Moisturizers -Paula's Choice - moisture boost daily restoring complex
suzyqz1970 5/3/2013 1:26:00 PM
I am writing this for the moisturizer without sunscreen. I actually paid more for this moisturizer than I normally would just to see if a more expensive product would leave my skin in better condition than my less expensive Cerave PM. For one thing, this does contain some very beneficial antioxidants that are listed about midway down the ingredient list. That let's me know it has a decent amount of Vitamins C & E. I have somewhat oily but changeable perimenopausal skin in decent condition . Most people guess I'm in my early to mid 30's but I'm 42. Anyway, I love this silky texture and it absorbs well. It's hard to say but I do believe it is out-performing my Cerave. My skin seems softer and brighter and especially not irritated when I use thus over my Retin A. Zero to no scent as well. My verdict is that I will purchase again when it's on sale or they're having free shipping. Very nice moisturizer.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Parlux - Jessica Simpson Fancy
suzyqz1970 5/2/2013 6:50:00 PM
Despite the fact that I'm usually reaching for citrus/clean scents this time of year, the weather has me yearning for soft, comforting scents. I used up all my Brittany Spears Fantasy and thought so I needed something new. After reading the reviews for this I thought I might just like it. In my opinion, I like it better than Fantasy and here's why: it is creamier and not quite as loud as Fantasy. I believe there is a caramel note in this one whereas Fantasy has more of a cotton candy vibe to me. This sits closer to the skin on me. I detect a tiny bit of floral but it's primarily a soft caramel-vanilla scent on me, perfect for what I was looking for. Is it fancy by my definition? Absolutely not but it's sweet and creamy without smelling like it was created for a teenager. I think it's also a vanilla that can be worn in the warmer months as it doesn't seem to "bloom" the way heavier perfumes can in the heat. I can see many age groups enjoying this little gem. Good job, Jess!!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Unlisted Brand - Lucy Minerals Foundation
suzyqz1970 4/10/2013 8:16:00 PM
I honestly thought my days of using a powder foundation were over but after reading the reviews for Lucy Minerals I thought, what the heck-give it a shot. I am an NC-25 in MAC Studio Fix and I wear C2 in MAC Face and Body and I selected Creamy Bisque based on some comments from the makeup board. It's a lot cheaper than both Alima and Bare Minerals. I liked Alima ok but hated Bare Minerals. Creamy Bisque is quite yellow and I was a bit skeptical when I received my foundation in the original formula. Once I compared it to my MAC foundations I realized I look best in fairly yellow foundations. I ordered the original formula. I applied it over some Avon primer I had and used a flat top brush from Ecco Tools to apply it. I figured with my fine lines, a primer would be prudent and I have tried it with primer and moisturizer and primer alone. Primer alone seems to work best and the wear of this foundation is great!! The coverage is awesome but it's best to start out quite light and apply in layers.It's probably the creamiest of all the mineral foundations I've tried and I think that might make it particularly good for aging skin like mine. I looked like I had just great skin! It does need to kind of "melt" into my skin for it to look it's best though. I am WAY impressed with this foundation and so glad I gave it a shot. I received my order very quickly as well. I was also reading the ingredient label and there seems to be some good antioxidants in the formula as well as zinc and titanium dioxide which are both very good sunscreens. I hope it wears as well once the weather gets hot and humid here. If it holds up, I think I've found my HG of a summer foundation. Love it!!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Maybelline - Rum Riche Color Sensational 
suzyqz1970 3/5/2013 9:54:00 PM
I absolutely adore this line of lipsticks from Maybelline. I actually own about 5 at last count. I am a somewhat cool to neutral toned fake coppery redhead with blue eyes and this color is fantastic on me. It looks like a very soft slightly brownish-red but very soft. This isn't harsh on me despite my fair skin tone. Even though is has brown in it, and I often don't look very good in straight up browns, I think it's incredibly wearable. I can see people with a lot of different skin tones looking good in this. I think it is a wonderful neutral color for me and I know I will find myself wearing this year round. It's very creamy going on and despite that, it still leaves a slight stain when it has worn off which is also very pretty. This was a gamble for me and it has really paid off.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Crème -Cover Girl - Simply Ageless
