Masks -Biotherm - Biopur Balancing Purifying Mask
emiliejolie 5/3/2008 12:05:00 PM
Biopur Balancing Purifying mask is a good/above average mask - not my HG, not the perfect mask on Earth, but does a pretty good job.
I use it mainly on my T-zone, as this mask would be too drying for the rest of my face. It dries up quickly and almost pulls my face thigh so I would recommend not to let it dry more than a few minutes if you have sensitive skin. It makes my skin a bit softer and a bit clearer. It's not a miracle product but I can feel the difference when I use it. It feels like sucking out the oil and tightens a bit my pores. But this fresh and deep clean feeling lasts only one day or so.
I find the consistency a bit runny, I prefer thicker mask, because they are less messy and easier to apply but it's not a big deal. Although the consistency is not thick, you don't need a lot of product. I don't find it really prevent zits - now that I'm older my acne is more hormonal anyways so this product won't help but does a fair job when it comes to oily zones.
I bought a tube of this in October and there's still plenty of this mask inside the tube. I have to say that I alternate with my 2 HG masks (Queen Helen Mint Julep and Origins Clear Improvement).
I don't use most products from Biopur line since it's too drying for me but I will most probably buy this mask again - it will surely help to control oilier skin during summertime!
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Cleansers -Aveeno - Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser
emiliejolie 5/2/2008 5:58:00 PM
Another useless product from Aveeno. I have absolutely no luck with this brand. I bought it in a whim last summer - I was staying a few days at my mom's place and I was out of facewash so I ended up buying this foaming cleanser at the drugstore nearby.
I can tell the difference when I use this - it does absolutely nothing special. I think I could use only plain tap water to wash my face and it would be exactly the same. I also find that it doesn't clean that well. The foam is a good idea, it's light and refreshing, but I don't feel that my face is cleaned and free of makeup - so I use it in the morning instead. The lather is average - not extremely foamy nor thick but has a good consistency - and I need at least 2 "pumps" to have the proper amount of product to wash all my face. It didn' help my skin in any way but to be honest it didn't make it worse either. I will try to use it up, but if the bottle is not finished in June when I'll be moving in my new appartment, I won't be saddened to throw it in my trash can!!
Now I'm fed up - no more Aveeno stuff for me.
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Fragrances -Cacharel - Liberté
emiliejolie 5/2/2008 5:34:00 PM
I got a sample of this fragrance last summer, and the cosmetician sprayed it on a little piece of cardboard for me to smell it. At first, I didn't think it would please me because the main note on the little sample cardboard was plain patchouli, a very strong patchouli scent. Not a summery scent to my nose... so I ended up storing my sample in my fragrances stash.
Last March, I though I could give it a try and I was pleasantly surprised by the way it smells on my skin. It smelled like a sweet orange, mixed with some vanilla, but there is also a spicy note. A bold and warm fragrance, but luckily it's not too strong nor headachy. The lasting power is trully excellent. It lasts several hours.
The shape and color of the bottle reminds me of some ugly decorations my mother had when I was a child... lol... It's slightly "hippie / gipsy" for my liking. As you can tell, I'm obviously not too fond of the bottle but since I like this fragrance a lot, it doesn't bother me at all.
I bought the bottle one month and a half ago and I wear this fragrance at least once a week. It's now one of my favorites! (And I have to say that I own more than 50 different fragrances, I know I'm a bit crazy!!)
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Polishes -OPI - Strawberry Margarita
emiliejolie 2/15/2008 10:04:00 AM
Strawberry Margarita is one of the cutest nail polish shade ever! I would describe the shade as a very bright and opaque Barbie-fuschia pink. It goes on smoothly and evenly. It's a very bold & fun color . I love it.
In my humble opinion, one coat is not enough but since OPI polishes are not messy, you can easily apply 2-3 coats without having those unpleasant streaks all over your nails.
I agree with most reviewers - it'll be perfect for summer, even though I enjoy wearing it right now, under the snow! :-D
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Mascara -Biotherm - Open Eyes mascara
emiliejolie 2/9/2008 11:09:00 AM
I got this mascara 1 or 2 weeks ago in a promotional package, along with an eye-makeup remover and a concealer. It was my first experience with a Biotherm mascara, and it'll be the last one.
