Polishes -Julep - Dianna
micdeajones 6/5/2013 1:06:00 AM
This is a really pretty pale blue polish that looks great for summer. As with most Julep polishes, it takes about 3 HOURS for it to dry completely. The consistency is thick so drying between layers is a must. It wears well. I've had it on for 3 days and have no obvious tip wear. The downside to it's durability is that cleanup was a little difficult! It's as if it scoffs at nail polish remover. I literally found myself having to use cuticle cutters at times. Overall, I like the color and don't mind the extra steps to ensure decent wear. I gave it four stars because Julep really is a time consuming polish. It's definitely the type of polish one would use on a "lazy day" when you're just sitting back and relaxing.
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Polishes -Julep - Nail Polishes
micdeajones 6/5/2013 12:50:00 AM
It seems like I might be one of the few people in love with Julep polishes. I joined Maven a couple of months ago and am currently on my 2nd box. So far, I love the polishes I've received. It takes alot to impress me color wise because I have so many different polishes, so I won't judge the brand harshly based on color...although I will say that the colors aren't all that "new and exciting" for the price. I know some people complain about the bottle but I like it. It looks very elegant. I love the swatch sticker on top. It's a great idea. I'm not very fond of the brush because I find that it is too wide. I understand the idea behind it, I just don't think it's a good idea. The formula for all of these polishes seems to be thick....very thick. I apply my Orly quick dry oil between each and every layer and it still takes a long time to dry. While this adds to the drying process, I don't get the bubbles. So far, I've only had to use two coats with each polish in order to receive the nice opaque look I love. After I finish with my two coats, I finish it off with my Barielle manicure extender. Once everything is dry, I go over it with my Revlon Colorstay sealant. All of this is applied over my Sinful basecoat. My manicure seems to last for about 7 days. I don't really experience the chipping that other reviewers have stated they have. The thing that I have noticed about these polishes are that they're EXTREMELY moisturizing. I'm one of those people whose nails peel and break easily if I don't moisturize and protect them. Because of my Hair, Skin & Nail vitamins, they will grow. I always massage cream into my cuticles and a nice hand oil into my nail beds once a week. The polishes I normally wear are Chanel and Zoya because these are the only two brands that seem to help my nails grow. My nails always peel and break with other brands. I love Sinful colors, but I always apply them over a Zoya color that might be similar in shade just so I can get the look but without all the nail breakage. Well, Julep is the 3rd brand I've come across that moisturizes my nails and promotes growth. It cost more than Zoya but is cheaper than Chanel so joining the Maven program made sense. I haven't been disappointed yet.
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Concealers -NYX - Full Coverage Concealer Jar - Orange
micdeajones 5/14/2013 9:23:00 AM
Because of my dark undereye circles, I was really itching to get my hand on this product. Well........I did, and at first I wasn't impressed because I could still see shadows somewhat. But after using my Revlon Colorstay foundation, and concealer, the shadows were completely gone and I looked well rested. There wasn't that gray shading that appears when the circles aren't corrected first. Afterwards, I WAS impressed. I'm one of those people who naturally have the small lines under my eyes from chubby cheeks. So undereye creasing from makeup is always an issue for me. This is no different. It does crease. With a light pat of my finger, the creasing goes away though (this product does maintain it's creamy consistency). I haven't tried this over a primer...just bare skin. I will update this review once my Mally Poreless Primer is delivered. I also used this on my eyelid before applying my Trish McEvoy primer and eyeshadow and it did correct my dark eyelid. I was afraid to try it OVER the primer because this primer is like glue and it immediately locks things in place. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to blend. In all, this is a good product. I'd advise using a very light finger (ring finger) or beauty blender as opposed to a brush. I got the best coverage with a finger and the blender in comparison to the brush. It does correct darkness on tan skin tones, but a light finger and blending are required. My complexion is tan but I'm on the fairer side so a peach concealer might be better....but it doesn't take away from the effectiveness of this product. In short...it works. It does seem to wear off after about 7 or 8 hours which is good to know if you're putting in a long day. I found that just dabbing a little over my makeup, blending with my finger, and covering with my tan powder was enough for a minor touch-up.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Revlon - Grow Luscious - waterproof
micdeajones 5/8/2013 5:17:00 PM
