Eyeliner -MAC - Fascinating
hapapower 8/17/2009 1:03:00 AM
It took me ages to buy this, but I needed it for stage makeup and I must say, it makes a huge difference in a bold eye. At first it makes me look like some freakazoid alien, but then it mellows out and gives just the right amount of contrast to brighten the eyes and intensify dark liners and shadows. It's more creamy than the piece of crap white e/l I had eons ago and never used. I would consider this a staple and plan to use this for stage and some photo shoots.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - HD Hi-Definition Nail Color
hapapower 7/30/2009 11:51:00 AM
I bought this in 07 Three D, which is a vibrant metallic coral. It looks outstanding against my tanned NC55 skin. I was looking for a coral or orange color that would really pop yet also not make me look sallow, and this does the trick. Coverage is very even with two coats. Holds up through the week on my fingernails. In a few weeks I'll use it on my toenails and see how long it lasts there. Fantastic color, get this!
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Lip Gloss -MAC - Cremesheen Gloss in Looks Like Sin
hapapower 2/16/2009 4:20:00 PM
I love the creamy texture of the Cremesheen Glosses, and I also love the fact that they aren't sticky. I bought Creme Anglaise and Looks Like Sin because I figured they'd be good daytime l/g's. MAC didn't disappoint. Looks Like Sin is very dark in the tube, almost a brick brownish red. On my lips though, it's a very wearable muted red and I don't see any brown tones coming through. I can pile this on if I want and it doesn't look garish. Looks great on its own. The staying power of these l/g's is great too. Better than any other formula I've tried. If I continue to dig these as much as I am, I may have to get backups!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -MAC - Cremesheen Gloss in Creme Anglaise
hapapower 2/16/2009 4:16:00 PM
I love the fact that the Cremesheen Glosses are very creamy in texture. Still though, they're glosses so they still don't have the staying power of a l/s. Cfreme Anglaise is a very soft, muted rose pink which looks very luscious. It's so soft that it imparts a MLBB look. Very nice for spring, I think. I'm pretty picky about l/g's and have to say that I love the fact that this isn't very sticky. So for me, I'd definitely pick this up again. And I love the subtlety of this shade too.
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Lipstick -MAC - Chignon (Blonde Brunette Redhead)
hapapower 1/22/2009 2:58:00 PM
Chignon is a subtle grape-plum which applies fairly sheer due to its glaze formula. it's easily buildable but never gets garish. This was the only l/s shade out of the new collection which I was drawn to and I have to say that I am glad I got it. It's a nice change from all the burgundy and coral l/s I have gotten in the past year. I don't think this is incredibly beautiful or special, but it is nice for daytime.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Knight
hapapower 1/22/2009 2:52:00 PM
This is a medium gray on my NC25 lids, but it has a bluish cast on me. It's not so over the top to be offensive, but I definitely see a bluish cast, unlike the other reviewers here. Must be my Eurasian coloring. I agree that a lot of shades in the new collection are similar to other shades. For example, Henna is so similar to Mink & Sable that if you didn't care about the slightly more golden hue of Henna, you could do quite well with M&S. I think Knight is similar to Knight Divine too, but since I didn't have that shade, I got Knight. I broke down and got Henna though, even though I had M&S... I think I will probably turn to Knight when I can deal with that slight bluish tinge. The fave so far in gray e/s is Smoke and Diamonds...that doesn't go blue on me, it's soft and just gorgeous...
