Eyeliner -Make Up For Ever - Aqua Eyes Shimmering Plum 4L
ekym 8/29/2012 9:44:00 AM
I guess I should have been warned when the color description is "soft plum SHEEN." The color, while pretty, is too subtle. It does have MUFE's great staying power, but the color payoff isn't enough; plus it turned slightly reddish on my lids, making it look like I'd been crying or had a mild allergy attack. Now I'm stuck with an entire stick of this. I'm going to go running back to Urban Decay 24/7 in Rockstar, a deep, dark plum. It may not have the staying power of MUFE, but the color is gorgeous.
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Eyeliner -Make Up For Ever - Aqua Eyes Pencil in Shimmering Plum 4L
ekym 8/29/2012 9:42:00 AM
I guess I should have been warned when the color description is "soft plum SHEEN." The color, while pretty, is too subtle. It does have MUFE's great staying power, but the color payoff isn't enough; plus it turned slightly reddish on my lids, making it look like I'd been crying or had a mild allergy attack. Now I'm stuck with an entire stick of this. I'm going to go running back to Urban Decay 24/7 in Rockstar, a deep, dark plum. It may not have the staying power of MUFE, but the color is gorgeous.
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Conditioner -John Frieda - Full Repair Full Body Conditioner
ekym 8/27/2012 3:03:00 PM
After loving the John Frieda Frizz Ease Smooth Start Hydrating Conditioner for myself (thick, coarse, long, naturally curly hair), I decided to stay with John Frieda to find a conditioner for my daughters (fine, thin, long, fragile hair). Since my daughters (ages 7 and 5) can be brutal to their hair (using sticky hands to wipe hair out of their eyes, rip ponytail holders and barrettes out, then realizing they just yanked out a bunch of hair), I knew I would need something that strengthens damaged hair, but still gives it volume. This Full Repair conditioner seemed perfect. Immediately I noticed the texture was light, which is good for not weighing down fine hair, but I just felt it didn’t condition and repair as much as a would have liked. It did however give great shine and made their hair fuller and healthier-looking. But for me the deal-breaker is the scent. It has a strong floral fragrance that, in my opinion, is too mature for 7 and 5-year-old girls. Something about it just bugged me, and my husband flat-out hated it; I won’t buy this again.
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Moisturizers -Olay - Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream fragrance-free
ekym 8/27/2012 2:45:00 PM
My face is oily, breakout-prone, but sensitive and I thought this rich cream would be too heavy for my face, so I bought this for my neck and chest to help ward off lines, wrinkles, and sagginess. At 29 I was already starting to see a loss of firmness in my neck and chest and since this cream had great reviews from many sources. I opted for the fragrance-free version because Olay is notorious for overly-scented products (in fact some of their pother products I didn’t buy a second time because of the added fragrance). This does have some micro-glitter/shimmer mixed in, which is annoying and unnecessary, but doesn’t seem to bother my skin. At first use, this hydrated my skin immediately and it took about two weeks to see the skin of my neck and chest become more even-toned, smooth, and firm. On a whim, I tried this on my face when I noticed some dry patches and I broke out (lesson learned). This one jar doesn’t last a very long time (about three months), though since I am using it to cover my neck and chest I imagine I’m going through it twice as fast as someone who is just using it on the face; and I wish it came in a more hygienic pump, but it’s a great product and I’m seeing the results I want, so I will keep buying this.
