kristen0930
Member Since: January 12, 2011Reviews
Revlon Crazy Shine To Go Nail Buffer
I have fairly uneven nail surfaces, so I definitely need a good buffer.The smoothing capabilities of the Revlon Crazy Shine is just average. The buffing surface isn't that granular so it's definitely not as smooth a finish as my other 4-step... +
I have fairly uneven nail surfaces, so I definitely need a good buffer.
The smoothing capabilities of the Revlon Crazy Shine is just average. The buffing surface isn't that granular so it's definitely not as smooth a finish as my other 4-step buffer.
The shine factor is really good though. It left my nails super shiny so that impressed me. But even more so, the package says it can be used on nail polish to bring back the shine like you get with a fresh coat. I didn't realize that this was possible - not sure if you can do it with other buffers, or if it's just this one, but it's a pretty sweet feature!
Format wise, the flower is definitely my favourite as the 'petal' edges make it very easy to get in the cuticle corners of your nail. I wish there was an option to get both flowers rather than a heart in one package.
Editor's Note: this member received a free product as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
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Dove White Beauty Bar
I religiously use face wash in the evening, but I get a bit lazy in the shower in the morning, and sometimes want to use a bar of soap - especially to rub off any remnants of yesterday's eye makeup that my remover didn't get last night. Only problem... +
I religiously use face wash in the evening, but I get a bit lazy in the shower in the morning, and sometimes want to use a bar of soap - especially to rub off any remnants of yesterday's eye makeup that my remover didn't get last night. Only problem is, I get slack from the girl that does my facials because I'm drying my skin out and I get berated for using soap on my skin. And it's not even like it's cheap soap - it's like the $10 soap!!
So needless to say I'm eagerly hoping the Dove Beauty Bar is the answer to my laziness/facialist nagging.
It has a nice beveled side, so it's easy to rub on your face. There definitely isn't the same soapy residue that other bars leave, so I already feel good about it. The smell is very subtle, which I like. I also noticed it hasn't gotten all gooey scummy on the outside like some soaps do when they sit in the shower.
The only downside is that I got a little in my eye and I found it stung more than my previous soap.
The real test will be when I go for a facial in 2 weeks, if she notices I'm back on the bar....
Editor's Note: this member received a free product as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
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Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Frozen Dessert
I never eat ice cream, with the exception of the occasional soft serve from a fast food joint. I was with a friend and we saw Breyers Heavenly Hashish on sale at London Drugs. Regular price is around $6.99, but we saw it for $3 something, so really... +
I never eat ice cream, with the exception of the occasional soft serve from a fast food joint. I was with a friend and we saw Breyers Heavenly Hashish on sale at London Drugs. Regular price is around $6.99, but we saw it for $3 something, so really good deal.
Anyways, I only know what one type of hashish is ;) so I was a bit confused about what it would taste like. OMG it was like chocolate mousse. It's so creamy and amazing. This could be a dangerous discovery.....
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Crest 3D White Whitestrips 2-hour Express
I've tried whitening products before, and about 6 months ago I did the Zoom treatment at the dentist. Ouch did that ever sting afterwards. Subsequently my dentist also told me that it was as white as my teeth would get (although I still feel... +
I've tried whitening products before, and about 6 months ago I did the Zoom treatment at the dentist. Ouch did that ever sting afterwards. Subsequently my dentist also told me that it was as white as my teeth would get (although I still feel like they could go whiter - insecurities!) The other at home whitening treatments I've done before are always annoying because I forget to apply daily at regular intervals. I also tried those disolving ones before - big mistake.
So I was excited to get to try the Crest 3D White Whitestrips 2 hour express. 2 hours didn't seem so bad, and you only have to do it once every 3 months. So I decided to do it the day I was going to a black tie Gala. I stuck the strips on, and then gave myself a mani and pedi while the strips did their thing.
First off the application: fairly straightforward. I was surprised that they weren't marked top/bottom, as they are different sizes. It's actually pretty obvious which one would be top and bottom, but it always surprises me when companies don't make their instructions idiot proof. Anyways application was super simple - peel it off, stick it on. It had the usual warnings about not putting it on your gums, so I always get nervous and probably apply it a little too low down, but it stuck nonetheless.
Now the waiting game. Turns out 2 hours with whitening strips actually feels like forever. 1 hour was bearable. After an hour and a half (by this time my mani/pedi is totally set and I'm bored) it was starting to get really irritating. Finally the 2 hour mark came - by this point you feel like a drooling, rabid dog, with foam coming out of your mouth from having this sopping wet strip in your mouth for the past 120 minutes. Getting it off wasn't easy, as it sure sticks (in hindsight, bad call on the mani as I had to use my nails to scrape the strip off my teeth); but once you get one corner off, they come off fairly easily.
