Skincare - Body -Palmers - Skin Smoothing Lotion with AHA/BHA
juliet1 3/2/2012 1:17:00 PM
This is an amazing body treatment lotion for an unbeatable price. I use this every night and it's made an enormous difference to the skin on my legs - far more than the pretty expensive 8% AHA body lotion I previously used and at a fraction of the cost - i get this in Boots in the UK at £4 for 250ml . I apply this an night and wake up to baby- soft smooth skin, and it's also slowly but surely getting rid of those little marks I have from too much sunbathing when I was younger, not to mention preventing ingrown hairs on my legs. In the winter my legs can get so dry that the skin starts to resemble snake skin, but this lotion (combined with regular palmers cocoa butter during the day) has kept my legs smooth all winter long and gets rid of those rough patches better than any body scrub. I've also found that applying it a couple of hours before applying fake tan makes the tan apply easily, last longer and dry streak free. I see that a lot of people here complain about the scent but personally I love it - like another review mentioned it smells quite like Thierry Mugler's Angel perfume.This product is the same yellow colour as Palmer's regular Cocoa Butter lotion but the texture is thinner and I think it's probably not just as hydrating, so if you have very dry skin like me you might prefer to use this in addition to a regular lotion to get maximum smoothing and moisturising benefits.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Palmers - Line Smoothing Eye Cream
juliet1 3/2/2012 10:02:00 AM
Just thought I'd add to the great reviews for this product. I didn't even know Palmer's made facial skincare but when I found them online I thought I'd order a few products to try out. I've been really impressed with all of them and this eye cream is one of my favourites in the line. It's a light, smooth cream that absorbs almost instantly and doesn't leave a shiny finish or irritate my eyes. I've been using this twice a day for the last month and have noticed a big difference to my undereye skin - it's definitely smoother and a lot brighter and whilst the fine lines are still there I'm sure they have softened - I think that this is the first time ever that i've had visible results from an eye cream! The product has an extremely light smell, at first I thought it was fragrance free but I think I can detect a little hint of cocoa butter scent. For a drugstore eye cream the ingredients seem to be very good, this cream has retinol, peptides, milk proteins and antioxidants which all work towards improving your skin. For a year before this I was using Clinique's All About Eyes Rich and this cream has done more for me in one month than the Clinique did in a year. The tube is pretty basic but it's hygenic and easy to dispense the amount of product you need - I'd definitely recommend.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Clinique - Almost Lipstick - Black Honey
juliet1 2/27/2012 8:02:00 AM
I'm so disappointed - this shade is about as unflattering as it gets for me! I have fair skin, pigmented lips and dark hair, and when I bought this I was hoping to get the same effect as the third picture above - a lovely warm and natural mlbb. Instead, it looks like a very shiny, muddy, old - fashioned, berry-brownish tint and totally drains all of the colour out of my face, it really doesn't do anything for me at all. I think the fact that I have very pigmented lips means that this lipstick turns a lot darker than I'd want it to go, so perhaps if you have paler lips you might have more success. The texture feels nice and I've given it points for that, but my search for a mlbb tint continues...
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -LUSH - BIG
juliet1 2/25/2012 4:51:00 AM
The scent of this has a really powerful effect on me - every time I smell it it just me feel like Spring/Summer is about to begin, and I can just close my eyes and imagine being on a beach! I think it's because I associate this shampoo with the summertime, I've been using it for years but I don't use much during the winter when I prefer to use a very hydrating product. BIG shampoo is great for clarifying and getting out all of the gel and salt sprays etc that i use in my hair, leaving it incredibly shiny, swishy and light feeling, and my scalp always feels awesome after using this too. I only use this one a week and use a gentler shampoo for other washes because this can definitely be drying if used too much. I apply a small blob on wet hair then leave for a minute for the salt to melt a little before lathering in, because if I lather immediately I feel that the salt maybe rips my hair a little. Apparently the effect you get depends on the water type you have (or so I was told in the Lush store) - the softer the water the more volumizing this product will be. I don't get much volumizing in my hard water area, but I have thick hair anyway and so that isn't really a problem.The smell is AMAZING - it smells like lemon margaritas (not sweet at all), beaches and fresh air, if that makes any sense!? I've taken a point off for the packaging because it's just so awful. It's impossible to use it without getting water in the jar, so after a while the product becomes a thin, watery, mushy mess: Surely lush could come up with a better container that's still environmentally friendly??
