Moisturizers -Neutrogena - Ageless Intensives - Tone Correcting Moisture SPF 30
willow100z 1/15/2012 10:39:00 PM
I've used this product for the month and it has worked nicely as a moisturizer. It doesn't make my oil-prone face greasy and provides a nice bit of suncreen over my BHA acne treatment. There's barely any scent, and it absorbs into my skin nicely. I found two shortcomings: I don't think it evened out my skin tone as it claims it would, and the pump broke the one time I dropped the product. I would try this again in a pinch, but I might play the field a bit after I finish this bottle.
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Skincare - Face -Clearasil - Acne Treatment Cream 
willow100z 1/15/2012 10:26:00 PM
Maybe I'm just not suited to Benzoyl Peroxide or I used this cream wrong, but this stuff made me break out three times in the week I've had it. I bought it because it got good reviews on Beautypedia. As instructed, I applied it once per day in the evening. I put Neutrogena BHA acne stress relief and a moisturizer on top. I made a mistake once and accidentally put it on morning and night. That was breakout number one. I made sure to use it only once a day, but it didn't help. I got some strange white spots on my left cheek a few days later and a pimple today. This is going into the trash.
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Treatments -Neutrogena - Oil-Free Acne Stress Control 3-in-1 Hydrating Acne Treatment [DISCONTINUED]
willow100z 1/11/2012 11:09:00 PM
I was using Alpha Hydrox AHA souffle for months and loved how it made my skin appear so much clearer and younger. When I realized that a patch of acne on my chin wasn't going away, I did some research learned that a BHA product might be a better choice for my oily, pimple-prone skin. I switched to this product because it got good reviews on beautypedia.com and the price seemed reasonable. After one day my chin acne shrank. The pimples stayed same size for about a week until I woke up one morning and noticed they shrank dramatically once again. It's three weeks since I bought the stuff and the acne is nearly gone. I'm really happy with my purchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -L'Oreal - Telescopic Liquid Eyeliner
willow100z 1/9/2012 11:50:00 PM
Beauty #FAIL. I thought I was using this stuff wrong. The color on the felt tip brush would run out as I was mid-way through painting a lash. It always looked messy on my face, like I was going for some kind of 80's hair band look. And when the stuff wore out midday it would fall of my face in black flecks. At night, what remained it wouldn't come off, even with Lancome makeup remover, and I'd end up accidentally scrubbing off an eyelash or two. When the plastic bottle cracked as I was screwing it closed, I had to get a new eyeliner. That's when I realized my problem was the eyeliner, not me. The other stuff went on perfectly. It didn't come off in black flecks like I had a freaky case of eye dandruff. I lost the 80's hair band look, The only time it runs is in the evening when I rub my eyes.
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Cleansers -Alpha Hydrox - Foaming Face Wash
willow100z 12/19/2011 10:33:00 PM
A nice mild cleanser, but after a couple of years of use I decided I needed something a little stronger at night for my oily face. I wear a lot of makeup to cover my acne scars and dark spots. I use this in the mornings after I exercise and before I put on my moisturizer/makeup for the day. It's just right.
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Treatments -Alpha Hydrox - AHA Souffle 12 percent Glycolic AHA
willow100z 12/19/2011 10:25:00 PM
Love. Been using this on and off for years and keep coming back. It stings a little when you try it for the first time, but the sensation disappears with regular use. It made a tremendous difference. I had been looking worn out for a year or two because of an illness when I started using this product. It tightened my pores, smoothed out the dark spots on my face and made me look awake. My complexion brightened and I looked younger.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Alpha Hydrox - Sheer Silk Moisturizer-spf 15
willow100z 12/19/2011 10:15:00 PM
Unexceptional. Runny, doesn't absorb well into my skin. I bought this because it had some SPF and I love the Alpha Hydrox brand, but I burned a little on a really hot, sunny day. This is weird. I have dark skin. I never burn. The pump doesn't let you get at about one quarter of the bottle's content. My skin is oily, but it is usually less oily when I use the right amount of moisturizer. This didn't help. It made my foundation slick.
