Liquid -Estee Lauder - Double Wear Light SPF10
kaxel 5/16/2011 10:29:00 PM
I have been testing both this and regular Double Wear for about the past month, thanks to some very generous samples. I've been alternating between the two foundations and trying different application methods to determine which to buy. Frankly, I don't find a huge difference between the two foundations. Based on my results (45 plus with dry skin) the major difference is 1) color selection (I found a better match in Double Wear Light's 01), 2) bottle (obviously this glass pour-top bottle is ridiculous. DW Light is in a tube) and 3) dryness. It could be my imagination but it seemed that regular Double Wear made my skin slightly tighter and dryer than DW Light. I was told the best way to apply either foundation is with a foundation brush. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of brushes. I have been applying it with a damp makeup sponge and this gives a lighter coverage. I then go over areas that need more coverage with a second light coat. As others have stated, you do need to moisturize well if you are dry, and for me, it works better with a primer, too. One of the nice things about this foundation is you don't need powder because the coverage is matte (and stays that way). You may not need concealer, either. I am used to medium or even full coverage foundations. If you don't like foundation you may need some time to get used to this. However, one thing I liked about it was it doesn't feel heavy (at least, not when applied with a sponge). With some other foundations, I feel conscious of it on my face all day--either because it becomes oily, it wears off or it wipes off. With this, once it's on, I am not aware of it at all. One negative: This foundation does not give a "glowy" result...I usually do some bronzing powder / highlighter on the cheeks to add liveliness. However, it's not as flat/dull as Revlon Colorstay, which left me looking gray and dead. This is more like a classic, lightly powdered foundation look. I first decided to buy this stuff on a day when it reached 96 degrees. Every part of my body was sweating, even parts I didn't know could sweat. Somehow, my face barely perspired and when I did wipe some beads of sweat off my upper lip, no makeup came off. I was sold. It actually feels like this makeup KEEPS YOU from sweating somehow.... If you are debating either of these foundations, I highly recommend getting samples from Estee Lauder - every Estee SA I've ever dealt with has been really helpful--and testing various situations, applications, etc. before you decide.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Estee Lauder - Double Wear (old formula)
kaxel 5/16/2011 10:26:00 PM
I have been testing both this and Double Wear Light for about the past month, thanks to some very generous samples from an SA. I've been alternating between the two foundations and trying different application methods to determine which to buy. Frankly, I don't find a huge difference between the two foundations. Based on my results (45 plus with dry skin) the major difference is 1) color selection (I found a better match in Double Wear Light's 01), 2) bottle (obviously this glass pour-top bottle is ridiculous. DW Light is in a tube) and 3) dryness. It could be my imagination but it seemed that regular Double Wear made my skin slightly tighter and dryer than DW Light. I was told the best way to apply either foundation is with a foundation brush. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of brushes. I have been applying it with a damp makeup sponge and this gives a lighter coverage. I then go over areas that need more coverage with a second light coat. As others have stated, you do need to moisturize well if you are dry, and for me, it works better with a primer, too. One of the nice things about this foundation is you don't need powder because the coverage is matte (and stays that way). You may not need concealer, either. I am used to medium or even full coverage foundations. If you don't like foundation you may need some time to get used to this. However, one thing I liked about it was it doesn't feel heavy (at least, not when applied with a sponge). With some other foundations, I feel conscious of it on my face all day--either because it becomes oily, it wears off or it wipes off. With this, once it's on, I am not aware of it at all. One negative: This foundation does not give a "glowy" result...I usually do some bronzing powder / highlighter on the cheeks to add liveliness. However, it's not as flat/dull as Revlon Colorstay, which left me looking gray and dead. This is more like a classic, lightly powdered foundation look. The first day I wore this, I put it on at 9 am., went through a full day, took a two hour nap under the covers in bed with my face smooshed into the pillow, woke up and went out for the evening without touching up. Got home at 2 am. and my face looked the same as that morning. That's how good this stuff is. Anyway, debating between DW and DWL, I ended up purchasing "Light" only because of the tube, the color match and a great GWP Macy's was having. I think the two are very similar otherwise.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Eucerin - Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Sensitive Skin Creme
kaxel 5/16/2011 10:16:00 PM
Oh my, this is a find! I had run out of my DHC Extra Nighttime Moisture and was contemplating the DHC Coenzyme Q10 cream that sells for about $47. But I am trying to cut back so I started searching on MUA and found the great reviews for this cream. My skin is not sensitive at all, but I figured it was worth a shot. With a coupon and a sale, I got it at Ulta for $5 and change! This cream absorbs quickly, feels good going on and is doing a good job of moisturizing. My skin does not feel quite as silky as with the DHC product, but it LOOKS just as smooth and for a savings of $42 I can live with a little less softness. The one downside to this product is that it smells like vanilla frosting going on (torture to me since I'm constantly dieting) but thankfully, the smell disappears almost immediately. Bonus: Since this is so ridiculously cheap, I feel free to slather it all over my neck with abandon, where with more expensive creams I'm usually stingy on the neck area. Highly recommend!