So overall, the process is very simple, albeit drawn out. But I would rather take 2 hours of saliva-y boredom than a week's worth of repetitive treatments any day!
I had no sensitivity at all during the process. That was until later that evening when I was eating/drinking. I was getting those sensitivity pangs, but nothing compared to the aftershocks from the Zoom treatment. Just the occasional icy feeling inside a tooth. It only lasted for that night and then it was gone.
The results: my teeth are already decently white, but I did notice a difference. As far as using this as a maintenance product, it totally does the job. I don't think the Zoom was worth the pain and cost for the results I received, so this is a way better alternative for me.
A couple of random things that I would have liked to see:
1) package sizing - it comes with 4 treatments (each of which are like a bandaid-sized package), yet comes in the standard big box. Would be nice if it came in a smaller, sleeker box, to make more space in your medicine cabinet. I suppose I could take it out of the box, but I like keeping it together with the instructions.
2) tracking - the instructions say not to use more than once every 3 months. That being said, I thought it would have been useful to leave a little white space on each treatment package, so you could write the next earliest date you can use them (ie. mark off the 3 month intervals on each piece). I wound up writing the date on the inside of the box so that I'll know next time I think about doing the whitening.
Long story short, it's not fun (just because it's gross and drooly and boring), but worth it. I would buy it again.
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Febreze NOTICEables Dual Scented Pluggable Air Freshener Lavender Comfort & Gentle Vanilla
I've been using my Febreze NOTICEables for 1 week and I decided to put this one in the living room. I was a bit hesitant about the scent combo at first, because often Lavender is a bit overwhelming and Vanilla can smell kind of cheap. The... +
I've been using my Febreze NOTICEables for 1 week and I decided to put this one in the living room. I was a bit hesitant about the scent combo at first, because often Lavender is a bit overwhelming and Vanilla can smell kind of cheap. The lavender/chammomile version of my other brand smelled like weird men's cologne, so bad that I threw it out. Regardless, I gave it a try, and I was not disappointed. The blend of the lavender and vanilla is beautiful. I can't actually distinguish between the two scents, but the result is an amazing smell that is so soothing - I love walking in the front door and getting a whiff. I can't say I noticed the change between the vanilla to lavender, but I'm perfectly happy with the smell. The nice thing is that it's not an ultra feminine smell either, so my fiance doesn't mind it.
It is super easy to use, just open the package, screw off the two caps, pop it in the unit and plug it in. The unit is bigger than my previous brand (Glade Air Wick) because of the dual scent chambers, but it still fits in the outlet and allows another 3-prong plug to fit with ease.
The plug in has a Low and High setting to adjust the amount of scent released. I've kept it on High because I like the smell a bit stronger. I live in a small condo, but it has a very open concept, and I have it plugged in near the front door and I can smell it from 20-30 feet away. It's definitely not an overwhelming smell which is nice. My fiance stores his hockey gear in the den near the front door, and we usually leave the den door open, so it's nice that the smell of stinky hockey gear isn't noticeable unless I go right up close to his bag.
I also have a fragrance oil burner in the living room. It has a much more powerful scent when I light it, but I find it only lasts for 15 minutes or so after the flame goes out/oil burns up. This Febreze one is nice because I keep noticing it throughout the day, and don't have to think about it. In comparison to the other brand one I was using before, I find the scent more appealing, and I feel like the scent is more noticeable on an ongoing basis (hence the name!).
I will definitely be buying refills of this scent because I absolutely love the smell (reminds me of the perfume Fantasy). But after looking on the Febreze site, I'm kind of tempted to try some other scents because they sound amazing!
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Febreze NOTICEables Dual Scented Pluggable Air Freshener in Morning Walk & Cleansing Rain
I decided to plug my Morning Walk/Cleansing Rain Febreze NOTICEables in my bedroom. I personally don't like the clean, fresh scents in living areas (those are better suited to soothing, warm, relaxing smells), and would have ideally put this one... +
I decided to plug my Morning Walk/Cleansing Rain Febreze NOTICEables in my bedroom. I personally don't like the clean, fresh scents in living areas (those are better suited to soothing, warm, relaxing smells), and would have ideally put this one in the bathroom, but the unit is a bit too bulky to place in my bathroom because we only have one plug and I need it for hair dryer/straightener. Our bathroom outlet is also mid-way up the wall, so I find this would be a bit clunky looking to be in one's line of sight.
