Taylor Swift Wonderstruck

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Received the largest 3.4 OZ bottle of this yesterday. I was worried this would be too much of a tween fragrance for those of us over 25, but I was pleasantly surprised. I purchased this without testing it first when I read the notes. (The top notes are raspberry, dewberry, freesia and apple blossom. The heart has sweet vanilla along with honeysuckle and white hibiscus and it finishes with amber, musk, sandalwood and peach in the base)

Peach, vanilla and raspberry are some of my favorite notes in fragrances so when I saw all three in this one I couldn't resist. Upon first spray it smelt like BS Fantasy (which is one my favs) but that only lasted for about 2 seconds and then it evolved into something completely different.

For the first 10 minutes, Wonderstruck smells mostly of vanilla and candied raspberries on my skin, then the heart comes through and you do get the white hibiscus and more of the freesia from the top note. The apple is hard to detect, I can smell it when first sprayed slightly, but only for the initial spray, it really is overpowered by that raspberry. There is also a strong note of honeysuckle in this and combined with the vanilla it is a very sweet scent. Once it settles on my skin the fragrance is a very fruity raspberry-vanilla-slightly floral-honeysuckle. Very very sweet, it's definitely a gourmand scent, so you really need to like gourmands to like this.

Lasting power is pretty good, about 6 hrs on me. Towards to end of the day when it's down to the base it leaves a nice vanilla-y amber scent on the skin, I never do detect any peach in this at all at any point throughout the day, so if you're not a peach fan, nothing to worry about there. It does remind me slightly of a mix of BS fantasy (which is a sweeter cake gourmand and PH Can Can (very sweet but slightly oriental feel), it definitely has a candied sweetness about it, but it's much more vanilla based than both those. A nice sweet vanilla scent that doesn't feel too young.

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, 1.7 Ounce

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I tried this one while hiding out from the world in Crisfield, Maryland for the Christmas-New Year holiday season with my relatives. I like it a lot! I am an "Olay" fan anyway, but have also used some other products. I heard on the TV that the Olay Regenerist line was "the best" or something like that, so here is my story:

It has a nice creamy texture. It goes on your face smooth and it just really feels good going on. It does have a semi-heavy scent blast that hits you when you put the first smear on, but it is not overwhelming and it seems to disipate quickly. My preference would be to have it without the scent. The cream just feels really good going on your face, kind of like putting your face on a cool satin pillow. The cream soaks in really nice too. It does not feel like it's going to rub off on the pillow when you hit the bed 5 minutes later like some other creams do. It also does not feel sticky like some creams do. After 4 days use on my face and neck, morning and evening, my face and neck feel really nice and soft (silky soft). I would think (based on my initial results) that this cream would have really nice results when used over an extended period of time.

I believe this cream holds its own against the other face products that I use, which include the Victoria Principal line, the Olay line, and the Seacret line (in the malls, from the Dead Sea). (I switch around between the products.)

The directions are really hard to read on this 1.7 oz red jar but they say the usual. They tell you to apply in small circular motions and avoid getting it into your eyes and to rinse with water if you do. (Duh. A no-brainer.) It also suggests that you focus on areas like the brow and jaw line. Olay is a Proctor and Gamble product.

I think it is also important to tell you that I am NOT one of those 25 year olds who has young skin anyway and is trying to tell you how beautiful my skin is. LOL. No offense, but the young whippersnappers haven't had time to mess up their skin yet! I am 60 years old and am very pleased with my skin. It is equally important to tell you that I did nothing special to my skin until about 4 years ago when I began a regular face cream routine. Those 4 years have paid off big time, so if you think it is too late or you are to old to bother, that is probably not true. I have had plenty of compliments on my skin.

With all that said, I recommend a good quality face cream, before bed and upon waking. This (and the other Olay products) seem to be worth your time and money. When you do your face, include your neck too. It shows. Rub it on in small circles, like they suggest, and rub up (not down). Ohhhh, might I also suggest no frowning. Only laugh lines are allowed :-)

Moroccan Oil Hair Treatment 3.4 Oz Bottle with Blue Box

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I am a hair product junkie and this just didn't quite give me a fix. It's basically Frizz-ease with some added Argan oil. I was expected a higher concentration of the Argan oil, but it's 5th on the list of ingredients - a fair amount, but not for what you are paying. (the top 5 ingredients of any item are basically what make the product) If something is going to be called 'Moroccan Oil', you'd expect it to be just that, right?

