Liquid -Almay - Clear Complexion Blemish Healing Makeup
PrettyDeath 11/27/2012 5:49:00 PM
I'm a highly acne prone, yellow toned, light/meduim gal with a fair amount of scarring (both dark marks and pock marks). After going through a slew of drugstore foundations, none of which were completely right (they would either break me out, or did not match my skin tone) I finally decided to try Almay's Clear Complexion Blemish Healing Makeup in the pump tube. First off, I like that shade "Buff" Matched me very nicely. It had just the right amount of yellowish peach undertones for my skin. Most were too peachy, orange or pink. I like that Almay's doesn't oxidize to a different color. It stays true to the color it is in the bottle and applied. It's a rather thick foundation, but not so that I can't blend it. You do need to blend quick though, or else it will dry. It doesn't feel heavy on the skin, but it's not as thin as a tinted moisturizer or bb cream. It's a matte finish, however it is a tad moist feeling on the skin, but nothing a little powder can't fix if you don't like the dewy moist feel. I would say on a scale from 1 to 5, this foundation's coverage is about a 4. There is still a tiny bit of dark scarring that shows through on my face after applied, due to only applying one layer of foundation, but another bit applied on the blemishes covers them very well. This foundation completely covers redness, blotchy discoloration, pimples and pock mark scars, and is very buildable without looking cakey. There is no offensive smell with this foundation, and has not caused any breakouts. Since I have been using this I haven't had a large breakout. A few little tiny ones here and there, but I haven't had any of the large breakouts that I normally experience. The night I purchased this I was having major breakouts on my chin (2 large painful pimples) and one major pimple on my cheek and I went into the bathroom and applied this all over, and put extra on the pimples, and low and behold a few hours later they were already starting to dry up. I was very impressed. That alone colored my rating for this foundation.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Lancome - Hypnose Doll Lashes
PrettyDeath 11/25/2012 3:49:00 PM
I had high hopes for this mascara. I was so excited to be trying a HE mascara besides my usual UD or Clinique ones. Unfortunately, I have to say this is probably the worst mascara I've ever tried. The only thing that makes it remotely bearable is the wand. The wand alone made me really want to like this mascara. The shape of it helps you to get every lash and not smudge it on your upper or lower eyelids. The formula of this mascara, however, is just atrocious. It's thick, it clumps, it dries to a cakey crust and flakes all over your cheek bones. It's very difficult to work with as it's so thick and goops up and dries really fast. After 3 days of using this, I went to Walmart and purchased NYC's Sky Rise mascara for $1.97 and it was better than Lancome's mascara. Definitely would not repurchase.
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Liquid -Neutrogena - Skin Clearing Oil-Free Makeup
PrettyDeath 9/24/2012 6:55:00 PM
I purchased this in the shade "Nude" which was a tad too dark for me (half a shade to a shade), so I decided to add 4 pumps of my Clean and Clear salicylic acid moisturizer into it, and not only did it lighten it to my perfect shade, but it added to the skin clearing. It also helped cut the strong smell of the foundation, since my moisturizer smelled quite good. The foundation before I added moisturizer was good, it applied smooth, was a semi-matte finish and stayed powder dry all day. Never brought oil to the surface or looked greasy. Still works the same way even mixed with the moisturizer. It has very good coverage and feels light on the skin. Good product, and I think I made it even better. :)
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Tinted Moisturizer -Cover Girl - CG Smoothers Tinted Moisturizer in Light to Medium
PrettyDeath 9/20/2012 11:37:00 PM
This was the first tinted moisturizer that I had tried. I picked it up on a whim because I was out and about relaxing at starbucks when I realized that my face was dry and peeling (I had just started using a salicylic acid face wash and spot treatment), so I walked over to the CVS next door and grabbed this up. I applied it in the bathroom and it went on smooth and silky. It was cool and liquidy, and absorbed into the skin slowly, but once it absorbed and dried, it left my skin feeling soft and smooth. By the end of the day my dry patches had diminished and my skin still felt nice. The coverage was very good, it covered all my blemishes and dry patches nicely, and it matched my skin tone perfectly. I was also glad it had SPF. Lasts all day without wearing off or leaving me an oil slick. Made me look moist and fresh. I sometimes add powder over for a more matte look and more sun protection. All in all an excellent TM.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Bath and Body Works - Paris In Bloom
PrettyDeath 9/19/2012 11:07:00 PM
I received the entire Paris in Bloom fragrance set (fine fragrance mist, shimmer mist, body lotion, and body wash) as a birthday gift. The thing was, I hadn't smelled it. The person I received it from knew I was wanting to go to BBW (hadn't been in forever) and said for my birthday they wanted me to pick the scent I wanted and tell them, and they would order it online. I wanted to try one of the Paris fragrances because I had heard good things about them, and tried Paris Amour (love it, still want to get it), so I decided on Paris in Bloom because it had sweet and floral, my two favorite base scents. When I received it, I was thinking "please be good, please be good"...and it was. Especially the sprays and lotion. You can really smell the vanilla, peony and berries. In the body wash you can smell more of the lily and orchid (floral). It's such a light, fresh, girly scent and lasts pretty long. I wouldn't say all day, but I would say a good 6 hours, tops. I definitely like it, and the shimmer spray comes in a huge bottle! As does the fine fragrance. They will definitely last me awhile. I hope to get Sweet on Paris and Paris Amour in the future, too!
