BB Cream -Maybelline - Dream Fresh 8-in-1 BB Cream
sugarbrokespice 8/14/2012 1:11:00 PM
This is my first ever experience with a BB Cream, so I really can't compare this product to others in the same category. I can say, however, that I prefer this foundation to any of the other liquid foundations that I've tried, including MAC Studio Finish and Revlon Colorstay. I admit I had low expectations for this foundation. My last experience with a Maybelline foundation did not end well. I've not had positive experiences with Maybelline products in general, aside from their 24 Hour concealer which I love. But I ended up buying this on a whim from CVS, half expecting to return it after one use. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Before switching to this BB cream, I'd been using Revlon Colorstay. I was happy with it up until recently, when my skin started looking dull, oily and breaking out. My skin has done a complete 180 since I started using Dream Fresh. I've been using this for about a week, and I can already tell that it's improving my complexion. My skin tone is starting to look even and healthy without foundation. Wearing it gives my skin that extra little something that it needs. It says on the label that it "Blurs imperfections", but I'd say it does a bit more that that. It really makes my skin look flawless. I was nervous that the moisturizers in this would break me out, but I have not had a single pimple since I started wearing it. Plus I've noticed that red marks left from pimples that have healed are becoming lighter and less noticeable as well. I previously used 200 Nude in Revlon Colorstay, and I find that the Light shade in Dream Fresh blends really well with my skin tone. The coverage is light to medium, which is generally what I need. I think a few years ago when I was struggling with acne this foundation would have been too sheer for me. When I wore Colorstay I would have to reapply powder in the afternoon/evening because I would start to look oily. I have not had that issue with Dream Fresh, and I find that I can go the whole day without the need to reapply powder. I would like to try other BB creams sometime in the future, just to experiment. But for now, I'm very happy with Dream Fresh BB Cream, and I will definitely repurchase.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -John Frieda - luxurious volume hairspray
sugarbrokespice 9/4/2010 12:35:00 AM
I actually really love this hairspray. For me, this product gives me great volume and hold that lasts all day. I have super fine and thin hair, so anything that manages to make my hair look fuller is a God send for me. This hairspray is especially good at giving me volume at the crown. I like to wear my bangs swept to the side, but one thing I hate is when they separate, or start to fall into my eyes. This hairspray keeps my bangs absolutely set to wherever I style them, until I brush them out at night before I go to bed. It holds my bangs in place even in those strong, nasty head-on wind type situations! (strong wind is any fine-haired girl's worst nightmare) It does make hair "stiff" if you spray too much, or too close to your head, but I find that is easily remedied by brushing through it. The great thing about that is that the hold on this hairspray is so phenomenal, that even after I brush through it, my style is not ruined and the volume is still going strong! The volume that I get with this product is just amazing, I really can't say that enough. It is a bit sticky when you first spray it on, as many hairsprays are, but that disappears after a few seconds once the product actually dries. I have never had any problems with brushing my hair, or tangling, after I have sprayed this product on my hair. The smell is just your average hairspray type smell. I did not find it over powering or offensive at all. All in all, I love this product, and would even go so far as to call it my favorite drug store hairspray. Will definitely repurchase!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -NYX - Doll Eye Mascara - Volume
sugarbrokespice 6/14/2010 8:59:00 PM
Love it! This is the closest thing to a Dior Show dupe that I've found so far. Makes my lashes look very long and lovely, with no clumping whatsoever. It isn't really the absolute most volumizing mascara that I've ever used (which I found to be rather ironic, considering that this is supposed to be the volumizing version of Doll Eye), but it works well nonetheless. I also loves how it gives my lashes a curled appearance, even on days when I don't curl them. It is buildable, so you can apply one coat for a more natural look, or many for a more dramatic look. The only con to this mascara is that, like Dior Show, it seems to aggravate my allergies a bit. It's not a full on allergic reaction, more like it mildly irritates my eyes from time to time. I love the way that it makes my lashes look, so I will continue to use it, just not every day.