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Moisturizers -Olay - Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream
ekym 8/27/2012 2:44:00 PM
My face is oily, breakout-prone, but sensitive and I thought this rich cream would be too heavy for my face, so I bought this for my neck and chest to help ward off lines, wrinkles, and sagginess. At 29 I was already starting to see a loss of firmness in my neck and chest and since this cream had great reviews from many sources. I opted for the fragrance-free version because Olay is notorious for overly-scented products (in fact some of their pother products I didn’t buy a second time because of the added fragrance). This does have some micro-glitter/shimmer mixed in, which is annoying and unnecessary, but doesn’t seem to bother my skin. At first use, this hydrated my skin immediately and it took about two weeks to see the skin of my neck and chest become more even-toned, smooth, and firm. On a whim, I tried this on my face when I noticed some dry patches and I broke out (lesson learned). This one jar doesn’t last a very long time (about three months), though since I am using it to cover my neck and chest I imagine I’m going through it twice as fast as someone who is just using it on the face; and I wish it came in a more hygienic pump, but it’s a great product and I’m seeing the results I want, so I will keep buying this.
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Gels/Soaps -Dove - Moisturizing Body Wash - "Deep Moisture"
ekym 8/2/2012 12:43:00 PM
I bought this for my dry arms and legs. For years I’ve been using Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash to combat my bacne, but it was too harsh on my arms and legs. So after exfoliating with Neutrogena and exfoliating gloves on my back, I use a blob of Dove on a puff and it makes my skin super soft and comfortable, not tight. I love that it’s very gentle, not aggravating my eczema and has not caused any bacne either. In a pinch, I’ve used this in place of shave gel and it works pretty well, though not to the same precision as shave gel. On a side note, I hate the packaging. The flip top is so small and oddly cone-shaped, while the bottle is wide and doesn't want to stay on the shower ledge.
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Gels/Soaps -Dove - Deep Moisture Nourishing Bodywash w/Nutrium Moisture
ekym 8/2/2012 12:42:00 PM
I bought this for my dry arms and legs. For years I’ve been using Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash to combat my bacne, but it was too harsh on my arms and legs. So after exfoliating with Neutrogena and exfoliating gloves on my back, I use a blob of Dove on a puff and it makes my skin super soft and comfortable, not tight. I love that it’s very gentle, not aggravating my eczema and has not caused any bacne either. In a pinch, I’ve used this in place of shave gel and it works pretty well, though not to the same precision as shave gel. On a side note, I hate the packaging. The flip top is so small and oddly cone-shaped, while the bottle is wide and doesn't want to stay on the shower ledge.
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Skincare - Body -Dove - deep moisture bodywash for sensitive skin
ekym 8/2/2012 12:33:00 PM
I bought this for my husband after years of telling him that the Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash was too harsh for his insanely dry skin. The skin on his back was actually flaking and cracking. I’d put my super-rich Cetaphil cream on his back and it would be dry again an hour later. I tried to get him to use my Dove Body Wash (the original Deep Moisture formula) but he said it smelled girly, so I got him this unscented, though NOT fragrance-free, version instead. At first, he didn’t like that this said “Sensitive Skin” and didn’t want to use it, so I took a sharpie and crossed out “Sensitive” and wrote “Tough” instead. He then realized he was being stupid and tried it. After a week, his skin was healed and months later, he was man enough to buy this for himself. If he ever neglects to buy it for himself, I’ll pick some more up for him. On a side note, I hate the packaging. The flip top is so small and oddly cone-shaped, while the bottle is wide and doesn't want to stay on the shower ledge.
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Styling Products -Bumble & Bumble - Curl Conscious Defining Creme
ekym 8/2/2012 12:16:00 PM
I hesitated years before buying this cream. I have thick, long, coarse, dry, naturally curly hair and this cream is meant for finer curls, which I don’t have, which would make me lean toward the Calming Crème for my hair. My curls aren’t tight, I’m a 2c/3a (depending on length my curls are springier or wavier), so based on that, the Defining Crème is the way to go. Finally I bit the bullet and bought the Defining Crème, and I’m so glad I did. This cream makes my curls soft and defined, never crunchy. And, so long as it isn’t a super windy day, my curls are just as pretty in the evening as they were first thing in the morning. I do have a tendency to use too much product, which then leaves a filmy residue on my hair. So I have to be careful each morning to use one small, dime-size dot at a time of this cream (because of my hair’s thickness, I end up using five or six small dots), not one big blob all at once. That seems to make all the difference. A bottle of this cream also lasts longer than my previous favorite (Davines Love Serum), and the bottle is very travel-friendly. I think I’ll buy the big, 1 Liter bottle next time.