suzyqz1970 2/3/2013 11:07:00 AM
I think that the worst thing about aging skin is having to re-think all my old stand-bys. Even with lots of moisturizer and primers, powder foundations just aren't doing it for me anymore. I originally bought this for my mom but couldn't seem to find her regular color (Buff Beige 225) because everywhere I went in town, it was sold out. Hmm, that's usually a good but unfortunate sign. I ended up buying it in Creamy Natural 220 and decided to give it a whirl myself. Other than the fact that Creamy Natural is a shade or 2 too light for me, I have to say I adore this foundation!!! I am NC25 in Mac Studiofix and Sand Beige in Revlon Colorstay for reference. I have a tiny bit of acne discoloration and some pigmentation spots near my eyes and somewhat enlarged pores but this stuff covers EVERYTHING. If you want something that is more sheer, pass this stuff on by but for me it greatly reduces my need for concealer even for my under eye shadows. I still use a moisturizer with sunscreen underneath it and the odd thing is, this stuff wears like colorstay for me. Have no idea why, but for a cream it lasts on my semi-oily skin all day long. I really look like I have almost flawless skin with this. I will say, light touch is essential because I can see how this might be cakey if you went too heavy handed. The case sucks majorly but once I got the hang of it, it was fine. I did use this after I had spent a week going a little heavy on the retinol and I looked a fright! But, after my skin smoothed out and I wasn't flaking anymore, I just loved the way it looked. I haven't had any problems with it being too pink or yellow so I'm hoping this next shade or two up will be nice and neutral as well. I'm very pleased with this foundation. No need for a powder either!!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Unlisted Brand - Dickinson's - Original Witch Hazel Pore Perfecting Toner
suzyqz1970 1/12/2013 11:09:00 AM
Ever so often, I have pangs of guilt about the $ I spend on beauty products. I don't buy a lot of high-end products but it just seems like I buy a LOT of products in general. This stuff is so cheap for such a huge bottle! I like this product so much I'm on my 2nd bottle of it. I usually cleanse my skin thoroughly at night and usually use this only in the morning to just kind of prepare my skin for the daily onslaught of cosmetics. It doesn't burn or sting and it doesn't feel like it's stripping my skin at all but it does feel soft and clean. I was using Neutragena's alcohol free toner but it's kind of pricey for such a small bottle and I feel I get the same (or better) effect with this. I like this because it feels gentle to my skin and at 42, I'm not having to try to control crisco amounts of oil on my face anymore. Glad I took a chance and bought this.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Clinique - Moisture Surge Intense
suzyqz1970 12/18/2012 10:24:00 PM
I got this as part of the Clinique gift with purchase and unlike most of the free stuff I get, I used this completely up. Heavy duty moisturizer with an interesting creme-gel consistency. One thing I hate though is the smell!! I thought Clinique would know better that to add that kind of scent to a moisturizer. Having said that though, the smell didn't stop me from using it and passing on a bit to my 80 year old mother who has paper-thin, bone-dry skin and it works wonderfully for her. As for me, I'm doing fine with my Eucerin Q10 Sensitive Skin creme and will probably stick with that because it's cheaper.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Neutrogena - 3-in-1 Concealer for Eyes
suzyqz1970 12/18/2012 10:17:00 PM
Well I say I wouldn't buy this again simply because I didn't buy it the first time. My older sister, who has a lovely olive complexion gave me this after she realized it was waaay to light for her (it is the light shade). I thought I'd give it a whirl on days I wasn't too terribly concerned with covering up my hereditary dark circles I got courtesy of my mom. The interesting thing I read somewhere about this concealer is that it relies more on light-diffusing particles instead of a heavy consistency and that it actually makes kind of a nice "primer" so to speak before you actually use your regular concealer. It is very light coverage in my experience as I am use to my MAC concealer. The spf 20 sunscreen is also a big plus to me. I thought the color was good for me too. As a stand alone concealer it's not bad and would probably be good for someone with minor dark circles. I like to use it with my other concealers as a kind of primer.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Eucerin - Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Sensitive Skin Creme
