Cleansers -Alba Botanica - Natural Hawaiian Facial Wash - Deep Cleansing Coconut Milk
jmp24 12/22/2012 1:15:00 PM
This is new. The bottle looks the same as their pineapple cleansing wash, though - so be sure to read the label. A wee bit pricey at $12.99 for 8oz - but that is at my local grocery, it may be cheaper elsewhere. I'm pretty sure Target sells this line. The cleanser is very creamy and does not foam. It smells really good, like a sweet coconut. One pump from the bottle is plenty if you are not wearing makeup. It does not remove eye makeup well, so you might want to use a makeup remover first. I can't be bothered doing that, so I will probably just use this in the morning. I can't say it is very deep cleansing, but it does contain ginger and papaya enzymes, and aloe. After rinsing, I could feel a very slight film on my face, but my skin felt comfortable and not tight. If you are looking for a gentle, creamy cleanser that smells like a day at a tropical beach, you may like this! As long as the bit left behind after rinsing does not cause me any breakouts, I will re-purchase. Vegetarian, no animal testing, no parabens, no sodium laurel stuff.
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Polishes -New York Color - Long Wearing Nail Enamel - Starry Silver Glitter 105
jmp24 12/16/2012 10:58:00 PM
I am probably a little old for glitter polish but I still can't resist it. I didn't wear it when I was younger, back then it had a sort of "white trash" reputation. Today it seems that anything goes - I really envy the style rules of the younger crowd now. Seems that out of all the higher end brands I have bought, this one, for 99 cents, really rates! Better over a darker polish than over light or alone, very sparkly, with different colors and types of glitter to give it some depth. I see blue, pink, and shimmery little silvery specks of all shades. Dries pretty fast, and a pain to remove like most glitter polishes. Wish they had more colors. Lots of fun!
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Styling Products -Got 2 Be - POWDER'ful Volumizing Styling Powder
jmp24 12/12/2012 11:23:00 PM
Yuk. The only way I can see getting anything decent out of this is if you are having such a bad hair day - the most horrendous bad hair day EVER- and anything you use would be an improvement. Otherwise, this stuff just made my hair sticky and dirty looking. It wants to be that Aveda hair powder, but it is not - not even close. Really bad. I find all the new hair powders and dry shampoos very disappointing. The best one ever was Psssst, which is still made but hard to find and only good for blonde or gray hair. With today's choices, I am better off just putting a little tiny bit of pomade in my hair and then sprinking it with baby powder.
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Lips -Avon - Glazewear in Darling Pink
jmp24 12/9/2012 12:16:00 PM
Fiends!! Scoundrels!! Cads!! Avon RUINED this gloss. They have changed the formula from it's original creamy, stay put, moisturizing and pigmented one to a clear, sheer, wet and boring one, no different than the hundreds of other average lip glosses out there today - but to add insult to injury, they changed the color too! Darling Pink was a lovely nudish pink, creamy and soft, with a slight gold shimmer - perfect for a no makeup day, or to pair with a smokey eye. It had a yummy vanilla cake scent, too. But now the color is just clear pink. If you hold the old one up against the new, the colors are not even in the same ballpark. I can't believe they are even calling it Darling Pink. Dang. I really should have stocked up when it was still the old formula. But how could I have known they would make such a drastic change, to both color and texture?
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Walkers Natural Body Care Whipped Shea Night Cream
jmp24 12/8/2012 9:48:00 PM
Unbelievably light fluffy shea butter night cream, sinks into your skin so fast, and leaves it amazingly soft. Also contains jojoba oil. I like the unscented, but it also comes scented with essential oils, lavender and a lemon version. Shea butter is full of great ingredients for your skin - vitamins, antioxidants, etc. All the skin care experts say it is one of the best ingredients to put on your face. I had originally thought this cream would be great for the cold winter months - but I think it's light enough to use year round. It also works as eye cream and a lip moisturizer. All natural, made by a home based company with many other great skin care products at very very low prices. This cream, a good size tub containing .6oz, is only $5.99 - and a few little dabs is all you need to cover your whole face, so .6oz should last a long, long time. I am looking forward to trying more products from this company - so far I have their squalene facial oil, jojoba oil, lip balm, clays for making masks, and a few bars of their awesome smelling natural soap.
