Tinted Moisturizer -Tarte - Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Tinted Moisturizer
ameliakatherine 2/5/2013 1:37:00 PM
I went in to Sephora last week asking for a sample of the Tarte BB Cream on a friend's recommendation. The girl accidentally gave me a sample of the Tarte Tinted Moisturizer. Whoops. But please notice I am NOT complaining! I thought it felt a little lotion-y for a BB Cream, but I've never had coverage like this from a TM before - it's great! It also kept my face from getting shiny all day - normally with a TM I expect to powder or blot once or twice. Not so with this, it has held up with a natural (not matte - I don't like that look anyways) finish for 10+ hours. The coverage is also buildable - a FANTASTIC quality in a TM. I've only had a few that have ever truly offered buildable coverage, and this is one of the best in that regard. Since I have some acne and scarring I use a little more than the average person, but if you have normal or good skin you won't use much. It does a great job evening both texture and tone - I always "pat" in foundation/BB Cream/TM around my nose where my pores are worst, and this product did a fine job hiding my pores with my process. A little concealer and bronzer and my skin looked AMAZING. The colors are great. I haven't bought it yet because I want to try Tarte's actual BB Cream before I drop the $$, but I probably will, after a week my skin looks great and much less dry. I think the Tarte package is just overdone. It's getting to the point where they are just being wasteful - I appreciate the effort for presentation but the product would be cheaper in a plain plastic lid.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Revlon - ColorStay Aqua Mineral Makeup
ameliakatherine 12/30/2012 5:26:00 PM
I bought this because I was traveling and had forgotten to pack a powder, which I need over most of my BB Creams (love them, but they always look a little too dewy on my oily skin). Because my skin is oily, I'm VERY picky about powders. Usually by 8 hours in they have gathered around my creases and added 10 years to my 23 year old face. I LOVE this! I picked this shade up on clearance at CVS, so hopefully they will have something similar when I run out. Thankfully, it doesn't take much to get a good dusting and keep my make-up in place, so I won't have to replace it for a while. I like being able to put powder over my bronzer and blush, to keep them in place and looking more natural, but most powders end up washing out my carefully applied color. This one doesn't - the little bit of shimmer is great over bronzer and blush, and it's perfectly sheer when you apply a light dusting. It holds it's place well and I haven't had any issues with it gathering around wrinkles. It also builds well. On days when I need a little more coverage over my BB Cream (I switch them up depending on how my skin is doing) I just add a little more powder and it looks fine. I think if you really layered, you could wear this as a foundation. I have noticed some colors are more shimmery than others, so take that into account when purchasing. Also LOVE the cool feelings when it's applied, and how it doesn't dry my face out at all. Normally not a Revlon fan at ALL, but they put out a great product here. highly recommend!
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Liquid -Urban Decay - Naked Skin
ameliakatherine 10/2/2012 12:05:00 PM
I tried it for two weeks, and my favorite parts were the build-able coverage and light feel. It really doesn't feel like you're wearing make up at all! When built-up, Naked doesn't look as cakey as most "build-able" foundations. It does provide good coverage on blemishes, but it doesn't correct uneven tones or redness as well. I found myself building more to correct my skin tone than to cover pimples. Ultimately, this product isn't great because it just doesn't last. I tried it with a couple primers, and even used my long lasting BB Creams as primers, to no avail. I used powder to set it. That stuff just doesn't want to be on your face! The most I got out of it was 6 hours. There's no way a $40 make-up should only last 6 hours, and that's with quite a bit of primer or bb cream. I have combination skin, so while I know I can be oily, I'm certainly not extremely oily compared to some people. Not sure how anyone with true oily skin would be able to wear this at all. I do like the anti-aging properties of this, I noticed that around my eyes my skin looked better from using this, but I can get that with my Wrinkle Revenge and MK Timewise cream. The pump is awesome, I don't know why every liquid foundation isn't in a pump yet, and this one works perfectly, never squirts out too much. Just wish it pumped out something better.
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Foundations -Tarte - Amazonian Clay 12-hour Full-Coverage Foundation SPF 15
ameliakatherine 10/2/2012 11:48:00 AM
I've been wearing this for 3 weeks and love it! It may dry your skin out, I have very sensitive combination skin, so the first week this was exasperating the dry areas on my face. I started wearing a good moisturizer underneath, and haven't had any issues since. It has very full coverage, and a little goes a long way. That $40 tube will probably last me 4-6 months, we'll see how much I use it in the winter when my skin is drier. It's an easy product because the coverage is so great, you don't need concealer. Love it.
