Concealers -Bobbi Brown - Corrector
bublebulle 1/24/2013 7:46:00 PM
I got this product from a swap and wanted to compare it with what I already own. I have this corrector in the shade Peach, I'm a NC40 and it's my perfect corrector shade to counteract blue dark circles. This is quite creamy, packaging is great with a little mirror for touch ups if needed and easy to clean with rubbing alcohool or a makeup sanitizer. BUT it settles into the fine lines no matter how little product I use and even when it's set with powder. For the price, I expected more of it. I'll stick to my favourite undereye concealer to date which is the Eve Pearl Salmon concealer - same great packaging, but it contains two shades than can be mixed together if needed to suit your skintone, is really creamy thus easy to use and apply, is long lasting and doesn't set into fine lines. It's been years I use EP Salmon concealer and I now know that it beats BB's one hands down.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Unlisted Brand - Erborian - 3-1 BB Cream au Ginseng "baby skin effect"
bublebulle 7/16/2012 1:53:00 PM
I usually don't like tinted moisturizers or BB creams, since I've found that these just color the skin and don't really smooth the complexion out. But the Erborian BB Cream made me change my mind. I was looking for something lighter than a foundation for summertime and it really gives what I expected from such a type of products which means a light coverage, with no mask-like effect, coupled with a 25-SPF moisturizer. I wouldn't recommend it to someone who has dry skin though, since I've found that it enhanced the dry patches when my face wasn't sufficiently exfoliated and hydrated (I have combination skin). I can use it alone, but I think that it looks even better with a very light moisturizer that was put beforehand (Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizer Gel). I still have to use a concealer because of my acne scars, but I don't mind since I wasn't expecting a heavy coverage from the BB cream anyway. I agree with one the review below - I'm a MAC NC40/42 and MUFE HD 128 and the shade "Doré" fits me perfectly.
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Eye Shadow -Unlisted Brand - Makeup Geek Moondust
bublebulle 2/26/2012 2:25:00 PM
MUG Moondust is a beautiful combination of taupe, brown and silver with shimmer - simply gorgeous! Pigmentation is great, texture feels almost buttery like, blendability and staying power are really good - all those qualities for only $6! I find this color to be very versatile and suitable for both day and night wear. I love to pair it with MUG Corrupt when I want a dramatic look. On the website, Moondust was swatched next to MAC Patina for comparison - they're not exact dupes for each other but you get a good idea of what the shade looks like. It also reminds me a tiny bit of MAC LE Smoke and Diamonds in terms of finish, except that the latter has more silver in it, so even more on the cooler side than Moondust. I really love this color and I can see myself using it again and again. If you wanted to get some Makeup Geek e/s but wasn't sure which ones to chose first, I would definitely recommend to buy Moondust and Corrupt to start with - they're awesome!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Unlisted Brand - Makeup Geek Corrupt eyeshadow
bublebulle 2/26/2012 1:34:00 PM
I was very impressed with this eye shadow! I totally agree with one the reviews below: the pigmentation is INSANE, payoff is really good and the color lasts all day long without fading or turning blue on my eyes. At last, here's a true, deep black!! Nothing like MAC Carbon which does look grey compared to MUG Corrupt (for a good matte dark grey, try MAC Typographic, which is wonderful in texture and pigmentation). As for a majority of matte eye shadows, blending requires a bit more work but honestly, I didn't find difficult to use Corrupt at all. Just be aware not to put too much product on your brush - a dab with your tool is enough because remember, it's really pigmented. And since the product is a bit crumbly, make sure you did tap the excess off before applying it or you'll mess up your makeup with fallouts. Marlena, the owner of the Makeup Geek brand, did a great job for her e/s line (I own 3 at the moment, but plan to get more colors). I love that they're really good quality, made in the US and cruelty-free for less than $10 per e/s! Not to mention the international shipping cost which is reasonable too. A definite winner for me!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Suqqu - Eye Shadow S
bublebulle 2/7/2012 6:00:00 AM
Ella343's review said it all about this brush so that I won't add much to it. The Suqqu Eye Shadow brush S is a great detail brush, with very soft, natural bristles (thanks to its uncut tips) yet very efficient in picking up colors which was what surprised me the most. I was expecting softness but really wondered if the brush itself would actually be good for applying pigment and blending. Well, it is. And it's just excellent at doing both at the same time. I've also observed no shedding, no dye bleeding either, and it retains its shape really well, even without my Brush Guard on it (I guess it's the minimum costumers expect, appart from effectiveness, when paying for a pricey brush). If I remember correctly, hair is blue or grey squirrel which is wonderful to the touch, but also fragile and because I'm too afraid to ruin such a precious tool, I won't be using this brush to blend out creams or liquids (I use my Shu Uemura 5R Kolinsky, my Hakuhodo B533BkSL or my MAC 219 for that purpose).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -Chanel - Soleil Tan de Chanel - Bronzing Makeup Base
