Styling Products -Suave - Professionals Shaping & Finishing Spray
kak513 5/12/2011 3:20:00 PM
This is for the "super hold" version (one of the three pink-capped hairsprays in this line). Used my FB coupon to get this and try it out since I'm always on the hunt for the perfect hairspray. I'll have to keep looking. This particular hairspray is a pump spray, so the mist is not fine at all, and it's very wet. It's heavy enough to stick hairs together for that obviously-crunchy look. And it's most definitely not touchable! I have a helmet-head ponytail style going on at the moment, and it feels awful to touch. On top of all that, it is highly scented and sticky, so avoid your face and clothes, and you'll have to leave the bathroom to breathe after you spray it. I am SO disappointed since I was really, really interested in the new Suave Professionals line. I'll try more of their products, but not without reading reviews first.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Revlon - Colorburst Lipgloss in Hot Pink 010
kak513 5/6/2011 8:12:00 PM
I too got this as a sample in the Target pack, and I liked it! Good pigment and I really liked the creamy texture. I was just poking around on here out of curiosity, and I was surprised to read everyone mentioning chunky glitter. When I checked it out at the store, I thought it had an inordinate amount of sparkle, but my sample was not at all glittery, so I must have received one where quality control slipped up. (Reading through reviews, sounds like a few others received the same glitterless version as me.) Too bad, since it's a really lovely summer gloss minus the sparkles. So glad I came here to check!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Sebastian - Volupt Shampoo
kak513 8/19/2010 3:46:00 PM
Disclosure: I received the Sebastian Professional Volume Collection free as part of a BzzKit from BzzAgent on a recent word of mouth campaign. The shampoo and conditioner are part of a three-piece set from Sebastian; the third item is Volupt Spray Gel. The shampoo and conditioner are both very lightweight and very lightly fragranced. The shampoo lathers nicely and is easy to rinse out, but my hair is not left so stripped that it squeaks, like some volumizing shampoos leave it. The conditioner is also quite nice, and it easy to distribute and easy to rinse without leaving a weird coating on my hair. I also really like that I can smear it into my roots and they are not weighed down because I rarely take the time to carefully condition just the ends of my hair. I towel dry and then blow dry on most days, and while the conditioning is quite lightweight, it still detangles and leaves me with bouncy hair that I don't have to fight with. It's a little less silky than when using my usual drugstore shampoo/conditioner, but that's because everything is rinsed out of my hair and no silicones are left behind. Depending on the humidity, this can be good or bad. Some days, I really need a little something to keep everything smooth! I like this shampoo and conditioner set, but I don't think I'd repurchase. I can't justify the expense for what it does versus something cheaper available at the drugstore.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Sebastian - Volupt Spray Gel
kak513 8/19/2010 3:30:00 PM
Full disclosure: got the Volupt Spray Gel for free as part of a BzzKit along with the matching shampoo and conditioner. I must be the only person not in love with this stuff, and don't think I didn't try! I have loads of very fine hair, so it's easy for it to get weighed down at the roots, and I thought this would be a great solution for root lift. Every time I use it - be it with the Sebastian shampoo and conditioner or not - I get wads of tangly hair that is not tremendously touchable. I do get some root lift, but at the expense of the rest of my hair behaving! I shook it up and sprayed it root to tips as mentioned on the directions on the bottle, and that was a mess I could hardly comb through, but I persevered and blow-dried anyway. Then I tried just spraying the roots, which did work better, but enough still distributed through the rest of my hair so that I had some knots. I finally put it away for a week, and got it out again yesterday and gave myself an all over coating just to remember the results, and trying to brush through my towel-tried hair was like trying to brush through hair that hadn't even been conditioned. I can't remember the last time I had such awful knots; it was like trying to comb through hair after swimming in the ocean! I gave up and just wore my hair tied back in a bun. (But it was a smooth bun!) I'm glad this works for other people, but I just can't recommend it myself.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Falsies
kak513 8/6/2010 12:26:00 AM
