Mascara -Jordana - Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara
sofaloaf 5/17/2013 9:57:00 PM
This is a decent mascara, but don't get your hopes up. After reading the reviews, I scoured several drugstores to find it. Walgreens had it, and it was pretty hard to find...I almost gave up, but there was a little cashier/counter area in the cosmetic section, and Jordana had a section attached to its side. I bought this $3 mascara with low, and realistic expectations, but I haven't found it worthy of replacing any of my other mascaras. I love the packaging, a sleek, professional looking tube with purple writing...but it doesn't include the bottleneck thingy at the top to scrape off excess product...Not a dealbreaker, but using this mascara tends to get messy. The actual mascara has as many good things going for it as it has flaws. Its formula is a true, deep black, and it's soft, almost creamy going on. It doesn't give me extreme volume, and my lashes don't look their best, but they don't look bad either. I would say this mascara is more appropriate for the territory between a natural and a glamorous look. It offers more length and deepening of color than it does volume. It clumped for me after 2 coats, even though I tried to make it work. I've tried so many things in the month I've been using it: experimenting with time between coats, base coats of different mascaras, lash primer, spoon technique, notecard technique, unclumping with spoolie, unclumping with eyelash comb, and recurling it after it set. None of this gave me satisfactory lashes. It's just a basic mascara, there's nothing special going on with this little guy. One thing that made me give up on this mascara, was it smudges like the dickens. I haven't got watery eyes whatsoever, but they are hot...(temperature wise)....Eye products will occasionally melt off them. This was one of them, which surprised me because I've never had a mascara smudge like this on me. I've had flaking and crumbling, but not melting and smudging. It happened 4 hours after application. (at least this mascara is very easy and gentle to take off at the end of the day) I don't recommend this mascara to women that need a reliable, workhorse type product. If you are a bit of a mascara junkie like me, it's worth a go, because you may be able to put up with its flaws for longer than I. I have to admit, next time I go to Walgreens, I'm going to pick up like 10 more of these for my girlfriends, they're cute and inexpensive and would be great in a gift.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - EXTRA VIRGIN Coconut Oil (All brands)
sofaloaf 4/8/2013 3:15:00 PM
The other reviewers have done a wonderful and very helpful job explaining the uses of this amazing oil, so I won't try to needlessly repeat what they said. I'm another reviewer singing the praises of coconut oil. However, one thing I've noticed is that no one's really brought up how amazing it is as shaving cream! I have the most sensitive skin, and shaving is usually a painful ordeal involving nicks, cuts, razorburn, dry patches, and ingrown hairs. Which is surprising, because I've tried so many different razors, creams, and yes, I've tried the conditioner trick. I tried shaving with coconut oil last night, and oh. my. god. YES! My legs are soft, shiny, hairless, and razorburn free! I won't dread shaving anymore! (One note: Shave your legs with the oil in the shower, not in the bath because the oil will solidify on the sides of the tub and it's a pain to get off! Also, be sure to rinse out the blades every 2 or 3 swipes) In addition to that revelation last night, I use it for so many things. It has replaced butter at our house, for nonstick purposes, stir frying, and even in baking (seriously, replace vegetable oil in brownies with coconut oil!!). It can be used as a cuticle cream for shinier, stronger nails. I don't so much use it as a lotion, I'm too impatient for it too sink in, but I will use it on my face as a gentle, yet effective makeup remover. I do have to say that I've tried it dozens of times in my hair, and to my chagrin, it was a total disaster every time. My hair becomes a lifeless oily mess when it dries after rinsing it out. I've used a variety of different clarifying shampoos because I want so badly for it to work on my hair, but the shampoos end up drying out any benefits.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -L'Oreal - Line Intensifique
sofaloaf 3/29/2013 10:42:00 PM
