Loose Powders -New York Color - loose translucent powder
Shelbsca 4/25/2013 5:28:00 PM
I cannot believe how awesome this loose powder is. I have tried so many loose powders, only to have them wear off in only a few hours and not do well enough at oil/shine control. I thought that perhaps loose powders just didn't work for me and I should just stick with pressed powders. Until I found this one! Even after hours, it barely fades. I usually reapply after around 7 hours, but in all honesty I could probably wait 8 or 9 before reapplying. But minimal wearing-off does start to occur around 7 hours or so. By wearing off I mean the unwanted shine starts to come back. Besides it's superior staying power, the finish of this loose powder is flawless and just what I was looking for. What I was looking for was something that offered decent coverage but still allowed my natural skin to show through. (I've noticed that look is hard to achieve with pressed powder) This does exactly that- evens out my skin tone, a little goes a long way. I love how this loose powder can be used for a dewy or matte look, it's so versatile! It provides just enough shine control to make my face not look oily, but does let my natural skin breathe. The look is never powdery, chalky, too matte, etc. I get a very luminous, flawless, natural look from this powder whether I'm going for a dewy or matte look. Just remember to slowly and lightly shake the powder into the cap for putting your brush into, because a lot comes out all at once. But it's easy to work around. It also seems like it could leak/spill easily so I make sure to store this upright and not in a travel bag. If you travel a lot, this isnt' for you. Perfect for anytime, all the time. Highly recommend.
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Lipstick -FLOWER Beauty - Sheer Up Lip Tint
Shelbsca 4/23/2013 12:35:00 AM
I have the color Lacey Laurel, and I love it! It's beautiful on my very fair skin. Shade- a sheer natural pink that can also be built up if you prefer. The finish is amazing and I just love the pinky, neutral look it gives me! I don't think you can go wrong with this color- every girl should have this shade in her makeup collection, it's a staple shade for everyday wear! Texture/Application- I usually need a decent amount of swipes to get the pink to really come out. Also, something weird about this...when I reapply, the finish is not the same, which is why I took off a little bit. When I first apply it in the morning it couldn't be better, but when I apply after lunch and sometimes in the evenings before I go out, it doesn't go on the same way. Instead of just gliding on, it leaves a weird layer of the color on your lips thats really uneven and looks terrible up close because it emphasizes the cracks in your lips. That's why I brought it down from 5 lippies to 4. Staying Power- Standard for a lip tint- 2 hours max. So not great for lip products overall, but I don't really mind because I would probably reapply anyway, and the color is so beautiful that I don't care! When I don't know what lip product to use, I usually end up just swiping this stuff on. It's my default lip product, mainly because I really love the shade and finish of it when applied initially. I wish it didn't have that problem where it applied weirdly and unevenly when you reapply, but c'est la vie! That would never stop me from repurchasing.
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Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Shadow in Bad to the Bronze / on and on bronze
Shelbsca 4/23/2013 12:25:00 AM
What an eye-popping, gorgeous color! This looks STUNNING on blue/green eyes. Also, for some reason the swatches online look way more goldy than this eyeshadow actually is in real life. Shade- A bronzey, taupey satin finish. How it looks in the package doesn't do it justice. When this is applied on the eyes it just looks gorgeous. Texture/Application- a little goes a long way! creamy but not too much, quite perfect actually. I just apply it with my fingers and blend upward and it goes on smoothly! Staying Power- I'm sure this would last a long time without any eye primer underneath, but I still use my Mac Paint Pot in Painterly underneath it just in case. It lasts all day with no fading. I love how this color tattoo looks great when simply worn alone or with a crease color. I really like it with CG's Mink in the crease, and I'm sure it would look great with a variety of other eyeshadows as well. Anytime I wear this I always love looking at my eyes in the mirror because of how much prettier they look because of this eye shadow! A staple in my collection.
