Liquid -Rimmel - Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation
seven12 10/23/2012 8:10:00 PM
This foundation is a ridiculously bad color match for me. I'm NC15-20, but fairly peachy and neutral, not overly golden. I bought this in the lightest shade, Ivory 100, and it looked like it might work at first, despite being a tad dark. After wearing it for a few hours it oxidized (not orange, but RED) to something like NW25ish. My entire face looked like it was covered in sheer rosy blush-- just like a uniform, reddish pink sheen. The crazy thing is that my skin is pretty dry, so foundations never look that shiny on me, and I even had a correcting green primer underneath, because I tend to get a little red around my nose. I debated taking a Benadryl, because my skin was THAT angry and red-looking, but I realized that it's just a really, really bad color match for me. Aside from that, I didn't like the shine or the coverage (spotty and uneven). This is honestly one of the worst foundations I've tried. I've seen a lot of great reviews, so obviously it must work for some people, but it's needless to say I won't be using or buying this product again in the future.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Top/Base Coats -MAC - Underlacquer
seven12 10/18/2012 12:42:00 AM
This base goes on in a thin, smooth coat and really does prevent nails from chipping. I got it at a CCO for around $8, which is about the same price as most drugstore base coats. I was previously using OPI, which doesn't even compare. I will definitely repurchase!
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Highlighters -Meow Cosmetics - Crystalline Cat Glow Powder
seven12 9/26/2012 5:22:00 PM
I have this product in Moonstone and I love it. I use this as a blush, and it gives a soft rosy glow, similar to MAC msf in Petticoat. A little goes a long way, so I've had this for a long time. I sometimes forget it's there, but I'm always impressed when I come back to it. If I ever use this up I will repurchase.
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Foundations -Meow Cosmetics - Purrrfect Puss mineral foundation
seven12 9/26/2012 5:15:00 PM
I really love this foundation. I'm NC20 and my Meow shade is Frisky Chartreux, which is the 3rd lightest shade in the yellow/peach undertone family. It's very lightweight and only contains 3 ingredients, which is something I love. The finish is matte, with light, slightly-buildable coverage. My skin is dry, so I use a good moisturizer underneath (and concealer if necessary) and then use a finishing spray like MAC Fix+ to take away the powdery look. It wears evenly on me and doesn't melt in heat or humidity. If I am going on a beach vacation, this is what I always bring. One of the things I love is that Meow has so many shades and they offer $1 samples. I really think anyone, of any skintone, could find match. I really have nothing bad to say. I've been buying Meow for years and will continue to repurchase!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Brows -Revlon - Brow Fantasy
seven12 9/26/2012 4:48:00 PM
I've been using Anastasia brow powder for the past year, but I recently decided to pick this up, because the tinted gel appealed to me and it's cheaper than MAC or Anastasia. I find that if I use the pencil and then go over it with the gel, the gel smears off most of the pencil I just applied. In my opinion, the pencil looks better on its own (but this is coming from someone whose brows are at least 50% filled in; the combo of pencil+gel might work better for someone whose brows need less help). I do use the gel sometimes, but I put it on first, let it set and then go back in with Anastasia powder and fill in the sparse areas. The effect is softer, but I prefer the clean lines of the pencil alone. The reason for my relatively low rating is that I think I paid $8 or $9 for this and you really get very little product for the money. My Anastasia powder is $22, but I haven't even hit pan after over a year. I've only sharpened the Brow Fantasy pencil twice and it's now a tiny nub. You don't get much product on the gel side, either. I've used it less than a month, and I don't think I'll even get another month out of it. Unfortunately, I LOVE the Light Brown shade, so I will repurchase until I find a regular eyebrow pencil in an equally good shade for me.
