Liquid -Cover Girl - Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation
lnb4563 3/15/2013 10:09:00 PM
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: My skin is mostly balanced, though it can become oily toward the end of the day. If it's ever dry, it is around my chin and T-zone. My acne got worse when I got out of my teens, but even now it's what most would consider moderate. Some acne scarring on my left cheek due to cysts that developed, minor redness, slight dark circles under my eyes, one sole fine line under my left eye, and usually a pimple or two. Therefore, in a foundation I look for medium-buildable to full coverage and nice oil control. Easily blendable is a plus. I'm usually the second-to-lightest shade in just about every DS foundation; that was definitely not the case with this. PRICE/AVAILABILITY: I bought this for around $10 at both Wal-Mart and Target. The first shade, Classic Ivory, I bought at Wal-Mart. The second shade, Buff Beige, was purchased at Target. Easy to find everywhere now. Rather expensive for a DS foundation, but so is the Revlon I'd be using otherwise. PACKAGING: This part of it is awesome. I love the glass container and pump. Finally, a pump on a DS foundation! What a novel concept! (Really, Revlon, would that have been so hard to do with ColorStay?) By turning the pump, you can also control how much comes out, which is pretty sweet as well. COVERAGE/APPLICATION/WEAR: I picked up Classic Ivory since that was the second shade, thinking it would work since the second shade usually does. Nope. Way too light. However, it applied flawlessly, made my face look almost as if it were airbrushed, and it still looked freshly applied after 10 hours of wear. I looked ghostly, but the foundation formula was perfect. So why am I only giving it a two? Well, when I finally found the proper shade -Buff Beige- it was like I had bought a totally different foundation! It was impossible to blend, it covered up nothing regardless of how many layers I applied, and it oxidized! Three layers and I still had sheer coverage. The next time, I applied with a brush, though the results I had so loved with Classic Ivory had been achieved merely by using my fingers. Same results with the brush. Honestly, I don't know if I just picked up a bad bottle or what, but I'm so bummed! Classic Ivory was lovely, except it was too light; Buff Beige was a total disaster on all fronts. I MAY rebuy Buff Beige just to see if it was the bottle I had, but I'm getting the results I had from Classic Ivory with the foundation I'm using now, which is WnW's Coverall, believe it or not. SUMMARY: The Classic Ivory shade gave me the results I wanted. However, when I selected a better match for my skin tone in Buff Beige, the end result was a complete mess! The Buff Beige gave me the opposite results of what Classic Ivory had given me. Buff Beige was difficult to blend, had virtually no coverage, and oxidized shortly after application. Ugh. This saddens me, because I really wanted to love this foundation. It looks amazing on others, but it's a fiasco on my face. REBUY?: Perhaps to see if the bottle I had was just a fluke, but otherwise I'm afraid I'm going to have to be among the minority here and say NO.
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Foundations -Cover Girl - Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation
lnb4563 3/15/2013 10:08:00 PM
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: My skin is mostly balanced, though it can become oily toward the end of the day. If it's ever dry, it is around my chin and T-zone. My acne got worse when I got out of my teens, but even now it's what most would consider moderate. Some acne scarring on my left cheek due to cysts that developed, minor redness, slight dark circles under my eyes, one sole fine line under my left eye, and usually a pimple or two. Therefore, in a foundation I look for medium-buildable to full coverage and nice oil control. Easily blendable is a plus. I'm usually the second-to-lightest shade in just about every DS foundation; that was definitely not the case with this. PRICE/AVAILABILITY: I bought this for around $10 at both Wal-Mart and Target. The first shade, Classic Ivory, I bought at Wal-Mart. The second shade, Buff Beige, was purchased at Target. Easy to find everywhere now. Rather expensive for a DS foundation, but so is the Revlon I'd be using otherwise. PACKAGING: This part of it is awesome. I love the glass container and pump. Finally, a pump on a DS foundation! What a novel concept! (Really, Revlon, would that have been so hard to do with ColorStay?) By turning the pump, you can also control how much comes out, which is pretty sweet as well. COVERAGE/APPLICATION/WEAR: I picked up Classic Ivory since that was the second shade, thinking it would work since the second shade usually does. Nope. Way too light. However, it applied flawlessly, made my face look almost as if it were airbrushed, and it still looked freshly applied after 10 hours of wear. I looked ghostly, but the foundation formula was perfect. So why am I only giving it a two? Well, when I finally found the proper shade -Buff Beige- it was like I had bought a totally different foundation! It was impossible to blend, it covered up nothing regardless of how many layers I applied, and it oxidized! Three layers and I still had sheer coverage. The next time, I applied with a brush, though the results I had so loved with Classic Ivory had been achieved merely by using my fingers. Same results with the brush. Honestly, I don't know if I just picked up a bad bottle or what, but I'm so bummed! Classic Ivory was lovely, except it was too light; Buff Beige was a total disaster on all fronts. I MAY rebuy Buff Beige just to see if it was the bottle I had, but I'm getting the results I had from Classic Ivory with the foundation I'm using now, which is WnW's Coverall, believe it or not. SUMMARY: The Classic Ivory shade gave me the results I wanted. However, when I selected a better match for my skin tone in Buff Beige, the end result was a complete mess! The Buff Beige gave me the opposite results of what Classic Ivory had given me. Buff Beige was difficult to blend, had virtually no coverage, and oxidized shortly after application. Ugh. This saddens me, because I really wanted to love this foundation. It looks amazing on others, but it's a fiasco on my face. REBUY?: Perhaps to see if the bottle I had was just a fluke, but otherwise I'm afraid I'm going to have to be among the minority here and say NO.
