Lipstick -Clinique - Butter Shine Lipstick - Pink Goddess
s70princess 1/11/2006 1:03:00 PM
I bought the Butter Shine lippies in this shade, Berry Blush and First Love. This is my least favourite shade of the three -- I thought it looked ok at the counter when I first tried it, but after wearing it out for the first time after taking it home, I didn't like it. Pink Goddess is a sheer medium pink shade with a very slight warm golden shimmer ... the medium pink pigmentation along with the warm tones really clashed with my NC25 olive skintone. Anyone who usually prefers neutral or cool shades probably won't like this one, however if you like neutral warm shades, this one would look nice.
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Lips -Too Faced - Bunny Balm in Girly Grapefruit
s70princess 1/5/2006 2:36:00 PM
Bought this product after hearing so many good things about it, but sadly this bunny balm was a major disappointment :( I am definitely in the minority with this one, I really disliked it -- the smell is gross (plasticky bitter grapefruit!), the texture is thick and goopy, it doesn't perform any better at moisturizing lips than cheaper good quality lip balms I own (if anything, this made my lips flaky and irritated), and finally the price was really expensive (CDN$16 + tax) for this product. The only thing I liked was the cute bunny picture on the tin!!! What a bummer, this product was horrid and I would not repurchase again. **EDIT: I tried this again a few times and found it didn't irritate my lips as much as I thought it did (it must have been another lip product that I layered with this that caused that) -- increased lippies from 1 to 3 (coz I still don't like the scent) but it works ok.
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Scrubs -Alba Botanica - Pineapple Enzyme Facial Scrub
s70princess 1/5/2006 2:14:00 PM
Liked the smell, but that's about it. This scrub was horrible for my face -- there wasn't enough particles in this to do even a half decent job at exfoliating, and it also didn't cleanse my skin very well (left a filmy residue). I have normal/combo skin that needs daily exfoliation, perhaps this product would be more suitable for someone with dry skin that can't tolerate too much exfoliant. Definitely won't be purchasing this one again.
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Loose Powders -BeneFit Cosmetics - Bluff Dust
s70princess 1/5/2006 1:58:00 PM
Finally bought this prouduct after lemming it for ages! I'm a big fan of T.LeClerc banane and am always looking for a cheaper alternative, that's how this one caught my eye! At first glance, I thought the colour of this powder looked almost too artificial/bright? Reminded me of a yellow sticky post-it note yellow, LOL ... but on the face, it performed brilliantly for me ... I used a powder brush to apply and it gave me a super sheer, smoothing and brightening effect. I could see myself using this as a finishing powder on a regular basis (I have NC25-ish combo skin and don't have any major redness to cover), it makes my face feel soooooo smooth, no chalkiness ... very soft and finely milled, I am quite happy with this purchase! The only thing I don't like about this is the packaging, the container feels/looks cheap ... but other than that, no major complaints.
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Powder -Stila - Illuminating Powder Foundation
s70princess 11/30/2005 4:21:00 PM
Stila IPF does not work for me. I have this in 40 watts and have held onto this product for a long time. I have taken it out every now and then to re-try it thinking something will be different, but no such luck for me. On me, the product just seems to sit on top of my skin, get shiny through the day, and also oxidize after a few hours. At times when my skin was more acne-prone and oily, this product oxidized very fast on me and also gave me a few break-outs. Now that I am less acne-prone and not oily at all, this product still seems to oxidize as the day goes on and just doesn't seem to give me a nice finish that lasts. The best way I can describe this is ... it seems to give just enough cakiness/maskiness so that it looks obvious on the skin, but not enough real coverage to hide any scar/dark circles!! (if that makes any sense!). There is a possibility that 40 watts is a tad dark and 30 watts might be a slightly better match and I would get less oxidizing, but I am not willing to buy this again to test it out. I do love the packaging of this product, but that's about it!
