Polishes -Chanel - Ballerina
catherinesophia 7/27/2012 3:09:00 PM
This is my new HG interview nailpolish. If I want to go natural, I use this polish, because it makes my nails look good and glamorous, but also professional. I do need to apply 3 coats to get the shade I want, but that's ok. Chanel makes the best nailpolish, and the polishes last the longest, so I'm happy that I found a color that I can wear everyday. I recently bought a protein base that is slightly opaque, so I hope that will help this go on in just two coats. This polish has a much better consistency that Essie's Mademoiselle, and it goes on more evenly. If you do the proper prep work, your nails will look professionally manicured with this polish. Great color and texture; I have been wearing it for 5 days so far and no chips. I will buy again.
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Pressed Powders -Chanel - Poudre Douce 30 Rosee
catherinesophia 7/27/2012 2:48:00 PM
I bought this like two years ago, and I have never used it until today. I use it over the new cream foundation, and it works great. I had no idea why I needed pressed powder, until I started noticing that my makeup was like slipping off my face. I hadn't noticed this before, because I have terrible lighting in my house. and I moved my makeup desk to the window recently, in order to take advantage of the natural light. Anyhow, I really like this setting powder. I have very pale skin, and I don't like to wear a lot of makeup, but I do wear blush and a bit of bronzer, and this pressed powder makes my foundation and concealer stay put before I put the color on my skin (blush and bronzer). It also gives my skin an airbrushed look to it. I had no idea that I had such a gold mine sitting in my makeup bin. I don't have oily skin, but because I use vitamin C, moisturizer, and then sunblock under my cream foundation, this powder helps my makeup stay put. Great product and a little goes a long way :)
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Retin A
catherinesophia 6/8/2012 12:50:00 AM
I have been using Retin A for several years, off and on. I would start using it, then see the peeling and redness, then I would stop. I never got past the initial month of using it, but I'm trying to do this now. My skin is very delicate and pale. I only wash my skin in the morning, so I apply the cream over any residual makeup and dead skin, which seems to work well as a buffer. I am still peeling a bit, but not nearly as bad as it was before. I have been using this now for a little over a week, and I haven't seen any improvements yet. I'm going to give it at least two months before I give up now. I apply it on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday nights. I apply a pea sized amount to my face, and then I slather on rose hip oil over it. I wake up, and wash my face for a full minute with my fingers, gently, and I no longer use a wash cloth, because it irritates my skin and makes it peel more. I stopped washing my face at night, because I felt that it made my skin look irritated and red. My skin looks the best, the less I touch it, and the only reason I want to use Retin A, is because my dermatologist indicated that it is truly the only skin care ingredient that has been proven to help your skin. I will update my review in a few weeks, to let others know how my experiment is going. I have noticed more mild acne after I started using the Retin A, but nothing too serious. There is some flakiness, and the overall appearance of my skin is not very bright, but I hope this changes with time. Update: I have been using the cream now for almost 4 weeks now, and my skin doesn't really look better. I have acne, which I usually don't have, and my skin is still peeling and a bit red. I am going to continue with it for another month, and then this is going in the garbage can. I am curious to see if the acne I have no will leave hyperpigmentation, because it feels like it is just surface spots, not the deep terrible spots that take months to totally go away. I will post again in a few weeks. I hope this is just from the initial irritation of the product, and my skin adjusts :) Update: It has been nearly two months, and the red blotchyness of my skin has gotten a lot worse. It has helped me fade old acne hyperpigmentation, but I have red spots where I never had acne, so I'm sort of confused about what is happening. I hope this is just the final stage of "purging," because I will have to discontinue use, if the redness doesn't go away. I will update again in a month. UPDATE: I have made peace with this product. I can use it exactly twice a week, and that is all, or my skin becomes way too irritated. I apply this on Thursday/Sunday nights, and I use a AHA on the other nights. I also don't apply this anywhere near my mouth; only on my cheeks and forehead. I have noticed that my skin looks tighter and the texture is smoother the morning after I use it. I think everyone needs to find their sweet