Scrubs -St. Ives - Apricot Scrub
smolderingviolet 3/7/2013 11:01:00 PM
I use this stuff once in awhile when my skin gets really dry and flaky. It is really abrasive so you have to be careful but it gets the job done. I wouldn't try to do this as a daily thing, but I really do like it for once in awhile. It smells wonderful, it leaves my skin glowing, and my face feels really soft after I use it. It's super cheap and comes in an easy squeeze tube so you can get almost all of it out. I will continue to buy it, but I only need a tube a year, if that.
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Skincare - Face -Pro Activ - 3-Step System
smolderingviolet 3/7/2013 10:55:00 PM
I used this stuff back in high school. When I was sixteen it was amazing. It cleared up my face in about a week and kept my acne at bay. I tried using it again in my early twenties and it was horrible. It dried out my face and made it feel like I had a chemical burn. I honestly feel like it made my acne worse. So I made the jump to Neutrogena (for about half the price), it cleared up my acne super fast and I've been using it ever since. I don't know if its something to do with body chemistry but once I was out of my teens the stuff no longer worked. I won't be buying it again. Ever.
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Lip Gloss -BeneFit Cosmetics - Benetint Lip Balm
smolderingviolet 3/7/2013 10:51:00 PM
I love this stuff so much! I've been using it for years and have never found anything else that even comes close. I love the scent, it reminds me of roses. You get a great reddish pink color out of it and even once the glossy sheen is gone, the color remains. I only have to reapply it maybe once a day. It makes my lips super soft too. I wish it came in a squeeze tube instead of a glass jar. I have to use a q tip to apply it since I have really long nails, but other than that love love love. I've been buying it for years and will continue to do so as long as its available.
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Conditioner -L'Oreal - Advanced Haircare - Total Repair 5
smolderingviolet 2/16/2013 11:44:00 AM
I am in love with this stuff. It has a thick, creamy consistency and a little goes a long way. It smells wonderful and I only need about the size of a quarter for my hair (past the middle of my back). I didn't even need to add a leave in or detangler after washing my hair. There were no tangles and my hair dried virtually frizz free. For the price ($3.99 for the regular bottle) this is my new HG. This stuff seriously works better than the Redken Extreme and All Soft. I cannot see changing my regular shampoo and conditioner from this as long as its available. I might even start stocking up since my last drug store HG apparently got discontinued.
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Shampoo -L'Oreal - Advanced Haircare - Total Repair 5
smolderingviolet 2/13/2013 1:45:00 PM
This is my new thing. I use the shampoo and conditioner and I love what it's doing for my hair. Over the past few years I've bleached black and red out of my hair just to dye it back and bleach it out again. Needless to say my hair is EXTREMELY damaged. After one use I was able to comb through my hair without any detangler, and after several uses I no longer need to add a leave in conditioner. This stuff is making my hair more and more manageable every single time I use it. This is hands down the BEST shampoo and conditioner I have ever used. Its better than the Redken Extreme and every other salon product I've ever tried. I will definitely be buying this over and over again. I wish it came in a pump bottle, but I can live without it.
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Hair -Unlisted Brand - Salon Grafix Citrus Creme Conditioning Cleanser, 12 oz
smolderingviolet 2/13/2013 1:33:00 PM
This is my new love hate hair relationship. This stuff leaves my hair as shiny as it has ever been, even when I had a keratin treatment. What I don't like about this is how much you have to use, how hard it is to get out of your hair, and the smell. I have thick hair that goes just past the middle of my back. I had to use 8 pumps to entirely coat my hair. Once it was on I started massaging it in and it felt wonderful. It has a great creamy texture that feels amazing on your hair. The smell however is horrible. Someone posted below that it smells like bug spray, and they couldn't be more right. It smells like that deep woods super extra strength bug spray. You should also be prepared for it to take forever to rinse out. I probably spent five or so minutes just rinsing my hair. Once it was out I dried my hair with no additional product. My hair was incredibly shiny, but dry the first day. The NEXT day, though, my hair was shiny and soft. I will buy this again, but I think I'll be using it mostly for when I want to change my style (from curly to straight etc) and don't want to shampoo my hair. I doubt I will be using this as a regular part of my routine.
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Shampoo -Beyond The Zone - Rock On Dry Shampoo
smolderingviolet 2/1/2013 4:25:00 PM
I'm surprised by all the negative reviews on here! I really like this stuff. I only wash my hair every 3 days or so and this works wonders in between. I've been using the same can for about four months and haven't had any problems with the nozzle clogging or getting too much powder or propellant out of the can at any one time. The only thing I don't like about this is that sometimes it leaves a powdery white residue in my very very dark (almost black) hair. Even when I attack it with a fine tooth comb it doesn't seem to go away with anything but time. Over all I really like this stuff. I will definitely continue to purchase it over and over again.
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Styling Products -Clairol - Herbal Essences Set Me Up Hairspray
smolderingviolet 2/1/2013 3:22:00 PM
I think I like this better as a finishing spray for a hairstyle that doesn't really need hold. It doesn't feel crunchy or anything, but it is pretty matte. I don't want matte hair, I want shiny hair. This stuff is very flexible, I can run my fingers through it, it smells great, but as a hairspray its a no go for me. If I did buy it again it would only be for a light finishing spray NOT a hairspray. I'll stick to my Elnett.