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Styling Products -Sexy Hair Concepts - Powder Play
sugarbrokespice 6/14/2010 1:17:00 AM
So it turns out this product is kind of awesome. I have to admit I was kinda expecting it to suck. But I was really curious to try it, so I got the travel size for $2 at Trade Secret. I used it for the first time today and WOW, it does exactly what it says it will on the bottle (which is a pretty big deal, since most hair products promise the moon but rarely deliver). It adds loads of volume (which is very hard to do with my super fine hair) and texture. I wore my hair in a side pony today and it stayed looking fluffy and cute, with volume at the crown. I don't tease my hair, but I imagine this product would work great for people that do. This product is very unique. I've never used anything else like it. It comes out of the bottle a white powder, but turns almost liquid-y when it touches skin or hair. The directions say to shake it directly onto your hair, but I shook it into my hands first, rubbed them together, and then applied it to my hair (concentrating on the roots, mainly). My hair color is medium brown and, even though this powder is white, it did not leave any weird white residue on my hair. It blended right in once I applied it. Planning on getting the full size of this as soon as I can. The only down side is that it is kinda on the pricey side.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Unlisted Brand - Dickinson's Witch Hazel
sugarbrokespice 6/11/2010 3:58:00 AM
This stuff makes my skin look really refined and, dare I say, glowy even. I have been using it as a replacement toner for the AcneFree system (best drug store ProActiv dupe I have found). So far, my skin is clearing up wonderfully. For me, the true test of any skin care product is when my "monthly visitor" comes a-callin'. Usually I get horrible cystic acne break outs around that time. But not this month. I had maybe one or two small blemishes, at most. I love that this toner does not make my skin feel dry or tight. Witch hazel is natural and gentle, so I feel like I'm soothing my skin whenever I use it, rather than stripping it bare like many harsh toners tend to do. I can see a visible difference as soon as I swipe a cotton pad of this toner over my face. It evens out the tone and texture of my skin very quickly. There are only a couple of downsides that I have noticed with this product. For one, I don't really feel like it removes left over makeup as well as other toners that I have tried. I think that Avalon Organics Vitamin C toner is actually better in that capacity (however, it is also more expensive than Dickinson's Witch Hazel). The second downside is the smell....I'm not gonna lie, it's pretty tragic. Probably one of the worst smelling skincare products that I have ever tried. But different people react differently to certain smells, so not everyone is going to be as put off by it. There really is no way to describe in words how it smells. Sometimes, after I've put it on my face, the smell almost reminds me of expired uncooked hot dogs or something..that's really the closest thing I can compare it to. Let's just say it's a very unique smell and leave it at that. Regardless, it is an amazing product and I highly recommend it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -LUSH - Heavenly Bodies Buttercream
sugarbrokespice 6/1/2010 2:00:00 AM
I got the Heavenly Bodies Buttercream as a sample last week when I dropped by LUSH to pick up a few bubble bars. The sales associate informed me that Heavenly Bodies has actually been discontinued. So a word to the wise, if you are in love with this soap, snap it up while you still can. As for me, LUSH's buttercreams are one product that I desperately want to love, but always end up feeling very "blah" about. I had previously received a sample of the Lemslip Buttercream the last time I was in, and I actually prefer that one over Heavenly Bodies. At least I could manage to get some lather out of Lemslip. Heavenly Bodies did not lather at all. I know that the buttercreams aren't supposed to lather very much, but at least the Lemslip lathered a little. It is very difficult to be sure that you are really getting yourself clean when the soap pretty much disappears on your body/bath poof. I nearly used my whole sample in one shower because I kept desperately trying to work it into my bath poof and get it to do something...anything! But it would just leave a weird brown film on my poof, then disappear completely once it got anywhere near my body. The scent was pleasing at first...very yummy. A deep, woodsy/earthy chocolate fragrance. But after a while it became almost too much, to the point where the smell kinda bothers me now. I feel that the buttercreams are pretty over priced for what you get, as well. I think they are nice in theory, but fall short in performance. Glad that I only ever tried this one as a sample.
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Mascara -Prestige - My Biggest Lashes 
sugarbrokespice 5/28/2010 3:37:00 AM
A few alternate names for this mascara could be "My Spidery-est Lashes" or "My Biggest Disappointment." I was so excited to try this mascara, since I've heard such great things about it. When I finally made it over to Rite Aid (the only place I know of in my area that carries Prestige products) there was only one tube of this left, so I snapped it up. I was expecting a Diorshow dupe. Instead, this mascara left my lashes spidery and stiff looking. It didn't add any length or volume, and caused of few of my lashes to start curling out in weird/random directions at the tips. It was very strange. I much prefer CoverGirl's LashBlast Fusion or Rimmel's Volume Flash The Max over My Biggest Lashes. On the plus side, this mascara did not aggravate my allergies, and the packaging is extremely cute. Other than that, it was very hard for me to find anything that liked about this product, which is a real shame because I so wanted to love it.
