Eyeliner -Smashbox - Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner in Black
ChaseSpearing 10/20/2012 1:31:00 AM
I'm going to have to disagree with most the the reviews on this product. This is my FAVORITE eyeliner for tight lining. There is nothing more that I hate in this world than going into the bathroom after having been at school for an hour and my tight line has not only vanished, but migrated under my eyes, making me look like a zombie!! I have eyes that are on the drier side and don't take we'll to tight lining, as I also wear contacts on a daily basis. After buying this little beauty I won't leave the house without a bit of it on. This liner REALLY lasts on me with little to no smudging at the end of the day. I don't really use it for my eyelid itself as I find that makes my small eyes look that much smaller. But in my tightline it works great!! UPDATE: This deserves more than 5 lippies. My waterline eats eyeliner no matter what I do. I decided to be brave today and see if this would stay put. I applied it in my tightline AND waterline with a flat liner brush (Sephora #25) at around 9 this morning and it is still on my eyes at almost 9 in the evening! It does not look as flawless, it has faded a bit at my outer corner but it has not lost any of it's intensity! Besides in the outer corners of my eyes, the liner has stayed put and has stayed black. HG STAMP OF APPROVAL. UPDATE #2: Still loving this eyeliner. Recently got the Real Techniques fine liner brush and I cannot stop wearing cat eye liner! The brush makes it so easy and this liner just glides on! It is a super intense black without being even the tiniest bit glossy, it has that perfect matte finish! It has dried out a tiny bit but that is easily fixed by a quick warm-up under a blow dryer to soften the product again :)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -L'Oreal - Magic Lumi - Light Infusing Primer
ChaseSpearing 10/19/2012 12:42:00 AM
Even though this is advertised as a "primer" I use it most as a highlighter. I use this EVERY day and it is my all time favorite highlighter. I really do not like powder highlighters as I find they are always shimmery or sparkly. A normal person's face does not shimmer or sparkle! This product has a pearly finish that looks much more natural on the skin. And when I say natural I mean that most people won't notice you have shimmer on your face, just a natural glow. I use about a pump of this and I use it on the tops of my cheekbones and onto my brow bone, down the bridge of my nose, and on my cupid's bow. My skin tends to look more dull and dry in the winter so I like to use this to make me look less flat. Unlike benefit high beam and girl meets peart, this is pretty much a white highlighter, whereas HB and GMP have more of a pinky undertone to them. If you don't want to drop double the price for benefit's girl meets pearl or high beam, I would definitely try this out. I got it for around 12 USD at my local Ulta, but you can buy it pretty much wherever l'oreal is sold.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Good to be Bad
ChaseSpearing 10/18/2012 1:36:00 PM
Just like EVERYONE ELSE, I love a good dark lip for fall. After seeing Arden (ARose186) on YouTube use this in her 'everyday fall makeup tutorial' I went to MAC to see if I could pull I off. Be aware this is a VERY dark purpley red that could easily make you look very gothic. But don't be scared! The sheen supreme formula means the color is very rich, creamy and has a wonderful sheen but this can also be sheered out easily so it isn't so powerful. One issue I often have with dark lip colors such as these is that as they fade from the lips they get a patchy appearance and little dark flakey bits stuck on my lips. This does not do that at all. It is a more moisturizing color so the lasting power isn't AMAZING but it does provide a nice even stain that fades in a very nice way. If you are looking for a good, dark lip color for fall an are willing to drop the 15 USD or Good to be Bad, go for it! Because this lippy is pretty darn great!
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Powders -Laura Mercier - Mineral Finishing Powder
ChaseSpearing 10/18/2012 1:24:00 PM
Laura Mercier makes several loose setting powders and this is the cheapest at 32 USD. And they all pretty much do the same thing. The high price tag is totally worth it for one of the best products on the market. This comes in a basic loose powder container, but it does not come with a powder puff of its own, you have to buy the 12 dollar LM one if you want the best results. (The puff is totally worth it, make the skin look flawless.) I haven't tried a lot of loose powders, but this one is the best. I often have the issue that my powder looks, we'll, powdery but this doesn't give that appearance if pressed into the skin with a puff then blended with a kabuki. The powder itself is white but doesn't leave a white cast to the skin, it just blends seamlessly into the face. I would definitely say try this out if you have the extra money, but if you have dry skin I dont think its necessary.
