Makeup
- oceanbubbles » See my profile
- Points: 25200
- Reviews: 112
Here are all my reviews:
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And I own and have tried a whole lot of lip balms, everything from EOS to The Body Shop to Nivea to Jane Iredale. Burt's Bees has really outdone themselves with this product. This has got to be one of my absolute favorites! I picked this up on a whim from the campus bookstore before an exam (studying with dry lips, no, thank you) because my lips were really dry from winter in the high desert, and upon the very first swipe I was in love. The packaging does not do justice to the amazingness inside of the tube. This raspberry-tinted lip balm smells sophisticatedly fruity and herbal, and I feel good using it because it is loaded with good ingredients, such as pomegranate oils, coconut oil, sunflower oil, beeswax, and rosemary leaf extract, which are so much better for everyone than the abundance of chemicals in other lip balms. Also, this lip balm is is very hydrating and smooth, and gives my lips lasting moisture and silkiness. It is perfect for layering under lip liners, lipsticks, and lip glosses, but it also looks good all by itself. It makes my lips look like my natural lips, but better and more kissable and plump. I also like to apply this before I go to bed to wake up to wonderful lips. For only $3.30, this lip balm is a miracle in a tube!
February 15, 2014
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I was always afraid of cream blush. If I could barely apply powder blush without looking like a swooning clown, how in the world would I be able to look good with cream blush? However, Revlon's Photoready Cream Blush (I picked it up in Just Pinched, which is this really natural, peachy color) proved me to be so wrong, and now cream blush is one of my favorite beauty products. There's no way to go wrong unless you are intentionally trying really hard to look bad with these cream blushes, and these are really easy to use. All I do is swirl my finger in these in a circle, and sweep that onto my cheeks and blend out with my fingers, and I have a sheer (the color is buildable for times when I want something for noticeable, and they are not as scary bright as they look in the packaging), natural, beautiful flush of color for my cheeks. It feels silky smooth going on, and it doesn't accentuate or aggravate rough patches on my dry skin. After its on my cheeks, it has this really nice powder-like finish, and this lasts about seven hours, which isn't great but isn't bad. I adore this blush, but I wish they would come out with more colors. While other drugstore lines have blush lines with a huge selection of colors, this cream blush only has four colors, which is a shame considering how great the formula is. Also, this blush is slightly more expensive than other cream blushes in the drugstore. Overall, I really like this blush. It was my very first cream blush, and proved to me that cream blush was nothing to be afraid of by giving me a natural, beautiful flush of color very easily. However, it is expensive compared to other drugstore blushes, and it only has four colors in the line, so for these reasons, I see the possibility of repurchasing, but I also will likely try other blushes.
February 15, 2014
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I got a half-ounce sample size of this as a free gift, and since I didn't have a primer before (yes, this was my very first experience with primer), I didn't really have any ideas of what to expect. I just knew it couldn't be "terrible" because I had a Merle Norman cheek color, and I use that thing as much as the Earth needs air. First, even for a deluxe sample, the packaging is good. It looks just like the full size, only instead of having a shiny silver screw off cap, it was white plastic. The tube is very simple, not much fancy decorations or claims are written on it, but it's sturdy. However, I noticed that if it the primer might squeeze out really quickly if it is stored sideways. The primer itself is really nice. It's almost clear in color when it's in the tube, with a slight peachy tint, but it goes on completely clear. It's very smooth/silky and applies very evenly. It takes only a tiny squirt to cover my entire face. On my skin, this primer practically disappears. There's no greasy residue. My skin looks dewy, but not to the point that it looks like there is grease on my face. (Addressing this point, this primer isn't exactly matte.) My face feels silky smooth and the texture is evened out, a great canvas for foundation. Overall, this is a good primer. It's smooth to the touch, feels lightweight and unnoticeable on my skin, and it makes my skin texture even. I can't say much about the cost because my tube of this is a sample. While this is a good primer, now that I have tried other primers, this isn't the best, especially if you're looking to reduce pore size or even out color. However, this is unbeatable in smoothness.
February 15, 2014
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While I adore Aveeno's body care and hair care products, I've never really cared for most of their skincare products, and this is one of those products. I think I bought this just because the labeling claiming to detoxifying and purify pores really caught my attention, along with the cute, cheery packaging. And yes, while the packaging looks great and is sturdy, the product itself is not as great. I think the only thing I really like about the product is the smell, which is like a fresh but floral scent that reminds me of carefree summer mornings out in the countryside. Besides this, this cleanser does not lather well, and it doesn't make my skin feel very clean. I used this in the summer, when my skin felt oily and gross, and after using this cleanser, my skin still felt oily and gross, but now it was also wet. I tried this in the winter as well, when my skin is dry and sensitive, and this still didn't give me a clean feeling. I didn't expect a tight, drying clean feeling, I just wanted my face to feel fresh, hydrated, and free from makeup and dirt. Overall, I will not be repurchasing this cleanser because it just didn't lather well and didn't clean my skin well.
