Lotions/ Creams -Jergens - Shea Butter Skin Enriching Moisturiser
cossard 11/22/2010 5:23:00 PM
This lotion is incredibly moisturizing, especially for a drugstore brand! It left my skin feeling just as hydrated as my L'occitane body cream and it smells delicious. However, since I began using this I've started to get little red bumps (pimples?) along my breasts. I've never had a problem with body acne before in my life! I gave it a little while but they're not going away, it's definitely this lotion. I'll finish up the bottle but I don't think I'll repurchase. Too bad, since it's great to find such a hydrating item at so low of a price. This would probably be much better suited for someone without sensitive skin.
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Polishes -Sephora - Sephora by OPI - It's Bouquet with Me
cossard 11/21/2010 2:41:00 AM
It's Bouquet with Me is a multi-color glitter (I can pick out hot pink, silver, and holographic sparkles. I'm not sure if there's some lavender in there as well or if it's just tint from the polish.) in a clear purple base. It's more of a topcoat than a polish, I think, because the base is almost completely transparent; giving just a slight tint of purple. I do wish it had a semi-jelly base to give it a possibility of full coverage, as this polish in the bottle is absolutely beautiful. Since it doesn't, I like to apply it over an opaque purple color (China Glaze's Light as Air is my current favorite to pair this with). About 3 coats gives the effect of a solid glitter polish. It applies very smoothly, albeit sparsely. Make sure you take the time to let your nails fully dry in between each coat to ensure the glitter is evenly distributed - if you apply a new coat before the former dries, all the glitter tends to be pushed towards the tips. Be aware, though, this polish is *incredibly* hard to get off, even for a glitter! It may be in part to all the layering I do, but when I wear this I can expect to be scrubbing at my nails with polish remover for a good 15 minutes. That being said, the wear on this is wonderful. I've worn it for a week with absolutely no chipping or flaking - I started to see grow-out by the time I removed it. Great durability.
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Polishes -Sephora - Sephora by OPI - Mr.Right Now
cossard 11/21/2010 1:46:00 AM
I can't think of much bad to say about this polish but I'm not exactly blown away by it, either. I bought it looking for a nice moderately-dark red nail polish but the color on your nails is slightly brighter than in the bottle - it's really quite pretty, just not as vampy as I'd hoped (even against my super-pale skin). The formula is a bit runny which makes it hard to get a solid, non-streaky color. It took 4 coats for full opacity. It also seems to have a little trouble with bubbling, so take extra care when applying. All these problems aside, I do really like this polish and would repurchase should I run out. It's a nice subdued red-wine color.
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Tools -Sephora - Glass Nail File
cossard 11/21/2010 12:38:00 AM
This is my HG nail file. I honestly can't use anything else! It easily smooths any uneven edges in a few strokes (seriously), and can file down length in a few seconds. I've never experienced any chipping or tearing with this file: just perfectly smooth edges every time. It's really cute, too. My only problem with it is I'm on my 3rd one... I keep breaking them! That's probably due to my own clumsiness than anything else, though. :P It says a lot about how great this file is that I keep making special trips to Sephora every time one breaks. It's worth it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Kerastase - Masquintense
cossard 11/20/2010 11:50:00 PM
This stuff SAVED my hair a few years ago, after a horrible self bleach-job that just about destroyed it. I swear this mask is the only thing that kept it from breaking off at the root. Now my hair is fully grown out and completely untreated, but I still love using this mask. I use it about once every other week or so after a clarifying shampoo. I like to leave it in over night (laying a towel on my pillowcase to save mess), when I wash it out in the morning my hair is baby-soft. It's expensive, but a great luxury that keeps my hair looking great. I love it!
