Lip Liners -Too Faced - Borderline - Anti Feathering Lip Pencil, Clear
Rachaelein 4/8/2011 1:36:00 PM
SCORE!!! Once in a while you find that one product that makes so many other products work better and invigorates your makeup experience...and this is one of them! Borderline is doing for my lips what UDPP (and my other primer favorite, MAC Painterly) did for my eyes -- opening up a whole new world where my existing products can be fabulous and wear more beautifully with less maintenance. I'm a lipstick and gloss junkie. Always have been. Unfortunately, my lipstick and gloss have required near constant upkeep, as I experience a lot of feathering (esp. above the top lip in the cupid's bow area). I have tried many, many tricks to avoid this -- I've exfoliated, moisturized, tried various primers, plumpers, regular liners and clear liners, and nothing has ever really worked. Until now. This stuff really works! I almost teared up the first time I wore this, checked my lipstick an hour later, and saw no feathering. It's that good.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Make Up For Ever - 5 Camouflage Cream Palette
Rachaelein 3/16/2011 7:09:00 PM
I have palette no. 1 for very light skin, which includes three (pale) skin-toned concealers, one salmon colored one (for under the eyes), and one green one. I really, really want to love this palette. Generally, I love MUFE. The 5 color selection is genius, I love the idea of mixing to match, I have plenty of redness to counter with the green concealer, and the salmon color is a perfect counterbalance to the purple in my under eye circles -- IN THEORY. However, I just cannot this to apply well or properly adhere to my skin. I know how to apply concealer, generally, and have used as little as possible. I have tried warming it between my fingers and gently dabbing (not swiping), using concealer brushes, using the beauty blender, setting it with powder...and, no. Negatory. Does not work. When I try it on blemishes/red bumps, it doesn't last and is either translucent (so that the blem is still visible) or a cake blob if I keep adding it. It doesn't really cover my under eye circles, which aren't even that dark -- it goes from NOT covering to cakey, totally bypassing the desired in-between stage. The green concealer is my favorite, but it sticks into the pores on the side of my nose, giving me delightful green polkadots (or nose-a-dots, as I call them). As a disclaimer, my skin has been pretty reactionary lately -- extra congested, new rosacea never seen before, and so on. It may be that, at this point in time, MY particular skin is just not the right skin for this product. However, my other concealers and foundation are still working, so....there ya go. I will still keep this product in hopes of making it work for me someday.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Illamasqua - Drench
Rachaelein 2/17/2011 12:53:00 PM
I love this lipstick, and have never seen anything quite like it. As I've gushed elsewhere on these boards, Illamasqua makes amazing liptsicks if you're looking for something super opaque, color intensive, and matte. Drench is one of their many "red and reddish" shades. On me, it is a deep berry red -- my skintone tends to bring out the pink in everything. As is true with many blue toned reds and pinks, Drench seems to make my teeth look whiter and my eyes seem like a brighter blue. Plus, it provides a very dramatic, yet totally wearable, retro look. Drench plus a little nude eyeshadow plus a little winged liner = insta vamp! Powerful stuff! I imagine Marlene Dietrich would've swooned. Drench lasts a long time and fades into a pretty stain. However, please know that if your lips are at all dry and you put this on, the dryness will be visible from space, so you REALLY have to take care of your lips to wear this. My lips tend to be really dry, and I'm wearing Drench in a wedding this weekend. So, to prepare, I'm drinking extra water, exfoliating my lips and applying olive oil to them...things I should've been doing anyway, but am now forced to do by the love of lipstick.
