Pressed Powders -Tarte - Provocateur Mineral Powder
msclaudia 11/10/2010 1:25:00 AM
Good coverage, has a little bit of shimmer to it, good color match for my skin, When my skin was dry, even after moisturizer this stuff made it feel tighter and dryer. Also pretty sure this was breaking me out, cystic acne that kept multiplying, as soon as I stopped using this it stopped multiplying and started healing. Then out of desperation I used it since my skin looked so horrible while recovering from the cystic acne and I needed coverage to go out in public, the acne started multiplying again. So disappointed since I love tarte and all the beneficial ingredients this powder has in it.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Kate Somerville - Eradikate Acne Spot Treatment
msclaudia 10/28/2010 5:15:00 AM
I really like this spot treatment, it's even been effective for a deep cystic pimple IN my nose, it shrunk it over the course of 2 days. You don't shake the bottle, you let the pink stuff settle to the bottom and dip a qtip into the pink sediment and dot it on zits. It's really cheap in comparison to the other kate somerville products, a lot of which are just ridiculously over priced... $65 for a tiny bottle of "hydrating serum" which is basically just silicone... get the fuck outta here! I also love the anti bac clearing lotion ($39) which really flattened out my acne to the point where I only have to spot treat with the eradikate. Be warned though, this stuff smells AWFUL, when you first dot it on all your smell is the camphor/menthol but once it dries down and you wake up the next morning it stinks because of the sulfur, and the worst part is the smell lingers on your face to the point where people nearby can smell it... UPDATE: Had to return this.... although it did shrink my acne, the stink that lingered was unbearable and the product gave me a headache.... really weird.
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Ole Henriksen - On The Go - Exhilarating Cleanser
msclaudia 10/28/2010 4:50:00 AM
Love this as a part of my OH regimen. It doesn't make me feel dry, stripped, or tight afterwards just nice, clean, and balanced. Even though I have blemished/oily skin I opted for this instead of the aloe vera cleanser which is for oily/blemished skin since the aloe cleanser has sulfate in it. I'm glad I picked this because my skin feels clean and nourished. It's a foaming gel cleanser, but the gel doesn't have the slippery feel like most gels, it feels like its clinging to your skin which I like much better. Works well with my clarisonic. UPDATE Still using this 2+ years later, still love everything about it. I've repurchased this again and again, one bottle lasts almost a year for me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Ole Henriksen - Grease Relief Toner
msclaudia 10/28/2010 4:42:00 AM
Love that this is antiseptic yet non drying. It has an herbal/menthol type smell. My skin doesn't feel dry or tight after, I'm love this toner as a part of my OH regimen. My skin is transforming!
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Scrubs -Ole Henriksen - Walnut Complexion Scrub
msclaudia 10/28/2010 4:41:00 AM
The granules are very large and rough so you have to add plenty of water and rub softly. It smells like cherry candy. It didn't make my skin red or irritated and i noticed that it took off some of my dark blemished spots. I love the other Ole Henriksen products so I figured adding this to the regimen couldn't hurt, and it hasn't yet. My complaints are about the jar and the price for the tiny jar, but none of the OH products are cheap, so of course this wasn't. They've been worth every penny for me though because my skin is looking tons better. UPDATE: I returned this for so many reasons... firstly, this stuff was comparable to St. Ives Apricot Scrub which can be found at the drugstore. It was completely overpriced, $24 for a tiny pot. And of course I hate the pot style packaging for contamination reasons. I prefer Dermalogica's microfoliant to this any day.
