Benefit Lip Plump Thursday, Dec 20 2007

Pro; does ‘fill’ lines in your lip and gives a fuller look to your lips when lipstick and/or glosses are applied

Cons; This particular one is flesh toned, kind of like a concealer, so it looks better under a solid lipstick color than it does under a sheer or a transparent gloss alone

Benefit lip plump is a pretty good product. It doesn’t sting or tingle like some ‘plumping’ glosses do, and I definitely don’t prefer that. I noticed with continued use that this product looks far better underneath a solid color lipstick rather than any type of a sheer lipstick or transparent gloss, because the ‘lip plump’ is the color tone of a concealer and goes on that way. It just looks better if you’re wearing a regular lipstick over it. You can apply a gloss over the lipstick, still, and that will look even better.

 Overall, the ‘lip plump’ does it’s job, it fills the lines in your lip, creating the illusion of fuller, thicker lips once you’ve let it set and dry, and have applied a lipstick over it. I was happy with mine, especially because there was no annoying discomfort which is usually associated with the tingly glosses that also tend to evaporate quickly as well! 

1-10 rating (1 bad, 10 outstanding) product packaging; n/a, product performance; 9+ 

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“Rejuvenique” facial toning mask kit Thursday, Dec 20 2007

Pro; ?

Con;?

Now here is where I post concerns rather than (hopefully helpful) feedback from experience with a product. This product is one that I have ended up buying because #1)I am pretty much obsessed with turning back time and looking better, and #2) I can’t afford something as expensive as Suzanne Somers “facemaster” right now, which limits my options here. I found a deal on a “Rejuvenique” facial toning mask for under $20 with shipping included in the price, and thought “why not?” It was going for ULTRA cheap, and this product retailed in some places for $80 and others over $150!

It was an impulse buy and I didn’t have the proper time to really read up on consumer reviews of this product until *after* the purchase was made and the the freaky-looking mask kit is now in the mail on it’s way to me.. Thing is, now that I’ve read up a bit on this kit, I’m not sure I’ll try it at all once it does arrive. Not only did I read that there were concerns about it’s safety, but I read numerous reviews by people who have tried it and stated that it was a *painful* experience, comparing it to an actual electrical shock. Um, no thanks!

Not sure what I’m going to do with it now, aside from scowl at the box and maybe end up using the mask as some warped halloween prop. Frankly, I’m too scared to even consider trying this mask out at this point, I’m way too squeamish to imagine being able to tolerate numerous shocks over a period of 15 minutes straight even ONCE, let alone each day! What was I thinking? I suppose it was a moment of desperate hope at finding some new phenominal way of toning my face to a firmer and more youthful look..

I really wanted, and was interested in, Suzanne Somers “facemaster” which I saw on an HSN demo recently, however I have since read that *that* device is a bit painful as well, in comparison to “Rejuvenique”, and compared to little “shocks”. However, with “Facemaster”, I DID read far better reviews as far as impressive results, where as with “Rejuvenique” I have been reading more cautions and bad experiences, as well as heckles, rather than anything overly good.

Once the freakazoid contraption gets here, I will no doubt post an update on my reaction(s) and if I actually do take the scary leap to give it a try, but to be honest? I seriously DOUBT I’ll buckle and try it, regardless of how much I want to improve my face! I’m scared even thinking about it… 

Anyone out there have experience-based feedback about the “Rejuvenique” mask? I’d love to hear…

 >>UPDATE; This product still frightens me. I received the box in the mail yesterday, and opened it today not really expecting to get up the nerve to use it. I was right. It came with the mask, battery, operating device/regulator, toning gel, a VHS instructional video, and two booklets. Even after reading the booklets and watching my recklessly “brave” boyfriend try it out for fifteen minutes, I’m even less enthusiastic to give it a go. My boyfriend was gung ho to strap it on and try it out. He boasts of a high tolerance to pain, and even *he* flinched when some of the ‘gold-plated contact points’ shocked him a little harder than he’d been expecting (granted, he was turning the dial higher up between 7 and 10 for a while there). Forget that.. I doubt I’ll ever have the courage to do it, and there goes my dream of getting the facemaster, as it pretty much is in the same category. It’s powered by a 9 volt battery, which is supposedly ‘mild’ (I don’t care to find out), so for those of you who don’t mind touching exposed plugs or wires and getting shocked at a higher level, you probably won’t mind this device on your face in the least bit then.

