Eye Shadow -MAC - Brown Down
artemistzitzikilakis 7/26/2012 11:38:00 AM
Brown Down is my darkest crease color. Most importantly it is of the Veluxe formula, the best Mac has to offer along with the more expensive Pro Longwear e/s's. I used to use Handwritten but this is much smoother (Handwritten is a Matte2, not as good a formula), more pigmented, but still has some red in the brown (green eyes, so works for me). Here on the MUA board Mac e/s's are not liked much, but people forget there are many formulas, the best rival any very h/e e/s. Veluxe, and even Pro Longwear. Frost is also, and the frost is a sheen, very pigmented. Back to this e/s, I pair it with Pink Frontier and other pinks/violets (have green eyes) on my lids. It replaced Handwritten and is a much better formula.
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Liquid -Stila - Perfect & Correct Foundation
artemistzitzikilakis 7/26/2012 11:32:00 AM
It's just perfect and is marketed "HD"and it shows on the skin. This fdtn/primer is marketed light coverage, and it is, but if I use my Smashbox green primer and just one pump for the entire face it covers with so little product any imperfection. Although a primer is built in, you will get more from this by adding your own as I went from the sheer coverage to med coverage, without adding product or cakiness, by adding my own. Creases and wrinkles don't show at all, this has that difussed, perfection look. But all for not, as the colors are limited and they have left out some ranges all together. I am NW25, but if you are anything less than a NW (not NC) 30-35, or a Neutral you are out of luck. The one fair and one light colors are both quite warm, you have to be medimum neutral/warm to get a match, and that is a lot of people to leave out. Too bad, I assume it much cost a lot to add colors to a range and that is why in the end it seems I go back to Lancome.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -Smashbox - Photo Set Finishing Powder SPF 15
artemistzitzikilakis 7/25/2012 1:48:00 PM
I guess I am in the minority here, but partly because after using an entire jar I have come to the conclusion that translucent powder is not a good product. This is not colorless, and I am light, NW20, Healthy FX F2. I can still see white powder up close on my face after barely using any. This really gets cakey around my nose and accentuates dry skin, but again, I think almost any "clear" (really "white") powder would do that. Maybe if you went really, really high end. I've given up on this and am going to replace my 2nd jar with a colored powder that will add as little coverage as possible. But before you fall in love with this, check it out in a 5X mirror, you may see a lot of white on your face.
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Eye Shadow -Josie Maran Cosmetics - parfait
artemistzitzikilakis 7/23/2012 1:16:00 PM
This is a single e/s from her website as Sephora does not sell these. I think this is my HG lid color, it is matte but not dry, hard matte, and a pink with a hint of peach in it. It's a light color, though very, very pigmented, for lid use and I really think everyone, cool or warm toned, could wear this color. The cost is $20, but this is better in texture, application and wear than Dior or Chanel, truly. I can live with that price, too bad Sephora does not add this to their offering collection.
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Liquid -L'Oreal - True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup
artemistzitzikilakis 7/22/2012 10:18:00 PM
As has been said by prof. reviewers on you tube, this is h/e m/u at the drugstore, and I believe it. More coverage than a TM, but not more than med, can barely feel it on, and though no shimmer, a glow that moves light away from wrinkles, etc. It feels like silk on, is liquidy and best for normal to dry skin. I have super dry skin and assumed like every other fdtn I would need a mosit. underneath and for the first time ever had oil breakthrough. You won't be happy if you have oily skin with this. The glow, light/silky feel make it a h/e pick. The colors are not so great, though. I am NW20, got N1-2 (one color) and it's light, but the N3 was really orange and dark. Seems there are colors for fair and med, but not light. But N1-2 will not work, it is really for Mac N1 or NC10-15. L'oreal ruined maybe the best d/s foundation by skipping light toned skin - there should be an N2, W2 and C2. So many people have NW20-25 and NC20-25 skin that I have to give this only three stars. EDIT: compared to UD Naked, which launched right after this, with it's 18 shades and skin like look, I am not interested in Lumi anymore. Compared side by side the Lumi looks like m/u, the UD Naked does not, why I love it.