8 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Unlisted Brand - Nadinola - Fade Cream
kaxel 5/16/2011 10:08:00 PM
I have tried many products, including prescription lighteners, to get rid of my melasma. Not sure why I thought this would work where others fail, but for $5 at Walmart it was worth a shot. This product is old-school--it SMELLS like a home perm from 1978 and it goes on like glue. It takes forever to carefully rub it in. Hence lies the problem--you have to apply it REGULARLY for a long time to see results, but the experience (stench, rubbing, waiting for it to sink in so it didn't ruin my sheets) was so unpleasant I could not bring myself to maintain this ritual more than 2 weeks. If you have issues with putting bad-smelling stuff on your face and then having to sleep with it, this probably won't work for you, either...unless you're willing to sleep with some kind of ski mask on. P.S. I rated this "average" because this is the average experience I have with fade creams - they don't work! I didn't want to bring down the rating too much since everyone else seems to love it.
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Fragrances -Tocca - Stella EDP
kaxel 5/11/2011 10:18:00 PM
This fragrance started off very strong, so much that I feared I'd get a headache. That would be a shame, because it's a lovely smell. It dissipates to a more baby-powdery, but sophisticated scent within 20 minutes or so. The lasting power is fairly good as well. Overall, although I liked it, it's a little hard to wear because of the initial strength. I think it could be too overpowering for the workplace or other occasions when you want a more subtle scent. However, if you get beyond that initial phase, it's classy and subtle.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Jennifer Aniston
kaxel 5/11/2011 7:02:00 PM
I was so excited to try this, hoping it would be a somewhat more affordable version of Bobbi Brown Beach, which I love but can't justify spending $55 on. Major disappointment! I live near the beach and there are days when it just smells like dead fish and salt water. Well, that's what this perfume smells like! Not pleasant or feminine in the least. Really wondering about the jasmine, etc. that others describe...did I get a rotten bottle?
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Makeup Brushes -Laura Mercier - Secret Camouflage Brush - Long
kaxel 5/10/2011 11:36:00 PM
I rated this brush high overall because it's a good brush. I wouldn't buy it again, though, because it's not really something I need. This is a fairly fine-point, flexible brush that's great for the undereyes and around the nose. It's probably also great for small areas like pimples. I need to conceal bigger areas, so this takes me too long and I have similar brushes that work just as well. I also prefer concealer brushes to be more stiff, not so "floppy," So I would not repurchase this. However, if you're looking for a good concealer brush, give it a try!
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Concealers -Laura Mercier - Undercover Pot
kaxel 5/10/2011 11:33:00 PM
This is a really awesome product. It combines two great products into one. The right side is the creamy undereye concealer that brightens the area. Top it with a dab of the powder. The left is the Secret Camouflage which "erases" blemishes, melasma, etc. Top that with a light layer of foundation and then powder. I like how this set puts everything you need in one place. It is very similar to something Bobbi Brown sells but I like the LM undereye concealer and the secret camouflage a tad better than their corresponding BB products. For $32, I rated this 4 on cost, but really, it will probably last you a couple years.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Laura Mercier - Foundation Primer - Hydrating
kaxel 5/10/2011 11:31:00 PM
I really like this primer because it's not the usual silicone base and I feel better about putting it on my skin. That said, I dont' think that it keeps my makeup as flawless as the silicone ones. However, if you dislike the "smothery" feel that silicone primers can have, you might want to try this one. I think it is nice to mix it up from time to time!