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Skincare - Face -AcneFree - All Products
sugarbrokespice 5/21/2010 3:57:00 PM
This is the first drug store dupe for ProActiv that I've found that really works. I used ProActiv for about a year with amazing results, but then it stopped working for me. I've been searching for a replacement for a few years now, and I think that AcneFree might be it. In fact, I actually like it better than ProActiv in certain ways. For one, I always felt like ProActiv was way too harsh on my skin. Since it has micro exfoliators in it, I felt as though it was too abrasive for everyday use. AcneFree does not have the same gritty texture. It has exfoliators, but is not as densely packed with them as ProActiv, so it feels more gentle. I also didn't like the way ProActiv would bleach my clothing. I never liked the idea of using a product harsh enough to bleach my pillow case on my skin. I've been using AcneFree for a couple of weeks now and it has not bleached any of my clothes. Also, ProActiv left my skin super dry and flakey. AcneFree has not dried my skin out at all. As far as actually treating my breakouts, AcneFree works just as well as ProActiv for me. If I notice a pimple forming before I go to bed, I will just concentrate a bit more of the Repairing Lotion (it even has names for it's products that are similar to ProActiv..lol) on it, and the pimple will literally be gone (or greatly reduced if it's a super large one) in the morning. I'm almost back to the point where I can go foundationless and not be ashamed of my skin. Also, the whole AcneFree kit is only $20. I used to buy a single bottle of ProActiv cleanser for that price at the kiosk in the mall. The whole ProActiv kit was around $60 at the same kiosk. True, you can get ProActiv online for about $20, but that includes the whole annoying autoship aspect that many people don't want to deal with. So if you've always wanted to try ProActiv, but couldn't afford it, then try AcneFree. It works just as good, at a fraction of the cost. Plus, it's a lot easier to get a hold of, as you can buy AcneFree at many drug stores. The only downside to AcneFree is that the packaging is very cheap looking. I'm also on the fence about the AcneFree Toner. It works well, but contains alcohol, which I typically try to avoid in my toners. I will probably replace it with natural witch hazel and see how that goes.
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast Fusion
sugarbrokespice 5/5/2010 4:17:00 PM
WOW. This has got to be one of my all time fav mascaras! I am not a fan of the original LashBlast at all. I thought it was average at best. LashBlast Fusion, on the other hand, is amazing. It blows the original out of the water, as far as I'm concerned. I have always heard people claim that certain mascaras give them a false lash look, but have never experienced that until now. Fusion really does make my lashes look like falsies! This mascara makes my lashes look long, defined, fuller, and thicker. LashBlast Fusion truly does multitask. A definite repurchase for me! I have been a long time skeptic of the whole LashBlast line, but Cover Girl, you finally won me over. If I had to pick one down side to this product, it would be the largeness of the brush (as was one of my gripes with the original LashBlast). It is very big, and makes it almost impossible to reach tinier lashes, such as the ones on the inner corner of the lid. But since I love this new formula so much, I can put my issues with the brush aside and just enjoy how plush it makes my lashes look.
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Liquid -Maybelline - SuperStay Makeup - New Version
sugarbrokespice 5/3/2010 8:31:00 PM
If I had to choose one word to describe this foundation it would be "eh.." It's not horrible, but it's not jaw-dropingly amazing either. It tends to look oily on my skin after wearing it for a few hours. My skin tone is NW20 and I purchased this foundation in Sand Beige. It starts out matching me pretty good, but turns slightly orange on me after wearing it for a few hours. Which may just mean that I need to try a lighter shade, but is annoying nonetheless. As for it's claims to last all day, I would say yes and no. Yes, in that it doesn't fade or crack or slip off blemishes. No, in that it gets so darn OILY. I feel that if a foundation is to claim that it "lasts 24 hours," then oil control should be part of that. If my face looks like an oil slick mid-day, then I don't consider it to be a true 24 hour wear foundation. My skin is combination, but leans more towards the dry end of the spectrum. I tend to get patches of skin so dry that they flake, so to go from that to an oil slick leads me to blame the foundation. It claims that it doesn't transfer, which is untrue. I've pretty much given up hope of finding a foundation that doesn't transfer at this point, so no big surprises there. Though in SuperStay's defense, it doesn't seem to transfer as much as MACs Studio Fix Fluid. However, when I use this foundation in combination with a primer, it looks pretty great, and does not turn oily. But I don't like wearing foundation primer everyday, as it tends to aggravate breakouts and prevent the skin from "breathing." Therefore, I don't see SuperStay ever becoming my everyday foundation. On the plus side, I've noticed that SuperStay makes my skin look especially flawless in photos, even more so than Revlon's PhotoReady. That's all well and good, but it would be better if it looked as good in person as it does in pictures. I don't think that I will repurchase this foundation in the future. I still prefer Studio Fix Fluid and PhotoReady over SuperStay.
