Polishes -Butter London - Rosie Lee
XxPRINCESSAxX 4/27/2013 11:16:00 PM
Rosie Lee is a rose gold/pink all glitter polish. You definitely need to layer it on. Application on long nails was surprisingly not very difficult, due to the formula. Usually I have issues with glitter polishes and have to paint them on in sections because the glitter particles are not spreading evenly and tend to gather in one area only. That was not an issue with Rosie Lee. The texture, as with most Butter Londons I've tried is great, and I only needed about 2 coats, whereas I would need several to get such full coverage with a Sephora OPI or cheaper glitter polishes. The color was very flattering on my NC42ish medium-tan skintone. It is very blingy, and definitely noticeable. Not recommended for anyone who isn't into 'loud' nail polishes, because although the color may not be neon or electric, the sparkle factor is definitely there! I posted two pics on this review of me wearing this, it is the 3rd and 4th pics (long nails), and the sunlight really captures how sparkly it is!! I really like doing nails as an accessory so I imagine this would compliment a black dress very nicely. Finally, the nail polish peeled off each nail in a single piece, as if it were a press-on nail. But this is not unique to this shade, this happens with all of my glitter polishes. And it did last a few days before this happened.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Bare Escentuals - Buxom Insider Eyeliner - Pearl
XxPRINCESSAxX 3/27/2013 11:58:00 AM
I almost always use a white eyeliner on my lower lashline (inner part). Prior to this pencil, I was using an NYC white pencil which I had to "color" my lashline several times over and over to get it to show up, and did not last that great. This only requires 1-2 swipes, and of course, you can build it up by going over it a few more times, depending on the intensity you want. The great thing about this is that you don't have to apply a lot of pressure at all. I try to minimize pulling/tugging on my eyelids and eye area so I don't stretch the skin and create wrinkles, so any product that assists with that is great for me. I believe these eyeliners were created for use on the inner lashline, so they are much more creamy and pigmented than a pencil eyeliner. I love that you don't have to sharpen it, saves time, and eliminates the risk of poking your eye with any pencil sharpening remnants. The color is an opaque white, no shimmer/sparkles. A tip I'd like to share is that you should apply this eyeliner before doing your other eye makeup (eyeshadows, top lid eyeliner) because for me, my eyes tend to water, even slightly, from the repeated actions/pressure to the eye area, thus making the waterline wetter. This causes the eyeliner go on sheerer. If you apply it before, the waterline will be dryer, and the color will stick better. Also, doing this gives it a chance to 'dry' sort of, and then you can go back over it again after doing the rest of your eye makeup to build up the color. I believe I will repurchase this when it is finished, because there is no way I can go back to a basic white pencil after using this. Because a white eyeliner is part of my daily makeup routine, it is worth the investment for a quality product such as this.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Crème -L'Oreal - Visible Lift Repair Absolute
XxPRINCESSAxX 2/15/2013 1:16:00 PM
I purchased this version of Visible Lift foundation because the store I went to was sold out of the color I wanted in the liquid version of Visible Lift with the serum, so I figured this would be the next best thing. I really liked the liquid, but the color was wrong. This foundation will not set on its own, it will remain creamy on your skin, so you definitely need to use a setting powder or spray. If not, it WILL get messy, not just smearing and moving around on your face, but also getting onto everything I imagine. It is not matte, and a little goes a long way. Coverage-wise it's very good, and the first time I used way too much. I use a flat top brush and find this provides the best application. Very good coverage, but I have to be very careful not to touch between the time I get it perfectly applied, and the time I apply a setting powder. If you even lightly touch your face, it will move. You can build up the coverage a bit, but not too much as that will make you have far too much of this stuff on your face. I think the key is to use as little as possible. I apply a very light coat all over my face, then go over my cheeks where I have scarring. The color match: I used shade 139 Honey Beige and am an NC42/c40 and wear Revlon Colorstay Golden Caramel. The darker shade would've been too dark, but this one is very close. It's a little too pink, and does not have a yellow base so it does look chalky and it is very obvious I am wearing foundation. It's pinker than I am. A problem with many DS foundations is that the darker shades are just progressively darker white shades. This is not a good match because there is a cast. However, the reason I am continuing to use it, is that I have found a huge decrease in the dryness of my skin, and it does not cling to dry spots of appear flaky. It's like a foundation and skin treatment in one. Of course, being a cream, it does not last all day. But, it does last a surprisingly long time. I've had liquids that have not lasted as long as this, and I never expected it to last a full 8 hours, because of the formula. Overall, it's serving my #1 concern at the moment, which is dry skin, while giving me the coverage I require. I would not use this for a special occasion simply because the color match is not that good and my face would definitely be a different color from my neck/chest. If you can find a good color match and have drier skin, this would be excellent for you.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -L'Oreal - Visible Lift Serum Absolute Advanced Age-Reversing Makeup
