Eye Shadow -E.L.F. - Custom Eyes - Sage
RitaPerfect 4/28/2010 5:17:00 AM
This was only a dollar and it's so worth it! "Sage" really brings out my brown eyes and I think it is the perfect khaki green color. It adds definition to my eyes without looking like I'm going overboard with the eye makeup, something that happens when I try to use dark shades like gray or black. Also, I love how it fits into the e.l.f. elements compact, which comes with 4 empty magnetic slots for 4 different e.l.f. eyeshadows (they even fit MAC eyeshadows). So far I have "moondust", "sage", and "golden glow", so I'm deciding on a 4th color.
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Eye Shadow -E.L.F. - Custom Eyes in Golden Glow
RitaPerfect 4/28/2010 5:13:00 AM
I loooove this eyeshadow! I already have a bunch of different gold eyeshadows, but I allowed myself to buy this one because it was only a dollar. Well, I find that this is the perfect combination of gold and orange, making it a very beautiful sunset color. It's so soft and pigmented, so blending it is a breeze. I love how it fits into the e.l.f. elements compact, which comes with 4 empty magnetic slots for 4 different e.l.f. eyeshadows (they even fit MAC eyeshadows). So far I have "moondust", "sage", and "golden glow", so I'm deciding on a 4th color.
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Eye Shadow -E.L.F. - Custom Eyes - Moondust
RitaPerfect 4/28/2010 5:11:00 AM
I like to use this taupe color on my crease, but I find that that it also works very nicely as an allover wash. This was only a dollar and it's so worth it! I love how it fits into the e.l.f. elements compact, which comes with 4 empty magnetic slots for 4 different e.l.f. eyeshadows (they even fit MAC eyeshadows). So far I have "moondust", "sage", and "golden glow", so I'm deciding on a 4th color.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Sephora - nano Pearl Beige 09
RitaPerfect 4/27/2010 6:48:00 PM
I love how this little pencil is so portable and cheap. It does wonders for brightening my eyes when I line my lower lashline and the inner corners of my upper lashline. However, I have to give this only 4 lippies, because everytime I sharpen this, the black pencil part (not the eyeliner itself) will flake! Little pieces of the black wood will shed while I line my eyes, making it a very dangerous process! Before usage, I try to rub at the pencil's tip to remove these pesky flakes as much as possible, but sometimes they still fall onto my lashes or my cheeks! I think this is a sign of the cheap quality of the material used to make this eyeliner.
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Mascara -Dejavu (Imju) - Fiberwig Lash Knockout
RitaPerfect 4/27/2010 2:50:00 AM
I'm currently loving this mascara! I didn't think I would shell out $24 to buy a mascara when the drugstore carries so many different ones for a much cheaper price, but my friend had this on one day and her lashes looked amazing. Naturally, I asked her what she was wearing and was then fully convinced that I needed the exact same product. When I got to Sephora and read the description on the box, I was sold. It claims to be resistant to sweat and tears, but will readily "slide" off with warm water. It also contains fibers that cling to your natural lashes and enhance them until they look false. I love how the formula isn't too thin/wet (surefire way to smear) or too dry (can get too thick and clumpy). I just keep on sweeping the brush through my lashes and I can feel the fibers coating my lashes. I keep on building them up until my lashes look super long and defined. I love how this mascara doesn't make my lashes stick together in weird clumps or smudge underneath my eyes by midday. The shiny red and silver tube also looks very high-end and feels weighty in my hand (which I equate to good quality). But the other day, I held this mascara in front of a light and saw that the product inside only makes up a little more than one half of the tube. Then I checked the box and saw that it only contains 0.29 oz (8.3 g) of product, when my Maybelline Great Lash contains 0.43 oz (12.7 ml)! That's just another reminder of how much I'm overpaying for this little item of luxury, but I'm going to keep telling myself to consider the wonderful effects and lay the thought of the price aside for now.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Vitacreme B12
RitaPerfect 4/27/2010 1:06:00 AM
I recently bought a tube of this and I'm REALLY loving it so far! The official US distributor site says that the vitamin B12’s special properties will: “stimulates renewal of skin cells, rejuvenates and improves skin elasticity and firmness, revitalizes and diminishes age lines and existing wrinkles, smooths or attenuates new or old scars, helps prevent peeling after a sunburn" along with some other benefits which I won’t add here because this list is getting a little too long. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve used it for long enough to claim any of these improvements, but I do notice an increase in my skin’s overall hydration and smoothness. Now, I know that if you use any regular old moisturizer religiously, you can probably get these benefits too, but what’s special about the Vitacreme B12 is the amazing TEXTURE and FEEL. It’s so lightweight and I can massage it all over my face without tugging at my dry skin. Then it sinks in very nicely so that I can apply my makeup over it without looking like a oily greaseball. It’s like instant gratification. Also, my foundation no longer cakes up around my dry patches because I don’t have any anymore! I’m planning to keep on using this because I do believe that I can achieve the long-term effects as stated by the website with more uses. I know the packaging isn’t the most glamorous thing in the world, but it’s very practical. Vitacreme B12 comes in a very standard-looking white tube with a blue label. The cap twists off and the cream itself is light pink and smells faintly floral. Since the Vitacreme B12 is not trimmed with gold or housed in fancy glass, it won’t feel like you’re applying a luxurious and super effective product, but you really are. My advice is to just try and ignore the bland packaging. The only other con that I can think of is that it does not contain SPF. I bought this online for around $35 (including the shipping cost).
