Lipstick -Clinique - Long Last Lipstick Soft Matte finish in Pink Chocolate
lirontocker 1/30/2007 5:30:00 PM
I was introduced to this color by Clinique's "Pink Chocolate" Holiday 06' collection. I immediately took notice of this shade from the collection's promotion posters, the makeup on the model was beautiful but the lipstick stood out for me. I was a little hesitant with this color, since my skintone is about 3 notches darker than the model's and I wasn't sure how well it would work for me, at the end of it I couldn't have asked for a better buy. The shade itself is a little difficult to describe - a neutral medium muted berry with chocolate brown undertones (the rest of the collection is equally as "foody") that at first glance seems to be ordinary but needs only one application to prove how extraordinary it really is. The formula is magnificent - stays put for hours, doesn't bleed and while it does flake slightly, this is marginally less than your standard longer-wearing lipstick formula. It stays soft and doesn't dry the lips out, which is a lovely change from other matte lipstick formulas on the market. This seems to be a true neutral shade which will work well in terms of color on most skintones but might be a little dark for non-seasoned lipstick wearers. I like this lipstick very much, as it provides a feminine, sophisticated and defined look which rivals a good red lipstick, without being as distracting from the rest of the face and makeup like a strong red. If you're contemplating a new purchase from Clinique I highly recommend this shade for seasoned lipstick wearers of all skintones - it's a repromote and is part of the permanent range.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Clinique - Color Surge Duo in Strawberry Fudge
lirontocker 1/27/2007 2:32:00 PM
This was my first introduction to Clinique's reformulated color surge and boy, am I impressed. I had seen this duo used on a model as part of a presentation of Clinique's fall/winter look and was captivated - picked it up only days later and is probably the favorite of my eyeshadow collection. The shades in the duo are stunning, a sweet pink with peachy/gold iridescence and a plum brown with subtler peachy/bronze iridescence - two shades which compliment each other beautifully and work equally as well on their own. The formula for these shadows is surprisingly good, very pigmented, easy to blend and a pleasure to work with. The color stays on for hours without creasing which makes this a great everyday choice for me, but touchups (if needed) are comfortable to do since the compact actually includes a brush/sponge duo (as opposed to just a sponge). I'm a brush-gal so this is a nice surprise. 5 lippies for Clinique, I'm excited to try out more shades from this line.
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Blush -BeneFit Cosmetics - Dallas
lirontocker 1/26/2007 10:23:00 AM
I picked Dallas up based on recommendations and I'm very happy that I did. This fresh-smelling powder is an extremely versatile product which can be worn sheer or more intensely, in the summer or winter. I picked it up mainly for the colder months since I was interested in something which would perk my face up and radiate a little more warmth. I had a hard time finding the best way to apply this product initially, too much applied or in the wrong areas (as in, too close to the nose) makes one look extremely sunburnt. After I found the best spot to apply this on and the best brush for me to use (slightly behind the apples of my cheeks and MAC 129SE, respectively), this has become a product that I use almost every day and for almost every occasion. It wears well with many different makeup combinations, looks fresh and pretty, yet sophisticated and classic.
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Liquid -Clinique - Perfectly Real Makeup
lirontocker 1/26/2007 10:13:00 AM
I picked shade #14 in a swap and wasn't sure what to expect - I was looking for a sheer foundation which would be oil free, have a good color match, and wouldn't change into phsychadellic colors by the end of the day. This foundation answers my expectations, and then some. I admit, I don't wear much foundation, but on the occasion that I do, "Perfectly Real" does exactly what I need it to. It has very (very!) good staying power on my oily skin (both in the rain and snow), doesn't look fake or chalky, matches the color of my skin extremely well and at the end of the day, I'm not staring at a pumpkin in the mirror. This foundation evens out my skintone beautifully and dulls out any redness which I may have had left over from post-blemish marks or simply a case of a short night. Great product, will surely repurchase.