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Treatments -Kerastase - Ciment Thermique
cossard 11/20/2010 11:38:00 PM
This is the best heat protectant available. I don't use it very often because I like to keep my hair free from silicones for the most part (though I know this doesn't have many), so I only break it out when I know I'm going to do some intensive styling. But every time I do use it, I get soft, shiny hair with no signs of heat damage. It's just great! One of the few styling products on the market that delivers exactly what it promises.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Pureology - Super Smooth Conditioner
cossard 11/20/2010 1:31:00 AM
I've been using this in conjunction with the Super Smooth Shampoo, so look at my review on that if you're interested. Some of this review is copy/pasted from that because I feel it's relevant for both products, which seem to be best used together. A little background on my hair type: It's frizzy, wavy, fine but there's a LOT of it, so my head of hair as a whole is quite thick and tends to *poof*. I do not color my hair but it's quite dry naturally and slightly damaged from styling. First off, this stuff smells AMAZING. In the bottle it's a sweet, clean, floral scent which is nice in its own right but on my hair it morphs into this spicy rose that is just intoxicating. I love it! If there was a fragrance in this scent I would buy it in a heartbeat but for now, I'll just continue to sniff my hair incognito (hopefully at least). This conditioner is super concentrated. It's very thick and creamy - I usually feel the need use way more than the recommended amount as far as conditioners go but I was satisfied with about a dime's worth to cover my entire head of (shoulder-length) hair. It's pretty potent. That being said, this is definitely a daily conditioner. It is moisturizing but not enough to be used as a mask. That's fine, because that's exactly what I purchased it for. I towel-dry my hair post-shampoo/rinse and massage this in, taking care to pay extra attention to my ends. Then I comb through with a wide-tooth comb to make sure it's evenly distributed. I leave it on for a few minutes while I shave, wash, etc and then rinse. When I'm finished, my hair is super smooth and silky feeling! It does not leave any residue, rather it seems to really penetrate your hair to improve its overall condition. The results of this system are truly phenomenal, though. After one use, my hair was noticeably smoother and softer. There was NO frizz whatsoever, even with no product added. I've never experienced anything like that before! It blowdried perfectly, I didn't need to go through my hair with a straightening iron as I usually do. It was soft and shiny, smooth while still voluminous and bouncy. After repeated use, the overall condition of my hair has vastly improved. It's no longer a poofy mess, instead it's soft and frizz-free even with no styling. I'm actually amazed! I've never used a shampoo/conditioner set that affected the overall condition and appearance of my hair this much. Expensive but worth every penny. This line is superior to any other luxury haircare products I've used including Kerastase, Shiseido, etc. This is HG, I'll continue to buy it for as long as it's available.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Pureology - Super Smooth Shampoo
cossard 11/20/2010 1:08:00 AM
A little background on my hair type: It's frizzy, wavy, fine but there's a LOT of it, so my head of hair as a whole is quite thick and tends to *poof*. I do not color my hair but it's quite dry naturally and slightly damaged from styling. First off, this stuff smells AMAZING. In the bottle it's a sweet, clean, floral scent which is nice in its own right but on my hair it morphs into this spicy rose that is just intoxicating. I love it! If there was a fragrance in this scent I would buy it in a heartbeat but for now, I'll just continue to sniff my hair incognito (hopefully at least). This shampoo is infused with camellia oil, which is known to be incredibly moisturizing. It also has sesame oil, shea butter, and "infused geranium organic botanicals" - whatever that means. It's sulfate-free. It's very concentrated, so just a nickel-sized amount is enough to thickly lather my entire head of shoulder-length hair. This is the first sulfate-free shampoo I've ever used, so I can't comment on how it matches up to others, but it does lather better than some sulfate shampoos I've used. I don't experience any residue, either. It gives me a very clean rinse while still leaving my hair feeling moisturized and soft. I follow it up with the corresponding conditioner. The results of this system are truly phenomenal, though. After one use, my hair was noticeably smoother and softer. There was NO frizz whatsoever, even with no product added. I've never experienced anything like that before! It blowdried perfectly, I didn't need to go through my hair with a straightening iron as I usually do. It was soft and shiny, smooth while still voluminous and bouncy. After repeated use, the overall condition of my hair has vastly improved. It's no longer a poofy mess, instead it's soft and frizz-free even with no styling. I'm actually amazed! I've never used a shampoo/conditioner set that affected the overall condition and appearance of my hair this much. Expensive but worth every penny. This line is superior to any other luxury haircare products I've used including Kerastase, Shiseido, etc. This is HG, I'll continue to buy it for as long as it's available. See my related review on the conditioner for opinions on that, as well. I believe they're best used as a set.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Shiseido - Eyelash Curler
cossard 11/20/2010 12:18:00 AM
I read once that what matters most in an eyelash curler is the shape; anything will do as long as the shape suits your eye. I'm not sure how universally true that is, but it at least seems to be the case for me with this curler. I have wide but sort-of narrow almond shaped eyes. I was previously using the Shu Uemura curler, which is very rounded and made it hard for me to properly curl all my lashes. It also often resulted in too-curled lashes that just pointed straight up and looked really unnatural. After years of use, it seemed to have worn down, so I purchased this Shiseido curler based off the good reviews here. I'm in love!! It comes in a box with instructions for use and a spare replacement cushion. The design of the curler itself is very sleek and minimalistic, making it easy to use and hold while still being incredibly aesthetically appealing. This curler has a very subtle, straight curve to it that fits my eyeshape perfectly. I can easily curl all my lashes in one go, something unheard of with my old Shu Uemura. It lifts my long/thick (read: heavy) lashes well and looks incredibly natural. It's just perfect! I don't think I could find anything better. If you have a similar eye shape to mine, I'd definitely recommend buying this. It's worth every penny.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - Salux Nylon Japanese Bath Towel
cossard 11/19/2010 11:02:00 PM
I love this thing! I'll never use a washcloth or poof again. This gives you the most satisfying, scrubbed clean feeling. I feel like it's not a proper shower unless you've used one of these. Everyone needs to try it! I buy mine from the local Asian grocery,
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Kiss Me - HEROINE MAKE volume and curl mascara (black)
cossard 11/19/2010 10:05:00 PM
This review is for the old, curved-brush style: My eyelashes are pretty long and thick already, I just look for slight volume and color from a mascara. This gave me barely any volume. It dried really crunchy, to the point that it was actually uncomfortable to wear, and flaked something awful. It does hold a curl very well, though. I was pretty disappointed with this, especially after reading so many rave reviews on here. It seemed no different from any other drugstore mascara I've tried (read: lackluster). Just completely average!
