Tinted Moisturizer -La Mer - tinted moisturizer in light
ckgurl714 11/24/2012 7:11:00 PM
I swapped for this TM thinking I wasn't going to love it, but it was worth a try. I've tried a ton of foundations and nothing really provides the coverage I need while looking natural. The other TM's I've tried (LM, CG) are just "ok"; They usually look a little orange-y and slightly greasy. When I first dotted this on my face, I thought it would be the same as the others. Regardless, I smoothed it on with my fingers and just walked away from the mirror for 5 minutes to give it a chance to sink in. When I came back, my pores and redness weren't gone, but there was a slightly more even tone with a really natural radiance/glow that I've never gotten from a foundation/TM. It really looked fantastic even though it's not full coverage or anywhere near it. I lightly dabbed some concealer on my spots that needed it and my face looked flawless, but natural. I examined my face in natural light, flourescent light, etc and it all looked fantastic. This is something you could wear to the beach without feeling like you've over done it or ...anytime really. The only thing I don't like about this is the fact that I'm probably going to repurchase forever and I would never think a $70 TM would be even close to being worth it.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Unlisted Brand - Yogurt Mask
ckgurl714 9/1/2012 10:34:00 AM
I don't notice this helping so much with active acne, but for clarity in my skin, this gets a 5. Yogurt is incredibly easy and accessible to use as a mask and it works better than many store bought products. I have been using it the past 3 days (and have used it on occasion in the past) to try and sooth a big flare up I had. It hasn't necessarily helped with the acne as much as other products, but it makes a HUGE difference in the clarity of my skin in areas that I don't have really big problems. I sweap blackheads on my nose and forehead have SO significantly dimished from this mask. Yesterday my friends told me I always have beautiful glowing skin and I think this sets up a great base for m/u application, etc. Will definitely continue to use!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Bella - Bella Il Fiore Lip gloss - Kate
ckgurl714 5/29/2012 12:27:00 AM
This is a really nice gloss that comes out clear on my lips. The texture is really nice, definitely one of the best. It sort of reminds me of CO Bigelow's glosses, overall (but this has a doe foot applicator). It's non-sticky or tacky, but still has great shine. The lasting power is so-so, but I don't mind that. I think it's a little expensive for the size and what it is. Overall, a really nice gloss, but I wouldn't say there's nothing in the world like this or everyone has to run to have it in their collection.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Lancome - Empreinte
ckgurl714 5/1/2012 4:32:00 PM
I received a sample of this. It's a very nice clay mask, but I really don't find it to do anything that much cheaper masks don't do. I put it on when I woke up with 2 pimples on my face and it didn't do anything to reduce their size. My skin feels very nice and smooth after using it, but it's definitely not anything to write home about. I like the tightening effect that it gives you and when it dries, it doesn't start to crack and peel off and cause a huge mess like some other products do, which is nice. I would use it again if it were given to me, but I definitely wouldn't seek it out.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Wet 'n' Wild - Color Icon Trio - Spoiled Brat
ckgurl714 1/1/2012 5:08:00 PM
I picked this up because it was $.74 on clearance at Target! I love WnW shadows, but I honestly would have never bought these on my own because they're a little bold for me. I have used the silver and black on occasion, but haven't gotten much use out of the pink yet. The black looks glittery and I thought it would be gritty, but it's not at all. Last night, I did a smokey eye using the black and silver (not quite as directed-don't think I'd use the silver on my browbone) and it looked great. I didn't use a primer, but I did use concealer. I can't believe how well these lasted-as good as or better than any high end shadow I've tried which is why these get the 5 stars. I ALWAYS have problems with eye makeup lasting and these lasted throughout everything, and I'm embarrassed to say throughout today too because last night I couldn't find eye makeup removed. Not quite as bold, but perfectly places-no smudges. I'm really pleasantly surprised by these shadows.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Organix - Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy Organix 30 Day Smoothing Treatment
ckgurl714 10/3/2011 1:01:00 PM
