Concealers -American Beauty - Perfecting Concealer
IslandGirlSPN 4/15/2012 4:16:00 PM
I have finally found my HG replacement concealer! I had been using Mary Kay's beige concealer for years because the quality is outstanding and just right for my skin no matter how it has changed over the years. My skin has gone from combination/oily to dry/normal and MK's concealer has been my HG. Well....I have been on the hunt for a new HG concealer for a long time and have finally found it. Kohls American Beauty line is a bit of Estee Lauder in disguise without the pricetag to my happy surprise. The concealer I got is in fair & I am NC25 so its a tiny bit lighter than my skin tone which is what I want. I use it sparingly under my eyes and around my nose where it tends to get red. I dab a tiny bit on other spots and it does its job. It blends in easily even after I use it to touch up after foundation. So yes I use this before foundation then touch up after then dust with powder to set. It looks perfect! This has been behaving like MK's concealor & I like that I can go to Kohls to buy it and not have to hunt down one from the flea market or internet or sales person. HG! (Con: The tube is cheap & ugly looking though)
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Bronzers -Physicians Formula - Baked Bronzer in Baked Tan
IslandGirlSPN 4/13/2012 4:33:00 PM
NC25 here. I have repurchased this bronzer several times in the past years. Its my HG. I recently got a small bronzer of Tantalizer from Lorac and it is essentially the same product. Except Lorac is over $30 and PF is $10. This does have a swirl of shimmery bronze pigment through the matte and it states that it does on the box. It gives me a gorgeous sunkissed glow and is not at all orangey on me. Great bronzer! I have also used the matte one and its a nice alternative when I dont feel like I want shimmer. The packaging is a bit flimsy and I have had a few of the lids break off before.
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Loose Powders -E.L.F. - Studio High Definition Powder
IslandGirlSPN 4/12/2012 10:47:00 PM
Ive been using CG translucent medium powder for a couple of years but I was never satisfied with it the way I am with ELFs HD powder. CG has a strong perfumey scent which I dislike. ELF has no scent thank goodness. My foundations I wear tend to be just a tad darker so the whiteness of this powder offsets that and actually makes the foundation look better. There are micro sparkles in this powder but not like overkill like Revlons Aqua Colorstay powder which is a glitterbomb. ugh!! I noticed my pictures with me wearing this look great. My face looks flawless!! I had tried poking holes thru the plastic as suggested to control spillage but decided instead to simply peel up an edge,cut and expose about 12 holes. This has been working best for me. I love this powder and will repurchase. I am so glad I gave it a try!
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Moisturizers -American Beauty - Youth-full Anti-aging Face Cream
IslandGirlSPN 4/11/2012 11:17:00 PM
So far so good with this face cream. I have dry skin and this sinks in and makes my face feel normal and hydrated. My skin feels so soft like a babys behind! The scent is light and pleasant even with the SPF. I dont use this every single day because I like to stay indoors often but when I do go out and about I will use this because of the SPF. I switch between Olay Regenerist fragrance free and this although this cream is richer feeling than Olay. I feel like I need to put on more of the Olay to get the same feel of hydration sinking into my skin. It is pricier than my Olay but nowhere near as pricey like a department store cream. All in all this is a good basic anti aging face cream for a halfway decent price. Ill update further once I completely use up the whole tub which I am thinking will be by Summer time.
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Mascara -Jordana - Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara
IslandGirlSPN 4/11/2012 2:05:00 PM
Like everybody says it is a good mascara but it isnt the best imo. It still does not hold a curl on my stubborn lashes. ONLY waterproof will hold a curl and unfortunately they dont offer a wp formula. The brush works really well on my short skimpy stick straight lashes. Gives them volume and definition. I havent noticed any flaking which is nice since I wear contacts sometimes. For the price this a very good run of the mill mascara. I think if you already have amazing natural lashes this will give them the ooomph they need to make them glam but for those who need extra help like myself I will stick to my wp Maybelline falsies and CG volume exact. I would buy this as gifts for others though. I much prefer this to other regular non waterproof mascaras I have tried.