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Tinted Moisturizer -Victoria's Secret - Tinted moisturizer
ameliakatherine 10/2/2012 11:37:00 AM
Love, love, love! I've been trying BB Creams for a while, and while they've been great, I've only found one match for my skin (Boscia, which is AMAZING). My husband took me to the VS on 57th and Park in Manhattan to get a makeover when they were having an event. Btw, the MU artist's name is Mickaela, and if you live in NYC, you NEED to go there. She's amazing. Anyways, she tried this on, and I loved the look. It's pale, but warm, which is always hard for me to find, I have very pale skin with warm/bronzey undertones. It wears well. There's a hint of shimmer to it, and it doesn't have great oil control, but somehow it looks more glowy than oily or shiny. I put this on, then a little concealer over any blemishes, and bronzer, and I'm good to go! Definitely recommend wearing bronzer with this TM because it has that hint of shimmer, so you can really play up a subtle, sun kissed glow without over doing it. Haven't noticed any breakouts from it yet. I do "pat" it in around my nose (for redness), pores, and blemishes with a brush to get the most coverage.This does a great job of correcting color so your complexion looks so much more even. At $15, it's less than half the price of any other TM or BB Cream I've ever bought, and I'll be buying it again!
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Crème -Mary Kay - Cream-to-Powder Foundation
ameliakatherine 7/28/2012 6:59:00 PM
I bought this after going to MK party and loving how it looked on my skin! It has the best coverage of anything I've tried. It can look a little cakey, you have to blend it diligently and use sparingly for a more natural look. My biggest issue with this foundation is the feel, it's not as light as a powder. It didn't make me break out or irritate my skin, but I do have to blot more often when I wear it. Because it takes so much effort to blend, even as a perfect match, it's not conducive to my morning rush for work. Not my favorite for every day wear, but it's my go to when I want a lot of coverage, i.e., that time of the month, or special occasions, so I always keep it on hand. I have oily skin and this won't slide off, even if I forget primer. Like the finish once it's well-blended, it's not as dull as a powder. The other major issue is the packaging, you would think MK could put it in something better than that annoying, cheap tin! After a few applications it starts getting awkward, and so much falls over the side.
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Pressed Powders -Victoria's Secret - Pressed Mineral Powder
ameliakatherine 7/28/2012 6:46:00 PM
I've been using MK Loose Mineral Powder for years, and I'm a dedicated fan. Last summer I wasn't in the sun very much, except for one week, and so my color changed a little but not enough to justify buying another MK color, especially since they last forever (can you tell I love that stuff?). I decided to branch out and try something else, so I picked up this little gem. I love that this gives your skin a little brightness, since most mineral powders tend to look a little dull. This has fantastic coverage, and great staying power. It blends well and looks natural, not cakey or dry at all. The only reason this is getting 4 stars is it doesn't last very long. I'm spoiled; my MK powder often lasts 6 months, this only lasted 8 weeks. At $14 it's not expensive, but my MK powder is only a couple bucks more than that. I'll definitely buy this again, but it will probably always be a backup. Love the little compact, so it's great for traveling.
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BB Cream -Dr. Jart+ - Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25 PA++
ameliakatherine 7/28/2012 6:34:00 PM
I actually really liked this BB Cream at first. I love how it feels once I work it into my skin, it calmed redness, smoothed my little eye-wrinkles and had good coverage. It also didn't irritate my skin or make me break out. After wearing it for a week, I saw myself in natural light, and noticed that it was at least 2 shades lighter than my already very pale skin, and that any irritated areas and even zits looked white, like it had over-neutralized. I didn't even have concealer on that day, so it was all the BB Cream. I liked it so much that I tried it once more with powder to get it closer to my complexion, but it still didn't look right. This has a nice finish, and would have looked very natural if I didn't have any blemishes and was extremely pale. If you have lighter-than-ivory skin you'll love it, but for most of us, it's not going to work. I have it 3 just because I LOVED how soft and smooth my skin felt when I wore it.
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Tinted Moisturizer -Too Faced - Beauty Balm- Vanilla Glow
ameliakatherine 7/28/2012 6:17:00 PM
Really didn't care for this product at all. It's basically a TM, has no coverage at all. It has a heavier feel, almost like foundation, and the finish is too dewy, really shiny, actually, and very sheer. Surprising since this is marketed for oily/combination skin. It didn't make me break out, but it didn't do any of the things other bb creams have done. Taking it back to Sephora, and if you're combination, oily, or acne prone, check out the Boscia bb cream. Much better, for the same price.
