outofcanada
Member Since: January 13, 2016Reviews
Vichy Normaderm Anti-Acne Purifying Gel Cleanser
The day after I used this cleanser for the first time, large, inflamed, under-the-skin pimples completely disappeared. Like, COMPLETELY. I was searching for cleansers that would be more gentle on my skin than typical salicylic acid washes. I had... +
The day after I used this cleanser for the first time, large, inflamed, under-the-skin pimples completely disappeared.
Like, COMPLETELY.
I was searching for cleansers that would be more gentle on my skin than typical salicylic acid washes. I had been having issues with them drying out my nose and forehead, but also breaking out from trying a different lotion. Within a few days of use all my issues disappeared.
This gel has a great scent, and I'm usually not a fan of scented products. It feels really refreshing on your skin and it doesn't feel like it's stripping your skin at all. It's made my skin really smooth to the touch. I'm a huge fan of this and will continue to repurchase!
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Vichy Normaderm Corrective Anti-Acne Treatment 24h Hydrating Lotion
I'm always a little nervous trying out new lotions since I have oily, acne prone skin. But I'm really happy that this one didn't clog pores or break me out! I actually found after using this for a few days that my skin became really even. Sometimes... +
I'm always a little nervous trying out new lotions since I have oily, acne prone skin. But I'm really happy that this one didn't clog pores or break me out!
I actually found after using this for a few days that my skin became really even. Sometimes I deal with blotchiness if products don't agree with my skin, but that completely disappeared when I started using this lotion. I was actually confident enough to leave my house without foundation and concealer, which hasn't happened since I developed adult acne.
I find that this lotion mattifies my skin really well. Most lotions with that claim aren't effective and I have to blot after about 4 hours. But all day long this lotion keeps my skin hydrated and matte. The only issue I have with this lotion is that it does tend to leave white streaks on my face. I massage in until I can't feel it anymore, and these streaks still happen. I really don't care because you have to be super close to see, because I love this lotion so much!
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Cover FX Power Play Foundation
This has become my new go-to foundation in the summer time. Every foundation I used in the past just couldn't hold up in the heat and humidity of southern Ontario. I had heard about this one being 'sweatproof' and boy, is it true! This foundation... +
This has become my new go-to foundation in the summer time. Every foundation I used in the past just couldn't hold up in the heat and humidity of southern Ontario. I had heard about this one being 'sweatproof' and boy, is it true! This foundation holds up so well after hours of wear. Every foundation I've ever worn breaks up after about 6 hours, but this one looks perfect even after 10 hours of wear. I have super oily skin so it works perfectly for me, and remains mattified throughout the day -- I don't even have to blot!
My only problem is that it dries down almost instantaneously. You really have to work fast with this stuff -- don't dot it all over your face thinking you will be able to blend it out! I work a section as a time, blending with my fingers. I find that it doesn't layer super well and sometimes has a tendency to pill off if you try too many times. But overall I absolutely love this stuff and don't mind the quick dry down time. I don't think this would look great on dry skin as I think it'd suck any oil or moisture out of it, but perfect for oily!