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Lipstick -Illamasqua - Scandal
Rachaelein 2/13/2011 12:07:00 AM
This is an amazing lipstick! Illamasqua has become my go-to for matte lipsticks. The color pay off is amazing -- best I've ever seen -- and they go on really opaque. "Scandal" is a bright cotton candy pink with a hint of coral (on me anyway). It is absolutely stunning as part of a mod look. I love to pair it with think winged eyeliner and light eyelids...very Swinging London, but extremely wearable and flattering. I'm sure it will look even better with a tan. When it fades, it leaves a lovely stain. It makes my eyes look bright and my teeth white -- what more could I want? Lips *must* be hydrated and exfoliated to wear this lippie. Before bed, I've been buffing my lips with a mixture of olive oil and sugar, and I've been drinking lot of water during the day. That has kept my lips smooth and moist to carry this off. I can't wait to get more Illamasqua lipsticks!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Patina (Frost)
Rachaelein 1/27/2011 11:52:00 PM
OH MY!!! Where have you been all my life? This shade is gorgeous and I know it will be so versatile. Tonight I did a very exaggerated winged liner and red lip, but it didn't *really* do it for me. Then I just added some patina to my lids, and blammo!! The look was suddenly magical and sexy! I tried three different lipsticks with the same look to see how Patina handled them and it looked gorgeous with a plummy pink nude, a brick matte red, and a bright orangey coral. That's utility! I had to run in here and add another review to the giant pile because I could not contain myself.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -MAC - Kissable Lipcolour in Super
Rachaelein 1/25/2011 7:09:00 PM
The good: * the color is beautiful and extremely versatile. It's a definite MLBB, and can be coaxed into showing up more brown, plum, or pink with lipliner. At the moment, I'm enjoying wearing this with "Soar" lipliner by MAC. *it isn't as sticky as other MAC glosses, and actually feels good on the lips. The not-so-good: *I have yet to experience its alleged staying power. Granted, I don't have the best of luck with getting things to stay on my lips, but I've tried it with a couple of primers and it seems to disappear relatively quickly.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -L'Oreal - HiP Metallic Duo - Gilded #806
Rachaelein 1/7/2011 11:58:00 AM
What a pleasant surprise! This is my first purchase from the HIP line and I am very impressed. I can only speak for the gold side at present. I used it on my sister on New Year's Eve (over a layer of MAC Painterly) and though she is blessed with the same oily eyelids as I, the gold was still on the next morning. If only our poor hungover minds were as fresh and sparkly as her shadow... This stuff is highly pigmented, blends well, stays put, and I loved the color. It looks amazing on blue eyes.
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Lips -Chanel - Rouge Allure Laque Mandarin 79
Rachaelein 11/28/2010 4:17:00 PM
I am a huge fan of Chanel lip products and the Rouge Allure Laques are really something special! Like a lot of the laques, Mandarin is a three-dimensional color with some shimmer and several pretty tones, looking very different in different lights. Lipstick tends to look very pink on me in general and so did Mandarin, a peachy, pink, golden red. In other lights, it was a more of a golden coral. Either way, it is lovely! Though it is hard to imagine with that array of colors, the ultimate effect is still quite "natural." Chanel really is master of the MLBB (and "almost MLBB") shades. I agree with the other commenters about its creamy texture and staying power. My lips are very dry and my lipstick tends to feather, so I have to be very precise about my application. The doe applicator it comes with is a good idea but I need to use a lipbrush to avoid looking like I ate pork chops without using my hands.