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Polishes -China Glaze - Jetstream
jmp24 12/8/2012 4:55:00 PM
A cool lilac pink with a subtle silver shimmer that takes 3 coats to look opaque. I would prefer to only have to do two coats, but it's such a feminine, pretty color that I guess I'll suffer for it! It's not too dark or bright, almost a neutral, and goes with everything, so it's very wearable. Like most polishes, a good base coat extends wear. I am not sure I'd buy again, there are many similar colors out there and then there's that 3 coat issue....so I probably would not.
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Lips -Avon - Glazewear Liquid Lip Color (new packaging)
jmp24 12/8/2012 3:57:00 PM
As far as I am concerned, Avon took a unique gloss that had some body and pigment and changed the formula so that it is now just like every other run of the mill gloopy wet lip gloss out there. I loved the old Glazewears, but the new formula is so far from the original that I will no longer be buying. Too bad.
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Polishes -China Glaze - Nail Lacquer-Awakening
jmp24 12/7/2012 9:18:00 PM
An absolutely lovely rosey copper plummy gold shimmer. It's gorgeous - and not so warm that those who love cooler tones can't wear it. Great autumn shade. Very similar to an older (few years) OPI shade called 'I'd like to thank..' Many of the China Glaze frosts are very sheer, and may take 3 coats before you are satisfied - but this one is more opaque, 2 coats is plenty. Luckily I can determine this before I buy, as my local beauty supply allows you to test polishes on paper. I find that if I use Sally Hansen Maximum Growth as a base coat, I can get up to a week with no chips with China Glaze - and that is without wearing gloves every time I wash dishes. Definitely going to get a backup of this color!
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - 40 carrots-Carrot plus C Vitamin Serum
jmp24 12/5/2012 1:23:00 PM
I like this serum. I use it in the am under my sunscreen, and have definitely noticed some smoothing on my skin surface, now that I am 3/4 of the way thru the bottle. It has very little scent and the formula soaks in quickly. Not greasy or oily at all. If you can find it at Marshalls or TJMaxx, it's a lot cheaper....but, I found a recipe for homemade Vit C serum, and will be trying that next (glycerin, distilled water, ascorbic acid tablets - can't get any more pure than that!!)
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Lip Treatments -Vaseline - Cocoa Butter Lip Balm
jmp24 12/5/2012 9:17:00 AM
I am old enuff to remember Vaseline coming in a glass jar with a metal lid and it smelled AWFUL, such a chemical odor!!! The worst thing was, my mother used to put it on our faces before we walked to school in the morning, so that our skin would not chap in the cold wind. I still remember how that felt, and smelled - me and my brothers hated it, would throw on our parkas and try to run out the door before she could get us!! Things sure have changed since then in the world of Vaseline. I bought this because the teeny tiny little jar was just too cute. Turned out it is a pretty awesome balm and EXCELLENT cuticle moisturizer. Very portable due to size. I think I'll buy the large one next, use it for more things, and to refill the little jar when I run out. It would probably make a really good foot cream. Yes, a tube would be more sanitary, but it wouldn't be as charming as the adorable little jar! And after all, I probably would not have noticed it if it were not for the packaging.
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Powder -Bare Escentuals - Matte Foundation spf 15
jmp24 12/5/2012 9:03:00 AM
I have been using the regular Bare Minerals foundation on and off for several years....this formula is not more mattifying than the original. It was also a few dollars more. I don't really have oily skin, but after an hour or two I look pretty shiny when wearing this. Definitely needs more touchups than the original formula. I also noticed that the ounce weight of BE has gone down, while the price certainly hasn't. I mentioned to the girl at the store that there seemed to be less product, which she denied. I don't think she even knew - so when I got home, I checked the ounce weight on an older container I had and I was right - used to be nine ounces - now it's SIX!! Of course I understand times are changing, things get more expensive - I just think the employees at BE should know this AND divulge it to the customers, especially when they ask. Otherwise, it seems sneaky. Oh well, I'm done with BE foundation anyway. I think the Prestige Skin Loving Minerals foundation is far superior. (see my review of this brand)
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Skincare - Body -Dr. Bronner's - Lavender Liquid Soap
jmp24 12/4/2012 11:01:00 PM
what can't one use these castile soaps for??? I use them for: hair, body, shaving hand soap doggie shampoo cleaning in general dishwashing handwashing lingerie cleaning makeup brushes cleaning artist's brushes spot cleaning carpet cleaning the bird cage a tablesoon in a small spray bottle of water to spray houseplants to rid them of aphids, spider mites, etc and many more! The hot washcloth mask (instructions on bottle) is pretty awesome in the shower but I don't do it too often, as excessively hot or cold water can cause those broken blood vessels - but it's nice occasionally, and the lavender scent is very relaxing. I like the purity of this soap. The bars are nice too. The only con is that this soap is not all that luxurious to use - it has a very low lather. It doesn't strip or dry my skin, but it's not moisturizing either. It's just a good basic REAL soap with no animal fat in it...always a plus for me! Not all that cheap, but a bottle lasts a long time.
