Lipstick -NYX - #503 Medusa
snarkywench 5/1/2010 1:57:00 AM
I adore rich dark lip colors & luckily most of them seem to agree with my PPP skin. Medusa is, thankfully, no exception :D It's a deep, metallic-y purple with a raisin undertone. ♥♥♥♥♥
This lippie is not like other NYX l/s that I have in that it is dry & a bit drying; it still applies easily but it doesn't glide. Also, it sank into and accentuated every line I had/have on my lips, so proper lip preparation is a MUST. Don't even think about wearing it if your lips are in poor shape unless you have lip spackle or something like it. I recommend wearing a gloss over it or a balm under it if this is a concern for you. As another reviewer said, this does leave a stain behind if you just wipe it off, it's not too bad & comes off easily with a bit of oil. Medusa wears better/longer than my other NYX l/s because it is drier; I can get a few hours out of it at a time which is good for me.
This will be in my collection for as long as they make it!
*note: the pictures up there(mine) really don't do Medusa proper justice, it's more purple than my camera captured.
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Lip Gloss -NYX - Sheer Tube Gloss #154 Brilliant
snarkywench 4/30/2010 12:16:00 PM
I love this color, it's a more pigmented, but still sheer, version of NYX MSG Chandelier, a pink-y violet which has been my most reached for color lately, without the slightly grainy texture from the glitter. Brilliant, I would say, looks like fuschia (the actual color not the lippie) in the tube and in the arm swatch but it's not as intense on the lip.
The consistency of the Sheer Tubes seems a bit thicker than the MSG's to me, but still not super sticky or tacky. The tart candy scent is also still there, not as much as in the MSG's imo but it doesn't bother me anyway.
The STG's have brush tips which are okay,they're stiffer than Stila's glazes but still flexible (occasional shedding has happened with a different color) and preferred as far as not contaminating the entire product with either bacteria or another color.(it's also good for de-potting if you wanted to do that for mixing purposes.) I still prefer the doe foot but this does go on very shiny & smooth.
I will definitely repurchase this, it will probably be my most used lippie this summer.
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Lip Gloss -NYX - Mega Shine in Baby Rose
snarkywench 4/30/2010 11:23:00 AM
I bought this without reading reviews hoping the sheer barely there frosty pink color would translate onto the lips but, as others have said, it doesn't. It goes on clear with a shimmer, so if you want a clear gloss with a kick, then this is great. It would be beautiful over other lippies to kick up the shine factor & add that shimmer. Just don't expect the tube color to be the color of your lips. It is a nice consistency (like all NYX glosses) and the texture is not grainy or sticky/tacky. I imagine this will have the same shorter lasting power that the other NYX MSG's have. The same tart candy smell is present in this gloss as well but there is NO flavor at all, I licked my lips several times to be sure & it just tastes like wax/oil. I almost wish that they would add flavor if they're going to scent it like candy, if not take out the scent. :p I will repurchase this if I ever use it up, but since it's not going to be my everyday gloss, it will be a while before that happens.
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Lip Gloss -NYX - Mega Shine- Chandelier
snarkywench 4/25/2010 2:25:00 AM
Of the NYX glosses that I have, this is the one I reach for most often. It's a very pretty MLBB pink with a violet undertone. The coverage, IMO, is sheer. The texture is not my favorite, as there are rather large flecks of glitter in it, this makes it mildly grainy but not enough to discourage me. There is also shimmer/frost which I don't notice until after it's worn down along with bits of glitter that have been left behind. It's not obnoxious but if they made this without the glitter I'd probably give it 5 lippies. This has the same non sticky moisturizing feel as the other NYX glosses, you can catch your hair in it but not like in MAC glosses. It's not thick but not too loose either, I like the consistency very much (why I keep buying them.) Durability is not as long lasting as the thicker sticky glosses but for under $5 I'm not worried about having to replace it; you get quite a bit a product too. It is easily portable & will fit into most pocketbooks so having it with you isn't a big deal, not like trying to find space for the tall BE Buxoms. On the arm swatch pic, Chandelier is the Middle gloss on the bottom row. It's shows more icy frosty pink than it really is. Also swatched were French Kiss(left) & Tube Gloss Shangri La(right)
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Lip Gloss -NYX - NYX 113 French Kiss
snarkywench 4/23/2010 11:40:00 PM
