Top/Base Coats -Mavala - Nail Shield
Marianthoula 5/5/2013 3:03:00 AM
This is my second time using this product. The first time was about 3 years ago when I decided to take drastic steps (aka spend $$ on the right products) to improve my ragged nails. Nail shield worked like a charm and I could see my nails growing out without problems. I am using it now on nails torn by accident, that are so soft I cannot use gel as strengthener because it pops. Now I do notice some things when using this product: - One coat of Phase 2 will not be enough to cover the unevenness of the fiber coat below. If you use 2 coats of Phase 2 you'll end up with half a bottle of Phase 1 staring at you in the end. So now I use 2 coats of each to evenly finish them. I do not find that wasteful, but that's up to the individual. Still, even after 2xPhase 2 I get a slightly "grainy" surface if I look close enough. - The first time I used it I was all-Mavala (base, polish, top-coat, QDTC). Now that I use OPI polish and SV I seem to have a slight problem of the Nail Shield never fully drying under them. I am still playing around trying combinations, but you may need to know. I love this product so much, though, that I do not mind going neddik - just that on my nails- since I have a bigger problem to solve. I had no problem finishing all the product in the bottles, even when it is on it's very last (either bottle) I can tilt the bottle and fish out the product without any fuss, so I rated the packaging 5. Overall I recommend it and I will buy again if I need it, as I have already done.
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Treatments -Mavala - Cuticle Remover
Marianthoula 5/5/2013 2:45:00 AM
That is the only cuticle remover I have tried, but I am so happy with the results that I never tried out another. I just brush a small amount on my cuticles, wait a minute (I do not feel anything, though) and then push my cuticles either with the metalic scraper or an orangewood stick. That's it! Let me just add that I have very persistent cuticles, that end up with a lot of skin to be removed. Using this, after I push them back, my cuticle skin is soft and supple and I can clip it without it tearing. Ladies with such cuticles will understand what I mean. Overall a very good product, if I may say so without having tried anything else, and I have used it unstopping for the last 3 years. Regarding the price, it may seem much but in these 3 years I have used 1 bottle and only now did I get a second one. It did not spoil on me or lost it's efficiency, but of course YMMV.
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Eye Shadow -Christian Dior - 5 Colour Eyeshadow - Rosy Tan 754
Marianthoula 4/2/2013 8:00:00 AM
This, and it's sister Rosy Nude, were hastily bought last summer and have been neglected due to my discovery of older quints that drew my attention since. After I had photographed and re-arranged my stash, I decided to go through all my quints and get re-aquainted with them. Rosy Tan (756) looks more burgundy than tan on my skin (I estimate I am 15/20 in MAC, I wear Dior's Forever-old formula in 20 and ELDW in Linen). This is because the upper right (the darkest) colour pulls somewhat warm and reddish/mauve on me. It looks to progress seamlessly on the lid when I use it next to the pink, requiring very little blending. Now I have a thing with these quints, I have to come up with a look that incorporates every colour. I know it is not how it's supposed to work, even the Dior leaflets show instructions of 3 colours at a time, but this is just me. Anyway, here is how I do it (over TFSI Lemon): 1) I apply upper left on my whole lid, as a base 2) I mix lower left with a touch of upper right on my outer half 3) I use the upper right on the crease and outer v and blend-blend-blend (thank Haku for H2291) 4) Diffuse the crease towards the brow using the lower right light brown 5) Highlight under the brow and at tearduct using the middle colour Although this is not an Iridescent palette (love them), I do get a nice shine since all but the lower right colour seem to have a satiny nature. The effect is very flattering and feminine and not at all flat. The texture of the shadows is smooth and soft as we come to expect from Dior, except from the two lower colours. The one on the left, especially, seems to require some more effort to come to the brush. Please note that I do not mean they are hard. Far from it. They are just a little harder FOR DIOR STANDARDS and I cannot stress that enough. I have rated the packaging 4 because it is good, safe and I can actually use the included brushes in an emergency (like being in a hotel and see you have forgotten your regular brushes back at home) to get decent results. The price is a 3 for me. Yes, the original investment is high but these shadows will last a long time because so little is required each time. The overall rating, now that is a dilemma... I have many Dior quints that I would not hesitate to rate them 5 (this one included) but I have Dior's eyeshadow duos were the quality and pigmentation is beyond words! I do rate the quints 4, because this is how I interpret it: since Dior has the know-how to make and release e/s in the superb quality of the duos, then I can compare the quality of the quint e/s to that. It's the same company, the same product, at the same time. So although the quality of the quint is beautiful and so beyond that of many other companies, for a Dior product is a 4 - or, if you prefer, a 4,5. Lastly, I do not find this quint to be essential for me since I have many others from Dior that contain more or less same-themed colours, but I am happy with this product and (if I did not have any others) I would be willing to buy again.
