Savvy Thinker » Review http://savvythinker.com thinking about life, playing with makeup Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:10:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Review Lancome Visionnaire http://savvythinker.com/review-lancome-visionnaire/ http://savvythinker.com/review-lancome-visionnaire/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:06:17 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=8257

Once in a while a product comes along that purports to do everything you ever wanted a product to do for you, and then some. Such is Visionnaire by Lancome. If you can believe the hype from the company, women say they no longer want surgery after using the product.

Well, all right then! Whoo hooo! Who wouldn't prefer a product to surgery, given the choice!

I never know if the women who give testimonials are ones who have never taken care of their skin before, or if they are like me and always have. That makes a difference in results too.

So, I went for a sample, since a friend had told me that they had foil samples to give away. I used it up over a few days and it was OK, nothing to write home about. (I probably used more than a pump a day, just guessing, and the foil I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be one day only.)

Then I had a mini makeover by the Lancome rep at a local store. She had been using the product for 4 months, and her skin looked quite a bit better to me.

So I traded a product I had not liked toward the cost of Visionnaire ($84 for 1 oz) (more for 1.7 oz) and decided I would try it at night (and I am generally bad about night -- I will often use a night product in the day.)

After two days, I could see a difference. Then on day 3, maybe not (but I had used less night cream on top of it.) I've been careful to use the 'right' amount for my skin (the rep said ONE pump of Visionnaire -- it covers lightly, but if it were me, I'd likely use 1.5 pumps or even TWO) -- I'm using Lancome's Absolue night cream on top, then Genifique in the day time.

So far, I do see a difference. The fine lines are nearly eradicated at the top of my cheeks, after a few days. Here are some super closeups and no one sees you that close:

Not smiling:

Crinkling to a grin:

And now, the way I'm normally seen:

Have you tried it?
I rate it 4 out of 5 star, so far. But maybe the jury is still out. I figure you can always try a product and if you don't like it, return it. OTOH, it might work just super for you, so it is good to try.

Let me know how you like it and how you think it is working, if you have tried it or decide to try it.

I do find, for my skin, that changing products (and even changing back after a period of time) gives a jump start to my skin, and it will look better than ever. How much is this jump start effect, and how much is the superiority of the product, who knows!

Later today, I will try to write up a post about the skin products I will try NEVER to be without, even if I rotate them and don't use them daily. When I do, I will link to this post also, for you to find it easily.

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

Online Stores ]]> http://savvythinker.com/review-lancome-visionnaire/feed/ 0 Review: Whip It http://savvythinker.com/review-whip-it/ http://savvythinker.com/review-whip-it/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:53:22 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=5013

Whip It is about girls' Roller Derby, directed by Drew Barrymore. She is also the executive producer and plays the part of Smashley Simpson. Whip It refers to a move whereby one of the teammates swings the skater farther and faster by whipping or flinging them out with their arm to a farther position.

If you want a mostly fun, feel good movie, go see it. It is both believable and a fairy tale. It has elements of beauty and of discomfort (literally.) There is romance and disappointment in love. A strong, domineering mother makes some of the other events almost seem a given.

Lots of action; lots of skating; lots of body hits...the typical (or not so typical) difficulties in separating into adulthood by the two young girls. All the Roller Derby women, while playing rough, seem to respect each other's abilities.

Ellen Page (Juno) plays Bliss Cavendar whose mother (Marcia Gay Harden) wants her to do pageants. She, OTOH, leans towards Indie musicians. Her bff Pash (Alia Shawkat) is her cohort in crime.

Both desire to get away from their small town. Bliss doesn't have any direction (pageants don't count as they seem so anachronistic.) Pash has applied to Ivy Leagues. They push the limits of what they can get away with, while being good kids. On one of their exploits, Bliss becomes enamored with Roller Derby. Later she lies about her age when she auditions and becomes her alter-ego Babe Ruthless.

All this without telling her parents.

She is able to get to practice and the games by riding the Bingo bus into Austin.

