Cleansers -Philosophy - Purity Made Simple (Real Purity Cleanser)
ChaseSpearing 2/25/2013 10:20:00 AM
This cleanser is quite nice! It is what it says on the bottle, simple. I bought myself a Clarisonic in December and decided it would be best to grab a really basic cleanser to go along with it, nothing that would strip my skin or make my sensitive skin more irritated. Twenty bucks for an 8oz. bottle isn't exactly cheap but I figured I would be paying for quality! First off, I really like the way this smells! It's very natural smelling, like herbs and such. I don't like when my cleansers smell super-chemically and gross so I enjoy the scent of this product quite a bit! With my Clarisonic it foams up really well and rinses clean, without any gross residue left behind. It doesn't make my skin feel tight or stripped of all moisture, just clean. This is a really basic cleanser that I think most anyone could use. It is pricey for something that is going to be washed down the drain but you are paying for quality! (and the brand name being printed on the bottle ;)
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Misc Beauty Tools -Clarisonic - Mia
ChaseSpearing 2/25/2013 10:12:00 AM
When I first started hearing about the Clarisonic products I was VERY skeptical. A sonic toothbrush for my face, really? I had also heard about the "purging" phase and that absolutely terrified me. But I ended up getting a gift card for Christmas so I went and bought myself a charcoal colored one from Sephora (which you can only get online) Mine is the "base" model so it just comes with the Clarisonic, the brush (normal, already attached, no extra heads), and the charger. It cost me $119 which again, seemed like a lot for something I didn't think was going to work. I didn't want to throw my skin into using this all at once and cause my skin to freak out as it often does when new products are introduced to my skincare routine. So I used it for about a month just at night with my Philosophy Purity Made Simple cleanser. The first things I noticed were, for one, that my skin felt VERY soft and smooth. I was gently exfoliating every morning before owning this and it just didn't feel the same. I also noticed how CLEAN my face felt, without feeling tight or stripped of moisture. Since mine is the Mia, and not the Mia 2, it does not buzz to prompt you from section to section on your face, but it still stops after 60 seconds. I just estimate 20 seconds on my forehead, 20 seconds on my nose and chin, and 10 seconds on each cheek. After about a month (when I was out of my normal morning cleanser) I began using this both morning and night. I noticed some new breakouts around my forehead and temples when I started using it morning and night, but they seemed to heal quickly and were far less deep than the ones I was used to. It is now almost March and I have noticed over time my skin has improved quite a bit. The texture of my skin feels smoother and healthier and the dark marks are slowly fading. However, IT HAS NOT CURED MY BREAKOUT-PRONE SKIN AND I DO NOT THINK IT EVER WILL. This product is meant to deep cleanse the skin, so makeup, dirt, oils, etc. are not allowing to sit on the skin and cause problems. This is helping to lessen the amount that I do breakout, but I still continue to around my happy fun time. THIS PRODUCT WILL NOT MAGICALLY CURE YOUR ACNE OVER NIGHT. IT TAKES TIME AND PATIENCE TO SEE RESULTS. Overall I am very happy with my Clarisonic and do suggest you purchase one if you have exhausted all other options. But I would suggest buying it somewhere like Sephora or Nordstrom since their return policies are very good.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -LUSH - Imperialis
ChaseSpearing 2/13/2013 11:04:00 PM
I first started using LUSH products in the summer of 2012 and used pretty much every face product they had. I was originally using Vanishing Cream but it was not moisturizing enough and seemed to make my skin feel very clogged. Since that summer I have parred down the number of products I use on my face EXPONENTIALLY. This is one of my standouts. MY SKIN: I am a fairly pale gal in the winter, tanner in the summer. I am normal to combo, so I am more dry in the winter and a bit oilier in the summer. My skin is also quite sensitive and reacts to products it doesn't agree with by breaking out mostly along my forehead in a very rash-like fashion. I also break out from stress and that time of the month, or if I eat crappy food. INITIAL IMPRESSION: After using Vanishing Cream for several months this seemed both thicker and thinner than Vanishing Cream. That seems really weird but it does! It was thicker in that the actual texture of the product is more creamy, less liquidy. But VC also started feeling very heavy on my poor skin and clogging it up. This did not give me this feeling at all and absorbed quite easily. I also quite enjoy the smell, very natural and orange-y. RESULTS: So far, so good. This does not seem to aggravate my face and keeps my drier winter skin happy and hydrated without making my makeup melt off. We shall see how it fairs this coming summer. The only real issue I have with this product is that LUSH claims that they are such a natural and organic brand and yet most of their products are based in parabens or some other out-dated chemical. As much as this ticks me off I will continue to purchase this as it is working for me and I support that LUSH does not test their products on animals and give back to those they buy their ingredients from.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Paint Pot in Dangerous Cuvee (Cham-Pale Coll.)
