Treatments -Murad - Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Gel
slc 3/27/2013 12:45:00 PM
I've used this faithfully twice a day for over a month and I slather myself with high SPF to make sure I don't get sun on my face. There is an ever-so-slight fading of my sun spots, but not enough to buy this again. Honestly, i think Concha Nacar is the best product I've used for lightening and it's only $4.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -beautyblender - the sponge
slc 3/23/2013 8:34:00 PM
Too bad I discovered this after amassing a collection of expensive foundation and concealer brushes, but this beats them all. It really is worth it to pay big bucks for a sponge. (The 2 for $25 deal at Sephora is a good one.) I went to the Beautyblender website and watched the video and did the same technique using a regular wedge sponge. The wedge sponge did a nice job, but even damp, the sponge absorbed twice the amount of foundation that I usually use and it gave me a matte look that I don't like. But the results with the Beautyblender were much better. My makeup looks airbrushed, totally smooth, and it lasts all day. (I never thought anything was wrong with my old makeup, but it looks sooo much better with the BB.) I even got my Nars cream blush out to see what it could do and the BB does wonders with cream blush. My blush has never looked so good! And the best thing is that 8 hours later, all of my makeup looks exactly like it did when I put it on. Even the cream blush, which has never lasted me more than a couple of hours. And with the BB I use less foundation than I normally use with a brush. The first time I used it, I got a slight matte look, which I don't want, so the next time I mixed a little sunscreen in with my foundation and I got exactly the look I want. It did not reduce coverage at all, but gives me a little dewiness without shine. I love this thing! I washed it with Trader Joe's Nourish shampoo, which is what I clean my brushes with, and I noticed a little pink dye coming out in the water. So next time I will purchase the "Pure" BB since I see no need for dye touching my face.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - NOW Solutions 100% Pure Vegetable Glycerin
slc 3/5/2013 12:24:00 PM
Vegetable glycerin rocks! I've used a couple brands, all good. The NOW brand comes in a big 16oz bottle for less than $9 and will last a long time. This is the BEST product for dry skin and it's a great primer for makeup. It creates a protective barrier and lets your skin heal it's own protective barrier. It works fast and moisturizes all day. Don't use it straight -- mix with oil and/or water. What can you do with it? Mix 4 drops of oil (any kind - almond, jobajoba, olive, argon, Fresh Seaberry, etc.), 2 drops glycerin, and a drop or two of water in the palm of your hand for the best moisturizer for dry skin ever. Mix with water only if you have normal or combo skin. Add to any face or body moisturizer to boost moisturizing capabilities. Fill a spray bottle with rose water, add a little glycerin to use as a facial mist. (Shake before using. You can also add a few drops of oil for dry skin.) Fill half a spray bottle with aloe juice, half with rose water or plain water, add glycerin. Spray on wet hair after shampoo. Makes a great leave-in styling product and makes hair shiny! Put it into the salt water solution in your neti pot to keep nasal passages moist.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Heritage Store Pure Vegetable Glycerin
slc 3/2/2013 10:08:00 AM
Why didn't I know about this before?! I bought this at Whole Foods to use as an ingredient in a homemade moisture mist, and then I found out that I can do so much more with it. Every winter I spend tons of money on creams that do not provide enough moisture. I have so many abandoned anti-aging products that are too drying. And with pure vegetable glycerin, I can make any of them work. I mix a couple of drops of glycerin, a couple of drops of Fresh Seaberry Oil (you can use any oil or skip it if you're not dry) and a couple of drops of water in my hand, then put it on top of the inadequate moisturizer. My face is moist all day, and my makeup goes on smooth. I even woke up; with moist skin this morning, which hasn't happened in years. When I run out of these moisturizers, I might not even need any. I am going to try to use only and anti-aging serum and my homemade glycerin-oil combo. Think of the space I'll save in my medicine cabinet!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Skinceuticals - A.G.E. Interrupter
slc 3/1/2013 4:34:00 PM
I am loving the CE Ferulic, so I thought this would be a good addition. First let me say that I have very, very dry skin in the middle of winter here. When I put this on, I get an immediate plumping, refreshed look. Unfortunately, about 15 minutes later it starts to dry out my skin and it continues to get more and more dry and lined, and there's a slight burning sensation. Even when I put another moisturizer on top, I get this drying effect. It's too bad, because it does something good for my skin, but with the dehydration lines, it's just not going to look or feel good. Maybe better for combo skin.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Unlisted Brand - Blinc Kiss Me Mascara Amplified
slc 3/1/2013 4:30:00 PM
