Mascara -Maybelline - Lash Stiletto
0ubliette 5/12/2011 7:04:00 PM
This is going straight in the trash. It gave me spider-leg lashes that stuck together and there was zero shine. It straightened the curve of my lashes after I curled them. I have tried every mascara that promises a glossy finish and always end up disappointed! About the only thing this delivered on was being black, as the package stated...and what's so hard about that? The packaging was average for a drugstore brand, and even for the low price of eight dollars, I would expect better for all that it claimed. The brush is irritating and useless. I can't believe I've bothered to say so much about this...it's definitely one of the worst mascaras I've ever used. On with the search for something to make my long, fine, stick-straight dark lashes w/ blond ends look great...it's a challenge.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cover Girl - Exact Eyelights
0ubliette 10/25/2009 9:29:00 PM
the formal, for me, was fine. i like the classic lashblast on curled eyelashes since it doesn't make my very long, but not too thick, lashes look spidery. i was excited for a little extra pop in this formula, but even in direct sunlight, there was very little (not even 'subtle) shimmer and literally no greenish tint. fine basic mascara, but because it didn't do what it claimed to do, i would not repurchase.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - ColorStay Makeup
0ubliette 8/29/2009 12:48:00 PM
after reading such glowing reviews here, i had to try colorstay in the combination/oily formulation. at first, i was blown away, and i am a tough critic. the palest color, while not pale enough for my skin, was passable since i am slightly tanned right now in summertime, and while thick and fast-setting, i had no problem with streakiness because i applied it with my beloved beautyblender sponge. somehow it covered all my rosacea without feeling like anything at all. i'd never experienced such full coverage from a makeup before, let alone while feeling more bare-faced than in other less opaque brands. i was thrilled with how it didn't settle into my pores or fine lines. during a haircut, my stylist complimented me on my 'beautiful skin' and asked if i was wearing makeup! that was all i needed to fall utterly in love with it. i have very oily skin that dries and flakes easily, and i didn't experience either problem...i have never before used a makeup that gave me eight hours with literally zero oily shine breakthrough. incredible. while it did darken very slightly throughout the day, it didn't turn orange. my only complaints at the time were that 1) the bottle has no pump, which is a royal pain, and for $13, even a drugstore product should have one for sanitary/convenience reasons, and 2) it has a very pronounced perfumey fragrance to it that i could smell on my face for several hours. not cool. the only other thing i would mention is that if you are prone to dryness at all, but have oily skin, like me, you'll want some extra moisturizer under this, just for comfort's sake, and because it dries very quickly. and then......why must there always be a "then"?! the next day, i noticed some small milia/clogged pores on my forehead and thought perhaps it was hair product or something. they cleared up over the course of the week (i have only worn the colorstay once, on a monday), and then, by the weekend, i had three large, painful zits on my chin and cheek, and one on my forehead. it wasn't hormonal (wrong time of the month), and i have never before in my life broken out on my cheeks despite my temperamental skin. i can only assume it is the makeup. my skin hates silicones, and i sort of stupidly refused to read the ingredient list before using it because i wanted so badly for it to work. haha. the bottle says 'oil free', but it doesn't say 'non comedogenic'. so. anyway, i gave this makeup two lippies because while i was wearing it i loved it so much (normally, i'd give it 1 lippie for this kind of breakout). when my skin clears, i will try it one more time, and if i break out again, i'll chuck it. eta: after my skin cleared, i wore this three times in a week and received four new pimples. i tried it again after a couple of months, and broke out in cysts. heartbreaking :(
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Urban Decay - Confession
0ubliette 8/22/2009 1:41:00 PM
i bought this shade, along with apocalypse, a few weeks ago and fell in love with them before they were even on my lips--i'm a sucker for the vampy blackened berries they appear to be in the tube. i also love that they go on sheer, dramatic, but fresher than an opaque gothy lip. i appreciate that it isn't shimmery, either--very sophisticated and wearable. because it's a sheer cream formula, don't expect it to last forever. i'd say it lasts a couple of hours on me before it needs to be refreshed, but it does leave behind a pretty stain in the mean time. one warning, though: it's very, very transferable, and if you attempt to layer it, it will come off on teeth, wine glasses, etc. i wouldn't mind so much if it wore off more evenly. confession feels great on the lip, not heavy or oily, but i found it nearly impossible to apply smoothly, even after exfoliating my lips and applying with a brush. this only happened when i was trying to experiment with a slightly more opaque look, though, and since it's meant to be sheer, maybe i shouldn't deduct points for that. a primer may help. i took off a lippie anyway, because for $22, it should go on like butter. my other complaint is the scent--a very sweet, synthetic candy like smell. i'm not a fan of heavily scented products on my face, so at the very least, it could smell more expensive...not like bonne bell. lastly, the aesthetic of the tube is horrible, extremely bulky in your makeup case and metallic purple and silver with a little plastic dagger impaling the base. obviously, much of the price goes into the 'funky' packaging rather than the actual product. the complaint about the packaging is nitpicking, though--it's what's inside that counts! overall, i would purchase this again because i love the color and sheerness, but for the price i'd like to see them improve the formula a little. i wouldn't expect a sheer cream to last all day, but would expect it to distribute more evenly straight out of the tube.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Foundation
