Liquid -Estee Lauder - Maximum Coverage Foundation
Rivoli 10/27/2012 2:47:00 PM
I got a 10-day sample of this after watching a Lisa Eldridge video who had a guest artist on board. According to the artist, she used 3 of the colors from this line on everyone, mixed and matched as a concealer. I found this is just a bit too dead-looking--I looked like Robin William's skin in Mrs. Doubtfire. Emphasized pores. No signs of life beneath the color. To be fair, the foundation is labelled "maximum coverage," from a line that already has "double wear" which is pretty strong coverage. But this just aged me. I'd look at Shiseido Sun Protection foundation, or MAC Pro Longwear, as possible alternatives. Or Guerlain Parure Gold. This Estee Lauder Maximum might work as a concealer, but I'd just get the Vichy Dermablend fluid at the drugstore ($10) which is a a great concealer and less heavy-looking.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -MAC - Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation
Rivoli 10/23/2012 7:46:00 PM
This is a full coverage foundation. If you have anything to cover, this will certainly do the trick. I was hoping, given that it was a gel, that it would have a lighter (or more natural texture). The overall texture had an artificial look (which one might expect from any full-coverage foundation. However, the heavy feeling was a deal-breaker. This felt a bit like cake batter on my face--so heavy I knew I couldn't last an entire day with it. I returned this one. On a side note, I've had better luck with MAC Pro Longwear (medium coverage, lasts all day, no breakouts). Pro Longwear felt much lighter on my skin compared to Studio Sculpt.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Butternutty Shadestick
Rivoli 10/30/2009 5:28:00 PM
A twist up cream shadestick, which is eyelid brightening soft yellow with a bit of sheen. It's not entirely opaque, but generally gives a veil of yellow tint to the lid. An easy e/s to apply when you are running out the door and don't want to try too hard. That being said, the texture isn't as smooth as it could be but warm it up on the back of your hand and you should be fine. I find this product is usable, but neither unique nor worth the $16.50 price. Could be used as an e/s base, but let's face it, lots of things can. If it runs out, I won't re-purchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Fyrinnae - Polar Bear
Rivoli 10/25/2009 5:15:00 PM
A nice sparkling loose eyeshadow. Although it looked white gold in the pot, it applied on my lid as a much more buttery gold yellow shade. This e/s runs warm toned for sure. I used it with a dark golden-green to complete the look. Overall, wonderful for the price. I won't re-buy because I own a similar MAC yellow pigment that is less sparkly than this, which I prefer. I'm NC15.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyes -MAC - Greasepaint Stick
Rivoli 10/16/2009 7:23:00 AM
Black eyeliner with a heavy purple undertone---easy to use as a liner. There's a sharpener in the base if you want a fine tip point. Super creamy and easy to apply. I used over Painterly Paint Pot and topped this with Dior's One Color Extreme E/s in Ultra Violet. Loved the result!! So easy to use, lasted all day over the paint pot. Really brought out the color of my eyes (greenish blue). I took one lippie off because I thought the packaging was a little on the cheapie side for a pencil that is $17.50. You can't go wrong--no pulling on the lid very smooth application and a dramatic effect. Gives me hope that MAC can still make a unique, innovative, gorgeous beauty product. Hey MAC, get over yourself and make this perm!!
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Eye Shadow -Christian Dior - One Color Extreme Eye Shadow Ultra Violet
Rivoli 10/16/2009 7:17:00 AM
Soft, pigmented and shimmery deep blackened violet eyeshadow. Emphasis on "blackened"--this is dark but not a true black (if you want something more violet, look at Chanel Amethyst). The Dior packaging is a small, luxe mirrored plastic case with a tiny brush. Plenty of product (2.2 g., .07 oz.) because its really rich and pigmented. You won't need much to get a wow factor--its very intense but can be smudged up (I use either an LM or Chanel smudge brush). Would make a very intense crease color. Lots of depth and shimmer. I use smudged over a black liner or MAC Greasepaint stick in Black (which has deep purple overtones), with painterly as a base. The result is pure love. Very unique and gorgeous, flattering color. NC15, blonde-brown hair, hazel-greenish eyes
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Zoya - Kalista
Rivoli 10/16/2009 12:07:00 AM
A nice warm red brown, smooth and shimmer with tiny micro sparkles. A lovely toe color, or more dramatic (dark) fingertip color. Would work well with warm skin tones. Wear is average to good. Price reasonable ($7/ bottle retail). Definitely love this color in the winter---looks warm, sparkly and pretty.
