Hair Color -Clairol - Natural Instincts Hair Color
tetrakis 3/20/2008 10:34:00 AM
Two things you need to know before using this (in case you did not read the box). 1) THIS WILL NOT LIGHTEN YOUR HAIR. I cannot understand why some of the reviews are poor based on the fact that it didn't lighten the hair. It says right on the box and in the directions that it will not lighten your hair. It deposits color, it does not lift. If you want to go lighter, use a permanent color, as it can lift your natural color, then deposit a lighter pigment. 2) RESULTS MAY LAST LONGER OR COME OUT DARKER if you dye it very much darker than your hair currently is. Again, it says this on the box and in the directions, but people seem to be shocked, nonetheless, from what I am reading here, hehe. Now to my use of this product: I love it. I have very damaged hair from a bleaching debacle last summer that caused me to break up with my hair stylist. My hair is so damaged from this all-over bleaching that I cannot use permanent color on it, nor can I get it highlighted. Therefore, my stylist recommends I dye it darker with natural instincts, which I do, often. It does not further damage my hair, and the conditioner that comes with it keeps my hair in good condition. I have, so far, really only used the medium and light ash browns and light and medium neutral brown shades, and I am very happy with all of them. RESULTS ARE USUALLY A LITTLE DARKER than on the box, so go one shade lighter than you are aiming if you are not willing to let it wash out. I only wash my hair 2-3 times per week, so this color lasts about 6-8 weeks on me, but it fades about a shade within the first two weeks, so keep this in mind when selecting the color you want to use. Sorry about the caps. =P
26 out of 26 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Clinique - Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick
tetrakis 2/3/2008 3:24:00 PM
Update: Downgraded to a 3. I've finally noticed the dryness that everyone else mentions. It's weird b/c it didn't happen for the first several months, but then became a problem. My theory is that either there is some mild irritant in it that eventually causes a slight reaction after long-term exposure = dryness or that there is a high concentration of emulsifiers, perhaps which can also compromise barrier function and dry out the skin/lips. Original reviews: I've been through several tubes of this, and I just love it. I am a "no lipstick" sort of person (usually use tinted lip balms), but I recently dyed my hair pretty dark, and I find that I need a little more makeup then I did when I was a light blond, as my complexion is very pale. So, I decided to hunt down the perfect lipstick (since I normally hate them). It didn't take me long to find this one, and I haven't strayed for probably 6 months, easily. I buy this in pink toffee, a beautiful, rich, dark pink that works very well with my very pale complexion and dark hair. The gel texture is more like a non-sticky gloss, but the pigment is pretty rich, and it has no smell or taste. Slicks on easily, and I find it very moisturizing. I have used about 4 tubes of this in the past 6 months, and this is coming from a "non lipstick wearer". I never go anywhere without it. Will continue to purchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Aveda - Black Malva Shampoo and Conditioner
tetrakis 12/31/2007 1:24:00 PM
Update: Still using this as a conditioner, but found a second use for it. I dye my hair a couple of shades darker than natural, so my brows are always too light. I now swipe this on my brows carefully with a q-tip every couple of days to make them match my hair. Easy way to avoid having to fill them in each morning (who has time for that?!). Original Post: I am in love with the black malva conditioner!!! I use nothing else on my hair these days. Here's my back story: I have always been most vain about my hair. I have a fine-textured, thick mane of light brown/dark blond, slightly wavy hair. It's usually very soft and shiny and people are always commenting on how nice it is. I've never had damaged or problem hair...until last summer. Long story short - I broke up with my old hair stylist over a bleaching debacle. I had to dye my hair dark, cool brown in order to cover up the orange mess I was left with. I have now grown it out about 4 inches and had to cut about 6 inches off it. It's usually very long but it's about collarbone-length right now. The ends are still very dry and damaged. I was maintaining my color with semi-permanent home color (natural instincts, dark cool brown), but