Lipstick -MAC - B-Babe (Brunette Blonde Redhead collection)
Mojie 1/17/2009 5:10:00 PM
I wasn't planning on buying anything from MAC's BBR line since I'm trying to stick to natural/mineral makeup at the moment, but ended up across the street from a MAC Pro store and couldn't resist going in to check it out and ended up with B-Babe and Marquise D'.
In the tube, B-Babe is a frosty rose pink, darker than I'd envisioned after seeing it on other people. On my pigmented rosy lips, it tones down a bit and I get a medium pink (not quite Barbie, but not rose, either) with an almost matte-looking (strange, I know, but it's not shiny) frost finish.
I think B-Babe is a shade that could go very wrong on many people. Luckily, my fair skin (MAC NW20), blue-grey eyes and neutral-cool coloring seem to help me pull it off. I'm not a blonde (I'd classify myself as a brunette but with lots reddish highlights), but it seems to suit my coloring just fine. I actually like B-Babe quite a bit in spite of it being a frost (I generally avoid them because they remind me of the 80's and just don't look all that good on me), but I think it's one of those shades you'll need to try before buying.
PROS: (1) applies smoothly with no tugging on my dry lips; (2) pretty medium pink shade.
CONS: (1) limited edition; (2) frost finish will probably be iffy for some people.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Marquise D' (Blonde Brunette Redhead)
Mojie 1/17/2009 5:03:00 PM
I wasn't planning on buying anything from MAC's BBR line since I'm trying to use as many natural/mineral makeup items as possible, but I ended up across the street from a MAC Pro store yesterday and got sucked in. And I have to say, I'm glad I did because Marquise D' is beautiful!
In the tube, this looks like a peachy nude shade, which appeals to me in principle but can go very wrong on my chronically dry, pigmented rosy lips. Luckily, the Lustre formula (which I generally love, but a lot of people aren't fond of because of the sheer color payoff) of Marquise D' seems to be working in my favor. It glides on very, very smoothly and leaves a subtle wash of peach. Just enough to tone down my lips a little, but not enough to make me look washed out, dead or unnatural.
The end result is very natural but polished. I don't look made up, but I do look more pulled together, which is exactly the look I go for on most days that I wear makeup.
PROS: (1) very smooth texture; (2) flattering neutral peachy nude; (3) versatile color would go well with virtually any eyeshadow/blush combo.
CONS: (1) limited edition; (2) color payoff is sheer, which may be a turn-off to some people.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Sonia Kashuk - Blending Sponge
Mojie 1/15/2009 3:08:00 PM
I haven't used my SK blending sponge long term yet, but even if it turns out that I need to replace it every few months, I'm okay with that because it makes foundation application incredibly easy and quick and leaves me with a very natural, my skin but better look.
A while back, when the Beautyblender was all the rage, I was curious. It looked interesting but it was too expensive for me to justify buying just to try it out. And it was pink (which is irrelevant, but would have bothered me because I hate pink). I kept reading good reviews and was leaning more and more towards buying one, but then I heard about the SK alternative and decided to get it instead,
The SK blending sponge is a weird looking beauty tool to be sure. It really does bear a passing resemblance to a blue Peep with it's wide, round base and swelling curves. It doesn't look like it would be easy to use (at least to me--I'm used to sponges coming in either wedge or circle shapes), but surprisingly the shape is a godsend.
I had to look for directions on how to use my new sponge online (since there aren't any on the packaging and it wasn't particularly intuitive for me). But once I found them, it was incredibly simple: just run it under water, squeezing gently until it stops expanding and absorbing water, then squeeze out all the excess and voila, it's ready to use! Then you just gently dip or roll it in your foundation and "bounce" (stipple) it over your skin, using the rounded base for cheeks and forehead and the smaller, pointed end for smaller areas like around the eyes and nose. It feels like gently hitting yourself in the face with a particularly bouncy marshmallow, which I find entertaining for some reason.
