Moisturizers -Aubrey Organics - Vegecol Sensitive Skin Moisture Cream
lillicannon 4/23/2013 7:12:00 AM
I have very oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin. I use Atralin (a retinoid) and benzoyl peroxide and these both make my skin red and flaky if I don't moisturize, so I have been on the lookout for a good moisturizer that won't create zits, won't look greasy, and won't sting. This is my HG moisturizer! It sinks in right away, doesn't sting at all, tones down redness, stops flakiness, and wears well under makeup. It is all natural and reasonably priced. (The matching toner, scrub and cleanser are really good, too.) The smell is kind of odd, like lemon pastry, but it dissipates immediately. For those below who complained that coconut ingredients break them out, they do break me out, too, but this moisturizer has been reformulated without them and doesn't break me out at all. Even better, this doesn't have silicones, which definitely break me out and are present in so many mainstream moisturizers. A little goes a long way, too: one tube lasted me six months, and I am going to rebuy it, which is huge for me - I'm such a product junkie that I rarely rebuy anything.
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BB Cream -Maybelline - Dream Fresh 8-in-1 BB Cream
lillicannon 2/5/2013 12:43:00 PM
I have tried several cheap to moderately priced BB creams and this is my favorite. It does not make my oily skin oilier; it has a titanium dioxide SPF 30 sunscreen, and the lightest color is actually light enough for me and not pink at all, which is a miracle (usually if a makeup is light enough, it looks too pink on my skin.) This is a light golden/peach that smooths out my tone and protects my skin all day. It dries quickly and doesn't ball up over anything I have tried so far. I don't need moisturizer under it even during the winter, which saves a step, and it doesn't make me break out, nor does it have any fragrance. I have actually bought this multiple times, which is a rarity for this product junkie.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Paula's Choice - Earth Sourced Purely Natural Refreshing Toner
lillicannon 7/13/2012 8:27:00 AM
Very nice light moisturizing natural toner. Almost enough to be a moisturizer for oily skins (that's how I use it in the morning before makeup.) Thick texture, but I use a cotton pad anyway. All Paula's stuff is good - her prices are kinda high, but it's all well-thought-out and full of the good ingredients.
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Powder -NYX - Stay Matte but not Flat Powder Foundation
lillicannon 7/13/2012 8:21:00 AM
I have this in the two lightest shades and like it very much. It is what it says: matte, but not flat-looking. This is achieved with a fair amount of mica, but not enough to look overtly sparkly. Colors are good, not pink at all. Coverage is sheer to light, but buildable. Will not control major oil, but I use Milk of Magnesia under it for that purpose. Price cannot be beat: $9.99 at Ulta, plus, they have testers!!!! Testers, I tell you! Only caveat is that as it is a pressed powder foundation with a sponge applicator, it will highlight any flaky skin, so make sure you have exfoliated/moisturized/primed if you are prone to that. Compact is overly large, but that is because it has a separate vented area for the sponge. Latch broke on mine but it still clicks. Overall, good product for quick and easy skin perfection for those who have pretty good skin to begin with. It won't cover active acne, but it does blur old dark marks, though it doesn't hide them totally. I keep it in my purse for touchups and would buy it again. Pressed powder foundations are in general so poorly made, yet I'm always trying them out on my oily skin and with my busy lifestyle, but this one is a winner!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -Neutrogena - Shine Control Pressed Powder
lillicannon 7/13/2012 8:15:00 AM
Great blotting ability over or under any foundation. I even used it over a powder foundation. It is translucent but will slightly lighten your face for a few minutes. Works well to take down shine without looking cakey. Only complaint is that the puff is cheap and thin and the edge is sharp and cuts the powder. For $13 they could have provided a nicer puff, but that's fixable.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Neutrogena - Shine Control Makeup
lillicannon 7/13/2012 8:13:00 AM
