Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Nail Magic
stacey0125 9/6/2011 7:40:00 PM
I would have to say that this is by far THE BEST nail hardener/strengthener that I have ever used. And trust me, I have used them all. I decided after having acrylics for almost 15 yrs to take them off and try to go au natural...LOL this was the most frustrating thing I think I've ever done. I tried lots and lots of products that didnt work. But this product I think may just be the last one I need to buy. It is not perfect. So let me start with the bad: The only bad thing about this product is it makes my nail beds burn REALLY bad for about 2-3 hours after I put it on. Sometimes it's almost unbearable. Its the most bizarre thing too. I dont know why they hurt so bad because of this. Also even the next day after I put this on a few of my nails were actually sore and hurt to touch or use. Its almost like its bonding your nail fibers together or something because once it dries your nails are so hard...its crazy! No other nail strengthener has made my nails this hard. Its like I put acrylic over my real nails....thats how hard they are. So that is a good thing because my nails are very weak and thin right now from wearing acrylics for so many years. I really needed something to harden them up so they wouldnt break and they could actually grow. I found it! But this is a little painful to use ...LOL If you are really serious about growing out your nails and dont mind a little pain/maybe a lot of pain...then go for this. I took advil before I put it on tonight....it hurts! GOD I must be crazy but I guess beauty is painful sometimes. **UPDATE** 09/10/2011 Ok I have to change by previous review from a 4 to 3. This is a great product for giving your nails extra strength, however the main issue I have with this is I CANT use it on my whole nail. It burns something awful. I feel like my nail beds are on fire and there is a horrible pressure feeling like someone is pressing on my fingers with a hammer. The only 3 times Ive used it, it was so bad that within 30 mins I had to remove it will nail polish remover. It also caused a few of my nails to actually seperate from the nail bed and they are still so sore to the touch from that. I have actually found a way to use this that I think will work for me as well as anyone else who had this simliar effect with this product. I went to Sephora (you can go to any beauty supply store) and I bought a very thin eyeliner brush (the smaller the better) and I basically just dip the tip of that (dont dip the whole brush in the polish) into the Nail Magic and very carefully paint that on the TIPS ONLY. I dont get any of the product on my nail bed or any of my skin. If I have nails that dont have tips then I just skip those. After that completely dries I put 2 coats of OPI Nail Envy over it ( I can use this and its great- no burnies) and then if I want to apply polish then I wait for the Nail Envy to dry and I do my nails as normal. This has been good and has really given my tips an amazing strength that they didnt have before. No breaks or chips since I starting doing it this way. I will update if the results prove not successful-but so far so good!
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Polishes -China Glaze - Ruby Pumps
stacey0125 6/18/2011 3:30:00 PM
Pictures do NOT do this beautiful colors justice. I am normally not a big fan of red polish. However the last time I was at Sally's I was browsing the nail polish section and came across this shade. It is deeper red shade with lots of red sparkles flecks (think dorothy from Wizard of OZ red slippers) and it is gorgeous! I finally got around to putting it on last night and two coats is more than enough to cover and after you put the top coat on this color really pops and looks so beautiful and shiny ( i use the Seche Vite topcoat and it works amazingly well) I would definitley buy this again but this one bottle will last me forever!
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Moisturizers -Josie Maran Cosmetics - Argan oil
stacey0125 5/21/2011 5:13:00 PM
This product has literally SAVED my face. I have been using stuff for about 3 weeks now. I was a little hesitant to put oil on my face as my skin is very acne prone and also sensitive. I dont know why but prior to using this I was having a horrible couple of months where I was getting cystic acne on and around my chin constantly. I was getting so depressed about it and tried everything-but nothing worked and most things I tried only made it worse. I actually bought this ONLY for the moisturizing properites because my skin was starting to get very flakey and dry from all the acne stuff I was using to treat my acne. Ladies if you have cystic acne, listen up- All my acne went away as soon as I started using this and also I cut out ALL PRODUCTS that are made for acne (like salicylic acid, benoyole peroxide, etc) This is my daily routine, and within 1 week my skin was completley clear and was glowing and it has been 3 weeks and NO ACNE-NOT ONE! This has never happened and I am still so amazed that my skin looks this great. Heres what I do: Morning Routine: 1. Philosophy Purity Cleanser 2. Josie Maran Argan Oil (6 drops patted on to face, let sink in 2-3 mins) 2. Followed up with Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Moisturizer. THATS it for morning (I know, No SPF-but my makeup has SPF in it and most SPF's in moisturizers burn my face. As I said before I am very sensitive. Night Routine: 1. Remove all eye and face makeup with unscented sensitive baby wipe with Olive Oil on it (this is such a great way to gently and effectively remove ALL makeup and it is so cheap) 2. Philosophy Purity Wash w/ Clarisonic ( I dont use the Clarisonic in the morning, only at night) 3. Olay Night Resurfacing Elixer (2 pumps-wait 5 mins to soak in) 4. Josie Maran Argan Oil (6 drops patted on face-wait 2-3 mins) 5. Neutrogena ageless restoratives night moisture And Wala! Beautiful Skin- Hope this helps you guys out. It worked wonders for me, but everyone's skin is different. But if your skin is like mine-sensitive, prone to breakouts in the chin area and you want to try something a little less harsh than give it a try! I will be buying this stuff for the rest of my life-I may opt for a cheaper version though. This stuff is pretty expensive-That is THE ONLY con though!