XxPRINCESSAxX 2/15/2013 11:17:00 AM
I purchased this in shade 157 which was the darkest shade available in Canada. My reasons for purchasing this were that my skin was extremely dry and no foundation would 'stick'. They were all fading/dissolving or highlighting dry patches. Unfortunately the color was too dark/gray looking and did leave a white-ish cast, even though it was too dark. This is likely due to the SPF, and would not want to be wearing this for taking any pics, especially flash photography. My skin is usually quite oily, but is dry due to cold weather at the moment. This would not be suitable for anything other than dry, dry/combination, or normal-dry skin types IMO. In addition to my skin being dry, I currently have some active breakouts including some that are in the process of healing. Nightmarish skin. I removed my makeup and applied this straightaway, and I have to say, upon removing it a few hours later, my skin was EXTREMELY calmed down and somewhat healed. I did not use any other skin care products that I don't normally use, so whatever serum they claim is in this product, really is in it! And I can vouch for the fact that it is good for your skin. I did want to try the next shade up, because I was so impressed with what it did for my skin with only a couple hours of wear, but it was sold out. Instead, I purchased the compact version which is MUCH creamier and definitely only for very dry, dry, and maybe combination-dry skin types. It doesn't have the serum but has hyaluronic acid. I am not experiencing the same 'healing' results with this one and my preference would be to have gotten the liquid formula in the right shade. I can't really address the wear time of this makeup since I did not wear it for a full day, but as always, I set with a powder and it was still on 4-5 hours later. It definitely 'set' and will wore much longer than the compact version. Coverage-wise I would say it's moderate. It's definitely not light coverage, as I have some dark post-acne marks and it managed to cover them up pretty well. It is less coverage than Revlon Colorstay which is what I was previously using. For reference, I purchased shade 157 and am NC42/c40 and Revlon Colorstay Golden Caramel, medium-deep tan skin tone.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Color -L'Oreal - Color Gems
XxPRINCESSAxX 12/11/2012 10:54:00 AM
I've used Color Gems a few times, because it was one of the few demi-permanents that was available at the time. I will not repurchase this for the following reason: no matter what color you use (besides blondes) it will end up black or dark enough anyways. It stains your hair and never washes out, therefore its not truly a demi-permanent. I know any hair color, demi or semi included stains your hair, but this one never lightened or faded or washed out. For anyone looking for this feature, this hair color would be really good since it's more gentle than a permanent but provides long lasting results. Too many times have I ended up with unintentional black hair and will therefore not be returning to this product. No damage though.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Color -Unlisted Brand - Zotos Age Beautiful Anti-Aging Permanent Hair Color
XxPRINCESSAxX 12/11/2012 10:49:00 AM
This is one of the few hair colors I've used that is actually very true to color. It is not drying unlike many other dyes. While I do not have "aging" hair, I have put my hair through a lot of chemical and heat damage, and therefore have some/all of the 5 signs of hair aging listed on the packaging. It's easy to mix up, 1:1 ratio color to developer, the full tube is 2 oz. Here is my only complaint - the metal tube is slightly difficult to dispense all the way through. I am very careful to start squeezing from the top all the way through the bottom, but I can't help but feeling that I never get it all out and that there is still quite a bit of product left! I don't use the same brand of developer, but rather the standard Sally developer (color care I believe). Another minor issue would be at first, the formula is a bit too runny to work with if using a brush. If you have the option of selecting a brush or bottle for your hair color needs, I would recommend a bottle. I have used various shades of this line, and the ones that have "V" in the color (for violet), like 5 RV do pull quite purple compared to other dyes, so I tend to avoid this. In terms of lightening capability - I can't comment since I don't use this for lightening. Also, this doesn't seem to fade as much as other dyes. My current combo: 9RC + 8N and I'm very happy with the result. I felt 2 tubes of 9RC would pull tooo copper and I'm trying to minimize brassiness here!! After I let the color sit for about 20 mins I checked the mirror and was worried because my roots looked the color of a penny and I was terrified of having orange hair! However it turned out just the color I wanted, I could've (should've!!) left it on for longer, which I will do next time.The price is not bad either. Happy with this product - will repurchase - highly recommended
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast 24 HR Mascara
XxPRINCESSAxX 11/15/2012 9:03:00 AM
