Sunscreen -Clarins - UV Plus HP Day Screen High Protection SPF 40
AntiqueGlitter 6/19/2013 2:52:00 PM
Clarins is a brand I usually wouldn't go near. My impression is that it's an expensive French old-people skincare brand. *shrug* But while I was skincare/makeup shopping with my mom at Nordstrom, she went to the Clarins counter for a tinted moisturizer. The associate suggested this and my mom asked me if I wanted if I wanted one too. I was ready to decline until she added "On me." I figured, "Why not?" since I've been looking for a good TM/sheer foundation anyway, so she got it for us. Yesterday I test-drove it. I put a little on the back of my hand. The formula was runny, but easy to apply with my fingers. It applied smoothly without that greasy feeling and a little went a long way. To my surprise, its coverage is amazing for what it is (a supposedly "sheer" tinted sunscreen). The coverage is the better side of medium coverage--not quite medium-to-full. It feels weightless and looks FLAWLESS and VERY natural, which is great because sometimes, products sacrifice natural-looking-ness for coverage. Not for this product! The SPF 40 is also great. I'm not a sunscreen user because 1. I HATE the feeling of sunscreen; 2. I'm too lazy to apply it; 3. Those premature aging aspects don't scare me, even though I know they're true; and 4. I need to tan. But I know that I really should use sunscreen for the sake of not getting wrinkles only at age 19. So I like how this product kind of forces me to wear sunscreen, since it's already embedded in it. On the other hand, it did get a little oily after 4-5ish hours so I touched up with MAC Blot Powder and all was good for the rest of the day. Today I wore it with Benefit The POREfessional and Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray--so far, so good. I have this in Medium and Dark. I'm NC35 and Medium is a little too light so I mix Medium with one drop of Dark, and that works great! It costs $42 for 1.7 fl. oz. of product, but it's totally worth it. Would I repurchase? Yes.
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Eye Shadow -Urban Decay - Moondust Eyeshadow in Zodiac
AntiqueGlitter 6/12/2013 5:09:00 PM
When I saw Urban Decay's new Moondust Eyeshadow launch, this was the only shade that caught my eye. Zodiac is an AMAZING and unique eyeshadow--it's my current favorite! The shade is a black base with so much blue, aqua, and green glitter that I think it could be a duochrome. But of course, these words don't do Zodiac justice. You need to see and swatch it yourself--it's unbelievably beautiful! The formula, like all UD eyeshadows, is fantastic. It's very soft and buttery and a dream to apply. Love it! The pigmentation is pretty good on itself, but to make the shimmer all KAPOW and in-your-face, you need to apply it wet. That way, the glitter is more prominent and true-to-pan. Better yet, apply it wet on top of a black cream eyeshadow (I use MAC Paint Pot in Blackground) to intensify Zodiac's black base and thus make it stand out even more! Another reason to use a cream base: there's fall-out. You probably saw that coming, with the sht load of glitter and all, but you definitely need some kind of adhesive base to get it to stay on your eyes. Even then, there's still minimal fall-out, but the shade is so beautiful that I don't even mind cleaning it up. It's pretty pricey at $20 each, but it's what basically every UD eye product costs, so the price isn't surprising. Would I repurchase? Yes.
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Lipstick -MAC - Retro Matte - Ruby Woo
AntiqueGlitter 6/10/2013 5:27:00 PM
Ruby Woo is a true bright red shade with a strong blue base, making my teeth look whiter and flattering every skin tone. It has a vanilla scent like all MAC lipsticks do and fantastic pigmentation. Its finish is what MAC calls a Retro Matte finish. From what I can tell this is a very matte finish. The formula is kinda waxy and dry, which is kind of to be expected from such a matte lipstick, but because it's dry, it will cling to dry areas. It's not drying, but it's not moisturizing either, so if you have dry lips, you may want to wear a lip balm underneath. (This was why I rated this a 4 instead of a 5.) But by wearing lip balm underneath, you're reducing its wear time. Worn alone, the wear time is insane! I applied it yesterday at 11 AM and went home at 1 AM this morning to find that it still looked perfect! My lips were drier than usual and it did fade a little, but I was still in awe that it had lasted through 14 fcking hours--with eating, drinking, and partying involved! WTF, right?! Not to mention that it only costs $15! It's hard not to wear this everyday, but I don't want the matte red lips look to get old, so I gotta switch it up everyday and give my other bright lippies some love too haha! Would I repurchase? Yes!
