Lip Gloss -Ellis Faas - Glazed Lips 303
BlackCat13 9/27/2011 2:09:00 AM
This is my second Ellis Faas lip purchase. I too was reluctant to purchase this because I thought it would just be another gloss, and like other Ellis Faas products, it really is quite pricy. However, it's not a gloss--it has the advantage of moisturizing like a well-formulated gloss, but it has more pigment, better staying power, and it truly isn't sticky. It also doesn't migrate into my lines, even without lipliner. While the pigment doesn't stay on as long as I'd like, it fades evenly and beautifully into a MLBB rose color. And keeps moisturizing and moisturizing and moisturizing. Worth the $$ IMHO.
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Mascara -Paula's Choice - Great Big Lashes
BlackCat13 5/23/2011 12:33:00 AM
I tend to have lots of problems with mascara flaking and smudging on me throughout the day--oily lids, I guess--but this one stays put. I like that it does a good job both volumizing and lengthening. And it comes off relatively easily with cleanswer.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -Jason Natural Cosmetics - 6 in 1 Citrus Scrubble
BlackCat13 3/21/2011 9:25:00 PM
I love this stuff for gently exfoliating my face in the shower. I have very sensitive skin with rosacea, and it has just enough exfoliation power without irritating. I've never used it as a mask, and reading the other comments here, I'm glad I didn't!
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Fragrances -Les Parfums de Rosine - Une Folie de Roses
BlackCat13 2/19/2011 7:00:00 PM
This has a lot of personality (in a good way). Nice sharp, spicy rose with green overtones and quite a bit of patchouli. For those who are put off by the sharpness, dabbing, rather than spraying, softens this.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Complete Salon Manicure - Shell We Dance
BlackCat13 1/17/2011 1:57:00 AM
I love the color--sheer pale pink--and the convenience of (technically) not needing a base coat and top coat. I also love the width of the brush, which makes for easy application. I do recommend three coats (the label mentions two), but I do that for other sheer pinks as well. I took one lippie off for the minor cons: 1) I didn't find lasting power to be great without adding a top coat (I now use one, for longevity and shine). It's still nice not to need a base coat. 2) It is slower drying, which I remedied by applying olive oil after about 5 minutes.
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Fragrances -Coty - Kate Moss Velvet Hour
BlackCat13 10/16/2010 3:38:00 PM
First of all, I got this at a discounter store for $12. So it's hard to beat that bargain. I think I'd pull a lippie if I paid anywhere near full price for this. That being said, this is a nice fragrance, far better than I would have expected. I'm not crazy about the top notes on me: it's a bit sweet and fruity for me on the top notes--it may be the freesia--and I get a laundry-type musk note which is not my favorite. But moving into the middle and base notes, it's a very pleasant, woody/incensey blend with a bit of spice. It reminds me a bit of Donna Karan's Black Cashmere, albeit a less complex, more mainstream version. It would be nice for fall and winter. So if you can find this discounted, it's worth a try!
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Liquid -Elizabeth Arden - Flawless Finish Bare Perfection Makeup SPF 8
BlackCat13 9/7/2010 3:56:00 AM
I was searching a long time for a foundation for an upcoming reunion that would offer good coverage and nice radiance, that wouldn't settle into fine lines, and that didn't have a ton of silicone (which makes my skin itch and break out). This one is an absolute winner on me. It brings luminosity without looking sparkly, evens my skin tone, and minimizes shadows. I apply over moisturizer and blend quickly. It doesn't settle in my lines if I blend well over them. I think this would do very well on women in their 30s and up with combination skin. I'd definitely road test it first--there's not a great selection of shades (I use Vanilla Shell).
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Sonoma Scent Studio - Tabac Aurea
BlackCat13 1/5/2010 10:59:00 PM
Update: one of the few fragrances I've ever been spontaneously complimented on! Review: A beautifully crafted pipe tobacco-prominent scent. There are other notes (leather, cloves, cedar etc.), but they are in a supporting role. I like how this is less sweet than other pipe tobacco frags like TF Tobacco Vanille (attack of the Cherry!) and Ambre Narguile. Not to mention much more affordable.
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Liquid -NARS - Sheer Glow Foundation 
BlackCat13 12/17/2009 1:58:00 AM
When I put this on, I noticed that it had really nice buildable, blendable coverage and felt sheer going on. Sadly, I also noticed how it went right to the dry patches on my skin (I'm combination) and made them tighter and much more obviously flaky. Yikes! I think the culprit is all that silicone. It's pretty hard to find liquid foundation without it these days. Also, it was oddly matte, although my friend noticed more of a "glow" in direct light, so it may have light reflecting particles. This may be worth a try for younger, oilier skin.