I was really hoping to like this mascara but I'm sorry to report it is no good. I hate separately packaged brushes, the brush is not in the actual mascara tube in its packaging, but rather you are required to assemble it, which is a waste of time and packaging materials in my opinion. Also, this means the mascara wand is not fully saturated with mascara upon your first application. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APPLICATION: application was difficult because of the brush. the 'bristles' are too short to be able to brush this through your lashes properly. It's half a step up from a flat barrel with no bristles. My eyelashes looked like I had no mascara on, possibly from the fact that the brush was not fully saturated, but also because of the type of brush. Not a fan. I took a brush from another mascara because there was no way I could go out with my eyelashes looking so thin and dusty. Omg, can you say CLUMPS?? It's not just the brush, the formula also sucks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BRUSH: I already discussed this above, but I would like to add once again that this applicator barely has any "bristles" and this makes application extremely difficult. It's basically flat with a few raised bumps. It's like braille almost, to give you an idea - but in a more uniform distribution. I don't really understand the goal of this brush. Also, based on the difficulties with using this type of brush, I kept getting mascara marks on my eyelid. This does not happen with all my other mascaras, so that fact is really making me dislike this one. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FORMULA: it was extremely difficult to get any onto the brush, which led me to believe that this was a dry formula. However when I was finally able to get some onto this brush and the other one I used, its very wet and clumpy and gloopy, if you know what I mean. It was just an overall messy application. In addition, I have not checked the ingredient list to see what's so different about this mascara, but it was extremely difficult to remove. I have an extremely thorough makeup removal routine, which is something most people know about me. I usually use Lancome Huile Douceur or Clinique TTDO to melt off all makeup prior ro rinsing and using a cleanser. This mascara was STUCK onto my eyelashes. It was strange because it's something I am definitely not used to. I have used sooo many different brands and types of mascara, and this gave me more difficulty in removing it than my Lancome Definicils waterproof. I'm not sure what kind of longwear this is designed for, but I don't require it to stick that much. I had to use a separate eye makeup remover after washing my face in order to get it almost all off. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As you may have guessed by now, I will not be repurchasing this ever again. I was extremely disappointed. Of all the mascaras I have tried in my life, the one I can best compare this to is one from those play-makeup kits I had as a kid. I guess with mascara you really get what you pay for, as I have been disappointed quite a few times recently with drugstore brands.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express Colossal Cat Eyes
XxPRINCESSAxX 10/28/2012 9:52:00 PM
This mascara is just okay. At first it really sucks, giving no volume or length, so have another mascara around to layer it with the first few times you use it. After a few uses, it can be used on its own. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ It provides definition along with some lengthening, but definitely doesn't provide a lot of volumizing! It's separating ability is definitely it's main benefit. It is possible to achieve a cat-eye look with this mascara, but nothing spectacular. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is important that you do not let this dry between coats, or else you will have an extremely difficult time adding subsequent coats. I need about 4 coats of this, but it does hold a curl (from an eyelash curler) very well. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I will not repurchase this mascara and actually kind of regret getting it as there are much better mascaras out there. This purchase was a result of a very appealing in-store display. Not the first time this has happened! Anyways, I always love trying new products and at under $7, it was no big loss :) _______________________________________________________ **Update: I must add that this mascara, like all the all the "Volume Express" mascaras I have tried (except Falsies, mostly Classic and Turbo Boost) are prone to the same issue -- clumping at the tips. The base of the lashes are normal, but then there are globs/clumbs at the tips which is extremely difficult to remedy since you basically cannot work with this product at all once it has dried. This looks terrible as usually the base of lashes should be thicker, but it must be something about the 'Volume Express' formula, because I have had this happen with other mascaras in that line
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Garnier - Intensive 7 Days Conditioning Lotion
XxPRINCESSAxX 10/28/2012 9:44:00 PM
