Eye Shadow -MAC - Coppering (veluxe pearl)
CoonieR 3/1/2008 4:46:00 PM
Meh. This color might be gorgeous on someone else, but on me, it's a nasty orange-y copper that just doesn't go with my skin tone. I'd asked a MUA at a MAC store to recommend something different to go with Naked Lunch (one of my all time faves). She suggested Coppering and demonstrated how it went with Cork and Naked Lunch and maybe it was the MAC store lighting, but it looked great when she did it. When I got home, however, and when I attempted to recreate her work, it made me look "like an orange raccoon," in the words of my father. The color is definitely copper-y and probably very flattering on someone with warmer skin tones. The formula and packaging isn't bad--it's classic MAC. Like other Veluxe Pearls, it goes on smoothly with a hint of shimmer. It blends nicely and wears well when used with a primer. Alas, this was a miss for me. It might end up in a swap, as someone else can surely enjoy this and use it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Philosophy - Senorita Margarita 3-in-1
CoonieR 2/28/2008 8:01:00 PM
After using Cinnamon Buns, Mimosa, Spiced Apple Cider (which was a short stint--that broke me out, but that's another review), I decided to try Senorita Margarita. I like margaritas and lime scents and (at the time) I really liked Philosophy 3-in-1's. SM smells to me like a fresh margarita. To DH it smells like Ginger Ale. I can see where he's coming from--I do detect a hint of ginger ale in the scent, but it smells overwhelmingly like... a margarita to me without the tequila. I stopped using Philosophy 3-in-1's for the most part, because a few of them had a sort of artificial or plastic note. Not Seniorita Margarita, however; this really smells fresh and citrusy. It lathers just like any other 3-in-1's. Like other 3-in-1's, though, it's a lousy shampoo/conditioner, but great as a body wash. The scent doesn't really last beyond the shower, unfortunately. I'd actually buy a body lotion with the SM scent. So, given that it's one of DH's favorite scents and it's a good body wash, I'd be inclined to give this 5 stars. The price ($16?!) and its uselessness as a shampoo and conditioner made me subtract a lippie. Still, this is a good margarita w/o a nasty tequila hangover... worthy of a repurchase.
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Lipstick -Clinique - Butter Shine Lipstick - Baby Baby
CoonieR 2/27/2008 6:51:00 PM
I'm loving the Butter Shines! Baby Baby is my latest BS and it's on par with the other shades that I own. I'd describe this as a subtle mauve l/s with a hint of gold or warm shimmer. It reminds me of MAC's Trax eyeshadow--I could see this going nicely with a variety of colors in the mauve/violet or neutral ranges. It's quite sheer and gives a hint of color and shine. It's no surprise that some have called this a MLBB shade; even on my very fair skin and relatively unpigmented lips, this is subtle. Since this is relatively hydrating and feels very smooth and buttery, it doesn't last long and I end up reapplying every 1-2 hours. It's fun while it lasts, though. Would I repurchase this? While I'm glad I have it and will continue to wear it, I've never actually finished a tube of lipstick. If, by some chance I DO finish this one, I would buy it again.
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Lotions/ Creams -Bath and Body Works - Heel of Approval
CoonieR 2/24/2008 10:12:00 AM
Ok, here's one of my deepest, darkest secrets: I have crusty, nasty heels, especially in the summer when I live in sandals. It makes me self-conscious at yoga. I've tried other foot lotions and found that Heel of Approval really works well at smoothing my heels. I apply this at night before bed. The scent reminds me of sunblock for some reason--it's kind of a tropical smell, like banana and coconut. It's quite moisturizing and I do usually see a difference in the morning. After a few weeks of use, my heels are smoother and softer. It's slightly greasy, so I usually wash my hands immediately after applying to my feet. The consistency (aside from the greasiness) is creamy and easy to apply--kind of like Noxzema. I'm not a big fan of the packaging. The tub does what it's supposed to do, and I could see how they'd almost HAVE to put it in a tub given its texture, but a tube would be so much better. I just hate having to scoop it out of the tub, but that could just be my personal preference. I'll keep using this, though, and hopefully my heels won't be as torn up this coming summer. If/when BB&W has a True Blue Spa sale, this can usually be found for $10 or less, which is a good deal.
