Beauty Product Reviews | Page 3

My favorite hairties

I was so happy when I saw these hairties from Kitsch! I had similar ones that were my favorite that I got at the drugstore a long long time ago, and never could find them again. I was down to only one or two of the pack I'd been hoarding (seriously, how do hairties get lost so easily?) when I found these, and my prayers were answered. I stocked up, I never want to be without them.

These are so soft and very stretchy, and they don't have a seam that can come apart or elastic that's covered up that gradually gets exposed and snags on your har. They are just a perfect ring of stretchy knit nylon. I have medium thickness hair that has a little wave but not much curl, for me these give very solid hold and slide out of my hair like butter when it's time to come out. They do start to stretch out over time, I can definitely see the difference between an unused one and one I've been using for a bit. When that happens I just start wrapping the tie around my hair an extra time and it doesn't affect the performance at all. I've also never had one break, EVER.

While I can't really speak to the metaphysical advantages to certain types of stones being used as rollers, I really appreciate that this roller is stainless steel and can be SANITIZED! I don't use it on anyone else, but I still like to make sure my tools are clean so that I'm not adding any extra bacteria to my skin when I'm trying to take care of it.

It's also much sturdier than a stone roller, I had a quartz one before and with one drop it chipped and became jagged, so I couldn't use it any longer. This one has had many drops (oops) with no damage, even when the roller pops out of the prongs I can just pop it back in. In my defense, it has fallen quite a few times because the rolling action is so smooth! If I set it down in a certain orientation on the table, gravity takes over and it will just roll right off onto the floor, haha.

I definitely notice a difference when I use this to massage my face regularly, it helps keep puffiness at bay and stimulate the skin. The cool feeling of the steel is great, and I don't worry about using it on top of serums or oils because it is so easy to clean. Definitely worth it.

I have finished a full bottle of this serum, and I can definitively say that I do like it! I wanted something that had a decent percentage of BHA just to focus on keeping my pores clear, its always an ingredient that my skin gets along really well with.

I definitely noticed the serum helping a lot during my cycle when I tend to get breakouts, my skin stayed pretty clear. The difference I saw was more in what my skin was NOT doing rather than a visible change to my skin overall, if that makes sense. It was not breaking out, it was not freaking out, it was like it was on it's best behavior but was still my skin. When applying it, it spreads really well and sinks in fast, I never felt like it was tacky or oily, and it never caused my products applied on top to pill up. I could just apply it and forget about it.

The bottle is pretty small looking since it's only half an ounce, but the packaging is so gorgeous. It feels like it is made from glass, so its still weighty and feels high-end. The pump is very convenient to dispense from, and a little product would build up inside the opening but I never had any issues with it clogging.

Overall a great serum for minimizing breakouts and healing from them, and I can't wait to try more products from this brand!

Looks good and feels good

This lip oil is gorgeous, and feels just as nice as it looks! It has a sheer pigment immediately upon application, but it also stains your lips similar to other pH-reactive products I have used in the past. It's definitely a pink/berry tone, but makes your mouth look really juicy and flushed.

The oil is very shiny and feels hydrating, not really sticky. The shiny-ness lasts a couple hours, but the stain remains longer and fades evenly. It also has a really pleasant berry smell.

The only thing I would want to warn people about with this product is that the wand is a little hard to pull out of the tube. The first time I opened it I thought the applicator at the end of the wand might be stuck inside, but it seems to be getting easier to remove over time. Even so, I think this is worth it and a great go-to product for me.

Actually Impressed

I have tried a lot of mascaras, and while I prefer waterproof formulas, for the most part I don't see too many differences between different ones. My lashes are not that long, so I am never expecting anything very intense, I just slap it on so that my eye makeup looks "finished" and move on.

It wasn't until someone else told me how much they like building the layers on this mascara that I really realized how nice it was. Sure enough, I tried doing a second and third coat one day, and I was very impressed! It was not painful or flaking trying to apply over a dry(ish) coat, it still glided through my lashes and it actually was able to build up more length and volume!

It may not look like much, but it's definitely a hard working mascara, and one I will be coming back to.

Soft and Comfortable

These really are very comfortable and stylish masks, they are much softer than any of the other ones I have and don't make my ears sore either. They don't slide around and the elastic doesn't loosen over time either. Not too loose, not too tight, these are a goldilocks mask!

