Lip Gloss -Nivea - Nivea Lipcare Caregloss and Shine
Sue_raisin 8/4/2008 6:59:00 PM
This is a really good alternative to lipgloss, especially if you want some shine and some moisturisation but without the colour or stickiness of a gloss. Good for a natural look. Lasts reasonably well and feels very comfortable when on. the pink one is the one I've used, I will definitely be buying again, although I find myself reaching for it less and less now I've got my Burt's Bee's.
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Eyeliner -GOSH - Velvet Touch Eyeliner 
Sue_raisin 8/4/2008 6:45:00 PM
Wow...very impressed. Looks like a bog-standard normal average eyeliner, but it's waterproof, lasts aaaaaaages, smudges well and is really smooth when applying. Reasonably priced too, I'd defintely buy again. I like the black one of the inner rim of my yes and I wear contacts but never have any irritation. Comes in loads of colours too, will be getting more soon!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Femme Noir
Sue_raisin 7/30/2008 4:52:00 PM
I use this as my smokey eyeshadow, it blends amazingly well, especially if you use a good quality base colour underneath. It looks chalky in the pan but looks brilliant when on, it applies smoothly, lastys well into the night, and you can reapply another layer on top without it looking cakey. I do like this, and it's the eyeshadow I use most often. I'll definitely be buying again.
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Primer/ Corrector -Lancome - La Base Pro
Sue_raisin 7/30/2008 4:47:00 PM
I gave this an overall rating of 4, it's very good, but I've used one thats been better so a 4 was appropiate. That's not to say there's anything wrong with it. It works really well, it's exceptionally smooth when applying, and makes foundation last longer, go on smoother and look more perfect. I always find though, that it stays 'wet' when you apply it for a bit too long, it doesn't dry straight away, so you need time to let it sink in first (I don't know if primers are designed to sink in, but you know what I mean, it seems to sit on top of the skin and tends to get mixed in with a powder foundation if you don't give it time to set). I enjoy using this, the pump applicator is superb, and never clogs, 1-2 pumps is plenty for you face and the upper part of your nexk ( which I always apply foundation to, to ensure I get no demarcation line). I love how smooth this makes my foundation, and I notice it lasts longer when I use this. definitely will be buying this again, it'll be part of my permanent make-up kit now.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Blistex - Lip Conditioner SPF 20
Sue_raisin 7/30/2008 4:18:00 PM
This has menthol in which ultimately, dries out your lips, even if it does feel like it gives you some relief, especially if your lips are very dry, cracked and sore. It'll feel better initiall but the menthol has a detrimental effect. I didn't realise it had menthol in until I'd used it, it does make my lips soft and I like the tingly feeling, however in the long term it's not doing my lips any good so this will be the first, and last time I buy this.
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Makeup Brushes -MAC - 182 Buffer Brush
Sue_raisin 7/30/2008 4:10:00 PM
This has got to be the creme de la creme of kabuki brushes. It's beautifully soft, thick and buffs my mineral foundation in like a dream. unlike other MUAers before me, I haven't had any problems with shedding at all. I love using this brush, it makes my foundation blend amazingly well, and washes and dries really well. I haven't ever found another kabuki of this calibre, it's expensive, but so very, very worth it.
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Foundations -Lily Lolo - Mineral Foundation
Sue_raisin 7/30/2008 4:02:00 PM
I absolutely cannot praise this product enough. They are the very first mineral foundation I've used till the bottom of the pot. The testers will last you a good couple of weeks, and are fantastic and cheap - buy a few of the colours and if none match, try blending your own. Use any colours that aren't suitable for blending into concealers and eye base. These blend very well, they are superb to apply, very easy, and I can put a few layers on without it looking cakey - I'd say I can layer a good 5 + times before it would start looking cakey and thick. I use this with a primer underneath and it stays put. Without the primter it lasts me all day with only one reapplication at dinner time. I also find that blusher blends beautifully when I use Lily Lolo. I'm definitely going to be a regular customer of theirs - £12 for a large pot - you really can't get a better bargain for a foundation of this quality. Would definitely buy again (and again and again!).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Bare Escentuals - Bare Minerals ALL
Sue_raisin 7/30/2008 3:55:00 PM
I didn't quite believe all the hype about mineral foundations, but after I ordered some from Lily Lolo I was hooked. Then one day I ran out, and walked past a little boutique where I bought some Bare minerals for £20-odd pounds ( I think) for the light shade. Years ago I'd been sold medium beige which was FAR too dark for me, so this time I was given light, or was it faily light?. Considering I'm Chinese, usually a NC40 - 45, this surprised me when I found it was a good match. It blends failry well, but doesn't last as long as my usualy mineral foundation, I find I have to reapply around lunch time. I've had no senstivity to minerals, in fact my skin has improved so much since I started using it (admittedly I haven't ever had problems with acne or anything like that) and it looks clearer - certainly more clear than when I used to wear liquid foundations. It's quite easy to use, just get a good quality brush (I use the buffer from MAC) and buff away. The only thing I would say is, DO NOT use that shitty little brush they always try to sell you - it's rubbish, and even if it was better quality, it wouldn't be the right shape to get good coverage. Generally speaking regarding the foundation, it takes some getting used to, but in my opinion, very worth it. I wouldn't buy this again, purely because I can get cheaper mineral foundation elsewhere. However I couldn't imagine ever going back to a liquid foundation now.
