Moisturizers -Clinique - Redness Solutions Daily Relief Moisture Cream
margoess 12/3/2011 7:17:00 AM
I got this in the three-part Redness Solutions trial kit along with the face wash and primer (which rate meh and ick, respectively). This product is sort of baffling to me. It looks and feels so thick and so creamy and luxurious, but a few minutes after applying it, my face still somehow feels tight. It has a nice, light scent that's vaguely cucumbery and spa-like, and the jar is pretty; but overall, I came away unimpressed. It doesn't *moisturize* as well as your average drugstore brand, and the lack of SPF for a daytime moisturizer is a major drawback for me. As far as redness reducing, I really couldn't see any difference with the kit, so all in all, this is not a product I would recommend or repurchase.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Desert Essence - Jojoba Oil - 100% pure
margoess 11/18/2010 10:14:00 PM
I know a lot of people have good results with jojoba oil. For me, it was an utter and complete nightmare, which shall hereafter be known as "The Great Jojoba Disaster of 2007." I was using a few drops on my face every day and was diligently hanging in there even when things started to look scary since I'd read that some people have a breakthrough period of a few weeks when their skin gets worse. After about 3 1/2 weeks, I just couldn't take it any more. I had gigantic, painful, cystic acne all over my face for the first time in my life. I didn't even want to leave the house, it was so terrible, and the scars remain with me today. So, I would advise caution for new users. Test it on one small part of your face for a few weeks first-- The Great Jojoba Disaster of 2007 would have been a lot easier to take if it had been limited to, say, the left side of my forehead.
10 out of 14 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Yes To Carrots - Yes to Cucumbers Facial Hydrating Lotion
margoess 11/17/2010 10:41:00 PM
Sigh. There was a lot about this moisturizer that I liked. I liked the soothing cucumber scent. I liked the light, fast-absorbing, non-greasy texture. The packaging was excellent, with a really great pump that never got those dry, goopy bits at the tip. Unfortunately, something in this did not agree with my skin at all. I broke out with those big, painful, under the skin zits. Ah well. It wouldn't have been a great daily moisturizer for me anyway since it doesn't have SPF. Plus, now I know it is possible to return moisturizer at Target.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Alima - Satin Matte Mineral Foundation
margoess 11/7/2010 12:40:00 AM
Recently as I was about to reorder my foundation from Everyday Minerals, I somehow stumbled upon news that they had changed their formula, and it was causing some people to break out. That, plus the fact that they no longer offer their super cheap kits, prompted me to give Alima a try. With EDM, my perfect, perfect shade is golden fair. With Alima, I fell somewhere in between golden 0 and olive 0. Golden was a touch too pale; olive made me look a little greyish. Color aside, the main problem I had was that it dried my face out like crazy! I moisturized like a mother, tried it with and without their priming and finishing powders, but nothing worked. When I wore it, it was like I could actually feel the powder sucking the moisture out of parts of my face, particularly around the nose and mouth. It was really uncomfortable, and I would rush home at night to desperately slather my face in cold cream as soon as I could. This also happened around zits, too-- they just ended up looking flaky and gross. The coverage wasn't as good for me either. I tried it for about a week or so, and every night I would find myself with a powdery, cakey, screamingly dry face. So, definitely not for me, and something to think about if you have dry or sensitive skin (my sister has oily skin, and this is her foundation of choice).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Sonia Kashuk - Powder Brush
margoess 6/8/2010 1:43:00 AM
I really liked this brush (the black handled one) when I first got it. However, at the time, the only thing I could really compare it to was the Bare Minerals brushes, which are horrid. I felt it worked really well for my powders and mineral foundations and used it basically every day, washing at least once a week. After a little while, I starting noticing how much it was shedding-- mostly tiny hairs, not full length, that would end up scattered all over my chest. And then I bought another powder brush for a similar price (Essence of Beauty, from CVS), and suddenly, the Sonia Kashuk one felt really plasticy on my face compared to my new one. I find I reach for it infrequently now; mostly when other brushes are drying/damp after washing. Basically, I think it's a decent brush, but you can find better for the same or less money.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Noxzema - Original Skin Cream
margoess 7/21/2009 1:29:00 AM
Ah, that old Noxzema smell! I used this exclusively from the time I was about 13 to 23. During this time, my skin was very decent; I'd get the occasional pimple or two, but nothing I would qualify as a "breakout." For some reason, I decided I wasn't satisfied with my okay skin and started trying things with salicylic acid in them. I experimented with all kinds of face washes and moisturizers and creams and treatments-- Proactiv, Neutrogena Acne Care, Shu Uemura. For the next four years, my face was a mess. I got major, terrible, horrifying breakouts. I was also in grad school at the time, so I attributed these things to stress, poor diet, not enough sleep, changing hormones of my mid-twenties, etc. But then just the other day, it occurred to me that maybe my face *does* belong to Noxzema. I bought a tub, and even after the first wash, it was like my face calmed down. Hello, old friend! This may not get me 100% blemish free, but my skin feels like it's in much better condition overall; smooth and no longer red and irritated. I have dry skin that always feels tight and flaky after I wash it, but not with this. It's so cooling and creamy, and I love the old-timey medicine smell-- you never forget it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Body -Unlisted Brand - Crisco
margoess 1/12/2009 4:34:00 PM
I never would have imagined I would love Crisco as a beauty product. But I do! Since lately, I break out if someone looks at me funny, I was pretty sure Crisco would do a number on my face; but for some reason, I tried it anyway. I've been using it on my whole face and neck at night and around my eyes in the daytime, and my skin looks (and feels) really good! Who would have guessed? I put some on my upper arms, and those little red bumps started to go away! What?! I'm sold.