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Annabelle Cosmetics Le Big Show Mascara
I got this mascara in a 2 pack for Christmas. I opened it in January to use and absolutely hated it. The formula was super wet and it would clump my lashes so much so that it looked like I had four large lashes. I threw it back in my makeup bag for... +
I got this mascara in a 2 pack for Christmas. I opened it in January to use and absolutely hated it. The formula was super wet and it would clump my lashes so much so that it looked like I had four large lashes. I threw it back in my makeup bag for months to dry out a bit and revisited it a couple months ago. The mascara applies much better as it has dried out. It doesn't clump my lashes together. My only gripe now is that it doesn't hold a curl at all. My lashes fall within a couple minutes of application. Unfortunately I won't be purchasing this item again because there are too many flaws to overlook. -
Biore Charcoal Acne Scrub
I've been using the Biore unclogging scrub for almost 10 years, so I decided to venture out and try the charcoal version. I actually prefer this version over the other! The scent smells like a combination of mint, citrus, and men's deodorant (maybe... +
I've been using the Biore unclogging scrub for almost 10 years, so I decided to venture out and try the charcoal version. I actually prefer this version over the other! The scent smells like a combination of mint, citrus, and men's deodorant (maybe not everyone's cup of tea -- but I love it!). It's a thick, gel like scrub that feels cooling on the skin. It foams/lathers very well. The scrub itself is really effective too. When I started using this product I had rough, clogged pores on my chin and within a week my chin and forehead were very smooth. I feel like this is really gentle on my skin, especially because it contains 1% salicylic acid. I have oily, acne prone skin that is under control, and this is perfect for me. It doesn't dry out or irritate my skin, plus I think the charcoal will be great at absorbing excess oil in the summer! -
Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb
I received a sample of this product in the mail to try. I currently use a gel moisturizer for oily skin, so I had high hopes for this product. I do have acne prone skin but it's under control with a few pimples here or there when I'm hormonal. This... +
I received a sample of this product in the mail to try. I currently use a gel moisturizer for oily skin, so I had high hopes for this product. I do have acne prone skin but it's under control with a few pimples here or there when I'm hormonal. This product broke out my skin terribly. I began getting little clogged pores all over my face and micro-pustules. It made my skin extremely rough and red. It felt nice on the skin and cooling, but unfortunately it did not agree with my skin, clogged my pores, and has taken weeks for my skin to recover. I don't have any known allergies so I don't know what exactly in this product disagreed with my skin. -
AVEENO Cracked Skin Relief CICA Balm
I was very fortunate to have been selected by Chickadvisor to try this balm out for free! I suffer from eczema, chilblains (in the winter), and very dry hands in the winter. Typically I go through bottles of hand lotion because I need to reapply it... +
I was very fortunate to have been selected by Chickadvisor to try this balm out for free!
I suffer from eczema, chilblains (in the winter), and very dry hands in the winter. Typically I go through bottles of hand lotion because I need to reapply it often throughout the day. My problem areas are generally my hands and one stubborn eczema patch.
First of all, the tub of this is huge! The product itself is a very thick balm -- almost a cross between vaseline and lotion. A very small amount goes a very long way. Even though this product is pretty pricey, I've barely made a dent and I've been using it multiple times a day after handwashing.
I was very shocked at how well this product worked. I'm used to my hands getting extremely dry every time I wash them, and even need to reapply lotion often throughout the day. The first day I used this product I noticed a very big difference. After washing my hands, they still felt soft and hydrated -- not something I'm used to! And after using this balm consistently my hands are super soft and aren't cracking.
The balm itself is very thick and when applied feels a bit heavy like vaseline, but it does soak in completely and just leaves your hands feeling smooth. I even used this product on a stubborn dry patch that even vaseline couldn't handle. With vaseline I have to reapply about every two hours throughout the day. But with this balm I only apply it in the morning, and at night after showering and it has 100% reduced the eczema itch and flakiness.
Overall, I can't believe how effective this product is. I had zero expectations going into this trial and am so shocked at how this has improved the dryness, irritation, and pain associated with my eczema and chilblains. It is an expensive product, but it is so worth it when considering how little product is needed, and when comparing to how many bottles of lotion and vaseline I go through to tackle my skin issues. My skin issues aren't horrible, but I think if you're dealing with any type of serious eczema or dry hands that this product is absolutely worth the cost and a shot!
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AVEENO Cracked Skin Relief CICA Ointment
I was very fortunate to have been selected by Chickadvisor to test this product out for free! What I first noticed about this is how convenient it is. It has a plastic tip that kind of looks like a marker that helps distribute the product in hard... +
I was very fortunate to have been selected by Chickadvisor to test this product out for free!
What I first noticed about this is how convenient it is. It has a plastic tip that kind of looks like a marker that helps distribute the product in hard to reach places. The tube itself is also small enough that I could easily slip this in my purse for on-the-go care.
As for the product itself, I feel like it's just glorified vaseline. It has the exact same texture, but I find that it doesn't absorb. Most often I would use this on my hands, specifically in the cuticle area. It doesn't matter how much I would try to massage it in the area, for some reason it just would not absorb. It sits on my skin as opposed to sinking in. So unfortunately, I don't find this to be too useful throughout the day.
