Polishes -OPI - Dulce de Leche
archangeli 11/4/2008 5:00:00 PM
I agree with mcmxcii's review below :) A very pretty nude-pink shade. In the bottle it looks more brown than it is on. It's a very nice neutral colour for the office or for a clean professional look.
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Eyeliner -Shu Uemura - Liquid Eye Liner - Black
archangeli 11/4/2008 4:52:00 PM
My unrivaled HG eyeliner!!!!
Price: $33 USD ($18 for empty pen, $15 for ink cartridge)
I have oily asian eyelids, and it seemed like every eyeliner I used after about 8 hours would give me raccoon eyes underneath my eyes - MAC Fluidline, BB gel liner, pencils... you name it and it would smudge eventually. I tried every solution I could think of - UDPP as a base, changing to powder concealers to reduce "slip" and still, 8 hours seemed to be my eyeliner "limit" =P But then I found this eyeliner! The price on this seems a bit steep, but after using it for over a year, every day and only needing to replace the ink cartridge after about 7 months, this is totally worth it and ends up not being that expensive!
The brush pen took a pit of practice to get used to, but I have complete control and precision with it. I get a perfect black line every time, and used on top of the UDPP it has never given me raccoon eyes, even when I have to stay up for 26 hrs at a time for work! My eye makeup looks just as good as when I applied it - even if I take a 5 hr nap wearing it.
When you run out of the cartridge, make sure to give the pen and brush tip a good wash with soap and warm water to clean it and ensure good ink flow. I am in love with this liquid liner pen and I've got my sister (who has a single-fold Asian eyelid... notoriously difficult to find non-smudging makeup for!) hooked on this too!
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -I Nuovi - Pressed Wet/Dry Colour Pigment D27 Eyeshadows (All Colors)
archangeli 11/4/2008 4:41:00 PM
Shade Reviewed: Charcoal
Description: Smoky grey with silver iridescent glitter
Price: ~$115 HKD (roughly $16 USD, depending on exchange rate)
One of my co-workers was wearing this and it looked so pretty that I bought it too. This is a very pigmented shade, so a little goes a long way. There is a lot of silver glitter so it was almost easier to use a finger-tip to "press" the eyeshadow into my crease and then blend gently with a brush. Otherwise the glitter ends up all over my face. It was the glitter that attracted me though - it's not regular silver, it's silver-gold-green, with a holographic iridescence to it and it is very pretty. Each time I wear this eyeshadow I get tons of compliments.
The packaging is cute - it comes in a clear plastic flip-top containter that has a dome top so it looks like the eyeshadow is in a little bubble.
I had a look at the other testers at the SaSa in Hong Kong and wasn't impressed with the shades. For colour selection I'll stick with MAC, but this shade in particular is a winner!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Top/Base Coats -Inglot - Diamond Top Coat
archangeli 11/4/2008 4:32:00 PM
Price: $15 CDN/ bottle
I tested this in the store and found the consistency and shine to be comparable to Chanel's "Laque Reflet Immediat" topcoat and the price was reasonable. 3 bottles later - I love this stuff! It is very difficult to find since INGLOT closed many of their Canadian stores this spring so I stocked up recently when I was at one of their stores.
This is a thin formula - not goopy and thick, but all you need is one thin coat over your nail polish and it gives it a super shine that lasts for days! Sometimes I'll use it over my grown-out gel nails to make my real nails "blend in" with the gel - that is how super shiny this stuff is!
This has replaced the Chanel stuff for now and is my current favourite topcoat!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Inglot - Nail Enamel
archangeli 11/4/2008 4:20:00 PM
Price: $12 CDN/ bottle; $15 CDN/ bottle for AMC range
I found INGLOT randomly and was impressed by their huge selection of nail enamels. I bought a few and have to say I am happy. The polishes dry fairly quickly and are very chip resistant. The first shade I wore on my hands was a dark red and after 6 days it still looked perfect!
I noticed that their polishes don't have little metal balls inside the bottle so after a while the colour can settle and you have to give it a good shake. That's the only downside I can see - this is a great range of nail polish.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Christian Dior - Diorskin Forever Compact
archangeli 11/4/2008 4:10:00 PM
Price: $42 USD
Shade: 030 Medium Beige, comparable to MAC NC25-30, Stila 30 watts.
Started using product: May 2007
Currently using: Yes
I have normal skin that sometimes gets a bit shiny in the T-Zone and I'm not prone to break-outs. This compact offers sheer to medium coverage, feels weightless on the skin and if I layer it under my eyes it doesn't get cakey the way my mineral foundation (BE, Everyday Minerals) does. The texture is very smooth and fine. I layer this on top of my Prescriptives Traceless tinted moisturizer.
I spend a lot of time on airplanes where the air is very dry so I was looking for something that would keep my skin balanced and hydrated. This powder foundation does that - I don't get shiny and gross after 10 hours on a plane, but it is not drying. I'm not afraid to fall asleep with this on my face because it has never given me breakouts.
