Powder -Chanel - Double Perfection Compact
pelikandaughter 5/4/2009 9:05:00 PM
I HATE the new formula for this product. I started using this in 2000 and would go through about two compacts a year (no refills available). It was pricey but I had never used anything like it - it made my skin look flawless and even on warm humid days I could go several hours without retouching. It was my HG. Anyway, last fall when I went to get the refill it started to clump on my skin and the same color I'd been using (the lightest, Vanilla) was looking dark on my face. The coverage was patchy. And my dry skin looked really oily and uneven about a half hour after I applied it. I thought maybe it was my skin and not the product, so a few weeks ago, I decided to give it one more try - but it's as horrible as I remembered. The sales rep told me that the new formula is supposed to be "less drying" but my dry skin perfers the old formula, thank you very much. Right now, I'm trying the Dior Forever powder...I'll review after a few weeks, so far it seems like one of the better ones I've tried. (But I really wish we could get the old formula of this again and I would also love to hear about any similar products.)
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Powder -Chanel - Double Perfection Compact
pelikandaughter 5/4/2009 9:00:00 PM
I HATE the new formula for this product. I started using this in 2000 and would go through about two compacts a year (no refills available). It was pricey but I had never used anything like it - it made my skin look flawless and even on warm humid days I could go several hours without retouching. It was my HG. Anyway, last fall when I went to get the refill it started to clump on my skin and the same color I'd been using (the lightest, Vanilla) was looking dark on my face. The coverage was patchy. And my dry skin looked really oily and uneven about a half hour after I applied it. I thought maybe it was my skin and not the product, so a few weeks ago, I decided to give it one more try - but it's as horrible as I remembered. The sales rep told me that the new formula is supposed to be "less drying" but my dry skin perfers the old formula, thank you very much.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Cerave - Moisturizing Cream
pelikandaughter 3/29/2009 7:39:00 PM
I love, love this product. I've only been using it for two weeks and I am kicking myself for not trying it sooner. I got it for my face to help my dry inflammed skin with mild rosacea - and it has been incredibly soothing. My skin is really feeling soft and plump, instead of dry and red. I don't usually get itchy skin, but my skin stings, and this has really helped with that as well. I think what stopped me from trying this product was that it was so inexpensive - I have tried several expensive moisturizers in the last few years, including Creme de la Mer, but nothing has worked quite as well, and now that I've developed rosacea, my skin has become impossible - it reacts to everything and nothing seemed to help calm it down. I did try Cetaphil at night occasionally, but it left me really greasy and my skin was still red and felt fragile. But with the CeraVe cream, my skin has really started acting normal - I get a little pink, but that's it - but it's really healed - it started looking better immediately and it's gotten even better since. I have not had the dull greasy issue - but I will say that because this product is continuous release, it's a good idea to apply a little and then wait and see if you need any more. Since I'm used to spending a fortune on skin care, I'm used to using it sparingly! I spent $135 on a 1 oz. jar of CDLM, and $14 on a 16 oz tub of this. If this cost as much as CDLM, though, I'd still have to buy it again. I'm glad to found something amazing and inexpensive!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Kiehls - Unusually Rich but not greasy at all handcream with spf 10
pelikandaughter 10/16/2008 10:17:00 PM
I have to say, I really like this product! It is greasy - but my hands are so dry, they just soak it right up. I have not used it in the dead of winter yet, though, so I will update. Previously, my favorite hand cream was the L'Occitane shea butter hand lotion, which sinks in quickly but didn't seem to provide the lasting moisture that this one does.
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Lotions/ Creams -Lubriderm - Daily Moisture Lotion
pelikandaughter 10/15/2008 1:43:00 PM
This lotion absorbs quickly and does not feel greasy on the skin. It is labeled as fragrance free, though it has a faint, clean scent. However, it is not nearly moisturizing enough for my very dry skin in the winter. If you have dry skin, pick one of the richer formulas, but I imagine this is a great product if you object to "greasy" lotions and have normal to oily skin.
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Moisturizers -Skinceuticals - REnew Overnight Cream for normal to Dry skin
pelikandaughter 10/7/2008 8:22:00 AM
I got a sample and tried this product for almost three weeks. I loved it at first - my parched skin was soft and glowing. However, after the first week, I noticed tiny red bumps on my cheeks, redness and my normally clear skin started breaking out. And the pores/blackheads seemed unusually visible. I was so disappointed - I had a very similar experience using Philosophy's Hope in a Jar - loved the results at first, then my skin just clogged with breakouts and those same tiny red bumps. It could be that I am sensitive to the hydroxy acids in both products, or it could be another ingredient. I stopped using this product just over a week ago and switched to my standby night cream, Creme de la Mer, and my skin is clear again, if not as glowy and soft as it was during the first week I used Renew dry. Anyway, even though my skin is dry, I might try the Renew oily next - I love Skinceuticals, the retinol, the sunscreens, the serums, etc. but this product is not for me.
