Eye Shadow -MAC - Satin Taupe
bubblegumpoo 2/23/2013 8:42:00 AM
I had been very interested in this shade for quite a while because of all the hype, but was disappointed when I first played around with it. I wasn't able to really make this shadow work on my NC20 complexion. It turned more purple than taupe, and looked kind of ashy too. However, I find that placing a lighter, cooler shade (like Naked Lunch) helps bring out the taupe in the shadow rather than the purple and I quite like it that way. Also, definitely one of the better formulated MAC shadows; pigmented, buttery, and smooth. On a seperate note, I tried using this to contour my face as it looked quite similar to Chanel Notorious (just more shimmery and purple)and... It worked! I was expecting a major fail as this has quite a bit of shimmer, but a teeny tiny bit went a long way. Really helped chisel my face and looked natural too. I could not detect any shimmer on my face either. If you are cool-toned (and not too pale) try it out!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -Guerlain - Meteorites Travel Touch in Mythic 01
bubblegumpoo 2/15/2013 8:29:00 AM
I honestly don't get this product. I am a real highlighter h00r but still am totally baffled over the hype over Guerlain Ballz and Meteorites. It gives a very powdery/glittery/sparkly highlight that looks artificial . I have combo skin, and don't find this to really help my skin look more dewy. It doesn't help prolong foundation wear either. I guess if you are a fan of the Meteorites, this would be a handy "on the go" powder for travelling purposes. However, it's quite unsanitary to use as you can't take off the sponge applicator to wash without ripping or destroying it. The packaging is pretty though. And I am partial to the scent. I just never find myself reaching for this.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Yves Saint Laurent - Forever Youth Liberator
bubblegumpoo 1/13/2013 12:13:00 AM
This serum is amazing! I got a sample as a GWP but fell in love with it that I had to get the full size. 2 drops of this and you're skin will sing hallelujah. You can instantly feel your skin sinking this serum in and it really helped with my skintone and redness (I am in my early 20's so can't really say what it does for lines/maintaining youth). Applying this before foundation helps give a sort of glowy effect too. Would be a nice kind of primer for dry skinned gals! There are 2 things about this I don't like though. First of all, it's fragranced. My skin doesn't mind fragrance, but I just prefer unfragranced skincare. I feel that it'd be better for my skin. Also, the packaging is annoying. The design of the bottle is luxurious, and there's no problem using the product when it's brand new. However, when you've used up a lot of the product, it's a real b$@% to get the product out.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Soba (Satin)
bubblegumpoo 12/10/2012 3:57:00 AM
My favorite MAC e/s! I'm NC 20, Asian, and love this to slightly deepen the outer part of my eye. Combining this with a matte nude tone and a brown eyeliner, I get the most sultry yet natural looking eye. It's not the most pigmented or kapow type of eyeshadow but it's definitely a great shadow for beginners or people who like light, natural looking makeup. Love!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -Christian Dior - Shimmer Powder 002 Amber Diamond, Spring 08
bubblegumpoo 11/9/2012 5:12:00 AM
Looking for a highlighter that isn't too chunky or obvious, even with a heavy hand? This is the stuff right here. Seriously! I had heard a lot of raves for this so I gave it a try while I was at a Dior counter. I wasn't really expecting much because all the other hyped highlighters I'd tried (BB shimmerbrick, MAC soft and gentle) were really chunky or glittery/obvious on me. I asked the SA to apply it on my face and she took out a huge brush and seriously piled a heckload of product on the brush and onto my face. I thought the SA was crazy and didn't know a thing about MU but then I saw my reflection in the mirror and was sold. This seriously looks so dewey and shiny rather than glittery and chunky. Doesn't leave that obvious highlighted look to your face. And when it catches the light, it's absolutely gorgeous! Honest to god, the best highlighter I've ever tried. Really recommend it to those who have a bit of a heavy hand when it comes to makeup because there really seems to be no such thing as too much of this product. Just be warned that it's gold/yellow toned so if that doesn't work with your skintone, you should probably pass on this .Otherwise, definitely worth the purchase!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Go on Green
bubblegumpoo 10/17/2012 4:08:00 AM
What a fun colored, unique polish! This color reminds me a lot of a mermaid's fin as it has a bit of green, lavender and silver reflect going on. I would have never purchased this color on my own but it's been a great and fun suprise to my somewhat monotonous nail polish collection. Very sheer so you need to add 3 to 4 layers to get the color you want but it's very workable and doesn't get clumpy or streaky.