Dud. After trying this for a couple of weeks, I'm over it. I don't like that the brush doesn't have even bristles - you have you use only 1/2 the brush end and comb lashes through. It's also a very wet and thick formula, and I end up getting it all over and having to do major clean up, which is really unusual for me. There's also something oily about it that gets on my contacts pretty regularly and causes major annoyance. It doesn't exactly clump, but my lashes all get stuck together and I end up with a few fat strands rather than any decent length. Fake, indeed.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - Renpure Organics Amazing Miracle
kak513 8/6/2010 12:20:00 AM
I grabbed a tube of this on a whim at CVS because it came with a "try me free" tag attached. I used to really like their regular conditioner before they changed the formula and ruined it. This is darn good stuff - I had extremely touchable and soft hair after using it and blow drying. I was a little put off by the baby powder smell, which was the last scent I was expecting. My hair is very fine but I have tons of it, so I like to use a medium conditioner to weigh down the ends and help keep things straight. I went whole hog and rubbed this into my roots, and it didn't weigh them down, so that's pretty awesome. I was also left rather tangle-free, which I like. $7 is more than I'd usually spend, but if it keeps working just as marvelously, I'd consider shelling out again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast Fusion
kak513 7/13/2010 1:59:00 PM
I received this mascara as part of a word-of-mouth BzzAgent campaign. I like that it hardly has a scent, unlike other mascaras. Why anyone would want perfumed eyelashes is beyond me. This is a fatter wand with the rubbery-plastic tines on the brush, so it's also great for combing. I find that it doesn't clump even a tiny bit, but on the downside, it takes several repeat combining to get enough mascara to actually coat my lashes how I like them. Still, it would be far worse if it over-applied with one coat, and I like that I can control exactly how much I layer on, which gives me options for both day and night. My lashes are all nice and separated, and the brush makes it easy to flare out the ends which makes them look longer. I haven't noticed any flakes, but I do notice that the large brush head lends itself to bumping against my lid, so cleanup after application is a must. I understand that they want to show off the brush head in the packaging, but I hate that you immediately have to toss the little plastic cap that comes on top of the tube. So wasteful and unnecessary. Overall, this is a good mascara that gives me fattened lashes that are well defined and longer at the outer edge. No major increase in volume.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Ultra Sheer Liquid Daily Sunblock spf 70
kak513 7/13/2010 1:13:00 PM
I'm really enjoying using Neutrogena's UltraSheer Liquid as part of my daily routine. I find that the consistency is very thin and very easily absorbed into my face and neck without any leftover greasy sheen or oiliness, so it looks good with or without makeup covering it. It also doesn't make my skin several shades lighter from zinc. With other sunscreens, I often have to use some powder to minimize the shine, so skipping that step is welcome relief – one step closer to getting out the door! The base it provides for makeup (and I’ve used both liquid and mineral makeup over it with great results) is very smooth and I get even coverage. The scent is very faintly sunscreeny and doesn’t bother me. I do notice some stinging upon application, especially if I get too close to my eyes, but this fades fairly quickly and doesn’t annoy me enough to stop using it. I’ve used this at the beach with great results, and I also like the protection it provides for everyday, particularly since I like to walk to work or walk around outside on my lunch breaks, and I have a very fair complexion. This is silly, but I also like that the packaging has some sort of ball bearing in it like a nail polish, so when I’m shaking it up prior to each use, I can hear that the product is remixing. Very satisfying.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Frederic Fekkai - Marine Summer Beachcomber Leave-in Conditioner
kak513 6/30/2010 8:56:00 PM
I got this for free on a giveaway on Facebook. I was really excited to give this a try because I'm super cheap and would never spend upwards of $23 on a hair product. It does seem upscale - the cute skinny bottle, the way the formula separates into two layers and has to be shaken, and the lovely coconut/beachy smell. I've used it a few times now, and I'm not sure what should be happening. I notice that my hair is softer after using this, but it doesn't behave any better, or even differently, for that matter. Maybe my hair hasn't faced enough summer damage yet for this to improve it. I love that is has UV protectors and fun ingredients like marine kelp and peptides. Maybe after hitting the beach a few times this will make an exciting difference in my hair's summer recovery.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Sally Hansen - Complete Salon Manicure Nail Polish