It look me literally 20 seconds tops to apply my tinted moisturizer and the results were perfect. No streaks and no blotches, just smooth, even coverage. It's my skin but better, which is exactly what I wanted.
PROS: (1) easy to use (once you know how); (2) makes foundation application very quick; (3) cheaper than the Beautyblender; (4) ridges and pointed tip make it easy to apply foundation to all areas of the face.
CONS: (1) not as easy to clean as a traditional makeup sponge; (2) has to be dampened before use, making the setup time longer than using a traditional makeup sponge; (3) unlike the Beautyblender, the packaging doesn't double as a drying stand.
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Shu Uemura - Depsea water
Mojie 1/12/2009 9:39:00 PM
I'm one of those people who said they'd never buy into the mineral water spray hype. It's just water in a spray container for God's sake. But there was so much hype around Shu Uemura's Depsea Water that I finally broke down and gave it a shot, figuring that I'd return it to Sephora and get my money back when (not if, WHEN) it didn't do anything for me but make my face wet.
It's been about a month now and I haven't returned it. And I'm not going to. I have to admit it. I like this stuff. I ended up buying the lavender scented variety. I wanted the unscented (because I have a finicky nose and sensitive skin and try to avoid scented skincare unless I know it won't cause irritation), but it was sold out along with most of the other scents and lavender was both the most appealing to me (of what was available) scent-wise and seemed the most appropriate for my needs (it's supposed to calm the skin).
I generally spritz my face with Depsea water before applying my serum, argan oil and moisturizer or if my skin's feeling dry and tight, but I also spritz my makeup sponges before applying foundation/tinted moisturizer to help reduce the amount being absorbed by the sponge. I could just use regular water, but I figure some of the Depsea water will end up on my face and I prefer not to use our (hard) tap water. It does seem to relieve some of the tightness/itchiness I get from my skin being dry, but it certainly doesn't replace my moisturizer. I do find that it seems to help my moisturizers sink in better and maybe calms a little of the redness in my sensitive skin.
It's not really a skincare necessity, but the bottle will probably last quite a while and I do enjoy the whole pampering aspect.
PROS: (1) nice, natural herbal lavender scent in the kind I got; (2) feels refreshing on the skin; (3) seems to help my moisturizer sink in better; (4) might help with sensitive skin irritation (I've made other changes in my skincare, so I can't say for sure that the Depsea Water is responsible).
CONS: (1) expensive for mineral water; (2) not really a skincare necessity; (3) doesn't completely relieve the tight/itchy feeling of my skin being dry (but it does help).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Aromaleigh - Pure Cover [DISCONTINUED]
Mojie 1/12/2009 9:24:00 PM
Since I'm currently in the midst of a major Aromaleigh obsession and I'm looking for more natural alternatives to my usual makeup items (I still love MAC and Urban Decay, but I find myself reaching for MMU more and more often these days), I threw a sample of Pure Cover in #3 in one of my last orders from AL.
I don't get a lot of blemishes and I almost never wear makeup/concealer when I do have a breakout for fear of making it worse, but I like to have concealer on hand in case I'm feeling vain or need to look more pulled together. When my skin decided to have a minor breakdown a few days back and I became the proud owner of three painful, red pimple, I happened to be in a vain mood and pulled out the Pure Cover.
Texture wise, this stuff is strange. It's a powder, but it seems sticky. It sticks very readily to my skin and my brush (but it comes off the brush and onto my skin fairly easily) and doesn't budge once it's been applied and smoothed out. Blending isn't as easy as with AL's Glissade foundation or a standard liquid concealer, but it's doable (expect it to resist attempts to move it around and don't expect it to smooth out completely), especially if you manage to find a close match to your skintone. I'm currently a 50/50 mix of 2CL and 3CL in AL's Glissade foundation and #3 is just a tiny bit pale on me.
Coverage is fairly good. It almost completely eliminated the redness in my blemishes but of course it can't do anything to hide the now flesh-toned bump. I also tried using it as coverage for a small pigmented scar I have on my cheek and my under eye circles and it didn't work quite as well (it made a difference, but didn't make them disappear). It seemed to do better at eliminating redness than dark spots.
