Eye Primer -Too Faced - Shadow Insurance, Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer
tijanarm 5/22/2008 10:21:00 AM
I purchased this eyeshadow primer b/c Urban Decay's was out of stock at Sephora. I have never used Urban Decay's before, but the SA at Sephora recommended this one as a good replacement. Well, she was right!!! I love this product and I will keep repurchasing it, although, you need so very little of this that one tube will last me forever. First of all, this product is, in my opinion, perfect regardless of whether you wear eyeshadow or not. Even though it's pale skin colour when it comes out of the tube, it goes on clear, or just perfectly slightly tinted so you get that rested no vein look of your eyes, but if you are tanned or use sefl tanners (like I do), it doesn't look chalky or white. I have tried this with my most intense smokey eye look as well as just liner and pencil, and it works regardless of the look! The eyeshadows, liners, highlighters, concealers - everything stays put in place and no creasing. I tend to have greasy eyelids and this mattifies them and keeps them "dry" all day. What I also like about this primer is the consistency when you put it on. Some primers tend to be too thick and pull your eyelids when you are putting them on, but not this one. It goes on very easy, has almost a "silicony" feel to it, yet turns into a perfect mat canvas. I honestly can't say enough good things about this primer, I even use it underneath my eyes occasionally, underneath my concealer, when I need to ensure that my concealer stays PUT and mascara or liner on my lower lids don't smudge or run. Definitely HG!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -Too Faced - Shadow Insurance, Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer
tijanarm 5/22/2008 10:18:00 AM
I purchased this eyeshadow primer b/c Urban Decay's was out of stock at Sephora. I have never used Urban Decay's before, but the SA at Sephora recommended this one as a good replacement. Well, she was right!!! I love this product and I will keep repurchasing it, although, you need so very little of this that one tube will last me forever. First of all, this product is, in my opinion, perfect regardless of whether you wear eyeshadow or not. Even though it's pale skin colour when it comes out of the tube, it goes on clear, or just perfectly slightly tinted so you get that rested no vein look of your eyes, but if you are tanned or use sefl tanners (like I do), it doesn't look chalky or white. I have tried this with my most intense smokey eye look as well as just liner and pencil, and it works regardless of the look! The eyeshadows, liners, highlighters, concealers - everything stays put in place and no creasing. I tend to have greasy eyelids and this mattifies them and keeps them "dry" all day. What I also like about this primer is the consistency when you put it on. Some primers tend to be too thick and pull your eyelids when you are putting them on, but not this one. It goes on very easy, has almost a "silicony" feel to it, yet turns into a perfect mat canvas. I honestly can't say enough good things about this primer, I even use it underneath my eyes occasionally, underneath my concealer, when I need to ensure that my concealer stays PUT and mascara or liner on my lower lids don't smudge or run. Definitely HG!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Sephora - Crazy Pampelmousse Bath and Shower Gel
tijanarm 5/21/2008 10:06:00 PM
Sephora has done a great job with their shower gels/bubble baths. I received both this one and the vanilla cupcake as generous size gifts from Sephora and they are excellent. The scent is so true to the real thing and intense that I want to eat or lick myself in the shower! Not sure of the price, as I got them for free, but I would actually repurchase as Sephora branded products are usually affordable.
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Gels/Soaps -Sephora - Vanilla Cupcake Bath & Shower Bubbles
tijanarm 5/21/2008 10:03:00 PM
I received a generous size (2.5 fl oz) of this as a b-day gift from Sephora... OMG!!!!!!! I have no clue how much this costs, but the scent is HEAVENLY!!!! I swear every time I take a shower, I want to lick myself!!!! Even my husband has gone crazy over this, as it literally scents up the entire condo. Love it, love it! Make sure you register as Sephora Beauty Insider and provide them with a b-day date and you will get one too. Actually, you can probably even purchase this, but why not get it free if you can ;-)
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Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Mascara in Azure Blue
tijanarm 5/18/2008 8:35:00 PM
The saying "I'm not rich enough to buy cheap things" is so true in this case. For a couple of summers I have been trying to avoid buying this relatively expensive blue mascara, by buying other cheaper blue mascaras. They were always lacking something: volume, color, staying power... Well, Diorshow has it all and after throwing money away on other brands, I ended up coming back full circle and buying this. I am not disappointed, this is a great mascara. I have heard from friends that Diorshow used to dry out quickly when it first came out and I hope that has changed in the meantime. If you want a blue mascara, I strongly encourage getting this right away as it is definitely one of the best, if not best, out there.