February 9, 2014
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I have always loved Garnier, from their hair care lines to their BB cream and skincare lines, so when I saw this, I just had to have it. While this isn't the best cleanser I've ever used, I have to say it is one of the better (or best) drugstore cleansers I have tried. As with most Garnier products, the packaging is attractive, sleek, and professional and the fragrance is amazing. This cleanser smells very citrusy, with a few floral touches, like an expensive but not cloying perfume. I definitely love the scent of this, but then again, most Garnier products smell sublime. I also really like the pump on this cleanser because it pumps out just the right amount, it feels very sturdy, and it stays clean. The product itself foams up very nicely to a bouncy, thick lather, like a comfortable cushion between your hands and your skin. This product feels a lot more expensive than it actually is. It doesn't leave a residue when I rinse it off, and it makes my skin feel clean and refreshed without making it feel dry or tight. I haven't noticed a major difference in my skin's radiance despite this cleanser having alpha hydroxy acids, but I've been using this cleanser for about a year now, and my skin tone looks a bit more even. Overall, this is one of the better drugstore cleansers I've tried. This smells absolutely amazing, the foaming action and feel of the foam on my skin is heavenly, and it cleanses my skin without drying it out. While I don't notice a huge difference in my skin's radiance, I can see myself repurchasing this cleanser in the future.
February 9, 2014
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This was the very first drugstore eyeshadow I've ever purchased that wasn't a shade of brown or champagne, so I didn't know what to expect. While it isn't the best quality eyeshadow, nor did it have the best pigmentation, I am actually rather pleased with this eyeshadow. You do get quite a lot of product for the price, the packaging looks sleek and modern (and more expensive than it actually is), and the eyeshadow will probably last for years and years depending on how often I use it. When I apply this, a soft wash of this gives me a light shimmer of color, but if I build up the layers a little bit, I can get more of a color. However, at no point does the color on my lids looks as intense as the color in the package, even with my eyelids being as white as marshmallow puff. So not the greatest pigmentation, but I guess that makes this eyeshadow hard to overdo. The eyeshadow was easy to blend, looked even, and felt silky. It looked really nice, like I actually spent some time on my simple makeup, though I really didn't. I got about three hours of wear from this eyeshadow, which is almost nothing compared to some of Maybelline's cream shadows, MAC's eyeshadows, and others. Overall, I like this eyeshadow because of the price, the amount of product you get, the packaging, the ease of blending, the silkiness, and the way it looks, but it's only average compared to other eyeshadows available on the market. And a final note: There are barely any colors in this line, so that's another downfall for this product in my opinion.
February 8, 2014
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After recovering from a serious case of reptilian winter skin with a new microdermabrasion system, I tried this toner after reading in the instruction manual that the microdermabrasion should be followed by a gentle toner and restoring cream. I have had a bottle of this for about three months, but I haven't gotten around to using it until about two weeks ago when I dug it out of the depths of my new purchases drawer. I am so glad that I have discovered what this can do. First, unlike in the picture on this website that shows a white bottle, the new bottle has been reinvented to be see-through with a convenient pump and the toner itself is blue. Which is much more pleasing to the eye and elegant, in my opinion. The packaging is very, very sturdy and mess-free, and it does a good job of preventing evaporation of the product inside. While I definitely love how everything looks from the outside, the product inside is even better. This toner is super gentle, because there is no alcohol. There is no stinging or irritation whatsoever on my dry, sensitive skin. It also makes my face feel fresh and clean, but hydrated and plump at the same time. Would that be considered magical? This toner also has beneficial ingredients that nourish the skin, such as rose hip extract, which is something I like in my skincare products. Finally, now that I have been using this toner for about two weeks, I've noticed that my pores look smaller and my skin feels a lot smoother. I also have a lot less of a problem with flaking and peeling in the winter weather, probably because this toner is not stripping the good oils from my face like my previous toner. Overall, I am beyond satisfied with this toner. The price may seem steep at $26 for about 6 ounces or so, but it only takes one pump (a very little amount of product) to sweep over my entire face, and the gentleness, hydrating, and refreshing properties of this toner, as well as its results, make it completely worth the cash. I will definitely be buying this again in the future.
