Treatments (Eye) -RoC - Multi correction eye cream
ilurvemakeup 2/8/2011 5:47:00 PM
I was only able to use this product for 2 days (day and night) until I HAD to return it. The product does go on creamy, but left me with a this nasty film around my eyes where I applied it. Worse part is it made my eyes sting and water throughout the day and night. I always apply my eye treatments before moisturizer and for whatever reason the left over from my fingers broke me out all over including around my eyes! The beauty consultant at the store said it must be the retinol not working for me and that at my age this cream is recommended for more mature women. Loved the packaging though, but the price is a little steep even with a discount coupon for a drugstore product.
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Toners -Unlisted Brand - BeFine Firming Toner
ilurvemakeup 10/27/2010 2:04:00 PM
I got this in a combo pack from Ulta and was excited to try it. It comes in a plastic spritz bottle. It doesn't have a strong scent, but to me I detect a hint of ginger when I use it. It does not dry or sting my eyes. It has a light pearly color to it and if you look closely you can see little bits of ginger and I'm guessing some willow bark. My skin does feel smoother after I use this. I wish it was a pour out opening, the spritz is annoying because it spritz so little that it takes me a good 30 second or so to get a cotton round damp. While I do like the moisturizing effect I get from this, I don't feel like it cleans off any dirt like my witch hazel toner does, or maybe I'm just used to the tingly feeling from other toners. I would buy this again, but only when it's on sale. I will be using this often in the up coming winter months.
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Befine Cleanser with Sugar, Mint, Oats & Rice
ilurvemakeup 10/27/2010 1:50:00 PM
I got this as a combo deal from Ulta and wasn't really planning on trying it, I was more interested in the other item that came in the set. Since I'm currently only using a specific cleanser with my Clarisonic, I decided to give this a try when I'm manually washing my face with my hands in the morning. Surprisingly enough it has not broken me out at all. I was concerned about the mint ingredient due to some reviews on here, but it did not dry, sting my eyes or skin (I currently have normal skin). Instead I got a very nice cooling sensation during my wash which was a great pick me up in the morning. It lathers decently, but doesn't lather to a foam. It comes in a see through pump plastic bottle. It's a pearly white color, watery and takes me about 5-6 pumps to cover my entire face and neck. It has a minty smell, which I am not too fond of. Overall I like it and will only buy it when it's on sale.
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Lip Treatments -Mary Kay - Satin Lips mask and balm
ilurvemakeup 10/27/2010 1:30:00 PM
I've had this lip treatment pack for awhile now. I got it from a seller on ecarter for a very low price (2 for 1 deal). I use the exfoliator a lot more than the balm which is why I only gave this combo 4 stars. I would rather get 2 of the lip mask than the balm. The balm isn't long lasting at all and almost feels too watery for my lips so I seldomly use it at night. The exfoliating mask is terrific! I have tried other lip exfoliating tips and this by far does a better job for me. I've had my sets for more than 2 years and have so much left on my first tube set! This stuff last a very long time and you only need very little. I like to use this when my lips are extremely dry, chapped, flaky and during the cold season. Since this set has worked for me I would not mind paying the full retail price at all. If you are on the fence about it, check out ecarter via google for awesome deals, they have google checkout.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - BeFine food skin care - Night Cream
ilurvemakeup 10/26/2010 3:43:00 PM
I normally don't use night creams due to the fact that a lot of them are thick and sit on the skin. I was randomly browsing the small organic/natural area at Ulta and was greeted with a lovely display of the Befine Food Skin Care line. I love the cute packaging of the line and was more intrigued by their catchy slogans. I decided to give this night cream a shot ($20) since Ulta has a nice return (new or used) policy.
I've been using this for more than a week and absolutely love it! I actually fell inlove with this product the first night I used it. It does not feel thick at all and it absorbs quickly into my skin. It is a pure white cream with a thick looking consistency, but goes on so light onto the skin. It has a hint of cocoa scent when you apply it, simply delish! It doesn't leave my normal skin greasy. I wake up with a glowy skin every morning with this on overnight. I'm not sure which ingredient in this has helped out with clearing my skin, but it has toned down some small irritated acne bumps with constant use. I can't explain it, but using Clarisonic and applying this after before bed I wake up with such nicer skin than with my Aloe Vera Gel that I use at night. I even used this a couple of times in the morning (with and without makeup) and it leaves my skin looking great at the end of the day! I added this to my nightly skin care regime as I've seen improvements the more I used it. It comes in a sleek see through glass pump bottle. I love the pump in this because it raises the product up the more you pump, gotta love that!
