Lip Gloss -MAC - Style Minx Lipglass - Heatherette 
USCfashionista 10/21/2008 2:48:00 AM
I am not surprised at these great reviews of Style Minx! It is such a gorgeous bright fuchsia lip gloss. I have yet to find the perfect dupe for it. This was part of the MAC Heatherette collection, therefore LE. I was lucky to have this & Sock Hop at my CCO. I am a sucker for pretty packaging, so this caught my eye right away. I was hesitant to buy it because the color looked so bright and I wasn't sure if it was going to work with my NC35-40 skin tone. However it is fabulous! This is probably the brightest lip gloss that I own! The color is unique and very fun. For those of you who thought this color is too dramatic or bright, try toning the color down buy apply nude or clear lip gloss on top of this. Style Minx is super pigmented! I tend to just use a very little amount to get that beautiful color.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -MAC - 188 Small Duo Fibre Face brush
USCfashionista 10/18/2008 11:43:00 PM
I love my 188 brush! I have both the 187 and 188, I use my 187 for foundation and my 188 for blush. At first I didn't even know this brush existed, because the 187 got so much attention on MUA and on YouTube. I use the 188 for both powder and cream blushes. I love blush, but hate that obvious "I'm wearing blush" look. The 188 solves that problem by giving me a natural wash of color on my cheeks. The 188 is much smaller than the 187, therefore can provide more precision. I recommend people who have smaller cheeks to get the 188.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Ben Nye - Lumiere Grande Colour
USCfashionista 10/18/2008 11:33:00 PM
I bought the 12 Lumiere palette after hearing over and over on YouTube how great these are. I am in love with Ben Nye! I am very impressed with the quality and pigmentation of these colors. I have an enormous collection of MAC, Urban Decay, and Stila eye shadows, therefore was a bit hesitant about buying Ben Nye. However the colors are very unique and vibrant. The eye shadows are soft with shimmer. The shimmer is very small, and unnoticeable. The eye shadows are soft and you only need a little product for the colors to show. I bought this palette off Bubbasikes.com , which is a clown website. You have to click on the "Specials" icon at the bottom of the page to buy this palette for $49. Be careful because if you don't click on the "Specials" icon it will cost you $54 instead of $49. The price is cheaper than any other site that I know of. Shipping took only 2 days, so I'm happy. One thing about this product I don't like is the packaging. I don't mind the tin palette, however they come with these plastic caps that are hard to take off.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Make Up For Ever - HD Microperfecting Primer in 0 Neutral
USCfashionista 9/30/2008 4:41:00 PM
I have been using this for a couple of weeks along with my MUFE HD foundation. I can definitely say that this and my MUFE HD foundation are HGs. I have tried many primers in the past: Smashbox ( too heavy and greasy), LM (did not fill in pores), BE Prime Time (works great, but I wanted to try something new), and even Monistat (cheap but gave me blackheads). The whole MUFE line is my new love, their eye shadows have 85% pigmentation, their foundations are water- resistant and do not contain fillers. On to my review about HD Primer in #0, this makes my makeup last all day long. It has lasted me through 10 hour school/work days in 90+ degree weather. It is light weight, non greasy, did not cause any breakouts or blackheads (I am very blackhead prone). I only need just one pump to cover my entire face. It applies smoothly and leaves my skin feeling very soft. For those of you who find that this primer did not fill in your pores I recommend trying to rub the primer into your skin more firmly where your pores are. I have major pores on my cheeks, cause by bismuth from Bare Minerals (luckily are diminishing now). I find that rubbing the primer a little more in those areas make those pores invisible!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Foundation
USCfashionista 9/27/2008 5:09:00 PM
For me, the most important makeup item is foundation. I think having the right foundation color and finish is what brings out the rest of your makeup and make people comment on your great "skin". I have tried many foundations, even the MUFE F & B and MUFE Mat Velvet +. Well I am so happy to announce that I have found my HG foundation. This foundation formula is perfect for my needs. It provides a medium to full coverage. With this foundation, I do not find the need to apply concealor, it makes my skin flawless with just ONE pump.
I am a NC 35-40 and use MUFE HD shade #128. What I recommend everyone who tries this foundation to do is, get a sample first.
I am so in love with this foundation, it never looks cakey, and blends into my skin smoothly.
