Powders -Guerlain - Meteorites Perles d'Or - Holiday 2010
starbuck65 3/7/2012 9:53:00 PM
No one else like this? I bought this (d'or) and the beige. I love the packaging, it's beautiful. I didn't feel as though it looked cheap at all. My only issue is that the lid basically sits on top, doesn't secure at all, so horrible for travel. The perles themselves are beautiful. Funny it was the darkest of the three and it still fairly light. It doesn't leave a white cast on my skin, it's not glittery just slightly illuminating which is perfect for maturing skin. It's not heavy, it doesn't leave a powdery finish and takes very little, I use a MAC 150 or 134. Sets my foundations that are long wearing, leaves a slight glow. The beige is great for setting undereye concealer without looking dry, cakey, powder-y...very fresh looking.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -MAC - Prep + Prime Line Filler
starbuck65 3/7/2012 9:45:00 PM
I love this. I don't know how it would work all over the face or any other areas other than the forehead....that's where I use it. I would have to think that it would be a bit thick anywhere else but, like I said I don't know. What I do know is that I have expression lines on my forehead. This is used OVER foundation, which sounds odd, but it works. My forehead looks airbrushed and the lines are nearly imperceivable. I have repurchased and will continue to repurchase. I've tried other brands, Smashbox was the best of the bunch but nowhere near as good as MAC. It's said that it will improve the appearance of the lines as well over time and it does. Great product.
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Liquid -Chanel - Perfection Lumiere
starbuck65 3/7/2012 8:22:00 PM
AMAZING! I did have to use concealer on one capillary but the redness on the center of my face (rosacea) was completely evened out without using concealer. I have dry skin so I did moisturise well and used a primer. The foundation goes on well, I used my MAC 190 for the first time in years, it works well with this foundation. I normally swear by the Sigma F80 but I didn't like it with this. It feels and looks velvet-y. It sets to what I would call "no texture", like The Bronze Universal, that doesn't look like a cream or a powder, it's texture free, just color. It's not dry, not dewy (yet) just nicely evens out skin, that's it. It's not matte but it's not dewy either although I go get luminosity from setting with Fix+. It just looks like I have decent skin, it's amazing, it does look fantastic, NOT masky at all. It does cover the capillaries around my nose, just not one near my jaw line. It's the lightest coverage I've ever worn, I bought it because I was told, even by the gal at Chanel, that it was full coverage. I was initially disappointed that it's not but now I am so glad that it's not. I would call this light/medium yet evens out the skin extremely well. I've received so many compliments on my skin whilst wearing this, my mother said she's never seen a more beautiful foundation on me. Is it really long wearing? I've had it on 14 hours now, it hasn't budged, my blush hasn't budged. I, out of habit, took out a blotting linen for my nose a few hours ago and realized I didn't need it. Didn't need to touch up anything at all. I was matched with 52 BR which initially looks peachy orange on my skin but settles in to my perfect shade, not peachy orange. I have no idea how that works out, it just does. FINALLY a foundation I can call HG. It's an absolutely beautiful foundation.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -MAC - Fix+
starbuck65 3/3/2012 4:07:00 PM
I initially purchased this when powders started looking powdery, concealer started looking heavier and no matter which foundation I used, it wasn't looking fresh enough. I've been using this for years, although I have tried many others. I haven't found anything to date that can compare to Fix+. People often compare it to the all nighter and other sprays, these are two different things. Fix+ does what the previous reviewer stated, it softens a too-matte look, softens around the eyes, gives skin a fresh, soft, dewy, youthful look. I love it, I never feel like my make up is complete until I use this and I use it every single day. It does contain ingredients, as previously stated, that calm the skin and humectants to draw moisture. If you have dry and/or aging skin or just looking for something to take the edge off of matte-ness, dryness or just want to add a bit of freshness, glow and moisture...HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Wet 'n' Wild - Megaslicks in Strawberry Ice
starbuck65 3/3/2012 12:01:00 AM
My favorite l/g of all time! It's not a gloss that can be slathered on, less is more. LisaLisD1 had it in a video (eye look) and hoped and prayed she'd list or comment on what she was wearing on her lips. This was it. I've been though tubes and tubes of this. It's a warm pink, which I love. It can get frosty if you apply too much. You could use a lip brush but I just use the want. It's perfect on it's own, it's a perfect summer color and it's perfect over lipstick. It tuly does wear like a liquid lipstick, it's pigmented and perfect!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyes -Wet 'n' Wild - MegaLash Clinical Serum
starbuck65 3/2/2012 11:39:00 AM
This lash serum is great if you're looking for (a bit) longer, fuller, healthy lashes. After 10 days I noticed lashes growing on my outer lower lash line where I hadn't had any lashes at all. It's been about 30+ days.The lower lashes are completely filled in, they're definitely longer. My upper lashes are longer and full. My lashes are extremely healthy now, a bit longer, but noticably so with mascara, they feel longer if you've ever run your finger over your lashes with no mascara you'll know what I mean and are very full. Before I started using this I had 2 lashes on either side at the upper outer corners, now I have 7 but the fullness is uniform. It's decent, it's inexpensive and if you're looking for something to improve the health of your lashes, it's worth a try. I don't apply it in any special way, just run it over my lashes (night only). Does it burn if it gets in your eyes? You bet, I just clean it with a tissue where it slipped in, burning gone. I have had no irritation, no redness, no swelling, I may move on to another product as this is the first lash serum I've ever used but there is quite a bit of product in the tube so I will use it up. If I see any more improvement, will update. UPDATE** Well, the initial pros remain. My lashes look great and healthy however, no more growth since then but I'll use it up. Next up...MAC Future Length. I'd still repurchase for healthy lashes. For that, still 4 lippies.
