Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous Million Lashes
cSquaredFactotum 8/4/2011 5:24:00 PM
The trick to this mascara is to apply it slowly. When i first got it, it looks awful, but now it looks fine on the lashes. It is a defining mascara, that gives a lot of length. Personally, I only reach for this when I am going for a very natural look (wearing nothing but mascara) because it's not over powering. However, I have good length to my lashes, so usually i go for thickening mascaras which this is not. The packaging is very pretty, and this mascara does not flake. However, it is--along with other l'oreal mascaras--rather pricey for drugstore. It does what it says it does, but you can get separating mascaras for cheaper, and since it's not what I generally like, I will not be repurchasing.
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Cleansers -St. Ives - Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser
cSquaredFactotum 8/4/2011 5:13:00 PM
I am very pleased with this cleanser. I have been using it for about two months now, morning and night. I wash my face twice at night, and find it removes my makeup well. It has kept my breakouts under control (i still break out, but not as much). I have combo skin, so I do have to moisturize well after cleansing since it does dry out my skin quite a lot. Every other day, I mix a pump of this with baking soda to make a very serious anti-acne, poor-clearing exfoliator, but I DO NOT recommend that for people with sensitive skin. Overall, this is very inexpensive, removes my makeup, doesn't irritate my skin and helps with blemishes. All that said, of course I will be repurchasing!
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Pressed Powders -Maybelline - Dream Matte Pressed Powder
cSquaredFactotum 7/3/2011 11:26:00 PM
i love this powder. i have gone well beyond the 'just hit pan' stage and am 100% prepared to pick up another. it has good enough coverage that now that it is summer i just apply concealer and this. i urge you to before you look at the puff and forget about it to try it. i think when you pick up a small amount of powder and swipe/pat it into the skin the puff works wonderfully. i apply this with the puff across the T-zone and to set my under eyes and then i go over the rest of my face using a powder brush. it keeps my oily T-zone matte pretty well. i have this in medium 0-1 but i will probably go a shade darker when i repurchase as i'll have tanned. two things i want to mention: 1) the numbering/shade of the maybelline dream products is not the same for every product. i have this in medium 0-1 and the dream matte concealer in light 2-3.5 and it looks almost darker than the powder. just something to keep in mind when purchasing. 2) although this claims, and even advertises it's 'matteness' if you look closely you will see there is a very little amount of shimmer to this product. not enough to make it noticeable, but it just gives the face a little more life than a straight matte powder. personally, i like this, but it is something to keep in mind.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Hard Candy - Sheer Envy Tinted Moisturizer spf15
cSquaredFactotum 6/29/2011 8:50:00 PM
i liked this. good coverage (for a TM), nice finish (though a little shimmery), easy to blend on in the summer. i bought it in tan which was a little dark but would suit me in a few weeks. i agree that the colour selection is poor. although this is a TM and colour selection is typically slim, because this has the coverage it has it is more important to find a colour match. i like the SPF but wish it could be at least 20, no 15. yes, it does separate, but you just have to make sure to shake it really well before each use. HOWEVER after two days of use my face got a very dry, red rash on it, mostly on my cheeks, chin and around my nose. it was extremely dry, not to mention unattractive. i stopped using it and after two days of special creams and discomfort, my skin has shown a lot of improvement. i, however, won't be using this again. i gave it 3 lippies however because i think as long as you are careful to do a spot test to make sure you wont react, it could prove to be nice TM for the summer and then rest of the year.
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Liquid -Rimmel - LASTING Finish foundation
cSquaredFactotum 5/15/2011 1:54:00 AM
pros: long wearing natural-looking decent coverage dewy and fresh easy to blend cheap cons: poor shade selection slightly tacky on the skin packaging is messy possibly broke me out i bought this a little over a month ago because i had tanned and needed a new foundation to match my skintone (i got 200 soft beige). at first, i loved it. i suggest applying this by patting it on with your fingers and then pressing it to let it melt into the skin. i think this would work well for someone with dry skin, because it lasted wonderfully on my dry areas, but did not hold up so well on my T-zone. it also settled in 'fine lines' around the eyes and where laugh lines would be granted i was old enough to have them. it takes a while to set, but becomes unblendable quickly. i did enjoy the product, but the shade was too yellow and the dewiness just won't work for me. i may return to it in fall/winter though.
