Makeup
- jenstar313 » See my profile
- Points: 20005
- Reviews: 101
Here are all my reviews:
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i had initially purchased a trial bottle of this body wash at the local drugstore before i received a sample from total beauty to review. this product is described as “designed to help promote skin’s elasticity and strength” and promises that users will “see visibly more beautiful in just 1 week, and with continued use, see even better results in 3 weeks”. so, it’s been over 3 weeks since i’ve used the product…and i don’t know that my skin appears any more “toned” than before . even if it did, i don’t know that i could attribute it to this body wash and not the yoga classes i’ve been taking =) that false advertisement aside, i have noticed that my skin feels silkier and smoother – even when i forget to apply lotion; i’ve even begun to skip applying lotion altogether! the body wash itself is rich and creamy, and when used with a shower puff, just a small amount creates a nice lather that’s easy to rinse off. i like the light scent that doesn’t overpower or compete with the scented lotion and perfume that i use. i find this body wash comparable to the oil of olay soothing cucumber moisturizing body wash, but i like dove’s version better; oil of olay doesn’t seem to rinse as well in the shower, leaving a slightly oily residue, and it doesn’t soften my skin as well as dove does. so i’ll knock a few stars off for not toning as promised, but i would definitely purchase this product again.
June 21, 2012
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i have very straight, long eyelashes that stubbornly refuse to curl. i discovered the miraculous shisheido eyelash curler a while ago and was so glad when my stubborn asian lashes finally succumbed to an eye-opening curl! but whenever i tried to add even more definition to my lashes with mascara, they would droop straight down again =( i tried several brands, even the “curling” mascaras, but nothing worked; mascara was kryptonite to my temporarily curled lashes, and i’ve settled for curled but thin and skimpy lashes. after reading about maybelline’s waterproof lash discovery mascara in an article and reviews on total beauty, i gave it a try – best purchase ever! i was a bit wary of the teeny tiny brush at first, but it magically grabs every lash and adds just the right amount of mascara to brighten my eyes – no clumping, super stiff or spider lashes. not a lot of volume or crazy length, but definitely a noticable difference. it’s waterproof so no smudging and amazingly lasts (even through 90 minutes of hot yoga AFTER a long day at the office!) but it doesn’t take too much effort to remove w/ a little eye-makeup remover. my only complaint is cleaning the brush; usually, i wipe mascara brushes off with a tissue before each application to avoid clumps but this brush seems to attract “tissue lint” - which leads to clumping. i would suggest wiping it off with a cloth instead…
January 27, 2012
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after reading total beauty’s top primers article and the reviews for the products mentioned, i thought it might be worth investing in some eye shadow primer. with my combo skin, sometimes my eyelids are dry and patchy; other times, they are a bit oily (depending on the weather and allergy season!). either way, eye shadow doesn’t always go on smoothly – the colors can appear uneven, and by my mid-morning office bathroom break, my shadow has begun to crease. but not so with two faced’s shadow insurance! this silicone based primer glides on smoothly, creating a perfect canvas for highlighting and contouring. no more creasing, no more fading, even in hot humid weather. i can go straight from the office to dinner out with the girls without needing to touch-up! if anything, your eyes will now pop with shadows that appear brighter and more vibrantly hued. even the cheaper drugstore brands that you considered tossing! i balked at the price at first but the $18 investment is worth it, as it makes every other eye makeup product that much more effective and a little goes a long way. i only need a pin drop amount to gently dab over each eyelid. this tiny tube will last a long time!
October 18, 2011
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i'm a fan of garnier's moisture rescue gel-cream, which my skin drinks up much better than other moisturizers i've used, that have felt greasy or heavy and still left certain parts of my combo-skin face dry. but this lotion's added spf caught my eye so i decided to give it a try - and so far so good! this moisturizer is lightweight as promised and sinks into my skin just as well as the gel-cream version, leaving my face soft and smooth, and fully hydrated (no more dry patches!) without a greasy feeling or an overly shiny t-zone. i'm a fan! a bargain at the drugstore and the bottle lasts forever! plus the you can turn the pump to "close" the bottle when you're on the go - no more accidental spills in your bag. perfect!
