Polishes -Sally Hansen - Insta-Dri Flashy Fuchsia
msgenie516 11/9/2009 8:58:00 PM
Today is the first time I tried this color and I love it! I deducted one lippie because in the bottle, it has a noticeable flash of blue but on my nails, the only way I can really notice it is in direct sunlight. But I'm still very happy with this color, as it is not horribly bright as some I have tried. Perhaps if I use two coats, the blue shimmer will be more noticeable. I might try that the next time, even though I got good coverage from one coat. The formula is thick but, for some reason, it does not make this polish difficult to work with. Even the fast drying didn't interfere with the application. I was able to go over areas I was not happy with, without any clumping, etc. One BIG plus with this formula is that the polish stays where you put it, instead of running down into the cuticles. I did read unfavorable reviews regarding the formula, but I found it to be one of the easiest to work with that I have ever tried! This time I very carefully studied the brush and I have come to the conclusion that those gals that hate it are probably using it at the wrong angle. With the gently rounded end, it should fit anyone's nail bed. I believe some members are trying to use the narrow side to apply the polish and I can see why that won't work. Then the brush would have a strange angle, as mentioned by others. You need to put the FLAT side straight down on your nail and I believe you will be very pleased with the results. I actually look forward to doing my nails when I will be using one of the Insta-Dri polishes because it is unbelieveably easy. I found I can also remove the excess polish from the shaft? (not sure what it's called, but the straight part that holds the bristles) by holding the brush horizontally and wiping it on the top edge of the bottle. You cannot remove the excess polish by the traditional way of wiping against the inside edge of the bottle. I am so pleased with this product that I purchased yet another color today, Racey Rouge. I hope it looks as nice as it does in the bottle! Just this morning, I removed the first color I tried, Rushing Rubies, a cool shimmery red. I did not have any problem with it staining my nails but I used Nail Tek Foundation II as a base coat, so that probably helped. I am getting reasonable (not great) wear out of this polish, with minor repairable chipping on the second day. But that happens to me with all polishes except Duri and the new Nailtiques protein based polishes. Even OPI doesn't give me any better wear than Insta-Dri but Insta-Dri has the added benefit of drying so fast that it isn't bothersome to do another manicure. Overall, I am hooked on these polishes! The only downside is that there are not many colors available but I hope they come out with LOTS more, I'll be sure to buy them!
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Insta-Dri Rushing Rubies
msgenie516 11/7/2009 7:15:00 PM
I purchased two of these Insta-Dri colors (Rushing Rubies and Flashy Fuchsia) on sale a while back but hadn’t used either one. But last night I really needed a quick manicure because I had to get to bed early, as I was going out unusually early this morning. I had to do something as my nails were a mess and I have a cracked nail--cracked horizontally way down so I can’t even cut it--that I’ve been covering with a wrap so it doesn’t get caught up on anything. So I decided, what the heck, I’m going to try one of these, although I didn‘t have high hopes. So I got out my bottle of Rushing Rubies and, guess what, this really surprised me! I was sure I would see major chipping on the first day, as my experience with quick-dry polishes hasn’t been good. I have had this on for nearly 24 hours and I don’t see any chipping at all. I did use my usual Nail Tek Foundation II as a base coat and The Lippmann Collection Addicted To Speed (yes, I was REALLY in a hurry for this to dry!) top coat. I didn’t time the drying but I was ready for bed way before I expected to be. I have seen mixed reviews about the brush, but I absolutely love it! I have to admit, I was apprehensive when I first saw it, as it is so large. I didn’t think I would be able to work with it, but it actually made application incredibly easy. I applied my base coat, one quick coat of the Insta-Dri, and my top coat, and I was done! After a few minutes, I sprayed all the nails with DeMert Nail Dryer, just to be on the safe side. The color “Rushing Rubies” is a cool shimmery bright red. I picked this one because it is attractive and it was the last one they had. I have never seen it before or since. They ended up costing $3.74 each, which is not bad at all, especially considering what I have paid for OPI and other high-end polishes. The polish does not dry to an extremely shiny finish but the top coat took care of that. I have to say that the colors offered in this line (there aren’t all that many of them) are not as complex or striking as those offered by OPI or Zoya, but the fast drying is a big plus when you need it. I was so impressed by this polish that I ran out today to CVS (they had a buy one, get one ½ price sale) and bought 4 more! The ones I got today are “Clearly Quick”, “Mauve It“, “Presto Pink“, and “Fast-Lane Fuchsia”. I thought I might try to use the “Clearly Quick” as a refresher coat, as my “Addicted To Speed” is so expensive and I’m not sure it is suitable as a refresher coat, anyway. Since it is so pricey, I prefer to save it as a top coat on my original multi-layer manicure. As of now, I would recommend this to anyone who might need a speedy manicure from time to time. I will update if I run into any problems with this but at this point, I have to give it 5 lippies!
