Skincare - Face -MAC - Fix+
judeandam 3/31/2011 5:12:00 PM
I originally bought this product to help as a makeup-setter - I spray it on my face when I'm finished applying my makeup. It definitely is a go-to product for me because it eliminates the "cake-face" look... Cake-face being where a person's face is completely matted-out from makeup in contrast with the person's neck and chest. After spraying this on, my skin looks fresh and dewy - not caked on at all, regardless of how much makeup I have on. I don't think that it really has any effect on making my makeup last any longer than it normally would. I have very oily skin and makeup only lasts so long on me, regardless of what lotions, primers, etc that I use. I also spray this onto my freshly cleaned face just prior to putting on my moisturizer (both in the evenings and mornings). This helps give my skin more moisture that's nice and light. After doing this for just 2 days, my skin was noticeably softer! I also use this when applying eyeshadows wet. I dampen my brush with it and use the dampened brush to foil on my loose pigments or wet/dry baked shadows. Otherwise, if I'm using a pressed or in-pan eyeshadow, I pick up the amount of product I want on my dry brush, then lightly spritz the brush before applying the shadow to my lid. I've heard that you can also use this as a way to make powder foundation give better coverage. I'm a liquid foundation user, but have been told that if you apply your powder foundation, spray your face, then apply a second layer of powder foundation, that you can work up good coverage. I'm currently on my second bottle and will definitely repurchase.
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Eye Shadow -Victoria's Secret - Very Sexy Mosaic Eye Shadow - Sultry
judeandam 5/13/2010 1:31:00 PM
the eyeshadows in this quad are very hard in texture. like many other reviewers, i have a hard time getting the shadow to deposit on my brush. pigmentation seems to be low because of this. the dark black/gold color seems to have the best pigmentation out of the bunch. i really have to work my brush into the shadow to try to get it to come out. i've only tried this quad dry with a stiff bristled eyeshadow brush but you might get more payoff if you try to use it wet with a brush or spone-tipped applicator. i bought this from victoria's secret a while back during a semi annual sale for 75% off so it was pretty cheap. i'm glad i did, so that i didn't end up wasting so much money on this. the packaging is actually pretty. i have the compact that is shiney black plastic all over, with a magenta metallic trim around the closure seam. inside the top of the compact is a high-quality glass mirror, about 2.5 square inches. overall, i wouldn't buy this again due to the hard texture and difficulty in application. the colors are very pretty - it's just such a shame that they won't come out the pan!
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Target brand Cleansing Towelettes with Chamomile and Vitamin E
judeandam 3/3/2010 1:37:00 AM
I bought these Target brand cleansing cloths since I wanted to see how the store brand compared to my regular Neutrogena wipes. These Target wipes were definitely cheaper but I definitely had some issues with them. I found these cloths to be too wet - I found that sometimes during use, the wipe would drip liquid onto me. I did like how the cleaning liquid would make my skin feel afterward though - it was definitely soft and not greasy at all; I found the liquid to be quick-drying. I didn't really like the material that the wipe is made of - when I would use it, it the wipe would curl back up on itself instead of staying flat and giving me a good wiping surface. These wipes didn't seem to take my makeup off as well as the Neutrogena wipes - I would have to rub more to get all my waterproof mascara off. Lastly and most importantly, I found the cleaning liquid formula stung my eyes - a SUPER BIG no-no!! If I used the wipe to get into the corners of my eyes or to clean my lash line, my eyes would start stinging and they'd water from the pain. It didn't irritate my skin at all, just my eyes - and I've never had any issues like this with any other make up remover liquid or make up removing wipe before. So overall, I wasn't too impressed and will not buy these again.
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Eye Primer -Sally Hansen - Natural Beauty Inspired By Carmindy Fast Fix Eye
Shadow Base
judeandam 3/2/2010 12:13:00 AM
I bought this eyeshadow primer on the clearance rack from CVS for less than $3. I really like the texture and color of this primer on my skin (NC40. The texture is nice and creamy, it doesn't feel oily when I first apply it to my lids and it covers really well and gives me good pigmentation with my shadows. Unfortunately, the formula doesn't work well with my oily lids. I actually notice worse creasing at the end of the day when I use this primer versus bare skin, so even though it was a cheap buy, I wouldn't purchase again. Also, I'm not the biggest fan of the packaging where you have to use a brush or finger to appy due to hygienic reasons.
