Styling Products -Alberto Vo5 - VO5 Hair Spray Super Keep
inertia 5/14/2008 2:53:00 PM
This is a hair spray sold in Japan and one of the best I've used. This spray is perfect for people with ridiculous styles. It dries hard and doesn't feel natural so it may not be what you want if you're going for a soft and casual look. But it WILL hold that 30-cm wide bouffant or rock star palm tree style all day long. There are a lot of people in Japan with crazy hairstyles and this spray is the one that keeps coming up in recommendations. I've gone through at least 4 cans and will definitely continue buying it.
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Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Black Out Mascara
inertia 5/14/2008 11:55:00 AM
I'm so unimpressed by this mascara. This was the first time I tried a department store mascara and I went for Dior because of the great reviews. My eyelashes are naturally black but not very long, and I don't have that many of them. So I want volume and length, and the SA assured me that this was the perfect mascara. With 2 coats I couldn't see any difference from my natural lashes. 3~4 coats made it clump and there was still no improvement in length or volume. Maybe if I had blonde lashes the results would be more noticeable, but I don't think it does anything for naturally black lashes. I got better and more dramatic results from Maybelline's Volum' Express and Fiberwig with a faster application and at 1/4 the price.
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Eyeliner -Chanel - Le Crayon Yeux
inertia 3/1/2008 1:15:00 AM
I have this in Noir. Like a lot of other people have said, this goes on nicely but has staying power issues. I use the smudger and set it with eye shadow, and it still travels on the lower lid and ends up sticking to the crease on my upper lid. On the other hand, it does go on really smoothly and for the first few hours I do have a better result with this than any pencil liner I've used before, so I'll try to use it up before continuing my search for a HG liner.
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Concealers -Bobbi Brown - Creamy Concealer To Go
inertia 3/1/2008 12:53:00 AM
A nice idea, but this kit doesn't work well on me. I got this hoping to find something which would cake/crease less on the fine lines than Cle de Peau's concealer. But the coverage isn't as good and it cakes and creases anyway. Furthermore, the undereye area is the only place I can use it because it slips right off pimples. However, the Tokyo shop where I bought it included a free double-sided miniature concealer/powder brush that's just right for eyes. The brush is wonderful and goes a long way toward making up for the disappointing concealer.
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Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - Lux - Super Damage Repair Conditioner
inertia 2/27/2008 5:29:00 AM
This is an inexpensive (about 500 to 700 yen) but nice conditioner. It has plenty of moisture for my damaged hair and has helped with frizz when I wear straight styles, and it's not so heavy that I can't also curl my hair if I want. I use it with the matching shampoo. I've repurchased it several times already and plan to keep using it.
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Shampoo -Unlisted Brand - Lux - Super Damage Repair Shampoo
inertia 2/27/2008 5:18:00 AM
I think this is a great shampoo for the price. (about 500 to 700 yen for a hefty bottle) I have bleach-damaged hair that gets really oily at the roots, and this shampoo has been perfect for cleaning the roots without stripping the damaged length. I've repurchased it several times already and plan to keep using it.
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Cleansers -Shiseido - "Perfect Whip" Foam
inertia 2/27/2008 5:04:00 AM
I thought this cleanser was OK but nothing special. My skin is on the oily side of combination and I prefer a lighter cleanser with less residue. This left a heavier residue than I like even in the winter when my skin is drier. On the other hand it's inexpensive here in Japan and didn't cause any particular breakouts or flaking, so I'm not sorry I tried it and I did finish the tube. But I won't buy it again.
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Eyeliner -Maybelline - Expert Line Liquid Eyeliner Waterproof
inertia 1/31/2008 9:06:00 AM
I bought this eyeliner in Japan and can't figure out what it might be called in other countries, or if this might even be a Japan-only product. It's a waterproof liquid liner with a brush, in a gray tube and black handle. I noticed that it had good reviews in the Japanese magazine Koakuma Ageha so I decided to give it a shot. And I'm completely satisfied. Although I'd been using felt-tip eyeliners for years and was expecting difficulty switching to a brush, the brush on this one has been easy to handle. It's really waterproof and stayed put even when I cried, but comes off easily with my usual makeup remover. The price is great and it works, so I'll definitely repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Shiseido - Majolica Majorca Lash Expander
inertia 1/31/2008 8:35:00 AM
I found it had a good lengthening effect and stayed put, but clumped easily and was terrible to remove. I used it for about half a year and must have lost so many lashes trying to get this off. Now I've gone back to Fiberwig for a mascara with the same lengthening effect that's easy to remove.
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Concealers -Cle de Peau - Concealer
inertia 7/21/2003 4:04:00 PM
WOW! I'm so glad I listened to the recommendations here and splurged on this concealer because it's SO much better than any other I've tried. I'm another user with hereditary dark circles, and all the other concealers were either completely inadequate no matter how much I applied or would cake horribly and add 15 years to my age. The Cle de Peau requires only the lightest layer (I apply with a Shiseido brush recommended by the m/a) for full coverage and does not cake at ALL or wear off. I've worn it through 2 sweat-drenched concerts and somehow this concealer looks just as perfect afterwards as it did when I first applied it. Holy grail! And I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this is one of the things that's cheaper in Japan -- I paid 6,000 yen for it, about $10 less than the American price. (that's still expensive, though...)
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Eye Shadow -Kesalan Patharan - Eyeshadow Trios
inertia 7/8/2003 5:31:00 AM
I have trio #149, which is a pale pink, a medium reddish-purple, and a deep violet. All the colors have just the right amount of shimmer and are very pretty. They're well pigmented and I haven't had ANY creasing. And at 2,500 Japanese yen (about $22 US?) the price is VERY reasonable for a trio of this quality.
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Crème -Bobbi Brown - Oil-Free Even Finish Compact Foundation
inertia 6/8/2003 12:17:00 PM
Regretfully, I think I cannot use this foundation much... the color match is absolutely perfect, the coverage is just right for my uneven skin, it stays put, it's easy to apply... and I find a zit after each time I wear it. I guess I'll use up the rest of the package for occasional costume/photo days and put up with the resulting post-makeup zit, but I'll stay away from it the rest of the time.
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Powder -Christian Dior - DiorSkin Compact Makeup
inertia 5/8/2003 11:31:00 PM
This is a powder foundation with SPF 25 that's supposed to have some whitening effects. After a month of usage I didn't see any whitening, but perhaps that's intended for freckles or spots? As a foundation, it's not a good product for my combination skin... it's nice and natural on my normal areas, but it highlights any dry areas and failed to keep oiliness down. The coverage is light. I think this product is for Asian markets only and has a limited range of colors.
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Lip Treatments -Kiehls - Lip Balm #1
inertia 5/8/2003 11:17:00 PM
I'm very happy with this lip balm! Before, I'd been using Burt's Bees balm, and my lips were chapped, flaking, and cracked. It was disgusting and I thought there was something wrong with my lips. Finally I got a pot of Kiehl's and it completely fixed all the problems in just a couple of days. I was so happy I got the tube kind to keep in my purse. The taste and smell seem fine to me; and although it's not as cheap as some balms, $5.00 still isn't particularly high.
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Styling Products -L'Oreal - Smooth Intense Anti-Frizz Serum
inertia 4/17/2003 1:25:00 AM
I love this! It makes my dry damaged frizzy straw-hair look like normal hair. Even after dying it again (usually it looks like a nasty rat's nest right after dying), it looks nice. This serum is a wonderful detangler and doesn't leave my hair feeling greasy. And the packaging is nice, much better than Frizz-Ease.
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