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Makeup Brushes -Laura Mercier - Smoky Eye Liner Brush
artemistzitzikilakis 7/21/2012 12:55:00 PM
Great! I use the Bobbi Brown gel e/l's and wondered why they "skipped" and I could not create a wing very easily. I was using a slanted/angled brush by Studio Gear, not really cheap ($16) but not as expensive as this. Well, the reason I now know is that the brush was just not thick enough, the bristles were too sparse, and yet again I learn the hard way you get what you pay for. Now my BB gel e/l's are fine and I can make a bit thicker, which I wanted, line. It is not thick, though you could do that with this brush, just thicker of course as it is not skipping skin on the lid as I apply. This was a great investment and so glad I bought it as I thought the problem was with the e/l.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Cranberry eye shadow
artemistzitzikilakis 7/21/2012 12:39:00 PM
Although this only rates at this time 4.2, everyone seems to like it, just don't know what to do with it. Firstly, I never, ever thought I would wear a frost. I read Paula Begoin's review and she rates these high and I see why - it is not a frost, it is a sheen,and a pigmented one at that. This rivals, the formula,anything by Burberry or Dior, and that is saying a lot. I am over 40 and don't want the gltiz, but these do not have it. This is mauve with a touch of bronze, a real beauty. I use it this way as it is too dark on the lid and not dark enough for the crease and as I have close set eyes I do not shade the outer "v": I use Pink Frontier or any pink shadow (have green eyes, so pinks and mauves look good) on the lid, then either copperplate, Weathered or Handwritten in the crease, then go over the crease color with Cranberry. It makes everything blend in beautifully and I have a true mauve eye look, something like the Dior Stylish Move quint I used to own but better. These frosts seem more h/e then the mattes or satins, they are more like the Veluxe but easier to blend,more pigment. Highly recommend.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Pro Longwear Fresh Flare
artemistzitzikilakis 7/21/2012 12:31:00 PM
Firstly, I love his finish, the pro e/s's have as much pigment as a Matte, but blend beautifully (unlike the matte). They seem just more h/e, and do cost more - $20. This is a kelly green, and it is too dark for the lid (on me, I have close set eyes, but many people could beautifully wear it there) and too light for a crease. I use a very light Lorac green/yelllow shadow on the lid, copperplate in the crease, then this over the copperplate and it looks really beautiful. It turns copperplate into a darker kelly green, if that make sense, and blends in nicely with the Lorac shadow. Whatever color you get, I highly recommend these pro longwear shadodws, they are a set up from the usual Mac.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Pro Longwear eye shadow Weathered
artemistzitzikilakis 7/21/2012 12:26:00 PM
The Pro Longwear e/s's are a very, very nice consistency and a step up from the usual e/s's, I love the Matte2 and Veluxe textures, but these are more unusual and I like them. They have a very subtle sheen that makes blending a bit easier and the overall finish very polished - Mac Matte certainly does not do that. This is a bluish grey, dark tone crease color that I really needed. For the crease I have Handwritten and Copperplate, but both pull (and it's good for my green eyes) mauve. This does not so I can pair it with green shadow on the lid, then a second Pro Longwear, Fresh Flare, on top. These e/s's just have more polish than the regular ones, more h/e, and they do cost 33% more, so that makes sense, stilll a deal at $20. If you have plenty of browns and mauves for your crease but need a grey that can pull blue this is it.
