xena
Member Since: July 31, 2008Reviews
L'Oreal Professionnel Intense Repair Shampoo
Received this product as a product review so can't comment on the price but this is a really amazing product! It's not overly scented and overall easy to work with. Don't need very much to work up a good lather. I immediately noticed a... +
Received this product as a product review so can't comment on the price but this is a really amazing product! It's not overly scented and overall easy to work with. Don't need very much to work up a good lather. I immediately noticed a difference to my hair. It was a lot smoother. In the past, I would need to use another (smoothing) product on top of shampoo and conditioner prior to blow drying to get rid of the frizz, but with this L'Oreal shampoo and the conditioner (repair masque), I didn't need anything else and the hair came out really smooth after blow drying. Hair looks really healthy and shiny. I would definitely recommend this to others and would recommend this over any other "repair" shampoos out there. -
Crest 3D White Whitestrips 2-hour Express
I didn't realize until AFTER I received my sample in the mail that I'm not supposed to use this because of pregnancy. NOTE TO MOMS-TO-BE: you may read on some forums that whitening products are okay for pregnancy, but there will also be... +
I didn't realize until AFTER I received my sample in the mail that I'm not supposed to use this because of pregnancy. NOTE TO MOMS-TO-BE: you may read on some forums that whitening products are okay for pregnancy, but there will also be others (including dentists) who will advise you to avoid. Better to be safe than sorry. And so, I got my husband to try these out instead.
First, the con: the fact that you have to wait a while after you brush your teeth and then have these on for 2 hours is a little inconvenient. We had trouble finding a good chunk of time to do this, when finally my husband decided he'll just do it at work (so unfortunately, I wasn't there to take before and after pics). Aside from that though, I appreciate the fact that you do this once, and then not for another 3 months for the next application.
Overall, my husband was pleased with the product. There was a slight improvement in the whiteness of the teeth. However, compared to other products, it's not that much different in terms of whitening power. This one seemed to stick on better though, so less leaking of the gel (yuck!).
We would consider recommending it to others for the convenience (only a few applications vs 7 or more), but only if it's economical.
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Cottonelle Ultra Bathroom Tissue
Fewer stars for price because this is usually so expensive, but I have seen it on sale at Superstore, so when it's on sale again, stock up because it's definitely a VERY good quality toilet paper. I can't believe how soft it is! I would... +
Fewer stars for price because this is usually so expensive, but I have seen it on sale at Superstore, so when it's on sale again, stock up because it's definitely a VERY good quality toilet paper. I can't believe how soft it is! I would compare it to chenille (and even looks like chenille with the striping pattern!). It's thick so won't tear as you wipe, and you can also get away with fewer squares than what you normally use. Doesn't leave the dusty bits after blowing your nose or wiping your tears. Downside: it's so difficult to tear (both rolls I tried had that problem and looks like other chicks have had the same problem), so you wouldn't be able to do the quick one-handed tear - you'll have to rip slowly and carefully. Hopefully Cottonelle takes this feedback into consideration in improving their product. Otherwise, would definitely recommend trying. However, would I make this my regular brand? Probably not. Toilet paper is toilet paper, and honestly I'll buy whichever one is on sale (but maybe have a couple of rolls of Cottonelle on hand to switch to when I have guests over! :) ) -
Conair Testarossa Hair Dryer
This hair dryer is only a month old, but so far so good. Hopefully it doesn't die on me like Ali's Conair (http://www.chickadvisor.com/item/conair-1875-chrome-turbo-styler-blowdryer/), but will of course update this if it does. So far, I... +
This hair dryer is only a month old, but so far so good. Hopefully it doesn't die on me like Ali's Conair (http://www.chickadvisor.com/item/conair-1875-chrome-turbo-styler-blowdryer/), but will of course update this if it does.
