Eyeliner -Revlon - Colorstay Eyeliner
seven12 5/11/2011 2:43:00 PM
I've been buying this eyeliner for years. It's one of the only products I constantly re-buy and keep in rotation. It lasts all day, doesn't smudge (unless I REALLY rub my eyes), and it's non-irritating. It's also cheap and easy to find. I'm pale with light brown eyes and my favorite shades are Cocoa and Charcoal. I've tried every shade and they're all wearable for everyday, even Teal, which is more like a deep mallard green. My only complaint is the packaging. I'm not positive, but I feel like there's less product in there than there used to be. I seem to run out a lot quicker than I used to. Also, it's a twist up pencil and I've been having issues with the liner getting brittle and breaking off, even though it's always stored in ideal conditions. Finally, it comes with a little cap on the end, which covers a plastic "sharpener" (which I never use, because it wastes sooo much product). Those little caps never stay on. But, I guess you get what you pay for. These minor irritations aren't enough to make me stop buying it.
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Lips -Revlon - Just Bitten Lip Stain in Beloved
seven12 5/11/2011 2:28:00 PM
I picked this up on a whim. Lippies tend to last about 5 seconds on me, and I was looking for something longer lasting for my wedding. I must say I'm impressed! I bought Beloved, which is a natural plummy shade. I can apply just a little bit for a MLBB shade, or a bit more if I want more dramatic color. It's completely non-sticky and doesn't transfer onto anything. The color lasts about 2-3 hours through drinking, eating, etc. I noticed one blogger said to apply the balm and then the stain, but I apply it the other way around. That way the stain sets in and the balm adds moisture and a bit of shine on top. I tried applying the balm first and the color never really set in.
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Treatments (Eye) -Mario Badescu - Hyaluronic Eye Cream
seven12 4/21/2011 11:32:00 AM
I am honestly shocked at all the negative reviews of this product! My HG eye cream is/was Chanel Rectifiance. I believe the first time I bought it, it was around $50. Even at that price, I was nursing it along, making it last as long as possible. But last I checked it was $85?! At 29 years old, that's more money than I can justify spending on wrinkles that don't even exist. This eye cream is totally different than my HG Chanel, but I honestly like it just as much. I feel that it's a more "appropriate" product for someone my age. It's lightweight, sinks in quickly, moisturizes well without feeling greasy. It doesn't irritate my insanely sensitive skin and eyes. I use a pea-sized amount for each eye and apply it to my entire lid/brow and next to, beneath, and between my eyes. Whatever is left over, I apply to my forehead. I've been doing this for about 6 months now and I've noticed that the skin on my forehead is looking awesome lately. Literally my only complaint is that I don't like sticking my fingers in the pot (I am a germophobe). I would love if this came in a squeeze tube. That's pretty much it.
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Moisturizers -Garnier - Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Cream
seven12 4/21/2011 11:16:00 AM
I bought this on a whim, because I wanted to try something with a little retinol. I don't know if it lives up to all its claims, but I have super sensitive skin and can use this all over my face without any issues. I've been using it at night over my CeraVe lotion for added moisture and supposed retinol benefits. So far, so good. The only cons for me are that it comes in a pot, which is unhygienic, and it has some strong fragrance added.