If you've ever experienced the wonder of Lancome's Artliner, you know what a perfect, foolproof liquid liner is like. This liner is *gasp* the fabled drugstore dupe for Artliner! If you've never tried Artliner, you may skip along right to this eyeliner because it has many of the qualities that make it so reliable. The tip of both types of eyeliner are almost identically tapered felt tips. This is ideal because the felt ensures smooth, even application, and its tapered point allows the thinnest to the thickest of lines. The tip is moderately flexible which makes it easy to follow your eye's contour without being flimsy or too stiff. Both eyeliners are highly pigmented and longlasting, without flaking or fading for around 12 hours. Yet both formulas still are easy to correct when a mistake has been made in applying it. Additionally, the formula allows it to be smudged enough when wet for a gorgeous smoky effect, and dries fast enough in order to stay when curling eyelashes afterwards. (It's ok if you didn't know this, because I didn't for quite some time, but L'Oreal is owned by Lancome, so obviously some of Lancome's designs and formulas are passed onto L'Oreal, especially in this case!) I've been using this eyeliner for 4 years, and I've finally learned enough to clear up the confusion about all the different product reviews and names for the same eyeliner once and for all. Walk into a drugstore cosmetic section, and head over to L'Oreal, and you may be mystified by the confusing eyeliner names and styles and colors that all seem to appear just a little bit different. This wonderful gem of an eyeliner has had many names; Line Intensifique, Lineur Intense, Lineur Extreme Wear, but ignore the names in your quest as they will mislead you to some sub-par varieties of L'Oreal's liners. This liner comes in a tube a little thicker than, and about as long as a ballpoint pen. The most important thing to look for is that about one half of the liner that holds the pigment is a symmetrical tube, and the other half, the handle, is tapered and the handle's tip ends in an oval shape (i'll add a picture). The container may be shiny black with gold writing, or a semi-matte, allover gold. BOTH are the same eyeliner, but different eyeliner colors! They have the same lasting power and formulation, but they are just different shades. This eyeliner comes in the colors Carbon Black, Black Mica, and Earthen Rock. Carbon black (in the black tube with gold writing) is a dramatic, densely pigmented, deep black, the very closest to Artliner's black. Black Mica and Earthen Rock come in the allover gold containers. Both colors are appropriate for natural looks. I love using Black Mica because it is a very dark black, but it is a touch softer looking than Carbon black. It has a very slight shimmer to it. Earthen rock is a pretty, warm, coffee brown. It's not an intense, dark chocolate brown if that's what you are on the hunt for. (for comparison, Artliner is $30, while L'Oreal's is around $7-9) I hope this was helpful to you, and I hope that you are able to save some $$ and still have a gorgeous dependable eyeliner.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -L'Oreal - Infallible in Iced Latte
sofaloaf 3/22/2013 7:45:00 PM
If you're looking for a drugstore dupe for UD's Sin (or Stila's Kitten)...This is close, but no cigar. But don't stop reading, because there is a good chance you may like this shadow better! I'm one of Sin's big fans. I love the beautiful shimmer, longlasting color, and all of its champagney, nudey, peachy perfection. But I don't love only getting .05 oz for $18. Which led me on the hunt for a drugstore dupe, so I don't feel guilty every day when I swipe on some Sin. I'll admit, this has not replaced Sin permanently for me, but it exceeded my expectations and I wear it all the time in order to ration my remaining UD shadow. This eyeshadow is pretty incredible. While it's not quite sisters with Sin, it's a very close cousin. It does the same job, while not being a carbon copy of it. I have very deepset eyes, which is why I love high shimmer (but NEVER glitter), light colors to make my eyes pop. The shimmer in this baby is twice as powerful as Sin's, which means you won't have to layer it on or waste any. The color is different too; it doesn't have that peach or pink tone. It's more of a cool gold finish, but definitely not yellowy. It isn't frosty or metallic either, but it's not dull or flat. Like Sin, it strikes a perfect balance that looks naturally gorgeous. It really brings the greens and blues out of my grey eyes. I've used it on my other friends with brown eye color, and it also makes their eyes look more awake, and their eye color much more vibrant. I really do recommend applying this with your fingers on the lid. A brush will be just fine, but it's challenging to get more than a wash onto the lid with a brush. Using your fingers will concentrate it more, and prevent it from flicking everywhere. On contact with eyelid t really stays on and won't fade or smear. It actually looks like a second skin more than an eyeshadow, maybe due to the high pigment density. This eyeshadow is definitely worth a try, no matter your eye color. It can also be used as a gorgeous, longlasting highlighter on the waterline, inner eye corner, cupid's bow, browbone, cheekbone, or nosebridge. And you can't argue with the price, about $8 for .12 oz of product Tthis eyeshadow has rivaling quality to Urban Decay's Sin, yet is around twice as much product for half the price
