Powder -Physicians Formula - Healthy Wear SPF 50 Powder Foundation
LipstikChick 1/17/2010 1:04:00 AM
I have to say, I was so excited to hear about this product from a blogger's rave review of it, and I couldn't find it fast enough. I was a HUGE fan of the now d/c Olay powder foundation (God rest its soul, I loved it dearly) back in the day when they made cosmetics, so this new PF powder had big shoes to fill. For reference, I tend to have normal-to-dry skin, and, while not MAC-matched, I think I fall into their NC or NW15 range (I think) ... I generally wear the 2nd lightest foundation in most lines. My skin, while clear, shows that I once sat in the sun with minimal SPF (read: hi, I have sun damage from years past, and it shows). Add to that my Irish background, which translates into a ruddy complexion. So I like my foundations to provide full coverage so I can have a blank canvas to start my face off with. I really wanted to see how well this covered, so I used concealor under my eyes only, then applied the PF HW Powder foundation with their included sponge. My results were exactly what the package said I'd get: full-coverage with a soft matte finish (if I want glow, I prefer to add it myself). After I was happy with those results, I dusted PF's new tri-color brightening powder over it (why not, right?) ... and my skin looks as perfect as I could ever hope it to be! The real test came after a singing performance, because this product claims to be: *long wearing *perspiration resistant *water resistant Well, lemme tell ya, I sweat like a pig when our band performs (if you're gonna test it, TEST IT), and this TOTALLY performed! I am so loving this foundation! It held up in a hot bar, sweat & all (nice visual, I'm sure), and while my hair was a wreck lol, my face looked great by the end of the night (at 3 am!)! Didn't itch, didn't budge, didn't sweat off. I'm really happy that it worked out, too, because I'd been eyeing EL's powder foundation (the one that's the powder equivalent of their long-lasting liquid foundation ... DoubleWear, I think?), and this is half the cost, AND has SPF 50. Can't beat that. The color range is definitely lacking for all skintones (I believe there's the Translucent that I bought, plus maybe 2 other shades), but for those who are, say, light to medium complected, this may be something worth looking for. As far as the packaging is concerned, it looks sturdier than it actually is, but I truly don't care, because the product works. THAT I care about. It's convenient, it's fast, it's more economical than higher end lines ($15 at RiteAid, with an automatic $5 taken off from the packaging), and ... and ... and I LOVE it lol. HTHS! :-)
25 out of 25 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - PhotoReady Makeup
LipstikChick 12/20/2009 2:44:00 AM
Boy, did I want to love this product, especially after allowing all the raves here to get to me. I literally stalked my CVS, waiting for this to arrive (only to find it at Rite Aid, and NOT CVS lol). I have fair skin (not MAC matched, sorry), and usually wear the lightest to 2nd-lightest shades in foundations. My skin is normal-to-dry, and while I don't suffer from acne, I do have discolorations & ruddiness from sun damage (and Irish genes) that I like to cover up. I prefer full-coverage foundations, generally speaking. I've tried MUFE's HD foundation & silica powder, so I do have something to compare this to. And for the record, I HATED how the MUFE HD made my skin look. Thusly ... I hated the Revlon PhotoReady (there. I said it. Let the stoning begin.). It delivered the same effect as the MUFE HD did on me, and here's your visual: I looked like the tragic picture of Nicole Kidman at the "Nine" premiere (YOU know the one ... powder all over the place? Unblended? Yeah. THAT one.). Revlon's PR simply sat on top of my wintry dry skin. It enhanced my pores -- which are SMALL, might I add -- and looked cakey even before I applied the matching powder. I figured I'd wait a bit, and it might settle in and look better ... because SURELY if it worked for so many others, it would work for me, right? FAIL. I'm so disappointed, because I'd already gone through this with the (more expensive) MUFE HD products. At least I still have my receipts so I can return these. I need to learn that, if it ain't broke, don't fix it: my regular foundation/powder combinations look so much better than these products did on me. I'm happy for those that it works on ... but if you have skin that tends to be on the dry side, I'd steer clear.