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Treatments -Pur Minerals - Pur Minerals See No More pore refining serum
willow100z 12/19/2011 9:59:00 PM
Now I'm new to serums, so maybe I have low expectations. But I have to say that I'm a bit surprised that the reviews were so bad on this one. I'm embarrassed to say I bought this after a sales lady at Ulta said it might help conceal my ice pick acne scars if I layer it with primer and foundation. Her advice was weird-- she said ice pick acne scars are just big pores. And they're not big pores. They're ugly pitted scars. But whatever, I bought this stuff. Must have been in a spendy mood. I checked MUA when I got home and panicked a little bit when I saw the reviews, but I figured I might as well try the stuff. I stippled this on my ugly pitted scars, rubbed a bit on the rest of my face and let it dry. I then stippled some Smashbox Photo Finish light on top of the scars, layered on some more primer, and covered with Smashbox Studio Skin foundation and Smashbox Photo Set pressed powder. I didn't buy this to reduce oiliness, but that's what it did. I could feel the serum clearing it from my skin. My face looked dewy but not oily. It sorta glowed. The ice pick scars were less noticeable but still visible. (I suppose it was a silly to think that the serum and layering could have done the job alone. ) And I'm not sure my pores looked smaller, but I can say my complexion appeared more refined. Since the ratings on this serum were so low, I'm going to wait a few more weeks to make sure this stuff is what made my skin looked better. For right now, it seems to me that this serum is the key.
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Concealers -Sonia Kashuk - Hidden Agenda Concealer Kit
willow100z 12/19/2011 9:28:00 PM
I hoped this would work for me. Drug store concealers never seem to work on me, but it got such positive reviews that I decided to take the risk. I can't believe I wasted $9.99 on this. I hoped to use it under my foundation to conceal my ice pick acne scars and some discoloration. First, I stippled and smoothed Pur Minerals See No More Pore minimizer on my scars. Then I used the darkest shade of the concealer (I have dark skin) and applied it with a brush, stippling to fill the scars and blending to match my foundation (Smashbox Studio Skin). I then dusted my face with Smashbox Photo Set pressed powder. The concealer made my skin look greyish and dull. It settled into wrinkles I didn't know I had and made me look haggard. And when it dried, it looked cakey. Blech. It doesn't suck completely, though. It lightened some dark spots on my face. But after a couple of hours, those patches looked pasty and discolored. I'm tossing this.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -Smashbox - Photo Set Finishing Powder SPF 15
willow100z 12/19/2011 9:11:00 PM
The sales lady at Ulta sold me this as an alternative to foundation for my oily skin. The advice was lousy. My skin's too uneven and acne scarred for this to work this way. But the powder is great. It's long-lasting, though I do need to re-apply every couple of hours if the weather's warm and my face gets oily. (My skin's unusually oily and I live in a warm climate). In cooler weather I don't need to re-apply. It helps smooth out my skin tone, and makes my pores appear more refined. I use it with Smashbox's Photo Finish primer light and Smashbox Studio Set foundation, with a serum and moisturizer underneath.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Smashbox - Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear Fdt.
willow100z 12/19/2011 9:00:00 PM
This works really well for my oily, blemished skin. I used to use Lancome teint idole, but it slid off of my face by the middle of the day and left foundation smudges all over my clothes. Feels weightless, evens out discoloration and makes my ice pick acne scars less noticeable. Lasts until late in the evening. Doesn't irritate my skin. Unfortunately, it doesn't conceal my ice pick scars as well as my old foundation, so I'll need a good concealer. My face has a almost dewy look when I use this with Smashboox Photo Finish Light, Pur Minerals See No More, and Smashbox Photo Set Press powder (applied with a brush)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No