For those of you who are quite squeamish like me, and don’t particularly like the idea of taking shocks (on ANY degree) to the face, you probably won’t want to try this.  So alas, I can’t really give an accurate or ‘personal experience’ critique on this device, I can only tell everyone that I’m too chicken to give it a try, even with as curious as I am to get results on my face..  My boyfriend, even with the flinches, said it “wasn’t that bad.” But then he doesn’t mind discomfort and pain, either. Use your best judgement(s) and good luck! If I ever get up the nerve to try it, I’ll re post here (naturally), but I doubt it. Thankfully I blew less than $20 on this one, rather than over $100 on the facemaster.

1-10 rating (1 bad, 10 outstanding) *Seeing as how I have not tried it, and remain afraid to, I cannot really rate this product based on performance.

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Signature Club A no transfer Foundations (Sticks) Thursday, Dec 20 2007

Pro; This foundation does look good on if you don’t have sensitive skin

Con; If you have sensitive or acne prone skin, test it out first! Also a bit heavy, you need to take more time to blend properly.

I have quite a few of the Signature Club A “no transfer” foundation sticks, mainly in the black and the pearl-toned white tubes. The black foundation sticks I have come with a moisturizing core in the middle of the stick. The pearlescent white foundation sticks I have do not, but rather have swirls of different tones of color. I have acne breakouts quite often and it seems I’m very sensitive to different products out there, and this product seems to irritate my skin a great deal. I was excited to give these a try when I first got them, however I noticed that every time I used them, I got worse breakouts within days of using those foundations, even when I applied the foundation with a new sponge instead of applying the stick directly to my face.

Just wearing the foundation all day or evening, I would wash my face thoroughly at the end of the day/night and wake up the next morning, each time, with new breakouts. This has been a regular occurance each and every time I try using these sticks again. My guess is there’s something in their ingredients that I’m either sensitive to, or just plain allergic to. : ( And it’s a shame because the foundation really does look very good on! It offers great coverage and gives a flawless look, just make sure you take the time to blend it thoroughly as it is a bit heavy and will show ‘smears’ otherwise.

My suggestion is to opt for a lighter weight, non-irritating foundation if you’re acne prone and/or sensitive to most products like I am. Otherwise, if you don’t have these problems.. #1, you’re LUCKY, and #2, you can definitely give Signature Club A’s “No Transfer” foundation a try!

1-10 rating (1 bad, 10 outstanding) Packaging; N/a, Product Performance; 4

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Signature Club A Morning Pearl Cream Thursday, Dec 20 2007

Pro; Gives skin an instant “glow” and brightens the whole face, plumps areas with fine lines. A little goes a long way!

Con; Pricey stuff! Sometimes the “irridescent” tint in the cream ‘cakes’ in small areas if not applied evenly and thoroughly.

Signature club A morning pearl cream is actually my favorite thing to put on, alone or with make up! I love the instant brightening “glow” it gives my face. This is also great if you’re looking for that “candlelight” type glow for an evening event. It is also very good with temporarily firming and plumping fine lines and ‘prepping’ your face for foundation make up, if you so desire. Each time I apply the ‘morning pearl cream’ before I apply make up for the day, I find that my face looks THAT much better and flawless. There is a shimmery sheer tint in the cream that lends a look to the facial skin that I cannot even truly put into words how fantastic it looks, even without any make up! Sometimes I just put a little concealer over problem areas, apply a little morning pearl cream, and I’m done (and happy!).