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Lotions/ Creams -Nivea - Pure Moisture
juliet1 2/25/2012 4:31:00 AM
This is my favourite lotion to use during the summer. It moisturises really well, yet absorbes super quickly and doesn't leave a sticky film on my skin. My skin just feels lovely and soft and hydrated and the feeling lasts all day. The smell is very light - just a lovely fresh scent that won't interfere with your perfume or other products. For the price I think that Nivea body products are great, and they don't test on animals which is a massive bonus. I have very dry skin so during the winter I use the one in the dark blue bottle which is basically a heavier version of this one.
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Conditioner -Aveda - Clove conditioner
juliet1 2/23/2012 8:57:00 AM
This is a great product if you have brown hair that's beginning to get first greys. I like my natural hair colour - it's a dark chestnut brown but for the last few years I've started to notice a few white hairs, especially around my temples. I have enough now that they bother me but I hated the idea of dying my hair and saying goodbye to my natural shade permanently. The think I hate most about the white hairs is that they are a kind of yellow - tinged white and look awful against my fair skin. This product is great for blending in those hairs and making me look like I just have some natural highlights, whilst maintaining my own shade. I apply and then rinse after a few minutes and this both gives my hair a nice warm boost and turns those white hairs a light golden shade so that they blend in completely and look much better. I should point out that I don't have many white hairs - I know that as I get older this conditioner simply won't be enough to do the trick and I'll have to cave in and have it coloured, but I do feel that this product has bought me another few years before having to do that! I wish this were slightly more conditioning - I don't use it every time I shampoo simply because my hair sometimes needs something a bit heavier and richer - this is a very light product. It has a strong lavender scent - it's not really my personal favourite but it does smell natural and fresh and disappears anyway once the hair is dry.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -BeneFit Cosmetics - Erase Paste in Fair
juliet1 2/23/2012 5:01:00 AM
Ugh. Like a previous reviewer mentioned, this is pretty much the equivalent of smearing Pan Cake under your eyes. It's extremely thick and manages to be cakey and greasy at the same time, and while it does definitely cover shadows (It's so thick and pigmented I think it would cover a tattoo!) it's far to heavy for the delicate undereye area even when applied with a very light touch and it looks so unnatural. I'm 30 and don't have deep wrinkles but I do have fine lines under my eyes and this just migrates like crazy and makes the skin look horrible and crepey. I can only see this maybe working for someone who has problems with VERY dark circles but who has absolutely perfect line - free skin - perhaps in that case then this might be ok for you. For girls with a few lines or wrinkles on the other hand I'd say that a translucent, light reflecting concealer is miles better.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -LUSH - Grease Lightning Spot Cleanser
juliet1 2/23/2012 4:50:00 AM
Apart from the aloe vera, I think that most of the ingredients in this product aren't supposed to be great for your skin because they are too irritating (tea tree, lavender etc) and for that reason I try to avoid using this product very often. However, I still think that this is the best product I can find to instantly take the redness and swelling out of a pimple. I don't have bad skin but I occasionally get a big old painful red pimple, for some reason before a big night out or an important event! When this happens, I pat on Grease Lighting on the pimple only (taking care to avoid this surrounding skin because it can make your skin feel really tight) and while it doesn't totally disappear, it does make it noticeably less red and swollen within an hour or so, making it easy to then cover up with a bit of concealer. I find that BP is a better spot treatment in general because it's less drying and i can use it on larger areas, but the treatment takes longer and it's not a quick fix. This product on the other hand probably wouldn't be great to use a lot of on a regular basis, but for a quick emergency treatment it is pretty great.