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Blush -MAC - Sheertone Blush in Blushbaby
seven12 9/26/2012 4:26:00 PM
I bought this for myself for my wedding (NC20, dark brown hair, light brown eyes). It was suggested to me by the SA at a MAC counter and I felt compelled to buy it without really testing it first. I like blushes that give me a flushed, healthy "glow," but Blushbaby barely showed up on me. It pulled beige, and just looked dirty. My mom is NW25ish, also brunette with light brown eyes, and Blushbaby looks spectacular on her. She ended up using it for my wedding, and she has this beautiful glow in all the pictures. It pulled pink and looked more rosy on her, like it's supposed to. This is like holy grail for her. So I personally won't use this or repurchase it, but I've seen that if you have the right coloring it can look beautiful!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Midimauve Lustre Lipstick
seven12 9/26/2012 4:11:00 PM
I'm NC20ish, brunette, light brown eyes. My lips are very pigmented, dark pink. I bought Midimauve to use for my wedding and I think it was the perfect "blushing bride" shade. I wanted something natural and rosy, but not too pink, and I definitely didn't want anything paler than my natural lips. Midimauve has enough warmth to tone down the blueness of my lips, without pulling orange or brown. It's like the perfect plummy MLBB shade and it photographed really well (very natural). It's not very long lasting, which would be my only complaint. I think this would work on a variety of skintones.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Laura Mercier - Lip Plumper - Bronzed Berry
seven12 9/25/2012 12:35:00 PM
I absolutely love this shade. It is described by LM as plum-bronze-shimmer, which is pretty accurate. I am very pale, but my lips are very dark pink. This lippie swatches orangey brown on my hand, but on the lips it just tones down all the pink-violet tones that I have going on and the result is very flushed and natural looking. I see more of the plum tones when it's on my lips. The taste might bother some people-- it's minty and maybe a little citrusy (like tangerine or something?) The taste reminds me a bit of Philosophy Kiss Me, when it used to come in a pot. What I LOVE about this gloss is that it's not sticky at all. It just feels moisturizing and a tiny bit tingly. I bought this on clearance, so I don't know if I could bring myself to pay $30 for a replacement when it runs out. I love the color though, so I probably would.
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Bronzers -Too Faced - Pink Leopard Bronzing Powder
seven12 9/24/2012 7:43:00 PM
This is a great product for PALE girls. If you're NC25ish or darker, this might make a decent highlighter. Unlike other bronzers, Pink Leopard isn't heavily pigmented or "suntan" colored. It is a mixture of pink, gold and a little cocoa brown. The multicolored leopard pattern goes throughout the product, it's not just printed on the surface to look pretty. The colors blend and the effect is very natural and luminous. To me, this product looks best applied on the apples of the cheeks or just dusted over your face wherever the sun would naturally hit. The effect is like blush, highlighter and a bit of bronzer, all in one. It will give pale skin a really pretty healthy glow. It took me awhile to realize that even though Pink Leopard is classified as a bronzer, it's just not quite the right shade and finish to be applied like a normal bronzer. If you put this all over your entire face or try to contour with it, it might look a little off. I think it's because of the shimmery gold in it. If you're pale and looking for a great contour shade, see if you can find MAC Strada. If just want a more traditional bronzer, I would recommend Benefit Hula, Laura Geller Bronze N Brighten, or Cargo Bronzer. I like all of those for a truer "tan" color or contour.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -L'Oreal - Colour Riche in Fairest Nude
seven12 9/24/2012 7:16:00 PM
I love this lipstick. I bought my first tube probably 10 years ago and I will keep buying it as long as I can. I'm pale (NC15-20), but my lips are very pigmented and pink. It's hard sometimes to find a good, "my lips but better" nude. This one is just right for me-- not too light or too dark, and not too pink or brown or orange. It's creamy and a little moisturizing, too. I love pairing this Too Faced Pink Leopard bronzer and smokey eye makeup.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Rimmel - Lasting Finish - Airy Fairy
seven12 9/24/2012 7:07:00 PM
I would give Airy Fairy 5 lippies for color, 0 for taste/smell, hence my rating of 3. I am NC15-20, but I have fairly pigmented lips. Airy Fairy swatches mauve on my hand, but looks nude on my lips, toning down the natural pinkness. It's definitely a "my lips but better" shade. I HATE the smell/taste, though. I guess it's supposed to be sort of fruity or coconutty or something, but it just tastes very chemical to me. I am not picky about the taste of lipsticks usually. The only other lippie I can't stand the taste of is a Clinique shade I have that tastes fishy, and I probably own 3 dozen lipsticks. The taste of this particular lipstick keeps me from reaching for it, despite its really nice color. That is how bad it is to me. Will not repurchase!