My only suggestion is to make sure when you apply it, that you’re getting it all evenly, especially in areas where skin crinkles when you make facial expressions, as the irridescent tint will ‘cake’ a bit otherwise. As long as you re check it (and touch it up if need be) with your finger before heading out the door, you should be good to go! This cream also makes a great ‘highlight’ for cheekbones and chin if you’re just looking for a little glow above your blush or just alone. The ‘plumping’ and firming over fine lines, of course, is temporary, but the ‘glow’ this cream offers is benefit enough by itself to use (at least for me)!

Also, with this thick cream, a little goes a looong way! I only dab a bit on the tips of my middle and ring fingers twice during application usually, and these two dabs take care of my entire face for the entire day. So this is another perk of the product, you don’t have to use a lot each time, so your product lasts far longer! I have been using the same container for well over a year, on average a couple of times a week, and still have others that I have not even had to break the seals on yet.

I also use the accompanying “Morning eye gel” which comes in a clear little jar with a black top, and the gel is pink. You dab a bit under your eyes at the beginning of the day and it helps with puffiness. Yet again, I’m impressed with this product as well and almost always use it because I have issues with bags under my eyes when I wake up, and this product tends to almost instantly brighten and tone up my undereye area. This also goes a very long way, as you only need a SMALL dab on one finger (preferably your ring finger, less pressure) to apply.

The signature club A line is offered on HSN.com or can be found on ebay and other similar sites, so shop around for the best deals!

1-10 rating (1 bad, 10 outstanding) Product packaging; 6, Product Performance; 10+++

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Principal Secret “Reclaim” skin care line Thursday, Dec 20 2007

Pro; this line really DOES work, in fact it IMPROVED my skin clarity over time!

Con; I have NO complaints about these products!

When I first tried Victoria Principals “Reclaim” line, I had no expectations, really. The set was a gift from a friend and I thought “oh, why not?” I used the cleanser, anti-aging face cream, and the eye cream over a period of a couple of weeks. Not only did I notice a VISIBLE difference in the overall quality of my facial skin, but I noticed blemishes and acne vanishing!

I’ve had irritating problems with acne breakouts most of my adult life, and attribute it to a high sensitivity to different products, as well as stress and rollercoaster hormone cycles. My breakouts seemed to be an average of every freakin’ week before I began the “Reclaim” regime. After a week or so of using the line every day/night, I noticed my breakouts had ceased, which I absolutely HAD NOT been expecting! The line, as far as I know, does not make any claims at stopping acne breakouts. This line only promises help  with fine lines and wrinkles/skin elasticity. So I was surprised to find that it also cleared up my skin, and I looked radiant! My skin actually was glowing, I even have pictures from that time, where my skin looked like peaches and cream and I was wearing hardly any make up. During that time, I got numerous compliments from friends, as well, on how great my skin looked. Something I am NOT used to hearing!

On top of the acne clarity, I noticed my blemishes and uneven skin tone was clearing up as well, and my skin looked near perfect, the best it had looked in years! Alas, I ran out of the stuff and I got lazy (as I tend to do on a very regular basis) over time, I continued using whatever skin care I had on hand, and said I’d get more of the “Reclaim” just ASAP.. That was a long time ago, and even now as I talk about it, I regret not buying a whole crate of the stuff to use over time because shortly after I stopped using it, my skin breakouts came back and the blemishes also darkened once again. Needless to say, my skin hasn’t looked THAT good since! : (

My advice? If you have acne prone skin, this MAY or MAY NOT work for you. I cannot promise it will help EVERYONE with acne, I can only share that it seemed to help *me* with mine. The line does list it’s skin cream as a non irritant, and I suppose that helped in my situation. It most certainly improved my skin clarity and elasticity as well. I was VERY, VERY impressed with the “Reclaim” products, and would reccommend it to anyone who’s looking for a GOOD skin care line for fine lines and wrinkles/skin clarity. It feels great going on, has a light, fresh scent and doesn’t feel ‘heavy’ on the face. The fact that it is considered a “non irritating formula” is also GREAT for anyone who has sensitive skin and a high intolerance/risk of breakouts with many other skin creams.

