Cleansers -Weleda - Baby Calendula Cleanser and Shampoo
ddelerium 1/22/2011 12:32:00 AM
I used this on myself as both a shower wash and hair shampoo bec. I wanted to use something gentle for my body. This stuff is awful. My hair, like the other reviewer stated, started to turn into hay. As for my body,it is not bad nor is it fantastic, but I did a makeup patch test on my arm and this stuff didn't remove it after the shower, so I know this is not a great cleanser. I don't have sensitive body skin or any condition, so I cannot say if this is really that good for you in that area, but if that was the case, I think I would rather go for Aveeno.
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Shampoo -Logona - Treatment Shampoo - Juniper (Anti-Schuppen Shampoo Wacholderöl)
ddelerium 1/12/2011 12:42:00 AM
This product is "Normalizing Shampoo for dandruff conditions". I have an oily scalp, couldn't find the lemon balancing shampoo, and since it's the winter, I was traveling, and my scalp could use some "normalizing", I just went ahead and bought this instead. I put in the German translation bec. I think the ingredient listing might be slightly different for products sold in Europe than products sold here in the US. I bought mine in Europe. This shampoo is fantastic. Leaves my scalp clean, no greasy, heavy feeling when I wake up, and my hair feels soft. I have bought organic shampoos before from health stores, but they all suck- they either leave your hair dried out or they don't clean very well. This shampoo has no sulfates and Logona shampoos are "Free of petrochemical derivatives, synthetic preservatives, and colors. Exceptionally mild, biodegradable sudsing agents. Dermatologist-tested. " I am really impressed..my hair is really soft, no need for conditioner. Once I finish this bottle, I will be trying their other shampoos. I do have to say, tho, that this product has a woodsy scent- and not in a burberry classic kind of way. I don't know what real juniper smells like, but all i can say is that it smells...organic...kind of how Weleda products smell like, if you catch my drfit. Not exactly sexy, but it feels refreshing to me. All I can say is, I am glad it doesn't smell like patchouli, which I can't stand. You can go onto Logona-usa.com to see all their shampoos and products like face and body care. If you go into Hair Color Aids, they list shampoos for color-treated hair as well.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Logona - Logona Hamamelis Day Cream
ddelerium 1/12/2011 12:22:00 AM
This "hammelis" day cream is Witch Hazel day cream. It is recommended for Combination skin. I have been using it for more than 10 days and I have not experienced clogged/congested skin or breakouts, which is great because my skin is very sensitive and I usually know if it is pore-clogging within the first 3 days. It feels very velvety and smooth going on - not too runny like lotion or thick and tacky like some cremes- just "velvety". My skin has oily t-zone and dehydrated areas elsewhere, and this seems to regulate all around well enough that I am not greasy by tthe end of the day but hydrated enough in the dry areas. Sometimes, if the weather is really dry, I do add on an extra eye cream, but most of the time, I am fine with just this. This does not, however, contain sunscreen, but unlike other reviewers, I am happy about this because moisturizers with sunscreen break me out, so I prefer my makeup or mineral foundation to have the sunscreen instead. If you go to logona.com, you can select products by your skin type, but if you go to logona-usa.com, you can get a more detailed description of ingredients. I don't know why they have 2 sites...but go to logona.com first to check out your skin type recommendations, then go to the logona-usa.com site to get a more detailed description of the product. I bought all of my logona products from Europe, where it is in the health-food and bio-organic stores.
