Lotions/ Creams -Aveeno - Active Naturals Eczema Care Moisturizing Cream
laluna82 2/24/2013 10:13:00 PM
I have had eczema since childhood, and recently it has gotten worse during winter. Just last week I developed huge patches on both wrists that weren't responding to regular moisturizers or anti-itch creams. I used this lotion twice a day, and the rashes cleared up within 5 days. I was so impressed to find a product that actually does what it claims to do. I am definitely keeping a tube on hand from now on. At $11, it is kind of pricey for a drugstore product, but well worth the money, and sometimes you can find a coupon.
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Eyes -Unlisted Brand - SkinActives Eyebrow Serum
laluna82 11/24/2012 11:02:00 PM
Although I wish I could award this product full marks, it has not worked as well for me as it has for others here. I used as directed until the tube was gone (about 2 1/2 months), and saw some regrowth on my overplucked eyebrows, but they are a long way from being filled in. I still can't leave the house without brow powder. After reading all the glowing reviews on MUA, I was hoping this would completely restore my eyebrows within 4-8 weeks as it seems to have done for other users. The packaging quality also leaves a lot to be desired. This product does not come with a brush, so you have to provide your own. Also, the lip gloss-style tube has a tendency to either leak or dispense too much liquid, wasting the product. It would be nice if the serum came in a mascara-style tube with an eyeliner brush in the lid, like Rapidlash. I really wish this product had been more effective for me. At $12, it would have been the bargain of the year. Since it's so cheap and it seems to work well for some people, I won't discourage others from trying it, but don't expect miracles.
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Brows -New York Color - Browser
laluna82 9/5/2012 10:43:00 PM
As a novice to eyebrow makeup, I had tried every drugstore eye pencil imagineable and was about to give up on finding a natural brow filler until I stumbled upon this inexpensive little kit. The brow powder is very buildable and natural looking as long as you do not overdo it. Here are a few tips to make this kit work for you: 1. Applying a base coat of wax will make the powder darker and more dramatic looking. A good thing for me because my natural brows are almost black and the powder by itself is just a little too light for me. 2. Apply the wax with a finger. This will provide better coverage and prevent cross-contamination between the wax and powder. 3. After dipping the brush in the powder, tap off the excess. I didn't do the first time, and got a cloudful of powder in my eyes. It looked like I'd lost a round with Rocky Balboa. There are a few drawbacks, but not enough to deter me from re-purchasing. The wax is too soft to hold brows in place, but it gives the powder something to stick to. Also, the packaging isn't the greatest. The pan for the tweezers and brush could be a little deeper. It is so shallow that sometimes I have trouble closing the lid over the tools. Unlike some others here, I didn't have any trouble with the tweezers and brush. The brush is just the right size for extending my brow line (the main reason I bought this kit). And the tweezers are actually high quality for the price, better than my full-sized Revlon tweezers. The slant tip is also very smooth, meaning that you're less likely to cut into your skin or damage a follicle when plucking stubborn brow hairs. All in all, this is a good buy--very inexpensive, lots of features, and long-lasting, too!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Makeup Remover -Rimmel - Gentle Eye Make Up Remover
laluna82 8/22/2012 6:13:00 PM
This is my first eye makeup remover and first experience with Rimmel products. I bought it after seeing glowing reviews on several websites, and was not disappointed. It removed all my eye makeup (including waterproof mascara) in one swipe. Also, it is fairly reasonably priced at $4.50 for 4 oz., cheaper than comparable drug store brands. For people who claim that this stings your eyes, maybe your skin was already irritated before. The first time I used it, it did sting my eyebrow area a little bit, but that was because my skin was very dry and flaky that day. The next day, I used moisturizer before applying eye makeup, and when I took my makeup off that night, I didn't experience any irritation at all.
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Lip Gloss -New York Color - Liquid Lipshine in Brighton Beach Peach (575)
laluna82 7/3/2012 11:01:00 PM
Ugh! I hate this lip gloss! Originally, I bought this because I remember liking NYC products as a teenager, and they're so reasonably priced. Unfortunately, the gloss didn't live up to my fond adolescent memories. It is very thick, more like a liquid lipstick than a gloss, and very, very frosty. After applying it, I felt like I'd been playing Seven Minutes in Heaven with Jack Frost! The only good thing about this product is its cost, but even at the low, low price of $3 it is a waste of money because I will never use it again.
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Clear Mascara
laluna82 7/3/2012 10:53:00 PM
This product is great for a natural look. It subtly defines and lengthens your lashes, and, look Ma, no racoon eyes! :) Although it is an excellent mascara, the formula is a little too thin to work well as a brow gel. I have fairly neat-looking brows, with just a few stray hairs, but the gel did not hold them in place at all. So if you intend to use it primarily for shaping eyebrows, you may want to look elsewhere, but for naturally beautiful lashes, this can't be beat! Make sure you replace it after three months, though--the formula tends to get a little cloudy and probably not safe to use beyond that point.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Cover Girl - Natureluxe Liquid Silk Foundation
laluna82 3/2/2012 10:27:00 PM
It's very difficult for me to find a good foundation that's light enough to match my fair skin and cover acne blemishes. But then I saw Taylor Swift in the Cover Girl ad and decided, "Well, if it works for her, maybe it will work for me." I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this. It glides on as smooth as silk and is very buildable. The one disadvantage to this product is that it doesn't last very long in the summer. In hot weather, it tends to slide off after a few hours unless I use a primer underneath. But I am willing to accept the minor inconvenience because this foundation has such a great texture and color matches my skin so well. If Cover Girl would make a long-wearing version of this, then it would be perfect.