I was skeptical when I saw this Garnier cream and thought it would suck like their hair products, but I was wrong... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I suppose I fell for the marketing, I didn't need a new lotion, but the availability of all the different scents made me think I needed to try at least one of them. I like that there are different options, so there's something for everyone. I like the type of scents too, they aren't all fruity. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I selected this in Honey, the 400 mL bottle and paid $4.97 + tax. It also comes in a smaller size (250 mL). It smells sooo good. It reminds me somewhat of the scent of Nivea Pearl body wash and deodorant, which I always wished had a matching scented lotion. It sinks in wonderfully, and the moisture really lasts. My skin still feels moisturized when I wake up in the morning (I shower at night). Despite its ability to moisturize well and last, it is NOT greasy. This was an issue I had with the Nivea lotions, although they were intensive, they were greasy/oily and I got breakouts on my body. No breakouts from this lotion! Also, I like that you can put a lot of this on and it will absorb and not get too thick and sit on top of your skin. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have been using this for about a week and the place I have noticed a real difference, surprisingly, has been my feet. I have used several lotions and body butters there, including ones designed specifically for feet and none have worked like this. I didn't purchase it for this, but it's a pleasant surprise! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I like the bottle, easy to grip, and the lotion dispenses easily. I like the texture, because I am not a fan of body butters since they are usually too thick and greasy. I love that this sinks into my skin and leaves it feeling refreshed and hydrated. That's something unique to this lotion, for me at least, that it can be very moisturizing, while still being refreshing and not too heavy feeling. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am very likely to purchase this again, especially considering the excellent price compared to other moisturizers! However there are so many moisturizers out there that I can't say it is a definite repurchase! The fact that there are other scents to try out do make it more tempting though. Highly recommended!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - free to be
XxPRINCESSAxX 10/1/2012 11:31:00 AM
I tried this eyeshadow today for the first time and I am quite diasppointed. While the color in the pan appears to be a pinky-peach, upon application it is a dark rusty-copper color, almost reddish. It is darker than Expensive Pink. This is somewhat misleading as I definitely did not want this type of color. I used a very dense brush, and will try using a sparser type and see if the application differs. Unless I can get it to appear as pictured, this will be useless for me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Sephora - Matifying Powder Foundation
XxPRINCESSAxX 9/27/2012 9:21:00 AM
This powder foundation has very quickly become an essential part of my everyday makeup routine. It has been helping me through some difficult skin times. Some of the reviews here are really meant for their mineral powder which is way sheerer than this and is not a foundation really. So if its saying low/no coverage, its not a review for this. Also if the review states it came in a kit (buildable coverage), that is again for the mineral powder and not this. I started using Retin-A and noticed increased breakouts, I got a facial and from there it went downhill. At 24 I started getting all-over breakouts worse than when I was teenager and to make matters worse, they were leaving horrible black scars. I had bleeding areas, active acne as well as varying degrees of dark scarring ALL OVER after spending years working on (and achieving) clear skin, so you can imagine how self conscious I was about this. Anyways, the long story was necessary to understand how truly wonderful this powder is. I considered getting MAC Studio Fix powder since I needed very heavy coverage, but having used that in the past I knew it made my skin worse (pore-clogging), it would always oxidize and turn orange, and the transferability was terrible. And its kind of expensive. I decided to give the Sephora product a try, the price was way more affordable, I remember having a good color match with their mineral powder, plus there was a 10% coupon. At first I got the wrong color match, but the coverage was amazing. Tan D33 I believe for my NC42 skin - D35 was too dark. Studio Fix and Clinique's Perfectly Real powders both oxidized and clogged my pores, despite their amazing coverage. This doesn't feel too heavy on, and the color DOES NOT change or darken. Also, it is heavy coverage but still natural looking. You can tell when someone is wearing StudioFix or that MUFE powder foundation - their face looks very powdery and almost fake. Some like that, and I agree it can look nice, but it's not an everday work look for me. The included sponge provides a good application for me. I press it on, slightly blending, and buff it out with a clean mini-kabuki style brush. I should state that I use this in addition to a good coverage foundation (Maybelline Super Stay). Using this has helped me feel a lot better, as it is depressing each morning to see all those scars and marks and discoloration all over my skin. My family thinks the transformation is amazing because with this makeup on, you cannot tell what a nightmare my skin looks like underneath. My skin looks smooth, clear and even toned but still natural. It hasn't clogged my pores at all, and I wear it for a VERY long time Monday-Friday, 7am-10pm (sometimes later). I know this because my skin has been able to heal and clear somewhat with the use of skin care products, so I know this isn't adding to the problem at all. Very rare for a heavy coverage product. I should also add that it doesn't make