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BB Cream -HANSKIN - Magic BB Cream
ddelerium 10/9/2010 2:54:00 PM
I am a BB cream junkie. I have lots. This one is my favorite bec, I have dehydrated skin. Hanskin has many types of BB cream- this review is for the one that is pictured, the one in the white tube- Hankin Magic BB Cream. ALL BB creams are 3-in-one or 4-in-one products. Depending on which BB cream you buy, they run the spectrum of providing moisturizing benefts, serving as a base, primer, blemish blocker, blemish treatment, anti-wrinkling, wrinkle treatment, whitening, or UV protection (all different levels) all the while providing differing degrees of foundation coverage. As I said, depends on the product. The different types of Hankin BB Creams are: -Magic BB Cream -Control Skin BB Cream -Water Action BB Cream -Magic BB Night Cream -Perfect Super Magic BB Cream -Caviar Gold BB Cream -Glossy Magic BB Cream -Premium Magic BB Cream. (There could be more new ones or some might have been discontinued. This is from the box insert). Not all the BB creams have SPF. This one, the regular Magic, does NOT have SPF. The texture is that of a thicker tinted moisturizer, but it doesn't look dry, cakey or thick on skin like foundation or some TMs. I am also a TM junkie and they are all disappointing. They either have no coverage, make your skin look kinda dry/dehydrated, and quite frankly, on their own without powder or Mineral MU, really have no redeeming value unless you have almost perfect skin to begin with. This product has definitely more coverage, like foundation, and it is moisturizing. It leaves me with a dewy glow and covers pores better than most foundations or TMs I've tried. But unlike foundation/TM wherein the application you've applied is what you get, BB creams are like Mineral Makeup- it needs time to meld into your skin. Ever put MMU on and after an hour or so, you check in the mirror, your skin looks fantastic, glowing and sheer- not like your skin? That's what this BB cream is like- and unlike MMU, it makes your skin look smooth. You put it on like foundation, then later on , when you look at yourself, your skin looks glowing, dewy, and just calm, smooth and perfect. I look really clean and put together. Also, I haven't experienced breakouts. Like most BB creams, they only come in one shade. For this particular product, if you are over NC 25-30, I wouldn't use it. I am NC 20, with olive undertones, not strong on the yellow, more neutral. And the best application method I have found is dotting BB cream on many spots around face (instead of glopping few spots), and blending with sponge, adding on more layers as I go along. If I use my fingers or glob too much on a spot, I notice I get a white cast, which is very difficult to blend out and it could look like you have mismatched foundation on. Eventually, when you are done, your face will look slightly lighter, but the color will blend into your tone. If you have dark/red blemishes, you still need a concealer for full coverage, but that's the case with all TMs or foundations. This product will also tone down redness. I don't have oil control issues except my t-zone area, and it held up well for about 5-6 hours. Then I blotted. If you are really really dark undereye circles, I don;t think this alone will be enough. Through the course of time, your skin is supposed to reap the benefits of whatever treatment benefit it provides - ie whitening, anti-blemish, etc.The whole point of a BB cream, which I think is really forgotten on a lot of users, is to make your skin look like your skin (but better!) while providing coverage and added treatment benefits. We are so inundated by foundations and TMs, which quite frankly,don't really do anything for your skin but provide coverage, that we've forgotten that people should look at you, not your makeup. But if you like the foundation/makeup look, then this product is not for you.
18 out of 18 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -TheFACEShop - Eco Vert Extreme-Moisture Night Cream
ddelerium 2/24/2010 10:39:00 PM
I have dehydrated skin and needed moisture without giving me grease slicks or breaking me out. Tough. This one does it. It is difficult to describe the texture: although it is cream, it feels like a hydrogel lotion. You can feel the coolness when you apply on your face. And it feels so light, belying the effectiveness of this cream. The "extreme" part about this is it really does moisturize so well. I am pretty impressed. When I got this, I first spot-tested on certain dry spots and it took care of it by the second day, so I started to spread it around my face, and so far, no breakouts and all-over even hydration. And the smell, it is so fresh. This was recommended to me by the rep when I asked for a cream for dry but acnegenic skin, and she stated that this Eco-Vert line is recommended for acnegenic skin. SInce I have dry skin, I opted for the extreme cream instead of the lotion, which I felt wouldn't provide enough hydration for my skin. This is very light, not heavy or suffocating, and a pleasure to use. I use this day and night. I don't regret this purchase and will continue to use this. This product contains bamboo stem extract in place of water, which is supposed to retain high concentration of water in your skin. It also contains rose extract, wild pansy, etc. Frankly, this works better for my face than my hyaluronic acid.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Biotherm - Biosensitive Calming Thermal Spring Spray
ddelerium 2/24/2010 10:26:00 PM
I have sensitive skin, and i use this. It is allergy-tested, fragrance-free, colorant-free and physiological pH. Granted, I think you could probably replace this with Evian..but this is supposed to be used anytime or in the event of skin sensitivity - this last part is actually why I got this cause sometimes, if I am in a dusty area or touch or eat something my body doesn't particularly like, I break out into hives. Evian spray can't do anything for you on that one. This also contains glycerin and I have noticed that when I used this before mineral makeup, it works well.
