Tinted Moisturizer -BeneFit Cosmetics - You Rebel Lite Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15
colorcat 3/24/2009 10:15:00 AM
Pros: I have very dry sensitive skin, and this product was more moisturizing than most TMs (which tend to not be moisturizing at all). And while You Rebel Lite is too orange/yellow/dark for me, it did have the look of a tan, kinda, which isn't all bad. Cons: My skin started tingling and burning the second this went on. Tried it 3 days in a row: each day, it hurt my skin. Don't know why: I don't typicaly have such a strong reaction to other TMs or sunscreens. Then I started breaking out big-time--huge cystic bumps--which hasn't been a problem for me in a long time. As soon as I stopped using You Rebel Lite, the breakouts stopped. In short: this product was extremely irritating to my sensitive skin, it's strangely colored, and it caused huge breakouts. If you have sensitive skin, proceed with caution.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Christian Dior - Dior Addict High-Shine Lipstick New Look Beige #220
colorcat 3/12/2009 10:14:00 AM
I love the Dior Addict High Shine lipsticks, but alas this color was not for me. I don't do well in light beige, and should have known better--it washes me out. But someone looking for sheer beige to mute their lips when doing a smokey eye look will love this. My dissastifaction is no fault of the product itself: I love the shine, the creamy/moisturizing texture, and the polished but sheer look. I just chose the wrong color...will make up for it by buying other colors soon!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Chanel - Lift Lumiere Fluid
colorcat 3/10/2009 5:36:00 PM
Magical stuff. I have terrible luck with foundations: always have to combine at least 2 shades for a so-so color match, and have a difficult time finding something that works on my ridiculously dry skin...without being so heavy and oily it feels disgusting. Lift Lumiere fits the bill perfectly. It is not nearly as overtly moisturizing as Vitalumiere, so I thought it would not work for me. (I have long loved Vitalumiere--tho I do find it too heavy and thick, and the scent is strong, and the colors do not work for me!) With Lift Lumiere, as long as I moisturize thoroughly first, it works brilliantly. Even today, I didn't put quite enough moisturizer on before putting on the Lift Lumiere and I thought--damn, I'm going to look crepey and dry. But, as others have said, I let about 10-15 mins go by...and the magic happened. The foundation just...melded...with my skin. No caking or dry patches--just luminous and beautiful skin. I don't like to wear a lot of foundation, and I prefer sheer-ish coverage, so I use a little less than a pump of this for my whole face--again, as others have said, a little seems to go a long way with this. That relatively small amount perfectly evens my skin tone and make me glow--but never in an oily way. I've also mixed this 50/50 with moisturizer (on a particularly dry day) and the results were wonderful. Color-wise, Ivoire works well for me. For once I don't have to mix 2 shades together! Very unusual for me--and especially with Chanel foundations (usually too yellow--even tho I have slightly yellow skin). I find this version of Ivoire to be slightly browner, rather than yellow as I find Gentle Ivory or as orange as I find Cameo in Vitalumiere. Ivoire seems to complement my skin color decently. (UPDATE: 6 months later I still LOVE this foundation--but discovered (via photographs) that Ivoire is not the color for me. Too dark. I'm using Faience 0.5 now. It looks too light when I first put it on--then 5 minutes later is the perfect color on my skin. As I said before...magic.) Overall, I strongly encourage other dry-skinned women, especially over 40, to try this one. Experiment a little. Use a fair amount of moisturizer first. And maybe use less foundation than you normally would at first. I hope, like me, you'll find this illuminates your skin beautifully. I have, after literally decades of looking, found my first Holy Grail foundation. Thank you, Chanel--and thanks all you MUA-ers who reviewed this and so encouraged me to give it a try! (I will say that I can understand why less-dry-skinned people may not love this. I do get luminous from this, as I said. It's NOT at all oily on me: looks dewy and lovely yet my skin is dry to the touch. (Unlike with Vitalumiere, which is just plain oily, both in look and feel.) However, "luminous" or "dewy" might not be the look that naturally more oily-skinned people want.)
