Mascara -Essence - I Love Extreme - Volume Mascara
danai 6/3/2013 6:03:00 AM
The cheapest mascara I've come across (at least in my country), yet one of the very best. It is really, intensely black and it delivers both volume and length in two coats. In my experience the consistency can be somewhat gloopy at first, so make sure to wipe the wand before you use it to avoid uneven application, however after a few uses it becomes just perfect. The brush is quite huge also which can make coating the corner lashes a little harder, but overall the effect is pretty impressive. I would recommend it to anyone really.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -L'Occitane - Repairing Mask for Dry and Damaged Hair/ Shine Mask
danai 2/18/2013 6:05:00 PM
I have fine, long, color treated hair that is very dry on the ends, even right after trims. This is maybe the fifth high end hair mask I've purchased trying to replace B&B Creme de coco, which is my HG but also insanely expensive and very hard to find in my country. I'm disappointed to have to say that this product is not it. And not only does it not perform anywhere near as well as my HG, but worst of all, on me it barely performs at all. It does what a decent conditioner would do: soften a little and detangle for the most part. Nothing else. Once my hair has been dryed and styled, nothing about it looks "treated" or better than on any other day. I shelled out 20 euros for a luxurious brand but the lushness is just not there. I would have achieved the same with a 6 euro drugstore mask, I'm afraid. The consistency is nice and thick, but seeing the results it means little. I'm not a fan of the scent but for a hair treatment that works, I will tolerate any scent. Bottom line, if your hair is already in excellent condition I assume this might be a nice touch to your routine just for the sake of feeling pampered. If you really do need deep conditioning, this may not be the product for you.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Too Faced - LashGasm
danai 1/16/2013 5:21:00 AM
Bad is an understatement. That this mess made it to the market is unbelievable. Did they not test it beforehand at all? Not much to say here, it does everything a mascara is not supposed to do. It clumps like crazy, flakes, glues lashes together with just one coat, takes forever to dry. You can literally see the product forming thick globs all over the wand as you extract it from the tube. Also, it does nothing for lashes whatsoever. Thankfully this was only part of a kit. Ladies, don't even think of purchasing this individually. Just no.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Sally Hansen - Natural Beauty inspired by Carmindy - Ultra Soothing Lip Tint (ALL)
danai 12/16/2012 3:03:00 PM
I got this lip gloss in Guava. In the tube, it was a very attractive pinkish red. On the lips, it's completely clear, which is very disappointing. I wonder why the company makes this in several shades, when they are all basically clear. It does soothe and moisturize, but I don't see why pick this over tons of products on the market that do the same thing, if not more.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -H & M - Eye Shadow quad in Biscotti Dreams
danai 11/22/2012 5:02:00 AM
Surprisingly good quality for the price. This quad contains four shades: a matte off white/vanilla as a highlighter, a rosy taupe and a taupe-y grey for the lid and a chocolate brown for the crease. The three last shades all contain subtle glitter. The consistency is great, shadows are buttery soft and smooth and easy to blend. Not chalky at all and fallout is minimal. The amount of glitter is just right for me; enough to brighten the eyes but not anywhere near tacky. I also find the shades very flattering to my coloring (fair skin, hazel eyes) but still natural and suitable for any place, time or occasion. The downside is that these shadows may not be as pigmented as some would like; the brown is the most pigmented and buildable of all three, however the lid shades are pretty sheer. I don't mind that at all, but people who like opaque and very pigmented eyeshadows should keep that in mind. The packaging is not that great, I'm afraid that if dropped, these would turn into dust. I must also say that I've noticed other H&M palettes on the shelves having started to fall apart already, though unopened. So I'm very careful with this one. To sum things up, I'm very satisfied with this product and if I came across another shade combination that I really liked, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -H & M - liquid eyeliner
danai 11/16/2012 3:16:00 PM
First of all, I didn't purchase this in the classic black, but in a shimmery khaki green that appeared in stores lately. I've also seen it in yellow gold and electric blue, however at least the one I got doesn't have a shade name on it. So, I cannot comment on the intensity of the black one, which I'm sure many are interested about, but I assume everything else about my experience applies to the rest of the shades, as the brush and the formula are probably the same. So, the brush..... Where do I begin with this brush. To be fair, I'm not very skilled with non-pencil eyeliner and I've only started working with it and trying to get the hang of it for the past twelve months or so. But this one definitely does not make application easy at all. It's thin, laughably flimsy and too long. Therefore it's difficult to control and get very close to your lash line. I keep accidentally getting product on my lashes. Also, getting a smooth, straight line is a struggle and don't get me started on getting both flicks even. In addition to that, correcting any mistakes is a struggle in itself, because this shade has a ton of glitter; the pigment can be removed pretty easily, but the glitter tends to stay behind, stick on the skin and make a mess. Now, for the consistency, it's pretty ok, as I mentioned it has tons of glitter but I don't mind that, it was pretty clear when I chose it anyway. It goes on quite light and not so visible, but once it dries it darkens and it sets into a shade that really does pop. It compliments hazel eyes beautifully, I must say. So all in all, for three euros I don't regret this purchase at all. I wouldn't buy it again though and I would never dare go anywhere near the black one. In my opinion, it's a nice thing to get if you're looking to experiment with fun colors, but I would never recommend this for a classic, black eyeliner. Tons of much better stuff out there for that.