Makeup Brushes -Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman - Expert Face Brush
blahblahh 4/22/2013 1:44:00 PM
What I've learned from playing around with it: 1. If you want opaque result or you want to maximize sheer-medium foundation to its capacity, use EFB by stippling it. 2. If you want sheerer result or lessen the thickness of a particular foundation, use EFB by buffing it around. Whether you choose method #1 or #2, this brush is able to give you that blended, second skin look no matter what. This, in my opinion, is what sets it really apart from other foundation brushes. I don't know what Samantha did, but she really does a good job with this one. 3. As a general rule, this brush drinks up your foundation/TM/tinted sunscreen, so I recommend to dot your face first and take it from there. 4. If you are very prone to flakes and dryness, skip buffing and settle with stippling. 5. If you are very oily, use this brush to powder your face inch by inch. There's something magical with the bristles (or probably the design?) that really push the powder into your pores. I notice that I am oil free for way longer with this brush although I don't change the powder that I use. 6. Contour & blush friendly. I wouldn't say it's the best for these purposes but it will do the job decently. 7. Ever notice some brushes are just a PITA to wash? Not this one. One negative thing is that I need more time to work with this brush due to its small size.
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Bobbi Brown - Rich Lip Color SPF 12 - Bikini Pink
blahblahh 4/10/2013 1:29:00 PM
I'm NC20, black hair, brown eyes with pigmented lips that are darker than the rest of my face. This comes out pink without being too light or too bright. It's just the right amount of pink, but I'd say it's leaning a liiiiiittle bit to raspberry/purple. Just a tiny, itsy bit. Normally due to my dark lips I'd have to use a base colour first to neutralize the area, but with this I can apply directly from the tube. Just a slight dab all over in dots motion and spread the colour evenly with my fingers and voila! I have rosy, just-bitten lips. All pigmented lips owners will understand that this is some sort of a miracle. This is the first lipstick I've tried in years that give me that kind of look on its own. No base is needed, no mixing with other lipstick is necessary *breathe a looongggggg sigh of relief* Longevity: 5-6hours. Texture: matte but not too matte. No shimmer. Non drying but not moisturizing either.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Sheen Supreme Lipstick - New Temptation
blahblahh 3/14/2013 3:36:00 AM
NC20, black hair, brown eyes and pigmented lips here. This lipstick represents my first foray into the world of red lipstick. I've been looking for a blue-red lipstick that doesn't multiply my lips into gargantuan proportion and become the center of my face and this is it. I'm glad I'm starting it with this one as it's very buildable. Right now I'm comfortable wearing it sheerly by using a few dabs on my lip brush and take it from there. I also use MAC Cherry lipliner, again applied very sheerly, just enough to cover up to keep the lipstick from bleeding. It WILL bleed without a lipliner. Over time if I lose my fear of overly dramatic lips, I can always build it up, and boy, it can be extremely opaque and shiny (think lip tars), especially if you apply it directly from the tube. For sure this isn't for matte red lovers. The longevity is about 4-5 hours without drinking/eating and leaves a red/raspberry stain if you don't touch up. If it helps for MUA to decide whether they should try this one, I look better in Russian Red than Ruby Woo.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Siwa Perfumes
blahblahh 2/26/2013 10:53:00 AM
For everyone who is travelling to Egypt, please do NOT buy products from this place. It's basically a perfume house in Cairo that sells various type of oils, including perfume oils that are supposed to be 'pure'. They put out all the pure ones for customers to try but when you finally make your selection, they will give you different quality of oils. This fool (read: me) bought 6 bottles of different stuff and so far I have opened up 3: Essence of the Desert, some oil that's advertised as the main ingredients in Issey Miyake and sweet almond oil for the body. Guess what. They smell and feel nothing like the samples and please don't ask about the longevity. In a nutshell, I got duped. Googling that place brought me to Tripadvisors that is full of angry customers. I still have 3 more bottles to open but frankly I'm afraid to do that. Edit: I've opened up all 6 bottles and I can confirm that they'd tampered with each and everyone of them. I have to use the oils all over my body in order for some smell to come out, which is definitely NOT necessary if they were pure in the first place, only to be odorless in 4-5 hours. At the rate it's going, I'm pretty sure after a year or so, any remaining oils will have lost its smell. Siwa Perfumes, you suckkkkkkkkkkkkkkk.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -LORAC - PRO Palette
