Feisty Redhead
Member Since: August 22, 2007Reviews
St. Ives® Elements Microdermabrasion
I must agree with the previous reviewer, this smells SO good! I've tried a couple other at home microdermabrasion scrubs and hated the chemically smell they had but this one is so light and relaxing, I love it. The little bit of lather is really... +
I must agree with the previous reviewer, this smells SO good! I've tried a couple other at home microdermabrasion scrubs and hated the chemically smell they had but this one is so light and relaxing, I love it. The little bit of lather is really nice, too. The exfoliating crystals are very fine and do the job well, but they are not too rough or harsh. They do seem to distribute more evenly than other scrubs so you get even exfoliation.
The only thing I don't really like is that after using it, my skin feels tight. Not dried out, just uncomfortably tight, similar to the way your skin can feel when it's dried out. I'm not sure that makes sense but I'm not sure how else to explain it. That tight feeling does go away after about an hour or so though. I use it twice a week though as part of my regular routine and I do like it a lot, it really helps keep my skin soft and glowy.
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Maybelline Express Finish Advanced Wear Nail Colour
I love these polishes for days I don't have time to go through my usual nail polish routine. They really do dry very quickly, even on humid days. I just wish they had more colors to choose from. The most recent color I have purchased - 15/Sheer... +
I love these polishes for days I don't have time to go through my usual nail polish routine. They really do dry very quickly, even on humid days. I just wish they had more colors to choose from.
The most recent color I have purchased - 15/Sheer Crystal Dash is a bit of a disappointment color-wise though. I knew it was going to be sheer, but I was expecting more color from it. In the bottle it's a very pretty pale shade of pink with loads of shimmer. But it goes on clear without any hint of pink to it. Even with multiple coats it doesn't have as much pink to it as I was expecting even from a sheer color. It does have pretty shimmer though, and looks really nice over a french manicure.
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pHisoderm Body Wash in Aloe, Vitamin E & Chamomile
I really like this body wash. It's nice and refreshing in the Summer heat, and it's especially great after a workout. The smell is light and clean, and I like that it doesn't linger too long after toweling off so it doesn't interfere with my scented... +
I really like this body wash. It's nice and refreshing in the Summer heat, and it's especially great after a workout. The smell is light and clean, and I like that it doesn't linger too long after toweling off so it doesn't interfere with my scented lotions and perfumes.
It lathers up really well if you use a loofah, and rinses away easily without leaving any residue behind the way some soaps and body washes can. It leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized. And it does help with any blemishes you have on your body, too.
I agree with others that the packaging could use some work, or the product could be thicker. It just spills out of the bottle, and you wind up getting way more product out than you really need, even if you're being careful about it.
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pHisoderm Normal to Oily Skin Cleanser
This is an ok face wash. I prefer it for night-time cleansing than in the morning; it seems a bit too rich for morning washes for me. I like that it doesn't lather, as I prefer cream facial cleansers. I don't wear much makeup so this does a pretty... +
This is an ok face wash. I prefer it for night-time cleansing than in the morning; it seems a bit too rich for morning washes for me. I like that it doesn't lather, as I prefer cream facial cleansers. I don't wear much makeup so this does a pretty good job of getting off all my makeup except for the mascara. I only wear water resistant formula mascaras that typically wash off with ease but this couldn't get all the mascara off so I still have to use a separate eye makeup remover for the mascara.
I love that it doesn't leave my skin feeling dried out. Most store-bought cleansers dry my skin out horribly, but this leaves it feeling soft, smooth and moisturized.
The only thing I don't really like is the smell. It is light, but very chemically. I think it smells a bit like glue. Other than that it's not bad. I'm not sure it's something I'd buy though, because of the fragrance.
