Lips -Nivea - Lip Care
cameronjb 10/7/2008 6:27:00 AM
This is for the Nivea Balm in the blue tube. I'd been searching for a lip balm for the longest time and couldn't find one I liked. This one pretty much hits the target. What I've found is that you've got to (seriously) cut off the domed top of the stick, and then you're left with a rich, glossy lip balm that feels amazing.
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CD/Books/Movies -Paula's Choice - Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me 6th Edition
cameronjb 2/4/2008 10:14:00 PM
I love Paula's work. My skin has been greatly improved and now I know how to read an ingredient list. What sort-of irked me about her 6th (and now 7th) edition of her book is that products that once got smiley faces now got frowns or "so-so" faces. On her website I actually stumbled upon a little blurb addressing this: "In the latest edition of my book Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, one of the most notable changes was the way I rated moisturizers, toners, and other skin-care products. If they didn't contain an impressive assortment or concentration of antioxidants they did not receive a "happy face." Her newer books have even lessened up on the whole "Shine is bad" mantra that so many women complain about. I do have another gripe, though: Now with her new 7th edition, she's given all of her products smiles and "Paula's Pick" checks. How self-absorbed can you get?
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Clinique - 3 Step System
cameronjb 2/4/2008 6:42:00 AM
Girls, here's the thing: It's all marketing. Just because the Clinique rep (and the corporation) is telling you that you've got to use 2 different products to remove your makeup and cleanse, that doesn't exactly ring true. Sure, if you've got an ultra-matte foundation, tons of pure titanium dioxide sunscreen on underneath, and waterproof mascara and liner on, then yes, you might want to consider using a remover. Asside from that, you really don't need a remover if you're using a good cleanser (like many that clinique makes). It's just to increase the reps unit (in dollars). The toners (or "Clarifying Lotions") aren't that greatly formulated (for one thing, #1, #3 and #4 are identical ingredient-wise, less the coloring agent and varying degrees of alcohol). #2 is a big disappointment because it's got withhazel distillate and menthol in it, which creates a "whoosh" effect on the skin in the short term, but in the long term can cause cell damage and increased irritation. Mild is really nice though, because it doesn't have any alcohol (or any skin irritants for that matter) and even has a good concentration of BHA. I don't totally mind DDML, even though it's pretty runny and is shine city for anyone who has oily skin (actually, pretty stupid to be putting a moisturizer like this in a line designed for people with breakouts). It's a very basic moisturizer, and doesn't even merit the $29 CDN for a refill bottle. Good for someone with somewhat dry skin, but it wont keep it hydrated for long. I know that It makes me breakout if I use too much, and if you're using what they recommend (drying bar soap, irritating toner) you'll need quite a bit. The DDMG is a nice change of pace, as it does have tons of anti-oxidants and it doesn't cause most to break out. It's identical to the gel in the mens line. It's very good for people with oilier skin. I Like it because it doesn't clog my pores, and even has a soft-matte look when you first apply it to the skin. All in all, you could definitely pick out a better system from the drugstore, picking and choosing from the lines they have there, and you'd save yourself a lot of money. It's not a totally bad system (the Mild Clarifying lotion and the DDMG, for instance) but with so many mistakes that can be made by the average consumer when shopping for this system, it's just best to look elsewhere. The packaging is fab, though.
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Skincare -Clinique - M gel-lotion
cameronjb 2/4/2008 5:04:00 AM
Well, it's really just Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel packaged a bit differently and sold for less money (seriously, check the ingredient listing. They're identical!) so you girls out there who want to save some money, look no further! As a moisturizer, it's a pretty good formulation. I tend to break out on a regular basis, and this hasn't yet caused me any trouble breakout wise. My neck is dry, as well as my cheeks, and it relieves the tightness for a good amount of time. Although, with the winter months upon us, I've found that my face is back to being dry within an hour of applying it. This would be great for someone with oilier skin that still wants some moisture. I'm taking one lippy off from the packaging because the mens version is packaged rather mundanely in a plain squeeze tube (but it's really what's inside that counts, isn't it?).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No