Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - Philips - SatinPerfect Epilator
fionam 1/29/2011 3:10:00 PM
What is an Epilator? It's an electronic device with tweezers that rotates at a high speed to remove multiple hairs from the body. Details: Phlips SatinPerfect Epilator uses plastic tweezers and is corded, which means you have to use the device close to an outlet. It retails for $89.99CAD. My Fear: I never tried epilating. In fact, I cringed at the thought of pulling hair out of my body at a very high speed. Honestly, it wasn't as bad as I thought. It felt like tiny little pinches that you would only feel for a split second. My Experience: Legs: Since the hairs on my legs are very sparse and thin, the epilator didn't work so well. Because the tweezers were made out of plastic, there wasn't a firm hold on my thin hairs. Instead of epilating, it ended up shaving my hair. I noticed this when cleaning the device. There wasn't much hair and no hair roots were present. My hair grew back in a few days. It didn't last as long as shaving since it didn't get all the hairs. Armpits: This is where the machine shined. A lot of people are probably afraid of using it on their armpits since it is a very sensitive area. I'm going to embarrass myself by saying this but I normally pluck my armpit hairs with a tweezer. Why? Because it lasts longer or else I would need to shave my armpits every 2 days. So I got through the pain pretty quickly. Since the hairs are thicker, the device grabbed all the hairs and left my armpits as smooth as ever in a fraction of the time it would take me to pluck my armpits. Cleaning the Device: The device is very easy to clean. It comes with a brush that you can use to remove the hair from the tweezers. You can also use soap and water to rinse the actual tweezer. All the parts are easily removed but you don't need to worry about it popping when you're using it. Overall: Great device for people with thicker hairs. It definitely cuts the time from shaving for those that have to shave on a frequent basis. I would probably only use this device on my armpits and continue shaving on my legs.
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Lip Gloss -Unlisted Brand - Balmshell Lipgloss in Confessions of a Call Girl
fionam 6/25/2010 1:54:00 PM
I went to a Beauty Blogger Event and received this item for free. I wish it wasn't so expensive but I think Sephora is currently phasing out the brand. So you can get this for $11US online. Unfortunately this offer is not available to Canadians. For Canadians you can buy this at London Drugs and Shoppers Drug Mart. It can be purchased at the Shoppers that has the huge beauty section with Guerlain, Smashbox, etc... This is truly a moisturizing lipgloss that comes off a beautiful coral colour that leans towards the orange side. Now it is a sheer colour, so it will only give a hint off of your lips, especially if you have pigmented lips. But the moisturizing factor makes up for it. Also, it doesn't settle into the lines of your lips if you were to layer on and prevents any lipstick from settling into the lines if you were to put it on top or bottom. I wish it didn't take 9 rotations to close the tube. Now it does come with float art which is one of the selling points of this product. It is cute but I took it off just so the lipgloss would be more compact in my purse. For coral lipgloss lovers, I compared this to the cheaper alternative Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Coral Reef. If you're interested, here 's the review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmU5bK6ANok
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Lip Gloss -Revlon - Super Lustrous in Coral Reef
fionam 6/25/2010 1:49:00 PM
It is currently not available in Canada due to Health Canada's regulations on formulations especially for products containing SPF. My friend actually bought it at Target for me. This is a limited edition item. This is truly pigmented for a lipgloss and gives off this wonderful coral colour that leans towards the pink side. Even though it claims to be moisturizing, it is at first when you are putting it on. But afterwards the moisture wears away and you get this sticky feeling from the gloss. Also because it is so pigmented and creamy, it will tend to settle into the lines of your lips. If you are a looking for a more moisturizing lipgloss that won't settle into the lines of your lips, check out Balmshell. I actually did a product comparison of it to the Revlon one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmU5bK6ANok
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -MAC - Brush Cleanser
fionam 6/25/2010 1:40:00 PM
