Lipstick -MAC - riri woo
RealDealBeauty 5/7/2013 9:59:00 PM
This color is very similar to/almost exactly the same as Ruby Woo. If ruby woo works for you, don't bother with RiRi Woo. However, for me, a girl who LOVES reds, I was able to see the difference in the two. I've tried Ruby several times, wanting to love it, but 'something' just wasn't right about it - RiRi has whatever was missing. I find RiRi is slightly darker, richer and has a very velvety look to it. That said, it still has the crappy dry feeling and TERRIBLE application that basically 'skips' on the lips. I would buy again if I ran out (and of all my other reds too), but I definately won't be spending more than $25 for it on ebay simply because the application. I would buy a back up of RiRi simply because I CAN tell the difference between it and Ruby Woo - and simply don't like the way ruby looks on me. (I'm nc42). Packaging is the same mac packaging with a small signature on the tube. nothing special about the casing or box. bummer.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Ellis Faas - L201 (Ellis Red)
RealDealBeauty 11/19/2012 12:15:00 AM
of course 201 is a beautiful product color. the formula isnt drying. Major downfall (besides the crappy applicator that wastes a ton of product the first time you use it), is that this has absolutely no staying power on me. It rubs of on everything it touches. food, drink. shirt. other lip. YSL has a better product that is just as glossy, the red looks fab on me (NC42) and it lasts forever. I returned the Ellis Faas immediately and bought a back up of the YSL with the credit.
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Polishes -NARS - Midnight Express
RealDealBeauty 7/12/2011 4:10:00 PM
Great color. Bright blue (w/slight turquoise undertones) in one streaky coat. Even, rich shiny navy with two coats. Shiny, even, near black navy with three coats. ***A near DUPE IS Rescue Beauty Lounge: Dead Calm*** (so cold, that I sold the RBL & was disappointed that I got both)
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Eye Makeup Remover -Chanel - Precision Eye Makeup Remover
RealDealBeauty 3/30/2011 4:23:00 PM
Chanel precision demaquillant yeux intense (gentle biphase eye makeup remover) I got a sample size (.3 oz) of this from a friend & really like it. For a while (years), I was being cheap & using baby oil as an eye makeup remover – thinking it was just fine. Then, I tried this & remembered what I was missing. This is a two layer remover (oil on top, whatever on the bottom), so you have to shake it before using. Then, I dip a q-tip in (sometimes even just put some on my finger), put it on my lashes, let it sit for about 15 seconds & start using the q-tip to wipe the length of the lashes… then use my regular face wash & my MU is off. (of course have to wipe some from underneath, but that is because of my method - not because the remover doesn’t work). I don’t have to ‘scrub’ my lashes or anything, this remover basically ‘melts’ my mascara & water resistant gel/cream eyeliner off with minimal effort. From what I can tell, the product will last for quite a while because I’ve been using my sample daily for a month & it’s only about ½ used… so if .3 oz can last for 2 months.. a 1 oz size should last about 6 months. I would actually consider buying a full size of this because it works significantly better than anything I can recall using. (BTW, this is a big deal because I’m allergic to paying out the s$$ for something that a less expensive product can do, just because of the brand). I’ll try a few others before I commit - but for now, I would purchase this despite the price ($34 USD for 3.4 oz).... (this will last forever)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Unlisted Brand - VEGA eyeliner brush
RealDealBeauty 3/30/2011 4:05:00 PM