I've been using an Eco-Tools taklon concealer brush to apply my Pure Cover. It works well if used with a patting/gentle stroking motion, although it doesn't make the PC completely disappear into my skin. Applying it under and over foundation seems to give me roughly the same result appearance-wise, but it does seem a bit easier to blend when applied under foundation on a well moisturized (but not wet) face.
I'd say it's a decent concealer and far better than I expected a powder formula to be (in terms of staying power and coverage). I wouldn't say it's amazing, but it's good. There is one thing I love about it, though, and it has nothing to do with coverage. This stuff actually HEALED the pimples I used it to cover. I wasn't expecting it and I'm still shocked, but it seems that the zinc in it (which apparently has anti-inflammatory properties) is just what my skin needs. Traditional spot treatments don't work well for me for some reason, but Pure Cover completely eliminated 2 of the 3 pimples I had (with the exception of some minor redness) within 24 hours of my using it. The other pimple was much less red, swollen and tender the next day and disappeared within another day.
I don't think that I have a typical response to Pure Cover, otherwise I'd have seen more people saying that they had similar results, so I wouldn't say that you should expect it to do the same for you, but it may be worth a shot to try it out. At $7 for a 5g container, it's not expensive and a little goes a long way as long as you don't have to cover a lot of area with it.
PROS: (1) decent coverage; (2) sticks very well; (3) non-irritating/didn't make my pimples worse; (4) actually IMPROVED my pimples; (5) relatively inexpensive.
CONS: (1) not the easiest to blend; (2) if you have a lot of blemishes or other skin imperfections to cover on a daily basis, you may go through the 5g jar fairly quickly; (3) limited color choices.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Unlisted Brand - MAD Minerals Indelible Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in Chocolate Mousse
Mojie 1/7/2009 3:40:00 PM
I actually got my Indelible Gel Eyeliner from JW Cosmetics since it was the cheapest (factoring in shipping prices). I have Chocolate Mousse, Black Cherry and Tanzanite. So far I've only tried Chocolate Mousse.
The Indelible "Gel" Eyeliners (there's nothing gel-like about these) are a smooth, cream liner in a small pot that will probably last me forever. They're easy to load onto the brush, apply smoothly (as long as you have enough on your brush) and are easier for me to apply than a pencil style liner for some reason.
I'm an eyeliner neophyte and still shaky in my application, so there was a learning curve using this liner. First I put way too much on my brush (I used a Sonia Kashuk bent eyeliner brush from Target) and couldn't get a nice, neat line to save me. I had splotches and smears and it looked bad. But I expected that since I'm new to eyeliner. It took me a couple of days to realize it wasn't just my beginner's eyeliner skills that were the problem and that I needed to put less on my brush. After that, I tried using a lot less and ended up with too little. It started out smoothly enough, but within a couple of millimeters of line, it started to putter our. Eventually, though trial and error, I figured out how much I needed to use and now I'm very happy with the results.
Chocolate Mousse appears to be a rich chocolate brown in the jar, but once it's on my eyes and dried, it's a very deep brown that's almost black. Like dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. I like that. It's not as harsh as black but can still be dramatic (because I really only wear eyeliner when I want that dramatic look). I thought about buying Blackout, too, but having seen the color Chocolate Mousse dries to, I don't think I'll need it.
PROS: (1) smooth, soft texture; (2) a little goes a long way; (3) inexpensive considering how little you need to use (just make sure to shop around for the best deal as these are carried by several online stores and prices vary quite a bit ranging from around $8.99 or so--it's possible you could find it cheaper--to almost $13 and up); (4) rich brown color is versatile and less harsh than black.
