Polishes -OPI - Samoan Sand
glamourdoll 1/15/2011 4:48:00 PM
Wow, this is a gorgeous nude shade! I really like this on hands (I work in a doctor's office and don't feel comfortable wearing brights or darks on my hands). This shade makes my nails look clean & neat. My nails just look beautiful & shiny, almost like they've just been buffed to a pretty sheen. For reference, I am a Px Vellum, MAC NC 25 (or thereabouts). But my sisters all love it too (they all wear Medium Tan in Bare Escentuals). I've never tried this on my feet, because I feel like I need darks or brights down there for a shock of color. But I would totally wear this sandy shade with a pair of sexy, dressy sandals (and do a dark or bright nail with a simpler shoe). This is a beautiful shade & was worth trying out. I like it enough that I think I'm going to buy a backup bottle so I never have to be without it!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -TheBalm - For Keeps Watercolor Lip Stains
glamourdoll 1/11/2011 5:30:00 PM
Wow, these are awesome. I first got one for my Mom as a Mother's Day gift and she said she LOVED it. Well that meant I had to try it to. I do like lipstains, but this appealed to me because it's not one of the marker-type products. My complaint with the marker-type lip stains is that you can't tell how much product you have left as you use it. If you get anything creamy or emollient on the tip of the marker, it's pretty much ruined. Or, it is hard to tell what color the stain is since there is no correlation between the packaging & the actual color inside (I am talking here about the CoverGirl lipstains). So I have given up on the marker-type lipstains. This lipstain is great. The compact holds two pots of lipstain. I chose the compact with the Petunia Pink & Raspberry Red. It comes with a little brush for application (although I think you could use your own full-size brush if you wanted). I just dampen the brush with a little bit of water, work it over the stain, and apply it to my lips. I think with lipstains, this works best on lips that are bare, clean, dry & smooth--and this product is no different. I do like putting a little bit of lip balm on top after I am done just to make my lips feel soft. Both the colors are beautiful. The pink is bright (but not clownish) and the red is just gorgeous. The red seems neutral to me (not blue, and not orange). There is another set with two different colors but I haven't tried the other duo. I think $28 may seem steep but truth is, I could easily spend that for 3 CoverGirl or other drugstore lipstains and not been happy with any of the colors. As far as I know this is the only lipstain of this type (in a pot & not a marker) on the market. I would totally repurchase this!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Laura Mercier - Metallic Creme Eye Color in Alloy
glamourdoll 1/10/2011 9:54:00 PM
This is very nice. The color is a beautiful twinkly taupe that I bet would look great on every eye color (i have dark brown eyes). It has a soft, silky, creamy texture, and a little goes a long way. I think this little tube will last me a while even though I am planning to use this as my every day eyeshadow. It looks just beautiful on my lids. I am planning to repurchase. I am now curious in the rose gold color as well. Why did I not try this sooner?? I do wish they would make a set of all of these in mini tubes for those of those who are indecisive, or interested in trying all the shades............
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Caboodles - Cosmetic Keeper Tray
glamourdoll 12/20/2010 9:27:00 PM
This is a great way to organize your makeup atop your vanity or dressing table. I have a pretty decent collection of cosmetics, which I was storing inside a (gorgeous) red Sephora traincase. I was using this to corral all of my makeup, both items that I use every day as well as things I use only occasionally. Now, I really like my traincase to store and carry my makeup but it occurred to me that it might be easier for me to get ready in the morning to have the staples I use often at the ready, and just keep the special items in the traincase. So I went to the Caboodles website and looked at these trays. They do come in various sizes, from smallish to medium and bigger. I think mine is called the My Essentials tray. I really do like it. One compartment was lidded (like to store cottonballs or the like) but since I dont use cottonballs, I just ditched the lid. I have plenty of space to keep my daily essentials at the ready. I use the would-be cottonball compartment to hold my foundation (2 bottles). I use the taller, narrower slots to hold mascara & lipgloss (think wanded items). The other tall/narrow slots hold pencils (for me, this is lipcolor, eyeliner, concealer, & perfume). Another area holds lipsticks (standing on their ends), yet another holds compacts (pressed powder & blush), and the last area corrals small bottles of perfume. I have plenty of space for my essentials, and there is still some room should I get more stuff. The construction is excellent---thick, durable, crystal-clear acrylic. These trays will work with any decor or color scheme, and they would look right in any bathroom. If mine gets dirty, I think I could probably put it in the top tray of my dishwasher & have it come out clean & intact (I don't think it would warp). The tray is durable & well-made, not flimsy. You may want to look at the photos of the different trays online to get an idea of size & slots before heading to the store. I went to my local Ulta, which had the small & large trays, but nothing in between. Then I went to a local Target, where they had the middle-size trays but theirs were all cracked. I wondered if someone stomped on them wearing steel-toed boots before putting them out on the shelf! There was no way I was going to set foot in a Wal-Mart store this close to Christmas. So I drove to another Target where I found right size tray for me, intact & uncracked. It looks great on my dressing table---it shows off what I have & keeps everything neat, organized, & easy to locate. I don't think I will ever have to re-purchase but I think they would probably make a great gift for a mom, sister, or friend trying to organize her stuff.
