Lips -NARS - Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella
Rumrumrum 5/18/2013 11:50:00 AM
Damn, baby. I would describe this color as halfway between red and bordeaux. Maroon but not as intense. Neutral. I wish I could pull off red lips and to be honest I kind of can. But for years I worried I wasn't the type of person who could wear it with total, scary confidence. Because there is something about a girl who can pull off red lipstick. She needs to be confident because the color is so polarizing. She needs to be effortless and shrewd enough to wear the lipstick and not have the lipstick wear her. She isn't a girl. She's a woman. And if you don't like red lipstick you can go fuck yourself because she's not wearing it for you. Cruella, for me, is just that. It's the first non-drugstore red I bought and it looks mean, sexy, dangerous and bloody. It's the first time I wore a red lipstick and didn't think about wearing it if you know what I mean. It's so sexy. It's almost XXX. It's like fishnet stockings on your mouth. However, it holds such timeless elegance. It evokes the flapper with her cropped hair and the dip in the back of her dress. Sitting at the table, a glass in her hand, her boyfriend trailing her spine with his knuckle, all while smoke curls around her head like a halo. Lawd have mercy. The formulation is really great. I usually buy matte lipsticks but always blot them down and put a balm on them so that they look like the natural color of my lips. I really can't blot this down because it's so pigmented and light. There isn't anything to take off. And why would I want to? It's non drying and on days when I feel my lips beginning to parch I just treat them with coconut oil at night (see my review on Jack Black balm for instructions on the perfect lip balm combo.) I apply and done. I don't use a lip brush but that's only because I don't have one. I would recommend using it for perfection. I've worn this for three hours tops and it's stayed. I don't know if reapplication is necessary after that. I only wish it were a teeeeeny bit more moisturizing. It's already such fabulous products but I'm greedy and makeup is crazy competitive so they can make it work. The packaging is beautiful but I wish this came in a tube because I reallyreallyhellahate sharpening pencils of any kind, especially lip pencils.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -NARS - Lipstick in Dolce Vita
Rumrumrum 5/18/2013 11:30:00 AM
This barely made three stars. I bought this after it had been on my Sephora wish list for ages. Finally, during the 15% discount code week I snatched it up and almost wept upon application. All this time! The hopes, the fantasies, the nights on which I dreamt about the lipstick sitting on my vanity, beautiful, and loved beyond means! Only to be disappointed, disenchanted! OK, not really but you know what I mean. I understand it's a sheer formula but what I didn't expect was for it to be colorless, essentially. I have fairly pigmented lips and this lipstick looks literally like my lips but better. Ever so slightly better.That's not good. If I wanted my lips to look the way they are I would leave them alone. I'm going to use this as a lip balm to help even out the tone of my lips but I don't think I'll be repurchasing and I definitely won't be repurchasing at full price. I think the product is decent but there are a few drugstore products that do the same thing at a much more reasonable price. Oh, and this is the first time I realized, with the heaviness of consumerism weighing down my bank account, packaging is almost everything. If the tube was ugly I would return it in a heartbeat. Still debating whether I should or not...
