Rosebud Perfume Co. Strawberry Lip Balm

image from sephora.com

Price: $7 for .8oz (22g)

What they say:
"Indulge your sweet tooth as you soothe dry, chapped lips with Rosebud's newest, strawberry-scented lip balm. Following in the Rosebud tradition of simple, easy to use products, this vintage-inspired tin contains a combination of rich emollients that lock-in moisture and banish dryness after only one application."

What I say:
I actually don't like fake strawberry flavored things, so keep that in mind when you read this review.

I originally got this is the "Three Lavish Layers of Lip Balm" set, which is a great deal, btw.  Anyway, since I hate strawberry the most, and I like to finish things from worst->best I decided to open this one first.

The smell is gross to me, but like I said I don't like fake strawberry.  Hindsight says that I should have just given this one away to my niece or someone else, but it's too late now, so I'll just use it up.  The smell thankfully does not linger, so it is tolerable for use on my lips.

The consistency is like Burt's Bees salve, or like a really hard lip balm.  To use I have to warm it up with my fingers, and then put it on my lips.  I think this won't melt that easily, so it would make a good summer lip balm for a handbag.  Once on my lips it is soft, but not too soft.  A thin layer spreads well, leaving a non-sticky coating behind.  It is not the most moisturizing lip balm I have ever used, but that is because vaseline-type products are not moisturizers, but instead moisture trappers.  If you really want moisturized lips, put on a moisturizer first, and then put something like this on top to trap the moisture where you placed it.  Anyway, it does a good job as a trapping layer, and it stays for a decent amount of time, so I would say it does its job well.

The price for what it is is okay, but not great.  This is basically just glorified Vaseline with flavor and scent added.  There is a little color in the tin, but nothing appears on my lips, so there really is no reason for the colorant being added to the batch in the first place.

The tin is a well made metal, not too hard or too easy to open, but the product along the sides looks like it would be hard to get out.  I personally don't like tins for lip balms myself, since the product gets all over your fingers when you try to get it out, but I know Rosebud makes a tube version of this product, so they have already addressed this problem.

Overall:
This makes a good gift if you like strawberries and like lip balm.  I can see why so many people rave about his product, but I personally don't think it is really that great for what it is.  The price for amount is pretty good but Vaseline, which this basically is, is cheaper and doesn't have unnessesary ingredients (like color) added to it.  Don't get me wrong, I think it is an okay product, I just don't understand the hype behind it, and think there are better products for better prices.
4/5 if another flavor, 3.5/5 because the strawberry was so fake.

Hype Theatre: Yves saint Laurent Touche Eclat

image from sephora.com

Initial thoughts:
The tube that I got from Sephora appears to maybe be used.  The brush is was mostly clean, but some of the product was squirted out.  I cleaned the brush off, and it took 7 more clicks for more product to come out, instead of the 30 that the product claims to take the first time it is used.  I am weary that I used the product that came out of the brush afterwards without doing a full clean of the brush, but since most of the brush head was pristine, and the product did take 7 more clicks, I am currently chalking this mystery up to elevation changes or the product banging around in the box.

The product itself is creamy, thicker than I imagined it would be, but still more liquid in texture.  I would say it feels a lot like a liquid foundation.  "One click" (read above) was enough for both of my undereyes, my nose bridge, and a little on my cupid's bow and my chin.  While on first glance it appeared to do nothing, stepping away from the mirror and looking again a little later showed that it did in fact help my undereyes a little.  The rest was of course not noticeable, but a good highlighter should not be.  I used the brush to apply, and my fingers to blend.

Try numbers two and three:
Still taking about 7 clicks per time to use.  Starting to think that I have a defective container, but other than that it is perfectly use able.  Kinda nice in a weird way, since I know that banging around in my bag is not going to cause it to just come out on its own.

Still getting the hang of the product, but not in a negative way.  The consistency of this is way better than any dupe that I have used.  It really does not creep into lines, instead seeming to just absorb into the skin that it is pressed into.  This makes me sad in a way, since that means that all that money I spent on drugstore dupes was useless, and would have been better served being put into this.

Try number 4:
So I still think this doesn't do a whole lot, but am still really liking the product as a whole.  This is indeed great for travel, and does well in "oh crap, I look like death right now, and have a minute to get ready" times.

Overall:
Product: 4/5 - As a highlighter it doesn't do too much, but the consistency and ease of use make up for that.  It looks natural on the skin as long as you don't use too much, no creeping around, and doesn't break me out.
Packaging: 3/5 - I both like and dislike the click pen.  It is great for travel, and for quick applications, but cleaning the brush is hard, and not being able to tell the amount that is left in the container is really not fun.
Price: 3/5 - I think this product is too expensive for what it is.  On sale it is not as bad, but the amount that you get does not warrant the price in my opinion.
Overall rating: 3.5 - If you can get this on sale, you might want to give it a try.  Just remember, this is a highlighter, not a concealer.  I wish the pen came with more product, and that there was a way to tell how much was left in a pen.