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Moisturizers -Cerave - Moisturizing Lotion
seven12 4/21/2011 11:06:00 AM
I really like this product. It contains hyaluronic acid, which I think is an essential ingredient for a lightweight, yet effective moisturizer. It sinks in quickly and makes my skin soft. It has no fragrance. It doesn't break me out... I really have nothing bad to say about it. Prior to this, I was using a Mario Badescu moisturizer that cost over $20 for a 1 ounce bottle and it just sat on my skin and felt disgusting. This comes out to about $1/ounce and honestly works much better for me. I like to try new products, but I can see myself continuing to repurchase this unless I find something that completely rocks my world.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Brows -Anastasia Of Beverly Hills - Anastasia Brow Powder
seven12 4/21/2011 10:26:00 AM
I've been using samples of the Brunette powder duo for the past couple weeks... For reference, my skin is very pale right now (maybe NC15?) and my hair is dark brown, like 3-4N. I've been using the lighter of the 2 Brunette shades, which is perfect for me-- not too gray or too warm. I just apply it with a Japonesque angled brow brush, and it lasts all day. I don't even bother to set it with wax or gel. I really love this product. I'm not a fan of the overly dramatic or obviously-painted-on brows and this makes them look very natural. I deducted 2 lippies because I think the price is insane even though the product itself is wonderful.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -L'Oreal - Go 360 Clean Deep Facial Cleanser for Sensitive Skin
seven12 3/3/2011 11:29:00 AM
I use this cleanser with a Clarisonic brush (at night I use a cleansing oil first to remove makeup). I realized my previous cream cleanser was too heavy, but this works well, because it's lightweight and lathers nicely. It contains no oil, but it does have glycerin and shea butter, so it isn't overly drying. My skin is very sensitive, and I haven't had any issues with it. My main complaint is the packaging. I know it's part of their gimmick, but if the bottle didn't have the hole through the middle for the Scrublet, they could fit a few more ounces of product inside. I will admit though, before I bought a Clarisonic I thought the little scrublet was neat. It's pretty much useless, though. This cleanser on its own is not deep cleaning and doesn't remove much makeup, but with the Clarisonic it's fantastic.
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Lipstick -MAC - Glaze Lipstick in Frou
seven12 5/21/2009 4:22:00 PM
Frou is not for everyone, but on the right coloring it is fabulous. I never understood the appeal of this lipstick until I saw it on someone with coloring like mine. For reference, I am LLL w/ warm undertones, dark hair, brown eyes & pigmented pink lips. When I finally tried it, I was skeptical (ugly in the tube, ugly when swatched), but when I put it on it was love! Frou tones down the pinkness of my lips and turns them a pearly light nude. I actually really like that it's not super glossy-- it makes it look more natural and last longer. It's surprisingly wearable and versatile. In fact, it's probably the best "My Lips But Better" shade I've ever tried. I can totally see now why it's part of the perm. collection, but I can also see why so many people hate it! It's one of those colors you just have to try for yourself.
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Skincare - Body -Bio Oil - All Products
seven12 5/1/2009 11:04:00 AM
If you have severely oily, acne-prone skin or skin that breaks out from oils, then it's probably not a good idea to slather Bio-Oil (or any other oil) all over your face, no matter what the package claims. To me that's just common sense. Also, I don't think this is some sort of miracle product that will clear all your acne and make all your scars go away. That being said, I personally LOVE this product. I have extremely sensitive, reactive skin and mild eczema. I don't have any real acne issues. My issue is that my skin reacts to many common ingredients, and I have a hard time finding products that are both moisturizing enough and non-irritating, but won't completely clog my pores. I recently switched to Complex15 moisturizer and while it causes zero reaction, it left my skin feeling tight. I bought Bio-Oil to layer over the Complex15 before bed. I just use a small amount and apply it all over my face & neck. When I wake up, my skin is perfectly hydrated and glowing. I haven't had a single pimple, red spot, or hive since starting this routine a few weeks ago. My skin does love mineral oil (a main ingredient in Bio-Oil), so it would be interesting to see what would happen if I just used straight mineral oil instead, which would be much cheaper. I think I paid $12 for a small bottle of Bio-Oil at Walmart, but a little does go a long way. As for the smell, it reminds me of lavender baby oil or baby wipes. It's definitely scented, but it's a fairly inoffensive subtle smell. Added fragrances tend to be one of my skin triggers, but so far so good with Bio-Oil.
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous in Carbon Black
seven12 4/26/2009 12:25:00 PM
This used to be my everyday mascara years ago, and I'd forgotten why I gave up on it. I've read some glowing reviews lately, so I thought I'd try it again. I really wanted to love this mascara... There's a few things I did love about it. I love the carbon black shade. It's truly the blackest, inkiest, most pigmented black I've used. Also, I love the no-frills packaging and wand. I hate all these new oddly shaped, flimsy silicone wands, so I was super happy to open it up and see just a plain old wand with real bristles! On to the negatives... this has to be the greasiest, smudgiest formula I've ever used. I've tried a dozen or so mascaras in the last year and this was literally the only one that smeared on me. I applied multiple coats (one would not have been enough), and thought everything was all good. But then I looked in the mirror on my way out and realized my lashes had clumped together. When I tried to comb out the clumps, I realized my mascara was still very wet (5-10 minutes after application!). I ended up with several inky black smears around my eyes and had to re-do my eye makeup. This mascara didn't irritate my sensitive eyes at all, but I did have smudges above and below my lashline, despite the fact that my skin and lids are not oily whatsoever. That was a huge disappointment. This mascara reminds me of a less-good version of Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Black. Its pigmentation is a little better, but the slow drying, smudgy formula is a deal-breaker for me. I personally think it's worth it to pay a few dollars extra for the Bourjois, which dries faster, holds a curl better, and stays put all day.
