Crème -Maybelline - Dream Smooth Mousse
carriespooner 1/30/2011 10:14:00 PM
I"m MAC NW20, green eyes, red hair. I'm stinging a little bit from the 32 USD price tag on my MAC compact foundation. I'm a personal trainer and I seem to need lots of compacts of foundation which I go through like water. Teach, shower, teach shower... sooooo I've had my eye on this after seeing so many ads for it. . This packaging is like a flat jar and the lid has a compartment for the sponge which I tossed promptly. The sponges always seem to be so slippery that the foundation just sits on my face like a blanket. I use my own Sonia K foundation sponge. Sooo much better. This foundation has great coverage and goes on very easily. I did not use a primer with it and it still glided on. It is not shiny or too 'glowy'. I wouldn't call it a matte look though but I thought it was very fresh looking. Just a little more pressing into the skin with my own sponge and it blended down and matched perfectly. I used Creamy Natural. Good news! No breakouts and it didn't settle in to pores lines/ etc. I got a BOGO at Walgreens so I paid less than 10 dollars for it. I would buy it again.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Farouk CHI - Chi shine infusion thermal polishing spray
carriespooner 10/19/2010 4:02:00 AM
My hair is big. Flat ironing takes me almost an hour and most of the time it does not come close to looking as good as when my stylist does it. I've used so many products but never picked this one up. My stylist uses it on me every time she flat irons me so how did I not jump on this!?? The product has a lovely, but not over powering scent. It makes my hair very shiny, smooth and not at all crispy. I can go several days without washing. Some other shine sprays make my hair too oily looking after a day or two. My salon had a sale and I got this for 10 dollars. Wow. I actually went back and bought more. HG status x 10.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous Million Lashes
carriespooner 10/19/2010 3:45:00 AM
I'm a Mac Plush Lash girl so this product's advertising intriqued me. I found this mascara to be just okay. I seem to remember liking the original Voluminous but this one didn't give me 'millions' of lashes and actually less than the original Voluminous. Pros: Gold packaging is nice. The brush does keep the gloops at a minimum and application is clean. I didn't have to fuss with my lashes after I applied. It didn't smell. . It did not flake off into my contacts . I purchased this at Walgreens for 8.99 USD. It is not great. If you can, get it on a BOGO. The nearly 10 dollar price (8.99 plus tax) is a bit steep for a middle of the road mascara. IMHO.
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Palettes -Urban Decay - Book of Shadows Vol. III
carriespooner 9/14/2010 1:52:00 PM
I will gloat. I was in Times Square the day this came out. I have the Alice in Wonderland palette and lots of these same shadows in singles so I didn't really "need" a BOS. The LE packaging is the star of this palette. The city scape lights up! How NY is that?! I'm in love with this palette! It was almost 50 dollars but honestly, I'd probably have drank that in Margarita's over the weekend so who cares. The AIW pallette and NYC have a few duplicates but never mind that. When you buy a book of shadows you get the best of UD ES and it's a great value. You are going to get the glitter and the deep pigments and all the elements that make UD an exciting makeup line. If you can get your hands on this, do it. It has a high cool factor and BOS are always a good investment in case you get the urge to swap have a sale on LJ.
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Fragrances -Bliss Labs - Bliss Eau de Toilette
carriespooner 9/14/2010 1:37:00 PM
This is the brand new fragrance from Bliss Labs and it's a Sephora exclusive. Notes: Bergamot, Dewy Greens, Cucumber, Lily, Ylang Ylang, Violet. Style: Uplifting. Floral. Unique. The notes say floral but I get Marine. The #1 question is "Does this fragrance smell like the Bliss Fabulous Foaming body wash?" The answer is Yes. Bliss had the marine line for a long time. I found it while staying at the W hotels. The bodywash, lotions, face wash and soap were in my hotel room. The shower had a dispenser with ALL BLISS! I ran straight to Sephora to buy the line and found out they had discontinued everything except the body wash. I believe the face wash also smells the same. When I saw this fragrance I was curious if it was the same scent and it is! I hope they bring back the marine line now! I picked up more of the marine items at (gasp) costco! I guess they closed it all out. Sephora.. please make Bliss give us back the Marine line. Staying power on this fragrance is great. Shocking because it's Eau de Toilette. The roller ball is nice if you want to try it out but I'm sniping the big bottle. It's perfect for everyday. It's very Spa! On a side note.. if you are old enough to remember "Love's Rain Scent" this is on the order of that fragrance.
