Belletrist
Member Since: February 11, 2010Reviews
Nubar Vanilla Cuticle Oil
I love wearing nail polishes, but they tend to dry out the cuticles and nail beds. I began using Nubar Vanilla Cuticle Oil, which I find to be effective for keeping my nails smooth. It has a pleasant vanilla smell, and is composed of natural... +
I love wearing nail polishes, but they tend to dry out the cuticles and nail beds. I began using Nubar Vanilla Cuticle Oil, which I find to be effective for keeping my nails smooth. It has a pleasant vanilla smell, and is composed of natural ingredients such as jojoba oil, mulberry root extract, and safflower seed oil.
The bottle has a regular polish brush, but also comes with an angled eye dropper if one only wishes to apply to the cuticles. Sometimes I apply a drop to my elbows if they get too dry. This polish is also suppose to help with skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis. My only complaint is that the oil is slow-drying, so I advise rubbing it into the nails and cuticles to allow for better absorption, and faster drying.
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Vivaplex Stretch Mark Creme & Lotion
After losing some weight, my body sought revenge against my lack of junk food intake by giving me some unsightly stretch marks on both sides of my thighs. I had hoped that rosehip oil would do the trick, but the marks wouldn't budge. Ignoring... +
After losing some weight, my body sought revenge against my lack of junk food intake by giving me some unsightly stretch marks on both sides of my thighs. I had hoped that rosehip oil would do the trick, but the marks wouldn't budge. Ignoring them was also not going to work, when my mother helpfully examined as to "what [was] that on my thighs?" and tried to comfort me in that "Dr. S. could take care of those with laser therapy".
Enter Vivaplex. I am a member of a website where points are collected, and then cashed in for various prizes. One of the prizes offered was Vivaplex Stretch Mark Creme & Lotion. The product had a convincing review, and it was for free, so I ordered it. After it arrived in a bottle and a jar, I applied the lotion in the mornings and the cream in the evenings per instructions. Truthfully, I did not hold out a lot of hope for this product being effective. A Google search on Vivaplex has hundreds of links that lead back to the official website, but no independent reviews (usually a sign of suspicion). Furthermore, old stretch marks are much more difficult to eliminate than fresh ones, as this product was tested on pregnant women. Lastly, because I had heard of another product designed to help with stretch marks, I had that in mind as my back-up plan in case Vivaplex failed.
Imagine my surprise when after a month of usage, I noticed something interesting: my stretch marks had faded-- a lot. It was especially noticeable on my right thigh where the marks were longer and stronger in colour. To say that I was excited is an understatement. Here was a product that was working and well at that, just in time for summer where shorts and bathing suits are fast becoming a wardrobe staple. The instructions say to use a dime-size amount, so the product is bound to last a while. I would modestly estimate that my stretch marks faded by at least 50%, which is good enough for anybody. I have yet to finish either the bottle or lotion, so I still have a while to go, and by the time I finish, I have no doubt I'll see more improvement still.
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Maybelline New York The Falsies Volum' Express Mascara
I am always on the lookout for new mascaras, especially ones that provide volume. Maybelline's new Falsies Volum' Express promised to deliver up to eight times the volume, with its pro-keratin fibre forumla made to fill in the gaps between... +
I am always on the lookout for new mascaras, especially ones that provide volume. Maybelline's new Falsies Volum' Express promised to deliver up to eight times the volume, with its pro-keratin fibre forumla made to fill in the gaps between lashes. Unfortunately, this mascara failed to live up to the hype. All it did was cover my eyelashes to make them darker... and that was it. It did not lengthen them, and there was not even a hint of volume. I suspect that the formula is dilated to avoid clumping of the eyelashes, but that means it will detract from the volume, which is what the product is all about (the thicker the product, the more volume for eyelashes). There was no "false lash" effect, and nothing that a regular mascara could not offer. -
Ardell Brow and Lash Growth Accelerator
I started buying Ardell Brow and Lash Growth Accelerator after I read a review that it helped a lady suffering from Alopecia quickly regrow her eyelashes. The price was quite cheap, so there was little to lose. It doesn't smell the best, but it... +
I started buying Ardell Brow and Lash Growth Accelerator after I read a review that it helped a lady suffering from Alopecia quickly regrow her eyelashes. The price was quite cheap, so there was little to lose. It doesn't smell the best, but it does work for me. I have especially noticed a difference in my lower eyelashes.
I feel that it mainly thickens the eyelashes, as opposed to significantly lengthening them. Moreover, it conditions to leave lashes feeling silky and soft, reducing the brittleness which usually occurs from wearing mascara. I typically put it on at night, but sometimes I use it as a primer under my mascara, which is also helpful in holding the curl of my lashes. Overall, for this price, it is worth a try to see if it will work for you.
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Du Wop Lip Venom
A few years back, the trend for Angelina Jolie lips exploded into the mainstream market, with non-celebrity women desiring to have plump pillow lips without costly injections. Enter the DuWop Lip Venom, which promised a fuller pout with its plumping... +
A few years back, the trend for Angelina Jolie lips exploded into the mainstream market, with non-celebrity women desiring to have plump pillow lips without costly injections. Enter the DuWop Lip Venom, which promised a fuller pout with its plumping gloss. It was touted in various beauty magazines as a hit, so naturally I wanted to try it and see how it would go.
