October 21, 2005
Sunscreen in Winter?
Anti-aging products may help plump up skin that's already wrinkled, but suncreen protects against future damage to the skin. It protects your skin from the aging and burning rays of the sun which is why I call it the real fountain of youth. Suncreen should be worn everyday, not just on the beach or during the summer months. Both UVA an UVB rays can poke through clouds, so protect your largest organ from wrinkles and sun damage with a dollop of sunscreen everyday.
I know I've been skimping on the updates lately, so I'm going to make it up to you all with a brand new product review! Here goes!
I got a free sample of Murad Waterproof Sunblock SPF 30 with my latest order from Sephora.com
. So, I decided to hold off on my usual Coppertone Ultrasheer Sunscreen SPF 45 ($10)
and give this Murad stuff a try.
A full size (4oz.) bottle of Murad's sunblock is $27. Is this sunscreen really worth all of your hard earned pretty pennies (in this case, tons and tons of pennies)?
...Absolutely not!...
Where do I begin? Just the smell of this stuff scared me. It smells like medicine masked by essential oils. Yup, there are oils in this sunscreen and oils can clog pores, even essential oils. Not only does it smell bad, it's greasy and leaves a nasty film behind. The only good thing I have to say about Murad's sunscreen is that it did protect my skin from the sun. I can buy stinky yet effective sunscreen from the dollar store! I'll definitely be sticking to my Coppertone Ultrasheer Sunscreen, SPF 45 ($10). It's not greasy or smelly and full of vitamins and antioxidants. The best part about Coppertone's sunscreen is that it's only 10 bucks and comes in a bigger bottle (6oz.)! Thank goodness for effective, inexpensive sunscreen! Woohoo!
Posted by *Tammy at 04:47 PM
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Comparisons&Reviews
October 05, 2005
The Mascara Results Are In!
Two step mascaras are very popular now a days, one side has a fortifying lash primer and the other side has a highly pigmented mascara. The first step is the primer which nourishes lashes with lengthening and thickening ingredients and also helps mascara stay put. The second step is the actual mascara which darkens, defines, and lifts lashes sky high.
On 09/13/05, I started my comparison between a pricey two step mascara and a less expensive one. I tried both Bourjois Coup de Theatre False Lash Illusion Duo Mascara
Bourjois Coup de Theatre False Lash Illusion Duo Mascara in Noir Diva 11
The Claim: "Coupe de Theatre is a unique, extra lengthening and ultra-thickening dual-ended mascara. One end contains a unique cero-fibrillar complex consisting of wax, nylon fibers and silica fibers that thicken and lengthen lashes, and the other end contains a pro-vitamin B5 enriched, highly pigmented, mascara for ultra rich color and shine."
The Result
-The primer glided on to my lashes smoothly and coated very evenly. When I finished this step, I saw that the primer had extended beyond my natural lash tips. It added little white "extensions" to them, making them appear longer! The primer thickened up my lashes nicely too!
- I thought the mascara was not going to go on so smoothly because the primer was already there, but boy was I wrong. It glided on just as smoothly and evenly as the primer did! After two coats, my lashes were super long, dark, and shiny. It really gave me that false lash look without looking too dramatic. I applied a third coat to see if my lashes would clump, but they didn't! By the third coat, my lashes were extremely long and shiny and I loved it!
- After being outside in 100 degree weather for a day, I thought my mascara had melted, giving me the dreaded racoon eyes. I checked in the mirror and low and behold, no sign of racoon eyes at all. My lashes looked just as great as they did when I applied the mascara that morning!
- Bourjois' mascara actually lived up to their claim! It thickened, lengthened, darkened, and didn't clump with many coats. It also withstood the Los Angeles heat without melting or smearing! Who knew lashes could look this great without falsies? This mascara is definately great, but a little too expensive for my student income to afford on a regular basis.
L'Oreal Double Extend Mascara in Blackest Black
The Claim: +60% Visibly Longer
Step 1: Lash Extender Base-Coat - prime, fortify, lengthen.
Step 2: Lash Magnifier Color-Coat - coat with rich color, magnify.
L'Oreal invents New Double Extend Mascara Lash Extender and Magnifier to create long, lush lashes...in just 2 easy steps!
The Result
- The primer glided on nicely, but I couldn't really see it on my lashes so I didn't know whether it distrbuted evenly or not. I used two coats just to make sure I applied it evenly.
- The mascara went on easily and thickened up my lashes really nicely. It made my lashes look multiplied! I had long, super fat lashes! Nice.
- DO NOT let the first coat of mascara dry before applying the second coat because it will clump.
- After being outside on a hot day, the mascara melted a little bit giving me me semi-racoon eyes, nothing severe though. I just used a tissue to wipe off the mess and applied powder on my eye lids and under my eyes to keep the mascara from running. After that touch up, the mascara stayed in place all the way into the night.
- Not only did L'Oreal's mascara lengthen and magnify my lashes, it also multiplied them! It's just as good as Bourjois' mascara and much less expensive. Now this mascara, I can afford regularly! Woohoo!
Conclusion: Both mascaras lived up to their claims of making lashes look great, but Bourjois' is a little too expensive for me. L'Oreal's mascara works just as well and the price is very nice. I'll stick with the L'Oreal on a regular basis and maybe splurge on the Bourjois once in awhile when I have a little extra money.
Posted by *Tammy at 09:15 AM
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filed under Comparisons&Reviews
September 13, 2005
What's the Difference?
Is there a difference in quality between beauty products sold in durg stores and beauty products sold in department/specialty stores? There are diffrences, but some have larger ones than others. For instance, most foundations sold in drugstores have more "filler (stuff that really does't need to be in there)" ingredients than actual pigment. Most foundations sold at department/specialty stores have more pigment, less "filler," and gentler ingredients. I have not seen much of a difference in quality between expensive and cheap eyeliners; the ones I've tried have glided on nicely and stayed in place for most of the day or night (my favorites are Avon Oval Options Eye Pencil, Wet N' Wild Eye Liner, and NYC Eye Liner, NYC Oval Pencil).
Every month or so, I'm going to put my skin, hair, nails, and wallet at stake just so you can know which products really do what they claim to do and which ones don't. I will compare two of the same product, one from a drugstore and one from a department/specialty store. After trying them out, I will let you know whether there is a significant difference between them or not. Sometimes, I will try only one product (I'll try my best to test fairly new ones) and review it. I'll let you know which products I feel are best and which ones to stay away from.
I know everyone has a different opinion, so I invite you to try them also and email me your opinions! The very first product comparison is between Bourjois Coup de Theatre False Lash Illusion Duo Mascara
Posted by *Tammy at 08:50 AM
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filed under BeautyTips
Comparisons&Reviews