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Jack Black - Intense Therapy Lip Balm spf 25
Rumrumrum 5/18/2013 11:17:00 AM
I had very high hopes for this balm. It seems that my lips are always dry and that makes them look shriveled up and colorless. I saw the ingredients on the package and the rave reviews and bought it. The problem, for me, is that this balm might have an unintentional exfoliant or irritant in it. I have it in the black tea version and I apply it at night (in the day it doesn't seem to be very effective, or effective at all.) Now, whenever I wake up after having lip balm on all night the skin on my lips rolls away when I use my finger or a tissue to rub it off. This did the same thing but my lips were a little gritty and dry. The right-side edge of my top lip tingled for hours after I woke up. It felt like it had scabbed a little bcus I couldn't move the skin freely without a tight feeling. I don't know if it's the line or just the specific type I bought but there is an irritant or exfoliant that bothers my skin. I would default to carmex on a lazy day but the absolute BEST way to moisturize your lips doesn't include a balm at all: After brushing your teeth (or washing your face, just make sure your lips are a little damp) apply an ample amount of 100% coconut oil to your lips. Follow up with a generous topping of lipgloss or petroleum jelly. This is the only use I have for petroleum jelly (other than a makeshift highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones.) It creates a barrier and the oil has no place to go besides your lips. It also keeps the oil or the water still in your skin from having it washed and the oil from evaporating. It's seriously the best way to take care of your lips. It's a hassle sometimes but if you keep a little tub of each next to your bed you'll be good to go.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Clinique - Almost Lipstick - Black Honey
Rumrumrum 4/21/2013 10:25:00 PM
After reading that Liv Tyler wore this as Arwen in LOTR I put my boner away and ordered this on Sephora. Almost lipstick sounded like the perfect product. Moisturizing, smooth, can't-mess-up sheer, and relatively affordable. Alas, it was neither moisturizing or smooth. It dragged on my lips and I needed a lip balm over. The color, I'm sure, looks great on most people but I have problematic coloring and it didn't suit me. I'm kind of olive, kind of yellow, slightly warm :( I think I made that up. Will be returning.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Kate Somerville - Exfolikate
Rumrumrum 4/17/2013 6:27:00 PM
I never buy something as expensive as ExfoliKate without sampling it first and I'm glad I have that personal policy bcus I would've been $85+ poorer (with mediocre results) without it. I got a sample from Sephora and it lasted through three applications. First of all, I have very resistant skin that has what I observed to be very quick cell-turnover. I have to exfoliate with a chemical (AHA, especially) three times a week or substitute that with twice-daily Clarisonic uses. My skin isn't easily irritated and not problematic except that it flakes SO MUCH thanks to the turnover rate and I have blackheads if I don't actively eliminate them. Really, you don't need much more than a thin layer that's substantial enough to rub over your skin and move around a bit. The first time I tried this I had not exfoliated in about 3 weeks which is very upsetting for my skin. I had so many flakes and hadn't had time to wash my face deeply much less take a minute to swab some Liquid Gold on every night. It so happened that I had to travel and get my skin into tip-top shape. I took my sample out and used it the night before and I have to say it actually stung and irritated my skin. This is very very strange for me bcus I've had very high concentrations of glycolic acid with the tiniest pinch and then it's gone. This made my face itch and sting and prick the entire time! I figured the pain was indicative of the wonderful exfoliation that was going on. I washed this off and used cool water to soothe my skin. I have to say, it worked well. The best thing about the experience (that I repeated twice later) is that it's very intense. That being said, it didn't seem to make me glow. I don't know if that's because it did some minute damage to my skin that dulled me in general. This is great for travel because it gives you instant results in terms of flakes and comes in a hygienic tube. But, it doesn't give me that illumination that other chemical exfoliants give. That being said, it's also WAY too expensive for what you get. If you can just focus on using a drugstore AHA twice a week you'd have better results and less painful ones. I can see this product being terrible for sensitive girls so do a test patch regardless of your skin type! PROs: -Don't need much -Removes dead skin very well -Physical and chemical exfoliation (so you can have some control over how much to scrub vs how long to leave the product on.) -Hygienic tube packaging -Great for travel CONs: -Way too expensive for results -Irritant to my resistant skin (could be MUCH worse for more sensitive skins)
