Brows -BeneFit Cosmetics - Brow-Zing in Medium
Parisa909 1/24/2013 5:30:00 AM
I used to think this was the best thing for my eyebrows, until I found the MUFE Aqua Brow refill, however I still think this Benefit kit is a good product. There’s 2 parts to the kit, one part wax, and one part powder. There’s also the inclusion of a pair of mini tweezers, a hard angled brush and a blending brush. The kit comes in 3 shades, light, medium and dark. I use the medium shade, I have owned the dark version but found it much too harsh and Cruella de Vil-esque. The first step is to use the angled brush to pick up and apply the wax directly onto your browns in sweeping motions. Then, you fill in your brows with the powder, using the blending brush. The powder sticks to the wax to fill in the brows. The wax really helps to smooth and hold the brows into place, and the powder is just the right shade to fill them in. The result is very natural but defined clean brows. I like to use my use my MAC 266 to apply the wax, and then to apply the powder as it precisely applies the shadow exactly where I want it. The kit is so incredibly easy to use, and the brows stay defined for a long time. The tweezers that come in the kit though are useless though, far too stiff for my liking so I stick to my trusty Tweezermans. If you have sparse, thin brows or a few bald spots, then Brow-Zings can really help to create the illusion of thicker, defined brows. I highly recommend Brow-Zings to you if this is the case, or you just want a nice kit to tame, shade and groom your brows all at the same time!
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Eyeliner -Rimmel - Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner in Nude
Parisa909 1/24/2013 12:45:00 AM
I've been searching for the perfect flesh-coloured nude eyeliner for a while. NARS 'Rue Bonaparte' was too expensive for me, MAC Chromographic Pencil is limited edition and Stila 'Topaz' was difficult for me to find in the UK. Enter Rimmel with their new line of kohl eyeliners! Ofcourse the 'Nude' shade immediately caught my eye and I paid the barginous price of £4 in Superdrug. The eyeliner itself is soft and creamy in texture and has phenomenal colour pay off! It glides effortlessly on my waterline, with no tugging. It is definitely a natural nude shade and brightens up my eyes for that well-rested look. I use it every single day now. I'm normally a huge lover of gel liners on my waterline because they last all day, but the Rimmel liner lasts for hours and fades slowly over time. I wholeheartedly recommend this eyeliner, for such a cheap price it's amazing!
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -MAC - 224 Tapered Blending (Windshield Wiper) Brush
Parisa909 1/24/2013 12:34:00 AM
Harsh eye shadow edges are effortlessly blended away with the 224! This is the secret to my smokey eyes looks, it just blends crease colours seamlessly with just a few ‘swish-swish’ motions. Every day I use this on my brow bone using my transition eye shadow (MAC Wedge) and it gives the most perfectly diffused Kardashian-style finish to my eyes.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -MAC - #217 Blending
Parisa909 1/24/2013 12:33:00 AM
The 217 is a superstar multi-tasker brush! I often use this brush in the mornings when I’m rushed to apply colour to my lids, lower lash line and it blends it all out quickly. Also a natural bristled brush, I use this every day to apply and blend shadow into my crease. It grabs colour and applies it exactly where I want. Unlike other blending brushes, the tapered point and stiffer bristles make it perfect for flawless crease blending. I’m actually seriously debating buying another back up of the 217 because it’s so excellent to use for different purposes. I always use a brush guard after washing it to help retain it's shape. If you are on a budget, or just starting to dabble in the MAC brush line, the 217 is the brush I recommend.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -MAC - # 239 Eye Shader Brush
Parisa909 1/24/2013 12:32:00 AM
Favourite eyeshadow brush of all time. I use the 239, which is a natural bristled brush to apply my eye shadows onto my eyelids. I swipe my 239 into the eye shadow pan and it really does pick up a lot of colour and deposits it precisely where I want on the lid. It’s dense but very soft, and gives a lovely smooth application. It can even be used to apply shadow to the lower lash line.
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Mascara -Clinique - Bottom Lash Mascara
Parisa909 1/24/2013 12:28:00 AM
I’d actually never heard of a ‘bottom lash mascara’ before, until I started to see reviews and videos for Clinique’s newest mascara. The concept alone was enough to intrigue to go down to my nearest Clinique counter and pay £11. I’ve always found that using a regular mascara wand for my lower lashes often results in a) not all the lashes being concentrated with mascara and b) lots of smudging on my lashes and under my lash line. Firstly, the mascara brush is tiny. This makes it great for precise lash application, and I am pleased that the brush doesn’t overload with mascara. Initially I thought the application would take far longer than normal, but once you get the hang of apply it to your lower lashes, it takes no time at all, and I can really get from root to tip of my lashes. The formula, for me is not buildable; you can add one coat, and another while it’s wet but once your lashes are dry, they become very stiff and it’s difficult to add more coats. The mascara formula does last a full day without flaking off, but I am unsure if it’s ‘special’ enough to repurchase. I love using Bottom Lash Mascara and when I’ve finished using it up I’ll make the decision whether to buy it again. I’ll definitely keep the wand though, it’s pretty useful to dip into your favourite mascara and use it that way!