9 out of 12 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Vera Wang - Vera Wang
margoess 12/21/2008 12:31:00 AM
Scents are so subjective, but I love this. It's light and pretty and feminine without being too sweet or too fruity or too "perfumey." I get compliments from strangers all the time when I wear this.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - XXL volume+length microfiber mascara
margoess 11/21/2008 8:30:00 AM
I quite like this mascara. I've never seen my eyelashes look so long; it's quite amazing. My only complaint would be that for me, the brush is too big, so it's not as easy to maneuver around my eyes as I would like, especially around the inner corner. One other excellent thing is that the waterproof formula doesn't smudge at all. With other mascaras, I always end up racoon-y in no time, and I was a little concerned that the microfibers would flake-- I tend to rub my eyes a lot, too. But no. Everything stays put and looks great. I'm impressed and will definitely buy again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Samples -Everyday Minerals - Free Sample Makeup Kit [DISCONTINUED/REPLACED]
margoess 11/21/2008 8:14:00 AM
LOVE. I wrote a full review of EDM under the semi-matte foundation category, but I also wanted to chime in my wholehearted support of the free sample kit. What a sensible, easy, more than fair way to be able to buy makeup over the internet! They don't impose any limits on how many sample kits you purchase, though you can only order one per shipment, which is because they genuinely want you to be able to find your correct shade and formulation and trust that their products will speak for themselves. How much money have I wasted on other brands, trying them and then finding that they weren't quite right? This is the perfect way to test if EDM is right for you, because everyone is different. It can seem a little bit overwhelming due to the huge selection of shades and formulations, but I think it is totally worth it. I ordered three sample kits in a week when I was first figuring it out, so I paid three shipping charges that amounted to a total of about $10. Now I have my perfect shade and am seriously blown away by how much I love this makeup. This is hands down the best makeup I have ever had on my face. This is hands down the best my face has ever looked. Try it. You have almost nothing to lose.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Everyday Minerals - foundation semi-matte formula
margoess 11/20/2008 6:05:00 PM
Wow. Just wow. I honestly cannot stop looking at my face in the mirror since I started using Everyday Minerals, because I just can't believe how amazing my skin looks!!! I've had trouble with acne and scarring in my mid-twenties (boo), and started wearing makeup for the first time to try and cover up my ravaged face. I tried expensive liquid foundations (Clinique, Laura Mercier) and Bare Escentuals, but nothing really covered, and it all would look like hell after a few hours or if I sweat/went out in the sun. Gross. But not Everyday Minerals, which somehow manages to look even better as the day wears on. Even when you get way up close to the mirror, it doesn't look like makeup; it looks like good skin. I didn't think it was possible. I couldn't be happier. Not to mention the wonderful free sample kits, which help you navigate the huge selection of foundation colors. It took 3 kits for me to find my perfect shade, but even so, that only cost about $10 total (practically nothing). And the sample size is lasting me a loooong time. I have dry/combination skin that would always get flaky and patchy with Bare Escentuals. I use EDM Start to Finish primer and then brush on my foundation--brush, not buff-- with either a big powder brush or their long handled kabuki, and then finish off with another coat of STF. Finally, finally, I get the 'airbrushed' look that Bare Minerals always promised but never delivered. Love. Love, love, love. I couldn't love them more. Their blushes, their brushes, everything, love. Order a free sample kit. You won't be sorry.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No