bublebulle 8/22/2011 12:53:00 PM
I've splurged on the Chanel Soleil Tan Bronzing Makeup Base after watching the Chapman sisters aka Pixiwoo and DRBrooklyn in YT videos in which they were using it and/or raving about it. But I got the best use of the product after I watched Lisa Eldridge's one (link => http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFz5diZd8hU ). I love this product. Love its consistency and its scent. It's about one or two shades darker than my skintone (MAC NC40/MUFE HD 128) so I can use it for contouring (though I find it a bit orangey for that puprpose) but by using Lisa's method of application, it really brightens my complexion ( => swirl a kabuki brush into the cream and put most of it on the back of the hand to sheer it out, before actually using it on your face). In the morning, I look very ashy, with a dead-like face (no kidding here, it's that bad!!) but the Soleil Tan gives me a beautiful glow without any shimmer, which I really like. I sometimes use it in place of my foundation and mix my concealer with what's left of product on the back of my hand to get a perfect color match. A touch of blush to complete and I look as if my complexion is naturally good (which is not the case of course). At 37.50€, this is not a cheap, but since you really get a lot of product - which will last you a long time - I don't think it's *that* expensive at the end. I've been using this regularly for 6 months now, and I'm still far from reaching the half of it.
14 out of 14 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Foundation
bublebulle 8/12/2011 5:16:00 PM
This is the only foundation I've found that perfectly matches my skin (MAC NC40 => MUFE HD 128). This is a medium coverage foundation but it doesn't feel heavy at all. The finish is not completely matte, not completely dewy which is great for my combination skin - it doesn't enhance the dry patches on my cheeks or the breakouts I sometimes have on my chin and forehead. It looks beautiful on pictures and in real life so this is my go-to face product. I apply it with my Sigma F80 for a flawless result. The packaging could be better though. I love the pump for hygienic purposes (I use a pump and a half for my entire face) but they designed the bottle poorly. What the heck were they thinking when they came with this opaque packaging?! It's impossible to know what's left inside and you could easily take it to travel, thinking you have enough product for several uses, and then discover that the bottle is empty once you need it. Wish the container was transparent - if it was, I would change my overall rating from 4 to 5!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -MAC - 109 Small Contour Brush
bublebulle 8/12/2011 4:27:00 PM
The MAC 109 is a very lovely brush I use for blush application/contouring. It is soft and dense, and applies the powdery products very precisely yet in a diffused way, for a pretty, well blended result. But it unfortunately sheds a little bit when used with cream or liquids which is annoying when you have to remove each hair from your face or your product! :-/ The reason I didn't give it the maximum lippies is because I have found a much, much better dupe. The Hakuhodo 210 Blush Brush Round is softer (thanks to its uncut hair tip), a tiny bit denser, applies powders AND creams without shedding a single hair and the best of all, it costs less than the 109! The MAC one retails at USD$32, and the Hakuhodo 210 at USD$26. Great, isn't it? ;-)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -MAC - #150 Large Powder Brush
bublebulle 8/5/2011 7:28:00 AM
While I love the MAC eye brushes - the 217 and 239 being IMHO truly staples for any makeup lover's kit - I have found that some of their face brushes didn't really worth the money, especially for the price they retail, with an exception for the 109 which is really good (though the Hakuhodo 210 is even better for a few dollars less!). The 150 Powder brush is probably the worst amongst all the MAC ones I've tried. It distributes the product okay but feels scratchy, keeps on bleeding the dye even after several washes and costs too much for what it really delivers. If you choose to give this brush a miss, you'll have no difficulty to find a better alternative for the same price or cheaper.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -BeneFit Cosmetics - Powderflage
bublebulle 6/14/2011 10:23:00 AM
Well, I have quite mixed feelings about this product. I don't think it's a bad product overall, but you can definitely find something equivalent or better for a much better price. You get only 3,2g and the Benefit Powderflage retails here for 29,50€!! I mean, it's just a powder. Yes, it doesn't sink into the lines, but the brightening effect is not really obvious, especially if you're tan or darker. I think that to be more effective and to compliment more varieties of skintones, they should have come with 2 shades - one pink, and the other peach. To be honest, as the brightening effect is almost non-existent on me (NC40), I think this product is useless. I have found that my Make Up For Ever HD Powder is just as good, except that it retails at 27,50€ for 10g worth of product! Yes, that's a huge difference.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Shu Uemura - Pure Kolinsky Brush 5R
