Brows -Wet 'n' Wild - Brow & liner pencil
AndreaJunelle 3/13/2013 3:45:00 PM
I'm absolutely obsessed with this kohl pencil from WnW in the "Taupe" shade. I use it for my brows. I'm 30yrs old and *just* started doing my brows, like, this year(better late than never? ;D) I have (&have always had) pretty full brows, I get them tweezed/waxed every 4-5 weeks, so never thought I "needed" to do my brows and thought it was only for people with thinning brows but I'm ready to say now that I was wrong! I had the Taupe pencil in my cosmetics collection already, purchased it at my local CVS store for .99cents just to use as a basic taupe shade of eyeliner, but unfortunately I never really reached for it as an eyeliner so it collected dust until I saw a good amount of posts on the MakeUp Board about people with fair skin and dark brows using it as a brow pencil. I thought hum.. maybe I'll try that? Needless to say I did and have become a bit of a pro with it by now, and I've also tried quite a few other brow products along the way but always come back to this one. The ones I've tried thus far are all from drugstores but are: NYC's brow kit, ELF's brow kit, and Wet'nWild's brow kit. -I like them all, but don't find any of those as fool-proof and natural looking on me personally as the Taupe Pencil (which makes me happy because this pencil is HUGE, much taller than your average kohl liner pencil and is only $1 - it's a win/win) As I said above my skintone is quite fair (In MAC I'd currently be between N10 & NC15) but I also have very dark brown eyes, and med-dark brown hair (as well as brows) -Taupe blends perfectly without looking like I've placed anything at all on my brow area which is the biggest thing for me, I don't ever want it to look like I've applied anything to make my brows look "done" (If that makes sense?) I typically top this pencil off with a little bit of clear mascara by ELF or Maybelline, just so my brows look tame ;) But the clear mascara part isn't even a "must" with this pencil as it smoothes my lashes down really well on it's own. I've been using this pencil regularly (6-7 days a week) for about 4 months now and am still only about 1/2 way through it, so it lasts quite a while - regardless of how long it lasts though I plan to repurchase over & over again. I actually just stocked up on 2 more of them recently at a CVS BOGO WnW sale ;) Wet 'n Wild has really impressed me lately and this is no exception, I highly recommend!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Olay - Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum - Fragrance Free
AndreaJunelle 3/11/2013 6:24:00 PM
I really like this product because I think it's versatile. I feel like it does several things, and will also work for different skin types. I want to start off by saying that I'm 30 years old with oily(yet easily dehydrated), acne&clog-prone skin, and large/visible pores. I purchased this after having it recommended to me by another MUA'er (a friend of mine). Otherwise I never would have known it existed because Olay's display at the drugstores is massive and confusing.. I found it at my local WalMart for just under $21. The pricetag scared me a little at first.. $20 certainly doesn't break the bank, but it's a bit on the high side for a "moisturizer". I kept my receipt though and figured it it didn't work I'd return it lol Regardless, I got this to use as a lightweight moisturizer. To either pair with my regular moisturizer when my skin needs more hydrating in the winter time(now), or to use alone in the summer when I don't need a heavy moisturizer because my skin is at it's oiliest. The first time I tried it I paired it with my regular moisturizer on a day my skin was feeling a little dehydrated (my "regular" moisturizer being Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel-Cream for Dry Skin) and I was really impressed. It did exactly what I expected it to do - lightly hydrated, worked well with my other moisturizer, didn't turn me into an oil slick by noon, and wore well under makeup. I was pleasantly surprised to notice a few other things it did as well! It also seems to double as a makeup primer, creating a great makeup base while smoothing out my lines & pores. I already use a primer/pore minimizer type product (currently Revlon's PhotoReady Primer or DHC Velvet Skin Coat - very siliconey type products that really diminish my pores better than anything else I've come across to-date) But when I pair THIS along with the one of those (usually my Revlon PR Primer), my pores are GONE. It's like amazing magic or something ;) My next concern was breakouts.. My skin is super finicky and while the ingredient list looked pretty safe, I can never know for 100% until I test drive it. For anyone else interested, those ingredients are: Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Glycerin, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5), Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide 3 (Amino Peptide), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract (Green Tea), Allantoin (Comfrey Root), Cetyl Ricinoleate, Bis PEG/PPG 14/14 Dimethicone, PEG 10 Dimethicone, PEG 100 Stearate, PEG 10 Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Metabisulfite, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Methylparaben, Benzyl Alcohol Thankfully it's been a month or so of continued use and I haven't experienced any new acne, clogged pores, or blackheads so I think I'm safe(Yay!) The claims on the packaging are as follows: "Olay Regenerist helps regenerate your skin's appearance without such drastic measures as chemical peels, cosmetic surgery or laser. Clinical tests have proven that amino-peptides can help regenerate damaged skin. Now Olay uses this technology to beautifully regenerate skin by renewing its outer layer, revealing newer skin. Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum Fragrance Free uses a concentrated form of an exclusive amino-peptide complex and combines it with moisture to offer the maximum regeneration and hydration within the Regenerist line. This gentle, dermatologist-tested formula is 100% fragrance and color free and has been designed for everyday use." So this product actually seems to be "designed/marketed" for anti-aging.. I'm not super picky with anti-aging, so I wouldn't be disappointed in it if I didn't notice any long term benefits just because I love everything else about it. I do like to take "anti-aging precautions" whenever I can of course (wearing sunscreen daily, things of that nature) But thanks to my oily skin I seem to be aging gracefully (or at least I think I am lol) so I do plan to repurchase this over and over again regardless. As I said above, it's been a month or so of use now but I still get surprised when I look in the mirror and see how poreless I look some days! It's really made a huge difference in my life so Olay did a great job with this one. Now I just have to pray they don't discontinue it! ;)
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Foundations -Wet 'n' Wild - coverall
AndreaJunelle 3/9/2013 3:30:00 PM