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Liquid -Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup SPF 20
glamourdoll 12/15/2010 9:29:00 PM
I am on the fence as to whether or not I would repurchase. This foundation gives nice, light coverage (those of you wanting a full-coverage makeup may be disappointed by this one). It feels pleasant & weightless. It looks like beautiful skin (not like makeup). It doesn't have a scent (that I can tell) and--it feels creamy & blends easily. However I do have some complaints about it. First off, I think this is overpriced. If you want to try this, please do look around first--esp since it retails for $13.99 at the drugstores, and $9.99 at Target or Wal-Mart. Having tried this I can't say that I would be willing to pay $14 for this makeup. My second gripe is the limited range of shades. It seems to really skew light---if you are fair-skinned you will have more luck with this line than if you are medium-skinned. And as another reviewer noted, if you are any deeper than tan, you are just plain out of luck. The shade choices seem to be overwhelming pink in undertone (I got the Natural Beige 60, which has golden undertones). I think for what they are charging retail, there should be more offerings of shades besides just pink porcelain. Still, when I saw that bottle of Natural Beige in the store, I just HAD to try it, the color is really that pretty. I don't know if it makes my skin healthy, but I havent had any breakouts due to this. Other reviewers have mentioned that this makeup is thin but is presented in a pour-out bottle. That means you have to pay attention lest you spill it. It would be more suitable to put this product in a pump bottle. Overall, I'm glad that I tried this & I would reconsider repurchasing (for $9.99, not $14). I do feel that this was worth a try. Update 9/3/2011: I am about 3/4 of the way through my bottle and have purchased my 2nd bottle. I do think that my skin looks better now that I am using this makeup. I have not had any irritation, redness, or pimples from this, and it feels fantastic---like it's not even there. Also looks great in photos. I priced this at Wal-mart for $11.97, and for some reason, the shade I wear, Natural Beige 60, is never in stock at Wal-Mart. At Ulta it's $11.99, but I used my $5 off any purchase of $10 or more, and ended up paying $6.99 for this, $7.54 with tax!! I plan to keep on buying this since I am very happy with it. If you can find a match, give it a try. Hopefully, Neutrogena will offer this in additional shades. I have very glad I found a match, but with such a limited range, I am sure some ladies are surely being left out. Neutrogena, please offer this in additional shades!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Sephora - Makeup Brush Box - Large
glamourdoll 12/12/2010 6:37:00 PM
I got this in the beautiful red color. I have a lot of brushes and needed a way to store them nicely. This item was just the thing. I use the 3 sections to divide brushes into "face, eye, and misc" brushes. When filled with my brush collection, it kind of looks like a floral arrangement---pretty & elegant. One lippie off for it being so expensive. However, it is just the right size dimensions (nothing else I looked at was the right size or shape). I wouldn't repurchase again, simply because I won't need to, but I could see this making a great gift for someone who has a lot of brushes.
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Cleansers -NARS - Face Soap
glamourdoll 11/21/2010 1:27:00 AM
I am not sure if I would buy this cleanser again. Although, I must say, I've been using it for weeks and it has hardly shrunk----I wonder how many times they mill this! It is very gentle but also effective----somehow the gentle, creamy lather it creates removes every last trace of makeup. I am fond of Ben Nye cream foundation and this soap cleanses it all away. I am not fond of the price but it will laaaaast a very long time. And it could smell nicer as other reviewers have pointed out. I don't like the shape of the bar---it's kinda like a brick. I should have sliced it up, like a loaf of bread, before I started using it. I don't know if I would repurchase this (with the economy this bad I may have to switch to Cetaphil soap) but I plan to use this cleanser until it's gone. It is definitely worth a try though.
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Lipstick -Maybelline - Color Sensational in Plum Paradise
glamourdoll 11/20/2010 12:28:00 AM
This is a terrific lipstick. The formula is nice---rich, saturated color that is full of pigment, goes on nice & silky. It does have a faint vanilla/play-doh scent as other reviewers have noted (but this isn't enough to be bothersome). This is a gorgeous berry-toned plum with a bit of twinkle---not OTT, it's just soft & pretty. I got this for about $8 and I can tell you I have easily paid twice or even 3x the price for a lipstick that I like. So when I run out I do plan to repurchase. I can see this pretty shade working for a lot of complexions---I have dark brown hair, dark brown eyes & light skin w/lots of yellow undertones (Px Vellum). As another reviewer noted, the case is very similar to Lancome's Color Fever lipstick. As of now this is the only shade that grabbed my attention---some of the other colors wouldn't work for me--sniff. But I am *thrilled * with this lipstick and plan to repurchase if/when I use this up.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Smashbox - Face and Body Brush #19
glamourdoll 11/18/2010 12:23:00 PM
I think this is one of those brushes that due to the cost, you might hesitate to buy it. But after you do, you are glad that you did! I really like this brush---fat & sturdy. Kind of heavy too. I use this to gently buff strong colors onto my cheeks----and end up with soft, pretty results. I could see using this to apply bronzer (I don't do bronzer, it just isn't for me) but I think that this tool, while it is expensive, could have many uses. I also use this to buff my face after applying loose powder. So I think this is a very nice, versatile tool. I would hate to lose it but I like it enough that I would repurchase it if I had to.
