Halston Woman Amber Eau de Parfum

Crazy good and potent!

Amazingly resinous, giant animalic suede, whopping longevity and sillage. Well worth any price paid. Smells like the most exclusive niche house released it. Beautiful. Unisex, for sure!

July 26, 2013

Aveda Air Control Light Hold Hair Spray

Great hairspray, strong scent, BAD SPRAYER/NOZZLE

Great multi-tasking spray. Works as root lift, all over spray, beach waves on damp hair, etc... Very strongly scented... some days I like it, others it seems overwhelming. The sprayer, however, is crap. I've had to toss two 3/4 full cans because the sprayer clogged and can't seem to be washed off. I've tried soaking in alcohol and nail polish remover, to no avail. Maybe they could include extra nozzles with the cans?? Since, it's been several months after purchase each time it's happened, Aveda won't replace the cans. So, I won't buy again until they either fix the nozzle issue or guarantee a replacement can if it clogs... no matter how much time has passed since purchase.

April 26, 2011

BareMinerals Original Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15

Best Foundation For Extremely Oily Skin, Hands Down

I have THE oiliest skin on the planet. Bare Minerals is the only foundation that doesn't turn into a slushy mush in the creases in my nose after a few hours. It covers well without looking mask-like, has HUMAN skintones (unlike many weirdly tinted foundations that look like alien or mortuary makeup), doesn't EVER break my face out, calms redness, lasts all day and actually improves the overall texture of my skin. As with any foundation, sticks excluded, you need a concealer for blemishes... but for allover uneveness, spider veins, etc... this covers beautifully. I don't recommend the Kabuki brush they sell to apply this, though. Instead, I use a flat headed, badger hair, bronzer brush to apply. This gives just the right amount of coverage when you load the brush well (slightly more than they advertise), swirl & tap off excess (but don't over tap), and apply in a circular motion (reloading if necessary). I haven't had any problems with caking later in the day since switching brushes. You really can get an "airbrushed" appearance with this type of brush (they can be purchased at Crown brushes for less than $20 **not affiliated**). I recommend exfoliating and moisturizing with an oil-free foundation to prep skin (I use Clinique's 3-step for oily skin). Several brands of mineral foundation have tried to mimic BE since the craze began, and I've tried most of them. BE is still THE BEST, HANDS DOWN.

April 28, 2009

Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream

The best solution to dry, chapped, cracked lips & tired, puffy eyes.

I have very oily skin, so I don't use it as an all over moisturizer, but I have been using this for over a decade for my chronically dry, chapped & cracked lips AND for tired, puffy eyes. I have never come across anything better. I just dab a little on my lips before bed, and in the morning I have soft, miraculously repaired lips. If I have a late night, and want to look like I got a full night's sleep, I just pat a tiny bit under my eyes (with my pinky), and in the morning my eyes look amazingly well rested. A tube lasts me for a very long time with this type of usage. My last tube lasted me around 4 years! Can't recommend this enough.

April 27, 2009

Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara

Didn't work well on my already semi-thick long lashes

I wanted to like this, and have had good luck with most Neutrogena products. The brush looked great on the package, and even looked better when I opened the tube. Such a shame it didn't perform. I don't know if I got a bad tube or what, but my eperience was dry, flaky, and clumpy application. The brush didn't comb through my semi-thick lashes, and just kind of painted on the clumps. It was even worse once it dried... flakes everywhere. Really disappointing... this is my first truly bad experience with any Neutrogena product. I'm going back to my Maybelline Full n Soft.

April 27, 2009

Clinique Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser

Simply THE best!

Seriously, the BEST cleanser I've ever used! I got this as a throw-in on a swap (thank you, Chanel;). I have always had oily skin, but I went through some hormonal change and now I'm pretty sure I must have the world's MOST oily skin... it's just terrible. I have tried just about every product made for oily skin, to no avail. I have always loved Clinique's products, since they were the only brand of the hundreds I've tried that ever made any kind of dent in the greasy nightmare I call my face... I had strayed from their products for reasons I can't remember, and using any other brand of skincare, I normally have to wash my face twice with a scrubber, use exfoliating cream at night AND do a drying clay mask a couple of times a week, JUST to make it bearable. No more of that! This stuff foams up like a dream, cleans out my icky pores and smoothes my skin to a velvety texture I haven't experienced since grammar school... all without a pre-wash, night exfoliator, mask, and I don't even use a scrubber, just my fingertips (first time for that EVER)!! If you have chronically, super oily skin like I, you have to try this. I'm going back to their 3-step for oily skin for my evening routine, and use this in the AM's with their gel moisturizer afterwards, to prep my face for makeup. I'm so glad I was reminded how well their products work for me. $18.50 sounds high, but the price is really not bad, a tiny bit goes a long way and it lathers up like crazy I use a tenth of what I was using with the less expensive cleanser... it may actually save me money, we'll see.

April 17, 2009