Liquid -Urban Decay - Naked Skin
MLWagner79 9/16/2012 2:21:00 PM
I had high expectations for this product as I generally do well with UD and also with sheer, dewier foundations. I struck out this time. I generally wear around NC20 although I lean more neutral. I couldn't get a good match in this to save my life. I also found the coverage on this oddly patchy. In some areas I could see pigment on my skin, while in others there was no coverage to speak of. Can't speak to length of wear because it it looked so bad I couldn't wear it out of the house. I will say it had a nice light feel, but that's about the only good thing I can say. This was just a no-go for me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Alpha Hydrox - 10% Enhanced Cream
MLWagner79 9/15/2012 10:09:00 PM
I really love this stuff. I am 2 weeks into a AHA and Vitamin C serum regime to help hyperpigmentation. As recommended by the MUA SC board gals, I use this at night and the serum in the morning. I do not have particularly sensitive skin and was able to use this nightly right off the bat. I apply a small amount directly after washing my face at night and it sinks right in. In just 2 weeks I have noticed s decrease in millia under my eyes and my average pores are pretty much invisible. I've also noticed a significant reduction in blackheads in my nose, which weren't really visible with makeup on, but were definitely there. Also, in combination with the serum, my normally very dry, dull skin is now positively glowing. I am already very pleased with this product although it has not been long enough to have much effect on hyperpigmentation. The only cons for me are a slight stinging for a few seconds after applying, and the smell, which is sort of sour but fades quickly.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Sport Face SPF 70 
MLWagner79 9/8/2012 9:07:00 PM
This is my daily face sunscreen. Recently during a makeover at BB I noticed a few sunspots. They, of course, recommended their own products (and I *do* use their BB cream which has SPF 35), but I am sort of leery about cosmetic company sunscreens, and I also knew I would want something cheaper for daily wear. So I have been using this daily in conjunction with vitamin C serum to help clear and prevent sun damage. I also use an AHA at night. I trust Neutrogena SS as I have had good luck in the past and I liked the sweat and water resistant claims of this one in conjuction with a high SPF. Plays well with the serum and with my BB BB cream, and actually primed quite well. Great price point and always on sale somewhere.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Dermalogica - Super Rich Repair
MLWagner79 8/10/2012 9:25:00 PM
This is my HG moisturizer. I only took off a lippie for 2 reasons - price (ouch!) and packaging (I love the pump, but there's no warning that you are about to run out!). I have very very dry flaky skin and use this year round. This moisturizer combined with my Clarisonic have taken my skin from dry, flaky, and dull to fresh and glowing! Due to the price I swap for this whenever I can, and just finished my 3rd bottle. A little goes a long way and a bottle lasts me probably about 6 months.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Crème -Bobbi Brown - EXTRA Repair Foundation
MLWagner79 7/7/2012 10:03:00 AM
I love this foundation! Be aware that this is NOT for combo, oily, or probably even normal skin - if you do not have dry, and I mean DRY skin, this is probably one to steer clear of. It has a very rich base and if you do not have dry skin for it to sort of sink into/hold onto, it is going to sit on top of your skin and look like a greasy mess. Also, if you do not like a glowy/shiny/luminous finish, you will also not like this. If you touch your face a lot during the day, you will not like this, as it does have the possibility of transfer. That said, I have very dull, dry skin that flakes all year round. I have used BB Moisture Rich foundation in the past and it has worked well, but it is a little more sheer than this and the colors run a bit darker so I have a better match in this. As NC15-20, and pretty neutral-leaning, I wear Sand in this foundation and also in the Moisture Rich, but it is a touch lighter in this foundation and a better match. I apply this by warming up a slightly larger than pea-size amount on the back of my hand, and applying with my Louise Young large foundation brush. I apply a base layer all over, and then go back and hit areas that need it again, which are usually my super-pink cheeks and nose. Even with a rich moisturizer on, this sucks right up into my skin and looks healthy and glowy without being mask-like. It also does not feel particularly heavy for me. I then set with Smashbox Halo powder to keep it in place and also to knock the shine down a bit. It wears all day in this combination. A lot of people don't like the glass jar. I don't mind it because I don't touch up throughout the day; it stays in my m/u drawer all day so it's not a problem. I also like that I can dip my brush straight into the jar if I need just a touch more than I originally took out (which I realize is unhygenic, but I don't share my m/u so they're my germs anyway). All in all, this foundation is a big winner for me. I wish it weren't so pricey, but you use so little that it lasts quite a while.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Bobbi Brown - Moisture Rich foundation
