Liquid -Yves Saint Laurent - Teint Touche Eclat Foundation
dizzielittlerascal 8/22/2012 6:13:00 AM
This was a complete surprise to me and I bought this on a whim to be honest. (got a rather good discount). I did originally try a sample and thought it was only ok, but this was mainly because the shade was way off and the sample was so small I could barely get one use out of it. But curiosity and not being able to give it a proper try encouraged me to give it another try. Any way, I have dry/combo dehydrated skin and it is very tricky to get a good foundation to suit my skin. You treat my skin both as dry and oily so mattes are no good, and too moisturising means it can slide off. I am around NW20-25 (more neutral though) and B40 is a good match although I do think BR50 would have been better. This has an SPF 19. This is not your average runny foundation like Mac F&B, but more akin to Nars Sheer Glow in consistency. But that is the only thing they have in common. This gives me a light coverage, but not so light that I need to layer it. It covers most of the redness and scaring, but additional concealer is needed for more pronounced blemishes. I used this for the past few days with no break outs (I have acne prone skin) and have used a beautyblender, RT face expert brush and fingers. Fingers definitely work the best. I have also used a primer and no primer - no primer actually feels better, as to me this lets my real skin shine through and gives me a more natural finish. The finish is slightly dewy without it being too shiny, and I have found that I do not need to blot too much. I wouldn't say this is the longest lasting ftn to be honest, by the end of the day it is disappearing, so those who want a long lasting one this is not for you. But I don't need it to be long lasting. If I can get a normal day out of it then that's great for me. One thing to note is that disappointingly, this foundation 'may contain' Bismuth (either it does or it doesn't!!). Now this is at the bottom of the ingredients list so I am hoping that the amount in very small, as I have found in the past that larger quantities give me problems. I have had this now for around 2 weeks, but I will admit I have not used this every day so couldn't say if long term the Bismuth will be an issue. I do wish that they hadn't of included it though as I think this will turn lots of people off. Update Feb 2013: My skin has been crazy dry these past few weeks so this has turned out to be an absolute favourite for me right now. B40 is a much better match now I am paler (NW20) and the moisturising properties of this foundation means it is the only one I can wear. The bismuth hasn't irritated my skin either. I have also got this for my teenage daughter, she absolutely loves it too. She is paler than I am (NW15) and her match is BR30. Disclaimer: I often get matched at Mac differently so do not take my shade matches as gospel, it is much better to get matched yourself rather than guess. I have learned this valuable lesson the hard way myself!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Shadow in Tough as Taupe
dizzielittlerascal 8/18/2012 5:05:00 PM
I think here in the UK this is permanent taupe, but anyway, this is nice on the lids (even if it is harder to use than Mac Paintpot) but this is FANTASTIC to use on dark brows. Honestly, even black eyebrows. I have very dark brows, which are fairly sparse but this fills them in better than any pencil, wax, or powder by far. It keeps them in place and doesn't fade at all. Wow is all I can say :o)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Ponds - Deep Cleanser Cold Cream
dizzielittlerascal 8/16/2012 5:19:00 AM
Cold cream has saved my skin. Honestly. When I turned a certain age (lol) I decided to sort my skin care out. I used to use any old cleanser but my skin always looked ruddy and oily. Little lines also started to form on my forehead!!! This got me very confused about what skin type I had - I always assumed I had oily skin due to large pores, breakouts and oily skin. So off I started on my hunt for better skin care. We all know that the basis of good make up is in the skin care, this is so true. I dread to think how much money I have wasted on make up totally unsuitable for my skin! Any way, back to Ponds and how I got here..... I started with Decleor, this was too much for my skin. The essential oils were far too strong so I went on to PreCleanse. Again, no good, so switched to something I assumed would be more gentle. In came DHC cleansing oil. By this time my skin was suffering so badly, I had MAJOR breakouts everywhere. Cystic acne, clogged pores and whiteheads. Confidence at an all time low, and still the oily skin I originally had made me look again at my skin. After researching I realised that I was treating my skin as if it was oily when it was dehydrated! So, out comes the Ponds. I love the oil cleansing method as this is the only way to properly clean off long wear foundation and sunscreen. On a dry face I smooth this on until it turns clear and slippery (usually about 3/4 mins), take off with a tissue and use a hot flannel/muslin cloth to clean off residue.I then follow with Clarins Foaming Cleanser with Shea Butter. I