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Lip Gloss -L'Oreal - HIP color presso in Chic
seven12 3/14/2009 11:59:00 PM
This gloss is a gorgeous color. The paler side is like a pinkish nude with gold shimmer. The darker side is a rosey bronze with golden shimmer. On my pigmented pink lips, it looks sort of like a plummy nude/ bronze. It's very sheer and non-sticky, but that unfortunately makes it not last very long. On the other hand... It has the dumbest packaging I think I've ever seen. The first time I tried to open it, I pulled off the entire top instead of the lid. I thought I broke it, but after some fiddling, I was able to get the top back on and open it properly. It's awkward to hold and to apply. For the life of me, I cannot understand why they couldn't just make a regular, dual-ended gloss. I'd give it negative 5 lippies for the package if I could! Although I like the product itself, I will not repurchase if they don't change the packaging!
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Primer/ Corrector -Guerlain - Meteorites Perles Light Diffusing Perfecting Primer
seven12 11/10/2008 9:44:00 PM
I tried this one night at Sephora on a whim and fell in love! I never thought I'd buy a $65 primer, but I went through my little sample ravenously and barely made it til F&F to buy more. As the previous reviewer said, it looks like Orbitz soda in a fancy little bottle. When it comes out, the pearls burst and you get a translucent pearly pink gel. It takes a good 2-3 minutes to dry, but it leaves skin BABY soft and moisturized, without any greasiness. I use this under CG Clean fragrance free foundation, and it looks glowy and smooth. It seems to make my foundation last a *tiny* bit longer, but not as long as other primers I've tried. It has the same violet scent as the meteorites, but it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin like fragrances usually do. Also, this does not turn my skin pink or orange (I am NC25ish). The bottle is made of heavy glass and is beautiful, but I deducted 2 lippies, because when the SA at Sephora made me a sample, she had a very hard time getting the last of the product out. There was ~1 Tbsp stuck in the bottom of the bottle. At $65/ ounce that is unacceptable IMO.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Aussie - Cleanse and Mend
seven12 5/28/2008 12:10:00 PM
Aussie 3 Minute Miracle is my HG conditioner, so I decided the shampoos were worth a try too. At Walmart, it was <$3 for the big bottle. It felt really strange on my roots as I was shampooing my hair, weirdly dry even though my hair was wet It didn't feel slippery like normal shampoo, so I was terrified that my ends would be fried. But when my hair dried, perfection! Soft, shiny, manageable, zero frizz, no grease or dryness anywhere! I have used everything and I like this better than any pricey salon shampoo I've tried. My bottle is almost gone now and I'm looking forward to buying a new one. It's the first shampoo I'll be finishing and repurchasing in years! I usually use 1/2 a bottle and switch to something else.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Too Faced - Dirt Bag
seven12 3/5/2008 5:14:00 PM
I love this color! It's my HG brown. It's deep and shimmery, simply gorgeous! The type of brush you use makes a big difference in how pigmented it looks-- it can look very soft or very rich. Also, it's neutral enough to be worn with warm or cool colors. I wear it with everything from bronzer and coppery gloss to baby pink cheeks/ lips and it looks great!
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Eye Shadow -Too Faced - George&Weezie duo
seven12 3/5/2008 5:08:00 PM
I love Too Faced-- the colors are almost always great on me-- so I ordered this duo sight unseen. Gold looks good on me, any shade of brown or bronze looks good on me, so I didn't see how I could go wrong. The problem is that the "gold" in this duo is not gold. It is yellow. Shimmering banana yellow. It looked hideous on me, like I had some sort of eye infection or something. If you're looking for a nice brown and neutral base color, go with Lovey Dovey. If you're looking for poop brown and banana yellow, go with George and Weezie.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No