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Lipstick -MAC - Grenadine (Slimshine)
CoonieR 2/23/2008 9:15:00 PM
At last... a wearable cool-toned red lipstick! Since I love lip gloss, I haven't seen any reason to buy lipstick. Lipstick's usually drying and I like the sheer look of a gloss instead of the bolder look of lipstick. After reading the reviews on here, I decided to give Grenadine a try. I'd worn a few reds before, but never really found one that I was truly comfortable with. They were either too orange, too bold or made me feel like I belonged in a 1980's Robert Palmer video. Grenadine is not a really RED red... it's more of a dark berry/light red on me, as the name "Grenadine" would imply. It goes on pretty sheerly and gives a nice touch of color without being overpowering. It's a color that I could easily see wearing to work or on a weekend. The texture is very similar to Clinique's Butter Shines--it goes on smoothly and feels moisturizing. Since both MAC and Clinique are owned by Estee Lauder, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same formula. The lasting power is nothing to write home about--I'd say that you'll need to reapply every 1-2 hours, but that's the tradeoff for the awesome moisturizing feel. This is one I'd repurchase if I ever ran out of it. Since I have yet to run out of a lipstick, it's unlikely, though. I am going to check out other Slimshine colors, though.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -MAC - Liquidlast Liner in Pop Iris
CoonieR 2/23/2008 5:53:00 PM
Being a big fan of Parfait Amour eyeshadow, I was instantly drawn to Pop Iris. I love Fluidlines, but hadn't branched out to the Liquidlast line before trying Pop Iris. The color itself didn't disappoint. It's a beautiful blueish violet that does go nicely with Parfait Amour (I used Crystal on the lid, Parfait Amour in the crease and outside corner and Pop Iris as a liner). This is a very cool toned lavender, unlike Electrolady, which is a more reddish purple. It has great lasting power and didn't budge when I put it on, but came off easily with Clinique's Take the Day Off remover. Ah, but the downsides of this product are things I'd guess are inherent to Liquidlast liners in general. The brush attached to this liner SUCKS. I couldn't get a nice even line with it. I did eventually use my 209 brush, which worked a lot better. It seems like a waste to only use the attached brush to transfer product to another brush. The formula seemed a little runny to me as well, but that could be because I'm used to using Fluidlines, which have a gel-like consistency. The verdict? I wouldn't repurchase this, but I will use it occasionally when I'm in a cool Parfait Amour mood. I'll stick with Fluidlines the rest of the time though.
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Blush -MAC - Sheertone Blush in Blushbaby
CoonieR 2/21/2008 4:51:00 PM
I've never been a blush fan. Lip gloss and eyeshadow are must-have items for me, but blush always seems like an unnecessary item. Maybe it's because usually when I think about blush, I have flashbacks to the late 80's/early 90's when scary bright pink blush seemed to be everywhere--making everyone from Maybelline models to dental office receptionists like they had clown makeup on. That said, I love this blush. It's quite sheer, as the name implies, and it's a beautiful neutral plum/tan color that would look good on most people (for the record, I have cool-toned, very pale skin). It's very natural looking and gives a nice flushed look without being obvious. It goes on a lot lighter that it looks in the pan. With the right brush (either my beloved MAC 187 or 168), this gives a nice even glow. I wouldn't call this something that I couldn't live without, but should in the unlikely event that I run out of this and need blush, I'd buy it again.