CONS: (1) if you're like me, there may some trial and error in figuring out how much liner to load your brush with; (2) you'll need an eyeliner brush, making these less convenient than a pencil or liquid liner with an applicator; (3) not truly "indelible" on me--I had some issues with smudging, but only because I have eye allergies and tend to rub my eyes.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Aromaleigh - Elemental Lustre in Entangle [DISCONTINUED]
Mojie 12/28/2008 12:35:00 AM
I'm kicking myself for buying a sample of this rather than a full size jar because I'm in love. Entangle is easily one of the prettiest eyeshadow shades I've ever encountered. The color is a bit hard to describe, somewhere between a pale cinnamon, taupe and buff-pink with a highly metallic (but not gaudy or over-the-top) shine.
The texture is smoother than most other AL shadows I've tried. It's very finely milled and spreads very easily with no chunks of glitter or shimmer, just smooth, lustrous color.
Like all mineral shadows, I find that I really need a primer to get Entangle to stay in place without it wearing (or falling) off quickly. But I normally need a primer anyway since I have trouble with most shadows not applying smoothly, so that's not a problem for me.
PROS: (1) very smooth/easy to spread; (2) gorgeous color; (3) metallic but not gaudy; (4) can be made more subtle or more dramatic depending on how you apply it (i.e. foiled vs. dry, over a base vs. alone, etc.)
CONS: (1) more expensive than AL's other shadows (but not expensive compared to many other brands); (2) I need a base to prevent fading/fallout.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Aromaleigh - Drama Queen Mineral Eyeliner in Drama Queen Cocoa [DISCONTINUED]
Mojie 12/27/2008 1:10:00 AM
Let me start off by saying that I'm an eyelining idiot. I'm terrible at it and don't have the patience or the motivation to learn to do it quickly and correctly. Strangely, pencils are the hardest for me (although I know a great many people do a "rough draft" in pencil, then go over it with either liquid liner or wet-lined mineral shadow/eyeliner). Using a brush is about the easiest way for me to do it, although I'm slow as molasses and have to go through and fix my mistakes several times before it's presentable.
But...I got samples of AL's Drama Queen eyeliner in both Drama Queen Cocoa and Drama Queen Violet in recent orders and figured I'd give them a shot, especially since every time I look at someone's gorgeous Aromaleigh FOTD they have liner on (and I'm loving the little wing at the end that's so popular now). I whipped out my old MAC #211 brush (which I think has been discontinued), wet it with a little water (these liners really need to be used wet to get a good result) and set down with my magnifying mirror.
Aromaleigh describes Drama Queen Cocoa as "The sultriest neutral around. Smokey without being overdone, a true tiger's eye to behold... ramped up a few notches with shimmers of hot chocolate sparked throughout, there is nothing tame about this..." On me, it comes off as a luscious blend of chocolate and caramel with little coppery chocolate shimmer pieces.
It's not gaudy (a concern of mine since I hate glitter in eye products) and it looked beautiful against my blue-grey eyes. I did have to go over the line a couple of times to get good coverage, which may have to do with my using water rather than an eyeliner sealant or mixing medium. One coat left me with smooth, even coverage (I did find that it looked grainy in the bag, but on my lids it went on very easily with no clumping or skipping) but a sheer color payoff. Part of the beauty of this liner seems to be that I can vary the intensity based on how much I apply and the method I use. That's good for someone like me who doesn't want (or need) several eyeliners, just one that can be dramatic or subtle.
I didn't have any issues with smudging or flaking, but I didn't wear it long-term, so it's possible that they would have happened if I'd worn it all day. I did order a bottle of AL's Indelible Eyeliner Sealant and got a new, finer pointed liner brush, so I'm going to be having fun experimenting with this (and the DQ Violet liner). At some point I'll get a full size container of DQ Cocoa, but my sample should last me quite a while at the rate I'm going through it.
PROS: (1) variable intensity; (2) a little more personality than a plain liner; (3) easy to apply; (4) inexpensive; (5) a little goes a long way; (6) can double as eyeshadow.
CONS: (1) has to be used with a liner sealant or mixing medium to get the full effect (and to prevent fallout); (2) if you're looking for a basic, matte liner, look elsewhere.