ChaseSpearing 2/8/2013 9:49:00 PM
This PP and a few others have been re-released for the Pro-Longwear PPs which the SA at the MAC counter where I purchased it said they would become permanent. I am SO happy about this because this paint pot has become one of my favorite everyday shadows. I have green eyes that always have that extra wow power when combined with purpley-grey colors. So naturally I bought this shadow. (I also own Satin Taupe and Shale, both in the same purple/grey shade range) I saw Temptalia review this and she said it looked very patchy on her lids, so I was a little scared it would be a bust. I am so happy it wasn't. Compared to a drier PP like Soft Ochre (which I also own) this seemed VERY slippery and I wondered if it would stay on my super oily lids throughout the day. I haven't worn i for longer than about 4 hours and so far have seen no creasing, but I do also apply a shadow over top for some extra stick. Very happy with this and am definitely glad I trusted the "BUY THIS RIGHT NOW YOU NEED IT" part of myself xD
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Powder -Make Up For Ever - Pro Finish Multi-Use Powder Foundation
ChaseSpearing 2/4/2013 9:12:00 PM
I have used bareminerals for the past several years and have gotten so tired of its lack of coverage (I almost always have mild breakouts across my forehead and temples,which it never really covered) and it being a total mess. Enter MUFE. I usually just walk by their section at Sephora, but an SA at my local Sphora used this on me and I was SHOCKED. She used a relatively dense brush and brushed it all over my face, I looked in the mirror and saw a good solid medium coverage. As I always do, I scampered outside to make sure it wasn't sparkly, chalky, etc. The shade matched my pretty much perfectly and didn't look too terribly chalky or flat. A bit of UD's all-nighter made it look pretty much perfect. I am around an NW20 in the winter and maybe an NC22 in the summer. I never change my foundation shades throughout the year, I just add bronzer ;) I have this powder in the shade GOLDEN IVORY (117) This powder also works great to bump up the coverage of any foundation I am wearing. I especially love it over my Dr. Jart Black Label BB cream which can be a little too glowy and runs a bit pink. This takes down the shine w/o being too matte and balances the tones of my face. Really loving this and highly suggest it. It is $36 USD but powders last me FOREVER.
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Lipstick -Too Faced - Le Creme in Divine Wine
ChaseSpearing 1/18/2013 11:27:00 PM
I absolutely love a dark lipstick in the winter time, but I don't like it looking dry and matte. I do not like a matte finish to my lips, I want them to look plump and healthy! I first heard about these from The Muse (musingsofamuse.com) and after hearing her rave about them I had to try! This is a prefect bordeaux color; very dark purpley red without being TOO purple! I really don't like when lip products are too purple, makes me look dead! The finish is amazing! Really moisturizing and definitely leaves behind a nice stain and a comfortable moisturized feel. You definitely do not need a lip balm under this as it is so moisturizing, but it can bleed a bit around the edges but that's nothing a lip liner can't fix! The product is held in a very simple gold tube (nice soft gold, not gaudy or shiny at all). It also has some weight to it which makes it feel very luxurious! I may need to grab more of these soon as I enjoy this one so much!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain - Honey
ChaseSpearing 1/18/2013 11:18:00 PM
I managed to snatch up Honey right when these products first came out and this has become one of my stand out neutral/everyday/MLBB lip products. The shade itself is a dusty medium-pinkish color which is very simialer to my natural lip color, just more enhanced! Think Tarte Exposed blush in lip balm form. Upon VERY close inspection it seems to have very, very tiny flecks of pink shimmer that do not translate on the lips at all. The Revlon Balm Stains have an interesting finish, it isn't quite matte but if worn without a balm underneath it can start to settle into lines a bit. But if properly prepped they have a very nice semi glossy finish that looks very natural. It also does stain and the color sticks around for a while after the balm itself has worn off, this may be more prominent in the darker shades. You can get these anywhere Revlon is sold for around 6 or 7 dollars, sometimes less! There is a good variety of shades, but Honey is my favorite :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Fanfare Cremesheen
ChaseSpearing 1/14/2013 12:39:00 AM
I love this lipstick. Absolutely freaking love it. MAC describes it as a "mid-toned yellow pink" And that is pretty much what it is xD but maybe with a teeny bit of a coral kick to it This is my perfect MLBB ("my lips but better") shade that is very Audrey Hepburn circa Breakfast at Tiffany's. It is a MAC lipstick so it is on the pricier side at $15 a tube but that isn't bad since one tube will last me probably one to two years since I don't wear the same lipstick EVERY single day. BUT if you really need a drugstore alternative Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in "Pink in the Afternoon" is very simialer as well as NYX's "Tea Rose"