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Treatments -Derma E - AHA Alpha Hydroxy Acids Beauty Fluid
juliet1 2/22/2012 8:42:00 PM
I love this - it's a gentle, effective exfoliant for my sensitive skin prone to both dry patches and the occasional breakout. I'm very fair with some sun damage and after using this for a month every night my skin tone is definitely more even and refined and the dry patches are totally gone. I've given up on scrubs now and will stick to this product as it seems both more effective and gentler. The bottle seemed very small at first but after a month's use (3 pumps per day) I still have about two thirds left, so it's good value for money. I'd definitely recommend, especially for those new to AHA exfoliants or those who can't tolerate higher acid concentrations (like me).
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Treatments -Joico - k-pak deep penetrating reconstructor
juliet1 2/18/2012 5:20:00 AM
I've only used this product three times over the last month (once every ten days) so if I notice any difference with continued use I'll edit. My long dark hair is pretty damaged from constant heat styling and living in a hot climate, so I was interested to see what a protein product would do for my hair. The first time I used this I followed it up with a normal conditioner because i've heard that this product can be drying if used on its own, and the further two times I followed it with my L'oreal intense repair treatment. I followed the instructions and washed my hair, applied the product then left for just under 5 minutes, rinsed then followed with conditioner. I have to say that I've noticed absolutely no difference whatsoever to the condition of my hair, and I think that if i'd just used the intensive conditioner alone I would have had the same results. I was hoping that this would strengthen my hair so that in further washes (i wash my hair every two days) I'd notice that my hair is stronger and less fragile, but I can't see any difference at all - after my follow up wash a couple of days later when i just use gentle shampoo and conditioner my hair is pretty much the same - still pretty damaged at the ends and breaking easily when i brush and blow dry. This certainly hasn't damaged my hair or dried it out, but I just don't notice any improvement or change at all, and for that reason I wouldn't purchase again. Smells awesome, though, which makes it nice to use, and I'll finish the tube. Hopefully I'll see some results with more extended use.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Redken - All Soft Shampoo
juliet1 2/15/2012 3:47:00 PM
I think this is a nice shampoo. It certainly leaves my hair feeling pretty soft, and I like the fact that I get the softness without the heavy feeling associated with some products - my hair feels soft yet quite light and clean. To me, though, it's just good, certainly not amazing and probably not good enough to purchase again given the high price. I find that I can get very similar results from pretty basic drugstore shampoos - I recently stayed with a friend and tried pantene repair and protect (the new one) and although I normally can't stand pantene products this was actually pretty nice and gave similar results to the All Soft. I don't know, I think I'm going to give up buying expensive shampoo because I've yet to find one that's worth it or really makes a difference to my hair over any other gentle and moisturising shampoo. Conditioners and treatments, on the other hand, are a different story and I find that great high end conditioner formulations can be light years better than drugstore brands. I see that the All Soft conditioner has some wonderful reviews on here so that's going to be my next purchase but I probably wouldn't buy this shampoo again, pleasant as it is, just because of the high price tag.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Iceberg - Eau de Iceberg Pour Femme
juliet1 2/15/2012 11:33:00 AM
This is the perfect fruity floral I've been searching for - I can't believe I'm the first to review this so I'll try to be as descriptive as possible. I'm 30 years old and although I like the idea of fruity floral fragrances for the Spring and Summer, I find that a lot of them just aren't sophisticated enough and tend to be generic, overly sweet, cloying, and frankly just too cheap, boring and girly for me. I had bought another fragrance by Iceberg this winter - The Iceberg Fragrance' and found that it was really unique and interesting - soft and creamy and nutty and perfect for autumn/winter, so I thought I'd give Pour Femme a shot when I saw it for a great price online. Eau de Iceberg Pour Femme opens with a gorgeous sharp burst of fresh pear and pineapple, combined with a dominant sparking freesia note which I find is rare and different to so many department store fragrances. It's definitely