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast Clump Crusher mascara
lnb4563 3/13/2013 10:15:00 PM
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: My lashes are long enough to achieve a natural look, but they can't accomplish the look I'm going for without serious help. They're relatively thin as well, so I was drawn in by the promise of 200% more volume (though I knew that claim couldn't possibly be true). My lashes are also light, so I always purchase the darkest shade without fail. PRICE/AVAILABILITY: I found this for about $7 at Wal-Mart. I believe that's par for the course for a CG mascara, though I usually pay no attention to their mascaras. It can be found at all drugstores across the U.S. PACKAGING: Bright lime-green tube that tapers at the end. Curved wand with plastic bristles. The tube drives me nuts! Since it tapers at the bottom, it doesn't balance well. I usually knock it over at least once. I could also stand for the handle to be slightly smaller. It's rather large for my hand, but it's still workable. PERFORMANCE: Honestly, I didn't realize how much I liked this mascara until I stopped using it! I'll admit I've never been impressed with CG's mascaras, though many others swear by the LashBlast formula. The promise of no clumps with exceptional of volume drew me in. Did it deliver? Not entirely, but close. It gave me nice, defined, nonclumpy lashes. "Blackest black" was more charcoal, but it still added decent color. 200% volume? Nowhere near! However, still a lovely amount. It gave me everything I desired ... thick, fluttery, doll-like lashes ... but not enough length. Sadly, I have to use a lengthening mascara in addition to this, but I believe it's worth it. I also have to use about 5 coats of this to get the desired effect. But as I said before, it's worth it. SUMMARY: I believe this will become a permanent part of my beauty arsenal. A CG mascara I actually adore ... hm. An unusual concept for me, that is. This gives plenty of volume, but not enough length. When used alone, it creates a nice natural look. The addition of a lengthening mascara is required to achieve the drag queen-esque look I prefer when it comes to lashes (okay, so I don't like my lashes quite that extreme, but close enough). REBUY? Certainly!