8 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Hard Candy - Fire Alarm
LipstikChick 10/10/2009 1:36:00 AM
Fire Alarm is a beige-y baby pink cream, along the same vein as MAC Myth, for color reference ... however, the name does not match the color, as I thought this would be a red, but I'm so happy with this one. It erases my pigmented lips and brings them to a fab light nude that's perfect with the heavier eye looks I tend to favor. The lipsticks have a slightly glossy finish to them (which makes it not all that long-lasting, but I like to reapply, anyhow), a verrry light scent like vanilla (and I mean VERY light), and remind me of how MAC Lustres apply, but better. As far as packaging goes, this revamped line has their lipsticks encased in decorated white plastic, with a clear cap, and a fuschia ribbon tail attached to the end of the case. I think I paid about $6.00 for this at WalMart, and I am so very pleasantly surprised at how much I like this particular shade!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Cat Cosmetics - Bad Cat
LipstikChick 2/1/2008 11:18:00 PM
I love Cat Cosmetics and have had very good experiences with all that I've gotten from this line ... until now. I bought her Kitten Impossible l/s in Bad Cat through an HSN special, which included a liner and a gloss with the lipstick. The l/s is a split bullet, half of which is a pale pinky peach shade, the other, an antique pearl with a slight pale brown undertone. I always go for shades like this, and since I've always had good luck with my other Cat products, I expected great results from this, as well. First off, the casing is quite cute -- it's a squared-off pale gold metallic casing with a tiny aurora borealis rhinestone, and it has a flip-up mirror built in that appears when you remove the lipstick from the case. Very clever & convenient. Sadly, while the colors were exactly as I expected them to be (they were accurately described, and applied with good pigmentation), I was completely turned off by the fact that this lipstick smelled as ancient as one of Revlon's OLD Super Lustrous l/s ... it just about smelled rancid. And worse yet, that scent translated into a foul taste as it seeped into my mouth. I'm not horribly sensitive to scents, but this was too much for me. The feel of the lipstick was slightly drying, but nothing too bad. In the realm of how a lipsticks feels, I've had worse lipsticks, I have better lipsticks. To make matters worse, this wasn't even my first time buying this lipstick! I'd ordered it off of Cat's website a couple of years ago, and ended up returning it to them for the exact same reasons. Their CS is wonderful, and when I'd explained why I needed to return the product, they were apologetic and wondered if any others in their warehouse may have gone bad due to perhaps a too high temperature (I'll never know LOL). Anyhow, I'd decided to take a chance on buying it a 2nd time, because I'd seen a demo on HSN's site, and fell in love with the color all over again, and hoped that perhaps my first experience was just a random one. Nope. Turns out that this seems to be a consistent problem, so mine is going back. AGAIN. I'm very disappointed, because I had such high hopes ... if I could've loved this l/s in any way, shape or form, I'd have found a line where I actually like every product (a rarity). This won't stop me from trying more shadows and blushes, but the lipsticks won't be finding a place in my collection, ever.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -Cat Cosmetics - BAD CAT lipstick
LipstikChick 2/1/2008 11:16:00 PM
I love Cat Cosmetics and have had very good experiences with all that I've gotten from this line ... until now. I'm the one who'll ruin the 100% curve here lol. I bought her Kitten Impossible l/s in Bad Cat through an HSN special, which included a liner and a gloss with the lipstick. The l/s is a split bullet, half of which is a pale pinky peach shade, the other, an antique pearl with a slight pale brown undertone. I always go for shades like this, and since I've always had good luck with my other Cat products, I expected great results from this, as well. First off, the casing is quite cute -- it's a squared-off pale gold metallic casing with a tiny aurora borealis rhinestone, and it has a flip-up mirror built in that appears when you remove the lipstick from the case. Very clever & convenient. Sadly, while the colors were exactly as I expected them to be (they were accurately described, and applied with good pigmentation), I was completely turned off by the fact that this lipstick smelled as ancient as one of Revlon's OLD Super Lustrous l/s ... it just about smelled rancid. And worse yet, that scent translated into a foul taste as it seeped into my mouth. I'm not horribly sensitive to scents, but this was too much for me. The feel of the lipstick was slightly drying, but nothing too bad. In the realm of how a lipsticks feels, I've had worse lipsticks, I have better lipsticks. To make matters worse, this wasn't even my first time buying this lipstick! I'd ordered it off of Cat's website a couple