Liquid -Giorgio Armani - Luminous Silk Foundation
mllemustard 3/8/2013 9:43:00 PM
I've heard great things about this foundation, so I thought I'd give it a try. I don't like it. I got a generous sample to try at home from the SA, as I wasn't convinced in store, and after using the sample, I'm still not persuaded. I can see it on my skin. I'm not sure if the color is off (I was given 3.75; Bobbi Brown Porcelain works well on me otherwise), but it emphasizes dry patches I didn't know I had. It works OK when mixed into my regular moisturizer, but it's way too expensive for me to buy a bottle for that use.
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Treatments -Lancome - Visionnaire [LR 2412 4%]
mllemustard 1/19/2013 1:06:00 PM
Ouch! I am 5 days into a large sample and I just had to rewash my face (well, Bioderma Crealine followed by thermal water) because my skin was burning after applying Visionnaire. Visionnaire is the only change I've made in my skin care routine. Granted, I'm switching to this after unsuccessfully trying a Clarins serum (so maybe I should have given my skin a break and gone back to a tried and true product for a week). I noticed some increased sensitivity two nights ago. Today it was bad enough that I needed to remove the product. Obviously I didn't use it long enough to see any other effects. For the record: I'm 37, skin that verges to the dry (although my previous skin care routine seems to have stabilized my skin and I was able to kick down my moisturizer). I use a retinol at night (alternating with Clarins Santal oil), a Roche-Posay moisturizer and sunscreen during the day, usually just spot concealing if necessary with no foundation. Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair-- used as a serum during the day, under moisturizer and sunscreen-- seems to work the best for me, so back to that I go!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Estee Lauder - Advanced Night Repair Eye Synchronized Complex
mllemustard 1/15/2013 10:57:00 PM
It's fine. I was looking for a moisturizing, anti-ageing product for my eyes. I don't have problems with dark circles or puffiness; I barely have fine lines (and I'd like to keep it that way). I wanted something for nighttime use only, as I use something with sunscreen during the day. So I bought this. It's fine. I won't repurchase, because I'm not convinced it's doing anything more than any number of other eye products have done. But, it didn't irritate my skin. It absorbs quickly, and is not greasy. It moisturizes. But for the price, I think I'd like something more noticeable. PS, I actually bought a full-size jar of this stuff (without having tried a sample).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -BeneFit Cosmetics - Moon Beam
mllemustard 1/15/2013 10:52:00 PM
I love Moon Beam! I use it very sparingly, but it makes me look awake and is generally all-around flattering. I use it on the inside corners of my eyes, on my brow bone, on my cupid's bow, and occasionally on my cheek bones. What I like about Moon Beam (in contrast to the Nars Illuminators, for instance) is that there is no shimmer. It really is a subtle, yet noticeable and highly flattering, slash of light. I am very pale (NW15-ish) with dark hair, and this basically blends into my skin perfectly. I wish this came in a smaller bottle, though. It took me a year to go through a sample sized bottle. I do really like the product, though, so I ended up buying a heavily discounted kit from Sephora because it was cheaper than a full bottle, and I couldn't imagine how long it would take me to empty the full size!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Klorane - Soothing Shampoo with Peony Extract for Irritated Itchy Scalps
mllemustard 1/14/2013 12:03:00 AM
This shampoo worked really well for me. I was having problems with a very dry, itchy, and flaky scalp (it was, seriously, gross). I figured I'd try this Klorane shampoo for its soothing properties after having tried various dandruff shampoos that didn't work and seemed to irritate my head even more. I no longer want to scratch my head off. The flaking has stopped. It cleans reasonably well and leaves my hair soft (I have thick, short-ish hair, color-treated hair), even when I don't use conditioner. A nice bonus: it smells really nice. It's very floral and girly (duh, peonies!), but a nice change from the medicinal tar smell of T-Gel.
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Treatments -Clarins - Santal Face Treatment oil
mllemustard 1/13/2013 11:54:00 PM
This is my first facial oil, and I'm converted. I've been using it for about six months. I don't use this every night: I alternate it with a retinol (currently, LRP Redermic). It smells lovely and is very relaxing: it makes for a nice ritual in the evening before bedtime. But, more importantly, it is soothing on my dry skin and has helped mitigate the dryness, especially now that it is winter (I've been able to use lighter moisturizers this year than last). It absorbs incredibly quickly and leaves me skin feeling very soft and comfortable.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Clarins - Multi-Active Skin Renewal Serum -Serum Peau Neuve
mllemustard 1/13/2013 11:42:00 PM
My skin looks worse. I got a deluxe sample of this serum and have been using it for about 2 weeks now, in the morning. I haven't changed any other part of my routine, and my skin is blotchier, I have some small breakouts on my forehead (I don't remember the last time I had a zit before this...), and for the first time in months, I felt like I needed to wear foundation during the day. I like other Clarins products, but this does not work for me. I might use the rest of the tube on my neck and hope it doesn't cause any damage there.
