Shampoo -Organix - Rejuvenating Cherry Blossom Ginseng Shampoo
kristen0889 9/5/2012 10:37:00 PM
No...just no. This shampoo is horrible for my hair. I bought it because I'm on a hunt for a good sulfate free shampoo. L'Oreal's EverPure shampoo caused a lot of hair fallout, so I tried this one. After I rinsed the shampoo out I couldn't believe what a poof of tangles my hair was. I hoped that the matching conditioner would detangle my hair. I had to apply it to my root area, which is a big no-no for fine hair like mine, but my hair was such a tangled mess I needed conditioner from root to tip. I wasn't happy about that, and thought about what a limp mop my hair would be. Even worse, when I rinsed the conditioner out after leaving it on for a few minutes, my hair was still tangly and felt like straw. So I applied my trusty Nioxin conditioner which completely detangled it, but I had to apply it to the roots again. For some reason, I still had hope for the shampoo, thinking if I gave my hair enough time to adjust to it, it would begin to work better. For two weeks I continued the process of shampooing, applying the conditioner root to tip after my hair continued to get extremely tangled from the shampoo, then using my nioxin conditioner after the organix one didn't help. After no improvements in two weeks I don't know/care if it'll ever work. I'll hold on to the conditioner cause it might work with a better shampoo. As far as my hair turned out afterward when I let it air dry, it actually wasn't bad. It looked really shiny and silky, but with all the conditioner I have to use it's just not worth it. After my bad experiences with sulfate free shampoos I might just go back to normal shampoo. Gave this product two lipped because it smells amazing, and since its sulfate free it would be a good alternative to normal shampoos if it works for someone else.
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Bronzers -Rimmel - Natural Bronzer - 025 Sun Glow
kristen0889 8/7/2012 10:33:00 PM
This bronzer is great for anyone who prefers more of a matte bronzer rather than a glittery or shimmery one. I prefer a matte bronzer so I was happy to see that no obvious flecks of glitter could be seen on my face. If you look really closely at the pan you can see a tiny bit of glitter but I really don't think that it transfers to the face, at least not enough to notice. I was skeptical that that it might look muddy or dirty, since its not shimmery, but it really doesn't look dirty at all, and it's not orange either. This bronzer would be great for anyone that contours their face, but it looks just as good dusted all over, which is what I do. Basically, anyone looking for your everyday, sun-kissed, non glittery bronzer would most likely be satisfied with this product, especially for the price. The only downside is that you can't toss this in your purse and go since the lid tends to come off easily, but I put it in a ziplock baggie before putting it in my purse and have no problem. Otherwise, this is most likely the only bronzer I'll ever buy.
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast Waterproof
kristen0889 7/7/2012 3:28:00 PM
This mascara is going back to the store unfortunately =( Really wanted to like it but I just couldn't. I didn't have good experiences with waterproof mascaras in the past, but I decided to give it another go since non-waterproof versions aren't very good at holding a curl. I was hoping that waterproof mascaras had improved since I tried them in high school but it doesn't seem so...the formula went on pretty smoothly except that I couldn't get it to stick to my stubborn outer lashes, I think because it wasn't wet enough. I normally let my eyelashes dry a little bit then use a clean mascara wand to separate them but this mascara dried so fast I couldnt comb them without it flaking everywhere =( Also, my eyelashes looked decent right after the application but when it dried I thought they looked really crunchy and stiff. I will say that it held the curl from my eyelash curler very well, but it seems to defeat the purpose if it's going to make my curled lashes clumpy and brittle. It flaked pretty bad too. I will stick with the non-waterproof lashblast volume which I love.
