Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Extase Flash Plumping Mascara
cheryls 6/27/2010 12:53:00 AM
Overall: Slightly above average. I like the brush and the application.. pretty smooth with no clumps. I look for two things in my mascara - 1) to hold the curl on my straight lashes, and 2) to not smudge. This smudged a little.. not as much as some others like Buxom, but too much for my taste. I prefer Diorshow blackout and Anna Sui.
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Mascara -Bare Escentuals - buxom lash
cheryls 6/27/2010 12:50:00 AM
Its an average mascara. I only look for two things in my mascara - 1) to hold my curl (I have straight lashes naturally), 2) to not smudge. This mascara did neither for me. Boo.
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Liquid -MAC - Mineralize Satinfinish SPF 15 Foundation [DISCONTINUED]
cheryls 6/21/2008 1:36:00 AM
I got this because I managed to find it cheap on discount. I have this in shade NC 42. And I should have gotten something lighter. Even though I am a NC 42 in the studio fix powder, this MSF foundation seems darkier.
Because I dont need such heavy coverage, I mix half a pump of this with some Clinique City Block (spf40) and a lil moisturiser or some aloe vera gel and apply the mixture as a tinted sunscreen. I like the packaging. I find the pump bottle easy to use and hygienic. The product is non oily. Of course I apply loose powder over once I'm done, so I cant really be too sure. Whichever it is, the combination seems to keep oil off my face for a pretty long time. I'm not complaining. I wish though the product had a higher spf. Spf 15 is peanuts, I would put at least a 30 on my face.. that's why I mix it with City Block.
The coverage for this product is good. Even after 'diluting' it with moisturiser, it manages to even up my skintone and hide the tiny zits on my forehead.
I dont know what it is about this product but even though it isnt that bad, and is actually pretty good, I'm not absolutely in love with it. And because the spf is too low, I wont be repurchasing.
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Lipstick -Lancome - Rouge Sensation in Luxe
cheryls 6/21/2008 1:22:00 AM
This is a warm shimmery pink brown l/s. I swapped for it based on the review I saw here hoping it would be a MLBB shade, and it is. (: I use it daily for work/school cause its natural looking and understated. I usually layer a pale pink gloss or a pink brown gloss over it. I'm quite loving this colour as it suits my NC42 tan skin well.
There's this thing about the smell though. It doesnt really bother me, however I'm not loving it. It smells like cosmetics, a little like how a creme blush or something would when it has gone bad. Only not quite to that extent. I think this is because the product is unscented. I much prefer scented products.
I would repurchase this again simply because I like the shade and its staying power. I apply it in the morning, and it stays. After I eat, most other l/s and l/g would disappear but about 50% of this stays, so even though it requires a touch up, my lips arent totally bare after a meal. This beats most other's I've tried, staying power wise. It isnt drying too. I usually wear l/s over a balm but I've tried this balmless too and while it doesnt moisturise much, it doesnt dry my lips out either.
I'd say try this if the colour suits you because this is a pretty good l/s. However if you are one of those adverse to scents, check it out at the store first because I can totally see how the scent will really put some people off. And I'm taking a lippie off for that.
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Eyeliner -Sephora - Liner electro
cheryls 4/20/2008 6:40:00 AM
I'm sorry be the first to tarnish the good rep of this pencil. Yes it is nice. Very black. Very smooth and easy to apply. Very blendable. I love the blackness of it and the glitter. The only thing is that being so soft it also means that it smudges. I have tried setting it with dark e/s over and though it has helped the smudging a little, the thing ended up smudging to my lower lid. That, is a no-no for me. I have enough of smudging products. Having said that, it doesnt smudge THATT much, (I have seen worse), just a little here and there, but it still looks like I have dark circles.
If you're looking for something pretty and blendable though, this is for you. I can see it working beautifully for a smokey eye. Its cheap too. I just cant get around the smudging - so, no repurchase for me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -L'Oreal - Microliner in Black Point
cheryls 4/20/2008 6:34:00 AM
A very narrow pencil, draws a very perfect line. Very black. Very pretty. But SMUGES TERRIBLY!!! The worse ever. It seriously smudges like.... ZOMG, it gets EVERYWHERE. 'nuff said.
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Primer/ Corrector -Pure Luxe Cosmetics - Banana Split
cheryls 4/20/2008 6:31:00 AM
I bought a sample of this and would but a full sized one when this runs out. A powder concealer is SO SO SO much easier to apply than liquid or whatnots. I found out that a fluffy small brush works best so I use my 224 to apply Banana Split.
Banana Split is a colour corrector. It is a very finely milled powder. It is yellow in the pot. It is meant to cover up bluish tones. I use it for my under eye and eye lids. It highlights the area a little and works for my dark eye circles. I use it over my loose powder. (moisturiser, SS, loose powder, then Banana Split). I dip my brush in and end up picking up A LOT. (I havent figured out how to control the amount). THen I wipe off some on the edge of my pot and apply to the areas I want, moving my brush around till it is all blended. It blends really easily, so it doesnt really matter if you use a lot. I use some to cover the redness around my nose too.