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Lipstick -Maybelline - Color Sensational - Totally Toffee
PrettyDeath 9/19/2012 9:53:00 PM
Totally Toffee is probably the best nude/MLBB I have found for me. It's even better than L'Oreal's Fairest Nude, which was my old favorite, HG go-to lipstick. Totally Toffee is a beige brown nude, with a slight hint of pink. No shimmer, frost or glitter. The lipstick itself is a very moisturizing formula, and wears long. I'm in the minority here, I know, but I like the smell! Lol. Smells like vanilla sugar cookie dough to me. The packaging, I will admit is ugly for these lipsticks. They are just blah to me. But, why focus on that when the lipsticks are so great? I haven't gotten one from this line I haven't liked.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -E.L.F. - Studio Blush in Candid Coral
PrettyDeath 9/19/2012 9:32:00 PM
Candid Coral is the perfect summer blush, in my opinion. Possibly more perfect for summer than NARS Orgasm. I don't see the similarities between the two that others have seen. The two blushes are both gold infused peach blushes, but are very different. To me, Orgasm has a lot more pink. It's more peachy pink than pinkish peach. It also has gold shimmer. Candid Coral doesn't live up to it's name, since it's a true peach. Nothing coral about it at all. Just a nice, light, true peach. It has gold flecks rather than gold shimmer. I can't say I like it more or less than Orgasm, because they are so different in my eyes. I definitely adore Candid Coral, that's for sure. It's the perfect subtle, natural flush. I only had it 3 months and was hitting the pan. The only con I have with this blush, is you should use a light hand, not because of pigmentation but because too many layers cause it to cake a bit, and become powdery looking. Other than that, this is a great blush and I highly recommend it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -E.L.F. - studio blush in berry merry
PrettyDeath 9/19/2012 9:23:00 PM
I love the color of this blush! It's perfect for fall and winter. It's a bright berry with gold shimmer. It's the same amount and type of shimmer as NARS Orgasm. I agree that it does resemble NARS Sin and Oasis, but it think it's more berry. To me, Sin and Oasis were more of a dusty, rosy mauve. I think E.L.F.'s Merry Berry is more of a dupe for Urban Decay's "Fetish" blush (the powdered one that came out originally, not the cream one). I have both and they are almost exact, except Merry Berry has a bit more pink in it than Fetish. I think the staying power is pretty decent for a cheap blush, after about 8 hours it starts to fade on me. I don't think the shimmer is overwhelming, if you like the shimmer amount in Orgasm you will be fine with this blush. I would recommend a light hand when using this, mostly if you are fair or light. I'm a light/medium yellow skinned girl, and it works perfectly on my. I just sweep my blush brush once, sometimes twice if I want my blush to pop, apply it and then buff it out with a large kabuki, Perfect berry flushed cheeks!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Maybelline - Baby Lips lip balm in Pink Punch
PrettyDeath 9/18/2012 5:30:00 PM
Pink Punch is amazing. It's sheer but can be built up to opaque. It's a nice neutral pink (even looks good on my light/meduim yellow skin), but BEWARE. Build this color up too much and you might look like Nicki Minaj. I don't mind going bright, so it's fine with me. However, I think it would be a better summer look. This balm is very moisturizing, and keeps lips "baby bottom soft". It smells like sweet punch. Tastes the same. Overall very nice, I think I really want to purchase Cherry Me and Grape Vine.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Maybelline - Baby Lips in Peach Kiss
PrettyDeath 9/18/2012 5:24:00 PM
First off I will say I love Baby Lips. I love the way they work, feel, smell, and taste. I own Pink Punch, and have tried Cherry Me and Grape Vine, and hope to purchase those two in the near future. I loved Peach Kiss. Loved the smell, loved the taste...but the color just wasn't for me. I love the color peach, and I love nude lips, but the shimmer in this just makes you look washed out. I hadn't noticed it until I wore it all day while at college. I went into the bathroom before going home, looked in the mirror and was shocked. It looked like I had shriveled white lips. Upon first putting this balm on, it looks great. Peachy and slightly shimmery. However, as the day wears on, the peach fades and the shimmer stays, and builds if you reapply. I really wanted to keep my love affair going with this balm, but sadly I cannot. :(
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Eyeliner -L'Oreal - Infallible Gel Lacquer Liner in Bronze
PrettyDeath 9/18/2012 5:00:00 PM