***IMPORTANT NOTE: This is for the "RESTORATIVE Night Cream" by Befine. I want to point that out because I loved this product so much that I went and ordered it online from some random retailer. DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID! Order it directly from Befine.com or Ulta.com. This product line has been out since 2006 (which I was unaware of because I've never seen or heard of it). Many online retailers and ebayers are selling left over products when CVS used to carry them back in 2007-2008. This is an all natural product so the potency in old stock products are not good at all for use and can cause irritation! The ones I ordered for less than $5 were such old stock that it didn't a) say "Restorative Night Cream" b) has a pearly white look instead of pure white c) watery consistency d) smelled like old perfume instead of just a hint of cocoa. I used the old stock regardless of what my conscience was telling me and had a burning sensation and my skin reacted in a small rash little bumps! That is one thing I wished Befine did with all their products (excluding their SPF moisturizer, that has an exp date) is to put sell by dates. So be careful of buying this product line at any discounted stores as they may be old stock. Befine has changed their boxing as well, it now has a window in the front to see the product. If you get any of their products for less than $5 (unless it was a clearance at Ulta - currently Befine's store locator) then it might be old unusable stock.***
My Ulta did not have any sample packs for sale like CVS used to sell when they carried Befine. The product is a bit much for just a 1.7 oz bottle, but to me it was worth every penny! I use 2 pumps nightly for both my face and neck. Ulta considers this a drugstore brand in their system so give it a try when you have one of their biweekly coupons.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -eos - Lip Balm Sphere - Summer Fruit
ilurvemakeup 10/20/2010 10:26:00 PM
This is the first eos sphere balm I tried out, got mine from CVS for about $4. I was really intrigued by the shape when I saw Michelle Phan using it in one of her videos. My current HG lip balm is Lypsyl and was out so I decided to go with something new. While some find the shape odd, I really like it. It applies smooth, doesn't taste weird and has a yummy scent (I'm a fruit lover). It doesn't last as long as Lypsyl, but since I enjoy the smooth feeling it gives my lips I don't mind reapplying. It also doesn't give an irritating feeling when I have some fly away dry patches on my lips.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Cetaphil - Gentle Skin Cleanser
ilurvemakeup 10/20/2010 8:36:00 PM
My skin was breaking out badly from all the different cleansers I was testing with my new Clarisonic. Even some of the natural/organic ones I used previously started irritating my skin when used with the Clarisonic. I was reading and watching reviews of Clarisonic users and this cleanser was the most talked about so I decided to give it a shot. I am grateful for those Clarisonic reviews because this cleanser went hand in hand with the Clarisonic for me! :D This doesn't foam or lather which I was used to from one of the cleansers I used by Mario Badescu. I like how silky this feels when applied all over the skin. It has no scent and washes off easily. I've used this dry to remove some makeup when I messed up and it worked like a charm! I will be sticking to this cleanser for awhile, as I've learned from using the Clarisonic that less products on the face, the better! There are smaller bottles of this cleanser so if you are unsure like I was, purchase that first before the 16 oz :)
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Misc Beauty Tools -Clarisonic - Clarisonic PLUS Sonic Skin Cleansing System
ilurvemakeup 10/20/2010 6:25:00 PM
I purchased this from Ulta because of their 60 day return (new or used) policy. For the price I wanted to make sure I was able to return it if it did not work for me, plus 2 months is enough time to test drive the sonic. I originally purchased the Mia from Ulta, but must of had a defective one and opt for the Plus instead. I am so glad I did because the body cleansing is amazing for after epilating, shaving or exfoliating the legs and other areas of the body. This came with 3 sample facial cleanser, 1 sample body wash, 1 sensitive brush head, 1 body brush head, cradle charger and the Plus for $225. Make sure to register your sonic for the 2 year guarantee warranty. When I read reviews of the sonic line, people recommended to charge it for the full 24 hours before first use. I only charged mine for less than 12 hours before itching to use it. I haven't had any problems so far and I've had mine for 4 months now. I do however do not keep the charger plugged in all the time, only when the handle actually indicates it needs to charge, because I want to extend the battery to its full potential. So far zero problems and the battery last the entire charge that the Clarisonic states (this info is in the manual). I've used this in the shower and under running water (for clean ups) and it is as waterproof as it claims. I suggest after each use, you clean the brush head and handle separately to prevent mold, or odor build up. Always dry the handle and wipe the brush head on a dry towel. I use baby shampoo to clean the brush head after each use and it has lasted me 4 months until I had to replace it recently. You can tell when the brush head needs changing, it looses some of its bristles after awhile and doesn't feel as full when in use. I use my old