Crème -Revlon - ColorStay Whipped Creme Makeup
yoyocanary 10/6/2012 9:42:00 PM
I find this foundation lasts extremely well on my dry skin as well as holding the rest of my face makeup in place as well, even in high humidity and heat (I live in the southeastern United States where humidity is very high). I normally apply it with a very dense, round-top kabuki brush over a primer (I use L'oreal Magic Lumi and Benfit That Gal). It blends really well, and it never feels heavy or cakey for me. I get really good coverage, medium to full, definitely buildable. I don't usually have too much to cover on my skin, but I do get hormonal, cystic acne on my chin, and it's always very red and irritated, and I find this foundation can cover it sufficiently (I don't want to put too much makeup over any kind of acne, but I also don't want angry red bumps showing on my face), so I don't feel overly self-conscious. While I find the foundation to be buildable, it's not a foundation where you can just add layer after layer without getting cakey face: you can build up two to three light layers with this foundation to get full coverage, but it's not a good idea to add any more than that, and if you plan to powder you skin, I'd stick to just one pass with the foundation as that's usually sufficient anyway. I use the color 240 "Natural Beige", and I find that's a good color match for me. For the amount of product in the container, this foundation is pretty expensive for drugstore. I feel like I'm mostly paying for a jar rather than foundation, but at the same time I like the foundation more than any other foundation I've ever used, so the price is OK for me. I accept the price. I absolutely hate the packaging. It's obnoxious, and it's heavy. If you're not the kind of person who wants to repeatedly dip a brush or your hands into a jar of makeup (like myself) it's particularly annoying. It's hard to tell at first how much foundation you'll actually use on your face because this foundation covers better than you'd expect, so if you plan to scoop it out of the jar onto the back of your hand, the first few times will definitely result in wasted product, which no one likes. If you do just dip your brush into the jar, the opening isn't big enough to fit most brushes you'd use on your face into it (unless you use a traditional foundation brush), so you're likely to damage your brush. I would and have repurchased.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Pacifica - Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter
yoyocanary 7/6/2012 10:24:00 AM
This scent starts out as a straight up, strong orange scent, but once it's on the skin it softens and morphs into one of the most gorgeous scents I've ever smelled, but I can't really describe that scent. Every time I apply the lotion or body butter (I keep a 3oz body butter at my desk) I get tons and tons of compliments. I once had an entire roomful of people stop their activities to ask what I was using because they thought it smelled so good. I absolutely love this scent. As for the body butter itself, I find it very moisturizing but still light enough to use for my hands without worrying about getting greasy lotion all over my keyboard. It absorbs quickly for me, and it makes my hands feel nicely moisturized. I normally use the lotion on my body instead of the body butter, so I cannot speak to its moisturization for the body. It just moisturizes my hands well. I will repurchase this until it no longer exists.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Tarte - Picture Perfect Eyelash Curler
yoyocanary 7/2/2012 3:39:00 PM
I bought this eyelash curler for about 18 USD which was a high price for me, but I find that it's perfectly worth it. I have very round eyes, and most eyelash curlers pinch my eyes/lashes, and I find them very uncomfortable/difficult to use. I love the grips on this one because it's smoother and doesn't dig into my fingers like other lash curler grips, and it squeezes together very easily without much pressure. I never feel like I have to apply a lot of pressure or grip really hard to get my lashes curled. In fact, I can barely tell that I am curling my lashes when I use this curler, but when I take it off my lashes they look really, really good. I love this curler, and I will repurchase when it becomes necessary.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Simple - Cleansing Facial Wipes
yoyocanary 7/2/2012 3:30:00 PM
I wish these came in a better package as it's so easy for them to get dried out in the packaging they currently come in. That said, these are the best wipes I have ever used to remove my makeup. They even feel nice on my skin on mornings that I feel too lazy to wash my face when I wake up. I have somewhat sensitive skin, and these don't burn or irritate my skin or my eyes at all. They remove ALL of my makeup, including mascara. I never wear waterproof mascaras, but I do use waterproof eyeliners, and these wipes take them right off. These are really, really nice, and they're very well-priced. I will repurchase them as long as they are available!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Wet 'n' Wild - 8-pan Palette "Comfort Zone"
yoyocanary 4/18/2012 2:43:00 PM
