Cleansers -Amore Pacific - Treatment Cleansing Oil
bellyhead 9/12/2012 11:22:00 AM
I love oil cleansers and was really excited to try the one from Amore Pacific. I am a long time user of the Time Response line and thought this might be a nice addition to my routine. It is slightly thicker than my usual Shu Uemura A/O Premium Advanced but spreads nicely. Does emulsify beautifully and did a good job getting my base makeup off. It didn't do a great job getting of my eyemakeup and I had to clean off the mascara better with Bioderma. Also, I did notice a distinct oily residue on my skin that I really did not like. There are definitely better and less expensive cleansing oils out there.
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Lipstick -Rouge Bunny Rouge - Murmurings
bellyhead 9/6/2012 8:39:00 PM
Rouge Bunny Rouge has two lipstick formulations currently: a standard cream finish one, and a sheer lipstick formula. Murmurings is one of the sheer lipsticks. RBR's lipsticks have some of the nicest feel among the many higher end brands. This particular color applies incredibly pigmented. While the finish isn't as shiny as a lipgloss, it is very juicy looking. Murmurings has a very cool, deep plummy hue and to me, reminds me of a very ripe and dark cherry. Since the finish is slightly sheer and so juicy, it doesn't last as long as a traditional lipstick, but wears longer than a gloss. On me, I get a good 4 hours out of this. Feels also like a lip treatment and contains things like Vitamin E. This is kind of a nice easy vampy lip color with the easiness of a sheerer formula. Very pretty and feels fantastic on the lips. Oh yes! It does have a spicy kind of a scent which does hang around, so please take note if you are sensitive to scents in makeup.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Shiseido - Shimmering Rouge OR405 Sizzle
bellyhead 8/9/2012 2:37:00 PM
This is a beautiful warm, sheer and shimmery orange. It looks alarmingly bright and orange in the tube. But the formula is incredibly light with a sheerness that allows your own liptone to mix into a very wearable color. I have very pigmented and cool-tone mauve lips and it slightly neutralized the color. It has small complex micro shimmers in silver that also cools the color a tiny bit. The color is a warm, coral pink on my lips. On the formula, again, it is very light and moisturizing. Even my easily chapped lips love this smoothing formula. You can actually feel a bit of the shimmer, but it is not gritty or uncomfortable. It doesn't feel as creamy as say, the Shu Uemura Unlimited Shine formula, nor as gritty. This is really one of my very favorite lipsticks.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Rouge Bunny Rouge - Raven Glaze Lacquer Eyeliner
bellyhead 7/30/2012 12:34:00 PM
I generally like these felt-tip type eyeliners and I do love the richly black pigmented black of this Rouge Bunny Rouge liner. It also has a firm and fine tip and so you can draw a very fine line. I am also a huge fan of this line and hate to write a negative review! I have to agree with the other review that it has absolutely terrible lasting power on the lids. I do have slightly oily lids but always wear a shadow primer (Nars) and liquid liners last okay with some fading in the inner part of the eye. These however faded all the way across the line that by the end of the day, they were a sad, faded line. I do not recommend this liner.
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Lipstick -Cle de Peau - Enriched Lip Luminizer
bellyhead 7/30/2012 12:27:00 PM
These are very lovely lipsticks and the colors are juicy and beautiful. The formula looks a lot like Guerlain Rouge G Brilliant (the shiney, sheer formula), but has a slightly wetter and more pigmented look. The best part of these lipsticks are how beautiful they look on and the colors are very pretty. I own 207 and it is really one of my favorite lip colors. It is a warm strawberry pink. It tends to seep a bit past the edges of the lipline, so I would recommend a lip liner to contain it. The cons for me is that it lasts a very short time on my lips (2 hours or so) similar to a lipgloss. In order to use this product, you also need to purchase the separate holder. You release the product by turning the base. Just be careful as you can not retract back in once you release the product.