I knew I had to try this product, regardless of the mixed reviews. First of all, anyone who tries this product should have a basic familiarity with keratin products and it probably helps if you've had one professionally applied so you have an idea of what to do. I am far from an expert on keratin/hair products, but I definitely did my research before getting a Brazilian Blowout in June which cost me over $400 with tip. A keratin treatment is not for everyone. It is very easy to "overdose" on protein. If your hair already has enough protein, a protein treatment will make your hair drier instead of moisturizing it. If you are using a shampoo with protein while you are getting protein treatments, that could make your hair drier as well. Yes, the box says it's safe for color treated hair, but it also says to do a strand test. This is an OVER THE COUNTER $15 treatment. You can't expect that it is going to give you pin straight hair (ok, I know, the box shouldn't claim that it does) and you really can't expect the same results as a $400 treatment done by a professional. It is disappointing to see a lot of the reviews reflect that mentality. My opinion on the formaldehyde claims: Products are legally allowed to say there are no "hydes" if it's lower than a certain percentage. There are also other names they can go by. Is this right? Maybe not. But it's legal. And the small amount isn't going to kill you. If you lead an all organic lifestyle, this product probably isn't for you. However, chances are, you've probably come into contact with food that has worse chemicals or you've been in the sun without sunscreen, etcetc. You are not going to find a product that can do life-changing things to your hair without chemicals. Period. Now onto my experience. I have virgin, but incredibly dry hair. It is not straight, but not curly. Sort of like an undefined wave that I sometimes get compliments on, and sometimes, it just looks crazy. There is an underlayer of unmanageable frizz in my hair. No hair stylist I've ever been to seems to understand it. I have split ends all the time, including right after I get a haircut. I have pieces of thick hair and pieces of incredibly thin/fine/fragile hair that confuses people, including me. I pretty much never heat style it anymore, but I straighten my bangs and little fly away pieces on the side every morning. If I wash it, put some Sebastian Potion 9 in it, put it in a bun and let it air dry, it usually looks pretty decent. I got a BB in June of this year. I spent a lot of time doing research and finding a reputable salon listed on BB's site that also had good reviews. I was in love with my hair after I washed it the first time. I had a very soft wave that gave my hair body, but the frizz was essentially eliminated. Unfortunately, this lasted a month, max, and cost me half a week's pay. I used a Sulfate free shampoo and I wash my hair very infrequently (maybe 2x a week), so I was expecting the results would last at least 3 months, the minimum salons say. I was on the fence about what to do. The results were great, but for such a short period of time. I recently bought a Groupon for $150 for my next one. I'll have to tip about $70 because that's 20% of the original price. So $220 for that one... Onto the product that I'm reviewing. I didn't really know what to expect. I'm currently traveling for work, so my options were to do this in a small hotel room where I can't open any windows or wait until I'm home in December. I'm impatient, so I figured I'd take my chances. When I got my original BB done, my eyes started tearing up even though there was a fan right next to me in a big open salon. It wasn't anything intolerable, but I did experience some sensitivity. I like the Shampoo that's included. I do wish the packet was a little bit bigger, because this bottle will last me at least 2 treatments, so I had to make the Shampoo last. It smells great. I followed the directions on the box and after my hair was "about 80% dry", I started to apply the product. I noticed no sensitivity whatsoever. I accidentally got some on the back of my neck, but it didn't bother me. About half way through, I took the gloves off to try and get a better idea of how much product I had in my hair. I applied some without gloves and had no issues. I washed my hands thoroughly after I finished applying the product. The only thing I think the directions should be more clear about is not to "oversaturate" the hair. I also wish you could see through the bottle a little bit. I had planned on using about half the bottle, figuring that would be good for my almost elbow-length hair. My hair felt evenly coated, but definitely wasn't oozing product. Next I blow dried and flat ironed my hair after waiting 20-30 min. I didn't think the product smelled bad at all, although extra smoke came off which is definitely normal for these types of treatments. You should be flat ironing your hair repeatedly until your hair pretty much gets too hot to touch. That is what makes the product penetrate. Right now, my hair looks about the same as when I first got my $400+ treatment back in June. It feels a little heavier and not as soft, but I can tell the frizz was dimished. It does not look greasy (but my hair never does) and I may even leave the treatment in for more than 48 hours. I am going to update after I wash my hair, but so far, I feel like this product has produced almost equal results to an alternative that is MUCH more costly. This bottle cost $16 with tax and I have a full treatment left, so $8 for what I just did to my hair. If this lasts through at least 2 washings, I'll bump my rating to a 5. If I wash the product out and there is NO change in my hair, I'll bump it down to a 3..
