BB Cream -Maybelline - Dream Fresh 8-in-1 BB Cream
jananaz 10/22/2012 12:23:00 AM
I was so excited to try this BB cream, but found it pretty underwhelming. I found it to be a very light and pretty average tinted moisturizer. The pros are that it's not at all heavy, and went on fresh and smooth. The cons were that it provided very minimal coverage and the color variety was not as good as other Maybelline products.
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Exact Eyelights Eye-Brightening Mascara - Black Pearl
jananaz 12/10/2011 1:46:00 AM
This was a fairly average mascara, and certainly did not live up to the advertising hype. I didn't notice any effect for highlighting my eye color. To me, this mascara was very similar to other waterproof black mascaras (I got the waterproof version), such as the infamous Maybelline Great Lash. It gives the same spikey look that's not particularly lengthening or thickening compared to other mascara formulas out there today. Pass.
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Cleansers -Noxzema - Original Skin Cream
jananaz 7/10/2011 8:15:00 PM
Horrifyingly bad. What possessed me to buy this stuff was that I remembered using it as a teenager at summer camp. I don't remember it being spectacular, but I think I bought it out of a sense of nostalgia more than anything. What I liked about this stuff: - cheap - no complaints about the packaging, just a tub with a cap - does a decent job of cleaning What I did not like: - took a lot of rinsing to feel like I got the residue off my face - feels like toothpaste on your face (and smells a bit like it too) - don't put it anywhere near a sunburn or skin irritation = eeks! Won't be repurchasing.
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Liquid -Make Up For Ever - Mat Velvet PLUS Matifying Foundation
jananaz 6/19/2011 5:56:00 PM
This is my HG foundation. I stopped using it for a few years in hopes of finding something cheaper, and failed miserably. Nothing else works as well for my super oily skin, and no other color matches me better than 60. (I think in MAC, I'm roughly an NC35-45, but who knows because I've never been able to get a good match with MAC). I discovered this liquid foundation when I went into Sephora for a recommendation for wedding makeup. I wanted something that would look good in person and in pictures, and would banish the incredible shine that comes across my forehead and cheeks. I had my eye on Bare Escentuals, but the advisor shook his head, "Oh no, honey." He lead me silently to the MUFE display, picked out my shade, dropped it in my basket, and said, "That's what you need" and walked away. I wish I knew his name so I could thank him! I used this foundation for my wedding makeup and the pictures turned out beautifully. Over the next couple years, however, I got sucked into all sorts of advertising gimmicks about new products, etc etc and went on a foundation spree jumping from one foundation to the other - L'Oreal TrueMatch was pretty good - Maybelline Dream Matte was quite good, but the mousse version was horrendous - LM tinted moisturizer was ok, not enough coverage - YSL's shades were off - the list goes on. I'm back with my MUFE Mat Velvet + now. My skin is happy, and a friend of mine asked me the other day, "what products are you using lately? You are positively radiant." $34 well spent. [If you have very shiny skin, and must buy something cheaper, I'd say the best drugstore foundation for shiny skin that I've found is Maybelline Dream Matte, the original, not the mousse. My shade is honey beige.]
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Coastal Scents - Eclipse
jananaz 1/29/2011 11:13:00 AM
I purchased this palette back during the Black Friday sale on 30% off. The regular price is $14.95. This is *just* the concealer palette I was looking for. I was tired with messing around with all those little pots of concealer to get the shade I wanted. I like the Eclipse palette because, well, it's a palette. You open one container, and everything you need is laid right out there for you. I agree with the other reviewer that the formulas themselves are quite dry. I have oily skin, so this actually works out perfectly for me. The colors include 4 correctors and 11 shades of skin tone colors ranging from ivory to chocolate. I like that some shades have a yellow base, while others have a pink base, which allows me to mix and match to get exactly what I need. I apply this right after moisturizer using a concealer brush, and everything blends beautifully. I mix the yellow with the color in the middle in the second column from the right to get perfect camouflage undereye coverage. I would recommend this palette to those like me, who have oilier skin and are looking for a range of concealer color options.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -China Glaze - Heaven
jananaz 11/28/2010 8:25:00 PM
I really like this color lately. It's a pretty sheer neutral shade that complements my NC35 skin tone, and shimmers champagne-silver. I like it because it's not too flashy for work. Other reviewers have said this and I completely agree that it's very sheer and you'll need to do several layers to get color payoff. To me, one layer doesn't do much. I like 3 layers of this color and even then nail tips will show through. This color looks great for french manicures too, though I usually wear it alone.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Femme Couture - Quad Eye Shadow in Berry Pinks
jananaz 8/1/2010 2:07:00 AM
This is a totally average product. I bought it on a whim at Sallys the other day. I think it was about $10. The colors are pretty, but the quality is inconsistent. Each color in the quad turns up an entirely different consistency almost like they came from different manufacturers. The colors are pretty, and match in the pan, but it seems like the undertones on the colors didn't match when I put them on my skin. I think these colors might be wearable separately.
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Eyeliner -Bonne Bell - Eye Definer in Soft Black
jananaz 8/1/2010 1:56:00 AM
This is my HG eyeliner. I have bought this liner time after time and haven't found anything better. My friends call me the queen of eyeliner because I wear it all the time, every day, and I layer it on. This one is my favorite because it smudges just the right amount to get a perfect smoky eye, but at the same time, it doesn't end up all over your face or smudge throughout the day. Admittedly, I have not tried other colors aside from Soft Black and Black Shimmer, but I've bought dozens of these and they've never failed me. I've tried dozens of other eyeliners, ranging from Benefit BadGal (which comes in a close second for my fave eyeliner) to Nars, Clinique, Urban Decay.... this Bonne Bell liner for like $2, cannot be beat in my books.