So far, I love this dryer! First of all, it looks so sexy in the shiny red! But of course, let's talk about its effectiveness. It's not the lightest, even though on the packaging it says it's 20% lighter. However, it doesn't bother me since it is a lot faster at drying the hair so I don't have to hold it for so long. It's an ionic dryer, which means that it's supposed to be good for preventing frizzy hair. I do notice that my hair is smoother after using this. Comes with 2 attachments, both of which just snap onto the mouth of the dyer - pretty standard. Seems to hook on pretty well. Heat settings are good. Not too hot in the hottest setting. Speed settings are fine as well. Low is not too slow and high is not too strong.
Overall, I really like it, mainly because it's very powerful and dries hair quickly. Had the option of getting a cheaper Conair one instead, but decided I like this one too much. Get it at Costco! Easy return if it breaks down on you. Besides, it does come with a 5-year warranty.
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Benefit Cosmetics Girl Meets Pearl
I received a sample of this, so I’d have to say that I normally wouldn’t buy this. The effects are so subtle that I couldn’t justify spending my money, and would rather put it towards some other makeup products. Perhaps it depends on what... +
I received a sample of this, so I’d have to say that I normally wouldn’t buy this. The effects are so subtle that I couldn’t justify spending my money, and would rather put it towards some other makeup products. Perhaps it depends on what moisturizer you use underneath your makeup, because I found that I get enough of a glow with my usual moisturizer. I’ve gone so far as to use Girl Meets Pearl on one side of the face only, and the difference is immeasurable.
That said, I would recommend this if you are in the market for something to give you a subtle glow. This is not overly shiny, easy to apply. You simply twist the stick and the product comes up through little holes at the top – if you’re using for the first time, note that it does take A LOT of twisting (to the point where I thought maybe the product was defective) before any product comes out.
Psychologically, it’s a great booster! The packaging is so pretty and the awareness that my skin is guaranteed to be “glowing” at all times makes me feel pretty and feminine. However, practically speaking, I’d say save your money and try some of Benefits other products.
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Ocean Breeze Spa Ltd
Note: this review is only for the eyebrow threading services. Recently, there was a coupon for eyebrow threading at SocialShopper.com. Regularly, they charge $12 for threading. Coupon was: threading for $5, but you have to pay tax and tip. The work... +
Note: this review is only for the eyebrow threading services. Recently, there was a coupon for eyebrow threading at SocialShopper.com. Regularly, they charge $12 for threading. Coupon was: threading for $5, but you have to pay tax and tip. The work done on my eyebrows was fine. Not spectacular. However, what really prompted me to write this review is that the lady who was threading my brows had her knuckles all up in my eye and by the end of it all, my eye makeup was all smudged! I was NOT impressed. Normally, for $5, I would go to this other place on Fraser Street (Visions) - it's quick, it's cheap, and they do a good job and they're always careful not to touch your eye area. However, since I've moved a bit further away from that place, I thought I'd try this place in Yaletown. I thought perhaps for a place that normally charges $12 for threading, I'd expect a nice "spa" experience. Nope. You're in, you're out...no different from the other place that charges only $5. To be fair, I have yet to bring this up with the owner, but just wanted to give peeps a heads up. Keep y'all posted if my opinion changes. -
Aveeno® Active Naturals Skin Relief Fragrance Free Body Wash
I bought this because it was on sale at Costco, and when I tried it, I wasn't blown away. It had a nice light scent, it was quite gentle, and left my skin moisturized. Not that much better than the Dove body wash I had been using. However, once... +
I bought this because it was on sale at Costco, and when I tried it, I wasn't blown away. It had a nice light scent, it was quite gentle, and left my skin moisturized. Not that much better than the Dove body wash I had been using. However, once this bottle was done and I switched to a bottle of Ivory, I truly realized now how good the Aveeno was. I realized that I took for granted that: 1) you really don't need to use much at all (a loonie-sized amount, lathered up well should do all or most of your body), 2) the smell is very light and not perfumy at all, and 3) it doesn't leave a sticky/waxy film. I had tried this in the summer, so not sure how it stands up against dry winters, but on days when I didn't use moisturizer after the shower, my skin was still good. If you're hesitant because of the price point, you really have to take into consideration that you don't need much of this product. I must say though, I don't have sensitive skin, so can't comment on its effectiveness for sensitive skin types, but it does feel gentle enough on the skin. Worth a try. -
