Toners -Julie Hewett - Rose Floral Water Toning Spray
pmburk 8/10/2012 9:04:00 PM
I love anything rose-scented, so this was an easy purchase for me. I don't use this as a toner; instead I use it the same way I use MAC Fix+ - to "activate" cream foundations, dampen my face or cosmetic sponge before application for easier blending, and as an after-makeup setting mist. Fantastic rose fragrance, and does a very nice job.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Nails -Unlisted Brand - Red Carpet Manicure System
pmburk 6/22/2012 8:23:00 PM
I love polishing my nails, and even though I typically use OPI and China Glaze, manicures never last more than 2 days on me without major chipping. I have previously had gel manicures done in salons (OPI Axxium, OPI brush-on gel) and decided to give this a try. I bought the $100 kit at Ulta with the pro light, and also picked up several extra polish colors. Application is easy if you can polish your own nails. Keys to success with home gel kits are: cuticle removal, dry nails, and thin layers of product. You also need to be careful you don't get product on your skin. The pro light really makes a difference, and my first manicure was easy & quick to do. My first manicure lasted 2 weeks without a single chip and stayed glossy the whole time - even longer than my salon gel manicures! The colors are lovely, and there's a nice selection available of both trendy and classic colors. For removal, make sure you soak off rather than peel, or you'll end up with damaged nails. I highly recommend this kit if you like doing your own nails, but hate having to redo them frequently. Literally, the *only* reason you will need to remove & redo this is because you get sick of the color or it grows out - chips are pretty rare. Overall, this holds up a million times better than regular polish, and I highly recommend it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Lavera - Volume Mascara
pmburk 5/11/2012 10:03:00 AM
My review is for the 'Intense Volumizing Mascara' in black. I bought this at Target for around $12. First off, this mascara did absolutely nothing for me. No volume, no lengthening, nothing. After about 3 coats I could see some minor difference, but not much. I do have fairly long dark lashes to start with, but it was shocking how little this did. I've used lighter/natural mascaras like Aveda and Besame 1930s mascara before, so I'm not always after false-type lashes, but this literally looked like I had NO mascara on at all. Secondly, I do not have overly sensitive eyes, and in my 20+ years of wearing cosmetics, I have only had a reaction to ONE other product (Diorshow mascara). Two days into using the Lavera mascara, I had to throw it away. I had the *exact* same reaction I had to the Diorshow - horrible eye itching, swelling, and redness. I'm not sure what is in this product since it is supposedly all natural & safe, but it made the rims of my eyes itch so horribly it was unbearable. Red eyes & itching for 2 days after I tossed this. I am typically not one to post bad reviews, but if I could give this zero stars, I would. Zero performance and extremely irritating ingredients. Avoid at all costs!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Maybelline - Dream Matte Mousse
pmburk 3/14/2012 11:01:00 AM
I bought this to try because I'm a product junkie and a sucker for a matte finish. This foundation is a light, whipped, creamy mousse consistency. I bought it in Porcelain Ivory. I'm an NW15 in MAC and W1/W2 in L'Oreal True Match, for reference. My skin tends to be a little dry, but I cleanse, exfoliate & moisturize religiously. For me personally, the best way to apply this is to use a very small amount on a dry synthetic cosmetic sponge, and blend/buff it well. I take the dry sponge, tap it lightly on the surface of the foundation just to pick up a tiny bit, then blend it in. Move to the next area of my face and repeat. This gives me an extremely smooth finish that's blended, matte, but still looks natural and sheer. This product absolutely will look cakey, unnatural, and show pores if applied too heavily or incorrectly. I had no luck applying this with a brush (and I tried 3 different types - MAC 187, Sigma F80, and a regular foundation brush), and I dislike applying foundation with my fingers. This does feel light on skin and it will last through the day if you set it with powder. The packaging is nice enough for a drugstore brand - a heavy glass jar with a screw-on plastic lid, although I dislike most Maybelline packaging.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Alberto Vo5 - Sheer Hairdressing
pmburk 3/6/2012 10:58:00 AM
This review is for the conditioning hairdressing for dry hair. I bought this for $4 at Walgreen's. I love vintage products and often wear vintage/retro hairstyles, so I bought this to use as a finishing cream. It is perfect for that. My hair is thick, coarse, and dry. I use a tiny, tiny amount of this and use it as a pomade/curl separator on my dry hair. It gives tons of shine and controls frizz. The key is using a very small amount. This is very heavy and very greasy, almost like vaseline or brilliantine, so you have to use it sparingly. For girls who do wet sets, this is perfect for taming the frizz after brushing out. Overall I love this product and will repurchase.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -L'Oreal - EverCreme Cleansing Conditioner
