Hair Color -Unlisted Brand - Zotos Age Beautiful Anti-Aging Permanent Hair Color
user24678 1/14/2013 4:14:00 AM
I picked this up in 1N (Jet Black) on the recommendation of my stylist. I've used this a few times now and have been quite impressed. I don't have grey but my natural colour is dark/dirty blonde and I dye it jet black, and it covers very well and holds up without fading until my next 4 week touch-up. It's a true, jet, jet black with no brown, red or blue undertones. I also find it spreads through the hair easier than drugstore box dyes I've used previously, so I don't miss any spots. It leaves my hair super, super shiney and silky right from the beginning as well (of course after conditioning when I rinse the colour out), whereas my hair's normally a bit stiff until the first shampooing after using a box dye. They're also very generous in the amount they give you compared to box dyes. My hair is shoulder length and with the 2 oz of cream colour and 2 oz of volume, I probably only end up using 1/2 to 2/3 of the mixture (I use all of it with a box colour). I can't vouch for the other colours as I haven't tried them, but if you're looking for a good jet black permanent dye, I'd highly recommend this one!
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Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Expert Wear Eye Shadow Single: Linen
user24678 1/5/2013 9:09:00 PM
To second the reviewer a couple reviews down, I have to agree that this is a nicer product that Covergirl's French Vanilla, which I was previously using. I was satisfied enough with French Vanilla as it was the only shadow I had purchased in this type of shade and it worked well enough, but I picked up Maybelline Linen (almost identical shades) instead the last time I was at the store because they haven't had French Vanilla in stock for some time and Maybelline's shadows were on sale. I am sooo glad I tried this and will now switch over to using it regularly. It's smoother/creamier in texture and application than Covergirl French Vanilla, the shimmer is more subtle and it wears longer. I also find there's less fallout onto my black eyeliner. I really like it and would recommend for a drugstore eyeshadow in this shade!
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Shampoo -TRESemme - Color Revitalize
user24678 12/24/2012 12:50:00 AM
I have to agree with the other reviewers that this leaves my hair sooo greasy! I should have read the reviews first because my experience was exactly as others described. I bought this in a pinch when my usual Deep Cleansing shampoo was out of stock, and used it in conjunction with my regular conditioner, Remoisturize. By the time my hair air dried, it looked and felt like it needed to be washed again! It separated at the roots and looked as if someone had run their greasy fingers through my hair. It was also very heavy and uncomfortable, as if it was heavily coated in something. It felt dirtier after washing than before washing! I've never had such a horrible experience with shampoo before. This one's definitely going back! Do not recommend!
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Hair Color -Garnier - Nutrisse Mousse
user24678 12/6/2012 12:28:00 AM
I tried the Blue Black to refresh my hair, which I normally colour with the Garnier Nutrisse Cream in Natural Black. Worth noting: There is no visible blue in this colour at all, so the name is a bit deceiving. It's just a cool, jet black. I knew this when I bought it by the picture on the box and the swatch on the shelf. I didn't notice any real difference in the colour of my hair overall with this compared to the Natural Black cream, which is also already actually pretty jet black. It was super easy to apply and appeared to turn out nice initially, but almost completely washed out in the first 3 shampoos. Horrid! I had to re-colour a week later again with my usual Nutrisse Cream. I would not recommend this product!
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Lotions/ Creams -Eucerin - Dry Skin Complete Repair Daily Moisturizing Lotion
user24678 11/6/2012 9:00:00 PM
I received a sample of this in Glow magazine. I was excited about the sample because it was fragrance-free, which is all my skin will tolerate. It was enough to do my legs, arms, hands and feet. I massaged it in and waited and waited for it to absorb, but it just sat on the surface of my skin like an oily residue. Literally hours later, I could still feel it sitting on my skin. The oilyness finally seemed to have faded by the end of the day and then my skin finally felt comfortable, but I'm thinking the residue likely rubbed off on my clothes. Ick. I'm normally a Vaseline brand cream and lotion user, which many have told me are too greasy for them, but I even found this to be too greasy. Would not recommend!
