Sunscreen -Ombrelle - SPF 45 Complete (New 2012 Formula)
d3ndroid 6/8/2012 1:42:00 PM
Terrible reformulation. Goes on white and streaky. Balls up when you try to smooth it over your skin. Basically impossible to use on your face if you don't want to look like you have a skin condition or terrible dandruff on your hairline. DO NOT BUY.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Physicians Formula - Eye booster eyeliner + serum
d3ndroid 7/3/2011 12:39:00 PM
Pretty good... I would recommend this to anyone. - Dries to a film, rather than sinking into the skin like ink (i.e. marker style liners). - After it dries, stays on from morning to night. - My eyelids are moderately oily and it didn't smear or transfer to other parts of my lids. It is water resistant as long as you don't rub it while water is on the line. - It's really easy to take off since it comes off with water + light pressure. - The formula does remind me of Japanese liquid liner formulas, so that's another product I won't have to buy overseas :D - Two caveats: get the ULTRA BLACK, the black is more like a charcoal (thanks, whoever put the comparison pic up!); and the liquid does not always flow freely from the tip, at least on mine, especially if you apply liner with the tip pointing skyward, without the aid of gravity. - I won't comment on the lash growth claims, ha. Myristoyl pentapeptide-17 is supposed to stimulate keratin production... googling will show promo materials from the manufacturer and a US patent application on the use of peptides in stimulating lash growth. All of that is no guarantee of efficacy, but there does seem to be some science behind it all.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Coppertone - Oil Free Faces SPF 30
d3ndroid 6/20/2011 12:17:00 PM
I'm very impressed by this sunscreen because it feels and applies very well. It feels just like any other light moisturizer, not thick or creamy, but more like a thin lotion. It's very easy to apply the 1/4 tsp. on face required to get the rated SPF 30 protection. It absorbs quickly and does not leave white streaks. It does not feel heavy or mask-like on the face like Neutrogena "dry touch" sunscreens do on me. The finish is a little dewy on my normal skin so oily-skinned peeps might want to keep that in mind. My makeup goes on fine over the sunscreen, no issues with it rubbing off in a visible way. The estimated UVA protective rating (from the BASF simulator) is 8.6 PPD. That's not terribly high but it's on par with what you can expect for a US drugstore sunscreen. Coppertone claims this sunscreen to be water resistant for up to 80 minutes. All in all a pretty good product: easy to wear, decent UVA/UVB protection for every day, and at good price as well (~$8 Canadian).
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Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 55
d3ndroid 6/2/2011 1:18:00 PM
Sun protection aside, I have to comment on the wearability of this product. Applying 1/4 tsp on face (to get the rated spf 55) is very difficult. It takes a good few minutes to dry down to clear and it's easy to get white streaks. It rubs and pills all over the place, enough so that I get worried if I'm getting an even layer of sunscreen on my face. If I try to apply in layers, all of the sunscreen rubs off in very visible white bits! Rather than feeling "ultra sheer" this may be the heaviest feeling sunscreen I've tried in a while... not in an oily way, but I feel suffocated. In comparison, the Neutrogena Waterguard Kids (Canadian market only) feels much lighter, goes on and absorbs really quickly, and *does not pill*. I will say that it does dry matte. I will attempt to use up on the body but I will not repurchase. I can't understand all the accolades this sunscreen is getting (paid product placement?)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Annabelle - Mineral Powder Foundation
d3ndroid 5/12/2011 12:19:00 AM
I'm glad I got this on sale. Overall, this is an OK/good foundation but I find it finicky to work with. Coverage is light if you just do a couple sweeps with a big brush, and I can build up the coverage to medium on specific areas that need it (with a concealer brush or fingers). Nearly Nude looks really good on my NC20-25 asian skin, but sometimes it looks greyish under florescent lighting :( The finish is satiny, with a bit of a dewy sheen, but no sparkles or anything like that. All of that is good, but this foundation does not always play nice with others. When I use my regular facial sunscreen the powder cakes up and does not go on smoothly at all. It does not do a good job mattifying oily sunscreens or facial oiliness. It also cakes up over my liquid concealer and other powder foundations. When I use this powder over bare skin or a light moisturizer (let it absorb) it can look really nice and natural. But I won't repurchase. I can't just slap it on and be confident it will look good with whatever skincare products I have underneath.
