Cleansers -Boots - No 7 Radiance Boosting Hot Cloth Cleanser
varmintrifle 11/3/2012 3:43:00 PM
This cleanser makes me look forward to washing my face every night. It removes my makeup successfully and without as much effort as other cleansers I've used. I don't find myself having to wash my face twice in order to get the makeup I missed around my nostrils. My face feels genuinely clean and fresh after cleansing, not squeaky and stripped of all moisture. I tried only one hot cloth cleanser before this, Soap and Glory Fab Pore, and while I loved the idea of it, it broke me out. This one doesn't do that. It also has a very, very pleasant scent and the packaging makes it feel more expensive than it actually is. I think it'd make a great stocking stuffer.
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Cleansers -Mario Badescu - Keratoplast Cream Soap
varmintrifle 11/3/2012 3:30:00 PM
This is my morning face wash. I would not use it to remove my makeup as it just won't work, but it does a good job at removing the sweat and oil that accumulates while I sleep. I think the steam from the shower helps at removing that layer of "film" other reviewers complain about. It's not perfect but I like that after using this in conjunction with the Keratoplast Lotion and Calming Cream my face is nice and clear, not red or irritated as it used to look. My skin looks smoother and healthier. I would say I have combination skin that is oily and flaky all over, and this doesn't increase oiliness nor skin congestion. It also doesn't cause that tight feeling that many cleansers do.
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Polishes -Essie - A Cut Above
varmintrifle 8/30/2012 2:18:00 AM
I love this pink glitter polish, it almost has a rose gold, or a dusty rose hint to it, that makes it look very classy. It looks great layered over nude and pink nail polishes, layered thickly over black, but my personal favorite is layered over a pistachio green color made by BP, a Nordstrom brand. Lately I've been painting all of my nails pistachio except for the accent ring finger, which gets a coat of A Cut Above. It's a very retro look and is reminiscent of 50s Formica countertops....in a good way.
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Lotions/ Creams -Nivea - Extended Moisture Hand Cream
varmintrifle 8/30/2012 12:46:00 AM
I work in a library handling books all day, which gives me cracked, painful "winter hands" year-round. This is my favorite hand cream so far. It does not burn to apply - always a good sign - and softens my skin immediately without feeling too greasy, so I can get back to work after washing and moisturizing my hands throughout the day. I have sensitive skin on top of extreme dryness, but buying "fragrance free" everything gets boring after a while. The fragrance in this hand cream does not bother my skin one bit. It has a light, clean scent. I also appreciate the low cost of this product over other hand creams (this was only about $4; I am used to spending around $6-7). The packaging is small and convenient, so it's great for keeping in your purse, on your nightstand, at work, etc. Come winter, I will probably be sleeping with my hands in white cotton gloves, slathered in some greasy, heavy duty hand cream, as I do every winter, but for the rest of the year this is a perfect alternative.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Age Shield Face- SPF 110 waterproof
varmintrifle 6/23/2012 10:48:00 PM
This is my favorite high SPF face sunscreen. It does not leave a white cast (I'm white enough already), and absorbs very well. I have pretty oily skin and this surprisingly doesn't cause excess shine or breakouts. I also find that if I allow 15 minutes between applying this sunscreen and applying my makeup, my face feels smoother, and my makeup applies with few flaws, as if a primer. One reason I do not like this sunscreen is that I have to be very careful applying around my eye area, and when my forehead sweats, it drips into my eyes, which is very irritating.
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Treatments (Eye) -Boots - Expert Sensitive Hydrating Eye Cream
varmintrifle 1/14/2012 12:30:00 PM
I loooooove this eye cream. For one, I hate eye creams in jars rather than tubes, so this gains a point just for having such sanitary packaging. The tip is very thin so it easily allows you to squeeze out exactly the amount you need. So on top of the cheap price, it's economical in that sense as well. I am in my lower 20s with the smallest hint of crow's feet but I've found that my eye area has become smoother and the small lines that were there are even smaller. This is a good, inexpensive eye cream for those of us who really aren't old enough to need the pricey, heavy-duty creams just yet.
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Primer/ Corrector -Bare Escentuals - Prime Time Oil Control
varmintrifle 1/14/2012 12:10:00 PM
I don't get the hate for this primer. It does exactly what I want it to do, which is control oil (my face, in the places it's oily, is VERY oily) and keep my makeup from sliding off or settling into pores and cracks. I've used many expensive primers in the past but this is the one of the only primers that has kept my makeup in place through an 8-hour workday and has kept me from having to powder my nose every half hour. It has a strange texture, almost kind of gelatinous. I find the trick to applying it and keeping it from peeling off is to use 1-2 pumps, apply it immediately, and keep massaging it in until it's completely absorbed. If you allow it to dry on its own, it will flake and peel off like dried Elmer's Glue. The way I personally use it to achieve a long-staying look is to apply it according to my above method, then using a dab of my day moisturizer on top of the primer to achieve a dewy, soft feel. I then apply Benefit's The Porefessional balm to minimize pores on my T-zone. This process gives my skin a soft, matte surface on which to stipple on tinted moisturizer (I use Laura Mercier) with a duo-fiber brush and dust on mattefying powder, like MAC Blot Powder, which I now have to use less often all day due to Prime Time Oil Control doing its job!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -St. Ives - Green Tea Scrub
varmintrifle 9/19/2011 11:20:00 PM
I just started using this last week after I began mysteriously breaking out on my chin. This not only healed the active breakouts but totally cleared all of those horrible little "future zit" bumps I had as well. I don't notice the redness reducing properties but it is definitely gentle and doesn't increase redness at all. It is also non-drying. I don't get that usual shiny, dry tightness I get after using most acne cleansers. Rather, it gives my skin a soft, moisturized, glowing look. It smells good too! I have yet to purchase their Green Tea gel cleanser, and I am really interested in their body wash as my upper back is my true problem area. I will definitely buy this again as well as the other St. Ives Green Tea cleansers. Hopefully I will be as satisfied with those products as much as I am with this scrub.