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Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Powder Brush
kristen0889 7/2/2012 12:36:00 AM
This brush is amazing for applying foundation. I use this with maybelline's bb cream and I can't believe how much better it looks than when I just apply it with my fingers. It made my foundation go on really even and smooth. My skin seriously looked like it was photoshopped. The coverage and finish it gave my foundation was something I've never achieved with any other means of application--it looked like I just naturally had flawless skin and it didn't even look like I had foundation on. Since the brush buffs the foundation into your skin it really makes it look more natural. This is the first time I've ever used any sort of flat top powder brush so I can't actually compare it to more expensive ones but I can't imagine why anyone would need to buy a more expensive one when this $3 brush gives such amazing results. I did have to use a little more foundation when using the brush versus my fingers but that's expected since brushes tend to soak up some of the product. I will definitely buy at least one more of these so I can alternate washing one and using another. If anyone is looking for a better way to apply foundation definitely try this brush, I don't think it gets any better than this
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Eyeliner -Pixi - Endless Silky Eye Pen (all shades)
kristen0889 6/28/2012 11:58:00 AM
These pencils are amazing for the waterline and tightline. They are very creamy and glide on so easily, even if waterline/tightline is a little watery. These pencils aren't dry or waxy like most twist up eye pencils, they have the intensity and color payoff of a liquid liner. I'm not crazy about having to sharpen wooden pencils since it's easy to over sharpen them and end up with a nub, but if you're careful about it it's actually pretty nice having a newly sharpened pencil since it makes the pencil like new again. As far as staying power goes, it's has the best that I've found in a pencil on the water and tightlines. It does wear off a little throughout the day, but I only have to reapply once maybe twice in a day and that's if I'm wearing it for over 12 hours, so I think the staying power is very good. If you're looking for an eye pencil that is effortless to apply to the water and tight lines and has good staying power you would be happy with these pencils.
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Masks -Queen Helene - Mint Julep Masque
kristen0889 6/28/2012 3:22:00 AM
This product is a classic, and for good reason in my opinion! I love that this masque is a cheap, easy way to pamper yourself and there's just something about wearing a green face masque around your house that feels fun and girly =) I apply a layer thick enough that my skin isn't showing through but not so thick that it takes forever to dry. I leave it on until there aren't any wet areas left, which sometimes is almost an hour. I can definitely say that it does dry up small pimples, but I don't really have blackheads so I'm not sure how well it does at clearing them up. My skin's texture looks better and is softer after using this. It dries up excess oil without drying out my skin or irritating it. My skin is a little red after taking the masque off but that's probably because I wipe it off with a hot washcloth, and the redness goes away. For the price, it does everything I would want it to, and everything it claims to do as far as I can tell. I like the minty smell too. If you want do a little something to look extra good for an event coming up or just want a cheap, effective face masque I definitely reccomend this product. EDIT: After repeated use this made me break out =( After using it a couple times it seemed to work well, but after using it a few more times I startint noticing quite a few bumps around my chin and mouth. Since this masque is meant to purge your pores, I think using this was bringing whatever's in my pores up closer to the surface. Except that it was just below the surface so all it did was create bumps all over the place that weren't quite pimples, but still annoying and made my skin look worse. Used to really enjoy this product, but it just didn't work out in the long run =(
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Blush -Wet 'n' Wild - Color Icon Heather Silk
kristen0889 6/28/2012 2:11:00 AM
Love this blush! Only good things to say about it. I was at Rite Aid looking for a blush that was a darker, deeper pink than my bright pink Revlon blush. I saw this blush and thought the color was really pretty, but I was skeptical about the quality of this product so I tried to find another brand with the exact same color of blush as this but couldn't. Since it was so cheap I decided to try it and I'm glad I did! I don't remember the last time I used anything from wet n wild, but nothing about this blush would make you think it's a cheap drugstore product! The color goes on very pretty and flattering to my fair to medium skin tone. The color itself is hard to describe, it's just a nice, deep, pigmented pink. The first time I applied it i learned that this blush definitely needs a light handed application, but it was easy to sheer it by buffing with a kabuki brush. Tiny sparkles are detectable in the pan if you look close but it goes on matte, in my opinion. The staying power is decent. I would have to reapply after probably four or five hours, but that's pretty standard. Not much to say about the packaging-its reliable and the lid stays closed. Didn't give the included blush brush a chance since I don't like those dinky small brushes that look like they'd just leave a streak of blush on your face! Given the color, pigmentation, and quality of this blush I can't believe how cheap it is. The price makes it that much better!!
