Treatments -La Roche Posay - Effaclar Duo
watergirl78 8/1/2011 1:04:00 PM
I believe this product does virtually everything it claims to do. I purchased it to replace what I had been using, which was DDF 5% BP with tea tree oil. I think Effaclar Duo works faster and is gentler, plus I prefer the packaging (slimmer, less bulky, easier to travel with, the hole the product comes out of is smaller so you don't waste any product and it doesn't cake around the opening like DDF did). My skin is currently not broken out at all, but it is definitely acne-prone and oily. Effaclar Duo has kept it beautifully under control, and when any blemish does appear, the Duo zaps it quickly. Long ago, I had a prescription for Azelex and I think Effaclar Duo is better than that. The only cons to this product are a) it's expensive; b) I can't find a B&M store that sells it so I have to order it online; and c) it will bleach dyed fabrics/towels because of the BP. All that being sad, it's absolutely worth it, and I will continue to purchase it. If you're interested, sign up for LRP's emails and they send free shipping and 20% off codes occasionally.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Aveda - Sun Care Protective Hair Veil
watergirl78 6/24/2011 10:49:00 AM
This product did not work for me at all. First off, the second ingredient, if I recall correctly, is SD Alcohol 40, and that is very drying to my hair. Second, even though this is drying, it leaves an oily, greasy film on my hair, making it feel dirty. I didn't notice whether or not the product was actually working (by keeping my hair from getting dried out from the sun). Imagine dehydrated, limp hair that has been coated with a fine mist of sticky oil. Ick. The price on this is too high for what you get, and the scent is nothing remarkable. It smells kind of chemical-y (in contrast to most of Aveda's products, which smell botanical/natural to me), with a hint of cinnamon. I would not repurchase this and I wouldn't even use it again if someone gave it to me. I trashed most of the bottle I had.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Arcona - Raspberry Acne Bar
watergirl78 6/23/2011 4:41:00 PM
I agree with the reviewer below me - this product works as nice non-irritant soap that seems to remove all makeup and oil from my face. (I do not wear foundation though.) It didn't irritate my skin at all, nor did it cause me any breakouts. However, I don't feel like it improved my skin or provided any benefit that any other basic cleanser couldn't provide. The scent of the soap was okay, but it smelled more artificial raspberry to me than natural. I think the price for this item is outrageous, and I even got mine 20% off. The soap is not very hard so it doesn't last long - I've had it about one month and it is probably 2/3 to 3/4 used up. I threw away the container it comes with (that is probably part of the high price there) and set the soap on a plastic drainer thing with holes in it to keep it dry between uses. Although this is a decent product, I won't be buying this again because it's too expensive and doesn't last long enough to justify the price.
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Lotions/ Creams -Philosophy - Fresh Peaches with Cream body lotion
watergirl78 6/1/2011 4:32:00 PM
This lotion smells DIVINE, like real, ripe, sweet peaches with a dash of cream. The lotion is a nice consistency for warm weather - not too emollient but enough. I love the scent, which lingers lightly most of the day, and would buy this over and over again, especially since I got it at 20% off from beauty.com. I should note, though, for anyone who loves the fragrance, that Aveeno's Positively Nourishing White Peach + Ginger body wash smells verrry similar. (I can't comment on the Aveeno white peach + ginger lotion because I didn't sniff that, but if it is similar, that would be a cheaper alternative this Philosophy lotion.)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 30
watergirl78 6/1/2011 4:25:00 PM
I have to say that I've really liked this sunscreen for a number of years because it isn't greasy and it keeps me from burning, but I am going to stop using it for two reasons: 1) it contains vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) which may accelerate skin cancer/tumors; and 2) I have PMLE and some of these ingredients are known to exacerbate it. I've experienced PMLE while wearing this sunscreen and it is horrible (for those of you who don't know, it is Polymorphous Light Eruption, aka a "sun allergy" although it's not a true allergy. It usually occurs in spring or when I'm exposed to intense sunlight after not being in the sun at all during the winter, and results in red, irritated, bumpy, hot, extremely itchy skin on my chest area). The potential skin cancer connection scares me so I will not be using any more sunscreens that have vitamin A derivatives in them (I can save the anti-aging stuff for regular body lotion and my food). So, now I am switching to LaRoche Posay Anthelios 40 and the daily SPF 15.
