Bronzers -Cargo - Cargo Bronzer in Medium
syeung2 8/7/2005 12:36:00 AM
The pics from PradaPrincess are a good representation of the color. I have both NARS Laguna and Cargo Medium. Cargo Medium has a peachy undertone that Laguna does not - this is a more warm toned bronzer. When I use it as a blush on my AAB/NC25 skin, it's like I just came in from the sun - bronze with a light flush... like Laguna with a little Lovejoy blush dusted on top. Has golden shimmer to it, like Laguna. I also like to use it on my lids for a not-so-dull neutral day look. I got the mini size cuz I wasnt sure, but now I want a fullsize one!
Update: Finally got the fullsize one - i love the size, it's perfect for working in a brush!
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Blush -NARS - Lovejoy
syeung2 8/4/2005 9:04:00 PM
Lovejoy is a burnished bronzy rose with shimmer. Beautiful color in the pan, like bronzer and blush blended together. It's sort of like a bronzer mixed with NARS Sin...? warm deep rose undertones in a medium bronze matrix, with golden shimmer. To make this work for me, I use a fan brush - this limits the amount of product that gets transferred to my face. It's still buildable yet easier to control. Using this technique, the color goes on as more of a warm bronze than red. I'm glad now I didn't swap my old fan brush away - it finally gets put to use. I can use Lovejoy either as a bronzer or as a blush, depending on how tan I am (I'm an AAB/NC25).
UPDATE: 4 lippies to 5! I thought, like other reviewers, that this was very very pigmented at first - but now that I've broken through the original surface, I don't have trouble with getting too much powder on my brush anymore...! Now I can use my blush brush without any difficulty. Great complement to NARS Laguna bronzer or CARGO Medium bronzer.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Clinique - All About Lips
syeung2 8/2/2005 11:02:00 AM
I can't tell if this stuff actually improves the condition of my lips... but it certainly doesn't make things worse. Feels great on the lips, and works well as a primer before applying lip color. No funny smell. Absorbs well into the skin. Nice creamy liquid, and I love the dispenser! Feels moisturizing without being greasy (which is why I prefer this to petroleum-based balms), so I don't mind rubbing it into my lips with my fingertip. More pricey than Blistex of course, but not too expensive for a fancy lip conditioner, worth the $13.50 I paid at CCO. I rate this 3 lippies, cuz it's a nice product but I could still live without it :)
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Eye Shadow -Bobbi Brown - Shimmer Wash Eyeshadow in Eggplant
syeung2 8/2/2005 10:56:00 AM
I love BB's darker shimmer wash e/s, including this one. Applied dry, this one is great for smoky eyes - on me, it's a black-purple color without noticeable shimmer. Applied wet, and it looks like a slightly less pigmented BB Violet Ink - shimmery deep purple, good staying power as a liner, seemingly waterproof, and easier to remove than the Inks. I love the versatility of this line! I'm not lemming the NARS Night colors anymore!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Bobbi Brown - Shimmerwash Eyeshadow in Chocolate
syeung2 8/2/2005 10:52:00 AM
I love BB's darker shimmer wash e/s, including this one. Applied dry, this one is a great everyday sheer, buildable deep brown without too much shimmer. Other brown shadows have been too ashy on me, and this one is not - maybe it's the warm undertones. Applied wet, its a wonderful medium brown, with good staying power as a liner, seemingly waterproof, and easier to remove than the Inks. I love the versatility of this line!
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Eye Shadow -Bobbi Brown - Shimmer Wash Eyeshadow - Sapphire #10
syeung2 8/2/2005 10:49:00 AM
I love BB's darker shimmer wash e/s, including this one. In the pan, it's a shimmery deep navy blue. Applied dry, this one is great for smoky eyes - on me, it's a sheer but buildable blue-black color without noticeable shimmer. Applied wet, and it looks like a slightly less pigmented BB Sapphire Shimmer Ink - shimmery deep blue (between royal and navy), good staying power as a liner, seemingly waterproof, and easier to remove than the Inks. I love the versatility of this line! I'm not lemming the NARS Night colors anymore!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Smashbox - Blush- Smashing Snap
syeung2 8/2/2005 10:44:00 AM
To me, this is like NARS Sin without the shimmer. The color is plummy with hints of taupe/brown; works well for my AAB/NC25 coloring. Matte. Sheer but layerable for additional oomph. Looks a little chalky in the pot but goes on just fine.
