Moisturizers -Desert Essence - Jojoba Oil - 100% pure
crazyfrog13 12/21/2011
My story: I have extremely oily skin and have been struggling with whiteheads all over my cheeks, forehead and jawline for a few years now. After doing some research, I discovered that this condition is likely "acne cosmetica" (google it) and that foundations and moisturizers are likely the culprits--my skin was always pretty clear before the beauty and skin care industries duped me into thinking that I needed all these extra products to "care" for my skin. So after learning this, I decided to go all natural and started reading about all the benefits of jojoba oil as a cleanser/moisturizer and decided that I was going to use nothing but jojoba on my skin. My experience with jojoba: At first, I was terrified to put this on my face, fearing that it would cause a massive breakout. So to start I tested it on my chin and nose since I don't normally break out there. So far so good. I eventually worked up the courage to use this all over my face as a moisturizer after using my normal cleanser. For the first couple of weeks, I was happy. My acne wasn't cured, but it seemed like it was getting a bit better, and my skin felt really soft and had a bit of a glow, so I thought that with patience, things would eventually improve. I mistakenly thought that using more of this stuff would speed things along and that I would finally be rid of these annoying whiteheads. I started using this as my one and only skin care product. I used it to cleanse and moisturize my face. I did this for several days and now my skin is worse than ever. I started breaking out in pimples--even getting pimples in weird places like the outer edges of my eye area. That to me is a dead giveaway that a product doesn't agree with my skin. I've stopped using jojoba and have just gone back to cleansing my skin twice a day with a gentle cleanser and things are slowly improving. I don't normally write such lengthy reviews, but I wanted to share my experience with the hope that others will use this product with caution and not make the same wrongheaded mistakes that I did. Despite all of the claims that jojoba mimics skin's sebum and is non-comedogenic, it absolutely can and does clog pores and cause breakouts in certain individuals. Be especially careful if you are oily and prone to acne cosmetica.
5 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -Urban Decay - Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Professional Size
crazyfrog13 12/12/2010 10:39:00 AM
Dear Urban Decay: Your customers should not have to modify your packaging with sharp instruments in order to a) access the product and b) get our money's worth. I've been a long time user of this product and have always hated the original wand/bottle combo, so I was thrilled when I saw that they had released it in a jumbo squeeze tube. Imagine my disappointment when I get it home and discover that you have to massage the tube for about a minute to get any product out. Then I start reading reviews on MUA and discover people have had their tubes burst because of this! I think the nozzle on the tube is just way too narrow. I snipped it off with scissors and it works much better now. (I would have just returned it, but I bought it in a city 2 hrs away and it would have cost me even more money to go back and return it.) I'm sitting here shaking my head and thinking: only Urban Decay could get a squeeze tube wrong! EDIT: I have changed my rating for this product. I followed the tip offered by the reviewer above and warmed the product up a bit. It definitely flows out better and has a smoother consistency. This is why I love MUA.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Lolita Lempicka - L de Lolita Lempicka
crazyfrog13 11/26/2010 12:45:00 PM
This has become my signature scent. I usually gravitate towards warm vanilla-based scents, and this one is amazing. I love that the citrus notes in this are a soft orange-y citrus, rather than an acrid lemon/grapefruit citrus. The orange really complements the chocolate-y vanilla base notes. It's a bit like a Terry's chocolate orange:) Another reviewer noted that this is really similar to Amorito from The Body Shop. There are similarities in the base notes, but I have Amorito and I find that it has a cloying, syrupy sweetness that can be overwhelming, and it lacks the citrus notes that make L de Lolita Lempika so alluring. I would say L is a softer, more sophisticated version of Amorito. The staying power is impressive. One spritz lasts all day (I still catch a whiff of vanilla at night before bed). The bottle is adorable. I love the little "L" charm on it, because that's my first initial. So aside from absolutely loving the scent, I feel like this perfume was made just for me. I know, I know...I'm a slave to marketing:P I keep praying Lolita Lempika won't discontinue this, because I've never found a fragrance that suits me so well.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Olay - Complete with SPF 15 Lotion
crazyfrog13 11/26/2010 12:32:00 PM
This was my go-to daily moisturizer for about a year, but I finally had to admit that it was responsible for a lot of the trouble I've been having with clogged pores and breakouts. Since I stopped using it about a month ago, my skin has improved a lot. I think my skin just couldn't handle the sunscreen ingredients, especially after they reformulated it. If you have normal/combo skin and you can handle chemical sunscreens, then this will probably work fine for you, but if you're oily/blemish prone beware!