On the arm swatch over there French Kiss is the first of the glosses. As I said in another review for NYX Sweet Heart, I don't care for the large doe foot that the MegaShine glosses have (it's longer & angled) but I like the feel of them. When I wiped it off on a white tissue, it looks like a coral-ish pink, more pink than coral imo but, if you're cool toned like me, it might be too orange. I like it but I don't put a lot of it on either. It is more pigmented, not quite opaque but close. It's not matte & not too frosty. I barely notice the frost until I wipe it off or it wears down & leaves the shimmer behind. Big points for not being a sticky mess. I wish it lasted longer; I have to reapply every few hours. All 3 of the mega shine glosses that I've gotten have the same sweet tart candy scent but not the flavor, I don't notice an actual flavor with these. Pros: Feels moisturizing, not sticky/tacky, price Cons: odd doe foot, doesn't last long on me, a bit too orange for me Also in the swatch pic MSG Chandelier & Tube Gloss Shangri La
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Eye Shadow -NYX - Jumbo Eye Shadow Pencil - Milk
snarkywench 4/23/2010 10:56:00 PM
I am so pleasantly surprised by the quality of the NYX JEP's. I haven't found one yet that I didn't like the quality of but this one came close. I got Milk after reading reviews here & watching a few youtube vids. I've already "depotted" it in my microwave which took 10 minutes & the assistance of a straw but I finally got it all out. For those of you thinking about this, my microwave is 900 watts. This took longer to "cook" than a lean cuisine :p Anyway, I like the matte white of this, it's creamy like the other NYX JEP's. I used it as a base without UDPP to see the difference & it did crease a lot & wore off in some areas on my oily lids. I will be using it with UDPP or MoM from now on. This does make your shadows pop quite nicely & also works well on the waterline. I also mixed it with a bit of ULTA e/s in Bone to try on the small dark spots I get near the tear duct & it held up very well. I don't think I would try it as a total under-eye concealor though. The one drawback for me about this was that it sheers out almost to nothingness & can look chalky if you're not careful with your blending.
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Moisturizers -Vichy - Neo Vadiol intensive densifying care Lipid-Restoring Action
snarkywench 4/22/2010 2:59:00 AM
I don't recall hearing of this brand before but I got this as a sample & decided to try it as a nighttime moisturizer. It says it's for dry skin & I'm combination, so I didn't want to chance an oil slick while out & about. I have to say this felt like velvet going on my skin, really soft & smooth. So far it's been on for about 2 hours now & no sign of the oilies, even in my t-zone, & it's not sitcky or tacky. At the same time it doesn't feel very hydrating either, not like I'd expect something for dry skin to feel at least. My skin doesn't feel tight or thirsty though so it must be doing something lol ( I usually alternate use of an oil blend or heavier cream at night. To be fair, this is NOT billed as a night cream/lotion as far as I can tell) There was pretty much no dry down time for this. I'm not sure what makes this for Dry skin; as of right now I could wear this as my regular moisturizer. To me, it feels like a velvety matte finish almost more like a matte primer than a moisturizer. I can't speak to any anti-wrinkle benefits as this is my first use & it's a small sample so I don't imagine I'll get to use it for the time needed to see that type of benefit. If it wears like this the whole night, I'd consider using it during the day. I'm sure makeup application over it would be a breeze. Maybe I'll try it during the day with makeup on my next day off. **night number 2 is long over & no signs of breakouts. I didn't wake up to an oil slick but I am not noticing any instant type results either. Still love the way it feels on my skin & how my skin feels after application...looking forward to night 3. I forgot I did get this a little too close to my eyes the other night & they did water, which doesn't usually happen to me so beware sensitive eye people. I gave it a 3 to start with & called it cheap because it's a sample size & was free. If it's not too expensive, I'd consider actually buying it. * I think this is causing a breakout, 3 nights in & woke up with a few whiteheads today :p grrr oh well good thing it was only a sample
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Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - ANDREA modlash comb
snarkywench 4/17/2010 4:26:00 PM
This is my HG lash comb. I love it because the teeth are so fine. IMO it does the best job of separating/defining & getting rid of clumps of any lash comb that I've used. For many years it was the only comb I was aware of whose teeth were fine enough to really do a thorough job. The teeth are sharply pointed but won't break your skin, they are narrow at the tip & wider at the base, which IMO does a better job at removing clumps than straight teeth. It's very compact/small & is made of black plastic. It comes with a top that slides over the teeth to protect them(see photo of my spare.) Cleaning is easy; I use my cleanser & an old toothbrush & then sanitize with bleach & rinse thoroughly. You have to take care with teeth this fine & sharply pointed; I've poked myself more than a few times. Pros: Very fine teeth, Price Cons: no handle, so small it's easy to lose (& I have lol) I took 1 lippie off for being so easy to lose :p I'll keep buying this as long as they make it.
