Polishes -Revlon - Nail Art Moon Candy in Galactic
duncan123 1/20/2013 4:40:00 PM
I saw this yesterday in CVS for the first time. They had several colors and they all really caught my eye. I ended up purchasing Galactic because it just looked so pretty! And I'm glad I did! I applied just this morning. The base color is a very dark blue and it only took one coat. No streaks, just a solid dark blue that looked exactly like what was in the bottle. It dried quickly. Then I applied the glitter chunks, which I think Revlon calls "Flakies". This was a little trickier. It can be difficult to pick them up on the brush. You end up with some nails having a good number of them and then the next nail is like sparse. You don't want to keep layering on after you try because you don't want bubbles. So, I let the first flakies coat dry...it dried fairly quickly and then applied another. And that did it...they are perfect. Dark blue with turquoise bits on each nail. Absolutely beautiful!!!!! I then applied a top coat to each nail to seal it. I only gave this polish 4 lippies because I want to see how well it wears. If it wears well, I'll come back in and change it to a '5' because it is soooo pretty. The only drawback for me is that this is quite pricey for a drugstore polish...I believe I paid like $9.49 or something. I had a $1.00 off coupon, but that's still pricey to me. However, if this wears well, I will definitely go back to CVS and buy another one. The other colors look gorgeous too.
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Crème -Revlon - ColorStay Whipped Creme Makeup
duncan123 12/16/2012 5:55:00 PM
I like the regular ColorStay liquid makeup but the only thing that I don't like is not being able to see how much makeup was left in the bottle and sometimes getting more than I wanted on the sponge because you have to pour it out. Therefore, I was excited to see that Revlon had come out with Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup. And that definitely solved the above problems for me. I purchased this in Natural Beige which is the exact same shade as I normally purchase in the Colorstay liquid. I like the texture and I like that I can control how much goes on the sponge because I'm dipping the sponge in it and not pouring it on. It only takes just a small amount to do my whole face. I wear this through an 8-11 hour work day and while I do find that it fades off by the time I get home, it doesn't turn me into a grease ball or turn some weird color. All in all, I'm happy with it. I'll probably buy it again when I've used it up which will be a long time because there's a lot left in the jar. I also like that the jar is glass (which others may not like) because it looks nice on the vanity.
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Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Shadow
duncan123 12/15/2012 1:39:00 PM
Am pleased to say I would buy again and actually already have. This is the one and only creme eye shadow that has ever lasted more than a few hours on my eyelids. I don't think I have overly oily eyelids but creme shadows react to your body heat and before you know it you've got color in the creases and it looks like crap. Not this. I purchased this in the Bronze and Gold colors to begin with (can't remember the names). LOVE the gold...is a fine shine and doesn't make me look like a disco ball. Use that usually as a highlighter. You have to work rather quickly because this does dry making it harder to blend. Since that first purchase I have also bought the pomegranite color (again...cannot remember the name and I know I spelled that wrong, lol). I am really happy with that one because although it looks like a very bold reddish brown in the pot, it is a more muted version of that color on my lids and very pretty. I will say that the only reason I gave this eye shadow a 4 instead of a 5 rating is because there is a very limited color selection. That said, I went to Walmart today and there is a new "metallics" line of these shadows and I found myself purchasing a few more, lol. As for the claim of 24 hour wear -- not on me. I can still see that it's there after an 8 hour work day but it has faded. However, I really like this shadow and would buy more if they'd expand their color palette. I like creme shadows because the colors always seem a bit more vivid and so I'm happy that a company was able to create one that doesn't melt within 30 min. :)
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Moisturizers -Garnier - Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream
duncan123 12/9/2012 1:08:00 PM
LOVE this moisturizer! I bought the moisture rescue gel-cream for normal-combo skin and have been using it for a few months now. Pros: - Not a lot needed. I just dot it around my face and then massage it in. - Instantly sinks into my skin leaving no residue. Does not break me out at all. Have even put it under my eyes and it does NOT cause milia (those little white chicken bumps). - Has a cool feeling and a clean smell. I can easily see myself putting this in the fridge in the summer months and applying it cold. I adore the scent and the gel consistency feels so calming on my skin. - Provides the moisture that I need after applying Strivectin which can be drying. And of course during the winter months when my skin is dry anyway, this does a good job of maintaining moisture. - Is inexpensive. I think I paid close to $7.00 for this at Target for 1.7 oz. It's a good sized amount and I can see this lasting at least 6 months. I've already been using it for 2 months and am not even halfway through the jar. Cons: - You have to dip your fingers into the jar to apply. This is not something that bothers me that much but it may put off some people that prefer a pump or other method to dispense. More pros than cons for me, so a definite buy again for me. :)