0ubliette 8/10/2009 11:13:00 AM
this product is gorgeous. i hesitated to try it because of the price (i paid 40 USD), but finally made the leap when i received a sephora gift card. i wasn't overly optimistic; every foundation i have tried, from drugstore brands, to mineral foundation, to top tier brands, has either made me break out, provided not nearly enough coverage to be worth the discomfort of layers of makeup on my face, or went orange on my extremely fair, rosacea skin. my skin isn't too bad, yet nothing ever provided the flawless look i wanted, and i wasn't willing to paint on thick, opaque foundation to get the job done; i'd rather deal with some small flaws showing than announce to the world that i'm wearing pancake makeup. that said, this makeup has been a pleasant surprise. the packaging is a hygienic pump, which is pleasing, but time will tell how easy it is to extract the last few pumps of foundation when it runs low. there is a slight perfume to the product, but aside from a few minutes of tingling, it dissipates quickly and didn't seem to irritate my skin. i applied the makeup with my beautyblender sponge over the MUFE hd green primer (decent, neutralizes the red, is basically undetectable--i don't feel that it warrants its own review at this point because i have not yet applied the makeup without it underneath. it does a passable job at smoothing, but i would have liked to see the pores filled in more. the fact that i did not break out, though, is enough for me). the texture is unlike any makeup i have ever used before--that is, virtually invisible. i have some large pores, occasional milia and minor acne, and this glided over like i have never seen a makeup do. it dried down to a natural-matte finish (i blotted my face to take it down when it seemed a tiny bit too dewy for my oily skin). the one coat i applied seemed to offer a 'true' medium' coverage (you'll still need to apply a concealer to serious redness, blemishes or undereye circles). like most foundations, your skin should be well moisturized before application; it will still catch a little on any dry spots. even the most expensive makeup can only work as well as its canvas. it glided on over my MUFE full cover concealer without caking. my boyfriend said that it didn't look at all like i was wearing foundation, which is really my number one priority. i look forward to getting (hopefully) slightly fuller coverage using my skunk brush. i do not usually tolerate silicones well, and this foundation is lousy with them--be forewarned (as is the primer). however, even with both products together, i have not yet broken out *touch wood*. besides the price, my one gripe is the color--none in the range fit my porcelain skin. i am usually too pale for even the lightest shade in most ranges, and this was no exception. i'm guessing 90% of people will not have any trouble, but the lightest two shades were so pink as to look like calamine lotion. on anyone else pink-toned, they most likely would have worked, but i have enough redness issues with rosacea as it is. i compromised with shade #115, which is a fair, yellowish tone. because of the fine texture, the color discrepancy is less noticeable than with traditional foundations, so i will gladly use up the bottle if it continues to agree with my skin. i'd say #115 is about one half to one shade too dark for my skin, and will have to be mixed with white corrector in the winter (which i'm ambivalent about because i don't want to destroy the lovely finish my adding a different formula to the mix, nor do i want to add paler powder on top and give myself away! even though i am a professional makeup artist, my skin texture does not tolerate layers of product regardless of the application). i did not notice any more oily breakthrough than normal, possibly a bit less (i get very shiny), and the color did not oxidize on me. i lasted a few hours before needing to blot, and the makeup did not settle into pores or fine lines. a good foundation is very hard to come by with my sort of skin, so i will continue to repurchase until something better comes along. i do not wear foundation daily, so it should last a while, at 1.01 oz with my face needing about two pumps per application. a note on color selection: i highly recommend trying this on in-store as opposed to buying onlline; MUFE has great shade selection, but they are not what meets the eye on a computer monitor! eta: i believe this is causing me to break out. at first i thought it was hormonal, but after more testing, i keep getting whiteheads and painful perioral bumps. silicones and i just don't get along, i guess. how sad.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Smashbox - Photo Finish Light
0ubliette 7/13/2009 12:29:00 AM
