Polishes -Lancome - Indigo Paris
Tuscana 11/15/2009 9:55:00 AM
I gives this a thumbs up. The shade looks like a brilliant sapphire on my nails. The shade is wearable on my older hands. It applied smoothly and didn't leave those strange streaked gaps. I put on 1 ridge filler coat, 2 coats of the polish, 1 top coat, and OPI Drip Dry. I didn't get a slight chip off a tip until after 4 days. At day 8 it still looks decent so I am super pleased.
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Lipstick -Shu Uemura - Rouge Unlimited Pink Collection PK 369
Tuscana 7/23/2009 11:23:00 PM
I've read that pink is a universally flattering shade for most skin tones. I do like to wear pink sometimes so I thought I would try this new lipstick. I was drawn to it mainly because of the advertising of it as "formulated with an innovative pink hybrid pigment developed for the first time ever, to deliver unprecedented pureness of the color pink"; I'm also familiar with the Shu lipstick lines and really like them.
The first time I wore it, I just did a quick swipe on my lips (you know how eager one can be with a new toy!) and I did know ahead of time that trying it while wearing warm-toned blush wouldn't show it off to best effect. It looked extravagantly bright. A few days later I tried this lipstick after applying only a pale pink blush (in fact, Bobbi Brown Pale Pink blush) and not a stitch of any other makeup; I didn't even use a lip liner. Lo and behold I was elated with the look. Yes, it's a bold shade; the color is so strong I would mostly wear the pale pink blush (and yes, foundation for me) but no eye look is needed. This is definitely a "lip look" and a highly flattering one. I cannot thank myself enough for getting it!
I haven't tried the 8 hours yet but it certainly is a moist lipstick; you don't need to apply much as it's super pigmented. If you're concerned about the brightness, just try with a neutral or cool pink on your cheeks. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -MAC - Sheertone Shimmer Blush in Plum Foolery
Tuscana 5/3/2006 1:19:00 AM
This blush is one of the most lovely-looking blushes I have ever worn. In fact, it's extremely hard for me to wear plum colors without appearing bruised. I'm MAC NC20/25, Bobbi Brown Warm Sand 2.5, light olive, almost neutral tones. This is just light enough and has just enough brown in it to come out as a beautiful mauve on me; strange, isn't it, that a plum is hard to wear and a mauve is a good color for me. The MAC website describes the shade as "Faintly plum". When I applied it, it almost didn't look like blush so much as that I had good skin and contoured cheeks. If I ever run out of this I definitely would buy this again.
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Mascara -Bobbi Brown - No Smudge Mascara
Tuscana 4/17/2006 1:05:00 AM
This is it. This does not smudge, it does not flake, it does not clump. It defines my stubby short lashes and holds the curl I put in. It stays on. Even when I fall asleep with makeup on (a huge no-no for me but I've done it) there's no mascara under my eyes in the morning. It comes off with waterproof eye makeup remover but comes right off. Yes, I *will* buy it, again and again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Cle de Peau - Translucent Corrector for Pores [DISCONTINUED]
Tuscana 1/14/2006 4:06:00 PM
Well I got this product and tried it several times. It worked fairly well but I wasn't entirely pleased with results. Then I read marlena-m's review explaining how better to apply it and *lo and behold*, it's marvelous! I have pores the size of craters that show up in pictures. When I wipe down after applying with a dry sponge, it blends into my skin and fills the pores *just like a spackle should!*. My skin comes out smooth as silk now. It's expensive ... but at my age, every bit of help matters and so this is now the HG pore filler for me and I will continue to use and buy this.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Sally Hansen - Maximum Growth Nail Polish in Dreamy Pink
Tuscana 7/26/2005 1:34:00 AM
I really like this nail polish *and* the color, which surprised me in coming out a light metallic (not shimmery) warm pink, which really works with my skin color. It was under 5 USD so that's super. Only 1 coat on is lasting decently for the price. This was a very successful purchase.
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Liquid -Christian Dior - Diorskin Airflash
Tuscana 6/27/2005 11:13:00 PM
Once I tried out this mist-on foundation (Dior's Diorskin Airflash), I haven't stopped wearing it every single day since. I am completely amazed at how flawless this makes my skin look, yet it's so sheerly applied. The finish is semi-matte and it gives me a subtle glow ... dewy, not oily.
