Self Tanners -Unlisted Brand - St. Moriz Self Tanner Foam
bmh5012 3/30/2011 11:13:00 AM
I was spoiled with high expectations of a tan, before I quit fake-baking in dangerous beds. My search for a great self-tanner ended when I found this product through YouTube gurus (like many here). Overall rating - 4 : This gives fantastic, bronze, believable color, that is buildable over a few days and lasts quite a while. NO orange tones. Simple application. Non-offensive smell (my boyfriend barely notices). Over time, with maintenance, this can keep you nice and tan. but it does take effort on upkeep, which is why this is a 4. Price - 2: I am in the US and buy on Amazon. $30 for three bottles (including tax & shipping). Great price, and 3 bottles last me a long time. Packaging - 5: Easy to pump out. Must shake the bottle before using, but it stays mixed for a while. Bottle doesn't get messy if you're somewhat careful. Not the "cutest" label design ever, but who cares? This tan does require upkeep, or you will get fading/scaling in patches. My whole routine is as follows. Day 1- shower, shave if needed, and exfoliate well with regular soap (nothing creamy/oily) and a scrubby bath mitt. Pay extra attention to elbows/the usual dry spots. Right out of the shower, towel off and apply a regular (I use Vaseline lotion) moisturizer to backs of hands, tops of feet, elbows, knees, and ankles. Then, I put a rubber glove inside a cloth glove (like a winter one-size-fits-all glove). This is my "application hand". Three pumps for lower leg, three for upper leg, you get get picture. Slather on and blend until it is just about dry, then (important) STOP blending. It gets streaky if you go over an area too much. Go ahead and go over your knees/elbows if you put lotion on. Once it's all over, I take the gloves off, put a tiny amount on the back of one hand, and rub the backs of my hands together so they get tanned too. Do not put this on your palms! Dry for a few mins, then go to bed. I havent had problems with this rubbing off unless I sweat a bunch. Morning shower, day 2: Shower as normal, and apply a moisturizer right after you get out. From then on, I repeat "day 2 routine" and occasionally and randomly also exfoliate without then putting the product on. I do "day 1 routine (tan day)" like every 3rd day, about twice weekly. And that's it! Have never used it on my face, but I would probably try if I needed. Once you want to phase-out this product or being tanned, you're going to have to accept patchiness for about a week. It sucks, but that's how it goes. Exfoliate regularly and you could even out the pale patches with a little bronzer if it's too obvious. OVERALL, great price, I have repurchased several times, and I have gotten plenty of compliments from friends/family about the color of my tan. If you're going to be dedicated to the upkeep of this product, I say go for it!
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lipstick in Rosy Nude
bmh5012 3/7/2011 11:45:00 AM
I am having an allergic reaction to whatever ingredients are in this lipstick. I tried this lipstick on Friday, and my upper lip broke out with contact dermatitis (tiny, inflamed bumps on my lip - NOT a cold sore) Saturday morning. I have never had this problem before, so BUYER BEWARE. I'm sure this won't happen to everyone, but I HIGHLY recommend testing this on your hand/wrist before using. Wait at least 24 hours before putting it on your lips! I am positive this lipstick was what caused my reaction - I also broke out in tiny bumps where I swatched this on the back of my hand. I have NO other allergies, and have never had an allergic reaction before. Use with caution! Otherwise, the color was beautiful, well-pigmented, and a good price. Look up swatches before you buy - the packaging isn't great, and you don't know what color you're getting until you open it. Sad I can't use this anymore, but let this serve as a warning to test products before using!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - ColorBurst Lipstick in Blush 035 [DISCONTINUED]
bmh5012 3/7/2011 11:43:00 AM
I am having an allergic reaction to whatever ingredients are in this lipstick. I tried this lipstick on Friday, and my upper lip broke out with contact dermatitis (tiny, inflamed bumps on my lip - NOT a cold sore) Saturday morning. I have never had this problem before, so BUYER BEWARE. I'm sure this won't happen to everyone, but I HIGHLY recommend testing this on your hand/wrist before using. Wait at least 24 hours before putting it on your lips! I am positive this lipstick was what caused my reaction - I also broke out in tiny bumps where I swatched this on the back of my hand. I have NO other allergies, and have never had an allergic reaction before. Use with caution! Otherwise, the color was beautiful, well-pigmented, and a good price. Look up swatches before you buy - the packaging isn't great, and you don't know what color you're getting until you open it. Sad I can't use this anymore, but let this serve as a warning to test products before using!
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Lipstick -Revlon - ColorBurst in 070 Soft Nude [DISCONTINUED]
bmh5012 3/7/2011 11:41:00 AM
I am having an allergic reaction to whatever ingredients are in this lipstick. I tried this lipstick on Friday, and my upper lip broke out with contact dermatitis (tiny, inflamed bumps on my lip - NOT a cold sore) Saturday morning. I have never had this problem before, so BUYER BEWARE. I'm sure this won't happen to everyone, but I HIGHLY recommend testing this on your hand/wrist before using. Wait at least 24 hours before putting it on your lips! I am positive this lipstick was what caused my reaction - I also broke out in tiny bumps where I swatched this on the back of my hand. I have NO other allergies, and have never had an allergic reaction before. Use with caution! Otherwise, the color was beautiful, well-pigmented, and a good price. Look up swatches before you buy - the packaging isn't great, and you don't know what color you're getting until you open it. Sad I can't use this anymore, but let this serve as a warning to test products before using!
