Lip Treatments -Burt's Bees - Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter
sunstar29 1/24/2013 10:30:00 AM
I'm a lip balm hoarder and I've been trying this product out for about 6 months (usually when there is no other lip balm in my bag haha). I love the smell of this product and how smoothly it glides on, and I also like that it's all natural. But... this lip balm is not moisturizing on me at all. It has the consistancy of a lip butter and I feel like it sits on top of my lips instead of sinking in, and it doesn't really add moisture to my lips even in humid summer months when I don't need significant moisturization. At most, I feel like this forms a barrier to maybe prevent more moisture from escaping, but it doesn't add any back. Because it doesn't sink in, it also has a pretty mediocre wear time. I expect my lip balm to come off when I eat or drink something, but there is usually sort of residue left that helps my lips feel moisturized because the product has sunk into my skin. This is just gone, and my lips feel exactly like they did before I applied the product. I'd really only recommend this to people who love the smell of mango. This does basically nothing for your lips, even the CO Bigelow glosses that aren't even supposed to be lip balms and have drying peppermint oil moisturize my lips better than this balm does.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Formula 10.0.6 - Deep Down Detox
sunstar29 1/5/2012 1:25:00 AM
I looooove this mask. It smells amazing, I love the orange scent--I put this mask on every other morning and it's really energizing and smells very fresh. After just a few weeks of using the mask my skin is clearer and feels smoother, and my complexion seems brighter. You only need a small amount of product for each mask, I apply an extremely thin layer and it still cleanses my skin very well. The tube cost $8 and I will probably get 15-20 applications out of it, so I am happy with the price. Definitely shaping up to be a HG product for me!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Formula 10.0.6 - Seriously Shine Free Mattifying Moisturizer
sunstar29 1/5/2012 1:20:00 AM
I have moderately oily and acne-prone skin and I really like this moisturizer. I usually use it when I wash my face at night or after working out, and it keeps my skin smooth and soft and does seem to control oil. This does smell awful though, you can REALLY smell the aloe in the moisturizer. I can smell it on my face like 10 minutes after applying it, which is awful for me. If you don't mind the smell of aloe it would be no problem.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Juicy Couture - Fragrance
sunstar29 12/29/2011 2:22:00 PM
I got this as part of a gift set with Viva La Juicy and Couture Couture ( 0.33-oz. EDPs were $15 for the set). I have been meaning to buy this perfume forever, since I first smelled it abut 4 years ago. It is MUCH more floral than I remember, I can't really smell the watermelon or passion fruit notes at all, but it is pleasant. It is quite sharp when I first put it on, but the dry-down is warm, pleasant and a little sweet. I prefer Viva La Juicy, and generally prefer more light, daytime scents (MJ Daisy, DKNY Be Delicious/Red Delicious) but this will be nice for when I want something a little bit more sophisticated.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter
sunstar29 12/10/2011 1:53:00 PM
I love these! I too picked up mine at Rexall with the buy one get one deal, and picked up cotton candy and cherry tart. Cotton candy is about the same color as my natural lips, but gives a nice sheer gloss with a bit of shimmer. Cherry tart is a flattering neutral red, it doesn't have any overwhelming blue or orange undertones. This gives my lips a wash of sheer red that definitely looks noticeable and festive, but without being TOO much of a statement lip. I don't usually wear lipstick, and I feel like this looks really noticeable but still feels wearable. I'm going to wear a coat or too of benetint underneath this for holiday parties to get more color and staying power. Both formulas feel really nice, they apply easily and seem to sink in well, and definitely feel moisturizing like any other lip butter. One thing--make sure you exfoliate your lips before applying these. I find they do sort of accentuate any chapping. Not on the same level as a lip stain would, but enough so it's noticeable.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Top/Base Coats -Essie - Good to Go! The Fastest Drying Top Coat
sunstar29 8/23/2011 6:13:00 PM