It's very smoothing (hence the silcones at the top of the list of ingredients). Silicones will build on the hair and will eventually have to be stripped with a detoxing shampoo to remove the build-up. I have virgin naturally curly bi-racial hair with a fine texture (think R&B singer Mya). Silicone build-up on curly hair can be the devil so curlies beware. The smell is not too bad. Kind of musky. Just glad that I purchased through Amazon and got a great deal (50% of the normal price).

All in all, it Will suffice for a quick fix for minor frizz, but definitely not a 'treatment'. For that, I highly recommend Eden Allure. They have 100% pure Argan oil available and it doubles as skin care. (not affiliated-just a lover of natural products) Speaking of which, Moroccal oil has color additives (D&C Yellow 11 and Red 17).

Viviscal Extra Strenth Dietary Supplement

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I found this product after reading a review of it on hairboutique.com. The length of my hair seemed to have reached a plateau just below my shoulders and after year seemed to have grown no longer. I decided to try this product to see if it worked. As hair growth is normally clocked at an 1/8 of an inch per month, I decided to monitor the results in my own little "clinical test." This was actually pretty easy because I colour my hair so I'd easily be able to see how much growth there was each month.

I ordered a box of Viviscal for which I paid $49 for (average price on the web) and the was set to take the first pill the following morning (the box recommends 2 per day). I coloured my hair the night before so that in one month I'd be able to accurately measure how much growth there had been by looking at the growth since the colouring.

Results:

I didn't really notice anything until around the 2 week time frame. I noticed my nails were growing very fast/very long. I have weak nails that split easily and they barely seem to grow at all. It was very noticeable because I use the computer all day and the nail growth was causing my fingers to constantly slip on the keyboard. Never having great nails, I was pretty happy to see this. My curiosity was also getting the better of me as I could see the roots of my hair pretty clearly which was unusual at 2 weeks after coloring. I took the tape measure and measured almost 1/4 of an inch in hair growth. This would mean 1/2 inch per month and 6 inches per year. I was pretty excited because although the numbers seemed small, it was twice the rate my hair normally grows. But I also noticed something else. My hair was becoming unusually greasy. Because I have very dry hair, I normally only wash it 2-3 times a week. But every other day it seemed much more greasy than normal. Hmmm.

Well, at the 1 month time frame I measured my hair growth and it was exactly 3/4 of an inch. Not only that but I was constantly trimming my nails at this point. I was totally ecstatic. But also by this point, I was washing my hair every day - it was no longer dry and brittle, it was much softer, but there was no way I could miss a day of washing it or it would be greasy.

So - the conclusions I have reached from my test was this:

1. Yes, Viviscal works. It caused my hair growth to be stimulated at over twice the speed.

2. Viviscal also makes your nails much stronger and grow much faster.

3. Viviscal makes your hair greasy, causing you to have to wash it every day - and then it's fine.

It did not cause any extra hair growth anywhere else, which I thought a bit strange (though good!!!).
I recommend this product.

Rogaine for Men Hair Regrowth Treatment, Easy-to-Use Foam, 2.11 Ounce

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This product works great, and if you combine it daily with a few other supplements that block DHT formation (Saw Palmetto, Nu-Hair, flaxseed oil, Niozin shampoo) it can really make a difference. Don't give up if you don't see results right away or if you notice more stray hairs coming out- this actually means that it's working. Stay faithful putting it on (morning and evening) and you will probably begin to see noticeable results around the 3-4 month mark. I highly recommend this over pills such as Propecia which have considerably negative side effects for some. It dries very quickly and nicely and the scent is not very bothersome at all. You may want to use slightly more than the recommended dosage- the instructions state that it only works on the vertex (mid-back of the scalp) but this is not true. It has REALLY grown hair for me around the temples, but it took longer to come in. The first place I noticed was that the back of my hair, which had thinned a bit, was now covered (after about 1-2 months). I'm at the 5 month mark now and am still seeing great results. Give it time, be patient, and wait for it to work. I think people might give up too easily because they think it's not working, but it does take time. It also works great if you use any kind of concealers on the scalp (like toppik or courve, spencer forrest brands)- it works with those as well, just allow it to dry before putting anything else on your hair. Drying time is about 5-10 minutes max. Anyway, highly recommended for hair loss- be faithful in using it, be patient, and the results will come. Good luck to everyone on looking your best!