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Powders -Edward Bess - Quad Royale in South of France
bellyhead 2/14/2012 11:47:00 PM
This is a very pretty blush/highlighter. The other reviewer's description of the color as being mauvy is right on. This color is better suited for the paler among us as the color is very lightly pigmented. The shimmer is pretty subdued but does give a very slight glow to the skin. At the counter, the SA recommends swirling all the shades onto the brush and then applying the product in a 3-shape -- on the sides of the forehead, onto the tops of cheeks and then down and around onto the sides of the chin. I prefer to use the two darker tones as a blush and the lighter (and shimmerier) shades on top of the cheekbones to highlight rather than swirling all the colors together. I'm fairly tanned from a recent holiday, so I need a lot of this on for the colors to really show. There are a couple of negatives to the product, in my opinion. The product is very powdery, so as you are picking up the powder with your brush, you will notice a lot of loose powder that is displaced into the air and into the sides of the pan. The enclosed brush is rough and scratchy. The compact is very lightweight plastic. like all the new product coming out from this line. I hate to be such a packaging lunatic, but I think my own attraction to the line is cooling off based on the downgrade in packaging.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Edward Bess - Ultra Slick Lipstick in Rose Demure
bellyhead 2/14/2012 11:33:00 PM
I really love two other EB lipsticks (Night Romance and Tender Love). I really am not liking Rose Demure on my lips. It is a lighter mid-toned cool rose. I can carry slightly cool toned colors, but this just makes me look dead. The formula seems to be a bit different with this new release of colors than the older set: less slip and a tiny bit drier. Pretty long lasting on the lips, but does not feel as light and moisturizing as the older colors. Color choice is personal, so you may love this color on your lips, but I downgrading the packaging really bugs me. The older round tubes (which I think are all being discontinued - not sure though) are much more elegant and in line with the minimal chic esthetics of the range. The package is bulky, big and square, and not in the gleamy elegant Tom Ford way. Same strong fig scent that is quite strong upon application and lingers... if you are particularly sensitive to perfumed products.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Guerlain - Mascara noir G
bellyhead 2/1/2012 12:32:00 AM
This is a very, very good mascara. Comparing it with the Le 2 Guerlain mascara, this is definitely a superior one. My chief complaint with the Le 2 was the droopy lash effect I had when using it. It was a major curl killer, but Noir G has a wonderful curl enhancing effect. I think in the information materials for this product, it's supposed to be a be-all kind of a mascara: curling, volumizing and lengthening. Can't say it's a superstar in every aspect, but the very creamy and light formula does an admirable job adding lots of volume without feeling heavy or having that detestable crispy feeling. One really fantastic part about this mascara is the intense black color. This is probably the blackest mascara I've used to date. Those are really the pros. The cons is really that wallet shriveling price. However the refills are pretty reasonable. The case is lovely but too heavy to carry around with you. The mirror is handy as well. Like many Guerlain products, it is very scented. I love this scent, it is very floral and femine but very strong. If you have issues with scented product I would recommend against it. In my experience, the scent lingers all day long.
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Loose Powders -Cle de Peau - Loose Powder
bellyhead 1/25/2012 10:03:00 PM
This is an incredibly airy and finely milled powder. It looks slightly pinkish in the tub but is completely transluscent on the face. I had some pretty high expectations using this powder, but I don't think it's fully lived up to my expectations. The container is glossy blue and looks wonderful displayed on a vanity, but it is impossibly messy to travel with. It has an extra inner screw cap upon which to decant some powder before applying, but I find that to be an extra step that I don't want to spend time on. It is a big container, I think I will be using this product for a long time! The finish when applied is a light diffused effect and slightly airbrushed. It is very pretty, but I have a very oily t-zone and need it to do some heavy duty setting of my base product. I don't think it did a very god job setting base makeup, but rather just sat on top of the skin. I tried both brushes and the enclosed puff.
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Bronzers -Chanel - Soleil Tan Fluide (Sheer Illuminating Fluid) in Sunkissed
bellyhead 1/14/2012 11:06:00 PM
This is probably one of the first illuminators that I'd ever purchased. When I first got it, I went nuts and applied it too heavily all of the face thinking it was more of a bronzer than an illuminator. Hello greasy looking giant pore-faced person! A more appropriate and better way to use it is either mixed into your foundation for a sheer and slight luminosity all over the face, or as a highlighter to draw light onto the high planes of your face. The color is a warm, golden tone and the shimmer is refined but noticeable. Since buying this, I've bought many other illuminating products, like the Lancome Eclat Lumiere, which is very obvious and very white. This is still hands-down my favorite illuminator. The only real negative, apart from the high Chanel price point, is that the bottle is heavy and glass. I've actually accidentally broken a bottle before (boohoo!). It would be not very easy to travel with this item. There is a small hole where the product comes out of and I find that the liquid gunks up around the opening. It is easy to apply lightly with fingertips and also applies well with a brush.
