ElliseJ
Member Since: February 11, 2016Reviews
NEUTROGENA® Hydro Boost Gel Cream
Note: I received this product free to review from the Chick Advisor Product Review Club. I have seen commercials for this cream on TV and had always wanted to try, but always remain loyal to Aveeno. I think this might just make me a convert. I... +
Note: I received this product free to review from the Chick Advisor Product Review Club.
I have seen commercials for this cream on TV and had always wanted to try, but always remain loyal to Aveeno. I think this might just make me a convert. I have never been overly loyal to Neutrogena, and often find their acne products a little too drying, so I never thought to try their other lines. I am so happy I got this little sample to try, because it is a game-changer. It is light and smooth and applies like a gel but feels very moisturizing. I have combination skin and find my cheeks are dry while my T Zone is very oily - This actually seemed to create a nice balance and did not irritate my skin.
I love that it is light and feels cooling when applied. It sinks into skin almost immediately and does not leave a residue, but still feels like your skin has gotten some moisture. I would not say it is a heavy-duty cream, but I love it for everyday wear. Foundation applies nicely over it, and I even tried using it, then using a primer, then a foundation and still did not feel like my face had a lot of product on it. I will definitely be making the switch to this cream. I have not found that my skin has gotten any new breakouts since using it, nor have I found my pores to seem more oily than usual. I actually think it balances my skin perfectly. I only wish I had tried it sooner.
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NEUTROGENA® All-in-One Make-Up Removing Cleansing Wipes
Note: I received this product free to review from the Chick Advisor Product Review Club. I have used these makeup-wipes on-and off in the past and overall, I like them. I like this travel pack, as it is easy to take with you on a trip in a... +
Note: I received this product free to review from the Chick Advisor Product Review Club.
I have used these makeup-wipes on-and off in the past and overall, I like them. I like this travel pack, as it is easy to take with you on a trip in a carry-on, and works well when you don't want to bring your larger size with you. As with many wipes, I did not find they were overly wet, and I would prefer them to be a little more moist, as they tend to continue to dry once they have been opened. I feel that if they were more moist from the start, then that would compensate for for when are opened and the seal is no longer as strong. Since this is a travel size, this is not a huge issue, but if I had bought the full-sized product, the last five would probably be dry by the time I got to the bottom.
I like this product and do nit find that it irritates my skin or my eyes and does a decent job a removing makeup. I would not say that the eye makeup wipes right off, as advertised in the commercials, but it is no easier or harder than any other removing wipe I've tried. The biggest plus for me is that it does not irritate my eyes or my eyelids when I do have to rub the makeup off.
I will continue to purchase this product for travel, but would probably only buy the full size pack if it was on sale, as I find there are a few brands I can switch between without issue, and often choose whichever is on sale/promotion, since I do not think it is by-far better than other brands.
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Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30
Disclaimer: I received this product free to review from Chick Advisor's Product Review Club. I usually use Aveeno's Positively Radiant daily moisturizer in the spring and summer as an SPF under my makeup. Generally, I hate wearing SPF, I find I... +
Disclaimer: I received this product free to review from Chick Advisor's Product Review Club.
I usually use Aveeno's Positively Radiant daily moisturizer in the spring and summer as an SPF under my makeup. Generally, I hate wearing SPF, I find I break out, no matter what brand I use.
While I did like this better than the original version, I did still find I got small pimples while using this product and the cleanser. In the end, I live with it because I am very scared of getting skin cancer on my face. I liked the texture better, it was creamy and smooth in application and I did feel that my skin looked a lot more even after application, even compared to the positively radiant. I did not experience any redness or irritation while using this (other than mild whiteheads). My favourite aspect of this product is that I did not experience any irritation in my eyes. I have tried many sunscreens, including non-irritating brands and baby brands and I usually still find the sunscreen stings my eyes throughout the day. I did not notice this at all using the Aveeno Ultra Calming.
I liked how makeup applied over it, and even felt it was slightly mattifying. A lot of the time, I find sunscreens make my skin look greasy throughout the day and my makeup slides off (even with positively radiant), however I did not notice this was a problem with this lotion.
I love almost everything about this product, except the price. In general, I wish Aveeno products were less expensive, but I still purchase them, as they are mid-range. The regular positively radiant is around 20.00 for 100ml, however this is the same price but is only 68ml. I wish this was either the same size for the same price, or slightly cheaper, even if it was around 15.00, it would still justify the size difference. I understand they are using different and more calming ingredients, but I doubt this is that much more of a cost to the company that they could not just sell it in the 100ml size.