Both girls work in a restaurant after school. Carlo Alban plays Birdman, one of their friends, who now has a responsible position at the restaurant. He offers some surprises.

Bliss' father (Daniel Stern) is one of those movie fathers you just have to love. I rank him right up there with Bella's father in Twilight. Neither dad has a clue about what their daughters are into, but both clearly love their daughters and want the best for them. Bliss' dad toes the line around his wife, but secretly watches football. He's living the life of a turtle.

The relationship between Bliss' father and mother is cute and sexy in a humorous way.

The action all comes to a head when the championship Roller Derby event takes place the night of the pageant. How it all works out is part of the movie. It doesn't happen as I thought it might.

There is a beautifully filmed scene in the pool. While this was beautiful, it also made me uncomfortable. All I could think of was the possibility of tragedy (which thankfully didn't come) like Bella ends up in the hospital.

Juliette Lewis plays Iron Maven -- and she is a sight to behold.

I'm ready for a rematch.

Have you seen it?
Before we went in, the girl who took our tickets said she just loved it.

Karin
www.savvythinker.com
please don't take my entire posts

Originally posted 2009-10-08 20:21:34.

Online Stores ]]> http://savvythinker.com/review-whip-it/feed/ 1 Review Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol http://savvythinker.com/review-mission-impossible-ghost-protocol/ http://savvythinker.com/review-mission-impossible-ghost-protocol/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:12:11 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=8231

What's to say, except I liked this movie. It is a great franchise. Tom Cruise has redeemed himself (again.)

Simon Pegg is terrific as the sidekick with humor.

Jeremy Renner as William Brandt is perfect as the analyst who turns out to be more.

I enjoyed watching Paula Patton as Jane Carter, one of the team.

Tom Wilkinson as the IMF Secretary is, as usual, terrific.

LĂ©a Seydoux is beautiful as the cold as nails assassin who works for diamonds.

Suffice it to say that there is action, stunts you'd never want to try (much less film), more action, interesting characters, enough suspense to keep you happy, more action...a little James Bond-ish but not so heavy on the sex.

Have you seen it?
I rate it 4 out of 4 star. It's not terribly graphic, you know the good guys will win (and survive), the filming was well done, you can't complain about the theme song, instantly recognizable... There's enough humor to act as a foil to the action...

Karin
www.savvythinker.com


No items matching your keywords were found.

Online Stores ]]> http://savvythinker.com/review-mission-impossible-ghost-protocol/feed/ 0 Review One for the Money (movie) http://savvythinker.com/review-one-for-the-money-movie/ http://savvythinker.com/review-one-for-the-money-movie/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:54:29 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=8226

We went to see this at the midnight show of opening night. There weren't a lot of folks there, which surprised me, but it might have been because people were sure about the casting.

If you love the book, you will love the movie. I'd see it again in a minute, and I will definitely buy it when it comes out as a DVD.

What's not to love about a movie that makes you happy, where you know the main character is going to be OK, where there is a lot of humor, and it is fun to watch!

Casting:
Let's talk casting. I wasn't at all convinced until I saw the movie. It was perfect.

I liked the idea of Katherine Heigl, but I wasn't sure if I'd like her in dark hair. Not to worry. She looked great.

Debbie Reynolds as Grandma Mazur was not at all who I pictured. But she got me in the first minute of her first appearance on screen. Considering Grandma Mazur is a favorite character, that is saying something.

Lulu -- well, I had thought Queen Latifah, but she is too high class for the part. But Sherri Shepherd was perfect in the part, and her getups were just like Janet Evanovich describes her.

Vinnie (Patrick Fischler) was perfect.

Now Morelli (Jason O'Mara) turned out to be a good choice. There is a lot of magnetism between him and Stephanie.

And speaking of magnetism, Daniel Sunjata as Ranger, turned out to be perfect. Many of us had thought of the Rock in this part, but Daniel couldn't be beat.

Ana Reeder as Connie, does a good job.

