Toners -Makeup Artist's Choice (MUAC) - Acne Pore Minimizer w/Sepicontrol A5 
zombie_candy 4/9/2013 10:27:00 PM
I bought the trial size of this product on the advice of MUAC's customer service. I was going to use it in conjunction with the Mandelic acid peel. The toner wasn't so drying and it had a refreshing feeling when I used it. However, I started to break out within the first week of use. I kept going for another 2 weeks because I was trying to convince myself that I was going through a purging phase. I had even asked customer service again and they told me the same thing. By the end of the third week I decided to stop because I had 4 medium zits on my forehead, 1 on my nose, 2 on my right cheek and 4 more on my chin. The toner wasn't even helping to heal the acne that caused during the so-called purging. My skin was in even worse shape than when I had started. I looked at the ingredients again and saw there was cinnamon extract in it, which is an irritant. I wasn't purging, just breaking out consistently and i still had tons and tons of clogs. I will not repurchase but I'm hoping for better results from other Muac products.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Spectro Jel for Blemish-Prone Skin (Fragrance Free version)
zombie_candy 12/18/2012 1:29:00 PM
My skin condition summary: Oily T-zone Acne-prone (clogged pores, whiteheads, cystic hormonal, PCOS) Hyperpigmentation from past acne on cheeks and chin Darker forehead and around mouth with slightly lighter cheeks -------------------------------------------- I wish there was a "maybe" option under the "would you buy this product again". Anyway, I've been using this cleanser on and off for years but mostly back when I still believed that dermatologists had the answers for curing acne (they don't). It's a very gentle cleanser, which was a plus, considering that all the other products I used (toner, treatments, exfoliating) were harsh enough. So to balance the equation, it was good to have something gentle. I never relied on this to take off makeup---I precleanse with a cleansing oil first and then used Spectro Jel. It doesn't take care of acne at all, much less the giant cystic ones I get around my chin and mouth at the time of the month. You have to use stronger, more potent things for your acne. But I like that it doesn't dry my skin out. However, after I finish a bottle, I usually move on to other things to find better. I may come back to it or I may not.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -DHC - Deep Cleansing Oil
zombie_candy 12/17/2012 1:37:00 PM
My skin condition summary: Oily T-zone Acne-prone (clogged pores, whiteheads, cystic hormonal, PCOS) Hyperpigmentation from past acne on cheeks and chin Darker forehead and around mouth with slightly lighter cheeks -------------------------------------------- This was one of my attempts with cleansing oils and I'm glad I purchased the smaller bottle. Compared to FANCL's Mild Cleansing Oil, DHC is much thicker and requires a slightly harder hard to spread evenly around. I used it to remove my makeup and it does its job, however after a few uses my skin feels tight and dry---more now in the Canadian winter. Also, ever since I've been using it for a week, I've been breaking out a little more around my mouth. It's possible that my skin doesn't like it or it's drying out my skin more and causing my skin to produce more oil, thus leading to breakouts anyway. I don't know why the DHC cleansing oil gets so many glowing reviews since FANCL's is better hands down at a decent price point. I have a 1/4 of the bottle left but I'm not sure I even want to finish it.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Eyeko - Skinny Liquid Eyeliner - Black
zombie_candy 12/16/2012 11:15:00 PM
I needed a pen eyeliner and decided to buy this one after seeing its use on Lisa Eldridge's vids. I don't know if I got a bad one but every time I use it, I have to keep pressing the tip on the back of my hand to insure that the liquid goes to the very tip. It's annoying because I can't just do a full swipe without stopping to tap the tip. It also gets worse when I try to line my eyes after putting eyeshadow. When I manage to get a line, the formula dries with a shiny finish---which is fine if you like that effect but I much prefer it to be a matte black finish, thus making it look darker. It's not waterproof but the staying power is decent if your eyes don't water. Since I have very oily eyelids, I see a little migration at the outer corner of my eyes. I paid $18 CAD before taxes and that's really expensive for an eyeliner that doesn't work that well. I gave it 2 lippies only because it feels comfortable in my hand but I won't repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Stick -Bobbi Brown - Foundation Stick
zombie_candy 12/13/2012 3:38:00 PM
