Reviews by PumpingOvaltine

PumpingOvaltine says "Aquafina wants to refresh you inside and out" about Aquafina Purifying Daily Cleanser

PumpingOvaltine — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:02:52 GMT

WOW. WOW. WOW.

I freely admit that I am not one of those people who ever reaches the goal of 8-10 glasses of water a day. I'd venture to guess I don't attain that in a month, even with dedicated effort.

When I think Aquafina, I think bottled water and not much else. This facial cleanser has changed my mind. Aquafina apparently wants its customers to feel and look good inside and out!

Facial cleansers and I generally don't get along; they either have ingredients which make me break out like a teenager, or they just leave my face feeling ickier than it did before I washed. This Aquafina cleanser gets high marks from me in every regard.

My favorite facial cleanser--it's the one that comes with the L'Oreal kit I've previously reviewed--is not available by itself. I ran out of the cleanser some time ago and was fearful I wouldn't find a replacement that was compatible with the L'Oreal Acne kit I love so dearly.

Aquafina's foaming cleanser has to be one of the best, most refreshing...

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PumpingOvaltine says "Veet don't leave you neat" about Veet Rapid Action Hair Removal Lotion

PumpingOvaltine — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:02:48 GMT

I hate shaving, I really do. Seems that four seconds after I get out of the shower, I get a chill that instantly makes all the hair I just shaved off come back in full force, vendetta included. And of course, I miss a spot here and there that I don't discover until I'm all dried off and completely done with my shower. Not being that into pain, I've never taken the leap to wax anything on myself, and I can't/won't waste money on electrolysis.

A depilatory would be just the ticket, I thought. This could be my fast, cheap, razorless solution to the insta-regrow problem. Smooth and fuzz-free gams, here I come!

Well, not so much...put the brakes on Khemosabe, 'cuz we got a fundamental problem with this product.

IT STINKS.

To high heaven and above, Veet's hair removal products smell like nothing else I have ever smelled. P-freakin'-U! I am not engaging in hyperbole here; the smell is so offensive, it makes my eyes water. It's a good thing it's designed to be used in the shower,...

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PumpingOvaltine says "Smooth WHAT away, exactly?" about As Seen on TV Smooth Away

PumpingOvaltine — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:36:17 GMT

It's sort of a running gag that, at Christmas and my birthday, my mom will invariably give me an "As Seen on TV" gift. We all know that "As Seen on TV" anything can be hit or miss, but let's face it, we're all curious at least once...

Well, mom lived up to her usual and had the Smooth Away in with this year's birthday gifts. I was excited to get one, actually, as I'd been toying with buying one at Target. I mean, it was on sale for about $5 and would have easily been one of those "what the heck" purchases.

Glad I kept my five spot in my wallet, because as many reviewers have said, this crazy thing is a great way to give yourself a rash or a remarkable facsimile of one. Let's all note that the smoothing disks are made by 3M--the same company that makes items like tape, glue, and, oh yeah--sandpaper!

If I ever wanted to know what a 2x4 feels like when it's sanded, this product got me as close to being a living representation of lumber as I will ever be. I tried the large disks...

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PumpingOvaltine says "My hair drinks it up " about Cantu Cantu Shea Butter Rinse-Out Conditioner

PumpingOvaltine — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:53:46 GMT

Though this product is intended for African hair, I notice I get much better results when I try shampoos and conditioners with this fact in mind. I dye my hair frequently and flatiron it almost daily, so I need hair products that basically save me from myself.

Cantu's shea butter conditioner smells and feels wonderful. It rinses very cleanly and doesn't leave your hair with any extra weight. I normally condition only my ends because most conditioners leave my roots too heavy from the oils in them; this conditioner doesn't! My ironed, dry ends drink up this conditioner, and I notice that my hair responds really well to styling products when I use it. I can condition my scalp with this conditioner, and it won't be an Exxon Valdez-type mess by the end of the day.

You don't need to use a lot to get the job done, even if your hair is long. The conditioner isn't very thick, but it is just the right density so you won't feel as though you're not using enough. A little will go a long...

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PumpingOvaltine says "Pricey liner doesn't deliver" about MAC Penultimate Eye Liner

PumpingOvaltine — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:04:16 GMT

I love MAC makeup. I really do, which is why it pains me to write a negative review of one of their products. MAC can't be beat when it comes to eye shadows and paints, and I wish I could say the same of their liquid liner pen.

I bought the Penultimate Eye Liner as a replacement for a L'Oreal liquid liner because my L'Oreal liner was carving divots into my eyelids. The brush point on the L'Oreal was so hard that, even with a light touch, it still felt like I was lining my eyes with a steak knife. The MAC liner pen was the perfect density and strength to make a good, solid line. I would normally balk at paying more than $8 for an eye liner, but this was MAC--and it was just what I was looking for--so I happily handed over my debit card and left the counter excited to have found a pain-free eye lining solution.

Well, the love affair ended about as fast as it began because within two weeks, my pen was performing like it was a year old. Though I shook it before each use and stored...

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PumpingOvaltine says "So THAT'S where all the lost shopping lists go!" about Found Magazine

PumpingOvaltine — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:05:38 GMT

FOUND Magazine has been one of my favorite sites for years, and what's really cool is that the creator of the site branched out and made print versions for a magazine subscription and a book. It's great to watch someone take a really fresh, simple idea and see how it explodes over time.

The premise of the site is just what its name says: Found. Know how you check out a book from the library sometimes, and you might find a note, a shopping list, or a picture left in the pages by the last reader? It's objects just like these that FOUND Magazine lives to catalog. There's nothing you won't see on this site: breakup notes, notes passed in class, lost photographs, postcards, old ticket stubs, birthday cards, you name it.

The author is still accepting submissions, so the next time you find something random somewhere, scan it and send it to him! There is always a "Find of the Day," and you can view FOUND archives and recent entries. There is also a FOUND tour, so the site creator...

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PumpingOvaltine says "Winning the war on lousy skin just got easier!" about L`Oreal Dermo Expertise Acneresponse Intensive Adult Acne Peel 3 Step System Kit

PumpingOvaltine — Wed, 14 May 2008 21:48:06 GMT

I won't lie...I have spent much of my life battling breakouts. I was firmly convinced that I would be dead in my coffin, a full-fledged skeleton, and would STILL break out.

When my face decides to wage war on me, the L'Oreal acne system is my best weapon. It will not cure the problem, but what the products will do is greatly diminsh the severity of the breakout. I get very bad cysitc acne, and the pain is intense. While I do still get those from time to time, I notice they're more abundant when I don't use this product. What I do notice is that whatever blemishes I get, they're small and not nearly the self-esteem killers I am accustomed to fending off daily.

Take THAT, oil glands!

The face wash (step 1) removes makeup and crud very well, though it is a bit weak on getting off tough eye makeup. Your face will feel clean and fresh, not tight or overdried. After you wash and rinse (cool water is the best, won't exacerbate skin irritation), it's on to Setp 2 for the peel. The...

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