I didn't have anybody in mind for her parents, so they were OK. They don't have a lot of screen time compared to some of the other characters.

If you liked the book, do yourself a favor and get on down and see the movie. You know it is a terrific franchise, and I'd like to see the other books made as movies too. This one has to sell tickets for that to happen. I'd definitely go see them.

Have you seen it?
I give it 4 stars. I liked it!

Karin
www.savvythinker.com


No items matching your keywords were found.


Online Stores ]]> http://savvythinker.com/review-one-for-the-money-movie/feed/ 0 FOTD MK Minerals + http://savvythinker.com/fotd-mk-minerals/ http://savvythinker.com/fotd-mk-minerals/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:24:44 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=6543

It's been a while since I've posted a current FOTD. I wanted to try out the new color of MK mineral foundation, .5. I find the 1.0 is a little dark and a little yellow on me. The .5 is just perfect.

Eyes:
Base: Nude Frost, then Revlon Lilac Shimmer Perle (it is glittery)
Lids: Prescriptives Hyacinth
Crease and outer corners: Sephora # 9 and Milani Royalty # 06
Dry lined top and bottom: Some combination of darker shadows
Gel Lined Sheer Cover: plum shade and some SC black

Photobucket

Foundation: MK Mineral .5 ($18); then my sparkly mix powder, not only because I like my sparkly mix (which I do) but also to make it have more illumination. I didn't want to look like I had foundation on or that I was dry.
Blush: MK Pomegranate Cheek Jelly (new product) ($16) (comes in two colors)
My Review: Foundation was very easy to apply and extremely fast. It is still a drier look than I am used to. It's been on for several hours now, and it doesn't feel dry. The longer it is on, the more it seems to blend more natural. I think the coverage is lighter too, though it might be that I was very frugal in use of it, not wanting it to be too heavy or cakey. Love the Pomegranate shade.

Photobucket

Lips: MK lip balm ($7.50); MK Rose, then later MK Passionfruit ($13 each)
I like the colors. They are emollient without being sticky. My lips feel good and look good -- that is equally important.

Photobucket

Have you tried any of the new colors or products?
More reviews will follow tomorrow.

Have a great day!

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

Originally posted 2010-04-08 13:09:57.

Online Stores ]]> http://savvythinker.com/fotd-mk-minerals/feed/ 0 Review: Signature Club A Cleansers http://savvythinker.com/review-signature-club-a-cleansers/ http://savvythinker.com/review-signature-club-a-cleansers/#comments Mon, 26 Dec 2011 15:04:37 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=3308

Mega Moisturizing C Mousse Cleanser $25.50
This is a cleanser that is in my rotation. I like it a lot. I keep it in the shower. It is moisturizing, doesn't leave a film.

