BB Cream -FLOWER Beauty - BB Cream
blackblackblack 3/22/2013 6:04:00 PM
I LOVE this stuff. I never bothered buying an American drug store BB because I don't want a tinted moisturizer with the letters "BB" on it. I've sampled enough to know the score. I'm really glad I read up on Flower to see Drew proclaim her BB cream to be "real." I had to try it. It has no SPF, which is fine by me, because I like using my own sunscreen since I know it won't break me out. It applies kind of dry and looks semi-matte; it seemed to soak up any excess oil on my face. The coverage is a big part of what separates it from the fakey BBs in American drug stores right now. I have some acne scarring and regularly wear a detectable amount of foundation. My boyfriend, mom, etc. thought my scars faded away because I wore this instead. I wasn't even wearing a lot of it. It's cruelty-free and has no mineral oil in it. The tube isn't very large, and it cost 12 or 13 bucks, but I was spending that for good Korean BB creams that I didn't like as much as I like this.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Deodorants -Desert Essence - Tea Tree Oil Deodorant with Lavender Oil
blackblackblack 1/8/2013 8:12:00 AM
Usually I get away with wearing aluminum-free natural deodorants, but not this one. Not even for an hour. One word: funky.
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Skincare - Face -Unlisted Brand - Turmeric
blackblackblack 1/8/2013 8:08:00 AM
I mix turmeric with raw honey, cinnamon, and sometimes greek yogurt. It doesn't stain my face terribly and if you get the proportions down (might take a mix or two) it really isn't so runny. Turmeric does leave my face looking like I put a little self tanner on, but it is not obviously stained. In any case, it washes off after a day, and I usually do this on my days off or at night. I alternate between the turmeric mask and a mask made from strawberries and bentonite clay. The area where I have acne- jaw, lower chin- is easier to apply makeup to. The redness and bumpiness have decreased noticeably, and a few dark acne scars have faded. I firmly believe that for some of us with hormonal skin problems, it helps to quit applying so many chemicals (or ANY, if you can help it), focus on internal health, and use natural, non-irritating treatments. I recommend trying turmeric, inside and out.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -NYX - Trio TS3 - Nude Taupe Dark Brown
blackblackblack 6/17/2012 7:24:00 PM
I use this palette every other day, and have repurchased. These shades are absolutely matte (my primary reason for being dedicated to them). The nude shade, I must confess, barely gets dipped into, but the other two are essential neutral basics with good pigment and staying power. Nyx is cruelty-free and reasonably priced, which gets my loyalty de facto.
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Sunscreen -Paula's Choice - Ultra-Light Weightless Finish SPF 30 Sunscreen Spray [DISCONTINUED]
blackblackblack 6/17/2012 7:19:00 PM
This product is now packaged in an orange bottle and isn't labeled "Ultra-Light"- but it still really is! I use this on my face every day, and all over by the pool. When you spray it on your hands, it looks like a sheer dry oil, but counter intuitively, it isn't oily once you spread it on. AT ALL. It has not made me a bit shinier, and does not aggravate my hormonal breakouts. Cruelty-free, hooray! It also contains antioxidants, and I love a double-duty face product. I haven't had a day at the beach since I started using it, so I can't say how tough it really is, but for regular use it's doing much better than any other sunscreen I've used.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Aubrey Organics - Blue-Green Algae
blackblackblack 11/26/2011 4:06:00 PM
This is a great light moisturizer for the acne prone or simply anyone who is phobic about breakouts and shine. The texture and ingredients make it very worthy of its' place on my shelf. Very softening, absorbs well. However, if you are someone who is very touchy about fragrance, don't even think about this product, run away! It smells strongly of powdery grandma perfume. I tend to not mind these things, but it's flat-out noxious to me sometimes. EDIT: This is specifically the Blue Green Algae Moisturizer for combination/oily skin.
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Misc Beauty Tools -E.L.F. - Studio Eyelash Curler
blackblackblack 11/26/2011 3:58:00 PM
I used the same (awesome) Kevyn Aucoin eyelash curler for several years and, finding myself too lazy and impatient to replace the rubber pad this time, bought one of these for a dollar. It's terrible. I want my Kevyn back. I find it quite unwieldy, and the shape is all wrong. I can't get more than 1/4 of my lashes curled at one time. And the outer corner lashes (AKA the ones I want to curl the most)? Forget it, I'd have to stab this thing halfway into my socket to reach them with this thing. At least I only lost a dollar!
