Bronzers -Guerlain - Terracotta 4 Seasons Bronzing Powder
flauros 2/22/2012 10:29:00 PM
This must be the most expensive bronzer on the face of the planet, but will definitely last me years. This was 75$ for .35oz of product which is in line with other brands but is definitely luxurious (NARS are .28oz, Dior are .42oz, MAC are .35oz, Bobbi Brown are .28oz). So what justifies 2 or 3 times the price? Firstly, the packaging is very heavy and luxurious, it's really a beautiful and quality compact. Secondly, there are 4 colors in the compact (all the other brands I've tried are one solid color throughout) and is very versatile for different times of the year. In the winter I'm about NW10 and the summer I'm NW20 and 01 Blondes still works for me. The SA at the counter put this on me and it warmed up my face immediately. You can swipe different directions for many different combinations of intensity with 0 shimmer. NO SPARKLES. I use this for contour and it's probably the nicest piece of makeup that I own. Thirdly, Guerlain has been making bronzing products for over 50 years and is renowned for the best bronzers in the industry and this is no exception. You only need a little since it's so pigmented. The case holds shut with a nice magnet. There is a strong floral scent but it doesn't bother me. Perfection in a bronzer.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Christian Dior - (254) Bleu de Paris
flauros 2/13/2012 2:01:00 PM
Most beautiful blue eyeshadow palette I've ever owned. Currently priced at $59USD for .21oz/6g of product, this palette was supposedly inspired by Marie Antoinette and her famous blue dress. This came out with the Dior "New Look" collection for winter/spring 2012. The 5 colors are silver blue shimmer/ silver/ pale blue sheen/ charcoal grey shimmer/ matte midnight blue. The colors are really buttery and pigmented. The midnight blue in the bottom right could use a little more pigment but it can be built up darker. The colors are super blendable and gorgeous. Comes in the special edition palette (blue with silver outlining) and 2 double sided sponge applicators and a mirror. So worth the price if you love all the colors.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -NARS - Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
flauros 2/10/2012 9:09:00 PM
I have been using this for a few weeks now and I can honestly say it delivers. The wand packaging isn't the most hygienic but I wipe it on the back of my hand, then apply to my eyes. It makes my eyeshadow stay on all day with just minimal fading. It doesn't have a scent and it's colorless, just slightly white going on but that doesn't affect color of shadows on top. It's currently $24 USD for .28oz/ 8g of product, which places it among the more expensive shadow primers but it's pretty bulletproof and worry free.
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Liquid -Christian Dior - Diorskin Nude Hydrating Makeup SPF 10 [DISCONTINUED]
flauros 2/10/2012 8:39:00 PM
This is my go-to winter foundation for my normal/combo skin. I normally use Dior forever for summer but it is far too matte for winter this year. Nude is more dewy but not shiny, the staying power isn't as good. However, it is the perfect amount of hydration for the winter for me. The coverage is light, somewhat buildable. This foundation does have a strong fragrance, however it fades after only a few minutes. The packaging is really nice but I do recommend shaking it up before each use. The color range is average, but dior's color matches are perfect for neutral-toned people like myself, so I keep going back for foundation. I find that this does not oxidize on me and it's impossible to see any foundation lines. My favorite way to apply is with a wet sponge, it looks truly skin-like. Overall, no complaints, loving the color match and finish for winter!
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Bobbi Brown - Illuminating Finish Powder Compact Foundation SPF 12
flauros 2/10/2012 8:25:00 PM
If you are looking for a finishing powder with a little bit of coverage, this is perfect. I purchased this at my CCO for $29USD for .45oz/ 13g of product. I put this over my light coverage liquid foundation where I need more coverage. Using the dry sponge it comes with, I pat it on and blend, and it looks extremely skin like (I only use one layer). By hour 8 my skin was still looking like I had just applied it, no flakies or unevenness (I have normal/combo skin). I'm not sure if I would use this alone as a foundation, my skin isn't perfect and it wouldn't cover all my issues. Having used Mac StudioFix in the past, this is much lighter and less likely to cake in my experience. For touch ups and as a finishing powder, it works great. No scent detected, product comes in a compact with a mirror and sponge. Also, really great color selection for pale ladies like myself!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Prestige - My Longest Lashes
flauros 2/10/2012 8:10:00 PM
Wow. I got this on clearance for $3.50 USD and had to give it a try. First of all, the formula is fabulous. No transferring, no flaking, not too crunchy, and pretty dry as far as mascaras go. I found this extremely easy to apply and my lashes didn't clump together at all. The price was pretty unbeatable, normally it's around 7$ which is comparable to other drugstore/hs brands and this beats every other mascara I've tried in this price range. Secondly, the packaging is great- the stopper is SO good that no clumps ever stick to the wand, so there's never too much product on it. I would call this mascara similar in effect to Lancome Definicils, Clinique Naturally glossy, Covergirl Lashblast Length, and other lengthening/defining mascaras, but arguably the price point is hard to beat (but no waterproof formula available). No scent, and no eye irritation for me. The wand is rubber like lashblast, and I normally go for natural bristles, but this doesn't bother me at all. Overall, huge win for natural looking mascara.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Maybelline - Dream Bouncy Blush
flauros 2/8/2012 2:02:00 PM
I bought 60 coffee cake for 7$ at fred meyer for 5.6g or .19oz of product. My first impression is that this blush is not very pigmented- I had to dip about 5 times with a stippling brush to get this to show. That being said, the color is a very warm brown champagne color, it's very pretty. It's very shimmery but it gives a nice sheen in indoor lighting. This has no scent to it. I don't know if this color would show up on any skin darker than fair. If you have medium skin, this might be a good highlighter color. Staying power is not good on its own, I layer with a powder blush on top to keep it going all day. Would not repurchase but will use up for sure.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Clarins - Instant Light Lip Perfector - Rose Shimmer
flauros 1/29/2012 4:02:00 PM
Absolutely a repurchase item for me. I have 02 apricot shimmer and I love it. I bought this while traveling at duty free so the price was good, 12.80euro. I feel that the value is great for the product- the packaging is good for on the go, no messy fingers. I did not find that this is actually shimmery at all, on the lips it looks shiny and healthy, no shimmer or glitter to speak of. the texture feels like a heavyish balm, like a light lip gloss. I can't actually see any color to this, it looks fairly clear in color. I'd say this is definitely interview and workplace appropriate in every aspect. Smells like cotton candy but gone smell wears off quickly. The gloss stays on really well, about 2-3 hours for me but didn't last through a meal. That's ok, because reapplying is easy, don't even need a mirror. Will repurchase again!