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Blush -Maybelline - Dream Mousse Blush in Peach Satin ] ] [DISCONTINUED]
bmh5012 1/5/2011 12:30:00 PM
Like others have said, this is much too shimmery. I had high hopes for this product, but am disappointed. I have fair skin, but the color is way too fake-pink for me. I also feel this blush leaves my cheeks looking dry, instead of natural/dewy how they should be.
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Blush -Almay - Smart Shade Blush
bmh5012 1/5/2011 12:26:00 PM
Love this blush! I'm fair-skinned and own the berry shade in this blush. Love the tube. It blends easy, doesn't dry out my skin, and stays for a long time. I think it looks really natural. At first, it comes out strange, but after dotting/blending it on my cheeks, the shade really looks great! This is a great alternative to powder blush (like for the winter months). I would also recommend this to fair-skins who don't want a fake-blush-y look.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -L'Oreal - Skin Genesis Multi- Layer Cell Strengthening Serum Concentrate
bmh5012 1/5/2011 12:19:00 PM
I have only used this serum one day, but I am noticing a real difference. My skin had been dry and rough, causing my small forehead and brow lines to show. This serum seems to really cause my moisturizer to soak in overnight. Whatever it does, this serum plumped my skin, so now it looks hydrated and softer. My lines are more filled in - moreso than I had anticipated! I am only 25 and purchased the serum as an anti-aging solution. So far, I would recommend this product, but will update if any adverse effects or decreased effects show up.
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Lip Treatments -Smith's Rosebud Salve - Smith's Rosebud Salve
bmh5012 9/20/2010 11:30:00 AM
I picked this up on a whim, because I had seen it in magazines and elsewhere. I had been using regular old Vaseline at night to make my lips really soft, but sometimes I would wake up with small whitehead pimples around my mouth - YUCK. This stuff is wonderful. Softens my lips overnight and it's great for on-the-go use. Has not broken my skin out around my lips. I'm not a big lipstick/gloss girl, and this gives me a pretty soft shine to my lips that my boyfriend never notices - but he says my "lips are so soft". What's better than that? I will warn you that if you get this stuff hot (like leave it in a car, etc), it will melt all over the inside of the tin. I fixed it by taking off the lid, scraping the goop off and putting it in the bottom of the tin, and then just a quick warm-up on top of a heated oven melted it back in place. Recently had a cold, and my nose got chapped and flaky from tissues. This stuff helped me overnight!!! Buy it if you're hooked on chap-stick, or want something to soften overnight.
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Scrubs -Aveeno - Skin Brightening Daily Scrub
bmh5012 9/17/2010 8:56:00 AM
I picked this up on a whim, to try out the Aveeno brand. I have been using this for months now, every morning, and LOVE it! I have normal-combination skin, and don't need a harsh scrub every day. This one is perfect - gentle, no harsh chemicals, and the beads are very small and hardly "scrubby". It is perfect for me in the morning, when I don't need to use a harsh cleanser. I use this and then my Clinique moisturizer with SPF. My skin has never looked better! I also exfoliate (via a mask) twice a week. This has my skin nicely balanced out and fresh-looking. If you are looking for more exfoliation every day, I don't recommend this. I would NOT reach for this when I feel my skin needs a good exfoliation. As for the "brightening" part of this product, I can't say I have seen much of a difference, specifically related to this product. I use lots of prosuct and makeup every day, so it's difficult to say if this made a difference in "brightness". If you have acne-prone skin, buy this. This will gently keep your skin freshly scrubbed. I will be repurchasing this! Also, the packaging is great - I noticed right at first the good quality plastic cap. It has a very small opening for dispensing product, which is useful since you don't need to much, and it keeps the cap very nice and clean.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Sigma - Essential Kit - Make Me Blush
bmh5012 9/16/2010 2:20:00 PM
UPDATE: I have used these brushes for many months; they have all held up! No shedding, etc, whatsoever! Sometimes the duo-fibre brush is difficult to clean. I have found that first using makeup remover on the bristles, and then using baby shampoo, really gets it back to it's white color. Absolutely NO complaints! I have used these brushes for a month now, and cleaned them multiple times with baby shampoo. I have experienced VERY little shedding, and no color bleeding from the bristles. One brush has been somewhat stained by my NARS blush (the while natural-hair contouring brush), but I don't see that as a big deal, as the brush works like it should. I use almost every brush frequently, and am impressed by them all. I don't love the foundation brush, but I love using the Due Fibre brush for stippling my liquid foundation on. I have not owned MAC brushes before, but have used several other brands throughout the years. I can't compare these to MAC, but for someone who is used to drugstore brushes, Mary Kay brushes, Clinique brushes, (etc), I can say that I LOVE these, and would repurchase again. I highly recommend these if you desire professional brushes without paying a ridiculous amount for them, such as at MAC!
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