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -LUSH - Enchanted Eye Cream
ChaseSpearing 1/9/2013 1:31:00 AM
I'm 18 so I really don't need to worry about fine lines or wrinkles around my eyes but I do have really dry skin around my eyes. Especially in the winter the skin around my eyes, particularly in the inner corner and under my eyes gets very cracked and flakey so concealer ends up looking AWFUL. I bought this at a recent trip to LUSH on a whim, I just needed an eye cream bad and figured this would probably do the job. It is around 25 dollars which is definitely pricey but I have seen worse at Sephora. It moisturizes really well, I noticed a difference within a day. Not sure what it does for fine lines or anything as I'm young enough to not have to worry about it at the moment :)
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Eye Shadow -Bare Escentuals - Well Rested
ChaseSpearing 1/8/2013 9:00:00 PM
I was pleasantly surprised by this product! At first I thought, there is no way a POWDER is going to make me look more rested. Let me start by saying this WILL NOT make you look like you have had your beauty sleep if you were out partying all night! BUT it will make you look less like a hungover zombie xD I start with eyecream (dry eyes urg) then some eye primer to keep everything in place throughout the day, and whatever amount of concealer I need (big fan of both the Maybelline lumi touch concealer and bare minerals correcting concealer). Then using my MAC 217 I lightly dust this wherever I put concealer. This instantly sets my cream concealers and make it look more even. It also brightens more than you would think. I think I like this so much because there is NO FRIGGIN SPARKLES IN IT. Sparkles do not equal brightening! It only makes people wonder why you have sparkly undereyes YUCK.
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Cleansers -Sephora - Cleansing Water
ChaseSpearing 12/31/2012 3:58:00 PM
This is one of maybe 3 of my absolute favorite skincare products. I used cleansing wipes for probably 2 years to take off my makeup at night and they worked okay but they just didn't seem to be all that effective and they never really got EVERYTHING off. Then I switched the the Sonia Kashuk makeup remover. It broke me out horridly. It's one of those two part removers that has oil in it which my face DID NOT like. I was buying something at Sephora a couple months back and they had little baby sizes of this cleansing water so I decided to pick it up, if it didn't work I would only be set back like 6 bucks. I was wearing a TON of makeup that day and I wasn't expecting it to work. BOY WAS I WRONG. My super long wear foundation, waterproof mascara, and dark eyeshadow came off SUPER easily and with minimal pulling. I buy the big jugs that are like 20 bucks that come with a standard pump and soak a cotton pad for each eye and two for my face if I'm wearing a lot of makeup. If it's a lighter makeup day for me one pad for both eyes and one for my face works perfect. This stuff also smells AMAZING, kinda rosey? It also doesn't leave a sticky feeling to my face so I don't have to worry about it clogging my pores if I just go to bed afterwards. LOVE THIS STUFF.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Eucerin - Aquaphor Healing Ointment
ChaseSpearing 12/11/2012 9:36:00 PM
I don't think I'm brave enough to put something that has the first ingredient listed as mineral oil but this stuff works WONDERS on a fresh tattoo! I put this on morning and night after gently cleansing the freshly inked area in a thin layer. Unlike vaseline, which only sit on the surface, Aquaphor sinks into the skin which prevents scabbing and scarring. It also makes it heal SO much faster! Wonderful post-tattoo product and also great for dry heels!(thank you ballet shoes >_<) I wouldnt put this anywhere near my tempermental skin, if a product has any kind of non-natural oil in it, it flips out. But for now, a great healing agent!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Lancome - Teint Miracle
ChaseSpearing 12/8/2012 1:01:00 AM