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Scrubs -Pro Activ - Deep Cleansing Wash
seven12 9/24/2012 2:38:00 PM
When I was younger and had hormonal acne around my chin and jawline, this cleanser was one of my daily staples. I've always had issues with dryness and dry patches, as well as congested pores, but was unable to use most acne treatment products. Because this product uses salicylic acid rather than benzoyl peroxide, I always found it to be less harsh and drying than many products. Now that I'm in my 30s and no longer get acne (unless a product breaks me out), I don't use this on my face. I do, however, continue to use this on my body once a week to keep the skin on my back, arms etc. looking more even and clear. This product is blue and it has a strong medicinal, minty smell. If you're sensitive to fragrances and colors, you'll probably want to skip this. I like minty things, so I personally don't mind the smell, especially for a body treatment. A little of this goes a long way and you get a huge bottle (I think 8oz for around $20), so the price is very fair, in my opinion. A bottle lasts me about a year and I've been buying this for many years. I will keep repurchasing as long as I have a need for the product.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - salon effects
seven12 9/20/2012 1:49:00 PM
I like these polish strips a lot. I have a hard time getting anything to stay on my nails. Regular nailpolish (high or low end) usually lasts 1-2 days on me before I get a chip or two. I've even had acrylics and silk wraps pop off the same day they were applied. With some tweaking, I can keep these strips looking good for at least a week on my fingernails and a month on my toes! The first time I used these, I followed the directions exactly. I had some lifting around the edges of my nails, which caused some chipping/peeling. When I apply them now, I only use half of them, because I have sort nails. I prep my nails by using a fine grit nail file to rough up the surface a bit, then I wipe each nail with np remover to remove the dust. I use regular scissors and start by cutting all of the stickers in half. Then I trim them around the sides to fit each sticker to each nail perfectly. Then I peel the backing off and stick them on, then remove the clear film. You have to make sure to rub the sticker over the entire nail and make sure it's completely adhered and flat. I then use a huge orange stick tool from Sallys to go around the tops of my nails and detach the excess sticker that is longer than my nail. I finish by using a glossy, fast drying top coat like Seche Vite. Once you open these, they will dry out if you just put them back in the box. When I have some left over now, I seal them back up in their inner package using tape so I can use the extras later for accent nails. I think the price is slightly high, but can get several uses out of them, so that helps. Overall, I think they're fun and I like how long lasting they are. I will repurchase. I do wish they came in more solid colors, although I find the busy prints to be more forgiving (like if they're not cut perfectly).
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Aveeno - Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser
seven12 9/20/2012 11:18:00 AM
I received 2 bottles of this for free (part of a Garnier "swag bag") as I was running out of my normal cleanser, so I decided to try it. I've been using it for about 3 months now. This is basically just a light, inoffensive foam cleanser. It's gentle, not heavily scented or colored. If you have any severe acne or oiliness or extreme dryness, you will probably not like this. It doesn't have any ingredients in it to assist with major skin issues. I have very sensitive skin and it doesn't break me out. If I'm using it to remove makeup, it's not quite strong enough on its own so I will use an oil cleanser first. Otherwise I just use this in the shower with my Clarisonic Mia. It's great for that purpose. Because it's a foam, the bottle lasts forever. I really don't have anything terrible to say about it, nor do I have anything wonderful to say about it either. It's just a basic, gentle cleanser, nothing extraordinary. I said no to repurchasing, just because I think by the time I get through the 2nd bottle I will be bored with it and I have some other cleansers that were GWPs to try next.
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Makeup Brushes -Everyday Minerals - Eye Kabuki Brush
seven12 9/20/2012 11:04:00 AM
I own at least 2 assorted dozen makeup brushes and this is my favorite brush of all. I use it to stipple and blend concealer under my eyes and on spots. I've used it for a few years now and the brush is still like new. I have nothing bad to say-- highly recommend it!
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