Lip Treatments -Burt's Bees - Tinted Lip Balm - Hibiscus
frckls 6/22/2012 12:16:00 PM
To start off, I'm about medium-yellow in shade and have crappy pigmented lips. They tend to look pinkish fresh out of the shower, juicy red if I just finish eating, and very unflattering-dead looking mauve when I'm tired. Bah. This baby gives me a pair of juicy pinkish-peach lips. Being so pigmented, ANY lippies that claim themselves being peach, looks very unflatteringly ugly pink on me. Burt's Bees claims this to be pink, but it looks like the perfect peach on my lips. And although, it's "only" a tinted lip balm, it is pretty pigmented on me. Very, VERY few lip products can do that. And funnily enough, they mostly fall under the drugstore/indie/cheapie categories. Silk Naturals, Sleek, Yves-Rocher and Guerlain are a few that succeed. Boy, did I have explored all the top department store brands, looking for the perfect peach lippie, TO NO AVAIL. This tinted lip balm stayed on my lips for a good 2 hours or 3. A good meal would erase it all. But, however faded the sheen is, it leaves a faint tint on my lips. It is sheer alright, but with an ample pigmentation, making my lips look naturally peachy and juicy. However, I gotta attest to it tends to cling on dry chaps and doesn't fix that really well...in winter. When it gets warmer, tho, this baby is just perfect. The packaging is a brown boring plastic tube. But to be honest, I like it that I can just slip it into my pocket. I prefer this more than a fancy looking Chanel Rouge Coco Shine or Nars Sheer Lipstick that is not pocket friendly, costs about 3x (or more) as much, and lasts about the same on the lips. Plus, this is much more natural (ingredients-wise) and cruelty-free. Definitely repurchase. I'm curious of Tiger Lily and Rose. :)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - EXTRA VIRGIN Coconut Oil (All brands)
frckls 5/20/2012 9:46:00 PM
Well yeah it's not the most pleasant smell and sure is greasy. But boy does it deliver! I used to use this for my hair, since I always used to blow-dry it. I would smear it all over my hair, wrap it in a towel, and sleep on it, and wash my hair in the morning, more or less every other day. It seriously made my hair shiny, manageable, and strong and soft. The only reason I stopped using this is since I moved to the Netherlands, my hair's limp and soft already, I'm afraid using it would make it more flat. But since South-East Asian old ladies used to smear their kids head with it, and the one who were lucky enough to have her mom/grandmom to do that has the most (oh God, here we go) thick, luscious, bodied, shiny, soft, and strong hair I have ever seen. Our mom were too busy, thus our not so gorgeous hair. I also used to use this to clean my makeup and it even took off the nastiest mascara and eyeliner. It's just that now I'm so spoiled with the nice-smelling makeup remover. No need for fancy packaging, as long as it is stored in a sturdy, well-shut glass jar/bottle. Just not so practical for storage. I think I should go to the Asian store tomorrow to get this again.
