Powder -Physicians Formula - Healthy Wear SPF 50 Powder Foundation
togoat 2/1/2012 9:54:00 AM
I've been wanting to try this, and 75% off definitely encouraged me! I've tried PF powders before, and I've noticed that all the foundations appear super light and chalky upon first application. With the mineral wear, I nearly bought all the colors! It would seem that I finally had a match, but within 5-10 minutes the powdery look would melt away leaving a foundation shade way too dark for me. I think this probably what people are experiencing; they are picking out a shade one or two levels too dark. I purchased this in translucent light, and immediately thought, "uh-oh, not again!" I looked like a ghost! I waited a couple of minutes, blended again, and almost perfecto! The finish is like cashmere - I love how it doesn't look like powder! It also doesn't settle into the fine lines underneath my eyes. As other reviewers have noticed, it doesn't accentuate healing acne, but I would exfoliate & moisturize before use as I would with any powder foundation. I prefer pressed powders to loose powders. Yes, you might have to apply more layers, but now I don't have to deal with clouds of loose powder settling into every crevice of my bathroom! I tend to be a little heavier handed when using the loose mineral powders, too. Me + loose powder = a little bit of disaster! A nice surprise if you can find a color that matches you!
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Alba Botanica - Acnedote Deep Cleaning Astringent
togoat 7/24/2011 6:22:00 PM
Love this stuff! My skin is acne prone: I have a lot of clogged pores and seem to always have 2-3 inflamed zits. Within one week, my skin started looking smoother and more even toned. The clogged pores have diminished & the inflamed zits are quickly healing. My face is extremely oily during the summer due to the heat & humidity. This definitely cuts right through that without drying or irritating my skin. Ingredients: Active: 2% Salicylic acid Other: Aqua (water), aloe barbadensis leaf juice (1), sd alcohol 40-b, glycerin, sorbitol, sodium pca, spiraea ulmaria extract, lens esculenta (lentil) fruit extract, arnica montana flower extract (1), camellia sinensis leaf extract (1), chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract (1), calendula officinalis flower extract (1), lavandula angustifolia (lavender) extract (1), glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) rhizome/root, salix alba (willow) bark extract, citral, limonene, linalool, fragrance (parfum) (2). (1) Certified organic ingredient (2) Naturally derived botanical fragrance
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Unlisted Brand - hylexin
togoat 10/23/2009 11:15:00 AM
I got this for free; otherwise, there is no way I would have dropped $100. It does lessen the darkness for me & helps with puffiness. My eyes get a little puffy in the morning, and this relieves the uncomfortable feeling associated with eyelid bloat, ew. Garnier makes a cheap eye roller for that purpose, so I wouldn't buy this product merely for puffiness. As for the dark circles, it really does minimize them. I don't use it consistently, and I think I'll try to use it regularly over the next few weeks. I'll update with my results. My undereye area is slightly sunken in, so I know it will only do so much. This is the only eye treatment that has worked even a little bit. Those with dark circles know that even a little bit of a lightening can induce a little bit of euphora. I would've given it 4 lippies, but $100..? Come on! For that, it better take me out for a dinner and a movie! Like the packaging, simple, and it allows me to easily get the desired amount with no waste.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Neutrogena - Visibly Firm Face Lotion Spf 20
togoat 11/29/2008 9:26:00 AM
I definitely notice a difference when I use this product, especially when my skin is sensitized from overpicking. :/ This lotion really does help with wound healing and calming post-acne red spots. Admittedly, it is not especially moisturizing. I use Korres After Sun Cooling Gel underneath, and lightly smooth the Neutrogena on top. I've realized that application is very important with this product. It doesn't instantly sink in the skin; instead, it dries to a nice matte finish. If you layer it too thickly somewhere, it 'pills' when applying foundation. You only need a quarter of a teaspoon for your face, so the recommended 3-4 pumps includes the neck area as well. I am very, very, VERY clog prone, so I can only use this sunscreen occasionally. If I make sure to thoroughly was my face and use a BHA, it's not so much a problem, but I sometimes slack off. But, as I said above, I only use it when my skin is sensitized, when the mere thought of Neutrogena Healthy Skin SPF 45 starts the burning of my face (also a very good sunscreen, but it is very active and STRONG!). I do notice a soft glow when I use this stuff even with my sketchy use. The biggest difference is around my eyes! It seems to cool my skin when it's a little hot and inflamed. One lippie off because there are not specific instructions for use. It really needs to be patted and gently smoothed ONTO skin. It will soak in a little bit, but not 100% because of the physical sunblock zinc oxide. I'm not going to take anything off for clogging my pores; that's my own fault for not always taking care to completely remove it from my skin.
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Fragrances -Calvin Klein - CK One
togoat 6/14/2008 11:30:00 PM
To put it plainly, this smells like an old t-shirt soaked in lemony snot. I've known a few people who can pull it off, but on me, it smells like nursing home.