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Blush -NARS - Amour
syeung2 8/2/2005 10:38:00 AM
This is my third NARS blush and I'm still a fan! On me and in the pan, Amour is like Orgasm without the shimmer - it's a peachy shade with a little bit of pink in it. I like having this in addition to Orgasm - some days I just don't feel like shimmering :) I love NARS blushes in general, the size of the pan is perfect to work with and the colors are very layerable if you need more oomph.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Bobbi Brown - Gel Eyeliner Sapphire Shimmer
syeung2 8/2/2005 10:05:00 AM
I originally wanted BB Cobalt Ink and MAC Waveline also to compare this to... but now I'm glad I didn't get them. I'm AAB/NC25, and I think the brighter blues would have been too bright, too noticeable on me. I like the Sapphire Shimmer Ink color which is a navy blue on me, and not black-blue or grayish on me as for other reviewers. The "shimmer" is more of a metallic finish, subtle glimmery sheen, or iridescence. There's no shimmer apparent in the pot, but on the eye it has a subtle glimmery sheen. Not sparkly (good), but not matte or flat either (boring!). As with BB's other gel eyeliners, it has excellent staying power on my oily lids - which is why I keep buying them :) I think this shade is LE.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Stila - Orient Bamboo Blossom Palette (Spring 2005)
syeung2 8/2/2005 9:55:00 AM
eyes: medium brown shimmer shadow
eyes: golden peach shimmer shadow
eyes: golden cream-color shimmer shadow
cheeks: matte coral blush
The peach e/s is just right, not too ruddy for me, and the coral blush is fine as long as I use a very light hand. As other reviewers have mentioned, the blush is EXTREMELY pigmented! Like the Mystic Pearl palette, I wish the blush pan were bigger or had more space to itself so you can work in a big round blush brush without worrying about disturbing (or picking up) any of the other colors - but since it's so pigmented and I have to be careful how much I get on my brush anyway, this ends up not being an issue for me with this palette. The powders instantly turn to powder/dust when a brush is taken to them. The eye colors are VERY SHEER, very soft, and very silky smooth and easy to blend. I was disappointed at first by how sheer/subtle the eye colors are and they didn't really show up on me... but sometimes less is more, right? For me, it's great for day/work - I'm AAB/NC25 - a very good warm/neutral palette of colors, not too warm and orange-y. Five lippies, minus one for the too-small blush pan.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Color Delights Cream Shadow MOCHA LIGHTS
syeung2 7/11/2005 11:48:00 AM
I have been lemming to try some cream shadows, so I bought this as a starter. Are all cream shadows like this? I hope not, but now I'm hesitant to try...
Application - I used a taklon e/s brush to apply... product goes on easily, smoothly.
Colors - I'll skip the specific color descriptions but simply say that they were far more sheer and more glittery than I had hoped; shimmery would have been ok, but the glittery sparkle looks childish and cheap. If you blend the colors all together the lighter shades definitely overpower the others - this was a bummer for me, since I prefer wearing darker shades.
Wearability - I'm not sure how quickly it creased, but it certainly took less than 3 hours. Also, it still feels creamy (doesn't dry to a powder finish) which means if I accidentally rub my contacts it migrates everywhere... just awful.
Packaging - I do like it, it's handy and portable, and for about the same price holds twice as much as its bulkier counterpart, Revlon Illuminance Creme shadow (four colors in a line).
Overall - Spend your money on something else.
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Cleansers -Nivea - Gentle Cleansing Cream
syeung2 7/7/2005 12:49:00 PM
We gals are loyal when we find just the right product! This cleanser is a HG/staple for me. I tried various brands for my combo skin - most cleansers leave my face dry and tight (and then sooo oily again later), and I don't like the ones that feel greasy (never feel like my skin gets truly clean). It cleans well without stripping my face of its moisture or leaving any oily residue behind. Removes face makeup well also. This cleanser doesn't cause any skin issues for me, in dry or very humid climates. I actually think it's evened out my skin so it's "normal" again instead of combo. The scrubby beads are just right - I can lather up lightly or really scrub depending on how dirty my face is, and still never dry out my skin. My husband swore he would never use anything but Ivory soap on his face (blessed is he, with normal skin!) but now he's a convert - and it keeps him from breaking out.
