Eyeliner -Prestige - Total Intensity Eyeliner Deepest Black
arianell 4/5/2013 5:01:00 AM
The best thing about Total Intensity eyeliner is that it really is an intense jet black color. Like, probably THE darkest/truest black eyeliner I own. It makes for a very dramatic look. Application is a bit draggy but not too bad. I do find that this liner takes much longer to dry than many of the other liquid eyeliners in my collection, which can be a bit of an inconvenience when I'm in a hurry to get through the rest of my makeup routine and get out the door. My biggest problem, the dealbreaker, which will definitely prevent me from buying this liner again: after a couple of hours, my under-eye area becomes Flake City USA. Too bad, I was SO excited when I swatched Total Intensity and saw how dark it was. Unfortunately, there are lots of drugstore eyeliners with better application and longevity.
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Lips -New York Color - Applelicious Lip Balm
arianell 3/12/2013 1:55:00 AM
Not feeling it. I purchased the color Apple Blossom, which looked like it would be a nice, vibrant medium pink. While I like the green apple scent a lot, the color payoff is practically non-existent, and it has a very frosty finish that looks dated and not very flattering on me. The texture of the balm is decent; it feels nice on the lips, but it's not super moisturizing or long-lasting. It's possible that there are other shades in the range that are worth trying, but I won't be purchasing them to find out.
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Polishes -Revlon - Top Speed - Vintage #570
arianell 1/24/2013 6:10:00 AM
I got this polish for next-to-nothing during CVS's end-of-season beauty sale. The formula applies like a dream in just a single coat, and lives up to the "Top Speed" name. It was dry to the touch in ~3 minutes. The color is very pretty, but it dries to be significantly darker than it appears in the bottle. In the bottle, it looks to be a magenta/berry color... on my nails, it's more of a generic dark-ish red with berry undertones. I think "Vintage" a good name for the shade, as it has a bit of a sophisticated, Old Hollywood feel. Unfortunately, it chipped like crazy on the first day I wore it (even with my favorite long-wear topcoat) so it's not a shade I'd repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Grand Canyon Sunset NL30
arianell 10/29/2012 5:41:00 AM
Love this polish! I found it on sale at Nordstrom Rack and was very drawn to the color, which is perfect for autumn, as other reviewers have pointed out. It's a dusty, brick red creme with a slight silver shimmer. I imagine it would look great on anyone whose skin has warm undertones. The formula, imo, is excellent. It's perfectly opaque in 2 coats, I don't find it streaky at all, and it dries really quickly. My only complaint is that I wish the shimmer showed up a bit more on the nail. It's much more apparent in the bottle than it is after you apply it. Still, very pleased with this purchase.
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Top/Base Coats -Essie - No Chips Ahead
arianell 10/13/2012 5:46:00 AM
I have really, really mixed feelings about No Chips Ahead. On the one hand, I feel like it does what it's "supposed" to do: prevents chips in my nail polish for several days. It even does a good job with preventing tip wear. But in every other respect, it's probably the worst topcoat I own. As many other reviewers have noted, it takes FOREVER to dry, and it always dries with visible bubbles. It also doesn't really add much in the way of shine. I can't recommend this product at all, unless you're ONLY concerned with prolonging the wear of your nail lacquer. If you do end up investing in No Chips Ahead, expect to use it in conjunction with a shinier, faster-drying topcoat such as Seche Vite or Sally Hansen Insta-Dri.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Just Spotted the Lizard
arianell 9/21/2012 1:30:00 AM
I get SO many compliments when I wear this polish, moreso than probably any other color I own (a woman at my work actually grabbed one of my hands and turned it slightly so she could admire the pretty green/gold duochrome effect, lol). So overall I do like it, because it is bold and it makes a strong impression. Application is also good, not nearly as streaky as I expected. I use three thin coats to get it opaque. Unfortunately, I don't think the actual color is all that flattering... it ages my hands and makes them look a little bit sallow. Also, the durability of this shade is sub-par compared to what I've come to expect from OPI -- noticeable tip wear within 2 days, even with a topcoat.
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Skincare - Body -Neutrogena - Body Clear Body Spray
arianell 9/20/2012 6:12:00 AM
I don't necessarily think this body spray is awful, it just doesn't give me very noticeable results. I was very excited to try it, as I often get breakouts on my shoulders and they tend to be very stubborn, and I've been using it pretty religiously (once or twice a day) for about 2 months... I'm just not seeing a ton of improvement in my breakouts, unfortunately. I will use the rest of my bottle, but I don't think I'll buy it again unless it suddenly performs a miracle. On the plus side, I DO like the design of the 360-degree spray bottle, and the spray feels very refreshing on a hot day. The worst thing about this body spray is definitely the smell. I tend to like the smell of Neutrogena products in general, but this doesn't smell like their soaps or shampoos, or like their other skincare products... it just has a very strong, unpleasant medicinal quality that lingers on my skin for quite a while. I wish Neutrogena would do more to mask whatever causes that scent.