I found this mascara on sale for 1.99 at Walgreen's so I'm not too upset about what I spent on this so this review isn't going to be all that bad. Would I spend 9 to 10 dollars on this? Probably not...but for the price I paid...it's ok. The first thing i notice about this mascara is how massive the brush is. It's one of the largest brushes I've ever used. I find that I must use an eyelash guard to make sure I don't get any on my eyelids. This mascara does not lengthen or volumize. It just seems to darken and define already existing lashes. My lashes are already thick and long from using castor/amla/coconut oil on them daily. As for curling, I would suggest using a heated curler before hand because this mascara DOES NOT curl/bend lashes in any way lol. As for smudging and flaking, I did not experience any of that. I used two coats of my upper and lower lashes and I didn't experience the smudging or flaking that other reviewers did. Since I already have pretty decent lashes, I think this is a pretty decent everyday mascara because it almost works like a really good lash tint instead of a mascara. It's called 'Grow Lush' though, so if after some use, I see definite lash growth, I will come back and change my rating. I would love to have a lash tint/mascara that I can wear everyday that would help with growth.
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Polishes -Zoya - Pixie Dust 'Dahlia'
micdeajones 4/11/2013 1:43:00 PM
This polish is beautiful on the hand and very interesting looking. In true Zoya form, application was effortless and smooth. My only gripe is that it dried my nails really bad. Even with using castor oil daily to moisturize, my nails began splitting and literally breaking off. I used it as directed, without base or top coat. Because I love the look of it, I gave it a 3. I'm going to try it with the top coat or over a black polish to see if the results are different. At the moment, I'm down to numb fingernails (because of this polish) so I'm apprehensive about trying it out again. I'll update this review if/when I decide to use this again.
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Conditioner -Suave - Keratin Infusion Smoothing Conditioner
micdeajones 11/27/2012 5:38:00 AM
It's 4:12 am and I've just finished a roller set. I used the Suave Keratin Infusion products and saying that these products are good just isn't good enough. It's more like a LAWD! LAWD! LAWD! response (in "Color Purple" 'Miss Seely' voice). Hair history; I am African-American with a mixture of 3C/4A/4B natural hair (biracial mom/black dad if this helps you form a better picture). My hair is soft, tangles easily, and must be wet in order to be combed completely through with a wide tooth come. Once dry, the curls are big, TEXAS fluffy, and the hair is wild. Even though it's wild it looks good WITH PROPER PRODUCT. I also have a Kitty Bartholomew gray patch in the front that is wiry and doesn't conform to the rest of my hair any longer. It has a mind of it's own. Whenever I straighten my hair (which isn't often) it comes out looking Claire Huxtable fluffly straight...never smooth or bone straight. By it being very thick it's usually difficult to manage. I usually use the Dominican Roller Set method, then flatiron my roots. It's never bone straight, but straight enough to where it looks really good. After a couple of days of wearing it wrapped while exercising, it straightens to a nice smooth look that will usually last me until the next wash. Tonight, I tried the Keratin Infusion shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner and smooth & shine serum and I am floored by the results. It looks as if I've had a relaxer or a chemical thermal type straightener. It's silky, shiny, very smooth, very healthy looking, bouncy, no frayed ends...NOTHING! Even the wiry rebellious gray spot is smooth and manageable! I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and must be careful with alot of the things I use. I have a few staple products that I continue to use regardless because they are that good. I think I might have found a group of hair products that will go into this category. These items are JUST.THAT.GOOD. I'm going to Target tomorrow and purchase the dry shampoo. I can't imagine anyone having a bad hair day with these products.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Suave - Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Smoothing Shampoo
micdeajones 11/27/2012 5:37:00 AM
I really can't believe how cheap these products are. This entire line is fantastic. I was a bit concerned about adequate product removal because this shampoo didn't seem to lather very much, but it did a good job of getting my hair clean. I have no frizz or anything. My hair looks healthy, feels clean, and is very shiny.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Suave - Keratin Infusion Smooth and Shine Serum
micdeajones 11/27/2012 5:34:00 AM
