Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Powder Brush
AlyHeartsYou 3/11/2009 7:14:00 PM
Snatched up this brush for $1.50! I can't believe it. It's my new favorite. It's fantastic for applying powder foundation, MAC beauty powders, etc. It's sooooooo soft, doesn't shed either. It feels like a much more expensive brush. Shocked at the quality for only $3 rrp. I would absolutely buy this brush again. It's great. Update: Still in love with the brush, now own a total of 3. It's my HG for applying powder foundation.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Lavender Whip [Limited Edition]
AlyHeartsYou 2/14/2009 4:00:00 AM
From the moment I saw the info on the upcoming cremeteam collection I knew Lavender Whip would need to become mine. And now it is. 2 of them, in fact. And it's everything I hoped for. Creamy lavender lipstick that goes on and wears like a dream. Doesn't dry out my lips, and the purple color makes my green eyes pop. Purple lipstick is not something just anyone can pull off, but if you have a very cool-toned complexion and can FIND this lipstick (it's already sold out almost everywhere) then by all means give it a shot.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Avon - Beyond Color Radiant Lifting Concealer
AlyHeartsYou 2/11/2009 2:25:00 PM
I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I only have very slight circles and this did blend very nicely and cover them up. On the other hand, the color was way darker in person than on the online swatch, and therefore the concealer was too dark. For undereye I like a concealer that is just a *hair* lighter than my foundation. And this was about a hair DARKER than my foundation. :\ It blended in ok but in direct sunlight just looked off. I'm sad. If this came in a good color, I'd absolutely have a favorite product on my hands. :( Oh well...good thing avon's return policy is great.
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Concealers -Avon - Look Alert Focus Regard Eye Brightener
AlyHeartsYou 2/11/2009 2:22:00 PM
Terrible. It's going back to avon. It does ball up, and what little I got to stay on my face did absolutely nada. No brightening whatsoever. The result was SHINY dark circles. CUTE. :\
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -MAC - She Loves Candy Hello Kitty
AlyHeartsYou 2/11/2009 11:57:00 AM
Very pretty pale pink with some bluey pearl that makes it look almost mauve. There is also gold in the gloss. It's very sheer, but extremely shiny. Makes the lips look fuller with all of the beautiful microshimmer. Not gritty at *all* and wears well. Seems a little less sticky than other lipglasses...these hello kitty lipglasses are really more like lustreglasses.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -NYX - Lipstick- #532 Rea
AlyHeartsYou 1/20/2009 11:47:00 AM
I got this lipstick on a total whim having no idea if it would really work for me or not. I'm very fair, cool-toned, with medium pigmented lips.
Applied full-force onto my lips it's dramatically beige-nude and blots out the color of my lips completely, to the point of being distracting. "Hellooo...where are my lips?? Now you see them...now you don't!" However if I blend it (pat it with a finger into my lip), I can get an effect that is similar to how Bare slimshine appears on me, but without as much shine. I took off a lippie for being a tiny bit on the dry side.
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Palettes -Pop Beauty - Lid Gold
AlyHeartsYou 1/20/2009 11:35:00 AM
I got this palette on a whim from beautycrunch because it was massively discounted and the colors looked pretty. I'm not disappointed!
The palette consists of 6 shades that Pop describes as "super silky with high shimmer". I wouldn't say these are high shimmer, but they are definitely not matte. They are glowy and I would call the finish more of a satin for most of them. Here's a breakdown of the shades:
Golden Black - dark sooty brownish black w/ gold glitter (not an excessive amount).
Golden Olive - your standard dark olivey khaki
a beigey champagne color that doesn't seem to have a name
True Gold - which is in fact soft yellow gold
Golden Mint - pale green with golden shimmer
White Gold - highlighty shade
As with the Lid Silver and Lid Neon palettes, Lid Gold has instructions for their "golden lid" look on the inside. I didn't follow the instructions but I did read them and they are clear and helpful if you aren't sure where to start. The palette itself is good size. It's small, but not so small you feel jipped. It's about the same size as a MAC holiday palette or so. The packaging is laminated cardboard like a Stila palette, with a magnetic closure. I discarded the duo applicator that comes with the palette. All six shades are soft and blendable. I am pleasantly surprised at the quality of this palette, actually. I would compare the shadows to NYX or MAC. My only qualm with it is that the shadows have a perfume. Who the hell needs perfumed eyeshadows? It doesn't really bother me that much except on principle though. This palette's retail value is $22 and I would not pay full price but for the $8 or so I got it for, it's a fantastic deal.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -MAC - Strawberry Blonde Lipglass
AlyHeartsYou 1/18/2009 1:09:00 AM
I guess now there must be some sort of rule that everything MAC creates called "strawberry blonde" is just pure awesome, because I love the lipstick and I love the lipglass too. Do make note though that the lipglass is not the same color as the lipstick! This color is absolutely gorgeous. Pink red is how I'd describe the color (more pink than red). I'm pale and cool-toned and it's amazingly flattering. I think the color is a true neutral that would work on anyone. If you're going to try one thing from the Brunette Blonde Redhead collection, try this lipglass. Already pondering a backup...oh brother. :)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -MAC - Red Devil (Brunette, Blonde, Redhead Coll., Spring 2009)
AlyHeartsYou 1/18/2009 1:06:00 AM
Very pretty pinky-red-coral. Would be flattering on a variety of skintones. I am very pale and cool-toned. It's certainly not a color for the timid though, as it's very bright. This one seems to be a bit thicker and stickier than other MAC lipglasses. I don't mind the sticky factor at all, but the thickness makes the lipgloss a little harder to apply with the doefoot and not get streaks in the color. I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5 if I could, just taking off a little bit for that alone. Otherwise it's another great product from MAC. I am glad I bought it, but not 100% sure I'd repurchase.