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Lips -Aromaleigh - Gothic Lolita Nourishing Color Creme in Wallflower [DISCONTINUED]
Mojie 12/23/2008 4:57:00 PM
I never, ever look good in orange and rarely look good in peach, but surprisingly, Wallflower is kind of working on me! I have fair, cool-neutral skin and look best in pinks and silvers, but I got a free sample of Wallflower with one of my AL orders and since I love all the other Gothic Lolita Color Cremes, I gave it a shot.
On my medium to deeply pigmented rosy lips, Wallflower comes off as a sort of coral-tangerine color. It's darker than peach (I'm sure that's thanks to the deeper color of my lips showing through), but not a true orange. It's not quite a true coral (there's not enough pink), but there's definitely some pink to it.
The texture, like all the GL Color Cremes is wonderful; smooth, silky, moisturizing and wonderful. It has a slight gloss and makes my lips look lovely and moist (not an easy thing to do with chronically dry lips like mine).
I'm definitely going to use my sample up, but I don't think I'll need a full size tube since these don't last long enough (Miss K, the owner of AL, says 6 months is about as long as you should expect a natural lipstick like this to last) for me to use it up before it goes bad. It's just not a color I'd wear often enough to justify buying it, otherwise I'd say "yes" to buying Wallflower again.
PROS: (1) emollient, silky, smooth texture; (2) slightly glossy finish makes lips look lush and kissable; (3) inexpensive; (4) easy to apply; (5) Wallflower's coral-tangerine color looks surprisingly good on me.
CONS: (1) not a color I can see myself wearing often, but only because it's not quite "me"; (2) I'm not crazy about the chocolate scent and would be happier if Pinafore was unscented; (3) if you have small lips or a very pronounced cupid's bow, you might have some minor trouble getting it applied precisely thanks to the packaging (I have a strong cupid's bow, but mine is rounded enough that I don't have to be too precise).
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Eye Shadow -Aromaleigh - Eye Plush Collection (All) [DISCONTINUED]
Mojie 12/22/2008 9:38:00 PM
Aromaleigh's Eye Plush collection is a range of soft, subtle, easy to wear eyeshadow shades. There's the expected neutrals (pale browns, nudes and taupes), but also pale pink, rose, yellow, green, blue and purple (and a few other colors that fall in between). They're not as shimmery as many of AL's other shadows and they're very soft and subtle in comparison (especially in comparison to their complete opposite, the Rocks! eyeshadows).
Some people might find colors like these boring, but for me they're perfect. I tend to prefer a softer eyeshadow look and gravitate towards neutrals most of the time. As much as I love color in principle, I feel too made up or just don't seem to be able to pull it off the way other women seem to. So I love the Eye Plushes.
So far I've tried:
* Dollhouse (a purple I can wear without spending forever trying to keep myself from looking bruised or hypothermic, hurrah!)
* Persian Kitten (a basic tan color that I found okay, but not particularly amazing)
* Buttoned Up (a nice, soft midtone brown-taupe shade)
* Silk Stockings (a slightly bronzey tan that looks surprisingly good on my cool-neutral skin in spite of being a warmer shade)
* Prim Tweed (a cool taupe shade that complements my blue-grey eyes)
* Mink Coat (a mauvey-taupe shade that's pretty, but too close to Buttoned Up on me to justify buying more than a sample of)
* Pink Negligee (the only shade I've tried that didn't work all that well for me; for some reason it turns chalky on me)
* Petit Fours (a soft, dusty rose that's very pretty and understated; sort of Victorian feeling)
* Rosy Cheeks (similar to Petit Fours on me, but a little more shimmery)
Several have ended up being full-size buys for me (Dollhouse, Petit Fours, Prim Tweed, Silk Stockings, Buttoned Up) and all the others (with the exception of Pink Negligee) are going to get plenty of wear. One complaint that some people may have is that a lot of the colors look very similar on the eyes (at least on me, I can't speak for anyone else). The differences are subtle and probably won't even be seen by anyone who's not looking closely. The exceptions to this might be between the neutral browns/taupes/tans and the "colors" (the blues, greens and purple). The only shade I've tried out of the line that's really stood out from the others is Dollhouse. Unlike the others, it shows up as a clear, but gentle, purple on me.
