Misc Beauty Tools -beautyblender - the sponge
angieee 2/18/2009 10:10:00 AM
So far so good. I can't master putting on liquid foundations with the 187 (skunk) brush. I end up giving up and smearing it on by hand. With this, I get how to "stipple" and it comes out looking airbrushed. I end up using LESS foundation because of the water I've added to the blender - it dilutes my foundation but it looks just as good. To me, It's also different than using a wedge because of the shape and texture - a wedge doesn't have the tiny pointed tip (it has more of a doorstop shape) to get into those little crevices of your face. Makes putting on makeup easy and fast. Just wish it was more travel friendly!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Classified Cosmetics - ERA Face Spray Foundation
angieee 10/14/2006 12:22:00 PM
I love this product - One of the few non-mineral foundations that doesn't break me out and gives excellent full all day coverage. I spray it directly on my face in a zig zag motion, wait about 30 seconds, then buff it lightly with a flocked sponge. Y7 is a nice match for my MAC NC40-42 complexion.
BUT (and this is a big but), I decided to cheat on it and try Suzanne Somers (SS) spray on foundation and it is the exact same thing as Classified Cosmetics. They are made by the same manufacturers, put in the same can, except SS is 1/2 the price.
When I got my SS from HSN, it came directly from the manufacturer and a sticker on the box had the SS color *and* the Classified color on it: 
I can't knock ERA spray-on, it's served me well for over six months, but I can't justify buying it again unless Suzanne Somers or HSN goes out of business. *UPDATE* Umm, it seems like Suzanne Somers has gone out of business - at least with this product! It's no longer available on HSN.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -MAC - Sheertone Shimmer Blush - Foolish Me [DISCONTINUED]
angieee 8/4/2006 10:28:00 PM
Wow, this looks orange in the pan but don't be scared away, this is such a pretty color on! I love the sheertone formula! On my GGG NC42 skin, it's the PERFECT coral blush. Shimmer usually scares me since I have big pores, but there's not too much shimmer to this one - just enough to give you a glow. Very very nice!
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Powder -Alima - Satin Matte Mineral Foundation
angieee 8/1/2006 11:01:00 PM
Been using this for every day for about two months now. This is the best mineral foundation I have ever used. I've tried everything from Bare Escentuals to Jane Iredale to several other etailer brands, this beats them all. Usually, I find minerals too shiny or too dry - this brand manages to be creamy and leaves my slightly dry skin with a even, matte but not dry-looking finish. I'm a GGG, C40 / NC42 in MAC, I use G5 / G6 in this (using G6 now in the summer since I am slightly darker). This lasted all day through the 100+ days of heat we've been having! If you need a color match, e-mail their customer service, they're very helpful.
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Liquid -Christian Dior - Diorskin Airflash
angieee 5/20/2006 9:27:00 PM
Hate to be one of the few low-lipstick voters here, but I would hate for someone else to waste $60 on this.
I loved Sally Hansen's Spray on Foundation but I have trouble finding it in stock, so I thought higher end would mean better ingredients / better color matches, etc - ha! If you're anything darker than tan or if you're super pale the four shades this comes in probably won't match you, so that leaves out a good deal of the world. I'm NC40-42 and Honey the darkest shade was a bit too light for me. Tried layering it, still no go. On top of that, the smell was too perfumey. Even if I could find a perfect match I don;t think I would want to blast myself in the face with something that smells like a flower garden every day. The can is small, super small for $60. Ended up ditching this and buying Classified Cosmetics Era Spray on Foundation in Y5 - still expensive but a perfect match, no smell and I don't need to layer it on.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -NARS - Lip Lacquer in Medea
angieee 4/23/2006 1:29:00 PM
The only red I can wear! I suppose that means it's warm-toned (I'm around MAC C40, NC42, LSF 6.5). I have tried so many reds and they all make me look like a clown, this one is hands down the best. It does smell a bit plasticky, and I am sensitive to smells, but the smell dies down soon after application. Comes in a pot, which I prefer to a tube. I love the texture, stays put longer than most glosses, yet doesn't feel like you have Elmer's Glue on your lips. Gives a gloss, but not a high-shellac car wax shine - perfect for full lips.
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Fragrances -L'Occitane - incense sticks- honey
angieee 4/23/2006 1:19:00 PM
Most incense smells the same to me - like sickly sweet smoke. This is truly high end incense - smells divine and the honey smell lingers in the room making it smell like some kind of exotic honey temple afterward. I never thought I'd pay $17 for 40 sticks of incense - and well, I probably won't considering I have a L'Occitane outlet nearby, but if the outlet were out of stock, I'd definitely splurge on these.
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Blush -Christian Dior - Dior Bronze Blush in Sunset Fiesta 002
angieee 4/17/2006 9:05:00 PM
A cheek palette with four colors: bronze, rich coral, fresh peach, and golden-pink shimmer. Comes with a brush that's actually useful! If you squeeze the bristles together slightly when swiping across colors, it will pick up only one color at a time.
My complexion: GGG, MAC C40, NC42-45. I adore the bronzer color. Just the right amount of pigment to give a tanned glow. (I detest when you have to dip yor brush into a color then blow half of the color off to make sure you don't look like a clown.) The deep coral blush does have a bit of shimmer, but I mean a *tiny* bit, if you have gigantic pores like mine, no worries. The golden pink shimmer barely looks golden or pink to me, but I love it. Seems more like a very pale, almost white pink. It's great over the blush and/or bronzer colors to give the look of healthy, slightly dewy cheeks. I'm not having any problems with staying power - I have combination leaning towards dry skin. I bought this palette before the price changed on Sephora, but even at $42, I think I'd buy another one.
