Beauty Product Reviews | Page 2

Natural high for perky eyes!

I've been really impressed by this eye cream. I've tried so many anti-dark circle creams, also containing caffeine, that just haven't been up to the job. I'm loathed to use products with too many chemicals, however effective, around my eyes and I came upon this online. I'd never heard of the brand before but when I saw the eye cream's all-organic caffeine, antioxidant- and vitamin-packed ingredients I was sold. It hasn't disappointed - my eyes look so much brighter and perkier since I've been using this, and as a plus it's the only eye cream I've found so far that really smoothes the dry skin around my eyes. It's also a good base for makeup, not too oily. So far, my HG eye cream!

The only thing I don't like, which loses it a star, is the pump which is a nightmare. It over-dispenses at even the lightest push, and as a little bit of this goes a long way it leads to wastage. I think the smaller size comes in a tube, which isn't as good value but is a better packaging option. On the plus side, my boyfriend now has super-bright eyes because I always go running to him with the excess product :)

Too orange and too oily! Definitely not suitable for my skin type or skin tone, it didn't look good on and broke me out afterward.

If you have dark, dry skin that needs brightening, this might do it. Or it might make you look like Snooki.

Surprisingly good

I was taught that the golden rule of brushes is: *SYNTHETIC for liquid *NATURAL for powder.

I've stuck to this rule because it made sense that powder clung better to natural bristles. That said, my scratchy Bare Minerals brush kept sweeping off the concealer I applied under powder so I wanted to try something softer that would glide comfortably over my skin. This does exactly that, and the application is flawless. I've used it with both loose powder (NYC) and pressed powder (MAC Mineralize) and it works well with either. It's very large though, so I might invest in the purse-sized retractable kabuki.

Perfect all-rounder

This brush is an excellent size and texture; it won't leave you with a streaky or patchy finish, and blends gently without tugging at the delicate skin around the eye. The shape is perfect for application around the eyes - good for both concealer and cream shadows - and is big enough for use on the rest of the face, perfect if you like to skip foundation and just wear concealer. It blends seamlessly, picking up a good amount of product and distributing it evenly, using up all the product on the brush so nothing is wasted.

This was my first Ecotools brush that I picked up when I couldn't find the Revlon brush I wanted - glad Boots was poorly stocked that day :)

*I should add: for covering blemishes, a smaller, pointier brush will give more precision. This brush is better for blending over larger areas.

I really liked the shade Nude Flash, a sheer berry-brown, which is great for contouring; the "push-up" concept of the product makes a handy applicator and is great for on-the-go touch-ups. It would have been perfect if it wasn't so darn sticky. Does it annoy you when your hair sticks to your lip gloss? Well, I wasn't a huge fan of my hair being stuck to the sides of my face. Who needs blush when you've got sideburns, right? Also, it broke me out. It might be better on a different skin type - I gave it to my friend, who has drier skin than I do, and she loves the dewy finish.

Gentle on skin, tough on impurities

I'd been wanting to try Clinique's clarifying lotions for a while, but was put off by their alcohol content. I wanted a toner that would gently purify my skin without stripping it, and the others are so well-publicized that I wasn't even aware of this one until I researched alcohol-free toners containing salicylic acid.

Although my skin isn't highly sensitive, I'm prone to break-outs so I follow as gentle a skincare regime as possible to avoid aggravating it. As I mentioned, this lotion is alcohol-free and contains salicylic acid to clarify and exfoliate gently. It's much thicker in consistency than the other toners in the range, but noticeably milder too. Although I can't feel it working in the way that alcohol-based toners do, I could *see* it going to work in the first week - as is common with many pore-targeting products, this initially broke me out (mildly) before my skin settled down. Now my face is smooth, clear and bright :)

The only thing I don't like about it is the packaging - because of its consistency and size of the bottle, this would really benefit from a pump. It has a cap that is big and clumsy, so every time I use the bottle I feel I might drop it or knock it over while trying to screw the lid back on. So Clinique, if you read this - a pump and a smaller cap, please!

Smooth, bright skin in one sweep

I've been on a real natural-acid skincare kick lately, and was excited to try this toner containing glycolic acid *and* AHAs - and little else. Including water, this toner contains a total of 4 (four!!) ingredients, all natural - I couldn't argue with that, and into my shopping basket it went.

Although this is of course a lot gentler than an actual glycolic peel, I fear it might be a bit abrasive for everyday use and just treat it as a supplement to my existing skincare regime - I maybe use it every other day. It has the added bonus of helping to fade surface marks, and my skin is smoother and brighter after using it. It creates a great base for moisturizer, and makeup looks so much better on smooth skin. A definite skincare staple.

Sets TOO fast!

'Express Finish' is all very well, but it doesn't guarantee a good finish. My pet nail peeve is polish that starts drying before you've even finished applying, and you have to work pretty quickly with this to avoid it going tacky on your nail mid-application.

I've sworn by this for years. Recently I removed my gel nails to grow out my natural nails for a while, and I switched to costlier products thinking they would be more heavy-duty. I've since come back to this - if it ain't broke..!

Magic for marks

My issue with adult acne is less about the size and severity of breakouts, as it is about regular cystic blemishes that leave dark scars. Even if I only get one or two at a time, they remain visible for a long while after they clear up and the marks are hard to cover up.

This healing cream is a revelation - I can keep looking in the mirror throughout the day, and it's as if I'm watching the marks fade. According to other reviews I've read, Accutane users with severe scarring also swear by this product.

I was surprised it came in such a small pot, but the cream is very concentrated so I'm hoping it'll last me a long time. I would also use this on other types of scars to heal and fade them faster.