How I apply my foundation: I tried using my MAC 187 brush to apply this foundation, but it takes a while to stipple it on my face. The 187 also made this foundation's coverage sheer, which I didn't like. I NEED heavy coverage! I saw Kim Kardashin's video on her site of how her makeup artist uses the MAC 180 brush with this foundation. OMG! The buffer brush is so easy to use with MUFE HD! It only takes a few seconds for me to blend this on my face. I only need to use ONE pump for that flawless finish. It provides a matte finish with a dewy glow. The dewy glow looks very natural which I love, because with my combo-oily skin dewiness can make me like sweaty. I am usually on the makeup board and many people rave about MUFE HD, but I am surprise that not many people have written reviews for it. For those of you who are using MUFE F&B or MUFE Mat Velvet +, I urge you to try MUFE HD. I have tried all the MAC foundations and there is nothing compared to MUFE HD. It looks so much better and more natural than any other foundation!
EDIT: I forgot to mention that I previously used mineral makeup but wanted to switch back to liquid foundation after hearing great reviews from friends about MUFE. HD foundation is also hydrating! Since using this my skin feels so smooth and soft even after I take off my makeup.
I thought it might be helpful to write what MUFE HD states on the box. I truly believe that this foundation lives up to all its claims! I love the hydration it gives me!
" The HD range includes complexion products designed for the new needs of high definition image using very fine ingredients for an invisible, natural make-up finish. HD foundation combines flawless coverage and an extremely natural finish. The Sericite contained in HD foundation heightens the diffusion of light and intensifies the glow of the skin. Enriched with Relipidium, HD foundation moisturizes* (+46%**) and prepares the skin for make-up. Its unusually smooth and elastic texture makes it easy to apply and a pleasure to wear. Skin texture is refined to give a very natural complexion. Dermatologist-tested. Oil-free.
*Moisturizes the upper layers of the skin
**Tested 4 hours after application of the product. "
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -L'Oreal - HiP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner
USCfashionista 9/21/2008 7:30:00 PM
I have always used Bobbi Brown or MAC's gel eyeliners, and I have to say that this L'Oreal HIP is so creamy and long lasting. This prodcut is $12, but wait till it is BOGOF (buy one get one free) so it comes out to just be $6 each. Amazing price for such a great product. Some say that this drys up, however it has never dried up on me. You should close the lid tightly every time! I do this with all of my gel liners. I don't like to use the brush it comes with eyeliner, but it make a great brow brush. I wait till BOGOF sells and stock up on this stuff along with other HIP products. I love the black color, it is a very black! Unlike what some may think, the purple and blue colors are very dark, they almost look black. I think those colors are very wearable as well.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Make Up For Ever - Mat Velvet PLUS Matifying Foundation
USCfashionista 8/12/2008 7:24:00 PM
Coloring: BM in Medium Beige//MAC NC 35
MUFE Mat Velvet match is #35
MUFE F & B match is #34
I think I have found my HG. I hardly ever claim things to be my HG even though I use it everyday. I am always on the search to find something new and better. But as for my MUFE Mat Velvet, I think the search for my perfect foundation has stopped here. I got samples of MUFE F & B and Mat Velvet 2 weeks ago and have been comparing the two ever since. I like Mat Velvet much better. I live in San Diego, CA where it is summer and hot 9 months out of the year. I can wear sandals and shorts in the middle of December! I have combination skin, which tends to get oily during the day in my t-zone area, and is dry on my cheeks. Some may think combo skin is easy to take care of, but it really is not. I need to find a foundation that is not drying, but keeps my oiliness away. I have found that in Mat Velvet. I am so impressed, because it looks so natural but delivers the matte finish I want. (I didn't like the dewy finish of MUFE F& B, but I will review that later.) I DO NOT have to blot at all! I don't know how this foundation could do such a thing! My oiliness is not even showing up in the afternoon! I said before that it is really hard to for me to stay oil free because of the sunny weather in San Diego. I do not even feel the need to set this foundation with powder at all. I am so happy that I finally tried this. I love medium to heavy coverage, and this definitely did that. What amazes me even more is that I only need to use a tiny tiny amount to create the flawless finish. I do not need to pile layers of foundation on my face to have good coverage. I recently bought the MAC 187 brush, but find that this foundation looks better IMO if applied with my fingers. My friends are asking me all the time in these pass few days, "Are you wearing foundation anymore"? I had to reveal my secret that it is MUFE Mat Velvet. After my friends ask me about my foundation usage, it was obvious to me that when I was using Bare Minerals Foundation, it didn't look as natural as I thought it did. (And also broke me out!) But wearing Mat Velvet gave the illusion that is it not foundation at all, that this is MY SKIN. I cannot rave enough about this. I am so excited to find my HG foundation. I read some other reviews and agree that this foundation is more for oily to combination skin. If you have dry skin and like the matte finish of this foundation, try putting moisturizer before this. Before buying, go to Sephora and ask for a sample. I only need to use so little foundation everyday that I am not even finish with the sample! Of course I will purchase the full size!
