Liquid -MAC - Face and Body Foundation
decoydream 11/30/2011 6:12:00 AM
A very very light foundation with an almost pearly sheen to it (not noticeable unless you examine it closely when you squirt it onto the back of your hand). While this does absolutely nothing for me (i have acne scarring and more currently existing acne as well as crater like pores..), it works great on my sisters skin which is blemish free except for her nose and chin area. It does a great job in evening out her skin tone and provides enough coverage to give that 'finished' yet natural look. Since she has been using it, i've noticed that she has less breakouts than when she used the studiofix. Also, the price is great considering the amount you get and the squirty bottle is mess free and easy to use. Also, this foundation doesn't oxidize and turn orange throughout the day (unlike studio fix...) and C2 is a good match for asian NC 20-25 skin :) While i wouldn't recommend it for people that have skin like me, if you've got relatively good skin and all you need is something light, then i completely recommend this!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - ColorStay Makeup
decoydream 11/13/2011 2:44:00 AM
I'm really liking this foundation at the moment. I had my reservations at first because i remember my sister using this back when she was in high school. The foundation seemed to require a lot of blending and often dried to look cakey but when i tried this out, it looked really good! For those who have issues with blending, try using a damp sponge which allows you to take more time and results in a more natural finish without compromising coverage. It's true that it smells a bit chemically and paint-like but i didn't mind because the smell fades when you apply it anyway. The consistency is fairly runny which is a bit annoying because i usually use the back of my hand as a pallete :P Also, as many have mentioned, the packaging is terrible - Revlon, for the sake of humanity, MAKE COLORSTAY A PUMP!! Anyway, other than those few minor problems, this is a great foundation! For reference, i have yellow based asian skin tone (NC20-25) and i use sand beige :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Super Lustrous in Wine with Everything
decoydream 11/13/2011 2:33:00 AM
A super gorgeous lipstick that flatters my very much yellow based asian skin tone! Bright red lipsticks use to be too much for me for everyday kind of wear but this one works great without looking too over the top! (I use to wear Rimmel's 'Alarm' but i realised the undertones are a little too bright and uncomplementary to my skin tone...). While this is hardly a 'wine' coloured lipstick, i believe it would look great on many different skin tones. I didn't use any lip pencil and the colour didn't bleed or budge for an entire day (which entailed drinking and eating). I'm very much impressed with this lipstick - 5 stars! :D
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Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 30
decoydream 11/10/2011 5:19:00 AM
Please note that i am reviewing for the SPF 15 version! (I got it with my Cleo showbag from the Royal Easter show and decided to use it..). First of all, i must say i am quite pleased with this product. It isn't 'dry touch' per se but it certainly isn't greasy either. I've worn this under my foundation for 2-3 days and i haven't had a problem with clogged pores (anymore than usual anyway) or excessive oiliness that would usually result from wearing sunscreen. But in saying that, this is not all all close to being as great as the Shu Uemura mousse which i love to use as a sunscreen (SPF 50) and a primer! This neutrogena one is a good, inexpensive alternative though :)
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Primer/ Corrector -Shu Uemura - UV Underbase Mousse SPF 30+
decoydream 11/2/2011 3:10:00 AM
First of all, i bought this product in Hong Kong so i'm not too sure how much it costs (I was in a shopping frenzy at the time - dangerous, i know!) but it retails for about $60 online for a 65g can. You only have to use a very small amount to cover your entire face and the formulation is like a foam (that expands slightly in your hand). It gives a slightly matte finish and smells pleasant, not at all like sunscreen. For me, this doubles as a primer to my super oily skin. The packaging is also very hygienic (a pump with an added cap on top). Also, it comes in two colours (Pink and Beige) although the mousse is not pigmented enough that it would actually show on your skin. I would definitely buy this again, perhaps overseas because it would be a little less expensive :)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -MAC - Blot Powder - Medium/Dark
decoydream 10/31/2011 2:46:00 AM