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Skincare - Body -Lather - Lavender and Eucalyptus Foot Creme
watergirl78 3/18/2011 12:33:00 PM
I *really* like this foot cream. I typically hate the feel of foot cream because it just makes my feet feel greasy and gross and slippery. This stuff just soaks right in and I can definitely tell a difference. I always use it at night before bed in the summer time. My feet are not super dry or cracked, but I am in the sand a lot due to beach volleyball and this foot cream keeps my feet looking great for sandals and open toed shoes. The fact that it is green doesn't bother me one bit and I like the thinner consistency because it actually soaks in. Repurchase for me; esp. since I feel like I get quite a bit of product for the price.
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Styling Products -Bumble & Bumble - Texture
watergirl78 3/9/2011 2:12:00 PM
I was excited to try Bb's new product, Texture: the Hair (un)dressing Creme. I am underwhelmed. My hair is in a pixie cut and it's wavy, fine but I have a lot of it. I have tried many, many hair products. I thought Texture would give it texture (duh) and some lift (think Halle Berry's style) plus moisture. First, the good: Texture feels good going on damp hair. It does provide some "grip" without making the hair feel dirty (a la Jonathan Dirt - ugh). The scent is light and negligible, unlike the strongly-scented Bb. sumo tech. Now, the bad: I am just not pleased with the results. I don't think Texture is emollient enough for my hair. It's definitely better that using nothing at all on my hair but it ends up feeling kind of dry. I've tried layering Texture with Kiehl's leave-in conditioner and with Bb. grooming creme, but I haven't been happy with those results, either. I'll try layering with other items. I think Texture might be better for someone with longer hair who just wants a little something to provide grip.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Bumble & Bumble - Sumo Tech
watergirl78 10/22/2010 5:03:00 PM
This product is okay. I have fine, thick, wavy hair in a pixie cut so I need something substantial to texturize my hair when I style it because I like it to look piecey. I think Sumo Tech does the job alright, but I found I disliked the scent, which is kind of pungent/masculine and on the strong side. I wished that it added some more moisture to my hair, which tends to be a bit dry, and provided more lift. I tried layering it with Bb grooming creme but wasn't impressed. I have found other products that do the same job, cost less for much more product, and smell better. I won't be repurchasing this.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Bobbi Brown - Treatment Lip Shine - Sunset Bronze
watergirl78 6/2/2010 2:30:00 PM
I am in total agreement with the prior reviewer. I love this product. I prefer it to regular lipstick because it has a nicer shine and has SPF, and I think this is the perfect happy medium between a true gloss and a matte lipstick. The new colors are fabulous It is much better than its predecessor, the SPF 15 lip shine, because it is somewhat thicker, and the formula wears off to a lovely stain. I find that it keeps my lips better moisturized than the predecessor, too. I love this so much I bought Sunset Bronze, Rosy (which I bought to replace "Claret"), and Berry (similar to the Blackberry spf 15 lip shine). (I am MMM/GGG w/ pigmented lips.) 4 lippies, after having deducted 1 for the price - but I will keep buying and buying and buying this. It's my absolute favorite.
