Lipstick -Revlon - Color Stay Ultimate Suede Lipstick
bella16 5/17/2013 9:18:00 PM
Not a fan. Somehow this lipstick, which looks quite pretty in the tube, manages to be both sheer AND drying-- not quite sure how they managed that feat. It emphasizes the lines in your lips creating an unflattering finish. To add to its drawbacks, it tends to change color on, (oxidize?), and becomes a more garish orange. I guess you get what you pay for, (or not, as the case may be).
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Liquid -Boots - Botanics Virtually Weightless Color Adjusting Foundation
bella16 10/7/2011 5:24:00 PM
Can't understand why there aren't more positive reviews of this? I think it's great stuff. Similar to Giorgio Armani's Face Fabric, (i.e. heavy on the silicones), but I think this covers a bit better, depending on how you apply it. I mix it with a bit of Sofina sunscreen, which makes it even more easily blendable, and really like the finish. Top it off with a little powder, and it's a really wearable, natural looking foundation. Also, the bottle is great-- plastic, so it's light, but sturdy with a nice pump, and the price, if not dirt cheap, is quite reasonable. A really nice product. Sometimes a bit hard to find in stores, but can be ordered online.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Mythology
bella16 10/7/2011 5:14:00 PM
Simply way too chunky glittery for me. Such a shame, too, as it's a very lovely color in the pan, and, from testing it on my hand, seemed like it would be more blendable. But I wound up looking like a first-grader's craft project gone bad. Couldn't wait to get this stuff off my eyelids.
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Foundations -Almay - Pure Blends 97.4% natural
bella16 12/3/2010 6:22:00 PM
Are they kidding with this stuff? Seriously,it's all but invisible. Oh-- wait-- except for the oiliness that it imparts to your skin-- always a plus for those of us with larger pores. I suppose if you have dry skin and are looking for what is basically a moisturizer with the very slightest HINT of color to it, then this might work for you. Otherwise, believe the bad reviews and don't waste your time or your money. Mine is going back to the drugstore today.
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Blush -Sally Hansen - Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy
bella16 8/21/2010 5:58:00 PM
Got this in Ethereal, as it looked lovely in the package. I'm afraid that was misleading. If you're 19 and rather fair, this might be a good call. For someone older and any darker, such as myself, it really was not. It's VERY light, not nearly as pigmented as it initially looks in the package, and VERY glittery. I honestly don't know quite what the posters who said the shimmer was 'subtle' would consider too much -- this was way too little color and waaaay too much sparkle for my taste. Gonna have to take it back, and stick w/ Jane Iredale.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Kanebo - Liquid Finish Foundation
bella16 8/7/2010 4:51:00 PM
I have a friend w/ always great-looking skin who swears by this brand of foundation, so wanted to give it a try. Gotta say, I'm not in love. Truly, it seemed very ordinary to me. Nothing special either in terms of color or finish or overall skin appearance transformation. I've had much better luck w/ drugstore foundations. I should add I got mine on ebay, so I suppose it's possible it wasn't the real deal, but I doubt it. I think my friend must just be genetically blessed! ; )
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Shampoo -Jason Natural Cosmetics - Natural Sea Kelp Shampoo
bella16 12/11/2009 1:22:00 PM
Should've read the reviews for this product before wasting money on it. I bought it in an effort to be "healthy", (no laurlyl/laureth sulfates). But, call me old-fashioned, but I like a few soap suds with my soap. This doesn't so much lather up as sort of "slime on". Didn't leave my hair feeling clean, and the scent, while not as offensive to me as to some others here, was not a selling point either. I'd say I'd use it up and not purchase again, but don't think I can even stand to do that. It'll just take up space in my shower 'til I finally throw it out, so may as well do that right now.
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Treatments -Paula's Choice - Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant
bella16 11/14/2009 12:38:00 PM
I've used both Paula's BHA 2% liquid and BHA 2% lotion, and agree with the previous reviewer that the lotion somehow seems more effective. The lotion, in particular, is a pretty decent product. That said, the price on this stuff is no longer exactly the bargain it once was, (it's now up to $18.95, plus shipping and tax, which brings it into the mid 20s). And as many have also pointed out, the packaging is less than optimal, and the idea of having to pay an additional $3 on top of all that for a pump is somehow especially galling. More importantly, (and the reason I'm writing this review), is that when you look for a cheaper alternative, one that, say, that you might be able to find at your local drugstore and thus avoid that irritating shipping fee, and google "BHA 2%", the only name that seems to come up over and over is Paula's Choice. Hm, how can it be that she's the ONLY one making this sort of exfoliating product? Turns out, she's not -- BHA acid IS salicylic acid -- they are one in the same, (which you can find out by reading the ingredients on her website). She just doesn't call her product "Salicylic Acid 2% Liquid", which is what it is, and thus comes across, (whether intentionally or not), as though she has access to some special ingredient that no one else is selling. But there are plenty of companies selling products w/ salicylic acid -- to name but one, Clean & Clear's Maximum Strength Invisible Blemish Treatment gel, which is 2% salicylic acid. Again, Paula's is not a bad product, but I believe you can find the equivalent far cheaper if you do a little label reading at your local drugstore.
