Liquid -Clinique - Even Better Makeup SPF 15
Varlot 4/13/2013 4:57:00 PM
I've just started using this stuff as I've moved back to liquid foundations, I've switched from Rimmel's wake me up(drugstore brand) as wake me up is a touch too dark and doesn't last all day and I prefer high end make-up anyway. To start, they have brought out some lighter shades of this now, which is good, I'm an exact match to shade 02 which I think is called fair. I'm now a redhead (previous reviews I was blonde) which is my natural colour, so I have the skin to match, if you can imagine just how pale that is! I find this stuff feels really nice, the bottle is a squeezy bottle too, so hopefully there won't be much wasteage. You only need a tiny bit as it goes very far, it's quite thick too so I find that applying it with my fingers rather than a brush has a smoother effect. I've been using this about a week now and have found that it doesn't last all day, it also seems to be clinging to/making worse, the dry patches around my nose and eyes, which is annoying. I don't know whether my application technique is affecting this or not? I've found this only provides medium coverage as well although it seems to be a little bit buildable (if you have time to wait between applications for it to set). I find it certainly detracts from my (mild) redness, it does cover it well when it first goes on but that effect doesn't seem to last, however when it does slide off it doesn't seem to completely slide off and so does leave me with a little coverage throughout the day. As a result of the drying and the coverage I have started mixing it with my moisturiser which seems to help a little. I have today tried setting it with Urban Decays setting spray as well so I'll see how that goes. For reference I do use this after City block, Clinique's pore minimiser and redness reducing cleanser. As for price, this isn't too bad, you get a small bottle for £23 which isn't as expensive as some foundations I've used in the past, nor indeed as much as some other clinique products (I'm looking at you redness reducing moisturiser!) and as stated you only need the tiniest amount. I'm on the fence as to whether I'll purchase again, it's looking unlikely as I'm a little disappointed with the coverage and staying power, it definitely doesn't do anything like what the egg in the advert suggests. I want to like this product so I will keep trying out different application methods and other bases/setters to see what happens...Though I'm very impressed with the new shades and have never found such a good match to my "ginger skin" in any liquid foundation.
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Treatments -Bare Escentuals - Rare Minerals Blemish Therapy
Varlot 4/26/2012 6:34:00 AM
This stuff does not work. It does absolutely nothing to clear pimples at all and believe me I have tried this one already formed spots, spots about to break out and ones that are already clearing up. I've also tried it without and without makeup and as part of my routine at night and in the morning, none of it makes any difference. It doesn't soothe redness either. This is far too light to work as a concealer and just leaves me looking kinda grey, I'm a fairly light as well so I think this is lighter than BMs lightest shade. There is no lockable sifter on the pot so it goes flipping everywhere, it also goes on quite course so makes my skin look and feel very dry and powdery, even if I use the "Swirl tap buff" method to apply and it smells too, which you kind of expect from a product with sulphur in but none the less it not pleasant when you are trying to treat a spot on your nose. The packaging is rubbish, it's expensive for the amount you get and the fact it does not work although the brush it comes with is ok and can be used for other stuff. Total waste of money, really disappointed, definitely will not repurchase or reccomend to anyone.
