Mascara -Hard Candy - Curl Up & Dye
mimimachine 3/29/2013 3:10:00 PM
I'm surprised at the bad reviews! I bought this cheapie at Walmart and for what you pay, it's great. On me, it had major staying power, it curled a bit (nothing dramatic but it definitely curled), it didn't flake and it really wasn't clumpy at all. I put on 3-4 coats of mascara usually. I would repurchase for sure. I also found the brush to be good, it got to ALL my lashes, and the packaging is cute. Works for me!
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Lotions/ Creams -Bliss Labs - Fat Girl Six Pack
mimimachine 3/29/2013 3:04:00 PM
I had a baby a year ago and still have a 'soft' tummy that I'm worried will never go back to being flat. So I've been using products that may or may not help. I bought this at Sephora and had moderate hopes for it. I didn't expect a miracle... and I didn't get one. It promises to tone your tummy, shrink it, and tighten the skin. I used the entire tube, at night before bed, applied it ALL over my stomach including lower abs and sides, and I noticed only a minor improvement. Nothing to get excited over. It has a cool-into-hot tingling sensation but I think that's more of a trick using menthol or something to make you feel like it's working. It takes a considerable amount of effort to get it to absorb, using the nubby applicator it comes with. I would not purchase this again. I just don't fee it had any genuine effect.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Promaxyl - Eyelash Renewal serum Rapidlash
mimimachine 3/2/2013 10:38:00 PM
This stuff works. I was skeptical but I decided to take the plunge after I became sick and tired of my too-thin eyebrows once and for all. I was a teenager in the 90s and the trend was super thin pencil brows. So I plucked mine to the thinnest line and one day, they never grew back. Literally. They just never came back! And it looked horrible so I started using pencils, etc., to fill them in but I want great natural brows. I want my natural brow shape back. Plus I thought why not try adding length to my lashes? It takes a while to see results. It was about a month before I started to see a difference at all and then around the 5-6 week mark, I REALLY saw the results. My eyebrows have noticeably grown back in--in places where no eyebrow has grown in over a decade. They are filling in, thicker, regaining their natural shape. And my eyelashes (I have applied top and bottom), are also noticeably longer. My lower lashes are significantly fuller and my upper lashes almost look like falsies when I have mascara on. I applied this diligently every single day. And I applied quite a lot of product. I made sure to go a bit above and below my brows. This product is as close to a miracle product as I've ever seen. I just repurchased it (second tube) this week and I will continue to use since most people seem to see best BEST results after 3 months. I highly recommend this and I've been telling all my girlfriends about it. It's a great product and it's not that pricey ($60ish at Shoppers Drug Mart). Bottom line, it works. At least for me! Also, it did not irritate my eyes at all.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -MAC - Formidable! (Venomous Villains)
mimimachine 3/2/2013 10:32:00 PM
What a great shade! I'm thrilled that MAC released this as part of their permanent collection. Their formulas are excellent (though sometimes a bit thick) and long-lasting. They apply beautifully and I'm definitely not an expert at doing at home manicures. This is a dark purple-y black shade with teal sparkle. It's a dead ringer for Orly's Galaxy Girl. It also dried really quickly and has a really cool reflective quality without being frosty. Great shade.
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Mascara -Hard Candy - Flat to Fab
mimimachine 1/26/2013 11:20:00 PM
This is pretty good stuff. It's so cheap and I have to say that I had no big complaints about this mascara at all. It didn't flake, it didn't smudge, it lengthened and gave my lashes volume and it lasts all day. My only small issue is that it has a tendency to clump a bit but hey, it's like $5. It also came off very easily and didn't cause any lash loss while removing it. A few times, however, I noticed my eyes burned a bit after applying. Hard Candy's ingredients are cheap and not that great. You get what you pay for. So I kind of overlooked the mild burning as it passed quickly and didn't cause any redness, etc. I would repurchase this.
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Eye Makeup Remover -Hard Candy - Take it Off Makeup Remover Wipes 
mimimachine 1/26/2013 11:13:00 PM
SO BAD! No, seriously, SO BAD. I threw these out. These are absolutely terrible. For one, they are dirt cheap but you need more than one to take off your makeup. So are they really cheaper when you go through a package in half the time as the pricier wipes? Probably not. Secondly, THEY BURN. I do not have sensitive skin and it wasn't an allergic thing. It's the ingredients. The ingredients are junk. And I believe it was alcohol or something like that in them. Don't waste your money, even if it's $5. These are in serious need of a reformulation.