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Mascara -Jordana - Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara
lnb4563 1/1/2013 9:58:00 PM
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: My lashes are long, but thin. I pile on mascara in hopes of getting doll lashes - thick, full, and fluttery. I don't curl my lashes because they don't need it. It doesn't make much of a difference if I do curl them. I also have blonde lashes, in spite of my dark hair. PRICE/AVAILABILITY: I bought this at Walgreen's, which is the only place I've ever seen it. It was in the $2-3 range. Extraordinarily cheap for such a fantastic mascara! PACKAGING: It's your standard black tube with purple writing. Nothing terribly fancy or notable. That said, when you pull out the applicator it comes out with a ton of product on it. There's nothing that lines the tube to scrape some of the excess product off as you open it. That kind of sucks, but just dab the extra off on a tissue and you should be okay. The lid of my second tube broke shortly after I bought it, though I'm not sure why. I never dropped it, and the rest of the time it was in my make-up bag. I didn't notice any cracks, but maybe I just didn't pay close enough attention. PERFORMANCE: Like I said, I tend to pile on mascara. We're talking a good six or seven coats per eye. It did give me the thick, full lashes I so crave! However, as it takes so much to darken my blonde lashes, after so many coats it would begin to clump. I could carefully work the clumps out with a tweezers, of course, but given the choice I'd rather not have to. At the end of the day, I did notice some slight smudging. This mascara only comes in black, so hopefully you don't want brown. It's a true black, not a gray-black like some mascaras. SUMMARY: This super cheap mascara gave me the thick, dark lashes I had hoped for. However, it takes so much mascara to darken my lashes that it began to clump. (The clumps were fixable, though, thankfully.) I also had a bit of smudging by the time I took it off, but nothing too noticeable. REBUY?: I've re-bought this several times already. :)
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Styling Products -TRESemme - Instant Heat Tamer Spray
lnb4563 12/25/2012 10:56:00 PM
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: My hair is well past my shoulders, but I wouldn't call it long. My hair is pretty virginal - it's never been dyed, or had anything too severe done to it. My hair is, unfortunately, on the thin side, but I have a lot of it. It is heat damaged, mainly in the form of split ends; I blow dry and straighten it almost daily. When left to air dry, it merely appears extra oily. Mind you, it usually looks oily the day after I've taken a shower anyway. In spite of all that, a clarifying shampoo and weekly masque make it at least look healthy. PRICE/AVAILABILITY: Honestly, I've bought this product so many times over the years I don't even look at the price anymore. I want to say it's, like, $4-5 USD. Perhaps $6 at the most. It's not dirt cheap, but it's still pretty cheap. I've found it numerous places - Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens . . . needless to say, it's readily available. PACKAGING: It comes in a simple black and red squirt bottle. Maybe it's just me, but I find the nozzle to be a little oddly shaped. It's not off-putting enough that it's stopped me from buying the product, though. However, it ejects the spray as a fine mist, so I'd say the overall design works. PERFORMANCE: Several sprays all over my hair before blow drying and again before straightening and I'm good to go! I've been using this since I began straightening my hair in . . . 5th grade? I would have been 11 in the 5th grade; I'm 22 and in college now. Wow, I didn't even realize I'd been using it that long! Yes, I did say earlier my hair is heat damaged with split ends. But I know it would be a lot worse if I hadn't been using this for so long. And the splits are small; they're something only I notice. When I get my hair trimmed every couple months, my stylist always comments on how healthy my hair is. Given how often I take a blow dryer and straightener to it, I believe that to be a true testament to how well this stuff performs. It's never sticky or caused any build up. It has a light, pleasant scent that's difficult to describe. It doesn't smell like your typical hair product, but it's still lovely. I tried other heat protectants long ago, but always came back to this. I've stuck with it for many years and will continue to do so. SUMMARY: This is the only HG in my hair arsenal. It's also the only product I own that I've bought countless times without even thinking about it. It's a lightweight product with an equally light, unoffensive smell. The spray nozzle is a bit odd-looking, but that's easy enough to get over. REBUY?: If you read any other part of my review, you know this is a resounding yes!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -E.L.F. - Eyelid Primer
lnb4563 12/2/2012 8:06:00 PM
PRICE/AVAILABILITY: E.L.F products, as far as I know, are exclusively available at Target and online. Walgreens occasionally has their larger palettes, but never individually packaged items such as this primer. I found this for $1 USD at Target. I had always thought an eyelid primer sounded rather pointless, but I figured for a buck it was worth a shot. There are 4 different colors online: sheer, champagne, pearl, and golden. I've seen a set of 3 at Target before, but I've only ever bought the shade "Sheer" by itself. PACKAGING & USAGE: The packaging is similar to a tube of lip gloss. It's got a screw-off black lid that, when pulled out, forms a tapered end. I apply a streak of primer across each lid before gently patting it in. It does give my lids a hint of color, but that doesn't bother me since it's soon covered with eyeshadow anyway. PERFORMANCE: I've used this under Wet n Wild's Color Icon, L'Oreal's Infallible shadows, Maybelline's Color Tattoos, and Rimmel's Glam'Eyes trio. Granted, most of those are long-lasting to begin with, but the Rimmel is not. This primer did indeed increase the wear of that eyeshadow. The Rimmel lasted about 12 hours with minimal fading. And for a shadow that lasts maybe 4 hours without primer, if you're lucky, that's awesome! However, it doesn't seem to increase the color quality of any shadow I've tried. SUMMARY: If you're looking for a primer for shadows that aren't already long-wearing, this is a good bet. If you're wanting an increase in color pay out, look elsewhere. But for a basic, cheap primer, I'd say this is as sweet as it gets. In spite of its small size, it lasts quite awhile. REBUY?: Already have!