suzyqz1970 12/18/2012 9:59:00 PM
Even though the climate where I live apparently doesn't have a winter anymore, my normally oily skin does get affected by a reduction in our normally soupy humidity levels here. This is a good basic rich creme. Very little scent if any. My skin gets dry from time to time because of my regimen of Alpha Hydrox 12% souffle and my Skinceuticals 1.0 retinol and sometimes an over zealous foray into home glycolic peels of the 50% nature. During these times, I feel like I really need to pamper my skin a bit and this is a nice soothing creme. It feels rich and buttery and I do believe one of the main ingredients is shea butter. Even in the colder/dryer months, I can't use this during the day because my foundation will slide off my face and form a small beige puddle on my chest. It's totally a night time creme for me. It doesn't contain any type of anti-aging this or that but it never promises that either. I have to appreciate a moisturizer that knows all it has to do is impart some moisture to my abused skin and leave the heavy anti-aging stuff to other products.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Alpha Hydrox - AHA Souffle 12 percent Glycolic AHA
suzyqz1970 12/2/2012 2:28:00 PM
I have to say kudos to the folks at Alpha Hydrox for this product! For the price, I don't think I've ever used anything else that makes my skin glow like this stuff does. Yes it's a jar and I would prefer it wasn't. Yes, it sometimes stings my skin but I get used to it again. Yes, the smell is a bit funky. More importantly, yes, my skin glows and my pores shrink when I use this regularly. This product seems to make more of a visible difference than my retinol products and for me, that is huge. Everything I use is better when I use this formulation regularly. Moisturizers sink in better, foundation goes on smoother, etc. It has a good concentration of glycolic acid for the price. I have pretty fair skin without a huge amount of sun damage but it's still aging and doesn't turn over cells like it once did. No matter what age I've been, this product has been incredible. When I was younger, it help with lessening the production of oil in my skin and now it helps brighten it up. This product doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles and added ingredients but for a glycolic acide product, I find that to be important. I like the fact that the Alpha Hydrox folks don't tinker a lot with their products. This refines my skin like nothing else and is a lot cheaper than the retinol product I also use and I feel more effective. It is an acid so some stinging may occur but my skin is tough so I don't really mind. It's a small price to pay in my opinion. Once again, just because a product is inexpensive doesn't mean it isn't effective. I'm a label reader and have been for some time and that is what mainly influences what I purchase.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Clinique - Stay-Matte Oil-Free Makeup
suzyqz1970 12/2/2012 2:13:00 PM
I really wished I liked this foundation. My skin is pretty tough and I don't usually have a problem getting a foundation to work for me but for the life of me, I can't get this stuff blended in correctly. I've never thought I had large pores or had a problem with foundation settling into them until I tried this foundation. The other problem I have is with blending. I have to blend, and blend, and blend to get it to look right. I have used Revlon's Colorstay before and never had a problem with it settling into pores or not being able to blend it in so I don't think the problem isn't that it is a matte formula. There's something else going on with this formulation that isn't right for my skin. It's a shame really. The color seems to match me well. In the around 6 times or so I've tried to wear this, I only got it to work once and when it did, it looked great but it's just too much work to get this to look right on me. If I find myself having to use special primers, blending sponges, etc....I know a product isn't right for me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Japonesque - Power Curl Eyelash Curler
suzyqz1970 12/2/2012 1:53:00 PM