of years ago, and ended up returning it to them for the exact same reasons. Their CS is wonderful, and when I'd explained why I needed to return the product, they were apologetic and wondered if any others in their warehouse may have gone bad due to perhaps a too high temperature (I'll never know LOL). Anyhow, I'd decided to take a chance on buying it a 2nd time, because I'd seen a demo on HSN's site, and fell in love with the color all over again, and hoped that perhaps my first experience was just a random one. Nope. Turns out that this seems to be a consistent problem, so mine is going back. AGAIN. I'm very disappointed, because I had such high hopes ... if I could've loved this l/s in any way, shape or form, I'd have found a line where I actually like every product (a rarity). This won't stop me from trying more shadows and blushes, but the lipsticks won't be finding a place in my collection, ever.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Cat Cosmetics - Kitten Impossible Lipstick - Bad Cat
LipstikChick 2/1/2008 1:17:00 PM
I love Cat Cosmetics and have had very good experiences with all that I've gotten from this line ... until now. I bought her Kitten Impossible l/s in Bad Cat through an HSN special, which included a liner and a gloss with the lipstick. The l/s is a split bullet, half of which is a pale pinky peach shade, the other, an antique pearl with a slight pale brown undertone. I always go for shades like this, and since I've always had good luck with my other Cat products, I expected great results from this, as well. First off, the casing is quite cute -- it's a squared-off pale gold metallic casing with a tiny aurora borealis rhinestone, and it has a flip-up mirror built in that appears when you remove the lipstick from the case. Very clever & convenient. Sadly, while the colors were exactly as I expected them to be (they were accurately described, and applied with good pigmentation), I was completely turned off by the fact that this lipstick smelled as ancient as one of Revlon's OLD Super Lustrous l/s ... it just about smelled rancid. And worse yet, that scent translated into a foul taste as it seeped into my mouth. I'm not horribly sensitive to scents, but this was too much for me. The feel of the lipstick was slightly drying, but nothing too bad. In the realm of how a lipsticks feels, I've had worse lipsticks, I have better lipsticks. To make matters worse, this wasn't even my first time buying this lipstick! I'd ordered it off of Cat's website a couple of years ago, and ended up returning it to them for the exact same reasons. Their CS is wonderful, and when I'd explained why I needed to return the product, they were apologetic and wondered if any others in their warehouse may have gone bad due to perhaps a too high temperature (I'll never know LOL). Anyhow, I'd decided to take a chance on buying it a 2nd time, because I'd seen a demo on HSN's site, and fell in love with the color all over again, and hoped that perhaps my first experience was just a random one. Nope. Turns out that this seems to be a consistent problem, so mine is going back. AGAIN. I'm very disappointed, because I had such high hopes ... if I could've loved this l/s in any way, shape or form, I'd have found a line where I actually like every product (a rarity). This won't stop me from trying more shadows and blushes, but the lipsticks won't be finding a place in my collection, ever.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - University Medical Face Lift
LipstikChick 1/14/2008 12:43:00 PM
First, let me say that I'm no skincare expert or junkie (my whoredom lies in makeup lol), but I got such incredible results from this product that I felt it was my duty to report on it. The product is made by a company called University Medical, and the product name is simply "Face Lift". The packaging makes it hard to determine the real official name, because the box goes on to call itself "WrinkleFree At Home Wrinkle Reversal System". Whatever it is, it's magical. This is a 2-part system that, according to the company, replaces Botox & Restylane (w/o the injections). The company also claims that, while Botox & Restylane are both costly and temporary, the results you'll get from this system are cumulative and won't wear off. (I can't vouch for that yet, but I'm working on it.) I bought a 5-day starter pack (but I'm still using it, and it's far beyond 5 days, so this can last a while), which, like the "real" product, consists of Step 1 - the Facial Line Relaxer (which comes in a jar) and Step 2 - the Wrinkle Filling Serum.