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Liquid -Yves Saint Laurent - Teint Touche Eclat Foundation
AntiqueGlitter 4/14/2013 7:40:00 PM
I absolutely love YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat. It's perfect! I initially hesitated purchasing it because it seems sheer, but fortunately, its coverage is on the heavier side of light-to-medium, which is just enough to even my complexion, blur imperfections, and lighten spots. This is the presented level of coverage with my Sigma F82 brush, which is a dense, fluffy, round brush. With my Beauty Blender sponge, I get straight-up light-to-medium coverage. It has a thin, but by no means watery, consistency that's somewhat like a liquid-gel hybrid. It blends seamlessly and is easy to work with. The finish is absolutely beautiful. It's like the perfect MSBB (my skin but better) foundation! It's not drying at all (rather moisturizing, even) and it has a luminous finish--not as shiny as a dewy finish, but also not as matte as a satin finish. It looks natural, healthy, youthful, and fresh. For those of you who own the Touche Eclat pen, this foundation is pretty much almost exactly like its older concealer sister. The only thing that's keeping me from rating this a perfect 5 is its longevity. It only lasts for about 4 hours on my normal/combination skin before I have to touch up with a powder, but it doesn't fade or wear away at all, nor does it cling to dry patches. I imagine it'd be a nightmare for those with oily skin, though. There are 15 shades available that are categorized into three different undertones: Beige Rose (cool pink undertones), Beige (neutral beige undertones), and Beige Dore (warm golden undertones). I'm personally NC35 with slight golden/olive undertones. BD 40 is too light. I think it'd cater better towards NC25. BD 50 is just about right. BD 60 was too dark (NC45ish, maybe?). Please note that the shades do deepen a bit when they set/dry, but also keep in mind that since this is a sheerer foundation, it's more forgiving in terms of shade matches. It's best if you see the shades for yourself. It shouldn't be hard, considering the glass bottle allows you to see exactly what shade is inside. The pump dispenser is very convenient too. The entire packaging in general, actually, like all YSL products, is gorgeous. It does cost $55 for only 1 fl. oz. of product (I only need 1 pump per use), so it's pricey, but worth it. Would I repurchase? Yes.
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BB Cream -Revlon - Photoready BB Cream SPF 30
AntiqueGlitter 4/12/2013 10:47:00 PM
This is nothing more than a thick tinted moisturizer (well, all American BB creams are tinted moisturizers with "BB cream" slapped onto the label), which isn't a bad thing, but the problem is that it's not even a very good tinted moisturizer. Upon squeezing it out of the tube, I notice that it smells a lot like sunscreen, and that it's a bit thicker than most tinted moisturizers. It's not a cream, by any means, but since I prefer thick liquids, I do like its consistency. It's easy to apply and blend with your fingers. It has a satin finish. The coverage is about light-to-medium, so it doesn't have great coverage, but then again, these types of products typically don't have good coverage, so I didn't lower the rating because of this. I did, however, lower the rating because of its longevity. Not only does it not set itself, but it transfers too easily. For that reason, I recommend users set it with a translucent powder, especially those with oily skin because you'll probably look oily by the end of the day. Unfortunately, for those with tanned or dark skin, it only comes in three shades: Light, Light/Medium, and Medium. The shades do run a tad dark, but Medium is the best match for my NC35 skintone, but it pulls too neutral (I have slight yellow/olive undertones). When I wear it, it's obvious that I'm wearing makeup because my neck is evidently much more olive (read: green) than my face. Go figure. I think if you have normal, dry, or combination/dry skin without many blemishes to cover and can find a good shade match, this would definitely be a good product for you. It costs around $8, give or take some cents, for 1 fl. oz. of product. Note that 1 fl. oz. is NOT a lot of product, so this is actually rather pricey for a drugstore item. With daily use, you're not going to get more than a couple months' worth of use. Would I repurchase? No.