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Gels/Soaps -Bath and Body Works - Sea Island Cotton shower gel
jananaz 8/1/2010 1:51:00 AM
This is my favorite BBW scent right now. It reminds me a lot of the old Cotton Blossom scent, which I also loved. Sea Island Cotton is fresher and cleaner smelling than Cotton Blossom though. I have this in the body wash, and as wall flowers and just think they're both fantastic. (I also use it on my dogs sometimes too, and they smell wonderful also.) Out of all my body products, this is the only one that my husband consistently steals from me :)
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Gels/Soaps -The Body Shop - Vanilla Spice Shower Gel
jananaz 8/1/2010 1:48:00 AM
I'm with the last reviewer - I hate this scent. It's very very spicy, almost cinnamon and nutmeg-y and smells very unpleasant to my nose. I used it for a while to see if I'd get accustomed to it, and I did not. I tried to pawn it off on my husband, but he refused to use it. I even tried to use it on my dogs as dog shampoo and I hated the way it smelled on them too. So, I hate to say it, but this stuff is getting tossed! :(
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Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - The Egg Bomb
jananaz 7/20/2010 11:58:00 PM
After reading the rave reviews, I thought I'd give the egg bomb a try. I had not one, but two dye-job disasters over the past two years. I was beside myself (dye me bad once, shame on you, but dye me bad twice, shame on me right? Though I really think it was just bad luck because it was two totally different stylists). Anyhow, my ends have been a straw-like mess ever since, as I try to grow my hair out. I decided to give the egg bomb a shot. I mixed up the concoction of oil, egg yolks, and honey, slathered it on to my hair, put on a shower cap and waited while the entire family stared at me like I was crazy. When it came time to wash though, they were all so curious about how it'd turn out. First, I tried just flipping over and shampooing my hair with the handheld shower nozzle. This did not get all the goop out and my hair was a greasy mess. Oh and quite seriously, I know another reviewer joked about cooking the egg in your hair, but there were some chunks in mine for sure! After that, I ended up showering completely to get all the gunk out. My hair was shinier after, but the oil seemed to weigh it down still even after two shampoos. The family voted: shiny, yes. But my vote is it was just too messy and too greasy and not worth the trouble for me. I'll stick to my Aussie 3 Minute Miracle.
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Treatments -Aussie - 3 Minute Miracle
jananaz 7/20/2010 11:43:00 PM
Yes yes a thousand times yes I would rebuy this product! Aussie 3 Minute Miracle cured my nasty damaged nest of hair, making it manageable, brushable, touchable, and as close to normal as it can be. After two dye-job accidents on my long thick Asian hair (including one where the colorist told me "oops" as I looked into the mirror in horror and realized that I was now a bleach blonde!) I thought my hair would never be the same. It's still not what it used to be, but this 3 Minute Miracle has sure helped me from ripping my hair out. I decided, rather than cut my hair, to dye it back to black and let it grow. Then I began researching conditioning treatments to use. I've tried several products involving olive oil, various conditioners and leave-in treatments, KPak, two Paul Mitchell products, and nothing seemed to be doing the trick. (Oh I also tried the egg bomb, and errrm... it's not for me lol separate review for that!) One day, I came across Aussie 3 Minute Miracle and thought, what the heck. At $3, there's not much to lose. This stuff worked wonders. Sometimes I use it in the shower after shampooing. Sometimes, I slather it all over my ends, and put on my Turbie Twist and sit around catching up on celebrity trash mags, before heading to the shower to shampoo it off. This last method seems to work the best. Packaging - I like the innovative packaging. No lid, just a squeeze and product comes out the bottom. Scent - very pretty and fresh. DH loves it.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Batiste - Dry Shampoo
jananaz 7/17/2010 1:41:00 AM
I will buy this stuff again and again and again. It has been a lifesaver on all those mornings when I roll out of bed and go... Ohhh noes! and have to scramble to get my act together quick fast and in a hurry. I spray this stuff in pretty generously. Flip my hair over. Brush brush brush. Out the door looking (and smelling) like I’m freshly shampooed, hair dried, and styled. Amazing. I’ve tried a bunch of other dry shampoos ranging from Oscar Blandi to Psssst and this one is my favorite. I like the Blush scent the best.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -E.L.F. - Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15 - Candlelight
jananaz 7/17/2010 12:42:00 AM
A really stand up product. This lipgloss is a fantastic peachy nude that looks great on tanned skin. No funky scents, just a nice color. The texture is a little bit thicker than I like - thicker than a lip balm, but not as sticky as MAC Lipglass. At a buck, the price is right. Would definitely purchase again!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Cetaphil - Cetaphil Daily Moisturizer with SPF 50
jananaz 7/16/2010 7:04:00 PM
I bought this for summer hoping that I’d be able to use it every day like the name implies: DAILY moisturizer. It’s simply too greasy for every day. I like that’s is fragrance-free and SPF 50. I like that it didn’t break me out. I just couldn’t handle all that sheen since I already have oily skin. I guess my best bet is to downgrade to a lower SPF. For someone with dry sensitive skin, this might be the perfect daily moisturizer with SPF for you.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No