I don't even like to color with that because my hair is so damaged right now. Also, I was having to color my hair about every 3 weeks because the extremely damaged portions would not hold on to color for longer. My new stylist told me about black malva. I now use the conditioner every time I wash my hair (about twice per week), root to tip (I don't normally condition my roots, but I have to in order to keep the color homogeneous, and it's winter so no big deal). I leave it on my roots a little longer, since they are not damaged and don't suck up color as well. After about 3 minutes, I apply to ends, wait a few more minutes, then rinse. This stuff is a better conditioner than most "deep-conditioners" on my dry, damaged hair. It moisturizes really, really well. The color deposition also WORKS very well!! I haven't colored my hair in about 2 months, and you can hardly tell. A few usage notes one should know about: It *can* stain certain types of tile. I keep a sponge in the shower with me just for wiping it off the walls. I stand with my back to the shower curtain liner (because who cares if that gets stained), and then apply carefully, trying not to whip my hair around. Squeezing all the water out of your hair helps with minimizing flinging color around, too. After I've applied it, I *first* wipe any spots off the walls quickly, then I wash my hands quickly. I've never had any problem with it staining my hands (my nails and skin are normal-colored by the time I get out of the shower). Leave this product on for as long as possible for the most noticeable results (my stylist recommends putting on a shower cap and leaving it on for hours if you'd like). I usually leave it on for at least 5 minutes, total (about 3 on roots, 2 on the ends). Also, it has *never* stained my clothes or pillows, but I do not go to bed with wet hair. I do, however, get dressed with wet hair and have had no problems with my clothes. Each time you wash your hair, you will notice the lather will have a slight brownish/grey cast to it (washing some of the previously deposited color out). Wipe the suds off the wall if they get on it, too, though the colored suds don't tend to stain like the conditioner droplets, so you don't have to be as swift about it. I now recommend this to any family members/friends who dye their hair dark. I think I will continue to use it as long as my hair stays dark in lieu of hair color. As long as you use it every time you wash your hair, I see no reason to color unless you're trying to cover greys.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Aveda - Black Malva Shampoo and Conditioner
tetrakis 12/31/2007 1:17:00 PM
I am in love with the black malva conditioner!!! I use nothing else on my hair these days. Here's my back story: I have always been most vain about my hair. I have a fine-textured, thick mane of light brown/dark blond, slightly wavy hair. It's usually very soft and shiny and people are always commenting on how nice it is. I've never had damaged to problem hair...until last summer. Long story short - I broke up with my old hair stylist over a bleaching debacle. I had to dye my hair dark, cool brown in order to cover up the orange mess I was left with. I have now grown it out about 4 inches and had to cut about 6 inches off it. It's usually very long but it's about collarbone-length right now. The ends are still very dry and damaged. I was maintaining my color with semi-permanent home color (natural instincts, dark cool brown), but I don't even like to color with that because my hair is so damaged right now. Also, I was having to color my hair about every 3 weeks because the extremely damaged portions would not hold on to color for longer. My new stylist told me about black malva. I now use the conditioner every time I wash my hair (about twice per week), root to tip (I don't normally condition my roots, but I have to in order to keep the color homogeneous, and it's winter so no big deal). I leave it on my roots a little longer, since they are not damaged and don't suck up color as well. After about 3 minutes minutes, I apply to ends, wait a few more minutes, then rinse. This stuff is a better conditioner than most "deep-conditioners" on my dry, damaged hair. The color deposition also WORKS very well!! I haven't colored my hair in about 2 months, and you can hardly tell. A few usage notes one should know about: It *can* stain certain types of tile. I keep a sponge in the shower with me just for wiping it off the walls. I stand with my back to the shower curtain liner (because who cares if that gets stained), and then