Eye Shadow -MAC - Cork
everysunflower 6/16/2012 1:44:00 PM
It's nice to see that "Cork" is so versatile. It flatters a variety of skin tones and is used for multiple purposes. I see it used as eyebrow powder, a flat lid colour, a crease colour to add depth or even used to contour cheeks. I find it to be a perfect crease colour for myself (NC 30/35), it blends easily and beautifully with other colours. "Cork" is a wonderful addition to anyone's make-up bag. It seems to pop up in many MUA FOTDs, youtube make-up tutorials, and featured in many blogs. Although it doesn't appear unique in the pan, I haven't come across a neutral brown exactly like it. The closest is Urban Decay's "Buck." I gave this product a rating of 4 due to MAC's new animal testing policy. I will not be repurchasing.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Victoria's Secret - Wish
everysunflower 6/16/2012 12:57:00 PM
It's about time I write a reviewer for this hidden gem. A few months back, I was browsing the make-up shelves at VS, having never tried any of their make-up other than the lip glosses. I have an olive/tan skintone and often have trouble finding pink lipsticks that are actually truly pink on me. Often they look too pale or too purple. I bought this without trying it on, I just had this weird trust/connection with it when I spotted it on the shelf. (I know that sounds silly, but it's true.) Needless to say, I ended up LOVING it and still do to this day. It's perfectly creamy, perfectly moisturizing and perfectly pink! It can be worn solo, or paired with a gloss. The packaging is very chic and portable. The staying power is average. I will certainly repurchase.
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Eye Shadow -Revlon - Matte Eyeshadow in Vintage Lace
everysunflower 6/16/2012 12:34:00 PM
I literally paid $1 (CAD) for this little matte eyeshadow. It's an off-white shade, completely matte and chalkier than expected. I played around with it as a brow bone and inner eye corner highlighter. My favourite way to use this though is as an under eye brightener. I have an olive/tan complexion (NC 30/35), and you'd think this would be too light, but the nice thing is, it's very flattering for your under eye area to be a little lighter than the rest of your complexion. I would buy it again if I could find it for the same low price. But the way I'm using it, it'll last me for a long, long time!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Pink Grapefruit Body Butter
everysunflower 6/16/2012 12:21:00 PM
I have this in 50ml size. I have had it for over a couple of years now, as I don't use it on a daily basis. It still smells exactly the same as it did when I first bought it. People complain that after awhile, these body butters lose the true scent, but I have yet to experience that. I use it sparingly on places like my neck, arms and hands. I like the smooth, buttery texture, but I can't imagine using it as a daily moisturizer. The scent is pleasant and comforting. Using it everyday, all-over would probably become too overwhelming for me. I only use it occasionally during the summer months. That is why it has lasted me so long.
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Primer/ Corrector -BeneFit Cosmetics - That Gal
everysunflower 6/16/2012 12:06:00 PM
A few months back, I splurged way too much at Sephora and made quite a few impulsive buys. This was one of them. I paid too much for a product that BARELY brightens the complexion, as it states. Upon application, yes there is a noticeable brightening effect. It loses its lustre quite quickly though, and instead of holding my foundation in place, it makes me appear much more oily than I really am. The packaging is cute, I like the light scent, and it does have a nice, smooth application. But that's not enough to impress me. It's supposed to prolong the wear of your makeup and give you an extra brightening glow. It fails miserably at what it CLAIMS to do. I will never repurchase.
