Mascara -Etude - Lash Perm Mascara
lirontocker 6/11/2012 10:08:00 AM
There are very few product which impress me on first use, not to mention mascaras with their first coat. I don't know if it's the formula, I don't know if it's the brush, but these guys weren't kidding - this mascara gives LOTS of volume. I love huge, dramatic lashes and have used manymanymanymany "volume" mascaras in my 15+ years of putting my makeup on in the morning - this is by far the only mascara which has had me swear by it on first use. Unfortunately, the formula is a tad runny and application is a bit finicky. I'm used to Bourjois' mascaras (Volume Glamour Max and Volume Clubbing) both of which are dryer, are extremely easy to use, layer nicely and only clump if you really work at it. Lash Perm comes out of the tube with a lot of product (the wand is too narrow for the tube, so not enough product is wiped off) and absolutely must be applied as instructed on the packaging - slowly, in a zig-zagging motion. If you don't mind the extra minor care you need to put in, this mascara is really good. No smudging, no panda eyes, minimal flaking and LOTs of volume.
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Lipstick -Etude - Dear My Blooming Lips-Talk
lirontocker 6/11/2012 9:35:00 AM
I have a few of these lipsticks and I'm absolutely in love - it's really hard to find bright, pigmented lipsticks that don't cake up on the lips or dry out quickly, these lipsticks pack a punch and are nicely emollient. I have fairly pigmented lips, even the lighter colors in this range (PK007, OR203) look good on me, without washing me out or making me look like a clown. There's a bit of a peachy scent which is more or less completely absent from the lips after application. These lipsticks have decent staying power (not as good as MAC's Lustre lipsticks, since the Etude House ones are far more emollient), but they fade gracefully. I don't like that the lipsticks get a tad sticky after fading a bit, but I'd prefer sticky over drying, which is what I get with most bold lipsticks in my collection (I'm looking at you, Lime Crime). Overall, I'm really happy with these. The colors are bright, fun, playful and uncomplicated (no shimmers, glitters or frosts), the packaging is really cute and the price is right - I've even found a Holy Grail color among these, RD304, a bright, 90s red-coral. Hooray!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Etude - Collagen Moistfull BB Cream
lirontocker 6/6/2012 11:59:00 AM
I picked up this BB cream mainly because of how happy I was with the moisturizing properties of the Moistfull Collagen cream during my skin's dry-patch phases (I admit, I hated the scent of the cream, so was a bit wary of picking up the BB cream). My oily skin has some severe dry bits (especially in colder weather) and since I'm rather breakout-prone, having no mineral oil, alcohol or parabens in the formulation was a huge selling point. I like this BB cream - shade #2 (Natural Beige) fits rather well, coverage is medium, staying power is very good and the overall finish is really nice. I noticed that the texture of my skin appears a bit grainy after a few hours - not sure if this is the product being strange or my skin acting up, or the product not wearing well into the day. I see myself wearing this mainly in winter, which is a very long season in northern Germany.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Etude - Moistfull Collagen Cream
lirontocker 6/6/2012 9:07:00 AM
This stuff is okay - reminds me of Clinique's Moisture Surge in terms of texture and moisturization - they're both really sticky and I'd never think to put either of them on my entire face, but they're both suitable for spot-treatment of dry patches. I don't like how strong Moistfull Collagen's scent is, this is particularly disturbing since I use it before sleep, and I don't want to distract my partner with strong scents. Overall, a good moisturizer and a decent product, but not unique in it's properties. I'd probably purchase something else next in order to avoid the scent.