An update 2

The total is now 5 this year.

Seriously?

On another note, I got some Holiday gifts to review, and am working on a new post right now.

Happy Holidays!

An update.

So, I guess you might be wondering what has happened to me (if anyone is still even reading this site).  In the last few months I have lost 2 family members, and am losing another one right now.  For those keeping score, this will make 4 family members in the span of 5 months.

Blogging is fun for me, but unfortunately takes time away from what needs to be done right now.  I haven't even been reading other blogs (if you knew me, you would know that is insane.  I normally open-all tabs in my blog folder, and then just read them all throughout the day).

I have no idea when, or if, I will be coming back.  I hope I will, since like I stated before, blogging is fun for me.  I never started this to get readers, I started this because it was a hobby, something to look forward to doing, a place to write down thoughts on products I liked, or hated.

Thank you for reading this, those of you who are still out there.

--kaoru

Finally finally finally finally finally!

image from sephora.com

Finally Urban Decay is getting with the picture and offering their Primer Potion in a tube.  According to what i have seen, this is only the "professional size" of .85oz that will be available, and no word if they are going to just change over to this style exclusively, but at least it is something.  Personally, I think they should offer both styles, since the mascara like container that they have now does come in handy, and many people like it, but to actually offer a tube that you can squeeze it all out of... it was a long time in coming.

Thank you Urban Decay for finally listening to your fanbase and changing something that people have been crying out for for a long time.  Yes, I know you did that slanted doe-foot applicator thing, but seriously, you and I both know that was not enough.

Right now this is limited edition from Sephora, and I see no word on it from Urban Decay.  It says "online early access" in the email for beauty insiders too.  Hope this is testing the waters for the new packaging, and they decide to stick to it.

*Update 8/31*
Urban Decay's site just put up the Professional Size Eyeshadow Primer Potion.  I see nothing on their site that it is LE, so it looks like it is permanent!  Way to go UD!

Ojon Rub-Out Dry Cleanser

Price: $24 for 4.5oz

What they say:
"What it is:
A dry cleanser that revives, refreshes, and recharges hair and scalp without water.

What it does:
Ojon® Rub-Out™ Dry Cleanser instantly "erases" impurities, toxins, excess oil, and product build-up. It increases hair volume at the root while treating the hair and scalp. Ideal between washings, as a hair pick-me-up, when you're in a rush, or when you overuse a styling product. The Dry Cleanser leaves hair cleansed, light, luminous, and healthy -looking.

What else you need to know:
Fortified with wildcrafted Ojon® oil, an ancient native secret to naturally beautiful hair from Central America's Tawira tribe, known as "the people of beautiful hair.™" Supported by clinical studies to instantly hydrate, strengthen, and restore dry or damaged hair, Rub-Out™ Dry Cleanser is appropriate for all hair types and is eco-friendly."

What I say:
This stuff is not worth the price.  Not even a little.

I bought a Ojon kit because I had heard a number of good things about this brand, and thought I would give it a shot.  Included in the kit was a To-Go size of this product, and since I had been looking for a good dry shampoo, I thought I would give this a shot.

There are a couple of things that I liked about this product, and I think I will get those out of the way first.  One, the product smell, to me, is not offensive.  I wouldn't say I would wear it as a perfume, but overall, I think it does a good job of covering up the dirty hair smell, and also not offend the nose when spraying onto hair.  Two, the powder that is in the product doesn't cause the white cast in my hair that a lot of dry shampoos can do.  I still need to try a shampoo for darker hair (I have light brown, but still dark enough that normal dry shampoos are obvious), but I think this is a good alternative for those.  I know if you use dry shampoo correctly you don't get a white cast, but there is sometimes that spot.  You know the one, that spot that you thought you brushed properly... yeah, that one.

Now the bad stuff.  This stuff did nothing for me.  In fact, every time I tried this product was on a day that I didn't need to wash my hair, but was just practicing for days that I might need this (last minute dinners, for instance), and not only did it not help my hair, I could feel it in my hair enough that I was compelled to wash it out!  Talk about counterproductive.  I mean, I might be able to see the slightest amount of matte, but overall I can still feel the oil, and on top of it I can feel the powder from this.  Not good.

Before you ask, yes I do know how to use dry shampoo.  I am getting the product out, but as you know, it is impossible to get something 100% out of your hair without washing it out.  This is why dry shampoo doesn't work against styling products, and you can't just use dry shampoo as your only cleansing source.

Next bad thing is the price.  This stuff is way too expensive for what it is, especially when there are supposedly better shampoos for a fraction of the price.  Sally's Beauty Supply, for instance, carries Batiste, which even marked up from importing is still only $7.50 for 5.05 oz, an even larger size than this Ojon one.  Granted, the powder is white, but from many reviews that I have heard, and seen, this comes out of dark hair easily (this is the next dry shampoo I will try, and I forgot to get it yesterday while I was in town).

