Primer/ Corrector -L'Oreal - Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base
LavenderApples 12/23/2012 10:36:00 AM
I used the entire jar of this and all I'm left thinking is "Did I use it right?" I applied this because earlier in my makeup days I thought I "needed" a primer. Um. Yeah, no. I applied it for a while and I did notice this has a noticeable effect on oily areas, if you have them! I applied it to my T-zone on days I didn't feel like wearing makeup, and it left me with a matte look like I was actually wearing something! Which is a good thing for lazy days. I'm not a fan of the tiny amount and the consistency. You have to scoop it out with your finger and nails and spread it all over your face. That's not sanitary- especially for those of us who (instead of spending an hour on makeup each morning) slap stuff on our faces before running out of the door! If you buy this, you need to add an anti-bacterial cleanser to your routine. It didn't make a difference when I wore foundation. It didn't do a thing for eye shadow (even though that isn't what it's for, I just thought why not use it up?). It didn't make me less oily simply because I wasn't oily to begin with, I guess. If you need this stuff, great. But if you don't, trust me, it's not going to do much for you. I recommend a smashbox-ish primer, because you can squirt it on to the back of your hand and use a clean brush to apply it!
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Liquid -Revlon - ColorStay Makeup
LavenderApples 12/12/2012 8:36:00 PM
Oh, I remember this stuff. I haven't tried the new 24 hour formulation (the one with a 24 on the top) so this is a review of the "old" (?) formula for oily/combination skin. I can't put into words how thick, tacky, and unblendable this stuff is! I typically only apply foundation to the perimeter of the lower half of my face (I have significant hyper pigmentation issues). For that use, this is not where it's at. You can CLEARLY see a line of demarcation wear this stuff is and isn't applied. It's almost like someone drew around the edges with a crayon. Let's be clear, my skin isn't a lightweight when it comes to cosmetics. But this stuff makes me feel absolutely suffocated. I wear it for two hours at a time and I can't wait to wash my face. And, let's not front, you need a sonic cleanser to remove this stuff. A makeup remover and your hands aren't going to cut it. Emphasis on cut, because this stuff is just. that. THICK. Now, if you blend it with some moisturizer, you get a muuuuuuch smoother feel. But, you compromise a lot of coverage, and add to the feeling of oil on your skin. On the bright side, they have a lot of shades of this stuff. If you like the consistency (um...) then it's easy to adjust for winter/summer skin tones. It does slip... pretty badly. Like, I can't rest my face on the back of my hand (it slides off). But, we shouldn't be doing that anyways, right ladies? I don't think a pump would benefit this stuff; the product would just get clogged up in there. The bottle is okay, overall. The price is exactly where it should be. Overall, this stuff is about seven dollars. The colorstay whipped is 13 (and blend like a DREAM). Spend your money where you see fit.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Lady Gaga - Fame
LavenderApples 12/8/2012 1:12:00 AM
I smelled this product out of curiosity and I like it. It's a very "well-blended" smelling oriental/fruity scent. It isn't something I'd have expected from Gaga at all... and full disclosure, I am a fan of Gaga. There. Anyways, I was expecting something shocking and "OMG" just like Gaga's fashion, but no... this is just... nice :) I'd wear it if it was a by a traditional fashion house. Btw, the lasting power of this stuff is great. I kept the card I sprayed it on in my wallet and could smell it for a week even after I'd taken the card out. If you want to smell nice, and don't think people will ask you what you're wearing, this is a great scent. World's better than any other celeb fragrance. It's just pleasant.
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Fragrances -Christian Dior - Dior Addict EDP
LavenderApples 11/20/2012 2:46:00 PM
Yum! I swatched this fragrance today with two others, and this one took the cake. No contest, the best smelling of the three. I put this one on my arm and instantly went "MMMMmmmmm". It's just yummy! It smells like desert, like those "sugar cookie" fragrances in a drugstore, except it vocally exclaims "I'M EXPENSIVE!" without any aid from the 82 dollar price tag. The bottle design is chic, unique, and gorgeous. The price is outrageous, but I'd pay it again and again. The smell is the smell of high fashion and satisfaction. Three hours later, I'm still smelling my arm! I even had to smell myself driving on the highway; I missed my exit, but it was worth it! Is this an office fragrance? No, but if you wore it to the office I mean, only the 40 something bitter bitch with a sensitive nose would dare complain, because this stuff is D I V I N E. Is this a school (high school/college) fragrance? Hell yes! Please, sit next to me wearing this! Just don't be shocked when I scoot in a little too closely. Is this a date fragrance? OH YEAH. A man would lick your body up and down in this. Is this a signature scent? Only if you're enough of a bold, sexy, professional, SEXY, trendy, SEEEEXY... you get it. If I smelled this on someone, I would literally chase after them and resist the urge to bury my face in them long enough to ask what it is! There isn't much of an ad campaign, though.