have been using this combo for about 3/4 weeks now and my skin is 100% changed. My make up sits better, I no longer have an oil slick face, and breakouts are far and few between. My skin is softer, clearer and the lines are going! Yippee! Really, if you are having the same problem as I was having - look at using this. It is more time consuming than a quick wipe with a cleanser and cotton wool, but the results are so worth it! :o) Edit: I was curious to see if the one I have bought in the UK was any different to ones in the U.S so I ordered a couple of pots from a U.S seller on Amazon. U.K version: Pink Packaging. White pot with pink lid. On Box says Ponds Cold Cream, cleansing softening cream 50ml. Ingredients: Paraffinum Liquidum, Aqua, Cera Alba, Ceresin, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Butylene Glycol, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl, Butylcarbamate, BHT, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Eugenol. U.S Version: White pot with mint green lid (as in the picture). 269g. This seems almost 3 times as big as the pink lidded one we get here in the U.K. On package it is: Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser. Moisturising Deep Cleanser & make up remover. Ingredients: Mineral Oil, Water/Aqua, Cerasin, Beeswax, Triethanolamine, Behinic Acid, Fragrance, Ceteth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Carbomer, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl, Butylcarbamate, Methylparaben. Not sure why they are so different? They both smell the same, but the U.K one feels fluffier when taken from pot, whereas the U.S one seems denser but smooths on the skin better. When using the U.S one, this definitely goes a lot more oily than the UK one, with a lot more slip. This makes removal so much easier, therefore when comparing the two I would much rather use the U.S version any day (as long as it agrees with my skin) even though it means importing it. Another update! No break outs! I have found something even better to take it off with rather than tissue - Kleenex Cleansing Cloths! (not wipes) They are like a hybrid between tissue and cotton wool. They take Ponds off really well without it scratching your skin. Don't know if you can get them in the U.S though. Its also is an awesome eye makeup remover. I used to do it separately but ran out of my usual stuff, so just decided to use the Ponds, very gently, to remove eye makeup. I wear a lot of eye makeup and this stuff beats my regular remover hands down! Thought I would add this to my review :o)
13 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Clarins - Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Shea Butter for Dry or Sensitive Skin
dizzielittlerascal 8/14/2012 11:29:00 AM
I have gone through several cleansers in the past, especially the last year as I needed a gentle cleanser to use after using a make up cleanser. I have dehydrated skin so was looking for something that would take away residue without stripping my skin. I have tried different ones from Clarins, but hands down this is the best! I have been using this for the past few weeks. There is not too much of a noticeable scent (hooray!), you don't need a lot and it doesn't foam up too much. In fact the foam doesn't really appear. I like that, as I find that foaming cleansers are too harsh for my skin. Don't get me wrong, it is not the same as using Cetaphil - that is a lotion cleanser. This one is not. You use this on a damp face, using warm water at night and cold in the morning. I love this so much it is actually gentle enough for me to use twice a day. And this is an absolute first for me. I love the fact for the first time I do not get that horrible tight skin feeling you normally get when using rinse off cleansers. I used to even get that with Cetaphil! But what's brilliant about this is the fact it doesn't add so much moisture that you can feel it on your skin, just the feeling of a nicely cleansed face :o) Would definitely highly recommend this who have combo/dehydrated sensitive skin. No break outs here!!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Shiseido - Nourishing Mascara Base
dizzielittlerascal 8/14/2012 4:05:00 AM
This is one fabulous primer for lashes. I have used primers in the past but because they tended to be white primers, I could never get them to look right, plus they used to make my lashes quite stiff. Not with this primer. It goes on fairly clear (as long as you don't use too much of it), then do not let it set, just let it go slightly tacky, then apply mascara. This only takes a few seconds to go tacky too, which means no waiting around. To me, this makes my lashes very full (I have quite sparse lashes), and I do not experience any clumpiness at all. I do feel it does condition my lashes too - I have experienced less lash fallout during the two months I have used it. I am still on my original wand, so don't know how much longer it will last as I use it almost every day. The only negative thing I would say is that it does make mascara a little harder to take off at the end of the day. This is rather expensive (around £20 in the UK) but to me I really do feel, this time, you really do get what you pay for :o) Edit: Jan 2013 Yes, this is till rather spendy but I am still using my first tube and have had it 6 months + (almost daily usage) and it is still going strong.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -beautyblender - the sponge