(which comes in a tube). Here's what the company says: "WrinkleFree relaxes wrinkles first w/GABA, a natural muscle relaxer found in our own bodies, then fills them in w/Hyaluronic Acid, as does Restylane. Hyaluronic Acid is a dermal filler, also found in our own bodies, which works by filling in the spaces between cells, plumping up sagging skin for a remarkably more youthful, wrinkle-free appearance." Here's what I say: After having lost quite a bit of weight in the past 2 years, I found I was plagued with some lovely lines on my face that just didn't belong there -- particularly the nasolabial lines (if I got that term right -- the "marionette" laugh lines between the nose & mouth area). I also have 2 or 3 tiny vertical lines between my eyes/forehead area (most likely due to having kids and being out of my mind most of the time). I had the worst time waking up each morning to see these lines more pronounced after sleeping. Makeup would settle into those areas. All in all, it wasn't a good situation. Being the product junkie that I am, anytime I saw a product that promised the elimination of lines, I fell for it, and have always been let down (including pricey serums from Dior that got a lot of hype here not too long ago). Until now ... When I saw this trial size product for $5.00 at my CVS, I figured, why not? At worst, it's not nearly as pricey as some of the other things I've tried, so if it doesn't do anything, I'm out only $5.00. To be honest, I didn't have much hope for this, either. I was proven wrong: I saw results overnight. No kidding. I applied Step 1/Facial Line Relaxer only on my trouble areas/wrinkles, and followed up with dabbing Step 2/Wrinkle Filling Serum on the same areas. In the morning, I didn't have the very obvious lines that have plagued my face since losing my weight. I couldn't believe it. I've been using the products for a week now, and have had incredible results, and they DO seem to be cumulative. My makeup smooths on wonderfully over the products, with no caking or balling up (which has happened with other products I've tried). This is one thing that I will RUN to purchase the full-sized products of, because I've never had such results like the ones I've gotten in the past week. I think I truly stumbled across a miracle! As I mentioned, the starter kit cost me $5.00, and IIRC, the full-sized product kit costs about $30, and I found it in my CVS. Run, people, run -- it delivers! EDITED TO ADD: I was reading the additional reviews here, and I felt that I had to add that I politely disagree with CatVeronica's comment with regard to this product's scent -- there IS no scent whatsoever, and I'm pretty sensitive to fragrances in products. Also, I believe she mentioned using it only at night, as per the directions. The directions on MY products instruct to use this both a.m. and p.m. Maybe it's possible she was thinking of a different product? This continues to work for me beautifully, the effects being cumulative. I will most definitely repurchase this product for as long as it keeps doing right by me :-)
62 out of 63 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -Maybelline - Shimmer Powder in Rosy Twinkle LE 2007
LipstikChick 12/18/2007 12:11:00 PM
Rachel did an amazing job describing this product (as she always does!) all around, so this will be my short-but-sweet take on it. Rosy Twinkle is touted as a highlighter, though the peachy rose shade of it makes you think that perhaps you'll get a decent blush shade out of this (at least I did). Sadly, I didn't seem to get EITHER a blush or a highlighter. The powder was rather chalky, and I barely got any color deposited on my cheeks at all (and I'm fair-skinned, so this should've shown up a LITTLE). As far as highlighting goes, again -- barely perceptible. In a nutshell, save your money. There are far better drugstore products that can highlight and give you a glowy finish. Nice try, Maybelline, but you need to go back to the drawing board -- this didn't work. Pretty to look at, but I want to WEAR it and be able to tell that it's on. And yes, I returned it (which says a lot, as I don't return much of anything).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - In Vogue (The Stylistics)
LipstikChick 12/4/2007 1:09:00 AM
In Vogue l/s is a part of MAC's December '07 collection, The Stylistics. Like a fly to honey, I am immediately attracted to anything that has "brown" in its description -- I'm a hopeless lover of neutrals. I also adore MAC's Frost formula lipsticks. And so when MAC's description of In Vogue hit their website: "Neutral mid-tone brown with gold pearl" (Frost) I had to have it. Sadly, I had to have it, sight unseen, since this wasn't available at the MAC counter in my Macy's. But how off from the description could this be, right? Brown is brown. Except in this case. Maybe my idea of a brown shade differs from that of others, but In Vogue is not brown. It's definitely a mid-tone shade, but brown it ain't. What it is: a neutral caramel shade that has enough pink undertones to make it NOT look brown (or caramel) on me. Maybe it's because I have pigmented lips. I'm still trying to figure this out. This is more like a YLBB shade with a hint of brown in it. It's a very wearable shade, no doubt, but not what I expected from MAC's description. And that gold pearl they mentioned? Not seeing it here. Another thing I have a gripe about is that, as I stated before, I adore MAC's Frost l/s. This one, however, feels more like a Lustre finish (which I HATE) than it does a Frost. It has more slip to it, but it's the slightly drier texture of the Frosts that I love, because