brush head now for makeup removal (that makeup wipes might of left behind) instead for 1 min, then use my new brush head to actually cleanse my skin. This is one of the annoying things about the Clarisonic, changing the brush head every 3-4 months. If you do not use it daily like I do then I'm sure your brush head will last longer. I suggest buying the twin brush head packs for $40, you save $10! Now for the actual Clarisonic skin care experience. This stuff really worked for me. When I first got it, I was very skeptical and wasn't getting the result I have now. This is one of those products that you have to stick with for more than 2 months to see results. The first month, I used it twice a day. I did break out in little bumps and random cystic acne that first month, and almost gave up. I even changed up my cleansers and realized that a lot of my long time cleansers were breaking me out more. When I finally found a cleanser that worked great with the Clarisonic, I noticed an improvement in my skin (texture wise). I was still getting a lot of tiny red bumps and decided to cut down on all the facial stuff after I wash my face. By the end of the second month, I noticed an improvement in my skin. I feel like the Clarisonic has cleared me of the excessive skin care I was using daily and I am now getting a much better result without them! I only cleanse, toner (only after wearing makeup) and moisturize. I use 1 acne spot treatment if needed, but not always now which is great! The pores around my cheeks near my nose are a lot smaller, I don't get the tiny red bumps anymore, I do occasionally, but not an army of them at once. I still do break out from hormonal things, but that's about it. I still get blackheads on my nose, but not as dark as they used to be. My skin is smooth and a lot more clearer now. For me personally, I cannot live without this gadget! I'd trade all my old skin care products and makeup for this any day - that's how much I love it! Since everyone has different skin types and needs, I can't fully say if this is a must have product for everyone. It is one of those items you need to test and see. The result I've gotten in the course of 4 months with this is amazing and I will continue to use it. My skin has changed drastically because of this. I don't use as much on my skin now than I used to and feel like my skin is breathing better without all the products layered on top. This has also helped a lot for my body needs; dry spots and stretch marks (on my legs). The price is a downfall to many, but if you want to treat your skin to a healthy regime this is worth a try. It's not an acne miracle by any means, but it definitely is a miracle cleanser. When I use new products now, I don't have to wait a week or 2 to see if I get skin reactions. My skin is well cleansed now that it will react immediately to new products. The middle of my 3rd month, I stopped using this for a bit to see any difference. I went back to my old skin products and broke out. Went back to Clarisonic again and it cleansed my break outs right out. I only use it nightly now because the weather is cold and drier. It hasn't stripped my skin of its natural oils, but it has removed a lot of dead skin. I can even go out without face makeup since my skin tone is a lot more even now too. My dark acne spots have gotten lighter as well. I don't use beaded exfoliators any more, but do use mask occasionally for a full "spa-like" at home treatment. I forgot to add: This has 3 facial settings (1 min w/beeps, 2 mins with beeps and no shut off without beeps), 3 facial speed settings (normal, medium and high), 1 body setting (3 mins) and 2 body speed settings (normal and pulse). It has a battery light indicator in the back of the handle and beeps if it needs charging. You can pause it and it waits for 30 secs and shuts off if not turned back on.
26 out of 27 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -L'Oreal - Telescopic Explosion Waterproof
ilurvemakeup 10/20/2010 4:52:00 PM
I did not like this mascara at all. It clumped and flaked on my poor pin straight lashes, and it did not hold my curl at all. The wand is actually really good at getting the hard to reach lashes so this was better for me on the lower lashes. I wish the wand handle wasn't so long and super bendy, it was hard to work with because of this.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Too Faced - Lash Injection
ilurvemakeup 10/11/2010 4:49:00 PM
This mascara for me is a type that needs work to make it look decent on my lashes. The things I love about it is how it doesn't make my lashes feel thick hard, doesn't smudge, volumizes and give a very nice natural look. The things I don't like is how much it flakes and uncurls my lashes. One layer gives a very nice natural looking lashes, but if I layer it will flake since it is a tube type of mascara. While the flakiness was annoying (getting all over and on my contacts), the uncurling of my lashes annoyed me more. At the time that I had this mascara, I also had gotten the Smashbox Lash primer. When I combined both, the primer held the curl extremely well, giving this mascara a great and natural look (and feel to my lashes). The Smashbox Lash Primer however did not work with my other daily mascaras and was returned. This mascara became unflattering on me without a good curl holding primer. I even combined it with my curling mascaras and it just made a clumpy, flaky mess. I only reach for this on days I want a light makeup and don't want a lot of removal hassle at the end of the day. This comes off well for me with face cleanser and water.