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Makeup Brushes -Essence of Beauty - Classic Powder Brush
judeandam 8/3/2009 11:58:00 AM
I bought this brush from CVS because I needed a new powder brush but didn't want to spend a lot of money. I had high hopes for this brush but It's turned out to be such a waste of money. :( This brush shreds like crazy!! At least 3-5 hairs fall out every time I use it, since I started using it. I've washed it a couple of times, and the brush bled and shed every time. Very disappointing after all the great reviews I've read about it. :(
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Cleansers -Lumene - Lift Touch Rejuvenating Cleansing Oil
judeandam 11/11/2008 8:00:00 PM
like many, i was really skeptical about using oil to clean my my already oily skin but i was very pleasantly surprised! this cleansing oil works great for my oily complexion. it doesn't dry my skin out at all, to the point where i've forgotten to apply moisturizer after drying my face off! (that has NEVER happened to me before.) when i've forgotten to follow up with moisturizer, my skin feels fresh and well hydrated - not tight at all, like some other oily skin cleansers leave me. while using this cleanser, my skin also seems to be less oily during the day. this cleansing oil cleans off my waterproof mascaras and long wear makeup EXCEPTIONALLY WELL! i use 2 pumps of oil and massage it onto my face for about a minute. i then rinse it off with cool water. it takes probably 90% of my eye makeup off after just 1 wash; 2-3 coats of waterproof diorshow is hell for any makeup remover. the only eye makeup that's left on me are the remnants that are in my lash & water lines - which is normal, since i close my eyes pretty tight when i wash my face. i only need to spot clean any makeup leftovers with a q-tip after i'm done washing my face. i am SOOO impressed with this cleanser that i've already gone out and bought back ups, even though i just started using it. price-wise, it's comparatively cheap - $10 at CVS, vs MAC's version which is $21. sometimes you can catch them at CVS for $5 when when they're 50% off.
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Eye Makeup Remover -Clinique - Take The Day Off Eye Makeup Remover
judeandam 11/5/2008 11:14:00 PM
This is my HG makeup remover! It takes off any long wear eye/lip cosmetic that I've put against it. It removes ALL traces of my layered waterproof Diorshow mascara! If I've got a considerable amount of mascara on, I'll soak up a cotton ball, close my eyelid, place the soaked cotton ball over my lashes and hold for 10 seconds. This helps dissolve the mascara and helps it come off with less rubbing. The only cons are that it's a bit pricey ($18) and since it's oil-based, it leaves the skin a little greasy - but it's meant to be rinsed off with cool water. After the rinse, it feels fine.
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Mascara -Lumene - Star Effect Mascara
judeandam 11/5/2008 11:06:00 PM
I bought this in the waterproof formula - a bight aqua colored tube. The wand is long, which I prefer, and features a small spiral synthetic brush (like Maybelline's Lash Discovery mascara or a mini verson of Maybelline's Great Lash). The small brush wash good for getting to the bases of my lashes and the corners of my eyes but was bad at separating my lashes. The formula didn't lengthen well for me but did give me a good amount of volume (strange for a mascara that claims to be lengthening). I think this may be because the brush doesn't get strained enough and ends up holding on to too much formula. When I tried to apply multiple layers, I ended up with clumps and lashes that were stuck together. EDIT: I accidentally fell asleep with this stuff on and it DID NOT BUDGE! No smudging, no racoon eyes, minor flaking...
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Mascara -Studio Gear - Perfecting Mascara in Black
judeandam 11/3/2008 9:44:00 PM
i got as a sample of this from ulta.com with an online purchase. overall, its a pretty good mascara. it lengthens fine & adds moderate thickness for an enhanced natural look. i have stick straight lashes naturally and use a curler before applying mascara - this formula really keeps the curl well. it also holds up pretty well with no noticeable smudging, clumping or flaking. and since its not a waterproof formula, its really easy to take off.
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Masks -Queen Helene - Mint Julep Masque
judeandam 10/22/2008 1:33:00 PM
i just used this mask as an overnight spot treatment on 2 pimples that just would NOT go away. i had used my HG acne med (clearasil vanishing cream) on them for a few days, but to no effect. after 1 night of the mint julep mask, the pimples are almost COMPLETELY GONE! AMAZING!!! this mask is really cheap ($3-4) and you get a lot of product. it's hard to get the mask to come out the squeeze bottle though, since its such a thick consistency. the minty smell is nice. and even tho the mask contains sulfur, it doesn't stink like eggs (like Proactiv's refining mask). as an all-over facial mask, i didn't find the mask irritating. just don't leave it on for too long - it has the potential to dry out skin.