I was in need of a new eyeliner, and was tired of pencil liners, so I wanted to pick up another gel eyeliner. I have a Maybelline gel eyeliner in a dark, matte brown, but wanted something more shimmery. My husband works at Walmart and was almost off shift so I quickly googled what gel eyeliners L'Oreal had (L'Oreal is my favorite brand). I saw the colors they offered and decided Bronze sounded right up my alley. After I got off the phone, I looked at reviews and swatches and was disappointed that it looked just like my Maybelline one, maybe a tad lighter. When I got it in my hands, opened it and looked at the brush and put it up til morning. When I looked at it this morning in the light, I realized it was very different from Maybelline's and it was GORGEOUS. It's a beautiful deep bronzey-copper, with a hint of plum undertones, and had fine bronze shimmer running all through it. The brush isn't as stiff as Maybelline's, but it makes it easier to do a straight line. I'm really impressed with the ease of use (glides smoother than Maybelline's) and the lasting power. Overall, this is smooth, lasts long, has a unique color, and has great packaging. Definitely recommend you try this! ALSO: Just saw swatches of Maybelline's Color Tattoo LE swatches, and this eyeliner looks exactly like Rich Mahogany! Just a little f.y.i. :)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -E.L.F. - Day 2 Night
PrettyDeath 9/17/2012 11:45:00 PM
Out of all the quad's in E.L.F.'s line, this is by far my favorite. I absolutely adore it, and I think it's the perfect fall quad. The top left corner is a beautiful color (my favorite in the whole quad). It's a cream color that shimmers gold. It's not gold sparkles, but it's just got a gold shift that's amazing. It's very similar to Urban Decay's "Vanilla" shadow from the 15th anniversary palette and single shadow, although the one in Day 2 Night is a bit more beige. Then bottom left shadow is a dark purple that's very deep and smoky. The right bottom shadow looks almost like a blackened navy but swatches a charcoal color, on hand and eyelid. The top right shadow is a shimmery taupe. I often like to wear the taupe all over lid, with the purple in the crease, and the charcoal as the outer v, with the golden cream as an inner corner color. For subtle looks, the golden cream as an all over lid color and the taupe in the crease. There are so many combo's with this little quad it's crazy. I love it!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -E.L.F. - Studio Matte Lip Color
PrettyDeath 9/17/2012 11:36:00 PM
I purchased these in 3 colors: Tea Rose, Natural, and Praline. Tea Rose and Natural are very similar. Both are very light pinkish nude colors, with Tea Rose leaning more mauve and cool, and Natural leaning more peach and warm. Praline is a brownish rosy nude, with a hint of red. All three can pass for MLBB's because they are so natural. They apply a bit dry feeling at first, but as they absorb into your lips, they feel as if you are wearing nothing. The staying power of these babies is unbelievable. The color will last through eating and drinking. They almost act as a stain. My lips have never dried out using these, but I also balm my lips before applying any lip product that's not a balm itself. These have a very subtle, sweet minty smell and taste that fades quickly and isn't bothersome. (to me anyway.) I really like these, and I really like that they roll up. I am a bit sad that there isn't a whole lot of product in them, but they last so long, you don't need to reapply which really conserves them. Plus, at only $3, they will be easily replaced when their time is up!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -E.L.F. - Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15 - Candlelight
PrettyDeath 9/17/2012 10:50:00 PM
I purchased this lippy gloss from E.L.F. online after reading rave reviews about the color, and I adored it from the moment I opened the box! It's the perfect golden peachy nude. It's not too shimmery, frosty, or flat. It's moisturizing, has SPF, lasts long, and smells like delicious grape! (real grape, not artificial dimetapp grape - yuck!) What more is there to say? Great gloss.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -L'Oreal - Colour Riche Star Secret Eva Longoria
PrettyDeath 9/17/2012 10:01:00 PM
I won't lie - I totally tried this lipstick because I love Eva Longoria, lol. I'm a long time Desperate Housewives fan, and I think she's beautiful and fabulous. I have similar coloring being half hispanic. I'm a shade or two lighter than Eva, (mostly because I don't spend a lot of time in the sun, otherwise I'd be darker) and have yellow/olive undertones, and I think this lipstick works well on me. It's a light copper caramel with red and gold shimmer on the lips. It has a hint of rich plum in it. In the tube it looks like a deep brick red with gold shimmer. It's a perfect fall and winter color to warm up your face. I do agree that the formula is a bit dry, however I haven't had it dry out my lips. It just feels a bit dry on the lips a few hours after application. I occasionally use L'Oreal's Le Gloss in "Nude Illusion" over the top and it keeps the lipstick feeling moist. I definitely wouldn't say this is the greatest lipstick in my collection quality wise, but it's a great color. I probably wouldn't purchase again since this one will last me quite some time, because I feel it works best for me in the fall and winter.
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