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Lipstick -Rimmel - Moisture Renew Lipstick
crazyfrog13 11/26/2010 12:22:00 PM
I picked up a couple of these when they were on sale at SDM. I got Dazzling Raspberry and Soft Coral. Both are pretty shades that are soft and wearable, and the formula does feel pretty moisturizing so I gave the product two lippies. However, I agree with many other reviewers that the fragrance in these lipsticks is awful. I'm usually not too fussy about fragrances in my cosmetics, but this one really bugs me. The real deal breaker for me though is the glitter. Both shades look like they have just a slight shimmer in the tube, but when applied, it's obvious that the "shimmer" is actually chunky glitter that feels gritty on the lips. Even after the lipstick has worn off, there will still be huge pieces of glitter on my lips and all around my mouth. I won't bother with this product again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Bourjois - Matte Mineral Foundation
crazyfrog13 11/24/2010 3:18:00 PM
I've been using this foundation for about three months now, and I really like it. I've found that mousse makeup in general has proven to be a really good option for my extremely oily skin. I'd been loyal to Bare Minerals for over a year, but decided to try Bourjois Mineral Matte on a whim (and partly because I've had really good luck with the Maybelline Dream Mousse concealer). I mainly use this to even out the redness I get through my t-zone and it does a good job of that. I would say the coverage is light, but you could probably safely build it up to medium coverage--any more than that and it would probably start to look cakey. The lasting power is pretty decent. It keeps my skin looking nice and even throughout the day without touchups. I do still have to blot, but my skin is VERY oily. My only real gripe about this product is the packaging. I wish there was some other packaging option for mousse foundations/concealers other than a pot, because I find that over time the product gets grubby and dried out. (I have the same issue with the Maybelline concealer). I really like to buff this into my skin with a kabuki, but dipping the kabuki in the pot results in bits of lint getting ground into the product, no matter how fastidious I am about cleaning my brushes. I've started just using a synthetic concealer brush to pick up some of the product and pat it onto my skin and then buff with the kabuki, just so I can keep the product from getting dirty. Oh, and I should mention that there is fragrance in this product. I think it's supposed to be a rosy floral scent, but it has kind of a strange chemical quality to it. I actually kind of like the way it smells, but if you don't like fragrance in your makeup or if you're sensitive to fragrance, steer clear! Overall, I will probably buy this again because the finish/lasting power is better than anything else I've tried and it doesn't seem to aggravate my oily/blemish prone skin.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -GOSH - Waterproof e/s stick in love that brown!
crazyfrog13 7/27/2010 1:58:00 PM
I have 3 of these brown, beige and champagne, and I absolutely love 'em! I use them all the time as shadow bases. First I put down a layer of Bare Minerals Bisque, then use the GOSH stick and whatever shadows I use on top stay put all day without creasing. I have extremely oily skin, so creasing is always a big problem for me. Thanks to these, I've liberated myself from UDPP, which costs me a fortune since I live in a small town in Canada and have to order it online. One tube of UDPP, after shipping and exchange, costs me about $35 CA, compared to $14 for the GOSH stick, which I can buy here at Shopper's Drug Mart. Not to mention the packaging of the GOSH sticks is way more efficient and easy to use than the notoriously awful and wasteful UDPP packaging. Here's hoping the GOSH sticks don't get discontinued!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Styling Tools -Goody - Modern Updo Maker
crazyfrog13 6/30/2010 4:44:00 PM
I have to say Goody has really stepped up its game with the Simple Styles collection. I have the modern updo maker and the spin pins and I've been loving both. I have absolutely zero talent when it comes to hairstyling, and even I can get a lovely updo with this thing. As the reviewer below mentioned, you do have to experiment with it a bit at first to get it right. I too was inserting the updo maker too close to my scalp, which pulled the hair way too tight. I had better luck inserting it into the bun rather than sliding it underneath the bun along the scalp. I love how you can achieve different effects depending on where you place the bun and how tightly/neatly you wind it. What I love most about the modern updo maker and the spin pins is that you can achieve a quick and easy updo that stays put and all you see is hair! I'm a long time claw-clip user, and I was so tired of having big plastic clips visible in my hair all the time. These doodads have given me so many more options for more sophisticated updos even though I'm not particularly gifted at hairstyling!
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Bare Escentuals - Bare Minerals ALL
crazyfrog13 5/29/2010 12:49:00 PM
I've been using BM foundation and mineral veil for a year now and I am very pleased with these products. I have very oily skin and most liquid/cream foundations clog my pores and break me out. I don't have that problem with BM. I also have trouble finding foundation that matches my skin tone and BM Fairly Light is a perfect match. The coverage is very sheer, but that's what I like. I wear foundation mainly to even out the redness and diminish the pores through the T-Zone and BM works perfectly for that. It leaves my skin with a satiny, natural glow and looks like I'm not wearing makeup.
