Fragrances -Lancome - La Vie Est Belle
whyknot 2/25/2013 11:50:00 AM
This smelled lovely and intriguing in the bottle - an irresistible sexy vanilla. When I sprayed it on, however, it went straight to nasty: cigarettes and cherry coke. Jut did not work at all with my chemistry. Too bad, cuz I really loved the scent in the bottle!
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Deodorants -Weleda - Wild Rose Deodorant
whyknot 4/13/2012 4:03:00 PM
This product is Ok, but I will not repurchase for several reasons. 1) the smell is too pungent for me. and has an odd hint of BO to it, straight out of the bottle. seeing as how i want my deodorant to cover the smell of BO, I don't really want one that starts out smelling like perfume covering BO. 2) this has alcohol, and stings a bit when applied, especially after shaving. 3) glass bottle+tile bathroom=no good. I dont mind reapplying if it means no chemicals in my pits. Really its the strong pungent smell of this i do not like. It will def interefere with any perfume you try to wear. Unless you love how this smells on its own, i'd skip it.
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast Fusion
whyknot 3/23/2012 4:38:00 PM
I really don't like this stuff. The finished look after I apply it to my lashes is nice, but the whole time I am applying it, I am silently cursing it and trying to just get it on before I throw it across the room. I'm not one to normally let little things get to me or be suddenly aggro over next to nothing, but this mascara really bring out the rage.Not exactly a nice addition to my daily routine. Things I don't like: the fat package. the HUGE plastic bristle brush the keeps me from getting the corner lashes and feels like applying mascara with a pineapple. the dry dry formula that takes like a million strokes to get one coat and then 2-3 coats to get a nice result. the charcoal grey color of the "Black" which might work if your lashes are already dark, but is awful for my blonde lashes. Things I do like: the finished look, although its a bit wimpy in my book. (i like the doll-eyed look.) I will try to finish this up, but I doubt I will make it without getting pissed and tossing it. I can't believe everyone likes this so much!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Ecotools - Bamboo Bronzer Brush
whyknot 2/1/2012 6:40:00 PM
I have been hearing about this brush for ages and finally grabbed one. This baby is the shizz! Super soft and dense. Since purchasing it, I have forsaken all my other powder brushes. I use this mostly to apply setting powder over my foundation, but I can see it being very versatile. I am already considering getting a second to carry in my purse! I had been using a very expensive Lancome mineral makeup brush or the large Japonesque powder brush to apply my powder, but this ecotools brush is even softer and applies more product more evenly than either of those $50+ brushes ever did. I need to try this with my JI pressed base, cuz I'm sure it would be good for that too. I dont mind the thick handle, as it stands on it's own, which is neat, but I can see that being a possible downside as far as storage space. I would like to say that this brush has not yet left a single hair on my face, which all my other expensive brushes always do. Loves it.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Nature's Gate - Hemp Skin Therapy Lotion
whyknot 2/1/2012 5:54:00 PM
I bought this solely based on reviews, and everyone was right - this stuff is awesome. This is hands down one of the most moisturizing body lotions i have ever used, and I spent years trying all kinds of expensive lotions, creams, and oils for my dry itchy skin. Despite being uber-moisturizing, it doesn't leave me greasy (Body Shop body butter!). The scent isn't my favorite, but its not that bad either, and does fade after about 30 minutes. Huge pump bottle for about $10. Another plus is that it's a natural brand, which i like. I had tried several natural brands as well and always been disappointed (Kiss My Face, Shi Kai, etc). It also covers a lot with little lotion - one pump does the trick for a whole leg, versus 5 or 6 needed from the Olay body lotion I was using just prior to this. So the bottle should be a great value. This one is a definite winner and I think this will be the only lotion I purchase from here on out!