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Lotions/ Creams -Bare Escentuals - Faux Tan Body Moisturizer
Varlot 4/26/2012 6:24:00 AM
I decided to go for this stuff after seeing it demonstrated on QVC. I use fake tan moisturisers these days because I get a rash from most real fake tans lotions. I chose this one as I had been using Garnier Natural Summerbody previously but really didn't like the smell. Having used this I actually prefer summerbody and will go back to it, despite the smell, until I find something better. The problem with this moisturiser is it's far too thick, it doesn't blend in as well as summerbody and consequently you end up using a lot more. This would not be so bad but a bottle costs the better part of £15 and because I use it all over (It doesn't make sense to me to just have tanned legs and then change to another moisturiser to do the rest of my body) it has lasted around 4 full body applications and I only have a little left (and I'm only small!). That's not really great if you are using it everyday as suggested. I've also found it goes patchy in places, this has happened every time I have used it and I suspect it's because it's too thick to easily blend into my skin, I mean I exfoliate and shower before each time I use it so my skin is clean smooth and quite dried out when I apply this and I find it "catches" on my skin and won't spread properly. The smell of this isn't too bad, it's supposed to smell like coconut but is very obviously synthetic, but it doesn't smell for too long. The colour does develop into a light natural ish looking tan though I have had patches of orangey skin, I find that summerbody looks more natural on me, for reference I am very pale and a fairly light in bare minerals make up. I didn't find this transferred which is a plus, I used to apply this before bed and my sheets are still white. The bottle is very good as well because it's squeezy and the cap is at the bottom, so not too much product wasteage from that point of view, although you have to use so much that doesn't really matter! As for moisturising effect, it doesn't really make a whole lot of difference, my skin doesn't feel smoother and definitely still feels slightly dry but this didn't cause an allergic reaction or anything on me like a lot of things do. All in all it's an ok moisturiser, it does tan like it says, but I find it a huge waste of money as a bottle doesn't last long and to be honest in all aspects other than smell I find garnier summerbody much better and it's a lot cheaper as well at around £5 a bottle (and summerbody goes on easier, so lasts longer and has more in the bottle too, definite win!) it's a shame as I really wanted to love this but it's just nothing special and too expensive for what it is, I'd rather spend that money on a product from fake bake or garnier or someone who's specialised in these products for years. I definitely will not be buying this again.
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Powder -Bare Escentuals - Bare Minerals in 1.2, fairly light
Varlot 3/28/2012 2:41:00 PM
I think I love this stuff! I have been using this for around a week now, I have the original in fairly light. I first went to Debenhams and had an SA apply this for me, she used Prime time primer, BM Fairly Light, Light Bisque, all over warmth and mineral veil. Now I have to say, when it first went on I was not impressed, I couldn't see any difference at all, I have fairly oily skin, with red patches, huge pores, rosacea and some pimple at the moment too, oh and nasty bags under the eyes, I could still see all my pimples, my pores, the bags and my skin was still shiny! granted my rosacea appeared a tad lighter but for £50 for a starter set (which doesn't include concealer) I just though No Thanks! Now, I didn't say anything at the time but the SA did mention in passing that most people do expect to see instant results and are disappointed, as this stuff has to settle and react with your skin's natural oils before you will see anything. Low and behold, when I got home my skin was flawless! No redness, no bags, no rosacea, amazing. The best part was I didn't look "powdery" or overdone and it didn't feel heavy or oily on my face like my liquid foundation. Of course I ordered some straight away and have been using it ever since, every day at work. I have noticed however that I get oily by about lunchtime and that no amount of touching up with mineral veil de-shines me completely, also it doesn't last all day, I start to get red patches and pimples show through during the day and these pots aren't exactly ideal for carrying around and doing touch ups with. So I've taken points off for that, also the fact that the packaging is a pain, it's messy (even though I have the new stuff, with the sifters) some powder seems to get out through the "locked" sifters anyway, especially with warmth and mineral veil. I also think my skin is a bit irritated by the mica in this, I'm pretty sure it isn't the bismuth as my skin doesn't itch or massively break out, although when I first put this on my skin does feel a bit tickly, rather than itchy, but I think that's down to the fact it's a powder. Anyway I love this product so much, despite it's few short comings, that I've just ordered the Matte version to see if that calms my skin. I would highly reccomend this, I would also advise going to an outlet and seeing an SA and getting her to colour match you and teach you how to apply it, my SA was very nice and she matched me to this shade, which I must say is actually PERFECT for my pale skin. Also the SA's wear all of the products so they are best placed to reccomend stuff and you can see it in action on them as well. Love this product. I'll let you know if the matte stuff is any better, oh and I've ordered the blemish treatment to help calm the bumps left by the mica in this (mica is the partical that "reflects" light and makes this shiny/sparkly, it's very bad for blocking pores as it is quite coarse). Edit: Matte was better- caused no breakouts on me, however after a months continued use I found that this causes obvious dry patches around my nose, lips and under the eyes (which just serves to highlight my dark spots) I have now stopped using this and have gone back to liquid foundation, the search continues...