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Mark Mini Mark-it Stick For Lips - Apricot
This little stick of lip color may look small, but a little goes a long way so it will last quite a while. You get a lot of pigment out of one little swipe across your lips. It goes on smooth and creamy, and feels very light on. It's almost like a... +
This little stick of lip color may look small, but a little goes a long way so it will last quite a while. You get a lot of pigment out of one little swipe across your lips. It goes on smooth and creamy, and feels very light on. It's almost like a cross between lipstick and lip balm. It doesn't leave my lips dried out at all. It has fairly good staying power - not quite as long as a lipstick but longer than a gloss. It does impart a slight shine which is surprising. It's got a decent amount of shimmer too - if you don't like shimmery lip products this isn't for you. My only gripe is that the color is a bit more orange-toned that I was expecting, so it doesn't really suit my coloring. But it does layer well with other lip products, so I can still get it to work for me by layering it. I'll definitely try at least one of the other colors available. -
Mark Mini Mark-it Stick For Eyes - Cocoa Bean
This is such a cute product that travels really well. But the quality is lacking. It is a cream shadow in the form of a pencil. I have major issues with cream shadows of all sorts but this looked so pretty and had some great reviews so I thought I'd... +
This is such a cute product that travels really well. But the quality is lacking. It is a cream shadow in the form of a pencil. I have major issues with cream shadows of all sorts but this looked so pretty and had some great reviews so I thought I'd give it a shot.
The color is really pretty; it's a sheer bronzy shade of brown. It applies beautifully, with no tugging or pulling and you get plenty of color pay-off without having to go over any area more than once. But it just doesn't last. I first tried it without a primer, just to see how it held up on it's own. It was creased within five minutes, and faded within the hour. So I tried again with my trusty primer, with only slightly better results. It still creased in about 15 minutes and had faded and worn off in about two and a half hours. It rubs off really easily if you happen to rub at your eyes too.
Such a cute product and a great idea, but the staying power just isn't there. Maybe someone who usually has pretty good results from cream shadows would have better results from it, but if you're like me and have never been able to get cream shadows to work for you then you will want to save your money and pass on this one.
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XO Vision Styler 2GB Mp3 Player
I've had this mp3 player since December of last year, and I still am not crazy about it. I wasn't expecting anything great for the price, but I was expecting it to be better than it is. It comes with three different colored faceplates - white... +
I've had this mp3 player since December of last year, and I still am not crazy about it. I wasn't expecting anything great for the price, but I was expecting it to be better than it is.
It comes with three different colored faceplates - white, pink and black. They are hard to get off though so you can change them. It took me nearly a half hour to pry off the one that was on the player when I got it so I could put a different one on. Worse than that - it didn't work when I first got it. I spent a long time putting about 200 songs on it, then after disconnecting it from the computer and trying to listen to the songs most of them were deleted and about half of those that weren't deleted wouldn't play. I had to email the manufacturer twice before I got a reply with instructions to download a file and how to fix the player.
For a few months after that it worked great. But now it's back to spontaneously deleting files when I turn the unit off and back on. I had about 160 songs on it the other day, and when I turned it on to use it it deleted all but 53 of them. Such a pain!
Beyond that - there is not much to this little gadget. It's JUST an mp3 player - no bells and whistles like more expensive ones that will play videos and hold pictures etc. It does have an FM tuner and a voice recorder, but that it the extent of extra features. You can't create playlists, and there is no way to quickly find a song/artist you want to listen to. You have to scroll through all the songs on the player one at a time to get to what you want. The "shuffle" feature doesn't shuffle your songs. It just plays every third song of the first 40 on the player then repeats those songs over and over. The buttons are small and located on the side of the unit, which makes them a little difficult to use.
This was a big waste of money. I am saving up for a better mp3 player. Don't bother with this one!
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Canon Rebel XTI
I love this camera. As an independent photographer I have been more than ready to upgrade to a DSLR for a long time but I had to wait till I had the money for it - this is quite an investment especially considering future purchases of lenses... +
I love this camera. As an independent photographer I have been more than ready to upgrade to a DSLR for a long time but I had to wait till I had the money for it - this is quite an investment especially considering future purchases of lenses, filters and other accessories. But it's completely worth it for a serious photographer.
