Reviews by Coppelia

Coppelia says "Helped clear up my acne, without a bad smell." about Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Stress Control Triple Action Toner 8 fl oz

Coppelia — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:21:20 GMT

I never really understood the purpose of a toner before I tried this, but now I am hooked. I used to have a bottle of something else with salycilic acid, but it smelled noxious. This stuff, Neutrogena's anti-stress acne control toner, actually smells almost pleasant. It's like aloe and cucumber, I guess. Plus it's green. I've got to love something that is green, to neutralize my face's redness, even though of course there isn't enough coloring to actually show up. I use this stuff twice a day - in the morning after showering and before moisturizing, and then after washing my face at night. I apply it using a cotton pad. This stuff really picks up anything that was left behind after washing, and leaves your face feeling fresh and protected. I do use a moisturizer afterwards, but I don't think I will need to come summer (in the humid months my skin is oily, in the winter it is dry). I really think that my new regime of using a facewash, scrub, toner, and moisturizer is contributing to the...

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Coppelia says "It works... sometimes..." about Miglia TVMicro

Coppelia — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:14:10 GMT

I really wish I could give this a glowing review, because I really wish it worked consistently! I got the Miglia TVMicro a few years ago so that I could watch cable tv on my computer. I don't watch enough tv to warrant buying an actual television, so I thought this would be a great work-around. Well, it is great, when it works. The basic premise is that you connect the cable wire into the little device, which plugs into the USB drive of your computer. On my old computer, the program would make my computer freeze. It doesn't do that on my new computer, but I would say that about half (maybe even 3/4) of the time I plug it in, it can't find a signal. This is very frustrating, especially because when I want to watch tv, it is for a special reason. The program that comes with the device is pretty easy to use. It even lets you record, which is something that I use often. The file sizes are pretty huge, but I guess that is standard for full-screen video. In general, I would say that I am moderately...

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Coppelia says "Convenient, quick, and easy." about Sunbeam Hot Shot 3211 Hot Water Dispenser

Coppelia — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:00:35 GMT

I first got my Hot Shot when I was living in a dorm in college. You aren't allowed to have anything with exposed heating elements, but something like this appliance was within the rules. It let me make tea, oatmeal, hot chocolate, even instant soup. I don't know what I would have done without it. Now that I live in a real apartment, I still use the Hot Shot all the time. If I just want to heat up water, this is what I use. It is faster than boiling water in the stove or in the microwave, and I'm sure it uses less energy. It will heat up enough to make about two mug-fulls of hot water. I'd say it takes about one minute to get to boiling. It's true that you can hear it go when the water starts to boil, but there is no way to avoid that really. This little thing does its job really well. The only downside is that you can't fit tall mugs (or most travel thermoses) under the spout, but you can work around that by pouring from a different mug. I'd say it's worth it!

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Coppelia says "Great do-it-all printer." about Canon Pixma MX850 All-In-One InkJet Printer

Coppelia — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:51:49 GMT

I got this printer, the Canon MX850, as a birthday gift. It replaced an old printer that came free with my computer. This workhorse really does everything, and does it well. Some features that I love are automatic duplex printing (it will do double-sided all by itself, no more stopping to flip the sheets around) and a self-feed scanner (you can just give it a stack of papers to scan and it will feed them through, like an office copier does). Other than that, I mostly use it for day-to-day printing, and it does the job. One of the downsides is that it is rather massive. The box it comes in is enormous and heavy. But really, how often do you move a printer? I decided that it was worth it. Using the built-in controls to make simple copies is relatively straight-forward. I haven't used the fax capabilities yet, or done any printing from a memory card, so no opinion there. Overall, I'm very glad that I chose this printer. I think it was a good investment.

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Coppelia says "These are the only things I will use to take notes with." about Staples Paper Mate Erasermate Black Pens

Coppelia — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:43:33 GMT

These Paper-mate Eraser-mate pens are the only thing I will take notes with for class. They are better than pencils because they don't fade or rub off, and better than pens because you can erase as you go. Beware that the longer the ink dries, the harder it is to erase. It comes off all the way if you just made a quick error, but if you are coming back hours later or days later, it will be much harder to get off the paper. Another downside is that you never know when you are going to run out of ink. Sometimes the ink piles up on the side of the pen tip, and you get a blob. The general construction of these feels pretty cheap. But, all that said, I have not found anything better to use! These are a must, for me.

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Coppelia says "These made me like wearing glasses!" about Prodesign 1154

Coppelia — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:38:46 GMT

These glasses (Prodesign Denmark model number 1154) are so good-looking. I get compliments on them all the time. Usually I wear contacts, but I feel like really I am being more fashionable when I wear these glasses. They are lightweight and comfortable to wear. The lenses are a little small, but so are most fashionable specs. They have a little bit of "geek chic" to them, I think. Plus they are in my favorite color! I am so happy I went with this style - I picked them out as a graduation present! Some more details: they are made from stainless steel, and have acrylic (or some sort of plastic) on the ear part. The main body is a burgundy color, and the acrylic is purple, blue, and yellow. The most interesting part is the temple area, where there is a sort of cut-out before the part that leads back to your ear. That part is a little wide, but in no way does it obstruct your vision. These certainly weren't inexpensive, but they are worth it in terms of quality.

