Skincare - Body -Unlisted Brand - Kirkland Costco Body Lotion
fes_fsa 11/18/2011 12:03:00 AM
i bought this lotion about 2 months ago, because i've been waiting for about 17 years for Costco to relaunch their discontinued Kirkland Signature body lotion. seriously. i was going to buy a 7-pack of Delon body butters in the huge jars for a buck less than what i paid for the lotion--i saw this in the store and did a happy dance. IT'S BACK! IT'S BACK! and relaunch it THEY DID! first, i want to start by saying that the lotion bottles say that their lotion is made with 100% pure plant extracts, and they're right, the plant extracts themselves ARE pure. but don't let this fool you into thinking that you're getting this organic plant based lotion--petrolatum is the 3rd ingredient on the list. so if you have a problem with that ingredient, BEWARE! this product comes in a twin-pack: you get two 22 oz. opaque white pump bottles. the lotion is white and smells like a mix of lemon verbena, lemon rinds, and lemon pledge--i want to say that it smells like lemonheads taste, but it's not a sweet lemony scent. they used citronellol, limonene, geraniol, and linalool in this, and those are usually the ingredients used to make a clean citrusy scent. but it's not a clean citrusy scent either--it smells kind of creamy... like a really sour lemon creamsicle, with absolutely NO vanillic undertones. i actually like the scent, as it pairs nicely with their sulphate free body wash, which smells like oranges. anyway, coming out of the pump, the lotion feels pretty standard. thicker than, say... Vaselline or Suave lotions... maybe not as thick as Jergens, though. upon application it doesn't feel like it's going to be very moisturizing, but as you're rubbing it in, your skin starts to absorb it and it feels as though you were using a much heavier cream. your skin feels like silk. i know that alot of lotions make your skin feel really silky and smooth. so i did a side by side test on my arms and legs for two weeks on two lotions that leave my skin super silky and plump: Jergens Shea Butter and Kirkland Signature lotion. i get little rough patches on the part where the elbow and forearm meet (you know, the part that usually sits on the armrests of a computer chair), they're bumps really, but not quite as bumpy as keratosis. i don't know why i get it, because it's not irritated or itchy like my eczema, the patch is too big and in the wrong location for milia, and it's not a scaly rash like my psoriasis. it's not dry skin, because the rest of my arms, including the elbows themselves, are usually fine and i lotion every time i take a shower. as long as i shower every day, these two lotions take care of the patches on my elbows. however, if i skipped a day of showering and lotioning, the patches on the arm with the Jergens came back. ALSO, i did the side by side on my face, which is REALLY dry, and even lotioning twice a day and washing only at night with the Jergens didn't stop the scaling on the left side of my face. the skin on the right side only had to be lotioned night with the Kirkland brand. my basic hand lotion test is easy--if my hands don't feel slimy and i can snap my fingers, a minute or so after applying, it passes. this makes my hands feel silky soft and i can snap, but my hands feel slimy. it moisturizes the hell out of them and has done wonders for my cuticles, though. so i'll only use this at night before bed. i don't usually have to lotion during the day with this product, so it's not really an issue. but if i did something that required me to lotion afterwards... i'll stick with baby lotion or something less greasy. the price was about $13. that breaks it down to $6.50 a bottle... which is about average, maybe a little less, considering that it's 8-20 bucks for a really good drugstore lotion. if you like lemons and have dry skin, give this product a shot. it's inexpensive, the ingredients are top notch, and it's a pretty luxurious lotion. if you don't like it, Costco's return policy is amazing.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Jordana - Squeeze n Shine Lip Gloss in Clear
fes_fsa 11/17/2011 7:21:00 PM
i bought 4 of these a few years back when they were on sale for a buck a piece. i LOVE this gloss. it's a little sticky, but it stays on longer than mac lipglass. it smells and tastes like banana now & laters, which i kind of enjoy, especially when layered over Jordana's lipsticks, which taste like strawberry now & laters. it comes in a little squeeze tube, which i prefer because its more sanitary than wand-glosses, and you get .5 oz of product. that's about standard for squeeze tube glosses and balms that you buy at a drugstore though. each tube lasts a long time--you really only need a tiny dab to get very glossy lips and because i never press the product to the lip itself... one tube will last me about a year with repetitive daily use. that's at least 5 times a day. highly recommended.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Jordana - Fabu Liner Liquid Eyeliner Pen
fes_fsa 11/17/2011 1:47:00 PM
i like this alot. this is 3 bucks, it's an intense black, it doesn't flake off or fade. i bought my eyeliner about 4 months ago and i use it 3 or 4 days a week. it hasn't dried out on me and the felt is ALWAYS sopping wet with product. i find that it does smudge on me throughout the day if i don't at least powder over it, but that's only because of my eye shape, and easily fixable with eyeliner sealer which i have to do with all of my eyeliners anyway. i recommend it and i bought 6 more to use for the rest of the year.