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Bronzers -Guerlain - Pearly Bronzing Powder # African Rythm
tijanarm 5/18/2008 8:25:00 PM
I bought this today as I loved the way it looked on me. Basically, there are 3 colors and this one is the darkest/most intense. I am normally a lighter, yellow undertone complexion, but I went away and got a bit of a tan, plus, I use self tanners. This is a gorgeous rich bronze color, but IMHO this particular shade will be too dark/orangey/red unless you are already tanned. The bronzer has a lot of shimmer in it, so if you are looking for a flat bronzer this is not it. My favorites until now were NARS bronzers: Heat and Laguna. This is different. It has true bronzey color, incuding reddish tones, vs. Laguna and Heat which are a lot more brown-based. I actually wanted something that will give me a bit more "just out of the sun" look vs. "day 3 and beyond" tan. I can wear this even without any makeup and look great. I am a huge bronzer fanatic, so I have probably tested everything under the sun and this is one of the nicer bronzers. I think it will also last quite a while as it looks like you don't need much (it kind of resembles the "baked" powders, but I don't think it is). UPDATE: The update only refers to my previous comment about the brush you need for this... I thought the best brush to use with this is the fluffy bronzer brush, but I changed my mind. The short-bristled "fat" bronzer brush (NARS and Sephora both have one), is definitely THE best for this bronzer!!!!! ANOTHER UPDATE: OK, so after initially falling in love with this, I was kind of not happy about the uneven distribution of this on the face... As you can tell from the above, I kept experimenting with different brushes :-) - but in the end, wasn't happy with the look and was considering taking this back actually (I know, weird, from 5 lippies to considering returning!). Then I again spoke with the SA and she said that it has to be applied with the Teracotta brush to look the best. Well, I have GAZILLION brushes and I wasn't to happy about this and I thought that she was just trying to make another sale, but b/c I really like the cute Teracotta brush, I decided to splurge... I figured, I could always return if it didn't work. Sad to say for my pocketbook, she was right. It works like a magic with the Teracotta brush, so if you are considering splurging $60 CAD on this bronzer, you might as well buy the brush. Believe me, I have brushes galore, but none are like Teracotta, at least when it comes to this bronzer. I am kinda upset that every bronzer I buy needs a different brush for application, but I am hoping that with this purchase I have finally completed my brush stash, at least for the brands of bronzers I like to use! So, given you really need to buy a brush too, I am taking off one lippy.
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Eyeliner -Guerlain - Loose Kohl in Bleu - Blue
tijanarm 5/18/2008 8:10:00 PM
I have just bought this product today and based on my first impressions I'd say this is a keeper. I bought this kohl eyeliner based on the great MUA reviews. Up until now, I was using NARS' Kaliste pencil, which is in the same color range. The challenge was the longevity throughout the day (on my eyes), plus it would take me forever to blend it on the upper lash, which then required me to use a separate liner, etc - too much hassle. My biggest reason for purchasing this kohl was, that, based on the reviews and the application video I saw, I realized I could cut down at least 5 minutes of my makeup routine in the morning, and accomplish same, if not better effect. Even though I just bought this today, I am impressed by how quickly I was able to decently apply this using the eastern method. I encourage everyone who considers buying these to watch the application video first (someone here posted a link, or just search on you tube). I have never tried this application method before and today, for the first time I did and didn't do such a bad job at all. All I can say is that if this is how it turns out the first time, I am sure by my tenth application I will be a pro. This product has significantly simplified my makeup routine, so now in the summer all I do is this, blue mascara, bronzer and gloss. Perfect summer makeup. I am almost 100% sure I will go back to the store to buy the other colors, too. UPDATE: For the ladies that don't like this product and are considering returning/swapping/chucking it in the bottom of their makeup bag.... Don't. Please try using this as a liquid eyeliner. Tap some kohl into a small pot (I used a cap from a spray bottle) and add one drop of water... Mix it with a brush (I used flat eyeliner brush) and put it on like a liquid eyeliner. WOW!!!!!!!!!! Gorgeous!!!!! I tried this this morning and I love it! You will need to figure out the exact water/kohl ratio that works for you, but also depending on the level of intensity you want. I like it "thicker" so I only used tiny bit of water. It will go on smooth, beautiful and will last ALL DAY and then some ;-) Almost like an eyeliner stain. I promise you will love it this way if you can't use it the oriental way... Enjoy!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -NARS - Ita Brush
tijanarm 5/1/2008 12:40:00 PM