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essence - Nail Polish
danai 11/5/2012 2:20:00 PM
This review is for the Colour & Go line, as this is the only one I've tried so far, but judging by how incredibly good those are, I'm pretty sure the brand has much more to offer. In terms of price and quality combined, this is the best polish I've ever tried by far. It was dirt cheap. One of the cheapest available where I live, if not the absolute cheapest. The colors are pretty nice and some of them are quite original. This polish goes on buttery smooth, with no streaks, and dries pretty fast indeed. I do still use my fast drying top coat with it though, just to be sure. Two coats are enough for opaque color. And the best part is, this polish lasts, seriously. I did my current manicure a full week ago, and it looks as if it was done today. Even the ends that are naturally the first to chip still look intact. I'm quite impressed. HG nail polish.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Yves Saint Laurent - Rive Gauche
danai 11/3/2012 9:41:00 AM
Ah the memories; my mom used to wear this a lot in the 80s, she even gave me an empty bottle to play with when I was a little, Barbie crazed kid. So just looking at the bottle makes my heart all warm. That being said, this is a very strong scent which is indeed very 80s. This may be a good or bad thing, depending on your taste. I am not an 80s person unfortunately. The fashion, the makeup, the music, none of those elements that other people adore seems to do it for me. But if they do it for you, this may be your fragrance.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Matte lipstick in Mauve It Over
danai 11/3/2012 9:34:00 AM
For me, this is definitely a winner. It's a spot on my-lips-but-better shade on me, and, consequently, it works perfectly with my skin tone and it's all I need to make my face look more awake and polished. Not much else to say, except I love the Revlon nude formula to bits, as it's stable and flattering and leaves room for adding the amount of shine you want with lip gloss.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Lancome - La Vie Est Belle
danai 11/3/2012 9:21:00 AM
I'm quite surprised that Julia Roberts is the face of this fragrance, as I find her maybe the last celebrity on earth it would remind me of. I would expect a bubblier and younger celebrity to advertise this. I don't mean to offend at all by saying younger, I'm no teenager myself, it's just that this fragrance is so sugary, overwhelmingly girly and sweet. Nothing elegant or sophisticated about it whatsoever, it's not very far from Pink Sugar. It starts off with an aggressive, in your face, syrupy sugar note, but once it settles there's a somewhat bitter, burnt note underneath. Maybe it's about my skin chemistry? Anyway, I would have given it a lower rating, but if I'm being honest I have an unbecoming weakness for sweet, tacky scents (yes, Pink Sugar too) so this is not entirely awful to me. However: if you want a sweet scent that is sophisticated and elegant at the same time, go for Prada Candy instead. Then if, like me, you are willing to give up sophistication for sex appeal, go for Flowerbomb. Both are favorites of mine and sweet, candy gourmands done much better than this fragrance here.
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chanel - Coco Noir
danai 11/3/2012 9:08:00 AM
I was really anxious to try this fragrance, as I read it is inspired by the time that Chanel lady resided in Venice (by the way, I wonder why she's such a huge icon, despite that she's known to have been a pretty awful person). I am the hugest sucker for anything that's supposed to have anything to do with Venice, as it is by far my favorite place on earth and I just love everything about it, so I was more than ready to fall for this scent. Like most people, unfortunately I am underwhelmed. Not that it's bad; it's actually pleasant to me. The thing is, the marketing leads you on to believe that this is a dark, sensual, heady evening scent. But in reality it's subtle, inoffensive and dignified, if that makes sense; I don't think anyone will hate it, but I don't think many will remember it either. It does give off an elegant vibe and it has its share of the soapy clean note most, if not all, Chanel scents seem to have. It dries down much better than it starts off: at the very beginning it smelled like a watered down version of another classic Chanel that I cannot put my finger on; as some previous reviews state, maybe Coco. I was not amused. But then it dried down to a warm, comforting, close to the skin scent that I really did enjoy a lot. But not for the outrageous price tag. This amount of money should go towards a strong, memorable, statement scent. Bottom line: if I received this, say, as a gift, I would be excited and wear it gladly. However, would I shell out such a large chunk of money to make it mine? I'm afraid I wouldn't.
