The Mother of Product Reviews

 Firstly, let me say that it's been quite a while. And I just re-read my post about being an at home mother, and it's all still true. I *do* miss the things I knew I would. Thankfully, I'm not at Stop 'n' Shop, but like I said then, everything has it's good and bad.  Chaim is trying to get into nursing school, and the kids are registered for UPK in the fall.  :)  On to the reviews!

Ok, this is mostly a short, yes or no with pictures, thought I did explain some reasons as to why I did or didn't like certain products. Enjoy!

Mascara, my most tested subject:


*For the record, NO mascara works like the ads say. Kind of obvious, but man, it sure is a far cry.

You, I love.

You, I love even more.

You, I don't like so much. :\

I like about half of Maybelline's Mascara. I do like this one.

I DO NOT like this one. AT ALL. It makes a few lashes long and weird.

My 

sister loves it. I don't get it.

I also returned this one.

I didn't like L'Oreals Collagen Mascara, as I said, but this one is back to basics. Nice job L'Oreal! :) 

Skin, my nemesis!

This. Woman. Deserves. A Metal. Best cleanser I have EVER used. I almost don't have bad skin. She deserves that mansion. I tried this one and the detox but felt this zapped my problem areas more. This one has tea tree oil, so if you love what that does for your skin, and need it clear, I would DEFINITELY recommend this. Everything she has is amazing.This runs about $30.

This is a splurge, but worth it. Actually, I haven't even paid for it yet. I got samples from Sephora and so far I'm still using those. This is an exfoliater/peel. You leave it on for a few minutes. And it smells like cinnamon. :) This little bad boy is about $80! But she's good....she's realllllyyyy realllyyy good!

I got this as a gift and I *love* it. I don't know if the Clarisonic is any much better, but this works just fine for me.

This is one of the best creams I've tried. It's Garnier's Overnight Regenerating Cream. I don't even know if it's still sold, but I get it at Amazing Savings for about $6 instead of $12. I LOVE it. I've tried a few other creams, samples from high end Sephora, some L'Oreals and none compare.  On the plus side of creams, I liked Mario Badescu's Collagen cream and Eye Gel that I tried, but not the cleansers so much. It wasn't strong enough for me.

This is INGENIOUS.  You hook it in the shower and put it on while you are wet, then rinse off. They aren't kidding when they say "Ultra Moisture".  This, also a gift, simply amazing. Could be made of pig fat for all I know, I just know that I don't care, as long as it keeps doing what it does!

Tried and true, lasts forever. I love this as a body wash because it suds up heavenly, smells wonderful, isn't made of animal products (like the tons of Dove bars I have that I bought this to replace. I still have them.) and it doesn't dry my skin. I also use it to clean the floors! :)

I love Tea Tree Oil. My husband hates the smell (I love it). It has anti-fungal properties and I find it helps dry out pimples.  Make sure you moisturize (if you use all over, since it is drying) or dilute if you are sensitive.

Additionally, any lotion with coco butter or Shea.

Like this. Everyday. Love. Lips, even eyelashes.

Hair:

This is supposed to actually mend split ends. It has good reviews, and is supposed to be left in overnight, with the option to wash out in the am or not. I didn't, and I actually thought this ounce might be worth the $14. A few days later it seemed to be back to how it was, but I'm going to keep this around a little and see what happens.  Plus, I think I ditched the receipt and packaging....

One of my favorite things has to be Suave Professionals. I can't believe the prices on these things, because I think they are A-MAZ-ING. The packaging changes a lot though, but most of the products stay. I've tried a decent few of them, and I like them all.

This one has to be my favorite of the bunch so far. Anything Shea. My least favorite was the Brilliant Brunette Knock Off, and not because of how my hair felt. It felt amazing, but the next day needed to be washed, and I'm a twice a week kind of gal.

I'm right now post-Keratin Infusion Suave. We'll see how that goes. So far it seems pretty good. I still have frizzy hair, but its just shampoo and conditioner. I was worried it would be intense, as real Keratin treatments permanently change your hair and the way it grows and some have formaldehyde in them.  I'm not interested in doing any really crazy process, so to find a good shampoo and conditioner that's affordable is important.

Pretty decent in my deep condition search.

This is "ok".

Standard. Everyday. This is pretty much the only product I'll use post-shower and I haven't bought it since College. So that gives you an idea of how long it last!

Makeup:

As I've said way back when, I really like Body Shop's All-in-One Face Base. Since then, I've tried:

the Lightening Touch Concealer. Pretty sweet.

 

And Extra Virgin Minerals face makeup. This is supposed to be cream to powder, but I feel its a little greasy. It's ok, but not a total favorite.

I don't know HOW, but this Almay Smart Shade actually does turn from white with black spots to your shade. It's pretty neat, but I'm not a huge fan of liquid foundations. Also, it doesn't have the coverage that I look for, so I stick to concealers and my L'Oreal Bare Natural Powder Foundation, which I've blogged about before (and their blush! I now use three different shades of the True Match, the Precious Peach which is the lightest neutral, and now the first and second lightest shades of warm, Bare Honey and Barely Blushing. All of these I use for a natural/peach look instead of pink/cool look.) The funny thing about this product is, that I bought it right after my $5 coupon from Almay expired. Figures!!

Maybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo Cream Shadow. I have the bottom 3 colors (of course) and I do like how they look. They do NOT crease, I am not sure how they bribed the gods on that one... But it does take some layering to get the desired intensity, and the blending is tricky when you have more than one color.

I like Maybellline's Gel Eyeliner a lot. The brush is pretty good, and it seems to dry out less than more expensive versions I've tried. It has good control and decent staying power, though the purple one is lacking in intensity. Again, the ads always make it more than it is.

I am *not* a lipstick gal, but DAMN CoverGirl, you have this RIGHT! This stuff lasts, and I just couldn't resist the color "Divine".

I also just tried Revlons Lip Butter in Cotton Candy. As I said, I hate lipstick, but this is just the right amount of color and it does soften lips! Win!

Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Bronzer. I have Miami Strip, which has a tad more pink and I like it a lot. I had gotten Vegas Strip first, which was a bit dark for me, but I can't tell you how many times I've used it as shadow. I love Physicians Formula for their versatility like that.  I also like their Powder Palette Blush in Blushing Rose when I'm feeling the need for pink.

 I think that's about it for now. Hope you guys found something useful! Keep me posted with any comments or opinions!

Natural Remedies

Probably because I always say I never wash my hair, my mother in law had mentioned a shampoo like product that doesn't actually wash out your natural oils and was supposed to be better for you. It turns out it was WEN cleansing conditioner and when I googled it, I wasn't sure how well it would work, or really, if it would work better than home remedies. I found this awesome site as well, and here are some new and old tips I wanted to list.

Hair: Plain and simple, wash it less if you can. I use vinegar with shampoo occasionally to get rid of build up, but I can't do that every time and definitely think I need shampoo, but I try to use less of it each time now. It can over dry super easily and I find it to be one of the top culprits. I'm not going to lie, its still not a super small amount, since I need to get my scalp clean, but I do use less now and just lather the top. Then I just let it run off instead of drying out my ends by shampooing them. Also try to never dye, bleach, or use heat styling. And go easy on products since they also cause drying. I used to do all of those things but now I don't do any. I sometimes blow dry my bangs with an ion dryer (I try to stick to 'warm') and use 'cool' after wards. I use Bio-silk sparingly and only sometimes, I don't dye, straighten or blow dry my hair anymore, or use any hair sprays, gels, or mousses. The worst of all those things is bleach and heat, just fyi. And occasional of anything is ok too, just be careful!

For conditioning, I like to use hair mayo sometimes and I really like suave with Shea butter as well. I have a Shea butter "leave in" made by Cantu, but its more like a light styling product because it does grease up my hair quicker than normal. But maybe that's a good thing since my hair is usually dry-ish and Shea butter is a protectant. Because of the dryness, I am able to go longer between washes, but the top gets greasy first and this causes break outs. :(

Skin: This is so weird but I swear its true - apparently vinegar is the cure for everything. Its a natural antiseptic which I knew because I clean with it. But if you dilute apple cider vinegar with 3 parts water and use it as an astringent, the results are amazing. Smelly yes. But amazing. It tightens up my pores like WOAH. I even use it under my arms and those bumps that have always plagued me are all but gone. Wow.

Another thing you can use is lemon rind, but it can burn if your skin is sensitive. Sometimes I just use the lemon when its all spent to rub the inside of my steel sink. It gets some grime out and smells nice. I think.

I also sometimes use Tea Tree Oil on stubborn pimples.

I like to follow with cucumber peels all over my face to soothe and help get rid of redness and under eye circles. It also helps wipe off some vinegar smell but I wait for it to dry. I actually let most things dry right on. So many products have cucumber in it and are so costly. I just use the real thing! It works.

This is another newer one for me personally, but I have to attribute it to one more cure. Vaseline. (I know you hate it Amanda!) I already use it for my lips and feet/hands in the winter, and even under my nose when I have a cold. But I started using it around my eyes at night to seal in moisture. I have to say, it REALLY works!! My circles have never been so diminished from any other expensive product. And I think its good for the lashes too. So far no break outs from it either. Then in the morning I wash with CeraVe foaming face wash which is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! It's sort of like Cetaphil but actually gets makeup off. So far I'm just using samples but I hope to buy it soon. It seems to be very highly rated. I still use apricot scrub as well and sometimes other face washes.

I still get deep pimples that don't show, but hurt like hell. I haven't found a way to stop this. Maybe I do over cleanse, but I just hate hate hate them. I also get black heads and bumps, and I sort of have a nervous tendency to pick and them and I really can't stop. Sadly, this creates far worse skin problems than if I could leave them alone.

I also think cocoa butter lotion is the best ever. Any brand.