I wear an old ugly shower cap to apply, just to help keep the spray off my hair (although the overspray is easily brushed away); and if I'm not in my undies, I wear an old towel draped across my chest and shoulders. It covers so well, you can also let it stand in as an eye shadow primer ... even a lipstick primer ... even an eyelash primer! Just my choice, I apply a lip balm first, just so I can more easily wipe away the foundation (but you don't need to). It's very much your choice.
You shake the can well, hold it about 12 inches out from your face, and quickly spray. I think I do a sort of S-motion. Over a short time, you'll know just how much to spray; sometimes I come back for a quick extra shot at my nose area. I quickly wipe most of it off my eye brows, and smooth it under my eyes. This works so well that I don't use Corrector under my eyes (to hide dark circles); I still use a touch of Concealer in the inner and outer corners (but that's just my particular eye shape needs). Also, I no longer use any blemish concealer, as this coverage is so amazing. It really does look like your face was airbrushed and you have a blank palette for applying the rest of your makeup. There's no cakiness ... just beautiful skin.
As for shades, so far (this is so new at the time of this writing) I can't tell if there are just the few shades or only the few that I've seen. In MAC, I'm an NC25 without a tan and in Bobbi Brown, I'm a Beige. I bought this in 300 - Medium Beige; it's a near match. I was concerned that the 200 - Light Beige would be too light. I think a perfect match for me would be somewhere between the two shades but so far, I can't tell if there *are* any in-between shades. Nevertheless, this is probably only a difference that I notice and it certainly doesn't look odd ... I'm just very particular.
Another benefit in my case is that I don't need to apply a moisturizer first. My skin is super oily but I often apply a moisturizer before foundations simply to get *slip* (so the foundation spreads easily). Well ... with this product, I simply spray and I'm done, no smoothing out needed. As I haven't added moisturizer, I find I'm blotting less than usual throughout the day.
Each day without fail, the foundation has held up all day with no touch-ups needed. The product is expensive but as I use such a teensy amount, it may just come out to not be as costly as one might think. As it's a mist-on, there's no exposing the product to the air so again, this may last quite a while. I won't say I will neglect my other beloved foundations, but this is so amazing I cannot quit using it. You really need to try this to see if it provides a number of solutions for you. I'm thrilled with the product and will absolutely buy it again.
20 out of 22 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Neutrogena - Advanced Solutions Facial Peel [DISCONTINUED]
Tuscana 1/21/2005 1:53:00 AM
I got this in early November, 2004 and have been using it according to directions, twice a week, ever since. I wanted to wait a good 10 weeks before reviewing.
Application: First you wash your face and get it dry. The consistency is like runny soup so I applied a bit at a time. You don't apply thickly ... that would be useless and wasteful (more is not better here). I actually like the scent, which soon dissipates; it reminds me of a milder version of Blisslabs' Deep Steep (which I also liked). I apply it all over my face, avoiding eye area and lips; I continue down onto my neck, chest, and décolleté as I have quite a lot of sun damage there; there are barely any stings at all and I have sensitive skin.
You let it sit 7-10 minutes then massage with warm water and fingertips all over; when you do this step, you can feel the "micro graininess". Then you rinse off with warm water.
After patting dry, I apply my usual serum (all over face, neck, etc.)... let that set, then apply my usual night moisturizer; these last steps are usual for me at bedtime anyway. You are advised to moisturize afterwards.
Results: My skin is not irritated and does feel like the proverbial baby's tush. You need to wear an SPF of 15 minimum after this during the day (I do normally anyway).
I discussed this product with my dermatologist. She said that these type of products are excellent but to understand that they're just providing excellent exfoliation. They don't give true dermabrasion (that you'd get from the doctor, and exposes actual live new skin!). They don't reduce wrinkles. But they do remove that very topmost layer of dead skin (which we slough off all day every day) and encourage cell turnover. I asked her if there was anything else I should do and she said "just follow directions".
Bottom Line: This gives me a clear glowing look because my skin looks very clean and clear. Makeup applies smoothly because there's not lots of "little peelies" but a nice fresh palette underneath. My skin feels absolutely smooth as silk to the touch. I may try some other lines if the cost is similar but for me, this is great to find at the drugstore, the brand is highly reputable, and the product works as advertised. I got my jar on sale ($26 USD) at the local drugstore and so far, it's still lasting at week 10 (I skipped a week and a half but I've pretty much used it faithfully since I bought it). I prefer this to a scrub because I suspect some of them have damaged my skin. This is a chemical which helps dissolve the "glue" that holds the dead cells together, thereby helping you slough them off. I really like this and will continue to use it and buy it ... it's a lot less expensive than a visit to the dermatologist's or for a facial; so far, it's about $2.60 a week (and really less because the jar is not used up yet).
