Misc Beauty Tools -Ardell - LashTite Adhesive
PoisonedIvy 8/18/2005 3:57:00 AM
This stuff is made to coordinate with Ardell DuraLashes, the individual clumps of lashes. I've always in the past used them with regular eyelash glue (on the few occasions I want to bother with them, that is) but I noticed recently on the package that they're actually intended to be used with something scary called LashTite, to make them semi-permanent. The LashTite is supposed to glue the DuraLashes to your natural eyelashes, and keep them there until your natural lash the thing is glued to falls out. Wow! Creepy. I HAD to try it!
I had to search several nearby pharmacies- most were annoyingly Ardell free. Finally I found LashTite at Rite Aid, but none of the remover stuff (oh well, I vowed to be careful). I was almost thwarted, when I couldn't find any of the DuraLash Medium Flare Blacks, which are the perfect length. Finally I unearthed one last package, cleverly hiding beneath several Short Flare Blacks, which are definitely not long enough for the whole eye. (If I'm gonna bother with semi-permanent false eyelashes, I want LENGTH, dammit!) So I sallied forth clutching my prizes.
First you have to clean your eyelashes off reaaaaalllly carefully. Which is harder than it sounds, I think I had years of waterproof mascara stuck on my lashes. After much scrubbing I was finally ready.
I thought the glass vial was pretty cute, really- I like itsy bitsy glass things, I'm easily amused, what can I say... I dutifully poured three drops (as it turned out one would have been enough) onto some foil, then proceeded to dip clumps of lashes and attach them to my eyelashes. They're right- start in the center. Much, much easier- everything was straighter when I was done from starting that way. And yes, I was actually so careful I didn't regret not having the remover!
It actually was easier to use than regular lash glue- it doesn't need to cure for 30 seconds which speeds the process up IMMENSELY. You just have to hold the clump in place for a few seconds, that's all. Plus, since they sit on your actual eyelashes rather than your eyelid, they look more natural, and I suspect will work better with eyemakeup too. (My real eyelashes are black too, so they blend perfectly. YMMV if your hair is lighter)
I did find that the LashTite kind of made my eye sting while it was fresh- I suspect anyone with sensitive eyes or skin should experiment carefully. The stinging was quite mild, but it did make me want to blink which was rather counter-productive.
I have no idea how long they'll really last- I'll update- but if they even last a week I'll be thrilled. With these on, I can skip mascara and, frankly, most eye makeup if I feel like it. Yay! I tugged a little on one- can't resist picking at things!- and it was really quite firmly attached.
I also mixed the medium and short- medium on outer thirds, middle third with short, and it looks reasonably natural and quite nice. They do bump my glasses a little though, since they're sticking out a little further than when they're attached to eyelids.
EDITED: I have switched to using these all the time. They last until my natural lashes beneath fall out, usually somewhere in the two-weeks-to-a-month time frame. Unless I cry, then they all fall off pretty much! They're much, much faster than mascara, and I like waking up looking pretty. Also I can skip eyeliner- basically I think they rock.
To wear constantly, you pretty much just have to replace a clump every few days or so, or a few more. Then every three weeks or so I usually tug gently- very, very gently!- to see how many are done for, and redo. Or if they get wonky; sometimes they'll just end up getting weird after too long. Then I clean them off with the Lash Free and redo totally. Do not ever try to remove (unless you're gently checking for loose ones) unless you have the Lash Free. If no nearby drug store has it get it from http://www.madamemadeline.com. That place is great. Their LashTite is fresh and good, not having sat on shelves for ever.
Other tips: don't pour the LashTite out like they advise you: you'll waste a ton. Dip the lash clump into the vial instead. After using these all the time I can do my lashes from none to done in about fifteen minutes. I usually do them at night and sleep on my back for a few hours if I can remember to do that.
I get tons of compliments on how long my eyelashes are now. My mom is the only one who guessed they were fake. Since my hair is black, they look pretty natural. Especialy the Duralash Naturals, which have no knot at the end of the clumps. They don't last quite as long as the knotted ones though.