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Eyeliner -L'Oreal - Extra-Intense Liquid Pencil Eyeliner
Shelbsca 4/11/2013 7:21:00 PM
What an interesting product. I have this in brown and gray. Let me just start off by saying I would NOT recommend this product for beginners. Shade- Both are pretty dark versions of brown and gray. I was looking for something that was more of a typical brown or gray, but these are pretty dark. Very...intense! Application/Texture- Very messy because the texture is sooo soft. While the soft texture prevents tugging, it is also the product's main flaw- one little mistake and your liner is ruined! Almost every time I use this I get product all over my fingers/hands. Also, it is very hard to control- the texture is not good for winged liner. If you have shaky hands, this liner is not for you. On the upper lash line, this eyeliner doesn't look like anything special either. Also, the smudger that comes with it is the worst smudger I've ever seen. It basically might as well not be there. Lasting Power- this is why I even gave the product 3 stars. I have extremely watery eyes with contacts, have tried SO many eyeliners on the waterline, and basically none have stayed longer than a few hours with so much fading. But when I put this eyeliner on my waterline, it does not fade, it does not smear, it does not go away. It stays perfect, for I'd say, 6-7 hours with veryyy slight fading. The only reason to touch it up at all is if you're a perfectionist. It is a hassle to get off with makeup remover, but who cares?? I'd use this just for my waterline and nothing else and be happy! The reason why I wouldn't repurchase is because I hope to find an eyeliner that stays put on my eyeliner and doesn't apply weird or is difficult to apply. Hopefully the 24/7 Urban Decay eyeliners will meet my expectations for this! My search for a better pencil eyeliner continues!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -FLOWER Beauty - Lip Service Lip Butter in Princess and The Peony
Shelbsca 3/27/2013 11:11:00 PM
This is such a pretty color! Unlike anything I have in my lip product collection, yet it seems like such a staple color. Shade- a sort of bright yet subtle sheer, shiny/glossy pink with a tiny bit of shimmer (at first when I saw it swatched on my hand, it looked so overly shimmery, but when I applied it, most of the shimmer does not really seem all that noticeable) It can be built up to a very natural, pretty MLBB pink, or a slightly brighter, poppier pink. I prefer the more natural, less built up version, but either way this color is perfect for spring and summer! I like that the color is sort of sheer but also surprisingly pigmented, if that makes any sense at all. Application/Texture- Pretty good, but it could be better. While it isn't that big a deal to me, it does feel slightlllly heavyish/sticky on your lips, but it's honestly not that bat. But it might annoy people who are sensitive to that sort of thing. It's pretty easy to apply, but for some reason, it doesn't look as good when you reapply it as it does when you first put it on your lips. After one or two reapplications throughout the day, the way the product actually looks on your lips starts to look sort of uneven and sinks a bit into the cracks of your lips. It's not really that notieceable and it doesn't happen all the time, but I thought it was worth taking off half a lippie for. Lasting Power- the reason why I took off one last half of a lippie, bringing it down to a 4/5 overall. While it's pretty good for a lip butter, without eating or drinking anything, I'd say the product lasts about 2ish hours on me with minimal fading. Packaging- The reason I didn't take off any lippies for this is because there is a separate area on makeupalley to rate the packaging quality. Also, packaging is always less of an issue for me because I don't usually throw it into my purse. But people who do, or travel a lot, might think that the extreme bulkiness of this lip butter is pretty annoying! It doesn't really affect the quality of the product for me, but just be aware. Overall, I defintely recommend this product for people who are looking for a springy/summery sheerish MLBB lip butter!
