Powder -La Prairie - Cellular Treatment Foundation Powder
Julierabe 12/22/2003 5:39:00 AM
I have tried this product in several colors several times now trying to find that fast, perfect foundation. I ahve three small kids, an have to get two of them off to preschool (I have to drive) in the morning, and don't have a lot of time. But I can use this over moisturizer and my skin looks F-L-A-W-L-E-S-S!! Goes on so silky smooth. I agree with another poster: If you buy one LP product, buy this one. Doesn't cake up even if you use it for touch-ups during the day. AND, at 14 grams, it is THE LARGEST compact powder foundation out there. La Bella Donna coming in second with 12 grams. It will last and last and last. Jane Iredale (10 grams) and Youngblood (9 grams) are too shiny almost immediatley. Aromaleigh is only loose, and has wonderful selection, but these compacts are MUCH more tidy and FAST!! I need to get more help on Aromaleigh with coloring, though, then maybe I can rave!! For now this is it. Sometimes use it over CoverBlend, and I simply look like an airbrished photograph!! Wonderful coverage!!
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Liquid -Biotherm - Sense Matte Foundation SPF 15
Julierabe 10/12/2003 12:10:00 AM
I have tried everything from Chanel down to Almay to find a matte finish that is full coverage that I like. I ahve worn this four out of the five days I;ve had it, and I like it very much. Others I wear are Lancome's discontinued stick foundation, and LM
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Self Tanners -Sally Hansen - Savage Bronzer
Julierabe 8/6/2003 2:27:00 AM
I'm on the fence on this one. I have tried EVERYTHING out there, and I mean EVERYTHING!!! Although I thought this was realtively realistic with its BROWN color, it was still not as dark as I like. Kinda hard to tell exactly, though, because -- here goes the big no-no disclosure -- I have been tanning this year and my body is quite dark already. I do --sometimes -- cover my face in the bed. I will more now that I am using an AHA.
ANYHOO, I also could NOT stand the burnt chocolate smell. I know some reviewers said they loved that about this product, but not me. I still hate the way STs smell, but maybe it's just me. They react differently with everyone's body chemisty, so...
I'm moving on to Banana Boat Sunless Deep Dark Cream. Rave reviews on that product here, also.
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CD/Books/Movies -Paula's Choice - Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me 6th Edition
Julierabe 8/5/2003 6:30:00 PM
I just bought the 6th edition after having checked out the 5th from the local library. Before writing this review, I, of course, read through some reviews that were already posted. One thing that seems obvious to me is that NONE of us should rely on either this book OR MUA reviews alone as our sole source for guidance in make-up and skincare purchases. I assume that we are all intellegent adults that can glean what information fits our circumstances from BOTH sources, as well as personal years of experience as beauty product consumers, and make some sort of decision that is appropriate for us.
Yes, the book does focus a lot on ingredients. Ingredients are where most of us are ignorant, though. I never knew that AHA or BHA had to be at a certain ph for them to work, so there is A LOT of merit to her research, and a lot to be learned here if you can get through all of the information here. FIRST, we DO need to know what ingredients DO and DON'T do what they say, or at least have an idea what to look for, before we can make some of these decisions. Here I'm talking mostly about skincare and all the hype behind the "MIRACLE" creams, gels, lotions, potions and downright witch's brews out there.
Make-up is ALWAYS going to be something we have to try to see how it works for us, on our face, in our climate, et cetera. Her reviews do let us know what is in a product and some basics as far as performance. We can go from there. I, for one, don't need to be lead around by my nose to make descisions. I'm 34 years old, for crying out loud!! I think outright slamming Paula or any individual review on MUA because you have found or obtained different results is absurd. Of course everyone will receive different results. We're all unique.
I have found this book and the Beauty Bible to be great resources, and I refer to them often. I am, however, a book nerd!! I love them. Read ANYTHING I can get my hands on, right down to cookbooks and the dictionary. Hence my profession and degree in English works out well!! (I am a court reporter) Knowlege is P-O-W-E-R plain and simple. Use the knowledge that you glean form this book that pertains to you, and toss the rest. You can do that, you know!!
