Treatments -Dove - Damage Therapy Nourishing Oil Care Daily Treatment Conditioner
lchoe 6/29/2012 4:33:00 PM
I use both the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner (the one w/ the higher rating, in a bottle similar to Dove Body Washes - I will call #1 for simplicity) and this Dove Treatment (in a Tube, I'll call it #2 for simplicity). I LOVE the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Cond. #1 as it leaves my hair perfect w/ all the good stuff we want for our hair (soft, shiny, clean w /no film, good movement, FULL) but I thought this treatment #2 is not getting the love/good ratings it deserves. When I have used this, my hair was definitely more conditioned than w/ #1 but not as full bodied (more flat), etc. I recently came back from a Bumble & Bumble Event (@ their headquarters, House of Bumble) in NYC where we could get a color consultation & our hair styled so my stylist curled my hair (long, 3" past shoulders) & used B&B Surf Spray (has salt, good for oomph but not good at all for conditioning your hair). BTW - both the colorist (1 of the top colorists there) & stylist thought my hair was in great condition (thanks Dove Nourishing Oil Conditioners)! Next morning, I woke up just feeling what "slight" damage (dryer, more prone to tangling) I had done to my hair (in 1 evening!) and in the next hour I was going to a vigorous dance class where we end up dripping wet w/ sweat (more sweat/salt to the scalp, hair, OUCH - my poor hair). So before class I quickly washed my hair & used the Dove Treatment (#2). After class, I took my ponytail out and my hair was beautifully conditioned, soft, shiny/glossy, etc. I KNOW that Dove Nourishing Oil Cond. #1 would not have cured my damaged hair like #2 did. Yes, I reach for the #1 more often but when I need to really pamper my hair, I reach for #2. So I am happy to own both Dove Nourishing Oil Conditioners - just know when you to use them for your different needs. This is the 1st time in 30 years I love a Drug Store Treatment/Mask! All this time I've been using Kerastase Masques, Bumble & Bumble Super Rich & various masks, Alterna, Living Proof, Joico, Biolage Ultra Hydrating Balm (Dove left my hair softer & fuller, not as limp as w/ Biolage), Redken All Soft (Dove left my hair softer, shinier, fuller w/o the film-y feeling as All Soft), etc. I can't believe a conditioner/treatment that costs $4.79 for 8 oz is outperforming $50+ masques & $30 conditioners! I've been trying the highly rated drug store favorites off & on for 30 years only to be disappointed (other Dove conditioners, Neutrogena Triple Moisture Masque DID NOTHING for my hair except to leave it limp/stringy w/ no moisture!, others like Pantene, L'oreal left a film). I am 46, have fine, thin (but lots of it) long (5" past shoulders), black, stick straight, silky Korean hair. Slightly oily scalp with dry ends. I use: Kerastase Bain Miroir 1 & 2 Shampoos, Kerastase masques (MasquIntense, UV Defense), Bumble & Bumble (Super Rich), Joico (K-Pak deep conditioners), Redken (Extreme Conditioner).
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Conditioner -Bumble & Bumble - Super Rich Conditioner
lchoe 6/26/2012 8:27:00 AM
Fantastic Conditioner: leaves my hair soft, hydrated, VERY shiny/silky, good swing/movement when I walk, etc.! I was introduced to Bumble & Bumble (B&B) Conditioners & Masques by the very kind Sephora SAs after Alterna Caviar Shampoo wrecked my hair (my stick straight, mirror shiny, soft hair became snarled & tangled & over 1 year, 4" of the snarls had to be cut off)! After the Alterna Caviar Shampoo debacle, not even my Kerastase Masques could help. After explaining/showing my hair dilemma to the very nice Sephora SAs, they gave me samples of Bumble & Bumble: Super Rich Conditioner, Quenching Conditioner & Creme de Coco Masque (all great). I am very thankful that the B&B Conditioners/Masques helped me keep what long hair I had left for as long as I could. Out of the above, my favorite was the Super Rich Cond. I found it more nourishing & conditioning than the B&B Masques (my favorite Sephora SAs w/ LONG hair all agree w/ me!). btw- I find the B&B SHAMPOOS (Mending, Quenching) much TOO HARSH - leaves frizzy hair halo on me (my long haired Sephora SAs also agree w/ me on this). I went to a hair stylist 3x who is a Kerastase fanatique. I'd bring the B&B in a plain container for my haircuts and the hair stylist who ONLY used & sold Kerastase was very impressed how it made my hair so SHINY & conditioned. She really inspected my hair (she's German w/ a science background!) and her eyes bulged looking at the condition of my hair after using the B&B Super Rich. CONS: I don't buy this cond. any more (as much as I liked the results) as I found something better for much less ($3.49 for 12 oz). After 8 months, the B&B Super Rich "plastic" smell really bothered me (& I'm not hyper sensitive to scents). I have no issues re: paying $23 (8 oz) for a product that makes my hair so lovely but the ingredient list didn't seem that special to me (but I'm no chemist & I'm sure they have their special chemical composition to why this product is so phenomenal). Still... ***I now purchase & am thrilled w/ Dove Nourishing Oil Conditioner (w/ flip cap on bottom). This is the first reasonably priced ($3.49 for 12 oz) hair product in 30 years that I am a fan of (as well as Trader Joe's Tea Tree Oil Shampoo & Cond. $3.99 for 16 oz !). This Dove Cond. leaves my hair just as nice as the B&B Super Rich (maybe w/ even more fullness - important for my stick straight hair), has coconut oil, sweet almond oil & it smells SO much better than the B&B! I brought the Dove Nourishing Oil Cond. (in a plain unlabeled container) to the same Kerastase obsessed hair stylist (formerly mentioned) & she was even more impressed w/ my hair after blow drying it than when I brought in & she used the Bumble & Bumble Super Rich! I am 46, have fine, thin (but lots of it) long (5" past shoulders), black, stick straight, silky Korean hair. Slightly oily scalp with dry ends. I use: Kerastase Bain Miroir 1 & 2 Shampoos, Kerastase masques (MasquIntense, UV Defense), Joico (K-Pak), Redken (Extreme Conditioner).
