xoliana
Member Since: July 31, 2016Reviews
Baby Life White Petroleum Jelly
The Baby Life White Petroleum Jelly is the same thing as Vaseline. It comes in a blue tube with 100g of product, is hypoallergenic, and scent-free. I tend to get very dry patches of skin, so I like to use this anywhere that needs extra hydration... +
The Baby Life White Petroleum Jelly is the same thing as Vaseline. It comes in a blue tube with 100g of product, is hypoallergenic, and scent-free.
I tend to get very dry patches of skin, so I like to use this anywhere that needs extra hydration. Lately, I've been putting a fairly generous layer under my eyes before bed and letting it soak in overnight. This is extremely thick and greasy, so my under eyes look really shiny after putting this on. But it works! By the time the morning rolls around, I just wipe any excess off with my micellar water on a cotton pad, put on a little bit of my moisturizer, and I'm good to go. This has helped so much with my dryness under the eyes. My makeup no longer looks all flaky and cakey.
In the wintertime, I sometimes get excess dryness on my lips as well as in/around my nose. This also works really well for that. I just take a little bit and put it wherever I need it. Because it's so thick, it lasts a long time without needing to be reapplied.
I recommend this to anyone with dry patches. It's not just a baby product! It's a really affordable moisturizer.
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Life Brand Vitaderm
The Life Brand Vitaderm is the equivalent of Bio Oil. The bottle size/colour, consistency of the oil, colour of the oil, and the scent are all very comparable. The price is roughly $10/60mL. I have small marks on my legs from pimples and bug... +
The Life Brand Vitaderm is the equivalent of Bio Oil. The bottle size/colour, consistency of the oil, colour of the oil, and the scent are all very comparable. The price is roughly $10/60mL.
I have small marks on my legs from pimples and bug bites. Because I'm extremely pale, any little bump leaves behind a very dark scar on my white skin, and these scars don't easily heal. I would rather not walk around with a ton of marks on my legs, so I picked this up. I've been using it twice a day, everyday, as recommended on the bottle. Although it's probably only been about four weeks, I'm already noticing a difference in the severity and darkness of the marks on my legs. I've also been mixing some in with my night time moisturizer and it's really helped with the dry phase my skin is going through.
I like that when you tip it out, only one drop comes at a time. Oils can be really messy and they often come out too quickly, giving you more than what you really need. One drop is all I need for each mark on my leg. For my face, I typically mix in 2-3 drops with my moisturizer and rub it all together in my hands before applying.
The consistency is initially a tad greasy, but when blended in, it soaks in well and doesn't leave skin feeling too oily. The smell is pleasant and not overbearing. With the Bio Oil, I used to find that it was too powerful for me to use anywhere near my face. This stuff has the exact same scent, it's just much more mild. It doesn't bother me at all.
I would recommend this product for anyone with small scars or stretch marks which require a bit of healing, or even for those with dry skin.
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Tales Of Symphonia: Dawn of The New World
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of The New World is a Japanese role-playing game (RPG). It was initially released for the Nintendo Wii in 2008 and was subsequently re-released, along with its predecessor, for the PlayStation 3 in 2013. The plot runs... +
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of The New World is a Japanese role-playing game (RPG). It was initially released for the Nintendo Wii in 2008 and was subsequently re-released, along with its predecessor, for the PlayStation 3 in 2013.
The plot runs somewhat concurrently with the events of Tales of Symphonia. The story follows Emil, whose parents are killed by someone who appears to be Lloyd (the protagonist of the previous game). At the same time, a young girl named Marta uses an artifact to appeal to the God Ratatosk. Some months later, after the carnage has passed and Lloyd is viewed as a hero rather than a traitor, Emil flees and meets up with Marta in a chance encounter. When the two are in danger, a spirit in the form of a cat named Tenebrae appears and makes a pact with Emil. Emil is then given special abilities and not only has more strength and agility, but can tame monsters to help him in battle. With these new powers, they all set out in search of Lloyd, who killed Emil's parents months ago.
