Eye Shadow -NYX - Champagne
AmyDbaby 9/1/2010 11:21:00 AM
I bought this on a whim without reading the reviews and while it's not what I thought it would be it is fantastic. I figured with a name like Champagne it would be a lighter color usable for highlighting but it's really not. (I was in a hurry and NYX was buy 2 get 1 free so I just grabbed this one.) It is very close toe MAC ATG but looking at the two next to each other on my hand right now Champagne is less pink, more peachy/golden and slightly more shimmer. Maybe a touch lighter. Same nudey/glowy effect but if you found ATG too pink this is a good one to look at. Really surprising to me as I swatched the two is how much smoother and buttery the NYX is than the MAC. Feels like Stila to me. I've used this daily for the past week or so with some sort of brown in the crease and it's just gorgeous. Staying power is excellent. So not exactly the color I thought I was getting but a nice surprise in the end.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -NYX - Taupe
AmyDbaby 8/29/2010 2:36:00 PM
I'm not sure why this is called taupe since it's brown but it's a lovely brown for sure. Nothing really special about this one I'm afraid but a good, basic brown to own (like we all don't already have enough of those and need more.) I swatched this next to some similar colors I own and it is nearly identical to UD Naked but the slightest bit, almost imperceptibly so, cooler and with just the slightest bit of shimmer (more of a slight sheen really whereas the UD Naked is matte). I think the pigmentation is a little bit below par on this one but not bad. Better than what I found with most of the trios but not quite as good as the other singles I own. Still nice and buttery smooth and no glittery chunks or fallout.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -New York Color - Blushable Creme Stick in South St. Seashell
AmyDbaby 8/29/2010 11:31:00 AM
I picked this up on a whim while at Ulta last week because they had NYC BOGO and I wanted to try the translucent powder and needed another product to buy. I had seen all the glowing reviews but cream blush and my skin do NOT play well together and I had pretty much sworn them all off years ago. No cream blush lasts on my skin more than an hour or two and that HE and drugstore stuff. I picked this color because I tend to prefer peachier colors. This is truly gorgeous. Drier than some other cream blushes I own but it still blends easily. It is less sticky than others as well but I still set with powder. What is shocking to me is that this is the first cream blush that has ever stayed on my skin. I mean, I was shocked to see it still on my face after a long day. I am definitely going to pick more of these up. I think this color will ultimately be my favorite but I am so pleased with the quality and performance I must get more (and probably a backup for this color as well.) This one's a keeper!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -BeneFit Cosmetics - Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner-BIRTHDAY SUIT
AmyDbaby 8/28/2010 3:21:00 PM
This is a beautiful beigey/slightly taupey champagne color. Unfortunately it's a bit too shimmery for my taste. I usually mix it with some MAC Soft Ochre and use that all over my eye area with some soft brown (UD Naked or BB Wheat) in the crease. Beautiful neutral eyes that last all day. I really love that the jar opening is nice and wide (unlike some others that shall remain nameless...I'm talking to you BB!) and I can get my finger in and the product out easily.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Brows -NYX - Eyebrow Cake Powder - Blonde
AmyDbaby 8/26/2010 1:16:00 AM
I don't do a lot with my brows but do like to add a touch of color and something to smooth them down and this is perfect. I have used Benefit Browzings and the Smashbox browtech in the past and this is a very similar product. The wax is a tiny bit on the sticky side though. The little brush they give you is useless. Those are my only two complaints. Otherwise the powder is very good quality and the blonde color is just enough to add a golden tinge to my brown brows (blonde hair) For $4 I couldn't really ask for more. If you have a good brow brush then this product is worth a try.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Maybelline - Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner
AmyDbaby 8/25/2010 2:23:00 PM
I bought the brown and it's a beautiful medium-dark golden brown color. When I first put it on I thought there was no way this would hold up as it seemed very creamy, more so than my other gels like BB, MAC and SK, but it dried and didn't budge after that. There is a good bit of play-time which could be good if you mess up. I was shocked that the little brush is actually quite good. I figured it would go in the trash and almost didn't even try it out but it does a very nice job with application of this product. I will definitely buy this in at least one other color.
