Lips -Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics - Lip Tar - Memento
AlohaPandaXOXO 4/27/2013 7:54:00 PM
Memento is a nice soft pink with a twinge of brown and one of the tamer shades OCC has. Lip tars are definitely a love them or hate them product. I think the formula is phenomenal and like that a longwearing color can be so light to apply. The color payoff is completely opaque and this shade dries to a color that's a bit lighter than how it looks in the tube. I haven't had any issues with feathering, but I do apply the tiniest amount and build up from there. I do think OCC should come out with a lip liner though, as feathering seems to happen to a lot of people. I took off one lippie because I still don't think the packaging is all that great. A product this saturated and thin might benefit from being in packaging that had a pump mechanism or something similar to prevent leaks.
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Lipstick -Lime Crime - Retrofuturist
AlohaPandaXOXO 4/27/2013 3:11:00 PM
Reposting my initial review as there is now a Retrofuturist category. I tried to use it again before re-posting and I still feel the same way about it. I've also done more research on this company and they continue to do things to earn their bad reputation. The information is out there and I'd recommend everyone interested in this company take a look before purchasing. If you want bold and vegan lip colors, I'd recommend OCC lip tars. Sigh, I should have listened to the warnings about this product. I've been aware of the drama and controversy about this product, but when they had their Cyber Monday sale I said what the heck and bought a lipstick in Retrofuturist, having heard that this shade was less problematic than the others. If this is what the less problematic shades are like, I don't know how other people use the the more difficult shades. Pros: - Shipping was quick, but apparently if you're an international customer you may have your orders filled last during sales. My order was processed in a day and I received my package in two days after shipping. - The packaging is nice and unique. The tube is really solid and the design is really nicely done, the holographic unicorn on the tube is heat stamped on. May not be everyone's favorite, but I think it's well executed. - Pigmentation is unlike any other product I've used, very very intense. Cons: - Texture is difficult to work with, even though this is one of the best shades in that aspect apparently. I found even with exfoliation of my lips and delicate application that the texture was really drying and patchy. Even swatched on my hand it applied unevenly. - The product is really delicate. The formula/way the bullet is set into the tube means any small move and the lipstick is going to snap off. Not something you'd expect at $16 a tube. - These stain like crazy. If you wanted to ruin something permanently, getting Lime Crime lipsticks on them may do it. Even an initial swatch which was on my hand for no more than 5 seconds stained it. I'm really wary of any of this getting near my clothes. - It smells odd. Apparently these are supposed to smell like vanilla. Mine doesn't smell like vanilla, which would be pleasant. Instead, it smells really synthetic and kind of sweet, like off brand candy that went through the wash. I can't compare it to any other lipstick I've used the smell is so different and unpleasant. I went into buying Retrofuturist having done my research, thinking I was buying one of the best lipstick shades Lime Crime has to offer. I'd compare my experience to opening a beautifully wrapped Christmas present only to find the toy inside breaks within the first minute of playing with it. The marketing and packaging here is brilliant, the product is not. If you want to try this brand, do your research, know about the drama, and look at swatches from bloggers who aren't also Lime Crime affiliates who make $$$ off of referring people to their products. I was lucky enough to buy this on sale at $12 and I feel like that was far too expensive for how it performed. I feel like this is sub-par drug store lipstick in hipster shades in fairy packaging, too much image and hype for something that's mediocre in the end.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Illamasqua - Collide
AlohaPandaXOXO 3/24/2013 4:37:00 PM
What a lovely polish. It applies smoothly and evenly despite being a very saturated and vibrant color. It sets in no time thanks to the fact the consistency is on the thinner side which is nice. The price point is debatable, it is expensive but it also outperforms just about everything else on the market.