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Eye Shadow -Christian Dior - 5 Colour Iridescent Eyeshadow - Crush Glow 659
Marianthoula 4/2/2013 7:19:00 AM
I have this thing for Dior quints, I try to come up with a look that incorporates all five colours, although this is not how Dior proposes to wear them. They have tips for 2- and 3-colour combinations. Although the colours on the pan appear warm-ish, the combination I did on my eyes was neutral-cool. How 'bout that! Here is my take on this beautiful, GLOWING quint: 1) Lower left colour on the inner 2/3 of the upper lid 2) Lower right on the outer third and crease 3) Diffuse the dark crease with the middle colour, bringing it up towards the brow a notch 4) Highlight with upper right on browbone and tearduct 5) Add upper left as highlight on the middle of the upper lid and blend softly with the other two. These colours bring out a green I did not know I had in my dark brown eyes. They look hazel-green as in hazel towards the centre and green on the outer of the iris. I just stared at my iris every few minutes! The keyword here is "glowing". It is an Iridescent quint, meaning the colours shine, but in a very elegant and feminine way. Also, for reference, I estimate I am 15/20 in MAC (I wear Dior's Forever-old formula in 20 and ELDW in Linen). I have rated the packaging 4 because it is good, safe and I can actually use the included brushes in an emergency (like being in a hotel and see you have forgotten your regular brushes back at home) to get decent results. The price is a 3 for me. Yes, the original investment is high but these shadows will last a long time because so little is required each time. The overall rating is a 5. Although not one of my most favourite colour combinations, this quint has consistent great quality in all five colours. They are all buttery-smooth (classic Dior) and apply with good saturated and true-to-pan colour. Lastly, I do not find this quint to be essential for me since I have many others from Dior that contain more or less same-themed colours, but I am happy with this product and (if I did not have any others) I would be willing to buy again.
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Eye Shadow -Christian Dior - Rosy Nude Eyeshadow Palette
Marianthoula 3/30/2013 7:27:00 AM
This, and it's sister Rosy Tan, were hastily bought last summer and since then been neglected due to my discovery of older quints that drew my attention since. After I had photographed and re-arranged my stash, I decided to go through all my quints and get re-aquainted with them. Now it is Rosy Nude's turn. Rosy Nude (534) has 2 colours that distinctly show on my skin, the brown and the pink. The rest come as variations of my skintone and barely show up as in pan BUT I already guessed that when I bought it. C'mon girls, we all know -or can guess- pretty close what colours work best and show on us. It would be completely unfair for the product to reduce points because they look like my skin -I already knew that as I was buying it! What I do reduce a lippie for, is the fact that the Dior buttery-smooth characteristic is not present in all of the colours. The upper and lower right suffer more, with the upper left coming a close second. I find that I have to scratch with my brush to get product on it. The lower left (brown) is much-much better, and the middle (pink) is creamy-smooth (more explanations on the subject are at the bottom of the review). This is how I wear the quint, incorporating all five colours, for a subtle, flattering and GLOWY eye makeup (over TFSI): - I put the upper right on the inner third of my upper lid. - The lower right on the middle - and the lower left on the outer third and into the crease. - I use softly the middle pink to diffuse the crease towards the brow - and the upper left to highlight under brow and near the tearduct. - If I need more definition, I tightline using the dark brown from the Rosy Tan. The keywords here are "subtle" and "glowing". For reference, I estimate I am 15/20 in MAC (I wear Dior's Forever-old formula in 20 and ELDW in Linen). I have rated the packaging 4 because it is good, safe and I can actually use the included brushes in an emergency (like being in a hotel and see you have forgotten your regular brushes back at home) to get decent results. The price is a 3 for me. Yes, the original investment is high but these shadows will last a long time because so little is required each time. The overall rating, now that is a dilemma... I have many Dior quints that I would not hesitate to rate them 5 (this one included) but I have Dior's eyeshadow duos were the quality and pigmentation is beyond words! I do rate this quint 4, because this is how I interpret it: since Dior has the know-how to make and release e/s in the superb quality of the duos, then I can compare the quality of the quint e/s to that. It's the same company, the same product, at the same time. So although the quality of the quint is beautiful and so beyond that of many other companies, for a Dior product is a 4 - or, if you prefer, a 4,5. Lastly, I do not find this quint to be essential since I have many others from Dior that contain more or less same-themed colours, but I am happy with this product and (if I did not have any others) I would be willing to buy again.
