Liquid -Revlon - Beyond Natural Skin Matching Makeup SPF 15
ciarar 1/11/2009 1:08:00 PM
The coverage of this is minimal for anyone with less then flawless skin. What I use it for is a mineral make up base. I use various sunscreens and all of them make my mineral MU go blotchy after a few hours. This make up (tinted moisturizer really) seems to provide a barrier between my sunscreen and MMU. It gives a semi matte base to apply MMU and it helps my make up stay the way it should all day without feeling heavy. So for that reason alone I have bought it again. (I use Philosphy's Supernatural/L'Oreal's Bare Natural/MAC's Mineralize mineral powders usually and LRP/Avene European sunscreens).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -NARS - Loose Powder
ciarar 5/23/2008 10:35:00 PM
Sorry to put a damper on these rave reviews but I was a bit let down. Maybe my hopes were lifted a bit too high. A Sephora rep may have sold me too dark a shade for my pale skin too but I still find it a bit chalky. I use shiny sunscreen and mineral make up and then a v small bit of Nars to cover up the shine. I know I'm layering powder over powder but it does create a bit of an old lady matte cakey finish if I'm not ultra light handed which I'm used to with mineral make up. It's quite good value for money as it will last for ages but as others have described, it's a bit messy. I tried it with foundation only once and was still a bit flour-y. Maybe I'll mix it with something more translucent like Prescriptives shimmer powder (can't recall name) to give an illusion of transparency.
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Hair -Aveda - Sap Moss shampoo & conditioner
ciarar 3/14/2008 11:08:00 AM
I love the shampoo (reviewed in the shampoo section) but this is to let people know that this range is supposed to be discontinued in May 08 according to an Aveda rep. The conditioner really didn't do much for me especially as it's considered the highly moisturizing one of the Aveda bunch. I love the smell which given the mixed reviews seems to be a love/hate scent. I found their colour deposit conditioners (Clove etc) much better for my fine, fly away hair.
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Shampoo -Aveda - Sap Moss Shampoo [DISCONTINUED]
ciarar 3/14/2008 10:53:00 AM
This is a review mainly to let people know that it's being discontinued in May 08. I've been using litres of this for years not because it's so great but because I'm addicted to the earthy smell. Such a change from the usual fruity or flowery ranges. That said, it does moisturize but I think it took many months of use to notice it. I wash my hair daily so I was looking for something that didn't dry out my hair. For reference I have long, fine hair, more oily at the roots and flyaway at the ends. So by days end I need to wash it again which is fine by me. If you go a few days before washing this is not the shampoo for you. An Aveda rep told me to leave the shampoo in my hair for 30 seconds or so before rinsing as it is more moisturizing than the conditioner!?! Incidentally I didn't find the conditioner very moisturizing for the ends of my hair and switched to their Clove conditioner which was much better.
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Cleansers -Olay - Total Effects Age Defying Wet Cleansing Cloths
ciarar 2/18/2008 7:30:00 PM
This is the first Olay product I've really liked. I don't like coating my skin in silicones that seem to be in all their products (this one included). These wet cloths leave my skin with the feeling that I've just used a moisturizing toner like Shiseido Skin Softening Lotion. I think washing twice a day may have been drying my skin too much. I wash my face at night with Clarisonic brush and face wash and use these cloths in the morning. I find I need much less moisturizer than normal and it's a nice time saver too. 30 seconds extra sleep. Yaay! I also like that niacinimide is high on the list of ingredients to help even skin tone. Overall a calming, non drying base for serums or moisturizers. I don't use them for removing make up as it would require too much tugging. I'll be buying them again for sure.
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Highlighters -Christian Dior - Skinflash
ciarar 7/2/2007 10:34:00 PM
Ordinary concealors just dry and cake under my eyes, especially as I've gotten older. Skinflash is light enough not to dry in a layer like foundation but disguises dark shadows subtley.It seems to reflect light off your skin without being at all shimmery. It would not however cover spots or blemishes as it's so light in texture and color. Actually it would highlight them! I prefer it to YSL Touche Eclat also. Maybe the color suits my pale skin better (I use #2 in both). And anyway it's cheaper. Beautiful elegant packaging too. I've bought several of these and when I've strayed I've never found better.
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Treatments -Murad - Perfecting Serum
ciarar 6/23/2007 4:41:00 PM
I can't say I found this very moisturizing by itself. It applies like a silicone based serum but it doesn't contain any which is great for anyone who breaks out from silicones (me). Where I do find it invaluable is to give my skin a dry finish to apply mineral powder make up. My skin has turned v dry lately so I've been slathering it with moisturizers. I can't be bothered waiting for them to dry and most of them don't absorb sufficiently to apply powder without clumping anyway. Enter Murad Perfecting Serum. A tiny drop applied over the oil slick on my face instantly seems to just seal my skin in a nice make up base. The small bottle is deceiving. It lasts for at least 6 months+.