it stays on my lips for an extraordinary amount of time. In Vogue didn't last long at all on me. For the $22.00 I spent on it, I want to reapply it only because I FEEL like it, not because I HAVE to. I really hope that this was a fluke, and that MAC isn't reformulating their Frost formula, because as they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The one thing I did like about this l/s was its casing. I've read that it's a love/hate thing, but I loved it: sleek, squared-off black metal casing with black/clear/pearl stones adorning the top. Maybe it's a bit OTT for some people, but I personally like the bling ;-). In Vogue is going back to MAC (and not in the fun "get a new l/s" kind of way). Pretty casing + disappointment in the shade color/formula = I want my money back.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Revlon - A Floral Affair Sheer Powder Blush - Hushed Blush
LipstikChick 11/28/2007 11:26:00 PM
This blush trio comes way of Revlon's new (and perhaps LE ... still not sure on this) color story line that has made its debut in November '07, but looks like it should be a spring color story. The blushes in this story are titled "A Floral Affair" on their lids, but I'm unsure as to whether or not this is the name of the story or part of the product name *puzzled*. The Sheer Powder Blush comes in 4 color combinations: Hushed Blush (a pale golden peach); Peachy Keen (a golden peachy rose); Pinking of You (the only matte shade of the 4, this is THE hottest, most vibrant combo of pinks I've ever seen); and Honey Bunch (which I didn't get the best look at LOL). The blush is contained in a 2 x 2 clear Lucite flip-top case, and the product itself is imprinted with a floral design, very similar to how Clinique designed its Fresh Blooms blushes, right down to having 3 complimentary shades in one product. Hushed Blush is a warm-toned trio of blushes -- the lightest shade is a pale creamy pearl; the smallest shade is a rosy peach (that is similar to what's found in their Peachy Keen trio); and the last shade is a light pinky peach. The color payoff with Hushed Blush is not quite as deep as I'd hoped -- unlike Peachy Keen, which creates the perfect balance between color and glowy highlight like Clinique's Fresh Blooms does, Hushed Blush applies more like a straight-up highlighter. When I swipe all 3 shades together, I get a pale pearl shade tinged with peach. It's pretty, but I was kind of hoping for more in the color department, since I have 10 million highlighters already (nevermind the 10 million blushes ... that's different lol). And THAT'S the reason I wouldn't repurchase this -- not that it's not pretty, but I just hoped for a little more, color-wise, especially because of the steeper price of this product ($11 and change). For the money, I'd rather splurge on one of the deeper shades. To see a picture of Hushed Blush, check out my profile pics or look above :-)
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Revlon - A Floral Affair Sheer Powder Blush - Peachy Keen [DISCONTINUED]
LipstikChick 11/28/2007 10:55:00 PM
This blush trio comes way of Revlon's new (and perhaps LE ... still not sure on this) color story line that has made its debut in November '07, but looks like it should be a spring color story. The blushes in this story are titled "A Floral Affair" on their lids, but I'm unsure as to whether or not this is the name of the story or part of the product name *puzzled*. The Sheer Powder Blush comes in 4 color combinations: Hushed Blush (a pale golden peach); Peachy Keen (a golden peachy rose); Pinking of You (the only matte shade of the 4, this is THE hottest, most vibrant combo of pinks I've ever seen); and Honey Bunch (which I didn't get the best look at LOL). The blush is contained in a 2 x 2 clear Lucite flip-top case, and the product itself is imprinted with a floral design, very similar to how Clinique designed its Fresh Blooms blushes, right down to having 3 complimentary shades in one product. Peachy Keen, I was told after posting pics of it, is reminiscent of NARS Orgasm (though I can't verify personally). It's a warm-toned trio of blushes -- one shade is a light golden pearly pink, while the 2 remaining shades are so very close in color, it's hard to distinguish between them (but combined, they create a ripe rosy peach shade). The color payoff with Peachy Keen is good -- just like Clinique's Fresh Blooms, this creates the perfect balance between color and glowy highlight. And while I adore Clinique's Fresh Blooms, this product gives the same effect for more than half the price of Clinique's. Niiiice :-) Yes, we can all agree that drugstore products have become much pricier in recent years, especially Revlon's ... BUT, I have to say that I'm so very pleased with the color payoff of this blush that I can't complain one bit about forking over $11.00 and change for it. To see a picture of Peachy Keen, check out my profile pics ... this is definitely a pleasant surprise from Revlon, especially since I don't think I've ever tried one of their blushes EVER lol. I think this might change my mind.
