Liquid -Estee Lauder - Maximum Coverage Foundation
Charlin 4/26/2013 3:35:00 AM
I always have this in my kit as it is the best foundation I have found for covering most imperfections. I have acne scars and redness and this erases them and looks fairly natural as long as I don't put too much on. I literally squeeze out a tiny dot of this on the back of my hand and I apply with either a foundation brush or concealer brush depending on how large an area I want to cover. If I use this as a concealer I don't have to use foundation as well. For those of you who have scars to cover, it will cover small scars and thread veins, but if you have a very large raised and shiny scar, the formula won't quite cling to it. I have a keloid on my chest and this will cover it somewhat but will disappear after a couple of hours. My only niggle is that the range of colours isn't good, a bit too pink in tone. Since I use so little it doesn't really show but I wouldn't want to plaster this on. This is a lot better than Double Wear for durability and coverage. The other bonus is this lasts forever if you use the amount I do!
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Eyeliner -Too Faced - Perfect Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner
Charlin 4/26/2013 3:23:00 AM
This was so expensive! I hoped for more but this smudges so badly I look like a raccoon. However, it goes on very smoothly and I love how black it is; the smudger on the top is also very effective. I don't understand how people say this doesn't budge, it's just like plain kohl liner which goes all over the place. If you have a problem with migrating liner, this one won't be the answer! Save your money.
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Treatments -Acne.org - Treatment 
Charlin 10/3/2012 4:18:00 PM
I suffered from acne for over 20 years and this was the product that cleared it! I used it according to the website instructions for two months and I got horrible red itchy skin, but I stuck with it and my skin started to clear up. It stayed dry for quite a while so I gradually reduced how much I used. Now, I use it once a day at night and only one squirt. My skin is glowing and healthy looking now. I only get one spot every couple of months now, it's incredible! I have had clear skin for almost a year now and will definitely buy this again, even although it costs a fortune to ship to the uk. My only gripe is that the fumes sting my eyes for about 10 minutes after application, but it's a small price to pay for the best skin I've ever had. I only use the treatment; my cleanser and moisturiser come from Liz Earle. Together they work amazingly well, I'm a very happy bunny. I must email Dan, the acne.org guy to thank him!
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Eyeliner -Lancome - Artliner
Charlin 5/27/2012 5:59:00 PM
Thank you all so much for your reviews! I bought this after reading them. This liquid eyeliner is the best one I've ever used, def HG for me. The colour is really black and not shiny, it goes on really smoothly, lasts all day (and I have oily lids), doesn't flake, is easy to apply and comes off quickly with normal eye makeup remover. It has a weird thin spongy applicator but it works well. It's expensive but worth it in my opinion. Love it so much! My hubby was commenting on how lovely my eyes looked.
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Eyeliner -Laura Mercier - Tightline Cake Eye Liner in Black Ebony
Charlin 5/23/2012 2:31:00 PM
A lovely rich black colour and fun to use. You apply with a damp brush- I got the Laura Mercier tightlining brush and it does a good job, looks great, BUT, it smudges in seconds. The slightest bit of moisture and it's panda eyes time. Would definitely not recommend this if you are prone to smudges. Really gutted as it looks great when you first put it on. I threw mine out.
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Skincare - Face -Liz Earle - Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish
Charlin 3/13/2012 1:24:00 PM
I love this so much, my skin has really improved in the last few months. For a few days I tried using other products and broke out instantly. If I use this twice a day with the cloth my skin is glowing and healthy again. I no longer suffer from acne. I use this in conjunction with benzoyl peroxide from the acne.org range, the Liz Earle toner and jojoba oil. I've never looked better and I'm convinced this cleanser has made all the difference. It is lovely and creamy and smells like eucalyptus. I smooth on a blob and wash it off with a muslin. If I have a lot of makeup on I need to use the toner as well as it won't get everything off. I still need a separate eye makeup remover but I don't mind. The price is not bad, about £23 I think for a large 200ml tube which lasts about 2 months. Even if it was twice as much I would probably buy it as I don't think I could do without it now! If you order directly from them you get mini sizes as free samples too. I'm so happy I tried this!
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Lipstick -Revlon - Matte Lipstick - Nude Attitude
Charlin 12/13/2011 5:42:00 PM
This is a very pale cool nude and didn't suit me at all. It totally drained my face of colour, looked pasty, thick and unflattering. The texture isn't nice and highlights lines (and I'm not even wrinkly!). It might look ok underneath a warm coloured lip gloss I guess. Overall, a bad buy and it wasn't even that cheap in the UK.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Clarisonic - Pro Skincare Brush
Charlin 12/6/2011 3:25:00 PM
Sorry to put a downer on this product but I'm afraid it didn't do me any good at all. I bought it for Christmas last year as my skin was breaking out a lot and I hoped it would be the magical product as described in the reviews. I thought it would be okay as you get a trial period but after the time was up I didn't think I had used it enough to know whether it was good, so I kept it. I wish I had returned it now! After using it for several months I found that it irritated my skin even more. I always cleansed my makeup off before using it as I didn't want to push makeup into my pores and I followed the instructions carefully. It does get rid of every last bit of makeup and I would recommend it as an occasional deep cleanser, but found it too harsh for regular use. I also tried it with the other brushes in the range but it didn't make any difference. A very expensive mistake!!! The only thing that has worked for my break outs is the acne.org regimen, if spots are your problem I would try that first, it's much cheaper!