September 28, 2011
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i recall reading somewhere that l’oreal and lancome were part of the same company…i personally love lancome products so maybe l’oreal products would be comparable at a fraction of the price? i’ve always been pleased with the lancome eyeshadows i’ve gotten as part of a gwp (okay i love them but not enough to dish out the $$$!) so i picked up the l’oreal eyeshadow quad on a whim. i like how they sort the color combos by recommendations for a specific eye color; i picked up “subtle berries” for brown eyes – a fairly neutral palette brownish palette with pink/violet tones. each color is numbered and there’s a guide on the back of the compact to show which shade goes where (lid, crease, brow, liner). the applicator that comes with it is tiny – i don’t even bother with it and use my own brushes. the lighter shades are richly pigmented, have a slight shimmer (but not too sparkly for daytime wear) and applied easily, but the darker shades were surprisingly much lighter than expected; i felt like i had to apply a lot for some color to show. my skin’s on the oily side, so i wasn’t surprised that the shadows began to crease during the day; i’m on the hunt for a primer that might help. all in all, i’m pleased with this product – and the price!
September 21, 2011
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i’ve always admired the girls who could pull off the effortless messy bun look. i’ve tried to replicate the casual bun but it always looked so…messy. i’m not a fan of using a ton of bobby pins in my hair (since i always manage to miss one or two until i hit the shower!) so i’ve used just a simple hair tie, which while effectively holding my hair in place, always made it look like i had a ball of hair at my nape. i’ve read the glowing reviews about the goody spin pins and finally gave them a try. it took a couple of tries to twirl them in just right (without interlocking the duo of pins!) and once in – voila! a perfectly neat yet messy bun! not the school librarian stern bun but an effortless casual look that doesn’t make you look like you just rolled out of bed and tied your hair back. while my bun felt very secure at first, after a few hours, it felt like it was drooping a bit and i needed to readjust the pins a couple of times throughout the day. and if your hair’s layered, you definitely will have a few stray loose ends here and there. despite these minor quibbles, i’m a fan!
September 19, 2011
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this is on the higher end of the drugstore price range (but still conveninently available at target!) not surprising, since i was first introduced to the b&b product line at a pricey downtown sf salon (which i sadly can no longer afford). my "master stylist" used to add a couple of spritzes while styling my hair and my tresses always looked amazing after he finished blow-drying and flat ironing. now i know it was a combo of his magic touch plus this magic product since i finally came close to replicating the look at home after using this styling lotion! a few spritzes before flat ironing and my hair is perfectly stick straight and devoid of waves, while ends look healthy - not dry and damaged like they usually look after being hit with some heat. this spray also worked with a curling iron, leaving me with big bouncy curls that still felt soft to the touch. it also has a nice light scent that i like. i'll try to use it sparingly but it's worth the splurge!
September 13, 2011
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i'll admit - i don't really use this product for myself; i use it for my 10 year old daughter, who dances competitively and is on stage quite a bit. she needs bold, bright make-up that will pop across the theater and can hold up under hot lights and after a sweat-inducing performance. she also likes to have a wide selection of color choices, depending on what costume she wears. maybelline's expert wear shadow pans have worked just fine. we picked up this product in twilight rays - she liked the purple, blue & silver shades - and i agree, some colors appear better in the pan than they do on the eyelid; some are too sheer. but others are highly pigmented and easy to blend (once you find the right color combos!), with minimal creasing or fading. i've never had trouble with the applicators - even when trying to make up a fidgety tweenager! she has sensitive skin and has no problem with this formula either. i'm happy with this product (and the drugstore price!)
September 9, 2011
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i'd been searching for a new summer (as in light) moisturizer - preferably with some spf protection - and so after a co-worker raved about the yes to carrots products, i picked this up at walgreen's. it's described as "soothing and hydrating", but alas, my face was left with parched and patchy cheeks. i have combo skin - shiny t-zone, drier cheeks. this moisturizer had a nice consistency - not too thick, not too thin - but it felt greasy going on. sure enough, my forehead and nose soon looked like an oil slick - yuck! so while this moisturizer supposedly "defends your skin against the sun's UVA/UVB rays" (probably minimally, since it's only spf 15), i can't agree that it's "Perfect for Spring, perfect for Summer. Actually, perfect all year-round." Actually...not perfect at all, at least for me. Pretty pricey ($15) for a drugstore brand too. Sadly sitting unused in my medicine cabinet...
September 8, 2011
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the "neutral" tint actually comes up colorless - great for all types of brows, but not so great if you actually want to fill in your brows. quickly tames your brows with just a few swipes - the same effect you'd get with a clear mascara...for more defined brows, i'd try brow zings.
September 7, 2011