Wow, I haven't been this initially pleased with a foundation in I don't know how long! I typically buy one, feel like I've already tried 2 others JUST like it, then after a little time decide if I love or hate. My love for this new "CoverAll" was instant though and after 1week of daily wear I'm still pleased! For reference I'm 30 years old w/very fair, neutral undertoned(leaning warm), oily & clog-prone skin. I'd read a few raves regarding this fndtn on the boards & beauty blogs (it was being especially loved by those with fair & oily skin) but I still walked past it several times in the drugstore without giving it a 2nd look.. I figured I had enough fndtns & didn't need a new one to risk a breakout from. I did purchase the CoverAll Pressed Powder when it came out and have been happy with it, but it's more of a full coverage powder & I personally go for a light coverage "nautral" look on a daily basis since getting my skin cleared up recently (thanks to the MUA boards!) So it's not going to be my Holy Grail of pressed powders, but is still nice none the less especially for the price. &The "Fair" color in the Pressed Powder is a great match for me. Then last week my daughter was admitted into our local Children's Hospital which is 2hrs from my home & I needed to make a quick trip to CVS(for some feminine products, which is only a few blocks away from the hospital) While I was there I remembered I didn't have any makeup w/me so purchased this foundation in Fair/Light for $4.99. I was perplexed bc it appeared the lightest shade was Fair/Light, so that was what I got of course but I remembered reading on the MUB that there was a Fair shade (like the powder has) which matched those of us who are lighter than NC15 in MAC(I'm currently N10-ish but can pull off NC15 at my darkest. I also wear N1 in L'Oreal True Match which is my *perfect* fndtn shade) Now that I'm back at home & have done a lil digging I've found that there is indeed a shade called Fair but for whatever reason it's not carried everywhere which sucks :( I'm not going to hold that against WnW/this review though bc it's the individual stores that chose which shades they want to carry/think will sell & not the choice of WnW (or at least that's how I've come to understand it?) Once I got in good lighting Fair/Light looked REALLY dark in the tube but to my surprise it's not terribly dark at all! Granted it's not my "perfect" match, but it works. I'd describe Fair/Light as a mostly neutral undertoned shade. I would LOVE to get my hands on Fair to compare the two though so plan to go searching for it soon, but until then Fair/Light does the trick &even looked good under the terrible flourescent hospital lighting (which we all know is NOT always flattering) So I really feel that what the shades look like in the tube is not accurate to how they look on the skin. My next concern was breakouts.. My skin is so finicky & picky, so the "generally loved" fndtns on the Makeup Board & blogs are usually ones I can't wear without my skin freaking out =( But the ingredient list for this looked fairly safe and after 1wk of continued use I'm happy to say that I still do not have any new acne, clogged pores, or blackheads -WooHoo! For those interested, the ingredient list is as follows (typed out from the back of my bottle because I couldn't find it elsewhere online lol) water, cyclopentasiloxane, isododecane, talc, butylene glycol, cetyl peg/ppg-10/1 dimethicone, glycerin, phenyl trimethicone, peg/ppg-18/18 dimethicone, dimethicone, hexyl laurate, polyglyceryl-4 isostearate, propylene carbonate, silica, dimethicone crosspolymer, disteardimonium hectorite, magnesium aluminum silicate, sodium chloride, lecithin, chlorphenesin, 3-0-ethyl ascorbic acid, bisabol, dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, propylene glycol stearate, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, tocopheryl acetate, tetrahhexyldecyl ascorbate, polysorbate 20, propylene glycol laurate, dimethiconol, sorbitan laurate, methylisothiazolinone, titanium dioxide/ci 77891, iron oxides/ci 77491, ci 77492, ci 77499 I feel that anyone w/normal, combo, or oily skin (that can find a color match) will really love this foundation. Those with drier skin, I don't know.. Maybe with a good moisturizer it'd work? I'm not a great judge of things like that since my skin type is on the other side of the spectrum but I can say that the 1st time I tried it I didn't moisturize well & noticed a few flakies around my nose..(we all know about those dreaded "winter skin flakies" right? *UGH*) So before the 2nd use I moisturized a little better &didn't use my mattifing primer underneath and voila - perfection & love at first sight! I walked away & didn't see myself in a mirror again for at least 8hrs, but when I did was pleasantly surprised that it had not separated, caked, oxidized away, or done anything! It looked freshly applied & I didn't even need to blot which is pretty great. The coverage is what I'd describe as medium but buildable and that's ideal for me so CoverAll is definitely ranking up there as one of my favorite fndtns. Will it be "holy grail status" for me? I won't know for sure til the humid summer weather rolls back around. This time of year my Tzone is oily, but other areas of my face are more "normal" than anything else so I don't need a ton of oil control. In the summer however, my skin becomes a MESS and too many foundations just slide away after an hour or two.. So I'm still looking for that "year round HG fndtn"*fingers crossed* I do hope to update this in a few months when the weather warms up though! In the mean time, this totally deserves more than 5 lippies in my opinion. I highly recommend it, especially when you consider the price. For $3-5 it's not a huge investment, and if you really dislike it, most drugstores allow open cosmetic returns with a receipt (CVS & Walmart do) So it's worth a try, great job Wet 'n Wild! **Update -- I found the "Fair" shade at KMart just like a reviewer b
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Foundations -Wet 'n' Wild - Coverall Cream Foundation
AndreaJunelle 3/9/2013 3:17:00 PM
Wow, I haven't been this initially pleased with a foundation in I don't know how long! I typically buy one, feel like I already have 2 other ones JUST like it, then after a little time decide if I love or hate. My love for CoverAll was instant though and after 1wk of daily wear I'm still pleased! For reference I'm 30 years old w/very fair, neutral undertoned(leaning warm), oily & clog-prone skin. I'd read a few raves regarding this fndtn on the boards & beauty blogs, &it was being especially loved by those with fair & oily skin. But, I still walked past it several times in the drugstore without giving it a 2nd look - I figured I had enough foundations and didn't need a new one to risk a breakout from. I did purchase the CoverAll Powder when it came out and have been happy w/it, but it's more of a full coverage powder & I personally go for a light coverage/nautral daily since getting my skin cleared up recently (thanks to the MUA boards!) So it's not going to be my Holy Grail of pressed powders, but is still nice none the less especially for the price. &The "Fair" color in the Pressed Powder is a great match for me. Then last week my daughter was admitted into our local Children's Hospital which is 2hrs from my home & I needed to make a quick trip to CVS(for some feminine products, which is only a few blocks away from the hospital)While I was there I remembered I didn't have any makeup w/me so purchased this foundation in Fair/Light for $4.99. I was perplexed at first because it appeared the lightest shade was Fair/Light, so that was what I got of course but I remembered reading on the MUB that there was a Fair shade (like the powder has) which matched those of us who are lighter than NC15 in MAC (I'm