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Treatments -Creative Nail Design - Solar Oil
msgenie516 10/8/2009 10:33:00 PM
I just purchased this product and only started using it yesterday, so I can't yet rate everything about it. But with my limited experience, I have to say that my cuticles do look better than before. Not great (I have extremely dry skin on my hands, especially when it gets colder out) but definately better and I feel more time is needed to see if there is any additional improvement. However, I manicured my nails last night and my polish didn't dry very fast (it never does as I use a base coat, a treatment coat, usually 2 coats of polish, and a top coat). So I have many layers to dry, which usually presents a problem. But I started to think about that I read on MUA that this oil is also good for drying nail polish. So I decided to try it out and brushed it over my nails. Almost immediately, the tackiness was gone and I was able to go to bed without the fear of sheet marks. This product is a GREAT polish dryer! It is oily, as others have mentioned, but when I needed to do something with my hands and didn't want to stain what I had touched, I simply washed my hands first. Of course, it must be better to allow the oil to soak in, but sometimes there is just not enough time. I do enjoy the almond scent of the oil and do not find it to be overpowering at all. Due to my limited experience with this product, I haven't deducted any lippies because of my cuticles not being perfect. They absolutely do show improvement so, at this point, that is good enough for me. I paid A LOT for this oil at CVS ($9.99 for 1/2 oz.) but now I know it is available much more reasonably elsewhere. Update-10/10/09-I know it's a little soon for an update, but I wanted to mention that my cuticles are improving greatly. Also, I used this again to dry my polish and, once more, it dried incredibly fast. I have some polish that is terribly difficult to dry (Duri) and I'm going to try it with that. I am really not expecting much, but I'll let you know!
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Polishes -Unlisted Brand - Duri-Unexpected Kiss
msgenie516 9/10/2009 9:45:00 PM
I took a chance and ordered this polish on the web with just seeing a photo and knowing nothing about the actual color (except for a picture that wasn't the greatest) or quality. As it turns out, so far I am very pleased with this polish. The application is fabulous, rivaling OPI except without the Pro-Wide brush. I only did my nails with it last night so I can't comment on long-term wear, but it has survived an entire day without so much as a hint of a chip. I seem to be really rough on polish and many times, I do get a tiny chip (one that can be touched up) on the first day, even with the more expensive polishes. This one was only $3.75 plus less than $1.00 shipping because I ordered multiple items with total shipping being only $4.95. I did think it dried a bit slow (not too bad) but I didn't use my usual fast dry topcoat. I actually purchased this polish as I have started to use the Duri Rejuvacote and I thought this may be more compatible with it. I am going to apply a coat of the Rejuvacote as a top coat tonight and see what happens. My OPI polish I used with it the last time started to peel in big chunks when I used the Rejuvacote as a base coat. The second time I tried it with the OPI polish, I only used the Rejuvacote as a top coat the next day (and it did start to peel slightly that way), as I am doing with this one (I didn't have the nerve to put it under this one yet!) As for the color, I LOVE it! It is a cool light/medium pink with a subtle blue shimmer. I have had other polishes in a similar color, but none of them looked as good on my hands as this one. It is somewhat sheer but two coats are all it needs to look FABULOUS! This is definately a favorite! I really wish I could find these in the local stores to see the colors better, but I haven't found them anywhere. I will definately be placing another order for Duri polishes and just take my chances on the colors, I am that PLEASED with them!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Unlisted Brand - Lensco-Non Acetone Polish Remover
