Pressed Powders -MAC - Select Sheer Pressed Powder
jennaxox 1/9/2012 12:12:00 PM
This is my new HG powder. I use it as my foundation, with primer underneath. I adore that it is a sheer powder because I have nothing that I wish to conceal and I like my freckles to show, but I need a mattifying and smoothing effect. And that is exactly what this product gives me! I use Too Faced Primed & Poreless, followed by two light layers of this, buffed on with my big MAC buffer brush (I forget the number but its the short, fat, kabuki-style one), then concealer underneath my eyes and primer on my eyelids. I have a flawless complexion that stays matte and in-place all day. Colour selection is fantastic (I'm NC45 and mineral powders tend to make me look orange-y and sometimes a bit on the shiny side while traditional powders come right off). Thumbs up for Sheer Pressed Powder!
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Powder -Clinique - Superpowder Double Face Makeup
jennaxox 1/9/2012 12:04:00 PM
First of all, this powder foundation is very limited in its range of colours. I found a good-enough match but it is extremely heavy and although I do NOT have oily skin, I was shiny within a couple hours (even with my favourite primer). I regret purchasing it and it is now in my makeup graveyard. It is just unbelievably thick and mask-like. Zero, and I mean zero oil control. In fact the thickness caused my face to appear shiny when I never have that problem otherwise. There are hundreds of powders that out-perform this but it is a good price point and comes in a nice, simple package.
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Moisturizers -Cetaphil - Moisturizing Lotion
jennaxox 11/22/2011 12:26:00 PM
I'm so thankful for this product! I've strayed and recently come back to it and it's impressed me so much once AGAIN that I need to tell my little story and share my love for Cetaphil lotion! I started Accutane about 2 years ago and I wasn't getting results. Then 5 months in, I switched to the Cetaphil gentle cleanser and this moisturizer and almost instantly the medication began to run its course and I had absolutely incredible results with none of the infamous dryness. I was on the medication for a total of a year and ended with 100% clear and beautiful skin. I continued to use my simple routine of Cetaphil products for 6 months after treatment and my results stayed flawless. Then I got the urge to dabble in high end products and regimes and I did find stuff I liked but the jars were so dang small I felt like I was constantly replacing and money it was financially draining too. My skin was no better than it was on Cetaphil but I like the experience of going to a beauty counter. How silly!! Recently it's become extremely cold here and I've been having issues with my chin. It looked like an acne breakout but was itchy. I think it was rash or eczema and I had battled it for 4 weeks. Well I whipped out my trusty Cetaphil lotion 2 nights ago and the breakout is now completely gone. My face is healthy and glowy and I won't be straying from this product again. If you're having any kind of skin problems from acne to dryness, I recommend giving this a try because it allows your skin to truly heal and regulate itself. Products with complicated ingredients can often complicate skin issues rather than making them better. This may be the answer to your prayers and I encourage everyone to try it!
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Concealers -Bobbi Brown - Creamy Concealer Kit (Reformulated & New packaging 2011)
jennaxox 9/13/2011 6:16:00 PM
I feel compelled to take a moment and write a negative review on this kit. I was so excited to try a Bobbi Brown concealer and was thoroughly disappointed. The pros of this product would be the packaging (having a concealer and setting powder in one - awesome), and the colour (I bought natural which was a good yellow-based shade). But performance gets a big "boo" from me. It's extremely thick which made it unpleasant to apply to my delicate undereye. The first time I tried it, I blended to the best of my ability and swept on some of the setting powder. Caked and creased within minutes and made my undereyes look extremely dull and dry. Hideous. The next time I tried I skipped the setting powder and tried to blend, blend, blend but it creased up again real quick and left me with not only creased concealer but weirdly glossy shiny undereyes. Also hideous. I played around for about a week with different application techniques but got either the dry, dull creasy effect or the weird greasy creasy effect no matter what I tried. It's rotting in my makeup graveyard now.
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Mascara -Clinique - High Impact Curling Mascara
jennaxox 6/7/2011 2:53:00 PM
I wasn't very impressed with this mascara. I'm into volume and curl when it comes to lashes and this didn't deliver in either department. The brush is pretty easy to use but its a bit too long so I still sometimes end up smudging if I'm not very careful. The good things about it are the curved brush, it's not very expensive, the formula is sensitive on eyes, it doesn't flake, and gives good length to lashes. The negative aspects are that it delivers very little to no volume and does not even make the tiniest difference in curl. If anything, the wet formula makes them straighter than usual. It is also difficult to remove and impossible to build up. You won't really get it any better than what you end up with on your first coat. It wasn't a nightmare product by any means but I won't be repurchasing. Overall, I would consider this a disappointment.