kak513 1/21/2010 1:17:00 PM
These were BOGOF at Walgreens recently, so I picked up a couple on a whim. The $8 price was much higher than I'd normally pay, but I was feeling spendy, and the idea of not having to paint on separate clear coats was really appealing to me. The collection has quite a few colors, but none are terribly original. I bought two purplish shades, Plum Luck and the other one was basically a lighter version of that - a taupey-violet that was pretty neutral. I have to say that I'm extremely pleased with the wearability of these polishes!! I have rather thin nails that tend to bend easily, so everything, EVERYTHING, chips off in less than 24 hours. These are lasting very well with just minimal wear on the tips. I literally haven't been able to happily keep polish looking good on my nails for more than 2 days ever, and these are looking great for around 4 days each time I paint them! Even when I get a manicure, my nails chip in no time, and I can't stand to have ragged looking nails, so I take the polish off. I have purchased a third color, I Pink I Can, but it's not very flattering against my skintone, so I need to exchange it. But it did wear well! Basically, these are a godsend with a flexible enough composition that they stick to my nails and wear evenly. They dry pretty quickly, and take two coats. They are also nicely pigmented for good coverage. I would recommend and will be repurchasing!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Unlisted Brand - Renpure Organics - I Love My Hair Body & Shine Conditioner
kak513 8/20/2009 8:38:00 PM
UPDATE: Did they change the fomula already? I'm only on my second bottle and it's nothing like the first. Oh, where is my good hair? I don't have the first bottle to compare ingredients, but this stuff sort of sucks now. I can no longer recommend. Down from 5 lippes to 2. Why do the best things always go away?!! I grabbed this about a month ago at Rite Aid, excited to try another organic conditioner and also by the fact that the bottle came with a little rebate form for $3 (and I've already received the rebate!). The "I Love My Hair" version is packaged in a light green bottle. I wasn't holding out too much hope for great results since I have terrible luck with organic hair products, but I love the lack of parabens and other creepies and I figured that worst case, it would become my new shave cream. I have to say, I'm completely stunned with the results this gives me!! I thought it might just be a one-time fluke, but I've enjoyed good hair day after good hair day and this is the only product I've switched. My hair strands themselves are really fine, but I have enough hair for two people. Every other organic conditioner weighs down the roots or leaves it really tangled. I can't get over how soft and incredibly full of body my hair is - I can't keep my hands out of it, and it's super shiny as well. I'm just over the moon! I also like how it feels when I use it - it doesn't disappear into my hair upon application. It has that silky-slimy texture that I love and it detangles my hair so that I hardly have to comb it out afterward. It's a little on the thick side, so rinsing takes a bit longer than usual for me. It also barely has a scent, so no perfume interference later. The website is a little weird, especially the story about how the founder adopted his Chinese triplets. I guess more power to ‘em. This is a family operation and they’re the same people who created Aussie, which is pretty interesting. I thought the $7 pricetag was pretty expensive, but I’m totally sold and willing to shell out for consistently awesome results. I might even pick up the matching shampoo next time I shop.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Revlon - ColorStay Mineral Mousse Makeup
kak513 8/12/2009 6:04:00 PM
