Cleansers -Trader Joe's - Nourish All in One Facial Cleanser 
lotusfairy 6/17/2013 3:51:00 AM
I was browsing through the aisles of Trader Joe's and saw this. I remember a lot of people saying they liked it and that it was supposedly made by a well-known dermatologist (I'm assuming Dr. Perricone). I figured why not? It has a thin gel-like consistency and a very mild scent. It has a bunch of vitamins and a copper peptide which is good for keeping the skin firm. It removes makeup well and a little is needed or else it becomes very drying, even for my sensitive, oily skin. It isn't pore clogging and leaves my face feeling clean. I like that it is affordable and that the product is in a pump bottle. Those with combination-oily skin will benefit from trying this. If you don't like it, you can maybe use it as a hand wash. Though I prefer milky cream washes for my skin now that I am getting older, I still like to keep this on hand as my evening wash. I make sure to exfoliate and do a mask treatment at least once a week to keep my skin balanced. For additional reference, I am clog-prone and eczema-prone with sebaceous filaments on my nose. So far no problems and I will update soon.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Nails -Unlisted Brand - Hoofer's Choice
lotusfairy 6/17/2013 3:33:00 AM
I bought this at Sally's for about three dollars. It comes in a plastic jar and has the consistency of Vick's vapor rub, with this having more of a waxy green scent that I dislike. It is amazing for my dry cuticles. It really helped to moisturize and plump up the skin on my hands. It also softens well and you only need to use a little bit so a jar will last you a long time. It does take a while to sink in so if you are using it on your hands make sure it is fully absorbed first. On my feet, it softens rough areas and keeps my feet sandal ready now that summer is here. I wish this had a better scent but luckily it doesn't linger too long. I would buy again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Dove - Summer Care - Limited Edition
lotusfairy 6/16/2013 3:14:00 AM
Oh my goodness! These bar soaps smell wonderful. It has a very clean, slightly floral and aquatic smell to them and the blue color of the bar is a good change from the stark white regular Dove bar soaps. I was able to get a six pack at Walgreens on sale. I wanted the winter collection but missed out on that opportunity, so I was happy to nab these. The smell lingers temporarily on the skin and in the air, plus this is moisturizing and doesn't break me out on my chest or back where I am prone to acne. I didn't feel any residue on my skin and it cleans just as well as my favorite sensitive skin bar from Dove. Since this is heavily fragrant, I would not recommend this for those with allergies or skin conditions like eczema as it might irritate or cause reactions.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Orly - Rage
lotusfairy 6/16/2013 3:00:00 AM
This is absolutely stunning and is the perfect rose gold color for my skin tone and makes my nails look almost luminous. It goes on opaque with one coat which I like and does not apply streaky. It really picks up the light and doesn't seem to be too garish out during the day time. As for the bottle itself, it now has a rubber top to provide grip. I see this being a flattering shade for anyone and it is a fun, but beautiful shade to own. I am glad to have it in my collection. I found my bottle at Sally's for less than eight dollars. I highly recommend to give it a try.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Freeman - Facial Clay Mask - Mint & Lemon
lotusfairy 6/8/2013 1:12:00 AM
I was happy that I grabbed the last tube on the shelf, since this has been very hard to find for whatever reason. It smells realistically as lemons and has kaolin clay high on the ingredient list which my face responds well to. After I apply, let it dry, and rinse it off, my face feels and looks smoother. I get no redness or dryness which is surprising since my face is both sensitive and oily. It really does a good job keeping acne in check and doesn't clog my pores. Of all the Freeman masks I have tried, this one is the best for me. It does what it says it will do and is perfect for those with oily or even combination skin. It does remind me a lot of the Queen Helene Mint Julep mask in both consistency and looks, yet I would have to say this smells and performs better. This will be perfect to use during the summer and it is not too pricey. I found my tube at Walgreens, but I hope this is not discontinued.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Burt's Bees - Radiance Facial Cleanser
lotusfairy 6/6/2013 1:19:00 AM
