Showing posts with label Cosmetics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cosmetics. Show all posts

3/24/2024

Eylure Dybrow permanent brow tint kit (dark brown)

This is the first time I use this brand and kit and I will definitely buy it again. I can't but compare it with another brand very similar product (1000Hour) that I have been using for years, and Eylure wins by far. It follows the same procedure for eyebrow tinting: mix 1 cm of colouring cream with 3 drops of developer, mix well, apply with the provided wand, wait 15 minutes and voila. While the 1000Hour kit requires me to have the product 30 minutes on to cover the greys on my eyebrows and it does not cover them well, this one does this perfectly in 15 minutes and greys are gone. Dark brown colour is true to the colour.
 
I had no reaction to the product at all, and it didn't itch or burn when applied. I have used this dye with some greys showing on my temples and small patches on my hair line, and works beautifully as well.
 
Instructions of use come in leaflet written in different languages.
 
The photos on the product page don't reflect the reality of the product I got. The external packaging is identical but not the internal. The developer is a small bottle with a liquid, not a cream tube and the plastic container is also different, as the one I got has not rest for the application wand. 

12/13/2023

L'Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Hair Mask, 300 ml

I've used this mask for the first time recently lured by the sale price, by the fact that I usually love L'Oreal hair products, and because I had never tried this before. 
 
This mask smells really nice. It 's a feminine scent, so not as gender neutral as other L'Oreal hair masks scents I've experienced. 
 
Dream Lengths doesn't de-tangle my hair as well as other L'Oreal masks, isn't as nourishing and, most disappointingly, it leaves me with a freezy head if I let my hair dry au naturel. Definitely, not suitable to my wavy tinted thick long hair, which is what the mask is supposed to be designed for. I'll stick to the other masks in the same price range because they do a better job on my hair and cost me the same.

11/25/2023

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water in Oil 400ml

I'm not a fan of the simple version Micellar water, but I'm a fan of this one due to the mix of water and oil. I use it all over my face, on my eyes and lips included. I have a slightly sensitive skin and I've had no signs of irritation in the long time I've been using it. This product removes my makeup wonderfully, water-proof mascara and lipstick included. It is not as good on waterproof mascara as other purpose-made cleaners, but it's still excellent. I have an age, and it works wonderfully on my skin.
 
I don't use the product straight out of the bottle. I shake the bottle and immediately, when the water and the oil are still mixed together, I squeeze a good amount of liquid into a recycled refillable spray bottle that I have from a lenses cleaner product. When I want to use it, I shake the small spray water and, when both liquids are mixed, I spray the product twice onto a makeup cotton pad, and then clean my face with the pad. In this way, the quantity of product I use is minimal, no waste, but it's enough to remove my makeup. As I use it this way, a bottle lasts me ages and it's great value for money.

11/17/2023

1000 HOUR Hair Mascara, Dark Brown, 26 g

I've been using this product for years. It is meant to be used to mask showy greys on the part line or temples area, but I mostly use it as eyebrow groomer and tint. As such is one of my fav beauty staples. The colour I use is dark brown, however, the last dark brown container I got before this one differs both in container colour and tint colour. This container looks more black than brown, but 'dark brown' is clearly written on it. I thought it would be just the container. However, the tint inside is as dark, and looks more  black than brown. You can see  my photos showing the difference in tint and colour between the last one I bought and this one, both supposedly the same tint from the same brand. As my hair is really very dark, this tint does blend well, but my eyebrows aren't as dark and this tint makes them look too dark so I have to apply it and wipe it off a bit. Overall a good product, but I think this is not really dark brown and it really annoys me that the colour is so different from my previous dark brown bottles.

11/13/2023

Rude Cosmetics Eye-shadow Palette (United Shades of Glitter)

I'm a glitter critter and this palette has been in my wish list for months. It has a great combination of colours, some of them multi-chrome. 
 
The shadows have a creamy consistency and spread easily when used over a primer. I recommend using a primer or thick foundation base as, otherwise, the glitter crumbles and might enter your eyes or scratch your eyelids when rubbing it. The shadows can be applied with your fingers or using the complimentary wand.  Some of the shadows are true to the photo, but others (the multi-chrome) loose part of their charm when applied.
 
Due to the creamy consistency and not powder consistency the product it runs out quickly. 
 
 
 
100% Vegan and Cruelty Free

Stargazer Black Lipstick

This is a great affordable lipstick for Halloween or any disguise occasion.  Quality is decent for the price. The product feels balmy  and when I checked the list of ingredients on the label, it has aloe vera, wax and several other oils as part of the ingredients. The lippy covers my lips well. This is a matte lippy, so you'd need to apply lip gloss on top to get something like in the photos. It has some sort of blueish undertone at least on my lips, but it looks a very dark brown under artificial light. This is my first  black lipstick ever and I think it's quite cool.

