Makeup Brushes -Sephora - Professional Mineral Powder Brush #45
daisysteiner 3/4/2013 8:41:00 PM
Mine is soft, dense and even, making it very suitable for distributing and buffing in liquid or cream foundation. I don't mind the relatively small size, it's more versatile and the application doesn't take me long anyway. I plan on getting at least one more, possibly for cream blush. Unfortunately I don't know how it performs with mineral foundation, but it applies both loose and pressed powder very well. Recommended!
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Makeup Brushes -Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman - Blush Brush
daisysteiner 3/4/2013 8:32:00 PM
Much like the setting brush from the same line, this isn't quite as soft and dense as the legend goes, and as a result can seem a little flimsy, but I still like it. It works on apples of the cheeks as well as in contours, blends the product nicely and leaves a smooth finish. Another thing I appreciate about these brushes is their substantial black plastic end. After reading some reveiws I was afraid the brushes might feel too light in the hand, but the black part actually makes them well balanced and comfortable to use without the whole thing becoming too heavy. EDIT: I ended up using it as a powder brush. It turns out this brush seriously lacks in resilience - when you use it in a repeated sweeping motion, the bristles actually stay bent. Yes, it's easy to reshape them, but the point is you need a brush that has a nice "bounce" to it. This really is too flimsy and sparse. Counting in the issue with the very average softness, I'm not particularly tempted to try the rest of the line. I don't quite understand the hype - is there an issue with quality control and I just got worse brushes than most people on here?
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman - Setting Brush
daisysteiner 3/4/2013 6:57:00 PM
I'll be honest, based on the reviews I expected this to be much softer. It's not really scratchy, but also by far not as soft as some people make it sound. I suspect this is in part because of the fact that it also isn't as dense as I thought. Despite all of that, this is still a very decent brush of a unique size and I can recommend it. It picks up just enough powder product to be used with setting powders or highlighters, and it's nice for blending creams, although it's not quite dense enough to really buff them in. It also provides a beautiful finish. Overall a good brush you won't easily find a dupe for.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Guerlain - Écrin 6 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette - Champs-Élysées
daisysteiner 1/31/2013 7:56:00 AM
OK, let's get straight down to business: Would I buy this for the full price? Probably not. I think it's great to spoil yourself from time to time, but the fact is, when that time comes, I would likely decide to splash on something else. For that money you can actually get something pretty that won't disappear over time. Like, you know, something made of leather. :) So I'm really glad that I only paid 40 % of the original price. Is it worth the money? Now, there's a different question. It's beautifully crafted, totally luxurious and the product itself is of a very good quality. Considering how much you usually pay for, say, one tiny MAC eyeshadow in a plastic pot, yes, this is completely worth it. It's just definitely not something you NEED to have. So how are the shadows? In a word, nice. Champs Elysées is a beautiful palette with creamy shades that I will definitely have a use for. Out of the three taupe colours both mattes are also excellent for brows. Matte black is very strong and deep, white shimmer works over many other shadows and the lustrous purple adds just the right kick. They all go on smooth and even, as expected. In short, if you have the money and this is exactly your idea of a treat, don't look left or right and go for it. The product is not magical, but the whole package kind of is.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Essence - Long Lasting Eye Pencil
daisysteiner 1/31/2013 7:31:00 AM
Actually far more long-lasting than many pricier eyeliners (just try it on your waterline). Also the black is a true black, which often isn't the case with other brands. I would only complain about the flimsy packaging which makes it harder to use and the fact that you don't get much of the actual product. Because of these two factors, you'll probably go through this eyeliner quite quickly.
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Lip Treatments -Korres - Mandarin Lip Butter Stick
daisysteiner 1/31/2013 7:20:00 AM
I have this in Purple and I probably won't repurchase, even though I like quite a few things about it. The shade is nice (although a tad warmer than expected) and colour payoff is good for a tinted balm, but this just dries my lips out. I don't even mind the smell, it's pleasant if anything, but having to put a moisturizing lip balm under another lip balm is just too much.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Foundation
daisysteiner 1/19/2013 4:03:00 AM
I didn't find this that exceptional. It holds on well, particularly if you use a silicone-based primer, but for some reason it sits in my pores a bit and shows off drier skin. It also tends to make me a little oily during the day. The coverage is good though and, being quite pale, I deffinitely appreciate the choice of shades available.
