Fragrances -Gucci - Flora by Gucci EDT
PaintedSophisticate 4/5/2011 4:17:00 PM
I received mine as a sample, and I hope that no one would just buy this without testing it as a sample first because this is not a fragrance for everyone. Like a lot of reviewers said, this is a young, girly fragrance but its not in the price range for young, girly people. This is something that a teenage girl should be wearing, and by teenage I mean 14-16. I'm in my mid-twenties, I have no business wearing this perfume. Its not as bad as say, Aquolina Pink Sugar, but this is still pretty sweet for a grown up. It doesn't have a strong alcohol smell which is a plus, and the first few whiffs are nice. I liked it at first but as the day went on I didn't like it as much. Its extremely flowery candyish smelling... It doesn't smell bad, it doesn't smell at all, but its not for me, or for the market its geared toward. Another thing I don't like about it is that only after 3-4 hours after putting it on, its gone. Smells tend to last forever on me so its very strange that after such a short amount of time the fragrance just disappeared. I do like the bottle for the full size, which is very pretty. I plan to use the rest of my sample on a cloth to freshen up my closet.
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Fragrances -Coty - Beckham Signature - Women
PaintedSophisticate 4/5/2011 12:32:00 PM
I, like many reviewers on here, got mine as a sample. I liked it okay, but its not me. It smelled cheap. Like something that somebody who was buying perfume with their allowance might wear. I don't know if this fragrance has any perfume oils in it honestly, because mostly it just smelled like alcohol. Once the alcohol smell was gone it did smell a little bit like cough syrup like somebody else said. I sprayed it on and asked my husband if he liked it and he said, "Its... okay... but I like that other stuff you wear a lot better." That basically means I'm not wearing it ever again. The bottle is pretty though.
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Primer/ Corrector -L'Oreal - Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base
PaintedSophisticate 4/2/2011 8:43:00 AM
I don't know why L'Oreal likes to give their products such long names but Studio Secrets Magical blah blah blah is a mouthful. So I'm just gonna say primer, because that's what it is. As far as good primers go, this one is on the low end of the price spectrum. I got mine with a coupon at Target, I think I paid like $13 and some change for it, compared to the $20 and $30 something I could spend on other primers from higher end cosmetic lines. It comes in a pot, as opposed to a tube or squirt bottle, which I'm not the biggest fan of. It gets under my nail when I dip my finger in. It has the same kind of texture as the other primers tho. Its powdery and velvety once its on the skin. It feels luxurious and soft. It did mattify my complexion, and it did seem to fill in lines. I decided to use L'Oreal Magic Smooth Souffle on top for my first run with it. This foundation is a lot like Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse, but thicker. Also DMM is better IMHO. But anyway, it seemed to thin out the formula, allowing it to go on much lighter. I appreciated that later on I wouldn't have a clown face, which was nice. It seemed to help the makeup go on evenly. The next day I used it before trying Almay's Wake Up Makeup for the first time. Based on the reviews I've seen for Wake Up Makeup, the problems I had that time lie with the makeup, not the primer. My skin was splotchy, orangey, and cakey looking. The coverage was way uneven. I'm going to reserve my judgement on Wake Up Makeup for the time being though until I try it without primer first. Overall I liked the primer, but there are better ones out there. I wish that it came in a tube instead of a pot, but that's not a big deal. You get an incredibly small amount, the jar is big so you think you're getting a good bit but the size of the reservoir where the primer lives is tiny. Marketing... sheesh... Unlike other primers where 'just a dab'll do ya' you do have to use a lot to get it to cover your face and neck. Personally, I would rather splurge on a high end primer and get something I love than save money and get something I think is just okay.
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Mascara -Max Factor - 2000 Calorie Mascara 
PaintedSophisticate 3/31/2011 1:21:00 PM
This is my favorite mascara. I use it nearly every day. I can layer it more or less for a subtle look or a more dramatic look. I get compliments on my makeup all the time and people always ask me what mascara I use. I love it.
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Masks -Unlisted Brand - Aspirin Mask
PaintedSophisticate 3/31/2011 1:18:00 PM
I so love this. I like to use Goody headache powders and mix with a little bit of gentle cleanser, let it sit for about 10 minutes, then rinse gently in a circular motion to exfoliate a little, but not very hard. I do it once a month, sometimes more. My skin always looks so great afterwards.
