Concealers -Givenchy - Mister Light
Animimi 5/18/2011 11:16:00 PM
This is a great highlighter, but only fair as a concealer unless your discoloration problems are fairly mild. For me, it is great after a good night's rest, but on bad days, it only improves my dark moons moderately. A big plus is that it doesn't settle into creases and the highlighting effect is subtle but excellent. No sparkles, no washed-out whiteness, no oily-looking sheen: just a fresh, moisturized-looking finish. Lasting power is mediocre on me, but I've got oily skin and eyes, so no surprise there.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Unlisted Brand - Latisse Lash Growth Drops
Animimi 5/18/2011 11:01:00 PM
I'm using the Bimatoprost from All Day Chemist. I've been using it for 31 days, and the results are amazing. I've always had reasonably long lashes but lacked some fullness, and they were never as long or lush as I wanted. I usually use half-demi falsies for evening, just to make them pop. But now? Ohhhh my gosh. I've changed mascaras because length is no longer an issue, so now I seek volume. But I can see that in addition to the mad length, I have new growth that is going to also make them fuller as they finish coming in. Already, I'm nearly at the point where I only need tint to make them stand out. And with a real high-impact lengthening mascara? Well that's just ridiculous now. All in all, I couldn't be happier with the way this has worked for me. Some of my new lashes are coming in blonde or white, but who cares? They look fantastic!
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Complete Salon Manicure - Casting Call
Animimi 5/18/2011 10:54:00 PM
Absolutely gorgeous bright modern-retro pink/coral! Goes opaque, shiny and smooth in 2 coats and is one of the few pinks that doesn't make my cool tones look sallow, though it does have a coral tone to it, which usually doesn't do well on me. Bright enough to make toes look fun and summery, but grown-up enough for stylish nails at the office. This reminds me of a shade my grandmother would have worn, something I've not seen in quite awhile. I'm absolutely in love with this for summer.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Orly - Coffee Break
Animimi 2/19/2011 1:39:00 AM
I had to give this a 5 because it is the ultimate daytime neutral for me. I got so many compliments on this shade! I'm PPP N4, and generally don't do well with things that are too warm or too yellow. Luckily, this one is truly neutral, but not overly brown, which would not be good on me. It gives good coverage and true color in 2 coats, but it would be easier to apply smoothly with a better brush. I will probably rob another polish for a better one next time, because this is a keeper!
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous Million Lashes
Animimi 10/20/2010 3:15:00 AM
I was very disappointed - I have decent lashes, pretty long but not quite as lush as I'd like. I have strong features, so I like a mascara that really emphasizes the lashes, not a natural-looking or wimpy one. One coat of this mascara just added color. Two coats gave mediocre coverage. It takes 3 for me to really feel somewhat satisfied, but at the third coat, you can get some minor clumping. But the bigger issue is that ANY mascara works for me in 3 coats. I've even used the cheapest of cheap - Wet n Wild - and with 3 coats it was as satisfactory as this one. I don't really enjoy spending that much time on my mascara though, so it will be back to Lash Stiletto when this runs out. None of these quite meet my gold standard from YSL, but at least the Stiletto comes close.
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Powder -Maybelline - Mineral Power Powder Foundation
Animimi 5/1/2010 6:32:00 PM
Wow, my experience was so different from others here - I love this makeup! Good coverage, staying power, and a natural matte finish are perfect for me. I'm using it over Monistat chaffing gel as a primer. Overall, this has improved my skin's condition as well as giving me a nice overall finish. I have oily skin with large pores and redness and some acne discoloration, so I need coverage and staying power. I bought this a shade darker than I normally wear (cool PPP), and it is a great match for me. I've also been having bad breakout problems lately although I've been using a tried-and-trusted high end liquid foundation, so I wanted to give minerals another try. In the past, my mineral makeup experiences have been poor. Many were super-shiny and made my pores look enormous, and all of them eventually caused skin reactions. I gave up after every brand I tried seemed to make me itchy and red after a few days' wear. I've been using this one for over a week now, though, and my skin looks fantastic! The breakout and ruddiness I was dealing with are gone completely, and no itching, no problems with this at all.