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Eye Shadow -Christian Dior - 5 Colour Eye Shadow - 770 Pink Idol
Marianthoula 2/10/2013 5:57:00 AM
I have recently acquired Pink Idol along with some other older quints, and I have to say I really like it. The reviewer below (AliceInWonderland) has described the colours beautifully, all I can add is that although the pinks/purples make me look like a have bruised eyes, I use a touch of the golden colour and my eye look is transformed. Whoever decided to include this was a genious! I can see how this quint can be used for more everyday, softer eye looks, but I use it mostly for a sort of burgundy-pink, dark but not night-out look. I always use an eyeshadow base (TFSI) so please keep this in mind when you compare longevity. Here's the look I do, incorporating all five colours: 1) I use the centre pink all over my lid, stopping at the crease. 2) Line my upper lid with a warm brown pencil and smoke it out with a pencil brush. 3) Go over the line with the bottom right shade and also do the outer V and a thin crease line with this colour. 4) "Smoke" the crease using the upper left colour and slightly bring it towards the brow. 5) Use the upper right shade to bring light under the brow and blend the edges of colour, also use near the tearduct to brighten. 6) Use the barest hint of the lower left golden shade where shades from steps 4 and 5 meet, to add warmth and cancel out the "bruised eye" look. It really works! 7) With what's left on my pencil brush I lightly line the outer 2/3rds of my lower lashline, then add a very thin line of the golden shade on the inner third. Add more white, where needed. 8) Use a brown or burgundy mascara. And that's it! Beautiful purplish-pink eyes that are neither bruised nor boring. I have rated the packaging 4 because it is good, safe and I can actually use the included brushes in an emergency (like being in a hotel and see you have forgotten your regular brushes back at home) to get decent results. The price is a 3 for me. Yes, the original investment is high but these shadows will last a long time because so little is required each time. The overall rating, now that is a dilemma... I have many Dior quints that I would not hesitate to rate them 5 (this one included) but I have Dior's eyeshadow duos were the quality and pigmentation is beyond words! I do rate the quints 4, because this is how I interpret it: since Dior has the know-how to make and release e/s in the superb quality of the duos, then I can compare the quality of the quint e/s to that. It's the same company, the same product, at the same time. So although the quality of the quint is beautiful and so beyond that of many other companies, for a Dior product is a 4 - or, if you prefer, a 4,5. Would I buy again? Yes.
