Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Vaishaly Night Nourisher
sara9 1/28/2011 11:26:00 AM
Extremely expensive for American customers, but quite heavenly as an oil. Not to be used on congested skin, however, as it may cause further congestion, as it did in my case. The effect it had on other parts of my body, however, was simply amazing. Not that I will be re-purchasing at the price it sells for (upwards of $140 for quite a small amount). Overall, a useful product for those with no breakout issues (who can afford it).
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Cleansers -Babor - Phytoactive sensitive
sara9 9/19/2008 6:23:00 PM
I used this in conjunction with the oil and I have to say, I'm not impressed. It didn't really do anything although it was quite messy to use. It was also not soothing.
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Vaishaly Day Moisturiser
sara9 8/5/2008 2:37:00 AM
I absolutely adore English products, because unlike French products, I am usually left ecstatic at having made my purchase, rather than swindled and disappointed. This product is an absolute gem: It is sophisticated, healing, enveloping and delightful to use. It comes in ultra-hygienic packaging that looks magnificent on my counter. I WISH I lived in London- I would be able to indulge in the Vaishaly experience at any moment without having to spend a fortune on shipping :( The good news is that the Vaishaly line is making its debut in NYC next year. Update- June, 09: OK, so it looks like Vaishaly has not made its debut in NYC though I could be wrong. I still LOVE this product and have run out, so I'm about to repurchase it along with other Vaishaly products. Of course, I use this in conjunction with prescribed products and I do use a stronger sunblock on top of this during the summer months, but what a difference this makes. I always feel more protected when I use this (as I've now run out...), and when used alone, it is simply heavenly (on overcast days or in the evening).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Fresh - Creme Ancienne
sara9 5/12/2008 10:28:00 PM
Incredibly greasy thick wax that simply sits atop my skin without penetrating it. It did not help my dry, sensitive, flaky skin but it did break me out.
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Treatments -Leonor Greyl - Creme aux fleurs
sara9 12/11/2007 11:12:00 AM
Like other treatments from Leonor Greyl, this one was not only ineffective but actually deteriorated the condition of my hair. In fact, experimenting with this product turned my hair into an oily, knotty, flat mess. I also lost quite a bundle of hair throughout, as was the case with other Greyl products. Will never purchase anything from this company again.
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Moisturizers -Avene - Rich Hydrating Cream - Hydrance Optimale Riche
sara9 12/11/2007 11:07:00 AM
This moisturizer made me break out almost instantaneously, which rarely happens to me. Furthermore, it did not soothe my sensitive, dry skin.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Eve Lom - Cleanser
sara9 12/11/2007 11:01:00 AM
I tried to incorporate this cleanser into my routine on two different occasions (several years apart) simply because the concept is so appealing. Unfortunately, the cleansing cream made me break out, which is the worst possible thing that can happen with a mere cleanser. Not for the congested. I'm giving it three stars because it was quite relaxing to use, and it didn't leave me feeling taut and irritated.
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Cleansers -Decleor - Regulating Gel Cleanser
sara9 12/11/2007 10:57:00 AM
The smell is memorable in that it is floral and heady but the product itself does nothing. It did not make my skin look any better, and didn't remove make-up at all.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Anne Semonin - Botanical Face - Plant Based lotion
sara9 11/9/2007 6:04:00 AM
An EXTREMELY expensive toner that does nothing special. I believe this now retails at the exorbitantly absurd price of 95$ (it used to cost 30 before the line was repackaged) !!!!!!!! Anne Semonin have almost tripled their prices and halved their sizes, which is unacceptable, especially in view of the fact that their highly scented products are ineffective.