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Boots - Extracts Brazil Nut Body Butter
Rumrumrum 2/23/2013 12:37:00 PM
This is for the nectarine version. This body butter is really nice. It smells INCREDIBLE and I find myself reaching for it if only for the scent. I would expect any body butter to feel heavy but I'm still hoping I can find one with more slip that can be applied quickly. That being said, this is a great winter moisturizer and it helped with the scaling I get on my legs post-shave sometimes. It gives me a nice sheen. I would avoid applying this on your hands (which you'll want to do because it smells like such a ripe, juicy, nectarine -hungry now-) because your hands will be greasy. I still do if I'm in a bind but I make sure to gently press a towel or an old shirt on them to take off the excess oil. On a perverse note, it doesn't taste great so don't apply it on your neck or wherever you're going to get some love ;) I wish they came out with a spray in this scent. I swear it makes my mouth water even now as I'm typing. I won't purchase again because I'm more into the ease of oils.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Maybelline - Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles
Rumrumrum 11/24/2012 9:51:00 PM
This is a mixed review on the neutralizer and the concealer. Pros: I have slight darkness under my eyes but the trouble is more about sallowness and that general tired look your under eyes can get. That being said, I LOVE the neutralizer for topping over my concealer (not age rewind) if I want to look more flawless or just under my eyes if I don't want to wear makeup. The neutralizer totally changes my face. It brightens without taking away a lot of dimension like some concealers can. I always wear this when I go out without having to bother as much with blending or having brushes etc. Also, because it's a one-step process It's so convenient to feel pretty at home with just this product and maybe some tinted lip balm. I also use the neutralizer around my nose to offset redness and a bit on my forehead as a highlighter. The concealer is not impressive. Would not repurchase even if I needed a concealer asap. It have sheer to shitty coverage and the color selection is very limited. Cons: Incredibly stupid packaging. The sponge-like applicator works surprisingly well (I mean, it's ok and it prevents too much product buildup.) And though the packaging shows how much you have left it also sheds light on the fact that most of the product gunks unto the inside of the case. I use this stuff every day, several times a day and it's affordable but I still want it to last a long time. Other than that it's just a terrible waste.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - Starbucks - Napkins
Rumrumrum 11/11/2012 1:21:00 PM
I like napkins.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Givenchy - Ange ou Demon Le Secret
Rumrumrum 11/11/2012 1:17:00 PM
I can go into great detail about the notes and the aura of this perfume. But there is no use because it disintegrates within 30 minutes of application. It doesn't even last on my clothes. Get it together, Givenchy! What a shame.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Walgreens - Alpha Hydroxy Lotion 8%
Rumrumrum 11/8/2012 9:17:00 PM
This is truly a great product that I always have stocked. The packaging is plain, basic, unattractive but really we all know it's what's inside that counts. It's a white cream that feels sticky upon application and smells like Elmer's glue. Yes, I know, that's uncool and unglamorous. But, the results are worth it because it's SO cheap and has worked almost as well as higher end exfoliators (namely Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Peel.) It really does exfoliate and works as a good basic. Because it smells and feels gross I usually use it for my body and save the pricey stuff for my face. I love it on my neck and décolletage as well as my chest. feet, back and sometimes my bum. And I have to tell you my whole body is so so soft after using this for a couple of days. It's cheap enough for me to be ok with using it on my body once or twice a week. It's gentle enough to apply every night after you acclimate yourself to it so I suggest a very thin layer and for those with uber sensitive skin: mix a bit of it with your night cream and you'll wake up a little pumper, a little more hydrated, and exfoliated. As with every chemical exfoliator I use I always wash it away gently with a wet cloth because some of the skin can stick but I don't suggest actually rubbing the cloth back and forth enough to exfoliate some more. I mean, you should probably have some skin on your body to protect from infection and loss of fluids, ya know? In summation: I really adore this product as the-little-engine-that-could type exfoliator. I first bought this to help with hyper pigmentation and I haven't really seen a difference as evident as with other products ( primarily vitamin-c based ones.) However, it definitely helps with my hormonal breakouts, keeps my skin glowing, and is generally a good time.