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Conditioner -Dove - Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner
lchoe 6/23/2012 6:22:00 AM
WOW - this is the 1st time in 30 years I love a Drug Store Conditioner! All this time I've been using Kerastase Masques, Bumble & Bumble Super Rich, Alterna, Living Proof, Joico, Biolage Ultra Hydrating Balm (Dove left my hair softer & fuller, not as limp as w/ Biolage), Redken All Soft (Dove left my hair softer, shinier, fuller w/o the film-y feeling as All Soft), etc. I can't believe a conditioner that costs $3.49 for 12 oz is outperforming $50+ masques & $30 conditioners! I've been trying the highly rated drug store favorites off & on for 30 years only to be disappointed (other Dove conditioners, Neutrogena Triple Moisture Masque DID NOTHING for my hair except to leave it limp/stringy w/ no moisture!, others like Pantene, L'oreal left a film). MY HAIR: stick STRAIGHT, FINE, thin (but a lot of it), silky Korean hair (I do not need "frizz control"), SLIGHTLY OILY scalp, long (3" past my shoulders), dry ends - this conditioner does WONDERS for me. This leaves my hair soft, SHINY, conditioned yet my hair still has BODY, good movement/swing when I walk and is NOT left FLAT/limp (cond. never feels "heavy"). As others wrote, this cond. makes my hair simply perfect. I am a stickler for the longer parts of my hair to feel conditioned, perfect & this cond. DELIVERS (other drug store cond. failed miserably here). Before this, my favorite was Bumble & Bumble Super Rich Conditioner ($23+tax for 8 oz). I'd bring the B&B in a plain container for my haircuts and the hair stylist who ONLY used Kerastase was impressed how it made my hair so perfect & shiny. When I brought the Dove (in a plain container), this Kerastase obsessed stylist was even more impressed w/ my hair after blow drying than when I brought the Bumble & Bumble Super Rich! I am 46 & my hair used to be insanely shiny silky w/ other Koreans asking if I was regularly getting "shine treatments" @ the salon (nope, genetics thanks to parents). However due to stress in the past 3 years, my hair has taken a beating & I am more sensitive to dulling films or coatings in my hair/scalp from shampoos/conditioners as I have aged (Cindy Crawford mentions this all the time; aging hair). To cope w/ the stress, I have been working out 7 days a week, 2x a day which is great for my mind/body but not good for my hair (tight ponytail, sweat affecting scalp & hair). This Dove Cond. (from my ears down) & my Trader Joe's Tea Tree Oil Cond. (from my scalp to my ears) has given me back the hair I remembered (mirror like shine, body, moving/swinging like a commercial when I walk) & my friends have noticed too (w/o me saying a word to them)! Only issues re: potential acne on the neck, back b/c of the mineral oil content (I'm not thrilled w/ this either), I simply clip my hair in a bun back w/ a comb or hair clip after putting in the conditioner & go on, wash my body, etc. As for potential build-up (most likely for any conditioner to do unless you use non-sulfate & non-paraben conditioners), I use a clarifying shampoo every week to ensure my hair can perform at its peak w/ this wonderful conditioner. I also use a non-sulfate conditioner from my scalp to my ears (Trader Joe Tea Tree Tingle Cond. is AMAZING & only $3.99 for 16 oz, see my review for this) & then use the Dove from my ears down to the rest of my hair length. I also bought the Dove Damage Therapy Nourishing Oil Care Daily Treatment Conditioner (in the tube, $4.49 for 8 oz ) - although it doesn't have the greatest ratings, I like it as a 1x week deeper treatment (although the tube says "Daily". It doesn't leave my hair as full w/ body as the Daily Cond. does but I can feel a difference (deeper conditioning) after using the stronger Dove Treatment. Still I love the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Daily Conditioner more. Try both, esp. with these prices! Shoot, I think I need to stock up for the first time in 30 years. I just tried the Dove Nourishing Oil Shampoo. It left my hair beautifully conditioned, soft & shiny but it is probably too much/ too heavy for my fine, straight hair as my hair is not as full as I prefer. Still thrilled to have the this Dove Conditioner though! I am 46, have fine, thin (but lots of it) long (5" past shoulders), black, stick straight, silky Korean hair. Slightly oily scalp with dry ends. I use: Kerastase Bain Miroir 1 & 2 Shampoos, Kerastase masques (MasquIntense, UV Defense), Bumble & Bumble (Super Rich), Joico (K-Pak deep conditioners), Redken (Extreme Conditioner).