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Palettes -Christian Dior - Expert Travel Studio (All over makeup palette the essential of Dior makeup)
flauros 1/12/2012 3:01:00 AM
I bought this palette on the way to France. It is only available at Duty Free. This palette was 56euro at the time and is really good value for money considering the brand. The shadows have excellent payoff, except the middle pink shadow is kind of chalky, the rest are great and all have a satin/slight frost finish. The powder is shadow 02, which is light but slightly dark for me. However, it is sheer and works anyway. The blush is very pigmented and a pretty light rose color. The 4 lip products are a lip balm, an addict gloss, and 2 lipstick colors. On the bottom tray is a black eyeliner, a mauve-ish lipliner, 2 double sided brushes, and a face brush. The mascara is a mini diorshow iconic. No bad reactions and no perfume that I can detect. Great palette overall and would recommend for those traveling overseas!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Shadow
flauros 1/7/2012 11:24:00 PM
For the price, these shadows are unbeatable. I'm generally a high-end only girl but I saw raves for these and had to try, definitely not disappointed. These are very creamy and pigmented. I used the blue with a primer and it's lasted forever no budges. I will go out and get a few more colors soon!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Clinique - Bottom Lash Mascara
flauros 12/31/2011 12:42:00 AM
Why did it take so long to just make a tiny mascara wand? I don't know, but it's brilliant. The formula never flakes or smudges on me, and gets all those tiny little lashes. I also use this on my upper lashes, in the inner corner where my lashes are super tiny. Will buy again, this is genius.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Laura Mercier - Metallic Creme Eye Colour- Rose Gold
flauros 12/26/2011 8:51:00 PM
Simply a beautiful rose gold color. The color in the tube is very true and it applies as a rosy-metallic-goldy color. I put this under eyeshadow as a base which imparts a lovely metallic sheen under a normally flat eyeshadow. The consistency is very creamy, you have a lot of time to move it around before it sets. This doesn't crease initially, but after about 6 hours it will because I have oily lids. I've had this for a year and I've yet to be disappointed. I've also used this lightly on my cheeks as a pinky metallic highlighter. Doesn't have a scent and doesn't irritate my eyes, which can be sensitive to cheap shadows. I want to try more colors!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast Volume
flauros 12/3/2011 7:21:00 PM
This irritated the heck out of my eyes, they got red and it felt horrible. I experienced clumpiness and flaking with this mascara. It is definitely volumizing, but after more than one coat it clumped horribly. Won't repurchase, but if it didn't irritate my eyes I'd vote it 3 lippies.
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Treatments -La Roche Posay - Effaclar Duo
flauros 12/3/2011 1:58:00 AM
I finally found something that would help me with my adult acne! About 2 years ago my skin changed and went a little haywire and I hadn't found anything to date that was helping. Then I found this, and my skin has finally cleared up completely. I used this once a day for a week, my skin dried out a bunch but ALL my blemishes, I had 4 last week, are gone. I had to change to a heavier moisturizer to combat the dryness but this is 100% worth the money. Nothing else helped but after spending hundreds on other products over the past 2 years, this one is on the money.
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Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Black Out Mascara
flauros 12/3/2011 1:45:00 AM
This is my evening/ going out mascara. The brush is pretty gigantic, but surprisingly does not get too much mascara on the brush. I prefer natural bristle mascaras over plastic bristle applicators, this one is no exception. The color is super black, which is too severe for me during the day as I naturally have lighter lashes. However, party time comes around and out this baby comes! The packaging is light but pretty large- it takes up a lot of space in my bag pocket. When applying this, it's important to keep a eyelash comb or disposable mascara applicator around to comb through, as it tends to stick a few lashes together if you're not careful. But this is by no means a clumpy mascara, it just requires a little more care. I have bad reactions to covergirl mascaras but I am pleased to say no adverse reactions to this bad boy! The price for this has dropped I think, it's only 24$USD now and makes this a cheaper dior mascara at the moment.
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