The texture is smooth and easy to spread, although, like many mineral shadows, I find them a little hard to deal with without a good primer underneath (Urban Decay Primer Potion is a lifesaver).
These are definitely worth trying out, particularly if you're a fan of a soft, subtle eye like I am. They also make nice bases/highlighters for bolder shades. One caveat, though: I'm not sure how well the Eye Plushes would work on someone with a darker skintone as the colors are light and soft.
PROS: (1) virtually goof-proof; (2) soft, gentle shades make even colors that are hard to wear more wearable (i.e. purple for me; I love it, but as an eyeshadow it rarely works, but Dollhouse is lovely); (3) make a great base/highlight for bolder shades if you're not into a soft, subtle eye.
CONS: (1) to lovers of bright, bold colors, these may seem boring; (2) may not be as flattering on darker skintones, thanks to the pale, pastel colors; (3) a lot of the colors look very similar on my eyes (but that could be viewed as a good thing as it narrows down the number of these that you really need...not that I've been able to stop myself from getting a few full-size jars of similar colors).
UPDATE 2/13/09: Since writing my original review, I've tried several more shades. The only one I haven't tried now is Sunny Disposition and it's next on my list. I've ended up with full sizes of a couple of shades I didn't think I would. They've really grown on me and they're now my go-to shadows for most days when I wear eye makeup since they're so simple and soft.
New shades I've tried:
* Feather Boa (a green-blue that packs more color payoff than most of the other Eye Plushes; pretty and fun to wear on occassion but not a color I find myself reaching for very often just because I don't really like teal shades on my eyes)
* Room Service (a mid-tone, pale shamrock-like green with more color payodd than any other Eye Plush I've tried; again, a pretty color, but not one I wear often because I don't like it with my blue-grey eyes)
*Baby Blues (a very pale sky blue with a touch of pale grey; I never wear blue shadow, but this is wearable even for me)
*Satin Slippers (an unusual color, somewhere between yellow-green and an olive skintone type nude; I like this one although it's not my usual type of color)
UPDATE 2/26/09: I've now tried all the shades available in this line. Sunny Disposition is surprisingly wearable for a yellow makeup hater like me. It truly is a buttercream shade, just like AL describes it, not a true YELLOW yellow. Very soft but eye brightening and cheerful.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Aromaleigh - Rocks Sonic Nourishing Lip Tint (All Colors) [DISCONTINUED]
Mojie 12/22/2008 6:43:00 PM
I absolutely love these! I have Fictionromance, Shesaknockout, Noreservations, Notorious and Fallingfromgrace (and a sample of Headoverheels) and love all of them.
The colors are rich but sheer and surprisingly wearable thanks to their sheer application. They glide right on and feel good on the lips (although I prefer the feel of the Nourishing Lip Cremes myself) and leave you with a subtle pop of color and a slightly glossy finish. I'm not crazy about the chocolate orange scent (something about the combination always makes me a little nauseated and I don't like the scent of chocolate to begin with), but I can see it being appealing to other people without scent sensitivites
I love wearing these on days when I don't want to wear lipstick or lipgloss (which is most days, honestly), but feel like I need some color to my face. Every shade I've tried looks just as good paired with a t-shirt and jeans as with a dress or more polished outfit.
PROS: (1) easy to apply; (2) slim tube makes for more precise application than Aromaleigh's Nourishing Color Cremes; (3) inexpensive; (4) sheer application makes the Sonic Lip Tints wearable, no matter how bright they may look in the tube.
CONS: (1) application can be difficult if the tint gets cold (but that's true of most balms and is easily remedied); (2) not as moisturizing as AL's Nourishing Color Cremes; (3) not pure mineral makeup, which may be a deal-breaker for some people (but not for me); (4) I'd prefer if these were unscented.