apply carefully, trying not to whip my hair around. Squeezing all the water out of your hair helps with minimizing flinging color around, too. After I've applied it, I *first* wipe any spots off the walls quickly, then I wash my hands quickly. I've never had any problem with it staining my hands (my nails and skin are normal-colored by the time I get out of the shower). Leave this product on for as long as possible for the most noticeable results (my stylist recommends putting on a shower cap and leaving it on for hours if you'd like). I usually leave it on for at least 5 minutes, total (about 3 on roots, 2 on the ends). Also, it has *never* stained my clothes or pillows, but I do not go to bed with wet hair. I do, however, get dressed with wet hair and have had no problems with my clothes. Each time you wash your hair, you will notice the lather will have a slight brownish/grey cast to it (washing some of the previously deposited color out). Wipe the suds off the wall if they get on it, too, though the colored suds don't tend to stain like the conditioner droplets, so you don't have to be as swift about it. I now recommend this to any family members/friends who dye their hair dark. I think I will continue to use it as long as my hair stays dark in lieu of hair color. As long as you use it every time you wash your hair, I see no reason to color unless you're trying to cover greys.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Color -L'Oreal - Preference Shine Extending Hair Color
tetrakis 9/4/2007 12:20:00 AM
Overall, I am very happy with this product. Yes, it stinks, but it's not on for more than a half hour, so I can take it. The conditioner is superb, too. I purchased dark neutral blonde. You will need 2 boxes if you have hair that is much more than a couple inches past shoulder length and medium to thick textured. My hair history: I am naturally a dark blonde/very light ash brown. I was coloring my hair dark at the salon for a while, but decided that I wanted to go back to a dark natural blonde. Long story short, the salon that did my hair bleached and fried it up to some nightmare shade of neon orange with neon yellow highlights. Had it fixed at another salon (dyed a medium reddish brown). I wasn't too happy with the red tones as it faded, and my hair had faded *considerably* (as most of you probably know, bleached hair can fade pretty quickly), so decided to try my luck with this product (don't really have the cash or patience for salon color at this point). My hair was probably a level 6 reddish brown when I started, so I chose the level 7 dark neutral blonde (I was tempted to go for ash, but didn't know how ashy it is with this product, so went neutral to err on the side of caution). It turned out a bit darker than I would have liked (it's probably a 6.5), but we'll see how it fades out. The color is really beautiful, though. It's sort of a rich, very light neutral brown. It got rid of a lot of the red tones I wanted out, so that's nice, too. I think next time I will use a level 8 ash blonde (as I want to get closer to my natural color, and I am very fair, so ash colors seem to flatter me best). I'll update with how that goes when I color my hair next time. I would recommend this product to a friend and intend to repurchase.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cover Girl - Volume Exact [DISCONTINUED]
tetrakis 8/18/2007 11:46:00 PM
Update: I did manage to find a couple bad thing about this mascara, downgraded ranking to 3 lippies. I've gone through several tubes now, and once it's a couple of weeks old, it starts to dry out, which makes it go on clumpy and flake a LOT. If I could afford to buy a new tube of mascara every 2-3 weeks, I would, but I cannot =). I am trying Maybelline Full and Soft next, as it reportedly does not dry out. Original Review: This is my new HG! I was a L'oreal and Lancome girl for years, but once I tried this, there's no going back. Never clumps, don't have to wipe off the brush to prevent globs of mascara on your lashes, actually curls my lashes, beautiful definition, very black pigment, lots of volume, never smudges (though it will run if your eyes water, so allergy sufferers should think about the water proof), removes very easily with cleanser. I actually took a nap in this today, and not a single smudge on my face. The first time I used it, my fiance asked me if I had started using false lashes. I have really puny lashes naturally, so that was enough to convert me forever =). I don't have any issues with this flaking very much. Perhaps it depends on how much is applied?