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Eyeliner -Maybelline - master drama eyeliner
kristen0889 6/28/2012 1:33:00 AM
This eyeliner is great for the water line and tight line. It glides on pretty effortlessly, even if the water line is a little watery. With other eyeliners that were too waxy and dry I would have to run a Q-tip back and forth on my water line and tight line and it was still hard to get any color pay off. The masterdrama pencil is much creamier and doesn't seem to dry out nearly as bad as other pencils. The lasting power isn't bad but isn't great. My all time favorite pencil, the endless silky eye pen by pixi, dries completely on the waterline and does not budge, where as this one stays creamy and doesn't seem to dry completely. I have to reapply to my waterline after a few hours, which isn't a hassle since its so easy, but if I forget to throw it in my purse before going out I'm pretty much out of luck. But it still has much better lasting power than most pencils. Overall I would definitely recommend this.
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Lipstick -Revlon - Color Burst Lipstick in 020 Baby Pink
kristen0889 6/28/2012 1:11:00 AM
I thought the idea of a candy pink lipstick sounded fun, and the color on the top of the tube looked like the perfect shade of pink. Unfortunately this is one of those lipsticks where you can't see through the tube and it comes out completely different than you expected. It has a blue undertone which I like, and at first the color looked like it would be exactly what I was hoping for, but it went on super frosty. As far as the color goes, I couldnt see much color beneath the frost. The pink was too sheer-it was more silver than pink! Revlon lipsticks aren't cheap and I couldn't find my receipt =( The packaging is cute with the quilted diamond pattern, but I took a lippie off the packaging since you can't see the lipstick through the tube. Even though you wouldn't be able to see if it's frosty, it's still nice to see through the tube. Just wish I hadn't lost the receipt!
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Eyeliner -Hard Candy - Walk the Line Liquid Eyeliner
kristen0889 6/28/2012 12:49:00 AM
I purchased this in Sugar Plum since I love doing a purple smoky eye. I have a great purple pencil but I love the way liquids blend into the lash line so I really wanted to try this. I was disappointed to see that the brush is long bristles instead of a shorter felt tip, because when I apply liquid eyeliner the first thing I do is pull up my lid with my finger and dot the liner into my lash line, which is really hard to do with a flimsy bristle brush. Applying along the lash line is pretty easy, but I found the color to be too sheer, and it dried to a shiny, somewhat frosty finish. It just didnt go well with the smoky eye look I was going for. It also took forever to dry, and I have very hooded eyelids, so this was pretty bad about transferring, which was a huge pain since I would have to go back and fix my eyeshadow. Sugar Plum is the only color I've tried but I don't think I'll try any other color since the bristle brush is a deal breaker for me. The packaging is really cute, like most Hard Candy packaging. If I needed a color like turquoise I might buy it again, but I only wear brown, black, gray, and purple on my eyes and I can find better eyeliners in those shades.
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Liquid -Maybelline - Dream Liquid Mousse
kristen0889 6/27/2012 11:48:00 PM
I used this product off and on for the past couple years. I alternated between medium 1 and medium 2.5 depending on how tan my skin was, and sometimes mixed the two shades together. I was never crazy about this foundation but whenever I tried a different foundation it turned out to be worse so I would just return to this. I tried to like it but the coverage was just too masky and heavy. It was obvious that I had foundation on. Once I saw a picture of myself wearing it and it looked like I was wearing a thick layer of a cream to powder foundation with powder on top!! There was no way to make it look natural--I would even mix equal parts with a liquid highlighter and apply that with a damp sponge to sheer it out and it was still full coverage!! The coverage was so full that my light colored eyebrows practically disappeared into my skin, which looked especially freakish in photos! This foundation took forever, like 4 or 5 hours, to melt into the skin where the coverage and texture looked even remotely natural. My t-zone can get oily on a warm day, and this foundation made it 10X worse. If I applied this before noon, I would be a total oil slick by evening. It would also separate and slide apart on my skin-especially around my mouth and on my cheeks it would get really splotchy. The last thing, which I think is the worst thing a foundation can do, is that it oxidized horribly!! I couldn't wear it for more than 6 hours without looking super orange. I have very light blonde hair, so when this foundation would oxidize I looked ridiculously fake. There is nothing good about this foundation that I can think of. It says airbrushed finish on the bottle, so if by airbrushed they mean heavy orange and shiny, then it's spot on. Like i said, I returned to this foundation a few times thinking I could make it work, but that definitely wasn't happening. Maybe it just didn't react well with my skin, but I would not recommend this.