I'm practically rejoicing right now because a product has finally lived up to the hype! I have the most oily, acne scarred and porous skin that greases up within mere minutes of applying make up (no joke, my face is so oily i can see it reflecting off relatively matte surfaces in the mall), so boy am i glad that this works a treat! I was of course dubious when i first purchased this as i haven't been too pleased with MAC products in the past. My sister had bought their foundations and powders before and it just doesn't look "right" and appears to be a bit orangey and seperated as the day goes on. But luckily, this powder doesn't. While it is called 'medium/dark', it still looks entirely natural on my NC 20/ no.52 in Bourjois Healthy mix skin. No, it didn't minimise my pores but i didn't expect it to. To be honest, i'm just glad that it does what it says - reduces oil! Even though it's on the 'pricey' side ($36 AUS) for a poor uni student like me, its well worth it if i don't have to fret about my oil slicked face all day! Good job MAC! :) EDIT: keep your application tools in mind. The oil kept at bay when i used a kabuki brush but then my face became a oil slick when i used a small powder brush! Figure out what's best for you!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Avene - Thermal Water
decoydream 10/18/2011 5:40:00 AM
In truth, i have no idea whether this product actually works or whether i have changed my skincare routine, changed my make up or my face is just naturally better now! But lately, i have been using this after i cleanse and before i moisterise (i let it sink in for about 30 seconds before smoothing the moisteriser on) instead of using toners which i feel are too harsh for my acne prone skin. While it doesn't make a dramatic difference to my skin, it feels softer and slightly more refined. (Also, i notced a slight moisterising property with this!) Even though this seems a bit pricey for water in a can (correction: water from a French thermal spring :P), i would continue to buy because of the subtle benefits. Also, for those with red, irritated skin or those with eczma, a spritz of this is nice and soothing!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Models Prefer - MP23 Round Smudge Crease
decoydream 10/3/2011 1:29:00 AM
I've always wanted a smudge brush in my make up tools but i've never found one that is within my price range (I'm not a big believer in spending heaps of money on make up brushes - i mainly use ecotools!). One day when wandering around Priceline (which i do quite often...), i noticed they set up a new stand called 'Models Prefer'. Of course, i was dubious. Any label that claims models like using them has alarm bells ringing in my head saying 'Lies! Blasphemy!". But while i wouldn't try the actual make up, some of the brushes actually looked okay AND their products were on sale. So i bought this brush for about $7 AUS and i must say its surprisingly good. The brush is slightly domed and tapered, yet holds so when im smudging eyeliner or powder onto my lash line it goes where it should! I've also washed it since i used it and there's no dye coming out of it, it doesn't lose shape and the bristles don't come out either! I'm not too sure if this is a good crease brush though because it looks a little smaller than what i would use, but then again, i don't usually have a designated crease brush (I'm asian so i don't really have that much of a crease going on to begin with), only a fluffier blending one! But altogther, this is a great product! :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Chapstick - Strawberry
decoydream 10/2/2011 4:07:00 AM
My mum borrowed (and never returned) my beloved Carmex cherry click stick so i had to venture out and buy a different lip balm. Unfortunately, my local priceline didn't stock my usual balm so i picked this up instead. To be honest, this is not that great. The strawberry scent is too strong and this tends to leave a bit of a greasy residue on my lips. The reason i like the carmex one was because it was more waxy (and the scent was kinda pleasant once i got use to it) and didn't feel like i smudged lard on my lips. I always wear balm under my lipsticks and i don't like it to look too glossy because my lipsticks already sort of are, so i suppose that's where this product falls down for me. I'll still use it though, and to the average (and not fussy) lip balm wearer this would be a good product!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Max Factor - Xperience Volumising Mascara
decoydream 10/2/2011 4:01:00 AM
I've waited a few weeks to write this review because i thought it might thicken up a bit like the 2000 Calorie one (which i like a fair bit and is not discontinued in Australia!). But after waiting 3 weeks or so, the formulation is still quite thin leaving me disapointed with this product! However, i have discovered a way to use this which warrants it's 4 star rating! By combining it with another mediocre mascara (Covergirls lash blast volume waterproof), it works wonders on my short, thin asian lashes! The CG one retains the curl (after using an eyelash curler!) and fans out the lashes while the Max Factor one on top volumises and provides legnth! It works so well on me, it almost looks like false lashes! :D For these reasons, i would buy this mascara again!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Cetaphil - Restoraderm skin restoring moisturizer