blahblahh 12/24/2012 5:38:00 AM
After using it continuously for one month, I think it's time to chime in my opinions on this product. I won't be discussing the colours individually since they have been reviewed beautifully by other people here. Main features: *) Seriously buildable & blendable. You can go for subtle, you can be shocking if you want to, and whatever way you choose, those colours will just blend. *) You can't go wrong with the colour selection. Even if I close my eyes, pick up 3 colours randomly from the palette, I'm sure I can make it work. *) Minimum fallout. *) This palette can bring you from daytime to nighttime. *) Crappy packaging. This is what I get for the price? For the lack of the proper term, I'll just call it cardboard wrapping. The slim size makes it perfect for travelling but that cardboard can't withstand too much shaking. Will I recommend this product? Yes, under the following circumstances: 1. you are just starting to build your eyeshadow collection, 2. there is a particular colour here that you just can't live without, 3. you are considering this as a gift. Otherwise I'd have to say it's not a must-have item because at the end of the day it doesn't compare favourably with its peers. It is a good product on its own but in the world of makeup, comparison is inevitable. I can find substitutes for most of the colours, both glitter and matte, within Wet & Wild and Sleek palettes collection and still get about the same quality of eyeshadows. *gasp*. Did I just compare drugstore brands with Lorac? Yes, I did. And no, I'm not sorry.
14 out of 14 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Small Angled Brush
blahblahh 10/15/2012 1:31:00 AM
I use this for several purposes: *) Eyebrow *) Tightlining - with gel liner, or swipe a pen eyeliner unto the brush before you use it *) Eyeliner *) Cat Eye - with eyeshadow and/or gel *) Lower lash line - use it wet for the wow factor *) Accentuates the outer V of the eyes The key is to use it in SHORT, SLOW strokes for precise application. It's firm but not firm enough to use it in one long swipe. But frankly, how many of us are talented enough to do make up in one swipe? . I've tried high end brushes similar to this one, and I've to say that Elf performs just as well at a fraction of the price.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Powder Brush
blahblahh 10/7/2012 7:19:00 AM
Ladies with large pores, meet Studio Powder Brush. This is your best friend to hang out with. Why? Because it really pushes your foundation or tinted moisturizer or sunblock deep into your skin, fills in the pores and gives you that airbrushed look. Of course, this is not going to make your pores to actually disappear. It's your make believe magic wand for a poreless appearance. Aside from that, I notice that my sunblock is actually tidier when applied with this brush because there's less streaking overall. Here's how I use it: push 1-2 pumps of whatever you want to use, dab the brush, stipple it around the face evenly. Or you can make dots on your face and start stippling from there. Stippling gives better results than going around in circles. However, I know people's skin and face is different, so don't take my word on it. Aside from that, you can also use this for powders (stipple it again, as you would with a sponge), blushes and bronzers. This is truly a magical device. Considering the affordable price on this one, it is perfectly reasonable and legitimate for a girl to have several of this brush. One is for the foundation, one is for the blush, one is for the powder, one is for the TM, one is for the sunblock, one is for the bronzer and an extra one for just-in-case.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Body -Johnson & Johnson - Baby Oil
blahblahh 7/15/2012 8:05:00 AM
*) Shaving: scrub my legs, wash it out, pour baby oil and shave. So smooth. Better than using shaving foam. Scrubbing beforehand is a must. *) Make up remover: wet your face / cotton pad with water, add the baby oil, wipe your eyes. I don't recommend using pure baby oil for this purpose coz it's not as good as mixing it with water. *) Body oil: after shower but before towelling, rub the baby oil lightly. *) Extreme body conditioning: use your normal body moisturizer, top it with baby oil to seal in the moisture. *) Cuticle remover: use cotton pad to wipe it around your fingers. Start picking up the cuticle. I think the result isn't as good as using a proper cuticle remover, but it will do for emergency. *) Body massage: goes without saying it feels better when you have someone to massage you. D'oh. *) Brush cleanser: pour some baby oil into a piece of cloth, wipe your brushes around, follow up with your normal cleanser. I only do this after heavy duty use to deep cleanse my brushes. I'm not fond of using baby oil to pre-cleanse my face, but in general oils and my face just don't mix. However, some people have reported wonderful results, so I thought I'd type it into my review.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Homemade Vitamin C Serum