me go shiny during the day, which is a huge plus for me since this has a tendency to occur with just about everything I use! It may be too heavy for some (coverage wise, it doesnt feel heavy on), and believe me, I wouldn't be using it if I didn't absolutely require the coverage. I can't stress how helpful this has been for me, and the fact that it doesnt break the bank is another plus. I should add that I have always followed a nightly makeup removal and cleansing routine, which is important generally, but especially when using heavy coverage products such as this. My cleansing routine is as follows: - Makeup Remover (Clinique TTDO balm or Lancome Huile Douceur) - Cleanser (it varies, but I always use with either the Olay ProX brush or a cellulose sponge) - Toner (Clinique Level 2 or the blue Lancome one) - Moisturizer and any treatment products. I hope this has been helpful to anyone curious about this product. I have repurchased once and will continue to repurcahse as long as it is necessary to do so, which (as much as I love this product) I hope isn't too long. The first compact lasted me about 5 months which is amazing, so it's also a great value. Believe me, I do not use this sparingly! =)
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Scene 1
XxPRINCESSAxX 1/15/2012 12:10:00 AM
Too sheer and does not show up at all. Pretty in the pan and on your finger, but it is not pigmented and basically shows up clear upon appliaction. What a waste of money.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Slip Pink
XxPRINCESSAxX 1/15/2012 12:09:00 AM
Too sheer, absolutely NO color payoff. Like others, I thought it would be a simple/safe color, but it just does not show up at all.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Steamy
XxPRINCESSAxX 1/14/2012 11:55:00 PM
The MAC website describes this as "Bluish-green w/gold pearl (Frost)" and that is right on. It is one of those aqua/teal shades but definitely leans more toward the green side. The swatch on their website is also pretty accurate. It's definitely a warmer rather than cooler shade. Because it's a frost, it doesn't show up nearly as dark on your eyelid as it appears in the pan. This may be a pro or con for you depending on what you're looking for. It's a nice shade, but I rarely use it. I would not repurchase it because I probably won't finish it, and because I don't think it's too unique. You can find something the same (or close enough at least) easily in another brand.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -L'Oreal - Lash Boosting Serum
XxPRINCESSAxX 1/14/2012 11:47:00 PM
I can't believe I never commented on this. I used this consistently for a few months, and within the first 2 weeks I could already see a difference. My lashes were slightly thicker, but definitely longer. The good results only increased with time. It worked on both my top and bottom lashes _____________________________________________________________ APPLICATION: holding the applicator like a mascara wand, I hold it at the base of my lashes and swipe over my lashes to coat them, very similar to a mascara application. I repeat this on the top of my lashes as well. Then I apply it to the base/roots of my lashes at the top in the way you would apply eyeliner, only focusing on the roots of the eyelashes instead of my eyelid. For those who are experiencing issues with this not working, perhaps you are not using enough - you really have to coat your eyelashes with it. FORMULA: It is not thin and runny, nor is it too thick. It is like hair gel, only not sticky. I only use this at night, and in the morning when it's dried it is easy to peel or wash away. However, the package indicates that you can use this under mascara and you most certainly cannot. It is not like a mascara primer/base - because it's jelly-like there is no way to wear this under a mascara. This is one of the reasons I rated it a 4 instead of 5, although it does what it claims. Also, it is gentle, which is something it should be, given that you are meant to use it around the eye area. But as we all know, that isn't always the case. This was a major factor in allowing me to use it consistently, because it did not irritate my eyes whatsoever. PACKAGING: The packaging is okay and I think the applicator is great. If it were a brush style similar to a mascara, you would not be able to properly coat your eyelashes. The reason why the packaging is just 'okay, is because you cannot get the last 1/5 out of the package because the applicator doesn't/can't reach that far down. This leads to a waste of product, and money! This is the other reason I gave it a 4 instead of 5 PRICE: I don't think it's too expensive for what it does, and the fact that it actually works. Also, I used to see coupons for this. _____________________________________________________________ Pleased with the results, I have repurchased this three times. I absolutely loved my eyelashes when I was using this. However, as I mentioned, I only used this as night, and my nighttime routine already has more steps in it than I'd like so I'm really just not bothered to do this anymore. Now that I write this review and recall how well it worked, I'm thinking I'll make a better effort to finish off what I have left and will probably repurchase to have one around. Another product that also helps grow/thicken your eyelashes is castor oil. I've also experienced great results with that. So if you tried this product out and find it is not working for you, give that a try. You can see my review on that for more info.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No