The tube itself seems to have dried up before it's marked date (which is 6 months). It has a citrus type scent to it that some disliked, but for me being a fruit fanatic I loved. The wand worked well for giving a great volume and the tip even reached the tiny inner end lashes. This almost became a must have mascara for me WITH the Smashbox Lash Primer, but needing to have both was just a pain (cash wise) in the long run for daily use.
**Sample pic of this mascara with and without the Smashbox Lash Primer below. With the primer, not only did my lashes maintain its curl, it also looks volumize with the right separation and length.**
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Mascara -Smashbox - Lash Primer
ilurvemakeup 10/11/2010 4:18:00 PM
I had a love and hate relationship with this primer depending on which mascara I combined it with. The one major thing I did love about this primer is how well it held up my curl! I am a huge drugstore mascara user due to the fact that I have to repurchase a new one every 3-4 months. I have some high end mascaras from kits as well, but my drugstore ones are better for my type of lashes. The main thing I noticed with this primer is it clumps... A LOT! It does not do so well with volumizing formulas and tends to clump my lashes together with the primer underneath. This primer does work best with fiber tube type technology mascaras on top. I used this primer for a month and decided to return it. I wanted a primer that would work well with all my different mascaras. I don't wear fiber tube type technology mascara that often as they tend to flake and it gets stuck in my contacts. The tube is see through which is a plus and can see how much you have left. I don't like the wand stopper in the tube, it is very odd and leaves a ton of primer residue on the opening rim which wastes a lot of products.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -MAC - Pro Longwear concealer
ilurvemakeup 9/27/2010 4:53:00 PM
PROS: - Can be worn alone without powder to set. - Won't budge once it's dry on my normal skin areas. - Not all shades are available, but there is still a decent amount of shades to pick from for warm to cool tones. - Not too thick nor watery, the consistency is a perfect blend between a MAC Select Cover-Up and MAC Studio Finish concealers. - Comes off easily with a good makeup remover. - You get a good amount for daily use that can last longer than the stamped expiration date of 6 months. CONS: - Having owned almost all of MAC's concealers (except for Select Moisturecover) in the same shades for my under eye area, NW25, are all a great match at canceling out my dark circles. Pro Longwear concealer in NW25 when swatched and tested all match the same shading as my other MAC concealers. The big difference between Pro and the rest of the MAC concealers (I own) is that Pro dried darker and oxidized in time. The Pro's pink undertone in my NW25 was also more apparent once the concealer was dry, making it obnoxiously visible that I concealed. When gurus say pink is great at concealing darkness, they forgot to warn us too much pink can be unflattering, especially when the shade oxidizes. - The "gray" cast is true for me when I had this concealer on my under eyes. No matter how little or more I added to conceal my circles, a gray cast always appeared once the concealer dried and set. The gray cast was so visible that I was able to see it without my glasses or contacts on, and I'm blind as a bat! - It dries too quickly for my liking, which is more annoying for a concealer than a foundation. Building it up was annoying as well, once a layer was dry, adding another layer over made it look "make-upy" (thick) and visibly unnatural for under eye concealing. - While 1 layer can look natural on the skin, the concealing and cover up power of that 1 layer is weak. There is still visible flaw, defeating the purpose of calling it a "conceal"er. If you have the patience to work up to more than 1 layer without making it look thickly visible then this might work for you. For me, I like concealers than can manage 1 layer with decent coverage. - Did not work great for covering discolorations or dark spots. I use all of my MAC concealers in NW shades to counteract my dark spots, but the NW in Pro is so pink and lacks concealing power, that it accentuated my spots more. I do not recommend using NW for spot concealment with this concealer unless your overall skin tone shade is in the NW range, then it will just match your skin and hopefully the pink will blend right in. I have not tried the NC in Pro because they were either too orange or yellow when I swatched them. - I've applied this concealer using my fingers, sponge, MACs #217, #222, #242, #188 and other concealer, tapered, blending brushes I own. Nothing I used made applying this concealer any easier. It would dry too quickly on parts I started with before I could get to parts I wanted to conceal. The worse