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast
PaintedSophisticate 3/31/2011 1:13:00 PM
Eh. This is one of the most mediocre mascaras ever. Everybody makes a big deal about how great it is, just like Great Lash, because of all the hype about it. I have looong eyelashes and this didn't do more for them than any other cheap mascara.
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Fragrances -Christian Lacroix - Absynthe
PaintedSophisticate 3/31/2011 12:42:00 PM
I am so in love with Absynthe right now. I bought some on sale from my friend who sells Avon, and its my new favorite scent. I wear it almost every day. My husband is obsessed with it. I think the fragrance might be discontinued now, but I know that its possible to get some on ebay and Avon might still be carrying it in the sale until it runs out. It is amazing. Its not a floral little girly smell, its very rich but still light enough to wear in the daytime. It lasts forever. When I was taking a shower last night the steam kind of revived the scent before it was washed off, and it was like I'd sprayed it on for the first time. A lot of low quality perfumes are mostly alcohol and the evaporate from the skin quickly, but good quality perfumes last all day. The oils stay on your skin until you wash them off, and when you do you can actually feel the oils washing away. That's how I know I have a good perfume, when I wash it off and I can feel the water mixing with the oils. I so love this. I wish I'd bought two bottles. I know I'll want more when I run out.
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Crème -L'Oreal - magic smooth souffle
PaintedSophisticate 3/31/2011 12:33:00 PM
I don't normally buy foundations because I don't need them but I had a coupon for this one and I decided to buy it. Normally I wear no face makeup at all and only do my eyes and blush with a bit of lipgloss. But a few years ago I liked Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse and I thought this would be similar. It is similar in some ways. The texture is a little more slippery but other than that they are nearly the same. I think this foundation was meant to be used with the Studio Secrets Primer because that's what I used it with and I didn't have the problems that everyone else seemed to be having, except for the balling. I did apply with my fingers because I prefer to use my hands to apply foundation rather than using a brush or sponge. I find that the heat from my hands helps blend better. I did notice that the formula is very thin and offers almost no coverage. I guess if you are looking to simply even out your skintone without covering up anything, then this foundation would be good for you. Since I don't have any undereye bags or acne to cover up I didn't mind it, but in the future when I do have a breakout or a night without sleep I will not be reaching for this foundation. I will try putting it on with a brush like one of the previous reviewers did, and see if that changes anything. I honestly don't think this foundation is for people with any blemishes though. I almost don't see the point of it.
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Masks -Queen Helene - Mint Julep Masque
PaintedSophisticate 3/23/2011 6:29:00 AM
I have used this several times. I've never had a problem. I have really dry skin so I only use it a few times a month. Sometimes it does sting just a bit but it doesn't bother me. My face feels so fresh and clean afterwards!
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Mascara -Maybelline - Lash Stiletto
PaintedSophisticate 9/10/2010 11:21:00 AM
I thought it was okay. I use it as a base coat. My mom loves it.
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Liquid -Revlon - PhotoReady Makeup
PaintedSophisticate 9/10/2010 11:20:00 AM
I bought this for my friend's wedding, it was suggested by the bride to all the bridesmaids to get PhotoReady for dry skin or Colorstay for oily skin. The bride has experimented with both beforehand. Within my group of friends we decided that we like the Colorstay for oily skin better, but that PhotoReady looks best on dry skin. I have VERY dry skin so this worked out really well on me. I use a moisturizer and primer first though. Also I don't apply a lot. Even after sweating the makeup stayed on nicely and didn't fade out or run. Looks great in pictures.
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Lip Treatments -Smith's Rosebud Salve - Smith's Rosebud Salve
PaintedSophisticate 9/10/2010 11:04:00 AM
I would love this even more if it came in a tube instead of a pot, but its worth it. I love this stuff. I use it almost every day!