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Pressed Powders -E.L.F. - Complexion Perfection
Charlin 10/14/2011 3:34:00 PM
Wow! I have tried SO many powders, Laura Mercier, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Shiseido and many others including pharmacy brands and they have all been ok but nothing special. I was so shocked to see how good this was. It mattifies and perfects my skin, covering pores, discolourations, red spider veins and oily patches. It doesn't 'grab' onto dry areas either. I apply with ELF's Studio Line Powder brush (the flat topped black one) and it looks fantastic. I don't know how it works with other brushes though. My skin is flawless and fresh looking and best of all, it doesn't break me out in spots unlike most other brands. I hope they never stop making this one! The other benefit is that it's dirt cheap!
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Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Powder Brush
Charlin 10/14/2011 3:23:00 PM
This brush is fantastic! I have tried several brushes from ELF but they have all been a bit, well, 'meh' and not worth having, but this one is lovely. The bristles are very densely packed, super soft and luxurious. I can't wait to use this brush with the complexion perfection powder to set my makeup. I have only used this with translucent powder, not blusher or bronzer so I can't comment on how good it is for them. It seems well made so it should last for years, if it ever breaks I will repurchase straight away. For the price (£3.50 in UK) you can't go wrong! Better than my NARS kabuki.
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Cleansers -LUSH - Dark Angels
Charlin 5/31/2011 9:22:00 AM
I used this about 5 times and the more I used it the blacker my face became! I looked like a victorian chimney sweep! We're talking about big black smudges that are hard to wash off. The texture is very grainy, like rubbing sand on your face so it does scrub well, but I definitely won't buy this again for the mess on my skin/sink/shower.
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Liquid -Estee Lauder - Double Wear
Charlin 5/8/2011 5:41:00 PM
I have really oily skin and break out easily as well so I need a foundation that covers blemishes and scars and doesn't melt and go shiny after a couple of hours. I read the reviews and watched the videos on youtube and was so excited to buy this. The SA found the right colour for me (2N1 Desert Beige 12) and I checked it in the daylight to be sure before I bought it. The bottle is good quality with a screw top lid. I don't mind this-I just pour a little onto the back of my hand and use a foundation brush to apply. The first time I applied it I thought 'wow! great colour and a matt texture'. When I say matt it really is SUPER matt. If you apply it all over your face it looks mask-like, even if you use a light hand. For this reason you must apply bronzer/blusher to bring some life back to your skin. However, despite being heavy looking, it doesn't provide the coverage I need for marks and blemishes. They still show through and require extra cover so that's disappointing. Still, I don't mind having to use concealer if the rest of my makeup looks good....does it? Within half an hour of applying it for the first time I had to blow my nose, and I expected there to be no foundation on the tissue but there was a lot. In the mirror I could see that it had wiped off under my nose. Another hour later I was putting my daughter in the car seat and her light pink jacket gently brushed my face. There was a smear of foundation! A few hours later, my face looked goopy and greasy and the makeup was sliding off. To top it all off I got about 4 new spots! I've used it for a few days now just in case there was some other reason why the above all happened but the effect is still the same. I really wish Ultima II hadn't discontinued their line as their foundation was the best and I don't know if I'd ever find anything as good as that again! This one is definitely not HG although I really wanted it to be. I am going to buy MAC's prep and prime spf 50 so I will try it with that to see if it makes a difference. Sadly I can't recommend this and I don't know why other people find it so smudgeproof. It's obviously not designed for my skin type.
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Tinted Moisturizer -Nivea - Visage Young Be Beautiful Tinted Moisturiser
Charlin 5/5/2011 9:37:00 AM
The worst tinted moisturiser ever! The colour was dull and had a greyish tone. It didn't even out my skin and worst of all, it kept balling up and coming off my skin. It was very patchy and ugly. Nivea, what were you thinking?! Don't waste your money.
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Mascara -Estee Lauder - Double Wear Zero Smudge Lengthening Mascara
Charlin 4/23/2011 7:45:00 AM
This is the only mascara that I've ever tried which really doesn't smudge! It is also very black and dramatic and volumises well. I have given it 4 stars because it is clumpy and makes my lashes splay out in all directions. I always comb through afterwards but it's still a bit untidy. Otherwise, I will continue to use it just for the staying power. Edited 7 months later: I've upgraded to 5 stars. After using it for a month it stopped clumping and went on much more easily. If you wipe the brush before use when it is new it will go on neatly.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Full 'N Soft Mascara Waterproof
Charlin 4/23/2011 7:36:00 AM
This goes on smoothly and looks natural and pretty without clumps. However, this smudges really badly and makes me look like a panda, even if I powder well under my eyes. Really disappointed.
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