Lip Gloss -Milani - 3D Glitzy Glamour Gloss
spinthedeck 1/5/2012 9:59:00 PM
I am loving these 3D Glitzy Glamour glosses - they are sparkly & fun in a pretty, subtle & sophisticated way, i.e. a glittery gloss for grown-ups. The microglitter is abundant & not gritty at all; Fashion Diva & In Vogue smell like vanilla frosting while Leading Lady doesn't seem to smell at all (bummer for me!) They have decent staying power with minimal stickiness. I’m not a fan of the brush & would prefer a doe-foot sponge applicator instead, but I’m thinking the brush ensures transfer of the glitter to your lips better than a sponge? I also wish they would seal the glosses for safety/hygiene. My two other very minor complaints are the somewhat lame name & gaudy packaging, but the good far outweighs the bad & I can’t wait to try some other shades incl Movie Star & Stylish.
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Lip Gloss -Milani - 3D Glitzy Glamour Gloss - Leading Lady
spinthedeck 1/5/2012 9:57:00 PM
Milani accurately describes Leading Lady (LL) as “Rose-Berry w/Pink & Gold Sparkles.” It’s a very wearable, neutral shade especially compared to the more vibrant shades in the collection. I exchanged In Vogue (Red w/Pink Sparkles) for LL b/c IV was way too bright for my pale skintone. LL doesn’t smell like vanilla frosting like IV or Fashion Diva does, but the microglitter is abundant, not gritty at all & has decent staying power w/minimal stickiness. LL is a very pretty neutral sparkly shade that I’ll definitely repurchase when I run out. I only wish they would seal the glosses for safety/hygiene & change the somewhat lame name & gaudy packaging!
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Lip Gloss -Milani - 3D Glitzy Glamour Gloss - In Vogue
spinthedeck 12/22/2011 6:11:00 PM
After falling in love with Fashion Diva (FD), I tried In Vogue (IV) but it's just too bright for my pale skin. I knew it would be a bright reddish-fuschia, but unfortunately it's just too bright, I know I'll never wear it. While I don't have any application/wear issues with FD, I found that I couldn't get IV to apply/stay on my top lip - I apparently grabbed a tube with a wonky brush that felt like it was split in half when I applied it, so maybe that had something to do w/it? As w/FD, I found the microglitter to be abundant but not gritty at all & I like the vanilla frosting smell. I'm bummed but not entirely surprised that this shade was too bright for my coloring; f you have a medium to darker complexion this will no doubt look amazing on you. I plan to exchange IV for another shade, but may give it another shot next summer when I have a tan b/c it is such a pretty, bright & cheery color! Update: I exchanged IV for Leading Lady, a Rose-Berry w/Pink & Gold Sparkles, which is a pretty neutral & much more wearable shade.
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Hair Color -L'Oreal - Preference Shine Extending Hair Color
spinthedeck 2/5/2011 5:28:00 PM
I was originally using Excellence 6-Light Brown (which I LOVE) but wanted to try Preference in 5 1/2 AM-Medium Copper Brown for the Fall/Winter b/c it looked like an amazing color on the box, so I bought two boxes when they were on sale. I used the first box a few days before Christmas & I was not happy at all w/the results - it turned my light brown hair very dark brown with no copper or reddish tones to be found! It wasn't like I had to go get it fixed professionally, it just didn't look anything remotely close to the shade pictured on the box so that was very disappointing. Since I had the second box anyways (& hoping the previous results were just a fluke) I colored again this week & while my hair came out less dark this time around w/some reddish tones, I wish it was more coppery auburn like the shade on the box. I find that Excellence color has more tones & highlights while Preference is more one dimensional. I also felt like I lost A TON more hair while rinsing it out than I did with Excellence or when I use Revlon Colorsilk. Excellence also includes a pre-color serum for the ends of hair that Preference doesn't, another reason I plan to switch back to Excellence.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Insta-Dri Jumpin' Jade
spinthedeck 10/22/2010 4:10:00 PM
The deep green color & quick dry ability are the only things even remotely redeeming a/b this polish. The wide wand & brush makes for extremely awkward application; having used traditional polish w/a "regular" brush for the last 25+ years, I've developed a system for how best to apply it (as I'm sure most people have!) & this brush just feels "weird" to use. I tried using it 3 different times before finally accepting this style brush is simply not for me - maybe if you can master the brush you'll feel differently. I also found it's EXTREMELY difficult to fully remove from my nails (even with a basecoat layer) & my skin/cuticles (which inevitably get painted as a result of the damn brush!) I agree w/others that you could get away w/one coat, but it will chip w/in a day or two, even with a topcoat. All in all, it's yet another example of a product that sounds great in theory (One coat fast dry application with state of the art brush!) but fails to perform in reality.