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Eye Shadow -Jordana - Eye Shadow
fes_fsa 11/17/2011 11:20:00 AM
i bought 4 of these at $2 a piece in the colors white lie (matte white), creamy vanilla (matte beige), total blackout (matte black), and supernatural (glimmery beige). i also bought natural taupe (matte warmish-neutral taupe), which is actually a brow shadow, but it cost 2 bucks, it's the same formulation, and it was in the same section of the store, so who cares? the matte shadows get a 5. they're finely milled and SOOOO creamy, the color payoff is fantastic, and they blend like a dream. the matte black is RIDICULOUSLY pigmented, i LOVE it. the glimmery shimmery shadow gets a 2.5. it would probably get a 3 if it were an uncommon color, but i picked a shimmery beige, a color that's EVERYWHERE... and also a color that should be hard for a makeup company to screw up, because you're supposed to just add mica to your formula if you want shimmer. this was chalky, not smooth at all, the shimmer didn't show up when applied normally, and with a heavier hand, it looked like i spackled eyeboogers on my inner corner. these are definitely worth trying out, if just for their matte colors, because they're great and they're very cheap. i recommend them and i'm stocking up on the black and white.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Jordana - Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara
fes_fsa 11/17/2011 11:00:00 AM
WOW. this stuff rocks my socks. it was only $3... and it doesn't just lengthen and separate well, it provides a lift that no other mascara in this price range (that i've tried) can deliver. i don't usually have to curl my eyelashes when using this product... and unlike every other brand of mascara i've used since Maybelline's Lash by Lash was discontinued, i can curl my lashes BEFORE applying mascara and it will hold the curl VERY well. my last mascara review, i rated Maybelline's Great Lash BIG as my holy grail, but this is about a buck cheaper and i get fantastic results instantly instead of having to build volume through layering. i've used the same tube about 3 or 4 days of the week, for about 3 1/2 to 4 months, and the formula hasn't dried out or started flaking, and i haven't experienced any irritation, so its shelf life is pretty impressive too (usually, i have to replace my mascaras every month and a half for the reasons i've just mentioned). wow... i really shouldn't hold on to mascara for that long *throws tube away*. i ran out and bought 6 to use up for about a year. i LOVE this mascara and highly recommend it.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powders -Cover Girl - Clean 
fes_fsa 8/26/2011 2:11:00 PM
i'm never buying this product again. i know i say that, but i end up buying it whenever they change the packaging... but damnit, this time i mean it! when i was REALLY pale, i used it in classic ivory, and it worked like a dream. i set my makeup with it, it stays set, provides more coverage when used in conjunction with my foundation, and it's cheap and i'm a clutz that drops her compacts all the time. if you wear buff or darker, especially in the yellow based shades, you will turn ORANGE. this stuff oxidizes like nobody's business, which is too bad, because the matching foundation is okay.
