Jacksmom
Member Since: March 18, 2009Reviews
Bioderma Crealine H2O Make-Up Removing Micelle Solution
I recently discovered this skin and eye cleanser. It has no fragrance, no irritants and I absolutely adore it. It's like putting cool pure water on your skin, but it cleans it. I first saw it in Paris in a pharmacie(you must go to Paris if for... +
I recently discovered this skin and eye cleanser. It has no fragrance, no irritants and I absolutely adore it. It's like putting cool pure water on your skin, but it cleans it. I first saw it in Paris in a pharmacie(you must go to Paris if for nothing else but the pharmacies...high end products CHEAP). I wasn't sure what it was or if I wanted to lug the bottle home in my luggage, so I gave it a pass and just bought my haircare products there. Now I use it in the morning, and after work to take my makeup off before cleaning with my Clarisonic. I recommend it to everyone. -
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer in Clear
I have a good friend who works for Smashbox. She gave me a full bottle of Photo Finish Primer. I had used a sample before, and thought it smelled sort of chemically, and didn't like it. However, I gave it another show, and I LOVED it. It... +
I have a good friend who works for Smashbox. She gave me a full bottle of Photo Finish Primer. I had used a sample before, and thought it smelled sort of chemically, and didn't like it. However, I gave it another show, and I LOVED it. It creates a completely smooth, blemish free sort of canvas for your makeup. Your skin appears poreless and perfect. I can't live without this anymore. I don't wear it in the summer, because it's a bit too heavy, but as soon as fall rolls around, you can be sure I am using it again. Great product! -
Botox
After a less than satisfactory experience with Botox a few years ago(major bruising, swelling), I decided to give it a try again at a local spa that came highly recommended. I went in and got a combination of Botox and Juvederm injectables. This... +
After a less than satisfactory experience with Botox a few years ago(major bruising, swelling), I decided to give it a try again at a local spa that came highly recommended. I went in and got a combination of Botox and Juvederm injectables. This review is strictly for the Botox injections.
After a thorough consultation which included a photograph to show hidden sun damage to my skin, the woman who turned out to be a Physician's Assistant talked with me about my goals for this little vain endeavor.
I wanted to get rid of the lines on my forehead, the deep vertical lines between my eyes, crow's feet and anything else she thought she could fix. I had heard Botox would stop excessive sweating on the top lip, so she said she would do that, as well.
I was escorted to a room which looked exactly like a doctor's examination room. Everything was sterile, professional and set me at ease. There was no incense burning, no low lights, no chimes...so if that is what someone wants, this spa is not for them. They are down to business and down to earth.
The PA began by injecting the Botox into my forehead. Before she did this, she felt my face with her hands, and squeezed and pressed here and there. Then, she would inject in a spot. She went slowly, and had me make faces as she pressed, squeezed and injected. As a result, she injected in all the right places. Within hours, you could see a positive difference. By a week later, all signs of any lines were entirely gone. I was unable to frown deeply or make any expressions with my forehead. I have seen videos of myself talking and my face gets around. It goes up, down, sideways, crossways and every which a way and all of that movement has taken it's toll over the years. Within one week, it was gone. I had no bruising whatsoever, no pain and after the injections I was given ice packs to lay down with for a bit. All of this makes sense, however with my first Botox experience, I had none of this. I had an insane Doctor walk up to me and begin jabbing my face indiscriminately with a needle. I wasn't even laying down. He walked up to me while I was sitting on the exam table and just started jabbing. No cleansing prior to the injections, no soothing afterwards. He was brutal.
Thankfully, my second experience was so great. I am a regular customer, now. I get Botox and Juvederm injections as well as Hydra Facials. I don't think I look my age. I think I look perhaps 10 years younger than how old I truly am. I don't care if anyone knows how old I am, because come on...what's the alternative to aging? Dying. I'd rather age, thanks. I'm 43, and people usually think I'm in my early to mid 30s. I'll take that, anyday!
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Aveeno Active Naturals Intense Relief Overnight Cream
I recently returned from a cruise, and my skin was; to say the least; a little worse for wear. I have about ten million different moisturizers, creams, soothing gels, etc. for my skin, but I happened to see this product by Aveeno as I was walking... +
I recently returned from a cruise, and my skin was; to say the least; a little worse for wear. I have about ten million different moisturizers, creams, soothing gels, etc. for my skin, but I happened to see this product by Aveeno as I was walking down an aisle in our local superstore. I've been having good luck with Aveeno Active Naturals products lately, and figured this couldn't hurt to try.