So I opted for the corner in our bedroom, figuring it would give a nice clean smell to mask the 'sleepy' smell bedrooms can get. When I took it out of the box, I was pleasantly surprised because the smell is actually really clean and refreshing.
It is super easy to use, just open the package, screw off the two caps, pop it in the unit and plug it in. If fits in the outlet and allows one other 3-prong plug to fit with ease.
Similar to the other scent I've tried, I don't notice the change between the two scents. Maybe it's because they're so complementary? I actually don't really notice the smell at all unless I go right up to the unit. The plug in has a Low and High setting, but it's still not that strong. That being said, the room doesn't really have a smell at all (even after waking up in the morning), so I think it's done a great job at deodorizing the space. Compared to the other brand of wall plug in I've used, I would still say this one is better because I couldn't really smell that one either, but the 'sleeping people' smell was more prominent. So the Febreze one seems to do a better job of actually purifying the air.
I will definitely keep using this product, but I'll probably try some of the other heavenly sounding scent combinations, to see if another one is a little bit stronger. I still think this one would be perfect for the bathroom, not producing a strong smell but purifying not so nice ones.
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L'Oreal True Match Naturale Soft-Focus Mineral Finish
I use L'Oreal's True Match mineral make up daily, and love it even more since I discovered the Mineral Finish. It's applied over top the mineral foundation / blush, and it creates a flawless finish. I immediately notice that it... +
I use L'Oreal's True Match mineral make up daily, and love it even more since I discovered the Mineral Finish. It's applied over top the mineral foundation / blush, and it creates a flawless finish. I immediately notice that it diminishes my pores, and leaves almost a dewy, fresh faced glow on my cheeks. I've shown a few people and they even notice the difference when I demonstrate it.
It doesn't look caked on as long as you don't use too much, and it's the perfect finish for a night out, because your skin will look great in any photos!
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Magic Bullet Single Shot
I received the Magic Bullet as a gift and was really exicted to use it for smoothies. I received the 22-piece set, which comes with grinding and blending/chopping blades, multiple portable cups, tall cups, short cups, and blender. It's sort of... +
I received the Magic Bullet as a gift and was really exicted to use it for smoothies. I received the 22-piece set, which comes with grinding and blending/chopping blades, multiple portable cups, tall cups, short cups, and blender.
It's sort of hit and miss, as it works wonders on certain tasks but falls flat on others. It can't crush ice at all, and makes a real mushy egg salad (even from the Magic Bullet recipe book), but I haven't had any issues with any other foods. I ground up flaxseed and it worked like a charm, and a regular smoothie containing frozen berries, bananas and such turn out great.
I definitely don't think it works as great as the company claims, but if you understand its pros and cons prior to buying it, I think you will be happy with the convenience of it.
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Proactiv Solution Kit
My boyfriend and I ordered Proactiv online - neither of us have bad acne, but get the occasional pimple so wanted to give it a try. We got the kit with the cleanser and repairing mask. After the first week of use, I managed to strip the colour of... +
My boyfriend and I ordered Proactiv online - neither of us have bad acne, but get the occasional pimple so wanted to give it a try. We got the kit with the cleanser and repairing mask.
After the first week of use, I managed to strip the colour of my towel and facecloth. This scared me a bit. If it's potent enough to bleach the dye in fabrics, what was it doing to my skin? I discontinued using it after about a month, having seen no noticeable improvement in my skin tone.
When my bf ordered it, he didn't realize he had signed up for the automatic shipment program, so we received another kit in the mail the following month. We canceled our subscription, but my bf decided to continue using the remaining product. I find the smell so strong and revolting, I can't even sleep facing him in bed after he uses it!
I would never buy this product again, largely because I feel like it has chemicals that are much harsher than my regular cleansers.
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Market by Jean Georges
A restaurant within the Shangri-La hotel, this place is the perfect destination to meet friends for drinks before a night at the theatre or to have dinner to commemorate a special occasion. The food is phenomenal, albeit a bit pricey to visit... +
A restaurant within the Shangri-La hotel, this place is the perfect destination to meet friends for drinks before a night at the theatre or to have dinner to commemorate a special occasion.
The food is phenomenal, albeit a bit pricey to visit frequently. The cocktails are what really left an impression on me. We sampled three of the drinks on their signature cocktail list, including a shaken Lychee Raspberry Bellini, White Sangria with Passionfruit, and a special take on a Cosmopolitan. At $13 each, the drinks are expensive, but are hands down the best cocktails I've had in Vancouver. Very thoughtful and inspired drink menu.
The decor is beautiful, and the service is attentive - as it should be at their prices.
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