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Lipstick -FLOWER Beauty - LS2 Petal Kiss
Shelbsca 3/23/2013 6:08:00 PM
I think this is the most pretty, natural, everyday lipstick I own. I bought it after seeing not one bad review of it on youtube. Because this lipstick is such a natural, versatile color, I think this shade would work so well on so many different skin tones. Shade- a very natural, pinky nude, perfect for the workplace, or everyday, or pairing with dark eye makeup- like I said, it' s probably the most natural shade of lipstick I own Application/Texture- perfect texture- it could be a bit creamier, but it's basically just creamy enough to seamlessly apply yet not so creamy that it's mushy or applies unevenly. The application of this is so easy and flawless- it applies so evenly and is completely matte. Unlike a lot of matte lipsticks, it does not emphasize the cracks in my lips or my chapped lips. In fact, it makes my lips look smoother AND fuller, no joke. Lasting Power- pretty fantastic. I'd say without any drinking/eating/kissing this lipstick would last at least 6 hours with minimal fading. However, after smooching with my boyfriend, the color is still there, just faded! And even when the color does finally fade, it's still leaves your lips with a pretty, natural stain. Overall, I'd say this is a natural lip color that would be a staple to any makeup collection, whether you have a huge stash or only have the bare minimum makeup collection. If you're looking for an extremely natural, my-lips-but-better color for everyday that will work in a wide variety of situations, this is the lipstick for you.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -FLOWER Beauty - Lovely Lotus LG3
Shelbsca 3/23/2013 5:57:00 PM
I bought this lip gloss because I wanted a pretty, sheer, neutral gloss to be able to put over a variety of lipsticks when I wanted a more glossy look. I guess this does the job alright, but I didn't expect it to be so sheer and wear off so quickly. In all honesty, a lip gloss should be good enough to stand alone as well, and this is basically clear- almost no color payoff. The color on the tube, and even swatched, is so pretty, but on my very pigmented lips the color just doesn't really show up that well. Maybe on less pigmented lips, or people who really only want the slightest hint of color, this would work better. I don't dislike it enough to return, because as I said it'll work okay for layering on top of lipsticks. However when I run out, I would probably choose to purchase a lip gloss that's less sheer, stays on longer than an hour, and can also stand alone as a lip gloss. Also, the applicator, as I mentioned in the Pretty in Petunia review, is very stiff and inflexible. When applying, it sort of tugs and pulls along your lips instead of seamlessly gliding. You need to swipe it so many times to get a layer of gloss.
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Lip Gloss -FLOWER Beauty - Pretty in Petunia
Shelbsca 3/20/2013 8:52:00 PM
I really love this lip gloss, it is such a pretty color and would look great on a wide variety of skintones. I think for all of the shades in this line, the color of the tube looks way more of an intense color than how it actually looks applied on your lips. So don't be fooled, this is a very natural, pretty pinky coral shade! Packaging- I actually really do not like the packaging for one reason- the applicator. It is very stiff/inflexible and doesn't pick up much product, so you have to dip the applicator back in several times to get a reasonable layer on your lips. Because the applicator is so stiff, it sort of pulls the products along your lips instead of other gloss applicators, which evenly and softly deposits and swipes the gloss across your lips. It's not really a huge deal to me, so that's mainly why I took off a star. But for people who would get really annoyed with that sort of thing would definitely have problems with this, because it affects the application process. Application/Texture- see paragraph above. The texture is like that of a normal lipgloss. Although, it did feel slightly sticky on my lips. Not really anything to keep me from repurchasing though, it was barely noticeable. Staying Power- standard for a lip gloss- good, around 2-3 hours, but nothing amazing, about what you'd expect from a lip gloss. But what I like about this lip gloss is that once the gloss part fades after a few hours, it leaves your lips with a pretty natural stain! I would absolutely repurchase. Such a pretty, staple color to add to my collection!
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Eye Shadow -FLOWER Beauty - Color Play Creme Eyeshadow
Shelbsca 3/20/2013 6:05:00 PM
I had such high expectations for these cream eyeshadows- I bought two shades, Mum's the Word and Orchiding Around. I heard from youtube reviews they were extremely pigmented and lasted all day. The two colors I picked out were very pretty swatched. Unfortunately, the way it translates to eyelids is a totally different story. For one, this shadow is so messy, and the packaging it comes in just makes it messier! It is so hard to work with and when you put it on it gets EVERYWHERE! The texture is so super creamy and soft, which is good, but it actually becomes a negative when you use it. Horrible application, horrible packaging. In all honesty, if the shadow was amazing in every other respect the con above would be less of a big deal. However, the shade just is not the same on your eyelids as it looks in the pan or swatched. It is much, much sheerer, and it does not set. I do not even have oily eyelids, and when I first put it on, it was noticeably more sheer than swatched, which is fine- but then after a few minutes it just started to fade and in a few hours, while it is still a little visible, it's basically barely there. So, the color payoff is horrendous and one applied, no, it is not pigmented really. The staying power basically relates to the fact that the color almost immediately sheers up and fades once applied. It is so soft and moist it just doesn't stay on my eyelids. And I tried with both colors, I gave it a second chance! It happened with both! Honestly, I think these eyeshadows have great potential if they were reformulated. The colors the shadows are supposed to be are good, but it just doesn't realistically live up to those colors.
