wonderwhatif
Member Since: January 26, 2015Reviews
Kinivo BTD-400 Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy USB Adapter
I bought this so I could have my Cricut (which comes with Bluetooth, but not wi-fi) connected to my computer without having to sit it near the computer and for that purpose I cannot recommend it enough. It's small, doesn't get in the way and set-up... +
I bought this so I could have my Cricut (which comes with Bluetooth, but not wi-fi) connected to my computer without having to sit it near the computer and for that purpose I cannot recommend it enough. It's small, doesn't get in the way and set-up is extremely easy. A leaflet guides you through the process and it takes no more than 6 minutes to get the whole thing set-up and ready to go.
I've been using it frequently and had absolutely no problems with connection or any dropping or problems of any variety. This is an amazing price and works great!
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L'Oreal Paris Matt and Messy Fibre Paste
Not great on shorter hair, it's definitely possible this product is designed for hair that has more length and a bit more to work with, but I found that whenever I tried to use it to style, it kept making the hair stick straight up and no matter how... +
Not great on shorter hair, it's definitely possible this product is designed for hair that has more length and a bit more to work with, but I found that whenever I tried to use it to style, it kept making the hair stick straight up and no matter how hard I tried, it would not move to the side or change that style, even though I followed the directions, it seemed like it 'set' too fast. Furthermore, it seemed to have trouble picking up the baby hairs around the forehead, so I was left with baby hairs down and the rest straight up with no shape. I even tried fluffing it a bit to fix it, but to no avail. I much prefer the spray from the Matt and Messy range to this.
Some of the good things about this are 1) the smell and 2) the matte finish. I really love the scent on this, though I can see how it could be too strong for some, it's the same as the one on the spray in this line, if you've used that before. This is 100% a matte finish, which I prefer to a shiny finish (and I hate wet-look!).
Other than that though, it just really doesn't work for me. I think possibly someone with hair on the longer end of the 'short-haired' scale might have better luck.
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L'Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Scrub
It's difficult for me to give this product a lower rating, because the reality is that it is an effective product. It's exfoliating without being rough, or scratchy. Immediately after using it, my skin has a notably more soft and smooth feeling and... +
It's difficult for me to give this product a lower rating, because the reality is that it is an effective product. It's exfoliating without being rough, or scratchy. Immediately after using it, my skin has a notably more soft and smooth feeling and that's pretty much what I expect from a product like this. They've avoided making the sugar too rough and it's the perfect consistency.
However, I simply cannot bring myself to like this sugar scrub because the smell is abhorrent to me. I can't identify it, there is added perfume, so it could be that or one of the natural ingredients, but I've never smelled it before and I really didn't like the fragrance they used. It is overpowering and extremely strong, sweet and cloying, to the degree that I found myself rushing using this exfoliant because having the smell on my face was not something I enjoyed.
So, unfortunately, this just wasn't right for me, if you hate strong smells avoid this one and see if you can get a chance to smell it before purchasing, because the scent is very strong.
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Burt's Bees 100% Natural Eye Shadow Palette - Dusky Woods
Color: Dusky Woods. Application method: Oval makeup brushes. I really love that this makeup is all natural with no-testing on animals, unfortunately, it just wasn't right for me. A big part of that was how powdery it became and that it was so... +
Color: Dusky Woods.
Application method: Oval makeup brushes.
I really love that this makeup is all natural with no-testing on animals, unfortunately, it just wasn't right for me. A big part of that was how powdery it became and that it was so messy. After applying it, I realised there was a massive immovable line below my lower eyelash line as though I'd taken a brush and applied it there. It seemed a lot of the powder dropped off or floated around, but the immediately adhered to my skin, so I actually had to do a ton of clean up with makeup remover before I could 'finish' my look. This could be related to the fact that it's made of bamboo, since this is my first 'natural' eye-shadow I can't really compare it to other ones out there, only synthetic eyeshadows.
The colours are subtle, whether or not you'll love that depends on the person. I'm extremely pale and these give a very subtle shadow look that would work for daily wear. I tend to prefer fun, bright, more 'artsy' makeup, so this colour isn't built up enough or pigmented enough for my tastes, but if you like subtle, you might like this.