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Pressed Powders -Clinique - Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder
lirontocker 1/26/2007 10:08:00 AM
I have very oily skin, and powder has a tendancy to "move around" my face during the day and settle looking muddy and cakey by 3pm. I don't have this problem with Clinique's "stay matte" powder. I'm extremely happy with this product - it keeps me shine-free for a few hours, great color match (02 Stay Neutral), doesn't look at all fake and evens out my skintone very well. I normally wear this over a bare face, but it works well for me over foundation as well. One of my favorite things about this product is that it holds up well against the elements. This being the snowy/rainy season, this powder doesn't just "blow away" or "drip away" - it stays on my face when I need it to. 5 lippies and a repurchase for Clinique.
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Concealers -Clinique - All About Eyes Concealer
lirontocker 1/26/2007 9:58:00 AM
I picked this concealer up mainly since I was looking for a good, reliable concealer which would be oil-free. I had an unfortunately experience with an exceptionally oily concealer which worstened the condition of my skin, Clinique's "all about eyes" was at the right place, at the right time. I'm very happy with my purchase, and so far this is easily the best concealer I've used to date. It has no-nonsense coverage and conceals everything I need it to, including signs of a late night or an unfortunate blemish. It stays on the entire day on my oily skin and does not look cakey, fake or orange at the end of the day. My color match was perfect - 03 Light Petal is just the right shade for my light/medium skintone. A little goes an extremely long wa with this product, and it's easy to blend both with a brush and with fingertips. Excellent product from Clinique!
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Makeup Brushes -Clinique - Clear handled concealer brush
lirontocker 1/26/2007 9:53:00 AM
I like this brush and do not find it at all stiff and painful to use as the other reviewers. It blends concealer especially well and distributes it evently. My problem with this brush, however, is that it seems to be exceptionally difficult to clean, concealer seems to seep through the bristles and it is close to impossible to properly wash this brush casually. Since I'd rather wash my concealer brush after each use, I cannot justify using this brush to apply my concealer every day seing as this adds precious minutes to my morning routine.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Clinique - Superbalm Raspberry Tint
lirontocker 1/26/2007 9:47:00 AM
This is a great product which really is a strict drill-sergeant for my lips. Normally during this time of year, my lips peel horribly and are uncomfortable. I use this a few times a day and my lips stay is good shape, and improve the condition of my lips if they were previously problematic. The color is very sweet, a sheer medium berry that adds a slight colorful tinge to the lips. My gripe about this product is that due to it's thickness, it tends to stick to the walls of the tube, making it hard to get the very last drops out. I remedy this by putting the (tightly capped) tube either in a cup of hot water or placing it near another source of heat. This melts the prpduct slightly and allows it to flow downwards from the walls of the tube. Have already repurchased and will continue to repurchase.
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Eyeliner -Eyeko - Eyeko's Line and Shine
lirontocker 1/26/2007 8:44:00 AM
I like this product, but not as much as I thought I would. This is a double ended product, one end is a black kohl with glitter and the other end is a shimmery peachy-pink highlighter, both of which work well together and alone. The highlighter works well under the browbone and in the inner corners of the eyes to "perk" up the eye area, the kohl works well as a nice everyday black - not too severe, and soft enough to wear on a daily basis. Unfortunately the staying power for both sides of this product are weak, the black liner starts to fade after a few hours and the highlighter crumbles up in the inner corner of the eyes. This is a shame, becuase if the staying power was better, this would be a 5-star product for those who are trying to save space in their makeup bag and love a little glitz.
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Masks -Laneige - Water Sleeping Pack
lirontocker 1/18/2007 5:32:00 PM
A friend from Singapore sent me a sample of this product, and I was very eager to test it out. Unfortunately, I did not like it one bit. After appying this, it dried to a sticky thick film which is a very bad thing to have on your face before going to bed - the stickiness can and will pick up dust, dirt and grime from your pillow, and if you have problem skin like mine, this will lead to breakouts in the short-term and an overall worstening of the condition of the skin in the long term. Oily skinned or acne prone girls - stay away from this product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -John Frieda - Frizz-Ease Dream Curls
lirontocker 1/18/2007 5:19:00 PM
I picked this up on sale and decided to give it a try on my long, very curly hair. I had been using another curl spray, Garnier's "Curl-forming water" and had great results, but it left my hair rather stale and "crunchy". I was hoping that John Frieda's "Dream Curls" would fix this problem for me, and I was happy to see that it did. An outside person wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the two on my hair from taking a simple look, they both seem to provide good results as far as curl definition is concerned and the results look rather identical. The difference is largely in the feel - "Dream Curls" gives me the defined curls I love without the "straw hair". So, will I repurchase? In theory, yes. In practice - only if it's on sale. "Dream Curls" goes for a whopping 8 euros here in Germany whereas Gernier's version is 3 euros. I'd pick this up gladly if I could find it on sale again, but won't go near it with a 10-foot pole with it's original shelf price.
