Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Lilly Pulitzer -- Beachy
alex193 5/9/2012 12:25:00 PM
I love beach fragrances and at first, this fits the bill - it smells slightly like Coppertone, slightly like Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess. However, as it dries down, there is a sharp musty smell. Almost like the smell of dried flowers. I don't hate it, I actually kind of like it, but if I didn't know this was supposed to smell beach-y, I'd have never guessed it. If I smelled it blindly, I think I would describe it as a musty, musky, soap smell. Kind of clean and dirty at the same time, if that makes sense. If you added a note or two, it could almost be a male scent. I did attempt to layer it with vanilla to see if it would be beachier, and surprisingly, the combo did not work AT ALL. Don't try it, it's awful. Overall, I quite like it even though I don't find it beachy. I'll stick with Bronze Goddess for beachy. Also the lasting power is terrible. I got it for $15 at Marshalls.
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Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter in Creme Brulee
alex193 5/9/2012 12:10:00 PM
I like the lip butters line a lot - I've got about 6 of them now. I was hoping this color would be a tad cooler - on me, the bronze and orange shades really pop with this color. My lips and skin have a blue-er tint to them and my lips are quite pigmented on their own, so the contrast can look odd. However, if I swipe some sheer pink gloss over this, I really like it. It's a nice nude that I can pull off and look "done". I'm going to experiment with it a little more and see if I can do a makeup look that works with this lippie on its own.
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Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Daily Brush Cleaner
alex193 5/9/2012 11:03:00 AM
I was looking for something to simply disinfect my brushes between use. I have issues lately with acne and I didn't want to make things worse by using bacteria laden brushes, and I only shampoo my brushes once a month or so. I actually like the smell of this even though I generally don't like fragrance in my cosmetics. I think it leaves my brushes smelling nice. I realize I could make my own disinfectant spray with alcohol and water, but I'd really just rather buy this. I'll buy again for sure. Also, I don't think this is designed to clean your brushes, so don't purchase is that is what you are looking for.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Volum Express The Falsies Flared
alex193 1/3/2012 11:52:00 AM
I like the tube. I usually get the normal/classic volume express in the silver tube with the curved brush. THe formula is much different for the falsies flared - First, it's got a really strong smell. It's not bad, just odd. Second, the formula dries out really quickly. THird, I get flakes, and fourth, I don't like the brush, it doesn't distribute very well. It gets a big "meh".
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous mascara
alex193 1/3/2012 11:50:00 AM
Meh.... I always use Maybelline mascaras. I used to use Max Factor until they left the US. I thought I'd branch out this time and give something else a try bc my Maybelline dries out in the tube so quickly. The opening of the tube on Voluminous needs to be tighter; too much product comes out on the brush. Also it really makes my lashes clumpy... I've been using it for 2 weeks now and I'm sort of getting used to it, but still, it doesn't look like volume, just clumps. I like that it always has kind of a wet look. I don't experience fallout or flaking, which is nice. My main peeve is that the product seems to suffocate my lashes and I get a lot of lashes falling out when I remove the mascara. I don't wash off my mascara everyday so it's partly my fault, but my Maybelline didn't do this. I won't buy Voluminous again. Not terrible, but not great either.
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Accessories -Unlisted Brand - Foot Petals Tip Toes Cushions
alex193 1/3/2012 11:43:00 AM
Look for the multi-packs on Amazon to save some $$ - I love these. I wear giant heels all the time, and my problem is that my feet tend to pronate which can cause major ankle rolling and falling when wearing high heels if I'm not careful. The added cushion of these foamies helps my foot to sit level in the shoe and avoid tipping outwards. Also, these really help with the issue of the foot sliding up to the toe of the shoe. Love them! Be aware though, the material is foam which can absorb foot moisture and eventually might get a tiny bit smelly. But the foam is the reason they work, so just replace them if this happens.