I was a little worried at first that they didn't have a metal part that shapes the mask over the nose, but they fit onto my face just fine without it. I wear glasses, and these still work great under my glasses without fogging them up. Absolutely my favorite masks to wear!

Favorite Liquid Eyeliner

I fell in love with actual brush applicators for liquid liner pens after trying Kat Von D's Tattoo Liner, and swore off felt tips forever. However I recently was looking for some alternative options and they can be a little harder to find. Luckily I found the Kittenish Look Liner, and it is my new favorite!

Unlike felt tip liner pens that can fray or clog up with makeup, the bristles stay crisp and precise as long as there is eyeliner in the tube. The size is also not too small and not too big, so I can make a tiny wing or fill in a big fat one with this liner without it taking forever.

This liner is not fully waterproof, so if you're looking for underwater eyeliner this is not the one. However it is very long wearing and doesn't budge unless I rub my eye or wash it off. It's a nice dark black that goes on opaque and doesn't have to be built up.

For me, the price is right, the performance is great, and the packaging is really really cute!

Gentle and effective

I love these acne dots, I get one or two zits at a time so usually I do not need a treatment over a large area which can sometimes dry me out or become irritated. I am also a terrible picker so I really like that these protect me from myself as well, and keep out any further bacteria so the ingredients can really work on the pimple.

The patches are clear and matte, so they are really very discreet on the skin. I have definitely worn these out in public during the day and I don't think you could really tell unless you looked at me very closely. I felt like they also reduced the amount the zip looks like a bump, so almost smoothes out the zit, too. You can't put makeup over them though, so this is a bare-face day solution only.

Most importantly, they also WORK! I haven't seen a zip disappear overnight, that's just not my skin, but they do heal much more quickly when I use the patches. And since the zit is not over-dried or irritated, they don't scar as badly as they used to.

I love the packaging as well, since sheets are wrapped individually I can just take a sheet with my when traveling instead of the whole tin. The tin is very cute, though, and I paint them and reuse them once I'm done because they're such cute storage.

I highly highly recommend these, and if you're sensitive and just want a gentle spot treatment these are the best!

Amazing for Puffiness

This is not the most flattering (for me) story I could tell on the internet, but it really demonstrates the effectiveness of this serum so here goes. I had a stye recently and I woke up one morning with my eye so puffy I looked like Quasimodo. The way I had been sleeping combined with the swelling from the stye made it look like there was a marble under my skin right below my eye, and my lid was puffing out a lot as well. I thought, well Wake Up Eye Serum, show me what you got, and WOW! The size had reduced by half in about 5 minutes, and by the time I got to work that day you could barely tell that anything was weird about my eye. Thank goodness for this serum!

Not only did it deflate my extreme puffiness that day (and general puffiness every day) but it feels so good going on! I used to use the Caffeine Solution from The Ordinary and I really didn't like how runny it is, I felt like I had to rush to get it from my hand to my eye before it all dripped down and away. This texture is thick but not too thick, and absorbs pretty quickly without feeling sticky.

I also can't say enough good things about the packaging, these bottles also have a really nice stopper that keeps the dropper from being messy on the outside when you pull it out, and also prevent me from banging it against the sides of the bottle too. It does have a little leeway though so you're not gonna be prevented from sucking up all the serum once it starts getting low. I also really appreciate that the labels are all different colors, so I'm not getting all the products mixed up when grabbing at a glance in my cabinet.

Such a good product, such good design!

Fantastic No Rinse Cleanser

I love micellar waters and trying new ones, and Caudalie's is one of my favorites! I had high hopes since I really love Caudalie as a whole and it did not disappoint. One of the standout features is the pump, it works really well and makes it much easier to control how much product goes onto the cotton pad. The flip caps that are typically found on micellar waters are also really prone to breaking, so I love this sturdy pump that can twist to lock.

As for the product inside, it has a natural fresh scent that is not heavy at all and makes the cleansing experience really pleasant. Like most micellar waters, I know I have to double cleanse to remove really heavy long-wear lipstick and mascara, but it removes face makeup and eyeshadow easily and is great for a one-step cleanse when I'm not wearing a full face.

It's not drying, but doesn't leave any "moisturizing" residue at all, just soft clean skin. Like with all micellar waters, I love that I don't have to rinse anything off, I always end up splashing water and dripping everywhere when I try to rinse my face in the sink. This makes the process quick and easy and my skin feels great!