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Eye Shadow -Bobbi Brown - Metallic Eye Shadow in Bronzed Pink
watergirl78 10/23/2009 10:53:00 AM
Love! This is very pretty - on my MMM/GGG skin, it gives my eyes a lovely neutral candlelit glow, appropriate for day or night. Many e/s's disappear into my skin (hello, Bone Shimmerwash - I am talking to you). The bronzed pink is a somewhat pale neutral bronzy shimmery pink. It looks more like a shimmer than a true metallic to me. I like it because it highlights my green eyes without being too obvious. It can be applied dry for a more subtle look and wet for a more intense shimmer. I was able to snag this free in a promo on BB's website, which makes it even better. If I ever ran out of this, I would probably buy it full price. 4 lippies - I took one off for lack of staying power b/c I have oily lids. Still a great product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Bobbi Brown - Cream Shadow brush
watergirl78 10/23/2009 10:49:00 AM
I wear makeup every day but I am by no means an expert - I need my makeup to be easy to apply, long wear, and basically fool proof. I have owned a BB cream shadow for several months and had always applied it with my fingers. I ended up ordering the brush because the cost bumped me up to the minimum to get a promo on BB's website. I LOVE the brush - it is just stiff enough yet still soft, and it picks up just the right amount of product. This is waaaay preferable to applying with my fingers because it's easier to blend the e/s and I get the right amount of product on each eye, instead of having one eye with more e/s than the other. I also like using this brush to apply cream highlighter to my inner v's, which is nearly impossible to do well with my fingers. 4 stars! I took one off for the price, which is $28 (too high).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Clinique - Vitamin C Lip Smoothies Antioxidant Lip Color
watergirl78 10/16/2009 4:51:00 PM
This is a great product for moisturizing the lips. I really liked the consistency and the brush applicator; unfortunately, the gloss is not very pigmented (although I do have dark lips). The color I had was Fig-a-licious - operative word here is "had." I bought this product and used it maybe once a day or once every other day, and it ran out in about a month. I was shocked. I can't believe how little product there was in that big tube. I have a regular Nars gloss that appears to be the same size tube (although it is clear so I can see inside it), and I have been using it for OVER A YEAR and there is still plenty left. There is no way I would ever purchase this again since the price is too high for the amount you get - no wonder they make the tube opaque so you can't see inside.
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Eye Shadow -Bobbi Brown - Eye Shadow - Woodrose
watergirl78 6/16/2009 10:44:00 AM
This e/s has a great quality, just like all of BB's eyeshadows. However, the color is less than stellar on me - I am MMM/GGG with green eyes. When I put Woodrose on, I can't tell I have anything on my eyelids - the color completely disappears into my skin. I have Woodrose as part of a palette or I'd put it up for swap. I won't be repurchasing this color but I'd definitely repurchase other colors.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Aveeno - Clear Complexion Cream Cleanser
watergirl78 5/21/2009 1:22:00 PM
I have very oily, somewhat acne-prone skin, but it can get dry right after cleansing. I like to use cleansers that are effective but gentle. In the past, I've been hooked on Purpose, but I wanted to try something that had acne-fighting ingredients in it, too. I bought this Aveeno Clear Complexion Cream Cleanser on a whim after Target was out of the pHisoderm product I had wanted to try. I have been using this for about two weeks and so far I love it. It gently removes all the dirt, oil, and makeup (I do not wear foundation but do wear powder and blush) from my skin. I apply it to my face, rub it around, then leave it on for about a minute. Then I rinse it off. It leaves my skin so clean and soft (not dry AT ALL! - I am talking to YOU, Neutrogena!) and my skin looks smoother and clearer than it has in months. I use this in conjunction with DDF 5% BP with tea tree oil, and Olay 7x Total Effects moisturizer. I highly recommend this cleanser for effective, gentle cleansing.
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Moisturizers -Murad - Oil-Control Mattifier
watergirl78 3/4/2009 3:41:00 PM
This SPF mattifier beats the pants off of my prior favorite, Cosmedicine Medi Matte. I have checked the ingredients of Murad and found some other beneficial ones in the list, including niacinamide (sp?), and tea tree oil. I have never broken out as a result of using this Murad mattifier, which I use all over my face. Like the prior reviewers, I have tried everything to keep my skin matte - including Bliss instant mattification, Philosophy The Makeup, PTR, Smashbox, Cosmedicine, etc. This Murad mattifier is BY FAR the best of the bunch. It mattifies better and longer than all the others. I'd say I'm completely shine free for about 4 hours, then a bit dewy for 2, and some shine begins peaking through between hours 6 and 8. I don't find it too hard to spread on my face. I am also impressed that I get more for my money (1.7 oz. for something like $36) over Medi-Matte, which is 1.3 oz. for $42. The SPF in this product is VERY effective - I never burn with this on. I will definitely keep buying this again and again!
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No