spot with this product. More isn't necessarily better. If I use it twice a week, I still see the benefit, but I don't have any peeling or redness. This is good enough for me. My skin likes AHAs much better, so I will stick to using those for a majority of the time. UPDATE: After giving up on this product for a few months, I came back to it and I have determined a much better way of applying this to my face without redness or irritation. I put a pea sized amount onto the palm of my hand, and I use two fingers to spread it on my palm, and then lightly pat it onto my face. For some reason, I can apply this every other night with no problems, when I apply it this way. When I applied it directly to my face, I always had redness and problems. I wanted to share this because this might work for someone else too. Update: I stopped using Retin a for a bit because it was causing splotchy redness on my face, so I picked it up again about a month ago, and I figured out a way to apply it to my gentle skin. I now apply it every other day (AHA on alternate days) before bed. I first wipe witch hazel to my face with a cotton ball, wait for about 15 minutes, and then get a pea sized worth of Retin-A in my palm and take my middle three fingers from my other hand and rub it around on the palm of my hand so there is a very thin layer of on my fingertips. I then gently pat the product onto my cheeks and forehead and around my eyes, never rubbing. I have found that this application method has eliminated the redness/irritation problem. It has only been about a month, but I can see a difference in my skin and it appears to be more plump and youthful. I will update after 6 months of applying it to my skin using this new method :)
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Top/Base Coats -Seche Vite - Dry Fast Top Coat
catherinesophia 6/5/2012 2:29:00 AM
This is a fabulous product. I started doing my own manicures to save money and time, and I have skipped using a topcoat, because I didn't see the point. This product makes nails look glassy and amazing and it really does dry fast. They give nails a professional sheen and look. I usually paint my nails every week, but I think this will allow me to push my manicure for at least a week and a half. This is great, because I really don't like having chipped nails, and I am usually forced to repaint my nails more often. This is truly an amazing product. I bought the refill kit from Sallybeauty, and it is much more economical than buying a single bottle. I will be using this for the rest of my life :) UPDATE: Been using this for a few weeks now for my weekly manicures, and I just love this stuff. It truly is amazing. I can't say enough good things about it. I give myself a pedicure every other month (toe nails grow half as fast as fingernails), and my toenail polish has no chips. I gave my toes an extra coat after a month, and my toes look beautiful. The only reason you can tell that the pedicure is old, is because my toenails have grown out. I can't believe how good they still look. I am so happy I bought this stuff.
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Bronzers -Chanel - Soleil Tan de Chanel - Bronzing Makeup Base
catherinesophia 6/5/2012 2:23:00 AM
When I first bought this, I didn't like this product at all. I didn't know how to use it. Now, it is my HG product, and I use it everyday. I am VERY pale, like so pale that most foundations aren't light enough to make match me. I use this in combination with the new Chanel foundation to give my face more definition. I apply it using a large puff brush, and I bounce the brush in the product, then swirl it on my hand. I then apply the product from my hand to all around my face, my cheek bones, and my neck. I also apply regular foundation to my under eyes, chin, and forehead. The effect of this bronzer is very subtle, but it makes my cheeks and my features pop. I then apply a bright blush to my cheek bones. This is a great product and worth the price. The trick to using it is to use it very sparingly, especially if you are very light skinned :)
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Nioxin - Bionutrient Actives Cleanser
catherinesophia 5/14/2012 12:45:00 AM
I only wash my hair every other day, and when I wash it, I use this once a week to thoroughly clean my scalp. The other days, I use Devacurl no-poo. I like the Nioxin more than using the low-poo, as I think that the Coco Betain in the lowpoo dries my hair out. I feel the Nioxin soothes my scalp, and I like the way it feels. I also like the fact that it really cleans, but it doesn't dry my hair out like other sulphate shampoos. It also cleans my hair of any product residue through the week. I honestly feel it makes my hair look a lot better, and it makes the Devacurl products work a lot better. This is the first sulphate shampoo that I have used in months, and I was sort of scared to see what it would do to my hair, but this shampoo didn't not damage my fine curly hair.