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Lip Gloss -Clinique - Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Grapefruit
CoonieR 2/17/2008 8:06:00 PM
I'm officially over Juicy Tubes, thanks to these gems. I bought Root Beer and Apricot, which are both awesome. I was looking for a pinkish color to add to my collection, so I bought Grapefruit. This is a very pale pink on--it's quite sheer and only provides a hint of color, which is exactly what I was looking for. It's a true baby pink with no detectable shimmer. This is so subtle that I could imagine that on many people it wouldn't show up at all, but since I'm quite pale, it does give my lips a pinkish tint. I'd even go as far as to say that this could almost work as a clear gloss. The texture is amazing. It glides on smoothly, feels great on and is slightly sticky without being overly sticky. It lasts a while for a gloss--about 2 hours or so, and I love how the slant-tip packaging makes it easy to reapply. My lips actually seem to feel better after I've been wearing this for a while, which wasn't the case with the old Superbalm formula or other lip glosses. ' Needless to say, this is a definite repurchase item and I'm going to add a few new shades to my collection. Clinique, you've done well with these Superbalms.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -MAC - Viva Glam VI SE Lipglass
CoonieR 2/14/2008 8:41:00 PM
Why did they call this Viva Glam VI SE when it isn't anything like Viva Glam VI (Original)? They should have just called this Viva Glam VII, although there's no matching lipstick. Ah, but that has little to do with this gloss, which is a lovely addition to the Viva Glam line. This is a very cool toned pink, with almost lavender tones. I'm very fair and thought that this would appear to be a Barbie or bubblegum pink on me based on its color in the tube. It actually goes on as a very sheer pale pink with a little pink/lavender shimmer. It's subtle and shiny and could easily be worn with minimal other makeup (for a hint of color) or with bolder eye makeup. I could see this going nicely with a grey smokey eye. I would NOT recommend this to someone with very warm-toned skin, however. I agree with suggrr that this is very typical of MAC Lipglasses. The texture is a little sticky, but that's in part what gives the gloss its glossiness and staying power. It's got the classic MAC "vanilla" scent but no taste that I can detect. I love VG glosses and lipsticks in general... the shades are usually universally flattering and it's great the MAC donates the proceeds to charity. This is a great cool-toned shade that I would buy again.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Moth Brown
CoonieR 2/9/2008 1:18:00 PM
MAC, take note of the awesome reviews this is getting and consider adding it to your regular lineup! Moth Brown was part of the Barbie Loves MAC campaign in the Spring of 2007 and therefore is/was a LE shade. This was another impulse purchase for me, but it turns out that Moth Brown is an excellent color and quite versatile. This could look either brown or gray, depending on how you use it. It's an excellent crease color and would work well for a smokey eye. Want to bring out the gray in it? Pair it with Shale or Satellite Dreams or another shade with purple-ish tones. Want it to look more brown? It goes well with Shroom or Omega or other taupe or tan shades. The texture, however, is what keeps this off my HG list. I agree with other reviewers who've said that it's somewhat harder than other MAC eyeshadows. I'm guessing that it's because during the manufacturing process that they have to press the shadow in the pan harder to make the stamped Barbie logo stand out and look right. (Good marketing, not necessarily good for the product texture). Overall a good purchase and I would repurchase this if I could find it again. I saw it in a Cosmetics Company outlet and am now kicking myself for not buying a backup.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Dove - Cream Oil Shower
CoonieR 2/8/2008 7:59:00 PM
Drugstore body washes have redeemed themselves with Dove's products in my eyes. This is good body wash overall and has made me put my Bath and Body Works/Body Shop/Misc body washes away. (Yes, I have a bath and body products habit) I've been using the Cherry Blossom/Almond scent in the pink bottle for a few months now and just bought the Costco size containers, which shows how much I like this. The scent is pretty much as described--a little cherry mixed with a little almond. It reminds me of the Jergens body lotion that had a cherry-almond scent. It's quite strong and does linger for an hour or so (unprecedented on me! usually body wash scents fade in minutes), so I could see how someone wouldn't who doesn't want to smell like cherry almond all day might not be happy about its lasting power. As a shaving lotion/soap this rocks. It's a good body wash too. I have noticed that my skin isn't quite as dry after using this for a few months, which is amazing given the harsh, dry February air. I can't skip my lotion, but I'm not as itchy and dry as I've been in the past few winters. It's cheap too! I just paid $10 at BJ's for 2 big bottles. I'd give this 5 lippies, but I will likely get tired of the scent after a while... it's pretty, but very strong. No worries... when that happens, I'll just switch to one of Dove's other fine body washes.
