Lipstick -Bobbi Brown - Lip Color - Blondie Pink 64
Sophia1105 3/28/2013 10:30:00 PM
Not the perfection that was brownie pink but lacks the browner/Orangier base that might make brownie pink too heavy for some. On me this is a soft pink,mauve in a beige base, can pull too much ash tone with my warm ruddy skin, the pink lifts it and makes it more youthful or fresh than some deeper nudes can achieve. If you are very warm or ruddy I suggest trying this out first as it may be too pink. I am warm and ruddy but this manages to work. Have repurchased many times :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Rimmel - Glam Eyes Professional Liquid Liner
Sophia1105 3/23/2013 1:27:00 AM
Love love love. Please do not ever DC. The finest brush tip, thin but not watery formula, and black, not harsh black, but soft black. Not waterproof but not vulgar gloomy vinyl thick, so absolutely perfect. Would repurchase a thousand times over.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -NARS - Radiant Creamy Concealer
Sophia1105 3/23/2013 1:23:00 AM
Not brightening on me, but dark enough to cover circles and tone down redness. I have this in biscuit, which is a touch too yellowy but works in the tiniest smidge in the deepest area of my dark circles and doesn't require another shade of product to blend over the rest of my face. Chanel and Armani are HG concealers but require more blending into the rest of my coloring. I break out easily so a product I can use just under my eyes gives the rest of my face a break. I keep this in my bag for touch ups and use Armani Maestro fndtn in 6.5 under my eyes (which is a tad lighter than the Nars). I am happy with the packaging as it is not runny and I can spot use, keeps in my bag with no spills. Very hard for me to find a concealer that is dark enough and thick enough to calm my darkness and redness without being too bright or light. This fits the bill. 4/5 only BC of some ingredients and waiting it out on my skin.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Laura Mercier - Special Brown
Sophia1105 3/16/2013 3:12:00 PM
Good deep brown with more of an ashy leaning neutral base than red. Not as green based as BB's Espresso e/s, this is closer to a true neutral and not as dark. Does not always apply as smoothly as I'd like, so I have to resharpen and sometimes warm it up with a hairdryer or pass through a flame. Hard enough to hold a crisp point and apply with said fine point without wearing down too fast and requiring me to resharpen. I have the best luck when I layer my products. So either a cake, her caviar or a powder to tightline with (gels always end up too goopy, but work when in a rush), then i'll layer thispencil with a powder and it works for a softer line. Tied neck-and-neck with my Lancome Black Coffee for what I'll reach for. If you are looking for a well pigmented, neutral brown non-waterproof pencil that can hold a point, this is it.
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Eyeliner -BeneFit Cosmetics - Magic Ink Liquid Eyeliner
Sophia1105 3/8/2013 1:20:00 PM
Eyeliner junkie here, have been using liquids for 20 yrs now and found the quality or brush style liners to have dramatically fallen, as well as for brush style liquids to gone the way of the dodo bird. That said, this product is like a flash back to my younger days of simplistic joy with *just* a liquid liner. Easy to apply, brush is neither too thick nor too flimsy (most companies seem to load up the brush with too many poor quality bristles instead of a few high quality ones, not so with this). Thin brush that layers the lines up for increasing gradation in the line. Easy to make flicks for a subtle cat eye. Perfect shade of black, deep without being too harsh. Not matte, not particularly glossy either, so perfect for work. Does not flake, smudge or smear by the end of my 13 hr nursing shift, still looks impeccable and crisp. Easiest product I have found in many many years, worthy of stockpiling. Please don't ever discontinue this gem!