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Elizabeth Arden - Color Intrigue Eyeshadow Quad - Sueded Browns
LipstikChick 11/28/2007 1:51:00 AM
I can't believe I'm going to say this, BUT ... I'm really beginning to think that EA has produced THE perfect e/s for me. Does that make me an old lady LOL? I picked up their Sueded Browns e/s quad after being so incredibly impressed with their Natural Cashmeres quad (which I've yet to review), and I'm still impressed. I'm a fair-skinned, blue eyed auburn haired gal, and I'm drawn to neutrals like moths to a porchlight, so it's only natural that I'd be drawn to this quad. The shades within are: dark chocolate brown w/a slightly cool cast to it (matte); neutral creamy pearl (pearl); warm soft chocolate that applies brighter than it appears (soft pearl); and a shade that baffles me -- in the pan, it appears as an antiqued gold shade w/an almost green tint to it, but when applied, it's a glorious warm golden copper (high pearl finish). As these are neutrals, there's just no way to mess up any look you create with these -- they're just about goof-proof, really. But it's the finish that dazzles me: they're not too shiny, not too pearly, definitely not glittery. They are well pigmented shades that impart the perfect glow to my (good Lord) almost 40 eyes. This quad gives me polished perfection w/o having to worry that the finish is showing my age at all (make sense to anyone?). Sometimes shadows overemphasize aging lids due to their overwhelming shimmer -- these do not in the least bit. Like I said, polished perfection with a subtle glow that is wearable for ANYone. Packaging details, for those who care: the quad is housed in a very sturdy smoke-colored Lucite case, with the EA name in a small gold font on top. And it comes with a dual ended applicator, sponge tip on one side, decent brush on the other. I have a gazillion shadows, ranging from d/s lines to Chanel, and I'm shocked in my realization that the shadow quads from EA are probably the best out of all of them. Money well spent (and not even that expensive, either), and I'd drop the cash for any other quad that might suit my coloring in a heartbeat. EA is a highly underrated line, and I'm going to try to get the word out that it's definitely worth exploring!
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Revlon - Make A Sheen Lustrous Shadow Trio - Espress'o Yourself
LipstikChick 11/28/2007 12:17:00 AM
This shadow trio comes way of Revlon's new (and perhaps LE ... still not sure on this) color story line that has made its debut in November '07, but looks like it should be a spring color story. The Make A sheen Lustrous Shadow Trio comes in 4 color combinations: 2 neutral metallics, a plum, and a golden olive. The trio is contained in a 2 x 2 clear Lucite flip-top case, and the shadow itself is imprinted with what looks to me like waves of sand one might see in the desert. Espress'o Yourself is a very warm-toned neutral palette with the following shades: French Vanilla with a golden sheen (of which you get the largest amount in this trio); an orangey copper (the smallest shade of the bunch); and an extremely pigmented shade of chocolate brown with a slightly reddish undertone to it. All the shades are metallic, glowy, and more pigmented than you would ever come to expect from a Revlon shadow (specifically, the chocolate shade ... it amazes me how deep and rich it is in its color!). Yes, we can all agree that drugstore products have become much pricier in recent years, especially Revlon's ... BUT, I have to say that I'm so very pleased with the color payoff of this trio that I can't complain one bit about forking over $11.00 and change for it. I'm getting better color results with this Revlon trio than I've gotten from a lot of my MAC shadows. To see a picture of the rich colors in this trio, check out my profile pics ... this is definitely a nice surprise from Revlon, and if they were smart, they might change the formula of their permanent e/s quads to match the quality of the new trios they've put out!