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Lipstick -Chanel - Rouge Coco - Gardenia
catherinesophia 4/26/2012 7:01:00 PM
Perfect bright nude pink color. This color is perfect for bringing out the pink healthy shades in my complexion. I have very dark curly brown hair and very fair skin. My eyes are hazel, and most light lipstick colors look ridiculous with my coloring. I have been on the hunt for a bright yet natural shade that I could wear without lip liner. This shade is very feminine and pretty, and I think it really brightens cool undertoned skin. I bought Mademoiselle (at the suggestions of a makeup artist at Nordstrom), and this shade had way too much gray in it. It made my skin look very drab and dead. Gardenia brings out the healthy tones in my skin; I just love this color :)
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Blush -Chanel - Joues Contraste in Malice #71
catherinesophia 4/26/2012 6:57:00 PM
This is a great blush for me. I have dark curly hair that is short so if frames my face a bit. As a result, I needed a lot more pigment in my blush, because my color palette got a lot darker after cutting my hair and making it go "natural." I use this in combination with Gardenia lipstick, and it gives me a very pretty and bright look. This blush is very pigmented, and a little goes a long way. It also works as an eyeshadow too :) I am very pleased with this color, but I think you may need to have rather dramatic coloring to pull it off. I am an NW15 with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. This really adds brightness, but it isn't too light to where I look like the easter bunny (pastels do this to me). When my hair was straight and lighter, I used Rose Petale blush and that was my HG for many years. My old blush no longer worked for me when I changed my hair (it barely showed up on my skin at all). My old makeup was also just too harsh for my new soft curly hair :)
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Crème -Chanel - Vitalumiere Hydra (Moist Radiance Emulsion Compact)
catherinesophia 4/26/2012 6:51:00 PM
I was a long time user of Tient Innocence in Gentle Ivory, and because they discontinued this amazing product, I had to find a new foundation. I originally tried the lightest beige shade, and this was WAY too yellow for me. I took it back to the Chanel store, and they switched it with the pink Rose Beige 22, which seems to be a perfect match. This makeup goes on and sits like second skin. I was considering trying Mac foundation, but what I noticed is that the Chanel foundation has lots of different hints of color in it; it isn't just one shade. I think this is why the foundation looks like real skin. I recently changed my hair (went from light straight shoulder brown hair to dark brown curly short hair), and the change has forced me to update my "look." This foundation gives me a barely there fresh makeup look without being heavy or over the top. I'm going for a delicate "English Rose" makeup look these days, so this makeup works perfectly for my needs. So far, I am very pleased with it. Time will tell before I give it my official HG status. I hope this works as well as the TI, because that was my HG foundation for the past 4 years :) UPDATE: I love this foundation. I only apply it to my nose, under eyes, tops of cheeks, and my chin and middle of forehead. I then apply the Chanel Bronzing base to my cheeks and around my face. Together, they make a great tream, and it looks like I'm not wearing any makeup at all. I like how this makes my skin look, and it never looks cakey. I apply with a damp beauty blender sponge, and I gently bounce it in the compact, and then bounce the sponge on my skin. It layers well and doesn't ever look fake. Great products, both of them and they are both my new HG products :)
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Loose Powders -MAC - Iridescent Powder - Silver Dusk
catherinesophia 4/22/2012 6:07:00 AM
I bought this years ago when I was going through my "natural skin" phase, meaning, I stopped using blush and bronzer. I never threw it away, because I was sure that I could use it again one day. Now, about ten years (no joke) later, I use it for a few things. I use it as a highlighter for my eyes, and upper cheek bones, I use it under my brow bone, and I use it to make my lower lip look bigger. When I put my lip liner on, I then put my lipstick on, and I dab a tiny bit of this on the center of my lower lip. I then apply lip gloss around the dab, and blend. This makes my lips look bigger and shiner. It also helps my lipstick not fade for the entire day. I wear a nude shade, but I use lip liner, lipstick and lip gloss in order to make it last. The light powder is a great trick. The trick I use to get the perfect amount is I flip the container upside down, then flip it right side up, and just a tiny bit of powder will be on the top; that is what I use. If I need more, I do it again. This has been working for me for over 10 years. This powder will last FOREVER if you need it to; mine is so old that my container is twice as big as the current ones. It seriously has about 3/4 of a cup of powder left; it will probably last for the rest of my life. I have the MAC Golden powder too, and I use that as a bronzer under my cheek bones and around my face. Great Product :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Crème -L'Oreal - True Match Super Blendable Compact Makeup
catherinesophia 4/18/2012 4:17:00 AM
I have run out of my very expensive Chanel makeup, and I thought I would try a drugstore cream foundation to see if I could save about $40. I bought this in the lightest shade, and it literally made me look like I was dead. I am very pale, but it totally washed me out and made all the pores and hairs on my skin look very obvious. It was so terrible that I got up and washed it off my face. I applied this with a damp Beauty Blender sponge, and from what I have read, this sponge makes EVERYTHING look good. I threw this foundation in the garbage. Chanel makeup makes my skin look healthy, perfect and glowing. This was just horrible compared to Tient Innocence. The extra money is worth it.
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Polishes -Essie - Mademoiselle
catherinesophia 4/5/2012 8:16:00 PM
This is the perfect color for doing french manicures. I use this with over french tips (blanc) and I am very pleased with the color. I recently bough the Chanel nailpolish Ballerina, and it puts Mademoiselle to shame. This polish is ok, but Ballerina goes on much better with no streaks. Sorry Essie, but you can't compete with chanel polishes; they are the best.