February 8, 2014
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All I can really say is... Wow. I have the most annoying eyelids in the world, the kind that smears eyeliner and eyeshadow (I'm not kidding) almost instantly after I apply it. Even with primer. I just about had it, I saw no other alternative other than to just give up eyeliner and eyeshadow and just stick to waterproof mascara, until a friend saw this while we were at the drugstore together, and suggested that I try it. And I am so glad I did. I've always admire Maybelline for their quality products and affordable prices, but this is truly one of the best products I had ever owned. Though the color selection is very limited (Maybelline, please fix that!), the one I got is absolutely beautiful (Inked in Rose, a shimmer, pale pink). And best of all, it lasted all day. No creasing, no fading, no smudging. At all. Its absolutely mind-blowing lasting power also helped my eyeliner stay in place with only a tiny bit of smudging. The container is a really cute and clean glass with a black screw on lid, and the eyeshadow itself is really creamy. Though it feels a bit dry, it really helps the product last all day as opposed to the more wet eyeshadows that I've tried. I could easily swipe this on with my fingers in less than a minute, and it would still looks absolutely flawless. Also, this product is comparable to higher end products, but with a very affordable price tag and (dare I say it) better performance. I got so many compliments when I wore this eyeshadow. For the price and performance, this product conquers all.
February 6, 2014
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This is the very first bronzer I have ever used, so I chose a the lightest color, "Sunshine", which doesn't really give a dramatic bronzed look, but I'm still pretty pleased with this bronzer. For the $4.99 price tag, I got a ton of product for the money, which is always nice. Rimmel has always been an affordable brand. While I got a lot of product, I'm not a huge fan of the packaging. It's nice that I can see through the lid to view the color, but the lid pops off really easily, so this bronzer isn't the best for travel, unless I wanted the inside of my purse to be bronzed. The bronzer itself is very true to the color that I see through the lid, it applies easily, feels smooth, and is very blendable. It also lasted about ten hours, which is a decent amount of time. It was a bit more shimmery than I thought it would be, but the shimmer wasn't noticeable to the point that if I walked outside, hummingbirds would be attracted to my face. However, while this bronzer is true to the color seen, it's not very highly pigmented, so I do have to layer it on to see some difference. I think that this was partially my fault for buying the lightest color, but pigment is very important to me in my makeup. Overall, this is a great starter blush because the color won't be so dramatic that mistakes would be obvious, the bronzer applies smoothly, lasts a while, and you get a lot for the price. I probably won't repurchase just because I want to explore other brands and looks, but if I just want a natural, "barely there" bronzed look, I might reconsider repurchasing.
February 2, 2014
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When I used the PMD Personal Microderm device, my mind was a completely blank, clean slate. I didn't really have any expectations, and while I didn't expect this device to ruin my skin, I didn't expect to to work any miracles either. However, I was pleasantly surprised! I have combination skin including a very oily T-zone with a very dry and sensitive eye area and cheeks, and I don't have many skin problems except occasional acne (thank you, summer in the cities with pollution and without my darling toner) and some redness on my cheeks. Besides that, my skin has very small pores, is mainly smooth, and is plump. So in summary, my skin is pretty good, but this winter, the harsh winds and freezing air in the desert really did a number on my skin. Not only did the dryness cause blespharitis on my eye, causing my eyelids to swell like cherry tomatoes and sting, but my entire face was peeling. On top of that, I also had a terrible allergic reaction to some "sensitive skin safe" stage makeup. My face was a mess. When I received my PMD, my face had calmed down for about a month, but the aftermath of peeling, redness, patchiness, and uneven texture were still there. Using my PMD, I didn't really feel any difference while using it. I just heard a buzzing and felt the gritty texture of the disk run over my face from the green and white device. By the way, I feel I should mention that the PMD looks intimidating at first, but after I read the directions and tested my face with the training disk, it was no longer intimidating and proved to be quick and easy to use, start, and clean up after. Anyways, after I used the PMD, I applied my usual toner, serum, and night cream, and went to bed. Right then, as I said earlier, I wasn't expecting much. But boy was I wrong! When I woke up, my skin was back to its usual smoothness (even better, actually), the redness had gone down substantially, and my skin looked even. This is a great product, with real results, even if they aren't immediately obvious (but still fast-acting). The only reason I gave it 9 stars instead of 10 is because of the price tag, but for the results, it's a pretty good value, costing less than running to the dermatologist/facial expert every month. Overall, I am impressed, and I will continue to use the PMD.
January 22, 2014