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Treatments -Ole Henriksen - Invigorating Night Gel
msclaudia 10/28/2010 4:35:00 AM
Sticky clearish gel that feels slick on the skin, it smells very herby. Although that description makes it sound unappealing it is hydrating and tingly. And I'm not sure which product it is in my ole henriksen arsenal that's working the magic, but the way my skin is changing is making me think that all the products really are magical. My only big complaint is, the JAR!! I hate jar packaging, it's unhygenic and contamination is a big concern for me. Instead of dipping my fingers into the jar, I flip the jar upside down so that the cream gets on the white plastic part of the lid and just scoop it off the lid. Ever since I started an ole henrikson regimen (vitamin c cleanser, grease relief toner, walnut scrub, truth serum, invigorating gel, and sheer transformation and vitamin plus cream) my skin has been transforming! I'm combination/sensitive, oily in the t zone and prone to breakouts, blemishes, and acne that can sometimes be cystic. I also had some enlarged pores that were very clogged and just very dull skin. I was using my clarisonic religiously with a variety of burt's bee's products (since I wanted to go the natural petro chemical free route...) and my skin was not improving AT ALL. I wanted to go to a dermatologist but didn't because I figured they would just prescribe me accutane/harsh retinol creams which I didn't want to use. I normally never wore makeup regularly but skin was the worst it has ever been in my life so I felt I had to cover it up. But my skin is slowly but surely changing because of this regimen, I used Kate Somerville to flatten out my acne, but I still had such blemished, congested, and dull looking skin. With the Ole Henriksen regimen my pores are shrinking, blemishes are lightening, my skin is tighter, smoother, brighter and just glowing. UPDPATE: Still love this. Makes my skin look bright, smoother, more refined.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Ole Henriksen - Truth Serum
msclaudia 10/28/2010 4:18:00 AM
The serum absorbs quickly after my clarisonic brush, it smells like candy and makes my skin look glowy. My skin tingles when I put it on which makes me think it's working. I'm not sure which product it is in my ole henriksen arsenal that's working the magic, but the way my skin is changing is making me think that the products really are effin magical. Ever since I started an ole henrikson regimen (vitamin c cleanser, grease relief toner, walnut scrub, truth serum, invigorating gel, and sheer transformation and vitamin plus cream) my skin has been transforming! I'm combination/sensitive, oily in the t zone and prone to breakouts, blemishes, and acne that can sometimes be cystic. I also had some enlarged pores that were very clogged and just very dull skin. I was using my clarisonic religiously with a variety of burt's bee's products (since I wanted to go the natural petro chemical free route...) and my skin was not improving AT ALL. I wanted to go to a dermatologist but didn't because I figured they would just prescribe me accutane/harsh retinol creams which I didn't want to use. I normally never wore makeup regularly but skin was the worst it has ever been in my life so I felt I had to cover it up. But my skin is slowly but surely changing because of this regimen, I used Kate Somerville to flatten out my acne, and the Ole Henriksen regimen to heal my blemishes and make my skin look radiant and healthy again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Ole Henriksen - Sheer Transformation Creme
msclaudia 10/28/2010 3:55:00 AM
UPDATE After a little over a week of use I'm almost 99% sure that this cream is the cause of the cystic acne explosion on my face. It's a shame because my skin was looking really great for the first few days. My mild cystic acne (about 3 bumps) was going away after using the kate somerville anti bac cream for a few weeks. As soon as I incorporated the sheer transformation cream into my regimen the cystic acne exploded into way worse than before. Last night I used the vitamin plus cream and my face looked fine in the morning, when i woke up i washed my face, put on the truth serum, and the sheer transformation cream, I look in the mirror an hour later and my skin has exploded, it's shiny, extremely bumpy, and red in the areas that new cystic acne is forming, I now have about 9 cystic bumps on my face. I should've known better, this stuff has a lot of silicone in it and my skin HATES silicone, out of the first 5 ingredients listed in this cream, the first is water and the other 3 out of 5 are straight up silicones ugh. Silicone is terrible for acne prone, congested, and blemished skin. So basically this stuff is a nightmare for those skin types, especially if used twice a day like the old henriksen three little wonders regimen tells you to do. I will say that I do like all the other ole henriksen products I've been using thus far, I think the vitamin plus cream should be used instead for people who have acne prone skin it's been working well with my skin. ____________________________________________________________________ Light weight, hydrating, nourishing cream. This cream makes my skin glow, it looks bright, smooth, and radiant in the morning. Bought this as a part of Sephora's three little wonders set (truth serum, night gel, and the sheer transformation) and I love all of them. My blemishes don't look as severe, and even though it's quite moisturizing and leaves me looking shiny it doesn't break me out or clog my pores. I can only use this at night because it makes me look so shiny. It feels so nourishing, I adore it. My only big complaint is, the JAR!! I hate jar packaging, it's unhygenic and contamination is a big concern for me. Instead of dipping my fingers into the jar, I flip the jar upside down so that the cream gets on the white plastic part of the lid and just scoop it off the lid. I love Ole Henrikson!!!! Ever since I started an ole henrikson regimen (vitamin c cleanser, grease relief toner, walnut scrub, truth serum, invigorating gel, and sheer transformation and vitamin plus cream) my skin has been transforming! I'm combination/sensitive, lately I've been oily in the t zone and prone to breakouts, blemishes, and acne that can sometimes be cystic, my pores were also enlarged, congested and basically my skin was the worst it has ever been in my life. But this regimen is literally transforming my skin. I used Kate Somerville to flatten out my acne, but I still had such blemished, congested, and dull looking skin. With the Ole Henriksen regimen my pores are shrinking, blemishes are lightening, my skin is tighter, smoother, brighter and just glowing.
