Powder -Korres - Mineral Powder Foundation
GacktCamui 2/26/2012 3:48:00 PM
Meh. I got this about 2 years ago because of the super natural ingredients and the great reviews on Sephora. I used to be a Bare Escentuals user and thought I'd test out the waters of other mineral foundation. I got this in the second lightest color (Light - Golden Fair) since the color selection is limited. I range anywhere from NC20, NC25, C25 (in the old Studio Fix Powder Foundation) and recently got matched to C3. Korres Light is dark and orange on my skin. I thought it would be more forgiving but it's not. It leaves dark areas around my nose and the sides of the mouth that any amount of blending does not take away. It accentuates dry patches (and I always moisturize before any foundation application). It was $30, rather on the expensive side of mineral foundations. Definitely $30 not well spent.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Organix - Coconut Milk Shampoo
GacktCamui 8/21/2011 6:58:00 PM
Drying! I hated this shampoo despite its luxurious scent. Believe it or not, once I realized how drying this way, I started using it as a CLARIFYING shampoo. Waste of money.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Candy Yum-Yum 
GacktCamui 4/11/2011 2:12:00 AM
Holy shiz it's a neon pink lipstick!!! Somehow I totally did not expect this despite seeing swatches online. Formula, like the other reviewers have stated, is matte, but seems to have a touch of satin.
It makes me so happy catching myself in the mirror with this on. So much fun! The 4th pic is of the color on my lips :)
I think a need a back up of this. Sadly, I think it's sold out everywhere already :(
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -MAC - Mineralize Skinfinish Natural - Light
GacktCamui 2/20/2011 10:52:00 PM
This is a better than average powder/mineral foundation if you already have decent skin. It gave me an almost airbrushed effect because it blended out lighter colored blemishes (this was when my skin was doing better). It did not break me out personally, but it did nothing to control oil. Light matched me well when I was a little paler (closer to NC15).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Of Royalty
GacktCamui 2/20/2011 10:40:00 PM
Ugh, what a mistake. I got it on a recommendation from a MAC SA without trying it on. The color is pretty but the formula makes this lipstick horrendous. This is my first cremesheen and I don't know if they're all like this, but this one applies kind of sheer and glaze-like. The pigmentation seems kind of uneven. I have to apply a couple coats to deposit enough color. But with one coat or five coats, it accentuates every wrinkle and flake in my lips and make my lips look so disgustingly dry! Why oh why!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -Too Faced - Shadow Insurance, Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer
GacktCamui 2/19/2011 2:12:00 AM
I got this because I was curious to compare it to UDPP. It was slightly cheaper than UDPP and the packaging is sooo much better. Definitely find it works just as well as UDPP but it's much easier to get the product out. I'll be sticking with TFSI from now on.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Burt's Bees - Beeswax Lip Balm
GacktCamui 2/19/2011 2:08:00 AM
My friends love this stuff, but I'm not so much a fan. It's very waxy and hard and drags when I apply. And somehow, they still feel chapped.
My favorite lip balms are Fresh's Sugar Lip Treatment and Badger Balm lip balms. They melt onto my lips and really keep them moisturized.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Chanel - Blizzard Glossimer
GacktCamui 2/19/2011 2:02:00 AM
I'm so sad that I don't really like this. Like other reviewers have commented, it comes out super glittery and frosty on my lips. When I looked in the mirror with good lighting, it looked like my lips were covered with tons of silver glitter -- not in a good way. It kind of looked like I was foaming at the mouth a bit. Gross :(
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Estee Lauder - Double Wear
GacktCamui 1/25/2011 10:40:00 PM
I have probably reviewed other foundations in the past and at the time, I might've believed they were my hg foundations, but today, all those claims are now false.
ELDW is my hg foundation. I am extremely oily and acne prone (cystic). At the end of the day, most foundations break up on my skin -- they get splotchy and come right off with a light blot of paper because the oil from my skin practically acts like an oil cleanser and breaks it right up.
ELDW is tough stuff. It controls my oilies like nothing I've seen, not even primers or oil-mattifying powders. Even MAC Blot couldn't control my oilies that well.
I have used many brands of mineral foundation (which I have a hard time parting with because I prefer "natural" make up), MAC SFF, MAC SF, FACE atelier, Chanel Mat Lumiere, Tarte, MUFE Mat Velvet, and some others and ELDW is the only one that looks good from morning to night.