.. I really DO need to get more of this line, and QUICK!!!

1-10 rating (1 bad, 10 outstanding) Packaging; N/A, Product Performance; 10++++

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Estee Lauder “Pleasures Intense” fragrance Thursday, Dec 20 2007

Pro; Long lasting and a pretty scent

Con; VERY strong (it’s called ‘INTENSE’ for a reason) scent, not a good choice if you’re sensitive to scents or get sick from strong smells easily

Estee Lauder “Pleasures Intense” holds up to it’s name VERY well! Personally, I love this scent, HOWEVER at the same time I do have drawbacks with this scent as well. I suppose you could call it a bittersweet affair.

Just as with the original “Pleasures” fragrance, I absolutely loved this more intense scent when my friend was wearing it around me for the first time. Yet again, I was drawn into trying something new for myself, hoping it would be as good on me. Yeah, back to the whole body chemistry issue. : ( It never seems to fall in my favor with stronger scents! With “Pleasures Intense” I started off my trial with a newer bottle, which was pricey enough at $49 for the 1 oz bottle I purchased at a perfume gallery. When I first put it on, I instantly knew I wouldn’t need more than ONE spritz. This scent has an instant KICK, and boy is it HARD!

A warmer, spicier version of the original “Pleasures” fragrance, “Pleasures Intense” has the strong floral overtones with additional notes of vanilla and maple. My observation was to note that the floral overtones tended to linger on my friend, where as the maple undertone seemed to dominate on ME. After a while, the heaviness of that spicy warmth began to give me a headache. Sure, this fragrance has loooooonnng lasting power, you will still smell hints of it 24 hours later, but it doesn’t benefit you if you’re feeling ill from it.

 To add to the downfalls of wearing this very often, my boyfriend does not like the fragrance at all, and complains whenever I wear it that it’s too overpowering and makes HIS head hurt..

 *SIGH*

SO.. This is a fragrance that I wear on very rare occasions, never when I’m planning on being cooped up in a small space with anyone else, and never when I plan on spending a lot of time with my boyfriend cramped in a car, or anywhere else for that matter… And having to put so many restrictions on wearing a fragrance just flat out sucks, to be honest. I can tolerate this fragrance if I put very little on every now and then, and wear it out somewhere. Otherwise, if I wear it every day or spray too much on, it turns into overkill and then noone’s happy. : *(

I must reiterate, though, that even despite all of the con’s, I DO love this fragrance. I only wish I (and my boyfriend!) could tolerate it more often! If only it weren’t SO strong…

rating (1 bad, 10 outstanding).. Packaging; 7, Product Performance; 5

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Estee Lauder “pleasures” fragrance Thursday, Dec 20 2007

Pro; Long lasting fragrance, smells great when it’s a newer bottle!

Con; Storing bottles of this fragrance doesn’t seem to benefit the life or quality of the scent, it gets kind of skanky when it’s older!

I love Estee Lauders perfumes, for the most part. It’s just been hard for me to find any one of them tolerable enough to be called my ‘signature’ fragrance over time. With “Pleasures”, I absolutely adored the scent on my friend, whom has deemed the “Pleasures” line her signature fragrances. When I was given a bottle that was half used, to try for myself, I found the scent to be “different” from the pleasant lingering scent that I always smelled when she was around. I thought that was odd, but then scents are also different on everyone because of different body chemistry and such. Just smelling the bottles cap, the scent didn’t seem as pleasant, in fact it reminded me a little bit of bug spray. : (

However, when I sprayed a little on, it wasn’t half bad on, and the scent carried on throughout the day/evening without disappearing or needing to be re applied (a BIG plus with me). The “bug spray” undertone was still present when I first sprayed it on, but after the scent dried it seemed to be Ok. It was, however, different on me than it had been on my friend, which I chalk up to the whole body chemistry thing again. When I visited an Estee Lauder counter some time after receiving the older bottle, I tried a sample of one of their bottles and found that scent entirely different. It was fresher and smelled better, both on the bottle cap AND on me. So this leads me to believe that even fragrance has a shelf life of sorts! I have no way of knowing how old the bottle was that was given to me, but I think I can safely assume it was pretty old, and the amount of time it had been sitting around greatly affected and degraded the quality of the fragrance.