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Burt's Bees - Tinted Lip Balm
frckls 5/20/2012 9:01:00 PM
To start off, I'm about medium-yellow in shade and have crappy pigmented lips. They tend to look pinkish fresh out of the shower, juicy red if I just finish eating, and very unflattering-dead looking mauve when I'm tired. Bah. I have the shade HIBISCUS. This baby gives me a pair of juicy pinkish-peach lips. Being so pigmented, ANY lippies that claim themselves being peach, looks very unflatteringly ugly pink on me. Burt's Bees claims this to be pink, but it looks like the perfect peach on my lips. Very, VERY few lip products can do that. And funnily enough, they mostly fall under the drugstore/indie/cheapie categories. Silk Naturals, Sleek, Yves-Rocher and Guerlain are a few that succeed. Boy, did I have explored all the top department store brands, looking for the perfect peach lippie, TO NO AVAIL. This tinted lip balm stayed on my lips for a good 2 hours or 3. A good meal would erase it all. But, however faded the sheen is, it leaves a faint tint on my lips. It is sheer alright, but with an ample pigmentation, making my lips look naturally peachy and juicy. However, I gotta attest to it tends to cling on dry chaps and doesn't fix that really well...in winter. When it gets warmer, tho, this baby is just perfect. The packaging is a brown boring plastic tube. But to be honest, I like it that I can just slip it into my pocket. I prefer this more than a fancy looking Chanel Rouge Coco Shine or Nars Sheer Lipstick that is not pocket friendly, costs about 3x (or more) as much, and lasts about the same on the lips. Plus, this is much more natural (ingredients-wise) and cruelty-free. Definitely repurchase. I'm curious of Tiger Lily and Rose. :)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Contour Brush
frckls 5/13/2012 10:03:00 PM
I first thought this would be too big for my crease. I don't have monolids, but I don't have that big doe eyes, either. It took me quite some time to exactly pinpoint my creases. As with other brushes from the same line, the bristles are really soft and handle is beautiful sleek black, albeit a tad bit too long for my liking. The bristles are pretty dense and have pretty appropriate length to make it easily works for applying color to the crease and outer-v. I also use this brush to apply highlight to brow bones and the inner-corners. It only has trouble picking up colors with pretty dense eyeshadows. But with better textured ones, it applies like a dream. It also easily blends shadows. I just adore this.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Small Angled Brush
frckls 5/13/2012 9:55:00 PM
Gah. I thought I would love this product to bits, but turned out not. I used this in place for too-scratchy-for-my-poor-lashline brush that came with Maybelline Gel Line. People rave about it, but not my stupid eye skin. The bristles are seriously soft and dense enough. But I always wipe my brushes to tissue paper after each usage, in between washes. And because of that, the bristles splayed on me after a few gel liner usages and cannot retain its old shape even after washing. Bah. I found a much better replacement for this, with thinner end as well, although this is not that bad either. But I have moved on ever since the splaying. Tsk. Too bad. The other brushes from the same line are actually pretty awesome.
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Makeup Brushes -Essence - Gel Eyeliner Brush
frckls 5/13/2012 9:26:00 PM
I really did have very low expectation on this cheapie brush I found in Kruidvat. That's when I didn't know how awesome the brand is. I decided to try it on after I bought Maybelline's Gel Liner. Although basically great, I find the brush that comes with the gel liner is too scratchy for my eyelid and tightlining, so I used my e.l.f. Studio Line Small Angled Brush instead. I always wipe clean the brush with tissue paper after use, and then it started to splay on me after a few usages. Even after I wash it, it still didn't retain its old shape. So then I came across this one, and for 2eur I thought, oh what the heck. Plus, I liked the purple bristles and lettering on the handle. Man, was I surprised! The bristles are just so soft for my lids and tightlining, with the perfect length to handle any kind of products I use to line my eyes with. The tip is very thin, making it very easy to control the thickness of the line. It also picks up the perfect amount of product everytime I use powder shadow to line my lower lash line. Even after I (quite a bit roughly) wipe it down after each usage, it still hasn't splayed on me. And it doesn't bleed when I wash it, too. This is totally THE small angled brush every girl needs in their stash!
