Polishes -Essie - Miami Nice
tinkerrbelle 8/25/2012 9:56:00 AM
Deep hot pink with blue micro shimmer. Pretty! One of those colors that look better on my friends tan skin than me. I have NC10 fair skin. The coverage is perfect and even in a single coat. It feels "drier" to apply than my other shades and even though it is a shimmer it looks better with a top coat as the finish looks and feels a bit dull. There are a couple of things I don't quite like. It takes simply ages to dry. I have to allow 2 hours for it to dry enough to not be completely crumpled or dented by a chance smudge or knock. It is also one of those shimmers that are harder to remove and scratches up the surface of my nails. Like Glitters polishes but not quite as bad. Its pretty so I am happily working my way to the end of the bottle and will use it up, but won't buy again because there are other similar shades with better formulas: - Essie Meet Me at Sunset (bright red-orange jelly creme) - Essie Super Bossa Nova (bright fuschia) - Avon Speed Dry in Strawberry (bright fuschia-red plastic creme, dries perfectly hard in less than a minute and only needs one coat, chip free for days).
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Maybelline - Unstoppable Eyeliner
tinkerrbelle 8/22/2012 10:50:00 AM
I agree with everyone, its probably the worst eyeliner I have tried. I brought several each in the colors Onyx, Espresso, Pink Twilight, and Fluffy Cloud. Amazingly EVERY ONE of them had the tip crumble or had the entire eyeliner stick come loose and fall out of the packaging. It was an entire waste of my money and time and dangerous too as some of the crumbling pieces fell into my eye and it took ages to get all the little bits out - I was very worried.Shame on Maybelline for making such a poor quality product. Save your money and don't buy this rubbish!! If you want a better windup eyeliner try the Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definers. Lots of pretty colors, cheap, lasting good quality, and they have a handy smudger and a sharpener in the end of the cap too.
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Crème -MAC - Full Coverage Foundation
tinkerrbelle 8/14/2012 12:57:00 AM
It is so hard getting pale enough base shades to suit very fair skin. This comes in a really pale shade W10 which is good for fair skin. As a foundation I find this pricey and very, very thick coverage. But if blended very, very well it makes a good concealer and the compact lasts much longer than a regular sized concealer. I find I go through concealers so fast! They only annoying thing is they have made this product hard to source by only putting it in Pro stores. *sniff* They've made it too much effort to get hold of!
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Liquid -Maybelline - SuperStay Makeup - New Version
tinkerrbelle 8/13/2012 10:41:00 PM
There is nothing new about this "new" formula apart from slapping on a new look label and making a new ad campaign. For fair skin the shade selection and longevity is exactly the same and just as bad as the old superstay and color rewind formulas. The 2 lightest shades are still super super dark (darker than MAC NC15) and too colored. Porcelain Ivory and Classic Ivory are still a ridulous pink/peach tone. Sand Beige is a much nice golden tone but is much too dark for anyone fair. They advertise this as being "24 hour" but this formula oxidises so badly that it doesn't even last "1 hour" on me. After an hour of wear it goes a full shade darker and even more orangey compared to when I first put it on. If you have fair skin I'd say its not really a "super stay", more like a "stay away"!!
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -L'Oreal - Youth Code BB Cream Illuminator
tinkerrbelle 8/12/2012 1:54:00 AM
I agree with MsPsylocke. Its not a BB cream its actually its just an expensive tinted moisturizer. L'oreal are so misleading labelling it a BB when its only benefit is color tint and sunblock. No illumination, no wrinkle care, no coverage, no evening of skin tone, no oil control, no anti-inflamatory benefits that all the Asian BB creams do. L'Oreal jumped on the bandwagon and are ripping us off. I tried fair which is way too dark and orangey looking - better for light to light/medium skins who want to tint their skin to add a bit of peach to their colo. (Although who would want to? There'sa million different better TM's out there.)