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Cleansers -Olay - Sensitive Skin Foaming Face Wash
spinthedeck 10/1/2010 2:57:00 PM
LOVE this stuff! It's cheap ($5 retail), free of oil, fragrance, dyes & drying soap & effectively removes makeup w/o overdrying. There are always coups in the paper for Olay facial cleansers so you can usually get this for $3 or $4 & a little goes a long way, making it a definite bargain buy. It's simply a little workhorse of a cleanser at a fabulous price!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Aveeno - Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser
spinthedeck 10/1/2010 2:43:00 PM
I used this in the Spring & Summer in order to keep breakouts at bay; I have sensitive acne-prone skin & got totally sucked in by the foaming aspect of this cleanser, the Salicylic Acid (SA) & soy extracts it contains. I was hopeful it would help prevent zits w/o drying out my skin. That all said, it's ok for a drugstore cleanser (retail $8) - I didn't notice my skin getting any better nor any worse. Actually, I just read in Paula Begoun's "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me" that it contains only 0.5% SA: "Such a small amount of SA is only somewhat effective against breakouts, though even if it could have an effect, it would be rinsed down the drain before it had a chance to do anything." I guess this explains why I didn't see much of an improvement in my skin. I also don't feel that it removes makeup thoroughly enough. I don't plan to repurchase.
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Lipstick -Maybelline - Color Sensational - Bronze Beam
spinthedeck 9/2/2010 3:27:00 PM
Although Bronze Beam (BB) is one of the darker colors in the Pearls collection, I was surprised at how little it showed up on my lips. It's a very light bronze w/a gold shimmery tone; I currently have a tan & wonder if it may show up better w/my usual pale skin? I applied a little foundation, bronze lip liner & then BB to see if that would help, but it didn't. It feels wonderful going on, very emollient but that leads me to believe the staying power may be minimal. At $7.50 for a DS lipstick, I plan on returning it for a more pigmented non-Pearls shade, but f you're looking for a softer bronze/brown color w/golden shimmer, this may be for you.
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Lips -Maybelline - Color Sensational Lipstain
spinthedeck 9/2/2010 3:05:00 PM
I bought this in Bit of Brown thinking it would be a great base for lipstick or gloss. When I put it on, my lips began to tingle & midlly burn as the stain clung to any bits of dry skin on my lips. The color was a muddy, ugly looking brown, not at all flattering. I think it may be high in alcohol which would explain the tingling/burning. I exfoliated my lips & tried again the next day, but Ifound the texture just too drying & the color ust plain ugly. I exchanged it for a Color Sensational lipstick in Bronze Beam (which, on a separate note, while being one of the darker Pearl colors, barely showed up.) I guess I should stick w/Maybelline lipgloss instead?
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Polishes -Revlon - Scented - Gum Drop #325
spinthedeck 7/11/2010 9:42:00 PM
This shade surprised me - I didn't think I was going to like it as much as I did. Yes, it took three coats for complete coverage, but with use of the Revlon Extra Life top coat, my nails stayed chip-free for almost 7 days! It's a really pretty blue-ish lavendar, perfect for spring and summer. It complements tan skin beautifully and is much more neutral than you would think...what a nice surprise! I'm so glad I didn't pass this color by.