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Polishes -Sally Girl - Sally Girl - Nail Color - general
Animimi 4/15/2010 8:45:00 PM
I bought Pea-Body (fantastic creamy minty green) and another shade in bright teal. I did a funky french pedicure with these two thinking it would be fun for a day or two, but WOW. This really has shine and staying power! The color payoff with a few coats was excellent, and a week later, the toes still look fresh and glossy, no chips. I'll definitely be experimenting with all the fun shades now.
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Eyeliner -L'Oreal - Extra-Intense Liquid Pencil Eyeliner
Animimi 3/25/2010 10:34:00 PM
Fantastic product - I have this in Emerald, a gorgeous deep, rich green, dark enough for dramatic definition and nearly metallic in finish. It goes on smoother than any pencil product I've ever owned, leaving a perfect clean line. It has good lasting power, even on my super-oily eyes. I have to take care of a few smudges at the edges during the day, but for me, that even happens with high-end liquid and gel liners, so no surprise there. This is a new holy grail product for me, so I can't wait to grab a few more shades.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -L.A. Colors - 5 Color Metallic Eyeshadow in Tease
Animimi 8/10/2009 7:04:00 PM
Great eyeshadows, amazing for the price. These are very pigmented and have a nice sheen with a touch of microglitter in strong light. The glitter effect is extremely tiny and well-distributed, so it doesn't come off as chunky or cheap. If you don't wear these tones often, why break the bank with pricier items? This is a beautiful palette of outlandish brights with true pigment that lasts. A wonderful find under $2! These will also be great for people wanting to just experiment with bold colors or makeup artists who want more options on hand. And let's not forget Halloween...these shades could be used for a variety of fun looks for adults or kids.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyes -Pixi - EYE BRIGHT KIT
Animimi 1/18/2009 8:56:00 PM
This little kit really offers a great roundup of eye-brightening products. You get 2 concealers, in pink and yellow tones. I find that the yellow undertone works great on the dark circle areas while the pink brightens and evens out the lid. There is a brightener in a pearl white, that goes great in the corners of the eyes and works well for other highlighting applications too. It adds glow but isn't obvious.Then there's also a highlighter, a shimmery pinkish cream. It adds a nice shimmer that isn't too sparkly or garish. The shades are subtle, but they work together to give you a fresh, awake and flawless eye area, that is amazing as a nude eye look. You get dimension without looking "done." Or use it as the foundation of your regular eye makeup - everything looks better when you start with a clean, moisturized canvas. These creams don't settle into creases or accentuate fine lines. The formula melts into the skin flawlessly and keeps the eye area feeling moisturized, never dry. It looks good enough on my 40-yr-old eyes that I almost never add a powder shadow for daytime now - the bright, clear-eyed look is just too flattering to be tampered with. There are a few cautions: it took me a few tries to get the application right. I use a brush or fingertips, but even with the brush, the warmth of your fingers will blend it on the lid best. Use the product sparingly, or it can crease. A little goes a long way.You can use it underneath eye primer (Primer Potion here). I also find that this formula doesn't set quickly, so feel free to dab it on then blend at your leisure.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Color -Clairol - Radiance Colorgloss translucent deposit only color
Animimi 1/18/2009 8:37:00 PM
I'd give this a 5 if it were true to color! As mentioned, it goes on very dark. For a medium brown tone, I'm using 6N Dark Natural Blonde mixed half and half with the clear gloss. BUT regardless - my hair has never been healthier and shinier, and the color looks great even as it fades. I'm now on my 4th round of color, and it seems that with each application it lasts a bit longer. About every 3-4 weeks I re-apply. I have a lot of grey hair, especially at the temples. The first application didn't seem to do much to help. I followed up with another application 2 weeks later, and since then, it covers the grey beautifully. When the color begins to fade, there's no noticeable growth. Instead, the greys become nice highlights. The color looks natural and so shiny, I couldn't be more pleased. With most of the old damage having been cut away, my hair looks full and healthy every day. I'll never go back to damaging hair dyes.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Styling Tools -Vidal Sassoon - The Hair Poufs