7 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -L'Oreal - Nude Magique BB Cream
tinkerrbelle 8/12/2012 1:45:00 AM
"Nude" is right, the coverage is so sheer, its hardly botheringn to put anything on. L'oreal has recently put out a ton of "BB cream" labels like Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream, Youth Code BB Cream Illuminator and this one, Nude Magique. None of these are actually BB creams. BB, or "Blemish Balm" creams are high coverage foundations designed to cover and treat blemished or acne problem young skin. The L'oreal verions including this one are sheer tints only. Nude Magnique L'oreal version is a clear lotion with gritty tint balls that explode and release orangey-brown tint when you rub it in. The tint is dark toned yet very sheer so it colors skin with barely any coverage. No moisturisation, or any anti-inflammatory benefits either. I think its a rip-off that does nothing to justify the high price. I got the "Fair" version which was a ridiculously dark orange tint. More for suitable for light/medium skins I think.
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Powder -MAC - Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
tinkerrbelle 8/11/2012 9:00:00 PM
This oxidises badly - and itches my skin - and breaks me out - and I know I'm not the only one. I saw on a fantastic website dedicated to testing tons of foundations for coverage and oxidation rates for fair skin that Studio Fix was the ONLY one to receive a "very high oxidation" rating that I could see and she reviewed hundreds. Clearly Studio Fix is no longer a good formulation in this day of modern high-tech formulas. About oxidation: Ladies, its not in your heads, it doesn't happen to all foundations and powders, its not because you don't wash your brushes, or use the right brush, or spray afterward, or apply an expensive primer first, or or do a magic dance and hop on one leg saying the magic words while you apply it or any other way of "working with it" like the MAC junkies will have you believe who think every MAC product is a winner and it must be your fault somehow and try and give you "tips" to keep you hooked on a rubbish product!! Its not you, its a rubbish formula that oxidises. Trust your intuition and try another brand. If you have time do some research on what doens't oxidise. Test strips on your wrist both heavy and blended out side by side and watch exactly what does and doesn't darken and turn orange over a few hours. The results will surprise you and cut out the confusion. I did and have never looked back! No more wierd dark orangey skin and no more wasted money! About breakouts: Studio Fix breaks me out. I use clean brushes and brand new sponges. Other foundations don't break me out. Its not my moisturiser as I rarely need to use one. I have perfect, clear skin normally. I have never once got "that time of the month" hormonal breakouts. Studio Fix breaks me out. There is no reason for you MAC junkies to try and defend this outdated formula. Studio Fix breaks me out. It is Studio Fix's fault not mine or anyone else's either. Its comedogenic. End of story. About itching: Studio Fix itches my skin. I don't need to find a reason to keep using it. My skin doctor told me itching is your skin's way of telling you your skin is getting damaged (therefore speeding up aging!) and to stop using the product that caused it. Studio Fix itches my skin. Therefore I did the sensible thing and stopped using it. If anyone out there also experiences itching I encourage you to do the same. No-one wants skin damage and aging!!
10 out of 18 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Rimmel - Lasting Finish Lemon Drop 
tinkerrbelle 8/8/2012 3:43:00 AM
The clear lemon yellow looks gorgeous on my very fair skin. It goes on streaky and globs up unevenly near the cuticle. Takes forever to dry if ever. 24 hours later my 2 coats were still soft and denting!! It says on the back of the bottle it's scented when dry but I didn't smell anything. I prefer the Rimmel "60 Second" range. Those dried within minutes and looked super smooth!