This is a short handled brush with a fine tip. I got this brush with an AllDayChemist order of Careprost (generic Lattise). I found this brush to work better than the recommended Bobbi Brown ultra fine eye liner brush for applying Careprost directly to the lash line. Then, I tried this in my potted eye liners & liked it even more! This brush allows you to apply a very thin line of color (using the sides, not the tip) and can be ‘rolled’ to easily make a thicker line (a la ‘the cat eye’). The shape of the bristles is cylindrical, but thin (not a few whispy hairs). The bristles aren’t the softest things, but they’re not so hard that they’re uncomfortable at all. I use this brush in the evening for my Careprost and in the morning for my liner, it gets a lot of use & I love it so much, I’m getting rid of all but one other eye liner brush. This was only about $1 at ADC, but I’d pay much more for it because of how useful it is.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - Walgreens Brand Premium Exfoliating Cotton Rounds
RealDealBeauty 3/30/2011 4:02:00 PM
Walgreens Brand Premium Exfoliating Cotton Rounds (green package) I purchased these after seeing a similar product by swisspers drugstore.com. I’d been getting annoyed about cotton balls requiring 3 per use and leaving fibers on my face, or other cheap cotton pads falling apart while using them & requiring 3 just to put some toner on my face. Plus, in order to keep my skin clear, it needs a lot of exfoliating so I figured using this wouldn’t hurt for applying my toner. I’m really pleased with these & will definitely buy again. These are gentle enough for daily use on my oily, pretty tough skin. I use these to apply toner. The pad itself is plain (no cleanser or product on it), but one side is quilted; the other side is also quilted but has small nubs/bumps. It feels kind of like a very superficial massage when wiping the pad over your face. I’m able to put enough toner on the pad so that I can wipe my entire face & the pad doesn’t fall apart. Love them. Will buy again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Yves Rocher - Phytum Hair Repair
RealDealBeauty 3/30/2011 4:00:00 PM
Phytum hair Repair (Yves Rocher) This is supposed to be a leave in treatment that ‘cures’ split ends “SOS Split End – smooth instantly and progressively repair split ends”… based on the rave reviews on the site (Yves Rocher), I feel for it. Now, I feel duped. This was about a bit expensive for a very small 1.7 oz of product. The scent is a clean, ‘hair product’ scent, and the product itself is like if you mixed a cream and serum. On the hair, it’s very lightweight & would be perfect for someone with straight hair or very fine hair. I have fine, curly hair & feel like this did NOTHING. It didn’t reduce frizz, ‘fix’ my (not very unhealthy in the first place) split ends…. Only thing it did is make my hair soft & smell clean. Not Impressed. I even continued use for hope of the “progressively repair split ends” claim. Now I’m done with the tube and can say that I would not buy again, or even take this from a ‘free’ basket. It’s a waste of time for me… maybe I’d feel different if I had a different hair type. For your curly, frizzy, or damaged hair types – save your money & pass on this.
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Makeup Brushes -Prescriptives - Round Buff Brush
RealDealBeauty 3/30/2011 3:57:00 PM
Prescriptives Round Buff Brush I purchased this on recommendation from the sales associate when purchasing PX mineral MU… surprisingly this is one of the very few ‘talked into at the counter’ purchases I don’t regret at all. I use this for any MMU application & love it (even more than the Christian Dior flat top brush which I purchased expressly for the same purchase –but that’s a different review). This brush is pretty soft (not so soft that you feel like you’re wiping your face with a baby’s butt, certainly soft enough that it’s not irritating at all), and packs a lot of mineral MU into the bristles for a great application with minimal re-dipping. The bristles/hairs don’t fall out. Plus, the brush doesn’t make it so that a lot of product is flying all over the place. I like this brush better than all other brushes (including BE, NARS, CD) for MMU application. Worth the price, especially if you’re lucky enough to buy this instead of all the others first.