pmburk 3/6/2012 10:38:00 AM
I have very dry, coarse hair that is color treated and heat styled. I love the Evercreme line (really all of the L'Oreal "Ever" lines) and wanted to try this, having never used a cleansing conditioner before. What I will say in advance is that this will *not* get your hair squeaky clean, and it will not remove buildup or heavy dirt & product. I typically wash my hair 1-2 times per week, and use a lot of product & hairspray in between, so my hair needs a really good wash by the time I'm ready. This definitely won't cut the mustard for that. But on those days when you want to wet & restyle your hair, or if you don't have much product in it, it is downright amazing. Best suited for dry hair. Heavy vanilla fragrance, very similar to Bath & Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar. It goes on like a light, lotion-y conditioner with very little actual lather. I let it sit on my hair for about 10 minutes while I shower & shave my legs, then rinse. For me, it rinses clean and about like a regular conditioner. When I dry, my hair is silky and shiny. The pump is a little ridiculous, like others have said. Each pump dispenses a miniscule amount of product. My hair is quite short and layered, and I need about 25 pumps. Kind of silly. Overall I do really like this product, although it certainly won't replace regular shampoo for me. It is a very nice "in between" product for my dry, coarse hair. Will repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -L'Oreal - Infallible- US shades
pmburk 2/24/2012 10:16:00 AM
I'm a makeup junkie who tends to stick to high end cosmetics. I also have more eyeshadows than I can ever use in my natural lifetime. But, I got sucked in by these, and I'm glad I did. Price is a touch high for drugstore - around $7-$10/each depending on store, but the quality backs it up. I bought Endless Pearl and Bronzed Taupe. Endless Pearl is a really pretty pale champagne with a hint of shimmer, good for a browbone highlight or an all-over wash. Bronzed Taupe is a soft medium brown with gold shimmer. I use it over MAC Painterly paint pot, and it lasts all day with no creasing. The shadow itself is not a cream, but also not a chalky powder - more like a silky pressed pigment. It applies smooth & silky and can be blended nicely. The pigmentation is awesome. I used Endless Pearl all over and Bronzed Taupe on my lid & crease, and blended it out for a nice daytime look. I notice several reviewers saying this cannot be applied with a brush, but that's exactly how I applied it. I used my MAC 217 and had no problems at all, my brush picked it up & it applied like a dream. If your brush won't pick this product up, you need to try another brush - you need something of decent quality, with fairly dense bristles. You can also apply this with your finger or possibly a sponge applicator. I had no fallout whatsoever when I use these. My only complaint (why I'm taking off 2 lippies) is that the staying power wasn't good for me - I had lots of creasing after a few hours, no matter how I applied, and if I used with primer or without.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -L'Oreal - Infallible in Endless Pearl
pmburk 2/24/2012 10:08:00 AM
I'm a makeup junkie who tends to stick to high end cosmetics. I also have more eyeshadows than I can ever use in my natural lifetime. But, I got sucked in by these, and I'm glad I did. Price is a touch high for drugstore - around $7-$10/each depending on store, but the quality backs it up. I bought Endless Pearl and Bronzed Taupe. Endless Pearl is a really pretty pale champagne with a hint of shimmer, good for a browbone highlight or an all-over wash. I use it over MAC Painterly paint pot, and it lasts all day with no creasing. The shadow itself is not a cream, but also not a chalky powder - more like a silky pressed pigment. It applies smooth & silky and can be blended nicely. The pigmentation is awesome.I used Endless Pearl all over and Bronzed Taupe on my lid & crease, and blended it out for a nice daytime look. I notice several reviewers saying this cannot be applied with a brush, but that's exactly how I applied it. I used my MAC 217 and had no problems at all, my brush picked it up & it applied like a dream. If your brush won't pick this product up, you need to try another brush - you need something of decent quality, with fairly dense bristles. You can also apply this with your finger or possibly a sponge applicator. Overall I am very impressed with these shadows, and feel they rival and even surpass many higher-end brands I have used. I will definitely be purchasing more.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - PhotoReady Makeup - Vanilla
pmburk 2/5/2012 5:16:00 PM
