Eyeliner -Tarte - LE - SmolderEyes Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner Collection
mariella99 12/30/2012 8:34:00 AM
I thought I had copied my review (which I'd put in the "eyeshadow" category) into the eyeliner section as well but - DUH - I put it in the eyeshadow category TWICE! Anyway, here goes: I'm not sure whether to categorize this set as "eye liners" or "eye shadows", so I'll put this review in both places. This review is for the newest release of Tarte's SmolderEYES collection for Xmas 2012. The set includes 5 jumbo pencils (not 4) with smudgers on the ends. These can be used as liners or as shadows. The colours are: Gold (just what it sounds like, though a bit on the bronze/copper side of gold), Champagne (think Sin or Kitten in a pencil), Gunmetal (actually more of a taupe shade and one of my two favourites in this set where every pencil is a winner), Ash Violet and - the pencil for which I bought this whole set, as it's not available singly, Rainforest Black, which is really more a deep blue/green shade along the lines of MAC's Moonlight Night Pigment but so much more user friendly. It is the most beautiful colour and it's unique - I don't have any pencils or pencil shadows that even come close to this colour. This set also includes a skinny black liner, which I haven't actually tried yet, but if the quality is anything at all like the chubby pencil/shadows, I won't be disappointed. . I used to be a fan of the UD 24/7 eyeshadow pencils (the chubby ones) but the problem with those is that they are very difficult to blend. Once you "crayon" them onto your lids, you have little to no time to blend them and if you can, it involves a fair but of pulling on the skin of the lids. These Tarte pencils are FABULOUS. They are so creamy and blend so easily, without any tugging, but when they set, they really SET, so they are great as all-over-the lid/anywhere-you-wanna-use-them shadows. On me, they are crease-proof all day long. They are also terrific bases for any of your powder shadows. And they work perfectly well as liners too. I cannot think of a single negative to any of these pencils. This set is an insane $51 in Canada, (but I had a 20 dollar off voucher from the nice people at Sephora, who know a will-power-lacking sucker when they have one in their clutches) - unjustifiably more expensive than in the US. And while I lashed out on this set just for the sake of the one pencil, it has been a good purchase, since every shadow-pencil is of the same excellent quality and all are shades I will use again and again. GET THIS or ask for it for Xmas, Hanukkah, your birthday - any reason you can think of. It's a real winner! It's surprising to me that this product has such a low "repurchase" rating. Obviously Tarte must have improved their product a whole lot since earlier releases because, as I keep saying, these pencils are downright amazing and about as perfect as you can get. EDIT: I've since tried the skinny eye liner pencil - the colour is Onyx and, man, is it EVER black. Anyone who is looking for an intense black liner and who's been disappointed by UD's 24/7 pencils, give this one a spin. It is so soft and creamy when applied but, amazingly, it doesn't smear or smudge. I've worn it all day for several days now and even dashed out to a yoga class last night - a restorative class that uses "eye pillows" - and this did not transfer to my under-eye area at all. My only complaint is that it really is INTENSELY BLACK - a bit too black for daytime wear for me, even once I've smudged it out. Also, I finally took apart the packaging and there is a pencil sharpener included in the kit. It's only for the chubby pencils and I'm not sure how good it is - it says "made in Korea" and I prefer those sharpeners like UD's Grindhouse or even Lise Watier that have blades made in Germany so I don't know that I'll use this, since I've got a few pretty decent sharpeners already but it was still good that they included this since not everyone has a sharpener for jumbo pencils.
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Makeup Brushes -Lise Watier - Double Applicator Eyeshadow Brush
mariella99 12/10/2012 6:49:00 AM
Exact same experience as ningurl, whose review is just before mine. I also got this brush a number of years ago, when the sponge end was not replaceable. I don't use sponge tipped applicators all that often so it's not like it wore out - it's more that it dried out and crumbled away. The "business end" for me is the brush end and it is too firm and scratchy for my liking. There are so many much better brushes available in this price range or even cheaper (how I wish Real Techniques brushes were available in Canada!) that I'd never consider repurchasing this brush.
