Skincare - Face -Boots - Mediterranean Olive, Sage and Almond Wonderbalm
KittySkyfish 9/16/2006 10:45:00 AM
I found this on sale at Target and bought it because I liked the unique 'tangy' herbal scent. It works great on cuticles and lips and has quickly become my favorite nighttime lip balm. A thick layer applied at night will leave my lips softened and the fine lines plumped around my lips. I love it!
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Highlighters -Smashbox - Soft Lights - Halo
KittySkyfish 9/15/2006 7:25:00 PM
GORGEOUS!! I was looking for a highlighter to compliment my PPP cool-toned skin and this is amazing. Absolutely amazing. Halo looks pure white in the pan but when brushed on it gives my face a luminescent pink tone. Not shimmery or glittery at all, just a subtle transparent pink glow. This is the kind of glow that Snow White would have! This works perfectly for PPPs and is perfect as a blending powder for deeper blushes. It's limited edition, but www.smashbox.com still has this in stock. It also comes in a duo with a dusty rose blush, which is also excellent.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Cover Girl - Eye Enhancers - French Vanilla
KittySkyfish 9/11/2006 11:57:00 AM
I like, but not love, this off-white shade. It's too sheer and the pigment is rather difficult to lift from the pan. With my stiff shadow brush I'm having to repeatedly scrub the shadow to get any real product onto the brush. Other than this issue it's a fairly decent shadow. Great for daytime and work, French Vanilla is a good sheer neutral highlighter shade. I pair this one with CG's Tapestry Taupe (another scrubber) and my eyes look pretty in a very subtle way. I'll probably repurchase because it's repeatedly created nice eye looks for me and is pretty cheap.
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Eyeliner -MAC - Dig It eye kohl [DISCONTINUED]
KittySkyfish 9/8/2006 2:29:00 PM
Love it! I'm a hazel-eyed, cool-toned PPP and Dig It brings out my eye color without looking orange against my skintone or too dark. It's a 'just right' shade that opens my eyes up! Perfect with pinks, taupes, greys. I wish the texture was a bit smoother but it still goes on easy enough and lasts well throughout the day.
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
KittySkyfish 9/5/2006 3:35:00 PM
Extra virgin coconut oil is a great skin cleanser and makeup remover! I find this works better than rinsable oil-based cleansers like DHC or Shu Uemura for my dry, sensitive skin because this doesn't have surfectants that strip moisture away. Manufactured oil cleansers will break down makeup well, but the added surfectants can't tell the difference between your natural oils versus its own oils, so when it comes time to rinse everything goes down the drain; the bad and the good.
It works similar to cold cream cleansers in that the oil liquifies makeup and sunscreen, while requiring manual removal with a warm washcloth or cotton squares and rinsing. What's nice about coconut oil is that it's thinner in texture than cold cream, so if you wish to wash afterwards you'll find it easier to wash off. And no fragrance, mineral oil, or detergents to linger and irritate. I've been using this since spring and will continue to enjoy clean, soft skin by cleansing with coconut oil.
13 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Ponds - Deep Cleanser Cold Cream
KittySkyfish 9/5/2006 11:03:00 AM
Since I normally use coconut or jojoba oil to cleanse my face and because I am used to the grease factor, I decided to give Ponds a try. It lifted makeup well and was relatively easy to wipe away. But I had a problem with itchy skin. :( It must have been the fragrance. My friend who has hyper-sensitive skin can use this with no problem, so she'll inherit my new jar.
UPDATE: 10/13/06 - About two weeks ago I went back to try this out again and this time it didn't make my skin itch. There must have been something else irritating my skin that first time. Anyhow, I've been using it daily since then and it's a great addition to my cleansing routine. No clogged pores and keeps my skin feeling baby soft!
Update 11/17/06: Still loving it! I'm now applying a layer in the a.m. to soften my skin and protect it from the drying effects of the shower. I don't wash it off; just use a warm washcloth and water is all that's necessary to make my skin perfectly clean.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Boots - No7 Intelligent Balance Foundation Pump Bottle
KittySkyfish 9/3/2006 11:02:00 PM
My skin is normal to dry, with some shine prone to my t-zone. I bought this at my local Target because 05 Porcelain is a 100% EXACT color match to my skintone. Woohoo! A perfect match is near impossible to find so even if the formula isn't the best I'll work with it. It also has an SPF of 12 (Octinoxate 5%, Titanium Dioxide 1.9%) and comes in a glass bottle with pump. For a drugstore foundation I was pleasantly surprised how nice the finish is!
Texture and finish: The texture is smooth and light, with a light to barely medium-level coverage with a natural matte finish (like clean, non-oily skin - not a chalky matte finish). I really liked how natural the finish was on my skin! The coverage is enough to even out my skintone but not opaque enough to cover moderate to major blemishes. With a few pats of concealer on needed areas and a brushing of loose powder, my skin looked natural and polished.
Durability: It wore well but not perfectly throughout the day. Mid-day I needed to touch-up with powder, but the texture and color didn't change. Still looked natural. No caking or creasing.
Overall I'd recommend this foundation for those who are looking for a lightweight, light coverage foundation that softly mattifies without the thick, chalky look of typial matte foundations. Best for combo, mildly oily and normal skin types.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Candles -Unlisted Brand - WoodWick by Old Virginia Candles
KittySkyfish 9/2/2006 10:43:00 PM
I just discovered WoodWick candles at my local Hallmark store and became immediately drawn to the intense, gorgeous scents! WoodWick is unique because the wick is a tongue of wood, creating a constant very soft hiss/pop as it burns. Personally I don't notice the sound but I definitely recommend this line for their amazing scents plus their prices are about on par with Yankee Candle - $22.99 for a 22 oz jar.