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Lipstick -Aromaleigh - Rocks Sonic Nourishing Lip Tint in Fictionromance [DISCONTINUED]
Mojie 12/22/2008 6:38:00 PM
Fictionromance is the companion lip color to Aromaleigh's Breathless Sonic Rouge. The color is described as "a lush, clear bright pink," and that's right on the money. It's somewhere between hot pink and fuchsia in the tube, but (like all the Sonic Lip Tints), it applies very sheerly, leaving a light layer of bright, happy pink on the lips. The color you end up with will depend on what color your lips are naturally. On my medium to deeply pigmented rosy lips, I get a true pink, but one that's not quite as bright as the one in the tube. In spite of being scarily bright in the tube (especially for someone who's intimidated by very pink anything), its surprisingly wearable and just gives a (subtle) bright pop of color that brightens up my face.
The texture is smooth and feels like a light lip balm. It's not as emollient or comfortable on my lips as the Nourishing Color Cremes (it still feels good), but it still doesn't feel like lipstick. Like the Nourishing Color Cremes, it does have a scent, though. Where the Color Cremes have a cocoa scent, the Lip Tints are a light cocoa-orange that I'm a little nauseated by (it's nothing to do with Aromaleigh; orange and chocolate together always turn my stomach a little) but that others would probably find appealing.
PROS: (1) easy to apply; (2) slim tube makes for more precise application than Aromaleigh's Nourishing Color Cremes; (3) inexpensive; (4) sheer application makes the Sonic Lip Tints wearable, no matter how bright they may look in the tube.
CONS: (1) application can be difficult if the tint gets cold (but that's true of most balms and is easily remedied); (2) not as moisturizing as AL's Nourishing Color Cremes; (3) not pure mineral makeup, which may be a deal-breaker for some people (but not for me); (4) I'd prefer if these were unscented.
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Lipstick -Aromaleigh - Rocks Sonic Nourishing Lip Tint in Fallingfromgrace [DISCONTINUED]
Mojie 12/22/2008 6:31:00 PM
Fallingfromgrace is the companion lip color to Aromaleigh's Sinisterrouge Sonic Rouge. The color is described as "a deep but vivid garnet burgundy," but I'd describe it more as a rich berry. In the tube, it's dark and vampy, but it applies sheer (like all the Sonic Lip tints) and turns my medium to deeply pigmented rosy lips, I get a beautiful, wash of berry wine. It's similar to AL's Melancholia Nourishing Lip Creme from the Gothic Lolita line, but a little deeper in color. This is the perfect shade for autumn and winter, but I'm going to be wearing it year-round.
The texture is smooth and feels like a light lip balm. It's not as emollient or comfortable on my lips as the Nourishing Color Cremes (it still feels good), but it still doesn't feel like lipstick. Like the Nourishing Color Cremes, it does have a scent, though. Where the Color Cremes have a cocoa scent, the Lip Tints are a light cocoa-orange that I'm a little nauseated by (it's nothing to do with Aromaleigh; orange and chocolate together always turn my stomach a little) but that others would probably find appealing.
PROS: (1) easy to apply; (2) slim tube makes for more precise application than Aromaleigh's Nourishing Color Cremes; (3) inexpensive; (4) sheer application makes the Sonic Lip Tints wearable, no matter how bright they may look in the tube.
CONS: (1) application can be difficult if the tint gets cold (but that's true of most balms and is easily remedied); (2) not as moisturizing as AL's Nourishing Color Cremes; (3) not pure mineral makeup, which may be a deal-breaker for some people (but not for me); (4) I'd prefer if these were unscented.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Aromaleigh - Rocks Sonic Nourishing Lip Tint in Noreservations [DISCONTINUED]
Mojie 12/22/2008 6:28:00 PM
Noreservations is described as "a clear, vivid watermelon shade." I'd describe it as more of a pinky coral than a true watermelon color, but it's very pretty, even against my neutral-cool skin. On my medium to deeply pigmented rosy lips, Noreservations comes off as a subtle coral color. Just enough to give me a sheer wash of color (which is the goal with the Sonic Lip Tints) without being overpowering.