msgenie516 9/7/2009 10:29:00 PM
I found this product in a beauty supply store. I was a little leary of purchasing it as I had never heard of the brand and my experience with non-acetone removers had not been the greatest and, besides, this one was cheaper than any I tried. They usually took "forever" to remove the polish. My last experience was with Cutex, which was really slow, and I was almost ready to go back to acetone removers. I just didn't want to dry out my nails with the acetone, so I tried one more. But I really "lucked out" with this one. On the bottle, it claims to remove the polish in 7 seconds, but I think it does take a bit more but not a lot. I think with 3 or 4 coats it probably would be 7 seconds but I sometimes have 5 or 6 coats with all the nail treatments I use. I use an oval cotton pad saturated with the remover. I just lay it on my nails and wait a bit. Then I swipe downward and off comes the polish! I use the second side for the other hand. Then I take a fresh pad with some remover and clean up anything that is left. It was $3.99 for 16 ounces, which I don't think is bad at all. It also comes in a gallon economy size (not sure of the price but very cheap) but I just can't store anything that large. I haven't tried it on any polish with large glitter but I have used it on the OPI DS polishes, both the holo's and plain glitter, and it has worked perfectly. I would recommend this to anyone with acrylic nails or to anyone who just prefers non-acetone removers. It is the fastest acting one I have found so far and has become my HG remover. The only down side is that I haven't seen it anywhere except for the beauty supply store, so it may be hard to find.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Olay - Sensitive Skin Foaming Face Wash
msgenie516 9/7/2009 8:27:00 PM
This has been my HG face wash for many years (too many for me to even try and remember). It cleans very well and removes most makeup with the exception of very stubborn waterproof mascara. I keep a jar of makeup remover pads handy, just in case. Actually, the only product that I have had any problem with is the Shiseido mascara base. Anything else has come off easily. It does not irritate my skin or eyes. I strayed only once (never again) and purchased the Neutrogena liquid cleanser, which burned my eyes badly. I love the pump bottle (very, very convenient) but wouldn't take it along in my suitcase. In that case, I would look for something in a tube to avoid a mess. I really can't think of anything bad to say about this product and would recommend it to anyone.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Neutrogena - Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleansing Formula
msgenie516 9/7/2009 8:16:00 PM
I ran out of my favorite cleanser, Olay Foaming Face Wash For Sensitive Skin, and saw this in a wholesale club very reasonably priced. So I decided since I'm familiar with the brand, I would pick it up since it was such a bargain for three bottles (can't remember exactly how much, but it was cheap). Yes, it does cleanse very well and I did not have any problems/reactions with my skin but if you accidentally get the slightest bit in your eyes, it burns terribly. This made me hesitant to try and get my eye makeup off. I did finally manage to use it up by using great care in the eye area, but I couldn't wait until the last bottle was finished so I could go back to Olay, which I have used for years and is much gentler. So the bottom line is, I won't purchase this again, not because it's not a good cleanser but because it irritates my eyes so badly. If it doesn't bother your eyes, it's a great product.