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Retin A
tetrakis 8/18/2007 11:15:00 PM
I have recently moved up to Retin A cream 0.05% for two reasons 1) ystheal gel is discontinued. I was using this b/c I have rosacea and I was afraid to try Rx's. Also most of the Rx's have ingredients I am allergic to, but Retin A cream does not. 2) the website I ordered it from did not have 0.025%, or I would be using that =). My skin type: Dry, rosacea, not acne-prone, very very sensitive. The rest of my routine is on my np. I use retinoids to prevent aging, keep my pores clear, and help reduce inflammation in my skin (since I have rosacea, an inflammatory disease of the face). More information about these functions of retinoids is on my notepad. On to the actual Retin A experience: In the first couple of weeks, I purged a little, which was surprising because I had used ystheal gel for over a year prior to that. It wasn't bad, though, I just had blackheads "sticking out" of my face. I left them alone and they resolved within a few weeks. I also peel if I use it more than once every other night, but it's not too bothersome. I just use a baby wash cloth to roll the skin flakes off my face. I am planning on sticking with an every other night frequency for the first couple of months, then I will try moving up to nightly. As my notepad indicates, I mix it with my rosacea Rx (metrocream) to dilute the dosage I am getting. I also, sometimes, mix in a drop of unscented mineral oil (you can get this in the laxative aisle) to increase the moisturizing properties. Unexpectedly, Retin A cream is not very moisturizing, imo, (and neither is metrocream) so I mix in the oil to help with my dry skin. Don't be surprised if your skin becomes more dry after you being using Retin A, either. You may need to change your other products to adjust well. Visit my notepad for information on easing into retinoids as to avoid excess irritation and peeling, etc.
16 out of 16 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Clinique - Almost Makeup [DISCONTINUED]
tetrakis 7/15/2007 10:45:00 AM
This is my HG and has been for years. I should note before going on with the review: this product feels and behaves more like a sunscreen and primer than a foundation (which is to be expected since it is over 7% titanium dioxide = physical sunscreen filter and mostly silicones). It's sort of slick and slippery when first applied, but give it 5 or 10 minutes to absorb, and it looks superb. Also, this product stings a bit on application depending on how 'raw' your skin is (i.e. say, if you used a strong retinoid or exfoliant the night before) but that is probably due to the vitamin C content. I use a retinoid nightly and it always stings a bit in the morning, but it subsides within a minute or two. Do not be alarmed if you experience the same. Skin-type: combination to dry depending on season, rosacea type II (redness and breakouts, but that's under control with prescriptions), very fair, neutral complexion. Pros: This product has so many, it's hard to list. 1) Water-proof = doesn't sweat off even in hot, humid florida summers. 2) SPF 15 physical sunscreen = great for skins sensitive to chemical filters. 3) Soothes and protects the skin with vitamins C, E, and bisabolol. 4) Oil-free. It's silicone-based, and my skin loves 'cones but hates certain oils. 5) Due to all the beneficial ingredients, I actually notice that my skin is less happy if I skip wearing this for a day. 6) Coverage is perfect, somewhere between a TM and a foundation. 7) Never breaks me out or clogs pores. 8) Not too matte, nor too shiney. It just looks like clean skin after blended well. Cons: 1) As others have mentioned, it can separate in the tube, so shake it well each time you apply it. I like to remove the cap, put finger over tiny hole, then shake. If you shake it too hard with cap on, it will ooze out when you open it. 2) Not always so easy to blend, depending on what type of moisturizer is applied underneath. I have to use an Rx cream daily for my rosacea (metrocream generic) which is kind of thick and waxy, so that base can make blending difficult. To circumvent this problem, I simply squirt some of this on to tips of fingers and rub hands together for a second to 'warm-up' the product before applying to face with clean hands. I find the warmth of the hands makes this very easy to apply. Not sure how well it would go with a sponge or brush. Smooth it around to where you want it, then PAT it in. This will give you the seamless finish you are looking for. 3) Water-proof/resistant, so gentle cleansers may not remove this product. I use Basis Bar sensitive skin to remove mine. 4) Color selection is very limited, but it's not a very heavy coverage foundation, so one shade may work for several skin tones. I used