Take It Away and With You

Okay, I'm lazy I admit it. Sometimes I can't be bothered to search for the cotton pads or tissue when they aren't conveniently nearby the makeup remover lotion. But if they were all in one, now we're talking.



PRODUCT NAME: Take It Away Longwear Makeup Remover Towelettes

PRODUCT CLAIM: Fast, effective and incredibly convenient. Portable, pre-moistened towelettes quickly remove makeup and freshen skin without water. It has some advanced hydrating emulsion that hydrates and softens the skin.

THE EXPERIENCE: It is not unlike the Take It Away Lotion in that it effectively removes that caked on makeup. It is large enough that you can keep cleaning until everything is off. They suggested you sweep it across the face, whatever that means in terms of cleaning I am not sure but I just did what you would most likely do and simply wipe.

THE VERDICT: Super convenient. I really liked this product. I earlier tried the Estee Lauder Take it Away lotion which itself is very effective in removing makeup but this is even better because you can do it all in one shot and the mess is minimal at best. What I also like about this is that it doesn't leave the skin with an oily residue. It almost feels like a toner on the skin leaving you feeling thoroughly clean.

MARKS: 10/10

PRICE: $21

Makeup Remover Clinic

I haven't used a lot of clinique's products lately. I used to be a big fan back in the day when I was valiantly trying to fight off the acne by using their cleansing and toner regimen. But as age beat out the acne I moved on to other product lines until now. I was reccommended this make-up remover by my mother who swears its the best and trust me she has tried many over the years.



PRODUCT NAME: Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes and Lips

PRODUCT CLAIM: Gently lifts stubborn eye and lip makeup even those that are water-proof. It is also supposed be safe for contact lense wearers.

THE EXPERIENCE: They recommend saturating the cotton pad or ball and leaving on the eye for a few moments to dissolve the makeup I assume. Then remove makeup using downward strokes, then rinse with water.

THE VERDICT: Don't try this using toilet paper, bad idea and of course a no brainer unless you enjoy flecks of paper in your lashes. The cotton pad can't be beat with this formula.

This does get everything off, mind you the downward stroke thing is not that necessary, I find the upward stroke works better for me.

The result was a makeup free face albeit with a slight film akin to baby oil but not as greasy and very little irritation with the contacts.

MARKS: 9/10

PRICE: $21.50

Not just a cleanser

Continuing with the cleanser and make-up remover theme is another entry, this one from Lancome.



PRODUCT NAME: Galateis Clarte Gentle Clarifying and Cleansing Fluid Face and Eyes

PRODUCT CLAIM: This is a cleansing milk for the face and eyes. It's made with pineapple and papaya to help clarify the skin. It says in a a single step it will gently clean your skin leaving it soft and fresh.

THE EXPERIENCE: I followed the directions by applying it and using circular movements to get at the makeup, then removed it with cotton pads as suggested.

THE VERDICT: To be perfectly honest it is not a make-up remover per se so it doesn't do such a great job at getting the makeup off. It terms of cleansing the skin, I really couldn't tell. I don't know about you but I only feel like my skin is clean when there is nothing on it. This of course leaves a slight film so if that is not your idea of cleansing then, well you get the idea. Perhaps rubbing your face with some pineapple slices would be just as good not to mention smell sweeter.

MARKS: 5/10

PRICE: $38

Take it all away

Don't you hate it when you wake up in the morning only to realize that you have forgotten to remove your makeup from the day before? I can't count the times I have done that and it always seems to be when I've got a pound of it on. Eww what a horrible gunky mess. Not pretty.

So the easiest and quickest way to remove that pound of makeup is always welcomed. These are some I have tried.



PRODUCT NAME: Take It Away Total Makeup Remover

PRODUCT CLAIM: It quickly and gently removes every trace of makeup on the face even if it is long-wear and water-proof. It also rinses away easily with no greasy residue. It's also reccommended for contact lense wearers and that it has been opthalmologist tested.

THE EXPERIENCE: Well off the bat I have say it definitely takes off everything. It does an effective job even if you happen to be wearing water-proof mascara.