Edit:9/16/08: This foundation is really amazing, however it does not last all day. I used a primer and it only last 4 hours. Maybe it will work better for oily skin then my combo with dry cheeks. I just marked down 1 lippie because I do still think it is a great product for others to try, just didn't work for me. I switched to MUFE HD Foundation which so far is amazing! I will try this one out for a couple of weeks until I review it though.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Everyday Minerals - Eye Kabuki Brush
USCfashionista 8/12/2008 6:40:00 PM
[[[[Click continue for pics]]]]
Can be found at everydayminerals.com
Price: $7- but may be cheaper depending on which custom kit you buy. (Dirt cheap for me, I bought the Super Personal Custom Kit, which lets you choose ANY 12 products you want for $50.) So for me this brush came out to be around $4!
Packaging Quality: This is EM's newest brush made from 100% recyclable bamboo, and synthetic hair.
If you have tried other EM brushes you know that the bristles are super soft. This Eye Kabuki delivers the same great quality. The bristles are soft, yet firm so you can have more control over the application of your eyeshadows. It is extremely big however. I do not have a large lid space and cannot use this as a crease brush. If you look on the EM website. It says that this brush is for "all over eye" which indicates that this is not for the crease. It is a great for putting on your all over e/s color. The bamboo handle is gorgeous and adds something different to my brush collection. I think this is a wonderful brush. It picks up color fairly well, but like the fluffy 224 brush works great for toning down your e/s if you applied it too dark. Like I said earlier, this brush is big, so it does add something different to my MAC brush collection. I don't think I have any MAC brush that can compare exactly to this brush. I did take pictures of this brush side by side to my MAC 224 & 217 for those of you that want to get an idea of how bigger the brush is. Hope this helps. Great brush to add to any mu lover collection, and so cheap!
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Everyday Minerals - Pink Ribbon Blush
USCfashionista 8/9/2008 1:02:00 AM
Pink Ribbon has became another one of my EM favorite blushes. It is the pink of the Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon, with shimmer. VERY lovely! I don't think the shimmer is overbearing though. It is very natural. I also like this blush as a highlight color. I read this blush's description and the proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation which is a great cause. I am so in love with this color, it gives you a great pink glow.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Everyday Minerals - blush all
USCfashionista 8/7/2008 8:54:00 PM
I cannot rave enough about the quality and reasonably priced Everyday Minerals! Their blushes have a wide spectrum of colors. The blushes are categorized under finishes: matte, sheen, shimmer and lucent. I have about 20 of the blushes and have to say that they are very finely milled and soft to the touch. You can order a free sample kit which will include a blush of your choice, if you wanted to try out the colors before buying. I bought my blushes even before trying them out because of the great reviews on MUA and YouTube. I have also been buying the large jars to mix my shades! I feel like a makeup chemist! Hehe. I have also tried pressing the blushes and they make great eye shadow colors too. Some of my most favorite blushes are: Shortcake, Salon Fun, Apple, All Smiles, Best Friends, Pink Ribbon, Nick Nack, and Plum Dust. I always end up buying the largest custom kit which is $50 for any 12 items of your choice. When you think about it, it's only around $4 an item! This is a amazing deal. I was a skeptic at first. I was a Nars blush lover, but I have been converted to EM. Now when I go out I find myself reaching for my EM blushes instead of Nars. Another thing, if you are in love with Nars' Orgasm blush like I am, you must try EM's All Smiles blush. I think it's a great dupe!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Bare Escentuals - Bare Minerals ALL
USCfashionista 8/6/2008 1:06:00 AM
I am sad to say that this foundation MESSED UP MY FACE!! I reviewed this before but wanted to change it and update on my experience. I "LOVED" this foundation. I use to rave about it to friends and recommend it to everyone. It wasn't until recently I noticed the changes in my skin texture and overall complexion. I never really had a problem with pores. But slowly I begun to see my pores enlarging. I am not joking. I used to be able to get away without wearing any makeup, but because of BE ruined my skin I am no longer comfortable with a naked face anymore. BE is great at first, but messes up your skin! Do not take the risk. I am using Everyday Minerals right now and LOVE it so much better. Or I might just have to switch back to liquid foundation, because of BE I really need HEAVY coverage. I am so sad about this and totally regret even hopping on the BE craze. My freaking skin is a complete mess right now. I am serious and want to file a lawsuit. "So pure you can sleep in it" my @ss! I never slept in mines btw! I used to be such a fan, even bought their primer and skin rev-er. I will still use Mineral Veil but this foundation has got to go!