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Conditioner -Trader Joe's - Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner
lchoe 6/17/2012 10:26:00 PM
Holy Moly - this conditioner (like the shampoo) is fantastic and the price is unbelievable for the quality and performance! This (along w/ Dove Nourishing Oil Cond. - separate review) is the 1st & only non-high end priced conditioner (for me) that performs up there (& better!) w/ the high end conditioners I use (Kerastase, Bumble & Bumble, Joico, Biolage, Redken) & trust me, I have been looking, trying reasonably priced conditioners for the past 30 years (Neutrogena, L'oreal,etc.) but was usually disappointed w/ all of them until this GEM. Reading the super impressive ingredient list (60% of the Ingredients are Organic), how can Trader Joe's even make a profit as this conditioner charges next to nothing ($3.99 for 16 oz = $1.99 for 8 oz!)? Again thanks to MUA as I would not have tried this shampoo & conditioner if wasn't for the rave reviews. Ingredients (*=Organic): Water, *Tea Tree Oil, *Peppermint Oil, *Eucalyptus Oil, *Nettle Oil, *Thyme Oil, Birch Leaf Oil, *Chamomile Oil, *Clary, *Coltsfoot Leave, *Yarrow Oil, *Mallow, *Horsetail Oil, *Soybean Protein, Cetyl Alcohol (Plant Derived), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Trace Minerals, Citric Acid (Corn), Sodium Hydroxymethglycinate, Grapefruit Seed (Citrus Derived) I am 46 w/ slightly oily scalp & dry ends. Cindy Crawford (who is also 46 or 47) mentions quite often that women need to be careful of their hair aging (as well as our face & body) which results in less volume, less SHINE & less health (resulting in weaker hair w/ more breakage). I have Korean stick-straight, shiny, silky hair 3" past my shoulders. My hair used to be insanely shiny silky w/ other Koreans asking if I was regularly getting "shine treatments" @ the salon (nope, genetics thanks to parents). However due to stress in the past 3 years, my hair has taken a beating & I am more sensitive to dulling films or coatings in my hair/scalp from shampoos/conditioners as I have aged (thus I'm trying to go the non-sulfate route (I do find it helps w/ less film, coating on my hair/scalp). I LOVE the TJ Tea Tree Conditioner (I only use the TJ Cond. on my scalp to neck & use a stronger deeper conditioner from neck area down). If you look look up the benefits of tea tea oil for your scalp's health, you will appreciate this product even more. I love the tingle, my scalp feels clean, fresh and revived & my hair is left so shiny/glossy. After 1 use, I noticed a DRAMATIC increase in my hair's shine & decent bounce/movement. My FRIENDS ALSO NOTICED (w/o any nudging from me) which is the true test. If you have longer dry hair w/ damaged ends, you might need to use a stronger/deeper conditioner just for your ends (I use Dove Nourishing Oil from the neck down). For co-washing, this Conditioner is AMAZING! I tried a Wen type of conditioner co-wash from Lisa Rachel w/ Tea Tree Oil ($7.99 for 8 oz, great reviews on amazon.com but I didn't like the filmy feeling & my hair was not so shiny w/ Lisa R) but the TJ Tea Tree Cond. was SO much better (scalp felt cleaner & tingle was amazing)! I work out 7 days a week, 2 hours a day so I look so forward to using this conditioner as a co-wash to help keep my scalp/hair fresh & conditioned w/o the unnecessary stress & over drying from shampooing too much. The TJ Tea Tree Oil Body Wash is great too (both $3.99 for 16 oz, you just can't find this great quality for UNBELIEVABLE low prices). At TJ's (in NYC), these Tea Tree Items go FAST (noticeable on the shelves compared to other TJ's Beauty products that are great quality as well). I am 46, have fine (but lots of it) long (5" past shoulders), black, stick straight, silky Korean hair. Slightly oily scalp with dry ends. I use: Kerastase Bain Miroir 1 & 2 Shampoos, Kerastase masques (MasquIntense, UV Defense), Bumble & Bumble (Super Rich), Joico (K-Pak deep conditioners), Redken (Extreme Conditioner).
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Shampoo -Alterna - Bamboo smooth anti frizz
lchoe 5/25/2012 8:22:00 AM
This is my favorite out of the Alterna Shampoos (I've been using this brand off and on since 1998) and I have purchased this after using samples from Sephora. As I have long stick-straight silky hair (korean) 3" past my shoulders, I would never have thought of a shampoo with "smooth anti frizz" working well for me b/c I don't have any frizz and I look for shampoos that give me body & fullness (I associate smooth w/ flat hair). My favorite Sephora rep recommended this shampoo to me & wow, I am glad she did. The $20 price is reasonable for Alterna (other Alterna shampoos cost $32 - $50 for 8.5 oz). Like most Alterna shampoos, you only need a tiny amount of shampoo for a full lather. My scalp felt so clean (but not dried out), the shine factor was good but what I loved was that my hair had decent BODY & when I moved, my hair would SWING which I love (nice surprise)! I LOVE how Alterna shampoos keep my scalp CLEANER LONGER than most other shampoos without drying out my scalp/hair and this shampoo did not disappoint in that factor. Overall this shampoo is reliable for a good hair day & I use this when I have an important event & my hair needs to look its best. *ONLY culprit (why I gave this a 4 instead of a 5) for this shampoo is that this is HIGH up on the EWG Website for potentially health harming ingredients (www.ewg.org, measures health hazard ingredients in our toiletries). Alterna Shampoos have ranked 7 - 9! (10 is the WORST) on the EWG Website I do not feel comfortable washing my hair/scalp frequently w/ harm causing chemicals (your scalp pores are large so it/your body soaks up anything you put on it) which Alterna Shampoos are abundant in so I save this shampoo for rare occasions. I use Trader Joe's Tea Tree Oil Shampoo (no sulfates, almost no parabens) for most of my shampoo needs (great results and only a 4 on the ewg website). Trader Joe's other tea tree products: conditioner & body wash are AMAZING & only $3.99 for 16 oz (it is very RARE for me to use low priced items). I do not use the Alterna Conditioner & Masques as over & over (since 1998), I have found their conditioning products to be WEAK and not effective. My favorite Sephora Sales Associates agree with me on this one (exception for them: they love Kendi Oil, but this is too heavy/greasy for my straight hair). Other Alterna Shampoos I have used): ~ALTERNA Luminous Shine Shampoo, $20 for 8.5 oz - left a yukky film/coating on my hair and my hair was not that shiny after using this. ~ALTERNA Caviar Moisture Shampoo, $32 for 8 oz, *warning - after 3 uses, this made my hair from neck down so brittle & snarled, I had to immediately get a trim to cut off the damage (my stylist was in shock that a shampoo could cause such damage), 7 - 9 rating on ewg.org I am 46, have fine (but lots of it) long (3" past shoulders), Korean, black, straight hair. I also use: Kerastase Bain Miroir 1 & 2 Shampoos, Kerastase masques (MasquIntense, UV Defense), Bumble & Bumble (Super Rich Cond.), Joico (K-Pak deep conditioners), Redken (Extreme Conditioner, All Soft).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Trader Joe's - Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo
lchoe 5/24/2012 3:35:00 PM
Holy Moly - this shampoo is fantastic and price is unbelievable for the quality and performance. This is the 1st & only non-high end priced shampoo (for me) that performs up there (& better!) w/ the high end shampoos (salon, Sephora, W Foods, etc) & trust me, I have been looking, trying reasonably priced shampoos but was not satisfied until this GEM. Reading the super impressive ingredient list (65% of the Ingredients are Organic), how can Trader Joe's even make a profit as this shampoo charges next to nothing ($3.99 for 16 oz = $1.99 for 8 oz!)? Again thanks to MUA as I would not have tried this shampoo & conditioner if wasn't for the rave reviews. Ingredients (* is Organic): Water, *Tea Tree Oil, *Peppermint Oil, *Eucalyptus Oil, *Rosemary Oil, *Nettle Oil, *Thyme Oil, Birch Leaf Oil, *Chamomile, *Clary, *Lavender, *Coltsfoot Leaf, *Yarrow Oil, *Mallow, *Horsetail Oil, *Soybean Protein, Coconut Derivatives (C12-14 Olefin Sulfonate), Vitamin E, Trace Minerals, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxymethlglcinate, Sea Salt, Grapefruit Seed. I am 46 w/ slightly oily scalp & dry ends. Cindy Crawford (who is also 46 or 47) mentions quite often that women need to be careful of their hair aging (as well as our face & body) which results in less volume, less SHINE & less health (resulting in weaker hair w/ more breakage). I have Korean stick-straight, shiny, silky hair 3" past my shoulders. My hair used to be insanely shiny silky w/ other Koreans asking if I was regularly getting "shine treatments" @ the salon (nope, genetics thanks to parents). However due to stress in the past 3 years, my hair has taken a beating & I am more sensitive to dulling films or coatings in my hair/scalp from shampoos as I have aged. With just 1 use w/ TJ's Shampoo, I noticed a DRAMATIC increase in my hair's shine and decent bounce/movement (subtle bounce but not the dried out bounce/body from a volumizing shampoo, don't want to mislead here). My friends also noticed and commented (without nudging from me) which is the true test. I gave this shampoo & matching conditioner to a friend (52 years old, long hair to her back) and after 1 use, I witnessed how much more glossy and shiny her hair was - wow, these results don't lie. RESULTS from TJ Tea Tree Shampoo: My hair was clean, (I have an moderate OILY scalp), soft, smooth, with good bounce/body and so very SHINY (almost mirror like)! non-sulfate w/ incredible ingredients, nice lather, clean rinse-out, good moderate tingle (not insane tingle like Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree Shampoo), rates a moderate 4 on the EWG Website (www.ewg.org, measures health hazard ingredients some cancer causing in our toiletries which our pores/bodies absorb). I have an oily scalp w/ dry ends (I shampoo every 2- 3 days) and sometimes the shampoos that clean well leave little frizzies all over my scalp - not with this TJ gem. Oily scalped people looking for a very thorough cleaning (clarifying) will have to get a stronger shampoo than this one. Only negative - try to not get this in your eyes (well this is tea tree oil). I try to go the non-sulfate route (I do find it helps), trying various ones from: ~L'OREAL $6 - 8 for 12 oz, (gave my hair too much static & I didn't like the strong odd cologne scent), Ever Pure damaged my hair & Ever Strong made my hair horribly FLAT & limp (made me depressed), rates 5 on ewg.org. Overall L'Oreal Non-Sulfate Shampoos give my hair too much STATIC. ~ LIVING PROOF RESTORE Shampoo (from Sephora), $28 for 8 oz, was lovely & my hair felt thicker but there seemed to be a film on my hair resulting in glossy (but not very shiny) hair & my scalp NEVER felt thoroughly clean - yuk. ~KERASTASE BAIN MIROIR (not sulfate free), $30 for 8.5 oz - TJ's Tea Tree leaves my hair more soft, shiny than the famous Kerastase shampoos. Kerastase is okay but it leaves a slight film/coating on my hair. ~ALTERNA's "BAMBOO SMOOTH-Anti Frizz" $20 for 8.5 oz, gives my stick straight hair some nice body & swing & nice shine. I love how my scalp is so CLEAN (cleaner than TJ's Tea Tree Shampoo) w/ this shampoo BUT this is HIGH up on the EWG Website (7 - 9! for ingredients for potential HEALTH HAZARDS). I do not feel comfortable washing my scalp frequently as our scalp pores are LARGE (compare your scalp pore to your hand for ex.) w/ harm causing chemicals which Alterna Shampoos are abundant in. I use this shampoo for special occasions when my hair need to look its absolute best. ~ALTERNA Caviar Moisture Shampoo, $32 for 8 oz, *warning - after 3 uses, this made my hair from neck down so brittle & snarled, I had to immediately get a trim to cut off the damage (my stylist was in shock that a shampoo could cause such damage), 7 - 9 rating on ewg.org ~ALTERNA Luminous Shine Shampoo, $20 for 8.5 oz - left a yukky film/coating on my hair and my hair was not that shiny after using this. I also LOVE the TJ Tea Tree Conditioner (only use the TJ Cond. on my scalp to neck & use a stronger deeper conditioner from neck area down). For co-washing, the Conditioner is AMAZING! I tried a Wen type of conditioner co-wash from Lisa Rachel w/ Tea Tree Oil ($7.99 for 8 oz, great reviews on amazon.com but I didn't like the filmy feeling & my hair was not so shiny w/ Lisa R) but the TJ Tea Tree Cond. was SO much better (scalp felt cleaner & tingle was amazing)! The TJ Tea Tree Oil Body Wash is great too (both $3.99 for 16 oz, you just can't find this great quality for UNBELIEVABLE low prices). At TJ's (in NYC), these Tea Tree Items go FAST (noticeable on the shelves compared to other TJ's Beauty products that are great quality as well). I am 46, have fine (but lots of it) long (3" past shoulders), Korean, black, straight hair. I also use: Kerastase Bain Miroir 1 & 2 Shampoos, Alterna Bamboo Smooth Anti-Frizz Shampoo, Kerastase masques (MasquIntense, UV Defense), Bumble & Bumble (Super Rich Cond.), Joico (K-Pak deep conditioners), Redken (Extreme Conditioner, All
12 out of 12 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Helena Rubinstein - Hydro Urgency Cream
lchoe 4/28/2012 11:58:00 PM
I looked for this product after the good earlier reviews. The only place I could find this was at strawberry.net. After expecting more, I found this product to be average. Nice scent, not sticky but average amount of moisture (not enough for my dry skin) but this moisturizer left my skin a tad slick/shiny looking (which I don't like). For a comparable price, the very best moisturizer is Cosmedicine's Private Nurse. This feeds the moisture and feels soothing and leaves my skin fresh looking and matte. It nursed back my skin when it was wind whipped w/ freezing temperature causing burns as I just had an acid peel! The red marks/scabs literally went away in 1 day after applying private nurse every 2 hours during the day. I haven't found another moisturizer that could deliver like private nurse (I have tried the heavy duty creams from: Creme de La Mer, Darphin, Jurlique, Dermadoctor, peter thomas roth, etc.).