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Treatments -L'Oreal - EverPure Moisture Leave-In Conditioner
lirontocker 5/31/2012 8:54:00 AM
This review is for the European version of this product, but from a short scan of the reviews, it appears that the packaging is the only differentiating factor between the two. This is, by far, the WORST leave-in conditioner I have EVER used. I constantly experiment and switch up my hair products but this - this stuff is so far down on the scale of acceptable hair products that it emerges on the other side of the planet. It left my hair absolutely parched, clumps of hair stick together, it makes me look like Edward Scissorhands. The only way to save my hair is to wait until the gel is completely dry in the hair, then brush through - which is not really realistic if you have curls (which I do). Huge waste of money, I'm surprised this passed the user testing phase.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Skin79 - Hot Pink Sun Protect BB Pact SPF30
lirontocker 5/29/2012 11:59:00 AM
Here's a secret - I hate using powder. I despise it. I end up looking like a mannequin when I want to look like I have nothing on at all, and it always ends up sliding around my oily T-zone by lunchtime. Powder is basically not the product for me. So why did I pick this up? I was using BB cream with SPF25, which protects me through lunch but offers little to no sun protection by the time the late afternoon rolls around (6 hours after application is really topping it). Summers here in northern Germany extend into the night, so by the time I leave the office (6pm) the sun is still beating down. I need to touch-up my sun protection during the day, but Instead of re-applying BB cream to my entire face, I figured to try a BB powder - I was hoping it'd provide less coverage than traditional powders, control the oil I've normally got at the end of the work day and top up my sun protection. Score! This stuff is awesome. The color is exact (I'm NC20-25) and a moderate application leaves me looking like I haven't applied very much of anything at all. It feels really nice on the skin, doesn't transfer onto materials und doesn't stay super-matte - it lets my own skin glisten through. 5 stars for a fantastic powder product - I'm glad I gave this stuff a chance.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Skin79 - Super+ BB Cream Gold Label
lirontocker 5/29/2012 11:41:00 AM
After a less-than-stellar experience with a western BB cream (Garnier), I started looking for something else which would give me the coverage I wanted (light-medium and invisible) and the benefits I needed (moisture, SPF). After a few hits and misses I decided to go ahead and get Skin79's Super+ Gold Label. I have finicky combination skin (oily everything except for dry flakiness on the sides of my nose) and while I can blot oil or use powder during the day for the oiliness, the flakiness is really hard to tackle (and it looks really bad). This BB cream seems to give me enough moisture to prevent the flakies and while oil control isn't fantastic, blotting once in the afternoon keeps me looking presentable. I wish this stuff had better staying power - I need to touch up in the afternoon if I want to look as good as I did when I left the house - but that's not such a bad idea anyway, since SPF25 will probably not give you considerable protection after 6 hours. I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of the packaging - I prefer something I can throw into a makeup bag and take with me, and although the pumping mechanism is hygienic, the pump has no cap, allowing dirt and whatnot to enter the (rather large) nozzle when it's in my bag. Thankfully, Skin79 provide a range of smaller sizes - I've got the 25g tube in my makeup bag and the 40g pump bottle at home for my morning routine. I am very happy with this BB cream - it's not without it's flaws (I'd prefer higher SPF and longer staying-power), but considering the comfortable coverage, great moisture, natural look and it hasn't broken me out yet - I have a feeling I'm going to continue coming back to the BB cream regardless of how many I might try in the future. 5 stars for a fantastic product. Yay!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Etude - Etude House Precious Mineral All Day Strong BB Cream
lirontocker 5/29/2012 11:26:00 AM
I picked up #2 "Sheer Glowing Skin" on a local website, and then found out it's been discontinued (and replaced by "Bright Fit"). Instead of sending it back, I decided to go ahead and use the cream up - I'd heard so many good things about Etude House's products and i was eager to give this stuff a try. I'm NC20-25 and this stuff is a wee bit light for me. Despite coming darker out of the tube than Skin79's BB creams, it doesn't blend in with the underlying skin tone as well as it could. The coverage is close to full, so there's definitely a "something on my face look" which I don't get from Skin79. Regardless, this is a good, solid BB cream which can be used for the days in which I need some heavier coverage. Staying power is fantastic - it survived a long day in the sun (which included some urban trekking) and an accidental nap (I fell asleep with it on after the aforementioned trek). It doesn't dry up on my face or look cakey. The packaging is very cute, 60g is a generous amount of product for the price. Overall - I'd repurchase this if I could, but since it's been discontinued, I'm hoping it's replacement "Bright Fit" is a similar product. If you're looking for a higher-coverage BB cream which can survive a sunny day in the urban jungle, this is your stuff.
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Lip Gloss -Urban Decay - Lip Love Honey Infused Lip Therapy- Lolita
lirontocker 5/25/2012 8:36:00 AM
I have a love/hate relationship with lip gloss: I dislike how my hair gets stuck to my lips when it's windy and I don't like how often they need to be applied to keep the color up, but I love how balmy they are and how nice they feel on the lips. I hopped into Sephora in Venice and fell in love with this product because of how fantastic it made my lips feel - but I'd probably only wear it on a day with very little wind. I love the color, smell, texture and taste, I'd love it even more if it was a smidgen more pigmented (a lippy off for that).