All NARS brushes are expensive, but in my opinion, worth the price. This is a brush from their Kabuki series, it's called "Ita" I believe. I definitely know it's # 21. It's not a round brush, rather a VERY flat brush. I bought this brush after a makeover from NARS. The makeup artist used this brush to literally apply EVERYTHING on me: eyeshadow, bronzer, highlighter, blush, etc... While it was quite expensive (I think it was around $50 CAD), I decided to dish out the money for it as I saw it would be a perfect "portable" brush for me, b/c it's flat and takes up less space than other brushes, plus, it's kind of an "all-inlclusive" brush that I can use to fix any part of my face. Even though it's flat, you don't sacrifice on quality or application. Thumbs up!!!!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -NARS - Bronzer Brush 19
tijanarm 5/1/2008 12:32:00 PM
This brush gets 5 lippies, although I should probably take a few off b/c of the steep price... However, this brush saved my now beloved Laguna bronzer from ending up on swap or in the trash can. It is truly a remarkable bronzer brush that will help perfectly blend in ANY bronzer, not just NARS. I ended up buying it after I complained to the NARS rep that I didn't like how Laguna looked on my skin and she convinced me it was b/c of the brush. She was right. When I complained how expensive it was (around $70 CAD), she said to me that we don't think twice dishing out $50 CAD on Laguna 2x year, yet the brush will probably last me a lifetime. True, good quality brushes last a long time, and this is a VERY good quality brush. I ended up seeing exact same looking brush in Sephora under the Sephora brand, half price, however I haven't used it aside from in the store. So, if NARS is too steep of a price for you, try out Sephora's brand. In any case, if you use powder bronzers, I highly recommend this over longer-bristled "powder" brushes.
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Lip Gloss -Smashbox - O-GLOSS
tijanarm 4/25/2008 10:56:00 PM
If I was "iffy" on my decision to by O-Glow (the original blush, which I am still testing), even after 5 tests, I definitely fell in love with this gloss after trying it for the first time. I am normally not a gloss girl, but the beautiful rosy colour I get from this gloss and great texture just really appealed to me. Highly recommended product, regardless of the "gimmicky" technology behind it. Yes, it's expensive, but this gloss has it all: the colour, the texture, relatively long life... Highly recommended.
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Blush -Smashbox - O-Glow
tijanarm 4/25/2008 10:47:00 PM
I have just bought this product even though I read lots of negative reviews on MUA. The reason being is that I have tried this product now 5-6 times in Sephora and every time I tried it on I ended up really liking the results. I may change my mind, in which case I will update, but I don't find this too intense or clowny (granted, I am now tanned), I also find that it shows up just enough on my tanned skin to give me a bit of a colour pop on cheeks, to bring out the rosy dimension of my tan. I applied it before my yoga class and it lasted through the entire class (which, although only an hour, is quite intense and most makeup fades), but we will see about its longevity. It does not strike me as a product that will stay on my cheeks all day (like some tints), but I am ok if I have to reapply once a day (more than that becomes nuisance). So, if my impressions change, I will return the product to Sephora and update this post :-) Oh yes, one more thing, I don't find the product too pink at all, but rather nice rosy colour. Could be just the factor of my tan. UPDATE: I have not changed my mind about this product, I really like it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -NARS - Flamenco
tijanarm 4/25/2008 10:36:00 PM
I bought this lipstick after seeing reviews on MUA and I am happy with that decision. I am a big fan of red lipsticks, but lately, my lips have suffered because of that, since most beautiful red lipsticks are predominantly matte and extremely drying to the lips. After suffering through several cases of severely cracked lips (bleeding) I decided it was time to either give up red or find one that is not drying, so not matte, but still good. If you like red lips and you've been wearing bold reds, you know there are tons of criteria for a good red lipstick, such as staying power, bleeding, colour, etc. Well, Flamenco really has it all. It is defined as sheer, but it's still very visible. It's not too bright, not too dull, creamy and non-drying, yet has a decent staying power. I will not go into the colour description as a) NARS describes it really well, and b) most reviewers on MUA have already described it in great terms. Suffice to say that I highly recommend this lipstick to novice red lipstick wearers who might not be up to the "bold red lip", or seasoned red lipstick wearers who need a break from drying red lips or want a change without having to part with their beloved red lipstick signature style.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Self Tanners -Clarins - Intense Bronze Self Tanning Tint
tijanarm 4/25/2008 12:21:00 PM