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Polishes -Revlon - Scented - Grape Icy 330
spinthedeck 7/11/2010 9:30:00 PM
Gorgeous shade of medium purple, I received a bunch of compliments when wearing this color. The girl who painted my nails at the salon recommended using a third coat b/c it went on so sheer, but I've recently purchased a bunch of Revlon polishes & it seems like that's par for the course w/this brand. I guess Revlon polishes aren't as concentrated/highly pigmented as the "real" salon brands (OPI, Essie, China Glaze.) The whole scent gimmick is kind of cool, my nails actually did kind of smell like a grape popsicle for a few hours, but it's the color that drew me in; it's a beautiful shade especially if you're a fan of purple.
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Polishes -Revlon - Lilac Pastelle #185
spinthedeck 7/11/2010 9:20:00 PM
In the bottle it looks like the absolute most perfect shade of lilac...on the nails, well that's another story! It's definitely a pastel pink w/a lilac tinge & while I was able to get away w/using only two coats, it goes on very streaky. I was hoping for a slight shimmer to the polish also, but it goes on pretty opaque. I like Revlon's Gum Drop (a blue-ish lavendar color) much better than this, Lilac Pastelle is just too darn pink!!
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Polishes -L'Oreal - Waters Edge
spinthedeck 7/4/2010 9:49:00 PM
I had never bought L'Oreal nail polish before & I never will again after purchasing Waters Edge. Yes, it's a beautiful teal color from the Summer 2010 Passport to Paradise Collection (which has been rumored to mirror the Essie North Fork collection) that screams "Summer!!" Unfortunately, the formula is ridiculously thick & goes on streaky no matter what. I tried w/a basecoat, w/o a basecoat, two super thin coats, three super thin coats -- nothing helped. While the polishes are cheaper than OPI & Essie, the quality of the formula is definitely not on par w/the other brands. Yet another instance of "you get what you pay for..." I ended up returning it.
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Fragrances -Coty - Pure Orchid by Halle Berry
spinthedeck 7/4/2010 9:21:00 PM
After smelling a sample of HB Pure Orchid in a magazine, I had high hopes for this fragrance. After buying, however, it took me a few days to figure out if I liked this & wanted to keep or return it. I originally felt like all I could smell was the orchid floral, but after a min or two I definitely became much more aware of the blackberry & vanilla. I decided that it was worth keeping b/c it is pretty & reminds me of my wedding day, when I carried a big bouquet or orchids. I also thought b/c it was an EDP it would have decent staying power....it doesn't. I definitely don't plan to repurchase.
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Hair Color -Revlon - Colorsilk
spinthedeck 2/24/2010 10:03:00 PM
Wanting a deep brown base w/reddish highlights I bought # 32 - Dark Mahogany Brown & # 44 - Auburn Brown, used half of each color & ended up w/a rich, deep brown w/reddish highlights - perfect! Yes, the conditioner (which is awesome btw) comes in a little packet & the gloves are thin, but for around $2 I'm not complaining! It covers gray completely, fades gradually & leaves my hair looking shiny & healthy. I have thick shoulder-length hair & one box offered more than enough color. Yes, my hair did feel like straw after washing the color out, but I'm guessing that's the norm w/any haircolor & just a side effect of the dyeing process? I applied the conditioner (which literally MELTS into the hair) & used a wide-tooth comb to comb through - my hair instantly felt satiny smooth. The only con I can note is that my highlights aren't as multi-dimensional as w/salon color, but for $2 compared to $100, I am more than satisfied! I'd def recommend Colorsilk to anyone especially b/c of the price & the fact that Revlon doesn't test on animals, which is always a plus in my book!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No