Lethal Cosmetics Pressed Eye Shadow (Mantis)

I'm a fan of Lethal Cosmetics eye-shadows as they look great on me and I get so many compliments on every single colour I put on. This shadow looks a bit different from the pan to the eye. I thought it would be a light warm peach, but it is a mix of peach and cold pink, so it looks beautiful. The golden flair is not so noticeable as in other multi-chrome shadows. Not what I expected, but still a wonderful colour that enhances my eye colour. This product is vegan, cruelty free and the packaging is made of a very cool folded cardboard, so totally recyclable, all of which is very important to me.  This shadow wears well all day long even when I don't use eye primer, and it doesn't smudge.

Lethal Cosmetics Pressed eyeshadow (Untamed)

I'm a fan of Lethal Cosmetics eye-shadows. I get so many compliments on them, that I'm the best ambassador for the brand. This shadow is one of my favourite ones of lately because I used to mix similar hues in the past, but now I have them together mixed in this gorgeous duo-chrome. The colours are clearly noticeable but subtle at the same time. This shadow wears well all day long even when I don't use eye primer, and it doesn't smudge. It looks great on my hazel eyes. A bit pricey but totally worth it. This product is vegan, cruelty free and the packaging is made of a very cool folded cardboard, so totally recyclable.  

8/07/2023

OPI Rapidry Spray, 55ml

I love O.P.I products so I had great expectations rethis product as I paint my nails myself at home, sometimes in a hurry before an outing or going to work.

The instructions of use on the bottle back are in a minuscule font size. It says to mist over the nails 45 seconds after applying the last coat. But last coat of what, of enamel or the top coat? Or is this product to replace the top coat? No indication of how much this speeds up the process or how long it takes to dry after application. Ain't sure if it works just with O.P.I nail polishes because the one I had on my nails was good quality polish but not this brand.

The bottle has a good spray system and the mist comes out easily.
 
I've tried the product twice. The first time, I didn't mind the watch, but it was perhaps a minute over the last coat application. I didn't see any speeding up in the drying time after application.  I didn't apply the mist on my other hand, but used my hair drier on a cold setting. The results were indistinguishable. Besides, one of my nails with the applied O.P.I.spray smudged; to me, that's not working.  
 
The second time I tried it, I also did a double testing. I sprayed some of the nails without top coat and they responded well, as they dried a little bit quicker than usual. I also sprayed other nails that had a top coat on, and these ones  took longer to dry, and there was barely any difference with those nails where I had applied top coat but not this product on top.  In short, it worked way better when I applied it directly on the enamel not on the top coat. Perhaps the product is to be used as top coat, but that's not clear anywhere.
 
In all honesty, I won't be buying this product again as the speeding up of the drying is so little that it's not worth my money.  Besides, the bottle came 3/4 full. I thought that it might be an used bottle, but I've noticed that everyone had the same issue with their bottles, so that's the company's fault and a rip-off because the product isn't cheap by any means, even when discounted.  

7/19/2023

Toni & Guy Damage Repair Mask for Intense Reconstruction, 200ml

TThis is my fav mask by Tony & Guy and one of my top-3 fav hair masks in the market. It works wonderfully on my tinted hair and it  untangles my long thick wavy hair easily. It is very creamy, so it really penetrates my hair if  I leave it 5 minutes on, something I do when tinting myself with DIY haircolor. The results are great, as my hair looks hydrated, nourished, healthy and very shiny without any grease or heaviness. Many people ask me which hair products I use to have such a healthy-looking hair and this is the mask I usually use when the question pops up. The product lasts me quite a bit as a small amount of product does the job and goes a long way. The scent is kind of neutral to me, not strong or very gender-oriented, something I like. I don't mind paying a bit of extra more money for the jar because the results on my hair are amazing. On the other hand, I usually stock the product when it is heavily discounted, so it's not that much more expensive than than average or bad quality brands from major brands.

5/02/2023

Clairol Root Touch-Up Root Concealing Spray, Medium Brown, 100ml

This is the first time I use this brand for hair concealer spray and I'll buy it again. I bought this tone, which is one shade lighter than the usual buy, by mistake. However, still covers well my very white greys if I apply enough quantity. The spray nuzzle is great to spray focus on specific areas or focal points. I'd recommend using a face mask when using it as the spray comes out quite gaseous and it's ease to inhale. It stains clothes easily so I put some protection when applying it. It can also stand my skin and hands, but I can easily remove the stain with water and soap. Great quality for the rest. As good as the top brand of hair concealers but way cheaper.