It covers blemishes and dark spots like a dream. Even with ugly red cystic acne and scars, one to two layers takes care of it. I find that I don't even really need to use concealer after.
It's easy to blend out (I prefer fingers -- it never looks as good with a brush). It does dry fairly fast so you gotta work fast. It layers beautifully, and because it dries fast, there's not that much waiting time in between layers. Great for the morning rush.
Yes, it can be mask-like if you already have nice skin. This is a real full coverage foundation and if you don't need full coverage, skip this. If you're oily and you need the coverage, I think you will love this.
I haven't experienced breakouts with this foundation (aside from my normal breakout cycle).
And again, because it's so suited for my oily skin, be sure to moisturize well to minimize any flakies.
I was originally matched to Desert Beige which was fine, but I decided to go slightly darker/warmer for the summer, so I was rematched to Sand. I'm NC20 ish in MAC.
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Urban Decay - 24-7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero
GacktCamui 1/24/2011 1:09:00 AM
It's really really black and because it's so creamy, it applies very smoothly. That's about as far as my love goes. The con of it being so creamy is that the tip wears down really fast. It also smudges on me. I do have particularly oily eyelids. I have to wear UDPP or TFSI under it. But it definitely does not last on my lower lash/waterline either.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Philosophy - Purity Made Simple (Real Purity Cleanser)
GacktCamui 1/24/2011 1:05:00 AM
Mediocre. I bought the travel size and I stopped using it halfway through. It just didn't wow me at all. Maybe because I like the feeling of really clean skin and this just didn't do it for me.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Pro Activ - 3-Step System
GacktCamui 1/24/2011 1:01:00 AM
Just didn't work for me. I'm extremely oily with cystic acne on the sides of my face, chin, and jawline. I tried using this year 2 into this adult onset acne of mine and it just did nothing for me. I gave up and now into year 10 of this plague, I decided to go the homeopathic route and saw an ayurvedic practitioner who described my acne is a manifestation of internal imbalances. I had suspected such for a very long time -- it was always worst under stress and when I wasn't getting the right nutrition. And while ayurveda isn't a miracle, it has come close. So if you suspect that your acne is internal, this probably won't work for you.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Dejavu (Imju) - Fiberwig Lash Knockout
GacktCamui 1/24/2011 12:53:00 AM
I actually got this in a drugstore in Japan, where it is cheaper. Thought I would love it since it's an Asian brand and thus targeted to Asian lashes, but I find it mediocre. It takes many many layers for a lengthening effect. I am Asian, though blessed with longer than average Asian lashes, so I thought the mascara would work better for me. But I just don't have the time to sit around applying layer upon layer.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Mascara
GacktCamui 1/24/2011 12:49:00 AM
On a good day, Diorshow is really great. Will hold a curl, makes my eyelashes thick and long. On a bad day, it's clumpy and makes my lashes point down. I have yet to figure out how it chooses it good and bad days. YSL Faux Cils and Shu Uemura Basic Black are my favorite mascaras. Update 2.26.2012 - Yes I would buy this again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Nailtiques - Formula 2 - Nail Protein
GacktCamui 8/11/2009 1:34:00 AM
For the first time *ever* in my life, I have had people comment positively on my nails. Five people this past week have asked me if my nails were fake. I know some people may not take that as a compliment, but as someone who has NEVER been able to grow out her nails, it was one of the best compliments in my life. I do not bite my nails or subject them to harsh treatment. I just have genetically weak nails that are thin, weak, and brittle. The nails on my index fingers are especially weak - they break every other week, and often in the middle of the nails, not at the tips. Every time they do, an extremely slow and painful healing process ensues. What has been broken is still attached to the skin behind the nail. I am constantly bandaging my index fingers so as not to have the ragged edges where they have broken catch on something and accidentally tear off. For years, I have lived my life like this. Until I discovered Nailtiques Formula 2. Other nail hardeners are no comparison to Formula 2. You apply it everyday for 2 months and you WILL have longer and stronger nails. Your manicures will be amazing. You may even be annoyed that you can no longer type as efficiently as you once did because they are so long. I bought the 0.5 oz off of ebay for $15, including shipping. I've seen it at Pure Beauty for $18 and Bed, Bath, and Beyond for around $15. It's not terribly expensive and well worth the investment if you want your nails to be long and strong. I expect to use this for as long as I can.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No