EDIT: 8/21/08-- I stopped using BE for almost a month and I am so HAPPY my BE days are over because guess what? My skin is back to normal again! My pores are invisible, like how it was before BE. Yipppeee!
11 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrance -Yves Saint Laurent - L'Homme
USCfashionista 8/5/2008 3:51:00 PM
I was on a mission to buy my bf a new cologne. We were in Bloomingdale's (also sold at Sephora) trying out at least 15 different scents and he was unsatisfied with ever single one. He is sometimes even more picky than I am! Err! I was about to give up and quite embarrassed that every single scent the SA gave him to try he turn down. Each designer scent was either too sweet, too spicy or too "common". Until he stiffed this scent. And I LOVE it too! I am not so great a describing scents so I won't even try to. But this is the description of the Sephora website:
"Infused with the force of attraction of a man with style and sensuality, this fresh, woody fragrance is effervescent with bright, sparkling notes of bergamot, ginger, and vetiver. This fragrance of contrasts is a unique combination of luxury, art, and modernity for timeless elegance.
Notes:
Bergamot, Cedar, Ozonic Notes, White Ginger, Basil Flower, White Pepper, Violet Leaves, Cedarwood, Haiti Vetiver, Tonka Bean.
It is listed as a "woody" smell if that makes sense. How can I say this without it coming out wrong?! It smells like the smell of a "real mannn"! OMG I am in love with this sent. It is expensive. I think all perfumes/colognes are expensive in general. I rather spend money on makeup! Hehe. It's $70 and you get a 3.3 oz size. There is also a smaller size, but overall the bigger size always ends of "saving" you money at the end right? My bf also ending up buying the Deodorant Stick which was $21 for a 2.5 oz size....and guess what I am not complaining! This sent is so unique and masculine but not overbearing. LOVE IT!!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Unlisted Brand - Katie B faux lashes
USCfashionista 8/5/2008 3:39:00 PM
I have been using this mascara ever since it came out. I ordered it in bulk because I hate paying for shipping its only about $3. But I like other Katie B products and usually spend over $75 in order to get free shipping. For those of you that don't know Katie B has a site: www.katiebco.com there is also a link to her myspace there so you can see the pics of all her work. She is the official make up artist for Playboy models. That is impressive and looking at pics of their flawless applications of makeup made me wanted to buy and buy. If you were to try any of her products I would reccomend this one. It's $12.50 and comes in a fairly large size. I use my everyday and it lasts me close to a year. I know I'm suppose to throw mascara out every 3 months or so...but there is something about this formula. It NEVER drys on me! I am serious! I always open the applicator and see the wand wet and looking new just like how it was the first day I bought it. When you buy the mascara in the box there is a note that says you need to use an "oil-based" makeup remover. There is supposedly something about using almond oil in the formula that makes it hold your curl longer. And believe me it does HOLD my curls! It never ever flakes on me!As much as I love this mascara, I hate that it is waterproof. Call me lazy, but I hate having to use Lancome's Bi-Facial to remove this product. It just seems like another expense for me that I didn't have to buy when using another mascara. Since I apply at least 4 coats of this mascara on everyday it takes a while to take off. I am still using this one nevertheless, because IMHO I do really think that this BEST mascara. I like it better than DiorShow which has been my HG before this. The price is not that bad compared to other HE brands. They quality you get it amazing. And shipping only take 2-3 days.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -MAC - #187 Duo Fiber Face Brush (Stippling, Skunk Brush)
USCfashionista 8/5/2008 4:12:00 AM
I found out about this brush on YouTube...over and over again people wold rave about this brush. I finally discovered why. OMG! This brush is so amazing. I used to use the MAC foundation brush to apply on my liquid foundation but that always gave me a streaky finish. This brush slides over my face and gives it a very smooth "airbrushed" look. My foundation applies very evenly. I can't believe I haven't bought this miracle brush sooner!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -MAC - Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15
USCfashionista 8/5/2008 4:06:00 AM
The only reason I gave this product a 2 instead of a 1 is because it gave my face a really good coverage. However it broke me out like crazy! I hardly ever break out! While using this product, I grew tons of blackheads too. I knew right away that this was the culprit because this was the only new product in my makeup routine. I used this for about a month but should have stopped sooner. I just really wanted that heavy coverage this foundation gave me. But it clogs my pores like there's no tomorrow! I got these tiny white bumps on my cheeks that are still remaining on my face as of this moment. Maybe I would wear this only at night for a special occasion, but I would never wear it all day again! Would rebuy?! NO WAY!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No