Althought it promises "endless lenght and total separation", it does a very average job. I've used mascaras that are not intended to lenghten lashes and they actually did a better job. Moreover, the consistency is rather thick, so I wouldn't say that it separates well lashes - it sometime gets clumpy. It thickens a bit my lashes, makes them look darker and adds some volume but that's pretty much it. An overall average product.
I like the sleek, chic silver packaging though. But there is definitely better (and cheaper) options. Overpriced for the results it gives (I think it's $19.00 in Canada).
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Moisturizers -Nivea - Aqua Sensation
emiliejolie 2/9/2008 10:46:00 AM
I dont know what to think of this moisturizer. I really wanted to like it but I am not sure whether or not it is suitable with my messy skin.
I really like the cooling sensation and I wished it would last longer because it is very refreshing. However, it leaves a sticky finish, even though I try to rub it carefully and gently blend it onto my skin. It seems that these gel-cream textures take forever to be blended.
The first couple of days I was using this moisturizer as a morning cream, I noticed that my skin looked better, brigther. But after a few days, I ended up with more pimples than usual. When I stopped using this, after a short while, my skin seemed less prone to breakout, so I am very positive that this moisturizer was the culprit.
The smell is rather strong and somewhat man-ish, so I'm pretty sure it contains some fragranced ingredients. Since I have an overly sensitive skin, my face doesn't like at all to be covered with perfumed products. Perhaps that's why my skin didn't react well after a short while.
Bottom word: slightly overpriced product that I would not recommend if you have either acne-prone skin or sensitive skin (or both, like me). Oh well, another useless product in my beauty stash. :-/
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Fragrances -Christian Dior - Dior Bronze - Sweet Sun
emiliejolie 1/19/2008 11:35:00 AM
Sweet Sun is one of my favorite summer fragrances. It's fresh and gentle, yet bold enough for my artsy personnality. I fell in love with Sweet Sun immediately.
It has a sweet-milky-beachy scent. On my skin, the citrus-y notes are barely noticeable though. On me, I would describe the scent as a vanilla / sunscreen fragrance.
Although it contains no alcohol, the lasting power is good. It is reasonably priced and the big 4.2 oz bottle will probably last forever since I use it only during summer. It's mild enough to wear when it's bot hot and humid and won't give me an headache, which is a good thing! I would certainly purchase it again.
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Treatments -Nuxe - Aroma-Vaillance Yeux Front Levres
emiliejolie 7/29/2007 9:57:00 AM
Last time I purchased Nuxe products, the SA gave me some samples, including a sample of Aroma-Vaillance Yeux Front Lèvres. I have expression wrinkles on my forehead since I'm 19 and I have noticed that I have barely noticeable wrinkles in the outer corner of my eyes (I am 27). I though I would give this treatment a try.
First of all, the smell is rather odd: it has a strong medicinal-herbal-floral scent. My skin isn't really happy when I use strongly scented products... I should have listen to my inner voice!
But I didn't. So, the next morning when I woke up, I ended up with red bumps on my forehead and near my eyes. It was slightly painful (it left almost a burning sensation...). A big no. My skin is probably too sensitive for this treatment.
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Sunscreen -Shiseido - Gentle Sun Protection Lotion for Sensitive skin and Babies
emiliejolie 7/29/2007 9:40:00 AM
I bought this sunscreen based on the reviews of another board. Most users were amazed by its mattifying properties.
However, I am not pleased at all by this lotion. Upon application, it leaves my skin freshly matte. For 1 or 2 hours at most. Then boom!! my face becomes extremely shiny. I have a combo skin that tends to be slightly shinier during summer, but the result was really not was I was expecting. My face looked covered by a greasy residue. It also clogged my pores big time. I had several blackhead and whitehead pimples on my nose. I have an extremely reactive/sensitive skin and I have to say that most products with sun protection clog my pores alot though.
Moreover, the lotion is extremely runny. It's way too easy to spill and the application is slightly messy. I had to rub and rub again to make sure that I would not end up with white residue all over my face. An overall huge disapointment.
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Telescopic
emiliejolie 7/29/2007 9:19:00 AM
Telescopic is an overall good mascara - not a perfect mascara, but for the price it does a really good job.
It makes my lashes ultra-long (and they're quite long already!!) and covers them with a shiny black coat. Good definition as well. I personally don't think it's clumpier than the other mascaras - as the other reviewers mentionned, just be careful not to overdo it. It's a long lasting formula, at night my lashes still look perfectly long and definite. And finally, the first couple of times that I used Telescopic, 2 of my co-workers asked me if I was wearing fake eyelashes...