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Mascara -Wet 'n' Wild - Megalash Clinical Mascara
starbuck65 3/2/2012 11:03:00 AM
First off...I love the looks of the packaging, I haven't had the stopper pull off yet so I rated that a 3 just in case, but...It is cute. I bought the serum first, which I love. The reviews on the mascara were mixed but after seeing the wand I had to try it. Glad I did. I, unlike some, do see volume as well as length. It doesn't dry hard and flaky like some which is nice and it also claims to have the serum ingredients (all? some? ) which is also good. I do use the serum at night but don't bother under the mascara. I love the full fan of lashes that I did get from this mascara, it's nothing dramatic, it's just right and I do love mascara and I like to see it, my mother saw it. She did a double take and asked what I had on my lashes. LOVE the brush. I have smaller eyes, not tiny, just smaller and I find some brushes (CG Lashblast, DiorShow, Rimmel ScandalEyes...) far too large but the fact that this one sits flat is genius. I really love this mascara. It's not so volumizing that it leans heavy if you have hooded eyes but it does give enough and it does give some length as well. Some say it's a really wet formula, I didn't find it too wet that it smudges on the lash line at all (Lancome Hypnose Drama) and the shape of the brush really kept it on my lashes, not my skin,it allows you to get right in to the lash base without slopping it all over my lids. This is my first WnW mascara I've ever used and one I'll surely repurchase...and I have to buy one for my mother. UPDATE: Not only still loving but paired with Hard Candy 1000 lashes fiberized primer- HG! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this brush, the formula is fantastic and I forgot to mention that although this doesn't smudge, smear, fizzle out half way through the day, flake...it washes off easier than anything I've ever used. I love this stuff! I've been using this and the serum and my lashes have never looked better and getting long... as in false lashes long, the fullness is much improved as well....I'll update. UPDATE** The little plunger ring, I don't know what it's called, that is in the tube and wipes the mascara off pior to pulling it out, it came out and mascara was everywhere! I tried, in vain, to fix it. I have used it since wiping it of by hand. Hopefully they'll fix that little wrinkle in the product because it really is very good and despite that, I'd still buy again or atleast salvage the fantastic brush!
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Lotions/ Creams -Lubriderm - Seriously Sensitive Lotion
starbuck65 2/13/2012 10:33:00 PM
Just a note from the get go...the Personal Care Advanced Lubricating Moisturizing Lotion Dry, Sensitive Skin from the dollar store works exactly the same. I bought the Lubriderm initially because Mslovely wrote a review about removing eye makeup with Lubriderm. I had been using Cetaphil and thought I'd give the Lubriderma try, I wasn't unhappy with the Cetaphil but thought it was a great idea especially since I have really dry winter skin. I now remove my face makeup with this as well and I use it with my Clarisonic. If you have dry, sensitive skin...its fantastic. I also read women were using it as a leave in conditioner, a curl definer, shave cream...I don't have curly hair but I've read it works great. My hair is straight, it is slightly damaged from bleach, extremely baby fine cut it an asymetrical bob. When I don't blow it dry it feels thicker than when I dry it, it's not smooth but if I use anything that smooths it is too heavy. I have to blow dry my hair unfortunaely for the style. I hairpray my hair to death afterwards because it will fall.flat and to my scalp. Cute. I first tried this on the top layer of my long side because it never looks smooth and thought it'd be worth a try. I tried it on a day I wasn't going out in case I had to wash it out. It wasn't heavy at all. I used a drop. Completely smooth. Perfect. Now I used a few drops all over. It actually works the way a styling cream is SUPPOSED to work. My hair was so smooth and ridiculously bouncy and I took the plunge and went hairspray free since 1970 something. It's been 13 hours and it hasn't fallen, it's not greasy, it's not heavy and my bounce has lasted all day. I'm hooked. Now I have to figure out what to do with the literally 40 something cans and bottles of Bed Head and Chi. I am a convert. Love it. Shave cream...works amazingly well. I had been using my Wen since I rarely use it on my hair but this is made for sensitive skin so it doesn't irritate, is thick enough to shave with and keeps everything moisturized and bump/red/pain free. Thanks to everyone for their great advice. Like I said I also picked up the dollar store Personal Care and it works equally as well. Oh, it moisturizes skin well, it's very light but it does the trick when you don't want to wear anything too heavy or sticky.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Maybelline - Instant Age Rewind Eraser Treatment Makeup
