ellstar
Member Since: March 4, 2011Reviews
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color
I don't know why this is called Insta-Dri, it takes just as long as other polishes I have, and usually I need two coats anyway. This polish is gummier than other polishes, even other Sally Hansen products. Others really enjoy the sturdy brush... +
I don't know why this is called Insta-Dri, it takes just as long as other polishes I have, and usually I need two coats anyway. This polish is gummier than other polishes, even other Sally Hansen products.
Others really enjoy the sturdy brush but I feel it is clunkier, perhaps if you have trouble gripping smaller polishes but I find the brush too wide for my fingers.
I love the xTreme wear collection, it's quick dry, not gummy and shows great colour, I find there is no advantage to this line whatsoever.
-
Rosebud Perfume Co Mocha Rose Lip Balm
If you're a lip balm aficionado such as myself, you've probably owned a few products by Rosebud Perfume. Their most popular product being their classic Rosebud Salve, a moisturizer with multiple uses but more often found in a purse as an... +
If you're a lip balm aficionado such as myself, you've probably owned a few products by Rosebud Perfume. Their most popular product being their classic Rosebud Salve, a moisturizer with multiple uses but more often found in a purse as an effective shield against chapped and cracked lips. But the flavour? Always a bit old for my taste, but you can't really blame me (or them) when you consider that the company has been around for 100 years!
Imagine my surprise when I found a tempting new flavour this year; Mocha Rose! According to the website it debuted in 2009 but only recently made the jump to local stores. It offers a subtle chocolate and coffee flavour with a mild vanilla undertone, not overwhelming but lingering enough that it stirs up comments by friends and strangers ;) I'm usually not keen on vanilla scents as they often smell too much like food, but this one is just light enough to work. The base is not waxy or too tacky, but it's just glossy enough and lasts longer on my lips than all other balms at this price.
A true touch of class for cold winter nights, with a scent that will become part of your handbag, purse or makeup kit, I'm sure, for years to come. I know I've found a keeper.
-
C.O. Bigelow Ultra Mentha Lip Shine
I snagged a 3-set of these glosses awhile ago, the lemon balm, the cinnamint and the ultramenth and this one was by far my favourite. It's a great smelling menthol that isn't cloying or sweet, it's refreshing and hard to stop licking... +
I snagged a 3-set of these glosses awhile ago, the lemon balm, the cinnamint and the ultramenth and this one was by far my favourite.
It's a great smelling menthol that isn't cloying or sweet, it's refreshing and hard to stop licking once you've started. It's not the most moisturizing of glosses but I relegated it to daytime use and use regular vaseline at night. The tube lasts a ridiculously long time, so you get a lot of bang for your buck and it truly is a breath freshener. I didn't believe the sales girl but it really works. There is a tinted version but this one is great if you want no colour and just all the flavour/glossyness but it often works well over lipstick too, test it out!
The lemon balm, while not as tasty, is the better for moisturizing, so take your pick.
-
Benefit Cosmetics Lip Gloss
I received a sample lip gloss from Benefit and was really excited to start using it because I had heard such good things. Unfortunately this was not to be. The colour Foxy Lady was quite lovely and really complimentary but I had to reapply... +
I received a sample lip gloss from Benefit and was really excited to start using it because I had heard such good things. Unfortunately this was not to be.
The colour Foxy Lady was quite lovely and really complimentary but I had to reapply constantly as it rubbed off the instant I got within inches of something like a glass or a stray hair. The gloss is tacky and sticky and my lips felt very dry and rough later that evening. I had to super moisturize to get them back to a regular state. The scent was simple, not perfumey but not egregiously sweet.
For such a high price point I wonder why this is so popular, if it was under $10 I could understand but I'd never pay full price for this.
-
McBloom's Skin Therapy Extremely Rich Cream
The first time I found this product was at a hospital while visiting a family member, while indulging in some hospital gift-shop related therapy of my own, I grabbed a tube of hand lotion that was on sale. Little did I know it would change my hand... +
The first time I found this product was at a hospital while visiting a family member, while indulging in some hospital gift-shop related therapy of my own, I grabbed a tube of hand lotion that was on sale. Little did I know it would change my hand lotion LIFE.
McBloom's is an amazing brand that produces extremely high quality moisterizers that are fantastic for medical care providers, food operators or anybody who has to wash their hands often. I worked in an animal shelter and found I was constantly with dry skin due to excessive hand washing (animals are gross!) and this stuff kept my skin supple and amazing.
Unlike other lotions, if you need to wash your hands within, oh, 15 minutes of applying it, you won't get that weird greasy, streaky mess that runs down your arms. It's grease free and you can FEEL the softness for hours upon hours. You can't get these everywhere, some Indigo locations sell it, but I recommend if you can get it ANYWHERE to buy it and try the difference.
They offer an aloe version which has an extremely soft scent and the fragrance free version offers a complete abscence of scent which is a boon for those with sensitivities. I can't recommend it enough.
-
Olay Daily Facials
I purchased these strictly on the recommendations of other Chick Advisor ladies and I must say, thank you! The Olay Daily Facials are a fairly straightforward product, they have two sides, light blue dots for cleansing and dark blue dots for... +
I purchased these strictly on the recommendations of other Chick Advisor ladies and I must say, thank you!