How I used it after this was primarily at night. I would place the product in and around the cracks in my fingers and slip on a moisture barrier glove at night, and I found that it did significantly soften the cracked, calloused areas. But, I feel like I could get similar results with the glove and regular vaseline.
In the end, I don't think I would recommend this product because it is so pricey. I don't feel like this is more effective than your classic vaseline. The greatest benefit is the unique application. I really like the tube and the plastic applicator. It makes it so much more convenient for use on-the-go, but at the same time the product doesn't absorb well on my skin.
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Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Acne-Prone Skin Cream-to-Foam Cleanser
I was fortunate to have been selected by Chickadvisor to test out this product for free. I really enjoyed the light grapefruit smell this product has. I was a bit afraid that it would be overwhelmingly strong, or even dyed a bright shade of pink... +
I was fortunate to have been selected by Chickadvisor to test out this product for free.
I really enjoyed the light grapefruit smell this product has. I was a bit afraid that it would be overwhelmingly strong, or even dyed a bright shade of pink, but fortunately this product is light when it comes to both of those.
The product says to use a dime sized about but I found that I can easily use about half a dime size to effectively wash my entire face. It comes out as a thick cream and really foams up into a nice lather when you add water! It feels really refreshing on the skin, even though it stings a bit for me personally.
My biggest gripe, and reason I rated this so poorly, is that I've broken out since using the product. I do have oily, acne prone skin, but I have my skin under control and never break out unless I'm at certain points in my Cycle. I swapped my usual acne control cleansers out with this product, and since starting the test I've begun breaking out around my nose and upper lip (areas I don't typically break out) and my chin. I was confused because I had assumed the effective element of this cleanser would be salicylic acid, but found that is not included in this product! My skin will absolutely break out unless I use salicylic acid, so I believe that's what happened to me. I may be able to include this grapefruit cleanser in my routine at night when I don't use an SA cleanser, but I'm afraid that it may be too harsh (due to the stinging).
Overall, this product doesn't work for my skin. The cleanser itself doesn't seem to stripe my face too much of its oils, but it does sting a bit. Because of that I'm afraid it may be too harsh to be used in conjunction with a salicylic acid product (whether that be an SA cleanser at another time of the day, or a toner). And other than that, I really don't see any benefits in using this product, or how it would be better for my skin than my current products. The price itself is low in comparison to how much product you need per use -- so I think this bottle would last a pretty long time.
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Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Acne-Prone Skin Clay Mask
I was very fortunate to have been selected by Chickadvisor to try this product for free! First of all, I want to start off by addressing the packaging. When this item arrived, I had assumed it was a sheet mask due to the large packet. When I opened... +
I was very fortunate to have been selected by Chickadvisor to try this product for free!
First of all, I want to start off by addressing the packaging. When this item arrived, I had assumed it was a sheet mask due to the large packet. When I opened it I was surprised to find that the packet was just filled with the clay mask! It's marketed as a 'single use' packet/item, but there's enough product in the packet to use at least three or four times (I've used it twice already and still have half the packet left). I really don't like the idea of having the packet because the leftover product will dry up. It would be much more convenient and less messy if it were a tube. Plus, the packet just seems too large for the amount of product inside -- it seems a bit wasteful.
As for the product itself, I'd describe it as a thick cream consistency in a Pepto-pink colour. It has a faint grapefruit scent that isn't super present unless you're trying to find it (if that makes sense). It's very easy to spread on the face and easy to get a good layer. The mask leaves a cooling sensation as it dries. I also appreciate that this isn't one of those clay masks (like I've tried before) that feels like it's sucking all the hydration out of your skin. Because it doesn't dry down super hard (after 10 minutes) it's super easy to wash off. After the first use I noticed how smooth and soft the mask made my skin feel, and it made my skin feel great after the second use too. This mask overall feels super gentle for a clay mask and makes your skin feel so clean and refreshed.
Overall would I buy this item again? Not likely unless they change the packaging. I REALLY like this mask and would purchase it if it came in a tube. But my dislike and annoyance over the packet packaging outweighs my like of the product. It is a nice product and I would recommend it to those who don't mind the way it's packaged.
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