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Mascara -BeneFit Cosmetics - They're Real
artemistzitzikilakis 7/21/2012 11:26:00 AM
I don't get the negative reviews, this is the best mascara I have ever tried, and that includes Lancome and Dior. The s/a at Sephora who had it on looked truly like she has false eye lashes. To get that look you would need at least two coats and I only use one, but just with one I get major volumne and lenght. There is a tiny bit of smudging, just a tiny bit, but worth it. With CoverGirl lashblast I get no smudging, but the payoff is so inferior compared to this.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Brick-O-La
artemistzitzikilakis 7/19/2012 12:20:00 AM
This is a standard color, rosy/berry. More rose. What makes this a must buy for me is that it is one of the Amplified formulas from Mac, really the best IMHO. Good color payoff, not dry (like the mattes), goes on smothly (unlike the mattes). It is a good day color if you can't or don't want to wear nudes, like me. With a smokey eye you could take it into night. Yes, you can find a dupe at the drug store, but for $14.50 the color but NOT the formula can be found. I like this, trying very hard to get out of a red lip all the time state of mind, and this is a good alternative. Nudes make me look dead.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Pro-Longwear Pink Frontier
artemistzitzikilakis 7/18/2012 11:11:00 PM
This is a golden pink, and frankly perfect for green eyes. Unlike the prevous reviewer, I do not find it quite as much like Snatch by UN. It is not as dark by far, and not as sparkly. It has more of a sheen. The color payoff is the regular undependable MAC - this one you need to really dip your brush in very, very well before patting on the lid. But I can't imagine anyone with green or even blue eyes not looking good in this. I have green eyes and only wear pinks, lavenders and blue/lavenders on the lid, this is it for making my eyes pop, so I have many versions of pink. This one is a keeper. For me, Snatch just too dark and glitzy.
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Eye Shadow -Illamasqua - Sex
artemistzitzikilakis 7/18/2012 2:14:00 PM
This is simply a matte pure white powder. I have terrible undereye circles, that I use Cle de Peau concealer to hide, but the darkness goes up into the inner corners of my eye. Creams like the concealer make it look sort of creepy and wrinkled. I bought this without thinking it would help much, but it does. It stays put, so much so that you have to be careful when you apply it - I use a small rounded natural hair brush, kind of like a very small crease brush. Once it is on it stays, and it really changes my looks, those dark shadows between the eyes being brightened makes a huge difference. If you have a problem like this I highly recommend you try this, I haven't found anything else that works.
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Lipstick -Make Up For Ever - #13
artemistzitzikilakis 7/18/2012 1:16:00 PM
This is a pearly Rouge Intense (claim is that these have 50% more pigment then usual lippies and I believe it) mid tone berry with a hint of beige. It stands in for the "nude lip" look when you are someone that cannot wear a straight up light pink or beige - makes me look sick. This lasts simply forever on your lips, well at least five hours, and if I top it with LipCote it is there until I take it off. I wanted to get away from the bold reds I've always worn as I am in my late 40's but could just not pull off a truly nude lip, so this is a comprimise and well worth it. My skin is N2 or NW20-25, but this has some brown as well as berry - just a hint - so warm toned girls could wear it also. It's def. a daytime look, and though the packaging is very unassuming it is better than any h/e l/s, which go for up to $35 now (this is $19).
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Eye Shadow -Make Up For Ever - creep
artemistzitzikilakis 7/18/2012 1:10:00 PM
This is a light lavender, everything I wanted Mac's digit to be that it is not. It is matte, and it is very, very hard now to find matte e/s's, this is the only one I could find in a light lavender for the lid. There just is no comparision with Digit, which is full of filler and very little color payoff - you have to press your brush into your lid a good three times to get a shiny color. The Illamasqua e/s's are my current favorites, there are many more available on thier site, not at Sephora, and many are matte. With one swipe of the brush this makes my green eyes truly pop. I put copperplate, then fig 1 (both the Matte2 formula's of MAC, better than the satin of digit) in the crease and my green eyes and NW25 skin never looked better. I do believe someone with warm skin could get away with this, too, the key is really having green eyes = a true necessity is what this shadow becomes. Some complain that the e/s's are too powdery but this particular color is not.
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