Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Sunshine Spa- Arabian Musk Oil
djsaphira 6/23/2010 5:19:00 PM
I bought this on a whim at my local health-food store, and I could not be more pleased. This reminds me slightly of a white musk, prehaps Coty's, but it is not an exact match. Something between Coty's White Musk and Jovan Musk, both of which I happen to like very much. It's also a close ringer to Narciso Rodriguez Musc oil. Very, very, very close to it, especially on the dry down. Anywho, despite the mildness, Arabian Musk is not a heady oil, but does last a good 5 hours on my skin before it needs refreshing, which is pretty good as musk oils go. If I had to describe the fragrance, I would say it was a sweet musk, with mild notes of powdery sandalwood, and maybe even a hint of floral; not rose or jasmine, but perhaps tuberose? Whatever it may be, it's very soft and barely there. I give it 5 lipsticks for staying power, scent quality, and the rock bottom price for 1/4 oz. Cannot be beat, my friends .
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
djsaphira 4/28/2010 9:13:00 AM
I can't believe I forgot to review this. I've been using EVCO for a few months now, since I starting using Henna on my hair (which I need a separate review for, as that is amazing too!). Using this as a weekly deep treatment has definitely helped strengthen my fragile, baby-fine hair, and lessened my scalp dryness this past winter. It also works incredibly well as an emergency make-up remover, though I don't use it often as I made my own cleansing oil blend specifically for that purpose. I also use EVCO as a hand/cuticle moisturizer, and for my super dry legs. My skin sucks this stuff up like water, which, since there are no parabens, chemicals, or other types of preservatives, makes me not mind reapplying so much. Overall, a certain rebuy, if only for use on my hair.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -LUSH - Love Lettuce Mask
djsaphira 4/22/2010 11:41:00 AM
This and BB Seaweed are my favourite face masks from Lush. I love the cooling and calm sensations from the mild ingredients, and the fact that I can use this mask as a scrub when I'm washing it off my face. No irritations, and the smell doesn't overpower like some other Lush products. The best part of all with this mask is that I can use it as often as I like; everyday, if I feel like it, with no problems or dryness. I've gone through a few pots over the years, and I personally feel that these masks are one of the few products that Lush does best.
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Treatments -Blue Cross - Cuticle Remover
djsaphira 4/19/2010 3:03:00 AM
The only cuticle softener/remover that works on my super stubborn cuticles and nails. I have a very hard time removing dead skin on my nails, and it gets in the way of my polish application. This stuff will soften that invisible layer of skin enough for me to push it off the surface of my nail, or lift it off with tweezers. I'm a 1/5 of the way through my 6 oz bottle, and I love using it. The application is a bit messy, but it is gentle enough on my fingers and my nails that I can use it once a week with great results. HG.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Top/Base Coats -Sally Hansen - Triple Strong
djsaphira 4/19/2010 2:56:00 AM
I bought this based on some reviews I had read and watched on youtube. Overall, its not a bad product if you use it as a protective top coat. I would not use it as a base, since it yellowed my nails quite badly, and it prevented my polish from drying completely. As a hardener its also not that impressive. As a side note, I might have liked this product better if the cap and brush were more high quality. I actually had to cut the brush with scissors to make it shorter and easier to use. In the end, I am no longer using it because halfway through the bottle it gummed up quite badly.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Kiss My Face - Vitamin A & E Moisturizer
djsaphira 4/19/2010 2:51:00 AM
I bought this as a hand lotion to keep in my purse. On application, it's a bit greasy, but in a minute or so it sinks in and leaves my hands feeling wonderfully moist, but not oily in any way. Very reasonably priced, nicely scented and in no way over powering, and my cuticles absorb the moisture as well. I really like the fact that it also comes in a tube.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Auric Blends Egyptian Goddess
djsaphira 4/19/2010 2:47:00 AM
My cozy-comfort scent. Wonderfully soft, delicate, and natural. I love wearing it to bed; it helps me fall asleep. Sometimes simple is the best of all.
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Top/Base Coats -Nailtek - Foundation II - Ridge-filling
djsaphira 4/19/2010 2:44:00 AM
I don't consider this a base coat, its more of a nail primer. For that reason, I use a moisturizing base coat underneath. Works beautifully to give me matte, totally smooth nails. Plus, it's dirt cheap. I'm already halfway through my bottle and am planning on buying another so I don't end up running out. HG nail product.
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Top/Base Coats -Sally Hansen - Insta-Dri
djsaphira 4/19/2010 2:38:00 AM
There's not much more I can add to the already stellar reviews over this top coat, but I will say that this is the best drugstore brand top coat I have bought (Nailene was the worst imo). This goes on thin, but its very strong and flexible. I was very impressed, as I'm not a fan of Sally Hansen products; this certainly wowed me on the first use. I apply two coats, and I'm good to go. Highly recommended.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Other -Herbacin - Hand Cream
djsaphira 3/31/2010 4:52:00 PM
I love Herbacin's hand cream formulas. The glycerin and silicone really do wonders for my winter hands and cuticles. I'm actually reviewing the unscented Kamille 'Soft' version, which is still moisturizing like the original, but less greasy than the original, much like Nivea versus Nivea Soft. For those iffy about the unscented claim, this cream is truly unscented. There seems to be no scent whatsoever, which is nice for those that might work in enclosed spaces with others, or like to fragrance themselves daily :) I would certainly rebuy this cream as something to keep in my purse for daily use.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - Body Drench Hemp Lotion
djsaphira 3/28/2010 9:31:00 AM
I'm not sure if I got a bad batch, but my 2 oz bottle of lotion is incredibly watery. More like a body milk than a lotion. It does absorb very quickly, but it just doesn't provide enough moisture for me. This would be good for someone that needs a good summer lotion. Not repurchasing.