18 out of 18 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Boscia - Recharging Night Moisture
colorcat 2/20/2009 9:17:00 AM
I'm impressed. I have extremely dry skin (especially in winter) that's very sensitive and irritated by most skincare products. Plus, it's acne-prone. (Yes, I hit the skin trifecta.) Recharging Night Moisture is one of the extremely few moisturizers that a) provides enough moisture to actually keep my skin moisturized and smooth throughout the day (tho I have to use 4-5 pumps full per application!); b) doesn't make my skin burn and turn red; and c) doesn't cause breakouts. I use this during the day, not at night, and it quickly soaks in and fully moisturizes without making me greasy. Provides a good base for makeup. The moisturizing properties last all day. I'm so glad I found this. I know my skin--especially in its extreme dryness this winter--may not be typical. For people with oily skin, this may not work; and most seem to prefer using it at night. But if you have really dry and sensitive skin, you should give this a try--as a day cream. I got a sample and tried it without expecting anything better than the other things I tried...and was very pleasantly surprised. One note: although the price isn't terrible compared to many high-end moisturizers I've tried (and not loved), I have to use so much of this that it becomes expensive for me. It's worth it--but it ain't cheap. UPDATE: I've found that using Boscia's Revitalizing Hydra-Lift under the Recharging Night Moisture works even better for me. I use 2 pumps of Hydra-Lift, followed by 1-2 pumps of Night Moisture. So I use significantly less Night Moisture--and get even better-moisturized skin. Hurray for Boscia! UPDATE six months later: this product is okay, but a little waxy. I now prefer Kiehl's Panthenol Protein Moisturizing Face Cream. A lifesaver for dry skin.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Korres - Wild Rose Foundation
colorcat 2/15/2009 12:48:00 PM
This is too drying for my dry skin (tho I see, from the reviews below, that it's too oily for oily skin). However, my problem isn't with the moisture level--I often add moisturizer to foundation, and could do so with this one. No, that's not the problem. The problem is the colors/shades. WRF1 is too light. WRF2 is WAY too yellow/orange. WRF3 is far too dark. I've had this problem with other Korres foundations: the shades are a terrible match for my fair relatively neutral to very slightly yellow skin. However, I gave this 2 lippies for being more natural in terms of ingredients--I love this trend in skin care and cosmetics.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Clinique - Supermoisture Makeup
colorcat 2/7/2009 11:17:00 AM
EDIT: Ended up really disliking this: it clumps in pores and applies unevenly, plus it is indeed oddly sparkley. Moved on a year or so ago to Chanel's Lift Lumiere and couldn't be happier. Just left this part of my original review in case it's helpful: As for the colors, they aren't bad: I have fair slightly yellow skin that also has some red in it (yes, confusing), and I use Linen (light, very slightly yellow/neutral) mixed with a small bit of Ivory (darker, neutral/pink). Sometimes I mix the 2 with moisturizer to thin out the consistency (and increase hydration) because I do find the finish slightly thicker than I like. I don't mind the mixing of colors, because I rarely find a good match in any foundation.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Bindi - Neem Oil
colorcat 2/2/2009 11:48:00 AM
I used Pratima Skincare Neem Oil (she started Bindi, it's the same product) for 7 years. I have dry, acne-prone sensitive skin, and this product really helped me: gave me moisture without causing breakouts. I also think using the oil from my mid 30s into my early 40s helped reduce wrinkles--hurray! However, I no longer use it because I just don't find it moisturizing enough. I have lived in northern New England for the past 3 years, and Neem Oil doesn't cut it in the winter here, even with additional moisturizer on top. (And if I add too heavy a moisturizer on top, I break out.) I've now switched to jojoba oil, which is definitely more moisturizing and doesn't seem to cause breakouts. However, I think jojoba is more irritating, as I can't use it around my eyes the way I did Neem Oil for all those years. I guess this is a long way of saying: I whole-heartedly recommend this for normal/combo skin, and wish it still worked well for me. Great product. (Just don't like her new glass bottle, which is heavy and messy.)