I was looking for a new morning cleanser to try out and saw this. It has a pump and although it is a bit pricey, you only need to use a little bit (nickel sized amount). I make sure to really work it in my skin and I allow it to sit for a few seconds before rinsing. My face always looks refreshed and calm after using this. I do like the smell which is not too floral and it rinses clean without a tight feeling. It doesn't break me out or clog my pores. I do notice a slight brightening effect sometimes but it is nothing dramatic. It has a light, runny lotion like texture but for some reason doesn't fully help with the eczema around my nose, but all I have to do is follow up with a moisturizer concentrated in that area and I'm fine. The rest of my face feels soft and it doesn't feel greasy throughout the day. I am very impressed overall and it has become a handy morning face wash for me so far. It does not irritate my oily, sensitive skin. For reference, I also have sebaceous filaments on my nose and my skin is clog-prone with a tendency towards hormonal acne once a month.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Shadow in Pomegranate Punk
lotusfairy 6/6/2013 12:50:00 AM
This is a very pretty shade of pinkish-plum on my medium tone skin. It has shimmer so those that don't like that quality may want to steer away from this. You can build the color up to get the intensity you want and it doesn't budge on my oily lids. You do have to work fast with it as I noticed it does dry quickly, but it works good blended with other shadows in the crease. With this shade, I use brown, black, or a dark purple in the crease to give it more depth. I see no problem wearing it day or night since initially I was a little apprehensive about using it. I didn't want to look sleep-deprived or sick, but this was neither and adjusts well with my dark brown eyes, though I can see this being great for those with green eyes. The texture is creamy enough to use with my fingers so I don't have to use a brush. I look forward to trying new shades.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -L'Oreal - EverCurl Hydracharge Cleansing Conditioner
lotusfairy 6/5/2013 2:36:00 AM
After having success with the Evercreme version, I decided to give this a whirl as I enjoy trying new cleansing conditioners. It works almost the same as the Evercreme version too, but is a tad more moisturizing. It makes my hair feel clean without being greasy or dulling. My curls were more bouncy at the nape which is hard to do and my hair was soft to the touch. It has good slip and my hair air-dried less frizzy. Some tricks I learned when using cleansing conditioners: Work in sections, really work it into the scalp and spread any remainder conditioner to the ends and work it in there being gentle as possible. Add more conditioner if needed. Let it sit for the recommended time (I can't stress this enough) and then rinse. I don't expect this to remove heavy styling products (I like to use a clarifier for that) but it is perfect for days when I don't feel like shampooing my hair. It has a creamy consistency and smells very nice too. The only gripe I have about this is that I use quite a lot for my thick 3b hair and so the amount you get doesn't justify the price ($8.99 at my local Walgreens). Also the pump doesn't really produce a lot of product so I have a good workout each time pumping to get the amount I need for my hair which can be good or bad for some people. My V05 and Suave conditioners are cheaper and easier to use, but this does a good job conditioning my curls. I would buy again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -New York Color - High Definition Liquid Eyeliner extra black
lotusfairy 6/5/2013 2:01:00 AM
This was simple to use and I was able to create a nice line without any problems, however the color payoff was a total let down in the sense that I was expecting a dark black inky color and all I got was a muted gray. If I wanted a gray eyeliner I could have bought one in that shade. I will say that it makes a nice daytime look if you can't pull off dark eyeliners. I have dark brown eyes and this didn't look too bad on me. It had decent longevity on my oily lids. This also doesn't dry out like other drugstore eyeliners I have bought in the past. I will not repurchase but will keep this until I find something better. It was cheap so I guess I can't feel too bad.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Organix - Luxurious Moroccan argan Creme Sheer Opulence Masque
lotusfairy 5/31/2013 11:05:00 AM
I was attracted to the sleek, shiny gold tube with a flip-cap. The packaging says it is supposed to be the "creme de la creme" of the the whole Organix Moroccan Argan line. I will say that if you have had success with the other Organix conditioners and treatments, then you will really like this. It smell very nice (floral musk scent) and the scent does not linger long on the hair. I let it sit on my hair for around 3 to 5 minutes as suggested and then rinsed it off. It has very good slip and took a bit to rinse clean, yet my hair didn't feel like it had any residue. When my hair air-dried, it had good texture and shine. My hair was fairly easy to comb and did not look greasy. What impressed me the most is that it lived up to it's claims of being smoothing. It really helped to control frizz for me and left my hair soft. I think it has good moisturizing abilities for my hair though I would disagree with the super moisturizing claims on the packaging, but it does have a protein in it so those sensitive to that may want to avoid this one. Overall, I did like this and will buy it again if there is a sale on it as it is a bit pricey for the amount you get.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -L'Oreal - L`Oreal Paris EverCurl Hydracharge Shampoo