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Pressed Powders -New York Color - Pressed Translucent Powder
cSquaredFactotum 2/14/2011 7:41:00 PM
i love this powder! it's super sheer, non-cakey and i use it to set in the morning and blot throughout the day. it is a lot better than their loose powder (though that isn't AWFUL). when i first saw the little sponge it came with i was like: yeah right. but being at a loss for powder puffs at the moment and not wanting to carry a brush around i used the sponge and i actually like it! this powder doesn't cake even with the sponge and if i apply too much i can just press it/dust it away with my fingers. you don't need to waste your money on expensive blotting/setting powders when this works just as well. the packaging in sleek but looks a little cheap and the hinge might break but hey, that's what ducttape is for, right? NYC continues to impress me with their powders.
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Liquid -Cover Girl - TruBlend
cSquaredFactotum 2/5/2011 9:46:00 PM
this is more of a first impressions review, since i only go this a few days ago. i can't say whether it breaks me out badly or anything since it hasn't really had time to yet, but so far, i really like this foundation. i like that is comes in a super pale shade even though i personally am not that pale. 410 classic ivory matches me /perfectly/. if you are looking for really good coverage, this foundation is not for you. i'd say the coverage is medium at best but since that's all i was looking for, it suits me fine. i like to use a foundation brush to apply this on my face (and you shouldn't need more than one pump) and then do the final blending with my fingers to get rid of any streak marks. i VERY lightly powder my T-zone, but i like to keep the slight dewy finish it gives me. i don't recommend this for people with very oily skin as i think it will just enhance that (however, i can apply this over sunscreen as it's fine). staying power is okay, it lasted throughout the school day and seems to stay strong for a long time. this blends like a dream, it seriously melts into the skin and that combined with the finish makes it a very natural-looking foundation. you'll get people saying your skin looks nice, not people asking you if you're wearing foundation. i will probably repurchase this (and in a darker shade in the summer) unless i find a foundation i like even more. i think covergirl has some of the best colour selection in the drugstore (SO much better than maybelline). and of course, we all know how much everyone likes a bottle with a pump.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Colossal Waterproof
cSquaredFactotum 1/30/2011 7:19:00 PM
the non-waterproof version of this is my HG mascara. this waterproof (and keep in mind i am remembering back to the summer when i always buy waterproof mascaras) version is /almost/ as good. it doesn't make your lashes quite as big (but it doesn't claim to, either) but it is blacker. this mascara is WATERPROOF. i used it everyday last summer and went swimming in it and spent the whole day splashing about at the beach and it didn't budge. i plan on picking up another tube for my trip to mexico and is lasts in the water and stays put all day. i'm take off one lippie simply because the non-waterproof version is just a little better.
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Mascara -Rimmel - Sexy Curves Waterproof
cSquaredFactotum 1/28/2011 5:12:00 PM
i remember using my friend's sexy curves mascara (i know, i shouldn't share mascara. bad me) several months ago because she for some reason liked it, and i HATE it. i put it on, just one coat, and dare i say it: i BLINKED and the formula was all over my under eye and cheek and everywhere it shouldn't be! and then, once it did dry, it was very difficult to get off! stay away from this mascara.
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Eye Shadow -Wet 'n' Wild - Color Icon Palette--#247 Pride [DISCONTINUED]
cSquaredFactotum 1/26/2011 6:30:00 PM
i LOVE this palette. every shade has it's purpose. all the matte shades need a good base. the matte white works best over a white base and works as a good inner corner highlight for matte looks. however, it is a bit chalky and probably the worst of all these shades. the shimmer white is mostly just shimmer, and looks beautiful dusted over other shadows to give them a bit of life, in the inner corner or blended over NYX's jumbo eye pencil in cottage cheese. the matte green needs either a white or green base but when applied over one is a wonderful almost sea-foam green. i am in love with this colour. the shimmer green also should have a white or green base and i think it looks best when applied over the matte green. the matte blue is a bit... grey. i'm not even sure how to describe it. i like it but it's very dark and hardly looks blue when packed on. the shimmer blue, on the other hand, is gorgeous. it looks best over a white or blue base, but can pull itself off on it's own. shimmery, bright dark blue. the green and blue really work together to give you a 'tropical bird' kind of look. prefect from brightening things up in the winter, or being truly summery in the summer. i don't wear a base (except for coloured bases, but no paint pots, UDPP, TFSI etc.) and these do not crease on me at all. they last all day as vibrant as ever. i highly recommend this product!