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Coppelia says "Classic, comfortable, plus no battery!" about Citizen - Eco-drive Silhouette

Coppelia — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:24:04 GMT

I've had this watch, the Casio Eco-drive Silhouette, for almost a year, and I'm still in love with it. It goes with everything, from casual to formal (okay maybe not formal, but business-like would work) and it has never let me down. I love that it doesn't need a battery (it's solar-powered, but don't worry, it's not like those old calculators. They say that one charge will last for an entire year). Many of the Citizen designs are all sparkly and jewel encrusted, but those just seem tacky to me, even if they are real stones. This one is pure and simple, with an elegant elongated face. It is easy to put on and take off with one hand. Really I have nothing bad to say about this watch.

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Coppelia says "Earn money (slowly) by viewing ads." about MyPoints

Coppelia — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:08:57 GMT

MyPoints is great for those of us who like to get something for nothing. Sure, you can earn points by shopping through their affiliates, but the best part is that you can also earn points by clicking on ads in your email, and signing up for various newsletters. If you go this route it takes longer to accumulate enough points to cash in for a gift card, but it requires almost no effort and you are making money. How cool is that? If you can stomach all the hokey promotions and you don't mind having a full inbox, go for it! I have been a member for years, and I've never had any problems.

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Coppelia says "Easy, friendly, great rates." about ING Direct Savings Account and CD's

Coppelia — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:05:13 GMT

I have had an account with ING Direct for about four years, and I have been quite satisfied. I'm very glad that I haven't kept my savings holed up in a regular bank or credit union - I have made a lot more money this way. ING always has some of the best rates, in terms of savings and CD's. They are good at communicating things like rate changes, and sometimes offer perks and free cash if you, say, sign up a friend, or use your debit card. Their customer service is fantastic, and their website is well laid out and easy to use. Even thought they are "only" online, I consider them my primary bank.

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Coppelia says "Great, simple, homemade food" about Kim's Kitchen - Evanston, IL

Coppelia — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:17:20 GMT

I've only had the sandwiches, tea, and desserts so far, but it has been wonderful. Run by real people. A cute atmosphere....

Coppelia says "No fees, points for entertainment and restaurants ." about Citi - MTV U Platinum Select Visa

Coppelia — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:13:12 GMT

I had my "identity" stolen last year (i.e. someone was making purchases other than me) and it was no hassle to get it refunded, I just had to get a statement notarized....

Coppelia says "Great teachers, too much of a party atmosphere." about Trinity College

Coppelia — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:06:08 GMT

I loved my teachers and the academics, as I experienced them, were great. However, Trinity is full of kids who went to boarding school and are used to binge drinking instead of chatting over movies or a board game (which is my preferred way to spend a Saturday night). Also, the school is in a bad neighborhood (scary at night, nothing within walking distance). If you want liberal arts (or engineering with a liberal arts feel, which is what I went for), you can make it work here....

Coppelia says "Cheap price is reflected in features" about UTStarcom - Slice Cell Phone

Coppelia — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 02:45:50 GMT

I bought this phone because it is small, sleek, and bar-style. All these things are great. However, this phone is short on features. Half of the time my caller ID doesn't even work. When you look up your missed calls, it just lists numbers, without the time or day called. It only came with lame ringtones and wallpaper - ones that maybe a young kid would like (and I'm not that old - in my 20s). I just wanted something basic, and this failed to deliver. When I actually paid to download my own wallpaper, the graphics were blurry and poor quality. There is a calculator and stopwatch, so that much is nice, but otherwise I hate this phone.

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Coppelia says "Powerful, reliable, pretty." about Apple MacBook Pro

Coppelia — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 02:22:27 GMT

I got my MacBook Pro when they were first out (when the Intel cores were new), so I had a little trouble at first with software and such. A couple years later I had a harddrive failure. Other than that, my laptop has been a dream. Sometimes things crash, but it is probably because using Spaces makes it easy to leave many applications up at once. I love Apple products!

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Coppelia says "Awesome, easy to use camera produces great results" about Casio - Exilim EX-Z600 Digital Camera

Coppelia — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 02:15:04 GMT

This camera is so easy, but if you are more into photography, you can really fix things up nice if you're so inclined. For example, there are settings to get "smooth" water or to get "droplet" water, and there are settings for fireworks or sunsets, landscapes or portraits. Very intuitive. Probably the best part of the camera is its huge screen, followed by its small size and minimal buttons. I have absolutely no complaints.

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Coppelia says "The iPod touch is fantastic!" about Apple - iPod Touch

Coppelia — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 01:59:56 GMT

I love my new iPod touch. The best part is using wireless internet on-the-go. Nowadays there is free wi-fi in so many places, so this is super convenient. I haven't really gotten into the games (I hear they are fun), but the internet browser, email, and calendar do it for me. I don't know how I survived before!

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