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Concealers -Maybelline - Mineral Power Natural Perfecting Concealer
d3ndroid 2/2/2011 3:28:00 AM
Impressive product. It's very light textured and liquidy, but gives close to full coverage. Does not look cakey and dry when I use it on red blemishes despite the dry and powdery feel it has on the skin. Red marks are practically gone! Works well under my powder foundation too. Personally it feels a bit dry for me to use in the under eye area, but YMMV of course.
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Concealers -Shiseido - The Makeup Concealer
d3ndroid 2/2/2011 3:17:00 AM
Nice, creamy texture. OK for blemishes and red marks, doesn't go on cakey and dry and you can build up the coverage. I can get around 70% coverage I would say. The colour selection is abysmal. No. 1 is too light for me. I have No. 2. which is very pink-orange toned. Not good for my ~NC20 skintone. The pink-orange is good for covering up purple dark circles though. I would recommend this product if the shade selection works for you.
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Moisturizers -Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Face Lotion with SPF 15
d3ndroid 1/28/2011 2:49:00 AM
The "Healthy Skin" branded products contain AHA. My feelings are mixed on this one. As a lotion with AHA -- I feel it's pretty decent, my skin tone has improved in brightness, is more even and less dull. AHAs are also supposed to help clear post-inflammatory marks from acne, I *think* it's helping some old marks fade faster but I didn't take any before/after pictures. It also contains a bunch of beneficial vitamins: retinyl palmitate (vit A), tocopherol acetate (vit E), ascorbic acid polypeptide (vit C) Skinfeel -- like a lot of Neutrogena lotions, it feels strangely oily and it doesn't completely absorb into the skin. I touch my skin and my fingers come back shiny! This is unpleasant. I experience mild stinging from the glycolic acid, nothing too bad and the feeling subsides quickly. As a sunscreen -- it's not the best sunscreen, with only SPF 15 (UVB protection) and little to no UVA protection. Since AHAs sensitize the skin to the sun this is not a good thing. I would not rely on this for protection on sunny days. I use it at night actually, not because I'm crazy, but because it's the only decently priced AHA available in my market. I am not sensitive to the UV filters so I figure there's no harm done.
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Foundations -The Body Shop - All-In-One Face Base
d3ndroid 11/8/2010 11:50:00 PM
I got this during a 50% off make up event at The Body Shop, based on the excellent re-buy score here. Texture & Finish: I really like the texture. It's very smooth, light/medium coverage powder. It's sufficient to even out minor redness and discolouration, but you'd need a separate concealer to cover up anything more than that (eg. acne). Quite matte, which I like, but it has enough of a sheen so that you don't look completely powdered up. It feels light and nice on the face, and always very very natural. I use the included sponge and pat it on dry. It is a little drying for drier skins. I have to moisturize well first. Wears well throughout the day. Colour: yellow toned asian, NC 20-25. 04 is a decent match, if a little pink; it looks darker in the pan than on the skin so do test it. 03 is lighter but a lot pinker in tone. I'd try 02 if you are NC20. I've been wearing it daily from morning until night and it does not oxidize on me :) Repurchase? Yes, next time a sale rolls around... (update: I have repurchased :D) SPF:The packaging does not advertise it, but this foundation contains octinoxate, a UVB sunscreen filter (a.k.a. ethylhexyl methoxycinnammate or octyl methoxycinnamate). If you wear sunscreen under your foundation, be aware that this ingredient is not compatible with avobenzone, a UVA filter, so that the UV protection could be compromised. But the extent to which the little amount of powder you apply can affect it, I don't know...