decoydream 9/13/2011 5:17:00 AM
I've only used this for one day so i'll edit this review if anything different happens! I used to have terrible eczma as a child but it completely disapeared till now. Coming back with a vengence, it has made my body so very dry and itchy! In fact, it was getting so ridiculously itchy that i could not sleep at night while i controlled myself not to scratch! Anyway, i went into a chemist today and they recommended this. I bought it in conjunction with the body wash too (both of them equalled to about $40 AUS). After showering, i slathered this all over and i found that it did kind of sting a bit (the body wash did too) but it quickly died down and was fine. So far, the itching has subsided mostly but i can't be sure if it'll continue... We'll just have to wait and see! But for now, if this product works the way it does, i would give it 4 lippies! :) EDIT: 21/09/11 - The itching still went on but now the rash is healing slowly. I'm not sure if it was the use of this cream or time though :| On the other hand, i accidentally used this as a face moisteriser one time and it seemed to be better than the usual moisteriser i use! I kept on using it for the past week or so and my face is slightly clearer (I have acne and dark scars) and less prone to new blemishes forming :D For that, it had retained the 4 star rating!
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Pressed Powders -Cover Girl - Advanced Radiance Pressed Powder
decoydream 8/31/2011 4:09:00 AM
My thoughts for this product is all over the place so i shall divide it into pros and cons for more comprehensive reading: PROS - It provides a bit of coverage (it's not a powder FOUNDATION obviously so don't expect to use it just by itself without concealer/liquid foundation underneath) - The powder has a almost velvety texture when first applied - Has minimal discolouration even after hours of wear - I don't think it accentuates fine lines (though i'm a little young to tell) CONS - starts to seperate on skin from my oily oily face - Doesn't control oil, at all. - Packaging is fairly cheap looking (but it still functions fine) and the layers beneath the top of the powder looks a little uneven and less finely millled Even though i've read reviews that this colour range is quite light, creamy natural suited my skin which kinda fluctuates between NC25-20 and 53 in the Bourjois Healthy Mix range. It works fine as a powder and the puff provided isn't completely useless (though it does look a little heavy handed if you're not careful) though i use a mini kabuki brush to buff it in. But in terms of repurchasing, i wouldn't due to the fact that it doesn't control oil like my dream powder would.
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Cleansers -Shu Uemura - Cleansing Beauty Oil Premium A/O
decoydream 7/13/2011 6:22:00 AM
i recieved a sachet of this cleansing oil (and the yellow bottled one) when i purchased the face architect powder foundation in Hong Kong. I tried it out today as my face was feeling too dry and flakey for my normal make up removing wipes and cleanser. This oil is great! It cleans every last scrap of make up and leaves the skin soft. While the full bottle of this is pricey, i would consider buying it because it works so well!
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Lipstick -Rimmel - Moisture Renew - Vintage Pink
decoydream 7/10/2011 9:48:00 PM
I wanted to love this as when i swatched it on at the store, it looked great! But the purple/pink shade on my lips doesn't really work (my lips are naturally quite pink and i have a yellow based skin tone). Theres nothing wrong with the formulation (though i prefer the lasting finish range by Rimmel better) but i don't love the colour. The only way i wear this is when combining it with another lipstick colour (Clinique's 'Extreme Pink').
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Lip Treatments -Carmex - CHERRY Click-Stick
decoydream 7/10/2011 9:44:00 PM
To be honest, i've never really had an issue with dry, flakey lips before (in Summer or Winter) so i can't comment on that. However, this Carmex lip balm is great for making them feel more supple and i always wear this under lipstick. At first, i was unuse to the cherry scent but after a while it either faded or i just got use to it. I prefer this one to chapstick and the nivea ones which felt as though it was just sitting on the surface rather than absorbing.
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