Toners -Clean & Clear - Deep Cleaning Astringent-Sensitive Skin (blue)
shrimpchips 4/23/2009 4:05:00 PM
This toner is great! I have been a faithful Clinique Clarifying Lotion user for quite some time (I have tried #3, the Acne Solutions one and then figured out that #2 worked the best lol) but that stuff gets to be a little expensive after awhile and it's mostly pure alcohol so I was looking for something that is just as effective but maybe a little more gentle on the skin. I decided to go with this sensitive skin deep cleaning astringent. First off, it only has 24.5% alcohol in it! A lot of other toners are much more concentrated with alcohol, including the Clinique toners. It contains 0.5% salicylic acid in it when is a pretty minimal amount compared to other toners but sometimes too much of something isn't necessarily a good thing. After the alcohol, "algae extract, aloe, Barbadensis Leaf extract" are listed which means there must be good amounts of each since they are the second, third and fourth ingredients on the list and these ingredients are supposed to be good for the skin. I was a little worried about the fragrance because acne-prone skin + fragrance is generally a no-no but so far so good. My face is even clearer now than it was when I was using the Clinique toner! It also does not sting as much compared to the Clinique toner and best of all, it's CHEAP - I paid ~$4 for this at my local Target :)
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Toners -Clinique - Clarifying Lotion #2
shrimpchips 4/19/2009 12:07:00 PM
I have tried Clinique's Acne Solutions toner (with salicylic acid in it), and Clarifying Lotions #2 and #3. I have combination acne-prone skin. I'm super oily in my forehead and comfortable elsewhere but sometimes dry in the cheeks/chin especially in cooler weather. Clarifying Lotion #3 stung really badly and dried my face out A LOT. The Acne Solutions toner did not sting as bad and wasn't as drying but I noticed that I didn't really help with my breakouts. I got #2 as a GWP so I decided to give it a try. It has made a remarkable difference in my skin but it still stings which is a bummer. I have to use it once/day because if I use it more than that my skin will probably be too dried out (and if you excessively dry out your skin, your skin will compensate and produce more oil = more breakouts). It is working for now, but I don't think I will purchase again because I'm looking for something that is more gentle on my skin.
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Eyeliner -L'Oreal - HiP loose kohl eyeliner
shrimpchips 2/18/2009 11:41:00 AM
I have never tried Guerlain, but I would never spend $33USD on it when I can get a dupe of it for $12.99USD. The wand is a felt-tip applicator (as opposed to the plastic wand that Guerlain has) but oh my, this stuff is so easy to apply!! I was a faithful Revlon Colorstay eyeliner pencil user for the longest time until I decided to try this, and now I'm hooked - it's even easier than applying the pencil! The color I bought is black, which is a nice, dark, sultry black with some shimmer but nothing over the top. I want to try other colors, particularly the navy one. I took off 1 lippie for packaging and fall out. It helps to sort of "tap" the wand to get rid of some loose product off, but you will get some fall out regardless and it isn't too bad - just brush it off and you're good to go. My vial also wasn't "sealed" so who knows if someone has tampered with it or not? I could tell no one did because the tube where the wand comes out of was clean with no liner residue on the sides, but still - L'Oreal should do something about that. I have never tried this stuff on my waterline because my eyes are very sensitive, so I usually just stick with lining my top lash line. I have VERY oily lids. The Revlon Colorstay was a godsend because that was the only drugstore-brand pencil that would stay on, but I still had to "touch up" a bit in the middle of the day. With the kohl, I don't! It stays put unless I want it to come off and it doesn't smudge or fade. Thanks, L'Oreal! :D
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Eye Shadow -L'Oreal - HIP Cream Shadow Paint in 807 Secretive
shrimpchips 2/18/2009 11:33:00 AM
Secretive is a very light nude champagne color with sheen. It's very pretty on it's own (and great as a highlighter) or great as a base. Secretive reminds me a lot like MAC Bare Canvas paint with shimmer (supposedly Bare Canvas has some shimmer but I never noticed) and I think the cream paints are a great alternative to MAC Paints if you want to save a little bit of money or if you can't get to a MAC store. I paid $11.99USD for this at CVS and MAC Paints are now $16.50USD. I definitely plan on buying more colors! :D
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Liquid -Clinique - Clarifying Makeup Clear Skin Formula [DISCONTINUED]
shrimpchips 2/14/2009 6:12:00 PM
I was at a Clinique counter and the MA tried this on me. The makeup itself sounded like a good idea - "Helps skin stay blemish-free-controls oil, minimizes pores. Soft-matte, velvety finish keeps skin looking flawless all day. Oil-free." She slathered it on my forehead and I could tell it was working, because my forehead (which is my biggest problem spot) didn't feel oily and gross anymore. But then it felt DRY, as if it sucked up all of the oil in my skin. She put some on another area on my face and it was the same feeling. I looked in the mirror and it looked really chalky on my skin, then it started to itch a little because my skin felt so dry. I have combination acne-prone skin which is more oily in the summer and more dry in the winter. Unless you are SUPER oily, I wouldn't recommend this.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Lash Stiletto
shrimpchips 2/12/2009 10:05:00 AM
I usually use L'Oreal Telescopic. A friend told me to try the Lash Stiletto, so I did. First off, I'm a sucker for cute packaging and I thought the Lash Stiletto tube looked really cute! Second, I like the brush but I had to be a little more careful with it because it's larger than the Telescopic brush which is what I'm used to. The brush has regular bristles. This mascara lengthens pretty well and doesn't clump or flake and to me looks very similar to Telescopic, but I think I like Telescopic better because it's darker. I bought the darkest black in Lash Stiletto and it still isn't black enough for me. If Maybelline comes out with their "blackest black" in this mascara I might decide to buy it again.