I love this topcoat! It does dry extremely fast, and it's very shiny and feels nice on my nails. I've used it with several brands of nail polish (OPI, china glaze, wet n wild, revlon, essie of course) and it seems to work well with everything I've tried so far. The one drawback is that this feels softer than some other top coats, like Seche Vite, which dries very hard. If I am in a hurry I usually go with Seche, because I have experienced smudging and scratches when I apply this over not-quite-dry nail polish. However, this doesn't thicken up and dry out like Seche Vite, so I guess it's a tradeoff.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Wet 'n' Wild - Craze in Morbid
sunstar29 8/23/2011 6:05:00 PM
I love this color! Wet n Wild's craze collection definitely proves that you can't judge a polish by its bottle (or its price tag). Morbid applies really well: two thin coats is all you need for perfect color. I also found the polish really forgiving in terms of application: it didn't pool in my cuticles, self-leveled really well and the polish was really easy to control. It's also very long-lasting, I've been wearing it for a few days now with no chips whatsoever, and I am definitely very hard on my manicures. The one drawback is the packaging: the brush is really small and the bottle cap is enormous, which makes applying the polish sort of awkward. Regardless, morbid applies so well that it isn't a huge issue. This is a perfect fall/winter color, and you really can't beat the price. Highly recommended!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Top/Base Coats -Sally Hansen - Miracle Nail Thickener
sunstar29 8/23/2011 6:00:00 PM
I have very thin and weak nails from years of biting, and this product has definitely helped to strengthen my nails. The formula essentially acts as a protective second layer to your nails to make them thicker and a bit less broke to breaking. It sticks well to my nails and works well as a base coat: I usually change my polish twice a week, and everything stays chip-free between manicures. I have not had any of the peeling issues mentioned in other reviews. I don't think it changed the thickness of my actual nails, though, it just acts as a layer on top of your nails so they look/feel thicker when you're wearing the product. This is a good product if you're always wearing nail polish, but if you want a product that will make your natural nail thicker, I'd try something else. Another complaint is that the product thickens up a lot over time, similar to Seche Vite. I have about 1/3 of the bottle left that's unusable because it is so thick and stringy now.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Bath and Body Works - Twilight Woods
sunstar29 8/14/2010 3:26:00 PM
I just picked this up on BBW as a new scent for fall, since they aren't releasing limited edition fall scents this year. This smells totally amazing. I picked up the body lotion and body wash and they're both great. I have Viva La Juicy and love it, but it's too expensive to keep using their shower gel and body lotion. This is a great alternative since it has similar notes, and the VLJ perfume layered over this will smell amazing in the fall. Definitely recommend either on its own or to layer with VLJ!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Color -L'Oreal - Colorist Secrets Shine Gloss
sunstar29 8/12/2010 1:40:00 PM
OK, this is not some shine miracle, and if you have extremely damaged hair this will not turn it into shiny model hair. But it will make your hair better. I have fine hair that is in decent shape, but my natural color is sort of bronde and needs a little lift or it looks flat. I gave this a try thinking that if my hair was shinier the color might pop more. After using this product I can say it doesn't really add a ton of shine, but it does up the vibrancy of my hair color and my hair is much softer and more manageable. I would say this is more like a color-boosting conditioning treatment than a shine treatment, but on those grounds it works well. I'd use it again and recommend it to someone with dull or unruly hair.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Clairol - Herbal Essences- Hydralicious Reconditioning shampoo
sunstar29 4/13/2010 5:35:00 PM
I'm surprised how nice this shampoo makes my hair. I usually go for salon brands, but I was super broke for a few months and tried this out. I have curly, fine hair which gets damaged easily, with a scalp that tends toward dry. The shampoo definitely makes my hair look healthy and shiny. It smells fantastic, and it is quite concentrated so a little goes a long way. If you have fine hair, I would suggest using a light conditioner so as not to weigh your hair down. I use Organix coconut milk conditioner, which is really nice for summer, and goes well with the scent of the HE shampoo. I switched back to a salon brand briefly, and just used the HE on a whim today, and this is my best hair day in ages. Don't write this off as just a cheap drugstore brand!!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -L'Oreal - Go 360 Clean Deep Facial Cleanser for Sensitive Skin
