Beauty Product Reviews | Page 17

Not the best TM

I got this a while ago, when I first started getting into TMs, foundations and primers. I was so new to TMs that I didn't realize how sheer they could be, and how they were used for more moisturizing/SPF benefits than coverage. I know now how buildable some TMs can be, but have since moved on to BBs and foundations because they provide so much more coverage, as well as SPF and moisture. I liked the clean, minimalist packaging- very chic and clean feeling. When I applied it, I felt this dragging feeling- almost like it wouldn't sink into my skin and made it impossible to blend. I am a huge texture freak, and I like my moisturizers/TMs to be creamy, thick and somewhat wet feeling- all the better to sink into and feed my usually parched and flaky/dehydrated skin. The tint was incredibly sheer and also on the orangey/peach side. That was also part of its downfall in my opinion, yet that didn't even matter much because barely any color showed on my skin. Smell wise, it has a funny chemical smell/SPF smell. I like an SPF essence, but this one smells kinda weird. The SPF of 30 is great, but since the product is so sub par, it doesn't really come into play. The packaging is sleek with the little characteristic twist top and squeezey hole, and it is slim and flat- so easy to store in little makeup pouches/drawers/bags/etc. But sadly, its home is in my reject makeup/skincare wicker basket. But never fear- it has plenty of companions there! I might just mix this with foundations or other TMs/BBs so I get more SPF and the orange tint/draggy feeling is lessened. It is only 1.7 fl. oz, which is pretty much the standard sizes for these types of products, but its a shame this product is so mediocre. I'm too lazy to try this out again before reviewing, so I hope my memory will suffice, and be concise enough. It is endorsed by the American Cancer Society (ACS), but that doesn't guarantee it to be an excellent cosmetic product. If you have a few bucks to spare, and I'm not sure this is that cheap, one could try it out- but there is better stuff out there, including from Neutrogena.

Meh.

I hate to be the Debbie Downer for this review page, but every time I reach for this, I'm not happy. I had forgotten the brand for the longest time because the one I purchased does not have the lovely golden, and informative label on it. I realized the actual name of it, when I casually looked at the bottom of the bottle and found the circular label. So I just thought of it as "my crappy drug store liner" for awhile. (We all know that drugstore is putting out excellent liners, as we speak, of course). Anyway, I used this when I didn't want shimmer in my liquid liner- my preferred UD liner is a little shimmery.( Oilslick, not black). This liner is black and shiny- almost laquered, which is a definite plus. However, it is TOO RUNNY/WET. I recently used tape to create a straight edge for my wings, which worked fabulously with my UD liner, and it still managed to run amok and be the unruly child of liquid liners. And then it dawned on me- I didn't like this particular L'oreal line for another liner. Way back, in High School, I got a felt tip liner from this very line, and it was almost like a marker, with those little edges on it. I hate dried out liners, but that one was also really wet/liquidy. It was also a pain in the tuckus to remove. It was a lovely teal though! (I've come to realize I'm more of a brush liquid liner girl, than a pen girl.) Anyway. My brush is also not nearly as small as the one in the picture. Maybe if it was just a little tinier and the formula wasn't as runny, this would be perfecto. These liners are also always housed on the bottom rungs of those displays at the drug store. Maybe people still buy this line occasionally, so they still cling desperately to life, but almost always are on the verge of being discontinued. I might cast these off to my makeup rejects bin (which I still plan to use some of), or I might use this for artistic/face paint-y designs. This might just require a lighter hand and more practice! I keep hearing this formula in Carbon Black is stellar, so I'm sure my older version is not as great, and the newer one is much better. For comparison's sake, my UD brush is longer and thicker, with a more tapered point, and this one is shorter, a little thinner, and its point is not as tapered. I do like the packaging and the fact there is a ton of product, though :)

Great smell, good shower pick me up

I got this awhile ago, and its lasted for some time, although I'm halfway through because I'm sharing it with the boyfriend. I keep this in my shower rack and use it for facial exfoliation in the shower, as well as for some body acne/ body exfoliation. I figured since it has salicylic acid, it would be great to exfoliate and spot treat body breakouts in the shower. I really like the scent. It's delicious. I'm not sure I noticed any dry skin after using it, and believe me, my skin can get drier than the Sahara. Its also great for exfoliating my super dry t zone/ brow area. Any dryness I might perceive in the future, post wash, will be easily remedied by the face cream/moisturizer I decide to use that day. So, I'm not sure I'm seeing amazing, long term effects, but I like that its a not too tough exfoliant with a great scent and cute packaging.

