Powder -Vichy - Aera Teint Mineral Podwer Foundation
lemonraspberry 12/21/2011 11:17:00 PM
Coverage was superb on top of a base, I didn't even have to use concealer, and I have some acne scaring. So probably one of the best powder foundations I have ever used. The pricing is also not bad for 5 g of product coupled with the once in a while discount at SDM. HOWEVER, I will definitely not be buying this again as it broke me out terribly. The sad part is I didn't realize it was this until I stopped using it. I had bought the Dior compact powder foundation because this was running out and Sephora just so happened to have their $15 off $50+ coupon promo. So I wanted to wear the new thing, just to see how my skin would like it. My skin started clearing almost right after discontinuing the use of this! And to think I had thought it was the Bioderma Sebium line I was trying out that was causing all the breakouts or that my skin was just naturally really bad with breaking out... Oh, silly me. Anyway, lesson learned: I should just not try more than one new face product whether it be makeup or skincare at the same time no matter how tempting it is to test out stuff I buy on a shopping trip right after I get home. Hahahha.
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Treatments -Bioderma - sebium AI
lemonraspberry 11/23/2011 5:21:00 AM
This made me break out in painful cysts, and I didn't know till I stopped using it. I thought it was just my bad skin, because I had discontinued taking medication for my acne. However, things are so much better now that I haven't been applying the product as much. So I definitely recommend staying away from this, as instead of making the blemishes go away it makes them a lot worse than before. I use this just as a makeup primer for powder foundation now, so that I can at least finish the tube and in doing so keep my money from going completely to waste. Needless to say, I will not be repurchasing.
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Moisturizers -Bioderma - Sebium AKN
lemonraspberry 9/17/2011 1:10:00 PM
I bought this to get rid of some blackheads and blemishes I had, however, this somehow ended up giving me more blackheads than I originally had. I also started breaking out in crazy cystic acne during the 2-3 months of use.. Not sure if this is due to hormones or since the product wasn't doing anything for my skin or it was just making things worse. Anyway, I have now discontinued using AKN, because I've noticed my acne just keeps getting worse when I use this. I have now moved on to using AI as that is made specifically for acne-prone skin, while AKN is just for skin with blackheads and minor blemishes (I know its a miracle this product hasn't turned me off from trying other Bioderma products). I am also using H20 from the same Sebium line in conjunction to AI, as I did not use anything else from Bioderma for oily skin when I was using AKN. Hopefully, using AI + H20 will help to clear my skin more than just using one product from Sebium. So far, in the 2-3 days that I have used them, my skin seems to have improved. Specifically, I have not noticed formation of new acne. I will mostly likely post a review of AI and perhaps H20 in the next couple months.
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast Length
lemonraspberry 7/20/2011 5:59:00 PM
One of the worst mascaras I have ever tried. I felt that the wand didn't even pick up the product, and I'm not sure if it was because there was next to no product in the tube; the opening of the tube was too tiny and scraped all the product off the wand; or if it was a problem with the wand itself when it came to picking up product from the tube. Whatever the case, since I wasn't able to get enough product onto the wand so that I could apply it to my lashes, this mascara did nothing for me. It didn't add volume (which it wasn't supposed to do); it didn't add length (which it was supposed to do); and it didn't add color (which is what its supposed to do and I bought it in the darkest black Cover Girl has it in). This was a complete waste of money, and is now sitting at the bottom of a storage box in my closet - I gave up on it after several unsuccessful attempts at getting enough product out to properly coat my lashes. The name 'Lash Blast Length' is a complete misnomer.
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Lotions/ Creams -Nivea - Express Hydration lotion- lotus flower and sea minerals
lemonraspberry 7/20/2011 2:29:00 PM
Wow, this product is amazing! I have to admit I wasn't a fan of Nivea, because I tried their eye cream and lip balms in the past which weren't very good or didn't do anything for me. I tried a sample of this new body lotion that came in a magazine I had. The sample was a very good size, and I was able to moisturize both my legs, my lower back, the front area below the neckline, and one of my arms. I put this on at night a couple hours before bed after I came out of the shower. It absorbed very fast, and didn't feel heavy or greasy. The light floral scent is also quite pleasant. What impressed me the most is that my skin was still moisturized on the areas where I had applied it after being at work the next day and coming out of the shower the night after. My skin was still soft with no visible signs of dry patches even though I had washed the lotion off! I did a comparison between the arm I had this lotion on and the arm I did not apply lotion to, and I could see the arm without the lotion had dry skin peeling off, felt tighter, and a rough appearance - instead of a smooth look. Overall, I can say that this product does live up to Nivea's 24+ hour hydration claim. I will definitely be buying the full-size once I see it on sale or sold cheaper somewhere.
