Hair -Unlisted Brand - Apple Cider Vinegar
kayben 3/11/2013 5:25:00 PM
I love cheap, multi-purpose products, so I was eager to try vinegar on my coarse, thin hair to give it some shine. It made my already dry hair even dryer, whatever shine it imparted came at the cost of stripping my haircolor (Revlon Colorsilk Medium Brown), and left the standard sharp vinegar odor until my hair was no longer wet, but the ghost of vinegar came back to haunt my nose when I worked out the next day and my hair was damp with sweat. I'll never use it on my hair again. As a postscript, I read that vinegar in the rinse cycle will diminish static cling, so I tried some white vinegar out on a load of sweat pants, (acrylic!) sweaters, and nylon socks and discovered that vinegar can be disappointing in the realm of laundry as well. The static from that load was the same as any other of similar fabric content without the added step of being around to put it in the dispenser at the right time. I'm leaving vinegar for salads and cleaning the coffee maker.
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Hair Color -Unlisted Brand - Cover Your Gray stick formula Medium Brown
kayben 2/11/2013 5:10:00 PM
I bought this lipstick shaped crayon to cover gray roots between colorings. It made my hair greasy/clumped looking and since the medium brown skews red, it made my scalp look inflamed. Paid about 7 dollars on Amazon and used it twice. Then I thought to use it on a couple scratches in my hardwood floor and it's ok for that, oddly enough. So rather than the trashcan, this product has been repurposed to my toolkit.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - New Dana Perfumes - Toujours Moi
kayben 11/28/2012 11:07:00 AM
This scent reminds me of the old style drug stores that had a soda fountain on one side. There's a blast of syrupy cola, then a medicinal vicks vapor rub in the back near the pharmacy, and finally talcum powder in the baby aisle.
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Brows -Maybelline - Master Shape
kayben 11/28/2012 10:53:00 AM
Headline: Maybelline Bags Another Sucker Why, oh, why didn't I read reviews here before I bought this worthless item. Greasy, waxy, color comes off when you use the spoolie on the other end. The blonde shade I bought should be called terra cotta flower pot because that's the color it came out on my brows. Then I see the how difficult it is to sharpen. So bad. Avoid at all costs.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Color -Revlon - Root Erase
kayben 2/28/2012 10:11:00 AM
This product is a dream come true! If, like me, you are lazy, have shoulder length or longer hair that is a pain to color, if you have gray that is clustered on the crown like the line on a skunk, then this is the product for you. I have medium brown hair (number 41 in Colorsilk) and used the same medium brown color in the Root Erase. I purchased it at Walmart for about 3.50. Great deal, although more expensive than the full dye kit when you buy it at CVS for 2/5.00. Totally worth the money for the convenience. No question about it. I left the dye on for twenty or so minutes and could have gone a few minutes more to be honest but I was scared at how dark it was and how quickly it developed compared with the full dye kit. But be not afraid, it is light and gentle, and covered all the gray with a light brown touch like highlights. Looks natural in all broad daylight and blends with the rest of the color seamlessly. Did not damage my coarse, thin hair at all. The sponge applicator is fool-proof, deposits color right where you want it, and the amount of dye is exactly enough. Only bad mark I would give is that this product does not include a packet of conditioner.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Suave - Professionals Dry Shampoo Spray
kayben 10/6/2011 5:23:00 PM
I like the fact that I can buy this product when I'm shopping for the evening meal. It's super cheap (about $3) and works in two capacities. I work out a lot and have almost comically dry and thin hair. Think hag or witch hair. My hair is like a cat--it hates being wet. I use Suave dry shampoo to help me stretch out the days I need to wash. It does a good job absorbing sweat and as a bonus, it creates volume when it dries. When I use the dry shampoo and then my spin pins (check reviews) I can get a decent looking casual updo. Above all, I can wash my hair three times a week, instead of daily. My 'cat-like' hair and my busy schedule appreciates the time saved. Caveat: this product does dry the hair over time, so be generous with the conditioner when you wash.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Garnier - Anti-Dark-Circle Eye Roller
kayben 10/6/2011 5:13:00 PM
This concealer is as easy to use a pen and just as easy to blend. I like how it meets a crucial intersection of ease of use and effectiveness of result. Somehow this manages to take the edge off circles and shadows without caking or settling. On days when I have less than five minutes to spend on my face, this concealer takes twenty seconds to apply and blend and looks very good for the time spent on it. The rearview mirror test for me is key. In the morning, with full sun on my face, when I look in the mirror, I don't see a Sahara of cracked, spackled skin or blue and purple semicircles of thinning flesh, but a reasonable facsimile of rested eyes. This is well worth the twelve bucks I paid for it.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Blistex - Deep Renewal
kayben 2/6/2011 5:56:00 PM
This lip balm really grew on me. At first, I thought it was another waxy, ultimately drying balm, but after a few weeks I began to notice my lips felt moisturized and smooth and as plumped as my older lips get these days. Great value, lasts a long time, and leaves a nice shine on bare lips that really enhances them.