I would not recommend it for older ladies, as I felt it settled in the creases a lot and didn't last all day. I think a young business person who wants a subtle day look would be better suited for this. The bronze colour is definitely my favourite, though still too subtle for me. It doesn't come with a brush/applicator, which is a bit surprising, so you must use your own.
There were some things I liked about this, mainly the natural, animal-friendly aspect, but I also liked that it was extremely soft on the eyes and lovely and silky feeling with no irritation. The package design is also quite cute. For me, the cons far outweigh the pros, but since I can't compare to other natural make-up, I am unsure if this is a problem in general with makeup made from non-synthetic ingredients. I give Burts Bees props for branching out, but I, personally, wouldn't buy this again.
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L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil Coconut mask
This stuff works magic for thick hair and dry scalps. Everyone in my house has thick hair and some of us have dry, problematic scalps and this really worked wonders. My first impressions were less good, because of the heavy scent added to this. It's... +
This stuff works magic for thick hair and dry scalps. Everyone in my house has thick hair and some of us have dry, problematic scalps and this really worked wonders. My first impressions were less good, because of the heavy scent added to this. It's a coconut mask, it's really not necessary to add perfume to the mix. It still smells like coconut, but the result is that it's overpowered by a fake, sweet, perfumed scent. Luckily that scent doesn't last on the hair after washing, leaving the faint coconut smell only.
This would be a five star product if not for the scent, because when it comes to my hair type (thick and wavy) it calms the frizz and leaves hair soft, silky smooth and noticeably less damaged.
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Schick Silk Touch Up Women's Exfoliating Face Razor & Eyebrow Trimmer
These are great little things. I've been seeing these kicking around the beauty-sphere for a while, so I jumped at the chance to try them. First thing is first, let's get this out of the way. This is the MOST important thing you need to know if you... +
These are great little things. I've been seeing these kicking around the beauty-sphere for a while, so I jumped at the chance to try them. First thing is first, let's get this out of the way. This is the MOST important thing you need to know if you plan to use these for your brows.
You CANNOT just pick one of these up, hack at your brows and expect to be able to use them correctly. Look up a video online, there are tons of great ones. Just google 'how to trim your brows with a manual razor'. If you angle it incorrectly, it won't cut. If you do it too hard, you will cut yourself or cut off crazy amounts of brow. You must also pull the skin taut. If you plan to use this, please do yourself a favour and watch a video. It takes practice and you won't be good right away.
This is my first time using one, but thanks to my research I was able to do a pretty good job (see pictures). It's not perfect, I have pretty unsteady hands and did nick myself once or twice, but I'm impressed with the results. I tried to do this once with an electric trimmer and shaved off a chunk of my brow.
I think over time and with more practice, I can get an even better shape on my brows, but you can see the difference is quite big already. I'm nervous too go too 'extreme' on my brows, but these work amazingly well even just for cleaning up the pesky hairs that sit outside your brow-line.
These also work for shaving off fine (or not so fine) hair on your face (and top lip hair if you have it and want it gone) but again, angle is key.
I do like the included 'cap' to leave only a small bit of the razor uncovered. It can be really handy to stop you accidentally cutting brow at certain angles, but other times it gets in the way, so you won't use it always. At first, I thought storage was a pain in the butt, but I realised I could just reverse it on the razor (leaving the non-cutty side exposed) and throw away the usual 'cover'. That way I don't have a plastic cap floating around and inevitably getting lost.
Make sure to clean this with a little alcohol and a cotton pad after each use.
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Curél Extreme Care Intensive Lotion For Extra Dry Skin
This is a pretty good moisturiser that is definitely comparable to others in this price scale. It claims to be non-greasy and that is 100 percent accurate if it's greasy you're overapplying. It absorbs quite quickly, however it does feel a little... +
This is a pretty good moisturiser that is definitely comparable to others in this price scale. It claims to be non-greasy and that is 100 percent accurate if it's greasy you're overapplying. It absorbs quite quickly, however it does feel a little 'sticky' for around two minutes, so be aware it won't feel fully absorbed until that time has passed.
