miiiint
Member Since: November 24, 2009Reviews
DiorSkin Forever Extreme Wear Flawless Makeup
I usually tend to pay alot for foundation, because I deem it as an excellent investment. If you have a good foundation, everything else will look great (bronzer, eyeshadow etc). However, I have never spent quite THIS much, I only did so because I... +
I usually tend to pay alot for foundation, because I deem it as an excellent investment. If you have a good foundation, everything else will look great (bronzer, eyeshadow etc). However, I have never spent quite THIS much, I only did so because I had loads of optimum points (yay, go shoppers!) to redeem. The cost of this product is about $60 ($58 i think?) but it is truly and really worth it. It has a great colour match, and it truly does stay on all day. I can put it on in the AM, and if i still feel like going out at 10pm, it will still look GOOD. Now, I know I should be slapped, but theres those rough nights you go to sleep with your makeup on, well, you will find that you wake up FLAWLESS and although i really would recommend washing your face in the morning, youll look good regardless. I love love love this foundation, i think its worth the money, as a little goes a long way and it lasts very long. -
John Frieda Luminous Color Glaze Clear Shine
For the unfamiliar (which included myself until recently), glazing is a process whereby the natural or color-treated shade of your hair is given something of a shine infusion through the use of "mild dyes and shine boosters." This can be done in a... +
For the unfamiliar (which included myself until recently), glazing is a process whereby the natural or color-treated shade of your hair is given something of a shine infusion through the use of "mild dyes and shine boosters." This can be done in a salon or at home. I opted to try the at home version since I think I already spent too much money at the salon.
I chose to try it out in Clear Shine .While Clear Shine can work with any hair color, there are also formulations for two shades of blonde, two shades of brunette, and red. The directions were easy to read and follow and I had no trouble saturating my dry hair with the glaze as directed. There is a mild smell, but it isn't overly chemical or noxious. and the bottle contains enough product for at least two applications to medium-length hair. After waiting the required 20 minutes (while luxuriously soaking in the bath, I might add), I rinsed, shampooed, conditioned and was ready to be impressed.
At least, I had hoped to be impressed. To be fair, I did notice some positive results: my hair definitely has more silkiness and just-came-from-the-salon soft texture than it did before. That has continued despite subsequent washes, which is nice. But regarding the big question of shine, I am sadly underwhelmed. I think my hair is shinier, but not noticeably or dramatically so. I would estimate that it is about 20% shinier. An unfortunate result is that my scalp has been a bit more itchy since glazing.
The bottom line is that I wasn't terribly impressed with the at-home glazing process by Mr. Frieda. For $10, I'm not sure what I expected and I imagine that in the hands of a salon pro the results would be much better. I'd be willing to try it again in the brunette variety to see if that makes a difference, but I probably won't be buying another bottle of Clear Shine.
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Too Faced Glamour Gloss
Being relatively unfamiliar with much of the Too Faced line, I decided to try Glamour Gloss ($18) after it was recommended by the glamourista a while back. Its claim to fame is that it "wears like a lipstick and looks like a gloss." The first thing... +
Being relatively unfamiliar with much of the Too Faced line, I decided to try Glamour Gloss ($18) after it was recommended by the glamourista a while back. Its claim to fame is that it "wears like a lipstick and looks like a gloss."
The first thing that it interesting about Glamour Gloss is the applicator. It is not a wand like other glosses, but is a little fuzzy thing that essentially mimics the shape of a typical lipstick. Twisting the tube pushes the gloss up so that it can be applied. Once there is some product available, the gloss swipes on just like a lipstick with a few quick strokes.
In terms of appearance and wear, it is somewhat of a lipstick-lipgloss hybrid. I would describe it as a not-very-glossy gloss. The texture is silky, not sticky at all, which is a big bonus in my book. Despite this, it does manage to have reasonable staying power. So I suppose that's what they mean by "wears like a lipstick." Ok, I'll buy that. Some glosses can (and do!) dry out the lips, but Glamour Gloss manages to provide some hydration (with the help of jojoba oil and vitamin E) and not exacerbate dryness.
The shade I sampled, Girls on Film, is a pinky nude beige that would be quite flattering for many. Thus far, Glamour Gloss seems to be aiming for the neutral shades exclusively, but I hope that they will branch out in the future because I'd love to try some other shades with this formulation. Overall, I'm a convert to the cult of Glamour Gloss. It is fun, versatile, easy to use and looks great. What's not to love?