currently N10-ish but can pull off NC15 at my darkest. I also wear N1 in L'Oreal True Match which is my *perfect* fndtn shade) Now that I'm back at home &have done some digging I've found that there is indeed a shade called Fair but for whatever reason it's not carried everywhere which sucks :( I'm not going to hold that against WnW/this review though b/c it's the individual drugstores that chose which shades they want to carry/think will sell & not the choice of WnW (or at least that's how I've come to understand it?) Once I got in good lighting Fair/Light looked REALLY dark in the tube but to my surprise it's not terribly dark at all! Granted it's not my "perfect" match, but it works. I'd describe Fair/Light as a mostly neutral undertoned shade. I would LOVE to get my hands on Fair to compare the two though so plan to go searching for it soon, but until then Fair/Light does the trick &even looked good under the terrible flourescent hospital lighting (which we all know is NOT always flattering lol) So I really feel that what the shades look like in the tubes is NOT accurate to how they look on the skin. My next concern was breakouts..My skin is so finicky and picky &the "generally loved" foundations on the boards & blogs are usually ones I can't even wear without my skin freaking out.. The ingredient list for this looked fairly safe and after 1wk of continued use I'm so happy to say that I still do not have any new acne, clogged pores, or blackheads -WooHoo! For those interested, the ingredient list is as follows (typed out from the back of my bottle because I couldn't find it elsewhere online lol) water, cyclopentasiloxane, isododecane, talc, butylene glycol, cetyl peg/ppg-10/1 dimethicone, glycerin, phenyl trimethicone, peg/ppg-18/18 dimethicone, dimethicone, hexyl laurate, polyglyceryl-4 isostearate, propylene carbonate, silica, dimethicone crosspolymer, disteardimonium hectorite, magnesium aluminum silicate, sodium chloride, lecithin, chlorphenesin, 3-0-ethyl ascorbic acid, bisabol, dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, propylene glycol stearate, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, tocopheryl acetate, tetrahhexyldecyl ascorbate, polysorbate 20, propylene glycol laurate, dimethiconol, sorbitan laurate, methylisothiazolinone, titanium dioxide/ci 77891, iron oxides/ci 77491, ci 77492, ci 77499 I feel that anyone with normal, combo, or oily skin (that can find a color match) will really love this foundation. Those with drier skin, I don't know.. Maybe with a good moisturizer it will work well for dry skin? I'm not a great judge of things like that since my skin type is on the other side of the spectrum but I can say that the first time I tried it I didn't moisturize well & noticed a few flakies around my nose..(we all know about those dreaded "winter skin flakies" right? *UGH*) So before the 2nd use I moisturized a little better &didn't use my mattifing primer underneath and voila - perfection & love at first sight! I walked away & didn't see myself in a mirror again for at least 8hrs, but when I did I was pleasantly surprised that it had not separated, caked, oxidized away, or done anything! It looked freshly applied & I didn't even need to blot which is pretty great. This is definitely ranking up there as one of my favorite fndtns! Will it be "holy grail status" for me? I won't know for sure til the humid summer weather rolls back around. This time of year my Tzone is oily, but other areas of my face are more "normal" than anything else so I don't need a ton of oil control. In the summer however, my skin becomes a MESS and too many foundations just slide away after an hour or two.. I do not think that is what will happen with this just because of how well it's holding up now, but I do hope to update this in a couple of months when the weather warms up! In the mean time, this totally deserves more than 5 lippies in my opinion! I highly recommend it, especially when you consider the price. For $3-5 it's not a huge investment, and if you really dislike it, most drugstores allow open cosmetic returns with a receipt (I know CVS & Walmart do at least) It's worth a try, great job WnW! **Update -Like a reviewer below, I found the Fair shade at Kmart &am now also seeing it at RiteAid s
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -Physicians Formula - Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Powder in Translucent
AndreaJunelle 2/21/2013 4:56:00 PM
This has been an amazing highlighting powder for me. For reference I have 30yr old, very fair and neutral undertoned skin that leans ever so slightly warm. I'm also very prone to clogged pores and have large/visible pores. If I wore MAC I'd currently wear N10 but can pull off NC15 at my darkest. I also have med-brown hair & eyes. I'm typically a liquid highlighter kind of gal. Products like Benefit HighBeam, ELF Lilac Petal Facial Whip, Hard Candy Glow All The Way in Doll Face, & Rimmel Wake Me Up Liquid Luminizer/shade001 are my "go-to fool-proof highlighters". For whatever reason, all of the powder highlighters I try seem to give me a "sheen" rather than a "glow" and that sheen isn't flattering on my personal skin type/tone and in some cases will enhance my already visible pores which is simply not flattering no matter what. So I completely quit looking in the direction of powder highlighters for quite some time until recently I wanted something to be able to quickly dust on in a pinch on days I'm not wearing other makeup(foundation) and get a "glowing from within" kind of look. Being a stay at home mom of two, I don't need to(or have the time!) to do up a full face of makeup daily, but I still like to try to look my best at the same time. After reading raves regarding this Happy Booster Translucent Powder I figured I'd give it a go and am so glad that I did! Obviously the brush that is included with this (&with ALL the Happy Booster products) is not the ideal brush for application. I don't even know if it would work in a pinch as it's very scratchy & doesn't pick up the right amount of product to apply. I'm currently rotating around a few different brushes with this but am finding my results are similar with all three.. (which are ELF $3 Studio Mini Kabuki, ELF $1 Professional Total Face Brush, & WalMart's "HD Powder Brush", for reference). On average days, I'll just take one of those large/fluffy brushes, swirl it around on the powder, then dust it all over my face, focusing on my mid forehead, down the middle of my nose, upper cheekbones, &cupids bow. I also(more recently)started trying to pick up individual shades (the "hearts" contain different colors) -with a small-med size concealer or eyeshadow blending brush. The "hearts" in this compact are all large enough that with a concealer/eyeshadow type brush I can dip in and get any of the particular shades that I want on their own. (&Have been also doing this w/the "Light Bronzer"Happy Booster) My Translucent Happy Booster contains one large white heart, one small pink heart, one medium toned peach heart, and also a couple of bronzey colored hearts that are scattered around. They're all on a baby pink shade background.