Lipstick -Christian Dior - Rouge Dior - Fall 2010 - Haute Couleur Voluptuous Care 
bjorne_again 11/28/2010 7:56:00 PM
This is a review for the Fall 2010 relaunch and reformulation of the Rouge Dior brand lipsticks - they are VERY different from the old formulation. I liked the old ones, but they were no better than any other high-end lipstick I've tried. You have to try them! They are amazing! New formulation: Super creamy and moisture rich on application, with a really high pigment load so you don't need much product to get high-impact colour on your lips. For some strange reason (I'm thinking John Galliano made a deal with the devil...) it manages to both stay in place/not bleed, AND keep my lips supple and nourished. The finish is creamy and classy, not too shiny or too matte. The staying power on these lipsticks is unbelievable - I have eaten lunch and it's almost all still there except at the very centre of my lip. Once on, I find I don't need to touch up for at least 3 hours, and I never have to take it all off and reapply completely because it moved all over the place and messed up my perfectly painted pout. New Colours: The colours are also really modern, with lots of beautiful bright reds of every undertone, soft to strong corals, pale pinks and strong fuchsias, and even a purple. The softer colours are pitch-perfect, too: a good variety of nudes, mauves, and rusts that aren't as complexion-dulling as past generations. Dior was also smart to keep some of the old favourites: #298 (beige nude), #976 (warm berry), #874 (berry burgundy), #475 (true Barbie pink), #752 (cool red), #999 (warm red), #766 (fuchsia) #713(sheer berry with gold shimmer). I swatched the old and new side by side on my hand, and the reformulated colours stayed true to the original with no difference at all in almost any of them! New Packaging: You can tell a new Rouge Dior lipstick from an old because the box says "Haute Couleur Voluptuous Care" and the tube itself now has black panels and the signature cannage marking on two sides, with a silver band on the top, inset CD initials on top, and Dior debossed on the lipstick itself. Honestly, it's by far the best lip product I've ever tried. I'm cheap, and honestly think $36CDN is worth it for each tube of this stuff. I've been hooked on YSL Rouge Volupte lately, but the staying power and moisturizing on them suck compared to these new Dior lipsticks - I have zero interest in buying another Rouge Volupte now. My favourite colours are #444 Red Muse, #638 Blazing Red, #766 Star Fuchsia, and #028 Mazette.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Yves Saint Laurent - Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils
bjorne_again 10/11/2010 11:08:00 PM
I'm pretty disappointed with this mascara. I know a lot of people prefer it to my go-to mascara, Diorshow, so I had to try it, but I really think it isn't worth the money. I believe it cost $36 CDN when I bought it, and the brush looked promising.I find that it gives me some natural looking volume, and some additional length, but it smudges, it's kinda dry, and kinda clumpy. The insert says to clean the wand weekly, which should maybe set off some alarms in your head - I followed that instruction and ended up just wasting a lot of product, and it's not like it glided on without clumping after I cleaned the brush. I find it too dry to layer or get any real false lash effect. It's just so MEH that I'm so disappointed that I wasted $40 on it. FYI I've tried all the Dior mascaras, all the Lancomes, Guerlains, Ardens, Smashbox, and BeneFit, and this one is preferable to only a few of those. Really, there are many better formulas from drugstore brands than this. FAIL =( Edit: I have tried to go back to this, and it's worse now than before. There are always little dry clumps left on my lashes, it groups them together, and doesn't even lengthen. Possibly the worst mascara I've ever paid for.
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Eyeliner -L'Oreal - Carbon Black Lineur Intense Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner
bjorne_again 6/16/2009 12:15:00 PM
I tried this liquid liner after trying the original lineur intense in black mica which has a sheen to it, thinking it would be rich, black, and matte like carbon. Instead, I found it pretty similar to the original black mica as it has a shiny wet look to it, though slightly blacker, which I guess is nice if you want something a little more fun, slightly less dramatic, but because I wanted a deep, smouldering matte line, this didn't do it for me. I also am not a fan of the sponge-tip applicators - I like the precision of a brush-tip, but I guess they make liquid lining easier for beginners. If you also like precision but love the formula, you could do what I do which is dip a skinny eyeliner brush (like smashbox's #08 brush) into it and use it like an old-fashioned pen-in-inkwell. One thing I love/hate about this liquid liner is it dries kinda plastic-y, so you kinda remove it in chunks rather that water it down(like most non-waterproof liquid liner) sorta like tempra paint. Good because it means you don't get black smudges under your eyes in rain/if you tear/removing makeup, but bad because if you tear it can dislodge a chunk of liner, leaving a hole, whereas with traditional liners it just may be slightly lighter in a spot. Won't repurchase, hoping l'Oreal will come out with a matte liner so i don't have to spend $35 on my old faithful, Dior Style Liner.