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Mascara -Almay - Bright Eyes Mascara - Waterproof
syeung2 5/23/2005 5:24:00 PM
This is my HG everyday black mascara among d/s varieties. I can't think of what could be changed to make it better! Wears well. No clumping. No smudging. No raccoon eyes. Easy to remove. Great for everyday; thickens lashes moderately; some but not lots of lengthening; lift/curl may depend on your routine.
Application - Goes on very nicely - not too dry and not too wet; dries reasonably quickly. The side of the brush with the shorter bristles coats very nicely, I can get three swipes without any clumping; then I follow with three swipes using the side with the long bristles, which are supposed to help separate. Goes on smoothly, coats evenly, and builds up nicely without drying and snagging between swipes. There's not a lot of lift without using an eyelash curler first, but then again my lashes are straight. (UPDATE: I tried swiping the topside of my upper lashes 2-3 times before swiping underneath - this really helps to lock in some lift/curl on my otherwise straight lashes.)
Lasting Power - It lasted very nicely through the day, a short tearjerking movie scene, and a workout (75 minutes of unladylike sweating) -- No problems! -- then I rubbed my eyes to see if it would flake and all I got was one teeny little ball of mascara, which probably would have come off earlier if I had bothered to use an eyelash comb (which I just never do). And my lashes still felt soft, not stiff.
Removal - Removes easily with Physicians Formula Vital Lash Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover Lotion (thanks to the reviewers here on MUA!) - mineral oil based removers work fine too. I also tried washing it off with soap and water in the shower instead - and it completely stayed put, no raccoon eyes or anything.
UPDATE - Three months and no clumping; at six months it's starting to clump a little. I keep trying other drugstore mascaras, but this is still the best one for me when I don't use a curler.
UPDATE II - Almay has discontinued this product... :( I'm off to find a new HG mascara.
14 out of 14 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Makeup Remover -Physicians Formula - Vital Lash Eye Makeup Remover Lotion
syeung2 5/23/2005 5:20:00 PM
Vital Lash® Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover Lotion....... emphasis on the Oil-Free part! I hate oily removers, so when I read the other reviews here on MUA about this product I had to try it. Excellent purchase, I will never use another oily makeup remover again. This formula is not alcohol based, so it doesn't sting or burn the eyes (yay!) - and it's not a two-phase type liquid remover. It takes everything off (including waterproof mascara, creme eyeshadow, and cream and gel liners) and leaves my skin and lashes feeling refreshed and clean. The formula is very gentle on the skin, not drying like an alcohol and not oily; it's called a "lotion" though it doesn't *look* like a cream lotion, more like a light clear liquid. There are a lot of makeup removers that work - this is my favorite b/c it leaves your skin clean, ready for new makeup right away - no oily residue. The packaging says "makes it easy to reapply makeup if necessary" - this is true! Great for undoing mistakes. Especially great if you wear contacts, too. Personally I also like the little push-cap style, reminds me of the travel-size Aveda bottles :) -- handy size for travel and less clutter in the bathroom. The cap works great with cotton squares and also with swabs.
UPDATE: I went on a trip and forgot to bring this with me, so I went to the drug store and decided to give some other products a try - wish I hadn't wasted my money on those others, this is still the best eye m/u remover. Who would have thought an oil-free remover would be so effective? :) I went right back out the next day and got another bottle of this stuff!
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Almay - One Coat Mascara- Color & Curl
syeung2 5/22/2005 4:38:00 PM
Nothing special.
PROS - doesn't clump or flake, feels soft and natural. Curl - maybe slightly.
CONS - slight raccoon eyes at the end of the day, wish this Color&Curl formula was available in waterproof, that I would try.
Rating - I give this a rating of three for how it performs against other non-waterproof mascaras - it's fair or average; the rating would be lower if i compared this to all mascaras, including waterproof formulas, b/c the raccoon eyes would be unforgivable in comparison to them.
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