Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Body Butter Shea
lipcrazy 3/25/2013 1:14:00 AM
I received this product as a gift in both in 2006 and in 2013. In 2006. I thought the 2006 product smelled fake and a didn't moisturize all that well. The 2013 version smelled good and the body butter version moisturized better. The 2013 version actually cracked when I attempted to spread it, as you would expect fro Shea body butter. I use it on my feet and hands. I would repurchase assuming the Body Shop would not re-formulate.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Olay - Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System
lipcrazy 3/18/2013 3:18:00 AM
I own both the Clarisonic and the Olay cleansing system. I should preface this review by stating that I received the Clarisonic as a very generous bridesmaid gift and did not purchase it myself. I only use the Clarisonic on my face 1-2 times/week. For the face, the Clarisonic definitely leaves me feeling smoother and softer. When I run my hands over my face, the skin feels like glass. The Olay also leaves my skin feeling smooth, but not as smooth as the Clarisonic. I would not lose sleep over the differences in smoothness, especially if you can't justify the differences in cost. Both work well and produce positive results, though through a different mechanism (from my understanding). I think that if I used both products too frequently it would irritate the skin on my face. For the body, the Olay is the superior product. The Clarisonic is too gentle to provide adequate exfoliation (even with the body brush head). I use the Olay daily on my upper arms (where I have KP) and the outside of my calves (where my skin always feels bumpy for some reason). One complaint, since I'm using the the Olay on a larger surface area I have to replace the batteries very frequently.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - You Don't Know Jacques!
lipcrazy 2/10/2011 11:03:00 PM
I think my skin is a little to dark to pull of this color (NC 43/C40). Its a shame because I really love this color. I think its kind of a bold and edgy take on neutral nail color. I don't know if that makes sense but its my take on the color. It applies well, but I can't comment on lasting power as I took of the nail color about two hours after putting it on.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Blushing Bride
lipcrazy 2/10/2011 10:50:00 PM
I love this nail polish. It's your standard natural color (sheer with a faint wash of pink), it would be boring if I didn't find myself using it so often. Its great for toning down a "too white" nail polish when doing a fresh manicure. Two coats of this color with a base and top coat and its a natural and easy manicure. Unlike other sheer colors this stays shiny and is very forgiving in terms of application. It does not ever look streaky and applies really evenly. I sometimes paint my nails with other sheers and find that my right or left hand isn't even, one hand is more opaque than the other. That never happens with this color, it really is goof-proof.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -L'Oreal - EverStrong Hydrating shampoo
lipcrazy 2/10/2011 10:34:00 PM
This is my first sulfate free shampoo. I use this shampoo with the matching conditioner. I am indifferent about the smell, it does not smell bad per say just more herbal. The scent is unexpected for a shampoo. I have really mixed feelings about the performance of the product and made sure I used the whole tube before reviewing. Pros: 1. I like the idea of cutting back on chemicals, but based on some of the reviews here this isn't really organic or chemical free in the true sense of the word. 2. There is more lather than I expected. I agree with the reviewer who said that it is creamier than regular shampoos. Cons: 1. This isn't as hydrating as other shampoos I have tried (your hair feels really soft in the shower but after it dries it does feel a little stiff. Kind of hard to explain). 2. If you consider how much product you are actually getting for the price, the product is on the pricier side for L'oreal. I am going to try other shampoos until I find one that delivers to my standards.
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Shampoo -Garnier - Sleek and Shine
lipcrazy 12/24/2010 1:57:00 AM
I flatiron my hair about 4-5 times a week. My hair always looks good in the fall/winter but looks like crap in the humidity. It starts frizzing, tangles and actually looks coarse. This is the only shampoo and conditioner I use in the summer. My wavy hair actually feels smoother even after letting my hair air dry. This has drastically reduced the frizzing. Granted if I'm outdoors on a humid summer day for a long period of time, my hair will still frizz. But not as much as it used to before I discovered this shampoo/conditioner combo. I've been using it for about two summers and I'm pretty happy. Added bonus is that its cheap.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - French Manicure White Tip Pen Fine Tip
lipcrazy 11/23/2010 11:47:00 PM
After reading all of the reviews I waited for a long time before reviewing this product. I've done three french manicures on short nails and so far I like it enough to repurchase. I think practice is the key to getting a fine and clean line on the nails. I only use this product when my nails are short, when they are longer I can free-hand it better with white nail polish. I always apply it over a base coat (I use the seche clear base coat but to each their own), even though the instructions say to apply it over bare nails. I find that the smoother the surface of my nails are, the more easily the pen flows. When applying the white nail polish, I tilt the pen on the side where the most product is and just lighty line the tip of my nail. I let this dry and then go over it again, this time making the line thicker. You have to make sure that the white is completely dry before applying your sheer base coat and the top coat. Otherwise the brush will "pull" the white off of your tips and it will become a mess. Yes, the salon results are better but this is affordable and with practice can definitely work for you.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Complete Salon Manicure Nail Polish
lipcrazy 11/23/2010 11:27:00 PM
I hate to be the downer of the group, but I find these nail polishes to be extremely streaky. I have three colors haute chocolate, sheer me now and peachy keen. The colors are rather generic and in reality probably dupes from higher end brands. The wider brush is definitely an improvement. However, I found the application for the two lighter shades, peachy keen and sheer me now to be extremely streaky. I have reserved all three polishes for pedicure uses only. I don't really feel comfortable wearing the lighter shades on my hands because the streakiness is very visible upon closer inspection. I paid $7.50 for one of the nail polishes when they were on sale at CVS for buy one get one 50% off. I rather pay a little bit extra money for OPI than buy these again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Lincoln Park After Dark
lipcrazy 11/22/2010 3:59:00 AM
This is my go-to nail polish for my toes. It is a never fail dark burgundy/black that always looks absolutely perfect on my toes. I have yet to decide who I am actually marrying on that special day, but i can guarantee you I will be wearing this nail polish! I am a C40 for reference.