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Unlisted Brand - Lucy Minerals Foundation
frckls 5/13/2012 9:16:00 PM
I feel seriously bad for people who find this product doesn't work for them. Either because of allergy with the ingredients, or even worse, can't seem to find a way to make it work. This thing is miraculous. I mean, the usual catchprase that we hear is "cream to powder", this one's "powder to cream". Like, seriously? And boy, does it lives up those words. I find it easy to work up the coverage from sheer to full. How great is that. It covers any redness and almost any pigmentation, but still has my freckles peeking through. Me likey. It might look a little bit cakey and powdery right after application. But, after 15-30mins it does look very creamy and natural. By creamy, I mean it looks like my skin but much better. It just melds right into the skin. The key is just to buff, buff, buff. If you can't wait that long, just spray the face with water. I even splash my face with water. LOL. However, if you can find the perfect shade (or shade mix) that works for you, you'll find you barely need to do that. It's hard to imagine someone fails to do so with the vast array of shades offered. It is awesome in photos as well. Makes my skin looks naturally smooth. *sigh* For my NC30 (golden medium complexion) I find that a mix of 1/2 and 1/2 of Creamy Bisque and Medium Golden each is perfect. Have to add a wee bit more of the latter when I tan in summer, but that's it. (UPDATE: Now I'm about NC35-the leftover summer tan-and Golden Medium is just PERFECTION) I also use the original formula. I tried the OCC one, thinking my face is that oily, but found it way too cakey-looking and makes my face looks dry. When I tried that, my face was peeling from a tretinoin treatment and it latched onto those dry flakes. Funnily enough, the original one seemed to helped off the flakiness a bit. I think I should've given it 1 star for price. Although it costs 14bucks a pop on the first purchase, the jar is still a quarter full after more than a year. And that is with me dividing some of it to little jars to keep it in my purse and boyf's apartment. You only need a SUPER TINY amount every usage to cover the whole face and jaw and neck, and even the chest. And I never find any need to touch up as it's waterproof, sweatproof, and lasts the WHOLE day. Tested through the sun and sweat and humidity and sea and rain and snow. ====UPDATE (Nov 2, 2012)==== This summer, to make morning routine much more quick since I went on summer holiday with a bunch of people and I didn't want to have anyone waiting for me doing a long routine, I mixed this with my sunscreen of choice (Boots Soltan Baby Lotion SPF50+). It also made easy reapplication after dipping into the sea. It held up amazingly after a long swim, but of course sunscreen needs to be reapplied constantly. But no coverage melted off my face. At the beginning of this fall, my skin improved from the latest skincare regime I got into, so I no longer needed whole-face coverage. Used dry to spot conceal with RT pointed foundation brush and it still melts beautifully into the skin. No one really can tell that I spot-concealed. Then, growing lazy and not wanting to rely on brush, I started dabbing the powder on the areas I want to conceal when my sunscreen (-cone based SkinAqua UV Moisture Milk SPF50) is still wet, and blend. When the sunscreen dries off, all the pigmentations are gone. Mixed directly into the sunscreen, it creates the loveliest finish of foundation. Dewy, luminous, healthy looking skin. The coverage lasts throughout the whole day, too, through anything. The finish looks very similar to NARS Tinted Moisturizer, except that this mix does NOT oxidize and patchy after a few hours like NARS. This mineral powder is a bliss to be mixed with quite a variation of liquids, sunscreens in my case. When it set, it lasts ALL. DAY. LONG. I tried to replace this foundation a couple times with fancier brands. Kept crawling back, instead. Absolute all-around winner in my book.
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Ecotools - Bamboo Bronzer Brush
frckls 5/13/2012 8:39:00 PM
I fell in love instantly with this brush on the first touch. It's synthetic but it feels like a bunny's tail (Don't ask how I know it. I'm seriously cruelty free when it comes to clothes and makeup and skin products, but I recently got the cutest beanie with rabbit fur pompoms. For my birthday. From my housemate. *groan*). It NEVER sheds, applies everything beautifully on my skin, and I can't stop buffing it around my face. I always use this for powder products. I use it to apply finishing powder, treatment powder, mineral foundation, and sometimes blushes and bronzers as well. It gives off quite some coverage when I use it to apply my MMU, probably because of its density. Then easily buffs it in. I love it for applying blushes/bronzers sheerly (if I tap it out correctly before applying), like "oh yeah it's my natural flush" kind of thing. And one layer is enough. The bulky handle makes it a little bit tricky for storage. But I find it makes me feel comfortable holding it. Don't ask me why. LOL. Besides, it stands up on its own easily on my vanity. I seriously want an army of these babies. Who needs pricey brush with this thing exists, seriously? ===EDITED=== After getting the RT Core Collection, plus having TBS Mineral Foundation Brush, I don't find much use from this brush. I rarely use bronzer or highlighter on my body, too. And if I do, I think I can just rely on my TBS brush. I still keep it around j ust because I like how soft and fluffy it feels, although the RT and TBS brushes are actually softer. If I lost it or it comes apart, tho, I won't repurchase.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Powder Brush