Anyhow, Biscotti is a rich buttery kitchen spice cookie scent with vanilla notes. I was expecting to be overpowered with cinnamon but it's actually pretty well-balanced and smells like 'just-out-of-the-oven' extra sweet spice cookies coated with fresh icing. The throw is intense and immediate. On a scale of 1-10 I'd give it a 9.5, with 10 being that I'd have to open a window for some fresh air because the scent became overwhelming. Sort of like walking into a home decor store and they have fifty candles burning to create ambiance. I have a large open living area (2,000 sqft) and so *maybe* small spaces might find this scent over-the-top. ;) This is a candle you will definitely still smell when unlit.
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Lipstick -Yves Saint Laurent - Rouge Pur Shine in Pearly Beige 19
KittySkyfish 8/31/2006 12:24:00 PM
Pearly Beige is a light, transparent cool-fleshtone-beige with a subtle irridescent neutral/silver shimmer. It's sheer enough to not look milky bland on the lips. Very nice! The scent is a mix of champagne and peaches and has an SPF of 15. Normally I wear this overtop a nude lip pencil but it also works well blended with a bit of rose mineral pigment or on its own if you like a soft nude lip. The texture is lightweight and buttery and feels comfortable on. Retouching is necessary with the Rouge Pur Shine line because it's a gloss in lipstick form, but nothing too excessive. I like it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Darphin - Intral Balm
KittySkyfish 8/31/2006 1:14:00 AM
I *love* this balm! There is something wonderful about the way it heals irritated skin. If it smelled bad I'd still use it but the aroma makes me excited about using this every night! I used to have dry, irritated skin from harsh chemicals and this balm healed me quickly. No more redness and no clogged pores either! This definitely does not soak in so expect your face to feel like it's been properly greased up. You'll still feel it when you wake up in the a.m. Will definitely repurchase.
UPDATE 10/02/06: Still loving this balm! My skin has never looked so smooth and even-toned.
UPDATE 11/10/07: I still love it! I'm still on the same jar too, so the price is worth it in the long run. Very satisfied!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Clarins - Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch
KittySkyfish 8/30/2006 4:18:00 PM
I don't really care for this as an under-makeup primer because, although it works as well as other silicone-based primers, I'm not a fan of how thick it is. For all-over usage I like a thinner primer, like Smashbox Photo Finish.
But, I've found some other great uses for Perfecting Touch! It's great to keep in the purse for late-day undereye touch-ups. Just a wee bit patted under the eye to help blend in fresh concealer keeps the layers of makeup from looking old and cakey. Also it's an instant line softener. Now its solid texture works to its advantage because a smaller amount can be put in a sample jar without worries that it'll spill.
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Fragrances -Laura Mercier - L'Heure Magique
KittySkyfish 8/29/2006 5:23:00 PM
This is one of my all-time favorite fragrances. Very much like cashmere, it comforts and warms without feeling heavy. LM is a floriental, a blend of pikake, rose, geranium, sandalwood, amber and cashmere. If you like Fresh's Sake, give this one a try!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -MAC - Fluidline Eye-Liner Gel in Ostentatious
KittySkyfish 8/29/2006 5:13:00 PM
Yaay!! Just what I was looking for - a medium/deep taupe liner with a hint of shimmer. I'm a cool-toned PPP and most browns look orange or red on my skin, but this blends in perfectly without making my eyes look bloodshot or tired! Perfect with my normal daytime look - rich taupe shadows and cream highlighters. I hope MAC makes this a permanent shade!
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Highlighters -Smashbox - Soft Lights - Smashing Glow
KittySkyfish 8/26/2006 2:11:00 PM
There is a review for this product in the blush category, but I'll duplicate it since Smashbox considers these highlighters. If you notice my other review, I give it five points whereas here I'll give it four. This is due to the fact that Smashing Glow has NO SHIMMER and IMO it works less like a highlighter and more like a blush or peachy bronzer. It would receive a lower score in this category but the color is just sooo pretty! :)
Smashing Glow is a light-to-almost-medium MATTE pinky/peach tan. It's a mix between a blush and a light bronzer. Lots of pigment lifts when brushed and the color is buildable. I'd recommend this for anyone who has sallow skin that needs a color lift. Just brush this lightly like you would a bronzer and you'll have healthy color without looking bronzer orange. I prefer using a powder brush with this because it's less dense than a bronzer brush, and I can control the amount applied. A denser blush brush will make this work as a blush, and when used so it pairs perfectly with warm pinks, bronzes and warm reds. Because it doesn't have shimmer, this can be paired with other cheek colors without shimmer overkill.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Clarins - Multi-Blush Tender Raspberry 05
KittySkyfish 8/25/2006 1:57:00 AM
Hot pink, bright pink, bold pink, vivid pink, hi-impact pink. Tender Raspberry is all that and best applied with a very light hand! This is as bold as some of the Stila Convertible Colors but without the greasy look and stickiness. Just a teeny bit of this creme-to-powder blush will create bold rosy cheeks but if you are a pinky-pinky-pink lover and can't get enough of those baby doll cheeks then give this a try! The color lasts all day and as a lipcolor it's doable if a touch is applied over gloss. No shimmer. Best for cool to neutral skintones.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No