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Treatments -Kerastase - Masquintense
bjorne_again 4/16/2009 1:40:00 PM
Need to guarantee yourself an amazing hairday? Get this. No joke, it's my go-to 'conditioner' whenever I have to look extra good, especially if i want my hair to look effortlessly gorgeous. This stuff (formula for FINE hair)boosts volume, smoothness(weird that it can do both, but true!),stylability and bounciness and it's worth every penny. Most days, my hair doesn't do exactly what I want it to - probably because my fine hair is a bit damaged from too much heat styling - but with this, my drying time is cut down, and my hair takes my styling perfectly(usually rough dry upside down followed by velcro rollers on top, round brush drying underneath, then flatironing ends), leaving no kinks, bumps, frizz or fried bits. I use it about once a week, since it's a mask, but using it 2 days in a row is no problem... since it's expensive and it's designed as a treatment and not an everyday conditioner, i won't use it as conditioner everyday, but i don't seem to need to. If i use this, i can go back to my relatively cheap conditioner for 3 days and still have great results, and my hair starts to crave the mask again by the next week. I love this stuff and won't be giving it up any time soon. Now I want to try the shampoos, too!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Makeup Remover -Make Up For Ever - Sens Eyes
bjorne_again 3/17/2009 11:26:00 PM
Best. Eyemakeup. Remover. Ever. Amazing because: 1) It removes MAC liquidlast/GOSH style liners with ease and almost no rubbing 2) The texture is fantastic - doesn't oil up my contact lenses or eyes, but doesn't leave my eyes feeling parched like some do. 3) It virtually eliminates rubbing your eyes, better than any other bi-phase remover i've ever tried(Dior, Lancome, Clarins, Biotherm, l'Oreal, Marcelle) because it doesn't leave that nasty white film, but leaves eyes clean and supple. 4) Removes bright eyeshadows by MUFE that tend to stain! Yay! Yes, it's not super-cheap, but as I'm aging, I am realizing how important it is to not rub the eyes, and I consider this an investment in the youthful appearance of my eyes! I'm sure we all waste a lot more money than this on random beauty finds... this one is worth it. Tip for use: massage onto lids and lashes and keep eyes closed. Wait 30seconds-1minute before gently tissueing off. Waiting really gives it time to work it's magic(much like the micellar removers that you hold over your lid to dissolve the makeup). Patience is a virtue with this stuff, but you'll be amazed at how easily it removes makeup and leaves your skin happy! I'm just glad because i feel like i'm not pre-maturely aging my eyes anymore by tugging or over-rubbing to remove oily residue any more.
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Cleansers -MAC - Cleanse Off Oil
bjorne_again 2/24/2009 12:03:00 PM
I don't have a serious aversion to putting oil on my face, especially to remove waterproof makeup, or in the winter to soothe my chapped skin, but I really don't like this particular oil cleanser. First, I am a contact lens wearer, and i can't use this anywhere close to my eyes when I'm wearing them(unlike other bi-phase MU removers or basic eye makeup removers) or else I get seriously irritated, blurry eyes and it's near impossible to get it off my contacts once it's on there. Even when I'm not wearing contacts it effs up my vision and bothers my eyes, and I end up rubbing them too much to get rid of excess oil, giving me puffy eyes(hiss!) Second, I don't find it's even that great at removing waterproof makeup. When I worked for MAC we were trained to suggest this as an upsell with the Liquidlast eyeliners, yet I found I still had to work hard to get them all off with this, even after soaking my lid for a few minutes. The Clarins bi-phase remover works much better for this, or even the MUFE gentle waterproof makeup remover. It's just a passable MU remover/cleanser, plus the packaging is crap(the way it pumps halfway across the room is ridiculous!). it took me almost a year to get through mine because i hated using it so much.
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Cleansers -Vichy - Purete Thermale Demaquillant Integral One Step Cleanser 3in1
bjorne_again 2/18/2009 5:37:00 PM
This is a great milk cleanser. It feels light, removes a lot of makeup(but not waterproof eye makeup at all), and leaves your skin very conditioned, though I do like to follow it up with another cleanser(foaming or micellar), unless it's the dead of winter and all my skin is really dehydrated and just needs nourishment. This stuff makes me a believer in milk-cleansers again. My only real complaint is it does leave a bit of a greasy residue(not a good cleanser for the morning!), but I'm trying to get over my irrational fear of not being squeaky clean!