I had initially bought the PhotoReady airbrush mousse foundation after getting sucked in by the gimmick, but disliked it so much that I returned it to Walgreen's and ended up getting this in exchange. I got the liquid foundation in Vanilla (for reference I am an NW15 in MAC and light ivory in pretty much everything else). I typically wear MAC, Studio Gear, and Julie Hewett foundations. First off, the packaging is nice - a glass bottle with black writing and a matte black plastic pump top. It doesn't look childish or cheesy like some drugstore brands (Maybelline, I'm talking to you), more close to MAC-type packaging. I applied the foundation with my MAC 187 by stippling and then blending. Vanilla is a perfect match for my NW15 skin, and it blended beautifully. The coverage is light to medium and it blends very nicely into a matte finish with a tiny hint of shimmer. I do set it with powder - as I do all of my foundations - and I find that it gives a flawless look that lasts all day with minimal touch-ups for shine. My skin does tend to be dry, and I can see where this might not work so well on oilier skin. Overall I like it and will repurchase.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Revlon - PhotoReady Perfecting Primer (color 001)
pmburk 2/1/2012 11:03:00 PM
This is a fantastic primer. I typically wear department store/Sephora cosmetics, but I have not had good luck with most expensive primers. Smashbox Photo Finish, the cult favorite, makes me break out and feels somewhat slick on my skin. Same with Laura Mercier. I've been turning to the drugstore for primers and have actually found the best primers there. This Revlon one is neck & neck with my all-time favorite, L'Oreal Magic Perfecting Base. This primer comes in very nice packaging which looks high end, a glass bottle with black lettering and a black pump top, similar to MAC or Make Up For Ever. The primer itself is a lotiony pale pink liquid. It applies easily and doesn't feel at all slick, and dries quickly. It provides a soft, smooth, totally matte finish that is an ideal base for makeup. I can use this on bare skin for a flawless matte look without makeup, or under makeup, it helps it last all day. It doesn't cause me to break out. For the price (under $13) you get a large bottle, which is a touch pricey for drugstore, but still about 1/3 or even 1/4 the price of Smashbox or Laura Mercier primers, for more product. Overall this is quickly becoming my favorite primer, and I will definitely repurchase. Very, very nice product. I recommend trying this, even if you're typically a department store or Sephora-only wearer.
13 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - PhotoReady Makeup
pmburk 1/31/2012 1:59:00 PM
I had initially bought the PhotoReady airbrush mousse foundation after getting sucked in by the gimmick, but disliked it so much that I returned it to Walgreen's and ended up getting this in exchange. I got the liquid foundation in Vanilla (for reference I am an NW15 in MAC and light ivory in pretty much everything else). I typically wear MAC, Studio Gear, and Julie Hewett foundations. First off, the packaging is nice - a glass bottle with black writing and a matte black plastic pump top. It doesn't look childish or cheesy like some drugstore brands (Maybelline, I'm talking to you), more close to MAC-type packaging. I applied the foundation with my MAC 187 by stippling and then blending. Vanilla is a perfect match for my NW15 skin, and it blended beautifully. The coverage is light to medium and it blends very nicely into a matte finish with a tiny hint of shimmer. I do set it with powder - as I do all of my foundations - and I find that it gives a flawless look that lasts all day with minimal touch-ups for shine. My skin does tend to be dry, and I can see where this might not work so well on oilier skin. Overall I like it and will repurchase.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - PhotoReady Airbrush Mousse Makeup
pmburk 1/26/2012 4:47:00 PM
I wanted to love this product, I really did. I got suckered in during a Walgreen's trip. The concept seemed neat and the packaging looked nice. I paid $15 for this at Walgreen's, which IMHO is high for a drugstore product, but about half of what I'd typically pay for a department store/Sephora foundation. Anyway, the product dispenses out of a top pump and looks exactly like hair mousse - a light, airy mousse. I'm an NW15 in MAC and I bought this in vanilla. When I applied it to my face, I freaked because it looked so pale. It is medium coverage and I had a hard time blending it well. I applied it with my Sigma F80 and buffed it in pretty well, then topped with Clinique blended loose powder. For the record I have "good" skin with no major issues, and I keep it exfoliated and well-moisturized. I don't have flaky areas or huge pores or any of the normal things that cause foundation to stick to them and look bad. But yet somehow, this one found a way. Somehow this foundation managed to settle into my pores so I have beige pindots all over my entire face 7 hours into my day at the office. Maybe it would work better with another application method? Nope, tried that and no dice. Also, I prefer matte finish makeup and this definitely isn't it. I didn't notice much shimmer or glitter, but it is very "dewy" even after powdering. The one thing I did notice is that this stuff is waterproof and would stay on probably even during deep sea diving. I pumped it onto the back of my hand to stipple & buff onto my face, and I had to really scrub my hand to get the remainder off. So, staying power is pretty good. I hate to say it, but I have to agree that this foundation is a gimmick and overall poor quality. I won't repurchase - in fact, I returned the bottle to Walgreens!
