Cleansers -Clinique - Rinse-off foaming cleanser
electroheart 1/19/2013 7:18:00 PM
This cleanser gets every SCRAP of make-up off my face. Foams up into a lovely soft lather and rinses lovely and clean. I have oily, acne-d, shiny-nightmare skin, so if anything I'm in favour of the slightly drying properties some people have mentioned with this cleanser. Not a bad price for a higher-end cleanser, I've never felt any irritation, dryness or anything else negative while using it, just nice clean-feeling skin. However, now that I am using a topical retinoid to treat my acne, I find it can be more drying, so I have to up my moisturiser use some days. Overall though, a fine cleanser that rinses super clean and removes make-up really effectively. One pain in my ass with it, however, is the crappy packaging - the squeezy tube it comes in. When it gets to the point where about 1/3 of the bottle is left, it gets super hard to squeeze it out and in the end I have to cut the tube open with scissors which isn't hygienic. Pump bottle with a screw-on pump top would be better.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Brows -GOSH - GOSH Long Lasting Brow Pen
electroheart 1/19/2013 7:07:00 PM
LOVE this brow pen. I have been using Lancome Sourcils Design for the last number of years in medium brown / sheer blonde, dyed my hair dark brown and needed a change. This Gosh brow pen is a revelation. It's a felt-tip type design that's so simple to use. It stays put all day long, darkens and defines your brows and fills in the overplucked bits. My eyebrows were reduced to teeny little semi circles due to my violent overplucking tendencies, and this stuff makes it look as though I have gorgeous, dark natural brows. Using dark brown at the moment, but I have purchased it in several other tones - mahogany, venetian brown (a coppery red-brown) and wheat (suitable for blondes) - as I like to change my hair colour quite often, and it's pretty well-priced for such a good product. Beats LOTS of high end pencils I've used. Also, because it's a pen there's no arse-ing around with a pencil sharpener. Finally - it makes your brows look groomed, but not fake and "drawn-on" like the footballer's-wife style brows. Just a great product all-round.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Christian Dior - Hypnotic Poison
electroheart 1/14/2013 7:48:00 PM
I'm sorry. I can't believe the rave reviews this stuff gets, because honestly, the first time I smelled it, it made me want to barf. Cloying, synthetic, fake vanilla, and, forgive me, a slightly..."unclean" quality. This perfume smells dirty. Got a bottle from a friend who knew nothing of my tastes. Sometimes for sh*ts 'n' gigs I shove the bottle under my nose, inhale, and gag. I never spray it, on my skin or anywhere near me. Bottle is tacky as f*** also.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -La Roche Posay - Effaclar Duo
electroheart 9/10/2012 6:31:00 PM
Sigh. Yet another acne product that does nothing for me. I have cystic acne and shiny, oily skin. This product didn't help it at all. I had read really positive things about Effaclar Duo and found it at my local pharmacy. I applied after cleansing. It stings, big time, but that's a given for any acne product I guess. I applied and went to bed. Much like a lot of other topical acne products, Effaclar Duo seemed to work at reducing the hot, angry inflamed spots, but I also suspect that gentle cleansing and a good night's sleep can do this too. So, the angrier, inflamed areas had calmed down. However, I was left with a scattering of comedones (blocked pores) on my chin, forehead and jawline. Horrifying. I have used it again several times since then, with the same results. That's the definition of insanity, right? Repeating the same behaviour over and over, and expecting to get a different result. See, this is what ten years of acne will do to a person's brain. Won't buy this ever again. I only gave it a 1 because the texture is quite nice and non-greasy/sticky. Nice packaging, as with most LRP products. They're the only redeeming factors I can come up with.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Yves Rocher - Jardins du Monde - African Cocoa Bean Shower Cream
electroheart 9/10/2012 6:10:00 PM
Let me just say, I generally love Yves Rocher products. Everything smells amazing, feels amazing and is so affordable. The cocoa bean shower gel is no exception - it has an amazing, deep chocolate scent - very sweet and clean. It lathers nicely, especially great if you used a shower puff. I end up spending way longer than I had planned in the shower because I lather this up, rinse it off, and end up doing it two or three more times because it smells so good! And it left my skin feeling really soft and clean. I like to follow with Yves Rocher Noix de Coco Malaise silk body lotion - yay to smelling like a dessert. Definitely will buy again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chanel - Chance Eau Tendre
electroheart 9/6/2012 4:12:00 PM
This perfume doesn't smell anything like Chanel Chance. I expected it to be a lighter, sparkling version of Chance but, as someone else noted, it smells very similar to Marc Jacobs Daisy. I use this as perfume for work because I work with small kids and don't want to choke them with anything strong. In a word, boring. It's not unpleasant. Extremely flowery, and the jasmine certainly stands out. But it just disappears, there's no sign of the purported amber/musk base notes. Probably won't buy this again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Vichy - Dermablend Corrective Foundation
electroheart 9/6/2012 4:04:00 PM
This is my favourite foundation/concealer in one. I've used both the stick and the liquid, and really like them. I have acne-scarred, acne-prone skin and nothing has ever covered it like dermablend. I was so happy when I tried this for the first time that I thought I might cry, because I had resigned myself to heavy layers of concealer, foundation and powder for a lifetime. It will literally cover anything. I experimented covering my wrist tattoo, it worked! A little goes a long way with this stuff, so to avoid looking like you're wearing a mask of foundation, build it up little by little. On good skin days, I used a light foundation or tinted moisturiser all over, and then use dermablend in Opal (lightest shade) or Nude (a little darker) on the problem areas. On bad skin days, I used it all over. When I get a little heavy handed with it (on REALLY bad skin days) it can look a little mask-like, and it doesn't seem to have any mattifying qualities at all. It doesn't look cake-y, doesn't dry out and doesn't flake off. But it DOES rub off - on a lot of things - your phone, your top, your boyfriend's top, his face, anyone you meet and kiss on the cheek / hug, etc...I think using the translucent setting powder might solve this, but I have yet to try it. For concentrated application to problem areas, I think that it might be best to use the stick foundation with a small brush. But if you have a faceful of problems like me, purchase both! The biggest downside to this product is that the packaging is horrendously boring. I hope they glam it up a little soon.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Avene - Triacneal
electroheart 9/6/2012 3:53:00 PM
I've had recurrent breakouts of cystic acne and clogged pores for years. I got this on the recommendation of my dermatologist, and I was excited to see the results, but they were super disappointing. It burned immediately on application, but this isn't anything new for someone who has used a million different acne treatments over the course of their teenage years. I went to bed and in the morning the larger, cystic acne had reduced a little, enough that I noticed anyway. I continued using Triacneal the following day and then woke up to a serious case of clogged pores. Continuing application only made them worse. A definite no from me, but funnily enough, I find other items in the Avene acne range to be really nice to use. Just not this one!
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Clinique - Chubby Stick (all shades)
electroheart 9/6/2012 3:46:00 PM
This colourful lip balm comes in a twisty-ended tube that reminds me of crayola twistable crayons that kids use. The packaging is adorable and so much more fun to use than a little pot or regular stick of balm. I purchased Super Strawberry. It's just a touch too dark, I wanted something a little brighter. The cherry, peony, candy and mimosa shades look really promising, so I'll be going for one of those next. Texture is a little heavier than I expected. It's very balm-y, and I had hoped for something a little lighter. My lips felt a little softer for a while even after the balm was wiped away, which is a plus :) Not the best balm I've ever used, and the super strawberry colour is not quite the bright, red-pink strawberry shade you might expect, but for the fun packaging alone I want to buy another, in a brighter shade.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No