My skin condition summary: Oily T-zone Acne-prone (clogged pores, whiteheads, cystic hormonal, PCOS) Hyperpigmentation from past acne on cheeks and chin Darker forehead and around mouth with slightly lighter cheeks -------------------------------------------- Foundation Color references: I'm a Pacific Islander and my skin color is olive/tan with yellow/golden undertones. MAC - NC37 (NC40 in summer) Bobbi Brown - foundations - Warm Natural 4.5 Bobbi Brown - Sheer Finish Pressed Powder - Warm Natural 6 Bobbi Brown - Bronzing Powder - Natural 1 Chanel - Vitalumiere Aqua - B40 (B50 in summer) YSL - Touche Eclat Foundation - BD50 (BD60 in summer) ------------------------------------------------------ I've been using the Bobbi Brown Foundation stick as a concealer over my foundation since I have a lot of acne hyperpigmentation on my cheeks and chin. In terms of coverage, it's pretty good. I like to move my finger over the top of the stick to get the formula to warm up and become spreadable. I then dab on the spots to blend and then set with translucent powder. It's not HG for me but it's what I've been using for the past 2-3 years since Bobbi Brown's range of colors are so far the best matching for my skin. I find that if you use too much, it can look cakey in the day light. Once or twice I tried it as an all-over foundation and found it way too heavy like I was wearing a mask. I went from looking dewy to oily in less than an hour. I have 1/4 of the stick left and I'm using this time to look for something better while I'm finishing it off.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Sephora - Liquid Eyeliner
zombie_candy 12/12/2012 4:44:00 PM
This is the first Sephora brand product I bought in the years I had been going to the store. I tended to avoid house brand products because I usually think the other brands that they carry have more the offer in terms of quality. The only reason I bought the liquid eyeliner is because it was the only brand in Sephora that had a royal blue/cobalt/lapis lazuli shade. You have to shake it up a lot before you use it. I found that one layer of liner isn't enough for the color to be totally opaque--you have to put two. However, when the two layers are dry, that's when the liner cracks and starts to flake off even after 2 hours. The first day I wore it, I got many compliments for the color but I was wearing my glasses and nobody noticed the major flaking. When I took my glasses off, I had tons of blue flakes littered under my eyes and on the top part of my cheeks. It's really disappointing because it's hard to find a color like this....especially since MAC discontinued their Fluidline in Royal Wink. Perhaps I'll continue to use the Sephora liner with my glasses because of the color but other than that, I won't repurchase.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Bobbi Brown - Long Wear Even Finish Foundation Spf 15
zombie_candy 12/12/2012 4:04:00 PM
My skin condition summary: Oily T-zone Acne-prone (clogged pores, whiteheads, cystic hormonal, PCOS) Hyperpigmentation from past acne on cheeks and chin Darker forehead and around mouth with slightly lighter cheeks -------------------------------------------- Foundation Color references: I'm a Pacific Islander and my skin color is olive/tan with yellow/golden undertones. MAC - NC37 (NC40 in summer) Bobbi Brown - foundations - Warm Natural 4.5 Bobbi Brown - Sheer Finish Pressed Powder - Warm Natural 6 Bobbi Brown - Bronzing Powder - Natural 1 Chanel - Vitalumiere Aqua - B40 (B50 in summer) YSL - Touche Eclat Foundation - BD50 (BD60 in summer) ------------------------------------------------------ Once in a while I tend to get suckered into buying something different than what I had originally intended. I went to the Bobbi Brown counter with my eyes set on the Skin Foundation SPF15 BUT the counter lady immediately set me on the Long Wear Even Finish Foundation SPF15. Since it was one of their newer products, it makes sense they were trying to push it---shame on me for not checking up on it at Makeupalley first. The coverage is medium to full and buildable. It's enough to even out skin tone but I had to go over my acne hyperpigmentation with concealor (I use the Bobbi Brown Foundation stick). When the lady first put it on, it looked pretty seamless. About 3-4 hours later I looked oily and needed to blot a lot. Since I spent about $50 CAD on it, I decided I had to use it even though it wasn't HG material. The more I used it, the more I became dissatisfied with how it looked. I would scrutinize my face and notice how the foundation didn't blend in with my skin, rather, sat on top of it. Even when I went for a natural makeup look, the first thing I could see was my foundation, especially in the light of day. At night it doesn't look as noticeable, as you can get away with heavier looking makeup. Thankfully, it also photographed decently. I had wanted to keep using it just for the sake of spending that much money on it---but after a while I just couldn't keep looking like semi-cake face every day. I will not repurchase.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Giorgio Armani - Matte Silk Foundation [DISCONTINUED]