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Fragrances -Christian Dior - Hypnotic Poison
jennaxox 6/7/2011 2:45:00 PM
An ex boyfriend bought me a version of Dior Poison a few years back and it was an awful smell. I can't seem to find it online but it was in the same Poison style bottle but almost black with a green tint. But maybe it was the original purplish one. Anyway the smell was so strong and heady it made me think that it would be what the evil lady from Disney's Sleeping Beauty would smell like! I secretly threw away the bottle and told him I used it up because I dreaded spraying it and I just couldn't pull of that scent even if i wanted to. So when I saw my friend squirt this red bottle labelled "Hypnotic Poison" on herself mutliple times while we were getting ready to go out, I braced myself and waited for the dreadful scent to hit me but instead came something sweet and almost edible but rich and intoxicatingly delicious. It was love at first sniff. When she went to the bathroom I squirted myself and couldn't pry my nose from my wrist for the rest of the evening. I didn't want to wash it off my arm and CRAVED the scent of it all week! I purchased my own bottle and ripped it open in the car so I could get another hit. Is this what crack is like?! OK when people say they smell play-doh or silly putty when they first spray it, I do see what they mean. But i don't mind it at all! The almond and vanilla is what is most prominent to my nose. I adore jasmin and can't specifically pick it out but I know it's in there sophisticating the sweet notes. The dry down is very vanilla with a hint of spice. I've liked other fragrances but never have itched to smell them like this. I promised myself I would finish up my other bottles before I went full-time with this but I can't resist it. I truly think this will be a life long signature fragrance for me. It's like my soulmate in a bottle!
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Self Tanners -Unlisted Brand - body drench tanning spray
jennaxox 5/5/2011 5:37:00 PM
I bought this from Sally Beauty in Canada for 27.99 which is a little spendy.. higher than drug store but less than St. Tropez so I was okay with it. I love the aerosol can design. Easy to apply on back and other hard to reach places. Also very, very dark tinted so it's easy to see where you've put it and where there's too much product in one spot. It also smells sweet like vanilla, not like traditional sunless tan or the overpowering perfume smell they mix in there to try and mask the sunless smell. It was pleasant to put on and the sweet smell lingered for quite a while. I have a base tan from beds so I wasn't too worried about streaking or anything but I did a very half-assed job and barely applied any. I just did a quick mist on my face, blended it into my neck with hands and repeated for the rest of my body. I felt like I barely used any product and didn't expect much for results but wow, count me impressed! I went to bed with a nice tint from the colour of the product and woke up with a fabulous dark and even tan! I haven't showered but I've been warm throughout the day and that sickly sunless tan smell isn't coming off me! Yay! I got legit spray tan a couple weeks ago and stunk from it for a couple days even after a shower. I'm super impressed with the application and results from this product so I'll definitely be repurchasing and don't mind the price in the least!
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Mascara -FairyDrops - FAIRYDROPS Mascara
jennaxox 5/3/2011 3:46:00 PM
I had to give this mascara a perfect score because it is the best mascara I've ever used and is now HG status. It's expensive but has adorable packaging and gives me the exact results that I desire. It is a shiny rich black colour (gorgeous) with a very weird brush but don't be afraid - it's SO easy to use! I get less on my eyelids than I do with normal brushes. The curve allows you to have total control and grasp all the lashes on both ends and the little bulges somehow grip all the little lashes and create an amazing effect. I love how it gives volume and *major* length but doesn't clump at the tips! So it makes me look so doll-eyed! I absolutely love how it looks thicker at the roots and thinner at the ends. Looks amazing and my mom couldn't get over how beautiful my lashes were and told me I was getting so fast and skilled at putting my falsies on but all I had on was this! Holds a curl wonderfully and even looks gorgeous if you gently curl after application and dry down. Also water resistant and doesn't flake. Will most definitely repurchase! Mascara junkies need to try this!! Just an FYI: I have longish straight eyelashes and my favourite mascara before this was L'Oreal Voluminous and I also like Bourjois Volume Glamour Curling. Just a reference to other products that work for me so you know if you are similar.
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Eye Primer -Urban Decay - Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Eden
jennaxox 5/3/2011 3:35:00 PM
I purchased this in the squeeze tube. I've never tried the original UDPP but I have tried TFSI and this blows that out of the water. The formula is thick and creamy and it's like a very yellow toned concealer colour. I love the look of it alone as it really brightens up my eye area! It dries down quickly and really emphasizes the colour of eyeshadow while allowing it to apply easily and last and last without creasing. I've used it with Midnight Cowboy Rides Again and still experienced a ton of fall out so it won't prevent that but I really didn't expect it to anyways. I love the squeeze tube but I've heard of peoples tubes drying out around the 6 month mark and the formula turns to garbage. Which will be really unfortunate because I only wear eyeshadow a couple times a week if that so I'll never use this thing up in 6 months! But I haven't experienced that first hand so for now, it's true love!
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Eye Primer -Too Faced - Shadow Insurance, Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer
jennaxox 5/3/2011 3:21:00 PM
I got a tube of this in a holiday 2010 palette. At first I liked using it with the eyeshadows in the palette because I had never used an eyeshadow primer before and I definitely did notice easier application and no creasing (obviously better than no primer). It makes the metallic ones apply really easy and stay in place but I don't like the greasy feel of it. It also does nothing to enhance the eyeshadow colour. I recently tried UDPP in Eden and I would most definitely pick that over this product. The UDPP has a faster dry down, more pleasant formula, acts as a brightener when worn alone, and enhances and brightens the colour of shadows plus the ease of application and staying power that the TFSI provides. Overall, I'm not angry at TFSI because it came with a palette and I did enjoy it when I didn't know what I was missing with UDPP but if you're looking to purchase an eyeshadow primer, purchase UDPP and you'll be getting a much better product for your money!