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Mascara -Revlon - DoubleTwist
msgenie516 8/30/2009 12:49:00 AM
I need only one word to describe this...AWFUL! I have never used a mascara that was as bad as this one. Actually, I don't think the formula is bad but the wand and tube seem to be at fault. MUCH TOO MUCH mascara stays on the wand when you remove it from the tube, which makes it like you are applying tar to your lashes. When I first pulled the wand out of the tube (and the gadget to remove excess mascara was definately in place), the wand wasn't completely covered. So I inserted it one more time and, HOLY COW, you couldn't even see the applicator any more! It was entirely covered with black "gunk". But I was determined not to give up easily. So I scraped and scraped and SCRAPED the applicator against the top edge of the tube to remove the excess mascara. But no matter how much I did this, there was still too much product on the applicator. Despite all the problems, I attempted to apply this to my lashes. But there were so many clumps, I couldn't even comb it out properly with my metal eyelash comb. And it even got on my eyelids so I had to remove it and repair my eyeshadow. What a "bummer"! I have to admit that curiosity really got the best of me this time, as I only bought this because I saw all the bad reviews and had to see what they were all about. Next time I will know better and trust the judgment of all the knowledgeable MUA members. I am just glad I bought this in CVS when they had a BOGO promotion for Revlon cosmetics and the other product I purchased, a lip color, is very nice. So the mascara only cost $4.50, not a major loss. I finally gave this to my daughter who, for some UNKNOWN reason, likes this stuff! All I can say is, save your money, buy something else, ANYTHING else!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - It's All Greek To Me
msgenie516 8/30/2009 12:06:00 AM
Love this color! It's so bright and cheery, it's a great pick-me-up! I wear it on my tips but I wouldn't wear it to a conservative office (or probably to any office job, for that matter). I really don't think it's too bright unless it's not suitable for your job. I don't think I would have felt it is pink without seeing the other comments. It strikes me as a light cool toned red (if there is such a thing as a "light" red). I have yet to see it in daylight to make a final determination on the color, as I polished my nails with it for the first time tonight. The metallic shimmer is beautiful and the color would definately be missing something without it. It does dry very fast, much faster than most other OPI polishes. I'm typing already even though I polished my nails less than an hour ago with 6 coats (yes, six), including three coats of treatments to improve my weak nails. The application is flawless and incredibly easy with the Pro-Wide brush, and I'm far from being an expert manicurist--although I'm getting better because of being tempted to change my nail color often since there are so many gorgeous OPI colors! I would recommend this to anyone who thinks they might like it, as they probably will!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Designer Series - DS Exclusive
msgenie516 8/28/2009 9:39:00 AM
I absolutely adore this color! I find it a little difficult to describe but it’s a combination of purple and raspberry red. I’m not really a “purple person” when it comes to nail lacquer and I wasn’t too sure I would like this color. With my skin tone, purple on the nails reminds me of something “dead”. Kind of awful to say, but that’s my first impression. My husband loves purple and if I give him a choice of nail colors that I will wear next, he always picks a “purply” one (to my complete and utter dismay). But if he should pick this one, I’ll be glad to oblige! This one is LOADED with holographic micro glitter! WOW, WOW, and WOW again!!! The color is very intense and on the darker side but not too dark. I generally dislike dark polishes against my fair skin but I LOVE this one. The color is very unique and I have never seen another polish quite like this. The Pro-Wide brush makes application super easy but I feel two coats are needed to fully appreciate the intensity of this DROP-DEAD GORGEOUS color. I enjoy the OPI Designer Series polishes so much and I wish they weren’t discontinued. I may pick up duplicates of my favorites (that will be a difficult choice) before I can no longer find them at all. They are a bit “pricey” but worth every penny! I would recommend that anyone try this color, even if you have a warmer skin tone, as the red in this may make it work for you.