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Other -Crest - Crest 3D White Whitestrips With Advanced Seal Professional Effects Enamel Safe Dental Whitening Kit,
user24678 11/6/2012 7:34:00 PM
I received a single packet (one use) of these as a sample. I had considered trying Whitestrips before but was deterred by the hefty price tag. I've previously used Plus White and have been quite impressed by the performance of it with minimal sensitivity. However, even after just the single use of these strips, my teeth became incredibly sensitive! It took about 3 days for the sensitivity to subside. I don't know if these would have worked as well as my Plus White, but I at least now know not to waste my money finding out because of the sensitivity issues!
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Polishes -OPI - Quarter of a Cent-Cherry
user24678 6/20/2012 2:31:00 AM
Finally, a new go-to red! This is what I was hoping Got The Blues For Red would be. GTBFR registered as far more of a brown-based burgandy on me as opposed to a blue-based cherry or blood red. Quarter of a Cent-Cherry is exactly what I was looking for. It's a beautiful blue-based cherry red (flattering on all skin tones- even my own super pale hands/feet that are sometimes blue-ish or pink due to a blood vessel issue) that looks more of a true blood-red in lower lighting. Not too bright or too dark, and not at all orangey... just perfect! I would say I will likely wear this year-round, as it is neither too cool nor too warm for any season and goes with just about anything. It's cute, it's classy... It's everything I want a red polish to be! It also applies easier and more evenly than GTBFR, which I found to be quite blotchy. This only requires 2 coats to be totally opaque and even, whereas GTBFR needed 3 or 4. I like the brush because it's flat so it's glides nicely on the nail, but it isn't too wide for my narrow nails either like some flat brushes tend to be. I got about a week's wear out of it (with a good base coat and top coat) with only minor tiny chips around the edges of a few nails and a bit of minor tip wear starting to appear. I would definitely repurchase! Another point for this polish: I started painting my nails with this last week just before a power failure. It was just before sunset and very windy outside (so continuing out there was not an option) and I had just gotten the first coat on a few nails, so I decided to try to finish the application in front of a window using the little bit of sunlight that was still coming in. Despite the poor lighting conditions I had to work in, I was pleasantly surprised at how decent the application still looked once the power came back on. It's a pretty smooth and easy application with the good formula and brush combination! Highly recommend!
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Polishes -OPI - Got the blues for red
user24678 6/3/2012 4:33:00 PM
I picked this up at a local salon based on reviews and swatches I had seen, but it has disappointed me. It doesn't appear as the same beautiful blue-based blood red for me as it looks in the swatches. Mine looks like more of a deep roan red colour (far more brown than red), which is not flattering at all on my fair skin. It just doesn't register as a red shade at all, in any light. Also, it took 3 coats to become opaque, and 4 on some fingers to look even, which is a LOT for a dark polish! Unfortunately, the salon I got it from doesn't accept returns so I'm stuck with it now, even though I know I'm never going to wear it.
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Lip Gloss -Rimmel - Vinyl Gloss - Be Dazzled
user24678 4/30/2012 3:11:00 AM
Yet another winner from the Vinyl Gloss lineup! I also own these glosses in Snog (my everyday favourite... barely darker my natural lips and just enough to make me feel more polished), Delirious (fun fuscia colour when you want a bit of a brighter "pop" of colour to your lips without being over-the-top) and Clear (super shiney and the perfect consistency... I always reach for this when I don't feel like colour on my lips, for a nice wet shine). All are fabulous. This is my most recent purchase out of the colours I own. It looks pretty red in the tube but it's a lot more subtle on the lips. It's still a reddish colour but just a sheer wash, so ends up looking reddy-pink on the lips. I reach for it when I'm going for a sort of 50's/60's look (vintage style dress with my winged eyeliner and coiffed hair) and don't quite feel like going full-on red with my lips. I love the colour, and I love these glosses.They have just enough pigment to show up and be noticeable but still sheer enough to be forgiving in application (you can quickly swipe these babies on in the passenger seat of a moving vehicle if needbe), and they're the perfect consistency in that they're neither greasy nor sticky. They wear for quite a while for a gloss and fade evenly in a non-obvious type of way... AND they're super moisturizing! What more could you ask for in a gloss? Honestly, I'd take these glosses over MAC Lipglass anyday. They're more comfortable and apply much nicer, in my opinion. I should also add that I was at first wary of buying these glosses because most of the colours appear to have fine sparkles in them in the tube (I'm not a sparkley lip type of girl), but it isn't noticeable at all on the lips. I think it's those shimmers that create the wet "vinyl" type of shine on the lips. So, don't let that scare you away from them if that's what you're worried about!