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Blush -New York Color - Color Wheel Mosaic Powder Pink Cheek Glow
arianell 9/20/2012 6:04:00 AM
I find this to be a very, very impressive blush for the price - it's finely-milled, it has a tiny bit of shimmer without coming off as sparkly when applied to the cheeks, and -- best of all -- it's the closest blush I've found to the ACTUAL color my (NC20) skin turns when I flush! It's just a super wearable, natural color of pink. Perfect for a demure everyday look. Definitely a product that I'd consider repurchasing!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Coney Island Cotton Candy
arianell 9/7/2012 5:55:00 AM
This is the perfect, PERFECT pinky-nude color for my NC20 skin tone. I feel like I searched for a color like Coney Island Cotton Candy forever... so glad I stumbled upon reviews/pics of this shade here on MUA! This is the epitome of a work-appropriate nail polish shade. It's feminine, understated, and clean-looking. I'm very impressed with the formula, compared to the other sheer polishes I own: little to no streaking, decent dry time, minimal patchiness. I apply 3 coats to reach my ideal level of coverage. As usual, OPI's applicator brush is perfection. Even though I LOVE trying new nail polishes and tend to get bored easily, I think there are several more bottles of this shade in my future. :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - AmLactin 12%
arianell 9/6/2012 5:01:00 AM
I have absolutely no complaints about the performance of AmLactin. It works, and it works FAST. I have keratosis pilaris on my upper arms, and this lotion made my arms noticeably smoother within a few days. I find that I don't have to reapply it that often to maintain the results, either... at this point, I apply it before bed 2-3 times a week, and it keeps the bumps at bay. I don't particularly like the texture of the lotion, however. It's very runny and it doesn't absorb into the skin very quickly. Also, it's fragrance-free, and the way it smells is... eh, not terrible, but certainly not pleasant. To get over the texture/smell issues, I like to mix 2 parts AmLactin with 1 part of a thicker, lightly scented body lotion before I apply it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Yes To Carrots - Yes To Tomatoes Repairing Acne Lotion
arianell 9/3/2012 6:28:00 AM
I got this lotion as part of a 3-piece "Yes To Tomatoes" starter kit at Target, along with the brand's Pore Scrub and a spot-treatment rollerball. I mostly bought the set for the scrub, but this lotion has totally blown me away. I've been using it diligently for about a month as part of my nighttime skincare routine; in that time, it has done wonders for controlling my oily skin throughout the day, and it has made my skin super smooth, along with really helping to even out my skin tone. I've honestly never had a single skincare product make this much of a difference. I also really like the pump dispenser. It's hygenic, and it's very easy to get exactly the amount of product you want. I'll definitely be repurchasing this very soon.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Nails -Milani - teddy brown
arianell 8/30/2012 5:27:00 AM
Teddy Brown is a beautiful, sophisticated taupey-brown creme that applies super smoothly. It's almost a one-coater, and it does an amazing job of self-leveling. This is not only one of my favorite Milani NP shades, but probably one of my favorite lacquers that I own, period. Like the previous reviewer noted, the only thing that's slightly disappointing about it is that it dries to be a slightly different color than what you see in the bottle. In the bottle, it looks almost exactly like the color of chocolate milk, but once it's on my nails, there is definitely more of a grey undertone than I expected. I think "mushroom brown" is probably the best way to describe it. I have fair, warm-toned skin (NC20) and it's a really flattering color on me, but I imagine it would probably look good on just about anyone. Highly recommended.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Hard Candy - Glamoflauge Concealer
arianell 8/23/2012 5:19:00 AM
Out of all the concealers I own, Hard Candy's Glamoflauge is the one I reach for most often. I own a number of higher-end concealers -- MUFE Full Cover being my all-time favorite -- and Glamoflauge doesn't quite live up to that standard, but it's darn close. Pros: - a little bit goes a long, LONG way. - it works on just about everything - my dark circles, the scar on my shoulder, redness/discoloration around my nose and lips, the occasional blemish... etcetera. - the packaging is simple but nice. Cons: - as countless other reviewers have noted, it's very thick, and it can look cakey/unnatural if too much is used, or if it isn't patted into your skin thoroughly. - color selection (or lack thereof) - I'm an NC20, and the "light" shade is slightly too light, but "medium" is definitely too dark. Overall, this is an awesome, inexpensive little workhorse of a product, and I'll definitely repurchase it if I ever run out.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Charles Worthington - BIG HAIR - Full Volume
arianell 8/23/2012 3:39:00 AM
This Charles Worthington shampoo is probably my most hated hair product ever. I can think of two good things about it: it has a nice, unisex scent, and you get a lot of product for the money. Unfortunately, it's INCREDIBLY drying and caused a lot of damage/breakage/shedding in my hair, and I didn't even use it for more than a couple of weeks. Maybe it would be okay if used once in a while as a clarifying shampoo, but I'll be staying far away from it in the future and sticking with gentler, more hydrating shampoos.
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Eye Shadow -Physicians Formula - Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow and Liner- Nude palette
arianell 8/23/2012 3:33:00 AM
This is a pretty palette and I don't regret buying it, but I find it a little underwhelming. I bought it after seeing YouTube's emilynoel83 mention it in one of her videos... the shimmery neutral shades and cute packaging seemed right up my alley. Unfortunately, although the shadows do have a nice creamy texture and not a lot of fallout, the color payoff just isn't very impressive. Out of the 5 lighter shades in the palette (all of which look gorgeous in the pan), 4 of them look very similar when applied to my NC20 skin. Also, the cute little lacy compact doesn't stay closed very well, so I wouldn't recommend taking this with you on-the-go. I'll keep this palette and finish it, but I won't be purchasing it again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No