Shampoo -L'Oreal - EverCreme Cleansing Conditioner
lotusgrrl 11/20/2012 1:19:00 AM
Absolutely wonderful for dry hair! My hair is very very fine, wavy, desert-dry and frizz-prone. I've tried all sorts of HE shampoos and none have left my hair as healthy as this. It is definitely a "cleansing conditioner" as they say and not a traditional shampoo. If your hair is oily or thick this may not be enough to clean it properly. When I use it my hair is incredibly soft and shiny and my waves look great. When I use it on my daughter's (healthy kid hair, not dry) hair it actually makes it look less shiny and dull. So be sure that you have the hair type for it before you buy. The cons are the packaging. The pump is annoying as other reviewers have stated and I don't really care for the smell as I don't like foodie/bakery scented products. It is expensive for a drugstore shampoo but after shelling out for Pureology with negligible results this feels like a bargain. The bottle is pretty small - although mine lasts about 4 months because my hair needs washing only 3x per week. It smooths my tangles and brings out my waves. It's soothing on my dry scalp as well. I took half a lippie off for the smell and packaging but this is a solid purchase and I will continue to buy. :)
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Shampoo -Pureology - Nanoworks Shampoo
lotusgrrl 11/16/2011 1:56:00 PM
This is amazing. My hair was so damaged I was ready to cut it all off. I've box-dyed and henna'd (kiss of death for my hair) it so many times this year. It was so fried and falling out in clumps. I purchased this as a last-ditch desperate attempt to save my hair. I also had a raging dandruff/sebhorric dermatitis issue. 3 weeks of using this every 3 days and my hair is shiny and has "life" in it according to DH. My scalp issues are gone. It smells great and feels like heaven on my head. If your hair is damaged, brittle, lifeless and dry you must try this shampoo. Yes it's 70 CAD a bottle but it saved me from a buzz cut.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Body -Jason Natural Cosmetics - Cocoa Butter body lotion
lotusgrrl 7/9/2011 3:24:00 PM
This is soooo close to being the perfect lotion! It is thick and creamy but absorbs like a dream with absolutely no greasiness or that gross slick goopy feeling. It leaves your skin soft, hydrated and with just a slight glow. Its not so rich that it causes body breakouts but definitely nourishing enough even for dry hands and feet. Its cheap, natural and easy to find. The ONLY bad thing I have to say about it is that it reeks. The cocoa butter scent is not my favorite and it seems to last. my husband loathes the smell of this :( If this smelled better or not at all it would be my HG for life! As it is, I will repurchase untill I stumble on something better (or DH says he cant handle it). I got it for $7.99 CAD at London Drugs.
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Tinted Moisturizer -Laura Mercier - Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 - Illuminating
lotusgrrl 7/9/2011 2:38:00 PM
This makes my skin look so healthy and beautiful - but there is a bit of a learning curve with it. Bit of background: I havent used any liquid or cream products in quite some time. I found them very heavy so I used various oils to moisturize and mineral makeup. Im turning 30 in a few months and ive noticed that my skin has changed. Im no longer breakout-prone but dryness and fine lines are starting to creep in. My mmu just looks too dry and powdery. So I got a sample of this in bare radiance. I applied with my ecotools foundation brush and the shimmer was just over the top, weird, grey, metallic. Not good. I applied mmu over top of it and it was just perfect. It had the glow but was toned down a lot, the grey disappeared as well. This TM does moisturize well, sinks in fast and dries quickly. My skin feels really healthy with this on. I was torn still - I feel for $55 CAD a product should be able to be used on its own without other products to make it work. Then on a whim I put this on with clean fingers and what a difference! It blended so perfectly and didnt have the metallic look to it. The shimmer was also toned down. I find this great for the under-eye area. I work graveyards and sleep is definitely my weakest link. This makes me look rested, healthy and hydrated without any concealer. I will definitely buy once my sample runs out . One caveat - it does seem to oxidize slightly on my skin and turn a half shade darker and orange-er so you may want to go a shade lighter than you would normally. It can also oxidize blush so you may want to use a lighter hand on that too.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Korres - Mineral Powder Foundation
lotusgrrl 2/20/2011 6:32:00 PM
This is a beautiful product and I hope they continue to make it forever! The coverage is extremely buildable but natural, it's makes my skin look even and nearly-flawless without screaming "makeup". I would call it a satin finish, not matte but not "dewy" either (it is a powder after all!). It applies easily and doesn't need 10 other products to make it look good (ahem, Bare Minerals). It lasts all day or all night. I work graveyards in a very physically demanding job and my makeup still looks fresh in the morning with just a blot about halfway through. It also works great at concealing my undereye circles when applied with the BE max coverage brush. My only gripe- sometimes it accentuates dry areas if I haven't moisturizer first, and the shade selection is very small so I hope they come out with more shades in the future. For reference I am NC15 and "fair" works well for me. It's $37 CAD at Sephora for a fairly large tub, it will easily last a year so cost-per-use is more than reasonable. Great product, Korres should be proud. :)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Too Faced - Lash Injection
lotusgrrl 1/12/2011 12:58:00 AM
HG!! Ive been looking for this mascara all my life! You can wear one coat for a more natural daytime look but can build it up to almost falsies-proportions with a few coats if you do it right. There are some cons but they are so minor that I still give this product a 5. It does flake a little (nothing a quick wipe cant take care of) and you should have a lash comb and wet qtip ready to take care of any clumps. I find this gets best results with the "wiggle the brush from side to side method" rather than just straight stroke. It holds up to long nightshifts and unexpected downpours. I never have racoon eyes and I feel like it doesnt damage my lashes and its easy to remove ( warm water and a little pressure take it off so easy). Its really fantastic. I would recommend any day. Yes, its outrageously expensive for mascara but Id rather spend the money on one product that works rather than try a jillion cheaper ones that dont. I hope they never ever discontinue this one!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Tree Hut - Brazilian Nut Shea Body Butter
lotusgrrl 10/10/2009 11:46:00 AM
This stuff is pretty good! I bought it last night along with the sugar scrub from the same brand. The smell is quite strong, I put it on last night when I went to bed and I can still smell it on myself this morning. I must say, my skin loves this stuff, I felt like my skin was just sucking it all in. It has a very thick luxurious texture. It takes a while to fully soak in but its not an issue if you are going to bed anyway. It left my skin soft and happy. I'll definitely continue to use during the winter months. The price is also pretty fantastic. I definitely recommend!
