Liquid -Laneige - Laneige Snow Crystal Dual Foundation
realpeak 6/2/2011 12:22:00 PM
If you are looking for light coverage then you may like this, however, I think provides just a little too less coverage for my liking. It just about masks redness but doesn't do much besides that. I do not like using concealer so I don't really want to go through the hassle of using concealer and then foundation ontop to be honest. There is an included concealer with this but it is rather dry in consistency and doesn't provide much coverage either. The liquid is watery yet still manages to be slightly creamy. It feels lightweight upon application but as the day goes on, I can feel it getting heavier on my skin. It provides decent hydration but for the warmer months it tends to make my skin get oily in the t-zone (I have normal skin) and the staying power is not too good at all, 5 hours before I feel like it's starting to melt off. I find the tones to be slightly too pink for my yellow toned skin but it's not too bad. Perhaps if you have dry skin, need light coverage and your skin is in good condition, this may work for you. But I do not find myself reaching for it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -Maybelline - Dream Matte Pressed Powder
realpeak 6/2/2011 12:09:00 PM
This is a great setting powder for the price. There are only 5 shades available in the UK though which may pose as a problem to those with tan or dark skin - 08 Golden Sand (darkest shade) is still very light. I use 03 Golden Beige as it has the least pink tones out of all the shades and it works nicely for me. Anyway, I sometimes use this as a powder foundation and occasionally as a setting powder for liquid foundation. When used as a foundation it evens out my skintone and masks redness. Great for when I want light coverage and best of all - it NEVER breaks me out. I used only this for about 9 months as my foundation and all my acne cleared up. It gives a soft matte finish that looks very natural and not cakey at all. It feels lightweight on my skin and blends easily as it's finely milled. Many complain about the packaging but I like it as the swing-out mirror is handy. It is rather bulky though. Lasting power is fantastic, it lasted me all day in humid climates without sliding off or getting oily. I will definately repurchase this powder, it performs much better than ME/HE powders I've tried such as Bobbi Brown, Chanel, Mac etc...well worth it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -MAC - Cleanse Off Oil
realpeak 6/1/2011 3:36:00 PM
I was pleasantly suprised with this cleansing oil as I am not generally a fan of MAC, especially with their skincare and face products. This cleanser was really gentle on my skin and removed all traces of makeup including foundation, mascara, gel liner and bronzer. My skin was left soft and not feeling stripped of moisture. It is quite pricy though considering how quickly I got through my bottle. I also found that the bottle leaked a lot despite having a lock function.
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Cleansers -Etude - Happy tea time cleansing foam - milk tea
realpeak 6/1/2011 3:32:00 PM
Whilst this is a cheap foaming cleanser that removes makeup pretty well and smells like baby powder, it's much too harsh for my skin like some other reviewers have stated. I was left with dry patches all over my face, redness and general irritation which lead to small clusters of breakouts in my t-zone. Etude House do not have quality ingredients and opt for cheap fillers so if you care about your skin like I do, do not try this cleanser out. It's full of drying irritants and will not be good in the long run.
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Liquid -NARS - Sheer Glow Foundation 
realpeak 6/1/2011 1:55:00 PM
I used the shade Ceylan when I'm my natural NC20 colour and mix Stromboli and Syracause when I'm tan (NC37/C4). Ceylan and Stromboli match my yellow tones nicely, and Syracause has a good mix of tan and peach tones, not pink or yellow or orange. The texture is relatively quite thin but not watery, provides light-medium coverage (buildable) and evens out my skintone/covered redness. It feels nice and lightweight on my skin and looks natural...my skin but better. Infact, I think my skin looks really clear when I wear this, almost airbrushed. The finish is gives is a soft satin that gets more glowy as the day passes and the foundation mixes with your natural oils. It doesn't get greasy on me even if I don't use primer or setting powder. However, there are some downfalls with this foundation. First of all, it can be rather streaky upon application even when moisturizing well beforehand. Second is the longevity - this is not a super long lasting foundation and will not hold up extremely well in warm weather. It transfers a lot aswell. Not something I'd expect when I pay nearly £30 for a foundation. The packaging is horrible aswell, but I refuse to pay an extra £5-6 for a pump. Overall it's a nice foundation despite it's negatives. I would repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -Too Faced - Snow Bunny
realpeak 6/1/2011 1:44:00 PM
Not so much of a bronzer on me but makes a really nice highlight. The compact is attractive and has a mirror included. There a 4 stripes of colour (a cream, a medium bronze brown, a light pink and a golden brown). They are all quite shimmery but not glittery. You can use each individually or swirl the colours altogether, which is what I mostly do. I apply with a fluffy brush along my cheekbones and use a little of the cream colour along my nose bridge. It gives a shimmery glow that is very dimensional and pretty but not OTT. A light hand is essential otherwise it may look too much. I love it for the summer months as it makes me look so radiant.
