Palettes -BeneFit Cosmetics - Smokin' Eyes
strix 12/23/2011 6:37:00 PM
PRODUCTS: All 3 shadows are very pigmented. Just as good as any of the top eyeshadow brands like MAC or UD. The Eye Bright works really well for inner corner highlighting but you have to make sure your finger is super clean before you use it-- otherwise it gets gross. The tweezers are cheapo but they work for traveling. The tiny double-ended brush is surprisingly functional. The eyeliner pencil is okay but very hard and uncomfortable to apply. I prefer the darkest shadow in the palette for eyeliner and could do without the pencil. I usually never use the instructions that are included with palettes like this because I'm pretty good with makeup, but for some reason smokey eyes have always been difficult for me. So, I tried using the instructions and I was VERY pleased with the results. I have fair, rosy skin with gray-green eyes and I found the pewter color contrasted with the pale pink highlight color to be quite flattering. It does look really dramatic though because my skin is so fair. Definitely more of an evening look. PACKAGING: I don't really like the graphics on the outside of the palette. It's kinda tacky. But in terms of functionality, it works really well for traveling. There's a magnet that keeps the top shut, and it also keeps the tweezers in place so you don't lost them. PRICE: $36, not bad for all of the products that are included
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Concealers -BeneFit Cosmetics - Erase Paste in Fair
strix 12/23/2011 6:09:00 PM
I purchased this once before a couple of years ago and didn't like it because I found it cakey. But I recently bought it again in a moment of weakness because I was on a Benefit kick. Surprisingly, the second time around I really liked this. Now that I am more skilled with makeup, I realize that I was applying too much before and that's why it was cakey. A little goes a long way with this stuff. So expensive, but like I said, it doesn't take much to do the job. When I applied this, I immediately saw a difference. My dark circles were gone, thus making my eyes pop much more. Many undereye concealers are too yellow for me, but Erase Paste is much rosier so it's good for pink-toned, fair-skinned women. This product also covers my acne quite well. I would say it's full coverage. It's a bonus that the packaging is so fun and colorful!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -BeneFit Cosmetics - BADgal Lash
strix 12/18/2011 9:57:00 AM
I think mascara is probably the most personal kind of makeup, meaning that everybody has a different opinion about what they like. I personally like lengthening and separating mascara that dries quickly and doesn't clump. For me, Badgal lash fits all of those, so it's a perfect fit for me. It won't add a ton of volume to your lashes, but I like that because I find that the "volumizing" mascaras are usually clumpy. Badgal makes my lashes look natural but longer and better defined. Unlike other mascaras, it doesn't smudge or flake. If you want something better but similar to Badgal, try Dior Iconic-- it has a similar look but is slightly better performing. If you are looking for something more dramatic, try Benefit's They're Real mascara.
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Brows -Christian Dior - Eyebrow Pencil
strix 12/18/2011 9:51:00 AM
I love Dior products usually, but I cannot believe how bad this pencil is. First of all, I bought Blonde, and it looks completely red on my brows. Awful, and completely unnatural. Second, it's difficult to apply. The pencil tip is hard rather than soft so you feel like you're coloring on your brows with a regular pencil. Ick. If you're blonde or a light brunette, save yourself some money and trouble, and get yourself the Benefit brow pencil. But, if you're a redhead, this could be the pencil you've been searching for, if the hardness of the pencil doesn't deter you.
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Brows -BeneFit Cosmetics - Instant Brow Pencil (All Colors)
strix 12/18/2011 9:46:00 AM
I have been searching for a natural-looking brow pencil for a long time, and I have finally found it. I use the "Light" shade, and I have light brown honey-colored hair. This pencil is the exact same shade as my brows, which is why it works so well for me. I'd recommend swatching it in the store to see if you have a good match before buying since everyone's brows are different. The texture is smooth and soft, so I don't feel like I'm drawing on my face with a hard pencil. In comparison to the Dior Blonde brow pencil, which seems to be a popular one, the Benefit pencil is softer, less red and more of an ashy blond color. I love the little brow brush on the other end- it's exactly what I need to make my brows look less like a muppet. They don't call Benefit the brow experts for nothin'.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Iconic High Definition Lash Curler Mascara
strix 11/22/2011 10:21:00 PM
This is one of the best (if not THE best) mascaras I've used. It is not goopy, clumpy, too wet, too dry, smudgy, or flaky. It makes my lashes look a lot longer, and hold their curl. The brush is so great at coating individual lashes that it looks like I'm not wearing mascara-- it looks like I just have naturally long, dark lashes, which is exactly what mascara should do! It lasts all day too. I have tried a ton of drug-store and high-end mascaras, including the popular ones like Fresh Supernova, Benefit (badgal and they're real), the regular DiorShow (too clumpy), and Chanel Inimitable (very good mascara). This one is my favorite so far!