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Cleansers -Clarins - Pure Melt Cleansing Gel
bjorne_again 2/18/2009 5:18:00 PM
Alright, if you're going to use this product, you must be willing to jump the psychological hurdle of your face not feeling squeaky clean after use like it will with a normal rinse-off foaming cleanser. There's a whackload of Marula oil in it - it's the main conditioning ingredient in here, and yes, it does leave a film. But it is the best film known to man! If you can get used to it, and are willing to spend the extra time, this stuff is fantastic. I use this at night when I want to feel pampered, and more often in the winter. I usually remove eye-makeup first(but will skip that step in a pinch, as this will remove it), then apply this to dry skin and massage until it becomes slick, and then some. Splash with water to milk it up and rinse. Sure it's the same kind of feeling you get when you go from washing your hands in hard water to soft - like you can't get the soap off - but the next morning my skin feels even and glowy. I thought I would HATE this stuff because I am so acne-prone, but it doesn't break me out, it soothes and conditions my skin beautifully - it feels SOOO soft and supple like a child's skin. If you are rich, try using this as a body wash - massage it all over your dry skin before you shower and rinse it off in there - tres luxe! You'll only get a few uses out of each tube that way, but your skin will feel so soft! Actually, you do go through this more quickly than your average foaming cleanser, which is why I save it for days my skin needs TLC.
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Cleansers -Clarins - Water Comfort One Step Cleanser
bjorne_again 2/18/2009 4:53:00 PM
Meh. Clarins water cleansers ain't all that. This one smells DELICIOUSLY like a peach orchard, so it's a great sensory experience, and I'm pretty sure the only reason it has die-hard fans as it's not really an effective facial cleanser, doesn't remove eye-makeup and also leaves my skin slightly sticky, and not as comforted as a peach cobbler should be! It's amazing how much better Bioderma's two water cleansers are when compared to the two Clarins ones. Get the Sensibio if you're normal/dry/dehydrated/sensitive instead of this peach crap, and get the Sebium if you're combo/oily/acne-prone instead of the mint clarins one, your skin will thank you.
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Cleansers -Clarins - Water Purify One Step Cleanser with mint
bjorne_again 2/18/2009 4:49:00 PM
Now that I've tried a good number of micellar water cleansers, I can say Clarins' are pretty much the least effective water cleanser I've tried. This may be because they don't use micellar technology(at least the trainer didn't even know the word micellar when I asked her about this compared to the other micellar cleansers on the market), and as such are not as effective. This one I find leaves my skin ever so slightly sticky, moderately clean, dried out and minty fresh to the point of being overbearing and irritating to my skin. Ineffective at removing substantial eye makeup. Overpriced for what it does. If you want a one-step cleanser for combo/oily skin, go for Sebium from Bioderma, it's 10x better and cheaper, too.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Bioderma - Sebium H2O
bjorne_again 2/18/2009 4:42:00 PM
After having great results with Bioderma's Sensibio H2O cleanser, but deciding that I wanted something a little more suited to combo/acne-prone skin, I tried this, and I gotta say it's pretty great. It cleans just as well/better than the Sensibio, and leaves you feeling even CLEANER, which is psychologically important for us acne-prone folk. My skin is left feeling refreshed,hydrated and squeaky clean, but I do need to follow it up with my trusty LRP physiological toner or else I feel just a touch irritated. This is my preferred cleanser for when I'm feeling like a grease-bomb about to explode into zits, but I don't really feel it's stripping, I think it's just that coolness that throws my skin off. Stings the eyes just the teeniest bit. Love it ALMOST as much as Sensibio!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Christian Dior - HydrAction Deep Hydration Radical Serum
bjorne_again 1/19/2009 9:24:00 AM
FYI, I'm combo/acne-prone, with a penchant for serious dehydration, especially arount my nose. I love this serum. I can use it as my moisturizer all over my face and my skin feels soothed, comfortable, and deeply hydrated. In my extremely dehydrated areas, I follow up with a barrier-creating cream like LRPs Nutrtic... i think this helps reduce evaporation off my nose and locks in the hydrating effects of this stuff, this is a great option for anyone dry or prone to extreme dehydration. I have tried the hydrating serums from Avene, Vichy, Guerlain, Biotherm, and Clarins, and this is my favourite. For me, the texture of this is really important. It's got a true serum texture. Slippery, rich, gelly-liquid. This is an important part of why I like this serum