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Eye Shadow -NYX - Jumbo Eye Shadow Pencil - Cottage Cheese
cSquaredFactotum 1/26/2011 6:19:00 PM
i think i'm a convert. i went to my grocery store earlier today (which is the only place i can find NYX around where i live) with the intention of buying milk. however, they were sold out and i also wanted cottage cheese so i just went for it. of course, i just got it and have only used it once, but my first impression is a good one! someday's when i don't feel like, or don't have the time, to do a complex look i'll just add a wash of shimmer over my lids and coat my lashes in mascara and call it a day. this makes that even easier! i apply it most heavily on the inner corner and blend it out over my lid for a gorgeous shimmery lid. i also did several comparison swatches on my hand and this makes my shadows stand out and pop, and the shimmer gives them a bit more life. so far, love this products but i'll keep you updated if my opinion changes. i will probably depot it eventually but i am not sure yet. i plan on taking this when i go traveling. this, concealer, mascara and bronzer are all i need to look fresh without looking over done. :)
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Lipstick -Revlon - ColorBurst in 070 Soft Nude [DISCONTINUED]
cSquaredFactotum 1/25/2011 8:58:00 PM
i really wanted a nude lipstick since i wear very dramatic eyes a lot and my lips are quite pigmented. this lipstick is okay, but not awesome. for a drugstore lipstick, it's pretty pricey. the packaging is very nice, however my tube actually popped right out of the case, i put it back in, but i noticed it was just attached with something that looks like hot glue. not sure how i feel about that. although the lipstick is creamy, it's very drying and i highly suggest a lip gloss over it. it is a little too peachy, but nothing i can't deal with. i like the smell, kind of pepperminty but it doesn't wear very long at all which is a bit of a downer. i think i might like the matte nude lipstick more because i've heard it's more opaque. i am on the fence between giving this a 3 or 4. i don't recommended this for darker skin tones, i think it might appear orange.
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Bronzers -New York Color - Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny 720
cSquaredFactotum 1/25/2011 8:51:00 PM
i have always shied away from bronzer because of their notoriousness for making people look orange. however, in my palest shade in the heart of winter, i find my self itching for a little colour on my eyes/face/lips. anyway, i bought this because i'd heard it was pretty good and really cheap, and i think it's a great bronzer, especially for people like me who are a bit cautious of bronzer. i apply it with a big fluffly brush (the sponge it comes with is a joke) and i find it quite difficult to apply too much. it just adds a little glow and colour to my face without making it obvious. i think i will use this even more once i have a but of a tan since i load so much sunscreen on my face that it tends to get a bit paler than my body. the packaging is alright. nice mirror, basic compact. however, it's a bit of trouble to close and the hinge is actually just bent plastic, so i have a feeling it might tear eventually. oh well, that's what duct tape is for. aside from that, i think if you're pale/midtoned this will work for you, but it might be too light for darker skin. NYC should make a few more shades.
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Lip Gloss -NYX - NYX 127 Pink Frost
cSquaredFactotum 1/9/2011 11:54:00 PM
i like this product, but it's a little too frosty for me (yes, i know it's meant to be frosty, which is why i'm not docking lippies because of it). my mum gave this too me after buying it and hating it and i like it because it's pale and i wear a lot of dark makeup on my eyes and have very pigmented lips. i like putting it under a nude lip stick (revlon soft nude) to give a nude, shimmery lip. like it, but will probably replace it with one less frosty.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Xtreme Wear - Celeb City
cSquaredFactotum 1/9/2011 10:11:00 PM
a few weeks ago i managed to stop biting my nails, and now i am getting into polish. at the moment, this is my favourite polish and i can't see it changing anytime soon. it's very frosty, metallic and silver. i always find myself going back to this polish when i don't know what to wear. as for lasting power, i can't really say since i tend to pick at my nails, shortening the life of the polish. you need two coats to make it opaque, but it also looks wonderful over top of a black polish. will certainly repurchase, and probably soon, since i use it to death.
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