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Liquid -Cover Girl - Clean Makeup
fes_fsa 8/26/2011 2:02:00 PM
i got this in the normal skin (original) formula, along with the matching powder as a bonus, in soft honey (i'm an NC42 currently). it's okay, i'd say the coverage depends on your method of application--with fingers or a sponge it'll be sheer, with a brush you get more control and it's easier to build the coverage where you need it. it smells like Noxema, and while the scent isn't that noticeable, i find that it DOES linger a bit, and using the matching powder accentuates the scent. the finish isn't dewy, but if you touch your face without setting your makeup, you'll find that it feels a little tacky, so i would recommend a good setting powder (or using this foundation if you're doing powder-art on your face). the lasting power is pretty good on my dry skin. i'd say probably between 5 to 8 hours without touch-ups, and when i have to blot my t-zone, i find that i could skip powdering afterwards. the foundation itself is around $5, and often, you can find a deal where it comes with a bonus powder, so it's pretty cheap, which is a good thing, because i've found that, with this product, i have to use double the amount of foundation that i would normally use. would i buy this product again? i'm leaning towards yes, but really, there are cheaper and better foundations out there.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Great Lash BIG
fes_fsa 7/16/2011 2:12:00 PM
i reviewed the original great lash at a 2 lippies. this gets a 5. my biggest problem with the original great lash was the brush--it was hard to build without getting clumpy so you had to use a different brush, and if you had to touch up your mascara on the go you'd end up with clumpy spider lashes (if you had to use the brush that was in the tube). the mascara formula itself was actually very good, which is why Great Lash has been recommended by fashion mags for YEARS. it's VERY light, it builds well, and it doesn't flake. also, you can touch up your mascara without flaking... and now that it has a much better brush, you don't have to worry as much about separation. i think i just found my HG mascara.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Queen Helene - Cocoa Butter Creme
fes_fsa 7/16/2011 2:37:00 AM
my hair loves this stuff and i think it does a better job moisturizing my hair than cholesterol products. i shampoo my hair thoroughly, put some of this on my hair and scalp and work it through, detangle & rinse, then put my hair up in a towel. when my hair is taken out of the towel, i smooth on a bit more, then let my hair air dry as well as it can. yes, my hair is a bit greasy afterward, but i only do this on days when i don't intend to spend alot of time outdoors. the following day, i shampoo and condition with mane n tail original for the protein content, and afterward, my hair is softer, stronger, the brittleness is gone, and so are my dry ends. i started doing this before i got a boy-cut in October, and have done this at least once a month ever since i cut my hair. it is now July and i've measured just over 8 inches of growth, my hair is just past my scapular, and i haven't had a split end to speak of--this is with me siliconing the crap out of my hair with a bunch of different hair products, letting it build up, and dry my ends out. it also seems to calm my scalp, which breaks out periodically due to weather fluctuations, overwashing, and trying new/different/horrible hair products. it's nice on my face, but on my body, it's only okay. i actually kinda prefer the lotion for my body, because this product takes too long to soak in. it's 5 bucks a jar, it's light and fluffy so with 15 oz you're getting alot of product, and it doesn't smell too strong like other cocoa butter products. i'd buy this product again--in fact, i've gone through quite a few jars in the 10 years i've used this. i highly recommend it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - Facial Hair Removal Spring
fes_fsa 6/30/2011 4:38:00 PM
i actually bought the generic version of this, called the epistick, on ebay for a dollar w/ no shipping. the deals are out there, ladies. you just have to look for them. anyway, it's a metal coil with rubberized foam on the ends as handles. you twist your thumbs outwards and slide it flat against the part you want the hair removed and it pulls several hairs out by the root. the key is to keep the area taut and work fast--same principle as threading. i wouldn't recommend this on your brows, as you need precision when grooming that area and it's hard to control what hairs get ripped out when using this product. i use this on my upper lip and the bottom part of my chin. i pluck my eyebrows and wax the fine hairs that are too thin to pluck around my eyes, and if i have a little extra money or time, i'll get them professionally threaded while getting a mani/pedi. i wouldn't get my upper lip professionally waxed or threaded, because, honestly, it's freaking embarassing. people are passing the salon window and they see a lady getting her 'stache done. so i would wax at home and bleach in between waxings, occasionally use a harsh depilatory cream and a few times, i just shaved the area. over time, the bleachings and the depilatory creams, on top of a 2nd pregnancy started darkening the area. when i put my makeup on, i was monkey-face-concealing my shit! i had no choice in the matter. it was either bleach my girlstache between waxings or look like Chang Kai Shek. with this $1 stick, after one use, i threw my bleach and depilatory creams out. i've been using this for 3 months, it still works, the area is lightening (i've been using an exfoliating skin cream with retinol), and my face just looks normal. i don't have a bunch of blonde peach fuzz everywhere on my face....and a bald upper lip--the fine invisible hairs have grown back and blend with the rest of the invisible hairs on my face! also, there has been no irritation, so any skin cream i use, i can keep using, even after doing my upper lip. this is a definite rebuy, should i ever lose or break my stick epilator. it's fast, it's gentle, it's effective, and it only cost me a dollar.
