Treatments (Eye) -La Roche Posay - Active C Eye Cream
jillbanks 1/18/2009 4:58:00 PM
I had high hopes for this eye cream... so disappointed. I have used it for a couple of months now and I feel like my eyes look worse in the morning when I use this before bed. I've never said that about an eye treatment. They are actually puffier and this has done nothing for lines either. I tried to give it some time before writing a review but I am moving on to something else! Why is it SO hard to find the right eye cream?
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Eyeliner -MAC - Fluidline Eyeliner Gel Macroviolet
jillbanks 1/18/2009 4:45:00 PM
I love this fluidline! I was hesitant based on some other reviews but since I own three other fluidlines I thought I would give it a shot. Macroviolet does look like a stronger purple in the pot than on your eyes. However, I still like it. It does not scream out purple once it is on, so it is more of a subtle color. I like it when I don't want to wear ordinary black or brown b/c this is different yet understated. On me, it shows up with the same intensity as other fluidlines and is not light like some other reviewers found.
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Blush -MAC - Mineralize Skinfinish in Redhead Degradé
jillbanks 1/18/2009 4:39:00 PM
This MSF is gorgeous! I thought it may be too shimmery on me but it ends up looking glowy, which is a good thing in my opinion. I have medium golden brown hair but the redhead colors just look better on my skin tone. They are peachy bronzy but not dark. I was looking for something with a little more oomph and a smoother texture than Nars Orgasm and THIS fits the bill! Very very pretty...
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Lips -Cover Girl - Outlast Lipstain
jillbanks 1/3/2009 11:59:00 PM
Okay...I LOVE LOVE LOVE this stuff and I am a lipstain junkie! I have tried many expensive stains over the years and this is the best one yet! If you have tried lots of stains, you will know why this is good. First of all, it is not SUPER dry or SUPER moist. Is is right in between. Most lipstains are one or the other. Too dry and it shrivels up your lips... too moist and it is sticky--does not stay on. These lipstains are heavily pigmented. I can't believe people would actually complain about this! If they didn't show up people would be even more aggravated! A real lipstain should be heavily pigmented b/c it stains your lips. First of all, it really depends on your natural lip color as to how these look on. The same stain will look totally different on any two people so you just need to take a chance with choosing colors. You can also use a lighter hand if you don't want dark color....Personally, my lips are super pale so I get a true color. Your lips HAVE to be dry and smooth--- if your lips are chapped or dry lipstains will look bad. Put something on them every night before you go to bed... You can do so much with these depending on the gloss you apply over them. One lipstain can produce numerous looks. If it looks too bright or dark you can tone it down with the right gloss or sheer lipstick. They make your lips look sexy b/c you have color and shine (if you use a gloss, which I highly recommend) without lip liner and lipstick all over them. And as for staying power.... Just the other day I used Teasing Blush with a golden sheer gloss and ate a bunch of sushi. I even wiped my lips very hard on purpose (also to get off the spicy mayo!) just to see what my lips would look like. Oh, and I also had some wine and water. When I got home, my lips were still stained pink just with no gloss. The color was still smooth and not patchy at all. Not as bright as when first applied, but still VERY stained. I could even run my fingers all over my lips and the color just stays and stays. Feels like there is nothing on them. You can also not beat these for the price. Every single lip stain I've ever purchased has been around 20 dollars, so I am really glad Cover Girl made these and they are actually good. So far I have tried Teasing Blush, Cinnamon, Flirty Nude,and Everbloom Kiss. Love them all...
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Lipstick -Cover Girl - Outlast Lipstain #415 Teasing Blush
jillbanks 1/3/2009 11:37:00 PM
I LOVE this lip stain, and all of the new Cover Girl lipstains for that matter! Teasing blush is very pink on me, which I like b/c most pinks turn warm on me immediately. On my lips, I would not say it is a rose, but more of a bright pink. That may sound a little vague but everyone has different lips. This may sound awful but it's not, because I apply it very lightly and put a sheer golden or clear gloss on over it. It looks gorgeous and I normally never ever ever wear bright colors on my lips. You can also apply a sheer lipstick over this color to get a very nice look that is natural without lip lines. My natural lips are VERY pale which is why I almost always have to use a nude liner even though I love the "no liner" look. With these lipstains, I am able to achieve that look in a variety of ways.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Kiehls - Lip Balm #1
jillbanks 12/5/2008 8:22:00 PM
For some reason this stuff does NOTHING for my lips. If I put it on at night, my lips are drier in the morning! I swear! I want to love this stuff. It feels good and smells good. But don't waste your money. Aquaphor is TEN times better. When I was on accutane and my lips were so dry they bled, aquaphor was the ONLY thing that worked.