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Bobbi Brown - Skin Foundation SPF 15
colorcat 1/29/2009 7:00:00 PM
Sorry to be the dissenter here, but I hated this foundation--and do NOT find it's right "for all skin types" as they claim. I have very dry, sensitive skin, and Skin Foundation SPF 15 was shockingly drying and uncomfortable on me. The second I put it on (over lots of moisturizer), every single wrinkle or wriggle in my skin was revealed...and every bit of moisture was sucked out. It looked and felt terrible. On the plus side, the shade (Warm Ivory) was a good match for my fair/yellowish skin. The coverage was more than I expected, at least medium, not sheer. I imagine this foundation could be great for the right skin type. But I need much more moisture, both in fact and in appearance (ala Chanel Vitalumiere, or BB TM or Tinted Extra Balm, or Clinique Supermoisture) and prefer slightly less coverage (again, like a TM). If you have dry, winter-stressed skin, definitely sample this before you buy.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Bobbi Brown - Creamy Lip Color in "Heather Mauve"
colorcat 1/26/2009 1:13:00 PM
I like the consistency and feel of BB's Creamy Lip Colors in general, but this color is terrible on me. There's little if any 'mauve' in it--it's a deadly cool gray-brown on me. Doesn't brighten, lighten, or flatter my fair skin in any way. Wish I'd sent it back...oh, well. That said, I'm glad she's expanded the colors in the line, because there are a few newer shades that are better for my coloring.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Alba Botanica - Organic Lavender SPF30
colorcat 1/21/2009 9:03:00 AM
Although I said I wouldn't buy this again, I actually have--twice. But I won't buy it ever again. First of all, as others have said, this product stings like CRAZY if it gets anywhere near my eyes. Really makes it difficult to use on anything except, say, chin and forehead. But it's organic, and I love the texture, and the SPF is high, so I thought I'd put up with it. However, I just read the ingredients and noticed it has parabens. I'm tired of "natural" brands using the buzz word "organic" and then stuffing their products full of toxic ingredients. So put all that together--stings the eyes, limited use, parabens--and I'm done with this product. Time to find something better!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Rimmel - Lasting Finish - Stylish
colorcat 12/30/2008 2:51:00 PM
This lipstick confuses me a bit: sometimes it pulls quite rose on my lips (like now), which I like; other times it's much more nude/brown, and doesn't look great. I put it away a month or so ago, giving up on it, but took it out this morning and am loving its shimmery rose color. Today I'm wearing a fair amount of pink blush so perhaps that's why the pink in the l/s is coming out more. Anyway...when it's pink like this, it's a 5; when it's brown/beige/orange-ish nude, it's a 1. (Hence the 3 I gave it.) For the record, I'm a warm-toned Studio Fix NC25/GA5 with rather pigmented (pink) lips. I won't buy it again, but mainly because I have waaaay too many lipsticks to repurchase any but HGs.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Dzing
colorcat 4/22/2008 9:00:00 PM
Well, as advertised, I'd say Dzing! smells like the circus--all the aspects of the circus, too, from the sweaty beasts to the sweet treats to the sawdust on the floor and the leather tack on the animals. The only thing it doesn't smell like, in my opinion, is a perfume. It smells like--smells. A bunch of interesting smells. It's kind of aromatic acrobatics...but it's not a perfume to me. While I like "visiting" it for a sniff, I don't see the point in smelling like it all day. I prefer to actually wear perfume.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Chanel - Soft Touch Eyeshadow-Cinnamon
colorcat 4/19/2008 10:19:00 AM
I'm impressed! I've been wearing Cinnamon for a few weeks now and it really is different from my other brown shadows. I use it (wet) as a liner along both upper and lower lashlines, and the brown-with-plum-undertone color is such a pleasant surprise! I've always looked good with plum liners, but they stand out too much: you know, when wearing them I'm the woman in the purple eye makeup. On the other hand, while brown is more subtle, it's also little dreary looking on me. Chanel's Cinnamon somehow combines the best of both worlds: the understated plum makes my eye color stand out, but the overall look is brown so the makeup itself doesn't stand out too much. Love it.
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Frederic Malle - Iris Poudre
colorcat 3/30/2008 3:50:00 PM
Iris Poudre is a HG scent for me. Based on the notes, I didn't think I would like it. I'm relatively indifferent to iris scents, typically find white-flower fragrances smothering, and used to detest aldehydes (tho as I get older I like them more and more). But to me IP doesn't particularly smell like any of those things. It smells lush, buttery, and mesmerizing. I cannot take a deep enough breath of IP when I wear it. It is rich and elegant--without ever being too fancy. This is a fragrance to wear in any situation, with any clothes: jeans, sneaks, and an old cashmere sweater or evening gown and heels. If I had to pick just one fragrance forever, I'd be devastated--but IP might be the one. My only caveat: I love it in spring, winter and fall, but hated it last summer (far too heavy). We'll see what this summer brings. UPDATE: Loved it last summer, too. Just perfect. Always get compliments when I wear it--in any season.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Frederic Malle - L'Eau d'Hiver
colorcat 3/30/2008 3:33:00 PM
A dreamy, fairytale scent. Mist-swept, mysterious. On my skin, after an initial burst of citrus (bergamot?) I get strong refreshing green--I picture a dark-green stalk growing out of an ice-covered stream. A little like the smell of trees after it's rained, or of kale or another green leafy veg after it's been washed. Sounds odd, yes, but I love the vegetal freshness of this fragrance. Simultaneously, there's a clear caramel note on me. I adore and admire this dance, this back and forth between bitter frosty green and warm caramel. In the background is the softness of heliotrope and musk. Any time I wear this I get compliments--as long as I get close enough to someone for them to smell it! Yes, a skin scent. But an unusually divine one: ethereal yet tender. Good for me all year round: cashmere-comforting in winter, bergamot-green cooling in summer.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No