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Cleansers -Clearasil - StayClear Oil Free Gel Wash
d3ndroid 10/13/2010 8:57:00 PM
Pros - the 2% salicylic acid exfoliates well. Even though it's on your face for only 1 minute I think it is effective. Seems like mild chemical exfoliation every day works better than a physical scrub every couple of days - reduced flakiness & redness under mouth and around nose - good price, $5-6 generally Cons - a little drying, may be too harsh for dry skin
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Adult Acnomel tinted cream
d3ndroid 10/11/2010 11:44:00 PM
I have hormonal acne and I get 1-2 acne nodules each month. If left alone, they never come to a head, linger for another 2-3 months and leave red marks. This sulphur-based spot treatment works very well at flattening these zits out completely in just a few days. Other spot treatments like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide do nothing (I do use salicylic acid as an all-over treatment for redness). Do try a sulphur product if SA and BP don't work for you, because this might. The cream does smell mildly like sulphur (rotten eggs). It does not bother me as it sits on my face but because of this, I only apply when I'm at home. I wouldn't apply makeup over it either, as the product tends to rub off and ball up unless you apply a very thin layer and wait for it to absorb.
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Moisturizers -Sana - NAMERAKA Honpo Soy Milk Lotion
d3ndroid 9/16/2010 11:33:00 PM
I love this lotion! I have dry/dehydrated skin that gets really flaky whenever I wash or even wet my face. I feel like this lotion really hydrates from beneath (lol) rather than coat the top of the skin. I use this under matte sunscreens and at night alone, or under another cream for extra moisture. The texture is a translucent runny lotion that is scentless. I like how it's transparent, so light, and goes on so smoothly. There is a slight tackiness left on the skin for a few minutes afterward, but it doesn't bother me. Fantastic product, I will definitely repurchase.
Translated from the back of the bottle:
INGREDIENTS: water, ethanol, glycerin, squalane, soy milk ferment, soybean seed extract, soybean protein, beeswax, stearic acid, cetyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, arginine, sodium stearoyl glutamate, carbomer, sodium polyacrylate, butylene glycol, methylparaben.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE: After toner, place a proper quantity (1 yen coin) on the palm of hand, and rub into skin gently. You may also use liquid foundation every day.
Some links on the use of fermented soy milk in skin care: improved skin elasticity and hyaluronic acid content Journal of Cosmetic Science, 55,473-479 (September/October 04);
Paula Begoin's cosmetics ingredients dictionary;
appears to rejuvenate mature skin Photochemistry and Photobiology, Volume 81, Issue 3, pages 581–587, May 2005;
may prevent photoaging Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2003) 120, 835–841
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Liquid -Maybelline - Pure Makeup [DISCONTINUED]
d3ndroid 6/21/2010 8:50:00 PM
Texture: nice and lightweight on the skin. Goes on nicely on normal/oily skin, but accentuates dry flakes if you have them. Coverage: medium. My main issue is discoloration/redness and this works well to even things out. When I use a duo-fibre brush to apply, my skin ends up looking really perfect. Wearability: does not hold up well on hot summer days, turns orange and starts looking cakey. OK for winter or air conditioned environs though. Shade: I have yellow-toned (asian) skin, and while Classic Ivory (Light 2) is the right shade, the tone veers toward pink. The difference is acceptable, but not ideal. Nude (Light 4) would be a better match.
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Concealers -Bonne Bell - My Style
d3ndroid 4/6/2010 4:43:00 PM
I use this exclusively to cover up the very noticeable undereye circles I have. It works pretty well. The coverage is sheer/medium and it does a good job at toning down the purple. The Fair shade is a bit too light for my skin tone (and the display was out of the next shade), so it ends up working like an illuminator for me. I like the squeeze tube with a brush packaging, you can control how much to squeeze out and I don't find the brush scratchy. I use my fingers to pat/blend it into my skin, and not the brush.
For $5, one of the cheapest concealers sold here, it's fantastic. Really happy with this impulse purchase :)
EDIT: separated in the tube :( I squeezed it around in the tube and it seems to have reconstituted. Still works fine.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Salon Nail Lacquer - Sweet Creams
d3ndroid 1/29/2010 9:52:00 PM
Awful, awful, awful. Goes on streaky and uneven. Do not buy!!
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