This is a very good product. Though it does cover up the dark rings totally, it gives the illusion that I am alot more awake and my skintone is a lot more even. Plus, being a powder, it means my face is less oily than with a regular cream concealer, and it stays on longer too. Highly recommended.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -Stila - All Over Shimmer Liquid Luminizer - 6 - Peach
cheryls 4/20/2008 6:22:00 AM
I got this with my Kitten shadow and never really reached for it initially. But now I do almost daily. It is a versatile product and very quick which I like. This PEACH AOS is a liquid that comes in a beautiful glass bottle with a blue stared Stila screw cap attached to a brush like a nail polish. I wipe some product off the edge of the opening and then dot 3 dots each on my cheekbones and one dot on each eyelid. I use my fingers to blend the product over the other part of cheekbones and up to my temples avoiding the front of my face (or I'd just end up looking silly) and the hollows of my cheeks. Then I smear it all over my eyelid as an e/s base concentrating the product more on the inner corners of my eye.
Because I am tanned, this peach AOS works better than a gold one would. It is a pinkish beige shimmer that matches my tanned, NC 40-ish olive asian skin naturally. My cheeks look glowy. For a casual day-time look the eyes can be left like that and it looks good. If not, I apply more shadows over it. As an e/s base it works well and gives your shadows a hint of shimmer too. I saw it used for a Smokey eye in a mag but I havent tried it myself.
It is ALOT of product in a bottle. You can also mix it with lotion to use as a shimmer moisturiser or just streak and blend some on your shin, (yes the leg), or your boobies.
When it dries it isnt oily and wont 'melt' off with sweat. I apply it over my face powder then powder blush over. (Applying face powder after AOS would just cover most of it up.) And even though the AOS may look like it is messing up the face powder, it will turn out fine when the product dries so dont keep trying to blend and blend like I did, only to end up with my entire face covered in shimmer. A little product goes a long way.
I would repurchase.
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Highlighters -Sephora - LIGHT TOUCH
cheryls 4/20/2008 6:09:00 AM
I like this product, you know. It is yellow toned and blends very well with my tan NC 40 ish olive asian skin.
THE ONLY THING I HATE IS THE PACKAGING. It comes in this pen where you twist the bottom and the product flows out between the bristles of a nylon brush. At least it is supposed to.. I click mine, and wait, and wait. Then I click it again. About 3 times each click. Then I wait a long while more. And still nothing comes up. Then I do it one more time. Finally, a little oozes out. Good. I apply it more like a concealer to cover up my tiny zits and blemishes. I use it as would I do with the YSL Touche Eclat - the T on my forehead above my brows and down the bridge of my nose, onthe reddness around my nose, my eyelids and under eye circles, around my lips. And when I'm done, the product doesnt stop! Noo... It keeps flowing and flowing. WTF! How am I to control the amount of product I want?? I also cant apply with the brush attached because the whole time there is too much product on the brush. I dab with my ring finger to blend.. this makes the function of the attached brush virtually useless.
The product though is good. It is not too oily, blends well, and stays on under some powder. It is also fairly cheap. It is called a 'Highlighter' but it is quite opaque, and this makes it work more like a concealer for me and still highlights only because it is a tad lighter in colour in comparison to my skintone.
I would recommend it to people who can wear yellow undertones. I like this product and would re purchase ONLY IF the change the packaging - something less stupid and more controllable, like a squeeze tube. THe brush it comes with is too small to do anything and the twist thing is unreliable and ends up wasting product because you have no control over the thing. It was fairly cheap... around 10USD at Sephora I think.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Shiseido - Eyelash Curler
cheryls 4/20/2008 5:48:00 AM
I use this curler everyday. It curls well and holds the curl with or without mascara. I used to think that lashes were overated but now I realised that even without mascara or anything obvious about them, they subtlely open up your eye. This is especially so for me since my lashes are short and straight and point slightly downwards. Curling them makes me look so much more awake in an understated kind of way.
THis curler is good for me because of its curvature. My eyes in the anterior-posterior (front and back) direction are quite flat so this curler is able to capture almost all - it still misses a little at times - my lashes in one grab. I crimp the base and the middle and tips, 3 spots. The trick is not to press too hard. Just close the pads gently and hold for a couple seconds though it often feels like eternity. Pressing too hard will create an awful 90 degree crease.
I got this for fairly cheap. I believe it retails for S$16 at dept stores, which is not bad since I reach for it everyday. I wipe the curler with tissue often to remove e/l residue, and made a small pouch that I slide it in to carry in my purse.
I feel that Shiseido and Shu's e/l curler are the only two people should use. Shiseido if your eye ball ant-post curvature is flatter, while Shu's if the curvature is rounder. They are about the same price with Shu's being a couple dollars or so more. I wished that Shiseido's came with a case like Shu's.