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Self Tanners -Neostrata - Self Tan
bella16 5/13/2007 9:10:00 PM
First, let me say I just ordered this product on the basis of all the great reviews here, so I have not yet had a chance to use or evaluate it. (I went ahead and rated it in the middle, so as not to skew the numbers one way or the other). But I'm writing just to say that I found another website that offers it for a far cheaper shipping price than the one mentioned in another review. You can get it @ www.getcanadiandrugs.com for just $6.99 shipping. Compared to the obscene $15.98 the other website wanted, this seemed like a real bargain. (And the product price was almost exactly the same, though actually cheaper on the getcanadiandrugs.com site as well by, I think, 50 cents or so.) Anyway, for those interested who were put off by that pretty outrageous shipping, (I count myself among them), this may be a better way to go. Will update once I've received the product and had a chance to try it out. UPDATE - Received quickly (far quicker than I anticipated), and finally have had a chance to try it out. Agree with the other rave reviews here -- this is great stuff! It looks completely natural, no streaks, and isn't even all that hard to get off your hands - some soap and a just a little toothpaste easily does the trick as long as you do it right away.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -New York Color - Riverside Rose 651A
bella16 4/26/2007 12:21:00 AM
This is just great stuff. For some reason, I'm a sucker for blush. Put me in a drugstore w/ too much time on my hands and I inevitably walk out w/ a new blush. But nine times out of ten, they're a waste. They're either too glittery, (hate that), too hard, too pale, too something. This is my second blush from NYC and it's truly lovely. A warm rose/coral. In the store it looked a little dark, perhaps it's the packaging(?), but in the light of day, it's beautiful. Glides on like a dream w/o streaking, and is dirt cheap. What more can you ask? Okay, okay, a sturdier case would be nice, but come on... for 2 bucks? Highly recommended.
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Toners -Clean & Clear - Cooling Daily Pore Toner [DISCONTINUED]
bella16 4/23/2007 11:19:00 PM
Just had to weigh in on this one, as it truly has done great things for my skin. I'm in my mid-40's but STILL prone to break-outs, (argh!) I routinely use retin-a, and a beta hydroxy lotion, and those help keep the acne at a minimum, but it still happens. But NOT since I've been using this toner. Truly, that is the thing that has changed, and it really seems to have made a difference in the overall condition of my skin. In fact, I was at the dermatologist the other day on an urelated matter and the nurse commented on how great my skin looked and asked what I was using. This is an unusual comment for me, so I thought she was just being polite and thanked her, but she insisted, no, really what do you use? Needless to say, I'm gonna stick w/ this stuff. I took off one lippie as I agree w/ others that the scent is a bit much. It's not really that it's bad, per se, but it's quite strong. Still, that's a VERY small price to pay for a genuinely effective product. Highly recommended.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -Everyday Minerals - Finishing Dust
bella16 5/27/2006 5:15:00 PM
This stuff is magic! The absolute best finishing powder I've ever tried. I have to admit, I'm not a fan of these loose-mineral products as they tend to make a mess, hard to pack in your purse, etc, but this one is worth the trouble. I put this on and my pores virtually disappear, (and I do not have small pores). Wonderful product.
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Treatments -John Frieda - Luminous Color Glaze
bella16 5/13/2006 6:57:00 PM
Yet ANOTHER John Frieda product that doesn't come anywhere close to delivering what it promises. When will I ever learn?? This stuff left my hair gummy and sticky and not one whit shinier than before I used it. If anything it made it look worse. Frieda and those behind him are clearly MASTER marketers, I'll give them that. Now, if they could only make a product that's worth buying more than once.
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Liquid -L'Oreal - Airwear liquid foundation
bella16 9/5/2003 9:21:00 PM
I LOVE this stuff. Have purchased numerous times. It's the best color match I've ever found, (I use Shell), and offers just the right amount of coverage. (I was surprised though by how many people commented on its being on the light/sheer side -- I've found it's more of a medium level, but I guess it's in how you use it.) Very natural soft finish, and even though there's sunscreen in it, you don't get that icky white/Kabuki thing happening in flash photographs either. No breakouts either, and I have combo skin. Great stuff.
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