Got this at Ulta as part of a buy 1 get 1 50% off deal and boy am I glad I did!! I'll pay good money for foundation but I'm fairly cheap when it comes to other cosmetics in my arsenal. This is probably the most expensive eyelash curler I've ever purchased but also it is hands-down the best. I get an unbelievable amount of curl BUT having said that, I do use it after I apply my mascara which is at the moment Clinique's High Impact Mascara (also equally fabulous in my opinion). My lashes do not have much of a natural curl and this helps tremendously. I don't have to crimp too hard to get a curl and I've only maybe once pinched myself but that apparently is more operator error than a problem with this curler. I even use this on my 80 year old mother when I do her makeup and bless her soul, she has like NO EYELASHES at this point in her life and this thing even curls her sparse lashes. Get it when Ulta has a sale! Also, I think you can also get the replacements free somehow so that's a total bonus!!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Brows -Maybelline - Master Shape
suzyqz1970 12/2/2012 1:38:00 PM
I know not every product works for everyone but come on folks, filling in your eyebrows properly is not rocket science and in my opinion, does not require a high-end product. What it does require is a good shape to start with. Learn to pluck your brows properly or get a professional to do so. No product is going to give you full (natural looking) thick brows if you overpluck or an awesome perfectly shaped arch. Now, on to the product.....I have dyed red hair and have my hair brows also dyed when I get my hair done. I am also over 40 and my brows are beginning to thin. I've used powders and pencils and I like both but I mainly love this pencil because the Auburn shade is a perfect match for my brows. I get my brows done occasionally but I mostly maintain them myself. The brush on the other end of the pencil is also awesome. The trick for me to making a pencil look natural is to gently brush it in. The key is to gently brush it in. I think technique is almost as important as quality products in my opinion. Yes, I know it's hard to believe and perhaps too much work for some folks but you do have to sharpen this pencil yourself...No problems with it being waxy or coming off. I'm on my 2nd pencil of this and I love it.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -J. Lo - Miami Glow
suzyqz1970 6/10/2012 9:52:00 PM
I really wanted this to have a tropical vibe without od'ing on coconut but all I get from it is the smell of fabric softener for some reason! I mean, it's not bad at all really but it certainly does not conjure up images of "glowing in Miami" for me. It's kind of fresh and soapy which is nice but I think Deseo has much more of a summery/beachy feel to it. It reminds me of how some people use way to much Downy on their clothes and it literally becomes their perfume. That's what Miami Glow smells like to me. This mixed with Deseo may be what I really would like. Not bad but not what I'm looking for.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -J. Lo - Deseo
suzyqz1970 5/25/2012 8:08:00 PM
Every spring, I begin what until now seemed to be an impossible mission: find a beachy/summery type perfume good for work, play, etc. that evokes the feeling of a beach without smelling liked I drowned myself in coconut oil. Don't get me wrong, I do like the scent of coconut and I think it has it's place but I've never been able to find a scent heavily laced with coconut that made me feel as if it were appropriate for work. I had done some online searches for beachy type scents and Deseo kept coming up. The notes and description sounded like something I would like so before I bought the real deal, I bought a dupe from an online etailer and was underwhelmed when I got it. It wasn't awful, I just kind of felt like "Meh, it's ok." and into the vault of not-used-fragrances it went. Flash forward one year, and I decide to dig it out again. This time I smelled the sand, the salt, the ocean water and still no coconut and yet there is a beachy quality to it that's hard to put my finger on. It's like being at the beach and not wearing sunscreen or oil. I don't get an abundance of florals although they are listed as many of the notes. I get a hot, sandy, ocean-breeze feel from this perfume. So it seems Deseo has fufilled my need of beachy feel/no overwhelming coconut note. Some reviewers say they smell one but I wonder if it isn't partly the power of suggestion because I don't smell that at all but I do realize scents do smell different to different people. Deseo is something that I can wear to work on a hot summer day and dream of being on the beach. This is not a cool watery scent to me but more of a warm night on the beach feeling. Finally bought the real stuff and I just can't get enough of it. The bottle is just ok in my opinion but I don't buy perfumes for their bottles. It's whats inside that counts. I haven't tried all of J Lo's perfumes because I'm not exactly her biggest fan but for a somewhat "grown-up" summer scent, Deseo is a winner in my book!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No