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Eye Shadow -Urban Decay - Naked 2 Palette
tinkerrbelle 8/7/2012 10:43:00 PM
I really regret buying this palette for NZ$120. Compared to other brands, the UD glitter/shimmery shades that make up most of this palette are extremely aging on over 35 eyes without some major eye prep or eye primer base. More wrinkly show-girl than naked babe. I don't want it to come off wrinkly but I don't think its worth the extra time as I dont have to do this with other brands yet! The three matte colors are disappointing, they look muddy and chalky ash on my very fair warm skin. Not fond of the synthetic brush either, both ends are way too big and cake on too much color and don't blend well. I prefer the Sigma color palette in "Bare" as the colors are more matte, look fresher, more natural and more varied, plus the double ended brush is regular Sigma quality in the E25 and E30. The 4 matte eyeshadows are lovely for the daytime. The shimmers are ok but they make my eyelids look a bit wrinkly so I have to use sparingly. The gloss is cute it is sheer rose pink with a minty taste. The brush I thought was horrible with these shadows.The larger blender end is a slimy synthetic bristle brush. It doesn't blend properly, just smears it around. Its way too big for my crease. The smaller eyeshadow end is meant to be a liner brush but its too big and makes ugly thick lines with not much definition. Its ok as a cream eyeshadow brush or wetfoiling mineral eyeshadows.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Revlon - Scented Nail Enamel - Coconut Crush #340
tinkerrbelle 8/7/2012 8:52:00 PM
Metallic white metallic shimmer that dries with a flat matt finish, so it needs a top coat. Coverage is good, slightly patchy but I can get away with a single coat if I lay it on thick. INTENSLY scented with very sweet coconut ice lollies. I don't like the scent or the flat finish, so I prefer Revlon's "Phantom Angel". Its a pearly white shimmer too but with a shiny finish, and none of that crazy scent.
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Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter in Creme Brulee
tinkerrbelle 8/7/2012 12:18:00 PM
Creme Brulee is so sheer it does nothing to cover my pigmented lips, just turns them a slightly tinted browny orange which isn't that flattering and looks aging IMO. The color magnifies lip lines on everybody - I've seen it everywhere from young girls to friends to blog pics so the formula is rubbish. The name "lip butter" implies a moisturising effect but the formula It dries out my lips and makes them flake. After an hour the color wears off and leaves glittery bits sitting into the lines. Sugar Frosting, Peach Parfait and Lollipop do the same thing. Very disappointed as I paid NZ $27 each.
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Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter
tinkerrbelle 8/7/2012 12:07:00 PM
Don't trust the rave reviews or their color descriptions and save your money. They are expensive, super sheer non-moisturising lip glosses that go into the lines and dry out lips - in pretty packaging with tons of hype. Most colors don't show up that much and some are suprisingly glittery. I mean glittery balm? They dry out people's lips and make them flake. I thought it was just me but then I checked out other peoples video reviews and talked to a few friends then realised the product makes dry lips get even worse for people with dry or sensitive lips. I thought thats what a "butter" would be for? But the worst thing about these lip "butters" is that most of the colors magnify lip lines 500%. Even on young girls with smooth lips I notice it collects into their lines and looks awful. If I had paid a couple of dollars I would just say oh well, but I paid NZ $27 here so its a major rip off.
9 out of 16 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Zoya - Faye
tinkerrbelle 8/6/2012 8:39:00 AM
Faye is a beautiful duochrome warm rose/mauve-pink duochrome packed full of gold shimmer. GREAT formula, perfect 2 coat coverage, fast drying, and it uses micro shimmer so its MUCH easier to remove and doesn't scratch the nail bed unlike glitter polishes! Similar to OPI Rally Pretty Pink. An elegant choice for nude/soft pink/beige/chocolate colored clothing. I like it because it looks summery, modern and romantic and suits my very pale warm skin. EDIT: If you are experiencing problems with Zoya excessively bubbling, shrinking, peeling off, chipping, or failing to dry properly, check the top or base coat you're using!! Reason: Most of the original top/base nail polishes contain the ingredient "C.A.B.", or Cellulose Acetate Butyrate and are not Big-3 compatible. CAB chemically destroys the new Big-3 polishes like Zoya, breaking them apart. Here are some of the ones to avoid list. Notice most of them state "super fast". CAB must help with drying time. Contains CAB - DO NOT use with Big-3 Polishes like Zoya, Essie: x Orly Tough Cookie Strengthening Basecoat for Sensitive Nails x Orly Tough Cookie Nail Strengthener x Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat x Poshe Super-Fast Drying Top Coat x Dazzle Dry Quick Dry Top Coat x China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat x Out the Door Super Fast Drying Top Coat x CND Air Dry Top Coat x Butter London Hardwear P.D. Quick Top Coat CAB FREE - Safe for use with Big-3 Polishes like Zoya, Essie: * Zoya Armor * CND Super Shiney High-Gloss Top Coat * Essie Good to Go! Fastest Drying Top Coat There may be others. If you need to speed up drying, some people have reported that quick dry drops do not affect Zoya - as long as the Top/Base coat is compatible then it doesn't seem to affect it. I'm not downing either type of T & B coats. Neither is worse or better than each other as long as they're compatible with what you're using. The nail industry is evolving with new improvements to offer customers a new "natural" point of difference. Its a shame it clashes with the old technology. Basically one is marketed as "more natural" than the old type but you will have to choose the appropriate top coat to suit.