One thing it really has going for it is that the softness is felt immediately after absorption. The downside is that it doesn't last as long as some lotions I've used, but if you're looking for something to hydrate your skin immediately this does a super job!
Scent-wise, it's not too strong, it mostly has that 'creamy' smell, but there is an identifiable orange smell. At first I was confused, but after checking the label and seeing 'citrus' listed in the ingredients I knew I wasn't losing mind! I don't mind the smell, but if you dislike orange this might not be for you.
Overall, it's just a good moisturiser for non-greasy, fast relief and for those looking for a dermatologist backed lotion.
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Boost vanilla powder
I was mostly impressed with this vanilla protein powder! It’s very easy to use as much or as little as you like, from a small cup to a big smoothie, and the recommended ⅓ cup serving contains 15 grams of protein. It has a strong vanilla flavour... +
I was mostly impressed with this vanilla protein powder! It’s very easy to use as much or as little as you like, from a small cup to a big smoothie, and the recommended ⅓ cup serving contains 15 grams of protein. It has a strong vanilla flavour, which I enjoy, but if you prefer it to be weaker you can simple scale back how much powder you use. After using this in my smoothies, I’ve found them to be much more filling.
One major downside to this powder is that it has a LOT of sugar, 20 grams for ⅓ of a cup, so I would definitely NOT give this to children or use it as a breakfast replacement, as that much sugar first thing in the morning is a very bad idea. This also means it's sadly not suitable for diabetics. For those who have concerns about sweetener, it's sugar; but this means calories are bumped up and those on low-sugar diets cannot partake. So it's a double-edged sword and it depends on what you're looking for.
I kind of wish there was a scoop with this too, but otherwise it's good.
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Institut Esthederm Cleansing Water Face and Eyes
As a makeup remover: As a make-up, this is actually pretty good. It's on par with other micellar water's that remove makeup. With non-waterproof makeup, it's effortless. With waterproof makeup and hard to get off makeup like eyeliner, it definitely... +
As a makeup remover: As a make-up, this is actually pretty good. It's on par with other micellar water's that remove makeup. With non-waterproof makeup, it's effortless. With waterproof makeup and hard to get off makeup like eyeliner, it definitely takes a couple of passes and a bit of hard rubbing, but that's normal; an oil-based makeup remover usually works better at this. You can see the picture to see how it removed waterproof makeup (about 3 pads of wiping, scrubbing hard on the eyes with the last one).
As a cleanser: I wouldn't recommend this for people with combination skin, like me, but think it would work very well on oily skin. The first time I used it I felt my face was quite tingly, almost burny and uncomfortable, even though I am used to Micellar water. On subsequent uses, I didn't experience this, but it was a bit alarming.
Part of the problem, I think, is that this isn't straight micellar water. I have a bit of a pet peeve with Micellar Water that adds a lot of different stuff, but at least this is advertised as some sort of special water, so you're expecting extra additions. I think those additions though and the added fragrance (not necessary for a cleansing water in my opinion) are what is causing it to be a little drying on my skin. I like to be able to use micellar water across my lips and eyes, but feel this is a little chemical laden and chemical tasting for this.
I think it would be a good fit for oil skin as it did dry out my skin a bit, but it also left it soft; just not right for my skin type.
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TURTLES Mini Sweet & Salty
This bag of mini-Turtles contains about a dozen turtles, with salted pecans rather than the regular ones. The mixture of caramel and salty pecans is a nice change from normal Turtles, and I definitely prefer these ones. The salt gives them a little... +
This bag of mini-Turtles contains about a dozen turtles, with salted pecans rather than the regular ones. The mixture of caramel and salty pecans is a nice change from normal Turtles, and I definitely prefer these ones. The salt gives them a little extra kick compared to normal Turtles, which I love but not as much as these salty ones. If you aren’t a fan of salty chocolates these certainly won’t be for you, but otherwise I strongly suggest giving them a try.
The mini-Turtles are bite-sized and easy to snack on, and as a result it’s easy to go through the whole bag without even meaning to. The bag is easy to reseal, and they keep well for several days in the fridge. Each Turtle has about forty calories, so as long as you don’t eat too many at a time they’re not too bad for you.
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