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Moisturizers -Weleda - Skin Food
everysunflower 6/16/2012 11:54:00 AM
I bought this in March, after doing a ton of research. I found it at a natural health product store for a better price than I expected. (A little under $20 CAD.) My skin panicked and broke out badly when I applied it to my face, so I discontinued using it. Instead I use it for its intended purpose; areas of my body such as elbows, knees, feet, hands, and nails. It leaves those spots feeling deeply moisturized and very soft! I appreciate the natural ingredients that Weleda puts into their products. The scent is quite strong, I don't know how to describe it other than you can tell it's a herbal-y extract scent. I don't mind it but I wouldn't want it trailing along with me all day. I wish I could've had better results with using it on my face as some of the other reviewers have had, but I accept that everyone's skin reacts differently to products.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -New York Color - Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny 720
everysunflower 5/28/2012 10:35:00 AM
I am so pleased with this little gem of a bronzer. For under $4 (CAD), I have found a perfect, matte bronzer for contouring my face. The packaging is very compact and travel-friendly; I don't have to worry about it taking up too much space in my purse. I also appreciate that when you flip it open, there's a mirror inside. Throw away the sponge that comes with it, because it isn't going to do anything for anyone! Use your own brushes. I have an olive/tan skintone and this bronzer is true to keeping me from looking orange or muddy. It isn't overly pigmented so I'm positive lighter skintones will applaud that. Edit: After doing some in-depth research, it is confirmed that NYC does test on animals; therefore, I am changing this product rating from 5 to 4. I will not be repurchasing.
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Polishes -Essie - Beach Bum Blu
everysunflower 5/28/2012 10:10:00 AM
Such a terribly runny formula. Even when wiping off the excess polish, it manages to run down the brush and drip all over. Be careful with this one. The colour is a lovely, bright, metallic, joyful shade of blue. I prefer it on my toes than on my hands, especially in the summer. Two coats is good, but I honestly do dread having to apply this polish because it's one of the more difficult ones. Luckily I scored it at 50% off, so I paid about $5 (CAD) for it. I don't think I'll be repurchasing this one, based on how runny and streaky the formula is.
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Lotions/ Creams -Nivea - Nivea Creme
everysunflower 5/23/2012 11:16:00 AM
If I use it on my face, it breaks me out. So instead, I just use it around my eye area. I gently tap it under my eyes, and along the surrounding areas. It's very soothing, hydrating and seems to brighten up the area instantly. I have a large tin, a squeezeable tube, and a bunch of the tiny tins. A tiny tin is in my purse at all times. It works great as a hand cream and a body moisturizer. I personally like the thickness of it. My skin soaks it up and leaves me feeling smooth, soft and non-greasy.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -MAC - Zoom lash
everysunflower 5/23/2012 10:09:00 AM
I honestly feel compelled to defend this mascara with all of my might. Reading these reviews, it's evident that the majority of people are not fans of this mascara. Myself, on the other hand, I have been using this mascara for years. It's one of those products that I consistently repurchase. There's a trick to wearing MAC Zoom Lash mascara. I have tried to wear it solo, and it just doesn't work. Instead, I apply it OVER another mascara. I tend to use this in conjunction with my favourite mascara - Prestige My Biggest Lashes. Zoom Lash has a very wet formula, the wettest I have ever used. It's also the blackest black I have ever used. This is what I think I love it about it most. Immediately after applying my other mascara, I'll apply a couple of coats of Zoom Lash over top. It makes my lashes stand out even more. It CAN get clumpy and spidery if you aren't careful. You need to be slow and steady while applying Zoom Lash, so don't go sweeping on tons of coats at lightning speed, that's when it's going to clump up on you. So use a mascara that delivers volume, lengthening, lash seperation and curl. Then use Zoom Lash to emphasise the lashes even more and make them darker! I also love how Zoom Lash enhances my bottom lashes. Keep in mind, formulas that are very wet tend to take a little longer to dry, but the end results are worth it, in my opinion. Side note: Zoom Lash is not waterproof and stings REAL bad if you get it in your eye. Of course I just had to own this! I am crazy for pink glosses with gold shimmer! I have a bunch of them, but this is one of the front-runners. I don't mind the stickiness when it comes to lipglosses, that just means that the staying power is going to be better. I can wear this alone, or paired with a gloss. Pinks, corals, oranges, reds, plums, nudes. I've tried this gloss with just about all of them and it always adds a little extra oomph to the lips! It complements my olive/tan skintone wonderfully! (NC35, for reference.) I will certainly repurchase. Edit: Due to MAC's new animal testing policy, I will no longer be purchasing MAC products. I changed this product's rating from a 4 to a 3. It's unfortunate, but I'd rather not support the unethical treatment that these animals have to go through.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Organix - Nourishing Coconut Milk Shampoo