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Mascara -Peter Thomas Roth - Lashes To Die For The Mascara 
RealDealBeauty 3/30/2011 3:54:00 PM
Peter Thomas Roth – Lashes to Die For – The mascara Jet Black I was very disappointed in this. I purchased this while on the search for a mascara that would condition my lashes as a compliment to the Careprost (generic Lattisse) and conditioning crème liner I use. I’d read pretty good reviews about this so I tried it. Waste.Of.Money. The brush is a bit unique, a thin, rubbery brush with different length bristles (some to lengthen, some to separate). Whatever – any mascara will make your lashes look longer as long as it gets color on the lashes… as far as separation? Read on. Maybe this mascara does do awesome things to condition the lashes… but it looks & applies so bad that I won’t use it long enough to reap any benefits. First application reminded me of lash stiletto. Stick straight lashes – no curl, no volumizing. Just length (and, it really does lengthen – I’ll give it that). Back to the separation … don’t think ‘not so bad’ separation – this separates in that it turns your 40 lashes into clumpy hair spider legs. Plus it leaves little clumps (which is surprising because the formula appears pretty thin considering that you never see clumps on the brush itself). Maybe this would look good when used in conjunction with my metal lash comb, but for a mascara to look THIS BAD without it, is unacceptable. I wanted this to work so bad that I tried in in combination with other products, played around with application, everything. I tried it in 2 coats… 1st attempt (dry between coats); 2nd attempt (don’t let dry between coats)… both ways: spider legs. Tried it over my favorite mascara – instant spider legs. Tried it under a different mascara (honestly, it’s not too bad like this – but also not worth it – why use 2 coats of different mascaras when I can use 2 coats of the same mascara). If you like the dramatic spider leg look – you will love this mascara. Otherwise, leave it alone. I will never buy this again. Ever. Even if it was $1…and it’s not, it’s about $20.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Revlon - Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara
RealDealBeauty 3/30/2011 3:53:00 PM
REVLON Grow Luscious by Fabulash mascara in 001 Blackest Black This is the fabulash in the green tube. I was a big fan of the original fabulash, so tried this when it first came out –it’s been one of about 3 mascaras that I really love (and the least expensive of the three). This mascara lasts all day (and through the night), even through walking around Afghanistan for hours, it doesn’t flake or smudge or irritate my eyes. I’ve slept with it on & in the morning, I still look like I have mascara on my eyes, I don’t have clumps (of course I have have some smudges, but it’s easy to wipe those off & still look halfway decent), and my lashes aren’t crunched up & haven’t fallen out. The formula is a lighter formula that coats the lashes without being clumpy. Throughout the day, lashes are firm, but not brittle. Touchable. The brush is definitely oversized – which I thought would be a problem because I have some really short lashes on the inner corners – but it’s tapered on the end so it’s still usable for the tiny lashes. The mascara gives the lashes a little curl, but nothing to rave about. Lengthening is the same as any mascara – put black paint over blonde tips & eyelashes look longer (duh). The mascara does separate lashes very well giving the illusion of volume both in the thick of the lashes (in the middle) and on the sides (inside & outside). Just so you know, TWICE this mascara has been picked over a different favorite mascara in a blind “which eye has better lashes?” test… Once by me on my friend, and once by a male friend on my eyes. This is my DS HG mascara & beats out most others, I would keep this in rotation with my other two HG mascara (Clinique). If I had to lower my MU budget, I wouldn’t feel begrudged at all about having to use this mascara exclusively. I will buy this again & again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Tarte - Lights Camera Lashes
RealDealBeauty 3/30/2011 3:50:00 PM
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara (4 in 1 clinically proven mascara) in Black I really wanted to like this mascara because of how expensive it is, and I really did at first. This mascara is better than most, but it’s not near the best & therefore, not worth buying (especially at its retail price). As far as packaging - this mascara has a unique packaging concept of a purple, pleather casing around a ‘regular’ mascara tube. The rest is the same as ‘regular’ mascara. The wand is a pretty thin brush (though not as small/thin as the mascaras who use this as a marketing tool), thinner to average (definitely by no stretch of imagination ‘oversized’) – which is good because it is able to get to smaller, shorter lashes without leaving globs of mascara behind. The brush itself has a VERY slight hourglass shape which is nearly unperceivable to the naked eye, and the bristles are short & appear to be all the same size. The formula is strangely kind of dry & though it won’t leave your lashes clumpy, it will leave microscopic clumps on them (hard to explain), but true. I expected