Concealers -Maybelline - Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles
basmah 5/13/2013 8:40:00 AM
I don't know how I feel about this concealer. When I first got it (about a year ago), I absolutely loved it. I really liked the formula, not too thick, easy to blend and I really liked the coverage. I only used it on my undereye area and I thought it covered my dark circles really well. However, my opinion has changed pretty drastically. I stopped using it for a while in favour of my Garnier rollerball. I recently started using it again and I just don't love it anymore. I don't think it covers my dark circles very well and it makes my undereye area look ashy and dry. I have no idea what happened. And the packaging, yuck. I never liked the packaging, but now I detest it. I dislike the sponge, I find it unhygienic. I dislike the twist system, I never get the right amount. I don't think I will buy this product again, since it doesn't seem to work with my skin and my skintone anymore.
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Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Shadow in Bad to the Bronze / on and on bronze
basmah 6/26/2012 4:17:00 PM
This shadow makes a great base for other eyeshadows. I always use this over Soft Ochre PP, because it does crease a little if I us it on its own. On my pale skin (NW10-15, NARS Siberia) it does show up as a bronze. I like using this as a base underneath a lot of different bronze-y and taupe eyeshadows, such as MAC Satin Taupe, NARS Kalahari duo, BB Stone, MAC Patina and MAC Mulch. It also works really well with the shadows in the two Naked palettes. It's so versatile. The texture is really nice, it's a lot softer and easier to spread and blend than the Tough as Taupe one. The colour pay off is very good, it is very pigmented on me. There is plenty of time to blend the shadow, but then it sets and it stays put pretty well with a base underneath. I can definitely see the resemblance with the PP and I wish they would come out with skin toned colours. The price is also pretty good, it's 10 euros over here in the Netherlands (Maybelline and L'Oreal tend to be quite a bit more expensive here). I would repurchase this, but I think this little pot will last me a very long time, as a little goes a long way.
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Eye Shadow -NARS - Bali
basmah 6/26/2012 3:59:00 PM
This is a great and very versatile eyeshadow. It is a nice crease colour that works with a lot of other eyeshadows, but I especially love it as an everyday eyeliner. The texture is really nice, very soft, blends easily, but also stays put really well when used as an eyeliner. Would repurchase because it is so versatile and because I love the colour. It is kind of a greyish brown, so it works really well with all kinds of colours, browns, purples, etc. Really fond of this eyeshadow.
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Eye Shadow -NARS - All About Eve Duo
basmah 6/26/2012 3:51:00 PM
I love this eyeshadow duo. I have this in the Best palette (and let me just say, that palette really is the best) and at first these colours seemed quite boring. Both colours are very similar. Both are peachy champagne colours. One is more shimmery than the other and there is a slight difference in colour. This looks great on my very pale skin (NW10/15, NARS Siberia). I love using the more matte shade all over my lid. It makes my eyelids look amazing, luminous and very awake. I then add the shimmery shade to my inner corner and Bali to my lashline. It makes my eyes look awake and radiant, but it's very subtle. The texture is very nice, very soft and buttery. It blends very well and the lasting power is pretty good over Soft Ochtre PP by MAC (it lasts a whole work day without any creasing or fading, but I must admit, my eyelids are not super oily). I often forget about this duo, but whenever I use it I remember how great it is. Would repurchase, even though it is quite expensive.
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Lipstick -Rimmel - Lasting Finish - Coral in Gold 
basmah 4/16/2012 3:51:00 PM
This lipstick has been an awesome find for me. It looks bright orange in the tube, but on the lips it's a beautiful coral that looks really great on my NW10 skin. I especially like to add MAC's Prrr lipglass on top, it looks really nice. The smell is awful, it's incredibly sweet, but I don't mind because I adore the color.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Clarisonic - Mia
basmah 4/7/2012 4:41:00 PM
I waited about 2 months to write this review, so I could give a more thorough review of the effect the Clarisonic has on my skin. I had been lusting after this product for years, basically after I first saw it on youtube. However, it is ridiculously expensive and it isn´t available in my country and I was very hesitant to order online. However, about 2 months ago I took the plunge and purchased the Clarisonic Mia. It came with the sensitive brush head. I was a bit nervous. I have very sensitive skin and slight rosacea and broken capillaries, so I was worried that the Clarisonic might worsen these problems. Luckily, it didn´t. I use my Clarisonic once a day in the evening. I remove my make up first (either with Bioderma Sensibio or with MAC Cleanse off oil), and I then apply a Biodermal cleansing foam for sensitive skin all over my face, massage it in a little bit, wet my Clarisonic and use it all over my face for a minute. It cleanses my skin incredibly well and makes my skin feel extremely smooth. I didn't really notice a difference in the texture of my skin until I stopped using the Clarisonic for a few days. My skin seemed a bit rougher and more dull. I already use chemical