33 out of 33 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Ardell - False Lashes 116
PoisonedIvy 8/16/2005 8:31:00 PM
These have a wonderful advantage over most. The strip they're on is clear, rather than black. The ones with a heavy black strip make my eyes look droopy and tired. These actually look a lot like the individual clumps I love to play with- they are built similarly, with clumps of about 5 lashes every few millimeters on a clear plastic strip. Plus, they have a tapered effect, with the outer corner being more dramatic and longer than the inner. Cool! If only I could get them to stick to my makeup, they'd be perfect. Heh. That's more my retardation than anything else, I don't blame the lashes. I will still usually use the individual clumps if I'm feeling false-eyelashy, but these are a much faster way to acheive a similar effect. Very nice. And cheap!!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyes -Ardell - Duralash
PoisonedIvy 8/16/2005 8:19:00 PM
OK. I'm updating this sucker. I use these all the time- that is, 24/7, they never come off. I use the LashTite adhesive, the Duralash Medium Blacks and Short Blacks, and the LashFree adhesive release when changing them.
So I do maybe 15 clumps per eye, or a bit less. Get the LashTite, and dip the knot of the lash clump into it; you want a little bead of adhesive, just enough to be a bead but not too much. Start in the middle of your eye, and place the first clump. Try tweezers if you like, but I'm happy with just fingers. Place it as close to your eyelid skin as you can, but don't actually touch the skin.
Add the clumps heading towards the outer corners of your lashes, and place them close enough that they don't look weird. The outermost one at the corner of the eye is the hardest to place; if you're anal it may take as long to get that sucker right as it does to do the whole rest of the eye, though it gets way faster with practice.
Then get the short out and do from the middle towards the inner corner- I usually do about 3/4 of the eye.
These go way faster with LashTite- it doesn't need to cure before you set it on the eyelash, unlike latex lash glue.
On me these last until the eyelashes beneath fall out, like 2 weeks to a month. Unless I cry! Then they all fall off. You will have to usually add one or two clumps every few days though, or every week maybe depending.
You must, must, must remove with the LashFree only. Otherwise you'll literally rip your eyelashes out, so NO TUGGING. Do not get LashFree into your eyes, else you will be in the shower washing your eye out in 2 seconds flat. Use a q-tip dipped in it to moisten the lash clumps that need removing, then leave them alone for a few minutes so the glue has time to soften. Rinse and repeat to get them off. I usually come at them from under the eyelashes so I am less likely to wipe the stuff into my eye.
These are absolutely gorgeous. I get compliments on my lashes all the time, and my mom was the only person to guess they weren't mine. They look really natural, and they replace mascara and eyeliner too really. Plus you look fab even rolling out of bed. That doesn't suck at all!
The unknotted Naturals are OK, they don't look much different actually on though and they last a little less well.
I get all my eyelash supplies from http://www.madamemadeline.com. Their eyelash glue is nice and fresh, which is great, and they have tons of different strip styles too, as well as LashFree, LashTite, and all varieties of DuraLashes. And they ship really fast.
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Revlon - Super Lustrous Gloss in Spiced Blush LE
PoisonedIvy 8/16/2005 7:05:00 PM
This is a strongly pigmented warmer medium nude shade. It has intense opaque shimmery frost. In fact it reminds me of Chanel's Blizzard in a lot of ways. It is warmer than Blizzard though, almost with a peachy tone to it. The warmth keeps it from being too versatile for me, but it is still a unique addition to the line. I'd recommend it for anyone who can wear warmer colors, and probably it will look best with tan or darker skin.
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Lip Gloss -Revlon - Revlon Super Lustrous in Nude Peach LE
PoisonedIvy 8/16/2005 6:58:00 PM
This is a pretty shimmery, medium pigmented peachy nude color, exactly as you'd guess from the tube and the name. It's not that sheer, like some SLs- more like Glossy Rose, it is a medium shade with quite a bit of pigment. It's probably not going to be a staple for me, as I don't use many peachy toned glosses, but it's still pretty. I definitely recommend it for blondes or warmer toned complexions.