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Eye Shadow -L'Oreal - Wear Infinite-Classic Khakis duo
alex193 1/3/2012 11:36:00 AM
I love this stuff. I had been searching forever to find a nude eyeshadow that matches my skin color exactly and doesn't contain a hint of shimmer or sparkle. I use the nude color over my whole eyelid and it is literally the exact color of my eyelid, so when I feel like doing a nude look I don't get greasy eyelids. Also when I feel like wearing falsies, I like to put shadow underneath to absorb oil from my eyelids and keep the glue working longer, but I don't want color, so the nude works really well in this application as well. The darker color is awesome - again, no shimmer at all. For awehile there it was really hard to find ES w/o shimmer. The color is like a taupey-beigey-maybe a tiny bit olive-yy... hard to describe, but really brings out the blue in my eyes for some reason. The two together make a perfect base for a natural looking cat-eye, just add winged black liner and mascara! I love this stuff. I didn't experiencing creasing, fading, or fallout at all. I apply with a brush.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyes -Ardell - Wispies
alex193 12/20/2011 1:37:00 PM
UPDATE: It seems as though Ardell has shortened these lashes and now they don't span across my whole eye. I'm really disappointed, so I took a lippie off. They are still my fav lashes though, and I've started cutting them in half and using them as accents on the outer half of my eyes. I also like the look of applying two sets at a time, spanned enough to cover the whole eye length. Of course, it's not reasonable to wear two sets everyday... so Ardell, please make these longer again. People can cut them if they're too long. I hadn't seen a review section on the regular Ardell wispies rather than the Demi Wispies and I wanted to review them! The Wispies (NOT Demi Wispies) are my absolute FAVORITE lash, hands down. I've tried just about all of them and these ones have a really nice look. I wear them everyday. I don't add mascara at all and at night I peel the glue off, and a pair will usually last me about 2 weeks before they loose their shape too much. I have rescuititated a pair by washing them and drying them around a makeup brush to get the curl back, but the inner lashes are hard to re-curl like this. The more I wear them, the easier the pair gets to apply. I don't know if they look totally natural, but they don't look obviously fake. They look like the people who have been using Latisse or Careprost to grow their lashes, if that makes sense. The lashes sort of cross over each other and look, well, wispy. I think that contributes to the natural look, although they are quite long. Like I said, I wear them every single day. After I had Lasik, mascara just bugged my eyes no matter I used. I don't know why. The Ardell lash glue doesn't bug my eyes and stays put all day, even with using eye drops 5x a day as long as I don't futz with the lashes. The Demi Wispies are a little thicker and and looked much faker on me. I'll buy my Wispies on Amazon next time and get a deal on multiple pairs. Love! And no more mascara! Yayyy!
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Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - Silk Elements Megasilk Olive Conditioner
alex193 12/20/2011 1:28:00 PM
I cant comment on long term use of this product as I only bought the packet size - I don't think I'll buy again. In the shower, my hair fel great, but it felt like it all rinsed out. I followed the directions which say to rinse out without leaving it on hair, maybe thats why. If I left it on though I feel like it might make my hair greasy. Plus, there is a "cone" in the ingredients and I'm trying to avoid cones right now. The smell is odd= sort of smells like the cologne of a foreign man. Not altogether unpleasant, just odd for a hair product. The consistency is like creamy vaseline. I used the whole packet on my long, tinted, average thickness hair, and rinsed with cold water, immediately following with the Ion cuticle sealer treatment to seal in both my color and the conditioning treatment. My hair feels about the same today as it normally does with my cheap Tresseme products. So... meh. It's alright.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Aveeno - Daily Moisturizing Lotion
alex193 11/23/2011 11:09:00 PM
I really only use this as an eye makeup remover. I slather it on a cotton pad and gently swipe it across my eyes to get rid of liner, shadow, and some but not all mascara. I need unscented moisture around my eyes and this really does a nice job with no irritation. Love it! I can't comment in using it on other body parts. I used it once on the rest of my face and didn't experience any breakouts. I like a lighter facial cream though.