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BB Cream -Maybelline - Dream Fresh 8-in-1 BB Cream
kristen0889 6/27/2012 9:53:00 PM
This is pretty much everything I've been looking for in a foundation or tinted moisturizer. Every foundation I've tried in the past is either too much coverage and looks mask-y, would oxidize, would be too shiny, or would become separated and splotchy looking. I'm a broke college student so high end foundations usually aren't an option. Recently I haven't been wearing foundation at all because I don't have problem skin and I'd rather wear nothing than wear a foundation that does what I mentioned above. I thought I'd sworn off on wearing foundation, but I've been keeping my eye out for this since I'd read some good reviews about it. When I saw it at my local CVS I decided to try it. Luckily there were tester bottles of each shade, and I chose medium after seeing that it blended perfectly into the skin on my hand. I was a little skeptical about applying it before work since I was in a rush and would be quickly applying it with my fingers. Application turned out to be really simple, especially since the packaging is a squeeze tub. The formula has the texture of a mix between a lotion and gel and it was very easy to spread. Like I said I was applying it in a hurry, but it blended very easily, and the finger application left no streaks. It felt like I was just putting on face lotion. The first thing I noticed was that the coverage was very sheer, which is what I've been looking for. It was a little shiny, but I always set my foundation with a matte bronzer, and that completely fixed it. This gave just enough coverage that my skin tone looked more even and the redness on my chin was practically unnoticeable. I was glad to see that my freckles across my nose still showed through since my boyfriend complains when my makeup covers them up =P Basically, it makes your skin look like your skin but better. There's no masky-ness to this what so ever. I applied it about 7 hours ago and it still looks freshly applied. No oxidation! My t-zone tends to get oily, especially in the summer, but this really seems to have done a good job of keeping oil at bay. But I do work in an air conditioned office so I'll do an update if that changes after a hot day outside! I was also happy to find that the sunscreen didn't give the formula a greasy or shiny finish. The finish is dewey without being shiny--it's like a matte dewiness if that makes sense! It gives the skin a nice glow, like the skin is lit from within. It looks the way foundation looks after it "sets" into the skin after a few hours, but you don't have to wait for this to set. Anyone looking for medium to full coverage to cover blemishes or scars probably wouldn't like this, but if you just need something to even out your skin tone and give your blush, concealer, etc. a base to stick to and give them more lasting power, I don't think you'd be disappointed with this product. If you're on the fence about trying this out, buy it from CVS--they'll take it back even if it's been opened and used EDIT: said I would update after wearing for a full day outside in the heat, and I'm glad to say that it did not oxidize on me or turn me into an oil slick. Obviously it'll look even better if you stay in the air conditioning all day, but it really does hold up well in heat and humidity. If I wear for more than six or so hours on a hot day I do normally need to blot my face.
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Telescopic in Carbon Black
kristen0889 4/16/2012 4:40:00 PM
This is by far my favorite mascara and as long as its available I don't think I'll ever use anything else. The lashes on my outer corners are significantly lighter colored and point in all directions, while the rest of my lashes are normal. With the other mascaras I've used in the past, which was normally volumizing or fusion Covergirl LashBlast but have experimented with countless others, I would always find that either the brush couldn't reach all of my weird outer lashes or the formula would wouldn't stick to them. My attempts to coat these lashes usually resulted in clumpy, crunchy mascara build up.. The Telescopic Explosion mascara caught my eye because I thought maybe the different brush was worth a shot. The first time I tried it, it did clump horribly and made a huge section of eyelashes stick together, as other reviews have said. But, I wanted to like it, so I wiped the excess off the brush with a wet wipe and tried again. I'm so glad I gave it a second shot because it immediately coated my annoying outer lashes right down to the root without clumping. It grabs every single lash, gives them very natural looking length, fans them out with great separation and definition, and adds a good amount of fullness. My eyelashes always look very soft with no smudging, flaking, or brittleness, even after 10+ hour of wear. I usually do 2-3 coats. It does take longer to apply than most mascaras because of the different brush, but it's well worth it for me.
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