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Fragrances -Chanel - Coco Mademoiselle
LavenderApples 11/20/2012 2:30:00 PM
If I had to title this review, I'd title it "Ms. Not Enough Personality". I smelled this perfume at Ulta a little earlier today. I swatched it on freshly showered, bare wrist before smelling anything else. Let me just interject here and say I really REEEEALLY want to LOVE this perfume. I love the ad campaign. I love Keira Knightely. I love florals and I hate that Justin Beiber loving, middle school smell. This supposedly "grown up" but young lady fragrance would be right up my alley. But, when I smelled this, it smells like NOTHING. Literally, the burst is a smell, but it smells like "nothing". Not like fresh air, oxygen, rather just like air. It's like breathing. Uneventful. 10 minutes later, okay, I get some floral. But where's the VavavaVOOM? I got a little Va, and then it got tired. This would be a great office perfume, you won't ever offend anyone wearing it. It's a light take on heavy florals. However, this isn't a date-night fragrance, or a club scent. If a guy even NOTICES you have this on... well that's irrelevant, because he wouldn't notice. I just sniffed my arm about three hours after application. Where's the drydown? It's like it evaporated. At this point, I'm wondering (slash praying) I smelled the EDT by accident... which is possible. Overall, you know those relationships where one person is WAY more into it than the other person? That's what this perfume is like. I want to love CocoM, but it's just not doing its part here.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Clarisonic - Mia
LavenderApples 10/10/2012 3:43:00 PM
This is an update to my original review of the clarisonic mia, in a little more detail. I've used my mom's clarisonic on and off for a year, and just started using it daily about the time I began wearing heavy foundation everyday. Let me tell you, my face does NOT feel clean until I've used the clarisonic mia to remove my makeup. Some people say the device is "not a makeup remover", but I beg to differ. I use it to remove my makeup and simply wash the actual foundation off my clarisonic every time. It makes me feel like every time I put the mia on my face, it's already clean. Plus, I know that if the cleanser I'm using can't take the makeup off my Mia, it's probably not getting it off my face! If you're like me with skin of steel, I like Dawn dishwashing liquid with vitamin E to remove my makeup. Seriously, I've rotated cleansers (right now I'm using Neutrogena Deep Clean) and I can't remember anything that takes off foundation better. Compared to the Sheisedo 40+ dollar cleanser I'd be using WITHOUT the clarisonic to feel like my skin is clean... this puppy is saving me money. No question. As far as budgets go, I think this is a worthwhile investment. No really. I'm a student, I have no money to spend, yet I'm going out to buy my own clarisonic from a retailer (I hope they'll be nice and give me a markdown!) because it's WORTH THE MONEY. No amount of skin serums, acne cleansers, toners, etc. will improve your skin like taking off ALL your makeup EVERY day... and all the other dirt, dust, pollution, etc. in your pores, while it's at it. I don't think anyone needs more than the Mia. I only need the one mode (what on earth would I do with two or three but waist time I could be using to cleanse!) and you can use the thing on your body... like no one's going to stop you. Plus, it takes up so much less space and doesn't splash back/sputter water like the bigger ones can. Using a clarisonic took my skin care regimen from Makeup remover, cleanser (something anti-bacterial always!), toner, emulsion, essence/serum, and moisturizer to just using the Clarisonic, a monthly clay mask, and water/tea in a spray bottle. And my skin looks pretty good if you ignore the fact my but needs to wear sunscreen! haha. Please buy this for yourselves :)
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Fragrances -Dolce & Gabbana - Light Blue
LavenderApples 10/9/2012 3:56:00 PM
It smells nice. No, really, it smells like the ocean in an expensive way. I smell salty sea air. Then I smell lemons and citrus, which pretty much sits on top of musk for the scent's duration. While it smells like it's worth the money, it isn't worth it to me. If you like the scent and would wear it non-stop, that's great. For me, yeah I'm going to finish it, but it's not special enough for me to re-buy. It did make me realize (somehow) that I have a preference for sweet, excessively feminine yet not "girly" floral scents. Go figure. I get about 4 hours of "I can smell it" time with three to four sprays. It last forever on clothes though, and smells much more ocean-y than the citrus that comes off on skin. The packaging is very nice though. It's suede with two tones of blue that look, when paired, like the ocean on a sunny day. I keep it in the box and plan to keep the box! It's just *that* nice. I think I'm going to try Bulgari Jasmine Noir next. While this fragrance couldn't offend anyone in a million years (which is a good thing), it's a little too "cool girl, but no real personality" for me. Great for work, college, classes in High School (this is not sub 16 appropriate, really, it's just too cool for middle school), or pretty much anywhere where you'll have to be really close to people and want to smell good without being offensive. Very fresh, clean. Not intrusive; other people won't be like "why should I have to smell you". What I really dislike is that in three weeks of where, I haven't gotten a single compliment on it. People can barely smell it once its on. I'm confident I smell nice, but clearly not nice enough to comment. *Sigh* Oh well. I have 1.5 ounces left. I may update my review in time.