I think I can now confidently say that this has become my holy grail foundation. I have been wearing this for around 3 months (which is very unusual for me, usually I find a foundation doesn't work for me within a week) and at first I really didn't like it but with some tweaking this has become my perfect foundation. In the morning I cleanse, tone, and moisturize as normal then apply a primer. I was using the Hourglass Veil primer at first but that just wasn't working, so I switched to the Sephora silicone free primer which works the same for a quarter of the price. I let my primer settle for a couple minutes then apply this foundation. I think the key to making this foundation REALLY shine is a good foundation brush. For thinner foundations you don't want a super dense brush or else it will just soak up all the product! I use my ELF powder brush to apply this and it just glides on and blends BEAUTIFULLY into my very uneven skin. Then I let the foundation settle for a few minutes, just like the primer. I usually do all my eye makeup and then come back to my skin. When this sets it sets to a WONDERFUL natural satin/dewy finish on my skin. But having combo skin I was worried it would slide off, so I used my UD De-Slick (which is FABULOUS btw) to keep everything locked into place. I decided not to powder just because I didn't want to take away from the beautiful finish. Fast forward to the end of my hectic day at work and I look in the mirror and I am SHOCKED. My skin looks WONDERFUL. It has rubbed off a bit near my jaw but I was wearing a scarf so that isn't the foundation's fault. But everywhere else my skin still looks flawless with a bit of glow, without looking greasy or overly "makeup-y" I think that is what I love most about this foundation, it just looks like skin. People didn't say anything about my makeup the whole day, they only praised my skin. And being an acne prone teenager, that is a nice feeling. I also love the design of the bottle, very timeless and classy. The pump is also the best I have ever used, completely controllable and never messy. GAH thank you Lancome for making this wonderful foundation. UPDATE: This foundation is nice but something in it just did not work for my skin. It probably has something to do with an alcohol being the second ingredient. The L'Oreal True Match LUMI is also almost exactly the same for a quarter of the price. L'Oreal also owns Lancome so it's no surprise they are simialer foundations.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -LORAC - Natural Performance Foundation
ChaseSpearing 12/2/2012 2:00:00 AM
I got a very generous sample of this from one of my favorite SAs at Sephora after telling her a lot of foundations I try break me out horribly. I've got combo/oily skin that gets oiliest in a triangle under my eyes. I also tend to break out pretty easily from foundations if they have less-than-natural ingredients. This foundation is really nice because it does have a lot of those good ingredients that are good for your skin. She told me this had a natural skin finish, liked to be applied with fingers, and would look like crap when first applied but would settle down to a very natural and solid medium coverage. So the next day (today) I tried it out! I used my fingers to really blend this into my skin and it did give me a good solid medium coverage! I am currently dealing with some healing acne that is quite red and this definitely took down the redness a lot but did not FULLY cover everything, which I am fine with. And it did look like crap when first applied. It looked very dry and ashy, which is very unusual for my more oily skin type. But I took the SAs word to heart and wore it for the rest of the day at work. I came home and was not impressed. It had REALLY stuck to all of my dry patches where acne was healing and looked very patchy on my cheeks and jawline. I also looked very ashy and flat. YUCKY. This foundation is not quite my cup of tea, but I could see someone with super oily skin who wants a more matte look enjoying this.
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Liquid -NARS - Sheer Glow Foundation 
ChaseSpearing 11/5/2012 12:05:00 PM
I do not like this foundation. The name makes you think it will be natural looking and glowy! NOPE. The foundation itself is very liquidy and easy to blend, but also causes quite a bit of waste because the foundation does not have a pump. For $44 USD you should really get a pump. The cap it comes with is also bulky and just like ALL NARS packaging, every speck of makeup or dust sticks to the surface. It comes off easily with a makeup wipe, but it's still irritating. Like I said, it does spread very easily. But this foundation does not like brushes, it doesn't matter what type I used it ended up looking streaky and cakey. This works best, for me, with something like a Beauty Blender. (But I am convinced that little sponge can make any foundation look much better.) This foundation sets relatively and you would think with a name like "sheer glow" it would set to a glowy, or at least satin finish. It does not. It goes completely matte. For the first few days of using it I thought someone had switched the bottles and I had gotten Sheer Matte instead. It does set to a matte finish, but it does not stay that way. Even with my NARS Pro Prime, within 4 hours this foundation started clinging to the dry patches between my eyebrows and collecting around my nose and chin in a very greasy fashion. Not cute. I figured with my drier winter skin this would last much longer but it just didn't. This product is so raved about everywhere and I was SO excited when I finally got the chance to buy it. I was so disappointed in this, I'm glad it works for other people but it just isn't for me. Sad day.
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