Blush -Chanel - Orchid Rose [DISCONTINUED]
nekroze 10/21/2011 4:31:00 PM
Meh.I occasionally buy Chanel,but during the last few months I became quite obsesed with the line.the previous blushes I bought were US versions but Orchid rose is the baked one which is sold in outside US. well,it is a splurge really but it doesn't live up to my expectations.The texture is truly a trouble.it is so hard that I have to dig the product with my 109,not to mention that softer brushes like 168 do not work with this.As a result,it is hard to blend.I am surprised that people are saying this is a pigmented blush.I am NC20 and I have to layer it to see some color.I don't have a problem with sheer blushes,I actually always prefer sheer and natural colors on my cheeks.but I would like my expensive blush to be pigmented enough so I can decide how much I am going to sheer it out with different brushes and application. The shimmer is very fine,it is barely visible on face,and I really love the fact that it is a green/silver flash rather than gold.it doesn't emphasize my pores,the lasting power is better than avarage. I love the color a lot,it gives me the "my cheeks but better" effect,and looks neither too warm nor cool. I have been carrying it in my bag for the last few weeks and I have to say I am quite into it but I just think that at this price point,texture and low pigmentation that is caused by it shouldn't be an issue.So I am giving 3 stars.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -MAC - Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade
nekroze 10/20/2011 1:57:00 PM
Finally I have the legendary Lightscapade.I had heard the hype long after is was originally released and I wanted it so much that I actually thought of buying it from Evilbay.Luckily it is repromoted.I was kinda secretly hoping that it would be an another overrated product but great news: it is definetely not! First of all,I have to mention that I really,truly love highlighters.my highlighter powder stash is a lot larger than my blushes and bronzers combined.and Lightscapade is one of the best things that joined to my lightful loves. This MSF definetely lives up to the word "lighter".no shimmer,glitter,color,metallic/frostiness etc,just pure light! I think that may be the reason why some people do not like it.but I love my face to have a glow and radiance.I can always wear lip and eye make-up that stands out but when it comes to actual face products,less is always more.LS adds a beautiful light to skin,under sun light,really finely milled shimmer is visible but it mostly gives a light pearl effect.it doesn't look like you spend hours in front of the mirror.the effect is more like "you look pretty,did you dye your hair or something?" sort.it is really hard to go "way too much" with it.I layered it over and over to see how it may look like,the result is never shimmery or too white,layering gives you only more light:) I have been using it on my cheeks,nose bone,brow bone,tear duck and for setting my eye concealer.it works perfect on concealer and doesnt emphasize the larger pores around my cheeks.MSFs generally last very long on my oily skin,so does LS.and luckily they don't give me breakouts. I bought mine from the store and choosed the one with the most blue veins.considering the fact that how much I love it,I went back and got a backup, in case it won't be around for another 5 years.the second one I got looks really beige but I can't really see a difference between them when swatched. As a girl who even finds Meteorites too glittery but likes to glow,this is absolutely cannot-live-without product for me.I am in true love
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -MAC - Magically Cool Liquid Powder - Truth & Light
nekroze 9/29/2011 7:14:00 PM
ok,this looks like a little gimmicky since such "weird" products often come from drugstore brands and they rarely live up to their claims but this stuff is awesome! The main reason for me to buy this, is that I was desperately looking for some all over highlighter that can give me the "heathy and dewy" look.most setting powders that claim to do so create a shimmery nightmare.I have oily skin so when I mix a liquid highlighter with my foundation,I need a powder on top,which destroys the effect of the illuminator. so this soft iridiscent pink beauty solved my problem.it feels like liquid when applied(as it claims) but turns to a powder as it gives a luminious effect with its texture while the pink tones creates a healtier complexion.it doesn't make you look like a disco ball if it is applied well.the shimmer isn't visible unless you check with a 5x mirror since it is really finely milled. the application is a little tricky which is the reason why I am giving 4 stars.unless it is used without a brush like 187/217 etc.,the result is not very bright,as the powder almost clots(?) with some brushes.if you want to use it as an all over powder,take a small amount of product and gently sweep it with a 187(or such).it also dries quickly and once it dries it doesn't move so be quick to blend. I use it after the blot powder,the staying power is really good.to be honest I didn't expect to see it on my face after many hours but that is not the case. I also use it under my eyes and I am really loving it.I have pretty dark and red eye circles.it does a good job correcting the area and giving a healtier look without shouting "hey look,I have concealed my eyes!". so this is a winner from mac.I love it and I have used it in every make up for the past month since I bought it.total HG!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Zoya - Adina