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Blush -MAC - Maidenchant Blushcreme Pearl
lirontocker 1/18/2007 5:05:00 PM
I recieved this in a swap after missing out on it during the release, and am so happy that I managed to pick it up after all. Maidenchant is a strong neutral medium pink which radiates - very difficult to decribe the effect which is achieved with this blush, it has golden shimmers which contribute to an overall glow which is very beautiful and alluring, not even slightly tacky. I choose this blush mainly for daytime, it compliments my light-medium warm skintone and gives me a nice "fresh" kick. It has good buildability, is nicely pigmented and has the best staying power I've experienced in a cream blush yet - very much a good reason for me to take a look at other shades of MAC's Blushcremes. I can see wearing this a great deal during the summer, but there's something to be said about the way this wears during the winter - it stands out against the foggy, cold and wet weather and seems to radiate just as well.
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Lipstick -Clinique - Butter Shine Lipstick - Poppy Love
lirontocker 1/18/2007 4:58:00 PM
This is a great basic lipstick shade to have in one's arsenal. Poppy Love is a peach-pink shade of sheer lipstick with shimmer, which upon application, smoothes out the appearance of the lips thus making them look softer and fuller. The shade is very sheer, and may or may not show up well on you depending on the degree of pigmention your lips have - those of you with medium pigmentation like myself will find that this lipstick "tones" the lips more than it does "paint" them, which provides a very nice everyday look which can be paired nicely with natural or neutral makeup for daytime or even more daring makeup for a night out. In fact, this shade looks great even without any makeup on at all, which is not something to be said about all shades and formulas of lipstick. I like that this lipstick, like all of Clinique's Buttershines, improves the condition of my lips and "masks" any dryness I may have. This is especially good for colder weather but I can see myself wearing this shade during the spring and summer equally as enthusiastically.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -BeneFit Cosmetics - Boi-ing
lirontocker 1/18/2007 4:43:00 PM
I picked up Boi-ing in Medium after hearing the good reviews. It's a good concealer which does it's job moderately well and certainly beats many of the concealers I've used in the past, unfortunately this product is not very suitable to my skintype. I have very oily skin, and this concealer has a rather oily consistancy - not a good mix. I wish I could rate this concealer highly since it covred my dark circles well and did an especially good job with my blemishes, but unfortunately with continued use, two things started to happen; the concealer started sliding down my face after a few hours, leaving my face looking like a muddy mess and much to my dismay, the oily texture of this concealer causes me to break out wherever I apply it. If I apply it on a blemish, I have another pimple popping up the day after. I really wanted this concealer to work for me and I'm so disappointed that it doesn't work well with oily skintypes.
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Blush -Burt's Bees - Blushing Creme
lirontocker 1/18/2007 4:37:00 PM
I recieved Blushing Creme in "Peach" in a swap and couldn't be happier. It's officially the most wearable color in my makeup bag for my light-medium skintone. This blush is very easy to apply and blend and easier to detract from if I accidentally go overboard, stays on me for hours and gives me a nice, natural warm peach glow. This is really a no-fuss blush, much easier to work with than other cream blushes I've tried and sheer enough to allow buildability and flexibility. The packaging is very small and compact, which is comfortable to use and take along with me in my purse. I recommend this blush for all warm skintoned ladies who don't have all the time in the world in the morning and like a natural, foolproof look which is easy to achieve and looks great.
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