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Polishes -China Glaze - Frostbite
Parisa909 1/24/2013 12:25:00 AM
I’ve been lusting after a true bright royal blue nail polish for ages, and I’m so impressed! Frostbite is just GORGEOUS, a vibrant electric blue with micro-shimmer that gives it a very glossy finish. It’s exactly what I wanted, and the application was a breeze; it took 3 coats to get a full opaque coverage, and it dries pretty quickly! I’m not a fan of how skinny the brush is, or the stronger than usual nail polish scent, but I am willing to overlook these points because of how beautiful the colour is!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Crème -Estee Lauder - Maximum Cover
Parisa909 1/24/2013 12:21:00 AM
Now this is one hell of a foundation! Easily the most full-coverage foundation I have ever used, Maximum Cover is great for covering up blemishes, pimples, under eye circles, redness and the list goes on! I can’t quite work out how full-coverage it is, but how weightless and light the consistency is. It feels light on my skin, and if ever I wear this as a foundation half a 5p sized amount of product is more than enough to cover everything up. It glides on my face silkily, and if you have oily skin that no other foundation has ever been able to control, give Maximum Cover a go - it eliminates all shine with zero slippage. This foundation gives a totally matte finish to the face, it gives you that made-up ‘doll’ look to the skin. Therefore, if you like a natural finish… skip this! Although, you could mix it with Strobe Liquid by MAC for a dewier finish perhaps. I tend to use this as a concealer, buffing it in with a fluffy eye shadow blending brush under my eyes, and on any stubborn blemishes. I think for nights out or on occasion where you need to look your absolute best, but your skin is volatile, Maximum Cover would be a great foundation to use.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -MAC - Strobe Cream
Parisa909 1/24/2013 12:19:00 AM
A relatively new discovery, albeit a fantastic one! Sometimes I notice that my skin feels a little ‘flat’ when I’ve applied foundation, and felt like it needed a good boost. Strobe Cream gives my skin a nice glow, as opposed to that awful shiny disco ball look! It feels lightweight and my method of choice to mix a squeeze of it with my foundation of choice for a more radiant finish. I find that my foundation applies more smoothly and looks lovely all day long. The only downsides to it are that it has this scent that I cannot place, but my nose doesn’t like it. I also think the packaging makes it very hard to squeeze the cream out.
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Polishes -OPI - Mod About You
Parisa909 1/24/2013 12:15:00 AM
Mod About You is a clean, stark pastel-pink with lilac undertones. It’s so beautiful and bright, I have never seen a pink polish quite like this before. My other pink nail polishes are more warmer-toned and have less cool/lilac tones to them. The application was thankfully, perfect. Sometimes pastel polishes apply very clumpy and drag on the nail, but Mod About You applied smoothly with zero dragging. It took 2 coats to reach maximum opacity, and dried fairly fast. I adore this colour, it has the advantage of being super-wearable for any occasion, I think it’s so Barbie-esque!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -Too Faced - Shadow Insurance, Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer
Parisa909 1/24/2013 12:14:00 AM
I have extremely oily lids, and I can guarantee with absolute certainty that any eyeshadow I apply will crease and fade throughout the day, irregardless or brand or finish. Eye primer for me, is an absolute necessity. I have just repurchased my second tube of Shadow Insurance... can you believe my first tube lasted almost TWO YEARS?! Simply put, it’s a spectacular product. It does exactly what it’s supposed to do, and I really can’t live without it! For a shimmer eyeshadow addict, Shadow Insurance acts like an anchor for my most glitteriest shades, and keeps them in place until it’s time to take my make up off, but also throughout the day ensures my eyeshadow doesn’t lose it’s lustre. I use this with my MAC, Urban Decay, Too Faced & L’Oreal shadows and the result is always the same, no creasing, no matter the brand, they just last and last and last! All I need is a tiny bead sized amount for each eye, which I apply with a synthetic concealer brush and then blend with my fingers. It feels ‘tacky’ on my eyelids as soon as it’s applied, probably due to the silicone, so I leave it for 30 seconds before applying and blending my eyeshadow as normal. It’s supposed to be ‘flesh coloured’, but once blended on the eyelid, is virtually invisible. I am also hugely impressed with the packaging. It’s just a simple squeeze tube but that to me equals a more hygienic product, and it makes it easy to get all of the product out without wasting it.I can see this lasting for at least a good few months, but once it finishes, I will definitely repurchase! I love any long-wearing make up product… my foundation lasts all day, and thanks to Shadow Insurance, my eye shadow definitely does too! :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -MAC - Frost Blush in Margin