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Treatments -Sally Hansen - Sally Hansen Maximum Growth Daily Nail Growth Treatment
jmp24 12/3/2012 12:17:00 PM
My nails are pretty, but all my life I have never been able to grow them long. They get to a certain point, one or two break, and since I hate them to be different lengths, I cut them down and start over. I decided to try this one day when I saw it in the DS. As a base coat, this stuff sure makes your polish last! Almost a week, and I haven't even had to touch up any chips in the color. I have had to file down a couple little breaks in 2 nails, though. The formula is thin, I use 2 coats, being sure to put a little under the nail tip as well. It dries really fast....but it remains to be seen if this will encourage my nails to grow long and beautiful before breaking! But even if it doesn't help my nails grow, it works GREAT as a base, so I'd definitely buy again - anything that makes a manicure last is awesome in my book!
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Eye Shadow -Flirt - Dreamy Eyes
jmp24 11/30/2012 12:53:00 PM
I got a very good deal on these eyeshadows, found the 30 shadow palette at a thrift store - "Flirt Limited Edition Eyeshadow Palette" - in perfect condition, never used and still sealed - for $2.99. Sold for $29.99 according to the price on the back of the palette, but I think this may be last year's xmas special or something....still, a great buy at less than one cent per shadow!! Up till now I had only swatched a few of the Flirt! shadows at Kohls, never bought, so it was a great opportunity to try them out really cheap. The selection is colorful, but neutral. A few brights, but still not very exciting if you are one of those people who likes bright and crazy shades. This would be a good palette for work looks. Some of the shades look familiar, so I am sure there are some major dupes here. Check out videos on YouTube for more info on dupes if you are interested - though for me, a dupe is more than just color. If a shadow looks just like a more expensive shadow, fine - but I want to know does it PERFORM like that more expensive shade? I have a whole drawer full of play makeup for my nieces, beautiful colors, yet crappy quality. These shadows are not the best, but not the worst either. Pigmentation is pretty decent, though I would not say they are creamy or luxurious. The shimmers are very low key, so would be good for work or daytime if you can't or don't want too much glitter or drama. With a primer, the shadows have decent lasting power. Packaging isn't so great, they are in a cardboard box with a hinged lid, and protected with a clear cover, but it isn't convenient to store or keep them in this package. Nor have I figured out a better way to do it. So far, nothing about them makes me want to run and buy them for the single price of roughly $10, though this could change because I have yet to try all 30 of the shades - possibly I will fall in love with some of the colors, we'll see! But for now, my opinion is, that for the price, there are a few better choices out there. I would not pay the full price for this palette. Probably I will try to experiment with each color, and if my love does not grow, this one will go to my niece - who is going to be allowed to wear makeup for real next year.
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Conditioner -Bumble & Bumble - Super Rich Conditioner
jmp24 11/12/2012 10:28:00 PM
yummm....I just love this conditioner. It is the only high end hair product that I consider worth blowing the money on. It smells so good, and makes my hair so soft and shiny. And it is very luxurious to use - the formula is so thick and creamy. It has a texture like a treatment product, not a watery, runny run of the mill conditioner. I started using it when it was under $20 - now it's around $25. I don't buy it that often, and it does last a long time when I do, because it works more like a deep conditioner, and if I were to use it daily, it would weigh my hair down too much. I'll maybe use it once a week, or maybe a few times a month when I have it, that is usually enough. It has a soft, clean scent - sort of foody, like a faint coconut scent - and leaves your hair smelling pretty good too. I love it!
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