11 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -SAMY - Moisture Plus
fes_fsa 6/30/2011 1:25:00 PM
it's back and better than ever. he took his classic formula and added behentrimonium methosulfate (which isn't actually a sulfate--it's actually a quat made from rapeseed oil that doesn't just detangle, it actually penetrates and conditions the hair shaft gently, without any build up) and polysilicone-18 cetyl phosphate (a VERY light weight silicone that is NOT water soluble, but is VERY good for your hair and won't build up). okay. the way the silicone in this product works is: 1. it's not water soluble. 2. it's silicone soluble. 3. it's one of the lowest weight silicone gums availble for hair care and is usually found in the upper echelon of hair care products. first, it's not water soluble. "but fes_fsa, doesn't that mean it's waterproof and won't wash off and will build up over time?" that it doesn't wash off is actually only a half truth. my second point is that it's silicone soluble, so when you wash your hair with this product you're removing the old silicone and replacing it with new, leaving you with only a light coating of silicone on your hair. if you wash with other products that don't contain silicone, your hair is protected from water and detergents (the 2 things that cause the most damage to hair). this makes this line ideal for protecting your hair from salt and chlorine damage, should you exercise alot or go swimming. if you decide you don't like this product, wash and condition your hair with a product containing water soluble silicones (like amodimethicone), and then use a clarifying shampoo on your next wash after that. yes. it's a 2 step process, but that's what beautiful hair takes: time and patience. my third point is that it contains a very light weight silicone that is actually good for your hair. "fes_fsa, how is it good?" we silicone lovers know that silicones seal the hairshaft and keep the moisture from escaping our hair. the weight and size of the silicone is what makes this product stand out from other products containing silicones. it's what makes coconut oil different from other oils. with a typical silicone, you're only coating the surface of the hair, maybe the first couple cuticle layers because a higher weight, long chain silicone polyether is too big to penetrate the hair shaft, suffocating the strand. with a low weight, short chain silicone polyether, you're coating every cuticle layer right down to the cortex, but your hair can still breathe and absorb naturally. this makes this conditioner ideal for asian hair (we've got ALOT of cuticle layers that are DENSELY packed) and why you can't even really consider this a silicone product--it's really not your typical silicone conditioner. another added benefit of this silicone is ridiculous color protection, as well as environmental protection, which, oddly, isn't even mentioned on the bottle. so... basically, you're coating your hair in a waterproof silicone that protects the crap out of your hair, especially when washing, but your hair will still accept hair treatments, cholesterol masks, oiling, sealing, you name it. is there anything you CAN'T do with this product line? yes. heat styling. because the silicone is so small, it's not gonna protect your hair from intense heat, so i suggest using a product containing dimethicone or another heavier silicone. imagine one of those toy snakes--you know the one made from a bunch of separate wooden pieces held together with pins that, when you hold it horizontally, wiggles side to side. imagine putting little metal rings on the wooden pieces--it still moves and you can still play with it--that's what this conditioner is like. now... instead of metal rings, imagine putting that toy snake in a metal pipe--you can't play with it much and there's not much movement--that's what a heavier silicone is like. now... take a flamethrower to both toy snakes. the one with the rings (this conditioner) is destroyed, while the one in the metal pipe (a heavier silicone protectant) is relatively unscathed. i forgot my point... i know it's something about heat styling... but i just really like toy snakes. how much did i pay for this bad boy? i got 25.4 oz for under 4 bucks at Walmart. i'd buy it again, in fact, i bought 2 as soon as i saw it. make sure to check out the review for the shampoo too. i LOVE this product line.