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Dove - Deep Moisture Nourishing Bodywash w/Nutrium Moisture
pmburk 1/11/2012 2:53:00 PM
My skin tends to be dry, and is worse in the winter. I love Philosophy, Sephora, and Bath & Body Works shower gels, but during the winter, they're just too drying. I keep the big bottle of this in my shower during the winter. It is thick, creamy and white, lathers well, has a nice scent, and leaves your skin feeling great - not at all stripped or dry. This body wash is about as hydrating as you can find, and it keeps my skin from feeling tight and itchy. It soothes my legs after shaving. Soybean oil is one of the first ingredients, even before the lathering agent. This is a very nice body wash for anyone with dry skin. I notice some less-than-stellar reviews, and I feel the need to address that. Some reviewers mention that their skin is so dry they need multiple layers of the heaviest lotions available, but were really hoping that just by using this body wash they could skip lotion altogether, or that their skin would be miraculously moisturized and perfect. Seriously? People, it is a body wash that you rinse off. If your skin is truly dry, this may help, but of course you will still need lotion after using this. No body wash is going to eliminate the need for lotion, that's just common sense. Anyway, I will definitely repurchase.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Loose Powder
pmburk 1/11/2012 2:33:00 PM
I love this powder! It is a finely milled white silica powder that mattifies skin and gives a beautiful, velvety, flawless, airbrushed finish. My skin tends to be dry, but I do get shiny nose during the day and often find myself touching up with powder. In the morning after I apply my foundation, I use a small amount of this powder buffed in with my MAC 182 buffer/kabuki. As with all HD products, you need to buff very well to blend, and apply this with a very light hand. You only need a tiny bit for your entire face - don't apply this with the same gusto as you'd apply a regular loose powder. Then I apply my regular loose powder atop that. This keeps my skin flawless and matte all day, with minimal touch-ups. I do think this is quite expensive for the amount of product you receive, but that said, you need to use such a small amount that one container will last a very long time. I also own the ELF HD powder and it is practically identical to this for much less money and a larger package, so if cost is an issue, that's something to consider. My one word of caution is if you're going to be flash photographed for an important event like a wedding or a prom, you may want to avoid this as it *can* leave a white cast. (Google image search "Make Up For Ever HD powder Nicole Kidman and Eva Longoria" to see what I'm talking about.) This is an awesome product and I will continue to buy it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -E.L.F. - Studio High Definition Powder
pmburk 1/9/2012 2:40:00 PM
I'll preface this by saying that I'm a makeup snob. But, after plopping down $35 for a small jar of Make Up For Ever's HD powder, I decided to risk $6 and try this. Best I can tell, the products are nearly identical. This powder is stark white, and as with any HD product, you *have* to apply with an extremely light hand (I use my MAC kabuki brush) then blend & buff like mad or you'll end up looking ghostly and even worse in pictures. Don't apply this like you apply your regular powder - use only a tiny bit and buff it in very well. I use this lightly after my foundation, and then apply my regular powder on top. This gives me a matte, velvety, airbrushed finish, that lasts all day. The powder itself is finely milled and gives a beautiful, soft focus finish. I don't use the puff it came with. The only dislike about this is the packaging - while you get a very generous amount, for some reason it is very messy and the powder tends to fall everywhere and make kind of a mess. I take out & throw away the sifter and the puff, and just dip my brush directly into the powder. Much less messy that way! Overall this is a great product for the price.
21 out of 23 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No