I opened the cap(as I always do in the store prior to purchase..yes, I'm THAT woman..) and cautiously took a whiff. SCORE! No scent whatsoever! The bottle says "Fragrance Free" but that doesn't mean there is no smell at all. It just means perfume has not been added. The cream itself may smell like a dog's rear end, but it has no added fragrance. Well, this products has NO smell. I find this perfect, as most perfumes give me a migraine headache, and rather than soothing me, the product with fragrance ends up making me ill.
My back was quite itchy from too much sun, so I had my husband help me apply this new lotion to my back. Instantaneous relief! Not just relief for a second because someone's hand rubbed over the itchy area so it felt better. No, this was relief that lasted. I used it on my chest because that area got a bit too much sun, as well. It felt so good, so moisture-rich and it worked so effectively that I wanted to put it all over. I've been using it on my feet, as well. I use Aquaphor and Smitten on my feet and hands, but I like this Aveeno better because it doesn't leave a greasy film or residue.
The product is supposedly formulated to "moisturize throughout the night", which means several hours. It doesn't mean I can't wear it during the day, because I do. I wear it both day and night and it is super moisturizing without being oil, greasy, slimy or leaving a film on my skin. I highly recommend this product from Aveeno Active Naturals.
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NYX Doll Eye Mascara Volume
I have read some reviews of NYX products, but had nowhere nearby to purchase them. I ordered a few things online, and received them quite quickly. Without a doubt, one of my favorite products of all time is now NYX DOLL EYES MASCARA. Now, I'm... +
I have read some reviews of NYX products, but had nowhere nearby to purchase them. I ordered a few things online, and received them quite quickly. Without a doubt, one of my favorite products of all time is now NYX DOLL EYES MASCARA. Now, I'm a mascara collector. I gotta have long, long, long lashes. I've had lash extensions (not worth the money, my lashes won't "hold" them), I've tried primers, fibers, everything. I've had good luck with a couple of products, too. But THIS one is my favorite of favorites.
Why?
1. It works. My eyelashes touch my eyebrows when I use this. I don't have to put multiple coats on, and it doesn't clump. I have fairly long eyelashes, but they have blonde tips. This mascara is perfect.
2. Easy to remove. I don't want to have to WORK at getting my makeup off. Especially mascara. As we age, our eyes don't need to be tugged on and pulled at. Our lashes surely don't. This mascara washes off easily with warm water and cleanser.
3. Price. I'll pay a lot of money for a product I like. I really will. With NYX Doll Eyes, I don't have to. It's inexpensive. No, I'll say it...it's cheap. Not bad cheap. GOOD cheap. Cheap like..."Wow, this is so cheap I can buy 10 tubes of it at once and shipping will be worth it!"
"Picky" is too light a word for me and my opinions on mascara. I have no reservations whatsoever in saying that NYX is fabulous. I get no allergic reaction whatsoever, (and my eyes water from allergies easily), and it doesn't flake, clump or do any other unsightly, unbeautiful things. It's wallet-friendly, (a great plus in our current economy!) and it doesn't smell like cheap rose perfume like a certain OTHER mascara I've tried recently. (Horror story to follow...)
Give NYX Doll Eyes Mascara a try. It's one of the best chances I've ever taken on a beauty product, and I'll definitely be ordering LOTS more.
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Clarisonic Mia
My Wondrous, Glowing, Gushing Clarisonic review. Firstly, the important details: This product is made by the same company that makes the Sonicare toothbrush. The company claims to use "sonic technology" to cleanse your skin by removing makeup and... +
My Wondrous, Glowing, Gushing Clarisonic review.
Firstly, the important details: This product is made by the same company that makes the Sonicare toothbrush. The company claims to use "sonic technology" to cleanse your skin by removing makeup and other gunk. It is programmed to run for 60 seconds and that is supposed to be how long it takes to clean your face cleaner than it's ever been.
I had seen other reviews of this gadget and was curious about it. I am a sucker for anything remotely related to beauty. I felt guilty(oddly enough) purchasing something this expensive for myself. The Clarisonic facial brush runs around $200. I just couldn't see replacing all the other things I buy at Sephora for that one thing. I will spend that much at Sephora, but I like to get a bunch of stuff! Anyhow, I sent a link to the thing to my husband who is clueless about gift giving. He's a wonderful person. He's an intelligent person. He SUCKS at gift giving. I've finally accepted this and so I either buy myself gifts or take him directly to the thing I want, point to it and say, "Buy that." OH! I did the same thing with the WiiFit. I will have to review that little piece of Heaven some other time. Back to the brush.