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Foundations -Quo - Minimal Makeup Foundation
s70princess 11/30/2005 3:56:00 PM
Like the previous reviewer, I was also browsing through SDM and noticed this Minimal Makeup Foundation on sale for $8.99 from $16.99 or something like that. I wasn't tempted until I tested the texture on the back of my hand -- wow, it was surprisingly smooth and sheer. I paced back and forth for a long time in the drugstore before finally giving in (despite already owning several sheer foundations: BB tinted moisturizer, Tarte SO, Bourjois Happy Light, etc. etc.!!). I picked the shade "Cream" which is a perfect match to my light yellow-toned Asian skin, and also noticed it contains SPF 10 which is great. After using this for a while, I must say this is one purchase I don't regret! This stuff works great for me -- it is a lovely sheer foundation, exactly like the name implies "Minimal Makeup". My skin is good these days, I don't have any major scars or uneven skintone to cover -- I use concealer on the areas I do need covering and then use this on top. It almost has a gel-like texture that melts into the skin ... super light and fresh ... anyone who is looking for a light textured makeup will adore this 30ml glass bottle. I wish this came in a pump style bottle instead, but otherwise, I am quite happy with it.
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Lip Liners -Chanel - Le Crayon Gloss - Pink Praline
s70princess 11/20/2005 8:41:00 PM
Of all the sheer lip liners from different brands (stila, Px, Clinique) that I have tried, I like Chanel's Le Crayon Gloss the best ... both for the shade and the performance. Pink Praline is exactly the shade I was looking for (and can't seem get each time I try hunting for it!), I wanted a lip liner that was a light pinky/rosey MLBB shade that was sheer so I could wear anytime, and this is it! -- it is not too pink yet not too pale, glides on super smoothly and is also fairly pigmented eventhough it is a lighter shade. I really really like this and would repurchase again when I run out. It is slightly pricey ... but worth every penny!!
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Lip Treatments -C.O. Bigelow - My Favorite Lip Balm
s70princess 11/14/2005 3:07:00 AM
I really liked this lipbalm when I first tried it at the store ... I stood there debating between the pot or the squeeze tube and I ended up choosing the squeeze tube for convenience of application. I kind of regret it because I think the pot form performs better ... after using the squeeze tube one for a bit, I found it to be ok, it did moisturize nicely, but after it sunk in, it made my lips peel a little. I also like the texture of the pot version better ... thicker and more moisturizing. The squeeze tube version is very oily and thin ... not my favorite lip balm.
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Mascara -Clinique - Long Pretty Lashes Mascara
s70princess 11/14/2005 2:59:00 AM
Long pretty lashes is exactly as the name implies ... it gives me long and pretty lashes and is one of the best mascaras I've ever tried! I used to only wear WP mascaras due to smearing, but this one is not WP and surprisingly, I've never had any problems with this smearing or smudging on me. It is smooth to apply, doesn't clump and just gives me the most sophisticated looking lashes I could ask for. A definite keeper and staple product for me!!
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Blush -Becca - Cream blush in Wild Orchid
s70princess 11/14/2005 2:50:00 AM
If you are in search of a gorgeous cool-toned mauvey/pink cream blush, then search no more -- Becca Wild Orchid cream blush is the one!! I love wearing mauvey-pinks, and after finding this one, I can't see myself wanting to try any other cream blush in this type of shade. The smooth and creamy gel-like texture blends on the cheeks so nicely and gives a super natural look ... it is sheer and just melts into the skin. I also really like the mirrored compact. I am really happy with this and would totally buy this again.
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Blush -Becca - 'Frangipani' blush
s70princess 11/14/2005 2:37:00 AM
I bought Frangipani online and when it arrived, I opened the product and it totally wasn't the colour I had expected it to be! I was looking for a cool rosey shimmery pink shade ... but this one looked kind of bronzey-rose!! I was reluctant to try it because it looked kind of warm and I can't wear most warms ... however, I gave it a go and I must say, this blush is quite nice. It definitely has reddish and bronzey tones in it ... but due to the fact that is is sheer and has a slight gleam, it seems to work. The shimmer is really unnoticeable on my face, it is more of a gleam -- looks really natural on my NC25-ish skin ... I also like to layer it with shimmer powder. Frangipani turned out to be a really versatile shade that contains some bronzey, pinkish, and reddish tones ... looks good on its own, but even better with another layer of something over -- depending on what type of shimmer powder I put on top, it brings out different tones and looks really really pretty. The texture is sooo smooth, creamy and gel-like ... blends so well, love the mirrored compact too. I do wish it had a tad more pink undertones, but nevertheless, still a surprisingly wearable shade. P.S. I use this one my lips too, and it works great!!