Parisa909 1/24/2013 12:10:00 AM
Firstly, I can’t believe how little acclaim this blush gets - it’s simply amazing. It truly is one of those shades that you get your hands on a little too late and then kick yourself for not trying it sooner. MAC describe this as a ‘peach with golden shimmer’ (frost finish), and I completely agree, it also has elements of coral, berry and a hint of bronze that give it this luminous warmth that looks great on fair, medium to dark skintones! Admittedly it looks like nothing special in the pan, but when swatched…it’s a totally different story. Excellent pigmentation, it looks like you’ve spent a week in the sun, with an added sheen that looks like your cheeks have got that ‘lit-from-within-glow’, so bronzer isn’t necessary to add underneath it. No need for highlighter with this blush. For perfect, light application, I like to use my contour brush (Bdellium) very lightly on the apples of the cheeks. To me, this is one of those blushers that you don’t have to think about – in the sense that it will go with whatever makeup look you fancy, and especially in the mornings all you need is quick swipe and you’re good to go! :) I wanted something light and fresh and this certainly delivers, I will definitely keep repurchasing this blush! So, the next time you are at MAC, swatch this and see what you think, you may be very pleasantly surprised!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Satin - Pink Nouveau
Parisa909 1/24/2013 12:06:00 AM
This is a gorgeous Barbie-pink shade – no two ways about it. Highly pigmented with a creamy texture, I was surprised to find that the finish of this lipstick is Satin and not an Amplified Creme! It's very intense, however…bordering on the neon in some ways, but I think this just adds to it’s fun factor.There are no coral/brown tones with this lipstick, but depending on the lighting there are a few subtle lilac undertones with a strong blue base. I would strongly recommend priming your lips before wearing this…I use chapstick beforehand because Pink Nouveau being a satin formula does leave my lips dry otherwise. The payoff is totally matte, no gloss and no glitter, which I really like, the focus is always on the lips.Some women will prefer to wear this for nights out exclusively, but I can wear this during the day no problem with a little toning down. Even when it’s blotted or applied with a light hand, there is still this beautiful hue of pink on your lips.I think almost anyone could rock this colour, tanned women and women of colour would love this shade!
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Lipstick -NARS - Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Red Square
Parisa909 1/24/2013 12:03:00 AM
Red Square is matte red with a very strong orange base. If you watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians, it’s almost identical to the shade of red Kourtney likes to wear. It’s very warm toned and looks like a retro pin-up shade that makes my lips look very full. I’ve always been a fan of blue toned true-red lipstick, but now I think that I like orange based reds better! For a matte pencil, it glides on my lips so smoothly and has incredibly strong pigmentation – I use one swipe for full, opaque coverage. It brightens up my complexion and makes my teeth look whiter and because it is matte it lasts a very long time on my lips. I very much like the matte effect on my lips, but you can add some balm or gloss for more of a sheen. I feel so comfortable wearing Red Square, it’s bright, yet not massively in-your-face.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Lady Danger
Parisa909 1/23/2013 11:59:00 PM
Lady Danger has been on my wishlist for a very long time and when I saw it on a blog sale, I caved in and bought it. It’s one of the most show stopping reds I’ve ever seen and one of MAC’s most iconic lipstick shades. Lady Danger is a matte lipstick with a strong orange undertone. Easily the brightest red I have in my collection, it is superbly pigmented – all of the pictures taken below are with just one swipe! It’s quite a timeless red, I can imagine it being a classic pin-up shade, but I have seen lots of celebrities (Christina Aguilera, Chloe Sevigny) wearing Lady Danger too. I'm a Persian girl with brown-black eyes and dark hair for reference. It’s so bright and intense, and because it’s matte, extremely long lasting. It’s not at all drying for a MAC matte, but when I wear it I take my time applying it and use a lip brush to make it look more defined. If you want a warm-toned statement red lipstick, look no further. It makes my lips look plump and juicy, always a bonus as I am quite thinned lipped. It’s also incredibly similar to NARS Red Square, I would say it’s just a tiny bit more brighter. If you have one, then you don’t really need to have the other.
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