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Eyeliner -Urban Decay - 24-7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero
Varlot 2/16/2012 1:57:00 PM
This is my go to eyeliner in Zero. I adore it. I spent years looking for a decent eyeliner that wouldn't smudge or rub off during the day, finally I found it and I have no intentions of trying anything else. I travel all the way to the next city to get this (I live in England where literally only one store chain stocks it) that's how much I love this stuff. It does exactly what it says on the tin, it goes on easy, stays all day and goes on blacker than black (and trust me, I spent many years in the goth scene, I have tried many, many eyeliners out for their pigmentation and nothing I've ever used comes close to as good as this stuff). I wear it every single day and I wear it quite thick, a pencil lasts me about 2 months or so, now I won't use anything else :) Edit: They have now started selling perversion in England, which is blacker, softer and generally nicer, perversion is now my go to shade, but I still won't use any other brand!
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Eyeliner -Urban Decay - Pocket Rocket
Varlot 2/16/2012 1:52:00 PM
I Absolutely love this lipgloss! I have it in Rashad (The surgeon) which is the new colour and it is my go to lipgloss. I absolutely love urban decay products anyway, which is what made me want to try this when it came out, I'd actually been looking for a new lipgloss in my shade (I can only wear light powder pinks). This is a light pink colour and comes out slightly lighter than it appears in the tube. The gloss itself smells lovely and feels really nice on, it lasts about average time for lipgloss but leaves almost a stain behind when it rubs off (rather than rubbing completely away within half an hour or smudging everywhere like most lipglosses) I smoke as well so it lasts through that. It's also small enough to put in a handbag on a night out, which I do everytime I go anywhere. I absolutely love this gloss to bits and would not be seen done up without it. I will definitely re-purchase :)
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Bronzers -BeneFit Cosmetics - HOOLA
Varlot 2/16/2012 1:44:00 PM
I quite like this product, it's hard to find a bronzer that isn't glittery, so this is quite nice. It comes in a cute box, although I'm not sure the cardboard will stand up to much when carried around all day in a bag. I like the colour of this, it gives me a nicely tanned hue, which is good as I can be very pale in winter (my skin is quite patchy, it's red on my cheeks and pale pretty much everywhere else) unfortunately it doesn't last all that long, which I suppose is fine if you are in the habit of carrying your makeup about, and it does last longer than a few bronzers I've tried (Collection 2000). Other reviews have mentioned that the brush included isn't great, I think it feels lovely and would probably work better if it was a different shape, as it is if you aren't careful applying hoola with that brush, you will end up with lines where you've swept across your face and run out of powder and had to go back to the box for more, be careful to blend these in! I think that this will last me quite a while as I only need a tiny bit of product, otherwise I'd run the risk of looking orange! I think it's quite buildable as well so you can go lighter or darker as desired. I would probably buy this again as it feels quite nice and it hasn't broken me out.
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Primer/ Corrector -BeneFit Cosmetics - The Porefessional
Varlot 2/16/2012 1:34:00 PM
I bought this primer cheap in a sale. I've been using it for around 2 weeks now and I'm a bit on the fence about it. It does go on pretty nice and it feels ok, but during the day it seems to dry out and leaves my skin feeling a bit powdery around my nose. I use it on my cheeks, my chin and my T-zone to hide pores, which it does quite well and the colour match is good, unfortunately I find the effect doesn't last very long and it certainly doesn't hold my foundation on for any longer. I'm also unsure whether it's the cause of my bumpy, mildly broken out skin, of late. I don't think I'll buy this again as it's very expensive and I find it just does not last, I'm a bit disappointed as I really wanted to love this.
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Blush -BeneFit Cosmetics - Posietint
Varlot 2/16/2012 1:26:00 PM
I was actually given this blush by a friend as it wasn't her colour. She gave it to me as I have quite fair "English rose" skin (as long as I'm wearing make-up to cover my blemishes!). I think it's quite nice, it has an almost gel like consistency and is very easy to blend. There's quite a lot in the bottle as well, so it would last for ages. This stuff also lasts all day and stains your skin just like it says. I really like it, alhough I have had a couple of random spots appear on my cheekbone area, so I'm not sure if I'm a bit sensitive to some ingredients? I do think it's expensive for what it is though, but as I said it does look like it will last a long time. Unlike my rimmel powder which I've hit pan on.
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