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Lotions/ Creams -Avene - Cicalfate Creme reparatrice
ciarar 4/21/2007 10:26:00 PM
I bought this as it's supposed to repair barrier function. I don't know if it will do that but it has helped a lot. My skin is parched from using aggressive treatments to treat other skin ailments. I find that some moisturizers work to calm my skin for a while but by the afternoon my skin is parched, taught or peeling. This applies like a paste, thick and quite greasy at first but it does absorb somewhat although not fully. If I am applying powder or smthg that will clump I finish this cream with a drop of Murad's perfecting serum which seems to take the oily finish off but seals in the moisture. As a night cream it is great. I have plastered it on expecting some break outs or clogged pores but it that hasn't happened. It calms my skin when it's irritated. If you have ever experienced tight "burnt" skin from acid treatments or just cold weather then I'd advise investing in this.
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Cleansers -MAC - Cleanse Off Oil
ciarar 3/30/2007 11:05:00 PM
This takes off the cement coating that is Shiseido Sunscreen SPF 55 without resorting to a chisel. I used to have to wash my face at least 3 times to get it off (which is a compliment to Shiseido). MAC also dissolves my eye make up. Smells delicious, feels very light, much, MUCH lighter than using Jojoba oil. I've also tried DHC cleansing oil but much prefer MAC's version. Great pump bottle, 1 squirt cleans my face. Lasts me a few months of once daily use. (And no spots btw)
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Lotions/ Creams -Gold Bond - Ultimate Healing Skin Therapy Lotion
ciarar 3/18/2007 12:57:00 AM
Absorbs quickly with a matte finish, I like the scent, dirt cheap, great pump packaging. The only thing is, it does sting me quite a bit on broken or really dry skin. I think it contains glycolic acid. But it fades reasonably quickly and doesn't seem to aggravate in the long term. Nice staple mostly because it doesn't sit on the skin in a greasy layer. Apply it, dress and go.
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Sunscreen -Clarins - UV PLUS Protective Day Screen SPF 40 
ciarar 10/3/2006 4:21:00 PM
As has been mentioned, this is a ridiculously small container for $40. I would have given it 3 lippies as it is nice and light in texture especially for a high SPF but I heard the Clarins assistant telling a customer that she only had to use a little so it lasted a long time. This is NOT true if you want to get an SPF of 40. 1/4 teaspoon for the face alone is necessary to get the SPF rating of ANY sunscreen. So for those who skim it over their skin they may get an SPF of 5. But besides that, when used in the proper amount, I found that it made my(mineral) make up "go off" after a few hours. It just seemed to give a shiny but dry look to my skin and emphasized my pores. I prefer DHC White sunscreen which has a similar texture but with only SPF 25 unfortunately. But it costs about $23 and has a better long lasting finish. Won't repurchase Clarins though.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Great Lash Mascara
ciarar 7/7/2006 1:24:00 PM
If you want three gooey eyelashes then this is the mascara for you. As a bonus feature you'll look like a panda after a few hours. What more could you not want in a mascara?
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Misc Beauty Tools -Revlon - Revlon slant tip tweezers
ciarar 7/6/2006 3:20:00 PM
Hard to say with this one. I bought one years ago and it was great. I bought a spare more recently and it was crap. I don't know if their quality has gone down or if it was just bad luck (or good luck with the first one) Anyway I use Tweezerman now and I couldn't go back.
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Blush -Physicians Formula - Retro Glow Illuminating Blush in Vintage Rose
ciarar 5/22/2006 4:17:00 PM
A bit pricey for PF blush ($16 in NY) but it gives a nice, sheer shimmer glow. It's more peachy in tone than Benefit's Dandelion but similar in subtlety. Not as pigmented as NARS Deep Throat but it's along that line in color. Just for comparison. The packaging is a little hoky as it's retro in design but has a cheap and plastic casing. UPDATE: Down graded it. It broke into crumblies after a few uses. MAC ones last for ever and cost about the same.
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Fragrances -Calvin Klein - Euphoria
ciarar 5/16/2006 11:43:00 AM
I'm not a frequent wearer of perfume and most of the ones that are in magazines smell the same and make me gag. JP Gaultier's Classique is about the only one I've worn on any type of regular basis. So when I tested this I was really surprised. It's a very unique scent, somewhat masculine or unisex but very bold. It's definitely a love it or hate it perfume as the main notes are very overbearing, not at all subtle. If you like fruity fresh or flowery scents, then avoid this.
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