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Scrubs -LUSH - Ocean Salt
ChaseSpearing 10/18/2012 1:14:00 PM
This is one of LUSH's best sellers (It actually may be #1 but I can't remember off the top of my head) and for good reason! This stuff is STELLAR. For one thing, it smells like the beach and alcoholic beverages I am still a few years away from enjoying xD it smells like salt, lime, and a strong vodka kick to it! If you have REALLY sensitive skin I would be weary of this products. It contains both coarse and fine sea salt that could be a bit to abrasive on more sensitive skin types. I live in the Pacific Northwest and I spend a lot of time in the very salty ocean, and this made my skin a bit pink after using it the first time. However, as you get used to it it results in a very refreshing feeling afterwards, like spending a weekend at the beach! I use this at night in the shower and in the morning my skin feels smoother and much more even! I would suggest this product to just about anyone but as will all LUSH products, grab a sample first! LUSH is super generous with their samples an will happily send you home with some Ocean Salt. However, if you do end up not liking it LUSH is super good about returns both with and without receipts. Of you have a receipt they will give you all of your money back, even if the products has been used. And if you don't have a receipt they will happily let to exchange it for anything of the same value in the store. UPDATE: I still love this product, so very much. BUT I have recently bought a Clarisonic and am planning to mostly use the rest of my giant tub on my legs when I shave since I think the Clarisonic does a better job at exfoliating. I will finish the tub but do not plan to repurchase. (It's also friggin expensive for something you could definitely make at home for a quarter of the price, sea salt isn't exactly rare xD)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -LUSH - Grease Lightning Spot Cleanser
ChaseSpearing 10/18/2012 12:38:00 AM
I use this morning and night and concentrate it most on my chin, around my nose, my WHOLE forehead and my temples, which are the places I break out most often. I tend to apply quite a bit of this but I keep it in a thin layer and it doesn't try my skin out too much. This can be a bit drying if applied to heavily. I would say try this little guy out if you have moderate acne, if you have super severe acne this may not work for you but it doesn't hurt to try! LUSH is super generous with their samples! If you do end up buying this and it doesn't work for you don't be afraid to return it! They are super good about returns, both with and without receipts. If you do have a receipt they will happily return it for a full refund and if you don't you can definitely exchange it for anything(s) in the store that are of equal value. UPDATE: I brought my rating of this down to a 2. It seemed like after using it for a while it started to loose it's effectiveness. Or maybe my skin built up a tolerance too it, which my skin often does.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -LUSH - Vanishing Cream
ChaseSpearing 10/18/2012 12:24:00 AM
I have no idea how I lived without this moisturizer. Absolutely no freaking idea. Let's start with the smell. Similar to Angels on Bare Skin, this has a very earthy scent, mostly witch hazel, rose and lavender. I absolutely love the way this smells, but more than that I love the way it FEELS. This is LUSH's lightest moisturizer and is specifically formulated for those with oily/combo and acne prone skin. I am both of those things! This moisturizer is light and quickly absorbs into the skin, but you still get just the right amount of moisture. I really love this moisturizer and I really hope anybody reading this is convinced to at least try it. LUSH is very generous with samples and with happily send you home with an armful of them. Test this out for a few weeks and see if it works for you. It worked wonders for me. However, I have a friend who tried this and it horribly clogged her pores so definitely test it out before you shell out the 40 USD to own it. I highly encourage everyone to try their stuff as natural products are SO much better for you! And if you don't end up liking it don't be afraid to return it! LUSH has a wonderful return policy that with a receipt you will get a full refund, even if the product is half gone! And if you don't have a receipt you can easily exchange for any other items in the store equaling the same value! FIVE LIPPIES FOR SURE. HOLY GRAIL. FOR LIFE. UPDATE: Yeah no, nevermind. Had to bring this down from a 5 to a 2 :( Over time I began to realize that this was causing me to get little bumps on my forehead that never seemed to go away. I think it was clogging my skin. My skin has also become rather dry recently due to being on a medication for my headaches (weird side effects are weird...) so I need something with a bit more in the moisture department, I switched to Imperialis which I MUCH prefer.