(Where there are gaps/spaces in between the hearts, that's where the baby pink background is) I have to say, the packaging is a tad on the bulky side and the included brush is pathetic.. But other than those minor issues I LOVE the pink packaging/compact along with the different heart shapes shades! My Happy Boosters are definitely some of the prettiest cosmetics that I own! (I also have the Light Bronzer and Happy Booster Blushes in Pink, Warm, & Natural which I hope to write individual reviews for soon!) I also have slightly acne-prone but very clog-prone skin and was kind of concerned that this could break me out if I dusted it all over my face, specifically over the areas that are most prone to congestion (I don't typically have any issues on the areas of my cheeks where blush goes, so I've never experienced breakouts from any of my Happy Booster blushes, but doing a "dusting" all over my face with this did concern me..) But THANKFULLY I've experienced zero skin issues from the Translucent Pressed Powder and it's been about 2 months of continuous use now(Yay!) Overall, I wouldn't even hesitate to repurchase. I paid right around $11 USD for it at my local WalMart, it runs around $13-14 at other drugstores in my area, but quite often CVS and RiteAid stores have really great sales on Physicians Formula products, so it's easy to find them for less than that if you keep your eyes peeled :) Definitely 5 lippie worthy!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Wet 'n' Wild - Silk Finish Heather Silk
AndreaJunelle 2/18/2013 5:10:00 PM
If you're thinking about purchasing this blush, go for it :) It's a stunning, 100% matte, plummy pink shade that is super inexpensive. Very similar in coloring to NARS Mata Hari (not a dupe by any means, but definitely in the same color family..) In other words I feel like if you like Mata Hari, chances are you'll also like Heather Silk, & vice versa. For reference I have 30 yr old, very pale skin with mostly neutral undertones that lean slightly warm (If I wore MAC I'd currently wear N10. But at my darkest I can pull off NC15) I also have oily/acne prone skin, dark brown hair, & dark brown eyes. I own all 4 of the WnW Blushes and Heather Silk is my favorite by far. It's the most pigmented (almost too pigmented to be honest, I have to be especially careful with my application of Heather Silk) &It's the only one that is completely, one hundred percent matte. &It is also the most flattering shade of the four on my personal skintone. Application - Unfortunately application of this shade isn't "fool proof" :( It takes a little work or a lot of practice to get it just right, especially on fairer skintones (like my own). I take a large fluffy brush (ELF's Mini Kabuki or Walmart's "High Definition" Face Powder Brush are two inexpensive options) -lightly swirl the brush around on the blush, dab it on the back of my hand first, apply on the apples of my cheeks then blend back and slightly upwards from there. It is easy for me to get "clown cheeks" from this blush if I'm not careful.. (not a good look lol) If I use a brush that's too dense/picks up too much product, if I don't dab it on the back of my hand first, or if I don't blend it out well that can happen.. BUT, after a lot of trial&error I've figured out how to fix it if I've applied too much. If I look in the mirror & think: "EEK! I've applied wayy too much blush!!" I can just take a clean/different blush brush (not the one I just applied it with, usually a more dense brush) then blend blend blend. After that, take a large cotton ball and lightly rub or dab it on the areas where there is too much blush &Viola!! Luckily I haven't had to use the "cotton ball method" in quite a while as a lot of practice has gotten me pretty good with applying this but in a pinch, the cotton ball thing WORKS ;) Since this is a "bolder" blush, I like it best for just using on the apples of my cheeks paired with a contour powder. First I'll apply L'Oreal True Match Pressed Powder in C7/Nut Brown in a "contouring" manner (on/under the cheekbone & blended inwards). &That simply adds a little definition to my face and some color. Then, Heather Silk is one of my favorite blushes to use/pair with it. It meshes very well with that "Nut Brown" shade that I use for contouring & gives me face an awake, sculpted, and natural look (I'm very into "natural" cheeks - I like to wear strong eye makeup most days so I can't go over the top with cheeks. The above method works great for me) Of course I've also used it many many times without pairing it with a contour powder, that has just become my favorite way of wearing it so I wanted to share :) As I said above, I have oily & acne/clog-prone skin and this blush does NOT fade away or start to look "patchy" after several hours of wear (like many blushes do on oily skin) And it also hasn't given me any issues with breakouts/clogged pores (Yay!) Price/Availability - The WnW powder blushes are priced between $2.99 - $3.99 at my local stores. But CVS, Walgreens, & RiteAid VERY often put WnW products on sale/clearance making these blushes even more inexpensive! (For example all WnW was 40% off at my RiteAid last wk.- I stocked up on Silk Finish lipsticks lol ;D) If you check your local weekly "flyers" or their websites before making a shopping trip you can easily find out which place will have them for the least amt. of money :) In my area (southwestern PA, USA) Wet 'n Wild is available at all CVS stores, all Walgreens', all RiteAid's, one of my KMart stores, and at one of my three local WalMarts. Now onto the packaging.. well.. it's kinda meh. I rated "Packaging Quality" a 2 simply because these blushes are very fragile (just like WnW's eye shadows!) so I feel like they should come in a more sturdy compact.. The "old" WnW Silk Finish Blushes came in square, silver compacts with a little clear window on the front to see the shade. But more recently they've repackaged them in rectangular black compacts with completely clear lids. I like the way the compacts LOOK, I just don't like that they're not as sturdy.. (My "Mellow Wine" blush from this line got broken in my purse, so be careful if you take any of these traveling!) The brush that comes with is pretty terrible though.. Not THE most terrible brush that I've seen included with a drugstore blush, but not ideal for even application. I do imagine it'd work in a pinch, if you just needed to dab a little on your cheeks then could blend with your fingers maybe? But overall I'd recommend investing in a better brush for a blush like this. There are inexpensive ones that will do a nice job (like several between $1-$3 from ELF, or WalMart's HD face brushes which are approx $7 - both mentioned above) :) Overall, WnW has truly stepped up their game over the past several years! I remember as a teenager going m/u shopping with my girlfriends at the drugstores, we never even looked in the direction of WnW. These days the WnW display is the first thing I wana check out! ;) All of their blushes are great, but Heather Silk gets 5 well deserved lippies from me =)
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Physicians Formula - Happy Booster
AndreaJunelle 2/15/2013 11:41:00 PM
