is one of them. It looked garish and overdone on me. Needless to say, I was inordinately disappointed as it is such a pretty and girly pink. Lucky for all you pale or tanned, very cool-toned girls, this lipstick is definitely for you! It's really 'out there' so save it for special occasions. :) In regard to the price and packaging, I paid AUS$20 for it which is probably USD$17 so that's quite reasonable in my opinion. Packaging wise, it's nothing special, rather generic and expectable really. It isn't tacky though, but it's the vibrancy and intensity of the colour and its payoff that make this lipstick worth purchasing!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Maybelline - Salon Expert in Unforgettable Red
babiig1 3/6/2008 2:27:00 AM
I bought Salon Expert in Unforgettable Red and I love it! It's a cool-toned, pearlescent red that looks stunning on me. It doesn't streak, it dries quickly, it provides long-lasting vivid colour at the most affordable price! Unforgettable Red exudes sexiness. This is definitely my HG red nail polish.
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Fragrances -Stella McCartney - Stella- Eau de Parfum
babiig1 3/5/2008 10:13:00 PM
Just lovely! Stella is a versatile fragrance and can be worn on all kinds of occasions. The smell is divine; very rosy and flowery but in no way overpowering. The scent does not fade quickly like my Anna Sui fragrances. I was pleasantly surprised to discover it lingers for several more hours than my other perfumes.
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Treatments (Eye) -Biotherm - White Detox Yeux
babiig1 2/5/2008 5:17:00 AM
Biotherm's White Detox Yeux Anti 'Dark Area' Whitening Eye Essence is nothing special. It's as special as those $2 nail polishes you see in reject shops. I paid around AUD$70 for this product and it only lasted me about three months with daily usage. Perhaps this is common for some people but eye creams generally last up to six to twelve months for me. Having said that, it is very compact and the packaging is cute but it is not suitable for an eye cream. Sure, you don't have to reach in with your fingers and consequently promote bacterial growth but the pump does not permit you to use ALL the product contained inside. There's so much cream around the edges, sides and at the base which the pump tube just cannot reach and the opening is too small for fingers, so much product is essentially wasted. Moving onto the effectivity of the product itself, White Detox Yeux does not deliver. I applied this day and night and not only did it fail to lighten/fade my dark circles, it did not provide sufficient moisture. In fact, I blame the fine lines that recently appeared beneath my eyes on this product's inability to moisturise. I used the entire cream, and my undereye area does not look 'whiter' nor does it look 'detoxified'. It's all a marketing gimmick and I recommend that you STAY away.
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Treatments -Biosilk - Silk Therapy
babiig1 2/3/2008 8:22:00 PM
Bleh. Doesn't do much for my hair. My hair's quite damaged and this resulted from a hairdresser burning my hair during the permanent hair straightening process, dying and straightening my hair excessively and refusing to have my hair cut for two years. To put it simply, just picture fried hair with lots of split ends that lacks shine and smoothness. And so, I took the plunge and bought Silk Therapy with high expectations and what do I get..? NOTHING. I've been waiting for over a year to write this review in order to increase the accuracy and validity of my results and here I am, sitting in front of my laptop with my hair coated in Biosilk's product for the last time. The smell is terrible, thank goodness it's temporary. The only good thing about this product is that it lasts a very long time; I purchased Silk Therapy in late 2006 and I only just reached the halfway mark. It is quite affordable too and easy to get ahold of through Folica or Ebay. However, the packaging is cheap and ugly, not to mention it has leaked so many times and this is certainly not desirable when traveling! It provides minimal hydration for my hair and prior to using Silk Therapy, I'd be able to get away with washing my hair every two or three days, but ever since I began using this product (late 2006), I've been forced to wash my hair every one or two days as it prompts my hair to become greasy faster. Nevertheless, I suggest you test it out for at least a month because by the look of these reviews, this is one of those hit-or-miss products and although it was a miss for me, it may perform exceedingly well for you.