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Lip Treatments -Palladio - Herbal Lip Balm - Berry
AmyDbaby 8/25/2010 11:40:00 AM
I was tempted to take a point off for the stupid name (there is nothing remotely "berry" about this color) but the product is so great I decided to let it go. No, not berry but a beautiful pink with a bit of coral and no shimmer. I wish I had purchased this a few months ago as this is a perfect shade for Spring and Summer. This is highly pigmented bordering on a lipstick really. Unlike many lipsticks though this makes my lips feel so good. Creamy but not greasy. All this for $4! You can't go wrong with this one. I plan to pick up Orange next.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Milani - Smooth Finish - Sunset Beach
AmyDbaby 8/25/2010 11:01:00 AM
I really debated this color as it looked pretty dark in the pan but decided to trust the MUA and go for it. I'm so glad I took the leap. It's just beautiful. The pigmentation is very good. I apply with the MAC 188 as I do most blush. The color looks more like a bronzer to me but once applied it was just a gorgeous warm glow on my NC 20-25 skin. I think the description "Ginger peach" is a good one. No shimmer that I can make out. I wish Milani would expand the color range because this is a great product that rivals NARS IMO.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -New York Color - loose translucent powder
AmyDbaby 8/25/2010 10:57:00 AM
I used this product many, many years ago and just recently repurchased as I am trying to use more drugstore products. And why have I been paying $20-$40 for loose powder for the last 15 years? I have no idea. Feeling kinda stupid for all the money I've wasted on powder over the years. This stuff is really nice. No caking and a nice bit of oil control without being drying. The translucent shade is perfect for my NC 20-25 skin. Thanks MUA for helping me rediscover this drugstore gem.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -NYX - 'Smokey Look' Kit S109
AmyDbaby 8/24/2010 7:36:00 PM
How cute is this little kit?! I saw the display for these little kits (think there were 3 or 4 color combos) and they only had this one left so I grabbed it. I would have normally gone for the brown one but for under $10 I figured why not. Well this is fabulous. The shadows all seem high quality (like the singles not the trios which I find horrible.) Just a nice range of light blue/grey to dark grey to taupe to black with two highlight colors. The lipstick colors seem to be pretty nice quality (again, like the NYX round lipsticks.) The pink is a nice neutral pink. The peachy side is nice but I would have preferred more of a nude color. I found that applying with my finger instead of a lip brush gives a better look for me. With the lip brush it was just too much "Barbie" color for my taste. Great for travel or just to throw into the bag. I will pick this up in one of the other colors next time I see them.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Blue Cross - Cuticle Remover
AmyDbaby 8/23/2010 3:57:00 PM
Best cuticle remover ever! I don't even want to know what's in this stuff because as fast as this stuff blasts off dead skin I'm sure it can't be good for me but this stuff blows every other cuticle remover out of the water. Super Fast. Super cheap. 1 bottle lasted over 2 years with weekly use. I never thought to try it on calluses! What a great idea. I'm going to try that out on the hooves tonight.
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Lips -Vincent Longo - Lip Cheek Gel Stain in My Sunshine
AmyDbaby 8/23/2010 1:33:00 PM
My all-time favorite cheek stain! This is a warmer red, warmer than Liquid Kiss for sure (which is also beautiful and my second favorite.) I only use this on my cheeks because stains just don't last on my lips but this give a gorgeous red flush to my cheeks like no other product. I apply with a damp 188 (dry give a bit too much color) and it blends beautifully into the skin. I then top with mineral foundation or TM. I hate Sephora for getting rid of this line. It's kind of hard to find now but I will go wherever I have to go to repurchase this because I just love it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Milani - Minerals Blush - 203 - Mai Tai [DISCONTINUED]
AmyDbaby 8/22/2010 8:58:00 PM
So, so , so pretty! CVS had Milani on sale so I picked this up (been ogling it for years now.) I had the original luminous and liked it a lot but hadn't tried the new mineral formulation. The color on this one is just gorgeous. A strong coral with a touch of pink. Definitely unique especially for drugstore. No shimmer. Good pigmentation and goes on smooth and non-chalky. The wear is about what I get from my NARS so it's good. Honestly I see no difference between this and all my NARS blushes. Well, except for $20! If you love a nice pop of color on the cheek you should try this one.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -E.L.F. - Translucent Mattifying Powder
AmyDbaby 8/20/2010 6:24:00 PM
First of all I love the compact. For $3 I expected a really cheap looking, feeling thing but this is nice. It's large and sleek looking and closes securely. The powder seems very nice to me. I just use it mostly on my t-zone where I'm pretty oily especially in the warmer months and it works as well as any others I've tried. I certainly think it's just as good as Maybelline Dream matte powder and I like the compact on this product MUCH better. I will definitely repurchase this one.
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Eye Shadow -Revlon - Illuminance Creme Shadow
AmyDbaby 8/20/2010 5:54:00 PM
In my desperate attempt to become a drugstore girl and give up my Bobbi Brown habit I bought these on a whim last week. What was I thinking? Bobbi Brown cream shadows these are not. Truly, these things are just awful. Revlon should be ashamed to be putting out such an inferior product. There is hardly any pigment and the creasing is just ridiculous. These are going back to the store ASAP.
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