2/19/2023

Dermal Therapy Hand Balm for Very Dry Hands 50g

I've been using this cream for several months already and it has become one of my top-three hand creams. I find that so many creams promise the heavens on the package promo but never deliver. This is not the case here. I have dry hands. They become drier when I paint as I use acrylics and my fingers, so they become extra-dry. A tiny dollop of this cream makes wonders for me. I've noticed that if I put too much, I get itchy hands, and that's because a small amount is just enough. The cream has a buttery consistency and the smell is gender neutral I'd say. It absorbs well, but it takes a couple of minutes for the buttery coat to be fully absorbed. First time I bought it, I noticed results in a couple of days, like my hands were way less drier. The tube is quite small and a bit pricey, but totally worth it.

1/20/2023

Toni & Guy Smooth Definition Mask 200 ml

I usually buy the damage repair hair mask from this brand so I wanted to try this one to see the difference, especially because I have a naturally frizzy hair. The Smooth Definition Mask is excellent and leaves my hair looking shiny, healthy and effortless stylish. It smooths my hair layers without flattening them or losing their shape, plus no frizz. The texture is less creamier and nourishing than the other mask, and I need more product to untangle my hair. Overall, very happy with this mask. I'll buy it again.

9/25/2022

Mavala Switzerland Mini Nail Polish Baghdad, 5 ml

I've bought Mavala mini nail polishes before and I love the travel size and the quality of the product. However, this item has been a great disappointment. To start with, the photo is misleading as the colour is not orange but an orange-ish pink (see my photo); most importantly, the colour is quite translucent and, even if I use two coats, the results are quite neutral. If I had been looking for a neutral pink I might have been happy with this colour and texture, but I was looking for an opaque orange as per the colour in the photo and I got neither.

9/17/2022

MOR Boutique Little Luxuries Lychee Flower Hand Cream 50ml

This is a wonderful lychee-flower scented hand cream with a long-lasting scent that can be used as everyday perfume. It has a semi-liquid texture, so it absorbs well and quickly. It's very moisturising. and it doesn't leave a greasy residue; after using it, my skin feels velvety. The packaging is lovely and luxurious, as well.

The main problem with the cream, to me, is that the scent is overwhelming; it masks my perfume, and it gets to my nose and throat lingering there for too long. The cream is moisturising but not enough to fix my very dry hands issues; said differently, moisturising level is medium. Besides, the back of the tube has the description and ingredients list in a very small gold lettering, so there is barely any contrast against the pink background and it cannot be read without a magnifying glass. I won't buy it again.

5/20/2022

Rimmel London Provocalips 16HR Kiss-Proof LipColour 310 Little Minx

I've been using this lipstick since it came out to the market. I love the colour, which really suit my skin colour. Most importantly, this is a good value for money lippy. It stays on all day even after eating, and, depending on what I eat, it will last till next morning before I shower. It is matte when used without the gloss coating. Otherwise, it looks moist without being glossy. The clear coating really goes quickly, so I barely use it on weekdays. This lasts me for a long time as once light coat does the job.

11/07/2021

Peripera Ink Velvet #16 Heart Fuchsia Pink

This is the first product I buy from the brand and I'm very pleased with it, but also a bit disappointed.

THINGS I LOVE
> Original and fun container.
> The bottle color is very close to the lipstick color, so you'll know which color you're getting by looking at the bottle.
> It smells divine, in this case of strawberries.
> The texture of this lipstick is creamy, velvety and semi-mate.
> It dries off quickly.
> It fully covers your lips with just a stroke.
> Very moisturizing, so my lips look supple and yummy.
> Beautiful rich color.
> Good priced.

NOT SO GOOD
> The name of the color, fuchsia pink, made me think that this would be a fuchsia pink. It is more a wine color with a hint of strawberry.
> It is not semi-permanent, so it stains glasses and cups even when dry. Also, it doesn't last all day. If you eat anything, it will disappear. It is true that the stain, a pinkish color, will stay on your lips for longer, but it's not the original color you put on the lips.
> Unclear whether this is cruelty free, tested on animals or not, something that's important to me.

11/06/2021

Skin Republic Collagen Hydrogel Under-Eye Patch Collection

This is my top product in the Skin Republic range of masks, and my favorite eye treatment of the last year. It is not only inexpensive, not tested on animals, but also a great product that works beautifully on my under-eye skin. It visibly irons out fine wrinkles and leaves the area glowing and moisturized. These eye masks are solid silicone-ish patches that stick to the skin and you don't need to lie down to have them on.

6/24/2021

Beserk (Online Store)

I've purchased from Beserk online many times, especially small homewares, incense stuff, Hot Chocolate flat shoes, and alternative cruelty free make-up (Lethal Cosmetics, Medusa Cosmetics, Lime Crime, Starrily etc.). My experience has always been fantastic.