frckls 5/13/2012 8:24:00 PM
I think any people in their right mind would never hate this brush. LOL. Unless they're just unlucky to get a dud. I really love this brush. No discoloration, barely shed (if at all), no splaying, and I like how I can stipple and buff foundation perfectly with it, be it a mineral powder or tinted moisturizer or liquid foundation. Maybe the coverage is not as high as other flat top brushes out there (even less than my EcoTools Bronzer Brush), but I find it's enough for me, and can easily build it up. I prefer it this way actually. It takes more product to apply liquid products with this, but I think that's the case with applying liquid products with a brush anyway. I sometimes use this to apply blush, too, in a pinch. And it works just as well. :) I really love the sleek back handle, although it's "only" plastic. And the bristles are just sooooo soft. I like that they're synthetic, thus cruelty free! I also like the fact that it came with a plastic bristle cover and it can be easily cleaned. I will definitely buy another 10 if needs be. It works, it's amazing and dirty cheap! What more can you ask?? =====UPDATE==== Ever since I get more disciplined on using retinoid/AHA product, this feels a little bit scratchy on my skin, especially around the eyes. My skin is not really that sensitive, but now I use RT's buffing brush from the Core Collection or TBS Mineral Powder Brush as they feel much more delicate for my skin. I don't want to keep far too many brushed that have similar purposes, so I'm letting this go.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -The Body Shop - Blusher Brush
frckls 5/13/2012 8:14:00 PM
This has been around in my kit even longer than the mineral brush. I think mine is like 6-years old or something? It barely shed, no discoloration, never splayed, and applies my blush sheerly and evenly. The way I like it. However, I find it works best with mainstream brands' blushes. With mineral ones, not so much, as they're powder and highly concentrated, so takes a bit more effort to blend. Not with Bourjois little round pot blushes, too, as they easily harden on the surface and needs scratchier brushed to pick up the color. Despite those "flaws", I find this is nice for contouring. I use this with my Benefit Hoola to contour, and sometimes with the bronzer from E.L.F Blush-Bronzer Duo. It always picks up perfect amount of color, and easily blends it into my skin. It easily fits into under the cheekbones. Even to the sides of the nose if I hold the base of the bristles a little firm, since the tip is tapered. I don't think I actually need to purchase this brush again, since it's been with me a long time and I see much further mileage from it. :)
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Makeup Brushes -The Body Shop - Mineral Foundation Brush
frckls 5/13/2012 8:05:00 PM
I've had this brush in my possession for....3-4 years? I can't remember since I stole it from my mom (then she went to get another one LOL). I always use this brush to apply my Lucy Minerals foundation. It's no easy task since the mineral powder is soo creamy and it may apply patchy with wrong brush and/or application technique.That's why people tend to have a love/hate relationship with it. But once you know how to master it, you get yourself a champ. Back to the brush, I was first not too happy with this, despite that the bristles are just sooooooo soft I wanna melt. I thought it was a little bit too dense, thus make the foundation looks a little too cakey for my liking. But then I found the perfect brush cleanser (Dreft dishwashing soap, it removes ANY residue) and turned this lovely little baby to that perfect density and pliability and appropriately "splayed". Now it applies the notorious (but awesome) Lucy Minerals beautifully on my face. Perfect and even coverage (medium-full without looking like I have something on) and blend the concealer at the same time. I can also use this to apply natural-looking blush on my cheeks and apply and blend contouring colors, too! This is the only face brush I need for my vacation. You can push it to the limit to do everything! I like the little pouch it came with, but prefer the Brush Guard instead. I gave it to my sister as she lost hers. Would I buy this product again? Hell, yeah! If it falls apart anytime soon, which I doubt. Me, my mom, and my sisters now can't live without this in our kit!