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Eye Shadow -Bobbi Brown - Beige Shimmer Wash
Sue_raisin 7/30/2008 3:36:00 PM
I had to think about this one on the "would you buy this product again" question - I'm genuinely not sure. It's a nice colour, I use it as a base and brow bone colour and it makes dark smokey eyes REALLY easy to blend. However, I HATE the screw top (at time of buying, it's still a screw-top AFAIK, even though the previous MUAer says theyve got rid of the screw top), I'm so dozy and lose things so easily, having a screw top just means more things for me to lose under the seat when I'm putting my make-up on in the car (obviously not whilst driving). the colour is a nice neutral that I guess would suit everybody, it's quite a light colour too, not massively pigmented so you can use it on the brow bone just as a light wash, or as a subtle highlight. I found this quite expensive considering I'm not 100% happy with it, so I won't be buying again. Next time I think I'll go back to MAC for my base colour.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous mascara 
Sue_raisin 7/30/2008 3:24:00 PM
This is the first L'oreal mascara I've used in a long time. I've made a Maybelline Full n' Soft that a co-worker bought over from the States last as long as possible, I've been putting off choosing another mascara as I know it's so hit-and-miss. Especially if, like me, you're not willing to spend £20 on a high-end brand one as they dry out so quickly. So my first impressions are: good brush, very thick, but it's always full of clumps whenever I pull the wand out of the tube. You definitely need to wipe the brush before using. It doesn't coat the lashes evenly, you have to really apply it very carefully, (not like others where you can put it on whilst on the bus), making sure you coat each lash. It takes a while to dry too - I always get black spider leg prints underneath my eyes, no matter how careful I am applying it. It also makes my lashes curl in a weird way, kind of to-the-side. And good luck to you if you want to use curlers with them - welcome to the strangest-looking lashes EVER. It lasts all day, howvever, but when I'm out all night I inevitably end up with little black bits all over my cheeks in the morning - and before you say 'you'd get that with all mascaras', I never ever did with my Full n' Soft. I totally back-up what everyone says about it being hard to remove - I use soap and water to remove it and it still doesn't come off. I wouldn't say it was particularly volumising, it's quite a natural effect mascara. The problem is I have to use curlers with my teeny tiny lashes and if I don't then you wouldn't know my eyes even existed. Because of these reasons, I'm not going to recommend this mascara, neither would I buy it again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -MAC - Blot Powder - Medium/Dark
Sue_raisin 7/20/2006 4:01:00 PM
I will never use another powder. This does everything a good powder should do and is affordable and looks great too. Very forgiving colour too. Mattifies without giving that awful powdery look.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Carbon
Sue_raisin 7/20/2006 3:59:00 PM
I like this - it works for me. It's not a true black, I can defintely see green in there. It has a slightly chalkier texture that works well on my oily lids - seems to make them less oily. Lasts well and blends well for a smokey eye, however i wont' be buying this again cos i already have print e/s and it's much better.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Print Eyeshadow
Sue_raisin 7/20/2006 3:31:00 PM
Oh my goodness...this is perfect in so many ways. the colour, the texture, the way it stays on..it's unbelievable. I like to create a smoky eye with this shade as it's dark enough to be smokey but not so dark it looks gothic. Stunning quality, as with all Mac e/s. Def buy again.
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Eyeliner -MAC - Greenplay liquidlast liner
Sue_raisin 6/16/2006 5:35:00 PM
I hate to be the only one to not like this. But the colour is too pale to define my eyes. It's FAR too hard to remove, it stays on for DAYS cos it just won't budge. The brush is hard to use. This would be gorgeous in a darker colour so I'll go back for some more but this one doesn't interest me.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Humid (Frost)
Sue_raisin 6/16/2006 5:32:00 PM
As much as i adore the colour, i do get some colour-fall out under my eyes, whereas i NEVER do with UD Mildew. Mildw was my fave green until i found this. i'm currently trying to find out how to make it work best - without using a primer - but until then i'll be sticking to my mildew. they are similar colours but humid has just the edge. Beautiful nonetheless.
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