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Toners -LUSH - Tea Tree Water
ChaseSpearing 10/18/2012 12:14:00 AM
If I could give this a 3.5 lippies I would. I'm pretty neutral about it, but I do enjoy it. It isn't a totally "blah" product but it isnt like HOLY GRAAAAIIILLL either. Having said that I will finish up my GIANT bottle of this, and probably won't repurchase. I do like the product quite a bit. I think what I love most is the VERY short ingredient list with the two star ingredients (tea tree water and grapefruit water) right at the top of the list. This means you are getting pure ingredients being sprayed onto your skin. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE the way it smells. I use this morning and night and after a good cleanse it is the best thing ever. The instructions say you can spray this directly onto your face or onto a cotton pad then wipe across your face. I prefer the direct spray method as it can fully absorb into the skin and provide that extra kick of moisture, not just wiping away the ingredients. I have semi-sensetive skin that is combo all year, but more dry in the winter around my nose and chin. I think this has helped to "balance" the oils in my skin resulting in a smoother surface. I do not think this product is ESSENTIAL in your skincare routine but if you think you need that extra kick of acne fighting go for it! UPDATE: FINALLY finished my giant bottle of this and didn't repurchase so I didn't use it for around 3 months and I don't think my skin needs it. A lot of time with products my skin NEEDS if I go off of it for too long my skin is not in a happy place. But having not used this for a bit my skin is fine so I'm not going to repurchase. I did, however, introduce this to a friend and it helped clear up her acne in a little over two weeks! Everyone reacts differently to products so definitely try it yourself before you buy!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -LUSH - Angels on Bare Skin
ChaseSpearing 10/18/2012 12:05:00 AM
Over the summer I decided that instead of continuing to poison my system, and my skin, with chemicals and ingredients I could never hope to pronounce that I would completely trash my skincare routine at the time and go all natural. However, walking into my newly opened LUSH I was definitely tentative. But, LUSH has AMAZING customer service and are completely willing to sit down with you for as long as possible to get a skincare routine specific to your needs. Having combo skin and persistent moderate acne I was suggested the following: - Angels on Bare Skin - Tee Tree Water Toner - Vanishing Cream - Greased Lighting - Ocean Salt (I HAVE REVIEWED ALL OF THESE) I was immediately in love with this facial cleanser the most. It looks to me a lot like some kind of whole grain cookie dough with lavender buds in it xD The way this smells is absolutely amazing. After using so many chemically things this was very refreshing. It does have a very earthy scent so if you are put off by that I would say stay away. But I love the herbal scent to this! This is an exfoliating product, but definitely not as harsh as Ocean Salt. I use this every morning as I find the gentle exfoliation provides a much smoother base for my foundation to blend into. This also leaves my skin feeling very VERY soft and not stripped of moisture or dry at all. It is suggested for all skin types and I cannot help but agree! I have bought several containers of these for friends with every skin type and they all love it! I have also found that through using this and the handful of other LUSH products my skin has improved DRASTICALLY. Ive suffered from moderate acne since 6th grade (I'm a senior now) and I cannot remember the last time my skin was this smooth and even. I do still have some spots but they are all healing quickly and with minimal scaring. Here's a tip for keeping the product from being ruined, as it often does if you accidentally get water into the container. If you got a sample of it first, keep the tiny black sample container so when you buy it you can fill that with the cleanser and keep the rest in a cool, dry area and refill as needed. I tend to keep mine in the fridge to keep it fresher for longer, as most of the ingredients are natural. For those of you ladies that found that this did not take off your makeup, it is not meant to do that. It doesn't say anything about it being a makeup removing product on their website, and if a sales person told you it would they were wrong. If you DO want a makeup remover from them, they carry two products called 9 to 5 and Ultra Bland. I don't even care that it doesn't come in the cute black containers, it's what is on the inside that counts! If you struggle from any kind of acne I would say go LUSH, because once you do you will never go back! BUT I would for sure get samples first to make sure you won't react to anything. And if you do buy something and it doesn't work LUSH is really great about returns and exchanges. If you dont have a receipt they will happily exchange for anything in the store and if you kept your receipt you will get a full refund, even if the product is half used! FIVE LIPPIES ON THIS FOR SURE. UPDATE: After many months of using this I am still LOVING it. I have probably bought almost an entire rolls worth xD
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Primer/ Corrector -Hourglass - Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15
ChaseSpearing 10/17/2012 1:55:00 AM
If I could give this primer 10 lippies I would. This is the only primer that has ever worked for me and I have tried many from drugstore to higher end. A wonderful woman who works at my local Sephora always offers me great suggestions on products that I end up adoring and this is one of them! While browsing the Hourglass section she gave me a generous sample of this. The sample lasted me about a week and I did not have any new blemishes after using it. It is silicone based so it does leave that smooth, silicon-y feeling on the skin. The liquid is very light and settles quickly and to a semi-matte finish. This makes my Dr. Jart black label BB cream last ALL day on my combo skin. Before this I was using the smashbox photofinish lite which was not only breaking me out severely, but also making my skin look blotchey by the end of the day. My main issue with this product is the price. The full size is 1 oz and costs almost 60 dollars. The smaller one is 18 and is around 0.3 ounces. But I am going to continue to purchase it because it works so well for me. UPDATE: So I have come to the realization that this was breaking me out. It may have something to do with the fact that it is silicone based (Cyclopentasiloxane being the first ingredient) and my skin does not get along with that. :'(
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Physicians Formula - Mineral Wear Airbrushing Kabuki Brush
ChaseSpearing 10/16/2012 12:11:00 AM
HOW DID I LIVE WITHOUT THIS. I saw this on MusingsofaMuse (if you don't know who the muse is you really need to check out her blog, probably one of the best beauty blogs on the internet) and thought I might give it a try. I needed a denser brush like this to properly apply my new bareminerals READY foundation and I didn't want to shell out almost 30 bucks for the BM one. So I bought this instead. For one thing, this brush is adorable. The bright blue handle is really interesting and the short, dense bristles really work powder foundation into the skin. I haven't tried it with liquid yet but I'm sure it will work great for that too! However, it is a pain to clean. The surface area of the brush is much larger than the average brush and quite a bit denser, so pigment from my foundation tend to stick a bit if I don't REALLY clean it. But I'm not going to take off any lippies for that becasue it is par for the course and I love it too much. Seriously, if you don't already own this little powerhouse, get yo butt to the nearest Ulta and snatch up at least one! It will only set you back around 11 bucks and is TOTALLY worth it.