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Makeup Brushes -Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman - Brush Collection Core Collection
bubblegumpoo 10/8/2012 6:52:00 AM
This brush set is perfection. I had been eyeing this set for quite a while. The buffing brush and 109 dupe were too intriguing to pass up. Bought the set from iherb.com, and compared to my local drugstore that carries this for about 40 bucks (I live in Korea), so I got quite a good deal. I highly recommend the site for those living aboad! A little break down of the brushes: Buffing brush: Great for foundation. I have the Expert Face Brush from Samantha Chapman too and worried that it would basically be the same thing all over again, but it really isn't. This gives a less full-coverage and thus more natural finish. Also, the great thing about this brush is that it literally takes you 5 seconds to apply foundation. A great fuss free brush. Contour brush: I had been excited about this one because a lot of people compared it to the Mac 109. Got to say though, it's really not anything like the 109 for me. It's more narrow and dome-shaped, so I don't think I'd actually use it for contouring. If you had a very small face, it might work. I don't. However, I love this for highlighting. It is amazing for highlighting! Eyeliner brush: When I first got this set, I knew I wouldn't have a lot use out of this brush. Some people mentioned using it as a lip brush but I apply my lippy straight out of the tube. Ironically though, this has become my most used brush out of this collection. I use it to fill in my brows! It's great as it doesn't pick up too much product, and you can also be a little more precise when filling in your brows. Foundation brush: I'm going to be honest and say I never use this. It's too small to use as a foundation brush, yet too big to use as a concealer brush. If you wear liquid highlighter, this might come in handy, but I honestly have no use for this brush. All the brushes, like any other Samantha Chapman brush, have amazingly soft bristles. I have not experienced any shedding whatsoever with any of my brushes, even after 3 months of use. Even if you already have an extensive brush collection, or are a newbie to makeup, I definitely think this set is worth looking into!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -Queen Helene - Mint Julep Masque
bubblegumpoo 9/4/2012 9:12:00 AM
Dry skinned gals, BEWARE. I fell in love with this product at first try and began preaching this stuff to lots of my friends. I also gave a tub of this to my mom, but she hated it. And I mean, absolutely hated it. I should have realized that because this mask is so drying and deep cleaning, it wouldn't have been everyone's cup of tea. I've been using this for a few weeks and have learned some tricks and tips for anyone interested: 1_ Don't use this all over your face. Obviously, you can if you want. But on a regular basis, or too often, this can dry out even the oiliest of skins. Rather, use it on areas where you have the most oily and acne prone skin (like your T-Zone). 2_ Use it as a nose mask Strip off nose masks actually worsen your blackheads so using masks to suck out the gunk is much better. Just squeeze a bit of this on your nose every 4-5 days and you're good to do. Plus, there isn't a more satisfying feeling than seeing oily spots around your nose (or maybe that's just me) when this green mask dries up 3_ Apply a heavy moisture treatment afterwards If you have oily skin, you'd never think of using moisture heavy creams or treatments on your face, but after you use this mask, you'll definitely want to. Plus, sucking out the bad moisture and replenishing it with good, non-clogging moisture will benefit your skin, depending on your skintype of course. All in all, I really recommend this product. And at this price, it's practically a steal. Lovely product!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Falsies
bubblegumpoo 7/15/2012 1:17:00 AM
Really recommend it for those looking for a mascara that thickens your lashes. I wouldn't go as far and say that this makes my lashes actually look like falsies, but they help bring a little oomph to them and make them tons more noticeable. This does clump if you're not careful though, so applying little by little in layers rather than lather it on all at once is really important. Wholeheartedly recommend this product!