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Blush -Yves Saint Laurent - Voile de Blush / Gel Blush
tinkerrbelle 8/5/2012 12:14:00 PM
A sheer gel blush best for fair to light skin applied over either bare skin or liquid/cream foundation but under any powder product. It is sold as a low maintenance blush but unless you have perfect skin it takes some work. Applied with fingers it is too patchy, results are much better buffed in with a plushy synthetic blush brush. It is sheer so imperfections show through and are accentated (blemishes, age spots, dry patches). I'd say its either for young perfect skin, or, for people who are able to get it looking that way with a routine of exfoliate, moisturise, conceal plus foundation. Thats too over the top for me to make a single blush work I didn't really like the product. I know thats the deal with most Gel Blushes but YSL is pricey so I expected more. Plus I've used Revlon's gel blush in the past and I thought that was better.
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Treatments -Ettusais - Medicated Acne Whitening Essence
tinkerrbelle 8/2/2012 6:50:00 PM
Ettusais say that Adult acne can be caused by both dehydration and excessive sebum, so they have developed a hydrating range with their signature soybean-based "AC-Control Oil", and an Oil-free range without it. This product is one of the hydrating lines for dry acne. Its an all-over face moisturiser that claims to hydrate, treat and prevent adult acne and lighten the look of acne and skin imperfections over time. Interesting. And I like my soybeans so thats a start. Some of its claims of what it does are: "Works to lighten post acne scars, blotchiness and sunspots for a brighter, more even skin tone" "Suppresses the formation of melanin and rapidly lightens spots and freckles with stable Vitamin C "Dryness is one of the major causes of adult acne. Our star ingredient AC Control Oil, a soy bean extract, effectively hydrates skin, helps skin to stay resistant to acne." My skin is very sensitive but otherwise fairly normal and radiant kept with a simple routine of simple olive oil + un-scented soap combination cleansing helped along by a clean microfibre wash cloth and the occasional scrub. But I have highly comedogenic skin. This means almost whenever I try a new liquid makeup, moisturiser or sunblock, most times my skin reacts with acne breakouts. This time the culprit was Dr Lewinns tinted moisturiser, 2 days use and I got unusally horrible acne all over my chin. It was obviously too rich for me. So I tried treating with some Clean and Clear Benzoyl Peroxide 10% lotion which was a disaster, casuing my skin to sting then look scarred and "melted" looking and red and flaky and sensitive, leaving the actual acne still there. I do NOT recommend this product for sensitive skin. So then I decided a more gentle approach was needed and tried some Medicated Acne Whitening Essence that was given to me just at the right time. Its a light watery, sticky gel-like moisturiser. I saw that it was un-scented (best for stressed, sensitive skin) and its got the anti-oxidant Vitamin C (to strengthen skin's natural resources). When I put it I felt a slight tingling, and it felt sticky for a while, then it dried a little and my skin looked less red and more radiant. My flaky crusty bits immediately softened and the sore red melty patches felt calmer. Over the next few days my skin became softer and the scabs lightened ad almost disappeared. I had my almost returned to normal since since the Clean and Clear incident from the day before. Two days later the acne scabs had almost disappeared and I noticed less redness at the healing sites and my skin feel soft and of normal color. My thoughts on this product are: unscented is good, anti-oxidant is good. It calms and reduces redness that comes with inflammed acne. The stickiness is good, as that more effectively keeps moist for longer and softens away the crusts and flakes associated by dry adult acne. I found it an effective calming moisturiser and I will try it next time I get acne (next time I try a sunblock or something). I would NOT recommend it for whitening sunspots caused by sun aging though. Because none has clinically proven to treat that except for expensive cosmetic lasers by a licensed skin doctor.
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