everysunflower 5/22/2012 10:28:00 PM
These low ratings surprise me, but I suppose different heads of hair yield different results and opinions. I have been trying to stick to hair products that are mostly organic. So when there was a 50% off sale on the Organix line at Shopper's, I knew it'd be the perfect opportunity to test some of the products out. I was a little worried the coconut scent would be overwhelming, but it's fine and doesn't linger after rinsing. My hair is soft and manageable after, looks and feels clean! I give this a 4 out of 5 because although it's a good shampoo and does it's job, it doesn't 'blow me away' as some other shampoos have.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -BeneFit Cosmetics - They're Real
everysunflower 3/17/2012 6:12:00 PM
I will not repurchase this mascara. The removal process at the end of the day is a little high maintenance for me. It requires a lot of make-up remover; and unfortunately, I noticed an abundance of lashes falling out during the process. It's too bad, because it's a decent mascara. I really like the brush's bristles; the bristles do a great job of grabbing the lashes and coating each individual lash and keeping them separated, without needing to apply coat after coat after coat. It holds an above average curl, delivers very dark, clump-free, neatly separated lashes with decent volume and length. At almost $30 (CAD) for one tube, that's a little steep for the amount of lashes that end up falling out, no matter how gentle I am with the removal.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tools -The Body Shop - The Body Shop Blusher Brush
everysunflower 2/27/2012 8:35:00 PM
I bought this when I was first getting into make-up in high school, so I guess that would mean I have owned this for about six years now. It's still in the same great shape as it was then. In fact, it's still my favourite blush brush that I have encountered. I think I paid $20-something (CAD) for it at the time. It seemed so expensive, but what a great investment it was. It's soft, sturdy, high-quality, cruelty-free, and hasn't frayed or shed. It picks up the perfect amount of product and applies PERFECTLY to the apples of my cheeks. I truly see a difference in my blush application when I use this one in comparison to two other blush brushes. Bravo to The Body Shop!
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Lip Gloss -MAC - Nymphette lipglass
everysunflower 2/27/2012 8:27:00 PM
Of course I just had to own this! I am crazy for pink glosses with gold shimmer! I have a bunch of them, but this is one of the front-runners. I don't mind the stickiness when it comes to lipglosses, that just means that the staying power is going to be better. I can wear this alone, or paired with a gloss. Pinks, corals, oranges, reds, plums, nudes. I've tried this gloss with just about all of them and it always adds a little extra oomph to the lips! It complements my olive/tan skintone wonderfully! (NC35, for reference.) I will certainly repurchase. Edit: Due to MAC's new animal testing policy, I will no longer be purchasing MAC products. I changed this product's rating from a 5 to a 4. It's unfortunate, but I'd rather not support the unethical treatment that these animals have to go through.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Brows -Urban Decay - Brow Box
everysunflower 2/27/2012 8:18:00 PM
This is quite possibly one of my finest investments! It’s a little pricier ($33 CAD) than I would have liked to spend, however; when I add up all my failed attempts at brow fixer-uppers, this Urban Decay Brow Box is well-worth it! I use “Brown Sugar,” the two colours are a very natural-looking duo for filling in the few sparse areas in my dark brown brows. I fill in the sparse areas with the lighter brown shade, and then I use the darker brown shade to extenuate my brow arch. The mini tweezers are perfect for plucking the strays, and the tiny angled brush is small enough to be precise and it picks up the perfect amount of product. My brows remain natural-looking; I don’t like when eyebrows LOOK like they’re penciled in or powdered up, etc. Even though I try to keep my brows trimmed, the wax does a good job of keeping everything tamed and in place through the day. I will repurchase when I run out, but it does seem like it’ll last me a long time. : ) Edit: Due to Urban Decay's new animal testing policy, I will no longer be purchasing Urban Decay products. I changed this product's rating from a 5 to a 4. It's unfortunate, but I'd rather not support the unethical treatment that these animals have to go through.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No