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Polishes -Zoya - Summer
Rivoli 10/3/2009 11:45:00 AM
Summer is a soft pink nude long-wearing polish, with a touch of dusty beige. Many pink-nude polishes look like an unflattering "band aid" color when applied to the nail. Summer does not suffer from this problem--rather, this is a shade or two MORE pink than nude. As a result, it is a more wearable, everyday, work-appropriate shade of nude pink. The closest color that I can compare Summer to is Chanel Rose Jade (but of course, Zoya is a fraction of the price). Used with a base and topcoat, Summer wears quite well (all Zoya polishes do on me). I would give this five stars, except that I prefer an opaque polish. It took three coats for Summer for a completely opaque look. The polish looks fine sheer, too, by the way (I'm simply explaining my 4 stars)
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Bronzers -Bobbi Brown - Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Antigua
Rivoli 10/3/2009 11:30:00 AM
Antigua is a light, sheer shimmery pink pressed powder in a large heavy, luxe mirrored compact. Although part of Bobbi Brown's Illuminating Bronzer series, it is more accurate to think of Antigua as the effect that the sun gives you on the first day or two of sun exposure--that pink "I was out all afternoon at the beach" look. - Does not fade throughout the day - Gives a light, natural shimmer that illuminates - Does not give the "glitter bomb" effect; SO much more subtle than shimmerbricks - I use this product over a tan or brown bronzer--this gives you a wonderful "tan and slight pinky" skin look - Makes skin look alive, glowing rather than matte or dark like many bronzers (or at the worst, dirty) - With heavy application, a pale skinned person could use this as a blush. I use this with a bronzer and no blush typically. I bought this on a complete whim. I've tried other highlighters, but they don't look nearly so natural. I'm surprised to say that I have used it 4-5 days per weeks since buying it. I'm shocked how many uses I'm getting out of this. I'm warm, NC15 and this gives my skin tone a pinky look that keeps me from looking too yellow. Highly recommended, two thumbs up and five stars.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Zoya - Paris
Rivoli 9/7/2009 5:03:00 PM
A lovely dark wine/burgundy with a touch of brown. Creme (no shimmer) that covers is one liberal coat, but you may need two if you are more conservative. I wear this over Zoya's Anchor topcoat and under Poshe's topcoat for extra shine. Gorgeous shine. A rich, sophisticated dark that looks yummy with my NC15 skintone, but would work with an entire range of cool and warm skin tones. Excellent wear. I may never buy another Chanel polish again--this is $6 retail. It's not a dead-on match for madness but close enough--what is the same is the gorgeous richness of tone and quality. I love this one!
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Polishes -Zoya - Blair
Rivoli 9/7/2009 11:06:00 AM
Absolutely gorgeous. A deep deep red, with a rich shimmer. Amazing for fall. Would look lovely on many skin tones. One coat to a rich, pretty coat--I apply rather liberally but if you are more measured then use 2 coats. Lasted admirably through my unpacking a box, typing, and laundry. I used with Zoya's Anchor base coat and Posh's topcoat. One of my favorite nail polishes of all time!
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Blush -Bobbi Brown - Bahama Brown Shimmer Blush
Rivoli 9/3/2009 11:40:00 PM
Beautiful summer blush. Looks horrid in the pan, mostly brown and coppery. Once applied, it turns into a brownish reddish pinkish tan look, as if I had been out in the sun just enough to give some color. Wonderful, subtle shimmer. Package is small and convenient for travel. No mirror, no brush included (who needs them?) Relatively inexpensive ($22), looks like a lovely high end blush. No fading throughout the day. Medium pigmentation---easy to use for a subtle sweep, hard to over-do. This looks classic on me. I'll rebuy. I'm NC15.