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BB Cream -Garnier - BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector for Combination to Oily Skin - Light
lirontocker 5/25/2012 5:58:00 AM
After being disappointed with the original formula of Garnier's BB cream, I decided to pick up the oil-free version in hopes that it would be kinder to my skin - my skin has never been sensitive and is combination/dry, but the original Garnier BB cream caused my face to break out, the scent was far too strong and I ended up looking like a pumpkin. Garnier's oil-free version is a very different animal - lighter scent, runnier formula, lighter color and far less moisturizing. Despite being kinder to my skin and wearing better than the original cream, I still ended up with an orange face after a few hours - and the cream transfered from my face onto everything - my collar, my cellphone, my fingers. I found this product unremarkable and with it's light coverage, low SPF and orange-leaning color, I won't repurchase.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -L'Oreal - Nude Magique BB Cream
lirontocker 5/25/2012 5:30:00 AM
Finding a color match is a bit of a hit-or-miss with this BB cream, but it's actually quite a good product. I'm NC20-25 and originally purchased this in "Light", which was too dark and pulled far too orange. While the "Very light" version isn't available here in stores, I went ahead and ordered in on Amazon - much better color match. It's definitely not as moisturizing as the BB cream by Garnier - if I want to wear this on my dry/combination skin I must use night cream the night before, otherwise I'll end up with flakes around my nose. The coverage itself is light/medium, natural-looking and has good staying power. So why two lippies off? Application is really uncomfortable, the formula is very gritty and it feels like I'm applying liquid sandpaper to my face. In addition, the SPF is very low (12!). Overall. it's an good product, but those last two points prevent this product from being "great". For a few bucks more, you can get a BB cream with higher SPF, a better color match and a smoother application. For those who would like to try this product and have only two color options in the store ("light" and "medium"), try your luck online to see if you can find the third, lightest variant.
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BB Cream -MISSHA - M Signature Real Complete B.B. Cream SPF 25 PA++
lirontocker 5/25/2012 5:09:00 AM
This is a good, solid product. it goes on well, blends in well, doesn't cause breakouts and looks very natural. I took a gamble on shade 23 and while it initially looked a bit dark coming out of the tube, it blended in really well with my NC20-25 skintone - shade 21 would have been far too light. I have combination-dry skin and I absolutely need to put on some night cream before going to bed during the dryer/colder days if i'd like to wear this the morning after without experiencing dry flakes around my nose by mid-day. My T-zone remains oily, but this is not really something I expect this product to correct. I don't like the packaging - it appears very drab - but the product itself is very good. If you're looking for a solid, no-fuss, no-frills BB cream with medium coverage - this is a fantastic choice. One lippy off for the price, which was 30 euros.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Maybelline - Dream Fresh 8-in-1 BB Cream
lirontocker 5/25/2012 5:01:00 AM
The was my first encounter with BB Creams - I had never heard of them before, and Maybelline had launched this cream in Germany with a single shade, called "Universal Glow". I was interested in the product primarily because of it's oil-free formula and SPF30, and while the product tested rather orange, it blended in really well on the back of my hand in the shop. I figured - for about 8 euros, no harm in giving it a whirl. Unfortunately, the color which blended well on the back of my hand did not blend in well on my face. No amount of rubbing, smoothing and buffing would tone down the bright orange color (which only became more orange as the day went on). The formula is really nice and at SPF30 without oil, this would be a great summer BB cream if it didn't make me look like a jack-o-lantern. Other European countries retail a whole shade range for this BB cream, so I might try and get a tube on eBay. But as far as this "Universal Glow" shade is concerned, maybe for Halloween.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Garnier - BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector - Light/Medium
lirontocker 5/25/2012 4:49:00 AM
Very few products I buy end up in the bin - the ones I don't use often sit on a shelf or get tucked away in a box, but once in a while a product comes along with is so offensive to my skin, that I have no choice but to throw it away immediately. Garnier's Skin Perfector is a heavily scented, greasy tinted moisturizer with a low SPF. I don't have sensitive skin and very rarely does a product break me out as badly as this one did - huge, cystic acne on my chin, under my nose and on my forehead. While I initially found the moisture fantastic due to my dry, peeling nose, my entire face looked greasy after a few hours of application, and the color had changed on my face to a point where it was noticeably orange. In order to improve this product, Garnier need to: 1) Provide some sort of counter-balancing pigment to the extremely orange undertone 2) Remove or reduce the scent 3) Remove or reduce comodogenics I cannot recommend this product to anyone who doesn't fit the profile of NC30 and above with iron skin and a reduced sense of smell.
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Eye Primer -Lime Crime - Candy Eyed Eyeshadow Helper
lirontocker 3/18/2011 6:18:00 AM
I basically cannot wear eyeshadow without a primer - I have eyes which water at the first gust of wind or at any temperature under 5c. My eyelids can get oily, and eyeshadow manages to slip n' slide around, only to migrate to greener pastures before lunchtime. I purchased Eyeshadow Helper hoping it'd do a better job that UDPP in keeping the eyeshadow in the inner corners of my lid on until the evening, alas, they both seem to exhibit the same behavior - eyeshadow goes on at 9am, creases by 4pm, need to blot "eyeshadow grease" off with a tissue every hour or so. Granted, this stuff stands up pretty well against a drizzle and general random eye-watering. It's tackier than UDPP, which grips loose eyeshadow a lot better and really makes color pop. Overall - I prefer this to UDPP, but not by a large margin. A downside for me is the packaging, which is in a little pot. Rather difficult to use for those of us who maintain long nails.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No