Shampoo -Unlisted Brand - Green Beaver Cranberry Shampo
smurfkitten 12/13/2012 9:02:00 PM
I do not recommend this shampoo for colour treated hair. I am a longtime Asian platinum blonde who likes to rotate inexpensive hair care products with more expensive favourites. The low price of Green Beaver’s shampoos and conditioners, the all-natural ingredients (in particular, I am sensitive to sulphates), and the positive experiences I have had with several other Green Beaver products gave me high expectations. All this shampoo did was make my hair feel drier, leaving my conditioners and leave-in treatments with even more work to do. A “no repurchase” for me. Ingredients : Aqua, Burdock (Arctium Lappa) Root Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Coco Betaine, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Hydrolized Rice Protein, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Water, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Comptonia Peregrina Water, Ledum Groenlandicum Water, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, PCA Glyceryl Oleate, PCA Ethyl Cocoyl Arginate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Levulinate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Aroma
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - The Green Beaver Company - Green Tea & Aloe facial cream
smurfkitten 12/13/2012 8:56:00 PM
This is a good inexpensive, all-natural moisturizer with gentle ingredients. The fact that this moisturizer is lightweight and quickly absorbed makes it ideal for applying in the morning under my makeup. I like to rotate it with my heavier moisturizers and jojoba oil that I use in the winter months when my skin is drier. I really recommend it for people who are looking for an affordable all-natural moisturizer for use under makeup or for those with oilier skins who do not need a heavy moisturizer. Ingredients : Aqua, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Glycerin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Extract, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sclerotium Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid
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Blush -NARS - Gina
smurfkitten 12/13/2012 8:48:00 PM
I have fair skin that tans extremely well. In the past, I have been wary of “apricot,” “coral,” or “peachy” shades looking orange on me. Gina, however, complements the natural warmth of my tanned skin instead of contrasting with it, despite NARS’ slightly scary description of it being “tangerine.” I usually pair it with NARS Laguna bronzer to make my skin look really luminous. I have had only positive experiences with NARS blushes (my other favourites are Orgasm, Deep Throat, and Outlaw); I find they have consistently great pigmentation and fine textures, lending themselves to easily buildable colour. With a light hand, Gina gives a natural-looking glow to fair skin. Gently layering on the colour will add intensity to those with darker skintones.
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Gels/Soaps -Unlisted Brand - Hugo Naturals Vanilla & Sweet Orange Shower Gel
smurfkitten 1/10/2012 3:16:00 AM
My skin gets dry in the winter, so I need a gentle shower gel that won’t dry my skin any further. This year, I was glad to have tried a few Hugo Naturals shower gels, the sweet orange and vanilla scent being my favourite, and the lavender is nice, as well. This gel lathers well and leaves my skin feeling soft and comfortable. It does not contain SLS, which is a must for me, as my skin is very sensitive to it. Although I am fickle when it comes to shower gels and always trying new brands for the different fragrances, I can definitely see myself coming back to this one when my skin is in need of some extra TLC. A definite recommend and repurchase.
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Gels/Soaps -Desert Essence - Vanilla Chai Body Wash
smurfkitten 1/10/2012 3:09:00 AM
I really like how this shower gel actually lives up to its name and kind of smells like chai and contains real tea. The vanilla chai scent is lovely and unique. I like how this product does not contain SLS, which is a must for me. I also appreciate the reasonable pricing of this brand and how this gel lathers well. However, I have to say this is a non-repurchase for me, because I found that this shower gel was making my skin dry with regular use. It's a shame, as I liked everything else about it, but even if I was only using it every second day or so, it was leaving my skin feeling tight and dry.
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Shampoo -Unlisted Brand - Green Beaver Company
smurfkitten 3/15/2011 3:27:00 PM
While I am a big fan of the Green Beaver Company, loving several of their other products, such as their green tea facial moisturizer and their entire line of toothpaste, I hate their shampoos. I have severely abused, bleached platinum blonde Asian hair, and this shampoo was verrrry drying. Now, of course I have severely abused, bleached platinum blonde Asian hair, so there are other reasons for my hair being dry as well - I can't place the sole blame of my recent breakage and dryness on this shampoo. However, I am disappointed that the impressive-sounding natural ingredients list of this product resulted in one of the most drying shampoos I have ever used. Maybe this would be alright for folk with normal hair, but my hair needs a much gentler shampoo. I have had better luck with Green Beaver's conditioners, though.