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Fragrances -Narciso Rodriguez - eau de toilette
lotusgrrl 1/6/2009 12:54:00 AM
This really is absolute heaven, so beautiful. I got 3 compliments the first day I wore this. My only complaint is it doesnt last long on me at all and while Im normally a "one-spray" kind of girl, I had to do 3 sprays of this to really smell it. The good thing about that is that its not such a sillage monster so as to give other people headaches. Overall its amazing and yes Ill wear it as long as NR makes it.
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Makeup Brushes -Ecotools - Bamboo Foundation Brush
lotusgrrl 11/19/2008 12:37:00 AM
This brush is AMAZING! I cant believe how quickly and beautifully it blends my makeup/tinted moisturiser. I end up using next to no product and still getting beautiful results. The bristles are Taklon fiber ( if I remember correctly, I know they aren't animal hair for sure!) and because they are not porous they dont absorb product or breed as much bacteria. They also stand up to washings better than any Ive ever used. All my expensive MAC and Bare Minerals brushes just seem terrible by comparison. Im a complete convert. And the price! My god the amazing price! Why would anybody ever buy any other brush!?
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Lavender Essential Oil
lotusgrrl 10/21/2008 3:39:00 AM
I love mixing a drop of organic lavender into my moisturiser. I was having horrible persistent acne for MONTHS and I couldnt figure out why. Tea tree oil just felt dry and gross on my skin and made everything smell strange. I heard lav was great for acne or inflammation so I tried it. WONDERFUL results! My skin has a gorgeous even rosy tone, a glow, my pores look clean and tighter, no new pimples and my already-there pimples are healing so fast. It helped my moisturiser to sink in faster, PLUS the scent helps me fall asleep at night. Its anti inflammatory which helps soothe skin and antibacterial which helps clean skin. I totally recommend giving it a try. Just make sure to buy a high quality organic and buy in small amounts so it stays fresh longer. LOVELY
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Burt's Bees - Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil 
lotusgrrl 10/15/2008 12:19:00 AM
Smells and tastes like fake cherry flavour. Its pretty gross, honestly. It works well as a balm but the smell and taste was so awful I wont even use it as a backup. Stick with the original!
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Highlighters -The Body Shop - Tinted Glow Enhancer - Shade 02
lotusgrrl 10/7/2008 12:49:00 AM
First off, some reviewers were talking about coverage like its a foundation. This is NOT a foundation but a luminizer, it only looks like a fndtn in the tube! This is a lovely product, very natural and not at all glittery. I normally find TBS makeup to be insanely glittery ( nearly every colour product has chunks of sparkle! Which is sad because the colours are so pretty) but this stuff is sophisticated and gorgeous. It also didnt irritate or break out my sensitive skin. Plus its pretty fairly priced. All in all I recommend.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -BeneFit Cosmetics - BADgal Lash
lotusgrrl 10/5/2008 1:44:00 AM
For some reason my eyes feel really dry when I wear this, and ONLY when I wear this! I have no idea why or how! Its an okay mascara but didnt live up to the hype for me. I also have a really hard time getting it off at night, although it loves to flake on me all day. Ill go back to my trusty Clinique.
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Gels/Soaps -Dove - Cream Oil Shower
lotusgrrl 9/30/2008 3:00:00 AM
I dont love this stuff at all. The smell is soo fake and cloying and stays around forever. I looked at the ingrediants to see what the "skin softening oil" was. Turns out petroleum is the first ingrediant. Not pretty. On the upside it didnt make my sensitive skin freak out, its not too expensive and its moisturising. But I wont ever repurchase. There is better out there.
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Fragrances -Shiseido - Feminite du Bois
lotusgrrl 9/19/2008 11:13:00 PM
I have to say I liked it right away but I had to wear it a few times before I fell in love. It starts out with strong wood tones, I smell a lot of sandalwood. If you are expecting something more fruity or shallow you will be surprised. I love it now. It makes me think of being wrapped in a gorgeous pure cashmere sweater, it makes me think of sensual, dewy skin or a cool evening walk through a city. Absolute perfection.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No