Scrubs -Etude - Baking Powder Crunch Pore Scrub
redchinamarker 3/29/2011 3:40:00 AM
This product comes in a box with 24 packets. It's very cute because the packets are shaped sort of like pyramids. If you're interested in the Etude Baking Powder line, I would recommend trying this first. I also own the Baking Powder Cleansing Foam, which is much less similar to the consistency of actual baking powder-- actually very smooth and creamy like a typical cleansing foam. The scent of this entire line is absolutely to die for. There's definitely a bit of baking powder, along with an amazing lemon scent. This product has the consistency of a creamy paste. You can definitely feel the granules of baking powder and it's extremely exfoliating. Each packet contains enough product for, IMO, 2 or 3 uses, and the package opening is so small that it would not be unhygienic to use half and save the rest for later. It does not lather. Although I haven't used exfoliating products ever since I started using my Neutrogena Wave + washcloth routine (similar to Clarisonic), this is a great product. If you like the smell of baking powder or lemon you should definitely try it. I think this is a perfect product for travel or gym-- exfoliation on the go!
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Lips -MISSHA - Finish Cover Stick in #1 Light Beige
redchinamarker 3/29/2011 3:14:00 AM
I saw this in the lip section of Missha, so I believe it is a lip concealer, but it is also an amazing, smooth undereye concealer. Compared to Etude House's Color Me Nude, it is more yellow or orange toned (as opposed to pinkish) so I think it's a more effective corrector/concealer. If your lips are prepped properly, then softly tap it (this will take a while) until you achieve the desired concealment. DON'T swipe or pull as you would a normal lipstick. The packaging is fairly luxurious-- solid and silver. it's nice for wearing with paler lipsticks if you have highly pigmented lips.
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Lipstick -Etude - Color Me Nude Lip Concealer
redchinamarker 3/29/2011 2:47:00 AM
Although this is a "lip concealer" the purpose is not to create "concealer lips"-- although it's worth a laugh to apply it like a normal lipstick and gape at yourself in the mirror. You need exfoliated, moisturized lips for this to work. Then, with a ***very*** gentle touch, tap it all over your lips (no swiping or pulling). It might take a while, but your lips will soon start to look NATURALLY lighter. It won't look like you're wearing makeup at all. To be honest, I'm sort of flummoxed about how to apply lipstick on top-- you definitely have to wait a few minutes, and use a lip brush, but I'm still figuring this out. It's great with gloss though, especially light, peach-colored gloss. Very cute pink packaging, too! I would have to say that if you have access to Korean products, Missha's product (Finish Coverstick in Light Beige) might be a better option. Missha is more yellow/orange-toned, while Etude is more pink. Therefore it does a better job of concealing. I also think Missha dries down a bit better, making it less inclined to mix with the top layer of lipstick.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Laneige - Balancing Emulsion MOISTURE (formerly BE1)
redchinamarker 3/29/2011 1:57:00 AM
Excellent HG moisturizer for day or night use. It's great for locking in the moisture after showering or using my Clarisonic. Deceptively light feel, without the greasiness of a thicker cream. It has eliminated my flakiness and leaves skin super-soft. The packaging is very minimalist but sturdy.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Her Alter Image (Venomous Villians)
redchinamarker 3/29/2011 1:47:00 AM
The worst MAC eyeshadow I have ever tried. :( Not pigmented, and also not dark enough to show up as purple.
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Skincare - Body -Dr. Bronner's - Organic Balm
redchinamarker 3/29/2011 1:37:00 AM
I have this product in Citrus Orange, in a circular tin. First of all, the packaging is pretty awful-- it's very difficult to screw shut because the threads are hard to align. However, I just keep this product at home on my nightstand so I've stopped trying to screw it completely shut. Other than that minor problem, this is an excellent product. One of the first balms or lip products I've "hit pan" on in a long time. All the scents in this line are amazing and very natural. The amount of beeswax in this product drastically decreases the slip factor. It is long-lasting and does not have an artificial texture... it's quite buttery. I use it on dry or chapped spots, as well as my lips. Note: this product was purchased in Asia, and I believe that not only is the packaging different in the US, this scent is also unavailable.
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Eyeliner -BeneFit Cosmetics - Eye Bright
redchinamarker 3/29/2011 1:23:00 AM
I was very intrigued by the reviews for this, but personally it disappointed me. The product has a slightly waxy consistency that makes it difficult to apply, particularly on oily skin. IMO judicious use of powder highlighters or eyeshadow would be a smarter move.
