ElliseJ
Member Since: February 11, 2016Reviews
My Clarins RE-FRESH Hydrating Beauty Mist
Disclaimer: I received this product free in exchange for my review. I love face mists and toners, so when I got this in the mail I was super excited to try the mist and the moisturizer together. I applied this after washing my face in the morning... +
Disclaimer: I received this product free in exchange for my review.
I love face mists and toners, so when I got this in the mail I was super excited to try the mist and the moisturizer together. I applied this after washing my face in the morning but before layering on the moisturizer. I felt it absorbed wonderfully and did not leave any sticky residue like some toners can.
I like the product, the glass bottle and the fine mist, but found the best way to apply the product and get the most out of it was to spray it into my palms and press it into my skin rather than spray directly onto the skin since the mist is so fine. I liked the feel and how quickly it absorbs into the skin without residue. I did not love the smell - a little too rosy or floral and almost a little more synthetic than the moisturizer but it did not bother me either.
I checked the price and found that it generally ranges from $20-25 CA and found that to be a little steep for the size, but the product is really nice. I don't know if I would run to buy this again, I have a current favourite that is similar (eau Roma from Lush) but I do think I would buy it if the price point were closer to $15 a bottle.
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My Clarins RE-BOOST Refreshing Moisturizing Cream
Disclaimer: I received this product free in exchange for my review. I've never tried Clarins products before and was super excited to have been chosen for this review. I have been looking for a perfect daytime moisturizer that doesn't feel sticky... +
Disclaimer: I received this product free in exchange for my review.
I've never tried Clarins products before and was super excited to have been chosen for this review. I have been looking for a perfect daytime moisturizer that doesn't feel sticky or heavy under foundation and this definitely delivered. I love the light texture and mild botanical smell and how the product melted into my skin quickly. My foundation applied evenly on my face and I have not noticed any increased oil on my face throughout the day - which is a huge bonus as most daytime moisturizers cause my face to become an oil-slick.
I liked the product size, feel and smell. I looked up the Canadian price and saw it was about $27-30. That is usually a bit more than I would spend on a moisturizer, but I do think it is worth every penny. I've tried higher end brands in sample sizes before (eg. Drunk Elephant, Ole Henrickson) and liked this much better than anything else I've tried from either the drugstore or the department store. I also like all of the natural ingredients. I would definitely repurchase this when I run out since it has not increased the oil production or caused any new acne (I actually think it has improved my overall texture and colour).
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Snapple Diet Lemon Tea
Note: I received this product free from Chick Advisor/XY Stuff in exchange for this review. Let me start by saying I LOVE regular lemon iced tea. I go south often and love drinking it both sweetened and unsweetened and having a hard time finding... +
Note: I received this product free from Chick Advisor/XY Stuff in exchange for this review.
Let me start by saying I LOVE regular lemon iced tea. I go south often and love drinking it both sweetened and unsweetened and having a hard time finding something comparable in Canada. I even make my own with tea bags and lemon. I think I have FINALLY found the perfect Iced Tea.
Snappe Diet Lemon Iced Tea is by far the best I've tried in Canada. The blend of black and green teas keeps the tannen's from getting too strong from black tea alone and gives it a refreshing taste. It isn't super sweet, like Nestea, it is JUST RIGHT and has a good hint of Lemon flavour. I was pleased with the ingredients and I always drink diet products, so the aspartame did not bother me. I also liked that it was aspartame rather than stevia, as there is no aftertaste.
I like the switch to the plastic bottle because I have experienced a bottle slip from my hands before and wound up with a huge mess - but I don't love the environmental implications of more plastic usage.
Snapple is always priced well and can even be found on sale - however I found it was actually a bit harder to find in stores than I'd like. I went to shoppers and did not find it - then I went to Loblaw's *as stated on the voucher* and did not find it with the rest of the iced-tea products. I ended up finding it with the juices in a small space. I did not find it up by cash in the coolers either. I fear that this prevents the brand from being top-of-mind and allows other products to be purchased over something as awesome as Snapple. I would much rather drink this over other brands like Nestea (too sweet) or pure leaf (too expensive, not enough diet options) so it would be nicer to see this more prominently in stores in Canada.
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Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Sunscreen SPF30
Note: I received this product from Chick Advisor for free in exchange for a product review. I am a SUPER picky sunscreen wearer. I generally hate the feeling of sunscreen on my body and find it heavy, chalky and sticky feeling. I also find some... +
Note: I received this product from Chick Advisor for free in exchange for a product review.
I am a SUPER picky sunscreen wearer. I generally hate the feeling of sunscreen on my body and find it heavy, chalky and sticky feeling. I also find some sunscreens are not suitable for both body and face and like to try and find something that can work double-duty. I have been using another brand but I was excited to try Neutrogena's because I love the hydro-boost facial moisturizer. I was not disappointed in this at all - In fact I think I will keep this one and donate the other brand to my BF. This brand is really this and easily spreadable but still feels like sunscreen.