Rene Furterer Complex 5
My review is actually for Rene Furterer products in general. I have thick long hair, and I had the most horrible scalp problem. It got to the point where right after washing, it would be itchy again. I finally discovered what was wrong. The salon... +
My review is actually for Rene Furterer products in general. I have thick long hair, and I had the most horrible scalp problem. It got to the point where right after washing, it would be itchy again. I finally discovered what was wrong. The salon I've been going to had a Rene Furterer rep in there one day doing scalp analyses, and figured that I had oily dandruff, a result of the damp weather here in Vancouver. Once she figured the type of dandruff (treatment depends on what type you have), she recommended the right shampoo/conditioner to go with Complex 5. The products are quite expensive, so I initially only purchased Complex 5. It seemed to help a tiny bit (took away the itch, but it would come back after a day). Tried that for 2-3 weeks, and then decided to add the shampoo and conditioner that was recommended (from the Melaleuca line). BOY! That combo worked exponentially better. After a few washes, the itchiness slowly went away. I then started to use it intermittently, alternating between this and my regular shampoo (Bumble and Bumble). I make sure to dry my hair/scalp thoroughly, and now the problem is pretty much gone (although it did take ~ 6 mo for me to be truly convinced that this stuff had solved my problem). Using the Rene Furterer stuff ~ twice a week, it has lasted for 7 months and I still have quite a bit of product left. I like this stuff not only because it got rid of my stubborn scalp/dandruff problem, but it also has a nice light scent to it and it's made of essential oils, which is better for you than the chemicals used in other shampoo products. Definitely worth trying, especially if you've already tried everything else (like tea tree shampoos...didn't work for me). -
Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Frozen Dessert
We bought the chocolate Smooth and Dreamy. $4.98 at Superstore (Vancouver) for a 1.89L tub. Shared 2 scoops with my hubby and he thought it was pretty good. Very chocolatey and very rich. I told him it was low-fat and he was shocked! It truly does... +
We bought the chocolate Smooth and Dreamy. $4.98 at Superstore (Vancouver) for a 1.89L tub. Shared 2 scoops with my hubby and he thought it was pretty good. Very chocolatey and very rich. I told him it was low-fat and he was shocked! It truly does taste very creamy. I love the chocolate taste too! However, I recommend eating small amounts at a time because halfway through it, it started tasting VERY sweet and kinda gummy. To give you a comparison, I can usually handle sweet stuff but not too much of it. 1 nanaimo bar (~3x4 inches) is pretty good...I wouldn't be able to finish a 2nd one.
So, yes, do give this a try, but remember: don't overdo it! Enjoy!
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The Body Shop Nutriganics Smoothing Serum
I noticed on the website (http://www.thebodyshop.ca/nutriganicssmoothingserum.html) that it's normally $24/bottle and is now on sale for $15/bottle. Can't say I'd fork out $24 to try this, but if it's on sale, why not. Has a light... +
I noticed on the website (http://www.thebodyshop.ca/nutriganicssmoothingserum.html) that it's normally $24/bottle and is now on sale for $15/bottle. Can't say I'd fork out $24 to try this, but if it's on sale, why not. Has a light scent which might bother some because it's smells very "organic" and natural (i.e., not flowery). I personally don't really like the smell but it's light enough that it eventually goes away.
Goes on watery, but that's okay. My skin seems to just drink it up. 1 pump is all you need. Skin does look softer and more supple (like it's actually hydrated). All in all, nothing mind-boggling or spectacular. The fact that it's organic might make it special in comparison with other Body Shop products but there are other organic products out there that work just as well, if not better. My personal preference is to fork out a little more to get something like Eminence products.
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