In terms of appearance, the gloss has a slight pink tint, and glitter, which isn't too noticeable when applied. The texture is thick, sticky, and I do not recommend putting lipstick over it. Its effectiveness is almost ineffective. Its plumping ingredients swell the lips, and give more colour with the rush of blood to the lips, but the tingling is only good for fifteen minutes before it subsides. My main complaint is that despite its sticky coating, it dries out the lips afterward, which ironically, makes them look thinner.
Basically, if you want a quick swelling for your lips, like if you are about to take a photograph, then this is worthwhile for its rapid effect. Otherwise, it would be best to avoid this product if you are searching for long-term results.
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Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme
Several years back, I purchased a mini Burt's Bees travel kit, which included among other things, a sample jar of Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme. I especially found benefits from the hand creme, which made my hands very soft, and smoothed away... +
Several years back, I purchased a mini Burt's Bees travel kit, which included among other things, a sample jar of Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme. I especially found benefits from the hand creme, which made my hands very soft, and smoothed away my jagged cuticles. I finally managed to procure a full size jar, much to my delight. The wax may prove daunting for some, who hate stickiness or thickness in their hand lotions, but I find the wax is useful for clinging to the nail-beds and acquiring extra softness and shine. The scent is sweet but light, and definitely has a hint of almonds. -
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Original
If you are looking for a good eyelid primer, do yourself a favour, save yourself a headache, and spend a few extra dollars for this pricey-but-worth-every-penny primer. Urban Decay knows where it’s at with its Eyeshadow Primer Potion. Just a... +
If you are looking for a good eyelid primer, do yourself a favour, save yourself a headache, and spend a few extra dollars for this pricey-but-worth-every-penny primer. Urban Decay knows where it’s at with its Eyeshadow Primer Potion. Just a little goes a long way; it applies smoothly to avoid creases. It feels silky, not sticky, and best of all, it will not crease for at least eight hours.
I purchased mine in “Sin”, which has a soft, shimmering champagne colour. If you like, you may apply that alone as your eyeshadow base, because it has enough shade to get away with it, but if you apply eyeshadow, it will not compromise its colour or tone, either. For an added bonus, I apply a tiny bit to the inner corner of my eyes to make them look more bigger and wide-eyed.
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MAC Cosmetics Prep & Prime Eye Primer
Back before I realized the saving makeup grace that is eye primer, I had to struggle with those annoying mid-day eyeshadow creases that looked oh-so glamorously oily and mangled on my eyelids. When I found out that primer was the answer, I paid (and... +
Back before I realized the saving makeup grace that is eye primer, I had to struggle with those annoying mid-day eyeshadow creases that looked oh-so glamorously oily and mangled on my eyelids. When I found out that primer was the answer, I paid (and literally ending up paying) for a visit to my local MAC store. There, a kindly salesgirl led me to my solution: the MAC Prep Prime Eye (in Light). "This will help to keep your eyeshadow on," she informed me. For a five-gram jar, the price was expensive, but what can a girl do? I ended up spending my birthday money on it, and was on my way.
A couple of days later, when I had the opportunity to use it, I discovered it was not all as great as it seemed. For one thing, the primer looked and functioned too much like a concealer. When I applied it to my eyelids, it began to crease, which ironically, defeated its purpose. While it did not compromise the colour of my eyeshadows, its staying power is a measly four hours at best before it begins to crease.
As it happened, I ended up buying Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion to help combat my problem. Reluctant to throw away the MAC primer, I still use it at times as a concealer, but never again for its priming powers (or lack of).
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Rimmel London Glam'Eyes Lash Flirt Mascara
I always find it ironic that the cheapest mascaras are usually the best. I got this on sale, which was the main incentive to purchase it, and I’m pleased that I did. Rimmel’s Glam’Eyes Lash Flirt is a little undiscovered treasure, which needs... +
I always find it ironic that the cheapest mascaras are usually the best. I got this on sale, which was the main incentive to purchase it, and I’m pleased that I did. Rimmel’s Glam’Eyes Lash Flirt is a little undiscovered treasure, which needs to be publicized a little more if only to avoid the mad rush I will have to incur if it ever gets discontinued, and I find myself running to the stores.
Lash Flirt certainly gives you flirtatious lashes (more like wanton, actually). The wand has four sections of small stiff bristles, which interchange in size. The formula glides on smoothly, and does not clump (which is a pet-peeve with me concerning most mascaras). What I liked was that the mascara always remained moist, and did not dry out.
I did not notice any particular lift, even though the formula in itself was not heavy. The volume, on the other hand, is something else. The secret here is to apply two coats to each eye. The first coat provides a nice cover to provide length, but with the second coat, the volume really pops, and gives that “fake eyelashes” effect we crave, without the hassle of looking tacky and costumesque, or like a spider decided to nap on our lids.
Overall, this is fast becoming a favourite of mine; it provides good coverage for even the smaller lashes, but its the volume I like best.
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