Lip Gloss -Revlon - Peach Petal
Walhalla 3/14/2011 4:08:00 PM
I bought this lip gloss last week without reading any reviews before hand. I had heard Revlon's glosses were good, but had never tried any. By itself, this looked like some sort of white paste on my lips, creasing into every line. Horrible. However, on top of a nude lipstick (currently using a nude shade from L'Oreal), it looks lovely. It is the perfect nude for my fair skin (probably around NW15 with pink-ish undertones). I'm not sure if I'll re-purchase, though. Those things aren't that cheap here.
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Eye Shadow -NYX - Jumbo Eye Shadow Pencil - Milk
Walhalla 3/9/2011 6:49:00 PM
I'm sad to say this product was a spectacular failure for me. :( I have no idea how others can use this as a base. No matter how thin (or thick) a layer I apply, it creases everywhere, including between my lashes and in the micro-fine lines on my eyelids (the kind of lines I didn't even know existed). Applying a primer or powder doesn't help and I don't have oily lids. . Oh well, at least, it was cheap. It does a decent job at highlighting the brow bone, though, which is why I gave 2/5. . EDIT as of February 2012: I increased its rating from 2 to 3/5. Despite giving this product a bad review almost a year ago, I kept using it, hoping I'd find a way to make it work. I stopped taking birth control pills a few months ago and it turns out they were messing with my skin (unsurprisingly), so this eye pencil now performs much better as a base. I can get around 5-6 hours without creasing. Eyeshadows usually fade a little bit after a few hours, but it's not too bad considering how inexpensive these pencils are. I really like to use it as an inner corner highlight as well. It tones down redness and broken capillaries. :D
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Lipstick -Maybelline - Color Sensational - Born With It
Walhalla 3/8/2011 4:35:00 PM
I'm not a big fan of lipsticks. I tried drugstore and high-end brands before, but I felt like most colours were unflattering for my skin tone and features. This one, though, is just the right shade of pink, although, unfortunately, it is a bit sheerer than I'd like it to be. It's slightly pinker than my natural lip colour, so it looks very... natural (I'm not big on synonyms, haha). I find it works best used on top of lip balm, to create a creamy consistancy. The glitters are indeed annoying, but I usually apply a thin coat of Rimmel's Vintage Pink or NYX's Smokey Look on top, which prevents them from falling all over the place (those being the only other 2 lipstick/gloss I own...). The smell doesn't bother me. I think Rimmel's lipsticks stink a LOT more than Maybelline's, but that's just my opinion. Despite not being perfect, this is going to be the first lipstick I ever see the end of and re-purchase.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Clean & Clear - Oil Absorbing Sheets
Walhalla 2/26/2011 6:22:00 PM
Well, it seems everyone and their mom already reviewed these, but I just wanted to say that I like them too! I usually use them to remove oil from my T-zone throughout the day when I want to re-apply pressed powder. They do what they are supposed to and are very good at that. They could be cheaper, but considering I don't use them everyday, the first pack I bought lasted me more than 5 months, including a trip to Japan with ridiculous humidity and 35+ Celsius (95 F) everyday for 2 weeks.
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Polishes -L'Oreal - Pro Manicure Nail Polish - Sand Castle 510
Walhalla 2/11/2011 11:43:00 PM
A lovely shade. I've been a fan of nail polishes for years, but mostly own dark colors. I was looking for something a bit more subtle and "professional" and decided to try Sand Castle. I usually apply 2 coats, but 3 would be best for a more finished look (as I can still see streaks with only 2 coats). I like that it's shimmery, but not overly so. I never had a problem with drying time and the application of my second coat, but I assume that it's not the best nail polish to choose if you're in a hurry. I will definitely re-purchase, though!
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Lipstick -Rimmel - Moisture Renew - Vintage Pink
Walhalla 2/8/2011 3:29:00 PM
I actually don't have much to say about this lipstick. Vintage Pink is slightly darker than my natural lips color and works a lot better for me than Airy Fairy. But man, this stuff stinks and tastes so bad! I usually wear it with Maybelline's Born With It to tone done the smell/taste (a little), but I will never repurchase.
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Concealers -Almay - line smoothing concealer
Walhalla 2/8/2011 3:10:00 PM
To me, this is as close as possible to the perfect concealer (so far). I use this in light 100 and it's a pretty good match for my very pale skin (with pink-ish undertones). Admittedly, though, I don't have a lot to conceal... I use it primarily for redness and to even out my skin tone (especially on my lids and under my eyes). One of my problems with other concealers I tried in the past was that they tend to dry too quickly under my eyes and make my skin appear cake-y as this area of my face is particularly dry. I actually feel like this concealer is moisturizing and doesn't make my dry patches stand out (not too much, anyway). It does settle a little bit into fine lines, but it's nothing to be upset about. I'll definitely keep buying until I find something significantly better. Their shade selection seems to suck, though, and as other people have pointed out, it's probably not for you if you need a lot of concealing. Also, it doesn't smooth lines or whatever it's supposed to do.
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Bronzers -NARS - Orgasm-Laguna Blush-Bronzer Duo
Walhalla 2/3/2011 8:31:00 AM
I went on vacation to California during the Holidays and bought this duo. I've been meaning to try NARS blushes for a while and I also needed a bronzer. I don't think I can say anything that hasn't been said before. Both the blush and bronzer blend well and are easily buildable. You don't need to put a lot for the colors to show and I'd say it's difficult to mess the application up! It gives a pretty sheen to the cheeks too. I also occasionally use this as an eyeshadow (pink on lid, brown in crease and on lashline). I'll wait until next time I go to the States to buy another one, though. I can't imagine the ridiculous price I'd have to pay for this in Canada.
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Fragrances -Dolce & Gabbana - L'Imperatrice Eau de Toilette
Walhalla 1/22/2011 12:14:00 AM
I got this eau de toilette for Christmas and I absolutely adore it! I'm usually not a big fan of perfumes as I have a sensitive nose (and my boyfriend does as well), but this one is perfect. The scent is very soft, floral and fruity all at the same time. I almost wear it everyday because I love it so much. Not a super helpful review, I guess, but you have to smell/try it and see for yourself. :D
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Eyeliner -GOSH - Velvet Touch Eyeliner
Walhalla 12/20/2010 6:02:00 PM
Just like the previous reviewer, I got this eyeliner in Bananas and use it to highlight the inner corner of my eyes and lower lashline (not on the waterline, but right under my lashes). The skin at the base of my lower lashes tends to be red, no matter how much concealer I use, and this eyeliner works really well to tone down the overall redness while bringing brightness. It is also very soft and smooth. Difficult to keep a very sharp/pointy tip, though. To me, this is as good as MAC Powerpoint eyeliners which I really like. I got it on sale at Pharmaprix/Shoppers Drug Mart for around 12.50$ CAD (excluding taxes). I will definitely buy other colors in the near future.
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Eye Shadow -NYX - 3 Color Eyeshadow
Walhalla 12/12/2010 1:05:00 PM
I have 2 of these trios: Rock & Roll (TS29A) and Nude/taupe/dark brown (TS03). Both are actually similar, but I love neutral palettes with matte and shimmery shades and couldn't make up my mind, so I got them both. I wish I had discovered this brand sooner; I would've never wasted money on other drugstore brands (for eyeshadows, at least). They are creamy, well pigmented and the application is smooth. Staying power is pretty decent if you use a base (I usually simply apply a thin layer of concealer on my lids and it works quite well). I also really like the sponge applicators and the mirrors. My only problem with NYX products is that they are very hard to find in Montreal... I got those at the Brunet in front of Atwater market for ~10$ (each).
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Lip Gloss -L'Oreal - Color Juice Bubble Gum
Walhalla 12/1/2010 12:10:00 AM
This lip gloss is all right, but nothing more. I would've actually given it a 2.5. On my lips, the color looks like a pinky nude, which is a good thing (to me, at least). I like the smell and it tastes kinda good. BUT. As a few reviewers pointed out before me, the stickiness is horrible. I can't stand it when I go out and it's windy because my hair always gets stuck on my lips and then it becomes a sticky mess. I also never noticed that it was supposed to be long-lasting, but this is not something I usually expect from lip glosses, so I wasn't really disappointed or anything. Bottom line: I will not repurchase.
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Eye Shadow -Marcelle - Wet & Dry Eyeshadow
Walhalla 11/30/2010 11:26:00 AM
I recently bought the Wet & Dry Eyeshadow quad in Nude Attitude. I wanted something neutral for everyday use and this quad is definitely what I was looking for. It's ideal to create subtle looks, but the darker colors are buildable enough to increase the intensity. I haven't tried them wet yet, but I'm not sure it would matter much for something so neutral. Application goes on smoothly as the shadows are fairly silky. All the colors are matte except the taupe/grey-ish one, but it's not too noticeable on the skin. I really like the packaging too. I knocked off one point for a few reasons, though. 1- The lightest color, the highlighter, barely shows up on my skin. This is obviously something that depends from people to people, but it also developed a strange crust after a few uses. Even if I scratch it off, it always comes back. I personally prefer using a shimmery eyeshadow as a highlighter, so it doesn't really matter to me in the end because I wasn't going to use the lightest shade much anyway. 2- The eyeshadows are actually very hard. I couldn't even pick up anything with my usual e/s brushes (EcoTools and Alima's). This might be because my brushes are more suited for loose powder e/s, but I'm just saying in case it could be useful for someone else. The sponge applicator provided with the quad works very well, though. One end is smaller than the other, which allows for a more detailed application (sort of...). That being said, I'll definitely purchase more eyeshadows from Marcelle (eventually).
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Liquid -Revlon - ColorStay Makeup with SoftFlex SPF 15 Normal/Dry Skin
Walhalla 11/25/2010 5:25:00 PM
I've always had trouble finding a good foundation for my dry skin, so after reading many positive reviews about this one, I had to try it. Unfortunately, this is not a winner. I can see dry, flaky patches after the application, usually on the cheeks. From a distance, it looks OK, but face to face, not so much. I tried mixing it with various moisturizing creams, but it only made things worse. I like the texture. Not too thick, not too liquid. The coverage is light-medium and buildable (although to be honest, I don't really need coverage, haha!). I personally don't like the smell very much, but it's not a big deal. As other people have already stated, it would be better if the bottle had a pump to dispense the product. I recently found out that it works well as a concealer around my eyes area. I can use it as an eyeshadow base too, when set with powder.
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Eyeliner -L'Oreal - HIP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner in Black
Walhalla 11/25/2010 4:03:00 PM
I bought this more than a year ago and barely used it then because the brush that came with it was so stiff it hurt my eyes (I'm wondering if they really tested it at L'Oreal?). And yeah, I didn't have an extra liner brush because I didn't used to buy my own brushes. I recently tried it with the angled brush from The Body Shop and it works so much better! I didn't need to use a lot of product; the application was smooth and on my skin color, it appeared as a rich black. It's also pretty much the only eyeliner I can use on my lower lash line without irritation, tears and smudging (I have very sensitive eyes and it's always been impossible to apply anything on the lower line without looking like I hadn't slept for days with red eyes and all). Regarding the complaints about it drying within a few months, I agree, but it didn't seem to be an issue with the brush I used. I'll probably buy it again, but I'll try to do so next time I go to the States... Less expensive than in Montreal.
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