Health & beauty
- ModernDayWriter » See my profile
- Points: 15610
- Reviews: 205
Here are all my reviews:
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CND Shellac is by far my favorite beauty product that I've discovered recently, hands down (no pun intended). I discovered it in early 2011 when I tried it on a whim while at a nail salon. Good lord!! I was hooked. I am a nail color fanatic but always had trouble maintaining manicures because of my career as a nurse. Manicures for me typically never lasted more than 2 days, so a lot of times I wouldn't even bother getting them . Shellac has changed my life! I'm able to get 2 and a half (sometimes 3) weeks out of every manicure. And it stays gorgeously shiny and beautiful until the very last day. I was skeptical at first. I'd tried Calgel, Gellish, and OPI Gels in the past with failed results. They never lasted more than 4-5 days and all of them messed up my nails big time. So I wasn't expecting much from Shellac and as you can imagine I was pleasantly surprised. Shellac is like your typical UV gel nail polish but applies in the same way you would a regular polish. Shellac base coat + 2 coats of Shellac color + Shellac top coat, with 90-120 seconds of baking time under the UV lights in between. But Shellac's formula is incredible..durable without damaging your real nails underneath. The finish is deliciously shiny too, even if you are rough on your nails like me. Your nails will stay "new car shiny" from the second you step out of the salon to the day you take them off. Minimal scuff marks, absolutely no dulling. It takes a lot to chip this polish. I've opened soda cans, done housework, etc and my manicures have held up. They seriously stay on your nails forever. The only reason why I need to get them done again every 2-3 weeks is because of the nail growth at the cuticle line. Pros: -Durability is incredible -Beautiful shine -Nails grow long and strong underneath -No drying time. ZERO DRYING TIME!!! After the top coat is done baking under the UV lights, you can put on your coat without worrying about smudging your nails. Cons: -Limited color selection (compared to other popular nail polish lines) -Cost. Unless you buy a UV light machine, you'll most likely have to get this done at a salon -Removal involves placing a cotton ball soaked in acetone on top of the finger. Even though it removes easily in comparison to acrylics or other gels, it can still be a little harsh. More tips: -Make sure your manicurist does not soak your cuticles or apply cuticle oil to your nail bed before application. Water logged nails and greasy nail beds will make the bond weaker and your manicure won't last as long. My manicurist usually does only a very basic clean up and then asks me to wash my hands with soap and water before applying Shellac (for a clean nail surface). -For even better wear, you can apply a regular heavy duty top coat on your nails every 2-3 days on top of the Shellac. You can use non-Acetone polish remover to remove the top coat every couple of days and apply a fresh coat, without damaging the Shellac. -It's a good idea to give your nails a break every few weeks. When I first started Shellac-ing, I was so obsessed that I went about 8 months with non-stop Shellac manicures back to back. At first, my nails grew longer and stronger than they ever had. But after the 6-7 month mark, they were definitely getting weaker. So make sure you take some breaks in between Shellac manicures. I can't believe I just wrote a novel about this product, but that's how much I am in love with it. My favorite Shellac colors are Asphalt, Fedora, Rock Royalty, and Blackpool. I highly recommend this for anyone who is tired of having your manicures chip on you right after you step out of the salon. Great for busy mothers and career women who don't have time to worry about manicures. Try it out!
March 10, 2012
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I love this stuff. When I first started using it, I saw an immediate difference in my skin within the first week. My complexion was more even and my skin looked supple and just glowed. It's a great choice for a night time lotion. I'm in my late 20s, so prevention of wrinkles is important and I think this cream does the trick.
March 10, 2012
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Another great basic daytime lotion from Clinique. Like another reviewer mentioned, it does kind of suck that it comes in a jar (as with most other Clinique products). I can overlook the packaging only because this is a great product. It is a very effective face cream with SPF 15 in it and over time, made a visible difference in the healthy and vitality of my skin. I wish the SPF was a bit higher though, but that's okay. 9 stars instead of 10 because it is slightly greasier than other Clinique lotions I've tried and I can't really use this alone without powder because it makes my face too shiny within a few hours. But other than that, it's a fantastic product.