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Lipstick -Maybelline - Color Sensational Pink Me Up
Shelbsca 2/26/2013 6:15:00 PM
I LOVE this lipstick because of the shade, texture, and staying power. It's one of my favorite lipsticks and is a classic "my lips but better" shade. This color seems comparable to Revlon's "Pink in the Afternoon" shade, because they are both warm-toned, neutral pinks. For reference, I'm very pale with freckles and it's pretty hard to find neutral lipstick shades for my skintone. Shade- like said above, very warm-toned and neutral, perfect for everyday wear and across seasons. I really like how this shade would fit summer (the pink sort of pops in a very subtle way) and winter (it's a very deep, vintagey sort of pink). It manages to make your lips stand out while at the same time being very neutral and subtle. For reference, while I haven't tried this yet, this shade would probably match very well with Rimmel's lip pencil in Eastend Snob. No shimmer as far as I can tell. Application/texture- I combined these because they're sort of the same- the texture of the lipstick directly affects how it applies. And the application/texture is FANTASTIC! So creamy and easy to apply without being overly creamy and messy! It seriously is the perfect texture and applying it couldn't be more easy to work with. So often I buy lipsticks from the drugstore and have to return them because the texture isn't right- either it will make my lips look more chapped or sink into the cracks and make them stand out, and the color won't even really absorb. Thankfully this exceeds that and more. Lasting Power- one of the best out of any lipsticks I've tried. It literally lasts all day, and even after hours and hours of wear it will leave a faded, neutral stain on the lips, basically just a more subdued look. I love how it feels on my lips too- not only does it not dry out my lips at all, but it actually seems to moisten them and feels so light and moisturizing while I'm wearing it! Overall I highly recommend this lipstick! :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Super Lustrous in Coral Berry
Shelbsca 2/13/2013 4:54:00 PM
Sadly returned, had such high expectations for it! This looked nothing on my lips the way it looks swatched online! On me, it turned out a light, orangy, slightly shimmery coral with no trace of berry to speak of! On my pale skin this just did not work at all. Just a really orangey, unflattering coral with no berry. I cannot speak for the lasting power because I wiped it off right away- it washed my skin out a lot. But I will say that I have a different shade of Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick, (Pink in the Afternoon, it's the best) and coral berry was nowhere near as creamy in application as pink in the afternoon. This also made my lips look less full than pink in the afternoon. I can't believe they're even from the same line! Overall, if you have pale skin this shade might not work for you, but other skin tones should give it a try, because hopefully it will turn out more like what it's supposed to be- coral berry!
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Lipstick -Revlon - Pink in the Afternoon
Shelbsca 2/13/2013 4:48:00 PM
This is one of my favorite lipsticks and is the most complementary shade I own. A lot of lipstick shades don't work for me because I have very pale skin- I can't wear reds, oranges, true corals, fuchsias, hot pinks, nudes, or baby pinks. So that doesn't leave a lot of options! If you are searching for the perfect everyday, neutral, pretty pink nude, this is it. Shade- a warm toned, neutral pink that doesn't "pop" too much but stands out enough to look absolutely beautiful. It's so hard to find a lip product that makes your lips stand out but is also neutral/natural. I think "Pink in the Afternoon" is the perfect name for this shade and is pretty true to the swatches of it online. It really does seem like a deepened, afternoony pink. I love it, and it looks good for all looks and all seasons. Lasting Power- Pretty damn long. I honestly did not expect it to last so long! I put it on at 9:30 AM, and after drinking coffee, a little bit of kissing, and a light lunch, the color was definitely basically the same at 12:30, almost no fading. It was more like a stain than first applied, all that had gone away was a tiny bit of the "luster." Application/Finish- satin, mostly matte though. For some unknown reason, this lipstick makes my lips look way fuller. The finish is also flawless- some lipsticks have that sort of uneven finish, but this is definitely not that. It's very easy to work with and is so buildable! Packaging: Not something I find as important, but I don't have any problems with it. It's just a normal tube of lipstick. Overall, I will keep using this as my staple lipstick and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a staple lipstick. It's a necessity to any growing collection of lip products!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -E.L.F. - Studio Blush Tickled Pink
Shelbsca 2/7/2013 5:30:00 PM
This blush is perfect for me. I have very pale skin with freckles- the color is the prettiest natural, everyday pink, and the finish is flawless matte! It looks so natural and beautiful on my skin, it is my favorite blush. The pigmentation isn't too much, but it is buildable and so easy to work with no matter what blush you use. The staying power is pretty good, I'd say about five hours with a tiny bit of fading. I'm not sure how it would look on darker skintones, but it you are pale and are looking for a pretty, everyday blush I would recommend getting this! It's only $3 at target and it'll last me awhile too! By the way, for reference, this shade looks beautiful with Revlon's Colorburst Gloss in Peony.