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BB Cream -Boscia - BB Cream SPF 27 PA++
ameliakatherine 7/28/2012 6:10:00 PM
LOVE this stuff! I have extreme combination skin, and this soothed dryness without making my skin oily or aggravating my acne! I typically blot once a day with this, but that's expected for my skin no matter what I wear. It lasts at least a good 10 hours and a little goes a long way, so even though you have to shell out almost $40 for the tube, it will last a few months. Not sure what other reviewers were talking about when they referenced glitter, this has a smooth, almost matte finish that's very natural. Makes me wonder like someone else said, if there is another formulation. This has decent coverage for a bb cream, not as much as foundation, but enough for wearing out and not feeling naked. With all bb creams they will not look even unless you work them into your skin like a moisturizer, and this one especially so. I put a touch of concealer on any crazy zits and then this, and I top it off with a little powder when I'm not in too much of a rush. I forgot to use my eye cream the other morning, and I was so pleased to check in the mirror after a day of wearing this to see that it hadn't built up around my twenty-something crow's feet. This has also really evened out the little redness around my nose. I love that my complexion has improved from wearing it. Definitely buying it again, it's worth the money!
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Crème -Almay - Clear Complexion Compact Makeup
ameliakatherine 7/24/2012 4:56:00 PM
I never stray from my MK Mineral Powder, but I picked this up at a drugstore when I was out of town without my makeup bag and just needed something. I actually liked it, and started using it a little more regularly, until I saw how much it dried my face out! I still use it occasionally during my time of the month, when my skin gets particularly oily and acne-prone. I really liked how it kept shine down all day, but even with a moisturizer my this dries my skin out too much to use it every day. For a teenager or someone with strictly oily skin, this is a great cheap option, although I would recommend Artistry's oil-control make-up before this one. The colors do not blend well, so if it's not an exact color match don't even bother. For me personally, I won't buy it again because I just don't use it enough and I have others I like better.
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Foundations -Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Glow Sheers SPF 30
ameliakatherine 7/24/2012 2:57:00 PM
Hands down the best drugstore TM. I have that awful skin that has large pores, some redness, dry, oily and acne prone, all at once. This is an great oil-free moisturizer that doesn't make me break out. It soothes redness and pores,and doesn't make me look shiny., and my skin feels so smooth. I wear it under my MK Mineral Powder foundation for more coverage, or on its own when I'm in a rush. It's a little pricey for a drugstore TM, I think I paid $14.99 for it, and it's not going to last more than a couple months. The colors are good and blend well. I have the fair to light and light to medium, since my skin tans quickly and then loses said tan just as quickly. It's obviously not a foundation, but I like using it under one as a good base/primer. Works well under my eyes to soothe mild puffiness. I have good freckles that I don't like to hide, so I like that this makes my skin look like it's naturally fairly clear. I have used Laura Mercier's oil-free TM, and honestly I think this one blends better.
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Mascara -Victoria's Secret - Beauty Rush Mascara - Blacktastic
ameliakatherine 7/24/2012 2:16:00 PM
I needed mascara in a pinch, and happened to be by VS when they started having the Beauty Rush products at 75% off. I am very picky about my mascara - I want my short, light, thin lashes to be long and full, but no clumps, and to not look wholly unnatural. I never thought for $2-ish I would find that, and even at the $7 full price this is a steal. The brush has a nice curve, and I like that my lashes get a good curl, some length and volume, but don't look fake. I've used very high-end mascaras (Arbonne, Chanel, Estee Lauder, etc.) and this is comparable to them for 1/3 the price.
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Powder -Mary Kay - Mineral Powder Foundation
ameliakatherine 7/24/2012 11:54:00 AM
I've been using this mineral powder for two years now, and it's hands down my favorite! Most mineral powders will dry my skin out. I have extreme combination skin. This never has made me break out, and doesn't aggravate the dryness either. The coverage is a little light for a foundation, my TM has the same coverage as this. I like to layer this over a TM for a little more coverage, and still never have a cakey look. it blends so well with a brush and stays 8 hours for me without touch ups, which is hard to find with my oily skin. When my acne starts acting up all I need is a little concealer. My only real issue with it is that you NEED a primer. I'm 23, and at the end of the day my this will make me look 30 without primer.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Maybelline - Dream Fresh 8-in-1 BB Cream
ameliakatherine 7/24/2012 11:23:00 AM
I have Sephora bb creams I love, and also the Garnier BB Cream, which is great for the price. I tried this because a couple of people recommended it, but I'll be returning it after just a couple uses. The color would have been a perfect match, if it blended at all. Unfortunately, this doesn't oxidize like a true bb cream would, so you have to use a lot of it to get an even look, and even then I had the mask look on my neck. It doesn't work into the skin easily, and it has a very heavy texture but no coverage at all. Most of my bb creams have moderate texture so I wasn't expecting a lot there, but it felt heavier than my foundations. If I'm going to feel something on my skin like that it had better be covering things up! My skin is acne prone but also gets very dry, and this aggravated the dryness. My skin didn't look better after I took it off, which it does with my other bb creams. Even for $8.99, I'm not keeping this. If you want a drugstore bb cream, Garnier makes a great one, or go with Nutrogena's Healthy Glow Sheers Oil-free TM, which offers a lot of coverage for a TM and doesn't have a shiny finish.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No