15 out of 15 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Bobbi Brown - HOW2 Apply BB's Corrector/Concealer
Tuscana 1/20/2005 12:29:00 AM
In my never-ending search for the HG under eye concealer, I've been playing with BB's products for several months now. Sometimes things came out well ... sometimes they didn't. After a lesson with an excellent MUA at the BB counter at Nordstrom, I'm finally achieving a very good effect. My problem is not so much discoloration (what I *think* people mean as dark circles under the eyes) but instead have bags under my eyes ... a hereditary annoyance; when I was younger and they were minimal, they gave me a sort of "bedroom eyes" effect; now that I'm older, they make me look tired or sleepy when I'm not. Poop. She told me to not worry about disguising the bags (I still *do* put a teensy bit of highlighter just under them) but to focus on making all of the area one color.
Also ... and this is *key* ... she said to use *much much more* eye cream under the eye than you ever expected to! She truly put quite a gob of cream under each eye, daubed it a bit, but really did leave quite a bit under my eyes not blended away. Then she began working the concealer, with the BB Concealer Brush, starting in the inner corners of my eyes (going above and below) and working down under the bags and on the bags up to my lower lash line. She pretty much covered the inner one third under each eye plus the inner corner (above and below). It was all that moisturizer that helped spread the concealer. Then she quickly (before the concealer ran into the fine lines) puffed away with the light yellow powder.
After a great deal of practice, I do use the heavy moisturizer trick but cover all of my under eyes, not just the inner third ... but most of the concentration still is in the inner thirds. As another reviewer said, you really have to play with this until you learn how to apply the products. The end result is this may be the best effect yet and I'm super pleased. *NOTE* as I bought the to go kits, I began playing with the Correctors (I had only owned Concealer before). I thought Corrector would not make a difference but it makes an even better effect. So I ordered full sets of the Correctors, too (having had such a good experience with the to go kits that have Corrector, Concealer, and yellow powder). I'm an MMM, with neutral warm-toned Type IV/V skin; very dark brown hair, very dark brown eyes with a gray ring around the iris. I use Corrector - Light Bisque and Concealer - Beige without tan; I use Corrector - Bisque and Concealer - Natural with a tan. Now that I know *how* to apply these products, I can give the Concealer '5 lippies'. OH ... and one last trick ... after I puff on the powder, I wait a bit and puff again; *THEN* I press press press gently with my baby finger and it helps make the corrector/concealer/powder firm up into one smooth layer which helps it not move into your fine lines. To me, all this work is worth the effort ... I hate those bags under my eyes.
P.S. Added 12/06/04 - Placement trick I've learned is I put Corrector and Concealer all into the inner corner, going up and going down a bit, then under the bag in a half moon. If I try to coat the whole under eye, it gets into crease. That inner corner and under the bag is just exactly right for my case.
P.P.S. Added 01/15/05 - As for amounts, this is what a little means: If you're looking at a BB Concealer Brush (just for comparison) I lightly swipe the Corrector and have the entire length of the brush (on one side) coated with Corrector. I lightly touch the Concealer and have perhaps 1/16th of an inch on the brush tip coated with Concealer.