Edit: As far as skin and hair go, one really great tip is DON'T shower in super hot water. It totally dries out both. It's also a good idea to rinse with cool water too, to seal up the pores/follicles and prevent breakage.

Then there are a few more things that are actually products (and actually not natural) but I'll just put them here anyway.

I have to say, this stuff freaking works. Its not Latisse and I wouldn't want it to be, but I do feel like I lose less lashes and they seem more filled in. Maybe I'm just not wearing makeup as often, since that causes lash loss too.

L'oreal lash boosting serum

Another thing I really like is Maybelline's The Colossal Volum' Express mascara.


I've tried many others and I like this one so much more. I tend to like volume in my mascara and some people do not, but I like this even more than other volume ones. I also like the Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion which only comes in non-waterproof (I like waterproof) but its about the same caliber as Colossal. SO what bugs the hell out of me is why Maybelline wastes so much money on their stupid The Falsies campaign when everyone hates that mascara! >:( Just google the images to see the before and after. Even people who say they like it look like hell. For real. That's all.

Product reviews - L'Oreal and Bamboo diapers

I recently had a coupon for $1 off L'oreal Go 360° Clean from CVS, so I wanted to check it out. I never heard of it before, maybe because I live in a media-less bubble. Turns out, it is a new face wash, and WOW!

The packaging is actually more opaque than this, with the green and orange being more clear of a gel. The orange has little beads in it for exfoliating. I wasn't sure which one to try but I went with the sensitive, probably because I usually use a sensitive Oil of Olay foaming wash, even though I have no idea what kind of skin I really have. (Dry, combo, sensitive??)

It has this little scrubber that, as you can see, comes out of the bottle. I'm not usually impressed by gimmicks like this, so I was objective about trying it. It is super soft like a silicone with little raised nubs. I also noticed the back end is a suction. I don't know if its on purpose, but I keep it on my mirror instead of putting it back in the bottle for easier access.
What I don't like, is that neither it or the bottle are recyclable. Uh oh! But I will give away any if I buy another bottle. Sometimes I think these things should be separate.

All face washes promise less break outs and smoother skin, etc, but I usually feel generally apathetic about them all. Mainly I just look for one that actually REMOVES my makeup from my back-in-the-day-ton-of-makeup days without raccooning a greasy mess around my eyes. Well I am very impressed with the 360° clean. It not only removes my makeup, with help from the scrubber, but actually cleans. I had compliments on my frightening bare-naked skin within a day or two of using it, even with a few residual blemishes that were from a few days earlier. Since then, new ones have not appeared. I think the combination of great face wash and that neat little do-dad really does the trick. It also exfoliates but gently, so I can still use my apricot scrub every few days, but have brighter skin just from my nightly washing. I also liked that I chose the sensitive, since I've read a few reviews that said the normal ones were a bit drying. Even Chaim likes it, and we do notice smaller pores!

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Onto their new collagen volume mascara. I bought this a little while ago, since I'm always trying new mascaras, and often they are L'Oreal. When I finally opened it, it was sort of dry and clumpy. Of course, as with the face wash, they always promise no clumps and tons of volume. I wasn't so impressed. I returned it to CVS the same time I bought the Go 360° Clean and got a replacement. It was a little less dry than a normal new mascara, but a bit better than the old one. Sometimes, new mascara is TOO wet and it gets all over. It still clumped a little, and still felt dry on my lashes and pulled, which wasn't too nice. I always get waterproof, for some reason, so its usually tough to get off. This one is no exception. Overall I'm not too impressed with this one, which is sad because I loved Lash Architect, Voluminous, Volume Shocking, Panoramic Curl and even Telescopic was ok, though I usually like volume (can you tell?) over long and thin. I'll have to go back to a tried and true next time, or just return this one now.

On the plus side, L'Oreals website is gorgeous and wonderful for info such as creating a custom skin regiment. And on websites, so is Chiquita's! I was impressed.

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On to another item since we're on topic of reviews, Bagshot Row Bamboo diapers suck. Don't even waste your $20. I don't even fully get it. It's like an all in one diaper, since its contoured and elastic at the legs, but its not. It doesn't close on its own, so you need a pin or snappi and it doesn't have a cover, so I played it safe and put a Thirsties on it. What's the point of a cute diaper if it needs a cover? It certainly didn't look waterproof...and on that topic, what's the point of paying $20 when you still need all the other stuff!? It also has a 'snap in' doubler that is like 2 long thin sheets, and a small pad that was like a liner but the same material. What I HATE is how it goes on the outside, verses how a FuzziBunz holds the bulk of material inside a pocket. This, geniuses, is to keep it mess free, and cleaning a massive poop off of 4 different surfaces WAS NOT! It didn't even wash out well. Prefolds stain sometimes, but its not so bad and FB washes pretty cleanly because of the material they use. Overall, prefold are way cheaper, better and even *gasp!* easier to clean if you fold them right, even WITHOUT a liner. The ease-level is about the same as well. Why would any sane person pay so much?? Oh right, its "in style". F that noise.

I'm so annoyed I don't even want to take my own picture.