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Eyeliner -Bobbi Brown - Gel Liner in Cobalt
Sophia1105 2/4/2013 12:29:00 PM
My dearest, fickle Bobbi, *sigh* It has been some time since I've sung the praises of your inspirations, but I had to put this out there, should anyone at BB be listening... BB gels(the old ones in the frosted glass jars) were nothing short of perfection. Soft yet pliable, thick but smooth. One dab of a brush and it covered the top lash line perfectly with enough for a sheer wash on the lower lash line. Now however, the formula is stiffer, some great shades have been edited out (please come back, my beloved Indigo) and it takes a sold three to four swipes over the same line for the same intensity, which ends up with too thick and weighty of a line and flakes off. If you don't use the BB brush or swipe a brush along the "grain" of the brush bristles, you will end up with patchy, flakey blotchy lines that don't last. To get it to wear well, you have to create a thicker line...so much for sublime lines that enhance the natural shape of ones eye. Now her eyeliner screams "eyeliner!" whereas before it whispered "come closer, my love." Adding to my pain, my hand is not adept at using said make-up brushes to line my eyes. Pardon my ineptitude, but I require a thin, angled brush to dab the product into my lashline--anything else turns this into a 20 min. affair of crooked lines and smears. Now the new formula prohibits me from using the product the way it works best for me. My tears aside, Cobalt is a gorgeous blue and close enough to my beloved Indigo, with a touch more brightness that works for perking up my fatigued 13-hr-shift-as-a-nurse eyes. For the color, I would stock pile this shade, but for the new formula, I want to cry. I have had to "fix" my new gels (new of Caviar, Espresso, Black, Violet Ink and now Cobalt--per chance someone would assume this issue is exclusive to certain shades), with a few drops of either Laura Mercier's Transformer or Trish McEvoy's Finish Line, just to add some softness back to these jars of dried up gems. Bobbi, if you are listening, please bring back the old formula, and throw Brownie Pink lipstick back in there while you're at it. Your betrayals are breaking my heart. Signed- A former Bobbi Brown addict.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Giorgio Armani - Maestro Eraser Concealer
Sophia1105 10/21/2012 6:54:00 PM
I am extremely pleased with this and this is something I go to for daily use simply for 1) how natural looking the overall effect is, and 2) how easy to layer up and blend. I'm not a huge fan of most base makeup and I find the heavier coverage items, while impressive when used correctly, take too much time and fussing to get right for daily use. This is pretty much like a brightening foundation in a tube. It has to be layered but the effect is such that is can be used as 1-2 layers with the lines blurred out and nothing else on the face. It blends better than most foundations I have tried and looks more natural. It does have the added but subtle brightening effect such that using a foundation alone to spot conceal and brighten would not work. Unlike thicker, drier concealers which cannot be used alone without some serious work blending the lines, this blends well, the consistency is thinner and truly disappears into my skin such that there is no tell tale line of demarkation. For really dark circles this may not be enough. It covers my bruisey dark circles and brightens my spots of redness and rosacea around my nose without requiring another layer of powder, TM, fndtn to even things out. Because it blends so easily it takes less time in the a.m. and doesn't leave my skin looking irritated or blotchy the way other concealers can to blend out. I never find myself looking different under various lightings, it just looks like real skin. I love my thicker concealers for a stronger effect but this is taking over for how easy to use and how natural it looks. I love how thin the formula is, is feels like nothing on, and the shade (4.5) is a tad paler than my own skin but works wonders to brighten and conceal without the excessively yellow undertones of most foundations and concealers. (most foundations are too yellow, most concealers too pale, I have a very warm skin tone with more redness and peach tones than strictly yellow tones. It is hard for me to find a deeper shade without going too yellowy and I end up with a dirty-jaundiced look). The ease of a small tube I can carry with me plus the squeeze tube application (which makes it feel cleaner) = type of product I have been looking for. Would absolutely repurchase and debating getting a 2nd to have one at home, one in the bag.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Giorgio Armani - sheer blush 10
Sophia1105 10/19/2012 11:30:00 AM
This blush is gorgeous. Pinky-beige flesh toned shade with shimmer. I can't say it lasts all day without oxidizing, but that's my own skin issue and not the blush. You get a huge amount for the price so I cannot see griping about price. Subtle enough shimmer that the effect is not flattening but nothing you can see from close up. I currently use their luminous foundation shade 5.75 and it is a shade too light for my ruddy skin but a close enough match and this shade is neither ashy nor too warm.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Giorgio Armani - Rouge d' Armani
Sophia1105 10/16/2012 3:46:00 AM
This review is for beige 110, which is a nude beige tone with just enough pink to keep me looking alive but still very much in beigey nude territory. Enough color to wear alone with a neutral face but also not so much it can't help carry off a stronger eye. I love the formula. Truly longer wearing without being thick and tacky, has a soft-shine finish, not a weighty matte shade. Looks the best if I wear it in one layer and /or blot off excess otherwise is a bit too ashy/beige for me and can even go muddy, like the color of a very light melted milk chocolate. Still on the hunt for the perfect nude pink beige but this is gorgeous nonetheless. I prefer pinks and mauves but this is a nude that doesn't drain me. Darker than LM Caramel, which can go too flesh toned. This does have a pink/peach warmth in lighter layers. Foundation shade YSL#08, recently using Armani in 5.75, which is a tad too light but tones down redness and brightens nicely. I am a pessimistic shopper and so far, the Armani line has won over my easily-disappointed heart, one line that is worth the investment (excluding their smooth as silk e/l, IME).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Edward Bess - -Defining Eyeliner
Sophia1105 10/14/2012 7:46:00 AM
Does not goes on smoothly, does not last. The twist up broke after a few uses.