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Styling Products -John Frieda - Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Finishing Creme
ekym 8/2/2012 11:56:00 AM
I first bought this so long ago; I don’t even know what my motivation was for choosing this. If I had to guess, it would probably be due to its claims of de-puffing hair, which as a teenager is all my thick, long, coarse, naturally curly hair did: poof! This cream’s effects on curly hair are good, but it won’t re-define dry fuzzy curls and it doesn’t add much shine. But it really works best when I’m reviving a blowout or trying to keep the blowout in place on a humid day. In those situations, this cream is a lifesaver. Again, it’s a little lacking in shine, so when I’m reviving a blowout after sleeping on it, I run my flatiron over the kinks, spread one pump of Davines Oi/Oil through my hair for shine, then use a pea-size of this to smooth down any flyaways for puffiness that the flatiron didn’t get. For midday, I’ll do the same thing, minus the flatiron. It really does its job. Although I don’t use it every day, and since a little goes a long way, I don’t repurchase this very often, but when I run out, I’ll be buying this again.
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Styling Products -John Frieda - Frizz-Ease - Secret Weapon Styling Creme
ekym 8/2/2012 11:55:00 AM
I first bought this so long ago; I don’t even know what my motivation was for choosing this. If I had to guess, it would probably be due to its claims of de-puffing hair, which as a teenager is all my thick, long, coarse, naturally curly hair did: poof! This cream’s effects on curly hair are good, but it won’t re-define dry fuzzy curls and it doesn’t add much shine. But it really works best when I’m reviving a blowout or trying to keep the blowout in place on a humid day. In those situations, this cream is a lifesaver. Again, it’s a little lacking in shine, so when I’m reviving a blowout after sleeping on it, I run my flatiron over the kinks, spread one pump of Davines Oi/Oil through my hair for shine, then use a pea-size of this to smooth down any flyaways for puffiness that the flatiron didn’t get. For midday, I’ll do the same thing, minus the flatiron. It really does its job. Although I don’t use it every day, and since a little goes a long way, I don’t repurchase this very often, but when I run out, I’ll be buying this again.
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Styling Products -John Frieda - Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Smoothing Creme
ekym 8/2/2012 11:55:00 AM
I first bought this so long ago; I don’t even know what my motivation was for choosing this. If I had to guess, it would probably be due to its claims of de-puffing hair, which as a teenager is all my thick, long, coarse, naturally curly hair did: poof! This cream’s effects on curly hair are good, but it won’t re-define dry fuzzy curls and it doesn’t add much shine. But it really works best when I’m reviving a blowout or trying to keep the blowout in place on a humid day. In those situations, this cream is a lifesaver. Again, it’s a little lacking in shine, so when I’m reviving a blowout after sleeping on it, I run my flatiron over the kinks, spread one pump of Davines Oi/Oil through my hair for shine, then use a pea-size of this to smooth down any flyaways for puffiness that the flatiron didn’t get. For midday, I’ll do the same thing, minus the flatiron. It really does its job. Although I don’t use it every day, and since a little goes a long way, I don’t repurchase this very often, but when I run out, I’ll be buying this again.