more than the others. It's not an oily one like Clarins(so it sinks in faster, better for combo/oily skins), and not lotion that can be too greasy(like Guerlain, plus that one stinks of roses), and not too light and gelly like Avene, Vichy and Biotherm, so it is still rich enough to make a difference - I find all of those lack substance. If you prefer one of the other textures, go for them over this, but if you're strongly dehydrated and combo/oily, this is a great option. I don't find it breaks me out, and my skin feels conditioned after I use it. Finally, the packaging is gorgeous, though i kinda wish it were an airless pump(sometimes it burps out serum if it's been in a travel bag on its side) and transparent so i knew how much product was left. Price wise, it's just a bit more expensive than clarins, at $66 for 30ml in canada, but if you get the 50ml, it's only $86, cheaper than the Clarins, which only comes in one size.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Queen Helene - Mint Julep Masque
bjorne_again 12/5/2008 12:13:00 AM
This is a great clay mask, and I was skeptical about it. I got it as a throw-in on a swap, and I am pleased I did. While I don't feel like it pulls the deep-dirt out, it helps with backheads, for sure. Not completely, but some actually did just 'rinse away' after the mask. I use this verrrry often as a spot mask(almost every night), and will leave it on all night, and I find it does a pretty good job of drying up and treating existing blemishes, better than the crappy spot-treatments I've tried. I find the packaging a little annoying as the product is pretty thick, and it takes quite a bit of effort to squeeze it out, but I suppose I can't complain much because it's so darned cheap! Overall, i feel quite reflreshed after I use this mask, and it definitely helps with zits and blackheads! Great mask for a GREAT price!
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Masks -Christian Dior - Masque Magique - Purifying Radiance Mask
bjorne_again 12/5/2008 12:07:00 AM
Admittedly, it's hard for me to qualify why I like this mask so much, but I'll try. First, the texture is awesome - it's a smooth gel-cream, and the scent is lovely. It was very refreshing, and I feel like it works at really cleaning out my skin. I tend to use it for a couple of nights straight to really flush my skin from deeeeeeeep down, and it really pulls all the scum to the surface, resulting in initial breakouts, but more radient skin in the coming weeks. It has been discontinued at my Shoppers' Drugmart, so I have a feeling it won't even be available much longer, but I quite enjoy it and would buy it again if I can find it. One of the major drawbacks is the price, there is probably only enough product for 7-8 masks in the tube, and considering it doesn't work miracles, I think the price is a bit steep for that. But it's such a unique mask, I'm very much sad to see it leaving the lineup.
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Toners -La Roche Posay - Physiological Soothing Toner
bjorne_again 12/4/2008 11:58:00 PM
Ha, I'm totally addicted to this toner and completely in love with it. I keep bottles all over my appartment and at my parents' house - I can't live without it! I am combo, sensitive, acne-prone and prone to dehydration, and this toner helps with everything but acne! I practically bathe in it! I love that I can use a stronger cleanser so i can get "cleaner" if I use this toner to soothe my skin afterward, and because it is rather hydrating, I can also use a bit more acne-controlling moisturizer over top. For people using a lot of anti-acne products or are on a full anti-acne regimen: TRY THIS TONER! I have switched 3 friends who use pro-activ or the whole ROC Purif-AC line, or other crazy strong acne fighting products to this toner, and they have found their skin is happier, and often their acne is reduced. I imagine this is because the irritation those lines' toners can cause will actually create more acne, and a soothed skin is a less acneic skin. I say, keep this as your daily toner, and if you feel a breakout coming on, switch to a stronger one in the affected areas, and then switch back near the end of the breakout, your skin will thank you! I am even not afraid of using this when I feel a breakout coming on, or even mid-breakout, as it doesn't make it worse at all, though I often switch to an astringent toner or acne-fighting one where the breakouts are(but I ALWAYS use this on my nose, as it dehydrates like a MOFO, and it always needs the boost of hydration this gives... any acne-fighting/astringent toners on my nose make it peel instantly). Anyway, this helps your moisturizer sink in perfectly, you use less, and your skin feels so much happier because of it. I freakin' love it and have yet to find a better toner in any of the more prestigious brands. Tip: for anyone so sensitive they're atopic or scared to touch or rub their skin, spray this on... i find it even more soothing than using thermal water as a toner.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No