What a surprise! I got the Clarisonic for Christmas! Yay! It was even WRAPPED in wrapping paper! I eagerly plugged it in to charge and plastered myself with copious amounts of makeup so that I'd have a good and grody face to scrub in the evening. That evening, I used it for the first time. It comes with the brush head for sensitive skin. There are 3 different brush heads you can buy. I don't think I'd want anything more rough than the sensitive brush, though. My skin is pretty sensitive and will turn red at the least little thing. I used my own DHC facial soap and swirled the brush around on that, then pressed the button.
A three-toned beep sounded and then the brush began humming. In the literature included with the brush, they give you a rough estimate of how long you should use the brush on each "zone" of your face. First, you start with your forehead, then move to a cheek, then another cheek, then the chin, and last, the nose. The brush beeps and pauses very briefly to allow you to change facial areas. This is a feature I like. However, you have to estimate your cheeks so that you clean them both in the alotted time. It's just one time period for both cheeks. This irks me about this. Beep twice. I have two cheeks. Beep twice, for God's sake. How hard would that be? Don't make me freakin' COUNT while I'm enjoying scrubbing out my pores! If I pay this much for a facial brush, and it BEEPS for other areas, then it can at least beep two times for my cheeks. Petty, I know. Oh well.
Of course, you can always press the power button after the brush automatically shuts itself off and have another go at your face if you like. I do like. I do it every time I use the brush. I have decided to let go of the anxiety of counting so I get my whole face scrubbed and I just scrub until I think I should move on. If I run out of time, I press the button and go some more and continue to ignore the beeps. Now, there is an explicit warning against this practice in the manual that comes with the brush. One may OVER brush their face and end up with scabby nastiness instead of dewy glowiness. I have yet to over scrub, though.
I honestly think about this stupid brush during the day and can't wait to get home to use it. I use it in the morning and in the evening. It is supposed to eventually shrink your pore size, and help to minimize fine lines. The company claims that it removes up to 6 times as much makeup as other cleaning methods. That grossed me out. I don't want anything left on my face after I wash it.
Another perk of using this wonder of scientific beauty implements is that the company claims use of this brush can assist your skin in better absorption of all of those expensive facial serums and creams that you buy to fend off the steady march of time on your face. Sounds good to me. Does it do that? I don't know. I've been using it for about 3 months now, and I love it. I use it in the shower in the morning because the sweet little precious thing is waterproof! I use it at the sink in the evening. I have glorious skin. It's positively radiant. At least, I like to think so.
I wholeheartedly recommend this product. I wish I had had access to it when I was younger. It simply cleans deeply and thoroughly. When I take a cotton ball and toner and go over my face after using the brush, there is nothing on the cotton ball afterwards. With other methods of cleaning, I will still have remnants of makeup or oil or some disgusting thing on the cotton ball. Who wants to go to bed with that unidentifiable crap on their face? Not me. I know that when I put on my myriad anti-wrinkle potions that there is nothing between the product and my skin.
When looking in my gigantic bazillion X magnifying mirror, I can see my clean little pores. No gunk in them. No desperately applied concealer left in the small creases near my eyes. Just clean, smooth skin. With way too many lines on it. And what is that mole? Was that there before? Oh God, what is the thing you're supposed to look for in skin cancer? Moles that change size? Moles that weren't there before? Wait. Maybe it's a freckle. I get freckles. Not as many now as I did as a kid, but I do get them. Maybe it's a freckle. I'll try to scrub it off with my brush.
The Clarisonic Skincare Brush is available through Sephora.com; Ulta; Be Beautiful; and other retailers. The price is approximately $200. It is available in pink, graphite gray and white. Replacement brush heads will run you about $25 and you will need to replace your brush head every couple of months.
P.S. I went to get Botox and Juvederm a couple of weeks ago, and the lady who took the picture of my face to show me how badly damaged my skin is by UV rays told me that I had NO congestion in my pores WHATSOEVER. None. That's right. Clairisonic totally decongested all pores. There would be no extractions to perform should I choose to get a facial, as well. I told them that I credit this to the miraculous Clairisonic Brush.
Review on Botox part deux and Juvedern part un soon to come.
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Strivectin SD orbital eye cream
So, I think I found a wrinkle creme that works. For real. I think it really does. I've been using Strivectin around my eyes for...oh probably 2 years off and on. I use it on my forehead and between my eyebrows and on my upper lip, as well. I... +
So, I think I found a wrinkle creme that works.
For real. I think it really does. I've been using Strivectin around my eyes for...oh probably 2 years off and on. I use it on my forehead and between my eyebrows and on my upper lip, as well.