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Eye Shadow -Milani - Runway Eyes Single Shadows
sugarbrokespice 4/28/2010 11:02:00 PM
I bought two of these, Beach Sand and Bronze Doll, and right now I'm obsessed with them! I absolutely love these two colors together! They are super flattering on my NW20 skin and hazel eyes. I use Beach Sand all over the lid, and Bronze Doll in the crease. It gives me a super fun, bronze goddess type look. I will definitely be rocking these shades a lot this summer! As other reviewers have mentioned, the glitter is only on the top layer, and once you get past it the shade is matte. So if you are looking for a super glittery shadow, best to steer clear of these. I personally don't care, because I think that these shades are just as lovely without the glitter. And in a way, it's kind of like having two products in one: a matte and glitter version of the same shade. Though I do agree it is false advertising, and I can understand how people expecting a shimmery shade might feel disappointed once they realize the glitter isn't throughout the whole product. I think these work best when paired with an eye shadow primer (I use Urban Decay's Primer Potion). These shadows are labeled as wet/dry, and I personally feel they work better when used wet. Using them wet and in combination with a primer will help intensify the color payoff significantly. I found that these shadows are easy to apply and blend as well. I did not experience any problems with creasing or smudging either. However, this is most likely due to the primer, so I really can't speak for how well this product lasts on its own, as I have never used these shadows without a primer. I have extremely sensitive eyes, and so far these shadows have not aggravated my allergies. Not the best shadows ever made, but a great product at a low price. I would love to try the other shades in the collection!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Clinique - All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage
sugarbrokespice 4/27/2010 2:46:00 AM
I'm pretty impressed with this product. I was skeptical at first, because the SA at the Clinique counter kinda talked me into getting this. I was trying to find an eye cream because I am in my late 20s and want to start using it as a preventative measure. I have some faint fine lines starting to form, which I believe are mostly due to dryness, but I would like to start nipping them in the bud now rather than later. So my main goal was to find an eye product that not only moisturizes well, but also works to prevent/diminish fine lines and wrinkles. I expressed that to the SA and she recommended this product. After I got home, I realized that the product seems to be geared more towards puffiness and dark circles...neither of which are a very big concern with me. I was seriously considering returning this product, but decided to give it a go. I'm glad that I did because it has really made a huge difference with the appearance of the skin around my eyes! My fine lines have practically vanished. My eye area looks healthy and well moisturized. And this product feels SO GOOD when you apply it! That is my fav part! It feels so cooling and refreshing. I use it AM and PM and it is definitely very comforting and soothing, especially after a long day. I use this in conjunction with Garnier's Ultra Lift Anti-Wrinkle Eye Firming Cream, which never seemed to do much by itself, but seems to be working wonders now that I've paired it with the Clinique All About Eyes Serum. I think the serum does most of the work, and the Garneir cream just provides that extra bit of moisture that my eyes really need. The serum in and of itself is decently moisturizing, but not as much as a cream. So far I'm very pleased. Even if you are like me and don't really have much of an issue with puffy eyes or super dark circles, give this product a shot. It really does help moisturize and diminish the appearance of fine lines as well. Plus it is only 25 bucks, which is pretty good in the land of eye treatments. However, I do think that it works best when paired with other eye treatments, such as a cream or gel.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -The Body Shop - Banana Nourishing Conditioner 
sugarbrokespice 4/12/2010 4:51:00 PM