This is a great product, especially one that is available to the masses. The only downfall is the packaging and the fact that it is only a pop up cap. But since I'm a beauty addict, I have lots of spray caps lying around and it easily fit into this bottle making it more effective in cleaning. I actually compared this cleanser to the one that Sephora sells and if you're interested, here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xQDlpgjQIk But since there, I have found an even better brush cleanser and if you want to see what that is, here's the product comparison video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tscVNtIbwBw
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Misc Beauty Tools -Japonesque - Parian Spirit Professional Brush Cleaner
fionam 6/25/2010 1:38:00 PM
I'm not sure if this is the same product that Alcone sells even though it is under the same name, just different brand name. But reading reviews it does seem similar with the citrus scent. I really like this product because it cleanses your brush so well and dries it ridiculously fast. I actually did a product comparison between this cleanser and the MAC one. Here is the link, if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tscVNtIbwBw
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Unlisted Brand - Salon Grafix Invisible Dry Spray Shampoo
fionam 6/2/2010 2:13:00 AM
I got this for $8-9CAD at Loblaws in Canada. I honestly thought this would be great because of the reviews and watching people on YouTube recommending it. But honestly it was horrid. First off, it smells like hairspray. So there is no clean or refreshing smell...just like you're adding more product into your hair. It works for the first minute where you feel like all the oil is absorbed and that your hair won't get oily. But that is where it ends. After a few minutes, my hair is flat again and it looks greasy. Also if I were to run my fingers to the roots, I can feel that there is product there and it builds-up. Honestly, I'm just trying to finish the product now by using it in any means possible. I even tried it using it for teasing like some tutorials and it does not help in holding the backcomb. Don't waste your money.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -MAC - Pro Colour Palette/Small Eye Shadow
fionam 6/1/2010 11:10:00 PM
The MAC 15 Eyeshadow Pro Palette should be cheaper in my opinion. First off, MAC pans have a lot of wiggle room inside these wells. So if you were to drop your eyeshadow palette or move around, it would be very susceptible to breaking. Also, the magnets on the MAC pro pans are not that strong to securely hold the eyeshadow. I actually modified my palette by changing the steel plate with an adhesive magnet that I bought from Michaels. Since I use steel pans (non-mac pans) it was the easiest solution. When I say steel pans, I mean pans that I bought from Coastal Scents and Stars MakeUp Haven. Even though they say they are 26mm, they are slightly bigger than MAC pans. So you can actually depot and stick the MAC eyeshadow inside the steel pan. The fact that they are bigger, allows for less wiggle room inside the palette. I actually compared this palette to the UNII Palette and 12 Pieces Empty Magnetic Palette: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmObC1G9_fM
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Unlisted Brand - Unii Cosmetics Palette
fionam 6/1/2010 10:56:00 PM
Here are the details of the item: COLOURS: Pomegranate (Raspberry Red), Snow (White), Twilight (Teal), Lemongrass (Lime Yellow), and Eggplant (Dark Purple) DIMENSIONS: Outer - 3.7"D x 6"L x0.7"Thick & Inner - 2.8"D x 5.4"L x0.4"Thick PRICE: $29US for one, $28US for two, and $27US for three or more. SHIPPING: Free within the US & Canada for a limited time only STORES: Studio BeautyMix at Fred Segal (500 Broadway Santa Monica, CA 90401), Naimie's Beauty Center (12640 Riverside Dr. Valley Village, CA 91607), and IMATS where Naimie’s is an exhibitor ONLINE RETAILERS: http://uniicosmetics.com For non-US residents, you will have to use either PayPal or Amazon at checkout. CLAIMS: The days of applying makeup from a dozen different cases is over! The UNII Palette magnetically stores your favorite makeup into one beautiful case. Each UNII Palette Includes: - Magnetized Palette, so makeup stays put - Adhesive magnetic sheet with writable labels - Large, full-sized mirror for makeup on the go - Movable thumb grip - Tight, rubberized seal prevents leaks - Fold-out instruction box ________________________ My Review: It's such a great item because it has such a strong magnet so the pan doesn't move around. Also it's deep enough that you can store short eyeliners/lipliners and brushes in it. If I'm usually in a rush and don't have time to do my eyes or blush, I just stick the products in along with the brushes I need and go. None of the shadows or blushes broke and is truly an awesome product. I actually compared it to the MAC 15 Eyeshadow Pro Palette and the Magnetic Palette you can get from Coastal Scents and Stars MakeUp Haven. Here's the review, if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmObC1G9_fM