Their website looks quite bad, outdated and fit for weird 15yos., and it could be a bit more polished so that doesn't mislead first visitors. Beserk is much more and you'll find plenty of cute items of clothing, imported shoes (from the uber-sexy to the uber-comfy) and vegan cruelty-free fantastic makeup bands. For sure, if you are into witchy Wiccanish stuff, this is also a place for you.  

Price is just OK, taking into account that many of the products they sell are from imported cult brands.

Shopping from their website is really easy and straightforward. They have a fab rewards program that can save you a good amount of money (you get 1 reward point for each dollar spent, and when you have 50 you get $2.5 off, 100 = $5 and 200 = $10.

Dispatch is decently fast, and parcels are handled by  AuPost, so you'll be super-informed of when your parcel is leaving or arriving.  

Many people ask me about my shoes and makeup, especially, and they're surprised that they come from Beserk, so that says a lot about the need of the store to better think their homepage and whole design.

One of the things that bothers me is that, to get free shipping, you have to spend $99, but that's a bit high taking into account that this is a big store and that shipping via AuPost is quite cheap for large businesses with many postal transactions. I think 50 bucks would be a more reasonable benchmark for free shipping.

Also when you have some rewards point to use, you cannot use them with any other discount code, so that means that you can qualify for free shipping because you've spent over $99 but applying the rewards takes you out of it. It is a bit dodgy and loses them money, if they made their accounts they'd realise just that.

They don't publish honest reviews that have less than 4 stars, so that's dodgy and unprofessional. So, that being the case, I ignore their reviews as they're cherry-picked for sales purposes. Dodgy!

1/25/2013

MooGoo (Online Shop, Australia)


MooGoo is an Australian company that specialises in natural hypo-allergenic low-in-chemicals cosmetics and body care products. The brand started with an adaptation of an cow udder cream to the treatment of eczema and psoriasis, and has become a successful ever-growing cosmetic brand. At present, they sell, skin, scalp, hair and body products, and special creams for eczema, psoriasis, acne, sensitive skin, and much more.  The pricing is very good, more or less the same price you would pay for any commercial moisturiser or cosmetic product, but way better, way safer, way more natural and it is Australian made and operated.

The success of the brand is due to mouth to mouth advice, which says a lot about the company and the quality of its products. In fact, I myself learnt about it thanks to Jenny B., who mentioned the brand in one of our Yelp outings. I have been told that this is the case with other people, too.

I have tried many of their products and they are all great.

MooGoo products can be purchased from different pharmacies and natural remedies shops throughout Perth. However, my experience is that none of them has the full range of MooGoo products, at least the four places I have visited so far. This makes MooGoo's Internet site perfect for shopping everything you want in one transaction.

MooGoo's website is easy to navigate, informative, colourful, bright and fun. A cow is looking at you no matter where you go, always. Shopping from the website is no fuss. You have all the products listed, and its ingredients and virtues clearly displayed and commented about. 

You can check out as a guest or as registered customer. They accept payment by credit card, Paypal and Internet direct deposit, and orders over $50 are traceable. Many of the products have similar prices, or slightly cheaper, as the prices they are sold in the Perth stockists I visit. There is flat rate of 6.90 Dollars for any Australian shipping order, which is not bad if you order many things at once. International orders have the shipping fee waved, unless their heavy shampoo and conditioner bottles are in your cart.

Shipping is fast, and it is express for Western Australia, Northern Territory and South Australia. If you are not at home, you can opt for delivery at the door -but no responsibility accepted if lost- or deliver through Post Office, which is great. My parcel contained a generous sample of one of their creams, which was a nice surprise. We all love freebies, don't we? Their packaging is great with straw fibres used as filling. So organic, environmentally conscious, and very "cowy" indeed.

Customer service is based in Australia (Monday to Friday) and the lady at the other end of the phone was extremely helpful and nice.Their answering machine has a cow's moo as introductory greeting, which is kind of funny.

MooGoo international expansion has started, with branch websites starting to operate in UK, Ireland, USA, and Malaysia, and stockists overseas starting to be found and listed.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
1/ Tracking device should be provided even if you are not a registered customer.

2/ I love cows and MooGoo's website, but I think they could improve a bit their packaging. What works for a website or a booklet is not that appealing for a cosmetic package. At the moment, the brand looks like a baby products brand. This is not a complaint, I like the Swiss-ish fresh looking of the brand, but other packaging would help the company to sell better. Their cleansers bottles are, however, an example of how to pack something in a very appealing way and catch the eye of customers who have never heard about the brand before.  

3/ The Delivery Company that MooGoo uses should be advised to leave written notice of visit if nobody is at home when they visit. I had to call Customer Service because I did not know if the parcel had been sent, was lost or where had been taken.