traceymconley
Member Since: February 28, 2017Reviews
Tory Burch Jolie Fleur Lavande Perfume
I chose this product as one of the free samples with my last Sephora order and am now planning to purchase the full size product! Tory Burch Jolie Fleur Lavande is exactly that, a floral with a predominantly Lavender scent. It's a very feminine... +
I chose this product as one of the free samples with my last Sephora order and am now planning to purchase the full size product!
Tory Burch Jolie Fleur Lavande is exactly that, a floral with a predominantly Lavender scent. It's a very feminine fragrance, light but not too light, it's definitely not like some of the really sharp, fruity floral fragrances out there right now. I'd call it almost an old-fashioned sort of scent; I think this might be because of the very soft floral fragrance but I do think it's appropriate for a range of ages. I don't consider it an "old lady" fragrance but I could see that someone might think it's close to one. I do detect a subtle, woodsiness to this, like a light sandalwood type finish as it sits on my skin. It does mellow out to an almost powdery scented floral, I like this though as it doesn't hit you over the head.
The quality I like might be its negative as well though. Although it does seem quite potent when you first put it on, I didn't find this had quite as much staying power as I'd like. Having said that, I'm such a fan of anything lavender that I'm quite a fan anyway!
If you are looking for a scent that is soft and pretty and different from most others, give this a try!
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Tarte Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint - Birthday Suit
I received the Tarte Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Birthday Suit as my birthday gift from Sephora and immediately fell in love! What an amazing neutral/nude colour. I have fair skin and this shade is a lovely mid-tone brown skewing pink... +
I received the Tarte Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Birthday Suit as my birthday gift from Sephora and immediately fell in love!
What an amazing neutral/nude colour. I have fair skin and this shade is a lovely mid-tone brown skewing pink. Calling it creamy is spot on, it feels nice and light on the lips but retains a softer creamy feel than most matte products do (I find once they dry my lips feel tight and look too dried out.) This product seems to have found the perfect formula, achieving a great matte look without that dryness occurring.
It has about average longevity for a matte product but not quite as long as a really dry matte lipstick; I think that might be the tradeoff for not feeling so dry. So yes, it does tend to wear off quicker than other mattes I've used. A decent lip primer will help with that a bit.
I definitely recommend this product and colour for most skin tones (probably light to somewhat olive toned). You may not like it as much if your skin is fairly dark as it likely won't give you any real enhancement to your normal lip colour. If like me you aren't a fan of the super dry matte products but DO like the matte look, give this one a try. I'll be purchasing the full size tube as soon as my gift tube runs out!
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Maybelline New York Great Lash Mascara
The one I always go back to! I think by now everyone is familiar with this mascara in its bright pink tube! It's a real workhorse; goes on great, not clumpy, lasts FOREVER and most importantly, makes your lashes look amazing. It's... +
The one I always go back to!
I think by now everyone is familiar with this mascara in its bright pink tube! It's a real workhorse; goes on great, not clumpy, lasts FOREVER and most importantly, makes your lashes look amazing. It's straight-forward, perfect brush design hits the mark. There's a reason I keep coming back to this one and that's simply because it really works. It's also one of the brands that are genuinely affordable.
I love trying new products so I've tried a variety of new mascaras as they have come out and none of them seem to measure up. They either clump, have poor brush design, smudge...I could go on. Great Lash is just that, great. It is probably the number one item in my cosmetics bag that has a permanent home!
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Maybelline New York Baby Lips Lip Balm
I really like the Baby Lips line of lip balms. I don't find them to be quite as moisturizing as some of the more straight-forward lip balms available on the market, but I think of them as a product that I use in conjunction with my lipstick or... +
I really like the Baby Lips line of lip balms. I don't find them to be quite as moisturizing as some of the more straight-forward lip balms available on the market, but I think of them as a product that I use in conjunction with my lipstick or lipgloss, and for that purpose they are ideal. I do think my lips are softer after use.
The colours are quite subtle, so if you are using these on their own you will still get a nice little hint of colour (unless you use clear!). I find the smell of this product so pleasant; it's not sweet and sickly like some lip balms can be but is just soft and not offensive. Texture wise I find Baby Lips to be very smooth going on; not sticky or tacky. It does seem to absorb quite quickly so I find I do reapply somewhat often. But as I mentioned, I tend to use it over lipstick and it gives a nice. moisturizing sheen, especially with some of my more matte lipsticks.