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear in Rockstar Pink
duncan123 10/20/2012 3:37:00 PM
Glad so many people liked this....I didn't. I do my nails every Sunday...is like a routine for me. I bought this because it drew my eye in CVS...extremely pretty!!! If you like glitter and bling like I do, you will be drawn to this! I did a base coat and then 2 coats of this and they were not thick coats. Within one day, I had chips....like hunks just fell away. So, I retouched them. Same thing. The glitter just fell off. I mean, I work in an office and do normal housework....am not that hard on my nails. So I did them on Sunday and (VERY RARE), removed the polish on Wednesday. In fact, thankfully I didn't have a problem getting it off because I pulled on the edge and the entire sheet came off most of my nails! I repolished on Wednesday with something else...I found this to be a huge waste of money. Pros: very pretty!!! Con's: Does not wear well and touchups are a disaster. Maybe the other colors of Xtreme Wear are better (without glitter!), but this one was a no-go for me. Threw it in the trash after one use. Update: I had removed the polish from my fingers on Wednesday, but not my toes. When I went to remove it...omg, it took forever!!! I was using pure acetone remover and it was a project to remove!! I should just stay away from glitter polish altogether...most are hard to get off.
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Scrubs -St. Ives - Apricot Scrub Blemish and Blackhead Control
duncan123 10/14/2012 1:40:00 PM
Will buy it again and have bought it again. Have been using this for more than a year. I use this every morning in the shower and love the way it makes my skin feel....smooth, very smooth. Gets rid of any flakes that could get in the way of smoothly applied foundation. And I really do think my pores have gotten smaller using this. I'm told that's impossible, but I know what I see and my skin glows after using this! Provides the perfect canvas for applying foundation. The scent is light and pleasant. For sure will buy again and totally recommend! :)
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Treatments -StriVectin - StriVectin-SD Power Serum for Wrinkles
duncan123 10/7/2012 2:36:00 PM
This product has done AMAZING things for my skin! I purchased this on the recommendation from a friend who said she used it and her skin looks awesome. This stuff is quite pricey -- $99 through Drugstore.com. You can find it a little bit cheaper probably through Ebay or other online sources...I've seen it at Ulta and Macy's too I think. It comes in a pump bottle and is 1.7 fl oz. Doesn't sound like much but I think this will last awhile...you don't need a lot. I began using this about 3 weeks ago. I don't really have wrinkles on my face. Most of mine are around my eyes and this isn't for use around the eyes. What this DID do for my skin is totally even it out and erase some red areas on my face (sun damage). I'm sure it's not really gone but it has faded it so that I barely see it. My pores seem almost invisible. My face looks like an even canvas. The claims (from the front of the bottle): Week 2 - Boosts skin's luminosity; optimizes clarity. Week 8 - Reduces the size, length and depth of wrinkles; diminishes the look of pores. You are to apply is in the a.m. in p.m., after cleansing your face and before moisturizer. I don't have terribly dry skin, so I use this in place of a moisturizer. It sinks in immediately upon applying it. For a few days, there was some very minor flaking that went away soon after. The one and only reason I gave this a "4" is that you have to be careful when pressing down on the pump that you don't pump out too much. It's much too expensive to waste! So I find myself quickly pressing the pump down halfway to get just a little at a time. I am thrilled to find something that really seems to work! It sort of reminds me of a Clarin's product I used some years ago that worked until they changed the formula (also a pricey product). This has not broken me out at all...in fact I am noticing few blemishes if any since I began using. I totally recommend this and will definitely buy again!. Ingredients list below: Aqua (Water, Eau), Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Myristyl Nicotinate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Polysorbate 20, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Glycerin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Globularia Cordifolia Callus Culture Extract, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sorbitan Laurate, Lecithin, Rabdosia Rubescens Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Menthol, Menthyl Lactate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols, Bisabolol, Polyacrylate-13, Dimethicone/ PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Cetylhydroxy- proline Palmitamide, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Rosmarinus Of_cinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Behenyl Alcohol, Fragrance (Parfum), Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Carbomer, Polyisobutene, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Hexyldecanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Menthoxypropanediol, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellal, Eugenol, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