I'm reviewing 4 products from that Happy Booster line here: Happy Booster Pressed Powder "Translucent" Happy Booster Blush "Pink" Happy Booster Blush "Warm" Happy Booster Blush "Natural" (I also have the Light Bronzer Happy Booster but have only used it 2x &wanted to use it more before reviewing!) Beginning with the Translucent Powder. This stuff an amazing highlighting powder for me. For reference I have 30yr old, very fair &neutral undertoned skin that leans ever so slightly warm &is prone to clogged pores&blackheads with large/visible pores. If I wore MAC I'd currently wear N10 but can pull off NC15 at my darkest. I also have med-brown hair & eyes. &I'm typically a liquid highlighter kind of gal. Products like Benefit HighBeam, ELF Lilac Petal Facial Whip, Hard Candy Glow All The Way in Doll Face, & Rimmel Wake Me Up Liquid Luminizer in shade 001 are my "go-to fool-proof highlighters". All powder highlighters I try seem to give me a "sheen" rather than a "glow" &for whatever reason that sheen isn't flattering on my personal skin type/tone &some even seem to enhance my already visible pores which is just not flattering no matter what. So I completely quit looking in the direction of powder highlighters for quite some time until recently I wanted something to be able to quickly dust on in a pinch &get a "glowing from within" kind of look. Being a stay at home mom of two, I don't need to(or have the time to)do up a full face of makeup daily but still like to try to look my best at the same time. After reading raves regarding the Translucent Powder I figured I'd give it a go and am so glad that I did! Obviously the brush that is included with this (&with ALL the Happy Booster products) is not the ideal brush for application. I don't even know if it would work in a pinch as it's very scratchy & doesn't pick up the right amount of product to apply. I'm currently rotating around a few different brushes w/it but am finding my results are similar with all 3. (ELF Studio Mini Kabuki, ELF's $1 Professional Total Face Brush, & WalMart's "HD Powder Brush"). On average days, I'll just take one of those large/fluffy brushes, swirl it around on the powder, then dust it all over my face, focusing on my mid forehead, down the middle of my nose, upper cheekbones, &cupids bow. I also(more recently)started trying to pick up individual shades with a small yet fluffy concealer brush. The "hearts" in this compact are all large enough that w/ a concealer brush I can dip in &get any of the particular shades that I want on their own. (&Have been also doing this w/the "Light Bronzer") Translucent contains a large white heart, small pink heart, med. peach heart, & a few bronzey colored hearts scattered around, all w/ a baby pink background behind those hearts. I have to say, the packaging is slightly bulky & included brush is pathetic, but other than that I LOVE the pink compact &the different heart shapes & shades! My Happy Boosters are definitely some of the prettiest cosmetics that I own! <3 I also have acne/clog-prone skin & was very concerned that this may break me out if I dusted it all over my face, specifically over the areas that are most prone to congestion (my lower cheeks/sides of my face, forehead, chin) -but I've experienced no skin issues from any of the Happy Boosters, &it's been about 2 months of continuous use now!(Yay!) Overall, I wouldn't even hesitate to repurchase the Translucent H.B.! Paid right around $10-11 USD for it at my local WalMart but very often CVS & RiteAid have sales on Physicians Formula products, so it's easy to find them for less than that. The "Pink" blush is one of the newer Happy Boosters(The originals were Natural & Rose. Then more recently they released Pink & Warm) &I was a little skeptical of Pink, worried it would be too similar to Rose (which was a little too "bold" for me..there wasn't anything wrong w/Rose other than that I am very fair &felt like it just wasn't flattering on me. BUT I've seen it be very flattering on others) So I swapped "Rose" away many months ago then hesitated on Pink. Now I regret hesitating b/c they're quite different! Pink is one of those blushes that is a pop of pink. Perfect for pairing w/ a bronzer or contour or something of that nature when you want to brighten up your complexion ever so slightly. ALL of the hearts in the "Pink" compact are PINK (Duh right? lol ;D) What I MEAN is, Warm & Natural contain different shades/tones of pink, but Pink is 100% pink. So it's especially perfect for anyone who likes a "Bubblegum/Barbie Pink" blush. With all of the HB Blushes (including Pink) -they're not matte. If you're looking for matte products these are simply not for you. Some of the hearts in the blushes contain shimmer, others contain glimmer, &others contain that "sheen". But when you take a large brush &swirl them all together they become incredibly flattering. As with the Translucent Pressed Powder, I paid right around $11 for my HB Blushes. Now onto Warm, the other "newer" HB Blush shade. Warm contains baby pink hearts, mauve-y hearts, &one pinky-coral heart. All on a light pink background. The heart with the coral shade in it is what makes this one so unique. I did not expect to love Warm as much as I do! I feel like when I swirl these particular heart shades together, I get a blush that is totally unique. It becomes a pinky plum shade with a slight peach undertone (from the coral heart). It's easy to avoid that coral-toned heart though (if you wanted to) since it's on the right hand side. But I personally adore it! &Lastly, Natural. Probably the one that gets the most use from me. I like rockin bold eye shadow looks very often & "Natural" isn't over the top whatsoever, so it allows me to do crazy eye & lip looks while keeping my cheeks looking "natural" ;) Natural contains 1 deep plum heart, 3 deep pink hearts, 1 large mauve heart, & 1 large beige heart on a med. pink background. 5 lippies well deserved for PF'
11 out of 12 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Hard Candy - Sheer Envy Primer
AndreaJunelle 1/22/2013 1:55:00 PM
I feel like this primer along with Revlon's PhotoReady Primer are the two best available at the drugstore for anyone with oily skin and visible pores. I received a small size of this in a Hard Candy gift set last Christmas (2011) and it sat for at least 6 months before I even tried it. After I did I was so surprised at how well I liked it and immediately ran out and purchased the full size at my local WalMart. You can't beat the price, $8 USD for a decent size squeeze tube of product. It's quite siliconey, so if you're sensitive to silicones this isn't the primer for you. Personally my skin tolerates silicones well, and I especially like primers like this one for blurring my jumbo pores. When the weather changed this past fall though and got cooler, this primer started causing me flakies and I retired it for a while. It's still wintertime here but I recently got it back out anyway now that I'm using a different moisturizer and foundation (my daily moisturizer being Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel-Cream for Dry Skin) and it no longer gives me the "dehydrated skin look" (yay!) It is a bit "wet" feeling (if that makes sense?) -If you apply more than a pea size amount you'll need to wait 10 minutes or so for it to sink in. It also can separate a little bit in the bottle, which requires a little shake of the tube before each use after you have it for a while, but that's no biggie in my eyes for a product that performs well :) And this is another one of those primers that's ideal for use OVER makeup as well as under, and can also be worn alone. If your pores are jumbo like mine and you don't want them to be visible but don't have time or need to wear any other makeup, just apply a little of this and go! &When I feel like my pores are looking extra large while I AM wearing makeup and I've already applied primer underneath, I'll just lightly dab a small amount of this over top of my foundation or powder, and it makes me poreless. Using under as well as over my makeup gives the best results (and I feel the same about the Revlon PhotoReady Primer I mentioned above) Overall it's not THE most mattifying primer on the drugstore market (that award I feel would go to Black Radiance's Complexion Perfecting Primer) -but that primer does nothing for my pore size. So I typically end up pairing two together - one for mattifying my oilies, and another for blurring my pore size and this method works well for me :) I think this is a steal for the super inexpensive pricetag, and I do plan to repurchase :)