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Skincare - Face -Pro Activ - 3-Step System
lchoe 1/27/2012 7:49:00 PM
These are the only skin care products/system that gave me FLAWLESS, CONSISTENTLY clear, beautiful skin in my life (when I was 36). Every skin reacts differently to different products but this set (esp. at this reasonable price point) is certainly worth a try. I do not have typical problem acne skin but I've been pestered (50% of the time) w/ clogged pores that gave way to bumps, and occasionally a big zit, sometimes a few zits. Since youth, I have been told I have porcelain, glass-like smooth skin, etc. so it was frustrating to have annoying bumps/acne emerging unexpectedly. I have jet black hair (I am Korean - think Snow White coloring), so my skin really stands out for better or worse. Since my teens, I had been to dermatologists, aestheticians for weekly to monthly facials/examinations w/ extractions, etc. as well as trying every over the counter acne product (Murad Acne knit did not work, Clearasil w/ any amount of benzyl peroxide gave me bright red, aching spots like smaller clown cheeks, Sulfur based products seemed to work better, Alcohol & hydrogen peroxide did nothing but dry out) and some high end products. Some worked to a point but the results were never consistent and NONE ever completely wiped out all of my acne/bumps. In 2001, I was 36 & I moved back to NY after 2 years in SF. NYC Friends (skin care snobs who ONLY use high end products) were telling me how they had tried Pro Activ and it actually worked and cleared up their skin completely for the first time in their life. Back then, I was a snob against infomercials and so were my friends (in 2001 infomercials were looked down upon) so I thought no way. I went out for a meal with family; my 3 and 7 year old nieces counted 9 bumps on my face...that was my breaking point. My ears were ringing w/ my friend's suggestion of Pro Activ. Arriving home, I immediately called and ordered the Pro Activ Kit. I have some broken capillaries on my cheeks so I was a bit worried as the cleanser had some granules (which can aggravate broken capillaries). I was extra careful to not rub in the sensitive areas (just letting the cleanser rest, sink in/on the cheeks while I massaged the rest of my face (forehead, nose, chin, etc.) with the cleanser. My face felt a bit dry in the first week so I took a break every other day to let my skin get used to the products (key to not letting a product ravage your skin). I was relieved that the benzyl peroxide in the products didn't make my face red & ache like ALL previous benzyl p products I used in the past. Within a week my skin had built up some tolerance to the products and voila, in 2 weeks I had PERFECT, clear, glowing skin like the commercials. Within 1 month, I felt that my skin was COMPLETELY clear and under control (like every potential emerging acne was zapped of germs and each clogged pore was clear/clean). Some of the reviews have mentioned their dry cracking skin from using this. I'd suggest pacing yourself (giving your skin a break of a day or 2 before starting again) and definitely put an OIL-FREE, non-comedogenic moisturizer on top of your products (but wait 2-5 minutes to let the repair lotion sink in completely). I was pleased and very impressed with the quality of these products as I normally used products with higher price points (Clarins, Jan Marini, Caudalie, Murad). My snobby mother was impressed but the person's reaction which impressed me the most to how good the Pro Activ Products were from my SF Facialist (who ONLY sells Jan Marini, MD Forte, she was 1 of the first people to introduce microdermabrasion to SF back in the day). In SF for a trip after I moved back to NYC, I caught up with her while having my typical 90 minute facial with her. My facialist was SO blown away with my skin! She was in shock (her eyes BULGED just examining my face inch by inch) by how my face was perfectly clear. She looked down on infomercials but she spent a good 20 minutes asking me about Pro Activ (the steps required, the costs, how it feels, etc.). She couldn't believe something so reasonably priced could work so well. When I was 42, I saw my former roommate from my late 20s (I see her every year or so as she moved). She told me my skin looked BETTER (at age 42) than when I was 27! Why? My regular use of acid peels and glycolic acid products helped my skin stay even toned and bright, but she also mentioned that my skin was FLAWLESS, SO CLEAR and bump/blemish free. I apologize if I sound like a commercial but sincerely, when she said that, I thought of the first Pro Activ Set I bought. I never had any problems with Pro Activ customer service. I never needed the Products as often as they ship them and actually I only needed 2-3 kits per year so I'd call the customer service line to delay the next shipment. I used the Pro Activ System for 2 years & in time, I slowed down the use of the cleanser and toner but I always used the Repair Lotion (miracle worker to me). After 3 years, I went back to my regular products (MD Forte, Caudalie, Jan Marini, Jurlique) but I always have the Repair Lotion (as well as the Clay Mask) on hand when I feel an eruption coming along (which the Repair Lotion will zap right out). I HIGHLY recommend at least trying Pro Activ if you are having issues with skin blemishes, etc. You really have nothing to lose (you can send the kit back after 30 days and get a refund) and only SO much to gain. Trust me as this review is coming from a skin care snob (my beloved Natura Bisse Cream is $275 for 1.7 oz, my Natura Bisse Acid Peel is $225 for 1 oz). I will always be thankful to Pro Activ as it was the first time in my life I felt I finally had clear skin under CONTROL. I am 46 yrs old, Korean, with dry skin for the past 3 years (but had oily skin before). People I meet think I'm 26-34 so I do try to take good care of my skin. I use: Perricone, Algenist, Natura Bisse, Cosmedicine's Private Nurse, MD Forte
8 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Perricone - Acyl Glutathione
lchoe 1/23/2012