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Waterproof Voluminous Carbon Black
user24678 2/9/2012 5:25:00 PM
I've been using this off and on inbetween other mascaras because I'm still searching for a new HG since my old favourites were all either discontinued or were too hard on my lashes over time. I bought this quite a while back but didn't really try it until now (I think I tried it on one eye, wasn't impressed with the initial application and threw it back in my makeup case because I didn't have the patience to fuss with different techniques with it at the time). I've since started using it and am fairly happy with it so far, on the days I wear it. It is quite black in colour, but it's kind of a dry looking black, which isn't the greatest. I normally prefer a black with a bit of sheen to it, but at least this is a true black colour, so I can live with it. I can't say whether or not it smudges for me because I wear a smokey eye look anyways, but I do like that it doesn't crumble off of my lash tips throughout the day like the regular black Voluminous WP does. Also, at first I didn't think it held curl well at all, but now I realize that it does if you apply the first coat super, super dry. I wipe off as much of the product from the wand as I possibly can (I choose to wipe it back onto the rim of the tube because I find it's less wasteful, and I think that constantly wiping your wand on a tissue will pick up tissue fibers over time) so that there's barely a residue left on it. Then I apply my first coat, and that seals in the curl. By the time I do each eye and then go back to the first eye to do another coat, the curl is set into place and I can add as many layers as I want without straightening my lashes back out (I generally do 2 or 3 coats of it because I find it builds up so nicely). I find that most days, it applies quite nicely this way (lashes are neat, defined, volumized), but there is the occassional day that my eyelashes just don't seem to cooperate with it (might be partial fault of my eyelash curler catching lashes it shouldn't, since my lashes are quite long and awkward), which isn't uncommon with most mascaras for me. I like that it doesn't crumble or flake throughout the day and feels lightweight and comfortable on my lashes/eyes. I do find that it's a bit harder to remove (with waterproof eye makeup remover) than the regular black Voluminous WP, but not too bad. I don't find that it makes my lashes as crunchy as other WP formulas, like others have mentioned. So far, it's probably been the most comfortable mascara for me in terms of wear, because it doesn't flake or feel hard/heavy on the lashes (even with 3 coats). So far, it's been alright. I may or may not end up switching to it full-time. I'm liking it better than the other one I'm using right now, Maybelline Volum Express Turbo Boost WP, because lately I'm finding that one can crumble a bit on me some days. I will update if I lean more to liking/disliking it. Update 04/14/2012: I've been using this more because I've just gotten sick of other waterproof mascaras crumbling and irritating my eyes or destroying my eyelashes upon removal. I found that the last tube I bought doesn't seem to leave such an excessive amount of product on the brush, so I'm able to use it without wiping a bunch of it off before application, and it still holds my curl quite well. I have also recently been skipping the eyeliner on my lower lashline, and I still haven't noticed any issues with this smudging or smearing, even through misty/rainy days or when my eyes are watering like crazy from my allergies. I could see people with oily skin around their eyes (or people who use certain undereye concealers) having issues with smearing because waterproof mascaras are broken down by anything oily, but my eye area isn't oily and I also use pressed powder so it's been fine for me. Application is still a bit hit or miss from one day to next, but nothing terrible. I've bumped it up to a 4/5 because I'm overall satisfied and happy with this mascara.
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast 24 HR Mascara
user24678 1/27/2012 7:24:00 PM
I decided to try this despite reading reviews that it's just as difficult to remove as the regular LashBlast WP, and I wish I had listened to those reviews. It really is just as hard to remove (that was my only gripe with the regular WP version), and I also find it crumbles into a gritty mess when it finally does start to break down with remover (which takes a long, long time, even with a remover designed for waterproof mascara) and then the mascara grit really scratches up my eye area. Not only that, but I think the regular WP version also applies nicer (coats more evenly) and creates more volume. This held the curl just as well but otherwise it was like an entirely different product in terms of application. The only good things I can say about it is that, again, it did hold my curl well, it didn't run or flake throughout the day, and although it didn't apply as nicely as the regular WP version, it still wasn't bad. Overall though, I would not recommend. The regular WP version is just all-around better than this, and both are clearly waterproof anyways and equally difficult to remove.