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Lipstick -Guerlain - Rouge Automatique
daisysteiner 1/19/2013 3:31:00 AM
This one finally convinced me to stop trying for vain with Chanel and focus on Guerlain instead. I have it in Vega, the gorgeous deep raspberry shade, and I love it. Why? - goes on evenly - doesn't dry my lips or make dry skin more prominent - in fact it seems to be smoothing my lips a little - feels nice and lightweight - it has a beautiful satiny finish, not quite matte but definitely not shiny - the packaging is practical, well-made, classy and kind of superhero fierce all at the same time My only problem is that it tends to leave a slight line on my lower lip after some time, but nowhere as bad as some other brands.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Chanel - Rouge Allure Lover
daisysteiner 1/19/2013 3:11:00 AM
Chanel lipsticks seem to work for a lot of people, but sadly not for me. I have similar problems with this as with my Rouge Coco - it goes on patchy, doesn't moisturise and forms a lipliner ring. I bought Guerlain's Rouge Automatique along with this and the difference in quality for me is vast. This doesn't even work well as a tint over a balm, it still somehow accentuates my dry skin. I can only use it fairly successfully if my lips are completely smooth and healed. The two points are mainly for packaging, shade and finish. Other than that, my cheap Dermacol Lip Seduction lipstick does a better job than this. And guess what, it has that click-pull opening mechanism too. :)
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Makeup Brushes -Coastal Scents - Deluxe Buffer Brush
daisysteiner 9/12/2012 9:56:00 AM
This is fairly soft and it did stop shedding after a couple of washings. However, it could still be much denser and it's not very well made. Lesson learned: Don't buy cheap brushes, especially online.
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Makeup Brushes -Coastal Scents - Italian Badger Buffer Brush Large
daisysteiner 9/12/2012 9:49:00 AM
It looks good, but the quality is poor. There's a lot of cut bristles that make it scratchier, plus the brush never stopped shedding like crazy. Yes, it's pretty dense, but I really don't feel like picking about twenty bristles off my face every time.
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Lip Treatments -Burt's Bees - Beeswax Lip Balm
daisysteiner 8/28/2012 9:51:00 AM
It's worth mentioning that you can make the same thing very easily at home by melting together equal parts of beeswax and coconut oil, adding whatever is safe to use on skin and will make it taste or smell the way you like, maybe throwing in a piece of lipstick for a hint of colour and pouring the mixture into a pot/lip balm tube (the kind with screw in the middle). That way, you save money that would be better spent on something you can't whip up at home in ten minutes, plus you can avoid the peppermint that proves problematic for so many people.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Complete Salon Manicure Nail Polish
daisysteiner 8/16/2012 12:12:00 PM
I got this with a 50 percent discount and I wouldn't repurchase for the full price. It's not tragic, just has a couple of flaws too many. Pros - the 570 Right Said Red is a nice, cool-toned red with no shimmer - I love the packaging, especially the nice wide brush and the rubber band on the cap that helps you to get a firmer grip Cons - No, you can't use it without a base and a top coat. - It's runny and goes on way too sheer, I have to put on at least four coats to make it opaque. - Which is too bad, because it dries quite slow. You definitely need some sort of quick-dry spray or drops to speed things up. I'll probably use it up, keep the bottle, clean it thoroughly and try pouring a different brand in.
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Tinted Moisturizer -Avon - Visual Perfection Tint Releasing Moisturizer
daisysteiner 8/12/2012 2:58:00 AM
UPDATE: I took off two points, because the new version is less pigmented and seems a bit more orange than the previous one. Anyway, here's my original review: I'm not reviewing this as an overall tinted moisturizer, because it's too shiny for that and doesn't look good on fairer skintones. However, this stuff deserves a five from me, because I absolutely love using it as a bronzer on my cheeks and sometimes temples, bridge of the nose and chin. Why? - It's both tinted AND lightly illuminating, which creates an amazingly healthy look. - It can be built up. - It has rosy red, not orange undertones, which makes it look very, very authentic, a true sun-kissed cheek. - It goes nicely over your foundation and stays put. - When you only use it this way, one tube lasts ages. (If it does, keep it in the fridge and watch out for changes in the formula, but mine doesn't seem spoiled at all.) Quick tip: Put a bit on the back of your hand, pick it up with the tips of the bristles on your blush brush, thin it out a little and apply to your cheeks. Repeat if necessary.
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Cleansers -Bioderma - Sebium Purifying Foaming Gel
daisysteiner 8/12/2012 2:29:00 AM
I first bought this about four years ago and never went back. Pros - Takes off my makeup (don't use it on your eyes, of course). - Can be used with a face brush for bigger impact (taking off heavier foundation). - Doesn't dry my skin out either way. - Doesn't break me out, in fact it seemes to help keep zits at bay. - The packaging is practical. - Feels nice, doesn't sting or smell unpleasant. Cons - It's certainly not cheap for something you use every day. - I find I can't be quite economical with it, more is actually more.
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