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Scrubs -LUSH - Buffy the Backside Slayer
hapapower 1/6/2009 6:14:00 PM
So far, I love this! I was talked into trying it when I was at the Lush store and though I know that the anti-cellulite label is a bunch of hooey I still bought a small bar of Buffy. Usually sloughing granules are very hard for me to rinse off and they tend to migrate into crevices where it can really hurt! So I am always skeptical about such products. But the granules in Buffy are easy for me to rinse off, and they aren't so rough as to remove layers of epidermis. Buffy is easy to use too. I started out using it on my derriere and then after about a week started using it on my elbows too. I just grab the bar and gently scrub, and am rewarded with excellent exfoliation. What I love is that once I am rinsed off, the booty feels totally smooth and moisturized...a big plus! Have I noticed any improvement in the small amount of cellulite in the area? Not really. But the rear is so smooth now! I also have no problem with the longevity of the product. I keep it on a dry shelf in my shower and haven't noticed very much melting of the product. This is after a month of almost daily use. And I bought the smallest size bar they had. Hardly made a dent... The only thing I don't like too well about this is that it leaves a bit of a film on my hands. While I don't mind it on the parts I treat, I really don't like it when my hands feel like they have a coating of wax on them. Definite repurchase and a possible staple in the shower for me! UPDATE (12/21/09): I still love this stuff...it makes my skin so soft and well moisturized. But I will say this: cellulite is best addressed by diet changes! Clean eating diminishes the appearance of cellulite dramatically...trust me on this, it's totally true. Once you make that adjustment, use Buffy to make the skin back there soft and smooth!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -MAC - Adoring Carmine 5 Eye Brushes Set
hapapower 1/5/2009 1:12:00 PM
I got this as a gift from my very thoughtful roomie and almost returned it since I thought I wouldn't have a use for it. Then I tried the brushes and changed my mind. Since I didn't have a travel brush set before, I think this will make it very easy for me to pack up more eye m/u than usual. I don't like bringing my regular brushes on trips since I have heard so many nightmares about brushes getting lost or stolen. This shouldn't replace your regular brushes so keep an open mind about the versatility and quality of this set. My fave is the 217 brush. It is so soft and versatile! I use this for a lid wash as well as for blending. It is a dream for blending! I have also used the 252 for lid washes and feel that this is sort of interchangeable with the 217 for that purpose. The 275 is also a very nice brush in this collection. It is soft and angled and perfect for applying color to the crease. I have yet to use the 209 but am excited to throw Blacktrack into my travel bag for a dramatic eyeliner look. Honestly, I don't think I'll ever use the 212. I never use these flat top brushes and just have no use for them. Instead of the 212 I would have loved to have seen a smudge brush or similar compact head brush for packing deep color into the crease or lash line. That would make this set perfect IMHO. All in all, this is a decent set. I heard these sold out in no time flat so people must love it. Would I purchase this on my own? No, but only because I would never purchase travel brushes. But I am very happy that I have this set.
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Lipstick -MAC - Dangerously Hot - Electroflash Collection
hapapower 11/20/2008 6:31:00 PM
I passed over Dangerously Hot when it was released with the Electroflash collection this year. I love the Amplified Creme formula though, so I can't figure out how I overlooked this. Then I did a swap for this and have to say I really like this. It's a very deep brown-red, almost too brown but somehow the brick red balances the brown so that it doesn't look muddy or blah on me. It also manages to complement my Eurasian NC30 golden skin instead of pulling all the yellow out. Compared with Dare You Cremesheen, DH is the more brown of the two, while DY is red with a hint of golden brown. I had swapped for this in the summer and felt it was too dark for hot weather. Now that the weather has cooled down a bit, I really enjoy wearing this as a dark classy shade for daytime. The brown gets a little too drab at night so I find myself turning to other lippies with more red or berry in them, but for daytime, this is elegant and versatile! If this wasn't LE, I'd probably get another one...
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Brows -MAC - Eyebrows Crayon in Spiked
hapapower 11/10/2008 2:02:00 PM
This might go to HG status for me after a while. I've only been using this for a couple of weeks, and I only use it in a sparse area on my left brow. Spiked is a dark brunette with no red whatsoever. It's a good shade for me when used very lightly, but too much of it and it looks too dark on me (NC30, Eurasian, chestnut hair, medium brown eyebrows). I can't use this on the rest of my brow without looking like Joan Crawford. That is unless I use a VERY light hand and only use Spiked on the whole brow for an evening look. For daytime use, I reserve my use of Spiked for just that one area. For the rest of my brows, Lingering is perfect. Adds shape and definition in just the right shade. I definitely have more love for Lingering. As for the crayon, it is very easy to use, and you can get fine lines from it for great definition. I don't have to use much, so I think it will take me a while to get through this. Definite repurchase! UPDATE (1/5/09): Can't live without this. Enough said.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
hapapower 11/6/2008 4:04:00 PM
Breaks me out like a mo'fo'...forget using this to remove mu. You have to use a cleanser to degrease your skin afterwards. And I feel like I am a walking Italian antipasto dish with this, all smelly and greasy. Just makes me hungry after removing mu and going to bed. I would not buy EVOO for skincare purposes, but boy is it great for cooking!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Mineralize Eye Shadow Trio - Inter-view
hapapower 11/3/2008 6:28:00 PM
Meh...I'm not that impressed by this. The shades look stunning in the pan, but the copper shade is a glittery mess and completely worthless, and the other two shades look muddy on me, whether I use them dry or wet. I was so hoping the navy blue shade would have some life to it, but on me, it looks drab. The shimmer doesn't really show up on me either. As for the chocolate brown shade, it isn't bad, but it has too much bronze in it for my tastes...Sorry ladies, but I will have to be the dissenter here...I'll try this one more time, but it might have to go into the swap pile...
