Toners -Caudalie - Beauty Elixir
seasplash 4/18/2011 11:55:00 PM
Hate the smell of this stuff. I feel insecure spraying this stuff in a public place in fear that people will wonder what smells so bad. I usually like herbal smells, but this is unpleasant to me for some reason. As far as it's benefits, I don't really notice any apart from making my makeup look a little more dewy. I don't really use this on bare skin. I have a small bottle and though I like the story behind it - beauty elixir used by the Queen of Hungary renowned for her beauty - I will not repurchase.
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Fragrances -Chloe - Chloe (EDP new)
seasplash 2/10/2011 10:01:00 PM
Ugh, this is just dreadful on me. Think very strong laundromat smell - very sharp and powdery with some cloying sweetness thrown in. There is no smoothness to it, no warmth, and it isn't even particularly fresh - just an instant headache in a bottle for me. This reminds me of CK Escape, in that in your face synthetic kind of way. I wish I could rate higher as it seems to have many fans, but I just can't.
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Cleansers -Origins - Clean Energy Cleansing Oil
seasplash 2/6/2011 4:55:00 PM
I'm on a fence about this product. On one it's gentle and not drying, on the other it really doesn't really remove makeup all that well. I occasionally wear Revlon Colorstay and after massaging this all over my skin for about a minute and rinsing it off, there is still quite a lot of foundation left behind. Now, I probably wouldn't know that if I didn't follow up with my Caudalie cleansing water, which can get the last traces of anything off like nothing else out there. Seeing that this oil has such great reviews, I am wondering if most reviewers just think their skin is clean, when it reality it isn't. Believe me, I was shocked to see my cotton pad with yellow residue on it after using the micellar solution, since my skin looked clean in the mirror after using the oil. All in all, not a bad product and I will try to finish the bottle, but I much prefer Dermalogica Precleanse to this, despite the efty price tag.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Jurlique - Balancing Day Care Cream
seasplash 12/11/2010 11:42:00 PM
I've been loving this cream this winter. I have sensitive, combo skin prone to flaking and this works great for me. It leaves my skin glow-y and plump but never greasy. I tend to love a rich feeling creams in the winter, and this works nicely. I feel like my skin is protected all day from harsh elements such as bitter cold, indoor heating etc. It remains smooth and moisturized until late evenings when I take off my makeup. Speaking of makeup, this works great under both liquid and powder foundations and I don't even have to wait for it to sink it before applying them. I also use it as a night cream occasionally and it performs very well. Now, as far as the scent goes, it is very heady so I can see how people allergic to fragrance would hate this. I actually like the natural rose chamomile scent. It find it relaxing. All in all, this is a great cream and I highly recommend it. The price is high, but given the high quality it's worth it to me.
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Masks -Pangea Organics - Facial Mask - Japanese Matcha Tea with Acai & Goji Berry
seasplash 10/4/2010 11:30:00 PM
This is the best mask I've ever used! I was recently introduced to this brand and I'm already crazy about several of its products. This is definitely one of them. I will not describe this this mask, as I don't want to sound redundant considering that this has already been reviewed by a number of people, but I definitely want to add my praise and amazement over how well it performs - and boy, does it perform. My pores are smaller, my tone is more even and my skin is seriously the softest it's every been after I wash it off. The results are also not short lived as it's usually the case with most facial masks, but easily last for a day or two after application. The only con I can think of is the price tag, but you can buy this for cheaper on some sites, and considering that this product contains some of the world's BEST ingredients as far as antioxidant-power goes, this is a worthwhile expense imo. EDIT: I changed my rating from 5 to 4, as this mask has been irritating me slightly. It's nothing major but it makes my skin itch a little bit here and there. People with truly sensitive skin should be careful .
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Blush -Palladio - Mosaic - Pink Truffle
seasplash 10/4/2010 10:21:00 PM
I absolutely love this stuff. I debated between this and Desert Rose and chose Pink Truffle due to it being a little cooler shade-wise. I purchased this over 3 months ago, but just started wearing it recently as this shade seems perfect for fall/late summer. In the compact, this looks like a mosaic (duh) of pale neutral pink, beigy peach, cool bright barbie pink and sort of darker burgundy color. When swirled together with a brush, however, the resulting shade is a perfect neutral rosy color. It's a fantastic daytime blush, and thus very suitable for work, interviews and any other occasion when you want to look slightly flushed, but natural. Getting a clown-face effect is definitely not something that should be of concern with this product, and though not extremely pigmented, it's very buildable. As far as sheen in this mosaic, this imparts a slighty glowy effect, but nothing over the top or shimmery. Only some of the stripes of color have any sheen to them, while others are matte. Overall, I highly recommend trying those mosaics as the quality is comparable with Laura Mercier ones that cost three times as much. In fact, I think I might try the Desert Rose one next as the shades looks very similar to LM's Mocha Spice. I will report back after I try it, but in the meantime, I will be making Pink Truffle my new everyday blush.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Moroccan Rose Body Butter
seasplash 9/22/2010 11:57:00 PM
I love The Body Shop's Moroccan Rose and was lucky to score this body butter for third of the price at TJMaxx. This is not your grandma's powdery potpourri rose. Instead, this is the scent that lingers in the air of as you walk by a rose bush on a summer evening. It's utterly feminine, enticing and somewhat exotic. For some reason, I can see beautiful belly-dancers wearing this scent. I really like it, and though I enjoy rose scents, I am very picky about them. What I am not crazy about is the moisturizing qualities of this butter. It's okay, but not amazing but any means. What I usually do is that instead of spreading it over my body I just put it where I would usually put perfume - around my neck, shoulders and arms. It also works as a lovely summer hand cream. Overall, I highly recommend this product. I will be getting another one of those, along with the shower gel and massage oil.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Fresh - Sugar Rose Lip Treatment SPF 15
seasplash 8/29/2010 8:33:00 PM
I have mixed feelings about this product. I received it as a gift and, though, I do enjoy using it in the summer due to the spf 15 factor, I don't love it enough to repurchase. The color is okay, but not something I would wear by itself. The formula is super rich and emollient, and can my my lips feel coated if I apply too much. That said, It is moisturizing and the effect does last a looong time on the lips, which is the main purpose of a good lip balm. Now, my least favorite aspect of this is that it melts like crazy when exposed to heat. Forget about carrying this in your purse in the summer or bringing to the beach, unless you want the contents to pour out of the tube as soon as you unscrew it. I don't know if it's the formula or the tube it comes in, but either way it is a real pain. Speaking of the tube, it is very elegant and cool looking when you first get it, but after a while the black lettering comes off and it starts to look cheap. Perhaps not a huge deal, but for the price I'd expect better quality packaging. All in all, this does its job when it comes to keeping your lips hydrated and protected all day, but it just has too many cons for me to consider purchasing it in the future.