Every shade of these tints I've tried (everything but Notorious, which is on the way to me, Blankgeneration and Loveonyourside) has been beautiful and wearable and this is no exception. It looks very bright, almost flourescent in the tube, but the beauty of these lip tints is in their sheer application. I can dress Noreservations up or down. It gives my lips just the right amount of polish and leaves them slightly glossy and kissed with color.
The texture is smooth and feels like a light lip balm. It's not as emollient or comfortable on my lips as the Nourishing Color Cremes (it still feels good), but it still doesn't feel like lipstick. Like the Nourishing Color Cremes, it does have a scent, though. Where the Color Cremes have a cocoa scent, the Lip Tints are a light cocoa-orange that I'm a little nauseated by (it's nothing to do with Aromaleigh; orange and chocolate together always turn my stomach a little) but that others would probably find appealing.
PROS: (1) easy to apply; (2) slim tube makes for more precise application than Aromaleigh's Nourishing Color Cremes; (3) inexpensive; (4) sheer application makes the Sonic Lip Tints wearable, no matter how bright they may look in the tube.
CONS: (1) application can be difficult if the tint gets cold (but that's true of most balms and is easily remedied); (2) not as moisturizing as AL's Nourishing Color Cremes; (3) not pure mineral makeup, which may be a deal-breaker for some people (but not for me); (4) I'd prefer if these were unscented.
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Lipstick -Aromaleigh - Rocks Sonic Nourishing Lip Tint in Shesaknockout [DISCONTINUED]
Mojie 12/21/2008 12:05:00 AM
If you've read my other reviews, you may know that I'm an ardent fan of a red lip but find it hard to wear most of the time. I've found my perfect red lipstick in MAC's Lady Bug, but that doesn't stop me from looking for sheer red lipsticks, lip tints and lipglosses, because an obsession doesn't stop just because I've found a few winners.
It was with that in mind that I ended up buying Aromaleigh's Rocks! Nourishing Lip Tint in Shesaknockout (the coordinating lip color to go with their Firewoman Sonic Rouge). It's described as "intense, true red red" and that's spot on as far as it can be with a lip color designed to go on very sheerly. The Sonic Lip Tints are just that--tints. These aren't highly pigmented. They give a sheer wash of color, so the end result depends on the color of your lips showing through. They look incredibly, unwearably bright in the tube, but every shade goes on very sheer and wearable.
On my medium-pigmented rosy lips, I get a true red, unlike with many sheer red lip colors I've tried (like Lipstick Queen's Medieval Lip Treatment, for example). It's a sheer red that lets the natural texture of my lips show through, but it's still a true red. I have to say I couldn't be happier with the color I get from Shesaknockout. It's sheer enough to be very, very wearable (and not overpowering or threatening) but pigmented enough that my lips look red and not dark pink or rose. I feel like Snow White in this shade. It's innocent but still alluring.
The texture is smooth and feels like a light lip balm. It's not as emollient or comfortable on my lips as the Nourishing Color Cremes (it still feels good), but it still doesn't feel like lipstick. Like the Nourishing Color Cremes, it does have a scent, though. Where the Color Cremes have a cocoa scent, the Lip Tints are a light cocoa-orange that I'm a little nauseated by (it's nothing to do with Aromaleigh; orange and chocolate together always turn my stomach a little) but that others would probably find appealing.
PROS: (1) easy to apply; (2) slim tube makes for more precise application than Aromaleigh's Nourishing Color Cremes; (3) inexpensive; (4) sheer application makes the Sonic Lip Tints wearable, no matter how bright they may look in the tube.
CONS: (1) application can be difficult if the tint gets cold (but that's true of most balms and is easily remedied); (2) not as moisturizing as AL's Nourishing Color Cremes; (3) not pure mineral makeup, which may be a deal-breaker for some people (but not for me); (4) I'd prefer if these were unscented.
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