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Aveeno Ultra-Calming Hydrating Gel Cleanser
Disclaimer: I received this product free from Chick Advisor's product review club in exchange for my review. I love Aveeno products; I entrust my winter skin to their eczema care line, and I swear by their positively radiant moisturizer in the... +
Disclaimer: I received this product free from Chick Advisor's product review club in exchange for my review.
I love Aveeno products; I entrust my winter skin to their eczema care line, and I swear by their positively radiant moisturizer in the summer. I have been looking for a new, gentle cleanser and this certainly delivered. I was expecting a more creamy texture, but was surprised to find this is a completely clear gel. The gel is lightly foaming and doesn't feel like it strips the skin like many other gels. Don't underestimate this stuff though; it works great even as a makeup remover. It completely removed my makeup with absolutely no eye irritation. I don't even get those results with other sensitive products designed for eye-makeup removal. I would say this breaks down mascara as well as any other product out there.
After using, my skin felt clean but not tight, but not overly moisturized either. I did notice my acne increased while using this slightly. I noticed small whiteheads cropping up in odd places like my cheeks, and an increased number in my T-zone. I'm not ready to blame the cleanser because I love it so much, but I have a feeling it might not have enough umph to dry out the acne I do have. I am going to keep using it and see whether it might have been another cause, because this is the least irritating product I've ever tried, other than CeraVe (which I do not think cleanses well enough and leaves a residue, almost too much like a lotion).
I did not think my skin looked much more even, however my skin tone has always been varied with reds and pinks in the cheeks. I thought my skin felt very smooth after washing, not flaky or super dry, and it definitely did not cause any extra irritation or redness, which is awesome, because many products do cause redness, especially if they contain harsh ingredients.
Overall, I will absolutely repurchase if I find my skin clears up and my acne was due to some other cause, because It is definitely a perfect one-step cleanser for sensitive skin.
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Love Beauty & Planet Coconut & Ylang Ylang Tropical Hydration Body Wash
Note: I received this product free from the Chick Advisor Product Review Club. I received three hair products and this body wash in a pack for review. Out of everything, this is my least favourite of the products simply because the smell is not as... +
Note: I received this product free from the Chick Advisor Product Review Club.
I received three hair products and this body wash in a pack for review. Out of everything, this is my least favourite of the products simply because the smell is not as evident/smells slightly different than the rest. I LOVE the scent of the shampoo, conditioner and hair oil, but found the body was to be much more subdued and slightly different than the others. It smells a little more like a general body wash and like there is a larger hint of citrus, when i would prefer It to be exactly as the other products. I loved the lather, the product works well and the foam lasts pretty well on the "puff" enough to do my whole body with a small amount. I don't think it is any more moisturizing or drying than other shower gels; it is kind of just a generic shower gel, which is why I wish the scent was on point, because I would definitely repurchase over and over to have the scent exactly the same as the shampoo and conditioner.
I will continue smelling the product at the store to see if it changes, but might not rush to buy the product again when I can probably get a similar shower gel on sale at Bath and Body Works that has more scent. I do appreciate the company's focus on the environment, which is a major selling point, but I also want to love the products I purchase.
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Love Beauty & Planet Coconut Oil & Ylang Ylang Hope and Repair Shampoo
Note: I received this product free from Chick Advisor's product review club to review. I was super excited to get this package in the mail - I had seen it's pretty packaging in stores but had not heard much about the brand. Upon receiving my... +
Note: I received this product free from Chick Advisor's product review club to review.
I was super excited to get this package in the mail - I had seen it's pretty packaging in stores but had not heard much about the brand. Upon receiving my package, I went on the website and was blown away by what a great company this is, and surprised that it is somewhat under-the-radar at the moment. I saw it pop up on shelves with little to no fanfare, and this company should do so much more to educate consumers on it's sustainable goals and great initiatives.
The first thing that hits you when you use the shampoo is the intoxicating scent - I absolutely love how it is light, floral, and bright, it puts you in a great mindset and reminds me of summer.
