Blush -NYX - Taupe
UnityDivides 5/20/2010 2:27:00 AM
Great contouring blush. It makes a very natural-looking shadow when applied beneath the cheekbones or under the jawline, since it's a nice neutral gray-brown. The product itself is satiny smooth and blends very well with an angled blush brush. Love NYX blushes; can't wait to try more colors.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -NYX - Ultra Pearl Mania- Purple Pearl
UnityDivides 1/9/2010 4:47:00 PM
My HG purple eyeshadow pigment. It is GORGEOUS. I was a bridesmaid in my friend's wedding, and wore this, and got so many compliments my head was spinning. I wear it whenever I feel like a pop of subtle but beautiful color, and it brings out the green in my hazel eyes. It blends like a dream and stays put all day when used over a good primer. I hate the tiny bottle it comes in, but put it in a different container and now can't complain. I will repurchase if I ever run out, but it doesn't seem likely; there's a LOT of product in that tiny bottle. Trust me. Definitely highly recommend this shadow.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -NYX - Ultra Pearl Mania - Charcoal Pearl
UnityDivides 1/9/2010 4:39:00 PM
Charcoal? Um, not exactly. Goes on as a weird futuristic silvery gray. I bought it thinking it'd be better than the Black Pearl, but now I see I should have gone with the Black Pearl for the color I was hoping to achieve. It blends well and has good lasting power over a good primer, but...it really just isn't what I was expecting. The tiny bottles on the Ultra Pearl Mania pigments are a terrible idea, too; what brush can get in that tiny mouth? Won't purchase again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -NYX - Black
UnityDivides 1/9/2010 4:29:00 PM
THE ultimate matte black shadow. Beats any other black shade I've ever seen. I've never used MAC Carbon, but see no need when I have NYX Black. It's a fantastic addition to any makeup bag because it can be lightly applied to the outer corner of the lid to spruce up or smoke out a regular lid color. Very, VERY pigmented and has great staying power. Will definitely repurchase.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -NYX - Lipgloss with Mega Shine - Beige
UnityDivides 10/5/2009 7:37:00 PM
Like practically everyone else has mentioned, this lip gloss is not beige. I don't know why the heck NYX decided to call it beige, but...they did. Still, it's a medium pink. Leans more to the cool side, almost mauve-rose pink. Very pretty on the lips. Do be sure to use balm beforehand, though, as it seeps into any chapped parts or cracks. On my lips, it gives a glossy (but not sparkly) MLBB appeal, and I like it a lot. The consistency is typical of the NYX glosses: creamy and not too thin/thick. Beautiful and the lasting power is decent for a gloss, especially one so cheap. And the slanted doe-foot applicator makes putting it on very easy. I was never a huge gloss fan, but this has almost totally converted me. I wear this almost every day now. Definitely recommend Beige.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -NYX - Round Lipstick in Strawberry Milk #595
UnityDivides 10/5/2009 3:22:00 AM
Very light baby pink color. It'd be awesome to wear to an 80's-themed party with a whole bunch of bright blue eyeshadow, or something, but for every day use, it's just not right for me. I can make it work with the right gloss on top or mix it with other lipsticks, but by itself, it washes my pigmented lips right out. It isn't awful, though. Very creamy consistency and cheap.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Revlon - Colorstay 12-Hour Eyeshadow Quad Sultry Smoke
UnityDivides 7/15/2009 2:11:00 AM
I've used this for years and love it. It has amazing staying power even without a base, especially if I first lined my eyes with the ColorStay eyeliners in Black and Charcoal. I have never used the blue, but the dark gray and the charcoal shades are gorgeous and the white is just so-so. Still, for the ability of these shadows to not budge, it is a great purchase. Best shadows for a dramatic smokey eye.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Revlon - Colorstay Eyeliner-Black
UnityDivides 7/15/2009 2:09:00 AM
My HG automatic eyeliner. Stays all day and is a very nice true black color. It even works well on the waterline and for tight-lining beneath my upper lashline, and barely even budges when I do those things, which is pretty dang impressive for such moist eye areas. I'm on my third stick and I will repurchase as long as Revlon keeps making it.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Revlon - ColorStay Liquid Liner
UnityDivides 7/15/2009 2:04:00 AM
Staying power is unbeatable. I haven't worn liquid eyeliner in a long time, since discovering cream eyeliner, but this is still the best of the liquid eyeliners as far as I'm concerned. The felt-tip applicator is much easier to use than brush-tips. I have been known to even dab a little of this eyeliner onto another eye makeup brush, such as a bent eyeliner brush, and then apply the product onto my lid. It helps, but I still prefer cream liners. But for what it is, Revlon's ColorStay Liquid Liner is really great.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -L'Oreal - HIP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner in Black
UnityDivides 7/15/2009 1:31:00 AM