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Lotions/ Creams -Aveeno - Active Naturals Intense Relief Repair Cream
ddelerium 2/24/2010 9:59:00 PM
This is a body creme that comes in a tub, 16 oz. I don't know why whoever first reviewed this cited this as a facial moisturizer? This is supposed to help repair irritated, dry skin. It is also supposed to be safe for sensitive skin. I have very very dry and senstive skin due to some allergies and I am having problems tolerating any creams without instant inflammation or hives, so I wanted something safe and moisturizing for my body. I was a little worried that I might end up with an oncteuse balm of some kind, but when you peel back the seal, it kinda looks like thick sour cream. It glides on your skin like a lotion, but dries down like a cream. It is fast drying, but only because it is winter now and the air is dry. If you live in humid weather, this will feel tacky. At night, under the sheets, I can feel the slight tackiness of this. I can't vouch for the "repair" part of this, but what I can say is that my skin is fine with it. I paid $16.99 for this at Duane Reade, and I thought it was expensive considering I could have paid a but more and bought myself an Avene body moisturizer, which I DO know does repair. However, I wasn't sure if my sensitive body could tolerate the Avene, so I bought this instead.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -La Roche Posay - Unifiance Matt Fluid (Fluide Mat) Sensitive Skin Foundation
ddelerium 1/2/2010 7:23:00 PM
I am going to write a summarized points of what is provided in the leaflet, which comes with this product: "High tolerance formula specifically designed for combination to oily and sensitive skins: -Paraben-free -Fragrance-free -Non-comedogenic -Purified pigments tested on women allergic to nickel -Formula enriched with Bisabolol, a soothing active ingredient Sebum excesses are regulated with exclusive combination of sebum targeting technology and zinc sebo-regulator to neutralize shine and offer lasting mattified skin. -A fluid texture which erases imperfections (open/dilated pores) without emphasizing them." This product comes in 5 colors: 01 Ivory, 02 Light beige, 03 Sable 04, Golden beige, 05 Dark beige. Now my review: I chose 02 Light beige which matched my NC 20/25 olive undertone skin. I could probably also use 01 for a slightly lighter effect (or use under eyes) as well without a problem. I also tested out the other 2 versions of the Unifiance Foundations -Satin Cream (for dry skin) and Cream Powder (for normal to combination skin). Like I said, Fluide Mat is for combo - oily skin. I have dehydrated skin, acne prone. But after testing them all out, I actually found the Cream Powder too drying. I even tested out the Toleriane Corrective FOundation, and I found that even more drying. So it was between this and the Satin Cream, and you would think I would go for that but since this was recommended, I thought why not? And I have to say, the part about covering the dilated pores is actually pretty good. I didn't even pay attention to that bit because you know that stuff is NEVER true unless you use a primer. But this stuff covered up the pores on my nose and around cheek area pretty well. Now, don't get me wrong, you won't look flawless or airbrushed, but I'm happy with the results on my cheeks and if that means I only have to use primer on my nose and save my cheeks from a break out, I am more than happy to oblige. If you have very dry skin and/or have problems controlling flakes even with moisturizer, avoid this one bec. it will catch. If you have dark acne scars or marks, this won't cover it and it is not buildable, and even if it was, it changes color the more you add on top. It does, however, cover redness pretty well probably because it is geared more towards the yellow spectrum. If you are looking for the HG foundation which won't settle into/emphasize your crow's feet, this isn't the one because it can make your under-eye area look dry, altho probably not as dry as the other 2 foundations. SO all in all, it evens out skin tone, provides mattified look without making you look like a shriveled up piece of desert land, does a pretty good job of covering up pores (altho not poreless) and I have to say it looks VERY natural. It doesn't feel heavy and I don't feel like I have foundation on. I still have to use concealer for spots and I don't use under eyes. You should also moisturize before you use this otherwise it doesn't blend well on your face. Interestingly, when you pump it out, it comes out very liquidy in texture, not like a lotion. I can't testify to the uber oil-controlling effect but my nose and forehead held up pretty well.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Bobbi Brown - Coral LE 2007
ddelerium 9/6/2009 8:39:00 PM
I am NC20-25, olive toned, light (not fair) skin. I see a lot of people compare this to Nars Orgasm so here's my two cents: Nars Orgasm never showed up on me, didn't matter if I was pale or as tanned as toasty toast. The chunks of shimmer/borderline glitter, however, did. So the more I padded that blush on, EVENTUALLY, I got color but I was also very sparkly. I didn't mind that so much for nite use, but for the day, esp. in the summer, I was a bit self conscious. BB's Coral is definitely more pigmented. One lite swipe of my brush is all I need for one cheek and I get a flushed look without the sparkles. SO while for some people this color shows up as coral/peach, this actually shows up on my skin as a lite, flush pink. It gives me the same color as Lancome's Blush Subtil's Cedar Rose, with a slight more warmth, probably bec. of the peach/coral undertone everyone is talking about. Also, it does give your cheeks a glow in low lighting. This is a nice blush and I reach for it often, but only because it is sufficient enough and easy- but it is not HG status for me. This blush is more of a natural, casual look - and I prefer more of an etheral, crisp, put-together look, which this blush cannot do for me.
