Treatments -Skinceuticals - Phyto Corrective Gel
jaxselby 1/29/2009 12:40:00 PM
First, off - this product is ridiculously expensive so aaargh! But it does last a long time. I do like very much that it comes with a dropper but I'd like to point out that the dropper is huge! if they would at least taper the tip it'd be a bit easier. I frequently end up with way too much liquid. I use this stuff primarily as an anti-inflammatory agent when my skin is acting up. It mixes well with other products and seems to really sink into your skin. In particular, after I've been bad and squeezed a zit, it really does help clear up the red, although it doesn't help the zit go away any faster. A lot of supposedly calming products make my skin prickle with irritation (Mario Badescu's healing cream) but I've never had that problem with this stuff. It's very calming and soothing and certainly does what it says it will. Use sparingly. A little goes a long way.
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Masks -Boots - Botanics Quenching Face Mask
jaxselby 1/29/2009 12:30:00 PM
I've had this product for a while but it was only recently that I realized how great it is! Unfortunately I've been plagued by cystic acne for years and the worst of it isn't the acne itself but the horrifying and scarring healing process. Frustrated I attacked a recent cystic zit with every product in my arsenal (antibacterial gel, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, licorice cream) and although I killed the infection I was sure I was going to be left with a little hole in my skin. I covered the entire red area with a very thick layer of the quenching mask and added a couple drops of an anti-inflammatory gel, then left it overnight. The next morning I found that the spot had healed considerably, leaving no hole at all! The next night I forgot to use the mask and the site started to dry out and scab, so instead of picking at it, I put on the mask for a couple hours in the morning and the skin quickly softened up again and healed some more. I've been using the quenching mask on the zit area for a few hours a day every day since then and I can say I've never had a cystic zit heal this fast and scar so little. Thank you, Boots!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Neutrogena - Rapid Clear Pads
jaxselby 11/10/2008 11:47:00 AM
I think this product is pretty great! One of the biggest problems with most products, if you're trying to treat acne on your back, is that all you get is a small amount of thick gel in a tube. One of these pads covers a large area and they really do a nice job of acne prevention. This isn't an HG product that will make acne disappear and never come back, and it isn't great for cystic acne. However, it is a wonderful salicylic acid product for helping keep things clean and under control. Also, the packaging is great. The screw top tub ensures that the pads don't get squished or dried up, and when the pads are finished I use the tubs store sample jars.
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Styling Products -Kerastase - Elasto-Curl Leave-in
jaxselby 6/8/2007 6:54:00 PM
This product is absolutely lovely on the day you use it. It smells great, leaves hair soft yet actually defines curls. However, as other reviewers have said it really does have no staying power in either softness or definition. Also, it is expensive. If I could afford to I'd use it every single day but really, who wants that much product build up in their hair?
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Treatments -Kerastase - Oleo-Relax Serum
jaxselby 6/8/2007 6:50:00 PM
I like the silky texture of this product but on thick coarse hair you have to use a lot and a little does not go a long way. Additionally, it's quite pricey. However, I do think it smells lovely and clean and it does do a good job.
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Lip Gloss -Stila - Cranberry Lip glaze
jaxselby 3/11/2007 12:50:00 AM
Bold red is generally not a color I go in for in lipsticks or glosses, seeing as it can look highly artificial. However, Cranberry Lip Glaze is a really flattering shade and just pops in a way that reminds you of 1950s commercials but with better and sexier shine. I agree w/ previous posts that it probably looks best on paler cool complexions, however I have medium-light olive toned skin (I am essentially beige) and it looks better on me than any other red I've ever tried. Also, I have to say that it's comfortable, non-sticky, very shiny, and long-wearing.