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Kirkland Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes
mariella99 12/5/2012 3:42:00 PM
These are darned good cleansing wipes for a really low price. I'll admit it - my fave cleansing wipes are Clean&Clear and Korres (my daughter got me started on the Korres ones) but I was looking for something "cheap and cheerful to use after hot yoga or the gym, at those times when I want to wait and shower when I get home but I have somewhere to stop on the way home. The Korres wipes can get pretty pricey when you're using 3 or 4 of them to wipe down your body, rather than just your face. So these Kirkland ones seem ideal. The scent is pleasant and they don't seem to irritate my skin - not even the skin on face when I've used them as a makeup removing wipe before cleansing my face at night. They do a darned good job of removing my eye makeup, including Pro Longwear concealer, which can be hard to get off. All in all, a really good product. I just wish each big box was sold with a small, refillable plastic case that would keep the wipes from drying out for a longer period of time. I stuff them into a small "Lock'n'Lock" airtight container and that does seem to keep them but it'd be nice to have a case that came with the wipes.
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Eye Shadow -Bare Escentuals - The Star Treatment
mariella99 12/5/2012 6:22:00 AM
WOW! This collection of 8 eye pressed eye shadows is one of Bare Escentuals'/Bare Minerals' LE offerings for Xmas 2012 and what a great eye shadow set it is. This was my first time trying the pressed eye shadows from this company and if the others are of similar quality to the shadows in this palette, I will certainly be trying more of these. While I always wear any eye shadow with a primer, for the security it provides, I decided to try these on their own, as I'd read at Temptalia that they wear well without primer. Guess what - it's true! The Star Treatment is 8 basically warmer toned shadows and a good sized shadow primer thrown in for good measure! While my skin is cool toned, I do find that warmer toned neutrals work really well on my dark brown eyes, and none of the shadows in this collection is so orange or red toned that I cannot use it. The shadows are all shiny, but when applied, what you see with most of them is a beautiful glow rather than outright frost or glitter. It is a very flattering finish. The shadows apply beautifully and the colour selection has been well put together - a great assortment of neutrals from light to very dark and a few more neutral toned or less really warm toned shades for ladies like me who don't do "orange". My favourite colours are VIP, Ritzy, Kudos and Elitist but all are wonderfully wearable. The brush that is included is miles better than what is usually thrown in with things like this - it's a brush I will actually use! I love that the case is shiny because you can actually use it as a mirror for putting on lipstick (no need to even open the case to get at the mirror inside!). The case is a bit fiddly to get open but other than that, the packaging is very good. And the eye shadow primer included is really excellent. I'd never tried BE's eye shadow primer before (I'm happy with the other primers I have) but it really is good and I would consider purchasing this again on its own.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Tarte - Eye Catchers 6 Piece SmolderEYES Collectors' Set 2012
mariella99 12/1/2012 1:08:00 PM
I'm not sure whether to categorize this set as "eye liners" or "eye shadows", so I'll put this review in both places. This review is for the newest release of Tarte's SmolderEYES collection for Xmas 2012. The set includes 5 jumbo pencils with smudgers on the ends. These can be used as liners or as shadows. The colours are: Gold (just what it sounds like, though a bit on the bronze/copper side of gold), Champagne (think Sin or Kitten in a pencil), Gunmetal (actually more of a taupe shade and one of my two favourites in this set where every pencil is a winner), Ash Violet and - the pencil for which I bought this whole set, as it's not available singly, Rainforest Black, which is really more a deep blue/green shade along the lines of MAC's Moonlight Night Pigment but so much more user friendly. It is the most beautiful colour and it's unique - I don't have any pencils or pencil shadows that even come close to this colour. This set also includes a skinny black liner, which I haven't actually tried yet, but if the quality is anything at all like the chubby pencil/shadows, I won't be disappointed. . I used to be a fan of the UD 24/7 eyeshadow pencils (the chubby ones) but the problem with those is that they are very difficult to blend. Once you "crayon" them onto your lids, you have little to no time to blend them and if you can, it involves a fair but of pulling on the skin of the lids. These Tarte pencils are FABULOUS. They are so creamy and blend so easily, without any