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Cleansers -Alba Botanica - Hawaiian Pineapple Enzyme Facial Cleanser
CoonieR 2/8/2008 7:42:00 PM
I've recently been scouting out more "natural" beauty products, which is what drew me to Alba. This is actually a good cleanser but not a miracle worker. The smell is what hooked me initially. It's a very pleasant natural pineapple smell that's tangy and sweet. That's what pineapple SHOULD smell like (Bath and Body Works, take note). It cleanses well without drying or irritating my sensitive skin, which is a definite plus. It's not a fantastic makeup remover, so I have to use this with a separate remover--not a dealbreaker, IMO. My skin does feel cleaner after I wash it and although I'm prone to breakouts, this hasn't broken me out at all. Not sure what impact the "enzymes" have, but they're supposed to brighten skin and help remove dead/dull cells. This isn't HG material for me, though. While it's a decent cleanser, I don't see any difference in my skin after using this for months. I'd repurchase this, but with the realization that I can't dump my facialist if I want glowing, bright skin.
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Moisturizers -Clinique - City block Sheer SPF 15 [DISCONTINUED]
CoonieR 2/2/2008 9:38:00 AM
This is my tried-and-true daily sunblock/primer and has been for years. Since I'm on the fair side, I need a daily sunblock (SPF 15 in the winter, SPF 25 in the spring/summer) and since I have sensitive skin, I need something that's not going to make my skin unhappy. A little coverage would be nice too, While this isn't anything flashy, it does the job nicely and consistently. It absorbs quickly and provides just a *touch* of coverage, but don't expect this to replace your foundation if you're looking to cover any blemishes. I like how it's lightweight and provides sunblock without breaking out my skin. It does help prime skin for foundation--I've used Smashbox's Photo Finish SPF 15 and found that City Block primes my skin and keeps my makeup on just as well** for 1/3 the cost. It's not really a tinted moisturizer--I still use a separate moisturizer and will until I find a fantastic all-in-1 tinted moisturizer with SPF. I've moved on from most Clinique skincare items (aside from the fantastic Continuous Rescue moisturizer), but City Block will continue to be a staple in my makeup case. ** just my experience--actual results may vary
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Stars N Rockets
CoonieR 1/31/2008 8:14:00 PM
What a gorgeous color! This is what I'd consider a "Saturday shadow" because it's so colorful and fun that I couldn't wear this to my conservative office. In the pan, this looks like a florescent pink with a blueish sheen, but when applied, it's not quite florescent, but is a pretty bright pink with blue and lavender tones. It instantly appealed to me in the store, but I was scared to try it. Fortunately, the MUA suggested that I pair it with Satellite Dreams and a new favorite was born. It could work with just about any blue or purple shade, depending on how blue or purple you want to make it appear. I could even see this with Beauty Marked or another black-ish color. Best to pair this with a relatively quiet lipcolor--I usually wear a sheer gloss with this, so as to not detract from Stars and Rockets. Usually I can't wear pink eyeshadows (people thought I was ill when I've worn Mink Pink or Seedy Pearl), but I can easily get away with this because of its cool undertones. I love this... although neutrals are my everyday preference, this is a great shadow for when I'm feeling especially girly or looking to have a little fun with color.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Mulch eyeshadow
CoonieR 1/31/2008 7:53:00 PM
Mulch is so pretty that I also bought this twice... but by accident. I'm crazy about MAC eyeshadows and lately I've been trying to find a perfect shimmery brown/taupe shadow to add a little something-something to my everyday work/neutral look. Mulch is beautiful in the pan--it's a lovely chocolatey brown with a moderate amount of shimmer. It's a shimmery version of Espresso on me, which is a great thing, as Espresso is one of my favorites. I've used this with everything from Shroom to Shimmermoss and have found it to be very versatile. It could be a liner, lid color or crease color, depending on the look you're going for. The texture is great, as is with most MAC eyeshadows. It goes on smoothly and evenly and blends beautifully. The only reason I didn't give this 5 lippies is that the color goes on a little darker on me than it appears in the pan (although I'm on the pale side) and loses quite a bit of its shimmer when blended (also not a huge biggie). Overall this is an excellent basic shimmery brown that looks great on blue eyes and with a variety of colors. This one's a keeper for sure.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No