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BB Cream -Revlon - Photoready BB Cream SPF 30
AndreaJunelle 1/19/2013 2:44:00 PM
I think this is definitely one of the better US drugstore BB Creams, but unfortunately I don't think it's going to be a Holy Grail product for someone with oily skin. My skin is oily but due to the cold winter weather, is slightly dehydrated, so I'm really enjoying this product this winter. When the humid summer rolls back around however, I don't think it'll get as much love from me as it currently is. First of all shade match - I was very worried that the lightest shade would be too dark for me, as that has been the case with a few BB Creams I've tried in the past (Garnier & Dr.Jart WaterFuse for example) but to my delight the lightest shade is an ideal match for my very pale, neutral leaning warm undertoned skin (I'd be somewhere between shades N10 and NC15 if I wore MAC) Next onto the price & packaging - I do feel that it's a tad on the pricey side for "drugstore", but Revlon is one of the more expensive drugstore brands in general, and their foundations are typically more expensive than any of the others. I paid just under $11 USD at my local Walgreens. &The packaging, it's so sleek, I really like it! A silver tube with a flat black cap. The product itself is SO soft! I wanted to rub it all over my hands so I would quit touching my face! I still can't believe how soft this stuff makes my face feel :) I also have very acne/clog-prone skin &was quite worried I may end up with a break out from this. Usually anything that feels nice, soft, and silky (like this) ends up giving me a mountain of clogged pores or a straight up acne flare up. So I patch tested this product on my forehead for almost 2 weeks before I built up the nerve to use it all over my face (I'm a wuss, I know lol) &Now I'm disappointed that I didn't try it sooner! I'm that impressed. Like said above, my skin is oily, but I use a few BHA & AHA treatments a week which tend to dry out my skin ever so slightly, especially during the winter. When my skin is feeling especially dry(dehydrated), I apply this and any dry patches or flakes are gone. With that being said I do typically need to blot after 5-6 hours of wear. Which isn't terrible (it's not like, sliding off my face or anything like that, just a little extra oily, specifically in my Tzone area) -but an oily Tzone isn't something that is typical for me this time of year. Blotting is usually something that I only need to do during the summer/warmer months so that is why I'm thinking that when the humid Pennsylvania summer comes back around I won't be able to wear it very long at all without having to blot, which will in turn most likely turn me away from it in general.. BUT, that's totally OK because I really needed something lightweight & moisturizing for winter. It makes me crazy when foundations or TM's enhance any dry patches (even if my dry patches are self-inflicted from dehydrating my skin with AHA/BHA) But knowing that I can rely on this to diminish those dry areas that I have from time to time is refreshing to know. It is a very light coverage product which is ideal for daily wear since at this time I only have some minor discoloration to hide. For days when I need a more polished look(medium-to-full coverage) I can layer this with another light-medium coverage product to get that effect (I've already used Clinique Perfectly Real Powder Foundation & Maybelline PureStay Powder Foundation over this.) Both successfully creating full coverage for me. Overall I'm quite pleased and plan to continue use for as long as I can, or as long as my oily skin will allow without getting "messy" oily ;) I've been highly recommending this left and right, especially to those with dry or dehydrated skin. In my personal opinion, PhotoReady BB Cream is definitely a hit from Revlon and I do plan to repurchase, even if I'm only able to use it during winter, it's nice to know that I have around for that purpose :)
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Blush -Rimmel - Match Perfection Blush Medium 003
AndreaJunelle 1/17/2013 2:31:00 PM
This is an excellent blush. I hesitated on buying it after reading some of the negative reviews regarding the "Light/Medium 002" shade - It was called un-pigmented, too sparkly, bad quality. So I expected the Medium 003 shade to be similar, however I read on a random beauty blog that this particular blush shade is a dupe for Benefit Hervana, so I bought it anyway ;D I paid right around $4 USD at my local WalMart, and I got the only one left in stock that wasn't smashed into a million peices (which makes me think that this blush, or this shade specifically is very soft, and crumbles easily -so keep that in mind if you purchase it! :D) The pan itself is HUGE - It comes in a large circular compact with 3 shades you can mix together inside. An off white shade, a plummy pink, and an almost true plum type shade. The compact itself is very similar to Rimmel's "StayMatte" pressed powder. The lid is clear and screws off. I expected it to be underwhelming and be another blush that just sits in an unused makeup pile or gets returned to the store but to my surprise, it's GORGEOUS on my pale skin! Had I not been specifically looking for the Med.003 shade I probably would have purchased the lightest shade as I'm quite pale (around N10/NC15 in MAC - very fair with neutral leaning warm undertones) but the Medium shade is definitely a hit. I own more than 50 blushes and have worn this daily since purchasing it more than 2 weeks ago (&that's a big deal for me lol) So, is it a dupe of Benefit Hervana? In my personal opinion (for whatever it's worth ;D) No, they're not "dupes", but they are indeed similar, and even if they were not, this blush would still be a hit for me. It's stunning on fair skin. And since it is similar to Hervana, if that is a product you'd been wanting to try or that you already like, you may want to give this a try first, it's only $4! :) The lightest / off white shade has the most shimmer, when you swirl all three shades together with a large brush you get just a small amount, but the light shade can also be used alone as a powder highlighter if needed (I tried this and it works well, especially since all 3 shades in the pan are quite large, large enough for a brush to get to them without hitting any of the other shades). Or I can mix together the 2 darker ones for a very pinky-plum cheek look that is almost matte. The darker shades are not completely matte, but they're not overwhelmingly shimmery, or noticeably shimmery at all. I'd describe those 2 shades alone as sort of a "satin" looking finish (if that makes sense?). Overall, I'd definitely purchase again. Not sure if I'll try any of the other shades from this line as I haven't read many positive things, but the medium shade is perfection for me. I highly recommend and it certainly deserves 5 lippies!