blahblahh 4/30/2012 5:06:00 AM
It's a no-go for my face (hello whiteheads etc), but love it for the body. I mix 1/4 LAA with 2 teaspoons of water, shake it and spray it all over my body and top it with body moisturizer. The result is brighter, more radiant skin tone all over. I make sure I use it consistently a few days before a big night's out - it makes a difference in the pictures. Too bad I can't use it for the face, but that's alright, that's why they have store bought vitamin C serum.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Trilogy - Rosehip Oil
blahblahh 11/13/2011 4:19:00 AM
I'm oily, clogged prone, milia prone and acne prone. Rosehip and I don't jive together. My face, eyes and neck can't take this, it's just too rich. Whenever I used this, medium/large sized acnes just popped out within a few days. I experimented a couple of times, so I'm sure of this conclusion for myself. To finish up the bottle, I use 3 drops for the entire chest and the back of my hands. It leaves my skin really plump, supple and moisturized. Would I repurchase? No. Too pricey for the limited use.
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
blahblahh 10/5/2011 12:50:00 AM
I'm acne prone and sensitive. Used this as pre-cleanse and as body oil. Within one week, I had: a) 4 cystic acne in weird spots on face b) several boils / abscesses on my body c) clogged pores d) those things with white heads Conclusion: GIGANTIC EEUUUWWW Update: it's been two weeks since I stopped using EVOO but I'm still dealing with the aftermath.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Jean Paul Gaultier - Fragile
blahblahh 8/13/2011 7:19:00 AM
Packaging: the best I've ever seen Longevity: whole day Smell: Heavy, musky, very warm. I know each person has different sense of smell, but this one is headache inducing for me Verdict: I'll gaze on the beautiful bottle and let my sister use it up
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Eyeliner -Laura Mercier - Tightline Cake Eye Liner in Mahogany Brown
blahblahh 6/30/2011 2:21:00 PM
I just got this recently, so my review is for the new formula. The color doesn't show, doesn't last, dry, chalky and hard to apply. Disappointing. Turned out that the new formula requires a separate activator to enhance the intensity. Uh ohh. So that's $22 for the cake, another $20 for the Tightline Activator = $42 for an eyeliner. I really don't get it. WHY couldn't LM stick with the old formula so no primer is necessary?
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Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Complexion Brush
blahblahh 6/29/2011 6:35:00 AM
So this is not for those who'd like precise application for blush on / bronzer. The bristles are too long, too wide, too soft & too flimsy. Can't use it for blending either. But I love it because of those very reasons: too long, too wide, too soft & too flimsy. It's my HG for loose powder application for that soft, light and natural look. Totally kicks MAC 129 to the curb.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Kerastase - Masque Oleo-Relax
blahblahh 6/29/2011 5:34:00 AM
My hair is very long, thick and chemically straightened once a year for the past decade. Hence comes the Oleo-Relax Masque. It gives extra coating to my strands, keeping it strong, very soft, supple and healthy without frizz. After shampoo, I towel dry my hair and put it on for 3-5 minutes. This is NOT a conditioner. A Kerastase consultant once said that conditioner nourishes the hair while masque protects / seals the hair. You can't substitute a masque with a conditioner and vice versa. I don't recommend using this masque too often - the build up can be heavy on your hair. Once or twice a month is good, and please remember that less is more with this product. Tips: *) Use a teaspoon to scoop the product out. No fingers, especially wet fingers. *) Leave the roots alone. *) Save it in a place without direct sunlight. *) Wash your body & face after you rinse out the masque. Don't forget your back. The residue from the masque might do funny things to sensitive skin. *) If you like this product, buy it in the biggest jar. Save up a lot in the long run. *) Don't leave it more than 5 minutes or your hair will get extremely heavy, which will put extra pressure to your roots and yadda yadda. *) I don't recommend this for normal or virgin hair. Chemically treated, frizzy hair due to blowdrys / hair straighteners only.
8 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No