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Skincare - Body -Unlisted Brand - Method Pure Naked Moisturizing Body Wash
lnb4563 11/21/2012 8:14:00 PM
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Please note this body wash is a moisturizing body wash and my skin is not particularly dry regardless of the season. Just because I didn't find this wash overly moisturizing does not mean it isn't. With my skin not really needing the moisture, it could have quenched me in moisture and I wouldn't have noticed. PRICE/AVAILABILITY: I bought this for about $5 USD at Target. In truth, I've never seen it anywhere else. I believe you can buy other Method products at Walgreens and Wal-Mart, but Target is the only place I've found the body wash. PACKAGING: The packaging is really cute! The bottle is rather pear-shaped. The top narrows into the neck, then it flares out. The bottle is pink, green, and a yellowish-cream color at the top. The bottom is clear so you can see just how much you have left (I love it when the bottles are like that)! The lid is clear, rather flimsy plastic. I could see that breaking easily if you were to drop the bottle. PERFORMANCE: Oh, the smell! Heaven in a bottle. I got the magnolia scent. While I haven't a clue if it smells like real magnolias, this body wash smells lovely! It's light, fresh, and floral, but not overly so. It's feminine without making you gag. The scent is perfect for summer, which was when I bought this bottle (it's lasted me several months). The soap itself is white and opalescent with a thin, almost watery consistency. But don't let that fool you! This baby lathers. It contains sodium coco sulfate as opposed to the more traditional sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate. Regardless of if I use a poof, wash cloth, or my hands, it remains one of the best lathering body washes I've found. SUMMARY: It smells divine, lathers well, and probably moisturizes (but don't base its moisturizing properties on me). What else could you be looking for in a body wash? REBUY?: Definitely. I've got Dove's new stuff to use next, but if that doesn't work out, I'll likely come back to this! :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Aussie - Confidently Clean
lnb4563 11/21/2012 7:45:00 PM
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: My hair is medium-brown, usually long, and rather thin, but I have a lot of it. Due to heat exposure and the fact that it's long, my hair is prone to split ends. All this considered, my hair is pretty healthy. It's never been colored and, in truth, I don't do much to it. The roots are oily and the ends are rather dry. The same day I take a shower, my hair is perfectly fine. No oil. By the time I wake up the next morning, it looks like I haven't washed my hair in days. Gross, but true. So I usually wash my hair daily to avoid the grease. PRICE/AVAILABILITY: I got one of those huge pump bottles that contains, like, 30 oz. It cost about $5-6 USD at Target. I wanted a smaller bottle, but for some reason I've never been able to find smaller Aussie bottles around here. Some Aussie collections, like Moist and Aussome Volume, I can find at any drugstore around here. Others, like Cleanse and Mend, I could only find at Wal-Mart. However, since this replaced the Cleanse and Mend I've been able to find it other places, such as Walgreens and Target. PACKAGING: As mentioned, I bought the huge pump bottle. The bottle is the traditional Aussie purple. The packaging is sturdy. I've never had trouble with it falling over when I accidentally bump it or stuff like that. Water hasn't managed to seep inside. The only complaint I really have is the bulkiness of it. Since I rarely travel it's not an issue. But if I did travel a lot, I could see where it would be annoying. PERFORMANCE: The smell is divine! Tropical and citrusy, but not overly so. The shampoo is an opalescent white. It's not too thick nor too thin. Due to the presence of sulfates, it lathers well. I focus washing on my roots and let it set for a moment while I shave or whatever. It washes out clean with no residue left behind. However, I wasn't so much worried about its performance the day of washing as I was about the next day. I woke up the next day with an oily scalp, but not as oily as usual. I could almost go out in public without a shower first. Almost. SUMMARY: It gets my hair cleaner than most shampoos seem to do! However, it doesn't eliminate my need for a daily hair wash. REBUY?: I would rebuy. (PS) For those wondering, I compared the ingredients and unless I overlooked something, the ingredients in Confidently Clean match the ingredients in Cleanse and Mend.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Garnier - Sleek & Shine Flat Iron Perfector Straightening Mist
lnb4563 11/21/2012 5:56:00 PM