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Lips -Chanel - Rouge Allure Laque - Stunt
Rachaelein 11/14/2010 1:47:00 AM
I nabbed the last one at my local Chanel counter and I'm so glad I did! This color is not what I expected, but I love it. It just goes to show how different a color can appear on various skintones. I'd seen this swatched on two different pairs of lips on two different blogs and it appeared much more purple/pink. On me, however, it is something completely different! When I wear it, you can really see the brown in it. That doesn't sound particularly attractive, but it actually is! It's kind of a neutral pink/plum/purple/brown. Very chic. As with a lot of Chanel colors, I bet this would work on many skin tones, but it really would be different on every individual face. I love the rouge allure laques. The texture is creamy and not too sticky, the pigmentation is great and they last on your lips and in the bottle as a little product goes a long way. This is my third rouge allure laque and I'm finding that they are all really "dynamic," for lack of a better word, in that they change color and texture based upon 1. the light, 2. the time you've been wearing the product, and (of course) 3. your skin tone. The staying power of Stunt isn't quite as insane as with #75, Dragon, but I think that is because Dragon is red and super pigmented. While Stunt doesn't last hours upon hours in its glossy stage, after the glossy stage wears off it settles into a very beautiful but non-drying sort of stain that is MLBB + plum. Love it. Tonight I wore it with relatively heavy gold, purple and brown eyeshadow and it was perfect -- kind of the exotic, magical cousin of the nude lip. Can't wait to play with more looks with this color.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Unlisted Brand - BH Cosmetics - 120 Color Palette 1st Edition
Rachaelein 11/10/2010 2:51:00 PM
I got the Manly (heh) palette off ebay. It doesn't look exactly like the one pictured -- mine seems to have a greater abundance of greens and yellows. The palette I got is not good for boosting one's collection of neutrals, though it does have a few whites, creams, browns, blacks, and greys. This is all about color! I wonder if I'll ever get a chance to use every color? Not sure, but I'm giving it a try. I was especially pleased as my palette includes an excellent dupe for MAC's "romping" which is hard to come by these days (except as part of an overpriced quad on ebay). The pigmentation is pretty darned good. It's not Kryolan good, but it's good. Use over a primer and base and the colors last really well. Great purchase for the price.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -Yves Saint Laurent - Rouge Pur Lipstick#66 Rosewood
Rachaelein 11/10/2010 2:42:00 PM
I'm a huge fan of YSL lipsticks. They are creamy, hydrating, and they last. This color is exactly what the name implies: rose with brown/beige undertones. It is really beautiful and a great everyday lipstick or a semi-nude lip to go with heavy eyes. I'm not sure if I'll repurchase for myself as it is a *bit* warm for my skin, but I still wear it. If you don't like your lipsticks to be scented, stay away. I got mine on ebay for $9.99. Win!
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Concealers -BeneFit Cosmetics - Powderflage
Rachaelein 11/10/2010 12:04:00 AM
With Powderflage, Benefit needs to lose the wasteful packaging and make clear that this isn't a concealer in any sense! Now, I actually knew that when I bought it as I saw it used in a tutorial as a tool to *set* concealer under the eyes. It does that reasonably well -- apply lightly and with a small puff (as opposed to the pointless would-be fan brush which is included, but too scratchy to be of use). However, for the price to product ratio, I expected something special. It does seem to set and brighten but it's no miracle, and I'm annoyed by the way it is advertised.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Glitter Brilliant - Reflects Antique Gold
Rachaelein 11/9/2010 7:05:00 PM
LOVE! I agree with the commenters that suggest this glitter is "natural." There is something really earthy and lovely about it. It can be incorporated into a brown or purple or green smokey eye and blend qutie well. This pigment is pretty fine for a glitter and doesn't feel like rocks on your lid. I use it as liner (with Beauty from the Earth Mix & Fix or MAC Fix +) but mostly as a shadow. For a glitter, it sticks to the lid relatively well on its own. I order small jars from MakeupGeek.com for $4 or so. A little goes a long way.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -BeneFit Cosmetics - BADgal Lash
Rachaelein 11/9/2010 6:54:00 PM
Herm. Sales associate said this was "like Diorshow" which, admittedly, I've never worn, so I'm not sure whether there was truth in that! Anyway, for me it is a bit clumpy and smears really quickly. Granted, I'm oily and clumsy and should never have gone anywhere near a mascara that isn't waterproof, but that is my tale.
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Moisturizers -Murad - Oil-Control Mattifier
Rachaelein 11/9/2010 6:51:00 PM
Hey, it works for me! I'm oily and tend to appear nice and SHINY in photos, especially on the forehead and nose. Dewy = good, shiny = not good. I haven't had it long, but so far, so good. If I'm tan in the summer I often go without foundation and have never worn it that way, on its own. I wonder if it would deshine me in that context. Alls I know is, these days, I use moisturizer, let it rest, add this product, let that rest, then a primer, wait for that to absorb, then foundation, then set with light powder, then MAC Fix +. With this combination (which is, admittedly, a bit complicated) I look polished and not oily without looking like a mannequin or Tammy Faye. Will grit teeth, pay the $39 and repurchase.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No