Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Gernetic Synchro
kristinapentti 12/4/2008 3:19:00 AM
I have tried numerous Gernetics-products, and I cannot say i love all of them - but Synchro and Immuno are most def. keepers (been using these for 10 years). As stated in the other reviews, the key is never to apply too much, and use a more specific treatment underneath. However, as with other skin care lines, I don't believe one has to religiously use just one line (I've had better results with Gernetics products when combining them with other stuff that works for me) in order to get results (I've tried this approach to no avail), and I do consider it a sales-trick to state using other products will make your skin worse. Also, with Gernetics I am not quite convinced about the whole blood absorption-thing. Nonetheless, this line carries som excellent products and I cannot live withour Synchro and Immuno.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Laura Mercier - Mineral Cheek Powder - Pink Spark
kristinapentti 6/16/2008 5:42:00 AM
Another victory for LM's MMU-line. I bought this a month ago, and have used it every day. In terms of colour, Pink Spark is excellent for both daytime and evening use. Don't be put off by the glittery appearance the product has in the jar - on the face it transforms into a subtle glow. I abhor glittery blush, but I love this one! Also, as MMU agrees with my ski in general, this has not broken out my sensitive, clog prone skin.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Korres - Royal Jelly & Grape Seed Antioxidant Skin Defense Caps
kristinapentti 3/21/2008 12:55:00 PM
Excellent product, hydrates without breakouts, makes kin soft over night. Not for very oily skins, though. My skin is sensitive, easily dehydrated while at the same time prone to serious clogging and shine. The capsules have made a significant difference this winter!
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Powder -Laura Mercier - Mineral Powder SPF 15
kristinapentti 1/31/2008 5:14:00 AM
I have test driven this baby for about 9 months - time to write a review! Where to begin - a mere 5 lippies are in no way sufficient. I have used this product everyday since May 2007, and I cannot find anything negative to say about it. My skin is sensitive and surface dry like nothing seen in the history of female vanity, and as a result, massively clog prone. I occasionally break out, and have v e r y visible melasma on my forehead, upper lip and cheeks. Before discovering LM MMU, I would use MMUs such as JI, Youngblood and BE, or liquids from Clinique. After I few hours, my skin would flake like crazy, and still be shiny, and come evening I'd be flaunting massive break outs. During 9 months with this product, break outs and clogs have been reduced and my skin is less dry. The main thing for me is that LM MMU has no silicones, and since eliminating cones form my regimen, I have seen a dramatic improvement in skin. Ever so often I alternate with a liquid foundation (usually with cones), just to prove my point, and during the day I will start to flake and break out. Coverage is excellent, both sheer and, well, covering. First, I prime with Youngbloods pressed mineral powder (the next best thing to a real primer, which I cannot use, bc of cones), then I layer the LM MMU thinly, and finish with LM mineral setting powder. It covers my melasma as well as any break outs. Compared to Jane Iredale, it is more finely milled, and compared to Youngblood and BE, less shiny and chalk-like. I use LM's bronzer brush, which is quite large and compact, with downwards strokes. Sometimes I press extra powder onto darker areas/spots. I use Real Sand in the winter and Rich Vanilla in the summer. Has never oxidized on me. In conclusion: if LM ever discontinues this product, I will never leave my house again. Edit/March 2009: a year on, LM's MMU is still going strong. I have yet to break out from it, yet to dry out from it, yet to be sensitized by it. This foundation remains the ONLY one never to have caused any negative reaction on my skin, and this is is no small feat considering I have battled acne, flakiness and sensitivity from the age of 14 (am now 30). As always, I have strayed to other MMU-brands, e.g. Dior, MSCHIC, but LM cannot be beat: less ingredients, better packaging (perfect packaging, actually) and less reaction-inducing than any other, single foundation I have ever used.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Korres - Hamamelis Cleansing and Toning Lotion for all skin types
kristinapentti 12/10/2007 9:06:00 AM
This toner has completely transformed my skin! Without changing anything else in my regimen, it has cleared up and re-moisturized my face - during the last 9 months I've tried other toners, all of which broke me out and made me horribly dry (prob. due to alcohol content)., and whenever I switched back to this, magic, break outs gone. It cleanses and moisturizes. It does leave a slight moist film on the face for a while, but I just think that's beneficial when applying my jojoba under makeup. For reference, my skin is sensitive, surface dry, clog prone, breaks out occasionally.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Skinceuticals - Refining Night Cream With .5% Pure Retinol
kristinapentti 12/10/2007 8:48:00 AM
How I wanted to like this - based on the reviews here it should have been perfect for my skintype: sensitive, prone to surface dehydration, clogging and the occasional break out. Alas, the silicones in it did not agree with me at all. I woke up with massive clogging on forehead and cheeks (clear the night before). I suspected this would happen, but I sooo wanted it to work. I simply cannot use anything with silicones, no matter how much derms and estethicians keep assuring me that there is no clinical evidence linkin cones to clogs.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Lavera - Lavera Neutral Face Fluid
kristinapentti 11/29/2007 8:24:00 AM
Pros: fab ingredients (see review below), incl. my favourite jojoba and other yummy oils. Felt good going on, no silicones or other pore clogging disasters. Cons: as with basically all German natural skin care lines, the culprit here is alcohol, listed as the third or fourth ingredient. Even though it felt great going on, by the end of the day my skin had clogged up because it was so surface dry, literally peeling. I've had similar problems with Weleda's products. I know it's plant alcohol, and it's not supposed to be drying, but for me it is. I really wanted this fluid to work.