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Hair -Unlisted Brand - Jheri Redding Colorfix
togoat 5/30/2008 8:52:00 AM
It's a little annoying that they don't give you a full kit (mixing bowl, bottle, gloves, brush, etc.) but it's so cheap, I really can't get angry about it. My hair is naturally a darkish blond (kind of that nondescript gray kind). Last fall, I decided to go brown, so I used Feria. Soon after, a friend in cosmetology school colored it black with purple streaks (uber fun). I then went to Aveda, and they did a color correction service and it ended it up a rich reddish dark brown. I upkeep this at the regular salon I go to - they use Keune colors (awesome, btw). This has taken place over around 9 months. Prior to my excursion into dark hair, I just highlighted my hair. (I have pics in my profile if you want to see the beginning and end results (I don't have pics of the colorfix yet). :) This stuff smells like rotten pineapple and eggs. I used it full strength and left it on for 20 minutes, and applied a little heat from my blow dryer. As soon as I saw hydrogen peroxide on the ingredient list of step #3, I threw it away. I rinsed and washed it for 15 minutes with a L'oreal shampoo and dish soap. While it's not as light as I hoped, my hair feels wonderful - I didn't realize how much buildup there was. I'm going to reapply sometime over the weekend when I can deal with the smell. My hair is not fried at all and I have extremely thick porous extra curly hair. I used a pH balancer afterwards, too. Recommendations: *Apply outside, if you're able. You do not want to be in a confined space with this stuff. *If you have thick longish hair and have performed a lot coloring over a period of time, you'll need two boxes. *I agree with taking care to apply first to middle and ends. Wait a few minutes, and then apply to the tops. This is especially for people who have tried the whole spectrum of colors like me :). Even though your hair is all one color, the structure of your hair is going to differ in certain areas if you've been coloring all over the place. End note: Take your hair color history into consideration. *Rinse and rinse and rinse and rinse and shampoo and rinse and shampoo. Not only will it help the product in it's effectiveness, all this rinsing and shampooing will help rid your hair of the death scent that is Colorfix. I got most of it out, and I only only smell it if I stick my hair in my face. *Get a friend to help you. It's nice to have that moral support. *Your hair may turn out a little brassy. Just keep this in mind and you'll be okay!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous Naturale
togoat 5/9/2008 9:30:00 AM
I was looking for a black brown mascara that looks natural. I'm naturally a blond, but my hair color is a dark reddish brown. The tips of my eyelashes are blond. While my lashes are very long, I have to wear mascara in order for them to be visible. I really like this mascara. It doesn't give a ton of volume, but it's light and I don't feel like I'm wearing anything. I took one lippie off because it doesn't give the full promised volume, but that's just me being picky. :P The brush is flexible but I only notice it when I'm taking it out of the tube. I'm kinda confused at the bad reviews...? Final conclusin: great for a lightly made up natural look which is what I'm going for these days.
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Mascara -Revlon - 3D Extreme Mascara - Blackest Black
togoat 4/23/2008 4:43:00 PM
I really like this mascara. If you're looking for something natural, this is not what you want. I had no trouble following the directions and only have terrible clumps if there is too much product on the brush (I wipe any excess off - who doesn't?!). I would say that it is a thick mascara like Dior's or YSL's - it's not for the faint of heart. My lashes are already pretty long, and it gives a very doll-like effect to my eyes. Love it!
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Liquid -Revlon - New Complexion Makeup
togoat 4/23/2008 4:36:00 PM
I'm 23 with hormonal outbreaks (a few cysts and angry looking pimples) and combination skin. I do have some texture problems; however, they are beginning to dissipate because I recently replaced some problematic products in my skin care regime. I've looked for something that can replace Even Skin by Trish McEvoy. To be frank, I just can't justify spending that much money on so little product. I was using Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer Tinted Moisturizer, but I think the retinol is too much for me to use everyday alongside my skin treatments. This foundation offers similar coverage to Even Skin if you're looking for something sheer and light. It glides over the skin and dries to a soft dewy finish. You can layer it a little, but it's going to be light to light-medium coverage. This is not going to be matte unless you apply powder over it or you have naturally dry skin. I personally prefer this over Even Skin, which is too watery in my opinion. I would describe this as "Your skin enhanced." It will smooth out any flaws, discolorations, scars, and make zits less noticeable. I prefer having a few imperfections lightly showing rather than having the look of "I'm wearing treatment, moisturizer, SPF, silicone base, foundation, concealer, AND powder to cover this zit up and all I did was make it look less red and even more mountainous." I also think matte foundations accentuate wide pores (I have a few), flakes, and generally look unnatural. I prefer pumps on my foundations, because I'm a total klutz. I'm afraid of dumping this all over myself! I removed one lippie because of it's staying power - not too long, but I can't expect much due to where I live (humidity central!) and my skin type. I frequently dab a tissue on oil spots no matter what I have on, so no worries, really. Price is great, too! $12 for 1.2 oz Revlon vs. $55 for 1 oz Trish McEvoy EDITED 11/29/2008: Well after I saw a bunch of pictures, I realized that this foundation is very pink on me. :/ I'm sad, it's hard to find a highly pigmented foundation that doesn't cost $$$$ and still looks somewhat natural.
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