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Treatments -Redken - Redken Extreme Rescue Force Fortifying Treatment
jennaxox 5/3/2011 3:13:00 PM
I've been using this product once per week for three months now. Usually I NEED to have my hair trimmed every two months or the ends just get so dry and split that it drives me crazy but I've been able to push it to three months this round thanks to this product. My hair is medium thickness and reaches my shoulder blades and is not chemically treated. Just naturally dry. I leave it in instead of conditioner once per week in the bathtub. I've seen some reviews that say it makes your hair feel funny if you don't use a conditioner after it but I use it in place of conditioner and I find that it detangles and smooths my hair like a conditioner with the added long term benefit of true damage repair and control. My ends are not crispy whatsoever and I've been able to achieve more hair growth in between trims so I really appreciate this product and it truly does work! I'm curious about other treatments that I may try but I'll definitely repurchase this product. I recommend it!
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Kate Walsh - Boyfriend
jennaxox 4/21/2011 12:59:00 PM
I got a sample with my Sephora order. When I sprayed it on a peice of tissue, I kinda liked it. So I sprayed it directly onto my wrist and HATED it!!! It was so overpowering it caused my head to throb within minutes and I had to wash my hands and arms with anti-bac soap three times. It pulls extremely patchouli-ish on me. And that didn't even get all of it off but then I did like the faint lingering of it. I showered later on and changed into my PJs and decided to try one squirt and walking into it before bed. I found the fragrance very calming and it was really starting to grow on me. So this morning I tried two squirts and walking through. I really like it. It's faint and blending with my body chemistry very well. It's such a strong fragrance that it's just too much when sprayed directly. I'll be using up the sample but I don't think I'll be repurchasing because there are fragrances that suit me better. The fragrance is warm and spicy. Plum, jasmine, and vanilla are listed as notes (all of which I absolutely LOVE) but unfortunately none of those notes are identifiable to me. Amber is listed and that's all I can really detect from it which is why I have to use it in extremely small doses. By the way, this fragrance doesn't remind me of a boyfriend at all sadly. Like I said, when used carefully it is not a bad fragrance by any means, but if I did have to say it reminded me of something. It would be a middle aged woman... specifically a cougar :S
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Primer/ Corrector -Hourglass - Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15
jennaxox 4/12/2011 1:34:00 PM
I used a sample of this over two days after Clinique DDML and before Pur Minerals 4-in-1. It was a hit!! Pros: glides on smooth, foundation applies so easily and evenly, mattifies instantly, controls oil throughout the day, HOLDS makeup in place (lasted through an entire day of cheer practice) but still allows the natural glow of minerals to come through. No blemishes or reactions resulted at all. Cons: Nothing bad to say here aside from the price of over $50 (but I'd still pay it!) And I'd have to order it online so it's not readily available unfortunately. If you're a mineral makeup user, this product is a must-have! I'm adding it to my next Sephora order :)
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Primer/ Corrector -Smashbox - Photo Finish Light
jennaxox 4/12/2011 1:25:00 PM
This was a nice light primer. I used a sample which lasted me two days. I used it after Clinique DDML and before Pur Minerals 4-in-1. Pros: It went on nice and smooth, felt light, and mattified my skin instantly and controlled shine throughout the day. It made my foundation apply more evenly. No blemishes resulted. Cons: It made my skin look a bit dull and pale. I don't think it's very compatible with mineral makeup. I also got a minor eczema-like rash on my temple. If I were to switch to a liquid foundation or one that was not mineral-based, I would be open to trying this primer again. But I'm a very avid mineral user so this primer doesn't fit in with my routine! The rash also concerned me.
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Mascara -Bourjois - Volume Glamour Ultra Curl
jennaxox 4/8/2011 1:43:00 PM
Pros: non-irritating, buildable, curved brush doesn't create smudges on lid, doesn't make lashes crispy, doesn't gather on the ends of lashes, doesn't smudge, removes easily. Cons: you need lots of coats to get volume and even then the result is unimpressive, doesn't lengthen. My HG is L'Oreal Voluminous and I had that in my hand but decided to try this instead. I should have stuck with the Voluminous I think. I like lots of things about this mascara but it's just lacking in the results department. I tried really hard to work with it and put on a ton of coats but my lashes still look boring. *ADD: I've been using this for about a week now and i'm really liking how it doesn't smudge or flake no matter what you do to it. i wore it all day at work then through an intense bootcamp workout, and into the shower. when i came out, i expected to have smears down and around my eyes but there wasn't a BIT anywhere but on my lashes which looked as black and glossy as when i put it on that morning. i waited for them to dry, curled my lashes again and got freaking GORGEOUS results. how is that possible? i'm so impressed I would now most definitely repurchase this mascara. also, now that i've had practice with it, i can achieve the volume results that i want by wiggling the wand at the base of my lashes and quickly flicking up to the ends. it takes 3 coats.
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