ellstar
Member Since: March 4, 2011Reviews
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Oil Mist
**I received this product as part of the Chickadvisor Review Panel** I, like many people, spend a good chunk of the winter months here in Canada battling dryness on my skin. I look for the moist hydrating products, I try not to take too-hot... +
**I received this product as part of the Chickadvisor Review Panel**
I, like many people, spend a good chunk of the winter months here in Canada battling dryness on my skin. I look for the moist hydrating products, I try not to take too-hot showers and I live with humidifiers everywhere, so anything that can help me is a treat! I've used oils in the past to help maintain my skin's hydration during these months and was interested in trying Aveeno's as I've had good experiences with the brand in the past, and I'm happy to say this product didn't disappoint.
The Oil Mist is very thick, but not overwhelmingly so. Unlike many lotions, you may have to wait until some of the oil absorbs before putting clothes on, so I find the best time to apply this oil is when I'm putting on pajamas or home clothes in the evening before bed. The packaging insists that this is a mist, but the thickness of the oil makes the spray come out more as a glob, so be careful when you use it to apply. I will note that my bottle became very quickly coated in oil as I would put a few pumps on my arms and legs and then have to reach for more.
I am a fan of the sweet scent that the Aveeno product has, but I will note that is is a stronger scent than some may like as it's created with parfum, so before picking it up I'd recommend giving it a sniff test.
But all in all, for my purposes, I really enjoyed the product and will definitely find myself reaching for it again.
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Degree® Women Calming Lavender Odour Protect Aluminum Free Deodorant
For the last year and a half, I shifted to aluminum-free deodorants and antiperspirants after having some skin irritation with regular antiperspirants that didn't go away, no matter which brand I tried. I had to explore several different brands and... +
For the last year and a half, I shifted to aluminum-free deodorants and antiperspirants after having some skin irritation with regular antiperspirants that didn't go away, no matter which brand I tried. I had to explore several different brands and try many different options until I found a few that would leave me dry, but also keep me smelling fresh as not all deodorants can perform as well as a traditional antiperspirant. But I think that this Aluminum-Free Degree definitely might be a competitor!
I've used Degree in the past so I knew that the comfort level would be there, but I was concerned about how long-lasting it would be, or if it could keep up and leave me FEELING dry and SMELLING fresh, and I think, for the most part, it worked. I tested this product in November and December which is not the hottest or most active months of my year, and I'd be interested to see how it stands up to cycling and running outside in the summer, so I'll definitely keep trying this brand and find out.
My only issue with this product is that the calming lavender scent smells quite sharp and almost more of an intense lavender than I expected, it almost smelled more like a men's deodorant for my liking. I'd recommend giving it a sniff test in the store before selecting your own. But overall? It's more of a preference than a draw-back, so overall I'm really happy with it.
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Voilà By Sobeys/Safeway Grocery Delivery & Curbside Pickup
I received a discount to try out Voila as part of the Chickadvisor Product Review Club. Throughout the last few months, grocery shopping has been a struggle for me, as I am lactose intolerant, and many of the grocery stores in my area have not been... +
I received a discount to try out Voila as part of the Chickadvisor Product Review Club.
Throughout the last few months, grocery shopping has been a struggle for me, as I am lactose intolerant, and many of the grocery stores in my area have not been able to maintain consistent product availability due to the pandemic. I also do not have a car and rely on buying things on foot, and whil I've tried grocery delivery programs in the past, I either didn't like the options or found it too expensive. When I was invited to try Voila by Sobey I knew I had to give it a try, as there are no Sobeys near by but I know they usually have the brands I trust.
We created our order 3-4 days before our delivery (we changed the day by one day) and found it fairly seamless to book a time. I was able to easily find dairy-free products and treats for myself, which really made my day, and other household items that I'd been meaning to buy but put off due to weight or volume (giant bags of potatoes, big container of detergent, etc.) The Voila site carried different brands like the Farm Boy brand for their more farm-to-table options, as well as the Chalo! FreshCo section which had a lot of international foods too.
The one thing I noticed however, was the fruit section was extremely picked over, this could be due to the day we selected which was right after the August long weekend, but the fruit section was limited to apples and oranges, lemons and limes mainly and no berries or other seasonal produce, it was there but not available at the moment. I'm not sure how common this is, but I'll definitely keep my eye out next time.
The delivery was smooth, my driver called me 20 minutes out and then 5 minutes out. Because my order had some heavy items he came up and brought it to my door which was really thoughtful, and he told me which bags had the frozen items which should be put away right away. Overall I was SUPER impressed with the handling of the delivery which is always stressful to know how accurate or timely the delivery will happen, and I was greatly impressed to have them deliver within the hour chosen! I will definitely try them again.