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Lipstick -Yves Saint Laurent - Rouge Volupte Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick SPF 15
msclaudia 10/19/2010 2:47:00 AM
I have a love hate relationship with these lipsticks, I love them when I first put them on and then hate them after the first hour of wear. I have them in sweet honey, sensual silk, and peach passion, the peach passion is terrible looking on yellow toned skin like mine and both the sweet honey and sensual silk are shades of nude that really wash me out unless I have a full face of makeup on or a flawless skin day. ugh why do I even own these they need to go back to sephora! I barely ever use these lipsticks, because I know the colors generally suck on me and I know how much I'll hate the formula in an hour but somehow the chic packaging, and the initial feeling of them sucks me in, and I keep buying more colors in hopes that I'll find the perfect one that suits me for everyday wear. Love... -the texture when you put it on, Moist silky smooth glide very close to the cle de peau lipstick which is my fave -doesn't feel heavy on the lips -highly densely pigmented -the smell, fruity melons! -undeniably gorgeous packaging Hate... (this is a timeline of what happens) -the moist silky smooth texture evaporates and leaves behind the dried up pigment, this happens within the first 15-30 min of wearing it. -dries out my lips -pigment settles into my lip lines. I then have to put on a balm or gloss so my lips don't look chapped and gross -this lipstick has zero staying power, you have reapply again and again - the cost of this is almost entirely due to the packaging since the formula isn't amazingly high quality
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Treatments -Kate Somerville - Anti Bac Clearing Lotion
msclaudia 10/17/2010 4:02:00 PM
This stuff really flattened out my pimples overnight! My skin is noticeably clearer from using this stuff, it definitely helps to kill the acne bacteria that causes pimples and zits but it doesn't do anything for clogged or congested pores, I needed a clay treatment for my congestion. I love that this isn't a harsh acne product, it's very effective but it doesn't sting, burn, or turn me red. It has a drying effect, but let me better explain the drying effect though, it doesn't dry out my skin to the point that it flakes or feels super tight, it just dries up oiliness, has a mattifying effect, and preps your skin for moisturizer. The Sephora rep stressed that I need to use moisturizer over this and I totally agree, I like that it prevents my regular moisturizer and tinted moisturizer from looking oily. When I use my TM directly over this stuff, it actually prevents my TM from getting oily throughout the day. A bit pricey but actually relatively cheap in comparison to other Kate Somerville products. UPDATE I think this product has a short efficacy span, after a few months of using it it just stopped being effective and did nothing for my acne.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Tarte - Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Mosturizer (Smooth Operator)
msclaudia 10/17/2010 3:45:00 PM
I was using laura mercier TM, I tried both the original and oil free formulas, but they made me look oily, wasn't a good color match (the sand color looked chalky/masky on my skin), and it was clogging me up and breaking me out. Not to mention the ingredient list is full of unpronouncible chemicals. Browsing my local Sephora store I read that Tarte's TM was paraben, petro chemical, phthalate, sulfate, fragrance, glycol, oil, gluten, dye, talc, and GMO free... uhh SOLD! Then I found out it also contained chamomile, vitamins A C E, sodium hyalorunate AND is SPF 20, uhh... HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE. And it's cheaper than the Laura Mercier which is $42. "Wow holy crap the perfect TM does exist" I thought to myself. The first thing you should know about this stuff is, when you're trying it on in the store to find a color match, the right color for you will look too light for you. I repeat WHEN YOU TRY IT ON, THE RIGHT COLOR FOR YOU WILL LOOK TOO LIGHT FOR YOU. Smooth Operator dries down to a darker shade, about 1-1.5 full shades darker. I tried on two shades that looked like a close match for my BE Golden Medium skin but was surprised that they looked way too light when I tried them on. Then I picked up Agent 14 (very much like BE Medium Tan) thinking 'wow this looks really dark in the bottle but it's the next shade up so I'll try it on', I put it on my bare face and it blended in perfectly, I get pleasantly surprised because I was expecting a tan overcast. I get all happy about the color match in the perfect TM, plunk down $36 and bring that baby home. Wow was I shocked when I tried it on the next day at home, I looked like Snooki, visibly too dark and orangeish, with the hideous tell tale mask line between my face and neck. In the sephora store with all the florescent lighting (the store is purposely lit that way to highlight all your flaws, their way of getting people to think they need more products) the color looked like it blended right in to a perfect match but my initial instinct that it looked way too dark in the bottle was right on. Going back to Sephora to exchange for Agent 10 which is supposed to be for light/medium complexions with yellow undertones. Will update! UPDATE I ditched this stuff and bought a Dr. Jart Beauty Balm, I'm happy with my choice.