bublebulle 6/8/2011 4:33:00 PM
This tapered pure kolinsky brush is one of my staple makeup brushes for years. I love it much more than my MAC 219 and even a little bit more than my Hakuhodo B533BkSL. It has the perfect shape, perfect size, perfect stiffness - yet very soft bristles - to work with everything a makeup addict loves, that is to say creams, powders, liquids... I have found that it blends out/smudges eye shadows or pencils beautifully, creating a gradation with the color without the harsh-looking line that you can sometimes have with the 219 (though I love this effect too). I must admit that I didn't expect a brush this small to range at such a high price (US$60), but we're talking here about pure kolinsky hair, a very expensive and rare material. Honestly, this brush is worth every penny I spent on it because it delivers what I paid for and will last me for years and years, and years. You'll be fine living without ever using this brush, but if you want to treat yourself with an excellent, hand-made product, then why not splurge and get this one? I did and I'm really glad about it. :-)
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Nivea - Extreme Resist
bublebulle 6/5/2011 8:23:00 AM
I'm really disappointed about this mascara, for the following reasons: - It didn't give any length or volume to my lashes. - It flakes - my eyes got quite irritated when I was using it. - The brush itself has quite a bizarre shape, not really easy/practical to use. - It's supposed to be waterproof, but if you have oily eyelids like I do, and even with a good primer on (Too Faced Shadow Insurance or UDDP), it smudges. - Stangely, I don't find this mascara to be waterproof except when it comes to remove it: if I did not use my MAC Cleanse Off Oil, I would have to rub my eyes to get rid of everything...! This mascara may be OK for someone who doesn't have oily lids and full lashes already. But if you have thin, straight lashes like I have, it'll do nothing for you... and you'll end up with smudges below your bottom lashes by midday. I'm sure you can find better for the same price range.
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Makeup Brushes -Suqqu - Face Brush
bublebulle 3/21/2011 2:54:00 PM
I love brushes. I do. Some people collect stamps, others collect makeup - I collect brushes. I started with very cheap tools - the kind of 20 brush sets you find on Ebay for 15€ - but I soon discovered that they performed quite bad (this is an understatement in that particular case) - they did not pick up color well, felt harsh on the skin and did not give good results. I knew I had to invest in some good quality brushes. Little by little, I bought MAC, MUFE, Louise Young, Shu Uemura and finally Hakuhodo (which is my absolute favorite by far). I guess that over time, when it comes to makeup tools, my standards/expectations got pretty high. :-/ I now own about 100+ pieces but I love being in the search for something new - new shape, new hair, new way of applying makeup. So when I saw this brush on a Lisa Eldridge's video, it instantly went on my wishlist. It's been quite hard to get my hands on it. I had to give a phone call to the Suqqu Selfridges' counter to put it aside, so that one my friend who lives in London could take it for me (I live in France and the shipping cost was £60 at the time!! (not available online yet)). I was lucky and very pleased to deal with very, very nice MAs and had no issues afterwards. But this brush is darn expensive - £168! (around 193€ / US$274). It cost me even more than my most expensive Hakuhodo brush! I thought I did not hear well when she confirmed me its price! I remember I could feel my eyes watering when I paid, but I don't regret I've bought it though. I think the best description I could give you about this brush is actually from the beauty blogger Not Enough Lipgloss: "I think being wrapped & caressed in warm fluffy clouds would be the most appropriate. The hairs are so soft and light it literally feels like gentle air on my face." Yes, this is THAT good! I always look for it when it's time for my face powder. The bristles are soooooo soft that they could send me to sleep...! The handle is not too short, not too long, but I'm always kinda surprised when I hold it as it feels very light - I wish it felt heavier in my hand. Also, it's tapered so more precise compared to other big, fluffy face brushes. If it wasn't so pricey, I would definitely recommend it but this item is real luxury and I totally understand that paying that much for a brush sounds (is?) kinda crazy, even for a brush lover like me. But I can't help thinking that this Suqqu face brush is just a league of its own - I L.O.V.E it.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Sigma - F80 Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki (was SS197)
bublebulle 2/26/2011 8:44:00 AM