The entire HIP line seems to be a way for a drugstore brand to try to compete with a higher-end department store brand. And most of the time, it works. The Color Truth Cream Eyeliner, for instance, seems to be every bit as good as what I've heard about MAC Fluidlines or Stila Smudgepots, if not better. Having never purchased anything but the L'Oreal version, I can't say for sure, but I certainly like this HIP liner. It's a very true black and the consistency is very creamy. I've had mine for quite a while now and it still applies very well -- a little more skipping than before, granted, but nothing serious and nothing worth complaining about. I love using this with my Sonia Kashuk bent eyeliner brush; match made in heaven, I'm telling you. This cream liner has given me the ability to properly line my eyes in a way that no liquid liner ever can, and makes a great winged effect too. The staying power of the Color Truth Cream Eyeliners is remarkable. They do not budge, period. If you apply them and let them dry before opening your eyes or letting your lid crease, they will stay on all day and not flake off or smudge. I love this black cream liner. It's a little expensive for a drugstore brand, but it really wears well and lives up to its high intensity pigment claim. Would purchase again, no hesitation.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast
UnityDivides 7/15/2009 1:19:00 AM
My HG mascara, hands down. I used to love both the waterproof and regular versions of L'Oreal's Double Extend, but LashBlast blew those out of the water. With other mascaras, I've needed to curl my lashes if I want them to be anything but almost totally straight, and even then, some of the thicker formulas weigh them down so the curl won't hold, but with LashBlast, that is no longer a requirement. I can get the mascara wand all the way to the base of my lashline and get enough lift without a curler and it stays all day. If I DO use a curler, however, the effect of this mascara is phenomenal. My lashes are of medium length and thickness, but I have had several people ask me what brand of fake eyelashes I use when I wear this mascara after curling my lashes; no joke. It's amazing. It makes my lashes look so long and incredibly thick. The staying power of this mascara is pretty darn good. There is a little flaking at the end of the day, but it's nothing I can't handle. No clumping whatsoever, even on an older tube of LashBlast. I can apply two coats, or even three if I'm really wanting something dramatic, and still avoid the spider-eyed look. I don't even need to bust out my lash comb very often. I will repurchase this mascara every few months as long as they continue to make it (hopefully forever.) Love it.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -NYX - Mega gloss- Sunrise
UnityDivides 7/15/2009 1:12:00 AM
I bought this on a whim from Cherry Culture after seeing so many rave reviews of the color. I really, really wanted to love it, but I just can't. It is entirely too pinky-red for me. Too warm-colored, perhaps. I'm sure it would look gorgeous on the right skintone, but that skintone does not seem to be mine (pale, cool-toned). However, the gloss itself is very nice; it isn't sticky or heavy feeling. I have no idea about the staying power because I wiped Sunrise off my lips about three minutes after my first and only application when my roommate insisted that I looked like I'd been playing in Mommy's makeup. (Harsh, I know, but she had a point.) I know many people love this color, and I wish I could join the ranks, but it's not the lip gloss shade for me.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -BeneFit Cosmetics - Benetint
UnityDivides 7/15/2009 1:07:00 AM
I heard about this lip/cheek stain for years before I finally gave in and splurged on it. The $28 price tag had scared me away for a long time, but I figured that the bottle would last forever and if it was a truly great product like everyone claimed, it would be thirty-something dollars after taxes well spent. Sure enough, it was. No regrets. I love this stain so much. Applied once, it provides a beautiful, subtle rosy glow to my cheeks and a MLBB appeal on my lips. It looks completely natural but has everyone I know telling me that I look different, somehow. It's a believable shade on both the lips and cheeks, and it is buildable enough that I think it would look good on just about anyone if applied correctly. The staying power is great, especially on the cheeks. It lasts all day. The lips...eh, not so much, but definitely longer than lipstick and at least it fades naturally. You will absolutely need to moisturize your lips and exfoliate them before use if they are even slightly dry or chapped, because otherwise the stain will seep into any cracks and look horrible. But if you take good care of your lips, you should encounter no problems with Benetint. I know a lot of people seem to be complaining about the packaging, and it is sort of strange to have a nail brush for a cheek stain, but it isn't that huge of a problem for me. I don't like that the product isn't very portable, because the bottle is glass and the lid cannot be tightened too much. (I over-tightened my first lid and it broke at the seal, so I had to return it to Sephora, but they were happy to exchange it for a new one with a receipt.) I turned my olive-skinned mother onto this, and she's hooked too. Great, great product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Essence of Beauty - Crease
UnityDivides 7/15/2009 12:56:00 AM
Great brush duo for achieving a smokey eye look. The bristles are soft and firm, and you can really pack on the shadow with them. Love this pair of brushes, and who doesn't love good quality at a cheap price.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Sonia Kashuk - Large Angled Contour Brush
UnityDivides 7/15/2009 12:54:00 AM
Fluffy, very soft bristles, minimal shedding, what more could you ask for. And SO cheap. I use this to contour my cheekbones and it works very well.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No