Fragrances -Stella McCartney - Stella Nude
ohhellojanie 2/16/2013 2:52:00 PM
I should preface this review by saying that I am not a fan of the original Stella, or even of most rose fragrances in general. I often find them to be headache-inducing and dusty, sort of potpourri-ish. I was attracted to Stella Nude because I thought it would be a "skin scent" (hence the Nude name), that is, a clean musk primarily, with some rose notes, that wears close to the skin. Unfortunately I didn't find this to be an apt description of the fragrance at all - it's a pretty linear rose scent with maybe a tiny hint of musk in the drydown and some powder. It also has very good lasting power and sillage on me, which again, isn't a bad trait but not something I associate with a fragrance called "Nude." Very ladylike but a little too pristine and stuffy for me. If I am in the mood for wearing a rose scent, I much prefer a more earthy or "wild" smelling rose like Diptyque L'Ombre Dans L'Eau, where I can smell the whole plant and the surrounding woods.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Neutrogena - Naturals Cleanser + Makeup Remover
ohhellojanie 10/3/2012 4:13:00 PM
The best all-in-one makeup removing cleanser I have ever tried. I am most concerned about removing my base makeup (sunscreen, foundation, concealer, etc) because I have very clog-prone skin and don't want any residual traces left on my skin, and this does the trick for me. If I wear a heavy-duty foundation or a very heavy sunscreen, I might opt for an oil cleanser over this, but on an average day I find it's completely adequate at taking off all my makeup. It even removes waterproof eye makeup without requiring you to tug at your eyes, which is really impressive - just make sure not to get it into your actual eyes because it does sting a little bit. I just gently massage it into my lids & lashline. This means that you'll need a separate remover for anything on your waterline, but that's always the case for me so it's not a huge issue. My skin is sensitive, combo-oily, and acne-prone, and I have not had any problems with this causing irritation of any kind (aside from the aforementioned eye stinging, but that's only when I'm being careless as I remove my mascara). Another thing I love is that it is very economical as I only need a tiny amount (less than a dime-sized amount) massaged all over my face to remove everything. Something about the way that this cleanser spreads out and feels thick and almost creamy means that a single bottle lasts you a surprisingly long time.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Eucerin - Q10 Sensitive Skin Anti-Wrinkle Lotion SPF 15 (Face)
ohhellojanie 7/18/2011 2:29:00 PM
I've been using this product on a daily basis for the past 6 months, so I felt able to add a review! My skintype: combo-oily, extremely clog-prone, sensitive. My prior moisturizer (and my HG to date) is the Enrich SPF 15 moisturizer from Trader Joe's (I also wrote a review for that lotion). When I ran out of that lotion I received the Eucerin moisturizer in a swap and started using it in late Winter. In the colder months my combo-oily skin becomes combo-dry, and this lotion was just about perfect for my needs. It absorbs quickly, keeps my dry areas moisturized without adding any additional shine, wore perfectly under foundation and concealer, and felt nice throughout the entire day. It is truly noncomedogenic for me, and it never gave my sensitive skin any problems (no itching or redness, etc), so it's claims seem to be accurate. As we've moved into the warmer months I am still liking this, but I do find it is a tiny bit too moisturizing for me and I do get a little shiny quicker than I would with the Enrich moisturizer. One thing I absolutely love about this lotion is the pump dispenser - it's sanitary, it dispenses the perfect amount of product for the face and neck, and the cap makes it easy to travel with (no locking, twisting nozzles to deal with here!).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Neutrogena - Naturals Lipbalm
ohhellojanie 7/18/2011 2:20:00 PM
I got this for free as part of a Target goodie bag promotion. I'm something of a lipbalm fanatic so I was excited to try this out. I find that this is a great lipbalm to use underneath drying lipsticks, especially matte lipstick formulas. The reason is that this balm is of a firmer, waxier texture so that it deposits a minimal amount of product onto the lips and it doesn't leave them slippery. It just acts as a nice thin barrier against a drying lip color without making the lip color fade or feather. It's waxiness doesn't mean it's not moisturizing, however - I can add a couple more swipes of this before bedtime and it'll keep my lips nicely moisturized with a subtle minty taste/smell. My only complaint about this is that it doesn't contain SPF, but the ways in which I use it don't really require sun protection anyway so it works out. EDIT: Dropped my rating because after almost being finished with my tube, I have decided that I would not repurchase this because it's not moisturizing enough.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Superlustrous Lipstick - Demure (LE)