It's 4:12 am and I've just finished a roller set. I used the Suave Keratin Infusion products and saying that these products are good just isn't good enough. It's more like a LAWD! LAWD! LAWD! response (in "Color Purple" 'Miss Seely' voice). Hair history; I am African-American with a mixture of 3C/4A/4B natural hair (biracial mom/black dad if this helps you form a better picture). My hair is soft, tangles easily, and must be wet in order to be combed completely through with a wide tooth come. Once dry, the curls are big, TEXAS fluffy, and the hair is wild. Even though it's wild it looks good WITH PROPER PRODUCT. I also have a Kitty Bartholomew gray patch in the front that is wiry and doesn't conform to the rest of my hair any longer. It has a mind of it's own. Whenever I straighten my hair (which isn't often) it comes out looking Claire Huxtable fluffly straight...never smooth or bone straight. By it being very thick it's usually difficult to manage. I usually use the Dominican Roller Set method, then flatiron my roots. It's never bone straight, but straight enough to where it looks really good. After a couple of days of wearing it wrapped while exercising, it straightens to a nice smooth look that will usually last me until the next wash. Tonight, I tried the Keratin Infusion shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner and smooth & shine serum and I am floored by the results. It looks as if I've had a relaxer or a chemical thermal type straightener. It's silky, shiny, very smooth, very healthy looking, bouncy, no frayed ends...NOTHING! Even the wiry rebellious gray spot is smooth and manageable! I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and must be careful with alot of the things I use. I have a few staple products that I continue to use regardless because they are that good. I think I might have found a group of hair products that will go into this category. These items are JUST.THAT.GOOD. I'm going to Target tomorrow and purchase the dry shampoo. I applied this serum after the leave-in. I only used two pumps worth for my entire head. I may add just one more the next time to coat everything. I was nervous about product overload so I think I might have used too few product this time. Either way, my hair came out FANTASTIC. The fragrance odor isn't overly powerful like other serums and it doesn't have that slick/slimy feeling like most serums have. I'm really impressed with this line from Suave.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Suave - Keratin Infusion Leave-In Conditioner
micdeajones 11/27/2012 5:27:00 AM
It's 4:12 am and I've just finished a roller set. I used the Suave Keratin Infusion products and saying that these products are good just isn't good enough. It's more like a LAWD! LAWD! LAWD! response (in "Color Purple" 'Miss Seely' voice). Hair history; I am African-American with a mixture of 3C/4A/4B natural hair (biracial mom/black dad if this helps you form a better picture). My hair is soft, tangles easily, and must be wet in order to be combed completely through with a wide tooth come. Once dry, the curls are big, TEXAS fluffy, and the hair is wild. Even though it's wild it looks good WITH PROPER PRODUCT. I also have a Kitty Bartholomew gray patch in the front that is wiry and doesn't conform to the rest of my hair any longer. It has a mind of it's own. Whenever I straighten my hair (which isn't often) it comes out looking Claire Huxtable fluffly straight...never smooth or bone straight. By it being very thick it's usually difficult to manage. I usually use the Dominican Roller Set method, then flatiron my roots. It's never bone straight, but straight enough to where it looks really good. After a couple of days of wearing it wrapped while exercising, it straightens to a nice smooth look that will usually last me until the next wash. Tonight, I tried the Keratin Infusion shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner and smooth & shine serum and I am floored by the results. It looks as if I've had a relaxer or a chemical thermal type straightener. It's silky, shiny, very smooth, very healthy looking, bouncy, no frayed ends...NOTHING! Even the wiry rebellious gray spot is smooth and manageable! I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and must be careful with alot of the things I use. I have a few staple products that I continue to use regardless because they are that good. I think I might have found a group of hair products that will go into this category. These items are JUST.THAT.GOOD. I'm going to Target tomorrow and purchase the dry shampoo. This conditioner is concentrated so a small amount is all that's needed. I applied it after rinsing out my conditioner and before putting on the shine serum. It did not weigh my hair down or leave a sticky residue type feeling. My hair is very shiny and sleek and it feels properly conditioned...not crispy or over moisturized. This is a very effective product.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - Alter Ego Nequal Nova Care Nourishing Leave-in Conditioner
micdeajones 10/19/2012 12:07:00 PM
Because I've been overdoing it with the protein, I was looking for a good leave-in that would define my curls, but without the protein. I also needed it not to over moisturize and leave my hair soft and spongy like the Shea Moisture does sometimes. This conditioner is perfect. it leaves my curls soft and defined. It feels kinda' slimy when it goes on wet hair, but one dry...the feeling and definition is heaven. Because of the cost and shipping, it's pricy...but sooooo worth it. Alter Ego is quickly becoming my 'go to' hair care line for everything.