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Tinted Moisturizer -Laura Mercier - Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20
pelikandaughter 9/28/2008 12:43:00 PM
I have been using this product for a couple of weeks now. I hate the feeling of foundation on my skin and usually use a powder foundation (Chanel Double Matte Perfection Powder) even though my skin can be on the dry side. But with the seasons changing I am trying to find something moisturizing that doesn't feel tacky or heavy on my skin. I wanted to try this or the Stila and I went with this one because the color seemed to be a slightly better match for me when I tried them at Sephora. So far I am pleased with the results. I have the regular (not oil-free) in the lightest color. I think it does an excellent job of evening my skin tone and correcting the redness in my skin, which is moderate this time of year, so it does make a difference for me. It is very thick - I agree! However, if applied sparingly, it does sink in after a few minutes and my face does not feel sticky or look shiny. I think it looks very natural and pretty, and more or less matte . The con is that if you need more coverage, applying more of this is probably not a good idea. The other thing I am concerned about is that if you want to use it as your only sunscreen on the face, using it sparingly is bad if you are going to be outside for any length of time. I also use a brush and I think this really helps me put it on evenly and lightly. I will update as the winter goes on - I am sure I will need another moisturizer or serum underneath this once the temperatures drop, and my skin can start to get really pink, but right now it's great. Update - the temperatures dropped last week and the winds started kicking in - and this product wasn't working well for me. As a woman with dry skin, I still like the product for warm weather - but I need to find something a little more dewy for winter! I'm trying Bobbi Brown tinted balm next.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Skinceuticals - C E Ferulic
pelikandaughter 6/30/2008 11:13:00 PM
Another SC hit for me. I got this in May and now I use this every day on my face, throat, and the backs of my hands. It's hard to review what is mainly a preventative and not a reparative, but the backs of my hands are what convinced me that this product works - the skin tone there is much more even since I started using this, and I'm not using the retinol or anything else besides sunscreen and hand lotion on my hands. Anyway, MUA-ers and dermatologists have convinced me that an antioxidant serum is a solid investment, and since you need so little the cost is not so bad. I don't notice the hot dog smell any more, but even when I did notice it, the smell went away very quickly.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Skinceuticals - Refining Night Cream With .5% Pure Retinol
pelikandaughter 6/30/2008 10:54:00 PM
Hooray! Thanks for all the MUA-ers who recommended this product - I am in love. I've been using this for about a month now and I have worked my way up to every other night. I'm a little hesitant to move up to every night right now because I am spending five days a week this summer at a swimming pool and between the chlorine, sunscreen, bug spray and sun, I don't want to push it. But even so, I am seeing great results. I had previously used prescription retin-A as a spot treatment for lines around my eyes, but I had never used retinol on my entire face before using this product, and the dryness and irritation I experienced from the prescribed cream always seemed to offset any positive results. Perhaps I should have started out more gently. Skinceuticals recommends starting out using this 1-2 times a week, and I did experience a little dryness and peeling at first - but not bad at all, and after the first week it went away. And then I felt brave enough to go every other night and have had no problems. My skin looks and feels great - it's glowing, smooth, and looks almost poreless. This is what I call makeup optional skin! Maybe I will move up to the 1% treatment someday, but at this point, I don't see the need. But my recommendation is to follow the directions and start out slow with retinol - it's finally working for me.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Skinceuticals - Daily Sun Defense
pelikandaughter 6/30/2008 9:56:00 PM
I adore this sunscreen, which I have been using nearly every day for the last five weeks. It is extremely gentle, smells good, and moisturizes enough so that I don't need another moisturizer but it is light enough that I can reapply it every couple of hours - and, last but not least, it doesn't ball up. I am spending a lot of my summer by a swimming pool and even though I wear a hat and I try to stay in the shade, I need serious sun protection. I wish this had a higher SPF but the combination of stable chemical sunscreen and zinc as a physical blocker is very effective, and I just apply it frequently. I also really like how this does not sting or irritate my face the way most chemical sunscreens do. I feel as though my skin has gotten brighter and clearer since I've been using it - maybe it's the zinc, but I really like this. I will probably need more moisturizer if I continue to use this into the fall, however.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Kiehls - Creme de Corps
pelikandaughter 5/26/2008 10:58:00 PM
Wonderful lotion. Yes, it is expensive, but you don't need that much - less is definitely more with this. I use it after I shower, and I find that I don't need to use it every day. I like the faint scent - it's not very noticeable but it does smell a little like honey when you first apply it. I wanted to update my review and change the lippies from a four to a five - now that the weather is changing, this lotion is still doing the trick for me in dry, colder weather. I am now using it every day and this is probably the first time in my adult life that my legs and arms are not completely dried out by mid-October! I have tried other lotions but unfortunately haven't found any cheaper options that work as well.