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Lip Gloss -Philosophy - Pink Lemonade - Lip Gloss
hapapower 10/30/2008 2:55:00 PM
I'm not much of a lipgloss gal. I have a bunch (MAC, E/L, Lancome) and use them over l/s. Rarely do I wear a l/g by itself. But Pink Lemonade is an entirely different story. First of all, it smells so yummy...definitely slightly tart, subtle but so nice. I can't stand l/g's that smell overtly sweet...it just turns my stomach. But this is a light, tart citrus. The formula is nice and light, not too sticky, and not gritty in the slightest. It's super glossy too which is a plus. And the formula has decent staying power. As for the color, it is a subtle, pale pink which looks natural and oh-so-pretty. I think this is perfect for a very natural glossy lip if you have pigmented lips like I do.
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Brows -MAC - Eyebrows Crayon in Lingering
hapapower 10/27/2008 7:40:00 PM
I've used this for two weeks and have accepted it as part of my daily routine, but...I'm not completely convinced that I have found a HG. I love the staying power of this crayon, and it is very easy to use. This is nice and thin so you don't have to worry about a fat, mushy tip. And the crayon is hard enough for you to have good control with application. Here's where I have a problem: I have a very sparse area on my left brow which needs more shading. The other parts of both brows just need a small amount of darkening and shaping, and Lingering does a great job there. But Lingering is too light at that sparse area. If I build up enough of the crayon there, the shade is all right, but then I don't get that nice, individual hair stroke look. I'll have to try Spiked and update later... UPDATE (11/10/08): So I got Spiked for that sparse area. It took a couple of days to work out a technique, but I have it down now. I start off with Spiked in the sparse area, then add a bit of Lingering there and shape the rest of my brows with Lingering. Looks very natural and has been the best brow solution for me thus far. Now that I have this winning combo, I think Lingering could definitely move to HG status along with Spiked. Definite repurchase...
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Dare You - Cremesheen
hapapower 10/23/2008 2:28:00 PM
This is one of the Cremesheens recently released by MAC. MAC describes this shade as a "deep brown red". While I agree that it is a deep shade and has a touch of brown in it, it is a warm slightly brick red without overt brown tones. Thank goodness since most l/s that leans towards brown looks muddy and horrid on me and pulls all the yellow out of my skin. While Hang-Up is my favorite of the Cremesheens, I love Dare You's warmth. Yet this is a completely wearable red for me (Eurasian, NC30). I have a lot of trouble with reds. Usually the berry reds work the best on me. But I have always wanted to find a red WITHOUT the berry undertones, neutral to warm in its undertones. Every neutral to warm red I had tried up to now was just too bright and made me look like a clown. Case in point is Port Red. I wore that the other night and I looked stupid. But Dare You is absolute perfection. A deep red but not so deep that it looks goth. It's toned down so it doesn't scream out loud like some warm reds do. No berry in it (I noticed lilhenna mentioned this got pinky on her, but I get none of that. If anything, it turns a golden red on me after a while). Warm yet doesn't get muddy or drab looking on me. I actually had to get a backup of this one, it's that special. And the best thing is the Cremesheen formula, which I absolutely ADORE...it's creamy, moisturizing, and looks yummy on the lips. You would think this would wear off pronto...not so. I apply this less often than the matte or frost formulas. And the sheen is so awesome that you never need l/g over your l/s. It doesn't cake up at all. As the color fades a bit over the course of the day, it starts to take on more of the look of a stain which is lovely. With the Cremesheens, it's like l/g and l/s had a baby...this formula is sheer and lush, yet the color is completely buildable. I know they say the Slimshines are supposed to be the closest l/g-l/s hybrid, but the Cremesheens are far more buildable, and they look so luscious on the lips... Definite repurchase. I absolutely love this shade! This is truly the most perfect deep red I have ever laid eyes on. I "dare you" to try this shade!
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No