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Liquid -Christian Dior - Diorskin Airflash
jillbanks 11/30/2008 8:45:00 PM
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this foundation! It took me forever to try it but I finally just gave in. I spray it on a kabuki and buff it all over my face. I need to use about 3 or 4 short sprays to get the coverage I need. It is SO light yet covers everything. The coverage and finish are unlike any other product I have tried. It also looks fabulous in photos. I don't know how long it will last me since I am spraying it on a brush but I will probably just use this for going out and special occassions. I got lucky with the shade... the lightest one is a perfect match but I am not ultra fair- I have light skin so I can see why so many people have problems with the shades. This is HG status for sure. I've just never used anything that looks this good!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Max Factor - 2000 Calorie Mascara 
jillbanks 11/22/2008 9:46:00 PM
I use this every day! It is a good mix of volume plus lengthen. It does not smudge on me at all. This mascara is great for the price. I've tried everything and just can't justify spending tons on mascara. This stuff is great and it is only 6 bucks!
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Liquid -Rimmel - Lasting Finish Enriched w/ Minerals
jillbanks 11/6/2008 11:05:00 PM
Just like everyone else, I have tried a million different foundations (mostly expensive) and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this. Coverage is what I consider medium and blends very well. I don't have super pale skin by any means... light but not fair. The lightest shade of this is almost too dark for me. It looks very dark in the tube but is not as dark once on the skin. Although I love this foundation, I need to wear it some more to see if it it too dark for every day wear. I will say that I did a side by side comparison with this and Revlon colorstay. The side of my face that had the Rimmel looked MUCH better than the side with the Revlon, even though Revlon has a better color selection. The finish and coverage of the Rimmel was so much nicer. Sometimes I am in the mood to drop 60 bucks on a high end foundation and then other days I think that is ridiculous. That is why I wanted to try this foundation. If you are looking for a good foundation at a very reasonable price, try this out. You will only be out 6 bucks if you are not happy! Edit- still love this stuff! I am constantly surprised at how good this looks. It has not broken me out at all and looks good all day. So blendable and natural but gives great coverage!
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Styling Products -Ojon - Conditioning Volumizing Foam
jillbanks 10/31/2008 7:25:00 PM
LOVE this stuff. I have long, very wavy course hair and this defines my waves without making my hair stiff or sticky. I really don't need extra volume but I need something that defines without the crunch. I love that it does not weigh down my hair. It feels light and fluffy and just makes my hair look fabulous. I have a LOT of hair so the downside of this is that I have to use a lot of it and it comes in sort of a small bottle, plus it is expensive for a mousse. I have tons of hair stuff so I don't use this every time I wash b/c if I did, I would go through it quickly. This is one of my all time favorite products.
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Eyeliner -MAC - Fluidline Eye-Liner Gel in Blacktrack
jillbanks 10/11/2008 11:43:00 PM
LOVE this stuff! I have three fluidlines but this is my fave. I use it with the Mac eyeliner brush. I leave it on for a minute and then smudge lightly with a q-tip. The color has some gold in it so when you smudge, the gold really comes out. It is subtle but gives you a softer look compared to if you just lined with solid black alone. Fluidlines wear very well. They are more dramatic than pencil liner, yet softer at the same time. Hard to explain but just try it.... they last forever.
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Lipstick -Lancome - Rouge Sensation - Bisque
jillbanks 10/11/2008 11:39:00 PM
This really is my HG nude shade as well. I buy this lipstick again and again. It is not too light. Anybody who thinks that has not really been on the quest like some of us have. I have TONS of nude lipsticks that are much lighter than bisque. Bisque is really the perfect shade because it is not too pink and not too peach and not too beige. It never evern washes me out. My lips also look very full when I wear this shade. It is very creamy and moist, yet stays on very well. I use a lip primer, though. I have fair skin and medium golden brown hair, so it works well with my coloring.
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Styling Products -Paul Mitchell - Soft Spray
jillbanks 10/11/2008 11:30:00 PM
I only use this hairspray on my hair. I have used it longer than anything else. I have long, thick, very wavy hair. I only wash every few days. This product does hold... it is a light hold but I notice a huge difference for sure. I can't believe anyone could compare it to water?! No way... this spray does hold but like the bottle says.. it is a soft spray. I hate buildup and stiff looks! Yuck...not the way hair should look. This does the trick for me. I get perfect hold that still moves enough to be really natural. The price is right as well. There are not too many flexible hold hairsprays out there that work this well and are affordable. The large bottle lasts forever and I have a lot of hair.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Shiseido - Hydro-Powder Eye Shadow
jillbanks 10/11/2008 11:23:00 PM
I really like this shadow. I was not sure at first b/c I have not had good experiences with cream to powders. I have the glistening sand color, which is a nice neutral goldish-beige. It wears really well and does not crease...stays on all day and also works well as a primer if depending on the look I am wearing.
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Foundations -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Foundation
jillbanks 9/2/2008 6:46:00 PM
I thought I was going to love this product. At first, it looks fabulous. Nice medium coverage. Very natural and blends extremely well. I set it with a light application of the HD powder. It looked like I was not wearing any makeup. However, when I went to the bathroom in the middle of the day, my face looked awful. Very oily and ruddy. I do not have oily skin and only used a very light application of the foundation and powder. I was oily all over and my skin just looked weird. This is going back to Sephora. I spent 70 bucks on this stuff and refuse to keep it when it only stays nice for a few hours.
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