tugging, but when they set, they really SET, so they are great as all-over-the lid/anywhere-you-wanna-use-them shadows. On me, they are crease-proof all day long. They are also terrific bases for any of your powder shadows. And they work perfectly well as liners too. I cannot think of a single negative to any of these pencils. This set is an insane $51 in Canada, (but I had a 20 dollar off voucher from the nice people at Sephora, who know a will-power-lacking sucker when they have one in their clutches) - unjustifiably more expensive than in the US. And while I lashed out on this set just for the sake of the one pencil, it has been a good purchase, since every shadow-pencil is of the same excellent quality and all are shades I will use again and again. GET THIS or ask for it for Xmas, Hanukkah, your birthday - any reason you can think of. It's a real winner! EDIT: I've since tried the skinny eye liner pencil - the colour is Onyx and, man, is it EVER black. Anyone who is looking for an intense black liner and who's been disappointed by UD's 24/7 pencils, give this one a spin. It is so soft and creamy when applied but, amazingly, it doesn't smear or smudge. I've worn it all day for several days now and even dashed out to a yoga class last night - a restorative class that uses "eye pillows" - and this did not transfer to my under-eye area at all. My only complaint is that it really is INTENSELY BLACK - a bit too black for daytime wear for me, even once I've smudged it out. Also, I finally took apart the packaging and there is a pencil sharpener included in the kit. It's only for the chubby pencils and I'm not sure how good it is - it says "made in Korea" and I prefer those sharpeners like UD's Grindhouse or even Lise Watier that have blades made in Germany so I don't know that I'll use this, since I've got a few pretty decent sharpeners already but it was still good that they included this since not everyone has a sharpener for jumbo pencils.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Tarte - Eye Catchers 6 Piece SmolderEYES Collectors' Set 2012
mariella99 12/1/2012 1:05:00 PM
I'm not sure whether to categorize this set as "eye liners" or "eye shadows", so I'll put this review in both places. This review is for the newest release of Tarte's SmolderEYES collection for Xmas 2012. The set includes 5 jumbo pencils with smudgers on the ends. These can be used as liners or as shadows. The colours are: Gold (just what it sounds like, though a bit on the bronze/copper side of gold), Champagne (think Sin or Kitten in a pencil), Gunmetal (actually more of a taupe shade and one of my two favourites in this set where every pencil is a winner), Ash Violet and - the pencil for which I bought this whole set, as it's not available singly, Rainforest Black, which is really more a deep blue/green shade along the lines of MAC's Moonlight Night Pigment but so much more user friendly. It is the most beautiful colour and it's unique - I don't have any pencils or pencil shadows that even come close to this colour. This set also includes a skinny black liner, which I haven't actually tried yet. These pencils are FABULOUS. They are so creamy and blend so easily, without any tugging, but when they set, they really SET, so they are great as all-over-the lid/anywhere-you-wanna-use-them shadows. On me, they are crease-proof all day long. They are also terrific bases for any of your powder shadows. And they work perfectly well as liners too. I cannot think of a single negative to any of these pencils. This set is an insane $51 in Canada, (but I had a 20 dollar off voucher from the nice people at Sephora, who know a will-power-lacking sucker when they have one in their clutches) - unjustifiably more expensive than in the US. And while I lashed out on this set just for the sake of the one pencil, it has been a good purchase, since every shadow-pencil is of the same excellent quality and all are shades I will use again and again. GET THIS or ask for it for Xmas, Hanukkah, your birthday - any reason you can think of. It's a real winner! EDIT: I've since tried the skinny eye liner pencil - the colour is Onyx and, man, is it EVER black. Anyone who is looking for an intense black liner and who's been disappointed by UD's 24/7 pencils, give this one a spin. It is so soft and creamy when applied but, amazingly, it doesn't smear or smudge. I've worn it all day for several days now and even dashed out to a yoga class last night - a restorative class that uses "eye pillows" - and this did not transfer to my under-eye area at all. My only complaint is that it really is INTENSELY BLACK - a bit too black for daytime wear for me, even once I've smudged it out. Also, I finally took apart the packaging and there is a pencil sharpener included in the kit. It's only for the chubby pencils and I'm not sure how good it is - it says "made in Korea" and I prefer those sharpeners like UD's Grindhouse or even Lise Watier that have blades made in Germany so I don't know that I'll use this, since I've got a few pretty decent sharpeners already but it was still good that they included this since not everyone has a sharpener for jumbo pencils.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Elizabeth Arden - Eight Hour Cream