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Cleansers -LUSH - Angels on Bare Skin
cossard 11/17/2010 6:41:00 PM
I love this cleanser! It's perfect for cleaning my dry, sensitive skin. Clarifying while still being very moisturizing and soothing - it leaves my skin looking dewy and fresh. I don't feel it's strong enough to completely remove makeup, so I use a separate makeup remover beforehand (sometimes Babyface, also by Lush, sometimes baby shampoo). That doesn't bother me, though. The exfoliating scrub doesn't irritate my skin whatsoever. The smell is very refreshing and herbal - I think it's the lavender. At Lush, they sell it to you in these little clear plastic deli containers. I hate the way those look on my counter, so I bought one of their massage bar tins to keep this in. It fits a standard slice (1/4 lb, ~$10) of cleanser perfectly.
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Toners -LUSH - Tea Tree Water
cossard 11/17/2010 6:31:00 PM
This is a great basic toner. It helps to clear up and refresh my skin while removing any post-cleansing residue. There's not much to say! It does what it's supposed to do. Application got on my nerves for a bit when I first started using it. I spray it all over my face (3-4 spritzes) and then wipe off with a cotton pad. I'd prefer a non-spray bottle, to just apply it directly on a cotton pad with more ease, but this works, too.
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Moisturizers -LUSH - Celestial
cossard 11/17/2010 6:23:00 PM
My skin is extremely dry, sensitive, and prone to congestion; while I don't often break out, I have a problem with clogged pores and tiny little blackheads along my nose. I have fairly good skin but it's always had one or two problems that kept me from being completely satisfied with it. That is until I started using Celestial, anyway. My skincare routine has not changed whatsoever apart from the removal of my old moisturizer (Embryolisse Lait Creme which I thought was wonderful but I still had clogged pores when using it) and the addition of this one, so I know that this is what has made a difference. I use it in conjunction with Angels on Bare Skin cleanser and Tea Tree Water toner (both by Lush as well). Just a dot of Celestial on still-damp skin is all I need. It absorbs quickly and leaves no greasiness. My skin is baby-soft and smooth; no crinkling, no dry spots, no tightness. Just absolute comfort! Any moisturizer I've tried before that provided similar relief from dry skin has clogged my pores or just did nothing to clear my skin, but Celestial is actually improving it. I have no redness or discoloration. My perpetual blackheads (that I've had as long as I can remember) are gone! My complexion is dewy and radiant - I don't even need foundation. It smells really delicious, too, like vanilla and almonds. This is my HG moisturizer in every possible way. It's amazing! I'm never going to switch, I hope Lush continues to make it forever.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -LUSH - Alkmaar Soap
cossard 11/17/2010 5:53:00 PM
This soap smells amazing! I honestly can't get enough of it. It's a very clean, sweet jasmine and vanilla scent - not overpowering or sickly whatsoever. However, the scent does not linger on the skin, which is a big letdown for me. It rinses off completely with water. It lathers well, you only need a bit to clean your entire body. It does clean well but dries out my skin. Overall, it's a very average soap in performance. I'll probably continue to purchase it just for the smell, though. I prefer its fragrance to the Flying Fox shower gel but I find Flying Fox is probably much more suited towards my skin, and its scent does have staying power.
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