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Christian Dior - Flower Blossom
babiig1 2/3/2008 7:45:00 PM
LOVE LOVE LOVE. I love Dior's Floral Blossom. I really wish they'd make it permanent, rather than L/E which it currently is right now. It gives me the most perfect and ethereal glow that I just cannot seem to obtain from other products. Not only does it perform wonderfully as an illuminator and highlighter, it also doubles up as a blush, proving it's versatility. I am eurasian with cool fair skin and I always reach for Floral Blossom when I want a feminine, subtle look. Although it is a very expensive beauty product, I recommend that all girls and women with cool skin/pink or blue undertones purchase this, particularly fair skinned girls. I think it's really well suited for those with pale skin, however, don't trust my judgement too much. It could look just as beautiful on tanned skin or dark skin. I'm so proud to have this in my beauty arsenal. It's aesthetically pleasing, long lasting and compact. My only qualm with Floral Blossom is the packaging..it seems a little generic and boring. With such a lovely palette and display of colours, you'd expect the packaging to be fancier but other than that, I'm in lovee with it! A perfect dupe would be the lightest blush shade in Scott Barnes Chic Palette in Posh. Refer to picture. In the picture, the lightest blush shade of SB Chic Palette in Posh looks a little darker than Flower Blossom but it is because I applied a fair bit of the blush to my arm. They are literally the same.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Chanel - Blue Satin
babiig1 1/13/2008 11:51:00 AM
I really like the colour. It's vibrant and edgy - it gives my nails that extra oomph. The packaging is original and cute but... It chips within a day or two!! I was surprised because I applied a base coat, Chanel Blue Satin then a coat of nail varnish to set it. I went to all that effort for nothing. Undeniably, I was disappointed because not only did I have high expectations for this product, I also ordered it from Ebay (this nail polish isn't available in Australia due to the season differences) and I'm sure you all know that clever Ebayers would charge twice the department store price since Chanel Blue Satin has been lauded as the new 'it' polish. I love most Chanel products, but after my experience with Blue Satin, I think I'll be staying far far away from their polishes. Like other MUA reviewers have previously mentioned, OPI Russian Navy is indeed a cheaper, more versatile alternative and substitute. Having said that, I do intend to use the polish all up as I just can't resist the sexy midnight blackish blue shimmer. Test it, paint a few of your nails at the counter and go about your daily activities as usual and see whether it chips or not. Perhaps you'll have better luck than I did.
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Eye Shadow -Rimmel - Metallic Eye Gloss in Soho
babiig1 1/12/2008 1:24:00 PM
Although this product is intended for use on the eyes, I never use it as an eyeshadow. It creases like crazy. On the other hand, Soho is a pretty shade that I find to be ideal for highlighting. Like the user below me, I, too, use it on my cheeks but only for highlighting. You can also use it on your browbone. With your fingers, apply a small amount on your upper cheekbone and blend it out towards your outer eyebrow region. It has formidable staying power regardless of whether you use or choose not to use foundation, BB cream or any kind of base prior to applying this product. It's cheap as it's a drugstore product and it will last you a long time. Trust me, I've used it as a highlighter for over a year now and I'm not even halfway through! Rimmel Metallic Eyegloss in Soho is a great substitute for BeneFit High Beam, Nars The Multiple in Copacabana and Origins Halo Effect. Recommended for cool toned girls. *Anyone with warm toned skin should consider Rimmel Metallic Eye Gloss in Hoxton.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Chanel - Rouge Allure - No 12 Charm
babiig1 1/12/2008 12:19:00 PM
#12 Charme is my FAVOURITE lipstick shade. I recently dyed my hair black to match my black eyes and eyebrows. This new alteration brings out the fairness of my skin as the pure black contrasts with my light skin. This lipstick is a medium fuchsia pink that looks absolutely stunning paired with lined eyes and pink cheeks, even more so, with my newly dyed hair and fair skin. I personally think this is best suited for fair and fair-medium skinned girls and women, however, it is a cool toned pink so for those of you who have yellow undertones in your skin, you should probably avoid this lip product. The staying power is reasonable but it could be better. The thick matte-like consistency of this lipstick can sometimes leave behind a tiny amount of residue on your lips after several hours of wear. It's annoying but I just love the shade and the packaging too much to take off a lippie for that. Moving onto the packaging, it's absolutely gorgeous. Very classy and elegant. I've uploaded a picture of the lipstick shade and packaging for your viewing. Judge for yourselves :)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No