mariella99 11/21/2012 10:28:00 PM
I've been using Eight Hour Cream since way back when it came in a pink metal tube. I always have a tube of this on hand for things like chapped lips, applying to my hands, cuticles and nails overnight when they're looking like they need a little extra TLC. I even used to smooth it through the ends of my hair way back before there were better products for this sort of thing. It's a great all purpose product and while some say it's just gussied up Vaseline, I prefer not to agree (I could be wrong but what the heck - I'm the one buying the stuff). While it's not the greatest foot cream in the world, in a pinch, it's perfectly fine for slathering on my feet at night and putting on a pair of socks. I even like the slightly herbal/medicinal smell. When we take quick weekend trips away, it is great to toss in to my bag and for a short time, it means I can pack a whole lot less "stuff" because it's multi-purpose.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Clarins - Gloss Prodige - Grenadine 05
mariella99 11/13/2012 4:04:00 PM
This is my 2nd Gloss Prodige from Clarins. I was so pleased with the first one I purchased, in the shade Raspberry, that I bought this as soon as it came back into stock. On the Clarins site, this looks like a rich berry tone but it's actually a bit lighter and slightly more peachy than I expected. In the tube, it has a LOT of glitter, but this doesn't come across when applied. Instead, you get a really love deep pink/rose, well-pigmented gloss (no need for lipstick) with just only the slightest hint of glitter. The doe-foot on these glosses is really nice - sort of a flattened oblong and a bit flexible. The product applies just beautifully. I think this colour - because of the slightly peach tone to it - would look great on most skin tones. I usually stay away from anything the least bit peach or coral but this gloss is pink enough, with just that undertone that will make it a good choice for warmer toned gals too. Packaging is very sleek and modern in its elegance.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -Bare Escentuals - Bare Minerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer
mariella99 11/12/2012 5:39:00 PM
I don't think there is a category for exactly this eyelid primer from Bare Minerals/Bare Escentuals and I apologize if I am duplicating an already existing category. It's so hard to keep track because of the confusion over Bare Minerals vs Bare Escentuals but in any case..... I got a quite large sample of this product (half the size of a full-sized tube) in The Star Treatment eyeshadow palette. Now, I already have quite a few eyeshadow primers that I like and which work for me (UDPP - the original, Sin and Eden), TFSI, Laura Mercier, Painterly Paint Pot and quite a few other cream shadows in various tints that work both on their own and as bases/primers for other shadows. So I had never tried this and probably would never have tried it since I'm so happy with the primers I have. But let me say that this is every bit as good as UDPP or TFSI. It looks like a pale flesh colour when you squeeze it out of the tube and seems to have a bit more tint to it than the originals of UDPP or TFSI but I'll have to look more closely the next time I use it. If you are someone who has trouble with Urban Decay Primer Potion or TFSI (I know some people do have problems with these primers drying their lids or making them look dry), then this primer is certainly worth a look. If I didn't already have products I like and need to finish, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase this primer.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Tarina Tarantino - Emerald Pretty Eyeshadow Palette
mariella99 11/10/2012 10:36:00 AM
I'd never heard of Tarina Tarantino and never noticed her makeup line at Sephora until about 2 years ago, maybe, after seeing one of her gorgeous palettes featured on a beauty blog. Her "Dreamy" palette stands out as one of the best eye shadow purchases I've made (okay, I'll admit it - I love eye shadows and maybe 90% of my collection is "the best purchase I've ever made"). I recently learned, with considerable dismay, that Sephora would be discontinuing the Tarina Tarantino line in their stores but every cloud has a silver lining and all the TT products remaining in store are very deeply discounted so I treated myself to the Emerald Pretty palette the other day. I'd sort of wanted this palette but only for the shade Dandy Lion, (a unique olivey-gold-bronze shade unlike anything else in my collection) since I have "near enough" dupes of most of the other colours. So I hadn't bought it up til now but the 40% off seemed the perfect incentive. But every silver lining has a cloud and the cloud, in this