Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Embryolisse
HunterGray 3/1/2013 10:29:00 PM
A lovely MUAer sent me a sample of this, and when I got close to using it up, I knew I would miss it enough to repurchase it. My skin absolutely loves this stuff. It works well under makeup, but it's also moisturizing enough to use as a night cream. I layer it over my retinol cream at night, and it leaves my skin feeling soft and incredibly hydrated each morning. My skin is dehydrated and flaky, but also oily. This doesn't break down my makeup, or make me prematurely shiny during the day. It actually seems to balance my skin out nicely. I haven't had any issues with breakouts or clogged pores from this. It has a very light powdery scent to it, but I don't notice it at all once it's on my face. As for packaging, I love the tube. It's hygienic, and easy to roll the tube up as you go to get every last drop out of it. I'll definitely be repurchasing when I run out.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Hard Candy - Glamoflauge Concealer
HunterGray 1/10/2013 10:12:00 AM
Something about this concealer will just not let it work with my skin. No matter how little I use, it looks cakey and obvious and gets really gross looking after a few hours. Under the eyes it's a nightmare. The color ultra light is a great match, but the consistency of this product doesn't work for me at all. I do like the pencil it comes with for post acne marks, so it does have one redeeming quality for me.
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Liquid -MAC - Face and Body Foundation
HunterGray 1/10/2013 1:06:00 AM
I absolutely adore this foundation. It's one of the few that I've tried that really sinks into the skin instead of sitting on top. My skin is dehydrated, and just drinks this in. I prefer to buff this in with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush. I apply one layer all over my face, then build up a couple more over the center of my face where most of my redness is. There is no caking whatsoever. The coverage of this foundation is light, but can be built up to about a medium coverage. It'll even out your skin tone but do not expect it to cover blemishes, freckles, etc. personally I love it for that. My real skin shows through. It looks like me, but better. Wear time is pretty great too. If I don't set it, my tzone gets really shiny at about the 6 hour mark. I can powder it and it'll look great for 10+ hours though. I love the packaging, it's practical and hygienic. I have the newer smaller size, but I still think it's a great deal when you look at price per ounce. The only reason I don't use this every day is because sometimes I can't be bothered to build up the layers where I need it, then conceal what's still showing through. A lot of days I'd just rather slap on something more full coverage and be done with it. I always regret it when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror though. After wearing a foundation that just disappears into the skin, it's very hard to like the way others look on you. Important: This is a water based foundation! So be sure if you wear a primer, it's water and not silicone based, or you'll get a weird patchy application that slips right off.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Tarte - Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed Tarte Blush
HunterGray 1/9/2013 11:55:00 PM
This is a great nude blush. Not too pink, not too brown. It's an easy way to bring some color back to your face after foundation, or to lightly sculpt the face. It can be a little ruddy if over applied though.
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Blush -Jordana - Coral Sandy Beach
HunterGray 1/9/2013 11:30:00 PM
As my collection has grown, I have branched out a lot into the world of higher end products. Having that experience makes it all the more impressive when I find a budget-friendly product that can compete. The texture and pigment of this blush is so far above what you'd expect for $2.49. It's not powdery in the slightest, and there is very minimal mess/fallout. The shimmer in it is subtle, definitely not glittery. The color is a gorgeous peach that has satisfied my need for a color like that so much that I haven't bought another color in that family since.
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Blush -NARS - Exhibit A
HunterGray 1/9/2013 11:16:00 PM
This blush interested me for a long time, and I'm SO glad I finally have it in my collection. For anyone frightened of the color in the pan, don't be! It's such a gorgeous, healthy, naturally flushed color on the cheeks. If properly applied that is. It can also be sunburnt if you go overboard. I apply it with a duo fiber stippling brush, or a fan brush to pick up as little product as possible. I touch the brush to the back of my hand to remove any excess, and sweep the color on my cheeks. This one pan will last me a lifetime considering how pigmented it is, but assuming I could ever use it up, yes I would repurchase in a heartbeat.
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Moisturizers -MAC - Strobe Cream
HunterGray 1/9/2013 11:11:00 PM
One of my favorite secret weapons. When my skin is looking less than luminous, I can apply this under my foundation, mix it in with my foundation, and/or pat it on top of my foundation depending on the "oomph" my skin needs. It hasn't broken me out, and the amount of product you get is refreshingly impressive. I think the scent it nice.