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Salon Effects - Laced Up
whyknot 11/2/2011 4:32:00 PM
Love this, lasts forever on like the other Salon Effects that I have tried. Once you get the hang of it, these are easy, but some girls I have given these too just cant get the hang of application. For me, however it's a breeze. I love that Laced Up is almost like a neutral nail, but sexxed up. One of the best (and least tacky) patterns in the Salon Effects range. That being said, I wish they would do more normal-polish colors, not just tacky patterns and neons. Hear that, Sally? I want some classy purples, blues, and grays, please! Also, lower the price $3. Thanks! Pic is attached above so you can enjoy the sexiness.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Nicole - Make U Smile
whyknot 8/29/2011 1:08:00 PM
This is a clear polish with large roundish silver glitter and tiny silver glitter. I wear this over dark colors and i LOVE IT - it creates a look that is just like the night sky, like tons of small twinkling stars and a few bright big stars. I think of it as my "Starry Night" nails. I have attached a pic above for reference, which shows Make U Smile over OPI Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees, a dark gunmetal grayish black. I have also done it over Russian Navy (pic also above), a color I dont really like on its own very much, for another cool nighttime sky look. I have yet to try this any other way, since this look is so awesome. As for the product itself, the clear base is a little thick, but this actually allows you to go over it several times with the brush to get the sparkles distributed how you like. I also find that this hides bubbles in the polish you wear underneath, so its a good way to save a less-than-perfect paint job. It dries super shiny. Although I still use a topcoat, its shiny enough to go without one if you like. The only thing I do not like about this is the brush - its short and stumpy and if this polish wasnt clear, I think it would be awful. But i may just be spoiled by OPI's pro-wide brush. I also dont like that this is in the Beiber collection. Lame.
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Cleansers -Boscia - MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil
whyknot 8/29/2011 12:52:00 PM
I love this. I am on about my 7th bottle, and despite trying a few others for comparison, I always come running back to this, usually before my sample of something else is even gone. I use this on my dry face, rubbing it into the makeup all over, doing the eyes last so im not spreading mascara all over my face. Emulsify with a little water, then rinse. I follow with Skinmedica facial cleanser. This leaves my skin soft, clean, and NOT CRACKING OFF. I can even follow with toner and not be like the Sahara. Since i added this oil to my regime, my skin is less oily in the day, more even in texture, has fewer breakouts, and generally more comfortable at all times. i dont find this to be very minty at all. The smell is almost nonexistent to me, or at least very neutral. Never hurts my eyes or irritates anything, so I must have no sensitivity to menthol. That could be the only issue I could see anyone having with this product. But for me, it's love.
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Mascara -Maybelline - one by one, waterproof
whyknot 6/9/2011 4:54:00 PM
this mascara gives a very natural look on me. VERY natural. like my lashes only tinted dark (mine are blond). so no volume or length to speak of, but a very nice fan of natural looking lashes. but i really bought this cuz i needed a WP mascara for working out. While the natural look this gives is great for minimal workout makeup, the WP ability of this mascara is awful. It doesnt smudge, it just flakes off all over my face when i sweat, sleep, splash water on my face, etc. And when it does get wet, it does not preserve the look. if i rinse my face, my nice fan of lashes turns into a wet clumpy mess, which i then have to comb out. And combing them out removes most of the mascara, even though they were only wet with a little plain water! 3 for look, 0 for WP staying power. no way would this one be ok for swimming, hot yoga, running, or rinsing off, or anything i can think of that you would want WP mascara for. WP FAIL.