7 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Korres - 3-in-1 Milk Proteins Emulsion
danai 11/2/2012 5:22:00 PM
Unfortunately, I'm not impressed. Truth be told I'm quite lazy when it comes to cleansing and makeup removal, so, while I never ever skip it, I do like products that do the trick easily and thoroughly without needing me to rub aggressively. My skin can also be quite sensitive, so all the more reason to look for products that require minimal pressure on the skin and eyes to work. This lotion is not it. It takes a ton of cotton buds and effort and rubbing and I'm just not up for that. Also, no matter how much I try, traces of makeup always seem to stay behind. Last but not least, I suspect it contributes to clogged pores for me. I don't see why pick this over tons of other similar products out there, many of which are cheaper as well.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Nivea - Good-bye Cellulite
danai 11/2/2012 5:04:00 PM
First of all, let me clarify that this review is for the new formulation of this product, which has added Q10. A friend of my cousin's who works in the beauty industry recommended her this cream last June. According to said friend, while (as we all know by now) anti-cellulite potions don't really work magic, this one does have things to offer, mainly because it's moisturizing enough to really improve the texture of your butt and thigh skin. My cousin did get it and raved to me about it, so naturally, I had to run out and buy it too. Since I first did in July, I have gone through two tubes which I applied religiously once a day, so I can finally give you my verdict about it, I guess. First of all, the new formulation hasn't changed the color or the consistency or the smell of this product. In fact, if it wasn't for the new packaging I would have thought it's exactly the same product I used for a very short period years ago (and lazily at that, so I don't recollect the results and if I did, they wouldn't really be valid). It's the same cooling, bright blue, rather strong smelling gel. It's quite pleasant to use and it does sink in ok after five or ten minutes. As for results, I think it gave me decent ones, hence I repurchased and I probably will again. I have a small to moderate amount of cellulite and while this did not remove it all by any means, yes, I can tell you my skin does look smoother than it did without this cream. Also it's constantly very well moisturized, and it does need the added moisture. So yes, I do like it and I will keep purchasing and using this daily. But do you absolutely NEED it? I wouldn't say so.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -La Roche Posay - Effaclar Duo
danai 11/2/2012 4:48:00 PM
My skin: my main skin issue is mild adult acne, that is partly caused by hormonal changes around the time of the month, but mainly by the fact that my pores are extremely prone to clogging. Also, on a good day my skin is still quite oily and somewhat sensitive, meaning prone to redness and scarring. So after having gone through multiple tubes of this product within a two years' period, I can honestly say it works for me and really helps my skin situation. It does lower my pores' tendency to clog a lot (though not 100% - that's life) and it does contribute significantly to my skin staying smooth and relatively free of irritation and redness. Also it's not drying at all. I use it every morning before my BB cream or plain sunscreen, and, on bad skin days, in the evening before bed too. I'm quite sure this is what has been keeping my skin in a very good condition lately, simply because when I run out of it and don't immidately repurchase, my skin takes a turn for the worse right away. Acne is a tricky thing and what works for one person is not guaranteed to work for the next person, however if you have skin issues similar to mine I definitely recommend you give this a chance. It's also an affordable product so not much to lose here.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Kiehls - Creme de Corps
danai 11/2/2012 4:27:00 PM
Top quality stuff, plain and simple. Maybe the best body moisturizer I ever used. Rich, sinks in immidiately and perfectly, really does moisturize. And now, the bad news. This lotion is simply not affordable, for most of us at least. I can understand a high end perfumed lotion being this expensive (although all my high end perfumed body creams are cheaper than Khiel's); after all it's supposed to be a special treat. However this is a basic, unscented, heavy duty cream for every day. Being this expensive just won't allow most people to buy it and use it on an everyday basis. It's infuriatingly expensive, and to think Khiel's don't even use proper packaging for this, instead they throw it in a cheap, basic, plastic bottle. Is this product great? Yup. Is it worth a second mortgage? A big fat nope.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No