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Blush -Christian Dior - DiorBlush #639 Sunkissed Cinnamon
strix 11/10/2011 11:34:00 PM
I'm very pale (usually the lightest or second-to-lightest shade of foundations) and I have a hard time finding a nude blush that doesn't look muddy on me. I usually wear coral blush, but for the fall and winter days that I want a more nude look, I reach for Sunkissed Cinnamon.The shimmer is subtle and not that noticeable, which I like. The color really is like cinnamon, but a sheer version. And not orangey at all. It gives my face a nice glow, almost like a bronzer but not quite. It has been my go-to blush for the entire fall season this year. The packaging is sturdy, luxurious, and has a decent travel brush inside as well as a mirror.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Origins - Checks and Balances
strix 11/10/2011 11:25:00 PM
What a great cleanser! I have sensitive, acne-prone skin that's easily irritated. I needed something mild enough not to dry my skin out, but effective enough to wash away excess oil. This cleanser suits my needs perfectly. It smells great, like Celestial Seasonings "Sleepy Time" tea. Very calming like mint, lavender, and chamomile. The lather is nice and slightly exfoliating. I think this is my new HG.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Burberry - Body
strix 11/10/2011 11:16:00 PM
Body smells so generic and boring. More boring than any of the other scents I own. It also doesn't last long at all. Someone else used the word 'underwhelming,' and I think that's very accurate. I didn't give it 1 star because at least it doesn't stink. It's not a bad smell. Just doesn't really smell like anything!
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Fragrances -Viktor & Rolf - Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb
strix 11/6/2011 4:42:00 PM
Flowerbomb doesn't smell remotely how I'd expect a "flower bomb" to smell. It's much warmer. More spicy, oriental. When you first spray it though, it smells like candy or sugar. That syrupy element of the fragrance smells a little bit trashy to me. Like what someone would be wearing at a club when they want to hook up. But it mellows out, and what's left are sweet flowers, something powdery and patchouli. Actually, now that I think about it, it smells like the Narciso Rodriguez perfume, but not as overpowering. The scent lingers on your skin- it has good lasting power. However, after just using the rollerball and not putting very much on at all, my boyfriend said to me a full 2 hours later that whatever perfume I was wearing was too strong and it made him feel sick. Guess that's the end of that for me. I think this perfume would make a nice winter scent because of its warmth and slight headiness, but I prefer Dolce & Gabbana The One for an everyday winter fragrance.
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Fragrances -Chloe - Love, Chloé
strix 11/5/2011 10:46:00 PM
Love Chloe is very powdery. Almost like straight-up baby powder with a slight rice and rose tone. Unlike the regular Chloe perfume, which smells like roses, this is more of an amber, oriental fragrance. However, after about 30 minutes of powder, it starts to smell like the other Chloe perfume, more floral. The bottle is pretty, and I love the rose gold/copper color of it. It's a nice scent, and I really wanted to love it, but the powder can sometimes be so strong that it reminds me of grandmas and mothballs. So I won't repurchase.
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Fragrances -Christian Dior - Miss Dior Cherie
strix 11/5/2011 10:14:00 PM
Miss Dior is the sweetest scent I own. It can be a little bit sickly sweet at first. Because of that, I don't wear it every day. But it's the perfect girly scent when I want to feel classy, young, and feminine. I think it's appropriate for a college girl or a woman in her 20s, which reminds me...I should probably wear it more before I get too old (I'm 25)! It smells most powerfully of strawberries, with some floral mixed in. For some reason, when I wear it, it makes me feel like I'm strolling down a Paris street wearing something chic. Maybe it's the bottle, maybe it's because it's pink. It's definitely one of my favorites. I'd put it in the same category as Marc Jacobs Daisy, but this one is more fruity than floral.
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Fragrances -Chloe - Chloe (EDP new)
strix 11/5/2011 10:02:00 PM
Chloe smells like roses and clean laundry. The roses are just a bit too strong for me. It makes me sneeze. I do like floral scents, but this one is overpowering. It's definitely a feminine scent. Not too young, not too old. I'd say it's best for a woman in her 20s-30s. My boyfriend wasn't a fan of it either. I wore it for 2 weeks straight, and every time I'd spray it in the morning, he'd cringe and tell me that he didn't like it. It's not a "stinky" scent, it just makes my nose runny and itchy.
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Fragrances -Marc Jacobs - Daisy
strix 11/4/2011 8:36:00 PM
Daisy is a great everyday scent for a working woman in her twenties. It's unique enough to be recognizable, classy and "normal" enough for the office, but also makes me feel feminine. It is definitely a daytime scent. Not for a sexy date, but for a sunny day, or a cloudy day to make you feel cheerful. It's more of a summer scent, but could be worn year-round. I love catching a whiff of it on myself at work and it gives me a little extra energy. Because I associate Daisy with my workdays, it's not my absolute favorite scent, but this is absolutely the perfume of a classy and positive woman. It doesn't in any way seem trashy or offensive.
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Mascara -BeneFit Cosmetics - They're Real
strix 11/4/2011 8:23:00 PM
I can't figure out why everybody raves about this. I'm not a fan. Here's why: - it's clumpy and doesn't separate lashes - it makes my eyes itch, and mascara usually doesn't bother me. - it clumps and falls off throughout the day, and if god forbid, it smudges, it's impossible to fix quickly - speaking of which, when I go to take it off at the end of the day, it takes quite a bit of scrubbing, even with my waterproof eye makeup remover. I prefer Benefit Badgal lash, Chanel Inimitable, and Fresh Supernova.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No