12 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Fresh - Umbrian Clay Treatment Bar
msclaudia 10/17/2010 3:07:00 PM
Bought this yesterday for my congested skin, and I will admit that after just one use last night, my skin does feel smoother and less congested. However after reading the review that mentioned you can buy the same exact clay at mountainroseherbs.com for way cheaper I checked out the site, 1 lb of Fuller's Earth for $7.50!! vs. 7.1 oz. Fresh Clay Bar for $38!!!!! Wow, less than half the amount for more than 5 times the price, what a f@$*in rip off! I ordered a pound of the Fullers Earth, plus a pound of French Green Clay, and a 0.5 oz bottle of organic tea tree oil, plus $10 for shipping and it was still under $38 ($32 to be exact..). As soon as my package from mountainroseherbs gets here the Fresh bar is going back to Sephora. I'm going to mix the powdered clay I ordered with some mineral water, mush it into a bar/ball and use it exactly the same way as the Fresh Clay bar. God I hate rip off products but thank god for Sephora's awesome return policy.
5 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -L'Oreal - Waterproof Voluminous Carbon Black
msclaudia 9/17/2010 11:21:00 AM
UPDATE This stuff is super drying to my lashes, even when I put it on top of the regular formula. I'm giving my lashes a break from this stuff, they need some nourishment. Also, the raccoon eyes from the intense pigment and the hard removal make it a pain in the ass. ____________________________________________________________________ For the girls who hate this stuff, the watery thin waterproof formula is perfect to use over the original carbon black formula as a sort of sealant. It really cuts down on smudging and raccoon eyes which is my only gripe about the original formula. Since the formula is really wet the hardest part is getting it to not smudge before it dries, but once it's dry it lasts hours. Just make sure you comb it through the base and tips really well to cover everything. To get it off I rub my Dermalogica precleanse (it's an oil cleanser) all over my face and then pick up any remnants with vitamin e oil or olive oil. I don't recommend using makeup removers with alcohol or any type of water/liquid makeup remover with this or any other eye makeup, they tend to leave behind a raccoon eye residue and require a lot of tugging at the eye area to fully remove the carbon black formula which does have a very stubborn pigment. I hope this helps the ladies who have this stuff sitting on their makeup bureau and hate it!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous in Carbon Black
msclaudia 9/17/2010 11:13:00 AM
UPDATE While I stand by my reviews below, I've stumbled upon some unforgivable gripes that have made me bump this down to 4 stars. -Raccoon eyes from both smudging while wearing and when I try to remove it. Even with oil cleansers this shit is stubbbboorrrrn and doesn't come all the way off without some elbow grease, especially since I use the waterproof on top of the regular formula. -The smudging oh my god the smudging. Which I thought I solved by putting the waterproof formula on top... sure it cuts down on the smudging, but it still smudges. And even after you try to remove the smudges with qtip/finger/tissue/sleeve of your shirt a stubborn grey black shadow remains behind. And I get little flakes since I like to be liberal with this stuff. -Remember I mentioned how much better the formula gets as the bottle dries out? I stand by this, but a side effect of this is that the bristles of the brush start to clump together so the brush quality goes down as the formula quality goes up. You have to use a mascara spoolie/lash comb to comb it through and get the proper effect as the brush clumps together. -I feel like my lashes are unhealthier from using this, especially when I use the waterproof formula. They look duller, dryer, and fall out more because of the annoying removal. I'm switching to some Tarte mascaras which are gentler and nourishing for lashes, but I definitely still consider this mascara a very worthy standby and backup, I just think I need to give it a rest for a bit because it's full of bad chemicals and my lashes are suffering for it. _____________________________________________________________________ UPDATE This stuff has reached HG status. After having the same tube for months, the formula just got better and better as it thickened up and now performs better than my former HG mascara Diorshow. In my previous review I said that a con was that it's not a one swipe fool proof deal, well the thicker the formula gets, the easier and more fool proof it becomes. The wetness of a new tube can be forgiven in my opinion, unlike Diorshow which is thick thick thick from the first swipe and basically dries up in about 3 weeks, come on now the tube is $28 it needs to last more than a month!! I now forego my multiple tubes of Diorshow and opt for L'oreal Voluminous in Carbon Black. It's reached HG status for a few reasons... 