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -MAC - Pearlglide in Rave
fionam 4/28/2010 4:59:00 PM
I got this item as part of a charity package from the MAC Warehouse Sale in Toronto in March. This is honestly such a great product that does not smudge whatsoever. It lasted on my lids (with the help of an eyeshadow primer) during an 18 hour day. I didn't even need to set it with eyeshadow. I don't like how MAC claims that you can blend this because it is actually very hard to blend to create an even base. Instead you are moving the sparkles. I tried this on my waterline and it did last a good 2-3 hours but please be careful if you use it on your waterline. MAC does not deem it safe since there are particles in the eyeliner. If you do use it there, make sure you use a cotton swab with eye makeup remover at night to get rid of all the reminiscent, even if you think it migrated to your lower lash line. The colour of this eyeliner is actually a black-purple with fushia sparkles that makes it look purple. Since the sparkles are so concentrated, it looks more purple than it really is. A lot of people compare this to Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencils, so I decided to do a test and compare the two. If you're interested in the video of the test, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxkG8NpKgKI
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -TRESemme - Instant Heat Tamer Spray
fionam 4/28/2010 4:54:00 PM
I got this product at Shoppers Drug Mart and it wasn't that cheap for a drugstore product. The reason why I got it is because I saw a lot of gurus on YouTube using this product prior to using heat products. Now in the past I never used heat protectant products and never noticed the damage it did to the ends of my hair. I would get split ends within a few months after my haircut. After using this product, my hair actually got worse. I would get split ends one month after cutting my hair. Also it was hard to control where I would spray the product since I would like it to be concentrated on the ends of my hair. This product smells wonderful, so I can give it that. But it phases me how a heat protectant product that claims to be nourishing for the hair, can contain alcohol. A lot of people compared this product to the CHI Silk Infusion, so I decided to conduct a test between the two to determine a winner. Here's the link if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R1ADeBw_HU
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Styling Products -Farouk CHI - Chi Silk Infusion
fionam 4/28/2010 4:50:00 PM
I got this product at Winners (similar to TJ MAXX in the US) for 50% off and it is an incredible product. I never used heat protectant products in the past and never knew how damaging heat products were to my hair. After using this I noticed a considerable difference to the texture and quality of my hair. It was a lot softer and a lot stronger. I haven't had split ends within 8 months of using this product. Also you just need to use a dime size. I haven't even gone through 1/4 of the bottle within these 8 months. The downside of this product is that it smells like cologne. You definitely need to use heat products after applying this to lessen the smell. If you don't, you will smell like you slathered on cologne. A lot of people compared this product to the Tresemme Instant Heat Tamer Spray, so I decided to conduct a test between the two to determine a winner. Here's the link if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R1ADeBw_HU
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Joico - Body Luxe Thickening Shampoo
fionam 1/5/2010 7:48:00 AM
Background: I have fine hair with an oily scalp. My hair is untreated and naturally straight. I don't have much hair and need all the volume i can get. I wash my hair everyday due to the oily nature of my scalp. Cost: I purchased this at my local Winners for $8.99CAD. Reasoning: After using up my Biosilk Volumizing shampoo, I decided to try something different and this brand seemed promising. Reaction: This product is worse than Pantene Pro-V. It made me lose a lot of hair. Usually after you shampoo, you can feel that the roots are squeaky clean. I still felt like there was product in. By mid day my hair would feel greasy and oily. Usually that only happens at the end of the day or 24-hour cycle. Even if I shower at night and get ready in the morning, my head would still feel extremely oily and like I need to wash my hair again. After using this product for 2 weeks and couldn't stand it anymore. I decided to purchase another item instead. Final Use: Since I don't like to waste products, I'm using this shampoo as a shampoo for my makeup brushes. It leaves the brushes incredibly soft and gets all the dirt out. I guess this shampoo is too moisturizing that's why my scalp always felt like there was build up/greasy feeling by mid-day.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Sephora - OPI Drying Drops