I am a fan and a faithful user of Perricone MD Products. I am not a fan of hype and unfortunately, I found this product to be full of smoke and mirrors for MY skin. To be fair, I used a 1/2 jar faithfully (for 1 month) with ONLY this product (not layering it with other products whether they are Perricone or not). I also used this product on 1/2 my face to test the effects truthfully against my other regimen of products on the other 1/2 of my face (Perricone High Potency Amine Complex by day, Perricone High Potency Evening Repair at night). I ask friends (whose opinions I trust) to give me their honest verdict re: comparing 1 side of my face to the other 1/2 side of my face. Pros: refreshing nice scent (no fishy Perricone scent!), lovely texture, this made my skin moderately soft with no oily/heavy residue. Cons: This product did absolutely NOTHING for lines/wrinkles and frankly the side of my face w/ the other Perricone High Potency Products had much MORE lift, tone, radiance and glass-like smoothness than the Acyl- G side. I saw the positive effects on my skin from the High Potency Line within 2 applications while with this Acyl-G, I kept waiting and waiting to see a positive effect on my skin which never happened. Hmm.... The High Potency products cost 27% of the Acyl - G (High Potency is $95 for 2 oz, vs. Acyl-G being $175 for 1 oz). I don't mind paying for products that deliver (I love my treat of Natura Bisse's Diamond Cream - $285 for 1.7 oz) but the Acyl-Glutathione did the minimal for my face for a maxium price which I always find disappointing. I am a faithful user of Perricone's High Potency Day and Night Treatments as well as the Vitamin C Eye Serum and the High Potency Eye Treatment (literally gave my under-eyes an eye lift effect) as well as his recommended regimen of Fish Oil Capsules, Ascorbyl Palmitate (Fat Soluble Vitamin C), Alpha Lipoic Capsules & DMAE Capsules. I am convinced these capsules (generic brands bought from local health food store or vitacost.com, not Perricone's line as his cost 2-3x more) drastically helped to slow down my aging since I started taking the capsules at age 36. I am 46 yrs old, Korean, with dry skin for the past 3 years (but had oily skin before). People I meet think I'm 26-34 so I do try to take good care of my skin. I use: Perricone, Algenist, Natura Bisse, Cosmedicine's Private Nurse, MD Forte & DHC's Deep Cleansing Oil.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Olay - Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System
lchoe 10/28/2011 7:16:00 PM
This Olay brush system cleans nicely (simple spinning/rotation motion). I'd recommend this system for cleansing alone. I think it is wonderful that Olay brought out a deep cleansing tool at a great price. The brushes are wonderfully soft, I like the 2 different speeds and I love that the brush replacements are sanely priced (unlike Clarisonic's brush heads). I did like this Olay system but I RETURNED it b/c although it left my skin clean, it did not give me the glow and radiance of the Clarisonic system. This is a good cleansing tool however this is NOT a replacement for the Clarisonic's benefits for a lower price. For those who are looking for a lower priced Clarisonic, ONE DOES NOT EXIST YET and the Olay System is different from the Clarisonic as this Olay system (spinning) does not have the "vibration/massage" feature (sonic frequency - brushes move back and forth at more than 300 times per second) that the Clarisonic has a patent for. Those of you who have a Sonicare Toothbrush (same inventors of the Clarisonic) will know what the patented "sonic frequency" feature can do for your teeth/gums (a clean that no manual toothbrush or Crest "spin" brush can achieve), as well as for your complexion (glow & radiance from the mini-vibrations/massage your skin experienced). For people who'd like to get an additional "glow/massage", for a reasonable price, the Youthful Essence Microdermabrasion Kit (only $35!), has a massage/vibration tool that is quite effective. Yes, it would be 2 tools vs. one, but it is still much less $ money than a Clarisonic ($110 - $195 + tax). I am Korean, 45 years old (facialists /aestheticians guess I am 26 - 33). I have combination skin (dry in winter, slightly oily in summer however very prone to plugged pores and occasional breakouts). I use: Natura Bisse, Perricone MD, Algenist, Jurlique, DHC Olive Oil Cleanser, and MD Forte Cleanser II & III
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Stila - Kajal Eye Liner in Onyx
lchoe 10/27/2011 12:02:00 PM
This is probably the worst eyeliner pencil (smears like crazy after being on the eye for 10 minutes) I have found in my 31 years of wearing eyeliner. The SA at Saks wanted to try this on me and granted she did a good job giving me a sexy, smoky, sultry look at the counter so I bought this in the onyx and indigo color. However after walking around Saks and glancing into a mirror, I was shocked that this had already smeared, BADLY. I immediately went to the ladies' room and wiped off most of this inferior product. At home, I wanted to give this a chance but trying to sharpen this pencil is frustrating as you can easily sharpen off 20% of the entire pencil trying to get a decent tip! Cute packaging yes (I like Stila eye products in general, ironically their eye shadows have great staying power) but this is a horrible product period. If you like eye pencils or liners that actually stay ON the eye, these are my favorites (I have used eyeliner since I was 14 years old): - Tarina Tarantino - Eye Dream Hyperliner (beautiful colors and the BEST long wearing, non-smudging color ever). Easy to achieve a "smokey" look that actually stays on & doesn't veer off & make you look like a mental patient! - Urban Decay - was my tops until I tried the Tarantino pencil. - Sephora's Waterproof Eyeliner - 3rd place compared to Tarantino - Make Up Forever's Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil: pretty good but less rich color and doesn't last as long and smudges more than Tarantino and Urban Decay. - Maybelline Eyebrow Pencil (but requires a lighter or matches). When I was a teen and sometimes even now, I'd light the tip of the Maybelline brow pencil with a lighter to "lightly" melt the eyeliner, and then when it was ALMOST hard/cool, I'd draw on my upper line and it would "cool" and set perfectly and not budge (this technique does require some skill and a makeup artist taught me this). - I have tried EVERY pencil out there (Almay, C. Dior, Chanel, E. Arden, Maybelline, Revlon, Stila etc.). None of these compare to Tarantino and Urban Decay. - Bobbi Brown's Long Wear Gel Eyeliner: this is the longest lasting liner in a pot/cake eyeliner (more smudge proof and doesn't dry out like Stila's Smudge Pot). BB's deep blue "Cobalt Ink" is a GORGEOUS however Tarantino's "Cute Robot" (Deep Blue/Violet is even MORE gorgeous). Fun and glamorous to use, but I find this smudges more than the UD 24/7 Pencil or Tarantino Eye Pencil. - Liquid liners (whether brush or pen style) simply do not work for me as when my eyes water, I have a horrible huge black smudge on my eye which unless I'm lucky enough to have a friend inform me, I have no idea I'm walking around with a partial black eye (like the Stila Kajal Eye Pencil!).