March 10, 2012
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For those of you who have ever used spackle on a wall to fill in a hole made by a nail, you'll understand how this product works. Just imagine that all of the pores on your face are little nail holes and the Clinique Pore Minimizer is the spackle putty you use to fill them all up. This product isn't a permanent solution for enlarged pores though, it only temporarily masks the problem until you wash it off of your face. It doesn't actually contain any treatment for them, so keep that in mind (Clinique has a pore serum from the same line that actually treats them). It comes in a semi-clear thick gel, similar to the color and consistency of Smashbox Photofinish Primer. I apply it to my nose, where my pores are obnoxiously large. I do this after I moisturize but before I put on any powder or make up. It spreads out evenly and feels a little waxy as you put it on but dries and feels baby soft. It doesn't exactly soak into your skin, instead forming an invisible thin layer over your skin. I'd definitely recommend putting at least powder over it because it doesn't hold up well on its own, especially if you have oily skin. Your nose will get shiny pretty quick if you wear it alone. I have not tried it on top of existing make up though, so I can't comment on that. But it does work pretty well, so this product is definitely a must for those with big pores. It doesn't completely make them invisible, but it does get pretty close! One more tip is to make sure you are washing your face really well at the end of the day after you've used this. You don't want all that product sitting in your pores and clogging them up even more.
March 10, 2012
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I bought this on a whim one day while at a drugstore. It is somewhat pricey for a drugstore brand, given the tiny tube it comes in. But I wanted to try it because a vegan friend once raved to me about this line and I was curious. Pros: The smell is wonderful. It's lightly scented and absorbs very quickly into the skin. Does a decent job of moisturizing dry skin and isn't overly oily. Gave my face a nice matte look when it dried. Skin looked radiant and glowed. Cons: It broke me out within 3 days! And it gave me the most horrible kind of acne too, the deep cystic looking kind. I rarely break out, so me getting these types of pimples was very upsetting. I stopped using the lotion and resumed again a few weeks later, thinking maybe it was a fluke. Nope. It happened again, my face broke out within days of using this lotion. I really wanted to love this product, but it just isn't for me.
March 10, 2012
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I bought this on a whim to try out and was somewhat disappointed. It's a basic clear shampoo that is unscented. Doesn't work well on oily hair or hair that has a lot of gunk and product build up in it. It's clarifying properties are just not strong enough. My hair didn't feel completely clean afterwards, even after lathering twice.
March 10, 2012
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This is a very heavy lotion that works well for extremely dry and flakey skin. It's so heavy that it takes a very long time (2-3 hours) to completely soak into your skin. This would be the type of lotion I'd recommend you'd wear before you go to bed so it has the entire night to soak into your skin. I'd use a different lotion for mornings because you'd end up waiting forever for it to dry so you can get dressed. Fantastic lotion though! I'm a nurse with extremely dry hands from washing, so this lotion one of my favorites. Also great for dry soles too. I sometimes apply this to the dry parts on the bottoms of my feet and slip on a pair of socks before bed. When I wake up, my feet are incredibly soft. Try it!
March 10, 2012
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I work 12 hour shifts, so having a powder that lasts throughout the day is a must. I often use this alone without foundation and just dust it on my T-zone after I apply my moisturizer. I use the invisible tone one and it adds no color to my face. It works very well in keeping the shininess and the oils away. It definitely holds up for a good 10 hours on my moderately oily skin. Doesn't look cakey at all, which I also love. Very similar to Mac's Blot Powder, but a little bit better for sensitive skin. Highly recommended.
March 10, 2012
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A nice, refreshing and sweet scented cleanser. I'm not sure if it'll wake you up in the morning, but it's a nice little scented treat nevertheless. Doesn't do anything spectacular for the skin, but does leave it clean and feeling refreshed.
July 18, 2011
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I'm not a fan of Bare Minerals foundation, but love the eye shadows. It really lasts a long time with minimal creasing or smudging and stays put. The colors are light and really blendable. I have a loyalty to MAC eyeshadows, but I am willing to make an exception for these. I'm especially a big fan of 'Bubbly', it's a nice everday color.
June 22, 2011
