Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous mascara 
xbanannax 8/31/2010 9:48:00 PM
I have bought this mascara over and over since ~1995. It lengthens slightly but is better at adding volume. I am happy with my lash length so this is the mascara for me. 2-3 coats makes lashes look thick and even mimics liquid liner if you apply very close to the lid. This formula can be a bit drying so moisturize the lids and lashes. Always take off mascara before bed time to avoid breakage and allow for lashes to grow through their full growth cycle.
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Treatments -ProStrong - Pro Accelerator Fluoride Nail Strengthener
xbanannax 8/31/2010 8:29:00 PM
I have been on a search for nail strengthening and improving products since 1993. I have bought this product over and over again since ~2001. I have bought kits as well as only the pro accelerator. The pro accelerator is really the key ingredient to all these kits. I usually purchase the 0.75 fl. oz bottles and it runs ~$19 and last for ~6 months. The Prostrong website sometimes has better deals than QVC. At times they run specials, 2 for 1 for instance, of the 0.75 oz bonus size. Do your homework and find out how much you are getting, i.e. fluid oz. vs price before you purchase from qvc or the pro strong website. The way it works: We all have calcium in our nails. Calcium Fluoride makes a very strong bond. By putting fluoride on our nails we strengthen them. This is similar to the way tooth paste works. How to use: This product is alcohol base solution and not a polish, it dries pretty fast, in 10 seconds maybe. You begin using it two times a day on clean DRY nails (polished or unpolished). If nails are wet a white haze can ruin a beautiful polish job. Once you achieve the desired hardness you can taper off to once a day. It take 6 weeks or more to see nice results as the damaged nail has to grow out. Use some sort of moisturizer since alcohol can be drying and its just good for you nails. My experience: I use to swear by this product (and one other) but in the last 5 years have tapered off with both. To be honest, I have not used it in about a year, but would drop everything if I started having nail issues. In the past I have noticed my nails DO get harder, but can become so hard that they break because they are brittle. I have learned the use of oil, cuticle creams, etc is just as important as the fluoride treatment; I think it circumvents the brittleness. My nails used to peel and flake off particularly the thumb, pointer and middle; this product seemed to bond all the layers together and stopped that whole mess. I also use to get really bad cracks on the side of my nails before I even saw tip, particularly on the thumbs and middle fingers. This product also stopped that. However, although I love this product, I don't think you need it if you follow steps 1-6 below. What I do now: Now a days I think the most important thing is to 1. moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! At least 2x a day 2. keep hands out of water (long periods with soaps like washing dishes)...wear gloves 3. avoid using nails as tools. 4. take care of cuticles, this is where your nail begins. Push them back, massage them and moisturize them. 5. do not file the sides of the nail (vertical direction to nail bed). You are basically filling off the strength. 6. Us a 220 grit file or larger. Lower grits files will tear the nail layers apart. 7. Make sure your diet is on point and you don't have some illness that effects the nails. Happy Nails!
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - MAUBOUSSIN
xbanannax 8/31/2010 6:55:00 PM
I had $20 to blow and decided to be adventurous....buy a fragrance that I have never sniffed. BAD IDEA. Pros/Cons: Scent is so individual so I clump them together because what one finds a pro another a con. 1. Very long lasting. 2. Mature scent. I do like some mature fragrances but this one cues up memories of old women in my mind. 3. This scent was not pleasant for me in the bottle or the skin. However, one time after a heavy workout session and lots of stinky body odor, I put this fragrance on and it was tolerable....interesting. Maybe I will try it again in 10 years, when I'm older and stinkier.
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Blush -Maybelline - Mineral Power Blush True Peach [DISCONTINUED]
xbanannax 8/31/2010 6:38:00 PM
I loved this color. I did not love the wear. The pigment was just okay when first applied, but was gone within the hour. Now I have to carry this around with me just for touch-ups? eeeehhhh
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Blush -Maybelline - Mineral Power Blush Gentle Pink
xbanannax 8/31/2010 6:36:00 PM
I did not like this blush. The color and pigment payoff was just okay when I first put it on. The worst part was that it wore away very quickly. In less than an hour, I no longer had blush on....I blame this on the formulation.