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Palettes -Too Faced - Natural Eye Kit
realpeak 6/1/2011 1:34:00 PM
This kit is well worth the price, I've had mine for 2 years and still haven't hit pan on any of the shadows yet. The colours are wearable for either day or night so it is versitile. The applicator brushes included are not really appealing to me as I own proper brushes but definately useable. There is a mix of 9 cool and warm shades with shimmery and matte finishes - my favourites are heaven (a nice cream beige colour which works great for a highlight or all over lid colour), honeypot (slightly shimmery warm gold), sexpresso (medium-dark matte brown) and push up (shimmery red toned brown). I find the formula for most of the shadows to be very soft, pigmented and blendable. Very good quality overall. Like most I have had a problem with the nude beach colour though as it has a lot of glittery fall out and just isn't really practical to use as it does not stay in place even with a primer. The packaging is bulky but you do get free cards and applicator sponges included. A great palette for beginners and neutral lovers.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -Too Faced - Chocolate Soleil
realpeak 6/1/2011 1:25:00 PM
CS works very well for me when I am tan (NC35) but not so much when I'm in my natural state (NC20). It's quite pigmented so I have to use a light hand and build up gradually otherwise I get a muddy/dirty look. I really like it when I'm tan as it gives me a naturally bronzed look and warms up my skin. I use it mainly for contouring as it's matte. When I'm an NC20 it looks awful for contouring, pulls slightly orange and muddy. Benefit Hoola looks better when I'm lighter. It is made from real cocoa but I find the scent to be rather off putting as it's pretty overwhelming and strong. I suffer from migraines a lot and if I apply too much of this it definately triggers them off. Applies nicely but you definately need a good brush and freshly moisturized skin otherwise it can look blotchy. Lasting power is good it doesn't break me out. I like the compact and mirror included also.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -Bobbi Brown - Sheer Finish Loose Powder
realpeak 6/1/2011 1:15:00 PM
If you're looking for a light-weight, finely milled, velvety finish powder then give this a go. It's very sheer and does not alter the colour or look of my foundation underneath it much, yet it creates smooth looking skin. The powder is oil-free and supposedly oil-absorbing, with Vitamin E. I use the shade Pale Yellow and it works well to mask redness. Pores are less visible and it sets my foundation nicely. Doesn't leave my face matte but gives a pretty somewhat satin finish. I'd love to try the pressed powder version though as the loose one can get a little messy.
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Blush -NARS - Sex Appeal
realpeak 6/1/2011 1:07:00 PM
I was very unimpressed with sex appeal. Matte formula and a soft muted pink-based peach with minimal colour payoff. It is not buildable as the texture is suprisingly chalky, and because the colour is so 'pale' it does not show up on my skin when I am pale (NC20) or tan (NC37) regardless of how much I layer or which brush I use to apply.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -NARS - Angelika
realpeak 6/1/2011 1:02:00 PM
Angelika looks very intimidating in the pan as I'm not a huge fan of shimmer or glitter. Despite that, I think this is a perfectly useable blush. It's a bright, cool blue-based pink with silver glimmers throughout. Pigmented and blendable. I tap off the excess from my brush and that minimizes the amount of shimmer transferred to my face. Despite being cool toned, it works with my warm skin quite nicely and is fairly buildable. Similar to MAC pink swoon on me but with more depth. I like it but I wish the lasting power was better on the skin, considering the price.
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Highlighters -NARS - Highlighting Blush Powder in Albatross
realpeak 6/1/2011 12:56:00 PM
At first glance Albatross looks freakishly white in the pan, but once on the skin it turns into a golden sheen. If over applied it leaves a metallic almost green toned sheen to my face though. The texture is very smooth and velvety so glides onto the skin effortlessly. However for the price I expect more from a highlighter - it's nothing special and definately not worth the price! Lasting power is not so good at all either. I will not repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No