Animimi 1/11/2009 3:16:00 PM
This is a set of 3 great little hair rats with flat clips. They are about 2 inches long, 1/2 inch high and completely wrapped in faux hair. The round top is covered like a small curler would be, wound around. There's also a short little "skirt" of woven hair around the edges, which keeps the wound hair very secure on the rat and covers the ends so that nothing but hair is visible from any angle when in place. You use these to create volume under your natural hair. I've seen the "bumps" or "bumpits" things, but always feared that a brisk wind would reveal a lump of plastic on my head - not acceptable! These poufs, however, are awesome. Even if your hair slips or a bit shows through, it won't look like you've got something odd in there...its just hair! The clip is basically a flat wig clip with extra-long teeth. It is very low profile and secure. I got a set of 3 for $9.99 at Ulta, and I'll definitely be picking up another set. The card has great instructions for use - its actually very easy. Tease a little to give the clip something to grab onto without slipping, put them in and smooth out your own hair over the top. I've never been able to make great volume so easily! I tried this on my slept-on hair, and it looked "done" instantly. You can use them with your hair down, with a scarf or headband, or for volume with a pontytail or bun style - they're practically invisible. All in all, this is a great product that will be a staple for me from now on, and I've tried just about everything. I've done heavy teasing (time-consuming, damaging and falling flat by day's end), used volumizing extensions (expensive and lacking in dramatic lift), and pull-through wiglets (expensive, difficult to match to hair, time-consuming to put on correctly). These little "caterpillars" are the perfect answer. The result looked like a professional blowout, and they never budge in my fine hair. Great product!
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Palettes -BeneFit Cosmetics - Primpcess [DISCONTINUED]
Animimi 1/4/2009 4:04:00 PM
I found this set to be very disappointing for the price. On my eyes it looked like little more than glitter and mud, and I am usually partial to neutrals. The shimmer was too much, yet the colors are pallid and muddied. The concealer was yellow and cakey, the highlighter shiny and obvious. R.S.V.P. was so shiny it almost looks greasy, and highlights fine lines. The powder shadows were good, but not as good as several others I've already got. Maybe on someone with a different skin tone (I'm MAC N4), but for me, this palette created a terrible look, and I can't see myself using any of the items over better items in my inventory. Right back to Sephora it goes.
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Lipstick -Cover Girl - Outlast Lipstain #415 Teasing Blush
Animimi 1/3/2009 4:49:00 AM
This is a beautiful stain that leaves my lips deep matte rose. The shade is classic and elegant and doesn't budge, transfer or leave a dry film on the lips. Its also versatile - you can build the color from subtle to bold, use it under another lipstick to enhance the pigment, or add a gloss to take it from matte to shiny (and unlike many traditional lipsticks, adding gloss won't create a thick glop on your lips). Another nice feature is definition - using no lipliner, I made a perfect outline that lasted all day. With a clear gloss or balm on top, touch-ups are easy without a mirror, and my sharply defined lipline stayed crisp. I strongly prefer only a clear lipliner or none at all, since my pet peeve is lipstick that wears off while the liner remains behind. I see that ring-lipped look often because liners are so much firmer than the glosses and lipsticks we use. With this product, you don't need a liner at all to get that crisp, perfect shape and keep it all day.
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Eyeliner -Wet 'n' Wild - Megachrome Eyeliner #152
Animimi 1/3/2009 4:33:00 AM
This is one of the prettiest eyeliners I've ever owned, on par with higher end cosmetics. 152 is a very deep emerald with micro sparkles and shimmer. It lasted all day (over primer) and kept a nice line with minimal smudging. The "chrominess" is subtle enough for daytime wear, bringing a little light to the eye area without being obviously glittery. A thicker line might show the sparkles more, but with a fine line it comes across as a very sophisticated shade. The color is also deep enough to use like a navy for definition. I used this along the upper lashline with a medium-fine line along with a black gel liner between lashes to make my them look fuller. The result was an emerald-black tone with a light-reflective quality that made my green-blue eyes really pop. I kept the eyeshadows neutral to let this eyeliner carry the look.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No