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Crème -Cle de Peau - Cream Foundation
ddelerium 2/27/2009 7:23:00 PM
This foundation looks thick and creamy but goes on to a smooth powdery finish. Doesn't feel heavy and has excellent coverage. That being said, I highly do not recommend this for people with dry skin or people on Retin-A or any other exfoliating medication because this will accentuate every flake, line and crack. You also need a light, fast hand when applying because although it is very layerable, it is not the type of foundation that is very oncteuse and blendable. So apply with light hand and blend in really fast or else you will need more and mor eto cover the rest of your face and you can end up looking very cakey. Also, the packaging is very pretty but awful. It's a square jar, wide at top, so all the product just gluts up there. What a waste.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Retin A Micro
ddelerium 12/12/2008 9:03:00 PM
I agree with star_blueanise's review and recommendations below. I am on RAM 0.4 and use it every other evening. It cleared up my forehead which had these stubborn clogged bumps which would not budge, not by BP, SA, Differin, Cleocin. What a pain. Then RAM basically knocked it out of the water in a week and a half. My derm advised me to apply a small pea sized amount for the whole face. She also said that it's not a product you want to use a lot of, less is more, and when applied, you should feel like you don't have enough on your face, but it should be like that because it is working regardless. In the beginning, I used even less than the pea size for the entire face and I did really well, so well that I used more and ended up with really fish scaly looking skin. My Mineral MU looked hideous. I also noted that retin-a micro is not really easy to spread around so it always feels like you never have enough when in fact, you really do. The best regimen I have found for me has been using natural pure squalane oil after shower- wait 30 min - 1 hr, then apply RAM. the Oil helps to moisturize and also helps to spread the RAM all over. Because of the oil, I don't have to deal with overly flaky or dry skin. And it doesn't break me out. On overly dry patches or areas, I apply La Mer because in the last 3 years of experimenting with different moisturizers, I have found that La Mer is the only one that effectively works to get rid of dry patches in 2 or 3 days. But back then, when I wasn't on RAM, I only used it on random patches, but now that I am on RAM, I use it on my entire face and it works really well to overcome and prevent flaky scaly skin cause by RAM, especially under the eye area. Sometimes, I add on Aveve cold cream under the sensitive eye and lip area because it helps to shield my skin from the cold, wind and keeps the area "moist". But Avene will not eradicate the flakies like La Mer so I don't use it for that but it serves as an added moisturizing benefit which helps my RAM experience to be more pleasant. I also use every few days a glycolic facial cleanser, which helps to exfoliate the dead skin from the RAM. This has helped me deal with the flakiness a great deal. I noted some people stated here that they use AHA or glycolic acids peels or creams- I don't understand why you would do this? You would be basically attacking your newly regenerated skin and can pose a higher chance of burns and hyperpigmentation. The cleanser is gentle enough and really should be all you should use.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Aveeno - Active Naturals Overnight Itch Relief Cream
ddelerium 11/23/2008 8:20:00 PM
I had an allergic reaction to something and for a month, my skin just itched and broke out into hives. I also ended up with severely dry, bruised skin in the process and my skin just felt raw. I went through 2 tubes of hydrocortisone creams, a bottle of Sarnex (which works, by the way, but not as moisturizing) and this. This doesn't contain steroids, it INSTANTLY soothes and comforts and stops the itch. But what I found most surprising is that it looked like it healed my skin? The skin on my legs (the main area where most of the itching, bruising, hives and dryness occurred) looked supple and soothed. It was a total surprise. Considering the lack of steroids and stuff in this product, I think this product is a great item to keep handy and would probably be great for mosquito bites, especially kids. It containes camphor, which gives a nice cool feel. The texture is that of a lotion. Great product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Avene - Cold Cream
ddelerium 11/18/2008 12:30:00 AM
