Eyes -L'Oreal - HiP Eye Color Extender
blkwdow666 2/11/2007 7:50:00 PM
This eyeshadow primer ($10 for 4.8ml) is, as stated below, clear. Its
texture is thin enough to spread easily, and it sets quickly. I have both this and Urban Decay Primer Potion, and find no difference in how long my shadows last. In fact, I prefer it to Urban Decay Primer Potion because a) shadows blend over it easily; b) it's easier to find (but sadly, LE); c) it's less expensive, even without sales/coupons factored in.
In short, if you can find it, snag it!
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Liquid -L'Oreal - HIP Flawless Liquid Makeup [DISCONTINUED]
blkwdow666 12/30/2006 10:26:00 PM
This foundation (~$10 for a 1 oz bottle) is a step in
the right direction on the (every!) drugstore level. Where this line excels
is not only in its range of shades, but also its use of categorization
into yellow/red undertones, which make it easier to choose the proper shade. I'm an NC41 (between C4 and NC42 in MAC Studio Fix), and
wear 808 Cafe. If you fall within the range of shades, definitely check it out; here's hoping that it doesn't meet the fate of Maybelline Shades of You and Revlon Colorstyle!
I'll add here to the chorus of those who've pointed out that it's really difficult
at the drugstore level to find suitable foundations for those with deeper skintones, liquid or powder. For those who complain about a lack of lighter shades, some homework:
Next time you're at the drugstore, count the number of lines, then the number of shades within each line, that a woman who is NC/NW40+ could wear. While you're at it, look at how many shades there are for lighter skintones in comparison.
Moreover, consider this: If a range of shades (or an entire line, see references above) is going to be discontinued, or not even carried in the 1st place, it's much more likely to be at the "dark" end than the light/medium one.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -E.L.F. - Wet Gloss Lash and Brow Clear Mascara
blkwdow666 6/15/2006 8:02:00 PM
Another pleasant suprise from the E.L.F. line. This clear mascara ($1) is double-ended; one end is for brows, and the other for lashes, for a groomed, natural look. I bought this as a brow groomer on days (*ahem*) I don't have time before running out the door. Its slim tube (5" long x 3/8" wide) fits easily into my bag for touch-ups. While there's not much product compared to a regular clear mascara, for $1, I've easily gotten my money's worth.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Black Radiance - Eyeshadow Quartet in Desert Clay
blkwdow666 6/15/2006 7:26:00 PM
This eyeshadow quad (~$5 for 5.4g) is a great choice if you want to get your Golden/Bronze Goddess on. Its colours are warm gold (a little deeper than MAC Goldmine), copper (think MAC Amber Lights), antique gold, and espresso brown. The first three are frosts, whereas the espresso is matte. As a GGG (NC41) these shades work well on me, and I can wear it year-round. If you're lighter, these would be good in the summer, again, for that "golden girl" look.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Max Factor - Eyeshadow Trio in Queen Bee
blkwdow666 5/13/2006 3:28:00 PM
I'm on the fence on this one. This eyeshadow trio ($5 for 3.5g) is a great combination of colours (lemon/lime/cantaloupe) that are hard, if not impossible, to find in the drugstore, and the sleek packaging makes it even more eye-catching.
That said, compared to Milani or NYX, they're not as pigmented, so they can work for those with lighter skin tones. For me (NC41), they work well as a day-wearable tropical eye [*].
In fact, I'd call this the eyeshadow equivalent of a none-too-strong tropical drink: Somewhat "festive", but won't knock you out.
[*]-- If you're looking for the "night" version of this, try Ben Nye
Sun Yellow, Chartreuse, and Tangerine.
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Eye Shadow -Milani - Quad in Dream Baby
blkwdow666 4/15/2006 10:38:00 AM
Nice work, Milani!
This well-named quad ($5 for 10g) is the last one I purchased, only because the colours were so subtle, and I prefer deeper, warmer colours. One of its eyeshadows (Taupeary, discussed below) is one of the few shadows in the line I'd consistently passed up, as taupes are tough for me to pull off; they tend to be too grey/pink/light for this GGG. After doing the math ($3 for a single, but $5 for a quad), I decided to go for it.
I've worn this quad for a subtle, neutral eye for work: Pink on the inner upper lid, taupe on the outer lid, Java Bean to line , and beige to highlight. The overall effect is soft, and it doesn't compete with a strong lip if that's my choice for the day.
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Eye Shadow -L'Oreal - HiP Concentrated Duo - Sassy
blkwdow666 4/1/2006 4:02:00 PM
Props to L'oreal on this one. This eyeshadow duo ($7 for 2.4g) consists of a muted teal and deep metallic cool taupe. I'd spied it many a time in the HIP display, and passed it over in favour of others such as Saucy (reviewed elsewhere). I gave it another look when I realized that a) that taupe is a lot like MAC Satin Taupe, and b) maybe a *muted* (as opposed to bright) teal might work out after all.
As it turned out, I was right. I've worn the taupe on the lid up to the crease with the teal as a liner, both wet and dry; even during the day, the teal adds a punch of colour without overpowering the eye. The taupe works well on me, I think because of the metallic finish, which keeps it "lively", and not "bruisey" on this GGG. I'm finally off the fence w/Satin Taupe--I've got my dupe right here!