121 out of 124 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Chanel - Rouge Double Intensité - all shades
Tuscana 1/1/2005 3:52:00 PM
Chanel has a winner! This is categorized as a lip gloss but I think of it as lipstick because of the coverage. I previously reviewed the Ruby Lite (which lasted 10 hours on me, including dinner), the Rose Quartz (which my sister, a blonde ppp, got), and then the Amethyst. There's 2 components ... one end holds a colored base coat advertised as non-transferring or feathering, and that dries quickly. The other end holds a gloss coat advertised as non-tacky and providing high shine all day. You apply the base coat, wait one minute, and it's dry. Then you apply the clear gloss. The Ruby Lite lasted 10 hours for me (which included dinner). My sister found Rose Quartz on her lips the next day! I suspected that I'd like this Amethyst even more and I was right (I'm a neutral, slightly warm-toned brunette MMM). I'd applied the Ruby Lite "full strength" and decided to try the Amethyst sheerly; it was gorgeous. Apparently, you can wear these with full coverage or sheerly and it doesn't affect how long they last; if you do decide on a sheer application, spread it quickly because the color coat dries in one minute. With the Amethyst, I used Bobbi Brown's Lip Gloss - Baby Pink (instead of the clear coat that comes with it) and it worked perfectly. The colors are the usual Chanel high impact designer colors; the Ruby Lite is a brilliant red on the cool side; the Rose Quartz is a light nudish pink on my blonde ppp sister; the Amethyst is a mauvish burgundy on me. A while ago, I tried the versions from L'Oreal and they were drying to my lips, making me feel like I had something odd on my lips. The Chanel version simply feels like I have ordinary lipstick on except that I'm not able to make it come off on a white napkin! The clear gloss coat indeed is not tacky, just a usual slick clear high-shine gloss with a slippery feel. Too expensive (or course) but excellent nonetheless; this product works as advertised and provides beautiful designer-colored lips all day! If you've got to be somewhere and look put together for a long haul and don't want to keep running off to reapply lips, this works and works and works. I hope they put out some in the warm family like a coral peach because I'll run to get them ... these work beautifully and feel great. TIP: Do use a lip liner to help you get the first coat on neatly, because once it sets, it sets.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Chanel - Rouge Double Intensité - Amethyst
Tuscana 1/1/2005 3:46:00 PM
This is categorized as a lip gloss but I think of it as lipstick because of the coverage. I previously reviewed the Ruby Lite (which lasted 10 hours on me, including dinner) and reviewed the Rose Quartz which my sister (a blonde ppp) got. There's 2 components ... one end holds a colored base coat advertised as non-transferring or feathering, and that dries quickly. The other end holds a gloss coat advertised as non-tacky and providing high shine all day. You apply the base coat, wait one minute, and it's dry. Then you apply the clear gloss. The Ruby Lite lasted 10 hours for me (which included dinner). My sister found Rose Quartz on her lips the next day! I suspected that I'd like this Amethyst even more and I was right (I'm a neutral, slightly warm-toned brunette MMM). It's a beautiful mauvish burgundy. I'd applied the Ruby Lite "full strength" and decided to try the Amethyst sheerly; it was gorgeous. Apparently, you can wear these with full coverage or sheerly and it doesn't affect how long they last; if you do decide on a sheer application, spread it quickly because the color coat dries in one minute. With the Amethyst, I used Bobbi Brown's Lip Gloss - Baby Pink (instead of the clear coat that comes with it) and it worked perfectly. A while ago, I tried the versions from L'Oreal and they were drying to my lips, making me feel like I had something odd on my lips. The Chanel version simply felt like I had ordinary lipstick on except that I was not able to make it come off on a white napkin! The clear gloss coat indeed was not tacky, just a usual slick clear high-shine gloss with a slippery feel. Too expensive (or course) but excellent nonetheless; this product works as advertised and provides beautiful designer-colored lips all day! If you've got to be somewhere and look put together for a long haul and don't want to keep running off to reapply lips, this works and works and works. I hope they put out some in the warm family like a coral peach because I'll run to get them ... these work beautifully and feel great. TIP: Do use a lip liner to help you get the first coat on neatly, because once it sets, it sets.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Chanel - Rouge Double Intensité - Rose Quartz
Tuscana 1/1/2005 3:37:00 PM
This is categorized as a lip gloss but I think of it as lipstick because of the coverage. There's 2 components ... one end holds a colored base coat advertised as non-transferring or feathering, and that dries quickly. The other end holds a gloss coat advertised as non-tacky and providing high shine all day. You apply the base coat, wait one minute, and it's dry. Then you apply the clear gloss. I previously reviewed the Ruby Lite (which lasted 10 hours on me, including dinner); my sister (a blonde ppp) got the Rose Quartz. She applied the base color coat very sheerly and it came out as a YLBB color on her, like a light nudish pink. She put hers on mid-afternoon and it lasted through dinner. The next day I asked her how it lasted and she said some was still on! She gave it a thumbs up and a '5' rating.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Chanel - Rouge Double Intensité - Ruby Lite
