Blush -NARS - Exhibit A
LavenderPearl 12/1/2012 4:30:00 AM
~DDD, neutral-to-warm w/ yellow undertones, MAC Matchmaster 8.5~ I know that many tout Taj Mahal as being THE absolutely-need-to-have NARS blush for people of color. I haven't experienced that one yet (it's on its way to my house as I type this, eee!), but let me introduce you to what I feel is a definite must-have for any complexion, especially my DDDs! I would have never thought this would be one of my go-to colors, but it's simply lovely. NARS Exhibit A is a super intense, matte red blush. In regards to undertone, it definitely leans on the warmer side and could even be classified as a red-orange. Did I mention this sucker's intense?! It's so saturated with pigment both in the pan and during application that, if applied incorrectly, it can easily lead to the dread "clown cheek." However, this is honestly one of my favorite everyday blush colors! When used lightly it just adds a liveliness to my face that looks extremely natural, and the product melds so nicely with my skin that people think it IS natural. I seem to always get compliments on my skin while wearing this color :) Now, there is such a thing as overpigmentation, but I wouldn't say Exhibit A falls under this category unless you use a heavy hand/brush. The brushes I like to use with Exhibit A are: the Real Techniques Stippling Brush, MAC 168, and Real Techniques Buffing Brush (from the Core Face Collection). I especially love the latter because its shape allows you to blend the color while applying, which allows for a more natural finish as well as prevents overapplication. For all of these I go about applying it the same way: 1) DAB (and I MEAN dab!) brush ONCE in EA, 2) tap brush on wrist (tap off excess) 3) stipple/tap along cheek toward outer edge of face, 4) blend, blend, blend! With the RT stipple I sometimes go in for a second round, but the other two usually pick up enough color in one tap.
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Skincare - Body -Mustela - Facial Cleansing Cloths
LavenderPearl 6/9/2012 5:48:00 AM
These wipes actually worked fabulously at taking off my makeup, although that was somewhat expected since they are originally intended as baby wipes. Unlike a lot of other wipes I have used, I don't remember these feeling particularly greasy on my skin, which is another plus. The main gripe I had about these wipes was the smell. The first time I opened up the package, I was completely overwhelmed by the horrid "fragrance" these wipes. The smell doesn't go away with time, and as someone who is sensitive to scents, it tipped the scales in the favor of not repurchasing.
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Cleansers -Josie Maran Cosmetics - Bear Naked Wipes
LavenderPearl 6/9/2012 4:48:00 AM
For the price these were, I really wanted to like these wipes. Unfortunately I just had too many problems with them to ever consider repurchasing. I like the fact that part of the purchase price goes to a good cause, but that's probably the best things about these wipes... The grapefruit scent isn't overpowering (though I love grapefruit, so), and I don't find that these are particularly oily-feeling, which is also great. However, I found myself continuously breaking out when I used these wipes. I resolved not to use them all over my face and stuck to only eyes and lips... then I noticed that after I wiped, my eyes would sting, as would my lips. Perhaps I'm allergic to something in the wipes, but in the end it was just too irritating to handle. Will not repurchase.
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Eye Shadow -Revlon - Perle Single in Sunlit Sparkle (055)
LavenderPearl 6/9/2012 4:34:00 AM
If I could give this a zero, I would. I picked this up on clearance at Target a few months ago, and due to the fact that it was so cheap, I wasn't expecting much. Needless to say, this managed to score under my already low expectations... This eyeshadow looks like a creamy yellowy type of color with some sparkle in it, as you probably could have guessed by the name. However, when swatched, I got the sheerest amount of color and barely any of that sparkle. I definitely got a whole lot of powdery residue, though, both on my skin and in the package. Speaking of packaging, it's extremely flimsy. I dropped this eyeshadow on my carpet, and the entire thing shattered, or should I say crumbled to dust? Can't really say I miss it.
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Blush -Cover Girl - Cheekers True Plum
LavenderPearl 4/10/2012 11:54:00 PM
This blush is a very lovely cool-toned pink with a purple tint to it. Problem is, it doesn't show up on me at all. No matter how I've swatched it, layered, etc. -- I see nothing. Will be gorgeous on lighter skin, but unfortunately not brown-girl friendly |:
~DDD, neutral-to-warm w/ yellow undertones, MAC Matchmaster 8.5~
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Blush -Cover Girl - Cheekers - soft sable
LavenderPearl 4/10/2012 11:50:00 PM
Looking back on it, I don't know what in the world possessed me to purchase this blush. Granted, this was back when I was a blush newbie... oh, who am I kidding, I'm still kind of a blush newbie! xD
Onto the actual product, this is a beige blush with IMO peach tones to it. Highly frosted, very, very shimmery. I honestly don't see how anyone could or would use this as a blush, definitely more in the highlighter category, although for me it's still too stark and ashy against my skintone.
~DDD, neutral-to-warm w/ yellow undertones, MAC Matchmaster 8.5~
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Blush -Cover Girl - Cheekers - Plumberry Glow
LavenderPearl 4/10/2012 11:36:00 PM
Plumberry Glow is a vibrant, blue-based pink with tons of multicolored shimmer. The color itself is a little bright for my skintone, but I don't think it's particularly crazy-looking. What makes me hate this blush is the intense amount of shimmer and sparkle in it... I feel like the reflectiveness makes it look very obvious and unnatural, especially on someone of color, such as myself. I mean, blue shimmer? People are going to notice that on me, lol. For that reason, this is not one I reach for often :( [EDIT: The shimmer is just too much. I'm giving this one away.]