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Palettes -Laura Mercier - Wedding Party (Reception de Mariage)
Julierabe 8/5/2003 2:04:00 AM
Ooooooo, this is one of those buys that you can barely stand to open in is just SO PRETTY!! You know, half of buying the cosmetics is getting the fix of just knowing you have it in the bag, all freshly wrapped, sweet smelling and UNTOUCHED!!!
Even if using it isn't all that you would hope for, that is the moment all of us m/u junkies live for. This is an absolute treasure, and definitely fills that NEED. The colors ( I won't go into them all again. Look at previous review) are wonderfully neutral. Even the dark blue is wonderful for liner or contour in the eye.
The lip palette is very neutral, even though they look like they might be dark before going on.
I agree this is the absolute BEST gift for bridesmaids if you are getting married. I've been married TEN years, so this is just a present to MYSELF!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
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Bronzers -Becca - Pressed Bronzing Powder
Julierabe 8/3/2003 2:46:00 AM
Oh, my G**!!! I have been to the Nordstom counter exchanging things so much looking for the "RIGHT" things that they are getting snotty when I return something. Hello, anyone hear about customer service?
Anyway, this is the absolute BEST bronzing powder that there is!! I have the darkest one, the Calypso, because it is a TRUE brown. Not orangy or too shimmery.
I bought this, and then was at another Nordie's cosmetic's area when a woman was working with a MAC consultant. She stopped and said, " That's the look I want." What do you wear?" Well, I wear mostly Laura Mercier: concealer, foundation, powder, eye, lip, bronzing GEL. EXCEPT this pressed bronzing powder. No one comes close to this color. I am not up on all the abbreciations yet, but I have some (1/4) Cherokee blood and I tan VERY easily and DARK. My hair is dark and my eyes are dark. (Check out the picture of me and my hubby!!)I have some fun very light blonde highlights this summer, which just seem to add to my "tanness." This bronzer IS the Holy Grail. BROWN, BROWN BROWN!!! NOT ORANGE, ORANGE, ORANGE!! I'll never go with anything else. GUARANTEED!! I'm going to maybe trade in my LM loose and pressed powder for BECCA!! Her foundation will NEVER be replaced, though...
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Lipstick -Laura Mercier - Amethyst
Julierabe 8/2/2003 12:01:00 AM
Agreed, agreed, agreed!! This is a fabulous mauvy-pink color without too much shimmer. Great wear. stays true to color, as do all Laura's colors, matte or not. Will rebuy again and again...
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Lipstick -Laura Mercier - Lip Kisses in Seashell
Julierabe 8/1/2003 11:58:00 PM
I absolutely love my lip kisses in Pink Seashell. The vanilla, I'm told, is Madagascar Vanilla. Same in all the lip kisses and the lip balm. Yummy. Smell is a biggie for me. If I don;t like the smell, especially on lipstick/gloss, I can't stand it. That's why I don't wear Avon!! Anyway, I have dark hair with highlights and am very tan right now, and this looks faboulous alone, with a liner, or over a matte, or more long-wearing lipstick. The only problem is it's not very long-wearing, so I just have to torture myself reapplying and smelling that fabulous vanilla again!! Definitely a repurchase for me!!
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Bronzers -Laura Mercier - Bronzing Gel
Julierabe 8/1/2003 5:19:00 PM
Okay, I recently wrote a review on Bobbi Brown's Gel Bronzer and said I liked it. Maybe even loved it. ANYWAY, after a few tries, it was still pretty hard to blend, so I exchanged it for Laura Mercier's Bronzing Gel. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! This product is MUCH smoother and easier to blend. The color is wonderful. I will NOT go back to BB's bronzing gel. This is IT for brozing gels for me. The price, however, is a little steep. Laura Mercier's products can get a little pricey, but I've found most everything of hers I tried to be SUPERIOR is MANY ways to a lot of department store cosmetics. All in all, it was worth the $30!!