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Bronzers -Chanel - Bronze Universel De Chanel Sun Illuminator
bellyhead 1/14/2012 11:00:00 PM
I can not imagine actually finishing this giant tub of product, but when I do, I fully expect to repurchase this gem! I really think this is one of the very best bronzer out there. I generally tend to think any alternative powder product has more fall out and less lasting power than this silicone-based one. Bronze Universel really lasts and provides a really warm and natural looking color to the skin. I like it when I am winter pale to just warm up the skin and also love it to enhance my skin when it is already slightly dark. I like how I am able to build up the intensity or leave it fairly faint to just punch up a sallow light skin. There is no shimmer to this product, so if you are looking to build a very natural color, this would be an excellent product to try out!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Tom Ford - Cream Foundation Brush
bellyhead 1/4/2012 10:43:00 PM
This is a fantastic brush. It works beautifully in applying and buffing the TF stick foundation and also works wonderfully applying other liquid foundations. It has a softly rounded head which is great at buffing the blending the foundation into flawlessness and the flat sides are great at applying and spreading the makeup. The hairs are very soft but not fluffy and very densely packed. Though the hairs are white, it washes very well and returns to its pristine white color. I've washed numerous times and it has not lost a hair either while using or during washing. I've read that the Shu Uemura foundation brush 18 is a great dupe for this. I would love to pick up another TF cream foundation brush, but to be easier on the wallet, I may check out the Shu one.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Tom Ford - Shade & Illuminate Brush
bellyhead 1/3/2012 10:17:00 PM
I think every review I write about a Tom Ford product is about how expensive it is, because it is! I think people expect something marketed to be the ultimate in luxurious beauty will also possess the quality that should go with it. I've made several Tom Ford Beauty purchases and written some reviews and overall I'm pleased with what I've purchased. Not so for this $70.00 Shade & Illuminate brush. This is the brush specifically designed to be used with the Shade & Illuminate contouring kit. It looks beautiful, as one would already expect. The hairs are white (as all the brushes are) and fairly firm and performs well in applying the shade color. My issues is that immediately after my first washing, the handle promptly FELL OFF! I don't think I mistreated the product in any way and generally handle my brushes (especially ones as expensive as this one) with care. No water went into the ferrule during the washing. Don't get me wrong. It is easily fixed with some superglue, but I do have an issue for paying so much money and for a brand new product to be defective. Anyway, I debated about the ranking since as a brush, it did a fairly good job of performing it's very specialized job. I would say, if the handle didn't fall off, I'd give it a 3. You can do the same applying and blending without this particular brush.
7 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Guerlain - Le 2 de Guerlain
bellyhead 1/3/2012 1:17:00 AM
I love the luxurious look of this mascara and love the 2-in-1 function with the second smaller brush. Overall, I think this is a fairly mediocre mascara. The consistency of the formula is smooth and not too thick. The initial coat applies really nicely. Doesn't have a significant lengthening or volumizing effect. The second coat really ruins it for me. Even though it layers on pretty smoothly without causing any major unsightly clumps, the weight is really heavy. I curl my lashes prior to applying, but the mascara really weighs down the curls. I do like the staying power, as well as the scent. Those adverse to strongly scantly product will definitely want a big sniff test at the counter, as I have found that the scent lingers for hours.
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Polishes -Butter London - No More Waity Katie
bellyhead 12/22/2011 10:04:00 AM
Yuck. In general, I love Butter London products and the quality of the product. The polish looks gorgeous in the bottle with its cool lavender grey base and a glorious amount of silver glitter. Unfortunately, it does not translate well on to the nails at all. The base is jelly and very sheer and also really gloppy! I found it super hard to get an even coat that didn't goo up all over the edges of the nail. The glitter is also challengingly chunky and sticks to the edge of the nails. It's like having a sawtooth blade on the tips of the nails! Other reviewers also note that you need multiple coats to get a decent look, which is true at which point the color is deep, but hides the silver of the glitter and leaves just a bumpy finish. Beautiful color, bad execution!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No