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Lip Gloss -Cover Girl - Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm
Shelbsca 2/7/2013 5:17:00 PM
I got these in Blush Twist and Coral Twist. I don't think they're quite as bad as 2 lippies, I'd probably give them a 2.5 if I could. I am going to return Blush Twist and keep Coral Twist because I really like the shade of Coral Twist, but I wouldn't repurchase. Shade: Blush Twist is a light, pale sheer pink with some faint shimmer to it. It looks great swatched but unfortunately barely shows up on my lips. Coral Twist is a very pretty color! It's a very pinky coral, probably one of the pinkiest lip products I own but I think it looks great even on fair skin! I think with fair skinned girls it would be more of a springtime look, but the color might look more everydayish on darker skin tones. Application: Here is where I started running into problems. They are easy to apply but the finish is somewhat uneven. I'm going to try again using a different lip balm to see if that's the problem, but for both you kind of have to work with it to make it look more even and normal. With Coral Twist, I can't even just swipe it on because it tends to accentuate the cracks in my lips, and they're not even that chapped! So I have to blot and dab it on instead which is more work and harder to do. Lasting Power: For a gloss balm they have decent staying power but if you're looking for a long lasting lip product, this isn't it. After eating the product is just completely gone- with some lip products you are left with some sort of stain after eating. Without eating or anything, I'd say these stay for about 2 hours maximum. Packaging: Great! They're cute, convenient, and I could totally imagine just throwing this in my beach bag over the summer! This product did dry out my lips a little bit, so I'd say overall this product is better suited for spring or summer when you don't have to worry as much about that. It's an okay product, probably not worth $8 though, and I wouldn't go out of my way to repurchase at all. But I'll enjoy it while I have it, mainly due to the pretty shade!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -Revlon - Just Bitten Kissable Stain Balm- Sweetheart
Shelbsca 2/4/2013 11:01:00 PM
I think this would look better on those with less pigmented lips. I have been starting to realize that the reason so many lip products don't work for me when they seem so beautiful and perfect swatched online is because of how pigmented my lips are! I gave this 3 lippies because, while the shade itself way too bright and intense for me, the actual product's quality, lasting power, and moisturizing effect are all fantastic. As for the shade Sweetheart, online all the swatches looked like a pretty poppy pink that even fair skin tones could pull off. Unfortunately when I put it on, it translated into a mix of hot pink, barbie pink, and fuschia. Once it faded into a lighter stain hours later, I liked the shade a bit better, it muted down into less of a bright pink, but I still didn't like it enough to keep it. I bought this in the shade honey too and just like sweetheart, the faded version was far more complementary on my lips. It seems like the two major problems with Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain are the shade selection and that the shades all seem to look better once they have faded a lot. Besides that, the product itself is AMAZING. I am so sorry to be returning this. I am always afraid when buying a lip stain that it will dry out my lips or make them flaky. Even in winter with my easily chapp-able lips, this balm stain not only did not dry my lips out at all but moisturized them completely! This felt smooth and lightweight on my lips. As for its staying power, I am beyond words. When I first bought sweetheart, I swatched it on my hand. I washed my hands multiple times, showered, even scrubbed with a paper towel, and the freaking stain was still there the next afternoon! Basically it stayed like 14 hours, and it would have stayed longer if I hadn't literally scrubbed my skin raw to get it off! It didn't stay quite that long on my lips but I can easily say you could wear this without reapplying for 10 hours. Great product, unfortunately bad shade selection and prettier after it has faded for a few hours, at least for my fair skin and pigmented lips. However, if you don't have fair skin and can pull off more intense colors, this product is absolutely worth the money and I promise you'll swear by it!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No