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Eye Shadow -Christian Dior - 5 Colour Shadow - Mystic Jade 390
Marianthoula 1/22/2013 3:02:00 AM
I did not expect to like this, but Mystic Jade 390 is actually a cute quint. I bought this to satisfy the collector in me, and it did not turn out as bad as I feared. True, it lacks the butter-soft Dior feel (except the lower left) but it is not chalky or difficult to work with. Pigmentation is the standard from Dior, you get a soft wash, a hint if you like, of what you see in the pan. As the reviewer below me very accurately wrote, it is supposed to make you look good instead of your make-up. Now I have a thing with these quints, I have to come up with a look that incorporates every colour. I know it is not how it's supposed to work, even the Dior leaflets show instructions of 3 colours at a time, but this is just me. Anyway, here is how I do it (over TFSI Lemon and with all brushes MAC): - Apply bottom left on the outer V using a pencil brush (219) and bring it on the crease. Slightly diffuse the edges but do not tone it down much, we need it for later. - Apply upper left on outer third with 239 and blend the edge where it meets the bottom left. Apply on outer half of lower lashline as well, using a 242. - Apply bottom right on inner third with 239 and lightly under the half bottom lashline with 242. Blend where the two meet. - Apply upper right on the middle of the lid with 239. - Using a 217 lightly trace the outer edge of crease with the middle shade (this is why I do not diffuse much before). - Use what is left on your brush from before to apply the peachy (bottom right) under the browbone, since the previous step makes it very cool and ashy-toned for my skin. This brings warmth back while being imperceptible. And that's it! It takes more time to put it in words than actually do it (OK, not much more) but I did not expect to like it half as much as I do. I wear it in Winter and I can see me wearing it in Spring and Summer as well. Dior quints may seem pricey but it is actually very worthy and cheaper per gram. than your average middle-end shadows. It is the initial investment that is hard to do. I do not expect to run out of it just because I have so many eyeshadows and more keep coming out every season, but if for some reason I needed to buy again then yes, I would. I am happy with this purchase. Not thrilled, mind you, but happy. Somewhere between a 3,5 and 4 rating.
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Eye Shadow -Christian Dior - 5 Couleurs Eye Shadow - Blue Croisette 130
Marianthoula 1/22/2013 2:10:00 AM
Out of all my Dior quints, this is the second I review because it is utter garbage! This may look pretty in the pan, but is in fact a big, chalky mess. The colours go on sheer, as is to be expected from Dior Pastels, and barely show in my fair-medium skin but I thought as much so no big disappointment here. The only ones showing more on my skin were the middle green and the lower left blue. What I did not expect was the dry chalk that I got on my brush. I tried MAC 217, 239 and 242 (all dry) and had no luck with any. Once on my lid they were no better. Did I say dry, chalky mess? I sure did and I will say it again: even on my lids they were a big, dry, chalky mess. I used TFSI and I got some dust to adhere to my lid but really, I would not expect this thing to cling on a bare/traditionally primed lid. I also had dust all over my cheeks from application. Bottom line: do not buy this. I do not know if it is still available, I found mine in a small outlet store along with past collections' items and bought it just to add to my collection. Too bad there is no return policy in Greece...
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Masks -Sisley - Botanical Facial Mask With Tropical Resins
Marianthoula 7/1/2012 3:31:00 AM
I can see two different uses for this product, one is 1-star and the other a 5-star (hence the 3-star average). So the 1-star first: If I actualy use it as a facial mask I get lots and lots and LOTS of new pimples. I mean lots. I guess that what it does is ripen and bring out all the "would be" pimples and then -perhaps?- help heal them. But this is not what I bought it for. I got it as a treatment for my existing imperfections. I worked in an office reception and if I was told that I would have to go through treating a face full of zits I would never pay for it (and pay dearly, I must add) because I simply cannot afford to look like that. The 5-star rating: It makes existing pimples mature at a lightning-fast speed, thus cutting the treatment time very short. I now use it for such spot treatment. If I see a pimple being formed, I apply some of the mask on the spot. By evening it has matured so the next day I start drowning it in tea-tree oil and in less than a week I can forget about it. I bought it at the begining of 2008 and still use it for the above spot treatment. It has not gone bad (the same smell and texture) and I am amazed and a little scared by that fact, but I intend to use as much as I can out of it before I have to throw it away. I gave packaging a 4 for not drying and for being able to control the amount that gets out (remember, I use very little at a time). I would not buy again. It does not do what it says it does, it makes my face worse and it is crazy expensive for the use I am forced to put it to.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - Beauty Boxes - Valene Cosmetics and Make-up Beauty Case