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -SAMY - Moisturize Plus
fes_fsa 6/30/2011 12:00:00 PM
he took his discontinued Moist formula, and added a light weight silicone (a good silicone for you haters, which i will explain in the conditioner review) and limonene (which is a really good and mild natural cleanser made from orange rinds that gives products a citrusy scent and also has anti-cancer properties when ingested). it lathers gently, it smells nice, and, unlike his classic line, it's CHEAP. i bought a 25.4 oz bottle for under 4 bucks at Walmart. i spent 16 bucks for 32 oz of both his original Moist shampoo and conditioner at Costco, and i spent 8 bucks for 12 oz of his crappy smooth&shine shampoo at Stater Bros. did i mention this revamped hydrating formula is CHEAP??? it's almost at a price point with Suave or the drugstore generic versions of mid-range-priced brand name shampoos!!!!! i was wondering why SAMY got rid of his Moist line when it was such a big seller on HSN. i thought he jumped on the naturals-only-douche bandwagon and made a vow never to use sulphates ever again. i was REALLY UPSET that the moist line was gone, because it was the only fairly priced drugstore product line that removed silicone product build up, while actually moisturizing the hair, because you did it over time. also, the silicones that SAMY uses are so light weight that you can do the CO method with his conditioners, without build up or damage to your hair. this shampoo cleans your hair gently, and the light weight silicone protects your hair and hair color from water and detergent damage. this is the way revamps of product lines are supposed to be--this new shampoo works better than the old one and he managed to make it cheaper and more readily available. i bought one bottle of the shampoo just to try, because i have 5 bottles of his original Moist. why do i have so much of his old Moist products? because i could treat my hair like crap and not clarify at all and 2 weeks of using his shampoo and conditioner will remove all the silicone and product build up and i won't ever have had to use a harsh clarifyer on my hair to do so, so my hair is hydrated and healthy as hell. and when i say 2 weeks, i mean 2 weeks. it might take longer if your hair was already dry or damaged. you might not see any immediate results... but this is because of how the silicones in this product work (again, i'll get to that in the conditioner review). i was almost in tears when i saw this on the shelves--it was like the first time i heard Lionel Ritchie's song "Hello". just because i'm a product whore does not mean i don't have product love.
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Hair -Unlisted Brand - KIRKLAND SULFATE-FREE CONDITIONER
fes_fsa 6/11/2011 3:51:00 PM
please see my review for this line's shampoo for a more details on my experience with this product. this product comes in a litre bottle that is pearly white and comes with a pump. it has the consistency of a thick glue, and it's white and opaque. out of the shower, it smells like Victoria's Secret's Amber Romance--in the shower it's just slightly fruitier. i've only used this conditioner in conjuction with the shampoo, so i'm not sure which product is actually doing something for my hair. i just know that my hair has reverted back to healthy kid hair since using this duo and i would buy it again. i spent 8 bucks on the conditioner and 9 bucks on the shampoo. the product listing is similar to Pureology's Hydrate line... and you guys know how much that stuff costs per litre. so give it a try--if you don't like it, Costco has an insane return policy. :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Unlisted Brand - KIRKLAND SULFATE-FREE SHAMPOO
fes_fsa 6/11/2011 3:34:00 PM
i switched from soft water back to hard water and just couldn't use Kirkland Signature's last shampoo and conditioner every day anymore. don't get me wrong, i liked their last hydrating shampoo and conditioner formula, but they didn't have silicone, so i couldn't use them except for a few days a month after clairfying to hydrate my hair after stripping it of product. my hair NEEDS silicone because it's SO coarse that despite its absorbing everything it comes in contact with, the cuticle WILL NOT lay flat (not even after an ice-cold rinse), each individual hair is so thick that i could clip a split end with a nail clipper and it would sound like i was cutting a baby's nail, and it becomes wiry, with several individual hairs curling (i have naturally straight hair) without alot of heavy