HSI 1" CERAMIC TOURMALINE IONIC FLAT IRON HAIR STRAIGHTENER Free 5 ml bottle of Argain Oil Leave In Hair Treatment

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The only reasons I bought this flat iron was because the price was right - only $44.99 and the reviews were great. For $44 I thought it would be worth the risk of not knowing the manufacturer to go ahead and get this since it is a professional flat iron. I had been using a Chi iron. After reading several reviews on Amazon about how others had a CHI that broke, I thought it might be a good idea for me to get this as a backup in case my own CHI breaks soon. Now my old CHI is the backup and the HSI is my main one!

This HSI flat iron is great. The features I love:
-Adjustable temperature control
-Swiveling cord so no tangles/twists
-Plastic behind the heated plates does not get too hot so I can grab that part when I need to
-Both straightens and curls my hair
-Smooth plates, nicely constructed so my hair doesn't get caught up in it and pulled out

I have very thick, curly hair and this flat iron does a quick job straightening my hair. i would recommend this product and would buy an HSI again if I had the need.

Thermal Spa 49135 Professional U/V Gel Light Nail Dryer

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After reading the reviews, I purchased this UV dryer. I just wanted to leave a little more feedback on this dryer in regards to shellac nail polish. I bought this product to do my own nails. I am not a nail tech, but fully capable of doing my own nails. So here is what I did, I purchased the shellac scrub fresh nail prep, shellac UV base coat, shellac red barroness nail color, shellac UV top coat and this dryer all from Amazon sellers. Here is what I did step by step and it worked.
1. Follow Shellac's instruction on how to prep nails and use products-go to their website. I shape my nails and cuticles, then use scrub fresh to clean and dehydrate.
2. SHAKE the UV base coat for two minutes and paint both hands! I didn't shake well the the first time and the base coat and nail color came out too thick.
3. I put nails under light to cure for 30 seconds. Nails will feel tacky (not dry) and this is normal. Has to do with oxygenation with curing.
4. Shake color -paint one coat of color on both hands and put under light for two minutes-nails will feel tacky. This is normal.
5. Shake color-paint second coat of color on both hands and put under light for two minutes-nails will feel tacky. This is normal.
6. Shake top coat-paint top coat on nails-place under dryer for two minutes. Use 99% alcohol to remove tacky layer on top coat. I used 70% alcohol pads and this worked fine! A tiny bit of nail color streak came off on alcohol pad but I continued on removing tacky layer. When I was finished, nails were perfectly cured. Polish has been on for 10 days and still look brand new. If nails lose their shine due to lotion...-wife off with alcohol pad and they look brand new.
7. When ready to take off-either soak off with 100%acetone on cotton balls with aluminum foil or soak fingers in acetone. I wouldn't bother with the CND pad removers.
Bottom line-this lamp works great for Shellac nails-no need to buy $200 plus one. You will read so many mixed reviews about why you shouldn't be doing it yourself and using anything but the CND dryer, but this is what worked for me.
Good Luck

Urban Decay Naked Palette

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*if you see this palette for a price higher than $60 DO NOT BUY IT* The vendors on this site who are charging so much for it are probably the ones who depleted the stock, so I partially blame them for sephora/urban decay for being out of stock for so long.


Anyhoo..I got my Naked Palette a little over a month ago and it gets so much use. I work in a more professional environment and can't have makeup that is over the top and this makes it so easy. It comes in a rectangular, yet smallish, palette that is covered in brown velour with golden writting. Each of the 12 shadows are full sized (instead of in a circle they are rectangular) which makes this an amazing value. Normally each single shadow is $17, so do the math, great deal huh? 7 of the shades are existing and 5 are brand new!