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Lip Gloss -MAC - Quick Tease (Brunette Blonde Redhead)
AlyHeartsYou 1/18/2009 1:03:00 AM
I bought this one sight unseen and man am I glad I did. It's utterly gorgeous. MAC describes it as a red purple. In the tube it does look like a warm plum-purple with some gold, so I would say red purple is a pretty accurate description actually. It's plum on my lips, and able to be applied sheerly or layered for more impact. It's very flattering to my pale cool complexion. I am a huge fan of the MAC lipglass formula. Very easy to apply and the color isn't streaky at all. Quick Tease is from the Brunette part of the Brunette Blonde Redhead collection. Definitely one I'd repurchase. I'm considering a back-up, even though I don't usually do that.
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Palettes -Stila - Smoky Eye Talking The Sapphires Palette
AlyHeartsYou 1/4/2009 11:25:00 PM
This palette is a blue take on Stila's top selling talking smoky eye palettes.
The base shade is pale blue with a frost finish. It seems like it would be very overpowering for an all-over wash, but doesn't go on quite so solid and is buildable (but not invisible at all).
The lid shade is sky blue with shimmer/frost, and beautifully pigmented. It can go on lightly or you can build it up for a more glam effect.
The crease shade is a basically matte dark blue. It's slightly less pigmented than the 2 lighter shades, but that's ok because it's a very dark color, so I think this was done intentionally to make it easier to work with. It makes a great crease/outer-v shade for the smoky effect this palette is going for and blends *beautifully* unlike many mattes.
The liner shade is midnight blue with obvious glitter (but not too much). The most remarkable thing about this is I did not experience any more than maybe one tiny fleck of fallout on application, which I just brushed aside. Nice result from a shadow w/ glitter!
Overall this palette is really nicely composed for a blue smoky eye and does not look too "Mimi" at all. The resulting look when you do your eye the way stila instructs (which comes on the talking recording or a step-by-step guide w/ pictures included with the palette) is very soft, pretty, and sexy. Because of the shadows being buildable you can do this look for day, or really smoke it out even more and add more liner for night. The texture of all 4 shadows is practically creamy they are so soft, and very very blendable.
This is a "sephora exclusive" palette, but it is available at sephora and at stila's website. Both places sell it for $40.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -NYX - Felt Tip Eyeliner Pencil
AlyHeartsYou 12/29/2008 5:32:00 PM
Easy to use, lasts a long time without smudging or "traveling". Just don't bother with "extreme black". It turns blue. Jet Black and the brown shade are good though, and true to color.
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Lipstick -MAC - Satin Lipstick - Myth
AlyHeartsYou 12/21/2008 3:58:00 AM
Myth where have you been all my life? This is the perfect concealer-esque nude for my medium-pigmented lips. I love MAC's Satin formula for their awesome coverage and creaminess. Myth is no exception! Myth is great with a smokey eye and lasts forever on my lips. Another great MAC lipstick.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -BeneFit Cosmetics - Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner - Skinny Jeans
AlyHeartsYou 12/21/2008 3:56:00 AM
Absolutely awesome color-- steely taupe. Easy to apply and blend with a finger, too. It *does* crease on my oily eyelids without a base but I wear with UDPP with it so I don't have to worry about any creasing. I love Benefit's packaging, too. The jar is really cute. It's very simple to create a pretty eyelook by just dabbing a little of this on and swiping on some mascara afterwards. I like it a lot. Would repurchase, and want to try other shades.
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Blush -Stila - Convertible Color Lillium
AlyHeartsYou 12/21/2008 3:53:00 AM
The hype about lillium is well-deserved. It's a really great neutral, face-brightening pink. I have a mini that I tuck into my makeup bag in my purse. The formula lasts eons on my cheeks even though I have fairly oily skin. It doesn't feel greasy or anything though. One of the neatest cream blush formulas I've come across. Will repurchase and have already swapped for one in another shade, too.
Tip for application. I just take my index or middle finger and tap it lightly on the surface, dab my cheek, and then blend like hell. Seems to work really well for a quick pick-me-up on my cheeks.
Update: Tried it on my lips! Makes my lips look really dry, but the color is very pretty!! If you apply it to your lips, make sure to top it with some balm to avoid the dry look. Nice to know I have a versatile product I can use in both places on the go. :)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No