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Sally Hansen All-Over Body Wax Hair Remover
Sally Hansen is one of those stand-by drugstore brands that is reliably good quality for a reasonable price. Despite my general respect for the Sally brand, I feel obligated to report that my experience using the Sally Hansen Extra Strength All Over... +
Sally Hansen is one of those stand-by drugstore brands that is reliably good quality for a reasonable price. Despite my general respect for the Sally brand, I feel obligated to report that my experience using the Sally Hansen Extra Strength All Over Smart Wax Hair Removal Kit was pretty disappointing and frustrating. And I'll tell you why.
First off, the reason I was even trying this is that my usual wax was sold out. Meanwhile, my legs keep getting more and more frightening. So it was in hairy desperation that I popped into a nearby drugstore and picked up Sally's kit. It looked to be a standard offering: microwavable wax, spatulas, cloth strips and soothing finishing oil (which for some reason, my brain always reads as "fishing oil"). The "extra strength" designation reportedly relates to its ability to eliminate hard-to-remove hair and the "smart wax" is referring to the fact that the wax is supposed to be able to discern ugly unwanted hair from nice skin. So there's that.
My biggest complaint is with the central ingredient, the wax. Obviously, wax is sticky and needs to be sticky in order to effectively remove the little hairs. However, this stuff was just absolutely beyond any sticky wax I've ever used. It was difficult to spread and cooled rapidly, requiring several more trips to the microwave than kits I've used in the past. The wax was additionally quite stringy and challenging to apply. Maybe this is the "extra strength" bit, but I don't know. The worst part, however, was the cleanup. It is a royal pain to clean this stuff up, both on yourself and on any unfortunate surfaces that it came in contact with in your bathroom. Even after rubbing the finishing oil on my newly waxed legs, there were still innumerable little bits of wax that have to be individually pulled off. I find this to be exceedingly annoying. It really made me appreciate Parissa's sugar-based waxing formula because it cleans up easily with only a bit of warm water. The Sally Extra-Strength wax laughs in the face of warm water.
In all fairness, this kit was quite effective at the stated purpose of removing hair. And maybe the ultra-sticky nature of it is required for hard-to-remove hair. Ok, I get that. But the clean up is ridiculous and, the worst insult of all, the instructions that come with the kit have exactly no information on how to clean this stuff up. No tips or suggestions on how to get rid of any lingering or spilled bits. I find this to be really inconsiderate of Sally Hansen. If the wax has to be extra sticky to be extra effective, then fine. But at least help me out by telling me how to clean it up. ugh
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Chapstick True Shimmer
When I first saw ads for the ChapStick True Shimmers a few months ago, I could not wait to try them, so I finally bought them. If you haven't heard of them yet, much as the name would suggest, the True Shimmer balms offer the same moisturizing... +
When I first saw ads for the ChapStick True Shimmers a few months ago, I could not wait to try them, so I finally bought them. If you haven't heard of them yet, much as the name would suggest, the True Shimmer balms offer the same moisturizing benefits of a lip balm but with the added bonus of subtle shimmer. So far there are two available flavors,Tropical and Botanical Berry, but two additional flavors, Peppermint Rush and Blended Fruit Sherbet, will be released later this Summer.
After using the True Shimmers for a few weeks now, I can say that they definitely lived up to my expectations and beyond. The moisturizing and lip protection that the balm provides is unquestionable and definitely what one would expect from a ChapStick product. However, the new, sexy shimmer is amazing! It is subtle, but not too subtle. I was a little apprehensive that the shimmer would be so light that it would hardly matter at all, but I was incorrect. It is definitely noticeable, visible and very flattering without being overtly obvious. In short, this is the perfect makeup product to give you that fast, easy, on-the-go, no-fuss-but-still-a-little-glam look.
This product would be absolutely perfect for a low maintenance gal to spiff up the routine without a major time and money investment. Or, it works for those high maintenance gals who want to keep their lips soft but not let them go completely unadorned. It is all around a great product for everyone and I can't recommend it highly enough. One use that I have enjoyed is applying it over a lip stain to provide a little dimension since stains tend to dry matte. Especially for when you want to use a lip stain but don't want to be overly-glossed, this is an excellent middle ground.
That being said, I feel obligated to point out a few minor issues. My main problem is the lack of SPF. For any product intended or expected to be used outside (which seems likely for the ChapStick True Shimmers), it seems reasonable to anticipate it would have at least some SPF.
Overall though, great product.
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Maybelline Fit Me Bronzer
For whatever reason, I am chronically unsatisfied with drugstore bronzers. Either they are too saturated, too orange or too shimmery. An ideal bronzer would be one that is just a few shades darker than natural coloring, has minimal shimmer and... +
For whatever reason, I am chronically unsatisfied with drugstore bronzers. Either they are too saturated, too orange or too shimmery. An ideal bronzer would be one that is just a few shades darker than natural coloring, has minimal shimmer and isn't too expensive. Unfortunately, this is fairly difficult to find.
