Polishes -Essie - Forget Me Nots
jejkim 6/12/2010 4:08:00 PM
Great safe fuschia color for the summer. It's the perfect fuschia for every skin tone. It's a bright pink that just pops, especially with tan skin. It does look a bit Barbie-esque. Dries quick and lasts for weeks without chipping. If you want a South Beach or LA summer look, this is the perfect color.
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Polishes -Essie - Mint Candy Apple
jejkim 6/12/2010 4:05:00 PM
Mint Candy Apple is a beautiful green/blue color reminiscent of turquoise waters in Miami or Korean celadon pottery. I wasn't sure if I'd like this color when I swatched it at the store, but after application, it looks great. I use this mainly for a toe color. The first layer does go on a bit streaky, but after the 2nd coat, it's good to go. It dries super fast too. Was dry within 30 minutes and I can go about my daily life. Great color for the summer and good alternative to pinks, whites (which I like a lot on tan skin) and my go-to city girl color, black. Looks great for a retro look or beach sun look.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Voluspa - Saijo Persimmon Home and Body Mist
jejkim 6/12/2010 4:00:00 PM
Gorgeous packaging and amazing spray for home (use it mostly on linens) and for the body. Found this at Planet Beauty (not at Anthropologie that I've seen) and love the smell!!! Saijo Persimmon is a type of Japanese persimmon, which I love to eat, but this scent is amazing for the home. Voluspa in general has wonderfully scented candles, and this product was sold out after I picked up the last bottle. Beautiful packaging, great quality oils used and it'll definitely create a luxurious ambiance when sprayed at home. Not sure if I'll be using this as a body spray, but I may for certain occasions.
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Treatments (Eye) -Chantecaille - nano gold energizing eye cream
jejkim 6/11/2010 1:20:00 PM
I think I've found my HG eye cream. This product is wonderful. All of the ingredients are proven effective for aging or problematic skin, or for prevention and I'm so glad to have found it. I don't notice a scent, it glides on smoothly and is very hydrating. It doesn't quite sink in all the way for me, but does hydrate when I use it at night and wake up with bright eyes. I pay close attention to ingredients in products and this is the Superman of eye creams: has algae, lactic acids, fruit enzymes....the list goes on and on. I can't say I have any wrinkles or undereye circles yet, but this cream works wonders with skin elasticity and firmness. My skin visibly looks better with this cream's use. Will look into purchasing the face cream as well.
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Sunscreen -Revive - Filtre de Soleil Visage SPF 45
jejkim 6/10/2010 11:44:00 PM
This glides on well but starts tugging if you don't work it quickly into skin. It feels nice on the skin and moisturizes. Packaging is simple and decent, but I don't see anything special about this formula that my Aveeno sunscreen lotion doesn't already do. Whether it really contains special ingredients to prevent aging (other than the actual UVA/UVB blockers), I think would be difficult for anyone to assess. I'm not impressed. If I want to buy ridiculously overpriced sunscreen ($95 for 1.7 oz) to make myself feel better about myself, I'll definitely remember to get this.
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Eyeliner -MAC - Fluidline Eyeliner Gel Dipdown
jejkim 6/10/2010 11:28:00 PM
I've been using this eyeliner gel for a couple months now and I love it! Previously, I was using liquid eyeliner, which I love, but this gives a different color payoff and look. Dipdown is a beautiful dark brown color that just glides onto the eye. It's a bit tricky to get the hang of application at first, but once you do, it's great at different eye looks. Not only is this a great color (alternative to black) for both day and night, it has amazing staying power. It will not budge when it's applied to the upper and lower eye. The one place it doesn't have staying power for me is my waterline: my waterline is very moist and bright and this formula will stray onto my eyeball. Gross, I know. But along the lash lines, it doesn't budge. Love the compact packaging and it really stays creamy, so long as you're good about tightly closing it and storing in a cool place. Will repurchase forever and am not looking for another gel liner.
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Liquid -NARS - Sheer Glow Foundation
jejkim 6/10/2010 6:24:00 PM
This is a good foundation, not HG status, but good enough where I'd use it on a daily basis. It has a very fluid liquid texture, glides/blends on/into skin well and leaves a light to between medium/heavy coverage. With the lighter color, Barcelona, I don't need concealer, but do need concealer with Syracuse. This foundation does look like skin and applies sheer, meaning it almost feels like you don't have foundation on. Feels super light, which has nothing to do with coverage. This doesn't make my large pores look any better, but overall, it will give you a nice semi matte finish. When I first started using this, it was just matte and felt/looked flat. You have to give it a couple of hours for a glow to show up. It definitely looks better on as time goes by (a couple of hours) and the colors are going to look different on different skin types. This foundation does look great in photos, with/without flash, at night and in various types of lighting and is also good for video. The ingredients are supposedly formulated to be beneficial to skin, which is an added bonus. Pricey, but good for the skin. The bottle needs a pump. Otherwise, the packaging is modern/fresh looking.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Lash Stiletto
jejkim 6/10/2010 4:03:00 PM
Surprisingly, I like this mascara for lengthening. It got the job done but you need to keep in mind that everyone's lashes are different and a mascara can only do so much. This does dry on the slower side so application should be done carefully. I haven't noticed any sort of wet look like the advertising mentions, but I do notice length and an extremely dark lash when this is applied. Doesn't smudge either. Over application will cause crunchy/hard lashes though. Looks great on my upper lashes, but not so good on lower lashes. Packaging is sleek and cool and I like the formula enough to repurchase this product. I use this for day as well as night looks.