I had my first experience with this camera several months ago when I was working with another photographer who owns this camera. We had a long chat about various cameras and he recommended I get the xTi because it's a great "learning" camera and it will last a long time. You really get your money's worth from it.
The feel of the camera is just right for me personally, and how a camera feels is one of the most important things to consider when shipping. The features are easy to use, and the picture quality is wonderful. You can get very high quality poster sized prints from the photos taken with this camera.
It should be said though this camera is NOT for a casual photographer, and it's not really a "spur of the moment picture opportunity" camera. If you aren't familiar with advanced photography and have no intentions to learn photography in depth, this is too much camera and you're better off with a cheaper point and shoot. But if you are serious about photography and know more advanced techniques or are looking to learn, this is a great starter camera and very worth the investment. I'd really recommend this to anyone who is working toward a career as a photographer, but not for an occasional hobbyist - unless you have plenty of money to spare for such a hobby.
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Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color
This is a different formula than the Insta-Dri anti-chip top coat, and it is so much better. It has an eye dropper cap to drop the solution on your nails when you're done painting them. It says on the bottle to apply the drops 60 seconds after... +
This is a different formula than the Insta-Dri anti-chip top coat, and it is so much better. It has an eye dropper cap to drop the solution on your nails when you're done painting them. It says on the bottle to apply the drops 60 seconds after applying top coat but I find it works better if you apply them immediately after the top coat, while it's still wet. You just need one to two drops per nail, and it spreads over the entire nail. You might have to tilt your hand a bit so it can run down the entire length of your nail if your nails are longer. Your polish will be "dry to the touch" in 30 seconds - but that's not saying much because they'll still be very vulnerable to smudges. But in about 5-10 minutes they'll be dry enough you can get on with your day without worrying too much about smudging your nails. You'll still want to be careful if you need to wash your hands or something, but in about an hour your nails will be completely dry, even if you put on multiple coats of color. -
L'Oreal Paris Infallible Lip Gloss
A lip gloss that lasts for 6 hours? Sounds perfect for a lip gloss addict like me. But this fails to deliver such long-lasting results. The color I picked up - Bloom - is a rose shade with subtle pinkish silvery shimmer. It's just as pretty once... +
A lip gloss that lasts for 6 hours? Sounds perfect for a lip gloss addict like me. But this fails to deliver such long-lasting results.
The color I picked up - Bloom - is a rose shade with subtle pinkish silvery shimmer. It's just as pretty once applied as it is in the tube; definitely one of the more pigmented glosses out there. It's not super shiny, but it does have a fair amount of shine to it. I normally prefer something with a glossier finish, but I actually like the more subtle shine of this for a change.
It does last longer than other glosses, but nowhere near the 6 hours it is advertised to last. And it doesn't survive a meal, either. It can last through a few drinks though - it does leave a bit of the glossiness on the rim of your glass but the color seems to stay pretty well. After wearing a while it gets a little dull looking, and tends to leave the same sort of "lined but didn't fill" outline around the edge of your lips like a lot of lipsticks leave behind as they wear off.
The biggest turn-offs for me are that it's got a very artificial almost sweet fragrance to it that I really don't like. And it's also very thick and sticky. Big thumbs down for the tacky, sticky texture.
The applicator takes some getting used to as well. I really hated it at first but I'm getting used to using it now. It's similar to the usual doe-foot applicators, except that it's shaped like a flattened triangle. It's kind of hard to get it out of the tube, too; like it's a bit too wide for the opening in the tube and you really have to pull to get it out.
Overall it's ok, and does last longer than ordinary glosses with more pigment to it. But it's nothing spectacular. The thick sticky texture will keep me from buying it again and trying other shades - if you don't mind sticky glosses it might not be so bad.
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