Marianthoula 4/18/2012 1:07:00 PM
I am so happy with these cases! (I bought San Remo and Valene, both in pink). I have them for about 3 months. I use my Valene to store all my nail care items. On the top compartments I store shorter things, such as my stamping plates with relevant tools, fimo sticks, rhinestone jars, short bottles etc. For reference, 1 compartment holds 25 plates with stamping tool & scraper, another 100 fimo sticks, all very comfortably and easily accessible. On the second tier I store my nailcare tools, clippers etc. and all the stickers that can lie flat. On the bottom I keep all the nail polish bottles. It would have been nice if it came with a divider, because I have to use an old carton box to keep some things standing. At the moment I have 27 np bottles, 1 large container of np remover and about 2/5 of space free. At first I used to keep some of my MU items here but I found the bottom too short for foundation bottles and lip glosses (which I want to store upright). I also did not like the fact that the upper tier dividers are not customizable and that the second tier is so shallow. I tried storing my brushes there, but I would always have problems when I tried to open it. So now I changed uses and am happy with storing my manicure stuff. Also, I find its space ideal to keep my nail stash in a manageable size. I will keep as many np’s as I can fit, so I am careful at what I buy and not go on shopping sprees for items that will remain unused. Its weight is not much, of course it gets heavier with all my manicure stash inside but still I can carry it comfortably anywhere I need to go. I think it is travel-friendly if you have to keep it with you. The lock is barely OK, I am a little worried when I have to lock it because it feels a little “cheap” and wonky, but I do not use it often so I am not a person to judge. It’s a little early for long-term use comments so I will finish my review here, adding the only negative thing I have: I ordered both San Remo and Valene together and in Pink. I did receive them in Pink, but one is a little darker pink than the other. So they look a little mismatched when side-by-side. Minor negative, but there it is. Providing that these two perform well for years to come, I will repurchase if I need to. (You can see uploaded pictures)
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Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - Beauty Boxes - San Remo Cosmetics and Make-up Beauty Case
Marianthoula 4/18/2012 12:39:00 PM
I am so happy with these cases! (I bought San Remo and Valene, both in pink). I have them for about 3 months. I use my San Remo to store all my MU items. The upper shallow compartments are perfect to fit single eye shadows (26) & duos (9) and all the little liner (4) and cream shadow (5) jars, and some round pots of highlighters (2) with their assorted brushes. The deeper upper compartments house my lipsticks (17), secondary bronzers (3) and various eye accessories (fake eyelashes, glues, brow powders etc). For the bottom area I use the dividers. I keep palettes (11), foundations (7), powder, main bronzer, cream & powder blushes (4), eye & face primers, pack of lipsticks, pack of mascaras, pack of eye liners, pack of lip liners and some other mu things that would be too long to list. My point is: this baby has space! It happened (or was designed) to contain perfectly the size & height of some standard mu sizes and the bottom is deep enough to keep bottles and jars upright. I can even fit my hair dryer and my electric brush if I remove the dividers (and all the mu stuff, of course! It’s big but it’s not the bag of Mary Poppins). Its weight is not much, of course it gets heavier with all my mu stash inside but still I can carry it comfortably from house to car and back again. I think it is too bulky to travel with if you have to keep it with you. The locks are barely OK, I am a little worried when I have to lock it because they feel a little “cheap” and wonky, but I do not use them often so I am not a person to judge. It’s a little early for long-term use comments so I will finish my review here, adding the only negative thing I have: I ordered both San Remo and Valene together and in Pink. I did receive them in Pink, but one is a little darker pink than the other. So they look a little mismatched when side-by-side. Minor negative, but there it is. Providing that these two perform well for years to come, I will repurchase if I need to. (You can see uploaded pictures, upper tier & lower compartment)
