Conditioner -Nexxus - Humectress Conditioner
jenhsu 1/2/2005 9:30:00 PM
My HG hair conditioner (for daily use that is ;) This conditioner never fails to leave my long, chemically straightened hair looking shiny and healthy, and feeling it too... its pretty thick stuff, so I usually apply a nickel-sized amount to the hair below my crown, to avoid getting greasy roots. After a few minutes, it detangles my hair enough to run a shower comb through, and rinses away cleanly. After continued use (like 2 weeks of using it daily), my hair does feel some buildup, but a wash with a clarifying shampoo resolves that. It's pretty high-priced for a conditioner, imo, but its available on ebay for much more reasonable amounts than retail. The conditioner seems to come in different bottles depending on what size you get-- I have a 16 oz squeeze bottle that has held up after a year of use so far, and a 33 oz bottle with a handy, built-in pump. So far, I've yet to come across a conditioner my hair likes better :)
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Blush -NARS - Zen
jenhsu 6/24/2004 1:49:00 PM
I've only recently started using blush-- NARS Zen was my first purchase! I think its spoiled me ;) its a warm chocolatey brown shade (like a light milk chocolate shade) that I use mainly to contour (aka hopefully make my round face look skinnier by applying zen under my cheekbones and in the hollows of my cheecks, in order to accentuate the cheekbones). When applied lightly generally over my face, it makes me look tanned :) I apply it with Bobbi Brown's kabuki brush (another expensive, but worth it investment). The blush itself is very fine (a little goes a long way! its easy to apply too much), but never looks powdery or thick on my foundation and works well even layered under other blushes. Its a great color for everyday use, but given its relative plainness, I'm thinking of investing in other brighter/shimmery shades for some extra punch, especially when going out at night :) P.S. I'm a MAC NW25, Shiseido I20.
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Lip Gloss -Neutrogena - Moistureshine Lipgloss in Chic
jenhsu 6/24/2004 1:32:00 PM
I used to think MAC glosses were the ones for me, but Neutrogena's have convinced me otherwise. In a side-by-side comparison on the back of my hand, "Chic" is VERY similar to MAC's lipglass in "lust" (my former HG gloss)-- a mauvy-pink toned down with some brown. Its just a tad warmer/brighter/pinker than lust, and on my (mildly pigmented) lips, comes off as a very natural MLBB color (I'm a MAC NW25, Shiseido I20). Its perfect as an everyday gloss for a polished, but not too made-up look. Also, I find that my Neutrogena gloss wears longer than my MAC ones, and isn't as tacky. It leaves my lips feeling moisturized, which is a big plus in my book. One thing i noticed when applying with the wand is that some streaking occurs-- using a lipblush solves the problem. (I have the same issue with MAC glosses, so i'm not sure if its a neutrogena thing or a lip-gloss-in-general thing). The packaging is ok-- typical wand-in-tube gloss packaging-- and you get a decent quantity (6.4 g per tube vs. MAC's 4.8 g). Finally, the price: I found these glosses on sale at RiteAid for about $4 a pop. Even at their normal $8 a tube, given the better wear and color similarity with my fave MAC shade, I find Neutrogena's "Chic" a much better deal than my other glosses. Its become a makeup-bag staple (i like it with WnW l/l #666 :) btw, i find it smells like bubbleyum bubblegum... a scent i'm pretty ambivalent about-- it was a little intense at first, but i didn't notice it (or got used to it) after a while...
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Fragrances -Marc Jacobs - Eau De Parfum
jenhsu 1/31/2004 10:13:00 PM
this was my first foray into buying fragrances, and so far, its the only one i have-- its so perfect, i don't need to get others! it's not cloyingly sweet or so musky to be heavy, which i think gives it a nice feminine, but sophisticated impression. its what i wear when i go out at night, feeling like i'm ready to impress the whole city! i bought my 3.4 oz bottle for $50 online (retail is $80, a little steep for me) :) it comes in a classy, simple square glass bottle accented with a little bow and a black top.
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Lip Treatments -MAC - Tinted Lip Conditioner - Soothing Beige
jenhsu 1/28/2004 12:18:00 AM
I purchased this lip conditioner after reading the positive reviews here and on the makeup board, and while it hasn't let me down, it hasn't impressed me too much either. I'm a LLL-MMM (shiseido I20) and my lips are naturally pigmented (pinkish/mauvish). In the pot, this lip conditioner looks straight up brown, almost like milk chocolate, but on my lips it shows up as a *very* natural brownish-pinkish with a subtle sheen. It smells great (lightly vanilla, which is mabe why i was reminded of chocolate?), and is very moisturizing, without making my lips feel tacky or heavy, even when I layer it on. Its good for casual wear-- I see myself wearing it a lot to class-- but I'll probably try another color (plum?) to see if I can get more "oomph" out of these different tints. As a lip conditioner, MAC lip conditioners are solid, though you'd probably be able to find other good lip conditioners for cheaper. As this lip conditioner in particular goes, since this color is a little too natural/subtle on me, I'll keep looking for my HG!
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Mascara -Talika - Lipocils
jenhsu 11/1/2003 11:27:00 AM
I started using Talika Lipocils a week ago, applying it twice a day: once in the morning, and once before bed. I wasn't expecting to formulate a review for a month (that's how long the package says the product needs to kick in). But after just a week, surprisingly, I've already noticed changes in my lashes-- they're longer by a bit, and they're definitely *much* thicker. The gel is clear, not tacky at all, and nonirritating to my eyes; the applicator looks like your normal mascara brush. Some lashes fell out at first, but since I don't normally wear anything on my lashes, I think this might have been due to the daily brushings with the applicator, rather than any side effect of the lipocils. If you're thinking about trying out Lipocils, I'd suggest looking for them on ebay (I got 2 tubes for $23! :), since Sephora's $35/tube is pricey. Overall, the lipocils work wonderfully well-- I can't wait to see what my lashes look like in 3 weeks!
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Treatments -Aussie - 3 Minute Miracle
jenhsu 7/19/2003 1:58:00 AM
I use Aussie's 3 minute miracle as a daily conditioner. After shampooing, I leave about a nickel sized dollop of 3 minute miracle on my hair for a minute or two, and it consistently leaves my hair soft, defrizzed, and shiny. My hair has a bit of natural curl and is currently suffering the aftereffects of a bad straightening job (i.e, its parched and straw-like if i don't help it along), but this conditioner does a good job of calming it down. There doesn't seem to be any buildup either. Until I find something better, I'll be sticking with 3 minute miracle.
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