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Lip Gloss -Stila - Strawberry Lip Glaze
jaxselby 3/10/2007 6:39:00 PM
I have to say I absolutely love this lip gloss. I've been on a mission for the perfect gloss lately, having bought lip glass (MAC), lip plastic (Christian Dior) and a number of drugstore things. I just couldn't find a gloss that had incredible shine and color without being a sticky gooey mess or looking incredibly fake or disappearing within minutes. Strawberry Lip Glaze is my HG gloss. It stays put, looks great, and has beautiful shine and texture.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Silkia Camellia Oil
jaxselby 1/10/2007 1:12:00 AM
I have been using Silkia oil for a couple months or so and it's great! I have combination acne prone skin so after reading MUA reviews about it I decided to use the product very sparingly. A couple drops are sufficient for my whole face and the rest of the squirt from the pump I use elsewhere on my body and in my hair. This product isn't some kind of miracle overnight cure but after a month I notice that my skintone has really evened out (I'm prone to brown after-acne marks) - the best it's been in years. Also, it heals wounds beautifully and never feels sticky or greasy. Really it's the best thing I've found in ages...when I run out (but the bottle lasts a while) I'll rush to buy again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Shiseido - The Makeup Powdery Foundation SPF 15
jaxselby 10/27/2006 2:07:00 AM
I have to say I really love this product and honestly don't know what I would do without it. I carry the compact with me wherever I go and if I could have one item of makeup on a desert island - this is it. My powder in 040 is an exact match for my skin tone and evens out blotches, minimizes pores, hides old acne marks, and provides SPF 15 protection. On days I need a bit more coverage I apply it wet. It also sits well on top of makeup and also on top of zit creams or other face treatments. I love also that the case is refillable - makes the product cost effective and eco-friendly.
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Treatments -Clinique - Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel
jaxselby 10/6/2006 12:02:00 PM
I have tried so many blemish gels I just can't remember them all. I have tried ones with sulpher, salycilic acid, BP etc. This is hands down the best. I don't know why it works faster than other gels containing SA, it just does. Generally you can see a noticeable improvement in 24 hours. Also, this gel STAYS in the spot you put in on, instead of spreading all over your face (great if you don't want to dry up the surrounding skin). It is clear, invisible under makeup, and has a matte finish. Although it stings a little going on it certainly won't irritate or make your breakout worse. Truly an HG product.
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Moisturizers -Chanel - Precision Hydramax Oil-Free Hydrating Gel
jaxselby 10/6/2006 11:52:00 AM
I used Chanel Hydramax for years before finally deciding that I had to switch to a cheaper moisturizer (it was just killing my wallet). However, since then I've tried Murad's pomegranate moisturizer (broke me out), Aveeno sensitive skin (oddly makes my skin red!), Mario Badescu oil free (not bad but doesn't sink in) and biotherm gel (just doesn't do anything). Although I will continue to look for something more inexpensive, the Chanel stuff absorbs immediately into the skin and actually does give me a radiant 'glow'. It is very mattifying, smells lovely, and spreads well. Also, it doesn't break me out and sits well under make up. I am going to try out Wet 'n Wild's oil free moisturizer and Clean and Clear's dual action, because of their great MUA reviews. If they work better than Chanel I'll update this review! For now, I'm sticking w/ it until I find something better. UPDATE: Although the Wet 'n Wild moisturizer doesn't smell lovely like the Chanel one it is nearly as good. The texture isn't as nice and it takes longer to sink in but the overall results are the same.
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Skincare - Face -The Body Shop - Tea Tree Oil Daily Cleansing Wipes
jaxselby 9/27/2006 3:13:00 AM
These wipes are terrific (cleansing, cooling, remove make-up) with just two caveats. 1)the packaging is awful, doesn't really reseal and thus the wipes dry up way before they are supposed to! 2) The price is quite expensive for facial wipes!
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Panoramic Curl
jaxselby 9/27/2006 3:08:00 AM
When I tried to remove this product, even using toner, several of my eyelashes came out. Enough said.
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Skincare - Face -Mario Badescu - Control Moisturizer for Oily Skin
jaxselby 9/27/2006 2:18:00 AM
Although this moisturizer does go on thick and gloopy and absorbs poorly, I do have to say that it is non-irritating, absorbs oil, and soothes skin. Although I hate to use it under make-up (it really ought to be marketed as an exclusively night time cream) I am currently using it to help clear my skin from break-outs caused by Murad's pomegranate moisturizer and it is doing a great job.
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Treatments -Mario Badescu - Healing Cream
jaxselby 9/27/2006 2:12:00 AM
This product is not bad at all, although there is a similar cream from clinique that is better...called something like emergency cream? Anyway, although I do not like the texture of the healing cream (it doesn't absorb well) it is quite calming and doesn't cause break outs. Also comes in a very convenient tub - great for transfers into travel sized pots.
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