The texture was a little thicker and more gel-like than expected. I did not find it lathered a lot, although there are some sulfates in it, I suspect it is much lower than other shampoos. A couple days of using slightly more product and I still don't find it is overly sudsy. I am okay with that, since I have used low/no sulfate products before and am used to the feel, but I sometimes feel that it is harder to tell whether you have gotten the product all through the hair when you don't feel lather everywhere. The only thing I do is make sure I get the underneath sections really well, otherwise they tend to feel a little greasy still, and thus adjusted the amount of product accordingly. It rinses out quickly and does not leave your hair with any residue. Overall, I really like this shampoo and I like how gentle it feels. It does not make your hair feel dry (as if you had used dish detergent) nor does it feel like it still has product in it, which happens with silicone laden products. I think it could be a little more moisturizing, as in you would definitely have to follow up with a conditioner if you had long hair, but in combination with the conditioner it it an awesome product.
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Love Beauty & Planet Coconut Oil & Ylang Ylang Hope and Repair Conditioner
Note: I received this product free from the Chick Advisor product review club. I received three hair products from this line and this is by far my favourite. I love the smell of the whole line, It isn't super floral or coconutty, but it blends... +
Note: I received this product free from the Chick Advisor product review club.
I received three hair products from this line and this is by far my favourite. I love the smell of the whole line, It isn't super floral or coconutty, but it blends really well and smells like a higher end perfume.
I like that this product is super light, and, as promised, rinses out fast despite being a product designed for damaged hair. I liked the texture - not too thick or thin and spreads well throughout the hair without feeling like it is coated in a gel - which makes sense since it doesn't contain silicones which tend to leave a residue. I was anxious that my hair would be a tangled mess without the silicones, as some products have left it, but it was not hard to brush through at all. I was very pleasantly surprised that my hair felt both light and moisturized.
I like the packaging, the bottles are beautiful. I did find the bottle gets dented/collapses after being squeezed a few times, but I can forgive that, especially since the plastic is recycled (although the caps are not at this time). I assumed the plastic might have less integrity due to being a recycled product, and in the end that doesn't bother me.
I saw this product selling for between 8-10 dollars in stores, and I think that is fairly reasonable - the bottle feels a little smaller than your traditional shampoo, but is about the same size as other "mid-range" brands. I think the company needs to advertise its goals, initiatives and its conscious practices more in order for consumers to justify the price. I am more likely to purchase something at a higher price knowing it is using sustainable, environmentally conscious methods and ingredients. I also wish the promotion was nicer in stores - It kind of just popped up on shelves, I almost with it had some kind of cardboard stand with information on it to draw attention to it being new and awesome, but that might just be my marketing background talking.
Overall I like it and hope to purchase it, or one of the other versions in the future.
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Love Beauty & Planet Coconut Oil & Ylang Ylang Hope and Repair 3 in 1 Benefit Oil
Note: I received this product free from Chick Advisor's product review club. I am a lover of hair oils. I have used drugstore brands up to luxury brands and have pretty specific standards for oils. I like my oils to be as weightless as possible... +
Note: I received this product free from Chick Advisor's product review club.
I am a lover of hair oils. I have used drugstore brands up to luxury brands and have pretty specific standards for oils. I like my oils to be as weightless as possible and leave the hair feeling soft, not greasy. This oil, in my opinion, is about a 6.50/10 overall. I LOVE the smell, it reminds me of a perfume I have from sephora. I like the packaging, the pump doesn't squirt out too much so that you have too much oil on your hands, which is great, because I have unintentionally made my hair a grease ball beasuse of this. I carefully put one or two pumps into my hair and that is enough to spread into my ends. I have tried using it both wet and dry and prefer using it on wet/damp hair so that it detangles nicely. I usually use oils on dry hair/ends after straightening, but found the texture isn't super smooth and a little too heavy for dry hair.
I found the texture a little too heavy, but when it gets into the hair, it doesn't feel super heavy, it almost feels a little dry. I prefer other oils such as the OGX coconut oil serum or traditional argan oil, but I have liked it better than other oils I've tried as well. Overall, I might not run out to repurchase it, but it is a solid choice and smells divine.
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Breyers delights Cookies & Cream
I received this product free in exchange for a product review from Chick Advisor. I had heard about this product on TV and online and was excited to try something that would compare to some of the "healthier" ice creams out there such as Halo Top... +
I received this product free in exchange for a product review from Chick Advisor.
I had heard about this product on TV and online and was excited to try something that would compare to some of the "healthier" ice creams out there such as Halo Top or even those sold at supplement stores with protein added. Overall, I liked it, but I would probably stick with regular ice cream based on taste, price, and nutrition.