The gameplay is pretty much the same as the first. You play as either Emil or Marta, and the others in your party are controlled by either AI or your friends with a controller. Battles take place in real time, but you can pause to the menu screen for different options. While you can comprise a party entirely out of human characters (including some from the previous game), the monsters you can tame are often much more useful.
That brings me to my first complaint about the game: the monster taming. Emil's ability to tame monsters is incredibly inconsistent, so while you may go for a stretch where it's super easy to get new monsters for your party, you'll also go through even longer stretches where you'll get none. There's no real way of guaranteeing you'll get a monster, or that you'll get a specific one from any given battle (say, if there are several types on screen at once). Once you get the right ones, the game becomes stupidly easily. You can literally set the controller down and let your monster companions do everything for you -- I'm not joking.
My second complaint is the story, which is incredibly boring. What's worse is the environments: they just put you through all the old dungeons from the previous game which somehow look worse than what they did in the original Tales of Symphonia. When they do introduce new dungeons, they're very linear and not at all difficult or interesting to look at. The actisl characters also move and talk in very strange ways, often seeming to stand still for far too long without saying anything, or moving in weird, jerky motions.
Overall I think this game is a complete waste of time. If you like the first game, just stop there. There are plenty of great Tales games available, but this is not one of them.
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Tales of Symphonia
Tales of Symphonia is a Japanese role-playing game (RPG). It was initially released in 2004 for the Nintendo Gamecube and has since been re-released for the PlayStation 3 and Steam platform. The game follows Lloyd, a young man living in the world... +
Tales of Symphonia is a Japanese role-playing game (RPG). It was initially released in 2004 for the Nintendo Gamecube and has since been re-released for the PlayStation 3 and Steam platform.
The game follows Lloyd, a young man living in the world of Sylvarant. His friend Collette has been tasked with becoming the next Chosen. Lloyd and his friends accompany Collette on her pilgrimage as she is tested along the way, receiving new angelic powers while simultaneously losing part of what makes her human (such as her ability to speak). When it's revealed that the angel Remiel is not who he seems, Sylvarant and its parallel world Tethe'alla will be thrown into chaos unless Lloyd and the others can save both from destruction.
The gameplay takes place in a real-time battlefield. You can play as any of the protagonists, with either a computer AI controlling three other allies, or your friends controlling them. While it's easier to play with real people for certain, more difficult battles, there's no denying the fact that the AI is very reliable and consistent. You can set skills for each player, as well as customize the type of action they take (defending, healing, using their special skills). This makes everything run very smoothly.
The story itself is good, not great. Many of the Tales games rely on religious undertones to get their point across, but this is perhaps one of the most religiously-themed of all. There are angels, churches, "Chosen Ones", evil-doers, etc. to the point where it does kind of bang you over the head with it. It's definitely not subtle in any sense of the term.
I do really like the graphics, which still look nice by today's standards. I have played this on both the Gamecube and PS3 and have found no huge difference between the two, other than the fact that the re-release allows you to choose from English or Japanese audio. I much prefer the Japanese.
This is a fun game and one which I would recommend to fans of the genre.
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Persona 4
Persona 4 is a Japanese role-playing game. It was released in 2008 for the PlayStation 2, and has subsequently been released for the PS3 and PlayStation Vita. The story revolves around a young male protagonist, who moves to the Japanese... +
Persona 4 is a Japanese role-playing game. It was released in 2008 for the PlayStation 2, and has subsequently been released for the PS3 and PlayStation Vita.
The story revolves around a young male protagonist, who moves to the Japanese countryside to live with his uncle and younger cousin. Once there, he discovers that a string of recent murders are directly tied to a strange television channel called the Midnight Channel. The Midnight Channel only appears during Midnight on a rainy night, while the TV is switched off. The rumour is that the figure who appears is your soulmate, but in reality, they're future victims of a serial killer.