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Moisturizers -Olay - Total Effects-Fragrance Free
duncan123 8/25/2012 2:39:00 PM
I used this about 5 years ago and forget why I stopped using it....I suspect it was because something else came along and I was bored with it. I need to stop doing that...one of my flaws...stick with what works!!!! Anyway, I purchased this a week ago and after just ONE day, my skin looked better. I mean, even texture, clear skin, pores minimized. I was so pleasantly surprised. I had been using a Physician's Formula Dark Spot Corrector (did nothing for me) and had a coupon for Olay. Since then, have used every a.m. and p.m. after cleansing. Fabulous. Not one blemish. Just clear, even skin. This is fragrance-free, so no worries for anyone sensitive to smells. It is a rich, creamy formula and sinks right into the skin. I can remember when I used this the first time several years ago, I actually wrote Olay to tell them how much I liked it....am almost positive I caved to the next "new thing" that came along. I need to learn to stay with what gives me the best results. THIS is one of those products. I only gave it a "4" because is difficult to see how much is left in the bottle, although this morning I held it up to the light and you can see that way, and it will probably last me about 4 months (estimate if using day and night). Bottom line...yep, if you have 40 year old skin or older, give it a shot. I think I paid about $18.00 on sale at CVS and I had a coupon so was probably around $16 or $17. :)
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Cleansers -L'Oreal - Youth Code Foaming Gel Cleanser
duncan123 8/11/2012 2:19:00 PM
I bought this at Target and didn't consult with Makeup Alley first, so I feel like I dodged a bullet, lol, because I really like this!! My skin really likes this! I was having some trouble with breakouts, which isn't all that unusual this time of year (Texas + heat = sweating = horrible skin). However it was really bugging me because I'm inside most of the time....why was I having these problems??? I mean, I'm 52 years old and shouldn't be breaking out like this. I had been using a Target Olay knockoff cleanser and I guess it just didn't agree with my skin. I bought the L'Oreal Youth Code Foaming Gel Cleanser with no expectations...just a hope and a prayer. The directions say to wet your face first and then apply, but I apply and then just add wet my hands and foam it up while it's on my face. I have to say that it really effectively removed my ColorStay foundation...I use a cotton pad with Dickinson's Witch Hazel on my skin after cleansing and there was little if no makeup residue. The ONLY, the one and ONLY thing that kept me from giving this a "5" rating was the scent. Now, I usually don't care because it's on my face for like 2 minutes and then it's gone, but I'm reviewing this for people who are really sensitive to scents...it has a strong scent!!....someone described it as floral, but it's not that to me....it's a "sharp, clean" scent. The first few times it kind of bugged me, but now I'm used to it and it doesn't bother me at all. The one thing that really sells me on this is that my face doesn't feel tight at all, even if I wait like 30 min. before moisturizing. Oh, and my face is perfectly smooth again and very clear....no more breakouts. For the price ($10 or so?) and the amount of product in the bottle with a convenient pump, I think this is a winner for me. Will not hurt to try it....if you hate it or your skin doesn't play nice with it, just take it back. Most stores have no problem with returns for specific reasons (e.g., allergy, whatever). Update: 08/25/12. Have been using this 3 weeks (?) so far and very much like it. In fact, I sort of love the scent of this now. However, if you're sensitive to smells, you may want to beware. My skin is clear and just feels so "nourished" after washing with this. I am definately going to buy again, but may be awhile because the bottle seems to be lasting a good long time. Update: 04/27/13. Still love it. Was so afraid that it was discontinued because I could not find it anywhere when I needed to buy more!!!! I had originally bought it at Target but it was no longer there. Searched at Walmart, CVS, Kroger and Walgreens...not there. Went to the L'Oreal website and it was NOT discontinued. I ended up buying it from DrugStore.com. I don't understand why it's so hard to find now. I saw another more recent review where someone else said they had trouble too. :-(
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Moisturizers -Physicians Formula - dark spot corrector & skin brightener
duncan123 8/4/2012 3:09:00 PM
Eh, it's ok. I purchased this a little over a month ago and have been using it in the a.m. and the p.m. since then. I use it as a moisturizer as well. I found this rather pricey for a drugstore buy. I had a coupon and it was on sale, but I still think it was around $15.00. Pros: - Has not broken me out. - I like the pump bottle. Very easy to get just the amount I want. Cons: - I see absolutely no difference in my skin. - It has a weird "cake" smell. It sort of bothers me when I first put it on. Thank God it fades quickly. The first 'Con' is why I won't buy again. I think I'm spoiled by Clarin's who have a similar product that really does well with my skin. The problem is, it's very pricey and right now I'm trying to cut back. Therefore, I'm on the search for something I can use that's not so expensive. This isn't it. Am still searching....