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: I have medium-brown hair that falls past my shoulders. The roots tend to be oily while the ends are rather dry and have a tendency to split. I blow-dry and straighten it nearly everyday. When left to air-dry, my hair as a tiny bit of wave to it - just enough that it can't be called naturally straight. It's on the fine side, but I have a lot of it. I use a clarifying shampoo and mask on it once a week. In spite of split ends, my hair actually is in really good condition considering its length. I bought this mostly to just make my hair a little sleeker. PACKAGING/AVAILABILITY: The packaging is typical Garnier. Pretty straight forward. Just a plain green bottle with a spray nozzle. The spray is ejected as a fine mist, which I like. I believe I spent around $5 USD for this at Target. I've also seen it at Wal-Mart and Walgreens. It's pretty easy to find. PERFORMANCE: Yikes. This is where everything went downhill. I first noticed the smell, which was very overwhelming, even for a Garnier product. It truly reeks of alcohol (though that isn't exactly surprising, given the first ingredient is alcohol denat.). However, it still has the usual fruity Garnier smell. I expect they tried to mask the alcohol stench with a more pleasant fruity smell, but mixed together the combined effect isn't so great. Fortunately, this product didn't cause any additional build up or greasiness. But it also didn't do what it advertised. It had no straightening effect on my hair whatsoever. Especially not for 48 hours (that claim is ridiculous anyway)! I already use the Tresemme heat tamer spray for blow-drying. I can honestly use that before flat ironing as well and get the same results as if I had used the Garnier spray. And that's exactly what I've done since I ran out of the Garnier. SUMMARY: This did nothing. My hair's as straight as it usually is back when I used the Tresemme. I've gone back to my trusty Tresemme and I'm happier with that. The only thing that saved this from getting just 1 lippy was the fact that it contains heat protection. REBUY?: Nope. My Tresemme, which I always have on the shelf, does more for my hair.
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Crème -Revlon - ColorStay Whipped Creme Makeup
lnb4563 11/7/2012 2:10:00 PM
If I've been lurking this long, I may as well try to contribute, right? My real score for this would be a 4.5, because it isn't perfect. So I rounded up. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: My skin is fairly balanced. It's normal for the most part, but does have a tendency to get oily once in awhile. Even then, what I call "oily" on my skin most would call "dewy." Not much acne to speak of, though I get the occasional pimple. My skin is fair, about NW/NC 20 (please bear in mind this match is just according to MAC's online test; I've never been professionally matched). PRICE/AVAILABILITY: I bought this for $14 USD at Target. I was so excited about it I didn't even wait for a sale. It is rather expensive for something considered drugstore. I'd never tried the original ColorStay because I tend to make a mess of things if the bottle doesn't have a pump. This was my chance to finally try a version of ColorStay and I was stoked. Since buying, I've seen it at Walgreens, Wal-Mart, K-Mart ... pretty much anywhere considered drugstore in the US. PACKAGING: I actually like the packaging. It's just a little glass tub with a black screw-on cap. It makes it look like something higher-end. That said, it isn't practical nor hygienic. If you're a traveler, I could see where it would be a pain to carry around. However, I'm not a traveler and I'm the only one that uses it, so the issue of practicality and hygiene don't bother me. COVERAGE/APPLICATION/WEAR: I bought the shade Buff, the second lightest shade. It's a decent match, though I think I could almost use something a bit darker. For me, this can be light to full coverage. If I want light coverage, I place a small dot of foundation on my forehead, cheeks, chin, and nose, then blend. If I want more coverage, I use 2-3 small dots of foundation. After rubbing it in, I also pat it in. I find that sets it a little more and gets rid of any streaks. I know several people have mentioned finding it hard to blend, but I think patting it in after rubbing really helps. To better cover up pimples or redness, I place a tiny dot of foundation on said spot and pat. It also settled into the little lines under my eyes that everyone has. Every hour or so I just patted under my eyes and the problem was taken care of. When it first dries, it appears matte. As the day wears on, the foundation becomes more of a satin finish and appears more natural. I can get 8-12 hours of wear out of this with only touching up powder. (Powder is touched up for SPF, not really because I need it.) The foundation itself needs no touching up within that time period. And honestly, 12 hours is the longest I've tried it. You may be able to get even more wear out of it! I took an afternoon nap with it on once and noticed no transfer. SUMMARY: This is the closest I've ever come to an HG foundation. It's got good coverage and wear time. It's okay for those with oily to normal skin. If you have dry skin, I wouldn't recommend it (it clung to flakes around my nose after CeraVe began to dry out my skin). Those who have problems with 'cones will likely not be able to tolerate this foundation. I also wouldn't rec it to someone who has wrinkles, because this did settle into the fine lines under my eyes. REBUY?: Absolutely! (Though I find Rimmel's Lasting Finish cheaper and nearly as effective). [UPDATE 1/23/13] I've since finished my tub of this. I've moved on, but I stand by my original review. As mentioned previously, Rimmel's Lasting Finish is an excellent alternative to this in terms of coverage. It's also half the price. I've never had much luck with CoverGirl, but they just released their Outlast 3-in-1 Foundation and I know a lot of people here are having good luck with that. Personally, I'm having AWESOME luck with WnW's Coverall foundation (which I totally did not see coming). The WnW can have coverage akin to this, I've found, and it works better on spots that are dry or flaky. WnW also has much better oil control than the Rimmel.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Skin79 - Vital BB Cream SPF50++ Hot Orange Label