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Masks -Unlisted Brand - Anne Semonin - Mineral Mask
sara9 11/9/2007 6:01:00 AM
I bought this mask a few months ago. It did absolutely nothing for my skin other than sort of darken it everytime as it is a dark mauve brown, and sting a little. It smells like the sea in a bad way so it fools you into thinking that it is effective (I was initially fascinated by just how oceany it smelled), however, my breakouts were in no way reduced, my pores were not magically cleansed, and again, it did not make my face look any better. In fact, the dark, henna-like coloring became annoying and made my normally porcelain skin look dirty and not quite fresh. Some MUAr's highly recommend this product, which baffles me. I should note that I wanted desperately to like it because I am, for starters, obsessed with 'natural' ingredients. Anything of the sea appeals to me. I was even ready to lie to myself about its effectiveness. Luckily, I sobered up, examined my skin carefully and admitted that it was just another over-priced useless mask. Do yourself a favor and sample this line before splurging.
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Cleansers -Kanebo - Creamy Soap
sara9 10/30/2007 4:25:00 PM
I have a large sample of this that I got in Paris which will probably last a month. This foaming cleanser is similar to other Japanese foaming cleansers that I have tried. It leaves my skin feeling *waxy*, clean and slightly dehydrated though the amount of dehydration that ensues usually depends on the amount used. The end-result did not impress me enough to consider purchasing the full-sized bottle, in fact, I forget about it most of the time, which basically means that it is mediocre.
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Cleansers -La Prairie - Foam Cleanser
sara9 7/30/2007 2:34:00 AM
My dry, extremely sensitive but easily congested skin could not handle this cleanser. In fact, I think the use of this product triggered a major fiasco for my skin that I am in the process of healing. This would probably work really well for tolerant skin types, as it is smooth and cleanses thoroughly, but it is definitely not for the sensitive or dry. Truthfully, I don't think anyone should use a cleanser such as this one-it's simply too harsh and doesn't seem all that effective at deep cleansing.
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Lip Treatments -Darphin - Vitalskin Lip Balm
sara9 7/30/2007 2:30:00 AM
I like this a lot when I use it regularly. It is the sort of lip balm that works really well as part of a regimen but not stuff one reaches for when lips are cracked and blistered. I find that my SCO lip balm works much better when my lips are in dire need of moisture, however, after they've healed, I use Darphin to keep them in mint condition. I must add that I prefer Darphin's more natural and less numerous ingredients, which is why I accept that it is more for maintenance than emergencies. I suppose that if applied liberally, it could work in the same way my SCO does. Update: I now use Julie Hewitt's Rose lipbalm, which I like a lot better. It's natural, a pleasure to use, and reasonably priced.
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Complex 15 Therapeutic Face Cream
sara9 7/30/2007 2:22:00 AM
I absolutely adore this cream. It is by far the cheapest product that I have ever purchased and surprisingly or rather unsurprisingly considering my history with skin care, the only effective one! It is probably the only cream that has calmed by skin post-disaster. Nothing else worked, I layered my face with oils, creams for dry and sensitive skin but they only seemed to make things worse despite their high price tags. Finally, in despair, I bought this for six dollars and my skin has finally begun to heal. Amazing. I love it, it actually heals the skin, unlike all the other creams that do nothing. I will never be without this, and I still can't get over how reliable, unworrisome (no fragrance, no mineral oil etc.), and how helpful this cream is. I also reapply this liberally throughout the day as it does not clog pores =) Update: This has not really hydrated my skin, that is, my skin is still dehydrated on the surface. It did, however, help somewhat, particularly when I had rough patches, etc. However, the rough patches remain though they're not as rough, and the skin is still dry on the surface. Update: Tried this again and found that it only afforded immediate and temporary relief, but then again my skin is extremely demanding (extremely dry but congested, possibly health-related). I think this would make for a magnificent, basic moisturizer for the normal-skinned or for those with an oily complexion.
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Moisturizers -Yon-Ka - Creme 83
sara9 7/28/2007 3:02:00 AM
Hmm, I hate this cream. I have extremely sensitive, dry, red, congested skin, and I was hoping this cream would have a calming effect on it. It did nothing of the kind. In fact, I think it worsened it. Here is the deal: this makes my sensitive, dry skin look normal, though rather shiny in a matte sort of way, but it does NOTHING for the actual dryness, roughness, redness , etc. In that sense, it is absolutely worthless in its superficiality. Typically french, in that it is much too fragrant. Sample generously before buying.
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