fionam 1/3/2010 6:23:00 AM
I love how this product comes with a dropper. Definitely makes the application a lot easier. I have noticed that this product does not dry all layers of my nail lacquer but will dry the top layer for the touch. It sometimes is deceiving because I would do my nails at night then wait a few minutes before I head to bed. In the morning I would end up with dents on my nails caused my the cloth on my bedsheets or my fingertips. So why do I still say that I would purchase this product again? Well I've found an excellent combination to use this product with that increases the longevity of your manicure up to 5 days. Check out my video to see and how it compared to Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYC5CUUSbVg
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Top/Base Coats -Seche Vite - Dry Fast Top Coat
fionam 1/3/2010 6:21:00 AM
This product is absolutely amazing because it dries all layers of my nail lacquer within a few minutes. I usually have to wait in between coats then wait a really long time for the top coat to dry. This takes time away from other activities that I could be doing. One of the major problems that I've experienced with this top coat is shrinkage on the sides of my nail. To see how I combat this problem and how this product compared to Sephora OPI Drying Drops, check out my video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYC5CUUSbVg [Edit]: I found a solution to combat the problem of Seche Vite adhering all the layers of your polish together and causing them to peel off. It won't cost you a penny! Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zcqMyiXbmc
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Liquid -NARS - Sheer Glow Foundation 
fionam 1/3/2010 1:15:00 AM
Colour: I'm NC25-30 (more on the lighter side of NC30), MUFE HD 120, & DiorSkin Nude 023 and was colour matched to Fiji. During the summer, I was on the darker side of NC30 and was in b/w Fiji & Punjab. I have neutral undertones so both colours do not really suit me. Fiji is really yellow and Punjab is really golden. Even now, I'm forcing myself to use Fiji. Photographs/Videos: In photographs, no matter what colour foundation I use with this line, my face always comes out whiter. But in videos, this foundation makes my skin look flawless and I have active acne and pigmentation. Coverage: medium-full end. It can cover my pigmentation from acne. This foundation can look very cakey. Each time I wore it, even a thin layer, will look like there is foundation on my skin. Texture: very heavy feeling on the skin when compared to foundations like MUFE HD, Guerlain Aqua, DiorSkin Nude, etc..You know there is foundation on your skin. Now this isn't as heavy feeling as NARS Sheer Matte. It is not transfer resistant so you can take your hand and wipe it on your face and have foundation all over your hand. Application: I used both my Sephora #55 brush, MAC 190, MAC 187, MAC 109, and my fingertips to apply this foundation. Seems like no brush will work. You need to use your fingers. Price: Purchased at Sephora for $55CAD. Will be making a return. Reaction: After wearing it for a few days, I started noticing this foundation was causing a lot of clogged pores which ultimately led to breakouts. Definitely not friendly to those with super sensitive acne prone skin. Finish: As others have mentioned it is not sheer not does it give a glow. It will give a glow by the end of the day when your oils seep through. But it isn't as dewey as DiorSkin Nude or Studio Sculpt. Very one dimensional and matte looking. But by the end of the day, there are chances that you might look like a greaseball. Packaging: comes in a bottle with a cap and lid. Does not come with a pump as others have mentioned. Overall not the best foundation that I've tried and will continue my search for a liquid foundation that does not break me out. This foundation is better than Sheer Matte. Please check out my review for that if you are interested. Just a side note, Sheer Glow colours run lighter than Sheer Matte colours even though they are under the same name. Note: even though Sephora sells all colours of this product on their website, their Toronto (Ontario) stores do not have the colour "Ceylan." I've checked. They don't even have a placement for it.
12 out of 17 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No