Lotions/ Creams -Palmers - Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula
AspiringItGirl 6/18/2011 9:18:00 PM
I have used this since i can remember as its a family staple and will continue to use for the rest of my life. Although every now and then i will venture out and buy something new to try, i always go back to this. Being of caribbean descent my skin is a little dryer i guess so this is perfect. Im also pregnant atm and HATE sweet smells but i can tolerate this so its not that bad IMO.
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Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Stipple
AspiringItGirl 6/14/2011 8:11:00 PM
Love this brush! I have extremely oily and blemished skin but hate using heavy coverage foundation, i would rather use liquid medium coverage that i can build up to the desired effect. My YSL Perfect Touch Radiance actually comes with a brush so first of all I sweep a light layer of foundation using the brush included, followed by a layer stippled on with this e.l.f brush. The results are beautiful, and if i feel like i need a bit more coverage i can simply build one more light layer of foundation with the stipple brush without looking cakey; it gives a great airbrushed finish when you first stipple the product then lightly swirl it in, an effect I really cant generate with the YSL brush. I have to say i haven't had the pleasure of using a 187 although i will do one of these days, this e.l.f one is pretty HG for me at the moment (i was previously using e.l.f studio powder brush for my liquid foundation which i grew to hate. IMO just a bog standard brush) I recommend this brush especially if like me, you cant decide between the mac 187 or this one. For the amazing price i really dont think im missing out on much and can always get the mac when i feel like spending extortionate amounts on a few hairs. lol. Seriously i love make up but it can be so annoying when spending £30+ on foundation i have to then buy a brush to apply it with for near enough the same price??
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Liquid -Estee Lauder - Double Wear LIGHT Foundation SPF10
AspiringItGirl 6/5/2011 5:52:00 PM
Well at least I can finally say ive used estee lauder double wear, albeit with awful results. Im so annoyed i caved in and bought this, i usually use Loreal true match liquid foundation in no9 Cocoa, probably the only drugstore brand that suits my complexion. i spend a month researching my next high end purchase, buy it use it, an always end up going back to true match (not amazing but £10 and a good colour match.) Now, EL double wear in the normal formulation would probably give better coverage which is what i need so its my fault i bought the light formulation instead- i did tell the SA i need buildable coverage i can work with rather than outright cakey heavy coverage, and this is what she suggested. The consistency is thin, dry... urgh i cant even explain it. I much prefer building up coverage with all my make up but this is like a losing battle! Does not give any good coverage and has caused breakouts. My skin feels weird and looks patchy after about 3 hours. Do.not.like.
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Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Complexion Brush
AspiringItGirl 6/5/2011 11:04:00 AM
After about a year im ready to buy a new one of these. It has lasted really well, and until now stood up to daily washing and use. Now it has fluff stuck to it that i cant get rid of, probably bc i have nowhere great to store it... but for the price- brilliant for applying loose or pressed powder after foundation.
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Cleansers -LUSH - Dark Angels
AspiringItGirl 4/9/2011 5:40:00 PM
Really like the scrubby texture of this, smell is kinda strong but with all other lush stuff you get used to it (and kinda start to love the strange scent). My skin doesnt feel extra dry once ive rinsed this off. I use this nightly at the moment but as im also using Angel on Bare Faces also by lush in the morning (which is a much milder exfoliator) idk if my skin can take anymore scrubbing. Dont get me wrong this is a fantastic scrub great for ridding my skin of yucky oils and makes me look a lot brighter. Mess doesnt bother me as i use it in the shower, but the packaging defo does. Just because my hands are wet when i take what i need from the pot, thus getting the rest of the product in the tub a bit wet too, i fear that may be speeding up the expiry date lol. I am going to limit using this to just 3/4 times a week at night because i really dont think i should be exfoliating my VERY oily but acneic and sensitive skin quite so much, will update in a couple weeks most prob. TIP: Massage into skin for as long as is comfortable then leave it on for min. 5 mins before rinsing off. I swear it keeps my skin matte for longer.
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Toners -LUSH - Tea Tree Water
AspiringItGirl 4/9/2011 5:00:00 PM
I dont know what to think! One one hand it is a good toner and does what its meant to. On the other hand the smell of tea tree is very faint so i feel like i am literally just spraying water on my face, so for this price it does seem a bit unworthy. Another con is the spray bottle which is great for refreshment throughout the day, but i really like to apply my toner with cotton balls after cleansing. When i spray onto the cotton ball its like i have to spray about 10 times to get a decent amount.. not good value for money but a good toner i agree. EDIT: I repurchased this and now realise what a waste of money this is. I even added a few drops of pure tea tree oil to make it more effective! Really, just make your own or try elsewhere.