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Dermalogica - Super Rich Repair
ckgurl714 8/28/2011 1:52:00 AM
I received 2 sample packs of this. It's a very nice, heavy moisturizer that doesn't leave you feeling weighed down. I was surprised that this didn't break me out since I have sensitive skin. I've been waking up with clear skin everyday! Unfortunately, for me I can't justify the price to buy the full size. It's a great moisturizer, but not life changing. I would definitely swap for it, though.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Great Lash Mascara Blackest Black
ckgurl714 12/26/2010 1:28:00 PM
It's not like anyone would want to buy this based on the reviews here, but here goes. Ok, so I don't HATE this mascara like most people. The almost-watery texture of it leaves it as one of the most natural looking mascaras I've ever used, and I'd way rather have eyelashes that don't stand out too much than spidery lashes that other mascaras offer. In high school, I wore so little makeup, if any. I have dark brown hair, but blonde eyebrows and eyelashes. This mascara would potentially be perfect for a no-makeup day because it lightly coats lashes just enough that they're noticable, but definitely not attention grabbing. My real qualm with this mascara is it doesn't dry or stay on your eyelashes at all. It gives you racoon eyes within hours. WAY faster than any other mascara. The waterproof version would potentially be better because it's waterproof, but that one is just clumpy. Unlike a lot of people, I do understand why makeup artists recommend it. It's so natural looking. I would imagine it being great for shoots where you want the model to look naturally perfect, not like she's wearing makeup. There is a makeup artist on-site to perfect anything that may go wrong if it smudges, etc. Unfortunately for girls in the real world, we don't have a makeup artist on-site or the time to check the mirror every half hour to see how bad our eyes look from this.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - PhotoReady Makeup
ckgurl714 12/8/2010 5:08:00 PM
Ah, Photoready. You make my skin look so pretty. Almost like my skin but better, if my skin were naturally sparkly. Why Revlon, did you need to put silver sparkles in this foundation? I got this in a swap and tried it on my skin in minimal lighting. Fabulous. Ran to MUA to read reviews and heard people ranting about sparkles. I thought they were crazy. Until I tried it the next day in the sun. And my face was sparkling. Ok, lets be real. I see a lot of sparkling faces in natural light, so I know it's not only PhotoReady. The sparkling isn't THAT bad. With Photoready, somehow, you really can't tell unless you're super close. But I am still hesitant to wear this during the day. I know he odds of someone getting within 6 inches of my face to notice that it has glitter specks on it isn't totally likely, but still. And to give Revlon more credit-if you're standing far away, your face looks glowy. I have tried mixing this with tinted moisturizer and while this might make it slightly better, I'm still sparkling. I might try and work with it during the day, but for now we'll keep this as my go-to after sun sets foundation. I really love the texture, coverage, packaging, and the lasting power of this foundation. Not the sparkles Edit: Taking a lippie from a 4 to a 3. It still does make my skin look really pretty (minus the glitter), but this does not photograph well because of the SPF. I don't want to wear it during the day, and now I don't want to wear it at night. Will finish my bottle, but not repurchase.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - ColorStay Makeup
ckgurl714 12/8/2010 4:46:00 PM
I had ventured into the world of mineral makeup, but I can never bring it with me to touch up as its too much of a pain to apply. I had heard great things about Colorstay, and I was recently able to swap for a new one. I LOVE it! First, I'll start off by saying, my skin isn't perfect. It's pretty clear, but I'm pale and the redness around my nose and eyes is obvious. I only started using concealer about 2 years ago (concealer-why didn't you come to me before that?!), but since then, it's become the one makeup item I MUST put on/won't leave the house without. Enter: Colorstay. I can use Colorstay without any concealer and my skin looks almost the same as when I used concealer. This is a HUGE selling point for me being in a rush or something. I can throw this on and leave the house. Yea, I prefer to use concealer with it, but the coverage on this is amazing. That being said, I don't find it to be cakey. It looks natural; like my skin but better. My next area where Colorstay scores major points is staying power. I work at events, and it's not always possible for me to touch up my makeup. I can work up to a 17 hour day (definitely not everyday), and I barely have a mirror. Usually, if I do encounter a mirror, I'm mortified at what I see after like 4 hours. With Colorstay, I looked in a mirror after 12 hours, and just did some tiny touch ups by my nose and eyes. With the foundation, not a concealer. I don't think I've got the PERFECT color match (perhaps a little pink toned for me), but I can blend it so that it looks good enough. No lines on the jaw for me! Maybe next time I'll try buying a different shade. It's obviously much more travel friendly than mineral makeup, but I barely need to do touch ups. Colorstay will definitely be my winter foundation. I do still have mineral foundation, and sometimes I just prefer it, but Colorstay is the only thing that's been bringing me back to liquid recently
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Self Tanners -Bare Escentuals - Faux Tan
ckgurl714 9/6/2010 5:20:00 PM