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Foundations -Bare Escentuals - Bare Minerals Ready Foundation
ChaseSpearing 10/16/2012 12:05:00 AM
Those of you that are giving this product a bad rating need to use a different brush. This foundation is very finely milled and isn't super densely packed in the pan. This means you can't just swirl a big fluffy brush into it or it will look really fake. If you want the best results, take a really dense brush and gently tap it into the foundation and REALLY blend it into your skin to get it as seamless as possible. If you don't want to shell out almost 30 bucks for the bare minerals angled flat top try the physicians formula Airbrushing kabuki brush. It is a really stout brush with really short dense bristles and a bright blue handle. It does the same thing as the other one and will only cost you around 11 bucks. I've got combo skin and this looks a bit cakey when I first put it on but with a few sprays of my Urban Decay all nighter and some extra blending it looks wonderful! It also wears very naturally throughout the day. I found with the loose formula that it started to look very patchy by the end of the day, this one doesn't do that. Maybe the "hydrating" formula...? For those of you that didn't like it, switch up your brush and try again. This is a really great foundation, but it takes a more specialized tool to really make it shine :)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Lancome - Hypnose Star
ChaseSpearing 10/10/2012 11:40:00 PM
Holy crap. Holy freaking crap. When I first started wearing makeup I made a promise to myself (and my bank account) to NEVER buy high end mascara. You have to throw it out after 6 months so why go super expensive!? Then I got a sample of this at Sephora... This is probably the best mascara I have ever used. It gets the lashes really dark without being trampy and ads a great amount of volume and length that is very controllable. But almost 30 dollars for one tube? YIKES. This is a 100 point perk at my Sephora so I may go hog wild tomorrow and use up a few hundred of my points and stock up!
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BB Cream -Dr. Jart+ - Blemish Balm Cream (black label)
ChaseSpearing 10/3/2012 11:49:00 PM
OH MAH GOD. This stuff is pretty damn wonderful. I am VERY picky about my foundation, and here is what I look for in a good one: - light/medium coverage (full coverage is gross) - dewy finish without being greasy ( matte is also gross) - will even out my skin without looking caked on (cake face is gross) - long lasting (because touch ups are annoying) - WON'T BREAK ME OUT This, does all of that. It is not cheap at almost 40 USD but you get more than an ounce of product in a cool black container WITH A PUMP. UPDATE: No, just no. I wore this for about a week straight and at the beginning of the week my skin was almost completely clear and free of any active blemishes. It's now a week later and after wearing this for that many days my skin has FREAKED OUT. This product has caused breakouts in small,painful clumps all over my face and I look like I rubbed my face in a poison ivy plant. Not okay. Returned it. Never, EVER again.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Urban Decay - Naked Skin
ChaseSpearing 10/3/2012 11:40:00 PM
I just bought this today! I went home, took off the foundation I was wearing and applied this. Here are my thoughts so far: COLOR: I am around an NC20 in MAC and I got the shade 2.0, and it is pretty much perfect! But my skin is very easily matched, so you can take that with a grain of salt. BLENDING: I did not put a primer on underneath this (my primer of choice being Hourglass' mineral veil primer) and used my soho blending sponge to blend it into my skin, using around a pump. It blended really easily and did not leave any streaks for such a thin formula. FINISH: URG. This is what gets me most about this. I have combo skin, I should really enjoy the demi matte finish but it just grosses me out! I think it looks a bit dull and lifeless on the face even though it claims to be "light reflective". However, that may be due to there being no primer underneath and using a sponge to blend. Hopefully with a brush it will be better. LONGEVITY: I only wore it for 3 hours maximum, and it help up pretty well. But time will tell when I wear it for a full day tomorrow! CONCLUSION: For now, I would say I will not be repurchasing, because of the finish. BUT if you like that semi-matte finish go for it!
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