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Masks -Freeman - Eclos Anti-Aging Intense Moisture Hydrating Mask
AlohaPandaXOXO 3/24/2013 4:19:00 PM
Finding a good drugstore moisturizing mask has become quite the challenge as most seem to focus on anti-aging or acne solutions. My skin was getting flaky and irritated with the weather changes and needed to find something soothing and moisturizing. I had never heard of this brand, but chose it anyway since there weren't any moderately priced alternatives and am so glad I did! Using it helped get rid of my flakes without stripping my skin and helped balance everything back into a less dry state. The mask itself is creamy and thick and applies with ease. I was also impressed by the amount of extracts and other natural goodies in the formula, including shea butter and turmeric which are great for moisturization and calming redness. The smell is very herbal, which I liked but may not be for everyone, definitely give it a whiff before buying it if you can. Once on, the mask dries down slowly and doesn't pull at your skin which is again what you want when you're moisturizing. After rinsing it off, my skin felt soft, cleansed, and hydrated. No greasy residue or other off-putting things left behind which is nice. I'm not so sure that the claims about plant stem cells on the bottle are doing anything here, but if you're looking for a nice way to treat dry winter skin gently this is a good bet.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Hard Candy - Glamoflauge Concealer
AlohaPandaXOXO 3/24/2013 4:08:00 PM
This concealer is a powerhouse no doubt. As someone with extremely pale skin (NC15 in the summer if I'm lucky!), any type of redness is readily apparent on my skin and covering it without getting a cake-y effect is hard to come by. This concealer is very pigmented, thick, and the texture is dry despite being a liquid due to the amount of color held in it. I've found the key with using this is to apply a small drop onto my hand, let it warm up a bit, and then dot it onto what I want to cover with a pointed concealer brush. Once I blend over it with my Skin79 Hot Orange BB cream, everything looks flawless and the opaque coverage looks very natural. I also appreciate that the tube is huge and will last a long time, making it a very cost effective product. I am considering mixing this with some moisturizer to see if I can make it more blendable, as it is a quick drying and very "clingy" product. The only downside to this stuff is it comes in a limited amount of shades and applying it take a bit more of a nuanced technique to get down as it's quite different from most other runny/sheerer concealers.
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Polishes -Sinful - Cinderella
AlohaPandaXOXO 3/24/2013 3:06:00 PM
This caught my eye and I thought it had potential as something similar to Models Own Indian Ocean. I can get this to be opaque in just two coats, but the reviews here make me think there may be some issues depending on the batch. Application is a little streaky with the first layer, but by the second everything was evened out. The subtle pink/gold shimmer in the color really sets off the blue and looks very pretty on those of us with warm toned skin. Wear with this was normal and it worked well with my Sally Hansen Diamond top coat. For my first try with this brand, I'm very impressed especially considering the price point,
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Xtreme Wear - Pacific Blue
AlohaPandaXOXO 3/24/2013 3:03:00 PM
Love this color and how saturated it is in just one application. The formula is a bit thick and it does take a bit longer to dry, but it's stunning on and with a glossy top coat it's perfect for summer or just simply making a statement. The price also can't be beat for the quality of the color, no issues with UV fading or turning into something different on the nail like some other cheaper nail polishes do.
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Hair Color -Vidal Sassoon - Pro Series
AlohaPandaXOXO 3/24/2013 2:50:00 PM
My mom was thrilled to see the relaunch of Vidal Sassoon's products so I decided to give this color a try after a less than perfect experience with L'Oreal Superior Preference. I used 6R Light Auburn, a nice alternative to the brighter/blueish red dyes that most other brands put out. When I mixed the color and developer, it did turn a Kraft Macaroni and Cheese orange at first, but it eventually developed into a nice red brown. Applying was pretty nice, this formula is neither too runny nor too thick and made touching up my roots pretty easy. I also liked that this color doesn't smell nearly as pungent as others and didn't irritate my scalp in any way. After 25 minutes doing my roots I did 5 minutes with color all over and the result is great! My roots blend into my old color perfectly and my hair is very soft and doesn't have the "I just colored my hair" smell that some other dyes leave behind. I'm thrilled to have found a light brownish red shade that isn't a fuss to deal!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Top/Base Coats -Sally Hansen - Diamond Flash Fast Dry Top Coat
AlohaPandaXOXO 9/17/2012 11:17:00 PM