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Lip Gloss -Revlon - Super Lustrous Gloss in Rock Royalty LE
PoisonedIvy 8/16/2005 6:53:00 PM
This is a pretty plum. I wish Revlon hadn't released such a host of similar colors all at once, I have to say. It's only a hair different than the other two dark plums. This one is a bit brighter toned, but just a bit. Same nice sparkle. Probably will use this one the least- I like the deeper toned plums better. Anyway, pretty but not a must have. Definitely don't buy if you can't pull off highly pigmented plum colors though. It is definitely that. You probably don't need all three of the Fall 05 dark plums. I'd recommend Perfectly Plum as the must versatile, followed by Rocker Chic, with this as the third best. (Rosy Plum is significantly different, and truly awesome if you're cool toned that is!) I think this one is the most similar to the existing permanent plum, Pearl Plum. Frankly, it's almost identical, just a bit brighter and more pigmented.
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Lip Gloss -Revlon - Rocker Chic
PoisonedIvy 8/16/2005 6:46:00 PM
This is a pretty deep plum with gold shimmer. It looks similar to Force by Chanel, but with more of a neutral tone rather than the intense purple undertone to Force. Applied thickly, they look almost identical though. It's just sheered out the undertone difference is particularly noticeable.
Anyway, this is the darkest of the numerous plums that Revlon recently released. I like, but it's not that unique. At least it doesn't streak much.
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Lip Gloss -Revlon - Super Lustrous- Rosy Plum
PoisonedIvy 8/16/2005 6:43:00 PM
This is my favorite of the fall colors. It's a medium depth plum with some neutral purple tones thrown in to make it incredibly wearable. The shimmer is perfect too- lots, that is. Bought a backup of this one, I use it quite a bit. Its not like any other color they've released, unlike the other Fall plum colors. Which, don't get me wrong, are nice- just not as unique as this one.
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Lip Gloss -Revlon - Perfectly Plum
PoisonedIvy 8/16/2005 6:41:00 PM
Of the several similar plum colors they just released as LE collections, this one is my favorite deeper color. The color has plenty of sparkly shimmer, but isn't gritty. It also doesn't streak, which is an issue occasionally with their darker colors. It's just the right level of intensity, I don't need to sheer it out.
That said, I have many similar colors. This one is nice though, I'd definitely recommend it to plum fans. Plus, Rock Royalty, and Rocker Chic are close enough in tone to this one you could probably skip them if you're not a spaz dead set on owning all the SL glosses like I seem to be.
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Eye Shadow -Urban Decay - Eyeshadow
PoisonedIvy 8/15/2005 11:16:00 PM
Y'know, I have to say that UD's shadows disappoint me, largely. I've found a few I like, but for the price I feel like they ought to be smoother and more pigmented. Goddess (dark blue) just SUCKS in my opinion- no pigment, applies terribly in nasty little smudges, not smooth at all. Prestige's knock off, Ink, is actually better. Also hated Crash, a too-warm purple plum color. I almost wonder if those two colors have some sort of weird coating on the shadow when it's new, they feel so hard and unpigmented, totally impervious to shadow brushes and mostly to fingers too. I'm not willing to dig a hole in the sucker to find out if it's better under the top layer. I'd rather just swap them.
Pallor and Lust were OK- I liked the colors, but the texture of Lust was also rather hard, and Pallor was so incerdibly soft it crumbled in shipping. It feels nice to apply but it's messy as anything. Lust is a pretty medium purple with a duochrome pink flash, very dimensional and pretty. But again, it's hard to apply, I have to keep trying to pile it on to get any pigment payoff. Pallor is a nice light purple with mild shimmer, a good highlighter with Lust.