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Liquid -Make Up For Ever - Mat Velvet PLUS Matifying Foundation
stacey0125 5/13/2011 11:43:00 AM
I really love this foundation. I had been using Bare Minerals Matte Foundation prior to this and I wasnt satisfied AT All with the coverage. It only provided sheer coverage at best. I purchased Revlon Colorstay and I was ok with that, however it was cakey, hard to blend and looked really unnatural. I follow YouTube's MakeupbyTiffanyD's channel religiously and she wears this and swears by it so I finally decided to try it out. I am so glad I did. It takes a while to get color matched, however the formula is amazing. It provides full coverage IMO but doesnt look cakey at all. You need just the smallest amount so this would last me probably at least 6 months so even though it is expensive it will last you forever. I am really satisfied with this and will definitley be repurchasing...HG all the way!!!!
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Highlighters -Bare Escentuals - Pure Radiance
stacey0125 5/6/2011 3:47:00 PM
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this product. Not too long ago (maybe a few months back) I wasnt really into the whole glowy face look. I thought it made me look "shiny" but I decided to give this a try one day because it came in a kit I had purchased. OMG I love the way this lights up my face. I put a little swipe down my nose, on my cheek bones and then a little on my forehead and chin. It makes me look alive and glowy without every looking shiny. The foundations I wear are matte formulas so this helps counteract that by putting a little more life into my face. Definitley a repurchase. I have this in the color Pure and the Clear Radiance...Both are awesome but I have been reaching for Pure more as it has a nice bronze tint to it- Clear it more of a pink tint (not sheer) but it barely shows up- it just makes your face look glowy and heathly. These are HG and I use them everday after apply my foundation!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Paint Pot in Soft Ochre
stacey0125 4/22/2011 12:56:00 PM
This is a great color for those with yellow undertones in their skin as it has a little bit of a yellowish-cream color. I do love the color and they way it applies, however I would not buy this again and here is why: First of all if you are buying this as an eyeshadow primer to make your eyeshadow last longer, you are better off going with Urban Decay Primer Potion. This creases and doesnt last long at all. The only way I was able to get this not to crease was to apply UDPP underneath which is completley pointless since this is a base. I will probably use what I have because it will last me forever, but I will not be repurchasing this. One thing I do like this for is on lazy days or on the weekends when I want a polished-but easy look- I will just use this by itself and it give a nice color to the eyelid but like I said it will crease usually with just an hour or so. Overall 3 lippies because it creases and doesnt work well with eyeshadows. I will not be repurchasing this product.
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Treatments -Neutrogena - Ageless Intensives Deep Wrinkle Serum
stacey0125 4/11/2011 11:07:00 AM
I can't say that this product doesnt work because I didnt use it long enough or consistently enough to see. I can tell you that the smell is horrible. I dont know if I got a bad batch or what but it literally smelled just like nail polish remover! I swear. I could have even got past the smell but everytime I used this the next day I would wake up with cystic acne on my chin. It was the only different product I was adding to my regimen. I wish it would have worked for me but I think the breakouts had to do with the silicone (it has dimethicone in the ingredients) so if you are sensitive to silicones, you might want to steer clear of this one. Im sure it would work great if you weren't sensitive to silcones, I love all of the neutrogena products I have used, but this one went in the garbage last night sadly to say! The search goes on.
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Blush -Bare Escentuals - Aubergine
stacey0125 3/25/2011 11:28:00 AM
This blush is a very pretty rosy pink shade with some shimmer. At first when I looked at it in Sephora I was a little scared (kinda like their Fruit Cocktail shade, but that as well is gorgeous on-just a little scary in the container...lol) it is very dark looking, but when applied with a light hand it gives a natural flushed rosy tint to your cheeks and the shimmer doesnt even really show. It just creates a nice natural glow. I have about 8 different blushes from BE, and I love them all. The are very pigmented, last a long time and the great thing is that they are natural and I have never broke out using them-and I have very sensitive/acne prone skin. They have a wide range of colors as well. The price at $18 may seem a little high, but I have had some of my blushes from their line for over a year and I havent even put a dent in them-it will last you FOREVER! YAY for Bare Escentuals :)
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Makeup Brushes -Ecotools - Bamboo Blush Brush
stacey0125 3/16/2011 2:56:00 PM
I got this brush at my local Wal-Mart, and I have to that for a drugstore brush this is amazing! It is so soft as a lot of other users have mentioned. that is one of the reasons I love it so much. It feels so nice and smooth on your face, and it applies blush very nicely, I have also used this as a bronzer brush and it works great for that as well. I really like this brand so far. I think I will be trying more of their brushes because based on this one they are amazing!