The gameplay consists of battling monsters with a 4-person party, each of whom can draw upon the power of their Personas. While most characters only have one Persona -- a reflection of their inner self, with different elemental and battle abilities -- the main protagonist can carry several different Personas at once. He can also create new Personas through fusion.
In addition to the turn-based battle system, there is also a social element. During the day, you'll be in school, where you'll be called upon to answer simple questions in class or take tests (you'll be rewarded for higher grades), as well as have the option to hang out with friends or increase your own attributes (such as courage or intelligence). Socializing is an important aspect of the game because the closer you get to your friends, the stronger you'll be in battle. It's also just a really fun part of the game!
I did really enjoy the mystery and detective aspect of the story. It was quite dark, which I liked, but it eventually began to grow a bit slow. I was able to guess who the killer was ahead of time, and I think that, had they not stalled for so long, it would have been more of a surprise and a thrill. Additionally, I think they made a pretty big mistake by making this game so dang similar to Persona 3 (an overall superior game, in my opinion). By making it so similar, things become overly familiar and therefore a bit tedious.
I think that this is still a good game and one worth playing, but it's one of those things where I feel like it does run out of steam due to pacing problems. You may prefer the third game more.
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Persona 3: FES
Persona 3: FES is a Japanese role-playing game (RPG) which was released in 2007. It's available to play on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita. The story follows an unnamed protagonist who moves to a new town, where strange... +
Persona 3: FES is a Japanese role-playing game (RPG) which was released in 2007. It's available to play on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita.
The story follows an unnamed protagonist who moves to a new town, where strange things have been happening. People in the town have become afflicted with something called Apathy Syndrome, a virus which renders them completely emotionless and unable to summon the energy to do basic tasks. A group of high school students have formed a task force called SEES, and by night -- during the Midnight Hour -- they explore Tartarus, an alternate realm that replaces their high school grounds. There, they use the power of their Personas to fight monsters and get to the bottom of what's going on in their city.
The gameplay consists of forming a 4-player battle party. Fights are turn-based, with each player and enemy taking turns. Each player has their own Persona, a sort of reflection of their inner selves, which they can use for special abilities during each fight. Each one has their own unique set of skills which fall under a different element, such as light, wind, ice, etc. While most characters only have one Persona, the main character can hold many, and can create new ones through fusion.
Aside from the typical battle system present in most RPGs, there is also a social element. During the day, you participate in school activities and have the ability to interact with your fellow classmates. You can choose to hang out with certain individuals at any given time, which will strengthen your relationship as well as any Personas tied to their arcana (Magician, Death, et al). This makes for a very unique gameplay experience, and a very enjoyable one.
I found this game to be very fun, with a very large amount of gameplay to keep its demographic occupied. You can easily put in 80+ hours into one save file, and that's without doing any of the extras available with the FES extended content. This makes the game a very worthwhile purchase, and one which I would definitely recommend.
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Delon Premium Cotton Rounds
The Delon Premium Cotton Rounds are a 100% organic cotton pad. They're made in Canada and are ideal for the removal of cosmetics and nail polish. I buy mine in bulk at Costco, where you can get about eight packages of 100 pads each. I love that... +
The Delon Premium Cotton Rounds are a 100% organic cotton pad. They're made in Canada and are ideal for the removal of cosmetics and nail polish. I buy mine in bulk at Costco, where you can get about eight packages of 100 pads each.
I love that these have two sides to them -- a softer side, and a textured side. The textured side isn't too rough, so if you're overly sensitive, like I am, you don't have to worry about the material irritating your skin. I tend to use the softer side for eye makeup remover, and the textured side for the rest of my face. These absorb the product well without falling apart at all. The only thing I will say is that the textured side can sometimes pull up if you're using too much product or scrubbing too hard.