THE VERDICT: This make-up remover works well. A little goes a long way. I didn't need to use very much with each application and was very happy with the result. I wear contacts and didn't have any irritation using it while I was still wearing my contacts but you may get some of it on your lenses which gives everything that warm hazy look, temporarily of course. I do reccommend that you apply it twice in small amounts and massage it well to loosen up the makeup.

Also try rinsing your face if you want that really clean feel because no matter what they claim there is no such thing as a residue free feeling when using a lotion.

MARKS: 9/10

PRICE: $21

Stain it

I haven't been blessed with naturally red lips like some of my friends so I am left to try my best with all the lipsticks, glosses etc. in hopes of avoiding the walking dead look. The only trouble I find with lipsticks and glosses is that it doesn't take long before I have pretty much eaten all the colour from my lips.

I have often wondered exactly how many tubes I have consumed over the years and if they are all still sitting in my stomach next to the maraschino cherries and wads of chewing gum.

So what better than a stain.



THE PRODUCT: BENETINT POCKET PAL

PRODUCT CLAIM: It is kiss proof amd water-proof and that you can use it not only on the lips but on the cheeks as well. It is supposed to give you sheer colour for an "innocent, yet provactive glow" ???

THE EXPERIENCE: The suggested way to use it is to apply it to the lips with a q-tip as a base for any lipstick or lipgloss you prefer to use on top. For the cheeks they suggest drawing 3 stripes across the cheeks and blending it in circular motions with your fingertips. I didn't go for the 3 stripes only because it seemed a bit too much but it is best to blend it in with your fingertips for the best placement. As for the lips I found blending it in with fingertips worked best.

THE VERDICT: I have to admit, I really liked this product. For the cheeks it does give you that rosy glow that seems natural even for the oddest of skintones like myself. For the lips you just need to make sure that they are not dry or cracked otherwise you will end up looking like an extra from a zombie movie. Also you will want to make sure that you spread it more towards the outer parts of your lips because if you don't there will be more colour on the inside looking like you have been sucking on a red lollipop. With the shiny clear gloss as a top coat you end up with a really nice effect.

As for the lasting colour, it will last longer than any lipstick and keeps its colour long after the gloss has worn off. For the cheeks pretty much all day.

MARKS: 10/10

PRICE $20

NOTE: Just be careful when opening the tint. Make sure it is upright otherwise you will have everywhere but on your lips.

Polish Away

I was lucky enough to get Chanel exofliating gel as a gift so I didn't need to shell out the cash for it. With Chanel you expect pretty good stuff, in this case well........



PRODUCT NAME: Gommage Microperle Eclat Maximum Radiance Exfoliating Gel

PRODUCT CLAIM: This is supposed to bring out the skin's "natural luminosity" with its pearl powders and jojoba microbeads.

THE EXPERIENCE: The gel is fairly thick as you would expect but I didn't feel like I was cleansing my face as much as massaging it with a grainy oily cream. After rinsing I was left with a film on the skin that is of course meant to hydrate, which is fine, but it didn't feel like I had done any unveiling of "natural luminosity". I ended up washing with some soap to get rid of the greasy film.

THE VERDICT: For the price I would rather go for a different product. If you tend to suffer from dry skin and find most exfoliators drying then perhaps this is a better choice. As for normal to oily skin types don't bother.

MARKS: 6/10

PRICE: $42

Shrink Those Pores

Here are some products I have tried in my never ending search for that magic pore eraser.





PRODUCT NAME: Biore deep cleansing pore strips

PRODUCT CLAIM: Instantly pulls out the oil and dirt usually in the form of blackheads even in those hard to reach places??
It is also designed to reduce the appearance of pores with regular use which is at least once a week.

THE EXPERIENCE: You need to follow the directions carefully or you won't get the full benefit of the strips. Make sure
your face is well washed and it is wet enough for the strip to go on much like a piece of plaster. I let it dry
longer than the reccommended 10-15 minutes. I suggest waiting until it feels completely dry. Then peel
gently while trying to keep the skin taught. There is a little discomfort that is about as bad as a bandaid.

VERDICT: What you pull out of your pores isn't pretty but it is quite satisfying to see the gunk on the strip and no
longer on your face. It works well and manages to pull out quite a bit.

MARKS: 9/10

NOTE: If you want to get at those stubborn blackheads and want a really deep extraction then go for the Ultra
deep cleansing pore strips. (10/10)