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Styling Products -John Frieda - Frizz-Ease Hair Serum
ekym 8/2/2012 11:44:00 AM
I bought this serum as a pre-teenager when it was new and everyone was raving about it (and it came in a glass bottle with a glass dropper). My thick, coarse, long hair curled at puberty and it didn’t know what to do with it. Since no one in my family has curly hair, I had zero guidance when it came to my hair (both of my sisters have thick, long, slightly wavy hair and my mother has fine, thin, short, straight hair). Needless to say I wasn’t doing anything right for my curls and that included using this serum wrong. It was more than ten years before I bought it again and now I love it (I have also since learned what to do with curly hair thanks to my patient stylist). I repurchased this about six months ago on a whim (and it was on sale), since I’ve liked so many other John Frieda products. I was glad to find that this now comes in a plastic pump bottle. At first I thought applying this to wet hair was silly and wouldn’t make a difference, so I tested it out using it the “regular way” of using serums: to towel squeezed hair. It was nothing special. Then I decided to really followed the directions: immediately after rinsing out conditioner, I apply three pumps (two if I’ve just had my hair cut) to my soaking wet, dripping wet hair, focusing applying from the ears down and staying away from the scalp. I smooth it though, using my fingers to rake it, but being careful not to remove too much water. Once it’s spread to my satisfaction, I gently wring out my hair with my hands leaving my hair still very wet. I do throw my hair up in a towel so I can address skincare and such, but I try to get to my hair while it is still very damp. Then I spread two-three pumps of Davines Oi/Oil through my hair, then scrunch Bumble and Bumble Curl Conscience Defining Crème throughout and let air dry. This is the best combination for my hair and I love the soft, shiny results. It’s this serum that really handles the frizz, while the Davines Oi/Oil gives the shine and Bumble and Bumble Cream give the curls definition. While I’m rarely faithful to hair products, especially curl creams, for long, I think I’ll stay with this routine for a while and I’ll be buying this serum again.
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Primer/ Corrector -Smashbox - Photo Finish Primer
ekym 8/2/2012 11:16:00 AM
After getting tired of my old primer (Philosophy The Present) not standing up to Oklahoma humidity anymore, I tried Smashbox Photo Finish – Light. I liked that it was oil-free as so many primers out there are not and I don’t trust an non-oil-free primer, as I’m prone to blackheads and breakouts. I bought the travel size of this to try it out and I’m glad I did. While it was good and lasted longer than The Present, it wasn’t great. I would still have to blot and touchup my makeup midday. I was using this every day just to keep oil at bay and it wasn’t doing what I needed it to. While finishing up the little tube of this, I got a sample of Photo Finish – Original primer. I was thrilled to find out that the original formula is also oil-free, and it worked great. Even though the Light formula does feel a little lighter on my skin during application than the Original formula does, after a few minutes of setting on the skin I feel no difference in weight between the two and the Original out preforms Light. Photo Finish – Original makes my skin incredibly matte (but not dry), smooth, soft and even. It fills any little dips or divots that I’m currently battling on my face; and even though it is colorless it seems to blur imperfections, giving them a soft-focus look. My skin stays matte much longer, I don’t need to blot oil for a full seven hours (I also used this formula every day). Since making the switch to Original, I have since started using Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector for Face SPF 42 PA+++ as my daytime moisturizer and sunscreen. This makes using a primer everyday unnecessary, but for special events and occasions (Church, family portraits, weddings, military balls, etc.), I definitely layer Photo Finish over my sunscreen to make my skin look flawless. I will continue to buy this.
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Primer/ Corrector -Smashbox - Photo Finish Light
ekym 8/2/2012 11:02:00 AM
I tried this Smashbox Primer after getting tired of my old primer (Philosophy The Present) not standing up to Oklahoma humidity anymore. I liked that this was oil-free as so many primers out there are not and I don’t trust an non-oil-free primer, as I’m prone to blackheads and breakouts. I bought the travel size of this to try it out and I’m glad I did. While it was good and lasted longer than The Present, it wasn’t great. I would still have to blot and touchup my makeup midday. I was using this every day just to keep oil at bay and it wasn’t doing what I needed it to. At least it did not aggravate my skin in any way. While finishing up the little tube of this, I got a sample of Smashbox’s original formula primer. I was thrilled to find out that the original formula is also oil-free, and it worked great. Even though the Light formula does feel a little lighter on my skin during application than the original formula does, after a few minutes of setting on the skin I feel no difference in weight between the two and the original out preforms Light. I’ve since switched to the original and won’t buy Light again.
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