If you are looking for something exclusively for severely dry, cracked lips I don't think this is the perfect product choice. But as a complementary beauty product I really like these!
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Vitafusion MultiVites Gummy Vitamins
I bought these at Costco for about $13 because I was looking for an alternative to your typical large, bad tasting vitamins. So far, these seem to be doing the trick! The bottle I purchased is fairly large but the usual dosage is 2 per day so as... +
I bought these at Costco for about $13 because I was looking for an alternative to your typical large, bad tasting vitamins. So far, these seem to be doing the trick!
The bottle I purchased is fairly large but the usual dosage is 2 per day so as long as you remember to take them pretty regularly you shouldn't have a problem getting through the bottle before they expire. They are a fruit flavour mixture (peach, berry and orange); I like them but I can only describe the taste as "mild children's cough medicine", The gummy texture itself is quite soft and pleasant.
The one thing that I would consider a negative is that in order for these to taste good there are added sugars. We get sugars in so many things that if you can avoid them in something like your vitamins you probably should. On the other hand, it might be considered a small concession if you are someone who has trouble swallowing typically giant vitamins or just can't get around the sometimes chalky, horrible flavour of other types of vitamins.
I might buy these again simply because I find them pretty tasty and they are definitely easier to take than regular vitamins. This may be the first bottle of vitamins where I actually get through the whole bottle!
Pros
Taste Good
Easy to Take
Covers all your typical daily vitamin requirements
Good price
Cons
Sugars
Contain gelatine and beeswax so not suitable for vegetarians/vegans
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Panasonic Facial Ionic Steamer
I received the Panasonic Facial Ionic Steamer as a gift and have been using it for several months now. It has become an indispensable part of my beauty routine! This steamer works a little differently than something that is simply heating up water... +
I received the Panasonic Facial Ionic Steamer as a gift and have been using it for several months now. It has become an indispensable part of my beauty routine!
This steamer works a little differently than something that is simply heating up water and steaming your face. Apparently this device works to make the steam it produces thousands of times smaller than usual which penetrates and hydrates your skin much more effectively. It provides an approximately 5 minute mini-spa experience that is great for:
helping remove makeup
hydrating dry skin (especially in winter)
preparing skin for product application
cleansing
I have used this product for all of the above but mostly use it after cleansing but before applying moisturizer. It always seems to help improve how clean and fresh my skin feels and imparts a nice smooth, hydrated feel. You will notice that your face doesn't seem to get wet/drippy with this steamer; I'm guessing this is a result of the different way in which this device produces the steam.
It's very easy to use with a little reservoir for the water. I recommend (and use myself) using distilled water to prevent any sort of scale buildup in the unit that might damage it or affect how it works. You can definitely use this on a daily basis and if you've ever had a facial you know that steaming is typically a part of that routine. This is a simple, at home way to get a more professional quality result.
The one negative is that this unit is more on the expensive side; mine was on sale for $120 but seems to run closer to $200 normally. I definitely think it is worth it though; my skin feels great. An extra bonus: this machine is wonderful for those times you are congested/have a cold or are suffering with allergies. A nice warm steam does wonders in helping provide relief for all of these ailments and in this case is great for your skin at the same time!
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Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips
I'm a sucker for anything rose tinted/scented so when I saw this product I knew I had to try it! The product comes in a pleasing little round tin (I also have one in a mini classic vaseline jar) and is a lovely, rich rose colour. Applying it the... +
I'm a sucker for anything rose tinted/scented so when I saw this product I knew I had to try it!
The product comes in a pleasing little round tin (I also have one in a mini classic vaseline jar) and is a lovely, rich rose colour. Applying it the truth is you won't really see a lot of colour on your lips but I like using it as a moisturizer/gloss over other lip colours anyway. It adds a nice bit of moisturized shine without looking or feeling sticky or tacky.
The smell of this product is wonderful, a really light, pleasing rose scent that isn't overpowering or artificial smelling in any way.
The only disappointment then would be if you were expecting this to provide colour like a typical lip gloss might. As I mentioned, the colour is so subtle you can't really build it up into anything that is super noticeable. But in terms of actually providing moisture and protection to your lips you can't go wrong with this lovely variation on an old standby.