The texture is more like sunscreen than the hydro-boost gel lotion but that is to be expected. I spreads well and a small amount does my face and neck area. The bottle itself is small so I would like to see it come out in a larger size so that I don't run out as fast on my body. I liked it on my face, it did not feel too heavy and absorbed well. I did notice it felt greasy throughout the day on my face, which happens no matter what but seems to happen even more when I use sunscreen. It did not bother my eyes though, which is great.
I liked the bottle and the hole where the product comes out is very small so you don't get a lot out at a time, which is great because the product is a bit thinner.
Overall, I love this sunscreen. Where I am, the weather has not been super hot or super sunny yet so I have not been able to test it at the beach or on a super sunny day to test how often I would need to reapply, but in terms of how it feels absorbs, I loved it.
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Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hand Gel Cream
Note: I received this product free from Chick Advisor to try in exchange for a review. I really wanted to love this hand gel because I love the Hydro Gel face products, but I just couldn't get used to the texture. I liked the idea of a cream-gel... +
Note: I received this product free from Chick Advisor to try in exchange for a review.
I really wanted to love this hand gel because I love the Hydro Gel face products, but I just couldn't get used to the texture. I liked the idea of a cream-gel because I often find that creams are too heavy and lotions are too light, but I found this also left a residue and a sticky feeling on my hands that didn't go away.
At first it goes on light and fairly smooth but it feels like it never fully absorbs and leaves a sticky, dry feeling on my hands that I ended up rinsing off. I liked the smell, lightly floral and fresh, it reminds me of the smell of products from an upscale hotel. It is advertised as Non-greasy and I wouldn't say it is greasy at all, it's more of a sticky or chalky feel.
I just put it on again as I write the review and find that if you use less it this feeling is minimized, but still there. I will continue to use it because I love the smell and probably use it more on my arms and legs where I won;t notice the feeling as much, but I don't love it for my hands.
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Neutrogena All-in-One Make-up Removing Cleansing Wipes Singles
I already use and love the Neutrogena makeup removing wipes because they are effective but super gentle and never irritate my eyes. I love the light, fresh smell (reminds me of hotel linens - in a good way) and I like that they don't leave my skin... +
I already use and love the Neutrogena makeup removing wipes because they are effective but super gentle and never irritate my eyes. I love the light, fresh smell (reminds me of hotel linens - in a good way) and I like that they don't leave my skin feeling sticky once I am done with them. I usually choose to cleanse as well but I like having the option to just use the wipe.
I love the idea of these in single form because sometimes you just need to remove makeup on the go - mishaps, gym days, bad days at work are all awesome reasons to have these with your in every bag. I would probably use them most for travel because they are compact and won't dry out and will save space in my suitcase and makeup-bag. I don't always like bringing the whole back with me.
The only downside I can see is that they are individually wrapped, therefore causing more waste than the regular package. I did not look to see whether the packaging is recyclable, but in my experience this kind is not. It would be nice to see these come in some kind of recyclable or biodegradable or even post-recycled material. Otherwise I love them and will DEFINITELY be buying them for my upcoming trip!
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AVEENO Cracked Skin Relief CICA Ointment
I received the Aveeno Dry and Cracked Skin Ointment free from Aveeno and Chick Advisor to review. I was really happy with this product and it was different than I expected. I was imagining more of a cream, but this is truly an ointment in that is... +
I received the Aveeno Dry and Cracked Skin Ointment free from Aveeno and Chick Advisor to review. I was really happy with this product and it was different than I expected. I was imagining more of a cream, but this is truly an ointment in that is is fairly clear, somewhat thick and sinks into the skin well. I would compare it to a vitamin E ointment texture.
This would work well for people with serious, deep cracks on their feet and hands/joints. The applicator is the best part of the product, it is a little nub with a very small opening for the product to come out - and you need a fair amount of squeezing to get product out so you will NEVER use more than necessary, which is awesome. The product comes out in small amounts and you can always add more if needed, but I have found a small amount goes a long way.
At the time I received this product, I did not have any deep cracks, but my boyfriend had some angry, red knuckles on both hands from working with water all day and getting dried out. This ointment really helped and we noticed the redness and scaling went away too. I also used this on my cuticles, where there were some nasty cuts from dry skin and peeling and noticed they were drastically improved over the week I used it.
The texture is a little bit sticky but sinks in and dries pretty well. I would not say it is greasy like most ointments. Overall, I really like this product and have told my mom to go out and buy some since she will be going on vacation and doing a lot of walking and usually comes home with cracked feet.
Personally, I liked the Balm a little better for overall use, but this is great for the deeper cracks in the skin that are really painful.