waxes weighing my hair down. i haven't colored or permed my hair in 13 years, and i haven't heat styled or blow dried my hair since cutting my hair from my waist to a boy haircut a little over a year ago (it's past my shoulder's now). i DO NOT have dry hair--it's just VERY coarse. in fact, since October, i haven't cut my hair except to reshape it and to trim my bangs, but i haven't had a split end. i can go for months without conditioner, but prefer it because without it, my hair gets wiry and is all over the place. anyway, this shampoo comes in a pearly purple bottle. the shampoo itself has a thick, almost elmer's glue consistency and is beige in color, sorta like a light dulce de leche. one pump is all i need of this thick goop to produce a decent lather--not a thick one, but thicker than you'd expect from a sulfate free shampoo. it smells like Victoria's Secret's Amber Romance (which i abhor), and it lasts for quite a few hours longer than other hair cleansing products, but this is not a problem, as there are VERY FEW shampoo and conditioner fragrances my hair can hold onto--my hair usually doesn't smell like anything. this shampoo doesn't rinse clean like many reviewers have claimed--i actually FEEL something coating my hair, on par with Garnier Fructis sleek and shine. but unlike with Garnier, i've used this for about 3 weeks and have had no build up issues or irritations to my scalp and i've experienced no hairs falling out. i haven't had any problems with my skin either... but when i wash up, i do my hair, brush my teeth while waiting for the conditioner to do its thing, rinse, put my hair up, and wash the rest of my body--any residual shampoo or conditioner on my skin is washed away with soap. at night, after washing and conditioning my hair with this duo, upon taking my damp hair out of my towel to air dry, my ends feel like they're going to be dry. when my hair has air dried to to where it's just barely damp, it feels like it's going to be all over the place. each individual hair is plumped up and some hairs start lifting... and i feel like it's going to be wiry... then BOOM. it doesn't turn into a poof ball... but for lack of a better word... i guess it's luffy--like a freakin' sheep dog. i go to bed, with this fluffy sheep dog hair, convinced that my ends are going to be dry, my hair's going to be ratty, and that i'm gonna have the fly-away poof-ball hair from hell. but when i wake up in the morning, my hair is smooth, it's stick straight, my tresses are shiny and have movement without ANY product--it looks like kid hair. insanely healthy kid hair. i've used this duo every single time i've washed my hair (every day, sometimes every other day) for the past 3 weeks... and this is my experience EVERY TIME. THESE ARE MY DEMONS. THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO LIVE WITH. GORGEOUS HAIR!!!! *grabs tresses and howls at moon* GRAWWWWWRRRRR!!!!! i disagree that it's like Nanoworks. the ingredients listing is actually more similar to Pureology's Hydrate line... but the scent is different. also, i think that this works just a little better than Hydrate... but nowhere near as good or as luxurious as Nanoworks. i wouldn't be surprised if Pureology was licensed to make Kirkland Signature's hair products--Costco used to sell their shampoos and conditioners on their website (i remember buying the Hydrate duo for 80 bucks and seeing the Nanoworks duo being sold for $145, which was a really good deal if you consider how much each individual litre bottle costs). also, Costco licenses alot of name brand manufacturers to make their products. everything from mayo, to asprin, to their bar soaps (which are on par with triple milled french beauty bars, IMO). Pureology's Hydrate line is 60 bucks for the same size you're getting at Costco. the Nanoworks line is 100 bucks a bottle. at my Costco, i spent 9 bucks on the shampoo and 8 bucks on the conditioner. it's totally worth a try, if you consider the quality for the price. i'd buy this again, definitely. i use their shampoo, their soap, and their citrus bodywash (also sulfate free), and i love them all. now if only Costco would put out a body lotion, i wouldn't shop at a regular big-chain store for personal care products ever again.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Vaseline - Intensive Care Daily Skin Shield Protective Moisture SPF 15
fes_fsa 6/9/2011 4:44:00 PM