 Overall, my point is that “Pleasures” is a beautiful fragrance, just don’t buy a couple of them and leave one laying around for ages before using it! LOL

“Pleasures” is not overpowering, but it is not entirely light, either, so you only need a spray or two to get through the day (unless of course you like to pack it on, to each their own). I prefer to use “Pleasures” only on days when I’m planning some sort of outing or something of that nature, or maybe an occasional night out. If I make a habit of wearing this fragrance, it sometimes causes me to get a mild headache, as do many perfumes that I call kind of “heavy” scents. The ‘heaviness’ that I describe comes from the sandalwood undertones that are in the fragrance. But overall, the fragrance is a floral blend (violet, lilac, gardenia, & rose to name a few), and for me it seems like a great summer or late spring type of a fragrance, when you’re not wearing a lot of heavy clothes, and the weather is much warmer.

I wouldn’t suggest mixing this fragrance with any types of fragranced lotions, etc. because “pleasures” alone is a pretty distinctive scent. Try it in small doses if you’ve never tested “Pleasures” out before. But it really is a pretty scent.

1-10 rating (1 bad, 10 outstanding) Packaging; 6, product performance; 8

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Jessica Simpson Dessert Beauty/Sweet Kisses line (Fragrance & cosmetics) Thursday, Dec 20 2007

Jessica Simpsons “Dessert Beauty” and “Sweet Kisses” line.

 Pro; Light fragrances smell great, taste as good as they smell. Lip glosses taste great, pretty on.

Con; The fragrances have no lasting power, so they’re not really that great for all-day or all-night wear. Lip gloss is average, doesn’t last that long on.

Because I am a big Jessica Simpson fan and I love her fashion sense, I have followed her product lines over time and collected a good number of her “Dessert Beauty” and “Sweet Kisses” lines. Many of the items I have not opened, and don’t intend to, I’m keeping them for collecting only. The one’s that I have opened, however, I can comment on from my personal experience. I love the fragrances and the packaging, for one. The Dessert treats “Cupcake” and “Candy” fragrances which I have used are sweet and pretty when just put on, they smell just like their names, and they would be GREAT if they had lasting power. I notice, though, that the scent wears off shortly after applied. My boyfriend, however, complimented on the taste on my neck long after the application, so I guess it’s good for impressing someone you love! The taste is exactly like the scent, as well, and its not at all unpleasant. The same would go for the lip gloss, when applied it’s shimmery and sheer, the scent and taste are exactly like the name titles. However, the glosses I’ve tried don’t have much lasting power, either.

 The sweet kisses fragrances are about the same, I’ve used the “Creme Brulee” and the “Strawberry Sorbet” perfumes, body shimmer mists, and body lotions. The perfume is sweet when first sprayed but doesn’t last very long, however the taste does, and it’s pleasant. The body shimmer mist is pretty, leaves a little glittery look behind but not too much, and I’m very impressed with that. Since it’s a body mist, I don’t expect it to be too strong or lasting, as most body sprays usually aren’t. It doesn’t linger too long, but just like the rest of the line, the taste does linger and is pleasant.

 The lotions, however, I have to rave a bit about! I love the way they go on and the scent lasts a bit longer than the fragrances do, for some reason! Maybe it’s just me.. But I LOVE the lotions. They not only smell great, but they taste great too, and it lasts much longer (at least on me).

Far as I know, most of the lines have ended up on clearance racks in many stores and last year I bought a good number of the items whenever I found the sales on them. Nowadays you can find stuff all over the net, just be aware of what they retailed for and how much you’re paying for the items. Overall, it’s not a practical line for everyday wear or if you’re looking for a long-lasting signature scent.. but if you like the whole taste/smell thing, and want to impress your significant other, this would be a good line to try!