** Edit February 16th, 2012 ** After only a year of use, one my F80 out of the two that I bought litterally lost its hair all at once! I've noticed a few hairs shedding the days before but I was really shocked when all the bristles separated from the ferrule while I was washing it. I'd like to insist on the fact that I really am a brush lover and collector (I own 120+, mostly high end), so I perfectly know how to wash and take care of my tools properly (I don't let water run into the ferrule and I always hold the heads down when I wash them. During the drying process, the little brushes are layed down with their heads free in the air on a towel whereas the big ones (especially my Sigmax face brushes since they are so dense) are being hanged upside down). I have brushes for 5 years that I've used and washed on a daily basis - like I do for my F80s - that still look and perform like new, so the problem is not the maintenance but the not-so-good quality of the tool itself. I removed a lippie to the review for this reason because if Sigma claims their products to be equivalent to MAC quality for a much affordable price, this SHOULD'NT happen! Their costumer service is great though since they kindly sent me a replacement brush. I now have to use it and wait to see if this problem ever happens again. Maybe I had a tool from a bad batch? If nothing occurs, I'll put the 5 lippies back since it performs great and I still love it; if not, then I'll have to admit that the Sigma products are not as good as they claim to be. Will update. ******************************************************************** I used to apply my foundation with a Beauty Blender, but this is not the most convenient tool for every day - I now keep it for occasional uses. So I was on the hunt for THE perfect foundation brush. I tried MAC 190, 187, Louise Young LY02 and LY34 - all are good but were missing that little something that would tell me "this is it!". I think that with the Sigma F80, I've finally found what I wanted. To be honest, I didn't want to love this brush - I did not like the way Sigma put themselves into the market as a MAC copycat, though they said they didn't. Don't get me wrong, I do not swear by MAC (I'm more of a MUFE fan) but using the same numbers to name their brushes was not totally accidental, right? (Though their numbering system has been changed ever since). So I must admit that I started with quite negative thoughts about the company, especially with all these gurus on YT who all raved about the kits after receiving theirs for free... Until I watched a video of somebody who used to think the same way as me! She seemed to review the kit honestly (not only pros but ALSO cons) and then the Sigma F80. She said that it was awesome. I really hesitated but finally ordered one (brush + shipping cost to Europe is still less expensive that buying an actual MAC foundation brush...!) and... well, I had to admit that I should NEVER take anything for granted, because the F80 is a fantastic brush. Really. I love, love, love this brush. It buffs foundation onto the skin like nothing else. The bristles are very, very soft. The brush is quite dense and perfectly applies your product without any streaks and the result is a flawless face. Also, I've observed no shedding or ferrule loosening so far. The only negative thing I'd say about it is that you have to be very thorough when you wash it. The density of the bristles is a quality but also a downside when it comes to cleansing. Make sure that all the Marseilles' soap (or baby shampoo) is gone before you put it to dry because any residue will gradually damage any brush. The drying time is quite long too - overnight is not enough, you'll have to wait about 20-24 hours. I still wouldn't buy their other brushes appart from their Sigmax/HD line - which is awesome. I'm a Hakuhodo convert and because I've reached such a high level of quality, there's no coming back for me to other brands except for a very few brushes (MAC 217 or Sigma F80 obviously!) but I highly recommend this brush - you won't be disappointed!
11 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -MAC - Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline
bublebulle 1/23/2011 7:36:00 AM
MAC Feline is the blackest eye liner I've ever had. I've tried Urban Decay Zero, MUFE aqua black and numerous of drugstore brands but none of them came to be as black and smudgy as Feline is. For these 2 reasons, I find it to be the perfect base for a quick smokey eye. I have tried different options to make it look beautiful from the application until I remove it 12 or 14 hours later and this is what worked best for me: I begin by using and eye primer (TFSI), then apply a neutral color (MAC Brulé) all over the lid to smooth this area and act as a first layer (layering is what is going to make your make up last all day without fading). I line my eyes with Feline, smudging and fading in the color with a pencil brush (Hakuhodo B533BkSL, Shu Uemura 5R or MAC 219) and set this base using a black eye shadow (MAC Carbon). This last step really helps as it acts as our last layer, preventing the creamy texture of the pencil from smudging any more than wanted. Though I do love this eye liner, I wish it was even more creamy (hence the one lippie down). I've heard that Stila Eye Kajal is wonderful but unfortunately can't get my hands on it in my country. I would definitely re-buy it and the next time it launches, I'll buy a back-up too.
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