dizzielittlerascal 8/12/2012 12:24:00 PM
I bought this as I had originally bought a 'dupe' for this and wasn't impressed (a Cosmopolitan version). But I was curious to see if this was any better and although this was 3 times the price of the 'dupe' it is sooooo much better! I find it better with thicker foundations as it sheers them out to give me the coverage I prefer. Thinner foundation tends to be too sheer, so I will stick to my brushes for that. But I am so impressed that this little pink egg shaped pillow can do such a sterling job! I dot foundation on my face, then use this dampened to bounce the foundation around. If you do a search on YouTube, there are some excellent tutorials on how to use this successfully. I find it uses less foundation than a brush giving me much better results. It is also better being cleaned with the cleanser which goes with it, as I tried to use baby shampoo and Mac brush cleanser but they didn't do any where near as good a job as the bb cleanser. Oh, and have not noticed pink dye coming out of mine :o)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Nothing Else Metals
dizzielittlerascal 8/12/2012 11:55:00 AM
This is quite a tricky polish to apply as its rather thick. There is no room for error on this as it seems to dry quickly and can get rather goopy when applying. However, it does seem to even itself out to a certain extent. I had better luck on one hand than the other, only needing one coat (I am a bit wobbly anyway when using my left hand to do my right nails). The finish is a chrome lilac, which can actually look rather silver in some lights, but it is fun and different. This is my first 'metallic' polish and got it as I wanted something different - and it certainly is that! But I don't think I would buy again. I can see this formula getting rather gunky in the bottle later on, due to it being that thick. Update: I have inadvertently ended up doing an experiment. The hand where there is two coats applied has lasted a lot longer than the hand with only one coat on. After 3/4 days of wear the one coat is fairly worn at the tips from heavy pc use/washing up etc whereas the two coated nails have no wear at all! Its still looking exactly like it did when first applied!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Clinique - Bottom Lash Mascara
dizzielittlerascal 8/7/2012 5:36:00 AM
Brilliant idea! Don't know why it hasn't been thought of before, and although it may seem to be a good idea in reality it doesn't work for me. The formula is clumpy and does flake. It would have been a lot better if they could thin it out a bit as I still make mistakes (bits going onto my water line or underneath). The packaging is adorable though! Like others have said though I will keep the wand and just use another brand of mascara.
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Liquid -Estee Lauder - Invisible Fluid Makeup
dizzielittlerascal 8/6/2012 3:01:00 PM
I could only use this for about 3 days before I returned it. I wanted a sheer foundation suitable for my dry/combo skin. I am around NW25 (although leaning towards neutral) and was matched to 2CN2, which to be fair was a good match. On application though I didn't find it sheer enough. I much prefer the thin formulas of Mac and MUFE's Face and Body, and although this is closer to Mac's version, it is slightly thicker. It also has a heavier coverage than those, and unlike the Face and Body, I found it wasn't moisturising enough. It highlighted any dry areas and really accentuated my pores. In the 3 days I had it, I used fingers, a RT Face Expert Brush, then a beautyblender. None of those helped, not even making sure my skin was well prepped beforehand, so to my dismay it had to go back.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Lancome - Hypnose Star
dizzielittlerascal 8/5/2012 10:54:00 AM
Yes, I bought this as I fell in love with the packaging - its so pretty and twinkly! It was also on special offer at the time when bought with another two items. But, I don't think I would buy again. For a start the 'scent' is so strong....almost too much for my eyes. Its also very thick and messy, you really need to wipe the wand well before even letting it go near your lashes or it will be very clumpy. The wand itself is a bit tricky to use as it has different bristle lengths according to what you want it for. But with me I don't want to fiddle - I just want it to coat my lashes and not have to worry which side its on! It does give you volume but not so much length. The black is a good true black which doesn't set too stiff. Another bonus is that it doesn't seem to flake and washes off easily. But to me there are not enough pros outweighing the cons for me to repurchase and if I am brutally honest, DS mascaras beat HE mascaras any day. Edit: I left this untouched for a couple of months and decided to give this another go today. Its dried up a lot and is actually much better now! Its not as wet and clumpy and goes on the lashes better. Therefore, if you buy this and don't like the wet formula leave it alone for a while to dry out. You will be a lot happier then :o)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman - Expert Face Brush