Virgin: a pale nude satin with subtle shimmer, great as a highlight on lighter skin tones (new)
Sin: champagne shimmer (permanent)
Naked: buff matte (new)
Sidecar: mid toned beige with sparkle (permanent)
Buck: brown matte, this will make a great "best friend" color (ie helps to blend out colors in the crease)(new)
Half Baked: a golden bronze shade, stunning (permanent)
Smog: deep golden brown shimmer (permanent)
Darkhorse: bronze-plum shimmer (new)
Toasted: taupe-bronze (permanent)
Hustle: true mocha shimmer
Creep: very dark grey metallic, its very hard to describe but i've yet to see a color so unique
Gunmetal: dark grey metallic (permanent)

Each of the shades is extremely smooth feeling and i experience very little fall out, if any. At times I do get glitter fall out from Sidecar. The liners are the usual, zero (black) and whiskey (brown) as well as a mini primer potion. It will come back in stock, as i've heard it will be a permanent item and UD is making sure everyone who wants one gets one. so please don't pay more for it than its worth, it will be back!

Acne Wrinkle Cream Retin A 0.050% Generic- 20g

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I Ordered this product and it was delivered Priority Mail 3 days later from Ca Beauty Products. I paid less than half the price I normally pay locally for the same product. This product is very effective on lines and wrinkles, would highly recommend.

Gucci Guilty

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After visiting several perfume counters in various stores and smelling lots of different scents, I zeroed in on Gucci's Guilty. It is not too heavy, not musky, not too floral - hard for me to describe except that it smells light, feminine and
pleasant. I realize that I am not supplying any specifics, but I feel that perfume is a very personal item. Just because one person likes a scent does not mean that everyone else will like it. Also, a fragrance will smell differently on every individual. Gucci Guilty appeals to me and my husband agrees. The next time that I need perfume, I might try something different or I might stay with this.

I purchased this from Amazon and, by doing so, saved quite a bit over department store prices.

My advise is go out and smell and sample lots of fragrances, decide which one you like best, then shop around for the best price.

Nioxin Diamax 3.38 Oz

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DIAMAX is a thickening Xtrafusion treatment with HTX complex, a fusion of ingredients including Niacinamide, Caffeine and Panthenol.

Urban Decay Naked2

 

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From a devoted....and I mean DEVOTED MAC girl I have to say that this is the first product that has lead me astray... I passed on the first Naked despite all the hype about it. I was impressed with the color combos but just wasn't blown away enough to try it. (The packaging on the first sort of reminded me of cheap drugstore makeup honestly). When I saw a friend post the Naked2 up on Facebook I was now intrigued.

First off the new Naked comes in a gorgeous metal compact that snaps shut. It looks and feels well made and will stand up to heavy travel, accidental bumps and falls, etc. And stay nice and closed. No worries about spills in your purse! The stylish and intuitive redesign of the case gets noticed quickly and you'll soon find that your friends can't help but pick it up from the table to check out what's in this little metal box. Come to think of it, it looks sort of like a chocolate bar....I digress!

Inside is a huge mirror that pretty much extends from one corner to the opposite. Nice! The brush is actually a GOOD brush, rare since most kits....even good ones....come with subpar tools just to fill in space. The double sided brush will do shading, blending, and lining just fine.

The 12 complimentary colors are AWESOME. It's not often that I find eyeshadow that have the same consistency, quality, blendability, and true to palette color as MAC. The Naked2 palette doesn't disappoint in any area. The shadows are smooth and highly pigmented. The colors all blend well together no matter which one or ones you choose. I love the versatility of one palette that takes me from natural to sultry. If you like smoky eyes then this is a must have. I highly recommend this palette for dark eyed gals like me because the colors really compliment our dark brown eyes and give it depth. (Dark brown eyes are the only eye color that is opaque...hence the lack of depth in eyes...) It's nice not having to look like a raccoon just to bring my eyes out...liberating actually.

And just a last note...I love how these colors are sort of "mistake proof". You could pretty much pick any color to put on and because of how neutral they are, you're not going to go into shock and run for makeup remover. Each color is very subtle and builds up to your liking. With MAC it is very easy to go overboard or to choose one color that is more overwhelming than you thought it would be..