Overall, if it works for you, it works for you, but for me this stuff was rubbish.  Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to wash this stuff out of my hair, again.

2/5 (Did like the smell, and the no white cast)

Stila One Step Foundation

image from zappos.com

Price: $44 for 1oz

What they say:
"What it is:
A skin-loving makeup that combines the benefits of a primer, foundation, concealer, and powder in one long-wearing formula.

What it does:
This innovative, medium-coverage formula is energized with Stila's exclusive Ionic Mineral Complex™ that reads and reacts to skin zone-by-zone, visibly priming, balancing, correcting, and optimizing for a supremely flawless finish. Achieve a beautifully smooth look with this buildable, blendable, hydrating essential that minimizes pores, regulates oil, and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Synthetic Fragrances"

What I say:
So far I'm liking this foundation/primer/powder/concealer product.  It's not the greatest, but I have seen much much worse (looking at you Revlon PhotoReady).

This product claims to be a primer, foundation, concealer and powder all in one.  While I wouldn't say outright that it is not any one of these things, what it is is a combination of an average one of each.  Average concealer, average primer, you get the idea.  So while you are saving time, and actually money (if you do use all of these steps each day), the overall effect that you are achieving is just okay, and could be done better with superior products.

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not dissing this product.  In fact, for what it is trying to do, I would actually be praising it.  To be able to achieve so much in so little of an amount of time is really useful, and definitely has its place amongst the time constricted of us.

The texture of this product is whipped, like Maybelline's whipped blushes.  Personally, I think the texture of this product is the worst part about it.  Since it is whipped, it doesn't want to stay on a brush, making it hard to apply to your face without using your fingers.  So why don't you use your fingers, you might ask?  Because when I only have a minute to get foundation on, I don't want half of that time bring spent washing and drying my hands!  Once actually on the face it spreads out relatively easily, though because it likes to stick together, it can tend to all try and place itself on the same spot.  Something to watch out for.

The coverage of this is sheer to medium, I would say.  I could definitely see redness through it, and my undereye circles were ever present (though I always expect that one).  Basically, while I would say it conceals at all, it does a pretty bad job of it.  I had to apply a second layer around my nose just to cover the redness that I happened to have there.

This product is chock full of silicones, but so far I have not reacted to them.  I am waiting to see if I do or not, because depending on the product, and the actually size of the particles, sometimes I don't react.  The silicone is how this product achieves the "powder-like" part of the formula.  Once the foundation dries, what is left is a powder finish, which is quite nice.  I heard some talk about transfer being a problem with this product, but personally have not had a problem with that.

Lasting power was okay.  I only wear foundation for short periods of time, usually, and in this case it was only 5 hours before I took it off.  It definitely was still there, I didn't get oily through it (which means that the oil control must be decent), and it didn't slide.

Last couples things: colors, and price.

Colorwise, this product is meh.  I got both the lightest and second lightest shades of this, and both seemed to be okay for me (I guess I fall in between), but both were yellowish.  Whilst I do have a pink undertone, I can sometimes pull off a more yellow foundation, depending on the amount present, and what I was pairing with it.  With this, I had to wear bronzer with the lightest shade, which according to Stila doesn't even have a yellow undertone!  I definitely fear for women with more pink in their skin than I have, and really wish more companies would realize that yellow is not always flattering (looking at you Bobbi Brown).

Price for this is... not good.  While I did say that it was okay earlier, this was based on a "this is my only foundation/concealer/powder/primer" standpoint.  If you have decent skin that doesn't need a lot of concealer (which is the one thing I think this thing doesn't do even average), and you are thinking of just buying this, and nothing else, then the price is okay, since it breaks down to just $11 for each thing in it, and you aren't buying anything else.  If you are like most people, and you are thinking of using this as a sometimes, not always foundation, than the price is absurd.  For $44 you can get MUFE HD, and have change left over (and MUFE at least has a color selection than includes those of us who are not yellow undertone).  Also, this product claims to have a shelf of just 6 months after first use, according to the sticker.  This actually surprised me, since the product is in a tube, and it looks to be an airtight design.  Are the minerals just that unstable, and if so, than how does it last long enough on the shelf until someone purchases it in the first place?

I happened to get both of mine on a massive sale (one of them without a box, but new, and the other on an overstock site).  Total for both I paid less than the cost of one, but that was just luck and timing.  If I had to repurchase at the regular price, I would not even consider it an option.  If I found the same deal again, I would think about it, since the time I save would be worth it.

Overall:
Product: 3.5-4/5 (depending on the need for concealer)
Price: 2-4/5 (depending on if you are using this as a supplementary or a primary product)