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Cleansers -Burt's Bees - Deep Cleansing Cream with Soap Bark and Chamomile
glamourdoll 11/15/2010 7:43:00 PM
I got this product as a cast-off from someone else who said it didn't work for her. This cleanser just seemed like overpriced Noxzema to me. The skin-tingling feeling, the camphor/eucalyptus fragrance............I think I can pretty much get that using Noxzema. In fact I think I prefer Noxzema over this, because it costs less and I think the blue jar is kind of pretty. Having used both Noxzema and this product I will take the Noxzema, thank you. I am not a big fan of the whole face-tingling cleansing experience but that is just me. I don't know if I will use up the entire tube as I just dont care for it. I am glad that I tried this for free but I won't be buying it.
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Hair Color -SAMY - fat foam
glamourdoll 11/13/2010 1:25:00 PM
This product is fantastic in my book. I got the N4 Dark Brown shade. I had some grays to cover up (not a lot but they seem very noticeable to me). This product is so easy to use---it is so easy to work the foam through your hair. I seemed to make less of a mess in my bathroom using this product. And, it seemed to rinse easily off of my skin. There was plenty of foam to work through my hair & I think I even had some left over. The included gloves are good quality---not sad or flimsy at all. I also liked the shampoo and conditioner---but I must agree with another reviewer who noted that MORE of the conditioner would be better. My hair is cut in a chin-length bob and I had enough conditioner to do my hair but I don't know if the quantity included would be enough for someone with long hair. And the results----were beautiful. I ended up with a beautiful rich dark chocolatey brown. And my hair was soft, shiny, and silky when I was finished. I got this for about $9 at my local Wal-Mart (I do not know if this product is available anywhere else). I totally recommend this if you are on the fence. I will be repurchasing.
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Self Tanners -Jergens - Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer-Fair to Medium
glamourdoll 11/12/2010 11:33:00 PM
I saw this while shopping and bought it on impulse. I have dark hair & eyes, but burn in the sun---never tan. My aim isn't to be tan---I am going for honey-colored skin. I got this product and after 3 days' application I had the pretty glow that I was after. I had some trouble with the nozzle (it seemed extra drippy somehow), but then I figured out how to just squirt out a tiny bit of product and then give it a few seconds to foam up. I use about a golfball size for each leg. I do notice the self-tanner smell but this is not bothersome for me. I got the bonus size for about $8 at my local Wal-Mart. A small amount of this goes a long way and I like that it dries so quickly! IME I got very pretty results for a nice price so I will definitely be repurchasing.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Black Cherry Chutney
glamourdoll 8/16/2010 10:32:00 PM
I am not into dark vampy colors but I do love reds, so I picked this up. I applied one coat to my toenails and it read as black in normal indoor lighting. However, with my feet up on the dashboard on a sunny day............wow it looks really gorgeous! I think of this as a deep red that's almost black in the bottle. I think that I would repurchase this if I ever ran out. Of course the formula is fantastic, for application & wear. And the pro-wide brush has just about ruined me for anything else. If you want a vampy color, this is worth consideration.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Chicago Champagne Toast
glamourdoll 8/16/2010 10:22:00 PM
I really don't get the whole this is an "old lady shade" at all. On my skin, this reads as a gorgeous soft pink satin. I wish I could deck my bed out in satin the same color as this polish! I put this color on my toes for my last pedicure and afterwards, I couldn't stop staring at my feet. As usual with OPI polishes, the formula has fantastic wear and staying power. I find the pro-wide brush to be excellent. It has just about ruined me for any other polishes. If you happen to own Mauving to Manitoba, CCT is like a younger cousin of that. A gorgeous shade IMO and totally worth owning. I will repurchase if I ever use it up.
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Lipstick -Cover Girl - Outlast Lipstain #415 Teasing Blush
glamourdoll 2/14/2010 5:22:00 PM
I was sort of lemming the Givenchy lip marker, but the $24 price tag was just too much for me. I was also curious about the new Tarte lipstains, but again, the $24 price tag was too much for me. So I figured I would try out the CG version instead. I bought one (though I can't recall which shade it was) not really thinking too hard about it, but when I got it home it just looked wrong. Undaunted, I went to the covergirl website and filled out the profile thing, and the website recommended this shade, Teasing Blush, for me. I went back and purchased it and it looks very nice on me---it isn't a blush shade, but it looks like a nice, just-bitten rosy color. My only gripe with these is picking shades: this can be difficult anyway, since there aren't any testers. I figured that the color of the case is the same as the color of the stain you will get---and this is definitely NOT so. As with all lipstains, this is best applied to bare, clean, dry, smooth lips. Work quickly and spread it over both lips; when it dries apply a clear gloss and Voila! a your-lips-but-better look! I think I will repurchase when this runs out and my wallet is super-glad that I am no longer lemming an expensive lipstain.
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