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Polishes -OPI - Lincoln Park at Midnight
lipcrazy 11/22/2010 3:52:00 AM
Love this color for my toes. It is a shimmery purple color that is well described in the reviews below. It looks good on my toes which are much fairer than the rest of my body. Love the application! So much smoother and longer lasting than other brands. (I am a C 40 for reference). I can't use it on my hands because my knuckles have darkened patches of skin that make them look darker than they really are.
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Lotions/ Creams -Dove - Dove Cream Oil Intensive BodyLotion, Extra Dry Skin Advanced 
lipcrazy 11/22/2010 3:40:00 AM
Like the pro-age body lotion this product has a scent that lingers. You can smell this on you hours later. This is moisturizing, but I would argue that it is slightly less moisturizing than curel or nivea. I rather use curel which is available in a fragrance free formula or a scented formula (the scent isn't as nearly as strong). I have tried both this and the pro-age. Neither one works well enough to make up for the horrible flowery scent.
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Lotions/ Creams -Dove - Pro Age Beauty Body Lotion
lipcrazy 11/22/2010 3:31:00 AM
This stuff smells and the scent lingers for hours. So much so that I am going to try the cream oil intensive body lotion. It is moisturizing but not enough to make up for the scent. Waste of money. Smell it in the store before you buy, then imagine how much more potent that smell will be when spread over your entire body. It gives me a headache. Quality product that should come in a fragrance-free formula or at the very least it should be re-formulated so it has a softer scent that does not linger.
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Powders -Smashbox - Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder
lipcrazy 11/10/2010 1:34:00 PM
I have tried this powder multiple times at Ulta and sephora in light (the only yellow based color available). This powder is silky applies beautifully and leaves my skin looking "fresh". I like the twist dial mechanism, which protects the remaining powder from oxidation, oil and other environmental elements. All of the anti-aging benefits that are added are a nice touch but I'm unsure how much benefit they have on top of foundation, primer and moisturizer. I would not purchase this product because the light color, though yellow based is too light for my C40/NC42 indian skin. I have to apply it VERY sheerly otherwise I end up looking chalky. It's a little bit deceiving as it looks ok in the light in the store but when I go home and check it out it always looks slightly ashy. The other colors are darker but pink based and look wrong on my skin. It's shame, I really liked the general feel of the product. I still ranked it relatively high because I think its a quality product, but at $59 I can't justify purchasing this. I'm hoping that smashbox adds more yellow based colors. I mainly wrote this review to help other people who have my skin tone who may not be able to get to a tester.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Liners -MAC - Whirl
lipcrazy 11/9/2010 10:12:00 PM
I have this weird "outline" on my lips thats about two shades darker than the middle portion of my lips. This outline made it difficult to wear lighter lip colors because the edges of my lips would always look funny. Not anymore my friends. I use the whirl lip liner on the edges of my lips to neutralize the dark spots and apply whatever lipstick I want on top with a brush. The color is kind of a beigy-plum and works really well with my skintone (I'm indian and C40 with MAC for reference). I would purchase this again in a heart beat.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Ecotools - Bamboo Bronzer Brush
lipcrazy 11/9/2010 10:06:00 PM
Love this brush. I have one reserved for my MAC prep and prime translucent powder, another reserved for my studio fix and a third for "all purpose" type uses. It is more of a kubuki brush than bronzer, and it is dense and really soft. It buffs in both the mac prep and prime and the studio fix beautifully, the effect is far superior to that of a regular powder brush. It gives me the very natural sheer look that I want with very little effort. Its a little wide for the mac prep and prime but the final result is worth it. Unlike other kubuki brushes this one has much longer handle which I think makes the application process much easier. I also like the light bamboo and metal design, even though it sticks out like a sore thumb from the rest of my MAC brushes. Its very minimalistic and something I can leave on my dresser without embarassment. The best part is that it is so cheap I can splurge and buy multiple brushes without any guilt. I took of one lippie because in one of my brushes three of the fibers are longer than the other, by about a centimeter. This is a very small price to pay for the product and I just ended up trimming them.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No