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Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Iconic High Definition Lash Curler Mascara
Rivoli 8/30/2009 12:42:00 AM
I had the unusual experience of using this mascara as I was experimenting with Latisse, which is a prescription product that grows lashes. Thus, I've had the chance to use Iconic with both skimpy AND long lush lashes! ' For me, Iconic had pretty good staying power throughout the day, even in extreme heat. No smudging or flaking. Two thumbs up for staying power. Unusual brush with a comb components that's easy to use and gives a clean look to the lashes (no spider legs here!) The results are probably no surprise. I found that when my lashes were shorter and sparser, I had to pile on the Iconic to get the dramatic lashes I wanted. Dior Show will give you a much plushier, larger lash with fewer coats. Chanel Inimitable and YSL Faux Cils will give a more dramatic effect with less work than Iconic too. Overall, Iconic gives a clean, not dramatic look. Not a lot of va-va-voom in this formula. As the Lastisse worked its magic, I found myself loving Iconic more and more. The unusual comb/brush gave me clean separation. Plenty of curl. One coat to wonderfulness. Worked like a dream. Bottom line--if you have short, skimpy lashes, go with Dior Show, Chanel or YSL Faux Cils. If you have long, lush lashes, you'll love Iconic.
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Eye Shadow -Bobbi Brown - Long-Wear Cream Shadow in Sandy Gold
Rivoli 8/23/2009 11:43:00 PM
GIves a sheeny, natural champagne look to my lids (NC15). The effect is very very subtle--it's a neutral shade. Sort of like "your lids but better because there's a champagne gold sheen on them." Pigmented--it covers the natural color of your lid quite well. However, this gold is closer to a beach sand than actual gold. Also, it's neither warm nor cool (but if I were forced to pick, I'd say it leans as cool as a gold can get). If you are looking for a more dramatic wedding-ring-14k-gold, get Bare Escentuals True Gold, not this.
Easy to apply--I use the fingers and spread prior to applying eyeliner. I use a brown crease color (powder) to add more depth and dimension to the lid. Lasts all day, no creasing. Do not use a eyeshadow base as it is not necessary.
There is a generous amount of product in the pot ($22). One uses just a tiny bit to get the full effect. Unfortunately, this product does not store well. After using this off and on for about a year, the product became hard and unusable.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Chanel - Eye Gloss
Rivoli 8/16/2009 11:12:00 AM
Chanel Eye Gloss was released for Fall 2009 ($65) as a limited edition product. In some ways, it is a cross between a cream eyeshadow and a MAC paint pot. It can be used sheerly, adding color to the lid or as an eyeshadow base to amp up the color of a powder. There are four colors--a pigmented, smooth black, a gorgeous cranberry-burgundy, a shimmery gold and a nearly-sheer shimmer white. Except for the white (which would be hard to build to opacity), the colors can be worn with heavy pigmentation or sheered for a subtle look. Although I enthusiastically purchased the product, I was unable to use it before leaving on an extended trip. While I was away, I noticed some bloggers discussing the fact that the product does crease. Intrigued, I wrote to Chanel asking whether the product could be applied in a manner that avoiding creasing. Here is a cut-and-paste of their email response, indicating that the product is intended to crease: "CHANEL Eyegloss should be applied with fingertips instead of with a brush or qtip. This product is unique in that it does and will crease in many instances. That is a feature to the look and not a flaw in the product. The end result should look wet, glossy and playful. An opportunity to take advantage of an exclusive creation for a limited amount of wearers." After receiving this email, I returned the product without trying it. So, while I realize that this review is unusual, I decided to post it because there are no other reviews for the product, and I wanted those considering the product to know about its qualities, price, etc. Bottom line--If you like a creasy look, go for this. Most purchasers, however, do not think this is a desirable quality in an eye product (I don't!). If you are like me, steer clear and spend the $65 elsewhere.
10 out of 15 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No