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Makeup Brushes -Unlisted Brand - Kirkland Signature by Borghese Brush Set 2009
xbanannax 8/31/2010 6:02:00 PM
~Great synthetic brush set for ~$25! As with most brush sets there are some good and some bad, but luckily with such a large selection you are sure to find a few keepers. As far as brushes go, I love the flat top, powder, and travel face brush (great for contouring). They are soft and work well for my purposes. The eyeshadow brushes are okay and work well, but I prefer natural bristles. Travel brushes are also okay in a pinch or desperation. The travel case I have found no use for yet. The brushes I don't care for I use for art project or other beauty duties. I travel often and use the normal carry case as my travel case. I love it, it is compact and I can fit almost any brush brand in it I may need during trips. I am excited to see what they come out with during the 2010 season.
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Powder -MAC - Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
xbanannax 8/31/2010 5:48:00 PM
This product did not impress me. For all the hype, crazy obsessed followers, and its price I expected more. I just dont get it. Is it because it has the letters M-A-C on it? Pros: 1. Great coverage: you can do a little or a lot. 2. No smell 3. Excellent color selection Cons: 1. Not good for beginners, may look cakey. Practice makes perfect though. 2. Expensive: Although you do get more powder than most compacts 15g vs ~8g the ingredients are nothing out of the ordinary. We are paying for talc and silica (absorbing agents), pigments, and skin conditioners. None of which are that expensive on there own. 3. My skin got just as oily as usual and needed touch ups. I had to use something else for touch ups, see 4. 4. Not good for touch ups. IMPE when I dab to retouch it comes off in peeling layers like I had a layer of grease on my face with makeup on top. 5. With heavier coverage it crepes into fine lines, IMPE.
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Treatments -Olay - Regenerist Targeted Tone Enhancer
xbanannax 8/31/2010 5:20:00 PM
I have (and hate) freckles. Sure they are cute... when you are seven. But they are definitely NOT cute when they start fusing and start looking like stains. Mine get worse with the sun so I am constantly SPFing 70+ or trying to tone them down with creams or makeup. Maybe I was expecting a quick fix or miracle cure, but I am not impressed. After about two weeks I saw some fading, but nothing to scream over. Perhaps if I learn patience and diligence this product will work for me. Until then, I will stick to full coverage makeup on those bad boys and save myself a step in my skin care routine.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Olay - Complete Plus Night Firming Cream
xbanannax 8/31/2010 5:09:00 PM
This is a very nice cream. It is very rich and heavy. As a night cream it definitely does its job. My skin feels moisturized. I even use it during the day sometimes, letting it sink in for about 5 minutes before makeup application. I am not crazy about the smell and its not a miracle worker, but definitely worth trying.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Makeup Remover -Nivea - Eye Make-Up Remover
xbanannax 8/31/2010 5:00:00 PM
As a disclaimer: I never use eye makeup remover because I just don't see what is wrong with soap and elbow grease. Aside from that, I don't like how my skin feels after, it doesn't feel clean. Am I suppose to wash my skin after? If so what's the point, why not just soap it up to begin with. With that said I only have this remover because my sister gave it to me. To use it I put it on my eyelids and rub in lids and lashes, leave 5-10 seconds and wipe off. I never had stinging or hurting of the eye even when full of goop. All in all, it does what it says and quickly to boot. I don't have any complaints aside from what I stated above and that I prefer soap and water.