nekroze 9/21/2011 12:44:00 PM
one word: Gorgeous! just like Nubar,Zoya knows how to make perfect duochromes either.I love every duochrome there is but those shimmery ones are the greatest ones since unlike glassflecks or any other finish,they look soft and truly edgy at the same.there are not so many perfect ones of those type.Adina's color-shifting effect is very strong and always visible,unlike some polishes that require a serious lighting in order to show a poor duocolor.the application is nice,I actually expected to see some brush strokes but they hardly exist.it requires 3 coats to be opaque,but I wore this with a green cream base color( chanel khaki brun dupe) and it is still pretty much the same color.so if you want your 8$ bottle to last longer,you can always try that.like all the other Zoyas,it dries quickly,lasts a long week with minimum tip wear,and shines without a top coat.all time fav!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -NARS - Dogon Duo
nekroze 9/21/2011 11:57:00 AM
I hadn't bought a nars product for a long time but this duo tempted me way too much.I fell in love with the lighter shade right away when I saw the swatches online,but the darker shade didn't feel that special at all.I swatched it about 3 different times in the store but I didn't get it since the dark shade seemed to have a low quality and I couldn't justify the price tag for just the light shde.but finally I bought it last week! and I couln't be happier with my purchase.The green-taupe shade is one of the most beautiful shadows I have ever seen.it has an amazing duochrome effect with some iridiscent shimmer.it looks totally unique and classy without being rainbowy(i am a natural eyeshadow girl mostly).it is buttery and pigmented.as for the dark shade which is a not so greatly pigmented black with dark blue shimmer,it feels like it doesnt perform as good but after several experimentation it turns out to be lovely either.When the two shades blend together,they create an amazing almost jewel-toned greenish-blue-dark grey-taupe shade.it is amazing! Mr. Nars knew what he was doing when putting this two colors together.the dark one also works great as a liner when used wet.This whole week I carried this duo with me, I wore it nearly every day and I usually feel to lazy to play with several shades of shadows.I dont give 5 stars since the black shade falls short of high pigmentation but it works great with the other shade or used wet as a liner.if you are into cool toned smokeys,this duo is a must!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Chanel - Le Vernis - Peridot
nekroze 8/11/2011 10:05:00 AM
not great.it is one of those polishes that looks perfect in the bottle but turns out something pretty different on nails.as a nail polish collector and duochrome junkie this is never good in my book.the color shifting effect is very subtle.after using real goodness from the well-known brands who know how to make true multichromes(zoya,nubar,sally hansen,orly...),peridot is just disappointing.the effect is more visible with sunlight but indoors it is an antique gold which is not very unique.the formula is a little brush strokey kind,and not very vibrant without a top coat. I don't think the quality is worth 25$.and the color is not unique too since it is very easy to find great dupes(the easiest one is sephora-diving in malaysia).of course you may want get it before it starts to be sold for a couple of hundred dollars on ebay,which is mainly the reason why I bought in the first place.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Dark Side
nekroze 6/11/2011 11:09:00 AM
as a bold lips junkie,this is my ALL TIME favourite dark lipstick.it is hard to understand people that are giving low rates to those kind of colors based on the fact that they are not easy to wear.of course it would not be easy! this is a beautiful shade of dark red/cherry/burgundy.I saw Temptalia's swatch and it looks definetely different on me,almost like a blackened cherry red.it has perfect pigmentation and brings full coverage.like all the other amplified cremes,it slides on your lips,stays well and it is not drying either.it also doesn't bleed which is the most important thing for a dark lippie.oh and what a great name:)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Define A Lash Volume Mascara
nekroze 6/11/2011 10:45:00 AM
this is one of those products that is hard to review because it has many pros and cons. I was trying to decide among dozens of mascaras-it is so hard to pick up one in drugstores,there are just so many!I went for this because I really love the plastic brushes,and I was looking for a volumizing mascara that also seperates the lashes.but I am surprised that it acts like a lenghtening one more.so here is the deal. Pros: 1)volumizes and lenghtens 2)seperates the lashes. 3)curls.I always use a lash curler but a mascara that holds the curl is always good. 4)holds well. cons: -wet formula.you have to be careful not to stain your eyelids while working on your lashes. -it may clump if you rush in putting the second coat.but you shouldn't let it dry either. -it feels heavy after it dries. after all I loved this mascara.because of the cons it has,I thought about giving 3 stars but it would really be unfair because it works well for me and I am definetely a dramatic-lashes kinda girl. edit:after a week of using this,I change my rating from 4 to 2 stars.because it basically gives me racoon eyes.it flakes like crazy.I can't make it work even with a base so if you don't experience the flaky trouble,lucky for you!
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Loose Powders -Givenchy - Prisme Libre Loose Powder Quartet Air Sensation
nekroze 5/11/2011 5:03:00 PM
I decided to buy this after seeing the comments here and I must say that it really lives up to the hype.Loose powders are one of my fav make up items,which I never finish my make up without.I love my mac- prep prime powder,mufe HD is nice,mac blot powder is great for oil control,Laura mercier is ok,MSF is a fav of mine too.I use prep prime so often but I sometimes dont feel myself totally great with it,since I don't wear full make up everyday,and it is not always the perfect choice for natural faces,just like mufe isn't either. prisme libre is definetely everything I would dream of a setting powder.I have it in delicate beige and my experience with it: -it is light,really truly silky and smooth.you can't look chalky with this,no matter how much you use,it makes your skin silky. -the 4 color theory works.it is very sheer,but has a slight tint to it that works as a corrector,which makes the product special.it really helps your face to look less dull and helps you to get rid of over yellowness/pinkness that sometimes foundations create. -it doesn't make your dry patches drier,therefore it hides them and controls oil pretty well which makes it suitable for all skin types.I am very oily in the T zone so I also use mac-blot powder. -"delicate beige" is one of the matte shades but it has the tiniest illuminating particles in it.I usually hate shimmer on face but they are invisible while they give a nice effect. -it has a light smell,disappears after the application. -seems expensive but I don't think it is an issue since you are getting a pretty good amount of product. -one thing I didn't like:the packacing.it really shouts "luxury" but a loose powder can have a larger and easier opening. this is my first givenchy product,the brand didnt draw my attention to this day but after trying this,I really want to explore their collections! I honestly think this is one of the best products I have used to this day and definetely the best setting powder so I will buy it again and again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Bobbi Brown - Denim Ink Long-wear Gel Eyeliner
nekroze 5/6/2011 1:06:00 PM
I got this one today,and just now,after looking at the comments and swatches I had a feeling that I might have got the wrong product.but thats is not the case.I tried it at the counter and it looked a beautiful dark navy blue with a sheen.I swatched it on my hand and haven't felt the need to swatch on eyes either.I wish I did because this liner suffers from serious lack of pigmentation imho.it looks like a soft black with an invisible sheen.even though I am a nc20 and wore this on a base.still it is nowhere close to the color on my hand.I set it with mac-deep truth shadow and got the color I wanted.This was supposed to look gorgeous on my pale skin and brown eyes but I am very disappointed.The formula is nice though,soft and wears well but that's all.I would definetely have it returned but it is not possible in my country so I am sorry BB.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -Philosophy - The Color of Grace Amazing Grace Shimmering Face Powder
nekroze 4/24/2011 12:42:00 PM
I am not familiar with Philosophy.I saw this on Temptalia and loved it,but I thought the price was high.then it was at half price on strawberrynet so I got it immediately. I am NC15/20 and not loving so much shimmer on my face.I always like my highlighters to have a soft sheen rather than shimmer and color.and Grace lives up to my expectations.it was a 4 star and "nice to have" product for me until I used to set my concealer.then it became a HG for me.I have terrible eye circles,blueness,redness,lines,dryness...you name it.This powder does a great job at illuminating and setting the concealer without looking chalky.The soft pinky shimmer looks great even without a concealer and they dont make you look like a white eyed vampire at all.I feel like this was the result that I hoped to get with the famous laura mercier-secret brightening powder.well,who knows what will turn out to be your HG:)
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Inglot - Eyeliner Gel
nekroze 3/29/2011 4:42:00 PM
I got the black one of these and it is really black,one of the true blacks that i have tried to this day and I am an eyeliner junkie.the staying power is great,it is really waterproof.which results in a painful cleaning process.so you need a strong cleanser to get rid of this.I also find that besides from being waterproof,it also smudges a little sometimes in the tearduck area. it is definetely true what has been said about the thick formula.in about 2 months,it got a little more drier.even if you are a true expert in eyeliners,you might find it hard to work with,because of the formula.sometimes your brush doesnt follow you and it becomes hard to create clean,perfect line. I have recently purchased two more shades,because there are really unique ones in their range. after all why did I buy two more and give 4 stars? here is a tip that is well known by many makeup addicts:add some gtlycerine to the product! mac's mixing medium or inglot duraline works in the same way,but if you don't have them,pure glycerine is the cheapest solution.just add a single drop and mix it well.it will give you the perfect consistency to work with.this way it became my fav black gel liner,because it is a true black with a great staying power and now with a very soft formula:)
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Seedy Pearl Eyeshadow
nekroze 3/24/2011 6:02:00 PM
one more beautiful iridescent color,it is a silky pink-white with purple undertones which doesn't have a chalky shimmer,but a lovely sheen.it works great as a highlight color,but on my nc15 skin,I often use it as an allover lid color.looks perfect with Deep truth,sketch or any other dark cool shade.it is one of the must haves of my 15-pan palette.I think the effect is similar to pink opal pigment,which I also adore.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -MAC - Studio Moisture Tint SPF15
nekroze 2/23/2011 9:31:00 AM
finally a TM for oily skin! I don't like heavy cooverage foundations.beyond that I don't need one.as i had learnt that make up is a lot more than just lipsticks or putting on some blush,i discovered TMs and understood that a TM is the best way to naturally beautiful skin for the young folks that are not seeking much coverage and think that most foundations can be heavy for everyday looks. I have tried many TMs(including the famous but terrible laura mercier) and this is definetely the best.I could never think that mac would have the best TM on the market for me,so i met it when a mua put it on my face just to be a base for trying blushes in the store.So i love it and gave it a go,ever since it became my HG. The finishis matte,actually a lot more than the other TMs.it does provide enough moisture to my skin,and not emphasize my dry patches.the coverage is higher than other TMs either.it doesnt leave me with an extra matte,dull face,it looks healty without being greasy. lasting power is the part that i love the most.when i first bought it,it was summer and it is terribly hot and humid in my city.I used it during the season and it lasted very well even with that weather.in winter my face gets a little drier so i can mix it with a little illuminator and always get comments on how beautiful my skin looks. I have some pore issues on my cheeks,not too large but still they are there.this doesnt make them look bigger or clog them. I think the color selection is a little weak thoug,I would expect a bigger selection from mac since this is not that sheer,so the color selection is as important as always.luckily the 2. color suited me well.i am a nc20,i tried the lightest color but it looked kinda ghostly and unnatural on me.and thanks god,this stuff doesnt oxidize so I am not having an orange face within several hours. all in all,it is a perfect product and i think it doesn't get enough praise when everbody seems to be obsessed with mostly Laura mercier TM.if you have oily skin,i definetely suggest you to try this first before anything else.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -MAC - 109 Small Contour Brush
nekroze 2/21/2011 2:45:00 PM
I love this brush for blush and contouring application.The size and tailoring are great for me.however as everybody said,it sheds.it's not that much on me but after all i am not using this brush for liquid/cream products so often,which results in less washing.I also think that it is a little scratchy.when i first bought it,it didnt feel that way,however after a few washes,it began to feel,well less softer.these are not very good for an expensive brush.when i pay $$ for a brush,i expect to use it for long years.I have this brush for a year,and i dont know if it will be at the same performance after years.which is definetely disappointing since i am a mac brush fan and i haven't experienced such thing with others. I would buy it again in any case since it is my HG for blushes.but i give 3 lippie for not having the best quality,which is so "not mac".
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