brush to use with this was the #217, it just blended "OUT" the concealing aspect. Using my fingers made it hard to blend due to the concealer drying up quickly on my finger tips while still applying. The best and most tolerable for me was a fluffy blending brush like Sonia Kashuk's white handle crease eye brush. - This can sit on fine lines and accentuate them, it all depends on how much layer you put and how well you've managed to blend it. If you plan on applying a thick layer, work FAST and concentrate on your fine lines before it dries. - It will not move, but on oilier parts it has managed to creep off. Using the back of your hand as a palette to pump the product out then using a baby wipe to wipe the rest off your hand will still leave you with Pro residue. I found it best to use an actual makeup removing wipe, which I found to be such a waste for just clean-ups since baby wipes are a lot cheaper. - While the size amount is decent, the annoying pump makes wasting product a nightmare. I pump the product out in a sample jar and use the remaining over pumped out product the next day. - The glass bottle is more attractive than plastic type concealer bottles, but if you're a klutz like me dropping this and breaking it is a huge con. I have to keep it in the box as a safety precaution from accidental drops once I store it away. - The paint smell, it's like opening a small bottle of white out. The smell is the strongest when the concealer is wet. Once dry on the skin, the smell subsides. Overall, this is the worse under eye concealer I have ever tried. I don't even want to try another shade/tone just for my blemishes because of the quick drying action it does. I'm going to stick to my MAC Select Cover-Ups for my under eyes and Studio Sculpt concealer for my blemishes, dark spots etc. This is going back pronto!
17 out of 25 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Tarte - Lights Camera Lashes
ilurvemakeup 9/8/2010 8:42:00 PM
I had different experience with this mascara unlike majority of the reviewers before me :( This mascara while it looked natural did nothing for my lashes. I have long, sparse, pin straight lashes and while it gave me more length it gave me zero curl (my lashes drooped right back down!) and it gave no volume to fill in my sparseness. I tried both a sample and full size because the mua at Ulta said the full size does a better job (seriously? What's the point of the deluxe sample then?). NOPE! It did the same exact thing and I marched back in and returned the useless thing.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - J&D Hair Brush Cleaner
ilurvemakeup 9/7/2010 11:11:00 PM
I purchased this on a whim when I was at Harmon (a beauty supply store) and wasn't sure if it would even work. For $1.99 this hairbrush cleaner has been a godsend! If you have long hair like me and get that tangled up easily in any hairbrush then get this awesome tool! The longer end (see picture above) removes the tangles up in 1-2 scoop easily, rather than picking out the strands by hand. The shorter end is also handy and it brushes out hair product residue or fuzz from any hairbrush. (I actually find using a cheap toothbrush cleans out residue/fuzz better after you soak brushes in a cleaning solution. The residue/fuzz cleaner on the J&D hair brush cleaner is great to have for on the go quick clean ups!) If you see this little gem, grab it! I used to use my fine tooth combs to clean out the tangled mess in my hairbrushes on clean up days, but this works a lot better! :D
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Palettes -Smashbox - Try Me Kit
ilurvemakeup 9/7/2010 4:23:00 PM
I've had this set for over a year now from Ulta. I originally got this for the brow palette and duo ended brush. I was contemplating on whether to buy the full size brow powders and was glad this was available because if I was not happy it was not a big deal, as there were other goodies in the kit I really enjoyed (the primer). Even though I was not all that thrilled about the brow/liner palette, I was happy with the brush, deluxe size clear gloss and primer. I have a separate review on the brush and primer on my profile. I haven't even used the primer yet because I still have so much left from a travel size one I got from a different Smashbox kit - that's how long these primers have lasted me. The brush I use a lot for filling in my brows, but I don't use the flat liner end that often (I prefer angled eyeliner brushes). The lipgloss I use a lot especially when I am stumped on which gloss to wear with certain lipsticks. I haven't used the Photo Op Under Eye Brightener as much as I'd like to because I was not sure on how to use it in the first place when I got the kit. I thought it is a concealer all on it's own till I recently found out it goes underneath your concealer. So I will be testing that out soon :) Another great kit for the price!
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