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Mascara -Lancome - Definicils Mascara
msgenie516 8/27/2009 10:37:00 PM
I can’t believe I finally found my HG mascara! For me, this mascara has been nothing less than fabulous and I don’t even feel like trying anything else. I’m sure, just like hair, the texture of eyelashes varies from person to person and I believe that accounts for the many different results from this mascara. My lashes are nearly invisible without mascara and are very light and fine. But with this mascara, I have discovered lashes I didn’t even know I had! Even though it is not meant to be volumizing, it gives me that effect because of the beautiful definition so you can see each and every one of my lashes. It also lengthens very well so now I look like I have tons of fluffy, long lashes! Pros: 1. It is incredibly easy to apply. It distributes from the base to the tip of my lashes with barely any effort on my part. 2. It is wet enough for great color transfer, but not so wet as to make a mess and smudge. 3. I didn’t find it to be clumpy at all. I always use a metal eyelash comb just to make sure my lashes come out as perfect as possible, but I think this is the only mascara I have tried that I could have gotten away without it. 4. The lengthening is superb! I really never knew how much lengthening a mascara could do until I tried this. 5. It preserved my curl all day long. Overall, my lashes looked as good at 9:00 PM as they looked at 9:00 AM. After all that time, it didn’t flake or smudge. 6. I felt that it was weightless and I had to check to see if my mascara was still on (and it was)! 7. I chose the navy blue and the color is incredible. I use blue instead of black because, with my fair coloring and blue eyes, I think black is too harsh. The color on this one is definitely blue, not blue/black or black but it is not bright or garish. 8. It is very easy to remove, comes right off with my Olay Foaming Face Wash For Sensitive Skin. 9. The product is more important to me than the packaging, but I must comment that this tube is very elegant. Cons: 1. The price, it is expensive (but so worth it)! I wouldn’t really want to, but I would spend more if I had to for the results I have gotten. I should mention that, as with all of my mascaras, I used the Shiseido base with this. But I think it would have performed very well on its own. Even though I have tried many mascaras over this base including Givenchy Eye Fly, Lorac Visual Effects, Benefit Bad Gal Blue, Smashbox Bionic, Maybelline Full ‘n Soft, CoverGirl Lashblast Luxe, Revlon DoubleTwist, and my previous HG Bourjois Liner Effet, I could not get results that were close to the Lancome Definicils. I do believe application is the key to success with any mascara. What I do with this one (and have tried with others to no avail) is to apply 2 or 3 coats over the base while combing through the lashes as I go along. Then I let it dry and apply one very light coat (mainly to the tips) and don’t comb it. The end result is spectacular! This has replaced my previous HG, Bourjois Liner Effet, as it simply blows it away! I would recommend this mascara to anyone!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Smashbox - Bionic Mascara
msgenie516 8/21/2009 12:25:00 AM
This is NOT the greatest mascara. It can give volume and length, but it’s a lot of work. I use my Shiseido base under every mascara, so that may be why I got decent results…FINALLY. I applied about 6 coats before I could say I was satisfied with the way my lashes looked. In addition to that, I was continually combing it out with my metal lash comb as I worked with it. If I hadn’t done that, it would probably have been a clumpy mess. I also very slowly and deliberately applied this from the base to the tips of my lashes so that the mascara would transfer properly. As another reviewer noted, you cannot just quickly swipe this across your lashes and get good results. Just for the heck of it, I tried it and it most certainly doesn’t work. Also, I always look for blue mascara and I was happy to see this comes in blue. However, the blue is extremely subtle, thus hardly noticeable. So the color also does not make me happy. My Lorac Visual Effects has the very best blue of the mascaras I have tried so far, but that one can be extremely messy. This mascara did not smudge or flake on me and I have worn it all day long. And my lashes also kept their curl. But this could be because of using the Shiseido base. One thing I can say for sure, I would never use this on those busy mornings when I have to get out of the house quickly. It just takes much too long to apply properly. I didn’t find it particularly hard to remove the mascara coupled with the Shiseido base. It was no worse than any of the mascaras I have tried lately and even a little easier than some of them. I use CVS brand makeup remover pads with aloe and then wash my entire face with Olay Foaming Face Wash for sensitive skin. My Bourjois Liner Effet mascara is my favorite so far but the blue is not quite what I’m looking for either, though a better color than this one. So the hunt goes on for the perfect mascara!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Bourjois - Effet Liner Mascara