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Coastal Scents - 88 Metal Mania Palette
carriespooner 9/1/2010 9:51:00 AM
I typically shop Mac/UD higher end products so I labored over trying this palette. I ordered from the CS site and had it in 2 days. It came in a priority shipping box with oodles of bubble wrap and it was wrapped up like a beautiful present! CS sent me some sweet samples too! When I took the palette out of it's own box, I fell hard. First of all.. it's huge! Most importantly, the shadows are really beautiful. I will not tolerate chalky shadows and there are none in this set. The colors are very buttery and remind me of UD and Mac frosts. There are some that are more sheer and have a holo effect. I always use a primer or shadow base and had no issues with fading. Packing on the product was easy and blending was a breeze. With my metals I like to use Mac Uppity fluid line as a base. It makes the metals pop and you could party for three days in your look. The shadows are dime sized but don't be discouraged.. there are 88 of them! The palette comes with two longer handled sponge applicators in the lid, but you'll ditch those for your pro brushes anyway. The price is 24.95 and worth every cent if not just for the fun factor. I will not travel with this due to it's size but I love love love playing with it.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -L'Oreal - Visible Lift Serum Absolute Advanced Age-Reversing Makeup
carriespooner 8/5/2010 10:53:00 PM
I'm a Mac girl. Mac Nw20. I saw the ad for this and read up on the reviews. I'm at the point where I need an anti aging foundation. I took a chance on this one and purchased it at Walgreens in Creamy Natural. Perfect match for my Nw20 skin. I love this. it is beautiful, smooth and very pretty on the skin. What I didn't see is the foundation seeping into my fine lines. It's not overly heavy as my Studio Tech but it covers nicely. No scent to speak of. Price was about 15 dollars which is around what I pay for Mac on my Pro discount. I purchased this foundation with a coupon and had a L'oreal BOGO so I got another product for half price. I also love that it has a pump top. Right now.. this is my go to foundation. I'll probably make the full switch from Mac because this suits my skin now. I'll purchase again, for sure!
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -L'Oreal - Extra Volume Collagen Mascara Blackest Black
carriespooner 7/30/2010 6:13:00 PM
Tried this on a whim and I like it! I'm a Plush Lash girl and this one is a close runner to PL. No scent, didn't flake off and it looks great. Application wasn't messy or clumpy or too wet. The brush is nice and full, like Plush lash. Everything was spot on. Great product. I got it on a bogo so I paid 3.99 for it. I gave high marks in all categories, everything just worked.
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Crème -Cover Girl - Simply Ageless
carriespooner 6/25/2010 11:56:00 AM
I'm Mac Pro and Mac has been my exclusive foundation for the last 8 years. I am a trainer so I sweat all day. My skin is a wreck and my normal Mac is too heavy for days when I train. I read that trying an anti aging foundation might help my skin so I browsed Walgreens for one that was in a cream formula. I haven't used CG since the mid 90's. I typically they were hit and miss for me so I'm surprised I like this foundation. I eyeballed my foundation color and was spot on correct. I'm Mac nw20 and Creamy Natural is a perfect match. I just found that CG has a HE shade match interface on their site. http://www.covergirl.com/stand-up-for-beauty/compare-makeup/ This foundation has a little sponge to apply it but I like it best with my Cover FX foundation brush. It is perfect. The sponge makes it slide around although it's faster with less drama. I can live with it. The texture reminds me of Mac's mineralized foundation in the compact. It lays on the skin nicely. It blends beautifully and didn't clog my pores. It did not feel as heavy as my Studio Tech, which I now reserve for non-gym days. Price: Gasp! $16 USD! I got mine on a BOGO and I'm burning through it really fast so I'm not sure it's a bargain. I get my Mac on Pro discount so it's a tough call. Packaging: confusing! Good luck with that. Note: Walgreens takes cosmetic returns with receipt so if you're a little curious, give it a chance. It may be your HG.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Maybelline - Color Sensational Lipstick - Coral Gleam
carriespooner 6/25/2010 11:32:00 AM
I am: Mac NW20, redhair, green eyes. I'm a Mac girl so I feel like I should be in a dark alley talking about this lippie. I love the CS pearls! I would not have tried any of the CS lippies had I not saw a review of CS 225 Caramel Kiss on Temptalia. These lippies are wow. 730 Coral Gleam is perfection with my skin tone. The pearliness adds a yummy dimension but not glittery. When I rock the Mystic Tan, it is divine. I hear it's the dupe of Mac dressmaker, which I could not get! I gave it a 3 on price because I'm on Mac pro so it's cheaper for me to buy Mac. I know that 9 bucks isn't as pricey as HE lippies but for a drugstore lippie, I think it's high. Always look for a Bogo on these lippies and you'll be ok. Packaging is good because it's not sealed up so you can see the lippie! Bottom line : I have several of these for my gym bag, purse. They are super easy to wear without doing the drama of lip liner, gloss. They aren't drying. Note: Walgreens has a BOGO on them now. They accept cosmetic returns with receipt so you can't lose by giving these lippies a try.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Avon - superSHOCK Mascara
carriespooner 1/30/2010 11:45:00 AM
I do not love this mascara at all. I opened it and it smells chemically. I got not oopphm from this mascara. The brush and packaging are fine. The formula is not good, IMHO The price was 4.99 and I wish I had it back.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Styling Tools -Paris Hilton - Celebrity Styler
carriespooner 1/4/2010 7:20:00 PM
