Powder -Bare Escentuals - bare Minerals Foundation #2/#3 & Mineral Veil
JennaMB 9/4/2012 6:44:00 AM
Best mineral foundation I've used. Also the most expensive, but for a reason! I am NC25 and wear Medium Beige in the product, in the container it doesn't seem to suit my skin, but it appears to adapt to my skin tone very well once on, looks completely seamless This is a fantastic mineral foundation that leaves a radiant, healthy and yet lasting finish! One of my favourite things about this foundation is actually how well it photographs! In every photo my skin looks flawless and even toned, radiant is really the word. A lot of reviews and make-up artist types claim because of the spf and reflective particles in this foundation it gives off a "flash back" effect where your face looks whiter than normal, but having been wearing this foundation since 2007, I can say it looks fantastic in photos! PROS: natural lasting finish improves skin, seems to dry out pimples without drying out the rest of your skin great packaging especially with introduction on the inside bit that you can twist to close and stop foundation spilling everywhere photographs very well CONS: does not feel as luxurious going on skin as liquid does need to buy very high quality "dense" kabuki brush to get the most out of this product. pricy! often hard to find in shops and have to purchase at beauticians which often overcharge. I think this foundation could really suit any skin type especially those with uneven skin tones. If you're going to buy it, make sure you invest in a very high quality kabuki brush as mineral foundation gives the best coverage when it is literally "buffed" into the skin, (this can be a bit irritating and hard to get use to at first for mineral virgins)
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Liquid -Bourjois - Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation
JennaMB 9/1/2012 7:49:00 PM
Extremely Impressed! I wear 53 but am considering going to 54 when Summer comes. This is a fantastic foundation for me, I have NC25 skin, fair olive skin that tans in the summer. I also have combination skin. For me this foundation was a great buy, the gel texture makes my skin feel moisturised and leaves a healthy appearance as opposed to a caked one. The finish is semi-matte which I believe is the most natural. The foundation is yellow toned similar to the NC MAC foundations, which is rare for chemist brands, the yellow tone is great for me because it picks up the natural tones in my skin and adapts when I get a bit tanned. Possibly for someone with more pink toned skin this could give a bit of a sallow appearance, but for warmer or yellow toned complexions, I think you'll be impressed with this foundation. I would say this is a light coverage foundation in terms of trying to cover blemishes and dark under eye circles, it is fantastic at evening out skin tone, don't let the light coverage deter you, I hate feeling naked and usually wear heavy finish foundations like studio fix and photo-ready but this actually improved my skin and I found myself more comfortable with not being so heavily "covered" all the time! I usually put this foundation on at 9am and finish up at 9pm after both uni and work and it stays in place. I usually will use powder on a day like this, however even without it I have still looked rather fresh. I feel that using a brush gets the most out of this foundation, although fingers are ok, it seems the brush really "works" the foundation and gets the best finish and coverage. PRO: doesn't make me break out, not tested on animals, looks natural! CONS: might not be suited to very oily skin
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Garnier - BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-In-One 
JennaMB 4/24/2012 2:09:00 AM
This product isn't bad at all but it's not great. I'm an NC25 with olive tones (greek) and use to medium or darker option, I find it a tad dark for my skin (however it does match my darker body) but I'm almost certain the light one will be too light. regardless of what people say, it is FAR heavier than a tinted moituriser, and certainly does make a good alternative to a foundation during the day however it's benefits (as BB creams are suppose to have) are very minimal, it doesn't contain any skin perfecting properties that may help even out skin tone, soften wrinkles, whiten hyper pigmentation etc if you read the box, it will basically tell you this, the coverage "evens out tone", the SPF protects, that's all it has to offer. however SPF 15+ which is a bonus as it's the minimum reccommeded SPF for daily use. however, with skin as problematic as mine, I wouldn't purchase this again with other BB creams out there such as Missha, making far bigger promises, and seemingly delivering on them (check out various Missha reviews compared to this product) I would recommend this product for girls with good skin tone already, who want coverage without the effort of putting on foundation (this does have fairly decent coverage, I'd liken it to a sheer gel foundation. for the record I have blotchy, uneven skin, with pale cheeks and forehead, and hyper pigmentation around my eyes and upper lip (very annoying) ... so I need a product that delivers! this wont do it if you have similar problems.