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Insta-Dri Nailpolish Colors
stacey0125 3/15/2011 1:04:00 PM
I LOVE this nail polish. I have the royal blue color, purple, dark red and a true red color (sorry I don't know the names of them) but I can tell you that these are great. They really do dry quite fast and the color payoff is amazing. I get these at my local Wal-Mart and you can't beat the price at $5 or less. I use my Diamond Dry top coat, and I am not even kidding- my nails are dry within 5 mins. Its awesome! Definitley will repurchase.
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Scrubs -Unlisted Brand - Sugar
stacey0125 3/15/2011 12:26:00 PM
I have been using sugar as a facial scrub for over a year now. I got the idea from a book I read written by make-up artist Carmindy (she's on TLC'S "What Not To Wear) and I thought how simple and brillant is this. I works great. Unlike a lot of other scrubs I have used this actually scrubs your skin and you can feel it taking off all the dead skin, other scrubs I have used you can barely even feel the exfoliation- and they either irritated my skin, broke me out, turned my face red or just didnt work. This works as an amazing scrub. It works and leaves my skin SO SO Soft afterwards, Doesnt dry out my skin either which is a huge plus. this is my HG scrub and I will never use anything but this again. Dont waste your money-this is great and is so inexpensive!
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Loose Powders -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Loose Powder
stacey0125 3/14/2011 5:06:00 PM
I got the trial size sample of this about 3 months ago at my local Sephora and I am still using it. This stuff lasts forever and its amazing. If you have oily skin like me this will really help because it will make your face matte and take away the shine without looking cakey or like you applied a bunch of makeup on your face. I have heard a lot of reviewers say that it turns your face white and I think they must be using way too much. What I do is I put a very small amount in the lid then swirl, tap and put it on. You put it on kinda how you would mineral makeup. The only thing I hate about this product is the packaging. It doesnt have a sifter and for a while when I had a lot left in the jar, product would get everywhere when I opened the lid so that was a pain. Other than that I really love this. I use it as a setting powder over my foundation, and then also throughout the day to control oil/shine! Will repurchase again.
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Blush -Bare Escentuals - Fruit Cocktail
stacey0125 3/14/2011 3:56:00 PM
I absoultely love this blush. I was at my local Sephora looking for a new blush (pink in color) when the SA showed me this color. I have to admit I was a little turned off by the clownish pink color in the container (it is very bright pink) and wouldnt have normally chosen this color on my own. But she got a blush brush and put some on me and I loved it! It is the perfect pink blush, gives a nice healthly glow- But the trick is to use a very light hand cause otherwise you will look overdone. It has a bit of shimmer to it, but it doesnt show up at all once its on. Its just makes your skin look healthly and glowy! Love it
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Blush -NARS - Orgasm Blush
stacey0125 3/14/2011 10:47:00 AM
I have been wanting to get this blush for a long time. I am a huge fan of a couple of the makeup guru's on YouTube and have been watching a few of their tutorials. They all swear by this blush and use it all the time in their tutorials. I just never really wanted to pay nearly $30 for ONE blush. I had a palette that I hadn't really used that I bought from Sephora, so I decided to take that back and exchange it for this (Gotta love Sephora's Return Policy :) ) anyways, I do love this color and I think it would flatter most skin tones. It is very pigmented and the color last longer than some other blushes I have tried. I am not sure its worth $27- I mean its a great blush. This will probably last forever- One of my friends has had her for 2 yrs and still hasnt hit pan. I dont know if I would buy again just because of the price- but I do love this blush! 4/11/2011 ***UPDATE*** I had to switch my original review from lippies to . After using this blush about a week or so I finally returned it. It just isnt work , plus it barely showed up on my skin. And I am not dark skined. I use medium shades in the BE line , So I am quite light. I have blushed from Bare Escentuals that I paid $18 for and completely blow this blush out of the water. So yes it is good. Is it worth $27? Not really, and probably only suitable if you have pretty light skin since as I said it barely showed up on my medium complexion.
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Skincare - Face -Philosophy - When Hope Is Not Enough - Serum
stacey0125 3/12/2011 5:00:00 PM
I got this serum as part of the Philosophy "Make-up Optional Set" The only thing in that entire set that I like was the Purity face wash and the Hope in a Jar moisturizer was pretty nice as well. Everything else was so-so, but this was the one thing that was a huge disappointment. You would think with the $40+ price tag that you would at least see minimal results, but nothing. I could barely stand the smell. I'm not the type of person that is sensitive to smells either, but this was so bad that I literally had to plug my nose every day when I put it on, a few times I thought I was going to start dry heaving it was that bad. I ended up using it for about 5 weeks and got so sick of it doing absolutley NOTHING-that I ended up throwing it in the garbage where it belongs. Will NOT be repurchasing this disappointing product.
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