9 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - Personal Microderm
Rumrumrum 11/8/2012 6:16:00 PM
I guess I should start by saying that I'm an exfoliation buff (ba-du-tss!) I have been exfoliating since before I knew what exfoliation was. I would scrub my face with those shower scrubbing gloves Arabs and Koreans use and my skin was nicer compared to my clueless teenage companions. Now, I don't know whether my skin has quicker cell-turnover because I trained it as a kid or if my body just operates that way but it makes my skin all the more difficult to impress. I think I may have what resistant type skin but that's really no excuse for this product. I think this would impress persons who don't exfoliate. There's no other explanation for the glowing reviews seeing as this product didn't perform as well as chemical exfoliates I got from the drugstore. Really. I have relatively clear skin with hormonal eruptions on my chin and blackheads that are small but ugly nonetheless. I have a problem with hyper pigmentation from being an idiot and popping pimples and literally taking a needle to my face to scoop out what looked to me like Vesuvius. The idea of this product sounds amazing but really it's more difficult to actualize. The device doesn't shoot exfoliants at your face like procedures in spas and dermatology clinic. It depends on the little exfoliating heads which makes the device basically useless for some parts of your face. You have to scrunch up your face in order to do your nose (which for me is one of the two problematic areas) and the sharp contours of my face sometimes throw the device off guard and I hear it losing suction. The sides of my nose near my nostrils is virtually untouched. This isn't particularly a design flaw per se (because it's a good idea but just very difficult to replicate outside the spa/derm's that offers real microderms but you have to move the PMD quickly across your face and having to plan every swipe while contorting your face can give you a bit of a burn or worse no real exfoliation. Also, I have seen identical reviews here on Makeupalley (and probably other places) from different accounts. That coupled with the fact that there are so many Youtube "gurus" pimping it out has led me to believe the makers of PMD aren't as confident about their products ability to speak for itself. My advice? Skip it. Use a Clarisonic or any buffer alternated with even a cheap glycolic product (check my review on the Wagreens brand) has better and more attainable results.
14 out of 16 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Revlon - Vixen
Rumrumrum 2/29/2012 6:52:00 PM
I'm not a nail polish girl. I stick to my blacks, sheer whites and beige polishes, navys (is that a word? oy!) and have been on the hunt for the perfect deep, bloody red or wine. I wouldn't dream of buying Chanel or even MAC polishes because the price is just not worth it to me. However, I have spent more than I like looking for a great wine/blood red polish. The hunt is over. I LOVE this nail polish. It's opaque is two coats, three coats for it to hold on to its depth in the sun. It's bold, gorgeous, and conservative enough to wear to work but it ooooozes sexiness. It reminds me of lipstick prints on collars and those pantyhose with the seam in the back. It has that whole elegant sexiness vibe going on and I approve. I'm light in the winter with beige undertones and this doesn't look odd on my nails like some wine/blood red polishes do. In the summer, it still looks hot. I will continue to repurchase.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Essence - Gel Eyeliner
Rumrumrum 2/19/2012 9:12:00 PM
Excuse me Bobbi Brown, MUFE, MAC, and all other cosmetic companies. I love you guys. Your makeup is usually nice and sometimes AMAAAAZING and your packaging can make a girl swoon. However,your gel liners would be worth the money if they actually, well, stayed on. I've heard so many claims about long-lasting wear and pigmentation that I just didn't believe any company and often just sampled gel liners before buying them because there was a good chance I'd be disappointed. I was getting really sick of the lies and considered going back to liquid liner which is often true to its waterproof claims but can be sort of a hassle (read: strange tips, dried out product, etc.) I read a few reviews of the Essence gel liner and lo and behold, I find my HG gel liner. At Ulta. Under four dollars. It's housed in a glass container and it holds enough to last about four months with an application almost every day. The sticker on top with the name of the product and some other info looks cheap but then again the product is what I'm REALLY after so whatever. The twist cap seals tightly and opens with ease. The first time I wore it, I realized I would be a loyal user. It is similar to BB's gel liner (except the color selection pales in comparison) in terms of pigmentation. It's black. Black black. Not blue-black, or a warm black just straight I-love-the-Cure-and-hair-dye black. In texture, it most resublimes MAC's gel liners and in price, it most resembles a meal at McDonald's. It dries to a more-than-semi-matte finish (yeah I made that up.) It doesn't look as dry and flakey or wet and shiny as some liquid or gel liners. It's matte but not Saharan, ya dig? Also, it doesn't smear all over your eyes and make you look like you're doing the walk of shame in the middle of the day. I'd say its gym friendly because I've often pretended to work out with some on. That being said, it's not that difficult to remove. A warm, wet towel over your eyes followed by coconut oil or something similar will do a wonderful job. I find that this liner fades a teeeeeny bit over the course of the day but I can literally wear this at 6 am and, because I'm lazy and frequently overwhelmed with school and work, sleep with it and still have it on the next morning (with a lil' raccoon action going on.) I've had issues in which my oily lids convince my liner to change shape. Being a cat-eye girl, this is unwelcome to say the least. Actually, it can enrage me. I'm not even the type to get angry. With this, I look as pretend-retro as I did in the morning when I quickly applied the liner at red lights on my way to school. Seriously. Go get this. Now. It doesn't have sexy YSL packaging or claims to make your lashes thicker (Boxum gel liner, read my review) but it lines those little doors to your soul like NO other.