14 out of 14 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -eos - Lip Balm Sphere - Strawberry Sorbet
sofaloaf 3/10/2013 8:21:00 PM
I was really expecting this to be a decent lip balm! I've seen eos balms everywhere for the last few years, and I was thinking "Where there's smoke, there's fire!"...in the sense that there must be a reason for the popularity of this product! I've been using it for about 3 months, and from when I started, to now, I'm not impressed. I rated it 3 lippies because it's not a bad product; it's non irrating, inoffensive, and not overly expensive. But it's really not a great one either. On application, it's smooth and smells/tastes very light and subtly fruity. It feels nice and lasts by itself for about 15 minutes, then my lips are left a little dryer than usual, with a bit of a strange waxy feel to them. It just doesn't do much. And yes the packaging is adorable, but don't take it out on a bus, or with you to the movies...If you drop it, you will probably never see it again! Roll on, Columbia! ;) I don't recommend this product. Resist the urge! Not worth your money.
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Cleansers -Cetaphil - Gentle Skin Cleanser
sofaloaf 2/12/2013 11:47:00 PM
It's just nice. It really is a gentle skin cleanser. It cleans off excess oil, and leaves my face soft and unflaky. I use it for days my face got too much sun, or when I've gotten too tweezer happy with my brows. It's fragrance free, doesn't sting the eyes, colorless, and nice and simple. But I'm not it's #1 fan because it really doesn't work that well to remove makeup. I can use it to remove overnight creams, tinted moisturizing, and such...But it's pretty ineffective with everything else. However, I still rated it 4 lippies because I like to use a squirt of it to sort of "loosen up" my every day makeup and mascara at the start of the shower, then use my heavy duty cleanser, then follow up with another squirt of this to clean up the eye area and any loose traces. You can buy it in a huge bottle, which is nice because I get so sick of constantly restocking and recycling all those little bottles all the time. But for first time users, I recommend starting out with a smaller bottle. Not everyone will find a use for it.
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Fragrances -Dolce & Gabbana - Light Blue
sofaloaf 2/12/2013 11:07:00 PM
Yes, it's pretty much tied with Viva La Juicy right now for "Most Obnoxiously Worn and Over Applied Fragrance by Everyone Trying to Be Classy or Just Wearing it Because it Was a Christmas Gift and I Feel Guilty For Not Wearing it" award... But you know, I still happen to like it. I know that everywhere you go, you will always smell this, however it still smells just wonderful! And guess what. I still wear it too. Maybe not in public so I won't be a hypocrite, but I really love wearing it around the house. It's just me, and Light Blue, and I'm in my happy little world imagining sand between my toes, fresh laundry, and a little bit of sunshine trailing wherever I go.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -E.L.F. - Wet Gloss Lash and Brow Clear Mascara
sofaloaf 2/12/2013 10:43:00 PM
I'm only giving this 5 lippies because I can use it for so many different things, not because it's amazing at everything I use it for. There are better quality products than this out there, but heck, I use it every day, and it's only $1. Come on. FOR EYEBROWS: This is my cheapy substitute for when I run out of my HG eyebrow gel, or this is the one I bring on trips because I could care less if I lose it. It holds my eyebrows in place better than a blast of high hold hairspray would. Which is nice, because no touch ups. Which is awful, because they feel pretty weird and crunchy with too much of this stuff on, and (speaking from personal experience here, unfortunately!) if the BF happens to feel it, boy, will it weird him out! FOR EYELASHES: But here, it's stiff hold isn't a bad thing! For those times that a natural look is appropriate, this is what I reach for. Out of all the eyebrow/lash gels I've tried, this one is the only one that is literally a sort of clear mascara. It's the only one that will actually hold a curl. It won't lengthen or volumnize of course, but it will curl and define! FOR HAIR: This product is super useful when going for a sleek bun or updo. The spoolie smooths down baby and stray hairs, and its clear gloss holds the hair in place better than most hairsprays without looking stiff or over saturated. It doesn't flake, and it dries quickly! Btw, it's dual ended, one side is for eyes, the other for brows, but honestly it really doesn't matter which side you use! I use both interchangably and it works just fine for me Overall, very useful, and I recommend!