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Bronzers -E.L.F. - Matte Bronzer
JennaMB 3/21/2012 6:15:00 PM
TERRIBLE, PLEASE DON"T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS!!!!! Good on E.L.F for at least attempting a matte bronzer, which cheaper brands seem to not have a lot on offer for, but this bronzer is a terrible colour. It's far too muddy brown and far too pigmented for a bronzer.It actually makes a nice taupe coloured eye shadow to put into perspective how bad this is for your face. As it is so pigmented it goes on splotchy and is extremely hard to control, you end up looking like you've been working the mines for the day using this bronzer. I have NC25 skin, and have tried constantly to make this bronzer work, even going out to buy a proper contouring brush, but the colour is terrible, for me anyway. I have to be extremely light handed when applying, but then you can barely see it anyway, after using BeneFit's Hoola Bronzer, which is exceptional, I can see that E.L.F got the colour completely wrong, it's the wrong shade of brown completely. Also, the packaging quality is rubbish, the flimsy hinged lid breaks off easy,it's one of those products that you can't carry around in a make up bag because you find the lid broken off and bits of bronzer smashed about your bag at the end of the day. LONG STORY SHORT, THIS PRODUCT IS BAD! suggested instead: Benefit Hoola Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Matte Bronzer
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Bronzers -BeneFit Cosmetics - HOOLA
JennaMB 3/20/2012 9:14:00 PM
I love this bronzer so very much!! This product is your ticket to that fashion contoured look. Having warm olive skin, you would think finding a great bronzer would be easy, not in the slightest! The reason why this bronzer is so good, is purely because it is fantastic for contouring, which is what bronzer is for, and for that to look great, a bronzer has to look natural, not sparkly or too "metallic" coloured. Best of all, it doesn't throw off an orange colour, just a warm bronze! This is a matte bronzer that goes on light, and can be layered for instencity (perfect for the heavy handed) you simply a smaller amount for day, or more at night when you want a bit of drama. I use it under my cheek bones, and it really does make them more prominent, I also use some on my forehead, chin and nose. It looks perfect and I feel good wearing it. I imagine a lot of makeup artists would like this bronzer also.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Revlon - PhotoReady Concealer SPF 20
JennaMB 3/20/2012 9:03:00 PM
I have this concealer in Medium and I'm impressed with it for its price. It's yellow tones are suitable for covering up dark blemishes, and I find it best used by applying with the stick or dabbing, and than patting over it with your finger, the warmth of your finger and skin will make it easier to blend. It does a good job at covering pimples and scars as well as under eye circles. However it is not quite the industrial strength I need to completely cover very, very prominent under eye bags, with a bit of powder on top however it does the trick and makes it last. The staying powder of this concealer is fantastic as well, working long hours in a bar I need something that will stay put for up to 10 hours, this never fails and it doesn't sink into lines and creases, it's a very good formula, cudo's to you Revlon. In fact this concealer often outlasts my foundations. All in all, I'm very impressed, the only complaint I have is that, the price Revlon charges for it's concealer is a little high, considering they don't quite measure up to high end brands like Laura Mercier whose concealer (secret camoflage) is amazing and only about $10 more.)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Estee Lauder - Lucidity [DISCONTINUED]
JennaMB 2/28/2012 10:24:00 PM
This is the best foundation I have ever used! .looks natural .evens skin tone .radiant finish .great colour selection (discontinuing however so colour choice will reduce) .great texture .beautiful packaging, solid glass (unlike MAC's glass bottles that smash so easily) .applies best with fingers Unlike a lot of other foundations that claim to have light diffusing properties or "photo finishes" this does not contain glitter or sparkly particles, rather it just creates a soft, natural look. It truly does a good job at looking airbrushed. this foundation will create the most beautiful you :) I really highly recommend people try this foundation or the double wear, which is essentially the replacement of the lucidity line, with a longer lasting finish. However, it is most certainly going to be discontinued since it is an old line, and it seems they have replaced it with the double-wear, they don't even have this line on display anymore. So get in quick. By the way, EL sale-people seem to always pick the wrong colours, I'm guessing because of the bright lighting in department stores, so make sure you have a look in daylight before you buy!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Rimmel - Extra Wow Lash
JennaMB 2/5/2012 1:19:00 AM
For a cheap mascara, I don't mind Rimmel's Extra Wow lash. One coat of this mascara really does open up the eyes! this would be a daily mascara if you were on a budget. I used extreme black, and found it to looks rather striking. However it lets you down when it comes to layering for a dramatic look. 2 or more coats and you get the spider lashes look. overall, great every day mascara for girls on a budget.