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Eye Shadow -L'Oreal - HiP Metallic Duo - Platinum
shrimpchips 2/12/2009 10:00:00 AM
Although I love MAC and expensive brands, if you need a good-quality silver and black eyeshadow, opt for this duo instead! Both colors are SUPER pigmented and you don't even need a base to get these colors to show up. The black tends to "fall out" a bit but I think most black eyeshadows do that. The silver color is AMAZING and I agree with what another user said, it looks like it's WET when you apply it! This is my first duo from L'Oreal HiP and now I plan on buying more :)
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Eye Shadow -Make Up For Ever - Star Powder - 926 Iridescent Beige
shrimpchips 7/14/2008 4:38:00 PM
It's a very pretty shimmering pinky beige. I like to use this lightly on my lid as an every day color or as a highlighter. It is VERY pigmented so I have to use a tiny bit/with a very light hand when using this stuff. You get a lot of product, too! My only gripe is the packaging...I don't really like screw top jars because sometimes they can be a hassle to screw close and sometimes the sifter jar puts TOO much product on top so sometimes it'll be spilling out. But other than that I love this stuff! It's my first MUFE purchase and I'm very pleased :D
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Telescopic
shrimpchips 7/14/2008 4:35:00 PM
Why didn't I try this sooner? omg I'm in LOVE! It gives my lashes a nice length and holds curl pretty nicely. The blackest black is a TRUE black (sometimes black/blackest black d/s mascaras tend to look "ashy" but not this one). It doesn't clump and I haven't had any problems with flaking. The brush is really weird - very different from your typical mascara brush. It has short, tiny little bristles on different sides and it's rubbery/flexible. I didn't wiggle the brush in my lashes like I always do with this one. It doesn't clump, either! And I think the packaging is cute :) Will definitely repurchase!
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Skincare - Face -Boscia - Clear Complexion Kit with Botanical Blast
shrimpchips 7/4/2008 10:52:00 PM
I purchased this kit because the SA at Sephora was VERY helpful and recommended this to me. She also mentioned that a lot of other SAs at that store have used the same kit and love it, so I decided to give it a whirl. I've been a faithful Clinique Acne Solutions user for the past year and a half and it worked for awhile; however, eventually I noticed that it wasn't really helping all of that much which is another reason why I decided to try Boscia. Prior to the Clear Complexion Kit, I was already a faithful Boscia Oil Free Daily Hydration SPF15 user as well as their Green Tea Blotting Linens. So... * the cleanser ~ this stuff is AWESOME! it leaves my face feeling soooooo clean WITHOUT drying it out (which was sometimes a problem with the Clinique Acne Solutions foaming cleanser). The smell is invigorating - it's a fresh, clean scent that sort of reminds me of lemons. The cleanser itself is a gel (not a foam) but it lathers up very nicely - you only need A TINY bit (I use about a dime-sized amount or smaller) - this will also help your "30-day cleanser supply" last a little longer than 30 days lol. * the tonic ~ you just spritz it on your face and you're good to go! it feels refreshing and doesn't contain alcohol like most tonics/toners. the smell is nice, too =) * Clear Complexion Treatment with Botanical Blast ~ this stuff is a gel, doesn't have a scent, and I LOVE it because it doesn't dry my face out! I place this on my problematic spots. * Oil Free Daily Hydration SPF15 ~ this stuff has a light scent - it almost reminds me of baby powder. it feels really nice on my skin and it contains ingredients to help refine pores and control excess oil and I have noticed that my face isn't as oily! I used to use Clinique's Dramtically Different Moisturizing Gel and my face was always very oily. The moisturizer that comes in this kit doesn't have the hygenic pump (which I LOVE!) like the full-sized version. All-in-all, this stuff is amazing! I've noticed that it has helped my acne a bit, but I've only been using it for about a week now so we'll see how it goes the longer I use it. I certainly love how it feels on my face, though! If you have cystic acne or something, I wouldn't recomend it. In fact, the SA that helped worked with a dematologist for over six years and has had experience with facials, etc and told me she would recommend it for mild acne (which is what I have) and not for someone with cystic acne.