However, after a while (1 month and a half to 2 months), I have noticed that Telescopic tends to dry quickly (in the tube and on the lashes) and the application then becomes messy. I am pretty sure that it's because most of the time the tube doesn't close properly. And I do feel that the wand is cheap and would break easily... Therefore, I'd say that the product is good but the packaging is awful. L'Oreal should really re-think its packaging. I already repurchased it a few times though.
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Cleansers -Garnier - Fresh Cleansing Gel
emiliejolie 11/20/2006 6:56:00 AM
I am quite surprised that this cleanser gets such a low rating. In my humble opinion, it's one of the best cleanser I've ever used.
It is a gel cleanser that has a very refreshing scent and texture. It makes my skin feels clean. I have a combo skin that is both senstive and acne-prone and this product is perfect. Gentle, non irritating and does a good job. However, I am not too sure that I will continue using this cleanser during winter since it could be a bit drying.
I use it almost every morning in the shower. The screw cap is quite a pain to use though - therefore I give this product 4 lippies instead of 5!
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Moisturizers -Garnier - Skin Naturals Fresh 24 hr Hydrating Day Cream
emiliejolie 11/20/2006 6:48:00 AM
I think I've finally found my HG moisturizer. For reference, I have combo, acne-prone, sensitive/reactive skin. I'm truly having a hard time with moisturizers, they're either too rich and break me out, or they're not moisturizing enough and I end up with my skin being tigh and dry.
But the Fresh 24h Hydrating Day Cream is one of the best out there. The scent from the Fresh line is absolutely lovely. Fresh, fruity and not too strong. Perfect in the morning, it almost wakes me up! The consistency is perfect as well: not too heavy, not too runny. A little bit thicker than a gel, but as refreshing as a gel!
I like the way it quenches the skin, my skin immediately feels hydrated - like a fresh splash of water! I love the feeling. It sinks into the skin and doesn't end up looking greasy. It almost soothes my skin. Doesn't make me break out, which is a good point!
It works well but I am not sure if it will be moisturizing enough as winter is coming. I hope so. But either way, I will certainly purchase it again. It is an excellent day cream!!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Sunpepper
emiliejolie 8/5/2006 11:31:00 AM
Sunpepper is a superb shade! As the reviewer below mentionned, it is both unique and complex. This shade is hard to describe, I would say it's a reddish-bronze brown with some plum and green tones as well. It reminds me of Blue Brown pigment in some ways, but doesn't really flashes blue and it is not as deep as Blue Brown. In my opinion Sunpepper is probably more versatile and flattering for most people than Blue Brown is. I think Sunpepper will be a gorgeous Fall shade with any kind of bronze/plum based shades.
I was afraid it would look somewhat "muddy", but luckily no. It is really flattering on my hazel eyes. Gorgeous shade! And the texture is good too, not as gritty/chunky as some other pigments. An overall great buy!
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Treatments -Burt's Bees - avocado hair treatment
emiliejolie 8/5/2006 10:30:00 AM
I've used a sample packet of this hair treatment a few years ago and it was an awful experience. This avocado hair treatment has a thick, waxy, gooey consistency. Therefore I had some hard time applying it evenly through my hair. The application was messy. And I had to rinse it off several times since it left my hair sticky, with an odd waxy/tacky "coating". Unpleasant!
I was not too fond of the scent either (reminds me of an orange-scented floor cleaner...ugh!). And it did nothing special to either condition or improve my hair. In one word: terrible! I would certainly not buy this mask. Luckily I didn't have to pay for this trial size.
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Gels/Soaps -LUSH - I should Coco Soap [DISCONTINUED]
emiliejolie 8/4/2006 11:49:00 AM
I am surprised by the bad reviews. I like I Should Coco and I personaly think this is a great soap. The scent is soft and pleasant. To my nose, it smells like a tropical/slightly floral coconut, but slightly milky as well (althought it is not really a foody scent in my humble opinion). I like the tiny coconut bits, they gently exfoliate my skin. Moreover, I Should Coco produces a smooth, creamy lather (rather than a thick or a bubbly lather). I have sensitive skin and this soap is perfect for me: gentle, not too abrasive, non irritating and makes my skin feels so soft.
Perhaps not the best soap on Earth, but I still like it a lot and I will definitely be repurchasing!
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