I've been looking for a quick dry top coat that didn't cause my nail polish to come off in sheets like Seche Vite and I think I've found it! I'm pretty hard on my nails and even after a day of scrubbing my bathroom I only had minimal tip wear on my index fingers where I would have normally needed to re-do a few nails if not my entire manicure. This top coat is probably the hardest wearing I own. This dries quickly, doesn't fog or distort the nail color I'm using, and seems to work well with any brand. Definitely glad to have found something that works so well that is fairly affordable.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Skin79 - Vital BB Cream SPF50++ Hot Orange Label
AlohaPandaXOXO 6/6/2012 11:26:00 PM
I've been wanting to try a BB cream for a while now, but I was turned off by the fact that so many of them had grey or pink undertones in them. I have very fair skin (NC 15 in the summer if I'm lucky) with yellow undertones and found that this is probably the best match color wise for my skin. I love that I'm getting such great sun protection from this so I won't have to worry about sunburns on my face this summer. I've found that the coverage is definitely heavier than the typical tinted moisturizer we have in the States, but I appreciate the coverage when it comes to wanting to do a quick face in the morning. The coverage is good enough that I don't need under eye concealer, which is pretty impressive! It also has helped diminish some of the redness I get around my nose/cheeks which I wasn't expecting, which is also a nice benefit. I like using a product that's multifunctional and actually seems to improved my skin from using it. If you're looking to simply your foundation routine, I'd check this out. I ordered mine from the Amazon seller Seoul Glamour and had a great experience - authentic product and quick shipping.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Chanel - Gondola #499
AlohaPandaXOXO 1/7/2012 10:21:00 PM
This color reminds me of the red dress Scarlett O'Hara was forced to wear to go see Ashley Wilkes' birthday party. Subtle it is not, but it's also not over the top, but simply luscious! A bit more sparkle is in this formula compared to other Chanel shades, but I think this is a perfect color for fall or winter or anytime you want to make a strong statement. It's a beautiful cranberry-magenta shimmer. This takes a couple coats to get a nice even application, but it looks perfect once you get it up to full intensity. It's also a bit hard to remove with the glitter pieces, but overall it's a really pretty reinterpretation of the typical burgundy/cranberry shimmer for fall/winter.
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Polishes -Chanel - Blue Satin
AlohaPandaXOXO 1/7/2012 10:15:00 PM
The color is gorgeous, no doubt, but for the price the formula here is problematic for me. I found that Blue Satin likes to stain my cuticles unlike any other polish I've used and applies unevenly for me in a way that really contrasts some of my other Chanel shades (Riviera, Graphite). I love the look of it when I can manage to get it applied right, but sometimes the fuss keeps me from wanting to use it. Definitely a nice shade to own, but not a necessity if you're not crazy about the color.
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Polishes -Chanel - Riviera 537
AlohaPandaXOXO 1/7/2012 10:11:00 PM
My second favorite Chanel shade in terms of application, Riviera is a pretty bright but not overwhelming true summer pink. This applies like a dream, pretty near perfectly opaque in one coat. May not be the most unique color, but I think the formula here is one of Chanel's best and I love how it looks paired with Nouvelle Vague.
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Polishes -Chanel - Nouvelle Vague 527
AlohaPandaXOXO 1/7/2012 10:09:00 PM
I love turquoise, especially on my toes. This color is very beautiful and the slight pearl shimmer makes me think of vintage Cadillacs from the 50s, that tried and true old fashioned turquoise is a hard color to come by these days! Application with this shade though can be a bit bubbly/thick, I recommend spacing out coats at much as possible to get a nice opaque and even application. If turquoise isn't your shade or personal favorite, this probably isn't worth shelling out the $$$ for, but for those of us enamored with the color this one is definitely a special interpretation of the shade.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Chanel - Le Vernis LE-- Graphite
AlohaPandaXOXO 1/7/2012 10:06:00 PM
Chanel nail polishes can be hit or miss formula wise, but this one is one of the best they've put out. The color is incredibly dimensional patina-pewter blend that shimmers without being overly glittery. The formula here applies nice and opaque with two thin coats and looks prettier on the nail than it does in the bottle. Wears well with a base/top coat (I use Sally Hansen as a base and Seche Vite on top). The price, however, is incredibly steep and Chanel continues to raise their prices. With Chanel nail polishes, the key really is to be selective with the colors, out of the seven Chanel shades I own this is the best in terms of color, application, and wear. I hope Chanel produces more colors of this quality in the future!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No