I would give this product a 4.5 if I could, but I stuck with a 4 for now. I am incredibly pale and would have never thought to buy this, but I received a free sample at an event I was working. When I saw the color of this powder, I thought "NO way". I swatched it on my hand, and thought the same thing. I apply bronzer with a foundation brush, but it's the Essence of Beauty one, so it's a little thicker/fluffier than most. Applying this product with a dense brush is really tricky and I wouldn't recommend it to a bronzer newbie. A little really does go a long way (and I use a ton of bronzer and go through most really quickly). I set up 2 lids to swirl this in when I am applying. I put a tiny bit of Faux Tan in the first one and touch my brush in it enough to cover most of the bristles, then I tap so there isn't too much product on the brush. I then take the second lid and just swirl the product in. Then I blend REALLY well. The tiny bit of powder is good for my face, neck, sometimes shoulders. This bronzer looks amazing and natural on. It was definitely a pleasant surprise. Also, no glitter!! When I look at the bronzer in the pot, it looks like there is some, but once applied, the product is just a natural glow. I have analyzed this product in all kinds of light, and I can't believe how natural it looks in the sun. My only small gripe about this product is it doesn't last all day and can look a little shiny, but I truly havent found a bronzer that does. Also, as others have mentioned, the holes on the BE sifters are ridiculous. That being said, I would repurchase this product, but I literally think the tiny sample would last me a month with daily use.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Cargo - Blu Ray Polishing Cloths
ckgurl714 3/21/2010 11:53:00 AM
I LOVE these cloths. Like everyone else, I have tried so many exfoliators. I bought these awhile ago based on reviews. When you open it up to see what you've spent $15 on, you'll be kind of confused. The packaging doesn't really bother me because of the environmental factor. Anyway, the little cloths inside are amazing. I cut mine in half, wet my face with cleanser, wet the cloth and gently circle it around on my face. It is possible to overexfoliate with these. When I am finished using a cloth, my skin is left smooth with no redness or irritation like other exfoliators. Makeup applies so much better...these tiny cloths really make an incredible difference. Even areas on my face that are normally soft without any issues feel much nicer. I have pretty much discontinued use of all other facial exfoliators. Here's the math for people who think these are expensive: 1 half a cloth=about 6 washes (using each side 3 times) 1 full cloth=12 washes 20 full cloths in a box=240 washes using a cloth once every third day means one box should last more than a year (just about 2 years!)
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Jivago - 24K
ckgurl714 2/25/2010 10:35:00 PM
I work in event marketing, and I was doing a promotion for this perfume. I don't think I would have ever heard of it otherwise. I'm not a huge perfume person..but I usually like fruity or foody/sweet scents (think Rockin' Rio or Pink Sugar). I'm not one for florals, ever. They usually give me a headache. To me, this smells a little floral-y although it's not overpowering. It's a very strong scent, but the notes are nice. This scent lasts FAR longer than any perfume I own. It easily lasts all day. While doing the promotion, I had spilled a vial on my gloves. I can still smell it strongly on the gloves over a month later (not that I would recommend purposely spilling a vial of this anywhere..just giving an example). I get lots of compliments on this from both sexes and the general consensus from people when sampling this product was overwhelmingly positive. I am 22 and I think I can wear this scent without a problem. I think it's versatile for all ages even though I usually associate florals with an older crowd. (Please note that I said I was doing a promotion for this company but I work as an independent contractor and am associated with the company in no way).
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Other -Dr. Brandt - Anti-Oxidant Water Booster - all flavors
ckgurl714 5/7/2009 11:33:00 AM
I have tried the blueberry and pomegranate and I like them both. They are definitely not fantastic in water, but mixed with my diet peach snapple actually makes it delicious. I put 2 full droppers in one bottle of snapple and it's great. I haven't used this long enough to claim it does miracles, but I definitely notice a difference when using it. While using it everyday, my skin looked much better. Not something that people would ask me about, but something I noticed. A more even, glowy tone. I love it. I stopped using this for about a week and I could see a difference. Also, green tea has a ton of benefits for your whole body. As long as this actually does have the benefits of 15 (or 30 if you use 2 droppers) cups of green tea a day, everyone should be using it. I will be using this forever, and can't wait to try the other flavors:)
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Trucco - Face (Powder)
ckgurl714 3/14/2009 9:18:00 PM
This brush is amazing. For me, I would no useit for foundation because I like a denser brush with more control. This one has kind of longer bristles that make it more "floppy" but I don't mean that in a bad way. This brush is amazing for applying loose powder. I like it better than my 187 that I've been using for everything. It's been compaed to the Stila #8 brush as well. I own both, so I can agree with the comparion. Both are equally soft (2 softest brushes I own). The Stila might be slightly fuller, but not much. The Stila may have more control (not as much movement), but I like this better for applying loose powder. I much prefer to use this to my Stila because my Stila brush sheds a ridiculous amount. I haven't experienced any shedding with this. LOVE it and highly recommend it to all!
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No