 1-10 rating (1 bad, 10 outstanding).. packaging 10, product quality (overall); 5

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“Hollywood Pink” by Mark Thursday, Dec 20 2007

pro; Great lasting power

con; I only wish the bottles were bigger! lol

Yet another sweet and sultry scent that I LOVE. This one was given to me by a friend this year, it came early for Christmas. I had never heard of this name before, so it was new to me, but the packaging and design reminded me very much of “Pink Sugar” perfume, and as such I was automatically impressed and curious to see how this would smell!

I wasn’t surprised to find that it had a similarly sweet fragrance, however THIS fragrance has warmer notes than Aquolina’s “Pink Sugar” perfume. “Hollywood Pink” has more warm chocolate notes with that same candy/cake sweetness overall. It’s a GREAT (and less expensive ) alternative to “Pink Sugar” and I’d put it right up there with “Pink Sugar” as far as impressiveness with scent! “Pink Sugar” seems light enough for day, where “Hollywood Pink” seems more an evening fragrance, but of course, to each their own!

 When I put “Hollywood Pink” on, I noticed this fragrance also has lasting power and only needs one or two sprays to last throughout the day/evening for me, and I love that. This fragrance is also a lighter fragrance that doesn’t overpower me or make me sick, but it’s the perfect combination because I’ve always associated “LIGHT” fragrance with “NO LASTING POWER.” So it’s truly another impressive scent!

I never bought the accompanying products to “Pink Sugar” as that line is pretty pricey, but with “Hollywood Pink” I found their products online to be reasonable, normally going for $10-$20 for the perfume, and averaging under $10 for the lotion. I was given both as a gift, and usually layer the lotion and perfume, however, the perfume alone also lasts just as well by itself! 

*Additional Note; If you’re a big fan of Aquolina ‘Pink Sugar’s’ warmer alternative, “chocolovers” (The chocolatey version of Pink Sugar), but don’t want to pay the higher price, “Hollywood Pink” is the PERFECT alternative, a much more reasonable buy, even if you’re looking for the set!

1-10 rating (1 bad, 10 outstanding); Packaging; 10, Product quality; 10+

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Pink Sugar fragrance by “Aquolina” Thursday, Dec 20 2007

Pro; Lasting power! No need to pack it on, a little goes a long way.

Con; Pricey

If you like a sweet  candy/cake type of fragrance, this one is a winner! One of my personal favorites, and a signature scent that I wear at least 98% of the time, I do not regret the nearly $40 I put out for the 1.7 fl. oz bottle (you can, however, find the smaller 1 oz. version for about $25 through Sephora)! This fragrance is not overpowering (to me) and is just light enough not to cause my head to hurt, which some fragrances tend to give me head aches if they’re too sickeningly sweet or strong. It has lasting power as well, which I am pretty big on. If I have to spray and spray throughout the day to keep smelling the fragrance on me, I am then disappointed in the perfume. Pink Sugar does not and has never disappointed me! I spray it once or twice and it lasts throughout the day/evening without having to reapply.

Pink sugar consists mainly of sweet vanilla, cotton candy, light florals and caramel. Among the many ingredients that Sephora.com lists, are; “Bergamot, Sicilian Orange, Raspberry, Fig Leaves, Lily of the Valley, Strawberry, Red Fruit, Musk, Wood, Powder.”
It actually smells (to me) on like a mixture of delicious sugary candy and icing with a lower note of cupcakes.

While I do have a collection of fragrances that I like and wear on occasion, “Pink Sugar” is my #1 fragrance. Light and sweet just like it’s name, and you can still smell notes of it hours and hours later. Beautiful packaging, too! I have no complaints about this great scent! 

1-10 rating (1 bad, 10 outstanding).. Packaging; 10+++++, Product quality; 10++++++

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