I really wanted to love this! I'd always shied away from primers because my skin is super finicky (rosacea, very oily to very dry depending on the day) to the point where I don't even wear foundation often. Well, I tried this, and at first was pleased. It felt light, smooth, and absolutely not greasy or heavy. It had a very light fragrance, but it actually did not make my skin itch, redden or burn. The scent also dissipated quickly. It truly did help my mineral foundation to stay on much, much longer and kept shine at bay for several hours. I wasn't impressed with the 'smoothing' action, though. In spite of prolonging the wear of my makeup, it didn't really smooth out any little fine lines or pores as I was hoping. Another minus is that it lacks sun protection. I used it for three days in a row, and by the morning of the fourth day, I had four giant, painful pimples on my forehead and chin (in spots where I don't get them normally). This disappoints me because either a) the primer itself actually makes me break out or b) the primer didn't do its (ideal) job and protect my skin from the minerals, which also tend to make me break out (I've just been trying to use them up for this reason). Luckily it was a sample and I didn't have to shell out for it. I guess no silicones or minerals work for my skin. For the performance I got, and the price, I don't recommend it.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Weleda - Almond Face Cream
0ubliette 3/28/2009 4:44:00 PM
i love this moisturizer. it is a bit expensive for a drugstore brand, twenty dollars for an ounce, but it does last quite a while, since i use only about a pea-size amount on my face and another around my eyes. i usually use it to augment lighter moisturizers like my clinique gel, though it is not oily in the slightest. i pat it on and it is so soothing. i was worried at first that it would make me break out--nearly every new product does, especially moisturizers--but not only did i not break out, it didn't even remotely sting my eyes or cause my rosacea to flare. in fact, it kept my face from breaking out on a return flight over the holidays (which it always does). it is the perfect amount of moisturizer for my skin, which is oily on the surface but becomes very dry and flaky easily. it comes in a cute pink metal tube, very hygienic. the scent is a very faint, natural almond scent, not overly sweet, and it fades very quickly. i like that unlike other natural products, it isn't full of irritating essential oils for scent. it prevents my skin from flaking under mineral makeup and doesn't make it oily.i can't tell you how thrilled i am to have found a readily available, gentle, effective, and *natural* moisturizer. i love it.
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Skinceuticals - Hydrating B5 Gel
0ubliette 3/25/2009 9:38:00 PM
i really wanted to love this. i have oily, sensitive rosacea skin (that dries out very easily from the meds), and the first time i applied this, i liked that it sank in quickly with no greasy film. after a couple of days, though, i broke out in small pimples all over my face, which doesn't naturally happen with my skin. not wanting to waste the bottle, i decided to try it around my eyes under my usual eye cream when they got extra-dry in late winter. i thought this would be safe using a tiny drop and keeping it well away from the lashline. not only did it not amplify the effects of my moisturizer whatsoever, it made my orbital area dryness even worse (almost a flaky rough patch). i'm going to experiment with trying it elsewhere, even just on the driest parts of my body, because the price is just outrageous.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Aromaleigh - Glissade [DISCONTINUED]
0ubliette 3/10/2009 7:47:00 PM
when i first tried this product, i was thrilled. it was the only mineral makeup (including bare escentuals, everyday minerals, etc) that did not cause my rosacean, acne-prone, oily-yet-sensitive skin to itch like crazy. it was also the only one that didn't look chalky and heavy. it went on like a dream, totally smooth and undetectable. it had a matte finish with no typical mineral sparkle, which i really appreciated, but it wasn't a pancake-y matte. in fact, i'd say it made my skin look better than any foundation ever had, and the ultra pale color, 00 alabaster, was a great match and didn't go orange as the day wore on. i had oily breakthrough eventually, but some blotting took care of that. however, a day later, i noticed that i had several tiny bumps on my forehead and a couple of small blemishes around my nose and chin, which i haven't had for at least a year since starting my current skincare prescription. given that rosacea will flare and break out just to spite you, for no reason, i decided to continue to give the glissade a fair chance. i wore it most days for about three weeks and while my skin didn't clear up, it didn't get worse, either. i ordered the full size glissade, and in the mean time as i waited for it to arrive, my skin cleared up again. tried the full size glissade, and more small breakouts. they don't accept returns because of the sample system they have. i'm devastated! the price was right, there was no fragrance, bismuth oxychloride or parabens, the color spectrum was fantastic (though, even as someone with makeup artist training, i found the custom blending to actually be really difficult to get right), the shipping took a while, and while the packaging left something to be desired, it's what's inside that counts, and i really thought i had found my hg foundation. i will use up the jar that i bought (i'm poor!), but only wear it on special occasions and try not to keep it on my face for long. i believe the breakouts have gotten slightly worse over time (actual pimples--a couple on my chin and jawline after wearing). i really, really wanted this to work for me. perhaps mineral makeup just isn't for me; they have all broken me out, so i can't even be totally certain that the silicone buffer in the glissade is to blame. is it the mica?
