Fusion Beauty LipFusion XL

Worked but. . .

I used this product exactly as it directed, faithfully for several months. I noticed a definite but slight plumping effect that lasted all day. However, after 5 or 6 months of regular use I began to see my lip line become irregular--in a magnifying mirror I could see that it appeared some parts of my lip line were plumper than others. I continued to use it for about another month but matters didn't improve. It took about 1 week after I discontinued the product for my lip line to normalize. My recommendation: It's pricey but worth a try. Perhaps my skin had something to do with my outcome. I would use it again for a special event. If you find you have the same problem as I did and you know you have something special in the offing, start using it right away and exactly as directed. Allow at least a week of use to really see a difference. Then just discontinue until the next time.

January 24, 2008

Fekkai Luscious Curls Conditioner

Had to kick this one to the curb

I love all the FF products I've used thus far so was totally prepared to love this collection, going so far as to buy the entire thing! Alas, it was a short-term love affair. Two days after I started using it the skin at, just above and just below my hairline in the back began to break out. I *never* break out. Thinking it was possibly the result of product not being completely rinsed, I reverted to my previous products until I was completely healed and clear. Then I tried again, paying extra attention to rinsing the nape area. Same problem. I must have tried this line of products 5 or 6 times over a period of as many months, because I loved what it did otherwise. My natural wave was enhanced and lovely and smooth. My hair felt wonderfully smooth and silky and that's hard to achieve with most curl enhancers. I wrote to FF, not to complain but just to mention my issue in case others had the same problem. They called me back anyway after consulting with their chemists to let me know that their best guess is that I may have an unknown allergy. It would be my first allergy but anything's possible. My advice: Try it but be certain to buy it from an authorized retailer because FF told me they require their retailers to accept returns which are shipped back to FF. About me: 52, very fair, blue, blonde (very dense, medium texture, natural wave), usual but minimal signs of aging (fine lines, loss of skin tone beginning to show).

December 27, 2007

Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream

Nice but. . .

I love BB products, both skin care and makeup. I have a desk-turned-vanity filled with nothing but BB. Lately, though, I've been extending my horizons with regard to skin care and decided to see what happened when I replaced my BB eye cream with regular BB facial moisturizers in my eye area. I see no change whatsoever. So I've come to the conclusion that, for me, this is not an essential product. I would still highly recommend this to others who find they need an eye cream. The texture is very refined, a little goes a long way, it absorbs nicely but not so much that it disappears, and it is a good base for BB's corrector and/or concealer. About me: 52, very fair, blue, blonde, minimal but typical signs of aging (fine lines, losing some tone in my skin).

December 27, 2007