Stick -Shiseido - The makeup Stick Foundation
reyna 9/19/2012 7:06:00 PM
Doesn't cover anything. I was looking for a replacement for Estee Lauder's stick foundation that was discontinued. Haven't found anything close to it yet. Love the Shiseido stick container, but product doesn't do much at all. Keep it in my drawer at work for when I want to go through the motions of putting on makeup...and just that, going through the motions. So sad.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Shu Uemura - Face Architect Illuminating Moisture Fluid Foundation
reyna 7/7/2012 4:52:00 AM
Lovely texture, but gave me 5 pimples over two days. However, it might be fine for others because my skin is like a Greatest Challenge show - I'm prone to breakouts. I just wanted to try this because Shu was making it difficult for me by not restocking it's original Face Architect liquid foundation in my color. Recommend going for one more direction towards pink tone because it is strong in yellow, like jaundice yellow. The illuminating one seems more yellow than the original fluid.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Colossal Waterproof
reyna 5/26/2011 3:52:00 AM
I believe that my dilemma re Shiseido mascara base being discontinued has been resolved. Whoddathunk a Maybelline product could be so good? Gives volume, holds curl through a hot day of hard work, and doesn't clump. Really worth a try especially since Maybelline does 30% sales pretty often.
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Treatments -Acne.org - AHA+
reyna 3/29/2011 10:58:00 PM
Started w/ the Treatment product, thanks to MUAers, because I was getting a new 'underneath' pimple on my chin every day for a few months in a row. Treatment worked wonders. So, my routine was Treatment for breakout and a combo of Obagi Clear and a Retanoid to fade sun damage and scars. Result was a whole bunch of crepe paper skin - but I figured that was my only choice since I had to treat the acne and spots. And heavy moisturizers break me out. Meanwhile, sister was enjoying acne.org's AHA that I picked up for her as a replacement for Paula's Choice 1% or Paula's AHA (we've tried both). I figured I didn't need the AHA since I thought Obagi/Retanoid was making me peel a good deal. Uh, wrongo. I placed an order for acne.org's AHA and in two days, the crepe paper texture and appearance has decreased. And, bonus, the AHA product is quite moisturizing. Thank you, Dan, for another great product. Now, I'm just hoping Dan produces this in the bigger pump bottle - yes, we would pay $40+ for the 16 oz size.
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Mascara -Shiseido - Nourishing Mascara Base
reyna 12/4/2010 4:43:00 AM
The pits compared to old formula. Couldn't even tell I was wearing anything in addition to my mascara. I returned the new one to Sephora, did online search, and purchased original formula from strawberrynet.com Update: Maybelline Colossal Volume waterproof on own is my replacement product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Neutrogena - Norwegian Formula Hand Cream
reyna 11/7/2010 2:04:00 AM
Thank goodness this stuff comes in reasonably priced three-packs at Costco. I started using this on my hands because they could snag anything. Then put it on my feet every night. Darn, crazy good. I used to have to file down my feet w/ a PedEgg every night or so just to keep from catching my foot on the rug loops. With this cream, the bottom of my feet totally changed. I used to have a white line of dry skin in every crevice under foot. And shards for heels. Now all white lines are gone and I hardly have to file down my feet. What is in this cream that isn't in every other cream I've tried?
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Blush -Shiseido - Accentuating Color Stick - S2 Peach Flush
reyna 11/5/2010 10:14:00 PM
Another quality product from Shiseido. Hard for me to call this a cream blush because the texture is so silky and powdery. More like a cream powder. I would absolutely adore this if I had no age spots and freckles. Since the texture is a bit heavier than a straight powder, it moves some of my foundation, uncovering my lovely age/sun spots. Color is a fresh peach, my fav color for blush. Update: I can't get this to apply evenly.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Make Up For Ever - Aqua Black
reyna 11/3/2010 4:01:00 PM
I purchased this because Sephora was out of stock of the Bobbi Brown black gel liner. Lucky me. I went for a MUFE product because I love their powder eyeshadow - smooth and they did not skimp on pigment. However, after putting MUFE on my Laura Mercier secret camoflauge brush (yes, works as a great liner brush), I have to dip it in black powder shadow to give it staying power. MUFE alone will smear and fade. This baby applies so much smoother than BB. MUFE is a smooth, firm gel. BB is pasty and sticky compared to MUFE. When I used BB, I would have to go in w/ my finger to smooth out the line and/or get it off of my eyelash because the pastey texture would get caught on lashes.
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Treatments -Nailtiques - Formula 2 - Nail Protein
reyna 8/28/2010 10:29:00 PM
So far, so good. Been a couple weeks. I have paper thin nails and it has made tips a bit stronger. I'm looking forward to seeing how they are in the next month or so. The portion that has grown out in the last couple weeks, the base part, does seem a bit thicker. Bought little bottles from Ebay since cheaper and MUAers recommended the little bottles since product might thicken quickly. Will update. 10/23/10: It did make my nails stronger, but in a bit brittle way. Hey, can't have everything, right? My problem is that I pick at my nails. Instead of tearing, my nails sometimes chip off now. So, yes, this product does help with thin nails. Is there a product that will make me stop nail picking? Other good things about this product are that it is super shiny - real shellacked. And it stays on well. Tough stuff. Update: Still so brittle so I gave up and got Cal Gel nails.