My take:
I give it a 5.

~~~~~~~

Meltdown cleansing creams
I can't tell you how nice these are. They smell wonderful, are not the least bit greasy, leave your skin soft and moisturized but no residue -- no residue is a must for me. I have only tried two scents. It also comes in melon, lemon zest, mandarin orange, and peaches now, but I've not tried them. Judging from the ones I've tried, you'd likely like the scent and the delivery. I give them a 5+++
French Vanilla
This is a true vanilla, not funny smelling, just delightful.

Coconut $18
If you like coconut, you will love, love, love this one. It smells great!

She makes other cleansers, but I've not tried them.

Have you tried any of these? Have you tried any other of her cleansers?

Karin

Originally posted 2009-05-05 21:12:40.

Online Stores ]]> http://savvythinker.com/review-signature-club-a-cleansers/feed/ 0 Review The Proposal http://savvythinker.com/review-the-proposal/ http://savvythinker.com/review-the-proposal/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2011 12:23:30 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=3814

Bookgirl and I went to The Proposal this morning. The theater was probably about 2/3 full -- a good crowd! And there were some men, not a lot, but a few.

We thoroughly enjoyed the movie and laughed our way through it. It was sweet, poignant, a hoot (especially Gammy (Betty White) who steals every scene she's in -- in a good way), a little raunchy (not too bad) -- just all round fun.

A summer escape. Yep, that's what it is. We get enough of the other just in the news.

You can be pretty sure it has a happy ending. Believable, but happy. Who doesn't want to see life wrapped up happily in a couple of hours?

And we saw two people who are fun to watch, not to mention all the others in the film too. Bookgirl particularly liked Mary Steenburgen as the mother. Craig T. Nelson is the father. Ryan Reynolds is easy on the eyes, for sure, as the male lead. I'd go see him again in a heartbeat. We always like Sandra Bullock. I liked the relationships within the family.

Judging from the size of the crowd, I think a lot of us are looking for happy movies that aren't sugary.

Or are a little sugary, but not like syrup.

I heard from a friend that she saw it on Sunday with a friend, and they both liked it too.

Well, sure, it's predictable. Maybe even a rehash, but hey, it's fun to watch. One quick nude scene, more suggested than actual. And more of Sandra B -- which is to be expected, even if not fair.

So there you have it! If you are in the mood, go for it! Have you seen it? I give it a 3. And a 7 for scenery. I'd like to be back in Sitka this summer.

Karin

Originally posted 2009-06-22 15:11:17.

Online Stores ]]> http://savvythinker.com/review-the-proposal/feed/ 0 Review: Unstoppable http://savvythinker.com/review-unstoppable/ http://savvythinker.com/review-unstoppable/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:17:05 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=7390

We heard this was a good movie, so we decided to go see it, even though it is a bit outside our usual genre.

You might want to put it in your Christmas pile of gifts if you don't own it already.

With Chris Pine and Denzel Washington, we knew it would be interesting to watch. Chris Pine plays a scruffy character (shave!) (or have a full beard or mustache, not that scruffy look) who is newly out of train school. Denzel figures he got the job because his family has connections.

The story
Due to human stupidity (beyond error) there is an unmanned runaway train with toxic chemicals on the loose. The person at fault set the train to power, so it is not coasting, but it is under power.

Will (Chris Pine) is embroiled in marital trouble and takes phone calls, when he might have been better off to be focused. Frank (Denzel Washington) has 28 years of service and knows things without having to calculate them. Will inadvertently couples 5 extra cars.

Their train is heading directly toward the speeding runaway. They cannot be diverted to the first siding as they are now too long to fit. They need to make the second, 10 miles away.

The scare factor
I was going on adrenalin. I was glad we weren't dealing with terrorists, just stupidity. And then that there was real knowledge to offset it.

How it is resolved
Because of Will's error, it puts them in a position to possibly stop the train. Frank knows that the attempt to derail it with a portable derailer will not work. The train is going too fast and will blow right through it (it does.)

And other attempts to stop have also failed, with one death.

The bad guys are the corporate types who don't listen to the voice of reason. And the train is heading toward a curve that it won't make with terrible consequences.

Against orders Frank and Will take off after the runaway train, going in reverse, to couple with the train and slow it down from behind. I really enjoyed Rosario Dawson's character who will do whatever it takes to rectify the situation, if possible.

I give it 3* out of 4*. Very good acting. Both Washington and Pine maintain their characters and you believe they are the people. The special effects were top notch. The ending is satisfying and happy.

Have you seen it?

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