Good everyday body lotion

I grabbed this at the grocery store awhile back with my mom. I wanted to get a body lotion that would last me awhile, and be on the cheaper side. I usually veer towards the most organic/hippie dippie lotions I can get, that are reasonably priced (they're often not), but I've been liking Neutrogena lately, so I picked this. The packaging is sleek and elegant. It has 8.5 fl oz. and was about 8 bucks, not too bad, but not phenomenal either. It does have a methylparaben, petrolatum and lanolin within, so If you're not into those ingredients, you might need to look elsewhere. I'm not super convinced parabens (preservatives), lanolin ( sheep wool grease) and petrolatum are that "bad" for you, so I wasn't too concerned when scanning the ingredients list. I use this as a whole body lotion, after showers when my skin is damp. I haven't found much of a change in my skin, or that its less dry. My skin gets the driest in the winter, so right now, I don't technically need it. I just apply out of habit. Its part of my routine, and it makes me feel clean! Scent wise, the added fragrance is really nice. Who knows what chemical it is comprised of, but its not over powering at all, and because its the last in the ingredient list, there isn't a ton of it in the body lotion. Texture wise, the lotion is great. Its got a silky, creamy consistency. I don't feel that yucky mineral oil drag across my skin. Its somewhat slick but dries down comfortably. For a dollar an oz. its alright, price wise. Its got a flip top that can get messy, but that's fine. All in all, its a nice body lotion that I might repurchase in the future, as a quick go to, easily found at my grocery store.

Its alright

I think I tried this because I love Burt's Bees and I wanted an exfoliator to replace my St. Ives Apricot Scrub, that I learned was terrible for your skin. The scent wasn't that appealing- it was nature-y, and its ultra hippie smell didn't really agree with me. Texture wise, this made me think of the Apricot Scrub- almost sharp particulates swirled throughout the creamy product. The "finely ground peach stone" felt even more potentially dangerous than the St. Ive's scrub, and the pieces seemed much larger. I decided not to take the chance of using yet another uber abrasive exfoliant- and decided to use this as a foot/body scrub, like I have done with my St. Ives. I have been using a Yes to Carrots exfoliator in the mean time which has served its purpose pretty well.

Not using as a facial scrub, using as a body and foot scrub

As the chica stated below, this isn't the best for your skin. I learned about its potential dangers from a YT video that seemed pretty forthright and reliable. Instead of using as a face scrub, I've switched to using this as a body scrub. Its good for flaky feet, and dry skin that accumulates around the ankles, as well as little body touch ups. My only concern lies in how harsh this could be for a body exfoliant, instead of a facial exfoliant. I also use this to slough away any bits of body blemishes, and so far, its gentle enough for that.

Meh. This shade is a miss.

I learned about this shadow pencil/stick from one of those handouts you get in fashion mags- that say top 10 best drugstore buys or whatever. So, I figured if Teen Vogue, or Allure or whomever rated it, they must know what they're talking about- I should trust them. Plus, this was pretty cheap, and I was banking on these being really good because Wet N Wild has stepped up their game enormously- rivaling Urban Decay and higher end brands, but obvi to a certain extent. I got Distress because I love navy liners and smudging them around my eye- creating a sexy, smokey cat eye that isn't too bold because of the navy, makes my green-blue eyes pop, and looks great with silver on the inner 3rd of the eye/tearduct area. (I love navy and silver together). So I figured this would be my backup for my Palladio navy eye liner. This did suck though. While some of Wild's stuff is getting better- some is not. I probably should have used my instinct with his- its a creamy pencil from the drugstore- thats really cheap. Don't depend on this for the best results. It creased on me with a primer, and shadow over it to set it and intensify the color. Its a very nice color, but the packaging is cheap- the lid has already cracked, getting product squished on the top of the lid, and the letters on the front are chipping off. And while they are cute and small for travel, the lid will crack, and cause a potential mess. From the reviews below, the lighter, shimmery colors work the best in this line- for eye highlighting especially. This is good to know- however, I don't know if I would give these another go.