to use Light 02, which is a bit darker than my skin, but I blend well all the way down the neck and on to the chest, and it just makes me look like I have a slight tan and matches the rest of my body well. Since winter is coming, I decided to try Fair 01, which I thought would be too pink, but it turned out to be a perfect match, so I'm sticking with this shade from now on. I would highly recommend this for all but the most oily of skins (seems from reviews that this may not work well on them). It contains lipids like cholesterol, so will make oily skin worse most likely. If you get less than 15 minutes a day of sun-exposure, this serves well as a daily sunscreen (at least for me it does). I have the fairest skin and live in a place of terrible sun intensity (florida), and I never get tanning or sun damage on my face when using this product (but, again, I probably get less than 15 minutes of sun exposure a day and never during mid-day sun, others may need more protection). For days when I'll be outdoors longer, I wear a huge hat and use some SPF powder over this foundation. I hope this is never discontinued. I don't know what I would do without it. INGREDIENTS: 7.6% Titanium dioixide, water, cyclopentasiloxane, octyldodecyl neopentanoate, glyceryl sterate, dimethicone, butylene glycol, qauternium-90 bentonite, peg/ppg-18/18 dimthicone, polyglyceryl-2 sesquilisostearate, talc, lauric acid, polymethyl methacrylate, ascrobyl palmitate, bisabolol, tocopheryl acetate, cholesterol, ethylhexylglycerin, captrylyl glycol, peg-10 dimethicone, triflouromethyl c1-4 alkyl dimethicone, cellulose gum, dimethiconol, propylene carbonate, peg-12 disterate, polyglyceryl-4 isostearate, hexyl laurate, cetyl peg/ppg-10/1 dimethicone, barium sulfate, alumina, magnesium aluminum silicate, disodium edta, bht, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, butylparaben, isopropylparaben, isobutylparaben, may contain: mica, iron oxides (ci 77491, ci 77492, ci77499).
33 out of 33 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Differin Cream
tetrakis 7/1/2007 6:00:00 PM
Update: Not for me. The squalane gave me a reaction after 3 days. I highly recommend this product to others with dry skin and acne issues, however, and especially to rosaceans. See my notepad for info on differin and rosacea. Original: This review is for the cream. Test driving this as a replacement for my much beloved, yet discontinued, ystheal gel. I've decided to venture into the world of Rx retinoids, even though I have rosacea, so have to be *very* careful with my temperamental skin. I have a study on my notepad showing that differin actually does well for rosacea, particularly the papopustular kind (where you breakout on top of redness and broken caps..yipee!). So, anyways, I'm currently mixing this with metrocream at night. So far, liking my results. Might even be a little less irritating than ystheal gel, as it does not contain large amounts of alcohol like yg does. Also, those of you who try it for acne and it doesn't work, switch to the gel, and make sure you give it at least 3 months. It takes that long to see results (sometimes up to 6). Trade off for the mildness. In double-blind, controlled clinical trials, it treats acne as well as tretinoin, just not as fast. Although, I will admit, some people will need a stronger retinoid, it *will* work for many, just have to be patient =). And be glad your face isn't peeling off in sheets and burning/itching for the first few months =P. As far as application goes, if this irritates your skin at first, try waiting a half hour to an hour after washing (to let your skin recover from the insult of cleansing), reducing frequency of application, mixing it with a mild cream to dilute it and reduce your dose daily, and/or washing it off after an hour or two to reduce your dose, and see if this helps it to improve (more info my notepad). I'll update in a while to let everyone know how I'm tolerating it and if it's working as well as ystheal gel did for me at keeping pores clear and my skin smooth.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Aveeno - Active Naturals Continuous Protection Spray - SPF 30
tetrakis 6/26/2007 7:00:00 PM
This sunscreen is not stable and has a very low PPD (less than 5 I think), which is suprising, since it's from a respected skin care line and contains avobenzone. I am very disappointed in that. However, on to the product. I like the clean smell and the ease of application, however that's all I like about it. It has this slimey, "dry oil" feeling to it and it leaves the skin very shiney. I can't even spray it on the backs of my hands before going out because it makes my hands feel really dirty. Would not recommend. I am sure there are better spray on sunscreens out there, and I plan on finding them =).