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Foundations -Cover Girl - Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation
AndreaJunelle 1/9/2013 2:07:00 PM
This is a pretty initial review, I've used this 3 times so far, and I typically don't review products (esp. giving one a 5 lippie rating!) until I give it a try for *at least* 2 weeks, but I have to say, this foundation impressed me. I walked past it at least 5 times since it was released in my area the last week of Dec 2012, but didn't take notice to it until the other day when I read posts on the MakeUpBoard about it being "just as good as or better than Revlon ColorStay", which is my Holy Grail of full coverage foundations. Even though I don't prefer full coverage foundation on a daily basis, I do like to have them on hand for certain occasions, and I very much dislike that Revlon ColorStay doesn't have a perfect shade match for me, and I have to mix the 1st two lightest shades(Ivory+Buff) for that *perfect* match, so that is why my hunt for a true holy grail full coverage foundation continued.. I had a little difficulty with a shade match at first and actually had to exchange the original one I bought for a lighter one.. I'd be somewhere between N10-NC15 in MAC SF (very pale with neutral leaning warm undertones) &originally purchased the 2nd lightest shade, Classic Ivory. I typically wear the 1st or 2nd lightest shade in every foundation, and usually the 2nd shade with CG foundations - in Natureluxe I wear Flax which is the 2nd shade, and with AquaSmooth Liquid I wear Classic Ivory, which is the 2nd palest shade as well.. But with this Outlast Stay Fabulous foundation, the 2nd shade (Classic Ivory) was noticeably too dark, but in the store the 1st shade (Ivory) looked SO pink in the bottle, I was afraid it wouldn't be a good match, but when I went back yesterday & exchanged Classic Ivory for Ivory, to my surprise, it's an almost seamless match (Yay! ;D) So then this morning around 9am I slapped it on in a hurry, forgot to apply primer first, and was too rushed to add setting powder over top.. I didn't expect to be very pleased with how my face looked when I got a chance to check the mirror several hours into wearing it, which is now at 2pm (5 hours later) To my surprise again, my skin looks flawless! It's pretty amazing.. When I have the time I will definitely be wearing primer underneath this fndtn simply because I have very large/visible pores, and I adore my silicone primers for filling them in. But with most foundations I'll usually use a 2nd primer over my silicone one, for oil control. (I have oily skin that gets dehydrated with winter weather and is also semi acne-prone but VERY clog-prone for reference. If interested, the siliconey ones I like are Benefit Porefessional, Revlon PhotoReady, or L'oreal StudioSecrets. &For oil control I like Black Radiance Complexion Perfecting, Biore UV Perfect Face Milk SunScreen used as a primer, or Neutrogena 3in1Acne Stress Control Treatment) but I'm elated to say that I do not need one of those 2nd primers for oil control with this foundation and that extra step has just been eliminated! Granted that *may* change when the weather changes back to another humid summer in several months, but I will update when that time comes :) Another problem I typically have this time of year (with cold, winter weather) is foundations getting flaky on me. My skin is oily in general, but it very much dislikes cool weather.. The "HG's" that I used in June, July, & August, now can make me dry & flaky looking if I'm not careful, but NOT CG's Stay Fabulous! So needless to say this foundation is really blowing my mind, and I couldn't be more pleased. It is a *tad* on the pricey side for a drugstore foundation (around $12 USD at Walgreens) -but Revlon ColorStay is about the same price, as are several of L'oreal's foundations, so it's not that bad. Especially when you compare it to mid-end department store foundations, which I feel this *easily* rivals. It also comes in a glass pump bottle. It's a tad on the heavy/clunky side, and not very pretty or special looking (glass bottle, teal-ish blue pump, clear cap over the pump) But I personally *adore* pump and squeeze bottles for foundation. I really dislike "pouring" my foundation out, or sticking my fingers in a tub. So the packaging of this gets another positive 5 lippies from me as well ;) &Lastly, it may be a little too soon to say for sure, but I've had no skin issues from this. No acne breakouts, no clogged pores, no irritation. I'm hoping it stays that way but if by chance it would not, I will definitely update this review accordingly :) -So far however, this is a 5 star foundation, great job Cover Girl!
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast Clump Crusher mascara
AndreaJunelle 12/20/2012 4:24:00 AM
I want to start off by saying I'm not a fan of the original Lash Blast formula's. I do like the brand CoverGirl in general (Cheekers blushes, CG/Olay Powder & Concealer, Natureluxe foundation) But not the LashBlast mascaras.. I purchased all of them as they came out over the years, from the orange tube to the yellow one, to the red tube and the purple one - so on and so fourth. And yes, there may have been one or two along the way that I continued to use until I found something better, but none of those mascaras ever "wowed" me in ANY way. Even though I'm a bit of a "mascara hoarder", I walked right past this new Clump Crusher when it was first released here in the U.S. figuring I was not spending another $8 on a mascara that was going to be like the 5 other versions of lash blast already collecting dust, and decided I was going to pass on this one. I logged onto MUA the evening after passing it up in the store and saw a video being posted around the MakeUpBoard by a MUA'er with similar lashes to mine and the way his lashes looked after 1-2 coats looked promising, so I bought one on my next trip to CVS. I purchased the darkest black shade (as I typically do with mascaras) for right around $8 USD and have to say this is a darn good mascara! It *kind of* reminds me of Maybelline Full'nSoft, but less fluffy/soft and slightly more amp'd up - if that makes sense? lol ;) I'm a very "va va voom" lashes kinda gal - I like my eyes to be bold and popping everyday. To achieve that look though I have to layer several mascaras - NYC's Volumizing Mascara (orange tube), Jordana Best Lash Extreme (blck tube, purple writing), and sometimes as kind of a "primer" before those two, I'll use Maybelline's Great Lash "lots of lashes" formula (with the teeny brush). The only issue with applying 3 volumizing mascaras like that is that they can get clumpy when used together. But, if I add in a coat of Clump Crusher it unbelievably takes all of those clumps away, it's like magic! I also like this for days when I don't want/need those over the top lashes - it's a good, basic mascara for "daily lashes" that legnthens, volumizes, and holds curl for me very well. I quite enjoy this mascara, and do plan to repurchase =)
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Eyeliner -Wet 'n' Wild - Color Icon Pencil - Taupe
AndreaJunelle 12/20/2012 3:58:00 AM
I'm absolutely obsessed with this pencil - I use it for my brows. I'm 30yrs old and *just* started doing my brows, like, this year lol.. I have (and have always had) pretty full brows, I get them tweezed/waxed every 4-5 weeks, so never thought I "needed" to do my brows and thought it was only for people with thinning brows but I'm able to say I was wrong! :) I had this pencil in my makeup stash already, purchased it at my local CVS store for .99cents a good while back, just to use as a basic taupe shade of eyeliner, but unfortunately I never really reached for it as an eyeliner so it collected dust until I saw a good amount of posts on the MakeUp Board about people with fair skin and dark brows using this as a brow product. I thought hum.. maybe I'll try that? -Needless to say I did and have become a bit of a pro with it now, and I've also tried quite a few other brow products but always come back to this one. The ones I've tried thus far are all from the drugstore but are: NYC's brow kit, ELF's brow kit, and Wet'nWild's brow kit. -I like them all, but don't find any of those as fool-proof and natural looking on me personally as this taupe pencil (which makes me happy because this pencil is HUGE, much taller than your average kohl liner pencil and is only $1 - it's a win/win) As I said above my skintone is quite fair (In MAC I'd wear N10/NC15) but I also have very dark brown eyes, and med-dark brown hair (as well as brows) -This blends perfectly without looking like I've placed anything at all on my brow area which is the biggest thing for me, I don't ever want it to look like I've applied anything to make my brows look "done" (If that makes sense? lol) I typically top this pencil off with a little bit of clear mascara by ELF or Maybelline, just so my natural brows look tame and everything like that :) I've been using this pencil regularly (ALMOST daily) for about 4 months now and am still only almost 1/2 of the way through it, so it lasts quite a while - regardless of how long it lasts though I plan to repurchase over & over again. Wet 'n Wild has really impressed me lately and this is no exception, highly recommend!
