Crème -Laura Mercier - Silk Creme Foundation
lauralampkin 7/15/2012 9:01:00 PM
I was a frequent user of Laura Mercier products before I bought this. The Oil-Free Tinted Moisutrizer was my go-to everyday face, and the Secret Camouflage got me through the rando breakout every now and again. I was looking for a more full-coverage foundation (not for everyday, just for fancy goings on), and went for this one. I bought Cream Ivory, and it was still too dark. I think I should have gone with the pinker one. One thing I will say for this, is that it will cover anything. However, one thing I cannot stand is the smell. It smells like paint thinner. If they expanded the palette range and got rid of that god-awful smell, I might be persuaded to buy again, but as stands now, I'm back on the hunt.
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BB Cream -Smashbox - Camera Ready BB Cream SPF 35
lauralampkin 7/15/2012 8:55:00 PM
A friend of mine recommended this to me. I had been using Laura Mercier's oil free TM since forever, but was curious about the whole BB thing. I bought it and I'm sold. My skin is fairly reddish first thing in the morning, but after putting this on, I'm all even and pretty. I'm pretty sensitive, and it hasn't made me break out at ALL, and I would say it's improved the texture and tone of my skin over the last few months that I used it. It lasts pretty well too. I don't have a sedentary job, and I find it holds up extremely well to all the running around I do all day. Will be buying new when my current stash runs out.
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Fragrances -Bulgari - Bvlgari for Men
lauralampkin 1/2/2009 4:16:00 PM
I am totally obsessed with this smell. I tried it out at a counter forever ago, and then my mom was looking for a nice scent to buy my dad for Christmas and I suggested this and we both loved it. However I find myself sneaking into his room to use it for myself. It's not overtly "mannish" and I think it's a totally appropriate smell for a woman.
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Lipstick -Clinique - Colour Surge Bare Brilliance - Poppy Shine
lauralampkin 10/16/2008 1:12:00 PM
I am so bummed they are not making this lipstick anymore! I got a sample of this in a really pretty pink color that became my go to lipstick, and then I lost it, and bought this one from Sephora (which still has some of the line) in its place. After reading all the reviews I was prepared for a shocking color, and wow, they don't lie. But I've been wearing it all day, and it really grows on you. It's not nearly as orange as it looks in the tube, and it's got way more pink in it than you would expect. I don't know that it would be great on super super pale skin, but I'm pretty fair and I like it just fine. I think in the summer it will look nice when I have a little more color in my face, maybe with a touch of bronzer. Overall, I don't know why on earth they would discontinue it.
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Lotions/ Creams -Eucerin - Dry Skin Therapy PLUS Intensive Repair Lotion
lauralampkin 10/3/2008 1:24:00 PM
I bought this because of its AHAs, but the consistency leaves something to be desired. It's about the same viscosity as Elmer's. So it sort of feels like you're rubbing glue into your skin. I think it might be the lanolin, because I had the same issues with Lubriderm's regular unscented lotion. I switched to Lubriderm's lanolin free, dye free, fragrance free lotion, and am quite pleased. I have pretty sensitive skin, and I was having some breakouts and dryness on my upper arms, which the Lubriderm cleared up, and I'm pretty sure the Eucerin exacerbated (which is disappointing for Eucerin). So I still have half of this bottle of gluey lotion left, and I don't know what to do with it. Every once in a while, I forget what it was like, and try it again, and back it goes on the shelf.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -C.O. Bigelow - Lemon Body Cream
lauralampkin 10/3/2008 1:14:00 PM
I've used a couple other Bigelow products, and was generally pleased, so I tried this because I really liked the smell and I thought the consistency was fabulous. I didn't use it every day, and I didn't use it all over, usually just on my arms and shoulders (where I get driest). But after a bit, I got what looked like a heat rash on the inside of my arm, wrist, and in the crook of my elbow. It itched like crazy and while some hydrocortisone cream helped, it was still pretty awful. I stopped using the lemon cream just out of coincidence, and the rash went away and then I read on here about the reaction some people have, and I figure, that's what must have caused it in the first place. I haven't used it since, except as a hand cream and I haven't had any problems, but for most people I'd just say save your money. $20 is a lot to pay for a rash.
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Clothes -Unlisted Brand - Havaianas flip-flops
lauralampkin 10/2/2008
I have these in a bunch of colors. I still have the first pair I bought forever ago too (light blue). They're amazing and they're so much better than cheaper flip flops (looking at you Old Navy). They're made of this really squashy rubber, not plastic, and I remember when I first put them on, I was like, ooh. I don't get blisters from them (but if you do, btw, try that blister shield thing from Dr. Scholls...a-may-zing), and I will never ever ever buy a different pair of flip flops. Plus if you get them sandy at the beach they wash off easy and don't get soggy!
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Mascara -Maybelline - Great Lash Mascara
lauralampkin 10/1/2008 11:08:00 PM
I actually like this. On it's own, meh, but I like layering it under other mascara. I used to do this with Lash Discovery, but that would clump, which, you know, ick. I also find this is better when you first buy it, but gets, like, clumpier as it ages. If I layer it under my Definicils (which I could do with or without, honestly), I get longer lashes that are fairly defined and way more dramatic than with either product alone. The downside to this is that it takes more time to do my lashes, but if I've got the extra time I'll go for it.