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Bronzers -Wet 'n' Wild - Acapulco Glow
blkwdow666 3/20/2006 7:55:00 PM
Another of Wet 'n' Wild's best products. This bronzer ($3 for 7.4g) is, as stated below, the warm (golden-toned) version of W'n'W's all Over Shimmer, which I would use, but sparingly. Acapulco Glow, on the other hand, I've worn as a face highlighter, as an eyeshadow from crease to brow, and as a low-rent substitute for my Physician's Formula Virtual Face Powder (great product, but bulky for travel). Its shimmer is subtle, lending a glow without announcing itself to the world.
Of all the blush/bronzer shades in the line, this is the one that sells out first--if you see it, snag two!
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Eye Shadow -E.L.F. - Non-Stop Eye Color -- Butternut
blkwdow666 3/19/2006 3:25:00 PM
More Cheap Thrills!
The eye shadow quad ($1 for 4.8g) is another suprise from this line.
Its shadows are light beige, peach, coffee, and medium golden brown. The first three have
shimmer, and the golden brown has a metallic(!) finish, not something I'd expect at this price point
(Hello-- a quarter a shadow!).
I bought this quad for the coffee and golden brown, and I wasn't disappointed; they wore well with my usual Jordana Champagne Craze stick eyeshadow as a base. (For the record, the lighter colours are fine, I just don't wear them as much.) I bought this to keep in my backpack for a neutral, go-with-anything eye. Again, good quality as a even better price.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -E.L.F. - Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder -- Sunkissed
blkwdow666 3/19/2006 12:46:00 PM
How do they do it? Then again, who cares?
This bronzer ($1 for 7g), a warm peachy bronze with shimmer, is the lighter of the two in the line. Compared
to E.L.F.'s blushes, it's a blend of Glow ( = NARS Orgasm) and Bronze, which is a shimmering straight-up bronzed brown.
It has good pigmentation, and
and I had no problem getting this on my brush. As with most bronzers,
I (NC41) wear this as a blush; the shimmer adds a glow without being over the top. All in all, a super product for less than the change in your couch.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Physicians Formula - Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Loose Powder
blkwdow666 3/12/2006 8:12:00 PM
I'll join in the praises for this product. I've tried (and will soon return) BE foundation in Tan, because it's a bit too dark and neutral, which makes it look "off". This PF mineral foundation ($12 for 14g) is lighter and slightly warmer, though I mix it with a bit of golden iridescent powder for a warmer "glow". I'd give it extra points for packaging; while not as compact as the BE foundation, its "controlled" (covered) sifter and usable mini kabuki brush built into the packaging means that I'm neither wasting product nor scrambling for a brush. The only caveat is, as always, the shade range; I (GGG -- NC41) wear Sand Beige, the darkest of the 6 shades, which in the context of skintones, isn't all that dark.
I also sprinkle the powder out of the sifter into the domed top, and swirl my brush in that--works great!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -L'Oreal - HiP Concentrated Duo - Lively #308
blkwdow666 12/13/2005 12:49:00 PM
This duo (~$7 for 2.4g) is part of the new H.I.P. (High Intensity Pigments) line; L'oreal seems to be taking a page out of the Milani book, i.e., vivid colours and stronger pigmentation. I found that these shadows lasted all day with my usual base (Jordana Eye Fixation in Champagne Craze).
This duo is on the corner of MAC Humid & Shroom. It consists of a dark forest green and champagne taupe, both with shimmer. The taupe is a bit darker and less frosty than MAC Shroom, and worked well for me (GGG) as an all-over wash. The green is the star here; its intensity is a great contrast to the taupe, and the duo makes a great green smokey eye. At a fraction of the price of MAC, especially with the paucity of good deep greens at the drugstore, give it a go!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -L'Oreal - HiP Concentrated Duo - Saucy #818
blkwdow666 12/13/2005 12:38:00 PM
This duo (~$7 for 2.4g) is part of the new H.I.P. (High Intensity Pigments) line; L'oreal seems to be taking a page out of the Milani book, i.e., vivid colours and stronger pigmentation. I found that these shadows lasted all day with my usual base (Jordana Eye Fixation in Champagne Craze).
This duo consists of a metallic (think Shu Uemura ME series) amber and shimmery chocolate brown. On me (GGG), these are great basics; if you can pull off MAC Amber Lights and Mulch, or want to see if you can, definitely look into these, at a fraction of the price.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -Black Radiance - Bronzing Powder C3501 Radiant Glow
blkwdow666 8/31/2005 9:00:00 PM
This bronzer (~$4 for 8.8g) is a bronzed rose with a built-in gold highlighter. I'd put it in the same colour family as NARS Lovejoy and MAC Ambering Rose. I don't use it as a bronzer, but as a blush, as I do with most bronzers anyway. As a GGG (NC41), this is a great mix of bronze and rose that looks just as good on cheeks as it does on eyes, reminiscent of a summer sunset. Since it's designed for women of colour, it's pigment-packed, so much so that I dip my brush in loose powder first, lightly tap it on the bronzer, dot both cheeks, then blend in. I've also scraped a bit off and mixed the shavings with moisturizer to create a cream blush; it works well for that as well.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Neutrogena - Facial Cleansing Bar
blkwdow666 8/28/2005 1:32:00 PM
An address to the poster below:
Show me the numbers, i.e., the specific studies, in reputable journals using acceptable scientific procedure, which you are referring to. Moreover, I'd like to see how said ingredient was administered (orally? topically? through the respiratory system?), the length of its administration, its dosage relative to the body mass of the organism, and the applicability of findings to humans.
I recognize that there are many, many risks in our enviornment, but keep the fear-mongering.
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