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Lotions/ Creams -Nivea - My Silhouette Redefining Gel-Cream
PaintedSophisticate 5/29/2009 12:08:00 PM
I am also a new user and I have to say that at this point I love it and I would buy it again, but I have not used it for the full 4 weeks yet so I can't give it 5 lippies. If I still love it when the 4 weeks is up then I'll give it 5 out of 5. I have been using Nivea products for a while now. I really trust the brand and I like the packaging. All of Nivea's products are developed by scientists that specialize in skincare and finding the best ingredients to make the best products. Nivea's skincare line can be a little pricey for some, but is still less expensive and is a better quality than some of the other stuff out there. Also, why cheat yourself by not spending money on your health and beauty? You only live once, so you ought to do it right! I originally got this product because I saw it advertised on the Tyra Banks show. I do not have a lot of cellulite, stretch marks, or anything like that, but I am a perfectionist and I want my body to look perfect at all times. I am still young and my body has a lot of elasticity still, so I almost didn't buy this, but I decided to anyway because I believe in taking preventative measures while I'm young to prevent stretch marks and cellulite later in life. The product is meant to improve the texture and tone of your skin, not to make you look skinny, so when buying this product you must understand that this is not a miracle in a tube. However, improving the texture and tone of your skin can go a long way in creating the appearance of fitness and youth. The product is a green gel that feels and smells much like the Goodbye Cellulite gel, but is more creamy and has a bit of a fresher scent. It is very pleasant and feels very silky on the skin. I like to use the Goodbye Cellulite gel on the back of my thighs and butt, and use the My Silhouette on the front of my thighs and my stomach. I also heard that it is a good idea to put it on your breasts but I haven't tried that. I recommend applying the gel-cream twice a day, especially after showering. One reviewer mentioned that she felt the gel-cream was not sticky, but I have to disagree. Be sure that the gel-cream has dried completely before dressing, because if you are in a hurry and put on your pants before its all dry they will more than likely stick to your butt. It doesn't take long to dry though so it isn't a big deal but it would probably annoy some people. As far as my personal results, I am young and I work out every day, so I don't have a lot of issues with the texture of my skin, but the ones I do have are that I have a couple of stretch marks on my booty and I have a couple of cellulite dimples. So far they seem to be fading a bit thanks to this product, I believe, plus my diet and exercise plan. The purpose of this product is to decrease the **appearance** of these issues, not to get rid of them. There is no cream on the planet that can get rid of cellulite. The only thing we can do is diet and exercise and do things to "hide" it, such as smearing gels and creams on our behinds. To me, its worth it. I buy makeup for my face to cover blemishes don't I? I will gladly buy a cream that can make it look as if I don't have a dimply booty and jiggly thighs. With prolonged use this product might have greater effect, but if you read the packaging it does not say it will cure anything, only that it will change the **appearance** of your skin. It does do that, so I have to say that this product succeeds in its purpose.
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Self Tanners -L'Oreal - Sublime Bronze
PaintedSophisticate 5/22/2007 11:27:00 PM
I am super pale girl, and I don't normally tan a lot. I have tried lots of self-tanners and so far this is one of the best I've used. My boyfriend gave me a tanning package as a gift though, so now I don't really have to use a self-tanner unless I want an extra boost of color. I have tried the towelettes, the gel, and the gel with bronzer. I think the towelettes and gel with bronzer work the best. I liked the towelettes because just one or two can cover your entire body, and it tried very quickly, but you couldn't see where it was going, like with the gel, so I did have a few streaks. I hated the gel because it took forever to dry. The gel with bronzer dried a little faster, and I saw immediate color and I could tell where it was going, but it smelled bad, but all self-tanners are gonna stink no matter what. To make it dry faster I blowdry myself or stand in front of a fan. It does rub off on my clothes and things, but luckily it doesn't stain. I wish it didn't dry out my skin, but putting on some lotion helps with that. My biggest complaint is that it fades away super fast, and you have to apply it every other day. It also starts to slough off after a while, and you have to start the process all over again. Also, if you have to shave your legs a lot (which I do) it isn't that great because I had to apply it to my legs every single day, which is very annoying for someone as busy as I am. I got a good, natural looking color from it though, and even though it comes off fast I will still continue to use it and buy it, because its good if you are already tan but want an extra boost. I model so sometimes I want to be extra tan for certain photoshoots I go on, although some photographers will complain that with high resolution photos you can see tiny spots where the self tanner is, but that's what photoshop is for. Oh, chlorine will make your tan go bye bye. I think its like this with any self-tanner, so if you swim in pools, I wouldn't suggest a self-tanner. I would just try to get a real tan instead.
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Foundations -Maybelline - Dream Matte Mousse
PaintedSophisticate 8/16/2006 4:57:00 AM
I love it. I have been using it for a long time and every time people always ask me what makeup I use. I always get compliments on my skin. I will use it until they stop making it, and then I will cry!
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