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Eyeliner -Bobbi Brown - Twilight Night Shimmer Ink
Sophia1105 10/14/2012 7:40:00 AM
Pretty shade of a blackened plum without being too violet-purple or muddy brown. However, the texture of these is nothing short of terrible. Dry and doesn't apply evenly, flakes off in patches and since the formula is such a pain to work with, the line always looks awkward and too heavy and thick. I can't thin it out and get a good, crisp thin line--certainly not one that lasts. BB used to be a line I swore by, now it's just become one disappointment after another.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Kerastase - Fibre Architecte
Sophia1105 10/8/2012 8:12:00 PM
In spite of the painfully absurd price tag, I cannot rave enough about this product. It has saved my color treated, baby fine, damaged hair. Yes it is expensive, but it smooths my hair without making it look greasy or weighing it down, it softens and smooths gummy, damaged sections without any negative results I usually get with -cone based smoothers. Nothing permanent or lasting but prevents breakage from wear and tear. My hair would have broken off and fallen out by now if it weren't for this. I use after beginning to blow dry to smooth out sections that cannot take the brushing. I use 1-3 pumps for fine thin hair, I can see burning through this if you're dealing with coarser hair. I am waiting on my back-up bottle of this--one for purse, one for home. Seriously, that's how much this has saved my damaged hair.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Wen by Chaz Dean - Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner
Sophia1105 10/8/2012 7:54:00 PM
Leaves my hair greasy after about 12 hrs post washing but great for when I don't have time to wash and then deep condtion, rinse, etc. I alternate with other shampoos and it's great for keeping my highly color-treated and damaged hair from falling out and breaking when I need to do a quick wash but for when I want my hair to look great and have the time, I'd use a reg shampoo + deep condition. I have baby fine hair, very damaged and do better washing every few days and letting the oils build slowly but sometimes you have to wash and re-style, for that, this is great. Not the best results afterwards for styling, hair is flat but at least not the clumpy, dull look when I'm going between washings.
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Eyeliner -Guerlain - Divinora Liquid Eyeliner
Sophia1105 7/29/2012 4:59:00 PM
Wow. Amazing. I had passed over this for years, as someone with more than their fair share of make-up, I felt no need to purchase, esp for the price. Very happy I did. Everything about it is ergonomic perfection. Long handle makes for balanced "hold" and the brush is firm enough not to splay everywhere and thicken the line. Slight tapering too for the finest of flicks at the end. The formula is not too thick to be goopy ( a big issue I have with waterproof formulas and gels=thick formula=never thin enough line) but not too thin to be runny and give a scraggly line (ahem, Revlon and L'Oreal). I love the old school, classic nature of a liquid and it seems gels have overwhelmed the market. This is THE BEST I have found to date, reminds me of the classic Hollywood liquid lining I was thinking had become obsolete. I have in Brun and it's a deep chocolate brown, not as muddy and light as most browns which make my eye look dirty and blurry and muddy up my eye color. Not as dark or cool as BB's Espresso gel (beautiful shade), not a green based or violet based brown, not ashy against my skin, but simply neutral dark brown cool.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Laura Mercier - Cheek Colour (powder blushes)
Sophia1105 7/11/2012 4:54:00 AM
I stopped wearing blush for a while, too many NARS-esque blushes--heavily pigmented and difficult to blend, far to bright for this rosacean to wear. Then I discovered these. Not all shades are a match made in heaven but most are quite flattering, at the very least, and subtle. The most luck I've had are with City Pink, Rose Petal, Pink Lotus, and Violet Orchid. The give a sheer wash of diffused color and layer up nicely. Rose petal works as a nice base to calm down my rosacea without whiting out my cheeks and keep ssome healthy color, more peachy, in my cheeks. City pink is about as much of a pop of color as I can handle and it's just a gorgeous wash of pink that I'd never guess I was wearing, it just looks pretty and healthy. Pink Lotus is a warm pink and really brightens up my complexion, Violet Orchid is my favorite as it has a cooling effect on my ruddy cheeks/complexion. So glad I finally invested in these.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No