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Lips -NARS - Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl
mllemustard 1/10/2013 12:07:00 AM
Fabulous! OK, not helpful, I know. But, I love the NARS Velvet Matte pencils. Insanely good staying power. Not overly drying. Dragon Girl is a great pop of color. I have almost-black hair, very pale (~NW15) skin, and it is fantastic. It's my everyday lipstick right now. (And seriously, when I say everyday, I mean everyday, I put it on after yoga, with just mascara, and feel great.) But I'm really comfortable with bright reds... This is great now in January; come summer, I'll probably switch back to Heat Wave or Red Square. It doesn't make teeth look yellow, so a nice plus.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -La Roche Posay - Hydraphase Masque
mllemustard 11/12/2012 3:18:00 AM
I'm pleased. It's getting cold-- central heat is on, there are cold winds, my skin is getting chapped-- and my skin was feeling dehydrated and dry after being outside and, frankly, too much booze. This mask helped. This mask was really soothing. It felt cooling (in a pleasant way), but didn't cause any irritation. I left it on for maybe 20 minutes, wiped if off, and my skin felt fresh, moisturized, and glowing. It's not as much fun as the Malin + Goetz bubbling detox mask, though. (Really. What is?) I'm a sucker for single-serve masks (I'm more likely to buy them because they're so cheap to begin with, even though it's more expensive in the long run). I'd definitely rebuy this one.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -La Roche Posay - Hydreane Legere moisturizing cream
mllemustard 11/12/2012 3:13:00 AM
I wish this product were available in the U.S. In the summertime, this is my preferred moisturizer. It is light, makes my skin comfortable, does not cause irritation. In short, it is a great, reasonably priced moisturizer. I'm not entirely sure how this differs from Toleriane or Hydraphase, but I've used those, and I vastly prefer the entire Hydreane line. (Of course.) I have extremely dry skin: I use this in the summer, and switch to Hydreane Riche in the winter, when my skin needs more. Most normal/combo skin people could probably use this year-round.
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Stick -Bobbi Brown - Foundation Stick
mllemustard 11/12/2012 3:09:00 AM
I'm not thrilled with this. I find that I just can't blend it well: I've tried fingers, brushes, and sponges. I don't regularly wear proper foundation (only on days where I feel I need a little help), and my experience with this product isn't encouraging me to wear foundation more. I mostly use it as a spot concealer (mostly on the sides of my nose). I'm not convinced by the staying power: I've tried topping it with the Laura Mercier setting powder, and I still feel like it rubs off after only a few hours. On the plus side: the stick format is convenient for toting and reapplying (and per my experience, you will need to reapply). I will not buy this again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Sephora - Jumbo Liner 12HR Wear Waterproof
mllemustard 9/29/2012 9:24:00 PM
These pencils are amazing: I now own three (turquoise, peacock blue shimmer, and purple). They really are waterproof and once they're on, they stay put. They're also insanely easy to use: a couple of quick swipes and you're done. Turquoise was wonderful for the summer-- it's a brilliant, bold color. This is the first one I bought-- I tried this pencil out against a bunch of other (higher priced) brands at Sephora. This color, in particular, is a dead ringer for a much higher priced Makeup Forever pencil. The Peacock Blue Shimmer is actually close in hue to turquoise: I see it as the fall/winter version. It's extremely pretty, a bit darker in tone than turquoise, but still a brilliant color. I'm surprised how nicely it works for me (I've got dark hair, very fair [paler than MAC NC15] and hazel eyes). I have been searching for a great purple eyeliner for ages. There's a purple Laura Mercier kohl pencil that I really like (it is much brighter), but I love the ease of these jumbo Sephora pencils. This is a very serious, adult color. My first reaction when I tried this on was, "oooh pretty." I don't normally say things like that, and certainly not when looking at my own face! I'm looking forward to wearing it with the Laura Mercier Amethyst Caviar Stick: they layer nicely together. These pencils are fabulous. Really great colors, easy to apply, long-lasting, and reasonably priced.
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Lipstick -NARS - Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Red Square
mllemustard 9/3/2012 3:33:00 PM
I really like the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils: long-lasting, easy to apply, great texture, not too drying. Red Square is a deeply pigmented, orange-red. It stands out. Like all Velvet Matte Lip Pencils, I keep this one in the little box when I throw it in my bag, since I don't really trust the cap. Apparently I'm on an orange-red lipstick thing this summer. (This is actually quite close to the Kat Von D Stiletto lipstick I bought earlier. Not exactly, but very similar.) I find myself reaching for the Nars a little bit more.
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Moisturizers -Bioderma - Hydrabio Legere
mllemustard 9/3/2012 3:28:00 PM
An effective, soothing, gentle basic moisturizer. I've found it's very similar to La Roche Posay's Hydreane Legere (a product I really like). I'm 37 and have dry skin, and this has worked really well for me this summer. It doesn't make me greasy and hasn't caused any break outs. But, then again, I'm 37 with dry skin. It seems to work well with my other skincare: I've come to prefer basic moisturizers (generally of the French pharmacy variety) coupled with sunscreen, serums and other specialized products targeting whatever issues I'm having. This fits the bill. I got this as part of a sample kit (with Sensibio H20, and some other products). Bioderma isn't generally available in the U.S.; I won't go out of my way to order it, but if I lived someplace where it's readily available, I would repurchase and consider as an alternative to LRP's Hydreane Legere, depending on price and any promotions.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Bioderma - Sensibio H2O (aka Crealine H20 Solution micellaire)
mllemustard 9/2/2012 2:16:00 PM
I really wish Bioderma was available in the U.S. because I'm hooked on this stuff. (OK, yes, it is available a few places in the U.S., but for an incredible mark-up.) It removes make-up, waterproof mascara, waterproof eyeliner, basically everything, and it incredibly gentle. I have very dry skin, and there's no tightness or discomfort after using the Bioderma. I usually follow up with a thermal water spray. I don't use this all the time (I still consider La Roche Posay's Physiological Cleanser to be my primary cleanser, mostly because of the exfoliating). I tend to use it after yoga (when I can't shower immediately), in the evening when I'm too tired to wash my face properly, and mid-day. It's also perfect for traveling. And, it really is insanely good as a non-greasy eye makeup remover. It's as good as the Lancome stuff, without the grease, and I can use the Bioderma with my contacts in, which I can't do with Lancome. Bioderma, please please please come the U.S.!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No