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Crème -Revlon - ColorStay Whipped Creme Makeup
LavenderApples 10/9/2012 3:41:00 PM
This is the best foundation you're going to get in a drugstore, right now. The packaging is great, which is a preface to anything I buy. If it doesn't look good on my vanity, then you can excuse me while I go check out Tom Ford. The packaging is very sturdy, and it can hold through some serious pressure. I had to hold the jar between my thighs (and I have ex-dancer gone wrong thighs of steel) during a mishap in traffic, and when any other foundation would have broken, this didn't even have a scratc, let alone a crack. The product itself is pretty good. It's very smooth and blends like butter. I rubbed the back of my hand for a few minutes after I first swatched it going "oooooo". Yeah. What I DON'T like about this product is that it is NOT FOR LAYERING. I normally wear a RICH moisturizer underneath foundation in layers. I put this on top and I looked like a grease monster. Let me say, I'm a fan of the dewy, hydrated look. But I looked like I had inky, tan oil on my face. After a little powder, it looked flawless, however. The coverage is pretty good. I feel like if you were determined, you could build it up to full. I'd place this with one or two thin layers as a solid medium coverage foundation. And, it doesn't get cakey no matter how much you apply, though it does start to look less like skin. The wear is pretty good. I wore it with a thick moisturizer and powder for at least 10 hours solid. No budge in the product. I wore it today for a solid 9 hours with little if any change. I didn't notice any less coverage than I had in the morning, if there was any. It does transfer. If you hug too tightly, blow your nose, lay your face on the arm of your blouse, etc. then it won't be pretty. But, you shouldn't be doing that anyways, right? As for application, I use a classic foundation brush. I'm a big believer in "no hands on your face" simply for hygiene. It doesn't streak at all (and I check) with a nothing special drugstore brush, so have no fear. I wouldn't recommend a buffer brush though, just because the formula wants to glide on and *over* the skin, not be worked into it. Shade selection? Dissappointing, but I wear NC40s in MAC and it matches me perfectly fine in 340 Caramel. But, just for clarication, shade 370 Natural Tan is LIGHTER than 340, making Caramel the darkest shade in the range. I don't smell a thing with this foundation. It smells like the typical, iris-y makeup smell, which is faint at best. All in all, it really is the best drugstore makeup I've used to date, simply for coverage, look on skin, packaging, and lasting power.
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BB Cream -Maybelline - Dream Fresh 8-in-1 BB Cream
LavenderApples 10/1/2012 9:11:00 PM
I bought this product because I wanted something with light coverage for a very conservative, school/work friendly, non-inky look while still getting just a liiiiittle bit of a boost. It does the job perfectly fine. I find it has light coverage, but you can use a LOT of it (and it will not even approach caking up). I've forgotten to blend after applying this product and people think I have shampoo or soap left, never foundation. For me, the packaging takes away the 5 rating because I prefer a chic, tom ford-esque, heavy look to product packaging. However, if you want to put this in your bag, it's perfect for it. You can def apply this in a bathroom or with a small mirror in 2 min or less for a quick pickup. The reason I don't give it a four is because this isn't chalk full of BB esque benefits. I don't see improvement in my skin after over a month and a half of use. No change at all. Not to mention, this product isn't bad for your skin, but it isn't *good* for it either. I def break out it I leave this on for 2 days in a row, which before everyone screams ICK, it's so easy to do with this product because the coverage is so light and fades so quick, you forget you were even wearing it. So, busy bodies like me, you might forget to wash this off. Wear a BB cream would actually improve your skin if left on (or so I've heard), this just clogs my pores. I have normal skin and I don't break out often (once a month ish). It's not bad, not all that great; but it is EXTREMELY effortless to work with.
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