case, is that Tarina Tarantino makeup won't be available to me once it is all gone from Sephora :( There is a LOT of product in this palette. And the quality is first rate, which has been my experience with her other eye shadow palettes. Not surprisingly, Dandy Lion and Very Wicked are my favourites of the 6 shadows but every one of them is a colour I'd wear (and you can't always say that about eye shadow palettes that you purchase "pre-made"). Straw Heart is a wonderful deep brown shadow that is amazingly versatile and has terrific blendability and pigmentation. I am not crazy about the cardboard packaging but that's just me. The other down-side of the packaging is that it is so much bigger and bulkier than it really needs to be, and because of that, it's not all that portable or practical for packing if you travel. The palette does include a fairly decent sized mirror, which is always nicer than no mirror (you never know when you might need it) but because the palette is so large and boxy, the only place you're likely to use the mirror is on your vanity at home, where you probably already have a decent mirror. If you can grab one of these before they're gone, do consider buying it. At the sale price, it is worth it even if you're only buying it for one or 2 of the colours. And I'll miss this line....I really am sad that it's being phased out but at least here in Canada, I think most people are like I was - totally unaware of the brand and how good it is. It's not heavily advertised here (don't know if it's different in the US), and I'm sure that has affected its sales and popularity.
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Treatments -Clarins - Santal Face Treatment oil
mariella99 11/10/2012 7:50:00 AM
First, let me just say that I'm a huge fan of Clarins's facial oils. I've used the Blue Orchid Oil for absolutely ages and just love it. In the hot, humid summer, I switch to Lotus for July and August. I truly love these products. Through a strange set of circumstances, I ended up with THREE unopened bottles of Blue Orchid Oil (one I'd bought, since I always keep a bottle in reserve and I'd just opened a bottle, so got another one to keep on hand) and two that I'd received as birthday gifts (my friends know how much I like this oil, so 2 of them got it for me for my birthday 3 weeks ago). Since there is a limit to how many bottles of this oil that I can keep "in reserve", I exchanged one for the Santal version, which I've been wanting to try, since I'm getting older and my skin is getting a bit drier. I've used this product for 2 nights, which perhaps isn't a fair test but I have to say that so far, I'm a bit disappointed. I don't find it all that moisturizing or even all that soothing (it is supposed to help with redness and broken capillaries; I realize that nothing will fix the latter problem but it doesn't even leave behind that soothed, less red look that several other of my HG products do). My skin doesn't have the sort of plumped, softened feel in the morning that it does when I use the Blue Orchid Oil. As I say, perhaps 2 nights isn't a fair test and maybe my expectations are a bit too high and I need to give it a bit more time. So I'll continue using this product (nothing inherently "wrong" with it - hasn't broken me out or irritated my skin) and edit my review if things change in the next few weeks or so. I have to say, I really LOVE the dropper application (while I've used the Clarins facial oils for years, this is the first one I've used in the new packaging with the glass dropper. Way to go, Clarins, but this was waaaay overdue!) UPDATE: (Dec. 30/2012) Winter has hit with a vengeance in the past week or so and with it, the cold, harsh, drying effects it brings with it. I have been using this treatment oil nightly, sometimes with other products, sometimes on its own. While I've upped my rating from 3 lippies to 4, I have to say, it doesn't perform as nicely for me as the Blue Orchid Oil even though the Santal is meant for drier skins while the Blue Orchid is more for any dehydrated skin. I will use this up but don't think I will repurchase. Blue Orchid really works better for me. And it smells nicer too!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Fendi - Fendi [DISCONTINUED]
mariella99 11/8/2012 8:30:00 AM
I had no idea this fragrance was discontinued. Both my best friend and I wore it regularly way back in the 90's or early "zero-ies". I still have an unopened spray bottle as well as one "on the go" (but a sealed spray, kept in my dark fragrance cupboard so it hasn't gone off). I tend to wear this in cooler months and love it. I'm saddened to learn that it has been discontinued as it is one of the scents that I really love. It has a warm, somewhat sultry chypre scent and everyone I know comments when I wear this. My husband loves this fragrance on me because it's not too sweet smelling and he doesn't like fragrances that are over-the-top sweet and Fendi definitely does not fall into that category.