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Eye Shadow -Urban Decay - stardust
snarkywench 4/9/2010 6:02:00 PM
I played around with these at Ulta for a bit so I bought these knowing that the color payoff is not like their other shadows. I got Retrograde & Diamond Dog. I have to say I LOVE them! I apply them with my fingers as suggested over & primer potion or I use them wet mixed with Visine. The colors are sheer but they build, I swipe my finger 7-10 times in the layering process to get the color impact I want. Retrograde is a grey-ish grape after application, Diamond Dog is also greyed out a bit but is a nice cocoa brown. Dry application with a brush is not great as there is more fallout & wet application with a brush is weird, the products gets a grainy texture & doesn't smooth out as well IMO. I don't know why UD would say no fallout because there is most definitely fallout. There is, however, less fallout with use of primer or when using visine or the transforming potion for wetting instead of water. BE weather everything should work as well but I haven't tried it. Visine works & is less $$ All in all I would buy these again but they are overpriced.
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Lip Gloss -NYX - lipgloss-sweetheart
snarkywench 4/7/2010 2:37:00 AM
This was my first foray into NYX products since I finally noticed them at my local Ulta.
The color is a peachy nude with shimmer, it would make someone with warmer or neutral coloring a wonderful nude lip, just not me. I need a more pink or cool shade but I got this one because I like a natural looking lip & it looked like the best option available at the time. Anyway the gloss is a nice consistency, not too sticky or tacky . There is shine (it's a megashine so I would expect lots) but it's not over the top imo. The MegaShines tend to be opaque rather than sheer.
I don't care for the doe foot in this, it's angled and is longer than most and is awkward for me to use plus it puts on way too much product so I wind up blotting & wasting quite a bit & losing most of the shine. This one is named sweet heart as the review line says & to me it smells like a sweet tart. I don't know if they all smell like that or if it's an intentional play on the name either way the scent doesn't bother me. I think this is actually drying to my lips but I'm not entirely sure it's the fault of this product. I'll have to wear it more to be certain. I might go back & try a different color but I'm more excited to try the e/s's.
UPDATE 6/2011~~ It wasn't the gloss drying my lips, I've decided I like the color (when I use self tanner), the doe foot still puts on too much product but I've at least become accustomed to the size. I've added a few more colors to my stash as well. These last decently, maybe 2-3 hours?
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Primer/ Corrector -Maybelline - Instant Age Rewind Primer Skin Transformer
snarkywench 4/6/2010 3:32:00 AM
I bought this the other day after reading reviews. I've used it 3 times now. 2x under Revlon Color Stay Oily/Combination liquid & 1x under PF Mineral Wear Talc Free. This is similar in texture to Smashbox Original. I have to say I'm really liking the way this wears. I am generally not a fan of silicone primers as they feel too greasy for me or they are too greasy for me. This is neither. It goes on easily & leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. My makeup, both powder & liquid has applied & worn very nicely over this, though I think I prefer the Revlon to the PF. There has been no oxidation & no makeup slide off. I can't say it does anything for the appearance of pore size because I don't know if it's the makeup that's doing it or this primer but I do like that the makeup doesn't seem to be settling into my pores or lines either as far as I can tell & I have worn this for more than 12 hours at a time. I've never really been a primer user before, outside of using milk of magnesia, which works great btw. The others I have tried were just too greasy or ineffective. With this I don't even notice it's there. I use it over my non-oil free moisturizer too. For the price( $8 ) & the results I would definitely recommend & buy again.
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Liquid -Revlon - ColorStay Makeup
snarkywench 4/3/2010 4:01:00 AM
OK so I caved & bought this last night after scouring the reviews here for foundations. I'm needing a new, less expensive, one but I haven't used a liquid in years so I'm hopeful this won't be a waste of $. I did like that the very lightest shade *seems* to be a match for my Casper-ish self it's ivory 110. I bought the Oily/Combination version but I haven't had the opportunity to wear it yet so I'll do a full review once I have. I already don't like the bottle though, there's no really sanitary way to get it out. On the plus side it was only
$10.
*~*~4/5/10...I got to wear this for the second time today but today was the real test since I had to work. I work at a gas station/car wash & had to spray out the wash bay tonight so it got a workout with moisture & humidity tonight too.
What I did: I used this over my moisturizer and the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Primer(review to come) and dusted PF mineral wear duo powder foundation over the top. I have to say I'm thrilled!! The color matches perfectly, so well I don't even have to bring it down to the neck which is a big thumbs up. I left for work around 1 & got home after 11pm, did laundry & colored my hair before I took it off. It's 2am now. I did touch my Tzone before removing to see if there was anything going on & there was just a very slight tacky feel & very little shine! There was no oxidation, the products didn't slide & it covered pretty much everything I wanted it to cover and didn't feel or look like I was wearing a mask! I like sheer to medium coverage. Also I applied this right up to my water line & didn't notice any exaggeration of lines just looked like me but better/more evened out. My pores did not disappear(I have large ones) but they didn't looked huge either and for the wear I got out of these products today, I'm extremely satisfied. It's been years since I tried a liquid foundation but, thanks to all the reviewers here, I've found a very good one at a price I can live with.
Pros: Color match!. sheer to medium coverage, doesn't feel like it's on your face, helps control oil, durable, stands up to moisture/humidity, not streaky, didn't oxidize. Cost!