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Aromaleigh - Glissade mineral foundation powder [DISCONTINUED]
0ubliette 3/10/2009 7:34:00 PM
when i first tried this product, i was thrilled. it was the only mineral makeup (including bare escentuals, everyday minerals, etc) that did not cause my rosacean, acne-prone, oily-yet-sensitive skin to itch like crazy. it was also the only one that didn't look chalky and heavy. it went on like a dream, totally smooth and undetectable. it had a matte finish with no typical mineral sparkle, which i really appreciated, but it wasn't a pancake-y matte. in fact, i'd say it made my skin look better than any foundation ever had, and the ultra pale color, 00 alabaster, was a great match and didn't go orange as the day wore on. i had oily breakthrough eventually, but some blotting took care of that. however, a day later, i noticed that i had several tiny bumps on my forehead and a couple of small blemishes around my nose and chin, which i haven't had for at least a year since starting my current skincare prescription. given that rosacea will flare and break out just to spite you, for no reason, i decided to continue to give the glissade a fair chance. i wore it most days for about three weeks and while my skin didn't clear up, it didn't get worse, either. i ordered the full size glissade, and in the mean time as i waited for it to arrive, my skin cleared up again. tried the full size glissade, and more small breakouts. they don't accept returns because of the sample system they have. i'm devastated! the price was right, there was no fragrance or parabens, the color spectrum was fantastic (though, even as someone with makeup artist training, i found the custom blending to actually be really difficult to get right), the shipping took a while, and while the packaging left something to be desired, it's what's inside that counts, and i really thought i had found my hg foundation. i will use up the jar that i bought (i'm poor!), but only wear it on special occasions and try not to keep it on my face for long. i believe the breakouts have gotten slightly worse over time (actual pimples--a couple on my chin and jawline after wearing). i really, really wanted this to work for me. perhaps mineral makeup just isn't for me; they have all broken me out, so i can't even be totally certain that the silicone buffer in the glissade is to blame. is it the mica?