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Cleansers -Olay - Blemish Control Lathering Cleanser
lemonraspberry 7/20/2011 2:05:00 PM
Hmm.. Not sure if I'm reviewing the right product, but the product I'm reviewing is called Acne Control Face Wash. It comes in a blue bottle with a pump instead of the packaging shown here. Perhaps I bought one in an old packaging or formulation? Whatever the case, mine contains salicylic acid, is oil-free, and foams or lathers well. I got mine for around $9 at Walmart in Canada, and have been using it on and off for 2-3 weeks now. When I use this cleanser it's usually in the morning and I use it once a day, and at night I use a different cleanser by Biore. I find if I used it more frequently than once a day, my skin gets too dry (I have combination skin w/ breakouts on and around my T-zone). It has definitely helped with my breakouts, because when I stopped using it as frequently (once a day) and use my Garnier 3 in 1 wash + scrub + mask as a cleanser, I get new pimples on my face or the ones I have get bigger as the day progresses. When I use this Olay cleanser in the morning my face doesn't get as oily and my acne and pimples don't get worse during the day. Keep in mind I do apply a salicylic acid containing acne treatment after I have cleansed my face with either of the two cleansers, so the treatment would be helping fight blemishes also. I also wear mattifying powder foundation on top after cleansing and treatment. Overall, I can say that the Olay cleanser is indeed more effective when compared against the Garnier 3 in 1 cleanser that I own. I would definitely repurchase later on, but not right away when I run out - just because I like to switch up my skincare so my skin doesn't get too used to it. I definitely recommend giving this a try if you have acne on the milder side like me, and using this in conjunction with a salicylic acid containing treatment cream or lotion.
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Cleansers -LUSH - Herbalism
lemonraspberry 7/12/2011 7:57:00 PM
If you have oily/combination skin like me that is prone to blemishes, this is NOT the cleanser for you. Lush likes to market this as a cleanser that cleans, controls oil and prevents breakouts. However, after using an entire 100 g tub of this, I can say I am certain this does nothing for my type of skin. In fact, because this product is so ineffective at removing excess sebum, I have been left with clogged pores, more acne pimples, and skin that is still shiny. Since moving on to using a cleanser containing salicylic acid that cleans my skin a lot more thoroughly, I have seen a great improvement in my skin compared to when I was using this (less blemishes, shine and clogged pores). So needless to say, I will not be repurchasing Herbalism and I do not recommend others with troublesome skin use this.
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Masks -LUSH - Mask of Magnaminty
lemonraspberry 7/9/2011 5:46:00 PM
I can't say this is the worst or the best mask I've ever used, as it didn't break me out or made my skin better - it just really didn't do anything for me. The only thing I did notice it do is soak up some excess oil, but that's nothing a good cleanser couldn't do just as well. I also wasn't a fan of the minty feeling, it was just too much and felt like my face was freezing. I do generally like the fresh, minty feeling in face products, however, this was just over kill. How I use this is I put it on, let it dry and then peel it off and rinse off what's left. I don't just wait till it dries and rinse/scrub it off, because I find if I do it this it'll leave a weird film/residue on my face. Overall, not impressed and won't be buying again, though I will finish it before it expires as I spent the money on it, so might as well.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Obey Your Body - Peeling Gel
lemonraspberry 7/2/2011 11:44:00 PM
I've never believed a miracle product existed, but THIS is it! (I also hardly ever give anything 5 stars, but this deserves it). I was at the mall one day and walked by one of those stands. I let the lady with an amazing sales pitch talk me into buying this product, and I'm so glad I did! (Thanks, Anna! I will be forever grateful.) I've been using this for 5 weeks now, once a week and my skin has improved drastically. It has helped with my acne, acne scaring, uneven skin tone, freckles/sunspots, rough skin texture... You name it. It gently exfoliates and peels away the top dead layer of skin, revealing the newer and clearer skin underneath (Don't listen to the person who gave this a bad review saying the product is a bunch of paraffin wax!) I am certain this is NOT paraffin wax as I can see dry, dead skin I have on my face right before I use this disappear after. Also, the finger I use to massage the product onto my face loses a small slice of skin (skin intact prior to application), since it comes into contact with the product the most. Another thing I noticed that this product does (and the sales lady also mentioned it) is that whatever moisturizers or treatments I apply to my skin after work better. This is because this Facial Peeling Gel takes away the top dead layers of skin, so that moisturizers or treatments can easily penetrate deeper into the skin. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this product, and I sincerely hope people who read this give it a try. NOTE: After the first application, my skin was glowing. However, it has taken longer to see the results for more troublesome things like acne and freckles/sunspots. I am 5 weeks in now, and I am just starting to see improvements like less breakout and some lightening of sunspots - so be patient with it! At first you will probably have to use a lot of product, but gradually you'll be okay with using less (once the initial buildup of dead skin is removed), that is my experience with it anyway. I am going to estimate the bottle lasts for roughly 3 - 4 months, which is a great deal for the price IMO :) TRY IT, YOU WON'T REGRET IT I PROMISE! I am definitely going to repurchase once I am out.