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Lips -Palladio - Tinted Lip Balm
kayben 11/23/2010 5:03:00 PM
I bought two of these in Brownie and Orange. They both really suit my warm skin tone. Brownie is a rosey-bronze, slightly darker than lips color, flattering and simple. Orange is a peachy gold that will definitely turn orange on cool toned skin, but on my light warm skin was like a glistening creamsicle and really woke up my blue-green eyes, too. As for moisturizing, these also work very well. A lot of balms end up drying my lips and making them peel. These Palladio balms didn't do that at all. They were smooth without being waxy or sloppy wet. They last a good bit of time (2 hours or so) before they fade off. The color lasts the same length of time. I bought these at Ulta at a buy one get one half off sale, total price: $6.00. I will buy again, but will look at Sally Beauty Supply for an even cheaper price. But these are worth it. They're right up there with my Bonne Bell Dr. Pepper lipsmacker for all around great tinted lip balm.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cover Girl - Volume Exact [DISCONTINUED]
kayben 10/13/2010 6:20:00 PM
I bought this mascara because Max Factor Volume Couture is no more and it got a high rating among women in my age group. Not sure lashes "age" in the same way skin does, but I assumed they do and focused on the over 35 group. I bought this mascara for 8.29 at Walgreens, which is steep for me. I'm cheap. That said, I'm very happy with the performance. It adds volume and just enough length to clear the overhang of my brow area. The color is a true black. So far, the formula is more wet than dry, and I prefer that. In time, I'll find out how much it dries out and changes and edit my review accordingly. The part I like most about this mascara is that it can survive overnight with minimal flaking and smudging, but then it comes off readily with soap and water. As of now, I'm considering this a very acceptable substitute for the discontinued Volume Couture.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Neutrogena - Anti-Oxidant Age Reverse
kayben 10/13/2010 6:10:00 PM
I'm the first older person to review this cleanser and I have mixed feelings about it. The cleanser leaves my skin luminous but unexfoliated. I think the luminosity comes from the cleanser itself. It's a yellow colored lotion that has an iridescent shine to it, like a super finely milled glitter that gets buffed on the skin in the act of washing and creates a highlighter effect which is pretty and natura in its own way. However, when I touch my face it feels rough but not dry. I do use Retin A and realize that it peels skin at a fast rate and this cleanser simply may not be able to keep up. To fix this problem, I've been implementing the aspirin mask once a week and that seems to be working for me. After the mask, my skin is smooth, firm and luminous--as much as forty year old skin gets. I'm giving this cleanser three stars because I wish it cleansed more thoroughly and didn't "cheat" by adding light-enhancing particles, no matter how natural and nice the result.
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Lipstick -Revlon - Matte Lipstick - Fabulous Fig
kayben 12/7/2009 1:34:00 PM
Fabulous is right! This color is the everyday, browned-downed variant of Revlon's In The Red from the same matte line. If that description sounds off-putting, don't let it. On warm skin this shade makes lips look flushed and healthy. If lips are well moisturinzed and the application is light, this lipstick could pass for a natural lip tone. I wore this shade heavily applied for Halloween when I went as a sexy devil, and I've worn it stippled over lip balm for a flushed yet professional look. Fabulous Fig looked just right for each occasion. Between this shade and In The Red, I will never have to shop for a red lipstick ever again. These two cover all the bases between deep and bright.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Olive Oil as Serum for Hair
kayben 12/7/2009 1:20:00 PM
The pain of writing this review--sigh... I hate to add a negative review to a long line of glowing ones, but olive oil, as much as I love to eat it, did nothing for my hair. The reason is because my hair is a worthless beast. It's thin and coarse--the worst of two worlds. It's poofy and flyaway, yet each strand is so coarse that you could weave them together and scour pans. Very few people have hair like mine, and that's a blessing to them. If the description of my hair sounds anything like yours, then avoid the olive oil treatment because the disappointment will be great. My olive oil will be staying in the kitchen from now on.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Revlon - Makeup Eraser Pen
kayben 7/5/2009 4:30:00 PM
What a clever product! I use this to fix eyeliner mistakes and the tip of the pen is fine enough that I can shave off the top of a too thick line or erase errors around the lashes. The really neat part is that the tip feels dry to the touch which makes me think it has dried out, but it erases the mistake every time and doesn't leave a wet streaky mess behind. The cap snaps on very snugly and the price was reasonable because I got it during a BOGO at the drugstore. Definite repurchase.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -L'Oreal - Colour Juice Stick in Plum Crazy
kayben 7/5/2009 4:23:00 PM
Like a moth to a flame, my eyes were drawn to the clearance sticker on this product. For 2.50 it was the prime opportunity to experiment with as cool a tone lipstick as I could possibly wear because I do have a few berry and lilac colored clothes that my normally warm lip colors clash with. This color is a muted raspberry/fuschia that doesn't make me look jaundiced because it's relatively sheer. Not as sheer as I expected or hoped and that's why it gets one point off. It's less sheer than Black Honey for example, and in fact it's almost as opaque as full cover cream lipstick. It's decently moisturizing, has a sturdy silvertone case, and a kool-aid scent that fades quickly, as does the lip color itself. Overall, I'm happy to have filled a niche in my lipstick pantheon. I needed a soft and serviceable cool tone and I found it in plum crazy.
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