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Shampoo -DevaCurl - Low Poo
catherinesophia 3/30/2012 6:44:00 AM
I have been on the nopoo adventure for the past several months, and I am honestly still trying to figure out my regular routine. I have very fine, fragile wavy/curly hair. My hair is really odd because the more sebum it gets in it, the straighter it becomes. If I am washing my hair every day or every other day, I can use the Devacurl No-poo. If I am waiting two days (my preference), I use the low-poo, as I feel it clears my hair of more of my natural oils. My hair is very fine, and I blowdry it with a diffuser and I also use volumizing mousse, because when I air dry these days, my hair tends to look rather stringy and dull. This is not the look I'm going for. If you are trying to stretch out the time between when you wet your hair, I would recommend this shampoo. If you plan to wash and style your hair everyday, then the no-poo is more gentle and a better bet. My hair is so delicate, I'm trying to go as long as possible without wetting/blowdrying my hair, because I know it leads to breakage and I'm desperately trying to grow my hair out. I recently did the big chop, and my hair is now in a very short (to my chin) curly/wavy bob. Volume is an issue, so I am trying different things. My most recent method is to wash my scalp in the shower for a minute, get a dime's worth of low-poo on my hands, rub my hand together to emulsify the low-poo, scrub my scalp for 1- minute, then wash out for 1- minute. I add a quarter's worth of 1 Condition and gently comb it through my hair, then wash it out. I then add mousse to my hair and gently blowdry it using my fingers and a diffuser. I can make my hair very curly, but it doesn't look very good; it looks thin and stringy. Making it wavy seems to be my best bet. I can get away (barely) with washing it every two days without looking ridiculous. I hope this is helpful to other no-poo fine curlies out there. It has been an ongoing experiment, but I have made TONS of headway. My bad hair days now are better than my best hair days a few months ago :) UPDATE: My hair really doesn't like Coco Betain; it dries my hair out more than Sulphates. I have stopped using this shampoo because it really dries out my ends.
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Foundations -Chanel - Lift Lumiere Fluid
catherinesophia 3/28/2012 3:43:00 AM
I have been a huge fan of Chanel for a very long time, and I am a firm believer in their colors for eyes and lips (although I don't like the taste of their lipsticks; I prefer Mac), and I have been using their Teint Innocent compact for a number of years now. Because they are phasing this out, I was getting a makeover, and the makeup artist put this on my skin. Apparently, Chanel is coming out with a new cake makeup in the next few weeks, which may work better for people that are having skin issues with this particular product. I thought that the Teint Innocence was looking a bit cakey on my skin recently, so I was going to give the liquid foundation a shot anyway. I thought the coverage was a bit heavy, but this foundation makes me break out heavily. It does something to my skin to that it really doesn't like. I stopped wearing makeup for a week in order to let my skin clear up, and when I used this foundation again, low and behold, it made me breakout again. I am very disappointed, as this makeup was really expensive, and I really hate to waste money. After speaking with a few makeup artists, they said that Chanel makes good pigments, but their foundations are bad for skin. I decided to try the Shiseido foundation, as I have been using their sunblock for a few years, and I think they make quality products. I just hope that this foundation doesn't make me break out too. I hope the Shiseido works, as it is about half as expensive as the Chanel foundation, and I would really like to get something a bit cheaper :) UPDATE: I have been experimenting with this foundation, and if I add it to my sunblock and apply, I get a light coverage for the days that I don't want to apply a full face of makeup, but still look fresh and a little less red. This makes my skin look dewey and pretty. I think this foundation is just too heavy my needs, but diluting it with sunblock or lotion makes it a high quality tinted moisturizer :)
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Biotin (All brands)
catherinesophia 3/16/2012 2:30:00 AM
I have been taking Biotin for the past 6 months, and I can't say that it makes my hair grow faster, but it definitely has made my hair thicker. The new growth is much thicker and healthier than my longer hair. My hair is about twice as thick at the roots than at the ends, and I dye my roots every month using Wella Color Charm Demi, so you would think that there would be breakage, but I have none. My nails are also really strong as well; they never ever chip or break and I can grow them very long, but I tend to keep them shorter because I wear contact lenses. I have very little breakage from about 6 inches from my scalp (how much my hair has grown since I started taking it), and the hair is very healthy and the texture seems thicker as well. I'm really happy about this because I'm trying to grow my hair out really long, and the stronger it is, the less likely it will break off before it gets to my desired length. I take 5000 mcg a day and I get the pills from Walmart. I think it's a good thing to take, and I will probably continue to take them forever. I didn't have any skin problems of note. I can honestly say that this stuff works, and you should at least give it a try to see if it works for you. It's under $10 for a 4 month supply at Walmart, and I think it has done wonderful things for my very delicate curly hair :)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No