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Lip Gloss -MAC - Lipglass in Prrr
shrimpchips 6/20/2008 11:27:00 AM
This lipglass is very pretty, but I think it's a bit too frosty for me and I *HATE* frosty-looking lippies.
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Skincare - Face -Unlisted Brand - Jojoba Oil
shrimpchips 5/27/2008 3:56:00 PM
i heard that jojoba oil is GREAT for skin and great for acne-prone/combination skin as well. i've read how it has actually helped clear the acne on a lot of individuals. i was a little skeptical with putting oil on my face, but really jojoba oil is very similar to human sebum so it isn't bad for your skin. i've noticed that my face is less oily after i started using it and it's softer and it has indeed cleared up my acne!!! i'm not 100% acne free (i don't think i ever will be) but it really has helped to improve my complexion. this is great for other things, too - you can put a drop or two with some conditioner and it's great for your hair - it's also good as a makeup remover (as well as eye makeup - it won't irritate your eyes). it spreads nicely, too. i can almost feel it "working" on my skin - it's sort of like a "tingle" but not - i honestly don't know how to describe it, but i love it. the only gripes i have about this stuff is that i can make your face look really greasy and sometimes it pours out of the bottle waaaay too fast so you end up wasting product but other than that, it's an excellent beauty staple and it's cheap :)
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Lipstick -MAC - Lustre in Politely Pink
shrimpchips 5/27/2008 3:51:00 PM
this is my first MAC lipstick [and my first back 2 MAC item as well] and i'm very impressed! the MA that helped me choose this was very helpful and this was the first lipstick that she recommended. it's a very sheer light pink with a little pearly sheen to it [but not over the top] - i find it moisturizing, too! and since it's a lustre, it's almost like a glaze and sort of has a glossy look to it. i love it :)
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Moisturizers -Boscia - Oil Free Daily Hydration SPF 15
shrimpchips 5/27/2008 3:49:00 PM
OMG I LOVE THIS STUFF!!! this has replaced my beloved Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. i loved the gel but i really wanted something with SPF and Boscia seemed promising - and i'm so glad i decided to try it! it's lightweight but very moisturizing and hasn't broken me out or irritated my skin at all. it has a light smell to it but i find it refreshing - it may bother some, though. i also love it's hygenic pump and the tube is travel/purse-friendly. it's a little pricey ($27USD + tax) and it only comes in one size so i'm not sure how long it will last, but i will keep purchasing because i love it that much. i don't know how well it holds up in terms of keeping my forehead more "matte" (it's such an oil slick!) because it hasn't been very hot lately, but i do notice that it doesn't make my face so shiny or greasy like other moisturizers do - so maybe it is working lol. definitely give this a whirl, tho - i don't think you'll be disappointed :)
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Mascara -Almay - One Coat Nourishing Mascara Triple Effect
shrimpchips 4/25/2008 11:25:00 AM
OMG i love this mascara!!!! i think i found my new HG (aside from Lancome Definicils of course, but i'm too poor to shell out $23 every month or two just for a mascara). i think i love this even more than my Maybelline Full n Soft! the brush is different from other mascaras - one side has long bristles and the other side has really short ones. the side with the shorter bristles is used for volumizing while the longer side is used for lengthening. i like to wiggle the shorter bristles at the base of my lashes then use the longer bristles for everything else, and i LOOOOVE the results! it's a nice true black, too (i got the blackest black one) - some mascaras just aren't black enough in my opinion! it doesn't clump so it fans out my lashes nicely and best of all, it doesn't FLAKE! i loved my Maybelline Full n Soft but it didn't lengthen much and after awhile in my opinion it got clumpy and flaked in my eyes and made my eyes water and itch. not this stuff! definitely my HG :)
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