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Lotions/ Creams -Hawaiian Tropic - Coconut After Sun Body Butter
seasplash 8/16/2010 12:09:00 AM
This is awesome stuff for soothing sun-burned skin. It really prevents your skin from peeling and my skin turns from lobster red to golden the next day. I usually slather myself in sunscreen, but I forgot to apply it in few spots few days ago and this really helped in healing my skin in record time. It isn't super moisturizing but it's not really intended to be one. I don't understand the below reviews where people are complaining that it isn't a good body butter for winter. Anything too emollient can actually counterproductive when it comes to sunburned skin as it can trap heat inside instead of letting it "breathe" and cool down. Final verdict, I will definitely repurchase another tub of this. This is a great product to have around in the summer or to bring with you on vacation. Oh, and yes, it does smell amazing which is a bunus :)
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Lip Gloss -Jaqua Girls - Raspberry Buttercream Frosting lip gloss
seasplash 7/15/2010 8:09:00 PM
Not impressed with this lip gloss. There is nothing really bad about it, but it just isn't special enough the warrant the price. (I actually bought this for $2.99 on sale at Ulta, but on Jaqua website it retails for $14). The scent is okay - just straight raspberry to me...where is the buttercream? The color is nice and the formula is not sticky but it doesn't apply very evenly, and there is nothing worse than patchy gloss. All in all, I don't recommend Jaqua glosses and certainly not for the full price.
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Fragrances -Comptoir Sud Pacifique - Caramel Sunset
seasplash 6/25/2010 6:32:00 PM
I'm in minority, apparently, but I love this. On me, Caramel Sunset smell like a perfectly balanced coconut caramel scent with a dash of vanilla and a dash of almond milk. It dries down to a soft vanilla that is not cloying on me, quite airy in fact. It's delicious and indulgent, and not something I'd wear daily, but I just love this when I'm in the mood for something sinfully sweet, rich and coconutty. This scent has actually been discontinued so I'm glad I snatched a bottle on ebay for a reasonable price.
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Lotions/ Creams -L'Occitane - Citrus Verbena Sorbet Body Cream
seasplash 6/3/2010 2:12:00 AM
I love anything Verbena and Citrus Verbena from L'occitane and this is no exception. Smells amazing and I really enjoy using this when the weather gets warmer or after a cool shower following a workout. The gel consistency is light and it absorbs immediately leaving your skin soft and lightly scented (the scent, sadly, doesn't last long) Putting in the the fridge makes it even more heavenly. What I don't like about this is the price. Thirty something dollars for a small tub of cream is excessive imo. I would consider getting it on sale or request it as a gift, but would not pay the full pricetag. Update: So I bit the bullet and bought another one of those. I just love it so much in the summer. Slightly sweet, grapefruity and really revitalizing in the 90 degree weather.
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Moisturizers -Nivea - Creme
seasplash 5/15/2010 3:42:00 PM
Love! This has been a staple for me for many years and will continue to be. Growing up in Europe, we always had a tin of this around because it was my Dad's favorite cream. At age 60, he STILL uses it and looks quite young for his age. Of course him dying his mustache, working out and using hair thickening products also contributes to it (you see, my dad is a *little* metro) but his skin really is in great condition :) I personally don't use this every day as my skin is combination and this would be too heavy, but this is amazing to use after exfoliation about once or twice a week. It really softens my skin and makes it smooth and glowy. I also occasionally use this cream on my hands and body and it proves to be a great multi-purpose product. Also great to use in the winter to protect from the freezing cold. I remember using this as a kid before we went ice-skating or sledding. Best of all? I get this cream for around $3 and it lasts me for ages. I use the German version, by the way.
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Fragrances -Pacifica - Waikiki Pikake
seasplash 3/31/2010 9:25:00 PM
Love this. I have it in solid version and it's still nice and lasting. This is a very creamy pikake scent due to smooth sandalwood backdrop. Warm and very tropical, but not headache-inducing. Perfect evening scent for warm weather and very very affordable.
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Lip Treatments -Chapstick - Cherry
seasplash 3/24/2010 12:03:00 AM
I'm not a fan of cherry chapstick even though it clearly has a cult following. I don't like the consistency (very melty) or the super artificial cherry smell. The moisturizing properties are okay, but my lips feel weirdly coated with this stuff on. I like Nivea Kiss of Cherry a lot better and I think the price is about the same.
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