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Eye Makeup Remover -Neutrogena - Oil Free eye makeup remover
user24678 1/8/2012 5:06:00 PM
I bought this to try after having bad luck with Quo's dual-phase eye makeup remover for waterproof makeup. This removes my waterproof mascara and Liquidlast eyeliner fairly easily without turning my eyelids into a red, irritated, chapped mess like the Quo stuff did. It's also unfragranced, so my eyes don't tear up from the fumes of it (which was another problem I had with the Quo remover). It's oil-free, which only means it doesn't contain the traditional oils that most eye makeup removers use as a base. However, it doesn't mean it doesn't feel greasy, since there are other ingredients other than oil that can leave a greasy residue. I don't find this product to be particularly greasy (far less so than most other eye makeup removers), but I do always remove my eye makeup before washing my face, so I wash any residue away after anyways. As an additional bonus, I like that the bottle on this product doesn't have a flip cap. I find flip caps to be a lot more messy and prone to leaking during travel, so I like that this bottle just has a regular screw-on cap. I like this eye makeup remover. I would recommend it. The only reason I didn't give it a 5/5 is because it still doesn't remove Covergirl waterproof mascara very well (though I haven't found any product yet that does). In my opinion, Covergirl's waterproof mascaras are by far the most difficult to remove (LashBlast WP in particular, but also LashExact WP).
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Eye Shadow -Cover Girl - Eye Enhancers - French Vanilla
user24678 12/20/2011 8:34:00 PM
I bought this for an all-over-the-eye colour to brighten my eyes behind my smokey liner. It works well for that purpose. It's barely lighter than my natural skin colour (yes, I am just that pale) with very slight shimmer so it takes a bit to show up and is subtle... but if I do only one eye and not the other to compare, the one with the eyeshadow does definitely look brighter. I apply it over my pressed powder to help the shadow last longer, but I don't think I'd notice if it creased anyways because it's so similar to my natural lid colour. I don't know how much it fades throughout the day because, again, it's subtle. I think any shadow in this colour would be forgiving in wear on my skin tone. But it does what I was hoping it would, and at a decent price, so I'll continue to use and probably repurchase.
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Hair Removal -Unlisted Brand - Balea 3-Blade Razors (Women's)
user24678 11/21/2011 11:31:00 PM
I picked these up at Shoppers when they were out of my regular Shick razors (the disposable 3-blade ones with the hot pink handle advertised for sensitive skin). These razors do NOT compare! I find them to be very scratchy/scrapey (I think the blade housing is to blame) and the blades seem to have a slight outward arch to them, which causes a lot more knicks. The excessively pivoting head and poor blade quality cause a poor shave and a lot of irritation. The handles need more grip (even the rubber parts are slippery). If I didn't know any better, I'd think they were designed by someone who has never shaved before! Just poor design all around. I just flat-out do not recommend these razors!
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Top/Base Coats -Sally Hansen - Hard as Wraps - Acrylic Gel
user24678 11/1/2011 9:36:00 PM
I bought this in the clear version (looks blue in the bottle). I used it the past couple weeks on my bare nails because I was giving them a break from dark polishes, wanting to prevent staining. I was really just hoping the Hard As Wraps would add a bit of sheen and wear well and protect my nails (I never like having them totally bare and exposed because they take a bit of a beating at work). With my regular Hard As Nails treatment, I usually apply one coat the first week, then add a second coat over it a week later, once I have some regrowth. Then a week later, I remove it, file my nails, clean up my cuticles and start all over again. Well, the first coat of this chipped and wore away on all the tips within about 24 hours. The second coat peeled right off, removing the first coat along with it. And the bit that was left was damn near impossible to remove with regular nail polish remover! My nails were sooo dry by the time I was done, they were probably weaker than they were before I used the product! I just flat out do not like or recommend this product. Buy the regular Hard As Nails instead!
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