Beauty Product Reviews | Page 2

It's a nice try.

Quick Summary: - I like trying out new shampoo & conditioners because my hair is something I take pride in. A shampoo & conditioner have to smell good no matter what and also need to live up to what it is being sold as.

Price: - The price of this shampoo varies from seller-to-seller, but it is most commonly around $20. - I usually get mine from Tokyo Outlets and physical stores like that (shh! ;] ) I even bargain/haggle with the store owners about how much the price is. They may or may not give in, but usually they will give me a pretty good deal on my entire purchase or a discount on a matching product.

Packaging: - The Tsubaki series is quite interesting because it (originally) can be bought in the bottle w/ pump form (think Tresemme, but more architectural) OR in a refill package (it's a tear-open packet with the same mL as the bottle) - The plastic bottle is pretty durable and the plastic pump is controllable. The only problem I had with the pump was that it fell on my bathtub floor and cracked. I have not seen a pump sold separately, but it is not a hassle to put it into another container.

Quality, Formula, & Results: - The Tsubaki products I get are usually written purely in Japanese. I like reading directions when using products, even if I don't follow them. I just used this the normal: Lather. Rinse. Repeat. - The scent of the shampoo has a very light scent of lychee, I feel. If you have never smelled lychee before it smells like grapefruit minus the citrus plus a little bit sweeter. Definitely not the strongest smell on a scale from Suave (not strong, but noticeable) to Garnier (very potent) it would be closer to Suave in scent denseness, but Garnier in lasting. - My friends/coworkers LOVED the way my hair smelled when I used this. - The shampoo looks like liquid pearl (like most moisturizing shampoos do), so it is moisturizing just in that aspect. (Think Pantene Pro-V look) - I feel, however, that this is a very hit or miss product. (reasoning in the Would I recommend this area) - It gets a nice lather and rinses off easily. - Does not make me feel like I need to wash my hair again. - My hair does not get noticeably greasy throughout the day when using any good shampoo/conditioner. This does not make my hair feel any more greasy than it already does. - I mainly use this throughout the winter-time because my region gets a very dry-cold winter instead of slush, etc. I do not usually blow-dry my hair unless it is cold outside, so the added weather strain & heat styling does affect my choice in hair-care.

Versus the Red Shining Tsubaki Shampoo & Versus the Gold Tsubaki Shampoo: - I, personally, do not need the extra moisturizing aspect of this shampoo. I think it is nice, but unnecessary for me. My brother, however, enjoyed that aspect and continues to choose the white one. - The White Tsubaki has a pleasant smell, as I mentioned before, but I prefer the sweeter, stronger scent of the Red. - The White Tsubaki was nice therapy for my hair, but I just prefer the Red Tsubaki overall. My mum liked how the White Tsubaki made her hair feel better, but does not continue to purchase or use the Tsubaki line at all. - The Gold Tsubaki Shampoo is supposed to be the most luxurious out of the three (?) or so I was told. My brother and I both liked it, but do not feel it is significantly better than the other two. - I think a purchaser should take into consideration what he or she wants out of the Tsubaki line when choosing. I do not believe the Tsubaki hair-care are the kind of products that work well over all and just happen to perform better than the rest at one specific thing. I believe it hits the target of what it is going for.

Versus American & Asian Pantene Pro-V: - Tsubaki, to me, is the Japanese High-End version of the American & Asian Pantene Pro-V. (side-note: American & Asian Pantene Pro-V have different formulas and scents than each other, but the formulas are pretty close to each other. The difference is not completely significant, but is noticeable.) - They all have the same formula consistency and weight (when it comes to amount put in hand. a quarter size of p-pv = quarter size of tsubaki) - The Asian Pantene Pro-V & Tsubaki smell very similar. - I prefer the overall look/feel of the Asian Pantene Pro-V to Tsubaki.

Would I recommend this? - For people who are lacking volume in their hair, I would NOT recommend this because it does weigh down hair because of how moisturizing it is. It does not leave my hair feeling greasy, it is just ... heavy. My mum has short, colour treated hair and likes the smallest amount of volume. She did not really enjoy this product (other than the scent) because it was TOO moisturizing. I feel that this may be too much of a hassle for people to put up with if volume is what they are going for.

- For people who are wanting some weight to their hair, I would recommend this because it does not totally flatten hair, but it does significantly flatten it. My mum, brother, and I have medium-thick, coarse hair and we all saw a change in volume. My brother and I liked this product because our hair needs the little bit of weighing down or else we look like anime characters having a bad day. O.O

My Summer & Travel Go-To Shampoo

I've loved this shampoo since I was a child. I brought it to the Philippines with me when I was 8 and my grandfather asked if I could send the collection of the shampoo when I got back to the states. Both of us still love it 12 years later.