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Mascara -Max Factor - False Lash effect Fusion
frckls 5/6/2012 1:26:00 PM
To start off, my lashes are very thin and not wispy long, albeit already curled and not so badly sparse. This mascara does make wispy lashes that are soft, but moderate length and volume for me. I believe girls who are blessed with already pretty long lashes and more volume would get amazing result, but not my Asian lashes. I, too, have oily lids, and not being waterproof, the mascara smudged after just 4-hours of wear making me having to keep wiping my under eyes. Not so fun. Am not a big fan of the bulky packaging either. Never fall for such stunt. Plus, in the stupid Netherlands, it costs 18-effin-cursed-Euros. Gah!!
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Mascara -Prestige - My Biggest Lashes
frckls 5/6/2012 1:06:00 PM
To start off, my lashes are very thin and not wispy long, albeit already curled and not so badly sparse. I find the brush a little bit tricky to maneuver with its big, bulky brush. It does somewhat volumize and separate my lashes well, but not so much in elongate. This is not bad for those who are blessed with already quite long and many lashes, but for quite sad Asian lashes like mine, I need more magic.
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Mascara -Too Faced - LashGasm
frckls 5/6/2012 12:55:00 PM
To start off, my lashes are very thin and not wispy long, albeit already curled and not so badly sparse. I got the sample size from the Sephora Lashstash. I had very low expectations on this one, as high-end brand mascaras tend to perform below expectation. So I was incredibly surprised when I swiped the mascara on my lashes, it did make them look big! I like the packaging. It looks sleek as I don't fancy odd packaging that takes up space in my vanity and purse. The brush is the plastic bristle kind and I like that it reaches every single smallest stubs at the corner of my eyes. I always apply mascara by first holding it vertical and "wet" my lashes. Then, I swipe from the top once and "clean" up by swiping from under the lashes. Another coat and I surprisingly got wispy, separated, long, voluminous lashes! I really couldn't believe my eyes! And it was not stiff at all as well. What I like even more, I went out crazy drinking and dancing the whole night, sweating like crazy. NO panda eyes, which all other waterproof mascaras failed to avoid. And I have very, very OILY lids. The mascara helped with keeping my eyeliner in place as well. I had a stomach cramp when I got home until the next day, so I just curled in bed crying. Still no panda eyes, although it has somewhat flaked off the next day but there were still some left on my lashes. All in all, this is one amazing mascara and I will surely repurchase, if only I have money to throw around. Too bad I'm still in uni and on a strict budget. I would love love love to have this. Especially in the mini size. I feel it is perfection. EDIT: I have my friend falls in love with this, too. We were at our guys' place (they're housemates) getting ready to go out and she forgot her mascara and asked for mine (not too hygienic, I know :p). She squealed from the room in amazement. And she also fell for the name. Lashgasm. Awesome. :D
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Collection 2000 - Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer
frckls 5/2/2012 1:21:00 PM
I am around NC30/Tarte SO TM Agent 010/NARS TM 'Alaska'. I got this in Medium. My skin is combination-oily as it tends to get a wee shiny on the T-zone. I have leftover reddish acne marks on both my cheeks and chin, and dark circles. I have to say I LOVE this stuff. This applies really opaque and has full coverage. Despite that, this is not cakey at all. Sometimes a bit flakey under the eyes if I don't moisturize and even it out well. For undereyes, I apply under TM/foundie. For acnemarks, I apply on top of TM/foundie. If I contour my face (thus setting the concealer on the cheeks), this stays the whole day. If not, I at least get a good 8-hours staying power out of it, maybe more. I think it can even be worn alone, as long as set out with transluscent powder. My skintone isn't that good to do that, tho. Will DEFINITELY repurchase!! ====UPDATE==== After a while, I find this way too opaque and too heavy coverage for my taste. It also gives off white cast on my skin and undereyes, especially since I am now more to NC35 in shade. I find my Lucy Minerals to be best to conceal although the packaging is not as handy. I don't even think to try the Dark shade. Swapping this off.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No