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Polishes -Sinful - Innocent
IslandGirlSPN 4/8/2012 2:37:00 PM
NC25 here. This is such a unique color especially for its price! I was able to snag several Sinful polishes when they were on sale for .99 @ Walgreens. They are usually $1.99. For a fun color to go with my Easter outfit I used this chartreuse shade because it complimented my skirt. Anyway I was a bit disappointed with this particular shade's formula (some have been better than others). It is goopy & hard to control. The first coat is opaque but it looks sloppy so it needs that 2nd coat. The 2nd coat smooths the color out thoroughly but then it leaves visible brush stroke lines. I waited a few minutes for it to start setting up then I applied a thick coat of Seche Vite on top and that masked any brush stroke lines. I change my polish frequently so I wont comment on the wear. I also have had no issues with the staining everyone is complaining about. I use just one layer of WnW basecoat and i am good to go. UPDATE: the longer i keep the polish on (over 3 days) it does seep through the base coat and leave a stain.BUT I wear polish all the time so it isnt even an issue.
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Polishes -OPI - Austin-tatious Turquoise
IslandGirlSPN 4/7/2012 10:45:00 PM
I have over 20 shades and finishes of different brands of turquoise polishes and this one is the prettiest of them all. BUT it goes on sheer and uneven the first couple of coats. I had to do 4 coats to get this color to totally even out to bottle color. The shimmer is just beautiful. Its gives it a depth that my other shimmer turquoises somehow do not have. Essie Trophy Wife is one I have closest to this shade but it is not a dupe. It is slightly off and the shimmer isnt as intense.
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Polishes -OPI - A Grape Fit
IslandGirlSPN 4/4/2012 12:40:00 PM
This is my favorite purple in my whole collection. A medium purple creme that covers in 2 coats. Looks flattering on me (NC25) but I think it would look great on anyone. It isnt an obnoxious in your face purple either. Just a candy yummy purple (pic posted with my short nails). It looks great on my toes too! You cant go wrong with this color. *LOVES*
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Lip Gloss -E.L.F. - Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Baby Lips
IslandGirlSPN 3/31/2012 1:00:00 PM
After Cherry Tart this is my 2nd favorite I reach for. On my NC25 skin tone this is a very sheer almost MLBB gloss. And yes its more of a gloss than an actual liquid lipstick. The scent is mild fruity with no flavor unlike their glosses which are sweet. I do not like their glosses but will stick to the liquid lipsticks. A cheap thrill that delivers high quality. So shiny and not overly sticky. Similar to BE Buxom lips in Dolly imo but a little less pigmented.
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Lip Gloss -Bare Escentuals - Buxom Lips- Dolly
IslandGirlSPN 3/30/2012 11:38:00 AM
This gloss is nice but ordinary. I recieved it as a gift in a Sephora best of the best box. The color is a MLBB on my NC25 skin tone. The texture is just tacky enough to stay put but not sticky. So just right imo. A few seconds after applying the gloss this minty feeling starts creeping up on my lips but it never gets painful like how Too Faced LI can be. Its just a pleasant tingly feeling. BUT when I was ready to eat lunch I had to wipe it off beforehand because although I didnt glop it on, that minty feeling crept into my mouth. ugh. At least there wasnt any taste that I could detect. Basically I am not blown away by this gloss to run out and purchase it on my own.
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Polishes -Wet 'n' Wild - Wild Shine in Red Red #414A
IslandGirlSPN 3/29/2012 10:38:00 PM
NC25 here....I have a ridiculous amount of nail polish that I have been collecting for years (assorted brands mid range to cheap) and this is by far the best red I have come across. The price is outstanding for its quality. It is a rich vibrant candy apple red in just one coat! I think it is really dumb to spend loads of money on a similar red when this is ready and available everywhere for a measly .99!!! I use two coats for good measure then top it off with SV. Gorgeous red cream. Ive got it on my toes right now and I keep staring at them because they look great. :) I could not be happier with a red polish. Even its cheeseball cheapie bottle & thin style brush (BTW the brush in this is better than their $1.99 polishes for some reason) doesnt phase me from wanting to stock up on this perfect red of all reds. *LOVES*
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Blush -Maybelline - Dream Bouncy Blush
IslandGirlSPN 3/29/2012 9:54:00 PM
I got Plum Wine which is the darkest shade & Peach Satin. (NC25 here) with a bit of blending and the right touch these blushes are fun and beautiful on my skin tone. I really love them but the packaging could be improved. Also a bit pricey for the amount you get. Luckily it was BOGO half off the 2nd which made it not as bad...$7.50 each @ wags otherwise. Plum Wine sounds exactly what it looks like..a darker plummy shade which I just needed a touch on my cheeks where as Peach Satin I use a little bit more but not too much more because imo it is quite pigmented. The color stays for several hours before I feel it could use a touch up. I like these a lot and would love to get my hands on more shades when I am not so broke.
