Chinwe
Member Since: December 3, 2010Reviews
stila cosmetics Lip Glaze
Stila is the gold standard of lipgloss! Yes, they are pricey, but boy do you get what you pay for. Equal parts rich color, loads of moisture and just enough shine, these little "tubes of happy" are the perfect addition to any girls' make-up... +
Stila is the gold standard of lipgloss! Yes, they are pricey, but boy do you get what you pay for. Equal parts rich color, loads of moisture and just enough shine, these little "tubes of happy" are the perfect addition to any girls' make-up bag. They were the first beauty company I know of that utilized the "twist/click" technology to help manage the amount of color that comes out. The gloss wears well throughout the day and the shine....oh the shine, it's unparalleled.
They are having KILLER deals on their website right now. I just snagged the 2010 Holiday Lip Glaze set for $25 ($30 with shipping) which includes 8 tubes of gloss ( including Grapefruit and Apricot, my personal favorites)! So while they cost a lot if you walk into a Sephora and buy one of the shelf ($24/each), you CAN find a good deal to get more value for your dollars. Stocking up during the holidays when they have major discounts, can help spread the cost out over the year.
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Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector
Clinique for me is one of those iconic brands that I've grown up with. I remember watching girls in my junior high school whipping out their green compacts in between algebra sets and English history lessons to powder their noses, or check on... +
Clinique for me is one of those iconic brands that I've grown up with. I remember watching girls in my junior high school whipping out their green compacts in between algebra sets and English history lessons to powder their noses, or check on their makeup.
I've used a variety of Clinique skin care products, and I currently have several in my current morning/evening regime: this is one of them.
As an African-American woman, I suffer from hyper-pigmentation, the clinical term for dark spots, on my face. While I've found the perfect concealer, I wanted a more permanent solution, so I turned to Clinique.
This product is a serum, not a moisturizer, so I mix it with another Clinique serum and apply to my face, underneath my moisturizer twice a day. I've used the product for about 1 month and I notice a definite lightening in the areas where I have the worst concentration of dark spots. It seems to work pretty rapidly too; after a few days I noticed (was I looking too hard?) lightening; but after a week you see a real improvement. My only concern is the longevity of the changes: I fell off for a few weeks and noticed the darkness returning. I think that any new acne/dark spots have to continue to be treated so you can't really stop using it, if you get dark spots regularly like I do. I will say this is the only product in the Even Better line I own; I wonder if I used the moisturized, if I would see even more improvement.
Clinique skin care products are definitely an investment, but it's one I'll gladly make if I continue to get these results. A definite try for those folks looking for an even complexion!
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Ardell Fashion Lashes in No. 108
Ardell lashes are awesome!!! They are my current fave beauty buy. Affordable, durable, convenient and fun, the best part about the price is that you can add "false lashes" to every special ocassion outfit!. I purchased the No. 108 several times and... +
Ardell lashes are awesome!!! They are my current fave beauty buy. Affordable, durable, convenient and fun, the best part about the price is that you can add "false lashes" to every special ocassion outfit!.
I purchased the No. 108 several times and I just adore them. I love that it comes with a cute little tube of glue and the lashes themselves feel so light on my eyes (unlike MAC lashes which make me look a bit drag-ish). I sometimes trim them down, depending on how dramatic a look I'm going for. I recently purchased the individual lashes and can't wait to wear them!
I've been going false-lash-crazy the past several weeks and have tried several brands in that time. I keep coming back to Ardell for all of the reasons I initially stated....they are the best value going right now for false lashes. There I said it...
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St. Ives® Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub
Okay I have a dirty little secret....I love APRICOT SCRUB!!! It is my tried and true all-over exfoliating miracle. I started using Apricot Scrub around 2006 and I immediately noticed that my skin was smoother, more even in texture and the... +
Okay I have a dirty little secret....I love APRICOT SCRUB!!! It is my tried and true all-over exfoliating miracle.
I started using Apricot Scrub around 2006 and I immediately noticed that my skin was smoother, more even in texture and the appearance of my complexion improved. I used it for several months before a girlfriend dissuaded me, saying, "It's horrible for your skin." Around this same time, I started visiting a new aesthetician who also encouraged me to stop using it (and start using some pricey $60 retinol cream that eventually made my skin peel....literally eh). I fell off for a while because I was paying an arm and a leg for monthly microdermbrasion treatments. I bought the MAC Microfine Refinisher as a replacement, but it didn't give the same results, and the cost is at least 8x more than the Swiss Ives formula.
A few months ago while I was in Target (my version of paradise that I can visit every day of the week) I picked up a new tube and felt the sting of Cupid's Arrow ...I was in love all over again.
The lesson I learned is- don't ask for advice if I don't need it. In this case, I should have listened to the results moresoe than the opinion of others!
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