The compact comes with a mirror and a compartment for a sponge. I use the sponge only for touch-ups, as I usually apply this with a brush. One compact has lasted me a long time, but I have a new one waiting in my makeup drawer already. This is a HG for me!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -MAC - Alexander McQueen Jealous
archangeli 10/20/2007 6:45:00 AM
One of the few items from McQueen that I brought home (the others being the eye shadows for collectibility), and the only one I truly LOVE! This is a gorgeous emerald green colour. It applies so smoothly and I've had no trouble with is smearing, even on my waterline. On my upper lid I always use UDPP because my eyelids are oily. Beautiful pencil, I'm considering buying a backup!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Color -L'Oreal - Natural Match haircolor [DISCONTINUED]
archangeli 7/30/2007 7:37:00 PM
This is my new favourite hair colour. I used to use Feria but I prefer this because it's ammonia free and doesn't stink up my bathroom when I use it.
My hair is naturally dark brown and I have used shades 4C, 4N, 4R. 4C is a dead match for my natural hair colour for when I want to just cover up a few grey hairs. 4N made my hair look very flat and boring and I'd never buy this shade again. My favourite is 4R, which gives my hair a lovely red tone.
This product is not great for covering up grey hairs - after about a week you notice that the hairs that were once grey look a bit transluscent and after 4 weeks all the colour has washed off of them. It's a bit annoying but after 4 weeks you need to recolour anyhow ;)
I don't use the bottle that comes in the box. I mix the colour in a plastic bowl and use a brush to apply it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Unlisted Brand - Feria conditioner
archangeli 7/30/2007 7:30:00 PM
I love this conditioner - it makes my hair silky smooth and a little goes a long way. The one downside that I've realized is that if I don't completely rinse out every trace of this stuff from my hair, I get a rash on my neck and shoulders where my hair brushes my skin. Weird.
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Polishes -Chanel - Laque Reflet Immediat
archangeli 9/29/2006 2:30:00 PM
I use this product as the top coat for all my manicures and pedicures and I love it. It dries quickly and the shine is fantastic! It is very durable and gives me a perfect manicure for over 14 days. I love this stuff an it is worth the price.
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Polishes -Chanel - 215 Red Dream
archangeli 9/29/2006 2:26:00 PM
Red Dream is everything I wanted Rouge Noir to be - and then some. This is a gorgeous deep red-burgundy colour. It is a bit on the cool "blue"-red side, which is fabulous since I can't wear orange-toned reds. Where Rouge Noir was goopy and thick, Red Dream applies smoothly and evenly. It did take 2-3 coats to do a perfect pedicure, but the colour is gorgeous! There is a subtle red microglitter shimmer in it that gives it an extra bit of glamour. Since it is a Autumn 2006 LE I'm going to buy a backup bottle just in case. I love Chanel's nail polishes - they are so long-wearing, never chip and the shine is fantastic.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Chanel - English Rose
archangeli 9/29/2006 2:22:00 PM
This is a lovely classic rose colour that isn't too pink and isn't too coral toned. I prefer it as a summer toe colour because I prefer more subtle colurs on my hands. Chanel's nail polishes are fantastic and worth the price. This one applies well - only 2 coats needed for a perfect pedicure - and doesn't chip at all!
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Lip Gloss -MAC - Lipglass - Sex Ray - Lure Collection
archangeli 6/14/2006 1:21:00 PM
Usually I have nothing bad to say about Lipglasses - I love the berry shade of this gloss but hate the chunky glitter. It ruined this colour for me. Will not repurchase.
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Lotions/ Creams -L'Occitane - 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream
archangeli 5/16/2006 6:41:00 PM
I ADORE this hand cream. This is the only cream that I can use on my hand that will actually soothe and moisturize them. I have tried Keri, Curel, Lubriderm, Jergens, Glysomed and even Vasoline and they were either greasy and left a disgusting "layer" on my skin or didn't help at all.
L'Occitane's Shea butter hand cream is a godsend! I keep a big 5.2 oz tube in front of my computer and I have a stash of the little travel sized tubes so that I always have one in my purse.
This cream moisturizes and soothes dry skin (I use it on my elbows, legs and even cracked skin on my feet) but doesn't leave a greasy residue. It absorbs quickly and the light scent doesn't linger.
Whenever anyone asks is someone has hand cream, I whip out my L'Occitane and immediately they are hooked. I've converted at least 5 guys and more than 10 ladies into using this cream!
It's a bit pricey - but completely worth it! If you travel, buy it at duty free! =P
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Liquid -Prescriptives - Traceless
archangeli 5/16/2006 6:35:00 PM
On the recommendation of one of my friends I bought this tinted moisturizer about a year ago and it is one of my HG products. I'm a MAC NC25-30/ Stila 30 Watts and I wear Level 3.
It gives me sheer coverage but looks incredibly natural. It doesn't make me break out either. Since there is no SPF I can wear it for photoshoots and it doesn't make me look washed out (which titanium dioxide in foundations is prone to doing).
I love the sleek plastic tube because it's easy to throw in any makeup bag without worrying about breaking glass bottles. And since it stands on it's head, the product is always easy to dispense. Love this product and will definitely repurchase when my current tube runs out!
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