1. It does a better job than numerous high end formulas I've tried (Diorshow, Lancome Definicils, Givenchy, Tarte) in terms of volume, definition, and fullness. 2. The Carbon Black is the darkest, inkiest, most intense, and dramatic black I've seen in any mascara. Is it just me or is the Diorshow Black a smidge greyish/brownish and not a pure inky black? 3. The price can't be beat, I will never again be buying Diorshow at $28 a tube when I can buy L'oreal Voluminous for $5 a tube (at Walmart, CVS usually runs about $7). 4. I can find it at any drugstore or even grocery store 5. I've solved the smudging problem by putting on the waterproof formula over the regular formula, the regular formula acts as a kind of protective base and since the waterproof formula is much wetter it doesn't cause any clumpiness when I put it on top. 6. I love the brush. Way better than the gigantic clunky Diorshow brush. It really gets all the lashes and creates a fanning and fullness effect. ____________________________________________________________________ Pros: -cheap and available everywhere -very buildable and workable -the tube lasts a loonnnng time -smooth application -the brush really coats lashes well -color assortment is great, the carbon black is an awesome dramatic deep black Cons: -with the regular formula, the lasting power is average at best. you will definitely end up with under eye darkness and a bit of flaking by the end of your day. -the pigment in the carbon black formula gives me the most stubborn raccoon eyes -the waterproof formula is hard as hell to get off even with oil and cleanser. (Although this may not be a con for people like swimmers) -doesn't hold a curl -you have to work with it, it's not a fool proof one swipe kind of deal. notes: Great drugstore mascara. The formula is very wet and there is a ton of it in the tube so this stuff lasts forever. I don't find it to be super volumizing like say Diorshow, but it's a buildable mascara that goes on smooth and relatively clump free. I find that you have to really layer it on for a dramatic look but I like that it gives me the option of going natural or dramatic. I find that my curl always falls by the end of the day with this mascara. There are very expensive mascaras that give me great results with less work but I find this to be a nice reliable mascara that I can pick up at the drugstore.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -MyChelle - Incredible Pumpkin Peel
msclaudia 9/16/2010 10:00:00 PM
Really like this stuff, you spread on the dark orange pulpy mixture, feel the burn for a while then wash it off to find brighter, smooth, exfoliated, moist skin. Like most peels, this stuff stings and burns sensitive skin. Don't use this after using a scrub or exfoliant because the burning and stinging will just be more intense. After I take it off I moisturize with a soothing product and avoid any toners. I ordered this online and was shocked at how small the jar and portion was for the twenty-something dollars I paid. I ended up really liking the product, but it still kills me that I get such few uses out of that tiny tiny little jar. I expected a jar about the size of the larger philosophy hope in a jar moisturizer, but it was more like the size of an eye cream jar or a large sample jar. However, given the cost of chemical peels at a spa I suppose it's still a good deal. Reading the ingredient list makes me suspect that I could make a homemade dupe of this fairly easily, some ground pumpkin, ground pineapple, honey, and some essential oils would probably produce comparable results, I'll give it a try and update this. UPDATE I bumped this up to 5 stars because after 3 years I still find myself coming back to this. I find this produces comparable results to Kate Somerville's ExfoliKate.
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