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Victoria's Secret - Secret Moments At First Sight Nourishing Body Cream
RitaPerfect 4/24/2010 10:03:00 PM
I really love the scent of this lotion! I always buy lots of perfumes, body mists, and scented lotions, but I end up returning them most of the time because it's hard for me to find something that I can truly commit to. Usually, the scent will change on me and turn into something nauseating! But I was at Victoria's Secret and I saw their new line of products called Secret Moments. I just couldn't resist! Each scent is supposed to represent a very specific memory in time, so the names are very cute and fitting, like "Girls Night", "Room 504", and "Island Escape." I chose "At First Sight" because it smells so floral and feminine. It contains violet and bergamot, and really invokes a sense of romance and love (as described on the tube). I chose to buy the Nourishing Body Cream since it's more moisturizing than the regular body lotion, and the scent would last longer than with the body wash or the body mist.
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Eye Shadow -New York Color - Color Wheel Mosaic Eye Powder - Purple Rain
RitaPerfect 4/23/2010 12:53:00 AM
This is a mosaic color wheel with 4 different shades of purple: a pale lavender, a dark plum, two dark purples, and two amethyst shades. I like the pale lavender and the dark plum the most because they show up the best. I find that these eyeshadows are on the sheer side, but I’m fine with this because I don’t want my eye makeup to look too bright and garish in the daytime. These make soft smokey purple eyes!
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Lipstick -New York Color - Smooch Proof Long Wearing Lip Color
RitaPerfect 4/22/2010 9:38:00 PM
I have this in “483 Rebel” and it’s a warm pinky color, which is actually much sheerer than I had expected. I’ve already tried a bunch of two-step longwear lip colors (Rimmel, Covergirl, Maybelline, L’oreal) and this one provides the most natural feel out of all of them. Usually, long wearing lip colors dry out my lips or the topcoat feels way too thick and heavy. But with the NYC Smooch Proof Long-Wearing Lip Color, I feel like I’m wearing a normal gloss. The color side isn’t drying, and the clear coat feels very lightweight. However, while the feel is great, this stuff just doesn’t last long enough! I think the topcoat is just too thin to “seal in” the color. The brush for the topcoat side is also terrible because the bristles are stiff and doesn’t deposit a lot of product. I might buy this again, but only to wear as a gloss, not as a heavy duty lip color.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -New York Color - 309B Sheer Red
RitaPerfect 4/22/2010 9:16:00 PM
I love this cheap little lipstick! It's only 99 cents and I like to dab it on very lightly to give my lips a nice and pretty red stain. I was afraid that it would be too dark and garish, but the color is actually buildable, so you can control the application. I personally love the simple and clean "red-tinted lips with basic black eyeliner" look, so I definitely reach for this all the time! It might be a bit drying (depends on the weather for me), so make sure to prep your lips with lip balm first! A bit of moisturizing gloss on top will also help. The only thing I DON'T like is the cheap packaging. It's light, flimsy, and the lipstick bullet doesn't twist all the way down.
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Lip Gloss -Sally Hansen - Diamond 12 hr lip treatment
RitaPerfect 4/16/2010 12:34:00 AM
I remember years ago when Sally Hansen had their (now discontinued) Diamond Lip Treatments in the rectangular tube with the silver cap. People were raving about them on MUA, so I went and got a few, but found that they were overly thick and sticky. Plus, they had so much shimmer that my lips looked drenched in frosty glitter. It was fun to play around with as they were very moisturizing and pigmented, but I never wore it out, so I pretty much forgot all about them. Then one day I spotted these Sally Hansen Diamond 12 Hr Treatments at Walgreens. I thought perhaps Sally Hansen has revamped their original formula, so I bought two shades: "Princess" (a pale beige with pink undertones) and "Eternity" (a rosy berry shade). Both of these have lots of shimmer and they gives your lips a thick moisturizing coat of color. Compared to the original formula, they feel slightly less heavy and they are also less frosty/glittery. But you must make sure that your lips are hydrated and clean before applying this lip gloss, or else it will accentuate any dry flakes or ball up. This is very annoying, which is why I took off one lippie. "Eternity" is good for making an everyday look a little bit more glam because it will give your lips some rosy/berry sparkle, as long as you apply sheerly. "Princess" is an opaque beige that really tones down the color of my lips. I like how it doesn't make me look dead since it contains lots of shine. It would look great when paired with dark smokey eyes. When using "Eternity", I always have to dip the wand back into the tube a couple of times to get enough gloss to cover my lips. However, with "Princess", I have to be careful not to over-apply because everytime I pull out the wand, there's always a ton of product gooped onto the brush! The packaging is also very cute. It comes in a round clear plastic tube with a dark silver cap that is decorated with sparkly dots. I like that it feels weighty in my hand, so it doesn't seem like a cheap drugstore item at all.