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Brows -E.L.F. - Eyebrow Kit
sofaloaf 2/12/2013 10:32:00 PM
I feel a little twinge of shame every time, but whenever I see someone buy or use Browzing or UD's browkit, or some other $30 brow pan, I laugh to myself. Because this eyebrow kit seems to be one of the best kept secrets there is if people continue to waste their money on other kits. This brow kit is $3. And you know what, the actual product is almost exactly the same thing as the one packaged by benefit and Urban Decay. The package is a very convenient size; the longest side is about as big your ring finger. It's nicely thin and compact yet looks sturdy. The design is similar to NARS, yet without that weird gross rubber feel. It's just a streamlined, professional black case. It comes with one side of a darker wax (used for definition) that doesn't come off or smudge all day, and a lighter powder (used for filling in any sparse spots). A very useful dual ended brush is inside. One side is a firm angled brush (the brow wax and this brush can be used on the go/traveling to fix gel eyeliner by the way!!), and the other side is a slightly fluffy brush for the powder. I've found that both the powder and wax will not come off in water, yet can be removed without hassle with just a makeup wipe or your nightly face wash. For best results, I use the powder, then wax, then I comb out my brows with a spoolie, and set the whole shabam with a swipe of brow gel. Doing the filling in BEFORE combing and setting works best so that way it gets blended better and looks more natural! IMPORTANT For reference, I have very very dark brown eyebrows, and I use the Medium color. Try to match your eyebrow color to the darker color in the compact! You may need to choose a lighter kit than you think; using too harsh or dark of colors on your eyebrows will age you and make you look severe.
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Cover Girl - Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation
sofaloaf 2/10/2013 11:29:00 PM
First off, I'd just like to boo CoverGirl very briefly just to get that off my chest. Surprisingly, there are people like me that are actually lighter than Ivory!! The shades must be expanded! I don't enjoy walking around with a color gradation from my face to chest (no amount of blending totally fix too dark color!). For reference, I'm the lightest shade Lancome carries, heck, I'm the lightest shade in any brand, but I've found that Lancome has the palest foundation shades to offer. But don't get me wrong, this foundation is definitely worth hanging onto, and it will be my HG summer foundation: my face will be dark enough for it, and I'll really appreciate the kick of SPF 20 when I'm under the blazing sun Anyways, the shade issue is not a big enough problem to deter me from loving this foundation to pieces! This foundation is the business. I have to admit, the last couple weeks I've noticed reviews for this foundation popping up like crazy on the site, and it got me very curious. I'm usually not interested in trying drug store foundation because it's far more difficult to get just right. It's way more obvious to notice someone's got on awful drugstore foundation rather than an awful drugstore eyeliner. But this foundation blows so many high end ones out of the water! CG really nailed this one! I applied it the other day, very skeptically, with a light duty primer, and no setting spray, just a faint dusting of powder and bronzer. And 13 hours later, it looks almost exactly how it did at the start of the day! How is that even possible? I didn't touch have to touch up once! My usual foundation that costs 6x more than this one forces me to blot every 3 hours! The finish is a gorgeous, soft matte, not cakey at all. The consistency is slightly thicker and creamier, but feels so smooth and luxurious. It dries with enough time for me to buff it and blend it out, yet won't streak. The color stayed the same all day. Miraculously, my combination skin looked flake free and shine free. MUA asks me if I'd buy this product again. Would I buy this product again? Hells. Yeah.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Victoria's Secret - Victoria's Secret Airbrush FX Face Primer SPF 20
sofaloaf 2/10/2013 11:02:00 PM