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Scrubs -Got 2 Be - Sugar Kick Body Scrub
Julierabe 8/1/2003 12:37:00 AM
Yummy, yummy, yummy ~ That's about all you need to say about this product. It is one of the smoothest body exfoiliators I've ever used. Salt scrubs are obviously harsher, but I've found a few I like, too. This sugar scrub is ultra smooth, leaves a wonderful sheen on your body, and smells TOO yummy with brown sugar, plus extracts of mango, apricot and guava. This definitely a keepr for me, and at $9.99, you can't go wrong!!
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Pressed Powders -Stila - Illuminating Pressed Powder
Julierabe 7/31/2003 4:40:00 PM
Oops, I wrote my review of this product under the Illuminating pressed powder foundation!!! If you're interested, see it there...
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Powder -Stila - Illuminating Powder Foundation
Julierabe 7/31/2003 4:35:00 PM
I absolutely ADORE this cute little compact. It is silvery with the cute little Stila chick on the front. Just the right size to carry with you. I have Bobbi Brown's pressed powder compact, too, but it is HUGE compared to this. Not as easy to pop in the purse. Onto the substance part. Ilove that this powder has two sides, and the option for a little sprakle, or illumination, if you want it. It isn't too heavy. Doesn't really add color, which is what a powder should do. Just controls the shine. I wear dark watt, and I love it. I went back to this after trying Laura Mercier and Bobbi Brown, who are my favs for A LOT of other products.
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Mascara -Lancome - Flextencils
Julierabe 7/31/2003 1:47:00 AM
I LOVE this mascara. I have tried A LOT of different mascaras, and this one is IT for me. I like water-resistant mascaras, and didn;t know that this one was until a MA told me so. She said Lancome doesn't advertise it that way, but it is. THAT JUST MADE IT BETTER. Unfortunately, I found this out when I was exchanging it because it was prematurely drying out. The MA said sometimes this product has that problem. Maybe someone opened it to look at the brush and then it wasn't sold for a while. Lancome will always exchange, though, so it's no biggie!! I will ALWAYS re-buy this baby!!
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Bronzers -Bobbi Brown - All Over Bronzing Gel SPF 15
Julierabe 7/31/2003 1:43:00 AM
I have only had this product a few days. Had a makeover and the MA used this blended with the tinted moisturizer in medium. I had already purchased the bronzer and was considering returning it because it was just WAY dark and hard to blend. And I am tan and dark haired!! After she showed me how to blend it, it was a much softer effect and I liked it a lot better. I either blend it with my Laura Mercier Golden Beige Oil-Free foundation -- my HG, BTW -- or just put a TINY bit on with moisturizer underneath my foundation. Putting it underneath seems to work better for me. Throughout the day, it just kind of shines thorugh my foundation, giving me a sun-kissed look. I will definitely re-buy this product. I may buy the moisturizer and use it that, way, too. But I think it's got enough color on its own and just needs a colorless moisturizer to blend with. **UPDATE**Okay, I may have raved a little too soon. I ended up returning this and exchanging for Laura Mercier's Gel Bronzer beacause it is MUCH easier to blend, but still gives me that nice glow. This product, on the other hand, goes on on top of your foundation instead of under. I ahve noticed BB does a lot of tbings backwards, like lipliner AFTER the lipstick, concealer before the foundation, et cetera. I like them both, though, and incorporate what works for me into my regime...
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Moisturizers -Bobbi Brown - Vitamin Enriched Face Base
Julierabe 7/31/2003 1:35:00 AM
I have only had this product a few days, but so far I LOVE it!! I had a BB makeover at Nordtrom's -- something I had never done before -- and the MA used this WONDERFUL smelling cream on me. Of course, it's touted that the vitamin C that's in it, which is what you smell, is supposed to protect against all those "free radicals." Who knows if this is true or not, but so far it really smooths my skin, and smells just YUMMY!!
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