Price: - At a price of $2-4, no wonder why it's a go-to for Summer. It is affordable and a quick pick among the vast amount of shampoo & conditioners. - Yes, it is cheap, but it definitely is not like the cheaper shampoos I have tried. This is definitely different, but take into consideration that it is not a specialty product. It will not work like specialty products will, but it will do the job just as well or better than any drugstore shampoo.

Packaging: - It has a nice rubbery texture for the body & a plastic top. - The top is easy to open, but securely closes with a *click* - The rubbery texture makes it great for slippery situations such as getting from the pool to the rinse off/shower area. Also, it is good for people who have a hard time gripping things. My grandfather has arthritis, so this is easy for him to use, too.

Quality & Formula: - The first thing a purchaser will probably notice about the formula is the scent. + Cherry-Almond + Watermelon + Blueberry Smoothie + Sweet Honeydew + Pineapple Plunge + Strawberry + (There is also a *Conditioner in Watermelon) * Orange Mango Smoothie * Splash of Sunny Orange (this is the sport & swim shampoo) (The *products are my favourite to pick up.)

- Smell is very potent. It will stay in hair longer than the Garnier Shampoo & Conditioners which have amazing staying power. It smells great in the shower and stays after it dries. - The formula is tear-free. I don't feel that it weighs down my hair or dries it. I'm left with clean feeling hair. - This shampoo is usually sold as a 2-in-1 Shampoo/Conditioner. I, personally, do not ever use 2-in-1 products because I like managing how much shampoo versus how much conditioner I use. I use it strictly as a shampoo. - As I mentioned before, it has a matching conditioner which works nicely. I would not say that it makes my hair feel as though I left a salon, but it does make my hair feel good. - The Sport & Swim shampoo has always been my Holy Grail After-Swim Shampoo. I feel that this is one of the rare few shampoos that actually works on Chlorine'd hair. My hair is a medium/dark brown (naturally), but I have some light brown almost blonde natural highlights in my hair that turn either blue or green depending on the amount of chlorine used. This shampoo takes that all away and leaves my hair feeling healthy. It feels great even without a conditioner.

Where can this be purchased? - It was once sold at Wal Mart, but I rarely find it there. I believe people will have better luck finding this at Ulta or ordering from Amazon.

Would I recommend it? - I definitely would recommend it to anyone, actually, no matter what age or gender.

Worth the Money

I LOVE Shiseido Skincare Items. All the Shiseido products I have were either bought by myself or were given as presents by my aunties and mum. I have all of the products (aside from the cotton pad & mascara) in full size.

Price: - I cannot lie, all of Shiseido products are EXPENSIVE. Keep in mind that they are a high-end cosmetic company. - I believe this kit is great for the price because it comes with a FULL SIZE eye treatment and decently size samples of the other eye products. - However, I have found quite a few of their products at places like TJ Maxx for 50% off the original price and you can't really beat that for it being the high-end product it is.

Packaging: - All of the white lucent line comes in a pearlescent white colour for the body and a lavender-pink colour for the tops or caps. - Very simple yet elegant looking packaging. - The liquid products come in a nice, weighted packaging. I cannot confirm what exactly the material used to package those products are ... but I can say it is very heavy duty.

Quality & Formula: White Lucent Brightening Eye Treatment, .54 oz - I ADORE this eye treatment. This is the ONLY FULL SIZE item in the entire kit. (I have the greater majority of the line in full size). This truly relieves the puffiness my eyes get from not having enough sleep, etc. This also reduces wrinkles around the eye area. - I never truly used eye cream because I didn't see very much results, but I saw great results within a few minutes of applying this (puffiness) and in about a week I could tell that my smile wrinkles were reduced. This WILL NOT completely remove lines & wrinkles, but I, personally, see a great difference from before using this product and now.

White Lucent Brightening Refining Softener, .84 oz - Don't let the long name fool you, this is honestly a toner. It is described as a "liquid lotion" because it looks, sounds, and feels like water. It isn't as alcohol dominant as most toners are, I wouldn't say that this (in sensation) is like an astringent, but it does the job of both. - I do like the softener, but it wouldn't be the first thing I would recommend to someone from this line. I would pick this up if I saw it at TJ Maxx for the 50% off the original retail price, but I don't believe I would pick this up full price. - I did see the difference between using this and not using it. I tried the entire routine with and without this. I feel like this is a boost of what the line can do for someone's skin, but it isn't a necessity.