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Loose Powders -E.L.F. - Studio High Definition Powder
duncan123 7/28/2012 2:06:00 PM
So I was on vacation and discovered that I'd forgotten the loose powder (Palladio Rice Powder) that I use to set my makeup in the a.m. I went to Target, checked out the MUA app on my phone and saw that this ELF Studio High Definition Powder had like an 82% rating, which is pretty good on here. It was $6.00, which would normally make me toss it aside because of the price, but I took a chance since I knew I was on vacation for a week and wouldn't have to use it that long if I didn't like it. The shade I bought was 'Sheer" and frankly, I think that might be the only shade there is...it was the only one there and after reading some other reviews, I think that's it. The powder is pure white which can be scary, but it all turned out fine. First of all, the bad....this stuff is messy. The powder seems to filter out of the edges of the sifter and if you're not careful, you'll have it everywhere. This is the one and only reason I gave it a 4 rating. I give it a little upward shake when it's closed and then carefully open it and brush a Kabuki brush in the lid to get most of what I need. This powder is extremely fine milled which is fantastic. A little bit goes a long way. I brush it over my whole face, over my foundation and before applying blush. It leaves a very matte, soft look. My face was a little pale afterward, but it soon settles and becomes an invisible block against oil with no pale or white caste. The thing that really sold me on this was that my skin felt like velvet and did not seem oily at all even after 5 hours of wear. I touch up around lunchtime and I was surprised that my skin wasn't more oily like it usually is by that time. I live in Texas and the temp is like 100 in the shade when I'm outside and I'm running around at work inside. Others have mentioned the ingredients and they're not much different than any other loose powder so I'm at a loss as to what is different than others I've tried! If you look at reviews online from other than MUA, you will see that others sing the praises of this stuff, especially makeup artists. I haven't been photographed in it, but rarely am the subject of photo's if I can help it, LOL. So, bottom line is that this was a very nice surprise!...it's inexpensive and it works! What a concept, LOL. If you can get past the mess (practice makes this less of an issue), then you're good. For the price, it's definately worth a try. If you don't like it, it can be returned (CVS, Walgreens and Walmart all take returns of opened cosmetics). :)
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Polishes -Maybelline - Color Show - All
duncan123 7/8/2012 11:31:00 AM
I have this brand in several colors now. What drew me to them was the incredible array of awesome colors! Purples, blues, greens in addition to the traditional reds, orange, taupe, etc. It's not my absolute favorite polish brand, but it's not bad. I will say that I can't get away with just one coat -- others have said this is rather streaky and they're right. I have to be very careful to get good coverage. I painted them this morning with "Orange Fix". I also own "Styled Out" (medium shade blue with subtle frost), "Magenta Mirage" (pinky/purple...haven't tried that one yet) and "Purple Icon" (beautiful medium shade purple). I think I have another one but can't remember the name now. They retail for about $4.99, but at CVS or Walgreens they're often on sale for 'buy one, get one 50% off'. I don't have any gripes about the bottle or the brush. In fact, the bottle design is rather unique and chic looking. It dries very quickly. The one thing I really don't like about the polish is that you absolutely cannot wear this without a top coat. This is the most matte drying polish I've ever used!...no shine whatsoever! In fact, if I touch them up at the tips during the week, you can tell exactly where the touch up starts and ends just because there's such a difference between the matte of the new application and the top coat gloss of the original. So, touch up's require another application of top coat, which is ok I guess. I use Revlon No-Chip top coat as my top coat. The wear is average for a nail polish -- I do have to touch up by at least mid-week. I'm on a keyboard at work for most of my time, so no surprises there. To conclude, I only gave an overall rating of a "3" because of the matte application and because it can be streaky and you will never get away with just one coat. I will however buy it again...the array of color is amazing. And I have gotten compliments on the colors from friends and strangers alike.