a more creamy, moist, slightly thinner formula from all the conditioning this is supposed to do (maybe I got an old one?). I didn’t notice any superior conditioning, but I did notice tha the mascara was the best I’ve ever had as far as curling. It was also above average as far as coting lashes individually so it looked like I had more (volumizing?) But, the beauty of this was taken away with the annoying small lumps mentioned earlier (probably not noticeable by an outsider, but noticeable to me in my mirror, upon application). The mascara has an average performance’ when it comes to lengthening (throw color on my lashes which have light tips & they look longer – no surprise). The formula lasts all day without flaking & can go about 2-3 coats before making the ‘spider legs’ look. When compared to one of my other favorite mascaras, a male friend determined the ‘grow’ fabulash looked better on the lashes. Also, I noticed, the morning after (leaving mascara on), the ‘grow’ fabulash was still there more. That said, anyone looking for a natural mascara (and refusing ones that aren’t) would probably find this just right. It doesn’t make my lashes bent up in a crink when I wake up in the morning, doesn’t irritate my eyes, and doesn’t make my lashes fall out if I leave it on overnight. Lashes are firm, but flexible when this is on (not brittle & breaking off when you touch them during the day). The only real downfall about this mascara is the small clumps (which could probably be mitigated by using the metal lash comb – I just don’t have mine with me). So, if I was going the only natural cosmetics route – this would by my HG. however, since I’m willing to use other (non-natural) mascaras, many of which cost significantly less, I find the price off-putting & for that reason (because I can find better for less) I personally, would not buy again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Murad - Acne Treatment Concealer
RealDealBeauty 3/29/2011 2:50:00 PM
This is a good concealer for my acne spots. I can't say that it is a miracle worker for pimples, but it doesn't make them worse (which can be a concern for me & my paranoia about my pimples). The formula blends well but takes a few layers to not just disappear. The Medium-Dark color is good for NC-42 skin (which is hard to find a similar drugstore product in a matching color). The stick lasts pretty long and overall I'd buy again... Price is a bit much, but just because it comes in Med-Dark, I'd buy again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Bobbi Brown - Ultra Fine Eye liner brush
RealDealBeauty 3/29/2011 2:43:00 PM
I purchased this brush on a recommendation for use with Lattise. This brush is flat on the sides (like a bugs wing), not like a circle with a cut off top as pictured. Overall, the bristles are soft, the sides allow for picking up a lot of product (good if you want to do a wingy cat eye), but really, I cannot justify spending this much on a brush that you can find elsewhere.
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Eyeliner -Bare Escentuals - Buxom Lashliner in Suede
RealDealBeauty 3/29/2011 2:35:00 PM
I got this liner after seeing a YouTube review where a use said they actually noticed lash conditioning.... so, I tried it. I was skeptical, but tried it because my lashes are puny. To my surprise, this actually *does* condition the lashes, I noticed mine looked longer within 2 weeks of daily use. This applies smoothly (though not as smooth as Bobbi Brown),but has the plus of 'better for the eye lashes.' Suede is a nice, warm, darker brown color that doesn't look as harsh as the browns that try to be blacks. The liner lasts all day & doesn't smudge or flake (even after walking several hours in Afghanistan sun). The formula doesn't irritate the eye & comes off with regular eye MU remover & without much fight. The color is so pigmented that you don't have to use much at all. I've had this pot for about 2 months & use often & it has not started to dry out yet. Overall this is a great liner. I find it excellent and would only trade it for the similar Bobbi Brown liner. Except for bright colors, I doubt I'll go back to a pencil
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Bobbi Brown - Gel Eyeliner NEW FORMULA
RealDealBeauty 3/29/2011 2:15:00 PM
I got this liner after trying a friends. I was shocked (!) at how smoothly this applies. I have the caviar-ink one which basically looks like black. The liner lasts all day & doesn't smudge or flake (even after walking several hours in Afghanistan sun). The formula doesn't irritate the eye & comes off with regular eye MU remover & without much fight. The color is so pigmented that you don't have to use much at all. I've had this pot for about 4 months & use it daily. I've only touched about 1/3 of the surface & of that have only gone down about 1/2 way to the pot. So far, the liner hasn't dried out at all either. Overall this is a great liner. I find it excellent and would only trade it for the similar Buxom liner. Difference is only that the Buxom conditions my lashes more (I noticed increased growth using it), but this Bobbi Brown wins on texture. You choose - either one you won't be disappointed. Except for bright colors, I doubt I'll go back to a pencil.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No