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Eyeliner -Stila - Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
varmintrifle 9/2/2011 9:12:00 PM
I bought this because Sephora was out of Kat Von D Tattoo Liner, which has been my go-to liquid liner every day since I discovered it. I really regret buying this and can't wait to go exchange it for the liner I'm used to. I wish I had the same experience as the other reviewers here who could wear this swimming. It doesn't even last 10 minutes. It never seems to dry completely and ends up all over the crease of my eye. Yes, it's been hot and humid outside but that was never a problem with the Kat Von D liner. It is also not very opaque. You have to apply a few layers or else it just looks gray. I am giving it 3 because it has a nice applicator. My problem with most liners is that the brush is too thick or too flimsy or starts to fall apart. This at least has a nice brush tip and draws as thin a line as you want. I wish I didn't have to return this, and that I had the same experience as most of the other reviewers.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Mario Badescu - Enzyme Cleansing Gel
varmintrifle 2/7/2011 8:27:00 PM
I have been using this cleanser for over a year now. I used to use acne cleansers as I broke out occasionally around that time of the month, but decided to start using this. It's not the best at removing makeup, and takes a lot of scrubbing because it doesn't lather, but it's really an excellent cleanser that doesn't leave my skin feeling stripped or too red right afterward. It has a gentle exfoliating effect that leaves my skin incredibly smooth.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Maybelline - Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner
varmintrifle 1/12/2011 5:36:00 PM
I just returned this liner today. The gel applied sheer and unevenly, and the brush just plain sucked. Even with my decent eyeliner brush I was unable to apply this evenly, and it smeared off very easily with just a dry fingertip. I have very watery eyes and was attracted to the packaging that claimed it was waterproof, but it was nowhere close. I'd spend a few extra bucks and buy a decent gel liner, like Bare Escentuals' Buxom Lashliner, which I've used in the past.
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Skincare - Body -Earth Therapeutics - Tea Tree Oil Foot Repair Balm
varmintrifle 11/25/2010 2:25:00 AM
I got a full-size tube of this for cheap in a pedicure kit that was on sale. I LOVE the smell of this stuff, even though others may not. It's not greasy and along with the scrub and pumice stone that came in the kit, my feet are much softer just overnight. I love that it sinks in so quickly. However, It doesn't work wonders on my callouses. For those I apply a more heavy duty foot creme with socks overnight, but for a simple moisturizer for the feet and legs after a shower that sinks in quick and smells nice (I personally don't like using my favorite body moisturizer on my feet since it takes a little longer to sink in and I don't like slipping), this is a wonderful product. I will probably buy a tube for my mother's Christmas stocking this year.
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Lips -Laura Mercier - HydraTint SPF15
varmintrifle 11/19/2010 9:30:00 PM
I was thrilled to find this tinted balm in Crimson, it's the red I've been looking for. My lips are naturally very pale and being anemic doesn't help at all, so I need some kind of color on my lips at all times to not look sickly. I wear bright orange-red lipstick on a daily basis but sometimes don't feel like taking the time to apply it if I'm just running somewhere quick. This is the perfect red that isn't too blue (like most reds are) and makes my lips look healthy. It's also very moisturizing, smells nice, and isn't glossy or shimmery (always a plus!). The price is a bit high for what it is, but I would purchase again just because I've had a difficult time finding a red tinted balm I like this much.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Mario Badescu - Drying Mask
varmintrifle 11/5/2010 2:32:00 AM
This mask is far superior to MB's Drying Lotion when used as a spot treatment. I rarely break out, but recently had three bumps appear on my right cheek (probably thanks to my cat sleeping on my pillow), one of which came to a head thanks to the Drying Lotion I used the night before. The other two were still below the surface and a little red and painful. Having just run out of Q-tips, I decided to try the sample of the Drying Mask I received instead on the bumps. The next day, they were not only completely flattened but also no longer red, and the one that had been a whitehead the day before had healed. It took the mask only overnight to accomplish what my face would take a week to do on its own. As for the smell, I don't think it's bad, but then again I'm the type of person who enjoys the smell of gasoline.
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Liquid -Illamasqua - Rich Liquid foundation
varmintrifle 10/27/2010 4:15:00 PM
I bought RF 105, but I didn't buy it to use as foundation on its own (it's almost straight-up white that leans pink) but to thicken and lighten the shade of my Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer (in Porcelain, which is slightly too dark for me). So basically, to get something between a tinted moisturizer and foundation, only a lighter shade than any tinted moisturizer I've ever tried, so the perfect color for me. I mix a 1:5 ratio on the back of my hand (you can use a palette if you're one of those people) and apply the blend with a stippling brush, focusing on the center of my face and blending out from there. I recommend using a smoothing primer first and keeping your face well-moisturized and dusting with finishing or mattefying powder after, to prevent flakes from showing up. I use so little product that this tube will probably expire before half of it is gone. It is very thick and provides extremely high coverage, but it's nice to be able to use this with tinted moisturizer and adjust it the ratio needed to match my pallor year-round.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No