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Hair Color -Clairol - Nice n' Easy Foam
IslandGirlSPN 3/29/2012 6:56:00 PM
Their dark brown shade is STUNNING on me (NC25). Gorgeous deep chocolatey brown. It took 2 boxes to dye all my hair (and I used maybe 2/3 if that of the 2nd bottle) and I have very very long hair. (Coarse medium fairly thick down to the top of my butt) Even though this is a no drip foam it was very messy as usual. I got dye all over the shower curtain and walls. :( It was easy to get off my skin with minimal staining. The price is decent around $9 a box or so depending on where you go and there seems to always be coupons. I like this shade better than my usual Revlon Colorstay dark brown. This dark brown manages to have more vibrancy and shine. The squeeze bottle to dispense the foam was a little bit frustrating to use but I can deal with it because the color payoff is just too pretty. (You have to have patience when squeezing the bottle...lots of long drawn out pumps to dispense the foam...I am use to just squeezing out a bunch then soaking my hair...this isnt the case here)A couple of downsides to this dye: The colors lasts maybe 3 weeks then its time to retouch the roots...but Colorstay doesnt last that much longer either. The 2nd thing is that this formula made my long hair have a dry texture so I had to buy a stronger conditioner. But after I did then things were under control again. The conditioner I got was the pink bottle Clairol conditioner for color treated hair. Extra slick. Ive used this before and its reliable. And YES it stinks but what hair dye doesnt stink. Just crack open the window.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Complete Salon Manicure-Nude Now
IslandGirlSPN 3/29/2012 6:01:00 PM
I expected this polish formula to really wow me but it is just so/so. It was between this shade and Malt. I wish I had gotten Malt. It is more tannish fleshy nude than this. This definitely shows up as a peachy shade on my NC25 skin tone. 2 coats to get the bottle color so that was nice. The formula performs like any regular polish and it took some time to dry. Longer than I prefer. I usually like my SV top coat but this is suppose to be "complete" manicure in one bottle. NOT. I do like the wide brush and bottle style. I just might keep the brush to use with other polishes if I give up on this shade. haha....Anyway the prices vary...I got mine for $6.50 @ Kroger but I saw that they were less than $6 @ Walmart. Fairly inexpensive. If I find a unique shade in this line I will buy it but this time use it with SV top coat.
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Eye Shadow -Jordana - COLOR EFFECTS EYESHADOW POWDER - 01 Double Effect
IslandGirlSPN 3/28/2012 10:14:00 AM
This eye shadow duo is the lime green & yellow gold combination. The name "double effect" seems so generic that I thought it was the name of the line of the eye shadow duos. I would rename it something cute like "lemon lime". Anyway, I used Mary Kay eye shadow primer which is better than my UDPP imo. Even with my best primer the green which I applied just on my lid was lacking in depth. I packed it on 3 times and it was still on the sheer side. It even applied slightly uneven but it was slight. You would have to be right on my eyeball to notice. I applied the yellow all over the rest of my eye. It is sheer so it didnt appear scary or clowny. I really dont mind that this eyeshadow isnt heavily pigmented. Sometimes I want to wear color but dont want it to be IN YOUR FACE like how the WnW eyeshadow trios can be. SO this is a more subtle option for me. I was given this duo as a little gift but they run about $3.50 which is more than my WnW trios. I like that they are "made in usa". I like the sturdy plastic clear snap lid packaging even though it screams cheap. Thats okay. Its fun throw away makeup that I can be happy using but not freak out if I lose it. Overall my first experience with these Jordana e/s duos was alright. I think I will experiment with more of the shades.
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