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Blush -Hard Candy - Blush Crush Baked Blush in Pin Up
AndreaJunelle 12/20/2012 3:29:00 AM
This is definitely one of those "I never would have guessed I'd love this blush" kind of shades lol Where do I begin.. I am 30years old with very fair (N10/NC15-ish) oily, clog-prone skin. I already owned 2 of HardCandy's other baked blushes, in "Living Doll" and "Bombshell" -Living Doll I unfortunately had to swap away as I found it a bit too over the top pink for my ultra paleness, and Bombshell I use more like a bronzer than a blush, but I do enjoy the shade nonetheless. I walked past Pin Up probably 50x before taking the plunge - I usually gravitate twards blushes that look "pretty" in the pan (anything bubble-gum pink, red, plum, etc) but recently realized that a lot of those blushes that are pretty in the pans, end up making me look a bit "clown-like" since I am so pale, so I've started going for more subtle blushes. I gotta be honest, this blush looked scary to me.. Kind of dark in color with the brownish-black veins running through it, I wasn't sure what to expect when I got it home, but have to admit this is one of *the* most flattering shades I've ever applied to my cheeks. Super natural looking, but noticeable at the same time, and also makes it appear as though I've applied just a tad of highlighter in the areas I've applied it even when I have not. (A very, "glowing from within" kind of look) I also have somewhat acne-prone skin, but *very* clog-prone skin and have had zero issues with HC's baked blushes giving me breakouts (Yay!) I've found with these paticular baked blushes, applying with a sponge (or dense brush, like ELF's $3 Flat Top Powder Brush for example) can be a bit better (for me personally) than using a fluffy/regular blush brush. When I use my regular blush brush (especially with this shade) I don't get as much staying power, and also get more of a sheen of color to my cheeks(if that makes sense?) But, if I take a non-latex wedge sponge and pat it onto the blush, then dab onto my cheek/cheekbone area and blend with it, this shade ends up looking much more flattering, and this technique seems to add a lot more staying power to it. This can also be used wet of course, with the same sponge method except dampening the sponge first, and using wet intensifies the shade a great deal :) As other reviewers have mentioned, it's kind of a "tawny" shade - I really don't know any other way to describe it.. It is indeed a bit tawny-ish, but i notice in different lighting situations, it can pull more pink at times, but can also pull a tad coral-ish brown. (all in the most flattering ways though) -It's just a very difficult shade to describe with words, I highly recommend giving this blush a try. &I can honestly say that I do not have ANY other blushes that compare to the shade of this one (you know how we are, we like 5 different shades of pink and 5 different shades of red, so on & so fourth - well, at least this is how I am I guess lol ;D) This is a one of a kind shade, I have nothing else to compare it to, and find it to be a definite must have, especially for those with fair skin like myself. If you have darker skin I'm really not sure how this will show up on you..If applied wet/damp or heavily it may work well as a blush, otherwise it may suit you better as a highlighter type product..I'm really not sure =( I paid $7 USD at my local WalMart store and there is a ton of blush in these compacts, I can't even imagine how long it will take me to finish this thing! But whether it lasts me 1 year or 5, I plan to repurchase regardless, this is definitely a 5 lippie worthy product from Hard Candy =)
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Concealers -L'Oreal - Bare Naturale Mineral Concealer - Light
AndreaJunelle 12/2/2012 5:40:00 AM
This is an excellent concealer that I seem to *always* forget about, then when I dig through my makeup stash and re-find 1-2 times a year, I remember how amazing it is!! For reference I'm 30 with fair, warm, oily, acne prone skin (also with jumbo sized pores, and terribly dark undereye circles -lucky me) I have the shade "light" and it's a perfect match for my NC15 skin (even under the eyes where I need it to be a bit lighter which is a surprise because I usually need powders to be called "fair" or "porcelain" to work on my pale skin, but Light, is perfection :D) I first purchased this in 2010 at my local RiteAid for around $10 USD which is a tad on the high side for a drugstore concealer, but it's definately worth the price. When I initially purchased it I was absolutely smitten in love, used it daily(and A LOT), so repurchased a back-up when I noticed myself getting a little low (because it seems everything I love from the ds gets discontinued Lol) Over the past two years though I've also fallen in love with the Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser for Dark Circles and more recently the Dream Lumi pen, and these concealers are also really great quality, awesome for covering every hint of my undereye darkness, but they are also very brightening for my undereye area, so when I need the brightening effects toned down a little or to cover a blemish(anything other than the undereye area) -Then those Maybelline products aren't the best things to reach for, and that's where this True Match Naturale concealer comes in. As I said above, this gets shuffled to the bottom of my things from time to time and I forget I even have it. I recently re-found it and didn't expect much since I've purchased BE's Bisque since the last time I used it, but in my personal experience, this covers and blends much better than Bisque. Most powder concealers tend to settle into lines, have a dry/patchy look, or not cover well. -L'oreal TrueMatch Naturale concealer is NONE of those things and it blows my mind over and over again every time I use it! I whipped it out again over the past month or so, now that the weather is changing from humid summer to dry winter, it wrecks havoc on my skin and the majority of concealers that I own get dry/uneven/patchy under my eyes, this has been the only concealer that's been working well for me since the change in the weather. It also causes zero breakouts when I use it to conceal other areas of my face so I've found it to be absolutely *perfect* for those "no makeup days" where you don't have time to (or just don't need/want to) do a full face of makeup, but still want/need to cover flaws. I've used this for that purpose by itself, or under a pressed powder. It blends so well and stays put, it's perfect for just about any way you'd need to use a concealer. As far as the attached brush.. I'm not sure how I feel about it - It's def. not the *best* brush for great application, but I do have this in my purse and have applied it in a pinch with that attached brush and it does the job so the brush isn't completely useless -which I like because I get irritated when products include brushes/sponges that get in the way more than anything else and just won't work for proper application. Overall I'd highly recommend this to anyone because it works for me in the middle of summer on my mega oily skin as well as the cooler weather when my skin is dehydrated. It has any level of coverage without looking cakey, so will work for whatever coverage I'm looking for -This is definately a HG concealer and I'll continue to repurchase :)
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