Tag Archives: beauty product review

Beauty Test Drive: Clarisonic Brush

Derms have been recommending this vibrating, rechargeable, pore-cleaning brush in magazine articles and during office appointments since the dinos roamed the earth. Seriously, even Wilma Flintstone keyed Betty Rubble into its gorgeous skin results way back when. I tried to block out all the talk and labeled the Clarisonic brush as nothing but hype—make that expensive hype, since a Clarisonic Brush costs around $200. I’m, sadly, not s**ting you. And mostly, up until about a month ago, the price was what held me back from proving all the hype wrong. But, in a moment of total insanity, I took my debit card to Sephora, snatched a Clarisonic kit off the shelf, paid super quick so I wouldn’t come to my senses and ran out. (But not before the register lady gushed about, what else, the Clarisonic brush. No, really, does Clarisonic pay off 90 percent of the retail and beauty industry?) Well, as I found out … Keep reading »

Beauty Test Drive: Temptu AIRpod Foundation

As someone with an uneven skin tone, I have a hard time applying foundation (which I wear everyday). I generally use a brush, but end up taking my fingers to my face to even out the streaky lines it makes. With a sponge it’s also hard to get an even application because each time you re-dab it into a pool of foundation and then apply to the skin, you have to spread around the excess.

For people (like moi) who are obsessed with flawless skin, the Temptu AIRpod system will be a miracle worker. Keep reading »

Beauty Test Drive: Trish McEvoy’s Lip Primer

I’d never heard of lip primer before I saw Trish McEvoy’s sleek black tube of the stuff. Face primer? Yes. Eyelid primer? Of course. But never lip primer. Naturally, we assumed it had to be some sort of miraculous well-kept secret and became rather inquisitive. Curious enough, in fact, to waste $22 on what turned out to be essentially glorified chapstick in a good-looking vessel. Keep reading »

Beauty Test Drive: Smooth Away Hair Removal Pads

I really hate shaving my legs. Then again, does anyone actually enjoy this activity? No matter what, I end up with a few nicks and bleeds. As for Nair? No way I would put up with the smell. And waxing? Forget it. Ouchy. So these doo-dads piqued my interest while I was in the drugstore the other day. (And weirdly, I realized that Smooth Away has been doing a ton of advertising in my neighborhood with posters at bus stops. Guess I was swayed.) But really, who isn’t interested in whether these things really work or not? The verdict, after the jump!

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Beauty Test Drive: Diorshow Iconic Mascara

Generally speaking, I’m happy with my mascara. Fiberwig and I have been through a lot together and it’s remained pretty true, never smudging and leaving me raccoon-eyed when I’m going for smoky-eyed. But every once in a while, you’ve just got to try something new. When I received a bag of Dior goodies to road-test the other day, I knew the time had come to betray the mascara that’s seen me through everything from first dates to weddings. (Other people’s weddings, that is…)

I felt a little dirty at first, as I swiped on the Diorshow Iconic mascara, wand clenched in my sweaty, guilty hand. Then something amazing happened. Keep reading »

Beauty Test Drive: Queen Helene Mint Julep Natural Facial Scrub

Queen Helene’s Mint Julep Face Masque is a cult classic among beauty experts. People swear by its detoxifying prowess and it’s known to tighten and shrink the oiliest of pores. So, last time I was browsing the drugstore aisles I picked up a tube of the exfoliant version, Mint Julep Natural Facial Scrub, to see if it measured up. I was pretty pleased with my purchase: After all, at just under $4 it was more than affordable, and I was relieved to see that the company abstains from animal testing. And hell, I couldn’t wait to experience the “pleasant, tingling mint glow!” the label promised.

After a few weeks of testing, here’s the verdict… Keep reading »