msgenie516 8/19/2009 11:39:00 PM
For a change, I have found a mascara I REALLY like! First, I must tell you that I don’t use any mascara without my Shiseido The Makeup Mascara Base. It is a terrific help with application and curl retention. So if you don’t use this base, your results with the Bourjois Liner Effect Mascara may not be as positive as mine. With my fine blonde lashes that are nearly invisible without mascara, I find that I need a formula that is on the wet side to get results. I can’t get dry formulas to apply, I think because my lashes do not provide enough resistance to get the product to transfer…I hope this makes sense. This mascara is PERFECT for me, it is wet enough for color deposit but not so wet that it is clumpy and just generally messy. First, I apply my Shiseido base, then at least two coats of mascara. I can add additional coats to get a more dramatic look without any major clumping. I use the side of the wand with the short bristles first and “wiggle” it at the base of my lashes to get the liner effect--this really works! I then use the longer bristles to draw the mascara through the rest of my lashes and…WOW…they look great! I do comb through my lashes with a metal Japonesque eyelash comb as I go, just in case there is a bit too much mascara. So far, this is the only mascara that has given me good results without having to layer it with another. The only time I would consider layering something else over it is to get the “bluer” color of my Lorac Visual Effects mascara. I have the Boujois in “Bleu” (blue) and it is definitely blue but it is not as blue as the Lorac in Midnight Blue. The combination of the base and this mascara take a little extra effort to remove but I purchased makeup remover pads in CVS (their own brand with aloe) and they take care of it quickly. I have worn this all day with no flaking or smudging. I’m not sure if I can give the credit to the mascara or the base but, in any case, the results are excellent. My lashes look fuller and longer, have a nice curl, and I get the bonus of not having to apply eyeliner! I would recommend this to anyone who is not totally happy with the mascara they are using--this just might become your HG as it has become mine! UPDATE 8/27/09 As I have just found my new HG, Lancome Definicils mascara, I have deducted one lippie from this one, as it can't compare. But it is still a good mascara and is definately cheaper.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Designer Series - DS Elegance
msgenie516 8/19/2009 2:35:00 AM
OMG, this is one GORGEOUS pink color! It is a light leaning toward medium cool pink LOADED with holographic shimmer. It's enough to make your mouth water! Nothing serious about this one, it is "girlie" and fun, fun, fun! I was very surprised at the good coverage. I thought that I would need at least two coats (maybe three) to reach the color of the bottle. I did do two coats but I could probably have gotten away with one. It does seem to be drying well, as I did my nails not more than 1/2 hour ago and I'm already typing. And I have many layers of polish to dry as I do three coats of treatments (only way I can get my weak nails to grow and not break) before I even get to the polish, so there are six layers with the top coat. I do still have to be careful, but it's not bad. It is now 2:20 AM so all I have is my dim indoor lighting and I see an incredible amount of sparkle. I can't wait until the morning when I can see it in sunlight! This has the Pro-Wide brush and is a cinch to apply. You can't go wrong! This is one color that is not to be missed. I think I could stare at it "forever". As with all the Designer Series, this is more expensive than the regular OPI colors but, to me, it is worth every penny (and more)! Get it while you still can! P.S. If you dislike getting compliments on your nails, you should probably pass on this color!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Brocato - Swell Volume Full Body Shampoo
msgenie516 8/18/2009 4:01:00 PM
This has to be the worst shampoo I ever used. First of all, the fragrance smells like an old perfume that was stashed away and went bad. Just really like chemicals. Not only that, it didn't leave my hair feeling clean. It's hard to describe, but I can only say that my hair felt "hard" and that there was a lot of residue left in my hair from hairspray or whatever. Luckily, I didn't get the itching reaction the other reviewer mentioned. So I am managing to use it up for my first lather only and lathering my hair with one of my regular shampoos afterwards. If it weren't for that, I would be tossing this one in the trash. Fortunately, I purchased on sale in Ulta and the large 32 ounce bottle only cost me $9.99. I already had the volumizing treatment (which works great) and I thought it would be a good thing to have the matching shampoo...NOT! No matter what the price is, I will NEVER buy this again!
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