it was a toss-up between this and olay daily spf 15 (which, for a long time, has been a favorite of mine). i picked this one in the aloe fresh scent, because it doesn't smell as coppertoney as other sunscreens, cost about the same as the olay moisturizer, and you get a HUGE bottle of it... which is great, because with it being summer, i want some protection on my whole body. not to mention, most of the sunscreens and sunblocks on the market are waterproof, which i don't want or need, because i like being able to just wash up at night without excessive scrubbing, and i'm not really out in the sun that often. i see that a couple of people bashed this product... and ignorantly and unfairly so. yes... it SEEMED like they knew what they were talking about... but i'll delve into how wrong they are with SCIENCE in a bit. first off... while this product WILL protect you against a burn (it DOES contain oxybenzone, which protects against BOTH UVA and UVB rays), it's not meant for prolonged exposure to the sun. it's a daily moisturizer, first and foremost, for the average person, who spends maybe an hour or two at the most in the sun. you know... people who work or spend alot of time indoors, whose only exposure to the sun is walking to the car or from the car to wherever they're supposed to be. if you're athletic, if you're going to be out in the open during peak hours, if you're swimming outdoors, etc., you need an spf of 30 or higher, one that won't come off with excessive perspiration, that contains either avobenzone (mixed with other sunscreens like the active ingredients in this sunscreen to make it photostable) or large particle zinc oxide (the white stuff). as for UVA and UVB protection, you can't look at it in terms of spf, especially when you're looking to protect against UVA rays, because the spf rating system is for UVB rays only--there is no set standard for UVA rays. you have to look at it in terms of wavelength (nm) and base your sunscreen on that. for UVB rays, you need to protect 290-320 nm. for UVA2 it's 320-340 nm and for UVA1 it's 340-400 nm. UVB is actually good for you in short bursts, and helps your body convert cholesterol and body fat into vitamin D. UVA rays do nothing for the skin and both are linked to skin cancer--UVA2 (closer to UVB in terms of visibility) is the one responsible for photo damage, and UVA1 is visible, but less damaging than UVA2 (if you really want to protect yourself from UVA1 rays, get a suncap or umbrella... otherwise, live in darkness and get jaundice--at least you won't wrinkle). it is common misinformation that avobenzone, ecamsule, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide are the only chemicals and compounds that will give you broad spectrum protection. avobenzone protects a range of 320-400 (ALL UVA rays) and it needs to be mixed with other sunscreens to become photo stable (you will notice that avobenzone is the smallest amount when you're looking at sunscreens), and it is HIGHLY irritating, not to mention it degrades and loses its potency after about an hour (leaving you with only the UVB protection of the other sunscreens it was mixed with). ecamsule protects a range of 290-400 nm (ALL UVA and UVB rays), it doesn't degrade in the sun, and it's VERY SAFE, but sunscreens containing ecamsule are very expensive and while it offers such a wide range of protection its peak protection is 345nm, meaning that at its best, it'll absorb UVA1 rays and not offer much UVA2 or UVB protection, unless mixed with other sunscreens. titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the BEST SUNBLOCKS (not to be mistaken with SUNSCREEN) that you can buy. they protect you against the full spectrum of light. BUT, and this is a BIG BUT, there's a HUGE difference between large particle titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, both of which protect you from 290-700 nm of the sun's wavelengths, and what you get mixed in with your sunscreens--the micronized titanium dioxide (290-320 nm) and zinc oxide (290-380 nm) DO NOT PROTECT YOU FROM ALL UVA1 RAYS. the active ingredients in this are octinoxate (7.5%), oxybenzone (3%), and octisalate (1%). oxybenzone protects between 290-360 nm of the sun's waves. that is just a little less than the type of protection you would get from micronized zinc oxide. it is also the most powerful sunscreen contained in this lotion, meaning that it's a WEAK sunscreen. but again... this product wasn't meant for prolonged sun exposure--it's meant to moisturize and provide SOME sun protection for your day to day. if you want some hardcore protection, get the waterproof stuff. i hope this review helped and cleared up some misunderstandings.
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