Highlighters -Wet 'n' Wild - Loose Glitter
Kaelie 3/29/2005 4:58:00 PM
I bought this in white - love the opalescent shimmer! I hate the packaging, though, since the glitter gets on EVERYTHING! I can't wait until the stores restock. They really don't stock enough of it! I couldn't find any other colors except the white!
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Highlighters -Mary Kate and Ashley - Sequin Shimmer Dust
Kaelie 3/29/2005 4:55:00 PM
Loved it! Got it in buttercup along with Wet 'n' Wild glitter in opalescent white color. The texture on this seems much finer than the other glitters, and the shimmer is very, very subtle. I mixed a little of this with loose powder - this adds perfect touch of subtle glow. I'll have to try the other MUAers' suggestions. I'm not crazy about the packaging - it's very messy, so one lippie off for that.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Dr. Brandt - C cream
Kaelie 3/28/2005 5:38:00 PM
Here's what the product brochure says: "This lux cream is formulated for dry/sensitive and mature skins looking for anti-aging, firming, and sun damage reversal. Concentrated with vitamin C and squalane to soften and hydrate the skin, it results in a smoother, more radiant complexion with fewer lines and wrinkles." The ingrediens are: "Ingredients: 1.7 oz : Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate (And) Peg-100 Stearate, Cyclomethicone, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ascorbic Acid, Pvp, Dimethicone Copolyol, Stearyl Alcohol (And) Ceteareth-20, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Stearate, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Peg-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Dimethicone, Squalane, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, Camellia Oleifera Seed Extract, Xanthan Gum, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylpara-Ben, Ormensis Multicaulis Oil (Maroc. Chamomile Oil), Tetrasodium Edta, Citric Acid." Although my skin isn't particularly dry, it is sensitive. I'm also t-zone oily, but this cream feels heavenly, not greasy at all! Price is $58-- it's not cheap, but it feels good, the cream absorbs really well into my skin, and my skin feels so soft!! I haven't seen any dramatic changes in my skin, including no break outs. This is just a very good day and night moisturizer. You also get a lot of product, and you only need very little to cover your face. One caveat- you have to dip your fingers into the jar to get it out, and you don't get one of those plastic scoops w/ the product. I hate that, so one lippe off!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Sue Devitt - 70% Triple Seaweed Gel Foundation
Kaelie 3/24/2005 3:54:00 PM
This is very close HG for me - and I've been looking hard! First, the pump is sanitary and dispenses just the right amount. Second, the texture is creamy and goes on smoothly yet is light and oil free. Third, it evens out the yellow and pink undertones of my skin and matches my pale Asian skin (the color is "Quiet and Still") without looking heavy/powdery/mask-like. Finally, at the end of the day, there are no flakes, patches of uneven color, or places where the foundation "coagulated" (you know, places where the foundation seemed to have coagulated on top of your skin instead of remaining blended and absorbed into your skin). I have semi-dry skin but T-zone that gets oily at the end of the day, and this foundation works on all of my face. Now, the negatives: The price at $38 isn't dirt-cheap but this isn't the most expensive product I've seen either. The coverage is also just enough to even out uneven color, not to cover any blemishes, freckles, etc. (I'm still looking for HG concealer). Also, I think if you're on the oilier side, the foundation may be too "moisturizing". I also would not recommend setting the foundation with a compact - when I did that, the oil in the compact reacted with the foundation and left a heavy, mask-like finish. I use a very light dusting of oil-free translucent powder or Urban Decay's universal powder in Nirvana.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Chanel - Chanel Ultrawear Lipcolor
Kaelie 3/24/2005 3:41:00 PM
I bought this in Tourmaline - it's a lovely soft pink, not at all "bubble gum" pink, and I think anyone would look good in it (I'm a very pale Asian w/ yellow undertones in my skin). I was shocked at the price ($30!!) but had been looking for a good pink color for a long time so I went ahead and bought it anyway. I do not like this product. The packaging is one of those double wands - watery, dry color in one tube and the clear and sticky "sealer" coat tube in the other end. The color does not apply evenly, although I exfoliate and moisturize my lips before application. It also does not last, and the texture is pretty sticky. I think I wasted the $30. This is just another lipgloss with a different marketing line. I'm not surprised - I have never really been thrilled by the quality of any of the Chanel products. I really like the color, however, so I'll just keep using it until it runs out but would never repurchase. UPDATE: I had this product for just over a week. The product (the tube with the color) stinks of alcohol, and my lips feel like they're burning after I put them on. I'm returning this as hard as my stilettos can press down the gas pedal. This was such a waste of $30!!!!
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Fragrances -Fresh - Sake
Kaelie 2/22/2005 5:11:00 PM
I loved the citrus top note. Unfortunately, the citrus and florals wore off in an hour, leaving behind an "old lady" smell of powder, really heavy and dirty/cakey. Reminds me of something that my grandmother or the older lady down the street with three cats would wear. I can't wash this smell off of me even after scrubbing at it for 10 minutes in the bath.
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Lipstick -MAC - Lustre in Lady Bug
Kaelie 12/14/2004 4:36:00 PM
I'm in love with red lipstick and I Love this color! comes out to a sheer but highly pigmented true red on my pale asian skin. Not brick, not fuschia, and definitely not orange. Love the formula, too - was getting tired of glosses and this is perfect to wear during day when you want a touch of glamour.