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Lip Treatments -Christian Dior - Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm
whyknot 4/21/2011 2:18:00 PM
I need a product that is just like this - a balm that will moisturize and give my colorless dead-body-in-the-morgue lips some life. I ususally go with stains, which are drying and hard to find in anything other than a horrid berry pink, or just suck it up and wear lipstick or gloss all day, every day. So i thought this would be a great solution. And i <3 all things Dior. Sadly, within 30 seconds of application, this turned a heinous neon fuschia on my lips. Combined with my uber-pale pink toned complexion, this was like a BAD mall scene from 1983. Extra bummer cuz it felt great on. This isnt a bad product, just not for anyone whose body chemistry turn color-changing cosmetics to that nasty, ubiquitous neon pink!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Nuxe - Reve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm with Honey and Precious Oils
whyknot 3/2/2011 10:47:00 AM
I have always been someone who HAS to have lipbalm at all times. But over the last 6 months, even with all my balms and treatments, my lips had become a non-stop cracked peeling mess. Lipstick and gloss looked awful, and despite daily exfoliation and constant layers of various lip treatments, they just were not getting better. I tried all the expensive drugstore balms and overnight treatments to no avail. Exasperated, I purchased this Nuxe balm based on the reviews, hoping for a high end miracle. Surprisingly, I got one! Within 2 nights, my lips were feeling better - less peeling and starting to heal. After a few weeks of this, I have seen only improvement. I still get the occasional flake, but nothing like the deep painful dehydration of before. I slather this on at night, and in the morning my lips still feel protected - I no longer reach for the balm as soon as I wake up. I can also use just a dab of this in the morning before doing my makeup, and my lips seem to stay hydrated and healthy most of the day, regardless of what else I put on them. The texture of this is kind of odd. Its soft, but doesnt melt and become slick. It stays the same odd firm texture on your lips that it is in the jar. It can leave a faint whitish cast because of the thick texture, so its def not something to be worn alone during the day - needs some color or gloss over it. The smell is negligible to me. Despite the weird texture and feel, I will purchase this as long as it keeps my poor lips healthy and soft all day and night. Def 5 stars here.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Orly - Galaxy Girl
whyknot 12/17/2010 12:35:00 PM
This polish is part of the Cosmic FX Fall 2010 collection which, according to Orly, "features shades made with exclusive Mineral FX raw material technology, which delivers multi-dimensional lacquers that reflect light in a sparkling spectrum of intense color." I was drawn to this at Ulta because it looked so unique, and even though I need another nail polish like I need a hole in the head, I couldn't resist. In the bottle, this looks like a blued purple base with blue sparkle. But it is one of those that changes as you move it in the light, so its almost impossible to describe. The base changes with colors with the light, and so does the sparkle. It actually reminded me of those old duo-chrome Sally Hansen polishes with names like "Lapis Amethyst" and "Garnet Lapis" which looked so great in the bottle and so tacky on. That similarity really made me cautious, but i swatched bit of the polish on a strip of paper, and when applied its not the same effect at all. One coat of this surprises as its actually a reddish brown mauve base with blue and purple micro glitter. The glitter is not chunky at all - it's tiny! The color with one coat was really cool, actually - unlike anything I have ever seen, but my nails are a little long and I needed more coverage so I went ahead and did another coat. On the second coat, its much more purple, but the shimmer is also thicker, so it totally transforms the color. I am doing a terrible job of describing this, so please see the photos I added (one of one coat, and one with 2 coats), which still don't do it justice. It is lighter in person than the photos, more of a medium tone dark color than a goth dark with sparkles. The camera just couldn't quite capture it. I will say, this is the coolest polish i have found in a LONG time. and its subtle. Much more subtle and classy on than any of the chunky glitter polishes that are everywhere right now, or any of the duochrome holographic polishes of a few years ago that looked so cool in the bottle and so horrid on. Two things I don't like about this: 1) the price. $10 for Orly is insane. 2) the brush. It has the old skinny brush, and I am just all about the wide brush these days. That being said, this applied like a dream, had the perfect thin consistency to allow me to go back over the coat to even it out, and just looks cool as hell. I would def but this again, and you should too!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrance -Unlisted Brand - John Varvatos Artisan