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Mascara -Natio - Super Long Lash Mascara
JennaMB 1/9/2012 8:49:00 AM
don't buy this mascara both my mother and I got itchy eyes from it, it clumps every time, the brush is a dumb long skinny shape, where you almost always get it everywhere but your eyelashes. but the clumping, this is the worst, it clumps and gets in your eye. worst mascara i've ever used. ever
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Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Expert Wear Eye Shadow Quads
JennaMB 10/29/2011 9:23:00 PM
I am really impressed with my "charcoal smokes" quad! It was an absolute bargain at $15AU and it is such great quality in terms of it's pigmentation. This product turns the user into the make-up artist by showing you what colours to use where and on the back it even recommends what to use when you want different looks. I have tried all the looks Maybelline describes on the back and they all look lovely. When used following the instructions, the look you get is a dramatic, contoured smoky eye. If you left out the "outer corner" colour, it would look softer, yet still beautiful if you don't want to look over the top. The colours chosen in the quad are as follows: Lid - shimmery charcoal grey Crease - slightly matte charcoal Brow bone - silver Outer corner - a very matte, highly pigmented black with a bit of glitter in it (interesting, very different to the other colours in texture, totally opaque, perfect for lining) As you can see I love the black, I actually sometimes use this as an eyeliner with other products. This product is great, you'll get heaps of use out of it mixing and matching colours with other eye shadows you own. The colours by the way are beautiful and well chosen for a cheaper brand, often the lower end brands don't chose the nicest colours for palettes but these are stunning. They compliment my brown eyes well and I think this set would be fantastic at bringing out blue eyes as well. When I wore this eye shadow quad last, I got told I had "smouldering" eyes, if that isn't good enough reason to buy it again, i don't know what is!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Yves Saint Laurent - Touche Eclat (Radiant Touch)
JennaMB 10/29/2011 8:59:00 PM
I know there is a lot of hype around this product, but it really is great! it's not a concealer by the way, rather a highlighter, if your under eye bags aren't too bad, you probably could get away with using this as a concealer. I will use it on top of concealer when I go out, and I find it looks beautiful and refreshing, it doesn't settle into lines, and it really does make you look radiant. Also works very well when used on the brow bone as a highlighter. The best use I believe for this product is more of an "under eye highlighter" to be worn over concealer when you want to look flawless for a special occasion, for that reason, I do believe it is worth giving a try. I have very dark under eye bags, that take a very good concealer to be covered, and even then they don't really ever fully do the trick. When I wear touche eclat on top however, they disappear, and the result is flawless radiance. The price on the other hand is a bit much, I have not found a cheaper version of this product as of yet, but I am looking, I believe it's about $80AU which is more expensive than most EXTREMELY high end foundations. If you look on ebay however, you should be able to find it much cheaper than in the shops. Give it a go, if you're looking for a special occasion product! Use it every day and you'll be needing to buy another in less than two months (trust me)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -MAC - Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15
JennaMB 10/29/2011 8:40:00 PM
For the general success of M.A.C product from my experiences, they are fantastic, however I was a little bit disappointed with this supposed HG foundation. I did however find the shades available to be great, particularly the yellow based one I use (NC25), it disappeared into my skin the moment I applied it. However after wearing it a few times, I have realised even with impeccable application and preparation i.e clean face, moisturised, primed etc it will not stay all night, or very long at all in fact. About 4 hours into wearing it, it gets the crumbly cake face look, no matter how little or well you apply. I have tried using both a foundation brush and fingers, and I feel like my skin actually looks "old" a few hours after applying it. I'm aware it's not intending to be a dewy finish foundation or specifically a matte one, but the lasting finish it provides is not great, it actually makes your skin look tired and haggard. In fact, I knew it looked bad, when people started recommending me other foundations to use when we inspected it in the bathroom. Upon the inspection by the way, at about 10pm, the foundation had settled into every crease possible and looked completely flat, not healthy and fresh as it did for the first hour. This may work on other people, maybe it just doesn't work for my skin, but my personal experience with it was not great, I am going to try M.A.C's Mineralize next, as I have been recommended this by friends who look fantastic in it, Studio Fix on the other hand, skip it.
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Primer/ Corrector -BeneFit Cosmetics - Dr Feelgood
JennaMB 10/12/2011 10:55:00 PM
What the heck does this product do? I honestly wanted to like this so called "miracle worker", I was told buy a girl who is addicted to BE mineral make up that it makes her look airbrushed, so I bought it. I've followed the instructions, to "pat it over make-up" I've tried using it as a primer It's not a good primer, It doesn't make your make up stay on longer It certainly doesn't make your pores look smaller, it just settles into them, Maybe this just didn't work for me, considering my skin isn't oily anyway, but I don't get it, how does this product do anything?? Normally everything Benefit make is great, but the only thing this thing did, was make my skin feel silky, and considering nobodies touching my face all day long, this really isn't such a great "benefit" (good pun) don't waste your money, get a good primer instead, or setting powder, or whatever would be the replacement of this product, I have no idea.
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Blush -NARS - Orgasm Blush
JennaMB 10/12/2011 10:50:00 PM
I LOVE THIS! this is my favourite blush when I want to look natural, yes somehow on my skin, even with it's little gold glitter particles, this blush looks pretty and natural and gets my skin compliments! I'm an NC25, light olive toned skin, and it's same colour as my natural flush, the shimmer in it is extremely subtle, which is a good thing for during the day. apply with an angled blush brush to the apple of your cheeks and you'll be looking healthy and pretty. It's seriously expensive though, I think I picked it up for $45 on sale. If you need a cheaper Benefit's Coralista is it, which is not much cheaper anyway. Great colour for a warm skin tone! Love the solid packaging and little mirror under the lid!
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Blush -MAC - Mineralize Blush - Dainty
JennaMB 10/12/2011 10:40:00 PM
I'm an NC25, with what some people would call, light olive skin. This peachy pink toned blush is beautiful, it's not overtly shimmery or glittery, and it allows to to chose the intensity of the colour of your cheeks because it's sheer. I would say this is best suited to fair girls, with a warmer tone. Looks fantastic at night or with a matching peachy pink lipstick, I wore it with MAC's See Sheer from the Lustre range, with a bit of brown eye liner, looked fresh and pretty. Basically, if you want the pretty pink look, this is it. A bit pricy, but if you look on Ebay you generally can find it half price.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No