I find it unlikely that I will ever need to repurchase this product because I don't use it frequently, and each color is incredibly pigmented, so I never have to use a lot, but in the even that I do need another one, I would definitely repurchase. This palette has 8 shades, 4 neutral, 4 green-based but still useful for everyday wear. All shadows in this palette are shimmery and could be used to create a soft look or a dramatic look. I appreciate that each shade is labeled, and there are directions on the back of the palette to show where to place each shade to create different looks, which would be helpful for beginners. The colors are all very pigmented and very soft, and I experience little to no fallout with them. The darkest shade is a lovely brown/green duo-chrome, which gives a nice effect on its own or with the other shades. Overall a very useful palette. My one complain about all of the Wet 'n' Wild permanent palettes is the lack of matte shades. Luckily Wet 'n' Wild offers a couple of lovely matte single eyeshadows which are very inexpensive and can supplement any palette. Also, the price for this palette vs. the quality is exceptional.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Simple - Light Moisturiser
yoyocanary 4/11/2012 10:17:00 AM
I bought this product at CVS for 11 USD with a 1 USD off coupon. It normally retails for about 12 USD in most drugstores, but I have seen it priced around 10 USD at Wal Mart and Target. The bottle contains 4.2 fluid ounces/125 milliliters of product, but I have found that a very little bit of this goes a very long way. I was unsure of how well this product would work for my skin as I have very dry skin, but while it's light, it really is very hydrating. It makes my skin feel soft, smooth, and well-moisturized. I also have very sensitive skin, so this product's lack of potentially irritating ingredients works well for me. I use this day and night, with a mineral sunblock underneath during the day. I find that it's not absolutely necessary for me to use a primer under my makeup with this moisturizer as it makes my skin feel so incredibly smooth. Makeup applies over it seamlessly and always looks great. I would definitely repurchase this product and recommend it to others, no matter what skin type.
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Lips -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart
yoyocanary 3/1/2012 3:22:00 PM
This is the fourth lip butter I've tried, and I have to say out of the ones I have this is my favorite. It has a better texture than some of the others I have (a lot smoother), and the color lasts on my lips very well. I also let a friend try this, and she has a much lighter, cooler skin tone than I do, and it looked really good on her. Of course I think it looks good on myself, and I am very warm-toned and light but not super pale. It's a sort of neutral, bright pink. I find that as it wears off during the day or night, it still leaves color on my lips, almost like a stain, so I never have to worry about this wearing off and making my lips look weird. I find this one to be very smooth and pretty moisturizing for what it is. I don't find any of the lip butters to be particularly moisturizing but certainly more moisturizing than most lipsticks, and this one moisturizes the best. I think this color could work on a lot of different skintones, cool, neutral, or warm. I highly recommend this to those who like brighter pinks that aren't super over the top or only appropriate for night. I find I can wear this day or not, full on, and it doesn't look weird on me with my skin tone and coloring. The packaging is also really cute, and the lip butters are pretty inexpensive.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Cerave - Moisturizing Cream
yoyocanary 3/1/2012 3:15:00 PM
I love this stuff! I use it on my face and body. I find that it moisturizes my skin extremely well, and it KEEPS my skin hydrated. I never feel like I need to reapply any moisturizer when I use this. It is a somewhat thick cream, but it absorbs into the skin very, very quickly. I use it day and night (spf under it during the day), and when I wake up in the mornings my skin feel hydrated and soft. It has no scent, so it's really good for sensitive skin (which I have). My only complaint is the packaging: I hate always having to use a q-tip or a spatula to scoop this out of the tub. I never put my hands in it because it's such a huge tub, and I really don't want to contaminate it with anything on my hands (or get it under my nails -- eiw). I wish it came in a squeeze tube or something. Cerave actually has two face lotions that are in bottles with pumps, but I find neither moisturizes as well as the cream. The biggest plus for this product is the price vs. amount of product you get vs. amount of product you need. You NEVER need to use a lot of this to moisturize your skin, so one tub will last you months (I would say 5 or 6 months, depending on how often you use it for your whole body). It seems a bit pricy (about 14 USD) for a drugstore moisturizer, but you only need to use a little bit, so it lasts for a really long time, especially if you only use this for your face. I use this on my face more often than I do on my body, but in the past I've used tubs for my entire body and face, and they still lasted for months. I also find that this product is a great primer for foundation. I still use foundation primers, but if you don't like them, this moisturizer works well with makeup. A really good, slightly cheaper alternative is the Cetaphil moisturizing cream that also comes in a tub.