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Blush -BeneFit Cosmetics - Benetint
kaxel 5/10/2011 11:24:00 PM
I find this product too hard to work with. It's OK on lips but even there the tiny brush is awkward to deal with. It's a lot of work to get the same look you could get with one swipe of Clinique Almost Honey. And on cheeks this brush just doesn't make sense. I have trouble blending this to any type of realistic look on my cheeks; a sponge-pad type applicator would work much better in my opinion. In addition, the concept is just drippy and messy. This has been around for so long that some people must be devoted fans, but I just don't get the attraction.
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Liquid -DHC - Q10 Liquid Foundation SPF 15
kaxel 5/9/2011 8:59:00 PM
Wow, I was surprised at how much I like this foundation! I love DHC products in general, but have never even been tempted to try their makeup, which seems very limited and 1970s in its presentation. The latest catalog featured a sample of this foundation in shade Ocher - 02. I tried it on for kicks, and was surprised that it matched so well. This is a light to moderate coverage foundation. It's promoted as moisturizing, and definitely is. I have dry skin and while most other "moisturizing" foundations don't do much, my face felt very soft, not tight, all day. I used this for 3 days and found that it works better with primer (I use DHC's.) When used without primer, my T-zone became a tad oily feeling (although it didn't look oily). This foundation is promoted as blurring the appearance of lines and wrinkles. I felt that it did do this to some extent. Overall, I was really impressed with this and will consider buying a full size.
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Treatments -Philosophy - The Microdelivery Peel Pads
kaxel 5/9/2011 8:55:00 PM
For some reason Philosophy products always sound really alluring to me. I think it's those QVC and HSN infomercials. Their promise of "makeup optional" gets me every time. Anyway, I was crazed with the Sephora F&F sale and threw these in my cart after reading some good reviews on here. I shouldn't have bothered. These pads did absolutely zilch for me - if anything, my face looked dryer and duller after using them. I have another product that I like much better that does the same thing. It also costs 1/3 the amount and takes up 1/5 the space in your medicine cabinet. Earth Science A/B Hydroxy Acid Night Rejuvenator, you can find it online for about $12 with sales & discounts. P.S. One note, if these pads DO work for you, is that they are very well-soaked with the solution. I cut them in half and had plenty to work with. If I had kept this, I would cut them in quarters--it would still be plenty for anyone's face!
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Stella McCartney - Stella Nude
kaxel 5/5/2011 10:16:00 PM
I got a sample of this from Sephora. At first spray I was in heaven. This smells delicious! I am not good at describing fragrances. I thought I'd found my new summer scent but the smell evaporated within 15 minutes. I tried dousing myself in it and it still didn't last. Seems others have issue with the staying power as well. I appreciate the idea of a light fragrance but I didn't know it meant you'd literally smell "nude"! Wish this worked better for me.
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Treatments (Eye) -Clinique - Repairwear- Intensive Eye Cream
kaxel 5/1/2011 9:26:00 PM
At this point in my life (nearing 50) I really don't expect any eye cream to do more than moisturize. There is no miracle out there, at least not that I have found. That said, I'm really happy with this cream. Within the Clinique family, I prefer it to All About Eyes or All About Eyes Rich. For me, with eye cream it's all about texture. Some are too runny, others too firm so you feel like you're creating worse wrinkles by rubbing it on. This one is the perfect balance: It's creamy enough to go on easily but "firm" enough to feel like it's firming up the undereye bags a bit. It doesn't give a greasy look under makeup. I am very happy with this. EDIT: I bumped this from a 4 to 5 overall because it seems to be actually tightening up my undereye bags a bit.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Laura Mercier - moisturizing foundation
kaxel 5/1/2011 12:01:00 AM
I have dry skin, am 45-plus and struggle with covering dark patches of melasma. I wear foundation daily and am always on the hunt for one that hides everything but still looks natural. This is not it (I don't think "it" exists) but it does come close. I was directed to apply this with a damp sponge and have found that to be the best way to do it. After applying the foundation I use LM Secret Camouflage on the melasma. The combination works wonders. Some moisturizing foundations become too greasy as the day wears on, or are too "satiny" and gleamy. This one feels natural, not heavy; gives a fairly matte (but not dead) finish; and doesn't need powder. I looked at my face in full sunlight and, if anything, the foundation looked more natural outside than inside! I was sold. This wears well without changing color or rubbing off too drastically. I love Bobbi Brown's foundations in terms of color match, but Bobbi does not seem to understand that we women may want to occasionally, say, lean our head on our husband's shoulder or give someone a hug without our entire face transferring to their shirt collar or shoulder. LM seems to have a better grip on this.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No