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Bath Treatments -LUSH - Twilight Bath Bomb
lemonraspberry 6/25/2011 9:30:00 PM
So I just used this one today, even though I bought it a while ago. For some reason I smelt more lavender when I picked it up in the store. Now I get more of a floral, perfume sort of smell (Maybe the scent has mixed with my other Lush items that were in the drawer I stored it in). Anyway, I have the Twilight Shower Gel, too. But this smells nothing like it. The S.G. is more of a traditional lavender scent, and the bath bomb as I mentioned before is more of a heady, floral fragrance. I actually like the B.B. more in this regard. Continuing with my review of the B.B., it is a very slow "fizzing" one (so it doesn't fizz) that gives off purple and blue froth. The blue part is the color inside the bomb and also contains iridescent sparkles (S.G. also sadly does not have sparkles). After the froth disappears, I'm left with purple water with sparkles. I like everything about this except for that I could not smell it in the tub. However, I could smell it on my skin once I got out. It is also very moisturizing, and you could see this in the bomb - it has little chunks of butter distributed throughout. Overall, I'm quite pleased with it and will probably buy again in the future once I've tried all of Lush's bombs that is. Hahha. This one is also one of the cheaper, more value for money bombs that Lush carries. $4.95 (Cdn.) for 180 g is quite good in my opinion. For Lush. LOL.
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Treatments -Burt's Bees - Herbal Blemish Stick
lemonraspberry 6/25/2011 3:30:00 PM
Let's just say this product did not work for me at all. It did not get rid of my pimples or make them smaller in anyway. It also smells really bad and the scent lingers for a while on the face once applied. The applicator it comes in is also very unhygienic. I always wash my face thoroughly and pat dry before applying this. However, the roller ball still manages to pick up little pieces of dead skin that then sinks to the bottom of the bottle. After a while I could see a distinct white layer made up of dead skin cells that have collected at the bottom of the bottle - It was disgusting. Needless to say, this went straight into the trash and I will never buy this again (You can buy drugstore products that perform way better for the price of this one).
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Powder -Revlon - ColorStay Aqua Mineral Makeup
lemonraspberry 6/23/2011 11:40:00 PM
EDIT: I knocked off 3 lippies, because I found after a couple uses this oxidizes and turns my face orange! It has also broke me out like crazy D: This is going back to the store... I really like this - in fact, so much that I have stocked up on my shade! I bought this on sale for around $13 w/ tax (Cdn) from the normal $18-21, so I thought it was a pretty good deal. I really like that cool, damp feeling the coconut water gives. I also think it is because of this ingredient that the mineral powder adheres so well to my skin (I don't even have to put on moisturizer before I put it on!). This is great for girls like me with oily faces that tend to breakout from further moisturizing. Another great thing about Colorstay Aqua, is that I can actually use the brush with the product (the brush is of pretty decent quality - soft and full - not the regular useless things that need to go in the trash). The product also lives up to its name as the color does "stay" on (good for at least 8 hrs/lasts the my entire shift at work). I do need to blot my face with tissue during the day though, but I don't think it is the product - just my oily skin. Lastly, there is shimmer in this, but its not very noticeable on the face unless you look right up close (so other people on the street won't notice it) all they'll see is dewy, glowing skin :) So overall, I am super pleased with this and will def. repurchase once I run out. EDIT: Almost forgot to add, this provides light to medium coverage, def. not full coverage even if you try to build it up.
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Scrubs -LUSH - Ocean Salt
lemonraspberry 6/22/2011 9:03:00 PM
I really like the sea salt and lime smell of Ocean Salt. However, it doesn't seem to be working for me as a scrub. I find there isn't enough fine sea salt in it to actually exfoliate my skin. I am just getting a random scrub particle here and there (I did mix up the product in the pot). Also, I find the coarse sea salt in this to be too harsh and abrasive. Most of them fall into the sink anyway while I am rubbing the product on my skin, because they are such large particles. The few that end up being dragged across my skin hurt because of the jagged edges, and leave red scratch marks. I just don't see the point of having the coarse sea salt at all. Right now I am just trying to use up the product and using it as a cream cleanser. I ordered mine from the U.K., and I heard from one YouTube reviewer that the one in North America has a slightly different formulation (it contains both fine and coarse sea salt in larger amounts than grapefruit infusion - and thus is more exfoliating). Therefore, I might try the N.A. one later on (though the coarse sea salt existing in the N.A. one too is a bit of a turn off), but I would def. not repurchase the U.K. one.
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Lotions/ Creams -LUSH - Sympathy for the Skin
lemonraspberry 6/19/2011 1:32:00 PM
My favorite thing about this is the smell - it smells like Floating Island bath melt! Sympathy for the Skin is a light lotion that is perfect for summer. It also absorbs quickly because it is so light. However, in the winter time when skin is more dry I would prefer to use something a bit heavier (for example, Charity Pot). The black pot it came in could also be improved, as the lid does not close tightly enough that product leaks out if the container is tipped over - not very travel friendly. Lastly, as with most Lush items, it is pretty over-priced. I would repurchase though, because I do like the product itself a lot for its scent and it does do what its supposed to do (moisturize).
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