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Powder -Biotherm - TOUCH Long lasting matte compact foundation
Kaelie 12/10/2004 4:28:00 PM
I found this after Kanebo discontinued my color for their total finish powder foundation (which had been my HG). This isn't of the same quality but is about 50% cheaper, the color is perfect for my pale yellow-based Asian skin, and the coverage is good (not perfect - the finish is more powdery w/o the covering power of Kanebo, but it's better than most powders out there). Like the reviewer before me, I noticed the powder doesn't have staying power through the day. Touch-up in early afternoon is mandatory.
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Treatments -SKII - Facial Treatment Essence
Kaelie 11/1/2004 2:59:00 PM
I've been using the facial essence for two months. I'm in my 30s and have super sensitive, t-zone oily skin with breakouts at that ugly time of month. I've had no breakouts, allergic reaction, or rash from using this product. On the second day after I began using this essence, a close friend told me my skin looked glowing and wanted to know if I'd done a facial or peel. Since then, I've had a compliment at least once a week from other women on how glowing, fresh, and translucent my skin looks, so I know it's doing SOMETHING, but I don't know what!! My skin feels very soft, but my freckles or acne scars haven't faded at all. But the compliments keep rolling in, so I'm going to keep using it in spite of the shatteringly HIGH price tag. (I'd love to try the SK(II whitening line if I can find it in the states.) Twice a day, I shake about five drops of the essence onto my hand and pat it onto my face and neck after the asprin toner. I think if I used a spray bottle, it would drip and disperse the preciously expensive droplets into the air too much. I haven't had any problem applying the product this way, but others are right. I wish SKII would figure out a better packaging for the product, because there's a huge potential for a spill. UPDATE: I'm still using this half a year later, and while there is nothing dramatic about the appearance of my skin, it continues to feel soft even during winter (although I live in a humid climate, so I'm not sure if it's the toner or the moisture in the air that's helping my skin). I understand that SKII is more preventative rather than a dramatic treatment line. Hopefully, when I'm my grandmother's age, all this $$$ and pampering will show!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Prestige - Eye Shadow - "Wasabi"
Kaelie 9/24/2004 7:32:00 PM
I am in love with this color! I adore this pale, limey-green color. It makes my dark eyes pop and has just enough shimmer to give my lids a glow. Other Prestige eyeshadows I tried were coarse - this seems to have a finer texture and more intense pigment than other colors in this line.
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Moisturizers -Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Visibly Even Daily SPF 15 Moisturizer
Kaelie 9/24/2004 7:19:00 PM
This comes in a flattish tube with a pointy dispensing tip and contains soy and vitamin C. Supposedly, it lightens dark spots, but I haven't noticed any such effect on my freckled 30-something skin. However, it's very light and works well with the serums and essences that I apply on my face. I know a lot of Neutrogena products have a peculiar scent (maybe from the sunscreen?), but I haven't noticed any in this product. Now that it's close to fall/winter, I'll switch to something heavier, but this was a wonderful summer moisturizer for me.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Shiseido - Eyelash Curler
Kaelie 8/19/2004 7:19:00 PM
I thought the Benefit lash curler was the ultimate, but this curler fits my eyes better and gets all of my lashes from corner to corner, and they STAY curled all day. I love this product - even if it occasionally pulls out a lash (at least it's not in CLUMPS like Shu Uemuera curler was doing). I'm willing to suffer.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Clean & Clear - Oil Absorbing Sheets
Kaelie 8/19/2004 7:15:00 PM
I agree with the previous reviewer. The blotting sheets are way too small, and since I need 2 - 3 sheets each time I use it, I'm not sure how economical paying $5 per package (50 sheets in a pkg) is. I've already run out after trying it for less than a month, but normally, the shiseido blotting papers (100 sheets per package for $14) lasts at least two months. The Shiseido papers seem to absorb better and I only need one. Btw, one side of the Shiseido is powdered and the other is not, so you can use whichever side you prefer. I'm sticking to the pricier but more economical (in the long run) Shiseido.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Laura Mercier - Lip Kisses in Apricot Sorbet
Kaelie 8/12/2004 6:06:00 PM
I thought this would be too sheer but it's perfect for summer. I'm a very pale Asian, and it gives a hint of peachy color with shimmer on my lips. Plus, I love the vanilla smell (but I imagine that someone who doesn't like vanilla would find the scent revolting - it is VERY Strong). The slim, silver packaging is a REALLY nice change from Laura Mercier's other ugly cheap, plastic packaging. In spite of the steep ($19!!) price tag, I can't wait to get more.
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Powder -Kanebo - Total Finish
Kaelie 8/12/2004 5:55:00 PM
This powder is so soft and feels wonderful on! It covers amazingly well, and I think it's comparable to Laura Mercier's powder foundation. There'a also a LOT more product in the pan than the Laura Mercier powder foundation. The coverage lasts all day on me, if I touch up once midday with the Shiseido blotting paper. However, a warning: for those who like the "natural" look, this probably isn't for you, because it does have a "powdery" finish. I bought just the filling ($37 at Saks) and not the compact ($20), b/c I do not carry any make up around, so the price was worth it for me. Otherwise, it's over $60 (w/ tax) for the product. VERY pricey. UPDATE: They discontinued my color and I'm VERY unhappy!! My skin's very pale and yellow-based -- the new colors look very pink & dark. It's just too bad - I had thought I found the HG in foundation!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No