This is for the amplified version of Blinc mascara. It has a big fat brush and it covers each individual lash. It looks like I'm wearing false eyelashes -- so long and no clumps. Even better with the Blinc primer underneath. And the best part is, no racoon eyes ever!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Murad - Hydrating Toner
slc 2/28/2013 9:12:00 PM
I let a sales rep talk me into buying this to use as a moisturizing mist. First of all, the spray mechanism is awful -- it comes out in a sharp blast that soaks your face. It almost hurts. There's no way you could use this after makeup or throughout the day. Secondly, it is not moisturizing, but instead seems like it would be better for someone with combo or oily skin as it's a bit too astringent for dry skin.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Philosophy - Hope Springs Eternal
slc 2/28/2013 9:04:00 PM
I bought this in hopes that it would be more moisturizing than the mineral water mists I usually buy. It's not. Plus it has a fragrance -- I don't mind too much but I'm sure if I used it on a plane others would mind. Also, it comes in a big bottle and this mist isn't as fine. At least the mineral waters come in small, leak-proof canisters that you can travel with.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Fresh - Creme Ancienne
slc 2/25/2013 10:12:00 AM
I have not purchased a jar yet, but I cannot forget how soft and moist my face was when I used a sample of this heavenly cream. It's February, and I'm at the height of my winter dry skin. I'm layering so many products on, but this cream lasted all day until I washed it off. Some people say that these types of moisturizers are useless because they only create a barrier and do not truly moisturize skin in the deep layers, but I use all of those fancy anti-age serums that work on a cellular level, but the environment is dehydrating my skin anyway -- the forced heat inside and the dry, cold air outside are doing damage and I need a protective barrier. I have been trying all sorts of cheaper things such as Aquaphor, etc., in hopes of sparing myself the high cost of Ancienne, but so far nothing has measured up and I'll probably bite the bullet and buy it. The closest thing is Fresh Seaberry Oil, which is very soothing and moist, but it doesn't last as long as Creme Ancienne. This stuff is amazing if you have truly dry skin. (Creme de La Mer does nothing for me -- sinks in and disappears, but this works.)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Caudalie - Revitalizing Moisture Grape Seed Cream/Mask
slc 2/25/2013 10:00:00 AM
This mask is nice and creamy and made my skin soft and moist. What more could you want?
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -L'Oreal - Mythic Oil
slc 2/25/2013 9:58:00 AM
I've been silicone-free for a long time, but I gave in and bought this from my hairdresser as I've had a hard time keeping away the winter fly-aways. It worked great the first few times, but then started to build up in my hair and make it heavy and oily and weird. I used a cleansing shampoo to get it all out and L'Oreal Evercreme deep conditioner to bring back the moisture and shine. No more silicone for me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Fresh - Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask
slc 2/25/2013 9:49:00 AM
I'm glad that I got a sample of this before buying. I'm not sure if the jar they took the sample from was old or not, but the mask balled up on application. What others have called a "cooling" sensation felt more like burning to me. After 30 minutes, it was all flaked up on my skin, so I could never use this on a long flight or while walking around my neighborhood. My skin was soft when I washed it off, but not very moisturized. I am better off just applying the Fresh Seaberry Oil instead of this mask.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -L'Oreal - Magic Lumi
slc 1/25/2013 12:58:00 PM
I was hoping for a cheaper alternative to Touche Eclat, but this doesn't work for me. First, this formula is much drier than YSL's, so it crinkled up my skin. Second, it removed my foundation wherever I put it. Third, the color was very unflattering for me. I buy the lightest color of YSL, which has a little bit of pink in it and looks natural on my skin. The lightest color of the L'Oreal version is just weird on my skin -- almost gives a gray cast. I've been looking half dead the last three days, but today I did my makeup without the Magic Lumi and I look alive again. So no more Magic Lumi for me. (In addition to Touche Eclat, I've had luck with Bare Minerals Radiance as well as a Merle Norman powder highlighter that I use in the same places I would use Touche Eclat.)
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Kinerase - HydraBoost Intensive Treatment
slc 1/22/2013 8:07:00 AM
I've tried a lot of these hyaluronic acid gels that are supposed to boost your skin's moisture level. And like all the other ones, this just didn't do anything for me at all. I just finished a whole bottle, and feel that it was a complete waste of my money.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyes -Unlisted Brand - Blinc - Kiss Me Mascara Primer
slc 1/18/2013 4:44:00 PM
This is a fantastic product and makes the Blinc mascara that I already love even better. This primer makes my lashes look really long and the mascara goes on smoothly. Can't live without it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No