I bought this product after reading some reviews on MUA and I am glad I did. I came back from a vacation and I wanted to prolong my tan so I purchased some self-tanning moisturizers. My 3 main issues with those are that 1) even when I buy dark/tan version, the are not really for already tanned skin and don't last a long time on my face or provide intense enough colour and 2) I really like a certain brand of skin care (Canadian Neostrata) and when I use self-tan moisturizers, you can't really use your regular skin care (you can, but they don't mesh), and 3) I use Smashbox Anti-shine (which tends to bring the tan colour down a notch) so if I put it over self-tan moisturizers, I end up looking pale an no colour develops. So, this Clarins product solves all of those issues for me and then some. First of all, I like the concept of putting the liquid on with a cotton pad. Yes, as some have pointed out below, you should use a glove and I agree. Second, I like the fact that this leaves on a trail of nice bronze colour right away. I like the fact that when I put Smashbox anti-shine on TOP of it, no intensity is lost and the colour still beautifully develops over the course of the day. I also like the fact that I can use Neostrata (and even 20% Vit C or 10-20% glycolic acid peels) and it does not fade the colour entirely (maybe a bit, but some colour still remains). And last, but not least, I like the depth and tone of the colour this develops into. For me it's brown, true bronzed look, not orangey. I also use it occassionally on my legs, as one reviewer already pointed out. In some ways, it resembles one of my favourite products, Glamazon from Benefit, but it's MUCH better (plus an instant tanner). I can see that this product would be much better for darker skin tones or someone with a tanned base, rather than really light complexions. The only minor complaint I have is somewhat "sticky and shiny" texture once I apply it. It's not greasy, just tends to be a bit sticky. I resolve this by putting on a Smashboax anti-shine, but it could be an issue for some folks with oilier faces. No clogging of the pores though whatsoever, and the texture is not a huge hurdle for me, so I am giving this 5 lippies. Oh yeah, the product is not cheap (around $40 CAD), but it's a relatively large bottle, so if you only use it on your face, neck and chest, it will last you a long time.
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Bronzers -NARS - Heat
tijanarm 4/21/2008 2:53:00 PM
The experience of buying Heat finally taught me the proper way for buying a bronzer. I was using Laguna faithfully for a year (with occasional "tests" of other products) and considered it to be my HG bronzer, which it still is, but now shares that coveted spot along with the Heat. I wanted to purchase a bronzer "for the day" or just something that unlike Laguna, had no shimmer in it. Something very natural, "plain" or "flat". I was also going away to Mexico for a week and wanted to prolong my "tan" upon return. So, before I left for Mexico I tested several bronzers and liked Heat the most as it looked the most natural on me. However, I did not purchase it as I wanted to be sure once I returned with a tan, that it really looked good even once I got the tan. For reference, I am a natural brunette, with light yellowy/olive complexion and dark eyes. Once I got back and I was tanned, I applied the bronzer and couldn't even tell I had anything on. Almost like putting on a clear powder. That's when I knew it was the right bronzer. I know this may sound like I have discovered a wheel and that it may be a logical conclusion, but you should ONLY buy a bronzer when you are naturally tanned to the point where you like/look good (I know this requires sun exposure, but in the summer we all tend to get a bit tanned even if we don't go away). So, if you cannot tell the difference after you put the bronzer on (not light/chalky, not darker, just not noticeable at all - transparent) - you know you have a winner. This basically means that the bronzer reflects the EXACT colour of how you tan and will look the most natural on your skin even with no tan. In addition to this, I highly recommend apllying this with a bronzer brush - short bristled fat brush (you can buy at Sephora for $40 CDN). So, for me, Heat is that PERFECT tan colour and now that my tan is fading, I can keep the perception alive!
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Slimshine in Urgent
tijanarm 4/21/2008 2:34:00 PM
I am on a fence about this product, so my final score is 3 lippies for now, but since I just bought it and need more time to reach a final conclusion, I may change my mind. The product will appeal to those ladies who like glosses, especially the ones that are not sticky. Consistency of this product is like a very glossy and shiny lip balm and it DEFINITELY feels great on the lips, to the point where I think it even plumps them up a bit (at least it plumped mine up). The colour is not like it seems in the tube. In the tube it looks like intense red, a bit more bluey red, but for the most part true red. On the lips it's sheer very pinky red, I would even call it pink vs. red (and I know my reds as I am a huge red lipstick fan). It's a nice colour, don't get me wrong, just if you are looking for a true red, this is not it. After about 1/2 hour on your lips, the colour starts fading and becomes paler rosy/pink. It does bleed, so I recommend a liner. If you are not a liner person like I'm not, I would still recommend a clear liner to help prevent bleeding. So, in the end, I really like the "hydrating" aspect of the lipstick, but I can't justify the price tag as there is nothing too special about this lipstick. Longevity is poor, but that's normal for this lipsticks of this texture. For now 3 lippies, but I may change my mind after a few days, and if so, I will update.
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