This is a pretty good conditioner. It's not my most favorite, but it's a fun product. It smells yummy, like a banana smoothie from Jamba Juice or something. The smell typically lasts a few hours on my hair. I only gave it 3 lippies because I feel, conditioner wise, it's rather middle of the road. I like that it doesn't appear to have any silicones on the ingredient list, which is good. It's made up of very simple and natural ingredients. However, the consistency is very thin, and I typically prefer richer conditioners. I find that I need to use A LOT of this conditioner in order to get results. The first time I tried it, I used a typical amount, but found that it left my hair looking as if I hadn't used conditioner at all. Now I use about two medium sized palm fulls and it works a lot better. It does make my hair soft, shiny, and healthy looking, but I don't really like the fact that I have to use so much of it. They don't really give you a lot to begin with, so if I were to use this everyday I would go through it crazy-fast. And the thing is, I have long fine hair, so I can only imagine that people with super thick hair must use this stuff like water. Due to the amount that I have to use, I consider this conditioner a special treat for my hair, rather than a daily conditioner. I only use it on occasion so that I don't run through it too quickly. It's a fun specialty item, and I would probably repurchase it at some point. I'm definitely glad that I bought it, since it's somewhat rare and the Body Shop doesn't always carry it, but it's not my HG conditioner.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Unlisted Brand - Aspirin Mask
sugarbrokespice 4/9/2010 12:33:00 AM
This is the best home remedy that I have ever tried. I have acne prone skin, and I often get huge, painful cysts that last for weeks. When I first heard about this mask, I knew that it would work. Why? Because aspirin is also known as salicylic acid. And, as we all know, salicylic acid is a proven acne fighting ingredient. I just wasn't prepared for exactly how well this mask would work. A few weeks ago I had a huge cystic pimple on my cheek. I mean HUGE. It was about the size of a quarter. I read up about this mask on MUA, and decided to give it a try. I took 4 uncoated aspirin (very important to use uncoated. the coated kind is harder to turn into a mask), and kept adding drops of water until the aspirin melted and turned into sort of a mushy, grainy consistency. Then I applied the mask to my face, using sort of a dabbing motion, and concentrating on the cyst. I left the mask on for about 15-20 mins, then rinsed. The cyst had already shrunken in size, and by the next morning it had shrunken down to the size of a dime. And by the day after that it had virtually vanished! So it healed in about two days. That is pretty amazing, considering that usually when I get a cyst of that size, it typically takes a few weeks for it to disappear. The aspirin mask also makes my skin baby soft. It is the best exfoliator I have ever used by far. If you have cystic acne then give the aspirin mask a shot! Just be sure not to use this if you are allergic to aspirin.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cover Girl - Exact Eyelights
sugarbrokespice 4/7/2010 7:35:00 PM
For some reason, this mascara lengthens the heck out of my lashes. Which really surprised me, because I didn't think this one counted as a lengthening mascara. My mom and I both have hazel eyes, and her eyelashes always look amazing. One day I asked what kind of mascara she uses, and she said Cover Girl Exact Eyelights in Black Gold. I was skeptical of this mascara at first (especially after reading all of the negative reviews here!), but my mom's lashes always look so darn good, so I finally broke down and gave it a try. CVS was having a buy one get one half off on all Cover Girl mascaras, so I picked up this one along with Lash Blast. I decided to do a side-by-side comparison of the two, in order to see if Eyelights actually would intensify the color of my hazel eyes. I wore Lash Blast on one eye, and Eyelights on the other. As far as bringing out my eye color....well, that's a tough call. I think that it does, but it is a very subtle effect. Don't except to put this stuff on and have your eyes turn into gloriously shimmering high beams or anything like that. It will just kind of subtly enhance what's already there. I think that the effect is probably more noticeable in natural light. What really caught my attention about this mascara, is how beautiful it made my lashes look. When I was doing my comparison between this one and Lash Blast, I asked both my mom and sister if they noticed a difference between my eyes. They both instantly could tell there was a huge difference, and both preferred the look of the Eyelights over the Lash Blast. And I have to agree. Eyelights really does a great job of making my lashes look longer (even longer than the lengthening mascara that I use!) and fuller. As mentioned, I use the one for hazel eyes called Black Gold. It's a very intense black color with little gold flecks in it. But the flecks don't scream GLITTER at all, they are actually very subtle, and can only be seen on occasion when they catch the right light. It is really a very pretty effect, and very unique. The only con I found is that I had to really use a lot of coats to get the intensity and look that I wanted. I took one lippie off for that. Overall, I love this mascara and will definitely repurchase. It's not my most favorite mascara ever, but definitely a great one in my book. I think it's kind of sad to see that this product seems to be a dud for so many other people..
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No