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Moisturizers -Darphin - Arovita C Cream [DISCONTINUED]
mimimachine 1/26/2013 11:10:00 PM
Not so long ago, I had an obsession with Paris. And this led to me loving all things French which led to me finally giving the Darphin line a try. I had been on the lookout for a new go-to face cream, good for both day or night. I had a baby last year and ever since she was born, my skin seems to be out of sorts, sometimes dry, sometimes oily. Weird hormonal stuff. From the VERY first time I used this, I was impressed. My skin glowed. It comes with a handy little spoon applicator that keeps your fingers out of the pot, has a pleasant, mild, natural scent (I'm not a fan of scent in face products) and a good texture. It instantly absorbed and it's completely non-greasy. It's a "natural" product so my skin took some time to adjust to it and this winter has been extremely dry here in Toronto so sometimes I find it doesn't quite give me enough moisture but in general, I'd have to say this is my current go-to cream that I will absolutely repurchase. I liked this cream so much that it led me to explore more Darphin products. It's also lasted a very long time. I bought it 3 months ago and I have 3/4 of the jar left. It's also reasonably priced, I think I paid around $100 for it at Holt Renfrew. Over time, my skin has become smoother and more refined. I'm a fan! Edited to add that over the winter months here, I have not found this moisturizing enough. It would be perfect for summer but it's just not cutting it anymore for the harsh winter weather. I'd still repurchase but it's no longer a love :-(
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Treatments -Bliss Labs - The Love Handler
mimimachine 9/6/2012 11:32:00 PM
I have to review this because it pretty much worked a MIRACLE on me. 6 months ago, I gave birth to my first child and I gained 60 lbs while pregnant. I managed to avoid stretch marks until the very end of my pregnancy when I got a whole network of little "veiny" stretch marks along my lower abdomen and hips. They were visible after I gave birth. Around 8 weeks post partum, I picked this up at Sephora and used it as stated on the packaging (twice daily, fully massaging in) and within ONE WEEK, I swear to God, my stretch marks were almost entirely invisible. They went from purple lines, to GONE. It's the craziest thing. I no longer have stretch marks on my belly. Not even the white lines. It also works on sucking in the loose post-pregnancy skin. It's not perfect but the stretch mark alone is worth every penny. I will keep using this. My one MAJOR complaint is that it smells very very strongly and doesn't come off my hands after washing. This is not a good thing when you have a young baby.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Boscia - Luminizing Black Mask
mimimachine 9/1/2012 10:49:00 PM
This is AMAZING! It is *crucial* to apply this correctly otherwise it will either not peel properly or it will be thick and not dry properly. You only need a thin opaque layer, not a big goopy layer. Not wanting to offend anyone, but if someone doesn't apply properly and then complains about the product, it's not an accurate review. This mask cleans my pores right out, exfoliates, and makes my skin luminous. I have also gotten at least 10 uses out of my tube so far. If you get less than 5 uses at LEAST, you are using waaaaay too much product. I will repurchase.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -NARS - Roman Holiday
mimimachine 9/1/2012 10:41:00 PM
Great pink lipstick! I went to Sephora looking for NARS Venice but they were sold out so I bought this one. It's a lovely smooth sheer pink and as others have said, it looks great with blonde hair. I don't like heavy matte lipsticks so I love that this is sheer. I usually wear MAC's Delish liner under pink lipsticks and it works well with this. It is slightly drying and you should have exfoliated lips before applying.
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Cleansers -First Aid Beauty - Face Cleanser
mimimachine 10/14/2011 10:19:00 PM
I discovered this line while at an American Sephora (I live in Canada and the Canadian Sephora's have been carrying the same old boring lines. MUCH more variety in the USA) and since Sephora stopped carrying Skyn Iceland, I was on the hunt for a new paraben-free line. FAB has definitely satisfied me. It's basic skin care without being basic! It's not full of chemicals like drug store brands yet it doesn't cost a million dollars (and doesn't make outlandish promises that will never come true either). I have been using the cleanser for about a week. It's creamy and rich enough to make my skin feel comforted (combo with a tendency to dry in winter and oily in summer but I am currently 5 months pregnant and my skin is a bit freaked out) and it completely takes off ALL my makeup, including my eye makeup, without irritating my skin or eyes. I don't understand the reviews who said it stripped their skin. Maybe those girls overcleanse? This is not a harsh or drying product AT ALL. It's meant for sensitive skin and I am a big fan! My skin is left glowing and clean. There is no nasty fragrance (that tends to make me sneeze and react when products have fragrance) and no chemicals. For $20, it's really a bargain especially if you normally buy Sephora or Dept store cleansers/products. Fabulous line. I hope they expand and I hope Sephora Canada takes a hint and starts to carry First Aid Beauty.
