Top/Base Coats -Seche Vite - Dry Fast Top Coat
Queridaphile 1/27/2011 6:37:00 PM
One of the topcoats in constant rotation for me. I'm really impatient when it comes to nails drying, and this stuff dries everything down to the base in enough time for snacking almost immediately after a manicure. It does get thick and unusable about half way down the bottle, but I bought the Seche Vite Restore, so problem solved. Make sure to apply to wet polish. Otherwise you defeat the purpose of the product and you'll end up with peeling polish.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -NARS - Lovejoy
Queridaphile 1/27/2011 6:33:00 PM
My new favorite blush. If you check my history, you'll find that a new NARS blush ascends the scales to become the favorite every few months; it's just a testament to the quality of their product. I'm roughly a MAC C7 (though I only wear MUFE Mat Velvet in 70, Caramel) and this color is perfect for everyday wear. It gives a slight peachy tone with a hint of shimmer, very pretty. Finely milled, with amazing quality, and it appears to last forever. Good stuff.
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Concealers -Make Up For Ever - Full Cover Concealer
Queridaphile 7/16/2010 10:41:00 PM
Used with Mat Velvet + (70) and MUFE's HD Primer, this concealer in 14 or Fawn completes a perfect face. I have hyperpigmentation due to eczema and this stuff covers without looking caked-on and unnatural.. Depending on the seriousness of the pigmentation issues, I may have to layer, but this is buildable enough to get the job done. It dries quickly, so you must work fast, but the finish is good. Expensive, but worth it, since I've been through so many concealers with middling to poor results.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Make Up For Ever - Mat Velvet PLUS Matifying Foundation
Queridaphile 7/16/2010 10:33:00 PM
My favorite foundation right now. I'm a seriously oily Studio Fix C7 with sensitive skin due to eczema and a general tendency to break out. I've been using Mat Velvet + (70, caramel) with the HD Primer in green and Full Cover Concealer in Fawn (14) for about three months. No breakouts and beautiful skin ALL day. Don't get me wrong, I do get the oilies around midday, but I blot and my face is still in tact. I suggest applying with a stippling brush (I use the MAC 187) and using very little at a time to get the best finish.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -China Glaze - Ruby Pumps
Queridaphile 2/4/2010 8:32:00 PM
Fuh-ree-king beautiful! The perfect sparkly red for middle-skinned (my very own color-wheel designation) girls; I'm sure it looks great on pretty much anyone, though. It may look too glittery or boastful in the jar, but it's the perfectly balanced red, rich and complementary.
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Foundations -Cover FX - COVER FX
Queridaphile 1/12/2010 8:41:00 PM
I have peri-oral dermatitis and have hyperpigmentation as a result. Most concealers simply do not cover the areas I need to conceal. This does. The problem is that there is no match for me. I'm a C7 who is trapped somewhere between B25 and B35 in this formulation. It's super thick and must be applied with a light hand and the proper brushes, but is definitely effective. With an improved color range, they'll have a five-star product on their hands.
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Crème -Sacha Cosmetics - Creme to Powder Foundation
Queridaphile 1/12/2010 8:31:00 PM
The thing is I don't use this as a foundation. If I did, I'd surely have a case of the mask face. As a concealer, though, this stuff is the business. I'm a C7 in Studio Fix and use cocoa beige. I first buff my face with Coastal Scent's silica powder, follow with Earthen Glow's Cover me in Robin (I think), then spot treat with this. After brushing a bit more silica on concealed spots and spraying with my homemade Fix It type concoction, I look pretty great. The lesson here, use this as a concealer. Otherwise you're bound to look cakey and made up.
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Blush -NARS - Taj Mahal
Queridaphile 1/12/2010 8:19:00 PM
Another fantastic blush from Nars. And though the color looks garish in the pan, brown girls look great in this. Apply with a light hand. I swipe my brush back and forth over the pan, blow to remove excess pigment, and gently swipe over my cheeks.
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Blush -NARS - Desire
Queridaphile 1/12/2010 8:10:00 PM
My favorite blush; I wear it almost everyday (when I'm not wearing Taj Mahal). Nars blushes appear to make you glow from the inside out while still imparting color with no streaking. This color may look too pink, but as a pretty brown girl I implore you to try it. Buildable, beautiful, and natural-looking. Despite the price, a great blush that lasts forever.
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Polishes -MAC - Nail Polish
Queridaphile 1/12/2010 7:47:00 PM
I was so happy to find a metallic olive color. Thanks MAC! I was pissed, however, to have spent so much and to have chipped nails (despite the application of a pretty strong top coat) two days later. Great colors. Not-so-great quality.
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Polishes -OPI - You Don't Know Jacques!
Queridaphile 1/12/2010 7:42:00 PM
Freaking gorgeous. This coming from a girl who loves the loud colors. A perfect neutral that's stylish and goes with most anything. Two coats and a topper and you'll be chip free for a week (and I wash my hands a lot.)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -China Glaze - Watermelon Rind
Queridaphile 1/12/2010 7:38:00 PM
Love it, one of my favorite polishes. I'm a brown girl (Mac C7) and the color suits me beautifully. It's also pretty chip resistant if followed with a formidable top coat.
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Loose Powders -Coastal Scents - Silica Spheres Powder
Queridaphile 1/12/2010 7:22:00 PM
Love this stuff. It is an absolute necessity in my regimen. I use it as a base for my mineral foundation and as a fixative for my cream concealer. This stuff does a great job of keeping everything in place. On its own, I don't find that it keeps the oilies at bay, but it doesn't break me out either.
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Cleansers -Caudalie - Instant Foaming Cleanser
Queridaphile 1/12/2010 7:04:00 PM
This stuff foams beautifully, cleans well (makeup and oil), and smells great; however, it's stupid expensive and doesn't differentiate itself enough to justify the price. I have both oily skin and eczema and it didn't upset my skin, so that is a plus.
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Highlighters -MAC - Mineralize Skinfinish in Gold Deposit (Rococo)
Queridaphile 1/12/2010 7:01:00 PM
The BOMB!!!! (People still say that, don't they?) I bought this years ago, when it was first released, and used it everyday as a bronzer atop blushes until I dropped the container and destroyed the product. I then set out to replace it, found it to be out of print, and cursed the lack of dupes; the perfect combination of shimmer and color was not to be found anywhere else. Imagine my happiness when this stuff resurfaced. As a MAC C7-colored girl, I find this stuff is great year round as a highlight for any blush color you use. Get this.
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