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Conditioner -Garnier - Fructis Leave-In Conditioning Cream, Sleek & Shine
duncan123 6/17/2012 10:12:00 AM
I purchased this leave-in after finding that my hair was frizzing up and was generally unmanageable during this Spring and into Summer. I live in North Texas and the humidity is unbelievable this time of year! I found myself using more hairspray just to keep the hair in place and not frizzing, which I HATE because I loathe having helmet hair. It was not expensive...I think I paid around $4.00 at CVS and I might have had a coupon, can't remember. I love the packaging...just squeeze out a dime or less size of product (I have short hair) and run it through damp hair. I was using Argon Oil before and that can be quite messy...the packaging for this is much cleaner and I feel like I can pack it for a trip more safely than the Argon Oil. I really, really like how this made my hair smoother and more tamed. I am careful not to use too much because I think if you do you're going to end up with greasy looking hair. For my short hair I use less than a dime size amount. I will buy again and recommend, especially if you live in an extremely humid climate.
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Polishes -Wet 'n' Wild - Spoiled
duncan123 5/26/2012 1:59:00 PM
I saw other reviews for this for specific colors but wanted to review it as a general nail polish brand. This caught my eye in CVS a few months ago but I didn't buy it because 1) it's only $1.99 and 2) it really reminded me of the polish brand "Sinful"...the bottles are very similar, and that brand is a chipping mess on me. To me, cheap = chip. I am glad to say....I was wrong. I was way wrong! I had been wanting to try a turqouise blue polish and Spoiled has a BEAUTIFUL color called "Good Karma" and that was my first purchase...at $1.99, what did I have to lose? I applied this last Sunday on both fingers and toes along with a Rimmel basecoat and Revlon "No Chip" top coat. I was thrilled to find that the brush was what I call a "splay" brush, in that it covers the nail in one swipe, just like Rimmel's polish brush does...very nice. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that it did not chip by the end of the day (I did dishes, other household chores). On my toes it didn't chip at all...not even a little all week long. I can't attribute that to Revlon because I've used other polishes with their "No Chip" top coat and had chips within a few hours, although it IS a good top coat. And, the color was AWESOME!!!.....omg, it looked green in some light, blue in others, turquoise in yet others. I wore it all week. I DID have to touch this up by Wednesday, just on the tips. But I have a job where I'm working in a computer lab, not to mention everyday life, so my nails get a LOT of abuse. I went today to buy 2 more colors -- a dark fuschia called "I Don't Drink Cheap Wine" (ha!) and a lilac frost called "Magic Carpet Ride". I had a Wet n' Wild coupon for $1.00 off, so both of them cost me $1.99. Please...that is a STEAL!!!! Would I recommend this product??, OMG, YES!!!!! It wore well, the color/shine was awesome and the price was unbelievably reasonable. I DO recommend and thank you W'nWild....good product. 11/03/12 -- Still love this polish! I have soooo many bottles of this is so many different colors! Just bought "Ants in my Pants" and "Pirates Booty" today. "Ants in my Pants" is a burgandy glitter and "Pirates Booty" is a gold....but I see hints of other color in there. This product line is VERY affordable and I'm telling you, it lasts really well!!! You are either going to love it or hate it....some hate the wide brush (if you have narrow nails, yeah, you won't like it). Some say it's too thick....compensate people!....wipe the brush a bit on the side!! For $1.99, I think this is awesome and the color array is so, so beautiful!! :)
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Liquid -Maybelline - Super Stay Makeup
duncan123 4/21/2012 2:54:00 PM
I bought this several months ago, used it, and then something else got my interest and I put this away. Well, I was out of foundation and looked in my stash (yes, I tend to buy and not use all of a lot of products) and saw this one. Tried it, loved it, and have been using it (again) for the past month and 1/2. I have it in 'Natural Beige'. I have a pretty pale complexion, but this blends perfectly into my skin. I apply with a sponge and honestly, if I just looked at the sponge I would think "this is too dark!", but on my face it just isn't. Like I said, it blends perfectly into my skin. I wear this probably 9 hours in a day and don't find that it wears off or smudges off onto my clothes. My skin is T-zone oily, and I touch it up with powder about mid day. Doesn't break me out. It's a decent foundation. I would buy it again and I might unless something else catches my eye. :)
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