I normally have major "settling into fine lines" problems but had none with this makeup. Perhaps this is because I take care of my oily skin very well: Tazorac, salicylic acid and moisturizer. The makeup applied smoothly with a sponge, covered well but looked natural, and did last 3-4 hours before looking glowy, which is a very long time for my skin. Most foundations only last 1 hour before oil breaks through. There were only four colors, but the Buff worked well for my tanned skin, which in the winter requires the fairest color. Hopefully other people will like this so that they make more colors! Texture is like a thick liquid, almost a cream. It is in a tall bottle so I just tapped the sponge on the top and got the right amount. It blends super-easily and is hard to over-apply. You have a bit of time to play before it sets, unlike Color Stay, which dries nearly instantly. Also, no weird smells!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Sally Hansen - salon effects
lillicannon 6/16/2012 10:50:00 AM
These are a mixed bag, but I continue to buy them. Pros: -Last forever without chipping. -"Cool" designs. -Quick and easy to apply with no dry time (I have 4 kids so no dry time is huge for me!) -Can do two people at once as long as you don't have dragon nails. Cons: -So hard to remove. You have to soak your nails in remover which is no bueno. -Need some "classy" designs. A lot of them are punk or silly. -Requires some practice to apply. -Everyone will stop you to talk about them, which gets annoying. Tips: -Buff nails, esp. at the base. If you have any ridges near the base, the stickers won't adhere there and will catch your hair, etc. -Really press down at the base and edges with the orange stick. -Really do a final swipe with nail polish remover just before applying. A dot of grease will prevent adhering. -Get a friend and use 1 pack for both of you. They are way too long and they give you 16 strips, so if you file off the excess carefully, you can get 20 nails out of 1 pack of 16 strips. -Get a nail polish remover jar with the sponge inside to remove them. -Apply regular top coat every other day to keep them looking nice.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Crème -Revlon - ColorStay Whipped Creme Makeup
lillicannon 6/16/2012 10:26:00 AM
This is as great as everyone says. First, the packaging sucks - jars gross me out and this one is HEAVY - but it is what it is. The makeup itself is lovely. The coverage is buildable without looking cakey, and you have time to put dots all over your face and then blend with a sponge. The texture is a soft light gel creme. It sets to a nice dry finish, but it doesn't look dry - it looks like lovely skin. The colors are similar to the Colorstay Liquid, but I think less grayish, which is great, as the grayish cast to the liquid is why I won't use it. I am fair and am wearing Buff, but in the winter, I'd be Ivory. I only needed a few dots of concealer on two healing pimples that are purplish - it covers well, though you could also do it very lightly. It wears extremely well - blotting didn't lift the makeup at all for me! That is huge because most makeup slides off my face by midday. I used a silicone moisturizer and then Milk of Magnesia as a primer - I have very oily skin and only needed to blot a few times in 12 hours, and the makeup never came off. I would definitely exfoliate well and use a silicone primer with this as it will highlight any flakiness (though it never settled into my fine lines, which is great!) It retails for $14, though with loyalty coupons, I paid $7 at CVS. They have tester strips, but only in a medium shade. Overall, highly recommended! Truly transfer-resistant and actually looks like skin. I'm going to get my 66 year old mother to try it - I wonder if it will look as natural on her older skin.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Prescriptives - Traceless
lillicannon 4/30/2012 11:56:00 AM
My HG foundation. I have used this for years and years, even when I worked for Clinique (shhhh, don't tell!) Technically, it's a tinted moisturizer, but way better than the standard TM. It totally kills all redness and will cover some discoloration. You do need a concealer for any active pimples. Most importantly, it doesn't run, disappear, flake, settle into lines, etc. This is huge for me as I have very challenging skin: oily, acneic, flaky from Tazorac, sensitive, with fine lines. This manages to make me look like I have naturally beautiful skin. The finish is mildly dewy, which I personally like, as I'm going for the natural look. It also feels like nothing on, which is so nice. Only complaint is that SPF 8 is completely insufficient and I need to apply another sunscreen underneath. I have only ever needed Level 1, even in the middle of summer, which is nice - so versatile. I set it on my oily areas with some of that white silica powder that you can get from any brand.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No