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Gels/Soaps -Dr. Bronner's - Hemp and Tea Tree Soap
blackblackblack 10/5/2011 7:36:00 PM
I swear by this stuff. I use it in liquid form on my face (just a TINY bit is key) and it has reduced my acne and shine noticeably. It is also a genius product for makeup brushes. I can wash my dishes or clothes with it if I feel like it, or am totally broke/can't get to the store. It's cruelty free and devoid of harsh detergents and noxious chemicals. I also use it as a clarifying shampoo/scalp treatment every once in a while. Worth every penny and then some after you learn your ratios.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Milani - Smooth Finish Blush - Luminous
blackblackblack 10/5/2011 7:28:00 PM
I nearly never wear blush, but I was looking kind of dead, and not in a hot gothic way, as I would have tried to rock on with. Prior to buying this I had only bought one blush in the past few years. I didn't even know about this little guy's cult status as an Orgasm dupe when i found it, but I'm quickly catching onto the hype now. It looks fabulous on my fair skin, the shimmer isn't in-your-face, and it blends well. I look younger and healthier. If you generally side-eye blush or worry that it will make you look overdone, try to find one of these. Cons: The brush it comes with is a stupid waste (why do they WASTE our time and money with these things?!) and it isn't incredibly long lasting.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -NYX - Super Skinny & Super Fat Eye Marker
blackblackblack 10/5/2011 7:19:00 PM
I purchased this because the skinny variety is perfect for carefully plotting the parameters of a winged or cat eye look. It doesn't dry too quickly, so mistakes are easy to correct. While the formula is pretty thin and not nearly black enough for me (I am anal retentive when it comes to my crisp black line) it does dispense much more evenly than other felt tip liners I've tried. After blueprinting my eye with this pen I go over it with my Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel. It has saved me a lot of do-overs!
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Moisturizers -Desert Essence - Jojoba Oil - 100% pure
blackblackblack 3/7/2011 4:06:00 PM
I've been using this for maybe 3 years as a stand-in for about 10 other products. I use it in my hair, on my lashes, entire body, soul, brain, etc. Basically it cures what ails. It's a great moisturizer, conditioner, makeup remover, gloss-giver, soft-maker. It's never broken me out or done me wrong. HG. If I could change two things, it would be this: 1. A better bottle. It doesn't travel that well; leaks sometimes. 2. Make it available everywhere.
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Lip Treatments -Korres - Lip Butter - Jasmine
blackblackblack 2/5/2011 6:39:00 PM
I bought three Korres lip butters from Sephora on sale, and this one is my favorite. It's very smooth and silky, not tacky at all, which is a huge peeve of mine. I wear a lot of black eye makeup most days, and like a very understated mouth, and this is perfect for that. I would suggest applying a bit of balm with SPF first, as this does not contain any. Also, I wish it came in a tube!
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Eyeliner -Stila - Barbie Loves Stila Smudgepot - Little Black Dress (2009)
blackblackblack 2/5/2011 6:28:00 PM
My dislike for this product is based on personal preference. A friend got this for me as a gift, knowing I am a die-hard devotee of Smudge Pots. I dislike glitter (ANY glitter) in my eye makeup, but I read that the purple glitter was very fine, so I figured I'd give it a whirl anyway. As it turns out, the glitter overpowers the black base. I applied a few layers and still could not get it black enough. It just looked too 'soft' for me. Disappointing, because the glitter itself didn't actually look too bad. Additionally, the glitter made the application a bit more difficult than regular Smudge Pots, since it clumped on my brush a bit. Handed this product off to another friend who adores it.
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Brows -MAC - Eye Brows Crayon in Fling
blackblackblack 12/11/2010 1:12:00 PM
It is ridiculous how many of these I have gone through in a year. They never seem to last very long (but I did over-pluck in the past so I have some filling in to do). I have never been completely satisfied with the consistency or shade of another brow pencil, EVER. This one is just perfection. Easy to control, lands where you put it, STAYS where you put it, and looks very natural.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Manic Panic - Virgin Snow Toner
blackblackblack 12/11/2010 12:56:00 PM
Years of dyeing my hair a lightest golden blonde with boxed dyes has made it really difficult to go ash blonde. I have had no luck with purple shampoos, so I decided to try this. I was fully aware that this is best used on totally bleached out hair, so I wasn't expecting a miracle. I can never say too many nice things about Manic Panic when it comes to user friendliness. There's no chemical burn, it's easy to spread around, not too runny, and surprisingly conditioning with a subtle, pleasant smell. I wet my hair prior to applying this, and left it on for an hour. What I came out with was decent. It definitely toned down a good bit of the gold, and made my blonde look more pure. I didn't condition after rinsing it out, and my hair was in good shape. I'm almost ashamed to say, it felt better than when I use my regular conditioner. While the results were favorable enough, I will not be repurchasing. I need two jars for my waist-length hair, and that's $18. I might actually go back to it, but in the meantime my cheap ass is going to look for something effective at a better price.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No