exfoliants daily (Avène Cleanance K), as well as a product with retinaldehyde (Avène Triacneal) and I feel that the Clarisonic enables these products to penetrate deeper into my skin, making them more effective. My skin is definitely softer, brighter, more even toned and clearer (although I didn't have any major skin problems to begin with). I don't think that this is solely due to the Clarisonic. I think that the Clarisonic is an incredibly effective deep cleansing tool, which means that other products can do their work better. I don't think it's a miracle worker in itself, but the Clarisonic in combination with good skincare products can make a big difference to your skin. I do want to discuss the price though. If you want to buy this product here in the Netherlands, you can buy it on a Dutch website, or you can buy it from the UK (I wouldn't personally recommend ordering in the US, because of the custom duties etc). In both cases you will end up paying around 150 euros (although the Dutch website has lowered the price of the Mia, as there is now a Mia 2). That in itself is very expensive and I do think that the Clarisonic is insanely overpriced. I realize that it is very different from its competitors in that it doesn't rotate, but it kind of vibrates and this is exactly why I decided to buy the original. But seriously, 150 euros? That's almost 197 USD! For a vibrating face brush! I feel that there is no reason why this should cost this much, or why it should cost more than 100 euros in the first place. But that's not all, because you constantly have to repurchase the brush heads. I've had mine for 2 months now, and it's definitely getting less soft, so I will buy a new brush head in a few weeks. One brush head costs 19.95 euros, or you can buy 2 for 29.95 euros. Still, that's a lot of money as well, 60 euros a year.So yeah, the price bugs me and I really think it's overpriced, both the device itself, as the brush heads. That being said, I really like my Clarisonic and I do think that it has made a difference to my skin. I find those rotating brushes way too harsh on my skin, but the Clarisonic doesn't aggravate my sensitive skin at all. So yes, I would repurchase. Edit 13/05/2013: I've had the Clarisonic for over a year now and I'm no longer as enthusiastic as before. Yes, it is still a nice addition to my skincare arsenal, but it is by no means a necessary addition. In fact, it is one I hardly ever used. I have started using my PC exfoliants again and I hardly ever feel that I need a physical exfoliant now. I still use my Clarisonic every once in awhile, but it is no longer a staple in my skincare routine and I don't miss it. The one thing I really started to dislike was replacing the brush heads. They're so expensive! If they weren't so expensive, I might use my Clarisonic more often, but I just don't feel like repurchasing them anymore.
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Conditioner -Redken - Body Full
basmah 3/15/2012 6:17:00 PM
I've been wanting to write this review for a while now, but I've been restraining myself, because I wanted to wait until I'd used this product a bit more. I am extremely unhappy with this conditioner. I paid almost 23 euros for this and I feel that the high cost isn't justified in any way. The hairdresser told me that Redken is 'definitely a step above other salon brands'. Really? How exactly? By using loads of fragrance? (which they do, fragrance is really high up the ingredient list). I really don't understand why this conditioner costs this much money. It is not only nothing special, but it doesn't contain a lot of helpful ingredients and I can find heaps of conditioners at the drugstore that are much more effective, or at least do the same thing. The packaging mentions cotton as the 'special ' ingredient, which apparently ensures detangling. Then why is cotton one of the last ingredients listed?! This does not give my hair volume, it doesn't really detangle unless I leave it in for at least 4 minutes and comb the conditioner through my hair, it doesn't condition and it definitely doesn't leave my hair shiny. It isn't the worst conditioner ever, it just doesn't do anything special and it is way overpriced. I am using this up because it was expensive and I don't want to throw it away, but I would definitely not repurchase.
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Pressed Powders -MAC - Blot Powder
basmah 2/18/2012 4:43:00 PM
I haven't used this powder in a while, because my skin is not oily anymore, so I don't really need it. However, when i was living in Thailand for a few months, I used this product a lot and I loved it. The hot and humid weather made my skin a lot more oily and I applied this product every morning and it would keep shine at bay for hours. It was also easy to touch up, no problems with caking or a powdery finish, which was great. It doesn't deposit a lot of color, but the finish was very nice, very natural. The only problem I had with this product was that it cracked pretty easily. I never dropped it, but just carrying it around in my bag proved to be too much for this powder. I would repurchase if I were experiencing increased oiliness.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Great Lash Mascara
basmah 2/18/2012 4:22:00 PM
I honestly do not understand how people can like this mascara, but I'm glad some people have had good experiences with it and feel that it is giving them good results. To be honest, this mascara doesn't even show up on me. It is not black enough to make a difference, it isn't volumizing or lengthening or darkening or curling or whatever. It just doesn't make a difference on my lashes and it is therefore a complete waste of my money.