This is just a great primer. I have combination skin that seems to take great pleasure in shedding any and all makeup I apply on it within 6 hours...Or so it did. Until this primer came on the scene. I know, it's Victoria's Secret, and they're not world renowned for their mind blowing cosmetics, but this is a serious find. The ways I love thee, my primer: -SPF 20 -Foundation lasts at max 14 hours instead of 6 -Foundation applies more evenly and is more blendable -Slight shimmer that adds a little life to matte foundations -Adds some moisture and prevents flakes -Skin is velvet soft -Smooths skin and camouflages pores -Does not break me out -Minimal odor -A doable $18 (not to mention VS has frequent sales/specials so I can stock up) But it breaks my heart after the 5 or 6th time I use a new bottle. Because, alas, this is yet another wonderful product that has fallen victim to the horrors of BAD PACKAGING! It's awful. Pure evil. It's so deceptive! It comes in a clear bottle so one can tell how much is left, and has a neat looking pump. However, after around the 6th squirt, you'll notice a consistency change. The product separates slightly and the straw thing from the pump doesn't reach all the way to the bottom! So if you aren't willing to stir up the bottle with your thinnest makeup brush you own (because the neck is TINY!), each day you'll get a surprise degree of runniness. And when you think you've got about 1/4 left, usually the rest is a dried up, useless smudgy chunk mess in the bottom because the straw won't reach down that far. It's a pity, but not as big of a pity as the fact that time after time, I come back to this primer, with full knowledge that this will happen to me again. Every time, I think to myself "No! This time it will be different! I can change it! I will make this work!" only to buy it, take it home, and be left in the cold light of my vanity's lamp every morning, feverishly trying to stir it back together.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Lancome - Hypnose Star
sofaloaf 2/4/2013 11:16:00 PM
I received this mascara as a GWP last week, which was ideal because I've found that products on MUA that are rated around 3 lippies will tend to have people that hate it, or love it. And I didn't want to buy this $28 mascara and end up throwing it away. I applied this mascara with low expectations, but my goodness!! This was actually a great mascara!! After applying it to one eye, I sat pleasantly surprised for 10 minutes and just admired how dramatic, long, and thick my lashes were. Realizing I was about to be late, I hurriedly slapped it on the other eye, and it turned out just as nicely as the other eye! It builds quickly and I can finish my eye makeup in half the time, instead of having to painstakingly apply my favorite Full n Soft. My only complaint is how unnatural my eyelashes look, yes it is possible to have natural looking dramatic lashes, but mine just look a little too clumpy and spidery to be worth buying this. Combined with the price of my lash primer I buy from Lancome, I feel like spending $70 for mascara is far too much for me, and I must continue my search for a HG dramatic mascara. So close.
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Shampoo -Mane 'n Tail - Shampoo
sofaloaf 1/14/2013 10:58:00 PM
Please for goodness's sake do not use this shampoo every day! I love it too, yes, but it is actually a pretty harsh cleanser. I like to use it maybe once a week in order to get buildup out of my hair, and a kick of volume. I actually started using this on my horse first. She loves nothing more than to frustrate me by rolling around in mud and well, her own poo, right before show weekends. I found that this shampoo was great for getting everything out of her fur and de-matting it. It's great because it is mild enough where it won't irritate her skin, yet cleans effectively. Then I heard that people were using it, too, so I decided to give it a try. And yes, it is a great shampoo for me and all, but bear in mind, that this is actually a horse shampoo. It is not a human shampoo people like to use on horses, it is a horse shampoo we like to use on people. It still is pretty harsh on human hair (it does contain sulfates), because it is designed to clean horse hair. Horse hair's shaft is much much thicker, more coarse (that's why they make violin bows from it), and picks up more dirt, calling for a stronger cleaner like said shampoo. All in all, this shampoo is cheap, smells great, lathers great, and will really clean your scalp. However, exercise some caution, as regular use may take a toll on the moisture and health of your hair.