starbuck65 2/10/2012 9:17:00 PM
On my face...I don't love it. It's okay. As much as I love anything with dimethicone, it can look a little oily on my skin and strangely enhances lines I didn't know I had. It has surprisingly great coverage considering the product itself is very thin and fluid, much more so than Chanel foundations (love). I will try this again on my face since I may not have given it a fair shot BUT....... I'll tell you what I do love this for and why I'll repurchase. In the winter when my skin is light, the sun damage on my chest is horribly visible (I only self tan in the summer now). My makeup artist friend always suggests using a bit of foundation on the chest if you have sun damage but I find most look like makeup and dry and it's one thing on your face to know someone is wearing foundation, on your chest...no one should know. This is the best! I've tried lots...this is the only one I use now. Because it's a dimethicone based product it doesn't look dry and if color matched correctly, it's invisible, it completely covers the redness on my chest which takes years off and lasts all day.ALL DAY! When first applied it may look like makeup and a bit red, just give it a minute or two to calm down (vascular area) and it settles right in and looks like great skin. It will tansfer, like most foundations, I just set lightly with Mac P+P transparent finishing powder or Guerlain Meteorites, anything lightweight and it's perfect. Highly recommend. EDIT**After using Perfection Lumiere now for a while, I prefer that but this still works and I still use it on and off
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Color -Clairol - Kaleidocolors Tonal Powder Lightener
starbuck65 2/8/2012 8:16:00 PM
THERE'S NOTHING BETTER! SO AFFORDABLE! ABOUT $2.00 EVERY TIME I HIGHLIGHT! I'm a natural level 7 ash blonde. I've used Kaleidocolors Blue for years in and out of the salon. Using a cap method, the gal who did my hair would use a 30 volume, process under heat for 10 minutes. No yellow and no need for a toner. When she moved to a new salon...and years later when caps really aren't used...she started foiling using 20 Volume. Even after 15 minutes my hair didn't turn out the color that I liked. When you use a cap for a whole head of highlights, the Kaleidocolors is put on at once. Foiling, which can take some time, you'd have areas processing faster than others which is why she only used 20 Volume. Although I'd prefer foiling, I really wasn't happy with the 20V and not happy about the $108.00 for highlights on short hair. Since I do have short hair, it's not really a problem pulling it through a cap and I do heavy highlights so it's not noticable like the old days when you'd get stripes. I went to Sally Beauty Supply and picked up the Pure White in 30 Volume, a load of caps, and the Blue powder. It looks SOOOOO MUCH better even though I had to pull it through a cap, I prefer foiling but can't do my own and don't know how much it would process since I'm doing all over highlights if it took me an hour to foil. Kaleidocolors does require heat, I do have a dryer in my packout but for now I just put a plastic cap on and used a good old-fashioned blowdryer, 7 minutes and PERFECT! I haven't use any other tonal powder besides the blue. Highly recommend to anyone doing highlights at home. The drugstore lightening kits are horrible on my hair, they trash it, leave it yellowy-orange. This does not, no red, no yellow, no orange, no damage. Price-wise...so affordable. It costs just under $2.00 to do my own. Love it! Just a few notes...I did read a review on Sally's site stating it burned their scalp. This is an OFF THE SCALP bleach, it's not meant to be used in place of cream bleach, it's meant to be used for any off the scalp method. It does require heat, I've never used it without heat so not sure how it would process without it or if it turns out as well without heat. Use heat! I recommend just covering your head with a plastic cap and using a hairdryer if that's all you have. So worth it!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -E.L.F. - Studio Warm Bronzer
starbuck65 12/28/2011 8:21:00 PM
I cannot believe I'm just getting around to reviewing this. I know that this was pretty popular when it first came out. On summer skin it doesn't do a whole lot on NW25 skin, it does offer a nice glow, no glitter, just a fresh look and a bit of warmth. I'm not sure I would even classify this as a bronzer unless you're extremely fair and even then the color may be off. That's a tough one on fair skin. Now to my pasty, pale, horrible winter skin. My light blonde hair pretty much blends in with my skin. If you're like me, you'll know what I'm talking about...I look okay until I put on mascara, the black mascara=instant white with the contrast. I look as though I didn't even put blush on. I do have cool to neutral undertones to my skin as well as rosacea and this being a warm bronzer is perfect. It's as though it counteracts some of the cool tones in my skin but not as much as a corrector, just softens the look. It isn't deep enough to look as though I'm wearing bronzer