Mascara -Anastasia Of Beverly Hills - Lash Genius Waterproof Topcoat
xtinahb 3/1/2013 11:12:00 AM
I love this. This is an absolute Top 5 I can never be without product. It 100% delivers on converting smeary, wet mascaras into absolute smudgefree formulas with all day (12-14 hour) endurance. I am actually mad I threw away so many mascaras before I discovered this. As a monolid, small-eyed Asian woman, I am plagued with raccoon eyes except for tubular mascaras. I was so envious of people who could wear L'oreal Voluminous or Diorshow since they just run down my face. No more! I literally top any mascara with this (currently Maybelline Plushies or Nars Volumizing) and it renders these formerly smudgey messes into longwearing beauties. HIGHLY recommend!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Mega Plush Waterproof
xtinahb 2/22/2013 2:42:00 PM
Aw man I was so optimistic! Great definition, no clumping, very soft texture, excellent curl hold on my spare, straight, short Asian lashes. It was beautiful for 4 straight hours. Then smears. And more smears. And some more smears. Topped off with some smudging. What a bummer. I really thought it was on it's way to a new daily work friendly mascara that made my lashes pretty and defined, but not too dramatic. Unfortunately, it isn't the case. The trash it goes.
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Highlighters -New York Color - Colour Wheel Mosaic Powder Translucent Highlighter Glow
xtinahb 2/21/2013 4:16:00 PM
What a pleasant surprise. I bought this because I forgot my powder at home, am a freak about shine, and I literally wanted the cheapest pressed powder at the drug store just to get me thru the day. Amazing at keeping the shine away! I keep checking my face in disbelief that it is still matte (but not flat!) with no shine after 4, 5, 6, hours. MUFE HD, Kett, Nars, none of them mattify as well as this $5 wheel. It is a winner.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Eve Lom - Cleanser
xtinahb 2/20/2013 12:23:00 PM
My review is based only on a 2 time experience after being given an Eve Lom sample and the muslin cloth. Combo dry skin, 33 years old, Asian woman. My skin loved this cleanser or maybe just the exfoliation of the cloth, it is hard to say. But I CAN say after doing the full ritual, my skin felt super soft, cleansed, and supple. It felt amazingly clean yet not dry whatsoever, which is amazing. I also had no teeny whiteheads which tends to happen after I use a mineral-oil based cleanser even one time (like Ponds, for ex), so maybe this oil is higher quality or the ingredients just work together better. Either way, while my skin loved it, my wallet would not. The fragrance is noticeable but I actually love those medicinal, eucalyptus type smells (v similar to Caudalie Beauty Elixir). Happy to experience it as a sample but would not spend that much money on just a cleanser I would need to rebuy. I get similar effects from my Mia and Cetaphil. EDIT 3/1/13 - took off 2 lippies. After just 4 cleanses, I developed 4 blemishes on my chin and forehead. This was the only new product so I can only imagine the oils were the culprit since I rarely breakout gratefully.. Too bad. It was really effective as a moisturizing cleanser! Just not willing to endure breakouts for it.
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Concealers -Maybelline - Fit Me
xtinahb 2/20/2013 11:23:00 AM
FIT me continues to impress. I purchased the undereye concealer in 20 after great experiences with the foundation (220 & 310) and powder (310). The concealer is creamy, covers my medium level darkness, and instantly brightens my NC30/C4 light tan Asian skin. Among the few times with new makeup where hubby looked at me and said, "Hm, something is different" (in a good way ha). And this is someone who can't tell when I have a five-alarm smokey eye! I dab with applicator, finger tap, blend w/ MAC 224, set with Kett or LM secret brightening, and it lasts a work day. I need to pat out creasing after 8 hours but that's reasonable to me. I also use as a brightener around my nose and smile lines too. Better than even Touche Eclat, IMO! Lighter formula and super blendable and very natural. Really loving the FIT me line!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Kevyn Aucoin - The Sensual Skin Tinted Balm
xtinahb 2/19/2013 4:44:00 PM
Amazing unique product. Light fluffy texture with a natural light-medium coverage and feels 100% weightless. Covers cheek redness but not nose redness or blemishes. Really evens out and finishes my complexion, but my natural skin clearly shows through, so it doesn't look like makeup. An IDEAL weekend / holiday makeup! I use shade SB03, the second to darkest shade, on my NC30/C4 light tan Asian skin. It is perfect as an in-between season shade but I will also buy the darkest shade for summertime. Add some light concealer around my circles and nose and I feel super fresh, pretty, natural. No breakouts, very little shine after 4 hours with no powder. When I set with powder, it goes about 6 with no shine. Unbelievable. Packaging is chic and very travel friendly. I only pack this and cream blush and mascara for vacations.It also has SPF 20. The downside is limited range for deeper skins which is too bad! Hopefully they will expand.
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Blush -TheBalm - Frat Boy
xtinahb 2/13/2013 2:21:00 PM
This naturally peachy pinky blush is on its way to HG for me, I can feel it! On my NC30 light tan Asian skin, it really gives me a healthy blushing glow that "finishes" my face, so I look natural, but still like I made a little effort :) The texture is amazing, on par with GA Sheer Blush; finely milled with a soft finish. Not sparkly, not powdery, just perfectly soft and glowing. The color is very slightly shimmery, but it doesn't read shimmery on my skin. No emphasized pores or glitter at all. I will definitely try other thebalm blushes!