White Lucent Brightening Cleansing Foam, 1.1 oz - I feel that this is definitely something people should at least try if they get a sample of it. I got great results with this. It takes off make-up beautifully and I only use a pea size dollop of this. - However, some cons that I have heard people run into is that it may leave your skin feeling taught and the lasting power of the "glow" afterwards is not long lasting. - The taught feeling can be done away with if this is used in the shower with a lathering brush (I use the Shiseido facial brush - the Clarisonic, Sephora Brand, etc. brushes should work just as well). I only experienced the taught feeling when I used this product just over the sink and did not follow up with anything else such as a toner, moisturizer, etc. - I feel like the "brightening" factor in this line isn't so much that it will make a person "glow bright" as much as it will "brighten up" any imperfection such as hyperpigmentation, etc. If a person is looking for something that will make the "glow," I do not believe this is the product for him or her.

White Lucent Brightening Protective Moisturizer SPF 16, .5 oz - This is my go-to moisturizer throughout the year. It is great for oily skin because it has a watery consistency. It is packed with just enough moisture that a person can easily layer this with another product and it does not feel heavy.

White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum, trial size. - The serum has changed packaging. Instead of being in a tube form, it is now a pump. I only use 2 small dots for my entire face. This isn't meant to be put all over the face. Especially because it is so expensive full size and in this kit it comes in a small size, I would only apply this on places with hyperpigmentation, major problem areas. I see great results with this whenever I use it.

Makeup Lasting Lift Mascara, .01 oz. - I like the Mascara, but it isn't my go-to mascara. I think it is nice that the company included it, but I think there are too many good, drug store, affordable mascaras that work just as well if not better than this one.

- Would I recommend it? Absolutely. I love the White Lucent line and I think that this is a really great deal if someone is looking into purchasing anything from the line. I experience such great results with it.

I was appalled by how much Shiseido cost. Before, I would only use drugstore items, ProActiv, Belo, and a few other items my mum's friends/coworkers found worked for them. My skin was still problematic, I had a lot of hyperpigmentation, and I did not use make-up. I thought that my skin wasn't going to get any better, but I decided to give in to using it and forced myself to learn how to use these products every day because I wanted to wring it out for its true worth. I couldn't believe how fast they started working. Most products only work for 3-6 months on my face and then stop working. This, so far, has been the only thing that has worked for me for 3 years. Crazy talk. ♥

I LOVE EOS lip balms. They're a great conversation starter, I've gotten my friends addicted to it, and they add fun to applying lip balm.

Price: - It really depends where you go, but they're + or - 4 USD - Very reasonable price for the amount of balm contained and the architectural shape.

Packaging: - There's more than just the Smooth Sphere lip balm in the EOS lip balm range, but this is just the most common. - It has a good, grippable, softer than rubber texture making up the outer container. - - CON: This texture can also get a little dingy, if you live a rough life. However, the packaging is very much durable and it won't affect the shape of the lip balm unlike twist-ups or the ones that need to be applied with a clean finger. - Unisex Packaging - It doesn't look girly or manly. It just looks cool.

Quality & Formula: - For those of you experiencing dryness or short lasting time with the formula, that's because it's probably been in a very cold area. I find that the balm works best when just a little bit heated up & when I say "little bit" I mean - don't put this in your microwave. -- How to heat it up? o1) You can either warm it up on the back of your CLEAN hand (once you feel the balm actually putting product on your hand and not just rubbing against it - it's good to use). o2) Use a hairdryer or your a/c for a few seconds and when you apply it, you should feel the moisturizing effect. - The formula is a bit thicker than normal Chapstick, but less than that of a lip butter. If you like that lip butter feeling, let it heat up for longer and it will go on thicker. - Each of the lip balms contain SPF 15 - There are limited edition ones that come out, but the usual sold in stores are Summer Fruit, Honeysuckle Honeydew, Lemon Drop, & Sweet Mint. I think they all smell great, but I like Sweet Mint the most. - The formula lasts longer than normal Chapstick both product wise and application.

Other pros: - It's great for kids. I gave my little cousin this and he loves it. He's in that stage where he refuses to do anything that's the slightest bit girly, but for this ... he'll make an exception. He loves showing it to his classmates.

Would I recommend it? Definitely! I've gotten almost every single flavor that's come out and my friends are addicted to it. :]

Yikes ...