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Masks -Queen Helene - Mint Julep Masque
AntiqueGlitter 4/12/2013 7:55:00 PM
I rarely use this product because I'm too lazy to use it. But everytime I do use it, I wonder why I don't use it more often, because it's that fantastic! All I do is tie my hair back, cleanse my face with my facial cleanser then dry my face completely. Then I apply this all over my face, avoiding the eye areas. There's a somewhat minty feeling when applied. The tube says it takes 15 minutes to dry, but it really takes anywhere from 10-20 minutes depending how much product you apply. When it dries, it dries to a lighter shade of green and is powdery to the touch. Your facial muscles also feel much more restricted, but you can still talk and smile and such. After it's dried completely, I just wash it off with lukewarm or warm water and pat my face dry. The results are amazing each time: soft, glowing skin! This is the only product I've ever used that can make my skin look like it's bright and glowing yet at the same time make my skin feel like how it felt like when I was a toddler. I'm only 19, so I don't have aging skin, but this mask just made my skin look and feel that much more soft and glowing. Also it seems to have removed/shrunken some of my tiny pimples (I have persistent minor acne), but for some reason, it only does that sometimes. The product is somewhat difficult to get out of the squeeze tube because the product is extremely thick, but it's not like I have to wrestle it out. Nonetheless, this is an absolutely fantastic mask that I will find myself repurchasing for years and years to come. After all, for less than $4 for 8 whole ounces (227 grams) of product, you seriously can't go wrong. Would I repurchase? Yes!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Revlon - Colorburst - Killer Watt
AntiqueGlitter 4/12/2013 5:36:00 PM
I'm not a lipgloss person by any means, but I saw this at the limited edition collection stands in my local Rite Aid and I just had to have it. There was also Orange Glow and Atomic Pink as a part of the limited edition collection, but Killer Watt's warm-toned bright, almost neon, hot pink color totally caught my eye. It has no shimmer. It's not a completely unique color as there are many lipsticks that are like it (MAC Impassioned, Party Parrot, and Make Up For Ever 37, just to name a few), but it is unique to the drugstore makeup world, which is why I bought it in the first place: to find a drugstore alternative. Although the shade is spot-on, the pigmentation is lacking. For a line called "Colorburst" that's also known for its good color pay-off, I wasn't impressed. The pigmentation is probably medium at best on my medium-pigmented lips. Worn alone, it imparts a nice pop of color that would be great for a hint of pink, but I'm not one of the color-shy and I was really hoping for that neon in-your-face pink that the color in the tube shows. So I tried layering this over my Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart, and that [somewhat] did the trick. I had to layer on probably 6 or 7 layers of Killer Watt for it to have that neon effect, but the end result was indeed fantastic. The formula is also great. It is thick, but it's also not sticky at all and is not only not drying, but it's probably also the only lipgloss I've ever tried that felt moisturizing. It retails for $7. Would I repurchase? Not this particular shade, no, but I'd like to try other shades (especially Papaya).
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Eye Shadow -Too Faced - Boudoir Eyes
AntiqueGlitter 4/12/2013 3:14:00 PM
This is great inexpensive palette that will allow you to easily create day-to-night looks in a snap. The shades are organized into rows categorized as "Day," "Classic," and "Fashion." The shades in the larger pans are meant to be lid shades, though you can use these however you want. There are 9 shades in total, 1 of which is matte, 2 of which are satin, 4 of which are shimmery, and 1 of which are glittery. Below, I listed the shades with a description, pigmentation level, and personal notes, when applicable. I marked my favorites with an asterisk (*). From left to right, up to down: -In the Buff: Matte bright creamy white (good pigmentation) -Fuzzy Handcuffs*: Satin peachy beige (good pigmentation) (nearly matte, but microshimmer is evident) -Voulez-Vous: Shimmery eggplant-brown (excellent pigmentation) -Satin Sheets: Shimmery light pink with gold shift (decent pigmentation) (only the gold shows up) -Sugar Walls: Shimmery champagne with mauve undertones and micro-glitter (good pigmentation) -Garter Belt: Satin medium cool-toned taupe (good pigmentation) -Birthday Suit*: Shimmery warm light brown (good pigmentation) (has a sheen) -Lap Dance: Frosted oyster with slight purple (excellent pigmentation) -French Tickler*: Matte blackened brown with gold glitter (excellent pigmentation) For the most part, the formula is good, but not the best. They are soft and smooth, but they're a bit powdery and not buttery. I'm not liking the inconsistent pigmentation either. Nonetheless, they're definitely doable and easy to work with and I haven't experienced much fall-out or creasing. Then again, I wore these over Urban Decay Primer Potion, so I'm not sure how they wear primer-less. This palette is housed in a sturdy travel-friendly tin case. I don't like the case design, but that's just a matter of personal opinion. (Packaging designs are what have stopped me from purchasing Too Faced products in the first place--this is the first Too Faced product I've tried.) It retails for $36, which is a great value. You do get a reasonable amount of product considering the small pans have 0.18 oz. of product and the large pans have 0.21 oz. of product, according to the back of the palette. The overall size of the palette is a lot larger than my iPhone. Would I repurchase? No.