Originally posted 2010-12-13 09:29:54.

Online Stores ]]> http://savvythinker.com/review-unstoppable/feed/ 0 Review Shellac for nails http://savvythinker.com/review-shellac-for-nails/ http://savvythinker.com/review-shellac-for-nails/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 04:23:58 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=8018

First, I like Shellac. It seems to work for me. It is protective and gives strength, similar to gel nails, but thinner. OTOH, a girlfriend stopped using Shellac because she said 'suddenly' her nails were thin. (They have since gotten strong again.) It lasts approximately 2 weeks, sometimes longer.

Minor problems such as a split nail, which are major with nail polish, and even some moderate problems, can be fixed using only Shellac as the binder.

How is it applied?
It includes a Base Coat, Color Coat (2 coats) and Top Coat.

How does it dry?
All coats are cured individually under a UV Lamp. Shellac is 100% dry to the touch when finished. And that is very nice!

How long does it take to apply?
Some say 30 minutes, but I find it takes closer to an hour, with removal time too. And if you are kept waiting for an hour, count on 2.

How is it removed?
100% acetone is used by wrapping it onto the nail for approximately 15 minutes, then an orange stick is used to scrape any small remainder from the nail.

How many colors are there? Currently 30. The system began with 12 colors, then a second set of 12 was released in March 2011, and for fall 2011 a set of 6 shades in September.

Here's what I have on my nails brand new today:

See more Shellac posts here: http://savvythinker.com/category/hands/shellac/

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

Online Stores ]]> http://savvythinker.com/review-shellac-for-nails/feed/ 6 Review: Almay smart shade smart balance™ http://savvythinker.com/review-almay-smart-shade-smart-balance%e2%84%a2/ http://savvythinker.com/review-almay-smart-shade-smart-balance%e2%84%a2/#comments Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:39:20 +0000 Karin http://savvythinker.com/?p=4792

Walgreen's was featuring this in their store not too long ago, plus they had Light-Medium foundation and a blush open to try. I was able to sample both in the store on the back of my hand. I bought Light. The foundation comes in 3 shades, as does the blush.

How does it work?
I have no idea, but it's quite a fun little technology! The makeup looks white, but as you trace circles with it on your skin, it becomes the shade for your skin. Ditto for the blush, which has a pinker tone to begin with. How have they figured out this magic!

Does it work?
Yes, surprisingly, it actually does, though I don't know if Light (the lightest shade) would work for skin lighter than mine or if Medium (the darkest shade) would work for darkest dark. If you are either of those categories and have tried this makeup, let me know how it works for you.

Foundation: Your skin only better
Your skin only better is my description of this foundation.
It looks as good on Book Girl, as it does on me. Light on her looks completely different than Light on me, so it really does change color with your skin. It is a bit deeper and more olive on her, but her perfect shade. She's borrowed mine a couple of times now.

How do you apply it?
The SA told me to trace circles on my skin. I think this is the best way because the circles will overlap each other. There would be no possibility for streaking.

Coverage?
It is more sheer than some foundations, but it offers more coverage than a moisturizer with color.
I think you could layer up for more coverage; it seems buildable. I don't have any trouble with streaking, but if you didn't blend it out, you might.

Coverage on Hands if you want to soften dark marks on your hands
The SA applied some on the back of her hands, and it covered sufficiently to soften age/sun marks on her hand by partially camouflaging them. It covers more fully on your face, if you use powder.

What I like is how easy you could apply more, whenever you washed your hands. Plus it isn't heavy, so it wouldn't smudge onto other things, such as your clothes, assuming you were careful in applying it.

How about men?
I've read of at least one man wearing this makeup for natural coverage, or as I put it, his skin only better.

Let me know if you try it!

Blush:
The blush looks pink-white in the tube, but it changes when it's applied. I bought pink. It also comes in Natural and Berry. I used the blush both as rouge and blush -- under and over my powder. It also looked good on Book Girl.

Here's what it looked like:
Photobucket

I'm glad I didn't buy the Light-Medium, though that color looked good on my hand.

My take:
This is a fun trick up your repertoire. The key would be how well it matched each person's skin. It worked for me. Because I can't answer that question with my sample of 2 (Book Girl and me) I'd have to give it 3* or 4* out of 5. It's pretty amazing to see it change color before your eyes.

Do you wear this?
Have you tried this?

Karin
www.savvythinker.com
Please credit my posts, if you share a partial post. Do not take a complete post, that's stealing.

Originally posted 2009-09-26 11:58:16.

Online Stores ]]> http://savvythinker.com/review-almay-smart-shade-smart-balance%e2%84%a2/feed/ 2