Products for combination/oily skin work best for me because my skin get dry that my face overproduces oil to compensate. This product didn't work for me.

Price: - Usually my boyfriend is my enabler, but even he was baffled by the 35USD price point. I understood why it cost so much, but after using it I cannot say that I think it's worth it. - That's 20 USD per fl. oz.

Packaging: - Simple and to the point.

Quality and Formula: - The formula is made with Mangosteen - in an ointment form, can help heal skin rashes. I've grown up with Mangosteen, so I was interested in the product. - It feels like a BB Cream (mm ... a lotion form of a foundation if you're not familiar) when applied. - Didn't sink into my skin with or without moisturizer. - Would wipe off my face even if I set it. - It did cover up redness, but what's the point if it rubs off?

Would I recommend it? - I recommended it to my friends who had dry to combination skin and were looking for something similar but not exactly like a BB cream and they liked it.

Would I repurchase? - Nope.

I am so disappointed by this mascara.

I wish I was as impressed with this mascara as everybody else, but it didn't work for me.

Price: - 22 USD w/o tax.

Packaging: - nothing magnificent. simple & to the point.

Quality & Formula: - It gave me false looking lashes, so I thought I was going to love it, but this mascara flaked so badly for me. I would look like a raccoon in 4 hours. - The formula is a good medium between wet and dry. Wet enough, dry enough. - I have straight eyelashes, medium length that stick straight down if not curled. I bought this with the intention of having a good curl and good length. I didn't care so much for the volume, but that's about the only thing it gave me.

The brush: - Sephora says that: The tough, dense brush of this Sephora-exclusive mascara penetrates into the roots of the lash to ensure that lash is completely coated with mascara. - I say: The tough, dense brush did coat my lashes, but would make a mess if I really wiggled it into my lashes. I tried many techniques with this brush to find a way that would work, but it just didn't work for me.

Would I recommend it or purchase again? - No, I've tried many other mascaras both more expensive and a lot cheaper and this one just wasn't worth the price for me.

Good Go-To

I like these quads (especially the Chai Latte) because they're quick and easy.

Pricing: - Varies especially on these. Anywhere from 2 - 5 USD depending where it is purchased. - There are also quite a few sales on these quads.

Packaging: - Simple plastic - straight to the point, nothing special.

Old Formula & Quality: - It's a cheap, drugstore quad so for this to be amazing for $4 isn't likely, but I do like it and use it often. - the highlight colours tend to be either not pigmented or just frosty. - Not highly pigmented, but pigmented decently. Some of the highlights & matte colours can be chalky. - I like the formula, though, because it's something that's good for quick touch-ups or quick eye-colour. It's not pigmented enough that you will need to work hard to blend because it doesn't show a deep, saturated colour. It's just enough to give some colour to the eye.

New Formula & Quality: - I feel that there is little to no significant difference between the old formula and the new except for the highlight (now called base) colour. They are all pigmented enough to show in a swatch. - A lot of the colours are FROSTY. I'm not too fond of that.

Would I recommend it? - Yes. I use this every time I feel the need to wear make-up. The matte brown in the Chai Latte quad is the perfect allover, natural brown. It gives the eyes a little more depth than usual for someone with small eyelids like me. - It's a quick, go to that's cheap. You can use it to fix up make-up from another brand if it's coming off midday.

Wow.

I don't personally wear this perfume, but my best friend does. My chemistry doesn't mix as well as hers does with this. If I wore this perfume, it wouldn't smell as great as I'm used to smelling it. This review is based off of what I smell on her and what I smelled off the sample paper.

I'm the kind of person who can smell perfume/cologne the second it comes near me. Quite a few can make me nauseous, but although this is on the stronger side I still love it (for my best friend) and it doesn't make me queasy.

Price: - 55 - 95 USD - Quite a lot cheaper than what I would expect Gucci to come out with.

Packaging: - The bottle is easy for us to grab and spray. However, one should be careful because the packaging is a metalloid (I think) and can get scratched up easily or get fingerprints all over it. - I think it can look like a little pocket or a flask at times.