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Polishes -Chanel - Blue Satin
micdeajones 10/19/2012 11:58:00 AM
While the formulation was the same as always, the color wasn't to my liking. I didn't see any shimmer AT ALL. I just saw a creamy blue color. I ended up having to do a personalized mix job with some Zoya Trixie in order to get the look I was going for. That would be fine if this were a $3 dollar bottle of polish, but for what Chanel charges.....NO. This reminds of the experiences I've been having with their makeup lately....it's like the best part is the name....the product falls short. I really hope the polish don't begin to disappoint too.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Chanel - Particuliere
micdeajones 10/19/2012 11:44:00 AM
YES! YES! YES! A thousand times YES! I would buy this color over and over and over again. Chanel nail polishes are just the best. NOTHING even comes close to the lasting power and creamy glossy affect these give off. I wore this polish 3 weeks straight and it did not chip! Basecoat: Sinful; Topcoat: Orly Sec' n Dry; and I go over it every day with a clear Revlon topcoat from the line of Colorstay polishes they use to sell (I've got like 20 of them). Chanel polishes wear like a 'no-chip' mani. There's nothing like them. Now, for the color...it's beautiful, elegant, mature without aging the hands, and looks good on long or short nails. I'd been looking for a darker tone that I could wear on my longer nails (they've grown alot) without looking like Morticia Adams. I was looking for a greyish khaki color that would look good on longer nails, the same as with short nail. After trying on several shades that had a dark tinge, this one won. It looks amazing glossy and matte. It's worth every penny.
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Skincare - Face -Unlisted Brand - Blum Naturals for Normal Skin
micdeajones 10/19/2012 11:34:00 AM
These are mediocre at best. They didn't remove makeup very well. Mascara, eyeliner, foundation....all was still on my face. They smell nice and the towelettes are thick and soft (only reason for a rating of 2). I will not purchase these again.
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Lotions/ Creams -Tree Hut - Coconut Lime Shea Lotion
micdeajones 10/19/2012 11:14:00 AM
While this didn't moisturize as much as I liked, the smell is so wonderful that I would purchase it again and just add alittle vegetable glycerin to it or something....it smells that nice. It's not a thick cream..the consistency is kinda' thin. It doesn't soak right in immediately...it lingers a bit so getting dressed immediately isn't a good idea. It doesn't stain or leave a greasy residue on clothing though. It's too light for rough spots like elbows and feet, but it's fine for everything else. It's an excellent lotion for summer time because it's light and the scent is amazing.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Tree Hut - Brazilian Nut Body Lotion
micdeajones 10/19/2012 11:10:00 AM
I really love the smell of this but aside from that...I wasn't impressed. It didn't really moisturize to my satisfaction. But I'm able to use this as a cheap non-toxic lotion base to add my essential oils to. I usually find it at Ross or another discount store like that. Because of this, AND THIS ALONE, I'd purchase it again. Otherwise, if I were just interested in using it as a stand alone product....then no. I wouldn't purchase it again.
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