The size of each cotton pad is generous. Depending on what it is you're doing, you could probably get away with just using half of one so as to not be wasteful. I find that I go through these so quickly, even though there are so many of them -- but at two a day, with a strict skincare routine, I guess it's not surprising that they run out quite quickly.
These are the only cotton pad I use and I would highly recommend them.
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Rocket Double Lollies
Rocket Double Lollies are lollipops from the brand that makes Rockets candy. There are two flavours layered together, with either an orange and a yellow or a pink and blue (if there are others, I haven't seen them). They come in packages of 12... +
Rocket Double Lollies are lollipops from the brand that makes Rockets candy. There are two flavours layered together, with either an orange and a yellow or a pink and blue (if there are others, I haven't seen them). They come in packages of 12 lollies.
These are some of my favourite candies. To me, they taste more like Sweet Tarts than Rockets. I've always found Rockets to be a bit more sweet, whereas Sweet Tarts are that perfect blend of sweet and tart (hence their name!). These lollies are quite small, but sucking on them will take a decent amount of time. They're also very affordable as I find they're easily available at most dollar stores and bulk stores.
These have about 6 grams of sugar per lollipop. That's not too bad, so as long as you don't go crazy and eat a whole package at once, these make a nice little treat for after a meal or during the day. They have just the right amount of sweetness and tartness to them.
I would recommend these to anyone who enjoys Sweet Tarts and Rockets.
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San-J Gluten-free Thai Peanut Sauce
San-J Gluten-free Thai Peanut Sauce is one of my favourite marinades. This sauce has a fantastic flavour, and the best part -- as the name would suggest -- it's gluten-free! So many marinades contain small amounts of wheat and barley, so this is a... +
San-J Gluten-free Thai Peanut Sauce is one of my favourite marinades. This sauce has a fantastic flavour, and the best part -- as the name would suggest -- it's gluten-free! So many marinades contain small amounts of wheat and barley, so this is a great option for those of us who have sensitivities.
The taste of this sauce is truly incredible. It's packed full of flavour and is both sweet and spicy, without leaning too far in either direction. I've never been able to handle really hot, spicy foods, but this has just enough of a kick to it without making me uncomfortable in any way. It's a very tolerable heat, but the more you add, the hotter it will become. If you like your spice, you can definitely build it up to a higher level.
The consistency is fairly liquidy. I find that it works really well in a stir fry, where you can just pour some on top of your portion and mix it in with your utensils. It adds such great flavour to the meat, veggies and rice. I would love to try it as a simple marinade over barbecued chicken sometime, as I'm sure it would work well there too.
I can't recommend this product enough. If you can eat peanuts and you're looking for something to add a bunch of flavour to your meals, this is most definitely an excellent option.
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Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask
I received a sample of this with one of my Sephora orders. The amount I received was enough to try out 1-2 times a week for three weeks, so I feel comfortable giving my opinion at this time. I have sensitive skin which is sometimes oily in my... +
I received a sample of this with one of my Sephora orders. The amount I received was enough to try out 1-2 times a week for three weeks, so I feel comfortable giving my opinion at this time.
I have sensitive skin which is sometimes oily in my T-zone. I also have very large pores in my nose and cheeks with sebaceous filaments -- in other words, it always looks like I have blackheads even when I don't. I thought I would put this mask on in my trouble areas and see what it would do, if it would minimize the look of my sebaceous filaments and size of my pores at all. I have to say that it didn't do much.
I initially really enjoyed the experience of wearing this mask because it was so thick and had a wonderful cooling sensation. When it dried, however, it got extremely tight, to the point where it was uncomfortable. I found that I was scraping really hard with a wet cloth to get it off, which in turn left my poor skin feeling very red and irritated.
Because this did absolutely nothing for my pores and because it hurts my skin when it hardens, I have to say that this mask is not for me. These types of hardening masks are probably not a good idea for extremely sensitive skin in general.
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