But, after picking up Maybelline Expert Wear Bronzer for less than $5 a while back, I've been using it like crazy.
It comes in three shades: Forever Warm (05), Sun Light (10) and Salsa Sun (20). The medium-dark Sun Light over top my tinted moisturizer is just about perfect to get that Summertime tan sans sun exposure. A little goes a long way due to its excellent color saturation and it blends beautifully. In the case, there is just the tiniest bit of golden shimmer that can be seen, but that does not translate onto the skin for whatever reason. The result is a matte faux bronze. After that, a little bit of bright pink or coral blush is needed to perk up the overall look of the skin; otherwise, I find that the skin can look overall kind of dullish and dead.
I highly recommend picking it up. A quality bronzer for less than $8 is really something to behold.
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Physicians Formula Organic Eye Makeup Remover
I personally love this product. The packaging of this stuff is all "100% of this and 0% of that" sort of language common to natural/organic products. Just so you know what I'm talking about, here is some copy from their website: Hypoallergenic... +
I personally love this product. The packaging of this stuff is all "100% of this and 0% of that" sort of language common to natural/organic products. Just so you know what I'm talking about, here is some copy from their website:
Hypoallergenic. 100% Free of Harsh Chemicals. 100% Free of Synthetic Preservatives. 100% Free of Parabens. 100% Free of GMO's. 100% Free of Synthetic Colors. 100% Free of Synthetic Fragrances. 100% Cruelty Free."
Moving past my eye-roll response to most of that, I do really like this product. The pre-moistened pads are ready to use and eliminate the hassle of finding a semi-clean cotton ball to squirt with eye makeup remover (which gives you a small window into the state of my bathroom on any given day). One pad is enough to clean both eyes and I am fully impressed with how effectively the eye makeup is swept away. Even sticky stuff like liquid liner or waterproof mascara is easily lifted. It is gentle, doesn't irritate my eyes, and doesn't leave a film. The clear, liquid soaked pad has the consistency of toner. In fact, it kind of reminds me of toner except that it removes eye makeup. Thankfully, there is no "organic" scent. It does have some cucumber extract and lavender essential oil in the mix, but the end product is essentially scent-free as far as I can tell. One thing that I think is really cool is that the pads themselves are compostable.
There are plenty of eye makeup removers in the world, but this one is unique because it is both gentle and extremely effective. And, if you care about that sort of thing, they are natural/organic to boot. \
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L'Oreal Paris Extra Volume Collagen Mascara
The Loreal Collagen Extra Volume mascara is an excellent performer and I think lives up to its claim of producing some serious volume in the lash department. The formula is quite nice and I didn't have any flaking or smudging through days of... +
The Loreal Collagen Extra Volume mascara is an excellent performer and I think lives up to its claim of producing some serious volume in the lash department. The formula is quite nice and I didn't have any flaking or smudging through days of wear. It is quite different from any mascara i have used, and I think my lashes definitely look fuller. The brush does a good job of grabbing every little lash to achieve this, but I found that it was a little tricky to use. Due to the large size of the brush, it would often place mascara beyond the lashes on my eyelid which then needed to be cleaned up with a cotton swab. Eventually I got the hang of it and needed less clean up, but it was a persistent problem with the new mega-brush. My other complaint is with the size of the container. Why does mascara need to be in these humongous containers? One of the best selling mascaras of all time, Maybelline Great Lash, has a small, very compact container and people love it. Is there some idea that the larger the container, the larger the space it will take up in my heart? Because, if that's the case, it's not working and I only resent the space that it takes up in my already-crowded makeup bag. Small and chic is preferable every time.
If your lashes need volume, look no further than your local drugstore to pick up a tube of L'Oreal Paris Extra Volume Collagen Mascara. That is, if it will fit in your purse.
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L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Pro Perfect Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist
Although I am not a huge fan of self tanners, i must recommend this one. Im more of an "au naturel" type of girl, but this self tanner is great when you are going out and need a nice bronze tan. The airbrush one is the best, because you can see... +
Although I am not a huge fan of self tanners, i must recommend this one. Im more of an "au naturel" type of girl, but this self tanner is great when you are going out and need a nice bronze tan. The airbrush one is the best, because you can see exactly where your applying it and it goes on evenly; i would recommend using gloves (i use the ones that come with any at home hair dye kit) and rub it in/apply it with those, or else you will have an orange brown mess between your fingers. I love this product because it has a shimmer to it and although it does tend to smell on the "chemical" side, the smell goes away within a few hours. Definately a thumbs up!!I always use this product in the winter and people think i went away on vacation, it looks THAT great, -
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