The Olay Daily Facials are a fairly straightforward product, they have two sides, light blue dots for cleansing and dark blue dots for exfoliating. All it requires is a little bit of water and voila, you're lathering up a storm. The cloths are sturdy and do the trick without having to rub your face raw and I've noticed a distinct improvement since starting with them. I only use them maybe twice or three times a week, the results are long lasting. It was only about $12 at Shoppers and I would spend every penny on it again.
Here's a little tip, if you cut each cloth in half, this box will now be a mega box and it'll last longer, you're welcome.
-
Crest 3D White Whitestrips 2-hour Express
I receieved the Crest 3D White Whitestripes as part of a Chick Advisor review and was really looking forward to brightening my smile. I've always wanted to try a teeth whitening product, but the high cost has always put me off, and unfortunately... +
I receieved the Crest 3D White Whitestripes as part of a Chick Advisor review and was really looking forward to brightening my smile. I've always wanted to try a teeth whitening product, but the high cost has always put me off, and unfortunately will probably continue to in the future. Needless to say, I was not impressed.
The process - I made sure to follow the instructions to the letter, the only problem is that the strips didn't fit me at all. I found the strips were WAY too big for my teeth and hung over my gums, making it seem as if I was wearing a mouth-guard. It's nearly impossible to keep them clear of saliva so I could taste the bleaching product the entire time, I wore these for about 30 minutes until I couldn't take it anymore. I didn't notice sensitivity that short a time period but the irritation of saliva getting stuck between my teeth was too extreme.
The results - As I only had them on for 30 minutes, I noticed no recognizable results. I am not a smoker though and my teeth are only slightly discoloured, so this may not have helped me regardless.
The verdict - I would probably refer to a dentist before trying a teeth cleaning product like this in the future, it seems that I could be doing more harm than good as the chemicals are so freely flowing around my mouth.
-
Aveeno Fresh Essentials Anti-Fatigue Eye Roller
Full disclosure - I received this product through Chickadvisor. I'm a full-time post-grad student with multiple jobs, freelance and part time in a really busy industry. Therefore, at least a few mornings a week I'm super groggy and... +
Full disclosure - I received this product through Chickadvisor.
I'm a full-time post-grad student with multiple jobs, freelance and part time in a really busy industry. Therefore, at least a few mornings a week I'm super groggy and puffy-eyed in class. The Aveeno Anti Fatigue Eye Roller really interested me because I've tried a few 'wake-up-and-go' things before and tons of samples of eye cream from Clinique and Lancome but never found those effective so they haven't really stuck as a part of my regimen. The Anti-fatigue roller has a deliciously refreshing smell, it feels WONDERFUL and cold rolling under my eyelids and definitely perks me up. At first it was shocking, now its refreshing, and despite tingling at first, does not adversely affect my sensitive skin.
Downside? It's totally addictive, sometimes I roll it on just because the residual feeling is gone! Uhoh... But I do wish this product was about $9.99, it's about $20 according to Chick Advisor and other sources which I think is too much to afford. But with the results I'm seeing I think I'll see how long this bottle lasts. It's larger than a lipstick container so it is a generous amount.
-
LUSH Shimmy Shimmy Sparkle Bar
I received this product as a gift from a friend who works at Lush and is always tempting us with teeny offerings to get us to go to the store (it usually works, she's pure evil) but this is a product I'd never purchase again. The bar is a... +
I received this product as a gift from a friend who works at Lush and is always tempting us with teeny offerings to get us to go to the store (it usually works, she's pure evil) but this is a product I'd never purchase again.
The bar is a nice exfoliating massage bar with a delicious scent of musky vanilla, it's refreshing and intoxicating. So why don't I like it? IT'S LITERALLY FULL OF GLITTER. One rub on your arm and you will sparkle for a week. The first time I used it, I didn't touch it for ages and STILL clothes of mine were glittering and the bathroom floor/towels were sparkling for weeks.
If you don't mind your house looking like a drag queen exploded, it's fine, but glitter is one of the hardest things to get rid of, it gets into EVERYTHING. I use this bar extremely sparingly now, just a wee scrub or two for exfoliation then I put it away. Too bad, because it smells heavenly. They have many other massage bars to try instead. Glitter is NOT a great exfoliant.
Not recommended!
-
Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Polish
I grabbed a bunch of these at a $1 sale so I feel rather bad writing a middling review, but while these are amazing cheap colours, keep in mind the quality is about right for the price too. I'm currently wearing Cherry Red but also own Crushed... +
I grabbed a bunch of these at a $1 sale so I feel rather bad writing a middling review, but while these are amazing cheap colours, keep in mind the quality is about right for the price too.
I'm currently wearing Cherry Red but also own Crushed and another dark Blue velvet colour (the label wore off!) these are only 'interim' nails. The polish is quite thick and I find the brush tends to glob more often than not. With a great base and topcoat this nail polish is improved but I find it's EAAASILY chipped. So the actual polish itself isn't very effective, only with other, more expensive top and basecoats.
So for $1 I can't REALLY complain, if only for the variety of colours, but don't expect these to last longer than a weekend.
-
Looking for more?
Check out our other review websites:
