Eyeliner -Milani - Infinite Liquid Eye Liner
helloroo 4/27/2012 10:06:00 PM
2/2/13 UPDATE: knocked it down two lippies because as time has gone on...this stuff is really goopy. super goopy even though i wipe off the excess. the application is still really tricky for me and i don't have the time to try to make it work in the morning. HG MATERIAL. For reference, I have used eyeliners from Almay, MAC Technakohl, Rimmel, Revlon ColorStay, L'Oreal HIP, Urban Decay 24/7, Make Up For Ever, E.L.F., etc. This liquid eyeliner surpasses them ALL. I don't use an eye primer or have oily lids. I was afraid at first because I don't have the steadiest hands but the little brush made application a breeze with just a little practice. I have this in black and recently purchased the purple one but I like the black better. Got it on sale at Walgreen's for 5$ though it is usually 6-7$. This stuff stays on all day. Literally, all day. If you make a tiny mistake or smear, be sure to take care of it right away while it's still wet or it will not come off. I use a q-tip and dip it in make up remover which works fine. After it dries, it won't budge. No raccoon eyes, pulling, etc. I even tried this on my waterline to see how it performed - perfection. This stays on in the shower so be sure to use a make up remover for this if you're not used to. I cannot rave about this enough. Stop reading this review and go get this now!
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Foundations -Revlon - ColorStay Makeup with SoftFlex SPF 6 for Combination/Oily Skin
helloroo 4/2/2012 9:36:00 PM
For reference, I am a NC30 in MAC Pro Long Wear foundation. I purchased Warm Golden but found it a little too dark...it would definitely work if I had a tan. For some reason, some of the stores do not carry Golden Beige but I saw it today and grabbed it since I heard it was best for NC30. Will update on if the color is a match or not! I have been on a liquid foundation kick and I really do like this foundation. Moisturizing and primer is KEY for application. There are literally so many primers on the market today...the drugstore ones are just as good as the higher brand names ones. My personal favorites are Maybelline Age Rewind (around 7-8$), L'Oreal Studio Secrets in the jar (10-11$), and E.L.F. mineral primer (6$ at Target). It is important to dot/pat the primer on so it fills pores and lines...don't rub it in because then it'll defeat the whole purpose of a primer. Wait for the primer to settle and then put on this foundation...it makes it go on much easier! I use a stippling brush for an airbrushed effect and it covers perfectly. I apply one layer of this foundation on and since I have a little bit of acne scarring, I put on my MAC Pro Long Wear concealer afterwards, wait for it to set, and then dot on a little bit more of the Revlon Color Stay on where I put the concealer. Then I follow it up with a light sweep of a finishing powder. It stays on all day (I have normal/combination skin) and has not broken me out. It could be quite easy to overdo it with this foundation though so be careful not to make it too cakey. Medium-full coverage, packaging sucks (I just empty out the glass bottle into a different bottle w/a pump to avoid the problem), and takes practice. But the look is worth it if you are willing to put in a little time and effort! UPDATE 4.7.12: I wore this out one night and it looked awful in the pictures...I think I looked too made up if that makes sense. Also, Golden Beige is a perfect shade for NC30. Lowered the rating because it's just too cakey and mask like for my liking.
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Eyeliner -E.L.F. - Cream Eyeliner - All Colors
helloroo 2/25/2012 2:38:00 PM
I turned to gel/cream eyeliners once I realized pencil eyeliners were not for me.. At first, I was hesitant that I wouldn't have a steady hand for it. But with enough practice, it gets easier. I used L'Oreal's H.I.P. color gel eyeliners for awhile but at 10$ a pop, I knew I needed to find another alternative. I was excited when E.L.F. came out with their cream eyeliners. 3$, variety of colors: black, dark purple, brown, olive, etc. and available at Target or online. The E.L.F. gel eyeliner is the ONLY eyeliner I've used that has stayed during an eyelash curl. It stays on all day with no smudging and creates a perfect line every time. I do not use primer but I don't have oily lids. I HATE reapplying eyeliner and don't have to with this one! I don't use the brush it comes with because it's too small and hard. I use a Sonia Kashuk angled brush that was around 10$. Well worth the investment. Downsides: it does not perform well on the waterline and tends to dry out if you don't close it properly. I have used this gel eyeliner for nearly a year (which goes to show how long the pot would last especially because I use it every single day) - a huge feat in the make up world..especially for all the make up addicts out there who love to try new products! For reference, I have used eyeliners from Almay, MAC Technakohl, Rimmel, Revlon ColorStay, Urban Decay 24/7, Make Up For Ever, etc. and E.L.F. by far surpasses them all! Give it a try if you're interested...you never know if it could become your HG. UPDATE: I have since moved onto Milani Infinite Liquid Eyeliner and love it so much more than the E.L.F. Cream Eyeliner. Better color payoff, stays put FOREVER, and works well on the waterline.
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Treatments -Garnier - Dark Spot Treatment
helloroo 2/15/2012 7:53:00 PM
I've had acne scars on both sides of my cheeks and lower face for 2+ years from cystic acne and desperately tried to get rid of them through acne fading creams with hydroquinone as the main ingredient and prescribed creams from my dermatologist. It wasn't until I started using L'Oreal's Skin Genesis Pore Minimizer serum did my acne scars began to fade and then I realized - skin cell turnover is key in fading scars. But I wanted something that was going to speed up the process so I purchased the Garnier Spot Corrector. I bought the Garnier Spot Corrector with a coupon so it was around 14$ for me, usually around 16$. The packaging is a green metal tube and there is 1.7 oz of product in it - almost double my L'Oreal Pore Minimizer. The smell is a bit flowery and fruity and doesn't bother me but my boyfriend dislikes it so I can see how it could be bothersome. I have been using it day and night since January 11, 2012 and have received amazing results. It needs a couple seconds or two to absorb and it wears well under my other SPF moisturizer. My acne scars have faded tremendously and my skin is definitely more even toned and brighter. No single product has ever worked this well for me before. My boyfriend always assumes I'm wearing foundation even when I'm not - anyone with acne scars knows that this is HUGE since we are always self conscious about how our skin looks! Though I am not acne prone (anymore) I have had zero breakouts from this product and it has actually sped up the healing process on new acne scars. I will continue using this product until it runs out. I'll admit it...I am very liberal in my application and am surprised that so much product (a little over a half a tube) is still left after all this time! My advice to people with acne scars: use a vitamin c serum (or any serum like the L'Oreal Skin Genesis Pore Minimizer) to speed up cell turnover, exfoliate regularly (Olay Skin Smoothing scrub works well for me), wear SPF 15-30 daily, and GIVE IT TIME...if you are expecting an overnight miracle, you won't get it from any product. UPDATE 4/3/12: I still have a little bit of the tube left and have resigned to only using it at night to save as much as I can. It still works wonders and my acne scars are almost completely faded. I'm obsessed. UPDATE 6/1/12: I still use this! On my second bottle now and I've discovered that it speeds up the healing process of acne scars from popped pimples (i know it's so bad and I shouldn't pop pimples but sometimes I can't help myself!) I convinced my mom to use it too so I hope it works for her! I still only use it at night.
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