or that my face is deeper than the rest of me but it's enough to add warmth and a bit of color so that I look healthy, not weird. As far as the texture and wear...It's not chalky, which is great on my dry skin, it doesn't look powdery at all, not drying. Like I said, it does contain a bit of a glow, not much, applied with a loose, fluffy brush is tooks fresh and takes the edge off of anything that I might be afraid could look dry. It wears as the others do, fairly well. I've never had to touch up but I believe that if need be it wouldn't be chalky or cakey. I think it's a great bargain, great product... like a lot of e.l.f products are turning out to be for dry, aging skin (who knew)...and I look as though I'm amongst the living during the winter months. I don't think that I have another product to compare. It's not as warm, dark or pigmented as Chanel Bronze Universal, it's lighter than Dior Matte Sunshine in Honey Matte but if you like Honey Matte or NYC Sunny in the summer, this could be a great winter alternative with a glow if you hate the idea of looking as though you're wearing bronzer in the wintertime but need to warm up your skin tone a bit. I really cannot think of another bronzer that I have like this,and I have tons, so it's a must-have in my arsenal.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Self Tanners -Bare Escentuals - Faux Tan
starbuck65 11/30/2011 4:14:00 PM
This didn't work for me...it was the only product I could find overseas after running out of St Tropez and Xen Tan. This was orange after the first day, orange enough that people asked why I was orange and it faded horribly on me...patchy. Easy enough to apply, looked horible.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -L'Oreal - Visible Lift Smooth Absolute
starbuck65 11/29/2011 6:49:00 PM
Disliked the Serum Abolute but I really like the Smooth Absolute. Could do without the applicator however, the formula is really good. It has medium coverage but is somewhat buildable if needed, it doesn't settle in fine lines, doesn't dry out even after 12 hours. I'm quite impressed with this one...and it's my first L'Oreal foundation...EVER! Well, I did buy/return the Serum Absolute. The Smooth Absolue leaves a slightly dewy finish, is very smooth appearing on the skin as in smoother than my skin might appear, wears well, I've had it on about 12 hours, has faded a bit but not in a blotchy way, and not so much that anything/everything I was trying to even out is noticeable to anyone but me still looks reasonable fresh. The formula is definitely not as thick as Serum Abolute, blends really well and even manages to look better hours later than I initially thought it did. It's a keeper.. EDIT**** I've been wearing this everyday! Well, I used Lift Lumiere once since I've gotten this and went right back to the L'Oreal. It wears really well on my skin. I've had it on for about 12 hours and, again, it still looks great. It doesn't dry out during the day. I'll absolutely repurchase. I may not love it in the summertime,I can't see it lasting as well in the heat... we'll see.
11 out of 12 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -L'Oreal - Visible Lift Serum Absolute Advanced Age-Reversing Makeup
starbuck65 11/29/2011 6:38:00 PM
I was so excited to try this, I bought both the Serum Absolute and Smooth Absolute (with the brush applicator). I was more excited to try this one vs the Smooth even though the other has a higher rating thus far. This one is said to have better coverage, it was compared to high end foundations... unfortunately I couldn't blend this to save my life. It looked okay after applying with the F80 in the mirror, in a magnified make-up mirror? Nightmare. It looked as though I had packed it on with a flocked sponge and left it. I then used the F82 and attempted to blend it...nothing. Not sure why it looked like that. Of course that's not to say it's a bad foundation, just didn't work for me. I noticed this foundation created a strange, cakey wrinkled, aging look nose to mouth. It was a bit thick but if I could have blended well it might not have been so bad on me. I returned it. Love the Smooth Absolute!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Palladio - oil absorbing rice paper tissues with rice powder
starbuck65 11/29/2011 6:19:00 PM
MESSY but I do like them. The powder on the bloting papers does end up in the bottom of my makeup bag and all over everything else in there however, they work extremely well, the paper does absorb oil, the powder mattifies without looking powdered, make sense? I do have to brush off the excess powder after blotting, I carry small brushes in my bag so it's not a problem. The only other blotting paper with powder I can compare with is Shiseido which are fanstastic but the Palladio, for the price, are amazing. I actually prefer the powder on these to the nearly non-existent Shiseido, which does mattify around my nose but the Palladio leaves a more finished appearance. It really freshens up the look of my make-up while absorbing the oil. Good stuff.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No