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Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter in Creme Brulee
yoyocanary 1/23/2012 2:21:00 PM
I have warm, NC15 skin, and I find this is a nice color for me. I have fairly well-pigmented lips, and it's opaque enough to impart color to my lips. It has some shimmer, but it doesn't feel gritty or noticeable on the lips at all. I find this particular lip butter to be somewhat drying, though. It lasts the longest on my lips even through drinking and snacking, but I assume that's because it's more dry. It's not so drying that I dislike it or wouldn't repurchase. Nothing a bit of lip balm doesn't cure.
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Eye Shadow -Wet 'n' Wild - Color Icon #252B Nutty
yoyocanary 1/16/2012 11:32:00 PM
This is a great all-over the lid neutral shade. I love to apply it all over the lid and blend it into the crease for a soft but still put-together look. It is shimmery, but it doesn't have chunky shimmer or anything like that, so it still works well in the crease. Every time I use this eyeshadow someone asks me what it is. I have very warm skin, and I do not find that this shade competes with my skin or my eye color (warm green). It has a nice texture, blends well, decent pigmentation. I give it four lipsticks because it is so soft that it breaks incredibly easily. I depot all of my WnW singles and keep them in a Uni palette. I don't drop my palette, and I don't abuse anything, but this shadow broke inside the Uni palette just out of nowhere. It's a nice color, nice shadow at a very good price, so I would certainly repurchase, and the product's tendency to crumble isn't that problematic because it's easily replaced without costing too much.
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Lotions/ Creams -Eucerin - Aquaphor Healing Ointment
yoyocanary 1/6/2012 11:07:00 PM
I like to use this for my feet, lips, and nose. I don't really find it moisturizing, but it's protective enough to prevent further drying/chapping of the skin. It sinks into the skin pretty quickly, and it never feels super greasy. I hate the packaging because the lid always breaks on my tubes, and the tub is just a little gross to me. Otherwise it's a good product.
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Cleansers -Lumene - Lift Touch Rejuvenating Cleansing Oil
yoyocanary 12/30/2011 11:56:00 AM
I like this cleanser OK. I never wear waterproof mascaras, but I have found that this cleanser won't always remove my mascara. Because I normally use makeup removing wipes, though, that's not a huge issue. When I use this my skin feels soft and clean. I dislike the scent once it's on my face. It smells fine out of the bottle, but when I start to rinse it off it has a weird scent. It's not a particularly strong scent, though, and this cleanser smells like other Lumene products I have tried. To use I add one pump of product to my hand and rub that into my skin, and if I'm too lazy to use a makeup removing wipe I will add extra to my eyes to remove mascara. I massage it into the skin and rinse with warm water followed by another, gentle cleanser to ensure all the oil is off my skin. While rinsing it takes on a milky texture, which it's supposed to. The extra cleansing step isn't necessary at all as my skin feels clean if I just rinse the oil off and dry my skin, but I'm a little weird about washing my face.
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Lipstick -Revlon - ColorBurst Lip Butter in Gumdrop
yoyocanary 12/26/2011 11:29:00 PM
I find the name of these products misleading as they are not particularly moisturizing, but the texture is really thick. Gumdrop is a light lilac color with a hint of shimmer. I find that even on my very warm skin it looks quite nice. It's fairly pigmented, and I can get a good color with only a few swipes. I would call this item a lipstick more than a tinted lip balm or any other moisturizing product as it doesn't make my lips feel dry, but I don't feel that they're conditioned when I wear it either. The color lasts on my lips for a few hours, and I'd guess that's because of the thickness. I really like this product; I just don't understand why it's called a "lip butter".
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Sand Tropez
yoyocanary 11/8/2011 1:45:00 PM
Lovely, lovely color! It is exactly what the name implies: the color of sand. It looks really clean and classic on the nails without being so light as to be overly noticeable. I can get this opaque in two coats, and it lasts on my nails for at least a week with absolutely NO chipping (I usually use Seche Vite, but even with other top coats this polish refuses to chip). For me this is the perfect nude polish, and I would purchase again and again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Orly - Fowl Play
yoyocanary 11/8/2011 1:38:00 PM
The color is a nice deep purple with lots of hexagonal glitters that appear to range from purple to magenta and smaller, purple glitters. The purple base, however, is rather thin, so I find this polish requires at least four coats for full opacity, but because the base is thin, the glitters in each layer shine through, so it adds an interesting depth effect. As with most glitters, it's a PITA to remove, not any different from most glitters. I love love love Orly bottles because of the rubberized tops, and it's inexpensive without being bad. I would repurchase, of course.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No