I took one lippie off for the lack of case and because it doesnt quite get all my lashes at one go. But other than having to curl the inner lashes with a second try, I am very happy with this product. It lasts very very very long, the curler and the curling pads, I have had mine for almost a year and I dont have to replace them yet. Definately repurchase.
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Eyeliner -Sephora - Liquid Eyeliner
cheryls 11/23/2007 10:02:00 PM
I thought this would work but it really doesnt. THE BRUSH IS SO HARD it hurt my eye. The liquid is just ok. Quite watery and not as pigmented as I liked it to be. Maybe if they changed the felt tip pen, I'd reconsider. But for not, I dont like it.
EDIT: THis is not that bad. I use a flat e/l brush to apply it and it looks nice and applies very well. The colour is a slightly metalic greyish black. Smudges on me slightly though. Another thing I hate - having to wipe off black gunk from my under eye.
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Eye Primer -Artdeco - Eyeshadow Base
cheryls 8/4/2007 12:41:00 AM
This base comes in a little pot. I use my fingers to apply it all over my lid. I use a thin layer. The creme applies smoothly. It is a pale creme translucent colour with very very little shimmer. It helps my shadows stay on the entire day - 7am till midnight. I also use this on my lash line to hold my e/l in place and prevent panda eyes. The only issue is that it started to crease slightly around 9pm - bummer. But hey, that's already more than 12h. I picked this up in Germany, because I heard Artdeco was good. (Hadnt done my usual P'ville researach before hand. lol.) It was fairly cheap, about 6.80 euros. A good product imo for its price.
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Eye Shadow -Stila - Lame Pro Eyeshadow
cheryls 7/5/2007 9:33:00 AM
I love this shadow. Its a perfect neutral on me. Very versatile and unique shade. Lovely quality. Pigmented colour, which is buildable. It can be used with almost anything. Its a mildly frosty olive golden beige/cream/taupe shade. It goes well with my tan asian olive skin. On me, it is what I would think Kitten would be on many others. Its as usable as the shade Kitten, only I feel that this would complement yellow undertones much better, (while Kitten would work good with redder undertones.) Less frosty than kitten. I bought this on a whimp online, and I dont regret one bit!!
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Highlighters -The Body Shop - Shimmer Waves in Blush
cheryls 7/5/2007 9:26:00 AM
This is a knock-off of BB's Pink Shimmerbrick. THe only difference is that this is more silvery. Initially I found it a little too metalic for my NC 42, tan olive asian skin. But I picked it up randomly one day and fell in love. This is very good for a quick 5-minute routine. I use it the same way you would use a MSF or smth. 1) With a smallish face brush, I sweep the bottom 3 lighter shades over my lids/brow bone. 2) Then the darker 3 redder shades on the top of my cheekbones. 3) Then slightly sweep some of the silvery shades again on the bridge of my nose and above my brows. 4) complete with some lipgloss and eyeliner and I'm good to go! When used in moderation, this gives me a dewy and fresh look. It brightens up my 'black' face nicely for a nude/makeup-less look. I have to blot my face in the middle of the day otherwise the shine plus oil is just - overkill!! A good product to bring to the gym or traveling. However, the 'strips' keep popping out on mine. I have to manually place the lines of powder back. I wonder if anyone else has this problem and a solution to it. I'm thinking maybe pressing it back like you would a pigment.. but I've never tried that and dont wanna risk it. Taking a lippie off for the less than average packaging on mine.. other that, its a very versatile product.
EDIT: I recently rediscovered this. I now store this product with a folded piece of tissue stuffed in the lid to prevent the powder strips from sliding around. It is a very natural pink for me. I use it daily because I am often in a hurry in the mornings and have no time for precise application. It adds a hint of healthy colour to my cheeks. I sweep my MAC blush brush on the top four pink colours, avoiding the silver) and apply it on my cheeks and temples. Fuss free. Aside from the packaging, I'm recommeding this!!
I have the bronze one too. But I cant open the stupid clasp so its still brand new. I doubt it will work as well as the pink one though.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Bamboo
cheryls 4/27/2007 1:10:00 PM
This is a neutral shade of beige that has a 'burnt' look, zero shimmer. It glows orange (but only slightly). When I tested it at first, I thought it was a dissapointment because it had zero pigmentation. But after using this for a few days, I'm starting to like it. I realised that I had to swip my brush a few more times for this to show. This looks good on its own, for a natural "I'm-really-not-wearing-m/u" look; or as a base. When I put it over my concealer, it darkens my eye lids slightly and 'hides' my concealer well. This colour is close to my skin's so it looks really natural. The orange tones make me look healthy. I would recommend this for darker ladies. If you're fair, I'd think you might want to give this a miss because there are many other beige shades out there. This is not that special. I think this would suit people with a tan (fair or dark) and would work well with warmer skintones. I should try this on the rest of my face some day. Because this looks natural on my NC 42 tanned olive skin/AAB/brown-black eyes, I would repurchase this.
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