Basically I feel like most other eyeshadows have better quality, and cheaper in a lot of instances. MAC, for example. I'm willing to pay more if the quality is there. But UD seems to lack that. And I have a hard time finding colors I like in their line, too. I've pondered them at Sephora numerous times and left with nothing.
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Lip Gloss -Maybelline - Shiny-Licious in Caramella
PoisonedIvy 8/10/2005 1:32:00 AM
This is the only one in this line I think I will use. While the texture of these is great- thick, shiny and lasting, excellent for a drugstore gloss- their various smells have been torture. This one is the exception, the caramel smell is wonderful and yummy. Tastes OK too. (The grape one literally made me gag.)
The color is pretty- it's a soft, neutral taupe, very light and sparkly. I like. I have several similar ones, but the smell of this one will make me use it more.
I'm indifferent to the sponge applicator. It looks weird, but it works fine. I suppose it will suck if I ever want to swap one though, you can't wipe it clean like a plastic squeeze tube applicator. Like other squeeze tube glosses, this one has tons of product for the money. (The clicky pens are the ones that are the worst deal ever!)
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Lip Gloss -Sonia Kashuk - Lip Glossing Fairy
PoisonedIvy 8/10/2005 1:28:00 AM
This is a pretty color- a pale, soft pink with gold (not so peach on me, fortunately). Very sparkly and shiny, I like the lighter colors in this line way more than the brighter ones. This, and Spicy, are the two I like a lot. Dreamy is nice too but I have lots that look similar.
I like the texture of these- thick, not terribly sticky, and they last pretty well.
Still hate the liner that comes with the gloss, it's pointless and bulky. Just unscrew it and pop the liner out, and then toss it.
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Lip Gloss -L'Oreal - glam shine - after party - limited edition
PoisonedIvy 7/29/2005 3:18:00 AM
Meh. The color is vastly boring. It imparts a hint of peach with the usual crystalline sparkle. I don't reach for it much, since I prefer the colors in this line with more oomph. This one barely shows on my lips, and they're so darn unpigmented ANYTHING will show up if it has any pigment at all. Not worth hunting down.
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Lip Gloss -Sonia Kashuk - Lip Glossing- Sexy
PoisonedIvy 7/29/2005 3:09:00 AM
On my lips, this wasn't much like Star Nova. This color is incredibly opaque, and is a jarring purple with some silver glitter lost in the dense opacity of the gloss. Star Nova is a translucent color, with fine multifaceted shimmer particles of different colors, and is a wearable mauve with a hint of berry on me (and I love it and reach for it a lot). It's possible Sexy was reformulated besides being repackaged, but pretty sure it wasn't. My lips are really unpigmented so lipcolors can look quite different on my skin.
Sexy also looks way different on the lips than in the package- the package looks like it will be a soft cool berry, but it transforms into the aforementioned Purple Ick. Anyway, not a favorite. Would be better if it were translucent like others in this line, like Spicy. Spicy is gorgeous. This is not, on me anyway.
Again, hating the stupid hard pencil that takes up half the new revamped packaging. Why? Waste of space.
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Lip Gloss -Sonia Kashuk - Lip Glossing in "Spicy"
PoisonedIvy 7/29/2005 3:02:00 AM
My favorite in this line so far. It's a wonderful peachy golden color, not too warm. The shimmer is great, it looks similar to a L'Oreal Glam Shine, which I love. The texture is also really nice, smooth and thick, not thin or greasy, yet not sticky. A wonderful summer color, looks very nice with smokey eyes.
The only thing that annoys is the retarded new packaging. It looks sleek and pretty but... what on god's green earth is that weird white, rock hard pencil thingy that takes up half the package? It looks like it's supposed to be a base pencil or something, but yet it's the most useless, bulky object ever.
Fortunately you can just uncrew that half, and rip the pencil out by the roots, leaving the lipgloss end of the tube, and cutting the bulkiness in half. (Or, if you're a spaz like me and find weird uses for the most random of objects, you can wind some thread around a needle and stick the empty pencil half of the tube back on, creating a tiny sewing kit.)
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