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Arm & Hammer Slide Easy Clean-Up Clumping Litter (Multi-Cat)
I had the opportunity to try Arm & Hammer's new Slide Easy Clean-Up clumping litter and was eager to see how it worked as I have 3 cats and it's a constant chore keeping their litter boxes clean! I received a sample free (it was a little difficult... +
I had the opportunity to try Arm & Hammer's new Slide Easy Clean-Up clumping litter and was eager to see how it worked as I have 3 cats and it's a constant chore keeping their litter boxes clean! I received a sample free (it was a little difficult to find a store selling both the brand and the smaller size, but finally found it at a Wal-Mart in a neighbouring town.) I decided to try the multi-cat version but it is also available in Non-Stop Odor Control.
My first impression was that the texture of the product is finer than litters I have used in the past. There was NO dust when filling the boxes, which was a big plus in my mind. I wondered if the finer texture might mean more mess when the cats are scratching around but so far (2 days) I've not noticed anything out of the ordinary.
I did notice that there wasn't a particular scent when filling the boxes; this doesn't mean there isn't odour control and if you are someone who prefers a less scented product, you'll probably appreciate this. The other version of this product may have a stronger scent to it.
Initially the cats were a little wary but they are like this whenever anything changes. They did use the box fairly quickly. The multi-cat version says it controls odour for 7 days but I wouldn't ever let things go that long without a litter change with 3 cats! In fact, I don't know if I would say the odour control was particularly better than other litters I've used. But it was adequate. So now onto the major claim, that litter will not stick to the box.
I found that there was a little bit of stick still to the litter when dumping the box. Was it as much as usual? NO, not even close. So in that respect, I'd say their claim was pretty accurate. Maybe with just one cat you'd find that it worked perfectly. However, I would make sure to scoop on your usual schedule as I imagine the "slide ability" of the product decreases as the box gets dirtier.
This IS an expensive product, we're talking between $14-$19 depending which size you choose and where you buy it. And it won't necessarily last longer than anything else you are using. I would weigh carefully whether the sliding aspect of the product justifies the price in your mind. I don't think this will become my regular litter because of the high price, but I will certainly use it again.
Pros:
Controls Odour quite well
Does slide out of box well
No dust
Cons
Price is kind of high
There is a little bit of stick still, but it is minimal
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Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
This is going to be a fairly short review for me because I had one HUGE problem with these. I literally could not stand how they felt in my hand or how they felt in use. I don't know if it makes sense but the sensation of using this product was... +
This is going to be a fairly short review for me because I had one HUGE problem with these. I literally could not stand how they felt in my hand or how they felt in use.
I don't know if it makes sense but the sensation of using this product was kind of like nails on a chalkboard, or wool between your teeth or any of the things that make you cringe. These just felt so terrible on my hands and dragged on the surface I was cleaning in such a way that I will never use them again, certainly not when there are so many other effective products out there.
Has anyone else experienced this or have I found a strange little personal quirk I wonder?
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McCain Deep 'n Delicious Vanilla Cake
When I was a kid I LOVED this cake. Now? Not so much. So the other day I was hit with a wave of nostalgia and decided to buy one of these cakes. The vanilla was always my favourite, I particularly have memories of this being a dessert add on to... +
When I was a kid I LOVED this cake. Now? Not so much.
So the other day I was hit with a wave of nostalgia and decided to buy one of these cakes. The vanilla was always my favourite, I particularly have memories of this being a dessert add on to KFC meals. Anyway, I was really looking forward to splurging.
I don't know if my memories are just super clouded, if my taste buds have matured a LOT or if this cake has completely changed since I remember eating it, but it was pretty awful. Awful in that "geez, this tastes super artificial, plastic and bland" kind of way. The mouth feel of the frosting was kind of weird for me, not really oily, but over whipped and oddly strange tasting. I get that it's meant to be a marshmallow topping, how do you make a marshmallow taste like a cheap imitation of itself?
The cake itself is pretty mediocre but at least it seemed moist and had a recognizable vanilla flavour. Again though, it definitely has the taste of cheap ingredients; you don't get the sense that you are eating anything but oil and chemicals.
I possibly hated the "chocolate" sprinkles on top most of all. They don't taste like chocolate to me and have a terrible texture, kind of firm, kind of soft, kind of plastic like, kind of, well, unidentifiable, just like the flavour.
I think this is the worst review for a product I have written so far. I don't know how they are still making these cakes, I feel ripped off. Maybe the other flavours are better? Do yourself a favour, spend the $2-$3 on a Betty Crocker mix and frosting, for the money, that makes a superior cake 100 times over!
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