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Matrix - Shade Memory Vivid Reds Color Enhancing Foam Conditioner - Warm
tetrakis 4/15/2007 1:16:00 PM
Awesome product! Glad I happened upon this at the salon! So easy to use. It has the texture of a mousse, so it doesn't run all over the place and stain things in the shower like some color-depositing products do. I use the warm, since my hair is a coppery-auburn (color-treated). I noticed a difference the first time I used it! I probably left it on a little longer than recommended (maybe between 5 and 10 minutes), as it took me forever to comb through. Not the fault of the product, though. I only wash my hair once or twice per week, so my shampoo is relatively harsh, makes combing difficult. Also, I wasn't worried about a big color change, since the base of my color is light brown. This foam has a peachy-orangey color to it, so I knew it wouldn't be able to cause any "accidents" with my color, no matter how long it was left on. This wasn't enough conditioning for my dry hair, so I added some PM "The conditioner" when I got out of the shower..perfect! I imagine the matching shampoo/conditioner products would be enough moisture if used in conjunction with this foam, however. I will update after I've had a chance to use up the first bottle with information on how long it lasts on medium/long hair when used twice per week.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Avene - Thermal Water
tetrakis 3/28/2007 9:29:00 PM
This is such a treat for my rosacea. I use this every day when I wash my face and to set my make-up or soothe my skin when it's irritated. Very cooling, helps calm my skin down when I get a flare up. This is not "just water in a bottle" like many people will tell you. Scientific studies show that it affects the immune cells in the skin and helps calm inflammation. Everyone in my extended family who has sensitive skin uses this. See a list of scientific evidence here: http://www.aveneusa.com/clindata/default.asp?product=thermal_spring
8 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -Clinique - Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder
tetrakis 3/28/2007 9:28:00 PM
Love this no frills powder. Nice shades, has a little bit of coverage, which is nice over my TM. Really makes my skin appear baby smooth (it is smooth, but even smoother with this one). In fact, the effect is so dramatic that the women at work gossip about how smooth my skin is and ask me what products I use. It's the Clinique Almost Make-up and this powder that create that effect. Doesn't irritate my rosacea. Does a decent job of keeping my skin matte. I usually have to blot and touch up the t-zone during the summer, but that's to be expected with most products =). I always buy this..is my HG.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Clinique - Almost Lipstick - Black Honey
tetrakis 3/4/2007 11:43:00 AM
I've been buying this for years. It's my HG "lipstick". I'm not really a lipstick (nor lipgloss, for that matter) person. I like to look nice (and I wear almost all other forms of make-up), but I just can't be bothered to choose and then apply the perfect lipstick every day hehe. I like this because it's quick, easy, and beautiful on just about everyone. The shade really is pretty much universally flattering. I just swipe it on, moosh my lips together, and I have a hint of moisturizing, lovely color. Nice for those who *want* to wear lipstick, but can't bring themselves to actually make that commitment =).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Eucerin - Dry Skin Therapy PLUS Intensive Repair Lotion
tetrakis 2/9/2007 3:07:00 PM
I am very happy with this so far. Bought this for the KP on my thighs. I like that it is rich and has no fragrance. Takes a little while to sink in, but not a huge problem for me. I've read on some medical sites that KP is a combination of dry skin *and* abnormal keratinization, so it is important to use rich moisturizers plus exfoliators to treat it. I am hoping this lotion will do the trick. Will update soon.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No