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Liquid -Clinique - Superfit Foundation [DISCONTINUED]
kristinapentti 10/8/2007 2:51:00 PM
This.product.sucks. Made me supershiny and superdry at the same time, and eventually broke me out, Superfit my *ss.
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Moisturizers -Desert Essence - Jojoba Oil - 100% pure
kristinapentti 10/8/2007 2:45:00 PM
This is for jojoba oil in general (so cannot comment on Desert Essence's packaging, I've transferred mine into a small dropper). What can I say - jojoba oil has saved my skin (surface dry, very clog-prone, occasional breakouts). My skin can react really quickly to various things, e.g. flying and dry cabin air (which makes me break out in 45 min), but putting just one drop of jojoba (which i mix with a facial spray to spread more easily) under my moisturizer saves the day. I love how it feels on the skin, sinks in immediately (compared to grape seed oil, which just sits on my face) and gives a nice non-shiny glow. Great for harsh winters and mega-dry heating. Will never stop using. Oh, and jojoba oil has also greatly reduced the black heads on the sides of my nose! It's amazing, I've always had so much dry skin on my nose I've had to use a tweezer to peel it off (and no moisturizer, exfoliatior, BHA, AHA or glycolic acid ever worked), but jojoba took care of that - and the blackheads too - in two weeks.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Origins - Clear Improvement
kristinapentti 10/8/2007 2:37:00 PM
What a product and what a price! This has been my HG deep cleansing mask for almost 6 years, and I will never stop using it. Easy to apply, hygienic packaging, does not irritate or dry my clog-prone, surface dry, sensitive skin. This has actually greatly reduced my problems with surface dehydration: if my skin gets too dry, it starts breaking out, and no moisturizer gets through the super dry surface. Enter this mask - removes dead dry skin, cleans pores and moisturizer sinks in like nothing I've ever experienced. I use it twice a week. Unlike some reviewers, I strongly disagree with not using the mask on you entire face, as this supposedly breaks you out. There is no such thing as generalizing skin care, and in my 6 years of Clear Improvement-frenzy, I've *never* broken out badly because of the mask. Granted, it brings impurities to the surface, but that is kind of the point; get them out and get rid of them.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Laura Mercier - Blushing Tint
kristinapentti 10/3/2007 2:19:00 PM
Love the colour - it is PERFECT if you are looking for that pinched cheek au naturel look. Does not contain silicones, and has not yet upset my sensitive clog prone skin. Only complaint is the crappy packaging, if LM would just incorporate their genius mineral MU packaging into all their products...well, a girl can't have everything, and with the inceridble staying power this blush exhibits, it really isn't necessary to cart around all day.
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Primer/ Corrector -Laura Mercier - mineral primer
kristinapentti 9/27/2007 3:40:00 AM
I wanted to like this - I love the foundation from this line, and I thought the primer would take it to new hights. Turns out my old nemesis dimethicone is part and parcel of this product, and I broke out within a couple of hours. Also, as soon as I put it on, the sides of my nose flaked like never before, and my face got really oily after a while. For reference, I've combination skin, which is superprone to surface dehydration and clogs (rarely larger cysts or pimples). The packaging is excellent, but a bit small, espec. when used with the brush. May give it a go, since I would love to be able to increase the staying power of my MMU.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Korres - Watermelon Sunscreen Face Cream SPF 30
kristinapentti 9/20/2007 3:58:00 PM
I seem to be in the minority here, but this is the only ss that has never broken me out (in the 6 months I've used it). Works well under mmu, too, just mix it a dab with a little neutral facial spary and allow. Finish is semi matte. UPDATED: sorry for doing this so late - this ss does apparently not protect against melasma, as my post-summer face looked like someone had spit chewing tobacco in it. Stopped using it.
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Moisturizers -Dermalogica - Skin Smoothing Cream
kristinapentti 9/20/2007 3:53:00 PM
Loved it for the 2 first week, then clogged pores by the second. Irritated my skin, too. This was my second foray into Dermalogica's moisturizers, and I thought it was my HG. The main problem seems to be the silicone in it (and all Dermalogica mosturizers), which I react to, and have since learnt to stay away from cones, massive improvement.
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Moisturizers -Dermalogica - Active Moist
kristinapentti 9/20/2007 3:50:00 PM
Great packaging, non-offensive scent but for me, horrible product. Used this before finding out that balancing products completely mess up my sensitive, surface dry, clog prone skin. The texture is nice, though, but for anyone with a slightest inclination towards dryness, not moisturizing enough.
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