MLWagner79 2/12/2012 9:50:00 PM
I bought this recently as I have been rotating around several foundations and samples and am just not getting the balance of match, coverage, and finish that I want. I have extremely dry and flaky skin, especially in the winter. I am also quite pale (NC15) with ruddiness in my cheeks. When browsing my choices, I had this foundation, Extra Moisturizing Tinted Balm, and Extra Repair foundation all on my list of possibilities. In the past I had been matched with Warm Sand 2.5, and in those days I lived in California, was out in the sun quite a bit and had more color to my skin. I was surprised when the SA matched me again to Warm Sand 2.5 and actually asked if Porcelain (which is what I would have chosen had I been left to my own devices) would be better. She said no, she thought it would really wash me out and make me too pale, and to let her try and and we'd see what she thought. In the end I do agree with her, now having worn it in harsh indoor light and out in the sun as well. It may be like HALF a shade too dark but I think it will be versatile so I can wear it year round, and if I blend well around the jaw it looks fine.
I require a dewy finish foundation, and medium coverage due to redness in my cheeks/nose/chin. This foundation has both of these. I don't know how people could say this wears like a TM; it is not even close. If you used it VERY sheerly it could be light-medium but you would have to use the tiniest amount to get there. I put a thin layer all over using Louise Young's jumbo foundation brush (this thing is AWESOME for foundations that tend to streak with a brush), then another thin layer over the redness on my cheeks and it is definitely high coverage. Then I set with a light dusting of Smashbox Halo and it looks flawless. After this sets for a few minutes, I go back and use my fingers to blend out the creases under my eyes and nose, as this will settle there. It wears well for me, at least 8 hours. It does smell a little odd to me, like vegetable oil or something, but it fades away after awhile.
A very nice, medium/full coverage foundation with dewy finish. Does not look heavy or cakey on me at all. The only thing I did not like is that it doesn't have a pump.
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Makeup Brushes -Louise Young - Large foundation brush
MLWagner79 12/29/2011 8:59:00 PM
Let me start by saying I hope I don't ever have to buy another...because, ouch! That said, this brush is worth every penny. It really is the best of both worlds - the large size allows you to apply foundation quickly in a few strokes, yet the bullet shape allows you to get into small areas around the eyes, nose, mouth, etc with no problem. The brush is incredibly soft and blends foundation with ease with no streaking. I bought this on a whim after reading a blog review and having just bought Chanel Vitalumiere, which was not going on very well using fingers or my BeautyBlender. I had given up foundation brushes several years ago due to streaking, but it was clear a brush is what Vitalumiere needs, so I figured I would spring for the best! And I am so glad I did, every foundation I own (including MUFE F&B, Chanel VA, MAC F&B, and a couple of Missha BBs) all look SO great with it. I will probably be retiring my BeautyBlender after this. I would like to try some other brushes in this line in the future, although I really have no need at this time. Highly recommended!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -MISSHA - M Perfect Cover BB Cream
MLWagner79 10/30/2011 4:48:00 PM
This is my 2nd BB cream. I actually got a full size tube of this for free as part of my first order from Missha's website. I had sprung originally for the Cho Bo Yang BB (which was on sale for a steal) and Perfect Cover came with it.
I thought it was sort of odd that I didn't get to choose my shade, especially for a full-sized product, but whatever, it was free. They sent me #23 and it is a good match. I am NC20/N2 (really quite neutral). The gray tone of this put me off originally when I swatched it onto my hand. However, when blended out onto my face it looked fine. I use Smashbox's #19 Face & Body brush, which is a large, dense, bronzer-type brush and my preferred for working with thick/cream foundations. It was perfect for this application.