This item is from the December 2009 release of the Paris Hilton/Hair Tech products. I've been wanting an INSTYLER for a very long time after seeing the infomercial. Even on Craigslist they were still around 100 dollars. My hair is long, thick and wavy. I have a Chi iron, which I do love, but it takes me a good hour to flat iron. I haven't rushed to buy the Instyler because it was pricey for an extra tool when I already have a high end straightener. I started to have a little carpal tunnel feeling from flat ironing my hair and it occurred to me that the Instyler might not take as many passes to do the job. My best friend, sent me the link to the Paris Hilton Celebrity Styler and I went immediately to Sally Beauty and bought it. The Celebrity styler has a digital reading for heat settings up to 450 degrees and it says it can be used on damp hair. You simply take a strip of hair and the rotation of the barrel starts when you close it down on the hair. You don't have to squeeze hard. It takes me only 1-2 passes to get a straight section. It's much easier on my hand than the Chi. The barrel polishes the hair and makes it shiny. I still use a heat guard spray but I got great results from this product. The bonus feature that the Instyler does not have is.. you can turn the rotating barrel off so it can be used as a large curling iron for flips, curls and waves. Woot. I found it very easy to use and even on the stubborn course section at the back of my crown it did well but only if I went slowly. You can't speed through course hair. Take your time so it can do it's thing. The Celeb styler is really pretty. It's black and hot pink. It says Paris Hilton on it and it has a matching 'Ultimate Brush' (see separate review). I paid 59.99 for this at Sally Beauty which is well worth it. If you buy this item in January 2010 from Sally you will get the Ultimate brush free. You can also purchase at http://www.getcelebritystyler.com for an easy pay price. This is a very good product and reasonable. It works well. I love it. I was able to straighten in much less time with great results. The double bonus was that I had dried my hair using the Ultimate Brush so it was somewhat straight. Good combination! This company is also coming out with more hair products in 2010 and I'm very excited to try them.
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Styling Tools -Paris Hilton - Ultimate Brush
carriespooner 1/4/2010 4:32:00 PM
This is part of the new launch of the Paris Hilton Celebrity Styler from the people of Hair Tech December 2009. This brush has a round vented head. It is about 3 inches across and has a pretty pink handle. I bought the Celebrity Styler at Sally Beauty and passed on the Brush but then ran back up to purchase it after I saw the video for it. It is just great. My hair is thick and wavy and I wear it in a flat iron/straightend style. Normally, it takes me 45 minutes to dry it with my Ionic dryer and my flat Aveda paddle brush. Using the Ultimate brush was a real test. I applied a little straightening balm to my towel dried hair and started drying. The air moves through the brush and each section took no time to dry. I was sure that this brush would be like other 'round' brushes I had purchased and get hung up in my hair. Not at all. The round head is so easy to lift anywhere on the hair. You can pull it right through the hair and flip or curl the ends very easily. Nothing to it. The handle feels great in your hand. It's not heavy. It took me half the time to dry my hair plus it was much straighter than when I use my paddle brush. I would also reach for this just to brush my hair as well. It looks odd but it is surprisingly easy to use. I can see it would work great for almost any style. You could use a little spray and get that 'bump' in no time or get volume for very fine hair. This product is just $9.99 and is sold at Sally Beauty or online. In January 2010 if you purchase a Paris Hilton Celebrity Styler, you will get the brush free. Get this brush!
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Arbonne - Virtual Illusion Makeup Primer
carriespooner 10/12/2009 1:24:00 PM
I tried this product when I was given a sample by an Arbonne Rep. I normally would have never given this line the time of day but I'm so glad I did. I love this primer. In fact, I love it more than Spackle, BE prime time, Tarte, MUFE. It's an amazing product. One thing I notice about this primer is that it is a slightly different texture than the other primers I've used. It still feels very smooth and silky but it instantly gives the skin smoothness and a velvety look the second you put it on. This would be perfection even for men who have to be on camera because it just looks great and keeps the shine at bay. If you purchase from your Arbonne rep, you will pay 32.50 USD for 1.oz here's a link https://arbonne.com/shop_online/showitem.asp?ProductId=6324&menuId=25&withLinks=1 I swapped for this and saw it on ebay. Even if you can just get some samples of this.. do it! You will not believe it. I like how Arbonne's packaging dispenses a single use amount. A little goes a long long way. I'm becoming a fan of this company!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Lash Stiletto
carriespooner 6/23/2009 10:27:00 AM
I feel kind of bad because I cheated on MAC PLUSHLASH. I saw a picture on MUA's front page of a user wearing Lash Stiletto and it looked awesome. I'm seriously addicted to Plushlash but it has it's own 'LOOK' of big thick babydoll fringe. Stiletto is in another category. I got one at Walgreens with a BOGO so it was free with another mascara.. that's a good price. lol I like the brush quite a bit. It's good for getting into the tiny lashes for definition. I used it alone with no primer and it was just ok on me. I need a little more volume. However.. I think I'd use this to do the tips of my lashes when I use Plushlash. I will say that I never looked spidery or clumpy with Lash Stiletto. The formula did not flake off (I'm talking to you, CHANEL). So I'll give it a thumbs up. I did not have any contact irritation and it came off easily with my Mac wipes. I'd like to try this one with Prep and Prime lash primer or over a fiber base just to see if I can get some volume. I*'m not going to give it a bad rating because it's not the perfect fit for me. I think it's worth a try especially if you can get a BOGO!
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