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Nails -TheFACEShop - TFS Nail Enamel Remover - Pink
jejkim 6/10/2010 3:52:00 PM
What I love most about this nail enamel remover is the scent: smells like really good candy/perfume. Has no nail remover smell and I always look forward to using it because it takes off even the toughest nail polish with minimal work. My nails aren't ravaged by the formula either, like some staple brand name removers out there. And the smell is divine. Great, simple packaging and it smells really good!
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Gels/Soaps -Dove - Go Fresh Burst Beauty Body Wash-Nectarine and White Ginger
jejkim 6/10/2010 2:32:00 PM
Dove makes great body washes. I'm on the 4th or 5th month of using this one and I love the smell and moisturized clean finish that this leaves my skin. I *almost* don't need to put moisturizer on after using this in the shower. Packaging is convenient, good colors and marketing. The product is top-notch also. Great DS bargain if you get it on sale.
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Bath Treatments -L'Occitane - Lavender AOC Shower Gel
jejkim 6/10/2010 2:29:00 PM
Got this as a gift and am just finishing the bottle. It's nicely packaged and the lavender color is beautiful. What I don't like about this is the smell. It's a bit too lavender, the gel doesn't foam up well: a 3 out of 10 on a scale of 10. It cleanses but it reminds me of hotel sample bottles of product that they leave for guests. Mediocre. I wouldn't purchase this for personal use. L'Occitane has great skin products, but this shower gel just fell flat.
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Gels/Soaps -Ulta - 3 in 1 Shower Smoothies - Tangerine Dreams
jejkim 6/10/2010 2:26:00 PM
Found these on my trip to Ulta and got 2 AND a really cute beach tote (I really hate gift makeup bags and such but this one was really cute). When these go on sale, it is a great deal. Packaging is good: bottle with a pump on top, smell is amazing but dissipates after a half hour and it's decent at moisturizing. It doesn't foam up very well (you'll need about 10 pumps), but it gets the job done. The 2 bottles I got will easily last about a year.
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Moisturizers -Dr. Hauschka - Moisturizing Day Cream
jejkim 6/9/2010 9:24:00 PM
This moisturizer surprised me. Very hydrating and bottled in glass with a pump. A little goes a long way. If you read the ingredients, it's heavily oil based: a mix of many different oils and it has a slightly solidified liquid texture. It glides on and sinks in well. Since it is so heavily oil based, you'll notice what I mean when you apply it. I like the hydration this gives my skin. I have combo skin, so am hesitant to use it during the summer here in LA, but other seasons, this will wear well. It sounds strange that with combo/oily skin, I'd wear such a rich moisturizer, but as skin ages, every skin type's skin starts receding (sort of shrinking and shriveling like an aging apple) and it needs oils to moisturize it at lower levels. This obviously is a great moisturizer for dry skin but also for other skin types as we get older. I don't think this one is going to work for teens or early 20's types though.
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Treatments -Christian Dior - L-Or de Vie
jejkim 6/9/2010 9:05:00 PM
This is a review for the eye cream. Fabulous packing: some of the best I've seen around. I was excited to use the eye cream and got started right away. The scent is light, the formula is creamy and glides/pats on easily and sinks in well to moisturize. I noticed there is very small glimmer particles in it, which makes the area glowy. I don't have any wrinkles yet or any issues with undereye. Seems like a good product, but I haven't seen enough scientific evidence to believe the ingredients in this are worth the cost. I suspect those who would buy this cream are also able to afford medical procedures to help their skin with aging, which can skew the results on different people. In no way do I expect this to be a miracle eye cream. I'd buy this as an expensive gift for someone: corporate or personal, but as for personal use, I'll pass. I'd rather use the money at a dermatologist or plastic surgeon's office. I love Dior for it's products as a fashion house, but not cosmetics (although their eyeshadow is great!) or skincare. It's like Coca-Cola making shoes....ridiculous!
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Lipstick -Yves Saint Laurent - Rouge Volupte #26 Tender Peach
jejkim 6/9/2010 7:01:00 PM
On a scale of 1-10, this is a 10 in creaminess. Smells like watermelon Jolly Rancher and comes in beautiful packaging. The color is a gorgeous lighter peach. But, the creaminess may be it's downfall. I've applied this thickly and thinly and it is almost so liquidy, that it settles into lip wrinkles and makes them opaque, while other parts of my lip are sheer. It's not due to other factors like weather. This only lasts on lips for a hour or so, tops. The formulation doesn't work for my type of lips. It is a nice color though and fabulously packaged. The watermelon smell is overwhelming. My lips are right near my nose and I don't need to smell my lips. I don't need to be near a mirror to know I have this on...I can smell it from a mile away.
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