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Styling Products -Redken - Glass
sofaloaf 1/13/2013 1:13:00 AM
I am not impressed. I rated it 3 lippies, and my lack of success was not because of my hair. My hair works well with practically every product, and does not get greasy or frizzy easily. Sorry glass, it's not me, it's you. Before I joined MUA, I was using a different reviewing site that didn't always have the most knowledgeable members...which lead me to the decision of purchasing this serum. All I can say is that I am so thankful I bought the $10 travel size bottle, rather than the $30 bottle. Because this stuff is just so mediocre. It's not bad. But it's really not worth your time. O Glass Serum, let me count the ways you disappoint me: 1. It doesn't make your hair that shiny. I've had drugstore shampoos that give me glossier hair than this product does. 2. It doesn't smell that good. It doesn't smell awful...it just kinda smells like an old man and hairspray 3. It costs $30 for 4 ounces. 4. You have to dispense the product into your hand in the squeeze bottle way. This means its near impossible to get all of your hair evenly treated, it's easy to pour far too much out and it's hard to put back in, and it gets all over your hands. 5. It tends to weigh hair down 6. It's easy to overdo....hellooo grease! Do yourself a favor and pick up Garnier Fructis's Brillantine shine spray, it costs half the price and gives 5 times for shine. Actually, just pick up any other drugstore shine spray, because I guarantee it will be cheaper, more effective, and less messy than this product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -Too Faced - Milk Chocolate Soleil
sofaloaf 1/13/2013 12:53:00 AM
Argh. Well. I'm begrudgingly giving this 5 lippies. The #1 most important thing to know before purchasing this bronzer: Check the box to make sure it is the color you want! There are two colors: Milk Chocolate, and the original Chocolate soleil. And it is not clearly marked on the box, which is a pain when you are rushing to finish errands. Yes, I wanted to buy the original color and came home accidentally with the milk chocolate version, but I really don't want to drive all the way back to Ulta (hooray for living in a rural area said no makeup junkie ever). But it's totally my fault for not taking the time to be sure I had the right product. And it totally deserves the 5 lippies, I'm just frustrated because I don't want it as much as the original. Here's why it gets 5: This is the perfect matte bronzer. Hands down. Too Faced really nailed this one. The texture is so smooth and soft, it almost feels creamy. And my goodness, the smell! It smells so sweet and yummy! This smells like real milk chocolate, a little more on the sweet, vanilla, sugary side than actual chocolate. The chocolaty smell is not as strong as the original Chocolate Soleil, there is a marked difference. The color is gorgeous. I truly feel guilty that I'm not satisfied and I still want my Chocolate Soleil. This color is a soft brown. No icky, unflattering orange or red tones. I am the lightest shade they offer in Lancome's line of foundation (and they carry practically the lightest you can get on the market) and the color is gorgeous and subtle, the perfect glow. The color stayed the same throughout the day, and I only had to do a little touchup towards the end. The packaging is very pretty, it's shiny and sleek, and not too bulky. It holds a good amount of powder. Now at this point, you may be wondering "Wow this bronzer sounds great, but why the heck is her quest for the holy grail still continuing?!" And that's where the price factor comes in. A compact of this is $29...it's not obscene, but it's definitely not cheap! The reason why I wanted Chocolate Soleil was not because I am super pale and want to cake it on and make myself 5 shades darker, but because I've heard how pigmented it is. With the original version, I'm so pale it would take one swipe to get enough for contouring. With the milk chocolate version, I need to go through 3 times more every use. Bottom line for pale girls: If you don't mind spending this much money for bronzer, and you aren't super savvy with contouring and blending intense colors, then this Milk Chocolate color is the product for you! If you want to save your money for other things, and don't mind taking time to blend out the deepness, then original Chocolate Soleil is the one to get!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No