ohhellojanie 7/13/2011 1:56:00 PM
When I first bought this, I didn't know whether I loved it or hated it - as a rule, I didn't like sheer lipsticks because they felt like a waste of time and money. And I ESPECIALLY didn't like shimmer in my lipsticks because my lips are naturally quite line-y/wrinkley and shimmer can emphasize that. But I wore it one day, then the next, then the entire following week, and before I knew it I was lining it up next to my 3 other all time favorite, HG everyday lipsticks in my vanity. It's unlike other sheer lipsticks I've tried in that it doesn't slip around or wear off immediately - it actually has decent lasting power, but it's not drying either. It just feels comfortable, like a tinted lip balm. You can apply it without a mirror, but it still transforms my mauvey, medium-pigmented lips into a cute peachy-pink shade with a soft glow due to the fine shimmer - not frosty at all. The effect is actually very plumping and flattering. I was inspired to write this review because I happened to come across this blog post today (I'm not affiliated) - the lip swatch she has here is pretty much exactly how Demure looks on my own lips, and I totally agree with her assessment of the lipstick. http://myfunnyvalentineblog.com/2011/07/revlon-sup
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lipstick
ohhellojanie 5/9/2011 4:38:00 PM
I have owned at least 5 of this lipstick line in different colors and finishes, and overall I think they are wonderful. The color range is modern, rich and saturated, the feel on the lips is very lightweight and non-slippery despite the lipsticks' creaminess and high opacity, and the packaging feels luxe for a drugstore brand. For sensitive noses, I can attest that there is little to no scent to these lipsticks, and they also don't dry out or irritate my lips which are allergic to ingredients in some lipsticks. My favorite color is Soft Rose, a very beautiful and sophisticated color reminiscent of Chanel Mademoiselle, but I also own and love Fuschia, Soft Nude, and Coral. The shades that have some shimmer/pearl to them I find to be a little more on the sheer side, which isn't my cup of tea so I stick to the creme finishes. They are all beautiful though, and the range of colors is truly something you'd expect from MAC or high-end lipstick ranges.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -L'Oreal - True Match Super-Blendable Makeup SPF 17
ohhellojanie 5/9/2011 4:32:00 PM
I swapped for this to test it out as I'd heard good things about its blendability, good color range, and lightweight feel on the skin. I used it for a few days and tossed the rest of the bottle out. First of all, the color I used, W2 (which I did lots of board/review searches on to look up what color to pick) did not match my NC20 skintone. It gave an oddly grey cast to my skin, strange for a warm-toned foundation. I found the foundation to spread easily as it is very runny/liquidy, but to be streaky in its application for the same reason (I applied with a flat-top foundation brush and on another occasion with my hands, with the same results). It set to a semi-matte/satin finish but I felt like it was breaking down on my face in a couple of hours and settling in unflattering places (I have combo-oily skin). Finally, the lack of a pump is irritating not just for hygienic reasons but also because it wastes a lot of product since the foundation is so runny. Overall I'm glad I didn't purchase this myself and wouldn't try it again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Alberto Vo5 - Tea Therapy Healthful Green Tea Shampoo
ohhellojanie 2/13/2011 4:24:00 PM
I'm on my second bottle of this. It smells great (I'm a sucker for anything that is tea-scented, especially green tea, and this smells very fresh!) and cleans my hair without stripping it and making it feel like straw. Perfect for my oily-at-the-roots, dry-at-the-ends fine, wavy hair. Doesn't weigh down my waves and makes my hair feel soft but clean! I'm really impressed with Vo5's shampoos and conditioners and don't see the need to buy anything more expensive.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Elizabeth Arden - Green Tea
ohhellojanie 2/9/2011 9:20:00 PM
I received this recently in a swap and I really do like it a lot. Simple, clean, and green but not too herbal, more of a lightly sweet green scent. It does smell a bit generic but I like that it's inoffensive and casual. There are lots of complaints here about its lack of lasting power but I actually find that the EDT lasts a decent amount of time on me. I spritz it about two times and I can still get hints of it on myself later in the day, so I assume others who are very close to me can smell it too - just what I like.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Smith's Rosebud Salve - Smith's Rosebud Salve