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Cleansers -Clean & Clear - Continuous Control Acne Cleaner
djsaphira 3/26/2010 5:50:00 PM
This has become my HG cleanser. I was previously using Neutrogena's Deep Clean line of BHA cleansers, but those left my face dried out and didn't help with hormonal breakouts, and my uneven skin-tone. So I decided to go back to CC because I respond very well to Benzoyl Peroxide. My face is super clean now, and I have this miracle of a cleanser to thank. I do have a bit of a hard time finding it in stock here in Canada, but I usually buy to tubes at a time (I've gone through about 5 tubes to date). I also like that the formula is creamy, so any make up reside left by my Ponds will surely come off with the cleanser. I am careful to use sunscreen, especially now that summer is coming. My only beef with this product is the small amount in the tube. The tube is about 5 oz in weight, not volume, and because it is very dense, you get a smaller amount than other cleansers, but I'm not going to give up this product for that reason. If they every discontinue this I will be raiding every drugstore, grocery store, and wal-mart for remaining tubes.
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Top/Base Coats -Sally Hansen - Complete Care Extra Moisturizing 4-IN-1 Treatment
djsaphira 3/4/2010 12:28:00 PM
I've never been a fan of SH nail treatment products, but unlike another poster, this saved my nails. Two weeks before I had been using lots of nail polish remover, acetone, and Blue Cross to get my super stubborn cuticles in shape. Well the combination of the three totally dehydrated y nails. I had never had super dry, brittle nails my entire life until two weeks ago. Such a mess. My nails started to peel and flake on the upper layers where I was overzealous with my cuticle remover and acetone clean up brush. So this little pink bottle to the rescue, and tons of cuticle oils, creams, and hand cream. Now my nails are almost back to normal save the damage from buffing out the peeling areas and the parts that need to grow out. If I continue to get good results with this, I might actually buy it again. UPDATE 7/4/2010: Okay, I really like this stuff, but only as a base coat. This is really great stuff, and my nails haven't looked this good in a long time. I've been using it under my Nailtek Foundation II, and it acts as an extra barrier to prevent staining and also to keep in the moisture as Foundation II is drying. This combination gives me a perfect base to apply my colour over. I'd almost call it my nail "primer", as both products do just that for my nails. I really hope in the future Sally Hansen doesn't pull another silly move like discontinuing this like they did Nail Quencher base coat. For those of you that cried and tried to hoard as many bottles of Nail Quencher as you could find, I think this would be a perfect replacement. For sure a repurchase, but I think my bottle will last a long time as I only need one coat per nail.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Mavala - Cuticle Cream
djsaphira 2/10/2010 1:05:00 AM
I think this is a so-so cuticle cream. It does moisturize, but not for very long, so you do need to reapply often. It is also quite greasy and smell strangely of men's shaving cream, Barbasol to be exact. I'm quite disappointed with Mavala, they used mineral oil and petroleum jelly in this product (2 products that really don't need to be used in this high end lines formulas imho), and if I had read the ingredients list prior to purchasing, I would never have bought it. I'll stick with Burt's Bees or CND Rejuvenate.
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Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - Cuccio Milk & Honey Butter Blend
djsaphira 1/30/2010 12:27:00 AM
I had never tried any Cuccio products prior to these, and the only reason I bought them in the first place was the very, very reasonable prices. I got the Lyte Body Butter AND the Butter Blend as a 2for1, and I love them both. First off, the scent is just lovely. Not overly scented or cloying, and it fades within 10 minutes, so no worries about competition with your fragrance of the day. Plus, the milk and honey scent is comforting a soft, not super sweet like most. Second, the consistency of both formulas is awesome, the Butter Blend is like a gel-cream-butter (if that makes sense) and it doesn't sit on top of the skin, it sinks in slowly and one can feel the glycerin in the product. The Lyte (lotion) is also quite thick, and it sinks in quickly, but still gives lots of moisture. Definite bang for your buck without any greasy after-feel, and that's for both formulas. Third, they don't contain parabens, which is a HUGE plus for me, as I'm trying to cut down, and the ingredients lists for both products are pretty impressive. Overall, I would definitely purchase Cuccio products again. They perform extremely well, and are very high quality for the price, in my opinion. I recommend trying them if you haven't or aren't sure, they are totally worth the price (which is more than reasonable, if not cheap, considering how well they leave my hands feeling afterwards and in the long run). Run, ladies, get thyselves some Cuccio post-haste!
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