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Cleansers -LUSH - Angels on Bare Skin
AspiringItGirl 4/9/2011 4:46:00 PM
After reading reviews on here i can finally put a word to what i smell when i open the tub- "earthy" lol.. it is a really strange and i would say acquired smell so i can see why some would hate it. When you open the tub for the first time it is overwhelming and a bit odd, but ive grown to love it. Anyway my skin is very oily and spot prone, atm i am pregnant but NOT blooming and radiant, more of a greasy spotty mess (seriously wilting). I bought AOBS as my 1st ever lush purchase bc my skins so sensitive and even more so now, what harm can natural products such as this do. I began using twice daily although was scared it would ruin my skin and spread acne but the condition of my skin when i rinse this off is well, pretty lush! It exfoliates mildly so hasnt excarberated anything, i cant really comment on it preventing breakouts as pregnancy hormones are making me break out pretty much everyday... however i have noticed a kind of clarity and improvement in texture; my pores are defo smaller. Hard to explain but it makes my skin so soft and really moisturised without that oily residue. I am using the tea tree toner and enzymion moisturiser from lush also. OH, i removed a lippie bc of the packaging, the recycling idea is really cool but i use this in the shower which means i cant avoid getting the product in the tub wet. (Best way to apply this in the shower is to add a little water and form a paste BEFORE applying to your face so it doesnt crumble causing you to waste product) UPDATE: no matter how mild, i really cant be exfoliating my face everyday so i just used once a week when my skin felt patchy, its nice but its not great. Ive now finished the tub and wont be repurchasing ill stick to Dark Angels (nb if you have normal skin this would probably be perfect!) x
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Cleansers -Elemis - Tri-Enzyme Facial Wash
AspiringItGirl 9/2/2010 5:14:00 PM
This product, im sure is great for many people with my skin type (oily, acne prone, acne scarred.. however i must be the small minority who somehow manages to be allergic to one of the ingredients in this cleanser. Even though the bottles says its hypoallergenic. Anyway i started off using just at night for one week and started noticing my skin purging after the first few days, fair enough, it happens. THEN after my second week of use i increased usage to morning and night which is when my breakout became absolutely unbearable; i had developed a weird little rash on my cheek (it looked like someone had rubbed stinging nettles on my cheek), huge cysts on my chin and LOTS of pimples along my jawline. I was so upset i didnt turn up for work that week. I understand im part of a very small minority so i would say give this a try if you're still curious, it just didnt work for me. Thank god i took pictures of my horrible reaction so i got the refund at John Lewis.
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Mascara -Yves Saint Laurent - Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils
AspiringItGirl 5/3/2010 3:07:00 PM
I love this and for now it is my HG mascara. Whats great is the kinda wet texture lets you build up from a daytime to evening look but you MUST be careful not to over apply or allow to much product on the brush to begin with- this causes clumping, the only downside. but if applied correctly, this will lengthen lashes to the point where i was asked constantly which fake lashes i use lol! Seriousy it is excellent, i cant help but think those who didnt like it are just not applying their mascara with patience or using the right technique. Sorry for being blunt but i cant fault this at all and its not like foundation where everyones skin is different, it should work for everyone! This is a great staple i really recommend it! Smells nice too and fab packaging. x **EDIT** This mascara dries out like crazy after just a couple of weeks! A bit of a rip off to be honest... HG status removed. *sigh* 2 lippies off for the poor brush quality.
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Lipstick -MAC - Lustre in Fresh Brew
AspiringItGirl 5/3/2010 2:31:00 PM
Not a HG nude lipstick for me just yet. Colour: lovely, a true nude considering all my others are pink based, however the comments others have made about it looking grey/taupe are correct. the good thing is if you finish with a brozed face and dark eyes, it looks beautiful. Otherwise i mix with a more pinky nude to stop me from looking washed out (im a nc45) Consistency: considering how pale this shade is you would defo need the Lustre finish anyway. If it were matte you would defo look dead! But because of this the lippy does tend to slide off easily im not suprised tho. All in all, a good nude shade if your willing to go all the way. Will not repurchase.