Taste - I was selected to try the cookies and cream flavour. Overall, I liked the taste, it was mild and not overly sugary-sweet. The cookies were plentiful and had a soft texture similar to that of the regular variety of bryer's cookies and cream. I found that it was obviously more of an ice-milk rather than an ice-cream based on how the texture melted in your mouth faster and felt more like a sorbet than a cream, but that did not bother me too much. I did think it melted faster in general than a typical ice cream.
Nutrition - the product is kind of advertised as a "lighter" ice cream with protein. Yes, half a cup is probably 30 calories less than a regular ice cream, but to me that is negligible when it is clearly an ice milk rather than an ice cream. However, if you were going to be extremely conscious of your overall diet, this would be pretty decent. The container advertises ten grams of protein per pint, which roughly makes four grams per serving, which again, isn't as much as some of the protein ice creams around, but still good for a mainstream product. I would note though, that the original cookies and cream by Bryers only has two grams of protein per serving and 140 calories. So, this is better than the original and is great for the health conscious, especially since it uses skim milk as the base.
Price - I had the coupon for a couple of days before redeeming and thus had a chance to "shop around" for it - even though it was free. The first time, I was at Loblaw and had to go elsewhere after - not wishing to have it melt, I skipped redeeming it there. I went to a wal-mart with full grocery section the next day and was surprised that it was not stocked there at all. I cannot say this is a fact for other Wal-Mart locations. I ended up going back to Loblaw, where I knew I could get it. They had it on regular price for 6.99, which I thought was very expensive for the amount of ice cream - compared to regular size packs. I understand this is more for the supposed "health" benefits, but considering it is actually not even using cream, it uses skim milk or skim milk powder, I would not want to pay that price for this ice cream when I could purchase a regular Bryers or other brand for 3-5 dollars for a litre. Personally, I would not pay any more than 3.99 for this product, regular price. I would be interested to see what other grocers sell it for, but I think it is overpriced for the overall taste and nutrition. Since it does not have a specific "diet" element such as dairy free/vegan/etc, I do not think it can demand such a high price for the quantity.
In summary, i would purchase this product on sale, since it is "healthier" than other ice creams and easily satisfies the craving for something sweet when on a diet, but for the price and the fact that it is only somewhat better for you than regular ice cream, I would skip it in most situations.
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AVEENO® Eczema Care Itch Relief Balm, Fragrance Free
Note: I received this product free in exchange for this review. I have suffered from eczema-like skin rashes for years now, it all started when I tried a product meant for the eye area that actually gave me an acid burn on my eyelids, essentially... +
Note: I received this product free in exchange for this review.
I have suffered from eczema-like skin rashes for years now, it all started when I tried a product meant for the eye area that actually gave me an acid burn on my eyelids, essentially burning the skin on the eyelids and around the eyelids. It lasted for months before eventually clearing up, or at least becoming less scaly. Since then, I have experienced this rash on the eyelids, between the eyebrows, and in different spots on my body every winter. It seems that as soon as the air gets cool, these odd rashes come back.
I've been to the dermatologist, and they gave me a prescription strength cortisone cream mixed with some kind of antifungal ingredient...um what? It didn't clear up any of the issues, I have been using the eczema lotion by Aveeno for a while, and have converted by bf to it as well. I have been interested in trying the balm since I find that if I don't apply the lotion every morning and night it comes back the next day as if nothing was done at all. The BALM on the other hand, is definitely thicker and is almost closer to a zinc ointment (and even has a similar smell). It is thicker than the lotion for sure and it coats the skin much more. It is fairly heavy feeling on the skin, even though it does feel like it is sinking in, you can still feel it there.
I am IN LOVE with this stuff. Since receiving it, I've applied it a few times to different areas and it has cleared up the patchy, scaly, ITCHY skin within a day. I applied it all over my face and chest the first night, and It might not be the best for the cheek areas, but it certainly cleared up my eyelids and chest in no time. I don't even have to apply it daily to feel the effects. It is great for when you have that super itchy area and no lotion will cut it, this stuff will coat it and soothe the itch so you're not breaking the skin. My eyelids and patch between my eyebrows look awesome, and the patches on my chest are significantly better in just a week. I think this is my new holy grail for the winter, and I will definitely repurchase when I run out. I should mention that the tub it comes in is huge, and you don't need too much to spread a long way, especially if you use it to spot treat areas.
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