lnb4563 5/1/2012 5:45:00 PM
Normally I just lurk on MUA, but with all the curiosity regarding BB creams I felt compelled to write a review. I've seen so many people say that BB creams are nothing more than glorified tinted moisturizers, and that's what I suspected too ... at first. But since purchasing one, I've found they really are pretty incredible. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: My skin is pretty normal, but it does have a tendency to get oily during the summer. I'm pale ... about NW20? (I've never officially found my MAC color match, that's just according to their online test.) PRICE/AVAILABILITY: This retails for about $30, but I purchased it from Amazon (from seller Seoulglamour) for $19.99 (price includes shipping). I placed my order April 11th and it was shipped the next day. It arrived at my house on April 21st, though it had an estimated arrival date of May 11th. It came from Korea in record time! PACKAGING: The packaging is cute if slightly bulky. It's in a vivid orange pump bottle, so it's colorful yet hygienic. One pump dispenses enough to cover my entire face. I recently packed it for vacation and while doing so I remember thinking, 'I really wish this had a lock.' For me that's its only real drawback. COVERAGE/APPLICATION/WEAR: Its coverage is very good - about medium, I'd say. It applies more matte than dewy, which is something I was looking for. This oxidizes to fit my skin perfectly. It does not have a grayish cast when first applied, like many BB creams apparently do. It does has a bit of a scent, but it's light and I find it fades quickly. I have some acne scars on my left cheek and a second light coat on said spots is enough to cover them. It's not unusual for me to have a couple blemishes on my chin and this covers them pretty well too. That said, I do use a concealer for under eye circles and the occasional blemish. Not really because this doesn't cover well enough, but because I feel a concealer just ensures my marks are invisible - to others, at least. However, even with an additional light layer the BB cream never appears cakey. While driving to Florida, I took a nap with this on. When I woke up, I was happy to see none of it had rubbed off on my pillow. I set it with translucent powder and hours later it looks nearly as fresh as it did when I first applied it. I did actually get a slight tan during vacation (no sunburn!) and this became a little too light for my skin. I just applied Rimmel's Clean Finish in True Ivory over top of this BB cream and I was happy with the match. THE PROMISED EXTRAS: This cream contains SPF 50. I still use a sunscreen under it because I never really trust sunscreen in cosmetics. But the high SPF factor is still a plus, I believe. It's suitable for oily skin, though I can't really attest to its sebum-controlling properties since my skin is mostly normal. I attended my cousin's graduation a week ago, and it was pretty warm outside; afterwards I noticed my nose was slightly shiny, but nothing drastic. A blotting sheet fixed it right up and didn't rub off anything in return. It has whitening as well, which I was skeptical about that. Several uses later, it has indeed lightened the scars on my cheek a bit. It also says "anti-wrinkle," but I'm only 21, so I can't say it's improved my nonexistent wrinkles. SUMMARY: In short, I love this BB cream. It was my first BB cream and I plan to continue purchasing it. It makes my face appear radiant, something foundation has never accomplished. I've never found something I adored enough to consider it HG, but this product is so lovely that it might just be my first HG purchase! :) [UPDATE 8/25/12]: So was it an HG? Not exactly. But I do stand by my original review, and I still believe it is a very good product. I've been using it under Revlon's ColorStay Whipped foundation, and I find this BB cream really does help to create a flawless face. My acne scars have indeed continued to lighten, but that may be due to a prescription acne cream rather than this particular product. I may still try the Hot Pink and/or Gold labels from Skin79, as well as Maybelline's Americanized version of a BB cream, just to compare. But regardless of if I do purchase something else next time, I would still come back to this without hesitation. In fact, I may even been willing to pay the full $30 USD price tag. Coming from someone who purchases their cosmetics solely at the drugstore, I truly think that's saying something.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No