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Dermalogica - PreCleanse
0ubliette 4/25/2008 12:49:00 AM
I need an oil based cleanser to remove my long-lasting sunscreen, and this fits the bill. I have used it for several months without any major problems for my rosacea-prone, sensitive and breakout-prone skin. It is however very fragrant with essential oils that might be irritating to some. I love that when you add water to it it becomes a milky emulsion and rinses off the toughest products and makeup easily. It enables me to get a super clean face and follow up with a gentle normal cleanser (Purpose) without overdrying. It is quite expensive, but as it only takes a small amount (I use about 10-12 drops for a full face of makeup) it has lasted a long time, and the full bottle should last me at least a year (I don't use it every night, however). My only real complaint is that the packaging has a screw cap that tends to get (surprise!) oily. A pump would be more convenient. Overall, a very good product, but I will try the DHC oil cleanser next as it seems safer for rosacea and is more affordable and comes in a pump package.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Burt's Bees - Honey Lip Balm
0ubliette 4/25/2008 12:42:00 AM
I really wanted to love this product, as it's naturally derived and I adore the clean honeycomb scent (you either love or hate it--however, mine seemed much better than the nasty, plastic-y smell described by many others). However, even the nice scent is too strong, as every time I put it on, the boyfriend asks what he's smelling...all the way across the room. I used to love the original lip balm, but eventually fount the mint oil too drying. However, it is quite waxy and while pretty comfortable on the lips, I find myself having to apply it a million times a day. I personally didn't experience any of the graininess that several reviewers mentioned; maybe they improved the formula. This is one of those 'waxy' balms that just isn't as moisturizing as I would like. In fact, as far as I can tell, it doesn't moisturize at all! It never really softened or healed my chapped lips. I'll use it up, but for a nonpetroleum balm, I'd sooner recommend Weleda Everon. This one is about as useful as trying to moisturize your lips with a beeswax candle. If I could have given it 1.5 lippies instead of two, I would.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Weleda - Everon lip balm
0ubliette 4/25/2008 12:40:00 AM
As a fan of most Weleda products, I bought this when I decided to finally wean myself off of petroleum based balms (no small feat, since the waxy balms never cut it for my lips). After a period of adjustment during which I was convinced this would not work for me but wishing it would (about a week), my lips took to this stuff and have been nearly as smooth as they were during my years of using my beloved cocoa butter and petroleum based balm. I'd say the slight lack of plumpness that I got from my former balm is made up for by the fact that Everon has none of the "I just ate fried chicken" look on my lips and is natural (after all, if I'm going to end up ingesting a lot of it, it should be). It isn't the cheapest lip balm, but is definitely affordable at a mere five dollars. I think the tube is adorable and given the firmer texture of the balm it should last a long time. It is quite fragrant, but I don't find it noticeable once it's on my lips (I'd call it a honey/vanilla + herbal rose scent). This balm isn't perfect (I'd rather it felt a bit more moisturizing, but I have very dry lips), but it's definitely worth a try if you think waxy balms don't work for you. It's the most satisfactory one all around that I have tried so far.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Shiseido - Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 55 PA+++ [DISCONTINUED]
0ubliette 4/25/2008 12:34:00 AM
I bought this product after extensive research for a sunscreen that was mainly physical and which would not cause my rosacea, PPP skin to sting or break out (my formerly beloved but less photostable Neutrogena Dry Touch SPF 45 started to cause me to sting and flush due to its chemical sunscreens). So far, I love this stuff. It's a bit pricey, but should last me a good long time (I paid $38). The packaging is very cute and the lotion itself is very fluid, milky, nongreasy and (thankfully!) doesn't smell like sunblock. There is a slight fragrance that dissipates almost immediately and has not irritated my skin. I adore that this keeps my face matte for far longer than any other product, sunscreen or otherwise, that I have tried. However, it was very drying on my normally oily skin, but it may have been due to a stronger dosage of my usual topical treatment (which can be drying on its own). Even for very oily skin like mine, I would recommend moisturizing liberally before or after applying the sunscreen. It lasts a very long time and must be removed with an oil based cleanser (I wash with Dermalogica Precleanse, then Purpose). I have not noticed a white cast, but that could be due to my already very pale skin (and that is quite an accomplishment for a physical sunscreen). It instantly disappears into my skin and leaves it matte and smooth. I have not yet tried makeup over it, but have a feeling that it will not ball up and may be a good primer on its own. This is the closest thing I have found to an HG sunscreen so far, and I will repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Unlisted Brand - Buf Puf Face Sponge-Gentle
0ubliette 3/1/2008 10:27:00 PM
Throughout my childhood, I remember seeing Buf Puf advertised but never used one and forgot all about them until recently, thinking perhaps that they'd stopped making them. I have been using Differin and Metrogel for acne and rosacea, which has caused a lot of dead skin build up. Manual scrubs with exfoliating beads really weren't effective at getting rid of it, and I'd inadvertently scrub too hard. I bought the gentle Buf Puf and have never (never!) experienced so effective an exfoliation from any scrub or tool, including the Clarisonic. My skin felt extremely smooth and glowing afterwards, and it's so cheap! You do need to replace the puff every so often to avoid bacterial growth. I should add, however, that next I will be purchasing the Extra Gentle, because even the gentle felt a bit too much for my delicate skin (and I can't even imagine how the Regular must feel; maybe it's good for keratosis pilaris on the body, but certainly not on the face!). I'm so happy that after all these years I remembered Buf Puf!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No