The best part about this BB (most BBs, really I suppose) is the coverage. I have good, clear, blemish-free skin, but I carry a lot of ruddiness in my cheeks. One layer of this stippled with the #19 and it's gone. It gives me a perfect clear canvas. I would imagine it would be excellent for someone with rosacea or other discoloration problems as well. I also love the dewy finish. I've had a very hard time finding a dewy-finish base that has decent coverage. Most (including some of my very favorites - MUFE F&B, MAC F&B, Chante FS and Chante JS) are quite sheer.
I can't speak to the lightening/long-term skin effects as I have only used this short-term. I CAN say this stuff wears like iron, having worn it for a 5-mile hike yesterday and it still looked perfect when we got home!
Would definitely repurchase as long as it continues to agree with my skin.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Other -Josie Maran Cosmetics - Argan Oil Moisturizing Stick
MLWagner79 8/20/2011 12:29:00 PM
I received this in a swap and I just love it. I use pure argan oil from Garden of Wisdom as my twice-a-day moisturizer on my super dry skin. 3 drops morning and night and I'm good. However, between my eyebrows is a spot that flakes no matter WHAT I do. I've also had issues getting the oil up close to my eyes - I'd like to use it undereye but it makes me nervous about it migrating into my eyes. Well this stick solves those problems. I sweep a little on between my brows and also under my eyes. It does have a bit of a tingle but my skin is okay with it. I've been using this for a few weeks and I really just love it. Definite repurchase for me.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Chantecaille - Just Skin
MLWagner79 7/7/2011 7:38:00 PM
*sigh*
I am very sad that I LOVE THIS STUFF. For what it costs, it ought to apply itself and finish the rest of my face, too. It provides the coverage that my beloved MUFE F&B does not, without looking or feeling heavy or cakey. A small amount of product does the whole face. I apply with fingers (I've tried a BeautyBlender, as it works so well for everything else, but it didn't work for this) and it applies smoothly and goes on quickly. I do use a primer (LORAC Aquaprime) and set with powder (Smashbox Halo) and it lasts all day without touch-ups.
I am a neutral-leaning NC20 and first I got this in Glow. It was slightly orange - a bit too yellow and a bit too dark, but if I blended well down the neck it worked okay. Then I got my hands on a tube of Nude, and it is perfect. I do have extremely dry skin, so I don't know how this will work for oily gals.
I took a lippie off for the cost - for a TM it's just ridiculous. I do my best to swap for it when I can, or get it on eBay (my last tube only cost me $20).
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Chanel - Vitalumiere Aqua
MLWagner79 4/7/2011 12:41:00 AM
I gave this baby a full week's test drive thanks to generous SAs that loaded me up with samples (I mentioned I used to LOVE TI, but that it now doesn't work on my dry skin, so they were really nice about giving me samples before buying).
I am very very dry, with flaky patches between my brows and on my cheeks. I control this for the most part with argan oil but I still have issues with foundation not sitting right on my skin. My HG is MUFE F&B #20, and I am NC20.
I received samples in both B10 and B20. I think B20 is the better match, although a mix of both would probably work best for me, and even so it is pretty beige and not so much yellow. It is a close enough match for me that I wore it out in public all week, topped with MAC Careblend in Light Plus.
Price: Ugh. But it's Chanel, and for a Chanel foundation it's actually not bad at $45. And it's full 1oz size...my MUFE F&B is $38, so again, not bad.
Packaging: Feels a little cheap for Chanel, but I do like it. The squeeze bottle is easy to use and control, I actually prefer it to the pump on my F&B. The TI glass bottle felt more luxurious but really, who cares?
Product: I would compare this with what I WANTED NARS Sheer Glow to be. SG was a crappy, patchy flaky mess on me. The Vitalumiere Aqua was incredibly lightweight on (even with a couple extra passes over my nose and cheeks to hide redness), it didn't feel like anything on the skin. It looked like my skin, only perfected. It is not, however, a dewy finish like F&B. I would describe it as natural/satin...glowy without being shiny. I put one light layer all over, which evened out my skin. Then I dabbed two more thin layers over my nose and cheeks. No difference in the finish, except that the redness was gone. With some foundations it would start to get cakey, but not with VA. So you can definitely build this from sheer to medium without a problem.