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Mascara -MAC - False Lashes
AntiqueGlitter 4/5/2013 6:31:00 PM
This will not make you look like you're wearing false lashes. In fact, there is NO mascara that will, but this mascara isn't even close. For my black short, straight, somewhat thick eyelashes, this mascara really doesn't do much except clump. Sure, it gives a fraction of a millimeter of extra length, and it does give that "Extreme Black" color that it promises and a bit of "volume" too (some mistaken clumping for "volume"), but that's nothing I can't get from one of my crappy mascaras. This mascara probably won't be any good unless you already have naturally long, curled, and full lashes and use an eyelash comb. On the bright side, this isn't a particularly horrible mascara, and I haven't noticed any clumping, smudging, flaking, or irritation. For that reason, I'm going to spare it that extra lipstick (rating). I'm accustomed to high-end prices, but its $20 price tag doesn't justify its poor performance. Would I repurchase? No.
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Eyeliner -Urban Decay - 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Sabbath
AntiqueGlitter 3/30/2013 3:22:00 PM
Sabbath is a brand new shade that Urban Decay has recently launched along with a host of other new shades as of March 2013. Sabbath is a matte navy blue, which seems very bland and boring, however I find that it settles into a lovely satin finish with a sheen. It can be mistaken as black though but looks nice and contrasts against my dark brown eyes. It also looks great smoked out for a nice smokey eye! It has excellent pigmentation. I receive full color pay-off with one swipe. Not to mention that the longevity is great! It lasts all day! The formula is smooth and creamy. In heat, it may get a little soft, so if it's too soft, then just put it in the freezer for a while and then it should be fine to use again. It retails for $19. Would I repurchase? Yes.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Urban Decay - 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Freak
AntiqueGlitter 3/30/2013 3:08:00 PM
Freak is a brand new shade that Urban Decay has recently launched along with a host other new shades as of March 2013. Freak is a shimmery pastel green with bright green shimmer. This is a very unique, interesting shade. This is the only reason why I purchased this, as I'm not exactly sure how wearable it is. I'm still debating how to wear this. So far I've tried it as a cream eyeshadow all over the lid with black winged liquid eyeliner, which looks nice, but I feel that I can get so much more creative with Freak. The downside is that the pigmentation isn't great--it has decent pigmentation, at best. It is somewhat buildable, but I'm the impatient type that prefers full color pay-off in one swipe. On the bright side, the formula, like all the other 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils, is smooth and creamy. It glides over your lash line and waterline. It retails for $19. Would I repurchase? Yes.
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Eyeliner -Urban Decay - 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in LSD
AntiqueGlitter 3/30/2013 2:57:00 PM
LSD was previously an exclusive to the Urban Decay Ocho Loco set, but now is available for purchase individually along with a host of other new shades that Urban Decay has launched as of March 2013. LSD is a navy blue with bright blue glitter. It's a beautiful shade, but it's also rather unique too--I don't think you can find anything else like this! I like to wear it on the waterline for a pop of color, but if I'm feeling daring, I'll wear it on the waterline and upper lash line with black mascara and tightlining. It makes my dark brown eyes pop! Its formula is very smooth and creamy and glides over your lash line and waterline. But the pigmentation is somewhat lacking. With one swipe, I receive decent pigmentation. Although it's definitely buildable, I prefer full color pay-off in one pass. Because of this lack of pigmentation, it wears off rather quickly. I find that I need to reapply (especially if it's on the waterline) at least once throughout the day. It doesn't smudge or transfer, though. It retails for $19. Would I repurchase? Yes.
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Eyeliner -Urban Decay - 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Junkie
AntiqueGlitter 3/30/2013 1:15:00 PM
Junkie was previously exclusive to the Urban Decay Ocho Loco and Electric eyeliner sets but now is available for purchase individually along with a host of other new shades that Urban Decay has launched as of March 2013. Junkie is a blue teal with green shimmer and gold sparkle. It's a beautiful and very unique shade. MAC Undercurrent is similar but it's not as bright as Junkie. It's nicely pigmented as you can get nearly full color with a single swipe. I personally like to wear it on the waterline and/or lower lash line with black eyeliner on the upper lash line, black mascara, and matte neutral eyeshadow. If I'm feeling daring I'll wear it on the upper lash line and waterline with black tightlining, black mascara, and neutral matte eyeshadow. Gorgeous! Makes my dark brown eyes stand out! The formula is smooth and creamy. It glides on and it stays put all day without smudging, fading, or transferring. It retails for $19. Would I repurchase? Yes.