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Skincare - Face -MAC - Fix+
bubblegumpoo 6/22/2012 9:51:00 AM
This is a great multi-functional product that I'm glad to have discovered! Let me start off by saying that the nozzle on the bottle is amazing, and disperses product better than any spray I've ever used. I have oily skin, so I don't like to use it as a setting spray after I apply my makeup. However, it works quite nice as a toner of sorts before I apply moisturizer. Helps everything sink into my skin better! I also like squirting some on my foundation brush when I want a more sheer application, or on my brushes when I use mineral products (soft and gentle, and skin finish become totally different products when used this way!) Also, since it's summer, I like popping this into my fridge during the day. It feels divine that way, I really recommend people try this method out!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -L'Oreal - Infallible in Iced Latte
bubblegumpoo 6/22/2012 9:45:00 AM
Great for a wash of color on the lids, as well as an inner highlight. Lovely texture, very long-wearing, and fuss-free. This is a real no-brainer shadow that I think everybody would benefit from having it in their stash.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -MAC - Strobe Cream
bubblegumpoo 6/22/2012 9:11:00 AM
This has seriously changed the way I apply my makeup. I've been having some funky business with all my foundations recently, as they seemed to be sitting on top of my skin, rather than sink in and look natural. Got this baby, and those problems have disappeared! This is a magical cream that really makes all my foundations look like my skin but better. Doesn't give that scary highlighted look to the face, and almost is undectable to my eye when I wear it. In photographs, I can definitely tell though, as it gives the most beautiful "lit from within" glow to my face. Wearing it alone sans foundation is another way I enjoy using this, and I actually seem to get more compliments about my skin that way. Even if you are an oily skinned gal, I think this can work for you. I myself have combo/oily skin, but applying a teeny bit of Strobe Cream on my cheeks makes the biggest difference. It's probably best to skip applying this onto your nose, as it can become extremely shiny within hours. Another great thing about this is it contains loads of anti-oxidants. About a week after buying this, I saw Paula Begoun, the famous makeup critic, sing praise for this product. I'd bought it as a highlighter, but got the added bonus of a fab skincare product too. Win!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman - Expert Face Brush
bubblegumpoo 6/11/2012 7:30:00 AM
I was a bit concerned that this brush was hyped about because of it's cheap price, and not it's amazing quality, but decided to give it a go anyways. Glad to say that's definitely not the case. The difference between this and the buffing brush in the core collection is that the expert face brush is more suited for cream and liquid foundations, and the buffing brush for powder and mineral foundations. This is also round topped, rather than flat-topped like the buffing brush. The brisltes are so soft and dense that I couldn't help but rub it across my cheeks the first day I got it in the mail. It just feels so good. Gives a more full coverage finish, but it can easily be toned down by squirtzing a bit of water onto the brush before applying foundation. The construction of the brush is superb too. Very sturdy and cool-looking.
19 out of 19 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Estee Lauder - Advanced Night Repair (Serum)
bubblegumpoo 6/10/2012 1:22:00 AM
I have to say, this is probably the only skin care item that I actually believe lives up to the hype. I'm in my mid 20's and I don't suffer from acne, nor have major skin issues but I have still noticed a MAJOR difference in my skin after using this. I only use this at night before I go to bed because a) it's bloody expensive and b) I don't want to over pamper my skin. I use about 3 teeny weeny drops of this and gently pat, rather than swipe, onto my skin. It feels heavenly once applied, and my skin is still able to breathe through this serum, rather than feel suffocated, which is great as I have quite combo/oily skin. After a week of continuously using this, I already began to see the results in my skintone. The redness in my skin had toned down and I had a sort of glow to my face, rather than it look like a pile of slick. It's been about 2 months now, and in combination with my healthier new diet that includes loads of veggies and fruits, I can honestly say my skin has never looked better. I've stopped using foundation on my skin too and just couldn't be happier.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -J. Lo - Miami Glow
bubblegumpoo 5/23/2012 10:15:00 PM
I had asked my BF to pick Glow by J.Lo at duty free, and he mistakenly brought me this. This has an uber strong, in your face kind of scent that has a variety of different notes that I don't appreciate at all. I'd give it 1 lippie based on personal preference, but have to admit that it is a good quality perfume. One spritz of this will last throughout the whole day. It does have a certain tropical Miami feeling to it too, so it's an okay scent for summer.
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