I'm so extremely pleased with this foundation! I always try new foundations and then end up going back to EM, which I've been wearing for close to 5 years. I grabbed this because it was free with rebate at CVS, and I need to run back and grab another. I bought this in the lightest shade, 010 Fair, and it might be the teensiest too light for me right now, but this is mid-summer in CA, so I have no doubt that is is *perfect* for winter. It is very emollient and easy to blend into my face - I just use my fingertips and blend it in like lotion. The coverage is truly excellent - I, a girl with very dark undereye circles, don't need concealor on top of this!! It really stays in place and I haven't noticed it gathering into my eye crinkles, although it did migrate into my smile lines. I've never found a foundation that doesn't do that, though, so that isn't much of a negative for me. The color matches my neck very well, and my skin looks so incredibly even, and blush looks gorgeous on top of this. I also haven't had to blot yet (something I usually do between 10-11am after wearing makeup about 3 hours) and it's mid-afternoon. I also love that there's no scent. I will definitely be using this up and repurchasing unless something ugly happens, like clogged pores.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -Cover Girl - Outlast Lipstain - 435 Flirty Nude
kak513 7/10/2009 7:59:00 PM
This is the third color in this line I've tried - got this one for free with BzzAgent. I would expect a color with "nude" in the name to be a little more neutral. I find this to be about as absolutely orangey as any lip color I could hope to pull off. I think maybe because it's summer and super bright out it's passable, but not a winter color whatsoever. I'm really pale, so maybe someone with a tan or darker skintone would look awesome. I'll have to try wearing it with some bronzer. This one seems to be a little more flavorful (sort of berrylike) and wetter than the others I've tried. Makes filling in my lips very quick and easy, but I also think this one fades faster - probably because it doesn't match my lips as well as the Berry color so I notice it sooner. I'm sure I'll wear this throughout the summer, but I wouldn't repurchase this color.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Removal -Unlisted Brand - Veet's Bladeless Razor hair removal kit
kak513 7/8/2009 7:55:00 PM
Is this now discontinued? I can't find it since I bought one in February. I've never really had much luck with depilitories, but Rite Aid had a rebate for these, and they were on clearance to boot, so I paid about $1 for the kit. It sat on a shelf for at least a month while I pondered using it, and when I had a cocktail party to go to, I decided it was now or never! Except I didn't use it on my legs, I went for my arms instead as sort of an experiment. I am blessed with super-blond, almost clear arm hair (although I have brown locks) but it's fuzzy and annoying, and I wanted to be svelte as possible. I smeared on the cream while I was in the shower and let it sit while the conditioner rinsed out of my hair and I sort of counted the seconds. I think it was about 4 minutes. I opted to use the blade to see if it helped, and I'm going to vote that it assisted in the removal of the melted hairs - I thought the blade was a little stiff, but even when clogged after the first stroke, it was still easy for the blade to make skin contact and clear everything off. My theory is that the blade is tough enough to break off any weakened-but-not-completely-removed hairs for a smoother end result. Anyway, I had near perfect results!! My arms were completely smooth and silky and the only negative aspect was that my hands/palms felt weirdly slick after the application, but this happens with every depilitory, so I guess there's no getting past that. I suffered no irritation and the smoothness lasted nearly a week. I've used up the bottle, and I think it gave me 3 or 4 applications. It's been about two weeks since my last use, and my arm hair's back to normal, but I find that I miss the smoothness! If I can find this, I would definitely repurchase.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Fresh Cooling Body Mist Sunblock SPF 45
kak513 7/6/2009 7:22:00 PM
I've been intrigued by spray sunscreens, but this was the first one I purchased for a trip to Mexico. I thought it might be easier to apply and save me the greasy hands of having to touch sunscreen and rub it it. Many reviewers have mentioned this, but I have to repeat it - the scent is completely overwhelming if you're giving yourself good coverage. I was spraying down my arms and chest in the bathroom, and I had to run out a few times to get some air. I haven't checked the ingredients, but I'm sure there's tons of alcohol in it. It also greased up the floor something fierce, so be aware of that. Once I was out in the open air, I didn't notice the scent any longer. Both my husband and I were still burned after one application, and we used the 45 SPF. At the same time, I had applied a Coppertone 70 on my face, which was completely untouched by sun by the end of the afternoon. I think the key is to spray on way more than you think you need - the bottle says to use it 4 to 6 inches from your skin, and to spray enough on so that you can see it. It never completely soaks in, so you're left with super-shiny/sticky skin all day. I will give it another try, but so far I'm unimpressed.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No