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Lipstick -MAC - Pro Longwear Lipcolour
angieee 3/12/2006 6:15:00 PM
Minus one star because ohmygoodness your lips will be dry when you take it off and hotd*mn if you color outside the lines and don't have makeup remover nearby you'll go through hell getting it off...but they're longwearing formulas! If they were slippery wet they'd fall right off your lips. I find results are best achieved by putting on a *thin layer* of the color, waiting a few minutes (do your eyes or brush your hair or feed your dog - he's so hungry, poor thing!) then put the top coat on. YOUR LIPSTICK WILL NOT BUDGE. (sorry for yelling at you.) I have five colors and the staying power is great on all of them. There is nothing better than looking at yourself in the bathroom mirror in the middle of your work day and seeing your lips look just as good as when you left home. I reapply the top coat maybe 2x all day to keep the color on.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Milani - Double Impact - Coffee & Cream
angieee 3/12/2006 6:01:00 PM
Every time I come across a gem like this, I rethink all the freakin' money I spend on high-end products.
Coffee and Cream looks blah in the pan - a light pinkish-tan on one side, mocha brown on the other. But when it was swiped on my HHH/GGG cheeks, I looked like I just returned from a day at the beach, so I had to swipe a bit across my forehead...and well, I had to put a little on my chin, too. Wonderful blush / bronzer. I finally have that glow from within everyone raves about! It's so dern silky, too. This is a beautiful everyday blush, especially for the darker-hued among us.
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Powder -MAC - Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
angieee 2/25/2006 5:59:00 PM
Noooooooooo!!! I used this about ten years ago and loved the way it worked for my (then) oily skin. For some weird reason, I decided to try it again. I now live in a dry climate and well, I'm ten years older. Every day that I used it, I woke up with a new pimple on my temple or cheek. I went back to the MAC store and the helpful MA said, "Yes, Studio Fix gives great coverage, but the sad thing is that you'll need the coverage - it breaks most people out like crazy!"
The only reason I give it a "2" is that the color selection is great (as a woman of mixed race, I often find it hard to get a match in foundation). In my opinion, if you have a drier skin type and are prone to breaking out, skip this foundation.
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Masks -Unlisted Brand - Aspirin Mask
angieee 2/25/2006 5:52:00 PM
I have been using this mask once a week. I love it and I got confirmation that my skin is looking better when I went to have a facial and the woman said "What are you using? Your skin is great!" Usually, I have to get so many tiny zits popped I leave looking like a slice of pepperoni pizza.
I am very careful about what I put on my face - I have darker skin (MAC NC40/42 C40) and have had experiences where things that works well for lightskinned women cause me to have hyper or hypopigmentation. I also have dry skin, but it is prone to breaking out and is VERY sensitive to a lot of cosmetic ingredients. No problems with the aspirin mask. I crush 3 tablets of uncoated aspirin (hard to find in local stores, ordered online from drugstore.com) with enough aloe vera gel to make a paste. I then gently rub it on my face and let it sit for about ten minutes. There is a lot of good information on the mask and recipes for the mask on the MUA Skincare FAQ : http://www.makeupalley.com/user/notepad/SCboardFAQ. Hope this helps someone!
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Lip Gloss -MAC - LipGelee - Saplicious
angieee 1/30/2006 11:32:00 PM
I give this a 3.5 - it's not jaw-dropping in any way but the milky sheen and moisturizing properties make it so addictive. The best lip balm I've ever used, even though that's not how it is marketed.
Colorwise, it's a very sheer nude-brown. Lasting power: It lasts all of ten minutes on my lips. Texture: It's runny like cheap store-brand syrup but less sticky. I guess the non-stickiness factor is why it doesn't stay on your lips long. So what's a girl to do if she hates the sticky feel of lipglass but likes having glossy lips? Keep this in her pocket and reapply every time the wind blows? I guess so...that's what I'm doing.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Jane Iredale - Pure Pressed Base
angieee 1/29/2006 10:43:00 PM
I give it a "two" because it's not the worst I ever tried, but it is close to it. I read through almost every review looking for tips - my skin was moisturized before I put it on, I tried a flocked sponge *and* the handi brush - still, this made my skin look dry and it didn't seem to meld with my skin like BE does - it just sat on top and looked a bit chalky. Maybe it didn't meld with my skin because I had the hardest time finding a color that matched my Mac c40, GA 6.5 HHH skin. I tried Honey Bronze, Golden Glow, Latte, and Warm Sienna. They all were a little off - and I'm not super picky because I know I'm hard to match. I wished this had worked, but it doesn't. So disappointed as I really wanted to like this.
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Lipstick -MAC - Body Suit
angieee 1/17/2006 5:02:00 PM
Meh. I got caught up in Lingerie hype and fell for this mauve - beige pink lipstick. It's winter, so I'm HHH/NC40-42/GA 6.5-7 and this shows up on my lightly pigmented lips as more mauve then pink. Looks like a *slightly* lighter version of MAC's Velvet Teddy on my lips.
I need a bit more brown (like Siss) for a color to be nude on me. This gives a little color to my lips, but the mauve / purple tones also make them look slightly cold. It's not horrible and I'm a fan of the lustre formula, but there are other colors like it and, in my opinion, ones that look better. I have swapped this away.
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