Pretty good for the drugstore

If anyone has read my reviews, they might know that I LOVE creme blushes and highlighters. Anything creamy really- food AND makeup :) Anyhoo, I do like a few of the products from L'oreal's Studio line, and I heard about their creamy, souffle foundation from a YT guru a long time ago, who absolutely loved it. So when I saw this, I really wanted to give it a shot. Like most of L'oreal's products the packaging is adorable, as is the name of this one. Celestial is light pink with a hint of peach. its a very pretty and delicate color, and perfect for using as a creme base for powdered shadows. It is SO creamy and soft, and easy to pick up a LOT of product. It is almost beyond a mousse it is so rich and creamy. Like the CG creme blushes it is a little crumbly when rubbing it in and a little sheer- so you can build it, or keep it light and sheer. I might mix this with a liquid highlighter to give it even more shimmer and shine. It does have some shimmer, but not as annoying or as noticeable as CG's dream mousse blushes, thankfully. I love shimmer and glitter, but only for certain looks. This mousse is tasteful and natural without a lot of added shimmer/chunky glitter. When swatched on the back of my hand, it is a lovely dusty rose pink/peach, and it would even be fun to press the mousse into the skin to pack on the color. I used this and a light pink blush to set it for a smokey eye look, and nude lips. I do love greys and pinks together, so this worked perfectly for that. It was a little pricey for the drugstore, but you might find it on sale, and having a Rite Aid card can also slightly lower the price. All in all this is a fun little creme product that will be so fun to play with and as with my other creme tubs/and pots, it fits perfectly in my uber pink and girly Sephora traincase!

Great shimmer, not sure about mini glitter particles

I wanted to get Too Cool because I wanted more of these babies, and wanted to get a product that could double as cream shadow AND facial highlighter, that would be similar to higher end creme highlighters, but would be more accessible and less expensive, yet still get the job done. I wanted Too Cool to be part of my personal MU collection, and as a cheap highlight for my MUA kit. Its just as how I expected it to be- a cool, frosty white, with plenty of shimmer and shine. I love the packaging, texture, amount of product, and that its hasn't dried AT ALL. I have an eggplant ELF liner that dried on me so fast- if anything this puppy has gotten creamier! My only mini qualm is the little micro glitter. Sometime I find it stands out too much. For the eyes, I don't mind the glitter because it can worked with/played with/covered with diff. shadows with diff. finishes and its perfect for sparkly colors to top it. For a highlight, I'm not too keen for the glitter, but luckily its small enough to get covered and like the eyes, I can use this as a facial HL base with some shimmer powder over it. This did crease on me, because its so creamy, but I could probably remedy this issue. All in all, its still a great buy- but is only making me want the rest of the set EVEN MORE.

Pretty good, want other shades

Does anyone ever pick up the not as good shades of a super hyped, excellent product? I obsessively look at reviews, yet I still somehow choose the ones that aren't as good as the others. I really wanna try the rest of this line, especially the bronze and gold. Lately I have been in love with all things taupe, and grey/beige. Not lately- for awhile! So when I learned that these little gems had a taupe shade, I had to splurge on it. I love the consistency, and the color is great. There is plenty of product in the tub, I love the packaging and design, and the slip of the product under my finger feels great. When swatched the color is rich, creamy and deep, yet when I pack it on the lids, it doesn't seem as pigmented. I used my elf primer and towards the end of the time of wearing Tough, it seemed faded and less opaque. It might be the fact that I need to add more, that matte shades aren't as long wearing as shimmers and satins, that my primer doesn't hold up as well as I want, or I'm being too gentle and not packing a lot of color on. Or Tough is not as "tough" as the other ones! Maybe the one I got was just a little weaker, who knows! I still love this though. It doesn't crease and is not drying out in my tub- a SUPER plus. I did enjoy using this as a base with a shimmery, smokey, neutral shadow ( from Elf's warm 32 eyeshadow palette, I think) popped over, on the center of my lids- to give it a sultry, mysterious eye look. No doubt I will play more with this- with diff. primers, and with matte shadows over it to set and intensify the shade. I'm still confused as to why the swatch on my hand is so much richer than my lid, but I''ll figure it out. Needless to say, I want more, (ALL) but I'm glad I tried something from this line, especially a color I am in love with!