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Eye Shadow -NARS - Kalahari Duo
HunterGray 1/9/2013 11:02:00 PM
I want to love these eyeshadows, but I just can't help feeling that for the price, the quality doesn't meet my expectations. The colors are really beautiful, but a lot more sheer than I expected, although with a little work they can be built up. I wouldn't repurchase this particular duo.
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Mascara -Clinique - High Impact Mascara
HunterGray 1/9/2013 10:58:00 PM
This mascara was a wet, unimpressive mess on my lashes. It did make them look better than they do on their own, but not much. One thing I did really like about it was how black it was. I guess I should have known better, wet formulas don't agree with my lashes. They're pretty long, so it just weighs them down and/or gets all over the place.
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Liquid -Bourjois - Healthy Mix Foundation
HunterGray 1/9/2013 10:49:00 PM
The smell this foundation has is lovely, and the color I got was a great match for me. I'm just not impressed enough by this to repurchase, especially with how tricky it is to get my hands on in the US. I will definitely use it up though. One thing I dislike about this foundation is the lasting power. I have dehydrated skin with a semi-oily tzone, and I can't even get this past the 4 hour mark without breaking down and looking cakey. Maybe it's my application. If I find a way to get this to work, I'll update my review, because the initial finish of the foundation is gorgeous. Another plus-- the pump on the bottle is awesome.
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Concealers -Revlon - PhotoReady Concealer SPF 20
HunterGray 1/9/2013 10:35:00 PM
I was pleasantly surprised with this product. After being underwhelmed by stick concealers in the past, I kept passing by this even though I had heard good things about it. I had a $5 off Revlon coupon one day, so I gave it a shot. The texture is really unusual, not what I expected but I definitely mean that in a good way. It actually works really well under the eyes, it's not too heavy like most stick concealers. Somehow it's really creamy and light feeling. It blends really easily too. I don't find that it works that well for blemish concealing over foundation,but one way it really shines is under foundation. I apply it under my eyes, around my nose, across the redness on my cheeks, and basically anywhere that needs brightening, or less redness. Then I stipple my foundation on top, and the result is great. Not the hyper-perfected look I can achieve by painstakingly covering my problem areas with Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer, but a naturally glowing, much more even complexion than I was naturally blessed with. And it's a lot faster than my normal concealing routine. It wears well, and the lightest color is a great match for my NC15 skin, maybe just a touch too pale, but perfect for brightening.
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Lipstick -MAC - Rebel Lipstick
HunterGray 1/9/2013 10:28:00 PM
This product applies pinkier than I was expecting based on the color it looks in the tube. Good news for those looking for an unusual bold color that's still wearable. It's still dark and dramatic on my NC15 skin, which is exactly what I was looking for so I'm not disappointed. It looks great applied full strength, and also blotted down to a stain.
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Blush -MAC - Immortal Flower
HunterGray 1/9/2013 10:23:00 PM
I picked this up at my local CCO, and I'm very happy with it. On my NC15 skin it's beautiful, but I can't imagine it would show up very well on someone darker than NC25 or so. It difficult to mess up application wise because it's not that pigmented. You don't have to be careful with it. For fair skinned ladies, it's great. For anyone else, I'd pass. Personally, I'd repurchase it because I love these kind of colors on me.
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Eye Primer -NARS - Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
HunterGray 1/9/2013 10:21:00 PM
I love everything about this primer. I can put my eyeshadow on and it's staying in place until I take it off. I've spent a long time looking for a primer that worked as well as UDPP after I developed an allergy to it, and finally I have. I might even dare to say that it's better. The texture of it on my lids is incredible. I also happen to like the doe foot applicator, it's easier and less messy IMO than a squeeze tube. I would definitely repurchase.
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Mascara -BeneFit Cosmetics - BADgal Lash
HunterGray 12/29/2012 11:02:00 PM
I have used mascaras from every price point, and this one has by far been my least favorite. It runs, and leaves black smudges under my eyes by the end of the day. That is really unusual for me, I can't actually think of another mascara that has done that. Some flake, but I don't have oily enough skin to break down mascara. Or so I thought. This one's just a hot mess on me. One thing I do like about it is that the formula is on the dry side, which I prefer. But this doesn't seem to make my lashes look any better than "average", and then I get raccoon eyes. Sexy.
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