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Lipstick -NARS - Gipsy
redchinamarker 3/27/2011 11:15:00 AM
I agree with many previous posters with dark hair, fair skin, and highly pigmented lips. This is a lovely, accessible red with warm hints of pink and orange. On me, it looks exactly like the color of pomegranate. Unfortunately, it is much too serious of a color for day. Somehow it is even MORE intense than a true red lip! I think it's because this is a very sultry and "natural" color. When I wear it my whole face glows as if I'm shopping at a store with soft and warm "flattering lighting". I also feel much more confident :) Definitely a must-try.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -TheBalm - Time Balm
redchinamarker 3/27/2011 11:04:00 AM
I know at some point in my life, I considered this product to be HG. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm not a stickler for makeup hygiene in that I don't consider tubs of makeup to be inherently evil, but WOW this product attracts dirt. I always apply concealer with a finger to warm it up and if I have even the tiniest clothing fiber on my finger it gets trapped in the sticky pot. Not only that, if while I'm wearing it I encounter even a tiny speck of dust it will also stick to my eye. This stuff is so, so sticky. So sticky it transcends creaminess. It also has cheap and unwieldy packaging and mediocre staying powder (it sinks into the skin but floats to the top after an hour). If you're like me and have seriously purple dark circles, I'd recommend a similar but superior product, Skinfood Salmon Dark Circle Concealer.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Bobbi Brown - Powder Blush - Peony
redchinamarker 3/27/2011 10:52:00 AM
This is the first non-drugstore blush I've ever purchased, and not coincidentally it's the first blush I've ever used regularly. This blush is SO finely milled and looks gorgeous with just the lightest touch. It compliments my natural glow on NC15 skin.
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Treatments -The Body Shop - Tea Tree Oil Blemish Stick
redchinamarker 3/27/2011 10:48:00 AM
I really like the Body Shop tea tree oil and tea tree oil gel cleanser, but this product was very disappointing. Granted, I don't have the acne problems that I had in my teens, but I tried it on a small blemish and it didn't seem to do much. In my experience with effective acne treatments, you should see/feel something happening within ten or twenty minutes. For example, with concentrated tea tree oil, benzoyl peroxide, or salicylic acid, you can feel something happening very quickly. The doe-foot applicator is kind of odd, too. Why didn't they just put it in a tube, like every other acne treatment on the planet?
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Masks -Skinfood - Black Sesame Hot Mask
redchinamarker 3/27/2011 10:41:00 AM
Like most of the Skinfood masks in similar tubs (lemon, cucumber...) this has the consistency of pulverized jello. It doesn't smell anything like delicious amazing black sesame, which I had been anticipating so eagerly before opening this product. It heats up a little bit, slides off the face as the minutes go by, and appears to make no difference. Pass!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Shale Eyeshadow
redchinamarker 3/27/2011 10:33:00 AM
I love makeup but don't enjoy looking heavily made-up. For me this is a perfect product. Although it's purple, it's a very natural looking purple that looks nice with brown or taupe. I like using it all over my lids with Cork (medium, slightly reddish brown) in the crease and outer V. Perfect daytime smoky eye. If your eyeshadow collection is ridiculously neutral because you're hesitant to start using color, this is a perfect baby step.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Skinfood - Dark Circle Concealer Cream
redchinamarker 3/27/2011 10:18:00 AM
This is absolutely my HG concealer. My undereye area is extremely dark and purplish. It looks like I have a permanent black eye. I used to use TheBalm Time Balm, which had great coverage, but mediocre staying power, a tendency to dry out, and cheap/dirty packaging. In contrast, this concealer has an excellent consistency that stays put all day (it still looks perfect 12 hours after I do my makeup). The consistency is lighter and smoother than Time Balm, but somehow more pigmented. The packaging is nice, too-- a solid, glass jar that is bigger and easier to hold than Time Balm. I own multiples of both shades. #1 matches my winter skin which is NC15, and #2 would work better in the summer when I am NC20. In the winter, I also use a tiny dab of #2 under the layer of #1, as an orange-toned corrector. It's also fine for the rest of my face. Personally I think this product works best when applied gently with fingertips. FYI, I've also heard mention of a corresponding Salmon concealer setting powder, but I haven't seen this for sale in Skin Food stores. It might be discontinued.
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Bath Treatments -LUSH - The Comforter Bubble Bar
redchinamarker 11/7/2010 3:39:00 AM
Ewwwwww. Clearly I'm in the minority here, but this smells sooooooo bad. It supposedly has a berries and cream scent, and I can sort of catch it here and there, but it smells extremely artificial. The pink, soft water is fun, for sure. But after I used a small piece (for a foot bath) I left it on the counter in its plastic bag. I didn't close the bag but why would I, since this is a glorified chunk of dehydrated, aerated bubble soap? For the next day I wandered around my house wondering what was causing that plasticky, nausea-inducing smell. Truly horrifying, and yet another reminder for me to NEVER buy into the LUSH hype!!!
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