45 out of 47 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -NYX - Tango with Bronzer
Rumrumrum 11/20/2011 12:24:00 PM
This product caught my eye at the not-so-local Ulta. I'm not such a huge fan of NYX because I'm deeply affected by packaging and theirs just doesn't hit the materialistic spot. The color is really nice. It has a light brown, a darker one, a true pink, and a white color I guess it the highlight (don't know why they would add a highlight but more about that later.) It's pigmented but extensively shimmery, almost to the point of being a highlighter (we're here!) Which is cool. It's a really nice highlighter and I can imagine slapping this on at a wedding or a summer night or when I'm trying to impress girls :D Because it's very much a highlighter, it make my cheekbones look sharp and defined. However, I'm just NOT into glittery or shimmery cheek products and though this one is nice and pretty, it goes a bit overboard in my opinion. I'm going to keep it and use it as a nice little special occasion product. I'm pretty low-key makeup wise but I like glitter on rare occasions. Maybe I'll swipe this on my collarbone at a party or when I know my friends are going to take lots of pictures (which is always, no? We're all guilty of this.) The price is a bit much for the brand but I guess for the product reasonable. The packaging is not sleek and I'm a big fan or sharp, chic, sleek containers. There's a nice, big mirror and a brush that you might as intend to throw before you purchase. I think there are other colors but this one gives my medium-light or light-medium skin enough color for me. All in all, it's iiiight. I'm hard to please.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Nivea - A Kiss of Flavor Cherry
Rumrumrum 11/20/2011 12:13:00 PM
OK where do I start. LOOOOOVE the color. I look kinda badass with this and some aviators and no makeup underneath. Fooled you suckaaaaas who think I'm put together! It's a lovely red color. (duh, right? hahaha. Oh, I kill myself...) Anyway, it's kind of sheer but definitely buildable to quite a natural red lip. Sometimes I apply a crap-load and my lips look so defined and adorable and fresh but I find that when I smack my lips together, the actual product migrates to the borders of my lips. It's a little awkward and looks uneven but I just kiss the back of my hand and it evens out :) In terms of moisture, it actually seems to dry out my lips a tiny bit but then again I have lips that are constantly dry. Not only are they just annoying, but I have this tragic habit of chewing them and peeling off skin. It's disgusting but we're all adults here. Period. Tampons. Facial hair. Toenails. Still here? Let's continue. The price is nice (I live in Chicago aka Tax Land and it's $3:50ish total) because it gives a truly lovely effect. I take a lippie away because I have to go through the extra measure of applying another chap stick over it to keep my lips happy. This is a little annoying because it affects the longevity of the product. This isn't to say that the product comes off easily. Quite the contrary! It tints your lips so that after it wears off you still look like you're alive and full of oxygen-rich blood YIPPIE!!! I will ALWAYS repurchase this and I always have multiples that my sister steals and claims she bought. I just wish they added some shea butter or coconut oil so my lips won't look parched over the course of the day. However, the color and longevity are so worth the extra layer of lip balm. I love this product. It's HG for me.
4 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No