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Conditioner -L'Oreal - EverCreme Intense Nourishing Conditioner
mariella99 11/2/2012 6:30:00 AM
I bought both this and the heavier hair masque on sale at Shopper's Drug Mart last week. While I find the masque to rate a "5" on MUA's rating scale, I don't find this "intense nourishing conditioner" to be nearly as good. I used it last night and the results are okay, but not any better or more "intense" than I get from other conditioners I have. I used it last night and was hoping for results similar to those I got using the masque. Granted, you don't have to leave this product on as long (the directions for the masque recommend 3 to 5 minutes, I think). So while it's a good product, it's not the sort of thing that has me going "WOW". I'd probably repurchase if I ran out of all my conditioners and if it was on sale again, but it's not a "must have" for me.
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Treatments -L'Oreal - EverCreme Deep Nourishing Masque
mariella99 11/1/2012 5:37:00 AM
People who read my reviews are probably tired of hearing how hot yoga is causing me hair grief. I've been looking more and more at products to put moisture back into my hair. I picked this conditioner up several days ago on sale ($6.99 CDN, which is pretty darned good) and used it immediately. I am really pleased with the results. My hair feels softer and sort of "restored". It looks shinier and feels less dry. Clearly this mask does a good job of replenishing what hair needs when it's been stripped by things like heat styling and the rigours of daily wear and tear. My hair is thick and plentiful, so the richness of this conditioner isn't a problem, though I could see that for those with thin, fine hair, this might just be way too heavy. Also, the scent was sort of weird and off-putting at first but after I rinsed out the conditioner, I really started to like how my hair smelled. The scent didn't last more than a day but I really quite liked it. I will definitely keep using and purchasing this product. For my needs, it's a real winner.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Avon - Precision Grip Teardrop Blender
mariella99 10/26/2012 9:28:00 AM
I got a Beauty Blender some months ago and I love it. It is one of the tools I can rely on to deliver great results (good coverage, speedy application and a natural look) when applying liquid foundation. But the Beauty Blender sure is pricey for a sponge - and one with, from all I have read, a fairly limited lifespan (unlike a foundation brush, for example, which can last years and years). So imagine how thrilled I was to read the great reviews for this similar type sponge from Avon. I got 2 of them earlier this week and I couldn't be more pleased. I don't know if they're made of the same material(s) as the original Beauty Blender but they sure perform just as well. The shape isn't really a "tear-drop" - it's more a fat hourglass with a pointed tip but the slightly different shape doesn't affect how it performs in any negative way. It does feel a bit more dense. In my experience, it doesn't seem to soak up any more foundation than the BB does but I dot my foundation onto my face using my finger-tips and then blend with the sponge, only applying a small bit onto the base of the sponge to help with seamless blending. This are just over $6.00 CDN when not on sale but I'll be checking the Avon flyers and if these do go on sale, I'll purchase a few more. In my experience, this sponge works every bit as well as the original Beauty Blender and while it had a bit of a funny smell when I first opened it, that went away with a light washing. The huge price difference really does make this sponge an excellent purchase.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No