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Foundations -Bare Escentuals - Warm Tan
AspiringItGirl 3/26/2010 10:15:00 PM
I have never used any sort of mineral make up before but had been meaning to for a long time. I have very oily active skin and large pores in the t-zone area. I went to the BE counter in Selfridges london and the assistant was really lovely, she first tried a lighter shade I can't remember the name but I looked awfully ashen. The thing is I am kind of a *light* caramel, but the places I need coverage on tend to be darker. So she used the primer beforehand and I have to say about 6 hrs later I have not needed to blot ONCE, and she didn't even use a finishing powder. I have a few pimples at the moment but really just wanted a medium coverage to hide the acne scarring I have. My face looks smooth and as close to flawless as it could get I'm not expecting miracles lol. A lot of people have said there's a kind of dewiness, well I like it- its sorta a healthy look as opposed to a congested shine if you get what I mean! I really can't believe that every time I check myself I don't have to blot, I keep looking in the mirror lol! **UPDATE** Ok so after using almost everyday for a week, without primer but with my trusty pressed powder; for some reason it blends well but then seperates after a few hours. Im pretty sure its the brush i am using because the MUA at the counter made me look amazing. Will update AGAIN when i find the perfect brush then it might be HG status!
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Liquid -Rimmel - Stay Matte Foundation
AspiringItGirl 10/5/2009 7:41:00 PM
Did not leave a matte finish at all, it felt like i had a greasy film on my face all day which left me very self conscious. Didnt use it long enough to know if it made me break out because i gave it away to my sister. I think she threw it away. Very disappointed with this.
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Liquid -MAC - Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15
AspiringItGirl 10/5/2009 7:35:00 PM
I dont even know where to start. *sigh* I think i was duped into buying this by the MA at the MAC counter, either that i or was temporarily colour blind! The shade seemed to match my skin tone in the store and i am also wary of that because we all know store lighting can be... misleading. I suppose the shade was the right colour but i cant see anybody looking remotely human in NC45... I certainly didnt. I know that some people have warm skin tones and some people have cooler, but this made me look GREY...! I was so thoroughly disappointed but stupidly continued to use it by mixing it with a darker shade id bought previously and never used... BAD IDEA. I have never broken out so badly, i mean i dont even need make up to break me out- that happens anyway! It just sits on top of the skin and made me look ill. Even if they found the absolute perfect shade for my skin i would not be buying this again, the formulation is awful and many friends of mine with different skin types have said this also.
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Liquid -NARS - Oilfree foundation
AspiringItGirl 10/5/2009 4:01:00 PM
:( This is my first bad review on MUA im really sad to have to do this. I really wanted to like this, really... the shade matched my skin tone okay, maybe a little bit orange but thats understandable because it was winter (although im of caribbean descent i tend to go very pale in winter, so a foundation that works for me in summer may be too dark in winter, lol). Anywho after about two weeks, i had a work christmas party to attend and to my utter horror i developed a HUGE rash all over my face, which in addition to my acne, was extremely depressing. Not only was it bumpy and red, it was very itchy and irritating, my face was peeling...just horrible. This is like a stark contrast compared to most of the other decent reviews, so i was kinda shocked because i do not have sensitive skin! I would defo not repurchase or recommend this, but it seems like im an exception... i cant really understand why i reacted so badly to this foundation.
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Liquid -Prescriptives - Oil Free Foundation
AspiringItGirl 10/5/2009 3:47:00 PM
I have extremely oily skin as well as acne prone, so have to be reeeally careful with liquid foundations because i dont like the chalky effect of powder/mineral foundations and havent yet found any that suit my caribbean skin tone (which really isnt that dark at all to be honest. The price tag may be a lil on the high end (about £30 in Selfridges) but i really dont mind spending this amount if im happy with the result. Gave good coverage, didnt have to use too much which i hate doing with my oily skin- but it covered up the marks well. Remember girls, foundation is supposed to provide an even base so if you have marks/pigmentation like me, dont expect a miracle! You still need cover up to really give a flawless look. I did need to use my loose powder throughout the day, definitely not as often as i usually have to- maybe every 3-4 hours instead of every 1-2 hrs so my make-up doesnt fall off (oh the joys of having oily skin) but on the whole, a great foundation. Im so glad they got my shade right as so many times i go into high end stores where all the assisstants try to sell me make-up that's CLEARLY meant for olive skin when im clearly not olive skinned, its really sad that many high end cosmetic companies still cant cater for darker skins. That being said, i WOULD buy this again and recommend anyone with combo/oily skin to do so.... BECAUSE WORD ON THE GRAPEVINE IS THAT PRESCRIPTIVES IS BEING DISCONTINUED??? Im gonna stock up on a couple before the line is discontinued next year.
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