ohhellojanie 2/8/2011 6:02:00 AM
Glorified vaseline with a rose scent that is more dried roses/potpourri than a rose petal/rose water scent. Majorly disappointed, especially since a tin of this cost way more than a jar of Vaseline. It also takes FOREVER to get rid of, and doesn't do a good job of moisturizing dry lips (just sits on top of them and somehow disappears on me after a little while).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Hard Candy - Glamoflauge Concealer
ohhellojanie 2/1/2011 2:23:00 AM
Super pigmented concealer but I found it to be a bit too cakey. You really have to be careful with blending because it is so thick and opaque, and I could definitely see this highlighting dry spots or fine lines on people with drier skin than mine. The shade range is also really poor - I chose Light (NC20) which matched okay but I had to blend the heck out of it and add a darker powder on top. In the end I was spending more time applying concealer and powder than I would have spent on a full face of foundation, so I returned this.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -New York Color - Blushable Creme Stick in Wild Berry [DISCONTINUED]
ohhellojanie 1/19/2011 2:58:00 AM
I haven't tried a ton of cream blushes but I was turned off by the NYX ones that are so popular on MUA and YT - they were way too greasy feeling for my combo/oily skin. All the hype surrounding the NYC Blushable Creme Sticks made me finally cave and I'm really glad I did - the color is gorgeous, a very bright pink that sheers out beautifully into a nice glow, but even better is the texture - silky smooth at first, then dries into a powder-like finish so that there is no greasiness whatsoever. I apply this using my foundation brush (the ELF flattop powder brush) - after applying my foundation, I open the creme stick and run the brush back and forth across the top of the blush a few times until there's just a hint of the cream blush on the bristles. Then I buff it into my cheeks and repeat until I get the right effect. Beautiful, but very little lasting power on my combo-oily skin. If you have dry skin this might be perfect, but I find myself reaching for cheek stains and gel blushes more often.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -St. Ives - Oatmeal and Shea Butter Body Wash
ohhellojanie 1/19/2011 2:50:00 AM
I'm on my second bottle of this body wash, and I plan on repurchasing it forever. I have combination/oily skin that is prone to KP and I do get breakouts on my body occasionally. Other shower gels (Dial, I'm talking to you) get my skin feeling squeaky clean, but they also seem to make my skin problems worse. This shower gel is the only one I've ever used that makes my skin feel very, very clean but still soft and calmed, not stripped and irritated. As a testament to its wonderful gentleness, I have really sensitive skin on my face and other soaps and washes, especially scented ones, dry my skin out and cause redness and itchiness. I actually use this ON MY FACE every day to remove my eye makeup and foundation (in combination with a scrublet-type cleansing tool). Because of the shea butter's creaminess, it does a good job at melting most of my makeup off at the end of the day, and it doesn't irritate my skin at all while leaving my face feeling clean. Even if you don't get this extra use out of it, it's an awesome body wash, and it's only around $2 for a big bottle at most places. I'd be heartbroken if St. Ives ever discontinues this!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Body -Johnson & Johnson - Head to Toe baby wash
ohhellojanie 1/17/2011 6:24:00 PM
I've repurchased the large bottles of J&J baby wash 4 times now! I love it as it's such a multi-purpose product - a gentle facial cleanser (won't remove makeup but perfect for the morning), a brush cleanser (just combine with a bit of isopropyl alcohol - there are lots of recipes online), and in a pinch a shampoo and body wash. It's also dirt cheap for the amount of product you get and I like the sturdy and sanitary pump dispenser. I tried a knockoff version of this (the Equate/Walmart brand) and although it worked the same, it smelled awful - now I won't stray from the J&J version. It's also nice that there are several different formulas and scents depending on your needs - right now I'm using the Honey & Apple scent and it's very nice.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Bourjois - Cendre de roses brune #48
ohhellojanie 12/19/2010 9:34:00 PM
Beautiful rose pink color - not too bright and not too pale, it shows up as a natural looking flush on my NC20 skin and makes me look like I'm really blushing - pretty for Winter and Spring! I like the rose scent as I can only smell it while I'm applying it and then it dissipates. This blush is very pigmented so I use a light hand and blend well. I like the minimalistic packaging with the domed blush - looks really cute and high-end for a drugstore blush. :]
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No