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Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter
alex193 11/23/2011 10:34:00 PM
UPDATE** I friggen love this stuff. The scent is inoffensive and minimal (apparenlty I don't like frag in cosmetics), I find that I DON'T need balm underneath and the product stays longer and looks better by itself, and it doesn't dry out my lips. Still can't decide which one is my fave between Cotton Candy and Peach Parfait! I love the packaging, very purse safe. I love the texture. The smell is not offensive. I love this stuff. On me, cotton candy is my fav. It's sheer pink goodness that just enhances my lip color in a playful, sexy way. On me, its not overpowering or vivid, its a nice cotton candy sheen. Almost like I had perfect lips with some balm on. My fav. I like with or without Nivea balm underneath. I haven't noticed any drying. Peach parfait is the runner up. It just gives my lips a warm glow with a kiss of glitter. I do find it a tad grainy. The candy Apple doesn't work on me. Red lips are hard for me to pull of. This stuff ends up making me look jaundiced, lol. Strawberry shortcake is too sheer on me. I like it, just not aanymore than a regular old lip balm or gloss. Lollipop is my newest addition to my collection of Butters. I like this one! It's quite pigmented and I need a mirror to apply, but it's a nice fuschia on me. I also like to layer a swipe or two of this over Candy Apple to cool it down a little. THe staying power isn't great though.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Ion - Color Defense - After-Color Sealing Treatment
alex193 11/23/2011 10:27:00 PM
**UDPATE** It's hard to know if it's the dye or this product, but my color has barely budged in over a month. I use the demi ion with a 10 developer. I use this every other wash and rinse with COLD water. And it smells divine. I was reading other reviews - this doesn't say anywhere on it (at least on mine) that it is a conditioning treatment. It's a sealing treatment. It should be used in conjuction with your favorite conditioning treatment. That being said, I love love love this. I like using volumizing products, which can strip color, along with my Uber hard water and cheap Tresseme shampoo. Luckliy I only wash twice a week and don't heat style frequently! I use Ion demi dye in dark warm brown and this sealant really helps fadage and helps keep it shining. Don't apply to sipping hair or you won't get the same effect. I usually alternate between this and a heavy conditioner each time I wash my hair. Rinse with cool water. And it comes in a 16oz pump bottle for less than $12. I dig.
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Styling Products -Paul Mitchell - Super Skinny Serum
alex193 11/21/2011 12:42:00 PM
**UPDATE** I'm generally torn by the data on using silicone in your hair causing breakage. That being said, I generally like this product. I have very long, fine but plentiful, color treated hair. It's a little frizzy. I like to use about 3-4 pumps of this stuff when my hair is wet, from about the ears down. It really cuts blowdrying time. Don't use it all the time though, because the silicone will really build up and cause shedding. My favorite way to use this is on dry hair; I dye my hair much darker than the natural color and I'm obsessed with shiny hair. I used one squirt per side and rubbed it very thoroughly all over my hands, and lightly pulled my hair through my hands. The shine is great!
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Polishes -China Glaze - Pelican Grey
alex193 11/9/2011 2:18:00 PM
I am new to the China Glaze brand - I was looking for a taupe-y mushroom gray at Sally's the other day and instead was drawn to this. This is not taup-y at all, it's got blueish undertones. I feel like the color should have been called "wet cement" or "raincloud" because I feel like that more accuratly describes the color. Or putty, or clay, etc... That being said, I like it! The color looks sort of odd next to my warm skin, but it's unique and that is what I was looking for. Hubby hates it, he thinks it's wierd. LOL. The best part though - two coats worked perfectly for me. I roughed up my nails and smoothed the ridges a bit, no base coat, no topcoat, just two coats of this and it is lasting like a CHAMP. I type all day and I have had it on for just over a week with no chips or scratches at all. Even the tips still look good. I'm going to have to re-do it simply because my nails are growing. I will def. try to buy Cina Glaze from now on! I'm interested to see how their darker blacks and plums fare.
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Brows -NYX - Eyebrow Cake Powder Taupe/Ash
alex193 11/8/2011 6:01:00 PM
I love this stuff! I used to use the lighter color when I was blonder, but now that I'm a brunette again I've been using the darker color. I love these over pencils bc they are trully matte - sometimes pencils can look shimmery, which I hate. I also have to blend pencils and this powder just goes on perfectly. I use a really thin angled eyeliner brush from Target. I dip it a little in the way and then a little in the brow powder. I like the angled brushes (not the inlcuded one) because I can get a perfect line on the start of my brows. I don't use the wax all over the brows, I just use it to pick up product with the brush. It also seems to make the pwder last much longer this way. All day, least. And for me, a little goes a long way, so I'm sure this stuff will last me forever! I also have to give props to the packaging - I get so sick of crappy packaging with cheap hinges or flimsy plastic. This plastic isn't flimsy, doens't seem like it will break, and the hinge and clasp hold REALLY tight. Great packaging.
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