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Lip Gloss -NYX - Goddess of the night Burgundy
BlackCat13 11/16/2009 1:01:00 AM
I bought this at the same time I bought GotN in Garnet. Unlike a previous reviewer, I actually like Garnet the best on me--that one is a five lippie in my book! Both are good quality--they don't run, which is fabulous, and they are highly pigmented. I feel like the two names should be switched: Garnet is a darker, non-shimmery plummy/wine color, whereas Burgundy is more gem-like in its redness.
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Shampoo -Batiste - Dry Shampoo
BlackCat13 10/14/2009 4:42:00 AM
Overall, this is the best dry shampoo I've tried thus far. I have dark, long, fine (but thick--lots of it) hair: the ends are dry, but my bangs and part get limp after a day, so dry shampoo has been a nice discovery. Klorane lasted a bit longer on my hair and had a more subtle fragrance, but it also left more grey behind, and it's more than twice the price of Batiste. As for others I've tried, it was impossible to apply enough Jonathan Green Rootine, and either the powder or the brush made my scalp itch. The Pssst can leaked. The fragrance in Batiste original is somewhat strong but relatively neutral and disappears quickly. It does a decent job with volume and an excellent job of taking the greasies out of my bangs and around my part. So far, I've had no problems whatsoever with the can. And the price is right at Sally's Beauty Supply.
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Fragrances -MAC - africanimal
BlackCat13 8/31/2009 1:30:00 AM
Reading some of the comments reminded me of how skin chemistry can be so different. On me, this is one sexy fragrance that's all about a true-to-life, rich, dark honey. It startsoff with a slightly spiced honey, then the spices recede and the honey gets even richer. Base notes include wood, musk, and--yep, you guessed it--honey. Decent projection and sillage. My only complaint is that I wish it lasted longer, but I get a good 6 hours of it, so no lippie deduction for me. My second favorite honey ever (my first? the drydown on Delrae Amoureuse), and a steal ($25) given the quality.
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Lipstick -Edward Bess - Ultra Slick Lipstick
BlackCat13 7/2/2009 10:00:00 PM
Another update: love the newer additions in cooler colors. I now own three, including Night Romance (medium pink on my relatively unpigmented lips) and Forever Yours (close to Tender Love but slightly more mauve/purple). Next up will be Tender Love. And EB is now available on the West Coast at NM in Beverly Hills. Review: I'm generally a drugstore girl on makeup and rarely buy a lipstick that costs more than $10. However, while on a Bergdorf's fragrance shopping trip with some friends, several mentioned how much they loved Edward Bess' lipsticks. After meeting Edward himself (he's adorable), I decided to pony up for Ultra Slick Lipstick in Midnight Bloom. And you know what? It's totally worth it. The texture feels and looks beautiful. Moreover, I can apply it without a lipliner--it doesn't bleed, which is pretty rare for something that feels so moist. Applying it very lightly, it almost looks like a stain. More heavily, and it's a luscious, retro-red color on my lips. Fair brunettes especially should consider trying Midnight Bloom. Finally, although I usually hate fragrance in makeup and am pretty picky about fragrance in general, EB's lipstick has a very pleasant (and light) scent. Nicely done, Edward! Update: I ordered Deep Lust online and although it again is high quality, it's a bit too brown for my tastes and my cool-undertoned skin. I think his current collection tends to be on the warm side, so I'm hoping he'll expand into more cool tones soon.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Yves Rocher - Rose Absolue
BlackCat13 5/25/2009 4:10:00 PM
This is, quite simply, a lovely and uplifting fragrance. It's a gourmand-ish rose, without ever heading into cloyingly sweet or fruity territory on me. I'm not a fan of girly roses; this is a bit deeper, with some cinnamon, a hint of apple, and a bit of stemmy green. While I debated giving it four lippies because it's not the most sophisticated or complex rose in my collection (which includes Montale Black Aoud, Czech & Speake Dark Rose, and Serge Lutens Sa Majesté La Rose), I ultimately gave it five lippies, because it's the one I reach for most often. Not all rose lovers may love it, but they should try it, in case this fabulous bargain (wait for it on sale) works for them.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Lesnez - Manoumalia
BlackCat13 4/22/2009 11:39:00 PM
I tried this in a sample and am contemplating buying a full bottle. This definitely isn't the usual tropical floral, and anyone expecting Monyette or the like may well be put off. (That's not to say that anything is wrong with Monyette or its fans, just that Manoumalia is a different treatment of the tropical floral theme.) I didn't detect a ton of dirt, but it is there, along with very realistic-smelling (to me) florals. It has incredible depth and roundedness and does not veer at all into the cloying, sweet territory that some tropicals do on me. Definitely worth a try if you want something unusual and beautiful.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No