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Canada Dry Cranberry Ginger Ale
There's just something about the bright flavour of cranberry that draws me in to the Christmas season like nothing else. It's not the same as a bright summer berry like strawberry or blueberry, it's something a bit heavier that reminds me of turkey... +
There's just something about the bright flavour of cranberry that draws me in to the Christmas season like nothing else. It's not the same as a bright summer berry like strawberry or blueberry, it's something a bit heavier that reminds me of turkey and of cocktails and hostessing. I really love the Canada Dry Cranberry Ginger Ale because it's awesome in a cocktail, in a spritz or just on its own to make a holiday dinner just that little bit more festive. I know it's only around a few months of the year so I try to keep a case as long as I can past Christmas but I always know I'll see it again in just a few months time. Since it's not too sweet, and just a little bit tart, it's decidedly my soda of choice for the holidays. -
Joico Defy Damage Protective Shield
I don't often dry my hair 100% after washing, I usually prefer to let air-dry, so leave-in's are a really important part of my haircare routine. That said, I generally prefer sprays or lighter products, not usually thicker creams as this Protective... +
I don't often dry my hair 100% after washing, I usually prefer to let air-dry, so leave-in's are a really important part of my haircare routine. That said, I generally prefer sprays or lighter products, not usually thicker creams as this Protective Shield seems to be. I found when I used this I tried to not have a heavy hand, because I'd rather have a fly-away or too or have too much thick product on my hair right after cleansing. It seemed to do the trick, but I'm not in the sun much so I don't think I need the UV protection that this product offers. -
Joico Defy Damage Protective Masque
As someone with a greasier-than-average scalp but dry ends, I tend to only use hair masks sparingly when I need to really soften up the bottom of my hair. That said, I was curious to try this product because I've had good experiences with Joico's... +
As someone with a greasier-than-average scalp but dry ends, I tend to only use hair masks sparingly when I need to really soften up the bottom of my hair. That said, I was curious to try this product because I've had good experiences with Joico's coloured hair line before.
This mask, while not much different than most other hair masks for coloured hair, seemed to do the job but I did find my hair felt slightly oilier than I like it to be, instead of silky and hydrating. It wasn't as bad as the shampoo/conditioner, but I didn't think it was anything special nor did it offer any special benefits to justify the price.
I received this product for review from the Chickadvisor Review Club.
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Joico Defy Damage Protective Shampoo
My hair: I've had coloured hair consistently for over four years and across that time I've used a variety of different hair products from salon and drug-store brands. My hair is thin, and while it's dry on the ends due to bleaching, it's greasier... +
My hair: I've had coloured hair consistently for over four years and across that time I've used a variety of different hair products from salon and drug-store brands. My hair is thin, and while it's dry on the ends due to bleaching, it's greasier near the scalp so it's really important that my shampoo is able to clean and degrease my hair.
Unfortunately this product failed me repeatedly. This shampoo just would not clean my hair, no matter how many times I tried. With other shampoos I usually need to shampoo my hair twice, but with this one I even tried THREE TIMES and the shampoo could not lather enough to work through my hair, and I even found it making my hair sticky and hard to work through with my fingers. I tried this product for three weeks and saw absolutely no improvement and my hair just didn't adapt to it whatsoever. It felt greasy almost immediately after drying and got only worse over the next day or so.
Beware if you have an oily scalp and dry ends, this product may not work for you.
I received this product for review from the Chickadvisor Review Club.
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Joico Defy Damage Protective Conditioner
I have had coloured hair consistently for over four years and across that time I've used a variety of different hair products, I've even used Joico on occasion, but this was one of the times that I knew after one week that this product wasn't for... +
I have had coloured hair consistently for over four years and across that time I've used a variety of different hair products, I've even used Joico on occasion, but this was one of the times that I knew after one week that this product wasn't for me.
I have thin, shoulder length dyed hair and after consistent bleaching, I find the ends of my hair can be rather dry, but I still tend to have greasier hair near my scalp. Knowing this, I used on a small amount of this product on my hair, mostly near the ends, but I found it to be hard to rinse out, and the product clung to my hair even after drying, leaving it greasy looking and feeling. I tested this product for over three weeks to see if this was just the transition period, but it never improved and my hair consistently looked and felt gross. I've never been happier to switch back to my old products.
Beware if you have an oily scalp and dry ends, this product may not work for you.
I received this product for review from the Chickadvisor Review Club.
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Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Prep Cleanser
While I was very excited to try out Neutrogena's Rapid Wrinkle Repair products, I have to say I wasn't immediately enthused by the idea of a new cleanser/exfoliant. I already have a number that I use both for my face and body and didn't think I'd... +
While I was very excited to try out Neutrogena's Rapid Wrinkle Repair products, I have to say I wasn't immediately enthused by the idea of a new cleanser/exfoliant. I already have a number that I use both for my face and body and didn't think I'd need another one to try. But BOY was I wrong.
This cleanser does such a wonderful job cleansing my skin before retinol use, that the one time I forgot to use it and used a different product, my skin was totally not smooth enough and my retinol did NOT sit on my skin properly. Big whoops!
The cleanser is tough enough to leave my skin refreshed, which is especially important if you're sweating a lot and active like I am, but sensitive enough for people who don't like anything too harsh on their skin.
Also I love that the exfoliants are NOT plastic micro-beads!
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Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair® Retinol Oil
Despite being a dedicated skincare enthusiast for the last few years, I've actually been a bit intimidated by retinol, both for its price-point, but also with the complications that may arise when using it with a specific regimen. I usually have a... +
Despite being a dedicated skincare enthusiast for the last few years, I've actually been a bit intimidated by retinol, both for its price-point, but also with the complications that may arise when using it with a specific regimen. I usually have a 6-7 step evening skincare routine that includes lactic acid and glycolic acid, so I made sure to do my research and alternate my days when using glycolic acid/lactic acids and the retinol, and hydrating after both,to ensure success.
I know that starting with retinol can cause mild purging, but I honestly only had about 3-4 small spots that acted up, and they settled within a week. But if you are oilier, this may be more intense than what I experienced.
Overall, I tend to hold my final opinions to about 4-6 weeks of active usage, but after about 3 weeks of every other day, I feel like the retinol has definitely softened my skin, my rosacea has calmed down a bit, and my skin definitely looks better. I'm definitely going to maintain this as part of my routine moving forward.
I received this as part of the Chickadvisor Product Review Club.
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