dizzielittlerascal 8/1/2012 3:06:00 PM
This is, IMO, the gem of the Real Techniques brushes. Out of all the brushes I own to apply foundation, this is my favourite. It applies and blends any liquid foundation like a dream, feels very soft, and cleans and dries fabulously. Anyone wanting a brush to apply foundation - or even cream blushers - get this! Its not expensive and should last you too. Not had one single hair drop out. I have had mine since launch and I am so pleased with it. The only time I do not use it is when I have an active breakout as I wouldn't want to irritate it further (yes it is soft but any brush irritates my spots). I have owned/do own the Sigma F80, RT Buffing and Stippling Brushes, Mac 180, and this beats them all. And yes, I do hate the handle but we can't have it all!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Lancome - Liner Plume
dizzielittlerascal 8/1/2012 10:20:00 AM
This eyeliner pen is fabulous. It is (at the time of writing this) only avaiIable in Black 'Noir'. I usually use gel eyeliners but I am the first to admit I have no skill in that department. I usually end up with a wonky line, or one line being wider/longer/wobblier than the other. So I was looking for a long lasting felt tip liner. I stumbled across this and almost didn't buy it due to the high cost. But after swatching it on my hand and it not feather I decided to buy it. It is a deep black and draws the perfect line. I can make it super fine, or build it up to make a thicker line. Its easy to use and less fiddly than keep dipping a brush into gel. I have even been able to draw a pretty decent line! I couldn't however give this 5 stars as I don't actually feel it is as long lasting as it could be. Obviously everyone is different so people will experience different lasting power, but I would say I got about 6 hours before I notice it start to fade on the edges. But I don't think its that bad considering - I don't get much more than that from most gel liners. So yes, I would repurchase, because I love the ease of using felt pen liners. And they are easier for travelling around with. I have used them in the past but have not got such good results as I did with this one.
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Treatments (Eye) -Gatineau - Defilift 3D Eye Contour Lift
dizzielittlerascal 7/31/2012 11:21:00 AM
Totally agree with the review below. I couldn't live without this tube of miracle any more. I have a puffy eyelid on one eye, making it look almost hooded, but a quick smear of this in the morning gives it just enough lift to bring the crease of my eye back. It is only temporary though, I notice the difference on days I don't use it. I see it like a sticking plaster for my eyes! I, like the previous reviewer, got the 5ml one from eBay as I just cannot bring myself to buy a larger one (around £45 for 15ml) but I would be in despair if I ran out - and I have no way of knowing when that will be as the tube is opaque!!. I have had this now for around 2 months now so I know it lasts. A grain of rice size will do both eyes.
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Blush -MAC - So Sweet, So Easy
dizzielittlerascal 7/29/2012 6:54:00 AM
Such a beautiful colour on me but I can totally see why this wouldn't suit all skin tones. I am NW20-25 and really suits my skin tone. I use this sparingly or it can look way over the top. I find using my fingers rather than a brush works better with this blusher as its quite a thick consistency, so fingers warm the product up making blending much easier. Looks better with just a small amount on the apples of the cheeks rather than blending upwards, so it doesn't look too heavy. I really am starting to prefer cream blushers as I find I make less mistakes. Staying power isn't too great on me (3/4 hours) but then I find that with powder blushers too. Skin: NW20-25 Combo dehydrated.
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Masks -LUSH - Love Lettuce Mask
dizzielittlerascal 7/27/2012 3:31:00 AM
I have to say that I do not like Lush, especially their stores. In fact I cannot walk past the place without my stomach churning. But I was getting rather desperate and needed something to sooth and deal with dryness from using BP. Exfoliants bought from drugstores I have found too harsh so was at a bit of a loss. So I decided to take a gamble on this after reading MUA's reviews. I have to say I am converted to this mask. I leave on for about 5-10 minutes, then very gently rub it off to exfoliate. I do this twice a week. This leaves my skin soothed and more polished without it aggravating my skin further. I love how cool it feels on the skin, as it has to be stored in a fridge. I would have scored it higher but I think its rather expensive and I have to take a special trip every month to get it as I do not have a store locally (it only stays fresh for this long). But, seeing as it works for me, its worth the trip.
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