Scent: - If you've ever smelled Euphoria (women's perfume) this is the lighter version of that. I feel like Euphoria is the deeper, sultry version of this scent and Guilty is the lighter, vixen scent. Gucci still contains the sensual smell even though it is from a different company and lighter. - This perfume is basically like Euphoria minus the man smell. - Notes: Mandarin, Pink Pepper, Peach, Lilac, Geranium, Amber, Patchouli. Let's be honest, I have no idea what Pink Pepper smells like, Amber is a fossilized sap, and NO idea what Patchouli is. *shrugs* - For as many floral notes as there are in the perfume, I honestly wasn't able to smell the floral until much later and even then it wasn't strong. Compared to Marc Jacobs Daisy - it seems as this only has one petal of floral instead of a whole bouquet. - Long Lasting - Mixes well with Love Rocks Victoria's Secret Lotion.

Would I recommend it? - Definitely. If you can wear Euphoria well, then you'll love this. - Even if you cannot wear Euphoria well, you should give this a try.

Meh for how expensive it is.

It doesn't suck, but it isn't mind blowing. Plus, it's expensive.

For a single pan, container sold separately, with major fallout if not used correctly - these e/s aren't really worth it in my opinion.

Price: - Expensive for what it is. - For a refill alone, it costs $18 USD w/o tax. That's 4 USD+ > than a MAC e/s that does come with a container. - I can't seem to find a way to justify spending that much. I like the colour, but the packaging and the price hamper my liking.

Packaging: - This is what kills me. The packaging is plastic (like that of a coastal scents hot pot) but is kept in a flimsy, cardboard casing. - These e/s are bigger than a MAC e/s so they don't fit into typical e/s palettes. - They are also not already magnetized which is odd to me because for the price they're at, they should at least have some sort of magnet.

Quality & Formula: - Most, if not all, of their e/s are shimmery which is nice for people who like it, but I much prefer satin or matte colours. - Kitten is a unique colour. Beautiful, actually, but there can be quite a bit of fallout, as expected for something shimmery. - Comparable to MAC? Colour-wise - no, I think their e/s have colours not exactly like MAC and very pretty. Formula-wise - I would choose MAC e/s over this.

Would I recommend it? - Yes and no, that's why it's "Meh." - Yes, because I feel that some of their colours are unique and different than other e/s. - No, because I feel that their e/s could be duplicated or are similar to other e/s and the price is ridiculous for just a refill that can't even fit into universal palettes.

What I've been looking for in a Palette

What can I say? This is basically everything I've been looking for in a customizable palette and affordable eye shadows.

I've never really been interested in having a MAC Palette or the Z Palette because they're just too flimsy to survive my lifestyle. The Unii Palette is awesome, but quite expensive although great quality. When I heard that Inglot was finally selling online and I was going to be able to go to a store I immediately went giddy.

Pricing: - Affordable and reasonable. - The pricing really depends on how many e/s a person buys.The more you buy the less the price per e/s. The less you buy, the more expensive. - Because I got the 10 e/s square and the palette, it came out to be just a little over 50 USD (price + state tax). If you do the math that would be 5 USD per e/s and a free palette.

Compared to MAC: (Pricing for e/s per palette) - Now compare that to a MAC Palette (14 USD for a 15 or a 6 pan palette) and then 14.50 USD for each e/s. That's 217 for 15 e/s + 14 for the palette = 231 USD w/o tax OR 87 USD for 6 e/s + 14 for the palette = 101 USD w/o tax.

(Pricing for e/s per gram in 10 square) - MAC - approximately 9 USD per gram (1.7 grams) = 14.50 USD - INGLOT - approximately 2 USD per gram (2.7 grams) = 5 USD when purchasing 10.

Packaging: - The Freedom System Palette has a nice heaviness to it. It's a matte black container with a magnetic INGLOT printed design on a semi-translucent matte clear colour. - Each e/s in the Freedom Palette comes in separate plastic containers (like the hotpots from Coastal Scents) to keep them in one place with a white sticker indicating the barcode and the name of the e/s - Because these are pan refills, there is no need to depot & each pan fits snugly.

Quality & Formula: - Although INGLOT is a Polish Company, their formula has to pass USA standard before being sold here. - It's sold here ... so it passes ... - The formula is very pigmented, very blendable, but is kind of strange. The best way to work with the shadows is to wiggle the brush instead of swiping it. The more you swipe the more pigments become loose and can be quite messy. - The e/s are finely milled, it is just that the formula is quite different than the formula of a MAC e/s or most e/s that people are accustomed to. - The colour of the e/s are true to the pan form to just a little bit lighter.

Would I recommend it? - Yes, I think it is great quality and so affordable for how great the products are. - Also, the experience of going to the store and picking these out is very fun. I think a plethora of people would enjoy that. (especially if you go to the Las Vegas store - their team was so nice and helpful. They were very funny and made me feel at ease.)