I don't have deep wrinkles yet, but there are definitely lines there. I had Botox a couple of years ago, and was less than thrilled with the results. The price was ridiculous, and the bruising I got from the "Dr". jabbing the needle in my face without warning were ugly and hard to explain to people. "uhhh...I swear, my husband didn't hit me...I got Botox.". Great, so now I sound like a sad liar, AND a vain idiot. So, anyhow, I decided to try the Strivectin around the same time as the Botox. A co-worker commented on how my eyes looked better. More "rested" or something, she said. I attributed it to the Botox and went on.
Today, I got a new hugely magnifying lighted makeup mirror. My old one broke, so I got a new, improved one. One that shows every single pore on your face. It's rather depressing. Anyhow, I have to say, I looked in the mirror (while I still had on makeup) and I found myself thinking, "You know, my skin looks damned good....and my eyes...hmmmm.....Wow, I wear a lot of makeup!" But the important thing was the part about my skin and eyes. I have no other option but to attribute the smooth, unlined appearance of my skin to Strivectin. It flat out seems to work. I don't know how or why, and frankly, I don't care. Just keep making the stuff, please. I have used LOTS of different cremes for "mature" skin, for around the eyes, for wrinkles..you name it. I used Creme de la Mer for quite awhile. What a waste of money! Put fish poop and seaweed on your face and pay hundreds of dollars for the honor! I got no change with La Mer, and I was ready for miracles. I have been using the Strivectin morning and night without thinking about it, and I think the stuff works. I don't have any other explanation.
The products is Strivectin and it's made by Klein/Becker labs. I have purchased mine at both Sephora and Ulta and also online. I can't remember exactly, but I believe it's in the 60-70 dollar range for a bottle. One small bottle lasts me a LONG time. I use just a tiny dab around the eyes, then a larger dab to spread around my forehead, between my eyebrows and on my upper lip.
Gotta love this about it: NO SCENT, WHATSOEVER. Yes! Thank you, God! No craptastic perfumes to give me a headache or trigger allergies. As Borat says, "Very nice...." It's rocking my world right now, so if you feel the need to try a new anti-fine line creme or wrinkle creme or whatever you call it...I'd give Strivectin a try. It's really effective.
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Bliss Labs The Youth As We Know It products
Here is one thing I'll say: Bliss' "The Youth As We Know It" moisturizer is HORRIFYINGLY over priced. I'll pay for good stuff, but the jar size leads you to think there is way more product than there actually is. It smells nice and the... +
Here is one thing I'll say: Bliss' "The Youth As We Know It" moisturizer is HORRIFYINGLY over priced. I'll pay for good stuff, but the jar size leads you to think there is way more product than there actually is. It smells nice and the texture is creamy and absorbs nicely, but I will not pay that much for that particular product again.
The toner coupled with the moisturizer does some weird thing to my skin. It creates small lumps of what I assume to be moisturizer bonding with the toner and making a solid. I don't need that. That's not desirable.
I like the smell of the products. They aren't "perfumey" at all. They are fresh and have a grapefruit undertone to them. I've discovered I love the smell of grapefruit. Who knew?
So, small, short review of something I regret buying. I'm not really happy with several of Bliss' products. Even their spa services left quite a bit to be desired in my opinion. I probably won't be trying my luck with anymore of their products. You can get information and purchase their products directly through Bliss and their spas or through the ever wondrous Sephora.
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KORRES Lip Butter
The following is a Lip Stain that is moisturizing. I have a new love. It's Korres Lip Butter. It's FABULOUS. I have two shades: Plum and Pomegranate. Both are TO DIE FOR. Let's see if I can explain this. The color is never too dark or... +
The following is a Lip Stain that is moisturizing. I have a new love. It's Korres Lip Butter. It's FABULOUS. I have two shades: Plum and Pomegranate. Both are TO DIE FOR. Let's see if I can explain this. The color is never too dark or too light, you can put on a buttload of it if you want to, (and you probably will because it smells yummy and TASTES tart and fruity, but don't eat the stuff.) and it won't look thick and fake. It isn't super glossy, but the color does give your lips a stain that lasts a good long while. I don't know exactly how long "a good long while" is, but it's a pretty good long time. Let's just say it's longer than Scarlett O'Hara got from biting her lips. Calling it a "butter" is a pretty good description. It's thick and smooth and feels very hydrating. I adore it. It's 9 bucks a little pot, and it lasts, so it's a bargain, as well. (I never thought I'd see the day that I thought 9 bucks was a bargain for lip gloss...) -
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