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Loose Powders -Palladio - Rice Powder Loose Natural
RitaPerfect 4/11/2010 7:24:00 PM
All I can say is, "Wow!" THIS IS MY HG LOOSE POWDER. This makes my skin look poreless and flawless! I used to own the Covergirl Professional Loose Powder, but I threw it away because it felt way too heavy on my face -- almost like my skin was suffocating! It also looked cakey too, which is why I stayed far away from loose powders ever since then. But I am so glad that I decided to take a chance with this Palladio Rice Powder! In contrast, it feels super lightweight and looks so much more natural. I have dry skin, so I don't use this to cut down on any shine. Instead, I apply a light layer all over my face after my foundation to further even out my skin tone and to "finish" my look. The effect is very polished and clean, like I have naturally beautiful skin. I use a kabuki brush to gently buff this powder on, and it does not emphasize any of my dry patches or cake up. I am a MAC NC30, so I bought this in "Natural" (the medium shade at Sally's Beauty Supply), although I think the color is pretty much non-existent because it is so sheer. I find that this stuff is also great for toning down blush that is way too bright or applied too heavily. Overall, I am very happy with my purchase!! I will buy this over and over again!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Palladio - Herbal Lipstick
RitaPerfect 4/10/2010 6:22:00 AM
I bought this through the Sally Beauty website, so I had the rely on the online swatches, which are very inaccurate. I went with "Nude" because I assumed that it would be a nice nude shade to pair with my dark eyeshadows. Well, it turns out that while "Nude" is nice beigey-nude shade, it contains a ton of frost. It is so frosty that I feel so ridiculous wearing it! I will definitely have to try topping this lipstick with different lipglosses to make it work. However, I do love the feel and the wear of this herbal lipstick, so I would be buying it again. but just in a different color.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -Revlon - Age Defying Spa Illuminator Bare Light
RitaPerfect 4/1/2010 4:02:00 AM
This stuff is like an updated version of the old Revlon Skinlights! The scent is EXACTLY the same (really brings back memories for me), but the texture is a lot lighter and easier to blend. I've been too cheap to buy Benefit High Beam, so this stuff is the next best thing. I love how the formula is creamy enough to blend right into my skin and gives me a natural-looking glow. Powder highlighters never work well for me because I find that the shimmer always look a little too fake on my cheeks. Most of the time, it's like they don't do anything except leave glitter on my face. But with the Revlon Age Defying Face Illuminator, I can actually "highlight" my cheekbones and the bridge of my nose by making these areas stand out, thanks to the subtle sheen and from the super fine shimmer particles. I'm thinking that this could also be mixed with liquid foundation to sheer out the coverage and add a bit of a glow. I currently mix my foundations with MAC Strobe Cream, but using Revlon's Face Illuminator would save me so much money! The only thing I don't like about it is the packaging, which looks exactly like the Revlon Age Defying Spa Foundations. There is a useless brush attached to the opening, so it's hard for me to get the product out. I squeeze the tube until I see a blob show up on the bristles, and then I dab my finger into it and apply. But most of the time, I end up squeezing out too much product and that really annoys me. I wish this stuff was in a pump bottle or a regular squeeze tube!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Wet 'n' Wild - Color Icon #252B Nutty
RitaPerfect 3/30/2010 11:41:00 PM
This is a cool taupe shade with hints of gray and a little bit of brown. I thought it was going to show up darker than it is actually does, so I was a little disappointed that I couldn't use it as a dark contouring color on my crease. However, it does work wonderfully as an allover wash of color when you're going for a neutral eyes look. I personally have to use this in conjunction with another taupe eyeshadow because I find that this is a bit too cool-toned for me, which is why I don't hail this as my super special HG eyeshadow shade. But it does its job and it’s really cheap. I think the packaging looks cute (it's a tiny square-shaped pan with a clear plastic lid), but it is very lightweight and tends to move around whenever I try to dip my brush into it.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No