Cons: dries very quickly/ you have to work fast, in a glass bottle & no pump so not very sanitary(I used qtips& fingers but need to figure out something else)... scent is a bit paint like but does go away.
This could be my HG summer foundation! Thanks MUAer's!!
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Lotions/ Creams -Gold Bond - Ultimate Restoring Skin Therapy Lotion with CoQ10
snarkywench 4/3/2010 3:32:00 AM
I saw this last night and I'm always buying new hand/body lotions because while I have combo skin on my face, everywhere else is dry dry dry. This interested me because I'm noticing that my hands are looking old, thinning skin a few spots, yeah spots & I'm not even 40 grrr, plus I'm constantly washing them & can't always moisturize. Anyway I used to love Olay total effects hand cream but I don't think they make it anymore. I've had this on for a few hours now, it's very thick but creamy & not overly greasy & sinks in to my skin quite nicely. My hands look plumped up, like they've gotten a nice drink of water & they feel baby soft. If this keeps up I'll be extremely happy. The tube I bought was under $6 & the pump is around $8. I may go back for the pump but I like tubes because you can get all of the product out. Erm yeah, after reading the other reviews about the pump I think I'll stick with the tube. Oh & I didn't even notice the scent. :)
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Powder -Physicians Formula - Mineral Wear Talc-Free Illuminating Powder Duo
snarkywench 4/3/2010 2:58:00 AM
I was on a mission last night for a few things...One was a foundation that's cheaper than my current HG, philosophy ABC. After reading reviews, I was going to pick up the PF mineral wear foundation single but I saw this one instead & decided to give it a try since it had 2 colors I was looking at purchasing anyway.
This isn't a real review as I haven't really tried the product yet(other than on my arm), it's just my first impressions...Right away even before buying I had a feeling I wasn't going to like the packaging, it's a double sided container like you see in the picture, you can pull up the tab closure to open only one side at a time which is nice but the tabs seem a little flimsy, like they'll break after too much use. There is a spot for the brush to clip in which is handy but unnecessary unless you find a better brush, more on that in a minute. Once open, you have to finesse it to get them to close properly, at least the fist side you close; if you have one side already closed that makes it easier
The included brush is a horrible scratchy nightmare, it's white tipped with blue(again like the picture) which was my first clue that it wasn't going to be anything I'd want near my face. I can't imagine anyone actually using this brush but I suppose the PF people felt compelled to provide one. I'd happily pay less not to have this brush because the only thing it *might* be good for is an art class.
The powder itself seems nicely done, better than I was expecting actually, especially for only $10. I'm looking forward to using it on my face instead of just my forearm. I picked creamy light & natural light as they were the lightest shades available. They are a touch yellow for my PPP cool tones; but virtually disappear on my skin, leaving it like me but better. It is fairly sheer, which I'm hoping can be built up a little bit like another reviewer said. I didn't notice any shine/luminosity/sparkle but my "swatch" wasn't a large one. I saw on the PF the website & now here in the other reviews that they lists translucent & light as a color option, which I did not notice at the store, this might be a better color option for my Casper-ish self & I will look for it if I decide it's something I like. I will update this once I've actually used it.
***UPDATE*** 4/7/10... I used this the other day when I went out. I applied it over a non-oil free moisturizer and the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Primer that I'm loving so far. I used my own brush for this, a BE kabuki, and I wore the lighter of the 2 shades, it was a little yellow for me as I thought. The powder went on smoothly with no blotchiness but, there was virtually no coverage either. I tried to build the areas I felt needed it but started looking too powdery & the little hairs on my face were accentuated. I tried to tame it down with a bit of water spritzed on top (I don't have a setting spray) & this helped enough that I felt ok leaving the house. There was no noticeable shine/metallic look to me & my friends didn't comment on it, so if it was there it wasn't overly noticeable or they were being nice. After I got back home (10 hours later) I looked in the mirror & saw some shine in the tzone from oil coming through but no shine anywhere else. Concerns for me are the tzone, pores, fine lines & some unevenness. The tzone showed oil & I felt like this did settle into my pores as the evening progressed but not so much the lines, it's odd. This did even out the overall color of my skin, no redness showed even with the sheerness of the product.
I will continue to use this but most likely only as a finishing powder or if I just want to even things up a bit. I get better coverage from a pressed powder. I may try applying it with a puff & see if that makes a difference, if so I'll let you know. I will not repurchase.
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Fragrances -Philosophy - Falling in Love
snarkywench 4/2/2010 2:27:00 AM
I usually like Philosophy scents because they're not overpowering but this, for me, was a total bust. I like food scents & sweet scents but this was so sweet you could practically feel cavities forming. To me it smelled like cotton candy, which has never been a favorite... I sold it on ebay :p
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