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Moisturizers -Philosophy - Hope in a Jar - for all skin types
pelikandaughter 5/23/2008 11:21:00 AM
I was nervous to try this after reading the MUA reviews, but I finally decided I would just have to make up my own mind, so I ordered the Jump-Starters Kit from Sephora and figured, hey, I can just return it if it sets my skin on fire (which, after reading some of the reviews, almost seemed possible.) I have dry skin and many of the complaints seemed to be that it was greasy - I noticed the reviews were much higher from reviewers who share my skin type, so that was what swayed my decision. The verdict - I don't hate it, but so far it's not my HG. I've been using it for three weeks now at night and my skin is smooth and dewy. It soaks right into my skin and the moisture balance is awesome - I don't wake up oily at all. The smell is not a problem for me - I hate super-perfumey smells, and this is a mild, medicinal smell that fades - my boyfriend doesn't mind it either. But, during this last week, my cheeks are starting to get a little blotchy. Not breaking out, exactly - but blotchy. I have had a few zits, too - nothing major, but more than normal for me. Bear in mind that I have also been using the purity cleanser and the Hope is Not Enough SPF, but I am pretty sure it is the HIAJ. I know there are people who subscribe to the "purging" theory when you try new products - I think that is only possible if you have zits that were already developing underneath the skin beforehand - otherwise, new products should not cause breakouts. I'm still giving it a three because it does soak in beautifully and my skin is baby-smooth. Edit - I cut out the HIAJ and my skin stopped breaking out, so I am pretty sure this was the culprit. I still really love the Purity cleanser and the Hope is Not Enough SPF, but I am on to Skinceuticals now for treatment products and night moisturizer.
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Skincare - Face -Philosophy - when hope is not enough spf
pelikandaughter 5/13/2008 5:45:00 PM
I've only been using this for a week, but so far I'm impressed. I started using it two days before TOM and I did not get a single zit, which is unusual for me. No breakouts or irritation yet, and I love the smell. My skin soaks it up instantly and leaves me with a good moisture balance - no oiliness or residue, and my skin feels supple and soft. The BF likes the smell, too. My skin is pretty dry, though. I doubt this alone would be moisturizing enough for me in the winter, but we'll just have to see if it works for me all summer. Edit: So far, so good - but I am only using this in the early evening hours or on days I am mostly indoors, as I need serious sun protection for my outdoor activities - this is a good product for a morning commute, not a morning by the pool!
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Polishes -OPI - Dutch Tulips
pelikandaughter 5/13/2008 5:11:00 PM
This is my HG polish - I have very pale skin with pink/blue undertones and this is one of the few bright reds I can wear - usually reds look very stark on me, but this one is just bright and pretty against my skin. I agree with the other reviewers - this is really a pinkish red, not a rose color. My toes are painted in Dutch Tulips all summer long.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Shiseido - The Skincare Day Essential Moisturizer
pelikandaughter 11/5/2005 10:07:00 PM
I love this product, but man, like everyone else, I wish they would increase the SPF. This stuff sinks into my combo skin beautifully and really protects it - I can put this on and go out in the wind and my skin still feels wonderful. Great smell, of course, and it really balances my skin. I would recommend this to anyone with sensitive skin. For very dry skin, I would recommend going with the enriched version. Also, I would advise not using this product (along with most SPF products) at night, as chemical sunscreens can contribute to breakouts. This product has only given me grief when I've not had anything else on hand and used it as my night moisturizer as well as my day, but when I use the night version of this or Creme de la Mer at night, I don't have any problems. Edit: I'm changing my rating to a 3. Last fall I noticed that my face was really red all of the time and I couldn't figure out what was wrong - I switched cleansers, cut down on alcohol, started drinking a bland diet, avoided the wind, etc. Nothing seemed to help. I finally figured out that this moisturizer was the culprit. As soon as I stopped using it, my face went back to its normal range of pinkness. I was really sad -I used this happily for many years and, no more. I'd be interested if others have had this reaction - I seem to remember that Shiseido made a change to the formula a little over a year ago...
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