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Mascara -MAC - Opulash
xtinahb 2/1/2013 11:42:00 PM
My first MAC mascara experience and very pleased! Lengthened, volumized, zero smudging after 11 hours, and easy wash-off removal. Curl hold is so-so and it does clump after 3 layers, so off 1 lippie. I have short, spare, straight Asian lashes and every formula I've tried smudges except Lashpower by Clinique and now...Opulash! It delivered decent drama, about a 7 on a scale of 1-10. It's a nice all rounder mascara.
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Lipstick -Too Faced - La Creme Color Drenched Lip Cream - Spice Spice Baby
xtinahb 1/31/2013 11:32:00 PM
Perfect rosy-peachy-pink brightening color on my NC30 light tan Asian pigmented lips. It is an easy color and compliments all of my pink and coral blushes. Disappointing staying power (2 hours, tops), but the balmy smooth texture is lovely and it wears away evenly. No weird flakes or build-up. It's like the Revlon Lip Butter texture and very comfortable to wear; I could reapply this a few times and didn't feel like i needed lip balm til about 6 hours later. Will buy in other shades!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Christian Dior - Diorskin Airflash
xtinahb 1/28/2013 9:49:00 AM
I'm a believer! Purchased in 300 Medium Beige for my light tan Asian NC30/C4 (neutral) combo dry complexion. Coverage is completely buildable, with 1 spray = medium, 2-3 = 100% flawless, but can look too perfect, flat, and makeup-y, so I prefer 1 spray all over then spraying direcly on a foundation brush and dabbing on areas that need more coverage. I do not set with powder since it can look too flat as mentioned. The finish is satin matte and does not pick up any of my dry patches. The longevity is ah-may-zing. A 6 hour evening and I never powdered once after apps, drinks, dinner, etc. Glad to have it in my (ever-expanding lol) rotation.
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Mascara -NARS - Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara
xtinahb 1/27/2013 11:15:00 PM
Almost perfect mascara on my straight, spare, short Asian lashes. Fabulous volume, length, and curl. So WHY the smudging? And yet, so hard to remove! The irony! I have yet to find anything else that enhances my skimpy lashes so well. It volumizes without weighing down, holds a curl all day in the blackest black color, and just really opens my eyes. My solution to the smudging is to add one quick layer of the Clinique lash power on top of the Nars and it seals it all in. As for removal, an oil based remover on a cotton pad pressed for 30 secs does the trick. A lotta work but I have yet to find anything else this good.
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Pressed Powders -Maybelline - Fit Me
xtinahb 1/25/2013 3:46:00 PM
Purchased in 310 Sunny Beige for my light tan Asian combo complexion (NC30/C4). I am a FIT Me fan. Very satisfied with color match, finish, longevity, and value. I wear 220 and 310 in the liquid mixed as my foundation and the 310 powder is perfect with a hint of warmth. It is sheer, matte but natural with T-zone shine appearing 8 hours later. A perfect setting powder, but not pigmented enough to use as a foundation. Compact is clumsy and cheap but I love the big mirror so it's a tradeoff. It is a mainstay in my purse!
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Lotions/ Creams -Queen Helene - Cocoa Butter Creme
xtinahb 1/15/2013 4:15:00 PM
This stuff is the BEST. I have terribly dry skin all over my body that gets itchy and flaky in the winter with the occasional eczema flare-up. I tried Eucerin, Cerave, Lubriderm, every OTC lotion in the market. My scratching drives my husband insane! Since I started using Queen Helene Cocoa Butter Creme over a year ago in its giant tub, I haven't had any more eczema flare-ups or itchiness! I couldn't believe it. My skin feels constantly moisturized and never itches or flakes. This is on my body, btw, I haven't used this on my face. It smells delicious, is creamy not greasy, and absorbs within a few minutes and dries to a supple, slightly damp finish, not quite 100% dry which is my preference. Quick absorbing lotions seem to disappear and and trap no moisture. Dirt cheap, smells great, and works amazing. A+.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Clarisonic - Mia
xtinahb 1/15/2013 4:01:00 PM
I received the Mia as a gift and definitely experienced benefits! It improved skin radiance, texture, and eliminated dry patches on my combo complexion. Pre-Mia, my skin was decent/good but slightly dull with dry patches and flakes. Post-Mia, when added to my routine of gentle glycolic face wash (Mario Badescu), evening Rx retinol (Renova), and a moisturizer and sunscreen (Amore Pacific), my skin's overall condition got much nicer! It is smoother, makeup looks better, and bare skin looks supple, soft, and glowy. I only use it every 2-3 days to prevent overexfoliation and barely skim my skin, per my derm, and it has really been great for my complexion.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express Colossal Cat Eyes
xtinahb 1/15/2013 10:24:00 AM
Great brush, smeary formula! I have stick straight short spare Asian lashes. I opt for length and flare rather than volume, since volumizing mascaras just weigh my lashes down, so I was excited to try Cat Eye! How disappointing. While it held a decent curl, delivered on the outer corner flare, and defined the lashes well, it smudged within 15 minutes. The only good thing about the formula is that it never clumps and builds well. But what's the point of piling on more mascara that smears? The 2 lippies is for the brush. I love it. It combs and seperates and holds a curl great. I actually threw away the mascara but use the wand in my Maybelline Falsies Flare tube.
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