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Styling Products -Rusk - Str8
smolderingviolet 1/30/2013 4:25:00 PM
This is one of the most important parts of my hair routine. After toweling off my hair I spray in a little its a ten and then smooth a dime size drop of this through my long hair (past the middle of my back). The product is a little bit tacky but as long as you don't use too much it isn't a problem. It does have a strong scent but it isn't something I'm sensitive to. When I use this my hair will blow dry very straight and flat iron pin straight. It will also stay that way for a few days after sleeping on it. The thing I like the least is that the bottle is kind of "tough" and becomes difficult to squeeze when there isn't a lot of product left, but you can get too much out when you take the cap off and then have to deal with trying to get it back in the bottle. I truly love this stuff and always make sure to buy a new bottle before the old one runs out. I've noticed a lot of people who had negative reviews about this bought it from a drug store. You shouldn't buy "high end" products from stores like Target, Walmart, CVS etc. because their authenticity cannot be guaranteed. People (called diverters) go to salons and buy large amounts of certain products and then sell them to other retailers. Unfortunately most of the time the products get watered down to stretch them, so you aren't getting the real deal. Please always be careful and always go to a reputable salon or store (such as ulta or sephora) when buying products such as this.
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Lips -Hard Candy - World Balmination in Starfish
smolderingviolet 1/29/2013 1:11:00 PM
I would call this product average. Its fairly moisturizing, but it doesn't really give even a hint of color (although this could be because I have very red lips). It does need to be reapplied several times through out the day, but I don't really find that to be an issue. I love the super cute tube it comes in. The biggest problem with this (as everyone has pointed out) is that it doesn't retract all the way down the tube. You have to be extremely careful putting the lid back on or you'll smash the product and make a mess of your makeup bag. Its not as hydrating as the Maybelline Baby Lips, but it's pretty decent. I would probably buy it again, but I'm not exactly running to walmart to stock up on it.
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Styling Products -Got 2 Be - Guardian Angel Heat Protect N' Flatten Flat Iron Balm and Gloss Finish
smolderingviolet 1/28/2013 4:10:00 PM
I cannot begin to describe how much I love this stuff. I was really surprised by all the negative reviews. I think a lot of it has to do with the way people are using it. I actually like the way this stuff smells. It reminds me of one of my favorite perfumes (l'eau d'issey). It really only smells when you first spray it though, as soon a it dries on your hair it doesn't smell. It also doesn't need a lot. With other thermal sprays I section my hair off and spray that way but with this one I just mist a little over my hair and comb it through. It doesn't not take long to dry as long as you don't use too much. It leaves my hair silky and shiny. I haven't had any issues with heat damage to my hair since I've been using it and I heat style my hair almost every day. It is my personal favorite and I will continue to purchase it over and over again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Hard Candy - Take It Off - Makeup Remover
smolderingviolet 1/28/2013 2:09:00 PM
This is my favorite. I've been using it for over a year and I am still in love. It will take of anything. It takes off my eye shadow, glitter, lash adhesive, waterproof eyeliner and mascara. Its also great at taking off all of my "face" makeup as well. It does take a little bit of effort to get some of the eye makeup off, but it all comes off in the end. It does leave a bit of a residue on my face but nothing that doesn't rinse off with water. I love its thick texture, it makes it really easy to spread and to remove. Like I said I've been using it for over a year. A tube lasts me about 3-4 months, which is pretty typical for any makeup remover of a similar style. It only costs about $5 a tube so the price is right. This is a definite must in my makeup arsenal.
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Concealers -Hard Candy - Glamoflauge Concealer
smolderingviolet 1/28/2013 1:50:00 PM
I love this concealer for one purpose only. I use it to cover my tattoos when necessary. It is incredibly thick and opaque. It covers my black tattoos and you can't even tell that there's anything under the concealer. To cover my tattoos I put down a thin layer of primer and then start at the center and blend out adding more product as needed. It doesn't take a lot to cover a 3 in x 5 in black tattoo. I would say about half the size of a dime. Once it has been covered to my liking I give it a light dusting of a translucent powder and a spritz of setting spray and I'm good to go. It will last all day. I've never tried it on my face because I don't have a need for anything this thick, but I'm sure that if it can cover a solid black tattoo that's pretty fresh (only two years old) it can cover anything you got. The only reason I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 is because it's VERY thick. If they could figure out a way to get the same coverage out of a thinner concealer that doesn't dry as quickly I'd be all over it.
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Mascara -Rimmel - Extra Wow Lash
smolderingviolet 1/23/2013 9:21:00 PM
This mascara is easily a dupe for Too Faced's Lash Injection. The formula is easy to work with and doesn't dry too quickly like most drug store mascaras. The brush is HUGE which is the most important part of what its going to do with your lashes. It makes my lashes look thicker and and longer. It also holds a curl very well. The formula in the tube doesn't prematurely dry out like some other mascaras I've tried and I have not had any problems with clumping. I would give this mascara a 10 if I could.
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Moisturizers -Simple - Kind to Skin Vital Vitamin Night Cream
smolderingviolet 1/23/2013 8:35:00 PM
I'm surprised by how much I like this cream. I decided to try it on a whim since it was so much cheaper than any of the other night creams. It has no scent, which I like because it doesn't clash with any other scents. It feels really heavy and greasy on my fingers but it goes on surprisingly light. I only give it a 4 out of 5 because I feel like it could be better. The formula doesn't soak into my skin as quickly as I would like it to, but by morning it has completely absorbed and my skin feels moisturized. The biggest problem I have is its packaging. I really wish it came in a bottle with a pump instead of a jar. I hate when products come in a jar. Not only is it less sanitary because you're constantly sticking your hand in the jar and potentially contaminating the product, but it also gets under my nails. I have long acrylic nails so this is especially problematic. For the price it does a good job, but there are higher quality products out there.
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