The best part - this stuff wore like freaking iron all day. I work in a physician's office, running around all day and generally sweating. At 10pm, my makeup still looked perfect! And no primer!
I'm not *quite* ready to give up my F&B for this...but when I run out I will definitely reevaluate and see if that opinion changes when the time comes.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Crème -Laura Mercier - Silk Creme Foundation
MLWagner79 2/14/2011 11:19:00 PM
I purchased this after being told it was good for dry skin. I was matched to Medium Ivory (NC25) and the color match was good, if maybe a teensy bit orange, but blended out it was okay. I should have NEVER EVER strayed from my beloved MUFE F&B. I have incredibly dry flakey skin and F&B is like a dream on. But of course, always looking for newer/better, and here I am with a new tube of LM SC. Awful awful awful. I applied with a brush, my fingers, a damp BeautyBlender...it didn't matter what I did. Primer or no primer...nothing helped. It was like my skin ate it, except for random patches of pigment that clung to my drier areas. Cakey, gross, AWFUL. Straight back to my F&B. Never ever again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Makeup Remover -E.L.F. - Eye Make-Up Remover Pads
MLWagner79 8/8/2010 8:19:00 PM
I love these. They don't burn my eyes, and one pad will remove all of the eye makeup off both eyes from a "normal" makeup day. If it's heavier or "going out" makeup, then I need one for each eye...but it gets it all off! No greasy residue and they have a nice fresh scent. At $1/jar, super cheap and I much prefer them to larger wipes or remover on a pad. My only complaint is that they dry up rather quickly - maybe 6 weeks or so and the entire package was dried out.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -L'Oreal - Everstrong Overnight Repair Treatment
MLWagner79 7/7/2010 7:06:00 PM
I've been using this for a few days now and I am pretty impressed. I have a TON of shoulder-length, fine straight hair that I blow dry and flat iron pretty much daily. Recently my hair stylist cut my layers a little shorter than I would like them, so I've been growing them out but the ends of that layer are starting to get a little fried and stick out in crazy directions even after flat ironing. This stuff, you put a few pumps through the ends of your dry hair before bed, then wash out in the morning. I wash every other day, so I use it every other day. It doesn't leave any residue on the pillow and my hair seems to just suck it right up. I noticed this morning when I shampooed that the shampoo lathered really far more easily than normal (Bedhead Superstar), which may have just been the two products reacting. But today I also noticed my ends look FAR less fried and are behaving more, just after 4 uses. The only thing I *don't* care for is the very strong (to me) coconut-something scent. $7-something at Ulta, quite happy with this purchase!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Make Up For Ever - Face & Body Foundation
MLWagner79 5/2/2010 10:08:00 PM
This is my HG foundation and has been for the past 5 years or so. I bought it after seeing some gals here on MUA with some beautiful, glowy FOTDs, and they were always wearing F&B as their foundation! I am NC20 (am actually very neutral but I have some ruddiness in my cheeks and on my nose, so I go a tad more yellow to help combat that) and wear shade 20. This foundation is quite light coverage but if you give some time to let it dry, you can layer it to build coverage. I do one layer all over, and then a second layer on areas of redness on my cheeks and nose. The finish is dewy without being shiny and is TRULY dewy, not just sparkly or shimmery. It looks incredibly natural on. I set it with Smashbox Halo - this stuff is like it was made to go over F&B, it allows you to powder over it and not lose the dewiness, because Halo is somewhat dewy on it's own. It's a great combination. In the summer, when I am a little more tan (inevitable, I work outdoors), I switch to shade 32 which is also a perfect match. It lasts all day through sweat, sun, and sometimes 16-hour days. Anyway, I wear this pretty much every day except super-hot days when I wear TM. Definite repurchase again and again for me. Worth every penny.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No