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Palettes -LORAC - PRO Palette
AntiqueGlitter 3/29/2013 9:30:00 PM
The LORAC PRO Palette is a versatile mostly neutral palette. It contains 16 shades, 8 of which are matte (top row), and 8 of which are shimmery (bottom row). It also comes with a travel-sized Behind the Scenes Primer. The shades are as following, from left to right, top to bottom: White: Matte white Cream: Matte ivory with pink undertones Taupe: Matte neutral medium brown Lt. Pink: Matte light pink Mauve: Matte medium taupe with pink undertones Sable: Matte warm chocolate brown Espresso: Matte dark chocolate brown Black: Matte black Nude: Shimmery light champagne Champagne: Shimmery light champagne with pinker undertones than Nude Gold: Shimmery gold Lt. Bronze: Shimmery medium graham cracker brown Pewter: Shimmery warm taupe Garnet: Shimmery warm brown with red undertones Deep Purple: Shimmery blackened eggplant Slate: Shimmery dark gray with blue undertones With good pigmentation and no fall-out or creasing, the quality and formula of these eyeshadows are excellent, but the shades are underwhelming and nothing spectacular. I understand that neutrals will be neutrals, but neutral doesn't always equal boring. I think LORAC could've done much better with the shade selection. But because this is my opinion and it doesn't effect the quality of the palette itself, I'm not going to lower the rating for this particular aspect. The Behind the Scenes Primer is good. It definintely does the job--and it does it well, at that--but I still prefer my Urban Decay Primer Potion. PRO is housed in a typical palette with a mirror. It's very travel-friendly and not fragile at all. Retailing at $42, it's a good deal. Unfortunately, because I'm so unimpressed with the shades, I'm not going to be touching this palette very often (I might swap it away), but I recommend it if you think you'll use at least most of these shades frequently as the price is very reasonable. Would I repurchase? No.
7 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Sephora - Disney Collection Jasmine Storylook Palette
AntiqueGlitter 3/29/2013 8:14:00 PM
This palette includes 15 eyeshadows, 1 blush, and 1 bronzer. Below, I listed all the shades with their shade description, pigmentation level, and personal notes, when applicable. I marked my favorites with an asterisk. From left to right, up to down: Blue Oasis*: Matte seafoam blue (sheer pigmentation) (Illamasqua Anja is very similar) Trust Me: Frosted warm pink (good pigmentation) Abu: Frosted neutral brown (excellent pigmentation) (MAC Tempting is lighter; MAC Bronze is more orange) Ali Ababwa: Matte ivory (good pigmentation) (MAC Vanilla is lighter; MAC Brule is less yellow; UD Foxy is similar) Sultana: Frosted pink champagne (excellent pigmentation) (UD Sin is very similar) Friend Like Me: Frosted medium blue with silver shimmer (good pigmentation) Master*: Frosted eggplant (good pigmentation) Cosmic: Shimmery peach copper (excellent pigmentation) (UD Penny Lane is very similar; UD Chopper has more glitter; UD Moonflower is darker) Cave of Wonders: Satin warm yellow (good pigmentation) Sand in the Glass: Frosted warm light beige (excellent pigmentation) Lapis: Satin medium blue (decent pigmentation) Mystical Wonder: Frosted periwinkle blue (good pigmentation) Rajah: Satin orange (excellent pigmentation) Arabian Sunset: Coral with gold shimmer (decent pigmentation) Bazaar: Satin warm medium brown (good pigmentation) Thrilling Chase: Satin warm mauve (excellent pigmentation) Golden Sands: Frosted golden brown (excellent pigmentation) I'm somewhat underwhelmed by the shades. It's not because they're bad or uncoordinated, but because I don't think they reflect Jasmine very well, as I feel that all that Sephora did was stick in colors of items in the movie--not very original! Additionally, the pigmentation, as noted above, can be improved. A good primer or base can resolve this problem, but if you're too impatient to build eyeshadow like I am, this may not be the palette for you. On the bright side, the packaging is lovely. This palette is housed in a pink satin box inside a black box (outer box) which you can pull out with the pink tassel on the side. Considering this beautiful packaging and its array of eyeshadows (and blush and bronzer), its price of $55 is reasonable. I think it's worth considering if you think you'll wear at least some of the shades frequently. Or, if you're like me, you can also purchase it as a collector's item (or if you're a die-hard Jasmine or Aladdin fan). Otherwise, you can probably pass. There are other palettes with better formulas within the same price range on the market. Would I repurchase? No. (On another note, I'm psyched for the other Disney Storylook palette releases, especially Ariel! I've heard rumors of a Belle and Snow White palette too, and I've also heard that Ariel is to be the next palette release! I hope the rumors are true!)
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