I started on RAM so I have been using this for hydration and to combat the dryness, peeling and flaking. To be honest, when you are on RAM, nothing can cure the flakiness and peeling (other than manual exfoliation) because that's what they do, but in terms of hydration of skin to combat dryness, this has been great. In terms of texture and consistency, it is similar to La Mer. The scent is kind of a cross between Nivea and La Mer. The greatest part about this cream is that it is for sensitive skin and non-comedogenic. I don't experience any stinging or irritation common with using products while on RAM and I also have not had any breakouts - and I use this all over my face. In fact, my skin just feels so soothed. Now that winter is upon us, us RAM users have to be extra careful to take care of our "new" and "thin" skin from the cold and wind, which can cause irritation and hurt. This cream can help buffer and protect your skin. I would add an SPF, however, for the day. Ingredients: Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum), Water (aqua), Beeswax (Cera Alba), Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, C20-40 Pareth-10, Cetyl Phosphate, Fragrance (parfum), Methylparaben, Sodium Hydroxide, Triethanolamine
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Clean & Clear - Deep Cleaning Astringent (orange)
ddelerium 9/21/2008 12:34:00 AM
This is the review for the Deep Cleansing Astringent with Salicylic Acid 2%. I don't recommend you use this all over your face because it can be drying and you will feel like you are breathing in alcohol straight from the bottle - WHEW! But it works REALLY well. Can' t say for sure if it is the high alcohol content or the SA or the combination of both, but use it as a spot treatment with a cotton swab and it really helps to flatten anything out. That being said, here is the catch: You can combat the pimple/acne but depending on where you use it on your face (ie some areas are more vulnerable to dryness than other areas) once the battle is over, you may spend the next few days battling flaky skin. I once used this to spot treat a zit around my nose and the zit flattened out the next day but I spent the next 4 days trying to get rid of the flakiness. It was makeup hell. However, I have used this to spot treat acne on my forehead and temples and I never experienced flaking there, so use with common sense and caution- stay away from nose, lip and eye area and other areas of your face which you know to be vulnerable. I have, on occassion, used this all over my face without a problem - like on those seriously hot and humid, *disgustingly* gross days where your skin is just screaming out for cleanliness. No flakes, not even around my nose?This is really a product where you will see deliverable outcome but your experience will depend on how you use it. If you have bacne, this is fantastic- it will kill what you have and keep new ones at bay and you won't suffer from dryness because your back skin is tougher. But it won't cure it. You will have to compound it with another product for that (like BP or liquid SA). If you use this for your back, I recommend you wear gloves or wash your hands right away because I noticed my fingers where I held the cotton pad started flaking! I keep this as a must have even though I use it mostly for spot treatment. It is a definite must have for the summer, particularly for use on my back after a heavy hot workout or on my forehead on really hot days, partic. since I have bangs now. I always use a light, oil free moisturizer on top to prevent dryness and flaking (face, not back).
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Conditioner -Kerastase - Soleil Creme Richesse
ddelerium 9/20/2008 11:41:00 PM
I have used a lot of Kerastase products and what I have noted is that in order to get the best results out of the 'poo or conditioner, it is better to use both from the same line. It really makes a difference on whether it is effective or not. I am the last person who would ask someone to run out and buy a pair of this costly brand's 'poo and conditioner, but otherwise, you really would be wasting your money. I really love this conditioner. It hydrates - more like quenches- your hair's thirst without weighing it down or making it greasy. And I have an oily scalp. And the shampoo compliments it well in helping the moisturizing properties. If you use just the conditioner alone with a different shampoo, you will notice it doesn't really detangle that well or "melt" into your hair. Like the previous reviewer noted, you will have moisturized hair but it won't be smooth and you will still have tangles, if not in the shower (which will be very difficult to get out) then the next day. And it will feel dry. I discovered this when I was left with practically half a jar ( I sometimes just skip the conditioner because the shampoo alone is great for me). However, not to fret- I have found that instead of running out to buy the shampoo, this works GREAT used alone on the non-shampoo days. It REALLY moisturizes your hair, no greasiness or limpness, gives your thirsty hair that drink it needs. I do, however, have to say that in the summer, sometimes the 'poo AND the conditioner together is too much moisture so I alternate between the two and works out great.
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