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Treatments -Obagi - Clear
reyna 3/2/2010 7:57:00 PM
The first time I bought this, it did nothing for me and I thought it was a waste of my money. Then I read the tips from you lovely MUAers who recommended using it in combo w/ a Retin-A product (I got some of the cheap stuff from Mexico). So I bought it again. Tadaaaaa, lots and lots of peeling w/ the combo use in the beginning. I was kind of bummed having ‘fluffy’ flaking skin for a while, but I knew the effects needed to be drastic to get results since I had spent hundreds of dollars at dermatologists for zapping/burning w/ only temporary results. The peeling has diminished and I still have age/sun discoloration, but it has lightened a bunch of spots/areas. I feel like I don’t have to use as much foundation. I just ordered more of it through askderm.com because they have a 25% off code of THANKS so it turned out to be $64. It’s cheaper and more convenient than getting zapped at the dermatologist.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Neutrogena - Body Lotion Light Sesame Formula
reyna 2/4/2010 6:29:00 PM
Luh-huv this lotion. I started w/ Sesame Body Oil over 25 years ago as a shave oil and always loved that light, non-perfumey scent since I'm allergic to flowery scents. I picked up the mega size lotion at Nordstrom Rack - so cheap at around $12 for 32 oz. - because using the oil on my hands at work would leave lovely fingerprints on the office file folders. Husband also likes using it on his legs because it's doesn't smell like ladies' perfume. At that price, I have the big bottle at work, one upstairs, and one downstairs. Also bought as gifts. Noticed that my super rough hands aren't rough anymore. For a looooong time, my hands were pretty deadly - could snag anything delicate or knit. Either this lotion is super moisturizing or it's me using lotion more often because I love the scent. I do like the Oil scent better because it's a stronger scent, but the lotion will do because it makes my hands less oily.
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Makeup Brushes -Bobbi Brown - Ultra Fine Eye liner brush
reyna 1/18/2010 6:07:00 PM
This baby frayed on me after a few uses. It was butter soft in the beginning, but the fraying made it pokey. I had to toss it after a while. On a whim, I tried using my Laura Mercier Secret Camoflauge Concealer Brush for my BB gel liner. I wash my LM brush w/ Dove soap every day and it has not let me down - no fraying, no poking, no mishaping. Got a friend hooked on using the LM concealer brush also as a liner. Purchased my replacement LM brush from Ebay after I lost my first brush.
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Eyeliner -Shu Uemura - Painting Liner
reyna 10/29/2009 4:50:00 PM
Today is my first day using this product (recd yesterday w/ Sephora 20% FF, thank goodness), but I'm so excited about the texture that I had to write right away. I've been using BB and could only justify spending money on another cream liner by telling myself it was a once a year sale w/ Sephora. Like Shu's basic mascara, the Painting Liner is a wonderful GEL formula. It's more solid/hard/firmly packed (hard for me to explain) than BB, but easier to apply b/c it's a quality, smooth, pigmented gel. With BB, the product in a new jar is a bit too soft, making it messy - I'd have to use my finger to dab and fix during application. I had left my BB jar lid loose one day and it dried out a little - but that made the BB a better texture for me since it became not as soft, messy. Using the Shu today made me realize that BB is more of a Cream liner. Shu is the true, true Gel liner. Update: Sorry, Shu, love your Sheer Colorless Loose Powder, but I had to return the Painting Liner because it irritated my eyes. Was hoping it wasn't so, but after I switched back to my BB, the eye irritation stopped. Also, the BB black seems to be a darker, stronger black color. Update update: Switched to MUFE Aqua Black Eyeshadow as a gel liner. Texture of Shu and doesn't irritate my eyes.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Acne.org - Treatment
reyna 8/31/2009 7:33:00 PM
Daniel Kern - you rock. You too, MUAers. Thank you both for breaking my adult acne. I could also call it old age-acne because I'm almost 44. Go figure. Started acne in late 20-s. Cleared up during pregnancy. Then on and off, mostly on, since then. Recently would grow a new chin 'underneath', red pimple every day or so. Since I started the Treatment around 2 weeks ago, I haven't grown a new one. I use it mainly on perimeter of face - chin, lower cheeks, temples, forehead since I tend to dry out. It was so embarassing being in my 40s and getting pimples all the time. I'm going to try his moisturizer and AHA next time I order. I actually ordered it first for my 14-year old son. It has calmed down his acne. So it was an added bonus that it worked well on me. Warning, it does bleach fabric. Ruined one of his good tshirts. I bought him white tees for night now. Sheets are all spotchy too. But worth it to help w/ the acne. Update: To boot, I now don't have the teeny, tiny, tons of blackheads on the sides of my chin, just under the outer lip line. Nice surprise. 3/2010 Update: This is how dependable Acne.org treatment is...I have had only 1 or 2 small blemishes in the past 7 months. For several months before use of this, I was getting a new chin pimple almost every day. I'd pay big, big bucks for this stuff.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Laura Mercier - Secret Camouflage Brush - Long
reyna 6/28/2009 7:23:00 PM
I lost my first brush (might have tossed it in trash by accident) and tried to use other brushes for my BB gel eyeliner, but couldn't get it right. Bought a new LM concealer brush from ebay for cheap - only $12 w/ shipping. This one was short handle, which I like better than my first long handle one. Seems that brush improved since my first one. Sooooo 'not pokey' and mega control. I was getting messy lines w/ the other brushes (including the BB gel liner brush) esp in the outer corner, bottom area (Asian eyes also), but because LM brush is tapered to a tiny end, I'm back to making a neat, slightly smudgey line. Thanks, LM. P.S. I got my first LM brush w/ the Secret Camoflage concealer. Didn't like the concealer, but so glad to discover the brush for the BB gel liner.
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