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Treatments -Alberto Vo5 - Hot Oil Treatment
laluna82 2/26/2012 10:30:00 PM
While this is not a miracle hot oil treatment, it works pretty well for the price. It is also quick and easy to use. I don't have the patience to sit for hours waiting for a hair treatment to work, so being able to do this in under a minute was a big plus for me. It rinses out very easily, with no greasy residue. My dry, frizzy hair was noticeably softer, with fewer tangles, although I still had some residual frizz. I haven't been using this for long, so I will see how well this works over the long term.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -New York Color - Liquid Lip Shine in Prospect Pink
laluna82 1/24/2012 9:22:00 PM
Liquid Lip Shine was one of the first glosses I used as a teenager and so, feeling nostalgic and needing cheap gloss, I decided to buy this. Big mistake. Some things are better off left in the past. The gloss looks like a shimmery, peachy pink in the tube, but on lips it's so frosty that I feel like I've been making out with Frosty the Snowman. Yuck. Also, the sponge tip applicator is too floppy, so if you must buy this gloss, use a lip brush to apply. Unfortunately, I am stuck with this for the time being because I am too cheap to throw it away. But I would never buy it again. Even at $2.00 it is a waste of money.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Jolen Creme Bleach
laluna82 12/21/2011 3:32:00 PM
This is the best bleach for facial hair. I used to be a fan of Sally Hansen bleach, but noticed that it decreased in effectiveness after I'd been using it for a few years (not sure if the formula was changed or my hair was just becoming more resistant to the dye). Jolen bleaches 99.5% of the unwanted facial hair, making it softer, finer, and less visible. It did sting a little, but not nearly as badly as the Sally Hansen formula. I've found that applying aloe gel after removing the bleach helps take away the redness within minutes. The only downside to this product is the "mixing tray" (which is actually just a tiny plastic card). As others have pointed out, using the mixing tray is very messy and wasteful. So I use a medicine cup instead. I will definitely continue purchasing this product. It only cost $5 at Walmart and the tubs of product last forever (I use it biweekly).
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Lip Gloss -Revlon - Colorburst (All colors)
laluna82 4/25/2011 8:34:00 PM
I received a sample of the Hot Pink shade in a Target beauty bag promotion. Although the hot pink looked like a very bright shade, it goes on very sheer. This is a good thing if you like a natural look, but I was hoping for a little more color. Another problem I had with this shade is that it had way too much glitter. My lips looked like a disco ball! Somehow, even after the color wore off, the glitter remained in place, scratching my skin with its unpleasant grainy texture. My lips were very dry at the end of the day. Overall, I did not enjoy this product and am very glad that I got to try it out for free instead of spending several dollars on a full tube.
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Lip Gloss -New York Color - Liquid Lip Shine- 552B Cappuccino
laluna82 3/17/2011 9:32:00 AM
Like others, I was surprised by the negative reviews for this. The color is a peachy nude with a subtle shimmer that won't make your lips look like a disco ball. I am fair skinned and this shade flatters my skin tone; it doesn't wash me out at all. It looks great alone or over a dark red lipstick. One drawback is that the forumula tends to clump, especially on dry lips, and it's not very "buildable". Apply more than one coat and watch your lips become a pile of goo. To counteract the clumping factor, I use Aquafina lip balm as a primer and then apply with a light hand. Then the lip gloss will go on smoothly. Although the application process can be a little tricky, I continue to buy this because I like the color and it's very inexpensive.
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Treatments -Sally Hansen - Hair lightening creme
laluna82 3/12/2011 4:18:00 PM
This product is great for fair-skinned women with a little bit of facial hair that's a little too dark. After using it, I found that the hair bleached to a whitish-blonde that blended in well with my skin, although I did have to do a second application to fully lighten all the hair. Results typically last 2-4 weeks. The price is good, about $6 for a box that will last several months (and most boxes contain a $1 coupon for a future purchase). The only problem with this product is that it will burn a little, especially if you have sensitive skin. It will also make the skin red at the bleaching site, but redness should fade in 30 minutes to an hour. Just don't do it right before you plan to leave the house. I have found that if the skin does turn red, applying fresh aloe gel will help the redness clear up a lot faster. I do wish this bleach was a little gentler on skin, but it works, and, hey, beauty hurts.
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Lip Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Aquafina Flavor Splash Lip Balm
laluna82 10/28/2010 10:47:00 PM
I have tried several different lip balms, both cheap and expensive, and this brand is my new favorite. It contains the perfect blend of beeswax and healing oils, which means it glides on smoothly without being too oily (Burt's Bees and Alba Organics, take note. This is the formula for a good chapstick). I don't have to apply very often, either, though I do it every couple of hours just because it feels so good on my lips. The minty tingle gives me a nice little rush. The best part, though, is that you look movie star-cool when you pull this sleek, sexy little tube of chapstick out of your purse. Lip balm has never been so glamorous.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Olay - Age Defying Daily Renewal Cleanser
laluna82 8/29/2010 7:24:00 PM
As a zitty teenager, I used to use this product to combat blemishes. As an adult, my acne started flaring up again, so I returned to the store to try this timeless favorite. Unfortunately, the new version is not at all like I remembered it. The Olay that I used in my youth produced a lather when I rubbed it in my palm, but the kind in stores now is more like a lotion. Also, there are very few microbeads in it. I actually found that it made my acne worse. Sadly, I had to stop using it and am switching to St. Ives. I will boycott until Olay brings back the original formula.
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