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Lips -Laura Mercier - Lip Stain in Mulberry
basmah 2/18/2012 4:07:00 PM
I absolutely adore the colour of this lip stain. It is perfection. It is the most gorgeous natural red on my lips that I have ever seen. I love the fact that I can apply this as a more sheer wash of colour, but also as a thicker layer, almost like a lipstick. I love this product the most when it is applied sheerly, because it gives me lovely red lips, while allowing my lips to look like natural lips, and not like lips that have lipstick on them. It is such a versatile product. I like to carry this around all the time. I can use it to give my lips some colour, or to apply a more full on dark lip. It can be used for both natural day looks and more extravagant night looks. This product does stain my lips, especially when I apply a thin layer, or multiple thin layers. The only downsides to this product are dryness and packaging. This product can be a bit drying on my lips, and it also has quite a dry texture. It's not that much of a problem though, because I just use a little lipbalm over it, and it doesn't really affect the staying power of the lip stain itself. I also don't like the fact that it comes in a little pot (though I'm not sure what kind of packaging would be better for this kind of product). I don't think that I'll ever need to repurchase this, because a little goes a very long way, but I would buy it again if I had to.
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Lips -Chanel - Rouge Allure Laque Phoenix 78
basmah 2/11/2012 6:22:00 PM
This colour is amazing. It is a super bright pink that complements my pale skin (NW15/NARS Siberia) very well. I absolutely love it. It is increbily pigmented and a little goes a very long way. I wish I could wear it more often, but it is very bright on me, so it isn't something I would wear to work.The only downside to this product is its longevity, it doesn't last as long as I would like on me. Which is especially disappointing because of the price of this little product. The packaging is also beautiful, very luxurious. Would probably repurchase, though I don't think I'll ever run out.
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Lipstick -Bobbi Brown - Lip Color - Pale Pink
basmah 2/11/2012 6:14:00 PM
This is as nude as I will go when it comes to lipsticks. Others have described the colour well. It is a nudish lipstick with pink undertones (but not really a cool pink, more neutral). I love wearing this when I wear heavy eye make up. It tones the colour of my lips down a little bit, without making them look deprived of colour. I also love the packaging. It is very similar to the Chanel Rouge Coco packaging, but I like it better because it feels a bit sturdier and the click sounds a bit more expensive (which is completely ridicuous and irrelevant, I know). I only gave it four lippies because I don't like the formula of this lipstick. It is a very heavy and thick formula and I find that I have to pat this lipstick with my finger after applying (applied straight from the tube), otherwise it can look a bit chalky. Perhaps this problem can be solved by using a lipbrush, but I just can't be bothered. Would repurchase though, because I really like the colour and haven't been able to find a similar colour that is this flattering on me anywhere else. Edit 13/05/2013: I have given this lipstick to someone else, because it just isn't a color I wear very often. I have also lowered the rating to three lippies, because the formula really started to bother me. It was too chalky and made my lips look quite dry.
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Lipstick -Chanel - Rouge Allure Velvet #34 - La Raffinee
basmah 2/11/2012 6:06:00 PM
Like the reviewer below, I would describe this colour as a mauvey pink (NW15/NARS Siberia, pigmented lips). The colour itself isn't that special, I think it can be easily duped. However, the finish of this lipstick is what makes this lipstick special. It truly is a velvet finish, almost matte, but not completely, very different from all the sheer and shiny lipsticks that have been released this past year. The colour pay off is great, it is a very pigmented lipstick and the effect is very refined and classy. What surprised me was that this lipstick, despite the matte finish, was not drying on me at all. Your lips have to be in a pretty decent state in order for this to look its best, but it does not dry my lips out, which is great. I really love the combination of this colour and the finish. I personally feel that this finish will not work with every colour (I don't think it's suitable for nude colours for example, but it is also amazing with reds). I am not sure if I would repurchase, because of the price point of these lipsticks, but I definitely think that it is a very nice colour and a wonderful finish and if money was no object, I definitely would.
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Lipstick -MAC - What Joy
basmah 2/11/2012 5:54:00 PM
This lipstick makes me very happy. This is the lipstick I automatically gravitate towards when I go out for dinner or to meet my friends and want to wear a bright lipcolour. It is a very dark berry colour in the tube, but on my pigmented lips and NW15/NARS Siberia skin, it is a berry colour with quite a strong fuchsia undertone and it is incredibly flattering on my skin. It is bright, but very wearable, even during the day and I find that it lasts a very long time on my lips, much longer than my other MAC lipsticks (which are mostly cremesheens, while this one is a satin). I also really like the white packaging, it makes it easy to locate this lipstick in my make up bag. Would repurchase, but unfortunately, it was LE.
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Liquid -Bourjois - Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation
basmah 2/11/2012 8:10:00 AM
This foundation makes me so sad. I love the finish and coverage. The finish is very natural, not too matte, not too shiny. It really has a skinlike finish. The coverage is light but can be build up to a medium coverage and it doesn´t feel heavy on my skin. Surprisingly enough, I was even able to find a decent colour match for my NW15 skin, namely 51 Light Vanilla. It really is a great foundation and I think it would work for a lot of people. Sadly, it makes me break out quite badly. I've had it for a few months now and every time I've used it, I would break out the next day. At first I kept trying to wear this foundation, because I really do love this foundation, but right now my skin is full of spots and it's not a pretty sight. I think this is caused by the large amount of fragrance in this product. Sad to say, I will not repurchase this foundation.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No