zombie_candy 2/26/2008 7:47:00 PM
I'm always on the lookout for that elusive HG foundation and my search has brought me to the Armani Matte Silk. It's not really matte, as it leaves a "moisturized" and smoothed look on my skin. I have a few hours until I need to blot my t-zone. However, during my later usage of this foundation (about 5-6 months after purchase), I noticed the way it started to "sit" on my skin instead of blend into it like before and this is especially apparent when I look at it under direct sunlight. Also it doesn't look so great in pictures and it looks like I'm wearing a mask. Until now I started to feel like putting on this foundation ages me and despite my hyperpigmentation, my skin kind of looks better without this on. The feel of it is good but the end result puts me back on the hunt. Besides, this is a whopping $70-$75 CAD.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -NARS - Hydrating Freshening Lotion
zombie_candy 2/26/2008 7:40:00 PM
I bought this toner because during winter I get dry spots on my cheeks and around the corners of my mouth--they usually feel irritated/itchy and red with application of other moisturizers. Putting this toner before my moisturizer greatly calmed those areas and my skin feels softer and looks healthier. It says that this toner helps to enhance the performance of moisturizer. However, the price is quite steep for me right now, retailing at $58 CAD plus tax. At the moment I'll probably have to save this for winter. I've been using it for a month and a half and i haven't hit the halfway point yet.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Prescriptives - Virtual Skin
zombie_candy 9/23/2007 8:34:00 PM
a truly wonderful product with a shade to match. i have oily skin but this made my skin look fine without making it look too matte. i had one person--who worked for lancome--tell me that it was as if i wasn't wearing any foundation at all and i have acne pigmentation scars. the coverage is sheer to medium, depending on how much you put and how much you want to layer. it still looks natural no matter what.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Marcelle - Oil-Free Multi-Defense Lotion SPF 15
zombie_candy 6/15/2007 12:39:00 PM
Wow. The bottle lasted me an entire year. It's light and non-greasy and absorbs into my skin well. The wait time between absorption and putting on makeup isn't very long so that's another plus. It leaves my skin well-moisturized throughout the day. Totally HG but I kind of wish it was at SPF30 instead of SPF15. But that's okay.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -MAC - Fluidline Eyeliner Gel Graphic Brown [DISCONTINUED]
zombie_candy 6/5/2007 5:23:00 PM
My perfect "everyday look" brown eyeliner. I find myself reaching for this more often in the day than my black liner because it gives a nice, softer look.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -Urban Decay - Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Original (UDPP)
zombie_candy 6/5/2007 5:20:00 PM
This is the first eyeshadow primer I've tried and I've got to say I'm biased now. A little goes a long way and one bottle has lasted me a year and 2 months....and still going! After applying, I set it with blot powder to make it stay longer. It does stay very long however, since my skin is the most oily in the entire universe, I do see some creases at the very end of the day if I wear darker shadows, hence 4 lippies and not 5.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Clearasil - Clearasil Ultra Deep Pore Cleansing Pads
zombie_candy 6/5/2007 5:16:00 PM
Once again, drugstore acne products have failed. I have no idea why I get occasionally suckered into buying drugstore brands that obviously don't work (and I should know this because I've been fighting acne for 12 years now). This product didn't make my acne better or worse and it was already moderate to begin with so I guess it gets one lippie.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Neutrogena - Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 30
zombie_candy 6/5/2007 5:10:00 PM
Pros: Good high SPF, packaging is neat and tidy, a little goes a long way and has lasted me from the beginning of January 2007 to the beginning of June. I used it about 4-6 out of 7 days in a week in the morning. Cons: Leaves you quite shiny looking so it looks like you're oily, a little of greasy-feeling, you have to wait a good 10-15 minutes before you apply foundation or else it will ball up on your face and become residue, it also took me about 2-3 hours until my face was an oily mess, so i had to blot paper and blot powder. I will not repurchase.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No