For reference: ~DDD, neutral-to-warm w/ yellow undertones, MAC Matchmaster 8.5~
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Lipstick -Revlon - Icy Nude (Colorburst)
LavenderPearl 2/15/2012 12:58:00 AM
Got this during the CVS beauty clearance sale. Not really a nude girl, but I figured I would give it a shot since it was so cheap! The actual color of the lipstick was pretty nice, not too light to the point where I felt like I couldn't wear it alone. What really threw me off was the massive amount of glitter in this product. On top of that the particles were large enough that you could feel each one on your lips. Rubbing them together was basically torture. Couldn't stand that, so I returned it.
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Lip Gloss -Urban Decay - Lip Junkie - Crush
LavenderPearl 2/15/2012 12:27:00 AM
I also received a sample Crush Lip Junkie in my UD Rollergirl palette. ^_^ Lip Junkies come in a variety of colors and can generally be classified under three finishes -- sheer, cream, or frost. The glosses have a squeeze tube applicator, and a minty scent/taste that isn't too overpowering. They are said to cool and plump your lips. I don't think they do much plumping, but you will definitely feel a tingly cooling sensation. Crush is a jellied pink color. It's got a decent amount of pigment to it, but I would still categorize it as sheer. On my extremely pigmented lips, it gives a nice hint of pink tint on its own, and a more noticeable pink when applied over a lipstick. Staying power is pretty average. It has a tackiness to it, but is nowhere near the stickiness of MAC Lipglass, if that's a concern. I find this is a great all around color that looks great with just about anything. Because it doesn't impart a crazy amount of color it is extremely versatile. I find this is something I toss in my bag both day and night. The price is a little steep for a lipgloss ($19 currently), but the amount of product is pretty astounding and makes up for it. Likely to buy a full size when I finish this mini!
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Blush -Cover Girl - Cheekers Blush in Golden Pink
LavenderPearl 2/6/2012 3:34:00 AM
Hands down, the best Covergirl blush I have ever tried (and I've tried a lot)! The name does not particularly match the color, in my opinion: Golden Pink is a deep pink that possibly verges on a less intense red-orange color. The golden shimmers in it also add an all over warmth. I don't find the shimmer too over-the-top or noticeable. On my darker skintone, this color just adds a beautiful natural sort of color to my cheeks. I wouldn't say it's a flush, but more like a glow. I always get compliments on how healthy my skin looks when I wear this! I honestly think this color could look beautiful on just about anyone. It's very versatile. If you have a lighter skintone, you might even be able to pull this off as a contour color. I just wear it as a typical blush and blend into my temples to frame my face.
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Blush -Cover Girl - Classic Color 'Soft Mink'
LavenderPearl 2/2/2012 11:23:00 PM
Out of all the three Classic Color blushes I own, this is probably my favorite. Soft Mink is a beautiful peachy-gold sort of color with small shimmers. It has a frosty finish and a highly metallic sheen. This blush has the best texture I have seen in the Classic Color line (as compared to Iced Plum and Rose Silk) and also the strongest pigment/color pay-off. It's quite easy to overload with this product, so know that a little goes a long way.
On my skin-tone, though, Soft Mink is definitely too light to use as a blush. Coupled with the high frost effect, it makes my skin look extremely ashy and unnatural. If I ever do use it, it's a light dusting intended for highlighting. [EDIT: Does not work well as a highlight either. This color is completely useless for darker skintones.] I would probably not repurchase this myself, but that's mainly because I don't see myself getting through the one I have.
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Blush -Cover Girl - Classic Color 'Rose Silk'
LavenderPearl 2/2/2012 11:09:00 PM
Rose Silk is a soft pink with a bit of peach to it, as well as small indiscriminate shimmers. The color is lovely, and unlike some of the other Covergirl blushes I have used, the texture seems to be rather smooth. Unfortunately, the downfall of this blush is the pigmentation. When swatched, it looks like it will give a decent color payoff -- however, it applies incredibly sheer and fades just as quickly. This might look good on someone with an extremely light skin-tone, but it definitely didn't work for me.
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Blush -Cover Girl - Classic Color in Iced Plum
LavenderPearl 2/2/2012 11:01:00 PM
Iced Plum is a lovely color, although the name is a little deceiving. I was surprised when I opened this to find that it definitely reads more like a light fuchsia/hot pink on my skin, although that may have worked in its favor. There are small multi-colored glitters in this blush, however unlike a lot of other Covergirl blushes I own I find that these are barely noticeable on the skin. The smell is typical of Covergirl cheek products, although not particularly overpowering once on the face.
The reason I'm giving this a 2 is because of the blush texture. For some reason, a lot of my Covergirl blushes seem to get this weird texture when I rub them that completely ruins the blush (sort of like pilling? photo will be attached). Unfortunately this has happened to my Iced Plum, rendering this once nicely-pigmented color pretty much unusable. |: I swatch this now and absolutely no color comes off; I use a brush and get the exact same results. For that reason, I would not repurchase.
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