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Skincare - Face -Boots - Botanics Purifying Face Scrub
judeandam 10/15/2008 9:58:00 PM
this scrub does a good job of exfoliating my face. i don't find it too abrasive or drying. i also like how there's no overwhelming fragrance/scent. the packaging is efficient in that it stands on it's flip top - ensuring that the product can be used up completely. the only con is that for it's small size, it's a little pricey. it sells for $8 for 2.5oz.
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Deodorants -Tom's of Maine - Long-Lasting Natural Deodorant (with hops) in Apricot Scent
judeandam 10/15/2008 9:50:00 PM
first and foremost - THIS PRODUCT IS A DEODORANT AND NOT AN ANTIPERSPIRANT. if you sweat normally, you will still experience underarm wetness while using this product. i bought this as an alternative to aluminum-containing deodorants/antiperspirants. the deodorant has a slick feel to it and takes a few minutes to dry after being applied. the apricot smell seemed to be really heavy when i first purchased the stick but after continual use, it has gotten lighter. it still smells of apricot when used but it's just not as pungent as before (which i don't mind). this product works well for me by keeping my body odor in check all day but i may have to switch back to an antiperspirant - after moving to florida, i realized how much i really sweat. :(
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Other -Unlisted Brand - Philips Sonicare Toothbrush
judeandam 10/15/2008 7:34:00 PM
this is the best cleaning electric toothbrush i've ever owned. i have the sonicare elite 7300. i purchased it back in 2003 or 2004 - which means its passed a good test of time. it's quite a financial investment, including the replacement heads, but i think its definitely worth it. i change the brush head about every 6 months, as recommended, and only have to recharge the battery every 2 weeks (give or take). it cleans my teeth so well that i get that "just from the dentist feel" every time - it's SO cliche, but SO TRUE! i had the startings of bad gingivitis when i was in college and was recommended to get an electric toothbrush by my dentist. since using it, my gingivitis is gone and my teeth are smoother and whiter. just be careful to not use too much pressure when holding the toothbrush to your teeth. if you press to hard, you don't get a good clean and it can irritate your gums.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Bare Escentuals - Bare Minerals ALL
judeandam 10/15/2008 12:15:00 AM
sadly, even after all the hype about this product, i tried it, gave it 2 weeks and didn't really like what i got. CONS: -it made my skin itchy, all over but especially on my forehead when i got hot & started to perspire. (per web information, it may have been due to the bismuth oxychloride) -it also made me have breakouts on my forehead - an area on my face that normally stays clear -i could not achieve a full coverage look - no matter how much i applied -the shiny mica ingredient made my cystic acne more pronounced and my face more shiny when it got oily -it didn't do well to cover my under-eye dark circles and settled into my fine lines (i ended up using my trusted cream concealer instead) -i got the starter kit and the included sifter jars are smaller than regular size, so there's not much lid room to swirl, tap & buff -all that swirl, tap & buffing got powder everywhere -i bought the kit in medium which comes with 2 foundation colors but both were too light (1 is more pink based, 1 is more yellow based). i went to sephora to try the next darker set (tan) but the sales rep said it was too dark and would make me look ruddy. i had to add warmth to the yellow-based medium foundation before applying - but it was really hard to measure out exactly how much i needed to add to make the color just right. PRO: +it felt really light on my skin i'm gonna give everyday minerals a try... they don't have bismuth oxychloride as an ingredient and have different finishes that provide fuller coverage. if that doesn't work, i'll go back to my trusted MAC liquid foundation.
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Lotions/ Creams -Aveeno - Intense Relief Hand Cream
judeandam 10/14/2008 11:40:00 PM
i love this hand cream!! i bought it to use in the winter months when i lived somewhere colder. it moisturized my hands really well and kept the skin moist all day! i'm also a big hand washer - at least 5 times during my work day (i had a desk job at the time and my hands didn't really get dirty, i'm just OCD about dirty feeling hands :P ). this cream kept my hands moisturized even after all the hand washing. the cream is a thick consistency and doesn't have any added fragrance. it soaks into dry skin really quickly and doesn't leave a greasy feeling with me. i even bought a bottle for my bf and he's addicted to it too!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No