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Mascara -Lancome - Hypnose
smurfkitten 3/15/2011 3:16:00 PM
I did not like this mascara. It would not hold a curl at all. Like the reviewer below me, I'm Asian and -need- to have my eyelashes curled, so this is an immediately disqualifying factor for me. Additionally, the formula was too wet and heavy and clumpy, and I found the brush to be too big.
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Lip Gloss -Lancome - Lancome Juicy Tubes
smurfkitten 3/15/2011 3:12:00 PM
I've had a couple of these over the years, but I haven't purchased one in ages, and I don't plan to again. I always have to look at these in Sephora, though. They're fun, with bright fun colour and fun scents and nice packaging, but waaaay too goopy/sticky for me, and I like glosses with high-colour payoff now. These would be ideal for someone who actually -wants- a super sticky, clear gloss.
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Blush -NARS - Sin
smurfkitten 1/10/2010 3:03:00 AM
I love love love NARS blushes... every one that I've tried... except for this one. The colour is not right for me. I have cool-toned, fair skin, and this shade looks too "muddy" on me.
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Liquid -L'Oreal - True Match Super-Blendable Makeup SPF 17
smurfkitten 1/10/2010 2:57:00 AM
Packaging sucks; this foundation could sure use a pump. Texture seems to be runny at first; upon application, this is thick stuff indeed. The one good thing I can say about True Match foundation is the wide range of colours and the warm/neutral/cool undertone choices. I've tried applying this numerous ways (fingers, stippling brush, foundation brush, sponge) with different powders, but nothing gives the result I really want. This stuff looks too cakey/fake and makes my face oiler somehow. (I typically don't have oily skin.)
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Concealers -L'Oreal - True Match Super-Blendable Concealer
smurfkitten 1/10/2010 2:48:00 AM
The brush-on-wand packaging is really awful. Why not a simple, practical squeeze tube? The texture of this feels really light, but it can easily begin to look cakey and gross if too much is applied. Not the easiest concealer to blend; definitely requires a powder to set. I would avoid it for undereyes, due to it's propensity to look cakey and settle into fine lines as the day progresses, and I would also avoid it for blemishes, as it doesn't cover redness well throughout the day. That being said, this is a "no repurchase" product for me.
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Fragrances -Clinique - Happy
smurfkitten 1/10/2010 2:37:00 AM
Ew ew. Yuck yuck. Ick ick ick. This fragrance, smelling of sickly sweet overripe and rotting chemically-altered citrus fruit, does not make me happy; in fact, it makes me very unhappy. It also makes me unhappy when I smell this on other people. Please don't wear it in public.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Clean & Clear - Oil Absorbing Sheets
smurfkitten 1/10/2010 2:33:00 AM
These are perfect for touch-ups during the day. Removes oil effectively without ruining foundation, and leaves skin ready for powdering. I was previously faithful to a much more expensive brand's oil absorbing sheets (Shiseido), but I'm going to stick with these from now on - they're just as good. I really recommend giving these a try.
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Makeup Brushes -Ecotools - Bamboo Angled Eyeliner Brush
smurfkitten 11/22/2009 8:13:00 PM
I use this as a brow brush, as do many of my fellow reviewers. I've used it practically every day for four months, and it still looks and functions as if it is brand new. The Ecotools brand has yet to disappoint me; everything from them I've tried so far has been such a good deal.
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Eye Shadow -NARS - Cream Eyeshadow
smurfkitten 11/22/2009 8:09:00 PM
This line includes some gorgeous colours that are a ton of fun to layer under powder shadows... but they crease and smudge... really, really badly - and my eyelids aren't even that oily, and I do use an eyeshadow base. Stay away from these. NARS powder shadows are so much better.
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