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Loose Powders -Bare Escentuals - Mineral Veil
crazyfrog13 5/29/2010 12:40:00 PM
I've been using BM for about a year now, and I love the mineral veil. I just dust a bit on after foundation, and somehow it makes my skin look softer, smoother, more finished. It leaves my skin looking satiny, not too shiny or glittery. It doesn't do much for oil control, but my skin is so oily I have to blot several times a day no matter what products I use. The mineral veil doesn't seem to settle into pores or aggravate my breakout prone skin either, which is a huge plus. This is a staple for me now. Even on days when I don't bother with foundation, I will dust some of this on just to give my skin a more finished look.
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Makeup Brushes -MAC - #217 Blending
crazyfrog13 5/29/2010 12:31:00 PM
I think that with most MAC brushes, you can find cheaper options that work just as well, but not so with the 217. I wouldn't normally spend $27 CA on a brush, but I made an exception for the 217 and I'm glad I did. It makes blending in the crease a snap. I get perfect smokiness every time. The bristles are stiff and dense enough to blend the shadow, yet soft enough that they don't irritate the skin. If you at all struggle with blending, I would recommend you get this brush! I've washed it many times (with baby shampoo), since I use it almost daily, and it has maintained its shape and softness. Really great quality.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Olay - Daily Facials
crazyfrog13 5/28/2010 10:56:00 AM
These are okay. They leave my skin feeling really clean and they do a great job of removing makeup, even eye makeup. However, I almost always end up getting the cleanser in my eyes, because they lather up so much, and it STINGS! I wouldn't buy these again, because they're too expensive (in Canada, they're 8.99 for a 30-pack) and they irritate my eyes. I've since switched to some store-brand, pre-moistened wipes that have less cleanser on them, so it doesn't get in my eyes and they're cheaper.
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Concealers -Bare Escentuals - Bisque
crazyfrog13 5/28/2010 10:44:00 AM
I'm a huge Bare Minerals fan. I wear the foundation and the mineral veil, and I love their eyeshadows too, especially the liner shadows. However, this product was a bust. The colour is too dark for my skin (I wear the Fairly Light foundation) and takes on a weird purpley hue when I apply it over my blemishes or dark circles. It also tends to be a bit cakey. I've had better luck using the BM foundation as a concealer. I won't bother with this stuff again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Maybelline - Dream Mousse Concealer [DISCONTINUED]
crazyfrog13 5/28/2010 10:26:00 AM
For reference, I have extremely oily, break-out prone skin. On a good day, I have very dark circles under my eyes, red patches through my T-zone and a handful of blemishes around my jawline and on my cheeks. This concealer works wonders on all of these issues! It gives me full coverage, yet the formula is nice and light and blends like a dream. It doesn't seem to aggravate my breakouts either which is a big plus. I apply it to my under-eye circles and red patches with a synthetic concealer brush (I use the Full Coverage Concealer brush from Bare Escentuals). I lightly dip it into the pot and it picks up just the right amount of product. For blemishes, I use the Face Secrets smudge brush (from Sally's) and just lightly dot and blend over the blemish. It works find when applied with fingers too, but the brushes give me a more precise application, especially on blemishes. This concealer blends so smoothly onto the skin and the coverage and lasting power are better than any other concealer I've ever tried. Some days, I don't even bother with foundation, because my skin looks great after I use a bit of this on the problem areas. I don't often confer HG status on products, because I'm pretty picky, but this is definitely an HG concealer for me. I love finding miracle products at the drug store!
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Scrubs -Queen Helene - Mint Julep Natural Facial Scrub
crazyfrog13 12/5/2009 5:14:00 PM
I bought this at Sally's for about $4 CA. I was hoping to get the mask, but the Sally's in my town only carries the scrub. However, I've been applying the scrub like a mask and it works really well. I smear it all over my skin in the morning and let it dry. Then when I get in the shower, I splash my face a bit and gently scrub my skin for about a minute. Then I rinse it all off. My skin feels so smooth and clean afterward. This stuff has really helped clear up the blackheads on my T-Zone and the whiteheads on my cheeks. Also, my skin is very oily and this stuff seems to help with that a bit. To top it all off, this stuff has a sort of citrus-y/minty smell that is wonderful. I will definitely continue to use this.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No