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Liquid -Becca - Luminous Skin Color sheer foundation
s70princess 11/14/2005 2:23:00 AM
Ok, I didn't like this product at all -- it might work for some people, but it didn't work for me at all. I have decent skin, but I still like a little coverage to even out my skintone here and there ... this one provided none. Becca's Luminous Skin Color Sheer Foundation shouldn't even have the word 'foundation' in its name because it provides absolutely no coverage at all -- very misleading and I probably wouldn't have bought it if I wasn't led to believe it could perform some sort of foundation purpose. After trying it, I found out this is basically just a moisturizer with some luminosity ... and I also don't find it to be a good moisturizer either, as I found my skin getting oily throughout the day after using it. However, for someone who isn't prone to getting shiny and has almost perfect skin who doesn't like much coverage at all and only wants a little moisture, SPF & gleam, then this is your product!! For anyone else who fits outside that description, save your money!!
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Brows -Becca - Brow Powder
s70princess 11/14/2005 2:11:00 AM
I absolutely LOVE Becca's brow powder -- it fits all criteria of my ideal brow powder product!! I define my brows everyday, and I've been doing this since highschool -- I feel naked if I don't do my brows so I am quite picky about my brow products. I am not fond of most brow pencils because some are too waxy and/or unnatural looking -- some turn greasy and wear off really quickly, others smear. The same goes for powders, and even powder pencils. It is also really difficult to find a good brow powder/pencil that looks natural (that contains a good balance of pigments so it isn't too dark and isn't too light so it won't show up), not to mention a shade selection of "natural" shades (I've seen some really ridiculous shades of brow products, nobody has grey, charcoal, reddish-bronze or bluish brows!). Luckily, Becca's "light" brow powder is the perfect shade of brown ... the texture isn't too dry nor too moist ... it applies so smooth when using an angled brow brush (I use a soft angled brush for a softer look, and a stiffer one if I want more definition). The best part is that it lasts ALL day and I don't have to touch up during the day -- amazing! All other brow products are going into the garbage now that I've found this one :)
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Concealers -Becca - Concealer compact
s70princess 11/14/2005 1:55:00 AM
I'm always looking for a good concealer as it is something I use everyday, so decided to try Becca compact concealer in "Banane". Overall, I am satisfied with this product: good shade selection -- great match for covering dark undereye circles and redness on my NC25-ish skin, and wears well. The only negatives was that I found the product consistency a little drier than I would ideally like ... so it takes time for me to spread the product and blend it into my skin. I like using my fingers to apply my makeup, so this dry creamy consistency tugs at my skin a bit -- however, those who like using a concealer brush might like this consistency. Also, I feel it is a tad pricey. However, it does work quite well and I would consider buying it again.
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Concealers -Revlon - Age Defying Concealer With Botafirm ] [DISCONTINUED]
s70princess 11/14/2005 1:38:00 AM
Revlon Age Defying w/ Botafirm is an awesome concealer! I've been using this for a little while now, almost 1/2 way though this little compact and I can definitely say this is going to be a staple for me. It totally rivals my Becca Compact Concealer ... often I will opt to reach for this Revlon one over the Becca one because it is creamier and quicker to apply (doesn't require as much blending)! It also doesn't crease, lasts all day, covers really well (I am NC25-ish and use this in "neutralizer" on undereye area and around corners of nose) ... really really good stuff! I don't understand why some people said this was dry and cakey ... it is super creamy and smooth, blends like a dream! I must admit Becca's banane is a slightly better shade match for me, but at a fraction of the price, this Revlon one peforms so well that the slight shade difference is not a big deal. For a drugstore product, $12-13 is a little pricey for such a small container, but still really worth it ... I am definitely repurchasing when I run out. As a bonus, it contains SPF 20 as well :)
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