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Styling Products -Matrix - Curl Life Every Weather Hairspray
lauralampkin 9/19/2008 7:27:00 PM
My curls and I have been fighting lately, and this hairspray didn't really help. I'm not sure it made my hair frizzier (but it might have in fact), but it certainly didn't do anything to make the situation better. It's not like it's really sticky or anything, but I really don't feel like it's curl specific. At least not enough to warrant special categorization. And it smells like melons, which I hate. All in all, it's really not worth the money. Seriously. Put your wallet away.
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Skincare - Body -Neutrogena - Norwegian Formula Hand Cream Unscented
lauralampkin 9/16/2008 7:57:00 PM
I'm a hand cream junkie. I cannot STAND dry hands, and I have to carry something with me pretty much all the time. If I wash my hands, in a public restroom for example, I need lotion pretty much before I've gotten back to my seat. I use this cream at least once a day, usually more. It's the perfect size to fit in my bag, and I don't need a ton of it either. What I love too, is it doesn't smell AT ALL, which means if I'm out at a restaurant or somewhere in public I can use it when I need it without worrying about anyone's else's sensitive nose. I always thought that was kind of rude, applying smelly hand cream while other people were eating. Problem solved!
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Shampoo -Paul Mitchell - Shampoo Two
lauralampkin 9/16/2008 5:46:00 PM
I go through this stuff like toilet paper. It is my all time favorite shampoo, and I haven't really used anything else for the last five years (I do the once-a-week thing with Neutrogena's Anti-Residue, but I don't consider that cheating). I love the lemony smell, it's not too heavy, and it really gets your hair clean. I have thick wavy hair that's pretty long (right to the bra snap...it gets caught sometimes!), and I tend to use a lot of styling products, but I always know that I'll get a fresh start every day because of this shampoo. I don't find it terribly drying either, and I do use it pretty much every day (I tried to do the every other day thing, but it's so hard not getting my hair wet in the shower and there's no way I'm not showering every day) It's really hard to find though, even in salons, so I tend to buy it online, and next time, I'm going for the liter size with the pump.
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Sunscreen -La Roche Posay - Anthelios XL SPF 50 Lait Veloute
lauralampkin 9/16/2008 5:34:00 PM
I cannot cannot cannot go back to buying regular American sunscreen. This works so well. I haven't had a sunburn in over a year. I've worn this stuff to baseball games, amusement parks, any kind of outdoor festival, and it is genius. The downside is it is ridiculously expensive stateside. I started using it in France where it's about 15-20 euros (and even with the sad exchange rate that doesn't add up to the $55 I've seen it priced at). I can't use anything else though. I find it works great under makeup too, although when I use it with my tinted moisturizer, I notice it kind of makes my face sticky right afterwards, making it hard to apply powder blush. But a good cream blush will fix that problem, and the stickyness doesn't really last. Overall, I think this has actually improved the quality of my skin, and I can't wait until the ingredients get broader FDA approval. As it is now, I think they've only approved Mexoryl SX (not XL, which is in this stuff), and you can usually only find it in SPF 15 strength, which isn't really enough for me, but then again, I'm paranoid about sun exposure.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -NARS - Mata Hari
lauralampkin 9/16/2008 5:14:00 PM
One of my favorite shades. I love this color because there's no sparkle, so it's great for day. So hard in general to find really matte shades of blush. I know it looks ridiculously Barbie Doll in the package, but it looks pretty natural on skin, even pale skin. A little goes a super long way though, and sometimes I find myself having to blend it in with powder because I've gone a little too swipe happy. Once or twice in the pan does the trick. And it lasts for-ev-er. The only reason I've can see the tin on this one is because I dropped it and it cracked in the corner. But even so it'll still last a bonkers long time.
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Tinted Moisturizer -Laura Mercier - Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20
lauralampkin 9/16/2008 4:58:00 PM
I've used this for about a year, not every day though. I would recommend though, when trying it at the counter, go outside before purchasing! The shade the SA recommended looked fine in the store, but when I went home, I realized it was just a shade too dark, and it made me look too tan (I'm pretty pale in the face). It wasn't too bad, but for winter I had to buy it in porcelain, and I'm pretty happy with the results. It is sick expensive though. The tube lasts a pretty long time, but still. Yikes. It's not really full coverage either, but for those weekend days where you just want to look like yourself, only less ruddy and more evened out, it's pretty perfect.
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Cleansers -Clinique - Liquid Facial Soap - Oily skin
lauralampkin 9/16/2008 4:51:00 PM
This product is SO much better than the normal kind! I wanted so badly for this to work because I hated the way the bar soap got all slimy and goopy. The mild liquid formula made me break out and didn't rinse as cleanly, and after getting amazingly exasperated with my slime ball of a bar of soap, I thought maybe if I went for the oily formula I'd be better off. I was so happy! (Stupid for soap, but I'm pretty easily pleased). I don't find it all that drying, and it doesn't break me out, which is pretty much all I ask for in face soap. Plus the cooling sensation is a nice pick me up in the morning.
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