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Toners -Noxzema - Extra Strength Astringent Pads
xbanannax 8/31/2010 1:09:00 PM
Generally OTC acne meds have one of two types of active ingredients (sometimes both), salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, in varying concentrations. I have a sensitivity to benzoyl peroxide; therefore I buy these kinds of pads, no matter the brand name, as long as there is 2% salicylic acid. I prefer my acne medication to be delivered in this form rather than soaps because I feel like I am actually putting on a dose that stays on the skin. A soap product just washes off after very short contact. Soap products may have greater concentrations of medication though. This product can be strong for first time users. I would recommend finding one with 0.5% or 1% or use the 2% strength less often. Furthermore, you can squeeze the excess off the pad so that you put less medication on the skin. You can gradually build up your skins tolerance. I have had problem skin all my life. After going through two courses of Accutane, daily use of these pads keeps things under control. I usually use these pads morning and evening after washing and exfoliating my face with regular old Irish spring soap with aloe. The pads has a very strong smell...that Noxzema smell from back in the day still endures! The pad for this brand is very nice and exfoliating. Its also larger then other brands. Each pad is thoroughly soaked in the medication and I always squeeze out the excess so it does not irritate my skin. Once all the pads are used up I always have product remaining. I buy cotton squares (or rounds) from walmart and finish the rest of the bottle. Don't forget to squeeze the cotton rounds as well.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Intensive Eye Cream
xbanannax 8/31/2010 12:33:00 PM
I bought this product on a whim. Although I don't have deep wrinkles I think its never to early to start using wrinkle cream. I did not see anything drastic happened to my fine lines but my lashes look 2x better. I think the extra moisture (or the actives: retinol and hyaluronic acid) around the eye kept my lash hair healthier and it broke off less. The eye lash was able to grow for its entire lash cycle rather than breaking off sooner so my eye lashes looked longer. This tube is almost empty. Before I purchase again, I will have to see if a regular moisturizer will do the same thing.
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Treatments -Blue Cross - Cuticle Remover
xbanannax 8/31/2010 12:13:00 PM
First to clear up one reviewers statements... Caustic potash is NOT an acid. It is actually potassium hydroxide, which is a base. Yes it is caustic, but only at high concentrations. The company would not leave it to you to burn your fingers off, at least on purpose. They formulated it to safely and quickly remove cuticles. Used properly, there should be no problems unless you have an inherent allergy to KOH or the other ingredients. If you are concerned with this chemical just used warm oil and a cuticle pusher. For those of you who don't have the patience this product is fantastic! It gently, quickly and safely removes the dead tissue. I love that the formula contains conditioners that leave your cuticle soft. The procedure: 1. This product is a liquid so take a q-tip and dip it in. 2. Pool a bit of the product at the cuticle and let it sit for a half a min or so. 3. Then just start pushing back and scraping with a cuticle pusher or another clean q-tip. 4. Wash your hands thoroughly so no more product remains. 5. While you dry your hands with a towel continue to rub the cuticles with the towel and even more dead tissue will come off. 6. I do wipe my nails with acetone right before I polish to remove any oils for best polish adhesion. I love this product! It's a great mini manicure!
14 out of 14 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -TRESemme - 24 hour body finishing spray
xbanannax 8/31/2010 11:44:00 AM
I randomly came across this spray because it came free with shampoo and conditioner but now I am hooked. This is the best finishing spray I have ever used. have given up everything else. I don't use finishing products very often because I don't like how they weigh down my hair and leave a residue. Most of them leave my hair feeling greasy. This product is so different. This spray holds and sets my hair with out making it crispy. It does not weigh down my hair and actually seems to give if volume that holds and holds....really even the next day when I roll out of bed it is still working.
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Self Tanners -Jergens - natural glow express medim/tan
xbanannax 8/30/2010 9:04:00 PM
I needed to even out a real blotchy tan I acquire the previous summer from uneven sunblock application. I bought this and hoped for the best since my wedding was coming up in a few weeks. A few weeks in advance, I applied it every other day to see how the color developed. All went well and I was very happy with the result before and for the wedding. Several months later I found it in my drawer and decided I wanted some color on my legs. I put it on and the next day it was streak city! Holy crap, good thing it was still pants season. Another month later I gave it another try. However this go around I shook up the product really well and exfoliated my legs. That fixed the streaky problem I had previously and just one application gave a really nice deep tan color. Each time I use it however, I can't wait to wash my skin because it smells weird, like burnt hair...well not quite that bad....but that usual DHA aroma.
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