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AVEENO Cracked Skin Relief CICA Balm
I received this product free from Aveeno and Chick Advisor to review. I have been struggling with dry, cracked legs, feet and hands from this past winter. I had never had such itchy and raw feeling skin, so I was very happy to receive this massive... +
I received this product free from Aveeno and Chick Advisor to review. I have been struggling with dry, cracked legs, feet and hands from this past winter. I had never had such itchy and raw feeling skin, so I was very happy to receive this massive tub of Cracked Skin Balm. The jar is quite large and and just a little of the product goes a long way, one jar would easily last an entire winter (which can range from October - April in Canada). I checked out the price of the product online and for about $17.00 this is a great value if you suffer from dry, cracked, scaly skin.
The balm itself is fairly thick but very spreadable. It has no added fragrance but the smell is slightly reminiscent of a zinc cream, but I do not think it is enough to bother someone with scent allergies. I slathered this on my feet, legs and hands and noticed a difference in redness and dryness after two uses. My feet, which are usually very dry and callused have stayed very soft and I only notice a bit of a callus on my big toe, the heel looks so good, pink and smooth. The scaling on my legs has also gone away after about a week of consistent use.
As mentioned, the product is thick and it does feel somewhat sticky, or as though it does not completely sink in, but it lasts for hours (I put it on before I go to sleep) and I wake up with really soft skin. When I got the product in the mail, I had actually been suffering with a rash on my eyelids after accidentally getting too much retinol cream on them and they were flaking and red. I used this on my eyelids and it stopped the flaking and soreness after two uses as well.
I really like this product and think it will be a huge game-changer for the summer as well as the winter since my feet get so dried out and callused. I have already recommended this product to family and friends because it has made such a difference.
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Nude by Nature Perfecting Primer
Note: I received this product free to review from the Chick Advisor Product Review Club. I was very excited to receive a sample of the primer to try. I have been looking for a decent primer that does not feel heavy or greasy (I do not like silicone... +
Note: I received this product free to review from the Chick Advisor Product Review Club.
I was very excited to receive a sample of the primer to try. I have been looking for a decent primer that does not feel heavy or greasy (I do not like silicone based primers as I think they cause makeup to slide off too much). I really liked this product. The product applies more like a lotion than a primer and has a light scent reminiscent of Bergamot or lemongrass. The scent is a little strong for someone who might be very sensitive to smell, but it also disappears pretty quickly after applying.
The product is like a thin lotion and covers easily. I did not notice that my skin looked smoother, more even in tone, or that my pores were more "blurred" as most primers promise. I also did not think my makeup held up THAT much better than if I had not used any primer, which is really disappointing since I liked the overall feel of it so much. I felt this was more of a moisturizer than a primer, personally. I did not notice any negative effects such as blocked pores or whiteheads while using this product. Again, it is a real shame I did not see more benefit from the primer standpoint, because most primers make my skin go crazy after two days of use.
I like the product and will consider buying it in the future if I find it on sale or for a good price, but overall I did not see any major change in my skin-tone, appearance, or how the makeup held up.
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Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Sunscreen SPF 50
Note: I received this product free to review from the Chick Advisor Product Review Club. I am an avid user of sunscreen and I have purchased both high-end and low-end brands in search of the best "feeling" sunscreen. I am not big on sunscreens that... +
Note: I received this product free to review from the Chick Advisor Product Review Club.
I am an avid user of sunscreen and I have purchased both high-end and low-end brands in search of the best "feeling" sunscreen. I am not big on sunscreens that feel like a chalky, sticky layer on the skin, and unfortunately, the higher SPF, the heavier the feel. This sunscreen is a total game-changer. This sunscreen feels like a gel and a lotion combined and doesn't leave any heavy residue on the skin. I would compare the feeling to when you apply aloe vera lotion, slightly sticky but absorbs within a few minutes.
I applied this to my face multiple times since receiving it and did not find it had any adverse effects on my skin - no new breakouts, and no stinging in my eyes (major plus).
I also applied it to my body and found that it was fairly easy to spread and did a good job preventing a burn. For the price, I wish the size was bigger, as I would need to buy one of these pretty frequently if I used it on my whole body, and at 20.00 a bottle, that is fairly pricey. I will definitely re-purchase this for use on my face, since I have never found something as good with a high SPF that doesn't bother my face (I was loyal to aveeno spf 30 for face, but I have seen the light) and doesn't cause my makeup to slide right off an hour or two later. I do not think I would switch to this product for body use, as the price is not as good other sunscreens that come in larger packages (My go-to for body is Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration).
I liked the packaging, you will never be able to squirt out too much product at once, as the nozzle is concentrated and small, and the product is a medium viscosity, so it doesn't run out or get clogged and then spurt out all at once.
Overall, I loved the product and will most-definitely re-purchase as it has replaced my favorite sunscreen for my face (which is a huge-win for me), but will continue to use more value-priced brands for my body.
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