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Foundations -Unlisted Brand - Leichner Camera Clear Tinted Foundation
Marianthoula 4/15/2012 12:57:00 PM
This is a pleasant surprise and I have MUA to thank for. As a new mu artist I am looking for products to cover my needs for various skin tones without breaking the bank. I must say that I took a blind leap when I bought these because I could not be sure what shade each pot represents. After a lot of thought, I ended up with the following 4 blends: - Almond (pink) - Walnut whip (peach) - Porcelain (neutral) - Chestnut (dark, not sure of the undertone) Apprication: Using the 3 first shades I can pretty much recreate any light-to-medium skintone. I am (roughly estimated) 2/5 Walnut+2/5 Porcelain+1/5 Almond and it is really no big trouble to get each product out everyday and mix it if it means I get to have my perfect match. I have Chestnut to add for a darker skintone, but I am not sure of its undertone. On my white face it turns a little red. As other reviewers said, be careful of the quantity. You only need so little. Now I have combination skin and so I have to use it on non-moisturized skin. It wears very comfortably on my winter-dry, Dior-Forever-maltreated skin. I apply it with fingers. I tried using a stippling brush (MAC 187) but it just clumps the brush hair together and makes giant streaks on my face that no amount of buffing can correct. Being combo, I take an extra step and pat lightly with some (toilet) paper to remove greasiness. I powder as usual (my powder is not oil control but I have no problem) and then continue with blush, bronzer etc. I find that I can use it under my eyes and on the lid and I do not get any irritation. I get medium coverage and a cream finish this way. Now I know this sounds like a lot of trouble but really it takes so little in the morning and it is the most lovely finish I have so far. Plus, it saves me the time from not having to apply serum + moisturizer :) It has a slight smell that I cannot describe, not bad, and I cannot smell it a few minutes after application. The only bad thing I can think of is the jar. Not for hygene reasons (I use a spatula) but because it is so greasy that the oil gets under the screw-cap and seeps out. When I received them, one was covered in grease so bad that the label had turned colour. A little disgusting and messy, but I prefer to pay for the product than a fancy packaging. Plus, it really saves space in my kit. I am very-very happy with this product. The price is amazing and there is nothing lacking in performance. I will have to see how it holds on warmer days but for winter days this is my new love of makeup. As a matter of fact, this is my new standard for foundation and I will have to revise my mark for the other foundations I have reviewed. Will definitely buy again.
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Eye Shadow -Christian Dior - 5 Couleur Eyeshadow - Stylish Move 970
Marianthoula 4/15/2012 7:59:00 AM
It pains me to rate it so low, but I have tried time and again to make this work and I have finally given up. The good stuff: Very soft, beautiful colours. They work together for a sweet violet look, or individualy. The staying power I cannot comment as I always use them over TFSI. Odourless and quite a lot of product. Good descriptions on previous reviews. The bad stuff: Almost invisible. I did my homework and studied the reviews and knew perfectly well I was going to buy a "low pigmented" pallet. But I was surprised! It is worse than I expected. The upper right (pink) is almost invisible, the upper left too, the lower right not much better and you cannot tell it from the upper left. The white in the middle is a nothing-special highlighter. The only colour that actually stands out is the dark mauve on the bottom left. I use all 5 colours on my eyes and I seem to get a somewhat gradient mauve, from pale pink to darker mauve but honestly, this is nothing that requires 5 different e/s. Just 2 and a blending brush (if at all). Also I seem to get a lot of glitter fallout during application. I do not load the brush (either MAC 249 or 239) and I pat them on my eyelid, but still it's like using TF Glamazon! I am not sure which colour it is and I am afraid all 5 contribute, although the lid colour I get is not sparkly. All in all, I am not very happy with my purchase. Very expensive for the result, and varying quality of individual shades. I will keep using it but not buy again.