Tuscana 12/26/2004 1:14:00 AM
This is categorized as a lip gloss but I think of it as lipstick because of the coverage. There's 2 components ... one end holds a colored base coat advertised as non-transferring or feathering, and that dries quickly. The other end holds a gloss coat advertised as non-tacky and providing high shine all day. You apply the base coat, wait one minute, and it's dry. Then you apply the clear gloss. I applied this at 2pm, drove to the airport, came home, went through gift exchanges and had horsd'oerves. Then we had dinner which included a salad with oil and vinegar dressing, wine, coffee, and desserts. At the end of all this (10 hours later), the color was definitely still there but at the stage where you might start nibbling it off. I removed it all at midnight with eye makeup remover. I got this in 2 colors (Amethyst and Ruby Lite) and wore the Ruby Lite today; the colors are the usual Chanel high impact designer colors; the Ruby Lite is a brilliant red on the cool side ... not the best red on me but with certain makeup combos, it can work. I suspect that with my coloring (neutral, slightly warm-toned brunette MMM) that the Amethyst will be even better on me and I can't wait to try it. A while ago, I tried the versions from L'Oreal and they were drying to my lips, making me feel like I had something odd on my lips. The Chanel version simply felt like I had ordinary lipstick on except that I was not able to make it come off on a white napkin! The clear gloss coat indeed was not tacky, just a usual slick clear high-shine gloss with a slippery feel. Too expensive (or course) but excellent nonetheless; this product works as advertised and provides beautiful designer-colored lips all day! If you've got to be somewhere and look put together for a long haul and don't want to keep running off to reapply lips, this works and works and works. TIP: Do use a lip liner to help you get the first coat on neatly, because once it sets, it sets.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -Chanel - Ruban Perlé - Moonlight
Tuscana 12/24/2004 6:51:00 PM
This is a cream highlighter, to be used for lips, cheeks, or anywhere on your face, over or under foundation (or other products). The product applies with excellent gliding application. "Soft-focus powders help minimize imperfections and even skin tone", always a plus in my book. The compact comes with a little doe foot sponge applicator (which I find useless ... I just use my fingers). Moonlight is advertised for providing an illuminating evening look; the surface of the cream looks like woven pearl ribbons (hence the product name) ... so pretty I carefully rub my fingertips in a little square so as to not mess the surface imprinting. I think of this as iridescent as opposed to shimmer. The color is a pearled white; an excellent comparison would be its likeness to mother-of-pearl. I apply it to the tops of my "cheekbones", making it appear in evening lights like I actually *do* have tops of cheekbones! I've also tried it dabbed over my day's lipwear and it adds a lovely frostiness to my lips. My only complaint is the silly little applicator; I don't need it plus it continually falls out of it's "tube pocket" in the side of the compact cover. This is a thumbs up ... expensive but something to really play with and have fun with ... works as advertised!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Lancome - Colour Focus Palette - 4Innocence
Tuscana 12/5/2004 1:08:00 AM
I think Lancôme's eye shadows are some of the best on the market. They consistently come out with a creamy smooth application, don't flake all over your face, the pigments are true, the shadows last, and the colors are real designer colors (it's always hard for me to describe the colors but they blend beautifully with so many looks). This quad just came out at the counters (I haven't found it online yet) so I can't quite tell you the color family yet. The counter MA did my whole face and I looked really sexy, so I put it together again for my FOTN on a 2nd date ... he cooked :-)
Amongst other items, I wore Lancôme's Blush Subtil Shimmer - Shimmer Mocha Havana, lined lips with Lancôme's Le Lipstique - Bronzelle, and on my lips wore Lancôme's Star Gloss - Princess.
I did my eyes with my new quad, as follows:
next to lightest shade (a pastel mocha?) all over as a base,
next to darkest shade (taupey cafe au lait?) on lids,
deepest shade (bronzed plum?) in crease and outer "V",
lightest shade (buttercream?) highlighting brow bone and on inner corners of eyes.
BB's gel liner in Sepia Ink (above) and Lancôme's Le Stylo Waterproof - Prune (lower) ... black mascara.
It sounds like a lot of layers but really, the overall effect was a subtle hazy look. I'm an MMM, with neutral warm-toned Type IV/V skin; very dark brown hair, very dark brown eyes with a gray ring around the iris. I'm really in love with this quad as they made my eyes stand out beautifully. In fact, I think this is my favorite of all my Lancôme e/s quads.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No