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Conditioner -Kiehls - Amino Acid Conditioner
mimimachine 10/11/2011 2:40:00 AM
Not a fan. I like the shampoo but this stuff left a nasty heavy residue on my hair. I rinsed well so it's not that I left product in. My hair doesn't even feel clean even though I JUST washed it. I could feel the residue sitting on my hair even when it was damp. I love the smell of this and love that it has less chemicals but the price is high for a crappy product. My hair is color-treated, long, and thick/straight. I put the conditioner on the lower half of my hair and didn't put any on the upper half and roots. The top half feels fine (used the Amino Acid shampoo) but the bottom half is gross, sticky-ish, and it feels coated. I will not use this product again.
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Cleansers -LUSH - Dark Angels
mimimachine 8/13/2011 2:37:00 PM
I read some reviews of this and wanted to try it out. The price is so cheap. I'm not a fan of the container but oh well. I must be doing something wrong here because I'm one of the people who's face turns BLACK like a chimney sweep after using this! And it doesn't come off!!! I don't get how those of you who are getting it all rinsed off are doing it. No amount of scrubbing, rinsing, etc., will get this off. It's terrible! It also leaves an oily greasy residue on my face. It's really unfortunate because where my skin is actually rinsed, it's clean and exfoliated. The smell is pleasant. But the black residue is seriously bad. Is there some sort of trick to this? I make it into a paste, I tend to use it in the shower, I sometimes use a face cloth to rinse... EVERY SINGLE TIME no matter what I do it leaves the black goo. Unless Lush reformulates (again), I will not repurchase. I do not want to have to re-cleanse my face to remove the black residue after each use which is what I've had to do. EDIT: I've changed my rating to 1 lippie just because the black residue problem is so atrocious. I stopped by a Lush store the other day and mentioned it to the SA who said to bring it back even though I no longer have the receipt for an exchange for another product. I will GLADLY return this terrible cleanser.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -LUSH - BB Seaweed Face Mask
mimimachine 7/27/2011 1:40:00 AM
I used to be a big Lush fan. I tried just about every product for several years and then they lost me for a while and I pretty much used only bath bombs. Recently, I wandered into a Lush store for a cocoa butter lotion or massage bar since I am pregnant and want to prevent stretch marks. I started talking to a super friendly SA and she showed me all the new products. I decided to pick up a few of the fresh masks since, being pregnant, my skin is acting a little nuts. I normally have combo skin that is clear but the "pregnancy glow" is really just oil and I've been breaking out. Plus my skin just hasn't felt great. She recommended BB Seaweed, Brazened Honey and Oatifix. I bought all three since they are cheap at only $5-6 CDN. Last night, I used BB Seaweed. You don't need much and the smell was non-offensive (and trust me, my sense of smell is VERY sensitive these days). It was quick and easy. When I rinsed off, the first thing I noticed was my skin was SUPER soft and smooth. It was literally glowing! I looked like I had just had a spa facial. I was actually floored since, to be honest, I wasn't expecting much. Throughout the day today, my skin has looked great and felt better than it has in weeks and weeks. I definitely can't wait to try the other masks and see the prolonged effects. I also plan to head back to Lush to check out their other skin care products. My one complaint (and it's a major one) about Lush: THE PARABENS!!!! They DO NOT need to use parabens. Many, many skin care lines are eliminating parabens and Lush needs to get with the program and catch up. Parabens are toxins and not natural! Come on, Lush!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Korres - Pomegranate Cleansing & Demake Up Wipes For Oily & Combination Skin
mimimachine 7/9/2011 4:32:00 PM
I really disliked these wipes, except for the scent. I thought the scent was nice but these are just not good! They don't take off makeup, not even pressed powder and bronzer, and I don't feel like my face is clean after using them. They do a horrible job at removing mascara and they feel sort of dry and not very moist. I really want to love this brand but I'm consistently disappointed with their products. I love paraben-free lines and try to stick to those but Korres kind of blows. These might be okay to refresh your face on a hot day if you're not wearing makeup that will smudge but I didn't even bother finishing my package. And the packaging sucks! They use a sticky tab to keep them from drying out but the sticky tab doesn't stay closed! I'm going to try out Josie Maran's Bear Naked wipes and hopefully have better luck!
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