20 out of 20 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -MAC - Royal Assets: 3 Tan Lips
LipstikChick 11/13/2007 11:59:00 AM
The Royal Assets: 3 Tan Lips palette is a part of MAC's 2007 Holiday color story, and while I'm not a huge fan of lip palettes in general, I have to say that I love this one, simply because the colors are so divine. The palette contains 2 lipsticks (Sceptre/frost & Privee/frost) and one gloss (Pure Pomp), and all shades are new (not repromotes). The trio of shades is housed in a golden compact that has an intricate raised design in cream & gold on the cover. The inside finds the 3 wells in black casing, with a mirror and a tiny lip brush (#316 SE). The darkest l/s shade in the palette is Privee (F), which reminds me somewhat of Strength in their permanent line. It's a warm shade of brick red or russet, with touches of golden shimmer throughout it. Compared to Strength, I'd say that this has more brown in it than red. The finish is not OTT frosty or shimmery ... the gold in it simply adds some depth to the color. The lighter l/s shade is Sceptre (F), which reminds me of another LE shade MAC produced, called Sunmetal, because it has such an intense metallic finish. Sceptre is a metallic peachy tan shade, not unlike their Tan pigment. It's absolutely gorgeous, but you'd better like OTT frost (which I do LOL). The gloss, Pure Pomp, is a sheer pale golden tan peach shade. It almost resembles the color of Sceptre in a way, but it applies so sheerly that you really don't get much in the way of color payoff (at least not on me ... my lips are pigmented, though). Perhaps if you just used this gloss over liner it might be more noticeable, but used over the lipsticks doesn't do much IMHO. That said, I adore the colors in this palette and think that they're perfect for anyone warm-toned, especially redheads. I would LOVE to see MAC come out with the lipstick shades in their permanent line in bullet form ... I would be all over them in an instant! As for the cost, I think when you love something, it's worth every penny, and I do love this.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Smashbox - Photo Finish Lipstick with Sila-Silk Technology - Precious
LipstikChick 11/13/2007 11:38:00 AM
This is the first time in years that I've tried a Smashbox lipstick. Many moons ago, I dabbled with the line, and their lipsticks, while well-pigmented, were very dry. The only reason I tried this is because I had a 20% off coupon at Ulta, so I figured now was as good a time as any to give the line another shot. For the record, my favorite lipsticks come from MAC, Lancome, and Elizabeth Arden, just for reference. For those who care about packaging, you'll love how the casing looks here: the tube is sleek, and while I believe the material is plastic, it has a metallic finish to it that makes it resemble hematite, with Smashbox's name written on the side in simple, black lettering. Very sharp, and I'm not one to care about such things. I chose the shade, Precious, which is housed in a box that has a totally inaccurate swatch color (no big surprise, though). Precious looks darker in the tube than it applies: it looks like a brownish peach with a slight pearl finish, but when applied, it's a sheerer version of what you see in the tube. The finish doesn't look pearly or shimmery at all to me, but there IS a depth to the color that cream shades don't have. So let's just say it has a very subtle pearl finish lol. The scent is divine -- a rich vanilla -- and the nicest part is that there's no taste. I've found lipsticks that have a scent AND leave a horrible taste to accompany it ... not so in this case. Now for the feel ... I prefer opaque finishes in my lipsticks, simply because my lips are pigmented, and find that some lipsticks change color because of my "base" color. Smashbox's product feels lighter than others I've tried, almost like it has a gel base (maybe it does?). For those of you who don't like lipstick, who prefer lip balms, this might very well be the lipstick for you. The box says to apply and press your lips together to "activate the Sila-Silk Technology and boost shine." I'm not sure if I see any more shine than if I don't press my lips together, but it does feel nice and conditioning. Not the longest lasting product in the universe, but I don't mind that. The price is a bit much for my tastes, but if it were something I truly loved (ie, EA Ceramide Plumping l/s), I wouldn't hesitate to drop the cash on it. This, however, is one that I do have a problem spending that much on ... it's not 100% love, which is why I wouldn't repurchase this. I'm more of a lipstick traditionalist (I like 'em more opaque, and a bit more substantial in feel), but that's not to say that this isn't THE one for someone else. I think I'm a dinosaur here LOL. (This has to be the longest freakin' review I've written on anything, which explains why I rarely write reviews anymore ... WAY too much to say about something as little as a lipstick LOL)
13 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No