fruity and very bright but there is also something ever so slightly masculine and sporty to it which I love, it's just really chic and gives it a bit of an edge. The middle note is my favourite - a gorgeous jammy fig with a very sheer hint of jasmine, It makes me think of warm summer evenings in the city. The drydown is softer and sweeter, a warm, delicate vanilla and perhaps even a little woody whilst still remaining bright. Staying power is amazing for an Eau de Toilette and sillage is fairly good - it leaves a light trail but you certainly won't knock anyone out which can only be a good thing, especially in warm weather. Seriously, I've received so many compliments since I began wearing this and I can't wait for the Spring and Summer when I think I'll wear every day. This would be equally suitable for daytime wear or summer evening wear, although in my opinion it's a little too fresh for winter. The bottle is modern, classy, simple and made of very heavy glass. I think Iceberg have done really well with their last couple of fragrances, they are very unique and I can't recommend them enough, especially since they are so easy to find highly discounted online. Anyway, I hope this is helpful if you've been thinking about trying this but haven't been able to find any reviews, like me. If you like the sound of the notes mentioned above I doubt you'll be disappointed and it's very unlikely that someone will be wearing the same fragrance as you!
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -MAC - Strobe Cream
juliet1 2/15/2012 11:02:00 AM
I love strobe cream! I see that people use this in lots of different ways, but for me this is simply my daily moisturiser and I use it pretty generously. It gives my skin a lovely, luminous finish and just makes my look generally more healthy and bright without ever looking glittery, shiny or sparkly. I've been using this for about 18 months now and I don't know what it is about Strobe Cream but I think that the overall condition of my skin has improved quite considerably, my skin just looks healthier and better so the antioxidants and other good ingredients must be doing their stuff. I normally use unscented products but I LOVE the subtle fresh smell of this and don't mind putting it on my face at all, and although I have combination skin it's never broken me out. It's a very good daily moisturiser for someone with normal/combination skin but I would imagine that someone with very dry skin might need to mix with a heavier moisturiser. The tube is great too - looks chic, is sanitary and I can get every last drop of product out.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Clinique - City Block Sheer Oil-Free Daily Face Protector Broad Spectrum 25 SPF
juliet1 2/15/2012 10:51:00 AM
I go through a tube of this every 2 or 3 months and my only regret is that I didn't start using it sooner. I'm thirty years old and a couple of years ago started to notice that my skin was showing some early signs of sun damage - fine lines and pigmentation on my forehead. I'm fair but have lived in a hot country for the last ten years and should have listened to advice about wearing sunscreen earlier! Anyway, wanting to prevent any further damage as much as possible I decided to invest in this product and I haven't looked back. It protects my skin very well, i never burn even in the summer when I'm outdoors (although I do try to reapply when I remember) and the subtle tint is perfect for taking away that white cast I hate so much with other sunscreens. I am acne prone but this product has never broken me out, and I love that it's fragrance free. I really feel that daily use, winter and summer over the last couple of years has prevented my skin from much further damage from the sun's rays. The packaging is great too, I just wish the tube were bigger as in order to get the maximum sun protection you have to use a good sized amount and so the product does end up being quite expensive considering I have to purchase so often.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Max Factor - Miracle Touch Creamy Blush
juliet1 2/15/2012 10:41:00 AM
I love this blush! I have soft pink and it blends wonderfully, is so pigmented you just need a touch and it lasts all day giving a soft flush of colour without streaking or fading too much. On my fair skin I use a paler neutral powder blush as a base, and then this cream blush on the apples of my cheeks for a natural healthy 'pop'. I don't normally have much love for max factor but these blushes and the little eyeshadows in the same pots are great value for money. I took one lippie off for the packaging - although the little pots are a great size to carry around they feel and look pretty cheap and plasticky and the lid cracks easily if you're not careful. Other than that, I can't fault it.
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