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Neutrogena - triple moisture deep recovery hair mask
lchoe 10/24/2011 11:23:00 PM
I was hoping I could find a drugstore deep conditioning mask that was just as good as my Bumble & Bumble's Super Rich Conditioner (amazing results but $23 for 8 oz) or Kerastase UV Defense Masque (better for me than MasqIntense). Unfortunately this Neutrogena does not measure up to that higher standard at all. Upon application (I let this sink in for 10 minutes), the scent was lovely and the mask felt very rich and luxurious (like my more expensive masks). However when rinsing, I could feel the rich moisture rinse right out of my hair! very strange and disappointing - investing the time however receiving no benefits. This mask did not give my hair the rich moisture it needed and one would think 10 minutes w/ a heavy mask would give. After drying, my hair was much more flyaway and piece-y (not attractive on stick-straight hair) and my hair was definitely not as GLOSSY and SMOOTH as it is with Bumble & Bumble Super Rich and Kerastase UV Defense Masque. With this mask, you really do get what you pay for...and this mask is certainly NOT as good as the high end masks I have mentioned. Oh well, back to my Bumble & Bumble & Kerastase. I am 45, have fine (but lots of it) long (5" past shoulders), black, stick straight, silky Korean hair. Slightly oily scalp with dry ends. I also use: Kerastase Bain Miroir 1 & 2 Shampoos, Alterna Bamboo Smooth Anti-Frizz & Ten Shampoos, Kerastase masques (MasquIntense, UV Defense), Bumble & Bumble (Super Rich, Quenching Conditioners), Joico (K-Pak deep conditioners), Redken (Extreme Conditioner, All Soft).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -L'Oreal - Everstrong Reconstruct shampoo
lchoe 10/23/2011 11:56:00 AM
After reading all the rave reviews on mua, I was excited to potentially find a well priced non-sulfate shampoo compared to my $20 - 55 non-sulfate Alterna Shampoos. I tried this shampoo 4 times and I am sorry to rain on the parade of high ratings but I canNOT recommend this product. Pros: nice rich lather, clean rinse-out, hair was soft, not dryer as stated from the reviews below. Cons: - my hair/scalp was dirty/oily much sooner than usual - my hair suffered from static - last but certainly not least my hair was so FLAT & LIMP! (compared to my Alterna shampoos, even Alterna's "Bamboo Smooth-Anti Frizz" gives my stick straight Korean hair some nice body). My hair was so flat that not even my normal routine for body (blow dry upside down, root lift spray, mousse at crown, set in velcro rollers) would make a difference (1st time a shampoo made me feel so homely)! I felt so dowdy and homely w/ such flat hair that could not even be coaxed to have body w/ my usual styling (routine above). I'm not thrilled w/ the scent but if the shampoo is great, I can ignore it but w/ these "flat" results, I cannot tolerate this scent: herbal mixed w/ cheap men's cologne. Oh well, I can't complain anymore about Alterna's shampoo prices ($20 - 55) when they give superior results! I am 45, have fine (but lots of it) long (5" past shoulders), black, stick straight, silky Korean hair. Slightly oily scalp with dry ends. I also use: Kerastase Bain Miroir 1 & 2 Shampoos, Alterna Bamboo Smooth Anti-Frizz Shampoos, Kerastase masques (MasquIntense, UV Defense), Bumble & Bumble (Super Rich, Quenching Conditioners), Joico (K-Pak deep conditioners), Redken (Extreme Conditioner, All Soft).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Alterna - Caviar Anti-Aging Moisture Shampoo
lchoe 7/31/2011 5:56:00 AM
I was excited that Sephora recently started carrying Alterna as I used Alterna shampoos in the 90s when I lived in Los Angeles for 2 years (I am back in NY) and this line (esp the shampoos) was very popular in LA. LA hair needs are different as the brighter sunshine & harder water were tougher on my hair. I had used the Life & Hemp lines then (which I liked) but as my hair has aged (I was 34 in LA and now I am 43), I wanted to try the Caviar shampoo and matching conditioner. The 1st time I used the shampoo and conditioner, I was AMAZED by the results. My hair was THICK with body, fullness (I have stick-straight, fine, bra length Korean hair). I didn't have to use any of my requisite: root lifter, mousse, even velcro rollers! to achieve how good my hair looked after using the shampoo, conditioner & quickly blow-drying. My hair (raven/black color) was richer in color, shinier, silkier than before. My hair was bouncing and behaving ("Cindy Crawford" hair). In a ponytail, my hair was definitely thicker. This shampoo and conditioner gave me perfect styled full bodied hair without having to use extra products and wasting time putting my hair in rollers. The conditioner was okay (it didn't moisturize much) but with the shampoo's results, I didn't care. I thought I was in hair heaven receiving so many compliments from friends and strangers alike. The 2nd time I used these products, my hair past my jaw length (my hair length is right above my bra strap) was slightly tangling and not combing easily - uh oh. The 3rd time I used these products, the ends were so dry, prone to tangling/snarling that I had to get a 1/2" trim right away (my hairstylist was surprised by the snarling ends as he knows my hair very well). Eventually over 8 months, I had to cut off 4" of my hair to get rid of the bizarre damage this shampoo did to my hair (Ladies w/ stick straight, silky hair might just want to proceed w/ caution w/ this shampoo). As I loved my 1st time amazing results with this shampoo/conditioner, I tried to use just the shampoo and use my other conditioners: Kerastase masques (MasquIntense, UV Defense), Joico (K-Pak). My hair was full-bodied at the roots (I could even feel it after I rinsed the shampoo) but my normal conditioners couldn't save my newly prone to tangling, dry hair. I went to Sephora, explained my dilemma and the nice SA gave me samples of Bumble & Bumble: Super Rich Conditioner, Quenching Conditioner & Creme de Coco Masque. They were all fantastic at "saving" my hair (along with Redken Hair Cleansing Cream - to clarify & get rid of any residue from the Caviar products as well as Alterna's TEN Shampoo which is fantastic) but the Super Rich & Quenching Conditioners were particularly fantastic for bringing back my soft & shiny, tangle-free hair. For people concerned about how toxic your products are, this shampoo rates a WHOPPING 8 (items range from 0, low/safe to 9, toxic, cancer causing, etc.) on the EWG Website (www.ewg.org, measures health hazard ingredients some cancer causing in our toiletries which our pores/bodies absorb). Our scalp pores are large (you can see them vs. your practically invisible pores on your hand) so our scalps are much more vulnerable to absorbing the products you put on your scalp. Despite my hair's terrible reaction to the shampoo, I'd still encourage people to try this shampoo (if you can return it like I can at Sephora) as it might do wonders for you (esp if you have a different texture than my hair). Perhaps my hair reacted to this shampoo b/c it has "Seasilk" in it (in the past I tried a conditioner with silk in it and my hair tangled so badly as well). Pros: - The scent is very nice and refreshing. - Although it is $30 per 8.5 oz bottle, it is so concentrated, you only need a nickel size amount for a full lather. - In terms of volume, hair swinging fullness, shine, richness, this shampoo was amazing. - My scalp stayed cleaner longer (without stripping my scalp ironically as it did strip my ends) so I go longer w/o shampooing. Cons: After the 3rd use, my hair was dry, tangle prone which led to breakage (nightmare). *July 2012 - For now, I like and use the Alterna Bamboo Smooth Anti Frizz Shampoo (gives my hair shine, good condition, decent body, great "swing"/movement) but I use sparingly only for best hair needed events due to the HIGH toxic rating on ewg.org (6 - 8!). Most days I use Trader Joe's Tea Tree Oil Shampoo (super happy w/ this one!). I am 45, have fine (but lots of it) long (5" past shoulders), black, stick straight, silky Korean hair. Slightly oily scalp with dry ends. I also use: Frederic Fekkai More Shampoo, Kerastase Bain Miroir 1 & 2 Shampoos (my 2nd rinse staples), Kerastase masques (MasquIntense, UV Defense), Joico (K-Pak deep conditioners), Redken (Extreme Conditioner, All Soft), Bumble & Bumble (Super Rich, Quenching Conditioners).
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Unlisted Brand - Bremenn Research Lab Upper Eyelid Lifter
lchoe 6/8/2011 10:33:00 PM
I had high hopes for this but although this did not harm my eyes, I would not buy this product. I did the 1/2 face test and used this for 3 weeks on my upper eyelid vs. Olay Pro-X Eye on the other upper eyelid. The Olay Pro-X Eye looked better (slighty more uplifted and the overall eye quality was better: smoother, soft, etc.). The Bremenn eye treatment also had a slightly odd scent to it to discourage me even more. Description from Sephora: Upper Eyelid Lifter™ What it is: An extraordinary eyelid cream that makes your eyes look bigger, brighter, and fresher. What it is formulated to do: This specialized formula was created specifically to address deflated, drooping lids for a more wide-awake look. Ordinary eye creams designed to counter under-eye puffiness don't fit the bill when it comes to supporting sagging eyelids—choose this targeted solution for a serious boost, exactly where you need it. For my under-eye area during the day, I use Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester Serum underneath the High Potency Eye Lift. For NIGHT, I use a more moisturizing eye cream (my favorite Awake is discontinued) alternating w/ MD Forte Skin Rejuvenation Eye Cream. Past eye creams I've tried and discarded: Darphin, DDF Advanced Eye Firming Concentrate (ok but too thin and not effective enough), Caudalie, Clarins Super Restorative Total Eye Concentrate (didn't moisturize enough & eyes were a little uncomfortable, feeling tight), La Mer (bleh), La Prarie (Anti-Aging SPF 15 - ok but weak compared to Awake), Natura Bisse Diamond Extreme Eye (worked but then stopped being effective), Perricone Alpha Lipoic Eye (2003 version, effective at first but not later), Prevage (caused milia), ReVive Eye Renewal, Shiseido Benefiance (too rich & caused milia) , Relastin's Eye Silk (effective at first but not now), Lancome (Renergie Micro-Lift, Primordiale Intense, Absolue - all felt nice but ineffective), E, Lauder (Advanced Night Repair), etc. I am Korean, 45 yrs old but most think I'm 26-32. Although my under eye area is very dry, I have combination skin (very dry in winter, slightly oily in summer however prone to plugged pores and occasional breakouts). I use: Natura Bisse, Jurlique, Caudalie, Cosmedicine, MD Forte & DHC.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No