whyknot 12/10/2010 12:18:00 PM
I am trying tons of new scents on my man right now to find his next scent. I really thought I would love this one for him based on the description. And I do love it. Just not on him. I love it on me, instead! On my man, this was just too feminine. He smelled wonderful, like candy. Literally, like fruity candy. I don't want my man to smell like candy. I want him to smell like an Adonis! Like a man! When i snuggle into my man's neck for a whiff, I want to feel it in my loins! Artisan just made me think "mmm...candy." If this had just a bit more musk on the dry-down, it would have been great. But no... That being said, I do like this on me and have been wearing the sample since we ruled it out for him! I think this one probably depends on what you like on men, your age, you're man's natural body chemistry, etc. I like this scent, just not for a guy. :(
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Liquid -Christian Dior - Diorskin Nude Hydrating Makeup SPF 10 [DISCONTINUED]
whyknot 12/8/2010 6:39:00 PM
oh this product...my first bottle of this about a year ago was a disaster. it was a defective bottle so the pump didnt not work at all (wouldnt press down) most of the time. On top of that, it must have been an old bottle cuz when it would come out (and later after I had transferred it to another bottle) it was chunky - like cottage cheesy. It also made me break out. Looking back, it was spoiled. Ick. I know I wrote a scathing review then (which seems to have disappeared from MUA....odd) saying that though the color was perfect, I would never repurchase something so expensive, with defective packaging, that spoiled in 2 weeks and broke me out. I think I gave it 2 stars, mostly just for matching my odd-toned pale skin. Fast forward to about a year later, and when this winter came around I decided to just embrace my full-on paleness in all it's glory, which pretty much meant all mu concealers and foundations were too orange after about one month. I kept thinking back to the perfect match this gave me last winter (#010, the lightest shade)...despite all my anger at my first go-round with this, when F&F came around, I caved again, thinking I would just take it back if it even thought of misbehaving. SO this bottle comes and it's just *heavenly* in every way. The pump is smooth and the amount dispensed is easily controllable. the liquid itself is smooth and creamy - no chunks! - and the color is the same perfection as before. And this time it doesnt break me out, either. So now I am in love and use this, or half this mixed with half tinted moisturizer every day. I have a lot of redness, both from acne scarring and from ruddiness, and this stuff manages to cover it like a dream while still looking like skin. Its almost like it cancels out the redness where I apply. I find the coverage to be medium to high, and i do like to apply with a wet sponge to sheer it out. This gives a more natural look without seeming to lose any coverage. Crazy. I do find that it dries really fast, even with a wet sponge, so it's best to go one area at a time, then blot on a little more where I need more coverage. I use WAY less concealer now, which just looks better. Not like there's concealer caked everywhere. With Tarte primer underneath, I can make it about a full day with one touch-up needed in winter. In humid summer, I'm sure it wont be quite as long lasting on. My best recommendation with this is to try a wet sponge to apply, and to so just one part of the face at a time. With this application, this is hands down the most natural looking while still giving awesome coverage foundation I have EVER tried. At least this bottle is... EDIT: I have abandoned this again. My second bottle did better, then separated out again after a few months, leading to the clumpy cottage-cheese texture. Sick. And totally unacceptable for the price. I have given in to the Estee Lauder Double Wear. It's cheaper, spreads better, lasts longer in the heat, and i break out about 1/4 as much.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Peter Thomas Roth - Instant Mineral SPF 45 (Sephora exclusive)
whyknot 11/4/2010 1:15:00 PM
Sorry Peter, this one is a fail for me. Yeah, the package is terrible like everyone says - it's messy and sloppy and you can't see how much is in there or how much you are using. But the real deal-breaker for me with this is the color. The package says "translucent" and Sephora's website says "transparent" but it is neither. You can clearly see that the powder spilled in the lid is a very tinted - like a medium/dark face powder tint. I'm no snow white, but I am fair, and on me this looks like dark orange bronzer bushed all over my face. Unless I'm headed to the Jersey Shore for Spring Break, I'll pass on the oompa-loompa look. FAIL. In addition to that, this is $$$ - $30 for .12oz. For comparison, the Colorscience orb is $40 for .52oz (4X as much!!) and comes in several tints, including real translucent. this is going back. I will try Colorscience instead.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No