sunstar29 3/23/2010 4:50:00 PM
I LOVE this product. I used to exfoliate daily with St. Ives apricot scrub, but their new formula gave me honestly the worst breakout of my entire life. I wanted something that would gently exfoliate that would be gentle enough for daily use. I picked up this because like everyone else I was drawn to the little scrublet. I have been using this for a week now and my skin went from nightmare to smooth and manageable. I love the feel of the scrublet when I'm washing my face, and how clean my face feels afterwards. I have't had any problems with dry skin like some people have had with the other formulations, though I always use a moisturizer right after. I've also tried the scrub, which is a bit more drying since it contains salicylic acid, but it will be good every few days in the summer to keep me breakout-free. If anyone is on the fence with the 360 line, start with the sensitive skin one. At worst, you can just use the scrubber with another cleanser, but I think the sensitive skin cleanser is great.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Self Tanners -Neutrogena - Sun Fresh
sunstar29 3/18/2010 6:26:00 PM
I am super fair and cool toned - I use sephora's lightest pink-toned foundation shade and even those daily moisturizer/sunless tanner products show up a lot on me. And this product did almost nothing. To be fair, I've only used one application, so far, but i see almost no difference. I'm sure someone looking at me wouldn't be able tell any difference at all. I'm really hoping multiple applications will build my tan a lot. If they added more DHA to this I would love it, since I didn't get that strong self tanner smell after I put it on (I guess now I know why... ) and it dried on my skin really quickly. I can't comment on streakiness because theres no color, but I would guess that even if you got dark with this, it would take so many applications it wouldbe impossible to get streaks. I guess this ok for an early March tan, but I will get something else next time!!!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Unlisted Brand - Coconut Oil
sunstar29 1/1/2010 1:03:00 PM
This is FANTASTIC. I picked up a bottle of organic virgin coconut oil for about $10 after reading great things about it. I use this as a pre-shampoo conditioner, although other people obviously also use this after showering too. I usually melt a bit of the oil by running in under hot water for a minute or so, and use that time to wet my hair by spritzing it with warm water. Once the coconut oil has softened a bit i scoop out enough oil to saturate my hair from about midshaft down. I put the oiled hair into a chignon, cover it with saran wrap and a towel and wait around for anywhere from half an hour to 2 hours, then shower and shampoo/condition as normal. Using this method I have noticed a HUGE difference in the condition of my hair. I have hair to a few inches above my brastrap that is curly and extremely fine and prone to breakage. I also lane swim to work out and this dries out my hair. After just a couple applications of coconut oil my hair felt much smoother, softer and more moisturized. Since I just recently got my hair cut and chopped off my dry ends I am really hoping that coconut oil treatments will keep my hair healthy and extend the time before I have to get it cut again. I definitely recommend this method to deep condition your hair. The shampoo seems to just wash off the excess oil from my ends without stripping the natural oil (I do not get the squeaky feeling at my ends but they do not dry oily at all). I haven't had any problems with my hair being weighed down or greasy looking using this method, even though as I said my hair is very fine. For $10 for a huge jar, you really cant go wrong!!
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Body -Bath and Body Works - Winter Candy Apple Body Lotion
sunstar29 1/1/2010 12:51:00 PM
I love the B&BW winter lines, especially the Vanilla Beal Noel scent. They had a promotion buy 3 get 2 free so I decided to pick up this body lotion to try something different. My first thought was that this doesn't really smell all that appley to me, more vaguely fruity with a perfumey scent. After smelling it for a while, it smells EXACTLY like the original herbal essences shampoos/conditioners (before their line redesign - when they were all the same scent). I guess it's ok, it just didn't work well for me because it smelled way too synthetic and perfumey. For a better scent, maybe try the Leaves from the fall collection. I definitely much prefer country apple for the BBW apple scents, but if you really loved the smell of original herbal essences you'd like winter candy apple
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No