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Concealers -Artdeco - Camouflage Cream (any color)
Marianthoula 4/14/2012 4:08:00 PM
The reviewer below (barbeep) has summed all the pro's up nicely. These cream concealers are super and I cannot believe I have found such a great product at suct an amazing price. That is what Sisley's botanical concealer should be like. Let's start by saying I study mu and I am slowly building my stash, so I need variety that won't break the bank either. I have bought the 6 colours available in all the stores in my city - 13, 12, 15, 3, 8 and 9.They are 7,03 Euro each. I also bought one of ArtDeco's palletes at 15,30 Euro to house all six and I am perfectly happy for light-to-medium skintones. - 13 (vanilla white): usually for highlighting, also to lighten another cream - 12 (summer peach): to use on the lid for light-coloured base or for secondary highlighter - 15 (summer appricot): to use on the lid for natural base or for light-coloured blemish concealing - 3 (iced coffee): for natural blemish concealing - 8 (beige appricot): for concealing under-eye circles (blueness) - 9 (soft cinnamon): for darker under-eye circles (blueness) So all these colours work great. I just touch my finger on their surface and then touch the skin. That is all it takes. They blend beautifully, they do not crease, they do not dry or move or anything nasty that most concealers do. The only creasing I get is on my lid until I set it with powder and then nothing. I have slight veins on my lids and touch-and-touch is all that is required for them to be covered. Amazing? Yes it is! Dark circles? PAWNed! Blemishes? Zapped away! (until I take the mu off, that is) There is a slight floral (?) scent but I do not detect it once I put it on and they do not irritate my eyes, however I do get a sense of something dry if I take them too much near the tearduct. So far (more than 2 months of almost everyday use) they have not irritated any area of my skin and they are a looooooong way from finishing. Or even making a dent. EDIT 07/01/2012: Ok, what magic do they use? There must be something in the bottom of the pan that just creates more product when I am not looking. I use these every day, I even scrape some product for cleaning purposes (you know, the random dust that settles on cream) and I just barely perceive a slight dip. So happy! I would definitely buy them again and I hope to find the rest of the colours to complete my collection and cover my (possible) needs. If you are sick and tired of looking for concealers, do give these a try before you cash your hope on a HE brand.
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Eyeliner -Essence - Gel Eyeliner
Marianthoula 4/14/2012 3:32:00 PM
EDIT 22/06/2012: I just added 2 photos of swatches of my Essence gel liners and MAC's B;acktrack. On one picture you can see them swatched and even though I use pretty much the same amount, the Essence black (Midnight in Paris) is so much stronger. On the other photo you can see how MAC's has faded more after 1 pass of cleanser. What's not to love?!? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- I recently bought them, and so far I am thrilled! A few weeks back, I decided to join the gel-liner bandwagon. So I asked a friend to get me MAC's Fluidline in Blacktrack. With her credit, I paid about 12 Euro (from 18). One week later I found out about Essence and I lament my 12 Euro... These babies are as good as (I may later change that to "better than") fluidlne. And at 3.79 Euro, I bought all I could find, in all their intense glory: - Midnight in Paris: Blackest black of the darkest night. And then a little more black! - London baby: Is it brown? Is it dark taupe? The sparkles are lovely in the pot but I do not see them in my eye. So sweet and intense! - Miami's ink: Steel beauty! I am not sure how to wear it but I'll figure it out. They are so soft and creamy and perfectly user-friendly. They apply smoothly and they dry very quickly. I know everyone said this but let me say it one more time: these babies are mean! Seriously, they just won't budge. I put them on and they STAY on. My hours are usualy 8 and I see no fade, smudge, flake, crease, nothing until I take them off. That is, until I work hard to take them off. OK seriously, I do not scrub and rub, but I do need nore time to let the eye mu remover soak through and take it off. I cannot detect any sort of smell, just a normal product smell. Also they do not irritate my eyes. Rave over, let's see what I cannot comment on: - I have not yet tried them in my waterline so I do not know how they behave. - I have not try to smudge the line, so I do not know if they dry too fast for that. - I have them for a little less than a month so I do not know how they will behave on the drying-in-the-pot issue. Some sidenotes: - I apply them with their Essence eyeliner brushes. They are so cheap that I bought 3 - one for each pot. If I find more colours then I'll buy more brushes. For 1,99 I like to have each separate brush. I am still new to the liner thing, so any mistakes I make I am sure is due to my lack of skill. The brush is very convenient and cleans easily under water. - I usually wear TFSI and then eyeshadow and then liner. So most of my experience with these babies is based on TFSI. However, I did not notice anything different the few times I did not use a primer. Will I buy again? I'll JUMP on them if I ever see any new colours or if I ever finish them up. (PS: I am taking mu classes and I practice a lot of different looks, just make them and take them off, make them-take them off. I now use up MAC's fluidline for practice and keep my Essence gems for serious makeup. What does that tell you?)
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