lotusfairy 5/31/2013 10:36:00 AM
Not too bad, but did not impress me as much as I would have wanted. This produced a rich, creamy lather and felt very gentle on the hair, but did not leave my hair feeling very clean as much as I wanted so I will have to reserve this for days when I don't wear a lot of hair products like styling creams or oils for example. It didn't make my hair feel dry or cause any static after air-drying so that is a plus. It smells like the Evercreme line which you can either hate or love (it's close to BBW vanilla and brown sugar line). This can be dulling for me overtime if I use it daily and doesn't really do anything to boost much curl, so it performs as an average gentle shampoo for me which is a bit disappointing. Luckily my tube was on sale at CVS so I didn't have to pay full retail for it (It costs about $8.99). I actually prefer the Evercreme shampoo I bought a long time ago to this so I will not repurchase but will use up my tube until then.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - Beautiful Textures - Tangle Taming Leave In Conditioner
lotusfairy 5/28/2013 7:13:00 PM
This smells so good- very fruity and strong, so if you don't like that stay far away from this. It lingers for hours on my hair. It has a lotion-like consistency that doesn't sit on my hair and suffocate my follicles. It has great slip, moisturizes without weighing down my hair, and smooths out the frizz. I can use this under most of my cream stylers with very little problems. My hair doesn't feel greasy or crispy in texture when I use this. It softens and gives my hair some decent texture as well. I bought my bottle from Sally's for less than seven dollars. I appreciate this for what it mainly does and that is detangling my hair. I use about a quarter size, distribute well throughout my hair, and gently run my detangling comb through. It makes combing my 3b hair easier and in less time. The only complaint I have is that it doesn't leave my hair with much shine but it doesn't claim to do that anyway. It would just be nice if it did, lol. If you have medium-thick hair that is dry or frizz prone, give this one a try.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Prince Matchabelli - Wind Song
lotusfairy 5/26/2013 9:25:00 PM
The dry-down of this is comforting and soft to me. I just love it. I admit I was drawn to the cute birds on the packaging. When I initially smelled it after spraying it on, I thought I had made a mistake buying this, but on my skin it developed into a floral oriental and dried down to a woody powdery smell ( I wish I could do a better job describing this) and then it didn't seem too bad. I wouldn't say this is a "mature" scent at all. I can see this being a bit unisex and for those who cannot tolerate overly floral or gourmand scents. It is light, but I can still smell this on my skin and clothes. I would say if you enjoy floral/powdery smells, then this is a good fragrance to try. It gets a bonus lippie for the retro packaging.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -New York Color - Sparkle Eye Dust - Champagne
lotusfairy 5/26/2013 9:06:00 PM
This is a beautiful cream/gold color that opens up the eye area and can be used as a highlighter. I blended a bit into the tear duct area when I did a smoky eye and it turned out great. It has decent staying power on my oily lids and wasn't chalky or gritty in texture. It is messy to use so I have to start with a little and go from there or else I end up with some on my cheekbones. It was a good bargain at less than two dollars on sale at CVS so I couldn't pass it up. This currently comes in a tube with a applicator wand and it makes it a bit challenging to use as the wand picks up too much of the product. I place some on the tip of my finger and use my finger to apply onto my lids. It seems to help a bit. This also works alone for days when I am wearing a bold lip and don't want my eye makeup to compete. It really brightens and makes me look more awake. I will definitely buy again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Organix - Argan Oil and Shea Butter Moisture Restore Mask
lotusfairy 5/26/2013 3:41:00 PM
I didn't think I was going to like this but ended up loving it. It has a creamy coconut scent that has decent longevity once my hair dries and has a yellow, pudding like consistency. It soaks in well and rinses clean without making my hair feel greasy. It leaves my hair feeling very soft and with great texture. While it isn't the most moisturizing treatment I have ever used, it doesn't dry out my hair or leave my hair with static or frizzy ends. It gives just enough moisture if that makes sense. I noticed better results when I leave it in more (I'd say for ten to fifteen minutes). The only thing I can really complain about is that it comes in a jar and it makes it difficult for me to use in the shower since I hate to get any water in it. It is a bit pricey at $8.99 for the size of the jar also.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No